Scripture says in Jeremiah 29:11 “I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you, plans to give us hope and a future.”

The thought for this day, and this scripture, is true: God can use you to make a difference in the lives of others where you live. Dear reader, this can be so true.

Spring break has come to most eastern Colorado, with the children and youth enjoying more time outside to play, ride bikes, go fishing, or just relaxing in the sun. Like Friday at Weisbrod when we had exercise outside, it was under the morning sun. Next, we listened to lively music. While Brenda Leon changed the music, we had a lovely lunch under the striped green awning on the veranda. After being served a tasty lunch as usual by the dietary staff and nurses, we went inside for a short rest before the big 92^nd birthday party for resident Donna (Fell) Eaton held in the courtyard where we were served birthday cake made for Donna by Christina Wolf, and homemade ice cream by her niece, Talara Coen. Now that was really a great treat! The Lord blessed us with warm weather in the high 80s, near 90 degrees. We enjoyed observing all those people down below us, plus our charming friend, Donna Eaton, and her children and relatives, and many fluffy little poodle-type puppies with big black eyes that her niece, Melody, and son brought.

March 18 was the senior citizens’ monthly meal and meeting in Eads and Haswell. In Eads, there were several “new” faces of friends who came to dine with us. Our director, Gail Voss, had worked the many hours that it takes in making corned beef and cabbage, hot rolls, dessert, and other foods that she made for the March noon meal. Haswell folks met in the evening to visit and dine together. Others like to play cards. At Eads, they get their chance to play cards Tuesday nights, and the first Sunday of the month to play bingo at the Eads Senior Citizen Center.

After I left the senior center, I rolled across to the street to the Country Elegance Flower Shop to look at the wood art pieces created by my former neighbor, Jerry McDaniel. I bought the intricate butterfly there for others to admire until I decide who to give it to. It is good that on the back of the art, Jerry labels the kinds of wood he uses. He does excellent work.

While I was there, I bought a small plant. I am sorry that I don’t remember the Latin name, but to me it has large shamrock leaves and white flowers. My mother, Ida, used to always grow them with pink flowers.

When Reece Barnett walked in to see her grandmother this week, we were so relieved that she could walk after her leg injury during the first state basketball game. A few days later, she zoomed in on an electric bike. She has been out at the golf course daily practicing for the first golf tournament in La Junta. No doubt coach Justin McCloud is excited to have a larger girls team this spring: Reece Barnett, Kara Wilson, Bailee Sierra, Peyton Eder, and Addisson Courkamp.

Last week, I received a wonderful gift in the mail. It was a very large calendar of 12 months of Brett Rusher’s buffalos taken at his ranch in South Dakota. Brett’s friend, Michael McGill, who owns a fine gift shop in Cheyenne, Wyoming, is an accomplished wildlife photographer. Each year, he photographs a species of wildlife for his calendar. This year, he chose Brett’s buffalos for his 2026 calendar.

Loretta Seible loaned her quilt, made by her son, Al Seible’s, wife, Thelma, to Mary Ellen Englehardt, who displayed it this month in the large dining room at Weisbrod.

We frequently observe a number of hospice teams of ladies who come here to care for people who need special care. One of the ladies is a registered nurse, Emily Jones, who comes here to work as a Registered Nurse also.

March 14 was a memorable day for Brad and Briane Howe of McClave when their daughter, Kate, won the regional free throw championship over four states: Kansas, Wyoming, Nebraska, and Colorado, and will compete for the national championship in Chicago in April. That day, Kate’s mother, Briane, was coaching the McClave girls to their second back-to-back basketball championship in Greeley. And their son, Drew, a team member of the McClave boys team, also won back-to-back Colorado State Basketball championships. Brad is an Eads High School graduate and from Haswell.

Best wishes and prayers to my 13^th Street neighbor, Rich O’Brian, who needs more rest and care now, so he is spending some time at Prairies Pines Assisted Living Community for a while. I think he wants Diane to get rest too.

My other 13^th Street former neighbor, Jose Ramos, called me this week. He and Julianana live and work in northern California. He has flown to New York two times lately, and to Michigan to do his electrical work after the blizzards. He is just 31, and what a lot of interesting experiences he has had for a young man from southeast Colorado.

Remember Palm Sunday, March 29^, and Easter services, April 5^, in your community. Peace.