Beatrix Potter ~ July 28, 1866 – December 22, 1943

Today in 1866 Helen Beatrix Potter was born. She lived to be 77 years old.

 

This little rabbit made her famous with The Tale of Peter Rabbit

“I don’t know what to write to you, so I shall tell you a story about four little rabbits whose names were Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail and Peter….”

“And that – a letter to a small boy called Noel- was the beginning of the Beatrix Potter Books.”

I started my Beatrix Potter Collection in the summer of 1973 while touring England. I bought the Biography The Tale of Beatrix Potter by Margaret Lane in Oxford July of 1974.

Walking Again

Oh the Places you will go, Oh the Wonders you will see…

I made the horrible timely mistake of stepping on the scale last Tuesday morning. Right then and there I decided it was time to get serious about walking everyday again. I’ve gotten a little more fluffy and soft then I want to be. So I headed out to see what I could see…

The Burke Gilman Trail which spills into the Sammamish River Trail is a great place to walk/ride/run in the Seattle Area. My two walking buddies and I walked this trail every Saturday morning for several years before I moved to California. When I’m back in town we still get together to walk it. The two of them walk it when I’m away. It’s so lush and green in the Spring and Summer! This last Saturday we walked our typical 15,000 steps! On Wednesday of last week after the “stepping on the scale” incident I walked part of the trail starting at Bothell Landing and I clocked 7282 steps. These photos are from that day.

LOOK! I even found the MAGIC PORTAL to get to Hogwarts from the Pacific Northwest!

On Thursday for my motivation to walk I headed to Juanita Bay in Kirkland, Washington. There’s a wonderful park next to the bay with boardwalks that go out into the marshes and wetlands.

I saw this young Blue Heron.

Lots of Woodland Ducks. It was so exciting when I looked straight down from a spot on the boardwalk and saw this mama duck with her ducklings just below me.

Then I spotted these turtles!

This beautiful Dragonfly stayed around long enough for me to zoom in and get a shot.

When Dear gets here I think we’ll have to do this walk again together.

You can see why it was easy to get in 8694 steps checking out the wonder of this spot. The beauty that the Lord has created for us to enjoy and praise Him for is all around us. I hope to always have eyes that see it and a tongue that gives Him praise for it.

On Friday I went to Bellevue and I already posted about that day and those steps! So for my first 5 days back with renewed inspiration to walk my average steps were 9286. My Saturday walks with the girls really pushes up my average.

I hope to keep walking this week. Have a wonderful week and remember your Creator, the God who made all things beautiful for us to enjoy…

This is My Father’s World ~ Hymn

This is My Father’s World

This is my Father’s world,
and to my listening ears
all nature sings, and round me rings
the music of the spheres.
This is my Father’s world:
I rest me in the thought
of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;
his hand the wonders wrought.

This is my Father’s world,
the birds their carols raise,
the morning light, the lily white,
declare their maker’s praise.
This is my Father’s world:
he shines in all that’s fair;
in the rustling grass I hear him pass;
he speaks to me everywhere.

This is my Father’s world.
O let me ne’er forget
that though the wrong seems oft so strong,
God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father’s world:
why should my heart be sad?
The Lord is King; let the heavens ring!
God reigns; let the earth be glad!

Text: Maltbie D. Babcock
Music: Trad. English melody; adapt. by Franklin L. Sheppard
Tune: TERRA BEATA, Meter: SMD

Friday Morning in Bellevue, Washington

 

I rode over to Bellevue this morning to check out the Bellevue Festival of Arts…

There were lots of interesting handcrafted, painted, sculpted, wrought, things to see. I had to take a picture of a quilt for Ivory Spring and a picture of a Knitting booth for Willow. Aren’t those masks made out of feathers interesting? I clocked 7000 steps and decided to go to where I’m willing to spend a lot less on treasures…The Bellevue Goodwill. On my way back to the car I had to take a photo of the reflections in the high rise buildings in downtown Bellevue.

Now off to Goodwill and here’s what I found this trip.

I nabbed a large what looks to be Russian Teapot for $5.99. The Cake plate and cover were $9.00. The sweet plates (6 of them) were $.99 each. The Pink glass tea cups and saucers were $2.99 each (a little pricey) but I think they look great on the mint and pink rose trimmed plates. My favorite purchase today is the “Russian teapot”

I found a couple of Goodwill items for my bloggy friends in Southern California that I’ve gotten together with face to face, Willow and Sara. I met Sara in person at the Getty Villa. I met Willow in my hometown in California. When we are both in town Willow and I try to walk Monday thru Friday.

