Sunday, May 6, 2012

Coy Koi

IMG_5449 by antiquerain
IMG_5449, a photo by antiquerain on Flickr.

Nature trusts in God's goodness.

The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and He knows those who trust in Him. ~ Nahum 1:7

"When others behave badly to us, it should only stir us up the more heartily to give thanks unto the Lord, because He is good; and when we ourselves are conscious that we are far from being good, we should only the more reverently bless Him that He is good. We must never tolerate an instant's unbelief as to the goodness of the Lord; whatever else may be questioned, this is absolutely certain, that Jehovah is good; His dispensations may vary—but His nature is always the same" ~ C. H. Spurgeon

Saturday, May 5, 2012

Sunset silhouette

Sunset silhouette by antiquerain
Sunset silhouette, a photo by antiquerain on Flickr.
Let us do something to make the mountains glad.  ~ John Muir

For you shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall
break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
  ~ Isaiah 55:12

Friday, May 4, 2012

Triplet crocus

Triplet crocus by antiquerain
Triplet crocus, a photo by antiquerain on Flickr.

Sweet spring is passing by.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Hints of Spring


A buzz within. A need to join the fervor outside.
Cheerful spring blooms
It's now light when I unlock my door after work. I'm itching to be out there. Out there where the world is waking from it's stiff winter hunch.

The birds chatter, chirp, and chase each other. Their clamor resonates with my desire for community, a place to be known and be welcomed after an absence, a place where reunions are celebrated.

I taste that joy on my walk when I spot a robin perched on a white picket fence just as a rustle in the brush exposes the white tail of a bunny scampering away (probably to eat someone's sprouting bulbs). The sight is a reminder that shared joys are often felt more keenly. The fellowship of God's creation offers that shared joy even on a walk alone.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Papa's summary of the storm

Hi everyone:

The snow from this one is finally over, the wind is howling, and blowing snow around. We had 6 inches or so with this storm. This afternoon, they brought in the heavy cavalry to plow the street, two road graders. My ploy of removing the pile in front of my yard yesterday seemed to work, because they cut the path pretty close to the curb. Erica hasn’t seen a plow up in Arlington yet.

Paula posed for this photo yesterday in the neighbor’s castle with tunnel that they made with their children.

I pasted below, text from the record breaking news for the DC area; they started keeping records in 1884.

We usually get more snow than Reagan National, so I’m sure our local total is higher.

Our love to all,

Eric and Paula

“Washington reached a seasonal snowfall record on Wednesday. As of 2 p.m., there were 54.9 inches recorded at Reagan National Airport. That's a half-inch above the previous record from the 1898-1899 season.

Washington Dulles International Airport, which already had its snowiest season before the current storm began, has gotten another 4 inches. That brings its total for the season to 67.5 inches.”

Saturday, February 6, 2010

The Big Snow: the wrap-up

beholding simple beauties

The last one sitting by the fire, I'm warm, cozy, and thoughtful. My first thoughts turn with gratitude to some of God's good gifts enjoyed today: the blessing of home, laughter with friends, and protection from harm. Most specifically I'm savoring thoughts of:

~ The beautifully warm chili still piping hot in the crock pot hours after we lost power. Note: Megan made chili con carne by Mark Bittman. A dash of cinnamon took the edge off, making it extra savory.
~ Our power coming back on in short order.
~ Our generous neighbor clearing our sidewalk with his snow blower.

We owe that man some cookies.

~ Starting off the day with a scrumptious breakfast. (Is there a food theme here?)

Blizzard Feast #2: blueberry pancakes, real maple syrup, mimosas, and Icelandic orange ginger yogurt with a sprinkle of nutty granola and cinnamon.

A great day with so much snow and a reminder to count my blessings. What are you thankful for today?