Category Archives: History

Scotland Travel Journal ~ Dunfermline 3

On September 21st which was a Saturday and our journey from St. Andrews to Edinburgh we stopped to visit the Dunfermline Abbey and Palace. Although I’ve posted the exterior and interior of the Abbey already we toured the palace grounds first on this day. The kiosk to pay for our visit was located in the palace ruins area. This part of our visit involved going up and down different elevations within and along the ruins of palace.

In the cellars with some great acoustics we had an impromptu moment of worship as Laura began to sing ‘Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow’. We all joined in and it was a sweet time together.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow, praise Him all creatures here below, praise Him above ye heavenly hosts, praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost, Amen.

The Abbey was obliged to offer hospitality to pilgrims and to other travelers whether rich or poor. The guest house was built here in the 1200’s and later became part of the royal palace. 

Not all overnight visitors would stay in this guest house; those of lower social rank would be given beds in nearby hostels. Because Queen Margaret founded the monastery and later monarchs chose to stay here, what you see is frequent alterations and additions to provide comfortable royal apartments. 

After the union of the crowns of Scotland and England in 1603, these buildings were abandoned and robbed of stone leaving the spectacular south wall with its windows overlooking the glen.

St. Benedict required the abbot dine with all visitors to the abbey. ‘Let the abbots table always be with guests and travellers’, he directed. However, when nobles knocked on the door, the abbot probably arranged for poorer pilgrims to eat elsewhere, while he enjoyed lavish feasts with his high-ranking guests.

This was such a worthwhile stop on our way back to Stirling to drop off our rental car and take a train to Edinburgh for the last few days of our Scotland Trip. Our sunshiny days were behind us.

Back to the present:

Today, January 20, 2025, in the United States is the inauguration of our 47th President, Donald J. Trump. We will be watching the ceremony. We hope for the best for our country and it’s people and our world. For us as believers, the very best is yet to come and it’s not happening here. In the meantime, we pray, we hope for the best, and we remain good citizens of our country doing our part as citizens. We acknowledge that we are not in control of the world and what is happening around the world but we know the One who is in control and who holds our world together.

As the song resounds, ‘This World is not my home I’m just a passing through, my treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue, the angels beckon me from heaven’s open door, and I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.’

Scotland Travel Journal ~ Dunfermline 2

The Old Church
The former nave of the abbey church, erected by David I over the original church founded by his mother, Queen Margaret. The Old Church is the only significant remain of the 1147 abbey, and is a wonderful example of Romanesque architecture, with huge, rounded pillars, two carved with striking zigzag patterns.

Carnegie Historical Window in Dunfermline Abbey. Left to right: William Wallace, Malcolm III, Queen Margaret and Robert the Bruce.

In 1881, when Andrew Carnegie returned to Dunfermline with his mother Margaret to lay the foundation stone of the world’s first purpose-built Carnegie library, a thought came to mind to offer to the Abbey a commemorative stained glass window of his own design.

Reverend Doctor Peter Chalmers, 1790-1870

by Dr. Jean Barclay

Peter Chalmers, minister of the Church of Scotland and local historian, was born in Glasgow on September 19th 1790 the only son of Alexander Chalmers, cloth merchant, and his wife Marion Bald.  At the age of sixteen, having done well at school, he went to the University of Glasgow, gaining an MA (or AM) in 1808 and decided to enter the ministry.  He was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of Glasgow in September 1814 and became assistant to the well-known evangelist Rev. Thomas Chalmers (no relation) at St. George`s (Tron) Church. In July 1817 Peter Chalmers was ordained to the Second Charge (or ministry) at Dunfermline Abbey. He arrived just before the removal of the ruins of the old monastic church and the erection of the New Abbey Church on its site in 1818-21 and gave the last sermon in the Auld Kirk in the nave and the first in the New Church. In 1836, on the death of the Rev. Allan MacLean, Chalmers was promoted to the First Charge of the Abbey.

It was not easy to research the stained glass windows in the Abbey and newer section of the church.

Armorial window
of
Annabella Drummond Queen of Robert III of Scotland .

