An early-morning walk is a blessing for the whole day. Henry David Thoreau
Walking is the perfect way of moving if you want to see into the life of things. It is the one way of freedom. If you go to a place on anything but your own feet you are taken there too fast, and miss a thousand delicate joys that were waiting for you by the wayside. Elizabeth von Arnim

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Sunday, March 26, 2023

Sunday

Three sunsets from my front porch from this past week.





🎶 🎶 How Can It Be? 🎶 🎶
Avis B Christiansen

1. O Savior, as my eyes behold
The wonders of Thy might untold,
The heav'ns in glorious light arrayed,
The vast creation Thou hast made.
And yet to think Thou lovest me,
My heart cries out how can it be?

Chorus

How can it be?
How can it be?
That God should love
A soul like me,
O how can it be?

2. As at the cross I humbly bow
And gaze upon Thy thorn crowned brow,
And view the precious bleeding form
By cruel nails so bruised and torn,
To know Thy suff'ring was for me,
In grief I cry, how can it be?

3. How can it be? How can it be?
Was ever grace so full and free!
From heights of bliss to depths of woe
In loving kindness Thou didst go,
From sin and shame to rescue me,
O love divine how can it be?
 
📖 Psalm 40:2-3 📖

 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, 
out of the miry clay, 
and set my feet upon a rock, 
and established my goings.

 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, 
even praise unto our God: 
many shall see it, and fear, 
and shall trust in the LORD.

A Blessed Sunday to all.
Jesus Loves You❤️
👩🏻‍🦳happyone🙂

Saturday, March 25, 2023

An afternoon walk

 This morning when I woke up it was 35 degrees,  
raining, foggy, and windy.
Sunrise 7:12
Figured I'd get soaked walking so didn't walk this morning.
It was supposed to warm up and stop raining later so I waited
and went for my walk after lunch.

This morning I did my everyday house chores and then finished
reading The Madness of Crowds by Louise Penny.
Wanted to finish it so I could drop it off at the library when
I went walking later which I did.
Also dropped off a DVD.
An old show called Simon and Simon - only watched a couple
episodes, just too corny!!!

Didn't look at my step count before I started walking so didn't
get the step count but did walk 5.6 miles.
The temperature was 43 degrees and windy.
My walk started out foggy and then finally the sun came out.


Walked around town, the ball park and both cemeteries.
Though it was nice to get out and walk, it is just not the
same as walking in the morning watching a new day begin.

 I followed a couple of geese up the road to the cemetery.
They went in the field as I passed by.


Never a lot a cars about town but a Saturday afternoon there
are even fewer with no one going to work or school.

Didn't see anyone else out walking.

Took this picture when I started out.


And this is from the same spot at the end of my walk.


We ran out of ice cream a couple of days ago and still haven't gotten any.
 (nothing on sale)
We've been eating cookies for our evening snack and today I made
chocolate pudding for later.
That's good too, not as good as ice cream but I'll put some whipped
cream on it and it will do just fine.

Thanks for stopping by.
Happy Saturday
👩🏻‍🦳happyone😀

Contentment is just the realization that God has already provided for me today 
all that I need for my present peace and happiness.
- Nancy Leigh Demoss -

Friday, March 24, 2023

A walk in the rain

45 degrees this morning when I walked and it poured down
rain the whole time.
Sunrise 7:14
Walking Steps 12,921

Wore my rain slicker and rain pants and since there was no wind
I used my umbrella too.
That kept my face dry so no water got down my neck so I stayed
nice and dry.  The only thing that got wet was my feet and with it not
being cold I was fine with that.
Happy to report no lightning and thunder today.

One good thing about the rain is that the Jeep got a washing.
It was filthy with all the salt but the rain washed it all away.

Didn't expect to see anyone else out and I didn't.

Walked around town up and down all the streets.
Walking around the ball park loop here.


Walking down from the upper cemetery in this picture.


Didn't walk around the other cemetery because the tracks where
I walk were little streams of water.


Even though it was raining I had a good walk and it was nice
listening to the rain on my umbrella. ☔️

🌨    🥾    🙂    💦

Today I straighten up the pantry. 
It was pretty good already and mainly organized the baking shelf.
I have a pretty good sized pantry and all the little kitchen 
appliances fit in nicely as well as all the food.
Put some things that I don't use very often up on the higher shelf.
I also put some nuts, chocolate chips and craisins that were opened
in some mason jars.

