The dog who adopted me

I just finished reading Indigo's entry, What Hurts the Most, and I have to say the video was very sad. Pet lovers, it will make you cry.

Indigo is an animal lover, to the core. It's not just because she needs a hearing dog to assist her and be her companion, but because she understands the plight of the abandoned, unwanted, neglected pet. She has rescued many animals that were abandoned in her neighborhood. She'd adopt many more if she could afford it. You should read her story.

It is disturbing to read about the loneliness and suffering of the most innocent of creatures in this world, those dogs and cats (or other pets) who are left behind or thrown out of cars on dark streets. I suppose folks who do this rationalize this horrible act by thinking "someone will take care of the animal better than I can" or even "if I drop if off in a neighborhood, it has a chance of finding a home, or getting run over. Either way, it's a better deal for the animal."

I can't even imagine how any goodness could be in the heart of someone who abandons a pet that they once had chosen to keep and care for. I'm thinking that some people don't think of pets as creatures who need companionship, love, care, and medicine when they get sick. In fact, I imagine some people don't even recognize animals as having any purpose in their lives at all. Quite possibly, ignorance is a factor. With some laziness and apathy thrown in.

We've had many dogs over the years, and all were chosen by us. All except one: she chose us. Her name was Lucky, and she was about the cutest/ugliest little thing you ever did see. She only had three legs, and when I first met her, she was about three or four months old. A terrier mix, we thought she might have been a cross between a pug and Shi-tzu, or some such breed. She was small, had a curly tail, black-tipped ears, and a flat face with large eyes. Her hair was wild in every direction. She shed all the time.

                             

But we loved her, and she became our first indoor dog. Of course, even without her left rear leg, she could run as fast as any dog with four legs, but one would only notice she was missing a leg when she walked. Then she'd have a slight sway to her back.

She taught us to let her sleep on the couch, to snuggle with her when she slept, and to let her in the house when she barked at us. We learned what she needed, and we made sure she got it. She taught us to take dogs to the veteranarian, even if they weren't sick, for shots and check-ups because that's what responsible pet owners do. She taught us to worry about her when she didn't come home.

        

Brandy, a beautiful Irish Setter was our first dog when we were newlyweds. Steve picked her.Then there was Dusty, a German Shepherd mix. She became Steven's first dog when he was four or five years old. Finally, Lucky came for me, and charmed all of us. Steven was in middle school by then. All three dogs have passed on, each one leaving her mark on our memories.

Now we have Max and Misty. We selected the miniature Schnauzer breed because we were missing Lucky's winning personality, and from what we'd read in the books, the schnauzer breed had it. Indeed, they do have it: alert, playful, excited, but easily calmed down, fierce home protectors, and friendly with people they know and trust. Curious, patient, and endearing. They are smart, and learn very fast, and best of all, Schnauzers don't shed.

Now who couldn't love those two faces? Had we never met Lucky, I doubt I ever would have considered buying a Schnauzer, let alone two of them. Indeed, she paved the way for Max and Misty. Those two have the best of both worlds: they get to live with us and have all their needs met, and they get to gooutside pretty much whenever they want to (when one of us is home to let them out, and if we aren't, there's the doggy door).

Well, two entries in one day. That is unusual.

 

Tags: blogplug, pets, dogs,

Why do you read your favorite journals?

Kate asks the question.... Why do you read your favorite blogs?

I was going to just leave a comment in her blog with my response, but it got too lengthy (surprised?). So here is my response to that question (in no particular order of favoritism, I might add):

I read Kate's An Analysis of Life for her academic and scientific perspective on life, and where she lives, in Scotland. She offers a different point of view, and I love reading about history (she is an archaeologist).

My newest favorite is a bit intriguing. He is a third grader. His journal is called Go Go Godzilla. His screen name is toonboylex. I think Mary sent me the link (TY Mary) for this one. He likes to draw, and the kid has talent. I think his mom takes pictures of him doing all the things he writes about. I used to do the same for my own son when he was a boy. Except back then we didn't have internet access. Still, I'm curious to see how long he will keep up his journal. My theory is that he will become a competent writer if he continues making journal entries.

I read Marie's Muses because she is an extraordinary chef, her faith is evident in every entry, and she ponders on daily life events, passing on pieces of humor and nostalgia that are personal and full of wisdom. She lives and works as a chef in England, though she is from Canada.

I love reading Patrick's journal, Caregivingly Yours, because he explains and describes the trials and tribulations of one spouse (himself) caring for another (his wife has MS) in layman's language. He's been in this role for over 25 years. He is a man of endurance, strength, humor, faith, and a great capacity for loving and providing for his family.

Lately I've been reading River's journal, JESUS LOVES YOU because of his very unique, if short-termed (I hope it is over, he hasn't made an entry since early April), experience as a homeless person in Las Vega, Nevada. His entries are hard to read, not because of grammar, which is correct, but because of the issues and questions about homelessness that he raises. He writes about the people he meets on the streets and in the shelters. He shakes me up with his words, but from a Christian perspective, this is a good thing. He has been homeless for four months, and from his last entry, it seems like he may have found someone who could help him get back on his feet. I've been waiting for my alerts to let me know when he returns to his journal. There is something definitely taking shape in his life. I don't think the four months have done him in... on the contrary, he, too, is a man of strong faith, and I expect he's going to be an agent for change. God bless you, River!

