Multiplying Residents!

Oh dear, how many more of these are there hanging out nearby? This is the first time we’ve seen this one roaming our yard and the neighbors yards in the daylight. When our daughter was living with us before she married and moved to the east coast with her Marine her headlights would capture them as she drove into our drive at night. She also spotted bunny footprints once in the snow.

They are cute little pests. I tried yelling out at this one to “EAT THE DANDELIONS!”

Time will tell if they outgrow their tolerance here at this old house.

Dear is on vacation next week. Before he gets all tied up with completing the siding we are talking about an adventure. So far my brain isn’t coming up with something appropriate. I’m sure by Monday something will kick in. On Saturday we are participating in Community Serve Day. Several area churches team up with volunteers to spruce up our local elementary schools for the new year. We help teachers in their classrooms and clean up the outside areas of the school, too. I’m excited to be going to our kids elementary school. It’s been 20 or so years since I’ve been there. Dear will be pressure washing and I’ll be racking or scrubbing desk tops!

Any plans for your weekend?

Taking Flight…

This is another regular resident at my friend Beth’s house. I was happy to have my camera in hand when it took flight.

Speaking of taking flight…my mom is being kicked out of the nest at the rehab center and headed home on Saturday. Her doctor wants her to do more moving around and to exercise her right leg more. I think my dad will be relieved to have her home again even though it means more work for him. My siblings, siblings in law, and nieces are setting up some food deliveries for my mom and dad. My mom has not been pleased with the food at the rehab center so things will start looking up come Saturday in that regard.  Thanks for all your kind concern for my mom. I’m looking forward to seeing both my mom and dad in September.

Summer Sunday

We have 3 services at our church every Sunday. One Sunday a year we have Summer Sunday when we all get together for one service at an adjoining property. A member of our church owns this beautiful property and generously lets us overrun it for 3 hours. Bouncy houses are brought in for the kids.

BYOC…Bring your own chair or blanket is the order of the afternoon. Find your spot and settle in.

A jazz band entertained us with good music while we chatted and waited for our barbecue meal of pulled pork, BBQ beans, coleslaw, watermelon to be served. Everyone brought cookies to share for dessert.

Here’s our head pastor taking photos of all of us. He challenged us along our theme of “Love Where You Live”.

The highlight of the afternoon were the baptisms. There were many starting with grade school kids to adults.

The weather was perfect for the evening. During the course of the service we saw someone we used to go to church with years ago. Now we are at the same church again. It was fun catching up.

My Monday started out real good with some energy to get some things done that needed doing. It’s always good for me to be able to check things off my list. Do you keep lists?

Ruffles and Rust and the Boy Scouts!

Ruffles and Rust/Come Junk with Us puts together some great sales bringing in vendors from all over the state under one roof. This was one of their smaller sales (just the right size for me). I headed over to Bothell for this event on Saturday morning at 9:00.

I ended up buying this burlap wrapped star with the thought to wrap it with lights to put up at Christmas.

I also bought this old milk crate and I have some ideas in my head about how to use it. I guess my purchases were more rust than ruffles!

This boy scout and another scout who were at the sale on duty carried my goods to the car for me. I was parked off site and up the hill and they were more then willing to walk all that way with me carrying my purchases.

Boy Scout Oath or Promise

On my honor, I will do my best
To do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law;
To help other people at all times;
To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight.

DUTY TO OTHER PEOPLE: Many people need help. A cheery smile and a helping hand make life easier for others. By doing a Good Turn daily and helping when you’re needed, you prove yourself a Scout and do your part to make this a better world.

Boy Scout Motto

Be Prepared!

Boy Scout Slogan

Do a Good Turn Daily!

Thank you Boy Scout Troop #356

He Knows ~ Hymn

He Knows

I know not what awaits me,
God kindly veils mine eyes,
And o’er each step of my onward way
He makes new scenes to rise;
And ev’ry joy He sends me, comes
A sweet and glad surprise.

Refrain

Where He may lead me I’ll follow,
My trust in Him repose
And ev’ry hour in perfect peace
I’ll sing, He knows, He knows;
And ev’ry hour in perfect peace
I’ll sing, He knows, He knows.

One step I see before me,
’Tis all I need to see,
The light of Heav’n more brightly shines,
When earth’s illusions flee;
And sweetly through the silence, came
His loving Follow Me.

Refrain

O blissful lack of wisdom,
’Tis blessèd not to know;
He holds me with His own right hand,
And will not let me go,
And lulls my troubled soul to rest
In Him who loves me so.

Refrain

So on I go not knowing,
I would not if I might;
I’d rather walk in the dark with God
Than go alone in the light;
I’d rather walk in faith with Him
Than go alone by sight.

