Category Archives: Travel

Off the Beaten Track…

We had a choice or two on how we might reach our destination for our Sunday drive. We chose the back way. We decided we had enough of the interstate and wanted to see interesting scenes along a smaller highway. We were happy with our choice to take highway 530 to Rockport. We had some good views of Mt. Pilchuk.

How’s this for a tree lined road?

Here we have a little peek of snow covered Mt. Pilchuk. We enjoy roads that wind along rivers.

We arrived to our destination and spotted what we were hoping to see. Can you see it? I’ll have more photos in the days to come.

This week begins a very busy time around this old house. How’s your week shaping up?

A Sunday Drive…

Dear and I decided on a Sunday drive to the North of us on a small highway to see if we could spot some eagles. We were socked in with fog at our house and it was so nice to travel out of it and come into the nice bright sunshine. Funny that we had to go North instead of South to get to the sunshine. I’ll be sharing more photos tomorrow of our outing and the 3 eagles we did spot.

This is the Skagit river at Rockport, Washington, looking East. A different part of our beautiful state. Blessings on your week!

Travel Tips?

First off before I get to my news and question for my friends in bloggy world I want to thank you for all your kind thoughts about my state of mind this last week. The blur has lifted and things have cleared up nicely in my outlook. God is good, all the time.

Some trips have been added to my calendar for the winter months and that’s where I would love some suggestions from you. In March during my birthday week Dear has a conference to attend in Milan, Italy. Since it falls during my birthday we decided I should tag along and take advantage of a free hotel room. His company booked his ticket and we booked mine on the same flights sitting together. Woohoo!

By the way this photo is not from Milan or Europe at all but from our own National Cathedral in Washington D.C. Since I’ve never been to the mainland of Europe (only Great Britain), I didn’t have any of my own photos of Milan to show you…yet!

So…have any of you ever been in Milan or in Italy? If you have would you be so kind as to offer suggestions of things I shouldn’t miss while there. I’m not a fashion guru so I won’t be spending a lot of time with what Milan is known for but I’ve already seen some beautiful images of the Milan Cathedral and am really looking forward to visiting it with my camera. As usual on these trips most of the time I’ll be on my own.

We’ll be there in the middle of March and fly home on the first day of Spring.

Women’s Bible study started up again this week and it was good to be back with the ladies in my group. Thursday night our small group is going to help prepare a meal and deliver and serve it to some Homeless folks in downtown Seattle. The coming weekend looks free. How are things in your world?

Laying to Rest…

I’m looking forward to all the Election brouhaha being laid to rest by tomorrow. In the spirit of that hope I decided to share some more from the Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta, Georgia. I hope you’ll enjoy the peaceful, restful images…

I’m grateful that whoever wins in our nation’s election that God is still on the throne and He is the one that holds our world together. I’m thankful that my hope is in Him and Him alone for my future. Judging from all the polls half of our country is going to be disappointed once the numbers are all in.

Blessings on all who come by here and God bless America…

Wrapping It Up…

This will be the final post from our time at Dan’s.

This is one of the horses that live next door coming over to say hi.

Several White Tail Deer come to visit to eat apples, plums or cherries from Dan’s trees.

We are looking forward to visiting again to take care of more projects on the property. Because of weather that visit probably won’t happen till the Spring.

Today I’m thankful for Dan’s good neighbors (besides the horses and deer). These neighbors all look out for each other and each other’s properties. It is good for this mom’s heart knowing even though Dan lives out alone on several acres there are those who know he is there and watch out for him.

The Grace Challenge continues with specific things I am grateful to God for. I’m also thankful for the chance to celebrate Communion today and remembering with gratitude what Christ has done for me.

Day by Day…

We will give thanks for all the wonderful things we’re given and we enjoy.

It’s no secret around my blog that we enjoy food. Food from our own kitchen and food from other kitchens is appreciated and enjoyed. I thank God today that we have the resources to make good things in our kitchen and that we can afford eating out at nice restaurants. While in Chewelah we re-visited The Chalet Restaurant for breakfast. I’m sure this will be a spot we frequent when we visit our son.

I’m also thankful for a free weekend. We don’t have any engagements this weekend and we are happy to just be able to putz around the house.

What are you thankful for today?

