It’s February

Do you associate the color red or pink with the month of February? I think of purple, too, because of my sister Vera’s birthstone, amethyst. She is a leap year baby. My mom was big on birthstones and each of us girls got a birthstone ring for our 16th birthday. Or maybe some of my sisters got necklaces instead of a ring. (Vera?) Now I’m wondering if my youngest sister ever got a birthstone ring. If she didn’t don’t feel sorry for her because her boss has gifted her some amazing precious stones! I remember picking my ring out at a jewelry outlet in Los Angeles.

The stone, aquamarine, is not precious in this ring, the setting is in white gold, though. Lots of memories associated with it. I need to have it sized so it will fit me again.

I’m joining my kids from eastern Washington on a plane ride to John Wayne Airport in southern California for a few days.

From views and walks like the one above to…

…a walk on the Huntington Beach Pier.

On this trip I’m looking forward first to being reunited with our Eastern Washington kids and Addy at Seatac airport. From Seattle we fly together to Orange County/John Wayne airport in Southern California Saturday evening. On Sunday we’ll be seeing many of our extended family after Jamie and our niece Debbee run in a half marathon in Huntington Beach with brunch at the end of the run and then a Superbowl party later in the afternoon and evening. And last and certainly not least visiting with my dear old pop on Monday. He will get to see Addy for the first time. He is her only great grandparent on my side of the family. My pop is not doing well and is tired and weary of continuing his life on this earth. He is in Hospice care in my oldest sister’s home. Bittersweet moments.

I am not taking my computer with me on this trip so there will not be any posts about my trip until after I get home on Tuesday. Hope you all have a great weekend. See ya next week!

Still Blogging Hodgepodge

Crystal Cove Beach, California, January 2017 with my sister Vera.

It’s time to answer the Wednesday Hodgepodge questions…

1. What keeps you blogging?

I’ve thought about laying it aside and then I bump into someone who says they are reading my blog and enjoying it. I’ve been able to go back and read things I’ve forgotten over the years. If I look at it as a journal I’m content to keep going. From the beginning I’ve wanted my blog to honor and encourage and I hope that it has brought some glory to God and encouragement to others. I’m also interested in what’s going on in the lives of fellow bloggers.

2. Some people like to travel in the winter months. Do you enjoy the beach in winter? According to Southern Living the best U.S. beach towns to visit this winter are-

St Simons Island (Georgia), Hilton Head (South Carolina), Bald Head Island (North Carolina), Seaside (Florida), Bay St. Louis (Mississippi), Cape San Blas (Florida), South Padre Island (Texas), Folly Beach (South Carolina), Chincoteague (Virginia), Duck Key (Florida), Nags Head (North Carolina), and Fairhope (Alabama)

Well leave it to Southern Living to list Southeast beaches as the best in the U.S., LOL. I’m of the mind that any beach is great to visit in the Winter!

I love the beach in winter and most of the beaches I’ve visited in winter are West Coast beaches. From San Diego to Central California for me winter at the beach is best. Last January I spent time at Port Hueneme, Huntington Beach and Crystal Cove.

Port Hueneme with extended family staying at a VRBO to attend a family wedding north of Santa Barbara.

The Orchid Farm in Goleta, California at our nephew Joe’s wedding in January of 2017.

Huntington Beach pier in January 2017.

Have you been to any of the towns listed (in any season)? Which on the list appeals to you most this winter?

I have not been to any of the towns listed and they are not on my bucket list. When our son-in-law completed his Marine Corps grueling basic training, my daughter and I flew east and drove to Parris Island for his graduation. We stayed in Beaufort. Later when he was stationed in Jacksonville, N.C. at Camp Lejeune we helped our daughter set up their home on base just before Andrew returned from Afghanistan. While there we took a day trip to Emerald Isle.

Emerald Isle, North Carolina December of 2011.

3. What’s a song you’re embarrassed to know all the lyrics to? Are you really embarrassed or do just think you should be?

I’m not embarrassed about any song I know all the lyrics to and am quite excited if my memory serves me that well.

4. When you were a kid what’s something you thought would be fantastic as an adult, but now that you’re an adult you realize it’s not all that fantastic?

