Delightful morning. Was 63 degrees when I sat down on the swing this morning. So pleasant eating breakfast. The sky was cerulean, so clear and cloud free. As the morning waked up, God drug his white pastel longways across the sky and changed the sky canvas’ color to pale blue. Later the sky turned a dirty T-shirt white and kept that color till sunset. The sun strained to burn the clouds away but couldn’t get through the hazy cloud cover. The setting sun is bight and fiery white now. The mosquitoes ran me in the house before I got to enjoy the sunset.

Was sitting on the porch earlier and noticed Penelope had her ears perked up and was really sniffing and I looked toward the bird feeders and saw Grandpaw start his climb up the big double bird feeder pole. Penelope could not see him but I did. Made me so mad! I read that raccoons can’t climb a pole that’s less than 1.5 inches in diameter but this one pole has three arms at the bottom so maybe that’s why he could climb up. I snuck up on him and yelled and P barked so maybe he got the message. Gonna get my nephew to bring his trap and catch him and his cohorts. Just want him and them gone from my yard and my deck. I sprayed the bird feeder poles with Pam so I know he’ll not get up them tonight, anyway.

My little wren friend played all morning in the geraniums. Don’t know what he was after. Don’t think he was building a nest but I haven’t looked. I also saw a chipmunk jump up from the ground to sit on the bird bath and drink. Didn’t know they could jump. Watched them climb trees but never seen one on a bird bath. Research says they can jump three feet. Who would have thunk that!

Have a visitor in the grandchildren’s bedroom for the weekend. My great-nieces’ Conure parrot is staying with us while she and her family are vacationing. Can’t decided if Penelope likes Ruby J or if she’s afraid of her. Brought Ruby J in her bird condo into my bedroom for a little while and Penelope hid under the bed. Took Ruby J back to the children’s room and Penelope sniffed around forever. Stew held Penelope up so she could see the bird but I don’t think they’ll be friends. Ruby J is so beautiful. Her feathers are all the colors of the rainbow. She loves her family but does’t know me so I’m a little skeptical to take her out and let her have some freedom. I’ll let her sit on the porch and ponder with me tomorrow in the bird condo of course. She can just go where we go in her traveling bird condo. It’s time for me to cover her up for the night. Hope she’s not scared of us and missing her family. Good night, Ruby J, sleep tight.

Found this quote cleaning off my desk tonight, written on an old birthday card. That quote conjured up a memory from Rosie’s death that I wish was not branded into my brain. The quote is “If someone has never walked in your shoes don’t let them tell you how to tie your laces,” — Unknown Author.

Several days after Rosie’s funeral a friend came over to see me. I went out in the yard to walk with her in the house. She had already offended me by bringing someone I didn’t know over with her. As we were walking up the sidewalk she said, and I quote, “I heard Rosie’s wreck broke both her legs. It’s better that she died. She was such a large girl you would have had a hard time tending to her.” The breath left me and I was blinded by rage that she would say something so cruel and heartless. I told her I would have tended to Rosie for the rest of my life, till the breath left my body, if she had lived. The things people say when there is a death can sometimes be more hurtful than comforting. Just a simple, “I’m sorry,” is sufficient.

Don’t know why I love quotes. I scribble them on receipts, scraps of paper, little notebooks, used envelopes, even wrote one on my hand once when I was watching tv. Have to be careful now writing them down. Hurts my fingers and my hands to write so it’s hard to read my writing. My penmanship is illegible even to me.

Just for the heck of it I searched around and found these quotes written on bits of paper tonight. One of my favorites is from Dolly Parton. She said, “The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you have to put up with the rain.” Some of us complain when it rains on our life’s plans but we always have that rainbow to assure us of God’s love. There is a rainbow at the end of every storm in our lives. Sometimes life’s rainbows are hard to come by but eventually the sun will paint that rainbow. Don’t give up, wait for it. Guarantee it will be worth the wait.

I used to say this to myself at the day care when things got crazy and the children were possessed. It’s from Winston Churchill. “Keep calm, and carry on!” This is the solution to so much chaos. When you get caught up in life’s messes just forge ahead and keep on trying. Don’t give up till you’ve exhausted all your resources. Keep calm and carry on!

Here is a Mark Twain’s quote I found written on a Burger King receipt. “Good friends, good books, and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life.” How true!

Last but not least is this quote from Dr. Seuss. It reads simply, “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.” Those thoughts are deep when you think about the choices and decisions we make throughout our lives and how just one choice can choose the direction of your life’s path. We need to always choose wisely, and that’s a hard thing to do.