Good Friday Morning Musings

Perhaps the Lord knew we needed Easter Sunday to remind us that sometimes the darkest hours are followed by the happiest conclusions.

Spring is always a busy time making adjustments to warmer weather and more outdoor life. I’d just become used to realizing I needed short sleeves to be comfortable at ball games when this present cold snap hit. Now for this weekend at least, I must remember to take a jacket when I leave the farm. Because of all the busyness and some other writing I have been trying to accomplish, I am running late this week writing on Woodsong Notes.

While the Eilers were down last weekend, Elijah helped me place the three or four stuffed bunny rabbits that I use for Easter decorations. As I do every year, I have placed Jane Perr’s beautiful Ukrainian eggs around the shelf that lines the guest bathroom. Actually I had her create the eggs for our children--but I am hanging onto them until I die. Then they can inherit them. In the meantime, I get to enjoy them. Ha.

The ham is in the fridge waiting to be prepared for Sunday dinner. I used up the potatoes that started growing eyes underneath the kitchen sink, and I bought fresh potatoes to peel for the scalloped potatoes. I’ve got to start the layered gelatin salad today. I still need to check the freezer and decide what veggies I’ll serve with the ham and potatoes. I’m trying to get the house in decent shape for holiday guests.

Some years at our annual church egg hunt on Saturday, we’ve given each child a $1 gift certificate to a local eatery. One year we just gave them the dollar bill, so the parents wouldn’t have to take them anywhere, certificates wouldn’t get lost, and the child coould use the money for anything he or she wants instead of just food. We decided to do that again this year, but unlike the previous time, I could not find a bank with brand new fresh bills. I tried two, and I may try a third bank on Saturday morning. Otherwise the kids are stuck with “dirty” money. Ah well. They won’t care as much as I will.

Our daughter Katherine is to come home from Herrin Hospital’s rehab department today. We are grateful that the various therapies have her stronger again. Gerald’s brother Ken and his wife Opal came home Wednesday evening from John Cochran V.A. Hospital in Saint Louis. I think Ken was there 19 days.

After a week at home, Ken must take a third chemo treatment. But yesterday he was out and about drinking coffee with his buddies, looking and sounding great. Gerald has made him some enlarged photos of their father’s hunting hounds to cheer him up. Originally Ken wasn’t allowed flowers at the hospital. I don’t know if that restriction is in place now or not, but I think he’ll like the photos better. And I am sure Opal has plenty of beautiful flowers blooming in their yard to bring inside as she is an avid gardener.

Our daffodils and narcissus have finished blooming. Gerald transplanted them here and on the island from one of our fields where someone had planted them generations ago. The redbud at our house that was so lovely is completely green now. However, the azaleas by the front porch have started blooming, and I hope they will be opened fully by Sunday. Snow flurries outside our window today probably did not help them.