Dear Reader:

With more people home than ever before…families have more time together than ever before too. Before the pandemic…experts put American family time together (on a daily basis) as averaging only 37 minutes. 37 minutes!!!!

You might have seen the latest Pillsbury Doughboy commercials that have used this rather shocking time revelation to promote their product as the impetus to get the family together and eat popping hot crescents, Grands, and cinnamon rolls.

For many families this time factor has changed… due to the quarantine regulations accompanying the coronavirus pandemic. A parent or both are home now with the children. The problem is too much of this time is probably spent worrying about how to pay the bills if one (and especially both) working parents are laid off.

And then for the working parent there is fear that he or she will contract the virus at work being around people and bring it home to his/her families…a thought to keep one up at night. No doubt…these are difficult times.

Wayne Dryer once knew how hectic life was with his busy speaking schedule so he came up with “five minute miracles. ”

“Give yourself a gift of five minutes of contemplation in awe of everything you see around you. Go outside and turn your attention to the many miracles around you. This five minute-a-day regimen of appreciation and gratitude will help you to face your life in awe!”

I loved this idea so I did it yesterday and the miracle I found was sitting right on a white bench on my front porch…“Little Big Red” the cloned geranium. I counted 15 buds popping into blooms…by next week when I take this photo again…it will be filled with huge red blooms from top to bottom and left to right.

It is a miracle because when the original “Big Red” geranium passed away after ten years of amazing blooms throughout each season of its life…my neighbor Chelsey tried nine cuttings to clone a part of this miraculous geranium …only one took and now look at “Little Big Red”- It is the very first year the buds have formed and the blooms outdone themselves…just as the original geranium would have.

On the bright side of the family being home together (even with all the stresses that it can create) we forget about one family member who must be deliriously happy!

“The real winners of the pandemic are the nation’s dogs, who are experiencing unprecedented levels of People Being Home.” Hanna Brooks Olson

The Dingle, Turner, Dingle Dogs!

So until tomorrow….

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh