Counting Our Blessings

This is what we could see right outside our window on Tuesday. There have been seven fires in different areas around the state in the last week. In fact, my own brother’s family and two of my nieces were evacuated from their homes when the flames came too close to their neighborhood across the lake.

But this new one–sheesh. How eerie is it to be able to see the red glow from the flames, in the smoke.

The next day, we could see this brave guy flying back and forth, back and forth–from the lake…

into the smoke. Our church leaders asked us all to please pray for the firefighters to be safe and to please, please, pray for rain.

Believe me–we prayed. In the middle of one of Miss Chompy’s prayer she said, “And bless the firefighters to be safe. Mom what’s a firefighter?” Pretty cute.

Then, this morning we woke up to a huge rushing sound in the yard. I sat up in bed at first, thinking it was the wind tearing through the rose bushes and rattling my windows.

I thought, Oh no, please–not wind.  But looking out the window, I saw–it wasn’t the wind…

it was RAIN! Funny, even after all the prayers, it still surprised me to see it. In fact, I had to wonder for a minute if it really, truly was rain clouds…

or just more smoke.

Our fiery mountain was all clouds and steam by afternoon. I can only guess about the other, farther away fires…but we’re hoping they’re out too.

Isn’t Heavenly Father clever?

Just when we’re so-so tired of all that heat and ash and think we can’t stand it any longer…

He sends us the rain!

“So the LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one…”

Snow Day

I wore capris yesterday.

The windows were thrown open…

all over the house.

I kicked off my sandals and rolled up my sleeves in the middle of teaching class…

because, it was just…

too–dang–hot.

Dear Mother Nature…

We’re confused.

Is it Spring yet?

About Time…

At last, at last! We woke up one morning this last week to actual, true-live, measurable snow fall. Normally, by this time of year we’re getting a bit weary of the ice and slush and salt everywhere. But this has been a very, very odd winter.

I mean, honestly, we’ve had days of 60 degree temperatures that have the fruit trees all budding–in February.

So, naturally, a couple of weeks before “Spring” officially arrives, old man winter starts acting like…old man winter.

In fact, I didn’t get too many photos of the snow–close up, because it was windy and icy and really, reeeally cold. I’m pretty much a wuss when it comes to standing out in the freezing stuff.

Oh, I love snow and I’m glad it’s here and I just want to sit and stare at it for hours…

through the window…

from the couch…

with a fleece blanket…

and some hot chocolate.

:}

One Brief Moment

It may have been 1:30 in the morning–yes, yes, we were still up–when we noticed that after weeks and weeks of waiting…

it was actually snowing. Not a blizzard or anything, but a light, gentle, determined snow that sent sparking crystals floating every which way.

It reminded me of teeny tiny pearl white fairies flitting about in the dark. So naturally I stood all alone on the porch in my nippy bare feet snapping the camera like a crazy woman. That way, I figured that if, in the morning every trace of snow was completely gone, I could still prove to the world that it had happened in the first place.

Frosty hair. Chattering teeth. Frozen toes. Lovely snow.

Totally worth it.