California Breeze

Into the City of Angels

2012-01-05T19:53:00.001-08:00

Union Station - photo by Sharon, 1-4-12

The lazy days between Christmas and the new year were fading fast and I thought, "I need to do something out of the ordinary before I go back to work."

I've always wanted to ride the Gold-Line, because I love trains. Actually called a "light rail", the Gold Line runs from Pasadena through downtown East Los Angeles.

Why not go to lunch in Los Angeles? I found two good friends, Terry and Sunny, who were up for the adventure.

The train, hanging by wires, floated along in gentle fashion stopping and going to let passengers on and off. We wound our way through Old Town Pasadena, then turned and headed toward Los Angeles. It wasn't long before we stepped off at Union Station.

The station opened in May 1939. It was built on a grand scale and became known as "Last of the Great Railway Stations" built in the USA. Although the neighborhood around the station is a bit shaggy, the station has aged gracefully, and one easily notices its beautiful architecture.

I particularly liked these windows.

The station has served as a backdrop for many films including The Italian Job, Silverstreak, The Island, NCIS: Los Angeles, to name a few.

The Christmas tree was still up.
We emerged from the station and into the streets.

It was a quiet day...not too many people around except the locals.

We stopped in the square to survey the area.

Terry hams it up for the picture.
"Okay...we've had enough pictures."

Terry and Sunny crossed the street. I got stuck in the middle trying to get a photo of Los Angeles City Hall and the old buildings. City Hall was designed by some of the same architects who built Union Station.

Where'd Terry and Sunny go? I found myself on Olvera street, the oldest part of Los Angeles. The city was actually founded on a site southeast of this street in 1781 by a group of Spanish pobladores (settlers), consisting of 11 families. The street, a tourist attraction has many historic buildings and looks like a romantic vision of old Mexico. Small vendor stands with assorted trinkets line the street, colorful pinatas sway, and over-sized sombreros rest next to colorful Mexican pottery.

I trotted past some hanging puppets and spotted Terry and Sunny beyond the stuffed donkeys heading towards a restaurant.

Sunny was saying, "Oh it smells wonderful! Let's go in here!"

After having our fill of toastadas and enchiladas we lingered and talked until the sun drifted low, casting it's golden light across the sidewalk reminding us that we better head back to Union Station before dark.
The train approaches (left side of picture) We climb on and wind our way back toward Sierra Madre.
Near the end of the ride, the train drifted to a stop, and we quickly gathered our things and stepped off. The train took off again, and we dreamily watched it head off into the distance.

Then someone said, "Oh no! This wasn't our stop!"
Sure enough, we had gotten off the train too early. We were now stuck on raised island in the middle of the freeway. Traffic rumbled on both sides of us. Sigh.

At least the sunset was entertaining.
Fifteen minutes later, another train came by and picked us up.

Back at our home station, we climbed the steps to our car which was parked on the roof of the building. I spotted my son's workplace, "Bed Bath and Beyond".

And here is another shot looking east.

We climbed in the car and peered through the Eucalyputus trees at the orange sky. And we knew it had been a great day!

Happy New Year

2011-12-31T17:25:00.000-08:00

A peaceful moment...and I am reminded that God is working in my son's life.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T16:18:00.000-08:00

Photos taken at family Christmas Party, Laguna Beach.

It's Christmas

2011-12-16T22:20:00.000-08:00

I thought I should get something up on my blog that looked like Christmas. Meet Diamond. May you have a blessed Christmas as you celebrate the birth of Jesus, our Savior.

I'll be going to a family Christmas party this weekend, and on Monday...a wedding! My Christmas shopping is almost done. But nothing is wrapped.

The dishwasher broke and the wind storm's power outages took out the TV. We're looking for a new one. The refrigerator broke last month. Well...that's life! (as my mother would say.)

Yes, life is good. I have a husband who loves me, food on the table, a roof over my head, not to mention two sons and a dog to go on walks with. I have loving parents and beautiful blue skies. Tonight I spotted Venus and Jupiter in the night sky, as I put away the ladder. Oh...Mozart was up on it, cleaning the leaves out of the rain gutters.

Traffic is getting thick out there so I'm planning to avoid the stores at all costs, if possible. I want to find a quiet corner. To be at peace. To think about Christmas. To bask in God's amazing love. And Jesus, reconciling us to him. Yes, He has made it possible for us to have peace.

But after that I have a lot to do. A Christmas dinner must be planned, and the house cleaned. But I hope to carry His peace in my soul.

Hurricane in the Neighborhood

2011-12-07T22:26:00.000-08:00

Our valley has been in the news every night for a week. We had a hurricane without the rain. I still can't believe it.

This picture above does not do it justice. We have fallen trees and branches lining the curbs of our streets...like snowbanks...green and brown snowbanks.

Powerful winds woke us up on Wednesday night, in the wee hours of Thursday morning. I woke Mozart up, "Did you hear that?".
"Oh it will be okay," he said. "It's just the wind." Then he rolled over and went back to sleep.

I stayed awake and thanked God we had just trimmed our giant tree in the front yard. Someone had knocked at our door a couple of weeks ago and suggested a trim. Since it hadn't been done in 10 years. (Above) Palm Frons scattered over the Arboretum parking lot.
Large power poles snapped and fell on this street near hour home. Our power was out for 3 days. The homes on this street still don't have power. Our schools closed on Thursday and Friday. Since the kids couldn't play video games, the parents put them to work. I've never seen so many children raking before!
After the electricity came on, I went to the market to re-stock the fridge, and found many trees like this.
Edison is still working around the clock.
Broken trees are everywhere.
That's the roof of our church.
The people on this street are not only enduring the cold, but have their homes illuminated all night...Edison's been working on this half-mile stretch for 6 days.
These people weren't very lucky. Today I noticed another home with 2 cars parked in the driveway. Both were crunched by a large tree. But amazingly nobody was hurt.

Our small city lost approx. 500 trees. Several other cities were affected and had similar losses.
My oldest son was determined to read, and made some candle holders out of my glasses. For three days and 2 nights, life changed for us. But good came out of bad. We had some family time without the tv and other distractions. Mozart emerged from the studio and didn't know what to do with himself...but when we finally began to get into the rhythm of our "new normal" then...the electricity flipped on!

Sunday

2011-11-27T14:45:00.000-08:00

My youngest son joined me at church today, which was a blessing.

After church, he went to work, and I drove to the Arboretum. My brain is tired from the activity of the week, and this is a restful place where no one talks except the rustling leaves, and the occasional quacking duck.

I walked by this beautiful oak tree. What do you want to teach me? I asked. As I drew closer I noticed some branches were so heavy that they were laying on the ground. But they were still alive and healthy, because they were attached to the trunk.

"I am the vine and you are the branches."
I studied a branch—it looked heavy and tired, like I often feel. And it lay on the ground. But it wasn't dead, it was beautiful. A beautiful branch, worn by the wind and the weather, but not dying...it was still thriving. I felt as if God might be saying that although I was laying on the ground, not to worry. I would be fine.
I passed by beautiful red cascading leaves.
"He leads me beside the still waters." I found some palm leaves to put on the damp grass, and sat down to admire God's fall colors.
"He restores my soul."
Three ducks and a goose come for a visit.
Finally I had to leave, due to the fact I was hungry. So I went home, and feasted on leftover turkey.

But I will remember God's assurance, and peace in my heart all week.

And you have a wonderful week too, knowing God loves you.

Thanksgiving Day

2011-11-24T20:05:00.000-08:00

I love the peacefulness of Thanksgiving. It's like a gentle pause before the rush of the Christmas season. My mother and my sister-in-law are talking a walk after our afternoon meal.

Hope you had a great day!

The "Fallish" Things We Do

2011-11-15T20:14:00.000-08:00

Okay. Who says we don't have seasons in Southern California? Our neighborhood is turning colors. I love this time of year. We still have warm days, but the nights are cool.

Home life has been a bit "Fallish." I made potato soup the other day. I actually do not like to cook, so I'm proud of this. I decided to get organized and have all the ingredients ready. This recipe called for "baked" potatoes. I had to bake them and peel the skins off! And fry the bacon. My eldest son talked me into this. He has a new cell phone, and one of phone's talents is bringing up recipes. "Try making this mom!" I had to copy the instructions off his cell phone. The soup was good, but I'm about ready to hide his cell phone!

My younger son decided to drive to the beach to visit his grandparents. This was his first solo trip to their place. I found these pictures on the camera from the trip. Below is my father's giraffe. It took him months to build, and it stands on the landing. My dad is a retired engineer and my mother is patient. To the left of the giraffe is a wood sculpture my father fashioned.
"What did D. and you do?" I asked my mother.
She answered, "D. and your father went out and took pictures of clouds."
Here are samples.

A vase of Fall flowers sits in my mother's window. Notice the tennis ball. That's one of her many trophies. She still plays at tennis at 81.
And what am I doing? Well...after working at the school, I head on over to M.K.'s place to help her with a few things. The other day I walked in and heard music coming from the Living Room. I sat down, relaxed, and listened to her play, and she didn't even notice me. Until I clapped.
And she jumped.
I love the warm cozy feeling of her home. It looks a bit like Fall doesn't it?
Mozart has been composing up a storm. Music charts with little black notes, rests, and curly cues are strewn all over the place in his studio. He's working on some Celtic pieces. Tonight a guitarist is here doing some over-dubs.

Have a good week. Count your blessings!

Rough Roads and Smooth

2011-10-30T20:58:00.000-07:00

The road has been rough and smooth over here. During a rough time, D.P. brought home some balloons from work, which lightened our hearts.
Diamond is a gift that brings us together.
The boys enjoy a moment with Diamond.
I needed a bit of fresh air, and spent Saturday with my parents. My mother and I took a walk on Balboa Island.
We stopped on a bridge to watch a Kayak.
And admired a succulent garden.
A beautiful Dahlia.

I also played tennis with my 82 year old father. He needed to warm up for a match he playing next Wednesday. I wonder if I will follow in my parents footsteps and be healthy in my 80's. I'm tired already!

I'm reading 2 interesting books. Dawn recommended "When I Lay My Isaac Down." by Carol Kent. I'm now on her second book "A New Kind of Normal". It's about how a mother and father watch their comfortable lives disappear when their only son is arrested and eventually sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

The second book is "On Sidesaddles to Heaven" by Laurie Winn Carlson. This book is about six missionary women who crossed the rocky mountains on horseback. The author draws from their diaries. I'm only in the first chapter, but in the introduction I read that these women not only brought their faith into the wilds, but also education and a desire to raise the living conditions and status of the Indians at a time when tribes were being forcibly removed from their homelands in the east. Thanks to my friend Lynn, who recommended this book.

AND SPEAKING OF BOOKS, Debby won the drawing for the Chicken Soup Book! Congratulations!

Have a good week!

Then Jesus said, "Come unto me all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest."

The Empty Chair

2011-10-21T15:55:00.000-07:00

As promised, here is the story I wrote that was published in "Chicken Soup for the Soul: Just for Preteens". You can purchase the book by clicking the link above. But if you'd like a free copy, mention "drawing" in your comment and I'll enter you into a drawing for a free book! (scroll down to read story.)

Yesterday, I just had lunch with one of the "strangies". (You'll have to read the story to find out about "strangies". ) This friendly "strangie" makes beautiful beaded jewelry and her site is called Sunny's Shiny Things. I've linked you to her outreach bracelets—you can wear scripture on your wrist!

Okay, it's time for the story. Pretend you are 12 or 13 again, and here we go...

The Empty Chair

“Look what my mom bought me for the first day of school!”
I watched my new best friend, Stacy, emerge from her closet like a super model, and twirl around in her black and yellow striped bell-bottom trousers.
“Cute. When can I borrow them?”

Stacy and I liked the same clothes, purses, hairstyles—everything. That’s why we became best friends over the summer break.
Stacy stopped twirling and flopped down on the bedroom floor next to me.
“I have to warn you about the first day of school,” she said. “Paige will be looking for you.”
“I know,” I sighed. Paige was my best friend last year.
“When she finds out that you’re my best friend now, she’s going to freak.”

Sometimes having a best friend is a pain, I thought. I knew I should just give it up and hang out with a larger group of girls, but the others were so silly and immature. Stacy and I called them “The Strange Girls”— “Strangies”. We, of course, were different. We acted our age.

When the first day of school arrived, Paige ran up to me with a big smile.
“Hi! I love your zipper top. It’s almost like mine. Look!” She spun around.
“Uh...Yeah.” I smiled briefly and glanced at Stacy who stood a few feet away with a frown on her face. This was going to be hard.

As we entered our classroom, Mrs. Hall told us we could push the desks together to form groups of two, three or four.
One of the “Strangies” stood up and called out to me.
“Hey Sharon! Come sit over here with us.”
Pretending I didn’t hear, I headed toward Stacy, who was pushing two desks together near the back corner of the room. We neatly stacked our books and placed our backpacks side by side on the top.

Over the next few days, Paige continued to be friendly. She smiled at me in the middle of a Spelling test and waved at me during P.E. Deep inside, I felt myself wishing we were good friends again while Stacy rolled her eyes and made fun of her.

A couple of weeks later, Page invited me over to her house for an overnight. We crunched on popcorn, watched funny movies and talked about boys. Before the weekend was over, Paige and I were best friends again.

At school on Monday, I wondered how I would break the news to Stacy. When Mrs. Hall switched off the lights and put on a film about the Revolutionary war, it gave me a chance to slide Stacy a note explaining what had happened. She was pretty upset. When the film ended she pulled her books out of the desk, made her thoughts crystal clear and marched across the room to find another place to sit.

