The Parish Church of St. Helena ~ Beaufort, S.C.

When my daughter and I attended her now husband’s graduation from MCRD (Marine Corp Recruit Depot) Parris Island in September of 2010 he got a few hours off and we went out to eat and explored part of the historic area of Beaufort S.C. The Parish Church of St. Helena was a great photo back drop for Katie and Andrew. Historic information about the church can be read here.

Later this same fall Katie and Andrew were engaged in Salt Lake City, Utah. This next photo was on the evening of their engagement.

They got married in March of 2011 and their formal wedding celebration was in March of 2012. Andrew is now on In-Active Reserve status out of the Marine Corps after a little over four years and two tours of duty in Afghanistan. He left the Marine Corps as a Sergeant.

I’m linking to InSPIREd Sunday hosted by Beth and Sally.

Gathering the Moments ~ September

It’s time to take a look back at September…

September was a wonderful month of gatherings, homecomings, reunions, birthdays, and completed projects.

Early in September we met up with a dear long time family friend Timi and her daughter for coffee while she was visiting in Seattle.

We so enjoyed hearing the news that our new little nephew from the Ukraine was home in the U.S.A. with his forever family.

We celebrated Dear’s birthday with our kids on the Western side of the Cascades.

I flew to Southern California to spend time with my pop and extended family on the anniversary of my mom’s death.

I got to see Timi again with her sister Milla when they came to an open house at my sisters home. The bottom of this collage is of my mom and Timi and Milla’s mom together in Persia.

We celebrated this little ones birthday at the open house, too. Fun cupcake times!

While in California I picked up my pop and sister to head to the small Russian cemetery where my grandparents and other relatives are buried. I wanted to see my grandparents headstone.

Before I flew home two of my sisters and my niece met up for a dinner together with me. Delicious.

The long anticipated main floor bathroom renovation was finally completed. Sigh…

Other projects are well on their way at this old house. The siding and upper window are new as of September. Rows of cedar will finish off the top.

I read two Inspector Gamache books by Louise Penny, How the Light gets In and The Long Way Home. I splurged and bought this one instead of waiting for it to be available from the library. I now have read all the books in this series. I feel like some of the characters are my friends…

Some other things that happened this September were soccer games, small group start up, and a new eating and exercise program. I’ll share more about the last two when I see some good results!

I’m thanking the Lord for another full and fruitful month. Thank you Cheryl for hosting Gathering the Moments.

Linking with Cheryl at Thinking About Home for Gathering the Moments.

Gatherning the Moments ~ June

Looking back at June and all that took place around this old house and beyond.

I’m joining Cheryl at Thinking About Home for Gathering the Moments.

Trees came down, firewood cut, patio covers went up, peonies bloomed and were enjoyed, hydrangeas just started to color.

Main floor bathroom renovations began with the gutting process, removing everything to the studs and car deck, adding a new window, adding recessed lights and a fan/heater, replacing the ceiling dry wall.

Visitors came from the South and visitors came from the North. Tours commenced. The Market, Kerry Park, the Troll, Ballard Locks, Ste Michelle Winery, Whidbey Island, Queen Mary Tea Room, and University Village just to name a few destinations visited.

Celebrations in June included a retirement, combined Mother’s Day/Father’s Day dinner, and a wedding in the Portland area.

World Cup fever began and continues!

It’s been a while since I shared a photo of my dear old Pop on my blog. Most every week my sister Lana and niece Melissa join him for dinner at his apartment. This last week my niece Debbee and sister Kathy joined in the fun, too. They are getting real good at taking these selfies. My pop still has his ups and downs with his loneliness but he can still move around well and gets out to his church services and a Bible Study weekly. I appreciate seeing the weekly photos on Facebook since I live so far away…

I have to say that June just flew by this year. July holds many new adventures for us. We are looking forward to a trip to England to celebrate our 40 years of marriage, and when we get back the Bathroom renovation will be completed. What are you looking forward to in July?

