Turkey Pepper Chili

This chili is a great alternative to beef chili and one with some added ingredients that are considered to be a healthy alternative.

2 tbsp. olive oil
1 pound white meat ground turkey
1/2 onion chopped
2 stalks of celery chopped
1 red bell pepper seeded and chopped
1 jalapeno pepper seeded and chopped
1 Anaheim chile seeded and chopped
2 cups chicken stock (or more if needed)
1 can 14.5 oz. diced tomatoes
1 can 15 oz. white beans or black beans (drained)
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. each of salt, cumin, and dried oregano leaves
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
4 cups of chopped Kale
salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in large pot, add onion, celery and all peppers and saute till onion is translucent. Add turkey and season with salt and pepper and cook through. If needed add a little of the chicken stock during this process if the turkey starts sticking to the pan. Add remaining ingredients, including Kale. Bring to a boil and then lower the temperature to a simmer. Simmer till the vegetables are cooked through. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed.
Serve with corn bread.

Day Six ~ Ripon

Continuing my travel log of our 6th day in the United Kingdom. Our 6th day, Wednesday September 20th took us into the Yorkshire Dales. Our trusty driver, Josh, kept us on track and gave us confidence on the lanes and highways.

Our route on this day took us northwest with our first stop in Ripon and continuing on through the picturesque village of Pateley Bridge before arriving at our destination for the a couple nights in Grassington which was only 50 miles from York.

After our lunch at the Silva Bells we walked across the street to the cathedral. There was a funeral in progress so we waited a short time for the friends of the deceased to leave the cathedral. Once inside we met a very helpful volunteer of the Cathedral. We discussed the expense of maintaining these beautiful cathedrals.

The typical cathedral contains a narthex at the entrance, three aisles with the central being the nave, a transept that gives the church its cross shape, an open choir where the nave and transept meet, and an apse at the far end of the nave, containing the altar.

The present church was founded by Saint Wilfrid and dedicated in 672, although it has been rebuilt several times since. The ancient Saxon crypt – one of the oldest in the country – is the only part of Wilfrid’s original church that remains to this day.

These amazing needlepoint cushions that lined the stone benches on the outer walls represent a piece of the history of this area of Yorkshire and the history of Ripon and the Cathedral. They were created as a commemorative project celebrating the 2000 Millennium.

Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the LORD! Let us lift up our hearts and hands to God in heaven. Lamentations 3:40-41

 

The choir screen, (pictured above) features eight carved and painted kings in canopied niches flanking a central doorway into the choir, with another 24 statues in niches above the doorway arch. The screen, which dates to the fifteenth century, is 8 feet thick. Although the screen is medieval, the statues are Victorian, and represent both kings, bishops, and saints who played a part in the history of the cathedral.

To read more about Ripon Cathedral visit Mike from ‘A Bit About Britain’ and his Introduction to Ripon Cathedral.

The superb intricate carving of the oak choir stalls which were completed in 1494 by Ripon woodcarvers, they are amongst most famous and finest choir stalls in the country. The cathedral also has many other interesting features, including the late fifteenth century misericords – the carvings on the back of the choir stall seats which are superlative surviving examples of medieval craftsmanship. Many of these, including the misericord of a griffon chasing a rabbit down a rabbit hole, are thought to have inspired Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, more famously known as Lewis Carroll, the author of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, whose father became a residentiary canon of the Cathedral in 1852.

A monkey (perhaps a baboon?) decorating a bench end in the choir of Ripon Cathedral. The choir stalls date from the 1490s with later repairs making good damage caused when a spire over the crossing tower collapsed into the choir in 1660.

The choir stalls had these curious little shelves with carvings underneath. I found a description of what they were called and what they were for.

The term misericord translates from the Latin as ‘mercy seat’, and that’s precisely what it was; a small ledge, or seat, attached to the underside of a pew or choir seat, to provide a merciful and very welcome place for clergy to rest during long periods of standing during lengthy medieval sermons.

Misericords were often elaborately carved, and it is these carvings that make studying them so fascinating. The carvings might be of mythological creatures, religious symbols, grotesque beasts, Green Men, and a wide variety of other unusual and striking symbols.

Here is the Bishop’s Seat or ‘Cathedra’ and here is the carving under the seat that Laura was able to capture. She had to take the photo ‘blind’ by getting her phone under the seat and hoping she captured it.

A description was given on a placard beside the Bishop’s seat.

“The Two men in the centre are Joshua and Caleb, figures in the Bible, carrying a bunch of grapes between them. This signifies the ‘promised land’, a place that is special to Christians. In the Bible they are about to explain that it is a land flowing with milk and honey. Ex. 3:17”

I found this description to be curious in it’s wording because we are in a cathedral where you would expect knowledge of the Bible and these central figures in the Old Testament and Bible in general to be more familiar.

