I genuinely do not know how in the world I will be able to dig myself out of this snow.

To my great sorrow, during the night I lost my photina tree in the back yard.  Each spring, it is filled with red leaves that deepen to emerald green.  It is also covered with tiny white flowers.  The weeks it is in bloom are some of my best of the year, a constant reminder of how loving our Creator is to gift us so with such beauty.

In falling, it has damaged my fence.  I am hoping that when all is said and done, when the tree is removed, the fence will remain standing because Kashi is a leash dog.  He requires a fence to keep him home and safe.

So, aside from the near impossibility of my shoveling enough snow to get myself to work on Monday or (hopefully) Tuesday if the office is closed on Monday, I cannot begin to think how to deal with the tree (it is in my neighbors yard as well as threatening the power lines with the one portion still standing.  I have a chain saw, but am not sure I can get it started.  If I can, I can schelp the pieces up to curb and have the county pick them up.

I'm exhausted just thinking about it.

However, seeing the downed tree, I am VERY thankful for my bell-rope-pull fiasco of last night for I am convinced had I not that tree would have come down as well...taking out my power.

Right now, all I am doing is concentrating on keeping up a path for Kashi on the back deck and down the steps so that he can do his business.  Once in the yard, he's on his own.  Needless to say, he is trying to learn to swim through snow.  I do not envy him, my poor puppydog!

A church just collapsed in DC.  I believe this news is only the beginning of such.  Many, many people are in need of prayer for safety and well-being...and a great measure of patience and endurance heaped upon them.

Lord, have mercy.  Christ, have mercy.  Lord, have mercy.