Autumn Leaves

Colorful crunchy leaves underfoot and crisp red apples.  The signs of autumn are all around us.  There’s a cool crispness to the air - and an aroma we’ve missed during the summer months…wood burning in the fireplace.

The leaves on trees are turning from green to vibrant colors of red, yellow, and orange.  With just the slightest breeze, they float softly to the ground.  You’ll notice moms with young children gathering some for decorations or searching for the perfect leaf for a school craft project.   

We’re into the first month of fall and with it comes the anticipation of the festive months ahead.  But, there’ll be plenty of time to enjoy the busy holiday season, so I hope you’ll relax and enjoy this special time we have now.  It’s good to savor each season as it changes.  

I love autumn and all the memories it brings to mind.  When I was a kid, raking up huge piles of leaves and then jumping into the middle of them made outdoor chores fun.  

My sister, Jeanne, was always trying to find new places to hide so she could jump out and say, “BOO!” and scare me.  Well, as you can imagine, a big pile of leaves was a perfect hiding place for her to scrunch down in and pop out just at the right moment with a big “BOO!” 

Without fail, even if I kinda knew she might be in there, she was successful in scaring the daylights out of me, and I’d jump as I let out a big scream.  After I caught my breath, I’d say, “Jeanne!  Don’t DO that!”  Then we’d fall down laughing as we rolled around and played in the leaves.  What fun we had! 

Autumn is also a wonderful time for early evening walks.  The brilliant sunsets seem to be a reflection of the gorgeous fall colors.  I hope you’ll take some time to make wonderful memories with your family and friends as you savor this colorful season. 

With love,

Martha

P.S.  I’m hiding from Jeanne in the leaves… shhhh, don’t tell!

 

 

Copyright © 2012 Martha Hadley. All rights reserved

 

 

Oh those pesky woodpeckers!

Knock, knock, knock.  Every morning this time of year I’m wakened by woodpeckers pecking away at my house.  One year they pecked holes all the way through into my attic where they were making a nest!

After carefully checking to make sure there were no woodpeckers in the attic, Critter Control patched the holes in my siding.  Then they attached a “Scare Eye” balloon with shiny, reflective, mylar streamers on a string pulley that hangs from my roof. I also added more mylar streamers for added effect.

It's important to only inflate the balloon to about 80% or less for a more realistic look and to move it around every once in a while or the woodpeckers get used to it and realize that scary balloon isn't going to hurt them.  The shiny streamers make a crackly noise when they move in the wind so the reflection and noise help scare them away. The "Scare Eye" balloon and mylar streamers definitely help scare the woodpeckers away.   

But this year, they were more persistent.  I had to outsmart them.  So, I searched the internet and downloaded free sound effects of birds of prey, their mortal enemies. Now when the pecking starts, I scare them away with the sounds of screeching hawks and owls.  Success!  It not only scared them away from my house but from the whole neighborhood.  My neighbors are happy and so am I!

I've also been told that hanging shiny cd's on a string from trees, gutters, or other fixtures are helpful in scaring away pesky birds.  If you've got these same problems, try these tips.  I hope they work for you too.  I'd love to hear some of your solutions also!

Martha

Spring Is Finally Here!

We can leave the dark days of winter behind and revel in the sunny pastels of spring flowers and budding trees. Spring also means spring cleaning as we open windows to let in fresh air, and sort through and toss out clutter, cleaning and repairing with renewed energy.

The analogy to our Christian walk is clear. The Bible says that we must get rid of the sin and encumbrances which slow us down. We are to be holy as God is holy. We are to shine as stars in the universe so that our light will glorify God.

I love the fresh start and newness I sense with the arrival of spring. A fresh start with God also revives my spirit and I look forward to the adventure of walking confidently into the rest of the year with Him. May you, too, be encouraged during this time of renewal.

Have a joyful springtime!

Love,
Martha

The faithful love of the Lord never ends!
His mercies never cease.
Great is his faithfulness;
his mercies begin afresh each morning.
I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance;
therefore, I will hope in him!”

Lamentations 3:22-24 (NLT)

Copyright © 2012 Martha Hadley. All rights reserved.

Counting Our Blessings

What a week we’ve had here in the Seattle area with all the snow, freezing rain, ice, wind, downed trees and power outages! Maybe you’re one of the thousands of people without power during our frigid temperatures and wacky weather. I was without power for 24 hours. As the temperatures dipped down to nearly 40 degrees in my house, I bundled up with layers of clothes. I couldn’t leave home either, because a tree blocked my driveway. So, I lit scented candles and crawled in bed under lots of blankets and read while I snuggled with my kitty cats.

