A Happy Post

 

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Today's post will begin with Joyce's Hodgepodge questions for this week, followed with a birthday celebration. If you want to link up with your blog, click here.

1. St. Patrick's Day lands on March 17th. Do you believe in luck? No, I do not. 

Are there things you do thinking they'll  bring good luck or  things you avoid because they're considered bad luck? 

No, but there are things I either do or refrain from doing based on knowledge, common sense, my past experiences and what other people have said.

2. Forest-lime-sage-mint-olive-emerald...what's your favorite shade of green? 

I like all of these with the exception of mint. As for my favorite, if it's clothing for me, then Forest Green. If it's a color for interior design, probably sage.

3. In Ireland the meal on this day is often a hearty beef or lamb stew served with colcannon (mashed potato mixed with cabbage and leeks). In the US corned beef and cabbage is the more typical St. Patty's Day meal. 

Will you/did you mark the day with one of these dishes? Probably not. The closest I may come to any of that would be a beef hamburger with French fries.

Baked-fried-roasted-mashed...what's your favorite way to eat a potato?

All of the above are good but my fav of these is roasted potatoes with crispy edges.

4. What color of the rainbow best represents your personality/mood today? Tell us why. 

https://www.color-hex.com/color-palette/97138

Dusty Rose Pink: This color is pretty, not an assault to the senses, not dull but calm. I like to say I've never met a shade of pink that I did not like, but this is my favorite. At any given time, if this color wave does not represent my current mood, then I am trying to get back to it (my "happy place").

5. Which 'lucky' quote resonates with you. Elaborate. 

 'Luck is not something you can mention in the presence of self-made men.' 

E.B. White 

'Diligence is the mother of good luck." Benjamin Franklin 

'Luck is where opportunity meets preparation.' Seneca 

'Shallow men believe in luck. Strong men believe in cause and effect.' 

Ralph Waldo Emerson 

The 2nd, 3rd, and 4th statements all come across to me as pretty much the same.. They indicate that diligence, preparation, and the anticipation of consequences tend to result in success and I agree with all of that. I try very hard to not use the word "luck," even in the most casual of conversations because the word tends to crowd out the sovereignty of God. I feel strongly about that.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

A foreboding weather forecast has been hanging over my birthday, so we postponed the travel reservations originally made for my big day. (That's a long-winded way of saying I'll be celebrating for another week or so.) Here are some snapshots taken on my birthday weekend:

Even before I opened my eyes on this morning of my special day, somebody was singing "Happy Birthday" in my ear! That was followed up with this romantic card and a box of my favorite candy, Ferrero Rocher.

While Gary prepared his homemade waffles (he dropped them into the toaster, which defines 'homemade' around here!!) I opened card after card from family and friends declaring their sweet affection for me and lined them up within easy view of my chair.

In my old age I was so caught up with all the celebratory fun that I forgot to snap a picture of my lunch plate. Gary had grilled salmon fillets for us. I embellished my serving with lemon juice and ketchup (don't judge me!!), thoroughly enjoying every single bite. We also had sweet potatoes.

After lunch Gary took a nap, tired as he was from fishing for the salmon that morning (they were hiding in the freezer under the box of waffles...) while I caught up with business at my computer. 

Mid-afternoon a very gusty windstorm blew in very hard rain, a tornado watch, and a delivery woman at the front door. 😳

this is what 3 quarters + a penny looks like

A very heavy bouquet of the most cheerful flowers came from some of our kids! So, of course, I lined everything up for an official 'photo shoot' of the cards, the flowers, and the candy (some of which has been consumed already...😋).

I happen to know that something else is coming in the mail and an overnight trip is scheduled, too, so the party will continue well into the foreseeable future. In the meantime, I close with this fun picture of the two of us taken yesterday. I was trying to get Gary to cooperate with a nice smile for the camera..... but this is what happened. Ah, well.

This was the day the Lord had made,

I rejoiced and was glad in it!

Psalm 118:24 BPV

(Barbara's paraphrased Version)

Thanks to all who helped to bless me. I am thankful for every one of you!

Until next time, grace and peace.

Barbara

The Days of Our Lives

Yes, we sprang forward last weekend. Gary typically changes our clocks in late afternoon/early evening on the Saturday of the time change weekend. I applaud his efficiency, but then I have to do simple math the rest of the evening to keep track of when it's bedtime! (By the way, is "sprang" a word?)

Joyce asked on her most recent Hodgepodge where her readers like to do their blogging. My answer to that would be on our lanai, although I also compose these articles from my desk in the guest room and also at my recliner in the living room. 

When I began composing this post yesterday afternoon, I was in the green wicker chair on the lanai, with a good rain storm pelting the back yard patio, just a few feet from where I sit. One of the windows was open just a few inches, which brought in a cool breeze onto my sandaled feet. 