Caroline's A New Adventure is another I frequent. I knew her before she came to aol, as we were friends and colleagues in an elementary school. Though we now work at separate schools, we keep in touch. Caroline is from South Africa, and her constant faith keeps me grounded in mine. Her journal is a reflection of her experiences as a mother, wife, and teacher, but always as a Christian.

Sheria, On My Mind, is another person from whom I learn much about life from another perspective. She is as delightful and insightful in person as she is in her journal. I know this because I met her on February 24th of this year. Her entries are thought provoking, again, with a new perspective, that of a charming Southern Black Woman, that I appreciate. She is an attorney, and a former teacher whose wisdom far outreaches her physical stature. She hasn't posted in a couple of weeks, so I'm missing her right now. Where are you Sheria? I hope she is okay.

Several journals I visit because they provide personal stories and humor, even as they go about creating and presenting for our use all manner of computer graphics. Calledsnags and tags, these journalers offer them to anyone who wants to add them to their own journals. My most favorites are: Donna/Nightmaremom, at This and that and Hockey, and Chris/Cacklinrosie101 at Cab's Creations, and Shelly/xxRoxymamaxx Tags and Links.

This list of journals I like to read is not conclusive... there are many others I visit, read, and respond to. Barry, Liz, Lori, Becky, Karen, Jackie, Penny, Shauneen, Greg, Guido, Gayla, David, Paul, Joe and John, Mark, Nancy, Michelle, Marti, Sugar, Michelle, Connie, and Kristina just to name a few more... there are many more that I visit each week. I can't list them all... don't want to leave anyone out! I don't have time to link to all the journals, though.

We spend a portion of our time each day sitting at the computer, and we are drawn to a few journals. Even though I have alerts for over twenty journals, I don't get to read them all every day, and I find it impossible to leave comments in them every day, so I pick and choose a few each day to respond to.

I need to get out of this chair right now and get started on my Saturday!! The weather is nice outside and my dogs need trimming. I think I gave a thorough description here of some of the journals I visit and why, Kate!!

So I redirect the question back to you, those of you who visit here. If you have time to answer the question, you have favorite journals... why do you read them? 

You can leave your response in my comment section, or write up an entry and come back to leave a link... even better, go to Kate's and leave a link in hers as well.

Today, I just want to go outside for some fresh air and sunshine.

                                                             
Tags: favorite journals, blogplug,

Blog Entry Count

I read at MagicSmoke how our Journals Editor Joe has written 821 entries in his main blog since he first began writing journals here at AOL journals in May, 2005. Wow! That's a lot of journal entires. There are 365 days in a year, 730 in two years... he's written, on average, more than one entry a day.

I could be blithe and make light of this if I thought only "But he does get paid for it. That is his job, after all." But I won't because I've got a feeling that is only part of his job as Journals Editor. His main job (I think) is programming the AOL journals main page. That much I found out just by reading his sidebar.

However, I know from my own personal experience that he has to handle lots of complaints when the journals start acting weird and people don't get their alerts, or entries start disappearing, or if we can't even access our journals. And he's always telling us when there is going to be a journal outage due to working on the database so people won't freak in the middle of making an entry.

He highlights blogplugs every Friday (and even explains what they are and how you can tag a blogplug), and what I like best about Joe's journal is his technical tips, his directions for doing things, always with pictures and step-by-step instructions for just about anything a new aol journaler might need to know. Just check out the sidebar on the right of his journal for a list of "how to's" in his Favorite Sites column.

So if you are new to AOL, and you haven't learned how to do pictures in your journal (using web file manager), or how to fix your hit counter numbers (because if you've been here awhile, you know that the hit counter will disappear and start back at zero without a moment's notice, and do it more than once), how to embed YouTube video, or how to do any number of things you've wondered about as you've browsed other people's journals, MagicSmoke is the journal to go to when you need advice and direction. You can email him too (journalseditor@aol.com). He will respond to your email.

Now my journal, this one, called Wanderer, has a mere 423 entries since I created it in August 2, 2005 (now 424).

                            My first entry was about ants. 

                          

I had embarked on a journey with about 25 Harvester Ants, and had decided to write about it, kind of like a scientist recording her observations. I didn't realize that as I watched and wrote about those tough little Harvester Ants during their short life span that I would also learn how to be an aol journaler.

            

Most people haven't read my ant journals, though. In the beginning I had named my journal Ant Farm Analogies because I was making connections with the life of the tunneling ant.

                            

Within a month, I had noticed the ants were dying off one by one, and eventually (two months passing) the entire "colony" died. It was expected. Ants don't live long without their queen. Before the ants died, I thought it made no sense to continuethat Journal name any longer. I could see the writing on the tunnel walls.

Besides, no one knew me (at aoljournals) back then, and wouldn't be confused or bothered if I changed my journal name midstream like that. School had started, so on August 28, I changed my journal to it's present name. It went without notice.

In September, I wrote an entry about my ants, how it had been two months since I first brought them into my home and classroom, and how they were nearly all dead. It had depressed me. Ants! Never again would I capture and hold captive a living creature.

Until that big green caterpillar squirmed into my life (October 2005). But he was never captive.

                        

                         As soon as it came out of its cocoon (six months later),

                                   

                                                       I let it go.

             

                           A beautiful Polyphemus (giant silk moth).

I haven't been able to keep up with Joe's pace of writing more than one entry a day... lately it's been more like one a week. That's all the journaling I can handle write now... before I added pictures, journal entries were quick and without much effort. Uploading pictures to AOL Pictures or, if I want to use the motion graphics, uploading them to the Hometown File Manager... that's what takes so long.

