Rainy and Sunny April, Fave Fives, Take One

Happy Friday to you!  I am writing my Friday Fave Fives while staring out the windows at a very grey sky loaded with clouds filled with rain and more rain. But the daffodils and grape hyacinths are blooming and the grass is green in the back garden.  There is always beauty and gratitude in the midst of grey and rain.  That's why I write out my five choices of gratitude every week.  It helps me stay focused on the sunshine of life.  I hope it helps you, too.  Susanne, as always, is faithful to lead a group of bloggers in posting our FRIDAY FAVE FIVES.

1.  Our grandson arrived home safely after his spring break trip to Seattle to visit his other grandparents.  He had the best time!

2.  A good visit with my Primary Care Doctor.  I appreciate how she listens to me and takes the time to explain and even write down information for me.

3.  I am so thankful for some sunny days this past week.  Because we have had lots and lots of rain, the sun and warmth have been especially appreciated.  In between the rainstorms, we were able to take a long walk/hike with the grand-dogs (and the daughters) at our local arboretum.  And I was also able to begin working in the garden beds, clearing debris and pulling some weeds.

4.  One morning, Nurse Daughter and I enjoyed a visit to our locally owned garden nursery.  We wandered around and checked out all the plants and seeds, picked a few to bring home, and even found a couple of cute garden ornaments on sale.  There's not much that's more fun than wandering among plants with your daughter.

5.  It's definitely spring! Our beekeeper guy met with us and a neighbor to discuss bee hives and all the details about keeping your own hive.  Then one afternoon, he came out to our house and checked our hive.  Best news is that it is thriving and we will be able to add another hive box to provide our daughters with their own hives.  More hives!  More honey!

I do hope you are encouraged and are thankful for the many ways you are blessed this first week of April.

March 31

 March Photo a Day.  March 31.  Photographer's Choice.

I've been going through all the photos saved on my computer for the past twenty years.  Randomly, I found this picture of Hollywood Beach, Oxnard, Ventura County, California (quite near where we used to live).  The Ventura County beaches were some of our favorite places to walk.  This photo is an iconic view of Hollywood Beach.

March 30

 March Photo a Day.  March 30.  Weather.  First come the clouds.  Then comes the rain.

March 29

 March Photo a Day.  March 29.  Pet.

The newest grand-dog pet.  Athena.  Bernese Mountain Dog.  Yes, she is huge.

Last of March Faves

 I am still having a hard time reconciling the fact that the calendar states that the month of March is nearly over and April will begin.  But here it is, the last Friday in March.  Fridays mean Fave Fives.  Here are my five blessings from this week. (follow the link to Susanne's blog)

1.   My son, Chaplain Dan, is a military chaplain and also writes poetry in his spare time.  Last week, he published another poem on Amazon.  His poetry is written in an unusual old style-- Anglo-Saxon Alliterative Verse, like Beowulf was.  Can you imagine reading the story of Joshua and the Battle of Jericho like that?  I am always in amazement of his creativity.  

2.  I donated clothing to a resale boutique in a nearby town.  The owner is so sweet, and I have purchased clothes from her store before, and she has sold my knitted hats there.  It makes me happy to support small businesses.

3.  Speaking of small businesses, we had our coffee date with T and S this week at a town south of us.  After our fun conversation time, the guys went one way to a model train (and other stuff) place and we girls drove to Peddler's Junction Vendor Mall and wandered around looking at all the fun things for sale.  The guys met us there and found a couple of things they wanted.  Our outings with T and S always bring me joy.

4.  This fave is both happy and sad.  Younger Son, Dr. Mike, has been living with us for a few months, working remotely hours and hours every day.  This week, he moved back to California, to San Jose, where the co-owners of his company are living.  We are happy for him but really miss him.

5.  Finally the weather has moderated (at least for a few days).  I was able to take a walk in the sunshine today!  The forsythia is blooming!  It really is Spring!

What blessings have you found in your life this past week?

March 28

 March Photo a Day.  March 28.  Repetition.

Nothing shows repetition better than weaving.  Back and forth, back and forth, ad infinitum.  Eleanor Elizabeth Bunny added for interest.

March 27

 March Photo a Day.  March 27.  Shadows.  Can you guess what and where?

Shadows of people on the swings at Disneyland.

March 26

 March Photo a Day.  March 26.  Pathway.