This afternoon I read and knitted.

Friday so it was pizza day again.
Bread machine making the dough and Ken making the actual pizza.

A rainy day and was very foggy for a couple of hours
this afternoon.

Thanks for visiting.
Happy Friday
👩🏻‍🦳happyone😊

He who knows that enough is enough will always have enough.
- Lao Tzu -

Thursday, March 23, 2023

Rain, Thunder and Lightning

 48 degrees this morning when I left and raining with a bit of a breeze.
Sunrise 7:16
Just a tad over 5,000 for my walking steps.


Don't mind walking in the rain but when I saw lightning and heard
thunder I headed back to the Jeep and home.

🥾     ⛈    🙂  

We didn't go food shopping on Tuesday because we didn't need
anything but had to get a few things so we had to go today.
This week we went to Casslemans Market.
In the same shopping center there is a hardware store and
we had to go in there too.
This sign was in front.
Makes you stop and think.


Went home and dropped off the groceries and put them away and
then we headed out again to the library here in town.
Picked up a couple DVD's and my book club book.

We've had bursts of rain all day and the wind has picked up again.
After being out in the morning it was nice to be home
this afternoon to read and knit.

Haven't seen deer out back for a while but today 5 of them all in a row
walked passed the bedroom window and continued on into the woods.

Thanks for visiting.
Happy Thursday
👩🏻‍🦳happyone🙂
  

Wednesday, March 22, 2023

Another good day

Good Morning 

A nice 38 degrees this morning, calm, and cloudy.
Sunrise 7:16
Walking Steps 13,227

As I pulled into the parking lot at the pond there were two deer milling about.

While it was dark I walked up and down the main street
under the street lights.

Then up up to the cemetery for a couple loops around there.
Also walked over to the big barn to see the cows and bulls.

Continued on over to the ball park and on the way there
saw that they were spreading hay all around the building site
so the mud wouldn't be bad.


The fire alarm went off and I saw the fire truck leave town.

Headed back through town and then around the other cemetery.
KitKat was there and came over to say hi and for a pet.
He is so hard to get a picture of because he never stands still!
He looks fat but isn't, he is just nice and fluffy.


Most mornings a man in a pickup waves to me.
I met him today when he was just getting into his truck.
His name is Adam and he grew up around here.
He is also a volunteer fireman and told me he just got back
from a fire call.
Nothing serious, an engine fire and no one was hurt.
I told him every time I see the fire truck go out I say a little prayer.
He thanked me!!

Didn't see anyone else out walking.
I must be just a little bit earlier than the others.

When I got back to the parking lot to go home I saw
this car parked there which I've never seen before.


Another great walk around my town.


🥾    ☁️    🙂    🌷

No sunshine today but it was in the 50's again.
I went out and started picking up all the deadfall and adding
it to the natural fences I've been making.
After the winter and the many windy days there is a lot to pick up
and will keep me busy.
Once I get caught up with the areas I've already done I'll expand the
area I clear.

Thanks for visiting.
Happy Wednesday
👩🏻‍🦳happyone😀

Comment Replies:
Deb - We distribute these tracts locally.

Connie - I don't need any motivation to go walking alone. 🙂 I'd rather walk alone!! I can go where and whenever I want at my own speed. I think I meet so many people walking because I do walk alone. On your own I also think you notice things more.  Talking to someone while walking would be a distraction to me. 

Tuesday, March 21, 2023

Cold to Warm

Clear and 22 degrees this morning for walking. 
Nice to see the sun once it 
rose at 7:18
Walking Steps 13,122

Walked first to the library again and dropped off a DVD.
Continued on to the main road and went to the Dollar General.
Since I was in the area I thought as might as well walk around the industrial park.
Nice and flat, no cars and peaceful.


Next walked behind our old house in town again.
This old barn back there is starting to slowly deteriorate.


From there I walked over to the ball park and around the loop
and then headed up to the cemetery.

On the way back down stopped at the pond and took a picture
of the future home sites from this end.
The brush continues to burn with the smoke going in the opposite direction today. 
Bulldozers are digging up the stumps.


One day I'll be taking a picture of the houses reflected in the pond.

Didn't see anyone else walking this morning.
Though it was cold, it was sunny and I was nice and warm in all my layers.

