I want to say "Thanks" to all of you for your sweet comments on my last post... it's so wonderful to hear such encouraging words from all my bloggy friends. Unfortunately, a dark cloud is still hanging over the Fraker Farm... since my last post, we've lost one of our hives of bees and had two separate night raids on our chicken coop from a predator we later identified as a raccoon. The worst news from that was we lost two more hens... and Hamburger. It certainly has not been a happy past few days, and not hearing him crow makes the mornings seem sad and incomplete. However, life must go on, and one day we will get another rooster for Sarge and the girls, but there will never be another Hamburger.
Happier posts are coming soon, I promise.... until then, I want to share a favorite poem of mine.
The Tapestry of My Life
My Life is but a weaving
Between my Lord and me.
I cannot choose the colors
He works so steadily.
Oft times He weaves in sorrow
And I, in foolish pride,
Forget He sees the upper
And I the underside.
Not til the loom is silent
And the shuttles cease to fly
Will God unroll the tapestry
And explain the reason why.
The dark threads are as needed
In the Weaver's skillful hands
As the threads of gold and silver
In the pattern He has planned.
-Author Unknown-
Paula - I'm so sorry - the natural world is a hard place and sometimes despite our best efforts bad things happen to our animals. I truly know how it feels - losing some of our goat kids to predators always makes me sick to my stomach. Lovely poem and I hope the sun is shining for you soon -
ReplyDeleteThat's a beautiful poem. Sorry for your losses ~ may the "silver and gold threads" be made visible!
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry that these things have come into your life. I understand a good rooster is hard to find! Raccoons can do unestimable dammage to chicken populations. But the poem you printed is so beautiful and I hope you don't mind if I made a copy for myself and to share with my Bible class. I truly hope that these problems are over and I look forward to reading your blog.
ReplyDeleteDeb
Paula, I'm so sorry for your losses and the raccoon predator, they are such bad pests! The poem is lovely and so true, something we should all remember. ((BIG HUGS) to you and wishes for brighter days ahead!
ReplyDeleteHey, Paula,
ReplyDeleteI hate to hear news like this. We do get attached to ours chicks don't we? Farm life can really be cruel at times! Hope things look better tomorrow! Loved the poem! :)
We are experiencing the same kind of "dark cloud" here at our farm! Every time I hear a chicken noise..I pop out to look! If it's not a raccoon, it is a fox or coyote. Many chickens are gone...and we have fenced high and tight! I have put our scare crows and it's helping. I am so sorry about Hamburger!! Farm life is tinged....how about a live trap for the critters that lurk?
ReplyDeleteThe poem is lovely!!
Paula, So sorry to hear of your losses. It is so easy to get attached to our animals and the comfort that they give us. I hope you find more comfort in the future chickens you bring home.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing that beautiful poem!
Paula - I'm so sorry to hear about your chickens and hive. Ya'll have had a run of bad things happen lately. I hope you have caught or killed the raccoon. He may be back. I guess it's part of farm life but it's never easy.
ReplyDeleteI love your poem. I heard it a long time ago, but had forgotten about it. It's good to look at life that way and know that God is doing the weaving! Bless you -
I'm so sorry about the chickens..that has happened to us too. All our little babies last spring were killed, just makes me so mad! I loved the poem..very true. And the quilt is beautiful!!! Did you make it? Come say hi :D
ReplyDeleteOh Paula, I am so sorry to hear about this. I loved all the Hamburger stories/pictures. I have been having trouble with a predator too. I don't even know what it is. I can't seem to get out there in time. It is hard to lose the chickens after all the love and care we put into raising them, but that is life, I guess. Still doesn't make it easy to lose them. The poem is lovely. You know what I noticed, though. That quilt is so pretty. Did you make it? I just love it. I hope the dark cloud moves from over your farm soon, my friend. Winona
ReplyDeletePaula,
ReplyDeleteI've such a soft heart for others and that is the very reason why we do not have lots of pets. I get attatched and my heart gets broken. We have a basset hound that is absolutely priceless!
I am going to send this poem to a friend of mine going through a double mastectomy next week.
Thank you for sharing it with us today.
Yolanda
Paula I am so sorry about Hamburger and the hens.I lost my big rooster Lorpe last month and it is so different without him..People say he was just a rooster,but he was a different rooster.Sure ya know what I mean.He was different and I miss his crow his running up when he saw the box of Cheez Its.There never will be another but he will live in my heart forever.HUgs,Jennifer
ReplyDeleteWe are having the same problem lately with these varmits around here. We lost 8 of the guinea keets already and 1 big Turken rooster this week. We know 1 very big opossum was one of the varmits.
ReplyDeleteI am sorry about Hamburger and the hens. You are right, life goes on. More Hamburgers and hens are right around the corner.
Love the poem and the quilt throw is beautiful!
Have a better day today!
Pam
Paula,
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry about Hamburger. Sounds like he was a wonderful rooster and I can imagine how much you miss his crowing. Sorry about the raccoon raiding the chicken coop, and how sad to lose one of the hives of bees. I sure hope things will turn around soon. It seems like when it rains, it pours. I loved the poem, "The Tapestry of My Life," and the quilt draping over the rocking chair is so beautiful. The poem really does express how life is, but the Lord will bring us through whatever problems we'll ever face.
Ahh, Paula, that is so sad to lose hamburger and some of the bees.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy all your posts though, whether sad or happy...they are "real" life stories.
Take care.
Paula, I am so sorry. I have tears in my eyes thinking about poor Hamburger and your other hens. You're right - there will never be another rooster quite like him. I am praying that the sun will break through that dark cloud that is over Fraker Farm right now. Sending you hugs!
