Down at the Farm, Kalnozoli, to be precise

Yes we have a mobile home on site at the farm and we have been there this past weekend, rain and all, it was soooooooo lovely. The peace is penetrating and the views are so inspiring. We work and we laugh. It was fun to set up our little second home, a home with no rennovation dust and every room complete. We are just adding our personal touches here and there. The pictures are ones we took when we chose the home at the dealers, our camera has hidden itself away in all the toing and froing.

We received word on Friday that the home was to be delivered that afternoon. The last 2 times the vehicle bringing it broke down so we said of course we can be there, dropped cleaning this place threw some things together and hit the road. Our dear friend Santa had communicated clearly that we would meet the driver on the turn off to the P84 with a British flag attached to the top of our car. He phoned Santa when he was leaving Jekapils headed our way and we went to the appointed meeting place, and we waited and waited. Santa rang frantically saying he had turned and not seen us. We knew immediately he was on the wrong road several phone calls later we met him on the A12 from Jekapils and flag waving we lead him and his pilot car with flashing lights and our hazard lights blazing down the A12 to the P84 then down our road to Kalnozoli. All the time the big question was, will he drive into our track known as our driveway? Basically it is a field and he is a semi with a mobile home on a long trailer. He did and then came the point when as a wife I debated whether to hold my tongue or not.

There was a big problem. The lady at the dealer’s said they would load the mobile home back to front and Ian had prepared the site accordingly and he directed the driver to swing the trailer around to unload the home front first, only problem was they hadn’t loaded it thus. In his frantic concern Ian hadn’t noticed the change, I had. But he usually is so on top of things I didn’t want to point out the obvious and thought he probably knew something I didn’t so I kept quiet. Meanwhile the vehicle got stuck so the second part of the show began. Our neighbour Uldis had come over to see if he could help and immediately suggested getting our other neighbour, Leonidis to bring his tractor which he did.  They unloaded the mobile home, with many scary twistings and bumbs, the tractor pulled the lorry (truck) out after several broken towing ropes and our mobile home was on the farm.

But wait, the saga is not over yet. The mobile home is sitting in the field a ways from its assigned site and Ian was certain he could move it with the Land Rover. I was never convinced of this but again remained quiet. Several attempts later Leonidis hooked onto the Land Rover and pulled (again with some very scary twists of mobile home and Land Rover) them both to the right site if not exactly where planned. A big sigh of relief went up by all.

Next came the placing of blocks and attempts at leveling while I unloaded the car and placed just inside the doors of back hallway and lounge, all the must haves to spend the weekend on the farm. Eventually, we stepped into our new home and I began to domesticate the place. That evening we opened a bottle of wine purchased for the occassion and toasted our first night to stay on the farm. Followed by a gourmet meal of meat and cheese sandwhiches. The next night we splurged and had beans on fried bread by candle light of course. Did I mention we have no electricity yet but we do have a gas cooker top and heater. Also no running water but the good news is we had the pump on the well working and we have beautiful clear well water, howevere we stick to bottled water to drink. Here are pictures of our lounge and dining area. The first thinkgI did in the domestication process is loose the nets. Hopefully in the near future we will find our misplaced camera and I can take some pictures of the peaceful pastoral scenes out our windows.

As we have been enjoying the weekend we have been enveloped in the peace of our landscape and location. Ian has set himself the discipline of strimming for an half an hour before breakfast so that he can see daily progress in the vast job of tidying our fields. Also this is preparation preceding the fields being cut when we find the right tractor at the right price. All these chores and projects are being undertaken at our own pace and for those of you who know Ian that is decidedly slower than his normal intensity. Though I did need to have stern words with him this morning as he was strimming for an hour way out of hollering range. LOL

Not certain when I will post again as we are headed back down to the farm. There is such peace in that phrase.

The Praises Go Up, The Blessings Come Down

Blessings from yesterday, running water on the farm!!!! Now the work begins to get a proper sized pump and pipe in the ground. Also notice the colour of the leaves, yes autumn has begun its forward march and to celebrate the arrival of water from our well the rains came a little later in the afternoon.

I had hoped to do laundry today but the grey skies tell me no, not today. After 2 weeks of ceiling work in our flat and little laundry time we are running short of clean clothes. Hopefully, tomorrow they should be donewith the ceilings. We need to vacuum every wall, every surface, every item and return every room to a liveable place. Did I mention wash every window? LOL, but we have ceilings!!!!!

If you follow this blog you might have been expecting to see pictures of our ‘English House’, mobile home to non-Latvians. On Thursday we received the disappointing news that the vehicle used to deliver the homes had broken down. So we are still waiting to stay our first night at the farm. Also, the expected electric pole was not installed but we believe God is in charge of timing and it will all come together well in the end. We hope ‘the end’ is this week, LOL.

So what’s been happening on the farm this week: LOTS! On Wednesday we prepared the way for the electics by removing a dangerous tree that had grown up against the house.

