I Thought I was Living in the South

It has been a long 2 weeks.

There was the dreaded buildup to a storm predicted to do ANYTHING!

Then there was the 2 days of weather activity.

And now over a week of "thawing."

"Fern" produced 3-4 inches of snow followed by an inch of ice.

The south is not equipped to handle snow, but less able to handle an inch of ice.

We discovered following this storm that we are on a "D" route for plowing.

Because of the extent of the storm, our little cul-de-sac never got plowed.

The storm started out beautifully with glistening trees.

But the novelty has worn off and I am ready to have clear sidewalks and walks outside. 

I am ready to feel the warmth of the sun and to walk outside in flip flops.

1 week after the storm (Monday 2/2)

We chipped ice rather than shoveling snow.

Tuesday 2/3

Wednesday 2/4

a little patch of road showing just at the end of the driveway

Today 2/5

Finally some clear patches on the road!

We chose the south because we like warm.

We like VERY short stints of snow, cold and winter.

I think that this is the longest stretch of snow I have seen since leaving NY in 2003 unless we have been visiting in NY.

This little episode has reminded us that we are no longer northerners.

I for one am looking forward to some 60 degree weather soon (as in next week).

We did have electricity the whole time for which we are thankful.

We are thankful for a new car that rides a little higher as we passed over LARGE ice chunks and unforgiving ice ruts in the road.

We are thankful that the greatest casualties were a bird bath and the tip of my garden shovel.

But oh the reminder of the beauty of God's creation in the snow and ice.

Oh, the reminder of His ability to stop everything with one weather event.

Oh, the reality that He is so powerful!

Keep the Way Clear

 A year ago,

our bathtub drain got stopped up.

Of course, it was while we were hosting some overnight guests.

I have many posts of "murphy's law" when we entertain!

When we could focus on the problem,

we surmised that there was probably some construction rubble in the drain.

This was a bathtub we don't use often enough to clog with hair or soap,

but there was something that completely stopped the drain.

Because of it's infrequent use, the red clay, wall mud, and any other mess just hardened to a brick in the drain lines.

As we researched how to clear it without the expense of a plumber,

Hot water was repeatedly listed as a cure and a prevention.

This led to a new Cleaning Day ritual.

On Mondays, I pour a teapot of boiling water down each drain - 

two showers and three sinks.

The drains have never been cleaner.

I never have to clean black mold from the sinks and s traps,

The pink mold in the shower scratches and drains is non-existent.

I also take the ice that is in the freezer to boil for the drains.

Why ice?

As a family of 2,

we don't go through a lot of ice.

When the icemaker backs up,

the water lines freeze and the ice maker ceases to make ice.

So 2 birds, one stone.

I keep freezer water line AND drains clear.

That's a win for me!

Time to Catch Up?

 Sometimes, when you get out of a habit, it is hard to get back to it.

So I will do a brief winter catchup to hop back in to blogging.

We celebrated Thanksgiving with family in Indiana this year.

We took the turkey and contributed a few other items 

and enjoyed seeing some of the clan that we had not been able to truly visit with for awhile.

Early in December, we took our yearly pilgrimage to hear the "Messiah."

This year we enjoyed the Louisville Orchestra in a smaller venue.

We were disappointed that it was only the Christmas portion,

but what was done was beautiful.

We also discovered a fusion restaurant with fabulous Fried Rice!

We tried another Christmas orchestra concert experience in Louisville.

This was a candlelight concert.

Unfortunately, the music was not played well and we left before it was all over.

We did enjoy the setting and made the most of our time together with a trip to PF Changs afterwards!

We enjoyed hosting our church family for a candlelight Christmas Eve service.

We were pleased that more than 60 people came -

(and we were glad that we had asked to use the church).

It was a special night and we were asked to make it a yearly tradition.

Christmas was spent at home with "family that we make."

We had a family from church who has little extended family up for the afternoon.

They joined us for our holiday walk and we played games and had a nice meal.

Continuing our trips to the symphony ...

we took in a harp and strings concert in between a few business trips this month.

The harpist was outstanding.

The first two pieces were not quite beautiful, but well executed.

The last piece was more enjoyable.

And Donut Day!

Yes, we have just passed 2/17 and we celebrated with a new donut.

We visited Parlor Doughnuts this year.

Unfortunately, their gluten-free donut was not great,

but the coffee with lavender syrup was good,

and it is always great to celebrate the day that started it all for us!

And this week, we are nursing the flu.  

It has gripped us strongly,

but God had given us a light week,

a week of snow,

and little responsibility, 

so there has been no excuse not to rest and sleep 

and rest and sleep

and rest and sleep.

Curiosity Killed the Cat ...

 ... but not me!

About a week ago, hubby and I went for a walk after dinner.

There was nothing new about that,

but the builder in our neighborhood was having a grand opening of the new Model Home.

I love seeing the latest in home designs and decorations,

so I asked hubby if we could stop in.

We took a quick tour of what they were labeling "The Barbie Home."

As you can imagine, there was a lot of pink.

It was definitely not decorated to my liking.

But, as we left, they took my contact info.

Normally I would not share this,

but technically they already have it

and I have already purchased what they are selling.

Today they called and told me I had won a $50 Amazon card.

So curiosity may have killed the cat,

but a 5-minute self-guided tour made me a few dollars!

Something "Out of the BLUE"

I often blog about changing ministries.

I often remind myself and others that sometimes ministries need to change.

Sometimes ministries involve creativity.

I am not currently teaching,

I don't have an abundance of music responsibilities,

but since our time in NC, I have had a heart for college students.

 Within the next few day,

I hope that there are some very happy college students.

I organized a collection to send out boxes to 11 students and one airman.

The only stipulation was that the items had to be blue - or at least wrapped in blue.

The church came through and we filled 12 of the USPS large boxes.

The boxes were light enough that it was cheaper for me to wrap the boxes 

rather than paying the "one rate" price.

Here are 6 of the 12 boxes.

The other 6 had already been delivered to the post office.

O Where O Where Has the Little Month Gone?

 Ah!  May has disappeared.

May typically blows by in a blur.

It is usually a roller coaster of activities and emotions

and this month was no different.

May is a month that reminds me that the plan God has for me is different than that of most others.

This reminder usually comes with tears as well as a renewed trust that God is in control.

Verses of God's goodness and His trait of only doing good become more and more dear.

May also comes with a birthday.

Hubby celebrated me with two party weekends.

We shopped for flowers for the yard and the planters.

We visited a favorite local eatery and tried a new-to-us gluten-free bakery.

Of course, we enjoyed long walks to celebrate another year of life.

We have enjoyed the local WKU campus for walks

and recently enjoyed a new greenway in Clarksville, TN.

We enjoyed our first "non-family" overnight guests this month making room for 7 extras!

We may not be related by blood, but a bond in Christ can be as strong or stronger than family bonds.

We have also seen God's protection through 2 or 3 large storms complete with a tornado in at least some part in B.G.

So I have been absent online, but am still here.

I am thankful for a God who is my strength.

I am thankful for a God who protects.

I am thankful for a God who has given another year of life.

Enjoying a Saturday

I just love this quote and the sentiment behind it.

There are many times that I am tempted to feel bad because I am not so"busy."

There are times when we hear busyness equated with great ministry and service for God.

But there is also a blessing in stillness, in quiet, in a slow pace.

There is something to be said for a quiet day with a loved one.

I shared a pleasant day with hubby today.

Some Saturdays start with early morning men's prayer meetings.

Some Saturdays have a planned wedding or party.

Some Saturdays have a to-do list as long as your arm.

Today was all "FREE."

We started the day with a run and walk at a local park.

Hubby had had a lot of travel and had not completed all his workouts,

so he ran with me today.

My interval today was a 5-minute run, 3-minute walk, 5-minute run, 3-minute walk, 5-minute run.

We finished and he enjoyed the "fitness court" while I walked some more.

Then we came home to wash the car.

Yes, even that is enjoyable with some company.

I also spent some time adding some organic matter (old plants) and potting soil to my early birthday gift.

Do you see the two new pots that will soon contain some "Sunpatiens?"

Next was lunch at Blaze - pizza and a salad.

We had the whole patio to ourselves (possibly because of the strong wind.)

Then onto Belk - a local department store that had 70% off of some great clearance items.

Then we stopped at 2 of the "ritzy" nurseries to look at plants and lawn ornaments.

We cleaned up when we got home,

enjoyed a coffee, tahini, cauliflower smoothie,

and then we enjoyed a leisurely Bible time.

It is allergy season, so we are in for the rest of the night,

but I have enjoyed a quiet day and feel refreshed by the break.

Do People Still Do That?

 I recently began a new homemaker project - 

and one that I never thought I would do.

I have recently taken to darning socks.

Hubby's work boots appear to "eat" socks, especially at his big toe.

For a while, the bad ones just became cleaning rags.

They were perfect for staining wood or applying polyurethane.

But, then it seemed like I was making sock purchases too often.

Hubby suggested darning the socks.

How hard could it be?

Turns out,

it is not hard.

With a doll head to keep the hole spread and some thicker thread,

the holes were soon fixed.

While it won't be my favorite pastime,

and no one will show my work as a model,

it is prolonging the life of a few socks.

Spring, Spring, Spring

.

On this particularly grey day,

the cherry blossoms are extra bright and cheery - they almost seemed to glow this morning (at least in real life).

They are the first show of Spring on our property.

It is still a "baby" tree, but this little snatch of Spring is encouraging.

We actually killed a lethargic wasp yesterday probably a queen coming out of hibernation,

I put out 2 hummingbird feeders and a hummingbird swing yesterday,

the robins have been hopping across the lawn,

and I am trying to decide when to break out the mower.

The weather yesterday was just about perfect and we enjoyed a return to a "pleasant" run for our exercise.

Of course, we still have a few more cold snaps,

but we can be thankful for the life that is showing.

Winter Snow

 In our last move,

one of the deciding factors in a move

was to avoid snow country.

After years of Arctic life (hubby) and NY life (me),

we were content to avoid months of snow.

This morning, I shoveled for the first time in years,

not because we haven't had snow, but because I either didn't have a shovel, or I had a gravel driveway :)

You can see that our wild winter snow gave me quite the workout - a whopping 2 inches.

I will enjoy looking at the snow for a few days,

but I am glad that our "big storms" can be shoveled away in 30 minutes or less.

Take a Hike

 Saturday was solar eclipse day,

but we had a cloudy day and were not able to see it.

Saturday was also men's prayer breakfast at church.

Prayer breakfast is at 7.

So we need to leave at 6.

So we sit down to Bible study at 5.

So prayer breakfast days mean we get up like a normal work day.

Because of this, it is sometimes hard to get motivated to support it ...

... but we try to "habit stack."

We link another activity with it.

Last time we had a prayer breakfast,

hubby finished the prayer meeting and we went to the greenway right near the church.

This time, we planned to go to the Greenway in "local" Springfield, TN.

We had hiked it last year on October 15.

It was a warmer day, and I was still recuperating from surgery and lugging around a new cast.

This year, though not as sunny, was more pleasant.

The path is marked in 1/4 miles.

We hiked the 3-mile path out,

wandered Springfield a bit,

hiked the 3-mile path back,

and then enjoyed a lovely picnic lunch in the park at the trail head

(well it was lovely to be together, but it was a bit cold).

About the time we sat to eat,

it got quite dark behind the clouds,

so I think that we did experience a bit of the eclipse :)

The Scarecrow Trail

 Last year, we discovered a local fall activity.

It is not really large, but does pull a crowd.

It is a scarecrow walk.

Some local businesses get advertising by decorating a scarecrow in a theme that matches their business.

They line a local walking trail that we enjoy from time to time.

The walk started October 2 and will run through October 22.

Not knowing what else we would find to do in the coming weeks,

we visited the walk today.

It was a beautiful sunny day with temps around 65.

I think the sun warmed us a little more than that,

but it was a pleasant day for a stroll.

Here is a sampling of some of the "ads" we saw.

Parker Lord deals with industrial parts and made their scarecrows out of those parts.

I didn't know DIXIE products were made by Georgia-Pacific in Bowling Green!

This display was so traditional and celebrated fall so nicely.

Just a cute display advertising a farm that is a local venue for events.

It Just Makes Me Smile

 There are just some things that make me smile,

Recently, green grass has made me smile.

I am excited to see that the yard has filled in and is looking healthy.

It is encouraging when an investment of time and money pays off.

These little fruits - Rambutan - made me smile in the store.

They look like little little monsters or critters.

I saw them in the store ... and I just needed to try them.

They were yummy,

probably not worth the price,

but definitely an experience.

This little chubby scarecrow has been cheering me as I do the dishes.

Just a cheap Hobby Lobby trinket, a little piece of fall that makes me smile.

And of course, an essential oil for fall.

This "Autumn Wreath" oil smells like apples

and fills the house with such a pleasant scent.

Autumn

The most wonderful time of the year ...

Of course, there is some effort to wrap up the growing season.

Hubby and I spent Monday and Tuesday aerating and overseeding our little lawn.

Slowly, I am pulling or pruning plants back for the changing weather.

I love fall and the decorations, scents, and tastes of the season.

