Thankful

Thankful for
- 3 Boys home for Christmas
- 2 Girls willing to come home too
- 1 Wife who has been with me for 30 years
And for
- 3 Persons in the Godhead all working toward having us home
- 2 Revelations of His will, the Word and Nature
- 1 Blessed Hope of eternity in His presence with no darkness at all
TRH

Kyrgyzstan Adventure

Lyn in a gorge north of Lake Issykol in Kyrgyzstan
Newly opened SDA training institute in Tok Mok Kyrgyzstan at the ribbon cutting ceremony
Gorge south of Lake Issykol Barry, Jomart, Lyn and I hiked up this gorge to a glacier about 20 km round trip.
Another hike along a river north of Lake Issykol
The Kyrgyz SDA church where Barry goes. Note the lack of pulpit and pews. Just carpets and a short stand for your Bible.
Azamaat Huidaibergenov director of conservation for Central Asia and Barry at their family's country house holding a branch with rose hips from their rose bush. These went for tea for Christy

Ala Arche south of Bishchek beautiful hiking here with Barry,Jomart, and Azamaat who knows every plant and animal and all about them which makes for slow but intensely interesting hiking.

Papa

For the past 30 years I've had the privilege of working with Papa. He and I have accomplished some fairly impressive tasks. We laid a half-mile of six inch pipe line and installed a complete irrigation system in Oak Glen, California. We also installed several 10 to 40 thousand gallon water tanks as part of the system. We built a barn for Papa and a workshop for me and cut many cords of apple wood. Then in 1989 we moved from California to Maine. Every year since Papa and I have cut and split at least 8 cords of wood, that would be a total of 160 cords which would be a stack 4 feet high 4 feet wide and about 1000 feet long. Papa helped me this year, we just cut, split and stacked two big beech trees and one huge maple tree. We have also with the help of Paul, Barry, and John cleared a garden spot and built a barn from wood cleared from the garden and sawed on-site. Papa has tended the garden each year and hauled innumerable loads of seaweed from the shore to the garden. He has helped can a multitude of jars of peaches and applesauce and tomato sauce. When we remodeled our house including the removal of a large chimney and two fireplaces, Papa cleaned every brick. Papa has always been up for a trip or a new adventure. He was up on a slalom water ski on his 80th birthday. He loves to read and loves a good joke even when it is on him. When I needed help he was always there usually before I asked.
Two winters ago our neighbor called asking for help to get her husband up off the floor where he had fallen. Papa (though he was older than the man who fell) went to help, on the way slipped and fell on the ice; despite his fall he went ahead and helped the neighbor up. He never said a word about his fall. The next day I noticed he wasn't as agile as usual and on examining him found 3 fractured ribs. He never uttered a word of complaint though he was in obvious discomfort. In fact I've never heard Papa complain about anything or anyone, ever. Perhaps the greatest gift Papa has given me though is his daughter; as a wife, she has his same unfailing cheerfulness and sense of adventure. Papa is 90 now and won't be with us forever but I thank God for him and his daughter every day.

Rmantraining

Giving Thanks

It is Friday evening November 21. The leaves are gone from the trees and raked from the yard. Only the brussel sprouts are left in the garden and they are at their best. I've started making fires in the shop for Merlin and Rollo. Merlin is now more eager to get into the shop than out as he likes the warmth. I put a rug on top of Rollo's crate. Merlin hops up there and sleeps contentedly. Papa brought 2 loads of wood from the pile by the barn and we stacked it in the shop all ready for cold nights. The stone oven did good service this morning and we have two fresh loaves of wood-fired oven baked bread sitting on the counter. It has a nice thick crust when baked at 600 degrees fahrenheit. Mom is sleeping curled up on the couch under John's alpaca blanket. Rollo had a bath today and for a special is in the entry lying asleep on a bath towel.
All of our 5 gallon buckets are full of oats, wheat (red and white), barley, rye, sesame seeds, beans (red kidney and pinto), lentils (persian and red), split peas, rice (jasmine and basmati brown), chick peas, dry soybeans, shredded coconut, raisins and currents, and date pieces. We have about 250 quarts of apple-raspberry and apple blueberry sauce in stacked in various places around the house. A delicious lasagne with pimento stuffed olives, dried tomatos, garlic and basil sits in the kitchen awaiting tomorrow's fellowship dinner.
I've just lit the fire in the soapstone fireplace and am getting ready to do a little reading. but what I'm really thankful for is that we could lose all these things, be out in the cold with no home and no place to go and still have riches untouchable by any earthly event. As Paul wrote from the prison in Rome, "But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus." So by faith no matter where we are no matter what our situation we can be in heavenly places with Jesus. Now that is something worth giving thanks about.

