Calm Before the Storm

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The beauty and gnarly curves of tree limbs has always been a fascination to me. When I was younger I tried to draw them but my skills were weak at best. Today is a freak of nature day by being 58 degrees on the 23rd of February. This is a spoiler day as people are out walking and enjoying the marvelous temps outside. And of course the dogs are going nuts seeing all the activity. But…

“Have no fear” says old man winter “I am still near”!!

Starting now and continuing through to Wednesday the temps will steadily drop down in the low teens, more typical of this time of year. Combined with the temp drop, a slow moving storm front is planning on coming through and dropping an expected 12+ inches of snow on top of possible ice. While we have had the average amount of snow this winter, it has been in acceptable amounts of 1-2 inches each time, not the mass dumping we are expecting. Oh, well. It will give me the chance to get back to some writing here. I have been so busy getting book #2 off to the publisher, I have not had the chance to play with the impromptu writing I have come to enjoy in blogging.

So I wish you all a safe last attempt of old man winter – we all know the ground hog lied – but soon spring will show its beautiful colors and new life. So until next time, I wish you peace and remind you as always to be kind. Kindness is a true reflection of our inner beings.

Kindness reflection

come.

Fandango’s Friday Flashback

Fandango asks “Why don’t you reach back into your own archives and highlight a post that you wrote on this very date in a previous year?”

I have many photographers I follow and Irene is one of my favorites. She posted this picture, then I posted it again and wrote a poem about it. I actually had two posts on this day but this one got the most likes so I hope you also enjoy it or remember it.

Fun With Poetry

As I play with my blog, I enjoy what others say, write and photograph. Today I saw a photograph that so inspired me that I thought again I would write about it. I have done this in the past and it is relaxing to me. After the wonderful day of 48 degrees (before it plummets back to single digits) I was able to get out and enjoy the sun so I think more fun is good thing to do. Irene of Heaven’s Sunshine takes lovely and fun pictures of nature and things around nature and today she posted a Leafy Heart. Do drop by her blog and enjoy her photographs. So below are my words to go with Irene’s Leafy Heart.

The Autumn Leaf

The audible sigh of the leaf in fall as it begins to die

Drops slowly from trees above like tears when you cry

We wait for them all winter as they quietly rest and sleep

Popping out at spring and stretching to soak up warmth so deep

As summer comes in to brighten their worth, they create abundant shade

For we sit and rest under them and block the heat that is made.

As changing season turns again once more to cooler fall

The leaves display their dying hues that are admired by one and all

The leaf hangs tight to its dear life as long as it possibly can

But winds of fall will toss them down to be crushed by steps of man

As other lives rush over them when preparing their own winter deeds

A spider crawls around them to see if there is anything he needs

But alas he leaves as nothing was found for him of the leaf to give

And he heads towards home and other things in hopes of his life to live.

-Anita Neal-

And always in closing I remind all of the extraordinary value of kindness and how if we can share that kindness with others, even when we don’t feel like it, that may be the only kindness shared with that one person on that day.

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Escape Stress with Coloring

The Escapist Coloring Club sponsored by Linda G. Hill has been a fun thing and I suggest every one give it a try. It really does help you focus on the coloring and allows for pushing aside stress. It works for me. There are calendars, books and I think even downloadable sheets. I was given this book by my daughter last year for Christmas and it really has been fun.

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You can tell by the bends and creases in the cover that I am in this book…a lot. Today’s picture helps us remember the beauty of wildlife and the hopes for spring for those of us who live in snow during the months of January and February and hopefully NOT March.

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I use pencils as I seem to be able to shade easier with those but I loved Linda’s page this time as she said she uses both. I may try that for next month. You will also see some bend to my page as I had a big helper this time who was fascinated with the pencils – probably because they look like a colored stick – well they are wood…

Come join in with us and we can all color together. And as always remember to be kind, it show the beauty of who you really are.

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Fandango February Expressions

Each day during the month of February, at around 6 am Pacific Time, Fandango will be posting an old adage, an old saying, a familiar expression that we’ve all heard and have probably used during our lifetimes. Your assignment, should you choose to accept it, will be to post a story, a poem, an image, an interpretation of what the expression means to you, or to do whatever it is that you want to do based upon the daily adage.

All’s well that ends well.

How fun to remember some fun expression you have heard over the years especially when you were a child, this expression has fond memories of my mom when we did something stupid that turned out okay. Like jumping out of the barn window hoping the hay below is soft. Kids! How did we ever survive.

