It always seems to come back to him. John that is..This last night of 2008, I have remembered every past New Years Eve that we spent together in the last 22 years.

Except he is missing this one. The first one we have not been together. The very last year he lived..

We were going through a rough patch a few years ago, and I was playing this song one day while I was taking a shower. I had been crying, silent tears falling like the water flowing over me. He came in and peeked around the shower curtain and looked at me with a sad face and said, "But I do love you."

He then proceeded to climb in the shower with me fully clothed and gave me a most memorable kiss. We make mistakes. He made mistakes, I made mistakes. But we loved each other. I thought about leaving many times. But I never could. I loved him too much.

Don't ever let anyone interfere with your relationship with the one you love. Not your family, your best friend, your kids, whoever. If you love them and they love you that is all that matters.

My husband's family never liked me. I felt like I was at the Spanish Inquisition every time I was with them. They liked asking me personal questions about my family my dog. Yadda yadda.


These are the lessons I have learned from those experiences.

1. It does no good to bear your soul to some people, because all they will do is use it against you. The most private thoughts and hurts you have shared becomes their favorite ammunition against you. Be selective with whom you share your soul with.

2.After you have learned that they shared your information with others. Move on. And from this moment forward realize you don't have to answer every question that is being asked of you, by anyone.

If someone asks you a question that you don't want to answer, just reply. "Is that really any of your business?" And smile really big and give them a big kiss on the cheek. That really disarms them!

3. Turn the beat around. Ask them questions about their personal life. So how much money do you make? When they start squirming maybe they will realize how you feel.

4. Finally, if it keeps up, leave. Excuse yourself by telling them you have an early flight lesson. That will leave them with more questions. Where did you get the money for that? Just smile. And get out of there as fast as you can.


I am sending you all wonderful wishes for the New Year. I hope that this year finds you accomplishing your greatest dreams. And I pray that the Lord blesses you with health and happiness and most of all peace of mind.

xoxo Nita

The song is by Ari Hest and he is performing a great rendition of, I Can't Make You Love Me.

This song is by Duffy and it is called Mercy..Besides her being unbelievably beautiful her voice is amazing.

When I was a kid music and dancing was everything. It is all we thought about. My little sister and I made up dances that we and our friends would do. We danced while we cleaned the house, we danced doing dishes. We threw each other around the room until we were dizzy. I miss that..

One time we went out in the country for a drive with one of our friends from school. He had this old red Cadillac and we all thought it was the bomb..

And he had this rocking stereo. Well he decides to pull over on the side of the road, and we all got out of the car and started dancing. I remember a farmer out in the field looking at us like we were crazy. We just laughed. Youth..

But this song reminds me of that day..

I hope you have to time to listen to it.

xoxo Nita

Merry Christmas..xoxo Nita

This song is so intimate. So beautiful and haunting.. I love the words. It is Hallelujah by Jeff Buckely. If you have a chance I hope you can listen to it.

I have thought about a lot of things the last few weeks. How John taught me that each day we live is a gift. And that how we choose to spend each day is our choice.

There are outside circumstances that change our days at times, and sometimes antagonistic people.

But for the most part we choose the pattern of our days.

We can't let people who like to be pains in the butt affect us. We have to choose the path of peace.

Do you ever go outside just to sit down for a few minutes to breath in the air?

Sunday the temperature was pretty mild here, so I went outside and sat on my bench for about an hour. I took my I-Pod and listened to some of my favorite music. This song by Jeff Buckely is on there and I really took the words in. And I watched the blackbirds do that flight they do before settling down for the evening. It was just about twilight.

I watched the way they stayed in perfect formation and it made my heart sing. That probably sounds silly doesn't it? But little things like that make me happy.

And another cool thing that happened is that I have these wind chimes that John got me a long time ago and the wind was just blowing on them non- stop and it sounded so beautiful. Like they were keeping an unknown rhythm to the music I was listening to. I kept my music low enough to hear them as well.

I watched the sun go down in soft pink hues. And just felt blessed by being able to enjoy a small measure of peace and solitude.

