Barns and Trees

Are you ready for an autumn tree photo dump?  Accompanied by lots of old barn pictures?

All the fall trees and falling leaves.  We drove for an hour each way to attend a wedding through all the farm land and trees and fields.  I might have taken a few photos...

Enjoy!

And the barns!

Autumn in Full Force

Friday Fave Fives.  Here we are at the end of another wonderful week.  We've had some cold days, some rain, some sunshine, and lots of blessings.  (follow the Fave Five link to join us)

1.  Last weekend, The Professor joined both grandsons (and Younger Daughter) for the Trail Life Daniel Boone Campout.  Their troop was hosting the campout (1,200+ campers!) and they had the BEST time.  Younger Daughter was 'in charge' of their troop's campfire.  She spent the whole day Saturday tending the fire and making sure there was always coffee for the dads and leaders.  A GOOD TIME was had by all!

2.  Midday on Saturday, I received a text relating that they were running out of firewood (it was really cold!), so I grabbed a couple of bundles of wood and drove out to the campout place with Older Daughter and Granddaughter.  We took advantage of being near a great walking spot and took the dogs with us for a beautiful walk under the autumn trees.

3.  Monday morning, I spent a lovely couple of hours 'crafting' with friends (new and old).  Our hostess is an accomplished quilter but is learning to knit.  It was a fun morning of coffee and yarn.

4.  A three and a half mile walk with a young friend and her eight month old boy along our local trail.

5.  We went to the local gardening store to purchase some potting soil.  As we were checking out, we were directed toward a shelf full of gorgeous mums and told that every person who bought anything at that day were given a free one!  We came home with an amazing lavender mum.

Willow's Week wasn't exciting but it was still full of blessings.

Falling for the Season

Autumn is in full swing here.  Brilliant colors.  Falling leaves.  Cooler temperatures.  Here in my new(ish) state, fall is my favorite season.  I hope it lasts a long time this year.  Each week of autumn seems to be filled with so much color and many many blessings.  Here are five (well, seven, really) which I am sharing for Friday Fave Fives (follow the link to join).

1.  On Saturday, I joined a group of ladies on a day trip to Amish Country.  My friend's church sponsored it and we drove up in a van.  The weather was perfect autumn.  Of course, that meant the town was very very crowded with tourists and visitors.  Mostly, we wandered around and checked out all the stores.  Because it was so busy, we were fortunate to have reservations at a local restaurant.  The best part was just spending time with my friend and one of her family members.

2. Of course the trip there and back was filled with old barns and farm land.

3.  Sunday was another stunning fall day.  We took eight of us and two dogs to the local arboretum and hiked 3.5 miles.  There is an area that does not have paved trails and we thoroughly enjoyed walking under all the trees.

4.  We thought we were going to have our first bonfire on our new patio.  But, literally, just as The Professor was cutting the kindling to start the fire, guess what.  It started raining.  I guess we'll just have to wait a few more days.

5.  This week was our youngest granddaughter's birthday!  PAL is EIGHT!  She called us to thank us for her present which actually arrived on time.  She also received an American Girl doll, so we discussed what kind of sweaters Meema should knit for it.

Bonus:  I had an appointment with the 'hand doctor'.  After examining both of my hands, he suggested two more shots of pain meds in my right hand, and upcoming surgery on my left to deal with the trigger finger issues.  I have been in much less pain!  So thankful!

Bonus2:  My absolute favorite photo from the weekend is this one:

Have a wonderful week full of God's blessings!

It's October!

 Can you believe it is October?  We have only three months left of 2022!  And here we are at the end of the week.  It's Friday.  And time for Friday Fave Fives, my weekly focus on being thankful.

1.  Our granddaughter ZG turned sixteen!  We celebrated by having dinner at Cracker Barrel (her choice) and then returning home to enjoy some cake.

2.  Finally, I pulled out my small cricket loom and wove a scarf!  It has been awhile.  It is finished, and I will have to take some photos of it before it gets mailed off to its new owner.

3.  And along with that, I have to state that I am thankful that The Professor always helps me with the warping.  (that's the first part where you have to place ALL.THE.STRANDS of yarn on the loom length wise.

