PEACE AND LIGHTS

People deal too much
with the negative, with
what is wrong.....Why not try
and see positive things,
to just touch those things
and make them bloom?
--- Thich Nhat Hanh

Last night we finally got the Christmas lights up at the store. We got a late start and thought the lights from last year were working, but they were not. Mike got several strands up (we had plugged them in before) and then they stopped working! So back into town we went to purchase new lights for 150 feet of storefronts.(among other things, including bits and pieces of sheets for curtains for the bedroom or I am hoping!) We ended up with colored LED C9's. By the time we got back it was 8:15 and we hadn't had dinner yet so we split some pesto bread, salad and shrimp fra diavolo at our neighbor's Mario's Ristorante Italiano in Redwood Valley....always delizioso! OK, now it is 9 pm and finally we start the lights. Mike did the outside and I put up some icicle LED's in the front window, but of course the lace curtains and windows were covered with spider webs and dust so they needed to be vacuumed. (the curtains should have been washed, but no time or place for that) And to complicate things, we have bars on the inside of the front windows so vacuuming & cleaning them is not an easy task and usually done twice a year, if that! (I always do them at Christmas time though) We had items to put out too, so we left around 12:30 am and got home at 1:15am. Today we will do our home lights....yippee! I am always excited to get the Christmas lights up on the house! :o) How are your holiday preparations coming along?

Today's poem:

MEN OF PEACE

by Frank B. Whitney

Onward, Christian soldiers,

singing, "Peace on earth,"

Through your peaceful message

conquer war and dearth!

With your eyes uplifted,

with your hearts on high,

Christ will lead you singing,

"Peace," with banners high,

Onward, Christian soldiers,

sing the "Peace" refrain!

You through Christ will conquer,

every vict'ry gain.

~~~~~

Onward, ever onward,

keep your hearts at peace;

Through Christ's power eternal,

war is bound to cease!

Christ as love is reigning,

love must e'er prevail;

Christ is ever with you

and you cannot fail.

~~~~~

Onward, comrades, onward,

panoplied in light;

Nothing can resist you,

Christ alone has might!

Soldiers of His kingdom,

Knights of brotherhood,

Shout your peaceful message:

Christ be understood!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

HAVE AN ENTICING DAY!

A little bit more of Thanksgiving

Don't be cool, reserved, judicious

about expressing your love

and gratitude. Be effusive.

Give details. Waste it. Where

there is the smallest fraction,

share it.

--- John MacEnulty

I know, my photos are 2 days late, but as you know I was gone for 2 days and although I had these photos ready to post for Thanksgiving, I forgot to transfer them online to where I could access them from another computer! I still wanted to share the silliness of them.

We are heading to the store today to put up the outside Christmas lights which didn't get done last Tuesday. The weather is lovely.......partly cloudy, with more sun than clouds, and suppose to be in the high 60's today and tomorrow........perfect weather for outside decorating!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There are 3 more poems from the book "Mightier than Circumstance" and today's poem I had highlighted when I read the book the first time. I hope it is helpful.

BY THIS YOU'LL KNOW

by Frank B. Whitney

If we but seek the good in life,

Naught but the good we find.

For what we seek is seeking us,

Attracted to its kind;

And when it's evil that we see,

Forgetting Truth and Lord,

We should not feel at all surprised

If evil's our reward.

~~~~~

Now, if you see in some one else

That which is good and true,

You may be sure, by this same law,

There's something good in you.

If at some one you look, and think

That evil's lurking there,

You'll find that evil too exists

In your own heart somewhere.

~~~~~

How may you know your heart is pure

And you from evil free?

When you no longer criticize,

Nor evil in men see.

When you in others see the Christ,

No doubt will fill your mind

That you to heaven's gate have come;

For Christ in you you'll find.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

HAVE A DARING DAY!

Patience and Kindness

In light of the tragedy that happened this morning at the Walmart store in Long Island I think the below is appropriate. Good grief people, get a grip!