This is Uldis, our neighbour up the tree hooking the wire cable around it for removal. A lovely old oak who had become rotten at the core and whose main branches were over the roof waiting for a good storm to send it crashing into the house. Helping Uldis is our ‘adopted grandson’ Kaspars. When judging the situation about cutting down the tree Uldis decreed, ‘too dangerous’ and said a tractor was needed. So Leonids was summoned and he came dragging his cable on the ground behind his blue tractor. A side note on Friday he paid us a visit and we got to know him a little better. He came to offer his services for any tractor work we might need. We are feeling very accepted in our farm neighbourhood. Here is another picture as the tree is falling toward me and our car, don’t worry neither of us will be damaged. I couldn’t get a side angle on the falling oak without putting myself in harms way so gave up the exciting shot for the sensible one. However, I should have shot it about 1 second later to really show the fall, ah well, live and learn. The shutter clicked at the sound of the loud CRACK as she went down.

Here is our Trio of Tree Fellers LOL, Leonids, Uldis and Kaspars. When asked if they would pose for the picture they remarked, “is it for a family portrait?” Love the Latvian sense of humour.

There was a great sense of satisfaction to have the tree safely down. Apparently, it has been a concern for some years. The two concrete slabs in the foreground are where the back, corner stabilizer jacks will sit supporting the ‘English House.” So, you can see another reason to get the tree down before the mobile home arrives.

Next came the cutting up party with Ian and Uldis each manning their chain saws and Kaspars stacking the wood.

It was amazing how the house looked with all the light flooding in after the tree had been removed.  The guys spent the afternoon sawing and stacking away with water breaks when I MADE them stop. After a year of drying that oak will be wonderful fire wood, the best. Ian, looking at its rings, reckoned it to be about 50 years old. Young for an oak of that size. It seems the porch was added when the tree was quite young and as happens, it was paid no mind as it grew to endanger the house.We have decided to use some of the wood slabs as steps for our mobile home. Ian calls it going back to nature, lol. Here are the mighty sawyers, Uldis, Kaspars and Ian, with the twigs on the left and the wood on the right. I need to get down there and rake up the middle so we have a clear path between the house and the track known as our drive.

That large piece in front of Kaspars will be cut and used to make a sign to put out next to the road with the farm’s name in Latvian and English. “KALNOZOLI 1″ & “Oakhill 1.” This is a common practice here in Latvia. It also denotes the address of the farm.

Yesterday, I added my own touch to the downed oak. Even though it is late in the season I saw these petunias and thought how nice they would look in this pan I found in the farmhouse, sitting just here on the oak stump. It is the first thing you see as you walk toward the house from our track/drive. Ian indulged me. I intend to paint the pan green as green will be our feature colour around the place,  hoping to have a new green roof before the snow flies. Those who know me well will not be surprised that I introduced flowers so quickly to our farm. In addition to the petunias I bought, at a bargain price, a fuschia tree to place on the porch of the chapel. The photographer slipped into a hole as the shutter went, lol.

Hence, the crooked picture. You might think me daft for such a gesture but I really wanted to do honour to the little chapel who has weathered so many storms and survived a threat to burn it. Also, honour to the man who built it and our God who protected it. As the season ends I will plant it near the chapel, hoping it too will revive in the Spring/Summer.

Another event centred at the farm was the sad day on Friday when Kaspars left his aunt’s, Janina’s, across from our farm. He spends his summers there and we have so enjoyed his company these few weeks that we have had the farm. Soon after we pull in the drive and get unloaded he comes quietly over asking how he can help us. His English is coming on leaps and bounds and to say thank you we gave him a good English/Latvian dictionary which he told Ian he wanted when we showed him ours. He only put it down when we got out of the car for pictures in Lubana.

Also to our delight he asked for a ride up to the road leading to Lubana where he lives. We said, “NO” we will take you to your home. He was embarrassed but finally agreed. On the way he said he almost cries when he has to leave his aunt’s farm. He loves the farm life so and probably misses the outdoors as he returns to a flat in town.

As we were approaching Lubana some 16 kilometres from the main road, the distance Kaspars would have walked if we let him, his mother rang his mobile and invited us to meet at a local cafe for refreshment. We met her and we shared a lovely meal together with Kaspars interpreting, very well, I might add. She wants me to hurry up and learn Latvian so we can talk face to face on our own, she asked if we could be good friends and of course I said yes. So here you see us on the steps of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Lubana. On the left, Ian, Inga & Kaspars. On the right, Inga, Kaspars & Farm Woman.

She is young enough to be our daughter so we have unofficially adopted them and look forward to a growing relationship.

Here is the lovely Evangelical Lutheran Church building. We will visit one Sunday for their 10 AM service. We will defffinately return to Lubana to visit the Ripinska family.

In addition to Kaspars there is another son, younger whom we have not met but who posted those fake properties for sale that led us to our wonderful farm. Another adopted member of our farm family is Meggis, Janina’s darling dog who comes to see us even without Kaspars now that he has returned home.