For Willow from Willow’s Cottage who likes blue, I found this pretty blue decantor/vase (made in Italy)

And for Sara from Much Ado About Something this book that she has been on a quest to find…

I got real nervous when I saw the Edith Holdren book you found at the book store and was happy it wasn’t this one. So you can stop looking, Sara.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone…

Pink Saturday ~ Beatrix Potter

For my third Pink Saturday I’m combining Pink with my love of all things Beatrix Potter. I started my collection of Beatrix Potter figurines in 1973 while in England. I’ve picked out 3 of my 27 figurines. These three have pink on them and I am sharing the book they come from and an excerpt from the book.

The first figurine is of “Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cottontail” from The Tale of Peter Rabbit.

Next is “Hunca Munca” from The Tale of Two Bad Mice

The third figurine I’m sharing is “Goody Tiptoes” from The Tale of Timmy Tiptoes

Happy Pink Saturday everyone. Hope you enjoyed a little of my Beatrix Potter Collection. To see more Pink Saturday Posts visit our gracious hostess Beverly at How Sweet the Sound…

A New Blog Recommendation

Do you home-school or know anyone who does?

These are my 4 home-schooled nephews. My SIL Kelly and my brother Steve have home-schooled them from K to College. One of my nephews has graduated from Westmont College, one will be a Junior there this year, and one will be starting there in August. My youngest nephew is 16 now and still being home-schooled. These young men have gotten the best kind of education. They have learned to love learning. They have all represented the State of California at National History Day in D.C. several years in a row. Timothy and Levi have spent a summer or two in Africa serving at orphanages there. Levi leads college worship at Westmont. Caleb is serving at Forest Home Christian Camps this summer with young boys. All this to say that this family has done Homeschooling well and there is wisdom you can glean here.

Kelly’s new blog is called Substantive Education. Here’s how that is described.

“A Substantive Education provides more than a solid academic foundation. It is a life-long passion to know more of the world, it’s people, and it’s Creator. Substantive Education doesn’t just prepare one to make a living, but to live a full and significant life.”

Kelly is one great learner and teacher. She is also the Director of Grace Prep School which provides support services to other homeschoolers in her area. Besides all that she’s a Pastor’s wife. I rest my case…

You can get a lot of good tips for homeschooling or learning in general at this new blog. I highly recommend Substantive Education to you.

The Fountain ~ by James Russell Lowell

The Fountain
~
Into the sunshine,
Full of the light,
Leaping and flashing
From morn till night!

Into the moonlight,
Whiter than snow,
Waving so flower-like
When the winds blow

Into the starlight
Rushing in spray,
Happy at midnight
Happy by day!

Ever in motion,
Blithesome and cheery
Still climbing heavenward,
Never aweary;

Glad of all weathers,
Still seeming best,
Upward and downward
Motion thy rest;

Full of a nature
Nothing can tame,
Changed every moment,
Ever the same;

Ceaseless aspiring,
Ceaseless content,
Darkness or sunshine
Thy element;

Glorious fountain!
Let my heart be
Fresh, changeful, constant,
Upward like thee!

Photos from the University of Washington, Seattle, Washington and from the Historical Olivas Adobe in Ventura, California.

Hope your hearts are content and looking up today! Happy Friday to all!

 

ABC’s of the Word ~ A

My new bloggy friend Pam at Grey like Snuffie is starting a self motivation idea for Thursdays called ABC’s of the Word. She started with A today. I’m going to chime in when I can. It’s always fun for me to look for verses in the Bible like a treasure hunt.

Here’s the verse that I’m posting for the letter A.

Matthew 7:7 ~

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened unto you.”

Sky Watch ~ Sammamish River Trail

 

I’m still in the State of Washington and the skies have been quite cloudy and boring these last couple of days. I took a walk yesterday along the Sammamish River Trail out from Bothell Landing. I decided this view with the lush green foliage could make up for the boring sky.

For more Sky Watch Photos click here.

New photo from July of 2017.

Crockpot Ranch Chicken

I was on a quest to make a meal with my crockpot while in Washington because that is where my crockpot lives. I looked around some blogs and found this one and now I’m ashamed to say I can’t find/remember the blog I heisted this recipe off of. I thought it was Susanne’s but when I went back I couldn’t find it. If this is your recipe let me know and I’ll give credit where credit is due…

Crockpot Ranch Chicken

12-18 drumsticks or thighs skin removed. (I used 12 thighs)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 envelope ranch dressing mix
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons bottled ranch
2 tablespoons flour

Spray or oil the sides and bottom of the crock lightly. Very lightly salt the chicken pieces and place them in the pot. Combine soup, sour cream and ranch dressing packet and pour over chicken.

Cook on low for 5 hours or on high for 3 hours.

Remove chicken carefully with slotted spoon. Mix bottled ranch and flour then whisk into the liquid in the crockpot. Put chicken back into pot for 30 more minutes. Serve with Rotini noodles.

This was so easy to make and it was very tasty. I would make it again. Both my son and daughter enjoyed it, too.