I’m kind of sad to admit this but I thought that being a teacher would be fantastic but when I finally made it into a classroom the federal requirements and paper work wore me down and it was a discouraging endeavor for me. I was happy to retire when our first child was born. My first classroom was on the stage of the cafeteria because the school was over crowded. Yikes. My second classroom was a portable which I got locked in once. My third classroom was a regular classroom with nice windows. Our school was in a low income area and was federally funded, keeping up with the federal paper work made it hard to teach and have good one on one time with the students. I loved the kids but didn’t like the federal meddling.

5. Share a quote you hope will inspire you in 2018.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14

6. Insert your own random thought here.

It’s a big birthday week at this old house. Monday was our daughter-in-law Jamie’s birthday. Tuesday was our son Dan’s birthday and Friday is our son Josh’s birthday. We aren’t seeing any of them on their day since Dan and Jamie are in northeastern Washington and Josh and Laura are celebrating in Hawaii.

Miss seeing our little Addy, too. It’s been almost a month. I’m always a little worried she’ll forget us but she has a sharp fresh mind so I should just let those thoughts go…

Joyce From This Side of the Pond asks the questions for Wednesday Hodgepodge. Thank you Joyce and thank you to those of you who took the time to read this post. I appreciate your visits!

Huntington Beach

On Thursday the 25th of May my sister Vera and I had a walk in Huntington Beach and on the pier.

It was fun to see the pelicans. They look so prehistoric, don’t they?

We took the obligatory selfie.

On Friday Kathy joined Vera and me in Huntington Beach for a sister morning. We had breakfast and did some shopping together.Our youngest sister, Lana, is traveling in Scotland right now.

Before Kathy left we took another sister selfie.

On Saturday we are going to have another family gathering with more of our family at my sister Vera’s. It will be nice to see two of my brothers and my sister-in-laws. Vera and I will be baking again on Saturday morning because our dear old pop told us it would be good if we baked another roolyet (nut roll) for our family gathering.

I’ll be posting the recipe of this family favorite on the Mennonite Girls Can Cook on the 31st of May.

Hope you are having a good long weekend and can pause to remember those who have fallen in service to our country.

Thursday a Fortnight ago…

…I stepped out on my own in Huntington Beach, California, for a walk along the shore and out to the end of the pier.

I enjoy California beaches in the winter.

The day I was walking on the pier was Josh’s birthday. He and Laura were still in California and opted to visit Disneyland on this day with their cousins. My two sister’s who I was staying with were both at work. My walk on the beach alone was good for me.

The storms that were rolling through Southern California made for some dramatic waves.

Before I headed home on the following Tuesday my sister Vera and I had a walk on a beach together south of this one and I’ll share about that later.

Fast forward to today…daughter and I were able to shop at the Navy Exchange. Our son-in-law is a non-active Marine so he and our daughter can shop at the exchange with proper I.D. I’m allowed in as a guest. One of the advantages of shopping at the Exchange is that you do not have any added tax. The price you see posted is the final price. After our shopping we had lunch together and she dropped me off home. I then headed to our local Goodwill and was happy to find these French Onion Soup bowls. Wednesday is Senior discount day so there is an 20% discount. I bought all 4 for just over $9.00. Lion’s head soup bowls.

I’m looking forward to making my French Onion soup again in these lovelies.

Signs of Huntington Beach

Hope y’all aren’t getting tired of Huntington Beach. Some of these shots are conventional signs and the others are things that are “signs” that let you know you are definitely at the beach.

The Huntington Beach Pier was full of signs advertising their upcoming Surf City Marathon and Half Marathon.

It’s good to know the beach rules!

Glad he didn’t stop…

Pelicans are a good sign that you are close to the seashore.

Oil rigs and surfers are another sign that you are at Huntington Beach.

I’m linking to Signs, Signs with Lesley. Click over to see more signs from around the world.

Walking at the Beach

Last Friday I had a wonderful walk on the beach. My sister Vera lives a few blocks from Huntington Beach in Southern California and we always enjoy walking down and taking in the sea air. On this day we walked down with my brother Leonard, SIL Mandy, niece Hope, new nephew Andrew, and my sister Vera.

We were wondering how Andrew would react to the ocean waves.

Hope went in with no fear and Andrew watched from the sand.

We left my brother to enjoy watching the kids while the three of us walked along the tide line for an hour.

We walked up the beach and then down again to the pier.

Andrew kept quite busy building in the sand.

Do you live anywhere near an ocean shore? We live close to the shores of Lake Washington and a short drive to the Puget Sound but we have to travel a few hours to get to the Pacific Ocean.

The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b.

To honor and encourage

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