How was your Wednesday? Was it interesting? We spent yesterday morning going to the church running the bulletins. I suspect y’all got the same storm that we did. We were supposed to have Bible study last evening but I knew the storm was predicted to hit around 1700 and would be on-going through our Bible study time so I cancelled it. Here at our house and neighborhood we didn’t have any damage that I have seen. But in our TV viewing area, there were lot of wind damage reports. I had taken down a couple of my “yard ornaments” and had pulled my colors in. We did have some pretty powerful gusts to the tune of 55mph but praise the Lord, no damage. Of course, that was our one warm day of the week (80 degrees) and tat is what perpetuated the storms. Today it is only 43 so far this morning and the air feels damp. I went out to the jewelry store and got a new watch battery put in my watch and then drove over to Dunkin Donuts and picked up a half dozen. Between the 43 degrees, a 10th wind, and damp air, it got chilly pretty quick. But —- I pray all of you are okay. Warmer weather and real “Spring” will get here. 

You know, —- I remember when Dunkin Donuts had really good Donuts. That’s really not the case anymore, at least at our local DD. Here locally we have Donut Bank and Parlour Donuts as their competition and both places make so much better donuts. I only went to DD because it was a quick drive through. DD has the Bavarian Creme donuts that I always loved but their donuts are so much “drier” than they used to be. Remember the old commercial where the guy would say “Time to make the donuts”? I think back then each place actually made their own. But now, I think they are shipped in. The places don’t even smell like donuts. And they taste like “day-old” donuts. That’s what happens when corporate America takes on a franchise; prices go up and quality goes down. There used to be a place on Fulton Avenue that was a ‘Mom and Pop” donut shop. I think it was called “Honey Fluff Donuts”. If you got within a block you could smell the donuts baking and they were huge. Two were a meal. I miss that place. Sadly, they retired and had no one to pass the business down to. (Boy, I sound like an old dude reminiscing about the olden days.) LOL

Tuesday afternoon I went to do some parishioner visitation. I had a fellow that had a knee replacement on Monday and was supposed to go home the same day. But he had a couple of complications and they kept him overnight. I waited around to hear from him and we even texted back and forth and he wasn’t hearing anything about gong home, so —- I went on out to the hospital. I was driving around in the parking lot looking for a space when I got a text from him saying he was being released. So, I just kept going and went on to my next person on my list. 

That’s about it for today. The ground is soggy and the air is cold so I won’t be going outside to work today. Maybe I will work on my May services. Maybe I’ll just read the book I’m currently reading and then take a nap! I hope you have a wonderful day. Take stock of your blessing today and then give thanks for them. Peace. 

 I am beginning to think that Mother Nature and COVID are in cahoots with one another. This cloudy and cold/cool weather just drags on and on and on just like the COVID and Corona Virus and all of it subtitles.  I mean what is up with this weather. Yesterday on one of the northern states there was another 50 car pile up with three killed and dozens injured because of snow and ice. Here this morning it is 40 degrees with a sharp wind to chill you through and only may hit 50 today. Come on Miss Spring; put your beautiful big girl panties on and hop on out here. I have a yard full of beautiful  daffodils that have done nothing except hang their heads down due to the wind, rain and cold. 

Okay, so I’m grouching about something I can do nothing about; kind of silly of me. The blessings are that while it might be very uncomfortable out side, I’m not having to go hunt for shelter because I have no home. I’m not having to run for cover while holding my child as bombs and bullets fly everywhere and with out discrimination like so many people are doing in the country of Ukraine right now. I’m not sitting here wondering what I or Ms. Kate are going to eat today or tomorrow. And when I turn my television on and listen to the news I’m not listening to a State-controlled broadcast because I live in a free country. And I’m not afraid to say I’m a Christian because I don’t have to worry about being jailed or worse for saying that. So, I apologize for not remembering for a moment or two just how fortunate and blessed I really am. And when I go outside after while, I will walk around and look at my flowers and put on a jacket, and thank God for what blessings He is showering me with today. 

