Gosh what a beautiful mountain Saturday morning. I'm out on the deck, cup of coffee at hand, just enjoying the gentle breeze and a 67 degree temp. Heather an Ms. Kate are visiting at the kitchen table and Jon is still sleeping. Heather got a text that Lauren's fever broke so she is doing better. Ms.Kate is doing well this morning too so the blessings just keep coming my way.

I'm still not seeing a lot of birds around here. However, we are sitting at 7000 feet in altitude and it is cooler weather so that may account for it. There is snow still at the top of the mountains that I suspect never goes away. This area is one set of condos after another to satisfy the winter ski trade. Right now it would be mountain biking season and we see a lot of them. This motocross event that Lauren is in is just an extra benefit to the economy.

I am seeing only one kind of flower that is currently blooming. It is a tall blue flower that could be a wild delphenium or maybe a mountain laurel. I just don't know. But they are nice to see. My challenge is to keep Ms. Kate from gathering up a bunch of the large pine cones that "she could do so many things with". Just what i need to do is mail a box of pine cones home. I know there is no room in her suitcase!

It is blissfully quiet out here. The silence is broken only by the occasional voice coming from some other condo, and the wind blowing through the pines. I'm also hearing bird calls off in the distance, but just seeing them. We know there is wildlife in the area because Andy's parents were told not to leave food in their vehicle because the bears would get into their car.

I don't think it would be possible to sit out here on the deck, look at all of this beauty, and listen to the peaceful sounds of nature without one's thoughts turning to God. Well, at least not for me. There are simply billions of intricate details that go into maintaining the balance of  nature just for this little piece of God's universe to even exist. God is so great.

I lift up my prayers of gratitude this morning for this wonderful world and the people he has placed in my life. I also lift up my loved ones going through dark and frustrating times with their battles with cancer. God's will be done is what I know I should pray, --- but I admit that my prayers are often more selfish than that. Count your blessings today and take the opportunity to share them with someone else.