Here It Is, Folks...

Since the last post, NINE new kids have been born on Beulah Land Farm, and there are several more to come!!

They are all "terribly" cute (and some are REALLY small), and are now in the few-day-old stage when they start bouncing! Mommies and babies are doing well, and when our camera returns from Missouri on Sunday, I will be SURE to be snapping some really cute pictures and posting them for ya'll!

Meanwhile, on Saturday, my grandma and I were given the opportunity to attend pianist Emily Bear's orchestral debut concert with the Rockford Symphony. For a seven-year-old, she is amazingly musical, following the orchestral nuances with great maturity. She debuted with Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 23 in A Major, K. 488. And as a special bonus, I got to see her teacher and mine, Mr. D., whose family had brought him all the way from his Milwaukee rehabilitation center.

"Discernment is not a matter of simply telling the difference between right and wrong; rather, it is telling the difference between right and almost right."

[C. H. Spurgeon (1834-1892)]

The Exciting Time of Year

This is the time of year that life begins to awaken on the farm. Our kidding season (goat kids) is about to start any day, and our cat is also nearly as big as a beach ball!

So tonight, Dad and I are getting kidding pens ready. Ah, the smell of fresh pine shavings!

Stay tuned for some activity on Beulah Land Farm!

The Inyarts' Visit

Among the many wonderful things about Liberty Day this year, was that it brought David and Kathryn Inyart up to Illinois! They stayed with us over the weekend, and then took Jessica home with them. She leaves a big vacuum when she's gone, but we're managing all right. :)

Singing praise to God.

The Soprano-Alto section. :)

Notice Joy. The perfect choir member!

Piano Lessons, Anybody?

Here is the business card that I put together:

If anybody needs a piano teacher or last minute accompanist,

feel free to give me a call!

Random Pictures

Good news! I just found our camera. It was in my music bag.

(It seems that's a good place to look if something is missing...)

But since I haven't taken any pictures recently, I'm posting some from a few months ago.

The Musician Extraordinaire and Her Grandson. :)

(This was taken last year when we were preparing for a concert together.

We had so much fun!!)

Siamese twins? Nope, just the late night goofies. :)

"Can I do it too, Mommy??"

An "Outside Day"

Most of us spent the afternoon outside today. It was a beautiful March day--clear, sunny blue sky with nary a cloud in sight, temperature around 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Dad took the hard, messy job of cleaning the stalls after the long winter build-up. I gave the goats--all 20 of them--a complete pedicure (a.k.a. hoof trim). That adds up to 160 toes trimmed! (I wouldn't be surprised if I dream of hoof-trimming...) Josiah and Joy were our helpers, pushing wheelbarrows and corralling goats.

I apologize for the lack of pictures--our camera is missing right now.

Mom and Jess spent the majority of the day inside--Jess doing food prep for the weekend; Mom working on Jess's dress for Liberty Day, to which all hands are looking forward to--just a week from today! Festive marches for prelude/postlude music fill the house, Joy dancing around the music room as I practice!

Also, this afternoon saw the arrival of Grandma Jan. She often stays over at our place on Saturday nights to be closer to church in the morning--right down the road. So we all enjoyed having an extra alto in our singing time tonight!

Other than that, life is filled with the delightful ordinary. There's lots to look forward to as well. With concerts for Daniel and I in April and June, and a family wedding sandwiched in May, we won't be having any dull moments! I often marvel at how the calendar that's virtually empty at the beginning of the year fills to overflowing as the days and weeks pass...

Lead On, O King Eternal

Lead on, O King Eternal, The day of march has come!

Henceforth in fields of conquest Thy tents shall be our home;

Through days of preparation Thy grace has made us strong,

And now, O King Eternal, We lift our battle song.

Lead on, O King Eternal, Till sin's fierce war shall cease,

And holiness shall whisper The sweet Amen of peace;

For not with swords loud clashing, Nor roll of stirring drums,

With deeds of love and mercy We watch till Jesus comes.

Lead on, O King Eternal, We follow, not with fears!

For gladness breaks like morning Where'er Thy face appears;

Thy cross is lifted o'er us, We journey in its light:

The crown awaits the conquest; Lead on, O God of might.

~ Ernest W. Shurtleff (1862-1917)

"Rolling..."

Last Monday began our recording adventure. I was on the road at 7:35 A.M.

Daniel and his family warmly greeted me upon my arrival in Oak Brook, and we got started practicing while Mr. and Mrs. Ziesemer continued packing.

Around 3:30, we hit the road, making tracks for Indianapolis.

Loading up.

We arrived at the Indianapolis Training Center around 7:30 Indy time.

This time we stayed on the 12th floor--great view of the city from up there!

The twelfth floor hallway.

Everything in order.

Ready to hit the hay. :)

Sunrise skyscrapers.

Daniel warming up.


We spent Tuesday practicing together...

...discussing the music...

...practicing some more...


...and having a lot of fun!

(Here Daniel is suggesting hand motions for Proverbs 2:22.)

Tuesday also saw the arrival of Ross Leavitt, an excellent saxophonist who contributed much to the recording with his expressive playing. We enjoyed getting to know Ross and growing in our friendship for the day and a half we were together.

On Wednesday morning we all headed over to the studio.

This is a creative way of saying, "Don't touch the recording equipment!"

When there is a piece that poses some difficult page turns, we set up "the board."

This enables me to play through the whole song without turning pages, but it makes for rather strained neck muscles!

The headphones allow me to hear Daniel, who is in another room, but visible through the thick glass window separating us.

After recording Wednesday and Thursday, we drove back to Oak Brook (singing hymns and songs almost all the way!).

Mrs. Ziesemer's mother was thrilled to see us. She is staying with Ziesemers and has full time caretakers.

Rejoicing over God's goodness through four wonderful days of working together for Him.