Like tonight's entry. It took a long time, and now it's time to go to bed.

Goodnight all.

 

BTW, Joe tells you how to find out how many entries you have in your count. Leave your link here so we can read your entry about this topic, and leave it at Magic Smoke as well.

Tags: Blog Entry count, Magic Smoke, ants, caterpillars, Ant Farm Analogies

Earth Day

Earth Day is Sunday, but our school celebrated it on Friday. I remember something about Arbor Day when I was a kid, had something to do with trees, but that's about all I remember. Earth Day and Arbor Day are not the same day, although they are celebrated a week from each other in April each year. Whereas Arbor Day began in 1872, Earth Day began in 1970. Neither of them is a religious holiday.

Our recognition of this day is a culmination of two weeks of teaching and preparing students for the event. Teachers all through the school used the theme of taking care of our planet Earth as a focus for many classroom activities. My first graders, for instance, are writing a paragraph of how they can show they respect the earth. First I read them a book called "For Love of the Earth." It's written for the young student, and though it doesn't go into many details, it is a good starting place for a discussion about how young children can take care of the earth.

I didn't realize it until our principal told us at the afternoon assembly, but ours is the only school in this school system to celebrate Earth Day with schoolwide activities, including a parade through the school's neighborhood. This was to be my first experience with Earth Day in a school.

  

The school bell rang at 7:35, and fifth graders began to bring in their bikes. They parked them right in front of my classroom!

You see, any fifth grader would be able to ride their bikes, decorated for Earth Day, in the afternoon parade. The rule was the bike had to bear a decoration in honor of earth day, and they would have to wear a helmet. No helmet, no bike ride in the parade.

Shortly after 9:00 a.m., as I stepped outside of my classroom to send a student on to his regular classroom, I saw the top of a hot-air balloon towering over our school. I grabbed my camera and ran out to the field.

                

I knew there would be a hot air balloon there as a special treat for all the students who had completed their reading incentive goals for the month, but I didn't know exactly when it would be inflated. I had heard that some teachers wouldbe allowed to fly up in the balloon... even if only for a trip up and back down again. I was hoping to be one of those going up.

Last  year, I had had the opportunity to fly in a Black Hawk helicopter, and took some great photos of our school and other parts of the county. I hoped I would get a good shot of this school from the air. If I could go up!

When I got to the field, I saw the teachers and the hot air balloonist in the middle of the field, fighting to keep the balloon on the ground. Despite it being tethered, the balloon was at the mercy of the rather breezy morning we were having.

                

It was decided that the wind was too gusty for a safe landing, so after a brief consideration, the balloon was laid down on its side and allowed to deflate.

          

The balloonist is the brother of one of our teachers. That's how we were able to have an exciting event at our school, on a Friday morning. His name is John Robinson, and he's from Statesville, NC. It was fun just watching the balloon inflate, not to mention how refreshing the early morning air was. So nice to be sitting outside in the sunshine on a school day. To interest the kids further, John walked around with a microphone and answered the students' questions about the balloon. His sister tells me he has been doing this for over twenty years, ballooning. He has a daytime job as well.

                 

We watched as the balloon completely deflated, and then it was time to gather up the balloon. John asked some fourth graders to help, and they did with much cooperation.

                                     

Soon after all the hot air balloon excitement, the balloon was packed away, and it was time for lunch. Then it was time for the Earth Day assembly in the gym.

All the students and teachers gathered in the gym. Some classes had songs to sing, there were a couple of songs all the students knew, and one was done in sign language. It was good to see that today's children are being reminded of our responsibility for taking care of our great planet Earth.

A staff member was named "Mother" Earth for the parade, she was given a crown of flowers, and a cape made from plastic rings like found around six packs of drinks. She actually looked quite elegant in the re-used plastic finery.

Then, the parade began. First, five very nice convertible cars carrying "Mother" Earth and her Royal Court lead the way, beeping their horns. The "Court" was made up of teachers and staff (including our principal) who will be retiring this year.The kindergartners followed the cars, then came the first graders, second graders, and so on. All the teachers, including myself, carried a balloon. Police cars were on every corner of the parade route.

             

Each class walked in the parade either carrying a banner, or individual students waved flags they had made. There were lots of Mother Earth slogans, like Happy Earth Day andWe loveour Earth. Neighbors who were home at the time stepped out of their homes to watch. I even saw that some parents had driven to the neighborhood and parked their cars near enough to watch it. Imagine 600 or more people, mostly students, walking through your neighborhood, calling out "Happy Earth Day!" I've never seen anything like it. I walked alongside snapping pictures.

        

The fifth graders brought up the rear of the parade. I'd say less than twenty bicycles were there. The rest ofthe fifth graders walked and waved, or carried a banner.

                                     

Finally, we were headed up the final stretch. Turn left here and you are on our street once more. City police cars blocked off either end of the road for the duration of the parade. 

           

                                                  Earth Day Flag Image link

"The Earth flag is not an official flag, since there is no official governing body over Earth. The flag holds a photo transfer of a NASA image of the Earth on a dark blue background. It has been associated with Earth Day." (from Wikipedia article)

All in all, it was a pretty day to be outside walking through the neighborhood.

I don't think we can ever stop talking about ways in which to contribute to the conservation of resources and to the importance of recycling. The topic is much broader, of great importance, and there is much to debate.

