Sweet Addy

Addy was such a good sport as we dressed her in her mommy’s baby coming home outfit from 30 some years ago.

A sweet little white knit with pink embellishments.

We had one more change of outfits and photo shoot after this one that I will share later. These photos were taken on May 22nd.

We got some recent photos in June of Addy via text. They make me smile.

Addy was a trooper on her first long road trip to be with Jamie’s extended family in Oregon the first weekend in June.

After she came home from her road trip this little one was so pleased with herself after she rolled over for the first time at 11 weeks. Now more safety measures will be needed. I will never tire of looking at this photo! This photo is my new wallpaper on my phone.

Thank you for your comments about my dental trauma. All went well. They tried to put a dam in my mouth and I didn’t react well so they had to do things the old fashioned way without a mouth dam. Thank you very much. I have a beautiful new filling to replace my old one from 55 years ago. I also have a referral to a hand/wrist specialist to check on whether I have carpal tunnel issues. You know you are getting older when you share these kinds of news events!

Here’s another sweet bonus on this post, Blueberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake on the Mennonite Girls Can Cook Blog today.

Today I get my long overdue haircut which is an appointment that doesn’t cause me any anxiety. Hope you have an anxious free day.

Green, green,

…it’s green they say on the far side of the hill…

Everything is so nice and green in Spring. Some of the green will fade in the summer.

Pears are starting to grow.

Blueberries are forming in their clusters.

Tomorrow I’m posting a recipe on Mennonite Girls Can Cook for a Blueberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake that would be good with pears, too. Later this summer when my blueberries and pears are nice and ripe I’ll have to do a redo of the coffee cake.

Today is a busy torture day for me as I go to the dentist this morning and the doctor in the afternoon. I tend to have panic attacks at the dentist when they want to put a block in my mouth to keep it open. I feel like I’m going to choke and die. Yep…I’m praying already that I don’t panic. The good news is that Dear came home safe and sound from Chicago last night and he brought home some famous Garrett Mix popcorn/Chicago mix. Have you ever had it?

V is for Volcanoes

On my recent trip (May 24, 2017) flying from Seattle to Southern California I had a window seat with some nice views of the Cascades Volcanoes of the Pacific Northwest. This first one is of Mount St. Helens which erupted in 1980. This is visible shortly after taking off from Seattle and heading south. If you want to read more information on these volcanoes you can click over to the USGS here.

This might be Mount Hood in Oregon just across the border from Washington State. “The familiar snow-clad peaks of the Cascade Range are part of a 1,300 km (800 mi) chain of volcanoes, which extends from northern California to southern British Columbia. The volcanoes are the result of the slow slide of dense oceanic crust as it sinks beneath North America (subduction), which releases water and melts overlying rock. This rich volcanic zone contains the well-known landmark volcanoes and approximately 2,900 other known volcanic features ranging from small cinder cones to substantial shield volcanoes.”

Over Oregon I saw these that I believe are the Three Sisters. “As population increases in the Pacific Northwest, areas near the volcanoes are becoming developed and more people and property are at risk. The principal hazards to people in the Pacific Northwest are from lahars and ash fall. Lahars (volcanic mudflows) can destroy buildings and infrastructure. Eruptions that include volcanic ash can be especially dangerous for aircraft, even at long distances from the volcano, because volcanic ash can clog and shut down their engines.” Not a cheery thought while flying over these volcanoes.

This is a zoom in on Crater Lake in Southern Oregon.

This last one is over Northern California and I think it’s Mount Shasta.

I’m linking up to ABC Wednesday which was started by Mrs. Nesbitt and is now administered by a few great bloggers.

I’m slowly catching up after my travels with viewing and commenting on blogs. Doesn’t take much to throw me off my game these days. We are promised some nice warmer temps today and tomorrow in the Seattle area and then we get another bout of rain and cooler temps just in time for the weekend. Dear comes home from Chicago tonight and I’m looking forward to that. I usually don’t have to brew my own coffee in the morning. That’s not the only reason I enjoy having him home. Have a good Tuesday!

