A Lesson in Perseverance

I was amazed at how surefooted this young mountain goat was.  I think that in our lives the times we are most surefooted is when we learn through perseverance.  And as Christians we are call to persevere in this journey of Providence. 

~~~^j^~~~

Thanks be to God!

~~Mosaic Monday~

Then followed that beautiful season... Summer....
Filled was the air with a dreamy and magical light; and the landscape
Lay as if new created in all the freshness of childhood.
-- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

There is still enough summer to be had by all.  But for the students who return to school tomorrow the season has waned much to fast.   To them I say enjoy renewing friendships in the "Halls of Ivy."

~~~^j^~~~

Thanks be to God!

Though Mary at The Little Red House is taking a break until August 18, Lisa at  Macro Monday  will still have her show. The pictures are grand and so are the pictures of others!

I would also like to remind you that Wednesday is Adventure Tour Express.  Be thinking about the adventure you would like to share on our journey together!

Devotion MEME

Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana

Esther at A Catholic Mom in Hawaii tagged me for this meme which calls me to name my 5 favorite Catholic devotions. And so it is that I begin with this reminder.

Regardless of the hour;

Whatever you have to say, 

God has time to listen

If you have time to pray.

Ken Brown

1. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.


2. Scriptural Rosary especially Rosary of Praise, A Scriptural Rosary Base on John Paul II's Rosary Meditation by Larry and Connie London


3. Meditation on the Stations of the Cross


4. Liturgy of the Hours and reflections offered in The Magnificat.


5. Novena and Litany in Honor of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus

So now I tag: 

Tracy  
Cy
Abbey
Sue
Lisa

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend and may God bless you all abundantly!

~~~^j^~~~

Thanks be to God!

~Bad Haiku Friday~

Today is a little difficult for me because I have not gotten hooked on reality programming.  I tried watching Big Brother and the Bachelor, but to no avail.  I guess you'd say I'm happier not knowing the "real" and choosing to be "unrealistic."  (I'm a fan of NCIS!)

Nonetheless, I 'm going to give it a try.  There was one show I've watch once or twice and found interesting, Undercover Boss.

Undercover Boss

Pretty sneaky how they check

Boss plays peek-a-boo.

Now off with ya to Laura's Catholic Teacher's Musings.  There'll be lots more fun there.  Wishing all a grand weekend!!!

~~~^j^~~~

Thanks be to God!

~Picture Puzzle Day~

 Butterfly in Mimosa

June, 2010

Needed a little diversion today and thought it best to try my hand at a jigsaw puzzle.  Ron took this picture of the butterfly at the Daniel Boone home sight near St. Louis this summer.  It is one of my favorite pictures.  Wishing you all a wonderful butterfly day!

~~~^j^~~~

Thanks be to God!

To enter the diversion enter the world of JigZone and play along today!  Then just link it here so we all can play!

~~Adventure Tour Express~~

 ~~~~~~~

Do you remember your very first trip?  My first memory of a trip was to visit my great grandparents in Manzanola, Colorado.  Grandpa and Grandma Elliott lived on a small farm with chickens, cows, and a donkey.  There was no running water.  Water was pumped from outside.  I do remember though that Grandma had a pump by the kitchen sink.

There was no indoor plumbing.  I remember making sure that I had used the outhouse before I went to sleep because it was dark with no lights and I was frightened of critters that roamed the night.

Breakfast at the farm was so good.  Grandma made fresh lard biscuits with bacon and fresh eggs.  The oatmeal was a little stiff though.  The milk was always warm.  I always thought that the ice box must not work until one day when Mom told me that the milk had just come straight from the cow.  I often wondered how they "cleaned" the milk before I drank it.


I will not romanticize life on the farm because as much as I loved to visit, I was glad to go home.  It is hard work living and working on a farm.  I had it made at home.  We had TV, running water, TV, indoor plumbing, TV, and ice cold milk.  And don't forget we had just gotten our TV.  This was in 1953.


To all farmers and their families, I would like to say thank you for all the hard work you do to keep our tables covered with wondrous foods provided by you and our Creator!

~~~^j^~~~

Thanks be to God!

I look forward to your adventure tales.   Just link below to share your story.  As always your words of wisdom are also welcome.

Bible vs Cell Phone

VS

A gift was sent my way today and I wanted to share it with you.  Some of you may have already read this as I have but it is so good I just had to pass it on again!

~~~~~

Ever wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our cell phone?

What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?

What if we flipped through it several times a day?

What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it?

What if we used it to receive messages from the text?

What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it?

What if we gave it to Kids as gifts?

What if we used it when we traveled?

What if we used it in case of emergency?

This is something to make you go....hmm...where is my Bible?

Oh, and one more thing.

Unlike our cell phone, we don't have to worry about our Bible being

disconnected because Jesus already paid the bill.

Makes you stop and think 'where are my priorities? And no dropped calls!

When Jesus died on the cross, he was thinking of you!

~~~^j^~~~

Thanks be to God!!!

~Mosaic Monday~

Pictures of a time gone by, when the Shaw family would spend summer holidays at the cabin on Lake George, just northwest of Colorado Springs.  I can only imagine how beautiful it must have been.

