Things seem to be moving along fairly well. We met with the insurance adjuster. She put us in contact with people to dry out the house and someone to get the tree off the house and someone else to find us a place to live while the house is fixed. The sun has been out three days now and it is much drier on our property. The tree is off the house and a bit more of the wall has fallen. A bit more of the other walls are cracking. We have been staying with friends. Brian went back to school. He seems OK. It is mentally, physically and emotionally exhausting but hey, this is where the rubber meets the road. If we are only able to trust the Lord in good and reasonable times how does that prove our faith? It is when the unreasonable and difficult stuff happens that our faith is proven. I took more photos of the house and I will post those later but I wanted to show you how the Lord encouraged us this morning.
The first butterfly...

New life springing up...

"I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in His word I put my hope. My soul waits for the LORD more than watchmen wait for the morning."         Psalm 130

    On Saturday we experienced a horrendous storm with strong wind and over four inches of rain. During this storm a huge tree fell on our house. We are all safe. The tree fell through my sons bedroom while he was in it but God protected him. There is no heat, electricity or water so we cannot stay there. Due to the heavy rain, there is water damage throughout the house. We would appreciate your prayers for clear thinking and the right people to help.
Before

Yesterday, my sweetheart had a birthday. It was nothing grand but God did do a special thing. It was a little selfish on my part. I wanted to give Greg a bicycle so he would come riding with me when the weather got nice. I had no money. I was planning to give him an IOU when a friend called to give me a job for a day. I definitely considered it an answer to prayer and I was really excited about it and my honey is going to choose his bike soon. God cares about the details. Happy Birthday, Greg!

My husband's birthday is approaching and our daughter and son-in-law wanted to spend time with us so we arranged to go to their house in the city last Friday. It was also the week of the Philadelphia Flower Show. I was not planning to go although I love the Flower Show but I talked to my daughter who had never been to see if she was interested. She was! So after she got home from work we took the "El" from her house, went to the convention center, and spent about two and a half hours drinking in the sights, sounds and smells of the show. It was well attended (read crowded) but we managed to see most of it including the competition parts which I have not previously seen. Walking into the show is like getting an early taste of spring/summer. The creativity in the show, both God's and man's, is amazing! The theme this year was Explorers. Here are photos from some of the main exhibits. Enjoy!
The Entrance arrangements...

Hot Air Balloon all made with flowers...

South Africa...

Indian Wedding...

Globe garden...

Singapore...

Things are pretty quiet around here. I woke up one morning this week and saw four bucks sleeping in our back garden. Took a photo then accidently erased it so there went that post. We were given Netflix as a Christmas present so we have been watching some old films and telly programs in the evenings. Recently we watched one we had never heard of featuring Venice and starring Katherine Hepburn and Rosano Bratzzi. The location is so glorious and it took us back to our two visits there. Nice dreams to hold until spring arrives.

Good morning dear friends! The snow is falling again! It has been falling steadily for hours now but thankfully it is not accumulating as before. We had some water in the basement problems this week as the old snow was melting and the rain began. Still, there is something so quiet and peaceful about watching the snow flakes drift slowly down.
I have been delighted that the feathered friends have finally discovered the food we leave out for them. We have enjoyed watching them from our large windows. I don't have a telephoto lens but I was still able to catch a few photos of them.
Isn't it beautiful how the bright red cardinals stand out against the winter woods?

It is only February and I have already accomplished two of my goals for the year! First one was to learn to knit socks. It is a tricky process using four double pointed needles. It took several attempts but I was able to finish one pair and here they are.

So, I am feeling all accomplished today, especially since this is week two of getting back on the diet/healthy eating and exercising track and I am doing well and we walked two miles at the mall this morning. How are you doing with your goals for this year???

When we woke up Thursday the sky was brilliant. One of the best colors in nature is the combination of pure white on gray trees with blue sky showing through.

At last I was able to reinstall my photo programs that allow me to download and post... still have not figured out how to get the photo editor on there again but at least I can upload now. This is an incredible snow storm! I feel like I am back in Sofia. Here is the view from the window over my sink...
 
Here is the view outside my back door this morning...

And here is what it looks like as I write about 3PM...
 

We need 12 altogether and we have completed 8 ... it will be put together in summer an I will post another photo...

I have decided that people in this area of Pennsylvania are wimps when it comes to snow. We had barely one half an inch yesterday and there was a two hour school delay. I guess they have to "call it" early in the AM and perhaps it looked worse than it was. It was virtually gone by 10 o'clock. Also, people who have just spent hundreds in the grocery store over the weekend will suddenly run there again at the slightest threat of snow. Have they nothing in their pantries? Are they really afraid of starving in the hour it may take to clear the roads?  It is all a mystery to me.