This is Meggis, he has gone straight to our hearts and seems to enjoy being with us. He follows me around and yes I have given him tidbits now and again. He is so lovely, such a sweet nature and so bloom’n cute. He does not, however, like Friskies treats for dogs. At first when I offered him one I thought they might be too hard but even after crushing them he wasn’t interested. The soft chew type treats did meet his approval so we are onto a winner there. I long to bathe and brush him but I need to have Kaspars there so I can ask permission of Janina. Kaspars jokes and says Meggis belongs to us now. Janina also has about 6 cats that Kaspars offered to us as I mentioned wanting one. I don’t know if Janina has been told of this offer. She has however offered us milk and any other help we might need. Such lovely neighbours. She has beautiful flowers and I hope to ask her advice about what grows well in the area. Yes, for those who are wondering I will be planting roses but probably not until next Spring as soon as the snow goes and they arrive in the shops.

This week at the farm hopefully our mobile home will arrive along with the electic people so we will bring a touch of the modern world to Kalnozoli 1. Though having said that they did have electricity in the house, barn and even TV. Now to add internet, running water and indoor plumbing. LOL such fun we are having.

We continue to pray in resources to refurbish the chapel. Please pray with us for God’s provision. You see on the right an original picture of Kalnozoli Chapel with its steeple.

Come back next week and see if we have our ‘English House’ and electricity.

Hard Work/Happy Work

The smile on Ian’s face is genuine we are loving work on our farm. He is dressed in his bright blue overalls with a belt as he has lost from a 44 waist down to a 38 waist. My work stamina is not as great as his so my loss is less but none-the-less there is a bit of loss in weight for me too. We continue to go to the farm at every opportunity and we often take breaks during our work to just sit an enjoy. We spent yesterday there preparing for the arrival of our “English House” (mobile home) on Friday. Our new friend Kaspars came and helped us. We really enjoy having him around and he seems to enjoy practicing his English with us. He insists on mucking in with the work and just waits to be told what we need doing.  He told us yesterday he loves helping us and he is a very good worker. We know from his Mum that he hoped to be able to have the farm as he really loves farming yet he seems happy that we have it because he can see we mean to restore it.

Kaspars is a bit shy so I haven’t forced him to have his picture taken, yet, LOL. But here is my favourite piro tending what is becoming a permanent fixture at our working days, the bonfire. We are really making headway at clearing out the house from stacks of old clothes and other rubbish. Yesterday Kaspars and Ian carried out a rather ‘nice’ tin bath full of things that went on the fire, that plus all the twigs and small branches Ian cut from the apple trees bordering the area where the mobile home will be sited. We have learned that Kaspars has experience with both the strimmer and the chain saw and is eager to help us bring order to our ‘jungle,’ though the fruit trees will have to wait until after the season. Anyone want to open an applesauce shop with me? LOL

I will just mention another dear little friend we have acquired, Meggis. Meggis is a sort of long haired floppy-eared little, darling dog.  He comes with Kaspars and has accepted us as being part of the farm. His larger companion has not, however and tells us in no uncertain terms and remains totally aloof as all good guard dogs should. Yesterday, I endeared myself to Meggis by feeding him a few ‘Ritz’ type crackers he then stuck to me like glue. Will it last? We will see next time we go to the farm and I will definitely take a picture to post for next weeks blog.

Our life now centers around hunting for things like a tractor, a large utility trailer suitable for car and tractor, impliments for the tractor, fencing and dreaming about sheep, hahaha. What of the house you ask? I see by your question you are not a farmer. When the pioneers arrived in Oregon they did not first build their houses, oh no! The barn and concerns for crops and animals came first. English farmer – - no different. Though to be fair we have got our ‘English House’ coming Friday with its fake French provincial bedroom decor. So he has not ignored this creature’s comforts, or his own, LOL. We may even be able to boil a kettle before the week has ended as the electrics should be positioned for hook up this week, we learned today. Our friend and electrician/plumber Kalle is going to be on hand Friday for the big ‘English House’ installation so here is hoping all things will dove-tail together. Ian is quite capable but it is an extra blessing to have a second expert opininon on things like electrics and such. We have a gas cylinder at the ready to hook up for the cooker top so cooking may actually be an option. There is a microwave in the mobile home and an electric oven so we will have the standard options for heat, re-heat and potential cooking options.

What of the chapel? Ian strimmed around it yesterday and one day last week I pulled the weeds from the porch at the front of the chapel.  We continue to make plans about the restoration, keeping it a priority. This picture is pre-strimming but post weed pulling. We continue to trust God for the resources and wisdom needed for the restoration. The first thing we must do is lift it on the side where it has slipped its foundation, the right side as you face the chapel. Then we can open the wedged door and actually go inside, we hope. We plan to move it forward a bit so it is more prominent, giving easier access to the orchard behind it. The area around and to the right will become a lawn and lots of flowers with eventually a water feature and some swings for all who would enjoy. Swings are a big thing here in Latvia, not just for children. I like that. I envision a large swing set made of logs like several I have seen here, out and about. We will also be putting a definite path from the road to the chapel hopefully encouraging people to stop and pray awhile or just rest in the peace and quiet. No, the swing set will not be too near the chapel, LOL. A line from the film “Field of Dreams,”  “If you build it, they will come” for the peace that passes all understanding from meeting with our Prince of Peace.

