Monday, May 27, 2013

Time for a break

My back is telling me that it is time to sit down at the computer and add some trivia to my blog.
This morning we had many birds at our feeder. I was in the middle of  fixing breakfast ,so asked Joe to take
a picture from the window. The ghost of the elderly had turned on the flash which ruined the first photo.While Joe was getting rid of the flash, a hummingbird flew towards the window, almost touching the glass, a perfect shot.  Joe went into Martha mode and didn't get the shot. We still had the pleasure of seeing it but I would love a photo.
On our walk we talked to a neighbor and I mentioned my theory that any close-up of a hummingbird must be photo-shopped. " Oh no said Dan, I have my office right next to the window by the butterfly bush and the
humming birds stay all the time. They love the sweet nectar." Blah blah blah. If he wasn't such a nice man I would've done something cruel...maybe cut down his butterfly bush.

Saturday, May 25, 2013

What a difference a year makes....

A sad memory...
A year ago today Liz was diagnosed with breast cancer. She and her family have been though many rough

 times but are doing much better and are thankful for the great medical care.

This morning Father Ryan, Corinna and Maria stopped by on their way to a home blessing in our neighborhood. Joe and I both enjoyed the visit. A happy memory.




We really enjoyed having company. Father Ryan was so relaxed and pleasant. It was fun.
Maria and Corinna are always sweet and rather low key. Would love to have them all back some day
when they have more time.

I had a few dishes prepared just in case they needed lunch.

Father said that  the wonderful Vietnamese family
will be feeding them more than a little food. Yum!


Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Writing Class Journal 1989......Hobbies

A hobby is a pastime that a person loves but is unable to use  to make a living.
Wouldn't you rather be a photographer than a sheet metal worker? I'd rather have a job in music instead of doing housework, but this is a practical world and only a few have jobs that they love.
 A hobby may also be a diversion from your troubles, an escape, I suppose.
Stamp collecting has never appealed to me for any length of time, or coin collecting.
Gardening is a great hobby because it has more than one redeeming quality. Usually, you can be alone in the garden because no one wants to help weed or plant.I love to think and breathe in the garden. The work is difficult and tedious but the sights and sounds make it such a pleasure. Birds will fly into the garden and if you keep on weeding, they will dig for worms and snoop around leaves, looking for something to eat or fragments for nesting. One day while I was throwing vegetable scraps in the compost pile, I was hit by a corn cob that a squirrel was carrying off to its nest.
The new life seen in a seed is exciting. the sunflower is amazing..you can almost watch it grow.
Gardening is one of my favorite hobbies and now is becoming a necessity because of all the poison used on crops. So, organic we go.
Flowers feed your soul. The first trillium is a thrill. Flowers that multiply are one of the reasons you fight the loathsome weeds.
The beautiful weather brings out the gardener in me. I love to feel the earth  and crumble it in my hands.

Music is more than a hobby, this is why I haven't mentioned it. The Lord usually has a  plan.  I am trying to think of a ministry that won't interfere with my time with Joe.

Note found in my shirt closet..

In addition to practicing music, memorizing words, music & choreography in preparation of C.S.N.
concert, I am training my support hose...getting them stretched to properly fit and surround my buttocks
without slippage during musical numbers.

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

I Love Deer

 Deer are  beautiful creatures. A deer sighting is one of natures many gifts.
The gift that keeps on taking. It is interesting to see which plants they ignore and which they devour.
After watching a special on deer on PBS I learned a few facts that were new to me.
When deer are laying down...they are usually not resting but digesting their food
.
They have very little vision. so when they look at you they probably heard you move a muscle.
Today I tried to take a photo (not that I need one) and as soon as I moved my eyelid they scurried away.
That may be a slight exaggeration, but only slight.
I thought I had a good shot  but Joe didn't agree. Boo, Joe. I do respect his opinion but if I didn't already have an over abundance of deer photos, I would post it anyway.
The young male was probably a yearling with velvets about 3 or 4 inches long. The mother was huskier but
about the same height and was apparently still nursing. I had to get out the binoculars to see this.

I repeat. I love deer!

Sunday, May 12, 2013

Father Tom Shares his gift for Mother's Day..

Whenever the women choristers have a day off at St. James, Joe & I attend mass at St. Stephen the Martyr
church, which is located about five minutes from our home. St. Stephen has many fine qualities...music is not a high point for me. Before we left the house I asked Joe to join me in a prayer so I would not act petty because of my dislike of the music.

Father Tom to the rescue.  He decided to do a homily  for Mother's Day.  When he was attending a conference at Notre Dame in Indiana, he attended a mass for new students. One of the hymns they sang brought him to tears. He said he didn't know why but it just did. It was a hymn to Mary. I recognized the melody but words were new to me.
He then began to give his homily by singing the hymn. He would sing one verse then talk about the life of Mary. He would then move on to the next verse and do the same. There were three verses and three talks.
It could have been a disaster, instead it was inspirational. His voice was not showy, just mellow and beautiful.

He managed to work in the Ascension and  all the trials Mary experienced as the Mother of Christ.

His full name is Father Thomas Vandenberg.
Thanks Father Tom.



Monday, May 6, 2013

The Weeding Party

  

  

  
  
    

                                               

    

    

    

    

    
Yesterday friends of Liz joined together in a show of love by doing one of my least favorite things...weeding!
It was inspirational to see.
I brought food so was excused from weeding. I did a little dead heading and pulled a few weeds, then joined Joe on the newly constructed deck. John did a great job building the deck.

Friday, May 3, 2013

They came...they sawed....they conquered!

  

  

  

  

  
This is the day it all came about. Thanks so much JMDI. You are great.

The wood ready for winter. There was sawing, splitting, chopping,
pulverizing.......and the best...visiting.

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Tomorrow, James, Meagan, Dylan and Ian will be here to help us organize our wood for the winter.
They will arrive about 1 p.m. as Ian is going out tonight and wants to sleep in. This is fine with me as I still have a lot to do in the house. It is rather dirty.  I spent the day shopping ,cooking, cooking, cooking. Somehow cleaning didn't fit into the scheme of things. I was experimenting with gluten-free pasta to make
pesto salad for Sunday (Liz's weeding party) and Pasta Alfredo for tomorrow. I also made a low carb pasta for those who don't need gluten-free.  The pasta is a little tricky to cook. I tried Quinoa pasta and brown rice pasta. The Quinoa turned our really well if you don't mind the rather add color. The brown rice needs to cook a little longer than stated on directions, unless you don't mind breaking a molar.
I decided to mix the two pastas for the pesto salad and I think it turned out well. At least I like it.
Also made some cheese sauce in case the Alfredo is dry by tomorrow.  James and Liz are both on Gluten-free diets. Joe and I try to keep carbs low.
I also made a kale salad  to bring to Liz. It turned out really well. I'll probably add a few ingredients on Sunday.
The reason we are bringing food is that neither Joe  nor I wish to be part of the weeding brigade. With the size of our place it is not too appealing.  ( OK I'll probably pull a few)

Hope to have some photos from both days.