Charlie Kirk Day

This is the shirt I’m wearing today for the National Day of Remembrance of Charlie Kirk. Today, October 14th, would have been his 32nd birthday. The front and the back is shown above. It’s a small gesture of respect for his short life.

“His life was shaped by his faith and the idea that in America, debate and discussion are crucial to the betterment of our country. He believed in God, the American dream, the value of family, and the principles of our great nation.”

On Monday morning we woke up with the tops of our higher elevations sprinkled with snow.

I’ll be happy for the real snow to hold off until at least November!

On the other side of town, the first fire of the season was lit and enjoyed!

Have you turned your furnace or fireplace on?

Early October Days

Sunday the 5th of October we made a quick trip to Spokane after church. The scenery was spectacular with clear skies and fluffy clouds.

A neighborhood cat without a tail visited while our grandson JJ was here on Monday afternoon. This was the friendliest cat that has ever visited our yard.

On Tuesday while I pulled some weeds I noticed this garden spider. Yikes!

On Tuesday our Colville kids had us over for a belated birthday celebration for Gramps!

Addy made sure Gramps was the one to blow out the candle.

After our meal and dessert JJ was excited to launch his rocket for us to see.

The first launch was very successful and didn’t land in the trees but the second launch was not as hazard free. They will have to wait for a big wind storm to free the rocket.

On Wednesday several deer came to visit.

We had some nice warm days that started with very chilly mornings.

Friday morning started with a beautiful sunrise.

Happy Columbus Day to all in the United States of America and a very Happy Thanksgiving to our friends in Canada!

I can’t let this day pass without acknowledging this historic day!

UPDATE: Waking up to news that after 738 days all the Israeli hostages have been released. What a glorious day for the hostages and their families and friends and nation!

All living Israeli hostages officially freed from Hamas captivity.

President Trump made a promise on the campaign trail:

“We will never abandon them — and with God’s help, they will come safely home.”

Promises made, promises kept.

Stand Like the Brave ~ Hymn

Stand Like the Brave

O Christian, awake! ’tis the Master’s command;
With helmet and shield, and a sword in thy hand,
To meet the bold tempter, go, fearlessly go,
Then stand like the brave, with thy face to the foe.

Refrain

Stand like the brave, stand like the brave,
Stand like the brave, with thy face to the foe.

The cause of thy Master with vigor defend;
Be watchful, be zealous, and fight to the end;
Wherever He leads thee, go, valiantly go,
Then stand like the brave, with thy face to the foe.

Refrain

Press on, never doubting, thy captain is near,
With grace to supply, and with comfort to cheer;
His love like a stream in the desert will flow;
Then stand like the brave, with thy face to the foe.

Refrain

Words: Fanny Crosby, 1886.

Sunrise on the 10th

“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
    for he has visited and redeemed his people
and has raised up a horn of salvation for us
    in the house of his servant David,
as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
that we should be saved from our enemies
    and from the hand of all who hate us;
to show the mercy promised to our fathers
    and to remember his holy covenant,
the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us
    that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
might serve him without fear,
    in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
    for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
to give knowledge of salvation to his people
    in the forgiveness of their sins,
because of the tender mercy of our God,
    whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high
to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
    to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

Luke 1:68-79

October Prompts Everyday Images

Everyday Images #72: I’m linking up with A Fresh Cup of Coffee for her Everyday Images and sharing my photos for her October Prompts.

listen

matching

clock

current season (quarterly)

dishes

orange

listen:

matching:

clock:

current season (quarterly):

dishes:

orange:

I’ll be working on these next prompts to post in a couple of weeks:

