4/7/26  Genius is 1% inspiration, 99% perspiration. Thomas Edison

Sunshine, calm, 24 degrees.  Partly cloudy this morning, clouds this afternoon, snow showers this evening and overnight.  a south breeze today, a brisk NW breeze tonight.  High 42, low 20.  Sunshine tomorrow, a NW breeze, high 44, low 25.  Sunshine Thursday, a south wind, high 52, low 34.  Partly cloudy Friday, a SW breeze, high 60, low 39. Partly cloudy Saturday, a strong NW breeze, high 50, low 30.  Mostly sunny Sunday, a west breeze, high 56, low 41.  Cloudy Monday, a strong SW breeze, high 63, low 52.  Mostly cloudy Tuesday, a stiff SW breeze, high 69, low 44.  Partly cloudy next Wednesday morning, afternoon showers last into next Thursday morning.  An ENE breeze Wednesday, high 55, low 38.  A brisk north breeze Thursday, high 49, low 35.  Showers Friday the 17th, a NEN breeze, high 49, low 37.  Partly cloudy Saturday the 18th, a WNW breeze, high 54, low 39.  Partly cloudy Sunday the 19th, a SW breeze, high 56, low 40. Morning sun, PM showers Monday the 20th, a west breeze, high 60, low 40.  Partly cloudy on the 21st, a brisk NW breeze, high 54, low 38.   

     Sunshine, but chilly.  Winter's " so there" tonight before Thursday's south wind kicks it out the door.   The ground is bare and firm enough to make pushing my walker easy.  Last night I put a bucket of old dried chicken manure on the seat and took it to one of the tires we lined up along the west side of the garage last fall.  If I bring a bucket to the house whenever I go to the barn the tires and other places around the house will be ready by planting time.

I'm going to my sister's for breakfast.  I'm coming home through Corinth so I can clean out the church sign box.  Saturday I'll plant pansies in it.  Bekah is moving them to the back room to harden them off.  They'll go out on the benches for sale Saturday.  If the NW breeze is more like a wind she will protect them from it.  Woodchucks have come out of hibernation.  Both woodchucks and deer like pansies.

    Our Coast of Maine is coming tomorrow.  Thursday the hoses can go out and stay out.  Plants will go in the cold frames.  The calibrachoa will get moved to an unheated greenhouse.  There is an electric heater in it in case there is a very cold night at the end of April.  The cold frames have "just in case" electric heaters too.

     May your day be blessed, Sally

 4/6/26  Resilience isn’t waiting for perfect conditions — it’s choosing light, connection, and forward motion right where you are.

Mostly cloudy, a south breeze, 36 degrees,  Overcast today, a WNW wind, high 41,  Partly cloudy tonight. a stiff NW breeze, low 25.  Cloudy tomorrow, a NW breeze, high 41, low 20. Sunshine Wednesday, a NW breeze, high 44, low 25.  A south wind and sunshine Thursday bring warm weather,  Thursday's high 54. low 34.  A stif south breze Friday, partly cloudy, high 61, low 40.  Occasional showers Friday night and Saturday morning.  A Strong NW breeze Saturday, partly cloudy in the afternoon, high 55, low 33.  Sunshine Sunday, a NW breeze, high 56, low 42.  Some showers next Monday, a stiff south breeze, high 62, low 50.  Afternoon and overnight showers next Tuesday, a NW breeze, high 66, low 44.  Some showers next Wednesday, a NE breeze, high 56, low 37.  Partly cloudy Thursday the 16th, a north breeze,high 52, low 26. Some showers Friday the 17th and the weeknd. A SE breeze Friday, high 52, low 38.  Weekend highs 58, lows 42.

    We had a wonderful Easter.  We got much needed rain.  The Easter egg hunt was held in the bigger greenhouse.  The kids were excited but careful, no plants were damaged.  Parents were happy, no wet cold kids.  And they said it was much nicer watching the kids hunt in the warm greenhouse!  When she got up Azalea had moved the picture of the closed grave, showing the picture she had drawn of the open grave that was under it.  Annabelle went to church with me, our church has an early service, we are always the first ones home.  Annabelle cut up a spray of white flowers I had and wired them to the cross.

She added a picture of Gilbert to the memorial corner and put new batteries in the candles.  The house was ready when Family started arriving!

    As the temperature climbs the to do list lengthens.  We won't start cleaning flower beds until we've had a week of warm temperatures.  There is lots of life in those dead stems, a week of warm temperatures will hatch and bring to life  insects wintering in them.  This winter has seemed so long, we are anxious to start spring work!

    May your day be blessed, Sally

4/5/26      He is Risen!

 Cloudy with showers this morning, rain this afternoon. It is 32 degrees. Today's high 43 with a south breeze. Partly cloudy tonight, low 34. No showers are in the forecast until next Tuesday. Highs about 43, low in the twenties Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Then the highs will be in the fifties, 60 on Friday. Lows in the upper thirties and low forties.


When the stone was rolled away, it was not so Jesus could get out. It was so we could see in. Heaven was making an announcement. The work is finished. The debt is gone. The sacrifice has been received. Scripture says He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification (Romans 4:25). That means the resurrection is heaven’s receipt that your sin has been fully paid for. There is nothing left outstanding.

Easter Blessings, Sally

 4/4/26  Greater love has no man than this; that a man lay down his life for his friends.

An inch and a quarter of much needed rain in the last 36 hours!  Sunshine and clouds today, a NE wind, high 47, low 33.  Periods of rain tonight and tomorrow,  showers for the sunrise services.  And perhaps letting up just in time for afternoon Easter egg hunt. A stiff south breeze, high 45, low 35.  Cloudy Monday, a NW wind, high 43, low 26. A little sun on Tuesday, a NW breeze, high 40, low 21.Sunshine Wednesday, a NW breeze, high 44, lo 27.  Sunshine Thursday, a south wind, high 53, low 39.  Partly cloudy Friday, a SW breeze, high 61, low 38.  Partly cloudy next weekend, highs about 59, lows 39 and 43.  Pleasant temperatures the week of the 12th, highs in the fifties, lows about 40.  Rain Monday the 13th and Wednesday the 15th.

   It is nice to see the sun even if that NE wind is chilly.  One more good sap run in the forecast than warmth.  The house will be warm with Easter baking.  Bekah finished filling the eggs for the Easter egg hunt this morning.  Azalea made a picture of the empty grave with the words, "He is Risen" across the top. I got a chain of flowers to put around the picture for a frame.   The chicks came yesterday.  Bekah has already checked on them.  They are all lively and eating.

   Danielle's service is at four today.  Darel's Heather and Dainielle lived next door and were best friends growing up.  Adulthood took them down separate paths but Heather made two beautiful bouquets, one for either side of the altar.  Annabelle will be pleased.  Annabelle is 12, Aydan is 9, we want the service today to surround them with love. 

   The peony cages came in.  Bonemeal strengthens the stems but it also makes larger, fuller blossoms.  If the soil isn't thawed enough to stick the cages in the ground it soon will be.  Open Greenhouse Week doesn't start until May fourth but the greenhouse opens  next Saturday when it warms up enough to set out pansies.  Bekah says the pansies are beautiful!  She is putting them in the back room to transition them to cooler temperatures.

  May your day be blessed, Sally

   

 4/3/26  Good Friday  

 Freezing rain, 30 degrees, light ENE breeze.  Two hour school day.  Temperature rises above freezing at about ten am.  Freezing rain stops at about noon.   A stiff SSE breeze today, high 41,  Fog tonight, low 34, a still WSW breeze.  Partly  cloudy tomorrow, a strong NE breeze, high 46, low 33.  a quarter inch of occasional rain Sunday, a stiff south breeze, high 44. low 35. Mostly cloudy Monday, a light NW wind, high 43, low 27.  Partly cloudy Tuesday and Wednesday, NW breezes, highs 44, low 21 and 30.  Partly cloudy Thursday through next weekend, highs in the fifties, lows in the upper thirties. Variable breezes.   Rain Monday the 13th, an east breeze, high 54. low 40. Partly cloudy the next three days, WNW breezes, highs in the fifties, lows in upper theories.  Rain Friday the 17th.
   The chicks didn't come yesterday.  The feed store won't know if they arrived ok until the post office opens at eight.  I won't rush over to get them,   I'll give the road maintenance plenty of time to sand.  There isn't much traffic, what there is is moving slow.  I'll buy more sunflower seeds when I get the chicks, the word that there is food here has traveled  the birds' landline.  Thankfully not many blackbirds have gotten the word.
    Propane delivery, 400+ dollars of propane in three weeks!  Plus Bekah kept the wood stove going.  Not enough sun and too much wind.  The plants miss the sun but they are warm and growing.
   Last night I went to our church's Maundy Thursday service.  I will go about my day quietly getting ready for Easter with gratitude for the love of Christ.   Why gratitude?  Why is this "Good" Friday?  

