My Favorite Month

Do you have a favorite month? Mine has always been October. Why? Because it is so crisp! It is also nice that it features the color orange, my favorite color!

Apparently I like "crisp". I'm not really talking about the crisp air, but rather the crisp colors. 

The greens are greener; the blues are bluer.

It seems the shadows are sharper and the colors are more intense.  Does this shadow make me look fat?

Something is different about the sun.

Even after all that snow we had, there is still a lot of color in our yard. It will only be there a few more days, though, as we are expecting a lot lower temperatures and more snow next week. For now, I am going to enjoy the crispness.

Feel the Joy

No, I am not talking about last night's World Series Game.


As it turns out, even grocery shopping can be fun with those you love.

I know it isn't a great photo but I think you can feel the joy, right?

Go Cards!

Happy 1st Day of the World Series 2013

Makes us proud, Cards!

(By "us" I mostly mean Mike but what makes him happy makes me happy.)

One of Those Days

I've been thinking lately that maybe I won't be posting every single day. One of the things about posting every day is that if you miss a day, people worry. This was one of those days. My day began in an ordinary fashion but first one thing happened and then another thing happened and pretty soon the day was almost over. So, if I made you worry, sorry about that. It was just one of those days.

This photograph has absolutely nothing to do with this day; I just liked it.

Visual Gifts From God

Seat With a View

This is the view from where I sit each Sunday morning. I enjoy having a view of the congregation. I have seen children growing up and adults growing older. I think I have watched a few budding romances.  I have seen some faces come and go over the years. I have been witness to some tender acts of mercy.  I just thought I would share my point of view.

Confessions from My Kitchen

Before I show you this, I want to tell you that I have potholders that are new-ish. I also have the capability of making as many potholders for myself as I could ever want. Still, in my potholder drawer, there is this...

Yes, I still use my Strawberry Shortcake Potholder. Most of the time I just grab it, thinking nothing of it. This week, however, I really looked at it. I'm thinking it is starting to show some wear and tear. What do you think? Well, I guess that is to be expected. I've owned this particular potholder for 37 years. No, that is not an error. I did say 37 years.

When I was 18 years old, I packed up my car in Turner, Montana and drove to Moorhead, MN...all in one day and all by myself. Mike, who was then just my boyfriend, was already in Moorhead, MN going to college. I went out there and moved into my first apartment. I actually moved in that same night, after driving 15+ hours. Aaaaah, youth! Not long after that, I found a job and a roommate. It was my first real venture into the grown-up world. What better way to start my grown-up life than with a Strawberry Shortcake Potholder?

That day that I left my family in Montana I made my first stop in Malta, MT. I believe it was around 6:30 a.m. when I arrived in Malta. I was going to say "good-bye" to two of my friends from high school, Karla and Valerie. They were sharing an apartment there and I remember thinking their place was pretty cool. Anyway, they were up and waiting for me. I don't remember much about that visit. I'm sure it was pretty short as I had a long way yet to go that day. I DO remember that they gave me a gift for my new apartment in Minnesota. Yep, it was a Strawberry Shortcake Potholder, along with a matching towel and dishcloth. It was sweet.

Now do you get it? That silly potholder reminds me of two sweet friends as well as the day I struck out on my own. It is a silly thing to save, isn't it? Still, it makes me happy so there you have it.

Sick and Tired

Cordelia has been sick the last few weeks. She had bronchitis, felt better for a few days, then developed a wicked sinus infection. I think she is over the worst of it, though.

Maria mentioned that Cordy has a history of getting sick about this time of year. I guess it is true. I browsed through some photos from last October and found a couple of her when she was recovering from another illness. I smiled because I remembered how she was trying to play, even though she was pretty worn out.

Do you ever feel like that?

A Tweet (Sweet) Gift

Look what Cordelia made for me!

I love it!

I love her!

Pounding the Pavement - Again

These guys got in my way as I tried to go home yesterday. I'm kind of getting used to it.

LET ME RECAP...

The road in front of our house was redone this Summer. That meant weeks of difficulty getting out of and returning to our property. We didn't mind too much as we were grateful they were making our street all pretty. I was home the day they had the big pounder machine (that may or may not be the technical name) doing what it does. It felt like a series of earthquakes in our house! The paintings on our wall all ended up crooked that day. It was a weird feeling to have the house keep shaking like that.

