Geese - .......thousand .......on "pond" February 19

Geese by the hundreds....more like a thousand of them.  They are flying over and then putting on the brakes and coming in for a landing just a 1/4 mile from us.  Real noisy bunch!!  We stood out and watched as some of them came in.   Got a few shots so you can see the numbers.....

That white "thing" in the middle picture is also a goose.....the only white one in the bunch.  I love how they set their wings and go in for the landing.  This "pond" is in the circle to the south of us.  We are figuring they will stay for the night - unless something causes a scare amongst them.    I wish I could be there with my camera when they all take flight --- wouldn't that be a picture!!!
I also took this video ---- it has NO quality to it.... it's just too hard to hold my little camera still when zoomed in that distance....but hopefully you get a good idea of how many there are.

Have a wonderful day.!!  It was a really nice day here but has now clouded over and getting a little chilly.
Gary and Barb

February Thaw ----- and fishing.......... and a poem.

All those snow pictures you saw of our roads......well, now we are having beautiful weather --- in the upper 50's.   So that means THAW!!~~~

The Lakeview Road (if you know the area you will know which road I mean -- otherwise  - for the rest of you-----  the "main road") is actually in great shape.   But the east / west road that we take to our place ---- the pits!!!

Our truck looks like a mud runners truck!!!! We have 3 of these "mud puddles" to go thru to get home......and our driveway is no better.    The car will be remaining home for the duration.....it might just bottom out on some of the ruts and we don't need that.

We went fishing yesterday and today at He Dog Lake.  We will be eating fish for quite some time.  Today we came home with about 32 Crappies.....yesterday about 13 Crappies and ?? 13 small perch.  These guys are super good eating!!!  And bonus for me....it wasn't horribly cold!!!!  The ice is real good yet --- so talk is we might go tomorrow again but to a different place.

This is the dam at He Dog....you can see the 2 "step" pieces......we were close to the overflow --- but not too close!!!  I put a stop on getting any closer!!  The ice is what ?? 18 inches thick yet --- at least!!

Last night we made our trip to Alcohol Recovery in Rosebud.  There were no kids for us - so we listened to the testimonies.  It is so good to see and hear the faith of these hurting people.  God is at work!!

Tonight we will be going out to the Detention Center.  Right now there are 5 boys and perhaps a couple of girls.  We will be doing a lesson on Mephibosheth........  as King David showed him mercy --- so God shows us mercy!!!!   We will also be sharing a poem we found  - author unknown.
I CAN
Figure it out yourself, my lad;
You've all that the greatest men have had;
Two arms, two hands, two legs, two eyes,
And a brain to use if you would be wise.
With this equipment they all began,
So start for the top and say I can!
Look them over, the wise and great
They take their food from common plate,

And similar knives and forks they use,
With similar hands they tie their shoes,
The world considers them brave and smart,
But you've all they had when they made their start.
You are the handicap you must face,
You are the one who must choose your place.
You must say where you want to go
How much you will study the truth to know.

God had equipped you for life,
But He lets you decide what you want to be.
Courage must come from the soul within,
The man must furnish the will to win.
So figure it out yourself, my lad,
You were born with all the great have had.
With your equipment they all began,
Get hold of yourself and say, I CAN!

Have a good day.......
Gary and Barb

Pictures of why we don't have church tomorrow 😞

Here are some photos of our east-west road just 1/2 mile north of us.  

 The banks are really high --- so the drifts are DEEP!!  Further east - just 1/2 mile --- it would be real interesting to see what it looks like - some of the snow banks were really high and it's the spot where drifting is a big problem --- I think it will take a while for them to clear the roads.    And you can see below where the ranchers have been driving thru the pastures.

That's what we did this afternoon - drove thru the pasture -- had to get out........cabin fever was setting in......went for a cup of coffee at the "Schelhaas Cafe"... (our neighbors Don and Jeannie).

Tomorrow will be a long day....no church service and then can't get out to visit with the kids at JDC.
OH well!     Things could be so much worse --- we have MUCH to be thankful for!!!
Gary and Barb

Still SNOW BOUND.......

.......and this might be the state of things until ???? Monday?????   We heard through the grapevine that the snow plows won't be going out today (Saturday) due to the wind.  Yup ----- it IS windy!!!  Lakeview school was closed for 4 days this week due to our roads --- which was due to the wind.  I really would like to get out to take some pictures of the roads....but I guess it will have to wait until who-knows-when.      

