Hello June Hodgepodge

It’s Wednesday and time for the Hodgepodge  Jo From This Side of the Pond has a set of questions for us to ponder.

1. Besides the flag, tell us about something red, something white and something blue from your weekend. 

I’m going to lump the red, white and blue all together. We had a weird Memorial Day Weekend. Dear and I facilitated the food for a rehearsal dinner on Friday night and wedding on Saturday for a family from church so we were in the church kitchen for several hours. We didn’t have anything else planned for the weekend into the holiday on Monday and we found it relaxing to work on my London jigsaw puzzle which is mostly red, white and blue and on a blue tablecloth.

2. June is here and it’s National Give A Bunch of Balloons Month. Who would you give a bunch to if you could? Tell us why. 

Dollar store has their helium tanks again so I’m excited to buy a bunch of balloons to have here for the grands to enjoy when they visit. I will also buy a few to put out at the street so my Tea guests know which driveway to pull into. Our driveway is easy to miss and since it’s on a 50mph road it’s nice to give ample warning! My Tea date is June 19th.

3. What are three adjectives you associate with the month of June? Something you’re looking forward to this month?

Growing up in southern California we associated June with gloom because of the weather, June gloom. June is also associated with blooms so bloom June. “June is bustin out all over” Honeymoon June since June is associated with weddings.

I’m looking forward to having a Tea for Eight guests in my home on June 19th. I don’t have to cook or serve. I will set the table.

4. Tell us about a time (besides the obvious Corona answer) when you felt stuck in second gear.

Lately I’m stuck in second gear as far as meal planning goes. I’m unmotivated to come up with a weeks worth of meals or even a couple days worth of meals.

5. Sum up your May in fifteen words or less.

A month filled with flowers, joy and sorrow, special hellos and unreasonable goodbyes for now.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Highlight of our Memorial Day Weekend was this little guy coming to play at our house. More to come.

St Paul’s Mission Kettle Falls

When our friends from the coast, Bob and Jan, came to visit last week we took an outing to see this historical site and to walk through the museum.

You can find some history of this area here.

History of Fort Colville can be found here.

“This grooved boulder was a favorite whetstone used by generations of Indians who camped at the south end of the fishery. Left there by the last glacier, it is made of amphibolite, more fine-grained than the local bedrock. The stone has been placed here in the same position in which it was used to sharpen the spear points, knives and other implements used to harvest the salmon.”

We stopped in to the museum and I only took a few photos.

While our friends were here we enjoyed a couple meals out and some meals in. By far the favorite meal was at El Ranchito where we were treated like royalty…again. We had lots of good conversation and relaxed time together. We said goodbye on Friday morning and after they left our little grandson was dropped off for a play date with Baba and Gramps while big sister went to a Preschool/homeschool co-op for a few hours.

More to come from our time with JJ.

Memorial Day 2021

We take time to stop and remember the sacrifices that have been made for our freedom. Some gave all. This is Memorial Day. This weekend we remember those who served our country and died in combat. The following photo was taken at the Arlington National Cemetery.

Blades of grass and pure white stones
Shelter those who’ve come and gone.
Just below the emerald sod
Are those who reached the arms of God.

Buried here with dignity
Endless rows for all to see,
Freedom’s seeds in sorrow sown,
‘Neath blades of grass and pure white stones.

Blades of grass and pure white stones
Cover those who left their homes
To rest in fields here, side by side,
Lest we forget their sacrifice.

Buried here with dignity
Endless rows for all to see,
Freedom’s seeds in sorrow sown,
‘Neath blades of grass and pure white stones.

Written by Lowell Alexander, Orrin Hatch, and Philip Naish.

Pay to all what is due them—taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due. Romans 13:7 (NRSV)

Here is Love ~ Hymn

Here is Love

Here is love, vast as the ocean,
Lovingkindness as the flood,
When the Prince of Life, our ransom,
Shed for us His precious blood.
Who His love will not remember?
Who can cease to sing His praise?
He can never be forgotten,
Throughout Heav’n’s eternal days.

On the mount of crucifixion,
Fountains opened deep and wide;
Through the floodgates of God’s mercy
Flowed a vast and gracious tide.
Grace and love, like mighty rivers,
Poured incessant from above,
And Heav’n’s peace and perfect justice
Kissed a guilty world in love.

Let me all Thy love accepting,
Love Thee, ever all my days;
Let me seek Thy kingdom only
And my life be to Thy praise;
Thou alone shalt be my glory,
Nothing in the world I see.
Thou hast cleansed and sanctified me,
Thou Thyself hast set me free.

In Thy truth Thou dost direct me
By Thy Spirit through Thy Word;
And Thy grace my need is meeting,
As I trust in Thee, my Lord.
Of Thy fullness Thou art pouring
Thy great love and power on me,
Without measure, full and boundless,
Drawing out my heart to Thee.

Words: William Rees, (1802-1883)

From the Past…

1970ish

Memorial Day 2009

2010

2011

2013

In 2014 Andrew returned from Afghanistan on Memorial Day Weekend.