“Hey, Stacy. Come sit with us.”
The “Strangies” pushed four desks together and gestured for Stacy to join them. Stacy desperately looked around for another option. With nothing else available, she reluctantly plodded over and dropped her books on the fourth desk.

Days turned into weeks, and my renewed friendship with Paige grew strong. November was just around the corner, and I caught the flu and had to stay home for several days. One evening, as I lay on the couch with a bad headache, the phone rang.

“Hi Sharon. This is Stacy.”
“Oh, hi.” My head pounded. Why in the world would Stacy be calling me? Isn’t she still mad at me? It turned out she had called to see how I was feeling. Her cheerful banter soothed my spirit. She made me laugh when she mimicked one of the “Strangies”, and I melted when she told me I was much more fun to be with.
Toward the end of our conversation Stacy commented, “You’ve got to get away from Paige. She’s sooo juvenile.”

As I fell asleep that night, confusing thoughts tangled in my head. I wondered if I should take up with Stacy again. Paige had been getting on my nerves—always flirting with the boys at lunchtime. Should I end the friendship?

By the time I returned to school the next week, I had made my decision. I approached Paige before the first bell rang and told her our friendship wasn’t working out.
“You’ve got to be kidding. You want to go back to her?” she said, slapping the desk with her Phonics book. “It will be the biggest mistake of your life.”

Later, when Paige was sitting alone, one of the “Strangies” called quietly to her. “You can come over here with us if you like." Another “Strangie” helped Paige carry her books. She slipped into the fourth desk.

Over the next few months my feelings about both girls moved up and down like a roller coaster. When I was with Stacy, I wanted to be with Paige. When I was with Paige, I missed Stacy. Little did I know the rollercoaster was heading for disaster.

On a morning I’ll never forget, I walked into our classroom and got the biggest shock of my sixth grade year. Stacy and Paige were sitting together. Their books and backpacks were side by side, and my stuff had been moved to the back counter. They whispered and glanced in my direction. I wanted to disappear—to be erased like a math problem gone bad.

Trying to hide my tears, I gathered my books and searched for a desk…one that would be away from everyone. Deep down, I knew I deserved this treatment. I had turned back and forth too many times. After just learning about the Revolutionary War, I couldn’t help but feel like Benedict Arnold, the traitor, standing in the middle of the room—all alone—in my stiff red coat.

I spotted a small desk on the side of the room and began to move my things. One of the “Strangies” softly stepped to my side and whispered, “Would you like to sit with us? We have an extra desk.”
I hesitated.
Another “Strangie” came over. “It’s okay. We’ve got room.”

I slowly walked over and sat down. They didn’t embarrass me or ask questions. They just smiled and opened their science books. Their kindness felt like a warm blanket tucked around my heart. It wasn’t long before one of them giggled. Another girl made a funny face when her pencil dropped to the floor. The girls laughed. I smiled. Maybe it wasn’t so bad being “strange”.

From that day forward I made some changes. I would no longer judge the other girls in my class. Instead of being exclusive, I would be friendly to everyone—even to Stacy and Paige.

Today I am blessed with many good friends. And although considerable time has passed since my sixth grade year, I still benefit from that painful experience. I’ve learned to treasure each friend that God has given me, and appreciate their differences. To this day, I still get together with those wonderful “Strange Girls.” We meet at a restaurant for dinner on each of our birthdays. And on those special evenings, as I head toward the table I’m grateful that a fourth chair is always available.

Show Down at a Ghost Town

2011-10-11T20:48:00.001-07:00

It's time for a dirt biking story. How 'bout a ghost story? One afternoon I talked Mozart into riding into a ghost town and we had a run in with the law. Here is Mozart pausing on the road in. Little did he know what awaited him around the bend.

Click here for the article: Ghost Town.

The article is posted on Associated Content (which is now part of Yahoo Contributor Network.) I get $1.50 for every 1000 page views. Yes, I know. I won't be getting rich.

Check out Yahoo Contributor Network, if you like to write. It's fun, and sometimes they even pay you for an article. I haven't been active for a few years, but decided to get back into it just to keep up my writing. If you're really nice you can click (somewhere on the article page) and become my fan. Then every time I publish something you will be notified via email. You won't be bombarded. I'm a slow writer. (You're familiar with how fast my blog moves.)

Here we are treking around in our alien suits. It was almost 90 degrees that day!

I bee-lined out of town to the top of a hill, jumped off my bike, and took a picture of the guys riding out of town. We had to leave fast. The Sheriff was after us!
Click here for the article: Ghost Town.

Walking on Water

2011-09-19T22:49:00.000-07:00

These people are almost walking on the water. Actually they're gliding on large surfboards and propelling themselves with a long paddle.
SUP (Stand Up Paddle) is the latest craze around here. And everywhere. The sport is an ancient form of surfing and has a Hawaiian heritage. Mozart just finished working on a film about the sport written and produced by Mike Waltze. Click on the move title: "That First Glide" and check out the first few seconds of this trailer. It's amazing how surfers can maneuver the board with the long paddle on large waves. Here is the movie's website for additonal info.

What's fun about the sport, is you don't have to be an expert to have fun.
It's just you and the deep blue sea.
And maybe a friend or two.
Back on the beach, things are a little crazy with the usual noise and oddities.

Like this house.

But it makes a fine view.
And here are the skim board boys. The other latest craze. I wish I had captured a picture of these guys skimming into the shorebreak and doing turns on the crest of the curl.

Later, Mozart and I went to a quieter spot. I was looking forward to some tidepool walking, but it was high tide.

It was nice to see Mozart sitting on a rock, rather than in his black swivel chair in front of the mixing console.
We needed a little time together. (Mozart took about 6 pictures of me, but I'll spare you.) I loved this rock, because it reminded me about how God keeps us safe in the "cleft of the rock".

Whether you're in the cleft of the rock, or sitting on a rock...it's a nice place to be.

Writers Critique Group

2011-09-02T21:41:00.000-07:00

I was so nervous and excited the first time I attended a Writer's Critique Group. I didn't know anyone. It was pouring rain when I parked my car at the bottom of the hill. I stared at the big iron gates, joggled my umbrella into position and almost dropped my briefcase. Some driveway! It looked more like a road and it wound up through the oak trees, curved to the left and disappeared. As I rounded the last curve, a big white mansion loomed before me. Was this my destiny? The place that would make or break me as a writer?

To make a long story short——I "auditioned" my story and was accepted with open arms. I do think this group would have accepted me with open arms even if they didn't like my story. That's just how they are. I've been in the group for about 10 years now. Writer's have come and gone, but a large core group remains. They have become wonderful friends.

One of our members is singer/songwriter Mary Rice Hopkins, and every so often, when she is not on tour, or on TV or running around in 10 directions, she invites us over. Last Friday was one of those special times. And here are some pictures.

For those of you with young children or grandkids, check out Mary's show every Saturday morning on TBN. It's called "Puppets with a Heart". They've just filmed some brand new episodes.

Saturday Mornings
8:30 a.m. PST
9:30 a.m. MT
10:30 a.m. CT
11:30 a.m. EST

Kids learn invaluable life-lessons, and I'll tell you--it's helpful for adults too! Mary has covered a lot of sensitive issues that kids deal with.

Back to the Writers Critique Group. After Mary showed us her latest tune, we got down to business and critiqued the conclusion of Joyce's book, which is due at the publisher in 7 days! She has written a book for parents with autistic children, giving them hands-on tools and methods to guide, teach, love, and help their child blossom. We critiqued a story by Susan that she is submitting to Chicken Soup for their new upcoming book "Finding My Faith". And we found ourselves relaxing over Linda's manuscript for her "Tea" book. We learned how to calm our busy minds, and take some time to relax, and to enjoy the presence of our Creator.

I had to leave early, so I don't know what happened after that. I'm still trying to find out!

Interviewed

2011-08-25T15:48:00.000-07:00

The phone rang but I ignored it because I was writing a description of Mozart's "Eurobot" composition in order to place it in a music library. Then I heard the phone speaker say the word "Tribune". Oh! Maybe they want to publish my article about the Arboretum! If so, I will have a free membership coming. I dove for the phone.

A deep friendly voice spoke faster than I could process. He introduced himself as "Lafayette...like the general", and said something about "Chicken Soup".

A general? Chicken Soup?

"Yes, Chicken Soup sent us some information on you, and we'd like to interview you about your recently published article."

Me? An article about my article? How could that be interesting? But he thought it would. So I agreed to meet him at Longden school, where I work.

Later we sat in front of the office on a long low bench built for little people. I gazed across the grassy field. He patiently held a pad and pencil, and asked me lot's of questions.

The more questions he asked, the more I wanted to talk.

"How much room do you have?" I asked.

"All the room you want."

"Okay, I'll tell you about my dirt bike."

When the interview was over, we walked around the school looking for a good spot for a picture. After about 12 shots, Lafayette decided on the one you see.

"Now that we're done, can I interview you?" I asked.

Lafayette gave me lot's of writing tips, especially relating to journalism. He has been with the Tribune for 12 years, and he is also a professional photographer.

Thank you Lafayette!

In order to read the article, click on the picture and put on your glasses. The white spots are where I took out my last name for privacy purposes. I couldn't find it on-line. If you want to read it let me know, and I'll type it out.

Hinds' Feet on High Places

2011-08-21T15:52:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite allegories (the other being Pilgrim's Progress) is Hinds' Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard. "Much Afraid" travels to the high places with the help of the Shepherd, but the journey is not always smooth, and has difficult places along the way. For a few moments today I dipped into the book and re-read this part.

Much afraid awoke with the first light of dawn, and getting up, walked to the entrance of the cave. In the cold light of early morning she could not help telling herself that a scene of utter desolation lay before her. As far as the eye could see was nothing but empty plain and sea, with lowering cliffs above her and jagged rock below. The pleasant wooded country which they had left was out of sight , and in all the vast area upon which she looked she saw not a single tree and scarcely a stunted bush.

"How desolate," thought Much-Afraid, "and those rocks beneath look very cruel indeed, as if they are waiting to injure and destroy anything which falls upon them. It seems as though nothing can grow anywhere in all this barren waste."

Just then she looked up at the cliffs above her head and started with surprise and delight. In a tiny crevice of the rock, where a few drops from the trickling waterfall could occasionally sprinkle it, was a single plant. It had just tow or three leaves, and one fragile stem, almost hairlike in its slenderness, grew out at right angles to the wall. On the stem was one flower, blood red in color, which glowed like a lamp or flame of fire in the early rays of the sun.

Much-Afraid stared at it for some moments, noticing the wall which completely imprisoned it, the minute aperture through which it had forced its way to the light, and the barren loneliness of its surroundings. Its roots were clamped around by sheer rock, its leaves scarcely able to press outside the prison house, yet it had insisted on bursting into bloom, and was holding its little face open to the sun and burning like a flame of joy.

As she looked up at it Much Afraid asked, "What is your name, little flower, for indeed I never saw another like you." "My name is 'Bearing-the-Cost,' but some call me 'Forgiveness.' "

The flower went on to explain. "I have borne and have not fainted; I have not ceased to love, and Love helped me push through the crack in the rock until I could look right out onto my Love the sun himself. See now! There is nothing whatever between my Love and my heart, nothing around to distract me from him. He shines upon me and makes me to rejoice and has atoned to me for all that was taken from me and done against me. There is not a flower in the world more blessed than I...."

I love this picture of when our life seems difficult and barren. God's face still shines on us. There is less distraction from him. We find our joy in Him alone.

Memories under the Myrtle Tree

2011-08-14T17:01:00.000-07:00

Under the Crepe Myrtle trees with smiles and tears we honored the life of Larry Winans.
His great-grandchildren posted a sign for us to remember his love for growing things.
Friends and family gathered in his backyard. Larry started his life here, in this small cozy home, at 10 days old. My father (above right) remembers playing in this back yard with his first cousin, Larry, when they were children.
Elsie, Larry's mother, sits in the white chair listening. She is 98 or is she 99 now? She is in good health.
Larry's son Bruce stands near his 2 youngest sons. Little Josh opened the afternoon by reading the 23rd Psalm. His young confident voice stilled our hearts.

The Mayor of Maywood said a word. He and Larry struck up a friendship when the homes on this neighborhood street were (and still are) endangered of being torn down to build a school. Many homes have been leveled on the street. Due to Larry's efforts, his own home and the house next door still bravely stand among the ruins. (mayor is pictured in 5th pic posted--in white shirt on left)

Below are pictures, lovingly posted by Larry's children.
We were treated to a heartwarming slide show of Larry's life put together by his daughter-in-law, Marian.
Friends stop and reflect.
I'm happy to get re-acquainted with cousins, Dana and Julie. Our grandfathers Merrill and Clarence were brothers. I was also able to meet Jessica, Larry's special lady friend.

Larry's passion and work involved design and preservation.

Many old homes thrived under his care. His son, Bruce and son-in-law Marlin often worked together on projects.
One of the most memorable projects was being a part of the restoration of Angels Flight a funicular railway originally built in 1901.
View of Angels Flight in the Bunker Hill district of Downtown Los Angeles (above)
Above, is an award for their commitment and effort.
Pictured: Marlin and Bruce

Larry at work.

Later in the afternoon my younger son took my camera and snapped these:
An old drill press, probably belonging to Larry's father.

Succulents tucked into old wooden shelves.

A purple chrysanthemum in a pot.
So lovely. Surely...crafted by the hand of God.
Next to the house is a huge plumeria that was given to Larry's parents as a wedding gift in 1930. Marlin gave me a cutting.
At home, my oldest son, planted it for me in our yard. A gentle reminder of Larry.
Flowers are still hanging on the vine, smelling sweet.

