Dear Reader:

Anne texted me Saturday afternoon to tell me that she was bringing my birthday present over yesterday…her watercolor of “Big Red,” my extraordinary twelve year-old red geranium… who has been my front porch “guardian angel” through the ups and downs of living with “little c.”

I was reflecting the other day that 2020, the year that will be most remembered for the world’s pandemic, Covid19, quarantined Americans, economic upheaval with jobless citizens reaching an all-time high, dis-united Americans divided politically on our future path…will, also, be remembered by me as the year of personal benchmarks accomplished in the years since learning I had an incurable breast cancer and living with the ups and down of an on-going disease.

In August my blog, Chapelofhopestories.com turned ten years old…ten years of daily reflections/blog posts.

Now a  twelve year benchmark for having a little red geranium (that was left on the front porch for me upon returning home from my first surgery)…. “Big Red” the loyal, enduring geranium that is bigger and better than ever….cloned by neighbors when it appeared to be at its end after ten years of life…. yet we are still both together.

In God’s world He gives us human friends alongside  nature’s friends…Anne and I decided that we, along with “Big Red” are “Foliage Friends”…there for each other for every season of the year(s).

Anne’s whimsical touch added to the painting…makes me so happy. I love seeing my “Boo’s Blessings” plaque included in the artwork…as it is in real life on my porch wall….along with a little red bird…peeking out of the container…(which I also have)…the little replica red bird that represents Sammy my cardinal friend. The painting has it all!

“Boo’s Blessings“…. I remember when times were tough I thought I would have to sell the house on several different occasions..but somehow, some way…Divine Intervention appeared and reappeared each time…making it possible to stay where my heart was….and from where my garden sanctuary would evolve and give me a new lease on life.

I am not a great planner but isn’t it nice that we have a Creator Who is? He holds our blueprints in His Hands from the moment we are born until we take our last breath….

God knew all the time that one day I would retire from a long, satisfying, educational career,  begin a life-time fight after a scary breast cancer diagnosis, and finally begin to become the real me…with my yearning to write and learning to garden. It was in the plans all the time. Oh me…of little faith…thank goodness God is patient with all the doubts we bring Him constantly.

While Anne was visiting she commented on my Clemson “Girl” who becomes “bewitched” in October carrying her sign…“The Witch is in!” 🙂 It reminded Anne of a funny text she had gotten from a fellow teacher, Angie.

Don’t you love quick-witted people? Apparently all it took was for a broom to fall off a truck at this time of the year to come up with this good one-liner.

“Everyone check on your friends…we’ve got a rider down.” 🙂

I do believe “witches” get a bad name when there are lots of us gals who just love to have fun this time of year…after all as the saying goes….we angels have to be flexible. :)

After all….

And…

So until tomorrow….Enjoy this season of soulful delight and sheer happiness and fun.

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

Yesterday was a weird weather day…started out gloomy, then we had torrential downpours until finally… the sun came out with beautiful blue skies. Mandy said it put her in the mood for a cook-out…so she called and I went over to eat hamburgers and share precious time with the grandchildren, John and Mandy, and of course my friend Tigger.

After supper John took us on a golf cart ride to see all the Halloween decorations going up…one house had a big BOO sign on it, and several homes were just so creatively decorated including John and Mandy’s home…they had just finished re-doing the patio floor and the summer outdoor space, yet even with the pool, my pictures display fall living near the water.

*Tigger knows I am the weak link in giving him food from the table…so I always have an eating partner…but look at those eyes, that face…could you not give him something to eat?

I Love being Grandmother Boo, especially this time of the year…it’s my season for even more blessings! 🙂