Dog Days

Do you ever have days when you feel tired and uninspired? Well, I have been having quite a few of them lately. It has been such a long, hot summer that my energy seems to have been zapped right out of me. I don't ever remember a summer quite like this one. Our hottest days actually started in early June, a month that is usually mild here in North Carolina. My garden didn't know how to respond to the early heat and dry weather. Pretty much all I have growing right now is tomatoes and basil.

Even the animals are getting tired of this heat. Our horses, goats, dogs, and cats seem to only want to find a cool spot to rest.

Freckles, our oldest and wisest dog, did manage to gather up the strength to try to catch a fly that buzzed around his head pestering him to death.



It was quite a funny sight.



If one didn't know better, he might think the dog was insane.



At times he even looked a little rabid. Good thing he has had all of his shots.



Eventually, he gave in to the heat and the fly and called it a day.



"It's too hot out here to even care," said Freckles.
"I know exactly what you mean, little buddy," said I.

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

I don't ever want to give the impression that my life in the country is perfect. In fact, there are many things that make it far from that. I know that on our blogs it is easy to show only the pretty pictures and share the parts of our life that make every one wish they could live that way; however, to me, it is very important to be real. (My kids are reading this and they know the truth!)

There are parts of my day that I just love: the morning walks around the yard, the quite moments studying God's word in the sunroom, and the evenings spent on the pier or the porch with my love.

Then, there are the parts that I would rather not mention, but I will: constantly cleaning up the dirt tracked through the house, smelling the neighbor's freshly spread manure, and washing the dogs who love to roll around in stinky stuff.

Today my pictures represent some of the good, some of the bad, and some of the down right ugly stuff that I have seen this week.

Good: one of my snowball bushes that is starting to get its blooms



Good: one of my peonies that is growing nicely in the cage that my dad made



Bad: Mo, after getting very dirty during her afternoon romp yesterday



Down right Ugly: The pollen that is covering everything in sight



As you can imagine, the pollen is even getting tracked into the house on every foot that enters my door. (And that can be a lot of feet over the course of a day!) I am just praying for the rains to come soon to wash it all away.

So, before you pack your bags to move out of the city, or your beautiful suburban neighborhood; remember, the grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence. But I think I will stay here. There is much more good than bad or ugly.

I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
Philippians 4: 11-13