Sunday, June 09, 2013

A prairie walk...

Hubby and I drove out to Chuck's to check on the yearling ewes and their babies.  They seem very content, and the lambs look quite healthy and strong.  There is just something about seeing ewes and new lambs on the green prairie that thrills my heart.


Do you remember that part of our pastures burned up in a prairie fire last summer?  If you don't, click here to see it.  The May rains have brought the grass up and blanketed the bare ground with green goodness.  The sage brush and prickly pear that were once there are gone, and all that's left is a green prairie meadow.  We probably won't turn out any livestock here until late in the fall so the grass can mature and set seed.

 

After looking around at Chuck's and Gramma's Pastures, Hubs decided to move the cows and calves that we just branded out to the North Pastures.  While he pushed them northward, I got out and walked for a good half hour or so and enjoyed the sights.  I didn't realize it until I got home, but the mosquitoes enjoyed my tender neck meat.  (itchy itchy itch)

I wish I could have recorded the sounds of the meadowlarks and buntings trilling and the frogs croaking along the creek.  And then there was the pungent, woodsy aroma of the sagebrush that you can't experience without being there.

I did capture this Western Meadowlark giving his all in full operatic voice.  I found a place where you can listen here.


The Gumbo Lily (below) is what this blog is named for.  It's a prairie dweller that prefers the clay gumbo soil and only makes an appearance once during the early spring.  Normally the blooms last a very short time so if we don't get to the gumbo pastures at just the right time, we often miss the gumbo lilies blooming.  There were a very few left in bloom.

A little further down there were cool, clear waters.  What a sight!  It was once a parched, dry land, and now it is a refreshing, life-giving green pasture.

"For waters will break forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert.  And the scorched land will become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water... the redeemed will walk there, and the ransomed of the Lord will return, and come with joyful shouting..."  ~Isiaiah 35:6,7,9,10

Thank you, Lord, for your gifts.

14 comments:

  1. I love those verses from Isaiah -- what promise of miracle and New Earth is in them!

    I'd never heard of nor seen a gumbo lily before! I thought your blog name was just a cute invention of yours :) How neat! It's very pretty, and very special.

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  2. Oh my, your walks are my favorite posts. It gives me opportunity to see things from your eyes and I get to see how you live...it is wonderful. Dianntha

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  3. Glorious. I was just in Winnipeg and what they call the Prairies. Are you south of there. It was lovely during our stay...
    Love the captures of the Western Meadowlark!

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  4. Beautiful! Yes, I'd like it if you would email me a sheep photo or two from the post before this one. Thank you, Jody!
    Sorry, I didn't get right back to you!

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  5. Wow, that is quite the difference in the pasture! Sweet little lambies are so cute and you really captured a good "singing his heart out" picture of the meadowlark.

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  6. We have that smell of sage too...it is tantalizing :). I love smelling it after a rain! Your views are gorgeous Jody and I love that verse!

    ~Julia

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  7. I love that scripture Jody and seeing the pastures and the grass growing after the May rain is heart warming, especially after the situation last year with the prairie fire. A lovely capture of the meadowlark singing. Animals thriving, water channels full - much blessing.

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  8. When I played the meadowlark song, my dog Travis's ears perked up. Who is this new visitor to our home, he seemed to be asking. Your prairie pasture is so beautiful! I'm glad it recovered from the fires.

    xofrances

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  9. Oh, it's all so beautiful Jody! The new grasses look so pretty -- I hope there will be enough rain this summer to keep them that way. And what fun you must have to be able to see the sheep and their lambs. All the new baby lambs was one of my favorite sights in Iceland!

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  10. I just love those pictures of the prairie. I always wondered why your name of your blog was Gumbo Lily, now I know. I am so glad you took a picture of that flower.
    I am glad you took pictures of the prairie after it burned.
    It is just incredible now isn't it? Your sheep and cows look great too.

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  11. Well that was great fun. I wish I could have been out walking with you. I would have loved seeing and hearing and smelling everything (excepting the mosquitos!). Thanks for sharing!

    JOyce

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  12. So pretty! Not sure where you are, but I am reminded of growing up in Montana. I miss meadowlarks!

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  13. Such contentment in this post, so wonderful to read it too.

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  14. Beautiful pictures and a beautiful scripture. I listened to the meadowlark on the link. Beautiful. It's a rich life you have there!

    Blessings, Debbie

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