Category Archives: Colville

Signs of Fall Hodgepodge

1. The Hodgepodge lands on the second day of a brand new month. Tell us one thing you’re looking forward to in September.

Looking forward to the beginning of Fall and all the events we will enjoy with family near and far.

2. Do you enjoy browsing second-hand shops? Last thing you bought or ‘inherited’ second hand?

Yes, please. This is our latest purchase from the Red Barn in Colville back in April.

 

3. Something you had second thoughts about after committing to, purchasing, or posting/commenting online?

I’ve gotten pretty good at not committing to things. I might be having second thoughts about purchasing an instant pot since I’m such a creature of habit in the cooking world. What we’ve made in it has turned out real good but I haven’t used it in about 3 weeks now. 

4. What’s a product or service you use that you’d rate as second to none?

Amway scrub buds and their Pre-Wash spray. 

5. Something you do so often or that comes so naturally to you it’s second nature ?

Creating a post for my blog. Coming up with a meal even if I haven’t defrosted something. Not saying the results are always stellar…

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Mornings in our neck of the woods have already felt very fallish. 

Thank you to Joyce From This Side of the Pond coming up with the questions. Click over to to join in the fun.

Walking the Dog…

The August Bible Verse Challenge for August 17th is the next post down.

We are dog sitting for our kids this week. Early on Sunday morning Dear took Rayna for a walk around our property to get some exercise and air before we left her home alone while we were at church.

Our kids are enjoying themselves on the Coast all together. We are thankful that they enjoy being with each other. Rayna will be happy when her little family returns on Sunday. She doesn’t get to eat scraps that fall from the table here. At home she’s always alert to what Jaymison or Addyson might drop from their plates. 🙂

The August Bible Verse Challenge for August 17th is the next post down.

Looking Up!

Here we are at the 15th of August and our word for the challenge is Train. You can also choose training or trained.

2 Timothy 3:16 (ESV):

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

From Barbara at Sweet Tea and Sandals:

Proverbs 22:6, Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

From Maristella:

“Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
Ephesians 6:4 | NIV. ”

From Happy One at Life is Good:

I King 10:2 KJV
The she in the verse is the Queen of Sheba.

And she came to Jerusalem with a very great TRAIN,
with camels that bare spices,
and very much gold, and precious stones:
and when she was come to Solomon,
she communed with him of all that was in her heart.

If you have a verse to share please do in the comments and I’ll add it here. Thank you in advance.

Shop Progress:

I took these photos yesterday from our neighbors property looking across and up to where Dear is working on the roof of the shop. He only has 3 more panels to go to finish up the metal part of the roof. Once our son gets back from the “Coast” they’ll hoist up the last three and get them fastened. This is the most time consuming, tedious and difficult part of the project.

Our furry four pawed friend is arriving this morning for our keeping. I’ll probably have some photos to share this coming week. Hope you all have a good weekend.

The Hardest Part…

…of this shop project is definitely the roof of the structure. The second half of the roof will be harder than the first half since access is limited. Up and over and now the panel is ready to stabilize with screws.

The first couple of panels are the new learning curve and then they find a good method to make it work easier. I stand by and pray and when needed give extra stability to ladders.

Two panels got up today, Thursday. Eleven panels to go for the hardest part of the roof to be complete. Slow and easy everything comes together.

We are heading to Spokane for our shopping day on Friday. We have a very hot forecast for Friday so working on the shop roof is not a good idea. Before and After I babysat our grands on Thursday I was able to mow the front of our property. I mowed the back on Wednesday.

On Friday we are going to the Ukrainian Market in Spokane called Kiev to stock up on Russian Dumplings for us and our kids and then we will stop at Trader Joe’s, TJ Maxx, Total Wine, Costco and Fred Meyer. I have not been able to find Boysenberry Pancake Syrup in Colville so hopefully Spokane’s Fred Meyer won’t let me down. It’s interesting to see items that aren’t available these days. What have you had a hard time finding? We will definitely bring our coolers with ice packs to keep our frozen purchases and refrigerated purchases safe for the long drive home in heat over 100 degrees!

