The Great Chase

On the fifth of February, as I was walking across the field, I saw some fresh tracks in the soft dirt before me. After kneeling and quickly studying the prints, I determined that these were the unmistakable paw marks of the cotton-tailed rabbit. The eastern cottontail rabbit, named for their short cotton ball-like white tail, is the most common rabbit in Illinois.

I followed the clearly marked trail out of the meadow into a small patch of cedar trees. The dirt had become drier under the roof of cedar branches, and soon the rabbit’s trail vanished. Having no tracks to follow, I continued walking in the direction that the last paw mark pointed. As I neared one of the last cedars, out hopped a young cotton-tailed rabbit! The grey brown rodent bounced a little, then stopped and sat not twelve feet away from me! The second I saw the animal, I froze. I stood in place for a good long while, then slowly sat on a log that was nearby. The rabbit had not moved at all. It just sat there nibbling on grass as if I wasn’t even there. I watched the cottontail for a minute, then began talking softly to the little critter.

The rabbit sat contently eating. It didn’t seem to mind that I was there. As I sat there talking to the rabbit, an idea popped in my head. Maybe I could catch the rodent and keep it awhile! I began moving my body just slightly at first, then a lot more freely as the rabbit sat eating. Cottontails eat grass, tree bark, tree buds, and leaves.

I was just about to slowly move forward, when a crow cawed loudly! The startled rabbit bounded in some thick brush. I stood up and tried following the animal, but soon realized there were tons of little hiding places for it to disappear and that it was useless to continue my search. A cottontail can run up to eighteen miles per hour!

I went back to the house, ate dinner, and then decided to see if the rabbit had come out. After returning to the field, I looked around but did not see the bunny. As I turned toward the house, I spotted a big bush, and under it was the little rabbit! I was very close to the bush, and after I noticed the creature, I was only about seven feet away from it! I slowly retreated out from the brush and ran toward the house thinking of a plan as I ran.

The first thing to do, was to get the permission from Mom and Dad to keep a rabbit. I entered the kitchen where they sat talking and asked, if I caught a rabbit, could I keep it for a while? Dad said that if I caught one, I could keep it. I now had the permission, now for some help. I found Jonah wandering around looking for interesting insects. I asked if he would like to help me with my plan, and he agreed. I had the permission, and the help. Now for the rabbit.

We took our big box trap and headed for the field. When we arrived, Jonah took the trap to the back of the bush, while I kept the rabbit distracted. Once the trap was set, the great chase began. While we both ran at the bush, the startled rabbit slipped out the back way and right into our trap! We carried our captive to the house, where we put it in a separate pen inside the chicken house.

It was exciting to keep a wild rabbit for a few weeks. I enjoyed watching it eat the bits of grass I gave it. The rodent was never completely tamed, but it had gotten used to us. I am eager for whatever I discover next.

~Samuel

Piglet to Pork

Pigs are an important part of American culture. Idioms abound with references to pigs that make us smile- “Happy as a pig in muck;” feel greedy- “Eat like a pig;” describe events- “Sweat like a pig;” and even teach us lessons- “When pigs fly.” While maybe not a true idiom, one of my favorite sayings is, “everything is better with bacon on it!” One may even say it is “pig lickin’ good!” 

One of our recent endeavors of raising, butchering, and seasoning our pigs for storage was a huge amount of work, but the effort will be offset while enjoying the flavorful pork for months to come and we can really “pig out!”

Last June, we procured two mule foot pigs from our neighbor across the way. The cute little piglets were a hit amongst our young ones as they enjoyed feeding them kitchen scraps, acorns, gleaned corn, and feed. They quickly learned why people use the phrase “make a pig of oneself,” as the pigs push and shove, slopping around trying to get the best morsel. 

The two, not “three little pigs” grew and grew and another saying comes true, “pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered.”

The big day came and the hogs were shot, hoisted by the bucket of the tractor, skinned and halved before being brought inside to be butchered. With the skill we were learning, everyone felt like “guinea pigs,” yet excited to experience something new.

In the kitchen, the hogs then turned into pork as they were cut into loins, hams, shoulders, and sides. The hams and bacon were cured and then smoked in our new smokehouse. The loins were packaged, and the rest turned into sausage, and the saying “looked like a pig on ice,” took on a new meaning as the freezer began to fill.

Ham after curing and before smoking

Ham after smoking

Now with all of the hog in the freezer, the proper name for the meat became pork- “Porky Pig.” With the money we saved, we will have more for our “piggy bank,” and also a deeper understanding of where our meat really comes from, along with the work it takes to process such an endeavor. While I did not even touch on idioms such as “pig in a blanket,” “pigheaded,” “squeal like a stuck pig,” or “pig Latin,” I do hope to “piggy back” this article with one about our new smokehouse sometime in the future.

