Sometimes, it just the simple things that matter.  Hamburgers, hotdogs, grilled corn-on-the-cob with watermelon to top it off.  The whole family home for dinner.  And Fireworks to top off the day.  

How did your Independence Day Sparkle?

The sun had set and our weather radio went off.  I suppose if your smart and have a severe thunderstorm warning you head inside.  Naaaaahhh!  Kevin and I like to watch the light show.   It was quite a show.

I even managed to get lucky. 

My very first lightening strike.  YES!!

Strawberries are one the most wonderful gifts we have ever been given.  Fresh out of the box with nothing else added they taste like sunshine, spring and happiness bursting in each sweet bite. 

But that’s just the beginning!  There’s strawberry shortcake (which I prefer with pound cake as the base), strawberry smoothies, strawberry jam, chocolate covered strawberries (YUM!), strawberry cheesecake, strawberry pie…the possibilities are astounding.

K. and I went and picked 30+ lbs. of these delightful berries yesterday.  I’ve already made 6 pints of jam and frozen some of the berries for other things in the year.  We had shortcake for dessert last night.  And I still have some in the fridge to have fun with now (YES!).

So what are your favorite strawberry recipes?  I’d love to try some of them.

All in the last 3 days!

Spring Break has been GREAT!

Getting a picture of this dog is not an easy thing.  She’s smart and she doesn’t like the flash.  At 14 she’s learned a few things.  As soon as you raise the camera to your eye she gets up and is on her way out of the room.  She just won’t put up with having her picture taken.   Our early attempts resulted in a LOT of blurry pictures of a dog’s back end.

But I’m just a little bit smarter (I think).  I didn’t put the camera anywhere near my face or even pick it up (thanks to the flip out screen).  All the sounds are turned off on my camera (so she can’t hear when I “click” the shutter to take the picture) and the flash was off. 

I swear, I still think she knew.

Conference still has one more session, but I have to say that I feel as if I have already been so nourished that I might burst.  I needed this, more than words can express. 

With Easter coming I may have other thoughts, but for now I will simply quote a scripture that was quoted in two different talks from Doctrine & Covenants section 61, verse 36. 

Be of good cheer, little children; for I am in your midst, and I have not forsaken you;

With all that is going on in the world and that goes on in our lives it’s good to be reminded that we are never alone.

This Saucer Magnolia is the same tree I posted pictures of here a few weeks ago.

And for something a little bit different than my usual subjects, a gear and pully at a boat dock.

Earth’s crammed with heaven,

And every common bush afire with God;

And only he who sees takes off his shoes.

                                                             – Elizabeth Barrett Browning

They’re not even waiting for the clocks.  Those first signs of the earth waking up.

These two have spent a lot of cycles together.

*sigh* I love Spring.

Am I the only person in the whole wide universe (ok… world) who feels that Daylight savings time just flat out feels more normal that what they call “Standard time”?  I just like it better.  It feels natural.  Maybe it fits my circadian rhythms (HA!).  We had a discussion about them this past week at our house.  What?  You didn’t?! 

Maybe it’s because it means winter is pretty much over and I’m good with that.  I get crazy (umm.. some might say cranky is a better word) about this point and I’m ready to dig in the dirt.  And I’m going to dig in the dirt this year.   I LOVE Spring!  Absolutely love it.  I can’t wait to have the windows open and have a good breeze blowing through the house. 

I’m ready for Green too.  Green in the trees… more daffodils than crazy early bloomers who thought it was time to bloom and who have now been frozen for their efforts (frustrates me every time!   See… I get cranky.)  But in a few weeks we’ll have daffodils everywhere and then tulips and azaleas AND COLOR!  YEAH!  That’s exactly what I need.  Color. 

But it starts this weekend with a little Spring forward.