The McLaren Window – Dunfermline Abbey, featuring scenes from the Last Supper and the Resurrection. This stained glass window was erected in 1904 to honour two local brothers William and John McLaren, who stipulated that their own faces should be reproduced among the disciples. Below the Last Supper Window a quote states, ‘This cup is the New Testament in my Blood.’

In the Resurrection Window, Mary Magdalene can be seen kneeling alongside the two Mary’s above a quote that states: ‘He is not here, for he is risen.’ To the right of Mary Magdalene are weapons and armour belonging to a Roman Soldier, including what appears to be the ‘Holy Lance’ otherwise known as the ‘Spear of Destiny…’

The chancel is such a contrast to the empty, echoing nave; the grave of Robert the Bruce is striking, but it is rather oddly tucked under the pulpit, surrounded by Victorian woodwork, so it isn’t the easiest thing to see closely.

Robert the Bruce was buried, in 1329, in the choir, now the site of the present parish church. Bruce’s heart rests in Melrose, but his bones lie in Dunfermline Abbey, where (after the discovery of the skeleton in 1818) they were reinterred with fitting pomp below the pulpit of the New church. In 1891, the pulpit was moved back and a monumental brass inserted in the floor to indicate the royal vault.

 

When and if I find more information about some of the windows we photographed I’ll add the information to this post.

On this Saturday the 21st of September we also toured the remains of the castle which will be another post.

It’s always after the fact that I learn so much more about the places we visited. One of the things I didn’t know about Dunfermline is that Andrew Carnegie was born in Dunfermline and the Andrew Carnegie Galleries and Library are in the town.

Back to the present: We are moving into the Martin Luther King Jr. weekend with many folks getting Monday as a holiday in the USA to honor the memory of him. Hope you all have a good weekend.

Scotland Travel Journal~ St. Andrews #3

On Friday the 20th of September 2024 after our time at St. Andrews castle we got some back lane directions to get to North Street.

Butts Wynd Lane

The lane took us by some of the University of St. Andrews buildings with this beautiful St. Salvatores quad.

We were hoping to be able to get inside Saint Salvatore’s Chapel but were disappointed to find a private event going on with no entry for us.

We walked by along North Street and could tell this was a beautiful chapel. I found this youtube and the gal who took the video does show the interior of the chapel with added information and history. She shows the spot where Patrick Hamilton a Presbyterian Reformer was martyred in the video, also.

Our next stop was the Northpoint Cafe made famous by Prince William and Kate. We made it in time to have some refreshments before it closed.

Back on the streets we wound our way to the ruins of St. Andrews Cathedral and St. Rules Tower

 

Our feet and our backs were complaining at the end of this afternoon. The grounds were in the process of closing just as we arrived so before they locked the gate, Laura and I went in. I kept the gatekeeper occupied with questions and conversation while Laura walked about the ruins taking photos.

St Andrews Cathedral was Scotland’s largest cathedral. It took nearly 150 years to build and was consecrated in 1318 by Robert the Bruce. An ill-fated building, it suffered damage from fires and storms, but the Religious Reformation of 1559 was the most damaging event of all. Following an anti-Papal sermon by John Knox, his congregation went to the Cathedral and destroyed its symbols of Roman Catholicism. Further attacks led to the Cathedral being closed and the friars expelled. 

 

On the site of St Andrews Cathedral, there was originally St Rule’s Church, which belonged to a community of Augustinian Canons who had the adjoining building as their living quarters. Nowadays, only the Tower remains, and at 30 meters high, it provides the best panoramic views across St Andrews. 

The tower is generally accessible to climb and see great views but we arrived too late in the day for that.

There is also a museum on this site but, you guessed it, the museum was closed by the time we reached this site.

You can find more information here.

When we couldn’t hold the gatekeeper off any longer we left the grounds and let him lock the gate. We walked back to where our vehicle was parked along the University lanes with one more stop in mind before we left St. Andrews.

Well of course we needed a photo of our Gregory right at this spot!

Before we left to Scotland we watched Chariots of Fire knowing we would be close to the beach where the famous opening to the movie was filmed. We wanted to re-enact that opening.

