Mary’s Monday Musings to Quilt Encouragement Leap of Faith             An athletic girl leaped from the boat and sprinted up the pier. She plunked mail in the box, grabbed the outgoing letters, and raced back in time to hurdle onto the mail boat before it puttered past along the lake’s coast line at ten miles

  Mary’s Monday Musings to Quilt Encouragement Nesting Birds Chirping babies stretched their necks from their nest when the barn swallow parent swooped under the porch roof and into the narrow ledge where a carefully crafted nests rested. Several nests decorated the rim of the porch ceiling where discerning birds found a safe haven to

  Mary’s Monday Musings to Quilt Encouragement Hold Hands When You Can.   I love taking my great granddaughter’s little hand to cross the street. It gives me a few precious moments to hold hands before something exciting grabs her attention, and she busies herself elsewhere. As for me, I store the memory of the

Mary’s Monday Musings to Quilt Encouragement The Miracle of a Baby             The birth of a healthy baby into a loving family ranks high on the happy scale. From the doctors and nurses to the mom and dad and family members, smiles adorn every face. Voices rise in delight. Cameras snap a record of the

Mary’s Monday Musings to Quilt Encouragement Doggy Penance   The transgression loomed large on the scale of Doggy offences at least in the eyes of the chief cleaner-upper. But there was a possible excuse to explain the behavior. The early morning rain fell in sheets. The storm was loud and electrical. Lightning traveled the length

Mary’s Monday Musings to Quilt Encouragement Guard Dog             The white, fluffy-coated Pyrenees faithfully guards the goats in his charge. With his doggy senses ever alert to the possibility of danger, his warning barks punctuate the night whenever coyotes roam near the pen. His sense of responsibility also extends to his people family. He cornered

Mary’s Monday Musings to Quilt Encouragement Magnificent Elephants             What is there about an Elephant that endears them to humans? We are awed with their immense size. We are intrigued with their swinging trunk and its flexibility to perform many tasks. Their enormous ears amuse us. We can even envy their tough hide, although I

Mary’s Monday Musings Encouragement Self   Ages five, four, three and two. Any outing with these four spirited children is bound to be lively. Misunderstandings and possessiveness is countered by protective gestures and loving fun, often punctuated by giggles and amusing comments. Young children offer us amazing opportunities to laugh and enjoy a lot of

Mary’s Monday Musings to Quilt Encouragement Crispy Crackers The sound of a hundred or more people crunching down on crispy crackers at the same time makes a noticeable noise. When it is the sound of a congregation taking communion together, it is an awesome noise. What a privilege we’re granted to share a ritual of

Mary’s Monday Musings to Quilt Encouragement Baby Lambs             All baby animals evoke the aww factor in us. A baby lamb’s first wobbly attempt to stand makes one want to pick him up. A few days later, he can frolic and charm us with this enthusiastic cavorting. His eagerness to nurse, his bleating endears him