Carry Me Away

Carry Me Away

Lord, if I was more like you, 

I could change the way I live 

I'd be so slow to anger 

And a little quicker to forgive

~~~ 

I'd never worry about tomorrow 

I'd be more thankful for today 

And I'd find joy among the sorrow, Lord 

And let it carry me away

~~~ 

And if I was less like me 

I'd find my strength in loving You 

I'd be as mighty as a river 

And as gentle as the morning dew 

~~~

And I'd walk into the fire

Though my feet are made of clay

Find the path of God's desire

And let it carry me away

~~~

And in my times of desperation 

When I grow weary and afraid 

Lord, I'd cling to my salvation 

And let it carry me away... 

~ Daisy Dern

Clicking on the title will carry you away to my favorite rendition of this song. It's a little more me, me, me, I, I, I oriented than I prefer hymns to be, but then it is a prayer to a loving God and it sounds a lot like my prayers of late. 

And I thank you for all the prayers you have prayed on my behalf and thank you for the supportive comments in recent days. Blogdom may be the next best thing to Heaven. 😊

~Lilacs Will Bloom Again~

 I have a lunch date with a grandson. It will be fun! That kid always cracks me up. Many blessings on this last day of April...

The Mother Lode

A few weeks ago, my friend Bea called and suggested that we get together. She is a busy woman helping with her grandsons, acting as the bookkeeper for the family business, involved with all manner of church activities, plus she is a quilter. There's a lot going on in her world and so I felt honored that she was asking if we could get together. We couldn't that day because I was caring for my dad. I thought I might hear from her again one day, but was surprised at how soon I heard...last week. 
🌼
She took me to a cafeteria where I had not been before. We shared a delicious sandwich and I had a wonderful cup of coffee. That's the day I purchased the balsam pillow featured on the mad as a wet, red hen post. The drive was pleasant and the conversation was interesting. 
 🌼
Well, it always is when Bea and I get together because, though we share our faith and community and for many years our church, we are not always in agreement. She probably thinks I'm a nut; I think that she is a sensitive, loving soul whose bleeding heart sensibilites frighten me a titch. LOL!  You would have loved to join us, I'm sure. (Our conversation may be similar to some you have had on either side because I read about it just yesterday at Coffee Tea Books or Me. Not really, but Brenda seemed to be describing it very clearly on her post titled When the World Seems Crazy.) In spite of it all, we manage to enjoy one another's company.  I love to catch up with Bea. She's one of those people I enjoy being with. One thing is sure, she always makes me think.
🌼   Bea has lost some weight by design (not because she was ill) and she said that she had a number of clothing items that she'd like to pass on to me, if I were interested. As a gal who hates to shop and whose basic wardrobe is a pair of jeans and a white tee shirt, I was interested. Bea has always dressed beautifully. 
🌼
Sunday evening she called and asked if it would be a good time to bring me those clothes. One thing led to another and soon we were off instead for a pizza and salad supper. When I dropped her off at home, I was invited in to go through the clothes and brought home two huge bags. It was great having her explain why she liked this or that outfit and about the fit or fabric. Now I must tell you, lest Bea was dismayed to see her clothes all over my dining table and chairs, that when I received the clothes they were all meticulously tri-folded and beautifully packed. Alas, I am not quite as tidy as Bea.
🌼
Monday morning I tried everything on. Everything is so lovely. Some of it is still brand new with the tags still attached.  Tuesday, I changed my clothes four times just because I could. Ha!
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This may be my favorite item of all...kid you not!

Pardon the lack of make-up and the static in my hair, but I do love a good black turtleneck. Love it for its quality, comfortable fabric.

Then there are all these pastel shells, which will be a great for summer.

I don't often wear horizontal stripes, but this doesn't read that way and the cute collar pleases me.

🌼

There are sweaters, sweater sets, jackets, skirts, pants, a housecoat, and more. There are beautiful colors as well as neutral grays and browns. I am so blessed.

I may not feel free to pose in all these lovely clothes, but I want you to know that I am wearing

~a smile~

Now where did my lips go? I may need lip liner. Blast.

🌼

Do you like hand-me-downs? What's been your favorite?

Have a wonderful Thursday and thanks for reading...

I Beg Your Pardon Hodge Podge

1. April showers bring May flowers or so the saying goes. Has your April been filled with showers? 

It began with a freak April 1 snowstorm. Not funny. There have been a lot of showers and the final week of the month will end in daily rains. 

Do you carry an umbrella, wear a slicker, or make a run for it?

I wear a black raincoat with a hood,  A Little Black Riding Hood of sorts.

Besides rain, what else has filled your April? 

