Cedar Side Walking Trail, Rice Lake, WI

Oooh, Bridges...My Favorite!

I took these photos the last day of April, when we took a walk on what I just learned is the Cedar Side Walking Trail in Rice Lake, WI. I'm not sure how I missed that. All my photos are tagged with 'Red Cedar Trail,' which happens to be in Menomonie, not Rice Lake, and which one should not confuse with Cedar Side Walking Trail. Both are along the beautiful Red Cedar River, by the way. Anyway, it was a lovely spring day, before the mosquito season arrived.

Along the Trail

We often see women from UWBC (University of Wisconsin Barron County) walking two by two, visiting as they walk briskly along the trail. Mr. C. calls them 'Walkie Talkies.' Mr. C. and I are more like 'Walkie Thinkies.'

Red Cedar River

Rice Lake, WI

 It's even more beautiful, now that the trees have leafed out.

Linked to Good Fences and Mosaic Monday.

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The Great Outdoors Hodgepodge

Rice Lake, WI

on a beautiful June 16

Join Joyce and the gang for

She writes the questions;

we write the answers.

Click the button to see how to join in.

1. June is National Great Outdoors Month. Have you spent any time appreciating the great outdoors this month? If so where, and if not do you have any plans to enjoy the great outdoors before the calendar turns?

I live in the great outdoors and yes, I enjoy it every single day. (More in June than in February, however.)

 East, from our front porch
June 16, 2015 

South, from our front porch

 Also from our front porch

Jazzie, loving summertime

 From our Vegetable (and Berries) Garden

You're noticing a serious lack of traffic and skyscrapers? We also have no noise out here. I keep a fan running at night just to create enough noise to sleep!

2. What's a current hot button issue for you?

The foolishness that passes for serious issues in our country these days.

3. What's a food or treat that 'disappears like hotcakes' in your house?

Besides hotcakes?

Popcorn.

 Mr. C.'s Speciality!

Popped in coconut oil and a bit of REAL butter.

Afterwards, left plain except for a sprinkle of salt and cayenne
JollyTime White Popcorn (the BEST)

4. How hot is too hot?

Regarding temperature, 95 degrees. (Actually 79, but I don't want to seem ungrateful after whining about the cold all winter...)  Regarding picante, enough jalapenos to make my tummy burn. I think I kinda overdid it on the jalapenos in last night's chili.

5. Do you have an artistic outlook on life? What does that mean to you?

If you mean, do I see beauty all around me and take joy daily from God's amazing creation, His grace and blessing, then yes. If you mean, am I flower child, then no. And if that's not what you mean, you'll need to 'splain.

 Westby Sunflowers

6. What's one question you'd like to ask your father, or one you wish you could ask your father?

Tell me again how you trimmed your lilacs?

Actually, I feel so blessed to have lived near my dad most of my life until he died late in 2010, and to have spent a lot of time with him. He was always a joy and comfort to me, a wonderful grandpa to our children, and a kind and godly gentleman to all.

7. Something you learned from your father?

To love God, to recognize His blessing in life daily, to enjoy life and see humor in just about everything.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

The First Gifts of Springtime

I think it's time to let the asparagus crop go to seed. We've had a great asparagus year, and are just about ready to have a different side dish with our dinners. Still, it is always such a treat in early spring, to see the asparagus poking up through the soil (and growing FAST on warm, sunny days). Yesterday afternoon I picked the first little crop of strawberries from our garden. They are incredibly sweet. My phone is in the basket because I listen to the radio on it while I'm picking berries. I'll enjoy sharing them with a friend who's coming for lunch on Thursday (and of course with Mr. C., who would probably always prefer cheese, crackers, and sausages to anything sweet).

 Rice Lake, WI

Rice Lake, WI

Rice Lake. It's where the population looks a lot like Illinois and Indiana during the summertime. It's one of Wisconsin's 15,000 lakes.

Mr. C. says the popcorn's ready!

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This post is possibly linked to one of more of the following:

Mosaic Monday and Make it Pretty Monday and Amaze Me Monday and Our World Tuesday and  Roses of Inspiration and  Treasure Box Tuesday and KatheWithAnE and Tuesday with a Twist  and  Tweak it Tuesday and It's a Party! and Wild Bird Wednesday and  Good Fences and Skywatch Friday and  Home & Garden Thursday  and Saturday Critters and Home Sweet Home and  Freedom Fridays  and Vintage Inspiration Friday

InSPIREd Sunday - Hymn Sing and St. Joseph's Church

When's the last time you had some folks in for a hymn sing? We weren't a large group (12 adults, 3 kids, and an unborn baby), but we made up for it in enthusiasm. It is so much fun to get together and sing praises to our Lord and Savior, maker and ruler of the Universe.


One of my favorites:

And can it be that I should gain

an interest in the Saviour's blood?

Died he for me, who caused his pain?

For me, who Him to death pursued?

