Birthday Bouquet

This rose bush was given to me several years ago by my sister, Jennie. It has thrived and flourished. I can't believe how much it has grown, and the abundance of blooms it produces.


When we were girls, Jennie would always try to get one of us to come sit on her bed and talk to her when she was cleaning her room. She has always liked being around people. The more the merrier!
Jennie had learned about missions and Africa in Sunday School. She said someday she would go there, and talked of adopting children. I remember thinking it was a nice sentiment, that it was like wanting to grow up and be a nurse or an astronaut; but I didn't realize then, that God had placed a call on her life.


Since that time, Jennie grew up, married her high-school sweetheart and had 6 terrific kids with him. They have been active in their church and it's mission ministry in Africa. In the process of trips over there, they have made many close ties with the people, endeavoring to meet the needs of survivors in a war torn country.

During this time, the Lord has brought about a school.
The Liberian staff named it:
Jennie's Preparatory Elementary School.

It began with 28 orphans in 2005, and has grown and blossomed to 1000 students.

Jennie has been involved in all facets of the school; spiritual guidance, education, medical care, food preparation, farming, and economics.

She goes there as often as she can, with her home and family being here,
but she always wears a silver necklace close to her heart....

it's in the shape of the African continent.

I love you SisJen, and am so proud of you for listening and obeying God's call.

Happy Birthday dear sister.

Trash to treasures

We pulled out the paint sprayer, primer and paint this past week. Here are a couple of the indoor pieces we worked on. I love the "lace work" on the front of this:

This is a little vintage shelf i got last summer at Sarah's garage sale. It had a bit too much "shabby" (rust) to be left original. It's actually for in a bathroom, i think, but i like it in the kitchen for tea and my Whole Foods spices. i pick up one or two each time we go there, to replace some of the 30 year old ones in my cabinet!

For years i have insisted on keeping the living room TV in an old Georgia primitive armoire. It was a pain every time Jim had to work on any techy wiring stuff. My goal was to be able to hide it all away behind closed doors but alas....the doors seemed to ALWAYS be open anyway.

We got an old 80's fakey maple entertainment center off of Craigs, took off the top section, patched and filled holes, sanded, primed and painted. Removed the back plates from behind the knobs for a more up to date look, and added a strip of moulding across the bottom to cover the "colonial "cut out. I can't believe how much brighter and open this corner is now!

Sweet Surrender

Today something happened again, that reminded me of our relationship with the Lord.

Every once in a while, someone leaves the back door open, and a bird accidently finds it's way inside. The laundry room is like a sun porch with windows on two sides; the birds seem drawn to them.


It surveys it's situation, and believes it has the answer to it's problems.

It struggles and struggles to find it's own way. It beats it's little wings and frantically bangs into the glass, Futility. Futility. Becoming more and more panicky and anxious with each attempt.

When it finally tires of doing things in it's own strength, it allows itself to be rescued and comforted, held by gentle loving hands.

Once it surrenders,................. it is delivered from it's prison and is set free.

Free to fly and be everything it was created to be.

Praise the Lord!

From the rising of the sun,
to the going down of the same,
the Lord's name is to be praised!

Psalms 113:3

Anne with an "E" would approve

Haven't felt that great this week, and have had lots going on, so the camera hasn't been clicking away much since we got home. These are some pictures I took the week before we left. Tori wanted to get dressed up and go out for a photo session. She picked their outfits and really got into it.

Daisy Mae

Peeking into the secret garden (shed)

A dress with "Puffy sleeves "

This is totally random, but..... Jim grilled a bunch of different meats last night. We saved the salmon to eat tonight. It was yummy, and tasted alot like smoked salmon, but not as oily (or as expensive) since we get our salmon at a really reasonable price at Rainbow. Am thinking we may have to do up several and freeze in baggies to pull out and have with bagels.

Hack hack cough cough sniffle sniffle sneeze.
Pass the kleenex, tea, and Jewish penicillin.
Had homemade chicken soup for supper.
REALLY don't have time for this!
We're in the middle of a bunch of projects.