Farm Town to Oakhill Farm Part 2

When we peered in this is what we saw. A plain altar and a cross that was leaning sidewise on the altar. At this point I jumped back from the chapel porch and shouted, “This is it!!!!!”  By this time Kaspars had joined us and was bemused at my radical reaction.

Earlier that day Ian and I had talked about the possibility of buying a farm and wanting to put on the land some distinctive mark to designate that the farm belonged to  God and here it was, already in place.  A chapel, a place of prayer, peace and quiet. A place to listen to God as well as talk to Him. I couldn’t wait to share it with Ian who was just coming to the front area of the property. I walked over to him, though I wanted to run, and calmly said, “Come and see this little building at the front.” He asked a few times, “What is it?” and each time I replied, “Come and see.” Looking in through the glass in the door he said one word, “chapel.” Together we said, “God’s mark.” I remarked, “SOLD!” As we all walked toward the road we conferred and agreed we wanted to declare our interest. A phone call was made by our interpreter to Kaspars mother who shared a large part of her life history but eventually an appointment was set within a few days to meet and confirm details. Inga, the owner, was overjoyed at our reaction to the chapel and our commitment to restore it.

We already see God at work through beginning a relationship with Inga and her son Kaspars. She already has plans to come and see us when she visits her aunt later this month. Inga told us on Friday that the people of the are are so thrilled that the chapel will be restored. Please pray with us for God’s provision to accomplish this asap. If you are interested in contributing please comment on the site and I will get back to you. You can also reach me at: ergliangel45@googlemail.com

Our plans are to keep as much of the original chapel as possible and primarily restore rather than replace in honour of the man who loving built it and preserved it during Soviet times. I can’t wait to get back down to the farm and get the weeds out that are growing in the porch. We also purchased 2 large teracotta pots to go one on either side of the porch with bulbs to plant in them for a great Spring Resurrection show. Our current plan is to develop a lovely parkland around the chapel a long term plan that is.

Where we planning all along to buy a farm? NO, but God moved in such extrodinary ways that  the doors flew open and we followed Him through the portals. We think there are two themes: Redeem and Restore the Land and Build Relationships. The two are intertwined. Loving the land as we love the people of the land. Watch this space.

From Farm Town on Facebook to Oakhill Farm in Latvia

For those not in the know, Farm Town is a virtual game on Facebook, the social network site. I have had moments of serious addiction with this game but never in my wildest imaginings did I think we would really buy a farm yet that is what we have done. It is a God ‘thing.’

Here is the story, so far. Ian likes to troll through Latvian websites particularly looking at agricutural equipment and for fun even farms. In fact he recently bought a baler that he has loaned the Christian camp where he helped with the sheep. So there is Ian looking through the adverts and out jumps 2 properties (farms) at ridiculous prices. A few days later we decide to take a drive in the country and see if we can find these 2 properties offered by the same person and they are close to one another. We finally find them both, we think, but its time to eat and so we drive a ways down the hiway and find a very pleasant looking place on a river and have lunch. Remember we still have no Latvian language skills but after lunch in the nice surroundings we decide to try to phone the person selling these two properties. At this point in the story I need to say we each remember the sequence differently.

A Latvian speaker answers but says in English someone will call you back. So we head back to the first property and waited a while. It seemed like no one was going to call so we headed off down the road for a long drive to visit some friends. We hadn’t gone very far when the phone went and a young man asked what we had called about and we said the property for sale. We explained we had been there , we thought. He said go back up the road looking for a yellow house with a green roof and ask for Kaspars. We saw one house with a yellow ground floor and green upper story but not green roof. We stopped and ask a neighbour near  what we thought was the first property, who spoke no English but showing her a computer map of the property location she indicated that we were on the right road. Across the field was a yellow house, I pointed and asked “Kaspars” she shook her head ‘no’ and spoke the family name.  Back in the car, the phone rings again and they ask have we found the yellow house with the green roof and we say no, they ask if we have an intrepter and we say yes tomorrow so we agree we will have our Latvian speaker call the next day. We return home wondering what it is all about. Remember we are just ‘researching.’

Next day we phone our friends who are visiting another town and we check to see if they are coming anywhere near these properties and they are. We tell our story so far and they agree to meet us at the nice resturant on the river. Simple right? HUH!!

We arrived at the apointed place and waited and waited and waited some more, long story short several phone calls later we finally met up and went in to eat. We were going to phone the people with the property after lunch and close to our finishing lunch they rang and we turned the phone over to our patient interpreter. The location was confirmed and off we went. Green and yellow house we had seen the previous day was the right place and we met the property owner’s son and walked across the road to the property they were selling. The green and yellow house belongs to an Aunt. The owner’s son, Kaspars was very helpful showing us around the property and speaking English as well as answering more detailed questions through our intrepreter. It was NOT the property we thought we had come to see and there was no second property. Later we were to learn that Kaspars younger brother had put two fake properties on the web resulting in much anger from Kaspars and his mother. But God used it for good to bring us to “Kalnozoli 1″ Oakhill Farm.