I challenge you this week to seek solitude. To think, to enjoy your surroundings. To do something you have wanted to do for a long time but for whatever reason you haven't done it. Do it now. We don't live forever and life is too short to deprive yourself.

xoxo Nita

Please listen to song if you have time :)

We are breakable. Our hearts are made from something so strong yet so soft. We can be crushed by words. Crushed by those we love. Before we speak we should think, is this going to hurt the person I am about to say this to?

i am as guilty as anyone. But I want to live a kinder, gentler life..

My thoughts have been with you all. I hope to catch up on some visiting this week.

I have been working on a story I want to post this week. I hope everyone is having a good holiday season. Elizabeth and I have our white Christmas tree up, the one with the pastel lights..

We decided we didn't even want ornaments on it because it looks so beautiful without them.

I have savored the tangerines that are at the store right now. Relished hot cups of tea in the mornings after I have walked the dogs.

Went for drives and just contemplated things..

Hope you love the song, it is one of my favorites.

xoxo Nita

I miss you John..This time last year I spent Thanksgiving with you at the hospital. Me and you laughing at tv shows and eating the plates that were brought to us from Mom's.
I listened to Alice's Restaurant today in your memory while I cooked for Mom and the kids. You know that song is so annoying. But it is really funny. I couldn't listen to The City of New Orleans and maintain any kind of composure, so I didn't listen to that one..Nights without you are harder than I ever imagined they would be. Holidays without you are almost impossible.

Who could forget you and Dad's run to IGA every holiday because me and Mom would forget something at the store.

And who could forget Dad trying to poison everyone with the turkey every year by his cooking methods. Elizabeth and I were talking about that today. How when she was little she thought everybody was supposed to get sick at Thanksgiving because of how Dad always got us sick with his turkey. I am glad you started cooking the turkey after you found out what Dad was doing. LoL We laughed a good while over that one today..


And I thought of how we worked like a well oiled machine together. Me making pies and bread and you doing the turkey. How we balanced each other out. You were missed today and you are missed everyday.. We thought of the happy times today with you..And no holiday will ever be the same without you.


xoxo Nita

Song for tonight City of New Orleans by Arlo Guthrie
1st video, 3rd clip

{my favorite lamp}

I have thought about all the people I have known in my life and what they have meant to me. Some of my greatest lessons I have learned from my enemies.

How to have strength when I am attacked and to let God fight my battles. I have always been a person to never back down from a fight. But I have learned in the last year that sometimes it is better to walk away. Not to let the craziness of others destroy us.

I thought about friends who I thought were friends but were incapable of being a good friend for one reason or another. Some people have the best intentions but are just incapable of being a friend. But I still learned lessons from each person.
I keep the good out of those relationships and keep it in my heart.

And I know that the person I am is the result of all those around me who have helped me in life. The 3rd grade teacher who saw a sad little girl who acted out because she was so alone in the world. And decided to make a difference in her life by spending time each day at recess working with her on her reading. And who made her do a book report on Martin Luther King Jr. that changed her outlook forever.

As a result of that teachers love and attention I developed a love of reading and a respect for other cultures and races.

I thought about my Sunday School teachers who were there each week helping me memorize scriptures, and teaching me about God. Not just through lessons on paper but through their actions.

We are molded in life by the vast experiences we go through:
the good ones, the bad ones, the sad ones, the tragic ones. But we choose how to handle each one. We choose to either wallow in self pity or to get up and make a life for ourselves and others. Just like Gandhi said, "We have to be the difference in the world that we want to see."

I read this quote last night and was so moved by it. It is how I feel.

" It is not enough to have lived. We should be determined to live for something. May I suggest that it may be creating joy for others, Sharing what we have for the betterment of person kind, bringing hope to the lost and love to the lonely."
Dr. Leo Buscaglia


On another note: There has to be a balance of how we let others influence us. Especially if they are critical of us. Family members tend to be the worst at this. They know our weakness and sometimes strike us in the heart with a hot iron.We can't let another person's opinion destroy us. Or deter us from our dream.

