Fun Monday ~ Quotable quotes and words that inspire

Robin at Pensieve has chosen this theme for today’s Fun Monday.

Quotable quotes and words that inspire.

Here are a couple of quotes for you. One from a Russian and one for an admired American.

“How easy it is for me to live with you, Lord!
How easy it is for me to believe in you!
When my mind is distraught and my reason fails,
When the cleverest people do not see further than this
evening what must be done tomorrow
You grant me the clear confidence
that you exist, and that you will take care
that not all the ways of goodness are stopped.
At the height of earthly fame I gaze with wonder at
that path through hopelessness-
to this point from which even I have been able
to convey to men some reflection of the Light
which comes from you.”

-Alexander Solshenitsyn

Solshenitsyn: A Pictorial Record, 1974

“All the masterpieces of art contain both light and shadow. A happy life is not one filled only with sunshine, but one which uses both light and shadow to produce beauty.”

Billy Graham

Day by Day with Billy Graham, 1976

To read more Fun Monday Quotes click over to Robin’s.

 

Tea Blog-a-thon ~ Decor-a-Tea

This weeks theme is decorating with tea items, or tea collections etc. I’m getting ready for my posts and wanted to remind you that’s it’s not to late to join in. Head over to Gracious Hospitality for the themes each week. Then you can click on the link below my collage to see other posts for this weeks theme. Here’s my first contribution to Decor-a-Tea.

The tea set and dishes are Royal Albert Moss Rose. The napkins and napkin rings are Target clearance. The glasses and clear glass plates on top of the Moss Rose plates are from Goodwill. The tablecloth is a quilt I bought at T.J.Max. The runner is a piece of dotted swiss fabric with lace that I found at Goodwill, too. The salt and pepper shakers are a gift from a friend who purchased them in Victoria, B.C. I love to find things here and there to add to my different ideas for place settings. When I find bargains it’s easier to justify adding them to my collections. I’ve gotten a lot braver in throwing odd things together and most of the time it works out well. Enjoy…

I’m headed to the airport now to return to Southern California. I will add some more Decor-a-Tea posts from there. Have a wonderful week everyone.

To see more Decorating Tea posts click here.

Who Am I ~ Casting Crowns

 

Casting Crowns – Who Am I Lyrics

Who am I?
That the Lord of all the earth,
Would care to know my name,
Would care to feel my hurt.
Who am I?
That the bright and morning star,
Would choose to light the way,
For my ever wondering heart.

Not because of who I am.
But because of what you’ve done.
Not because of what I’ve done.
But because of who you are.

Chorus:
I am a flower quickly fading,
Here today and gone tomorrow.
A wave tossed in the ocean,
A vapor in the wind.
Still you hear me when I’m calling,
Lord you catch me when I’m falling,
And you told me who I am.
I am yours.
I am yours.

Who am I?
That the eyes that see my sin
Would look on me with love
And watch me rise again
Who am I?
That the voice that calm the sea,
Would call out through the rain,
And calm the storm in me.

Not because of who I am.
But because what of youve done.
Not because of what I’ve done.
But because of who you are.

Chorus:

Whom shall I fear?
Whom shall I fear?
‘Cuz I am yours.
I am yours.

 

Our Time in Washington ~

While we’ve been in Washington (me for 2 weeks, Dear for 1 week), Dear has been gutting our basement. We need to take care of some water issues and do some structural strengthening. Today is the day for a very heavy steel beam to replace a wooden beam. Anyone free at 2:30 for some heavy lifting.

After all that hard work we want to eat hearty. We try to get everyone together to enjoy a meal. Yesterday I went to the meat market and they helped me pick out some very marbled meat to fulfill the workers cravings. Steak, baked potatoes, steamed cauliflower, salad with Persian dressing and sour dough bread. The meat was very tender and broiled to perfection by Dear. My dishwasher has been filled and emptied a lot.

At the end of some of my days here I’ve enjoyed views like this one from my bedroom windows.

Have a great Saturday. I’m meeting my walking buddies at 9:00 for our walk on the trail. I’ll post my average steps later for Lovella’s walking club.

*No walking post today. The walking club is taking the week off so we will resume next week. I did walk this week with two over 17,000 step days, a couple 6800 step days a 8646 step day and a 12,595 step day. So my average for the week was 11,532 steps. See y’all walking buddies again next week.

Tagged for a Meme ~

 I was tagged for a meme by Dee.

What is his name?: Dear

How long have we been married?: 33 years 3 months

How long did we date?: 2 years

How old is he?: Not quite old enough to order off of some senior menus…

Who eats more?: He does but I gain more 🙂

Who said I love you first?: He did

Who is taller?: He is

Who sings better?: He does but I can sing along well.

Who is smarter?: He is more book smart. I am more street smart.

Who’s temper is worse?: Mine

Who pays the bills?: I do (well he earns the money and I spend it all)

Who does laundry?: I do mostly but he does it too.