I had a good evening of writing last night. I finished up my sermon for Easter Sunday and worked on my service for the 24th of April. I won’t be home on the 24th because Ms. Kate and I will be on vacation, but I still create the worship service for the guest pastor. Then I ask the pastor to provide me with their sermon title and desired scripture. The. Parish is in for a treat this time. I have asked my friend and mentor, Pastor Art to fill the pulpit for me on the 24th. Art has his Doctorate Degree and has been preaching for well over fifty years. He has such a wonderful grasp of the scriptures and he loves to preach. He is two years older than me but I think maybe younger in spirit. Art and I spend a lot of time discussing theology and church doctrine. He is a true Baptist by denomination, training and thinking but has dual standing with our denomination. I hope the parish enjoys listening to him like I do. 

Alrighty then. I need to get on my computer and do some more trip planning for our vacation. Did I tell you that we have decided to follow the Great River Road along the Mississippi River from St. Louis MO, to New Orleans, LA. There is a lot of good sights and history to see along that route. In the mean time, have yourself a very blessed day. Smile at people today. You just might be the brightest spot in someone’s life today. Peace. 

 Well, well, well! Let’s open up a brand new week and see what falls out. Certainly nothing has changed weather-wise. It is 34 degrees this morning. The sky is still cloudy but at least the wind has died down for now. At this rate I may have to bring back out the electric bird bath to keep the skim of ice off of the water. It dropped down to 29 degrees last night. March certainly came in like a lamb but it is going out like a lion just as the old saying goes. 

I know I have been very delinquent about writing this past week. My apologies for that. I could just say I’ve been busy but the truth is that if i don’t write first thing in the morning than I never seem to get around to it during the rest of the day regardless of how my time gets filled. But last week was a week of filled mornings. This week looks a little better so I’ll try to stay on track. 

I spent a good deal of time this past Saturday out in the yard pulling weeds and cleaning out my asparagus bed. It was growing over with those purple flowered weeds that seem to over take everything. I wish I knew what they were called so I could grumble at them by name. I’ve tried “Googleing it” but all that does is take you to ads for weed-control companies like True Green. We had Tru-Green yard service one year and it was aa total waste of money. Any way —- I spent a Thursday afternoon bent over my raised asparagus bed pulling out the weeds and dozens of little “starter saplings” from the maple tree seeds. I was very surprised at how well everything pulled up, Of course, the raised bed has excellent dirt in it and it is soft so I was able to pull up roots and all. It was amazing to me; the little saplings were only maybe a “fist-tall”, but they came out with as long as nine inches of root. So, chopping them off would have done nothing to eliminate them. This is my first year of “production” for the asparagus. I planted it three years ago and had to wait three years before I could cut it to eat. It is early yet  but I have one sprig of asparagus up. I need to find somewhere to get some sawdust to put on that bed now. That’s what my friend Bob Schuessler always did and he has more asparagus than you can shake a stick at. (Why would you shake a stick at it, I wonder? What a weird old saying.)

Our Parish Bible study is really going well. We had thirteen again this last Wednesday and the discussion was lively. We’re discussing the last ten days in the life of Jesus. This Wednesday we’ll be talking about Mark 15, the Garden of Gethsemane and the Good Friday. I suspect that will go lively too. I find it wonderful and amazing that there are so many things that we think we know or just gloss over but when we really read closely, we find that we have a lot of questions about the “who’s and why’s” of our Biblical events. As the pastor people look to me for the answer and there is just so much that I don’t know and that has to be my answer. But then I feel obligated to research and se what I can find out. Unfortunately, that research often take me down some very long “rabbit trails”. But —- that’s what I love about Bible study too. 

Time to get busy for today. One of my self-given tasks for today is to work on our vacation plans. Last night I think we finally decided on a plan to head over to St. Louis, MO and get on the “Great River Road” and follow the Mississippi River all the way from St. Louis to New Orleans. That should be a great trip of back roads and bi-ways. Today I need to map it out.I think it is about a 700 mile trip. 