I think each of us should examine what we do individually and globally to take care of the earth we live on, and ask ourselves, is it enough? What kind of world will our children, grandchildren, and great-granchildren be living in if we don't take care of our planet?

 

Tags: blogplug, Earth Day, Hot Air Balloon

In Loving Memory of Ted

                                              

A dear man has passed away, someone to whom I felt very close for many years. He left behind a loving wife, two children, and two grandchildren. I am going to miss him so much. To say that many people in our church and community are going to miss Ted is an understatement. What he gave to his community, church, family, and friends can not be replaced by any one man.

 I will miss seeing him wearing his army uniform on Memorial Day and Veteran's Day.

                                                   

He always wore it so proudly, and we were proud of him, and the other veterans who stood beside him year after year.

I will miss seeing him the four times a year our church serves Community Breakfast.     

                                 

He fried up the ham, and he'd be there before everyone else, even before me and I'd get there by 5:45 a.m. most times.

                                                

Those cold winter and fall mornings were the hardest for Ted because his feet would get cold. But he stood out there and fried up every last piece of that ham. Folks all over the county said our breakfasts were the best. I think it was Ted cooking the ham that made it exceptional.

I will miss his expertise and craftmanship when I prepare for Vacation Bible School. Ted was my first responder for VBS. Whenever I needed something technical taken care of, be it to construct the wooden frames for the backdrops of our sanctuary, or to hang a banner, Ted was the one who would do it. One phone call, and he took care of it. There is one thing everyone knew about Ted: he was a doer. He was involved in every aspect of our church, and in the community. A generous and loving man was our Ted.

What I will miss most is his presence behind me in church every Sunday. A sort of ritual developed between us, each Sunday. I would hug Ted just before the church service started. During the service, when the pastor invited us all to greet someone we hadn't seen all week, Ted would hug me a second time. I don't exactly remember when the two-hugs started, but I'd say it's been at least five years, maybe longer.

I hadn't realized how important the two-hugs had become to me until one day Ted wasn't there. I looked for him. I worried, and later asked about him, and found out he was just away that week. I had sure missed that second hug.

I saw him last Sunday, and he was looking quite well, healthy even. I hugged him as I passed him, and sat down in front of him like I generally do. Later, the pastor invited us to greet each other, so off I went hugging people, but when I returned to my pew, Ted was not in his seat behind me. I glanced around the sanctuary, and didn't see him, so I thought "He's on the other side of the room hugging someone." And I sat down.

A few seconds later, just as our pianist began to play a hymn, I glanced back over my shoulder, and there was Ted just about to slide into his seat beside his wife. He saw me, grinned, and abruptly stood up, stepping out into the aisle. I stood up quickly, and stepped back into the aisle, and we hugged one more time. Our second hug.

I loved hugging Ted. Sometimes I felt that it was my dad I was hugging, and he hugging me.

I didn't know that Sunday's hug would be our last. When I got the phone call on Monday, I was shocked... no, it couldn't be. He was fine yesterday. No, not Ted. I cried. Please, not Ted.

But we know that we all must go in due time. I heard once that God gives us life on this earth to complete a mission, and once we have completed it, He calls us home. I believe that Ted's mission on this earth was completed.

I can hear our Lord saying to Ted, "Well done, good and faithful servant."

                                   

But those two hugs won't ever be lost. On Sundays, I am going to remember Ted every time I hug his wife... twice.

He is away, but when I remember Easter Sunday, I can only feel joy in my heart that Ted has crossed over into the realm of eternity. My tears of sadness quickly turn to tears of joy for his new life.

Still, we, his family in Christ, will miss this wonderful man more than words can say. More than my feeble, searching words can say.

Rest in peace, my friend.

 

Tags: Ted, Veteran, Community Breakfasts, Church, hugging, D's Design, Sorrow, Loss, Joy

Detour

The quiet week continues, with a little detour today.

I had some errands to run, involving automobile tags, notary, the tax office, and car insurance. My husband had hit a horse on his way to work last week, and the car was totaled. He's alright.

It wasn't his fault... it was early morning 5 a.m. dark, and he came out of a curve only to be blinded by a spotlight shining in his face, followed by the impact his car made with something that sent the car into the air. Later, he found out the sequence of events that lead up to his accident.

The horse had gotten out of its owner's fence, was on the road, a car came upon it and hit it. Its head went through the windshield (poor animal!), the driver was okay, but the horse was dead (such a beautiful animal), in the middle of the road. The property owner was located, and a neighbor came out with the spotlight. While they waited for the state trooper, here comes my husband in his Buick. The neighbor thought to warn him, and flashed the light at the car (why didn't he hold the light on the dead horse in the road?), which blinded my husband, and he ran into the horse. Pushed it right off the road, actually.

The insurance man came out a few days later and did an assessment, and decided the car was totaled. There was paper work to take care of, so I took care of some of it yesterday, and some of it today.

While I was in town, I remembered what my doctor told me last week. I had gone to her for help with some health issues. I'm not sleeping well, hot flashes are increasing in frequency and intensity, and then there's the cholesterol level I'm trying to keep lowered (so far with fish oil and low fat meals).

She had considered all my questions, my age, my state of health, my family history, and my job. She suggested that before we try hormones for the hot flashes (I'm in a high risk category due to family history of heart disease and stroke), I should exercise regularly. I mentioned Curves. Her face lit up. She said Curves, or a gym would be just the thing for me. She highly recommended either one.