Eric Liddell: I believe God made me for a purpose – but He also made me fast. And when I run, I feel His pleasure.

“I have no formula for winning the race. Everyone runs in her own way, or his own way. And where does the power come from, to see the race to its end? From within. Jesus said, ‘Behold, the Kingdom of God is within you. If with all your hearts, you truly seek me, you shall ever surely find me.’ If you commit yourself to the love of Christ, then that is how you run a straight race.” ~ Eric Liddell

We were pleased with the results. We have videos but unfortunately I can’t find a way to post that on my blog. We were cracking ourselves up and amazed our feet allowed this last event of the day. When we got back to our car, it was decided we needed to find some takeaway or purchase something we could pop in the oven for dinner. Take away did not materialize so we stopped at M&S and found some savoury pies and some desserts, too.

Laura’s watch clocked us at 21,797 steps with 29 stairway climbs, too. Yikes.

Food heated and feet up for the rest of the evening!! Cheers!

After breakfast on Saturday we would start our journey back to Stirling to drop off our rental car and take a train to Edinburgh for the last leg of our trip.

The Presidential Election 2024

To keep my blog in historical context and to have some of the historical facts found here when I look back I’ll join many and our current President, Joe Biden in congratulating the next president of the United States, Donald J. Trump.

In a historic victory for the American people, President Trump just won a resounding mandate for commonsense.

With a massive victory in both the popular vote and the electoral college, the American people spoke loudly and clearly. They want:

  • To lower prices and restore the American Dream
  • A trade policy that puts American workers first.
  • Tax relief for working families.
  • To unleash American energy.
  • Peace through strength.
  • A secure border.
  • To rid our streets of illegal alien criminal gangs.
  • To support law enforcement

Donald Trump finds himself in rare company, joining Grover Cleveland as the second chief executive of the United States to be elected to nonconsecutive terms. Grover Cleveland was our 22nd and 24th President.

According to the final tally, Trump won 312 electoral votes to Harris’s 226 in Tuesday’s presidential election, comfortably surpassing the 270 electoral votes needed to claim victory. Trump also led the popular vote with over 72.9 million votes, compared to Harris’s 68.2 million votes.

May God bless our country, our current President and our next President.

Comments are off for this post.

Scotland Travel Journal ~ Wallace Monument

On Sunday the 15th of September our sight seeing would end at the Wallace Monument. We could see it in the distance and were hoping for a tourist bus to take us there. We walked down into the center of town and stopped for a coffee and a snack before we found out that the Tourist bus had ceased operation at the end of August.

At the central bus stop in town Josh found out from a bus driver that we could take the #10 bus and it would get us up to the monument. After many stops along the route we were dropped off right at the parking lot for the Monument. We opted to wait for the mini shuttle van to take us from the parking lot up to the Monument.

We ventured inside and bought our tickets for the climb.

Greg and I made it to the Hall of Arms. Josh and Laura made it all the way to the top, 246 steps, in a narrow winding staircase!

The Arms of Great Britain

We all made it to the Hall of Arms and watched the video available.

The Arms of Sir William Wallace.

In the hall of heroes Laura and Josh spotted one of our heroes on this trip, John Knox.

At the Royal Chamber you could design your own coat of arms for your battle shield.

Find out about William Wallace here.

Laura found this little figurine along the way.

It was very windy at the top.

You can read the historical account of this battle and the history of this time here.

We were blessed with spectacular views on this beautiful day.

We took the tram down to the cafe and gift shop and I talked Greg into letting me photo him at the taking of Stirling bridge photo op. Josh and Laura made it down the 246 steps and took one of the last shuttles back down to the parking lot. We had ordered a taxi that arrived soon after. The taxi took us back to our lodging for the night and we finally checked into our rooms. We were surprised that the taxi ride cost us less than the bus. We had a dinner reservation at 6:00 so we freshened up and got ready to walk to the restaurant.

I’ll save our photos into town, dinner, and our Inn for another post.