"Other people's opinions of you do not have to become your reality."
Les Brown

Sometimes we are so busy looking for approval from everyone else that we fail to see that what we need is already inside of us we just need to learn how to extract it.

We have to remember in turn that we are molding those around us. We have the power to say kind words that will bring people hope.
The words we speak can make or break a person. We must be mindful of that always.

We have power to change things around us. One person can make a difference.

A final thought from the book, Courage and Confidence from the Bible, " Even a thorn in the flesh was for the purpose of demonstrating Christ's grace."

Sending you all love, Nita

tonight's song, Love is not a fight by Warren Barfield
i hope you have a chance to listen to this it is beautiful...
1st video, 2nd clip

6 Random Things...and 2 puppies

(more puppy pictures)
taken about a week ago


2 more puppies...

The white one is: June
Bug

The brindle one is: Bear



I really don't like doing these things, but I am doing it for Annette.


6 Random things about me...


1. i have kept a diary since i was 7 years old


2. my biggest pet peeve is mean people


3. i would like to learn how to make my own soap and candles


4. i love to star gaze


5. my favorite drink is ice tea with lemon


6. i am addicted to books. i love the way they look and smell and tend to buy too many of them.


xoxo Nita

I took this photo about 2 weeks ago. I love this particular line of trees in our town. They are always so beautiful in all seasons..

Don't you just love the yellow leaves?

This past week I heard a remark made by someone I know to be a Christian.

She was laughing at two people who worked at a convience store. One person who worked there had one tooth and the other one only had two teeth.

She said, "Wow what winners they have working there" As she continued laughing at their toothless state.

I said to her, "That could be me or you."

John and I lost our insurance years ago after he lost his job at the plant.

Except for the grace of God it could any one of us. Poor people have a very hard time trying to even find a dentist who will take a medical card.

Since I don't have insurance I have had to borrow money from my Mom to go to the dentist. And so many people think that those people who have a medical card are lucky. No, not really. Those poor people struggle to even find a good doctor who will take the medical card.

Her remark fueled anger in me. It made me think of how shallow and mean that comment was. How could she in good conscience even say something like that about another human being.

No one wants to be toothless. Everyone wants the ability to go to the doctor and the dentist to get proper medical treatment. And to get dental care.

I wish people could be judged by their character and not their looks. I know many people out there who are very kind and thoughtful souls. But would be judged harshly by worldly standards because of their appearance.

One person who inspires me is Joni from Morning Coffee. She takes meals and blankets to the homeless. I have never heard her make a bad comment about the homeless.

We are in desperate need of compassion in our culture. We need to be able to feel what others feel. To see the need they have and help them.

~Nita~

If you have time please listen to this. This song is so powerful...
It is, If We Are the Body by Casting Crowns

Black Velvet..

This is our litle Velvet Rose. She is 2 weeks old today. I took the first 3 photos last night. The last photo was when she was 1 day old!

We had to bring her in the house and bottle feed her from the time she was 2 days old.

The other puppies are 3 times bigger than her so she couldn't nurse. And the Momma didn't seem that interested in her.

I will post pictures of the other puppies in the next couple of days. They are adorable too..

But I really think Velvet is the prettiest. She has soothed our hearts so much. I have helped Elizabeth feed her in the middle of the night. Warmed bottles and kept her clean and fresh.

I can tell she is going to be a great dog.





It looks like she is smiling here doesn't it? It's because she is spoiled rotten..





I love her color! She looks like a little bear to me. A black velvety bear..

This is her at 1 day old..We really didn't think she was going to make it because she was so fragile. But she is robust now and thriving. We hold her alot. She is just precious...

John would have loved her. He was so much like me, we both loved dogs.

Hope you all have a good weekend.

~Nita~

Today's song, Black Velvet by Alannay Myles

1st video, 1st clip

Hope...

This past Friday was rainy and dreary. I had been sad all day because of thinking about John.

But when I was going to get Elizabeth from work I had prayed a little prayer that God would give me hope.

I looked over to the East and there was this beautiful Rainbow..It had divided the sky with its color. It was breathtaking. I immediately pulled over and took a picture. I also took a picture of the sky next to it.

