HAPPY NEW YEAR

Somewhere in the world you'll soon hear, 5 - 4 - 3- 2 - 1 - - -
HAPPY NEW YEAR.

After all that has happened, 2011 is about to fade into the annals of history.

How did you fare? Was 2011 a good year for you? Maybe so-so, or as it was for
many folks, a horrible year.

If it was good, God bless you. Keep the memories close to your heart.

Terrible weather conditions caused heartache for multitudes around the globe, and especially here in our area of the world.

War and pestilence caused problems for scores more.

Now is the time to look forward, persevere, put one foot in front of the other and plod ahead.

I know you've heard all the old adages, "There's a light at the end of the tunnel"," Every cloud has a silver lining", "When a door closes God opens a window". I'm sure you would like to bop the next person that recites one to you and tell them, "Walk a mile in my shoes."

I'm sorry if your 2011 was a year of despair. It's time to make a list. Yes, a list of what you want to accomplish in 2012. Perhaps you won't be able to do everything on it, but being successful in doing some of the list will make you feel good.

My prayerful wish, for all of you who read this blog is, I hope you and your loved ones have a peaceful, healthy, prosperous, warm and comforting 2012.

Since it is a Leap Year we will have 366 days to celebrate life, love, and happiness.

God bless one and all.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

FOR UNTO YOU A SAVIOUR IS BORN

Sunday, December 25, 2011 we celebrate the birth of the Light of the world.

Many who dwell in darkness fear this Light, that shines so bright.

They do all in their power to extinguish it, alas, but in vain, for it will burn brightly for all eternity.

This Christmas season, give up the darkness, look up, follow the Light.

"For unto you is born this day in the town of Bethlehem a Saviour, and his name is Jesus." The angel that appeared to the shepherds, abiding in the fields that night so long ago, told them to "Fear not, and follow the Star to Bethlehem."

He can be your Saviour too. All you have to do is accept the gift He offers, the gift of Salvation, and then bask in the Light of Newness of Life.

God bless you and Merry Christmas from our home to yours.

70th ANNIVERSARY

Wednesday, December 7, 2011 is the 70th anniversary of a tragic day in American history.
It is the anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor by the Japanese.

I confess I don't recall it as I wasn't born yet.
Often, in later years I've thought about, but never asked, how my parents must have felt on that day.

They were about to welcome their first child two months later. I'm sure they were uneasy, not knowing what would happen in the coming months or years.

It became a time of cohesiveness. Americans stood shoulder to shoulder to fight an enemy that would dare to harm the homeland.

Young men by the thousands, enlisted in the military. Women went to work in factories to build the ships and supplies needed to fight two theaters of war. Brave women pilots took to the air to ferry supplies

Many items were rationed. There were blackouts in the neighborhoods.
America stood as one nation, and yes, under God, for in those times people turned to God. They knew not what would happen and trusted Him, that His will would prevail.

America lost thousands of her young men and women in World War II. The prime of her population gone, yet she went forth and persevered.

Many years later, I had the privilege of visiting the Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. It was a solemn experience. As I looked over the railing I saw small bubbles of oil spurting through the water.

What an eerie feeling, that 46 years later oil still seeped from the graves of our brave warriors. No doubt it continues today.

One has to wonder what this country learned from that "day in infamy", as President Roosevelt called it.
Have we learned to be prepared? For there is always an enemy lurking about ready to pounce at any time.

September 11, 2001 is a grim reminder of it. Again, the nation came together, and filled the churches once more. However, it didn't last long and it is becoming a distant memory to many.

We must never forget what so many sacrificed and continue to do until this day, to protect our homeland and our rights and way of life.
But yet, so many are willing to throw away the many rights we have taken for granted.

If you don't believe it, look around and see how God has been taken out of our lives, especially at this time of year when we celebrate Jesus' birth.

Tomorrow, stop, take a moment and say a prayer, thanking God for those who willing went forward and said, "I will go, I will stand shoulder to shoulder with my brother to fight the enemy that wants to destroy my country, whether it be from within her borders or outside."

The next time you see someone in the military, thank them for their service and watch the humble smile that appears on their face. Especially, thank a WW II vet. Sadly we are losing many of them everyday.

May God continue to bless America.

                        HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Are you ready for some turkey?

Can you smell the tantalizing aromas coming from the kitchen?

Turkey roasting, pumpkin pie baking. Fluffy, white mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy and don't forget my favorite, candied sweet potatoes. Add the cranberry sauce, perhaps green beans almondine and potato rolls.

What are your family's favorite Thanksgiving dishes?

Good food, families gathering, football games or afternoon naps, all have their place on Thanksgiving. Don't forget to take a moment and gives thanks to God for all your bounty.

 Perhaps you think you don't have anything to be thankful for, or are feeling down.
No matter the depth of your despair, remember God loves you, and for that, be truly thankful.

What ever your situation, try to have a Happy Thanksgiving.

P.S. Don't eat too much, the leftovers the next day are good too.

                                  HALLOWEEN TRICK

What's wrong with this picture?
Shouldn't it be a Christmas tree with snow on it?

The continuing saga of weird phenomena in the Northeast.

First an earthquake, then a hurricane, followed by a tropical storm that caused severe wide spread flooding, and now a rare, historic, Autumn Nor'easter snowstorm.

Is it too cold for locusts?

Maybe it's just a nightmare caused by what my dear, late aunt used to say, "It must've been somethin I et".

Guess I'll make the best of it and break out the hot chocolate and settle down with hubby to watch "THE POLAR EXPRESS".

HAPPY HALLOWEEN
BAH HUMBUG!

  

THE COLORS OF OCTOBER

Orange, rust, gold, crimson, yellow, and brown, are the beautiful colors of the fall foliage we usually see in October.

Not this year though. There is little of it and what there is appears dull and drab.

A large maple tree in my backyard is usually brilliant with color, but this year as it started to turn the leaves fell before reaching their peak hues.

I don't know the reason for the lackluster show. It could be all the rain we experienced this season. Who knows the cause, all I can say is I miss the spectacular array.

October is the month for pumpkins, corn maize tours, hay rides, cider, hot chocolate, crisp apples, World Series, football, and Halloween.

 The weather is cool in the morning and evening, sunny, warm afternoons. The sky is azure blue with white cotton candy clouds.

October is also the month when we get the news about our health care premiums for the next year. It seems I've heard that the Healthcare Act (also known as Obamacare) was supposed to reduce costs. I'm not sure exactly what they meant by that statement. I don't know whose costs they referenced or what country. All I know is our premiums as well as Medicare premiums are rising, both of which we pay out of pocket.

On a happy note, all the rain made for a great pumpkin and squash harvest. So find a pick-your-own pumpkin patch and let the kids loose to select their prize pumpkin. Mom can pick a pumpkin to make a pie...if she feels so inclined.

That will be a joyful experience.

                   OCTOBER
I can't believe the first week of October is history.
Wasn't it just summer?

As the saying goes, "time flies when you're having fun".

I hope your days are fun-filled.

Here in Northeast PA many people aren't having fun. They are trying to re-coup their homes and lives.

Our area was hit hard with flooding from Tropical Storm Lee, and that was just a week or so after being hit with Hurricane Irene.

One good thing happened, and that was the levee system protecting Kingston and Wilkes Barre held after heroic efforts by many.

My husband and I were on vacation in Florida when Lee hit here at home.
Our two sons were evacuated from their homes in Kingston, along with a friend who lives in Swoyersville.

They all stayed at our home high and dry in the Back Mountain.
After a few days they were allowed back in their homes, because the levee did what it was supposed to.

