Tag Archives: The Rotary Trail

Have Patience Hodgepodge

On Tuesday we took our first walk of the year on the Rotary Trail here in Colville. What a beautiful day!

Thank you to Joyce From This Side of the Pond for Wednesday Hodgepodge.

1. Do you complete your own tax returns or hire out? Something you’ve found taxing lately? 

When we have to complete tax returns, we’ve always hired out.

I am finding weeding and other planter upkeep more and more taxing on my body the older I get. Just getting down and up again can be a challenge. Using the weed wacker and the hedge trimmer is harder and harder.

2. It’s spring (in the northern hemisphere anyway)…would you rather spend the day hiking in the great outdoors or planting a garden? Do you/will you have a garden this year? Flowers, vegetables, or a bit of both?

I’m not a hiker or a gardener. I will walk on relatively flat areas with gentle slopes in the great outdoors and I will weed the planters and mow in the grassy areas. We have a wonderful array of perennials that pop up every year without any help from me. I owe those lovely spots of color to previous owners of our country bungalow. Besides peonies, columbines, lavender, day lilies, lily of the valley, we have a relentless rhubarb plant and some garlic that emerges without help from us.

3. Do you consider yourself a patient person?

On the outside I can be very patient. I’m a Born Again follower of Jesus and because of that I am in a lifelong Sanctification process where the Holy Spirit is working on my inside changing my mind about a lot of things through what I read in God’s Word, The Bible. Part of that process is in making me more patient on the inside.

In what sort of situation is patience not desirable?

When your house is on fire or when a life is at risk it is time to abandon patience!

Are you happy with the degree of patience you have in your daily life? If not, what can you do to cultivate more of this quality in your life? 

In many situations I pray that God would give me a ‘Mary’ attitude instead of a ‘Martha’ attitude.

But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:41-42

The good portion is Jesus, believing on Him, sitting at His feet, following Him and learning more about Him and loving Him more and more which develops into a solid trust.

Some practical steps I’ve practiced lately…

Let someone go ahead of me in line. Plan ahead and give myself all the time necessary to accomplish tasks or get to an appointment on time. Think about the other person in a situation and consider what they might be going through. Don’t think too highly of myself and my importance. Consider the other person as important. Tell myself, I’m not in charge of the World, God is.

4. Do you like the flavor cinnamon? If so what’s your favorite something made with cinnamon? 

I do enjoy cinnamon. I don’t have them often but I won’t turn down a fresh out of the oven cinnamon roll!

5. Learn by watching or learn by doing? Elaborate. 

I need both the watching and the doing. After watching I can dive in and do and then I am more confident and better equipped to do.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Do any of you remember the Kids Psalty song ‘Have Patience’ from the 80’s?

Have patience, have patience, don’t be in such a hurry. When you get impatient you only start to worry. Remember, remember, that God is patient, too. And think of all the times that others had to wait for you. 

Time Well Spent

Uncle Joshie and Auntie Lolo arrived late on Thursday night for a few days in our neck of the woods. When they arrived after being delayed by roadworks on Highway 395 between Chewelah and Arden we chatted for a while then hit the sack for a full day of fun on Friday.

Auntie Lolo took most of these photos, by the way.  Thank you, Laura!

The 8 of us gathered on Friday morning for breakfast at our country bungalow. Katie and Andrew were stuck on the westside and not with us all for this gathering. After breakfast on Friday, Josh and Dan headed out to golf, Dear worked on some much needed  maintenance on the lawnmower and the girls and JJ met up to walk on the Rotary trail.

It was sunny and hot and humid and we persevered.

After our walk and golfing and naps everyone gathered again at our country bungalow for dinner and fun until bedtime for our grands. For dinner we made Chili Verde which had some great spice depth with sides of rice, veggies, corn and flour tortillas.

The grands showed off their skills on the Big Wheels.

Bedtime came as usual and the grands and their parents headed home for the evening. A full good day for us all.

On Saturday duty called and Josh and Laura headed to our local kids mountain for the day while Dear and I worked on the lawn after a few days of delay because of rain.

I mowed the front and back lawns and Dear weed wacked.

The kids went to the Farmer’s Market, played pickle ball and worked on dinner for all of us.

