July 28: Praying the Book

Sorry I've been MIA for the past week. My chronic illness flared up (and is still flaring), and I have been in too much pain to keep up blogs, Facebook, etc. E-mail has been it.

And lots of prayer from the Book of Common Prayer 2011.

July 20: Summer Project

One of my two summer projects is recopying my Gratitude Journal from computer printouts from my blog into a dedicated, hardbound journal. I'm up to almost 600 entries on my blog, but I've only recopied 70 or so as I can only handwrite ten at a time before my hands start cramping. And, of course, I'm having to edit some of my more long-winded entries.... ;)

July 19: Praying on the Porch

A quiet day, with Keith and the boys working atop the mountain, affords a lovely Quiet Time of prayer on the front porch with my Book of Common Prayer, my English Standard Version Bible installed on my Kindle, and, a rare blessing, uninterrupted TIME....

July 18: The Harry Bear

Keith gave me the teddy bear on the right for the Valentine's Day before we were married. I christened him "Honey Bear," "Bear" for short, and once I moved out of the PLNU dorms and married Keith, Bear has resided on our bed.

But, upon occasion, he escapes. With Keith's help, of course.

When we were first married, I came home to find Bear swinging from the ceiling fan, circling in flight over our miniscule living room, the Post-It beside the switch declaring him to be Super-Bear. A few weeks later, he was discovered in the dragon-shaped cookie jar, the lid on his head, accompanied by a note declaring that he had a thing for Snickerdoodles.

And thus Bear has made his presence known through the 26 years of our marriage.

When Elizabeth and I came home, exhausted, from the Twilight Saga: Eclipse midnight showing, I discovered Bear sitting on my side of the bathroom counter, covered in glittery paper and with paper fangs descending from his mouth, the Post-It declaring that he could sparkle in the sunshine, too.

And Monday morning, just as I went upstairs to brush my teeth before the whole family went to see the last Harry Potter film together, this is what I discovered on our bed. Yes, Keith and Bear have struck again, with poor Chaucer-Bear changed into a pumpkin-head, my pen becoming Bear's very own wand....

July 17: Summer Garden

We haven't had any money this spring, so I haven't been able to plant any flowers. But many of my plants from the last few years reseeded beautifully, filling my container garden with snapdragons, delphiniums, alyssum, blue salvia, and other flowers. This photo is framed by our Pippin apple tree.

July 16: Finished!!!

Keith's newest stained glass commission: finished!! 

Keith photographing the finished window, with Benjamin and Jonathan holding it in the setting sunlight.

Yes, it's done. Right now it's hanging in our front window until the clients come to pick it up. It will be installed on a stair landing in a Craftsman bungalow (dating around 1920) in Los Angeles. I think they'll love it!!!

The family stopped by a month ago to admire Keith's glass choices and progress, and they agreed upon a completion deadline of mid-August. But as Keith hasn't had much outside work lately, he was able to finish it a month early.

The window is simply lovely; these photos do not do it anything like justice....

July 15: Midnight Madness

Elizabeth the Gryffindor just before the midnight premiere of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2. This has been her Halloween costume for the past few years.

July 14: The "Deal"

Taken by Elizabeth

I made a deal on Facebook with a friend from second grade: If I read Stephen King's Under the Dome, he would read the Harry Potter series. So here's my proof, Teddy: I have the book in my possession. Where are your copies of Rowling, dear?

The deal is on!

July 13: A Cloudy Sunset

The sun sank behind deep, thick clouds, reminding us of our current spring temperatures, a welcome break from summer heat!

July 12: Growing Things

Because of late frosts through mid-June, I had to plant my tomato plant late. But here it is, struggling along, growing, and I hope later, producing some delectable tomatoes! :)

July 11: Words on the Fridge

The other side of the fridge is plastered with words. Some more pictures, too, photos enclosed in Christmas letters and cards, but mostly words. And a cool magnet from an art museum, gift from a beautiful poet.
Here words bump up against each other, gently rubbing shoulders. Smirking, the boys rearrange words into odd phrases, words that are usually strangers becoming acquaintances, then friends--all on our fridge.

