I Must Have Been In The Mood To Take Pictures

Good Morning!
So here are the ones I've taken so far this morning.

The horses only need to hear me come around the fence before they're coming for their morning carrot breakfast.

Soon to be houses.
The other pictures are mostly explanatory.  I loved the sunrise.  I often see quail sitting atop the fences.  The stone fruits (don't know if they're apricots or peaches-to-be) are plentiful on the trees lining the trail.  Horse pastures are being turned into mini-subdivisions for homes.  And it's a beautiful world.

Yummy fruit to be.
The garden has had its first casualty.  The giant pumpkin was already weak at the base.  I went out to show the garden to a couple sweet friends and discovered it had become a wilted mess.  Sigh... But really, we haven't done any veggie gardening for over 15 years.  This year is a total learning experience.  And there's a new pumpkin already sprouting.  (Though I fear it may be too late.  I saw a pumpkin plant on my walk that already has blooms on it.  We must have been pretty slow off the mark this year - and then figuring out that our garden spot needed more light and getting the cottonwood tree pruned took some extra time.  No matter, it's been really a fun project!)

Loved this sky!
Decided fairly spontaneously to run up for a session at the Temple.  In a so-rare-it-is-almost-never occurrence, I forgot my watch.  After I'd dressed I stopped to add a couple names to the prayer roll and asked the sister standing there if I had time (was missing my watch) and she said- go ahead, there's always time for blessings.  How grateful I was not only for that little reminder, but for her cheerful "go for it" attitude.  My heart needed that teensy boost.

My dinner!
I'm so grateful today for those few people who really listen.  I'm grateful for phone contact with The Husband while he's out of town.  (We talked for over an hour the other night, reminiscent of his days at college!) I'm grateful for emailed coupons for Corner Bakery - that'll likely be my dinner tonight. I'm grateful for (my much used) ability to repent and for forgiveness.  And for hope that things will be / can be better (even if it's my own personal attitude!). I'm grateful for lightly scented candles and for soap to clean the tomato smell off my hands.  (Love the tomatoes, dislike the plant scent.)  And I'm grateful for the near completion of a little project (small birthday gift for a friend) and the anticipation of a project to start.

A Brand New Week

Last week was so crazy!  Here's a partial list of things we did (in addition to the usual busy-ness that we seem to have):

•  Taught Sunday School & played the organ - those two things stress me out so much!  I'm a mental wreck by the time church is over.

•  Visit taught 3 ladies, going out 2 separate times

•  Took a birthday gift out to someone special, she expressed gratitude, seems to like it.

•  Spent some time mending clothes for the missionaries.

•  Fed the missionaries - twice.

•  Went to $5 Tuesday at the movies, and had a grand time though I am still astonished by how many people were there.

•  Watched a play at Hale Theatre.

•  Missed seeing our friends from out of town, our schedules just weren't in the mood to match up enough that we could meet.

•  Cleaned the church building - again.

•  Attended a grandson's baptism.

•  And started the week over again playing the organ and teaching Sunday School.

And here are a few observations.  I'm still mourning the loss of the baby robins.  All three are gone, we suspect the snake got the third one as well.  The nest is abandoned.

Future yummy-to-eat peas
I've loved seeing the deer in the neighborhood.  A house was razed so that lot is empty without any human occupation but still has the trees for shade.  The deer seem to like it and we see them quite a bit.  I love that they're still around.

The garden seems to be doing well enough.  Lots of energy expended there in the springtime then we just water and wait and watch it grow.  Finally there are blooms on the peas. I love the look of pea blossoms, they're just pretty.

I only managed to walk one day last week.  I'm much happier when I get out and work this body - it helps manage that stress.

Families are just hard.  It's easy to look around and see how perfect other families are. Was the recipient of some of that perfect behavior.  Yeah, hard.