I was very happy with the gift of modern technology. While we were in Florida I was able to watch live broadcasting via the Internet from our local TV stations WNEP and WBRE's web-pages. Many thanks to them for doing that.

Now we are back home. I sometimes wonder if it pays to go away.
It takes a lot to get ready to go and a lot more to do when you come back home.

Yeah, it is worth it. Anytime I can get to spend a few weeks in Florida is A-OK with me.
Even though while we were there, my husband's back went out on him, and I had food poisoning. We survived and enjoyed the rest of the trip.

We finally got caught up on outside chores, like grass cutting and more grass cutting.
Tomorrow we'll clean out the bluebird houses, so the bluebirds will have nice apartments to build nests for their new broods in the spring.

Then it's time to batten down the hatches for winter. Now that is something I'm not looking forward to.

I sure do hope we don't get the same amount of snow that we had in rain this summer.I don't even want to think about how many feet of snow is equal to the many inches that fell.

Whatever comes our way, we will deal with, since we come from hearty stock here in Northeast PA.

    AMERICAN PICKERS

Have you ever seen this show on the History Channel?

The owners, Mike and Frank, go around the country looking for "ANTIQUE ARCHAEOLOGY", otherwise known to you and I as junk.

But as the saying goes "One man's junk is another man's treasure."

In the little town of Le Claire, Iowa, along the Mississippi River, is the headquarters of this popular TV show.

The store seen on the show, is located in a small alley behind a convience store, gas station, cafe, laundromat. Yes, all of the shops mentioned are in one building. I did say it was a small town. However, the residents of Le Claire are friendly, and helpful.

Back to the American Pickers. The shop is small, the van pictured above sits outside and more than likely not used very much, since Mike and Frank scour the countryside with a newer vehicle. Also outside, embedded in a flower bed, is a an antique Nash car. It has seen better days, but is used as ambiance for an antique shop.

This TV show runs a close tie with The Pawn Stars, another History Channel show, as a favorite for our husbands, ergo why we had to stop to see it on our Midwest vacation.

We wives were in total agreement, the real reason our loving husbands had to stop to see this place was, they were hoping against hope to meet Danielle.

Danielle works for Mike and Frank. She actually keeps everything together, like most women do. She finds places for the guys to search, and then finds buyers for their junk, excuse me, antiques. In other words she is the cog that keeps the wheel turning.

Alas, the shop wasn't open when we stopped by. The men will have to resort to watching Danielle on the TV screen. It's just as well, she's much to young for these "older gentlemen" to make fools of themselves. But, she sure does love to flirt with the male gender of all ages.

So look in the TV listings for the AMERICAN PICKERS, on the History Channel and get a look at Danielle. You will see the store we were at. And girls, Mike and Frank are also pretty easy on the eyes.

WHERE WERE YOU?

I'm sure you remember where you were on 9-11-2001.

I remember it as a day off from work. I came downstairs, made coffee, turned the TV on to Good Morning America, just in time to see the second plane hit the second tower.

It was surreal, appearing like it was a movie.

There were many questions. Who did this? Who hated the US so much to kill so many?

As the days passed we learned who, and America changed forever.

Those who are old enough, remember another event that changed America. That fateful day in December 1941.

I was born 2 months after that attack.

I often thought about how my parents felt on that day. Here they were expecting their first child, employment was dicey at the time and then Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, taking the US into World War II.

Just like 9-11, people's lives were turned upside down. Many of those killed never got to see the child they were expecting.

That event of 9-11 also took us into a war, where many more have given the ultimate sacrifice and continue to do so.

Just this past week residents living along the Susquehanna River, from Binghamton, NY to the Chesapeake Bay, have had their lives disrupted and perhaps changed forever.

The remnants of Tropical Storm Lee dumped copious amounts of rain on the many miles of the Susquehanna.

The residents in many towns and cities were evacuated from their homes, including Wilkes Barre and Kingston, PA. My two sons were among the thousands.

Wilkes Barre and Kingston are protected by a levee system. Those dikes were raised to 41' after Hurricane Agnes in 1972; she decimated both cities. This time the river rose to 42.66' but did not breech the levees because of the couple feet of leeway, but did come to within inches of the top.

There were a few tense moments when there was some leaks in Forty Fort and the flood gates in Wilkes Barre. However, heroes came to the rescue and plugged the holes.

The residents of Falls, Harding West Pittston, Plains, Shickshinny, Plymouth, and many other areas were hit hard. There are no levees to protect them, and the river was much higher than in previous floods, including Agnes, and so many more neighborhoods were affected.

Now comes the time for the cleanup. One woman was quoted as saying, "It's only material goods, we are alive and that's what is important."

That is so true, but the emotional toll of re-building the material part will overwhelm most people in the days ahead.

With the anniversary of 9-11, Hurricane Irene's wrath just two weeks ago, and now the flood this past week, it is all a bit much to take.

For all those affected by either of those three events we need to pray for them, for they will need comfort and care for many weeks and months to come.

We must also thank God, for protecting so many more from the river's wrath and that this time, unlike Agnes, there was only one death, and that was from some type of gas that entered her home. We offer our condolences to her family and friends at this most difficult time.

God Bless America. We pray He will keep our country safe from those who wish to destroy it from within and without.

WOW!

What a summer it's been.

I'm taking a break from my travelogue to the Midwest to comment on the past week's phenomena.

Several times this summer we in Northeast PA have experienced torrential downpours.

Last week we had an earthquake. Yes, Pennsylvania and points north, south, east and west. Weird.

A few days later Hurricane Irene blew into town, literally.

She left us with 4.5 inches of rain. That was only part of the story. Her winds were relentless.

Two of our 25' Blue Spruce trees were uprooted, a window blown out in the barn, and the most inconvenient, a power outage for 36 hours.

Yet our inconvenience was little by comparison. Many others had to endure days with no power and some are still without it.
Others had a lot of damage to homes and vehicles, and one man lost his life when a tree fell on his camper.

North of us in Wyoming County, they had severe flooding and many were stranded unable to leave their homes.

New York and Vermont and New Jersey, had severe flooding as well.

The last I read there were 40 deaths from Hurricane Irene; a very sad statistic.

Back to our power outage. Like so many in our area we have a well powered by electricity. Yep, no power, no water. . . no water, no flushing.

My husband was able to get some water from our water pond for a day or so. We could at least flush and thanks to a gas stove could heat water to wash. Then he had to get more from our son. Much thanks to him. I had some bottled water on hand for drinking.

At night we were back to the pioneer days of candlelight. A modern invention, the Kindle with its book cover and built in light came in real handy. 

We had to throw out everything in our refrigerator. It needed a good cleaning anyway.

What a pleasure it is to throw a switch and voila', lights or turn on a faucet and voila', water.

The Lord awakened us to the pleasures we enjoy and take for granted.

Thank goodness it wasn't winter and no heat.

Perhaps it's time to invest in a generator.

Now tropical storm Lee is heading north with copious amounts of rain to deposit and out in the Atlantic is Hurricane Katia . . . who knows where she is headed.

WOW, and it's only the beginning of September.

                             TRAIN FESTIVAL 2011
                     ROCK ISLAND, IL

Finally the day the three guys have waited for arrives.
We're up early, eat breakfast and head to downtown Rock Island.
A parking place waits just for us. We park, then head across the street to wait in line to board the train. Just us, and about one thousand other people.