🥾    😀    🌷    ☀️

The last couple of days we have counted out 10 gospel tracts and put
 rubber bands around them and stacked them in piles of 5.
Each pile has 50 tracts. 
April is tract month at our church and though we do give out tracts
throughout the year this is when the whole church gets involved with it.
We put them in groups of 10 so it easy to keep track of how many we have.
We did three boxes and there were three more that others did.


It warmed up nicely this afternoon to 55 so I went out for a walk
around Happy Trails.
The long white roof you can kind of see through the trees in the
middle of the picture is Farmer Marvin's big barn.


I'm walking down David and Liz's driveway here just getting 
to the lane on my way home.


Thanks for visiting.
Happy Tuesday
👩🏻‍🦳happyone🙂

Comment Replies:
Terra - the lot is being cleared of the trees to build a few houses.  Not to worry we have LOTS of trees around here. 🌲🌲🌲

Monday, March 20, 2023

A smokey walk

Doesn't feel much like the first day of spring with it being
18 degrees this morning, but at least the sun was out. ☀️
Sunrise 7:19
Walking Steps 12,722

First walked over to the library and dropped off a book and a DVD.
Continued through town, behind our old house in town, and 
around the ball park loop.
Then headed over to the cemeteries. 
Workers are taking down the last few trees on the lots
and started another burning pile.

Walking around the cemetery on the hill I could see all the smoke
from the fire.  Not much fire just smoke.


Here I am down by the Jeep.


I could even see the smoke as I walked a little ways down
the road towards home.


Turned around came back to town and walked around the
other cemetery a couple of times.

Philip was out in front of the car dealership making
his Wiggle Man video for the day.

Saw Karen in her yard and stopped to say hi.
We commented on it being the first day of spring.

Didn't see anyone out walking.
They are probably waiting till later when it warms up.

🥾    ☀️    🙂    🌷

I usually take the sheets off the bed and wash them on Mondays.
But had the bed already made when I realized it was Monday!
So I'll do that tomorrow.

I had mentioned to Ken that I wanted to get some glass containers
with lids for left overs instead of the plastic ones we use.
Without him telling me he ordered four 4 cup glass Pyrex
bowls with lids.
They came in the mail today.


I have one 2 cup bowl just like these and would like to get a few more.

Did a little knitting on the pillow this afternoon
and started another book.
The Madness of Crowds by Louise Penny.
This is a good one.
I made myself put it down after the first 100 pages or I'd still be reading it.

Thanks for visiting.
Happy Monday and First Day of Spring.
Maybe it felt like spring in your area?
👩🏻‍🦳happyone🙂

🌷    🌷    🌷

Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush.
- Doug Larson -

Sunday, March 19, 2023

Sunday

 A few sky pictures from this past week.






Hebrews 13:5 
Let your conversation be without covetousness; 
and be content with such things as ye have: 
for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
 

I'm walking and talking with Jesus,
Each day as I travel along.
I'm never alone. Hallelujah!
The joy of the Lord is my song.
- Elizabeth Osborn -

A Blessed Sunday to all.
Jesus Loves You❤️
👩🏻‍🦳happyone🙂

Comment Replies:
John - Here is a link to Farmer Marvin's Farm.

Saturday, March 18, 2023

Farmer Marvin's Big Barn

 This morning when I walked it was 25 degrees, cloudy, and windy.
Sunrise 7:22
Walking Steps 13,378

Walked over to the library first and dropped a book down the slot.
Then continued through town and up and down the side streets.
Then up around the cemetery on the hill.
Went down to see if the girls got hay in the barnyard,
and sure enough they did.😀
Farmer Marvin takes good care of them.


Then I headed on over to Farmer Marvin's big new barn.



The little part of the building is the office.  I took a peek inside.
 (FM told me to take a look)


Walked down the left side of the barn.


And turned around when I got here.


On the other side of the barn I got to see the bulls.
The two with their heads out of the fence both sniffed my hand
and then licked it. Their tongues are very rough.


Looking down the right side of the barn.


It is quite a barn and nice to see it up close.

Left the barn and walked around the cemetery a couple times.
Then over to the ball park and walked that loop a couple of times too.
Back to the other cemetery and around it once.

Very quiet around town on this early Saturday morning,
didn't see anyone else out.

🥾    ☁️    💨    🐄    

We went to the Dollar General but not the one in town today.
The cold cases and freezers are still broken
so we went to the one in McHenry which is about 6 miles down the road.

Got a load of laundry going and did some house chores,
had lunch and then I knitted.
Working on the pillow.
It has to be 40 inches long and I have only 10 inches finished.