A Visit to Mariners Church

2011-08-02T21:14:00.000-07:00

I took a 2 day vacation and visited my parents. On Sunday I attended church with them. Below is the chapel at Mariners church at 8:45 a.m.

Spread over 25 acres Mariners is one of the largest churches in Southern California. Actually it looks more like a community. (That's mom and dad waving below)
(pictured below) This is where baptisms take place.On one Sunday, several months ago I watched as about 20 young people were baptized.

My parents are helping at the doughnut table. People donate $1.00 for a doughnut and the funds are going to help children in Africa who are without parents due to AIDS. So far they have had over 200 people stop by. Right now, there is a lull until the next service lets out.

This is part of the main building. Looks small right? Well the inside seats 3200 people. The auditorium is a-symetrical in design with a flat main floor and terrace seating at the rear. They have dramatic lighting and stage design. The music is very contemporary. But the chapel (see first picture) has a service for those who love the old hymns.

Although sometimes an eyebrow or two is raised by the style of this seeker-friendly church, one should know they are generous givers to the less fortunate and their preaching is not fancy or fluffy--it's directly out of God's word, the Bible, straight and strong.

Another view of the baptistry. (above)

There are beautiful walkways and it's not unusual to discover a scripture verse for encouragement. It's a very peaceful place. Well...except for all the children. But that's a good problem. They have a large grassy field in the middle between the buildings where children can play with giant frisbees, hula-hoops or whatever else they've come up with. Parents are out there with their kids, in between services (and sometimes during the service!) having some family time. It's nice to watch parents playing with their children.

I should have taken a picture of the families in the field, but I was too busy helping mom and dad with the doughnuts!

In about a week I should have more pictures up of my jam-packed 2 day vacation!

Published!

2011-07-21T21:35:00.000-07:00

A heavy box came yesterday with my name on it.

I've been published! My story, "The Empty Chair" is in Chicken Soup's newest book "Just for Preteens" Ten copies! (and check coming!)

This is the first time I've been published in an anthology.

The only change they made...was to add a Shirley MacLaine quote at the beginning of my story. "Fear makes strangers of people who would be friends."

If you're interesting in reading the story, I'll post it in a few weeks.

I should be posting more often, now. I got a new camera! Without a camera, I have been one bottled up blogger!

It's also been quite busy around here. I'm working for Mozart this summer...writing descriptions of music. Have you ever tried to describe instrumental music in words? It's a challenge, but I'm getting better at it. This will go into a music library where people can play a sample of his music and read a description.

Thanks for visiting.! I'll be posting again in about a week Gotta go take some pictures!

Mary's Visit

2011-07-09T22:35:00.000-07:00

I have been blessed with one lovely sister-in-law and she came for a visit recently. She is pictured in the center, and my good friend Sunny is on the right.

She brought her little dog Maggie. Diamond was quite excited about Maggie...I had to hold her back from licking Maggie all over.

Diamond and Dustin welcome Mary to our home.

Even Mozart came out to say hello and pose for a picture.

Mary visits Mozart's studio.

Oh I know...another picture of Diamond. She and Mozart have bonded.

Thank you Mary, for the pictures!

My camera is still broken, but I hope to get a new one in a few weeks. Maybe that will motivate me to get back into the swing of posting. I've been busy helping Mozart this summer. I'm at the computer uploading his music into music libraries where people can purchase his stuff. His music is doing well, but we need to get more of it out there.

I'll be around to visit your blogs and see how you are all doing!

Dog Beach

2011-05-28T15:28:00.000-07:00

Easter Sunday - April 24, 2011

Diamond is trying to get her tennis ball out of the water. This is the first time she has seen the sea.

She ran up and down the beach...was inside and outside of the water...and greeted every dog and person with a tail wag. She is a one-year-old pitbull-lab-bull mastiff.

My son brought her home many months ago. At first I resisted, but now she is a special friend to all of us. If it wasn't for her, I never would have this family picture at the beach. We all love her...so that gives us something in common. And we need that in our family.

After spending a little time at the dog beach, we drove further down the coast to my parents home where we celebrated Resurrection Day with a family dinner.

Thank you Lord, for Easter...a reminder of your power over evil and death. And for granting us a peaceful, fun day.

Writing again.

2011-05-24T20:25:00.000-07:00

There are a lot of things I could write about. But I think it would probably be R-rated. So I better stick to G. Yes that's G for grandma.

But truly, we have experienced a wonderful answer to prayer over here and Mozart just got a little extra work, which we needed. And life with 2 young adult sons can keep you on your toes. Not to mention on one end of the vacuum cleaner.

Karen--thank you for your kind comment. It has kept me going.

(continued from previous post)

It was a lot easier on me to have Kathryn next door. Of course none of my friends could understand how having a mother-in-law next door was easy, but with 2 pre-school age boys one can feel pent up.

“Let’s go over and visit grandma,” I would say. Grandma was always glad to see us.

It’s nice when someone is always glad to see you.

And one bonus was that I could brag about the boys forever, and she would never get tired of it. That’s just something you can’t do with your friends. Grandma never thought I had a big head—because she had a big head.

We took them to all the doctor appointments. That was not easy as grandma insisted on going in her own car which she never drove. She always said she would get back to driving one day, but in the meantime I should drive.

So I had to take the 2 car seats out of my own car and put them in hers. Then there was the wheelchair in the trunk, for grandma. We had a lot of fun trying to get into the elevators before the doors shut. But usually some kind soul would hold the door open. Most of the people at the doctor's office were old and they looked at my children with tender eyes. It made me feel good to see them smile at my boys with their bananas and books.

Writing a Story in 60 minutes

2011-05-19T21:56:00.000-07:00

In memory of Jasper, who sat next to me as I weaved my stories.

(Is May 21 Judgement Day? My friend Susan, writes on the topic--click here.)

My friend Debby is writing a novel in one month. You can read about it here. It's a good project for a writer because it teaches you NOT to edit, but to just let it flow. Editing can come later. (lots of editing!)

I don't have a novel in me...but I have articles/personal experience stories in me. Normally it might take me two weeks or more to get an article down. And another 2 weeks to hone it. So I thought...Why not "write an article in 60 minutes".

With that in mind, I remembered that Chicken Soup for the Soul is looking for stories about Caregiving family members. I want to write about my experience caregiving my mother-in-law. That was an 8 year experience. I can't seem to get an angle on it, so I thought I would just start writing haphazardly. So here is what I produced in about 15 minutes.

Her favorite food was cottage cheese and rice crispies. Her hair was sandy brown and she always made sure she had her glasses on in pictures, because it made her look smarter.

I would go grocery shopping for her every Monday morning. By the time I was done, I could barely push the cart. Especially with my chubby baby sitting in the cart’s little seat eating a banana the produce man gave him.

“I’ll watch the baby,” Kathryn would say. But I was afraid to leave Corey with her because she couldn’t walk without her walker. She couldn’t pick him up and hold him. But she kept insisting. So one day I left Corey with her. He lay in his bassinette in the middle of the coffee table. Kathryn sat in a chair next to him. Toys were resting on the floor. She cooed at him and made faces. “Go ahead and go! We’ll be fine.” That was the fastest grocery trip I ever made! But when I got back, sure enough, she was still cooing, and making faces at him. He kicked his legs and smiled.

As the days past, Kathryn needed more help than just grocery shopping. She could no longer drive, and needed to go to the doctor. And on Thursdays she got her hair done. Soon the errands were too much for me. I had another baby boy to care for now. My husband and I wondered what to do. As if God had heard our thoughts, the house next door went up for sale. It was a small place with wooden shutters on the windows, two bedrooms and a big back yard. Grandma Kathryn sold her house and bought it. My husband had it painted to her specifications and she moved in.

Well THAT WAS FUN. I'm not sure what I'll use it for. I'll keep going on this as practice. Oops I can see things that need changing already. But NO. I'll keep moving forward. Maybe I'll hit upon a memory I can submit to Chicken Soup for the Caregivers Soul.

Mother's Day Thought

2011-05-07T10:33:00.000-07:00

My mother and I visited La Jolla last weekend, and walked along the bluffs. Click on the picture and you will smell the flowers and feel the spray of the ocean!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

My mother sent this to me...and I'm sending it to you. I hope it encourages you, as mothers, aunts, grandmothers, and anyone who cares for loved ones.

* * * * *

A woman once fretted over the usefulness of her life. She feared she was wasting her potential being a devoted wife and mother. She wondered if the time and energy she invested in her husband and children would make a difference. At times she got discouraged because so much of what she did seemed to go unnoticed and unappreciated.

It was during these moment of questioning that she heard the still, small voice of her heavenly Father speak to her heart.

You are a wife and mother because that is what I have called you to be. Much of what you do is hidden from the public eye but I notice. Most of what you give is done without remuneration. But I am your reward.

And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. Colossians 3:23-24

-Excerpt from Roy Lessin, DaySpring co-founder and writer

* * * * *

My mother and I, after tennis in La Jolla last weekend. More about our trip will be coming soon...

Computer Broke

2011-05-01T21:29:00.001-07:00

My computer broke and I won't be able to post, or visit, for a little while. I'll come over and let you know when I'm back. My camera is also broke!

Along with the sprinklers, and our DVD player.

I'm sure some good will come out of this.

Oh I had a wonderful birthday weekend in La Jolla. I took pictures with my mother's camera. Eventually you will see them!

California Poppies

2011-04-20T16:34:00.000-07:00

It was my husband's birthday yesterday. What do you get someone who composes music all day? I got "Mozart" a hand held tape recorder. He loves it. And a steak. He really liked that. Now if I can just figure out how to get him out in the sunshine.

A few years ago Mozart and Bill Bright of Campus Crusade put together this music cd. It is all scripture...read by Mr. Bright, with my husband's music in the background. I put it on the other day and it was such an encouragement to hear God's words. Listen to a little bit of it if you have time. (Hope the link works.)

Jesus said...

2011-04-09T20:22:00.000-07:00

"For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."

"Sir," they said, "from now on give us this bread."

Jesus answered, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.

For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day."

I have had 2 friends pass away recently. One realizes that our life here is short. I find comfort in reading the words over again...that Jesus promises to raise us up on the last day.

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms, if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place,for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am."

Moon at the North Pole

2011-04-04T08:40:00.000-07:00

Photo artwork by Inga Nielsen

My sister-in-law sent me this picture. It's so beautiful! I hope it cheers you for the moment while you are here.

Time for me and my bones

2011-03-27T16:45:00.000-07:00

For those of us interested in bone health...this is a very interesting and informative article regarding the latest studies on bone, sent to me by my friend, Terry.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/03/26/the-delicate-dance-between-vitamins-d-and-k.aspx

Recently I had a bone scan and I have osteopenia (which is preliminary to osteoporosis.)

Time for some more weight bearing exercise and eating the right foods. What about calcium supplements? This article explains the pros and cons.

If you're in a hurry, just skip down to the bottom of the article and read the wrap-up. But in general, it says that simply taking calcium supplements with vitamin D will not do the trick. And bone builders like Fosamax or Boniva may make bones more dense, but not flexible, which can result in fracture.

It's interesting that the bottom line is EAT RIGHT.

Eat those good fruits and vegetables that God gave us!

And MAKE SURE you are doing weight bearing exercise AT LEAST 3 times per week.

I have tried to exercise at home...but I'm just not disciplined enough to do this regularly. Especially with the interruptions and things that must be done. Maybe I will have to take a class. I hope to play tennis on Saturday mornings. (Oh dear...I'll have to sacrifice my only free morning.) (but it should be fun.)

In conclusion, I need to spend a little more time taking care of myself. I hope I can do it!

Ramblings

2011-03-18T21:30:00.000-07:00

My camera broke and it's no fun to post without pictures.

I feel like a part of me is missing. I can't express myself.

Okay, enough complaining. My heart and prayers have been in Japan and other places still reeling from calamities. And then there is Libya. I feel so fortunate for our peace. Here.

But we're not really at peace. So I pray for our country.

Spent the morning in court today.
My son almost had to pay $1092 for a forgotten traffic ticket.
But then it was changed to 110 hours of community labor.

My husband's friend stopped by tonight in between drum performances. He ate with us during intermission and showed us his pictures of a recent trip to the my favorite mountains....the Sierra Nevada. It took me away for a brief moment...snow clinging to trees, alpine lakes...

One thing I'm looking forward to is: My mother and I are going to go away for 2 nights together somewhere...when my birthday comes. (not for another month). Another thing I'm looking forward to is taking the train into Los Angeles. (This is a 20 minute trip.) Two friends and I will embark on this adventure in a few weeks. Nothing like exploring your own backyard! And I better have a camera by then!

Since I mentioned the Sierra Nevada, I dug up this picture of one of my favorite riding memories in the area. One day our family rode from Bishop to Lake Crowley. It was 60 miles of riding and a day I'll never forget. I loved it...because it wasn't hard riding. I could actually enjoy the scenery. No people...open country....space....beauty.

Placing Your Hope

2011-02-19T09:27:00.000-08:00

The verse said, "...placing all my hope in the Lord".

The verse above came back to me as I worried about the details of my son's life.

Don't place part of your hope in the Lord, I counseled myself. Place ALL your hope squarely on him. (not to the right or to the left)

So I prayed, telling the Lord one more time, my worries. "I'm giving them to you."

Now I just need to remind myself, where my worries are.

And if I feel unsure as the days progress, once again, I say to myself, "trust, trust" (as many times as I need to) and it helps to move the weight of those concerns back on to God's shoulders.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

There are so many things we cannot do. So we let the Lord do them. We let him advise us. And we discipline ourselves to read His words daily in the Bible. In this, we gain wisdom. We gain strength. We wait. We hope. We are at peace IN HIM. We place all our hope in Him.

"Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."-Jesus
(Bible: Matthew 11:28)

Have a great weekend as you rely on his knowledge, know-how and strength in your impossible situation.

Peace to you, and to me.

Looking Up

2011-01-26T20:49:00.000-08:00

I took this picture from the roof.

A thought came to me. Have you ever noticed a dog admiring the clouds in the sky?

It seems nature's artwork is meant for the enjoyment of the human eye.
The Creator's gift to us...His people.

And a reminder of what He can do...and a glimpse of what our future holds.

Just What I Needed

2011-01-23T20:40:00.000-08:00

I have been reading an old book. It belonged to a senior woman with great faith. It ended up in the church library. On the day the library folded, the title caught my eye and I rescued the book.

SOMETHING MORE
IN SEARCH OF A DEEPER FAITH

by Catherine Marshall (Author of the novel Christy)

I read it from cover to cover. Ms. Marshall's candid sharing about the lessons God taught her in her life resonated with my heart. It's one of my favorite books. Now...many years later, I slid it out of the shelf hoping to dip into a chapter or two to find some encouragement and strength for a difficult situation. The pages fell open to the chapter on Obedience. Obedience? This has nothing to do with what I need right now. (Besides I'm always obedient. Ha Ha) I almost turned to another chapter, but something inside me said "wait".

As I read the chapter I found there are many interesting benefits to obeying God. The one that meant the most to me personally was based on John 7:17.

"When we purpose in our will to obey Jesus and tell Him so, then we shall know whether Jesus' teachings are from God or merely His own."

Now for some of you this may not sound like a big deal. But for me, it meant something. Because I struggle at times with faith. This verse reminds me that a strong desire to obey God will result in strengthening my faith in Jesus. Another way to say this is: If someone truly wants to love and obey God...the faith will follow...and will get stronger.

Just in case I'm getting off track...here is how Jesus said it. (He was responding to the Jews who were debating among themselves about who Jesus was. Were his teachings coming from a mere man, or from God?) Jesus responded,"My teaching is not my own. It comes from Him who sent me. If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own."

Back to my difficult situation: If I believe that Jesus is God's son, I certainly can trust that he has the ability to help me with my problem. There is nothing he cannot do. After all, he created the universe.

My part will be to obey him. And he will do the rest.

Our Hope and Future

2011-01-15T09:15:00.000-08:00

We stopped at this little church in Kauai. We prayed. I wish I could be there now to spend some quiet time with God. But God is everywhere, even in my bedroom.

He's leaning on my desk this morning, as I sit in my computer chair. His Word is on my lap. My husband is sleeping quietly still. I pray for our family and friends. Then it seems to me that I'm doing all the talking.

"What do you have to say Lord?" I look into His Word.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you...thoughts of peace and not evil, to give you a future and a hope.

I am the vine, you are the branch...abide in me and you will bear much fruit. Without me you can do nothing.

Trust in me with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding
In all your ways acknowledge me
And I will direct your paths.

And the verse that he gave me about my friend, Judy, who fought a serious illness...and became dehydrated. She had a strong faith...entrusting her life to Jesus. She passed away this week.

Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again...but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed the water I give her will become in her a spring of water welling up to eternal life.

What a beautiful promise to meditate on.

notes:
a future and hope: Jeremiah 29:11
abide in me: John 15:5
limited understanding: Proverbs 3:5,7
water: John 4:13

Girls!

2011-01-04T21:47:00.000-08:00

Being a mother of boys, I really appreciate visiting with my nieces (almost 17 and almost 20). They flew out from Colorado after Christmas, and spent some time with us.

We rode our bikes along the coast and stopped for a break to look for shells and feel the misty spray of the sea.

I love this picture of my dad with the girls. It was low tide and we could stand on tiny "islands" surrounded by the gently flowing water. The sky was a comforting blue after the long days of rain.

We took the bikes across the harbor on the ferry. As you can see, I'm the careful one with the helmet.

The girls stayed with my parents and everyone had a great time. (That's my dad's very tall giraffe in the stairwell over on the right. He built it from scratch. My mom still doesn't know what came over him.)

The girls are back in Colorado now, safe and sound. I received a text..."Clear, cold and snow on the ground."

Here's wishing you all a Happy New Year!

Happy New Year

2011-01-01T19:25:00.000-08:00

A special visit from my Colorado nieces brightened my week.

We went bike riding on the beach, and stopped for lunch near the pier. They had fun texting their friends who were knee-deep in snow.

Hope you all had a good New Year celebration. For me, it's "back-to-school" and work on Monday. Oh my...I feel like I need more time off!

Children's Bible

2010-12-29T12:33:00.000-08:00

My friend Susan has reviewed a children's Bible on her blog, and is giving away a free copy. To enter the drawing, just leave a comment on her blog. You'll be blessed by visiting her, and scrolling down to read her posts.

The Future

2010-12-26T12:33:00.000-08:00

I opened the book and my eyes fell on these words.

Psalm 34:4-8

I sought the Lord and He heard me,
And delivered me from all my fears
They looked to Him and were radiant
And their faces were not ashamed

One day, at the end of our path through this world, we will stand on the edge of a new world. My dream is that we will stand together as a family, free of fear, our hearts welling up in anticipation for our future with our loving Father.

As you can see, I finally got a picture of us. And there is more!

First, here is mom and dad.

The flash on my camera is failing and I had lighten some of these photos.

Corey helped me get the tree this year. Diamond came too.

He carefully trimmed the bottom to his liking. (your eyes are okay...the picture is blurry.)

I'm so glad they were in a picture taking mood.

We had a nice Christmas. We had 10 family members for a mid-day meal of Ham, scallop potatoes, and more. Diamond's dog cousins Maggie and Samuel were here along with my sis-in-law and bro-in-law. Cousin Larry and 98-year old Aunt Elsie graced the table. My nieces in Colorado are flying out for a visit later this week!

The Psalm continues...

The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him.
And delivers them.
Oh taste and see that the Lord is good;
Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!

Update

2010-12-15T23:11:00.000-08:00

I've been preparing for a Christmas "History" presentation at work...including the story of Jesus, of course. And...baking cookies, Christmas shopping, cooking...

gotta go...

I'll be back!

Our Thanksgiving

2010-12-08T22:39:00.001-08:00

Just thought I'd show you a few Thanksgiving photos. My mother, Mary, and Great-Aunt Elsie are having some girl-talk in the kitchen. Aunt-Elsie is 98. She brought a wonderful cranberry salad.
We enjoyed the sun on our shoulders. I wonder what C. is talking about with Aunt Mary? Diamond is having fun with her dog cousins Maggie and Samuel (Samuel is exploring our yard--not pictured here.)

Dog-guests Maggie and Samuel politely sit in their crates while we eat...and while Great Aunt Elsie is nearby.
My 22 pound turkey. It came out good! (a miracle)
Mozart is having a conversation with the dogs. Left to right...Maggie, Samuel, and Diamond. I think one of the dog's licked my camera lens. Please excuse the smudge. Do you notice the iron gate in the background? That's the new fence we built so Diamond can safely stay in the back yard. (She sure is inside alot!)

I haven't had a mother-son picture in about 6 years. And this is what I got. Oh bother...it's not very good. It had to be snapped fast before they ran away...or C. dropped the dog.
My youngest son's antics always lighten the mood. We watched him chase the dogs with a bag on his head.

I haven't been posting much and one of the reasons is my helpful husband updated my computer system and now I can't get to my pictures very easily. (What's a post without a picture?). I'll be by your blogs soon! Have a good day!

Being Thankful

2010-11-24T19:48:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! I will have a table of ten. The turkey is going in at 1:00 p.m. tomorrow and relatives will begin to arrive in the morning. We will also be having 2 dog guests who will spend the night. I love this time of year when we focus on our blessings.

The picture above shows a little lake a few miles from our house. It's actually in a rougher area of town and not many people come here. But since Letty and I are always looking for an adventure we stopped in to have a look. It was quiet, and had its own beauty. (A few cars were parked here and there with people eating lunch or napping.)

Please excuse the short post. I'll be back soon! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Where is Everyone?

2010-11-05T21:23:00.000-07:00

The fire pits sit in the sand like lonely tombstones. Corona Del Mar is usually swarming with families barbecuing hot dogs and playing volleyball. Where is everyone?
At work and school no doubt. It's a beautiful fall morning and I'm climbing around on the rocks with my camera. I've left two ladies, ages 79 and 81 up on edge of a cliff.
I should go check on them but Oh...I think I'll take a picture of the boat. I sat quietly for a few minutes and watched the water roll and swirl beneath my dangling feet. The boat moved slowly through the water. I inhaled the peace.
Oh hi gals! Did you have a nice picnic? When we first arrived, Letty took one look at view and said, "I wonder what the other half is doing?" We felt so rich as we unpacked our lunch and sat down on the bluffs drinking in the expansive view of the beach, the harbor, and the endless sea. Yes, the best things in life are free.
We stood up for a moment to have our picture taken by a kind woman sitting alone at a nearby bench. We want to remember this day...our breakaway miniature vacation. My mother is on the left and Letty on the right. I've been wanting to get these two together. Which is a little hard because they live 60 miles apart.
If we turned our heads to the right, we saw this. After counting boats, admiring dogs and finishing the cookies, we headed to Rogers Gardens in Newport Beach.

Beautiful flowers lined the walk ways.
Letty and Mom got along well and discussed various gardening topics such as, "How did they get those plants to grow so big?"

One couldn't help but feel the gentle edge of Christmas nudging our minds. The gift shop was decked with trees, lights and fancy decorations.

But give me the beach any day. I enjoyed looking at these items decorated with shells.

But my favorite was this painting of a shepherd and his sheep.

...because it reminded me of how much God cares for us. All the time. No matter where we are.

A Slow Blog

2010-10-22T21:53:00.001-07:00

Yes I'm here via a slow blog. Well...at least you don't have to worry about getting behind on my blog posts.

My son took this picture with his cell phone. Diamond is not allowed in my bedroom, but she can be sneaky. She is 7 months old today and has brought many happy moments into our lives.

I lost my voice this week. I had a strange "cold" in my throat. I tried to continue teaching my students at school (very creatively) but it was a lot of work. So I finally called in sick yesterday.

Today I took my oldest son to the doctor, picked up medication, then...we took Diamond to the vet for a shot. After receiving her shot, she went crazy when she saw a young lab and jumped around wanting to play. One of the nurses suddenly said, "She's going to attack that other dog!" Diamond was just wagging her tail and being very enthusiastic. We had to leave, and my son was quite upset all the way home. His dog would NEVER attack anyone he said. I tend to agree with him, but we must be sensitive. Diamond looks muscular and is part Pit.

Regarding another matter, I now have help in the kitchen. I have always dreamed of having a cook. (Don't give me a maid...give me a cook!) It just takes so much time and the family is rarely excited about anything I make. A couple weeks ago, my oldest son gave me quite a critique on my cooking. After some sparing, I finally told him, "Why don't you cook tomorrow night."
"Okay," he said enthusiastically, "but you have to take me to the store to get some things. (He doesn't have a car.) About $120 dollars and 2 hours later, we had many new things in the kitchen including real butter, assorted cheeses and a block of real parmesan cheese for the fettucinne and Baby Back Barbecue sauce for the chicken. We had a fine dinner, except I suddenly was told to make the Fettuccine when the chicken caught fire on the barbecue. In all the craziness, the vegetables never got cooked. But that's okay, because the chicken was delicious and I learned how to make great Fettuccine. It was a hit.

Oh...and tonight I learned how to spell fettuccine.

I'll try to be over to visit your blogs soon.

The Furniture Diary

2010-10-07T20:34:00.000-07:00

What is this? I opened the envelope I received in the mail and pulled out an old brown book. Inside the yellowed pages, were pictures of furniture--odd looking furniture that belonged to another time and place. Words written in black quill pen described each photograph.

Chest of drawers mahogany. with the deep top "bonnet drawer." About 1835-40. Probably in the wedding outfit of Great-grandmother Mahala Bentley Goodman.

Child's high chair 1801. The top of the chair is an oxbow. Five generations have sat in the chair.

The lace-covered pincushion was bought in 1860 by Great-grandmother Cook. "and cost seven dollars," a fact handed down with it.

Pine corner cupboard 1750 - 1770
From the Marshall house in Schuylerville, N.Y., which was within the British lines during the battle of Saratoga 1777.

The book was from my Great Uncle Dick West who was a pipe-smoking newspaper reporter. He married my grandmother's little sister, a nutritionist at Babies Hospital (New York) and later at Samford Hospital in Connecticut. They lived together in a big old house full of family heirlooms and antiques in Fitzwilliam, New Hampshire. Built in 1805, this house was originally called "The Market House" because its original owner kept a store there. My Great-Aunt and Uncle called it "The Fitzwilliam House."

Great-Uncle Dick's father owned the home, and it stayed in the family until Dick and Irene were too old to maintain the place. They sold it to George and Elizabeth McKendry, and moved to an assisted living facility in Northern California. (They did not have any children.)

Upon doing some research, I found out the house was sold with the family furniture intact. The wife of the new owner was an antique dealer. In a letter at the time of the sale, Mr. McKendry wrote to my Great-Uncle. "Thank you for leaving so much of yourselves behind." The new owners eventually divorced, and the furniture is gone. It's probably scattered around New Hampshire, or who knows where. (aaaagh!)

View of old Fitzwilliam (town). The house and barn in center of picture.

As I grew up in Southern California, I wasn't aware of Dick and Irene's home or heirlooms. They lived so far away and I knew their names only on my birthday and Christmas cards.