She's been telling me to exercise regularly every since I started seeing her for our family physician. My OB-Gyn told me the same thing many years ago, when I was young and fit and couldn't imagine that the little weight I was gaining each year could ever amount to his prediction of 180 pounds by the time I was 50. I was only just under 5 feet.... I doubted I could walk if I weighed close to 200 pounds. He must be joking with me, I had thought to myself.

When I was a petite 115, I thought I was big. I hear lots of ladies say the same thing: that when they look back at their pictures, and see how small they really were, they are surprised because in their minds, they were big. And they felt ugly big. It's one thing being big, and being comfortable in your skin, and loving yourself, dressing well, and walking tall. The posture of confidence over-rides bigness. I know many large ladies whom I admire for their attitude about their beauty: they are aware of it, inside and out. They carry themselves proudly, like queens.

I didn't have that awareness when I was a younger woman. I don't know why, it doesn't matter any longer. I'm all grown up now, and I've come to be more comfortable in my skin. But now it's not about feeling beautiful on the inside and accepting myself for the way I am. It's about my heart and my cholesterol, and how I feel physically, which lately has been tired. Every day, I am so tired when I get home.

How can a person feel good about being tired all of the time?

Which is why I went to my doctor last week. I hoped she would rule out other illnesses and conditions that would render a woman my age into exhaustion. She ran some blood tests.

Exercise is the key, she says. I'm ready to make good choices... one of them being to change my sedentary lifestyle. So I checked out the gym and the exercise place. Both of them are just a block from my school. Convenience is on my side. I chose the gym. It's bigger, way more equipment, there are exercise classes four days a week, and a tanning bed if I would care, for free!

I started today. The trainer spent an hour with me orienting me to the equipment... real cool machines. The treadmills have all the high tech gadgets on it. I punch in my weight, and it measures my heart rate, the speed I'm walking, the calories I'm burning, distance walked. I can adjust the incline by increments, or set it to adjust automatically.

I attended the exercise class at 5:00. First was a power workout with small weights, followed by an aerobics workout dancing to 80's music. The class was small. The women were a mix of ages, a few were my age. I felt comfortable there.

That was the detour I took today. Tomorrow I'm going to buy one or two outfits to exercise in. What I wore today was what I wore ten years ago to walk around the block...way too heavy for working out. Way too 90's!

I won't be mentioning it again because I don't like talking about exercise and diet. This is not Bea's exercise or diet journal. But if some profound thinking comes out of it, or if something amusing or incredible happens while I'm there, I might write about that.

Of course, this means I have to go at least 3-4 times a week. There will be no toning up and improving cardio-vascular fitness if I don't go to the gym. It's a mental thing now.... I've got to make myself go until it becomes a habit.

Read "I'm really a Renaissance Woman" by Marie. Her entry about inner beauty and outer transformation speaks for many of us mature women. Plus there is tasty potato recipe you may want to try.

And to the fellas out there who love their wives, who say kind things to them, who encourage them in their pursuits, help around the house, take care of their wives and treasure them and honor them ... God bless you all! Our lives are richer and fuller because of you.

Tags: Fitness, health, inner beauty, physical transformation

Spring break or Easter break?

I'm glad for this time alone. It's called Spring Break by school systems, but I call it Easter break. Since I started teaching, this is the week for some serious down time right smack in the middle of the most intense part of the school year.

For me, it's all about getting quiet, still, being alone, and doing some serious inner work. It doesn't matter how much good you think you are doing in this world, or in your own little community, it usually becomes obvious that no matter what you do or how you do it, there is more work to do. It never seems to end. I'm talking about the work that goes on inside, in your heart, in your mind, in your soul.

Each year, the time seems to fly by faster... I hear other people saying the same thing. And not just folks my age. I hear the younger teachers saying the same thing, how fast this year has flown by. But in reality, that can't be... time passes by the same steady increments which we measure by clock and calendar, so it can't really be going any faster. That means it must be our perception of time we are experiencing as passing by faster than usual. Then why? Why does it seem to be going faster?

I can only think it must have something to do with what we are doing, the time frame in which we are expected to do it, and the sense that time is running out for us. Teachers have a sense that everything from now to the end of the year is review... we have taught them the year's curriculum, and now we review so that kids who will be tested will be ready to pass those tests in May.

I'm sure people in other careers are experiencing similar pressures if their year starts anew in the fall and comes to a close in the summer. As a teacher, this is how I experience it.

Anyone with kids in the house knows that the new year really begins in August/September, not January. New clothes to buy and school supplies, new teachers, new classrooms, even new friends are likely as kids return to school, one grade higher. Autumn reminds us that change is everywhere, not just in the falling amber-red-gold leaves, but in our focus to prepare for the cold months ahead. There's cold-weather clothes to pull out and summer clothes toput away (if you don't have growing kids, because if you do, unless you can use hand-me-downs, those kids are going to need new clothes within months), closets to clean, yard implements to put up, and ballgames to watch. It's almost as if we are preparing for a long sleep, and if we were bears, we'd at least have that to look forward to!

During the winter we seem to be hibernating, mentally if not physically, following the madness of the October/November-January holidays (Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's), and it's too cold and wet to go outside anyway. But who feels like cleaning a house in the winter when all you want to do is snuggle up and keep warm, get cozy, and sleep? With longer nights, it all seems perfectly natural to hibernate. I love the winter for that, except like most of us, I have a job, and hibernation doesn't fit well in the schedule. Our minds seem to go to sleep in the winter ... probably because the days are shorter and the nights longer.

