Taking Time…

…to get out and move has it’s benefits which are blessings!

This is part of the group of seniors that I walk the trail with on Tuesdays. I join a few of these same gals at an exercise class on Monday, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Most of this group are in their 70’s and 80’s. I’m the young chick among them.

When you get out you see God’s handiwork!

We’ve also been out working in the yard a lot this past week. My Bleeding Heart plants are coming up and blooming. Such a treat to see.

Our Forsythia bush is flaming!

Soon I’ll be able to show the before and after photos of phase two and three of our outdoor project. I’m glad we can still move after working outside shoveling and digging and tamping oh my!

My five favorites are walking, making new friends, seeing God’s handiwork, being able to work hard, enjoying the fruit of our labor! What are some of your favorites this week?

I’m joining in with Susanne at Living to Tell the Story for Friday’s Fave Five.

Signs, signs…

Just a short drive away from our home we have a wonderful selection of wineries and tucked into winery row is Redhook Brewery and the Forecasters Pub. Besides the wineries and Redhook there is also a Whiskey distiller. The largest and finest winery in this area is Ste. Michelle Winery.

Dear and I were in the mood for a burger and a brew so we chose Forecasters.

This area is very close to a wonderful bike and walking trail, too.

I’m linking up to Signs, signs with Lesley.

Good Golly…

We are already on the letter G for ABC Wednesday! Thank you to Denise Nesbitt and the ABC team!

I’m going with Green and Gargoyle for the letter G. Green moss is something that we have quite an abundance of here in the great Northwest.

Our apple tree is covered in moss.

On our trips to Great Britain we enjoy looking up to see the Gargoyles that are here and there.

We have gargoyles here in the U.S.A., too. My daughter and I toured the Biltmore House and Gardens and these creatures looked down on us.

One last addition to the letter G is my Bible verse card for the week. Timely indeed because of the letter G and because of present circumstances!

Hope you are enjoying the last week of February. So many of you are enduring some harsh winter conditions and I hope things settle down to a more mild clime. We have some rain in the forecast again here in the Northwest after enjoying several dry sunny days.

Moo…

For Barn Collective #20 with Amy at Rose Street Reflections I’m posting a close-up of a cow in a barn taken in Lynden, Washington on a road trip to British Columbia.

Thank you Amy. For more country barn scenes click on over.

Dear and I spent many hours in the yard on phase two of our planter/walkway project. The first part of the walkway is done but we dug into a snag finding remains of a huge tree that was cut down years ago on the property. We have to dig some of the roots and trunk out to continue on our project. What a big job that is. I’m ready for a weekend road-trip to find more barns instead of working on the yard!

The walkway is looking good, though. I’ll soon show before and afters of this area.

Hope you enjoy the last week of February!

Searcher of Hearts, From Mine Erase ~ Hymn

Searcher of Hearts, From Mine Erase

Searcher of hearts, from mine erase
All thoughts that should not be,
And in its deep recesses trace
My gratitude to Thee.

Hearer of prayer, O guide aright
Each word and deed of mine;
Life’s battle teach me how to fight,
And be the vict’ry Thine.

Giver of all—for ev’ry good
In the Redeemer came—
For raiment, shelter, and for food,
I thank Thee in His name.

Father, and Son, and Holy Ghost,
Thou glorious Three in One,
Thou knowest best what I need most,
And let Thy will be done.

InSPIREd Sunday -Duomo Milan

In March of 2013 I traveled with my Dear to Milan, Italy for a EAU conference. The Duomo Di Milano stunned us with it’s beauty and architecture.

If you’d like to see more about this cathedral you can view my previous posts here and here and here.

Click on InSPIREd Sunday hosted by Beth and Sally to see more entries.

Week and Weekend Reflections

I’m doing a double themed post today,

Five Favorites of the week with Susanne and

Weekend Reflections with James.

