Scratchy Throat

I've been fighting a cold for a few days now. I thought I was winning, until I woke up this morning with a pounding headache and sore throat. So I stayed home and took it easy all day long. I drank a half gallon of orange juice, swallowed vitamin C's, gargled with salt water, ran the humidifier, and rubbed Vicks on my chest and feet. Feet? Yeah, I read that somewhere. Put Vicks on your feet and then wear socks to bed. You can laugh if you want, but old wives' tales rarely let me down.

Tomorrow I plan to be back in the swing of things, Lord willing!

We've joined the modern world with higher speed internet, not to be confused with high speed, but definitely higher. I can watch You Tubes now and I can listen to sermons. Even now I have my son Aaron preaching at me. And it's a good message on friendship, if you'd like to listen just click here. So...I'm signing off so I can pay attention.

It Can't Last

There's a bit of snow today. Just a bit. And it can't last, at least I think it can't last. Far be it from me to tempt fate or mother nature!

On Friday it was nice enough to play outside with little Audrey. We sat on the porch swing enjoying an ice cream cone. The ice cream was a bribe to get her off the swingset because I was tired of pushing her higher. It was supposed to be a calming transition to an afternoon nap. Yeah, right, that didn't work out. Turns out there's only one of us who wants an afternoon nap, even though we both need one. Oh to have the energy of a two-year-old.


That was Friday. Saturday went from sunny and warm to cloudy and windy. The wind blew in cooler weather and rain that fell steadily on Sunday morning. A short burst of sunshine tricked us into thinking the promised rain (and snow) wouldn't show. But it was just a trick. It rained and snowed.

Sunny Day, Sweeping the Clouds Away

Do they still sing that on Sesame Street? I'll have to ask my little Audrey.

Anyway, it's a gorgeous sunny day here, chilly, but oh so pretty. Crocuses (or croci if you prefer) are in bloom. The daffodils are a couple inches high and beginning to show tight buds, and tulip stems are poking up through the dirt. After a long, cold, bleak and barren winter, new life never ceases to amaze me. When we were in Florida in February our senses were bombarded with all the wonderful outdoor smells of life. Grass, leaves, flowers. And now here it comes for us to enjoy up north. New Life.

Speaking of which...Tom and I got a brand new great nephew. From the pictures he looks oh so sweet, absolutely adorable. His momma looks terrific too. He's only hours old in the pictures we saw, which means she was only hours from that exciting, exhausting, exhilarating, uncomfortable experience so benignly called labor. They both look like it was no more than a walk in the park. We moms know better, and, mercifully, babies don't remember.

"Oh sing to the Lord a new song..." Ps. 96:1
"...behold, all things are new..." 2 Cor. 5:17

The fresh and new has come! Just go outside and breathe it in for yourself. New life has come, go hug a baby if you should be so lucky to have one nearby!

#3 is 29

Of course the picture is from last year when he turned 28. This year we don't get to see him for his birthday...more our fault than his. So in lieu of face-to-face, here's a written out warm wish for a good day and a fantastic year. Happy Birthday Adam! (The card's in the mail.) I love you more than I can possibly say. Mom

My Best Thought -- Every Day

Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art;
Thou my best thought by day or by night;
Waking or sleeping Thy presence my light.

Be thou my Wisdom, and thou my true Word;
I ever with thee and thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, and I thy true son,
Thou in me dwelling, and I with thee one.

The words of this ancient Irish hymn were written possibly as early as the 8th century. Be Thou My Vision was translated by Mary Byrne in the 1800's or very early 1900's, and later adapted by Eleanor Hull. When the music is added (an Irish melody) the song is both comforting and haunting, uplifting and soulfull. Today the words remind me that I'll be fine, more than fine, if I rise above my "I" trouble.

MARCH

I love March. But I'll tell you what...it's dang cold this year. Freezing cold. Look at the lonely sap buckets. There they sit, waiting for the drip, drip, drip of sap. Yeah well they're going to have to keep on waiting. Nothing's dripping. Absolutely nothing.

Getting Through February

If I just wait six more days we'll be done with February and that much closer to spring. It's been a hard winter. But, of course, not without good times like a visit from sister Luann and family. The snow and ice and frigid temps of north west PA offer their own kind of fun, challenges aside.

Fun:

More fun:



Challenge: Driving through this!


A mid winter break offered something better -- warmth and sunshine -- and a long visit with Oma and Pop. Highlights of that trip: dinner with my Aunt Lou and Uncle Harry, golf for Tom, swimming, tanning and reading (multi-tasking) for me, and a trip to Hen Scratch Farm for the four of us. At Hen Scratch they grow berries and tomatoes hydroponically AND the chickens roam free! No kidding, the chickens hop in and out of pens and strut through the store making friends and showing off.


Look at this beauty:

And that's it for February...one blog seems enough. In five and a half more days it'll be March. I love March even though the weather is still wintery, we all know spring is coming! A new season. The season of new life and hope.

"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven."
Eccl. 3:1 RSV

Something Good

Things could be worse. Here's holding on to what's good.

Last Tuesday I was at a friend's house watching the inauguration. I came home to this message on my answering machine. "Hey Tom and Betsy, this is Ron. I'm watching the inauguration and just wanted to tell someone I'm proud to be an American. And I'm proud to be a Christian." Pause. Then in an emotional voice. "Yeah, okay...I just wanted to say that. I'll see you in church. ...love you guys."

Amen, we love you too, Ronnie.

Winter Wonderland

Two brown bumps in the white snow...



Heads up!


May as well get up and enjoy the day.


Yeah, it's pretty cold outside, and none too warm inside. But I dare not complain. I get to live in a house with central heat, a fireplace, and fleece blankies galore.

Holiday, Part II

If I wait another few weeks the holiday will be Valentine's Day. So let's wrap up Christmas and get on with it...

Here's my brother's beautiful tree...



My brother Scott and his wife Anne hosted the Bruce Christmas party this year. Their whole house was festive (and filled with people). How can we say thanks? Oh yeah, by taking our respective turn when it rolls around!

Mom and Dad didn't make the trek from Florida, but they sent presents. Christmas is all about the presents, don't you know? (wink, wink) In this picture the tablecloth was a gift that Mom gave all of the girls about 8 or so Christmases ago!


And the sisters...(missing you Kath!)
...the middle sister is the hostess with the mostess -- and what a fabulous job she (and Scott) did of making us all feel welcome and useful!

Kitchen help...


Cousins...


And the grands...

After all that, did anyone get a really good picture???


I'm thinking it's about my turn to host the family gathering next year. I can't wait! Tom and I will order up the snow, but not so much as to make traveling dangerous. The rest of you can make your plans accordingly.