Lamb Selfies

I've been a busy person.
Fifteen chicks flatting in my room, a week old lamb out in the dog kennel, and a litter of puppies (whom I felt moving for the first time today) due in 16 days! I do love Spring.

Seven Weird Things I've Said/Thought Lately

1. "Algebra equations are like onesies."
2. OH! "Est." must mean "Established"! I thought it was "Estimated" or something...
3. Trying to remember whether or not penguins have knees...
4. "I'm virtually bathing virtual dogs, are you still my friend?"
5. I could make constellations from my window out of the cows in the paddock.
6. "Oh, and, by the way, your fish is upside down."
7. Considering if I should post an Oreo in the mail or not... (I did.)

How reliable is your mind?

Because, when you think about it, your perceptions are so easily muddled by feelings. Take time, for example. Almost every night, I sit in bed and read or write, glancing at the clock to keep track of time. Two minutes pass, five minutes, three minutes. Then BAM! Half an hour passes and I'm blinking and thinking "When did that happen?" I was enjoying my reading so much that I forgot about time and it whooshed past. I'm sure you can relate to that. It happens either way - time flies, or it oozes past slower than cold golden syrup. As the old saying goes - "A watched pot never boils."

So that makes me think, for things that can't be measured by a clock or something, like time, how many other things do our brains get confused over? Everything, I guess. Which doesn't mean that we shouldn't listen to our minds (they're very useful indeed), I suppose it just means we need to be a little bit careful. Don't rely on your feelings.

It also makes me very thankful that there is a Book (capital "B" hint hint) that I can trust is the total truth, whatever I'm feeling or thinking, and Somebody whose mind is absolutely perfect.

Bam!

Seven Things Every Toilet Should Have

1. A lock
2. Enough toilet paper
3. Sufficient walls and door
4. Entertaining drawings and poems
5. iPod dock and speakers
6. Free wifi
7. 40" plasma TV with complimentary DVDs and nibbles

Oreo Medley

So ah, at the moment, I have a current obsession with the oreo song, right? It's the cutest little catchy song by my favourite artist - Owl City. Well today, my brother comes in and he hands me this oreo, reciting a few words from the song!
So this is it.
That is brotherly love, I tell ya.

Introducing...

Elvis and Magnum! Thank you greatly for your suggestions.

Who Reads My Blog, Anyway?

That's right, folks - the latest additions to the fam-bam, two sparkly brand-spanking new water-dwellers we call goldfish! As for their more specific names, I was thinking of calling this black one Freddie Blackmoor (his species), a take-off from Freddie Highmore... maybe not. The other little fishy is a white-ish shubunkin, he looks kind of like the late Hamish (whom I had to replace... see links). But anywho, I had this idea. Who actually reads my blog? *eyes suspiciously* Well, if you're reading this (and you very obviously are), please help me out with some names, here. You can use that wee comment box. Suggest anything you like (that is appropriate) - from mystical, sparkly, starry names, to something pompous and royal, to the good old classics, like Bob and Freddie!

Thanks. Much appreciated. I should hope to update this when they're named.

You Have Nice Eyes

Technically, your average bug, e.g. worm, ladybird, moth etc. shouldn't be scary. You're so much bigger than them, and they simply can't do much damage to you at all (EEK! It's gonna tie me up with its antennae!!). But still, I'm a bit squeamish around certain bugs. *shudder* I don't like touching worms (but they /have/ been squirming around in mud all day), or being too close to a spider (EIGHT EYES!), and you know those moments when you're staring at a bug that is a really agile jumper?... I have a soft spot for caterpillars and butterflies, though. And that tiny, funky wormipede thing I saw once that could stand up on, like, two legs.
But you know, overall, they're so CREEPY... Who knows what they get up to in those small crevices? With their little antennae checking out the air and stuff, but they're standing so still, just examining their surroundings...
Oh well, forget I said that.

Last Week of Being 15

The effects and changes of growing up are truly interesting. I remember having written an embarrassing poem about being offended that I was growing up, the only line that I recall being:

 “ ‘Two years ‘til you’re a teen!’ I know they aren’t just being mean...”

But anyway, opinions change, and now I’m not so opposed to getting older. As long as it comes slowly. I’m sure it won’t, though. Some changes seem so sudden and fast, you feel rather guilty, reminiscing with nostalgic confusion the swift alteration of mind...

I also remember that my favourite number was always my age, which my brother pointed out once. I said that no, 12 was not my favourite number just because I was twelve (or something like that)... But it probably was.

Another thing I remember was being very afraid of teenagerdom, anxious that I might turn into a terrible, rebellious youth, against my will. Thankfully, I’m pretty sure that I’m fairly safe, which I credit to Jesus, fixing my eyes on Him.

