Bits of Life Wednesday

 Tommy, waiting.
I love that face.

I had to post this photo of Tommy that was taken by Mr. C. as he was coming back to the house and saw Tommy patiently waiting for him at the back door. The reflections are startling: the cookstove is behind Tommy, in the kitchen of course, and you can see through the doorway into the library with its window seat at the far end. But you can also see the bird feeder and the trees in the backyard. Oh wait. That is not the bird feeder. That is the bird HOUSE (sitting on top of the cookstove), which was made by our son and painted by our grandson's little paint-drenched hands a couple years ago.

The one in the backyard is a bird FEEDER

and looks like this in December.

Robin, Emma Bridgewater

This is one of my favorite mugs (maybe my favorite) to accompany my early-morning-still-in-bed reading.. My inverted Longaberger basket makes a great table.

 August in Wisconsin

It seems that we've had a string of foggy, hazy, warm days of late. I know this isn't a pretty picture, but it's what it looks like around here right now. Summer is definitely winding down, with our high today of 71 and low of 48. Kinda scary, actually, because I know how soon that landscape will be all white. Shudder. I am not one of those pushing for autumn to arrive!

This little grandson (same one pictured with the bird house above) turned 4 yesterday.

His auntie built him a fantastic gravel pit cake!

 USAAF Eighth Air Force patch

 From Wikipedia: In Europe, Eighth Air Force was the first USAAF strategic air force, with a mission to support an invasion of continental Europe from the British Isles.

So I finally got around to posting this WWII USAAF field jacket on Ebay. We'll see if I get any bites.  This jacket has been hanging around here for a long time, and it's not from anyone in the family, so in my quest to downsize (avoiding the book issue), we're starting with the jacket.

Inside and sleeves completely lined,
thank goodness, or that wool could be pretty uncomfortable!

 Alaskan Air Command patch

I've decided to give the books (that I can part with) to St. Vincent's thrift store. Many are like new, and hopefully they can get a little for them and of course that helps their work in the  community. That's a good thing.

And last, but certainly not least, is the photo I took of St. Mary's Church in Marathon City, WI a couple weekends ago.

The neighbors across the street were kind

enough to plant a hydrangea bush in my line of vision.

A bit of the interesting history of this church from their website:

"The first group of settlers to what is now Marathon City came in 1857. The area was dense wilderness at that time and the first years were a struggle for survival. In 1858 an area in the center of the village was set aside for the Catholic Church and school. That area is now the part of Marathon enveloped by Fourth and Fifth Streets and Market and Main. A log mission church was first erected and according to records, was first named St. Benedict but was later changed to Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1863 when the first resident pastor. Fr. Joseph Lutz, was appointed to the Marathon parish. This first pastor remained for one year and then chose the life of a hermit.." 

That last sentence made me chuckle. I can relate to that. :-) Anyway, to read the rest of the history, you can click HERE.

My burgandy lily, which succumbed to
one of our harsh Wisconsin winters

"Thus says God who created the heavens, who fashioned the earth and all that dwells in it, who gives breath to the people upon it and spirit to those who walk in it, 'I am the Lord and I have called you in righteousness, I have given you as a covenant to the people, a light to the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the captives from the dungeon, from the prison, those who sit in darkness. I am the Lord, that is my name; my glory I give to no other.'" - From Isaiah 42 

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

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