After our delicious meal on our kids mountain we opted for a walk down the driveway.

 

A great spot for a selfie before we tried to beat the mosquito bites on the way back up the driveway!

On Sunday we all gathered at church and then enjoyed lunch out before Josh and Laura headed to the airport and home. One of the highlights of our church morning was that JJ was willing to go into his Sunday School class with no regrets or resistance so mommy could attend the service in peace. Addy has been willing and happy to attend Sunday School for a while now.

Hope you all had a good weekend. We are grateful for the good times we spent together this weekend.

Leftovers TDay 2021

Thank you to my sister Lana who sent me some more photos she took on Thanksgiving Day that I’m adding here as leftovers. She and Steve left our place for Idaho and enjoyed some better internet reception and sent me these.

Where’s the Turkey Platter?

Cornstarch or Flour?

“Can I sit with Baba?”

Thank you Lana for capturing these moments. Enjoy CDA Steve and Lana!

On Black Friday Lana and I shopped some small businesses in downtown Colville and supported them well.

Today I’m meeting up with our Colville crew in Chewelah for Small Business Saturday.

One of These…

American Goldfinch.

Red Winged Blackbird

Northern Flicker

Might this be a Black Phoebe?

…is not like the others. A very common groundhog that we see on the Rotary Trail.

This past Saturday we started our walk on the Rotary Trail at 6:15 A.M. We spotted a nice variety of birds and lots of groundhogs. No eagles or hawks this week. I’ll post the rest of the photos of birds we saw soon.

On Sunday we had to add wire fencing around the Apricot tree that our kids gifted me for my birthday. We were enjoying a quiet afternoon when I spotted a deer munching on my young apricot tree. Didn’t know I could hop up that fast and get outside to shoo it away. I texted our kids and our son volunteered to bring over the materials we would need to protect the tree from the deer. In no time at all Dan and Dear put the fence up secure enough to keep the deer from nibbling.

Not the best quality photo as I zoomed in with my phone from the house.

It’s Tuesday and I’m excited to meet a new hairstylist. Hope I’m still excited after my cut!

The Rotary Trail Take Two

Last Saturday Dear and I decided to enjoy the Rotary trail early in the morning.

I wonder what constitutes a notable tree? I googled it and here is the information I retrieved.

This Douglas-fir at the north-south/east-west junction of the Rotary Trail is located adjacent to the local golf course and Evergreen Drive. It is prominent for its size (32-inch diameter at breast high) and its position at the highest point (1910 feet) on the Rotary Trail.

 

We saw a birdwatcher on the trail and he told us about an eagles nest and a Harrier Hawk that he saw on the trail.

We didn’t see the nest but we saw an Eagle on the top of these electrical transmission lines.

It was fun to capture this little guy, too. Correct me if I’m wrong birdie friends. Upon further investigation this bird looks most similar to a Wilson Snipe.

The Harrier Hawk.

Next time we walk this trail I will take my longer lens so I can zoom in closer to get photos of these beautiful creatures.

I’m learning about general revelation and special revelation in studying Psalm 19. General revelation cannot convert sinners. Salvation comes only through special revelation as the Word of God is effectually applied by the Spirit of God. So much to learn. I don’t want to stop learning about what is of the most importance in eternity.

The heavens declare the glory of God,
    and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
2 Day to day pours out speech,
    and night to night reveals knowledge.
3 There is no speech, nor are there words,
    whose voice is not heard.
4 Their voice goes out through all the earth,
    and their words to the end of the world.
In them he has set a tent for the sun,
5     which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber,
    and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy.
6 Its rising is from the end of the heavens,
    and its circuit to the end of them,
    and there is nothing hidden from its heat.

7 The law of the Lord is perfect,
    reviving the soul;
the testimony of the Lord is sure,
    making wise the simple;
8 the precepts of the Lord are right,
    rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is pure,
    enlightening the eyes;
9 the fear of the Lord is clean,
    enduring forever;
the rules[d] of the Lord are true,
    and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold,
    even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey
    and drippings of the honeycomb.
11 Moreover, by them is your servant warned;
    in keeping them there is great reward.

Hope the last two days of May are good for you in your corner of the world. We might be walking the trail again this morning with my long lens.