I was working on my quilt --- and my brain started -- no stopped --working.   So I had to take a break and come back to it.   I almost took some pieces apart --- that did NOT have to be taken apart.    Good Grief!!!!

We have plenty of food and a warm home and looking outside --- it's a beautiful sunny day.....but the trees sure are waving back and forth.   Glad we are home.  God is GOOD!!!!!

Take care!

Barb

WIND WIND WIND - January 27

We just came  back from having coffee at Don and Jeannie.  We won't be getting out again today.  Within an hour the one mile trek back was not very good.   The wind could gust up to 40 mph today and it is probably sustained at 20 + - !!!!   It's actually a nice sunny day --- but oh that wind!!!

Gary wants to get the horse trailer finished --- but I think his hired hand (ME) is getting a little balky!!!  The trailer is parked in the COLDEST / WINDIEST spot on our place!  The trailer has been sitting in one place for several years (by Kim)......won't hurt if it sits for a few more days!!!

So we (at least I) will be working on things indoors..........  and then next weekend they have another storm coming at us.   Gotta just look on the bright side and enjoy God's fierce weather as much as we can.  Try to see the beauty in it and be thankful for the warmth we have!!

Wishing each time that we go out that I would remember the camera......maybe next time.   The snow banks are huge - on both sides.  So it really doesn't matter which direction the wind wants to take --- it WILL drift us shut!!  Our driveway is plugged --- we are thankful for Lee taking the tractor out through the alfalfa field for us to follow...... Which also means that we are thankful that we have the heifers here that need to be fed each day!!!    We were out to Valentine yesterday --- should have picked up some milk.

The rambling thoughts of the snow bound.......

Gary and Barb

Snow on January 24-25, 2016

Yup! we've got lots of snow out there!!!  They predicted 10-12 inches for our area and we did get it!!  We are kind of protected down where our trailer is located and so don't exactly know what the roads are like -- how bad the drifting was....but we do know that we can NOT get out right now.   Maybe before I get this update done we will know more.

We've had some really good meetings at the Detention Center.  Given, there are only a few kids there .....last week it was two.   But when those two boys sing their hearts out and make me play and play on my guitar until my fingers hurt.....it was a GOOD night!!!    And then add to that --- one of the Guards comes and requests "Jesus Lover of My Soul".....it was a REALLY GOOD night.  We just might not get there tonight due to this snow problem and that doesn't feel good --- but so it is.

Release Time is a little bit of a different story.  The 3rd and 4th graders are seven real nice - good kids!!!   And we really enjoy them.   Then we return them to school and get the eight 5th graders. They just can not settle down!!!   They were quiet for the lesson -- so we appreciate that!!!  But for the rest of it----AUGH!!!   They are at that age where their peers play way to big a part in their lives.  Kids that used to love to sing now think they have to act silly while they sing and pull faces.  This lady does NOT like that!!!  But I suppose we should be used to it ---- they've all done it to us to some degree.   The sad part of all of this is that Pastor Mark and Bonnie are having the same troubles.  And so we covet your prayers!!!

Yesterday, the Alcohol Recovery Program was canceled due to the snow -- it really wasn't very cold out and so the snow started sticking to the roads --- and then it got cold and more and more snow came --- 10 inches  --- so things were slippery!!!   --- for the 1st time since we've started going to help out with the kids --- it was canceled.   I am sure it was a disappointment to those who count on these meetings.    We enjoy helping out with the kids...... Usually we only have 1 or 2 - maybe 3 little ones.   But then the week during Christmas break we started counting and reached 11 -- ELEVEN!!!!   What are we going to do?!?!?!   We can do a lesson --- but how do we fill the rest of the time -- we don't have that much craft material along?!?!?!   But God was in control --- so why did we even begin to worry?!?!?   The kids all love to color because it's just something they don't get to do much.   We did have plenty of coloring pages and all went well!!!

Gary has had a couple of repair jobs and so stays busy.   He helped out with the "pour on" with about 300 head of cattle and came home totally whipped.....it was up and down and up and down on the walk way.   Good exercise though!!!

I've got another quilt in the workings ---- for daughter Holly....so I keep busy and really don't mind being stuck here due to weather.  I can still get out and "take care of my kitties".....which Gary has told me is my job!!!----and he would say I'm not doing a very good job at it.......Good grief I go out once a day and give them a good petting..... what more should I do?!?!?

No pictures this time.....nothing to show you.   Gary has come in the house and told me that we are plugged --- can't get out down the driveway ---- perhaps with the truck we can go through the alfalfa --- don't know yet what the roads are like but certainly plugged with drifts until the road grader comes through!!

