A bit 'o Ireland

At least in thought, that is. If you have Real player and like Celtic music, I recommend this channel. It has beautiful and captivating Celtic music. Very peaceful and soothing, especially on hot summer days (and nights).

My new chicken family is doing well tonight, the mother hen didn't really like being in the chicken coop with the other chickens so we took a rabbit hutch and put it in the corner on the ground and set her and her babies inside it on fresh straw with a good amount of water and ground corn and chicken food. She can still go in and out, but the chicks are too small to get over the top of the doorway. We will keep them that way until they are a few days old and then they can mingle a bit with the other chickens.

I spent a good deal of time out at the coop today. We have an elm tree right in the center of their outdoor pen. It has grown and spread out into a large umbrella that keeps the sun out of the pen. There is a nice, cool breeze (sort of) there most of the time and the chickens, although let out for the day, liked it better in the pen where the shade was than out and about.

I then took some extra time to go out and play with the dogs in our irrigation ditch. Rosie seemed to especially like it when I would tell her, "Go on Rosie, get in!" and then fling my arms like I was going to fly. She'd plunge into the water flopping her belly and biting at imaginary things floating by. At one point, Justin and I thought she was going to take a flying leap into my lap as she got so excited playing in the water.

Today, when I went to vacuum the floor of the house we couldn't finish yesterday, I noticed as we went into the house their large cat was laying in the shade on the cement by the door. The only movement that proved to me that it was not dead was that its eyes were following me from the car to the door. When I was finished and came out, it had not moved a muscle but had lain in the same place not expending any extra energy because of the heat. Its eyes again followed me back to the car and nothing else moved...even when I called it.

We are going to keep water on the yard every night as it does help to cool the house down a bit and the outside animals act cooler during the day because of it. It's even too warm tonight to snuggle with the purple people eater. (my husband has dubbed my blanket this name because it's one of those poodle style blankets, all curly and deep purple plus the fact that I like to bury myself deep within it which is very reassuring to me in some way.)

The night before last I awoke around 1:30 very anxious and could not return to sleep. I finally went out to the living room and pray my Divine Mercy Chaplet and got the Bible out to pray some more. The verse that I opened to was this:

See the birds of the sky, that they don't sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns. Your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren't you of much more value than they?

"Which of you, by being anxious, can add one moment to his lifespan?

Why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They don't toil, neither do they spin,

yet I tell you that even Solomon in all his glory was not dressed like one of these.

But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today exists, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, won't he much more clothe you, you of little faith?

"Therefore don't be anxious, saying,'What will we eat?','What will we drink?' or,'With what will we be clothed?'

For the Gentiles seek after all these things, for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.

But seek first God's Kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well.

Therefore don't be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Each day's own evil is sufficient.

Matthew 6: 26-34

Like a lot of people, this verse comes to me when I need it the most. From somewhere deep within, we realize that everything it says is true and there is really no need to be anxious.

I fell asleep around 3:30 that night and slept until 8 that morning and last night was the most refreshing night I have had in quite some time. It is good to know that He is watching over us so well.

May you have a peaceful night with no anxiety and know that our Lord is watching over you as well.

Sleep tight.