Here are the color weave-its I'm making for the next baby blanket for April.


It stayed cold and windy but we did see the sun.

Thanks for visiting.
Happy Saturday
👩🏻‍🦳happyone🙂

Comment Replies:
GrannyM and Ginny - The flying birds are geese. I have never seen a swan around here though I'd love to.  Once in a while I do see a heron.

Anni - It took Marilyn 6 months to make the quilt.
The deer weren't chasing each other, but just all hanging out together in one big herd.

Friday, March 17, 2023

Marilyn's Quilt

48 degrees, a little wind, and cloudy for walking today.
Sunrise 7:24
Walking Steps 12,674

Driving down my road this morning it was like driving through
a wildlife preserve with all the deer.
I had to drive very slowly, deer on both sides of me and
crossing the road from both sides.
They were all taking their sweet time, just slowly walking around.
It was really something!!!
Would have taken a picture but it was dark.

Kinsley was getting dropped off at daycare and she
came running over to me calling Ms Karen and gave me a big hug.
That put a smile on my face and a great way to start the day!!

Walked up and down the main road and side streets,
the ball park loop and the two cemeteries.


Went down to see the 'girls' in the muddy barnyard.

I was walking down from the cemetery and Farmer Marvin was on his
way up in his truck and he stopped to say hi.
He told me the barnyard the girls are in will be getting cleaned up today.
He usually puts a bunch of hay around and it soaks up some of
the mud, at least for a while.
He asked me if I'd been up to the new barn.
I told him part way but didn't know if I should go there.
He assured me it was no problem and I was welcome to any time.

Saw RuthAnn out walking her two dogs around the block.

Phil was out moving trucks around in the car lot.

The logs that were cut down clearing the land in town
are being loaded up and carted off today.
Stopped to talk to the man loading up.


It was a great walk and got to talk to a lot of people today.
Just as I was getting back to the Jeep I felt the first drops of rain.

☁️    🐄    🥾    😊    ☘️

Yesterday at blankets for babies Marilyn brought a quilt she made for us to see.  
Pam and Marilyn held it up so I could take a picture.
Marilyn saved up lots of the salvage edges of fabric she has used in
other quilts and made a quilt out of them.
Except for the red in the quilt the whole thing is made up of the salvages.
I thought it was beautiful and amazing!!







🧵    🧵    🧵

I was going to read for a little while this afternoon and then knit
but once I started reading I kept on reading till I finished the book.
Death With a Double Edge by Anne Perry.
It's a Daniel Pitt book and I gave it a 5 Star!!
A real page turner for me and couldn't put it down.

Before I knew it it was supper time!!

Thanks for visiting.
Happy Friday
👩🏻‍🦳happyone🙂

The secret of contentment is the realization that life is a gift, 
not a right.
- unknown -

Thursday, March 16, 2023

Outside Walking

28 degrees and calm this morning when I walked.
It was dark but clear and once the sun rose it was sunny. 
Sunrise 7:26
Walking Steps 12,750

The moon looks like it is full in this picture but it really is 
more like a quarter size.


Walked up and down the streets in town under the street lights
till it was light.
Then walked around both the cemeteries.

The sky was purple as I walked up to the cemetery.


Thought I'd see a few people out walking since the weather was
finally nice but didn't see anyone.

A few icicles hanging around.


The road out to the new barn has gravel on it now so its
not a mud pit anymore.
I'm heading back from the barn here and the
cemetery is up on the left.


Sure was nice to be outside walking again after 5 days of 
inside walking!!

On the way back home I saw at least 11 deer altogether in a
field near my house.

🥾    🙂    🌤    ☘️

Home for breakfast and then left soon afterwards for church.
It was Baby Blanket day.
Ken had to go to the church to fix the cutter that we use
for Fingerprints so we went together.
The cutter needed some adjustments so he took care of that
while I was working on the blankets.
Today there were 8 of us working on the blankets.

Mid afternoon David and Liz came by after work for a visit.
We had a nice visit and ate DiGiornos Supreme pizza that we
picked up at the Dollar General on the way home from the church for supper.
We were going to play a game but we talked too much and
never got around to it. 

That's it for today.
Thanks for visiting.
Happy Thursday
👩🏻‍🦳happyone🙂

Comment Replies:
Debbie - Yes, we finished watching George Gently a week or so ago. A sad ending but a good series!!