Surprise!!

I got a fun surprise this morning… right before I had to leave for "work" (see previous post) I opened the curtains in my bedroom (upstairs) & saw a surprise visitor in my yard… for the full story see the post on my gardening blog.  Hint: its not a dog!


I Love God's amazing creation… I know that we have these in Minnesota, but I'd not seen one in my 15+ years of living here (or at least I don't remember seeing one)… and I've certainly never seen one in my yard, scratching himself behind the ear, acting as if he belonged here…  God had a surprise for me today!

Its Off To Work I Go...

Ok, its not work (as in employment) its volunteer work… I'm a retired software professional and I help out a local fair trade retailer (Ten Thousand Villages in Saint Paul) with their technical support needs…  


These are some pretty things that sit on my table beside my bed that I picked up at the store… an eyeglass holder, an earring tree, and a little basket that holds my Godiva truffles (gotta have chocolate handy).


Shop online or find a Ten Thousand Villages store near you & support artisans around the world.

Breakfast… Yum!!

I had a bit of time to myself this morning because Jeff went to work early, so I took the trouble to make myself a nice breakfast.

I was trying to decide, as they were cooking, which smelled better… the home made Sourdough Pancakes (recipe here), or the fresh cooked Bananas & Pears (described here at bottom of page)… then I sprinkled them with Penzeys Vietnamese Cinnamon (read about Penzeys here) and that smelled wonderful too…


Don't they just look pretty & appetizing?  A culinary "work of art" (ok, I know that's an exaggeration).


Then I ate them… and I think they tasted even better than they smelled… Yum!!


The links above are to my cooking blog… called "Losing It In The Kitchen" both because I get a little crazy trying odd things & because by changing how I ate I lost over 100 pounds… go there to find out more.

A Special Day!!

Today is a special day for Jeff & I… 9 years ago today we had our 1st date… funny thing, it wasn't intended to be a date, it just turned out that way.


I had moved into an apartment in the 3rd floor of an old Victorian mansion on Summit Ave in Saint Paul, the building didn't have an elevator, and I needed help getting my (just purchased at the time) microwave up to the 3rd floor.


I asked my dear friend Jeff, a co-worker / friend / brother in Christ, if he could help me - I mentioned that a free dinner was involved and that was just the ticket for him.

He did the heavy lifting & I provided a meal, a home-cooked Stoup (somewhere between a Stew & a Soup), a good loaf of bread, and a nice bottle of wine.

After dinner, while still sipping on wine, he asked to see pictures of my son (then in college) when he was  little… so (proud momma that I am) I dug out old photo albums & started reminiscing… after a while there was an arm around my shoulder… um… uh… I'd been recently divorced and wasn't sure I wanted to "mess up" this great friendship…


Jeff patiently listened to my concerns, and reassured me, and we started (quietly at first - we were co-workers after all) dating…  I shouldn't have been so concerned, he's such a gentleman.  We were married a little over a year later… Oh, and he waited a bit after that first "date" to tell me he didn't really care for broccoli (yep, it was in that first date Stoup).


Tonight, in honor of this special day I'm cooking us up a Lamb & Barley Stoup, it already looks and smells wonderful… and brings back good memories!!

Fun with my Sweetheart!!

I had a fun day with my Sweetheart…


We had Sourdough Pancakes to start our day off right…

Trimming and Thinning the Woods

Then we spent some time on a long term Yard Maintenance project….


We enjoyed Caprese Panini's hot off our Panini Press…


We goofed around for a while…


Jeff had his hockey game (I cheered & visited with my Sister-in-law & niece & nephew)…


Dinner at Claddagh (wonderful Fish & Chips)…


I praise God for a husband who is also my very best friend… I love it when we have a whole day together!!


Busy & Fun Day!!

Some Much Needed Rain...

After a dry winter we're getting a bit of Rain now that its Spring… not a lot, but enough to start greening up the gardens & lawn, put leaves on the trees, and such.  Temps are still much higher than typical for this time of year in Minnesota, but we're not complaining :)


This has been a busy week, my Calendar is full of all kinds of appointments, yet in this busy week I found time to get time to write up my testimony (to share on an upcoming mission trip) & to do some studying for the Bible Study I teach (though I'm off this week).

My Piano

I also did something I've been wanting to get doing again for a while… I sat down at the piano and played, more than once, this is progress… I'm hoping that I continue & don't get frustrated by how much skill I've lost in not playing regularly for nearly 30 years… yikes!!  I was inspired by a couple old hymns that get performed during Lent, a couple old favorites, and they got me to sit down & play (I have nice, yet simple, arrangements of these):
  O Sacred Head, Now Wounded
  O The Deep, Deep, Love Of Jesus

It did my heart good to express my Love for Jesus through my playing…

Beautiful Blessed Weekend!!

