Sights From Saturday

Judging by the number of pairs of shoes and flip-flops left by the front door, school is out for the summer and half the neighborhood has dropped by for a visit.

Many of the flowers on my daisies have been eaten off by the squirrels living in our trees, but there are a few remaining that they have missed. At first I assumed it was the rabbits that were eating them until I saw a squirrel happily dining away on the white and yellow delicacies. Hey you, squirrel, PLEASE don't eat the daisies!!

My morning glory seedlings have begun to poke their heads up out of the dirt.

It was an absolutely gorgeous day with pretty blue skies, fluffy floating clouds, and grass and trees as green as God intended them to be. I took some cloud pictures in the park from my walk tonight.





The sun is just starting to go down in these last two photos of clouds at the park. The last photo is my favorite of this group.


I loved the brilliant color of this peony flower.

There has been a bunny or maybe two in our yard quite a bit of late, but I haven't found any holes in the yard yet. They may be building their nest in the neighbor's yard this year as I have seen them over there quite a bit too.

This little baby robin still with little feather tufts on his head was hopping about in our yard and crying for its mother. The mother robin was a short distance away chirping nervously at me, not liking the fact that I was so close to her baby when I took this picture.


I hope your Saturday was filled with sights that you enjoyed.

Happy Sunday everyone, and PLEASE, don't eat the daisies!

SHOUT! SHOUT! Knock Yourself Out!

Well, it's Friday, which, in and of itself, is a great reason to celebrate. What's more, today is my younger son's last day of school. So I am sure you know that he is feeling like celebrating. After today he is officially a freshman in high school.

He has had a good week. Yesterday, his class voted, and he was chosen as next year's freshman representative on the student council. The day before that he received a letter from the Toledo Youth Symphony Orchestra. Based on his audition, he has been chosen to be one of their upright bass players in next year's youth symphony orchestra. Here is the mission statement from their website:

"As part of the core educational mission of the Toledo Symphony,
the Toledo Youth Orchestra brings together 100 of the most talented
students from Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan in an
atmosphere of musical excellence."

My son is elated. His mom is pretty happy about this whole matter as well.

So with so many reasons to celebrate, it only seems right that we ought to be dancing today.

Come on and dance with me! Shout! Shout! Knock yourself out!

Sowing Glory

I planted morning glory seeds in the pots on my front porch yesterday. The day before, I had to pull out all the little maple tree seedlings that were growing in the pots and remove any of the winged seeds that were lying on top so that they don't sprout later. That bit of green in the pot below is a sprouted maple seed that still has the brown "wing" attached to it.

Before the seed there comes the thought of bloom.
- E. B. White

After cleaning out the debris and maple seeds, I added fresh potting soil to the top of the planters.

Now seeds are just dimes to the man in the store
And the dimes are the things that he needs,
And I've been to buy them in seasons before
But have thought of them merely as seeds;
But it flashed through my mind as I took them this time,
"You purchased a miracle here for a dime."
- Edgar A. Guest, A Package of Seeds

I bought several different colors and types of morning glory seeds hoping a variety of them will grow.

One of the healthiest ways to gamble is with a spade and a package of garden seeds.
- Dan Bennett

The directions on the seed packets recommend soaking the seeds in water overnight to get them to sprout sooner.

Think small. Planting tiny seeds in the small space given you can change the whole world or, at the very least, your view of it. - Linus Mundy

The next morning I drained the water off the seeds.

If seeds in the black earth can turn into such beautiful roses, what might not the heart of man become in its long journey toward the stars?
- G.K. Chesterton

They had plumped up, swollen with the water. A few like the one you see below, had already burst open and begun to sprout. I planted more than was recommended because not all of them will grow. It seems every year the squirrels and birds are sitting in the trees watching me plant. As soon as I am out of sight, they swoop and scurry over to see how many of the seeds they can dig up and dine on. I'm hoping they will leave enough behind that I will still have plenty of morning glories.

