Author Archives: Ellen

FFF ~ Lazy Days of Summer

It’s time to visit Susanne at Living to Tell the Story and share 5 favorite things from the past week. A good time to reflect on good things in the midst of troubled times around the globe.

1. Laura, Katie and I had a great afternoon at the Sounders soccer game last Saturday. It was good to catch up on what had been going on in our lives.

2. I had to give myself a pat on the back for harvesting the apples off our tree to make some applesauce that I’ll be able to use over the next year for some of our favorite recipes.

3. I’ve also been picking, using and freezing our great harvest of blueberries. I’ve made a couple blueberry dishes in the last week including Blueberry Clafouti.

4. My daughter Katie and I finally took a walk on the river trail. We both needed the exercise and it was a great accomplishment for the week.

5. Enjoying our sweet peas, hydrangea, and lavender blooms in flower arrangements in the home. Lovely!

6. We are finally enjoying sunny dry days that make it seem more like summer here in the Pacific Northwest. This has been a nice relief.

Are you still enjoying your Summer or are you ready for Fall?

Reflections on the River Trail…

On Wednesday early afternoon daughter and I went to the river trail to get some exercise. Along the way I had some reflections.

#1. Why don’t I take more advantage of this lovely trail close by? Answer: I do not like to walk alone.

#2. If I had a dog I wouldn’t have to walk alone but for me the benefits don’t outweigh the negatives in my mind about owning a pet. Before you judge me too harshly I do appreciate the camaraderie between this row boater and his dog. I can appreciate the fact that you might love owning a pet.

#3. The Pacific Northwest is afforded so much green lush beauty. For some of you who might be envious right about now you also need to consider that we get our fair share of rain and gloom to achieve this beauty. For the record…I’m staying here as long as God sees fit to allow that.

#4. There are a lot of plants out there that I have no clue about.

#5. No matter how bad my hips feel right about now I praise God that I can still walk 3 miles or 6 miles. I won’t be joining any 20 mile a day walks, though.

#6. I really appreciate shade on a sunny day and enjoy the light that breaks through. Did you know that God refers to himself as Light?

#7. How can these wonderful blackberries be noxious? They are if they threaten native growth in protected areas because they just overwhelm the land wherever they grow. They spread like weeds…

#8. Herons seem so lonely to me…

#9. I enjoy bridges…

I’m thrilled my daughter had the time and the ambition to take this 3 mile walk with me today. Not only did we get some exercise that we really need, and some vitamin D which has been lacking in the Pacific Northwest but I got an R post for Alphabet-Thursday! My reflections might not be too deep but they R what they R….

I’m linking up with Jenny for Alphabe-Thursday

 

Apples to Applesauce…

At first I thought our apple tree only yielded about 10 apples this year but when I finally got the ladder out to pick them I found I had underestimated the yield. I always ignore my apples (don’t judge me). This year I decided to be a good girl and try to use them. Over the weekend I made about 8 cups of applesauce. My first time ever making applesauce. Because one of our favorite cakes is an applesauce spice cake I thought making applesauce would be worth it. I froze it in containers that would be the exact portion for the recipe.

 

I’m linking up with Carly at Ellipsis for Monday Photo Shoot since the theme this week is Apples.

 

Julienne

A favorite breakfast destination for my family in Southern California in San Marino is Julienne. Their logo says Fine Foods and Celebrations and it is true. We have had many a fine celebration at Julienne. While in California to celebrate with my family Wednesday morning was set aside for the girls to have breakfast.

This was Laura’s first Julienne experience…

Niece Debbee, Niece Melissa, DIL Laura, Katie, Niece Michelle

We were seated in the Library.

In the mirror…

My youngest niece Hope joined us for the first time here, too.

SIL Mandy, Sister Vera, my mom, and my sister Kathy.

It really is a joy to have all these cousins enjoy each others company. My girls and Little Miss Hope are the out of towners that look forward to any trips when they can all be together. They make the most of these get-togethers. The next time we will all be together again will be for Katie and Andrew’s wedding next March. Miss Hope will be the flower girl, our grand nephew Jackson will be the ring bearer and my brother Steve will officiate. We are all looking forward to it!

Hope all is well in your neck of the woods…

Manchester United…

…came to Seattle and we greeted them with beautiful weather and a record breaking noisy crowd. What did they give us in return? A solid defeat scoring 7 beautiful goals. Sheesh…they could have let us score once!

I was very happy to see these players in person playing the beautiful game of soccer with lots of style. Wayne Rooney didn’t disappoint after he entered the game in the 2nd half. Our youngest fan at the game that night had a Rooney jersey on.

This game was played in July. Yesterday the girls and I went to another soccer game and this time we didn’t lose…

We didn’t win either. It was a 0-0 draw. It was a fun time out with the girls anyway…

I’ll leave you with this next photo of an interesting hairdo on one of the fans. That takes a lot of “product” to achieve.

Hope you had a nice weekend and are looking forward to this next week.

I’m linking up with Mary at Little Red House for Mosaic Monday.

Rest of the Weary ~ Hymn

Rest of the Weary

Rest of the weary, joy of the sad,
Hope of the dreary, light of the glad;
Home of the stranger, strength to the end,
Refuge from danger, Savior and Friend!

Pillow where lying, love rests its head,
Peace of the dying, life of the dead:
Path of the lowly, prize at the end,
Breath of the holy, Savior and Friend!

