Category Archives: Colville

Early July Blooms

 

Thank you, Laura, for this collage of the blooms you took close-ups of during ‘Baptism’ weekend.

We had a good 4th of July celebration with several families from our church. Thankful for such generous hosts to open up their beautiful yard and barbecues for cooking. A potluck of sides and desserts and everyone cooked their own meat on the 3 barbecues available. We all got numbers as we arrived letting us know which barbecue to cook our meat on. A great system for a crowd of 75+ people! A Corn Hole tournament, volleyball and fireworks were all part of the afternoon and evening fun. They also rent a porta-potty which is very smart when servicing such a crowd!

Enjoy the rest of your week trying to figure out what day it is! That always is a challenge for me when a holiday lands on an odd day of the week! Today is Wednesday BTW!

Independence Day 2023

Happy 4th of July, 2023! I leave you with the last verse of the Star Spangled Banner.

O thus be it ever when freemen shall stand
Between their lov’d home and the war’s desolation!
Blest with vict’ry and peace may the heav’n rescued land
Praise the power that hath made and preserv’d us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto – “In God is our trust,”
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Baby Quail

The parents are so protective as they should be.  I can’t get close enough to get a good photo without them scurrying away.

Zooming through the slider window, it’s hard to get a good clear shot.

It’s such a delight to spot the baby quail with their parents.

Tomorrow we will be celebrating the 4th with friends from church. If you live in the U.S.A. enjoy our Independence Day!

Addyson May’s Baptism

On Sunday June 25th our granddaughter Addy was baptized at the end of our morning service at First Baptist Colville. Our whole family and Addy’s Granny and Granny Great were at the service to witness Addy’s step in her new found faith.

Aunties and Uncles and brother all in a row. Gramps and Baba were across the aisle to have a better view of the baptismal pool.

Pastor David going over how Addy got to the place where she wanted to be baptized. First she was born again and then she wanted to proclaim it publicly through baptism. I love this sweet photo. We could barely see her whole head when she stepped into the pool.

Pastor lifted her up so everyone could see her.

Mom and Dad were looking on as were the rest of us.

We are so grateful for God’s saving grace and mercy on our sweet Addy May and praise Him for what He has done and will continue to do in the life of His little lamb. Baba and Gramps love you dear granddaughter of ours!

After the service we all gathered on Bayles Mountain for tacos.

Addy’s Mommy and Daddy bought her a sweet necklace with a cross, her initial and her birthstone. On the back of the cross the date of her baptism was engraved. I didn’t get a good close-up of the necklace. Auntie LoLo and Uncle Joshie got her a child’s version of Pilgrim’s Progress beautifully illustrated. Baba and Gramps also got her a cross necklace.

I’m trying out a new collage program and until I master it in my organization you’ll see some duplicate photos.

Addy and I were looking at her Pilgrim’s Progress Child version.

The kids stayed on at the Mountain but Gramps and Baba had one more event on this day to attend at church for our Pastor Candidate meet and greet. We were also in charge of the Ice Cream Social after the formal question and answer time Sunday Evening.

After the sunset walk the adults were able to get some card playing in while Addy and JJ crashed for the night. It was a long full day of excitement and celebration. Baba and Gramps crashed, too.

Katie and Andrew left on Monday morning to get back over the mountains and home.

On Monday before Uncle Joshie and Auntie LoLo hit the road for home at noon there was one more get together at a local park.

Another wonderful Family weekend that we do not take for granted.

I’ll leave you with this quote from a larger poem by Jean Ingelow, 1879. It was put to music by John Chadwick.

“I sought the Lord,
And afterwards I knew
He moved my soul to seek Him,
seeking me!
It was not that I found,
O Saviour true;
No, I was found by Thee.”

 

Hot on the Trail

Before all ten of us were together, the seven of us hit the Rotary Trail for a walk on Saturday mid morning.

 

 

 

 

 

JJ’s sunglasses were hung from his t-shirt just like Uncle had his.

 

Back at our cars we went our separate ways until gathering together for a belated Father’s day meal on Saturday evening. One vehicle went to the grand opening of a creamery in Chewelah while Dear and I went to Kettle Falls for a graduation open house. Katie and Andrew were traveling from the westside and arrived at our home three-ish. At five the ten of us prepared a meal. Dan cooking the meat on the grill outside, caramelized onions, beans, macaroni salad and toppings prepped inside.

Dinner was delicious and dessert was good, too. After dinner we used Nikkipolani’s idea for a conversation starter and each of us shared 3 objects that remind us of our fathers. It was a fun interaction. Addy and JJ had some fun responses, too.