Okay, we're on board, find our seats and collapse.
Brother-in-law Stanley did well, he was the reservations director.
We had comfortable captain chairs at a table in a dome car that was air conditioned, which was great because it was only around 100' outside.
The locomotive pulling us was a 2-10-2 wheel Chinese built steam locomotive, pictured above.
This is one of two Chinese built steamers purchased by the Iowa Interstate Railroad in 2006.

Located at either end of the car were rest rooms. This was so cool, especially for me, since it would be an all day ride.

Once under way we were served coffee, tea, or orange juice and pastries. Yum-Yum.
After leaving the rail yard the train crossed over a back channel of the Mississippi to Arsenal Island. I spoke of the museum there in a previous blog.

The U.S.Government built a fort on this island in 1816. During the Civil War, it served as a Confederate POW camp. Today, it's the largest government owned weapons manufacturing arsenal in the U.S.

Because of that, as we entered its territory, we were told to put away all cameras, including cell phones and video cameras.

They said we were being watched closely and if the guards saw the tiniest flicker of a possible camera, the train would be stopped, cameras confiscated, and the train backed to the station, and cancel the excursion. Yikes, just like in the movies.

Whew, everyone obeyed the rules and we went forward to cross the Mississippi River via, what else, the Government Bridge.

Now in Iowa, we traveled up the east coast to Iowa City.
Along the way we were served lunch, a choice of beef or chicken. I chose chicken and it was tasty for catered food.

It was a pleasant ride with a stop for a run-by. This is where all the rail fans get off the train with cameras in hand. The train backs up a mile or so, gets up a head of steam and runs-by for its picture to be taken. They actually did two run-bys.

The scenery was beautiful, and before we knew it we arrived in Iowa City. The engine went to the reverse end of the cars and we were on our way back via the same route.

When we pulled into the station we saw two small engines made by the Vulcan Iron Works in Wilkes Barre, PA.
One, the #75, was owned by the Flagg Coal Co. of Avoca, PA and the other, the #126, was owned by the Leigh Valley Coal Co. of Hazelton, PA. The #126, was eventually sold to the Heidelberg Coal Co. of Avoca, PA.

Those of you from Northeast PA have probably heard of these coal companies one time or another.
Avoca, PA is the next town over from where I was born and raised. I was familiar with those coal breakers. Our town of Hughestown was also a coal town. Pagnotti's No. 9 colliery was located there. In fact my dad worked for that coal company and worked on engines like the #75 and #126. They were called "loceys" and were the work horse around the coal yard.

Both the #75 and the #126 were purchased and restored by father and son John and Barney Grambling. They moved them to their shop in Ashley, IN.

After the train ride we were ready for supper. Yep, hungry again.
We ate in a small cafe' across from the station.
Their sandwiches were large, with fresh fixings, on delicious breads.

After eating we were tired and headed back to the hotel. It was a tiring day, sitting and watching the world go by, literally, does that.

We had to pack and get ready for our next destination the following day.

Our next stop was the American Pickers, you know Antique Archeology, Mike, Frank and Danielle, from the History Channel.

If you watch that show you'll want to come back and read my next blog.

THE CELEBRATION BELLE

Isn't she a beauty? We boarded the Celebration Belle, a three deck paddle wheel boat, at Rock Island, IL, for a two hour cruise on the Mississippi River.

It was a beautiful day and we sat on the top deck outside in the sunshine. The tour was narrated but this one wasn't a lunch cruise.

When we arrived back at the dock we were famished. We found a Bennigan's in the center of town. Yes, there is still a Bennigan's open in this part of the country.

After a filling lunch we set out to do some sightseeing. We wanted to check out the Rock Island Arsenal Museum. We found out in order for a Garmin to find an address one must enter accurate information. We eventually did and located the museum and not the arsenal.

Since this is a US Military Facility, security abounds. The driver of our vehicle had to show his driver's license and the guard at the guardhouse scanned it into a computer. Since there were no wants or warrants on him and he wasn't on a terrorist watch list, they allowed us to proceed to the museum.

The museum houses many displays of military fire power. There was a wall of just handguns. I never knew there were so many different kinds. Since this was mainly a "guy's" museum, we women lost interest fast and found a bench to sit and chat until the boys were finished looking at every display.

That evening we went to CIRCA' 21, a dinner playhouse in downtown Rock Island. As I mentioned in the previous blog, Rock Island is an artisan community, and includes acting. CIRCA' 21 serves to give local actors a chance at honing their craft.

We had a delicious dinner served and cleaned up by the actors themselves. After dinner they went on stage to perform the opening act. This was followed by the main show which was "HAIRSPRAY". The performers of this show were not locals and were there specifically to do the show. Although not well-known names at present, I'm sure some of them will become well-known in the future.

After the dinner theater we were tired and headed back to the hotel for a good nights rest, because the next day was an 8' train ride, I'll tell you about that in the next blog . . . Choo-Choo.

ART SCULPTURE IN ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS

The QUAD CITIES, as this part of the country is known, consists of four communities along the Mississippi River.
On the east side of the river are the communities of Moline and Rock Island, Illinois. On the west side are the communities of Davenport and Bettendorf, Iowa.

Rock Island, especially is an art influenced community. There are many free standing pieces of sculpture all around town, like the frog one in the above picture.

TRAIN FESTIVAL 2011 is what drew us to this area of the US.
Since our three husbands, whom I spoke about in the previous blog are all train fans and go to great lengths to see them, hence our trip to IL/IA.

After checking into our hotel we headed downtown to locate our places of interests for the following day.
As usual we got lost, a lot, until we acclimated ourselves and realized Moline and Rock Island were two different distinct areas.

After some meandering we were hungry. Someone mentioned there was a restaurant named Johnny's Italian Steakhouse. It sounded good so off we went to find it.

Our travel took us past the huge John Deere Compound. Moline has been home to John Deere & Company for more than 170 years. Their world headquarters and their largest combine factory are located in Moline. Many of their other complexes are situated in and around the Quad Cities.

The Mississippi River is conducive to industry and there is much of it located along that stretch of river, including the largest Alcoa Aluminum plant, on the western side.
Besides the river the railroad helps to move the freight.

Now back to the restaurant.We found Johnny's Italian Steakhouse in part of the John Deere complex . . . I guess that's why it's called Johnny's.

After a delicious dinner, I had scrumptious chicken picatta, we headed back to the hotel for a good night's rest because the following day was sure to be busy.

Check in for the next blog about those exploits.

STEAMY HOT MIDWEST

I know its been hot here in the Northeast, but it's been STEAMY in the Midwest.

We traveled to St. John's, Michigan and stayed at hubby's sister and husband's house, where we met up with hubby's cousin and husband.

All six of us were about to embark on travel to Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin.

In the next few blogs I'll try to recount the sights we saw along the way.

First we had a day of rest in St. John's where we ventured to Lansing which is about 20 miles away.

We had lunch at Emil's, a restaurant that serves delicious Italian entrees.
One of the things they're famous for is their Coca Cola. It tastes like the old-fashion kind that is syrupy and not watered down.  They have daily specials, one is all the spaghetti you can eat and scrumptious Italian bread. Sadly we were there on the wrong day for that one.

After we finished lunch we headed toward East Lansing, home to Michigan State University.
The campus is beautiful and we were treated to Michigan State University Ice Cream.
Needless to say with temps bordering at 100', the line for cool, refreshing ice cream was lo-o-o-ng.

Around here people know of Penn State Ice Cream, which I must admit I've never tasted.
However, since I have family in the ice cream business I had to try my favorite flavor in the MSU variety, which is Coconut Chocolate Almond, you know I had to compare brands.

It was delectably creamy and flavorful. Yum-Yum, good to the last drip. I'll reserve judgement as to the winner.  On a hot day ice cream is ice cream.