Scotland Travel Journal ~ The Necropolis

On Saturday the 14th of September after viewing the inside of Glasgow Cathedral we walked outside to improving weather and decided we shouldn’t miss the hike up to the Necropolis to view the John Knox Memorial.

The Necropolis is a Victorian garden cemetery full of wonderful architecture, sculpture and fascinating stories.

Mennonite Girls Can Cook

I’m reposting this Mennonite Girls Can Cook post from June 2018 to memorialize it on my blog for the sake of history. This post by Lovella was written to let everyone know our daily postings would stop. Even though we are retired from our blog our wonderful friendship continues. We communicate with each other most days of the year and get together whenever we can.
~

Ten years ago, this blog began on a whim that blossomed into an extraordinary compilation of our Mennonite recipes. Ten women volunteered to make, photograph and post on this blog so that our families and future generations will have this integral part of our heritage preserved.

The first idea for MGCC began during a sleepless night on June 5th, 2008.  By 9 AM the next morning I had sent out a casual invitation on my personal blog. It was Vee who commented on that post saying “Sounds like great fun! I know you Mennonite gals know how to cook!!”

That is how the name Mennonite Girls Can Cook came to be.  There was no business plan or goal as to how many recipes we would post.   It is because of how it all fell into place that we have known in our hearts that God provided an opportunity for us to use the gifts He gave us,  to bless others,  and to give Him glory.

I love telling the story of how we were so thrilled to realize that our blog was being read.  Within the first week, we were tracking several hundred visitors per day.  Later we admitted it was only the ten of us coming back over and over to see if we had any comments on our recipes.

It wasn’t long though and you really did come to visit our blog and you kept coming back and your encouragement took us from the beginning idea of posting our Mennonite heritage recipes to also include our family favorite recipes and experiments from our own kitchens.

It is now not unusual for us to welcome over ten thousand page views on any given day. We are so delighted that this has become a place where recipes are searched, and where we have been able to freely share our faith.