When Dick and Irene passed away (in California), their few remaining belongings were sent to me. This happened because of a simple phone call. I don't know why, but one day I decided to call Dick and get to know him. Rene had passed away years earlier and I pictured him up North all alone.

I'll give him a call and surprise him. His warm voice boomed a hearty welcome to my call. We had a great conversation. We talked about history, and current world events—the Iron Curtain had just fallen and Dick was in awe of this large chapter of history closing— the end of the "cold war" he had lived through and written about. We planned to talk again soon. The next time I called, Dick told me he was going in for tongue surgery in a few days, and he wanted to send me some things. Sadly, he never came out of surgery. But happily he knew the Lord.

One of the things he sent was the furniture diary. The book is about 25 pages and was compiled by Dick's mother—who one will surmise after reading her notes—was an adept historian. Much of the furniture had been in the family for three to five generations. In quill pen, Dick's mother wrote a brief history of each piece.

"In 1843, Great-Grandfather Cool went into the wilderness to oversee the cutting of a tract of timber which he owned, and took his bride with him. Great-aunt Juliet was born there the next year, and an old French carpenter made this chair "to rock the baby in." One rung is made of a little crooked branch."

This is not the rocker described above. But note the "spindles to support the arms" (1780)
Also pictured a "Wool wheel" and "Flax wheel"

Inspired by the diary, I decided to make my own furniture journal. The next time I visited my mother I took pictures of her tea-cart, chest of drawers and other assorted items, and asked her for their story. In my own home, sits my grandmother's writing desk, and other items of family interest...simple things...but treasures to me. The furniture book will have no shortage of material.

On my mom and dad's counter sit my grandmother Hatton's mugs.
On my mother's shelf sit my grandmother Winans thimbles and candle holder. In the background, a picture of my mother and me.

The photo above shows Dick and Rene in younger years. The picture was taken in Ventura, California as they visited Rene's mother and father, my great-grandparents.

Two things I've learned from all this--Number One: Enjoy and treasure my older relatives and ask them lot's of questions. Lesson Two: Don't live in the past. Enjoy today.

Oh...and Lesson Three: Never pass up an adventure. I hope to go to New Hampshire one day and see the home. And hunt down some furniture.

Encouragement

2010-09-24T21:35:00.000-07:00

Years ago, my friend Sandee in my writer's critique group gave me a little devotional book called TouchPoints for Troubled Times. It has been such an encouragement to me. It has different topics one can turn to. For instance, "coping", "depression", "overcoming", "encouragement", and today's topic, "Assurance". I'll type it out for you. (I've posted some pictures I took at the Los Angeles County Arboretum.)

It's good to remember that there is beauty in "Troubled Times".

The narrative is also from the devotional book.

Romans 8:35, 38-39 Can anything ever separate us from Christ's love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity?...I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love...Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can't keep God's love away.

Life's circumstances don't come between God and his people. You can rest assured that through deep waters and great trouble, he is with you. Nothing can separate you from him.

How can I feel more sure of God's assurances? What can I do to increase my confidence in him?

Psalm 108:1 My heart is confident in you, O God; no wonder I can sing your praises? Wake up, my soul!
Praise will increase your assurance. As you focus on the Lord instead of your problems or fears, your confidence in him will increase.

Psalm 34:4 I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me, freeing me from all my fears.
Frequent prayer will deepen your assurance. Your conversations with God remind you that he is truly there.

Trouble is an opportunity to watch God work...an opportunity to depend on him to do the impossible. Presently, in our family life, we have an impossible situation. It cannot be solved with a human mind. The humans have done everything in their power, and this human is tired. The job has to be done by God. I look up expectantly.

God Knows About It

2010-09-12T23:28:00.000-07:00

A miracle brought this dog house to us. My oldest son is trying it out.

My son wanted a certain type of wood dog house, but I told him we couldn't afford it. We couldn't agree on things. I breathed a prayer about it...then went on with life. Three weeks later, the weather began to change. Diamond would be cold, sleeping outside on a blanket.

My neighbor had an old used plastic doghouse with permanent stains on it, and I thought...well its better than nothing. I went over and started cleaning it up. I wondered what my son would say to me.

Well...on the very day I was cleaning up the dog house....a dog house showed up at our place! A beautiful wood dog house. Someone brought it to a donation pile at a church and and my parents saw it...grabbed it....my dad made a sign...and they brought it over for a surprise.

I was surprised! And my son loves it!

This was a little thing...but if God is so merciful in these little things, He must be taking care of all the bigger things I'm worried about.

Seeing that dog house out the window (when it first showed up) really made a strong impression on my heart. God said, "I KNOW your trials."

He has the answers to our prayers in the works...before we even breathe the prayer.

"Be anxious for nothing. But by prayer, let your requests be known unto God, and the peace of God shall guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."

Under the Weather

2010-09-02T20:54:00.000-07:00

Diamond was spayed today. She's a little lethargic tonight, but doing well.

I'll be glad when she's back to normal.

Our oldest son and a neighbor will put in the fence.

(Above) We are preparing to put in an L-shaped fence in the back yard for her. She likes playing outside. And she likes to be inside, too. It's been hard having a dog without a fence. We also have people stopping by, including clients, and they may not appreciate her hearty welcome. She is going to be a big dog. (Oh my! The back yard looks so bad right now. We stopped watering it to conserve. And Diamond's "toys" are strewn here and there. Her favorite being an old plastic gallon milk jug.)

Looking in the opposite direction you can see the area where our company comes. I'm trying to keep the grass green. I'm looking forward to sprucing up this area.
This is how things used to look (below). Our yard certainly changes with the seasons.

You may be wondering how Snowball, our neighbor's cat (who lives with us) is doing. Diamond has been disciplined not to chase her. So now Snowball struts by right in front of her. Diamond sits and watches...and do I see a little grin on the cats face?

Snowball lounges on the steps while Diamond watches.

But it's pay back time, when we're not around. We've looked out the window more than once and caught sight of Diamond streaking across the yard and then staring in wonder as the cat sails over the wall.

Speaking of seasons, I'm back at work as an instructional aide in the Special Education classroom. I help Letty in the afternoons. And tomorrow is my writers critique group. I'm looking forward to it!

Important Business

2010-08-19T16:01:00.000-07:00

A few days ago, Letty and I felt very important stepping off the presidential helicopter and on to the soil where the 37th President was born.
We are in Yorba Linda, California, the site of Richard Nixon's childhood home.

The helicopter seats 16 and was used by Presidents Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon (who flew 180+ trips) and Ford. His most famous flight lifted him from the south lawn of the White House after he resigned from the Presidency on August 9, 1974.

Letty and I arrived early to the Nixon Library, and we were the only ones on the helicopter tour. The turquoise carpet caught my eye. It certainly didn't look very presidential. The seats were gold tweed.
"Gold and turquoise were very popular back in those days," said our guide. Unfortunately she wouldn't let me take a picture. The helicopter is called "Army One". It's actually a Sikorsky YH3A "Sea King".

Nixon's Birthplace

Nixon's 1 and 1/2 story home was built by his father. He sold citrus fruit as a living and owned 8.2 acres. A large pepper tree, planted by his father in 1913, still stands loyally, like an old friend, near the door.

Letty sits near the back door where young Richard and his brothers ran out to play among the citrus trees. All four boys slept in the room on the second floor—two in a bed. The stair case is narrow with no handrails. I saw a photo of how the house actually looked many years ago. There was no rich green grass, and there were no flower lined pathways. Just dusty brown dirt. Nixon once said, "We were poor, but we didn't know it." To see the inside of the house click here
It's furnished with Nixon's parents original furnishings, including the quilt and the blanket on the bed where Nixon was born. (note: a fifth brother was born later at a different location--5 boys in all, however 2 passed away at a young age.) The family moved to the neighboring city of Whittier in 1922. The home passed through a series of owners until 1959 when it was officially designated an historic site.
He is buried next to his wife Pat, in a quiet spot surrounded by colorful flowers.

A beautiful reflection pool stretches across the grounds.
I stand near the house, and look across the reflection pool, toward the museum where we jouneyed through Nixon's triumphs and struggles. Although Nixon's memory is tarnished by the events leading up to his resignation, he made great strides in reaching out to China and the Soviet Union. I came away feeling he wasn't that much different from you or I. We are all placed in specific places for certain reasons. Whether it's the job of "President" or (fill in the blank), each of us have opportunities to affect our world for good.

A Day With Dad

2010-08-13T14:23:00.000-07:00

My dad is 81 and curious. We spent the day together exploring the coastline. It all started when my husband and I found out we would not be able to go on vacation this summer. So I decided to take a "mini-vacation" --two days at my parent's home near the beach.

Normally when I visit, my mother and I spend quite a bit of "girl-time" together. But since her knee was out-of-sorts she elected to rest. "Go see what your dad is doing."

I found my dad in the garage installing a small countertop and sink. "Can you hand me the crecent wrench?"

Fast forward.....
I finally got my dad away from the garage and talked into a bike ride along the coast. Okay, he said, but first—could I warm him up for tomorrow's doubles tournament? As we whacked the ball back and forth, one of dad's younger friends walked by. "What age division are you playing in tomorrow, Don?"
"The 130's"
"The 'Oh My Gosh' division??"
(In the 130's division, he and his partners' ages must add up to 130 or over.)
It turned out Dad warmed ME up. "Keep your eye on the ball...all the way to the racket!"
"Ha! Ha! Try to get that one," he says.

After tennis, we latched the bikes to the back of the truck and headed across the bridge to Balboa Island to catch the ferry. Balboa island is full of little shops, small restaurants and ice cream stands. Dad wanted me to take a picture of the frozen banana sign.
We veered away from the shops and threaded along the tree-lined streets. Homes of all sizes sat elbow to elbow. Finding a spot to park was a miracle.

The ferry approaches the dock. Dad says, "C'mon!" I'm so excited. It's only about a 5 minute ride, but I always love it.

Rippling water slapped the boat. A cool wind blew the the clutter out of my head. I took a deep breath and relaxed.
We made it!

With the rolling sea to one side and colorful cottages on the other—there is so much to look at!
We stopped at a little cafe for lunch. I ordered fish and chips and Dad had a hamburger. We people-watched in front of a breezy window.
We rode on to a black top which stretched close to the water.
It belonged to a public school.
The school is in the background. I'm standing on the sand. What a fun place for recess!
To the side of us, a lifeguard watches summer visitors carefully.
We head back across the harbor.

I ran back to shore and captured the Balboa Penninsula ferris wheel spinning through the sky.

Thanks for coming along!

This ferris wheel reminds me that we need to keep looking up. I'm going to be posting about that soon.

A New Post is Coming--"A Day With Dad"

2010-08-11T22:54:00.000-07:00

Diamond and Other Things

2010-08-03T22:02:00.000-07:00

I tried to vacuum the sheepskin rug and Diamond insisted on "helping" me.

She's quite a character. She scared the living daylights out of the parcel post man today. He came prancing down the driveway and almost dropped his box when he saw Diamond stretched out by the back door. Diamond licked him all over and I assured him she was okay. He relaxed and told me he had some milkbone biscuits in his van...just for this sort of situation. So Diamond followed him out and enjoyed a snack.

I've been doing housework, yardwork, bills, errands, organizing, caregiving, dog duty...and I'm pretty sure it would make a boring post...so I'll stop here.

Yet I do have an overnight trip to my parents home coming up and I'm looking forward to that beach air!

Hope your summer(s) are going well.

An Afternoon Vacation

2010-07-28T20:50:00.000-07:00

This is my friend Lynn who called me up and said, "Do you want to do something fun?"

So on Sunday afternoon we put our roller blades and boogie boards in the car and headed down the freeway to Huntington Beach.

Whoopie! Here I am in my son's roller blades. He wore them when he was 12, and he took off the brakes for some reason and lost them. This presented a problem...

--when sliding through crowds of people and pit bulls.

The crowd was thick around the pier, but then tapered off a bit. Lynn, in her white sweatshirt, patiently tries to balance on her blades at a standstill, while I take pictures.

I wanted to give you a sense of the culture here. Do you hear the flute?

Everyone is on an afternoon vacation.
There are many ways to relax.

It's almost time for us to go surfing...on our boogie boards. They are about half the size of these.

I better catch up with Lynn!

We had a great time!

How priceless is your unfailing love!
Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings.
They feast on the abundance of your house.

Psalm 36:7,8a

He Safely Leads Me

2010-07-18T21:12:00.000-07:00

Mozart took this picture in April when we visited my parents to celebrate our April birthdays. The four of us rode down to the bay.

My dad and mom (ages 80 and 79) are leading the way, I am third, and Mozart is the caboose.

I rarely get Mozart on a non-motorized bike. This was fun!

It's nice to have parents.

And it's very nice that my summer school job has ended. I won't have to look forward to seeing these cute little rascals on Monday.

My dad turned 81 last week, and they decided to come up to our place to see their new grand-dog, Diamond. And to chat with my oldest son, who has recently moved home.

My son rarely lets me take his picture. Diamond has changed things.

There are some challenging days ahead, and I'm not sure how everything will work out. What an opportunity to trust God one day at a time!

When we arrived at the bay, with our bikes, I noticed a bridge stretching above the deep blue water. I turned my bike onto it and ventured slowly forward. I loved the feeling of riding safely above the water. I glanced at the view now and then, but I had to look ahead and stay in control. The bridge brought me safely to the other side. And God will bring me across and over the challenges I face. He will build a sturdy bridge and I must step forward with trust and faith...relying on him to keep me safe and dry.

And He will do the same for you...

Challenges and Blessings

2010-07-05T21:15:00.000-07:00

Our son's puppy is a blessing.
Especially to our oldest son.

A warm puppy hug can do a soul good.

