First day of School-Wow!

And the fun begins!!  I heard the sound of silence this morning~except for the wheels of the School Buses going by-LOL!  My neighbor texted to me "hurry, look out of the window, there are little people on the corner!"  Love seeing their little feet as they board the School bus.

Pooky's Grandma is always up for anything just like my Grandma Rachael, my Mom Carrie and myself~Kerrie.  She is a combo of all of these people....

I do not know where August went at all, it just flew in and out like a hummingbird!  It was another great summer in Auburn NY and Owasco Lake though.  My John taught sailing lessons this year and though I was not a student as I was last year, it was still great to see the youngsters so enthusiastic about learning from little ones up to teenagers.

My girlfriend Nellie has a small apple orchard in her backyard in the country and she gave me Apples for pies, eating and sauce.  There is nothing like fresh fruit with no insecticides!  And I took several photos with the leaves still on the fruit so I can draw or paint them later.

I love the rich colors of the apples.  A pie is in the offing-ha!  She also gave me some small apples and a couple of pears-I am in fruit heaven-ha!

Fall is my favorite time of year.  Others get Spring Fever but I get Fall Fever when the mornings start to get crisper in temperature and the fresh air smells heavenly.  Warm Indian Summer type days with lots of sunshine....what's not to like??

So while I am picking some green tomatoes to ripen on my window sill, I picked up the first very colorful leaf from the back lawn.  A sure sign that it is Fall, Y'all!  

Wonderful Sunflowers much taller than my car and even with me when I look out of my dining room window.  This one plant must have had at least a dozen blossoms so far-Joy de vi!

New beginnings:  I have been accepted for a p/t job and I cannot wait to start!  I can walk to the location if I want!  My granddaughter is getting married the 19th of this month and John is going to SC with me for that.  So exciting!  Trying to lose a few pounds before then but John and I are addicted to ice cream!  He buys it and leaves it at MY HOUSE so he is not tempted.  Works for him but not for me-LOL!   My closest cousin became a born again Christian at the beginning of August and I could not be more delighted.  God has been so busy in all of our lives!  We are so blessed.

Some sadness as a niece was hit with a sudden illness in the spring and is unable to move in the prime of her life.  There is no true diagnosis as yet either so we all continue to pray.  And my oldest friend from Kindergarten lost her son just a few days ago in his midlife from cancer.  There is no pain like the loss of a child..... ♥

I am still singing and playing guitar with the praise group at church but have added my violin to the mix for the first time this last Sunday and enjoyed ad lib with the organist for the final hymn.  Took me back to my youth when I made that violin sing at times!  Our group has grown from 3 to 5 and now as many as 9 on various instruments and voices. God is really blessing our United Church of Auburn, NY.  There are more children all the time filling 2 pews sometimes and their enthusiasm and participation is so refreshing!  

My wild and happy heart to yours....

Come back soon and leave a comment, easy to do and I treasure them. :)

When I survey the Wondrous Cross

♫♫"When I survey the wondrous cross,
On which the prince of glory died,
My richest gain would be but loss,
and pour contempt on all my pride.

See from His head, His Hands, His feet, Sorrow and love flow mingled down,
Love so amazing, so complete
Demands my soul, my life, my all, Demands my soul, my life, my all!♫♫

When I sang this song in years past in the "Singing Christmas Tree" production in Myrtle Beach, I was so struck by the word that my chest actually ached.  The suffering that this God made Flesh had to suffer was beyond any agony that I could imagine.  I felt like I was seeing the blood from his head, hand and feet flowing while life ebbed away while his own Mother watched in pain.  Will we ever again witness such a sacrifice?  I pray not and thank Jesus for dying for me and for you and all of mankind.
     Rejoice this Easter Sunday when the stone is rolled away and our Lord rises!  Enjoy your families and be elated that you can live free and worship as you choose.  It is such a blessing and should never be taken for granted.

Yes, another frosty Morning!

THIS MORNING WAS THE WORST!  The furnace broke at 4:30 a.m. and it was only 25 out, windchill 17.  It is now up to 30.  We waited until 6:00a.m. and called a repairman and left a message.  At 9a.m. he called back and within the hour came.  The blower motor was definitely on the deceased list so he removed it and said he would try to find one and be back if he could.  So we are warming with 2 ceramic heaters and sunshine, LOL!  Bummer!  But the bright spots are the beautiful ice patterns on the lake early this morn and the wonderful Blue Bird blessing the feeder.  He was puffed up so big against the cold that he looked almost completely round!  Isabella, our Ragdoll, just got right up in the window for a close up look.  I took the pictures through the window and the largest one came out like a painting when I brought it up on the computer, I loved the effect!  I will definitely have to paint this Blue Bird of Happiness.

The good Lord always sends a ray of sunshine in the midst of trouble and today he added this beautiful little creature.  We are so blessed!

To view more beautiful photographs of nature, visit http://katneyskaboodle.blogspot.com/ where Kathy posts the most beautiful pictures.  She is a really interesting and well traveled Lady who lives in the state of Washington.  Make sure you click on her 2nd blog in the right sidebar, 365.

Wouldn't this make a great puzzle?  The effect was not intended but I love the way it came out.

Thanks for coming, please come again soon!