After indulging in thousands of calories we headed back to the ranch ... I mean farm.

The next day we packed up and headed to Moline, Illinois, after breakfast at Flap-Jax in Michigan. Pancakes and waffles, need I say more?

At the end of my travelogue I'll tell you how much weight I gained.

Stay tuned.

A NEW WEAPON

The other day I ventured to the local mall.
Upon entering my store of choice, I happened upon
a huge shoe sale.

There were shoes everywhere. All colors, sizes, types, and all on sale.

One display caught my eye.
The shoes looked like the latest style of torture instruments.

The shoe part was clunky, with very pointy toes.
The heel was at least 4 1/2" high.

I don't know how a person could walk in them, let alone dance, or run.
Perhaps if they had training as a stilt walker they would be perfect.

Then I started thinking about all the accidents and broken bones a person could encounter from wearing these shoes.

I realized the young people should consider careers in orthopedics, chiropractic medicine, and podiatry, because there will be a great need for those medical professionals in the years to come, as well as orthopedic shoes.

I picked up one of the shoes. It was heavy with a pointy heel, and I decided if all else fails a woman will always have a lethal weapon at her disposal if she wears these shoes.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA

May You be Free, Indivisible, One Nation Under God, with Liberty and Justice for All, for many more Centuries.

Kudos to the Dallas, PA Lion's Club and Bradford County for recognizing their heroes in the military.

Both in Dallas and in Towanda, the light poles are adorned with picture banners of their Hometown Heroes that have served or are presently serving in the military.

Beneath their picture, is the branch of service, their rank, the war they served in or if they are presently in active service and if they were killed in action, missing in action, or a POW.

What a fitting honor to bestow on those who gave their all so their country could remain free.

I'm sure there are many communities around this great country who at sometime this weekend will remember and honor those young men and women of who they are so proud.

This year is the 150th anniversary of the Civil War; a brutal war that tore this country apart. Let's pray something like that will never happen again.

Locally, in the town of Wyoming, PA, a ceremony this weekend, as every July 4th a remembrance of the massacre of the Connecticut settlers in the Battle of Wyoming. These brave people were the first to settle this part of Pennsylvania, and many lost their lives in trying to accomplish the settlement of a new area.

Enjoy this weekend with family and friends, but take a moment to reflect on how it all came about, and the sacrifices of so many, so we can live in peace in what is still the greatest country in the world.

God Bless America.

MY NEW NEIGHBOR

I refer to this deer as my neighbor, because he is always around.

I believe he lives in the woods at the edge of our property.

He usually stops by for a drink out of the water pond, either going or coming from wherever he travels.

He moseys around the yard, investigating everything in his path.

He nibbles on some grass, tastes the seed in the bird feeder, then continues on his journey.

Sometimes he brings a few friends, but most of the time he is alone, which is why I think it is a young buck always on the lookout for some fun and games.

He's a nice neighbor, not noisy or complaining, and handsome to boot.

BR-R-R

Okay, who's the wise guy that turned the CHILL machine back on?

Is this really the middle of June?  Maybe I'm looking at the wrong page on the calendar.

Oh well, whatever the month, the grass grew from all the rain last week.

It rained again on Saturday, so I couldn't cut it. Today was the appointed day.

So, out I go to rev up the riding mower. Yikes, it's freezing. I ran back inside for a warm jacket and considered putting on long johns as well.

I mowed the hay for a couple of hours and was so glad to finally finish because I was chilled to the bone.

As I pondered this cold spell I realized that perhaps the grass won't grow as fast, thus no mowing for a longer period of time. Now I'm doing my happy dance.

Next, I surmised it won't snow . . . or will it?  Nah, it wouldn't dare, would it?

I DREW THE SHORT  STRAW

This morning I decided to do my least favorite thing . . . wash the windows in the family room.
It was a beautiful spring morning. The sun was shining, low humidity, and 80'.

Since I drew the short straw, actually I'm the only one to do this job. My husband suddenly had urgent things to take care of . . . yeah, right.

So I got right to the task. After I washed the curtains, I decided to hang them outside to dry in the gentle breeze . . . less wrinkles, since ironing curtains is my second least favorite thing to do, no scratch that, it ties with number one, the windows.

As I was pinning the sheers to the clothesline, I noticed a deer under the maple tree in the back yard. He was all alone and didn't seem to mind my being there, so I asked him why he wasn't home sleeping. He must not have liked the question because he scampered off.

He had been too far away to see if he had antler buds, but since he was alone and looked young, perhaps a year old, I suspect he was a buck looking for some doe.

Later, I noticed Momma Groundhog had her two babies out for a lunch of grass salad.
Suddenly the shadow of a large turkey vulture appeared and Momma scooted off with her babies to safety. I suppose that was their survival lesson of the day.

I saw a young blackbird proudly strutting around, letting his parents know he now was a teenager and could find his own worms, thank you very much.

The bluebirds and their babies were flitting about as school was in session on how to catch their lunch.

The squirrels were doing their thing too. Running up and down the poles to the bird feeders foraging for seed.

God must have known how bored I would be doing the windows, so He sent some of His creatures to keep me company.

Thank you Lord, it was much appreciated.

MEMORIAL DAY

A day of remembering those who gave their lives so we may live free.

A gift, the ultimate sacrifice, to those who come after them.

It is a day to also remember and honor those who have served or are presently serving around the world.

Our bravest have been lost in many wars. The Revolutionary War, Civil War, Spanish American,World War I, World War II, Korean War, Viet Nam War, Desert Sand in Iraq, the present on-going war in Iraq, Afghanistan and now we are in Libya, and many other skirmishes I failed to mention.

When we are remembering heroes we must include those who have lost their lives in terrorist attacks around the world. Whether they are military or civilian, they gave their lives for their country.

We should also honor those who serve in the Diplomatic Corp. Many are assigned to embassies in dangerous areas of the globe.

Then there are the brave agents of the CIA. Their clandestine missions put them in harms way everyday.

We must include the Border Patrol Agents. They are fighting a much different war. Their job is to keep hostile intruders from crossing our borders and many have died doing their job, some recently.

Each state has a National Guard to protect and serve in war and natural disasters.

We must honor the families of all these heroes. They toil day after day to keep a safe haven for their warrior to return.

Don't forget the FBI, State Police, local police, fireman and all those who provide for our safety.

How can we as citizens of this great country say Thank You enough times for all the sacrifices?

Let's pray that there will always be brave citizens ready to volunteer and say, "I will go. I will protect my country and preserve the freedom and liberty of the United States of America, no matter the cost."

Now we should do our part to make sure our country is not usurped by those from within and without whose life mission is to destroy it.

Tomorrow, stop for a moment and pray. Say thank you to those who gave and are giving so much to allow us to enjoy the holiday free from tyranny.

GOD BLESS AMERICA, may she ever be FREE.

RAIN, RAIN, GO AWAY

Everyone who is tired of the rain, please raise your hand.

Aha, I see many hands in the air.

I look outside in my backyard and everything is lush and green.

The wispy, white trails of mist rise off into the atmosphere.

Wait a minute, when did I move to the Rainforest? Or perhaps I'm dreaming.

No, I'm still here in Northeast PA.

According to the local weatherman, we are on track to have the second or third wettest spring on record.

I'm old enough to remember the spring of 1972.

Which is currently listed as the third wettest on record.

That year it just kept raining and raining. The ground was saturated. The streets were full of ponding water.

I remember getting out of my car on South Main Street in Wilkes Barre and was unable to jump onto the curb, the gutter was so full of water.

