Category Archives: Friends

Blogging 101 Carnival ~ Inquiring Minds Want to Know

Chili a.k.a. Chilihead is sponsoring a blogging carnival and I’m diving in…

1.  How did you start blogging?

I used to send weekly emails to my family and friends of quotes, prayers, encouragements, etc. My brother Steve started a blog and there were several blogs I’d visit daily. Steve kept telling me that I needed to start a blog because basically what I was doing via email was a blog. One day when we were together he pulled out his computer and said “We’re starting a blog for you right now.” He set me up with wordpress helped me through some glitches that I have with technology and the rest is history. Here’s a picture I took of my brother setting up my blog back in March of ’07.

2. Did you intend to be a blog w/a following? If so, how did you go about it?

It wasn’t my intention to have “a following”. I still wanted to search and find encouraging things to post. I wanted some way to also catalog my new life away from my adult children and best friends in Seattle. This vehicle has given me that. I believe I have the gift of encouragement and it comes very naturally to me. I’ve always been a card and letter sender. I am a commenter because that’s what I like to do. Through some of my comments I have made blogging buddies that check my blog.

3. What do you hope to achieve or accomplish with your blog? Have you been successful? If not, do you have a plan to achieve those goals?

I want to continue to post things that are encouraging. I would like to continue growing in my walk with Christ. I want to learn more and share what is the “truth” and is honoring to my King.

I hope to keep my brain working hard. I want any motivation to be a continued learner. Blogging is accountability for me in this aspect of my life desire.

4. Has the focus of your blog changed since you started blogging? How?

The thing that has changed for me is that as I find more blogs I enjoy, I participate in some of the weekly blogging events.

5. What do you know now that you wish you’d known when you started?

To have a shorter http:, I get tired of typing https://happywonderer.wordpress.com/ into the blogger sites. WordPress and typepad and some others store my info…that’s really nice for avid commenters. Some sites seem to punish you for not being one of their own! 🙂

6. Do you make money with your blog?

No, I do not make money with my blog but I save a lot of money because I’m not out shopping as much as I used to be…

7. Does your immediate or extended family know about your blog? If so, do they read it? If not, why?

Yes. Some do, some don’t. For some it’s hard to keep up with my daily postings. Some like to keep up with what I’m doing in Southern California now that I’m not living full-time in Seattle. Some read it but they don’t leave comments.

A few of my immediate and extended family have blogs. The more serious bloggers are my sister Lana at Above the Clouds and my brother Steve at The Temple. My son and daughter have a blog but their posts are few and far between…

8. What two pieces of advice would you give to a new blogger?

Check out a variety of hosting sites before you choose one.

Consider whether some controversies that won’t be settled on this earth should become the focus of your blog. You might get more than you bargained for…

You can go to Don’t Try This at Home and see what other bloggers are saying…

 

Tuesdays with Moisi ~

At least once a month my sisters, nieces and grand-nephew Jack go over to my mom and dad’s for a Tuesday evening meal. My mom has always been a cook for the masses. She enjoys cooking and enjoys finding new things to impress us with. She did not disappoint this past Tuesday. Usually I’m in Seattle when these meals take place but now that I am in Southern California on a more full-time basis I got in on this one. I’m sharing my Tuesday photo log with you that begins in Whittier at my sister’s house then continues in Brea at my parent’s apartment (an hour and a half drive from my condo). It’s fun to squeeze all of us into that one bedroom apartment. Oh by the way that clever title is because my dad’s name is Moisi and many of his “American” friends called him Morrie over the years…

Jack showing me his expertise on his scooter.

Hiding in the bushes…

Couldn’t resist getting a shot of the beautiful blooms on these trees in Whittier on my way to Moisi & Nadia’s

Here’s dear old Moisi (Morrie)

The feast begins with yummy scones and …

chicken salad heart shaped bites

Green salad with nectarines and pine nuts, sister Vera is holding the bowl

The three lovely nieces, Michelle, Melissa, and Debbee

My Mom the happy, exhausted cook…

I didn’t get photos of the asparagus with orange slices, the piroshki with a mushroom white sauce, and the fruit salad and banana bread dessert. I also omitted the photo of my sister Kathy and Lana because Lana would not have been pleased with her facial expression…

 

Here’s a shot of the 3 missing in the photo log just in a different time and different place…

 

First Name, First Letter, Meme

Saw this meme over at Karen’s  Simply A musing blog. She double-dared anyone to try it, so what’s a dare-devil to do…   Now that you’ve read this, consider yourself double-dared, too! The game is SCATTERGORIES…it’s harder than it looks! Here are the rules: Use the 1st letter of your name to answer each of the following. They MUST be real places, names, things…NOTHING made up! If you can’t think of anything, skip it. Try to use different answers if the person before you had the same 1st initial. You CAN’T use your name for the boy/girl name question.