We also recognize that God led us to make some decisions back when it all began.  We decided that if there was ever a way for us to raise money from anything connected to the blog, we would feed hungry children.  We decided we would keep our blog beautiful without automated advertisements.  Our sponsors on our sidebar quietly have donated to our charities and we have appreciated them for their generosity.
We also decided that we wouldn’t pursue a publisher but if one approached us we would welcome an invitation to do a cookbook.  In the spring of 2010, we were approached by Amy Gingerich the Editor of Herald Press, to see if we wanted to do a cookbook with them.
Our original Mennonite Girls Can Cookbook featuring Mennonite Recipes and our family favorites became a Canadian bestseller within a few months thanks to all of you who bought up books everywhere they were available.
Early in 2012, we started to work on our Celebrations book which was a delight to create as we reflected all the seasons that we have experienced in life.  During that summer, we met together once more to take photos and have a very special tea time that we shared with you in the pages of the book.
Our Bread for the Journey book was published to coincide with the opening of the play Mennonite Girls Can Cook.  This book has been a place where we have shared our Mennonite family history stories and have shared what our faith means to us in daily living.   We used that opportunity to put into print some of the recipes that have been most searched on the blog.
We have been reflecting in our daily chats with one another how we had never ever imagined the opportunities to share.  Television interviews across Canada, newspaper and magazine interviews, traveling for book signings,  cooking demonstrations, speaking opportunities, and the play called Mennonite Girls Can Cook have all had an impact on increasing our visibility.
We are so thankful for all those that donated to projects on our behalf.
We realize that God gave us this journey of ten women for a purpose. God gave each of us a gift and we have sought to be faithful in sharing that gift with you through our recipes, our books and through our devotionals.
So I ask you to make full use of the gift God gave you when I placed my hands on you. Use it well. 
2 Timothy 1:6
There is still a lot for us to accomplish on our blog. While we will not be posting new recipes, we will continue to tweak our past recipes, redo some old photos and rework our recipe index to make it easier to find your favorites. Our best recipes will be highlighted during the different seasons of the year. You can be sure that the new year will begin with Portzelky, Paska will be front and center at Easter, Rollkuchen in summer, harvest recipes in fall and Oma’s cookies at Christmas.  We feel certain that there are many recipes that you haven’t tried and we hope that by making the recipe index easier to navigate, you will feel inspired to search and try something new to you.
There are many things that we will miss, most of all, our connections with you through your faithful comments.  Thank you for your encouragement that kept us motivated to do our work to the best of our ability.  Thank you also, for all the cookbooks and devotional books that you have purchased in the past and will continue to purchase.  Every dollar that we earn through those cookbooks will continue to provide clean water for the thirsty, and food for the hungry.  Because of your support, we have been richly blessed to give where God has led us.
Before I press the publish button for the last time, I want to tell you about the beautiful women that have worked alongside me.  They have all had such a vital impact on my life.  They have encouraged me in my walk with God.  They have encouraged me to strive for excellence.  They have opened their hearts to friendship and unity.  They have allowed me to glean the wisdom they have and they are faithful to pray for needs within our group and are quick to bring praise to God.
None of them signed up to take turns posting recipes every day for ten years and yet as this project grew, their hearts were open to using their gifts knowing that it could help others. I pray that wherever God leads them in the years to follow that they will continue to inspire others with the beautiful gifts they have.
When I tell you how each is unique, you will understand how we have needed each other and how our group was brought together by God.
 We have become faithful friends because we have been thankful for each other.
Anneliese opens her home with joy to host and to serve. Anneliese has the gift of creative writing.  She has used her gift to edit our books and to write poetry and stories that warm our hearts with truths. She has often helped me in thinking through how to communicate something in writing.
When you have reached out to us on our contact page, it has been Anneliese who answered your questions.
 In Anneliese, I value her sincere heart, her example of hospitality, and her attention to detail.
Betty delights in serving. She is well known for treats she brings to appointments, workplaces, and is a source of take-out meals for those she loves.  Every Saturday morning, Betty has sent out an email to all of us, reminding us of our scheduled recipes. She never missed a Saturday and she never forgot to post her own recipe.
 In Betty, I value her cheerfulness, her patience, and her humility.
Charlotte has the gift of caring deeply about people with compassion and empathy.  She is gentle and kind and looks for ways to bless others. Her large friendship circle is a testimony to the way she treats those she knows.
Charlotte has forwarded the comments and questions that you have made on our posts to us.
  In Charlotte, I value her capacity to love unconditionally, her listening ear and her empathy.
Bev somehow manages to juggle many things in a day and still host neighbors, family, friends and those that stop by, without exhibiting any bother or fuss.  She truly loves to host and does it with flare.  Bev also is generous and willing to help wherever help is needed.
Bev has diligently indexed all the recipes making it easy when you are wondering what to make.
In Bev, I value her willingness, her honesty and her heart of reconciliation.
Ellen has the gift of hospitality that she shares with family and friends and their church group.
Ellen has been our voice on Facebook, always introducing each mornings recipe in a way that will pique your interest.
In Ellen, I value the twinkle in her eye, the way she listens before speaking and her discernment.
Judy is our calm and steady peacemaker who encourages and sees the best in everyone.
She has a keen eye for detail and has often quietly tweaked our spelling and grammar in the morning when necessary.
Judy has been faithful in posting our daily recipes to Pinterest.
In Judy, I value her sense of diplomacy, her logical thinking, and her kindness.
Julie is a prayer warrior.  If you have ever requested prayer on our blog, it has most often been Julie that has led us in prayer with her tender compassion and empathy.  Julie is always cheerful and gives the best hugs.  Julie is faithful to teach the gospel wherever God gives her opportunities.
In Julie, I value her joyfulness, her love to understand scripture and her imaginative mind.
Kathy is encouraging and has a joyful spontaneity that is enjoyed by all who know her.  Her gift of hospitality spills out of her home and into wherever life takes her.   She is a skillful communicator and efficient in managing her time.
In Kathy, I value her inclusivity, her words that encourage and her sense of responsibility.
Kathy and Marg have been our sponsor liaisons.
Marg has a delightful adventurous spirit. She has shown us what courage and faith look like when tragedy strikes.  Behind the scenes, Marg has organized our schedule for our Bread for the Journey Sunday devotionals.
In Marg, I value her joy in nurturing, her generosity and her authenticity.
We are so very thankful for you our readers that have given us a platform to share our joy of hospitality!
   We want to leave you with a blessing from the Bible.
“The Lord bless you
and keep you;
the Lord make His face shine upon you
and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn His face towards you
and give you peace.”
Numbers 6:24-26 NIV

Being An Adult Hodgepodge

Joyce From This Side of the Pond has a fresh set of questions for us to ponder for Wednesday Hodgepodge.

