Life Outside My Window

I hung a birdfeeder on our pear tree outside the kitchen window. What happened is amazing. For the first day, it just hung there. Then, word (or cheeps) got around. Timidly, the first birds tested out my offering. Soon their friends joined them. I love watching the flitting, the hopping, the soaring back to the trees when they are startled. I had all kinds of visitors, tiny little sparrows, beautiful redwinged blackbirds, red cardinals and of course, the grackles. Grackles are a black, crowlike bird with iridescent bluish/black heads. They come in groups and take over. One will land on the feeder and actually shake it so that food spills out onto the ground. The other grackles simply wait for the food to fall to them. I wish I could put up a sign that says they aren't welcome but I don't suppose they can read. But other birds take advantage of the spilled seeds and peck at the edges trying to stay out of the way of the greedy grackles. I also have a couple of squirrels who come to enjoy the feast. They eat the large pieces of corn or sunflower seeds using their little front paws and nibble so daintily. The grackles actually are providing a service for others even though they don't realize it! Meanwhile, the robins are busy cocking their heads to the ground and listening for worms. They would rather have some meat in their diets, I guess.
All this action and entertainment just for the price of a little feeder and a $2 bag of birdseed! I won't continue to feed them all summer as they will have plenty of wild food in the woods behind us. But for a couple of weeks, I will enjoy the nature show right outside the kitchen window.

Semesters of Higher Learning

Last night at our adult meeting of stake conference, Bruce Duffield gave a talk with this title. He said that just as we send our children off to college so they can learn and gain further experience so has our Heavenly Father sent us here to earth for the same reasons. He quoted the scripture "to every thing there is a season ...". He said that instead of "season" he would substitute "semester". A semester has a beginning and also an ending. Our semesters here on earth may include those with easy classes where things are joyful and simple. But other semesters may include health, financial, marital difficulties or problems with children or aged parents. Sometimes we wonder if we will ever make it through. But he reminded us that we have a teacher/professor who loves us and gives us chances to do extra credit or makes us feel like we are the "teacher's pet". He wants us to succeed and even though we must go through the difficult times, we will eventually be able to pass. President Duffield referred to Joseph Smith in Liberty Jail and the very difficult experiences of that time. But it was then that the Lord spoke to Joseph and gave him hope and comfort. The trial wasn't taken away but he came through it cleansed and refined.
Our "Semesters of Higher Learning" are different for each of us. He then told of a "midterm" exam that their family has been through recently. Sister Denise D. was diagnosed on July 30 with a brain tumor. In the October stake conference, Pres. D. asked us to pray for her as she was getting ready for some procedures to try to shrink the tumor as it was inoperable. She went through chemo and radiation therapy through the winter. Recently, the neurologist told them that the tumor hasn't grown and it looks like the treatment was effective. They now have much more emphathy for those who are suffering. They realize the blessings of the sealing power more than ever. They have appreciated the expressions of love and friendship that have been shown to their family. Even if the semester ends with death (looks like she will live much longer), they will have learned so much through the experience.
I thought his thoughts were so inspiring and wanted to share them with you. Even though I am not able to present his ideas adequately, I hope that I have been able to convey the general messages that he wanted to share.
It seems to me that a lot of our semesters overlap and we have to repeat classes sometimes. Of course, I know that this is just a metaphor and that life is very complicated. But having passed through many semesters in my life, I do feel that I can share my experience with those of you who are still in the middle of it all. Life with little children is HARD - life with teenagers is HARDER. I think that you are all "passing" with good grades and want you to know that Dad and I are pulling for you and want to help where we can. We love you!!

YES, We Felt It

Dad felt the bed and window shake - he was awake already. I remember feeling a jolt but I went right back to sleep without even considering that it might be an earthquake! The Last Days are here!

5.4 MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE ROCKS ILLINOIS!

A 5.4-magnitude earthquake that appeared to rival the strongest recorded in the region rocked people up to 450 miles away early Friday, surprising residents unaccustomed to such a powerful Midwest temblor.

The quake just before 4:37 a.m. was centered six miles from West Salem, Ill., and 66 miles from Evansville, Ind. It was felt in such distant cities as Chicago, Cincinnati, Milwaukee, and Des Moines, Iowa, 450 miles northwest of the epicenter, but there were no early reports of injuries or significant damage.