Love is patient and kind;
love does not envy or boast;
it is not arrogant or rude.
It does not insist on its own way;
it is not irritable or resentful;
it does not rejoice in wrong doing.
Love bears all things,
hopes all things,
endures all things...
so now faith, hope and love
abide, these three; but the
greatest of these is Love.
---I Corinthians 13:4-8

The rose bush in front of my in-law's house.....a darling nest made of twigs.


Hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving. We did. We are getting ready to head home in the next hour or so. No shopping for me today. Who would want to be out there in the crowds?!

Look at today's poem's title:

MY CHRISTMAS GIFT
by Frank B. Whitney

Along I sat, for I had left
gay friends amid a Christmas rush;
About me there were Christmas gifts,
my room displayed a festive air;
And then I felt a presence near
infold me in His holy hush---
The Man of Christmas came to me
as I sat dreaming in my chair.
"I bring to you your Christmas gift,"
He said to me in voice so low,
"I bring from heaven peace of mind,
I give you Truth that's understood,
I bless your tongue to speak the truth,
I go with you where'er you go,
I give you power to conquer wrong,
and give you power to see the good,
I fill your heart with heaven's love,
Your every need I will supply,
I'll' guide your feet where'er you walk,
since from my love you cannot drift."
The Man of Christmas passed from sight,
but in my heart I felt Him nigh
And as the Christmas bells rang out,
I thanked Him for my Christmas gift.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
HAVE A CREATIVE DAY!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

If you are going a long way,
go slowly.

--- Ilocano Proverb

Just a quick post to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving and well wishes for a wonderful day! I had some pics that I was planning to post today, but I didn't realize that I hadn't transferred them to a website that would let me access them while I was out of town!

Today's poem:
IT NEVER HAPPENED
by Frank B. Whitney

The mind of God, to Truth so true,
Can have no thought that limits you,
has not a record of mistakes---
Those memories which cause heartaches.
When you accuse yourself of sins,
the trouble in your heart begins,
Yet through it all, in heaven's sight,
You are God's child, your soul is white.
If in God's sight your "sin" were places,
You could not have your sin erased;
But God, of mind so pure and true,
Knows not of evil that you do.
If you but know that in God's mind
There's never thought of evil kind,
That sinful deed of yesterday
From memory'll be cleared away---
"It never happened" in God's sight.
No darkened thought obscures His light.
Since God is but your Father true,
He knows naught but the good of you.
His Truth endures though you may fall.
Then rise again, obey His call,
Cease blaming self. Just know what's true,
And say that he's "forgiven" you.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
HAVE A DAY FULL OF BLESSINGS!

Getting ready for Thanksgiving

I go to nature to be soothed

and healed and to have my

senses put in order.

--- John Burroughs

How is everyone today? Are you cooking dinner tomorrow? As I mentioned we are going to my in-laws and we have actually ordered a turkey dinner from Whole Foods! It will be neat to see how it tastes! I am making a salad - all organic - romaine lettuce, avocado, pomegranate seeds, pears and shredded carrots, with walnuts on the side as both Mike's Dad and brother are allergic to nuts. The walnuts are from our trees from last season (I have a few left) and they are large and delicious. This year's walnuts were small in size, probably from the extended drought. Anyway, it will be nice to get away (we are staying at a hotel) and to see everyone. :o)

I was a bad girl yesterday and broke down and purchased the shatterproof ornaments for the outside tree! We went by the Home Depot for something else and there they were, 1 container left of these colors and were on sale for 12.00. The colors were just too hard to resist and will save me time from having to hunt through all the boxes of ornaments for just the right ones. (this I told my husband, but he didn't buy my statement!)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After today's poem, there are 5 remaining.

WE SEE THE FACE OF GOD

by Frank B. Whitney

I know we see the face of God

when we behold a smile!

We look upon the face of man,

see God there all the while;

We see God's love there shining through

when smiles the happy soul,

And know that to reflect God's light

should be our aim and goal.

~~~~~

I like to see a happy face

that's tipped with heav'nly light,

A countenance that indicates

a heart whose thoughts are right;

And back of it I see a soul

where love just overflows,

A soul revealing freely Truth

that the illumined knows.

