Saturday our friend, Jon, Starbuck and I hiked up to Lizard Lake. It was a gorgeous day for a hike. On the way up I stepped off the trail to attempt a certain view for a picture. I was perched on the snow when suddenly my right leg sunk into the snow up to my hip while my left leg stayed on top of the snow! I am glad for all those years of ballet because I was truly in a position that needed alot of flexibility. Joy was laughing at me and Jon was up ahead on the trail looking at me in that way that says and "what are you up to now!" Well I would say up to one hip in snow! Joy helped me extricate myself from the situation.

The sun was warm and brilliant and it was refreshingly cool but not at all cold. As usual the scenery was God's exclamation point on His imaginative creativity! It was so renewing and God knows my broken heart needed laughter and renewing!

On the way back I attempted to get a photo of the Crystal River along the trail with the running water contrasted against clumps of snow. I once again got off the trail to get the shot that I imagined would be perfect. (keep in mind I am not a photographer by any stretch of the imagination) This time I knelt in the snow thinking I would have less of a chance of sinking into the deeper snow. Well as I was getting my camera focused one knee (again the right leg) sunk completely into the snow. I let out a little tiny itsy bitsy scream. My friend responded, "Oh no you don't! Not here!" See I was close to the little bank and with the deeper snow it was impossible to know exactly where the edge was. She did not want to fish me out of the river. Starbuck my yellow lab ran to my rescue and sat right beside me in the snow. Once again Joy pulled me out of my self-inflicted dilemma. Where was Jon you ask? Up ahead on the trail watching with the look of there she goes again.

It seemed such a blessing to have a good time. Yet as those of you know who have lost someone close to you, that person is just under the surface of all your thoughts. But God in His great mercy, gives you moments of normalcy to help you through one more day.

"Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him all creatures here below. Praise Him above ye Heavenly Host. Praise Father Son and Holy Ghost."