April 30, 2002

We woke up just like any other day. Don got ready for work and was off, and I went over to church to answer the phones while the staff was in its weekly meeting. I came home at noon, checked some e-mail, and after a while started to get ready to go to the gym. When I got up from the desk, I looked out the window to see my pastor's wife coming to the door.

I welcomed her in, and she told me, "We need to sit down." And then the date April 30 was etched in my mind forever. Don's life had been taken in an accident. Seven years have passed. Each year, not just on the date, but leading up to it, emotions still run the gamut.

This is my favorite photo of him. Sarah posted it on her Faceb*ok page tonight, remembering her dad. I had often kidded him that when he died, I was going to lay him out in his work clothes because that was the way that most people knew him. I didn't, but I often wished I had. That was what he was most comfortable in. I know most of you have read my previous posts about Don, but if you haven't, you can find them here and here.

Round - Carmi's Theme

During my visit with Ella in February, we were reading her little Highlights magazine, and there was a story about marbles in it. I told her that on a future trip, I would bring some marbles, and we would play some games. She went right upstairs, opened the closet door, and brought out a bag of marbles. Since we were upstairs, I told her, we would play with them on the bed. That way they wouldn't roll too far away. Even with that precaution, some of them ended up on the floor, rolling away.

When I told Ella's mom we were playing with them, and I was afraid that they might be some kind of keepsake, she said they were left over from some craft project that she had done, and she had no idea that Ella even knew where they were. I'll tell you, there is not much that the girl misses.

Carmi's photographic theme this week is "round," and I figured I better get this post up before time runs out. Visit his site for more photos of "round."

Unwanted visitors

In a post a while ago, I wrote about taking the garbage out late one night. I moved the garbage can, and underneath it was a little snake, just a grass snake I thought. When he saw him, he coiled up and got ready to strike. I know that the snakes can only strike the length of their bodies, so I wasn't too frightened, but I did cut him in two pieces with a shovel. I'm assuming it was a pygmy rattler.

Kenju wrote in her post today about a boarder who seems to have taken up residence under her deck. This in turn has attracted a fox who seems to be interested.

Neither of these visitors compares with the visitor in the video below. It was on our local news this past week.

Floral - Carmi's theme - 2

But a weed is simply a plant that wants to grow where people want something else. In blaming nature, people mistake the culprit. Weeds are people's idea, not nature's.-

Anonymous

Floral-Carmi's theme

When I drove to Virginia a couple of weeks ago, I saw spring in its many different stages. In north Florida, I saw the trees bursting forth with new green leaves. I arrived at my friend's home in North Carolina where there was a fair amount of new life. As I traveled further north and arrived at my son's house, some of the tulips and daffodils were out, but not a whole lot else.

Having lived in Florida and Haiti for most of my life, where we, of course, have the four seasons, it is hard sometimes to distinguish one from the other. We have deciduous trees, but the season is so quick when their leaves fall. The new ones are there immediately. The spring green is there when one takes the time to notice.

And so I have enjoyed these two weeks of seeing new life erupt everywhere I look, and when I return in a few weeks, everything will be in full bloom, awaiting the summer season. Ella and I have enjoyed walking around the neighborhood, enjoying the flowers and listening to the birds singing. The robins have been bobbing about. She thinks they should be still while she approaches them.

Look around you - winter is over.

the winter rains are over, gone!

Spring flowers are in blossom all over.

The whole world's a choir—and singing!

Spring warblers are filling the forest

with sweet arpeggios.

Lilacs are exuberantly purple and perfumed,

and cherry trees fragrant with blossoms

Song of Solomon 2

For more photos of flowers, visit Carmi's blog.

Love at First Sight!

On this day in history the Titanic sank, Abraham Lincoln was shot, and David Whitcomb was born. Someone who shares David's birthday sent me a note with those facts tonight. I must say that the only one that I was aware of was the important one...David's birthday.

Tax day...isn't that a birthday to have! It happens that the year David was born, it happened to be Easter Sunday, so that took some of the edge off of tax day. My good friend, Sara, who worked in accounting was in her office that Sunday. I knew she would be. I called her after he was born, and she said to me, "He may be the Easter bunny this year, but from now on, he'll be Form 1040."

The years pass by so quickly, don't they. The little boy who hurried his appearance into the world has brought much joy to me and his father. His sister likes him just a little too. Now he's all grown up with a family of his own.

Happy birthday, David...the big 3-0. You are making your mother feel very old, but very proud. I loved the little boy that you were, and I love and respect the man that you have become.