Then the morning alarm wakes us up... it's Spring! All of a sudden, the taxes need to be mailed in ... and for procrastinators, there is a panic/rush to get them done. Trees are abloom, dogwoods, pear, cherry, azaleas, rhododendrons, and flowers burst out of the ground, daffodils, tulips, roses, lilies, among them. Property owners look over their yards and homes, pull out the lawnmowers, shovels, and high pressure water hoses. There is much work to be done to prepare yards for new growth, and homes for a good cleaning or make-over. . . there is a feeling of starting over, a new beginning filled with hope, much like the one we experience in the fall with the start of school.

Just when we think we can't go another week, Easter comes along, a time of renewal. Many go away on vacation... we used to, when our son was younger. A week at the beach was usually our favorite past-time this time of year. Last year, my husband and I drove to Alabama to be with my mom, but this year I would have to drive alone, and the drive is too long for me to make alone. So I stayed home instead.

I'm glad I did. I feel like I'm on a real vacation, and I didn't even have to pack the bags, or drive 400 miles, or fill up the gastank five times. I get to sleep in my own bed, see my doggies every day, walk in my yard whenever I feel like it (which hasn't been often for the past three very cold days), and go shopping in local stores that are having some great sales. I even got caught up on my ironing, and washed some floors.

Maybe it's because I'm getting older, or perhaps it's because during the school year my world is limited, for the most part, to the needs of all the students I teach. I think many of us have a focus to maintain throughout the year, to get through the year, to balance jobs with family and church life. Though I try to put order into my life, chaos always has a way of following me, surrounding me, invading me. Which is why the concept of Sabbath as a day of rest is so important to me, as it probably is to many others. We should all get at least one day of rest.

But then there is Easter Sunday, a day of joyful remembrance, and the week following Easter. I'm getting a Sabbath week. A good time to get to the heart of the matter, of what's important, of what makes me happy. There is prayer, reading the Word, meditation, reflection, writing... seeking the presence of He who moves me, because without Him, I am a lazy, lazy person.

I pray that those of you who seek the Holy Spirit receive the time that has been granted to you, as a gift. Whether it's a few minutes a day, an hour, or a week, it is time well received. I thank my pastor for reminding me of that. He said it's not about making time to be with God, but in receiving the time that He has given to you.  I should make good that time He has given me, to rest in the Lord, to wait with patience, to be still. Only then can I find peace in my heart and soul, put order into my life, and to be available for whatever mission or opportunity that presents itself.

May you never stop seeking to be with the One who moves you.

                                                                                                  

 

Lest we forget...

My friend Beth sent this to me this evening.... it will bring tears to your eyes. Please watch it, ...  and don't forget them.

                          

Tags: Lizzie Palmer video, YouTube, troops, U.S.

Family and Friends on Easter Sunday

               

Easter morning began with the sunrise. It was extremely cold despite the sunny appearance. I did not attend the Sunrise service, but I did get outside for this shot around 7 a.m. I was thankful for all the good in the world, and in my own backyard.

                                

I met with my friends and their daughters, and we all drove to church for a beautiful Easter worship service. Our choir sang the Easter story, voices blending beautifully, a gift to all those who sat and heard them. We greeted each other with peace and joy, then shared Holy Communion. I love my church family! I love to worship with them.

After church, I drove to King, NC to meet my BIL and SIL, then they drove me to Mt. Airy where we met the rest of the family for dinner. This is the first time we have met for dinner on Easter Sunday in a restaurant. The facts are that this big family (6 brothers, 1 sister, all married, with children and grandchildren) has outgrown the traditional homeplace, and we are still trying out several options. One of them was to eat dinner in a restaurant.

                                     

This handsome young man is a soon-to-be family member. He's going to marry my niece in July. The young fella on the right is my grand-nephew, Ethan. Soon-to-be Uncle David is helping nephew Ethan get the gummy bears out of the ice cream. Yes, I think David will fit into this family just fine!

Not everyone could come, but those who did enjoyed being able to sit down at a table at the same time. I can't think of when we have ever been able to do this... possibly at wedding receptions and after a family funeral. Anyway, I have a feeling that most families have to deal with this. It's not a terribly big problem because it's family, and family doesn't mind sitting on the floor, in the living room, or just about anywhere there is space to settle one's backside. The family grew, the homeplace didn't.

                                                 

The youngest family members are always fun to be with. It brings back memories of when our own children were babies. Here my SIL holds our grand-nephew, Kristopher. I have pictures of her with every baby born into this family. She is like everyone's aunt ... she loves them all. I don't think Nancy is happy unless she has a baby in her arms!

                                                    

My niece with her husband and three sons. My goodness, I don't know how this young lady takes care of all three boys... they are a handful. But they are doing it, and though I spend very little, and I mean very little, time with them, my thoughts are with them all through the year.

              

I was surrounded by good-looking men yesterday. This handsomeman is my BIL and he bought my dinner yesterday.  He didn't have to, but that is what makes him a gentleman. Thank you, Noah!

As we drove home, he asked me if I would like a tour of Mt. Airy (yes, NC), and I said of course. His wife works in Mt. Airy, so she pretty much knows the area. My brain must have been on sleep mode... I didn't make the connection right away... Mt. Airy... Mayberry RFD... Andy (Griffith) Taylor... you know?

So there we were driving through Mt. Airy downtown, and I'm saying "This looks just like downtown Elkin... actually it looks like Downtown, Any Smalltown, USA." As we passed a few buildings with memorable names like Snappy Lunch, Wally's Service Station, Floyd's Barber shop, among others, I said "I'd like to get a picture of that!"