Until then, “Ba-dee, ba-dee, ba dee, that’s all folks!”

~Mark

An Honor To Perform

We recently were able to attend the 21st meeting of Winter Worship and Workshop in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. It is sponsored by Barnabas Ministries, and it is an enjoyable meeting. This being our third year, we were excited to see familiar friendly faces from prior years, as well as from Hillsboro Family Camp, Restoration Destination, and the Southwest Indiana Preaching Rally. There is always an encouraging pleasant atmosphere in the place.

As we packed, I was surprised that Dad said to take our instruments, as we were a little tight on space in our Suburban. I was looking forward to the morning and evenings sessions, hiking in the afternoons, and singing and playing with the crowd that gathers in the Music Road Hotel lobby after the nightly sessions. So I was happy he suggested bringing them along.

The first evening gathering in the hotel lobby, we met and talked with a variety of musicians. A guitarist friend looked at me with a twinkle in his eye and said he was playing in the key of “B.” He mischievously knew I would not enjoy that key with its five sharps, as it is not a key I play in frequently. Bryan Goins, a new acquaintance, said in a supportive tone, “C’mon Jayla, capo that fiddle and go along!” That brought on laughter from many who understand that fiddles do not capo!

Bryan Goins, we discovered had famous uncles who were known as The Goins Brothers. They were inducted into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Bryan and his band were performing the next night’s concert between sessions, and later he asked if I would consider playing with them as he didn’t have a fiddler! What a surprise! I would be honored to play with his band. He had a banjo, mandolin, bass, and guitar, and I would make the fiddle.

The next afternoon, while hiking through some of Cades Cove, I could hardly keep my mind off of playing that night. Hesitantly, I walked in the door for our practice session and was met with a wave of amazing bluegrass. Almost breathless, I was introduced to the cheerful banjo man, whose joy flowed out through his banjo picking. He shook my hand with his banjo picks on, which made me laugh. I found the quiet bass player very bass-like in character. He nonchalantly stepped on the side of his big upright bass, popping it right up into his hand! The spunky mandolin player arrived, his forty-five years of seasoned playing was apparent as his mandolin practically smoked! These guys were all incredible! We ran through a few songs, working out some intros, harmonies, breaks, and endings. I went back to the hotel not knowing it was possible to be so apprehensive and excited at the same time!

There was so much enthusiasm and energy up there on stage that evening. It was contagious. As I sang the lead to Will the Circle Be Unbroken, the strong, tight harmony of Kevin Prater and Bryan Goins on the chorus was heartening, and the continual happy laughter of the banjo man was uplifting. I was just rolling along with the experience of it all as we played some we hadn’t practiced, and didn’t play some we had run through!

Playing with The Goins Brothers that evening was one of the most exciting things I have ever done! Bryan Goins was kind to allow me to play along with his band. It was an honor to perform music with him. His uncles were known for letting new musicians have a chance to play and he carried on that tradition. In parting ways, he asked me to play with them at Hillsboro Family Camp. He told me to practice and be ready, and I assured him I would.

We said our goodbyes to the new friends and the old. We started our seven-hour journey home, reminiscing of the wonderful time we had and our eagerness to return again next year to the encouragement and uplifting meeting of Winter Worship and Workshop in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

~Jayla

Studying Crickets

Before they hid away for the winter, we caught six lizards and three salamanders and two tree frogs. We wanted to be able to watch them over the cold months when nothing would be out. We set up a lighted terrarium in a special spot in the house and made a nice place for them to live. But what were we going to feed them all winter?

In November I got a container and went out to get crickets. It was warm out that day, so I caught a good many black field crickets. 

I found a container and put some cardboard egg carton pieces in it.  This gave them lots of places to hide. 

I found a little dish, filled it with dirt, and put it in the corner. This would give the crickets a place to lay their eggs. A female cricket can lay up to seven hundred eggs in a year! That is a mess of babies! The crickets I caught have not laid their eggs yet, but when they do there will be lots of nymphs.

Black field crickets can make a chirping sound using their wings. Both sets of wings are rough, and by rubbing them together, or rubbing their back legs on their wings, they make their pretty noise. Their eardrums are on their front legs behind their knee, so they can hear the sounds other crickets make. I like the sound they make; it sounds pretty. Our crickets have not made any chirping sounds yet because they are young ones.

