Friday, February 11th, 2022 I seldon write the date not being addicted to writing cheques, - of course there is always the notes I scribble in my diary, but usually they go forward from the last recording and only contain the day that follows. However I am quite concious that today is the day before the anniversary of my dear one's birth day (now gone from this earth almost ten years ago, but still very much alive in my memory, day by day and before I go to sleep at night) It is a warm and sunny day, - a real treat in February. The front door is open, and the sun shines in on the floor, and through the windows, too. I am so tempted to go down the stairs and through the back door, to amble up the lawn at the side of the house to see if anything is poking through the earth (or the snow) to welcome the sunshine and stir the magic that makes things grow! However, I am also very conscious of the sweet concern that those who stop by to see how I am doing these days have. I look over this sentence, and think that it expresses my concern, but very clumsily, grammatically speaking!! Oh well, I think I am past the point where things must be grammatically correct as long as they still express my thoughts reasonably well.... Still, it is a great temptation to wander along the border and see if anything is conscious of the coming of spring. I know that the Hellebore will be awake and responding to the sunshine...I find it hard to resist, - there are no windows at the back of the house that I can peer out of, but there is the walker that makes things quite safe and secure....I think I need one of those submarine things, pointing towards the earth, that I could survey with - or a lot more patience!! On facebook today one of my friends posted a picture of pussy willows, in bloom!! It is truly a great temptation..... I must ask #4 son if he will bring the porch chair and table out of the garden shed so I can enjoy lunch in the sunshine, - or a cup of tea, or coffe, or a bit of brandy!!!! The sky is blue, blue, blue - I look at the tendrils on the tree outside my window but there is not yet any signs of apring time swelling. It reminds me that the rest of February and the beginning of March still stand between her permanent arrival. There are always little signs to tempt one into thinking that now it is time to say goodby to winter....however that's not really for realists, as I do try to be. There are still books piled up for winter time reading, - I am re-reading "The Language of God" (Francis Collins) - well, aren't I always re-reading that particular book, and I may have mentioned this before. I find in Collins' book C.S. Lewis' Version of the Garden of Eden - For long centuries God perfected the animal form which was to become the vehicle of humanity and the image of Himself. He gave it hands whose thumb could be applied to each of the fingers, and jaws and teeth and throat capable of articulation, and a brain sufficiently complex to execute all of the material motions whereby rational thought is incarnated.....then in the fullness of time God caused to descend upon this organism both on its psychology and physiology, a new kind of consciousness which could say "I and Me" and which could look upon itself as an object, which knew God, which could make judgements of truth, beauty and goodness..and could perceive time flowing past" - a mystery, and a challenge! No matter how long we live we have so little time.....good to spend it delighting in the daffodils, the tulips and the sweet peas!!!!! .