March 17, 2025 a thought for today, Creation is ongoing. Native American Lakota proverb

The first upload yesterday was “local”. This is a “local” street near my home. The water tower at the nearby park is visible along with the quiet neighborhood street. 

The next upload is “favorite pie”. There was a different plan for this one. I saw an interesting recipe on Facebook and thought I would try it. When the challenge showed up I thought this would be my change to make it. So I planned on doing that when I got home from pantry. The pie is called an Easter pie and is made of 3 flavors and layers of jello. Each mixed with cream cheese and cool whip. It took me longer to make than I really had time for. I also used a normal size pie plate instead of a deep dish. So I had to change plans. We had the pie (delicious) but the last “layer” is in a separate dish and will be added per slice. This image is from my archives and not the Easter pie.

The last upload for yesterday is “my choice” which is one of a series in my faceless portrait group. 

Life today. Yesterday I had a bit of a problem with my “health” that I haven’t normally experienced. It is one of the many things that increase happening as the body ages. I was dizzy for most of the day. So I checked my blood pressure and sugar numbers. The sugar was up some, not to the point of worry but good to be aware of. The blood pressure was lower than it has ever been. So I proceeded to scare myself by taking my BP more than necessary (it’s true what they say that people like nurses sometimes know to much about negative possibilities). 

-, I finally relaxed and felt better. I had decided to sleep on it, retake the BP in the morning. If it was still low, call the doctor. Everything is pretty much back to normal. 

Late last night Patti called to let me know she had previewed the draft of the annual report and wanted to drop off a copy with the necessary parts to be corrected marked. I mentioned that it hadn’t been the best day for me but I would stay up to get the copy. (I was going to bed early).   

The first upload for today is “heart”. I couldn’t find a heart laying around to use as a prop. I remembered that Sunday School kids had made cards honoring veterans and had hearts on them. I had taken pictures of them so I went looking in my saved photos. I hope the child doesn’t mind that I used it to share with you. 

As far as chores go this is a typical Monday. The bulletin is done up to the ministers information. I was also able to put the last finishing touches on the annual report. It was a big help that Patti dropped it off last night.  Then one other necessary household chore, I got an early bill paid. 

There was a man here  to “inspect” the work the AC technicians had done. He was only here for about twenty minutes. He said everything looked up to par and was in good shape. Speaking of work people coming to the house, a very familiar activity in the last few weeks, the siding people were here Saturday. Hopefully, this is an end to the string of things happening in my life for the last several months, cars, AC, siding, with several “repeats” or “steps” to each one. I wonder if maybe that had something to do with my BP problem (stress and worry). All on top of and along with taking special care of Sweet Pea in her senior year experiences. 

The weather today is gorgeous to see but the feel is a bit on the chilly side.  Early spring is here and inviting further dreams of what is coming as it “blossoms”. 

The next photo is “movement”. This one is also from the archives. Some of you who may have visited the Ohio State Fair may recognize this as one of the movements of the fair as you look into the sky while walking along the fair grounds. 

The word today is test.  The perception of beauty is a moral test. Henry David Thoreau.  No man is truly great who is great only in his lifetime. The test of greatness is the page of history. William Hazlitt.  Every man has a right to utter what he thinks truth, and every other man has a right to knock him down for it. Martyrdom is the test. Samuel Johnson. The test of good manners is to be patient with the bad ones. Solomon Ibn Gabirol.  Reason is the test of ridicule, not ridicule the test of truth. William Warburton.  Calamity is the test of integrity. Samuel Richardson.  The test of any man lies in action. Pindar.  The test of every religious, political, or educational system is the man that it forms. Henri Frederic Amiel.  Do not tell secrets to those whose faith and silence you have not already tested. Elizabeth I.  It is by presence of mind in untried emergencies that the native metal of man is tested. James Russell Lowell.  Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power. Abraham Lincoln.  What is the true test of character unless it be its progressive development in the bustle and turmoil, in the action and reaction of daily life. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.  Our Faith must be tested. God builds no ships but what He sends to sea. Dwight L. Moody.  Wisdom is not finally tested by the schools, Wisdom cannot be pass'd from one having it to another not having it, Wisdom is of the soul, is not susceptible of proof, is its own proof. Walt Whitman.  It is not easy to distinguish between true and false affection, unless there occur one of those crises in which, as gold is tried by fire, so a faithful friendship may be tested by danger. Marcus Tullius. Cicero.

The last upload for today is “green, green, and green”. Perfect for today, St. Patrick’s Day. This is greenery on a trellis I saw as I was going down a neighborhood alley. 

Article: Yet one more story about animals helping people. One of my dogs was trained for a part familiar with this one. I think at least one of my grand dogs was also trained in this area. The article title is “Nationwide Children's celebrates first anniversary of Butterfly Paws expansion”. It is a story about some diverse sides of service dogs, this story is associated with our Children’s hospital. The first part of the story is about Gibbs. He is a part of the program at Children’s called Butterfly Paws. These dogs are trained to cause “extra smiles”. This amazing animal is a 2 year old Labrador and golden retriever mix. His handler is “a recreational and animal system therapist at the hospital”. She explained that “recreational therapy is providing treatment through fun activities intended to work on skills like self-esteem, communication or mood improvement”. She explains, as we can all imagine, that being in a hospital is not fun and Gibbs has already helped try to relieve this  “tremendously”. When a kid is “having a hard of time, Gibbs pops in, and they always brighten immediately because they're with the facility dog."  He knows 45 commands which are “including holding a paint brush and picking up playing cards.” He has also been trained in both volleyball and soccer. These mentioned trainings, picking up cards and volleyball and soccer, help with the program in giving kids “something to keep and hold”. The dogs in the program “have also had trading cards made about them for kids to collect”. The director of Butterfly Paws, “explained that the difference between facility dogs and therapy dogs. "Facility dogs are service animals that are trained and placed to work in a building”. Most of us know that therapy dogs are especially trained dogs that provide emotional support and comfort to individuals in various settings other than and including hospitals. The dogs called “facility dogs” are used “when our traditional treatment modalities don't really work with the patients". The director went on to say “now that the program has a foundation for providing care with the facility and therapy dogs, her team is looking to expand its services”. They can be sent with handlers to “offsites or ambulatory sites”. The article ended with mentioning that this program is almost a year old and it is good see how well received it is. 

We are having fried bologna and baked potatoes for dinner. 

Joy

                                  an Ohio farm field and granary