What’s Up?

In the Azalea world these Rosebud Azaleas are my very favorite. We have two mature bushes and two newer struggling bushes. The Azaleas are waning and other things are thriving. Spring is such a beautiful season in the Pacific Northwest.

Our patio covers are up, too.

We’ll bring out the patio furniture when Dear gets home from Chicago just in time for the next batch of rain showers, wink wink.

I’m in want of another dose of this little cutie pie.

While Dear has been in Chicago I’ve been able to sort through a few more boxes of papers we do not need to store. Lots of shredding, recycling and dumping going on. Amongst the sorting I found some jewels and some journal entries that were wise for me to dump, worthy of the dump. The middle to late 90’s were some years of suffering that brought out the worst and the best. There was darkness around us but I’m happy to say God’s light overcame the darkness of these years and He brought us through.

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.

Lamentations: 3:22-23

I hope you are depending on the light of the world.

Joy in Sorrow ~ Hymn

Joy in Sorrow

I’ve found a joy in sorrow, a secret balm for pain,
A beautiful tomorrow of sunshine after rain;
I’ve found a branch of healing near every bitter spring;
A whispered promise stealing o’er every broken string,
A whispered promise stealing o’er every broken string.

I’ve found a glad hosanna for every woe and wail;
A handful of sweet manna when grapes of Eshcol fail;
I’ve found a Rock of Ages when desert wells are dry;
And, after weary stages, I’ve found an Elim nigh,
And, after weary stages, I’ve found an Elim nigh.

An Elim with its coolness, its fountains, and its shade;
A blessing in its fullness, when buds of promise fade;
O’er tears of soft contrition I’ve seen a rainbow light,
A glory and fruition, so near! yet out of sight,
A glory and fruition, so near! yet out of sight.

My Savior, Thee possessing, I have the joy, the balm,
The healing and the blessing, the sunshine and the psalm;
The promise for the fearful, the Elim for the faint,
The rainbow for the tearful, the glory for the saint!
The rainbow for the tearful, the glory for the saint!

Words: Jane F. Crewdson, A Little While, and Other Poems, (Manchester, England: 1864).

hat tip: Cyberhymnal

hat tip: I was inspired to share this hymn today because of seeing it mentioned on Linda’s blog. Thank you for directing me to her inspirational post Vee.

Elim:

Exodus 15:24-27 (ESV)

²⁴And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” ²⁵And he cried to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a log, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet.

There the Lord made for them a statute and a rule, and there he tested them, ²⁶saying, “If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, your healer.”

²⁷Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they encamped there by the water.

Eshcol:

Numbers 13:23 ~And they came to the Valley of Eshcol and cut down from there a branch with a single cluster of grapes, and they carried it on a pole between two of them; they also brought some pomegranates and figs.

Numbers 13:24 ~That place was called the Valley of Eshcol, because of the cluster that the people of Israel cut down from there.

Numbers 32:9 ~For when they went up to the Valley of Eshcol and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the people of Israel from going into the land that the Lord had given them.

Catch-Up Collages

I have some catching up to do from the month of May. Country mosaics with barns and critters and a special baby girl.

Scenes while driving in central Washington State and Eastern Washington State in mid May, 2017.

The farm above with all it’s red out buildings was taken from the Sprague Rest Area.

On the drive from the Seattle area across the Cascade Mountain range into Central and then Eastern Washington on Interstate 90 you approach the 2nd largest city in population in the state of Washington. Spokane is 279 miles from Seattle and 70 miles south of Colville, our final destination. From the 2014 census figures Seattle has a population of 668,342 and Spokane comes in second with 212,052. Spokane Valley has 91,729. Colville has a population of 4,706. Once we pass through Spokane and head north there are no interstates or freeways, we drive on highways and country roads. On the 70 mile trip from Spokane to Colville we only encounter one traffic light in Chewelah which is approximately 20 miles from Colville.