Then, Hurricane Agnes, visited us in June, and like the proverbial unwelcomed guest, stayed much too long.

She also stayed in the Southern tier of New York. As a result the Susquehanna River broke through the dike in Wilkes Barre on the east and Forty Fort on the west side.

Thousands were displaced. Two hospitals were evacuated. It was a time most would like to forget and never see happen again.

Unfortunately, the folks along the Mississippi River are experiencing the same thing.

Water always seeks the path of least resitance. It has no respect for anything in its way.

Let's hope there are no hurricanes poised for our area this year, especially early in June.

I'm sure in a couple of months we'll be complaining that everything is dry and we could use some rain.

We're never satisfied are we?

One thing I'm very happy about, is the liquid precipatation falling from the sky isn't in the form of snow.

Be happy for the small things.

MOTHERHOOD

M - Memories to cherish.

O - Opportunities missed.

T - Tears shed.

H - Hugs and kisses, too many to count.

E - Energy unending.

R - Running interference and solving problems.

H - Heart bursting with love.

O - Oodles of boo-boos kissed.

O - Oodles of proud moments to savor.

D - Document it all in your memory bank. Soon they will fly the nest.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY 

Your are a special woman, because God chose you to be a Mother.

AMAZING TALENT

Our church is celebrating its 70th anniversary this month.

This in itself is quite amazing, in light of so many churches that are closing their doors for lack of attendance.

That does not mean our church is basking in the sunshine of masses of attendees.

It is a small church, but it loves the Lord and preaches the Gospel, untainted.

All month we are having special events.

Last evening's service kicked off the events.

We were privileged to witness 20 teens put forth their talents for the glory of the Lord.

What talent indeed. When there are so many stories of teens in trouble, one has to wonder if they were exposed to the environment these teens are they would be less likely to head the news stories.

These 20 teens showed their God-given talent in singing, playing instruments and drama. All of it was memorized.

I don't know about you, but I have trouble memorizing phone numbers, let alone reams of lyrics, notes and words.

This amazing group is known as the SOUTH NEW MILFORD BAPTIST CHURCH TEEN MINISTRY TEAM, from South New Milford, PA.

They are supported by a team of dedicated adults who are just as talented. Kudos to them for their hard work and love for young people.

The teens played piano, flutes, trombone, trumpet, and accompanied by an adult playing the cello.

One young girl played a piano solo, "How Great Thou Art". She showed talent far beyond her years.

Another young girl portrayed a woman, who as a follower of Jesus, wondered how His Crucifixion could have happened. Then related how Jesus had appeared to them after His Resurrection. Again her lines were memorized and her acting abilities were terrific.

If you are looking for a small, Bible believing, Gospel preaching, warm, friendly church, visit our website http://calvarybiblewb.org/ and listen to Pastor Sam Garnett's welcome message.

Join us for the rest of May's events. There will be special speakers and on May 22, it will be "HOMECOMING SUNDAY". Everyone who in the past has attended Calvary Church has been invited to come back for "HOMECOMING SUNDAY".
A great effort was made to research address's and contact as many as possible. If you have ever attended and didn't receive an invitation, please forgive the oversight or inability to find you and consider yourself invited, you are most welcomed.

Pastor Bob Matthews was founder of Calvary Bible Church. His talented children and grandchildren will be sharing their ministry in music on Sunday, May 29.

I'm sure Pastor Bob and his wife Esther will be told by the Lord, "Well done good and faithful servants."

FINALLY

It's finally here, Spring that is.

I waited and waited and waited.

At last it's arrived.

People are happy, the birds are happy.

The shorts and sandals have been extracted from the deep caverns of a closet.

I dug out capris and a short sleeved top.

No jackets. Oh, how good the sun feels.

The bikes have been serviced and riders feel the wind in their faces.

The joggers finally are able to work up a sweat, (burns more calories).

Now for the hard part. Kids are antsy in school.
They too have waited.
They want to be outside playing.

Along with the warm temperatures come the thunderstorms and sometimes tornadoes.

This part we aren't happy about. Especially where tragedy has already struck parts of our country.

Residents have experienced loss of property and in some areas, loss of life.

We pray for these folks, that they will be strong in the face of adversity.

If you are able, enjoy the God given sunshine and be grateful for the little things.

I hope it lasts, for a few days anyway.

EASTER

Easter, a joyous holiday.

Why?

We celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday.

It is also the season of Passover. A holiday celebrated by our Jewish friends.

This year Easter is the last Sunday in April.  It is the latest I ever remember it to occur.

We get to pick daffodils and forsythia this year.
The weather isn't all that warm but there isn't any snow on the ground as has happened in previous years.

The flowering trees and shrubs are beginning to bloom.
It is a glorious season of renewal and rebirth.

The kids all anxiously await a visit from Mr. Easter Bunny. They can't wait for the gaily decorated Easter baskets filled with candy and goodies.

Many have new outfits to wear to church for Easter morning services. Some may even have corsages to adorn them.

It seems Easter bonnets are a thing of the past, perhaps so are the corsages. What a shame, it was nice to see all the different hats.

I hope you will make an effort to attend services this Holy Week or on Easter Sunday.

It will give you a feeling of refreshment after the long, cold winter.

We will celebrate with our two sons who will be here for dinner. This year my husband's birthday is on Easter Sunday, another reason to celebrate.

I wish all of you a very Happy, Blessed Easter and or Passover.

We have much to be thankful. We still live in the greatest country on earth where we are yet free to openly attend church and worship a Risen Christ.

God Bless one and all.

PALM SUNDAY

The day we celebrate Jesus' triumphal entry to the city of Jerusalem sitting on a colt.
People thronged to see the new king. They threw palm branches down to form a path for Him.

Who were these supporters? Some were His disciples. Some had heard Him preach and seen His miracles. Others were caught up in the politics.

They followed Him because they thought He would give them something. Perhaps save them from the Roman government.

We, of course know that was not who He was. He came there to give them something, it was eternal life. They did not understand His message and wanted something tangible, something now, not in the future.

Just a few days later He was arrested. Turned on and betrayed by one of His own disciples.

He had a sham trial. It was customary at that time of year to release a prisoner, to show good will to the people by the Roman government.

Pontius Pilate asked the crowds who he should release, Jesus or Barabbas? The crowd yelled, "Give us Barabbas".

Then he asked what should become of Jesus? They yelled, "Crucify him".
Now these were the same people that earlier in the week welcomed Him to Jerusalem.

This was not something unexpected by Jesus, for He knew what would happen. He was after all God, come to earth as a man to save His church.

One of my favorite sayings comes from a verse in Ecclesiastes 1:9. Solomon says in that verse: The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be and that which shall be done, and THERE IS NO NEW THINGS UNDER THE SUN. The part I capitalized is what I like best.

Think about the previous scenario of Jesus in Jerusalem. If that were to occur today would anything change? I think not.

Perhaps the venue would be different. The events would be covered live via TV and the Internet. The media would exploit it and use it for better ratings.

Think of the protests happening today around the world. People clamoring for the demise of their leaders.

However, these leaders cannot be compared to Jesus, but the people can be. Their hearts are the same.

Jeremiah wrote in his book chapter 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, who can know it?

Folks, God can and does know it.

Again I repeat, THERE IS NOTHING NEW UNDER THE SUN.

APRIL

April, what does it mean to you?

Maybe it's the month of your birthday, as it is my husband's and his friend Bob's.
Maybe it's the month of your wedding anniversary as it it my husband's and mine and his brother and wife's.