He is Risen-He is Risen Indeed

Warm Easter Greetings to you all this morning! Rejoice!

I attended a Good Friday service this evening. It used to be that these services were at noon on Friday, and businesses closed or let employees off to attend. Some still do; that is, allow people to attend services during the day, but many churches have gone to an evening service.

There was no preaching tonight, simply the contemplation of God's love pouring out for us, sinners as we are. We sang a couple of contemporary songs, but most were the old hymns that I learned as a child. I love to be able to sing without having to look at the words. The song below is one that we sang. I found the words here, and in reading the verses, found a couple that I have never seen in a hymn book.

Beneath the cross of Jesus I fain would take my stand,
The shadow of a mighty rock within a weary land;
A home within the wilderness, a rest upon the way,
From the burning of the noontide heat, and the burden of the day.

O safe and happy shelter, O refuge tried and sweet,
O trysting place where Heaven’s love and Heaven’s justice meet!
As to the holy patriarch that wondrous dream was given,
So seems my Savior’s cross to me, a ladder up to heaven.

There lies beneath its shadow but on the further side
The darkness of an awful grave that gapes both deep and wide
And there between us stands the cross two arms outstretched to save
A watchman set to guard the way from that eternal grave.

Upon that cross of Jesus mine eye at times can see
The very dying form of One Who suffered there for me;
And from my stricken heart with tears ,two wonders I confess;
The wonders of redeeming love and my unworthiness.

I take, O cross, thy shadow for my abiding place;
I ask no other sunshine than the sunshine of His face;
Content to let the world go by - to know no gain or loss,
My sinful self my only shame, my glory all the cross.

I read today in several posts "It's Friday, but Sunday's coming." Hallelujah!

What a Savior

Man of sorrows, what a name

For the Son of God, who came

Ruined sinners to reclaim.

Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Bearing shame and scoffing rude,

In my place condemned He stood;

Sealed my pardon with His blood.

Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Guilty, vile, and helpless we;

Spotless Lamb of God was He;

“Full atonement!” can it be?

Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Lifted up was He to die;

“It is finished!” was His cry;

Now in Heav’n exalted high.

Hallelujah! What a Savior!

When He comes, our glorious King,

All His ransomed home to bring,

Then anew His song we’ll sing:

Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Edible--indeed!

One of the treats of the trip to St. Augustine was shopping--window shopping for me. There were many appealing shops to visit. One that I especially enjoyed had all things related to cats. Another one was this chocolate shop. My mouth watered; my eyes danced at the sights, but I resisted. I asked the clerk if she minded my taking some photos, and she said, "Go right ahead." I'm sure she figured it might be good advertisement.

Edibles in all forms. Carmi's theme this week is "edible." Whose taste buds wouldn't be tempted by all this chocolate in its many forms.

As I turned to leave the store, I passed by shelves of shirts, all singing the praises of chocolate. I especially enjoyed this one.

Places I've Been

About three weeks ago, I boarded a bus and headed for the east coast of Florida visiting the historic city of St. Augustine. I had the opportunity to go with a group of retired educators and miscellaneous retirees. It is nice to let someone else do the driving for a change, although there were parts of the trip when I wished I hadn't been on the bus. When we got to St. Augustine, I thought we would get off and have a tour by trolley around the city. Instead the tour we were with had the bus driver drive around the city while the tour guide lectured. The lecturer was really good, but it was sometimes hard to see.

After the ride around the city on the bus, we did have time to go for lunch and to walk around the city. The historic section is quite small, and one can easily walk to all the places where we had been by bus. Riding around and walking around the city brought back the memories of when we took our children there when we were younger. There are some things that never change.

The delightful way to see the city would be in the horse-drawn carriage as you see here. Even though it was close to spring break time, it was not terribly crowded, and that was a nice thing. Pleasant weather and a good companion made the trip very enjoyable. I roomed with a lady from New York who is down for the winter. She, like I, am a widow, and we found that we had so much in common. For not knowing each other before going on the trip, we got along famously.

I could not resist taking this photo. I wonder how many of these are given out these days.

Reflective

Carmi's theme this week is "reflective." I really didn't need an excuse to post this photo, but it fits the theme, and it is one of my favorite photos of Ella. I have tried since that day to get more photos of her showing her reflection, but she's too quick these days. Is she cute, or what!

Some have asked where I've been...a little bogged down, a little lazy, spending too much time on Facebook. I do read everyone's blogs, even if I don't take time to comment. Our Sweet Adelines chorus is on its way to competition this weekend in Daytona Beach, and then I'm on my way to Virginia for a couple of weeks with Ella. See you then.