birthday blooms

 

Sweet coworkers surprised me with a birthday bouquet!

I've been savoring the lovely arrangement all week.

mini Christmas

I'm generally not a fan of observing Christmas before Thanksgiving, however, it felt like the right thing to do to celebrate a mini Christmas with Sharon last Wednesday evening before heading home to Michigan for the holidays.

Hidden beneath the snowmen were gifts of just what we always wanted (six white Corelle cereal bowls for Sharon, and 100 Christmas in Paris tea bags for yours truly).

With Pentatonix Christmas playing in the background, we munched on spicy gingerbread, drank hot drinks, and wiled away the evening as if it snowflakes were piling up outside in the darkness :).

Golden

I just learned there is such a thing as golden kiwi!

color

Most of the autumn leaves have dropped around here, but I enjoyed keeping track of this neighborhood tree's progress for a couple weeks while out on my wandering walks.

bear sighting

Sara, Sharon, and I spent last weekend up north at an old farmhouse (hunting camp) in the woods.

jewels

 

Little people are gems that brighten every day!

These are a few of my favorite things... Michigan blueberries

As you know, one of the best parts of Michigan summer is Michigan Blueberries.

We managed to get out to the patch more than a handful of times in July and August, and discovered a new favorite farm near Hemlock.

 

um.yum.yum!

Remote

 

I think this was somewhere around Configuration V in remote office set-ups I've inhabited throughout the past seven months :).

#COVID

#workfromhome

yellow zucchini lime muffins

 

One Sunday morning I started out with a recipe for glazed lemon zucchini bread and wound up with muffins made of grated yellow zucchini and lime zest instead!

Amy teased me about the switch up, but no one seemed to have difficulty consuming the end product :).

Nature

While I was home this summer, I enjoyed exploring a few of the Nature Center paths.

Surreal

 

Do you ever have those moments when you're not sure life is actually real, because there's so much beauty it's impossible to soak it all in? And you just want to stay there to marvel and bask in the glory, and wish the moment will never end...

The sunset over the Susquehanna near Harrisburg was pretty unbelievable Monday evening, and I felt so blessed to be right there in that place at that time to delight in the wonder.

Witnessing masterpieces of the One who paints the sky never grows old.

Plant Sitter

 

Sharon plant-sat my houseplants while I was in Michigan over the summer.

When I returned, I found the greenery in excellent condition... 

and the African violets were in full bloom! 

{after never blooming the 3+ years they've been in my care!}

We might just have Sharon become the official primary care provider for the African violets :). 

Best

I've been soaking in the last bits of summer's finest garden produce.

Thanks to refrigeration and preservation, I'm still enjoying goodies from my time in Michigan too.

on the trail again

It felt so good to get back on a trail again after a mini hiatus.

Friend Vicky introduced Sharon and me to some of south-central PA's finest hiking-- complete with a rigorous change in elevation and a peppering of amazing views along the way. Makes me want to explore more of Vicky's home turf :) 

There's soul food out there... sometimes it takes a little bit of sweat to find it, 

and good company along the way is always a plus.

 

these are a few of my favorite things... farmers' market

 

This summer, God sent me the extra-special-super-amazing blessing of being home for the zenith of the farmers' market season. In late July and August, Michigan farms are brimming with the best summer crops can offer, and it's something marvelous to participate in harvesting and vending such abundance from the family farm. 

Auntie

Being an auntie is best.

About Me

 

choosing new stamp books from the post office is a periodic perk of letter-writing

I recently re-read some of my early writing projects-- one was a book called About Me. 

About Me is full of pictures and sentences detailing all sorts of things I liked and didn't like when I was eight years old. I was surprised how many likes and dislikes remain fairly unchanged (pretty sure this proves that I was indeed practically a grown up before I even reached the double-digit years).

As for a classic and current like: eight-year-old me liked to write letters, an activity that still brings joy and satisfaction to my grown-up life.

Dahlia Hill

Last week, Libby and I went on a sister date. 

Nippy autumn air has already descended on Midland, but we still managed a mini picnic and a wonder-filled walk around Dahlia Hill.

Despite the chilly temp, we made a little stop at Great Lakes Ice Cream shop before wrapping up with a quick jaunt at the East End.

best of all

 

To celebrate Dad and Mom's 40th wedding anniversary this year, we kids rented a huge vacation house in Ohio and all committed to being present for a couple days in May as a gift for Dad and Mom... but then COVID came... and destroyed those plans.

{insert sad face}

As part of the anniversary gift, we had also planned to have a professional photo taken while we were all together. Although we were bummed to have to cancel our May plans, we took advantage of all being together at the House 'n Barn for a recent 48 hour period. It was pretty special to snap a full-crew shot out on the front lawn.

Family is best.

smart girls

 

After Naomi came home with new specs the other day, Libby, Naomi, and I pretended to look smart in front of mom's library.

fresh

Libby arranged this gorgeous basket of farm fresh goodness for some friends recently.

Kayak Ho!

so many special people all in one place!

We loaded up a few kayaks along with four aunties, one uncle, two nieces, and one nephew and set off for a little kayaking adventure the Monday after July 4th.

#PureMichiganSummer

berries, berries, berries

hunting for berries

There are so many bits to love about Michigan summer...

not the least of which is picking blueberries :) 

Teach Me Thy Way

Recently, I've been reflecting on the words of the song, Teach Me Thy Way, O Lord. I especially love the swell of the music and depth of meaning in the last two lines of each verse.

Teach me Thy way, O Lord, teach me Thy way!

Thy guiding grace afford, teach me Thy way!

Help me to walk aright, more by faith, less by sight;

Lead me with heav’nly light, teach me Thy way!

When I am sad at heart, teach me Thy way!

When earthly joys depart, teach me Thy way!

In hours of loneliness, in times of dire distress,

In failure or success, teach me Thy way!

When doubts and fears arise, teach me Thy way!

When storms o’erspread the skies, teach me Thy way!

Shine through the cloud and rain, through sorrow, toil, and pain;

Make Thou my pathway plain, teach me Thy way!

Long as my life shall last, teach me Thy way!

Where’er my lot be cast, teach me Thy way!

Until the race is run, until the journey’s done,

Until the crown is won, teach me Thy way!

accomplished

I felt overly accomplished recently when I managed to successfully order (online... delivered to my door!) and install a new wiper blade on my car.

Bacon Acres

Last month, Vicky introduced me to her family farm (where she grew up).

Our visit wasn't complete until after her nieces filled our ice cream orders (placed through the front screen door) with scoops of delicious flavors crafted at a nearby creamery!

COVID-19 continues to provide ample opportunities to practice creativity and improvisation as we navigate everyday life-- and sometimes that can be a whole lot of unique fun :).