It's A Wonderful Life

It was great having our daughters here for Christmas.

In left to right order: Anna, Joy, Hilary, and Erin.

Repent

While Francois and I were painting together earlier this week, I painted over part of my painting to improve it.

Francois got excited and said,

"Oh, you are repenting."

"Huh?"

In french, the word to take something out of a painting, or to cover over what has already been painted in order to improve said painting, is the same word that one would use when confessing ones sins. Repent. And it means the same thing...to cover over, to turn from, or make a change for the better because of remorse.

Repenting is a useful habit, in painting and in life.

Two Turtle Doves

There are more than two
of this I am sure,
their goal is to poo
outside our front door.

Bird poo is a nuisance
of that there's no doubt;
when stepped on with shoes
it gets tracked in the house.

I sweep with a vengeance
or use the leaf blower,
but they laugh at my dance
and the poo seems to grow...er,

(I had a hard time
with that last little bit
coming up with a rhyme
about all the bird sh...)

My patience is waning
as I look in the branches;
birds keeps on raining
bird poo every chances.

I'm dreaming of sling shots,
and arrows and bow,
of B B's, and pellets,
to make the birds go.

Maybe borrow a cat,
or a big grizzly bear;
Would birds scare of that,
or still poo without care?

Some poisoned bird seed......
No, nothing so drastic,
but life bird poo free
does seem rather fantastic.

Out, out of that tree!
the birds hear me say,
Please, please leave us be.
Be gone! Go away!

Favorite Things

One of my favorite things about life in the Hazel household has been our family supper time. Until very recently, we would all gather at the table for a meal at 6:30 every night. But with Erin and Anna grown, and Reese working late, and Hilary and Joy babysitting so much, we just haven't had nearly as many meals together.

It's not the food, though something inexplicable happens when people eat together....comraderie? I don't know. Maybe. But what happens at our table is that each person at the table talks about their favorite thing of the day. Two things happen. One, everyone at the table contributes to the conversation. And two, everyone at the table listens to one another. Because we discuss favorite things, the family time remains positive.

Since no one is home tonight, what was your favorite thing of the day?

Mine was painting with Francios, my french teacher neighbor friend. We agreed today that I would give her a painting lesson while we studied french. The time flew, and before she was finished it was time for Francios to pick up her children from school. Hopefully she will have time to come back on Monday to finish her painting. Now, *if I can just keep the flowers alive....*