This may be my favorite path ever that The Professor and I have walked.  On the top of Hadrian's Wall near Housesteads Roman Fort.  We were literally walking on the top of the wall through the trees.

March 25

 March Photo a Day.  March 25.  Patterns.

The Nurse, my younger daughter, found this fascinating deck of cards and gave them to me for Christmas.  Fair Isle knitting patterns.

March 24

 March Photo a Day.  March 24.  Buildings.

One of my favorite buildings in Los Angeles, surrounded by many many other buildings.  Los Angeles City Library.

March 23

 March Photo a Day.  March 23.  Abstract.

Blurry pictures taken from car windows make the best abstract photos.

March 22

 March Photo a Day.  Black and White.  A tower on the Roman wall of York.  No, those are statues, not real people standing on the turret.

March 21

 March Photo a Day.  March 21.  Portrait.

A portrait of my mother, in her younger days.

Spring is Marching In

 Spring is here!  You might not believe it if you checked the weather forecast for today and the next few days.  But the calendar says it's spring, so I'm going with it.  It is also Friday and that means it's time for Friday Fave Fives with Susanne our host.  (The link is to her blog where you can read more faves and join if you want.)  Here are my five blessings from this past week.

1.  My birthday!  I was born on March 17th, St. Patrick's Day.  It seems like everyone likes to celebrate my birthday with me-- parades and parties and lots of green and shamrocks.  I chose a quieter way to celebrate.  We had a coffee date with T and S and Younger Daughter.  S knows how much I love my bees and she gave me two small pots with not-real plants in them and a bee painted on the front of each one.  Also, she found a sweet pillow with a bee on it.  Those sweet presents are always placed happily in special places in the cottage.

2.  After a busy afternoon, the family came to the cottage for dinner.  Younger Son, Dr. Mike, made his special peanut sauce and we enjoyed some other Indonesian dishes (my choice).  I am thankful everyone came to celebrate my birthday and I am also thankful to be living near my daughters and to have our son staying with us for these past few months.  Older Son, Chaplain Dan, called and we chatted a long time.  And PAL and her mom called, too.

3.  What would you choose to buy your Meema for her birthday?  Warrior Boy and Tall Boy were at the store with Younger Daughter, the nurse, choosing some daffodils for me.  They found the 'perfect present':  a Hufflepuff Badger stuffie!  Eleanor is thrilled to have a buddy living with her on the shelf.

3.  A wonderful handwritten birthday card and note from my dear college friend M.  We both love sending and receiving handwritten letters and the one she posted for my birthday was extra special.  I'll be writing back to her soon.

4.  Over the weekend, we also hosted a special guest-- a friend from the days we lived in Oregon.  T worked at the high school where the Nurse attended and we all became friends.  T was in Ohio for a conference and stayed with us Saturday night, attended church with us on Sunday and then we all (including Nurse and Warrior Boy) met other friends near the Columbus airport for lunch.  It was a great time of catch up.

5.  And now The Professor and I are on a quick overnight trip to Indiana.  Our purpose is a sad one as we will be attending a memorial service for someone we are connected with from our years of living and serving in Papua, Indonesia.  We are thankful we can be there to comfort and encourage his family during this time.  (And, if I am slow to respond to FFFs this weekend, that's why.)

Bonus:  It's SPRING!  Daffodils are my favorite flower! They are just starting to bloom at Willow's Cottage!

March 20

March Photo a Day.  March 20.  Spring.

Nothing says spring like beautiful yellow daffodils.  Happy Spring to everyone! (and Happy Autumn to those in the southern hemisphere!)

March 19

 March Photo a Day.  March 19.  Out a window.

It was really hard to choose a picture for today.  I have way too many photos of windows.  Finally, I narrowed it down to two.

Looking out a window in Conwy Castle, Wales.

Taken from a train window toward the North Sea in Berwick on Tweed, England.

March 18

 March Photo a Day.  March 18.  On a shelf.

When I  lived in Southern California, I would occasionally visit The Last Bookstore in Downtown Los Angeles.  There are many books on many shelves.

March 17

 March Photo a Day.  March 17.  St. Patrick's Day.

Emblem on St. Patrick's Cathedral gate, Dublin, Ireland.

March 16

 March Photo a Day.  March 16.  Hobby.