Inspiration to Shoot…

I’m thankful today for fellow bloggers who inspire me to look at the big picture and the beauty in the details. Karen at Ocean Soul is one of those bloggers along with her co-blogger Jukavo who inspire me with their photography.

Here are some of my artsy fartsy shots from Dan’s place…

This post and the rest of my posts in the month of November will be connected to the Grace Challenge I’m participating in. Here’s a quote from my brother’s blog about grace:

“Grace may be the word that best summarizes Christianity. In English, “grace” is connected to two other important words that teach us a response to grace: Gratitude and Graciousness.

Here is how it works. First and foremost, our life, salvation and everything in between is a result of the grace of God. Every breath I take is a grace of God. I cannot be saved apart from grace. Grace emphasizes and points to God as the center. Life is all about Him. He reveals Himself to me not by force, but by grace.”

To read the whole post click here.

I want to continue being specific in my thankfulness. I’m really thankful for digital photography. Digital photography affords me failure in photo taking while at  the same time giving me an incredible chance of shooting a beauty. God does the same thing for me through grace. I fail and he picks me up and He lets me try again and with His help He makes things good for me.

Hope your week has gone well. This weekend ends daylight savings. Don’t forget to fall back an hour!

A Month of Grace…

I’m taking part in the Grace Challenge from my brother Steve’s church that begins today. One of the things I’ll be doing is being deliberate and specific about what I’m thankful for.

There are so many things to be thankful for each day. Today I’m thankful for the home God has blessed our son Dan with. Not just the home but the land and and all the equipment that came with the home.

I’m just guessing but I think Dan might be most thankful for his huge shop!

This is the back of the house. We’re discussing new paint colors with Dan and the possibility of building another deck off this part of the house.

He has lots of time to make things his own and according to his style.

What are you thankful for today?

Put Your Boots On!

It’s time for a trek through Dan’s 6.5 acres!

Head past the old barn…

through the gate…

past the brush…

up the rise…

now down the other side of the rise…

keep going across the brush that the deer and the bears enjoy…

keep going…we’re headed to the creek…

past more beautiful fall colors…

through the evergreens…

along the boundary marked by barbed wire fencing…

to the creek…

Don’t forget to look up and see the distinctive Western Larch.

“The largest of the nine larch or tamarack species growing in the Pacific Northwest, the western has pale green foliage, a rather “feathery” graceful arrangement of branches, and an open crown. Brilliant yellow in late fall, the needles drop in November. In fact, this species is one of only two coniferous species that sheds its needles every fall. Its thick bark is reddish-brown in color and features elongated scale plates.”

And speaking of elongated scale plates…

More fencing marking his boundaries with fair warning to those who might pass by…

At the boundary of his property on the old mining road…

We trek back listening to his ideas of what to do with this piece of land…

He describes to us what he has learned about the Western Larch…

I keep exclaiming about the beautiful fall colors that we are enjoying on our trek…

A close up of the Western Larch…

We are shown the evidence of this being a favorite of deer for bedding down at night. I’ll spare you the close up of what they have left behind…

I’ll end this part of our trek at the road and his little stand of “Christmas trees”…

More to come from our time at Dan’s…

We are so thankful to God for his provision for a home and land for our son Dan. We put in lots of hours to organize the shop and house for his comfort. I’ll be sharing more in the future. Our trip over the pass to and from Eastern Washington was good with no snow or significant slow downs.

Dear is back to work today and I’m trying to get back in my groove. Our niece’s family is still without electricity and running water in their high rise in New York City. Continued prayers are going up for the people effected and for all the first responders who are working hard to restore services to everyone without.

I’m also getting ready to hand out treats to the children in the neighborhood who will brave the cold and wet to ring my doorbell!

Catching Up…

…after 4 days of no T.V. or Internet. We had a wonderful productive time with our son Dan and I will share more after I catch my breath. Here’s one view of his property in Eastern Washington.

I’ll be visiting your posts and see what I missed while I was away. I am praying for friends and family on the East Coast who are suffering from effects of hurricane Sandy. Katie and Andrew are safe in North Carolina. My niece’s family in New York are without power or running water. Thinking about our bloggy friends in New York especially Pat at Mille Fiori and Kathleen at Cuisine Kathleen. How are you doing Vee? Hope everyone else is doing fine. Blessings…