Welcome to Jen's Pond

  It's Mom's birthday.  😁 While I may feel a little down, I think this time of year also helps.   The Christmas decorations, the tree, food smells, family...  I look at the Christmas tree (with the lights you put on), watch the birds flock to the bird feeders (with the occassional hungry squirrel shoving his face in the hole), look at the plants in your green house... I don't think there's a day that goes by that I don't think of you and Dad...and I don't think I would want it any other way.    I never thought much about my middle name until you were gone... It wasn't that I didn't like it, but never really thought about it.  I've thought a lot more about it now.  I've been working on clearning the attic and finding things saved.  While you were great at letting go of the clutter (something I need to master), you still saved a few things.  Finding the dress you bought and wore on your wedding in Mexico or the tiny sweaters your kid...

I took this picture after a pretty bad ice storm that hit much of my state in October.  I say bad because many people in cities and rural areas lost electricity for over a week and trees were snapping with frequency.   So when our temperatures rebounded, thawing us out, I assumed that the flowers that had been encased in ice would soon fall to the ground and wait to try again til next year.  It was a pleasant surprise to see that not only did they stay but are thriving. I walk by them every day and just yesterday noticed a smile on my face and the feeling that washed over me (and washed over me again as I think about it).  Look at the photo again. Closer this time. I didn't see it when I took the photo. I merely wanted to keep the blooming fresh in my mind. But seems I was photo bombed. Look again. There is a bee visiting.  Hope. I took this photo when I was doing my best to hang on to Hope, while I felt my hope dwindling.  This gave me the...

Welcome to Jen's Pond!   I hope this blog gives you something to think about and maybe even challenge you, and then... hopefully, some things that I talk about will give you insight about something and will spread positively, like a ripple in a pond to others.   Please feel free to leave comments.  I welcome discussion from you.  Remember... one drop can cause a ripple.  What can you do to make more?