Eric Metaxas interviewed  John MacArthur yesterday on his radio program about reopening church this last Sunday. Praying for Grace and other churches and pastors who are ready to stand. Happy to be able to go to our church in person these days.

“Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.”

– Philippians 4:1

Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. 1 Corinthians 16:13

A couple years ago I read a biography of Bonhoeffer by Eric Metaxas. A very good book that I highly recommend. It’s available on Amazon…

As Adolf Hitler and the Nazis seduced a nation, bullied a continent, and attempted to exterminate the Jews of Europe, a small number of dissidents and saboteurs worked to dismantle the Third Reich from the inside. One of these was Dietrich Bonhoeffer—a pastor and author. In this New York Times best-selling biography, Eric Metaxas takes both strands of Bonhoeffer’s life—the theologian and the spy—and draws them together to tell a searing story of incredible moral courage in the face of monstrous evil.

Hope the last day of July 2020 is a day that brings joy to you and yours!

Shop Roof Progress

Happy to show the progress of the shop with the roof now being half done. Not an easy job.

Here’s the hard worker who is happy with the progress and happy to get help from our son Dan in getting those 50# steel panels positioned on the purlins to fasten. Fifty Six screws per panel and 13 panels on each half (26 total). Thankful for my hard working husband.

I’m so happy to confirm that British Airways has given us a full refund yesterday. When I dialed my call went straight through and I was helped quickly and efficiently. Thank you Lord for answering our prayer.

Summer Oasis

Our sitting area below the back deck/porch is now more defined with a new patio structure that has an adjustable shade cloth/screen. The next photo shows the space wide open before the added structure. The cloth/screen will be taken off the structure for the late fall to late Spring to protect it from any harsh weather.

I’ll take some more photos soon as we have tweaked it a little in it’s position.

The following gif was created several years ago when we lived in Camarillo, California for a few years. The photo is from a walk we took in Santa Barbara along a preserve.

When we made plans to go to England September 13th-27th I wrote on my planning notebook, “If the Lord wills”. Now we know that the Lord does not will for us to go. We didn’t purchase flight insurance or a ticket that was flexible. When I called British Airways and finally got through a week ago the kind gentleman let me know that our dates were not yet included in the Voucher category and we’d lose all our money but the taxes we paid if we cancelled. He said to hold off doing anything until the middle of August or the end of August. The one way we’d be entitled to ask for our money back is if our particular flight was cancelled. I prayed for that to be the case. Well…this morning I had an email letting me know that our flight has been cancelled. Thank you, Lord.  I tried calling BA but the lines were way too busy today for me to even be put on hold. I’ll try again and ask for our money back. Hopefully they will be prompt in delivering on that promise.

July is just marching along. We are having temps in the upper 80’s and 90’s. Lots of watering going on. So happy for our oscillating sprinkler. We’ll need to hook up our little cast iron traveling sprinkler soon, too.

Have you seen one of these?

Summer Shop Progress

In the last couple of days we’ve had some progress on the shop roofing. Dear and our son Dan are getting the hang of the 20ft 7inch steel roof panels (50#’s each) and how to maneuver them up onto the structure. Underneath each panel is a reflective vapor barrier that they roll out and fasten before they put the steel panel up and screw it into the purlin.

Some encouragement for those who are called by God from Spurgeon and God’s Word…

It is impossible for any human speech to express the full meaning of this delightful phrase, “God is for me.” He was for us before the worlds were made. He was for us or He would not have given His well-beloved Son; He was for us when He smote the Only-begotten and laid the full weight of His wrath upon Him—He was for us, though He was against Him. He was “for us” when we were ruined in the Fall—He loved us notwithstanding all. He was for us when we were rebels against Him and with a high hand were bidding Him defiance. He was for us or He would not have brought us humbly to seek His face. He has been for us in many struggles; we have been summoned to encounter hosts of dangers; we have been assailed by temptations from without and within—how could we have remained unharmed to this hour if He had not been for us?   
~
Psalm 56:9-11 ~ Then my enemies will turn back in the day when I call. This I know, that God is for me. In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me?

