Hello everyone. I hope you are all having a good week so far.

We have been having some beautiful sunrises. I love sunrises and sunsets.

Last Saturday, we had lots of riders here on the farm. Dave had worked up this ride as a fun day. Sam however didnt get to ride as he has had an abscessed tooth. He had a round of antibiotics and it was still hurting. Yesterday Jess took him to the dentist and they pulled it. It was very badly infected. After their ride on Saturday, the stomach bug hit the Bates house. It was a rough 4 days for them.

Grace and I plan on working today on her duck lot. One of her mama ducks is supposed to hatch out babies soon. We need to try to make the duck house and lot safe for them. I hope to take some pictures as we work to post.

Grace took this picture of the baby geese on the pond. They had just hatched out. They are so cute.

She also took this picture of wild mustard blooming.

Wild mustard was Julie’s favorite flower. She always said she wanted to get married in the spring and carry a bouquet of wild mustard. Sweet Julie, two months ago today, you went to live with Jesus. You are missed SO much!

God bless.

Yesterday was a busy day here. Lots of things got done. First on the list was to get our rain barrels installed.

I have wanted to have rain barrels for quite a while and now two of them are in. We got some rain this morning and they already have some water in them.

Dave also got our tiller started and our lawn mower in operation. Thanks so much, Dave. We then had a cookout with burgers and hot dogs. Grace and the kiddos picked dandelions for us and then Jess and I got them ready to make jelly with. I so wish I had gotten a picture of them picking the dandelions but I missed it.

Isn’t it pretty?

Grace did get this picture of Daniel, Sam and Katie. I love it.

A friend of ours came and tilled the garden for us the other day. We are so thankful for family and good friends.

Grace and I rode around the farm the other day and I took this picture. We are blessed to live in a beautiful place.

God bless.

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Grace and I took a little walk the other day. This beautiful trail is behind our local library.

It was a very nice day and the trail is starting to show signs of spring.

Grace taking pictures. One of her favorite things to do.

She took this picture of a Meadowlark the other day when her and Jess’s kids were on a little walk. Isn’t he beautiful!

Also her art room is finished.

She loves it! It is such a cheerful room.

Jess had gave Grace little crystal prism balls. They make beautiful rainbows on the walls when the sun shines through them.

God bless.

We have enjoyed a beautiful moon the past few nights. So pretty.

Grace and I went to church then came back to Jess’s for Easter dinner. We had lots of good food. We had ham, rolls, deviled eggs, potato salad and corn. Molasses cookies and a stack cake for dessert. I didn’t get a picture of the table though. I did get a picture of the stack before I took it over.

Grace and I have been busy painting her art room.

We have all the trim finished and about 1/3 of the walls done. It looks so good and she loves it. We are hoping to get it finished today.

I wanted to share a little something that happened yesterday. A lady I have never met before came to see me. She helps some with an elderly lady who lives close to us. They had told her about Julie going to heaven. She wanted to tell me that she had met Julie when Julie was working at the bread basket. Julie was working the cash register that day so they had an opportunity to talk some. She said after talking a few minutes she asked Julie if she knew the Lord. She told me she was so impressed with Julie’s answer. Julie looked directly at her and boldly said “oh yes, I know the Lord”. The lady told me how confidently Julie made the statement. Now to some reading this, this may seem like a small thing but to my mother’s heart it was priceless. Such a comfort. I feel it was a special message from Jesus to help us with our first Easter without her. And to remind us all that we are always witnessing for Him in ways we might not even think about. It’s not always the big wordy sermons that leave an impression, sometimes it’s the small ones.

“Oh yes, I know the Lord.”

God bless.