Through the car window, two deer in the empty lot.
The Husband torqued his back.  It's been quite some time since that happened.  It's worried me - considering he's out of town until Friday.  Prayers and blessings have been offered.  I hope he'll be ok without me there to rub the knots out.

Spent a few minutes last night with a sister from church.  She says she's got gerbils in her head going round and round all the time.  I came away tired just listening to her.  She's really an amazing woman (creative, well rounded, caring, energetic and with a strong testimony of the gospel).  I feel totally inept and inadequate around her.  I also was reminded how much my particular personality craves and needs a fair amount of quiet and solitude. I'm overwhelmed when there is too much noise, confusion and chaos.

And it'll be a quieter week.  The Husband is gone, so meals will be at my whim.  Not too much going on as far as church is concerned, just my usual Sunday School preparation.  I'm hoping to walk every morning.  This morning was a good start.  It felt good.

And today I'm grateful for Home Teachers who are available and ready to give needed (though rarely requested) blessings.  I'm grateful for people at church who are kind, who treat me as though I matter. I'm grateful for plenty to do last week and less to do this week so I can recover.  And I'm grateful for the gift of the Holy Ghost - I'm counting on that gift to help me do better, in so many ways.

Very Sad...And I Have No Pictures Yet

Because of scheduling, I didn't get my walk this morning.  That always mucks with my attitude.  So I used a couple extra minutes to go water the garden, stopping on the way to look at the three baby robins getting so big in their nest.

Fast forward 4 hours.  I'm looking through the window at the nest. Can see only one beak. And then we notice that two adult robins (certainly the parents) are agitatedly squawking and flitting back and forth.

Then, I see it.  Down under the nesting tree.  A snake!  Probably three feet long.  With two bulges in its body.  I'm pretty sure what those bulges are.

The Husband ran out with his grabber, actually managed to get the snake, but it's a slippery devil and it got away from him twice.  Then disappeared.

The parents are still distraught.  As am I.

Hopefully no snakes there!
We haven't ever seen a snake that big in our yard.  I tried to look it up on my iPad to identify it.  Got to the second picture and nearly hurled they are so ugly.  Couldn't put that picture away fast enough. So at this moment I haven't a clue what kind of snake.  Only that I'm mad at it for being a snake that eats tiny bird-lets. (Yes, I know that it can't help its nature. I'm still mad at it.)  And I'm pretty freaked out that there's a snake in our little outside stairwell area.  Won't be blithely climbing down in there anytime soon.

But here is picture of the garden.  It's doing fine.  The spinach is about done, it was getting eaten and it's getting pretty hot for it.  The corn is taller, the tomatoes are liking their support and the peas are just pretty.

I'm grateful for sweet ladies to visit teach.  For eateries to take the missionaries to for dinner (thanks, My Love, for not making me cook!), for a play to go to tonight.  For a bit of laughter that helps to ease pain.  For hope for bird-lets in our trees another time.

Wednesday And The Week Is Flying By

The Moon 
Walked the south end of the trail this morning.  I love it out there, the vistas are so wide.  The moon was at it's prettiest when I was leaving the house - I should have stopped for the picture that remains so vivid in my mind.  Instead I'll share these two.  The close-up of the moon was the one I cropped so everyone could see how beautiful this full moon on the day after the summer solstice was.  I love the morning.

The moon picture before cropping!
The little bunny apparently thought if he was still enough I wouldn't see him.  I was actually a teensy surprised he stayed around long enough for me to get this shot.
Wild Bunny (sounds contradictory!)

The clematis seems to be happy in its new spot.  It has tons of buds on it.

So last night we went to $5 Tuesday at the Megaplex.  Haven't been there before.  And next time we go?  It'll be earlier in the day.  I could hardly think the noise level was so loud.  It's a great deal for families - I think every theatre must have sold every seat.  W-a-y too many people!

Stopped by to deliver the granddaughter's birthday gift.  I hope to long remember the happiness on her sweet face as she opened it.  She loves it, and is grateful.  That's the best of gift-giving!