 See Saturday last's post. I can't go into it again. 

2. What's something you could you give a 30-minute presentation on at a moment's notice and with zero preparation?

a. Christian Allegory b. grammar

3. Share with us a favorite food memory from childhood.

My mother was one of those who often welcomed my sister and me home from school with freshly baked cookies cooling on the rack. She was not only a Toll House mom, she was also a peanut butter, oatmeal, whoopie pie, melting moments, molasses cookie, etc., kind of mom. Bliss!

4. What's a song you thought you knew the lyrics to, but later discovered you were wrong?

Not sure that this has ever happened to me so I'll refer to my default story. My Aunt Marjorie once heard my Uncle Red belting out lyrics to Lynn Anderson's "I Beg Your Pardon, I never Promised You a Rose Garden" this way: "I beg your pardon, I never promised you a raise, Gordon." Uncle Red was obviously both hearing impaired and fiscally minded. 😊

5. According to one travel website, the most overrated tourist attractions in America are-
Niagara Falls (NY)✔️

Hollywood Walk of Fame (California)✖️

Times Square (NYC)✔️

Epcot (FL)✖️

Seattle Space Needle (WA)✖️ 

Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market (Boston)✔️ 

How many of these have you seen in person?

exactly half of them as noted by ✔️ 

Of those I have visited, my favorite day was spent in Boston at Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market. I was with my mother, sister, and daughter...no better company. We had a blast and even took a horse drawn carriage tour of the old Boston neighborhoods. It was gray, damp, and chill, but what fun! Oh, the laughter! It rings in my ears yet. 

Did you feel like a tourist? yes

Did you care? a little

Tell us about a place (not on the list) you've visited that might be considered a tourist trap, but you love it anyway.

I tend to shy away from tourist traps and visit them in off seasons when the hordes have moved on. I love the coast of Maine, but it is a tourist trap from May to October. We love our tourists, though. 😉

6. Your signature clothing item?

jeans and a white tee shirt

7. What's an experience you've had you think everyone should experience at least once? Why?

Everyone should walk The Sawdust Trail and ask Jesus into his/her heart. I mean it! It'll change one's life and one's eternal destiny.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Funny that wardrobe should be mentioned...I have recently been given the mother lode in clothing...it adorns my dining room table even now. More on that tomorrow or Friday...

~what bounty~

Please visit Joyce and Friends HERE. If you haven't tried the Hodge Podge yet, give it a whirl. It'll get you out of a writing slump and it is a great way to meet and get to know other bloggers. 

Enjoy this April Day!

A Cautionary Tale

Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath

Ephesians 4:26

Now that is a tall order. I don't know about your personality, but mine leans toward "red alert" on its best day. 

Simple things can trip me — a post that never updates, a car that does not start or a groundhog clopping across my deck like a small pony. 

This "red alert" thing really goes bezerk when I feel someone I love has been wronged. 

Two weeks ago today, I entered The Ponderosa (John's place) for the first time since December. The snow was finally shallow enough to get through the door without climbing a snowbank. What I saw shocked me, scared me, and made me absolutely livid.

Someone had entered the building and stolen thousands of dollars of equipment. This was done while my tenant watched. She told her cousin the responding police officer (can you believe it?) that there was a woman who looked just like her landlord (me) and two men. She said that she thought nothing of it because there were always people there taking things. Really? Really?! 

To say that I would like to drop kick her to the moon is not too much of a stretch. Did she tell me? No. Did she call the police? No. Now I could say much more, in fact, I did and had to delete it, but this is the gist of it. 

There are other complications in this mess. Did you know that in my corner if you do not have the serial numbers from all pieces of equipment that the police will not even attempt to search pawn shops, etc.? 

I have told this story as a cautionary tale. Get those serial numbers, make sure your insurance is current, take photos, and have an inventory. Also, never assume that snow covering the door is a deterrent. These people shoveled their way in and shoveled the snow back covering their tracks. I feel like such a fool to have fallen for that trick. 

Perhaps you can imagine how much I feel I have failed John. Oh I know that he is not affected by these earthly things anymore, but he would have been some kind of upset if this had happened on his watch. I certainly regret that it has happened on mine.

This advice is good and the best philosophy/psychology/"the world" has to offer; however, it does not go far enough. It is true that we can not change the direction of the wind, but it is also true that we can't adjust our own sails either without the help of The Lord Himself. 

This issue is so big that I know I can't deal with it. I know my ongoing answer is forever and always in going to The Lord. I thank Him that this is just stuff and that no one was hurt, except for the financial loss and that sense of being violated. And I am really going to need His help to show grace. I can not begin to know why God allowed this, but since He did, He has a plan to work it all out. And I know that He will work on this angry heart of mine, too. 