Here is our little timber farmhouse. You see roofing felt on the walls used as insulation. One of our first jobs is to remove this and inspect the timber validity. Anyone up for a bit of strimming? As you can see Ian has already made a dent in the grass as a way in from the drive or rather track that is the current drive. Lovely apple trees all around, even plum, oak and birch. Some will need to come out as they are up against the house but Ian already has a plan and volunteers in place. You may be wondering how many rooms in our farm house what are the size and so forth. Dear ones, you are thinking like typical westerners, lol. Here is our kitchen.

Great brick pizza oven, yes?  We plan to take it back to the walls and make totally open plan living area with bedroom in the loft. We may have 54 sq. meters on the main floor, and there really aren’t rooms as such except for the addition Inga’s (the ‘former’ owner) father started but never finished. I would hope we could some how incorporate this brick structure but that is a distance down the road at the moment. Ha ha ha. First job is to carry out all the junk that remains in the buildings. Yes we actually have a barn that includes a woodshed, cowshed and hay/impliment storage. Farmer Ian says it is useable with a little attention – - like doors that need re-attaching and such. There are many, what I call ‘puttering’ projects to do. You can

see Ian strimming down the side of the barn building looking ever so fashionable in his blue bib overalls. You can see stretched above him an actual electric line. Yes, there was electricity here but it needs to be brought into the property again. New poles and wires have been put in the area just two years ago but as the property was vacant Inga did not have the house connected. We will have it done soon as we plan to put a mobile home or as they say here, “English house” put on the property. We are considering the farm our Spring/Summer residence for now.

Now wouldn’t this be a great space for a real country hoe-down?

It is twice as big as seen in the picture. Plenty of room for the fiddler and the dancers plus a table laden with farm fare. Ah, one can dream. . . . And yes one must look the part, love my straw hat. This building like all the others needs a good clear out, hard graft but a labour of love. We will be spending as much time as possible doing just that as soon as we have our “English house” in place. Of course depending on how long the weather holds before winter sets in. We are already seeing the trees starting to turn.

This little log building is a mystery building. The door is wedged and we haven’t been able to see inside. Even looking through the little window gave no clue. We are wondering if it was a sauna there is a pipe extending out the side. The leaning structure in the foreground awaits a push and then a rebuild for further storage. The roof of the little log building is shaved wood probably a dead or dying skill. Are you keeping track of the number of projects? Wait there is more.

The best for last. This is our CHAPEL! Such a story here and we hope to gather more details so it can be told properly.

This was built by Inga’s father during Soviet occupation. It originally sat closer to the road and at one point the Soviets threatened to burn it so Inga’s father moved it back closer to the house and took the steeple down. The picture on the left is an original photo of an unkown date showing the steeple.

On the day we first looked at the property Ian, our friend and intrepreter, Santa and Kaspars went off to look at more of the land behind the barn. Our friend Kalle and I chose to walk to the front of the property looking more closely at the outside of the house then proceeding to the front area to investigate the “little building.” I approached it first and then we both went to the door and finding it wedged peered in. Continued tomorrow.

Saturday Suprise

Saturday afternoon the doorbell rang, Ian opened the door and the 2 young men in the picture above we standing there. We knew them from our work at the Christian Camp and of course we invited them in and promptly put the kettle on, as you do. We chatted for a bit and then came an even bigger surprise they had come to volunteer for any DIY projects we had that they could do for us. WOW!!! The younger one, a lovely Latvian boy had suggested to our friend Marvin (from Oregon.) He wanted to do it as he knew, from having lunch with us one day, that we had many things that needed doing, saying Ian is always at the camp and we could help them by doing something in their house. The first thing that came to mind was painting the feature wall in our living room AND THEY DID!!! They moved the furniture away from the wall painted and cleaned up even moving things back in about a half an hour. We are so blessed and know it was a gift from God.

Purposeful Ponderings

Flowers grown in our garden

Remember our call to Latvia? Go, wait, listen and encourage? What does that look like on a daily basis among the mundane things of life? This week Ian has been in the hay fields at the camp and surrounding farms being an encouragement as he oversees/helps with the baling and keeping an ancient baler running against her will, most days. I meanwhile have continued my role as domestic non-goddess.

As many of you know I had a very active ministry life before moving to Latvia and now my days centre around “what should I make for tea?” or “how can I carry that heavy bucket of compost waste down to the shed?” maybe, “wonder if I can hang the laundry out or will it rain?” perhaps, “Where can I store the deep fryer so it doesn’t clutter the worktop?” Oh, I could still preach a sermon on any of those topics but there is no opportunity. This leads me to the subject of today’s blog, ponderings. What is this season about for me in terms of “ministry?” A while back I mentioned that Ian pondered saying is this a time of rest or sabbatical a jubilee year? I took that on board, I thought. Yet some days ago I had a bit of a mini melt down.

It started when the state of our DIY lifestyle overwhelmed me. I got angry inside when a friend said in a very light manner, “remember this is the outdoor season that can all wait until winter giving  Ian something to do” or words to that effect. Friends here often say what you are living with is what we all went through, but why isn’t that the comfort it is meant to offer? The intensity of the overwhelm has dissipated to some extent but I work daily to seek God’s perspective and not add burdens to Ian’s already heavy load. The whole meltdown was a two pronged fork, the state of our “home” and why in the name of all that is glorious in heaven, was I here? So I ponder and learn about myself, my motives and what makes me tick under the banner of God’s perspective.

