On the Threshold

Recently I saw beautifully wintery Mt. Hood as I was looking toward Spring Water Trail  High School in Gresham, OR.

Then later in the week I admired Mt. Hood standing out against the backdrop of wintery blue-gray clouds as I looked from a vantage point on Civic Drive in Gresham, OR.

As we drive in and out of our driveway we often see Mr. and Mrs. Mallard on the front pond and are expecting them to be nesting and then hatching a new little family of ducklings this Spring as the frogs sing a louder and louder celebratory chorus in the evenings.

 Mr. Salamander visited and we supposed he was trying to stay warm near our threshold! We admired him but did not invite him in.

 Our latest puzzle, a Thomas Kinkade print was completed this week after even more puzzling effort than our last puzzle.

 My folding vision board is now trimmed in washi tape.

 I bought the washi tape last February around Valentine's Day.

 The dark red trim says "love" repeatedly.

 The red and white tape has repeated xo's for hugs and kisses.

 I'm still crocheting the edging on this knit preemie blanket...and enjoying doing so and have been knitting more rows on my blue merino blanket...glad for its warmth on my lap.

 I bought a branch on sale at a craft store and planted it in my hug basket to display some of the hearts I have made or have been made and given to me.  The white hearts with roses were made by my dear mom who is no longer physically with us on earth, but the crafts she made and the gifts she gave are precious reminders of her.

When I got up one morning recently the sky was a prettier pink than this photo shows. My photos don't always reveal the ups and downs of my life.  As I type this, my friend, my oldest SIL's mom who is part of our household is in surgery to repair a painful tear in a muscle.  We are praying for a swift and complete healing.  We are also thanking God that my great nephew in Nebraska is home from the hospital where he was treated for meningitis this past week.

Some of our family were encouraged as we read Psalm 30:1-12 together this morning..."weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning..."

May you know much joy in your life, no matter what life challenges cross the threshold of your life.

xx
Gracie