Your Name: ~ Ellen
1. Famous Singer/Band: ~ Enya
2. 4 letter word: ~ Easy
3. Street: ~ Elm
4. Color: ~ Ecru
5. Gifts/Presents: ~ Earrings
6. Vehicle: ~  Explorer
7. Things in a Souvenir Shop: ~ Ewer, Extinguisher, Exotic items, Exit sign, Emblems (Okay I went overboard with this one)
8. Boy Name: ~ Earl
9. Girl Name: ~ Elizabeth
10. Movie Title: ~ Escape from Alcatraz
11. Drink: ~ Elderberry Wine
12. Occupation: ~ Engineer
13. Celebrity: ~ Dale Evans
14. Magazine: ~ Easy Home Cooking
15. U.S. City: ~ Englewood
16. Pro Sports Teams: ~ Evesham United
17. Reason for Being Late for Work: ~ Emotional meltdown
18. Something You Throw Away: ~ Egg shells
19. Things You Shout: ~ Enuf!
20. Cartoon Character: ~ Elmer Fudd

http://www.letterlane.com/LetterKids/Emily.GIF

Number One Song on the Charts Meme

I saw this fun meme over at will blog for shoes. I decided to join in the fun and share…

The Number One Song on…

1.The Day I was born…

If ~ by Perry Como

2. The Day I graduated from Highschool…

Mrs. Robinson ~ by Simon & Garfunkel   (I liked this Russian advertisement)

3. The Day Dear was born…

Vaya Con Dios by les Paul and Mary Ford

4. The Day we were married…

Kung Fu Fighting ~  by Carl Douglas

5. The Day 1st child was born…

Le Freak ~ by Chic

6. The Day 2nd child was born…

(Just Like) Starting Over ~  by John Lennon

7. The Day 3rd and final child was born…

Say You Say Me  ~ by Lionel Ritchie

8.  Approximate Day I was conceived…

Too Young ~ by Nate King Cole

To fill in your dates go here.

http://www.timelife.com/assets/images/product/medium/12120-2_198.jpg

Our 70’s Rock Band Tour!

 In 1972 I met Dear at a concert he was singing in. My best friend just started singing with this group and I accompanied her to the concert. Dear and I  became attracted to each other later that year after I auditioned for the group and joined.  In the summer of 1973 and 1974 Dear and I toured England with this American Christian Rock Group. We were called the “Contemporaries”.  Never to be confused with the Continentals! These articles and photos are a combination of our tours in ’73 and ’74. Dear and I were engaged during the ’74 tour and got married December of that year.

I’m one of the singers on the far right and Dear is right next to me.

“The American evangelical folk-rock group The Contemporaries received a superstar welcome when they played last week in St John’s Church, Waterloo. More than 600 children between the ages of 12 and 18, together with a small number of adults, packed the building for the hour-long concert which featured the latest in religious music. Outside local residents opened doors and windows to hear the music from the church and later a spokesman for the group said ‘The audiences on Merseyside are far warmer than any we ever had in ten years of playing in the states.”

“A band of young people spreading the word of God in their own unique way are the Contemporaries. The young American group have been touring England for the last two weeks at their own expense. The group visited Liverpool before making a tour of local schools.”

 

I’m in the front row standing on the right with Dear next to me of this picture with Dear.

“Hymns gave way to Jesus rock in morning assembly at St. George’s Church of England School, in Meadow Road, Gravesend yesterday. The concert was given by the Contemporaries, 14 musicians from the United States, who are in the middle of a world tour. They have already completed a number of successful “gigs” in Liverpool. They are all professional musicians, but they are giving their services free. They have also appeared at Gordon Secondary School for Girls and today they will be at Northfleet Count Secondary School for Girls. On Friday they will be at Gordon Secondary School for Boys and on Monday Southfields High School.”  [this article was pretty sensationalized…the band were professionals, not the vocalists. Our World tour consisted of 4 weeks in England]

We have great memories of our tours in England. Dear went on 2 previous tours before I joined the group. We were able to sing in schools for their religious hour. It was exciting for us to be able to give testimonies and talk about Jesus at schools. (couldn’t do that in the U.S.)

It was hilarious that the kids would chase after us and want to get our autographs. After our school concerts during the day we would sing at a town hall or church at night and many of the students from the schools would come again to hear us.

I’m in the middle of all those young girls!

Dear and I left the group in the mid 70’s after we were married.

Beatrix Potter ~ Miss Potter

Katie and I just returned from seeing Miss Potter with our dear friends tonight.

