Boys and 'Copters

Yesterday was quite a day for the boys! Almost all day, at least three helicopters were flying around the countryside dipping into local ponds to take water to the fire.

 

Waiting for the helicopter to come back

Scene from our front yard

 

A helicopter is getting ready to dip into the pond behind this building a couple miles away,  where our church has twice held two baptisms.

Across the road is this spring-fed pond where a helicopter is approaching.



The orange bucket is dipping in.

Once the helicopter had to try twice before the bucket cooperated. Now away it goes!

Sammy got most of the above pictures, and Carrie got this one with two helicopters in it as we drove home. I should say Crystal drove, as she had just succeeded in obtaining her driver's permit,  while I had several consecutive heart attacks in a row!

(Or was it really that bad? No, we just came close to hitting a mailbox!)

Timmy brings in several radishes from his little garden. Good for him! I had not heart to plant anything, but the children did. They have faithfully kept their little raised beds covered with hail screens to keep them safe from chickens and goats. We've also gotten a little lettuce. 

Black Forest Fire Begins Tuesday

When the Black Forest Fire erupted Tuesday, thousands of residents had to evacuate. When several horse trailers lined up at our neighbor's place, we offered to keep some horses overnight. They are unloading the horses at our front gate.

 

Jonathan had promised to take the children fishing at the lake at the park nearby that evening, and even though we were antsy about the pre-evacuation notice not far from us, we took off for a while, after which we spent a couple hours packing in case we had to evacuate.

Last Saturday there had been a grand reopening at the park, and free fishing poles had been given to the first couple hundred children who attended. Our children were very eager to receive their own fishing pole! They were also given string and bobbers.

Then they wanted to hike to the top of the bluffs high enough to see the smoke and fire in the distance.

Jonathan couldn't resist this scene, the sliver of moon just ahead of the children's silhouettes, and the smoke and fire to the left. 

I had stayed in the van, but Jonathan and the children waiting for darkness to fall at the top of the bluffs, where they captured many stunning views of flareups of the fire.

At home, Timmy, the one who had begged and begged to go fishing, shows the fish he got! He was the only one who got one, but was he ever happy!

This morning three helicopters were flying back and forth nearby, dropping their buckets into local ponds, then taking them to dump on hotspots at the fire. This one was in Falcon near the golf course. Jonathan had taken all of us for a ride to see it happen.

Up closer. The guy in the copter waved!

These trucks and trailers were lined up at the neighbor with horses being evacuated or ready to evacuate.

This is what the sky looked like over our house on Tuesday.

 

Smoke billows in the distance as folk from Black Forest unload their horses to take to our pasture.



Memorial Day Picnic

On Memorial Day, we hosted a picnic for all of Jonathan's clan at Fox Run Park. They were all on their way back from a weekend in the mountains where they had seen quite a number of moose. In fact, they saw the very first baby moose of the season, as no one else had reported seeing any yet.

 



Had to snap a photo of the newest couple to the Lucas clan--Chad and Barb Clemons from Idaho (center). Hard to believe they've been married 2 years now. Jonathan's brother Rob is in the center right with dark glasses, and his sister Esther is on the left below.

We took along our propane grill and grilled lots of brats which turned out NOT spicy-hot enough for the ones who like them VERY hot. To make up for it, there was a whole casserole dish of bacon-wrapped, cheese-stuffed jalapenos. Those also go over well in the Lucas clan. Expect to please if you bring the hottest dish you can imagine! We had cherries and watermelon and would you believe we all ate up over four whole boxes of icecream?? (Did I say something about the hottest dish you can imagine?) The peanutbutter cup icecream, and the mint chocolate chip and the Rocky Road went like crazy. I had to be careful not to eat too many calories. Ha ha ha ha. Thump. 

Rose helps Hannah try out her new old bike that Jonathan was given by someone getting rid of one. Julie Lucas, Rob's wife, is in the background.

A little over a week ago, on our way to a baseball game at Ben and Marlene Reynolds' place,  we dropped by some friends of ours who have put together a fodder system for feeding their animals. Each of these rows of trays has barley sprouts growing at different stages. Little water hoses are connected to the higher end, and every couple hours, water runs down the tray, keeping the root system irrigated. 

