First we have coffee...

Since our little chit-chat about March and coffee and lambs and all sorts of things, I thought I'd talk with you over a hot mug of coffee.  Pom Pom reminded me of a book called First We Have Coffee  which is one of my most favorite books ever.  Margaret Jensen has a way of living the Gospel and loving others in the simplest way -- over a pot of coffee.  The stories she tells remind me of of all the times when Jesus healed someone and then told those who were there, "Give her/him something to eat."  And when he told the disciples to gather up a few loaves of bread and fish to feed the 5,000 hungry people who were listening to Him preach all afternoon, He had human hunger in mind.  Giving people food and drink has its practical purposes, but it also has its spiritual purposes.  Remember the Ghandi quote from a couple weeks ago?  There are people in the world so hungry, that God cannot appear to them except in the form of bread.   Well, that's the idea behind Margaret Jensen's book.  If you find a copy, you will be greatly blessed.

In the picture above, I'm showing you my favorite way to brew a single mug of coffee.  I have been making my afternoon mug o' joe this way for many years.  I use a Melitta Single Cup pour-over thingy.  What I love about it is that it takes just minutes to boil the water and pour it over coffee grounds.  It's simple, it's hot, and the taste is superb!  I also like that I can take it with me when Hubs and I go on a trip.  (I told you I was a coffee snob.)  The last time we went to a week-long golf tournament, I packed my coffee, filters, and my red funnel.  All I need is boiled water, and most hotels have one of those little coffee pots in the room or hot water in the lobby.  I never have to worry about drinking yukky coffee that way and it's easy to pack.

Doesn't this look good enough to drink?  Well, almost.  I swear, sometimes I think I could eat coffee beans.  You've had the chocolate covered ones, yes?  Yes!

Instead of eating coffee beans, I had this cute little Snickers Egg along with my afternoon coffee.  See how it's melting on the side of the mug?  Oh yeah!  I have five more if you want one to go with your coffee.

Hubs and I go out every morning and feed the ewes and lambs both alfalfa hay and cake.  It's been so cold and windy and March-y that they need the extra nutrition to keep their lambs well fed.  The lambs even nibble on the hay like their mothers.

We've had lots of lambs with speckles and spots this spring.  I like them.  They remind me of the Old Testament story of Jacob working seven years to obtain Rachel's hand in marriage from her father, Laben.  Eventually while tending sheep all those years, Jacob made a deal with Laban that the lambs that were born spotted and speckled would be part of the dowry.  (Genesis 30)  The deal ended in Jacob's favor because he knew how to breed sheep.  We didn't plan to breed our lambs to be spotted and speckled, but some came out that way.  Now we are wondering which buck bred the spots.

The bum lambies left for a new home today.  The six went to a family with nice little children who will love them.  They also have goats so the lambies will have delicious, nutritious goat milk rather than the powdered stuff I was feeding them.  They are lucky lambs indeed!

Yesterday a special gift flew down to me.  I was out feeding the sheep and noticed the bluest-of-blue bluebirds on the barb wire fence.  I couldn't believe my eyes!  As you can see from the pictures above, it is extremely dry and brown out here.  To see the bluebird against the dull background you see was most impressive.  I stopped and glassed the bird with my binoculars.  I believe it was a Western Bluebird.  I didn't get a really clear look at him, but I think the beak was thicker than the Mountain Bluebird that I sometimes see during migration and he had the rosy color on his breast.  Bluebirds never stay here, but just fly on through.  Still, it was a treat for my eyes.   A Bluebird of Happiness -- more evidence of spring migration.

All About Birds | Western Bluebird