Do You Remember.....

Oh how LOVELY February was?? It is the beginning of 4H fair week here in our county and it is once again HOT!!!!!!! So, with that in mind, I thought it would be nice to remember what it was just five short months ago here in Indiana......

(Pretty picture, isn't it? I didn't take it, daughter Jennie did it!)

Ice on the side of the house....

Snow up past the windows of our old little church...on Missions Conference weekend.

I actually like the winter time as long as I don't have to drive in the bad conditions, or if my husband and children and loved ones don't have to drive in it...which is rare...especially now that Danny is a policeman and has to be out in it all the time!!!

But those lovely, cozy days of curling up with a wonderful Jane Austen book or movie, or scrapbooking, or sewing, or even tidying up my house seem so wonderful to me right now! A nice cup of "Breakfast" or Lady Grey tea in a beautiful tea cup, a yummy scented candle burning, even the lingering scent of the fabric softener in the laundry room seems nice to me right now...summer is very busy around our house and I really miss the slightly less active time of the winter. The wintertime just seems so very cozy to me when I am at home...KEEPING home. The yellowish light in the window welcoming my husband home to a hot home cooked meal helps create a delightful mood in our home. I am really looking forward to the first real winter we will spend in our new/old house. It is really quite snug. (I have been promising myself that I will never complain about anything in the much more affordable house...but I would REALLY love to have a clothes closet for Roger and myself! I'm trying to talk him into building one soon...very soon, please, oh please????????? Roger Honey.....do you ever read this stuff I write????)

My mother was very very sick this week and continues to feel bad...although better. She was taken to the hospital Saturday night with pneumonia in both lungs and sepsis. She is better now and is home. I was really afraid on Saturday that we would lose her. Becca sat at my feet and just sobbed. However, as I said, she is much improved and even called me and joked around with me. (she overheard another phone conversation I had on the cellphone with my hubby, telling him I loved him, etc....She told me that we were "sick." Yeah, maybe...at least our teenagers think we are!! hehe!!) I am thanking the Lord for His provision for her!

4H is about to start full swing this weekend. Almost all the projects have been turned in with the exception of Becca's Food Preparation. She is making quiche' and it needs to be ready Thursday morning...bright and early! Becca and Gideon both received blue ribbons on their craft projects, blue ribbons on their photography projects, Becca got a blue on a painting, and her "salon" photography was just judged this morning. She got a "Blue" ribbon on a picture of chocolate kisses...with a possible consideration for the honors group...and a blue ribbon with honors on a picture of the woods behind our house with the farmer's yard tractor in the picture. It will be competing for champion, reserve or grand champion. (Not bad, I think!) I LOVE that picture!

I hope that they are learning a lot from 4H and that is isn't all about just winning a ribbon. (I know that that is a big part to them...they each would love to get a champion ribbon but not many kids get to have that. ) I want them to work hard and compete NICELY...not mean spirited. I think that it can easily become that way if we don't watch it. I am also a little bit afraid that PRIDE will get in the way and get ugly.

Becca and Gideon ARE learning about time scheduling, doing your best, talking with judges and explaining their projects. We are really reaping the benefit of Becca learning so much about cooking! She knows much much much more at 14 than I did when I got married!

Well, have a lovely day, try to stay cool...if possible.

Blessings!

Beth