Blog Moving...Please Join Me at My New Home

Yes, I'm relocating my blog. Please join me HERE. I've gone ahead and purchased a domain name and set the new blog up with WordPress. It's almost ready....just have to add a bit more.

Please take a moment to change your links if my blog is linked to your site. I know this is an inconvenience, but I'm working really hard to make the new site a much better blog and worth taking the time to change your links.

Thank You So Much!

Your Pal,

Shelly

Late Saturday Sky, Spring & More Tomorrow

Saturday Sky


Click on the picture above and see it full-sized. Those are Purple Martins busily circling above. We have a very large Purple Martin colony that we host on our farm in central Oklahoma. We watch the *circle of life* renew and unfold every year with these beautiful South American visitors.


This is another picture of some of the Purple Martins soaring over one of the large, budding Maple trees near our home.

Purple Martins over-winter in Brazil and return to N. America early each year to abundant feeding grounds to nest and raise their young.

I'll be including additional pictures and probably some home movies from this season's nesting progress in the next few weeks.

Spring

Spring has sprung! All the bulbs have been blooming, fruit trees are covered with blossoms, the grass is green(ing), and color has returned to the landscape. Bugs are once again flying and ants are trying to find entry into every kitchen. Our Eastern Bluebirds have nests built and we're expecting the first eggs any day. What a wonderous season!

With all the wondrous return of life to dormant plants, the pollen has reached new highs. I'm thankful that the plants are regenerating and reproducing, but the pollen....especially cedar tree pollen, has had me coughing incessantly for over a month. Allergy pills, 3 cough suppressants, and steroids later....I am somewhat better. I will be thankful when the cedar pollen level drops below stellar levels and I can once again talk and move about without fearing a coughing attack and the negative results that can bring about.

Because of constant coughing, I couldn't visit with my knitting pals, couldn't talk on the phone, couldn't drive the car, and was thinking that surely this would help me ultimately develop abs of steel as the only *good* side effect of incessant hacking. Well, weeks later, I'm still coughing a bit....but no *abs of steel* have shown up yet. Evidently, I've coughed enough to ache from head to toe, but a flat tummy still eludes me. As my friend Rebecca always says, *Not Fair*!

My belated explanation for not blogging much this month is that I was coughing. Just coughing. All the time ... coughing. I'm actually surprised I didn't cough myself inside-out. With more serious health issues going on, you'd think coughing from allergies wouldn't even register with me. Well, I just couldn't *hack* it! ; )

More Tomorrow

I had more planned to post, but, well, I'm coughing AGAIN! I'll return tomorrow with more pictures and other stuff.

I pray for each of you and hope you have a very blessed upcoming week.

Your Friend,

Shelly

NIV

Psalm 51:10

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Job 11:18

You will be secure, because there is hope; you will look about you and take your rest in safety.

Quick Post, Sockret Pal Socks On Their Way, & A Shawl For a Friend

It's been a while since I've posted, but not without good reason. I'll explain in a later post.

I've actually done quite a bit of knitting and enjoyed every minute of it. I really enjoyed every moment of knitting a prayer/comfort shawl for my friend, Susan. I didn't take pictures of the shawl, but Susan has and you can see it HERE. It's knit with Knitpicks Swish Superwash Wool in the color Wisteria. The pattern is the Feather and Fan Triangle Shawl from the book Folk Shawls by Cheryl Oberle. I knit it a bit smaller than the full pattern....if full sized I think it would have swallowed Susan since she is petite. The wings of the shawl are quite long so that it may be crossed at the waist and tied behind the back to keep both hands free and no shawl in the way. Many people included their prayers, hugs, and good wishes for Susan as the shawl progressed. I hope she feels all of our hugs and prayers each time she sees or wears it.

I've also knitted some CIC socks for the bigger kids. I'll post pictures later.

And, I finished my Sockret Pal's hand knit socks. Rebecca will find out soon that I've been sending her goodies since last fall. It has been great fun. I hope she feels as good about what I've sent her as I've felt about how Sherry bestowed gifts upon me!


Here's a picture of the socks I knit for Rebecca. I used Opal Uni-Solid yarn in a very nice blue color....Rebecca's favorite color is blue. The pattern is the Eagle's Flight pattern by Megan Humphrey posted HERE at the PTYarn website.

I'll try to post pictures of the CIC socks and some Spring changes happening on our farm soon.

I pray that you have a wonderful day full of blessings! I also pray for your health, for caring and positive relationships with others, and a closer walk with our Heavenly Father every day.

Your Friend,

Shelly

NIV

Genesis 49:26

Your father's blessings are greater than the blessings of the ancient mountains, than the bounty of the age-old hills.