I spent the afternoon working in my yard yesterday. Several of the bushes and trees were in desperate need of pruning. It’s not my favorite gardening activity, but it is necessary to maintain the health and productivity of the plants. My husband, perched on a branch high up in the plum tree, was carefully looking for branches that needed to be removed. Occasionally he would ask for my opinion before making the necessary cuts. We talked about which branches had been more productive last year and what kind of harvest we might expect for this season. As we were working,

Out in my yard today… another mild day with a high temp. of 40 degrees. I’m grateful for… a sweet husband who supports me and encourages me to be true to my heart, uninterrupted sleep, and strong-willed, highly opinionated children (in the most positive sense- when their hearts are grounded in truth, they will not be moved!). One of my favorite things… coffee, coffee, and more coffee! My hubby fixes me a cup of java joy and brings it to me each morning. I know… I’m pampered 🙂 This week I’m reading… the power of simple prayer by Joyce Meyer.

I like football, but my husband love, love, loves football! So, even though his beloved Dallas Cowboys didn’t make it this year, we watched the Super Bowl yesterday. Not a huge fan of either team, I found myself cheering for the Saints because it was their first appearance at the Super Bowl and I think that New Orleans as a city deserves something to really celebrate this year. Kind of campy reasoning, but that’s how I do football. Besides, there was endless analysis by the “experts” leading up to the game to provide me with all the information I might

Out in my yard today… A sunny day, the temperature is 42.6 degrees F (according to my Oregon scientific weather gauge.) Baxter, my darling Miniature Schnauzer, is “securing the perimeter” and patrolling for squirrels. It snowed yesterday, but most of it has melted away. I’m grateful for… kind friends who loaned us a dryer when ours died last week, hugs from my family, and rocky road ice cream. One of my favorite things… The new book my hubby gave me last week, Organize now! A week-by-week guide to simplify your space and your life. Very practical and fun to use!

I have been a guest teacher in our local public school district for a few years now. (In case you’re wondering, “guest teacher” is the more professional, politically correct name for a substitute teacher.) I have a lot of fun and I really like the flexibility it affords me. There have been some challenging moments, but I generally have had good experiences in the classroom. A couple of months ago I was asked to guest teach at a private Christian school in my neighborhood. I filled in for three weeks for a teacher who was recovering from surgery. The class