Good times here and there

What a beautiful Wednesday morning we are having here!  Much less humidity and only 75 degrees right now!  I'm sitting at the computer with my window open, listening to the birds and feeling the breeze.  The first picture I'm posting was taken Friday evening from the patio at Anthony and Lori's place.  They have such a great view of the sunsets.

And check out her hydrangea bush!!  I am so jealous!  I still have no sign of a bloom on mine.

So this is the season when everyone is gladly giving away the abundance of zucchini from their gardens.  I found a recipe for zucchini bread that called for whole wheat flour and no sugar!  In the place of sugar it uses Stevia in the Raw.  So I'm always looking for low carb desserts for Dick and decided to try it.  I threw in some dark chocolate chips.  It's pretty good, definitely not as delicious as it would be if it had sugar in it.  I'll probably make it again since I've got plenty of zucchini here from several friends.  

On Friday morning I met Pastor Lynn at Sower's Harvest Cafe in downtown State College.  They have outdoor seating, and I wanted to introduce her to this lovely place.  What a perfect morning!  It was overcast and not too hot like many mornings have been.  We both got their delicious French toast.  

Our family has a number of special dates on the calendar at the end of July.  Friday was our Swedish granddaughter Katrina's 27th birthday.  How I wish we could spend more time together!  The picture in the middle was from her brother Bjorn's wedding in February 2019.  The others were taken at special occasions when we were together over the years of her life.  She's the one that made me a grandma!

Then Saturday was our daughter Lisa and her husband George's 22nd wedding anniversary.  Here are some memories from that very joyous day in 1998.  

On Saturday Dick and I drove to Lancaster County for a very special event - Destiny and Alex's baby shower.  It was held at Teen Central in our home town of Manheim.  Such a great place for a family event!  I couldn't believe how beautifully decorated it was when we arrived!  Obviously it was a Monster's Inc theme, haha!  So funny because she was very little with pigtails when the movie came out and everyone thought that the little girl in the movie looked like Destiny!

She could not have looked more beautiful!

Her other grandma provided all the scrumptious Puerto Rican food and it was amazing!!  She makes the best rice and beans and the most tender, tasty meats!

Gift opening was a really fun time.  

Of course we had to have some group pictures!  Top picture is Destiny with her siblings and dad (our son Frank) and stepmother Lauren.  Bottom picture is Alex and Destiny with his dad, his little brother, and his sister and her baby.    

Two adorable babies - Destiny's little sister V'anni, 11 months old, and Alex's nephew, 9 months old - both of them walking already!!!

Top picture is Destiny with her sister Keshila and brother Shalimar.  They are her siblings on her mom's side.   Bottom picture is Destiny with her siblings Jada, V'anni, Alaya, and J'von - on her dad's side.  

A few pictures of shower guests so we can remember who all was there.  

Dick and I wore masks except when we were eating.  Her other grandparents did too.  There were Clorox wipes and hand sanitizer readily available.  It did not feel comfortable wearing masks, but we weren't willing to take chances being around so many people.  We still had a really good time and were so glad to be there. 

All the food and gifts, etc. had to be loaded into cars afterward and there was no room for Destiny, haha!  So we gave her a ride home, which was good, because I realized we had not gotten any picture of us with her.  So we took these pictures before we left.  

We stopped by Sam's place on the way home.  They would have loved to go to the shower, but he couldn't get off work.  So we gave them some leftover food and some party favors.   I wanted to get a picture of them, but Bianca was not cooperating.  Before long we realized it was because she really needed to pee, haha!!  I caught this one as she was quickly heading inside! 

We had another gorgeous morning for outdoor worship at GBRV on Sunday.  We haven't had rain any time so far!  Afterward we went home and worshiped with Calvary online.  

Sunday was also J'von's 16th birthday!  What a great kid he is!  A great athlete, a good student, and a really kind, gentle big brother.  We have so many pictures of him when he was a baby.  Just the cutest little guy!

I took a walk around the house on Sunday afternoon to see how everybody was doing, and then I watered them too.   I found that cute pink lily hiding under one of the tall grasses.   The lilies are gradually blooming less and less.  I will miss them.  I was glad to see the black eyed Susans. 

In the evening we decided to drive on Purdue Mountain Road.  It goes across the top of the mountain that's behind us.  I had never been up there and was hoping there would be a scenic lookout.  But there wasn't.  There are trees everywhere and many, many private properties and homes.  We would have had to trespass in order to get a scenic view.  So I settled for this view!  

On Monday morning the women of GBRV had a brunch under the canopies to officially welcome Pastor Lynn.  We were to bring our own coffee, lawn chair, and mask, and they provided bottled juice and boxed breakfast sandwiches from a cafe in Bellefonte.  Also, our church's "baker Curtis" provided the best croissants EVER!!  They also were boxed.  We had a really special time of inspiration and fun.

