Author Archives: Ellen

Phase One Planter Project…

Over President’s Weekend Dear and I worked on phase one of our sprucing up the yard project. I promised before and after photos and here they are.

I decided on the Primroses in the Cinder Block because the property our home sits on used to be called Primrose Acres.

Phase Two will include digging out these stones and leveling out the pathway beside this planter and putting in a flat walkway using pavers. Our plan for the pavers will help support the planter wall and we will be able to take out the temporary supports you can see along this section.

The walkway will extend to the existing deck and we will add a step next to this section of the deck which will make stepping up and down easier.

We are enjoying the fresh clean look. We hope to get started on Phase Two this coming weekend. It will be another Ibuprofen weekend around this old house!

Signs in Seattle…

Dear and I were able to go downtown on Sunday night to enjoy a belated Valentine dinner at Morton’s. Here are some signs I snapped with my little camera.

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Here’s my Dear waiting for the valet to bring us our car after dinner.

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The window dressing in this store next to Morton’s was different…

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From the car window I snapped this blurry 5th Avenue sign as we headed to the freeway.

We thought that downtown Seattle was very busy for a Sunday evening. It was a long weekend and the weather was so nice that people came out of their cocoons to enjoy a night out in the city.

Thank you Lesley for signs, signs.

Forty Days of Lent…

We are on the letter F for ABC Wednesday and it’s timely for Fat Tuesday and the Forty Days of Lent. Thank you to Denise Nesbitt and the ABC team.

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Today is Fat Tuesday or Shrove Tuesday (feast of pancakes) which means tomorrow is Ash Wednesday. I did not observe Lent growing up but I had lots of Catholic friends in my schools and was always curious as to why they showed up with a black ash mark on their foreheads on this particular Wednesday. When I found out they were giving up gum or candy for Lent I was more curious as to why. So here’s a little overview of what all this means. This article from the Liverpool Echo really covers things well.

During my school days I made a decision to follow Christ. This was the beginning of my faith journey. This decision and my changing of allegiance has not cost me much compared to the 21 Christians who were savagely beheaded by ISIS just because they were Christians. My cost has been mild compared. I’ve been mocked at times, disregarded, and made fun of. Among some people who view themselves as intellectuals I’ve been considered brainless.

I’ve also received many benefits that far outweigh the cost. As my faith grows and I deny some of my own selfish desires I’ve received the fruit of the Spirit like love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. I fail a lot but I’m forgiven and I carry on in faith that God will continue to lead me and help me fulfill all I’ve been called to do. Each day I have to decide to follow Christ or follow me me me. Some days, many days, it’s all about me! Every day He is faithful.

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When Dear and I were in Great Britain last year we visited Hereford Cathedral and I took photos of this Shrine that illustrates Luke 9:23.

And He said to all, “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow me.”

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So…are you eating pancakes today? Do you observe Lent? What are your plans for Fat Tuesday?

A Day Off…

Thankfully today is President’s Day and Dear has the day off. We’ve been working and celebrating all weekend and our yard project continues today. I’ll be strapping on my back brace and helping Dear after my coffee. I’ll show you a little of what’s gone on this weekend already and I’ll show the complete before and afters of our yard project soon.

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On Saturday, Valentines Day, we headed to the Home Depot and bought what we’d need for the beginning of our yard project. We finished the first half of what we planned and will continue with the second half today.

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On Sunday we took the day off from our project and after church we had a nice brunch/lunch with Josh and Laura catching up on a lot of what’s been going on in our lives the last few weeks. It was a good time filled with fun, laughter and some hard things, too. That’s life, isn’t it? After the kids left we changed up a bit and headed to downtown Seattle for our belated Valentine dinner at Morton’s Steak House.

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The food was delicious and that Grand Marnier Souffle for two was a very nice way to end our meal!

I’ll end with a little tribute to one of the presidents we celebrate on this day, Abraham Lincoln. The quote is from Lincoln’s Devotional.

 

Communion with God 

 a Source of Joy

There be many that say, Who will show us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. Thou has put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased. Psalm iv. 6, 7.

Lord, what is life? if spent with thee,
In humble praise and prayer,
How long or short my life may be
I feel no anxious care:
though life depart, my joys shall last,
When life and all its joys are past.

Hope your cares are few and your joy is full. Do you have today off? What does your day hold?

The Love of God ~ Hymn

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The Love of God

The love of God is greater far
Than tongue or pen can ever tell;
It goes beyond the highest star,
And reaches to the lowest hell;
The guilty pair, bowed down with care,
God gave His Son to win;
His erring child He reconciled,
And pardoned from his sin.

Refrain

O love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure
The saints’ and angels’ song.

When years of time shall pass away,
And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall,
When men, who here refuse to pray,
On rocks and hills and mountains call,
God’s love so sure, shall still endure,
All measureless and strong;
Redeeming grace to Adam’s race—
The saints’ and angels’ song.

Refrain

Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade,
To write the love of God above,
Would drain the ocean dry.
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.

Refrain

Words: Frederick M. Lehman, 1917.

InSPIREd Sunday with Reflections…

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Wells Cathedral

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Chipping Campden (Cotswolds), St. James’ Church

I’m hankering to go back to England. We’ll have to wait until 2016 since this year is filled up with our son’s wedding and all the festivities that go along with that.

Thank you to Beth and Sally for InSPIREd Sunday. I’m also linking up with James and Weekend Reflections.

Happy Valentines Day!

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I managed to put up a few Valentine Day decorations. I’m enjoying these fun little Valentine clothes pins. Josh and Laura bought us the sign for our 40th wedding anniversary.

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I bought this plate at the thrift store and enjoyed the sentiment on it. The following Antique post cards are all from Dear’s great great Aunt’s stash.

 

 

We are going to work in the yard together this Valentines Day. The weather is cooperating and we need to go when the going is good. On Sunday early evening we’ll enjoy a meal out at a downtown Seattle Steakhouse. What are your plans with your Valentine?

 

 

Springing Up Already!

Some of my favorite things in my yard this week! I count all of these as blessings from above.

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Things that are springing up around here are among my favorites for

Friday’s Fave Five hosted by Susanne at Living to Tell the Story.

The Lenten Rose is my favorite plant that ushers in the Lenten Season.

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These primroses appear every year and I didn’t plant them. I’m always happy to see them.

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What fun to see these miniature daffodils springing up, too.

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We managed to prune both our apple tree and pear tree this week and that was a huge accomplishment at this old house.

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My bonus fave is my verse of the week from my abc Scripture Memory Cards…

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The fact that we have been called and redeemed by God is pure love…

Have a wonderful Valentines Day and President’s Day Weekend.

Do you get Monday off? What were some of your favorites this week?

Ebb and Flow

All of these photos were taken on a Saturday morning walk at Huntington Beach, California on January 24th. One of my sisters lives a few blocks from this beach. It was great to walk along the beach and out to the end of the pier with my sister and sister in law this nice windy morning. Not to shabby to walk and talk with scenes like these…

Ebb and Flow:

1: the alternate ebb and flood of the tide
2: a condition or rhythm of alternate forward and backward movement or of alternate decline and renewed advance

Since we’re on E for ABC Wednesday I decided to call this Ebb and Flow. Thank you Denise Nesbitt and the ABC Team!