Special Day

I awoke early this morning for my time with God. I read a chapter of one of my favorite books about another morning when Jesus was on earth and sensed again my need of Him. As I finished reading, the sky blossomed with color. It is a special day. This is what I read:

"God takes men as they are, and educates them for His service, if they will yield themselves to Him. The Spirit of God, received into the soul, will quicken all its faculties. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the mind that is devoted unreservedly to God develops harmoniously, and is strengthened to comprehend and fulfill the requirements of God. The weak, vacillating character becomes changed to one of strength and steadfastness. Continual devotion establishes so close a relation between Jesus and His disciple that the Christian becomes like Him in mind and character. Through a connection with Christ he will have clearer and broader views. His discernment will be more penetrative, his judgment better balanced. He who longs to be of service to Christ is so quickened by the life-giving power of the Sun of Righteousness that he is enabled to bear much fruit to the glory of God." - from "The Call by the Sea," Desire of Ages by Ellen White

More Wildflowers

I think this year will be a good one for wildflowers here in Southern California because of all the rain we have had. Our little hill is coming alive with color. One part of our hill is filled with little white forget-me-nots and purple fillary. Here are a few pictures I took this afternoon (while wearing shorts because it was nearly 80 degrees!) Another part is covered with the yellow flowers that Alyssa brought in last week. I can't wait to explore the hills above our house to see what else is beginning to bloom. On our property alone I counted six different wildflowers that are blooming now.

Baby Octopus!

This afternoon we again visited the tidepools, anxious to see what has become of "our" octopus. While my friend watched our little ones on the beach, I went out, broke open a mussel and dangled it in front of the opening where she has lived. Nothing. I kept trying for several minutes. Still nothing. Then a tiny little tentacal reached out cautiously from under the rock. It was only about four or five inches long and as big around as a piece of white string. The hermit crabs were pulling on each end of the mussle piece, but I helped them let go so the tiny octopus could get it. It slowly reached another tentacle out over the edge of an empty mussle shell I had put the meat in. It grabbed it and slowly drew it back in. I think it was trying hard not to be noticed. It was so tiny, the suction cups looked like tiny little hairs. Here you can see two tentacles, one reaching over the shell and taking the piece of orange mussel. I didn't see the original adult at all, but I think this small one was too big to have just hatched. In any case, I'm glad someone else is moving in.

Then I took my turn watching the kids while my friend went to have a look. She didn't see the baby one. The piece I had given it probably was all it could eat for a while. But she did see an adult octopus in the second location we had seen back at Christmas time - only about two feet away from where I saw the baby one. Perhaps that is why the little one was trying so hard not to be seen!

Wildflowers in Bloom!

Alyssa came into the house this afternoon holding something behind her back and told me to close my eyes.

When I opened them she was holding out a boquet of little wild flowers she had picked and brought in.

We put them in a vase where everyone can enjoy them.

Now we have oodles of them blooming all over our property. They are such a rich yellow-orange color with little orange throats. I'm not sure what they are. I feel lucky I get to decorate my house with real wildflowers in winter! (For more Wildflowers in Winter, visit Elizabeth Joy's blog)