Then I looked to my left and the dark sky had parted and there was this beautiful ribbon of light emanating from it.

I said a silent prayer of thanks to God. He never leaves or forsakes us even when everyone else does. He will not...



I leave you with this quote:

The risk that may break you, may be the risk that will save you too.
Author unknown






If you have been having a hard time lately. Don't give up. God cares and so do I.





He hears every prayer you say whether you feel like He does or not. Please believe that...


~Nita~

My love's hair is as black as a Raven's wing.
His eyes greener than grass in Spring.

My heart he carries in his pocket..A piece of my auburn hair in a Golden locket.

His kiss is one I will not forget. Even when I am old and grey I will taste the Love he felt for me in my memories..

by Nita Barrow-Zimmerman

Written for John long ago.

I miss the sound of your voice...and the way you drowned me in your love.

I was driving home from church a few days ago and found this tree right down the street from me. Its beauty stopped me. I pulled over on the side of the road hopped out and took this photo of the sun shinning brightly through its leaves. It was pleasant to feel the warmth on my face as I took this picture.


We are having an Indian Summer here..Many days have reached temperatures as high as the 80's.




















This second tree was out in the country.. Next to a cream colored home. The former owners use to raise sheep, and I miss their sweet little faces peeking through the fence.

I use to drive past there everyday just to look at them. They were so pretty.







This cottage was tucked into the woods a few miles away. The red roof beckoned me. It was a whitewashed stone cottage..

I wondered how long it had been there. How many lives had unfolded in its rooms?
How many lovers had made love in the bedrooms that overlooked a small lake beside it? I imagined the moon peeking through the windows at night casting long shadows of filtered light across the floors of this home in the woods.




The rays of the sun were so bright on this barn that it looked like the sun was casting silver light upon the roof..It was magnificent to look at in person..

I sat for a long while and just took in the surroundings.






This field was further down the road.
Golden fields of Soybeans getting ready to be harvested. I saw 5 coal black Ravens flying across this field. I tried to get a good picture of them but couldn't.

They were beautiful in their velvety blackness. And, with their wings stretched across the October sky reminded me Poe's Raven..













This field was about 3 miles from the first field. The farmers are making hay..I love the way it looks. So old fashioned.









My brother always called a perfectly cloudy day a Monet Sky.

It was definitely a Monet sky that day...



Many times John and I drove around out in the country looking for roads we had not explored. It was one of our favorite past times. Just driving and talking..

He loved this stretch of road. It has a field of cedars on the other side of it, and when the wind is blowing just right you can smell their scent waft across your face on hot Summer days..

The blackbirds love to make their nests among the cedars, as well as the Cardinals. Often fighting each other for territory.

We use to love to make up stories while driving around. We often had contests on who could make up the scariest stories..LoL

Some Saturdays when he didn't have to work, we drove all day long. We knew the back roads for 60 miles in every direction around us.




We had the dream to drive the Highways across the United States. Not the Interstate but the Highways..

There is something so deeply personal about a highway. Have you ever noticed that?

It is a slower pace. There are small cafes along the way. More scenery that you never see on an interstate. We often drove to a small city called Prairie De Roche. It has a fort there called Fort Chartres. One of the first forts that was ever built in America. It is a beautiful little town sitting on the Mississippi River.
They have a craft festival there every year. Our kids loved it.


This is a picture of a small creek a few miles from my home. I can sit on the bridge for a half hour and no one passes. In my mind I can Indians gathering water from this creek. Washing in this creek. It is buried in the woods like a green jewel. Its waters flowing and flowing to somewhere different. How I wish I could follow them.



I leave you with 2 favorite quotes:

What if you slept?
And what if in your sleep
you dreamed?
And what if
In your dream,
You went to Heaven
and there plucked
a strange and beautiful flower
And what if,
When you awoke,
You had the flower
In your hand?

Samuel Taylor Coleridge
(1772-1834)



In quietness and solitude lays our strength.
T.D. Jakes

Tonight's song, Boondocks by Little Big Town
1st video, 2 nd clip

Gifts...