4.  The patio is finished!  Maybe if it is not too chilly this evening, we will lit our first fire.  Our contractor even brought over a pile of wood and placed it in the firepit for us to burn.

5.  And last but certainly not least, a visit from very dear friends from California.  We were in a Bible study small group with them for more than ten years, meeting every week at their home.  They were in our area for a funeral and saved Saturday evening and Sunday morning to spend time with us.  We know each other well enough that when all the plans for meeting them for dinner tanked because they couldn't get a rental car (it was closed!), we just went on the plan B and then plan C.  All the laughter, memories, conversations.  Then they managed to get a rental car in the morning and made it to attend church with us Sunday morning.  I really do think their visit was the highlight of our week.

Gratitude Through the Decades

 Good Friday Morning!  The sun is shining.  I'm up.  Since it is that day of the week for Friday Fave Fives, I've been contemplating which blessings to choose to share.

1.  When Susanne mentioned last Friday that it was the 700th Friday Fave Fives, I decided to scroll back to her first FFF and check the date; then I checked my blog to for the first time I joined in.  She started on August 15, 2008, and I wrote my first one on September 5, 2008.  Wow!  Fourteen years! (Have I really been blogging that long?  Actually, I started this blog in October 2005.)  I found Friday Fave Fives through Ellen at Happy Wonderer (we knew each other face to face as well as via blogs). And I have made many online friends through Susanne's hosting FFF.

2.  The patio is SO SO SO close to being finished!  Then I will take photos and share them.  All that is left is inserting the metal 'cage' in the firepit and installing the lighting under the wall caps.

3.  The leaves are just beginning to turn now.  Autumn is my favorite season and The Professor's, too.

4.  I love chai lattes.  Younger Daughter introduced me to a chai latte a few months ago.  In particular, one coffee shop we frequent has one I love.  Had one this week.

5.  When I was checking back on when I started doing FFFs, I allowed myself to be sucked into reading lots of old blog posts I have written through the years.  I lost myself in various road trips we have taken, our adventures in England, our visits with friends and family.  What blessings and joys we have experienced!  Looking back made me realize how God has blessed me.

Have you looked back lately and found things to be grateful for?

Happy Fall!

Oops.  It's Saturday.  I'm late for Friday Fave Fives with Susanne. Well, better late than not at all.  I am thankful that we woke up this morning (and every morning this week) strong and healthy and able to do what was put in front of us.  This week is the 700th! week that Susanne has hosted Friday Fave Fives!  Follow the link to celebrate the week and the years with us.

1.  Older daughter's home is nearly empty.  We will empty the last few items from the garage on the weekend.  Half done!  On to Younger Daughter's last few things at her place.

2.  One evening when we were loading boxes into our cars, it started to rain.  Not just a few drops, but it was a downpour and thunderstorm.  The short drive to the new place was slow because we could hardly see.  And of course, we just unloaded the boxes in the rain.  A fave?? Why would THAT be a fave??  It's because we all just looked at each other and started to laugh.  That's our family...

3.  Since then, the weather has been absolutely perfect!   We've been calling it Southern California winter.  Which has been helpful for the amazing hard workers recreating our patio.

4.  We greeted the arrival of Autumn (it's Fall, y'all!) with a yummy hearty minestrone style veggie soup.

5.  I think my fifth fave just has to be that we are thankful that we are almost done with the moves.

Oh~  I just thought of a bonus.  My ophthalmologist checked my eyes this week and gave me an 'all clear' diagnosis. (get the pun?)  I am thankful for that!

What things are you thankful for?  Autumn equinox?  Morning coffee?  

Rejoice Always

 It is hard to believe that this is the third Friday of September.  But, here it is.  (And next week is the beginning of autumn!)  This month has been so busy that it is flying by.  But I need to stop and reflect on the blessings of this time.  "Rejoice always!"  One] way I help myself focus is to join several other people in Friday Fave Fives, writing FIVE ways I have been blessed or encouraged this week.  [follow the link to join in]

1.  I am so thankful for email and cellphones.  I live 2,500 miles away from my only sibling, my brother.  I am also very close to my sister-in-law, having been BFFs in high school.  So when we are able to easily pick up our phones and talk to each other or send a text or email, it is wonderful. (did you notice the extra fave in there? my brother married my best friend)

2.  This week we again met our friends T and S for coffee.  They are so much fun.  Knowing that they would be a few minutes late arriving at our pre-chosen destination, they decided to prank us and text us about the time they arrived, asking us if we were on our way to another location.  (we messed that one up a few weeks ago)  Just about the time, I read that text, they walked in the door!  Good prank!  We had a great laugh about that one.