Good Fences ~ George Washington Inn

The George Washington Inn is situated on the Strait of Juan de Fuca between Port Angeles and Sequim with views of the Olympic Mountain Range in Washington State on the Olympic Peninsula. It’s a great choice for a getaway with easy access to Hurricane Ridge and the Olympic Mountains or Dungeness Bay. The third weekend every July Sequim is known for their wonderful lavender festival. This would be a great spot to overnight for the festival.

My daughter, girlfriend and I attended a George Washington Tea here on Washington’s birthday in February a couple years ago. On that day we were treated to a rainbow looking out the back of the Inn and onto the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

We were happy that George Washington was the special guest at the tea in his honor.

I will be linking up with TexWisGirl at Run A Round Ranch for Good Fences #12.

My Feedly source has been attacked for the second time in 2 days and I’m not getting my usual updates on the blogs I enjoy visiting. They are working on developing some protection and getting back online. If I haven’t visited you can blame it on the attacker!

Eastern Washington Good Fences…

I love the rustic fences on our son’s property in Eastern Washington.

Good Fences is a weekly meme hosted by TexWisGirl at Run A Round Ranch.

I’m not at the top of my game today. I’ll be around to see what you are all up to later tonight or tomorrow. The sun is shining. I have to water my plants which is a good thing. We are celebrating a dear friend’s retirement over dinner tonight. Looking forward to that. Weekend plans involve getting our main floor bathroom ready for a total renovation. Busy times. What’s up for your weekend?

Good Fences #10

My fence this week is from Bellefontaine Cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri. My daughter and I spent a few hours here on our road trip from Seattle to North Carolina. If you like cemeteries this really is a worthwhile one to visit with many wonderful monuments and so much interesting history.

I’m joining TexWisGirl at Run *A* Round Ranch for Good Fences.

Thank you for being a fabulous hostess!

May Note Card Party!

Pop over to Vee’s at A Haven for Vee to join in on her May Note Card Party.

Thank you Vee!

I guess you see where I was going with my May Note Cards. We are so thrilled for our Son-in-law Andrew’s homecoming from Afghanistan.

Late August 2013 they drove from Jacksonville, North Carolina to Seattle in their car packed with all they could carry. Katie moved in with us. Andrew flew back to Jacksonville. Andrew was deployed to Afghanistan in September. Katie sent packages, wrote letters, communicated via the internet. We all prayed. September, October, November, December, January, February, March went by and April came. Andrew’s time was extended in Afghanistan. We kept praying. We started making plans to get Katie and their car back to Jacksonville, North Carolina. I made a road trip map. Andrew got tentative word about his possible return dates. We packed the car. We set out on our SeaJack trip on Sunday April 27th. We arrived in Jacksonville on May 4th. We found an apartment. We carried their minimal possessions up 3 flights of stairs. We ordered a bed. We shopped at Wal-Mart and the Commissary and the Exchange. Katie made a Welcome Home sign. Everything was ready. I flew to Orlando to meet my Dear on Thursday May 15th. Andrew returned to Katie’s arms at 11:00 P.M. Saturday May 17th, Armed Forces Day. Happy Happy Joy Joy! We prayed again thanking God for His great gift to us!

I’ll be coming around to see your note cards soon. I’m flying this evening from Orlando to Seattle. Looking forward to being back in our home.

March Moments

I’m joining Cheryl at Thinking About Home in Gathering the Moments.

At the end of each month she offers a link up for anyone to add their post on gathering the moments of the month. How amazing it is to look back and see all the events that happened in 31 days. March is my birthday month which added a lot to the moments…

March brought flowers once again in the yard.

The opening of the MLS Soccer season and a 90th birthday celebration on the 8th of March. On March 11th Katie and I celebrated her and Andrew’s 3rd wedding anniversary. Andrew is serving our country in Afghanistan. Hopefully this will be the last anniversary for many years that they spend half a world apart.

March brought some traveling adventures, too. Katie and I visited Snoqualmie Falls and then Dear, Katie and I traveled to Eastern Washington on my birthday (March 14th) to spend the weekend with our middle son.

It’s fun to visit Dan’s country world. We had a nice meal out to celebrate my birthday. This would be one of three different celebrations I was treated to.