THEN,

a short time after all that one of the neighbors decided to take up the old cement in his driveway to be replaced. When he did that, he discovered seepage under his driveway. It turns out that all that pounding likely cracked the water line that went under our street. 

SO,

they had to break open that brand new pretty street. It was sad, really. They dug a big hole but didn't find the crack. They dug more. They had to keep digging until they'd gone all the way across the street. After fixing the leak, they put new dirt in the hole and smoothed it out, presumably to soon be resurfaced later.

BUT,

we had that giant snowstorm that broke nearly every tree in town. People were going up and down our street at all hours for days. They were driving big trucks pulling large trailers loaded with amputated tree parts. Each time they crossed over that broken place in the street we could hear bangs and crashes as they hit the sharp edge where the surface abruptly ended. With all the moisture and traffic, the broken part squished lower and lower.

ONE DAY, 

the city crew came and added more black pebbly stuff to the hole. We appreciated the effort as it made it a bit less noisy around here, but the trucks and trailers kept hauling the branches and that band-aid job didn't last long.

SO,

today was the day the road crew came back. Once again we couldn't drive home our usual way but once again, we were grateful they came to fix it. They did all the stuff they did before...even the pounding.

EVEN THE POUNDING!

Does that painting look crooked to you?

Movie Review - Captain Phillips

Mike and I BOTH had yesterday off. It was appreciated as it is kind of rare. Anyway, we decided to go to a movie together. We chose to see Captain Phillips. Have you heard of it? Here's the trailer for it.



Do you remember the news clips from the time Captain Phillips was actually being held by Somali pirates? I remember thinking it must have been a scary experience. His ship had been boarded by Somali Pirates. Although no one on that ship had firearms, they did have some clever ways to protect themselves. It wasn't enough, though. They were still boarded by the pirates.

Eventually, Captain Phillips was taken captive as they left in a little escape boat. It was a miserable situation that went on for days. There is controversy about Captain Phillips. Some see him as heroic while some crew members felt it was his fault this mess happened in the first place. I don't know who's right but I will say, the movie was worth the price of our tickets.

I have to give this movie a high rating as it really made you almost feel like you were there. Almost. I felt pretty tense throughout the movie. It was not relaxing, but it was exciting and fascinating to think about what you would do if you were ever in such a situation. I don't think I'd be remembered for any kind of bravery. I'm thinking I'd probably curl up in a fetal position and will myself into a fantasy world of peace and security. Insanity seems better than being terrorized.

How about you? Do you feel you have the makings of a hero?

Held By His Hand

I am watching big sloppy rain/snow drops/flakes come down right now. You know what I'm talking about, don't you.

It's more than just raining right now, but not quite solidly snow yet. It is, however, very wet outside. It is messy.

Life is messy!

Right now, our back yard kind of represents life. There is a lot of beauty there but there is a lot of mess as well. Sometimes the storms keep coming, even before you've healed from the last one... kind of like our poor tree in the background. It is rather scarred and battered right now, but it is still out there, still accepting moisture from the ground. Still reaching toward the sky.

This morning I am thinking about the messiness of life. We can make plans and aim for goals, but stuff comes up, storms come along that change everything. I know of a lot of friends and acquaintances going through some difficult times. Their lives maybe have taken some unexpected turns. Sometimes it is overwhelming. Maybe they are wondering if God is paying attention to their lives.

While thinking about the uncertainties we all face, both hopeful and worrisome, I stumbled upon a great verse this morning. I think I need to memorize it. I just felt like maybe some of my blog readers would find peace in this verse today as well.




Psalm 37:23-24  The LORD directs the steps of the
 godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. 
Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the 
LORD holds them by the hand.

Crazy Love - Chapter 1 by Francis Chan

I co-teach a Sunday School Class for teens. Right now we are working through the book Crazy Love by Francis Chan. It's a book worth purchasing. I thought you might enjoy some of his little video clips...

Have a happy Sunday!

Girl's Day Out

Yesterday was lovely. I enjoyed a girl's day out. Maria and I went out of town to visit with my Mom, sister, aunt and cousin. We've been trying to make this trip for weeks but every time I had a day off, something came up. In fact, the last two times we scheduled this trip, we endured snowstorms instead. Anyway, it finally happened!