The collage above shows the approach to Spokane on I-90 and some buildings you can see in the city with a mural on the side of an old brick building. There are a few grand churches in Spokane I’d love to explore and photograph.

Leaving Spokane we see more cattle, horses and deer along the country roads. Deer are one of the most dangerous road hazards in the country. The next collages are from Dan and Jamie’s and close to their home.

Hummers on our kids’ front porch.

This hawk might be the one who is eating our kid’s chickens. There’s a price to pay for being free-range.

A riding lawn mower and a good tractor are a must when you own 20 acres and have to tend to a mile long driveway to your home. I caught a glimpse of Dan mowing the brush around his property. Dear and Dan moved the chicken coup to have better access in the winter.

This little one gives us an extra draw to travel to the country. Thankfully Dan and Jamie are patient with us showing up on their doorstep more often. Soon I’ll be sharing several photos of Addy in some special dresses. Here’s a sneak preview of a haphazard elephant prop pose.

She is such a good sport!

These last shots are of some properties closer to our kids.

Congratulations on making it through one of my catch-up posts. I’ll be linking up to a few parties this weekend since Dear is in Chicago and I have lots of time to myself.

Linking up first to Eileen’s Saturday Critters. Next up will be The Barn Collective with Tom. Last will be Mosaic Monday with Maggie in Normandy. When the link ups become available I’ll add them so you can click over and see lots of critters, barns and mosaics from around the world. Thank you to Eileen, Tom and Maggie for hosting these blog carnivals.

My Mom’s Roolyet

I posted the recipe that we finally perfected that tastes like my mom’s nut roll. Head over to the Mennonite Girls Can Cook blog to see the recipe and instructions. Click here.

I’m happy to have arrived home safe and sound from Southern California on Wednesday morning. Now I’m doing laundry and sorting through some mail. I’m hoping to get around to some blogs soon.

It was so good to see family and friends over my seven days in Orange County. I arrived on Wednesday and we had a birthday dinner for my pop on Thursday at my sister Kathy’s. Then on Friday we had a sister day in Huntington Beach. On Saturday we had another family gathering at my sister Vera’s and we honored my sister Kathy, my pop and niece Debbee who all have May birthdays.

On Sunday evening Vera and I had a lovely time at Ken and Heidi’s. Heidi was my best friend and partner in crime in my college years and beyond. She and Ken met and were engaged during a period of time that Heidi was living with Dear and me. We have been good friends for all these years and it was nice to enjoy an evening together.

Ken and Heidi have a slice of paradise home with an outdoor space that really reminds you of something you would call a tropical paradise.

Our fellowship, the weather, the setting and the food were wonderful. While we were eating outside a Bobcat chose to walk across the far side of their outdoor space with no interest in us, thankfully. I heard recently that bobcats really aren’t interested in attacking humans.

On Memorial day we enjoyed a barbecue at my niece Debbee and Lenny’s home in Huntington Beach. Red, white and blue were the colors of choice on this day. Before we ate a friend of the family prayed and thanked God for those who served and gave their lives for us and the freedoms we enjoy. We enjoyed burgers, ribs, corn on the cob, salads, sweet watermelon and a few desserts. Thank you Lenny and Debbee!

On my last evening in Southern California Vera and I met up with Dear’s brother, sister-in-law and two of three nieces. It was another good time to catch up with what is going on in their lives. Cell phone photos are hit and miss in the darker restaurant.

Thank you Vera for letting me crash at your place and for being my private chauffeur while I was in Southern California.

Hello June! We are starting the month off with rain here in the Puget Sound area. We’ll see how long June gloom lasts. I have gloomy things to do inside so I’ll go with the flow and soldier on with sorting, trashing, shredding and recycling things I should never have stored away! Addy’s expression in this next photo just about covers the task set before me.