Isn't that a stunning sky?
Happy Clematis.
Stopped on the way home at Leatherby's for an ice cream.  Eating the child-size portion (The Husband asked if I thought they had a baby-size portion, it's a lot of ice cream!) out on their patio, next to the trickling water feature, no wind, perfect temperature - we both remarked how delightful it was.  A mini-date at 10 p.m., something we've not done in recent memory.  (I think the sugary treat was what kept me from sleeping until 2 this morning.  But it was worth it!)

And discovered this morning a ward member's mother passed away last Saturday.  He was in class on Sunday and gave nary a hint that anything was amiss.  I wish I'd known then, I'd have said something. He's one of those people that grows on you, I've become quite fond of him.  Extra prayers are winging heavenward for him and his family.

I like this quote:

“Three things in human life are important: the first is to be kind; the second is to be kind; and the third is to be kind.”― Henry James

And I'm so grateful that there are those who reach out.  I'm grateful for knowledge of The Plan of Salvation.  I need / count on that salvation.  I'm grateful for someone that doesn't mind that I'm plumply old and still seems to care for me.  I'm grateful for contentment.

Part Way ThroughThe Busy Week

I spent yesterday trying to do my usual Friday stuff - you know, vacuuming, etc.  It feels better here now.

This tree is loaded with peaches-to-be!
Also went visiting teaching yesterday to one of our sisters, I'd planned to stay maybe half an hour. It was actually quite a bit longer.  I know how I feel when visiting teachers stay too long.  I'm feeling guilty.  It must be a sin to stay that long because I've been told that guilt is for sin and I feel guilty.

Was up early this morning to go to the missionary zone conference to help with the mending.  They have the Elders tape the spot that needs attention, or a note with an explanation and then pile all their clothes up together.  We sat around a couple tables with our sewing machines, plucking the next item from the pile to work on.  One sister worked at fixing a seam, got it all "just so" only to discover the fabric was completely missing from the inside thigh area.  I'd say that pair of slacks was used all up. The mission pres.'s wife went away, came back and said this particular elder only has 2 weeks left so they'll see if they can't keep him clothed for the next two weeks and not worry about the "holey" pants.

We finished the mending early so I had time to run to the grocery before lunch.  It always feels better when I know there's food for at least a few days in the fridge and pantry.  It feels like I haven't managed to make a grocery run in years without having to phone home to have The Husband check to see if we need something.  I was determined to manage not phoning today.  :(   Was unsuccessful. Maybe I just really need to hear his wonderful voice when I'm out and about.

Doesn't this look great?  
I've got my Sunday School lesson to work on. And we're heading out to the movie today - $5 Tuesday at the Megaplex. We haven't been on Tuesday yet.  That's a better deal than even the Senior Discount!  I'm thinking we'll likely also try the $2 hot dog and the $1 popcorn, I've been craving popcorn.

It's been hot outside.  Really hot.  I ran out to give the veggies a drink, 'cuz I think they probably need extra in this heat (and also the wind).  Remembered to take a picture of the tomato support/pergola. The Husband did a great job on it - as did his helpers, our grandson and daughter.  We're all ready for some fresh home-grown tomatoes. (And even with the cottonwood trees trimmed, we still get more shade than we like on the garden.  We love the shade on the house, but it makes growing those veggies a bit of a challenge.)

I can't remember what's going on tomorrow.  Thursday is Hale Theatre.  Friday is haircuts, Saturday is clean the church building and our grandson's baptism.  And then Monday The Husband is out of town for the entire week.  I'm already missing him.  And if we can't find some help, we'll be feeding the missionaries tomorrow and Friday.  Corner Bakery, Papa Murphy's, Astroburger.  I think those will be my cooks for those meals.

I'm grateful for enough that we can share.  I'm grateful that The Husband has a great attitude about sharing.  I'm grateful for magazine (gift) subscriptions from my daughters that bring fun things to read in the mail.  And I think I'm going to be grateful for $5 Tuesday, I'm looking forward to it.

