Five on Friday

It's time for a another Five on Friday, a gathering of blessings big and small. 

{one}
.

Our second grandchild graduates from high school this weekend!

I can hardly believe that Maddie is old enough to graduate. But then, I said that when Gavin graduated too. Hmmm . . . I suppose it's just a fact that the older you get, the faster time flies. I anticipate graduations and other milestones will just keep flying by. 

But regardless, this is Maddie's one and only high school graduation and we are so proud of her! She is a delightful young woman and we know that she will soar! 

Photo by Bekah

{two}

Pineapple House was filled with beautiful music this week as Bekah's piano students (currently four of her nieces and nephews) presented their spring recital. It was Paul's (7) first recital and he did such a great job! Then Peter (11), Nora (13), and Eve (14) played their selections and we were all so impressed! It had been a while since the last recital (pre-pandemic), so it was especially thrilling to see their progress. By request, the teacher also played. 

(After the program, the two tiny girls played a duet. ~smile~)

{three}

We also had our last book club meeting of the school year this week. Even though I "retired" from homeschooling three years ago, I have continued to guide a book club for a group of homeschooled girls. It is a sweet time of book talk and tea and fellowship.

This year, we have had varied themes. One month we read and discussed books that had been translated into English from another language. Another month we read books with talking animals. This month we read books that took place on or near the sea. So much fun! 

{four} 

This is so random . . . 
but I added sweet potato fries to our Mother's Day dinner leftovers and I thought it made a pretty plate! Do you like a pretty plate? Do you enjoy leftovers? (I love them!) 

{five}

Spring on the sideboard: a sweet little picture of a bird on a strawberry vine, picked up on an antiquing outing with Ron, and a couple of wool strawberries on the tea tray. 

Blessed be the Lord, 

Who daily loads us with benefits, 

The God of our salvation! 

Selah.

Psalm 68:19

Five on Friday

It has been a busy week!

I am no longer a homeschooling mama, and I don't work outside of the home, but I have found that there is always plenty to do. Some weeks, more than enough. I haven't even had a chance to tell you about the Spring Birthday Celebration we had last weekend. Next week, okay?

In the meantime, I'll share five snippets from our week.  

{one}

March in Maryland went out more like a lion than a lamb.

We've had a little bit of everything this past week . . . rain, snow flurries, crazy wind, cold. But April dawned mostly sunny (although there was a brief rain shower while I was running an errand this afternoon) and warmer. Tulips are popping up all over town. Spring is springing!

I have created a desktop calendar for April. Fee free to use it if you'd like. Simply right click on the photo and save to your photo files. 

{two}

This precious baby turned ONE this week! Happy birthday, beautiful Joanna! 

{three}

My sister Linda and I spent some time at my parents' house this week, helping Mom clean out a closet. We came across several packets of photos, some old, some older, including this gem that is screaming 1980s! 

A few observations:
◼ Big hair was a thing. 
◼ Apparently, lace collars were too. 
◼ Family resemblance runs strong. We look at our son Ryan in this photo and we see his son, Paul! 
◼ Youth is fleeting. 
◼ Life is a vapor. (James 4:4)

{four}

Because Bekah and Maddie were close in age, Kristin and I have always stored all of the girls' clothing in our attic, and we have a biannual try-on day. It's always such a fun day of twirling and posing and frills! This week we had the spring/summer try-on and the next day, a try-on day from seven years ago showed up in my Facebook memories. 

            2015: Alaine and Maddie  ~  2022: Maddie, Macie, and Alaine

{five} 

I encountered this quote-within-a-quote this week and remembered that I had shared it here on my blog a few years ago. 

"George Macdonald said, 'If you knew what God knows about death you would clap your listless hands,' but instead I find old people in North America just buying this whole youth obsession. I think growing older is a wonderful privilege. I want to learn to glorify God in every stage of my life."   ~ Elisabeth Elliot

The whole series I wrote on aging can be revisited by clicking on this photo:

Per usual, I am getting this in just under the wire, because in a few minutes it will be Saturday! Lord willing, I'll see you next week with a birthday celebration. 

Happy April! 

Five on Friday | Sweetness

Yes, it was a sweet Friday. There was sweetness of all kinds! 