Below you can see that the bottom tray has just been seeded. The second tray is ready to sprout. The third tray is growing sprouts already. The sprouts grow a few days (it takes only seven days to grow the barley/sunflower sprouts big enough to feed the animals), and then you can literally just roll up the sprout mat in the tray and feed the whole thing to your animals--sprouts, roots and all. Not counting initial cost of setup, this feed system is a fraction of the cost of hay and feed. Right now hay is up to $20 a bale here in Colorado, so a system like this is one option. 

 The same friends had a very friendly pig. He doesn't mind the kiddies using him for a bench!

Danny is on the left.

 

We really enjoyed the baseball game at Ben and Marlene Reynold's place. Jonathan is up to bat while Bro. Derald Hunt has just pitched to him. Can you find the ball in the air? I had to get a photo of Jonathan actually playing! (Since he usually works 6 days a week from sunup to bedtime.)

Duane Hunt is in the back center of the picture. Bro. and Sis. Hunt had come back for a week and a half from North Carolina because Derald's mother has only been given a short time to live because of cancer all through her. 

Get that ball!

But just because someone pitches you a ball doesn't mean you have to bat it.

And just because someone hands you a shoe, doesn't mean you have to wear it.

It may be a bad pitch.

It may be a bad fit.

It's your choice.

What is best for me? What is the right thing to do and the right way to do it?

I can waste my energy batting at all the balls that come along, miss the mark, hit foul balls, lose my balance, lose respect, lose the game.

I might feel obligated to wear every shoe that is handed to me even though it doesn't fit and just rubs my big toe wrong all the time. Wearing it might boost the giver's ego, but it doesn't work for me.

We have the wonderful gift called choice.

We can choose how we live, Whom we focus on pleasing, what we wear, what balls we bat.

We must keep an eye on the balls that are pitched to us.

The Great Pitcher of the universe will always pitch His balls just right.

Satan's balls are pitched too low or too high, too far to the right or too far to the left, too slow or too fast.

We need to have a good eye for the arc and speed and aim of the balls in our lives.  

If the pitch is good, bat that ball, and then run for all you're worth!

We have a game to win, a crown to gain, and we gain it one base at a time.

Go for it!



Johnnie Jump-Up

Flowers like these that Rosie grew in a little pot are some of my favorites. The purple reminds me of the dark times; the white of God's purpose in everything; and the yellow of the joy and the sunshine that God wants for us no matter what happens.

 

Once again our family is grateful for God's touch on my dad. When the doctor came in after a long Memorial Day weekend, he asked, "Why didn't they discharge him two days ago?" The creatin numbers for his kidneys had come down amazingly. From being almost at death's door, with his kidney numbers being around 9 (with 10 meaning he was dead), the numbers are down to a little over three! So my dad was promptly discharged on Tuesday. My nephew Peter, Dorcas's son, took this photo of the nurse helping my Dad leaving the hospital. Peter had driven all the way from Vermont to Illinois to be a help to my folks for several days. He left today to go back home, leaving a very grateful Grandma and pa.

I have to admit it was a different feeling to see a picture of my dad in a wheelchair. But we have so much to thank God for. Dad is sleeping better than he has in years, and God is giving a healing touch. Pray for my mom and him. They are home but very exhausted! They will probably need to find a place to move in PA where they can be near sons and families.

 

                                                    Sometimes life takes you by surprise!

Sammy and his cousin Kenny are boosted over Steve Cunningham's shoulders while Timmy enjoys watching. 

Not all of life is pansies and roses. Some of it is just plain old scrubbing! Carrie and Rose are scrubbing the goat milkstand before expecting company--the Doug Smith family from Alberton, Montana. 

And sometimes, life just requires that you

take a deep breath!

Because you just don't know when you might have to blow out some candles!

Lucas's 50th Wedding Anniversary

On May 28th, Jonathan's parents, John and Helen Lucas, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with all five children and their spouses and children.

L-R in the above picture by families: Rob and Julie with Cassady and Danielle; Barb and Chad; Jon and Esther with Stacy, Vanessa, Rebecca and Ryan; Jonathan's dad and mom (in her original wedding dress and veil from 50 years ago); our family; Dave and Ruth with Bryan and Emily (Cheryl was the only grandchild not present).

Below, Esther is finishing decorating the three-tiered cake with yellow roses. Esther was in charge of the cake while Barbara and Ruth decorated the tables for the formal dinner. About 70 guests were present, including about 27 of the Lucas clan. 