Wings as Eagles

One windy morning this week Lyn and I were fixing breakfast when we heard an eagle call very close to the house. We looked south across Long Reach and saw a pair riding the wind current about forty feet above our blueberry patch just off our deck. The wind was blowing from the south and apparently as it hit the point 100 feet or so from our house it swept upward giving the eagles just the updraft they needed for an easy ride. It reminded me of the text "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as eagles". And this one, "The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou heareth the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is everyone that is born of the Spirit."

Ride then, ride on the Wind of the Spirit, ride on to transformation, renewed in His strength.

sabbath sunset at long reach

FALL

Soon the days will be shorter than the nights, soon the frost will come to the salt marsh, then to the lawn by the shore, and last to the garden. The tomatoes are just about done, a few green ones remain and will be picked hurriedly the evening of the garden frost. The onions and potatoes have been dug. The squash has been harvested. But the collards and the brussel sprouts are just coming in to their own ready to sweeten with the first hard frost. We should be picking brussel sprouts till December provided the deer don't find them before we're through. Papa and I have enough wood put in for the winter (thanks in a large part to John's help this summer), and are working on cutting wood for two winters from now as well as scrounging up some old dead pine to burn in the shop to keep Rollo and Merlin warm this winter. Mother has twenty quarts of dried tomatoes in the pantry, about as many quarts of peaches, and ten or more quarts of peach sauce. The bulk food is safely stored in 5 gallon plastic buckets in the first cabin's window seat. Apple sauce lies ahead maybe about 200 quarts will do for this year about two days work if we process it outside in the maple syrup evaporating pan over an open fire. Then let the winter come and do its best, it'll not likely shake us loose from our snug corner of life.

HOT

My good friend Willie delivered another string of dried chilli peppers. They are a full flavored pepper with some heat but not an excessive amount. They are just right to add to a variety of dishes. We are very thankful for them as we had given most of our last string to Paul and Petra before we discovered their exceptional qualities. He also gave us a string of black peppers with little or no heat but a very rich pepper flavor and a string of little red fire crackers so hot I think I may save them for Paul. But the real hot tamale in this picture is the lady holding the peppers who has given my life wonderful spice for 28 years.

February 23

Winter has not loosened its grip much yet, though ground hog's day is past. The days are getting longer quickly now and the intensity of the sun's rays are noticeably stronger, even Merlin the cat enjoys lounging in the sun on the deck where the snow has melted away. It is almost time to tap in for maple syruping but I think we will forego this year as we will be gone two weeks of the season. Lyn and I had an excellent tramp in the snow today, away down the salt marsh into the cattails and reeds. Rollo enjoyed the walk as much as anyone. I've been making canoe paddles again, just finished a nice white oak one with excellent strength and a nice spring to it. Next I think I'll laminate some white cedar from Metallak with the white oak and see how that works up. Also I'm trying a new material for the tips which takes about 7-10 days to dry but has residual flexibility and good abrasion resistance. Maybe we will have to try them out on the St John River or the St Croix. Only a month till spring but of course in Maine there are still two more months of possible snow.

February 9

At last word John was planning to plant peas and spinach in his garden at Southern tomorrow, but we are quite a ways off from engaging in that sort of activity here on Great Island. The snow shoeing is superb at present, the shop is just right for finishing the dory and the fire is great for reading a book beside. But gardening will have to wait for a few more months. We have about 14 inches of snow on the ground and another 5-8 inches are expected tonight.

Dory building

Thanks to Papa's excellent company and help we made some more progress on readying the dory for launching
The seats are all in and all that is left of construction is to finish the gunnels and put the bottom runners in place. Then rivet the seams, drill and plug the knot holes, sand and 3 coats of paint and Ken Segal, Papa and I will take her for a maiden voyage.