Maybe it's your name. I love the name April. It sounds so lighthearted and fun.

Maybe you're reminded of the income tax filing deadline and the pressure it brings for the last minute filers.

April's birthstone is a diamond. Nice for females born in that month.
The flower for April is actually two, the daisy and sweet pea. Both are comforting and shy.

To me April means an awakening, a re-birth, a re-newing.
All of nature comes to life once again. The flowers and trees bloom, the birds sing, the animals scamper about.

Most of all April means Easter, at least most years. This year Palm Sunday and Easter are in April.

A time that reminds us of Jesus' horrific death on the cross on Good Friday and His glorious Rescurrection on Easter Sunday, so God's promise can be fulfilled.

John 3:16  For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

That has always been my favorite Bible verse, because it means so much to me personally.

Do you have a favorite Bible verse?

Do you know Jesus personally?

Why not make Easter really special this year. Ask Jesus to come into your heart.

He will never fail you and will always be closer than a brother.

KINDLE OR NOT

If you read a lot of books like I do, you probably are aware of E-readers. There are a few on the market, the Kindle, Nook and Sony has one out as do other manufacturers.

The Apple I-pad is also an E-reader, but the price didn't fit my budget...not even close.

The Kindle is an Amazon product and the Nook is by Barnes and Noble.

I've investigated both the Nook and the Kindle and had a hard time deciding which one to buy.

A while back I wrote a blog on E-readers and said I wasn't sure I'd like them compared to reading a good old fashioned paper back.

I think they both have their uses.

Okay, so I finally decided on the Kindle. Now do I get the one with the free 3G network or not.

I'm sure the Nook is a quality product and everyone has their own preference.

I asked at Office Max, they don't carry E-readers.

I went looking at Best Buy but couldn't find anyone to answer my questions.

I checked out Staples, found a young man (always ask a young person technology questions when your shopping for such an item), willing to answer my dumb questions.

I finally opted for the 3G Kindle, because the 3G network is free and it gives me options when I travel. I arrived home and loosed it from its bindings, I thought, well here goes trying to figure out how to operate another piece of technology.

It was so easy, even a techno-challenged person like me, was able to operate the system. The only problem I had was putting it in the book cover I bought for it. I couldn't get the built in light to work. So I finally decided to read the directions and voila, there was light.

So I downloaded my first book. It appeared so quickly, I couldn't believe it. I still have room for 2,999 more. My mind can't get around that number.

Now, my bookcases won't fall apart because I've overloaded them, and when I travel my luggage won't be weighted down with my addiction.

Wow, the Kindle has lightened my life, imagine that.

WHY?

Do you remember when you were a teenager?
What did you think about?
Did you have any worries or concerns that seemed monumental to deal with?

When I tried to think back to when I was in my teens, (and that was so long ago), I remember worrying about what clothes to wear to school and if I looked good in them. I hoped I didn't get a breakout of acne when it was time for the school dance.

I remember wishing the cool basketball player, who was a year ahead of me, would give me at least a second look.

I can't remember anything that was devastating enough to commit suicide.

That's what a beautiful teenage girl did this past weekend. What could have been so horrible in her life to make her do that?

Now her friends are second guessing themselves, wishing they had been more attentive to her. I'm sure her parents and siblings feel much the same way.

I've been wondering why she didn't reach out for help to someone. Could it be possible she did and no one heard her cries for help.

Our young people are in a crisis. They don't seem to know how to handle or solve problems or know where to turn to for help.

Yet, just last week there was an article in the local paper about a young girl who cared so much about her classmates she passed out religious tracts to them on the playground. Obviously, she found that her faith in God was something she knew she could cling to in time of need and in joy.

What happened to her? The principal of her elementary school, told her to cease and desist. She wasn't allowed to hand out religious (especially Christian) literature at school. Her grandmother didn't take it lightly. She felt her free speech rights had been violated and contacted legal help. Action is now pending.

These two stories brought to mind a "what if" scenario. What if the troubled teen had access to a religious tract or someone had told her how God loves her no matter what, would it have made a difference, and would she still be alive?

No one can know for sure. Isn't it time that strong people take a stand for free speech and religious tolerance in our schools, before our children have been lost?

Please pray for the family of this young girl and for her classmates and all who knew her. Let's hope her life wasn't lost in vain.

SIGNS OF SPRING

If you looked on the calendar you noticed that last evening Spring arrived.

It may have arrived somewhere, but the delivery person didn't deliver it here where I live.

I awakened this morning to 2" of snow covering everything.
To make matters worse the weatherman has predicted up to 5" again on Wednesday.

Anyone who knows me and my dislike for cold, wintry, weather will understand my grumpiness this week.

However, I am trying to put on a smiley face by searching high  and low for signs of spring.

I did notice pin oak leaves strewn all over the newly fallen snow.
This is a sign that the pin oak tree is starting to swell its leaf buds for the new season's green canopy.

I see clumps of green sprouts around the water pond. These are the daffodils stretching toward the sun.

The other day I saw a big, fat, ground hog scurrying for cover. I wonder, how did he get so fat living in a burrow all winter and not eating?
Perhaps he had a good supply of snacks down there and now he looks like a "couch potato". Or maybe, it was a she and not a he and she is carrying this year's production of babies.

I smelled the familiar aroma of a skunk the other evening. He too has awakened from a long winter's nap.

The Eastern bluebirds have staked their claim to the bluebird houses. They've built their nests and are raising their babies. My husband saw a Blue Jay trying to feast on some baby bluebirds but couldn't fit his head through the small hole of the house.
It all depends on where you are on the food chain and how smart you are to fend off the predator higher than you.

The frost left the soil so the robins were finding earthworms that climbed to the surface. I'm sure they had to make a quick trip southward last night.

According to http://www.hummingbirds.com/ the hummingbirds drank some high octane nectar and have finally made progress northward. Last I checked the site they were up as far as Virginia.

Yes, when I really look I see many signs of spring. So now I feel somewhat less depressed.

Now, I wonder if the snow last night was the "onion snow"?
Probably not. I don't think anyone has put their onions in yet, since up to a few days ago the soil was frozen solid.

Oh no . . .  that means we'll still get more snow.

COMPUTERIZED MEDICAL RECORDS

The future of the medical world is computerized medical records.
Some hospitals and doctors offices are already there.
Some are far from it.

I'm not referring to doctor's notes in a patient's chart.
Take for instance, an Ophthalmologist's office with multiple doctors and services under one roof.
A patient walks up to the front desk for an initial visit. He announces his name and the doctor he is there to see. He is asked to show his insurance cards, and picture ID, usually a driver's license and if required by his insurance a referral.

Next he is asked his address, phone number, birth date, social security number, etc. Then the receptionist slips his insurance cards and ID through a 3x1" scanner.

He is asked to sign some papers, usually required by his insurance carrier.
Next he is asked to remit his co-pay, if applicable, and then is given a printed receipt.

On subsequent visits, he is asked if his insurance has changed. If the answer is no, the receptionist simply asks him to verify his information, such as address and phone number. If it is the same his co-pay is requested and he's on his way to see the doctor.

Now for a hospital laboratory. Say you are there to have blood work done. First you probably have to wait in a line. When it is your turn the first thing you're asked is if you have a living will. This question is enough to unnerve anyone who already is wary of these places. You're then asked for your insurance cards, photo ID, and doctor's slip.

Next you are asked all the pertinent information, address, etc. Then you sign papers required by the insurance carrier, including how much your co-pay is for that day's service. Then you are given two copies of each paper you signed.