Monday was a gorgeous day!  As I backed out of our driveway later in the afternoon to take dinner over to Anthony and Lori I took this picture of our house - through the closed passenger car window!  I do love our little home and never stop thanking the Lord for it. 

As I was cooking on Monday afternoon I was listening in the background to the live coverage of Rep. John Lewis's ceremony at the capital rotunda.  When I heard the opening of Amazing Grace I quickly grabbed my phone to take this video.  Wow!!!!  Rev. Wintley Phipps.  I really don't know how anyone stayed seated during the last part.  So powerful!!   

And once again I leave you with a ridiculous story and picture.  Yesterday morning I had a physical, which had been postponed from three months ago.  I ate a banana and mixed nuts on the way there.  The appointment took longer than I had expected, so when I came out to the car afterward I was really hungry.  I was glad there were still some mixed nuts left in the baggie.  But woah!!!  I had forgotten there were also a few dark chocolate chips in there too!  What a MESS!!  And I was already driving!  I had to hold my right hand in the air until I got to my next stop and could grab my pack of wipes with my left hand, hahahaha!!  

Have a good rest of the week!

Midweek musings

Believe it or not, I've taken only one picture of my flowers since I last posted on Saturday!  The lilies are gradually blooming less and less.   This is the latest new one.

On Saturday afternoon I had a video call with Jeremy.  He took me on a tour of his gardens.  That boy!!!  His green thumb just amazes me!  So many vegetables and flowers!  I couldn't believe his hydrangea!  I'm definitely jealous!!

While we were on our video chat, I got a text message from Lori.  It was this picture!  She said, "Just spotted by the pond."  I'm not even sure what kind of bird it is, but certainly nothing we've ever seen there before!

We had a quick, fun driveway visit late Saturday evening with our Arizona friends.  I met Margie through blogging years ago, and we met in person in 2010 when they were in PA and stayed here after a Penn State game.  We've stayed in touch through Facebook.  They were here this past weekend to help their daughter move from State College back to Arizona and made a quick stop to see us!  The inset is our 2010 picture.

On Sunday morning we had our outdoor service in the heat at GBRV, then came home to watch Calvary's service online.   Both were so good!

Later in the afternoon we drove down to Sam's place and we went to a riverfront restaurant a few miles from his place for dinner.  Of course it was HOT, but gradually we got some shade.  The beautiful setting made up for it.  Doesn't get much better than this!  I'm sure we'll be going there more often.  It won't always be so hot. 

We had fun too.  I love how Sammy runs the "show," always wanting to get some kind of trivia game going.  He has such a fascinating mind.  

One morning this week I was awake before 5:00 and couldn't go back to sleep, so I decided to sit on the side porch to watch the sun rise.  It was so peaceful and beautiful.  I thought I should do this more often, but who wants to get up that early on purpose??  6:15 is early enough for a night owl like me. 

Tuesday evening I met a friend of mine from my Calvary Bible study at the arboretum.   We strolled and talked and sat by the fountain (far enough apart from each other) and talked and talked and talked.  A beautiful evening! 

Now for some pictures of some of our kids and grandchildren.

Last week Frank and Lauren and family were at the beach.  Here are some pics of the kids I saved from Lauren's FB posts.   Alaya and Jada on top, V'anni on the bottom left, Destiny and J'von on the bottom right.  

Austin has been putting his creativity to good use.  Here's a creation of his made from 192 pieces of paper!  I wish I could show how it turns.  Just amazing!

This morning Anthony posted a video of Hunter dancing.  I took screen shots from the video.  Hunter finds cool songs in the keyboard and then dances with them.  Anthony's caption was, "I have my own DJ and dance instructor."  So cute!!

Out in Portand Jeremy and Mike and the boys are camping at the beach.  A few weeks ago their 8-year-old first foster son went to live with his biological dad.  It was hard on all of them, and how well I know that pain!!  But they had met the dad beforehand and have a friendly relationship and will continue to be in touch with him.   Within a week or two, a seven-year-old came to their home.  That's him in red.  The five-year-old little sweetheart and clown has been with them since March.  

Here's a beautiful picture from an awards ceremony they had at Calvary Christian High School in Clearwater a few weeks ago.  Of course their Spring track season was cut very short by COVID, but they at least had a few meets before the middle of March, and they were able to hold an award ceremony in June.  Of course that's Coach Lisa in the middle.  Sophie and the young man (both 9th graders) were awarded Rookie of the Year.  How I miss them!  It's a whole year since we last saw each other in person.  