October Prompts – Everyday Images #73

~~~~~

leaf or leaves

at home (monthly)

harvest

gold

doorway (quarterly)

on my plate (quarterly)

Have a great October weekend y’all!

Pear Tart

We had a pear tree and it seemed all the pears liked to ripen in the same week. Coming up with recipes to use up the pears was a challenge. This pear recipe was one deemed a keeper by my family.

Crust:
1-1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup quick oatmeal
3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed lightly
3/4 cup unsalted butter-cut into small cubes
1 egg yolk

6-7 fresh pears
juice from half a lemon
2 tablespoons sugar

Cut the pears lengthwise into quarters, core the pear, and slice into smaller sections, about 8 slices per pear.You’ll need 6-7 pears for this recipe. After the pears are sliced put them into a bowl and add the lemon juice and sugar and toss lightly. This will allow them to juice slightly.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine flour, oatmeal, walnuts, and sugar, butter and egg yolk in bowl. Mix ingredients until they are a crumb size. You can use a mixer.

Pour the mixture into a 10 inch tart pan and press to an even layer coming up the sides of the pan, also.

Arrange the pear slices starting on the outside edge going around in a circle and then start the center circle with the remaining pear slices. Save the pear juice left in the bowl to brush the pears when the tart is fully cooked and out of the oven. This will add a nice sheen to the tart. If you don’t have enough juice for this step add a little water and sugar to the pear juice you have and cook it on the stove top till it thickens slightly.

Bake the tart for 35-40 minutes or until it’s lightly browned. Remove from oven, cool slightly and enjoy warm or after it has cooled completely. It would be nice with a dollop of whip cream or a la mode.

Note: I reserved a tablespoon of the crumb crust to add on top of the pears in the center of the pan before baking the tart. That is an optional step.

Truth for Today #164

Thursday October 9th

On Thursdays my posts will include verses that stood out in my readings from the Bible during week. One, two, three or maybe more. If you have a verse/verses that you read during the week and would like to share, leave it/them in the comments and I will add it/them to the post. Let’s dig deep in God’s Truth again this year!

The verses that you share are appreciated and so encouraging, I’m thankful for them and for each of you!

2 Corinthians 6:1-2

Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For he says,

“In a favorable time I listened to you,
and in a day of salvation I have helped you.”

Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

From Maristella:

Psalm 32:8

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.

From Vera:

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”
‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭1‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭ESV‬‬

From Dianna:

“The Lord’s loving kindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. ”

Lamentations 3:22-23

From Nikkipolani:

Psalm 62:1-2 NKJV

Truly my soul silently waits for God;
From Him comes my salvation.
He only is my rock and my salvation;
He is my defense;
I shall not be greatly moved.

From Willow:

Psalm 1:1-2

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.

From Karen:

Isaiah 46:4

And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.

Singing Apples and Leaves Hodgepodge

Wednesday Hodgepodge has rolled around again, thank you, Joyce!

1. ‘The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.’ How does this saying ring true in your own family, either the one you grew up in or the one you made?

In the family I grew up in, singing was something my parents enjoyed and that has been passed down to me and most of my siblings. Singing at church and singing when we had company over was a regular thing. Singing in choirs, singing in quartets, trios, duets, singing in Russian and in English, singing for recordings, and for me, singing in a Christian ‘rock’ band. Greg and I met because of that group.

The Russian Sacred Singers of Los Angeles are a group of California young people of Russian background. They sing in English and Russian under the inspiring leadership of director Leonard Wozniuk. The unique bi-lingual choir responded to our challenge to record their selections for radio use. Today, their joyful singing is heard world-wide over several short-wave radio stations and over local broadcasts in North and South America.

I’m on the bottom right, my sister, my cousins, and best friend complete the row. Second row on the left are two more cousins. The director is my brother-in-law. The Russian Choir and the Rock band were active in the 70’s!

Greg and I are on the right end of this photo. The photo was from somewhere in England, possibly Liverpool.

2. Something you’re nuts about these days?

Time spent with family.

How about something that’s driving you nuts?

Stink bugs are in abundance this year! This is a male stink bug. The females are rounder in the body.

Stink bugs, especially brown marmorated stink bugs or BMSB, are notorious for invading homes when the weather starts to cool. And while they aren’t interested in stealing your food or sucking your blood, their offensive odor is just as annoying to homeowners.

3. What does abundance mean to you?

These words from Jesus from the Amplified Bible:

The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows].

Jesus is my abundance and I thank God for his plan of salvation through Jesus and for the Holy Spirit who helps me have faith and belief in the triune God.

4. Caramel apple-caramel cake-caramel corn-caramel sundae-caramel macchiatto…what’s your caramel treat of choice?

5. What’s a childhood memory that always comes to mind as the leaves start to fall?

Growing up in southern California did not afford me many memories of fall, at all. We moved to Washington state in 1988 and that is when I became more familiar with fall color and having to rake leaves! Our children were young enough that they are now the ones with childhood memories of leaves!

6. Insert. your own random thought here.

Our Grands are growing up with four seasons and lots of leaves! These photos were from a few years back while helping their Granny blow the leaves into a pile for the city to pick up.

‘

I’ll (leaf) leave you here. 🙂

Marcus Cider Fest 2025

Every October the little town of Marcus hosts a Cider Fest that is well attended. It starts with a parade on Saturday. This year the weather was so nice it seemed the attendees and cars in the parade doubled!

We spotted Dan, Jamie and our Grands arriving in Jamie’s 1964 T-bird. Jamie’s Granny bought the car for Jamie’s Grandfather. Jamie inherited the car.

All the usual suspects were lined up to enjoy the parade, Granny Great, Granny, Dan, Jamie, Gramps, Addy and JJ. Addy and JJ were ready to gather all the candy that the parade participants threw to the kids along the parade route.