However, as it is still winter around here launching is realistically 3 or 4 months away.

Long Reach at Sunset

This past week we have had our "January Thaw" with temperatures up into the 50's most of our snow has melted, but not to worry more is predicted for this coming week. Only a few pieces of salt ice are left on the bay whereas last week the bay was frozen across. Lyn and I went canoing this afternoon with the Penner's

first snow at long reach

Winter has come to Long Reach and with it a cold quiet beauty. A time of Sabbath snow shoeing on the frozen salt marsh among the reeds and muskrat houses, of morning walks by lantern light with snow squeeking under foot and nose hairs stiffening in the brisk fresh air, of sea smoke drifting over the bay aglow with dawns first light. But not to worry the wood shed is full, the house and shop are warm, it is perfect weather to fire up the wood bake oven. So come on home for your fill of fresh air and your fill of comestibles(including of course as much of "pizza by the sea" as you wish).

Shabbat Shalom

I slowly drove the mile through the austin cary wood lot shedding the push and pull, the tension and fatigue of another week. Arriving home I was met at the door. My wife, camera in hand, simply pointed to the sky. After few deep breaths of cool black spruce scented salt air, a few moments of wonder, a few attempts to digitize the essence, I turned, gave Rollo a pat or two, opened the door and stepped into the warmth and fragrance of wood heat and fresh baked raisin bread. What a gift Our Lord gives in this time called Sabbath. The wonder of family, home and love become especially poignant as the Sabbath Peace descends with the setting of the sun.

apple sauce day

With the help of Papa, Tutu and Mom we got 140 quarts of applesauce canned today. Papa, Rolo and I found that we could can 121 quarts at a time in the maple syrup pan which speeded things up considerably. Needless to say we were thankful when the day was over.....

and the sun was set. We are looking forward to seeing our family in a few weeks.

Papa's new splitter

Well Papa got his new splitter today. It works very well, even better since I lengthened the handle you pull up on to activate the splitter improving the mechanical advantage and making it easier for Papa. I also added a trailer hitch so we can easily move it around the wood lot. But we have a problem we are hoping some one could help us with; we are able to split fire wood so fast now that we are afraid we may run out of wood to split long before we are tired of our new toy.

Another Day at Long Reach

The sunset started out like this and then it started to rain so I turned around to go in and....

I saw this rainbow, the first I've seen at sunset. then I turned around again and .....

I saw this lovely scene. God can surely paint a canvas with speed and beauty. Mom is out lecturing tonight; she is becoming a speaker in high demand now that she is back to work in her field after twenty four years of unexcelled motherhood. I finished 3 of six interviews with Sheryl McWilliams for a series we are doing for cable and local TV on Healthy Living which will be distributed around Maine. So although we miss you each alot we are trying to stay busy enough to stay out of trouble and off the streets.

Sundown over Long Reach

Another week of work is over and quiet has come to our home. A pot of Mom's Dahl fragrantly simmers on the stove all ready for Sabbath dinner. Rollo is resting on the front porch after a vigorous walk out the lane with us. Merlin surveys him somewhat disdainfully from a safe distance and though he wouldn't admit it, draws some companionship from his presence. Merlin has been eating a good bit more heartily of late and is putting on some poundage against the coming winter's cold. Only the oaks still have their leaves and are fast thinning. Miss you all but draw comfort knowing you are each in the hands of an Almighty God. Happy Sabbath, Dad

Help Wanted

As you can see things have gotten a bit desperate around here of late as we are short of help so Papa has decided to advertise. The pay isn't great but he guarantees a more rapid gain of muscle than you can get in a health spa and also guarantees rapid weight loss if desired. You can apply even if you don't have any particular skills. All skills needed can be gained on the job. Job benefits include fresh air, good company(Papa and Rollo), time at the sea shore (collecting sea weed for the garden), time on a beautiful sailboat(scrubbing it down and covering it with tarps for winter), no mosquitos (it is too cold for the beasties now). No need to apply just show up at sunrise and Papa will be up and about. If you arrive before sunup check for him in his basement he'll be there splitting kindling.