I admit I feel discouraged today.  I've been following my friend Tonja's requests for prayer this week. Tonja and I met each other here in Blogland back in 2006.  We actually met in person one time.  And of course now we're FB friends.  On Monday Tonja asked us to pray for her friend Patty.  Patty was fighting COVID, was in the hospital on a respirator and sedated.  I remembered Patty even though I had never met her in person.  She and Tonja had been friends all of their adult lives, had taken trips together, raised their children together.  She has a husband, two adult children, and grandchildren, none of whom could be with her in the hospital, of course.  I immediately began to cry and to pray for all of them and for the medical staff.  Tonja gave updates that were not good, but I kept praying.  This morning, the first thing at the top of my FB feed was Tonja's post about a song about heaven that Patty used to sing, and that now she is there.  

UGH!!  Yes, I know that as Christians death is not terrible and that seeing Jesus face to face will be glorious.  But it's just so hard and so sad for the family and friends that have to go on living without her.  I don't want to hear about people my age unable to recover from COVID.  We're trying to be careful, we really are.  But I miss being with loved ones and I'm SO WEARY of being careful and yet so unhappy with all the people who aren't being careful, thus potentially spreading the virus.    

The most worthwhile thing I have listened to all these months is this interview Andy Stanley did with Stuart and Kellee Hall.  Stuart survived COVID, and their story is intense.  The things they shared at the end of the video about what they have learned from their experience are so PROFOUND!!  I really encourage you to listen to this if you have not already.  It's worth every minute!

Blessings on the rest of your week!

Lots and lots of flowers, a few sad events, and a silly one too!

It's been almost a week since I updated here, and I feel like the only thing I did all week was take pictures of flowers, haha!!  So here goes......

We got rid of our dying knockout rose bush and replaced it with this tiny one.  It's blooming!  I hope it gets huge and full of flowers like our other one did for years.  

We also bought what was supposed to be a yellow hybrid tea rose (according to the tag that was attached.)   Hmmm.  This is what it looks like!  

This is the lovely display at a neighbor's house.

As many mornings as possible I have taken time to sit on the side porch, hanging the white sheet for privacy and protection from the sun.  I've been using a prayer guide from Calvary that was made for their "Forty Days of Prayer" emphasis.  It's been a really special time for me.  Certainly can't complain about the view either!

Yesterday I had a little visit on the patio with Hunter.  He read a book to me.  It was the first time I had heard him read in such a long time.  I thought I was taking a video the whole time and was eager to share it with you.  But guess what?  Apparently I forgot to press the button to start it!  I was holding my phone, watching him through the viewer the whole time, not taking anything.  I was so disappointed when I realized it afterward.  

Dick was mowing while I was there.  If you look really hard you can see him near the hammock. 

There were two deaths in our extended families this week.  Early in the week we got the shocking news that DeLynn Hoover, married to Dick's cousin Gloria Stauffer, died from a heart attack.  He was just 48 years old!  Just the evening before, Gloria had posted this adorable picture on Facebook. 

Gloria and DeLynn have been heading up VidaNet, a ministry in Central American countries, primarily Costa Rica, for years.  They have impacted thousands of lives, and his sudden passing is a huge loss.  They have one daughter, recently married, and the son they have taken in, pictured with them above.  He was buried in Honduras this week, and she was able to fly home to family in Ohio yesterday.  Our hearts ache so much for her and their children. 

I also learned this week that my cousin Paul Miller's wife Jean (my age) passed away after a battle with cancer.  Because many of my relatives on the Witmer side are conservative Mennonites and do not use social media, it's easy to be unaware of things like this.  I actually did not learn of her death until after her funeral was over.  I was delighted to find that some of her children were on Facebook and was able to get in touch.  Here is a beautiful picture of Jean with her daughters.  

And one silly picture to leave you with!  Last week I saw a picture of a boy sitting on the kitchen sink with his feet in the sink bowl.  The story was that he had a severe head ache and his mother had put his feet in warm water and an ice pack on his neck.  His headache left.  When I posted the picture on Facebook I said that I'll have to try that next time.  Someone said to make sure I put my feet in the kitchen sink!  So when I had a headache the other day I decided to give it a try.  I knew that it would be much easier to put my feet in the tub, but just to be ridiculous I tried the kitchen sink.  I wanted to have a picture to prove it, so I put my phone on the opposite counter, set my step stool in front of the sink, set the timer for 10 seconds, pushed the button on my phone, then scrambled to get in place before it snapped.  It might have taken a few tries, hahahaha!!  I have one VERY unattractive picture of an attempt where my last leg was just on the way up.  On the third try I got it!  My headache did go away, but probably because I was having too much fun to remember I had one!

Well, that's it for this time.  Have a good weekend!  It's a hot one here.