Sometimes we can take things for granted like electricity and heat, but it doesn’t take much time to be without them for us to be thankful for those blessings. Another reason to count our blessings every day…especially in the midst of the storms!

Warmly,
Martha

Copyright © 2012 Martha Hadley. All rights reserved.

Changing Seasons

Autumn officially arrived last Friday and what a gorgeous warm sunny day in Seattle it was! Many of us feel rather wistful as we say goodbye to summer and hello to fall.

Like the changing seasons in nature, God has designed our lives to be seasonal, too. We can approach any change with either apprehension or anticipation. Let’s choose anticipation! Embrace it with open arms and see what God will do in this new period of our life.

I hope you had a wonderful summer filled with memories you’ll cherish for years to come, and that autumn brings with it the joy of family, friendships, new learning experiences, and creativity!

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.” Ecclesiastes 3:1

Love,
Martha

Copyright © 2011 Martha Hadley. All rights reserved.

The First Snow

There’s nothing like the giddy surprise of waking up in the morning, looking out the window, and seeing a blanket of freshly fallen snow…especially if it doesn’t snow very often. This week the Seattle area was transformed into a winter wonderland.


Neighborhood kids squealed with delight as their dad pulled them on a sled down the snow-covered sidewalks. I remember how excited my brothers and sisters and I were when we woke up on a snowy morning and found out there was no school. We gleefully spent the day sledding, having snowball fights, making snowmen and snow angels and ice skating. Now, once again, I became like a kid and bundled up in warm clothes to go play in the soft snow.

I marveled at the pristine winter scenery and the beauty of the majestic evergreens. They looked like huge Christmas trees as they stood tall and strong with a blanket of snow beneath them and a dusting of white decorating their boughs.

After a while, my toes started getting really cold, so I headed home and gathered firewood from my woodpile. By the time I got inside, I had rosy cheeks and popsicle toes. So I built a crackling fire in the fireplace, made hot cocoa and popcorn, lit scented candles, and got cozy as I snuggled in the blankets with my warm, furry kitty cats.

That night as I watched big snowflakes float softly to the ground, I stepped outside and enjoyed the silence of gently falling snow. It was so calm and peaceful; and a special glow shined everywhere as the snow reflected the light of the moon. I thought about how every snowflake is unique; and that God creates us uniquely, too, with different gifts and personalities.

This Christmas as you gather with family and friends to celebrate the miraculous birth of Jesus, remember to cherish the uniqueness of each person. No matter what your differences are, make sure they know how much you love and appreciate them.

As I reflect on the joyous wonder of the unexpected gift of that wintry day, I’m reminded that God wants us to always have a childlike wonder as we look to him as the source of our joy and peace – like the gently falling snow on that silent holy night when Jesus, our Savior, was born.

Merry Christmas!

In Christ's love,
Martha Hadley

Luke 2:8-14
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

"Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests."


Copyright © 2008 Martha Hadley. All rights reserved.

Thanks to God...For Everything!

Thanksgiving is a time of year when we gather with family and friends around a table overflowing with food. It’s a time that is centered around food and fellowship. It’s easy to let that take center stage on Thanksgiving Day and say a quick prayer before we dig in to the feast.

But, we also need to make sure that we sincerely thank God for not only providing the food we eat and the gathering of our loved ones, but to thank him for EVERYTHING. And that includes things that we may not normally consider a blessing.

As you count your blessings and thank God for the good things he’s done in your life, make sure you thank him for not just the roses, but the thorns, too!

Sure, thorns hurt, but when we trust in God and his plans for us, it makes it a bit easier to weather those storms that inevitably come. When I look at how God has worked in my life, I see situations that I prayed for and thought I knew what the best outcome of it should be, but God had another plan for me.

I’m thankful for those times when he said, “no” or “wait” to my prayers. Of course, I’m also thankful for the times he said “yes” and the incredible blessings he’s given me!

But, when we truly thank him for both the joys and the sorrows, he gives us that peace that passes all understanding… and isn’t that really more important than any kind of blessing he can give us?

This Thanksgiving, I pray that God showers you and your family with his love and grace… and peace.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Bountiful Blessings,
Martha

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:4-7 (NIV)

Copyright © 2008 Martha Hadley. All rights reserved.