Dover, England

Dover, England.  A beautiful and historic town on the the English Channel.

Remember the famous White Cliffs of Dover?

And Dover Harbor?  It is the nearest port on the English Channel to France and so very busy in ferrying cargo and people across the water.

Dover Castle

You climb many many steps to reach the height of Dover Castle

There was an ancient hillfort on the site of Dover Castle.  Later, the Roman built a lighthouse on this hill overlooking the English Channel toward Normandy.

And then a church was built attached to the lighthouse.  Church of St Mary-in-Castro (the Castle)

Can you imagine ALL. THE. HISTORY.  Ancient hillfort.  Roman ruins.  World War II Operation Dunkirk.

 

Five Cheering Things

 Hello from cold, snowy Willow's Cottage.  I have absolutely no ambition to do anything.  However, I need to focus on something positive.  FRIDAY FAVE FIVES does that for me.   We choose FIVE somethings from the past week and post them to encourage ourselves and others.  Here is Willow's Week in FIVE encouraging statements.

1.  Although it is cold and snowy today, the middle of the week was warm (I mean warm in Ohio terms, not Southern California terms).  Because the ice mostly melted, we were able to get in a couple of walks Tuesday and Wednesday around our neighborhood.  Crunching around the leftover ice patches slowed us down but kept us from slipping and falling.

2.  In fact, it was so nice out that people were outside sitting on their porch steps and watching their children play.  We finally met a neighbor on the street behind us and reacquainted ourselves with neighbors on our street.

3.  Now it's back to winter weather again.  I decided to dream a bit about traveling.  So I pulled up some photos of our 2019 trip to England and scrolled through them.  Want some cheer? Two photos from Dover.  (I think I am going to make some posts about that trip--I never did that)

4.  Obviously, I have England on my brain.  I've been reading more D.E. Stevenson novels.  This week I've been immersed in her stories about living in UK during World War II.  Crooked Adam and The English Air.  Books are a wonderful antidote to winter.

5.  Plans for a Lent study with my Art Girls!  When I saw the email, I knew we would have some wonderful mornings chatting via zoom.  Our book choice is a new non-fiction work by Andrew Peterson, God In The Garden.  I'm excited to read the book and enjoy the fellowship of my friends.

What FIVE things have cheered you up this week?

February is for Cold and Ice

 Good Morning!  The sun is shining.  No accumulation of snow or ice is in the forecast.  Right there in those three sentences are three things for which I am thankful. And I haven't even begun my Friday Fave Fives list.  The world is so full of blessings that everywhere I turn my mind or eye, there is something to appreciate if I choose to notice them.  If you are a repeat reader at Willow's Cottage, you will know about Friday Fave Fives.  You can read and rejoice with me and others when we post and link to Susanne's blog.

1.  Last Friday after I wrote my FFF, Younger Daughter had a disguised blessing.  The ice and snow were making driving difficult and dangerous, but she had some important things to do at work.  But as she pulled out of her driveway, her car got stuck.  Really truly stuck.  So she had to consort to Plan B and work from home (managing a major online conference!).  The blessings here are that she didn't have to navigate the horrible highway situation; she didn't have issues with internet during the meetings; her neighbors saw her car in the street and managed to get it back in to her driveway for her.  I am thankful she was safe!

2.  The Professor knows I enjoy photographing birds, but birds do not cooperate for me to photograph.  BUT.  One morning, he tiptoed into the kitchen and told me to grab my camera.  This time the hawk did not immediately fly away so I was able to catch a couple of pictures.

3.  The New Boy had a birthday!  Can you believe he is now FOURTEEN?  We celebrated with birthday dinner at Olive Garden.  And of course, since he is fourteen, there are no photos of him.

4.  Being stuck at home with snow and ice everywhere was a blessing in that I was able to organize my notebooks on my garden plans and herbs information.  It took me the better part of two days, but now it is done. For Now.

5.  The ice and snow are mostly melted.  That is a huge blessing because our street is dead end and usually doesn't get plowed.

That wraps up Willow's Week of blessings!  

Cool

 That's how I would describe our weather.  COOL.  Or rather, cold. Or frigid.  We are having a 'winter storm' here.  That means there is lots of snow and ice.

So that also means The Professor and I are COOLing our heels here at home. The farthest we have ventured from the house today is the compost bin.  We may not go that far tomorrow as the forecast is for four to six inches of snow tonight on top of the snow and ice already on the ground and in the streets.

My Friday Fave Fives are certainly going to be different this week.

