While Greg and I were enjoying Cannon Beach, all of our kids and grands were on the same side of the mountain and enjoyed some time together.
These are not in any given order of how they filled their days together.
Time was enjoyed with lifetime friends, too.
Another anniversary was celebrated by these two while they were on the other side of the mountains.
I’ll save a July Catch-up for Monday.
Hello July and Red, White and Blue Hodgepodge. Thank you, Joyce!
Happy Canada Day to our neighbors to the North!
1. What do you love most about your country?
Right now, this minute, I’m enjoying hearing all the good things that World Cup Soccer visitors have to say about this great country of ours. They have said over and over that they were lied to by their home country media on how awful the United States is. They are soaking up the amazing variety of landscape and food and convenience and largeness from coast to coast. We are a melting pot of culture and we are unique in how we display our patriotism and celebrate our country, especially on the 4th of July.
On the flipside we are enjoying their songs, their chants, their dress, their celebrations, their loyalty to their teams!
My parents fled communism (Russia) and spent their teen years and young adult years in Iran. They applied and immigrated lawfully to the USA shortly after World War II. In the nineties when they had an opportunity to re-visit the village our pop was from in Russia they saw first hand what they were delivered from. When they came back to the US and got off their plane in the USA, they kissed the ground! They knew and appreciated the freedom and the country they were providentially citizens of. They embraced the USA, learned the language and were good citizens.
2. Your favorite patriotic song?
God Bless America
“While the storm clouds gather far across the sea,
Let us swear allegiance to a land that’s free.
Let us all be grateful for a land so fair,
As we raise our voices in a solemn prayer:
God bless America, land that I love,
Stand beside her and guide her
Through the night with a light from above.
From the mountains, to the prairies,
To the oceans white with foam,
God bless America,
My home sweet home.”
3. Red, white, or blue? Stars or stripes? Something you own besides a US flag with some combination of those colors or decorations as part of its design?
Blue as in blue jeans or the color of our home.
Stars are a favorite…
Red, White and Blue stars are outside and inside our home, especially this time of year!
4. What’s one thing you want more of this summer: fun, rest, adventure, connection, quiet, or confidence? Elaborate.
I’ve already had more fun than I deserve this year and there is more fun planned for October of this year. I’m going with connection. I’d like more connection in the everyday moments with my God and Savior. I’d like more connection in that regard with other believers, too. Good conversations and prompts that cast my eyes on how gracious God is and all that He is doing to make me more like his Son and my Savior.
Without God’s grace I’d have no hope. Here are parts of Spurgeon’s June 29th evening devotional;
“If the grace of God were to leave the best Christian, there is enough sin in his heart to make him the worst of transgressors. If left to yourselves, you who are warmest for Christ would cool down like Laodicea into sickening lukewarmness:
…Therefore let us cry to God to never leave us. Do not withdraw from us your indwelling grace!
Lord, keep us everywhere. Keep us when we’re in the valley so that we do not grumble against Your humbling hand; keep us when we’re on the mountain, so we do not lose our balance by being lifted up; keep us in our youth, when our passions are strong; keep us in old age, when becoming conceited in our wisdom, we may therefore prove greater fools than those who are young and silly; keep us when we come to die, in case at the very end we should deny You! Keep us living, keep us dying, keep us working, keep us suffering, keep us fighting, keep us resting, keep us everywhere, for everywhere we need You, O our God!”
5. What was your ultimate, go-to summer activity when you were a kid? Do you still do any version of that today? If you answered yes, does participating in this activity as an adult make you feel like a kid?
Going to the beach or going to the ‘plunge’, the pool at Montebello high school, was a favorite childhood activity. Did you ever call a pool, a plunge?
As kids, we would walk from our neighborhood in Montebello Gardens (called the Jardines in Spanish) to the high school pool in Montebello where for 10 cents we could enjoy the pools. We would spend a good amount of time in the pools and then have to walk back home. I remember being very thirsty and very tired on that walk back home.
Google maps shows that it was a 2.3 mile walk there and 2.3 mile walk back home!
Our mom never got a license so she never drove a car and our pop worked hard and long hours and always had the family car for his work so as kids we were on our own if we wanted to go to the pool or to the library.
