Mosaic Monday ~ Saturday Road Trip

Dear wanted to head down to Lacey, Washington because that’s where Cabela’s is and I went along for the ride with an understanding that a little side trip would be acceptable, too. We got to the Cabela’s parking lot right before 8 A.M. and people were already coming out the doors with their brand new digital food dehydrators. I took an unscientific look see poll and saw that the dehydrators were definitely the hot ticket item of the morning!

While I was counting dehydrators for my unscientific poll I also got to see animals from Africa, North America including Alaska! That Steller Sea Lion was from the Smithsonian of all places. They even had an huge aquarium filled with some great looking fish. Dear was off looking at guns and ammo and other fun stuff like that.

We finished up our time at Cabela’s with our appetites ready for a nice breakfast. Doing some research on the computer before we left home I came across a restaurant in Olympia called Sage Brunch House. We trusted the computers directions and headed south of Lacey to Olympia to try and find the restaurant. After a few wrong ways we managed to put two and two together and found this little out of the way spot in West Olympia.

I think the chef was related to Julia Child because she was not shy with butter! The food was really tasty and that Blueberry Walnut pancake with real maple syrup was amazing!

The real reason we ended up in Olympia was to see this…

Our Washington State Capitol. This was the first time Dear and I had ever been to our state capitol. I’ll show more pictures of our stop here later in the week. I hope you noticed that we had some fine weather for our little road trip.

I’m looking forward to a wonderful week with family and friends. Hope life is treating you all well.

I’m linking up to Mosaic Monday with Mary at Little Red House.

Photobucket replaced all my photos with ugly black and grey boxes and they are holding my photos hostage until I pay them lots of money. I’m slowly going through all my posts and trying to clean them up and replacing some photos. Such a bother.

I Have a Friend, so Patient, Kind, Forbearing ~ Hymn

I Have a Friend, so Patient, Kind, Forbearing

I have a friend, so patient, kind, forbearing,
Of all my friends this friend doth love me best;
Though I am weak and sinful, yet when sharing
His love and mercy I am ever blest.

He is my Lord, my friend, yea, He’s my brother;
And Jesus Christ is His most blessèd name.
He loves more tenderly than any mother;
To rest in Him is more than wealth and fame.

My poor and wretched soul He bought so dearly,
And freed from condemnation, death, and hell;
The old and bitter foe He crushed completely;
My soul, rejoice and sing, for all is well!

Thus I’m redeemed; no more the law prevaileth,
For Christ, the Lord, is my redeemer’s name;
His precious blood more than my sins availeth;
And cleanseth me from all my guilt and shame.

With hallelujahs here I’d tell the story,
My Lord to praise, to laud and magnify;
And praise His name forevermore in glory,
Before His throne with all the saints on high.

Words: Gustaf Palmqvist, 1851, & Carl O. Rosinius, (1816-1868) Translated from Swedish to English by John Jesperson, (1858-1943)

FFF ~ Finally!

It’s time once again to look back over the last week and come up with 5 favorites to share. Susanne at Living to Tell the Story is the hostess for this event each week.

Finally someone is selling a Chocolate Chip Ice Cream that is as good as I remember the Chocolate Chip scoop I’d get at 31 Flavors growing up.

 

The key to the great flavor I was missing must be the semi-sweet chocolate. Thank you Private Selection for taking me back to the good ole days of stopping in at 31 flavors and being able to choose 2 scoops.

2. These new place card holders that I’m looking forward to filling in names for a meal soon.

 

3. New shoes for Zumba! These shoes should make the moves easier on my knees. The great thing is that I get to try them at a Zumba class and if they aren’t good I can take them back. See the round pivot point on the bottom. Should be good for twisting and turning.

 

4. Time spent with my daughter Katie this week.

5. March is one of my favorite months and I’m happy that March 2011 is here. March favorites include MLS soccer season starting up, my birthday, the start of the season of lent, beginning of Spring, and daffodils. If I was in Southern California I’d add fresh strawberries from the local strawberry stands to the list!

What were your favorites this week?

Photobucket replaced all my photos with ugly black and grey boxes and they are holding my photos hostage until I pay them lots of money. I’m slowly going through all my posts and trying to clean them up and replacing some photos. Such a bother.

The Wind Blows Cold…

 

It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade.

~Charles Dickens

That really describes Wednesday. It was extreme in contrasts. We will see what Thursday holds for us.

I need to get a smog check on one of our cars and I hope to get some laundry done now that the washer and dryer is in it’s new location and all hooked up and vented. What does your day hold?

Photobucket replaced all my photos with ugly black and grey boxes and they are holding my photos hostage until I pay them lots of money. I’m slowly going through all my posts and trying to clean them up and replacing some photos. Such a bother.

Getting Ready…

…for some St. Patrick’s Day Fun.

 

I’ll be joining Kathleen at Cuisine Kathleen for her St. Patrick’s Day Party on March 15th. I’m partying all month anyway since this is my birthday month. Actually, I’m partying all year because I’m turning the epic age of 60 in 2011!

