March is almost over. Winter just won't give up easily.

The forecasters missed what happened here today. They said we were supposed to have rain.
Well we did have rain, in the morning. This afternoon the temperature dropped and the rain turned to sleet then snow.

The roads and sidewalks were quite slippery. They are promising a warm up to the 50's tomorrow and 70's for Easter weekend. M'm, we'll see.

Thursday is Holy Thursday. The day Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane. He was crucified the next day on what we know as Good Friday.

But his Crucifixion wasn't just another execution. He died on the cross for you and me.

He rose from the dead three days later on Easter Sunday, or as some refer to it as Resurrection Sunday.

If each one of us would believe, repent and accept Him, we too can have eternal life.

Today we celebrated Palm Sunday which begins Passion Week that ends on Easter Sunday.

Christians remember Christ's triumphant arrival in Jersusalem riding a donkey as his followers waved palms and cheered.

Only He knew that his death would occur later in the week at the hands of the Romans.

Tuesday begins the seven days of Passover for the Jewish people. They remember when God passed over their houses as he slew the first born of Eygpt.

Moses led the exodus from four hundred years of Eygptian capitivity via the parted Red Sea.

If you have the opportunity, watch "The Ten Commandments" with Charlton Heston as Moses. It usually is on TV around this time of the year.

Then watch Mel Gibson's "The Passion of The Christ" and see what Christ did for you.

It is a good time to stop and spend some time reflecting and praying for the world surely is on a downward slide.

The word accomplishment means different things to different people.

I was shopping for clothes the other day (I didn't buy any). In the dressing room next to mine I heard an older woman say to her daughter, "I can't believe a fourteen fits. I used to wear a twenty-two. You don't know how good that makes me feel."

If any of you have struggled with a weight problem you can relate to this woman. What a euphoric feeling you get with a sense of accomplishment.

Whatever obstacle you are up against, when you find the path to the finish line, you're elated and victory is sweet.

So keep on plodding. That light you see at the end of the tunnel is not a locomotive headed in your direction but the sunshine of a bright new day of accomplishment.

Congratulations.

I'm confused.

A week before I received the census form there was a reminder post card in the mail that I would be receiving the census.

The next week as promised the census form arrived. It said all persons living at this household should be counted on April 1, 2010.

So far so good.

Yesterday I received another postcard reminding me to fill out the census and send it in if I didn't already, and if I did thank you.

Here's the confusing part. Yesterday was March 22, 2010. They want me to count people and fill it out on April 1, 2010.

I'm sure April is after March. They didn't change the order of months on the calendar when I wasn't looking, did they?

What if everyone filled it out before April 1, and someone died. Or perhaps say, a teenage child eloped and stayed in the city they eloped to. Or what if a person in the military was suddenly deployed to a foreign country. What if a person ended up in jail or perhaps a nursing home.
Better yet what if a child is born, or maybe twins.

Do you see how the count could be skewed?

This is the same bureaucracy that is now going to run our health care and student loans.

YIKES!!!

Maybe the Rapture will take place on April 1, and there will be a whole lot of people missing and the numbers will really be messed up. AMEN.

In two weeks it will be Easter.

What were your Easter traditions?

Our family had several.

First thing on Easter morning my sister, brother and I would race downstairs to see what the Easter Bunny brought.

Funny, how every year the baskets always looked the same with chocolate bunnies, crosses, and eggs. They had yellow marshmallow peeps, and jelly beans.
Nevertheless we loved them just the same.

Breakfast was an "egg smashing contest". That's when two people smash their dyed hard-boiled eggs together, end to end, to see which one cracks. It usually was mine.
We would feast on the peeled, dyed Easter eggs with vinegar. Yes, you put a slit in the top of the egg, pour some vinegar from a cruet in the slit and then salt the top. It's yummy try it.
We also had Mom's homemade, iced hot cross buns which just contained raisins, because no one liked candied fruit in them.

Then it was off to church services, dressed in our new outfits from hat to shoes. If the daffodils were blooming my sister and I had homemade corsages.

We went to church as a family every Sunday but Easter was special. The altar was adorned with white Easter lilies and the scent from them was heavenly.
The hymns we sang were special too, especially "Christ the Lord Is Risen Today", which says it all.

Then it was home for Easter dinner of baked ham and fixings.
We didn't have and egg hunt. My Dad started that when my sibs and I had our own kids. He loved to watch the tots search for the eggs.

Whatever your traditions enjoy them as a family while you still have each other.

