Our Spring Equinox Experience

So, do you believe this? Our Spring Equinox becomes a wet, snowy mess. But we LOVE it!

 It is REALLY coming down!

 We just got home from our dinner with the Child's, and the snow was starting to stick.

 Notice the carport is wet. As the snow fell, it melted on the pavement, and quite a lot in the forest as well. Now it has completely covered the earth around us. I just wonder how fast it will melt when the rain comes tomorrow.

 It is about 9:30pm, and it is really unloading outside.

 Our bird feeder is loaded down with wet snow. Birds won't like that.

Our bridge in the backyard is covered with snow. The yard is also well covered now.

The next morning:

  This wet snow will not last too long they tell me. It is already starting to disappear. Looks good though!

Spring is ALMOST sprung.

Looking around outside today reveals that Spring is beginning to spring. Birds, flowers, etc. Here are a few pictures:

 You don't suppose that this is an Eastern Bluebird or something do ya? Brown breasted?

White-shirted Elder-Birds taking pictures of the picture taker. Elder Gregory on the left, and Elder Castañeda on the right. Elder Castañeda has been learning English in a reverse from most of our Elders as he is from Guatemala. He has done fabulously and is learning really well! 

 This little guy stayed on this limb for about 5 minutes. He was fighting with the cardinals for the seeds I had put in the feeder. The cardinals were winning because they were bigger.

 I kept trying to get a picture of his backside, but was unsuccessful. You get a glimpse in this photo.

 Alright, any Arkansans tell me if these daffodils are native, or planted? We see these things everywhere. These were coming out when it was still below freezing so they must be quite robust.

 You see the daffodils in these two colors: yellow, and white.

 These daffodils were unusual compared to the others because of the 2 colors.

Here is the cardinal that kept protecting the bird feeder from the bluebird. He was way up at the top of the tree, so I had to zooooooom waaaaaay out. He was a beautiful one!

Don't you just love the flowers?

This is an Ann Magnolia Tree, and the color was fabulous!

Little Rock Central High Tour.

Went to Little Rock last week with the senior couples for a quarterly training, and social get-together. After our luncheon and our training session, we were dispersed to downtown Little Rock to tour the Central High School. Famously known for the 1957 civil rights desegregation disaster known as the "Little Rock Nine". Very interesting, and highly recommended taking time to go on the tour. It will open your eyes to new thinking about our racial differences, and our need to learn to be more tolerant, and do what ever we can to improve our interactions in this great nation. I for one will remember that it starts with me.

 Here we all are! In one place. All 15 couples of the Arkansas Little Rock Mission!

 The Central High School tours are conducted by the United States National Parks Service, and is still under Federal control. Our Ranger tour guide was the best! He was very emotional, and helped us understand why we all need to re-evaluate our attitudes concerning racial conflict in the US, and why we need to change. It starts with us!

 A close up of the beautiful edifice. This high school remains very much the same inside, and out with little change. In fact, the chairs in the auditorium are the same ones from when the high school was built. It has been intentionally kept in this state because it is a National Historic Site. By the way, this is a WORKING High School! It was in session while we toured.

Wide view! This high school was HUGE! There are 2600 students attending. What you don't see is that there are also some portable buildings in the back of the main building as there isn't enough room for all the students in the 6 stories (2 levels below ground in the basement)!

February Ice Storm

 Icicles hanging off the mirror

 The entire car was covered with ice when we drove back from Mammoth Spring, AR.

 Pictures of the shrubbery covered with ice.

 Ice on the shrubs.

 Trees covered with icicles in the front yard.

This tree was starting to bloom. Notice the red buds.

My bird feeder. No seeds, no birds, plenty of icicles!

 Frozen wonderland is intriguing.

 Looks like glass formations!

Elder Bednar's Visit

Sharing a photo of our Mission visit by The Apostle Elder David A Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Elder Richard J Maynes, of the Seven Presidents of the Seventy, and Bishop Gary E Stevenson of the Presiding Bishopric. This is the entire mission in one place. This is not a common get-together, as we usually meet according to zones. I believe there are 156 people in this photo, plus the special guests I mentioned. This was a fantastic day for all of us! I love all these people! They are great, loving, dedicated people who work hard everyday for the Lord. They all give freely of their time and talents.

Sunrise

Driving to North Little Rock yesterday morning, and we had to stop and capture this beautiful sunrise! The sun was trying to rip through the clouds and made a real impression!

Arkansas Style WHITE Christmas!

Never in all my life have I had a white Christmas. This year I drove to my son Tom and his wife's home to celebrate Christmas. Little did we expect to be given a great white Christmas. We had a great time too. Food was just great, and the treats were fun to eat. Cheese balls, and crackers, cookies, fudge, and other fattening things I should not have been eating. Oh well, it was Christmas for Heaven Sakes!

 When it snows, it GOES! Actually, it snowed like this for at least 2 hours, maybe more.

 You couldn't make out my car hardly. At least 6 inches of snow on the hood. And everyone says it hardly ever snows here.

 Tom and Ashley's home. Very nice little neighborhood.

 Snow ball fight anyone?

 Here is my Arkansas family enjoying the snow. It was a lot of fun for all.

 This is the back yard of my home in Cherokee Village. Snowed pretty good here as well.

 Take my picture, fast! It is COLD out here.

 Looking to the north of the back yard.

 Looking to the south of the back yard.

 Snow, snow, snow.

 Not much traffic this after noon.

 All this white stuff was new to Aedan. But he had fun with it!

 Looking out the north side of the front porch.

South side of the front porch.