As an adult I enjoy a nice walk on the beach in the cool morning hours and that is something we were able to do just last week!
Cannon Beach, Oregon with Haystack Rock in the distance.
6. Insert your own random thought here.
Speaking of stars, here’s a flashback to 2021 and these two stars are my favorites!
If you are from the USA, I hope you are able to celebrate the 4th of July as the 250th year deserves!
If you aren’t from the USA, happy July to you and don’t be afraid to visit the USA!
Summertime at our Country Bungalow.
Hello Summer Hodgepodge. Thank you, Joyce!
1. Summer’s here! In the northern hemisphere anyway. If you’re in the southern hemisphere substitute winter for the word summer. What do you love most about summer? What’s your biggest summer pet peeve?
I love summer fruits like nectarines and peaches and plums and watermelon!
In our neck of the woods mosquitoes and mean bugs like wasps are a nuisance!
2. What song always reminds you of summer?
The Beach Boys ‘California Girls’. I was born and raised in Southern California and my early days were filled with music by this classic group.
3. What’s something you remember about your childhood summers? Do you think kids today get to enjoy summer the way you did as a child? Elaborate.
Honestly, I don’t remember specifics about summer versus other times of year. We were outside a lot. We would go to the beach with other relatives. I do remember getting the worst sunburn of all time and our mom soaking rags in vinegar to put on our burns.
Our summers as kids were very much unplanned by our parents. It seems like parents nowadays are more hands on and do more planning for summer activities. Summer camps and summer sports, etc.
4. We celebrate Fathers Day on June 21st. Do you favor your dad in looks or temperament? Tell us something about your dad. Or your husband as a dad. Or a son/son-in-law as a dad. Or your grandpa.
Our Pop worked hard to support his family. He was a man who loved His Lord and Savior and was faithful to our mom and us. He was punctual to the point of being early especially for church. He loved jigsaw puzzles and in his old age worked on them to pass the long hours of the day.
My Pop and me camping in Southern California. He is working on a jigsaw puzzle.
Our dear Pop was called home to heaven June 24th, 2018. Eight years ago today.
I’m a combo of our Pop and our Mom. I do enjoy jigsaw puzzles and I’m punctual to a fault.
5. Let’s wrap up with a summer this or that-
Sandals, beach, watermelon, sundress, iced coffee. Neither an amusement park or water park are on my list ever for the summer. 🙂 I’d rather go to a place like Disneyland in the cooler months.
6. Insert your own random thought here.
We are getting ready for the 250th celebration of the USA at our house. Here are some initial decorations to mark this epic event.
A lot more will be coming out of my red, white and blue bins.
Our schedule is not our own this week and it will be hit or miss as to whether I can visit as usual. If not, I will catch up next week.
Happy Summer everyone!
June 7th through the 9th was filled with family activities and gatherings.
Josh and Laura started the drive across the mountains early on the 7th to make it to JJ’s Taekwondo exhibition at Town and Country days in Kettle Falls.
The sun heated up those mats and they had to make the presentations fast so the soles of their feet wouldn’t burn!
Yep the mats were hot. I’m pretty sure there will be discussions for next year to have the presentations from our group and the gymnastics group for performing on the stage instead of in front of the stage!
A snow cone and ice cream made things better.
From Town and Country Days we all gathered at our country bungalow for a Taco Salad meal. After dinner we all made our way back to the Woodland Theater in Kettle Falls for The Haran Dancers recital.
Addy performed beautifully.
On Sunday after church Josh and Laura traveled back home.
They won’t be back for Father’s Day so Laura took an early Father’s Day photo.
On Father’s day weekend I’ll share the very thoughtful gift our kids and grands gave their dad/gramps.
Very early on this same Sunday morning (2:00 am) our Niece, her hubby and our grand niece found their way to our home from Boise, Idaho where they had attended a wedding. They let themselves in and found their guest rooms without waking us up. They slept in on Sunday and we managed to get ready for church and leave without waking them up. We left them at Bedside Baptist and returned from church in time to make them fresh coffee.
Sunday afternoon we were at the Woodland Theater again with this new crew who wanted to see Addy perform with the Irish Dance group.