The account of the spies sent to learn about the land of Canaan, this ‘promised land’, and the fact that Caleb and Joshua were the only two who brought back a good report can be found in Numbers 13.

 

The stained glass windows were exceptional. ‘God’s Providence is our Inheritance’

 

As I gather more history about Ripon Cathedral I will add it to my post.

What a treat to be able to walk through and marvel at all the amazing architecture and artistry in the carvings and stained glass. We love how the architecture is meant to draw your eyes upward.

We were happy that we included this stop on our journey to Grassington. That will be my next post to complete Day Six of our travels.

 

Truth for Today #76

Thursday November 2nd

On Thursdays my posts will include verses that stood out in my readings from the Bible during the 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! 

Colossians 1:9-12:

And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

From Dianna:

John 1:12-13

“But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

From Vera:

Isaiah‬ ‭40‬:‭28‬-‭31

“Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”

From Maristella:

Psalm 34:17-18

When the righteous cry for help, The Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.

From Cindy:

Psalm 62:5, 6 – Find rest O my soul in God alone; my hope comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken.

From Karen:

I John 5:13
These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

From Aritha:

Psalm 55: 22
Cast your burden on the Lord, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved

Grateful Hodgepodge

Time for Wednesday Hodgepodge with a new set of questions that Joyce From This Side of the Pond is asking.

1. Besides Thanksgiving (in the USA) what’s one thing you’re looking forward to in November? 

Cozy clothes and sitting by a fire.

2. Do you like candles? Your favorite scent? How often do you burn a candle in your home? 

I do like candles and I enjoy soft scents not overly sweet scents. We do not burn scented candles often but we do burn lots of birthday candles.

3. What gadgets did you use today? 

A Sonicare toothbrush, a wooden spoon, and a measuring cup. A low gadget day. 🙂

4. This question is a repeat from one asked in November of 2014, but I liked it so it’s coming round again. Many of you weren’t here in 2014. Okay, you can have fifty pounds of something (anything but money)…what will you choose?

If gasoline came in pounds, I’d choose fifty pounds of gasoline for my car and lawnmower. Since it doesn’t, I’ll pick fifty pounds of flour.

Also, since I mentioned it…what were you up to in November of 2014? 

In November of 2014 we were still living in Western Washington. We were getting to know our future daughter-in-law. Our son asked her to marry him soon after Thanksgiving.

5. ‘Tis the season…what’s something you’re feeling especially grateful for today? 

I posted this quote from Martin Luther on Facebook Tuesday which was when I was working on the Hodgepodge. Yesterday was Reformation Day.

“Lord Jesus, You are my righteousness; I am Your sin. You took on You what was mine, yet set on me what was Yours. You became what You were not, that I might become what I was not.” – Martin Luther
~
Thank you, Jesus!

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Some Halloween shenanigans from yesterday, Beetlejuice, Barbie, Bowling crew…the pin, the bowling ball and the bowler, a cat and random wig guy.
~
Welcome November!

Corn Maze 2023

Uncle Joshie and Auntie Lolo arrived to Colville on Thursday evening last and we enjoyed a few days together. On Friday October 27th we arrived at the Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze when they opened at 4pm.

Addy was keen on reading the map and leading us to find the 9 stations of the maze.

JJ was interested in other discoveries.

We mastered the maze in forty minutes and then it was time to pick a few pumpkins to carve.

Carving happened the following day on Saturday after the pumpkins had time to warm up. We’ve been experiencing lows in the teens and 20’s here in Colville.

Saturday evening we enjoyed dinner at our Country Bungalow with nonstop fun and I even got a back massage by my favorite little boy.

Sunday we were all in church for a wonderful service and afterwards enjoyed lunch together at Rancho Chico before Auntie and Uncle hit the road for home.

A special Fall weekend enjoyed and one that will be remembered. Thank you, Joshie and Lolo for taking the time to drive over the mountains to visit us. Loved our time together.

Happy Reformation Day and Halloween to you all. We are looking forward to our two very special trick or treaters to ring our doorbell tonight!

Day Six ~York to Grassington

At the start of our sixth day in the United Kingdom we had our breakfast at the hotel and decided to take one last stroll around the city of York before we checked out of our hotel and made our way to the Enterprise Car Rental behind the train station in York. This was Wednesday the 20th of September.

It was drizzly to start but soon gave way to some blue skies.

After our selfie we packed up and checked out of our hotel and walked to Enterprise Car Rental over the River Ouse and beyond the train station. It was an easy enough trek with our luggage in hand.

