Sunday Evening Ramblings

We had supper with this sweet 5 year old (grandson) and his baby brother and parents on Saturday evening. You can't really tell from this photo, but this little guy has the bluest eyes!

It's been so long since I've posted anything on Blogger, finding Instagram easier to use when I'm without my computer. But I decided to put up a few photos and let you in on the fun project we're working on at the Wausau house.  Also, Terri from Your Friend From Florida blog, who hosts the Wednesday Medley, has just had knee replacement surgery and although her recovery seems to be going well, has decided to take a much-deserved break from the Medley. So until she returns, possibly in October, the Wednesday Medley is on hold.

St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Marathon County, Wisconsin
We were out driving around the Wausau area, and this country church had a great view from the front door - and from its cemetery!

On Instagram this morning, I posted a photo of that church along with the following lyrics from one of my favorite John Rutter songs:

As the bridegroom to his chosen,
As the king unto his realm,
As the keeper to the castle,
As the pilot to the helm,
As the captain to his soldiers,
As the shepherd to his lambs,
So, Lord, art Thou to me.


I'm sure I've posted this YouTube clip before, but I love it, so here it is again.

 It's time to pick apples from our McIntosh tree again.
This is the sole surviving tree, thanks to the deer. But then again, the deer are so cute, especially when a doe brings a couple of her fawns to entertain us by playing under the apple tree, early morning or evening.

 Too much of a good thing, maybe.
(Neighbor's horse and tree)

One of my favorite spots along my favorite walk. I don't know why I'm so fond of hay bales, but they seem to be featured in many of my photos.

Just a few shots of our current life as DIYers:

 Future kitchen west wall

 Dining In

Spray foam in the joist pockets.

This weekend I've been working with an online kitchen project design program to figure out cabinets and placement thereof. What a pain that is. But it's also pretty exciting when I get to print it out and see the photos. I think this week will be laying floor tile.

And when I get sick of this whole project, I just think of

two of our best motivators (who give us frequent encouraging hugs)

So, between bouts of home construction and during trips back and forth from Wausau to Dallas, I read a lot. An article I've recently enjoyed can be found here: Finding God in All Things

I hope you've had a blessed Lord's Day. I certainly have had. Worship service this morning with Holy Communion, beautiful scenic views with cows this afternoon, and a 'fry' made by Mr. C. for my Sunday dinner.

To the uninitiated, I'm not sure how wonderful this looks, but let me tell you, NeverAny ham with scrambled eggs, crispy hashbrowns, and a variety of sauteed peppers and onions is one of my favorite meals - and I don't have to make it. It's one of those really nice things that Mr. C does for me. Dessert was smooth Lindt Chili Dark Chocolate.

***

I'm hoping to reopen my soap shops when we get settled in
and have sold our farmhouse.

So much to do.

Thanks for stopping in today.

 

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Birthday Weekend, Storm Cleanup, Wednesday Medley

As St. Augustine said,  “Thou hast made us for thyself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in thee.” There is nothing else that satisfies. There is nothing else. Period. Jesus Christ is not an addition to life to make it more wonderful and meaningful.
He IS life.

 I don't know about you, but this Google greeting kinda creeps me out!
I opened Google yesterday to see this.

I wasn't feeling lucky.
They might as well have said,
"Happy Birthday from your favorite spy!"


But anyway, that was yesterday.
Today is
Wednesday Medley!
Join Terri and the Gang

She writes the questions;

we write the answers.

Plug them into your own blog post

and link up at

Your Friend From Florida

Thanks, Terri!

 

And TODAY IS

NATIONAL LIGHTHOUSE DAY

 

Terri's questions are in black; my responses in blue.

1.  Let's start with a number! How many lighthouses have you visited?

 Lighthouse from Duluth at Canal Park

from 2009

I was looking through my photo files

but I guess this isn't a lighthouse. I'm sure there's one there and that I saw it. :-)

Dover, 2017

And I know I've seen the lighthouse at Marquette, Michigan, but evidently I didn't take a photo.

2.  Have you been inside a lighthouse and did you walk to the top? No. But I've walked to the top of York Minster and a few other cathedrals. Does that count?

3.  Do you seek them out when you are traveling the coastlines or are you not that big a fan? 

I don't travel the coastlines or I would. And I'd still like to get up north to Split Rock Light House along Lake Superior.

Morning light, October '16

4.  Do you have a favorite scripture or another reference to share with us concerning a guiding light in your life?

There are more than a few things I could insert here. The first, of course, would be Psalm 119:105 - "Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path." 

" Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.'”John 8:12

"This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all." I John 1:5 

Paraphrasing theologian N.T. Wright, We are here to be God's image bearers, being good stewards of and bringing God's wisdom to his good creation and offering creation's praises back to him. 

 This morning's light

5.  If you don't collect lighthouses when you travel, is there something tangible that you tend to collect as a souvenir when you are on vacation or a road trip?

 Yes, I collect mugs. And now I have far too many, I know, but all of my England mugs are going with me to Wausau.

6.  Please share something with us about your week.

The weekend of August 3, family gathered here to celebrate three family birthdays, including mine - AND to clear the driveway of the huge eagle spruce that had uprooted and fallen across our driveway on July 19. (Previous post was all about that.)  It was great to have the family here working together, eating together, and for me, it's always so much fun to see the cousins playing together. I thank God for all the years that we've been able to host the family here, and I'm hoping that after we sell our country home later this year, someone else in the family will pick up the baton and keep the family reunions going. 

 View from the porch

 No, I will probably never remember to hold my phone horizontally while taking a video.

The star of the show was the newest member of our oldest son's family - a Great Pyrenees puppy, Freya.

I think I can; I think I can

 

A note about the guy in the orange shirt, our middle son:  He's holding two boards which he had hauled to near the top of that giant 90' spruce when he was about 14 years old so that he could sit up there and watch the world go by. If I had known, he would never have lived to tell the tale. But anyway, when the tree came down, those two boards were still in there, nailed across a couple limbs. The little boy in the red Ranger is his son and will probably give his dad a run for his money. We can only hope. LOL

I think the only one whose photo I did not get was our granddaughter Elisabeth, who accompanied us to church on Sunday morning. It was a joy to have her with us. She sat between her grandpa and me, and after church, a man in the congregation introduced himself and told her how lucky she was to be our granddaughter. We told her that Mr. Thompson was a wonderful man and a liar. :-) Actually, he had been Mr. C's and my high school music instructor. No kidding. And believe me, he's a great reader at church and makes everyone feel welcome. I love it!

 

I tried to get him to go get a haircut with me again...
No deal.

 This photo has nothing to do with anything.
It's just a bonus.

And, of course, the birthday weekend wraps up with the essential bonfire.


I hope you all have a wonderful Wednesday.


***

I'm hoping to reopen my soap shops later this fall.

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