"Thanks dad for giving me life!" to my 95 yr old father on this my 69th birthday morning!/"you knit me in my mother's womb"

Dad's birthday gift to me needs to be a picture... he is ready to go to his chair!

St Therese on my wall since last year on my birthday!  One year she has graced me with her presence on my family wall!  A gift from my sister, Martha!  So appropriate to see Martha in the Gospel today in that story of her and her sister, Mary, with Jesus from Luke 10 - Martha serving and Mary sitting at the feet of Jesus.  We are called to do both, and when they are done with selflessness we grow in our Faith!

St Therese from Marty a year ago when mom and dad were leaving their home for Assisted living in New Hope.  Half of the year since dad has been here living with me... a month after mother, his wife Nancy of 70 years, died quickly after a fall breaking her hip!

St Therese on my wall reminds me of the crazy year it has been leading up to my 69th birthday!  The roses were a complete surprise to find on the table this morning with a call from my hardworking husband about how he went to Walmart at 10p just as it was closing to get them for me!  Thanks, honey!

Family picture, St Therese, and Jesus on the cross...

I was able to thank my 95 year old father for LIFE this birthday morning!  So special to have that ability with him here!  Then reading the Psalm 139's words to me of my being loved from the beginning by God and my parents!

Truly you have formed my inmost being;
you knit me in my mother’s womb.
I give you thanks that I am fearfully, wonderfully made;
wonderful are your works.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
My soul also you knew full well;
nor was my frame unknown to you
When I was made in secret,
when I was fashioned in the depths of the earth.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.

A special gift from Pat!  Thank you, Honey!

It has been a crazy few days!  This was my view for a couple afternoons helping Pat with an electric fence for miles around a combined corn field and now cows on stalks!

Sunday egg hunt - found these in a nest under a door in the barn!

Love those corn stalk bales!  We have 500 to pick up!  Hoping for some pictures first...

John giving dad Jesus on Sunday!

Simon at the bandshell on Sunday - masks made it kind of sad in some ways!

Growing up to be such a wonderful young man!  "A strapping lad" 

His voice is his instrument indeed.  He loves to use it on stage!  Thanks to his God-given abilities and Catholic school for 9 years.  Also 4H gives them confidence in front of people!

Drove dad "around the block!"  He saw Big Dave raking corn stalks in front of dad.  We were impressed by his ability and work ethic!  Great JOB, Dave!

A picture and thank you from his grateful dad!

Ruth usually leads the way with the rake.. she lost some of her job this year.  The kids are growing up and helping more on the farm!

No school at the Catholic School due to teacher's workshop... we did our last day of canning - 100 quarts of apple pie filling!

6 year old Luke and 3 year old Joy were big helpers!  Luke was at my side all day!  He would cut the apples and jump in on the corer peeler, too!  Thanks, Luke!

5 month old Birdie by our bowl of apples ready for the pot!  

Simon has always adored the turny thing/corer peeler, and now is a machine of putting them through in quick fashion!  Him and grandma are machines!  7 pails of apples now in the jars and ready for pies and apple Kuechen!  

Lots of good help on the farm!

A break to go out and meet Mary's new buck, Tonka Truck!  He's cute and Mary loves him  a lot!

The final canner of apple pie filling - #7x 14 quarts = 98!  Every last jar is filled for the year!  Feeding our 7 families is our JOY!

"Stirring my caldron."  Ruth  Such a hard worker she is!  Thank you, Ruth and family!

Some of the processed jars with the digger outside the window... Fall job with two of my kids, Ruth and John, and 7 of my grandkids!

Ruth's 6 and Baby Birdie Barbara thinking they look interesting and tasty!

Took Pat supper by the grain bins last night right as the sun was stunning!

Oh the beautiful light at the end of the day during harvest!

Luke 5 years ago!  He was almost 2 as his birthday is on ALL Saints Day - Nov 1!  He was my assistant all day yesterday!  He was an amazing worker with grandma!

Nancy shared this from Dominic's workbook!  A picture of his Aunt Little Sister Hallel!  How sweet and special to see the wonderful influence that the grandkids have with a nun for an aunt!  I just got word that she will be staying in France for the year!  Kind of sad after having her here close by in KC for the last few years!

Jesus, we trust in you.  Thank you for Faith/Family/Farm filling our days with your LIGHT/LOVE/LIFE!  Bless-bless, Barbara

Danielle Rose