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Be easy on people; you’ll find life a lot easier. Give away your life; you’ll find life given back, but not merely given back—given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity.

Luke 6:38 (The Message)

Snow Has Arrived

Wednesday, January 26

As predicted, the snow began about bedtime last night.

This morning the icy, snowy mix covered everything.

I was hoping that our resident squirrels would hibernate, but they are still here.

I haven’t seen a dove for awhile, so it was nice to see one this morning at our snow-covered birdbath.

Foraging for sunflower seeds on the ground.

Our little patio dogwood was full of birds today – waiting for their turn at the feeders.

How’s that for the bottom side of a finch?

I haven’t figured out what this bird is. I’ve seen it several times, and am waiting for it to come to a feeder. It is too dark for a tufted titmouse. It kind of looks like a dark-eyed junco with a toupee.

Seeing cardinals – especially the male – always pleases me, because they aren’t as plentiful as the finches and juncos.

There were two or three female cardinals frequenting the tree and feeders, so I finally had opportunity to photograph them.

This one was close to the window, but on the south side, the wrong side for good lighting.

Then she moved to the other side of the bush! What a difference!

I love this picture! This is pretty much how it came out of the camera. About all I had to do was crop a bit of the photo from the left side.

God makes his people strong. God gives his people peace.

Psalm 29:11 (The Message)

Lots of Preparations

On a Grey, Cloudy Day

Tuesday, January 25

The sunrise was hidden by clouds this morning.

I thought it was beginning to snow, but it was more like ice pellets…

…and only lasted a minute or two.

The landscape was grey in every direction.

This fallen tree was a vast contrast to the white and grey landscape as I was driving home from Curves.

The sun tried shining through the clouds, but was only successful a time or two, and then for only a short period of time.

I like grey days in winter, because it seems to feel cozier inside.

The township men were out preparing our road for a snow/rain storm that is supposed be coming tomorrow.

They made sure there was no snow on the road.

It appeared that this truck was responsible for removing anything the larger plow ahead of him missed.

Before long they turned around and did the same thing on the other side of the road.

I was preparing my “Blessing” cards for Saturday, January 29 and Tuesday, February 1. (As you can see, I blurred my personal information for this post.)

The stand is something Cerwin designed to fit the cards.

This is what the fifteenth card looks like.

Page number nineteen. There are thirty-one pages, plus the cover.

The birds were also busy filling up on seeds incase they need to stay close to their tree houses tomorrow.

“We better leave, because I see that lady with a camera.”

Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

Psalm 91:1 (New Living Translation)

This Morning

January 24

Before I began preparation for Saturday’s sessions, I decided to take some pictures, so I would have something to blog about tonight.

It was a frigid morning (6 degrees) and the sky was beautiful and clear. I could see smoke from a waste management plant near Bainbridge – about twenty miles away.

As my eyes moved to the north I could see smoke from Three Mile Island – twenty-five to thirty miles away, as the crow flies.

The electric tower toward the south was glittering in the morning sun.

It appears that everyone is warm in the homestead, as smoke is coming from the chimney.

To my east there is some early morning fog near the ground.

The snow in our yard is full of footprints of birds and animals.

The wind of yesterday left some mini drifts.

Shadows from the trees were everywhere.

There are lots of tire tredmarks from the seven cars (the guys) who were parked in our driveway and yard yesterday.

I thought I was finished taking pictures, then while I was going through my notes for Saturday, I saw a shadow go by the living room window. It was a cat – and we don’t have a cat.

He seemed confused by my movement inside the window. I expect that he belongs to a neighbor, and was checking out our birds.

Before long he jumped from the window sill and walked away.

Because I already had the camera in my hand, I captured the truck going by our house.

Later, when taking a break, I noticed this female cardinal.

It appears that I got a shot of this blue jay just as it was landing or leaving the tree branch.

It would get a sunflower seed from the bird feeder, then fly to a branch to eat it.

Back at the feeder for another sunflower seed.

Then back to a branch.

I enjoyed today. It was a nice winter day.

No one can escape the weather—it’s there. And no one can escape from God. Wild animals take shelter, crawling into their dens when blizzards roar out of the north and freezing rain crusts the land. It’s God’s breath that forms the ice, it’s God’s breath that turns lakes and rivers solid.

Job 37:6-10 (The Message)

It’s Cold Outside

Sunday, January 23

We heard reports of temperatures in the single digits in the area this morning, but our thermometer only got as low as 13. It is supposed to be 2 degrees when we wake up in the morning.

The moon even looked cold last night

I didn’t have time to be real creative with photos today – and it was too cold to go outside, so we just took pictures of birds. I took a few of these. Cerwin took some as well. He likes playing with my new lens.

I am fine tuning my notes for a women’s seminar at our church on Saturday – then another one at a local Mennonite church on February 1. I would appreciate your prayers.

My topic for the morning is “Complaining is Not a Fruit of the Spirit”

During the afternoon it is “Blessing Your Loved Ones By Your Attitude”

After worship this morning we made sure my laptop works with our church’s PowerPoint projector and checked on a few other things. Before we left, a group of ladies were in the pulpit area practicing an “Attitude” skit. I am excited about how much time our women put into making this a very special day.

There is a van load of women coming from Maine (including our oldest daughter). It will be fun to have her here for the weekend.

You can see that the goldfinches are beginning to turn yellow again. It happens every winter.

This must be an old house finch as it is grey around its eye.

This is the first time I saw a squirrel in this feeder. Probably because the big, open one is empty.

It has a sunflower caught in some of the fur on its face.

It really looks like a rodent when facing the camera.

Our grandson Jordan and six of his friends were here this afternoon – including his brother Nate who came toward evening. He had been at a cabin with friends a few hours away, helping make repairs. 

Some of the guys are still here. I especially like when a bunch of guys are here watching football because there is a lot of yelling and cheering.

Jordan made mocha punch for the ones who were here in the early afternoon. I had prepared the liquid (coffee, sugar, Nestle’s Quck) earlier in the week and divided it in half. Half a portion makes five large glasses. They used the other portion for supper. It was enough for seven smaller cups.

I had a bag of boneless hot wings in the freezer, so made that for them for supper. They were a hit. I also made some microwave popcorn.

It makes us feel good to provide a place for these guys to watch football or to just hang out. I think they like it because they have a room to themselves. (On Fox and Friends they call it a “man cave.”)

They also seem to like the food!

Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way.

2 Timothy 3:16 (The Message)

Snow & Sunset

Friday, January 21

Snow plows were kept busy yesterday.

There wasn’t much snow, but the wind blew all day, continually rearranging it.

Just before 4:00 p.m. there was a knock on our door. The mailman was stuck.

A dump truck came by (neighbor), but he was empty and didn’t think he would be of any help.

Cerwin called my youngest brother at the farm, but he was out helping one of their girls out of a ditch. So Brian, their herdsman came with the farm truck.

Cerwin’s signal to Brian that the mailman’s truck was out of the snow.

Just had to try my new lens on a few more birds.

The late afternoon sunset changed the sky and landscape every few minutes.

It turned the white snow in our driveway to gold.

Sunsets are amazing.