Wordless Wednesday

It's a God Thing!

August 3rd marked our 17 years of marriage. However, since we can't truly reminisce without going back to the very beginning, we always acknowledge that June 24th marks an additional 7 years of togetherness! Wow! What memories--for better or for worse--but, ultimately, (by the grace of God,) for the best!

Since we've been enjoying other plans together, we chose to celebrate a little by indulging at Texas Roadhouse with Jake and Kylie. Though we truly enjoyed doing that in honor of our relationship, I was already more than satisfied by my own reminiscing and by the bits of nostalgia mentioned between us as they came to mind throughout the weekend. We couldn't help but respond to God in awe and thankfulness as we recalled where we were to where we are.

Something I hadn't thought about in years was a particular song I'd requested to be sung before our wedding ceremony called "A Woman's Prayer:"

"Lord, let me be his sunshine when the sky is dark and gray. Let me be his comfort when he has had a long, hard day. Let me be his shelter when the wind is harsh and cold. Let me be submissive when the rest on earth are bold. Let me be his pillow when he is tired and needs a rest. Let me be assuring when he faces some hard test. Let me listen softly when the world is pressing in. Let me understand when no one else can comprehend. Let me walk beside him when he needs to have a friend. Let me be something that's real in a world of pretend. Let me sing sweet music when his heart is without a song. Let me be his living joy, each moment all day long."

Well, when I'd first learned of that prayer-song, I truly desired to be all those things to this man whom I'd actually considered proposing to some time before he proposed! But, oh, to say that I fell short of every one of those desires would be an understatement! I confess I've too often been the very opposite of each prayerful plea.

However, our conversations assured that God continues to be faithfully at work in our relationship. Even in our acknowledging that neither has been all that we've wanted to be to the other, we were left with a deepening appreciation for one another and--despite our own failings--an amazement of the God-given love between us. Thank You, Lord!

Blueberry Blessings

Sadly, blueberry season is coming to a close. However, prior to being a Blueberry Hill helper, that statement would have been completely out of character for me! Those little blue balls I kept weighing in and hearing so much about from awestruck customers had carried no effect on me.

That is, until my mother-in-law convinced me to try one. "Okay, it wasn't bad. I'll try another. Well. Wudduya know. That one tasted a little better...might have another." I was a goner. Even to the honest statement that I would, hands-down, choose unlimited fresh blueberries to unlimited......(I never thought I'd say this)..... Wilbur Buds!

Truly, God is very good to have made blueberries. Truly, God is all-powerful to have converted me.

Though much of my take-home berries were enjoyed as-is, I did manage to freeze some, make blueberry pancakes, blueberry muffins, cornmeal-blueberry scones, and even a blueberry pie (again, out of my character) that Wayne really enjoyed. I mean...really....enjoyed. I think his highest compliment was expressed when, upon finishing a large pie wedge after his meal, he ever so carefully cut a perfect piece to share it in a "proud-of-my-wife" kind of way with our dear neighbor (who usually makes the pies he likes). After he was pleased that it was tenderly and eye-pleasingly nestled on the plate, deep into the piece goes his fork, and he continued "really enjoying".

Hmmm. Jake and Kylie and I were confused. "Dad, I thought that was for Mammaw and Pappaw."

"DOLP! I forgot!"

*************************************************************************************

FRESH BLUEBERRY SAUCE...FROM PATCH TO PANCAKE

(A tutorial)

Step 1: Enjoy every plopped "plunk" heard from your berry bucket.


Step 2: Rinse 2 cups of berries.


Step 3: No need to annihilate....


.....just crush.

Step 4: Add 1/3 cup sugar.


Step 5: If using fresh lemon juice, give it a hearty roll.


Step 6: Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice. (You may keep the lemon cap on for fun.)


Step 7: Stir.


Step 8: Bring to a boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly.


Step 8: Add 1 teaspoon vanilla.


Step 9: Chill!


Step 10: Pour over pancake and enjoy!

Thank You, Lord....

...for my hardworking husband!
(Getting us ready for a hopefully more economical winter by preparing for a chimney for a coal/woodstove.)