As you can see, on the fourth of July, things were a bit noisy in front of our home. Our youngest had some friends over and they had a great time shooting off all kinds of things. My oldest son is on the right and my youngest is next to him holding the broom. They had a bit of clean up to do after a BANG of a night!

I have been quite busy with things involving our son, the puppy and my jobs. I hope to come over to your "places" soon!

I'm a little busy...

2010-06-29T20:46:00.000-07:00

We are now the guardians of my son's puppy...and I'm a little busy.

She is one-half Bull-Mastiff,and the rest of her is Pit Bull and Lab.

She's quite sweet...anxious to please.

And cried half the night after her long trip from Las Vegas! I hope the neighbors got some sleep--I certainly didn't. She woke up every dog in the neighborhood.

She is making her way into our hearts.

Riding Phelan

2010-06-25T21:25:00.000-07:00

Dang! The thick sand got me. I bailed out before going over.

Mozart is ahead of me. I watch his bike disappear around the corner. I wonder how long it will take him to discover I'm missing?

My bike is too heavy for me to pick up (over 225 pounds) so I decide to relax. Because...this is supposed to be fun! I pull my camera from my pack and take some pictures.

I almost rolled down there.
A poppy smiles at me.
That's the back of Mt. Baldy.

A highway sweeps through the valley below.
Oh there he is!

Hey—What took you so long?
We spent 3 hours on the trail and we had a really good time. No more mishaps! Part of that three hours we stopped to take pictures or took in the view and I noticed these yellow wild flowers.

About half-way up that big hill (below) the road forked to the left...do you see it sliced into the mountain heading left? Oh...Mozart has ridden that big hill before but there was no way I was going up. It's steeper and bumpier than it looks.
We ended up at our friend's home, in Phelan, for a barbecue. Our hosts, Tony and Patty live only a mile from the off-road trails.

We brought an extra bike for Tony. After the barbecue wound down, he and Bill slipped out for an evening ride. Tony, hasn't been on a dirt bike since he was a teen. Mozart said he rode like it was yesterday!
After tossing his boots in the truck Mozart heads up the path for some relaxation and good conversation before we head home under the star filled sky.

On the Home front: I am working this summer with severely handicapped children. It's quite a physically active job. But it's a good experience and I'm learning alot. Secondly, my oldest son just called from Las Vegas. He needs to move home for a couple of months and is bringing his new best friend. A Pit Bull/Bullmastiff. Oh dear.

More later...

Have a nice weekend!

Retired? or Not...

2010-06-16T21:29:00.000-07:00

(update--Thanks for those encouraging comments! Went up and down the street tonight. I set off the barking dogs and the neighbors peered out their windows. Mozart put a different kind of spark plug in to bring the idle under control. Now I can slow it down better!--6/17/10 Thurs.)

I'm retiring from off-road riding. Well, at least I thought I was until yesterday. It seems we've been invited to a church potluck Saturday and the hosts live in the desert.

Should we bring the bikes and go for a spin? The potluck doesn't start until 3:30. Mozart got out the bikes tonight and started them up. While he was revving the engines, I watched from the porch and wondered how I would look at the potluck after riding through dirt, rocks and sandy streambeds.

And I worried. After two years, would I remember how to ride? So I got on the bike and tried to ride it around the back yard. I didn't get far. It stalled next to the peach tree. Mozart said to give it a little more gas. But then it bolted forward with too much speed. Mozart sighed. "It's been sitting so long the carburetor is gummed up." Tomorrow he is going to take it apart and clean it. I was disappointed because I couldn't practice. He rolled the bike into the shed and we both came back in the house.

Later on, I stepped outside in the darkness and walked across the grass to the shed and slipped inside. I straddled my bike and imagined riding through the desert. I practiced shifting, and breaking. Hmf! Those skills used to be innate. Now I have to think!

Hopefully my coordination will return quickly or it's going to be one unforgettable ride on Saturday! To be continued...

Some memories below:

The Arroyo Seco

2010-06-10T22:27:00.000-07:00

I felt a stir of wonder as I ventured under the old bridges of South Pasadena Wednesday night, and followed the Arroyo Seco--a stream and watershed in Los Angeles County.

Several days before, a short article in the newspaper caught my eye. "Evening hike on level trail in the Arroyo Seco." I had never explored this ribbon of watershed land that stretches through several cities then eventually empties into the Los Angeles River near Dodger stadium. On google's satellite map, it threads across the page like a skinny green island in an ocean of cement.

The Wednesday evening hike would explore a 3 mile section. Wednesday evening? That's right in the middle of the work week. After some pause for thought, I decided it much better to be adventurous than overly conscientious. Let the men cook their own dinner tonight! And do the dishes to boot!

So after a morning at school and an afternoon with Letty, I pulled in my driveway at 5:30 p.m. to eat a quick dinner and then pick up my friend Lynn.

We drove east passing homes, restaurants, skyscrapers and just when we thought there couldn't possibly be any unoccupied land, the road gently sloped down into a canyon.

We slipped in with the other hikers, who stood in a circle for last minute instructions.

The trail passes under several bridges. The stream swells and shrinks paralleling the Pasadena freeway, the oldest freeway in Los Angeles (1940).

A few of the bridges which cross the Arroyo Seco were built in the 30's. This is the famous Colorado Street bridge (below) built in 1913 known for its beautiful arches, light posts, and railings. During the depression of the 1930's several distraught people jumped off the bridge, thus it acquired the nickname "Suicide Bridge". A protective barrier has been added to make the bridge safe.

The early settlers found the canyon and its flood waters a daunting barrier when they wanted to travel to Los Angeles. There are stories of crossings taking four or five hours before the bridges were built.

At one point, we crept up out of the canyon and alas!—The Rose Bowl! (in the distance below)

We ran out of daylight on the way back. We couldn't see a thing except for the old glowing lamps on the Colorado Street Bridge and these beautiful bushes with white flowers.

Lynn takes a closer look.

I hope you enjoyed the tour!

By the way, "Arroyo Seco" is Spanish for "Dry Streambed".

"Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." ---Jesus (John 4:13,14)

The Day

2010-06-04T22:07:00.000-07:00

Today was Writer's Critique Group. We read through 3 chapters of Sandee's novel, edited the first chapter of Muriel's book, combed through Debbie's proposal, and enjoyed Ruth's funny antedote. We had eleven in attendance, and here are some pictures taken by Deanne.

Yes, I look a little hamish being in both of them. (An accident of course)

Then I went to Letty's. We went to the beauty salon and while she was having her hair done, I met a 90 year old Hawaiian woman "Mary" who stepped out from under the hair dryer. She sat next to me while she waited for the "Dial-a-Ride". It turns out she knows Letty, and I ended up giving her my number, just in case she needed any extra help this summer. (I'm not working in Summer School and could use some extra hours.) Imagine...90! I would love to interview her. The stories she could tell!

Letty and I stopped at a produce place on the way home and bought strawberries and cherries. The cherries were 79 cents per pound! And three baskets of strawberries were $2.00!

After an intense scrabble game, where Letty beat me by 25 points, I went home. Then I remembered I was supposed to go to the bank. So I got back into my 100 degree car and went to the bank. Then I remembered I needed to drop the house payment at the post office.

I really should get more organized.

Letty is a great example for me. For instance. Here is a picture of her sock drawer.

Have a good weekend!

The Secret

2010-05-28T21:01:00.000-07:00

My great-grandfather Alex was a student of the scriptures. I'm fortunate to have inherited his Bible.

I decided to do something I've never done before. I posted on a geneology forum. I typed my great-grandfather's name, and birth date into a forum in Scotland and asked how to go about researching my Scottish roots. Great-grandfather brought his wife and four daughters to America from Scotland when my grandmother was 12.

Left to right...Gertrude, Jean, Lilias, Rene
(My grandmother, Lilias, is in the back on the right.)

The next day I had 2 emails in my box. One person had sent me a document from the Ellis Island archives which listed my g-grandfather, g-grandmother arriving in 1910 along with their daughters. The document included the names and ages of the daughters. I also had an email that said, "The research has already been done." Included was a link to his family tree. I found out that my g-grandfather was a twin. (which is true...but I had forgotten.) I still need to correspond with the person behind "The research has already been done." This story is still unfolding.

But as intriguing as it is to stumble upon some family history, the most important information about g-grandfather is already in my possession. His Bible. And in it, I found a little brochure called "The Morning Watch" which displayed this poem.

The Secret

I met God in the morning,
When my day was at its best
And His presence came like sunrise,
Like a glory in my breast.

All day long The Presence lingered,
All day long He stayed with me,
And we stayed in perfect calmness
O'er a very troubled sea

Other ships were blown and battered,
Other ships were sore distressed,
But the winds that seemed to drive them,
Brought to us a perfect rest.

Then I thought of other mornings,
With a keen remorse of mind,
When I, too, had loosed the moorings,
With The Presence left behind.

So I think I know the secret,
Learned from many a troubled way;
You should seek Him in the morning
If you want Him through the day!

--H.S.C.

G-Grandfather Alex and his four daughters. (My grandmother is standing.)

P.S. Happy Memorial Day...and pray for our country and our troops!

Canyons

2010-05-21T21:16:00.000-07:00

I heard this conversation behind me, as I flew from Colorado to California.
"What is that noise?"
"Someone is taking pictures."
"From the plane?"

Yes...from the plane. How can people NOT look out the window and NOT take pictures.

Check this out. It's so other-worldly. (click on picture to make larger) I think this is Monument Valley (everything is prefaced "I think" when one is on a plane.)

Notice the shadows stretching over the desert from the "monuments".

I think this is the Grand Canyon.

The waning sunlight catches the tops of the canyons.
What a privilege to have an aerial view of God's designs.

Speaking of cool canyons, my husband and his friend Craig drove through Red Rock Canyon recently.
Craig took some amazing pictures.
The canyons are about a two and a half hour drive from our home.
The fluted folds are a result of wind and rain erosion.

"Because of your great compassion you did not abandon them in the desert."
Nehemiah 9:19

It's comforting to know that when we are traveling through the desert, God does not abandon us. Although it's hot, dry and tough-going...there is beauty.

Colorado (Part Three)

2010-05-14T19:45:00.000-07:00

We are driving to "Garden of the Gods." There's Pikes Peak in the background.

This is an amazing place where ancient sedimentary beds of colorful sandstones and limestones stretch toward the sky.

Ashlee and Hollee squeeze into the crevices of "The Three Graces."

They climb the rocks.

He lifted me...out of the mud and mire and set my feet upon a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth. Psalm 40:2

A closer view of Pikes Peak.

We arrive back at the ranch near the end of the day.

The hens are snacking.

The dogs want to play ball.

The horses watch and wait to be fed.

Phyllis Diller cackles, "Where have you been all day!"

The view from the house is breathtaking. I see Pikes Peak in the background and it reminds me of our fun filled day!

View from my brothers ranch.

Back in California, I stopped by a lovely rose garden on my way home from busy errands. I just wanted to share the pictures with you!

The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.
Psalm 145:8

Colorado (Part Two)

2010-05-08T08:07:00.000-07:00

I went to Writers Critique group yesterday and was inspired to write more. Yet I hold back if I don't have something to say...or if I get busy. So my blog sits idle. I'm going to try to post once a week, as a discipline. But I may not have any earth-shattering stories, or deep profound thoughts.

I want to write about my life, but not all things can be said. And writing about one's life is not always interesting to others. When I have been published, it has been with "Personal Experience" stories. That is my best area. However, I'd like to do a few devotions too.

But this is supposed to be about COLORADO and I don't have time to write today, because I have things I must tend to.

Yet I have not forgotten about Colorado and the wonderful time I had there. My mind reflects back...and smiles.

I got to know my nieces a little bit better and that was a joy.

In Colorado, if you're 16 years old...this is what your chores are: "Feed the chickens" and "Hollee---Jose needs to be ridden!"

You can't just run and jump on a horse. Hollee took Jose out, hooked him up, brushed him, then put on his bridle and saddle.

Then she jumped on. Without her boots. So mom patiently went in the house to get them and put them on her feet. BY THE WAY...Happy Mother's day to all!

Hollee and her sister, Ashlee have spent their growing up years showing horses in horse shows. They have won many awards.

Home Sweet Home

We were able to visit "Garden of the Gods" and my brother took me mountain biking! More on Colorado coming soon...(hopefully I'll be back no later than 7 days!)

Colorado (Part One)

2010-05-03T22:46:00.000-07:00

Can you believe this? I met a blogging friend in Colorado!

Dawn and I met a couple of years ago during a stormy time in our lives. We were going through similar situations. Little did I know I would have a chance to see her on my trip to Colorado!

On the way to Dawn's house.

There it is! I've seen that house on my computer!

Initially we weren't going to meet because I would have to drive 85 miles out of the way to see her. I was staying at my brother and sister-in-law's ranch.

But my niece said, "I love to drive! I'll take you there." My younger niece said, "I want to go too!"

My brother, my nieces and me. (2 days ago)

So I met Dawn and her wonderful singing husband! He gave me his latest Gospel Quartet CD "Child of the King".

And these are her sweet granddaughters, Care Bear and Fiesty. We also met her twin granddaughters, who are inside getting ready for bed. I had fun reading a stories to Care Bear and Fiesty. (...and playing "Simon Says")You can visit Dawn and her granddaughters at "Call Me Grandma Dawn."

More about the Colorado trip is coming soon along with pictures of horses and chickens.

Diversions

2010-04-26T21:40:00.000-07:00

Meet my brother, Rick.

Me and Rick

He lives in Colorado on a horse ranch...along with his daughters, ages 16 and 19 and his wonderful wife.

