Cloudy and grey, forty three degrees. But not raining —- at the moment. It has rained most of the night though and the ground is soaked. It is supposed to rain yet more tonight and on through Saturday into Sunday morning. I haven’t seen the critters lining up two by two just yet, but then we’re on the high ground. Around the area, communities are already having to close roads due to flooding. By Sunday morning we could have another three plus inches of rain. Yesterday I unplugged and cleaned the electric bird bath for the next couple of seasons. I’m pretty sure our hard freezing days are over until December. After I cleaned the bird bath, I just left it empty because I figured we’d get enough rain to fill it up. Sure enough, it is full to the brim this morning with fresh clean rain water.

Congratulations to our oldest daughter, Julie, and her husband Jim as they celebrate their thirty second wedding anniversary today. That hardly seems possible and yet they have a thirty year old son so I guess it is true. On Monday, Ms. Kate and I will celebrate our fifty second wedding anniversary. God has been exceptionally good to all of us.

Last night we had our church Lenten meal and Bible study. Instead of Bible study, our couple finished up their presentation on their trip to the Holy Land. They had some very interesting slides and their trip gave them some very interesting and often times humbling experiences. I remember my tour of duty to the middle of the country of Turkey. The land was basically bare  of population, itwas short grass covered , and rocky and hilly. There were often shepherds out with their sheep just they had been doing for millennia. The Apostle Paul had walked that land two thousand years ago  and it was easy to imagine either the Roman Empire armies or the Ottoman Empire Armies marching over the hills on conquest. Frankly, life in that region of Turkey had not changed much since then. The homes were still made of mud brick. Fruits still lay on flat roof tops to dry, Wool rugs were stil being loomed by hand and laid out on the parched dirt to season. It was a good tour of duty.

Most of my bird feeders are still over half full which is a good thing. I do have to fill the thistle seed feeder for the finches today. But, I’m not having an abundance of birds with this weather the way it is. This morning I’ve had a few cardinals and goldfinches but that is about it. But, — it is still early. I was up at 0615 today so everything is early today.

Ms. Kate plans to make one of my favorite desserts today that isn’t an apple pie. It is a pudding dessert we call Lemon Lush. She made the chocolate version to take to the chuch dinner last might and they ate very bit of it.

Time to refill the coffee cup. I pray your day will be filled with love and joy. Share your blessings. God didn’t send them to you to hoard. Peace.