1. Growing up, at what age did you think you’d become an adult? At what age did you actually become an adult? 

If I thought about it I didn’t call it being an adult. The older siblings in my family had some responsibilities that were adult like earlier in life. Our parents immigrated to the U.S. just after World War II, legally. Our mom never drove and our pop had to work hard to support a family with 8 children.  Sometimes my older sisters and I walked into town to pay bills in person with cash from our parents. We got ourselves to swimming lessons, the library, and to school. When I got my license there were times that I took my younger brothers to their baseball practices and games. When many of my friends were at senior prom, I was at my younger brother’s baseball game.  In my senior year of high school I had enough credits to graduate with morning classes. I found an afternoon job at a local company and got rides to and from work. I saved up for college with that job. I earned scholarships for most of my college costs. My older sister drove me to the University of Redlands for my freshman year and helped me settle in. We didn’t have and didn’t expect input from our parents on which college to go to. If they could they would help with college costs but mostly we paid our own way. We purchased our own cars and they were mostly used cars. After college I was able to finance my Volkswagen at a school credit union and when I paid that off, like an adult, I earned some good credit.

2.  What’s a favorite item you’ve bought this year?

At our church my area of service is the kitchen and the hospitality branch. We had some money left in the budget so I was able to purchase a coffee system that got plumbed and makes providing coffee at functions so much easier. Instead of those big old coffee pots that you have to fill with water, add the coffee in the baskets and plug in two hours before an event, we can now fill a basket with coffee grounds push the button on the new system and have 2.2liters of coffee in 5 minutes. Yes, and amen!

3. May 28th is National Hamburger Day…are you a fan? If so, how do you like yours? When was the last time you had a hamburger? Besides the backyard grill, what’s your favorite place to go for a burger? 

We do enjoy a good burger. We hadn’t had burgers for a long while but Saturday of Memorial weekend we had a good burger on the way home from shopping in Spokane. We enjoy the burgers at Masters Brew House in Deer Park. Their onion jam that you can have on a burger is delicious. Sorry to say we haven’t found a good burger in Colville. We have fond memories of In N Out burgers.

4.  How have your priorities changed over time? 

The closer I get to heaven the more concerned I am about friends and family and people in general who haven’t had their debt to God paid by Jesus Christ. We all have a debt of sin on our accounts. You can trust Christ who suffered and died and rose from the dead to provide that debt payment.  You need to ask forgiveness (repent) for your sin and put your faith in him and His sacrifice. What Jesus accomplished will pay your debt in full or you will have to pay that sin debt to God yourself in hell. Only Christ’s sacrifice provides the way. You can not earn it by being a ‘good’ person or a ‘religious’ person. It’s a no brainer to me. I’m getting too old to sugar coat this message. Heaven is real and Hell is real. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father but by Him.

5. What’s one thing on your June calendar you’re really looking forward to? 

The very last weekend in June our family of 10 will be enjoying time together in Walla Walla at a VRBO.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Our son gifted his dear bride a long weekend away over Memorial Weekend. He took time off of work and cared for our Grands while mommy was gone. We enjoyed feeding them a meal on Friday night of the weekend.

First corn on the cob this year!

I’m Late, I’m Late…

…for a very important date!

The photo above is of my brother Steve creating my blog for me.

In March of 2007 when my brother told me he was going to start a blog for me I was a little afraid that I wouldn’t be able to handle the technology. He convinced me everything would be ok. We were at Greg’s brother’s home in Anaheim Hills, California. We started brain storming about what I should name it. We came up with a few fun names but the way I came up with my keeper is…

 

a. I’m generally a very happy person.

b. I’m also someone who wonders about a lot of things and have a deep need to know.