Remember, this is supposed to be a computerized process. I could paper a wall with the copies of papers I've received.

Next your told to have a seat and your cards will be returned to you momentarily.
Why? Because now the cards and doctor's orders have to be photocopied and all your information has to be manually entered into the computer. Now you know why you had to wait in line in the first place.

So you sit and wait, and wait. Finally your name is called and your cards are handed to you as you head into the lab.

Now fast forward to your next visit. Whether it is in three days, three weeks, or three months you go through the same excruitiating process, time after time.
I feel sorry for the girls who work the front desk and have to go through this process so many times in a day.

My question is, if one office can be streamlined why can't a large hospital facility be.

So when you hear someone talking about medical records being computerized, ask what exactly do they mean by computerized.

In the second scenario how many trees had to die to provide paper for the paperless system?

SPRING . . . NOT

Last week I saw a flock of robins, finally.
The geese have been flying north. However, yesterday I saw a flock flying south.
I wondered why? Perhaps their sonar was off, or maybe they were going to land on a pond close by.

It was raining for most of the day as had been forecasted. I was happy about that, since it was warmer and the last of the snow was melting away.

Then last evening the sleet started. It sleeted into the night, piling up about 2".

When we awoke this morning, snow, 4" of the white stuff had fallen on top of the sleet.
Today my husband plowed the mess, declaring it was the worst ever.
I shoveled some of it off the sidewalks. I could only take off the top layer.

The good part of it is, 2" of rain plus 2" of sleet, plus 4" snow would have added up to 40" if it had all been snow. I'm thankful for the small things.

I've been watching the hummingbird migration site. Last check yesterday, they were up as far as northern Florida.
You can check on them too. Go to http://www.hummingbirds.net/ .
You can also post a date when you see the first one in your backyard.

Another piece of good news, this weekend we turn the clocks ahead for Daylight Savings Time . . . yahoo.

This Wednesday is Ash Wednesday on the Christian calendar. After eating yourself full of goodies on Fat Tuesday, take a moment on Wednesday and reflect on what the Lenten Season is all about. How it leads up to Christ's arrest and subsequent suffering with His crucification on Good Friday and then His glorious Resurrection on Easter Sunday.

This year especially, with all the unrest and tragedy in the world, take the time for personal devotions, prayer and reflection.

Hopefully yesterday was the last of the snowstorms and soon we'll actually see the Forsythia bloom, and not just in pictures. And we'll celebrate the miraculous re-birth and renewal of spring.

I can dream, can't I?

"ACHOO"

In a few hours February is history. Hooray, I thought it would never leave.

Tomorrow ushers in March, the windy month.

Now, tis the season for coughing, sneezing, itchy eyes, etc.

Many people think allergy season starts with the blossoms on the trees, blooming flowers, and grass cutting.

Not necessarily so. Actually it starts much earlier here in northeast Pennsylvania.
Why? Because tiny, microscopic pollen can travel long distances on the wind current.

Right now pollen season is very high in Florida and is moving right on up the east coast as far north as Virginia.

Think about that, Virginia is only two states removed from Pennsylvania. These teeny, air-borne pollens have no difficulty visiting our neck of the woods.
Remember, March - windy.

Our own native trees are a culprit too.
Look at the deciduous trees. The leaf buds are swelling. This means as the leaves are developing they are shedding pollen, which blows in the wind, right up your nose.
Sorry about being graphic, but that's how it works.

I remember someone saying that allergy prone people suffer when the leaves form on the trees and when they fall, before the first frost.

So get your allergy prescriptions filled, both pills and nasal sprays. Dig out those headache remedies, clean up and sanitize those vaporizers. Stock up on tissues and hand sanitizers.

Most of all common sense prevents a lot of maladies.
Wash, wash, wash those hands. Cover your mouth and nose when you cough and sneeze. Try to avoid others with like symptoms. Eat your fresh fruits and veggies. Drink that orange juice. Get enough sleep. Keep that car window closed.

Hey, it's almost SPRING. We've waited a long time for it.
So deal with the problems it brings.

And GOD BLESS you three times. Sneezes always come in three's don't they?

SHADOWY QUESTIONS

Okay, I have a few questions for that groundhog in western PA.
First of all his predication of an early spring.

Well Phil, how early? A month, a few weeks, or one day.
Does predicating an early spring mean, first we get a worse winter?

So we go to bed on Sunday night feeling good that we were able to finally see grass poking through the ice and snow.
Monday morning we awaken to find more snow had fallen. Not just some snow but more in one storm than we had all winter.

Around our neck of the woods there was between 8" and 15", depending on where you live.

Our deck had about 8". My husband plowed and shoveled most of the day. His estimations grew to upwards of 15" by the time he finished.
I think he must have seen a "snow mirage".

And now the bitter cold temperatures return.

So Phil, maybe next year you'll see your shadow and the weather will be normal again.

Make an effort, okay buddy.

                      VALENTINE DAY

A day to honor the one you love.

A day of frustration for men.

What to buy for the woman in his life?

What would she like?

Red roses - what if she's allergic to flowers?

Chocolates - what if she's on a diet?

The ads on TV are promoting Teddy Bears and Pajamas.

Pajamas - what size does she wear? Is there a one-size-fits-all?

A teddy bear - does she like stuffed animals?

Help! Is there a Cupid Hot Line for advice?

Guys, don't stress over Valentine Day. Whatever you give her she'll love.

Why? Because it came from you and you thought enough of her to make the effort.
And if she doesn't like it, then maybe there is something wrong with her.

If you don't have a love in your life to buy something for, you have a whole year until the next Valentine Day to meet someone. - Good Luck.

Happy Valentine Day to everyone. If you are blessed to have a love in your life, be sure to tell them you love them, not just on February 14th, but every day of the year.

                                                 

                  "QUIRKY"the SQUIRREL

Thaddeus R. Squirrel, of the gray squirrel family, but known to his friends as "Quirky
How did Thaddeus become "Quirky"?
Because he's always doing things normal squirrels don't.
For instance, he'll run at a tree trunk at a high rate of speed and then slam into it.
Everyone wonders why he doesn't knock himself out.
Once he shakes the cobwebs from his pea-sized brain, he'll run up the trunk about a half of a foot, then flip off of it.

Samantha Squirrel thinks he's showing off so she'll notice him.
She's not interested in him or his antics.

Another time he'll scamper up the pole to the bird feeder, grab a seed in his mouth and jump to the ground. Then he'll race across the snow and up another tree trunk.
After he eats his seed he'll go out onto the end of a limb and yell at all his friends on the ground. They ignore him. Frustrated no one pays him any attention he jumps back to the ground.

The Crow brothers, Jasper and Mike, have landed on the ground under the bird feeder.
"Quirky" has no fear. He goes right up to them and challenges them for the birdseed they're eating.They peck at "Quirky" a few times and he finally gets their message, "back off".

He runs under a big spruce tree where Marybelle Rabbit lives with her six babies.
"Quirky" thinks it might be fun to play with the baby bunnies, Marybelle doesn't agree and chases him away.

Poor "Quirky", no one wants to have fun with him. He scampers back to his nest high atop an oak tree. He always takes the long way home so no bad guys follow him. He'll jump from tree to tree before going in one of the two doors in his nest.

He had spent a long time building his nest last summer. That's when the leaves had the right amount of movement in them. He wove them around green twigs. When they dried they made a solid wall. He built the nest in the crook of two limbs so the wind didn't blow it away. Then he lined it with fur and feathers and any other soft material he found.

Home sweet home at last. He lay down and closed his eyes for a nap. He had a busy morning and lunch time would be here before long.