Amazing love! How can it be

That thou, my God, shouldst die for me

Amazing love! How can it be

That thou, my God, shouldst die for me.

'Tis mystery all, Th'Immortal dies! 

Who can explore His strange design?

In vain the first-born seraph tries

To sound the depths of love Divine!

Tis mercy all! Let earth adore,
Let angel minds inquire no more.

He left His Father's throne above,

So free, so infinite His grace;

Emptied Himself of all but love, 

And bled for Adam's helpless race;

'Tis mercy all, immense and free;

For O, my God, it found out me.

Long my imprisoned spirit lay

Fast bound in sin and nature's night;

Thine eye diffused a quick'ning ray,

I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;

My chains fell off, my heart was free;

I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.

No condemnation now I dread;

Jesus, and all in Him, is mine!

Alive in Him, my living Head, 

And clothed in righteousness Divine,

Bold I approach th'eternal throne,

And claim the crown, thro' Christ my own.

Amazing love! How can it be

That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me.

AMEN.

"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.  For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.  For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit."

Romans 8:1-4

 St. Joseph's Catholic Church

Rice Lake, WI
September

South Side

East Side

Same church, October

Linking to

InSPIREd Sunday 

VBS June 2013 - Kingdom Chronicles

Praising our KING.

The kids loved the active song time!

Yes, we did have VBS (Vacation Bible School) earlier this month, and it's just now that I'm getting around to posting about it! The curriculum this year was spectacular - and from Answers in Genesis. The theme: Kingdom Chronicles. VBS consisted of praise time, Bible lesson, memory verses, craft time, drama. (That's drama from our amazing teen drama team!  In fact, I meant to get a photo of one of the 5 daily drama segments, but I became so engrossed in the drama itself that I sat there with my camera and totally forgot to take a picture!)

The kids' VBS offering went to 'My Father's House,' a Haitian orphanage partly supported by our church.

 The drama stage

From AnswersVBS.com:

"Lower the drawbridge! Open the gates! Get ready to charge into a time filled with kings, kingdoms, and majestic castles! Amidst the pages of The Kingdom Chronicles, your knights and fair maidens will

• Discover that we’re involved in a battle between two kingdoms—the kingdom of God and the kingdom of the Enemy;
• Understand how they can become citizens of God’s heavenly kingdom;
• Learn to prepare for battle by wearing the full armor of God daily;
• Be equipped to serve and obey our heavenly Commander—the King of kings;
• Determine to train their brains to know, memorize, and obey God’s Word!"

 The Eye

My grandson (in the middle) keeping an eye on his grandma :-)

Our 5 year old grandson and his 14 year old sister stayed with us the week of VBS. He attended VBS and loved it. Our granddaughter was a huge help in the craft department, always willing and ready to do any task I assigned to her. 

 The Village

One of the crafts the kids made in VBS

I posted the tutorial on Cranberry Morning HERE

Washing Tie-Dye Shirts

The kids enjoyed Tie-Dye Thursday

VBS is sometimes exhausting but always fun - and a wonderful ministry and blessing to not only the children of Providence Reformed Baptist Church, but to all who attend - including the teachers and helpers!

Kingdom Chronicles is based on Ephesians 6:10-18:

'Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.  Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.  Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,  and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.  In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.'

This post may be linked to one or more of the following: Mop it Up Monday  and Get in My Tummy and  Cure for the Common Monday and  Clever Chicks Blog Hop and  Barn Charm and  The Marketplace  and  Mix it up Monday and Make it Pretty Monday and    Making the World Cuter Mondays and Make the Scene Monday and  Something I Whipped Up Monday and  Motivate Me Monday and  Making Monday Marvelous and Get Your Craft On and   You're Gonna Love it Tuesday and Creative Showcase and Memories by the Mile and  Tweak it Tuesday and  Coastal Charm Tuesday and  Take a Look Tuesday and  Tasty Tuesday  and Love Bakes Good Cakes  and Overflowing With Creativity and Mom on TimeOut  and Adorned from Above and Wildcrafting Wednesday and   Cast Party Wednesday and  We Did it Wednesday  and All Things With Purpose and Home & Garden Thursday and It's a Party at Creative Princess and Artsy Corner Thursday  and The Girl Creative Thursday and  Creative Things Thursday and Be Inspired and Time Travel Thursday and Thrifty Things Friday  and  Friday Fences and  Thursday's Inspiration and  The Self-sufficient Home Acre and  I'm Lovin' it Thursday and Creative Things Thursday and   Mandatory Mooch   and Foodie Friends Friday and Freedom Fridays and  Anything Blue Friday and Junkin' Joe and  Serenity Saturday and Get Schooled Saturday  and Inspiration Friday(ThursNite) and Vintage Inspiration Friday and Photo Friday and  A Favorite Thing Saturday and Sunny Simple Sunday and Sunlit Sunday and  Market Yourself Monday and  Saturday Nite Special