I received a very wonderful gift in the mail on Saturday. It was from a lady named Cheryl, from the site http://www.minniebluestudio.blogspot.com/ { I hope you will check her site out. Cheryl sells great stuff on E-Bay too.}

She had seen a post about my jewelery on Dawn's site, The Feathered Nest, http://the-feathered-nest.blogspot.com/

She said she didn't use these things anymore and wanted to give them to me. How nice is that? She e-mailed Dawn and got my address and mailed me a great box of goodies.

I was in awe of all of the wonderful things she sent me. I will be making a bunch of bracelets and necklaces with these wonderful treasures.

I love red..It is my favorite color. These beads will be used in no time.

They are staying in a yellow cup right now. One of those old fashioned ones from the 1960's.

Blue is another favorite..Is there anything more calming than looking at a blue ocean?

Or a blue sky?

Hmmm, plans in the making for blue bracelet.

Pearls, a mermaids favorite jewelery...

Pearls, white vintage glass beads, and metal and silver beads..

This is a bracelet I made my Grand Baby Chloe. I made this from the goodies already.. Chloe is only 2 1/2 but I think she will like this.I hope so..

I made this for my beautiful daughter-in-law Tiffany. She loved it..

Tiffany is as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside. I am glad my son found someone who loves him like she does. By the way, Happy Birthday C.J..

You are always thought of with love.

This is a bracelet I titled Yellow crush. Because I love the colors of these stones..

Thank you Cheryl from the bottom of my heart.

I have been sorting beads all weekend, and I loved it. It really helped to take my mind off the sadness..

~Nita~

fOR John..

The sky was so beautiful today. The corn is getting harvested right now. I see Farmers driving their huge combines down narrow country roads always waving with a smile on their face.

When you drive around out in the country people always wave. I like that. It gives a sense of familiarity.

I took this photo of the corn against the sky. If you click on the photo you can see the way the sun is flowing through the corn stalks and leaves. I noticed the sky was several shades of blues..







This barn has went through a transformation since last year. It was rather faded and worn looking. The owners have really done a wonderful job painting and fixing it up. I liked the flag in front of it.



I thought it was neat that I came across Sassafras Road! How cool is that?









This little Sparrow was waiting for me when I got home. Looking at me beseechingly, for seed to be put in the feeder.

This old barn used to belong to a friend of mine. They have moved and I miss seeing her work in her garden. One year she grew thousands of straw flowers and hung them up in this barn to dry them. The colors were amazing, yellows, creams, bright pinks, red, blue, purple. She made greeting cards with them, She gave huge bouquets of them away as presents. So I named the barn Straw flower Barn. And when I pass it I remember the Summer of a 1,000 Straw flowers....


Orange is a color that just makes my heart happy..It is bright and cheerful and reminds me of Summer. The Rose Moss is still blooming in my clay pots in the front yard.. I will miss them when they are gone.

I found this feather on my porch yesterday morning..I am not sure what kind it is. But i love it.

Last night as the sun was going down. I stood on the porch and sipped my tea as I and watched it slipping through the trees. I love the bright spots of light that flashed through the branches. Casting warm orange yellow rays across the sky and onto my grateful face..Is anything more glorious than watching a sunset?

Last but not least my little orange dog Molly.. What a sweet companion. I say little, but she is really pretty big. She is half pit bull. I have had her for 8 years. Elizabeth named her Molly Holly Zimmerman when we first got her. LoL

Molly has the sweetest eyes to me, and I love to watch her roll on her back. She is so funny when she does that. She will sit and watch the birds and squirrels eat and never bother them. She is a kind soul. But very protective. I love her..

I hope everyone is having a beautiful weekend.

~Nita~

Fall Photos..

These are a few photos I took today while Elizabeth and I went for a ride.
I love it that the leaves are turning colors. I had forgot my camera at home and drove back and got it when I saw this little barn against the blue and white sky with the trees changing colors beside it. I have taken a few photos of this barn before, and I just love it. This is called a Coffee tree. I am not sure why, but the color of this in the Fall is magnificent.
I just liked the colors of this tree. With the yellows and hints of orange.
Another Coffee tree.
I saw these Geese just soaking in the sun today. They were on a hill about 4 miles from my house. I thought they were so pretty..
Aren't they cute?
This one was sitting by itself...


