The Yard

Well today is officially my first day of spring. Every year I wait as long as I can to mow my yard. My neighbor Keith and I have an unspoken competition to see who can hold out the longest. Several other neighbors have mowed twice already. Today I caved and mowed the yard, Keith wins this year. Each year when the grass begins to grow and the flowers and weeds begin to pop I am reminded of how amazing God is. His creation is truly amazing. All the little details that make this earth so beautiful.
My day off is Wednesday, it is my Sabbath. It is a special day each week for me because I usually spend most of the day with my wife Vikki. After eating breakfast and having coffee we will usually go shopping for groceries and other stuff we need. We will also eat lunch together (Our favorite place is Lams in New Phila). There is often a nap during the day and working around the house. I look forward to Wednesday’s as well because I do a lot of reading. I am currently in the book of Matthew in my NIV study Bible. I am reading all the study notes, so it is taking me a while to read through the New Testament.
I also was reading “Three Weeks with my brother” by Nicholas Sparks. He is sharing his story of a trip around the world with his older brother. He shares memories of their childhood along the way as well in between the different placesthey are visiting. Some of the stories remind me of the adventures I had with my older brother Brian. One part of the book he talked about the two of them having BB guns and deciding it would be fun to shoot each other. The rules were no shooting at the head and only pumping it twice. This reminded me of how Brian and I would shoot our BB guns. We would stand in a pile of sawdust or dirt and shoot at each others feet, just to kick up the dirt like we saw on TV. One time Brian hit my foot and I went screaming to mom. Anyway we had lots of great adventures growing up beside my Grandpas’ farm in Walnut Creek. We would often go exploring along the creek that ran through the farm land and in the big barn and old buildings on the property. We would hunt for arrow heads and buried treasure, we trapped muskrats and raccoon, we shot birds and went swimming in the creek(Clothing optional). I remember one time we made a mud slide down a bank into the creek. We were completely covered in mud and loving it. We had to get hosed off before we got close to the house. We had a lot of great times during those years in Walnut Creek. We also helped with the farming every summer. I remember making hay, it was always hot and dusty and I usually ended up up in the barn stacking the bails. This was a tough job because the bails would come so fast off the elevator I couldn’t keep up so they would fall every which way. I did my best to get them stacked but usually ended up just pushing them around. I am reminded that I am very fortunate to have the childhood that I did. Growing up in the country and spending time with my two brothers Brian and Brad. Well enough reminiscing, I am off to watch the Cavs and Indians. The Cavs are in the playoffs anf the Indians are looking pretty good this year and yes the NFL football draft is this weekend. GO BROWNS! I predict they pick either Brady Quinn or Joe Thomas.