Have yourself a great day and a day filled with blessings. Peace. 

 Hello Thursday, my old friend. You’re a chilly thing this morning sporting you 41 degrees. And i can’t say much for your sunrise this morning nor your attitude since then. And what’s this about a high of only 41 degrees?? Haven’t you heard? — Spring has sprung. 

I don’t know how it got to be Thursday and this looks like the first day I have sat down to write since last Saturday. I know I have planned to write earlier in the week but things kept popping up and I guess I just never got around to it. Well, —- it isn’t as though you missed anything in my normally boring life. Actually, I have been busy working on Lenten and Easter stuff and we all know I’m get lost in that shuffle and forget about doing other stuff. But, I’m glad to say that I’m staying on top of it pretty well. I finished my Palm Sunday service and sermon last night after we came home from Bible study. 

Speaking of which, our Bible study has been a real success. We’re having a steady group of 13-15 each week. The discussion has been lively and most everybody participates. In the discussion. So often Bible study group meet and it ends up being a “leader’s lesson”. But, i made it clear that this was not going to be another Pastor John does all of the talking event. We are studying the Passion Week events in the life of Jesus. Last night we were on The Last Supper and we linked Maundy Thursday all the way back to Exodus and Moses and to the Temptation of Jesus in the wilderness. It’s a great group. We got to talking about unleavened bread and I think I might just make some unleavened bread for next week and take it to share. I found a recipe on the web and it is only four basic ingredients; flour, water, olive oil, and salt. Each ingredient has a specific meaning (which I did not know) so I think it would be a fun thing to do. 

I had a call from the contractor I had contacted about doing some tree removal in my yard. At the back of lot, right on the fence line I have maybe five or six trees, all redbuds that are rotted and diseased and really need to come down. I think I told you about them. Anyway, —- the fellow called me last night waith an estimate and it sounded like a good price so I have given him the go-ahead. I don’t know when he will come do the job but he said it is a “small enough job” that maybe he can work it in on a day when he is in the area. I have seen his truck around here before and he has good recommendations, so hopefully he can get to it sooner rather than later. 

That’s about it for today. Have a blessed week. Peace 

Fiv 

 Happy Saturday! This will be very short. I just wanted to wish anybody and everybody a good day. It is a chilly and damp morning with a breeze that isn’t helping the feels like temperature one bit, nor has the sun broken through the clouds yet today, so it is just gloomy and cold. 

I have lots of guests at the Backyard Buffet this morning. Cool weather makes them hungry and it make for a lot of flying in and out. It almost makes you dizzy watching them. But it does brighten my day. 

We are counting down days until my oldest daughter Julie graduates from college. She is finally getting her Bachelor Degree. She has been taking classes forever at Indiana University Southeast, and has accumulated enough credits for three or four different Associate’s degrees. She finally got with an advisor and put it all together and will graduate in May. We are all very proud of her. She is the last one to get her degree. Perseverance does pay off. She just likes to read and loves to study and research. So, running the bookstore for the University is the perfect job for her. Unfortunately he company, Barnes and Noble, lost the contract for all of the IU campuses this time so she doesn’t know what she is hoping to do. It would make sense for the new company to hire her but that certainly doesn’t mean they will. So, her last day of working there could be May 28th. We keep her in our prayers for good things to happen. IOf it is meant to be it will be. 

Okay, I said this would be short. Have a great weekend. Don’t forget to visit your house of worship. Peace. 

 How was your St. Patrick’s Day? Did you wear your green or did you risk getting “pinched” because you had no green on? I wonder what one thing had to do with another. Who said you are supposed to pinch someone if they aren’t wearing green? Is it still “a thing”? Do people still do that? I guess they do — Ms. Kate pinched me yesterday because I wasn’t wearing green. 

