Do you think spring is coming?

 There's still snow on the ground, but our temps are getting up in the 30's and 40's during the day, so that's a good sign. March is usually a snowy month for us, but I have been able to get out and walk down my road a couple of times this week. The shoulder of the road is finally free of ice! We have four swans that fly over a couple of times each day. They are so impressive and their voices are lower than those of the geese. The grands stand out in their yard and wave at the big birds! :)

Speaking of grands, they've been having fun with a YouTube site called Art for Kids Hub. If yours haven't discovered it you might want to give it a try. Here are some samples of what they've drawn.

By Audrey (age 9)

Also Audrey

A Della original (age 5)

Audrey (Hazel decorated the background)

By Hazel (age 8)

Not sure which artist made this one!

I'm just doing the usual: a little artwork, reading, watching YouTube, walking, running to town with Micah and the kids or by myself occasionally. I've been a little under the weather since Monday, but nothing serious. Feeling tired, but that's probably a combo of the slight sickness and the after effects of walking. Who can know? I take things pretty easy most of the time. :)

I'm considering signing up for Faith Voices, which is something our new worship leader is starting. As close as I can tell he just wants to gather a group of people, ages 12 and up, who are willing to sing now and then for special services or to help with the worship. I've been on hiatus for years, but this might be a good time to jump back in. The main reason for my hesitancy is driving after dark, but I can probably manage that. It would be nice to get more involved at church. I am on the prayer chain, which is also a good way to be involved. It's 15 miles to church, so it's too easy to think up excuses not to participate. I need to give myself a big nudge!

Just got this in the mail. It might be my next read. It's another Rod Dreher book. Now, I'm not sure if Rod is an Orthodox Christian or Catholic. I've noticed icons in the background when I watch his YouTube videos. But in any case, I like his common sense, conservative views on things and I'm interested to see what he has to say in this book.

Did I show you this book, which I also received recently? I read this back in my early 20s and wanted to revisit it. The story of a young Danish woman which I think took place in the 1940's. She felt the call of God to go to Jerusalem, though she wasn't even familiar with the place. She ended up rescuing orphans and it's a fascinating story of how that came about. (True story.)

Woodpecker couple... (I'm not sure if you can see the one up by the feeders?)

I did some negative painting for a Watercolor Postcard (4"x6") swap.

These four are for a Bunnies and Rabbits of Spring swap. Ordinarily, I wouldn't cut up a Richard Scarry book, but this paperback copy was all crumpled and looked like someone had run over it with a truck. So, I decided to salvage some of the cute little illustrations and give them a new lease on life. 

The grands sledding on the little "hill" created when their dad plowed the driveway, ha ha. They have to drive a couple of miles to find a good hill for sledding, so they make do between times.

For a Bird swap.

Yesterday morning's moon...

I found this cute little book at the thrift store. Have I already shown it? I didn't realize what it was at first. The language it was written in looked familiar, but it didn't register right away. Then I saw some English phrases on the copyright page.

It's a little Greek New Testament!

I guess it will live on my shelves unless one of you knows someone who would love to have it? (I like to rescue foreign language books. Sometimes for collage, but not if it's a Bible!)

Well, I think I've wrung my memory card dry, so I will bring this post to a close. 

Oh, Pom Pom, I'm still looking forward to a visit from The Jolly Postman. I know he'll get here in his own good time! :)

MK, none of that bragging about being out in your vegetable garden, okay? Those of us in the north are sensitive about that sort of thing.

I'll be visiting, y'all! 

God bless and shalom to everyone!

Finished!

 Looks like it's been a whole month since I last posted! Sorry for being so postally lazy! 

You might recall that a month ago I had just begun a 1,000 piece puzzle. Well, I finished it yesterday. Is that a long time to take on a puzzle? It was challenging and, of course, I was wondering all the while if all the pieces were there. Someone had made a note on the box that said the pieces were "All Here". Sure enough, they were! I may pass this along to Adam's mom who likes to do puzzles. I think it's rather striking and was thinking it might be fun to paint wood carvings. Probably won't, but it looks like it would be fun. :)

It turned out to be 29" by 19". 

It'll be good to have my table back! I think I've had enough of puzzles for a while.

I've been doing a lot of You Tube watching and reading, plus a little exercising. I've gained back a few pounds, so I'd better cut down on the snacking and do more of the exercising!