Refrain

He knows, He knows, He knows.

Words: Mary G. Brainard, 1869.

Living at the Hood…

…Hood Canal that is.

Our friends Dave and Beth sold their house in our old neighborhill a few years ago and moved to their vacation home on Hood Canal. What a beautiful spot to live and enjoy the beauty that the Lord created for us. They’ve added many great garden touches to make the property more private.

This old guy made the move from the hill to his new home by the water.

They enjoy kayak trips on the canal when the water is calm.

How about this for a great setting for your next roast or just to enjoy a fire by the water?!

The added landscape shrubs and walls help give privacy and block some of the wind that always whips up on the canal.

I waved to my MGCC friends who live in British Columbia just on the other side of Mt. Baker seen here looking north on Hood Canal.

Dave and Beth have always shared the blessings that the Lord has afforded them with their family and friends. God bless you both on whatever the Lord holds for you in the future!

I’ll show more photos I captured of this long legged bird on my next post…

Hope you are all enjoying your weekend!

Poulsbo ~ Velkommen

Poulsbo is a picturesque town located on Liberty Bay on the Kitsap Peninsula. It’s known as “little Norway”  Poulsbo was settled in 1892 by Norwegian loggers, farmers and fishermen who likened the fjord-cut landscape to their homeland.

On Wednesday when Beth picked me up from the Ferry landing we headed here to walk about and check out the 2nd hand store she volunteers at once a week. The 2nd hand store uses their profits to feed the hungry in this area.

How about this mural as a surround for the door to the chocolate shop?!

I took this photo from the inside of the Bakery looking out on the colorful storefronts.

I really like the fun setting of this Mexican restaurant with the eye catching items they’ve decorated with.

There were a few other restaurants I’ll remember if Dear and I ever venture back here. Thanks for showing me around Poulsbo, Beth.

Next time I’ll show you the amazing views around Dave and Beth’s home.

Northwest Weather Notes: It’s sizzling here in the Pacific Northwest. We are looking at breaking some heat records today.

Any fun plans for the weekend? Dear is probably going to work on the house again. I’m going to a Ruffles and Rust sales event in the morning on Saturday. On Sunday our church has their Summer Sunday service. One service instead of 3 all together at a neighboring large piece of property owned by a member of our church. Dinner, service and baptisms all outdoors. BYOC…bring your own chair! I’m thinking about taking an umbrella, too. Have a great weekend!

A Day With a Friend…

I drove to Edmonds and parked my car and bought my ticket to walk on the ferry Wednesday morning.

I sailed on the ferry from Edmonds to Kingston on the Kitsap Peninsula.

It was a beautiful warm day and perfect to be close to the water.

So is this a jelly fish? I saw a few of them in the “Sound”.

When I arrived at the Kitsap dock I waited for the pedestrian bridge to connect to the ferry deck.

I walked off the ferry and my friend Beth was waiting for me and we drove to Poulsbo first and then to her home for lunch. I’ll show more photos of our adventures and her beautiful home in another post. Our friendship began through our sons. Our sons began their friendship in grade school and are still good buds. What a blessing to be friends with your children’s friends!

“It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson

Noteworthy…

…from Spring 2011 in Washington D.C.

These photos are all from the National Cathedral in Washington D.C. What a national treasure it is!

I’m joining Vee at A Haven for Vee for her August Notecard party.

Just wanted to give an update on our refrigerator. It is now fixed and the Sears repair man that came to the house was a hoot! We thought it was worth the wait. The interior of the unit is light and bright again.

Just a Year Ago…

…We were in Southern California having a bridal shower for Katie. It seems like ages ago.

I talked to my mom today and she is still experiencing lots of pain so will you please continue to pray for her and my dad. They were both crying which is hard to take over the phone and being 1200 miles away. I know she’ll get better but these are hard days to bear before the better days come.

My sister took this photo this evening and she reports that my mom is feeling a lot better since I talked to her this morning. I’m so happy to see this. Thank you Lana. My mom is learning to manage her pain.

A bizarre storm swept through Nuevo, Ca. and the surrounding area with tornado like effects on Sunday. My brother’s family lives there and they have been cleaning up. On one street a dozen power poles came down like dominoes. They had to work hard to keep mud from coming into their home. Yikes, now they are getting severe weather warnings again. So far there are no injuries that we’ve heard of. Needless to say there are power issues and with temps over a 100 that is not a good scenario…

Our refrigerator is getting repaired today sometime…remember our light issue that caused the light housing to melt. It’s after 4:30 and we’re still waiting. Did you ever read Waiting for Godot in your school years? Hopefully we aren’t waiting for Godot.

We are still having summer here in the Northwest and that has been nice. I’m going to have to water!!