June (Thunder)Showers Bring...

Hollyhocks (and bees)
in the side garden

A little thyme on the rock patio

Johnny jump ups(originally a gift of seeds from my husband))

Yarrow (from Sara's Clearfield estate)

Coreopsis moonbean (being crowded out by the coneflowers) My Mom and I took a road trip from South Fork to get this for my wall garden there.

Pray this works

Brenda is letting me try to learn how to download video - I "pray" it works! (Dave)

Flower Show, Part 3

I especially love the bee in the picture of the lamb's ear and the little yellow flowers on the yellow vine. I didn't even know this would bloom.

Thanks for 'touring the grounds' with me.

Sick As A Dog

Now I know where this phrase comes from. Sadly, I think I was the cause of Dixie's distress. I love when I get to eat something completely different. Evidently, dogs do not have the same reaction. Happily, she is feeling much better. She is sunning herself in the back yard right now. Surprisingly, her complete recovery looks alot like dead. Trust me she is better. (Thankfully, I will not be posting any pictures taken while she was sick.)

Make Me An Offer

Tonight the real estate agent called to say we had an offer on the house. He negotiated a great deal. Every thing is good about it--except the money. This confuses me a little. I have never sold a house before, but I thought it was mostly about the money.
If I knew where my husband was I would ask him what he thinks. Evidently there is no cell phone service in Wyoming. I googled 'large disasters in Wyoming' and didn't come up with anything recent. Guess the state is still there. Guess my husband is in it.
The dog has bowel issues.
House, husband, dog...all serious offers will be considered.

Little Boxes

So a realtor called and wanted to show the house and I picked up all the 'stuff' from the floor and put it back into the box in no particular order. Then I painted something. This isn't going as well as I'd hoped.

Everybody Loves Parfaits

Today (even though it is only 12 degrees here) we have found summer. Amanda and I happily ate it all up. Hope there's at least a couple of layers of happy in your day.

Sharing

I read an article yesterday about reducing costs by sharing your home. Amanda and I are working this to perfection this week. She leaves for work at 5:00pm and returns at 5:00am. I will leave tomorrow morning at 4:30 and return at 4:00pm. I am off today, so I hope she gets up in time to grill with me this afternoon.
I spent my evening sorting through papers in a box in the basement. The final result is that I took everything out of the box. Looked at it. Spread it out around me and tried to decide what to do with it. Left it there and went to bed. I have lived without knowing what was in the box for 10 years, but now that I know I still have it I am having a hard time deciding if I still need it.
Sadly, I have two more boxes and two filing cabinets still to do.
At least it is a quiet activity that I can do in the basement and it won't wake my roommate.

Burnt Out

Why doesn't the little light behind my CHECK ENGINE indicator ever burn out?

Housing Issues

Acts 7:48"Yet that doesn't mean that Most High God lives in a building made by carpenters and masons. The prophet Isaiah put it well when he wrote, "Heaven is my throne room; I rest my feet on earth. So what kind of house will you build me?" says God. "Where I can get away and relax? It's already built, and I built it."

I am just a little behind in my Daily Audio Bible. So let's just pretend that today is June 10th. The OT reading is from I Kings where Hiram is making things out of bronze for King Solomon. Like 27 foot pillars. And six foot basins. And there is one statement about the sum of it that says no one has any idea how much bronze was used. I like the concept of that. Just creating things for God's glory and not keeping track of how much it costs, or how long it takes, or how much you pour into it. No one has any idea...

Then the NT reading is from Acts 7. Kind of like God's commentary on the magnificience/significance of all that Solomon has built. Kind of like 'Nice try'. Twenty seven foot tall pillars with two rows of pomengranates? All made out of who-knows-how-much burnished bronze? Let Me put that here beside Heaven and see how it compares? Where can I get away and relax?

This made me think that God is looking for a beach house. And if His desire is to dwell in me, then wouldn't it be totally cool to be God's beach house. Where He goes to relax. I just love the idea of hanging out with the Most High God.

No one has any idea...

From My Son, Whom I Love Dearly

"Do something constructive," I told him as I left for my dentist appt. He constructed a pyramid of peanut butter graham crackers. And he left a kiss-up note. But here is the part that really sealed it.

He put the crackers and the peanut butter back on the pantry shelf.

That's why he's my favorite son.

Stolen Thoughts

What do I want to be when I grow up?

Big.

I think we focus too much energy on church growth. I think it's all about personal growth. It's not about growing a big church. It's about growing big people--people who serve sacrificially, give generously, dream ridiculously, and love gracefully.

Just wanted to jot this here so I would remember it. Stole it from Mark Batterson's blog. I think I would like to be a big person. (Plus those are four good adverbs.)

And They're Off

Stasi and Micah left this am for Slovakia via Pittsburgh, Washington DC, Munich, and Vienna. They will arrive tomorrow morning (or afternoon depending on your time zone). We were glad to see them go. In a proud parent, glad you are capable of flying, sort of way. Her dad cried just a little. In an I can't believe you are all grown up and leaving sort of way. Roots and wings.

The Horrible, No-good, Very Bad Day

I should have known when the principal called me. At work.
I should have known not to try to mow the grass.
Things I have run over with the lawn mower in my lifetime:
1. A snake
2. A big red rubber ball
3. My own big toe
4. A baby rabbit
And now 5. The fire bowl.
I managed to destroy not only the fire bowl, but the lawn mower as well. Fortunately I am married to a very understanding man. Who is able to to fix a lawn mower.
Buying the part is another story. (Here is another great idea that I do not have the energy to do myself so I am offering up to anyone who wants it. A hardware/home improvement store run and staffed by women. Who would not feel the need to ask silly questions.)
"What did you hit? A rock?"
"Do you need to know that to find the right part to fix it?"
I'm just saying.

It's Time for Sleepytime

No better place 'to rest your head' than on Pappy's shoulder.

Who Knows When...

...we'll be all together again?

Hoot and Holler

In the car on the way to church this evening:

"Can we hoot and holler?"

"I'm not sure that is appropriate."

"What is appropriate? Just hooting?"

There was just a little hooting, and a few tears. (And I was modestly clothed.) Yeah, I would do that again.

Two of my children missed my baptism, one of my children took pictures, and one didn't want to be there at all, but was. I'm not mentioning any names, but I asked him to dress nicely, but he wore his dirty pants, and played his game boy until the service started, and sulked in the pew, and left to use the bathroom in the middle of the service. It's alright, because I will return the favor. On his wedding day.

Garage Sale

We gathered together every thing we didn't want anymore and all the junk we have accumulated and put it all together in the garage and invited half the world to come and look at it. Fortunately, they didn't all show up. Unfortunately, the garage is still full of junk. But we made $100.00 and we met some very nice and some very interesting people. (And a few nice and interesting people.) When people find out you are moving to Wyoming, they are suddenly free to tell you all sorts of things that they wouldn't ordinarily share with complete strangers. And if you have an opinion on what we should do with the toboggan, feel free to share it. Everyone else did. What they didn't do was buy it.

Bonus Question

In case you're still struggling with the bonus question about where cotton balls used to remove nail polish should go, here's a hint:

Under the porch swing?

WRONG!

Amanda may be the first child left behind. Literally.