Recently, a friend expressed she felt she had failed me when I was sharing some of the hard things I had been going through. She is a lovely Christian, a woman of God, skilled in ministry and a heart for women. Many have been helped by her tenderness and care. For me though, the realization was not that she had failed me but that I am hard to befriend. I am a challenger, one who does not want solutions offered or a problem fixed but safety from one who listens and lets me process. I don’t sense I am any closer to why I am here in Latvia, I have no personal vision, goal or understanding. I am beginning to take hold of this waiting and listening that is happening as I putter through my domesticity, looking for little ways I can satisfy my nesting instincts to decorate and personalise this DIY project into a home. The picture above is one of my joys, flowers from our in-the-earth,  not-in-pots, garden. Prayers would be appreciated as I continue to ponder the “small” question of who am I and why am I here?

Here is another interior project Ian was able to do before the haying really took hold. This is the left hand side of our kitchen with the area of the work tops tiled. We went to Riga with friends recently and found these tiles and the saying here in Latvia is when you see it get it, so we did. It is amazing that tiling this small area gives such a sense of satisfation and my heart lifts each time I walk into the kitchen and see these gleaming tiles. There is encouragement to take on a few small projects myself once I get a handle on some other issues of our living habits.

We are also starting to enjoy the ‘fruits’ of our labours in the garden.

Here is a view of one small part with peas, potatoes and beans taken a fortnight ago.

These are our first peas and I didn’t bother to cook but ate straight from the pod, mmmm my favourite way.

We have had several cuttings of spinach and more peas that we froze and even a few strawberries. Ahhh, the ‘good life.’

We still praise God every day for bringing us here and open our hearts to hear his voice saying, “This is the way, walk in it.”

God’s Promises

This lovely picture was taken one day last week, such a powerful message of God’s faithfulness. For those who follow this blog regularly you have noticed that no updates have been posted since last month. Some of you have even taken the trouble to inquire of our well-being. The answer is yes we are doing fine and for the most part healthy. We have passed through some stressful times with car paperwork delays and onslaughts from Ian’s daughter’s interference with Dad but God always holds the victory. We are indeed able to do all things through Christ who strengthens us, Philippians 4:13.

Here is what God did for our car: The registration plate stands for PO, Praise Often.

It was quite a struggle to get her to this point. First we still had our temporary registration documents, having never received the permanent ones from the DVLA. You can’t use temp ones to register in another country so much palaver with the DVLA until finally we SKYPED them and then we learned we could download an Export document and once DVLA  returned it we would be away. We were led to believe that they would return it to us via fax but alas after waiting a week and another SKYPE we learned no we were still 3 weeks away from having the document returned via post. During all but one week of this whole situation the car sat unused as our lovely UK insurance rescinded our green card and so we had no insurance. But now we are on the road again and she is completely legal and insured. The last week we tightened our belts and paid for a green card at a horrible expense but it saved our sanity, lol.

We enjoyed many lovely days in May as the flowers really began to bloom. So many mornings we sat at breakfast and through our devotions with the sun streaming in the window.

An update on the storks at the bottom of our garden: 2 babies were born to Mr. & Mrs. Stork.

Here is mama feeding the little ones. Sorry for the picture quality. Will post some clearer shots as we can get them. Feeding these hungry mouths is a full time job for both parents now. We hope to see their first flight attempts.

During May Ian really got stuck into our garden plot. The warmth helped it get going and now rainy June is giving plenty of wet nourishment. Ian has replaced a strimmer and chain saw that were given away when there seem to be no use for them. Now with a full tool compliement and his new rotativator he is set. Today when strimming our elderly neighbour asked with hand signs if he could strim around her garden. These opportunities to encourage are such a blessing as this is why we came. May seem a small thing but God’s kingdom is being seen through each encouraging moment. This past Sunday we saw some new lives confirmed in the kingdom through immersion baptism. 10 people from the sister church in Madona were baptised in the lake at the camp. It had been a cloudy windy day but at 3o’clock the sun broke through as the baptism started. This church began 5 years ago with 12 people what a blessing to see 10 baptised from that small beginning to being around 60 now.

What of the sheep you ask?Here is your answer, shearing. No Ian did not do all of the 76 sheep that were sheared but the shearers handed him the clippers for 2 and away he went, back in his element. We had an amazing day last Thursday, 11 June, when this took place. If you have ever been with wet sheep in a barn for a day it is a scent (?) you will never forget. In England they don’t shear wet sheep, in Latvia when the subsidy deadline is days away you have no choice. This is Ian,  the wool he sheared and our friend and brother, Dimistrius or Diks to his friends. 

We had a wonderful day and even I had the privilege of helping.