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry Paula. I know how hard it is to lose chickens. Keep us updated. Things will look up soon!
ReplyDeleteI love that poem , I ponder such things when I weave my handspun wool.
ReplyDeleteEvery year we seem to lose a bee hive, devastating, isn't it? Clean out the hive and keep it available to bee~ every year we have at least one wild swarm move INTO an empty hive box. We got 2 new hives this year that way, and they are easy-going bees too.
We ended up putting our chickens and ducks in completely enclosed pens and since our ducks have to be near our pond (too big to enclose), we trained them to pen themselves up at dusk, and they do. We have observed raccoons trying to get them, coyote tracks around the pen, possums too, but we think we have finally made the best pen we could for our ducks to be safe all winter. This doesn't make your loss any easier though, and I am sorry to hear this sad news.
Oh, Miss Paula...
ReplyDeleteI don't know what to say, except that I'm so, so very sorry.
I'm thinking of you and praying for you.
Blessings,
Julie
Oh Paula I am so sorry. I can't believe Hamburger is gone...that is so sad. The bee hives were doing so well also. I am praying that the Fraker Farm has many, MANY brighter days ahead. The poem is beautiful.♥
ReplyDeleteOh Paula...i am so sorry to hear of all your troubles. You know i don't even have chickens and i had something break into my basement and tear into my sweet, defenseless ringneck doves. Reached right into the cages and got them. I never did find out what it was but we think it was a weasel...So i know it breaks your heart. I send you my love and hugs...
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry about your losses! Hamburger was so beautiful! I hate that you lost a hive too! I do hope things get better for you soon! {HUGS}
ReplyDeleteOhLord....I'm SO Sorry!!!(((((HU
ReplyDeleteG))))))
So sorry that your days are rainy right now. I grew-up on a farm, so know exactly how these things tend to go in cycles. Hope things will look up soon for you guys.
ReplyDeleteLoving that fall quilt picture at the bottom of your post. That's a great blankie to snuggle up under!
I've always loved that poem. Seems like sad news all around but as we know, joy cometh in the morning. Just hang on! I pray that the clouds will be lifted soon and your faces will once again be lifted to the Sin. Have a blessed week!
ReplyDeleteSitting here reading your post with tears dwelling up in my eyes. I'm sorry for your loss, just know you are in our thoughts and prayers.
ReplyDeleteP.S. I have an extra Rooster do you think he could get on Gray Hound??? I could dress him up in a tuxedo, they may not even notice he's a chicken man.
Wonderful poem
Hugs & Blessings,
Mel
Paula,
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry to hear of your losses! We just live and learn!
Blessings,
Lorilee
Aww Paula. (((hugs))). I'm so sorry.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful poem. Paula, I'm so sorry about the losses. We seem have them in batches, too. Our dog is very sick right now and we may lose him. We constantly have problems with racoons and possums after our chickens.
ReplyDeleteWe do have a couple of guineas right now and they are good to sound an alarm (sometimes false, however, LOL) night or day.
I'm especially sorry to hear about Hamburger. I still miss our old rooster~like you say, there'll never be another one. But, they're all special in their own way and it's easy to come to love a new one.
Hope to see a happy post from you soon.
R~Mary
So sorry to hear about the losses at Fraker Farm of late! I hope that the sun shines again on your lovely farm! Here's wishing you and your farm creatures lot's of comfort, warmth and sunshine. Poor Hamburger, may he rest in peace.
ReplyDeleteThat is my favorite poem! It hangs in my kitchen so I can read it often. I am sorry to hear about hamburger! We become so attatched to our pets and it is sooo hard to lose them. Specially to a predator. Prayers for happier and sunny days ahead!!!
ReplyDeleteGood Morning Paula, I feel so very heart sick for your losses. Seems like when it rains, it pours and you sure have had a lot to deal with. You have so many blogger friends who support you and wish you better days, and I am one of those. That's a lovely quilt and I bet you made that. What a welcoming sight that is on the porch. Take care.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry for your losses. But that is a beautiful fall quilt. Did you make it?
ReplyDeletePaula,
ReplyDeleteThere are no words to say how I am feeling right now. Hamburger was a beautiful soul in that rooster package. Though we had not formally met, I loved him and all the stories you told on him. I will miss him and feel the deepest of sympathy for you and James. Please know that I will be thinking of you all. It may be the way of nature but part of me struggles with accepting this fact. As my sister-in-law always quoted," Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened." from Dr. Seuss.That man was smart! I have a plaque with that quote on it and every time I look at it, I think of her and now I will also think of Hamburger. You never forget and you never stop loving but someday, you are able to think about them without tears and even smile about the wonderful memories you have. Peace and blessings to you......
I am so sorry Paula! The poem is beautiful. I am sending you a great big hug!
ReplyDeleteTracey
Paula, so sorry to hear of all your losses.
ReplyDeleteLove the poem and the quilt is soooo lovely.
Here's praying that the Sun shines on you brigher tomorrow.
Irma :)
I'm sorry about Hamburger. SO SORRY.
ReplyDeleteI know how you love your feathery and fuzzy bottomed friends.
Your poem is beautiful...
Praying SONshine for you.
Holykisses xoxo
Oh, Paula--I am so sorry about Hamburger, and about your other recent losses.
ReplyDeleteHugs and blessings,
Pam
Almost 40 years ago, Mom sent me to college with this poem as a bookmark for my Bible. It's always been a favorite and, if I can find the bookmark...packed away...I think it has the author's name.
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to lose animals but especially hard to predators.
Raccoons are just plain MEAN and I'm scared of them, they are nasty when cornered.