Well, this was an easy one.  If you have been reading my blog for more than a month, you will know the answer.  My hobby?  Yarn and knitting.

Sometimes I spin my own yarn.

Sometimes, I knit with commercial yarn.

Nary a day passes without me knitting.

March 15

 March Photo a Day.  March 15.  Sparkly.

A St. Patrick's Day tiara is very sparkly.

March 14

 March Photo a Day.  March 14.  Night Time Lights.  There was a lunar eclipse last night.  The Professor and I set our alarm for 2:15am and woke up to step outside and watch it for about forty-five minutes.

The real time view was amazing!  The photos I took with my camera-- not so much.  But here they are.  Can you spot the very faint stars?

Pie Day Fave Fives

 Happy Pie Day!  Are you all eating pie today?  It's also Friday, so it's Friday Fave Fives time.  The link takes you to Susanne's blog where you can read more about all the Faves in other bloggers' week.

1.  Finished!  I knitted this afghan for S, our coffee couple friend, for her birthday.  It was a fun knit.

2.  Family dinner at Olive Garden.  Usually, we have family dinners at our home and have everyone bring whatever they want to eat.  But last weekend, we decided to enjoy all the yummy food at Olive Garden.  One thing we did around the table was everyone telling one thing they did well during the week.  Better grades.  Work bonus.  Things like that.

3. We survived the time change.  I'm not a fan of changing our time and clocks.  It's been an interesting adjustment, but we are surviving.  We do enjoy the light in the evenings.

4.  On Monday we drove north to the town of Bellville and enjoyed lunch with our long time friends who we first met in Oregon through our church.  I worked with L at the same private Christian school.  She was secretary of the elementary school and I taught high school US History classes.  The four of us enjoy each other's company and we always have so much to chat about.   I'm thankful for long time friendships.

5.  Is spring really going to come?  Our weather this week has been warm and sunny.  And now there are more crocuses hopping up.  It looks like I may have daffodils within the next week or two-- if the weather cooperates.

I hope you are having a good day and have some PIE to snack on.  Did you get up in the night last night and watch the lunar eclipse?  We did!  And yes, I'm a bit sleepy now.  In a few hours, I will be posting (not so great) photos I took of the eclipse.

March 13

 March Photo a Day.  March 13.  Mirror.  The many windows of a skyscraper tower mirrors the buildings and landscape around it.  A bit of background:  when Younger Daughter lived and worked in San Diego, I would take the Amtrak train from our town to visit her.  Her office was on an upper floor of a downtown building where one could gaze out at the area around her building.  Mostly we could only see other buildings.  But at least those tall modern buildings had so many windows which acted as mirrors so we could see reflections of the mountains to the east and the older buildings of the Gaslamp Quarter.

March 12

 March Photo of the Day.  March 12.  Sign.  Continental Divide.

March 10 and March 11

 March Photo a Day.  March 10 and 11.  I paired these two days and pictures on the same post on purpose because of the titles.  Low Angle and High Angle.  Photography allows us to view the world around us in different perspectives.

March 10.  Low Angle.  Looking at the world from below.  I call this 'fearless tree trimming'.

March 11.  High Angle.  The world from the opposite position.

March 8 and 9

 March Photo a Day.  I missed yesterday March 8, so I am posting for 8th and 9th together.

March 8.  Water.  I grew up near the ocean.  And the Pacific Northwest is famous for its mountains and rivers.  So I do love my rivers and streams.  (No, this is not a west coast river.  It's the Roanoke River, North Carolina.)

March 9.  Daylight Savings Time.  I am happy that on this day when we 'lose' an hour, at least it is sunny.  The crocuses are smiling, too, even though they are sleepy.

March 7

 March Photo of the Day.  March 7.  Love.  My love and me on our wedding day.  A long time ago.

Marching Along

On this Friday afternoon, I am watching our weather do another 180 turn and go from sunshine to clouds to snow flurries.  By midweek, the temperatures will be back in the 60s.  You never know from week to week what the weather will be.  That's like life.  But I try to be thankful for life and for weather whatever it looks like.  That's why I join in sharing my Friday Fave Fives each week.

1. I started out the weekend/week by fighting a cold.  Although I wasn't all that sick, I decided to stay home and rest and not expose other people.  That's not the fave part (except the rest). The fave is that The Professor took such good care of me.