I'm flying out for a 3 day visit this weekend. I emailed and asked if I should bring a heavy or light jacket. "Bring everything!" my 16-year-old niece wrote back. "It's snowing right now." Snowing? Oh...and it could get warm.

So I'm boarding the plane with a heavy jacket and a wide-brimmed sun hat.

This is what my brother and I used to look like.

So I'm leaving Mozart. But first, we will have a date...an evening at Newport Beach.

He just finished working on a movie about the history of surfing in Newport Beach. It's premiering the night before I leave. It should be a lot of fun.

Yes it's quite an exciting week...with my work sandwiched in between.

Speaking of exciting...I took Letty to JC Penney so she could shop for some snappy new tops and when we returned to the car, there sat a $350 parking ticket.

We had forgotten to put up the handicap placard. We drove straight to City Hall to explain ourselves. We came up with some good ones like..."I'm 80 years old—and you expect me to remember everything??"

City Hall was closed until Monday. So today we drove up there, again.
Guess what. They lowered the ticket to $25.00. Hooray!

Thanks for visiting...and I'll be back to report on Colorado!

Good Friends

2010-04-11T17:37:00.000-07:00

We've known each other since we were children.

We went through elementary school together...graduated 8th grade together...and we're still together.

We always see one another on our birthdays.

And on this day, we are celebrating (early) my 54th birthday. Goodness! It looks like they're holding me up.

We decided to do something economical. Forget the fancy restaurant. Let's have a picnic.

We are just outside the Los Angeles County Arboretum...and soon we will enter and explore.

We paused to look at this patio and watch the yellow blooms drift down.

We headed to the Baldwin Cottage and noticed how big these old trees have grown over the decades.

The cottage was constructed in 1885.

We stopped to admire the Wisteria draping near an old Adobe structure reminiscent of the days when this land was part of Rancho Santa Anita.

Oh the tiny and beautiful details of God's creation.

We had a very nice day.

Good friends are a treasure. Are you still in touch with any of your childhood friends?

Anticipation

2010-04-03T17:22:00.000-07:00

Anticipation.

I can't wait to see these bloom! It's almost more exciting to see them all wrapped up——folded so neatly by God's hand. What a surprise they will be.

I have another surprise...of the color yellow. The city decided to put a fire hydrant in front of our house. My lawn is all torn up.

On Easter, I am having dinner for 8...and have been preparing the house and the kitchen all day.

After wishing all of you a Happy Easter, I'm going outside to pick some lemons. I'm making my first lemon meringue pie.

May God's love touch you and your families as you focus on the wonderful gift He has given us...His son...and...because of his death and resurrection, we do not need to fear death...but we look forward to life...to living with the ONE who rescued us from the darkness...who brings light into our lives...forever.

Anticipation.

A Book of Comfort

2010-03-29T19:08:00.000-07:00

My blogging friend Susan, has reviewed a very helpful book, "Words of Comfort for Times of Loss." If you have friends or loved ones who have recently experienced loss of a loved one, or if you are not sure how to help a friend who has experienced deep loss, visit Susan at her blog, Adventurous Living.

Wild Poppy

2010-03-25T20:44:00.000-07:00

Today I had a moment. A moment to myself. It was 4:00 p.m. Mozart ran out the door and said something about recording a pipe organ. The youngest was at school. The oldest...I never know for sure...but there was a bus schedule up on the computer.

So I did something I've never done before. I sat in the poppies. I pushed my lawn chair up against them and sat down with a book that I've never read before. The sun was still high and I felt a soft warmth from head to toe. Perfect light fell across the page of my book, making it easier for my tired eyes.

I should do this more often. It feels like I'm on a vacation.

Oh the simple joys...that we often forget amidst our busy schedules.

The breeze came up, and soon it became a bit cool. I squirmed a little but the book held me to my chair. I'm reading The Story of My Life by Hellen Keller. The third-graders, at school, are studying her life. She is an intriguing person. And she loved nature. She often speaks of the softness of a rose petal, the smell of the sea, and the brush of the breeze on one's face.

I closed my eyes and felt the caress of the breeze and the sweet smell of Spring.

. . . . . . . . . .

Later in the evening we said good-bye to our 22-year-old son, who is moving to a far away place. He hopes to find a job there and live successfully on his own. My prayers will touch him every day. He is in God's care.

Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
...your right hand will hold me fast.

Psalm 139:9,10

My Burden and the Birds

2010-03-21T20:19:00.000-07:00

Home has been busy with all kinds of dynamics relating to 19 and 22 year olds. There is much to pray for.

A surprise email from a friend Debby encouraged me. She asked if she could include my "poem" in a book she is compiling. What poem? It seems I had forgotten about the little piece. It was actually part of a blog post I wrote over a year ago. She emailed the piece to me, and it spoke to me. Maybe it will encourage you too.

(During a quiet time, I read the words of Jesus in Matthew 6.)

My Burden and the Birds

"Look at the birds of the air."
Okay, Lord, I'll go outside and look at the birds.

"They do not sow or reap."
"You're right, Lord. They just swoop down and pluck snacks out of the grass.

"They don't store anything away in barns."
They certainly don't seem to be worrying about the future.

"They don't need to. I take care of them one day at a time."
Are you saying you will take care of my needs, one day at a time, too?

"You are more valuable to me than a bird."
Thank you. Will you take care of my family's needs too?

"Yes, and you won't add a single hour to your life by being anxious."
I'll try to be more like the birds.

"Good."

....I wish I could fly.

"Seek first the kingdom of God and you will fly, just like they do."
(Matthew 6:26-27:33)

A New Ride

2010-03-05T21:44:00.000-08:00

I read the newspaper in the car, waiting for Letty who was in the hair salon. Soon the glass door opened and Letty stepped out with beautiful wavy freshly sprayed hair. I slipped the key into the ignition, as Letty climbed in. I turned the key and it almost spun around in a circle. Something had broken inside...and there was no way to start the car.

Thirty minutes later, we had a new ride.

We were towed directly to the repair shop. The tow truck man dropped the car along the curb...and the repair guys had to push the car into the shop. They won't be able to look at it until tomorrow.

Letty's hair still looks pretty good after all it went through.

After I got home, I started making dinner, and the microwave quit. Nothing will bring it back to life. The big screen TV broke last week, and it still sits quietly in Mozart's office unfixed.

Well...at least life is interesting. And sometimes when old things break, new things happen. Mozart now watches his late evening TV on the smaller TV in the living room, the same room where my son's computer resides. So they're connecting more.

The microwave? My youngest will miss his microwaved burritos. Maybe we'll save money on electricity.

I suppose I could drive my husband's big blue truck to the grocery store tomorrow, but it's like parking a tank.

It's interesting that we don't really need half the things we own.

Have a nice evening. I think I'll go read a book.

At the Dog Park

2010-02-25T17:26:00.000-08:00

It's fun to go to the dog park!
You can meet your friends and catch up on the latest news.
You can play with the big dogs! (Little Maggie--below--loves to run with the big dogs)

You can drink lot's of water...and ask, "Can I stay longer?"
Odd balls are always interesting.
And if you're lucky, you can close the place.

Recently we visited Mozart's sister and husband in Bakersfield. We enjoyed getting out into the open spaces and slowing down, and visiting with one another.

When we got home from the park, the dogs stretched out on the rug for a rest, and Mary and I went outside to see her sugar snap peas. Their growing like little 'Jack in the bean stalks' up and over the fence.

And that was Valentine's weekend...

Mary and Ken

Mozart and Me

Have a good weekend!

On the Road

2010-02-20T11:08:00.000-08:00

No. It's not a ship on the sea. It's a farm in a grove of trees...on a sea of sleeping grapevines.

Last weekend Mozart and I traveled to Bakersfield to visit his sister and brother-in-law. We headed out of Los Angeles, climbed over the mountains and descended into California's fertile basin.

I snapped the picture at dusk, as Mozart drove 80 mph. The open spaces of land were impressive to me. It was a breath of fresh air for this city-dweller. Bakersfield, however, is quite built up...much like home. But one can drive a few minutes and be out into the flat spaces.

I'll post some pictures next time. Today I have to practice EXCEL. I'm taking a class in the evenings.

Have a nice weekend.

The Wheat and the Tares

2010-02-12T21:44:00.000-08:00

Is this a sign? No more rain?

The temperatures are climbing into the 70's. Snowball (below) is returning from a gopher hunt.

It's a beautiful day, but in the midst of beauty, my heart is sad about the tragic Luge accident in Canada...and the shootings in Alabama. There is such heartache in this world. How does one think about a world that offers both beauty, and pain—goodness and violence...existing side by side?

I sometimes contemplate the parable Jesus told about wheat and the tares growing side by side. The servants wanted to pull out the tares, but the master said, the wheat and the tares must grow side by side——the good and the bad, "lest while you are gathering up the tares, you may root up the wheat with them." (Matthew 13:29) He went on to say that at the time of harvest he would separate them, and bind the tares into bundles "to burn them up" and the wheat would be gathered into his barn.

Although the passage doesn't answer all my questions, it sheds a little light on the dilemma. One day we will fully understand, and one day...one glorious day, there will be no more tares.

Status

2010-02-05T21:36:00.000-08:00

It's raining.
Don't have to be at my school job today.
Went to Writer's Critique Group.
Was very happy to see my writing friends.
Edited 2 manuscripts.
Discussed teens, God, atheists and pot.
Played 2 scrabble games with Letty and dusted her house while listening to Susan Boyle.
Dinner: Tuna Melts and Chicken Fajita Soup.
Evening: Spent way too much time on the computer.

Tomorrow is coming.
Plan to stay off the computer (unless I'm starting a new article) and spend more time in the WORD.

A Glimpse of Spring

2010-02-02T22:42:00.000-08:00

This is my friend's "tulip" tree. (Magnolia)
...a reminder that Spring is not far off!

Men, Motorcycles and Machines

2010-01-28T20:28:00.000-08:00

I thought I'd add some more photos of Mozart's riding day earlier this month. He and his friend, Larry, usually stage their bikes somewhere in the desert, and then ride 60 to 70 miles into the wilderness. It's a great thing for a man to do. (and they come home in a great mood...and too tired to cause much trouble.)

The best thing about a ride is getting out into the open spaces and feeling free.

Climbing rocks is always fun.

There are trails to conquer.

And unexpected run-ins with other men...and sparring about whether its better on two wheels or four.

First born son (left), had a mishap last week with his car. He ran out of gas, lost control, hit a curb, and put a hole in his oil box (or whatever it's called). The car had to be towed home. He and his friend are about to pull the engine and look underneath to see what the damage is. And I drove 80 miles round trip to pick up a cherry picker and a "buddy" for this procedure.

Here it comes! Apparently the damage is not too bad...but there is a hole and something will have to be replaced...and money saved...and the car will sit in our driveway for awhile.

Since the first born has no wheels, he has moved back in. So there never seems to be a dull moment with both boys here and Mozart. And it's amazing how fast the food disappears.

I read Isaiah 35 this week. There are many hopeful words.

I liked this:

The desert and the parched land will be glad;
the wilderness will rejoice and blossom.
Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom;
it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy.

I also liked:

Strengthen the feeble hands,
steady the knees that give way;
say to those with fearful hearts,
Be strong, do not fear;
your God will come."

Before the Rain

2010-01-21T21:09:00.000-08:00

Before the rain storms, I stopped by the Arboretum, late in the day, just before it closed. The last rays of sun tilted sideways through the trees making interesting shadows. Here are a couple of photos I took of the mountains. It looks as though there are no homes or buildings between this 125 acre parcel of "park" and the mountains. But they are hidden in the trees. The landscaping is such that one can pretend civilization is far away from the hustle and bustle of city life.

But a city dweller CAN get away from the busy traffic by hiking in the mountains, and here I am below with my friend Lynn. Sometimes we meet up here at sunset and then veer off the trail, and climb a steep hill. We sit on the top, and talk about life. On a clear day I have seen the ocean sparkling...some 60 miles away. The skyscrapers of Los Angeles are always visable on clear days.

A nice hiker took our picture on the lowlands, before we climbed the hill.

Speaking of mountains, Mozart was able to go riding for a day in early January with his friend Larry. They went for a long ride, and took pictures of each other jumping. That's Mozart flying though the air. I'm glad I wasn't watching this.

Two days before the rain, Letty and I went to the Santa Anita Race Track early in the morning to watch the horses work out. You can buy coffee, hot chocolate and breakfast and sit on the patio and watch the horses gallop by. On the patio, one can watch people studying horse statistics, observe jockey's grabbing a snack, catch conversations of horse-owners as they stand watching their investment work out on the track. It's fun to dip into their world for a short time, and then walk around this historical place. The movie, "Sea Biscuit" was filmed here.

Letty poses by the track. (Does it seem strange to see Palm trees in front of the mountains?) My niece from Colorado thought it looked strange (but nice).
If you'd like to make the pictures larger, just click on them.

I love the old Oak trees.

In former days, this is where the horse vetenarian worked.

A mysterious carriage.

I like the race track best when it's empty. (like a deserted beach)

I'll close with a verse I've been thinking about. I need wisdom in these next days and I'm thankful for James who reminds us...

"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind."
James 1:6

It's really a relief to embrace "do not doubt". As soon as I do, I have peace. I know that whatever decisions I make in certain situations....all will work out okay.

Stop and Pray

2010-01-14T19:44:00.000-08:00

I haven't posted for awhile for two reasons. I got busy, and I got the flu. I have some ideas for future posts, but for now, Haiti is on my mind. So I pray. And I feel as though I should stop right now and do so. Especially for the relief efforts, the relief workers, and the people. May God bring comfort, help and a strong sense of his presence.

Happy New Year

2010-01-01T21:54:00.000-08:00

My sister-in-law and her husband visited on Christmas and brought their beautiful dogs. My mom and I took them for a walk.

