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Back in Florida

I'm arrived home safely Tuesday night. I left on Monday, rather than Tuesday because I had misread my calendar and needed to be home for an 8:00 appointment Thursday morning. On the way, I stopped by Mount Olive College in North Carolina. That's where Sarah graduated from. I spent the night with a good friend, visited a little bit on Tuesday morning, and left around 10. I did not intend to drive all the way home, but once I got started, I just kept on coming.

I had planned to stop at the last exit in Georgia, but when I got there it was only 4 and with the added daylight hours, I knew I wouldn't be driving too long in the dark. A comfortable car, straight roads, and flat land make a lot of difference.

I have much to remember from my month in Virginia, and I'll share a bit of that when I get a chance. There were two occasions that were meaningful. The first weekend I was there I went to a play that the high school students put on about the Holocaust. Another Saturday I went to a CF Education Day at UVA.

Right now, I'm still unpacking, realizing I don't need a sweater, and breezing by blogs, reading, but not always commenting. I'll get there.

Resurrection Morning

1-2 Early in the morning on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone was moved away from the entrance. She ran at once to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, breathlessly panting, "They took the Master from the tomb. We don't know where they've put him."

3-10Peter and the other disciple left immediately for the tomb. They ran, neck and neck. The other disciple got to the tomb first, outrunning Peter. Stooping to look in, he saw the pieces of linen cloth lying there, but he didn't go in. Simon Peter arrived after him, entered the tomb, observed the linen cloths lying there, and the kerchief used to cover his head not lying with the linen cloths but separate, neatly folded by itself. Then the other disciple, the one who had gotten there first, went into the tomb, took one look at the evidence, and believed. No one yet knew from the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead. The disciples then went back home.

11-13But Mary stood outside the tomb weeping. As she wept, she knelt to look into the tomb and saw two angels sitting there, dressed in white, one at the head, the other at the foot of where Jesus' body had been laid. They said to her, "Woman, why do you weep?"

13-14"They took my Master," she said, "and I don't know where they put him." After she said this, she turned away and saw Jesus standing there. But she didn't recognize him.

15Jesus spoke to her, "Woman, why do you weep? Who are you looking for?"
She, thinking that he was the gardener, said, "Mister, if you took him, tell me where you put him so I can care for him."

16Jesus said, "Mary."

Turning to face him, she said in Hebrew, "Rabboni!" meaning "Teacher!"

17Jesus said, "Don't cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go to my brothers and tell them, 'I ascend to my Father and your Father, my God and your God.'"

18Mary Magdalene went, telling the news to the disciples: "I saw the Master!" And she told them everything he said to her.

John 20, The Message

At the Cross

Rogier van der Weyden:
The Crucifixion
oil on panel, c. 1445
Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna

Alas! and did my Savior bleed
And did my Sovereign die?
Would He devote that sacred head
For such a worm as I?

Thy body slain, sweet Jesus, Thine—
And bathed in its own blood—
While the firm mark of wrath divine,
His Soul in anguish stood.

Was it for crimes that I had done
He groaned upon the tree?
Amazing pity! grace unknown!
And love beyond degree!

Well might the sun in darkness hide
And shut his glories in,
When Christ, the mighty Maker died,
For man the creature’s sin.

Thus might I hide my blushing face
While His dear cross appears,
Dissolve my heart in thankfulness,
And melt my eyes to tears.

But drops of grief can ne’er repay
The debt of love I owe:
Here, Lord, I give my self away
’Tis all that I can do.

At the cross, at the cross
Where I first saw the light.
And the burden of my heart rolled away.
It was there by faith I received my sight
And now I am happy all the day!

Cyberhymnal

Spring

For behold, the winter is past,The rain is over and gone.‘

The flowers have already appeared in the land;

The time has arrived for pruning the vines,

And the voice of the turtledove has been heard in our land.‘

The fig tree has ripened its figs,

And the vines in blossom have given forth their
fragrance.

from Song of
Solomon

The above photos are from a road trip to Nashville a couple of years ago in April.

Play Like

Did you ever play like...? When I was a little girl, my mother and daddy had a black 1936 Chevrolet. I don't know if they owned this car before World War II, but I remember it well after the war was over, and we had moved from Lacoochee to Bradenton. I remember road trips back to Lacoochee and up to Starke to visit my grandma and grandpa.

When I got a little older, I remember going out to the car on a Sunday afternoon, getting in the car, and playing like I was driving. There wasn't much to play with...the steering wheel, gear shift, brake and gas pedal, throttle, and the light dimmer, which as you folks who are as old as I am know was on the floorboard. I must have left the gas pedal alone because I don't believe the engine was ever flooded.

The other day it was nice out, and I asked Ella if she would like to go for a ride. I opened the rear door to put her in her car seat, and that was not what she wanted. She wanted to play in the car. I got in the front passenger side, and she spent probably 45 minutes going from the back seat to the front and back again and then to the rear cargo area. She discovered the mirrors that were on the visors. Every knob that could be turned was turned.

The next day when I got in the car to go to the store, the blinker was on, the display that shows the mileage came on, and I don't know what all. My car had passed the "Ella Test."

The above photo is from summer.

If Winter Come...

I wandered lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o'er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host, of golden daffodils;

William Wordsworth

This past weekend I went with my son, his wife, and Ella to Richmond. Sabrina was having lunch with some former co-workers, so we went along for the ride. What a delight upon nearing Richmond to see trees beginning to bud out. As we arrived at the home where she was having lunch, these lovely daffodils greeted us.