From the moment we arrived at Mom's house, Elise was ready for adventure.

She wanted to hug everyone and inspect everything. She was especially excited over Mom's cat and dog. They weren't so thrilled to see her but she didn't seem to take it personally.

She just kept on moving!

When my aunt, Michelle, and cousin, Anne Marie, arrived, Elise wanted to have time hugging everyone.



Unfortunately, Cordelia started feeling pretty sick. She remained sweet and adorable but we could all tell she wasn't her usual sparkly self. Anne Marie read books to the girls, which was
perfect for Cordy.






My daughter, Maria, gets a turn snuggling Cordelia. Throughout our visit, Cordy would ask different ones if they wanted a chance to snuggle with her. That was about all she had to give. Even sick, she was sweet as can be.

My sister, Tina, uses a motorized wheelchair. Usually, that is a disadvantage to her when it comes to little ones warming up to her. Not so with Elise! Elise loved it!

She even got Tina to take her for rides, sometimes even trying to "drive" it herself. Thankfully, Tina did not give up the controls. Cordelia, who has always been a bit worried about that wheelchair, decided to go for a ride as well.

She was polite but quickly said, "You can let me get down now."

I love all of these women and it was nice to spend time together. If you haven't already, go back to their names (Maria, Michelle, Anne Marie) and click to be magically taken to their personal blogs. Four out of five of us are bloggers! If my Mom is a blogger, she's still keeping it a secret.

Thanks for a fine day, ladies!

Prioritizing

I woke up at 4:30ish today. That is not unusual as a lot of days I need to be heading off to work before 5:30. Today, however, is my day off. I had planned on sleeping in. It is raining on our roof and that makes for a peaceful, sleepy sound. All was set up perfectly for a good rest, but I blew it. I started thinking about stuff.

First thing this morning I woke up thinking that I need better prioritizing in my life. I really am blessed. I have soooo much good in my life, but I feel a bit frustrated most of the time. Why is that? Well, I think I've got it figured out! That is one good thing about laying around in the wee hours, you have time to figure things out.

Here's the conclusion I came to. I have too much that is wonderful in my life! Poor me, huh? Yes, I have family and friends, home and yard, a satisfying profession, a room full of supplies for sewing, crocheting and other crafts, Bible Studies to attend, a great group of young people to teach in Sunday School, a computer that opens up an entire world of interesting things I'd like to learn...I even have an old clarinet available for me to learn on. Learning the clarinet, in fact, is on my bucket list. Completing a book I started is also on that list. I never seem time for those things, though.

My frustration comes in that I can't really do all I want to do and do it well. I hate that! Don't you?

Well, I've got to better prioritize my time. I do some of that already. I put my God and my family first most of the time. I will drop about anything to spend time with my husband, children or granddaughters. I don't want to change that. From there, though, I get a little tangled up in the smaller things and never get back to the bigger things. I sit down with my computer and check on Facebook, click on a link to watch a cute little girl getting surprised by her military Daddy coming home unexpectedly, I move on to read some medical news, look at cool animal photos... pretty soon I've used up an hour... ok, truthfully, I can use up several hours in the evening without even meaning to. That isn't so bad but it is time I could have used to be writing on my book or finishing up a special order crochet project. I enjoy a lot about the internet but I think I need to turn on a timer or something so that I'm using less time on it. I may even skip a day or two from posting on my blog at times.

How about you? What chips away at your time? What do you wish you were doing more of instead? What techniques do you use to stay on track?

The Clean Up Continues

I left for work yesterday about 5:30 a.m. I returned from work about 5:30 p.m. During that time I was plenty busy. I didn't hear from Mike and assumed he was at work also. As I approached our home, I had to blink; I couldn't believe my eyes!  Remember our "fort", the branches we were piling in our front yard Saturday and Sunday? This picture does not really show it all, but you get the idea.

Well, when I returned home last night, it was gone. It turns out, a neighbor loaned a pick-up and a trailer to Mike. It took Mike from about 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m., and he can barely walk now, but he got it done.

All we have left is some work in the back yard! I was so grateful to Mike! Looking at our front yard today, it doesn't even look as though we had so much snow and destruction...unless you look upward. There is a lot more sky showing through the trees!