Tonight's song is, Bring on The Rain by Jo Dee Messina and Tim McGraw
It is how I feel tonight....

My brother had a friend who use to sell sassafras root. For those who do not know what that is, you make tea from the root. You boil water and pour the water over the root and let it seep in a tea pot.

You then pour it into your cup and add sugar and cream. The color of the tea is a faded orange. And the flavor is so good.

I have not had sassafras tea in years. But I was thinking about it today while driving around doing errands.

The colors of fall are starting to come in full force. Vibrant orange and yellows. Warm reds..I love the colors. Today was rainy and with just a slight chill in the air. And I made a roast with potatoes and carrots. I made fried apples for dessert.

I got the apples from the orchard last week. They were so good. I have enough left for a couple of pies. I hope to get some photos tomorrow of the fall leaves. Until then I leave you with these quotes:

"The need for devotion to something outside ourselves is even more profound than the need for companionship.
If we are not to go to pieces or whither away, we must have some purpose in life, for no man or woman can live for himself alone."

Ross Parmenter


I would not wish to darken any other life - I want to be a messenger of optimism and sunshine.
Lucy Maud Montgomery



The best way out is always through.
Robert Frost

"Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds."
Albert Einstein

{Moth on Light Fixture in my House}

John and I always wanted to have our own antique shop. He was going to make bird houses and furniture. I was going to make seashell mirrors and pressed flower pictures and all sorts of things.

He encouraged me to create. He had so much faith in me. Even when I had no faith in myself. John has helped me more than any other person to believe in myself.


I went to a bead shop a few months after he died just to look around. I sat and watched the lady who was working there create this beautiful bracelet. After she was finished I asked her if she would teach me how to make them. She told me that of course she would. It was a slow evening and I was the only one in there, so I sat there and learned how make bracelets and necklaces.

It has soothed me just to create, and has helped soothe the sadness of losing John.

I have taken a big step and opened my own Etsy shop. For all of you out there who have never heard of Etsy. It is a place that sells handmade items and art materials for creating. They are all about the little man.

I will be selling jewelery that I have made. And vintage photos, and many other items that I have created. My shop is to the left of this post, if you have time I would be happy if you checked it out.

I don't have many items listed yet. But will by tomorrow evening.

I would like to send out a big thank you to Dawn, Colette, Robin, Nathalie. Dawn helped me set my shop up. Colette explained many things from how to upload photos, to how pay pal works.

Robin and Nathalie both encouraged me to do my shop.

I have another blog that you can see all of my work at. It is Red Tin Heart Creations, same name as my Etsy Shop. All you have to do is click on my profile and you will see it at the bottom of that page. I have had problems loading some photos on Etsy because the pixels were too big on some of my pictures, so there are a few more things on this site than Etsy.
I hope you get a chance to look at them.


I appreciate you ladies so very much.

And I want to thank all of you who have been here to help me through my loss of John. I really do not know what I would have done without you all.

I wrote this poem a few years ago at the request of my counselor. She asked that I write a poem to the girl I had been. This is it.


I would climb a mountain to set you free from your prison of grief.

An ocean 12,000,000 miles long, I would swim just to see you strong.

I would fly to the moon on wings made of silken threads and risk my life, my limb to set you free from all that's within.

Nita Barrow- Zimmerman

I feel like I have reached a measure of peace within myself, be it small. It is still a gift.

I am not Catholic, but my John was raised Catholic. And he fascinated me with all his knowledge about Catholicism. In all of our years together he never asked me to convert, if he would have, I would have done it for him. I watch Catholic television almost everyday. To me there is great wisdom in their teaching.
I am holding a candle I bought a week ago. It is Our Lady of Perpetual Help. I light it everyday for my family and friends and say a prayer for them. It comforts me.. Her face is so very gentle and filled with compassion. We need that in our world. People who are filled with compassion. It makes life so much better.