Sweet dreams "Quirky".

YAHOO

It's finally here. FEBRUARY.
It took so long, I was afraid it got lost.

The new month has appeared, but the weather isn't any better.
A lot more snow today and tonight freezing rain on top of it.
I sure hope we don't lose our electricity.

There was a story in our local paper about a woman who had a PFA filed against her ex-husband.
Ex-husband (allegedly) broke into his ex-wife's boyfriend's home and (allegedly) stabbed her boyfriend to death. He (allegedly) stabbed his ex-wife when she tried to help her boyfriend. She ended up in the hospital and has since been released. The alleged perpetrator is still on the run.

So many times a woman files a PFA against her abuser and ends up violently attacked or worse, dead.
The men involved are usually "control freaks" for one reason or another.Whether it is because of an inferiority complex or distaste for women in general.

Their thought process is abnormal at best. "How dare this woman file a PFA against ME, her boss, her ruler and king."

Most of them never allow the woman to escape their bonds. They mentally, emotionally, and physically control them.

That is why I think the PFA should not stand for Protection From Abuse. It should stand for, "Promise FOR Abuse" or "Permission FOR Abuse".
It is only a piece of paper. There really is no enforcement behind it.

How many times you read about women filing complaints about the man violating the PFA. The police lock him up for a few moments, then he is out and now is really mad and vows revenge . . .  and usually follows up on it. "How dare she do this to ME."

God bless the women who have enough courage to break free and run for help before it is too late for them and their children.

A big thank you to all the workers and volunteers who help these women at Domestic Violence Centers and Safe Houses.

Now on a lighter note.

 To: PunxsutawneyPhil
       Phil, it is really going to be nasty weather tomorrow, so don't bother to come out of your nice, cozy burrow. Let those fellows party without you. 
      When you do wake up, make sure you put on your sunglasses. . . please.

BR-R-R-R

That seems to have been what everyone was saying for the past few days.
Monday morning it was -10' on our deck.
Daytime highs went all the way up to 15'.
Finally yesterday we had a heat wave of sorts . . . the temp climbed to 32'.
Who would have thought the freezing mark was warm.

The bitter cold reminded me of days gone by. At home, as I grew up, I remember the steam radiator in our bathroom. If you put your bath towel on it before you jumped in the tub it was toasty when it was time to dry off.
Then my dad decided to remodel the bathroom and covered the radiator with a fancy grating surrounded by wood. Alas, no more warm towels.

My husband had it a bit rougher. His parents home didn't have central heating. The only heat was a coal stove in the kitchen. Some heat made it to the second floor if the stairway door was opened. However, my husband's bedroom was on the third floor, also known as the attic. No heat up there.
He would put a brick in the oven of the coal stove to heat. Then he wrapped it in a cloth and put it under his covers.
His blanket was what they called a feather tick. Essentially it was a quilt, but the batting part was comprised of goose down and feathers. Once you got under it, the warmth from the brick and your body heat made a cozy nest.
He had a very smart cat that crawled under the feather tick and slept like a baby.

As much as I complain about the cold it is much more comfortable than the first year we were married.
Our first home also was heated with a cold stove.
I didn't have an electric or gas cook stove either. I baked (burned) Christmas cookies in that thing.
Thankfully, the second year of our marriage we put in central heat, albeit a coal furnace which required feeding it coal and emptying ashes several times a day. We thought we were living in luxury. However, I do remember the chimney we had to have constructed cost $87.00. That was our paycheck for the week. The man didn't work on credit either. Needless to say we ate a lot of soup the next week.

Then we bought an electric cook top and wall oven. My dad built a cabinet for it. Wow, now I really was able to cook without burning everything.

When I look back I realize how the trials of life have made me grateful for the small things in life.

So never fear, winter is only a season, it too will pass and the re-birth of spring will come soon . . . I hope.

JANUARY DOLDRUMS

For some reason January has slowed down.
The days were flying by and we were getting through the month and then Whamoo, it came to a crawl.

It's probably due to the snow that seems to keep coming every other day.
Freezing rain and snow yesterday. Snow overnight last night. Now more snow again tomorrow night into Friday. Yuck.

The days are cloudy so that adds to the problem. Even though it stays light longer in the day, when it's cloudy it doesn't matter.

I've tried to keep busy. Today I polished an assignment for a course I'm taking, and emailed it off to my instructor. Two more to go and it will be finished, the course that is.

I've been trying new "legal" recipes. Ones that are in accordance with my diet.

I've been amassing information for income tax prep. I hate doing that, but a necessary evil.

Yesterday I went to the dentist for my bi-annual cleaning. Exciting stuff isn't it?

I keep looking out the window for bluebird activity at the bluebird houses . . . nothing.
It should soon be time for them to build their nests and start this year's family.

Here is a small taste of spring.
I went through my pictures and found this one from a previous year.
It's just to remind me that winter will pass.

One of these warmer snow-free days I should go shopping.

 No, not for soup and crackers, which is the term for what I call pre-shopping for a snowstorm. I came up with that when the last time I was grocery shopping it happened to be on Senior Citizen discount day and the day before a snowstorm. Customers weren't in the milk and bread aisles, they were clogging up the soup aisle.

Perhaps I'll go toTarget and just mosey around, then maybe to Best Buy and see if I can get some input on Kindles and Nooks. A stop at Jo-Ann's will be a treat, to see all the quilting fabric and notions.

Enjoy your tomorrow no matter the weather where you are.

          JANUARY IN MY BACKYARD

Last week, in their seven day forecast, our local meteorologists predicted the snowstorm slated for the east coast would go south of us.
One even said he was quite sure it would miss us.

Beware when a weather person says they are quite sure.

As you can see in the picture above, my backyard is covered with six inches of white, fluffy, piled up snowflakes, which now the wind is going to re-arrange.

So much for modern meteorological science and technology.

Things could be worse. I could be living up in Maine where they received two feet of snow.

On to a much more serious matter.
My thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families who were gunned down in Arizona.
I pray for the speedy and total recovery of those who survived their wounds and comfort for the families that lost their loved ones.

Man's inhumanity to man never seems to end.

Wow, can you believe it's the third day of the new year already?
I hope it keeps speeding by, at least until  spring.

So how is your new year going?
Did you make resolutions or a "to do list"?

Are your Christmas decorations still up?
I was so anxious for 2011 to get here I put Christmas away several days before the new year.

This is a job I usually undertake on Jan. 1.
So this year New Year's Day was quite enjoyable.

I put the pork and sauerkraut in the crock pot in the morning.
I did some end of the year bookkeeping and got set up for the next year.

After our traditional dinner I actually had the luxury of reading a novel from the stack of books piled high on my bedside table.

I usually reserve that treat for bedtime, when I read for an hour or until I get sleepy.

Then we watched Penn State get trounced by the Florida Gators. I couldn't really decide who I wanted to win. Since I'm from PA I wanted to be loyal to the Nittany Lions. However, I love Florida. Where we visit in Florida is about an hour from Gainsville. So needless to say it is Gator territory.
I also wanted Urban Meyer to end his coaching career with a Gator victory.

Easter is the last Sunday of April this year. I think spring will also be a long time appearing.
I remember when we were in the nursery business, spring always came late when Easter was. It wasn't nice digging and planting trees in the cold and sometimes snow.

So I'll await the appearance of the robins and hummingbirds, passing the time first and foremost writing, and if I have some extra time, do the nagging, boring things around the house that are crying out to be done.

But now I think it's time for a cup of Earl Grey and maybe read one more chapter of that book.

Have a great week.