Stay warm and safe --- we are thankful for a warm home!! Last night the lights flickered and went out way too often -- feared we would lose power -- but didn't!

Gary and Bard

A trip to Michigan to "kid sit" Oliver and Keller ....AND....Marlys couch

Marti and Tim  asked us if we would be able to make it to Michigan the first of January to help out with "a problem".  The problem was fun for us....and worked out for Marti and Tim too.  The boys - our grandsons - Oliver and Keller were off from school from Dec. ??23  - January 6.   Mom and dad didn't have that much vacation time - just the boys.  Grandpa and Grandma Sparling would be there for the first week -- "could we come for the last week??!!"

The weather was in our favor (at least until we got to Michigan) --- used to be called the "Winter Wonderland" state....   YUP!!  we had snow EVERY day!!  That pretty white stuff can get a bit old!!!

We had a lot of good quality time with the boys and so it was all worth it!   The pictures will tell a lot!

 It was Oliver's Birthday on December 31....he turned six!!!  So we had our own little party with him and Keller.  We gave him something that Grandpa would be able to help him with ---- building a bird house.  Oliver got right into the painting.    Of course,  that meant Keller needed to be occupied too.

So him and Grandpa had fun --- the above picture is Grandpa's fine art work    :)  :)

The painting and the glueing are done --- so Grandpa is making sure that it will stay together.  The rubberbands are temporary holders.

We waited a couple of days to open his other package.  And would you believe --- even though Oliver knew there was another present --- there was no begging to get it opened.....he waited patiently!!!

A rocket ship.....

It needed some stickers....

Oh boy did we get some laughs!!  The directions were "fill with baking soda to marked line....then put the two parts together (the other one had vinegar in it).....shake a couple of times and then set it down.    A couple of shakes later and grandpa had wet baking soda blown all over his jeans.  Blast off didn't happen.   So another try....and another......and then FINALLY -- blast off!!!  Do NOT shake it!

(OH -- and this day had a break from the snow..... it RAINED  instead....AUGH!!!)
We didn't tell Daddy all of the tricks......we're hoping for that wet baking soda pants for him too   :)

 We had a lot of fun with the boys.....only saw this face a couple of times.   There was a lot of laughing and squealing and yelling and all that good stuff that needs to happen with little boys.

And Uncle Rick was there to read the long, long story of Moana.   Rick gets very involved in his reading ---- that's why he's blurry..... :)

Marti had Thursday off -- so we spent most of that day with Rick.  Then on Friday evening we headed up to see Mike, Julie and kids and Holly, Dennis and boys.  We were with Holly and Dennis Saturday afternoon and Dennis looked at the weather report.  "There's a big system over Montana right now."    YIKES.....can we beat it??!!  We went back to Bill's place, packed up and headed right out..... ......  ......  .....  got out of Michigan.....hit the Indiana border.....and the sun came out and the roads were nice and dry.  Good weather all the way.   And the system over Montana.....must have went away.....we never saw it!   Thank goodness!!!

AND THEN  --- Marlys couch.

If you look back at the last blog....you can see the project in it's original shape.   We got home and got right to work.  It was in the house because that was where I thought we would work on it.    Not so.  Needed to get that HEAVY thing out and in the work shop. There were some repairs that needed Gary's expertise....

It was Gary and I that were going to move it and as I said ----that thing is HEAVY.  So we took part of the deck railing out so we could back the truck right up to the deck and get it on the truck.   Where there's a will --- there's a way!!

Here you can see some of the needed repairs.  There were screws loose, screws missing, a board broken......but WOW what a couch!!

Yes, it's a pull out bed.  An antique that the tags say was built in 1916.

The back head board is off right now.....

And here is the finished product.  We are rather pleased!!!

                                                               The back --- note.... it's not crocked anymore....

Decided to put the "original" here.....for comparison.  It would be a real bonus if this refinished product would last as long as the original!!!!  And we hope Marlys and the family are happy!!!!

We had a wonderful time at JDC this past Wednesday.  There were only 4 young people.  Two boys and two girls.....but they were so attentive and loved singing so much.  It was one of those nights that WE went home singing praises to God---we are SO blessed.  We thank all of you for your interest in what we do out here on the Rosebud.  We are blessed to live in this community and we thank God daily for all the opportunties He gives us --whether it's to help our local neighbors .....or minister to the youth of the reservation....WE ARE BLESSED!!!

Gary and Barb