1.  I am thankful for power.  So far, we have not lost our electricity.  Knowing we could lose it means that we appreciate every hour we have it.

2.  I am thankful for other options.  We have our lanterns, flashlights and candles ready.  We have snuggly blankets.  We have boots, gloves, and jackets.  We have food and water.

3.  I am thankful for things to do to keep my mind occupied.  Books.  Obviously.  Projects to focus on.  This afternoon, I finished a project I had procrastinated--hemming a tablecloth.

4.  I am thankful for yarn.  After finishing a pair of socks for granddaughter PAL,

I rummaged around in my stash and finally decided to do something with this nubby handspun yarn.  I didn't spin it.  All I know is that it is combined wool and silk noil (raw silk) and hand dyed probably with indigo but maybe woad (no way to be sure).  Anyway, I have started a very basic shawl since the yarn is certainly texture rich and striking enough to stand on its own.

5.  Before all this weather excitement happened, we did get some fun walks in.  This is along a trail near Older Daughter's home.  I love the river!  Even in COOL weather.

So this has been Willow's COOL Week.  I hope you are all staying safe, warm, and well and able to cool your heels and relax a bit.

Cold Yet Warm

 Cold. It's. Cold.  The weather, not my heart.  Truly, my heart warms as I think on how I am blessed this week.  When gratitude becomes a habit, it warms one's heart and the hearts of those around one.  Friday Fave Fives with Susanne is an excellent way for us all to warm our heart and practice making gratitude a constant part of our week.

Here are five wonderful reasons for gratitude this week in my life.

1.  A weekend spent with Younger Daughter.  There was a ladies retreat organized by women from my church.  It was hosted in a hotel in Amish Country.  My younger daughter was available to attend, so she accompanied me.  Oh, my, we had a wonderful time.  What a blessing.

2.  It was fun to also explore Amish Country a bit.  We saw several horses and buggies. We enjoyed grabbing coffee and chai at a local coffee shop.  We had fun choosing a handmade soap to try.  And then we had to choose what popcorn and fudge we wanted to sample.

3.  Our drive home was a fave.  It was snowing and the roads were a mess.  Thankfully, we happened to be driving along a country two lane road directly behind the snow plow truck which was also dropping salt onto the road just ahead of us.

4.  I finished a knitting project.  Last year, I made this red shawl, but I delayed blocking it.  So, finally, I stuck it in vinegar water (think: don't want that red dye to bleed everywhere) to soak and then wet blocked it on dark blue towels (think:  if it's going to bleed any color, it won't show on a blue towel).  I'm quite pleased with the result.

5.  Little Warrior, our younger grandson, spent the evening with us Wednesday.  Dinner and hanging out with The Professor in the basement messing with the new model train set.  For me, the sweetest part was when he informed me that he regularly reads this blog. 💓 oh my heart!

Bonus!  Yes, I love old barns! (you can check out my Monday blog post if you like barns, too)

I hope you have a gratitude filled warm weekend.

Oh, and Susanne!  Our weatherman used this term for your wind and weather last night:  Saskatchewan Scream! 

Snowy Showy Barns

Riding through the country during a snow storm affords the perfect opportunity to snap photos of old barns.

All photos were taken yesterday in or near Amish Country.  Some pictures are more clear than others, due mostly to the amount of snow that was falling at the time. 

  Obviously, I love barns.  Do you?

Which one is your favorite?  Tell us in the comments.

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Five Wonderful Things

Friday Fave Fives

Piano tuner

Model train show

Snow blower

Birthday

Haircut

This is what I wrote first.  My ideas for what to post for Friday Fave Fives. (Follow the link to Susanne's blog to join in.) Sometimes, this is how I formulate my thoughts.  And, really, do you need any more detail that this?

Well, I'll give you more details, anyway.

1.  After so many moves in vans and pods, my wonderful piano has needed extra care.  So what does The Professor do?  He gives me the Christmas gift of having my sweet strings tuned. My piano was bought by my dad for my mom in 1983, and I inherited it.  And now it sounds wonderful.

2.  The Professor wanted to attend the model train show with our younger grandson, our Little Warrior.  Younger Daughter and I tagged along.  Best part?  Watching how much fun the guys had.

3.  The Professor decided that a snow blower was the best answer to clearing our driveway and front walk of snow.  He's been excitedly watching the weather, waiting for a chance to use it.  Finally, this week, it snowed!  And as he brought that snow blower out for its first time, he was greeted by our neighbor and his brother who were clearing his and our sidewalks.  Bonding over snow blowing.