We had a nice Christmas. I have enjoyed a slower pace between Christmas and the New Year.

Here is one of my favorite Christmas Day pictures. It's nice to have a dog around to make the house look cozy...and it's nice to have guests. That's my brother-in-law Ken reading his book about WWII.

May you all have a Happy New Year!

Update

2009-12-27T10:05:00.000-08:00

I'm still in the current of Christmas happenings. We just said good-bye to our guests, my sister-in-law, brother-in-law, and their 2 dogs. (Pictures to follow)

After church, this afternoon, Mozart and I are driving to Simi Valley to attend a "Listening Party" for the music that he recently recorded here.

I'm looking forward to my week off, but I have a feeling that next week will zoom by. I'll try to enjoy one hour at a time, and that should slow it down.

I hope you had a nice Christmas.

Today

2009-12-18T19:45:00.000-08:00

Today I took a picture of our street. (click to enlarge)

Today I noticed the beauty of a Poinsetta bush on the side of our house.

Today is the third day my oven is out of order and I sighed about the repair bill.

Today the Christmas tree has no decorations except the blinking lights my son talked me into buying.

Today, when I arrived home, three musicians hovered over a large soup pot in my kitchen.

Today I visited Snowball in the backyard.

Today I took Letty to the hair salon and she let me borrow her oven to bake banana bread.
Today I bought a pair of black suede boots for $18.99.
Today Mozart is recording 3 musicians and one is a cook and brought a pot of flavorful meatball soup for lunch.
Tonight, when no one was home, I locked myself out of the house.

Today I'm learning to trust the Lord when certain things are not in my control.
Today I prayed for my sons and husband.

Notes:

My oven is out of order until next Tuesday...and it was my plan to bake a good portion of my presents this year. But as always...things work out. I borrowed my neighbor's oven, one afternoon to bake cookies. We haven't talked in awhile due to our busy lives, so this was a good thing. She has just become a grandmother for the first time! A couple of days later, I drove over to my friend, Sunny's house and used her oven to bake more cookies. I patted the big fuzzy dog, and talked to her husband about the book of Hebrews. Sunny showed me her latest bracelet creation. She needs to come up with a good name for it. The bracelet is based on God's promises in Isaiah. Each bead/charm symbolizes God's compassionate care for us. (The link above will take you to her current bracelets...the "promise" bracelet is still in the works.)

I've had some nice times in my friends' kitchens.

Have a good day!

December Days

2009-12-13T21:34:00.000-08:00

My ginko tree looks better than this. I photographed it in 2007 and I need a new picture. Today the bright yellow leaves sparkled in the sunshine. When the wind blows it looks like a shower of gold. I'll be sad when all the leaves are off.

The rope on the top was wound there by my oldest son when he was eleven. He made a swing for me and wanted to make sure it didn't slip off. It still dangles into my garden. I call that little corner of my yard the "prayer garden". And many prayers are offered there for the boy who hung the swing.

* * * *

Not to change the subject, but I've been busy working on my presentation. At 8:30 a.m. on Monday I'll be standing in front of 5th and 6th grade students in the public school telling them about the celebrations of December. I'll start with Winter Solstice and the festivals surrounding it. Then move on to Hanukkah. The centerpiece will be the birth of Jesus Christ. Next I'll discuss Saint Nicholas and end with Kwanzaa.

Many of the children haven't heard the story of Jesus birth. That's amazing to me. One can present the story of Jesus, as long as its done objectively. So I'm doing it. I hope I'll be able to suppress my passion for that segment, but I doubt it.

I have to go and finish preparing...I'll be back soon!

Have a good week and enjoy your December days.

Status

2009-12-08T13:27:00.000-08:00

(google images)

Arrived home from work at 12:30 p.m.

I'm outside putting up the Christmas lights.

Inside, a whole chicken simmers in a pot.

Chicken Enchiladas tonight.

Snow on the mountain tops.

Two articles are submitted to Chicken Soup for the Soul.

This and That

2009-11-29T21:25:00.000-08:00

I really miss this. Here I am on a ride through the mountains with Mozart.

I don't think I've ridden in one year...maybe longer. I hope I can still do it! That is...keep up with Mozart. Then again...he hasn't been riding either. He's been composing.

Do you know he just reached his 500th composition? That was a goal of his. He said, "When I reach 500, we'll go out to dinner and celebrate." So last night we went out for Italian food.

"Does this mean you will have a little more free time now?" I asked.

"Not until I hit 1000."

Today is Sunday, and Mozart is working in another studio towards the beach, about an hour away. My youngest son is working today at the market, and my oldest son is somewhere...but not here. So I have the afternoon to do as I please. But I wanted to be productive so I made a list. I think I accomplished everything except "put up the Christmas lights".

Let's see...

I bought a baby gift and visited the neighbors who have a new grand-daughter.
Filed papers on my desk.
Read three chapters in the book of Hebrews. (I'm learning quite a bit...and may post about it later.)
Wrote my "Compassion" child in Mexico.
Made meatloaf.
Did 1.5 loads of laundry.
Prayed for people.
Put my bicycle in the back of Mozart's truck and took it to a new neighborhood. It's nice to have a change of scenery. I watched the sun shine sideways illuminating yellow and gold trees. Then the sun disappeared and I wrestled my bike back in the truck.

I stopped by the market on the way home to get some laundry soap and say hello to my young son, who was busy bagging groceries.

After cleaning up the kitchen and folding the last pair of jeans, I decided to enjoy my book. And just as I opened it, I realized I had forgotten the last item on the list.

"Post on your blog"

Have a good week!

Changes

2009-11-20T19:51:00.000-08:00

"This is not a good spot for a picture. We'll be squinting." I said.

"It's fine," Letty said. "Just don't squint. Open your eyes real wide."

This is my lady friend who I help. We do shopping, errands, gardening and scrabble!

Today we went to the mall and strolled along the "promenade".

* * * * * * *

After a long Southern California summer, the leaves are finally starting to fall. The mornings and evenings are cooler, and a few days ago I noticed the constellation of Orion rising in the east. Mother nature is shifting positions and soon will be comfortably settled again.

There have been changes in our home too. Subtle changes. I can see a patch of blue sky. It's as if the hand of the Lord has peeled off a cloud layer. And life's road is no longer as steep. We're going through a section of level ground, and I'm noticing things along the way. Items I have time to stop and examine.

Like God's promises. I feel a growing desire to KNOW his promises. After going through the storm, I know how important it is to have scripture in your heart.

Another item I'm examining is called "believing prayer". I have often transferred my burdens to the Lord's shoulders through prayer. But then I take them back and still feel weighted down. Now, I try to remind myself, "remember...you PRAYED about that. God's got it in his hands."

These are just 2 examples of many new things that have come into my mind...on this new stretch of the road.

On the subject of writing, I just got an email today from Chicken Soup for the Soul. They need some more stories on the topic of "running" and the deadline is Nov. 29 the Sunday after Thanksgiving. My friend is a runner, so I gave her a call...and it looks like I'm going to try to write up a story. It will be a miracle if I get it done by Nov. 29th. (You'd be amazed at how long it takes me to write a post!)

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving. We have a lot to be thankful for at our home.

(Maybe I'll be back at the blog before Thanksgiving.)

Letty is noticing interesting items in the kitchen store—along the promenade.
We sampled seasoned mashed potatoes and pumpkin muffins!

Because of Them...

2009-11-11T16:37:00.000-08:00

Photo from War News Radio website
"Soldiers Resting"

I'm thankful for this day.
A day of rest in the middle of the week.
I have rest...because of the young men and women who protect our country.
I have peace, because they are standing in the gap.
I pray for strength, courage and that they will know God, and His Son.

I think of the families who have lost their sons and daughters, and pray for them. It must be hard for them at this time of year...Thanksgiving and Christmas.

I have a friend who is involved in a prayer ministry for Military Chaplains. They need our support, too.

Hidden Places

2009-11-08T19:27:00.001-08:00

On our last day on Kauai, Steve and Sheryl took us to...what the locals call...a secret beach.

We bumped down a dirt road for a few miles, and parked.

Then we hiked along a trail.

We found ourselves on top of grass covered cliffs.
"Surfers like to jump in from the cliffs," said Steve, so they don't have to fight their way through the waves.
I hope the dog doesn't fall off the cliff.
It was a hot hike.

Nobody was around...but there were signs of local fishermen.
Mozart is relaxing in a fish net hamock. (You should have seen him try to get out of it.)
A view...as we were walking in.

The coral was sharp, and prevented us from going out very far.
Later in the day, 3 surfers appeared on the cliffs. See the surfboard sticking up? A surfer just jumped in, and his board hit the water like a knife bouncing.
Do you see the three surfers in the water? (above)
As we were hiking out. I stopped on the cliffs to take these pictures.

I wanted to stay here longer and watch them catch waves.
Those waves are much bigger than they look in the picture!

We had a great time! And in the evening Mozart and I went out to dinner to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary and our last day on the island.

The kind man at the next table took our picture. Here it is. (a little blurry)

GOOD-BYE KAUAI!

Well...it's not a dirt bike, but it's fun. Mozart is doing tricks on Steve's moped Hey let me try that.
No shifting! Just turn the handle.

I wish I had one of these on the mainland.

Distractions

2009-11-05T19:16:00.001-08:00

You've probably been wondering what happened to the Kauai posts.
Well...I am immersed in a good book.
I actually rarely read...because I'm always so busy running here and there and doing various chores. But oh how fun to be in a good book. I'm finally relaxing at night. (I'm not much of a TV watcher.)

I feel silly telling you what I'm reading. Mainly because you probably have read it years ago. It's the "Left Behind" series. Part of the allure of this experience is looking forward to curling up in the evening and reading until I drop.

Oh...actually I DO watch TV on Thursday and Sunday. My husband I watch 2 shows together. This is a big deal to me, because he is always so busy with his work and I love having this sort of "date" with him. We watch Extreme Home Makeover and Survivor. We get a kick out of some of the personalities on Survivor.

Mozart does like those "cop" and "lawyer" shows at times, but I'm usually doing something else.

I'll be back soon with my "Last Day on Kauai" post. We hiked into a hidden beach.

Some of my favorite photos will be in that post! (But first I have to finish the final chapters of "Tribulation Force!)

Mozart has just informed me "Survivor is on in two minutes."

Talk to you soon!

Where the Road Disappears

2009-10-25T21:21:00.000-07:00

I just checked the weather in Kauai today (October 29th) —its 83 degrees with rain. We didn't see much rain on our trip, but the day we drove to the North shore it sprinkled.

As we approached the our destination, the road narrowed, our car slushed through puddles and pot holes. We crossed a couple of one way bridges, then gradually came to a halt.

And there it was. The last beach accessible to humans. Beyond this point one would have to travel by boat, helicopter or a 15 miles foot trail through dense jungles and high precipices.

This map will show you where we were—where the road disappears. (top left)

Beyond this beach are the spectacular cliffs of the Na Pali Coast (pali means cliffs). Jurassic park was filmed here and so was King Kong. It doesn't take much imagination to feel you have stepped back in time to the dawn of civilization.

Ten years ago, when Mozart and I were here with my parents, we sailed along the cliffs in a boat. But today, Mozart and I simply enjoyed the beach.
(for more pictures of the Na Pali Coast click here.)

and the snorkeling.
I'm mesmorized by a bright blue and green Parrot Fish.

After snorkeling, a picnic lunch, and trying to photograph a hen with her chicks
I talked Mozart into something he would never do at home.

I talked him into hiking into the dense jungle and along the forbidden cliffs (just a little ways please) so we could take some pictures.

The trail was quite rocky.
"C'mon Mozart."

Just a little further.

To some great views.

Choose one to click on...and you'll feel like you're there.

Take a moment to look at the beautiful pictures of the Na Pali Coast and enjoy the handiwork of our Creator.

The next post will be about our last day on the island...spent with our Kauai friends...at a secret beach.

On top of the Red Lava

2009-10-20T21:14:00.000-07:00

The road carried us through the old sugar cane fields and into the rugged mountains toward Waimea Canyon. As we drove through a clump of trees, we heard a noise that seemed out of place. We slowed the car and listened. Did you see that?

Through the trees we could see a dirt biker streaking in wild abandon across the red soil Kauai-style (no helmet) in his slippers.

We drove a little further...and sure enough...
Things were making sense now.

A lot of sense.

We parked the car and headed through the trees.

Well this was not quite what we expected, but it looked like it might be worth a spin. Too bad we didn't have our bikes.

We finally arrived at Waimea Canyon, but we were unaware of what lay ahead...or should I say below. We stepped out of the car into the cool air. We followed the pathway to the sign (below) then headed up a few rocky steps which opened out to a "balcony" on the top. We walked to the edge and looked over.

There are no words or pictures to describe the beauty. It took our breath away. The vivid colors and untouched landscape—not to mention the immensity of the canyon—made me think of heaven itself.
There is a high risk of these canyons being stuffed with clouds, much to the disappointment of those who make the drive. But today, at this hour, the clouds floated above the canyons and parted slightly allowing sunlight to spill here and there.

To the upper right of the picture (above) you can see people standing on the "balcony" of the lookout.

This canyon, and its red lava beds is 12 miles long. It is said to have been caused by a large earthquake that sent existing streams flowing into a single river, which then carved the canyon. Mark Twain called it, "The Grand Canyon of the Pacific."

At the lookout I remember the people around me stood quietly, as if stunned. When they did talk, it was in a whisper. There was a feeling of reverence for this beautiful creation.

Coming up....The day we traveled to the North Shore (to snorkel) and found ourselves lured onto a treacherous trail.