It is a cloudy, brrrrr-filled morning out there. The birds and the squirrels are all fluffed up making themselves twice their normal size in order to stay warm. It is amazing how much difference it makes with no sun shining through. It is 32° out but if it was a bright day instead of cloudy, it would seem so much warmer. It's just a mind over matter thing but it is just one of the ways we delude ourselves as we walk through life.

The squirrels are busy this morning. They are spending more time and energy keeping each other from eating than they are getting themselves something to eat. There are three out there right now. One starts up a feeder pole and another runs over and chases it off. Then the third one comes and runs the second one off. It is quite the enjoyable circus this morning.

Several Cardinals, Junkos, Finches, Woodpeckers, and Mr. Fuss-a-lot, the BlueJay are all here this morning. I see my suet feeders are all empty. Ms. Kate had made up a batch of suet for them and they have finally finished all of that up. I have a couple of store bought suet cakes left so I guess I'll put those out today. Right now though, there are so many birds out there that it is impossible to keep up with them and they are almost all eating off of the ground rather than the feeders. It looks like the earth is moving. I'm glad to see them cleaning up some of their mess.

We had a good weekend. Yesterday was a cold and rainy day though and I think people decided to stay out of it and miss church. Both services were a little slim. There are so many people with cold and flu-like symptoms that it is just as well they didn't get out in this mess.

There are several things on the agenda for today such a doing laundry, going out to visit with my mother and Kate's aunt. I also need to spend some time writing and Ms. Kate is working on making her greeting cards etc..  It is all "just stuff", but it keeps us busy.

My prayers go out this morning for my family and all families on the east coast as they brace themselves for a possible record winter storm and blizzard. Our grandson, Josh and his family live up there and all of my son-in-law Jim's family live there. So, I pray for their safety and well-being. My prayers also go up for our daughter Lisa and husband Gary as they are working their way through and to a possible new and exciting chapter in their lives. More about that if and when plans come to fruition. In the meantime, I just pray that God helps them with their decisions. As Lisa said last evening, "we're excited about this but we just pray it is God -- not gas that is exciting us." She's so cute!

Have a great day.