GOOD FRIDAY AND ALL IS QUIET

I'm thinking a holiday is in order. Just turn off the news, forget about the world and tune out for a day or two.

I was out working the garden today, just me and the bees. Nice and quiet it was. The radishes, lettuce and mustard greens are starting to come up and the chard and peas should be coming along in the next day or so. The brussel sprouts are doing nicely and I'll get the collards in tomorrow.

My old jon boat is sitting next to the garden which got me to thinking that the crappie should be starting to hit and the bluegill and bass will start in sometime next month. The rivers are high right now but there's a couple lakes I know that ought to be shaping up pretty nice.

The turkeys were down hanging out with my chickens this morning trying to get some of their scratch grains. They seemed to have worked something out between themselves because everybody got something to eat and no hard feelings were in evidence. We've got a couple big gobblers strutting their stuff for the ladies out in the yard. They don't know turkey season's right around the corner.

The grapes are budding and the blackberries are starting to get some leaves. The plum and peach trees are leafing out and the buckeyes have had their buds pop open with the coolest looking leaves sprouting from them. They have the most interesting buds of any tree in the woods. The buckeyes always get their leaves before anything else around here.

The buzzards are back and so are the bluejays. I saw a bald eagle fly over the church the other day. They should be heading back north pretty soon.

In other words, at least here in my little corner of it, all is right with the world. It's working pretty much the way it's meant to. And for that I'm thankful. I may not have much money and the whole damned globe is about to erupt in some sort of apocalyptic meltdown but right now, and for the next few days, I'm not going to pay attention. I'm going to focus on a blade of grass or the song of a bird. I'm going to look into the face of my wonderful granddaughter and the eyes of my beautiful wife. I'm going to thank God for my kids, my parents and all the blessings I've been given.

And tomorrow night I'll participate in the last night of the Triduum. I'll thank God for the sacrifice of His Son and I'll beg His forgiveness for all I've done wrong and ask His guidance and protection for the year ahead. I'll ask Him to strengthen my family and me for what is coming.

We're going to need it.