The Wilkes Team

Markie’s brithday was just here. It was very exciting. In the morning we put streamers and balloons up. A family tradition we have is eating oven pancakes on birthday mornings. It is one of our family’s favorite breakfast meals. However, we were not able to celebrate his birthday that night, but Markie waited very patiently. One week later, we celebrated his birthday with Grandpa and Grandma and the Roches (our cousins). He opened many presents and cards including a warm blanket made by Mom. We all ate a beautiful cake made by Jennifer along with ice cream. It was a wonderful night. Thank you Markie for setting a good example of patience. ~ Adam

6 Comments » | posted in Family News

At Sarah and Jennifer’s last string recital in a local retirment home, the audience was gladly surprised when Mr. Miron Yampolsky, Daniel’s cello teacher, walked to the front of the room and performed Bach’s Cello Suite No. 5 in C minor. This is one of 6 Suites that many consider to be the world’s most challenging music ever written for cello. Mr. Yamplolsky has been playing for 56 years and is world reknown for his cello playing. Few of us could really fathom the scope of this amazing gift, through music, we received. For almost 30 minutes he played all 6 movements of Suite #5. His example of concentration and diligent effort spoke volumes to all his students.

Sarah chose to follow the example of her teachers. She dedicated herself to hours of concentrated vioin practice and followed the instruction of her teacher: Mrs. Natalia Yamplosky. The Saturday prior to the string recital, Sarah performed in Maryland’s Spring Festival. And it is with great delight that I report she took 3rd place in her class. The morning of her performance, everything seemed to be coming together perfectly when an unexpected delay occurred that endangered a punctual arrival. Worry would of been a natural inclination. However, a timely message in the car that morning from Dr. James Leininger on the blessings of failure adjusted our viewpoint. As a result, we arrived 10 minutes before her performance. Isn’t this the way God likes to work?

Practice does bring one to great achievement. Accompanied with concentration and dedication, practice can be a pathway to success. I was recently reviewing Paul’s exhortation in 1 Timothy 4:15 to, “Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. ” The Bible promises true success for meditating on Scripture (Psalms 1). Through concentrated application of the God’s commands and promises, one can expect great fruit to result (you reap what you sow). May each one of us experiences true success from practicing in meditation on God’s Word.

3 Comments » | posted in Family News

I want the people of America to be able to work less for the government and more for themselves. I want them to have the rewards of their own industry. That is the chief meaning of freedom.

It is too easy under their influence (peace, and prosperity) for a nation to become selfish and degenerate. This test has come to the United States. Our country has been provided with the resources with which it can enlarge its intellectual, moral and spiritual life. The issue is in the hands of its people. Our faith in man and God is the justification for the belief in our continuing success.

These quotes were given by an American president. Unfortunately he has now become an American enigma. We have an biography on this unknown president. I decided to read it and to my suprise I was introduced to the most conservative and principled president of the twentieth century. He grew up in Vermont and from his fathers and forefathers he inherited a solemn face, dry humor and most importantly sound principles. Through his entire life he never deviated from these principles but rather developed more as his political career legnthend. It is said, he purified the Executive branch by his honest, diligent and stable charactar. Nowadays if he is mentioned, he is usually called a political simpleton or lazy misfit, however this is contrary to true history. By his non-progessive actions he decreased the national debt and taxes. The economy boomed during his term and a half. Here is a quote which perfectly describes his presidential actions:
…[his] genius for inactivity is developed to a very high point. It is far from being an indolent activity. It is a grim, determined, alert inactivity which keeps [him] occupied constantly. Nobody has ever worked harder at inactivity, with such force of character, with such unremitting attention to detail, with such conscientious devotion to the task. … [His] inactivity is not merely the absence of activity. It is on the contrary a steady application to the task of neutralizing and thwarting political activity where there are signs of life.
Ronald Reagan once said about him;
….If you look at his record, he cut the taxes four times. We had probably the greatest growth that we’ve ever known. And I have taken heed of that because if he did nothing, maybe that’s the answer [for] the federal government.

Interestingly, Reagan, when seeing three presidents pictures, Jefferson’s, Washington’s, and Truman’s, in the white house. Requested Truman’s to be removed and replaced with the American enigma.
Who is this American enigma? He’s right before Herbert Hoover, and after Warren G. Harding (who died in office). His first name is John and he was called by the American public ‘Silent Cal’ but his name which has been successfully erased from the minds of most modern day Americans is none other then Calvin Coolidge.

5 Comments » | posted in Book Reports, HIS-story

Our family has been waiting a quite long time for this exciting thing to happen . Thursday morning Daddy and Matthew left around 7.00 a.m. and went to Lowes to buy a door for our basement.

We were so excited when we saw them enter the driveway! Then our good friend Mr. Sutphin, who is an excellent carpenter, came and taught us how to put the door in. Although there were a few small mistakes, the door is in the frame and after a little more work, it will be ready for use, which we will all enjoy .

Thankyou Mr. Sutphin, Dad and Matthew for your perseverance!

4 Comments » | posted in Family News

Joshua: Hello everyone. It is my pleasure to have with me a very diligent young man who has been watching and learning valuable lessons from his parents and older sibilings. He would like to share with each one of you some recent news and instruction he has learned.