"Listen to the rhythm of the falling rain." I am not telling myself "what a fool I've been;" but often when we do get a good, hard rain, I think of that song from my teen years. 

Gary slid that window closed and handed me a mug of hot chocolate. He always floats one of those really large marshmallows, too. I know this snapshot (below) isn't 

especially pretty because I impulsively began to stir the chocolate before snapping the picture. I want you to see how large this marshmallow is. Note that it's square, not round. It's so big that I stir it around in the hot liquid in an attempt to melt/shrink it down just a little so I can get it into my mouth! 

If you are a lover of marshmallows, as we are, you must get a bag of these. Note: in Publix these are found in the candy aisle, not in the baking aisle with the bags of smaller marshmallows. Why? I dunno. But I wanted to share that in case you go hunting for them.

Castle Rock, Colorado

Before I get into my news of this week, I must refer you back to my previous post, "Recent Activity and Observations," (click on title to see it) where I was describing what one can see at the base of that huge rock.

me in October 2015

My [very] long time friend, Loraine, was visiting me from out of town in 2015 when she and I hiked the dirt trail around and around that mountain to reach the base of the rock, the "cleft," if you will. After reading my blog post, she texted me about it and between the two of us, we came up with these snapshots taken that day.

Hiking sticks in hand (a necessity, by the way!), Loraine and I asked another sight-seer to snap our picture. We made some good memories during that visit. We met in 1968 in kindergarten in youth group at our church, not long before each of us got married.

World events are interesting of late, wouldn't you agree? Those of us who have read Biblical prophecy over the years can't help but think about how the current status of things in the Middle East fit in with scripture. 

I am among most evangelical Christians who believe in the Rapture of the Church.

(from Google) The Rapture is an end-times event in Christian theology where believers (both living and deceased) are suddenly "caught up" to meet Jesus Christ in the air, receiving glorified bodies and escaping impending earthly tribulation. Based on 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, it is often viewed as a "blessed hope" of salvation and resurrection. 

I will leave it to my readers to research this belief. It is fascinating and very encouraging (but terrifying if you don't believe and it turns out to be true).

frost damage to our palm trees

Getting back to local current events, much of Central Florida took a real hit with the freezing weather over the past month. The weather has warmed up to summer-like temps (it's actually a little early for that) and professional landscapers have advised it's okay to start dealing with the frost damage.

"before" the trimming

Note the brown leaf fronds of the 2 palm trees. The lower fronds needed to be removed, but they are too high for Gary to tackle. See him sitting in the shade while our tree guy hauls in his ladder to do the work for us.

trimming in progress

We've got several ladders of varying lengths but not one as tall as this one. I'm glad of that. Gary loves to tackle things like this but even he realizes this is a job for someone younger and more agile.

some of the trimmings

Besides the huge palm fronds, there are these surprisingly heavy seed pods that look (and feel) like heavy spears. When trimmed from the tree, they fall hard. Those watching from the ground need to be out of the way to avoid injury. If/when they split open, they have a ca-jillion seeds that make a real mess on the ground. We try to cut them out before they get to the point of splitting open.

The team of 2 men who did this for us were quick, efficient, and perhaps most important, very experienced. And, they cleaned up the fall-out thoroughly! Gary gave them each a bottle of cold water and a nice tip in addition to their fee. It was worth it to us. #gladthatsdone

It's been an eventful week here. I had to wait an unusually long amount of time to get the last of the required paperwork for filing my taxes. Finally, this week that matter was completed and I'm getting a small refund! Yay!

We had Newbie Neighbor over for a slice of pie. She came down here to escape the frozen north only to have to brave frozen Florida. But even with that said, I think (and hope) she has not given up on living nearby. We had such a good visit getting better acquainted.

"It's simple. My nurse blindfolds me, I spin around
a few times, and then I try to reattach your tail."

Some medical things came up with me, this week. None of it was life-threatening but fairly immediate attention was needed, so I'm thankful my doctor saw me at day's end and I'm on the mend. 

self-portrait of son and the Lil' Red-haired Girl

Touching on the subject of health brings me to thoughts of aging. One of my sons is a professional graphic artist who has created many greeting cards for me over the years. This piece was done a long time ago. Now he illustrates medical procedures for insurance companies, among other subjects. Both he and his wife (the "Lil Red-haired Girl") are quite clever with their talents. 

Yes, another birthday is fast-approaching for me. I am reminded again to be thankful for every day God gives to me and to use this time both wisely and well. It can all come to an abrupt end for every one of us. 

Teach us to number our days

that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Psalm 90:12

Thanks for stopping by. Until next time, grace and peace.

