Good morning, and. Happy end of the work week, at least for some people. I know I certainly do; I have a wedding to do tomorrow and then of course Sunday is a normal day of work for pastors. I know at least two of my daughters will be working tomorrow too. Julie  will be going in and working on “web-orders” for the college bookstore she manages, and Lisa will be at the auto garage that she and her husband Gary own. I don’t know about Heather or Stephanie.

The children’s song sings about “four and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie”. I’ve had a flock of blackbirds here all morning and there are at least twenty four of them. They always seem to know when I have freshly filled the feeders and they are here first thing. They stay for an hour or two and run other birds off. I think they are Grackles and Red-wing Blackbirds, and some nasty old Starlings. They are almost an indigo blue/black. But now, the squirrels have decided to join the part at the Backyard Buffet and that will be a tussle between the squirrels and the blackbirds.

I made comment yesterday on Facebook that I didn’t have anything on my immediate to-do list and therefore should have time to get it all done. Well, I got quite a bit of work done outside yesterday. I had a whole stack of larger limbs that have fallen out of my trees that I have been just stacking off to the side of the yard. They were too big to just break in to pieces and put in my garbage can, I had to use my chainsaw. That stack has been there for over a year and has just gotten larger because I couldn’t get out there to do anything about it. Yesterday I asked Ms. Kate to help me and we got it all cut up and put in the garbage can. We also cut back a bunch of weeds and some of the phlox that had developed mildew. Then I filled bird feeders, so despite no immediate to-do list, I got a lot of work done and by bed time I was totally bushed. That seems to happen a lot easier these days. I must be getting old and soft. That’s why the bike riding is good for me. It helps to build up stamina and if I lose a pound or two in the process, that’s just added benefit.

Speaking of my bike, I’m going to finish my coffee, eat a yogurt, and then get on for a ride. Between my Gaither gospel video on You Tube and all of my critters to watch out at the Backyard Buffet, I’ll be well entertained as I take my ride to nowhere. While I do that, I hope you go have yourself a glorious day. Take time to speak to God today. God is waiting to hear from you.