I love her expressions! Thank you modern technology. Snap and send has never been more appreciated!

Wimpy Hodgepodge

“I’ll gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today.” ~ J. Wellington Wimpy 1932 from the Popeye series.

1. What makes you feel accomplished? Explain.

I’m a list maker and when I can check off everything on the list I feel accomplished. A freshly mowed lawn always gives me the feeling of accomplishment. I’m thankful that I can still accomplish it with a minimum of aches and pains.

2. If you had your own talk show, who would your first three guests be? Tell us why.

Queen Elizabeth: Being the longest reigning Monarch she must have some interesting tales to tell. Now how to get her to share those tales would be quite a feat.

Billy Graham: He’s always so engaging in his interviews and since we have the same Spirit within us it would be a rich time together. I could thank him in person for how his ministry played a huge roll in the life of our family.

Jamie Oliver: He’s a great chef and a fun person who is interesting and seems to love life. The photo above is of Josh, Laura, Dear and me with Jamie Oliver in one of his restaurants in London. We were having breakfast and he walked in. We asked to take a photo with him and he obliged and we had a very nice conversation, too.

3. Do you have a great burger recipe? No

What’s in it?

For me it’s not what’s in it but what’s on it.

The patty should be seasoned well and then load on the onions either raw or caramelized or both (I like my onions on a burger), thick slice of tomato, Kosher pickle, mustard and ketchup.

Where is your favorite spot to order one out?

In-N-Out Burger. I’m still waiting for them to come as far north as Washington State.

Side note: In high school and early college years our church youth group would go to a restaurant in Alhambra, California called Twohey’s. They had the best hamburgers and Ice cream Sundaes. I’d always order the Stink-o-burger. It was loaded with onions and stinking wasn’t something I had anxiety about. 🙂 I just googled Twohey’s and they still have “The Original Stinko Burger on the menu. Just onions and pickles!

4. What’s the biggest anxiety producing thing you do on a regular basis?

I really don’t have a regular anxiety producing thing that I have to do. Irregular anxiety producing things in my life are going to the dentist and driving in horrible conditions like snow, ice, or downpours. One other anxiety producing thing in my life is speaking in front of a crowd. The collage above is of me speaking at a Mennonite Girls Can Cook event. I was shaking and sweating and so happy when my little segment was over.

5. This is the last Hodgepodge of May. Tell us about your summer plans.

Staying as cool as possible. Visiting our kids in Eastern Washington and seeing how our little Addy has grown. We will be having summertime house guests in July.

6. Insert your own random thought~I’ve been in California for a week and am flying home early Wednesday morning so I’ll be late in coming around. Also this Hodgepodge made me ask my sister to take me to get an In-N-Out burger on Tuesday afternoon after I typed up this post. There happens to be one close to her home.

Linking up with Joyce at From This Side of the Pond for Wednesday Hodgepodge. She provides the questions and we provide some answers.

Talks With Gramps

These photos were taken on Sunday May 21st. Addy is two months old here. Gramps is working towards sixty four.

We are planning our next trip to see our kids which will work out to be when Addy turns 3 months old. So many developmental changes the first year of life. It’s been nice to document some with my camera.

My time in California is wrapping up. I’ve had several wonderful times with family and friends. One more gathering Tuesday night with Dear’s family and then I fly home bright and early Wednesday morning. I’m fortunate to have a place to stay with my sister Vera.

A Day to Remember and Honor…

Thank you to all who have served our country and who lost their lives protecting us!

Blades of grass and pure white stones
Shelter those who’ve come and gone.
Just below the emerald sod
Are those who reached the arms of God.

Buried here with dignity
Endless rows for all to see,
Freedom’s seeds in sorrow sown,
‘Neath blades of grass and pure white stones.

Blades of grass and pure white stones
Cover those who left their homes
To rest in fields here, side by side,
Lest we forget their sacrifice.