Post It Note Tuesday

So I saw a post last week of post it notes. And an Ah Ha! went off - when I can't shoot out a true, deep, thought out post - I can post it note it!  SupahMommy's idea is great and a great find on the link!

Photo Editor's are great... Glad I have a fun hubby!

Dancing Lessons

Hello!

I feel as if I have been gone a long time... I think I have.

A new book has been started in the Sunday evening study group I attend, "Leaving Church"  by Barbara Brown Taylor. It is her memoir of her faith journey and has been an interesting story so far. I love the images her writing brings to mind, the ties with nature, the similarities from one community to the next and extremes in the middle.

She quoted Kurt Vonnegut in one of the chapters, a quote that struck me instantly:

"Strange travel suggestions are dancing lessons from God"

Now I haven't necessarily had any truly stange travel opportunities, but I have had a few "who would have thunks..." in the last couple months.

So when I am quiet, just know, I am learning a new dance.

And as I get my one, two, three, four, down, I do hope for time to be back in bloggyland: Visiting and Posting!

Light quirks of music, broken and uneven,

Make the soul dance upon a jig to Heav'n.

~Alexander Pope, Moral Essays

"The Birds Will Come..."

My friend, my next door neighbor, has started a blog. I love the name, "The birds will come . . . "

As she shares in her first post, her mother, having been diagnosed with a brain tumor, came to live with them this past summer. As the days lend themselves to sweet moments to be treasured, and moments that tear at the heart, she has erected some bird feeders for her mother.

I did not know this until yesterday when I walked over to visit.

Remember the ice tree The Man and I created?

This...

Over the last few days, the ice has slowly melted. The child has quit playing in the tree. The limbs of the poor apple tree have sprung back into place.  Several times, while outside, I would turn to see what the sound was that I was hearing. It was the ice sliding and the flutter of wings. Usually 3 or 4 cardinals had lighted on the limbs, and as the ice would slide, they would fly off to another spot.

From my kitchen window, I have so enjoyed watching the Cardinals. At times as many as six in the tree at once.

I had no idea bird feeders were set up next door.  What a gift was given to our yards.  To our souls.

Today, all the ice is on the ground. White, but speckled. Speckled with some brown, and some with bright red.

Today as I watched, I smiled and I thought of my friend. I thought of the gift she gave her mom. And in doing so, without knowing it or meaning to, she gave a gift to another...

Thank You..

So go visit her. Her words and thoughts are beautiful and her challenge so timely.

Smiles!

“A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song.”

Popinjay - Week One - Hope

I thought I would play along with michelle pendergrass and her challenge. ..

"I'm going to give you a word and you're going to take

 a photo of something that describes

the concept of the word."

The word she gave us was hope.

No way to caputure the cold in the picture too, but who hasn't been cold this past week? But the sun shining through the trees was a reminder of the hope I have everyday in life, hope that Faith in God has given me- there is always a brighter moment to come, or this too shall pass, or even the sun will come out tomorrow - all expressions of hope, and the sun shining in the cold day was the best representation of that!

If Snow Won't Come to Muhammad . . .

...Muhammad makes ice

Life has some interesting differences. While others are avoiding ice, avoiding freezing crops, some of us

are entertaining ourselves by intentionally freezing trees.

Perspective, huh?

Wordless Wednesday - Water Balloon?

Ice Balloon . . . The Man wanted to freeze a water balloon. It froze!

I am what you would call, "layering challenged"

Brrrrrrr…..

Layering has taken on a new meaning in the last week. I have absolutely no memory of this many nights of below freezing temps (here in South Georgia that is), let alone this many days that barely get out of the 40’s. A little over a week now, and looks as if it will not let up soon.

I know we are not alone in the frigid air, but if your layering considerations are normally only concerned with, at worst, a 30 degree temperature change, one that begins in the upper 40’s in the morning and ends in the 70’s in the afternoon, these temps can be trying after a couple of days.

The Man called me yesterday as soon as he got in the house. Said he needed a new coat – a new heavy coat.

I asked him why and he just said I will show you when you get home.

Well, when he stretches his arms out or above his head, the sleeves suddenly become 2 inches too short.

Now here is a problem. It is January. It is January and in South Georgia.

Guess what is no longer in the stores? Heavy coats. Not that there were that many in December. I looked. I went to seven stores here only to find a few choices in sizes way too large. I can order one, but he is due a growth spurt and our winters are too tame to really justify a heavy coat. So layering is good.

Now we hear there will be precipitation in the area on Thursday and I say, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow…

Butttt, now they just said we will probably only receive rain – no light and fluffy natural decorations. No tiny flakes to melt on my tongue. No reward for the ingenious layering and arms being squeezed inside tight arms of jackets, sweaters, shirt and long johns.

Oh well, thank goodness I do have SOME cuddle duds. And thank goodness weather people are more wrong than right most of the time . . . bring on some white stuff (fingers crossed)!!!!

Happy New Year!

"And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year:

Give me a light that I might tread safely into the unknown.

And he replied:

Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God.

That shall be to you

better than light, and

safer than a known way"

Minnie L. Haskins

Dear Lord, please give me…
A few friends who understand me and remain my friends;
A work to do which has real value,
without which the world would be the poorer;
A mind unafraid to travel, even though the trail be not blazed;
An understanding heart;
A sense of humor;
Time for quiet, silent meditation;
A feeling of the presence of God;
The patience to wait for the coming of these things,
With the wisdom to recognize them when they come. Amen.