Barbara

The Christian Lounge features an occasional devotional article from my pen. Check out their site.

https://thechristianlounge4u.blogspot.com/

Recent Activity and Observations

 

Bougainvillea at one of our local nurseries

"For, lo, the winter is past,

The rain is over and gone..."

Song of Solomon 2:11 KJV

Here in Florida we are hoping to get more rain because much of the state has been in a severe drought status with low humidity, next-to-no rain, and as a result, a heightened fire danger. 

But with that said, it appears the unusually cold spells are behind us. (we hope!!) We lost 4 bushes in our back yard, in spite of diligent efforts to cover the plants. Gary dug and pulled them out of the ground and replaced them.

Pittosporium Variegated

When we went to the nursery to buy replacement bushes, we chose 4 of the same thing and got assurances from one of the employees that Pittosporium Variegated is very cold-hardy. Actually, we already knew that because the one in our front yard has not suffered at all. I had snapped a twig from it to take with us to the nursery. It was just good to have a professional verify our own conclusions.

after the transplanting

This picture (above) shows 3 of the 4 bushes planted yesterday, where other bushes did not survive. As you can see, the palm trees suffered frostbite, too. The palms are alive but the branches will be dealt with another day. 

The river rock that replaced the bark mulch a year or so ago is serving us well. Water is expensive here in Florida, so we've put in as much rock as our HOA will allow, leaving less grass to irrigate.

Let's see..... what else have we been up to lately?

Gary had to deal with one of the sliding windows in the lanai that had become contrary. It is so good to have a capable man who takes satisfaction in keeping the home in order.

Have you noticed that I'm not posting as many really good snapshots of people (close-up, full-face) as I used to? While AI is very helpful in some respects, we've seen on the news how AI is also increasingly used for unseemly purposes, misrepresenting people in unflattering even immoral ways and compromising identities. Until the general public finds out how to avoid that, using discernment with our people photos seems to be the best course of action.

Betty Crocker's recipe

I baked chocolate chip cookies the other day.  They are all gone now. I married a Cookie Monster and (true confession here) wives don't let their husbands eat cookies alone).

a library book we both enjoyed

Our trips to the pubic library have continued. As I've said before, Gary tends to pick up books about World War II. He's read about aircraft, tanks, artillery, infantry, and ships, along with biographies. Most (if not all) of his books are about what actually happened (as opposed to fiction). 

These books are interesting studies in not only war tactics but also the character of humans. The saying, "truth is stranger than fiction" comes to mind when we talk about what we've read. I've learned a lot about life (the good, the bad, and the ugly) as I've picked up his books when he is finished. 

Last month the Shalom Club in my retirement community invited this lady to do a monologue of Corrie Ten Boom. She did an excellent job. Some of you may remember the movie of her story, The Hiding Place, that came out in the 1970s, as well as the book by the same name. I've since then read yet another book on her life, The Watchmaker's Daughter. 

keeping my hands busy 

Podcasts. I don't usually enjoy watching them because, just as with telephone calls, I don't like to be tied down for so long. But lately there have been some I really did want to see. I've discovered that is an excellent time for me to enjoy coloring with pastel pencils. And if I want, I can take notes on what the podcast is saying. 

Castle Rock, Colorado

Facebook posted some pictures of my former "home town" (2013-2017). I'm sharing 3 of the photos here. I think this picture was taken on the side of town where I lived, looking toward the east and sunrise.

This view is facing west, with the foothills transforming into the Rocky Mountains beyond the Rock. My house was somewhere to the far right beyond the Rock. I have climbed to the base of the Rock several times with the more athletically-inclined of my guests. We stood under a large overhang of the Rock, which gave us a panoramic view of Interstate 25 and much of the town below us. As you can see, it is the prominent feature of this "bedroom community" of Denver (20 miles to the north).

Yes, people can climb to the very top of the Rock, but that required more athleticism than I had.

At all times of the year, the views of the Rock and from the Rock are striking. Standing at the Rock's base, there is so much to see and observe: traffic on the Interstate, train cars winding their way from north to south, other hikers, the clouds, Pikes Peak 70 miles to the south, and how the sun creates shadows as it moves across the sky. 

I am reminded of the perspective God has of humans populating earth. He sees what we're doing but even more so, He sees what we are thinking, our attitudes, our intentions.

Scripture says this:

The Lord searches all hearts

and understands all the intent of the thoughts.

I Chronicles 28:9

From heaven the Lord looks down

and sees all mankind;

from His dwelling place He watches 

all who live on earth --

He who forms the hearts of all,

who considers everything they do.

Psalm 33:14-15

One can read these verses and feel judged, but not all of our thinking is bad. The fact that God sees into my thoughts encourages me. While people can (and often do) misjudge us, God knows what is really going on between our ears. 

