Fifty Years and Counting…

Today Dear and I are celebrating the day we got married fifty years ago. We were married on a Friday evening in Southern California. Our 50th anniversary lands on a Friday, too.

Sharing lots of photos from our years together.

Greg and I on stage in England. We are on the right in this photo.

We met at a church parking lot where Greg was singing in a contemporary Christian Band that my best friend auditioned for. I went to the concerts she was singing in with the group and that is how Greg and I met. Later the group needed an alto so I auditioned and joined the group, too. We fell in love while traveling with this group.

Dating, Engagement party and early marriage collage.

Lousy photo from one of my bridal showers with my mom and Greg’s mom.

The rehearsal for our wedding ceremony. Our officiant Andrew Semenchuk turned 99 this week!

December – When December’s snows fall fast, marry and your love will last.

Our wedding day…

I love this photo of my dear maternal grandmother and me. She was a gem.

My maternal grandmother, my mom and me.

Our sweet and oldest niece was at our wedding. Her mom and dad were our matron of honor and best man.

My sisters on our wedding day. Kathy, kneeling on the left, also got married in 1974.

My paternal grandparents came to the wedding, too. This was not a given and we were pleased that they came.

This is Dear’s paternal grandmother and she was not able to travel to the wedding but she visited us in our first apartment.

Here we are heading off to our honeymoon.

Our first apartment in West L.A. We were in it for less than a year. The great thing about this apartment was that it was 2 buildings down from a grocery store and easy to get last minute items we needed for a meal.

Our first home with a mortgage in Huntington Beach across the street from my sister Vera and Nick, 1975. Greg tiled the entry.

Early in our marriage with Greg’s side of the family before we had children.

My first pregnancy and our first son, Joshua.

Almost 2 years to the day after Josh was born, our second son, Daniel, was born.

Our boys were born while we lived in our second home in Huntington Beach.

Three generations of Bayles Boys!

1985 in Arizona on a bicycling trip. I was pregnant with Katie.

Our sweet surprise, Katie, was born in 1985.

On our move from California to Washington state we stopped in Yuba City to drop off Greg’s mom Verna who would join us later in our home in Bothell. Aunt Carol supervised our three on the horse.

Our first camping trip after we moved to Washington State with our friends who were a big part of the motivation for our move. Rainier in the background.

The University of Washington years. We were able to get tickets to the Rose Bowl Championship game in 1992.

Josh and Laura’s wedding in 2001

Edinburgh 2006

2008

From 2007-to early 2010 Greg and I walked the shore of Emma Wood State Beach every Saturday morning when we were living in Camarillo.

My birthday in 2009 at Tam O’Shanter in Los Angeles.

My 60th birthday in 2011.

Katie’s wedding in 2012.

England 2013

England in 2014 for our 40th Anniversary

Dan and Jamie 2015

First granddaughter

First Grandson

We’ve walked together as man and wife for 50 years. We lived in Los Angeles in 1974-75, Huntington Beach 1975-1984, and Ventura 1984-1988 in California. We moved to Washington State in 1988 and lived in Bothell 1988-1997, Kirkland 1997-1998, Kenmore 1998-2018 and now Colville since 2018. We lived temporarily in Camarillo, California from 2006-2010 while still owning our home in Kenmore.

I was a file clerk when we got married and then a school teacher until Josh was born. Greg was a painting contractor with his dad when we got married. When our sons were young Greg got a job with an aggregate company which prompted our move to Ventura where he ran heavy equipment in a quarry. Katie was born in Ventura and Greg was encouraged to finish his education and he decided to take some science courses to see if Pharmacy would be a good fit for him.

We moved to Washington State so he could finish his schooling at the University of Washington and then apply to Pharmacy school. While Greg was in school in Seattle I started a cleaning business for homes during the day and a dental and medical office at night. He finished his courses in 1992 but went on to a year of residency at Overlake Hospital in Bellevue before moving into the Biotec industry dispensing medical information on therapies or treatments that the companies he worked for discovered. One of the big names you might be familiar with is Enbrel. After his residency was over I retired from the cleaning business.