It was a great matinee performance and once again we all headed to our country bungalow for a meal.
Pulled pork sandwiches with homemade coleslaw and not home made beans. There were homemade desserts.
Fun and goofy times.
The fun continued on Monday at Bayles Mountain.
Cousins once removed making memories.
The California crew left about noon on Tuesday June 9th after enjoying Uncle Greg’s famous Swedish pancakes. They headed for Josh and Laura’s home for another week in the Pacific Northwest.
And while the westside crew were on the Olympic Peninsula we were back in Kettle Falls at JJ’s Taekwondo Promotion.
We also participated in a community garage sale on Thursday and Friday. We were happy to get rid of some large items that were getting in the way around here. So thrilled we didn’t have to haul them back home.
I’m watching World Cup Soccer games while I work on posts and visiting blogs. It’s no secret that I’m a soccer fan. It’s been an exciting start in the group stage. It’s been fun following fans that have traveled from around the world and who are soaking up the food and experiences unique to the USA!
Thankfully we have a relatively quiet week ahead of us. We need that. Have a good week y’all.
It finally happened! The barn we have enjoyed every time we drive to our local kids and the one we can see from their driveway views collapsed on June 11th of 2026!
We’ve all been wondering for a few years now once it started to lean.
Laura created this collage of the barn in April and the beginning of June.
In the distance you can see the barn when it was in pretty good shape.
Another view of the barn in the distance.
Here’s a recent post about the leaning barn.
I’m looking forward to a new week with less obligations than we’ve had in the past 10 days. Whew! Hope all is well in your corner.
It is once again time for Wednesday Hodgepodge with thanks to Joyce From This Side of the Pond.
1. How would you define ‘the good life’?
“But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Titus 3:4-7
2. What’s the most used app on your phone (and are you proud of that)?
(WhatsApp) It is the app we use with the Mennonite Girls and also with our immediate family. It is easier to send videos and photos with this app than with text messages.
I’m proud of myself when I figure out how to use any app!!
3. ‘Every rose has it’s thorn’, ‘everything’s coming up roses’, ‘looking through rose-colored glasses’, ‘it’s no bed of roses’ or ‘stop and smell the roses’…which rose idiom best relates to something in your life currently. Explain.
‘everything’s coming up roses’ (or peonies)
It’s a busy and good time of year with so much happening all at the same time including flowers blooming on our property. We’ve had performances, visitors, events, meals in, meals out, preparations for a community garage sale this coming weekend. Life is blooming!!
4. How do you feel about floral flavorings in food or drink (rose, hibiscus, elderflower, lavender)?
No, thank you. Elderflower has been acceptable in the past.
5. Over the course of your life what have you probably spent more time pondering than anything else?
This is a tough one. It is not my habit to be introspective. I know I’ve laid awake at night pondering things but it has been a variety of things over the course of my life.
When I was young I remember pondering whether my parents would die and being sad about that prospect. They did die but not until they were in their 90’s so that was a waste of emotions.
In my teen years I probably pondered too much about myself and whether people or certain boys liked me. That was a waste of time and emotions, too.
I’ve spent a lot of time pondering what to make for dinner.
I’ve also spent a lot of time pondering what to do and see on any given trip we’ve enjoyed over the years.
In my older years, I’ve pondered how and why friends that I used to worship Christ with and who I’ve served Christ with have walked away in disobedience to His Word and how they have embraced the world and the ways and philosophy of this world.
Right now I’m pondering what else I should try to get rid of at the garage sale this Thursday/Friday/Saturday.
6. Insert your own random thought here.
The 2026 World Cup begins tomorrow. I’m excited and have set our DVR to record many of the games. We were at the last World Cup in the USA in 1994. This Cup I’ll be watching from home. Josh and Laura will be attending the USA v. Australia game in Seattle a week from this Friday!
Dan and I were able to attend the Brazil v. Cameroon game at Stanford in 1994.
We have great memories from the ’94 World Cup and I’ll share more on another day. In between games, I’ll be working on the new 2026 World Cup puzzle our Josh and Laura gifted me.
It’s no secret that we have soccer/futbol fans in our family and I’m one of them. We are excited for World Cup 2026 here in the USA/Mexico/Canada.