This was a miracle I normally go weak in the knees at the sight of a syringe but God sustained me through the 2 hour shift I did of loading the syringe with worming medicine, yuk. Necessary to keep the sheep healthy so you just go ahead and do it and that ain’t earth I am standing in.  Here is Ian dealing with the bum end of the job. His answer when Diks asked if he wanted some gloves to do it, “Ah, no,” he said, “I am just getting myhands ready to eat my lunch. ” Sussex farm humour, lol.

To end on a lovlier note here is Ieva our friend and shepherdess Santa’s daugher, also a shepherdess in training. She was wonderful to watch as she walked among the ewes quieting them as they waited to be shorn. Such a picture of our Good Shepherd. We have known his love and care during these last tumultous days and we remain thankful every day that He brought us to Latvia.

Embassy do, hairdo, done in.

St George’s flag flying from the British Embassy building

The 23 April found us at the British Embassy for a reception celebrating St. George’s Day. All Brits in Latvia were invited if they had registered with the Home Office that they were living in Latvia. We went with our friends Joanna & Ian and met other friends, Roger and Valerie. This was our first embassy reception and it was pretty much what we had expected. The invitation said dress was smart casual but of course most of the men, being British, showed up in jackets and ties. I told both Ian’s trousers, shirt and jumper (sweater) would be appropriate but as an American, what do I know? Still, I think they were both comfortable and would dress the same on another similar occasion. I wore wool trousers and a blazer but definitely no tie, scarf but no tie. As we entered and proceeded upstairs we were greeted and offered our choice of drinks from a large tray arranged with white and red wine, juice and beer. We then entered the reception room where a few people had already congregated, probably Embassy staff. The room was moderate in size and emptied of furniture except for a grand piano being energetically played by a pony-tailed quaffed fellow. We immediately spied a further room containing buffet accoutrement’s. I had done some research so I recognized the ambassador, Mr. Moon when he arrived as he moved around the room welcoming people, including us. Later my Ian had a bit of a chat with him expressing his desire to see the sheep industry grow in Latvia. Mr. Moon remarked he had never met a shepherd before and may I add, one like Ian with such a passion for educating people in the care for and about sheep. We spoke with several people throughout the evening and then just before the food was offered the Ambassador spoke. At the end of his welcoming talk he introduced a special guest, Pastor Juris Calitis, the Rector of St. Saviour’s Anglican Church in Riga. As he was introduced Ian and I turned to each other with a knowing look, meaning this is important. The Rector had come to appeal to the Brits gathered for funds as the church is struggling to pay for their basic needs of electric and other services. Shortly after he spoke Ian urged me to go and speak to him letting him know I was a licensed Reader. When I told him his eyes lit up and his face errupted in a large smile. He immediately ask for my contact details that I wrote down on the church information card he was carrying. He told us that the church has a home for abused children about 30 kilometres from Ergli. So how we are to be connected has yet to be seen. My prayer today as I thought back on the whole meeting was amazement and then leaving the connection and its timing in my Father’s hands, as always. His timing is perfect and I know this meeting was his design so I am trusting for him to orchestrate further contact.

So what is the sheep situation? Over 70 with just a few left to deliver. Most are all outside now frolicking in the sun. Though I went out Friday I failed to take any pictures, perhaps next week. Sunday Ian and I took a walk down our road toward the lake and took this picture.

The sunshine was warm and in the past few days things are greening up a bit but it still has the brown of winter. After our walk we returned to eat a pork roast dinner and take long naps. More about that later.

Yesterday, Monday 27 April, I went with my friends, Kim, Joanna and Mo to Madona to get our hair cut. A lady in the Madona Church where Kim & Bruce attend has a salon. Kim says she is one of the top hairdressers in Latvia. She was the stylist who cut my hair and as I watched her work I knew she was very good. I have very fine, thin hair and as she cut she shaped it very well. I went for a summer cut, much shorter and taking advantage of naturally curly hair a real scrunched look with smooth fringe (bangs.) Though Ian’s amused comment was, “You look like you were dragged through a hedgerow backwards” I like it and think it will work very well for the summer. Joanna’s hairdo was the best of the bunch in all our opinions. It really opened up her face and softened her look considerably. Of course the real test is: what can we do on our own with out a stylist to do it for us? We were all happy with our looks and then went out to a delicious lunch and more laughter. A lovely way to spend the day.

Now about ‘Done In.’ Saturday and Sunday we took as real rest days. On Friday Ian came home very tired from working with the sheep and the grasslands; he then proceeded to dig a compost trench in our garden plot and he was “done in.” He has been working very hard most days this past month with the sheep and advising on the grasslands and even running the tractor. He has been wanting to get out in the garden to continue preparing the soil after it was rotivated last week but even if he had the time the strength wasn’t there. When he finished digging he came in, near colapse and went to bed. So Saturday though he forked over the soil a bit I put my foot down and we took some currant loaves he had baked out to the camp just for a drive and a relax. ‘Course while we were there twins were born and though he watched over he let Santa do the job. Sunday continued our rest and he felt well enough yesterday to go out and do the follow up work on slaughtering some ram lambs at another friend’s farm.

