Land of Cotton?

Nope, look again, they're not cotton bolls; it's snow. Winter has arrived with a vengeance in the south. The weekend before last it was all ice, this past weekend it was all snow. Eight inches plus at Chez Goodneedle. That will teach me to make statements like "it's been so long since we've seen snow"! This snow was light and fluffy, due to the temperature being brutally cold, it is very pretty. (The tracks in this photo leading up from the lower right corner and traversing back and forth are from deer.)  We dodged the bullet again, power-wise; sadly, so many other southerners weren't as lucky. 

In anticipation of the storm, Augie got a coat. He was more than happy to stay cozy and warm! I'm content to stay in and work on projects, and as long as there's power I can do that for weeks on end!

Sarah Barker is coming right along...

...and I was able to get all the remaining blocks cut and kitted to complete the Cream and Sugar quilt. 

This magnificent Amaryllis continues to be a bright spot in the kitchen...

...and with plenty of time (and sourdough discard) on my hands I've even been baking crackers! I'm attaching the link here. I added a pinch of rosemary, these really are yummy. 

Most likely there will be more DIY clean up happening today. Our nighborhood is very low on the priority list, so far no state vehicles with a plow attached have ventured into our neighborhood at all. It's difficult for some to get in and out as we do have some significant hills in here which are heard to traverse with the remaining hard-packed ice underneath.  The public schools have been out for six days straight now and tomorrow isn't looking much better. I received and email this morning that our LQS is closed until further notice. The mail hasn't been delivered to our mailbox since a week ago last Friday, there's been no trash pick up and, for the second week in a row, church services have been canceled. Yesterday it was especially sad to miss worship as it was to be the celebration of the 500th service for our little mission congregation. Sigh. 

Snow... in the land of cotton, 

 days like these won't be forgotten!

Life is Good!

Light Duty? Really?

The new processional cross, at Grace Lutheran Church,
 used for the first time on Easter Sunday.

Yesterday was Mother's Day, I hope that yours was a blessed one. Ours certainly was, although it was the first one since my husband's mother entered the Church Triumphant, we missed her greatly. Since her death last November we had been considering many options for the use of funds generously given in her memory to our church. The purchase of a processional cross seemed to be exactly the right item. Mom's entire life was one spent following God, she was an exemplary model of Godly life; just thinking about all eyes on the cross at the beginning and ending of each worship service seemed like the best and most fitting memorial to her. Okay, a processional cross it was! I was given information by our pastor as to the appropriate size, style and type of base needed for it to stand in. Taking all of those items into account I called the church supply store to place the order, I had a few questions of my own: I was unsure of the size base needed, there was a wide discrepancy in prices. I was told that there were "light" and "heavy" duty crosses, the one we were ordering, 72", would be considered "heavy duty" and required the larger base. I laughed, out loud, I couldn't help it. The woman on the other end asked what was so funny. I explained that regardless of the size I couldn't ever think of any cross being referred to as "light duty", they're all heavy duty in my estimation regardless of size. She agreed. "You know", she went on, "I have never thought about that descriptive term in regard to the cross before now" she explained, "but I don't believe I can ever use it again". We purchased the larger base. 

The cross was dedicated to her memory during our worship service two weeks ago. It gives us great joy and immeasurable comfort to gaze upon the cross at worship and remember Mom. We will always miss her, not just on Mother's Day, but every day. She lives on-- in us, through us, and for us in a myriad of ways. This processional cross, a heavy duty one purchased in her memory, is yet one more occasion to remember her and to give thanks to God for her life, her example and her witness.

Life is Good!

Up next: "Wrapping It Up"

Unmoved!

This Lenten cross was erected outside the front doors of our church last Wednesday, Ash Wednesday, and will remain there throughout Lent until Easter Sunday. Wind has been problematic in the past, toppling the cross and damaging it to the point where a new one became necessary this year. My husband did some measuring, made some calculations, and came up with this cross and base system (steel plate in the base and a substantial length of steel pipe extending up into the cross itself) that he felt confident would stand tall and strong, even in the face of significant wind gusts. Last evening the cross was definitely put to the test! We drove to church to attend our mid-week Lenten service and parked our car near the sidewalk in front (where I snapped this photo) just as one of the hardiest wind gusts I have ever felt buffeted the car we were still seated in; the car was, momentarily, lifted a bit. That's no exaggeration! While this occurred I kept my eye on the cross... not a wobble, not even the tiniest tremor was detectable from the cross, it held strong. We looked at each other then, both were a little rattled and shaky after that experience, and yet the cross stood fast... unmoved.  So be it!

Life is Good!