A rainy day - and time to blog.

I have not been very good about blogging if it's not Hodgepodge day.  But, since today is a cool, rainy day here and I find myself sitting at the computer...

I think I will put down a few random thoughts.

* I love "American Idol" and have watched every season since it's conception.  I love music and I love how the judges find such wonderful undiscovered talent...and often the talent then goes on to make it big professionally.   I wonder tho:  Whatever happened to Kris Allen?  I voted for him, and I downloaded a couple of his songs when he first won the competition.  He's one "new" singer I love that isn't in the country music genre.  It seems he has disappeared.    Where are you Kris?

* Speaking of music, I am already counting down the weeks until the CMA Festival in Nashville in June.  It's such a highlight of my year!   This time I look forward to sharing the experience with my daughter and some of her friends.

*  Around this time of year (end of February) I get so anxious to get to gardening!  I can't wait to go to the garden centers and buy flowers and plants, and get busy!  Each year I also manage to pick up some poison ivy in the process.  And, last year I got a few nasty red ant bites that needed medical attention.  I sure hope I am wise, that I wear the proper protective clothing, and wash well after gardening. I hope I can get through the spring season without getting something! 

*  It's Lent, and I have grown up observing the time leading up to the last days of Jesus on earth... and use the time for reflection.  I try to put my life into perspective.  I give up something during Lent as a reminder.  I give up chocolate which is pretty insignificant, BUT each time I say "no" to chocolate I pause and think what Jesus said "yes" to - and that he took the road to his painful death - for me and for everyone.  

*  I have been surprised by how many Christians do not observe Lent.  It was a Hodgepodge question 2 weeks ago - and the women who weekly reply to the questions are women that I know are devout in their faith.  Many do not belong to churches that emphasize Lent.  Last Wednesday at our service my pastor spoke of how a woman experiences labor pains before the birth and glorious arrival of a new baby.  Lent is like that time of pain...of waiting... of preparing for Easter.   Life brings pain... life is a journey.  The result of Jesus dying for us, and then our graceful gift of eternal life is the brand new "life"!

*  Sometimes, even at my age, I can experience a "first"!  It still happens!   Yesterday I celebrated my older cousin Linda's birthday with her ON her birthday!  It was a first!

*  I'm looking forward to hosting the Book Club I belong to this coming week.  The book we will discuss, "The Code of the Forest", is written by Jon Buchan, a man very familiar with this area I live in, the Lowcountry of South Carolina.  It was great fun to read this piece of fiction beecause it takes place right here, pretty much in my own backyard!   One of the main characters in the book lives in a cabin along the PeeDee River - so our book club will meet at our cabin, "Riva-side", and we will enjoy some local food and drink, while sitting in the same setting.

* I'm going to try and see "Les Miz" before Sunday night's Oscars.  Unfortunately I haven't seen too many of the films this year that have been nominated.  I did see "Lincoln" and last week saw "Silver Lining Playbook."   I thought both of these movies were excellent!    My favorite part of the Academy Awards tho?   The red carpet!  Yes!  Seeing what everyone is wearing is fun!!  

It's still raining and grey...but I better go get something done around here.
Have a good weekend friends!