We had some fun interactions with the staff at this car rental location and Norm got us settled into our brand new Mercedes. Laura punched in our first destination which was a car park in Ripon where we planned on lunch and a visit to Ripon Cathedral. Josh did a fine job of driving on the wrong side of the road and we had an uneventful time on the roads and on the roundabouts. When we got to Ripon the easy way to the car park was shut down for road works but we circled about the town and made it. We wanted to eat at the One Eyed Rat but it would not open until four so we regrouped and headed to the Silva Bells which was just across from the Ripon Cathedral. On our way we got stuck in a deluge of rain and were soaked in no time.

We enjoyed our lunch while we tried to dry up a bit.

The rest of day Six will continue in a couple of posts covering Ripon Cathedral and our first evening in Grassington. I’m behind on my research.

Back to the present. We had a wonderful full weekend with Josh and Laura arriving here on Thursday evening and leaving after lunch on Sunday. We enjoyed meals and our annual trek through our local corn maze. Lots to share in between keeping up with my travel journal.

Hope you all have a nice ending to October!

Why Should I Fear the Darkest Hour ~ Hymn

Why Should I Fear the Darkest Hour?

Why should I fear the darkest hour,
Or tremble at the tempter’s power?
Jesus vouchsafes to be my tower.

When creature comforts fade and die,
Worldlings may weep, but why should I?
Jesus still lives, and still is nigh.

Though all the flocks and herds were dead,
My soul a famine need not dread,
For Jesus is my living bread.

I know not what may soon betide,
Or how my wants shall be supplied;
But Jesus knows, and will provide.

Though sin would fill me with distress,
The throne of grace I dare address,
For Jesus is my righteousness.

Though faint my prayers, and cold my love,
My steadfast hope shall not remove,
While Jesus intercedes above.

Against me earth and hell combine;
But on my side is power divine;
Jesus is all, and He is mine.

Words: John Newton, 1771.

Day Five ~ York Minster

Tuesday the 19th of September was our 5th travel day and this was our only full day in York. Our plan was to buy tickets and tour York Minster and then to attend Evensong at the Minster at 5:30. We decided it would be good to make some reservations for dinner, too.

But first…a hardy breakfast to start our day. The hotel reservations we made at The Judges Lodging included breakfast which was served in the Cellar.

For our nonstop activity breakfast included with our lodging served us well.

This day was a blustery day. We stood in line outside the main entrance to the cathedral just before it opened to buy our tickets. We found out that once purchased that ticket would be good for a year if you wanted to re-visit.

York’s cathedral church is one of the finest medieval buildings in Europe.  The Minster is also known as St Peter’s, its full name being the ‘Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of St Peter in York’.  In the past the church sat within its own walled precinct, known as the Liberty of St Peter.

This statue of Queen Elizabeth is a new addition in a niche at the front of York Minster. The full story and progress of the creation of the statue was on display inside the Cathedral.

King Charles III unveiled a new statue of the late Queen Elizabeth II on November 9th, 2022. It is installed in a niche on York Minster cathedral in York, England. 

The work was planned five years ago and had originally been intended to celebrate the queen’s platinum jubilee. It was finished in August, a month before she died. 

The majestic statue by Richard Bossons, 52, shows the queen in her robes of the Order of the Garter and has been installed above the West Front entrance of the 850-year-old building. It stands seven feet tall and weighs 1.1 tons.

We couldn’t get over the size of her hands.

The Rose Window.

The nave of York Minster is the widest in Europe, and one of the highest, and this impression of height is enhanced by the large expanse of stained glass which allows light into the interior of the structure. The nave was built from 1220, replacing an older structure, and is primarily Early English.

The Quire (Choir) of York Minster is a delight to the eye. The Quire Screen is one of the most intricately carved in all the UK, with depictions of famous churchmen set within niches facing the nave. Before passing through the Screen, look up, where the huge organ is poised above the screen. Recently refurbished, it boasts an astonishing 5,300 individual pipes.

The Quire was where we would enjoy Evensong. We sat in these seats.

The Five Sisters or the ‘The Jewish Window’

I found the following information here and there is a more comprehensive post about this window and other history.

The ‘Five Sisters’ window in the north transept of York Minster was reputedly paid for by a loan from the Jews of York. This five-light window is executed in abstract grisaille work The 13th century window is filled with grisaille glass – from the French for ‘greyness’ – or finely painted clear glass that is set into geometric designs with jewel-like points of coloured glass making the pattern.

It is said the creation of the window was funded in part by York’s Jewish community, notably the wealthy Aaron of York, leading to the windows being called ‘the Jewish window.’