3.  Younger Daughter and her two children are mostly moved in to the new house.  There are a few things in the basement and garage that still need to be transferred.  All those people helping was a major blessing.  We can expect that to be done in the next week or two.

4.  Older Daughter and Tall Boy are packing like crazy because they move tomorrow!  (To be very clear on this, the two families are moving in together--same home.  Being two single moms now, they realized that having two adults in the house is a big help.  And since they grew up together,  well, they know how to live together.)  Friends are lined up to help them move.

5.  A major thing is happening at Willow's Cottage right now.  Our patio was becoming uneven and sinking in one area.  We had been thinking about making some changes in that area, so we decided to just get a new one installed.  We've been waiting most of the summer for our wonderful contractor/landscape guy to start it.  The whole process has been fascinating, loud and crazy.  After two days, this is what it looks like.  I am so thankful that the work is started and we will soon have a new patio and firepit!

removing cement is a little scary

no more cement, just dirt

after two days of work for three workers

The perspective isn't great in this photo; no, our backyard is not an acre long.

I hope you can find more more than five wonderful things that happened in your life this week.

Being Thankful in September

Happy Friday!  Busy week here again.  I am popping in to post my Friday Fave Fives.  If I don't do that, I quickly forget to BE THANKFUL.  Here are my Faves for Willoow's Second Week of September.

1.  The news yesterday that Queen Elizabeth II had passed away hit a bit hard. I am not British, but I have traveled extensively in England and have several good friends who are British, so I know the love and respect with which Her Majesty was regarded.  Did you read the statement written by the Archbishop of Canterbury?  My thoughts and prayers are with you all across the pond.  My fave in this?  Only that I honor the " steadfast loyalty, service and humility" the queen has displayed for the past seventy years as monarch of the United Kingdom.

2.  On a lighter note, we common folk enjoyed a Sweet Corn Festival last weekend.  Our coffee date friends S and T live walking distance from the location of the corn fest, so we drove down and parked in their driveway and strolled the three blocks to the festival grounds.  The way I described the day in my journal was 'we ate our way through the food section'.  Funnel cake.  Popcorn.  Tacos.  Hot dogs.  You name it!  AND a good friend from our church owns and operates the coffee truck!  AND he knows T and S!  What a small world.  AND our California extra family joined us for their first Ohio festival adventure.

3.  We enjoyed a wonderful evening having dinner and dessert at the home of church friends who want to get to know us better.  A lovely time was had by all.

4.  The Professor had a successful MOHS surgery on a spot on his face.  All cancer eradicated.

5.  We are nearly finished with prepping for our daughters' move in which begins tomorrow with younger daughter's moving all her furniture and belongings in (along with her two children).  Truck is reserved.  Helpers are arranged.  Boxes are packed.  Then next weekend, it will be Older Daughter's turn.  The fave?  People helping all this come together.

I hope this has been a week of gratitude and faves for you!

Is It Really September?

 Thank you to everyone who sent their condolences for the loss of our granddog Shep.  It meant so much to me.  Although Shep didn't live at our house, he was our very special doggie, and he especially loved taking walks with The Professor.

Here it is Friday again.  AND IT'S SEPTEMBER!  (I saw a notice somewhere that pumpkin spice lattes are back, so it must really be coming up autumn!)  As I reflect back on this past week, I am amazed at how fast it has flown by.  That is most likely because we have been so busy.  Here are my Five Faves--  Willow's Week with Susanne and others at Friday Fave Fives.

1.  Last Saturday, our local Vietnam veterans were honored at an event at the local airport.  Helicopter rides were available (not free), an Army band was there playing, local veterans and families were presented with plaques.  The Professor is a Vietnam Veteran.  After so many decades of no honor for him and others who served in Vietnam, it was very nice to attend such a ceremony.