The Weekend's Almost Over - Already?

Where does the time go?  Over the last few days, we've:

• Made a couple trips to Lehi for the materials for the tomato supports (affectionately called the tomato pergola).  The Husband has dug 6 holes, filled the holes with the posts, assembled all the pieces/parts and strung up the tomatoes.  Quite an effort.  It looks grand.  (I'll get a picture on here soon - The Husband is having his much deserved / much longed for Sunday afternoon nap and I refuse to disturb him by coming and going to take a picture.)

• Done some other routine maintenance around here.

• Played the prelude and postlude for a funeral - almost last minute.  I was grateful to be able to help, even though it meant squeezing in a couple hours of piano practice time.  I think it went ok, they seemed fine with what I did.

• Birthday dinner out with some friends.  We so enjoy them.  Then stopped on the way home at a wedding reception we'd both been invited to.  It was fun to see people from our former ward that we haven't seen in 7 months since the ward was split and we were cast out.  :)

• Impromptu "Draper By Moonlight" bike ride.  Last year we missed June and by the time it was a full moon in July I'd broken my foot.  Decided very last minute to do one this year, shortened though it was.  And though the moon was mostly obscured by lots of clouds, it was still a pretty fun ride.

• We've peeked often at the robin-lets.  We recently discovered there were three eggs in the nest not two.  The Husband managed to snag this shot of their cute little beaks hoping for food.

• Were favored with a visit from our son and daughter-in-law along with the munchkin.  He's crawling fast and pulling himself up to a standing position.  All done with the sweetest of smiles.  I love how he cuddles.

• Renewed our season tickets for 2017 for Hale Theater.  It's a bite financially.  It's also one of the very few things we do just for fun.  I'm looking forward to next year when the new building opens and it's 1) closer and 2) more comfortable. It'll be so great.

I'm so grateful for a couple that are friends of the both of us.  I hope for their friendship for a long time.  I'm so grateful this day for my favorite Dad - the father of our children.  He has sacrificed much for our benefit over the years.  His endless focus on our welfare is a priceless gift.  His testimony of the gospel a blessing beyond compare.  His work ethic an enviable example.  It was fun to help celebrate his birthday, though I'm already planning to do a much better job of it next year. I'm grateful for the strength to get us through busy times.  And I'm grateful for fresh watermelon.

Thoughts

I'm still thinking about what I heard the other day.  Someone was wanting someone else to do something.  The carrot:  there's people that cheer for you when you finish.  I guess that might be motivation for some.

That concept of people cheering for you when you finish has stuck in my head for several days.  Will there be people cheering for us when we finish this life?  Will they be friends / family who cheer for us?  Or will they be strangers that we might have known before this life but not here on earth?  Or will it matter?  And is the cheering for us enough motivation to do the hard things life requires of us?

Maybe all that wondering is silly.  It's just been circling in my brain for a bit.

Pretty Field.
This field is on my morning route.  I love the way it looks with all the bales in it. Comforting to me somehow.

The Husband's birthday gift arrived a bit ago.  After being patient long enough he opened it last night. Wanted to share the joy with the family that was here.  He's not going to ever get too old for fun.  Thank Heavens!

We were up early this morning - rented a truck and headed to Lehi for the vinyl supplies for the "trellis" for the tomatoes in the garden.  Those prevalent cages for supporting the tomatoes just don't do it for The Husband.  The tomatoes seem to produce more when they're strung up / supported up high. It'll be some effort on his part.  I think he likes this gardening thing.  I learned yesterday that I harvested the spinach wrong.  Oh well, we're enjoying what spinach we have anyway, I even cut enough to share.

And was the recipient of the nicest words the other day.  Was told our house has a "warm, welcoming feeling - a house where love lives."  High praise indeed.  A lot to live up to, but we're certainly giving it our all.  I like our house to be one easily recognized as a place where love lives.

