: May 2009 :

Ruby joins the family.

Elizabeth enjoys her independence.

A fox takes (almost) all the chickens in one night.

: June 2009 :

I remember my grandmother's clothes line tips.

Ruby is almost lost. But prayers are answered.

I remind myself to say yes.

: July 2009 :

We begin the egg counting again.

We hit the beach, but only for the day.

: August 2009 :

It's official. I'm a soccer mom.

Dan writes the Rules of Civility.

I declare the "summer of the dehydrator".

A blue ribbon cake goes to the county fair.

: September 2009 :

I finally spill the beans.

We let the ducks in on the secret.

Roosevelt keeps us guessing.

: October 2009 :

I come home to quite a surprise.

A simple quote reminds of the goodness of normal.

: November 2009 :

I learn an important lesson from the landscape.

: December 2009 :

My mother shares her Christmas letter.

: January 2010 :

Thank you, friends for coming on this journey with me through 2009.

And more importantly, thank you for coming to this space that is my writing home--the place to gather my thoughts, share my inspirations, my struggles, my joys, my lessons. It is a comfortable home, and even more so because you visit often. I think I'll sign off these posts that have reflected on 2009, by sharing the New Year's thoughts I received in an email last week:

May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships so that you may live deep within your heart.

May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression and exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace.

May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation and war, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and turn their pain into joy.

And may God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in this world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

photo links :

1. taking it all in, 2. life in the bush, 3. the final count, 4. this is where you'll find her, 5. slowing down the evening, 6. pray for ruby, 7. nestled, 8. how to..., 9. finally some sun, 10. there's something about this that i love., 11. still here, just summering., 12. surprise, 13. it didn't, 14. Emma needs your help, 15. rhubarb, 16. inspiration, 17. we let them in on the secret, 18. rooster chronicles, part one, 19. last night, 20. i should go away more often, 21. normal is good, 22. that sky, 23. lessons from the lanscape, 24. the end., 25. first frost