It Blows Me Away

 Just an ordinary week.  I have just been getting ready for a little trip, and you know how that is - gathering all the essentials needed, washing clothes, and taking care of things around the house before I go.  I went to K's Boutique in town, and saw this cute blouse, so I bought it.  I've always loved florals in fashion, and thought it would be cute with some jean shorts.

I think these are Sparrows (you can tell me if I'm wrong), and one day last week so many gathered on my lawn.  It reminded me of the verse we've heard so many times before.

~Are not two Sparrows sold for a penny?  Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father's care.  And even the very hairs on your head are all numbered.  So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many Sparrows~

~Matthew 10

And the pretty, but naughty, bird has been coming around a lot pecking at everything and anything.

This purple flowering bush is at my neigbor's house.

Ready for summer.  One of my favs is the Magnum Double Caramel Ice cream.  Incredible.

Tacos!  I've also been making iced green tea these summer days.

Over the weekend, it wasn't too warm, so I wanted to take a drive in the country.  In the mountains at summertime, there is a mix of greens, browns, and blues, with some vibrant splashes of color from the flowers.  I noticed the billowing clouds right away.  I came across some tall stalks that were unusual and unfamiliar, but the blooms were pretty.  I saw more chipmunks than usual cross the roads and hide themselves in the woods.  Come along with me on my country drive, and see some of the views from this mountain area.

My Nel will turn 45 in a couple weeks, and I just can't get over that.  I was only 20 years old when I was pregnant with her, so on my 21 birthday, instead of going out and dazzling the town with drinking and dancing, I was at home nursing this funny little baby.  I was the lucky one, as there was no place else I'd rather be.  She became my best friend, and I did everything with her.  I think since she was my first child, and I was constantly with her, when she started school I was very protective, and I literally watched and waited until her teachers came out, formed a line, and she was safely in the classroom.  But she did well in school, and always got good grades.  She developed her own personality, and through the years I noticed that she had a few different traits than her mom; she loved water sports, she loved to travel, and she loved college.  But now that she's a little older and a mama herself, I see many of my own traits in her.  Even at 45, I look back and remember all those years of wonder, and I think to myself, ~I'm so glad you're part of me, and that, Danelle, you're mine~

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.

🌞🌞🌞⛆⛆⛆

  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.  Some parishes often leave doors unlocked during the day when workers and volunteers are on-site, and on those days you can go inside the church, say a prayer, light a candle, and just be.  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.