Photos for 1/15/2011

The snow in the backyard, 6 days later

Lamps; photo for 1/14

I sometimes think we are like these lamps - not just that we have the capacity to give off light, given that we have sufficient power, and the proper illuminating device (i.e, light bulbs), but that, unlit, unpowered, when gathered en masse, we appear pleasing, colorful and striking, even if we are mostly alike.  

But, upon closer inspection, some of us are a little banged up, a bit crinkled, but standing tall nonetheless!

Personally, I want to be this one!

Crystal Ball Lamp

Photo for 1/13/2011

Bella in knitwear!

I think she does my shawlette justice!  She, on the other hand, does not appreciate fine knitwear!  LOL!

Photo for 1/12/2011

Evening through the bedroom

yet more evidence that I am truly a geek

Meet Marvaleen -- she's a garden snowwoman -- she has garlic chive hair, lavender scarf, rose hip buttons, rose bush arms, and dried mum flower eyes.

She was loads of fun to make.

Marvaleen, the Snow Woman

Rainbow

Last Friday (1/7/11) Nat and I were leaving the grocery store; the weather had been threatening all day, dark, grey clouds, hanging low and ominous, but no rain had come yet, and there was the most beautiful full rainbow in the sky right in front of us. While we have had the wonderful privilege of seeing rainbows before, they are always so special and this was no different.  We loaded the car and headed north on Hixson Pike for home.  Hixson Pike makes a pretty significant turn in direction between Publix and our house and as we were headed more northbound, the rainbow was first to our left and then directly in front of us -- and I do mean DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF US!

As we continued on, we realized that we could see the end of the rainbow on the street ahead of us -- and, yes, we certainly were looking for the leprechaun and pot of gold!











We then realized we were going to drive THROUGH the rainbow, literally!

It was surreal -- because as we got closer and closer, of course the rainbow disappeared.

And you can't turn around and see it behind you either!

It was a unforgettable experience we shared, one that I will cherish always.

All Hallows Eve

It has been an absolutely beautiful fall day. The temperature started about mid-40's and made it to mid-70's. The sky was blue with wisps of white clouds, the sun was bright but lower in the sky than summer and there are still leaves shining with their last glorious gasps of color.

In Sunday school this morning, I shared my memory of years ago when we first moved to Chattanooga - Nathan was in first grade, and we lived in some apartments over on Mountain Creek Road.  We were walking on the track at the old Red Bank Elementary school (it had a playground for Nathan to play on that we could see while we walked).  It was in the fall -- cool, brisk, but still sunny.  There were some older homes to the side of the school and track.  Being an established residential area, there were many full grown trees.  Many of the trees had lost all their leaves, but in particular one huge tree had lost its bright yellow leaves -- they completely covered the yard and the road in front of a home.  An older lady, completely white haired, was in the road, kicking and playing in the leaves. It is one of our most precious shared memories as a couple. It is also a "defining" moment in my life: I want to be that little old lady; not letting age or the coming winter keep her from finding joy in the simple things of this beautiful God given world.

So with that memory freshly renewed and the thoughts of how we are to continually praise God, I knew I needed to get outside and really savor this glorious day.

So I did.