Jan, Katie, Jody, Lucy, and Bridget at the Crest Theater in Seattle. We were all pleased with the film and delighted to have experienced it together. I’m easily enchanted with all things Beatrix Potter and this movie took me back to the land of enchantment for me, Great Britain. This was a fun event to share on Lucy’s birthday. Happy Birthday, Lu

 I started my love of  Beatrix Potter books and figurines when I toured England in a Christian Rock Band (rock band story in future post) in 1973. I bought little figurines as my souvenirs from Britain. I bought the full set of her Peter Rabbit and Friends books. Our first baby room was all about Peter Rabbit and friends.

Some of these figurines were purchased in England. Others were gifts over the years. There are some that might have your name given to them because they remind me of you. Something to ponder. Remember I did say I love these figurines…

I’ve picked up some framed pieces of Beatrix Potter illustrations from Goodwill.

We visited the area around Derwentwater where Beatrix Potter spent time and was inspired for some of her illustrations and stories.

When our kids were young we read to them every night. It did not take Josh long to figure out that The Tale of Pig Robinson was the longest book in this set of 24 books by Beatrix Potter. This was the book he requested many nights in a row for us to read. It’s pretty worn.

The DVD will soon be released (June 19th). It’s already released in Great Britain.  I will be buying it and am looking forward to watching it again with “Dear” in California.

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-miss_potter-lake-350.jpg

Of Weddings and Manicures

If I had any male readers I’ll be losing them today. This weekend is a busy one at our house. My daughter Katie is the Maid of Honor in her best friend’s wedding today. We are all a buzz with nails, hair, dresses, toast speeches, schedules, pictures, etc. One thing I’ve found out about myself is that manicures are not for me! I went with Katie for her manicure and she offered to buy me one. OOPS!

Oh sure, my hands and nails look nicer than they usually do, but I don’t know how to behave with a manicure. This is maybe my third ever manicure. I have a tendency to be rough on hands and things. I knicked one of the tips as soon as we walked out of the salon. Now I feel as though I need to sit around like a princess till after the wedding. I’m being held prisoner by my manicured nails. No mowing the lawn, no washing dishes, no scrubbing anything! I guess I’ll just have to wait till Sunday to do the things I normally do. “Dear” is in California so he’s missing all this fun. I wanted him to see my nails before I wipe them out!

Here’s a photo of Katie’s preparation for her part in the wedding. More photos of the beautiful outcome coming soon…(I hope she doesn’t mind that I know I posted this…)  🙂

Katie (the maid of honor) and Heidi (the bride) on their way to the Wedding Rehearsal last night.

Best friends through the ups and downs of their teen years! So different from each other but God brought them together for fellowship with Him and one another.

Praying for a beautiful blessed event today and that the Bride and Groom and Maid of Honor can relax enough to enjoy the celebration!

My Human Transporter

I’ve been blogging just long enough now and I’m just relational enough that I wish I could transport myself in 10 seconds flat to:

Prince Edward Island, to take a walk with Kathie and Rinda…

Colorado, to sit on Rosemary’s wrap around porch and have pie and coffee…

Illinois, to see Kim create a bookmark from start to finish…

Pennsylvania, to take a stroll with Pam around her garden and maybe take a motorcycle ride…

Canada, to taste some of Lovella’s homemade bread right out of the oven…

Canada, to have a cup of coffee with Susanne…

Australia, to experience a season opposite my own with Missmellifluous…

England, to check out Bronte country with Sarah…

Small town USA, to Lisa’s to see her 4 boys and go to a Bible Study together…

Midwest, to watch Abigail’s hummingbird’s at her feeders…

Huntington Beach, California, to watch the season finale of American Idol with Lana…

Now wouldn’t that be cool…

Bothell’s Blake Lewis in Final Two!

Update May 24, 2007: Even though Blake did not win the title I think he deserves an award for being a genuine, unique, and unselfish entertainer! Way to shine Blake! You make Bothell, Kenmore and Seattle proud.

So our hometown boy has made it to the Final Two on American Idol. Bothell and Kenmore couldn’t be happier. I think Jordan has an amazing voice and personality but I’m rooting for Blake to win. I think he’s fresh and now, if you know what I mean.

Here’s one of my daughter’s favorite pins, Bothell For A Day Or A Lifetime.  The sign at the city entrance used to say, “Welcome to Bothell For a Day or a Lifetime”

 

As you stroll down Main Street Bothell…

…You’ll get to Main Street Hair Designers…

…Who are ready to give you a “Blake” Haircut! This made Katie laugh out loud and she called me immediately to tell me that this hair salon had this sign in their window!

We’re going to enjoy the fun while it lasts! Please bear with us.

Living The Life of God’s Chosen Ones

 

Colossians 3:12-17 (ESV)

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

Here it is in one passage, Christianity 101, 201, 301 and 401! Now to go and do and be what we were chosen to be, holy and beloved ones. Grace and blessings on you today!