Friday Rambling

Hello to Friday!  What an odd week it has been.  At least, weather wise!!  I hope your week has not been quite so “all over the place”!!  Honestly, my thoughts feel a tad all over the place, but not in a bad way, per se.  Just lots of random (albeit small) things jumbling through my brain.  I’m sure this post will reflect that as I could not settle on one thing to post about.  Before I start, I will acknowledge that the news has been full and has been heavy lately.  I no longer read the news (watch the news?) but, of course, I do hear about the news.  One of the campus shootings yesterday was only a couple of hour from here which somehow made it frightening.  We also had family flying into the city yesterday.  The TSA shutdown did not seem to affect them but just after landing, an entire concourse was closed at the airport, leaving planes stranded and unable to unload, etc.  These things are close to home and my heart but, of course, there is so much more in the news.  In my country and around the world.

I don’t blog about these things.  But they impact me nevertheless.  Yes, I want this blog to be encouraging.  I would hope it can be a blessing and/or point a heavy heart towards Jesus.  Some days I share my faith more than others.  Often, I simply try to keep this space light and a bit of a respite from all that is weighty.  But please do not think I am uncaring or dismissive of the never-ending load of hard things, topics and events in this life.  I am impacted like all of you.  I am doing my best to trust, to keep my eyes on the Lord and my heart fixed on both truth and His promises.

That said, let’s go into the weekend with some light-hearted randomness.  And even a smile or two.

It snowed yeseterday.  Talk about random.  The three days before, it was over 80 degrees.  For three days!  I was determined not to use the air conditioning (in March!), but by Tuesday evening, it was just hot in here.  And so, we started the ac.  We were ever so grateful to be able to do so.  We slept so well.  On Thursday morning, we woke to rain and lower temperatures but I still heard the ac kick on.  We promptly turned it off as we were knew cool air was coming.  And it did.  It got cool quickly.  In a blink, the rain turned to snow (what??) and it snowed for several hours.

As random as the snowy morning was, it all stopped, the sun came out and by the afternoon, I had ditched my coat.  (I did choose to wear a winter sweater that morning).  Today, there are a few patches of light snow here and there but, for the most part, the snow came, looked pretty and then left.  My kind of snow.  I also noticed yesterday that the cherry trees in the neighborhood at bloomed over night.  Literally, over night.  They were not like that on Wednesday afternoon.  And I will admit the pink blossoms topped with snow were very pretty.

Here’s to a quick return of spring.  We washed the porch furniture on Tuesday and I put out my spring wreath.  Thankfully it was untouched by the snow.  That would have been rude!  I’ve not been outside this morning and not sure what the temperature might be, but the sunshine sure is a welcome sight!  I think it is going to be a pretty one:)

For those of you who were wondering, this in (indeed) a jack fruit.  There were several who guessed correctly on Wednesday.  Apparently, the jack fruit is the largest tree fruit.  Some can be over 100 pounds.  Well, ok.  Not sure how much these in the grocery store weighed but they were, by far, the biggest fruits!  Supposedly they can be eaten unripe or ripened.  But how do you get into it?  Even those who knew what it was (on Wednesday) were unsure how to prepare it.

Joyce mentioned that it is sweet – like a banana – and the internet says it is often used in desserts.  It also said that jackfruit has a meat-like texture.  How those two descriptions go together is beyond me.  I will say that I once had jackfruit as a plant-based meat alternative in bbq.  It did not taste like bananas.  Nor did it resemble meat.  (It was not my favorite).  As I was typing this, my curiousity got the best of me and I looked on YT for a video on how to open a jackfruit.  It doesn’t even look tasty on the inside.  Just sayin.  But high fives to those who recognized this interesting fruit!

Supposedly the jackfruit can be a dessert, a meat or even a noodle.  I was thinking, perhaps it would much better to do one thing and do it well.  Kind of like Chick Fil A!:)  They just do chicken.  And they do it oh so well!  Right now, I have a bit of a Chick Fil A obsession!  I won’t bore you with the details of how I got it but I am keeping Chick Fil A in the business these days!  I told you….I had a feeling this post was going to be random!

Before I close, yes, this is Lake Tahoe.  (Also included in Wednesday’s post.)  Can you see the water in the background?  I would like to visit Lake Tahoe.  But it would not be for the skiing.  No skiing for this old lady.  I can hear the voices in my head loud and clear…”oh no you don’t!!”  Speaking of voices, here’s a smile for your day.  Enjoy!