And as we remember those sayings remember to add kindness where we can. kindness helps us survive those famous sayings.

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Fun with Fibbing Friday

It has been a while since I have been on this blogusphere as I have been uber busy. So I am playing with as many of you as I can tonight.

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Di writes: “This week it’s my turn to host the Fibbing Friday challenge as I alternate with PCGuyIV.
https://pcguyiv.wordpress.com/

Below are 10 questions, the answers to which are entirely up to you.
The idea though is to fib a little, a lot, tell whoppers, be inventive, silly or even outrageous, in your response as you evade the truth. Ready?
Off we go then…………………..”

QUESTIONS:

1. Why did the boy remain on the burning deck?

2. Where will you find a toad in the hole?

3. What do you call a shell-less snail?

4. How many eggs are in a clutch?

5. Why do we say someone is a barrel of laughs?

6. Why are horse races in furlongs and athletics in metres?

7. What are love handles?

8. What was Granny Smith famous for?

9. What is the difference between a toe flip and a toe loop?

10. How many teeth are in a honey comb?

MY RESPONSES:

1. Why did the boy remain on the burning deck? He was roasting marshmallows.

2. Where will you find a toad in the hole? The hole refers to a hollow knot of a tree from a decayed limb and that is where you will find the toad.

3. What do you call a shell-less snail? Homeless

4. How many eggs are in a clutch? Two, one for each wing.

5. Why do we say someone is a barrel of laughs? It’s an old play on words from back in the circus days of clown not having costumes and using barrels instead.

6. Why are horse races in furlongs and athletics in metres? Duh, because horses have fur.

7. What are love handles? This refers to the over sizes handles on the side of dutch ovens

8. What was Granny Smith famous for? Her paintings

9. What is the difference between a toe flip and a toe loop? The direction of the turn

10. How many teeth are in a honey comb? The teeth refers to bees so its the size of the comb of a bee hive.

As you are smiling at the silliness of Fibbing Friday always remember to share your laughter and be kind.

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Remembering Yester-Year, Friday Flashback

Fandango Friday Flashback gives you the opportunity to see what you were doing a year ago, you get to share it with new friends and you get to remind old friends of the post. A hats off to Irene of Heavens Sunshine as she was the one who brought this poem to life for me. I hope you enjoy it for the first time or again if you remember from a year ago. It was probably one of my favorite poems. See post below:

TO THE TOP from THE BOTTOM

One of the most enjoyable things about blogging is the amazing photographers, professional and non-professional that share their photographs for all to enjoy. A lot of the photographs that are shared are due to various challenges as the one I will be sharing with you today, well technically it’s night (2:30 am)but I couldn’t sleep so I am writing.

Irene from Heaven’s Sunshine was following the challenge for stairs from Pic And A Word by Patrick Jennings. Her picture was so inspiring to me, I told her I was going to write about it, so I did. I hope you enjoy it and do stop by Irene’s blog for some wonderful pictures.

Steps to the Cross — Bailly Cemetery – Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore

THE CLIMB

I see and maintain it still is not fair,

I have nothing to lay at the top of the stair.

It’s not my fault, I did nothing wrong,

Well, maybe I did, it’s just been so long.

How long has it been since I climbed to the top,

I remember it’s relief, Why did I stop?

How can a symbol of such astounding grief,

Be given to us to bring so much relief?

With love so amazing, to the cross did He die,

To flood us with gratitude that still makes us cry.

The burdens we carry don’t always seem fair,

Always we can lay them at the top of the stair.

The first step looks brittle, can it carry my weight?

This burden is heavy and may seal my dire fate.

As I touch each step and climb ever higher,

Is this what I should do, is this really my desire?

As I clear the last step, the cross is before me,

I question my worth, did He also die for me?

As my knees get bent, I am smothered by His grace,

And I lay all my burdens at the accepting cross base.

– Anita Neal –

Always remember there is a burden carrier and it isn’t you. Scripture tells us repeatedly that He is there to carry our burdens for us, we just have to be willing to give them to Him.

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And as always, I remind everyone the much loaded value of kindness. Carry it with you where ever you go and share it as much as possible.

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What now?, First Line Friday, 1/31/2020

The wind cut into his skin and grey skies pressed down on the rotting town, but at least he was home.

