The good news is that the temperature is going to rise by 31° today. The bad news is --- that only gets us to freezing. Yes, it is 1° and I'm whining for absolutley no reason. After all, the sun is shining, the sky is a cloudless brilliant blue, and all of my aviary friends are here fussing with one another since the remaining feeders are just about totally empty. I grabbed the two bark butter feeders this morning first thing and filled them. As predicted, the starlings are all over those, fussing and fighting and pecking at one another. My brilliant red cardinal is here again this morning and has a twin. They have been on and off of the birdbath sipping up water.

My concern yesterday was how I was going to be able to clear off the driveway. I needn't have worried. I took the little John Deere with the snow blade out there and cleared it fairly easily. Between my driveway, Dan's driveway and parking area, and the street between us, I probably spent four hours out there. I need to take a tylenol this morning for a sore leg and hip joint from it but gosh, it was fun. By yesterday afternoon, our drives were not only cleared, they were dry. The mail lady gave me a nice "thank you" since I made it a lot easier for her to get up at least our part of this street. But, as much as I enjoy doing that, I'd really rather not having to do it again this year. Like most everyone else, I'm fully ready for spring and nice weather; --- and we certainly didn't get the worst of this storm. Parts of Kentucky had two feet of snow from it.

Sunday begins Daylight Saving Time which is yet another reminder that Spring is on the way. I'm not sure why we still practice this changing of the clocks an hour back and forth twice a year. The initial purpose of it was sound but is no longer relevant. But, I think I need to put a reminder on the church Facebook page to set the clocks ahead so they aren't late for chrch on Sunday. We wouldn't want half of the ongregation showing up as the other half are leaving. With the snow and winter weather events of the past month, it has been confusing enough what with cancellations.

I'm watching these starlings out here trying to eat from the bark butter paste feeders. They aren't birds that are equipped for "clinging" like the woodpeckers are. They expend so much energy trying to eat that I can't imagine there is any "gain" for their efforts. They must constantly flap their wings to kind of hover while they peck at the feeders. They remind me of people with shallow faith running around uttering words to God but never actually praying. Prayer is a conversation with God --- not to God. So they run around with their "woe is me" and their "oh God, help me", without the faith that God is really listening. God heard you the first time you asked. Perhaps your follow-up prayers should be prayers that say "thank you for listening God. I have faith that you will do what is best for me and still brings you to glory."

Enough sermon on for today. Go have yourself a blessed day.