July 10: On the Fridge

The photos on our fridge, arranged by Elizabeth. Many "m-workers" represented here, plus close friends and tons o' family. The photos are posted just over our water/ice dispenser, so we can pray for Christian workers, friends, and family members while we fill our water glasses and bottles. :)

July 9: A Gardening Angel

This gardening angel looks over my front garden. A Mother's Day gift from Keith and the kids years ago, somehow she has escaped being shot by the boybarians in their frequent Airsoft battles or by my squirrel hunters who manfully defend the nearby Pippin tree from the little marauders who stripped every single apple last summer. She has survived hail storms, snow drifts, and football games as she guards my new tomato seedlings, just planted a couple of weeks ago after the last frost on June 14.
In a place in which I've lost most of my garden statues in various unsavoury ways, someone must be looking out for my Angel of the Garden.

July 8: Pincushions and Primroses

Two of my favorite garden flowers have grown around each other in my front flower beds: scabiosa (which is a horrid name for such a lovely flower!), also known as pincushion flowers (named so because when the petals fall away, the flower head looks just like a pincushion, with little pins sticking up all over it) and Mexican primroses--which I love for their lovely pink cups and bright yellow centers.

July 7: Study Session

This afternoon I spent a couple of hours on our front porch, reading and writing. It was so quiet and relaxing, truly a little piece of mountain paradise.

July 6: Summer Rains....

Summer rains may be common across the country, but here in Southern California, rain is a rare treat. The lack of rain endangers our precious oaks, many centuries old, and it has grieved me to see so many lost in the ten years we've lived in Pine Valley. So two days of summer storms are not only a blessed relief from the oppressive heat; they are also a blessing for our thirsty trees and natural foliage in this place which receives about 20 inches of precipitation per year (double what San Diego proper receives) and reaches into the 110s regularly throughout the summer. The summer storms drop the temperatures by 20 degrees within 15 minutes, bringing flashes of lightning, crashes of thunder, and the welcome patter of rain and sometimes hail, all rarities in this south-western-most corner of the country.

July 5: Beach Sunset

Sunset over the Pacific, taken from my parents' rooftop deck in Pacific Beach. The palm trees are specifically dedicated to Julie who, living in Cincy, misses her palms. Enjoy them while you're out here in Southern California this month, Julie!!

July 4: Independence Day!

We went to my parents' house in Pacific Beach (just south of La Jolla) to celebrate the 4th. It was a lovely day for the beach!! This shot is from the boardwalk, taking in the huge flag fluttering atop the main life guard tower, looking north to La Jolla.

July 3: Mountain Sunset

After a cloudy day threatening summer showers since daybreak, the few remaining clouds are beautifully lit as the sun sinks behind the mountains of our small town....

July 2: Lamps in the Dusk

We have two of these lamp posts in our yard. A friend sent me an article she wrote for our small-town newspaper on the history of these lamp posts that can be found in the yards of several of the older homes in Pine Valley. Manufactured in Ohio in 1926, the lamps were installed in downtown El Centro, the largest city in the Imperial Valley (between San Diego and the Arizona border). Removed for more fashionable lamps in the mid-40s, they were sold for $100 apiece, and many home owners in our town bought them for their yards. I love the looks of these beautiful lamps and am glad we own two of them.

July 1: Cousins!!!

L to R: Timothy, Jonathan, Elizabeth, Audrey, Allison, Aileen, and Benjamin

Keith's sister and her family stopped by our place as they traveled from Arizona to spend the 4th of July with Dad Barrett. Such chatter and craziness!!! Just before they left, we snapped a few fun photos of the cousins on our front porch, our four and the triple A's, and this one was the BEST!