The windows on the houses stared back at him with hopeless abandonment, much like how he felt as he walked down the streets hoping against hope to find one home lit showing life. He had heard stories of how his quiet little home town had been sold off to developers after he left for college but he never dreamed they would totally destroy all the cherished details that once made this town unique. Now the developers had gone belly up and left everything to just rot. His family had left when it all sold so there had been no reason for him to ever come back.

Now 15 years later, the company he was working for was looking to buy the town and develop a resort there because of the huge lake on one end of town that had been know at one time to have bass tournaments resulting in record size fish. He wondered if there were even any fish left or did they die off with the town. Supposedly old man Sorenson was still there. A hermit of a man with little trust of anyone. It was no wonder with what all he had seen over the years. And here he comes, that young whipper snapper, as Sorenson had called before leaving to college. He remember Sorenson’s son, Jake, who had died in a car wreck. A good kid, just a little reckless. But his dad couldn’t handle his death and locked himself in the house. Now it was his job to see if he could talk with him, they needed his land as well as it sat almost center of the old town square.

Getting back in his truck, he headed back to the center of town to see if he could even get an answer at the door. Next town over was 30 miles and he really would like to get there before it got really dark or before the clouds unleashed their gray torment.

-Anita Neal-

As you read the stories of sadness that life can sometime drop on us, remember there are many who hide from hurt. So find was to always be kind. Kindness can open doors of light that can assist many to help walk through those doors and find life again.

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A Sacrifice of Time

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Good morning. Thought I would share the peace I received this morning as I was reminded of God holding our hand like a child and us trusting his direction of a God-breathed life. Jesus Calling by Sarah Young reminds us of the value of our time and how sacrificing our time in the quiet stillness of the morning with Him can accomplish far more than we realize by surrounding us in His peace.

“Bring me the sacrifice of your time, and watch to see how abundantly I bless you and your loved ones.”

May you all feel his peace this morning and have a truly blessed day. And as always, remember to be kind.

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Life Happens, Sometimes Too Much

I have not posted in nearly a week or so as Life does seem to happen in a big way at times and changes our direction. On Friday we got yet another weekend snow event as they call them here. Anything over 3 inches is an even, otherwise its just snow. The event came on the heals of some excessively cold single digits with wind chills in the -20. And as temp warmed, the snow turned to ice. Its been fun. I question myself when these events happen… Why did I move from the south…then when summer hits and temps are in upper 80’s or low 90’s, then I remember no triple digit temps for months at a time. But this even was especially not fun as it froze the pipes in the kitchen, causing them to burst on Monday(while at work). So AGAIN, the basement is flooded.

The snow also covered up the dish so no TV and no internet…Well Linda, I got lots of coloring done for the 1st of February’s Adult coloring prompt. But it began to warm up a bit, enough to start melting this 6″ mess, which actually brings up the theme for the prompt. Pictures below show last years flood that lasted 5 months.

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We had record snowfall, combined with record spring rains, combined with record breaking heights to Mississippi River flood records for the area. Some people still have not gotten back into their homes fully or are just now getting back in. The water level really never went down like they do in the fall and so far the last two week we have had over a foot of snow – which is melting and will probably finish melting next week, swelling the river. Lower Mississippi River states are already seeing flood stages begin and its just January. Water is nothing to mess with, whether in your home or a massive river like the Mississippi.

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So if you come across raised waters this spring or even before, please be cautious. It can get dangerous quick. Keep in mind the families and businesses near this river as this may be another bad flood year. Mother earth is kind of ticked off right now.

I leave you with the beauty it this earth can display so that we leave it with happier thoughts.

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Remember the beauty but also keep in mind those who are struggling with the issues life brings us and be kind and supportive of them.

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Cost of Fur Babies

We can’t really blame the natural instincts of a dog to destroy a toy, as they are only living out the deep seeded generations of wolves gone by.

Ode to a Friend

I sing out this ode, to my friend gone by

Not meaning to do it but I ripped out it’s eye

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Such a sad day; it was my favoritest toy

But running through the house did seem to annoy

Was the same for bear ripping out eyes and nose

But mom was able to fix it, the holes she did close.

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The holes in the hedgehog she was not able to fix

Which brings my toy numbers down from seven to six

Saturday is coming with a trip to the store

Maybe, oh maybe, she will bring me some more.

– Anita Neal –

We do love out pets but we must remember that because they are domesticated they are very dependent on our care. Care for them well. We must be deserving of the devotion they shower on us. Learn to be kind as they understand kindness.

Always be Kind!