Glimpses Of White

 The days are getting warmer here, and it is supposed to be in the 80's most of June, which will be a pleasant month.  We'll see how July goes.  We did have a light rain with thunder one day last week; I love those rainy days in the summertime.

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  I went to the church grounds, and I wanted to get my Rosary blessed by the Priest.  While I was there, he gave me Communion too.  When I was a kid, things were a little different in the Catholic Church than they are now.  We used to be able to just walk inside the church and say a prayer at anytime.  And the Priest was always around.  Now, because of the way of the world, some of the churches are closed during the day, and appts. are made.  There is a scene in Rocky that makes me laugh.  He goes to see the Priest because he wants to get a blessing before the fight.  He yells from his car, and the Priest greets him at the window.  He loves this Priest and chats with him for a moment, and the Priest smiles and gives him a blessing.  That's the way it was back then.  And in many areas, it still is.  So, I tend to go with what I know and what I'm familiar with.  If I see the Priest on the church grounds, I will sometimes ask him for Communion, and of course, I receive it at Mass too, but it's always nice to chat with the Priest.  And what a good feeling it is to receive the Body of Christ.  I encourage my children often to do this.  While I was there, I took some pics of the grounds.  There weren't many flowers because they all came and went, but there was a couple white roses for me to admire.

And since fourth of July is near, I got a neat one of both flags in the front and rear entrance.

Braised barbecue pork meal with garlic bread.

Some days when I don't feel like cooking, I'll get take-out.  I got a breakfast burrito with bacon, and their burritos are so filling that you can have them for lunch or dinner.  High above, on one of their walls, I noticed this sign.  I loved what it said.

We reserve the right to refuse service

No matter who you are,

Who you think you are,

Or who your daddy is!

~When I was at the grocery store, I came out with all my groceries, and there was a silver blue Tundra in the parking lot near my car.  Inside the truck there was a white Dove just sitting there on the dashboard.  I was in awe because I've only seen one white Dove before (on the freeway driving to So Cal).  It wasn't small, but big, white, and beautiful.  I wanted to take a picture, but didn't have my camera with me, so I just enjoyed the moment.~

Angela Schueler photo

Summertime here is when people come from all over to hike the Pacific Crest Trail.  And some have been known to hike for months at a time.  It's so interesting when I run into one of the hikers when I'm in town.  This time, the homeland was from the Netherlands.  He was a young hiker, eager to see everything.  I asked him if he has seen the waterfalls yet, and he said, "not yet, but I will."  I love to hear all the different accents from these backpackers when they're passing through our town.

  A few more pictures from Greece that Nel sent me.

Welcome summer!

A Little Of This, A Little Of That

 It's getting warmer here, and you can tell summer is right around the corner.  It's not too hot, just warm enough to enjoy this season with a pleasant atmosphere.  My brother-in law came for a visit, and I love when I see that little brown bag, cause I know some goodies are in there - two different small cakes, and a big pack of pork ribs with barbecue sauce.  We had a nice conversation with stories of old and new.  I made him a cup of coffee, and while he had the brownies I just made, I enjoyed some of the cake he brought.

Have you ever tried this barbecue sauce?  It's the best.  I'm not sure if it's popular in the south, but it's one of our favs around here.

Remember my neighbor's bush with the single rose that bloomed?

This is what they look like now.

My family are Rocky lovers, and all 9 movies of Rocky and Creed are showing on Netflix right now, and we've been watching some of them.  It's a 50 year celebration, from 1976-2026.

Some summer pretties around the house.

So, I mentioned to you that Jess and Nel are on a fabulous trip, and I'll give you a hint on their destination.  This heritage sparks in my dad's blood....and mine!

You guessed it.....GREECE! 

I'll share a few pics that Jess sent me first.

Athens....You may have heard that there are a lot of Cats in Greece.  This is true, and for many different reasons, one of them is that they don't neuter their cats and just let them roam, believing that altering animals is unnatural and goes against the animal's nature.  They view the strays as "community wildlife."  They are treated very good and fed, even on the streets.

My favorite Pastichio dish.  It tastes a little like lasagne, but different with the unique spices they use in the recipe like cinnamon and Bechamel sauce.

The villas in Greece are so charming and old with flowers and family stories.

I loved this photo because my grandfather's name was Leonidas.  He immigrated from Greece in 1912, and raised his family in the states, in my hometown!

One of my favorite pics is of the dancers with their unique and festive clothes.

Loved the expression on Francesca's face when eating one of the meat skewers haha.

The ruins in the background are the Acropolis, and the Parthenon is part of it.  The Parthenon is one of the most famous and influential structures in the world, and probably the most famous in Greece.

On the Island of Zakynthos....while Nel was making her presentation, Jess wandered around.  They found a church, and Jess lit a candle and said a prayer for me.  I thought that was so very special.

I'll show you more of their Greece trip in the days ahead.  Since Father's Day is approaching, I'd like to share with my new blog friends a little about my own dad.

*I was fortunate to have a terrific dad.  He had a big smile and a twinkle in his eye.  He was always there for his kids if we needed anything, and I was very close to him growing up.  He had a garden across the street from our house, and I would go over there and help him water and pick veggies, and we would sometimes have long meaningful talks.  He was also a hunter, and I accompanied him at times on his hunting trips.  He worked for the phone company, and when I was a little older, I would visit him at the workplace, and he introduced me to many of his co-workers.  He was always out there in the yard sprucing things up, and making his house look nice.  He was a good husband and dad, and since I was the youngest, I had the least time with him before he left this world.  I was only 28, and not at all ready to lose someone so dear to me, but he filled my life with many good things, and I am thankful every day to have had such a great dad.

I'm the wee one on my oldest brother's lap.

Fourth Of July Hutch

One of the best purchases I made was the white hutch that stands in the corner of my house.  I love decorating it for the holidays and seasons that come around.  My pulled neck muscle feels better, but my neck is still stiff and sore, so I rested last week, and I thought it would be a good time to decorate my hutch for the 4th of July.  I don't have a lot of stuff for this holiday, as I gave many things away in the moves - three moves in six years (awful, but each move gave me some special moments that I will always remember).  So, here is my hutch that's not too cluttered, just festive enough for the 4th. 🎇🎇🎇

I found this little 4th of July girl at Hobby Lobby this year.

A few other items.

And I can't forget to put out my 'All American' Troll that I've had since my childhood.  The writing on his shirt is faded, but that's what makes him vintage and a treasure.   He's at least 55 years old. 

I found these pretty blue candle holders, and I already had the tapers.

I liked them so much, I went back and got another.

Made a batch of sugar cookies and chocolate chip cookies cause they're always good with a cup of coffee.

My neighbor across the street has a row of pink roses planted in her front yard.  There are a couple red bushes mixed in with them.  This red rose was the first to bloom this spring.

My son made a braised chicken dish.  I got a picture of it before it was all gone - it was really good.

~Oh, to be a kid again in the spring and summer....chasing the butterflies, listening to the frogs tell a story, picking the wild dandelions anywhere and everywhere, skipping and laughing, and resting on a tree stump until you do it all over again~

From the plane....✈ Jess and Nel went on a fabulous trip, and I'll share with you the destination soon.