~~~~~

I like to meet a happy man

whose soul is in his face,

There Love personified behold,

see more of heavenly grace;

I think that heaven's messengers

come to a world distressed

When we meet others on the way

who give us peace and rest.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

HAVE AN ABUNDANT DAY!

End of the alphabet

If we can conquer
space, we can conquer
childhood hunger.
--- Buzz Aldrin

We are at the end of the alphabet. I don't know how many of you have noticed, but I have been going through the alphabet picking words to describe each day. We are at Z today. Did anyone look up yesterday's word? Yauld? (origin unknown) chiefly Scot (1786): Vigorous. Energetic.
~~~~~
I guess I am just another statistic because my friend and I really enjoyed Twilight! We were like "what are we 16?" :o) Now we will have to read the books and anxiously await the next movie.
~~~~~
Today, we are heading over to the store, although I have no expectations of getting anything done! I would like to hang the Christmas lights and put up the garland on the outside windows (there are 6 storefronts) but I will take each moment as it comes along and not get stressed! Hope all of you can do the same today as Thanksgiving dinner fastly approaches and you are wondering "can I get it all done and still be sane and enjoy?" Please do. I know, easy for me to say as I am not cooking dinner that day. :o)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Today's poem:

GOD ASKS BUT THIS
by Frank B. Whitney

That which your God requires of you---
'tis easy work for you:
He asks but this one simple thing:
that you be ever true,
He asks of you to think His Truth,
be true to Him and man,
Be ever thinking, living Truth---
be true as e'er you can.
~~~~~
God would that you be true to Him
and in return gives you
The best He has of heaven's wealth.
'Tis little that you do:
You think His Truth about yourself---
with health He compensates;
You think the Truth about His love---
He sets you free from hates.
~~~~~
God asks but that you think His Truth
and your reward bestows
Upon you as your peace and joy.
Along your way He goes.
God asks but that you think a thought---
but that thought must be Truth---
And in return He gives you wealth
and love and health and youth.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
HAVE A ZEALOUS DAY!

Christmas is coming! (no, duh!)

Then give to the world

the best you have,

And the best will

come back to you.

--- Madeline Bridges

I am starting to get the Christmas spirit! (although I have tried to keep it in my heart all through the year) Usually by mid-November it really hits me and by Thanksgiving week I really start to get excited. I have been listening to Christmas music, which I do even in the summer! (does anyone else do that?) And now that Mike is home, we can start on the outside Christmas lights. I have wanted one of the those "branch trees" with colored lights for the front porch for the past couple of seasons and actually purchased one last week. Now, to figure how to plug it in since usually the porch lights get plugged into the outside light by the door. I will place it in front of the dining room window so I can see it from the kitchen each night......also, I think I will break down and get a box of shatterproof ornaments to put on the branches. All different colors to really sparkle and glow. :o) Or, I have like a thousand glass ornaments that I should use. I'll have to really think about it. I have tried not to purchase items from China that I don't need, but have fallen way off the wagon the past few months......sigh.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I finished painting, but as I mentioned to Marie, after she said, "Enjoy sleeping in your dream bedroom!"

"Ah, my dream room. Unfortunately, it will not be that until the moldings are painted and put up.....curtains (beads for the closet are a good idea if push comes to shove.... I had planned to make those shell and crystal beaded ones for the kitchen that were in Nights in Rodanthe) Then to figure out the furniture, cuz what I have in there now is not the effect intended! And lastly, it needs either wood or tile floors cuz the green carpet clashes with the pink, blue and brown comforter.....It goes better with the yellow one. So, to be positive, at least I got it painted! Also, I am trying to figure out what to paint the moldings and doors. I thought the darker brighter blue for contrast, but then I am wondering white. I just don't want it to look too cape cod.....know what I mean. Anyway, I did get it painted today! It is very bright, but cheery.....looks better in the sunshine."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am going to another movie today with Cheryl. Twilight. I haven't read the books, but I am intrigued by it. Last season, I actually watched "Moonlight", but it was cancelled. The 2 lead characters were adorable together and the storyline wasn't that bad. I was disappointed it was cancelled, but for me, it was probably for the best, as I am trying not to get too involved with too many shows. (did that just make sense?!)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Today's poem:

I KNOW GOD ANSWERS PRAYER

by Frank B. Whitney

I know not how it will be done,

just how my God will answer prayer,

But I have faith the He will hear,

that He will know and He will care:

As my prayer ascends to heaven,

back will come the answer sure;

If I pray for strength and wholeness,

He will send His strength and cure;

~~~~~

If my need be food and shelter,

He will send His prompt supply;

If I ask for His assistance,

I can best on Him rely;

Ready, He, to lead my footsteps

at the branching of the road,

Ready, too, to take my burden

when it seems to be a load.

~~~~~

I know not how He works or answers,

know not how or when or why,

He has given His assurance

that He's with me, ever nigh,

Giving help and love and substance

when my heart lifts up its cry:

He will answer when I call Him,

to my side in need will fly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

HAVE A YAULD DAY!

Mike is coming home today

How beautiful the leaves
grow old. How full of light
and color are their last days.
--- John Burroughs

Mike is coming home today after being gone for 3 weeks.....yippee! I would like to say I have something special planned, but with all the painting and projects I have been working on the house is quite the mess! We will be going to his folks, 3 hours south of us, this Thanksgiving. All of his siblings, 1 sister and 2 brothers will be there too, so their whole family will be together which will be nice. I think I mentioned before that I am blessed to have such wonderful in-laws. I couldn't have asked for anyone nicer or kinder than Mike's parents. :o)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Today's poem ---

I LIVE IN THE LAND
OF THANKFULNESS
by Frank B. Whitney

I love the Land of Thankfulness
where blessings overflow;
I claim it as my native home,
most charming land I know;
And if I've need of anything,
no matter what it be,
I just give thanks with confidence
and see it come to me.
~~~~~
I like to live in Thankfulness---
would live there all my days;
Would let its spirit stir my soul
and fill my heart with praise.
I questioned once how I had found
a place of such a kind;
Knew I'd discovered it, because
I'd thankful thoughts in mind.
~~~~~
Oh, come with me to Thankfulness!
We ask but this of you:
That you be always thankful, friend---
but this is all you do.
And if there's anything you need,
no longer doubt or fear;
The thing you seek's awaiting you,
it surely will appear.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
HAVE A X-TRA-ORDINARY DAY!

More painting

Let us put our minds

together and see what

life we can make for

our children.

--- Sitting Bull

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As I mentioned yesterday, I finished priming the bedroom and I am hoping to start painting the new blue today. (I have a sore throat and don't know where it is leading) Here is the before and after pics. The 2nd pic shows how green it was before, as you can see by the door. The whole house is painted this green (which I still love) except my studio is pink. One day I will share that, but it is quite the disaster right now. :o)

BEFORE - TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHICH BLUE?

AFTER - PRIMED AND READY TO GO! I sure hope the blue I chose will be right after all.

CLOSE-UP OF BOTH COMFORTERS - Left is from Pottery Barn and the other from the Seventeen collection. Originally it was at JCPenney's, but they didn't have the right size so I found it online for, I still can't believe, 72.00 which included shipping! (one pillow at JCP was 29.99!) Oh yes, it was from Overstock.com which I had never purchased anything from them before. I got the queen comforter, bed skirt, 2 pillow shams, the 2 pillows and one curtain topper for 72.00!! That is why, when a friend showed me the comforter/quilt from Pottery Barn, I figured I could get both since I got such a great deal on the other and I hadn't really purchased anything new for the bedroom for almost 20 years! (Actually I did buy a new set for the guest room 10 years ago, but we haven't used it in this house as we don't have a guest room and it doesn't have the look I was going for in our bedroom) I still haven't found anything for the curtains......I also need something for the closet doors which had curtains too. We took off the mirrored closet doors when we moved in. I originally used large tablecloths that worked great, but I cannot find anything to match these 2 comforters! I think that is why I diddle-dallied along in getting the room painted........the effect will be lost without curtains to cover the windows and closet. But with the state of the union I am not too worried about my little ol' drapes! Something will turn up when it is suppose to.