~~~^j^~~~

Thanks be to God!

Please visit Mary and The Little Red House and Lisa for Macro Monday. Their pictures are grand and so are the pictures of others!

I would also like to remind you that Wednesday is Adventure Tour Express.  Be thinking about the adventure you would like to share on our journey together!

~Bad Haiku Friday~

Weird Habits

Weird is only weird
When others say that it's so
My habits aren't weird!

I have no habit
That might be unorthodox
Strange or odd I'm not.

Normal is the word
Easy to see that I am
Just Queen of the world!

~~~^j^~~~
Thanks be to God!

My sincerest thanks to my sister-in-law, Linda, for sending me this card and to Mary Engelbreit for creating it!  Now, for even more fun please visit Laura at Catholic Teacher's Musings for Bad Haiku Friday and for Haiku My Heart visit here.

Tea Talk and Zucchini Relish

Come, let us have some tea and continue to talk about happy things.

Chaim Potok

I'm having...A new tea by Lipton.  It's called Island Mango and Peach White Tea.  It flavor filled and refreshing.  I sweetened it a bit with Splenda.

My teacup is...One of my favorite mugs. It says exactly who I am.

I'm feeling...satisfied.  I canned the Zucchini Relish yesterday and there is such a feeling of satisfaction.  I think they turned out well.  We will be taste testing it today at work.  There are some fine palates there.

On my mind...finishing the laundry...I want it done before the weekend in case we decide to do something special.

Zucchini Relish

Finally, for all who wish to have it, here is the recipe for Zucchini Relish.

Wash zucchini, DO NOT PEEL.  Cut out seeds.

Shred zucchini-10 cups

4 cups chopped onion

5 tablespoons canning salt

MIX-- Set out at room temperature overnight.

Next day--Drain, rinse, and drain again.

Put in bowl with:

5 cups sugar

2 1/2 cups vinegar (I used cider vinegar)

2 large green peppers, diced

1 large red pepper, diced

1 teaspoon celery seed

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon turmeric

1/ teaspoon black pepper

Put in pan and cook until it boils.

Put into jars with lids (makes 6 pints)

Put into pressure cooker and pressure up to 5 pounds.  Or place in a pan and cover jars with water about 1 inch over the tops and boil for 10 minutes.

Give it a try and let me know what you think!

~~~^j^~~~

Thanks be to God!

Now won't you join me and visit Ruth at Celebrate Friendship is hosting Tea Talk at her house? Share a cup of tea or a cool refreshing drink with us.

~Adventure Tour Express~

When I was considering an adventure to share I thought I might share what I think has become my first real adventure and it entailed a lot of moving. I had never lived very far from home. And even though I was not living has home when I was in nursing school, I went home nearly every weekend.   Ron and I married after graduation and then along came wee child, Laura.  Adventures are like that you know.  Then in January, 1970 Ron received his commission as 2nd Lieutenant in the Army Corps of Engineers.  And so this adventure begins!

Ron's Commissioning Ceremony
Originally uploaded by MeteoriteMan2010

Ron's first orders were to Ft. Belvoir, Virginia. So our journey began with a trek from Englewood, Colorado to Alexandria,Virginia. This was when I first realized what being homesick was all about. We lived in a furnished apartment. Ron was gone all day and it was just Laura and me. We'd go for walks and play, she'd nap and I'd read. No phone. One day I walked with Laura to the supermarket and make a phone call to Mom just to say hi! Silly I guess but I'd not gone weeks without talking to her.

Soon one day Ron came home and told me he had orders to Ft. Carson, Colorado!  We were going home!!!!  Even more exciting we were expecting again and so we had terrific news to share with family and friends!

So in June we packed up again and moved to Ft. Carson.  We were able to visit his family that lived there in Colorado Springs and travel north to Denver to visit my family there.  It was an adventure in itself just being a military wife.  The day our furniture arrived Ron was on maneuvers for a week...Thank God for Sis, who helped manage Laura while I was checking all the boxes.

Again in October Ron came home and announced that the entire battalion was being moved to Ft. Ord, California.  The trip to Ft. Ord took us through Salt Lake City and then across the Salt Flats of Utah.  There is no place to stop between Salt Lake City and Wendover, Nevada...I was eight months pregnant.  (One learns to appreciate rest stops, especially when there are none. )

We lived in temporary quarters on post for a short time until we could rent an apartment and be placed on the post housing list.  We found a small apartment in Seaside and were there when David arrived on my 24th birthday and just 10 days before Christmas.  Just 3 months later we moved in to housing on post where we stayed for 3  years.

I will tell you honestly, that I learned more in that one year about who I was and what strengths I had then at any other time in my life.  We only moved 5 times that year.  And we had moved from coast to coast!

Ron and I were only in the Army for 3 1/2 years.    And I will also tell you that I admire families that must endure the rigors of military life as a career and do it with courage and strength.

