Category Archives: Colville

Happy Birthday Dear!

Happy Birthday to Dear who is still younger than me. This photo is from 38 years ago for his birthday in our 2nd home in Huntington Beach, California.

Another blast from the past for a birthday celebration in Southern California about 12 years ago.

Birthday brunch with our ‘coast’ kids in 2017

A little celebration last year at El Ranchito where every visit there is like a birthday.

I’m so thankful to God for the man I married.

He is smart, reliable, thorough, faithful, a hard worker, a good cook, a good teacher, a good dad, a willing servant and easy to live with.

Praying that God continues to grow your faith and your love for our Triune God.

Happy Birthday Dear, I love you.

P.S. And what is he doing on his birthday? He’s painting our Master Bedroom.

Pickle Ball Court~Phase 1

The ground has been prepared for the next phase of our future Pickle Ball Court. We won’t be having the concrete poured until next year and hopefully will be able to find concrete finishers available for that job. That is not easy out in the country with limited finishers available. Some folks we hear have been waiting for 6 months for someone to do this type of work.

If you are not familiar with Pickle Ball here is a link that will help.

It was such a beautiful late summer day when I took this photo.

September

September
“The breezes taste
Of apple peel.
The air is full
Of smells to feel-
Ripe fruit, old footballs,
Burning brush,
New books, erasers,
Chalk, and such.
The bee, his hive,
Well-honeyed hum,
And Mother cuts
Chrysanthemums.
Like plates washed clean
With suds, the days
Are polished with
A morning haze.”
– John Updike, September
“The foliage has been losing its freshness through the month of August, and here and there a yellow leaf shows itself like the first gray hair amidst the locks of a beauty who has seen one season too many.” -Oliver Wendell Holmes
Isaiah 40:8
The grass withers, the flower fades,
But the word of our God stands forever.
Ecclesiastes 3:1,2
There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven—

A time to give birth and a time to die;
A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.

Genesis 8:22

“While the earth remains,
Seedtime and harvest,
And cold and heat,
And summer and winter,
And day and night
Shall not cease.”

Looking forward to all that September brings…

Goodbye August

Straight from the garden. Their mommy plants and tends an amazing garden.

We were able to see these two on Sunday afternoon. So good to have them run to us with open arms and lots of hugs. As we leave they run along the fence line following our car and we yell our goodbyes to each other. They are safe on the inside of the fence and our car goes along the drive on the other side of the fence. Fun traditions.

Adios to August!

Weekend Wrap-up

The little ones are camouflaged and so cute!

They keep coming back for visits and we can see that they have grown.

Not the clearest photos of the little ones. I have to take the photos from the inside through glass without moving much or they all fly away.

On Saturday we mowed and weed wacked. We were in the 80’s over the weekend and this coming week we have a mix of 80’s and 70’s. On Sunday we drove to Spokane to pick up my glasses. No prescription except for a bifocal section for reading. I am a happy camper. No shifting back and forth to readers and that is my preference.

We are still in prayer about the disaster in Afghanistan, aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti, and for those in the path of Ida.

We are studying 2 Timothy and listening to expository preaching (John MacArthur) while mowing and driving back and forth to Spokane. This last letter by the Apostle Paul to his beloved Timothy is so rich. This resource, Grace to You, is one where you can access expository preaching on every book of the Bible. Dear and I highly recommend it.

2 Timothy 2:15

15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.

2 Timothy 3:14-17

14 You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

Hoping for a week with some good news for all of us.

Dress Blues

On August 17th while we were in Spokane we stopped by The Sherwin Williams paint store and bought a quart of paint for our doors. We were tired of the maroonish look. We chose Dress Blues because we liked the color and the name. Our son-in-law Andrew wore his Dress Blues for the wedding ceremony we had for he and our daughter Katie in March of 2012.

–

We love the color. Dear finished painting the door on the day that eleven of our Marines were killed in Afghanistan by the suicide bomber. This door takes on more meaning for us. We are heartbroken for the families who will soon be notified. 24 hours after the families are notified we will learn the names of these Marines. What a devastating week in our history. We continue to mourn and hope for all the stranded Americans and others waiting to be safely airlifted out of Afghanistan. We mourn for what America has become to the world. My hope is not in our country or our leaders, my hope is in the God who made heaven and earth and everything in it. It’s a good time in history to make sure of your eternal destination. There are only two choices, with Christ in heaven or without Christ in hell.

2 Thessalonians 2:16:

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word. 

 

Old School Hodgepodge

Thank you Jo From This Side of the Pond for asking the Hodgepodge questions for us.

It’s always so wonderful to see all the little quail show up with their parents. They are hard to capture with the camera through the windows. They react to any slight movement and they move a lot.

1. Is school back in session where you live? Is everyone in person or does your system still offer a virtual option? Are kids wearing masks? 

School starts August 31st here in Colville. As of yesterday, Washington State is back to requiring face masks indoors for all people 5 years and up so school aged kids are required to mask up.

2. Something you still do ‘old school’? 
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I asked this out loud while Dear and I were sitting at our desks in our office. His answer was “Go to Church”. Then he said “Believe the Bible”. I’ll say keep a paper calendar. I still have calendars around the house and in my purse.
3. One lesson you’ve learned in the ‘school of life’? 
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God is in charge and I am not. This is an ongoing lesson in my life.
4. When you were in school did you pack a lunch or buy a lunch? Your favorite thing to see on the lunch menu or inside your lunchbox back in the day? 
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Our mother packed lunch for each one of us everyday and she also made breakfast for us before we headed off to school. In the 6th grade I was a student cafeteria worker and I got a free hot lunch everyday. I loved the fresh rolls those cafeteria ladies baked. I can almost smell the aroma of them coming from the ovens.
When our sons were in high school and I made cold cut sandwiches for them on sandwich rolls I found out they were able to sell those home made sandwiches to their friends for $5!
5. August is National Family Fun Month. Tell me something fun you’ve done this month.
~ 
Any day we spend with our grand kids is a fun day. August was less active around here because of smoke and fires but we’ll make up for it in September!
6. Insert your own random thought here.
~
Today, August 25th is our son Josh and our Laura’s 20th wedding anniversary! We could not have asked for a better helpmate for our son. They make the best team. Those who are fortunate to be part of their lives and generosity will all give a hearty amen to my assessment.
2013-09-16 Alton to Cotswolds20
Happy 20th Anniversary Josh and Laura! Wish we could be celebrating in Jolly Old England. We love you individually and together. May God give you many more years growing closer to each other and to HIM!
The photo above was taken in Wells, England while we were traveling with Josh and Laura in 2013. We would all love to return someday to visit.