{one} a sweet treat

Sarah and the children arrived bright and early with . . . 

These are all seasonal donuts at Dunkin' right now: spiders, pumpkin, and the brand new ghost pepper donuts! We had had a long conversation about the new donuts on our family group chat, so those of us here today were willing to sample them . . . for research purposes, of course. 

We each braved a small bite of the ghost pepper donut. And we survived! Yes, it was hot, but it was balanced by the sweet strawberry icing. I wouldn't eat a whole one, but it was a fun flavor experiment. 

And, although I observe Halloween not one little bit, I can definitely eat a spider made of a glazed donut and a chocolate Munchkin. 

{two} a sweet story

Today was the day of our Anne of Green Gables marathon. Could there be a sweeter story? I have seen this series so many times, and I never tire of this wholesome, inspiring, well-told story. 

I have so many favorite scenes. When Matthew and Anne make their first drive to Green Gables, Anne chattering away, and then is overcome with the beauty of her surroundings. When Matthew has a heart-to-heart with Anne and persuades her to apologize to Mrs. Lynde. Anne's tender farewell to Marilla and Rachel as she leaves to take a teaching job at Kingsport Ladies' College. 

This is another one, at the train station as Anne has just left for a year at Queens Academy: 

Marilla: I'm afraid for her, Matthew. She'll be gone so long. She'll get terrible lonesome.
Matthew: You mean, we'll get terrible lonesome.
Marilla: I can't help wishing that she'd stayed a little girl.
Matthew: Mrs. Spencer made a lucky mistake, I guess.
Marilla: It wasn't luck; it was Providence. He knew we needed her.
Matthew: Even with her queer little ways.
Marilla: I loved her for them.

{three} a houseful of sweet faces

{four} sweet photos from afar

Kati send a few pictures of our five-month-old grandson Caleb. He is starting to sit up, and as of today, he has two tiny teeth poking through his gums!

{five} another sweet treat!

For our Anne of Green Gables Day lunch, we had chicken salad sandwiches, fruit, and chips, with ice cream for dessert. 

Diana Barry: "I wish I were rich, and I could spend the whole summer at a hotel, eating ice cream and chicken salad." 

I decided to put an autumn spin on our ice cream and I found a recipe for pumpkin pie ice cream. If you are one of those "pumpkin spice in the fall" people (I am), then you'll probably like this sweet treat! I'll share the recipe on my blog next week. 

Five On Friday | From the Antique Store

We've been on Staycation this week, getting this and that done around the house and yard. 

But yesterday was FUNday! We took a little road trip, visiting a wonderful coffee shop in the morning, a Mexican restaurant in the afternoon, and antique stores in two different towns. (Yes, that's what we do for fun!)

For Five On Friday, I thought I would show you the things that I purchased while antiquing, tell you how I chose each item, what it cost, and how I plan to use it. I love to see the thought process behind what people purchase for their homes. Maybe you enjoy it too! 

{one} silhouette

I have been keeping my eye out for some colonial silhouettes. I had one in my hand not long ago, but it felt a little too Victorian for my taste, so I left it behind. This one was just right . . . and so was the price of $18.00. So begins my collection. 

I hung it on the small wall near my front door where it will live with a sampler from my Great Aunt Minerva's home and a scherenschnitte by my artist friend Kim. Until it moves. (It could.)

{two} wreath

I really didn't need a wreath for my back door. I had a basket that I liked which just needed to be filled with something fall-ish. So when my eye was drawn to a couple of pretty wreaths in the first store we visited, I decided not to purchase. But this one said "fall" without screaming it, and it cost $7.95. I love how it looks with my green back door! 

{three} lemon squeezer

Ron loves gadgets old and new! This old lemon squeezer (on the left) joins other recent purchases of a pasta cutting wheel (we think!) and a jar lifter. It was $9.00.

{four} Early American Life magazines

I purchased these magazines for inspiration. I've already thumbed through them and have taken note of a few ideas to try. Well worth the 75-cents apiece price tag! When (if) I am finished with them, I will pass them on  or take them to recycle. 

