Rejoice!

But the angel answered and said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. ~Matthew 28: 5-6

And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, "Rejoice!" So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him. ~Matthew 28:9

In March

March leads the way to springtime,
And can't make up her mind
To follow gentle paths
And leave the snow behind.


One day she's tame and mild
And beckons birds on wing,
Coaxing green buds forth
Acting much like spring.




Next day she's fierce and wild
With blustery winds that blow,
Tossing star like flakes
of winter's crystal snow.


Her playful tricks are typical,
And we have learned to smile
When march starts cutting capers
In her naughty style.

The children love her mischief
And sail their kites with glee,
As March winds romp and play
O'er the land and sea.

~LaVerne P. Larson

Good Friday

I am the resurrection and the life. 

He who believes in me, 

though he may die, he shall live.  

~John 11:25

Sweet Spring

Sweet spring is your 
time is my time is our
time for springtime is love time
and viva sweet love

(all the merry little birds are
flying in the floating in the
very spirits singing in 
are winging in the blossoming)



lovers go and lovers come 
a wandering a wondering
but any two are perfectly
alone there's nobody else alive

(such a sky and such a sun
I never knew and neither did you
and everybody never breathed
quite so many kinds of yes)


not a tree can count his leaves
each herself by opening
but shining who by thousands mean
only one amazing thing

(secretly adoring shyly
tiny winging darting floating
merry in the blossoming
always joyful selves are singing) 

sweet spring is your 
time in my time is our
time for spring time is love time
and viva sweet love...

~E.E. Cummings

Is The Spring Coming?

"Is the spring coming?" he said. 

"What is it like?" ......

"It is the sun shining on the rain and the rain falling on the sunshine..."  ~Frances Hodgson Burnett

"When spring came, even the false spring, there were no problems except where to be happiest. The only thing that could spoil a day was people and if you could keep from making engagements, each day had no limits. People were always the limiters of happiness except for the very few that were as good as spring itself." ~Ernest Hemingway

"Spring is the time of plans and projects." ~Leo Tolstoy

Palm Sunday

Today is Palm Sunday which marks Jesus triumphal entry into Jerusalem. It is also the beginning of Holy Week. Today, we remember not just Jesus' entry into Jerusalem in the past, but also his entry in the future. Be reminded of the reason for the Easter season. Surrounded by all the busyness take remember and reflect on Jesus and His resurrection.




Jesus found a donkey and sat upon it, as Scripture says : Do not fear, city of Zion! See your king is coming, sitting on the colt of a donkey! -John 12:14

The people who walked ahead of Jesus, and those who followed him, began to shout, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he  who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!" -Matthew 21:8-9

Thou Art The Iris

In the spring a livelier iris changes on the burnished dove; in the spring a young man's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love. ~Lord Alfred Tennyson

Thou art the Iris, fair among the fairest,
Who, armed with golden rod
And winged with celestial azure, bearest
The message of some God.

                                       ~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

The beautiful spring came; and when Nature resumes her loveliness, the human soul is apt to revive also. ~Harriet Ann Jacobs

How To Clean Your Teeth...

I should start giving these little guys names...I think I'll call this one Tooth Fairy. Every day it's back and forth...up and down...This guy has his stuff stashed everywhere.

The bone in his mouth was in a tree in my backyard. There is a long branch that runs parallel to the ground about eight feet up. In the middle there is a slight bend in the branch. 

Well one day...I heard this very strange gnawing sound outside my office door. 

My handy camera in hand I went out to investigate. I spotted him in the tree using what looked like a bone as a crude toothbrush, so-to-speak. He got annoyed that I was watching him and of course snapping pictures; so he took off leaving the bone in the tree. My nephew and I found the (what I can now confirm is a neatly chewed at one end) piece of bone in the yard. 

We put the piece of bone in the crook of my nephew's "lounging tree". A few days later I saw the spastic flashing of a furry tail waving from the crook in the tree. A few minutes later I heard that same strange gnawing sound coming from outside the door. This time it was coming from a tree  in the front yard. I don't know whether he is cleaning are sharpening, but he works diligently on those teeth. 

Then he stashes the bone when he thinks no one is looking. Truly an entertaining fellow.

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

Oh, the music in the air!

An' the joy that's ivrywhere-

Shure, the whole blue vault of heaven 

is wan grand triumphal arch,

An' the earth below is gay

Wid its tender green th'-day, 

Fur the whole world is Irish on the Seventeenth o' March!

~Thomas Augustin Daly

When Irish eyes are smiling, sure 'tis like a morn in spring.

In the lilt of Irish laughter you can hear the angels sing,

When Irish hearts are happy all the world seems bright and gay,

And when Irish eyes are smiling, sure, they steal your heart away.

~Chauncey Olcott & George Graff, Jr.

Bless you and yours

As well as the cottage you live in.

May the roof overhead be well thatched

and those inside be well matched.

~Irish Blessing~

Blessings From Saint Patrick

Wandered from the Antrim hills,

Wandered from the Killalas rills,

Patrick heard upon the breeze

Voices from the Irish seas.

~Unknown

May the Irish hills caress you.

May her lakes and rivers bless you.

May the luck of the Irish enfold you.

May the blessings of Saint Patrick behold you.

~Irish Blessing~

Leprechauns & Lullabies

Leprechauns, castles, good luck and laughter
Lullabies, dreams, and love ever after.
Poems and songs with pipes and drums
A thousand welcomes when anyone comes.
                                                              ~Unknown

May the road rise to meet you,

may the wind be ever at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face,

and the rains fall soft upon your fields.

And until we meet again,

may God hold you in the palm of his hand.

~Irish Blessing~

Shamrock on the Shore

The shamrock on an older shore

Sprang from a rich and sacred soil

Where saint and hero lived of yore,
And where their sons in sorrow toil.

~Maurice Francis Egen~

May the blessing of God's soft rain be on you,
Falling gently on your head, refreshing your soul
With the sweetness of little flowers newly blooming.
May the strength of the winds of Heaven bless you,
Carrying the rain to wash your spirit clean
Sparkling after in the sunlight.
May the blessing of God's earth be on you,
And as you walk the roads, 
May you always have a kind word
for those you meet.

~Irish Blessing~

Little Shamrock

There's a dear little plant that grows in our isle,

'Twas St. Patrick himself, sure, that set it;

And the sun on his labor with pleasure did smile,

And with dew from his eye often wet it.

It thrives through the bog, 

Through the brake, and the mireland;

And he called it the dear little shamrock of Ireland...

~Andrew Cherry

May your neighbors respect you, 

Trouble neglect you,

The angels protect you,

And heaven accept you.

~Irish Blessing~

Shamrock Heart

O, the red rose may be fair,

And the lily statelier;

But my shamrock, one in three

Takes the very heart of me!

~Katherine Tynan~

  

May luck be our companion

May friends stand by our side

May history remind us all

Of Ireland's faith and pride.

May God bless us with happiness

May love and faith abide.

♧ Irish Blessing ♧