Our first-born son Josh and his lovely wife Laura are celebrating their 6th anniversary. We couldn’t have asked for a lovelier daughter in law. They make such a wonderful team. How we thank God for his goodness to them and to us in bringing them together. We love you two. Blessings on many more years growing together in the Lord!
Photo Credit: Jeremy Leffel Photography
We’ve a story to tell to the nations,
That shall turn their hearts to the right,
A story of truth and mercy,
A story of peace and light,
A story of peace and light.
Refrain
For the darkness shall turn to dawning,
And the dawning to noonday bright;
And Christ’s great kingdom shall come on earth,
The kingdom of love and light.
We’ve a song to be sung to the nations,
That shall lift their hearts to the Lord,
A song that shall conquer evil
And shatter the spear and sword,
And shatter the spear and sword.
Refrain
We’ve a message to give to the nations,
That the Lord who reigns up above
Has sent us His Son to save us,
And show us that God is love,
And show us that God is love.
Refrain
We’ve a Savior to show to the nations,
Who the path of sorrow has trod,
That all of the world’s great peoples
Might come to the truth of God,
Might come to the truth of God.
Refrain
Words and Music by H. Ernest Nichol ~ In The Sunday School Hymnary (London: 1896)
This photo was taken in London at the Horse Guard’s Grounds during the Changing of the Queen’s Horse Guard in April of 2004
For more Photo Hunters go to T.N. Chick
We had a last minute party in Huntington Beach on Saturday because our brother Leonard came into town from Dallas, unexpectedly. It’s his and Lana’s birthday on Sunday so we got everyone together for a meal and fun. (Lana was in Seattle so she couldn’t come to her party!)
Dear and I had to drive South for 2 hours to Huntington Beach because of …
traffic! Where are all these people going?
We had the mini birthday cake for Leonard.
Leonard always the life of the party!
Mom and Pop brought the lamb chops to barbecue. Nick (Mr. T.) barbecued the chops after marinating them in rosemary and mint.
The young T’s were there to join in the fun.
The guys (Levi, Caleb and Ryan) being nonchalant because of the camera, were discussing Caleb’s new (old) Fender Telecaster that he bought.
Michelle and Jack enjoying Unca’s cake.
I had to include this photo of my parents. Nadz (baba, mom) is stylin’ with her capri’s!
The moon from Huntington Beach when we left.
The moon from Camarillo when we arrived home.
I didn’t get photos of everyone there, but no worries we never pass up an excuse for a party so there are always photo opportunities in the future, Lord willing….
My photos are being held hostage at the Photobucket site as of July 2017.
Ellen b. ~ 7 years old.
My parents immigrated to the US in the late forties and just after I was born settled in Pico Rivera, California for several years. The neighborhood I grew up in was called “The Jardines” Spanish for “The Gardens”. Let me tell you it was hardly a garden! We were a minority where I grew up. Most of my neighbors were Hispanic. My childhood was filled with neighborhood experiences, hide and seek in the street with the neighborhood kids, marbles, jacks. We didn’t spend a lot of time inside. The only books my home had in it were Encyclopedia Britannica that my parents were conned into buying by a door to door salesman promising us all a good education. We also had a Bible.
My childhood spanned the 50’s and 60’s. You can see the great 50’s furniture and accessories! Don’t miss the venetian blinds. We had a narrow long hall that we liked to run and slide down and we also would jimmy up the walls. One night before Easter Sunday I ran and slid down that hall and jammed my toes into the wall at the end. I had to wear one slipper to church because my toe swelled up. Talk about embarrasing being all dressed up in my Spring best with a slipper on!
One of my all time best family memories in this house was coming home from church on Sundays with bags of sunflower seeds from the sunflower seed cart across the street from our church. We’d sit around shelling and eating those seeds while we watched T.V. Ed Sullivan Show was a standard. I could go on and on but I’m going to spare you and save more for future posts.
If you want to read more about Childhood Homes go around the corner to Owlhaven…
My photos are being held hostage at the Photobucket site as of July 2017.
Ecclesiastes 3:11 ~ “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”
Katie and I arrived safe and sound today. The trip was easier than we expected. Thank you to those of you who were praying that my feet and legs wouldn’t cramp. God answered your prayers! Not one cramp in the 20 hours of driving. Of all the books on cd that we took our #1 favorite was Jeeves and the Song of Songs by P. G. Wodehouse. Funny and very entertaining. We enjoyed one of the Barchester Chronicles and Book 5 of Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. Today we listened to Meet Me at the Morgue which was an entertaining murder mystery. We wouldn’t recommend The Vicar of Wakefield, for us it was horribly dull!
Katie took this at the border of Oregon and California.
Katie being creative…
There is a story to this mountain range. Yes, what you see is a mountain range. The smallest mountain range in the World! Dear’s Mother Verna is buried in a cemetery with these mountains in the background. Our photo is from I-5 which is the opposite view from the one below.
Yuba City’s western horizon is dominated by the Sutter Buttes, renowned for being the “Smallest Mountain Range in the World.”
The range is actually circular with a diameter of 10 miles and covers an area of about 75 square miles. The mountains are the remnants of a volcano that has been dormant for over a million years. South Butte, the highest peak is 2,117 feet above sea level. North Butte is 1,863 feet and West Butte is 1,685 feet above sea level.
Before modern levees and dams were built to contain the rivers, winter storms and spring run-off frequently turned the Sacramento Valley into an inland sea making the Sutter Buttes an island refuge for Indians, settlers and wildlife.
The Buttes have had many names over the years. The Maidu Indians called them “Histum Yani” which translates as, “Middle Mountains of the Valley” or “Spirit Mountain” … depending on the source. According to Maidu legend, after death, the spirits of their people rest in the Buttes.
Gabriel Moraga, a Spaniard trying to locate possible mission sites, was the first European to see the Sutter Buttes in 1806. Another Spaniard, Luis Arguello, led an expedition in 1817 to explore Northern California by water. He called the Buttes “Los Picachos” or the peaks. He also named the Feather River “El Rio de la Plumas”, because he saw many feathers of wild fowl floating on the water.
Other names for the Buttes were “Marysville Buttes”, “Sacramento Buttes”, and “Los Tres Picos.” They were finally named the “Sutter Buttes” in 1949.
Today, most of the Sutter Buttes is private land and not open to the public. However, you can drive through and around the Buttes. It is a beautiful drive any time of the year! Each year, in the spring, over 1,000 cyclists converge to “Bike Around the Buttes” an event sponsored by the Diabetes Society of Yuba Sutter.
If you want to experience the Buttes up close, organized group tour hikes are available. You can also play golf in the Buttes at South Ridge Golf Course, but watch out for the infamous 16th hole!
http://www.syix.com/yubacity/sutterbuttes.html
My photos are being held hostage at the Photobucket site as of July 2017.
Psalm 86: 1-10 (NIV)
Hear, O Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. Guard my life, for I am devoted to you. You are my God; save your servant who trusts in you. Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I call to you all day long. Bring joy to your servant, for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you.
Hear my prayer, O Lord; listen to my cry for mercy. In the day of my trouble I will call to you, for you will answer me. Among the gods there is none like you, O Lord; no deeds can compare with yours. All the nations you have made will come and worship before you, O Lord; they will bring glory to your name. For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God.
We had a wonderful time with family and friends on the fourth. Check out Lana G’s picture collages taken at the party. I’m thrilled she took photos to capture the day. Fellowship, burgers, salads, gazpacho, yummy desserts and continuous games of Mexican Train the Chicken foot version. Today I’m posting photos from our Tuesday tour of downtown Seattle and beyond with my brother Leonard and his wife Mandy from Dallas.
First stop was Piroshky, Piroshky across the street from the main market and a few doors from the original Starbucks.
Here’s a little Russian lady making some of our favorites. I had the Cabbage and Onion, Dear & Mandy had the Potato and Cheese, and Leonard had the Beef and Cheese. A great way to start our tour.
We saw some fish being tossed and L & M bought me a beautiful bouquet of flowers.
Then we had some liquid refreshments with Leonard’s caramel apple.
The view of West Seattle on our way to the car.
Across town to Queen Anne Hill and Kerry Park.
This was another beautiful sunny day in Seattle.
You can even see Mt. Ranier!
We walked down to the end of the street to see the Western view across Elliot Bay.
There was a little garden where these beautiful hydrangeas were blooming…
and this lovely Dogwood variety.
Off the hill to Fremont and we discovered that the troll is still there. Unfortunately Lenin is still there, also.
Home again, home again, jiggety jig.
These are my flowers from the market. They smell wonderful.
Photobucket is holding all the photos of mine from this post hostage as of July 2017.
Photobucket is holding all the photos of mine from this post hostage as of July 2017.
Monday Dear, my brother Leonard, his wife Mandy, and I took a ferry to Whidbey Island.
The car and passenger ferry is a short 20 minute ride from Mukilteo to Clinton on the South end of Whidbey Island.
Heading for the dock at Clinton.
We drove about 10 minutes to the great little town of Langley. Our first stop was Garibyan Brothers Cafe for a Lamb Kebab Sandwich, a ground Leg of Lamb Burger, Hummus platter and Stuffed Grape Leaves. We had the Russian Raspberry Creme for dessert.
Leonard and Mandy in the restaurant.
Views of Camano Island and Saratoga Passage.
This is the main street in this town with restaurants, antique shops, general stores, bakeries, and art shops, to name a few.
We drove north to Greenbank Farm and took a walk in their fields to get to these glorious views.
The day was so mild we could stand on the ferry outdoor deck on our way home.
The Puget Sound with the Cascade Mountains in the background.
The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b. 