Our family arrived in late afternoon to help with preparing food. Many hands made work light for the dinner. Below dear Sis. Gault is allowing the children to help with making delightful fruit salads.

Carrie learned to spoon watermelon balls out of the watermelon (while hungry children looking on snacked on the extra pieces! Mmm.) 

Crystal and I made lots of stuffed eggs on lettuce beds. 

Paula sat patiently by the oven watching the rolls. Hannah is waiting for her hair to be made!

The beautiful cake with home made mints and nuts. 

And we could hardly wait to get started eating!

Grandpa and Grandma greet guests. Behind Grandma is the lady who had been her bridesmaid 50 years ago, Lois Echols.

Getting ready to feed each other cake!

Three cousins (Emily, Rebecca, and Danielle) ready to serve out the plates of cake and icecream.

Timmy has just served Grandma her plate. 

Janet McVey and Sis. Gault help with mixing and serving the punch with the cake.

There was a short program after the dinner. Ruth Lucas (Dave's wife) and Julie Lucas (Rob's wife) sang "Jesus, Rose of Sharon," which had been sung at Grandma and pa's reception 50 years ago.

This photo got mixed up. At the end of the program, our family sang words Anna wrote to the tune "When You and I Were Young, Maggie," only Maggie became Helen, and the words were about Grandma and Grandpa.  Crystal played for us.

Stacy and Vanessa played "Silver Threads Among the Gold."

Congratulations to Grandma and Grandpa!

Life's Twists and Turns

A plaque hanging on our wall says,

"Life is strange with its twists and turns

As everyone of us sometimes learns..."

 

Yes, life is not always a bed of roses!

However, even as adults we must do what we teach our unhappy daughter to do--

dry your tears and go on!

Don't Quit!

After running tests, the doctor found that my dad does have prostate cancer, but it is only on 30% of one side, which is good news. It is the aggressive kind, which is bad news. They are considering various treatments and began one treatment already. The doctor is concerned that one kind of surgery could wreck his kidneys. My dad and family is very much into natural products and so he will be using as much natural as possible, but also considering his options otherwise. Right now the biggest concern is that the internal bleeding stop which began when the doctor drained all the fluid backup. When the bladder deflated, it caused it to crack and bleed.  As soon as that is under control, they hope to send Dad home. Dad's blood pressure has been back down to normal, the first in many years. Also the numbers for his kidneys are going down by the day from the "life-threatening" status.  Fain has flown into IL to help Mom and Dad with decisions. Elon's family was supposed to have arrived in New York today from Estonia. Gabriel was to pick Elon's family up at the airport, and I believe they plan to soon travel to Illinois. Hoshea is planning to travel down to IL from North Dakota as well soon. My dad is praising the Lord for His goodness. Mom writes that she feels loved and supported by prayer. She has been staying with Craig and Joella's family about 1/2 hour from the hospital during this time. We are thankful that Fain's daughter Candace has been there in IL with my sister Kezia for a few weeks and is being a help to my sisters. My sister Dorcas's oldest son, Peter, is driving from Vermont to spend a while helping at my folks' property and making himself useful.  It's just about going to be a family reunion again!

Below is a quick photo a friend took Sunday evening outside church after missionary service with the sweet Dickinson family who have been ministering in Colombia and Argentina. To all fit in, we wives managed seats on our wonderful hubbies' knees! It was a privilege to hear the Dickinsons share about God's working in Columbia and Argentina. 

Carrie's birthday with Iva's family while Jonathan and I were gone to Ft. Myers, in FL. 

They made some luscious homemade icecream.

This is what happens when Mom  has forgotten to buy new birthday plates enough to match.

And this is what happens when the cows get out!!

(or did someone forget to close the gate?)

Thank God for the grace that goes hunting for the lost--and leads them home.

And may we be careful and wise about what gates we leave open, lest more valuable than a couple steers stray from the pasture, and from God's fold, and from the safety of a Christian home.

 

I always thought there was something peaceful about chickens pecking about in the yard.

...and couldn't resist the above picture of Carrie, who is feeding ours out of her hand.

Below, the girls took a photo of the cute dresses they have made for their tiny dolls. 

and an outfit Carrie made for a baby boy--with knitted booties.