felicitations, all that, and then some

On Saturday, June 7, 2014...

     A very special event was held outside at our residence.

Rose was given a life charge by her father, and proudly handed her high school diploma. Afterward, all were invited to join in an open prayer time for her.

Forthwith, the food was brought to the tables by several willing hands, and the celebration continued with friends and family.

I remember the day of my son's graduation, how I enjoyed looking back and seeing the photo of all that came to celebrate with us, some of who are no longer with us.  Therefore, it would seem getting everyone together for a group picture could only complete this graduation event.

"I have no greater joy than to hear my children walk in truth".  III John 4

And a very special thanks goes to Priscilla for beautifully capturing it all...

a morning visit to the farm

As soon as I walked through the gate the familiar smell accosted me and brought back  a surge of memories. Those days of shepherding mine own flock hold a store of pleasant reminiscences. The visit to this farm was rather impromptu, a friend stopped by and wanted to know if we could ride out with her and her grandson. We held fuzzy lambs, caressed peeping baby chicks, and listened to the open communication between the ewes and their babies.

A curious one appeared at the barnyard as interested as we were in the goingonness of the barnyard.

strings in the garden

Saturday brought an event that is always looked forward to each spring.

             A concert held in my backyard with several young

           musicians entertaining us with their talent 

            on string instruments.

Afterwards,  the men grabbed the tables to set up, while the women threw on the tablecloths and set out the food brought by everyone. Covered dishes, I have found, work well for hungry crowds and relieved musicians.

Way back in January as the cold winds blew, Charlotte  asked to learn how to play Canon in D on her violin. Her dream and hard work came to fruition this May evening. 

remembering

Four years ago, this beautiful spot held such a joyous celebratory occasion.

 I was visiting it the last weekend in May to feed the cats and water the plants while Witt and Claire were out of town celebrating their four year anniversary.

 The roses were blooming, and singing, and scenting the air with their beauty.

And there was a vintage Mercedes Benz I stopped to admire as I left the garden.











Witt and Claire's days of living here are limited. They are going to be home owners, very soon! Witt lived in the little brick house three years before he married Claire, so that is seven years of memories created here. I know I will miss the charm of this unique property at times. The apples, Claire's hosting under the trees, and the picnics.

Yes, their sojourn is ending here, but this special couple is moving on to yet another version of a "house of their dreams", and that is is very exciting, indeed!

I realize there are many links to this post, but I was remembering after all!

ice cream cake request...and delicious icing to share

She is eleven now. Turning eleven has its benefits.

  The only thing that makes this cake different from other cakes is the ice cream layer in the middle. A favorite yellow cake recipe was chosen along with the request of a strawberry ice cream layer. So far so good, but the best part of this cake with all its tasty goodness was the addition of this simple,delicious icing. Take one container of cool whip topping and mix it together with a jar of marshmallow creme, spread it quickly on the frozen cake while your newly turned eleven year old daughter randomly places the pastel-colored M&M's, attempting not to get intertwined with your spreading knife. Scoot it back into the freezer and remove it about twenty minutes before serving. 

Shh!...there were several that had seconds!

to crochet, to read, to yarnalong

I took on a crocheting project during the long evenings of winter. Charlotte desired an afghan to put at the foot of her bed to cover herself, for the times when she might be on her bed reading and needed a cozy covering.

A soft acrylic yarn was used to crochet 6x6 inch squares. Five colors were randomly double-crocheted in strips of seven rows joined to five rows. You certainly could crochet any amount of rows, this simply was the size I determined for Charlotte's afghan. I must admit the most undesirable thing about this project was the joining of the squares. I made up my own manner of crocheting them together, which created a distinction between the right side and a wrong side, desiring a definite flattened right side for this afghan. Then a picot trim was added because the addition of picot trim always seems to enhance the beauty of any project.

And speaking of beauty,

 I am reading another book by Leslie Ludy. I have appreciated her heart in appealing to young woman to seek Jesus above all else. She gives parts of her own life story as well as real-life situations of other young women she has met. Leslie handles the Scriptures well as she gives practical actions in order for a  life to be changed, renewed, and shaped into a "set-apart woman".  I would recommend this book to a high school girl and up, but I would be quick to suggest that you read the book first since some of the content would benefit being discussed between parent and young person.