And I saw this comic this morning.  That's almost how I feel when I get low on books - I almost start to panic a little and then go overboard.  And then feel pressure to hurry and read!

I'm so grateful today for The Husband's birthday - yet another excuse to celebrate Him. (I'm feeling sad that I didn't throw a party for him - he surely deserves one!) I'm grateful for my love of reading and for good things to read.  I'm grateful for Corner Bakery coupon that expired yesterday but that was honored anyway.  I'm grateful for homemade coconut-pecan frosting (just about the only frosting I like).  For gardens and for kind people.

An Interesting Start To The Week

• Sat in our dentist's chair first thing this morning.  Neither one of us have any cavities or issues, so we're good for another 6 months. For me that is fabulous.  Nothing against our friend/dentist, I just really abhor teeth issues.

• We were out of there by 9:30, time enough for a quick trip to Lehi and the vinyl fence place.  The "pergola / trellis" for the tomatoes has been ordered.  We had to take a deep breath at the cost (more me than The Husband, I just really have such a hard time spending money!) but I think it will be a good thing for the veggies.

Cool Prius said nobody.
• I have to keep looking at this picture we took of the Prius in the next lane over.  It makes me laugh so hard.  I've thoroughly enjoyed my Prius (really, it has been a super great car), but have complained more than once about how boring a car it is, how staid. So when I saw this on the back window it just really cracked me up.  "Cool Prius, said nobody."  Ha ha ha ha ha, I'm still laughing.

• Fresh spinach in my lunchtime smoothie = yum.  And a mental boost of feeling healthily virtuous.

• No more blue eggs in the robin nest - it's baby robins instead.  Homely-cute.

• Enrollment time again at The Husband's work for the next year's insurance. Lots of research.  Looks like we'll be switching doctors again.  In some ways I won't be sad, haven't had tons of confidence in our current dr.  And I hate their billing practices.  Called this morning to make a payment and she demanded / insisted on knowing my name and my relationship to the patient (after already obtaining the required information that is borderline invasive).  I mean, what does it matter who I am?  I'm paying a bill, they want their money (all $8.64 of it); they constantly make a big deal about the HIIPA requirements but don't find their demand for my identity an invasion of privacy?  Wow, that was quite a rant, I guess I'm still annoyed.

I seem to be beating my head against the wall of change. Things seem to be working fine so why do they have to get all mucked up? Some days I just want to shut out the world, eat chocolate and read a book for an entire year. Or maybe that's not quite long enough.  I so dislike all the work and energy to get things working (steep learning curve on all fronts) only to have to start the whole process all over again (and be up against a deadline for getting it all done).  I think the two of us need to get away from everything for a little while.

• So, now, to find some gratitude.  That should always be an easy thing for me, indicating that I'm still on the right path and haven't let my old lady grumpiness carry me away to GrumpyWorld for good. I'm grateful for insurance - yes, in spite of how complicated it is, it does make a big difference.  I'm grateful for mostly good health that doesn't (so far) need lots of insurance input.  I'm grateful for the fruits of The Husband's really hard work all these years.  He's a true treasure.

A Pretty Nice Weekend

Green growing veggies!  Wonderful!
In spite of the fact that it rained the entire day yesterday, it's been a pretty pleasant weekend.  We arrived at the church to help clean yesterday morning only to find that the cleaning all done!  Several people had to go early - those of us arriving on time ended up just chatting.

The rain made it a great day to see a movie.  The bonus?  It was a pretty decent movie.  I wasn't even tempted to get popcorn - YAY for me!

Spinach salad for din-din
Sacrament meeting was great today.  Class was ok.  I doubt I'll ever be comfortable teaching.  But there are great people who come (though I'm totally confident most of them are assigned to come) whose contributions really make the class.

An afternoon nap complete with snuffling/snoring and I call the day complete.

