Christmas Bird Count

Tuesday, Teresa and I participated in the 111th Christmas Bird Count!! From the Arctic Circle to Antarctica and the continents in between, millions of our feathered friends are viewed and tallied for the Audubon Society. Teresa and I did a feeder count our first time--I would have gone out in the field, but had a prior commitment--and wow whee, did we have fun, counting all those birdies!!!

Tally at the Zowada feeder:
Chickadees: 70
Goldfinch: 51
Pileated Woodpecker: 1
Nuthatch: 6
Red breasted nuthatch: 7
Ravens: 4
Mourning Dove: 2
Pine siskins: 2


I have always loved birds...my Grandma Houck, my Dad's mom, loved them too. Her backyard was a bird eating buffet--suet for the woodpeckers, millet and corn and sunflower seeds strewn about in feeders and on the ground and ears of corn for the squirrels. My Dad followed in her footsteps because we always had a feeder in the backyard, for viewing from the kitchen table- the same one we have now, in our home..


Our dilapidated feeder sit askew--it belonged to my Daddy--and I cannot bear to get rid of it--but I think it's time.


Praises for the past few weeks:
Hannah got nominated for that scholarship I told you about, the USA Today All Academic Team!!!
She goes to Lansing in April, with 8 other college students, gets to enjoy a meal at the Capital and then will discover who won!!
Yes, we are proud parents!! Thank You Lord, for our daughter.. the glory goes to YOU!


I've experienced many, many answers to prayer for others---people in our small group, a new Christian I've been mentoring/discipling , and one college girl of mine, with her heavy final exam load.
God has been so faithful to allow me to see answers and to hear the people exclaim His name and be thrilled to see Him at work...it brings my heart such joy!

Rachel's horse Ollie, is back home now and looks like a totally different horse! You cannot see his ribs anymore and he has spunk again.

We have a gorgeous Christmas tree, hand picked by Rachel and Teresa. Kind of a curvy trunk, but hey, it's "real."

Tim got his "Michi-gane" razor and knife finished..the steel is from the sands of Lake Superior shoreline--all that ore got smelted into an ugly chunk of steel and forged into a blade!
The razor has a whitetail deer antler for the scales, from a deer my Dad shot! How awesome is that?! My brother would have liked to see that...
And the knife is a hunter and has Michigan maple--straight from our woodpile and Michigan copper for the spacer.
I'm so proud of my husband!! He is amazing!!
If you are interested in seeing them go facebook and look up Zowada Custom Knives.

We are going to hear Michael Card in Traverse City Sunday night. He is performing his album called The Promise...oh I can hardly wait! Nathan has to work, bummer... Mom will be with us.

Been memorizing more of God's Word. Matthew 5, all of it, by the end of the year is my goal.

Our home school is on official Christmas Break!! Hannah is done with college until the 13th of January!!!! She graduates in May!!!
YA HOO!!!

Prayer please:
Our boy needs to find another place to call home by January 4th. Please pray as he seeks God for direction!

I have an ENORMOUS unspoken. Pray for one of those Christmas miracles--God size! I'm trusting Him and believing He can.

Thank you....

He is faithful,
Bonnie