These adorable pillows are what sold me on the first comforter...I love the pink, blue and brown color combos!

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We are getting towards the end of our poems from Mightier than Circumstance.

IN MY GARDEN

by Frank B. Whitney

Christ is walking in my garden

in the coolness of the day;

There He comes to wait my coming,

for at early morn we pray.

There we meditate together

as He sits right at my side,

Thinking of the heav'nly splendor

as we there in peace abide.

~~~~~

In the coolness of the morning,

at the early break of day,

All my thoughts of care and trouble

are forgotten, pass away.

In His presence there abiding

all my thoughts to Him are raised,

Every good He sees within me,

all the good in me is praised.

~~~~~

Christ is walking in my garden

when I come to morning prayer;

I am sure to find Him waiting,

when to Him I there repair.

In my heart this garden's blooming;

there in secret Him I find

When but thoughts of love I'm holding,

like the thoughts of His own mind.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

HAVE A WONDER-FILLED DAY!

Blue Paint

Be not afraid of growing slowly,

be afraid only of standing still.

--- Chinese proverb

Below are a couple of the before pictures of the blue patchwork bedroom. It all began in August after I saw the movie "Mamma Mia". The location and sets were just so absolutely gorgeous I just could hardly stand it! (I saw the movie 5 times!) Please let me move there right now! I am usually a pink, green and lavender kind of girl, but I was so inspired to paint our bedroom blue! The blue that was in the movie! Of course, it turned out the bedrooms in the movie were 2 different blues. One had more green in it and the other was almost periwinkle. (at least to me it looked that way) My friend and I immediately went to the paint store after we saw the movie the first time and started getting paint chips. (she was also going to paint her bedroom too) What a mistake that was....to make a long story short (I promise) 5 quarts and 2 gallons later I still hadn't picked the blue! And to make matters almost worse, I had purchased 2 lovely comforters in September that had blues in them and I was trying to match both so I could switch them back and forth! I'll post a pic of the comforters over the weekend. And as you can see in the one photo the curtains are Martha Stewart and I am afraid to say back from 1989! I have the comforter too and I have always love it, but time for a change. I never really decorated the bedroom when we moved here 3 years ago so again, it was really time for a change. We also took off the moldings and got just plain pine wood that I planned to paint another blue (who knows what color they will turn out to be, first things first) so it will have a kinda casual beach cottage feel, although I was also thinking of going towards romantic bohemian!
Well, I better wrap this up because it is becoming too long. I had to prime the walls to cover the blues and have pretty much completed that the past couple of days.......yippee! Now, if I can get to the actual painting, which I am hoping to start this weekend, I will really feel like I am getting somewhere.....slowly, but surely. :o)

A DAY WELL SPENT

A Prayer Poem

by Frank B. Whitney

O LORD, I pray Thee when tonight

I see the last of western light, that I

may have this sweet content: "Today

has been a day well spent"; that I

may feel I've lessened pain and grief

and want and mental strain of some

lone trav'ler, as I ought, by sharing

with him strength'ning thought; that

life to him has been more bright, and

that I come to greet the night with the

assurance that my aid has made an-

other less afraid, has helped him well

with courage strong throughout the

day, though seeming long; that by my

thought and help and word some one

has found the force that stirred him

to endeavor and to gain the prize he

cherished, without pain. If but to

one my strength was lent, I'll think

today's a day well spent. Amen.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

HAVE A VIVACIOUS DAY!

An Unburdened Day

This is the final test of a

gentleman or woman:

his or her respect for those

who can be of no possible

service to him or her.

---William Lyon Phelps

The above picture is my beloved cat Pansy. She came to us in 1999 and was probably a year old, so she celebrated her 10th birthday in September. She has brought me so much joy and love. She lets me carry her around like a baby and yes, I will say it, sing to her silly little songs. :o)

DOES IT MATTER?
by Frank B. Whitney

Does it matter, friend, I ask,
what other persons do?
What they think and what they say
can never injure you.
Nor their words or deeds unkind
can injure you the least,
If from unkind thoughts you're free,
from thinking fear have ceased.
~~~~~
Does it matter what another
says about you, friend?---
Thinking what another's thinking
never comes to end!
If you gave into his keeping
your own peace of mind,
You'd be slave and he'd be master---
to your freedom blind.
~~~~~
No, it matters not what others
say or think of you
If about yourself you're thinking,
always thinking true;
If you're steadfast to the vision
of the truth that lies
In your soul, men will behold it,
will good recognize.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
HAVE AN UNBURDENED DAY!