These are some scriptures I read this evening that I thought might encourage you.

Psalm 55:22

Give your burdens to the Lord. He will carry them. He will not permit the godly to slip or fall.

Psalm 56:8

You have seen me tossing and turning through the night. You have collected all my tears and preserved them in your bottle! You have recorded every one of them in Your book.

Psalm 138:16

You saw me before I was born and scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe. Every day was recorded in Your book!

Please Pray...

Update: The swelling in Jamie's leg is down. But she goes back to the doctor Wednesday. Thank you for your prayers..I know they helped.
Nita

I am asking everyone to please pray for my sister Jamie. Her right leg has been swelling since Friday evening and she doesn't know why. She has to go to the doctor tomorrow. Jamie means the world to me.
Please pray that she will be alright. With all my heart I thank you.
I will keep you posted.
Love Nita

I saw some birds eating bread crumbs today in the parking lot while I was waiting for my sister to get off work.
The Starling's picked at the Sparrows and tried to chase them away from the crumbs. One of the Starlings pecked one Sparrow very hard and knocked him over. My heart ached for the little Sparrow. But the Sparrow fought back, and he and another Sparrow chased the Starling away.
And I thought to myself, isn't that the way it is in life. The big guy always wants to hurt the little guy. Someone always wants what another has.
But we have to fight sometimes..We can't lay there and just take it.
We have to be brave enough to fight for what is ours. I want to encourage you tonight, don't give up. God helps us when we are weak. He gives us that extra strength we need to defend ourselves when we need to.
And He is our defender when we can't fight anymore..
Sending love out ..~Nita~

Tonight's Song is, Somebody's Praying by Ricky Scaggs
1st video, 1st clip

I heard this song many years ago during an exceptionally rough time in my life. I was overwhelmed with the feeling of God's mercy while I listened to it. And, I thought of all the people who had prayed me through so many bad times. I love this song. I hope you have time to listen to it, it will bless you. And know that somebody is praying for you..

A dear friend of our family has requested prayer for her Mother. She was diagnosed with having several brain tumors yesterday. They thought it was only one..Then discovered it was many more.

They are not sure if they are cancerous yet. Judy is Christanna's Mother. Please say a pray for them. Christanna is really torn up by this..
~Nita~

These are some photos I have taken over the last few months. I have been experimenting with photo shop and ran these through tonight.
The first shot is my brother Buddy's dog Rosie. Buddy loved Rosie..He passed away 8 years ago. My sister-in-law said Rosie looked for Buddy for years.


{please click on photos for a better view}

The second photo is my Mom's clematis..It is so beautiful when it blooms it takes my breath away..It is a wild rambling vine that has taken over the corner of her fence. Wrapping itself around it like a lover wraps herself around the one she loves.
Third photo: Blackbird at park getting ready to take a bath..He was a grouchy little bird. He looked at me so mean..He changed his tune when I gave him my fries.

4th photo: Birdhouse that lives on the clay pots. It has actually taken on a life all its own ..Housing spiders instead of birds. Just harmless ones that spin webs in early morning light...

5 th photo: These are the stone steps that I got all by myself from a junk yard when I was 29. I use to have a 1972 Buick Le Sabre with a 455, it had a trunk that would house a small village. I put about 10 of those stones in at a time. You should have seen me crossing the railroad tracks in that car when I had the stones in the trunk.. it was hilarious. I could have ruined the shocks on my car with that big of a load. The next time I went there I only loaded 5 at a time. I made a sidewalk with these while John was at work. He was so impressed when he came home and found a walk there leading to the back yard..

6th picture: Birds chatting on a wire.. I watched these birds one day while I was at Mom's house. They just sat there and chatted for about 15 minutes. It was really neat. I was amazed at their interaction..

I send you all warm thoughts this evening and hope you have a great weekend..

~Nita~

Today's song, Click, Click, Click, Click by Bishop Allen

Love this song....i hope you have a chance to listen to it.

1st video, 1st clip