I homeschooled Katie for a couple years and when she went back to public school in 7th grade, I substitute taught for a few years. Greg continued in the Biotec realm until he retired in 2019. We are happily retired in the country in the small town of Colville with Dan, Jamie and our Grandchildren close by. Our ‘Coast’ kids have the freedom to visit us several times a year and we like to visit them, too.

Here we are in Kenmore, Scotland with Josh and Laura giving a nod to Kenmore, Washington where we lived for 20 years.

This post is just scratching the surface of our 50 years of marriage and all the experiences and opportunities that God opened up to us. We were both Born Again Christians when we married and have been in the Sanctification process these past 50 years. Our life with Christ has progressed with some mountain tops and valleys but has always gone forward bit by bit as we choose obedience instead of our self-centered bents. Some of those bents are easier to identify than others. We’ve been members of Bible teaching churches all our years. Evangelical Free church in Huntington Beach, Bible Fellowship Church in Ventura, Sunrise Christian Fellowship in Seattle and Edmonds, Evangelical Free Church Conejo Valley, Northshore Baptist Church in Kirkland, and now First Baptist Church Colville. We attend and we serve.

This post doesn’t cover any of the friends that God has surrounded us with who have sharpened us like iron sharpens iron. Friends who have helped us grow in the Lord. Friends that were by our side for so many life experiences. Friends that God graciously put in our lives. That will have to be another post.

As my dear old Pop would say we are so thankful to God for all He “did to us” these fifty years! Thank you God for what you did to us” was my pop’s prayer. Thank you, LORD God Almighty for bringing us together in our marriage covenant. You have given us peace and joy through the hard times and good times. You continue to lay your hand upon us and lead us beside still waters.

We already had a wonderful anniversary celebration in Walla Walla with our family of ten but that doesn’t stop us from continuing our celebration today. We are having a small overnight getaway in Idaho to celebrate our actual day. The photo above is our celebration meal at Parallel 47, a restaurant in Hayden, Idaho. The food was so satisfying. After dinner we walked the Christmas lights boardwalk at the Coeur d’Alene Resort.

We trust God for the future of our marriage and thank Him for his lovingkindness and mercy in our individual lives and as husband and wife.

Thank you, Dear Readers, for making it to the end of this long post.

A Significant Hodgepodge

If it’s Wednesday it must be time for the Hodgepodge. Thank you, Joyce for the questions!

1. How did you meet your significant other? If you don’t have a significant other, tell us how you met your best friend.

We met at a church where this Christian singing group was performing. Greg was in the group and my best friend became a part of the group. I went with my friend to her first performance with the group and met Greg there. Later when they needed to replace an alto in the group, I auditioned and became part of the group. We are on the far right in both of these photos while on tour in England. The sign that got chopped off in the photo above says Jesus is Alive Today. In England we sang in schools during their religious education classes. In the evening we would sing in a church or community center. Our relationship blossomed during our 70’s Christian Rock band tours of England.

Here I am being mobbed for my autograph by young girls at one of the schools we performed at.

During our tours in England we’d have a holiday week after 3 weeks of singing at least 3 times a day across parts of England. This photo of Greg is from when we were on holiday at the end of our concert series.

2. It’s Department Store Day (October 16)…do you still shop in department stores? If not do you miss that kind of shopping experience? Do you have a favorite department store? Any fun memories of department store shopping when you were a child?

Living in the country my department store experience is limited to Wal-Mart. I don’t have childhood memories in a department store. When we lived on the other side of the Cascade Mountain Range my favorite department store was Fred Meyer. I suppose Costco is a type of department store or at least it fits the definition. That is a store we always stop at when we travel south to Spokane.

3. Something you’re currently nuts about?

I love Autumn/Fall. I’m enjoying the change in weather and all the fall color that is showing. I love soup weather.

4. What’s your favorite nut and is there a favorite recipe where this nut is used?

I enjoy nuts and my favorite nut in recipes is the walnut. Our mom’s Russian Nut Roll (Roolyet) is my favorite.

Our Mom’s Roolyet (Russian Nut Roll)

5. On Wednesday we officially reach the ’70 days until Christmas’ mark. Have you purchased any gifts? If you don’t celebrate Christmas then how about Hanukkah presents?