This is a collection of Soccer Commentators comments during games in the past in honor of World Cup 2026. The photos are from games through the years from our travels and at home. Some are from World Cup 1994 which was the last time and first time World Cup was hosted by the USA. This post is very random and jumps around near and far and wherever soccer/futbol has taken us.
“He’s already written his name in lights here”
“Every road is a cul de sac at the moment” ~ Ian Darke announcer for the Slovenia/USA game.
“England is running around like flies at the moment”
Go U.S.A.!Vámonos!
We have a very busy Saturday and Sunday this weekend.
We are flitting about like this butterfly from one activity to another.
The Swallowtail enjoys this plant.
I think it’s a Tiger Swallowtail.
We have Taekwondo Promotion, Taco Salad Dinner, Irish Dance Recital, overnight out of town guests, Church, Lunch, Irish Dance Recital, Pulled Pork Sandwich Dinner and more!
Whew!
I did manage to finish this puzzle before things got real busy.
I’m glad it was a thrift store bargain with all the pieces included. The quality of the pieces and the way the pieces fit was a bit of a challenge. I’ll offer it for sale at the Community Garage Sale we are part of at the end the of this new week coming up.
Speaking of puzzles…
These two finished up the puzzle I started with them over Memorial Weekend. It was a fun one to work on. We almost finished it before their parents got home from Montana. I’m glad they put the last pieces in. Looks like someone wants to put in the very last piece.
If you don’t see any comments from me on your weekend posts, you’ll know why.
If it’s Wednesday, it must be time for the Hodgepodge. Thank you, Joyce.
1.What’s something you find extremely difficult that most people would say is simple?
Exercise for the sake of exercise. I can have good intentions but I find it difficult to be faithful in the endeavor.
I do enjoy getting out in the yard and mowing, etc. I do deep cleaning. I’m great at errands and shopping. We walk a lot on trips we take. I’m not a total couch potato. 🙂
3. Pickles. Love ’em or no thank you?
Love them!
What’s your favorite type of pickle?
Kosher Dill, the kind you find in the refrigerator section.
What’s something you eat that definitely needs a pickle added?
A hamburger tastes better to me with pickles. I also like chopped up pickles in tuna mix and potato salad and call me crazy but I love the combination of a boiled potato with a pickle as a treat.
4. Tis the season…do you know any June brides?
Our Colville kids got married in June so our Jamie is a June Bride.
Are there any weddings on your summer calendar?
No summer weddings on our calendar. We do have a Grand Nephew who is engaged but it sounds like their plans are for a Fall wedding.
What’s your favorite movie wedding?
Pride and Prejudice and other British series weddings (Downton Abby) where the whole town lights up for the special day and the bride arrives after all the guests are in the church and gets dropped off in a special carriage or car and then the couple leave together in style right from the church to wherever the reception is to be held.
5. June 1st is/was National Say Something Nice Day…say something nice here.
Thank you, Joyce and Hodgepodgers, for this weekly get together and for all the nice things you say in your comments each week. You are a fun community and I appreciate each of you.
6. Insert your own random thought here.
Speaking of exercise, we started June off with a return to the Rotary Trail here in Colville for a walk. Woohoo! It’s been well over a year that we walked the trail. That was due mostly to my Plantar Fasciitis. I’m happy to report my feet felt fine after our walk, thank you, LORD!
We enjoyed lots of birdsong and seeing our National Bird, too.
A great start to our goals for June and beyond.
At the very end of May on a day without rain, the first camping trip as a family happened for this crew.
Addy had the big catch of the trip hooking a Prize Fish that was registered with Fish and Wildlife. They are working on what she’ll get for her prize.
She now has more fish tales to tell. Both Grands want to go camping again.
I’ve been on the lookout for a nice chess set. Stopping in at a local estate sale I found this Renaissance set from the 50’s in great shape. It was $25 which I thought a decent price.
With all the rain we’ve had lately it seemed a good time to start another puzzle. This puzzle was purchased at a thrift store and I wanted to see if there are any missing pieces. I’ll soon find out!
And as of last night just a few more sections to go.
More May blooms that are thriving.
June blooms coming soon. Looking forward to all that June holds.
The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b. 