We no longer have Mom and Dad and we surely miss them, especially on holidays.

What makes you happy?

Spending time with family...
Playing with a pet...
A night out with friends...
Attending a worship service...
Shopping...
Exercising...
Taking a walk or a drive...
Attending a sports event or concert...
Watching a movie...

I could go on and on.

What makes me happy is spending time with my husband.
Family dinners with my kids, or anytime they can spare me a few minutes of their time.
Writing.
Reading the news or playing games on the computer.
Reading a book.
Quiet time in prayer.
Being in Florida.

Did I mention reading, writing, Florida?

I think I see a pattern here.

Reading and writing in Florida.

Ah, now I'm happy.

Spring is at hand.

The sun is brighter and warmer.

The grass is greening.

As one looks toward the distance you can see shades of pink and light green of the leaf buds swelling.

Crocus' poke their heads out of the ground to say hello, it's nice to see you.

The air smells fresh and sweet with a teasing breeze.

The temperatures are higher coaxing the ground to give up the frost.

The sky is clear and azure blue. You can see the geese soar high overhead in their vee formation honking their way up north.

It is a time of re-birth and a renewing of spirit.

One can enjoy all this and say, I'm thankful that God still reigns on high.

Here in the Northeast we have been dealing with high wind, heavy rain, flooding and power outages.

The rain has been heavier in some places more than others.
A heavy snow pack melting faster than normal has also contributed to the flooding.

Even through all this weather the famed Scranton St. Patrick's Day Parade went on as usual.
The die-hard parade lovers braved the weather to carry on.

Sunday's weather is not quite as intense as Saturday and the Wilkes Barre St. Patrick's Parade goes on as well.

None of the adverse weather conditions are nice to deal with but we have been reminded of a storm that happened seventeen years ago this weekend. It was known as the Blizzard of 1993.

It was a real northeastern monster blizzard with high winds and driving snow which piled up in places from twenty-four to thirty plus inches. The wind then whipped the snow into high drifts.

I remember it well. The snow was piled high at all our door ways and we literally had to dig our way out of the house.

It was a storm like the Washington D.C. and New Jersey coast areas experienced earlier this year.

One thing that was on the bright side was it was the middle of March and the snow didn't last long.

History has a way of reminding us of what could be worse.

We now on in Daylight Savings Time and Spring officially arrives the end of the week.

Now that is something to celebrate.

The robins have arrived and the snow has melted...finally.

Thursday evening my husband and I attended the annual dinner meeting of his Civil War Roundtable. He is a Civil War fanatic.

The speakers was Joe Mieczkowski. He is a licensed battlefield guide at Gettysburg National Park.

Joe presented a slide program of artwork enhanced with music and sound effects, explaining the Battle of Gettysburg. It took a lot of work to put it together and was very interesting.

If you've never been to the Gettysburg Battlefield or haven't been there in awhile, you should put it on your agenda.

The new Visitors' Center is beautiful. The Cyclorama is now at the top of the center. You don't have to go to two buildings any longer. There is plenty of parking and it's handicapped accessible. The rest rooms are inside and much nicer.

There is a very large bookstore and also a restaurant. You can also buy tickets at the center for the Eisenhower farm.

A computer room is available to look up a relative or anyone else that was in the Civil War.

I'm proud to say my great-grandfather was a Union soldier. A member of the Calvary he served in the Army of the Potomac.

Much can be learned from studying the history of the Civil War and those who bravely fought and died on both sides.

Have a great weekend and don't forget to turn your clocks ahead one hour before you go to bed on Saturday night. Daylight Savings Time begins...hooray.

It finally happened.

The geese are flying north.
I saw a couple of flocks the last two days.

Today the sun was shining, the car thermometer read 55' and the snow is melting...fast.

I was enjoying the day until I got my mail.
In it was an envelope from the U.S. Dept of Commerce, U.S.Census Bureau.
I thought, oh well it must be the census form, but it's not very thick.
I opened it and it was a one-page letter addressed to Resident at my address.
It said in about a week I will receive a 2010 Census form in the mail.

I don't get it.
Our economy is in the tank, with high unemployment which means less taxes being collected to run the government.
Our deficit is so high I can't even count how many zeroes are in the number.
Here are the brilliant minds in government spending gobs of money they don't have on paper, envelopes, ink, postage, and wear and tear on machines to print it, as well as people to get the mailing out and for what purpose?
Just to tell me I'm going to get another piece of mail next week that will probably cost twice as much to send out.

