Spring in West Virginia - Redbuds and Rabbits

Lovely tree at our church that froze the day after Wayne took this picture

Pretty blossom on the tree before it froze

Yes, some days it does seems like Spring is coming to our corner of West Virginia,  then we have a couple

days of cool temperatures and snow flurries!  But lots of daffodils have opened up and a beautiful tree called Redbud is blooming, so we see patches of color here and there to keep our spirits up.  We have tried all week to get a few good pictures of the Redbud trees, but we can't do them justice.  I will post a couple attempts though.  Other nature highlights - a bald eagle flew over us while we were on our walk one day,  we see rabbits on

our walking path daily and Tuesday morning at 6:30 am as we headed out on our walk there were three rabbits on our front sidewalk!  One morning we scared up three deer, another morning there was a turtle on our path...  We also drove by an interesting herd of long-horn cattle yesterday afternoon.  Fun pictures.

To quickly recap our week - Tuesday we had Zone Training in Woodstock, followed by lunch together at a Mexican restaurant, we made it back to Petersburg just in time for a scheduled lesson with Traci, then helped with Bingo at the nursing home. One of the zone leaders came back from Woodstock with us for a couple days of exchange.  His name is Elder Mitch Hall and he went to school with our grandson Dallin.  He and Elder Farr asked if we would go with them visiting Wednesday.  They had a long ways to go and some single sisters to see, so they needed us to drive them.  It was a great day, really good visits.  Pizza for dinner at the Lists.  We ended with a very spiritual lesson with Connie Stever, who lives way out in the woods near Mathias.  She committed to come to church today - and she did, her first time in years!  We were pretty excited to see her there.  More visits Thursday, a lesson on financial management with the Parks,  a fun visit with Ella Sue Kimble and her sons in Moorefield and she was so pleased that I complimented her on her Easter egg tree and took a picture of it!  More Bingo, then Wayne practiced music at the church.  Friday after an afternoon of visiting Wayne sang at the nursing home and I made waffles for dinner.

Saturday Wayne helped his friend Johnny Keplinger plow up his garden space,  I guess his tiller/plow is
unique so we had to have a picture of it.  Then we drove way out to Seneca Rocks to visit a family, the Teters, there.  On the way back we went up into a mountain area called Smoke Holes to visit the shy Shirks. Wayne took a picture of their cabin,  I bought a little cardinal carving that Pam makes and sells.  It was a nice visit, they are getting used to us and said to come back!  That's progress.

Shirk's Cabin

Pam Shirk's Cardinal picture

Today - Happy Easter!  My day began way too early as our neighbor, a 21-year-old tattooed pregnant

Audrey & John Parks and Elder Bell

unmarried (LDS) young woman, Jerri Lee called me at 3 am, saying she thought she was in labor and could I take her to the hospital - which I was happy to do, in spite of the early hour.  She is due to have her baby in a couple weeks, but the pains she was experiencing were from a gall bladder attack and not labor.  I stayed with her about an hour, until they settled her in a room for the night, and determined the diagnosis. Back to bed for a couple hours more, then up to prepare for ward council meeting before 9 am church.  Lovely sacrament meeting, lots of people in our little ward.  Wonderful spirit as we worshipped our Savior on this special day.  After church we had  people over to our apartment

Traci, Sister Orton, Elder Mordecai, and Ron Holmes

for Easter dinner:  John & Audrey Parks, Traci Johnson, our ward mission leader Ron Holmes, Elder Bell, and Elder Mordecai (the other two Elders had dinner plans with ward members).  It was very nice and they all appreciated the meal and the company. Afterward Audrey and I worked on genealogy for a bit before Wayne and I needed to drive to Moorefield to help Elder Plumb and Elder Farr teach a lesson to our newest convert, Sonja.  I need to meet with her soon to work on her family history (German!), in preparation for a temple trip we are taking May 10th where she and the Parks hope to do baptism work for family names - how exciting is that!

We have had a very busy week, also enjoyed talking to Karli on her birthday Monday and today skyped with Kelsie on her 5th birthday.  So cute.  Have a great week and remember we love you.  Thanks Karli, Amie, and Julie for the emails, and thanks Darin & kids for the great letters & pictures - we sure love to find mail in our box...  And we enjoyed the Orton Family Newsletter - thanks Karli & Pat.

Fishing on the North Fork of the Potomac River,
Wayne is anxious to give it a try soon.