In the meantime…

Psalm 118:24 (ESV)

This is the day that the LORD has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Lord willing this is what I’ll be doing today…

This morning I’ll be moving like a Latin dance queen at Zumba. There are no mirrors so I can humor myself in thinking that I’ve got the moves. What’s important is that my heart is pumping and I’m burning some calories.

Late morning Katie and I are headed to Crate and Barrel for some light shopping.

At 1:00 we have Katie’s 3rd wedding dress fitting for her alterations. Today is going to be fun because Patty Forte Linna is joining us. She’s an artist and we’ve commissioned her to do a wedding painting. This appointment will be animated for sure!

That will be enough excitement for one day!

What are you doing today?


Welcome March ~ The Next 20…

 

For those of you who humor me and follow my meanderings and whimsy on my blog you know I’m working on a list of 60 things to do in my 60th year of life. Because I’m getting older and it might be a little difficult to complete all 60 in a years time I started early and I’m on my way already. You also need to know that cutting myself a lot of slack is something that has allowed me to be more content then I should be with myself. All that to say if I don’t get around to all 60 this year they’ll just fall to my 61st year!

The first 20 on the list are here. Here are the next 20.

21. Re-arrange some things that have been the same for 13 years in this old house.

22. Buy a Welsh Sideboard. I’ve wanted one for years.

23. Make and serve our Russian favorite recipes for family gatherings.

24. Find a couple new blogs to add to my favorites.

25. Clean out my closet.

26. Take some time to journal.

27. Invite someone new over for a meal.

28. Invite old friends over for a meal.

29. Meet Dear downtown for lunch.

30. Do some volunteer work.

31. Try baking a pie including the crust.

32. Bake cinnamon rolls from scratch.

33. Write some letters and mail them.

34. Surprise someone.

35. Get a manicure and pedicure.

36. Have more than one hour long massage.

37. Use my sewing machine.

38. Be brave enough to get a new generation phone.

39. Call Dear’s Aunts on their birthdays.

40. Try something new with my camera.

This isn’t as easy as I thought it might be.

Photobucket replaced all my photos with ugly black and grey boxes and they are holding my photos hostage until I pay them lots of money. I’m slowly going through all my posts and trying to clean them up and replacing some photos. Such a bother.

Blue Monday ~Totem Poles

It’s hard to believe that just a week ago the skies were so clear and blue. We are in a overcast, gray, and wet pattern right now.

 

We have the opportunity to see many Totem Poles in the Pacific Northwest because of our Northwest Coast Native populations. They are carved from large trees, generally from Western Red Cedar. These Totem Poles are featured at the Evergreen Fair Grounds in Monroe, Washington. If you are interested in reading about the different types of  Totem Poles google it and enjoy the history…

 

Have you ever used the expression low man on the totem pole? Usually the expression means someone who is the lowest ranking in a group or organization. The thing I learned today in reading some history about Totem Poles is that the order of the faces carved on a totem pole have no universal significance.

Visit Sally at Smiling Sally to see more blue…

Photobucket replaced all my photos with ugly black and grey boxes and they are holding my photos hostage until I pay them lots of money. I’m slowly going through all my posts and trying to clean them up and replacing some photos. Such a bother.

Still Whiter Than Snow ~ Hymn

Still Whiter Than Snow

What can be whiter than beautiful snow,
Coming from Heaven to earth below,
Pure and so white as it falleth light
Over this broad world of sin and of woe?

Refrain

Yes, there is something still whiter;
Hearken ye weary, and know!
Tho’ your sins be as scarlet red,
They shall be whiter than snow.

Jesus has died, and now all men may know
That His rich blood for the world did flow;
Saved we may be, and from sin set free,
Washed and made whiter than beautiful snow.

Refrain

Beautiful souls of His saints here below,
What but His blood could have made them so?
All who believe shall His grace receive,
And be made purer than Heaven-born snow.

Refrain

Come to this Savior! He surely doth know
All of your sorrow and sin and woe,
And when you sigh He will hear your cry,
Wash you more white than the beautiful snow.

Refrain

Words: Miriam Stabler, 1894

If Only I Was a Poet…

…I’d write a little something about Icicles.

 

These icicles formed off the edge of our gazebo cover. Some of you might be wondering why we didn’t store our cover in the garage for the winter. I have no idea why we didn’t do that but at this point it might as well stay put.

 

I know people that live in areas where their winters are harsher then ours have way more impressive icicles. Dear was at the Home Depot this morning because he’s working on yet another project in this old house. It is 20 degrees out there. So when the snow off the hood of his car melted in the Home Depot parking lot it formed icicles on the front end of his car. Sure wish he carried a camera everywhere like I do.

 

I spotted this cutie in our neighborhood. I’m taking a wild guess and saying a little girl created her!

About that project Dear is working on…it involves moving a gas line so he has the gas shut off right now so our little gas stove and gas fireplace insert are off right now, too. Did I mention it’s 20 degrees out?

What kind of temps and weather are you having today?

Photobucket replaced all my photos with ugly black and grey boxes and they are holding my photos hostage until I pay them lots of money. I’m slowly going through all my posts and trying to clean them up and replacing some photos. Such a bother.