{five} bundle of wheat

I saw a picture on Instagram last week that inspired thoughts for my Thanksgiving table this year. I love the simplicity of the white plates, white pumpkins, and wheat. It would be a departure from the bright colors I used last year, but I like to change it up a little each year, so I am considering a similar theme. I have three bundles of wheat in pots that I could use on the table, but when I saw the bundle of wheat for $10 in the antique store, I knew I could deconstruct it to have sprigs for each place setting or to strew among the pumpkins. We'll see. 

~ Farmhouse Pottery ~

 

Have you made any fun or exciting purchases lately? Gotten any bargains? Do tell! 

Five on Friday

When I lose my blogging mojo, I find that a Five on Friday is a good way to just hop back into Blogland without a lot of explanations or fanfare. So here we go . . .

{one}
.

Our oldest grandchild graduates from high school this weekend!

I can hardly believe that Gavin is old enough to graduate. Or maybe I should say: I can hardly believe that I am old enough to have a grandchild who is graduating! Since my youngest child graduated only a year ago, it feels like a quick turnaround. (The difference in Bekah's and Gavin's ages is only twenty months.)

But regardless, Gavin is graduating and we could not be more proud of this young man!

{two}

So while I'm talking about grandchildren, I'll go ahead and pop in a photo of my youngest grandchild Caleb. You're not surprised at all, are you?

By the way, we still haven't met this wee one in person, but plans are in the works . . .

{three}

About a month ago, I picked up a project that had been languishing for about four years. I set myself a ridiculously low goal to complete one penny (that's what the little circles are called) per day. Some days that's all I did, but some days I did more and now all of the pennies are done and I am stitching them onto the black wool mat.

{four} 

Is it even Five on Friday if I don't include a cat photo?

{five}

I have been loving this "30 Days of Hymns" calendar (Little Things Studio) that Kati and Andrew sent me for Mother's Day. The artwork is lovely, yes, but oh how I love the hymns! Most are familiar, but there are a few that are new to me, so each evening (that we remember), we find the day's hymn on YouTube and sing along or listen and learn.

I had forgotten how much I loved Day 18's hymn! I'll put it here as a bonus so that you can listen to it too!

Hard things . . . hard things . . . going on all around us. Life is never easy. Life's road is up-hill. But He has promised new mercies every morning. He has promised to be faithful.

These words from Scripture are speaking to my soul today . . .

This I recall to my mind,

Therefore I have hope. 

Through the LORD's mercies we are not consumed, 

Because His compassions fail not. 

They are new every morning;

Great is Your faithfulness. 

"The LORD is my portion," says my soul,

"Therefore I hope in Him!"

The LORD is good to those who wait for Him,

To the soul who seeks Him.

It is good that one should hope and wait quietly

For the salvation of the LORD. 

Lamentations 3:21-26

Five on Friday

What does one say that has not already been said during these unsettling days of  COVID-19? 

  

But here we are. And here are five things that have been a part of our week . . .
(And I really did write these on Friday, even though I didn't finish the post until late early Saturday morning.) 

{one} change

So many changes. And even the changes change daily!

No groups of more than 150 people. No groups of more than 50 people. No groups of more than 10 people! (We can't even have a family dinner!)

No church meetings or activities. (We had a midweek Bible study via email. This Sunday's sermon will be online.) ESL classes are cancelled through the end of the semester. Restaurants are closed, so no coffee times with friends. My grandchildren's extracurricular activities have come to a screeching halt.

Ron is now working from home.

{two} disappointment 

We are not the only ones who have faced disappointment this week! Nearly everyone has been touched by altered and/or cancelled plans, loss of income, loss of dreams. Things are not turning out as we had hoped.

A big source of disappointment for our family this week was the cancellation of Kati's baby shower. We were all so excited to be celebrating this much-loved, much-wanted first baby! The shower was scheduled for this Sunday. As late as midweek, we were altering the plans, finally landing on an "open house" style shower here at home to limit the number of people gathered at one time. But in the end, Kati and Andrew decided that it was too risky to fly. My mama-heart was sad . . . that Kati can't spend the week with us, that we can't celebrate this first baby in the exciting way that we had planned, and that my own "baby" was sad.

