Blueberries, Peaches, and Blackberries!

I must say this summer has been one of the busiest summers of my life!  My camera and I have loved every minute of it, and I have been torn by the fact that I haven't been able to share each part of it with you.  :)  Each day has been a wonderful, hot, adventure in harvesting, canning, baking, blanching, freezing, etc....  

I will now share with you our latest episode...Berry picking!

Matthew was absolutely thrilled by the experience and loved every minute of it!  I was constantly finding myself turning aside from my bush to hear his voice, "Look at this 'purple' one Johanna!".  It was the sweetest thing!

My lovely mother in her white linen dress and straw hat...her hands busily moving while smiling at Matthew's find. :)

Grace found so many yummy fat ones...

They were just too irresistible to not pop in her mouth!

Emma worked her way into the fullest part of a large blueberry bush and picked and picked!  I simply stuck my camera in between the leaves to snap her photo whilst she told me that she really did not enjoy her seeing pictures of herself working....but did I listen to her???  Oh dear, my real self is coming out!  I am ever so sneaky and conniving to post her picture for all of you to see!!! 

Sarah Anne loved to hide from my camera behind bushes...

And behind her hat ;-)

After an hour of picking, we 9 headed home and froze all our blueberries in bags to be used later in the year for cold cereal, muffins, berry crisps, and pies!

A few days later brought us girls (minus Emma) a trip to a peach farm...

Lovely Grace in her sun hat...

Grace and her buckets.

Sarah Anne decided she needed a rest...

On a log =)

Matthew wanted to show me his "acrobat moves".

"Who goes there?"... ;)

Those peaches were too full of flavor to resist!!!

Watching Grace lusciously take each bite from her peach...

Matthew decided to be brave and take a bite himself! =)

"Oh my word Johanna!  This peach is really good, you should try a bite of it!"

By the time we headed back...

Matt was still eating! =)

Time to pick blackberries!

Grace and Sarah Anne needed a rest before starting another perspiring job.

After this point, my fingers became much too sticky to be handling my camera. ;)  We brought our trillions of peaches and blackberries home to make jam, pies, cobblers, cakes, etc.  Now all those yummy things are either in our pantry or freezer.  It is such a wonderful experience to really work hard for something, and then enjoy such wonderful, healthy results.  I am so blessed to be a part of learning all my Mom teaches me and is learning herself:).  We learn together!  Summer has been such a wonderful, blessed season for us.  I have enjoyed it immensely, God is so good!  I hope you enjoyed peeking in on us;).  

On another note, I wanted to thank each of you who have kept me in your prayers.  It blesses me so much to know I so much support.  (even though I was quite surprised and my cheeks became rather pink by Emma's post;))  It gives me determination to keep going, knowing that the Lord is going to bring me through.  Practicing for a concert on limited time and recording a CD, can be so stressful and really draining, but we keep pushing ahead with the Lord's guidance.  Now, everyone needs to mark their calendars for September 13th and come listen to us! =)

Thank you again and many blessings on you all!

~Johanna

A Request

Dear ones,

My sister Johanna has a lot on her shoulders right now.  She probably isn't expecting me to share this with you, but I can see the burden that is on her and how it is weighing her down.  I felt, suddenly, a need to ask for prayer for her.

Here are the details.  We are doing a concert, my family and I, on September 13th.  Johanna has only just begun learning the bass guitar this year, and she has been given a huge amount of songs to learn for the upcoming concert, more than seem possible.

It's hard on her, knowing Sam, our brother, needs her to learn them and do them well.  A sister strives to please her brother, strives with all her heart.  This is what makes the assignment even harder, this need to do her very best despite the difficulties.

So, dear friends, could you pray for her?  That the Lord would give her peace and strength and wisdom, the tools for the journey ahead?

I love you, Johanna!

Emma

I Have A Dream

*picture taken by Grace Ramsey*

It's only a small one.

It consists of several pictures, pictures of gentle images and sentimental emotions. I dream of one day walking up a lovely, quiet country lane, or a short, quaint walk, to a small house, an old fashioned, sweet little house, with yellow walls and white curving swirls of wood framing the edges of the porch. The white planks of the porch floor echo beneath my feet and the summer day is washed in a dreamlike stillness.

Inside, the forms of the walls, the antique furnishings, and quiet coverings of the floor are laced in vagueness, like a blurred picture, waiting to be sharpened with the advent of time.

There are warm, comfortable rooms, and quiet, sun drenched ones, sitting rooms with braided rugs and bedrooms with homey quilts. There are windows everywhere and the sun pours in to fill the air with light. Curtains hang before them, to shield the furniture and soften the shape of the walls.

The clarity of the interior of my little house remains in obscurity.  I can't see precisely how it will look. But I can see the dim outlines of the people that will be there, and the things that will fill my shelves. I can see a small kitchen table and a small kitchen chair, a figure there, awaiting the care I so long to give him, smelling the smells of my kitchen, smiling when I smile at him.

*picture taken by James Ramsey*

That is my dream, only a simple one. It is a dream of quaint little house, and the man of my heart's longing within it.

-Emma

To Distract Myself

I'm having odd back pains, and strong aching pains throbbing all in my left arm.  I've no idea why.  My sister's back pain has been attributed to a past injury in a car accident, and to a recent fall down the stairs.  I think the frequent chiropractic visits are beginning to help her and this sudden back pain of my own is rather disheartening.

I am posting as a way to distract myself physically, as the pain reliever seems to take quite a while to take effect, and pleasant and relaxing activities such as reading are hard to keep my mind on.  The pain itself does seem to take so much out of me.  Dear, dear, just when I've got a good Agatha Christie short story awaiting my perusal too:(

I think, perhaps, I should attempt sleep now.  May God show me His grace and peace and warmth.  And may this trial give me a glimpse of the glory of God to share with you!

Thanks for reading my less than happy musings.:)

Emma