Who cooks dinner?: I generally cook but he’s a great cook and we’ll call on him for his Swedish pancakes regularly and his wonderful Tomatoe Rice Soup. He also handles the barbecue!

Who drives when we are together?: He does

Who is more stubborn?: hmm, I think this is a toss up.

Who is the first to admit when they are wrong?: Me

Who’s parents do you see more?: Both of Dear’s parents are deceased. His mother lived with us for 9 years before she died in 1997. Both of my parents are still alive and they live about an hour and a half away from us in California. We see them as often as we can.

Who has more friends?: We both have good friends but I probably socialize more.

Who wears the pants in the family?: Dear is the best head to depend on but we both have areas of responsibility that might not be conventional.

Who eats more sweets?: Probably me.

Who mows the lawn?: In California in the Condo the gardening service. In Washington at our home generally I do but he weed-wacks. While we are both in California our son does (sort of, occassionally) 🙂

Who sleeps on the right side of the bed?: My right hand is closest to my bed table. His left hand is closest to his bed table. When we’re lying on our backs.

Who asked who out first?: Dear did.

Who kissed who first?: I’m going to say Dear but I probably leaned in 🙂

What’s my favorite thing about him?: His integrity, faithfulness, intelligence and wit.

If you decide to play along let me know…

The Wind in the Willows ~ Grahame

road to Henly day11 142

I read this the first night in Washington from California and in a way it spoke to my situation in life right now…

From the Wind in the Willows ~ by Kenneth Grahame

“The weary Mole also was glad to turn in without delay, and soon had his head on his pillow, in great joy and contentment. But ere he closed his eyes he let them wander round his old room, mellow in the glow of the firelight that played or rested on familiar and friendly things which had long been unconsciously a part of him, and now smilingly received him back, without rancour. He was now in just the frame of mind that the tactful Rat had quietly worked to bring about in him. He saw clearly how plain and simple – how narrow, even – it all was; but clearly, too, how much it all meant to him, and the special value of some such anchorage in one’s existence. He did not at all want to abandon the new life and its splendid spaces, to turn back on sun and air and all they offered him and creep home and stay there; the upper world was all too strong, it called to him still, even down there, and he knew he must return to the larger stage. But it was good to think he had this to come back to, this place which was all his own, these things which were so glad to see him again and could always be counted upon for the same simple welcome.”

 

Photo Hunters ~ High

 

Mt. Rainier in the state of Washington is 14, 411 ft. high.

  • The base of the volcano occupies more than 100 square miles. 
  • It is the 5th highest mountain in the lower 48 states (only 83 feet lower than California’s Whitney!). 
  • It’s massive ice flows and violent winds are so similar to the biggest mountains that it is considered a training ground for McKinley and Everest itself. 
  • Avalanches from the mountain have been known to travel 60 miles
  • For more photo hunters click here.

Litera Tea ~ Anne of Green Gables

I just recently read Anne of Green Gables for the first time. I had seen and enjoyed the movies. This is a great quote from the book during a conversation with Anne and Marilla as Anne anticipates going to tea at the manse (a clergyman’s residence).

“But all things have an end, even nights before the day on which you are invited to take tea at the manse. The morning, in spite of Matthew’s predictions, was fine and Anne’s spirits soared to their highest.

“Oh, Marilla, there is something in me today that makes me just love everybody I see, ” she exclaimed as she washed the breakfast dishes. “You don’t know how good I feel! Wouldn’t it be nice if it could last? I believe I could be a model child if I were just invited out to tea everyday. But oh, Marilla, it’s a solemn occasion, too. I feel so anxious. What if I shouldn’t behave properly? You know I never had tea at a manse before, and I’m not sure that I know all the rules of etiquette, although I’ve been studying the rules given in the Etiquette Department of the Family Herald ever since I came here. I’m so afraid I’ll do something silly or forget to do something I should do. Would it be good manners to take a second helping of anything if you wanted to very much?”

“The trouble with you, Anne, is that you’re thinking too much about yourself. You should just think of Mrs. Allan and what would be nicest and most agreeable for her.” said Marilla, hitting for once in her life on a very sound and pithy piece of advice. Anne instantly realized this.

“You are right, Marilla. I’ll try not to think about myself at all.”

Enjoy a little tea in my library in celebration of Litera-tea!
My first Litera post about Russian Tea is here.

For more Litera-Tea click over to Gracious Hospitality.

WFW ~ Hebrews 10: 19-23

 

“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.”

For more Word Filled Wednesday click here.

ABC Wednesday ~ J is for…

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J is for

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Our Son Josh who has brought lots of Joy to our lives!

Johnson Bros. Dishes that I love to collect here and there if I find them at a bargain price.

And for your dining pleasure a lovely Applesauce Raspberry Jello Salad that is perfect for Spring and Summer and you can click here for the recipe.

For more ABC Wednesday Posts travel over to Mrs. Nesbitt’s.