I feed the crickets every two to three days. The lizards like crickets because they are full of vitamins. It is exciting to watch crickets eat and see how long it takes them to devour whatever I give them. They find their food by smelling with their antennae on their heads.  I usually give them lettuce, carrot, or spinach leaves. Crickets will eat anything you give them. They will even eat cardboard!

By taking care of the crickets, I learned I must give them plenty to eat to keep them healthy. I also learned to keep their container clean. I discovered they like to be in groups and not alone. They also like the dark, and when I turn off the light, they come out of their hiding to eat and explore.

I am happy I decided to catch crickets and keep them inside. Its also fun to watch the lizards eat them too.  It was enjoyable to keep them in a separate container, so I could watch and study them. It is also interesting to see what diet they liked the best, and see how many days it took for them to eat the food. I hope to learn more about crickets this year.

~Jonah

An Unexpected Restoration

November tenth saw us traveling to the east coast to enjoy some rejuvenation at Restoration Destination, a program put on by Bill Wines through Person to Person Ministries. We arrived at beautiful sunny North Myrtle Beach on an unusually warm day for late autumn. Other than a rainy day or so, the weather the entire week was pleasant and we were grateful.

  

Bill Wines had asked us to divide an hour session with Rick Mathena in presentation. Our family was to sing and he was to perform his wonderful sleight of hand tricks that he shares with the children each year. We were delighted to share the stage with “Tricky Ricky!”

We sang and played music for God's glory. Halfway through the hour, Mr. Mathena was to come and share his special style of magic. He had asked us to stay on stage as his assistants and we enthusiastically assented. The unexpected turn of events and situational dilemmas that ensued kept us all laughing until our ribs were in want of splitting!

As Rick presented one illusion, he asked Jonah to retrieve the horseshoe puzzle from his back pocket. Jonah respectfully set to work. At first, as he struggled to withdraw the item, I reasoned that it might be part of Mr. Mathena’s exhibition. Jonah continued to fiddle with the horseshoe which refused to dislodge itself from his pocket. . . To the extent that I pondered whether Rick’s pants might come off! We giggled and guffawed almost hysterically. The audience was almost rolling in the aisles! Oh, we laughed so hard!

Already chuckling, Rick fumbled his deck of cards and Samuel, as tall as he is, got down on all fours scrambling around the stage to pick them up! The irony of it all fixed a stitch in everyone's sides!

After an abundance of additional unintended comic relief, Mr. Mathena finished his performance and departed the stage. We composed ourselves and finished the hour praising the Lord in a variety of song and music.

Thinking back to the unanticipated evening’s events still results in a smile on my face and warmth in my heart. While the entire lineup of speakers indeed brought restorative messages to us, Rick, sharing the stage with us that night, did at least as much for our family. We have an exceptional place in our hearts for Mr. Rick Mathena. He will forever be our remarkable friend. Aside from presenting some excellent Restoration History, Rick never fails to thrill groups with his exceptional sleight of hand trickeries.

~Rhonda

Signs Of Spring

When I walk outside each morning to do the feeding, I see that the daffodils are blooming, and the crocuses too are flowering. 

Some people call daffodils narcissus. I usually call them a daffodil. The best-known daffodil, sometimes called a jonquil, is the trumpet like yellow flower that we see in the late winter.

The snowdrops are our first flowers to bloom. They start budding around February. Already the red maple has its tiny leaf buds. Over the winter everything is brown but toward the end of February, everything here starts to look colorful.

Up by the arbor in the yard, there are some yellow blossoms that are super thick. Most of the daffodils will stay at full bloom for about four to six weeks without fading. That is why spring is so pretty.

A daffodil is a perennial that grows from a bulb and flowers every spring, up to five years or more. There are about 50 different species of Narcissus and they are all members of the amaryllis family. Any type of flower can brighten up a room, and so we like to pick a bouquet of these springtime favorites and put them on our table in a vase to enjoy. I like flowers.

 

  

 

~Isaac

The Can

The can crossed the busy intersection.

It would soon go in the right direction.

With the chilly wind blowing on its side

It was determined to save its own hide.

It began to roll with all of its might,

Pushing forward, always watching the light.

The traffic light was now turning to green,

Cars raced past the can, could it run between?

The can bounced up high, but still it rolled on.

Trying to make it across to the lawn.

We cheered as it reached the other sidewalk,

Only to turn too much with a big knock.

The light turned to green, it’s our turn to go,

Would we crush up the can, or do we know?

The can rolled under the tire of our car,

It rolled, and rolled, but not too far.

Our big dually tire hit the rolling can,

How sad if we killed it, oh no, oh man!

The poor little can didn’t get a good break,

He was crushed as flat as a small pancake!

~Unique