{Pretty, Happy, Funny, Real}~ July 3, 2016

We've had nearly seven inches of rain since it started raining on Friday.  Our pond which on Thursday was very low is now very high.  We needed rain, but maybe not this much . . .

{Pretty}

Last week, the AALC held its biennial convention on the campus of the University of Northwestern in St. Paul, MN.  The campus is beautifully situated and meticulously kept!  A sample~

Though unconfirmed, this fountain must be
reminiscent of Moses striking water from the rock.

Entry into the chapel

The chapel was beautiful and awe-inspiring, as were the divine services held there.  Worshiping in spaces that witness to and confess the beauty and awesomeness of God is like eating from the good china.  The food may be the same and may be just as nutritious, but it will taste better and the meal will be more uplifting because of it.  

One of a series of Stations of the Cross bas reliefs in the nave

{Happy}

My husband completed his seminary degree (an M.A. in theology, which is his second master's~ the first was in classical languages) and received his final ordination.  It was a big day for him!  We are both happy he reached these milestones.  

Receiving his diploma from the seminary president

Receiving his ordination

During breaks and off-hours, Dave and I manned a table promoting Wittenberg Door, the campus ministry Dave is working to establish at the university.  People at the convention were very encouraging and receptive of the idea of Wittenberg Door. Now that seminary is over, he will be able to devote more time and energy to reaching out to college students with the Gospel.  The article Leila posted at Like Mother, Like Daughter spells out clearly some of the hurt and confusion young people are living with today due to the effects of the sexual revolution.  Please pray with us that God will use Wittenberg Door to bring forgiveness, healing, and wholeness to lost young men and women.

                             

{Funny} and {Real}?

One of the roofers at the college paused in his work to send a text.  The way the workers would blithely walk back and forth on the ridgepole made my heart stop!

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{Pretty, Happy, Funny, Real}~ June 26, 2016

Hi, all!  Last week Leila at Like Mother, Like Daughter suggested we share about our gardening efforts, but I was on the road and missed it, alas.  So I'm going to talk gardening this week and tell about our road trip (big happenings there!) next week.  Here goes . . .

{Pretty} and {Happy}

I'm going to share close-ups of some of my favorites from the flower garden because evidently I don't know the first thing about taking pictures of gardens.  All the photos are washed out and boring.  But lookee at these daisies!  It's a perennial I planted last year and got two blooms from.  This year the plant came back gangbusters and has produced dozens of blooms!

Another perennial from last year that has done wonderfully well this year are these dahlias.  So beautiful!

I planted three barrels of these gorgeous, delicately colored geraniums and they are stunning and they bloom profusely!

In addition, the zinnias have just started to bloom, the lavender from last year is doing very well, and the annuals I planted to fill in holes are also in good shape.  The gladiolus foliage looks good so far and hopefully will produce lots of flowers like last year.  I hope within three or four years to have this bed consist entirely of perennials with maybe an occasional annual where needed.

Aaaaaand even though I shared these in May and the allium is over for the year, I just have to show you again because they are make me so ridiculously happy.

Now for just a few quickies of the vegetable garden~

Tomatoes and, in the background, beans just getting started.  The tomato stakes
aren't at such a drunken angle in real life, despite how they look here . . .

We also have cucumbers, carrots, and a field pumpkin, though I didn't get any pictures, for some reason.  We are heavy on tomatoes and green beans this year.

{Funny}

My sweet little granddaughter Verity so proudly handed these "flowers" to me when she was visiting with her family.  That eager approach, happy grin, and chubby fist just melt my heart!  This gift is more precious to me than anything blooming in my garden.

{Real}

The pepper plants and about a third of the bean plants were ravaged by deer the very night before Dave and I planned to finish the fence around the garden.  Grrrrr!

{Pretty, Happy, Funny, Real}~ June 12, 2016

{Pretty} and {Happy}

It was a certain granddaughter's birthday this weekend.  She is four!

Present-opening takes a lot of concentration~

Lots of friends and family were there.

And of course, the little sister.

There were cake and ice cream, games, party hats, and balloons.  All necessary for a birthday celebration!

{Just Happy}

Arane and Verity spent the day with us on Friday.  The morning was dedicated to playing in the hose and painting the house with water.  Though very simple, giving each child a real paintbrush and water for "painting" with is endlessly entertaining!

{Real}

Dave and I took a mini staycation on Thursday and drove to historic Arrow Rock and Blackwater, MO, for a day of much needed R&R.  We poked around the interesting shops and ate lunch at the famous J. Huston Tavern in Arrow Rock, the oldest continually operating restaurant west of the Mississippi and said to be home of the best fried chicken west of the Mississippi.  It was pretty darned good!  

We looked in on the old jail in Blackwater, not a place I'd ever want to spend any time in.  Blackwater is a sleepy little town.  I stood in the middle of the road to take this picture, with nary a car nor truck in sight.

This tiny cage of a jail cell holds two inmates!

{Funny}

Some of the shops in Arrow Rock and Blackwater were closed with no indication when they'd be open again.  One shop's sign, of which I neglected to get a picture, read, "Open by chance or appointment."  Another said~

"Closed.  Will return eventually :) "

That's it for this week!  Thanks for stopping by!  Please join Like Mother, Like Daughter for more {phfr}.

{Pretty, Happy, Funny, Real}~ June 5, 2016

Whew! What a week!  Dave's brother and his wife were here from Washington state all week.  Lots of fun but also lots of activity, which left us all worn out (a good kind of worn out, though!).  I'll share some highlights.

{Pretty}

One morning, breakfast was soft-boiled eggs and leftover pound cake with apricot preserves.  (It's no worse than a doughnut, right??)  I was struck by how cheerful it all looked~

A couple close-ups of the flowers on the table, all of which came from the yard and the woods that border it.  Such a wide variety!  

The funny, umbrella, double- or triple-decker lavender blooms are the same as Rosie shared in her {phfr} post at Like Mother, Like Daughter.  I don't know what they are called.  Anyone have ideas?

{Happy}

Elizabeth and Justin hosted a big family party over Memorial Day weekend.  We had everything from an 80-year-old great-grandma

to the newest member of the family, a six-week-old darling baby boy

in addition to everything in between~

                            

Later in the week, we hosted a cook-out at our house~

Arane and Verity provided light entertainment~

{Funny}

Photo Credit: Arane

{Real}

Photo Credit: Arane

{Pretty, Happy, Funny, Real}~ May 29, 2016

I have almost wrapped up grading for the school year.  I have two--count 'em, two!--assignments still to grade, a last look at the gradebook to be sure all is up-to-date to accomplish, and a (very brief) farewell message to write to a class, and then I'm finished!  Let the R&R begin! (Ha!)

{Pretty}

Last weekend I took my granddaughters to nearby Rockbridge State Park to play in the creek and go under the rock bridge (hence the name of the park, obviously).  Kids are fascinated by water of any sort!  We had over an hour of throwing rocks, poking around in the water, and generally exploring.

{Happy}

Verity spent at least half her time bent over like this~

Sweet girl~

This picture makes me happy.  It also makes me think of Poohsticks. . .

Another sweet girl~

{Funny}

When she wasn't bent over playing in the water, Verity spent the rest of her time trying to keep up with her big sister Arane. :)

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