Another fine day greets me this morning with sunshine and 54° temperature. Although, --- I think we had an all out squirrel war first thing this morning. I have no idea what it was all about but there was a squirrel raising all kinds of racket out there this morning. There was loud angry chittering and tail waving. It ran up and down the pussy willow several times and raced back and forth across the roof. I only saw the one, but there had to have been a couple I would think. Then, it came down off the roof, ran out of the yard and is now gone. I have no idea. But it was a noisy and interesting way to start my day.

I had several things on my list to do yesterday but guess what? I blew them off and Ms. Kate and I had a "date day". It has been weeks since we had a day to stop and catch our breath and relax. So, --- we decided to take the afternoon and just enjoy the beautiful day that God had provided. We hadn't had lunch yet so we got in the convertable and just took off. We stopped at a little gas station/ country market at a small town a few miles from here and picked up some corn dogs and egg rolls, went across the street to the little city park and had ourselves a " picnic". Then we just followed the country roads to where ever they would take us. If we came to a "T" intersection, --- flip a coin for direction. We always knew basically where we were and then made our way to our favorite butcher shop and picked up some stuff, put it in the cooler bag and took off again. We finally came home about six hours later, relaxed and refreshed. Today we don't have that luxury as there are things on the schedule to be done. But I think yesterday reinforces what I say when I talk about taking stock of the blessings that God provides. There comes times in our lives that we simply need to stop; look around us, and count our blessings and re-evaluate what is truly important in our life. And as far as Ms. Kate and I were concerned, our afternoon together was the most important thing in the world. Yes, we're going off on a weeks vacation starting next week, but this was precious time that we stole from the "system" and made just our own. Call it a "love moment". Every couple should take as many of them as they can.

Speaking of counting one's blessings; --- as I wrote that last paragraph, one of my poor Housefinches flew straight into the window here next to me and knocked itself silly. Within a minute a Red Tailed Hawk landed on my grill, looked down at that Finch, jumped down and snatched it up and flew off with it for breakfast. That Hawk may have been what the squirrel was all upset about earlier. God giveth and God taketh away.

Have a blessed day.