God really is on our side. When we mess up, He's right here to guide us into the right ways. When we "get it right," He sees that, too. 

I hope this encourages you. Until next time, grace and peace.

Barbara

P.S. Check out The Christian Lounge for more uplifting thoughts: http://thechristianlounge4u.blogspot.com

Shadows and Sunshine

 

one of the multi-purpose paths in our neighborhood

It's been a week of Shadows and Sunshine in my world -- probably for many of you as well. 

Of course, the news coming out of the Middle East is a mixture of shadows and sunshine. I won't get into that except to say, "Lord, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." (Matthew 6:10).

the back of my house
as seen from the multi-purpose path

Since I've already shared a photo of the path on which we ride our bikes nearly every day, I'll tell you of an unpleasant encounter (a shadow) that began there last weekend. 

Pedaling along, nearly home after our 45-minute ride, all of a sudden I began to itch on my neck, just under my left ear. Then very quickly it began to also sting. That growing unpleasant sensation progressed down the front of my body for the rest of the way to our house.

At home I quickly disrobed enough to discover that an ant had either flown or fallen onto my skin and then bit/stung me as it wandered about on my person. 

I caused his life to come to a sudden end and then watched as deep red spots began to rise along the trail he had made on my skin. Eleven in all. What a nasty beast he was, although tiny in size. 

Thankfully, I had a tube of anti-itch cortisone cream that I applied daily and by now those spots have faded considerably. 

While I have no hesitation to murder insects, they seem to foresee their future demise from me and take out their vengeance before their death.

signs of a possible stroke

The incident with the ant was followed by news that one of our adult children (who will go unnamed, for reasons of privacy) was preparing to go out for ice cream when some of these signs of a stroke manifested. The spouse immediately recognized these signs and whisked the patient to the ER. 

If you don't already know, when these signs happen, do not sit and debate with yourself as to what to do. Time is extremely important! Better to get a medical evaluation and be wrong than to misdiagnose oneself. With a stroke, the longer you wait to get medical attention, the more serious (even devastating) the outcome can be.

Blessedly, the necessary medication was given very quickly along with fervent prayer. Tests were run and after a couple of days in the ICU, the patient was sent home with minimal effects of the stroke. The word is that the patient may return to work this week! 

The attending doctor said our patient did not "dodge a bullet" but rather "dodged a cannon!" We thank the Lord this happened during the day instead of at night while sleeping. The outcome could have been vastly different! 

Some sunshine came out of that shadow!

this is in our water closet window;
a comforting reminder every day

Now, for more of the "sunshine." 😊

Azaleas in our yard

Spring, winter, summer -- we've had all this week, along with about two inches of much-needed rain for our extreme drought. Both the white and the pink Azaleas have kept up with their blooms through the weather changes. (The pink ones are just a little more showy for today's post.)

Spring cross stitch from my past

It's the first week of March (finally!) so I switched out the cross stitch out on the lanai. On my calendar I've made notations throughout the year to remind me to change out these stitched projects. As I've said many times in recent years, my cross stitch days are behind me, but I've kept nearly every project made 2018-2020 and enjoy posting them seasonally. Many of them include scripture to remind me where my thoughts should be planted.

recently completed reading

Speaking of scripture, this is a book I ordered, featured on Focus on the Family. The main point of this book is how you can use scripture to pray. (the Psalms and Proverbs most easily, but all of God's Word) 

Use passages to articulate what's in the deepest part of your spirit. If you don't know what to pray, read the verses back to God, personalizing them as you go. It's an amazing way to really say what needs to be said and to feel like the Lord has actually heard you!

fountain near my house in Jacksonville

Just being in the Bible is like a refreshing fountain that washes off the stuff that has brought us down, and reminds us of how much God really cares for us.

one of my sons (on the right) with his wife

Scripture is a huge help to me for coping with the shadows (and the sunshine!) of life. Of particular interest to me as I age is how to relate better to people, how to strengthen relationships and how to cope with weak areas.

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Have you read this book? I did about a year ago and wow, it really helped me to get my head on straight about life. It is true that the bulk of our lives is made up with our response to what has happened to us, and not so much a result of the actual events. 

Internet illustration

The best part of that is we get to control our response, we can control our attitude!!

As my regular readers know, both Gary and I experienced some tough stuff before we met. Some of those hard experiences had a lot to do with our initial introduction and attraction to each other. (as the saying goes, "Misery loves company.")

us

Then love came along.... and in all of that I began to see how my responses to life's events and relationships with others are largely up to me!  

Many, O Lord,

are thy wondrous works 

which thou hast done.

Psalm 40:5

Until next time, grace and peace.

Barbara