New Discoveries

Flowers. Each time we make a trip to Montana, we see more of them and each time I am surprised and happy to see them.  We want to keep bees and bees need flowers, so you can see why I am happy. 

I also discovered that we have chokecherries bushes. I love chokecherries. I do not love making them into jelly or syrup (they are small berries with big seeds), but I love the jelly and the syrup once it is done. It is gold in our family.  If I give you a jar of chokecherry jelly, you better feel special. :-) Here they are just budding.

Let's just hope the birds save some for us. 

Luke and Jordan managed to enjoy some one on one time shooting the 22.  Good bonding time. 

We also measured and staked out where the house could possibly go and plan to meet with the inspector this Friday to get a building site approved. 

Scripture that kept going through my mind this weekend:

“If a man opens a pit, or digs a pit and does not cover it over, and an ox or a donkey falls into it,  the owner of the pit shall make restitution; he shall give money to its owner, and the dead animal shall become his." Exodus 31:33-34 

This verse has been on my mind because we have cattle ranging on our property. So, we worked to fill in one of the test holes we dug. 



We hit bedrock at 4 feet in this hole, and so it can not be used as a test hole. (A test hole is used to determine if a septic system could be installed). We filled it in so that if something were to fall in, it could climb out.  The other test hole was dug at an angle, but this also concerns me as it is 9 ft deep.  The inspector needs to see this one, so we have to wait to cover it up.  We pray no animal falls in. 

I also discovered some type of giant cocoon or nest of some sort. 

Are they moth larvae?  There has been a Tussock moth infestation over the last couple years so I thought maybe that is what they are; however, they do not look like the pictures I have seen of them.  Are they beneficial or harmful? That is what I would like to know.  Many of the trees that have been affected are coming back, so I am hoping for the best.  The rest of the trees will be firewood. Speaking of that . . .

Luke bought a new chainsaw. This one works. He sawed to his hearts content and Jordan chopped wood for the first time. This is one of the trees that had to be cleared for the road.

Nathan and Dylan got to roll the logs and help stack them. We have so many trees that need cleared. I hope the boys do not tire of doing this kind of work. Right now it is new to them and is what they call "real" work. Ever since reading Created for Work, I have wanted to be able to develop their potential in this area!