4.   Younger Son's birthday was this week.  Since he lives a long long way away, we called and chatted with him.  Oh, he was so cute! (he still is)

5.  Because of being stuck at home for two weeks in isolation,  I missed my appointment for my haircut.  Finally, this week, I was able to get in for a new appointment.  Haircuts may be boring, but, oh my, they are so wonderful.

Small Blessings

 Good afternoon!  I had such great plans to post a couple of times during the week, mostly about my knitting projects.  Obviously, that didn't happen.  But here I am on Friday to post my Friday Fave Fives.  If I do nothing else all week on my blog, I make sure I write about the five blessings I noticed this past week.  Friday Fave Fives is really important to me and I hope it is to you, too, and it encourages you to look for events of gratitude in your life.

1.  Walks outside.  I know, I know.  I post something like this EVERY WEEK.  But being outside and walking or hiking is one of my happy things.

2.  The reason for being able to walk--mild-er weather this week.  I'm not holding my breath.  Snow is coming.  But in the between times, I appreciate the respite.

3.  Another happy thing.  Sitting in a comfy chair reading and sipping tea.  This week's book choice is The Bird in the Tree by Elizabeth Goudge.  And the tea is spearmint--from my own garden.

4.  There is a new member of the family!  Meet Fritz Sawyer Winston ok, maybe Fritz.  Younger Daughter's neighbor offered her a very sweet and adorable puppy.  Now there's a debate discussion about what to name him.  Isn't he just the cutest?

5.  Trail Life for the grandsons.  Both boys are part of the local Trail Life troop.  This is like Boy Scouts but with a strong Christian faith based emphasis.  The Professor has been a leader since we moved here and it's a great activity for them to enjoy together.  This week there was a ceremony to celebrate those who have earned badges.  Both grandsons received at least one.  The photos are very blurry, but you can tell how pleased they are.

I hope you have found small blessings in your week, too.  Sometimes, we have to look around for them.  But they are always there.

Choosing Gratitude

"When it comes to life the critical thing is whether your take things for granted or take them with gratitude."

G.K. Chesterton

I try to align my thoughts with gratitude and not take things for granted.  So often, we assume we deserve everything to be just the way we want.  We assume we deserve health, wealth and success.  But, everything is a gift of grace.  This is why I join Friday Fave Fives every week--to remind myself and others to take everything 'with gratitude'.

1.  I am grateful for a warm home.  As I write, the temperature outside is frightful 15F.  I know Susanne is thinking, "Is that all?", but this sunny Cal girl is turning into an icicle!  Instead of focusing on COLD,  I choose to think, "WARM house".

2.  I am grateful for health.  As I mentioned last week in FFF, The Professor tested positive for the big bag virus.  Well, in the afternoon, Younger Daughter, granddaughter, and I started feeling yucky.  Yep.  Positive.  Two things to be grateful for--- our symptoms were fairly mild.  And we had been able to procure home test kits.

3.  We are all fine, now.

4. Outdoor wear is wonderful.  I am grateful for warm layers, hats, jackets, gloves and scarves.  Yesterday, we took a very short walk.  It was (almost) pleasant because we were well layered in warm clothing.

5. I am grateful for time confined to the house.  Yes, really.  I was able to tackle the paperwork pile.  I love a tidy home, and a home with papers all over is not tidy.  So I spent a day just filing and shredding papers.  Since I enjoy filing, it was actually pleasant and not physically taxing work for me.  But I'm grateful it's done now for awhile.

Let us not take anything in our lives for granted.  Let's be grateful.  Every day.

Recapping 2021 Blessings

 Ringing out the year.  How are you doing it?  New Year's Eve party?  Staying home cuddled up in blankets watching the ball drop in London so you can go to bed early?

One way I want to celebrate saying 'bye to 2021 is to reflect on the blessings from this past year.  Willows' Week Year with Friday Fave Fives.

1.  Our family has survived the big bad virus.  Some of us have had it, but we are all ok.  Right now, we are home because The Professor tested positive with very mild symptoms, but we don't want to expose anyone else.

2.  This year, The Professor and I have made progress on making our house our home.  Projects have been putting on a new roof, building a pergola on our back patio, removing the above ground pool and prepping the area for a new use (coming in 2022), installing a fence around our back area, establishing a vegetable and herb garden area.

3.  We have spent every holiday with our family and celebrated every birthday.  For us, this is the reason we moved 2,400 miles across the US in 2020.