Tea Time Not in the Garden ツ

After a bit of a mix-up, this post has returned proving that I can get it together when I have to. 
(Not updating...beyond frustrating!) 
🌼🌿🌼🌿🌼

Finally, after all these years, I am joining Bernideen for Tea in the Garden Wednesday. My garden is not in such fine shape today (we are expecting snow...boo hiss) nor will it be until well into May so I am joining from my dining room table using my Queens Royal bone china Made in England  yellow tea cup.💛 This tea cup came to me from my grandmother's collection.

~yes, I prefer cream in my tea; I am a tea baby~

I am serving this with the lemon cake I made for Easter. My grandson Jakob and I liked the cake while the rest of the family did not. Still they did eat some because Jake and I did not eat half the cake! Some people do not enjoy lemon desserts; I really must remember this.
(Since I first wrote this post, I have shared the cake with my sisters-in-law who both declared it good. Obviously, they like lemon! )
🌼🌿🌼🌿🌼

The recipe for the cake, that the original two-thirds of us did not enjoy, if you dare ツ, is to use any cake mix, add an extra egg, change the water to whole milk, change the oil to melted butter, and bake as directed. In my opinion, it makes a delicious, moist cake.
🌼🌿🌼🌿🌼

🌼Please join Bernideen and her friends at  Bernideen's Tea Time Blog.🌼  Thank you for all the beautiful posts, Bernideen. One can always count on you for lovely treasures, sweet treats, and a gentility that blesses.

On the Fly Hodge Podge

1. Tell us about a time you felt like you were 'flying by the seat of your pants'.

This entire being a personal representative of an estate qualifies and I am so ready to be finished with it.

2.  When or where would you most like to be 'a fly on the wall'?

I have often said that, but right now I have no clue.

3. 'Happiness is like a butterfly: the more you chase it, the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention to other things, it will come and sit softly on your shoulder.'-Henry David Thoreau 

Would you agree? Why or why not?

Sure. 😉
Sounds good.

4. Share a favorite movie, book, or song with flying in it's title, lyrics, or theme somewhere.

What is this? National Fly Month? 

Fly Me to the Moon is the only thing I can think of and it is not a favorite so I am cheating. 

5. What is one task or chore you tend to do 'on the fly'? Is this something that really needs to be done another way?

Maybe it's psychiatrists' month? One task you say? Just one?

6. What was happening the last time you thought to yourself or said aloud, 'Wow, time flies when you're having fun', and you meant it.

I say, "Time flies whether you're having fun or not." I had fun on Easter Sunday when my son fixed my garage door opener. A week of opening the garage door manually had nearly 

done me in.

7. This Thursday is National Garlic Day. Will you add garlic to your menu on Thursday? Do you like garlic? What's your favorite dish made with garlic?

I do like garlic. The last thing I made with garlic was a concoction to keep groundhogs away...it's a very smelly brew and I nearly had to move out of the house myself.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Lots of clean-up going on all around the house. I can't stick with one spot for too long. I give it two hours a day and call it good because the old bod doesn't hold up. There are fences that must come down...they are not mine and yet, I'm taking them down anyway. The leaves in the garden must come off  because, apparently, I don't have enough worms to eat them all. And those acorns! Acckkk...wonder if I could vacuum them up. I'm almost ready to pay for the oak tree to come down. It's not mine either. Oh well, this is the story of spring.

Please join Joyce *here* for other entries. I hope no one else was a flip as I was. 

It Was Lovely

Oh dear! I've been away from blogging for ten days and managed to forget everything I thought I knew. This is dangerous when one has been as preoccupied as I have been. Anyway, starting again this morning by pulling the post that went on overnight and saving it for the correct day. 
Let me instead post about Easter, which was a beautiful day. The most lovely in recent memory with temps soaring to 80F. The landscape was almost snow free, but brown. Well, with those temps, we can't complain. No matter the circumstances or the weather, Easter is a day to be honored. Our very futures depend on what Jesus did for us on the cross and what He did in leaving His grave behind and our recognizing it. 

The family is still in the stage of going through the holidays one by one without John. So this was the first Easter without him and the last holiday when we will say  "this is our first ____ without John." We muddled through...at least, I did. I was glad that it was "my" year as it gave me more things to think about. John lives Easter every day now.
Recently, my grandson Jake told me as he came through the door that for just a moment as he climbed the stairs he thought he would find John here. Just for a moment. I have felt that way sometimes, especially in the morning on waking or at a certain time in the afternoon when John would have been coming home.