Joshua: Testing. Testing. Testing 1, 2, 3. Markie, are you there?

Markie: Yes!

Joshua: Markie, I understand you have some news to share.

Markie: Yes. One day, not too long ago, we went to the land, and we planted apple, peach, and pear trees.

Joshua: Wow, Markie. That sounds like quite the experience. Could you describe the process of planting an apple tree for us?

Markie: First, you have to make a hole.

Joshua: Oh, I see. How deep should the hole be?

Markie: About this big.

Joshua: Ok, that appears to be about 2 feet deep. Tell me more!

Markie: Then you have to buy them. Mr. Burford (at Vintage Virginia Apple Farm) helped us buy our apple trees. Next, you have to make a pyramid with the dirt (if you have some good soil to mix in with the dirt, that would help, but it is not necessary).

Joshua: Ok. I’m sure most of us would be able to find a bit of good soil somewhere in our yards. Now Markie, where should this pyramid of dirt be?

Markie: Inside the hole, maybe about 6-8 inches from the top. Then you spread the roots out over the pyramid. Fill the dirt back in over top of the roots.

Joshua: I also heard that it might be good to water the tree with perhaps a gallon of water when the level of the dirt is about 3-4 inches from the top. Is this a good idea?

Markie: Yes. Then add a little more dirt and stamp it in firmly. Smaller feet can stamp it better. Add more dirt and then push it down again. Make sure there is a small ditch around the base of the tree so the water can get caught there for the tree.

Joshua: Excellent Markie. I’m beginning to think this may be a fairly simple process.

Markie: To protect you tree from deer, mice, and other little things, get a big thing of chicken wire (unless you are only going to plant one). Wrap chicken wire around the apple tree and use 4 foot rebar to stake the chicken wire into the ground.

Joshua: Now what would you recommend to deter the smaller rodents. Like mice, and moles, and other little creatures?

Markie: Put 1-2 feet of black pipe (Joshua: oh, the corrugated black plastic pipe? Markie: Yes)  around the bottom of the tree. This will keep those little animals away.

Joshua: Oh, thank you! As far as upkeep for the newly planted tree – what would you recommend?

Markie: Every week, you should water the tree (pond water, river water, or even water from your house will do).

Joshua: Well I think we should be able to do that! Thank you very much Markie for the timely advice. 

Markie: Enjoy your apple trees. Take care.

This has been an interview with up and coming orchardist, Markie Wilkes. Thank you for taking the time to read and be sure to check back in later for more ‘news from Markie.’

6 Comments » | posted in Farming 101

Recently, Kenan and I have been experimenting with the production of pure maple syrup. We have tapped over 20 maple trees and have gathered about 100 gallons of sap. We have been thrilled by having pure maple syrup from our own back yard. Tapping maple trees is a very simple and fun process to do but most importantly the temperature needs to be right. When it is 40 degrees Fahrenheit or more in the day and 30 degrees fahrenheit or less at night the sap will run more freely.

Now this is how you tap maple trees. First, find the your tree. The best type of tree to tap is the sugar and black maple which are often called rock maples. Other maples called soft maples (silver, red, etc) can be used, but syrup production is lower. Secondly I got some inexpensive writing pens: white ones that look like small PVC pipes when you take the inside out. I cut the small pen in half to get a 2 inch long pipe, and then I drilled into the tree 2 to 3 inches at a slight upward angle of 10 to 20 degrees. Drill the hole any where from 2 to 6 feet above the ground. Thirdly, I stick the 2 inch long pipe or pen into the hole, place the milk jug around the pen, and circle wire around the tree through the milk jug to keep the milk jug from falling.

Next comes the fun part: boiling down the sap into syrup. I pour 2 gallons of sap into a pot, boiling it down at a temperature of 212 degrees Fahrenheit or hotter. It doesn’t matter where you boil your syrup. I just boil it on our kitchen stove and haven’t had a problem. Every 2 gallons of sap that I have boiled produces about 1cup of pure maple syrup. Although it is a little runny the syrup still tastes pretty good. If you like syrup thicker just keep boiling but keep a good watch that it doesn’t burn. After boiling the sap, filter the syrup through a paper towel or coffee filter to take out the crystals and other impurities that may be in the syrup. Then make yourself some delicious pancakes and use your freshly made ‘maple’ syrup. Enjoy!   

“The trees of the LORD are full of sap…” Psalms 104: 16

 

10 Comments » | posted in Farming 101

This past week in Wisdom booklet, we were studying the  song ’Just As I Am’ written by Charlotte Eliot.

Before Charlotte became a Christain she had a bitter heart towards the Lord. One day someone came to her and asked why she was so bitter twoards the Lord. She then realized her bitter spirit and said she needed salvation. So Charlotte said I give my life to the Lord ‘Just as I Am.’ Throughout her life time she wrote 150 hymns. One of her famous hymns is ‘Just As I Am.’

Just as I am, without one plea,
But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou bid’st me come to Thee,
O Lamb of God, I come! I come!

5 Comments » | posted in HIS-story