• #atozchallenge,  encouragement,  faith,  photography

    “B”rrr, someone frosted the trees!

    It’s April 2 and this photo was taken from our front porch this morning. Someone flew over the city and frosted everything. It’s so pretty, and unexpected. That’s the way life is sometimes. I am a fan of snow (having moved from Denver to Indiana) so this was a gift to me but probably a disappointment to many others. I think it’s winter’s last hurrah before giving in to spring’s blooms. It’s been great hearing the birds chirping in the morning but I bet they were surprised as we were with the snow. It’s been a harder winter than normal, and I don’t necessarily mean the weather. Life’s changes have…

  • #atozchallenge,  Easter,  faith,  photography

    “A”pril is here – no foolin’

    So, it’s April 1 and the beginning of the A to Z blogathon. It’s also Easter Sunday so I thought this photo was appropriate. It was taken on my way to work one day last year about this time. Believe it or not, we got a few snowflakes just an hour ago but the daffodils are in full bloom and the dogwood blossoms are about to open. Happy spring to everyone, whether you’re celebrating the Risen Christ and the joy and blessings that His living spirit bestows on us daily or you’re celebrating the awakening of plants, animals and a warmer spirit that will lead us into the coming months.…

  • #atozchallenge,  faith,  friendship,  garden,  life after 50,  nature

    #AtoZChallenge: Gardens and good friends

      Photo © Diane Weidenbenner Spring has sprung and it has me thinking about gardens. Buds have appeared on our lilacs, irises are springing up and the roses have green, velvety leaves. I can’t wait to get a whiff of the lilac-perfumed air from our bedroom window. I also begin thinking of new plants to add to the landscape. Do they require a lot of care? Since we’ve had a drought these past few summers, how much water will they require? I have a lot of enthusiasm at the beginning of the season when it’s sunny and warm (and not humid.) As the summer progresses, and it gets muggy and…

  • Christian,  dogs,  essay,  pet adoption

    Down for the count

    Our dog, Hershey, is in his “formative” years – he’s almost two. Our little fledgling has learned much. He is potty trained, likes car rides and walks in the park, warmly greets other dogs (and to their dismay cats) with the international canine custom of bottom sniffing. He has “sit,” “stay,” “shake,” and “down” memorized and if you have a treat or he’s not distracted by absolutely anything else, he’d be happy to show you. He only chases the kitties 62.8 percent of the time and he’s been caught licking Tike, although Tike would deny it if asked. He almost sleeps through the night without taking a potty break and…

  • Christian living,  friendship,  transplant

    Do unto others …

    Sunset on Brookville Lake, Liberty, Ind. What if we — Met resistance with kindness … Countered hatred with love … Lifted each other up instead of undermining each other? Gave support instead of criticism … Offered assistance instead of condemnation … Encouraged one another instead of judging one another? Made the first move instead of waiting … Apologized instead of demanding the same … Tabled our anger for timely reflection? Prayed to God instead of complaining … Thanked God for the good instead of holding on to the bad … Trusted God with the future instead of fearing the past? These thoughts have been on my mind lately and reflect…

  • Christian living,  hostas,  rural life

    Hostas with the most-est

    What an amazing season spring is! One day the grass, trees, bushes and other plants are brown, dry and easily crunched between your fingers. And, the next day it rains and thunders a bit and voila! Everything is green. It’s like all the plants have gotten together and decided to cooperate. It’s a symbol of the best team spirit I’ve ever witnessed. Everything has sprouted overnight. Our house backs up to Lost Creek and in the winter, although hundreds of trees and bushes line the creek bed and shelter us from our neighbors’ prying eyes and the roaring traffic of 13th Street, they are leafless. We can see AutoZone from…

  • Christian living,  Francesca Battistelli,  patience

    Lord, please give me patience. Now!

    I’m in desperate need of patience. And, I’m becoming impatient about it! I get home after work and my “to do” list overwhelms me. It’s the same with the weekend. And, my husband, Joe, completes most of the weekly tasks for our survival – what’s my problem?! It’s the little things that get to me. I’ve had a sinus/respiratory infection and it’s been hard to sleep. I have tendonitis in my left ankle. We’re between seasons so it’s too soon to plant flowers but too late to plant bulbs. It’s too muddy to remove the straw from our backyard but there isn’t enough moisture to plant grass seed. I want…