Overall, growing up is a weird thing that apparently happens to everyone. YOLO.

Looking at Dad

This is Hendrix - my little 6-month-old nephew. His dad (my brother) can be seen in there, too. Sometimes little Hendrix won't stop smiling when daddy's around - and neither will dad. For almost two hours, they're entertained by giggles and games on the floor or exploring the dining room for other family members. I get to cuddle him too, of course. We're frequently rewarded with large, open-mouthed, gummy grins, and occasionally a coo. Each milestone is documented, like rolling over or holding the bottle by himself. Quite frankly, Hendrix and dad are besotted with each other. It's no secret, either. Nothing will hide Hendrix's wide, gaping smile or his big, awestruck eyes.
And then there's me, crouching nearby and clutching my camera.

Seven Totally Satisfying Things (for me, anyway)

1. A good, thick, inky marker.
2. HUGS!
3. Staring at a huge pad of blank paper.
4. Staring at a huge pad of paper, full of writing and doodles.
5. All of one's fish tanks completely clean.
6. Every check-box ticked.
7. An album of new songs.

Really Bad News

I'm sorry, Hamish.

Dust in my Face

I took this photo just before. The face of innocence? Deserving to be decked with roses and sugar and love hearts surrounded by a garland of cinnamon pastry? Those big heart-melting eyes radiate sweetness, right?
I think not.
For at least the last hour or so, I have been running, walking, quad-biking around our dry, dusty farm in the sun, searching for this dog, Amber. It started off as a walk to exercise her and Lucy. We plodded along for quite a while, before, as we neared the end of our romp, I decided to unleash Amber, so she could run around a little more. In a few minutes after that, however, she disappeared. At first, I was really mad - how dare she have the nerve to vanish like that... but eventually it turned into fear, as this very day turns out to be the day that DOC are spreading 1080 ("DEADLY TO DOGS") all over the forest. Amber likes to chase birds - she could've pursued it across the creek and then... That was what was running around in my head, anyway.
Long story short, after circling from the house, Model Village and cafe to the forest and over again, and again, with the help of Elie (staff at our place), she turned up at home!!
Innocent cutey-face. Pfff.
I really do owe it to God, though, after earnestly praying that He would bring her home... and He did! THANK YOU JESUS!!!

Valentine's

Belated, I know.

Jabberwocky

There are plenty of things that I don't understand.
Like how inverting and multiplying a fraction on a fraction makes much sense.
I don't understand why Lucy the dog always licks herself.
I don't understand the following poem stanza by Lewis Carroll:

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgabe.

         (From "Jabberwocky")

Snowflake (Shnopolis)

EVERY ROSE ON TEH BUSH. I EATS IT.

Hamish

Stop being jealous about my competition-grade photo. This is Hamish, the newest member of our family (except for the peepings we heard under a sitting duck this morning), my jittery little calico friend. He needs a little leeway, he's just arrived and is a bit nervous, after living in a peaceful garden nursery and being whipped out of his comfort zone into a groovy tank which the cat drinks out of, and a toddler watches and laughs through the glass, and funky Capital Kings music plays in the background. But wee Hamish is an intelligent fellow, he aspires to be a singer/songwriter. He comes from a talented family. Silent throughout the day, but once he settles down, he's pretty talkative in the evening. Last night he told me he'd like to be as big as my other fish, Soda and Pebbles, one day. I told him he's fine just the way he is.

Anklebiter

This is my nephew, Jacob. I took this photo a few months ago, and it's probably my favourite of him. He is a cheeky fellow, though pretty silent still, the son of my brother and his wife. Coming on 2-years-old this year. I used to be a bit opposed to babies when I was younger (perhaps a form of jealousy), slowly and secretly starting to like them a little more as I got older - and then Jacob came along and I fell in love with him. Since then, I have two other nephews, Jacob's brother, Fletcher, and my other brother's son, Hendrix. I have no opposition to babies, now. I get to be blessed with babysitting my oldest nephew every now and then (sometimes his brother too, or his cousin), which is a lot of fun, and I miss him when he's gone. All this reminds me of what a friend said once - how it's such a privilege that God gives us His children to look after on this earth, and rear them until they come to know Him by themselves. Awesome.

Green

This photo was taken from a swingbridge. On our 4-hour walk between Bark Bay and Anchorage, in Abel Tasman. I really like its mysticalness. It was amazingly sunny that week with mum, dad and I, save the day we actually walked. We spent a lot of time at the beaches, hiring stand-up paddle boards, taking photos and such, and we slept in our caravan in Old McDonald's Farm campground, nearby a good family we know who camped there too. I went on a horse-trek with my friend, which was fun. It's good to have that time out. Go on holiday.