Trail, British Columbia

The weather on Friday November 1st looked promising albeit cold and we decided it was a good day to drive to Trail B.C. to enjoy some Persian food. Since we’ve been in Colville it has been difficult for us to find good Persian food. Kootenay Kabab in Trail looked promising and it is only a 50 mile drive for us from our Country Bungalow. We asked Vera to pack her passport so we were all ready with passports in hand and headed north at 10am. The border crossing was simple and we reached our destination by 11:30. We found out that parking would be a problem for us since we did not have any Canadian coinage. Oops. No credit card parking kiosks in Trail.

We found a place to park by the Columbia River Skywalk and enjoyed the walk across and back building up our appetite.

This was the first time we’ve ever been able to walk across the Columbia River!

Lots of reminders of the country we were visiting.

After our brisk walk we stopped in a bank parking lot and I went inside to see about getting some coinage. With coins in hand we found a spot close to Kootenay Kabab and fed the meter.

Kootenay Kabab in Trail B.C. was worth the trip across the border. Dear and my sister Vera had the Koobideh Kabab and I enjoyed the Lamb Shank. We had the Shirazi salad, too. They are the first Persian restaurant in the Kootenays and the closest Persian restaurant to us. We enjoyed the food and will return next year after the winter snows have melted. This part of the Kootenays is known for their winter sports which means lots of snow. Our border crossing back into the USA was easy including a pleasant conversation with the Border Agent.

Home again along the Columbia River from Canada to the USA. “Roll On Columbia roll on”

Our piroshky baking day was a success but I did not get all the photos I was planning on. Baking is different when you have 2 little grands helping. I’ll share the photos I did get plus the recipe soon.

Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven ~ Hymn

Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven

Praise, my soul, the King of Heaven;
To His feet thy tribute bring!
Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven,
Who like me His praise should sing?
Praise Him! praise Him!
Praise the everlasting King!

Praise Him for His grace and favor
To our fathers in distress!
Praise Him still the same for ever,
Slow to chide, and swift to bless!
Praise Him! praise Him!
Glorious in His faithfulness.

Fatherlike He tends and spares us;
Well our feeble frame He knows.
In His hands He gently bears us,
Rescues us from all our foes.
Praise Him! praise Him!
Widely as His mercy flows!

Frail as summer’s flower we flourish;
Blows the wind, and it is gone;
But while mortals rise and perish,
God endures unchanging on,
Praise Him, praise Him!
Praise the high eternal One!

Angels, help us to adore Him;
Ye behold Him face to face:
Sun and moon, bow down before Him,
Dwellers all in time and space.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Praise with us the God of grace!

Words: Henry F. Lyte, 1834.

Baking Day

Today, Saturday the 2nd of November, we are having the first Piroshky baking day at our Country Bungalow. I hope to document every step and let you know how we bring everything together to make these lovelies. Our 3 fillings will be tasty ground beef, braised cabbage, and potato. Our baking crew will be managed by my older sister Vera, the rest of us are eager to learn, Jamie, her mom Linda, our cousin Cindy, and myself. Addy will be here, too, and we will let her join in on the fun.

Stay tuned for recipes and photos to come.

Hello November

Our phones were chiming all Halloween Eve with photos of nieces, nephews and grandnieces and grandnephews all dressed up for the night. We got to see our Pirate family in person when they came to our door for their treats. Addy was eager to share her treasure with us, too. She and Great Aunt Vera had fun with the bouncy balls in the hall. She wanted to take Auntie Vera home with her. Too cute. Our Bothell and Lynnwood kids got creative with their costumes, too. Josh was Bob Ross and Laura was his happy accident. So clever! Katie and Andrew went back to the fifties for their inspiration. Still waiting to hear how many kids came to the door. But here we go on to November!

Look at how cute our little parrot’s costume was. Jamie created it for JJ.

Bouncy balls in the hall with Great Auntie Vera.

 

“November comes
And November goes,
With the last red berries
And the first white snows.

With night coming early,
And dawn coming late,
And ice in the bucket
And frost by the gate.

The fires burn
And the kettles sing,
And earth sinks to rest
Until next spring.”
–  Elizabeth Coatsworth

Happy November everyone. Today we are heading across the line into Canada to the town of Trail for some Persian food.

Happy Reformation Day!

Martin Luther’s nailing of his ninety-five theses to the church door on October 31, 1517, provoked a debate that culminated finally in what we now call the Protestant Reformation. An important day in history.

“We are saved by faith alone, but the faith that saves is never alone” ~Martin Luther

Halloween happens to be on October 31st, also. For us Halloween is all about handing out candy to any little trick or treater who comes to our door.

Now that we live in the country the only little ones who come to our door are driven here by their parents. Addy and JJ will come by tonight to get a treat. They carved pumpkins last night and I borrowed this collage from Addy and JJ’s parents. Thank you!

It’s going to be a cold night to be out. Our Trick or Treeters better dress warmly.

I’ve got my red cape to keep me warm.

In other news we are very excited that on November 10th the MLS Cup final is going to be played on our home field for the first time! Our kids have traveled to Toronto in the past for other finals. Our kids get 4 tickets for the game and they have offered their soccer loving mother one of those tickets. Now I just have to figure out whether to drive (dependent on pass conditions) or fly to Seattle. Thanks for indulging me in my excitement and enjoyment of the game of soccer. Hmm, indulgences were a big part of the conversation in the talks that led to the Reformation so maybe my post is more cohesive than I thought.