The garden is coming along.  It was fabulous (and I'm trying really hard not to be smug - it was just so very fun) to go out and snip off spinach leaves for dinner salad.  Tasted yum!

And:  posterior vitreous separation.  Cause:  aging.  Treatment:  none.  I think I'm just going to have to learn to live with the spots before my eyes.  It's quite common, though I don't find comfort in the fact that I have plenty of company with this particular issue.  I'm quite protective about my vision.  I'll be heading back in about 6 weeks for a follow up, but the dr. is quite certain it'll be a mostly benign condition that won't require further attention.  Aging, huh?

It's been quite nice to be using the hymnbook I received as a gift when it's my turn at the organ (which it is for the month of June).  I love these words to a hymn that was part of today's prelude:
"Never can I repay thee, Lord, but I can love thee.  Thy pure words hath it not been my one delight, my joy by day, my dream by night?  Then let my lips proclaim it still, and all my life reflect thy will." Orson Whitney wrote those words.  Yes, that would be my goal - to live a good life.

I'm so grateful for our garden.  For the rain that cooled the heat.  For a good book to read.  For church meetings that uplift.  And hopefully, for a good dental checkup tomorrow.

Life Is Complicated

• Never, ever would I have thought things would be anything but serene at this stage of our lives. There's things to accomplish and pressure aplenty.
Mama and 9 ducklets - too cute!

•It's annual benefit enrollment time again at The Husband's work.  Good news?  Costs remain the same.  But, since the two of us are reaching that mandatory-sign-up-for-medicare age this year, it totally mucks up our insurance plans / possibilities.  Goodbye to HSA contributions. Which means research and decisions.  Sigh...

• It's been a great week or so for animal sightings on my walks/rides.  I've seen wild bunnies, newborn deer and their mama.  (The baby deer were only about 15" tall, so really really young and they were totally precious!) Mama duck and her ducklings. Ring-necked pheasants.  The horses seem to watch for their carrots every morning.  I'm keeping an eye on the robin and her nest.

• The Husband has a birthday coming up.  I'm feeling like I should be throwing him a party.  He could really use some attention.  I wish I was better at that social stuff - it wasn't even remotely considered for me when they were passing out the attributes before we came to earth.  I think I got in the line that said "socially awkward".

• Was reading an article in the church magazine about having a mighty change of heart.  It has caused me some introspection.  And that little tiny lightbulb in my head went off.  I need to have a change of heart.  My prayers have been about the wrong thing.  I'm now focusing on praying for my heart to be changed, for my behavior to improve about this one specific thing. It feels much better.

• And I really liked this column in the paper.  I don't always agree with this writer, but today I did.  

I'm grateful for The Husband in my life.  For children who work hard at doing their best. For the Holy Ghost to whisper to us comfort and hope.  I need that hope and am grateful for it.

Two Things I Like

I like this picture I saw (nearly bought it) and this quote from Mother Cecilia (a nun working in an order where they observe strict silence) :

"The voice of our Lord comes to us in whispers, so we have to be quiet so we can hear it."


Mostly Pictures

Pretty foxglove1
This morning was my first bike ride of the year.  I expected to have to walk the bike up a few of the steeper hills.  Surprised myself by managing to do the complete ride without having to resort to that.

Sunrise on the south foothills.
And yesterday was the first day of capris for the summer.  I'm not fond of wearing capris, don't like how I look in them, but some days it's just too dang hot for long pants. (The amazing part was that I haven't bought any new ones, and I still managed to cram my luxurient mass into last years capris!) Today is a compromise, long pants, but bare feet in my sandals. I'll have to deal with the need for cream on my feet another way.

My kind of t-shirt, that's been me.
Sad to see them go.
We had a delightful visit from our daughter and grandson over the last few days.  It isn't easy for them to get out here.  (Or for us to get out there.)  We're grateful she made the effort.  It's always nice to have some one-on-one time with our children.  I think I ate my month's supply of calories in three days.