This is from MOHAI, the museum of history and industry in Seattle, Washington. Dear’s Company Christmas party was held here. It was the last party the company had before they were sold to the highest bidder. The company will retain it’s name but it has a new owner and we hope that reflects in Dear still having a job in a months time. This exhibit is in the True Northwest: The Seattle Journey section.

Here are five favorites from this past week. My favorites are a reflection of another kind.

1. Weather cooperating so we could complete phase one of a yard project that you can see before and afters of here. It was helpful to have a Monday holiday for this project. Thank you to President Lincoln and Washington for that!

2. A nice meal out with Dear to celebrate Valentines Day.

3. A nice extended time over a meal with our first born and our lovely daughter in law.

4. The arrival of my season ticket for the 2015 Seattle Sounders Soccer season!

5. Having the visit to the tax accountant behind us which is a very relaxing feeling.

I’ll leave you with a few quotes from President Lincoln:

“When I hear a man preach, I like to see him act as if he were fighting bees.”

“Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.”

“When you have got an elephant by the hind leg, and he is trying to run away, its best to let him run.”

What were your favorites or reflections from this past week?

Phase One Planter Project…

Over President’s Weekend Dear and I worked on phase one of our sprucing up the yard project. I promised before and after photos and here they are.

I decided on the Primroses in the Cinder Block because the property our home sits on used to be called Primrose Acres.

Phase Two will include digging out these stones and leveling out the pathway beside this planter and putting in a flat walkway using pavers. Our plan for the pavers will help support the planter wall and we will be able to take out the temporary supports you can see along this section.

The walkway will extend to the existing deck and we will add a step next to this section of the deck which will make stepping up and down easier.

We are enjoying the fresh clean look. We hope to get started on Phase Two this coming weekend. It will be another Ibuprofen weekend around this old house!

Signs in Seattle…

Dear and I were able to go downtown on Sunday night to enjoy a belated Valentine dinner at Morton’s. Here are some signs I snapped with my little camera.

Here’s my Dear waiting for the valet to bring us our car after dinner.

The window dressing in this store next to Morton’s was different…

From the car window I snapped this blurry 5th Avenue sign as we headed to the freeway.

We thought that downtown Seattle was very busy for a Sunday evening. It was a long weekend and the weather was so nice that people came out of their cocoons to enjoy a night out in the city.

Thank you Lesley for signs, signs.

Forty Days of Lent…

We are on the letter F for ABC Wednesday and it’s timely for Fat Tuesday and the Forty Days of Lent. Thank you to Denise Nesbitt and the ABC team.

Today is Fat Tuesday or Shrove Tuesday (feast of pancakes) which means tomorrow is Ash Wednesday. I did not observe Lent growing up but I had lots of Catholic friends in my schools and was always curious as to why they showed up with a black ash mark on their foreheads on this particular Wednesday. When I found out they were giving up gum or candy for Lent I was more curious as to why. So here’s a little overview of what all this means. This article from the Liverpool Echo really covers things well.

During my school days I made a decision to follow Christ. This was the beginning of my faith journey. This decision and my changing of allegiance has not cost me much compared to the 21 Christians who were savagely beheaded by ISIS just because they were Christians. My cost has been mild compared. I’ve been mocked at times, disregarded, and made fun of. Among some people who view themselves as intellectuals I’ve been considered brainless.

I’ve also received many benefits that far outweigh the cost. As my faith grows and I deny some of my own selfish desires I’ve received the fruit of the Spirit like love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. I fail a lot but I’m forgiven and I carry on in faith that God will continue to lead me and help me fulfill all I’ve been called to do. Each day I have to decide to follow Christ or follow me me me. Some days, many days, it’s all about me! Every day He is faithful.

When Dear and I were in Great Britain last year we visited Hereford Cathedral and I took photos of this Shrine that illustrates Luke 9:23.

And He said to all, “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow me.”

So…are you eating pancakes today? Do you observe Lent? What are your plans for Fat Tuesday?

The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b.

To honor and encourage