The Cottage on the Hill

www.art.com 1. A single white crocus 2. The porch is open! 3. The almost unbearable urge to clean and garden. 4. Garage sales have started popping up 5. Motorcycles.....the first one I saw was a little on the loud side and the rider was without a helmet. 6. Mud inside and out! 7. Leaky basement 8. Clothes drying outside 9. Walks 10. Birds singing........... Which brings me to my woodpecker! I have a crested woodpecker living in the woods next door. He's made a feast of the bugs living in the white pine that was struck by lightening a couple years ago. I had never seen one before, and this year I've seen two already! Don't you just love spring!?

Bubby's birthday was just a few days ago. His party was on Saturday. Everyone had a great time! We managed 19 people in our 880 square foot cottage! The original guest list had 25! Anyhoo...the theme was construction. My sister came over and helped me decorate with orange and yellow balloons and streamers. We even had streamers that looked like crime scene tape that said "birthday zone." I made a #1 that looked like a construction sign and put pictures of Bubby in it from birth to 1 year. My sister decorated the cake with construction equipment candles in a scene of a road, river and construction site. Hubby decorated outside with road cones and a "flaggers ahead" sign he borrowed from work. The children guests received their own plastic hard hats and sippy cups in the shape of road cones. Even the punch was orange! Donald was so well behaved and received so many wonderful gifts. I put him to bed after cake and ice cream before a melt-down occured. He slept soun...

Just a reminder that this blog is still open. I haven't given it up. I just have two blogs now! To see my other blog, just go to: allthingsfeminine.blogspot.com

I read an article in Parade magazine that comes in a local Sunday paper about the top 10 worst inventions (reader-led poll). Here are some of them: 5) Television“For the greatest promise betrayed,” explains Bob Altman of Mount Pleasant, S.C. “TV has desensitized the world to violence; reduced political discourse to sound bites; fostered short attention spans, sedentary lifestyles and crass materialism; and demeaned women and fathers.” 6) Video Games“As a schoolteacher, I see how video games have shifted children from interaction to isolation with their controllers,” writes Lynn Hatch of Park City, Utah. 10) Cell Phones“On the plus side, they’ve made us instantly available anyplace, anytime,” notes Nina Cooper of Las Vegas. “On the minus side, they’ve made us instantly available anyplace, anytime.” Adds Bill James of Austin, Tex.: “They ruin our personal time. Both your boss and your client want you to be reachable. A quiet dinner with the family? A movie? Fuhgettaboutit!” Another read...

Yesterday was my dear maternal Grandfather's birthday. He is a sweet man of God who unfortunately suffers from Parkinsons and Dementia. However, his legacy lives on. My Grandfather has been there through thick and thin. He's provided for not only his immediate family, but his extended family when circumstances arrived. He gave up peaceful vacations to take along squirmy grandkids, all on his own dime. He graciously took his granddaughters to the mall and put up with their silliness to buy them new garments and/or toys so they wouldn't feel left out at school. He would take out his entire extended family for dinner just so we could all be together. His home was always open. Even though his mind is being ravaged by this disease, he still enjoys the sight of his great-grandchildren (9 on earth, and 5 in Heaven that we know of). He helped friends and church without complaint or hesitation. He was a wonderful husband to his dear wife who now cares for him in their home. He worke...

I read in the paper and heard on the news that there is a significant rise in my state of public and private school teachers who molest their students. Most cases usually involve teenagers, but recent attacks involved first grade students. 6 and 7 year olds! It is my job to protect my children. How can I do that if I can't even trust the school system?

I admit, I've never read through the Bible. There are many chapters I never even looked at. So, this year I am reading through the Bible. It is actually easier than I thought. I only need to read several chapters a day. I've also decided to read cover to cover rather than jumping about. This makes more sense to me. Thank you, Jesus for convicting me to read Your Word! My March prayer is for single moms. There is such an epidemic of single mothers. My prayers go out to them.