And I took some pictures.  The valley is beautiful.  The sun rising on those south hills was the very place I took the last two pictures, looking north and west.  I so love being able to get out and about on the trails. (Wow, I didn't realize that the only one I took of the foxglove was blurry!  Ugh! And while I'm not a runner, I've been known to take a book with me when I walk the trails and miltitask: readandwalkandenjoythemorning!)

View from the south looking north.
Looking west.
I try really hard to be kind.  I try really hard to not disappoint Heavenly Father in any way.  I pray for opportunities to be kind.  And then I fail.  Miserably.  I try to be tolerant of others.  And then I nearly crash on my bike because the leash law is for other people not the ones who take their dogs on the trail.  Tolerance evaporated more quickly than I ever thought possible.  And I'm once again repenting of my crankiness.

But I'm grateful.  I'm grateful for those who actually put leashes on their dogs and control their behavior.  I'm grateful for air conditioning.  I'm grateful for clean houses.  And for beauty.

Morning...

Probably weeds, still pretty
Is often the best part of the day for me.  My walk today was a route I haven't been on for a while.  I noticed several flowers.  Didn't get a picture of the prettiest of them because as I was passing them, thinking about getting out my camera I glimpsed something out of the corner of my eye and there was a deer.  It's rare for me to see only a single one.  We had a motionless staring contest for a few minutes until I finally reached for my phone to take a picture.

She wasn't far from me, only about 20 feet or so.  I think she was as surprised to see me as I was to see her.  I still love seeing the deer.

This rosebush of red is large, taller than me by a few inches.  I so love the blossoms of the warmer seasons.  Too bad I can't enjoy them in the cooler weather.  It's supposed to be 97 by Sunday.  Ugh.

June is my turn to play the organ in Sacrament meeting again.  When I practice, I follow along the text as I play the music.  And am often moved by the words.  There is so much gospel truth to the hymns, and the music always reaches those hard corners of my heart, trying to soften them.  I particularly noticed this phrase today:  "And pray for strength, that we may say, as He, "Thy will, O Lord, be done."

It is so easy to get caught up in the worldly things around us, to notice those who have so much more instead of turning away from that and being content with what we have - which is enough. I want to not only be content with "enough" but to be grateful for "enough" and care most about fulfilling His will.   It's a long road.

And I really like this quote I stumbled on:

“We are all a little broken. But last time I checked, broken crayons still color the same.” ― Trent Shelton


I'm grateful today for the progress we see in the garden.  It only needed some sunshine warming the soil.  As it often warms our souls. I'm grateful that we can easily see Mama Robin, and am counting down the days to hatch. I'm grateful for cream for the wrinkles around my eyes - and that the one I favor doesn't cost an arm and a leg. And I'm grateful for flowers.

Another Mid Week



Yes, there are two blue eggs in the nest!
So, I grabbed The Husband and off we went to look at the nest whilst Mama robin was off for a few minutes.  I was determined that someone besides me see those lovely blue eggs.  We managed to hold the tree branches out of the way for a minute for this picture.  Don't know why robin eggs are blue, but they surely are pretty.

This frame from a comic in yesterday's paper (and yes, there are a few of us left in the world that still subscribe to the newspaper, though only until our subscription runs out in August.  Too expensive for the diminishing content.  Sad, it'll totally disrupt my morning routine!).  There are times when I feel just like that! (Especially in this totally crazy election year!)

And I came across this quote that I like.  I wonder if it's true? Wouldn't matter, though, mastering anger is a lovely goal/attribute.  I'm still - and likely always - working on it.

Neurologists claim that every time you resist acting on your anger, you’re actually rewiring your brain to be calmer and more loving. (source)
And I've finished all the books I have out from the library.  When I don't have any books out, I feel a bit adrift.  I need that anchor!

Today I'm grateful for a morning walk that calmed my heart.  For the hug I received on my return. I'm grateful for prayer that comforts my soul.