On Tuesday, while cleaning, I enjoyed setting out some seasonal decorations.

Every 3 months, it is like Christmas when I take out a small tote and am reintroduced to my few trinkets for the given season. 

And the scents and flavors ...

I just pulled out a batch of peach-blueberry muffins.

They are just a hint of the season.

And a similar recipe using apples and fall spices.

Bringing the Outdoor In

 The heat has broken (though not the humidity)

and I got outside to do some yard work today.

The yard is all trimmed.

And these flowers called me.

Many people believe that gardening should be practical.

Gardens should provide FOOD!

While I enjoy a fresh tomato from the garden rather than from a hothouse,

and the first spring peas,

and a carrot right from the earth,

I also enjoy beauty.

I love looking outside as I wash the dishes to see my flower garden,

the butterflies and hummingbirds it attracts,

and the finches resting on the tall flowers and feeders

or bathing in the bird bath.

God gave us so many things to enjoy.

Expanding Backyard

 So, we didn't really gain any acreage.

but the houses that were built behind us did get sod yesterday.

So my yard looks bigger.

And it looks a little less like a construction zone ...

at least when looking in a certain direction.

And I can rejoice in that!

We enjoyed a quiet day today.

They said we would have storms all day,

and while we did get some,

they by no means washed out the whole day.

We walked this morning

and then cleaned the house together because Monday is going to be a busy day

then did some shopping for some teens that are going to camp

and enjoyed a little drink at Chick-fil-A complements of the Code Moo game going on right now.

The Best Job on Earth

 I have been blessed in marriage.

From the beginning, nearly 21 years ago,

hubby has been in full support of my being at home.

I love taking care of my home.

I love researching food and exercise and health.

I love being available for ministry opportunities.

Much has been going on around home with Spring.

There have been plants and plants and more plants.

There has been grass patching until we can overseed this fall.

There have been rock garden and perennial garden work.

There has been lawn fertilizing at least twice this spring.

There has been budgeting to pay for it all.

But the progress has been much fun

and the new learning has been enjoyable.

I hope you enjoy the pictures!

Greeting guests with a little color on the hanging plants.

And we added some creeping phlox to the rock bed.

While blooming it was quite beautiful.

We also snuck in some lavender which will smell so good in the afternoon sun.

Our new garage door ...

insulated, reinforced with struts for the severe winds, and windows so it won't be so dreary when working out or using as a second dining/living room.

There is some life in the perennial bed.

And you can see the green stripes in the lawn where we reseeded and the peat moss added a little extra fertilizer.

An extra pot of lavender - a tribute to the Pacific Northwest.

I Found My Happy Thought

 When Peter Pan found his happy thought ...

he could FLY!

Well, I must have found my happy thought,

because I drove myself to town for the first time in 11 weeks!

It was kind of exhilarating to be in the stores bustling before Christmas.

I enjoyed just wandering without feeling that I was holding anyone up.

Between living right in the city and then being a "cripple,"

I think I have had about 6 months off from driving this year!

And that means that I can drive myself to my final (I hope) checkup with the surgeon on Tuesday!

The Cat (er ... sock puppet) is Out of the Bag

 It didn't last long.

It has been discovered that my hubby has a crazy side.

He introduced the crazy  to a friend ...

... and then we received this ...

... a crazy sock puppet.

And now, the entertainment just flows.

The Early Bird ...

 ...finishes a blog post.

The blog has been neglected ...

... not for lack of thinking about it,

but because I run out of steam by the end of the day,

I have usually overused my arm and it refuses to hang over a keyboard.

But, I just finished my grocery shopping

and saved so much time

that a morning blog post will be written.

The day that I wish to forget,

I had gone grocery shopping.

And then I was banned from driving!

Hubby took me shopping the next week,

but I could tell he was worn out and it was just one more thing to wear him out in addition to cooking and dishwashing.

Surely I could help him.

I discovered that I could get a Walmart+ subscription with free delivery for free for 4 weeks.

That would cover my time in the cast.

I also signed up for Kroger's delivery program for what we deemed a moderate fee.

It has worked surprisingly well.

This morning, my shopper was great and very communicative.

She even found me some marked-down products (big win)!

While it is not for everyone,

it has been a blessing in this season.

We even saved money this month because I wasn't seeing extra things that I "needed" while shopping.

It is a help in a one car family.

It allows me to restock bananas and spinach in the middle of the week as necessary.

And since everything I read says that I may have the best control of a car for about 8 weeks ...

I guess I will continue to see groceries on my doorstep.