For those who serve this country and that means the husband or wife who must stay home as well as the military personnel who serve abroad, I say, "God bless you every one!!!"

~~~^j^~~~

Thanks be to God!!

Please join in the fun! Share your adventure. I can hardly wait. Just link your post with Mr. Linky. I'll visit soon!

Zuchinni Reiish

zuchinni
Originally uploaded by HOARYHEAD

I am not a fan of zucchini squash. But because I have insisted that my children eat what has been placed in front of them I have tried over the years to find a way that I could eat it. I have baked, boiled, broiled, grilled, and pickled. To date the only way I have been able to eat it is in zucchini bread and in my estimation that doesn't count because it doesn't flavor the bread. Last fall I was offered a sample of zucchini relish and, oh my goodness, it was heaven. So today I embark on a new adventure. I'm going to make zucchini relish.

~~~^j^~~~

Thanks be to God!

A reminder to all who wish to board the Adventure Tour Express, it will begin today at 6:00 p.m. CDT.  I'm looking forward to this week's tours.  You only need to copy and paste the button below and then link your post to the one here at A Bit of the Blarney.  Safe travels to all!

~~Mosaic Monday~~

This picture collage personalized with Smilebox

Taking a walk in the garden after the rain offers us a variety of beautiful attractions.  After this particular rain, because of the high humidity the dew lingered long enough for us to enjoy the glistening of the water drops left behind.  They bring to mind the waters of baptism.  The crystal clear beauty as the sun reflects its light through the drops.  That newness of life they reflect!

~~~^j^~~~

Thanks be to God!

Please visit Mary and The Little Red House. Her pictures are grand and so are the pictures of others!

I would also like to remind you that Wednesday is Adventure Tour Express.  Be thinking about the adventure you would like to share on our journey together!

~Bad Haiku Friday~

It's that time of year when the wonderful fresh fruits and vegetables are arriving at the Farmer's Market. Oh what a treat it is to peruse and pinch the palate of color set before our eyes. Her are two haiku poems that express my feelings about these treasures.

Plump red tomatoes
Oh, how tasty and juicy
Mouth watering good.

~~~~~

Bing cherry delights
Dark in color and so sweet
Just forget the pits

Laura at Catholic Teacher's Musings is sponsoring Bad Haiku Friday. This weeks topic is Food and Drink. Jump right in!!! The water is fine!

~~^j^~~
Thanks be to God!!!

~~Tea Talk~~

But I try to steal other moments. Sometimes I get up very early in the morning and enjoy a quiet house and cup of tea before the craziness begins. Other times, I'll take a quick walk on the beach. You can find peace in a few minutes.
Cindy Crawford

I'm having...Original Good Earth tea. It is a refreshing tea on this very humid morning.

My teacup is...a treasure. It was found in some boxes when cleaning the garage last week. She has three lovely sisters.



I'm feeling...rested. My grand son, Neil, helped me yesterday as we prepared for our dinner guest, Fr. Dave last night. He dusted all the furniture which was a tremendous help. Then he and I went to see Toy Story 3. We had a great time and on my did we eat popcorn!

On my mind...the upcoming weekend. I am so glad I have all the laundry done. This is our Saturday to work at Mother Teresa's Treasures. Then after that we will be shopping for the Gibault School picnic. Every summer Ron's K of C council has a picnic for the kids. So on Sunday we trek up north to visit with and feed the kids.

Finally...here is Sam the Cat In the Sack. Don't know how he did it without tearing it but look at that look of satisfaction.

~~^j^~~
Thanks be to God!

Now won't you join me and visit Ruth at Celebrate Friendship is hosting Tea Talk at her house? Share a cup of tea or a cool refreshing drink with us.

~Adventure Tour Express~

Madam Butterfly
By
Giacomo Puccini

I was invited to my first opera when I was 16 years old. My cousin, Pat, took me to the performance of Don Giovanni by Mozart at the Central City Opera. The opera was performed then as it is today in this lovely, rustic opera house "built in 1877, [by] citizens of Central City [who] organized a fund raising drive for a grand new opera house befitting the gold mining town's reputation as 'the richest square mile on earth.'" (Wikipedia) The opera that I really love the most of the ones I've been privileged to see over the years was here in Central City. It was so lovely and the costumes so beautiful. Yes, Madam Butterfly. The music will bring you to tears in its beauty if not in the love story it tells.

Much to my delight, when we visited Central City this summer and though we had no plans to go the opera, I found that once again Madam Butterfly was being performed. It brought back a flood of memories. As a young lady, I remember sitting in the dark wondering what it was like to live in the late 19th century and attend the opera here. I remember pictures of ladies in their finery and the gents in their frock coats. It must have been grand, oh so grand!

Take some time today and journey back to those times that drew you close to family and friends. The time when you were younger and that day you have filed away in your memory. Go to that place, sit quietly, and ponder your day on the Adventure Tour Express.

~~^j^~~
Thanks be to God!

If you wish to join in the adventure today and share one of your memories simply copy and paste the button into your post and allow us to travel with you on your Adventure Tour Express then link to your journey through Mr. Linky. Thank you for visiting and join me again any time.