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#AtoZChallenge: Nature
Mama fox and one of her kits. A fallen tree is their habitat so we can’t clear it away. Photo by Diane Weidenbenner. My husband and I have .7 of an acre on the north side of a small town in Indiana. It’s an older neighborhood and one that isn’t “hip” anymore. All the chain restaurants, the Walmart, and the mall with Macy’s and Carson’s is located on the south side. We enjoy less traffic up north, and an Applebee’s was built shortly before we arrived. People would ask where we moved to and the follow-up comment was “They just built an Applebee’s up there, ya know!” Yes, we’ve heard!…
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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…
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Happy New Year!
I’ve had 12 glorious days off of work – woo hoo! Tomorrow is my first day back after Christmas vacation and I’m apprehensive. I’ve gotten fairly comfortable not going into work, although I enjoy my job at my non-profit marketing position for a Christian organization. It’s not that I don’t like to work. I’ve worked since I’ve was 15. It’s more that I have so many things to do in my “off time” such as knitting, making jewelry, spending time with my husband, playing with and walking the dog, cooking and baking, drinking Chai tea at the local coffee house while trying to write the great American mystery novel. There…
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Sunny disposition
It’s this time each year when winter is in full swing, the days close in darkness at 5 p.m. and the wind chill is 0 degrees. Originally from Colorado, where it can snow 12 inches one day and be 50 degrees and sunny the next, I need to actively remind myself what it is about this season that I love, now that I live in Indiana. It’s not uncommon for skies to be overcast for days on end and for freezing rain to accompany or precede beautiful snow. So, here goes: 10 things I like about winter, in no particular order: snowflakes, falling snow, crunchy hard-packed snow, all things snow-related…
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Nothing “blue” about blueberries
I found blueberries on sale at the local grocery store and brought them home. I had a blueberry almond bar recipe that I wanted to try but could never find the time. We ate some of the blueberries on ice cream and they were awesome but the majority of them sat, washed, in the fridge. Over the weekend, my husband had a grand idea, “Why don’t you make a blueberry pie?” After getting a trusted recipe off of the Internet, I went to the store, got a few ingredients and made two pies. The house smelled like blueberry heaven after I put the pies on top of the stove to…