Linking up with Ginny for her weekly yarnalong. Come and join us!

...she went to a garden party

Actually, it was a tea party. An invitation arrived via post, the mail that is, inviting me to a tea party, a Derby Hat Tea Party. My first response was, "I don't own a hat for such an occasion!"

But little did I realize that I was on to one of the most enchanting and engaging pursuits. I discovered several consignments shops all under one roof in town with a plenteous supply of vintage hats. The fun was just beginning. I entered my own little world that morning. A woman who was by herself, a woman trying on hat after hat, a woman laughing aloud and talking to herself.

Several hours late, I walked out of the store carrying a bag bulging with five vintage hats.

This is the hat I chose to wear to the Tea Party.

 With the vintage white gloves, absolutely!

Serena

GretchenJoanna left a comment on my last post. She probably just whisked it out there along with her sweet message with nary of thought about it. But her comment tickled me all under. Let me tell you why. In March I was reading through one of my old journals dating back to a little over a year ago. I noted a particular random scribbling, "I will have a female cat one day and name her Serena, to remind me of calmness- and peace." In April we brought home a ten month old cat, and I named her Serena. She sleeps with me and loves me with her irresistible felineness, I am serene. Then she jumps, and runs, and skids, and scratches the furniture, and eats all the beautiful blooms off my plants...I  shout, "S-e-r-e-n-a!" The idea was to breath deeply and be calm and serene.  Real life situations just aren't that easy. But it is a good plan.

  

Living up to her name

a window opened

When did the days get so full that even an itty bitty post was out of my reach? I desire to scale new heights on most days, but truthfully, sometimes it seems I must just go with the flow and keep up as best I can.

 Simply stated, here is a window of a number of happenings in my life in photos from the past few months. Hopefully, it is not too plethoric! 

If you need explanations for any photo, please scroll through these words, I attempted to be brief.

*Quiet mornings gathered around the kitchen table reading the Word.* Waking one morning in March to discover ice covering everything, including my blooming daffodils. Before noon, cracks and booms as trees and limbs fell one after the other. We would gasp and run to see. All of my Leyland Cypress trees fell, kaboom, but only one landed on the house, thankfully, with little damage. *Rooting little bits of rosemary and aloe vera. I do love rooting things! *A new family member whom George adores. *A luncheon hosted one Saturday morning with Erin Davis and several special young ladies. * "A" is for Alan, and Charlotte made a special biscuit for his birthday breakfast, which we all enjoyed with huckleberry jam, strawberries, and bananas with the light of the gleaming sun's rays making us even more joyful. *The  sewing and stuffing of bags that were traveling to Haiti. Rose was able to go and is already planning her next mission trip out of the country. *He was here with us for almost two months, but school starts back in Thailand soon, we found ourselves at the airport, dropping Alan off once again. They come and they go! We never stop praying for them. *Back to dining outside, and it is pleasing for me to see the sun beams across the tablecloth that was left out, along with one lone napkin and glass. *My most favorite first daughter turned eighteen *And there we are, the girls, on Mother's Day. 

Easter Celebration

No celebratory holiday is anticipated like Easter when we celebrate the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

"How much more shall the blood of Christ, 

who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God,

purge your conscience form dead works to serve the living God?

And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death,

             for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament,

they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. "

                                                                                                           Hebrews 9: 14-15

the power of the cross

 It was a glorious, bright morning, and I looked up.

This is what my eyes beheld. The reflection of the grids from the side windows created the most palpable crosses which drew me to silence and meditation.

 Jesus entered Jerusalem intentionally, fully aware of what awaited him there, the betrayal, the revilement, the horrendous physical torture, and the ultimate forsaking of the Father. It was the way He willingly chose, the way of obedience and suffering, the way to the cross.

And only through the cross of Jesus is there resurrection, and life, and victory.

"And you, who were dead in your trespasses...
God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,
 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands.
 This he set aside, nailing it to the cross."
  Colossians 2:13