A Good Full Day

Last week was our first week to meet at Barnes & Noble on Wednesday mornings now that Bible Study takes a vacation during the 100 days of summer.  We will be back with a new study in the Fall, but in the meantime, we ladies that can, sit around a table at our local B&N drink our coffee or tea and just chat.  We share our good times, good books, good TV, good movies, and also our not so good happenings that enter our life. We are there for each other with love and support. I feel truly blessed to have this group of women in my life.

Sue shared her latest artistry with us this morning. Every day, she sits with her husband, who has been quite ill for several years and colors "adult coloring books" with gel pens. And then she goes a step further by making origami cranes with her pages of beautiful colors. The Japanese Origami Cranes (according to Google) symbolize the hope for peace. We could all use more peace in our lives. Thanks, Sue for sharing your talents with us.

Our eldest member (93) of our "group" fell and broke her hip over the weekend, she has had surgery and already has been transferred to a re-hab center. In ICU one day, and the next out. Wow, it's frightening how quickly "they" get you out of the hospital these days.  Bonnie had a get-well card (Bonnie is always prepared with a card for whatever the occasion may be), so all signed with our messages of prayers and get well quickly.

After B&N 4 of us headed to our last book-club gathering until Fall.  This is the book group that "no reading required" except once a year. We choose one book to read over the summer months, this year we chose "Miller's Valley" by Anna Quindlen.  I do so enjoy her writing from her earlier days at Newsweek , with her bi-weekly back page to her novels of today. I was fortunate to hear her speak a couple of years ago and yes, she speaks as well as she writes.

Today's review (always presented by a member of our group) was a lovely little book entitled "Slowing Time" by Barbara Mahany.  Very short musings on life and how we need to slow down, observe, delight, and relish our time.  Our reviewer read several of the stories all tied to the different seasons of the year.  I am planning on buying this book, it touched me.

After a busy morning and afternoon, I returned home to find two hummingbirds drinking from the feeder....excitement!!  I grabbed LARGE lens and slowly walked into the back yard. Ofcourse, they would not return, but I did capture a couple of goodies.....a chipmunk with his mouth full of nest-making supplies and a new bird I have never seen before, the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher.

I identified this bird thru a really cool app for my I-Phone, the Merlin Bird ID.  It asks you a few short questions and then brings up a series of pictures of bird possibilities.  If you enjoy birds, I would definitely recommend the app. I can't remember if there is a charge, but if there is, it is minimal.

I will leave you with this from Flow Daily Moments (another app)

Tiny Pleasures List

*Learn Something New

*Listen to something beautiful

*Give away something that you're not using anymore

*Finish something successfully

*Have a tea break (or coffee, or wine... I added that)

Until next time.....