2:55 PM

April 4th.

It was a lovely day.

A lovely time. The time of day when the sun actually shines into our apartment. So, I took pictures.

Even the white tea cup helps to brighten the sill.

And the Striped Squill is a touch of joy.

Our dinky little kitchen all lit up.

The sittin' stool sittin' in the corner with light flooding in.

Kitchen winder

Aloe all full of sunshine.

 I couldn't decide which one I preferred: the dark one or the more natural one.

Oh, the joys of bright sun.

The Striped Squill

The other day I was walking in a neighborhood I recently discovered. It's a beautiful neighborhood with lovely old houses. As I was walking, I spotted a patch of Striped Squill, which is a lovely little white flower with delicate blue stripes. I was happy because they were the first flowers I've seen this year. I picked a little stem and brought it home with me.

Here are several pictures of that one stem. Sounds boring, but, seriously, they're so cheery!

My hands, on the other hand, are not so delicate. 

They smell good, too

Happy spring!

Water Pictures That Make Me Happy

Yep, I LOVE water. Below is a collection of random pictures involving water that bring me joy. I hope you can find some delights in them as well. 

Hannah and Tyler, probably at the Mediterranean. Besides the fact that it's a picture of my siblings, I love the blue water in the background.

This is an old picture that I found on the internet of Kaieteur Falls. It is so majestic and jungly.

We look cool. That shirt was cool. I gave it to Lydia because it wasn't going to work for me anymore, but looking at this picture kind of makes me miss it. Haha!

Now this here is one of my favorite water pictures. We were at the Outer Banks, and it was so cool how far we could walk out into the water without it being too deep.

This is the same place. I love the big splashes Josiah was making as he ran through the water. Such good memories. 

Wow! I actually had a tan. I think that's the St. Croix. 

Aww! I always thought this was a precious picture of big brother-in-law and little sister in the ocean. 

Ocean just gives you thrills and energy. This is such a delightful picture. Talk about making you happy! I feel like skipping and jumping right now.

Lydia by that cool waterfall in Kentucky. I think I mainly like Lydia in this picture because I realize you can hardly even see the water. 

New Jersey shore sunrise. Absolutely beautiful. 

Lydia and me about 10 years ago. Haha! This picture is absolutely hilarious. I was such a scrawny, buckteeth, overall-wearing teenager, and Lydia was just too stinkin' cute.

OK, this is ice, but close enough, and this picture is pretty legit.

This is actually the same lake but a little less icy. Everything is just gorgeous in this picture.

A phone picture of Lydia and me a little older than that last one. 

Water. It is so therapeutic and refreshing. I think I will always love it. 

I hope that was a refreshing a cheerful post to brighten your day. 

"Then shall the lame man leap as a hart,

And the tongue of the dumb sing:

For in the wilderness shall waters break out,

And streams in the desert."

~Isaiah 35:6~

Sign Petition to Stop Abortion

I don't normally do these kinds of posts, but this is an important topic. Abortion is wrong.
Go to the link below:

Sign This Petition

and sign the petition there. It will tell you what the petition is about. You can add a comment to the target, which happens to be congress and other legislatures.

Cookbook Page

Yes, another page. This is for recipes. Feel free to check it out every now and then to see if there are any good recipes for you.

Joy in the Form of Sunshine

It is a beautiful day. 

This morning I went for a 4.5 mile walk. It was so nice to be outside in the sun. I think I even got a bit of a sunburn. There was a good amount of other people out walking or running or biking. I brought my camera along to document the beauty of it all. 

The train tracks. I love trains and train tracks. They're kind of nostalgic. 

The other way.

Yep! I was in short sleeves. That's how warm it is. 

This is one of the beautiful houses on Nicolette Island. They actually painted it since I last lived here. 

This is the same house two years ago. Look how much they changed it. Which one do you prefer? I like the colors it used to be, but it also looks really elegant and pretty now. 

They also painted this one. I really like the colors now, but the old one (below) is kind of fun. 

Once again, which is your favorite?

The old style playground brings back memories of my childhood. 

So much water.

This little girl was just walking down the street with one of those bubble machines, and I thought it was really precious.

The city even looked happier in the bright sunshine.

Little girl on a bike. So much pink going on here. Haha! Gotta love it. 

Well, if you ain't havin' the kind of weather we are here, I hope it comes your way soon. 

Still Can't See

I look in vain. I still can't see the land. I feel I am adrift out at sea. Were the moon and stars to shine, I might would know where to go.

But, all seems dark, lost, wondering, and wandering. If I make it in time, will there be anything there for me?

I scan the darkness. Nothing.
I still can't see.

I sit back down. Depressed. I have been on this open sea for too long now. The storms that have ravished this ocean, the bleakness. Who knows? Maybe I have been near land all the time, but I just couldn't see it.

But now it is calm. Almost too calm. Maybe I have given up. Maybe I am so tired I don't even care. Alone, in the dark, far from hope. I let out a loud, deep sigh. I breathe in the ocean air, thick with salt. Somehow, I almost feel refreshed. Maybe heaven is near.

Over the past several days, I have been lost. I left shore with ideas, too many I suppose, and I ended up getting lost. Very lost. The deep sea went into a battle against itself and nearly dumped my little boat into its bottomless grave. Now that it is calm, I would have thought I could make out something. But, no. Nothing.

Have I been stupid to go alone? Were they all right? I have nothing to say.

I am tired, but I can't seem to close my eyes.

Do I see something? Light? A little speckle, a little spark.

I stand up. Land? A house? Something.

I pick up an oar and row fast. But, I still cannot make out any land. It's seems strange that any other boat would be taking a cruise at this hour. I keep rowing, faster, faster, faster. The light grows, brighter, brighter, brighter.

I stop mid row. It is not land, it is no house, no boat.

It is a man.

Now I am afraid. Do I row faster than ever, in the opposite direction? I cannot move, nor can I take my eyes off that light, or rather, the face of the man who holds the light. Then I cock my head. He doesn't hold a light, he is the light. He is the very source of light. I blink.

Then He speaks.

"It is I; do not be afraid."*

Ah, yes, why did I not call You? Tears trickle down my cheeks, but You have forgiven me already.

I will remember next time.

*John 6:20