I have purchased a few things. While in Scotland, I bought a couple of new ornaments for the tree, too.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Me and my guy waiting for our charter flight to England in 1973.

My photo sharing site is giving me grief again so it might be a while before I can post more from our travels in Scotland. These kinds of problems are never easy for me to solve. OYE!

Easter Visits Earth Again ~ Hymn

Easter Visits Earth Again

Easter visits earth again,
In the solemn spring;
Blossoms brighten hill and glen,
Notes of joy sweetly ring.

Refrain

Hail Him, victorious,
King of love, throned above;
Tell the news o’er and o’er,
While the years go by:
Make His praise glorious;
Sing again, earth and sky;
Tell the news evermore,
Our Jesus lives on high.

Every flower that lifts its head,
Breathes a message bright;
He is risen from the dead;
Happy day, day of light!

Refrain

Tell the story of the spring
With triumphant voice:
Jesus reigns, exalted King,
In His grace, we rejoice.

Refrain

Words: Eliza E. Hewitt, 1916.

Traveling

Lets talk about Travel…

1. How far have you gone from home and where did you go?

The farthest I’ve been from home is Milan, Italy. I traveled there in 2013 with my husband who was sent there by his company for a medical conference. While he worked I explored Milan. Before the conference began the two of us were able to travel by train to Lake Como to the city of Varenna and enjoyed a very windy cold few hours there.

On my own I did a hop on hop off tour and I went by myself to an Inter Milan soccer game at San Siro stadium.

While getting on a subway a group of pick pocketers tried to grab my purse. They work in teams to distract you. Thankfully I was on to them and smacked the hand of the one who reached for my purse and they jumped off the subway just as the doors were closing.

2. Do you think the hassle of travel is worth the trouble?

Most of the time, yes.

3. Are there places you would like to visit or have plans for visiting?

We would like to visit some areas of the United States like the Northeast and National Parks in Utah. In Canada, it would be fun to visit Prince Edward Island. We always enjoy planning our next trip to the U.K. Lord willing we will be able to visit again.

4. What trip was the best you’ve ever had?

The best trips we ever had have been our trips to the United Kingdom. Greg and I met in a Christian band that toured England in the early 70’s.

After we got married we always dreamed about going back. In 2003 we were able to take a trip to London for a week with a few day trips out of London.

In 2004 we returned with our daughter for her graduation trip visiting many of the haunts of her favorite British authors.

In 2006 we traveled with good friends to Wales, England and Scotland.

In 2013 we were able to return to England with our oldest son and our daughter-in-law. On that trip we traversed a lot of miles and our son got his dream of going to two premier league soccer games.

In 2014 Dear and I returned for a 40th year wedding anniversary trip. If it sounds like we can’t get enough of Great Britain, that’s correct!

We made plans to return to England in 2020 but we all know how travel came to a standstill then. We re-planned that trip for September of 2022 and spent a week in Oxford with extra days in Woodstock.

We arrived in England just after the Queen died.

We returned home and just 6 weeks later Greg had his stroke on November 5th of 2022. We wondered if our traveling days might be over.

We were thankful for yet another trip with our kids to Dublin and England in September of 2023.

Time will tell if it is God’s will that we take another trip this coming September.

What’s the furthest distance from home that you traveled to? What’s your favorite place to travel to? Any travel plans for this year?

Sharing the Light Hodgepodge

Collections from the past…

Some of my pewter collection with some silver napkin rings thrown in.

Time for the first Wednesday Hodgepodge in March this year. Thank you, Joyce, for the questions.

1. Has March come in like a lion where you live? If not a lion then what animal would you use to describe the weather in your area this first week of March?

My post on Monday called it a Cat but that was a hasty evaluation. March came in like a schizophrenic feline. Sunday night the roads were treacherous with low visibility because of the snow storm that blew in, lionish. We were tucked nicely in our bed so we did not know about those conditions. We woke up to a nice white landscape, lamblike. That all melted and then on Tuesday morning we were surprised with 5 inches of new snow. By now that new snow has mostly melted away, too.

