Nuclear

Last week, I spent a LOT of time here:

You're not allowed to take your child here, just in case you were wondering. He'll be asked to leave. I guess the nuclear medicine department is in the basement of the hospital for a reason.

Last Friday, I finished my time there and was rewarded with a clean thyroid cancer scan. My heart was celebrating, but it is hard to be really ecstatic when there are so many sober, somber faces around. (Nuclear Medicine does not have a party atmosphere.) I think the overwhelming urge, after celebration, is for flight. Just to leave and be finished! Can you tell that I'm not one to volunteer for hospital visitation ministry? Nope, not me - sitting on hands, no eye contact. I'm a chicken.

He reminds me in His word, though, that He walks those halls Himself. And He is no coward, to shun those buildings, rooms, or basement corridors in favor of comfort.

And He walked them with me, last week.

Where can I go from your Spirit?

Where can I flee from your presence?

If I go up to the heavens, you are there;

if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

If I rise on the wings of the dawn,

if I settle on the far side of the sea,

even there your hand will guide me,

your right hand will hold me fast.

Psalm 139: 7-10

Red, Green ... WHITE?

I thought the snow had said "Goodbye".

I was wrong about that.

Nothing new there! ;0)

I'm the one who goes around the house, opening curtains and shades to let the morning come in. Sometimes it slides in quietly, tiptoeing sideways, cloaked in blue. Other times it rushes in with a blaze of sunshine - I like those mornings. On this past Sunday, morning jumped through the glass and gave me a wet willy!

Are you kidding me? Really?? SNOW???

I know the weatherman said we were going to get snow, I just thought it was a big, fat lie!

But, standing in my bedroom and staring out at it...

Isn't it beautiful? I certainly have never seen hot, red tulips laced and laden with snow!

Outstanding!

So, wrecking the fragile Sunday morning schedule, I snuck off to get the camera.

(Is your Sunday a.m. schedule as fragile as ours? Like a butterfly's wing, I tell you! )

With no one to scold, everyone still snoring away under their cozy blankets, these photos were snapped - just for the record!

In the Tree

We took a trip to the Creation Museum. It was really crowded, and I have to say that I was not unhappy when the trip was nearing its end. We had spent the morning and afternoon reading every single sign, gawking at the other visitors, processing overwhelming amounts of information and adjusting our worldviews as we moved along.

Did I say how crowded it was?

I like a crowd, the more to look at the merrier, but it was really too close to really enjoy the views.

My Youngest has an eye for detail that always surprises me, and on the way out of theAdam and Eve Eating the Apple scene, as I bustled along with everyone else toward the exit, My Youngest spotted this and called us back:

An amazing sculpture of Christ merged into the trunk of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil!

I'd love to hear the sculptor speak about this inspired/inspiring work.

Bread (Machine)

My bread machine still works.

Let me tell you that among those who move in (typical) homeschool circles, this is not an appliance to be bragging about. One should own a grain mill or a kneading board...maybe even a bread rising basket. But SHOULD is a big word, isn't it? Much too big.

And so, I want to tell you that my bread machine still works.

It was a Christmas gift several years ago - I'll bet it's been at least ten years! It's been banished a few times, when I was under the nearly irrisistable pressure of SHOULD. When I (briefly) considered buying the above breadmaking items and trying to bully (fake) my way into the society of those bread making, homeschooling, organic buying, entrepenurial mothers that I do admire.

Then the SHOULD would pass, taking a month or many more, and out it would come again - the Triumphant Breadmaking Machine!

Recently, My Middle Son came home from high school with an assignment to make homemade crescent rolls as were found in a novel they were reading in English class. I thought this was a little on the elementary side, but hey, anything for an extra 50 point bonus. Boys need all the extra credit they can get, right?

I'm so right about this, take my word for it.

So I introduced Boy Wonder to the Bread Machine.

And what a nicely raised dome of bread dough!

A wonder - no banneton required!

Goodbye

Yesterday, the snow waved goodbye and left behind the loveliest, light snow. Carefully, craftily piled on the top and tip of each and every branch 

in the backyard. These photos were taken in the blue light of the 

barely risen sun. The big boys had left for school already, 

and my last homeschooler still snoring away under the covers.

For the first time, the night before, I heard my teens say,

"I hope we don't have to stay home tomorrow!"

???

Really?

"Yeah! I just want to get on with it!"

The other said, "I just want it to get HOT!"

They didn't look happy as they walked out the door (and they never do), 

but having them gone, I grabbed the camera.

Because I'm SURE this is the LAST snow.

And I love the blue light - special things happen in the Blue Light Hours.

Daylight savings time starts tonight, and the other half of our lives begin. 

The half with long, warm nights outside, way after dinner...

The below were taken at breakfast, an hour later.

The sun is up, and the snow is all buttery with it.

And it was all gone within two hours.

Goodbye Winter

Willow is putting her pearls on in the front yard...

Thanks, Clive!

We were driving home and listening to the last disc of the the final book in the Chronicles of Narnia - the Last Battle. It's definitely my favorite of the seven stories and just happened to be in the player this afternoon. My Youngest selected the last part of the story to listen to on the drive home. In the story, King Tirian had just fought his last and entered, against his will, the door of the stable, when My Boy reached over to turn it off and say:

"I love, love, love this story! It shows that every single thing in your life all comes down to one decision - everything before and everything after - one decision!"

(me)"Who to serve?"

"YES It's all about that decision. And all of everything is created for Him - all of it!"

(rough description of the conversation, since I was saying to myself, "Remember this, remember this...")

Thank you C. S. Lewis.

I want to give that man a big ol' hug when I get Over There! The impact of his Chronicles on each of my boys is invaluable. I'm not exactly sure how this particular bit of revelation was gleaned from the story by the my Last Son, but I have learned not to question the Holy Spirit when He clearly speaks or moves in the life of one of my men.

I can just stand in fervent gratitude that He is moving in their hearts. It is His work to call them, pursue them and win them. My work is to point the way.

So glad Clive is helping me point!

Krohn Did the Work

I'm waiting for my shy daffodils to show their faces...

But while I wait, it's already spring at Krohn Conservatory. What a beautiful place to spend a cold morning! They have an amazing spring display, including all the plants I wish I had taken time to put in the ground for my own spring garden.

Wish I had planted some of these in the cold end-of-fall days last year!

But I'm always too eager to get into the holiday season, and every year I let the opportunity to plant new things for the spring - bulbs and cold hardy plants like these beautiful pansies, pass me by. Oh well - Krohn's horticulturists have done all the work, instead of me!

Side note: On our last field trip to Krohn, My Youngest and I created a very cool scavenger hunt - all photos. Let me know if you'd like to have it for your next visit. Any age would enjoy it, I think.

Green!

I saw it waayyy out there in the yard. Something GREEN caught my eye this morning! Joan Senior is waking up, and the iris (behind) does not want to be left behind.

hahahahaha

Even though frost is crusting the edges of last year's leaves, things are coming back to life. Lamb's ear looks so soft and delicate, but what a trooper - it's only 28° out there!

And right outside the back door, the Yellowstone lilies - my favorites! Looks like Ol' Lady Drought didn't get as much as I thought she did. Luminous green light shining through newly alive leaves -

Resurrection! New Life! Revival!

If you'd like a trip through a summer garden about now, visit Colors Of the Garden. I found it while searching for a photo of Joan Senior to share. This garden is amazing! Something to look forward to, here at the beginning of March.