I am amazed at the difference that has occurred in just a few days. Under all that, we still had a pretty green lawn, even a few flowers in the flower bed. Remember, this is what it looked like in our front yard on Friday!

Mike was telling me about all the people out in their yards, people we usually don't see. I really love that people were helping each other so much. I've heard of some folks asking outrageous prices to help with the broken trees all over the town, but mostly I've heard of people reaching out to those in need. While I hope to never again see a storm this damaging, there really has brought out the best in a lot of folks.

Tissue Anyone?

This is what happened... Mike was snapping his fingers or pointing or something, wanting me to do something about Elise. So I did! I grabbed my camera!

Lars and the Real Girl and Laura and the Little Girl

OK, I'm getting rather sick of talking about all the amputated tree parts we're all dealing with. I want totalk a bit more about the fun part of the storm...the time spent with family and friends.

We found out that a friend of our's, Laura, was without power and COLD! Laura is almost family to us; we've known her since she was a young girl.  Laura joined us Saturday afternoon. She's easy company to have, well, because she is like family.

Saturday evening Laura and I watched Lars and the Real Girl. Have you seen it? It stars Ryan Gosling playing an interesting role. The movie is several years old and although I'd seen it before, it had been awhile. It is a WONDERFUL movie. It is about a guy who buys a blow-up doll. I know, that sounds horrible. Really, though, it is a sweet and tender movie about the love of family, mental health, kindness of a small community and romance. To top it off, it is really funny. I realize I am asking you to take a big leap of faith here, but I loved that movie! I think Laura did as well.
Here, just watch the trailer...  If you've not seen it and have access to Netflix or Amazon Prime or something, give it a try. I do not think you will regret it.

Besides watching a great movie, we enjoyed time with Maria and Eric and the girls. Cordelia was pretty wound up and she LOVES Laura! She really preferred to play with her without the rest of us interrupting. Laura was such a great sport about it. No wonder Cordy loves her so much!

I do not know why Cordy was drooling in that last photo. Try not to notice, ok?

And last, just in case he checks in on my blog, Happy Birthday to my big brother, Mike. Have a delightful day!

It's Good to Have Friends With Chainsaws

So, in case you missed it, click here to see how our yard looked Friday. It was awful and we were pretty overwhelmed! Saturday we sent Sam to help Maria and Eric (by then they had power back) with the damage at their home while Mike and I started in at our  house. It was hard, hard work. On the other hand, we don't usually spend that much time together, it was a bright and sunny day, and we had less damage than some people in town.

This is how things looked on Saturday...

The sun was melting that 14+ inches of snow very quickly!

Yesterday a friend from church came by with a chainsaw and a little trailer. He looked at all that Mike had hand-sawed and was amazed! Well, Mike had spent hours and hours and hours sawing while I lopped smaller branches. We both hauled about a forest worth of limbs out to the front of our house. Our friend cut up the biggest limbs lying in our back yard. He didn't have too much time to give but it was still so helpful! It raised our spirits to have him cut up those big branches into sizes we could handle. We're still pretty worn out and sore, but we can manage it. We also loaded up his trailer twice, for runs to one of the city's newly designated limb drop off areas. That didn't make much of a dent out of our pile but still, we've made a lot of progress just to get everything cut! That's Sam, hauling loads from the downed branches in the back yard.

We still have lots and lots of loads to be hauled, but our chaos is now more organized.

When we look up, we see we still have some problems. Can you see the broken branches dangling up there? We have several more of those. Will a good wind bring them down? Maybe, but we'd rather then didn't fall on a person or the house.

You simply could not imagine what this city looks like! There is destruction everywhere. It is really quite heartbreaking. Everywhere I drove, there were trees down. Streets are lined with piles and piles of the tree carcasses. It almost looks like big hedges as they are all still green.  There is so much work to be done and so many people with bigger problems than our's. Although we uncovered Sam's car and it looks pretty good, not everyone's vehicle was so lucky. It is the strangest thing to see our town so injured.

On a happier note, though, we've also seen neighbors helping neighbors. We've seen strangers stopping to help someone with a mess in their yard. Thousands were without power but we all worked together to help each other find warm beds. We were all in this together and we knew it. That's something good that came of this white tornado.

Angels and Little Ones

Matthew 18:10  

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. 

For I tell you that in heaven their angels 

always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.

photos by E.K. Wimmer