Noah drove to where my SIL works, parked the car, and there across the street was Wally's Service Station. Well, I had to get a picture of that. I edited out the color to make it more old timey. Above I'm standing with my BIL, and below is my SIL. I could write an entry with more photos, but not today. Mt. Airy/Mayberry RFD report will happen another day this week.

               

It was a beautiful day. I enjoyed visiting with the family.Because Steve had to work, he couldn't go with me, but that is the way of things these days. He wants to work on his boat this summer, so he has to work now to make up for overtime he won't be putting in then.

     

Finally, one last Easter morning sunrise shot. I have often lamented that we do not have a good view of the sky. Tall pines and hardwoods surround our home, in close proximity to the house. Many of my friends have a clearer view of the horizon, and their view of the sunrise is spectacular. I have to settle for silhouetted trees. But you know, that can be spectacular too! Just look at those long shadows cast on our lawn.

     

It's around 7 a.m. when this shot was made. The sun has just risen high enough to brighten mine and my neighbor's yard. You can't tell it, but it was 28 degrees fahrenheit. Brrrrr! 

So now it's the day after Easter Sunday, and I have some resting, relaxing, and recuperating to do. I'm taking my Sabbath today.

He is Risen!

                   

Mark's Gospel:

When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus' body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, "Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?"

But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.

"Don't be alarmed," he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, 'He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.'"

Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.

                                                                Mark 16:1-8

             

                                                                                         

 

Matthew's Gospel:

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at  the tomb.

There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearnce was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here, he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you."

So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me."

                                                            Matthew 28:1-10

 

                                                        

 

 

Luke's Gospel:

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.' Then they remembered his words.

When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. It was Mary Magdalena, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.

                                                               Luke 24:1-12

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I presented these three Gospels because they tell the story that is so familiar to us. I know some will argue that they don't have the same facts, but mostly, they do. Many biblical scholars have accounted for the differences in the stories, and since I am not a biblical scholar, I will leave it be. There is enough here to make this the greatest story ever told.

 

                     He is Risen, indeed!

 

Tags: The Easter Story, D's Designs

Easter Sunday and Bumble Bees

Late Saturday night, eve of Easter Sunday....

                                          

 

It is still Saturday, not yet Sunday, not yet Easter. By the time I finish making this entry, I have a feeling Sunday morning will be well on its way.

I have quite a bit to write about, but where to begin? School is out for a week, that is good news.

I'm going to visit my husband's family tomorrow, without him because he has to work. Yes, he has to work on Easter Sunday. I was unable to visit his family last Thanksgiving and Christmas because on both occasions, I became too sick and stayed home. I am very thankful that this holiday my body did not decide this was a good time to get sick.

Vacations and holidays are so much nicer when one is healthy and well. As a result of this good health, I am getting a lot of housework done (mostly because it is too cold and windy to do anything outside).

I want to write about honeybees, bumblebees, and carpenter bees. I owe it to them. I took some great photos of the humble bumble bee a few days ago when temperatures darn near felt like summer. Yet this morning (Saturday), driving into town, I saw several cars capped with snow... obviously visitors from the north (I'm just an hour south of Virginia, in NC).

How informed are you about bees? I know more now than I did fifteen years ago. If I knew then what I know now, I would not have encouraged my husband to kill a nest of bumble bees about that many years ago. The bees had taken over an unoccupied bird house hanging from the branch of a tree, dangling just about a foot above our heads. I was standing right below it, they perceived a threat probably when I started waving my hands as I was talking. As I ran into the house, three of the angry bees followed me and stung me. The welts lasted for over a month.

After the bees calmed down, my husband and son made several attempts to dislodge the rather small bee's nest, and killed the bees. We thought it was a good thing we had done, you know, protecting our home and yard. But like I said, we were very ignorant then. Anything that buzzed and looked like a bee was a threat in our minds.

Today I want to set the record straight: bumble bees are not dangerous... (unless you are allergic to bee stings and one stings you, I suppose). They are not aggressive, unless they feel threatened, and obviously they felt threatened by our presence that day long ago. If you act wildly around their nest, that is cause for their alarm. The males lack stingers, and the stingers of the females don't rip from their abdomens as happens when a honeybee stings you.

                    

This is a bumble bee in flight, no less! I had gone outside last week to take pictures of the honey bees, but I saw mostly bumble bees. My camera lense is about two-three inches from the critter. I took about 20 photos, and not once did they seem bothered by my presence.

The bumble bee is huge compared to the honey bee. In fact, according to some facts I read on the internet, this one may very well be a queen bee because it is still early spring. Here's a portion of what I read about bumble bees:

"In the first warm days of Spring you may see the large queens flying busily about the early bulbs and flowers. These large slow bees are searching for nectar and pollen to turn into honey and food for their newly hatching brood. So the organic gardener plants lots of pollen producing flowers and leaves an unmown patch of early dandelions in the wild garden or hedgerow to feed the young queens."

http://hercules.users.netlink.co.uk/Bee.html

                          

Here you can easily see the pollen basket filling up on the bee's hind leg. While she's sipping at the flower nectar (azalea blossoms), her legs and body hairs catch the pollen that falls from the flowers. As she visits each flower, some of the pollen falls from her body onto the flowers, pollinating them, and the rest she carries back to her nest. Bees use the pollen for food as well as the nectar.