Good Night, Sun

The Aftermath...

...of Math
(that little black box is a shredder)

Bath Day!

Before....

After!

A Nice Way to Start the Day

This morning we rode our bikes to buy sour cherries from a little roadside stand to fulfill Wayne's hankerin' for cherry puddin'.

I Never Knew...

that Sweet Peas could bear two colors from the same plant!

A Moment with Pooh Bear...

Last evening Kylie and I decided to swing while enjoying the peace and quiet of the evening and savoring our cold treats (chocolate pudding for Kylie, layers of vanilla icecream, peanutbutter, and Hershey's syrup for me). Afterwards Kylie shared with me some of the parts of The Complete Tales and Poems of Winnie-the-Pooh that she really liked. Below is one of my favorites...


"I thought," said Piglet earnestly, "that if Eeyore stood at the bottom of the tree, and if Pooh stood on Eeyore's back, and if I stood on Pooh's shoulders----"

"And if Eeyore's back snapped suddenly, then we could all laugh. Ha ha! Amusing in a quiet way," said Eeyore, "but not really helpful."

Wildflower Walk

Kylie and I collected some flowers along the road.

Deck-orations

My new flower boxes! Heliotrope, Petunias, Lantana, and an unknown purple spikey flower!

Petunias and Celosia

Lavender Tea Cookies

Brianna, Braelyn, Kylie and I tried out a recipe from Susan Branch's The Summer Book. I thought they had a very enjoyable and distinctive taste. I'll be looking for more lavender recipes to try!

A Lovely Thought....

"The scrolled iron gate gives a melodic clang as we turn the rusty handle and step into the courtyard, the air heavy with the perfume of roses. Noisettes, Sweet briars, Hybrid Teas, Chinas. An old fashioned white climber with great glorious blooms scrambles over centuries of red brick. Creamy nasturtiums tangle at its feet. Two stone dogs gaze faithfully on the lichen of ages colouring their backs. A narrow gravel path leads along the golden walk - a shimmering avenue of apricot roses, lemony lupins and orange lilies. Down worn steps, past pillars and urns, at each turn the senses are besieged - a shower of mauve clematis, a curtain of white foxgloves, lupins painted in every shade of pink." (The Painted Garden - A Year in Words and Watercolours by Mary Woodin)

Pot Pie Call!

Mom called over to see if Jake and Kylie would like to help make pot pie, which would get them (and Wayne and me!) an invitation to supper!
A beautiful thing!

A Busy Spring

So far we've....

painted white the trim and doors of our room
decluttered my room, closet, drawers
spring-cleaned Jake's room
spring-cleaned Kylie's room
organized game closet
organized linen closet
had a yardsale
enjoyed Jake's baseball games
hosted a Pooh party
continued history
continued math
played games
went for walks
enjoyed time with friends and family
continued reading Little Britches


The Frey girls sold snowcones at the yardsale.

Enjoying Some New Flowers...

Though I'm a late bloomer in having any desire to garden, I have high hopes for the interest our yard may hold someday! Here are a few new additions to my (very humble) flower patches.

Verbena - "Taylor Town Red"


Blue Lithodora - "Grace Ward"


Dianthus - "Neon Star"

Mother's Day Eve and Mother's Day

Saturday evening I was washing dishes at the kitchen window and spied two of these flower boxes on our deck railing! How did they EVER guess that's what I was hoping to have someday?!

The next morning I was further spoiled by these dear homemade cards, a wooden flower box made by Jake, and a coupon for two backscratches or massages from Kylie. I can't wait to get flowers in all of my boxes! (Amazingly, the above poinsettia, which was a Christmas gift, is STILL alive! I can see what a little regular watering can do as my black thumb begins to turn green.)

A Little Reminiscing for Mother's Day...

Special Stationery

Correspondence is not one of my strengths, but when I had a message on my heart to send a friend, I was tickled with the pretty look of this handmade notecard and was inspired to try a handmade envelope from scrapbooking cardstock. (I had to laugh at myself when I went to lick the "envelope" and found it didn't stick!)

