Today was perfectly beautiful with a little forecast of the coming winter temperatures. Never seen the sky so blue and so perfectly cloudless. Not even one vulture or crow circling to mar the blue sky canvas. The yard was so quiet and the wind chimes were pinging a one note Big Ben bong, counting off the hours in minute time. I sat in the swing with my feeted pajamas on over my clothes and I was warm and toasty.

Put Penelope’s pink polka dot sweater on her this morning. The sweater always paralyzes her. She hates them and pretends she’s crippled and can’t walk till she hears the front door open and then she’s miraculously cured and races to the door for her morning walk. It was 44 degrees outside during our walk. Cold mornings always make her frisky for some unknown reasons.

The funniest thing happened to us on our walk when we encountered a mean little squirrel. I had named him Fatty but I’m changing it to Feisty. We were walking down the root broken sidewalk and a squirrel was sitting way down the street on the sidewalk watching us. We stopped walking and the squirrel came hopping right up to us, bold and fierce, stopped about 4 inches from Penelope’s nose. Stood up, raised its little fists and stared right at us in a little “I’m gonna beat you up” stance, then raced off with Penelope in hot pursuit, dragging me along. She about ripped my arm out of the socket.

The squirrel made it to the bamboo forest first and scrambled up a cane and then over the power lines to the big oak tree. I honestly though it was going to attack us. I watched the same squirrel fight another squirrel and knock the squirrel off the tree trunk. The squirrel fell at least 20 feet, jumped up and ran off. Guess it was okay. That is one little mean, feisty squirrel! Thought it might have rabies but research says no one in the United States has ever gotten rabies from a squirrel. Course you know me, don’t say it can’t, cause it can with me! I’ll be on the lookout for Feisty on our walks tomorrow.

Had to run an errand right at sunset tonight and walking to the car I watched the sun lay her yellow fireball head down for the night in an pale apricot lighted horizon. Mother Nature didn’t have any clouds to paint with her water color brushes but I know she did some magnificent painting on the horizon with her hues of apricot paints but I missed it. Father Sky kissed the sun goodnight and then went to wake the moon and the stars in the heavens. I only see a few stars pinned in the sky, so guess the moon stayed under his warm cloud covers.

Was cleaning out a desk drawer tonight and found a scrap of paper where I had written some quotes down. Took a while for me to decipher my scribbles. This quote by Aristotle made me think about how my faith has been a beacon of light during sorrowful times. Aristotle said, “It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.” Think about how many times God leads us out of despair and sadness with his love. Just when we think we can’t go on a tiny ray of God’s love pierces the darkness and we begin to see the sunshine again. We live and walk on a path lighted by God’s love and grace.

One of the other quotes was attributed to Carol Burnett. She said, “When you have a dream, you’ve go to grab it and never let it go.” We all have dreams in our lives and we work diligently toward their accomplishments. We can’t give up. It takes effort to pursue a dream but its possible if you set your mind to achieving it. Take small steps. Step carefully over the obstacles in your way and be dedicated. You can achieve anything you set your mind to. If your dreams are aligned with God’s truth he will give you the abilities and opportunities to achieve your dreams.

“You may be the only person left who believes in you, but it’s enough. It takes just one star to pierce a universe of darkness. Never give up,” —Richelle E. Goodrich.