2.  House renovations are moving along on our daughter's new house.  Almost all the rooms are ready for painting.  We've been over there almost every day stripping wallpaper.  Yes, we're thankful we are seeing the last of the wallpaper.

3.  I was able to drive my younger daughter in to her office one day this week.  She is ALMOST ready to start driving again.

4.  While I was waiting the hours for her to do some work, get signatures on documents, I decided to explore a bit of that part of the city.  There is a river that runs through it and there are parks and trails which connect them.  So I chose a place to park near the rose garden and enjoyed a lovely walk through urban woods. Then I returned in time to help her prepare for a take out evening dinner for the doctors who had a meeting.

There was a pollinator garden along the trail.  I think it is a success.

5.  Out of the blue, I received a text from someone at our church inviting us over for dinner!  What a delight!  So that is where we will be this evening.  I am so very thankful for the wonderful friendships we are making in our new community.

And, for fun, I leave you with this quote which I found in the rose garden.

Almost the End of August

 Yes, I've been MIA for two weeks.  Two weeks of very busy activities.  Looking  back over my diary entries, I realized that I have been home only one day.  Since my daughter's surgery, The Professor and I have been doing daily chauffeur duties.  Through all the busyness, I still see blessings popping up. F Here is my list of Friday Fave Fives for Willow's (Two) Week.  If you want to join the Fave Five group or read several more people's five blessings for the week, click on the LINK HERE.

1.  School started for all three local grandchildren.  Because Tall Boy's mom was out of state due to work responsibilities, he stayed with us and we had the privilege of attending the very busy high school open house with him, setting up his freshman year schedule, meeting his teachers and walking the labyrinth of the school hallways.  We also attended Little Warrior's open house and met his teachers.  I am thankful we are nearby and available to interact with our grandchildren and their teachers.

2.  One day last week was really really hard.  We lost our beloved granddog Shep, the Bernese mountain dog.  No puppy was more loved than Shep.  The only blessing from this that I can pull out is that the vet made sure he did not suffer and until the very end, he knew he was loved.

3.  Trail Life Troop had its Crossover Ceremony this week.  Both grandsons participated and they literally crossed over a bridge during the ceremony.  I love watching them interact with the other troop members and love how they shake hands and salute.

4.  The garden is slowly winding down, but I picked enough tomatoes, basil and oregano to make another batch of tomato sauce.  As I type, it is slowly simmering and the aroma is filling the house.

5.  There are still green beans, kale, and raspberries producing, so we are eating well from the garden.  And flowers are blooming.  I managed one photo of one of my favorite cottage garden flowers--cosmos.   I am so thankful to have enough space to make a garden.

Remember to give thanks in all things!

Moving Along in August

 Good Friday Evening!  What a week.  But here I am, finally relaxing a bit and reflecting on the blessing of the week.  Here are my Friday Fave Fives. (follow the link to join)

1.  My younger daughter had major surgery on Tuesday.  I drove her to the hospital at Oh Dark Thirty and sat all morning in the 'atrium' waiting room for her surgery to be finished and stayed until .  Good news is that surgery was successful.

2.  On Wednesday, I returned to the hospital to get her checked out and brought to our home to recuperate.  Her son, Little Warrior, missed her so much that he has been staying with us too.  I'm thankful we have room for them both to stay.

3.  Older Daughter has purchased a new house.  She closed TODAY!

4.  We. Have. Hot. Water.  Yay!  Our realtor suggested a plumber and within a few hours, he came to the house, checked his warehouse, and installed the new water heater!

5.  I have been enjoying cutting some flowers and putting them in little vases.  Daisies and zinnias, mostly.  Do I have photos?  No, not yet.  That's how crazy this week has been.  I haven't even taken a photo...

But I am still thankful for hot water, for my daughter's health and so many people praying for her and checking in on how she is doing.  Her co workers even sent a bouquet of flowers!

Early August Faves

 I am a bit late logging on and joining with Friday Fave Fives.  We've been out of town and just returned this afternoon.  So I am catching up as quickly as I can.