Does the weather affect your emotions? When did you last feel ‘under the weather’?

Sunshine and blue skies definitely cheer me up and make me smile. I have been above the weather these days and not under it. If the electricity stays on and we can still drive into town the weather does not affect me emotionally. I could get cabin fever if things are so bad that I’m stuck at home for more than a couple of days.

2. Do you know what your name means? Does the meaning of your name fit with your personality? Do you like your name?

Ellen: Bright Shining Light. I hope I live up to my name. I can be outspoken and shine a light in dark places to expose how wrong they are only because I have the ‘Light of the World’ inside me.

My mother chose my name, which no other Russian immigrant relative named their child, because she was tired of everyone choosing the same names for their children. Examples of overused names; Vera, Kathy, Manya, Luba, Tanya and others. I didn’t come across another Ellen until high school. I didn’t appreciated being called, Ellen Watermelon or Helen. I’m Ellen with an E.

Gregory (my husband) means watchful, alert, watchman, vigilant.

We make a good team. 🙂

If you have children did you consider the meaning of their names before choosing them?

We chose strong Biblical names for our sons and a historically strong name for our daughter. We did think about the meaning of their names.

3. It’s National Sauce Month…what’s your favorite sauce? Last thing you ate that used a sauce?

We did have some good spaghetti sauce, tomato and basil, on Monday. My favorite sauce would be one with a little kick and some good layers of flavor, like in a great steak pie. 🙂

4. Something you’ve seen, tasted, done lately that you’d describe as ‘awesome sauce’?

Despite the snow we have been seeing some signs of Spring. We saw our first Robin of the season on Monday which is always ‘awesome sauce’.

5. What kinds of things do you love to collect?

Because of my age and space limitations, I have stopped collecting most things. I’d rather collect experiences.

In the past I’ve enjoyed collecting; Beatrix Potter Figurines, Napkin Rings, Tablecloths, Cloth Napkins, China, Dishes, Tea Cups, Pewter, Russian lacquer boxes, cake plates, chargers, goblets, creamers, anything blue and white in the dish world. OYE! Stop the madness!!

We also collect good books. We still look for our favorite authors on trips and in used bookstores, thrift stores. In England we look for books by Elizabeth Goudge, Dorothy Sayers, Spurgeon, Bunyun, Beatrix Potter and others.

We bought this book by Goudge in Chipping Campden in September of 2013. Goudge’s father was a reverend who taught at Cathedral schools. She lived in the shadows of Wells Cathedral and then her favorite, Ely Cathedral, close to Cambridge.

The inside cover of the book. We purchased this book for 5 pounds. We have several of the books she authored. This is one of my favorites.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Question 2 sent me on a great search about light. There are so many references to ‘light’ in the Bible. God created light at the very beginning of the world, Genesis 1.

Psalm 56:13: For you have delivered my soul from death, yes, my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.

Psalm 119:130: The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.

Isaiah 60:19: The sun shall be no more your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give you light, but the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory.

John 8:12: Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Romans 13:12: The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.

Ephesians 5:8: for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.

Colossians 1:13-14: He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Any light I reflect is because of Jesus and what he did on the cross for me. I’m a sinner who has been forgiven of my sins because of Christ’s sacrifice. God requires payment for our sins. Jesus made that payment. God accepts me because of Jesus, His perfect Son, taking my penalty. I believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Son of God who died for me on the cross, rose from the dead, and is LORD. When I asked for forgiveness for my sins, He forgave me. He can and will forgive and save you, too.

My Fortress

“Battle Hymn of the Reformation”

Psalm 18:1-3:

I love you, O LORD, my strength.

The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.

Are you feeling weak or discouraged or overwhelmed? I hope you can take some time to just breath in the words of this Psalm. Read it out loud and look with me at the definitions of some of the words in the text.

Stronghold: A place that has been fortified so as to protect it against attack.
A place where a particular cause or belief is strongly defended or upheld.

Fortress: a large fortified place; a fort or group of forts, often including a town; citadel.
Any place of exceptional security; stronghold.

