Sunday: A Mass o' Daffs

Sorry for so many daffodil photos -- they bloom for only two weeks out of the year, and I want to capture them in all their glory as I won't see them again until next March. I love the way that they fill up half of my front flower bed under the porch -- they are truly glorious this year, thanks to the abundance of rain this winter.

"Rock Hounds" Trip: McCain Valley

The Rock Hounding group left our town too early this morning to go on a rock-finding expedition in the backcountry. This was taken at the Salton Sea Lookout of a kind of cactus of which I've already forgotten its name -- like teddy bear cactus but a bit meaner.

I'll have more photos and the story of our adventures and discoveries on my regular blog here.

Holy Communion at Victoria Chapel

For the past three-and-a-half years, B and I have been attending the Friday Morning Prayer and Healing Service with Father Acker, first at Christ the King Episcopal and then at Alpine Anglican Church of the Blessed Trinity. And since the earliest days, Father has been training B in altar serving. So here B pours the water and the wine into the chalice as Father "cleans up" (for lack of a better term) after we all received Communion. The daffodils remind me that Lent is nearing its end and that the Celebration of the Resurrection is not far in the future....

My Porch Steps....

"I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills
When all at once I saw a crowd
A host of golden daffodils....

...When oft upon my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood
I glance upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude
Then my heart with pleasure fills
And dances with the daffodils."

-- William Wordsworth

I didn't have time to take photos today, so here's one from yesterday. They bloom for such a short time that we must enjoy them while we can....

Signs of Spring

This afternoon I noticed that our little peach tree, planted last year, was covered with blossoms. I've never had a peach tree before and so have never seen peach blossoms -- they're beautiful!



My daffodil bed reaches the length of our front porch. They only bloom like this for a couple of weeks a year, so we must enjoy them while we can...

Starting Another Year....

I'm very self-conscious about self-portraits, but I wanted to post one near my birthday. It wasn't the best hair day, and I took over twenty shots before I somewhat liked this one. So here I am, beginning my forty-third year, sitting in my chair at our homeschooling table where I spend many hours each day....

The Daffs Are Back...

The flower bed in front of our porch is filled with these dual-colored daffodils, and they always greet us right around our birthday. I prefer the brighter daffs, but I've become accustomed to the more delicate hues of the dual-colored daffodils.

Sunday: A Wonderful Birthday....

Keith made me a beautiful and delectable Boston Creme Pie for my birthday. It tastes even better than it looks. I enjoyed the best birthday I've had in years -- the only way it could have been better was if it were longer than 24 hours. :)

For details of my day, check out this link to my main blog.

A Toad Named Trevor....

Last night after dark the boys decided to explore the makeshift pond, the result of a rainy winter, as we've been hearing the unusual music of frogs each evening. Apparently B almost stepped on this large toad which T caught and immediately christened "Trevor" (after Neville's toad in the Harry Potrer series). Today I got to see Trevor for the first time, and he IS a beauty.



T kept him overnight in a small "aquarium" made from an old Red Vines container and allowed him to remain in there most of the morning before returning him to his natural habitat.



Here are two galoshes-clad boys, B watching as T releases Trevor into the pond after enjoying his company for about 13 hours, most of it overnight. Trevor is a very cool toad, a wonderful memory of the essence of boyhood fun.

Friday: Victoria Chapel

Aaaah, the peace of this tiny chapel -- of the candlelight shining on the chalice, of the crucifix on the wall behind the altar, of voices intoning ancient prayers and holy scriptures, of the tang of the wine when it touches my tongue, and of the grace of God that is nearly palpable -- all in this single-pewed chapel.