The Rotary Trail Take Two

Last Saturday Dear and I decided to enjoy the Rotary trail early in the morning.

I wonder what constitutes a notable tree? I googled it and here is the information I retrieved.

This Douglas-fir at the north-south/east-west junction of the Rotary Trail is located adjacent to the local golf course and Evergreen Drive. It is prominent for its size (32-inch diameter at breast high) and its position at the highest point (1910 feet) on the Rotary Trail.

 

We saw a birdwatcher on the trail and he told us about an eagles nest and a Harrier Hawk that he saw on the trail.

We didn’t see the nest but we saw an Eagle on the top of these electrical transmission lines.

It was fun to capture this little guy, too. Correct me if I’m wrong birdie friends. Upon further investigation this bird looks most similar to a Wilson Snipe.

The Harrier Hawk.

Next time we walk this trail I will take my longer lens so I can zoom in closer to get photos of these beautiful creatures.

I’m learning about general revelation and special revelation in studying Psalm 19. General revelation cannot convert sinners. Salvation comes only through special revelation as the Word of God is effectually applied by the Spirit of God. So much to learn. I don’t want to stop learning about what is of the most importance in eternity.

The heavens declare the glory of God,
    and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
2 Day to day pours out speech,
    and night to night reveals knowledge.
3 There is no speech, nor are there words,
    whose voice is not heard.
4 Their voice goes out through all the earth,
    and their words to the end of the world.
In them he has set a tent for the sun,
5     which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber,
    and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy.
6 Its rising is from the end of the heavens,
    and its circuit to the end of them,
    and there is nothing hidden from its heat.

7 The law of the Lord is perfect,
    reviving the soul;
the testimony of the Lord is sure,
    making wise the simple;
8 the precepts of the Lord are right,
    rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is pure,
    enlightening the eyes;
9 the fear of the Lord is clean,
    enduring forever;
the rules[d] of the Lord are true,
    and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold,
    even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey
    and drippings of the honeycomb.
11 Moreover, by them is your servant warned;
    in keeping them there is great reward.

Hope the last two days of May are good for you in your corner of the world. We might be walking the trail again this morning with my long lens.

Mother’s Day Rewind…

On Mother’s Day in the evening we gathered for a potluck dinner outside at Dan and Jamie’s. Captured some photos of our grands with their dear mommy.

It’s not easy to get two little ones to look at the camera at the same time.

I captured a couple photos of Addy with her Granny but missed taking photos of the other participants because my hands were occupied with the grands…

Our views on the way to Mother’s Day dinner.

Lots of catching up to do before we head into June!

I’m so happy to announce I have an appointment with a new hairdresser on Tuesday morning at 8:15 am. My mop will be so happy. I’ll be driving down the highway a ways but it’s worth it.

We are having a Spring heat wave here in our corner. We had the air on for the first time yesterday. Today and tomorrow will be hotter so our air will continue to cool us and the house off.

What’s new in your corner of the world?

The Rotary Trail

I showed you our peeps. I showed you the birds. Here are the general views on the Colville Dominion Meadows Rotary Trail.

 

Is this our first moose sighting in Colville? It’s only a silhouette. I think I need one for my back acres. Or maybe a bear…

Just to prove I was on the walk here’s my shadow of me in my hat!

The last shot I took on our way back to our cars.

Now all I need to do is to drag Dear out early in the morning to walk this trail with me before he gets carried away with working on his shop!!

Here we go into another week. We are in a very rainy pattern in our neck of the woods. We head to Spokane this week for my follow-up appointment from my surgery last year. It was cancelled in March because of COVID-19 but now they are ready to have me come in. Dear will have to wait in the car instead of coming in with me.

Have a great week everyone!