2. By Monday, I was feeling ok so we drove the half hour to the outskirts of Columbus and did some grocery shopping at Trader Joe's and Costco.  Younger Daughter met us after that at Capital One Cafe and we enjoyed some relaxing time together.  After that, we grabbed lunch at Bibibop and headed home.  I am thankful we live near enough to some of our children that we can just get together for a good chat.

3. Tuesday was dentist appointments.  The fave there for me is that I got the 'all clear' from the dentist and hygienist.

4.  That afternoon, Younger Daughter and I took her two dogs for a three mile walk along the river.  The weather was perfect.  And we wore those puppies out

5.  Last night, our grandson Warrior Boy played in the high school band performance.  I think my favorite piece was the Armenian Rhapsody.  I'm so proud of how far this boy has come in his baritone playing and just life generally.

I hope you are finding blessings in every day, even those times when you have to look a bit deeper to find them.

March 6

March Photo of the Day.  March 6.  Something starting with the letter "M".

When I was considering options for today,  I asked The Professor what his first thought was and he replied, "Jar of Marmalade."  I smiled and said, "That was my first idea, too."  I love how we so often think alike.

So here is Marmalade.  When Paddington heard the M-word, he immediately asked if he could have some on an English muffin and if he could be in the picture, too.  How could I refuse?

Paddington joined our family when I found him at Paddington Station in London many years ago.  He's not a big traveler like Eleanor which is understandable since he was sent from Darkest Peru to London all by himself when he was just a baby bear.

March 5

 March Photo of the Day.  March 5.  Ash Wednesday.

This photo may not seem like much, but this small bottle is filled with ash.  Not just any ash, but ash from the volcanic eruption of Mt. St. Helens in Washington on May 18, 1980.  On that day, my parents who were living in Portland, Oregon, watched the eruption from their home. As the ash from the volcano began drifting down on their car, they gathered some of it and put it into a glass jar to save.

All these many years later, the vial of ash still reminds me of that day when I heard about the eruption and was concerned for the safety of my family.  We were living in Indonesia, in the process of moving from West Java to what is now West Papua (on the island of New Guinea).  I treasure it as a memory of how my mom and dad thought of me every day and saved this tiny bottle of volcanic ash so I could see for myself a tiny bit of what they experienced that day.

March 4

 March Photo of the Day.  March 4. Keepsake.

I know that I have posted about this cross stitch I made for my grandmother.  Since she passed away in 1984, I made it before then although I am not exactly sure  of the year.  Grandma loved this because she loved to garden.  When she died, my mother took it and saved it for me.  Today it hangs on the wall of my kitchen and daily it reminds me of "Emma Louise".

March 3

March Photo of the Day. March 3.  Adventure.  Can you imagine heading out from your safe home in Ohio or Virginia or Massachusetts with a wagon filled with all your belongings?  Driving your oxen team westward on a road almost impossible to follow?  What an Adventure to follow your dreams to Oregon or California.  Last August, The Professor and I had our own adventure on the Oregon Trail, driving our Honda CRV, not a Conestoga wagon.  It took us eight days, not six months.  But what an adventure it was!  One of these days, I'll write all about it-- our Oregon Trail adventure.

March 2

March Photo a Day.  March 2.  Dream.  When I think of the word dream, my mind immediately envisions my dream place-- the beach.  Today I am dreaming of the beach.  All the Pacific Ocean beaches where I would walk and wade and watch the waves.  Imperial, Silver Strand,  Huntington, Ocean, Redondo, Manhattan, Pismo, Hendry's, Santa Barbara, Emma Wood, Thornhill-Broome, Ventura, Rockaway.  Just to name a few.

It was hard to choose just one.  Point Mugu Beach along Pacific Coast Hwy, Ventura County, Ca.  The closest beach to our home.  I dream of walking there again.

March 1

 Well, I'm going to try it again.  A photo a day in March.

March 1.  Selfie.   Me and Charlie.  Charlie Chaplin. Waterville, Ireland.

The End of February

 Goodbye, February.  It's not that I won't miss you, your holidays and beautiful snowy landscapes, but I am happily anticipating warmer and longer days.  It's time to say, "See you in eleven months."  You were very generous to me, February.  I did find many many blessings in your month, and especially in this past week.  So as we part, I will share Five Faves, Five Blessings from this week.  (the link takes you to where you can share your Fave Fives if you wish)

1. Speaking of warmer days, I am thankful for the warmish weather we have had a few days this past week.  We were able to take three walks outside along the local paths and in our neighborhood.  I am so looking forward to more and more walks and hikes in warmer temperatures.

