The weather today in my neck of the woods:

Overcast. Had quite a dark and stormy night last night. Great for me, now I don’t have to water the garden and the rain barrel is getting full.

A simple pleasure:

Sleeping in. I love that Mr. J. lets the dogs out before he heads out to work in the morning. It gives me about one to two hours extra sleep. Considering I am up with Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum at 3:00 am every morning…that extra hour or two really helps.

I am thankful:

That I am learning to mold and shape our lives in accordance to the philosophy that “less is more”….at least in my mind.

From the kitchen:

Are you serious????? For those that know me well….I have my spits and spurts with this kitchen thing. The past few weeks have definitely been spits…so not much going on there that can’t be spread with a knife onto bread or popped in the microwave.

From the learning rooms:

Miss Sam continues to excel with the Virtual School teaching platform. It’s Mom that holds her up with the lab portions of her curriculum. Not that into growing yeast or covering my hand with washable paint to see what is left behind after hand washing. See, I don’t get it either.

I  finished reading:

Can’t remember the last book I actually read all the way through. Been having a tough time staying focused committed to one book.

I am currently reading:

Clear and Convincing Proof by Kate Wilhelm. Really light reading but at least I can stay focused at least for a chapter.

On My Mind:

Raising a teenager. I did wonderful with the childhood years (thank you very much!) and much of what was accomplished during those years are enduring traits that I  love seeing bloom and flourish. HOWEVER…we are now talking about a TEENAGER….can I get an AMEN.

There are good days and bad days. Not so much with her. But with me. You really need to be motivated to parent a teenager and some days it’s easier to say “whatever”. BTW…..Miss Sam loves those days.

Creative Projects:

• Been working outside in the backyard more than anything else.
• In spare moments I am able to get the photo portfolio moving in the right direction.
• Looking forward to focusing more on the genealogy project this week.

Hearth and Home:

STILL…thinking about spring cleaning.

Thinking it would be nice if I could wriggle my nose and voila…..there it is…that ever elusive clean house!!!

I did manage to clean the master bath…that lasted all of one day.

I laugh:

At the movie Old Dogs. I swear…the results of the medicine mix-up had me laughing so hard I hurt. It was almost as funny as Drop Dead Fred.

Inspirational Thought I’m  Sharing:

A grateful heart speaks a language all its own, a rare blend of mercy and graciousness, forgiveness and gentleness. A grateful heart makes time to imagine life in someone else’s world because quite often it can recall how it felt to do without.

Because it remembers being in need, or that it easily could be there in the future, it extends its concern beyond its own troubles to others, looking for ways to ease burdens and soothe hurts. A heart of gratitude beats more powerfully for others, having been tenderized through its own difficulties.

…Whether we realize it or not, every time we deal with others we speak for or against our gratitude toward all God has done for us.

Translate that language of gratitude into caring for others, and watch yourself be surrounded in an environment of friends who speak as God does.

~Erin Keeley Marshall~

A picture thought  I am sharing:

Beginning to feel the urge for another photo field trip. There is something about being behind a camera lens that releases hidden parts of my soul.