One for the rock, one for the crow,
One to die, and one to grow.
- English saying

Next I add water.....
He who plants a seed, Beneath the sod; And waits to see - Believes in God.
- Author Unknown

and make potting soil soup.
This very act of planting a seed in the earth
has in it to me something beautiful. I always do it
with a joy that is largely mixed with awe.

-Celia Thaxter

Soon, I hope these seeds will be seedlings and growing strong, flourishing the way this plant is. It is a volunteer plant that came up on its own from a seed that dropped from last year's plants.

The seed is hope; the flower is joy.
- Author Unknown

And in a few weeks, I am hoping this is the sight that will greet me in the morning when I open my front door.

Of all the wonderful things in the wonderful universe of God,

nothing seems to me more surprising that the planting of a seed
in the blank earth and the result thereof. Take that Poppy seed,
for instance: it lies in your palm, the merest atom of matter, hardly
visible, a speck, a pin's point in bulk, but within it is imprisoned a
spirit of beauty ineffable, which will break its bonds and emerge
from the dark ground and blossom in a splendor so dazzling
as to baffle all powers of description.
- Celia Thaxter

You Can Dance If You Want To---But Please Don't!

Most of the time I like to encourage people to dance. There are exceptions to every rule, of course. Here are a few of those exceptions.

Signs of the Times---Truly Grateful Series

The library where I work was front page news last week. Unfortunately, it was not good news. It was announced that we would be reducing the number of hours that we are open to the public. Because state funding has been reduced, cuts have to be made. These reduced hours are being implemented in spite of the fact that the usage of our library is up by 20%.

Although the number of hours I work has not yet been cut, they may be cut in the near future. Currently, my schedule is being shifted around to accommodate the new hours we are open at the library. I will be working different times on different days than I am now but will still be working the same number of hours that I have been working.

This is partly due to the fact that my department is still short handed because one of my coworkers is on an extended family leave due to her daughter's health. I will also still be working the same number of hours because in order for the library to remain open, my particular position is one that is necessary to keep filled.

Because I work at the circulation desk which must be covered all hours that we are open, I still have my job. Some of my fellow library workers who work behind the scenes at the library such as those in the technical services department are not so fortunate. Our cleaning staff has already been laid off, and we who remain have been asked to take over their duties as well as the ones we already had.

What is happening at the library is not an isolated event, by far. Unemployment is high in our part of the state. It seems hardly a day passes without news of some cutbacks or layoffs being made somewhere in our area. Many people here have been affected by the downturn in the economy.

Over the weekend, our local Kmart store closed its doors permanently. It could not compete with the super Wal-Mart across the street. Those who worked there are now out of jobs. This is the second store and employer to go out of business because it could not compete with Wal-Mart. Earlier a large locally owned grocery store closed because it could not keep up.

Because of our proximity to Detroit, there are many factories and businesses in this area which make car parts to supply to the major car manufacturers. Many of these factories have either had heavy layoffs of their personnel or have closed down entirely.

My older son, now home for the summer from college is hoping to find a summer job. Although he is going through the motions, filling out applications, making the rounds, and asking about possibility of employment everywhere and anywhere he can think of, our hopes are slim that he will be able to find a job. Most jobs normally filled by teenagers and young adults here are being filled by adults who have lost their higher paying jobs elsewhere.

In spite of all of this, we are still very fortunate. We have our home and our health. My husband has a secure full-time job and for now, I still have my part-time job. Who knows what tomorrow will bring, but for now we are doing OK.


Lord, for the blessings of employment, good health, and good fortune and all that you have provided for us even during these difficult times, please let me be truly grateful.

Mellow Yellow Monday---Hospital Addition

A large addition is being built onto our local hospital. It is an attempt to attract top notch doctors and surgeons to our area and to compete with much larger hospitals in Toledo and Fort Wayne, both of which are an hour's drive away from here. The size of the hospital will increase by one third when it is finished.

