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| This dead, tall pine tree needs to come down... |
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| Scott's two forestry friends from work came out one afternoon and - very impressively - cut it down. |
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| It's starting to rock.... |
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| Wow - these guys have this down to a science! It was very controlled. They used two big chainsaws on and off, while using sledge hammers to position these wedges in just the right place. It didn't take them long either... |
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| They brought down this 40 ft. or so tall tree at the perfect angle! Of course, away from the house, and then fitting perfectly between the big, living pine tree next to it, the "greenhouse/shed" and clotheslines on the left, while just missing the boccee ball court on the right. Incredible! |
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| This was our biggest debris pile. You can't really tell from the picture, but we thought for sure the fire department was going to come parading down our driveway! The flames were high! We waited for a nice rainy day! |
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| All praise, glory, and honor to the Lord Jesus Christ for my sister's two successful and smooth heart surgeries at Johns Hopkins this past week. We have dreaded these surgeries for the past three months since she was diagnosed with a worse case of HCM than our mom. Praise God that it is over and she is recovering at home. Scott watched the kids while I went up to be with my family Sunday - Tuesday. ******* 2012 goals...(and beyond!) * That our children will grow in wisdom, stature, Godly character, and Christ-likeness; that they will have no greater love than for the Lord Jesus. That their lives will bring Him honor and praise, and that our family would be salt and light to a lost world. That we would be active servers and lovers of others. That we would all pursue excellence in everything that we do as serving the Lord, not man. That we would seek the Lord's approval, not man's. That we would be Spirit-led and directed, making wise decisions in everything. * Purchase a tractor * Finish the front porch and exterior painting * Replace the garage doors * Repair and repaint the screened porch * Mount the kids' closet doors * Beef up the structural beam in the basement further * Purchase and install a wood-burning stove insert upstairs * Raise chickens for eggs and build coop * Purchase blueberry bushes for 1 acre; install irrigation; pick-your-own blueberry patch * Plant approx. 1-2 acres of pumpkins for pick-your-own pumpkin patch * Increase the size of and improve our vegetable garden; the kids want to sell even more produce this year; install irrigation * Plant more fruit trees and grapes * Clean the pool and switch from chlorine to saltwater * Paint the barns * Repair roofs on outbuildings * Install the wood fence in the pastures that we've already purchased * Board 1-2 horses, or buy 1-2 beef cattle * Pressure wash and reseal the deck * Finish installing motion-detecting lights on the outbuildings and around the house * Finish paving the driveway (ok - that's not gonna happen! get a few more loads of stone for the driveway) * Remove bushes and overgrown landscaping * Clean out the upper portion of the barn * Travel - as opportunities arise; particularly, taking the kids out west - Rocky Mountains (American and Canadian), Glacier National Park, Yellowstone NP/Tetons, Washington state - Mt St Helens, Mt Rainier; Oregon; Victoria Island/BC; Creation Museum; visit all 50 states and national parks. ******* |
“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” -- Hebrews 4:14-16
