*into the wild

Into the Wild. The adventurous wild is just beyond our house at the back of our property, but it looks like it could be in another part of the world. A wet, swampy part of the world. We have almost two acres of land of which most of it has been cleared and is manicured regularly during the hot summer months.  There is also a portion of our land that is swampy, that smells of earth.  It is an adventure land.  The wetlands holds many great memories for both of our boys.  I cannot tell you how many daring stories I have heard about the various quest that have transpired in the wetlands.

Boys hold such adventure in their very own minds, little do they need to play out a great exploit, but when they are given a wood to play in - watch out!   The boys both knew (know) they were able to play in the woods from late fall until the first of each spring due to the cotton mouth population.  Getting the "OK" to enter the woods has been one of the things that both boys looked forward to each year with coming of winter. The wood!

Today I had an adventure too, a exploit of my own with Henry and my "adopted" son, Summit!

About five years ago this back pack was full of 'rations' to help sustain two young men name Henry and Ryan while on their journey through the wood. It was very funny to come across this back pack all full of moss, earth and critters of the wet lands. We left it there.

 Beavers. 

Summit and Henry, upon my prompting went to axing down this seemingly dead tree.  The outer part of the tree could almost be pulled off by hand.  They axed it quickly until they got to the core. Then the work began.  Years ago Ryan and Henry used to  *gasp* walk across a large fallen tree that went from one side of the creek to the other.  They named this fallen tree "Big Bessie".  The water in the creek is about four to five feet deep in the middle.   Big Bessie has since been washed along the way  and now this tree will take its place.

Big Bessie II

The mind of a boy (young men).

*Faithfulness Farm is hosting a giveaway..

Faithfulness Farm is celebrating! Gail has just posted her 100th post and is giving away a cookbook. Check her blog out and enter to win!  (click on the pic above to visit her blog)

*cake by a strange name

I found the recipe for this delicious cake in one of our Wednesday papers. Oddly enough, the cake is called "The Pig Picking Cake.  I think that is strange, and funny.  I just imagine that some talented cook was in her kitchen cooking up a storm for the upcoming pig-pickin. She was rushing around to make things on her list and realized she didn't have all the ingredients she needed for a cake she had set out to make. So.. she made the cake with a few of the missing ingredients and called it the Pig Picking Cake because it was after all, for the pig-pickin.   Now of course I made all of that up in my own head, I have no idea how it really came to get its name, but if it had been me naming it I would have called it Tropical Delight Cake. Whatever you call it, it really is tasty.

Pig Picking Cake
 1 box Duncan Hines yellow cake mix
1 can (11oz) mandarin oranges including juice
4 eggs
1/2 cup oil
Combine cake mix, oranges, eggs and oil in a bowl and mix well.  Pour into 3 (although I only did 2) 8 inch cake pans.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until done.  Cool and then frost with frosting below. Refrigerate. (upon making this the second time I only had a small can of oranges.. so I used some peaches to make up the difference - still yummy!)


Frosting Recipe
1 large box of instant vanilla pudding mix
1 large can of crushed pineapple drained
1 large container of cool whip
Combine pudding mix with cool whip and pineapple. Mix thoroughly and frost cake. 

Just below this cake recipe there was another cake recipe named "Earthquake Cake".  It makes you wonder.. how this cake came to get its name.

*dookie babies and etc

Today while dusting I spent a few seconds longer at my dresser. You see, along with other oddities are these creations that both of our sons made with raw clay.  Strange thing is these creations were both formed and shaped by their hands when they were about ten or eleven years old.

Our oldest son made his "dookie babies" with Sarah years ago, I believe.  Many things were made at the kitchen table during those years, but these were special.  Special because our oldest made them. Special because it was one upon many times that we have gotten together with the Hawkins girls to do art or school projects. Special because, well because he was ten or eleven and silly- hence the name  he coined for them: Dookie Babies.  The Dookie Babies have taken a few hits over the years and have sort of lost their arms/paddles/wings. I should have finished them with a varnish or something to strengthen them, but never did.  I love that Robby made them with his ten year old hands and mind. Maybe one day his own children will use raw clay to mold and shape a Dookie Baby Baby?

About seven years later Henry had his hand at some raw clay as well.  We love working with the raw clay.  This is what Henry made with his unformed clay.  From the time he made this it has been part of our Spring decor.  It makes its way off of our dresser and into the front hall table for a time. Reminders are good. It is a visual of what Christ did for us. Such love, the depths which we will not understand until we see Him face to face.

One day I will pass these small pieces of our boys childhood onto their wives just like my dear mother-in-love has done for me over the years. 

*his ear is inclined to me

A number of years ago I took an amazing trip to one of the Carolina beaches to spend some focused, one on one time with the Lord my God.  While on this particular trip there were shells all up and down the sea shore that were shaped like ears.  I was truly amazed.  I received a personal message from one of the ladies on the trip.  This unique shell  was to be a reminder to me-- His ear is inclined to me!

He inclined to me and heard my cry.  Psalm 40:1

*a reflection of me?

This past week my best friend opened my eyes to some truths about myself.  I trust what she says to me and about me.  My name is safe in her mouth.

I was commenting on how frustrating it was to see my youngest son jump from one thing to another and to do things so quickly.  She, being the wise friend she is, didn't say anything at the moment, but waited for the right opportunity.  Later she broke the truth to me.  She pointed out to me that I pop from one thing to another and that I do things quickly and sometimes not so well.  Our son is a reflection of me. 

I am so grateful for my dear friend and this insightful look at myself through her eyes. Do you have someone who you know that you can trust your name with?