4.  We've been sinking our roots in to the community, getting to know people and places.

5.  My love of knitting continues.  I've created baby sweaters and hats for two new little ones in our new circle of friends.  I've made a couple of warm blankets to add to the stash here at home.  My favorite project, though, was the vest I knitted for a friend, the couple we call our coffee buddies because we try to meet every week for coffee and conversation somewhere in the county.

On to 2022 and new adventures!  Happy New Year, friends!

December Wrapping Up

The fourth week of Advent happened.  PEACE.

And then so did Christmas!

Where did the time go?

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas.  Was yours white?  Ours wasn't, but I have enjoyed the snowy photos my sister-in-law in Oregon has shared with me.

Now it is that week between Christmas and New Years when we pause, take a breath, and eat all the leftover cookies.

Third Friday in December

Happy Friday!  And Happy Fave Fives Day!  Christmas is fast approaching.  Are you ready?  I am pausing and taking a deep breath to focus my attention on the blessings of this past week.  Here are just Five.  (Friday Fave Fives link.)

1.   Third week of Advent.  Joy.

2.  An older missionary colleague asked me about photos I might have of the national missionaries we worked with in our tribal area.  She and her husband had been mentors and teachers to the Hatam pastors before sending them to the Moskona tribe where we were assigned a couple of years later.  I have scanned many of the photos and was able to send them on to her.  Here are three of the Hatam missionaries praying for a newly appointed Moskona church leader.  These men (Bahar, Pete, and Abner) were mentored and then passed on their learning to others.

3.  Browsing the pictures brought back so many wonderful memories-- my younger son and his friend Simson (the son of one of the Hatam missionaries).

Our first village, Meyokda

Wow, this picture brings back memories!  Our Christmas card!

Yes, we are sitting in front of a MAF helicopter--our only means of transportation in and out of our village.

4.  Christmas cards and letters have been arriving in the mailbox!  I love receiving and sending those greetings and updates.

5.  Is it true that it isn't really Christmas until you post a picture of your Christmas tree?  Just in case, here is our tree this year.  Just lights.  No ornaments.  We looked at the tree and decided we liked it the way it is.  (the fave?  super easy)

May you continue to have a JOYous December!

Second Friday of December

Friday Fave Fives coming to you from Willow's Week here at my cottage.

 1.  Second week of Advent.  Peace.

2.  I am recovering quickly from the surgery and no longer need to wear a bandage on my face.  AND the Harry Potter scar is uncovered and noticeable.  (This is the fun part:  "What happened?"  "Voldemort attacked me, but fortunately he was a terrible shot.")

3.  Warm home.  We have had some frigid days and nights this past week.  Every time I walk into the house, I think how blessed I am to have a warm and safe sanctuary.

4.  Cook stove.  On that same theme, I am thankful to be blessed with stove and oven to use for cooking and even heating water to make tea.  Sometimes, I take things like that for granted.

5.Availability.  One of my daughters has needed lots of driving help this week.  I am thankful we can provide that help.  We are healthy and capable to drive.  We have a car.  This is why we moved here.

This week it seems that most of my faves are 'mundane' items.   But maybe the best blessings are the mundane, the simple blessings of the week.

First Friday in December

It's December!  It's Advent!  It's almost Christmas!  It's also Friday and time for Friday Fave Fives with Susanne from Living To Tell the Story.  I love the stories we tell on Fridays--the blessings of the week. 

1.  Christmas stockings.  It may be preliminary to open our Christmas stockings the day after Thanksgiving, but since the New Mexico and Arizona families were leaving that afternoon, we decided we wanted the fun and atmosphere of Christmas to be the final fun for the week.  The children received snow globes, and the adults scored gift cards. 

2.  On Monday, I had a small bit of basal cell skin cancer removed from the bridge of my nose.  Don't panic or worry--it was small, the doctor removed it all, and this type of cancer is not aggressive.  People with light skin and blue eyes (me!) often have these spots removed.  Add to my genetic makeup the fact I spent a decade living at the equator and two decades living in sunny SoCal, I am a prime candidate.  Right now, I look like I was in a fist fight (but you should see the other guy!) and I may have a small Harry Potter style scar for awhile which greatly impressed the grandkids.

3.  Since my activity is limited for a week, The Professor has been taking fine care of me.

4.  Younger daughter has been changing the dressings on the wound.  Since she is in nursing school, this is right in her bailiwick.  Actually, it has been fun.  "Oh, the swelling is down."  "You are healing fast, Mom."  "The doctor did a great job with those stitches."  "How many times did you ice it today?"

5.  First Sunday of Advent.  I love celebrating Advent!  This week is HOPE.

Happy December!  Happy Advent!  HOPE!