Currently, we have a lamb carcas hanging in our store room downstairs to dry and age before being cut up. I resisted taking a picture for those who think their meat comes nicely packaged from the super market, or don’t want to know about the process. So it will be leg of lamb for Sunday dinner this week. Yum, yum. These were ram lambs from last year’s flock so no cutie little ones, recently photographed,  were harmed in the writing of this blog.

So how are we in general at this point in our rural life in Latvia, just great!!!!!!!! Tired at times but really enjoying our lifestyle. Relishing our relationships with Jesus and enjoying his creation all about us. Learning to hear his voice and eagerly awaiting each new day’s adventure, challenged by our aging bodies but not defeated. Today as of 9 am we had done devotions, breakfast, washing up, making the bed, me hair & makeup, Ian’s lunch and flask, a load of laundry hung out and another in the machine, checked the emails and waved Ian off to the camp. I think that is a record for this ol’ girl and with that thought I will leave you till next week.

Lambs Galore

Yesterday the 20th we were up to over 60 lambs. These are just a few of the little ‘uns. “The wolf and the lamb will feed together” Isaiah 65:25. No wolves in this picture but today a pen is being built outside for ewes and single lambs as they are running out of room in the shed and there are about 16 ewes still to lamb. The concern is that there is a fox who has been worrying the ewes waiting to lamb who are still in their pen outside. It is a hard choice as there is no room inside and if they are crowded any more in their pens lambs will get trodden on and die. So outside some must go and we pray for angel protection for the little lambs and shepherd alertness as well. We ask our Good Shepherd to give grace to the human shepherds and send this fox to another hunting ground. Just as our enemy seeks to devour so the fox as a natural predator seeks a lamb dinner. We must be ever vigilant and stay close to our Good Shepherd, listening for his voice and obeying his loving commands.

I never cease to be amazed at the gentleness of my shepherd husband, Ian. What a powerful, tender picture of the Lord’s care for us, his sheep. I often watch as Ian casts a caring expert eye over the sheep looking for any needing special attention. “He tends his flock like a shepherd: he gathers his lambs in his arms, and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.” Isaiah 40:11 I now have the privilege of seeing these verses in very real situations and how they live in my heart in a new and fresh way. Ian too is relishing a new understanding of his work as a shepherd and how akin it is to the way the Lord cares for him and all the ‘sheep of His pasture.’

Last week I also gained another perspective of a shepherd laying down his life for the sheep. Here is Ian, a shepherd on the run at 71! He was helping to round up rams so that one could be sold. I, looking on, was concerned that he had indeed forgotten himself  and the reality of his age. His said later that as a shepherd you don’t stop and consider you just take whatever action is needed at the time. Laying down your life for the sheep. Ian proves almost every day that he is in very good shape for his age and for any age, really.

You may be wondering if our lives consist only of sheep and shepherding and for the most part that is true. All work in the flat has been suspended during this intense time of lambing.  Although on Saturday our garden allotment was rotivated.

What a gift to have the boys from the camp bring the tractor over and do up our garden plot. It provided an event of interest for the whole ‘house’ as the neighbours gathered to watch. They were probably wondering how that Englishman has such contacts that he got a tractor in to do his plot? Hopefully they are rejoicing to see that a plot that has been unused for so long now has a renewed life again.

Here is the start of our garden resting warmly on our living room window sill. They are growing far too fast as we can’t plant them out until next month but you just can’t hold a committed gardner/shepherd back. Now lest you think I am only a domestic goddess (ha, ha, ha) here is my contribution to the agrarian lifestyle. This is my just-planted tray of sweet peas soaking up sun on the kitchen window sill. I can almost smell their scent when I plant them to grow up onto our little terrace/balcony. I hope to border our vegetables with other flowers and I am told this will make our Latvian neighbours very happy as they love flowers and vegetables, equally.

So is all happy in our little rural homestead? Almost, we still have the ongoing problem of Ian’s daughter Chriss troubling Dad and trying to discredit us as having abandoned him. Her latest tactic was to put a message on my Facebook page to this effect. We are holding fast to the Lord and living in the silence toward her, that He has commanded.

Also our flat sale has not completed and there maybe blocks on that as well. We see all of this as an attempt to distract us from God’s placing us here in Latvia. We choose to believe that “no weapon formed against you will prosper.” Isaiah 54:7 We did not imagine that this move would be pain free and indeed it has not been but oh the mercies of God are indeed new every morning. His faithfulness sustains us in the face of all attempts to cloud his presence in our lives here in Latvia. We are so thankful for the many who are praying for these troubling situations and friends who visit Dad and continue to encourage him and pray for him in his 97th year as he prepares to go home to rest with his Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

“But you are a shield around me, O Lord, my glorious One, who lifts up my  head.” Psalm 3:3

This is a picture of the sun rising on a recent glorious morning over the trees as seen from our kitchen window. These are the messages God delivers most every day to us as we enjoy his creation.

Even the little signs of His presence like these little snow drops who popped up just as soon as the snow departed. He does all things well. These we discovered near our balcony as we saw with sadness the rose we planted last September didn’t make it but our tulips are coming up so we win some and we loose some. Over all we put our trust in the One who has won the victory over death and darkness.