First of Spring Faves

I'm thrilled and thankful that the Spring season has officially begun!

Glory to God!!

I'm also thankful for other blessings that God brought into my week that made me smile.  Here are FIVE of my FAVES.  Join in by heading over to Susanne, our weekly host. 

image courtesy of WSG*meCo

• GAME NIGHT:  I was wanting to host a game night all winter but it never happened as many of our friends just couldn't get together all on the same evening. So, when my husband (Dave) told me that his best friend, work buddy and brother in Christ needed some company (he's a widower with a special needs young adult daughter), we ordered two big pizzas, picked up our Scrabble game from the basement and headed out to P's place about 30 min south of here. What a fun evening!  I'm thankful we had a chance to minister to P and that his daughter A even joined in for pizza with us. 

our niece Mady (my youngest sister's youngest)
as a dancer with "the lullaby league". 
Mady is center-stage looking at "Dorothy"
photo used with permission

Mady as the lead tree....a hilarious scene that she helped add
in to the musical.....photo used with permission...she's the taller girl in front

• THE WIZARD OF OZ:  If I had been a blogger in the early 2000's you would know that our youngest daughter Claire aka the ballerina was totally obsessed with the musical movie with Judy Garland when she was 3-4 yrs old in 2002-2003.  I kid you not that she would ask for it every afternoon after nursery school.   She even tried out and won a part in the musical when she was at SJHS in our  district. However, there is no suburban school in our greater Capital Region area of NY that does better musicals than Queensbury High up near Lake George. They are literally the best and win awards at a state competition. This year, since they performed Claire's fave musical, we all bought tickets to go see Mady (she's the niece who hikes with me) who is now a junior.  It was superb.  The girl who played Dorothy has an amazing voice and we saw her perform last year as "Annie". We were so proud of Mady for having various roles in the Chorus and she even learned a tap number and has never taken tap or any formal dance lessons!  We were so thankful we got to see her perform last weekend. It was truly outstanding and one of the very best.  (and we have seen a LOT of musical performances). 

Saratoga Spa State Park Pines

Crossings Park pond....the geese are plentiful!
Albany, NY

• BRUNCH AND PARK WALKS:  This past week, I had a brunch date with a woman who used to be in my SoulSteps Walking group. She had to drop out this year for a variety of reasons, but wanted to meet me for brunch at this place.  I don't go here often as they don't have plant based options other than fruit. But they do offer oat milk with coffee which I was thankful for.  I ended up ordering a grilled raspberry/blackberry muffin and a cup of fruit. I go about once a year.  Afterwards, N had errands to run so I headed over to the state park in town and tried to work out my sciatica. There are many trails in this state park, both paved and wooded. I stuck to paved and walked the one next to the golf course.  I needed my hiking stick to walk and was thankful I had it...I was in a lot of pain in my leg/hip/low back.  But it was warm and sunny which made it nice. And then another day, I was out running errands and stopped at our large town park to do a 2 mile loop. I was in less pain but it still wasn't a power walk. Chiropractor told me to slow down. Sigh. I'm thankful I can get out in early Spring and enjoy some walks in pretty parks. 

Tulip shoots pushing up in the front flower bed

• SPRING SIGNS:  I was thrilled to see my tulip shoots pushing up through the old mulch earlier this week.  We've had some nice sunny days with a couple of them being temps in the 60s.  Most of the week though was in the 50s but at least it was sunny!  I'm thankful for the signs of spring I see everywhere. 

  

  pair of geese

  
  

Skunk Cabbage new growth in Bog Meadow

• FIRST DAY OF SPRING HIKE! Yesterday was sunny but cool, although it did get very warm in the sun and we had to shed our layers, for the first of 2025 SoulSteps hike. Sadly, I'm still dealing with sciatica which is going down into my right leg/thigh so I was pretty slow and in pain for much of the hike...but it was a flat trail which is what the chiropractor said to do...and I could manage it ok.   There were 5 of us:  Dave (he had the day off), Joan, Maggie, Jill, and me. As the leader, I send out the monthly hiking list about mid-way through the previous month and members can choose which trails they want to join me on...Joan had offered to drive so we all piled into her car....and away to this place we went. It was only a 40 min drive from our house. We hiked all morning and clocked 4.25 miles. I'm so thankful I started this hiking group last year and that God has led me to continue it. Now....I just need Him to heal up this back !! :) 

First SoulSteps Hike of 2025!
Spring Semester

from l-r: Maggie, Jill, Faith, Dave
taking the photo: Joan
The trail is an old railroad from the late 1800s.

Through the bog....
old railroad ties

A very spring green mossy part of the trail

Bog MeadowBrook

side trail to a ridgeline

SoulSteps Members for Bog Meadowbrook trail
Maggie, Joan, Dave, Faith, Jill H

That wraps up my week of some favorite blessings. I hope whatever you have planned for the weekend, that it includes some time in nature!