{three} beauty

Yes, beauty was also a part of our week. In spite of the very necessary measures we are taking to self-isolate and slow the spread of the virus, I believe it is necessary to continue to notice, to appreciate, and to create beauty in our world.

{four} gratitude

 In spite of the challenges, it is important to thank our God for His blessings.

In everything give thanks; 

for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 

(I Thessalonians 5:18)

We are so very grateful that Kati was able to come home for her grandmother's funeral a couple of weeks ago. It was a rather short trip, but we were able to have some to gather as a family . . . both with extended family and friends at the funeral, and also with "just the twenty of us" as we told stories, looked at family photos, ate pizza, and felt Baby Caleb move inside Kati's tummy. While she was home, the four of us also enjoyed some down time and some good meals and a two-night game of Phase 10. She was also able to visit her Gammy and Gampy.

When we said good-bye that morning at the airport, there were no tears. Instead it was "See you in a couple of weeks!" Who knew?

God did. And He had given us the precious gift of time.

We are also grateful that we are back in our bedroom. It is nearly finished (shutters are in the works and then I'll show you) and we love it. But our gratitude this week is mostly about the timing of it.

It kind of goes like this: If the flooring company who came to measure our space and give us an estimate had followed up with said estimate, then we wouldn't have been talking about our frustration over dinner. If we hadn't been frustrated that evening, Ron may not have remembered that our neighbor, Mark, installs hardwood floors. If we had not texted Mark's wife Paula to see if Mark still did flooring, then Mark would not have come the next day to measure our space and give us an estimate. As it was, Mark was available later that week (while Ron was still on vacation), and so we painted, painted, painted to be ready for the flooring to go down. Oh my goodness, Mark did an excellent job; he is a true craftsman! The floor was installed in two days and we moved our furniture back into our bedroom over the weekend . . . just in time for us to put the guest room back together and be ready for Kati to sleep there later in the week.

What about that timing? (If we had waited for the big flooring company, we would not have had the guest room ready in time for Kati.)

Sneak peek at the remodeled master bedroom . . . 

and the guest room put back together.
(As you can see, Mansie can be happy on either bed, preferring the one on which the sun is shining.)

We are also grateful that Ron is able to work from home and that his job is stable.

We are grateful for a comfortable home in which to be "socially distanced."

We are forever grateful that He is our Rock!

🎜 On Christ the solid Rock I stand; all other ground is sinking sand! 🎝

Because even if the sand is sinking all around, if He is our Rock then we are secure. Free from trouble or disease or distress? Not necessarily. But secure in Him and sure of His care for us and sure of the gift of eternal life! If we have acknowledged our sin, and accepted Christ's payment for it to make us right before God, then we can know that we are His!

{five} grace

Grace for the day is my prayer during these hard times.

Sometimes, it is too much to try to look ahead and plan and imagine and guess and prepare for an uncertain path. So I pray, Lord, please give me grace for this day. Please direct our steps this day. Please help us to make wise choices this day. Please help me to serve others this day. Please help me to walk in your Truth this day. 

Do you know His grace? 

Five on Friday

Gathering some big and small joys of the past few weeks . . . 

{one}

We celebrated the October birthdays on Sunday with a tailgate party theme! 

{two}

There is new construction next door. Having lived in a rural area for thirty-eight years where are closest neighbors were not very close, we have mixed feelings about it. But such is life in a neighborhood and we have enjoyed watching this cute house come up!

{three}

Progress continues on the kitchen remodel! This photo was taken last weekend and Ron has done some painting since then. Next up: finish the painting, make a drawer for the base cabinet, install counter top. We will likely be finished several weeks before our target date (Thanksgiving)!

{four} 

 He's learning to be a house cat. (Do you think he knows that he matches the coverlet? 😉)

{five}

The leaves are turning, the weather has turned (hallelujah!), and I am drinking up October! Last year, I went with white and green pumpkins and gourds for my fall decorating. This year I was feeling orange!

It's been a busy month. I could easily do "Ten on Friday" but then I'd lose the alliteration and some things may not be interesting or pretty . . . and maybe not even my story to tell.

This I know: God is faithful and His grace surrounds our days!


May your weekend be grace-filled!