1.  I love hot water.  I am thankful when I have it.  But.  Right now at home, we don't have any because our hot water heater broke.  Fortunately, our son noticed it immediately since he is visiting with us for several days.  Why is not having hot water a fave?  It's not.  But in thinking about what I consider a blessing, hot water is one of those things.

2.  We had company for two nights just after our water heater broke.  A 'girl' who grew up in Indonesia with our children now lives in Thailand with her husband and three daughters.  They are here in the US for a few months and were traveling through our area, so they stopped to visit.  We had the BEST time with them and thoroughly enjoyed chatting and reminiscing with her.  Another nice thing about it was that not having hot water didn't phase them at all.  She grew up like my kids did, and her girls are growing up in a similar way.

3.  The same day our friends left, The Professor and I took off on a short camping trip at a nearby state park.  We took our little motor home and enjoyed three nights of 'glamping'.  Fires in the fire pit.  Relaxing in camp chairs reading books.  A couple of short walks.  We loved our camping trip even though it rained a bit each day.

4.  A long time friend (our children were in high school together) moved a couple of years ago to the area where we camped!  So she drove over and spent four hours with us, and we enjoyed our time with her especially since she will be moving to the east coast to be near her daughter and grandchildren soon.

5.  And now we are home.  I am thankful for my home.

Bonus:  My youngest and oldest children have birthdays this week!

Coming to the End of July

Friday already?  I had good intentions of writing more blog posts this week.  Obviously, that didn't happen.  But here I am on Friday, being faithful to be thankful for all the wonderful things in my life this week.  Here are my Fave Fives. (follow the link to join in!)

1.  Our recently transported near us family/friends have been helping us this week with a house project.  We have been wanting to insulate our garage, so Y and The Professor have installed the insulation and hung almost all the drywall.  It looks like tomorrow we will see all the drywall finished and then it will be time for taping, mudding and painting.  How I appreciate their hard work.

2.  And while the guys are working in the garage, E has cleaned my house.  In California, they owned a house cleaning business, so she can get through my place and clean it up so fast.

3.  Today while Y and The Professor were working, we girls did a project, too.  I have been wanting to change the color of two really dark things hung on the wall by my front door-- a cross and a picture frame.  According to E, we weren't 'working'; we were doing 'artwork'.  I love the new look.

4.  There have been lots of coffee times this week.  Of course, we had our usual weekly coffee time with our friends.  But I also had coffee with two different ladies who have asked to meet with me.  I love coffee.  But I love the connection more.

5.  Weather.  This week the temperatures have moderated slightly, and we have had rain.  Perhaps because I am a native Pacific Northwest girl, I love rain.  The sound and smell of rain makes me happy (not TOO much rain...).  And, when it rains, I don't have to water the garden.

I hope you have had a week where you can find many many blessings.

Late July Hot and Humid Fave Fives

 Hello from hot and humid Willow's Cottage.  I don't love humidity (hmmm, I lived for years at the equator--still don't love humidity.)  And it's Friday.  I am joining my friends at Friday Fave Fives (hosted by Susanne) to look beyond the humidity and find the good.  Here are my five points of gratitude.

1.  Sunday evening, our church life group met at the local Salvation Army facility.  We cooked (well, The Professor did--he made all the fries).  We served.  I did the pulled pork and hot dogs.  Older Daughter and Tall Boy served cookies.  It was just the best time.

2.  Younger son has arrived here at the cottage and is burrowed into the basement bedroom (his choice).  I love having him here for an extended visit.  (no photos yet; can you believe it??)

3.  After a month of not meeting up, we met our friends T and S for coffee Thursday morning.  We talked for three hours.  And laughed.  And listened. And loved every minute.

4.  The Professor and I had errands to run near the big city.  Since we were passing right by Y, E, J, and S's apt, we popped in to take them some things the boys left at our house.  They are getting settled in and their neighborhood is lovely.  I love having them here!

5.  My garden is continuing to produce well. (Yes, I did post about this last week, but I am continuing to be thankful for all the produce.)  Tomatoes, snap peas, kale, lettuce, cucumbers.  Parsley, basil, spearmint.  Yum!  And the hibiscus is popping out a couple of huge blooms every day.

