THE Project

Jon has decided that I need a more interesting back yard. To that end he has convinced me to fork over some money so that he can build a Prairie in the corner of my yard.

I thought he was going to put it in the Northwest Corner but had decided on the Southwest corner.






Here he is on my wonderful screened in back porch (which is filthy and needs a hosing down before I use is. Notice the new red wheelbarrow.

I am sure it will get a work out. He is moving dirt and sod from it's original location to the North side of the yard.






So this is the corner where it is going. I used to have a lot of privacy there but the guy who bought the house to the South of me took out all of the big bushes and now I am exposed and people who drive by on 13th Street can see into my yard. But he quit about halfway through and so I still have some and I don't have to look at the junk outside his back door.. This is where the Prairie is going. Jon told me to tell them that I was putting in a butterfly garden.





Max is out there helping him dig and letting everyone in the neighborhood know something is going on. A bark collar is definitely going to be in his future.









And of course, Cassie had to escape to the backporch to supervise. She loves to go out there when the weather is nice. I used to have a doggie door where the "boys" could go in and out when they wanted but since Cassie moved in we blocked it so she won't get out and escape. I am really looking forward to having my coffee out there this spring and summer.






If I were any kind of an Uncle I would be out there working beside him but I have always tried to avoid physical labor. And I am very tired from Friday night and Yesterday. I have become a Lethargarian (From The Phantom Toll Booth by Norton Juster) today. I can fall asleep writing this blog entry.

When I taught school I had the students pick an "Improving the Environment" project to do and report on during the Month of April. They could do anything they wanted. Some picked up trash in their area. Others planted flowers, they were very creative. So I guess this is our "improve the environment" project. Way to go Jon!

I really don't have anything to write about today. I have some topics bopping around in my mind but I have not had them gel yet. I JUST FEEL GOOD ABOUT THINGS. I suppose I should worry about that. I kind of expect the other shoe to drop when things go along fine and I know that is dumb but I am one of those people who doesn't expect a lot of good to happen to me so when it does I am surprised. I am also surprised at just how much it means to me to have someone let me know that I am appreciated and that happened several times yesterday. So I will express my gratitude for my Brothers and the great time I had with them this week-end.

Speaking of expressing gratitude. Several times during the day yesterday we addressed the Deity. Ritualistic prayer is not designed for the Divine Auditory Nerve. I am sure the words spoke were mostly meant for us to remind us of things. Even though addressed to Deity they were meant for us to hear and carry with us. Except for one prayer. One of the candidates in the class was given an opportunity to speak. He had been the active candidate for that degree and he started his remarks with a prayer. It was not a prayer asking God to do something for us or to remind us of lessons. It was, rather, a simple prayer of gratitude. Thanking Deity for the blessings that are ours. It was heartfelt and it impressed our Master of Kadosh so much that when it was finished he told the candidate that it was one of the best prayers he had ever heard in a Masonic setting. (Now I am paraphrasing what Brian said but that is the gist of it.)

There is so much to ponder and think about in the Scottish Rite Degrees that I am sure I will be thinking about them for a long time to come. Of course I remembered a lot of it but every time you see a degree you think of something new or find new meaning in something old. For all of this I am grateful. ARTYAL, Hugs, j