Wow!!  You couldn't ask for more beautiful weather in March in Minnesota…


Saturday:
The breezes were beautiful & refreshing, the songbirds were singing & flitting about, the larger birds were soaring on the breezes, the squirrels were in & out of their nests… 


In the garden my strawberries & parsley, as well as some of my flowers, were beginning to peek up out of the soil...


The company was delightful: my son Tim & daughter-in-law Marta, as well as my husband Jeff.


The smell of chicken slow roasting on the smoker (thanks to Jeff),  which was delicious and was the basis a wonderful mid afternoon meal…

Sunday:
Busy with church & church related activities…


Enjoyed a nice lunch at home with some Caprese flatbreads…


Had a great rehearsal with the choir that's going on a Mission Trip to Ukraine later this year, had dinner with them as well - what a fun group!!

Finished up the day by watching the Minneapolis Trombone Choir & Trombone a Trois...

Windows Wide Open...

Wow, you just can't get a nicer morning!!


The windows are open, a fresh Spring breeze is blowing, the birds are singing their hearts out… Ahhh…


Some fresh pancakes, a cup of coffee, and I'm ready to spend some time meditating on God's Word…


Need to finish up tomorrow's Bible Study materials for the class I'm teaching on the Life Of David, and my heart is finally settled and ready...

You Just Don't Know...

Its amazing how quickly things change…  My day started off so well, then trouble came… And I've been wrestling with discouragement…


I had to pause and ask myself "are you only going to praise God when things are good?"… my answer, my choice, is to praise God no matter what, whether or not things seem good, because I know God is good no matter what, because I trust that God will use this discouraging situation in my life to bring good forth…


"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." - Rom 8:28


In my rough place I Praise God!!

Off to a good start...

This has been a good morning!!


Quiet morning with my hubby Jeff, getting sweet hugs & snugs…

Jeff - last Summer in Maine on vacation...

Smell of Crumpets cooking & Coffee brewing...

Loving up my furry buddy Oreo (softest kitty ever!!)…

Warm enough to have a window open and hear the birds singing… what a joyous sound!

Sharing some yummy Crumpets with Jeff…


Now off to do some volunteer work…


So many blessings & the day has just started!  Thank You Lord!!

Finches at the Feeders...

I am just getting settled in the library, with coffee mug in hand, to work on this week's Bible Lesson, I've had my breakfast (some fresh-made Crumpets with Jam) and I'm ready to settle in... when much to my delight I look out at my bird feeders and see a few House Finches (or are they Purple Finches) at my millet feeder!! I haven't seen these in a while, so its nice to see these lively sweet birds are back now that its warmed up a bit... this bodes well of Spring!!


Here are some pictures inside/outside my library today…

My faithful furry companion… Oreo

View out my Library window...

Chickadee on branch.

At the feeder: female house/purple finch & nuthatch. 

Squirrel getting a peanut.

Some bookshelves...

Today's study location.

The Missing Piece… Added

I knew when I first put up this blog that I wanted one more category/section… I wanted to delve into things deeper… I wanted to go into things related to thought, emotion, and spirit… 


I felt if this site, and my others, were to be to God's glory that this couldn't be neglected…


I've finally decided to name that category "The Dance"… now I feel as if I've got the structure completed… the missing piece to the puzzle has been added...

The Bells! The Bells!!

I was just at church a few minutes ago for a Bell Choir rehearsal… I don't always get to play with the Bell Choir (I teach all but 1 week a month during early service - when they play), but I've been asked to assist with a special piece for our Easter Service.


I got to the church after the Bell Choir had already begun rehearsing for their other upcoming songs, and was delighted at how much the Bell Choir reminded me of the Birds I'd heard singing their hearts out a bit earlier.

Me last Easter… concentrating a little too hard...

Bell Choirs aren't around much anymore, I'm glad I have a church that embraces a wide range of musical traditions, I love worshiping God to all sorts of music!!

Is It Spring Yet??

We're having an unseasonably warm week here in the Upper Midwest… actually the entire Winter has been much warmer than usual… Temps today in the Twin Cities were in the 70s… Yes the 70s, in March, in Minnesota… who knew!!


The birds are singing their hearts out, what a joyful noise they're making… and what a welcome sound to my ears!!


Is it Spring Yet?  Probably not, but we'll see!

Happy Pi Day!!

March 14th, 3/14, 3.14… Ok, so I'm a geek… wishing all my friends & loved ones a Happy Pi Day…

For more fun visuals visit Illuminations...

Here we go again...

Ok, busy starting my 2nd blog… all along I had in mind 1 main blog that would point to other blogs, but I got my feet wet with my cooking blog… this will be my main blog, and its just getting set up now… more to come :)