So as we were discussing point a and b my husband came up with The Happy Wonderer.

As far as the purpose of my blog I chose “to Honor and Encourage”. I’m an encourager to people around me and I wanted that reflected in the relationships I’d develop on my blog. It is very important to me to Honor Jesus Christ who is my LORD.  I want my words and posts to be things that will encourage people and be something that won’t reflect poorly on my relationship with Jesus.

My blog was born on March 3, 2007 which means I’m a little late in celebrating my 17th Bloggy Anniversary! 

I’ve had a few headers over the course of the 17 years.

Conwy Castle from our trip to Wales, Scotland and England in 2006 was one of my first headers. Greg took that photo.

I had a different view of this table from our Mennonite Girls Can Cook Tea to celebrate our second cookbook as my header for a few years.

My current header is just a stock header that I find easy to look at.

I used Photobucket for several years to store and post my photos to my blog and sadly they stopped being a free service and hijacked my photos.  They will let me have them again if I’m willing to pay but it is more than I want to pay. That was very disappointing to me. I have a lot of clean-up to do on my older posts.

I did have some technical challenges off and on with my blog and my brother Steve was my go to person who could fix things for me at the beginning.

I’m not participating in many blog carnivals anymore. They were very helpful at the beginning to get connected with others in the blogging community. Blue Monday, Tablescape Thursday, Photo Hunters, Friday Feast, Mosaic Monday, ABC Wednesday, WFMW, Show and Tell, Thankful Thursday, Friday’s Fave Five, Sky Watch, Recipe Round-Up, Ruby Tuesday, Before and After,  Wordless Wednesday, and many more were fun to join.

These days I’m participating in Hodgepodge Wednesday. On Thursdays I have my Truth for Today Bible Verse posts. Sundays are my Hymn days. The rest of the days are for what’s happening with family, our country bungalow, weather, travels and other events.

A big thanks to my brother Steve for nudging me into this fun activity that has opened up so much more of the world to me. Blogging has also improved my photography and given me ‘eyes to see’.

Lovella’s Blog is what connected me to my Mennonite Girls and my life is better because of my relationship with these ladies.

I’m grateful for the many friendships that have developed over the years with fellow bloggers. I met my walking buddy, Willow, in Camarillo through our blogs. I’ve been able to meet up with other bloggers from California, Kansas, Canada, Utah and Washington.

Thank you for visiting my blog and for the comments you leave. I have one survey question for fellow bloggers and those of you who leave comments. Do you prefer a reply to any comments even if it isn’t a question that you leave on a blog or would you rather someone visits your blog in return and reads and comments on your posts? Hope that question makes sense.

Fountains Abbey ~ Wow!

 

On Saturday September 23rd, day nine of our travels, we had our buffet breakfast at the Knaresborough Inn, checked out and journeyed to nearby Fountains Abbey which is one of The National Trust properties in England at the Studley Royal Park. It was a rainy morning and we were wondering if the clouds would clear for our time at this property. Yes and hallelujah the rain moved on and the skies were glorious for our time at this magnificent property.

 

History of these largest Monastic Ruins in the country can be found here.

We paid our admission fee and walked down the pathway to the ruins. What a treat it was to be here and to see the wonder of it all. This was way up there in the Wow Factor.

Be forewarned that this post has a lot of photos.

The timing for our visit couldn’t have been better. As you can see, we are enjoying the grounds without other people around. A few more people arrived as time went on but we never had to dodge anyone.

I’m sure Laura was saying WOW! here.

 

 

This was a wonderful setting to remember all our Savior completed for us on the cross 2000 years ago.

I’m ending this post here. We walked on to more of the Studley Royal Park grounds and enjoyed some other sights before we walked back to the main entrance and had some lunch at the visitor center restaurant.

If you’ve made it all the way through this post you deserve applause! Thank you for coming along on my travel journal of our time in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Just a few more posts to go.