An Invitation

Blogging has delivered so much more than I ever expected when I started posting a year ago.  Access to spectacular photography, most of it by ordinary people just like me.  Inspiration from prose, quotes and video embedded in posts.  A window into the joys and trials of others, with its incumbent responsibility to affirm and to support my fellow bloggers, as needed.  So, it felt really good when LeeAnna at Not Afraid of Color invited me to join "I Like Thursdays", a 'posting party' that emphasizes positives.  This is for LeeAnna and the entire blogging community: I appreciate your diversity, your talent and the entertainment! So, I guess that's my first LIKE for the week!

(Internet)

Many posts I have read over the last few weeks have documented the delayed arrival of spring, and fickle winter storms.  Here in Montana, it's still winter in the mountains, but there are signs of spring in the valleys. As soon as some grass was revealed by the retreating snow in our backyard, robins suddenly appeared and commenced pulling worms out of the compressed earth.  I was so excited to see them!

(Internet)

Yesterday, I was watching the juncos pick birdseed from the snow below my birdfeeder, and I suddenly noticed something poking its head out of a hole in the snow, where it meets the grass.  For the next 10 minutes or so, that mouse/vole worked the semi-circle in front of the hole until the grass was bare.  While I am not a big mouse fan, I do admire the ingenuity of the tunnels that must be laced throughout the two feet of snow that still remains in the shaded part of the yard.

Warmer weather in town means the foot-deep ruts on our streets have disappeared, and the sidewalks are passable without Traxx and winter boots.  Running outside  has returned!

Whitefish Mountain Resort

Meanwhile, on the mountain, we are enjoying the final weeks of ski season; last day for the resort is April 8.  Enamored ourselves with the beauty of the vistas from the Summit, we aren't surprised when people ask us to take their pictures with the mountains as a backdrop.  But recently, it was a request with a twist ... a young bearded man approached me and asked if I was good at photography ... this was new.

I said yes, and then he confided in me that he was about to propose, and would I just use his SLR to take pictures continuously as to not miss a thing?  No pressure!!!  I will probably never know if they were quality shots, but it sure looked sweet through the viewfinder!  And she said yes!

Easter rapidly approaches; it seems like just yesterday that Lent began.  It's no coincidence that my February 15 post celebrated an author with a focus on positive action rather than avoiding a negative.  In reviewing that post, I can honestly report that I have moved the needle on patience and hope.  Day 37, I have more capacity to adapt to life's curveballs (except for moving day - that was an anomaly - LOL).  I spend a greater proportion of time in the moment than on worrying about tomorrow.  And if both of those fail me, I have the hope that circumstances will improve tomorrow, along with my ability to deal with them.  Along the way, an occasional indulgence in a Cadbury crème egg or a Girl Scout cookie doesn't hurt!

Speaking of indulgences, it's not hard to be in a good mood when your day starts well.  One of my greatest joys in retirement is the option to lie in bed until a formerly-unknown hour of, say, 9 a.m.  And the proverbial icing on the cake is a surprise breakfast in bed.  Spousal Unit is a blessing beyond compare!

Pets are good for the soul. Yes, they can be work (daily sweeping of cat litter scattered all over the hardwood floor), but the companionship, love and entertainment is worth it.  Josie often keeps me company while I am blogging, and her cuteness is enough to make my heart burst sometimes.

When I am not looking out the window, running, skiing, eating fine foods, or blogging with Josie, I am embroidering one of my tea towels.  I recently finished Tuesday and I am on track to complete Wednesday before the end of the month - one "day" per month is my goal - so far so good.

How Montanans get to dinner

Do you know Reader's Digest?  When I was young, we always had the magazine at home and I would consume it cover to cover.  Of course, one of my favorite sections was Laughter: the Best Medicine.  So, I thought I would leave you with this photo, taken outside the Kila Pub, where we had dinner last week after spending all day opening boxes.  We were tired, to say the least.  But this made us laugh, which automatically lifted our moods ...

Well, LeeAnna, I can see why "I Like Thursday" has meant so much to you ... it certainly was powerful for me to reflect on my LIKES this week ...

and now, check out all the other good stuff at Not Afraid of Color.

Linking to

All Seasons

Feline Friday

Mosaic Monday

Nature Notes

Saturday's Critters

Thankful Thursday