Shield: To cover with, or as with, a shield; to cover from danger; to defend; to protect from assault or injury.

Call upon the Lord today. Praise him because he is worthy of all our praise. Rest in the fact that He is our Rock and our deliverer. He is always with us, guiding us through His Spirit within us.

A Mighty Fortress is Our God

A mighty fortress is our God,
A bulwark never failing;
Our helper He, amid the flood
Of mortal ills prevailing:
For still our ancient foe
Doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and power are great,
And, armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide,
Our striving would be losing;
Were not the right Man on our side,
The Man of God’s own choosing:
Dost ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabaoth, His name,
From age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.

And though this world, with devils filled,
Should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed
His truth to triumph through us:
The Prince of Darkness grim,
We tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure,
For lo, his doom is sure,
One little word shall fell him.

That word above all earthly powers,
No thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours
Through Him who with us sideth:
Let goods and kindred go,
This mortal life also;
The body they may kill:
God’s truth abideth still,
His kingdom is forever.

Words and Music: Martin Luther, 1529.

This song has been called the greatest hymn of the greatest man of the greatest period of German history, and the Battle Hymn of the Reformation. It was sung at the funeral of American president Dwight Eisenhower at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC, March 1969.

Pancake Tuesday

These were a nice change from regular pancakes made with yogurt instead of milk. We enjoyed them with a dollop of plain yogurt and pure maple syrup. Since childhood our family has enjoyed pancakes with sour cream and syrup. If you’ve never tried it you should.

Ingredients:

1 cup flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1-1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup plain yogurt
2 eggs
2 tablespoons melted butter or vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla

Method:

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
In separate bowl whisk together the yogurt, eggs, oil or butter and vanilla.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients combining well.
Heat pan to medium high to cook the pancakes with a combo of vegetable oil and butter.
Use 1/3 cup measure to proportion the batter and end up with 8 uniform pancakes.
Cook to a golden brown on one side and flip and cook the other side.
Serve with your favorite toppings.

Yield: 8 pancakes

Double the recipe to serve more people.

We did not grow up with the tradition of Pancake Tuesday, Shrove Tuesday, Mardi Gras or Lent. We have always joyously celebrated Easter ~ Resurrection Sunday. In fact we never stop celebrating Christ’s resurrection and what His death, burial and resurrection mean to us as Christians.

It is a good day for pancakes.

Brambly Hedge

I started a new puzzle last week and what a delight this one was. When a puzzle company like Cobble Hill includes a puzzle poster in the box it makes me grateful. It is much easier finding where a piece goes by looking at a poster instead of the top of the box.

The box lid always has portions of the art work covered up.

I finished the puzzle last weekend.

This was the Spring Story. They also have a Summer, Fall and Winter story. Are you familiar with Brambly Hedge books and China? The Fall teacup and saucer is the only one I have. It was a Goodwill purchase several years ago.

Royal Doulton Autumn, England, Jill Barklem 1983. Jill Barklem was a British writer and illustrator of children’s books. Her most famous work is the Brambly Hedge series, published from 1980.

Not sure what inspired me but I got some much needed tasks done in our office this week. I’m patting myself on the back for the organization that I completed this week. I shredded two large trash bags full of paperwork/receipts/etc. that we didn’t need lying around cluttering our world. Sorting through my desk I was able to again throw away things we don’t need and put things where they more logically belong. In the process our grab and go box is all set, too.

Do you have a grab and go box?

Happy Friday everyone!

Beatrix Potter

It’s no secret that I’m a fan of Beatrix Potter and The Tale of Peter Rabbit and all his friends. For Christmas I received the sweet print above and the tea towel below from Josh and Laura.

Right now on our dining room table this puzzle is slowly, very slowly coming together.

It is very tough and I only have me to blame because I ordered it from my year long puzzle club Dan and Jamie gifted me for my birthday last year.

My collection of Beatrix Potter Figurines are here and here.

We had more snow and now we are having some frigid temperatures. We are celebrating our Dan and Jamie’s birthdays tonight. Making something new to me and I hope it turns out good for everyone! I’ll have to move that puzzle since it is on the dining room table at present.