Trimmings

There is more to life than

increasing its speed.

---Mahatma Gandhi

First, I would like to say thank you to Zascha for leaving an anonymous comment yesterday. I don't have a way to send her a note, but wanted to say that I also love The Bee Movie too! I saw it twice and need to rent it and watch it again......it gave me such a chuckle! Thanks for reminding me!
As I mentioned before, I did some trimming outside with our "2nd chance" weather we have been having and had to show you the poor little rose bush I butchered the day before yesterday.
I am not a pruner in the sense of knowing what I am doing. I just start clipping away and before I know it, ta-da! These are old rose bushes that have probably been here for at least 10 years or longer. I actually would like to dig them up (I don't like the colors, bright orange and red), but that is another project for another day (or year!) Anyway, it reminded me of my grandfather, my father's father, my Nonno. While I was growing up, he lived in San Francisco and came down to Cupertino every Monday. For 3 years my Mom worked at a doctor's office so he would be alone for part of the afternoon and was always pruning something. When my Mom came home there would be another bush or tree practically gone! She would be so irritated, but what could she say? Nonno liked to be outside, but he lived in a flat in San Francisco and didn't have much outside space so I am sure he felt like he hit a gold mine coming down to sleepy little Cupertino. (this was the 60's when it was nothing but apricot and cherry orchards for miles and miles, not Silicon Valley)
So I guess I inherited that trait from him. Also, I know that if I get too particular in doing something it just doesn't get done......I lament over and over on how to do it just right......but I know I just have to get out and do it!

I had to take a picture of this little ol' lone tree out in the front. We planted 3 different trees 2 1/2 years ago for spring and fall color, but this is the only one that survived. I think it is a pistachio tree without the pistachios. (it is not the actual nut tree, but called something like that just the same) We planted one up in Fortuna that was lovely and grew more rapidly than this one is doing. Hopefully we will get more rain this winter to give it a boost (although I did water it during the hot summer months, but maybe not enough?)
Beyond the tree are several pear and apple trees that have been here forever it seems. Several are no longer producing and the others need to be pruned. By the time I get out there to pick what little fruit there is, the birds have already had breakfast, lunch and dinner!
I am finally working on painting the bedroom and will share more of that tomorrow. I have to prime the walls first as I had a patchwork of 6 colors of blue trying to figure out which one to use, trying to match it to the movie Mamma Mia! (another story) :o)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Today's poem ---

IF LIFE WERE BUT A DAY
by Frank B. Whitney

If all that we could know of life
need be but for a day,
If life were really one day long,
we'd make that one day gay;
We'd never take the time to frown,
to worry, or to sigh,
We'd get the good we could from life
before the day went by.
~~~~~
Some flowers grow that open wide
at dawn to bloom till night:
They keep their faces to the sun,
reflect its sunny light,
They shed their beauty, perfume sweet
on all who pass their way---
And all they ever know of life
is but a single day.
~~~~~
In Truth we've but today to live,
the present moment's all,
Tomorrow never seems to come---
it e'er eludes our call.
We need to get the good we can
from all today can give,
So let's resolve that we today
will love, rejoice, and live!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I love that poem...words to live by.
HAVE A TREMENDOUS DAY!

The Possum

What do we live for

if it is not to make life

less difficult for each other.

