A Perfect Bride for a Picture Perfect Christmastide Wedding

My niece, Ashley Morgan Rogers was married on Saturday,

December 20, 2008, to Asa Frank Glass. The wedding was perfect.
These photos were taken by Ashley's cousin, Jamie Brokus.

The Bride arrives at the Altar.


Ashley's father lifts the veil.



Ashley's parents "giving her away". (my sister and her husband)


Ashley and Asa at the Altar.

In living color!

"HITCHED"!


The Happy Couple!


The Bride.

At the Reception


Father/Bride dance.


Candid Shot!

And the Lord said, "Let there be CAKE"! And there was cake. And the Lord saw that it was good. And He did imprint it with the "Fleur de Lis", Ashley's favorite symbol. And the People Did Eat! :-)

Love is in the Air

I had meant to post this photo back in October during breeding season but I forgot to upload it. This is Wintertime Blues and SheltrgPines Morgan le Fey whispering "sweet nothings" in each other's ears!

The Old Barn

The Old Barn

The logs are warped and weathered
Heaving in the cold West wind,
Rain beats down on the sagging roof,
Yet the barn still stands,
Stubborn, resisting the elements,
Waiting for support, a helping hand.

The horses' name plates still hang
Precariously by rusty nails - Mayda, Major,
You can hear their hooves pounding, echoing,
Listen and hear the cow mooing
Contentedly in their stalls
A bit of hay is here and there.
Left from another time.

Cut, dried, peeled, by loving hands
The old barn stands proud,
A symbol of strength and endurance,
Still at the mercy of nature's whims.
Waiting for caring loving hands to nurse her wounds
And make her well again.

--Margret (Rusty) Vander Veen

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow

Thanksgiving has come and gone and now the weather seems to be telling us

Christmas cannot be far off with the Second Sunday in Advent quickly

approaching. I snapped a few snow photos today.

House

Barn

Alpha and Shetland Ewes

Shetland Ewes



Alpha with her sheep

Matteo enjoying his breakfast


Alpha on the left and Bella behind/right


Evergreens and snow

This flock of Great Canadian Geese are flying north! I think they are confused!

A Memorial Stone For Bill

Finally 2 years after Bill's death I was able to purchase and have installed a Memorial Stone for his grave. Bill's choice for burial was a surprise to all of us as he had always said he wanted to be cremated when he died. Two days before his death we asked him if there was anything he wanted in terms of directives. He replied that he wanted burial. Then after a pause of about 45 seconds he asked, "And do you think I could have a headstone?". That question nearly made us all break down with tears. Of course we could do nothing but answer, "of course you can have a headstone!".

I would like to thank those friends who sent memorial gifts. These helped purchase this memorial stone and I thought you may want to see the final product. Thank you again.....I could not have done it without help.

Remembering Bill

Well, the 2nd anniversary of Bill's death has come and I was in the hospital on the exact day. (Aug. 26). Interesting karma, eh? On Sunday, Aug, 24 I stepped on a 2 x 4 with 2 big spikes sticking straight out of it. They went into the ball of my foot and I was stepping on it with full weight. Needless to say it hurt like heck. I drove myself into emergency and they gave me a tetanus shot but refused to give me any antibiotics (after I asked for them) saying, "we don't do that anymore". They told me to come back if it became infected. Well, by Monday night it was definitely infected. I returned to the emergency room and waited from 7:30 Pm to 11 PM to see a doctor. (there were only 6 people in the emergency room ...none with life-threatening emergencies). I've never seen a more incompetent emergency room than that in Allegan, Michigan. Avoid that place like the plague.

After finally being seen by a doc, they told me I would not be going home that night. I remained on a hard gurney until 3 AM when they finally decided to put me in a room. (really big of them, eh?) I was on an IV antibiotic. At 8 am I was informed I needed to have a surgeon go into my foot and clean out the infection so they gave me general anesthesia. After that I told them I needed to get home as my dogs needed feeding. They assured me I would not be feeding my dogs due to not being able to drive or put any weight on my foot. I still wanted to go home, so they allowed it but I had to go home with a "pick line" (IV) and a portable pump that would give me IV antibiotic. I have a nurse coming to teach me how to change my own IV bags. What a nuisance.

I know Bill is smiling down with satisfaction knowing that I now a little about what he went through. He had to have a pick line (IV) about once per year when he got infections in his ear. I was awed at how he handled it. Needless to say, I'm not nearly the good patient he was.

It is hard to believe that it has been 2 years since Bill died. I miss him as much today as the day he left.

Thanks to Elizabeth for coming out every night this week after work to feed my dogs. She is the only person who has socialized with them and is able to just walk in with them. And thanks to Troy...I think he filled up my sheep water tanks the other night.

Bill, I miss you.

Mourning Song

Like a heart in winter beats alone
Solitary is this place I call my own
Memories of sun
That fan
An undiminished flame

Mourning song
And still you're gone
Somehow I'll find my way
To fill my glass up to the rim
Unearthing gold each day
True is my devotion
Always there beneath my skin

No forgetting what is left behind
Light and shadow from a once elusive sky
Wanting to possess me
Like an unforgiving rain

Mourning Song
And still you're gone
Somehow I'll find a way
To fill my glass up to the rim
unearthing gold each day
True was our devotion
Once a bright undying dream

Memories of sun
That fan an undiminished flame

Mourning Song
And still you're gone
Somehow I'll find a way
To fill my glass up to the rim
Unearthing gold each day
True is my devotion
Always there beneath my skin