March brought the Mennonite Girls Can Cook class on preparing Paska and an Easter meal at Lepp Farm Market in Abbotsford, B.C. Katie and I traveled across the border to be part of this event. It was nice to start thinking about Easter.

Lots of good food was consumed in March!

Last night we were able to enjoy my third birthday celebration with Josh and Laura. We caught up on our lives over a great meal at Wild Ginger in Bellevue, Washington. I’ll share more about our time later and the meaningful gifts they gave me.

It’s time for the sun to set on March.

What highlights did March bring your way?

It’s a Wrap for Sunlit Sunday…

…but only a finale in the posting not of our sunshine. Since we are entering seasons that boast more sunshine Karen is setting aside this weekly meme. I’m not a regular by any means but I say adieu to this light filled meme with a post today.

Thank you Karen for hosting Sunlit Sunday.

This little patch of Primroses surprise me every year. I didn’t plant them (they came with the house) but they pop up faithfully every year at this time.

I heard unofficially that the land our house sits on was once a rustic nursery called Primrose Acres. I like that and I’m still thinking that I should get to planting a lot of Primroses in honor of that.

This plant gave me more grief than joy so this past week I trimmed it back and pulled it out of the planter. I also weeded this corner that had weeds with the thickest, longest, most stubborn roots. I’ll share the plants I’m replacing this with in the future.

I’m so excited for the purple peeking through here. My lilac bush promises more blooms this year than last. It’s not hard to exceed last year’s yield as I only had one…just one bloom.

My Lenten Rose is winding down but is still a nice sight in the front planter. Our sun breaks have been few and far between the last several days. When it breaks through the clouds we are thankful.

Besides the sun some things that are lighting up my world are the chance to work side by side with my girlfriends in Canada for a good cause, time together with our daughter who is living with us while our son in law is serving in Afghanistan, spending time with our middle son over a weekend in Eastern Washington, time with our oldest son and our dear DIL here on this side of the mountains, and planning trips for Dear and me that are coming up in May and July. This week I’m planning and gathering fun things for a tea table I’m hosting at my church’s annual friendship tea coming up on Saturday. This evening we are having one more celebration for my birthday (March 14) with our kids on this side of the mountains.

What’s lighting up your world these days?

Five Words

This week for Friday’s Fave Five I’m sharing five words that stood out from my reading in the month of January. Thank you Susanne for hosting this meme each Friday. I’m including random photos with the post.

For this new year I’ve challenged myself to read 5 Psalms a day, One Proverb and concentrate on relearning Romans 12: 1-2. I’ve read around the Romans verses and that’s where the word inscrutable came from.

1. Inscrutable: not readily investigated, interpreted, or understood

Romans 11:33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

2. Extol: to praise (someone or something) highly

3. Steadfast: firmly fixed in place

4. Redeem, Redeemer, Redeemed: to make (something that is bad, unpleasant, etc.) better or more acceptable, (Ecclesiastical Terms) The Redeemer Jesus Christ as having brought redemption to mankind, saved from the bondage of sin.

5. Refuge: 1. Protection or shelter, as from danger or hardship. 2. A place providing protection or shelter. 3. A source of help, relief, or comfort in times of trouble.

Great Is the Lord

Psalm 145: 1-10 (ESV)

1 I will extol you, my God and King,
and bless your name forever and ever.
²Every day I will bless you
and praise your name forever and ever.
³Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised,
and his greatness is unsearchable.

⁴One generation shall commend your works to another,
and shall declare your mighty acts.
⁵On the glorious splendor of your majesty,
and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.
⁶They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds,
and I will declare your greatness.
⁷They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness
and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.

⁸The Lord is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
⁹The Lord is good to all,
and his mercy is over all that he has made.

¹⁰All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord,
and all your saints shall bless you!

I’ll be around to visit your favorites, soon. We are gearing up for game day here. Can’t be avoided when your home team is playing in the Super Bowl. Truth be told watching NFL games is not my favorite thing to do but we will rejoice with Seattle and enjoy the game.

The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b.

To honor and encourage

Category Archives: Meme