On the Road Faves

 Hello!  I'm writing this very late on Friday night.  I just wanted to check in and let everyone know we are  okay.  Our trip is going well.  In fact, we have just spent five wonderful days in Arizona visiting PAL and her parents.  Oh the memories we have made.

I really don't have time to write down all the blessings of this time with Chaplain Dan, J's and PAL (and many other family and friends here). Let me just say that  many many more than five faves should be mentioned.  But here are five fast faves.

1.  Safety in all the hundreds of miles we have traveled.

2.  Watching PAL's theater rehearsal.

3.  Listening to PAL sing during practice time in Arizona Girl Choir.

4.  Lunch with long time college friends.  Coffee with J's parents.

5.  Singing many hymns and other songs with the family.

No photos.  Sorry.  I'll be back on regular schedule next week.

Friday Fave Fives, Easter Week

 Happy Easter Week!  And Happy Friday.  These faves for Friday Fave Fives will be really short because we are traveling.  I'll do my best to be around and comment on blogs, but it's not going to be easy.

1.  Road trip!  We've had this trip planned for quite awhile.  Dates got moved around, but now we are on our way!

2.  We were able to spend two nights in Arkansas with some very dear friends.  Our time with them was spent laughing and talking and singing nonstop.  It was wonderful!

3.  Also, we were able to connect with former co-workers from our mission days in Indonesia.  All the memories and stories and conversations.  I am so thankful we were able to spend that time with them.

4.  Safely on our travels.

5.  Today is Good Friday, the day Christians observe and commemorate the dead of Jesus.  As a Christian, I always love and honor this day and  Resurrection Sunday. My faith is founded on the fact that Jesus' sacrifice of his own life is my only way to salvation and life with God.  For that I am most thankful.

PS:  I am sure you have noticed that there are no photos of the road trip.  Yeah, I forgot my camera!

April Showers, Birds and Hikes

It's been a busy time here at Willow's Cottage and this is the first post I've written all week.  Time to catch up and think about the good parts of the week.  Friday Fave Fives really helps me do that.  Susanne at Living to Tell the Story leads us in choosing five things from our week that have helped us to be thankful and notice gratitude.  Here are mine:

1.  Encouraging words from friends concerning a difficult situation.  I meet weekly via zoom with friends.  We call ourselves the Art Girls (you can guess why).  Because I was stressed about something, they encouraged me and really helped me focus on the right way to handle things.

2.  The birds are back in force at my bird feeder.  I love watching them snack on the seeds I provide for them.  Birds make life happier and make me smile.

3.  More hikes.  It really is spring!  On Tuesday evening, the Trail Life troop hiked in a local preserve again.  Although it had been raining quite a bit this past week and the creek was up, we ventured through the mud and water, up and down the banks of the stream and had a great time.  (I'm the honorary grandma who hikes with them)  The best part?  Tall Boy was very solicitous for my safety as we crossed creek beds on rocks and climbed up slick and muddy edges, even holding my arm and escorting me along in front of his buddies.  Then we also had a fun hike at the local arboretum again.  Almost three miles.

4.  I guess I should be thankful for all the rain we are having.  April showers bring May flowers.  I need to just focus on being thankful that we aren't in drought.

5.  The spinning wheel is out and I've been working on some merino and silk fiber.  No photos yet.  But hopefully, in the next day or two I will have finished a skein of it.

Now I am off to watch my older daughter (she who is a rocket scientist) dance in the local production of Swan Lake.  Happy Happy Friday to you all.

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.