On my way to work, I pass by the hospital, and the bright yellow insulation panels that are currently on the walls of the building always seem to jump out at me. I finally remembered to take the camera with me so I could take pictures of it for Mellow Yellow Monday.

These last two photos show where the old and new come together. I'm assuming when they are finished that the new part will be made to match the old existing part of the original building.

To visit others who are posting a photo for Mellow Yellow Monday or to join in the fun, click on the butterfly badge below.

Music Monday---Gone Fishing

With this being Memorial Day Monday and the last day of what for many is a three day weekend, I thought this would be an appropriate song for this week's Music Monday. For many, this weekend is the unofficial beginning to summer and many families will spend it together with cookouts, picnics, and perhaps even some fishing. This is Bing Crosby and Louis Armstrong singing Gone Fishing.

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.

Weekend Scenes in a Small Town

My younger son had his 15th birthday this past Friday. After our usual celebration with cake and ice cream and gifts, here he is smiling with his girlfriend.

I walked past this garage on a walk downtown yesterday. A simple wreath above the door and a chair next to it holding flowers was all it took to catch my eye.

The chair and flowers up close.

Large planters full of flowers are around our downtown courthouse square. A squirrel has eaten off many of the daisies that I had growing in my flower bed at home---left me with a sea of green stems sticking up with the flower heads eaten off---the little rascal! Luckily, I can still enjoy these that are growing in the containers on the square.

These small pink flowers are growing on a bush in my neighbor's yard.

Peach colored iris and some pinkish purple flowers growing low to the ground made me smile in the park tonight.

I think this is some variety of a peony, but I am not sure. The flowers on this plant were huge.

These small white flowers were growing in great clusters all over a tree in the park.

I go by this sign whenever I take a walk through the park. I keep thinking maybe I will meet up with Andy and Opie heading off to the fishing hole, smell an apple pie being baked by Aunt Bea, or maybe hear Barney and Gomer sharing a corny joke,
but I haven't yet.

A Choir of Trees

A Choir Of Trees

Across the river
four trees stand together
singing in the spirit choir
a song of the seasons
to the sky.

A sugar maple tree,
still clinging to a few clusters
of leftover leaves,
(as if they were a hymnal)
sings about
autumn's whispers
in a sweet murmuring alto.

A stout evergreen,
in scratchy choir robes of fir,
rumbles out the bass part
howling about the winds of winter
to any passing cloud
that will listen.

A tall eastern redbud,
practically prancing
in feather boas of pink flowers,
sings in a jubilant tenor
of the sweet smell
of gentle spring breezes.

And a naked birch,
bleached white in the sun,
has stripped off its clothes
dancing in the heat
and reaching high in the air
to catch and hold the notes
of the summer soprano song.

A white board fence
watches and listens,
the church congregation
swaying in the pew.

A forsythia bush,
the preacher,
waits off to the side
nodding with approval
at the music
and waiting
for his turn to speak.

Across the river
four trees stand together
singing in the spirit choir
a song of the seasons
to the sky.

Dancing Inside

Here are some folks who have way too much time on their hands, but their efforts made me laugh.

Message of Hope

I received word back last night from my coworker about her daughter. Yesterday's nine hour surgery went well, and the news was more positive and promising than expected. Here is part of the message that I received from my friend.

"We got a wonderful surprise in that several pathologists think the tumor is not an anaplastic astorcytoma, but actually a grade 2 different type of astrocytoma that is rare, but slow growing. We still need to wait for the full 5 day report to come back, but at least 3 people agree that it is this type of tumor. We are so excited! If it is this type of tumor, she will only need radiation and no chemo. Before we were talking a year of treatments, now, it should be a shorter term."

This little girl still has a long road ahead of her, but this possible change in the diagnosis has given her family new hope for her future. Thank you once again to those who have remembered this little girl and her family in your thoughts and prayers.

In what seems to me to be a fitting coincidence, my first daisy is in bloom today as you can see by the photo above.

Music In the Air---But I Missed It!