   Christians call it Good Friday because the death of Jesus, though deeply sorrowful, brought about the good news of salvation. On the cross, Christ took the punishment for sin, satisfied the justice of God, and opened the way for mercy, forgiveness, and eternal life. Good Friday is “good” because it points directly to the hope of Easter and the victory of the resurrection.

   May your day be blessed, Sally

PS If you haven't fertilized your peonies this spring do it now so spring rains can wash it in.  I put about a cup of bone meal around each crown.

 4/2/26  "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another." John 13:34

 Clouds, 28 degrees.  Clouds today, high 41, an ENE breeze.  Freezing rain tonight, low 21.  Rain and freezing rain tomorrow morning, showers in the afternoon. A stiff south breeze, high 41, low 33.  Partly cloudy Saturday, a strong NE breeze, high 44, low 33.  Occasional rain Easter Sunday, a south breeze, high 44, low 34.  Partly cloudy Tuesday and Wednesday, NW breezes, highs about 42, lows 25 and 21.  Sunshine Wednesday, a NW breeze, high 42, low 28. Partly cloudy next Thursday and Friday, highs about 55, lows 23.  A SW wind Thursday, a brisk NW breeze Friday.  Clouds Saturday the 11th, a brisk SE breeze, high 53, low 41.  Partly cloudy Sunday the 12th, a NW breeze, high 58, low 40.  possible am showers.  Rain Monday the 13th, a north breeze, high 52, low 36.  Lots of clouds Tuesday the 14th, a NW breeze, high 53, low 36.  Morning showers Wednesday the 15th, afternoon sun, a WNW breeze, high 54, low 38.  Partly cloudy Thursday the 16th, a NW breeze, high 55, low 35.

   We never did get all of our spring cleaning done. So we're cleaning the house for Easter. We are planning Easter dinner.  And  the Easter egg hunt.  Baby chicks arrive today.  Bekah has the brooder ready.  The greenhouses  get more demanding every day as the plants grow and need more TLC.   So many finches and evening grosbeaks the bird feeders need to be filled twice a day.  The cream is on the counter warming up to make butter. We find ourselves rushing through each day.    Maundy means mandate, Christ told the disciples "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another." John 13:34.  Am I rushing so to get the daily to do list done and to get ready to celebrate Easter that I'm missing the point?  Today I will look for ways to love others as Christ asked his followers to do.  Tonight I will take time to attend Maundy Thursday church service to help me remember how Christ loves us..

   May your day be blessed, Sally


A note from our Pastor:
   It is tempting to rush through our journey during Holy Week.  We want to arrive swiftly to our destination, the celebration of Easter morning.  But there are important stops along the way.  Maundy-Thursday with its message of transformational love, Good Friday with its theme of atonement, mixed-in with our personal times of reflection between now and Easter morning.  No, we’re not there yet, friends.  Let’s not rush the trip.
 

4/1/26  Advice is like snow, the softer it falls the more likely it is to dwell.

 Showers, 32 degrees.  Cloudy today, a stiff NNW breeze, high 46, low 27.  Partly cloudy tomorrow, a NNE breeze, high 44, low 3.  Rain Friday, a stiff south breeze, high 41, low 25.  Partly cloudy Saturday, a stiff NE breeze, high 43, low 33.  Rain on Easter, a south breeze, high 46, low 35.  Partly cloudy Monday and Tuesday, brisk MW breezes highs 45, lows 28 and 22.  Sunshine Wednesday, a north breeze, high 41, low 27.  Sunshine next Thursday, a brisk SW breeze, high 51, low 35. Some clouds next Friday, a SW breeze, high 56, low 38.  Partly cloudy next Saturday and Sunday.  A west breeze Saturday, high 56, low 38.  A south breeze Sunday, high 54, low 40.   Rain Monday the 13th, a strong SW breeze, high 58, low 38.

   Yesterday's snow/ rain forecast lasted about 30 minutes.  No icey rain last night.  A good thing, I have a doctor's appointment in Sangerville at nine.

    Bekah has everything almost ready for the chicks.  They are supposed to come tomorrow.  Hopefully they do, they always do better when they don't come a day late.  The old hens are responding to the longer days, they are laying lots of eggs.  500 plastic eggs arrived yesterday to be filled for Sunday's Easter egg hunt.

    May your day be blessed, Sally