Apparently common sense and basic math were not part of their education.

Sorry for the rant. But what kind of fiscal responsibility is being shown to our children. Let alone the debt they will inherit.

Sometimes I think I live on an alien planet.

Do you plant a vegetable garden?
Maybe just some herbs in pots on a window sill.
Or tomato plants in pots on a deck or patio or perhaps in one of those upside down bags.

No matter the size or type, isn't it satisfying to pick and eat something you've grown?
That is if you get it before the critters do.

I've given up planting a vegetable garden since I have an empty nest.
One year I read that if you plant marigolds around your garden the rabbits won't touch it.
So I tried it. I planted yellow marigolds all around my cabbage plants in the open field.
It worked, that is until I went to harvest them and a ground hog had eaten the marigolds and the cabbages. I guess it only works for rabbits.

The next year I put a chicken wire fence around my garden.
The ground hog did what he does best. He dug a hole on the outside of the fence and came up the exit on the inside of the garden.
He had his own entrance to the supermarket.

I learned you just can't best the critters. So you have to plant some for them and some for you.

Happy planting.

I know St. Patrick's Day is still twelve days away, but I saw a corned beef brisket in the grocery store and couldn't resist buying it.



I had always cooked it on the stove and it always was tough. So I thought why not try the slow cooker. I searched the Internet for a recipe and found several. I combined two or three with my own ideas and this is what I came up.



My slow cooker is a large oval and the brisket was about two pounds. I put the meat in the cooker and added two cans of low sodium beef broth and two cans of water. Then I added the seasoning packet. I also added one peeled and halved potato to soak up some of the sodium. I set the timer to cook on low for eight and half hours.



One and half hours before the time was up I removed the original potato and tossed it. I then added more peeled and quartered potaotes ( you can add as many as you want), and a small head of cabbage cut in small pieces.



At the end of eight and half hours the beef was pull apart tender and the vegetables just right.



This meal was super delicious; tender beef, sweet cabbage and firm potatoes. My husband raved about it and had second helpings, so my plan for corned beef sandwiches for the following day vanished. Next time I'll have to get a bigger brisket.



You can make this recipe your own by adding any vegetable, such as carrots, onions, garlic, turnips or parsnips. Whatever spice or seasoning you like can be added as well.



You still have time to try it for St. Patrick's Day. Your family will love it and think you should be on the Food Network.



Enjoy.

Women's History Month

Throughout the world many countries elect women as the leader.
(Some great some not so great. Not all male leaders are great either.)

Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher of England was one of those at the top.
She was a fearless leader.

Israel's Golda Meir respected and loved by most.

Indira Gandhi of India another great leader.

Presently, Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany.

Chile's present leader Michelle Bachette is dealing with a country devasted by a massive earthquake. A disater which would try the leadership abilities of either gender.

In recent times we watched as terrorists assassinated Benazi Bhutto of Pakistan.

There are many more women around the world leading their countries.

We think of women of royalty as heads of their countries. Most of these are queens by default and not elected. Most had fathers that were the King with no male heirs. Queen Elizabeth of England is one that comes to mind.

Here in the United States the glass ceiling is very much intact. We have women in the Cabinet, Senate, and the House. They serve as governors and CEO's of many corporations.
There are many women who own their own successful businesses.

Some women have run for the Presidency, some for the Vice Presidency but alas none have been elected.

When will the United States catch up with the rest of the world an elect a woman to the Presidency. Not just because she's a woman but because she is well qualified.

Yippee (loud foot stomping),

Hooray (thunderous applause),

Wahoo ( ear-splitting whistling).

IT'S MARCH

At last it's finally here.

Looking forward in March, we celebrate.

March 14 - Daylight Savings Time
March 17 - St. Patrick's Day
March 20 - First day of Spring
March 28 - Palm Sunday
March 30 - Passover

March is also Women's History month
NCAA Basketball Tournament

Ladies isn't it ironic that we celebrate Women's History and NCAA Basketball in the same month?

While the guys are glued to the TV, ladies on your mark, get set, go - let's shop.

For the kiddies, Dr. Seuss was born this month.
It's also Music In Our Schools Month.
In Alaska the Iditorad happens this month.
It's National Nutrition Month, so that means it's time to plan your garden and perhaps even start some seeds indoors.
What better therapy than watching a plant grow.

So there you have it. A lot of happenings in March. It will fly by and before you know it April will be here.
I don't know about you but I can't wait.

Enjoy your day.