2 and 3.  A double fave here:  One morning, The Professor and I were enjoying the company of a tiny seven week old baby (and her mom, of course) and getting to know her, holding her and watching her smile.  I happened to notice out our front window that someone had parked in our driveway and was bringing a package to our door.  I was surprised since we had not ordered anything from Amazon... But it was another young mom who was dropping off what she called a 'love package' for me.  This mom is a great thrifter and found the perfect sweater for me!  Included with the sweater was a little note just expressing their (her and her husband) love and thanks for us.  Oh my.  What a wonderful morning of love and care that was.

4.  Dinner with friends.  We always just eat soup and salad when we share with this couple.  And I always make my "Grandma R" rolls (recipe from my grandma) which they love.  I left all the extras with them for their sons who love them, too.  Their younger teenage son ate dinner with us and stayed to listen to our conversations.  That was so sweet.

5.  A spontaneous trip to Joann's with Younger Daughter.  I'm sure you have heard the news that J's is closing all their stores.  It has been a mainstay fabric/yarn stop for everyone in our community, so we are all sad that it is closing its doors.  But right now, everyone is rushing over to the shop to grab what they can.  Yes, the lines are long and the cashiers are busy.  Younger Daughter found some great fabrics for quilts she is planning to sew. I stocked up on my favorite yarn for knitting baby blankets.  (Don't ask how much I bought. I'm not telling.)  So in the sadness, we found fun and joy in choosing our purchases and in spending that time together.

Note:  no photos today because the laptop is again annoyed with me and is having a tantrum and won't download pictures.  The Professor is on it--working another fix.

I hope you are enjoying this last day of February.

A Cold Cold Friday

 I haven't had much energy today so I'm lagging on writing up my Friday Fave Fives.  It's not because there are no blessings to focus my attention from this past week, but it's because I'm just COLD. I don't think our outside temperatures have gotten above 32F all week (maybe a 33F or 34F but certainly not high enough to be noticeable). But now I'm here and working to focus on the warmth of all the things for wbich I have to be thankful.

1.  Warm snuggly blankets.  These blankets are certainly being used this week.  They're all ones I've knitted through the years.  The one The Professor puts over his legs when he is reading up in the 'library room' was knitted by Younger Daughter when she was a young teen and given to my father when he was in a care home.  I love that 'Grandpa's blanket' is still keeping us warm.

2.  I love our library.  We had a few minutes one afternoon after dropping some unwanted items at the St. Vincent dePaul thrift store and before picking up the grandboys from school, so we spent those minutes at the library.  I found a book that caught my attention and checked it out.  So far, I'm enjoying the mystery, set partly in World War II and partly in the Twenty-first Century.  I'm thankful I have access to so many books.

3.  I have been thinking so much lately about all the moves I have made in my lifetime.  Three states where we have owned homes.  Two other states where we spent several months studying in special academic programs.  The two provinces of Indonesia--West Java and West Papua on the island of New Guinea (formerly Irian Jaya).  Even in the different US states, we have lived in various counties.  What has kept us centered?  The people.  The friendships we have made through all those years and all those moves.  It's the people.  And I'm thankful for the friendships.

4.  Speaking of friendships--- we had the best time with T and S this week.   In spite of the snowy icy, we ventured a bit farther out than usual and had our coffee time at a newish coffee place in a town about half hour away.  We never know where our conversations will take us. Squirrels and Rabbit Holes are a vital part of our non stop talks.

5.  While we were there, a mom and her two daughters popped in.  I had been given some crafting beads and yes, more yarn which I didn't want, but I knew the girls (K and K) would love to have them.  So on their way to the library in that town, they stopped in and picked up the beads and yarn.  I wish I could have caught a photo of the look on the younger one's face when she opened the bead box.  It lit up the whole room.   

Bonus:  Eleanor Elizabeth had joined us for coffee and was so excited to meet K and K.  I think the feeling was mutual.  (photos shared with permission from their mom)

I hope that you have found joy and gratitude in this past week, too.  Did you have cold cold weather?  Maybe some snow or rain?  Find warmth in your coffee and tea and blankets and friendships.