--- George Eliot

How do you like my pic? I know, not beautiful or uplifting, but I did want to show where that poor little possum ended up that I mentioned yesterday. I don't know how long he had been there, but less than 2 weeks. Can you see him? As I said yesterday, I was working in the garage the day before trying to make space for this swamp cooler that we use in my studio during the summer. Mike had placed it in front of the garage (which sits behind the house) before he left on his trip because he could not get it into the garage because of all of my "stuff." (well, some of it is his too I tell him!) I knew something was up because there were a lot of flies around and you could smell something, although when I looked into the open area I couldn't see anything. Finally after a couple of hours I got brave and took off the 2 side panels and there he was! Yikes! Now what? Last summer I had another possum die in front of one of the sheds and a friend came over and buried it for me. Mike was gone that time too......he must know when they are going to come over and die and leaves on a business trip! No, not really, but his trips have coincided both times. :o) Anyway, I happened to get in touch with Mike who said "well, we can't use that again". (it was just 2 years old) So I called our neighbor, who came over within a couple of hours and hauled it over to his place. He raises birds so he said he would get the poor little thing out and bury it and that he would use the cooler for his chick house in the summer! I said fine, whatever he wanted to do with the whole darn thing is great with me.....just thanks so much for getting it out of here! And that's all I have to say about that!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As I also mentioned, Cheryl and I saw The Secret Life of Bees yesterday afternoon. It was a great movie and I think considering the details of the book a good film adaption. It makes me teary-eyed to think of it. :o) The cast was awesome! I think today's poem is a reflection of the movie.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MAKING THE MOST OF LIFE
by Frank B. Whitney

I feel that he succeeds the best
who makes the most of life;
Who's not discouraged or defeated,
touched by stress and strife,
Who makes the most of what he has
will find that he succeeds;
The good he has just multiplies,
supplies him all he needs.
~~~~~
No life can be so barren, friend,
but that there's good somewhere;
We must then find the hidden good
and give it thought and care.
There's no career, no work to do,
but has its full reward,
If we but place our own affairs
in keeping of the Lord.
~~~~~
If you would make the most of life,
to what you have give praise!
But you must never once complain:
Be joyful all your days.
For you can make a big success,
nor once be touched by strife,
If you succeed with what you have
and make the most of life.
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HAVE A SPLENDID DAY!

The Secret Life of Bees or Frogs

Always buy a good bed and

a good pair of shoes.

If you're not in one,

you're in the other.

---Gloria Hunniford

British Talk-Show Host

I finally got most of my lavender bushes trimmed yesterday. I thought I better take advantage of this "2nd chance" weather we are having and get my butt out there and just do it. I have 2 old roses to trim too, that I will hopeful get done today. While I was out trimming I could hear the frogs croaking away. It was late morning and I was surprised to hear them out. Last night I could hear them through the kitchen window while I was doing the dishes at 10 pm! They are probably wondering what the heck is going on with this weather....can't a frog get some sleep!

These pictures were taken this past summer. The bottom 2 are of the same frog, he/she changed positions. I love frogs! These are little guys, but at our other house we had some wonderful large (maybe 4") toads. They were also a treat to see and hear. They slowly disappeared and I don't remember seeing them the last summer we were in that house. :o(

Oh, I forgot, which I don't know how I could....yesterday I found a dead possum in our swamp cooler! :o( Poor little thing! Happily, the cooler was already taken down for the season and up by the garage. There was no room in the garage to put it when Mike left(we usually store it there) and I was actually out there trying to move things around a bit to make room and could smell something. I'll continue with this "lovely" story tomorrow.

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Today I am going to see The Secret Life of Bees with my friend Cheryl. I finished the book this weekend and it was great! I can't wait to see how they do the movie, especially their hot pink house! Lots of popcorn is coming our way.........we basically just stuff ourselves when we go. :o)

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Today's poem:

EYES OF CHRIST

by Frank B. Whitney

Eyes of Christ, keep shining

Through these eyes of mine;

Keep my glance turned upward

To your glance divine.

~~~~~

Eyes of Christ, beholding

Beauty long concealed,

By your look celestial

All of good's revealed.

~~~~~

Eyes of Christ, enraptured

With the vision fair,

Share with me its splendor:

Goodness everywhere.

~~~~~

Eyes of Christ, illumined,

Wherein wisdom lies,

Let men see, reflected,

Your light in my eyes.

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HAVE A RADIANT DAY!