                               

Now this bee looks a bit like the bumble bee, but my friend, it is a Carpenter Bee. The main difference in appearance that I can see is that Carpenter bees have a shiny black abdomen, mostly hairless, whereas a bumble bee has a hairy black abdomen.

Male carpenter bees have a white face... and though it can be somewhat unsettling when you come face to face with a hovering carpenter bee, take heart. If the face is white, it has no stinger. Usually, they will encounter you while they are searching for a mate, but will not attack you. Just move away from it.

You don't want a carpenter bee to be hovering around the eaves of your house. That's a sure sign that an excavation of tunnels is taking place... they like to chew tunnels into the wood of your home. You've probably seen them searching for a choice location to start the nest near the roof of your house. If you haven't seen one, you may have heard one... there is an unmistakable buzzing, chewing sound that emanates from the roof area of your home when they are busy at their destructive (to us) craft.

The link above will take you to a site that tells you how to prevent carpenter bee infestation, and how to get rid of them once you have them. It isn't easy. And they can do great damage to your home over time.

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Here is the Honey Bee! Her body is smaller and more slender than the bumble bee, and she is much more difficult to photograph. She buzzes about in a quicker fashion than the bumble bee, flitting about from flower to flower so fast I can not predict where she will go next. On the other hand, Bumble bee takes her time, and lingers upon each flower just long enough for someone with curiosity and a digital camera to snap the picture.

Some interesting facts: "Each year, the honey bees pollinate 95 crops worth an estimated $10 billion in the United States. ...Top honey-producing states are California, Florida, and South Dakota. ...China is the world's top honey-producer (in 1997 created more than 140,000 metric tons of honey!)."

It's no wonder that a cry went out across our country when millions of bees were dying (still are?) as a result of a parasite, the varroa mite. Many beekeepers in North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and California have lost more than half of their beehives to the killer parasite, which is about the size of a grain of salt. For many farmers, bees are the only way their tree crops get pollinated. This is no less than a devastating event... for the bees. the farmers, the plants, and finally, for those of us who buy fruits and vegetables grown in these areas.

So when you are out in your yard taking pictures, be mindful of the bees. Don't be afraid of them. They're only working very hard to pollinate the flowers all over the world, and all they need from us is to leave them alone so they can do their work. Take the time to watch them as they work. It will impress you if you give at least ten minutes to following them around. Observe their flight, how they seek out the flowers of choice, how they don't mind that you are watching them. If you live near an active beehive, you are more fortunate.

Oh, the bees also need lots of flowers, so if you have time this week, go out there and plant some flowers (when it gets a bit warmer!), especially the pollinating ones. I know, if you have allergies, this doesn't sound like something you'd care to do. Okay, so allergy sufferers stay inside, the rest of us will plant the flowers!

Happy Easter!

                                 

 

                                                      Bee tag by Donna

 

Tags: Bees, bumble bees, carpenter bees, honey bees

Blossoms and Blooms and critters, too

Monday Photo Shoot: Blossoms and Blooms

"Your Monday Photo Shoot: Take a snap of some of the latest blossoms and blooms near you. If for some reason it's still too chilly where you are, one, you have my sympathy, and two, go ahead and use a picture from your archives. But everyone else should go out and take a fresh picture if they can. Let's see what spring looks like here in 2007." John Scalzi

I was able to get home before 5:00 pm today, and so glad I did. I hurried into the house for my camera, eager to get some new springtime photos for today's journal entry.

              

There are a great number of plants blooming, but I'm not going to show them all. However, I did notice the May Apples had flowers... actually, it looks like each umbrella-like MayApple leaf has only one flower blossom. I don't know why, but that's what I see. From past years, I know that from each flower will grow a May apple. When they appear, I will come back and document the event here! I know you can't wait to see it.

                      

Also, these ferns are sprouting up everywhere, which is no surprise since we do have a wooded lot, and there is plenty of shade for these adorable shade lovers. My favorite part of the fern life-cycle is when they first begin to unfurl. If you look very closely to the tiny spiral at the bottom, just right of center, you'll see a young fern not yet unfurled. They are so tender and fragile at this stage, and as they stretch and reach out for the little bit of light that they need, their slender stems and boot-shaped leaves seem to dance and play in the early spring breezes.

                     

My husband planted the Japanese Maple tree about ten years ago. It is so gorgeous this time of year. Usually I don't get pictures of the bright pink blossoms, probably because I'm usually not home when they bloom, and by the time I do get home, it's late and I'm pooped. But today, I was energized by the sun and the warm temperature, and my dogs wanting to run around in the yard. These tiny little blossoms will probably be gone within a few days. So glad I was seeking out the signs of spring this afternoon.

            

Here's a yard shot so you can see the Japanese Maple tree in all its glory, flanked on either side by a dogwood. Below the dogwood on the left you can see my Solomon's Seal growing nicely... they'll be showing off their tiny little bell flowers by next week, I'm sure. I love the lighting in this photo. It's about 5:30 pm here.

                                                       

And wouldn't you know I'd find some insect action on the Azalea bush. Loving little ladybugs!

                              

I had never noticed that wasps enjoyed the flower nectars as much as the honeybees, but apparently they do. I saw more wasps than honeybees today ... I think they mightbe paper wasps, but not sure. Anyone know?

Now, go ahead and do your Blossoms and Blooms entry, then leave alink at Scalzi's By The Way (and here too if you'd like!).

 

 

Tags: Monday Photo Shoot, Blossoms and Blooms, wasps, ladybugs, japanese maple