I Love To Go A Gardening
Growing Our Life in Northern Michigan
The Bald Eagle
Even though JJ is done with Chemo, he still has to get his weekly blood draws for a while. So this morning we all got up at about 8 a.m. JJ was grumpy about having to get up early (he is a night owl, not a morning person) and he was not happy about having to have his blood drawn. For a bit he rebelled, “I am NOT going. No.” He said later that having his blood drawn makes him feel like he’s still having Chemo. But at last we were all in the car and on our way.
We were driving through the next town, ten miles away, when I saw a bird soaring overhead. Usually I would have assumed it was a hawk or a crow or something, but I’ve recently heard reports on FB of bald eagles being seen in our area. EJ has said that he has seen them too. I have seen bald Eagles in zoos, of course, but the only time I saw them in the wild was when we visited friends in Iowa and we saw a bunch of bald eagles as we crossed into Minnesota while sight-seeing. I have never, ever seen bald eagles in our area. But remembering that people have seen bald eagles, I looked at the soaring bird intently and then the sun lit up his white head and tail feathers. “OH! OH! I SEE A BALD EAGLE!” I exclaimed. I was so excited. I had my camera with me but I was too busy watching the eagle to pause to take a picture.
We have cougars in our area too. For several years people said they saw cougars in Michigan while the Michigan Department of Natural Resources denied it, but finally it was confirmed. EJ and JJ have seen glimpses of them, and we have several friends who have seen them, but I have never seen one. I am always looking the wrong way to see glimpses of cool thing like cougars. So I was thrilled that I saw the eagle.
The guy who took JJ’s blood today was the one who has the sign in the room that says “Vampire on Duty.” If I had his job, I would have such a sign too. I think we made him laugh with our banter.
After we left the lab, we went to the bakery for challah bread. When we don’t have to go to the lab on Fridays then I will make my own challah bread for Shabbat again. I love making challah bread. Besides it feeling so satisfying to make such a beautiful, artistic bread, it prepares my heart for Shabbat. I love saying the traditional blessings in both Hebrew and English as I divide the dough and prepare to braid it:
ברוך אתה ײ אלהינו מלך העולם המוציא לחם מן הארץ
Baruch attah Adonai, Elohaynu, melech ha-olam ha-motzi lechem min ha-aretz.
Blessed are You, Lord our G-d, King of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth.
But until I have Fridays free to make my own Challah bread, it’s really fun to stop at the bakery. As we approached the store, EJ pointed to a sign in the window: “Help Kneaded.” Ha, ha. As soon as we walked in the door, we were offered generous samples of several different items. I chose a sample of a cinnamon roll, I think JJ chose cinnamon bread, and EJ had oatmeal cookie. Then we selected our two loaves of challah bread, we bought a loaf of wheat bread, and we bought a pumpkin roll, which I have been hungry for since I sampled it during our first visit to the bakery. They have been out of it every time we stopped after that. Pumpkin rolls are very delicious.
I would have liked to stop to buy some bird seed, but we didn’t have time. The birds eat like pigs, but I really, really enjoy watching them. They bring me a lot of delight. Birds are cool.
After the bakery, we drove to the meat market and then we drove home. I brought in the day’s firewood and prepared our Shabbat meal.
After EJ left for work, I took Danny for a walk. I think the temperatures had dipped below zero overnight, but it had warmed up to 12 degrees. It was a chilly walk, but I am enjoying walking Danny again after all those weeks of not being able too. I like cold more than hot. At the end of our walk, I dropped Danny at home and then walked to the post office and the library. I was hoping to borrow some of the movies that have just been released to DVD, but they were already checked out by others. I kind of figured they would be.
Now I am sitting here, relaxing, and enjoying the heat of the wood stove.
I Love To Go A Gardening 
I wish I could have seen a bald eagle just free not in a zoo. It must have been a wonderful experience. How great Thou art is what I think when I see something in nature that touches my heart. I wish you a very quiet and restful Shabbat. I know that I will have a restful one since I’m working out two tome a week with the physical therapist I know that my body has muscles I never thought they had. So today it is my reading , praying and rest time. Shabbat Shalom Teri JJ and EJ.<3
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