Memorial Day 2016 we remembered these fallen Marines…so young.

It was a busy week leading up to Memorial Day weekend and we still have some responsibilities through Saturday. I have a few of my Red/White/Blue decor sprinkled around the house but the majority of my ‘stuff’ will have to wait for the 4th of July to don our property. Our flag is flying. We will have a low key Monday. I have a Memorial Day tribute scheduled for Monday the 31st. And just like that May is gone…

For those of you in the U. S. of A. we hope you have a good long weekend with a time of reflection on what it meant to many for our country to be free.

Busy Days

We have some busy days behind us and in front of us that demand our undivided attention so I’m stepping away from my blog until things settle down.

Thursday Bible Verse Challenge won’t be happening this week but will be back next Thursday (Lord Willing) which will be June 3rd.

Speaking of the Psalms, I’ll leave you with this portion from Psalm 145…

“All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord, and all your saints shall bless you! They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom and tell of your power, to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds, and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures to throughout all generations.”

Tuesdays With Moisi ~ Aunt Anna (Тетя Нура)

Our Pop’s sister Anna was called up to heaven last Wednesday May 20th at the age of 96. She was ready to go home. She was Moisi’s last surviving sibling. She outlived all her siblings and all her own children, too.

An earlier photo of Aunt Anna with her husband Pete. My Aunt Anna was always kind to me. I had my reservations even as a youngster with Uncle Pete. My reservations were substantiated through the years.

Uncle John, Aunt Anna, Our Pop, and Uncle Alex at our parents 60th wedding anniversary party.

Another photo from the 60th Anniversary party in Downey, California.

These photos aren’t in order. This Bogdanoff family photo is from the 1950’s. Aunt Anna has the white flower on her dress. I’m in the 2nd sitting row third from the right.

This is another photo from the 50’s. Aunt Anna is the right bookend of the upper row and our dear mom is the left bookend.

A great photo of Russian immigrants in the 50’s. Aunt Anna is at the top with a flower on her dress, again. She has glasses on. Our pop and mom are on the bottom row with Pop (Moisi) reclining and Nadia. I’m going to make the bold observation that Aunt Anna survived all the people in this photo.

Aunt Anna is sitting on the grass with all her brothers, sisters in law and mother in this photo. She survived all of them. I had my favorites of our Pop’s siblings. Aunt Anna and Uncle Alex earned my favor because of my experiences with them growing up.

Aunt Anna with her brothers.

Since today May 25th would have been our Pop’s 98th birthday I’m including this photo of him hitting the pinata at his great granddaughter’s birthday party a few years back.

Sister and brother. They were close friends.

Aunt Anna at Pop’s funeral.

She managed walking up the hill to sit for the graveside service. Her granddaughter and grandson in law cared for her in their home for several years before she died.

The last time I saw our Aunt Anna in person.

This will be the cemetery where she will be buried.

This is the plot where she should be buried. Her husbands information is on the headstone. He died February 2nd, 1978.

Looking forward to seeing you again in heaven.

This and That

It was a beautiful day on Friday and we did some mowing since the ground was still somewhat wet from rain we had into Thursday that means not as much dust kicked up. After mowing the front we worked on the back and we moved on to weeding and clearing some areas of rock. We didn’t hear the commotion on the road.

We had several law enforcement agencies show up after a car ended up in a ditch on our road.

I brought in the first of the peonies that are blooming. We have a total of 5 bushes of this deep blush variety.

The Columbines are opening up. We have at least three different color varieties.

The Hostas are filling out nicely.

Thankfully these visitors don’t like to eat Columbine.

We enjoyed leftovers for our main meals on Friday and Saturday and then cooked up these shrimp for something different. Delicious with sweet chili sauce.

Sunday was our oldest sister’s 75th birthday so us sisters sent her a bouquet of flowers delivered on Saturday.

We were so pleased that the bouquet was as advertised and shown on the website. Our sister was celebrated well and it was fun to see all the special things she was treated with.

This is a busy week coming up for us here in Colville. Hope you all had a good weekend and your new week goes well.

Children of the Heavenly Father ~ Hymn

Children of the Heavenly Father

Children of the heav’nly Father
Safely in His bosom gather;
Nestling bird nor star in Heaven
Such a refuge e’er was given.

God His own doth tend and nourish;
In His holy courts they flourish;
From all evil things He spares them;
In His mighty arms He bears them.

Neither life nor death shall ever
From the Lord His children sever;
Unto them His grace He showeth,
And their sorrows all He knoweth.

Praise the Lord in joyful numbers:
Your protector never slumbers;
At the will of your defender
Every foeman must surrender.

Though He giveth or He taketh,
God His children ne’er forsaketh;
His the loving purpose solely
To preserve them pure and holy.

Words: Karolina W. Sandell-Berg, 1855.

This was my Mother-in-law’s favorite hymn sung in Swedish.

Hello Hawk

I was outside in our backyard when this hawk swooped in and landed on this tree house. My phone was in my pocket so I was able to get a couple photos before it flew away. We’ve seen it fly above the tall trees on the mountain behind our property. We think it has a nest up there.