There are storms rolling across the country again today and tomorrow. There is a You Tube weather forecaster that we listen to who is really good at covering the weather across the country. His Pod Cast is called “Ryan Hall Y’all”. He’s out of North Eastern Kentucky I think, maybe the Covington area. If you want to know what is happening and or going to happen weather wise —- that’s the guy to listen to. We have had a shower or two this morning and maybe will have some more. Tomorrow seems to be our turn to get it though. 

I have our spring A/C maintenance guy coming today around noon or so. We’ve been with the same company for a long time now and they have always done good for us. We bought our furnace and our A/C through them I think maybe 12 years ago and it has been well maintained. Hopefully I can get another decade out of the system. They certainly aren’t cheap and with the shipping and economy, who knows what you can get anymore. After all, it took four months just to get a refrigerator. 

I just noticed that my neighbor has a tree that is all bloomed out. I don’t know what kind of tree it is but it has pretty white blooms on it. I didn’t see it blooming yesterday but maybe I just missed it. BUt I was outside yesterday a lot and I think I wold have noticed it. I’m glad to see it; it just another sign that spring has sprung. I had to fill all of my feeders in the Backyard Buffet yesterday. And it was time to unplug and put away the electric bird bath. I guess we could have a night or two bellows freezing yet but I don’t think the water will freeze over. So, save a little electricity until next November or December. 

Ms. Kate had a routine doctor’s appointment yesterday. After that we went to Nellie’s for breakfast and then on the way home we stopped foro me to get a haircut. It was starting to get a little shaggy over the ears and I wanted my beard trimmed up. It too had gotten shaggy. I didn’t dare try to trim it myself because I would have messed it up. It doesn’t cost me anything to have my barber do while I’m getting the hair cur so why not let the pro do it. 

Time to get another cup of coffee and go watch the cardinals and woodpeckers. Have a blessed day. Peace. 

 It is another bright and beautiful day, and it is Wednesday. Or, as the camel would say; HUMP DAAAAY! I love that silly commercial. It generated millions of people going around saying HUMP DAAAAAY!. And now that you have seen it twice, I bet it rides your brain for awhile today too. I’m so glad i could help get your day going for you. 

We have “stuff to do” today. This evening we have Bible study at the church at 1830 so I guess we will leave here around 1630 and go to the church and run our bulletins and get stuff set up for Sunday. Yesterday I spent the afternoon working on my service and sermon for the 27th and got it most of the way done. I need to go downstairs to the office and finish that up. Then I can start working on my April services. I have already put together the Maundy Thursday Service and the Easter Sunrise service so I only have the regularly scheduled Sunday services to work on. But that does include Easter Sunday and that is always a good one to work on. After Easter we go another seven weeks in the Easter season and then we have Pentecost. Pentecost lasts for the next 26 weeks. During the Pentecost season there are no special “religious days” but we do have 4th of July, Labor Day, Halloween and Thanksgiving. Three of those four require some recognition of thanksgiving and acknowledgement of our blessings. And no, it’s not Halloween, although daughter Julie might disagree. LOL She does love her Halloween. 

Sitting here looking across the street at neighbor Dan’s Maple tree, I’m amazed at how quickly it is starting to leaf out. This warm weather is doing the trick. It is 49 degrees already this morning and is going up to 72. Bring it on. It will be nice to go out with a short sleeved shirt today instead of a sweatshirt. I think that I can maybe take the snow blade off of the John Deere now and think about putting the mower deck back on. Yes, we have had snow in April before but I have faith that winter, as hard as it has been, is pretty well over with. I may have to call Jim and see if he can make it over to put the mower deck on sometime soon. Certainly the yard doesn’t need mowing just yet but one must prepare and not wait until the last moment. 

That’s it for today. I thunk I’ll scramble up some eggs for breakfast this morning. And I have some freshly squeezed OJ for us. I took the last of the oranges and grapefruit that we brought back from our vacation and \squeezed the juice out of them. It is delicious. 

Go have yourself a wonderful HUMP DAAAAY! Peace.