I Have a Big Job Coming Up

They tell me I should get ready for Spring Work Day here at the Well.  I have to say, it is not exactly my favorite day -- I can't begin to keep up with all the people who come -- they are all over the place!  The excitement is so much that by the end of the day I'm quite worn out from checking on everyone to be sure they know they are welcome.  One year we had 70 people and I was the only dog to welcome them.  Whew!  If you can come, I'll do my best.  The day is Saturday, May 14th beginning at 9:00 a.m.  See Clare's Well News at  http://www.clareswell.org/  for details.

Spring Means Be Outside As Much As Possible

The title says it all.  I'm fortunate to be a dog because people say dogs belong outside.  Why would anyone want to be indoors on days like these?  The air is sweet and soft to my nose.  The breeze makes me want to simply run and bark with joy.  I hear a returning crowd of red-winged black birds by the bird feeder under the maple tree and wonder how the woodpeckers and sparrows are taking this intrusion after having had the place to themselves for the winter. 

The sisters opened the barn doors so the yard is swarming with guinea fowl and chickens giddy to be out after long months of being cooped up in the barn. 

The farmhouse porch door was left open this morning and a chicken walked right in -- up the steps and on to the porch!  The cats who claim that sunny place were sure surprised.

Sister Carol came home with garden seeds in hand this week. I can hardly stand it!  I feel  the excitement and life in Earth as she opens to longer hours of light and warmer temperatures that wake up seeds, birds, and all of us.  Hope you feel it all in your hearts, too.

Foreigners in My Yard

Some creatures who belong in the woods are coming into my yard.  I feel their intrusion and enjoy the power of being able to chase them off when I bark.  They say they are hungry.  Because of the deep snow they can't find food in their usual places.  So they come right up to my yard and look for scraps of bird seed under the feeder which belongs to my birds.

I hope you know I am being sarcastic, mocking some other creatures I have heard.  I wouldn't want any creature to go hungry, really.  I see through the window screen that one is coming across the driveway now.  I'll go out and see if she wants to play with me.

Trees Without Leaves

Have you ever noticed how comfortable trees seem to be without their leaves?  They continue to extend their empty branches.  They are as hospitable as ever when someone wants to visit them. 

Of course!
 
All creatures
are
who they are
no matter what the season of their lives. 

Besides,
I hear people say they enjoy being able to see the shapes of the branches better
when the trees are bare.

Are You Smarter Than a Squirrel?

While Jan was in retreat at the place the Sisters call Umbria, she noticed the bird feeder with the usual anti-squirrel tin guard protecting the bird seed.  I'm not at all surprised by the pictures she took of the squirrel enjoying the bird food anyway. 

The Sisters will all be at their Motherhouse in Little Falls

for a week to pray and share about how best to be Sisters

to each other and to all the rest of us.  I hope they will be as

creative and successful as we four-leggeds can be.