When my feet stumble, to Thee I’ll cry,
Crown of the humble, cross of the high;
When my steps wander, over me bend
Truer and fonder, Savior and Friend!

Ever confessing Thee, I will raise
Unto Thee blessing, glory and praise:
All my endeavor, world without end,
Thine to be ever, Savior and Friend!

Words: John S. B. Monsell, Hymns of Love and Praise for the Church’s Year, 1863.

Flag Ceremony at Orange Circle…

While we were in California Katie and I were able to participate in a Flag Ceremony at the Circle in Old Town Orange. Every Wednesday at 6:00 P.M. people gather to watch the flags being lowered and folding of the Flag. Many retired military from different branches were represented.

Before they lowered the flag and folded it properly Mark Wayland acknowledged 5 veterans in the audience that had served in World War II. One of the veterans was celebrating his 90th birthday and his family brought cupcakes for everyone at the ceremony. We got to sing Happy Birthday to him.

Mark also acknowledged a young bride in the audience who’s Marine husband is serving in Afghanistan right now…our Katie. He made her cry but the tears were good tears and then when the big burly Vietnam Vets came over to give her a hug with tears in their eyes we knew they understood and we cried some more. It was great to hear these Harley riders tell her they would be praying for her and Andrew.

Dear’s brother Terry and wife Christina with one of their 3 daughters with Katie and me. Christina got to know Mark while working with the Orange County School Board. She invited Katie and me to attend this ceremony.

This vet with Mark served in WWII, Korea, and the Vietnam War. He comes to the ceremony every week. It was great to meet him.

I got the following information from an Orange County Register article written by David Whiting although my sister-in-law who knows Mark from working with him at the Orange County School board also filled me in about this giving Purple Heart retired Marine.

“Mark Wayland, Marine Vietnam vet, retired firefighter and Orange school board member, looks like a biker with his denim vest and bushy mustache. And he is. So are many of the men in the Circle.

Most are members of the Patriot Guard Riders. In particular, they ride to remember fallen military brothers and sisters and to ensure things go smoothly at military funerals.

With his black Harley Electra Glide decorated with Marine logos parked just 50 yards away, Wayland explains tonight’s mission.

Every Wednesday night, Wayland, his buddies, their wives, friends and supporters gather in the Orange Circle. They come to lower the flag at 6 p.m. and honor, as Wayland puts it, “those who are in harm’s way.”

What an honor to be able to meet these folks and to honor them and others who have sacrificed so much for all of us. Thank you Mark for all you do and may your sacrifices return to you tenfold.

ht: Orange County Register, David Whiting.

Hillwood Japanese Gardens and Dacha…

There was one more post hanging back from my favorite museum in Washington D.C. and I better share it before I forget. The Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens was full of surprises.

The Japanese-Style garden was tucked below the edge of the other areas of the huge estate.

You had to go down these stairs to enjoy the garden.

Tucked into a wooded area and surrounded by rhododendrons and azaleas, the Dacha, or Russian country house, is a romanticized interpretation of a small peasant house. Built in 1969 during the Cold War, when U.S. – Soviet relations were tense, Dacha represents a nostalgic view of Russian culture.

The architecture features many elements typical of authentic Russian peasant dwellings, such as the whole-log construction and the intricate carvings around the windows and door. Other details are American adaptations of Russian motifs. The bright colors of the window carvings and the roof’s onion-shaped domes are typical of Russian churches. The Dacha on this property is used for museum programs and Hillwood’s changing exhibitions.

I hope your summer is going well. Dear was off last week and he worked on our basement project and it’s getting close to getting done. He has another week off the end of August into September and I’m dragging him away from the house so he does something besides work on this old house. We booked a night on the coast of Oregon and a night at Bonneville Hot Springs on the Columbia River in Washington State just across from Oregon. I’m looking forward to it. Have you all already had some vacation?

Q is for…

Q is for a Quote by Queen Victoria

“Give my People plenty of Beer, good beer and cheap beer, and you will have no Revolution among them” ~ Queen Victoria

Q is for Quail, the California State Bird ~

Q is for Quilts. The State Quilt with State Flowers and Birds was made by my MIL Verna.

I can’t imagine the work that went into this. This quilt was made sometime before 1959 when Alaska and Hawaii became states. I’m pretty sure my MIL quilted this before she was married, too, in 1945. Verna taught school in a one-room schoolhouse in Kansas during WWII. She truly had the gift of teaching.

Quick, it’s time to join in the quest and find your Q to share with the Queen of the alphabet Jenny at Alphabe-Thursday! Just add you link to the queue quietly.

Our God Cares for His Children…

My dear friend from Count it all Joy and The Matson Sisters has been having the struggle of her life this past week. Some of you may have visited her blog. She’s been in I.C.U. on a ventilator and unconscious. Kathy B. is my cousin Jim’s sister in law, my good college friend Jeanie’s sister. I introduced Jim and Jeanie to each other in college and they got married!  We’ve had a wonderful friendship over the years and through blogging Kathy B. has become my dear friend. Kathy B. has struggled with her form of cancer for 28 years. Our family and friends have been praying for consciousness and for Bill and Jeanie to be able to communicate with Kathy. We received amazing news on how God has been answering our prayers and Kathy regained consciousness and has been able to speak and give input on her care.  She was released from I.C.U. today. She will be released soon from the hospital to hospice care. We love you Kathy B. and thank God for your life and the impact you have had on ours! May God continue to prepare you and all of us for what he has for us…