 

At the entrance to the Chapter House…

The ribbed wooden roof is truly a masterpiece of medieval architecture, with colourfully painted panels and a profusion of gilded bosses . Unlike other chapter houses, such as that of Wells Cathedral, there is no central column to support the roof vaulting; the ceiling is “free-standing” if you will, seeming almost to hang in space.

One of the ‘Minster Guides’ told us of a little chapel that we could go into through a door she pointed out to us.

Off the south aisle of the choir in York Minster is an old wooden door.  It leads down steps into the Zouche Chapel, a quiet place reserved for private prayer.  The chapel itself is small and very peaceful. The windows in the chapel contain a number of fragments of stained glass that have been recovered from other parts of the Minster.

I found these details in the chapel interesting. The cathedral was named St. Peters.

Josh and Laura climbed to the roof of the Cathedral and were belted by winds but enjoyed these amazing views of York and the Minster.

We also made it down the stairs to the Crypt.

 

This photo of the Peacemaker is for you, Laura. There is so much to the history in and outside of this amazing cathedral. It would take many visits to take it all in. A good history and description of many of the details can be found here.

We decided to try The Hole in the Wall for lunch and were happy to be able to get a nice table to dine at.

We had some time before Evensong at 5:30 so we bought tickets for the Hop on Hop off bus and enjoyed a tour of York from the top of the bus. We had to move inside when we got some rain.

For Evensong we entered the ‘minster’ at these doors. After Evensong we strolled over to the The Fat Badger for our dinner reservations,

Another full day of sightseeing. The bells of the cathedral were ringing after dinner so Josh and Laura enjoyed an evening walk taking in the beautiful sounds coming from the bell tower. They could even see the bell ringers in the tower. Greg and I opted to go back to our lodgings and put our feet up.

I just found this paragraph about the bell ringing on a post by Rick Steves. How serendipitous for Laura and Josh’s enjoyment on Tuesday evening. Another smile from our God.

If you’re a fan of church bells, you can experience ding-dong ecstasy Sunday morning at about 10:00 and during the Tuesday practice session between 19:00 and 22:00. (7pm-10pm) These performances are especially impressive, as the church holds a full carillon of 35 bells (it’s the only English cathedral to have such a range). How big of a deal are the bells? When the church let go of its bell-ringing staff after some internal disagreements in 2016, it was national news.

This was a long post and trust me it could have been even longer with more photos!

Truth for Today #75

Thursday October 26th

On Thursdays my posts will include verses that stood out in my readings from the Bible during the 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! 

Colossians 1:3-7 (ESV)

We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing–as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, just as you heard it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant.

From Vera:

“For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭54‬:‭10‬

“Oh sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things! His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.”
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭98‬:‭1‬ ‭

From Dianna:

In peace I will lie down and sleep, for You alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety. Psalm 4:8

Artsy Hodgepodge

We have visited some art museums in our travels and a local one in Seattle when we lived on that side of the state. The piece above stood out to me on one of our visits. The description of this piece reads “One of the most penetrating portraitists of the seventeenth century, Phillipe de Champaigne assimilated his observations of real people into religious paintings giving them a down-to-earth quality. Here, the central focus is the aged face of Elizabeth, as she affectionately greets her younger cousin, the Virgin Mary. According to the Gospel of Luke, both women were pregnant–Elizabeth with John the Baptist and Mary with Jesus. For Christians, their meeting symbolized the transition from the Old Law to the New Law of Christianity.”

Thank you to Joyce for Hodgepodge Wednesday. Here are this weeks questions to ponder.

1. October 25th is International Artists Day…do you have a favorite artist? If so tell us who and why.

I enjoy Impressionists like Renoir or Monet.

2. Would you describe yourself as artistic? Elaborate.

No, and here is an example of my flop of a craft project…

Mine is the angry matryoshka on the far right. Everyone else had a cute result.

3. What’s a skill, task, hobby, or job you’ve done so often you now have it ‘down to a fine art’?

Setting a table…

4. How often do you dine out? Fast food, fine dining, or somewhere in between? Tell us about a less than stellar restaurant experience you’ve had recently (or not so recently if that’s easier).

We probably eat out once a week even though our choices are very limited here in Colville.

My less than stellar experiences are mostly my fault because I order the wrong item.

The latest less than stellar experience was not noticing that the waitress gave us the wrong bill and a week later when looking at the receipt I realized that error. We were suffering from jetlag and our brains were not up to par.

5. Do you celebrate Halloween? To what extent? Are there trick or treaters where you live?

We love trick or treaters but decor and celebrations are on the down low.  Now that we live farther from the city and on a country road we do not get trick or treaters except for our grandchildren who dress up with their parents and come over for treats!

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Our larches have turned golden…

Enjoy the end of October y’all!