Bonus:  you can't have just five!  We attended a concert by the Columbus Symphony at our local Catholic church.  The acoustics in this building are great. And the stained glass windows are beautiful.  A perfect place to listen to Haydn.

Mid July Faves

 I am finally sitting down to relax this afternoon and focus my thoughts on what I have done this week and what has made me thankful and grateful.  I am sharing these with you to encourage you.  If you want to be even more encouraged, click HERE and read what other people have share for their Friday Fave Fives.

1.  Our friends (family, really!) have arrived!  The 'adopted' boys' parents, S and E, drove in on Friday afternoon.  The 'boys' had found an apartment and gotten the keys that morning.  Excellent timing.  And all of them have accepted jobs!  And their truck of furniture is due to arrive today.  They love it here already.

2.  We have been blessed with wonderful neighbors.  We swap things back and forth 'over the fence'.  We shared some basil with them; they tossed us some coffee to try.  We discuss everything from nasty garden pests to theology.  We are thankful for having neighbors like J and L.

3.  That basil?  Yeah, we have had so much yummy-ness.  I picked SIX cups of basil and made pesto.  And the tomatoes, snap peas and cucumbers are producing well.  I am thankful for an abundant garden.

4.  My garden has also displayed some lovely flowers.  I thought the hibiscus had not survived our crazy cold winter, but it is thriving.

First hibiscus bloom

The hydrangea is putting out lovely blue flowers

5.  The Professor and I celebrated our wedding anniversary yesterday.  We chose a low key day with S and E helping clean and do a couple of household chores.  Then we had take away Panda Express for dinner.  How many years?  Forty-nine!

We were a bit younger then.

And just for fun, here is a bit of 'butterfly life' from my garden.

A Week of Memories and Travels

 Wow.  What a week full of blessings this has been.  Some weeks are mundane and routine; others are full of adventure.  For me, this week has been the latter--full of adventures and of memory making.  Here are five things, Five Faves,  that stick out to me from this past week.  That Five Faves link will take you to Susanne's blog where you can join in with us to share your five best blessings from the week.

1.  The Professor and I drove to Orlando last Wednesday and Thursday.  There is always so much beauty mixed in with the boring miles of freeway.

2.  We spent four amazing days with former colleagues from our Indonesia days.  Some of the attendees at the reunion were people we had never met but had known by name and reputation; others were close friends.  For example, the doctor who spent a few months with us on the island of Java in Indonesian language school and who now lives just 1/2 hour drive from us!  (Yes, we are planning to get together!)  The pilot and his wife and son who have remained friends with us through the years.  We met an older man who was an MK (missionary kid) but before our children's time.  We just hit it off with him and his wife, having so many things in common (like she KNITS!).  Our hearts are so full!

3.  I don't know if anyone reading this blog has ever heard of or read the book Lords of the Earth by Don Richardson.  Don's son Steve was the host of our reunion, the president of Pioneers, a mission organization whose home headquarters is in Orlando, Florida (and where we held our meetings).  Lords of the Earth is the biography of several people who were killed or died in accidents which brought a very violent and antagonist tribe of Papuan people to become Christians.  Some of the people who spoke during sessions of the reunion had first hand stories of their experiences with the Yali tribal people.  I would encourage you to read Lords of the Earth; the stories in the book are true and riveting, and I know some of those people!

4.  After the reunion, The Professor and I drove over to a town on the Gulf of Mexico side of Florida.  My cousin lives there and we spent two days with her.  It was so lovely to spend that precious time with her.

5.  Of course, a visit to Florida needs a visit to the beach, too.  We enjoyed the drive to St. Petersburg and then from St. Pet's to Fort DeSoto on the gulf shore.  The weather was hot and humid so we didn't linger on the beach, but we did stick our hands into the fine white sands on the shore.

What a week full of blessings!  And now we are home, having driven through the Appalachian Mountains today.  What contrasts of terrain from the wet, mossy swamps of Florida to the the majestic heights of the mountains and valleys of Tennessee, Kentucky and Ohio.

Was your week blessed with routine things or crazy wild things?