Leggo my eggo

This is the time of year when my little chicky ladies are laying eggs like crazy. There is no concern about running out of eggs, even with a cake recipe that calls for 1/2 a dozen!

This is our favorite pound cake recipe. I got it from a lady at church when we lived in Savannah.
It has been present at spring and summer birthdays, our youngest daughter's baby dedication reception, and mother's day celebrations. It goes great with berries and real whipped cream, or is yummy plain with a lovely cup of tea.


Savannah Sour Cream Pound Cake

1 cup butter (don't scrimp...use the real stuff!)
3 cups sugar
1 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3 cups flour (not self rising)
6 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 (F)
Grease and flour a bundt or tube pan.

Cream the butter and sugar together. Add and mix in the sourcream. Mix in the baking soda.
Add the flour a bit at a time, alternating with the eggs. Beat each egg in one at a time. Add the vanilla. Pour mixture into pan and bake 1 hour and 20 minutes, or til done.
Let cool in pan for 10 minutes and then turn gently onto a rack or plate to finish cooling.
Enjoy!

In keepin' it real for Sarah: We can't make this cake right now. We are dieting, so we have to eat our eggs boiled and toss the yolks out of 1/2 of them! (as per Bob's instructions)

Oh! And i have a crummy cold again, but I'm going to spare all of you a picture of me with t.p. hanging out of my dripping nose!

Sweet childish days

Ashlyn Grace loves the outdoors. She helped me plant the garden this year, which may explain why some sweet little lady in China is wondering where that zucchini in her garden came from. When Ash pushes the seeds in, she REALLY pushes the seeds in.

Childhood is that wonderful time of life

when all you need to do to lose weight is take a bath.

~Richard Zera

Sweet childish days, that were as long

As twenty days are now.

~William Wordsworth

Pier 52 & beyond

After the market, we headed over to Pier 52, where we boarded the ferry "TACOMA".

Destination: Bainbridge Island

There was a submarine nearby, and in the interest of national security, we had a coastguard escort on either side of our vessel.

The powerful rush of water that accompanied our landing:

The bicyclists on the lower deck were out of the gate and on their way in no time.
Please bear with me now, I've had a long time passion for sailboats.

It was evening on our return.

Back to Seattle and Pier 52.

Get outta town

We had to go out of state on some business this weekend. After the "have to's" were taken care of, we had time for a belated anniversary get-away.

Hadn't been there in several years, so spent some time in Seattle at the Farmers Market:

Love these vintage schoolhouse pendants and signs!

Dad

I was a little girl, and he was....bigger than life. His hand holding mine, was strong and reassuring. I thought he was the handsomest man ever, and once threw a hissy fit when someone said he looked like a western tv star that I didn't like.

12 Random things about my Dad

He taught me how to saddle a horse.

He taught me how to get back on when I got dumped off of a horse.

He taught me to be honest and tell the truth.

He is one of the most intelligent men I know and he actually retains what he's learned or heard.

He has math "genes"....i didn't inherit them.

He loves to joke and laugh.

He's never met a stranger.

He loves a bargain and to "garage sale".

He's a connoisseur of table saws and vintage stereos.

He excels at anything he endeavors.

He's a perfectionist, and can tell without a level or square if things are... or not......

He's not allowed in my house without a blindfold.

I love you Dad. Happy Father's Day!

Happy Birthday, Birthday baby....

When it comes to my home, I'm not much of a "theme" decorator. Don't like furniture store or catalog, matchy matchy. But this girl does love it when the gift matches the bag!

Especially when it's going to such a special little girl in my life.

Her Mama always does such cute things for the kids birthdays. This time instead of the traditional, individual goodie treat bags to send home with the kids; she made each family's kids represented, cool large green plastic bowls with new trowels, and all of the dry ingredients needed to make their own family dirt cake. I thought it was such a fun idea! If you want to make your own, you can find the recipe here.

Sweet, sweet girlie

What a darling pose....and I didn't even have to prompt!

She has such a sunny disposition.


I love how she stood on her little tippy toes........

Happy Birthday, sweet baby, may all your dreams come true.

XOXO
Nanny