Froggy Fun

This morning Mom captured the Prince Charming that might be eyeing up her pond fish for dinner.

Nature Notes

Today was our first Tiger Swallowtail sighting. Interesting tidbit...this is South Carolina's State Butterfly.

Last year, Jake was able to get this butterfly to stay posed on his face! Here are two of the many photo shoots these cooperative subjects allowed me.

Love those big baby browns!

Flopsy, the Sew-sweet Bunny!

What do you get when you combine a desire for a no-fuss sewing project, an old Family Fun magazine article, and an hour or so? Flopsy, the Sew-sweet Bunny, who's even more of a keeper for me since she was made from Kylie's cute but outgrown church sweater.

An Adorable Read

Hickory is a mouse living in an old grandfather clock with his parents and two siblings, named no other than Dickory and Dock. Though a loving member of his family, Hickory finds himself wanting to venture to the outside world of the meadow and beyond. There he discovers more about life and true friendship.

The characters, setting, illustrations, language and imagery drew me into the delightful, simple beauty and wonders of nature as seen through the eyes of a sweet adventurous mouse.

I so much enjoyed the imagery and language of this book that I had to record them for doting over whenever the mood strikes...

• "Eat all you want," the father said, "but never leave paw-prints in the butter." They never did.
• Hop(e) the Grasshopper's song..."My life is but a summer song, A carol in the sun, Now, when the nights grown cold and long, The song I sing will soon be done."
• Together they went exploring, and they discovered the sweetness of blackberries and the sharpness of sassafras twigs. They learned useful things--that chicory is bitter, but sorrel only sour. And they learned useless things too--that the track of a snail is silver winding through the grass, but the light of a firefly is green gold melting in the air.
• woolly mullein leaves
• thousands of wild asters, pink and purple and white, field after field, hill after hill
• wedge of geese
• milkweed silk soared shimmering in the soft air
• an old orchard where wasps were eating holes in the brown, rotting fallen pears
• prowl the pantry
• blue calico
• The geraniums were too spicy and gave them indigestion.
• The air was more salubrious, the nights more restful.
• The finest red raspberry jam was tasteless compared to the

sunlit
blackberry
bursting
on
the
bramble.

• Each blade of grass you pull has a sweet white nibble at the base, each honeysuckle flower a drop of nectar.
• ...after they had gone in the spring when the lilacs bloomed
• I remember a field once, all full of blue violets, and a yellow bird singing.
• watching between the organdie curtain and the pane
• anise seeds in a knapsack made of brown linen, in case he got a sore throat, and a clove in case he had a toothache.
• Life is not going to be all cake-crumbs and cheese-parings.
• If you get lonesome, remember we love you and want you back.
• the heavy honeysuckle smell spilling down the hillside
• crept through the warm stones of the meadow wall
• gray rock, rusted with lichens
• dug out a bedroom and lined it with thistle-down
• the air was drowsy with meadowsweet
• across the meadow into a thicket of thistles by the farthest wall
• the next day, before the wild morning-glories had crumpled or the dew had dried
• I came from the ground, and someday I will go back to it, but not before I have to.
• When the goldenrod was fading and the air smelled of apples, Hickory was gathering rose hips.
• The nights turned cool, and crickets' chirps grew thin and shrill. Weeds were wet with dew until noon, and poison-ivy leaves turned an ugly red.
• A yellow bird perched in a sweetbrier to watch.
• An orange butterfly resting on a gentian.
  

Mason-Dixon Trail

Last Friday evening gave perfect hiking weather, so we ventured through the Mason-Dixon Walking Trail at Long Level.

Can you sense their adventurous spirit?


The fragrance was so sweet that even these armed woodland warriors (click/enlarge to see weapons!) had to stop and sniff.

A close-up of what they were enjoying... fragrant and beautiful Mertensia ("Virginia Cowslip") wildflowers, which are actually pink when in bud.

Interesting camou pattern on a fallen branch.


We couldn't read all that was inscribed on these, but we could make out dates of 1803, 1827, and 1851. We'd all love to know the history behind them!