The weather was a real mix though. Within an hour's time, we saw clouds, felt some rain, saw the sun and felt the wind. As we drove home later in the afternoon, I kept looking at the thermometer in the car. When we left Richmond, it was 50. As we approached home, I looked and the temperature had dropped to 32. I pointed that out to David, and he said, "It can't be that cold." But when we got out of the car, it did indeed feel that chilly.

Today was pleasant, however. When I went outside with Ella this afternoon, I looked carefully at the maple tree in the yard, and I do believe I see the beginning of leaves.

By the way, can anyone tell me how to get ride of the centering when one uses Picasa to post? I do not know how to get my margin to the left. Thanks for any help.

Wanna play ball?

If only all children were as loved as this little girl. I've been my days reading to her, playing ball with her, doing puzzles with her, and coloring. Usually in the morning as her daddy is leaving for work, we sit and read books. Some of her favorite ones are those that have textures to feel, the soft bunny, the "ruff" paw of the dog. I brought along a pop-up book of nursery rhymes which we've been enjoying. Among her favorite characters are C*rious George and W*nnie the Pooh.

Who doesn't love George, the curious little monkey who finds himself in all kinds of situations and, amazingly works his way out of them. I remember that he was always a choice of the first graders that I taught when there was a book to be read. She has discovered Pooh and his friends through the video "The Many Adventures of W*nnie the Pooh." It's fun to watch her respond to the music and dance along as we watch together.

The days are getting nice so that we've been going outside. The days are sunny, but a little cool, not warm like Florida, but not snowy like my blogging friends in Canada continue to experience.

Spring is just about to pop out here. Hooray!

Where's Ella?

Here she is!

Things You Don't Hear Anymore

OK, so some of you aren't as old as I am. I was reminded that many of you were just born around 1955 and so you don't remember some of those things. This post would probably bring the same response.

I have the house to myself. Ella's off to a birthday party for a little girl who's turning one today. She's having a "Build a library" party. That sounds like a good idea, doesn't it.

I will get some pictures of Ella up. My hard drive is getting full, and I didn't get the last few loaded. I guess it is time for a new computer, or to spend some time cleaning out some files.

Enjoy these. I particularly identify with the one that speaks about 9 cents for a movie ticket. When I was growing up, I could get into the movie for 9 cents with a nickel for a candy bar. Mother always gave me 15 cents, so I had a whole penny change.

Be sure to refill the ice trays, we're going to have company after while.

Watch for the postman, I want to get this letter to Aunt Mary in the mail today.

Quit slamming the screen door when you are on your way out!

Be sure and pull the windows down when you leave, it looks like a shower is coming up.

Don't forget to wind the clock before you go to bed.

Wash your feet before you go to bed, they are nasty from playing outside all day barefooted.

Why can't you remember to roll up your pant legs? Getting them caught in the bicycle chain so many times is tearing them up.

You have torn the knees out of that pair of pants so many times there is nothing left to put a patch on.

Don't you go outside with your good school clothes on!

Go comb your hair; it looks like the rats have nested in it all night.

Be sure and pour the cream off the top of the milk when you open the new bottle.

Take that empty bottle to the store with you so you won't have to pay a deposit on another one.

Put a dish towel over the cake so the flies won't get on it.

Quit jumping on the floor! I have a cake in the oven and you are going to make it fall if you don't quit!

Let me know when the Fuller Brush man comes by, I need to get a few things from him.

You boys stay close by, the car may not start and I will need you to help push it off.

There's a dollar in my purse, get 5 gallons of gas when you go to town.

Open the back door and see if we can get a breeze through here, it is getting hot.

You can walk to the store; it won't hurt you to get some exercise.

Don't sit too close to the TV. It is hard on your eyes.

If you pull that stunt again, I am going to wear you out!

Don't lose that button; I'll sew it back on after awhile.

Wash under your neck before you come to the table, you have beads of dirt and sweat all under there.

Get out from under the sewing machine; pumping it messes up the thread!

Be sure and fill the lamps this morning so we don't have to do that tonight in the dark.

Here, take this old magazine to the toilet with you when you go, we are almost out of paper out there.

Go out to the well and draw a bucket of water so I can wash dishes.

Don't turn the radio on now, I want the battery to be up when the Grand Ole Opry comes on.

No! I don't have nine cents for you to go to the show. Do you think money grows on trees?

Eat those vegetables, they'll make you big and strong like your daddy.

That dog is NOT coming in this house! I don't care how cold it is out there, dogs just don't come in the house.

Sit still! I'm trying to get your hair cut straight and you keep moving and it is all botched up.

Hush your mouth! I don't want to hear words like that! I'll wash your mouth out with soap!

It is time for your system to be cleaned out. I am going to give you a dose of castor oil tonight.

If you get a spanking in school and I find out about it, you'll get another one when you get home.

Quit crossing your eyes! They will get stuck that way!

Soak your foot in this pan of coal oil so that bad cut won't get infected.

When you take your driving test, don't forget to signal each turn. Left arm straight out the window for a left turn; left arm bent up at the elbow for a right turn; and straight down to the side of the door when you are going to stop.

It is: "Yes Ma'am!" and "No Ma'am!" to me, young man, and don't you forget it!