What I have learned through the year is that the same scene can look very different depending on my focus or my filter. 

 Are the tulips lavender or pink? (It depends.)

And I have learned that just because there is snow on the ground today does not mean that there'll be snow there the next. Things can change quickly when God is invited into a situation.

 ~very little snow~ It has been a blessing to read about your Easter so I thought I would share mine. And not one photo of the family. Am I slipping or what?! 

Yellow

A color sorely lacking in my world since those golden days of October has been yellow. In my corner, white moves in and some years, like this one, wants to stay. Now don't get me wrong, when one deals with this much White on such a massive scale for so many months of the year, it is really nearly the last thing I want to see in my home. In fact, I don't even want to see white ceilings. True.



~Golden October~


The Hodge Podge has made me think a lot about my favorite color since Wednesday, but truth is I've had a few discussions about yellow in blog posts through the years to include this post titled For the Love of Yellow way back in 2008. Those were the days when the walls around here read white over yellow or pumpkin. It is also where I first described why I love the color yellow so.

The question of who can wear yellow came up on Wednesday's post and in the comments. I can't. Can you? *This is a fun article* humorously written that you might enjoy reading sometime for the answer. It was written way back in 2004 when the color of the year was yellow. Can you imagine yellow ever being trendy? Warning: The author does use the "b" word to describe Fashion, but who among us hasn't? Okay, I haven't, but I have said other not so nice things about fashion.


In tamer and lamer revelations, often I wander through my Pinterest 💛Yellow Folder💛 just for fun. Check it out. You may find yourself there as Mrs. Rabe will.

This is such a pretty yellow color. I hope you'll visit Mrs. Rabe at Creekside Cottage *Here* to find out what it is and see more photos of this pretty chair. I'd love to have one this shade!

~buttery biscuits~

I tried a new biscuit recipe today. No, I didn't. I actually tried a new method using my own recipe. It's made with butter instead of shortening and the butter is melted into the buttermilk or milk. It's a nice something, but it is not a biscuit as I know them.


New England biscuits are a force to be reckoned with. These are not as pretty as a regular New England biscuit, which is really a silly thing because the best looking biscuits I ever made were inedible. (I used baking soda instead of baking powder.) I remember how disappointed John was with those things and I didn't have enough ingredients to start over. So these look bad, but taste good, which is preferable to looking good and tasting bad.

See? I cannot stay on topic no matter how I try! ツ

Would love to know what your favorite color is, if you've loved it long, and if you wear it or use it in your home.

Have a blessed Palm Sunday weekend...

Lawn and Garden Hodge Podge

1. April is Lawn and Garden Month. On a scale of 1-10 what's the current state of your lawn and/or garden. (10=a showpiece, 1=send in the professionals). Tell us about any lawn or garden plans you have for this month.

This is easy. My lawn/garden is under snow. 
Send in the sun! 
☀️

If the snow melts, and the lawn dries some, I hope to rake the sand off, clean the garden, and get things tidied in general. My mailbox also sits on my front lawn and it is looking a bit shabby so I hope to replace it or spruce it up. 

2. "Many things grow in the garden that were never sown there."~Thomas Fuller  What does this quote mean to you?

Oh heavens! Joyce is making me think again. It's been a long time since I saw the garden... Let me try to bring up that picture...😖 😑 😊 ahhh, yes,  joy and pleasure in seeing the beautiful flowers and anticipation even now. And I have some special tulips planted there that I hope will bloom this spring. 🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷   

3. What's the first thing that comes to mind when you think about God?

LOVE 

4. If we were chatting in person, how would I know if you were nervous?

lack of eye contact 😳

5. Do you like the color yellow?

💛 my favorite! 

 Would I find any in your home or wardrobe?

One pale yellow shirt~jacket (I don't wear yellow well.)

Lots of wood that is yellow...kinda...see header

One yellow wall

Buttery yellow kitchen cabinets that need to be painted! 

Splashes of yellow here and there...

 Daffodils, tulips, roses, sunflowers, day lily, black eyed susan...which yellow bloom on this list is your favorite?

Yellow roses are my favorites, but I 💛 all posies...

6. Flip flops or bare feet?

In time past, flip flops. Alas, I developed that nerve thing on my toes where the thong goes...ouchie! It only affects my right foot so I could wear a flop on my left and go barefoot on my right...it'd be a look. 😏

7. Tell us about any Easter plans, celebrations, or traditions you'll carry out this month.

Plans still not finalized, but my grandson, who keeps tabs on all such engagements, tells me that it is my year. 

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

🌷☀️🌿😎🌿☀️🌷

Thank you for your visit. Please join Joyce and friends HERE.