"It shook our house where it woke me up," said David Behm of Philo, 10 miles south of Champaign. "Windows were rattling, and you could hear it. The house was shaking inches. For people in central Illinois, this is a big deal. It's not like California."

Bonnie Lucas, a morning co-host at WHO-AM in Des Moines, said she was sitting in her office when she felt her chair move. She grabbed her desk, and then heard the ceiling panels start to creak. The shaking lasted about 5 seconds, she said.

The quake shook skyscrapers in Chicago's Loop, 240 miles north of the epicenter, and in downtown Indianapolis, about 160 miles northeast of it.

Irvetta McMurtry of Cincinnati said she felt the rattling for up to 20 seconds.

"All of a sudden, I was awakened by this rumbling shaking," said McMurtry, 43. "My bed is an older wood frame bed, so the bed started to creak and shake, and it was almost like somebody was taking my mattress and moving it back and forth."

Lucas Griswold, a dispatcher in West Salem, said the Edwards County sheriff's department received reports of minor damage and no injuries.

"Oh, yeah, I felt it. It was interesting," Griswold said. "A lot of shaking."

Indiana State Police spokesman Sgt. Todd Ringle in Evansville said there were no immediate reports of damage.

The quake occurred in the Illinois basin-Ozark dome region, which covers parts of Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, and Arkansas and stretches from Indianapolis and St. Louis to Memphis, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The organization's Web site said earthquakes occur irregularly in the area, and that the largest historical earthquake in the region — also a magnitude 5.4 — caused damage in southern Illinois in 1968.

The region is located in a region bordering the much more seismically active New Madrid seismic zone, according to the geological survey's Web site. In 1811 and 1812, the New Madrid fault produced a series of earthquakes estimated at magnitude 7.0 or greater.

Experts say another major New Madrid quake could destroy buildings, bridges, roads and other infrastructure, disrupt communications and isolate areas.

My Passion

Well, besides my family - this has been an important passion in my life lately. A few years ago, I learned about a small humanitarian aid group that meets once a week at the church. I started off sewing things at home and dropping them off there because I was working and couldn't come on the weekday morning. When I quit, I started going over and there found so much enjoyment and so many close friends. There are only about 7 of us that regularly come, but others join in once in a while. When people hear about us, they donate their unwanted fabrics and trims. Our leader, Ann Winward, has a basement full of donations that we just keep working to use. Of course, we all have our own fabrics to choose from and we have done amazing things. I made about 100 quilts (mostly lap or crib size) and almost 100 dresses plus other various things last year.
It is so fun to choose some fabrics that go together and then see what I can come up with. It is like doing puzzles only far more practical and lasting. I try to use every bit of the fabric so I don't have any orphans left over. Making "prairie points" around the edges helps to use up pieces of fabric (4" x 4" folded on the diagonal twice) and seems to tie all the various fabrics together.
On Monday, when I thought I was going to be a little down after my trip, Joyce Smith called and wanted to see if we could get more fabric from Pieceful Heart (a local quilt shop). So we called and they did have some bags to donate. They have been very generous before and we have taken some of the quilts we have made over to show them. We got the bags, dumped them out and sorted the pieces into colors. We found about 3 quilts that were already partly made! Can't imagine who would give away something that was nearly finished. We went upstairs by the machine and laid out some blocks that were already done. After much manuvering, we made a very nice design. Then, I sewed the pieces together as she handed them to me so we didn't get them mixed up. It was my idea of a great afternoon. Now I am getting three quilts finished to take today. I use the pillowcase method (sew around all sides leaving just about 10 inches open). Then we sew the batting on and turn the quilt inside out and it is all finished except sewing that opening and staystitching around the edge. Then the women in our group tie them with colorful yarn and they are ready to go off to Salt Lake City to be distributed all over the world! It makes me very happy to think that some of my "artistry" is being used by someone who needs it and will appreciate it.
One the 26th of April, the stake is having a women's conference and doing a tying project (the quilts that we have made). We are decorating with all sorts of quilts. It should be great. I hope some more women will catch the vision and see what can be done with scraps! Our lives are like a quilt, with each piece representing an experience or trial. The finished product will be a beautiful life tied together and presented as our efforts here on earth.