The last two evenings, my younger son played his upright bass in concerts at his school. Unfortunately, I was working both nights and missed the performances. My husband was able to go, though, so I am borrowing the photos he took for this post.

On Monday night, he played with the junior high orchestra at their spring concert. Last night the eighth graders were invited to join the high school orchestra on stage for their spring concert. He is in the center of this photo on stage at the Arts Center holding his bow down to his side and waiting for the cue from the director to be ready to play.

You may remember a previous post when I mentioned that he was auditioning for a scholarship for summer strings camp. At last night's high school concert, the winner was announced. No, he wasn't the one chosen, but his girl friend was! In this next picture, he is making a pretend pout face because he didn't win and she did. Actually, he was very happy for her, as we all were.

She is a sweet, smart, and talented young lady and very deserving of the award. She plays violin and piano, and will be going to the same summer strings camp as my son at Bowling Green State University with her violin. She was given a trophy that she is holding in this picture to go along with the scholarship check. They have been teasing each other back and forth for a while now about the fact that they were both competing for the scholarship money.



On the left in the photo below is the orchestra director for both the high school and the middle school students. There was a reception for the orchestra students with refreshments served in the gymnasium after the concert. That is where this photo was taken.

Although I wasn't able to attend these two concerts, I am glad that they went well and that my son's girlfriend won the scholarship.

My son, his girlfriend, and three other students are considering the idea of forming a quintet with him as bassist, a cellist, two violinists, and a viola player. They want to practice together and get a repertoire of songs together that they can play well, and then make themselves available for hire to perform at weddings, club meetings, and other such gatherings. It is still in the "talking about it" stage right now, but I really hope they follow through with it, because I think it is a great idea and would be a fantastic opportunity for them.

Music Monday---Right Here Waiting For You

Right Here Waiting For You
by Richard Marx

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.

Update

For those who are interested, I wanted to update you about the twelve-year-old daughter of my friend and coworker. After further testing and another MRI, her doctors have decided that she needs a second surgery to try and remove more of the tumor that is in her brain before they attempt chemotherapy and radiation. Her surgery is scheduled for Tuesday of this week.

Her brother, who is a friend of my son, will be staying with us at our house all this week while his parents stay with his sister during her surgery and recovery. The surgery this time is going to be performed at a hospital in Cincinnati.

Thank you to all those who have been keeping this little girl and her family in your prayers. They are much appreciated.

Flowers and a Freeze

I wore two sweatshirts and a jacket over my jeans on my walk tonight as it was very windy and cold. I found a few flowers to photograph along the way.

I believe this tree in bloom is a Red Buckeye.

Here are the tree blossoms from a closer view.

The next three photos are flowers and plants in a flower bed at the park.

While I was photographing the flowers above, one of the fellows who works for our local parks and recreation department showed up. He brought long sheets to cover the flowers in the beds. The weather man is predicting a hard freeze for us here tonight with temperatures at 31 degrees or perhaps colder. The flowers must be covered to keep the freeze from killing them. You can see the parks and recreation employee in the photo below getting ready to cover the flowers.

Walking through the neighborhood on the way home, I saw these pretty hanging pots of flowers next to this white fence. There is a peony bush on the ground below the hanging pots. The peony bush has buds on it, but it is not yet in full bloom. I hope these folks bring their pots inside and cover the peonies to protect them from the freeze.

If you look closely in the open section of the fence, you can see a big golden dog in the back yard. He barked at me the whole time I was taking photos and walking by this house. I guess he didn't want me to take his picture!

Back home on my front porch stoop, there is one brave morning glory growing in the pot. I have not yet planted my morning glories because I wanted to wait and make sure we were past all chance of freezes and frost. This one is a volunteer. It came up on its own from seed that must have fallen from last year's vine. Don't worry, I covered it up to keep the freeze from getting to it. I hope to plant my morning glory seeds later this week.

I didn't take a picture of my daisies in the back yard at home, but they are budding and will be blooming soon. I went out and covered them tonight too, hoping to protect them from the freeze.