Happy Friday! It os a super cool ne out there this morning. Lots of "frost on the pumpkin" as they say. It is currently 42 degrees but it isn't going to go up much more than that. The sunshine has melted most of the frost off of the rooftops. So it is just a normal December day as it should be. We've had so much warm weather up until now that it takes an adjustment to get used to it. We are going to Las Vegas next week and the weather there is going to be about the same as we have here. But --- I guess that won't bother us much in the casinos and hotels. It will limit any rock scrambling and hiking though that I might want to do. It does get really cold in the desert.

For whatever reason, I have several squirrels here this morning and they are being --- well, squirrely. They are hanging from branches, they are hanging from feeders, they are chasing one another around the yard and through the trees. I guess this cool morning has them extra frisky. I haven't had more than one squirrel in the yard at a time for several weeks but this morning the whole family came for breakfast. I haven't had many birds in though this morning; just a couple of cardinals. I filled the feeders yesterday for everyone and it wasn't but about fifteen minutes and here come the woodpeckers to the bark butter and I had a pair of pilated woodpeckers come in. One would cling to the side of  the tulip poplar tree and chirp while the other on ate. Then they traded places a jobs; Very interesting.

I have a cold and it is driving me a little bonkers because it doesn't seem to clear up. I'm constantly hacking and coughing and blowing my nose. We need to go to Walmart today and I have to go up to St. Lucas and pick up my Medicare card from off of the desk. I have no idea why I left it there but the new pastor called me and said he found it laying on the desk. So, we'll run up and get that and while we are in that neighborhood, I'd hoped to do some geocaching. I printed out a dozen last night and loaded them in the GPS. But, it might just not be a good idea with my cold. I also need to get out in my garage and try to get the mower deck off of my John Deere and then see if I can put the snow blade on. Again, it will be a cold job and it really is a two person job. So, it might not get done. Neighbor Dan has a cold that is worse than mine so I can't rely on him. Ms. Kate can't get down on the floor to help so, I'm not sure what I will do. I'll figure something out --- I always do. Sunday we are projected to have a llittle winter weather with a skiff of snow and sleet and rain. The ground is too warm for anything to stick so maybe there is no hurry.

The fires are all out in the Great Smokey Mountains and the Gatlingburg area; praise God. They predict they will have tourism up and running by the end of next week. Rebuilding all of those homes will take a long time and of course the loss of life can never be replaced. But --- as horrible as it was --- it could have been so very much worse. So I offer prayer for their comfort and strength as they begin to dig out and rebuild their lives. And I give God praise and thanks that they were not hurt even worse. By the time we get there next June there will be fresh vegetation and the mountains, while scarred; will begin to look fresh again. Frankly, the fire was good for the forest to clean out all of the underbrush etc. It was just horrible for the impact it had on humans. But, people will rebuild and God will replenish.

Enjoy your Friday and your weekend. Take advantage of rest time and take stock of the blessings that are flowing through your life. Give God praise, --- and give peoplea hug.