Is everyone staying warm? It's been well below zero, in our area, for the past couple of weeks. (-25 to -35 or so at night; staying below zero during the day.) Beginning today I think we're crawling above zero during the day. Hopefully we're coming out of the deep freeze and we'll be making our way toward spring. I know there's been some bad freezing rain and snow in Texas. I'm getting news from several family members down there. Rolling blackouts, single digit temps, snow and ice. Praying you can all stay home until the roads are safe and that your heat will stay on!

Good reading weather! I'll check on what you're all reading after I finish this blog post. I finished The God Who Is There by Francis Schaeffer. There's some good stuff in there, but I'll be the first to admit it was hard slogging for this old brain. By the way, I just ordered The Hidden Art of Homemaking by his wife, Edith Schaeffer. In fact, it looks like it was delivered to my post office box yesterday, so I'm looking forward to that. I read it MANY years ago when I was a young home schooling mom, and I remember loving it. I also ordered a copy of Appointment in Jerusalem by Lydia Prince which I read even longer ago and have wanted to re-read for a long time. Finally found a really cheap copy, so I grabbed it. Currently, I'm still working on Live Not By Lies: A Manual for Christian Dissidents by Rod Dreher and Down the Garden Path by Beverley Nichols, because you have to have some sunshine along with your more serious books. :) I'm also still reading occasionally from Evidence That Demands a Verdict by Josh McDowell, but that's a long term book. Kind of like reading an encyclopedia. Really interesting, but you need to take it in short bursts.

In Live Not by Lies Rod Dreher interviews many people who have lived under totalitarianism and is finding out how they survived with their Christian faith intact. A subject I've long been interested in and something we can learn from. I'm only a third of the way through it, but so far I recommend it!

I had thought that I might work my way back through my collection of Beverley Nichols books, but I may have too many others I want to read first!

Beverley Nichols...

I love reading about his English gardens and cottage. I am noticing, as I re-read Down the Garden Path, that he makes a slightly off color comment now and then. But on the whole, lovers of things English will find him charming.

Oh, and I finished The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek quite a while ago. It was a fascinating story, but darker than I was expecting.

 I'll finish up with my cards. I keep thinking I'll quit making them for a while, but then I see something that looks like it would be fun. I think I just like being involved with the group and having a deadline and a goal. :)

The Mushroom Swap:

The Yeti Swap:

The Rhyme Time Swap. For instance...

Dragon in a Wagon

Mermaid with a Lampshade

Map with a Flap

Map with a Flap...filled with (s)crap(s).

And a Norse Horse.

Children with Wings Swap: (Strange but true!)

Clearance Swap. Any cards you've made and didn't use in a swap for one reason or another. I never have extra cards, so I made some new ones.

I think this was just a Butterfly Swap:

These were also for the Clearance Swap.

The Green Houses Swap. (House shaped cards with a green theme.)

Postage Stamp ATC (Art themed stamp)

Flowers and Something Extra swap.

All the usual bird people are visiting. I had six big fat blue jays perching in the bare top of my bird feeder tree the other day. Of course, they refused to pose for a picture, but they looked so beautiful against the blue sky! I did get a few pics of Phil the Pil...and a little guy at the bottom of the tree, ha ha.

In my Bible study I've begun making myself an outline of each book. I don't know about you guys, but I've given up on memorizing scripture. It's a good thing to do, but my brain just doesn't retain it! So, I thought at least I could have an outline of each book so I can locate the teaching that I'm looking for. I'm sure someone has already done this and I'm doing it the hard way, but I think that's the point. Writing it down is part of the fun! I'm just putting the chapter number (circled) and then copying down the headings that the translators put in as a guide to find various stories. And, of course, I'm reading a few chapters each day. Trying to go very slowly and mull over each verse. Isn't it amazing how God can show you something new even though you've read a verse many times? Kinda supernatural, ya know? :)

Micah and I drove to Walmart on Valentine's Day evening while Adam was home with the kids. Best Valentine's Day present ever! We had a great time visiting, getting a Caribou, and doing our shopping. Adam's good about letting Micah get out of the house for some peace and quiet. She has quite a noisy brood around her all day. For us, a shopping trip is fun and quite exotic enough, ha ha.

Hope you are all well! Stay warm and may your homes and hearts be filled with the shalom of God! I'll be around to visit blogs soon! :)