Ice on my windshield on Wednesday morning. It will be nice when Dear’s shop has a roof on it so we can get my car back in the garage. The materials for building the shop are being stored in the garage where my car usually rests. We are still waiting on the company on some materials so that Dear can move ahead and raise the trusses and clear enough stuff out of the garage for my car to fit.

I’ll leave this random hodgepodge of a post with good true words from Martin Luther:

“Feelings come and feelings go,
And feelings are deceiving;
My warrant is the Word of God–
Naught else is worth believing.

Though all my heart should feel condemned
For want of some sweet token,
There is One greater than my heart
Whose Word cannot be broken.

I’ll trust in God’s unchanging Word
Till soul and body sever,
For, though all things shall pass away,
HIS WORD SHALL STAND FOREVER!”
― Martin Luther

Family Colors

Early on Tuesday Laura started a text with our family members asking us to show our Sounders Colors. We texted her back our shots of support and she made the collage. When it comes to sports we are a Sounders Soccer Family. And right now David (Sounders) beat Goliath (LAFC) 3-1 on their home field. Our boys are going to the MLS Cup Final on November 10th against either Atlanta or Toronto. Those two teams play each other tomorrow night. It was fun sending texts back and forth during the game. It will be a while before I can fall asleep now…

…So I’ll add some fun things that more people can relate to in this post.

Speaking of colors Jamie and the kids were able to enjoy some color and leaves before the weather turned on us.

How cute are they covered in leaves!? Maple Trees are the best for an abundance of leaves. This was how the day was going before we had that freak snowfall on Monday the 28th of October. All the snow is gone and temps are still cold but we are on a slight warming trend.

Fresh apples off the tree before the bear eats them all. Yep, our kids have had a bear visiting their property. Hopefully he’ll go find a place to hibernate soon.

Do you have any wild animals that visit your property?

Fall Colors to White Out!

The Western Larch trees are in their glory.

We had a power outage at 3PM on Monday the 28th of October and I sat in our recliner in front of our family room slider and took the photo above. The wind was really blowing. The power came back on just after 4PM and then we were surprised to see the snow blow in.

The wind died down and the snow stopped falling. Such an interesting day. We’ll see what Tuesday holds.

Spokane to Seattle

On our trip to Southern California on October 15th the first leg was a short flight (under one hour) from Spokane to Seattle. It takes us about an hour and a half to get to the airport from Colville. This time our plane was a Bombardier. I took one photo as we left Spokane and when we got to Seattle I tried to get some photos without the propellers.

This is the first time I’ve seen Green Lake so clearly from a plane.

Green Lake is one of Seattle’s most beloved parks. Its expanse of water and green space in the center of a dense urban neighborhood draws thousands of people daily from all over the city. The park serves as a natural preserve for hundreds of species of trees and plants, as well as numerous birds and waterfowl. The 2.8-mile path around the lake provides a perfect recreational spot for runners, bikers, skaters and walkers. Many others use the athletic fields or visit the park for boating, picnics and swimming.

I think this is a view of Lake Union and the larger green area next to the water is Gas Works Park. You can see the Space Needle to the left. The larger bridge might be the Aurora Bridge.

I’ve spent many hours at this field watching the Seattle Sounders Soccer team. I’ve missed being able to go to games since we’ve moved. Tuesday night the Sounders play a game in Los Angeles for the Western Conference Title. If they win they’ll play in the final against the Eastern Conference Title winner for the MLS Cup.

We landed shortly after flying over these fields and made it to the gate to board a much larger plane to fly to Bubank, California. Hollywood Burbank Airport, legally and formerly marketed as Bob Hope Airport, is a public airport 3 miles northwest of downtown Burbank, in Los Angeles County, California, United States.

We are having very cold overnight temperatures the next several days. Monday and Tuesday’s predictions are lows of 15 and 17 degrees and then in the twenties the rest of the week. The highs range from 37 to 48 degrees F. Thankfully no precipitation is predicted because that would mean snow! Time to pull out our winter wear.

Nothing Between My Soul and My Savior ~ Hymn

Nothing Between My Soul and My Savior

Nothing between my soul and my Savior,
Naught of this world’s delusive dream;
I have renounced all sinful pleasure;
Jesus is mine, there’s nothing between.

Refrain

Nothing between my soul and the Savior,
So that His blessèd face may be seen;
Nothing preventing the least of His favor;
Keep the way clear! Let nothing between.

Nothing between, like worldly pleasure;
Habits of life, tho’ harmless they seem;
Must not my heart from Him ever sever;
He is my all, there’s nothing between.

Refrain

Nothing between, like pride or station;
Self or friends shall not intervene;
Though it may cost me much tribulation,
I am resolved, there’s nothing between.

Refrain

Nothing between, e’en many hard trials,
Tho’ the whole world against me convene;
Watching with prayer and much self denial,
I’ll triumph at last, there’s nothing between.

Refrain

Words: Charles A. Tindley, 1905.

Ht: Cyberhymnal

And on the same theme as the hymn above is a more modern song by Graham Kendrick, Knowing You:

Six Months

While we were in California Jaymison Joshua reached his 6 month landmark.

He was able to enjoy some slimy solid food for the first time and despite the look on his face he thoroughly enjoyed it. He has graduated to the high chair which means Addy will now enjoy a booster seat at the table.

He’s also reached that 6 month classic separation anxiety stage when he can’t see his mommy. Crawling is beginning and life at our kids’ home will be getting more exciting with each new skilled learned.

We had some beautiful sunset views on our way to Kettle Falls on Friday evening. A blustery storm blew through earlier in the afternoon leaving us with these great clouds.

Hope the last weekend in October is a good one for you all.