... an early alarm and a strong determination to get things done early this morning.
What I'm thinking...
... I am praying that our country opens up soon. So many people are struggling right now and people are still scared. We, personally, don't realize how hard it is for some out there because we, literally, live in a bubble. Thus far, not a single person in our family has lost their job during this time of trial, since they've started testing, there's not been a single case of COVID-19 confirmed in our county (I think we all had it back in December and can't wait to take an antibody test), and, in one of the worst times in our nation's history, my husband and I were able to achieve debt-freedom. It doesn't make sense! But God. Period! Praise His holy name!
What I'm thankful for...
... new life, spring flowers, the bird's nest being built and tended right outside my office window, the hummingbirds at our feeder, and all the buzzing, flying, fluttery things that are flitting across our lawn.
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| Newborn Kittens |
Our grandchildren's cat had kittens a week or so ago. I couldn't resist snuggling them for just a minute or two while I was there and had the chance. There's nothing in the world like newborn kittens, or new life of any kind, for that matter, and they are soooo sweet! 💓
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| Bumblebee on Lousewort (a.k.a Wood Betony) |
Discovered this guy buzzing around while walking one of the trials at Prairie State Park yesterday afternoon. I love how he's got pollen all over him. Shows just how seriously that he's really taking that pollination job!
On the breakfast plate...
... maple and brown sugar oatmeal and a cup of hot tea
The weather...
When I got up it was 56 degrees and rainy, but now, it's 60 degrees and the sun is trying it's very best to pop out from behind the clouds and shine for us. I don't know that it's going to have much luck though. It's supposed to be cloudy with chances of rain all day. In fact, it looks like good chances of rain all week. ☔
Monday - Turkey Italian sausage, oven-roasted potatoes, oven-roasted carrots, and fried cabbage
Tuesday - Stuffed pepper casserole, oven-roasted carrots, and salad
Wednesday - Breakfast for supper
Thursday - Roast beef, Sue Gregg's cheesy potatoes, and brussel sprouts
Friday - Broiled salmon, oven-roasted potatoes, and oven-roasted carrots
Saturday - Dh's night to cook
Sunday - Leftovers
On my 'to do' list...
Monday - Complete this post, do my weekly 'home blessing', laundry, clean and organize the Van Gogh room (my office)
Tuesday - Write and mail a few letters and cards, work on blog, do some on-line shopping
Wednesday - Go the the Amish greenhouse and, maybe, to a grocery store, work outside
Thursday - Work outside, work on blog
Friday - Work
Saturday - Work
Sunday - Church
On my reading pile...
Finished reading Iditarod Dreams by Lew Freedman and Deedee Jonrowe, but am continuing on in Bible Prayer by Kenneth E. Hagin (Bible Study Course)
From the camera...
Imagine how surprised I was to discover a Bald Cypress swamp across the road from where I work this weekend. I've lived in southwest Missouri for almost a quarter-century and have driven up and down that particular road hundreds of times, but I never knew that it was there! I had never seen it before! What I was seeing was NOT matching up with where I was! I mean...Bald Cypress isn't even native to this part of Missouri and right in the middle of the tallgrass prairie??? Are you kidding me??? How in the world did that happen???
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| A Bald Cypress Swamp Right in the Middle of Tallgrass Prairie |
Well...there is a very probable explanation. While I'm pretty sure that this particular swamp is on private property, the cypress trees, undoubtedly, made their way over from the Lester R. Davis Memorial Forest next door. Mr. Davis purchased land in 1951 that had been strip-mined in the 1920's and spent 15 years planting over 300 species of trees and shrubs (over 100,000 individual plants) there...including the bald cypress. That very well could explain why there is a Bald Cypress swamp directly across the road from Prairie State Park now! And it provided me an opportunity to see my first cypress swamp...my very first cypress trees EVER...and I never left the comfort of my beloved tallgrass prairie! How cool is that??? Weird, but definitely very cool! 😲
