A Second Wedding, a Rooster, and Apple Time

 As I have mention before, this has been a busy season for us. 

About three weeks after our son's wedding we found ourselves on a plane headed for Wisconsin to attend my youngest niece's wedding in Green Bay.  My youngest brother passed away eight years ago and between our accident and then the Covid shut downs, we had not be able to get back there since then.  It was such a joy to be able to celebrate with his family and know that if it is possible, he was smiling down on his baby girl from Heaven that day. She was a beautiful bride with a handsome groom, No swords present!

 Wisconsin is such a lovely state.  It was so nice relaxing with family on their back porches soaking in the sunshine and green spaces.  I felt like I had stepped back in time. Our four days passed by all too soon and then it was time to head for home with all of us wishing we were staying longer. Needless to say, discussions for a future family reunion are percolating.

 Another summer activity that took place between weddings was our local Lake festival.  Boat parades, carnival food and fireworks were the order of the day.  This year the town's legendary Rooster was on display.  Now many of you have seen roosters like this before, I am sure.  This guy however, has been a local landmark from way before our time living here. 

Beginning back in the 1960's he sat atop of the local Chicken Drive- in restaurant,a favorite place for the local teens to visit after school.  One year for a senior prank, a group of high school students removed him from the roof in the middle of the night and hid him for a few days before parading him around the Senior end of the year events.  Thus, (with the permission of the owner) history was made. From that time forward, every senior class would "steal" the rooster and display him in some way at the annual homecoming game and end of the year events. The tradition lasted many years until the chicken restaurant was finally closed down to make way for a new shopping area. From time to time, he still makes a public appearance. The Rooster will always be regarded with great affection by the locals who grew up here in the community. 

 

 

End of summer has also brought an early harvest of apples from our Gravenstein tree.  Nature waits for no man and apples have been coming whether we were ready or not.  It was a bumper crop this year. When we returned from Wisconsin we found that one of our daughter in laws had come over with our granddaughters to pick a laundry basket full of apples for applesauce.  Even so, there were hundreds of apples on the ground!There was a major heatwave while we were gone and they all ripened at the same time in just a matter of days.

We picked two more laundry baskets full of apples for my DIL and two large wicker baskets full for my mother to make applesauce as well.  I kept one small basket for myself.

Naturally, I had to bake some apple muffins! I tried a new recipe which I found Here.  Delicious!

 

  What better way to start a quiet morning than with a nice cup of coffee, fresh baked muffins and an interesting book.

In a month, there will be more apples from our second tree which will be made into apple pies, apple crumble and of course, more muffins! Yum!

The pears are almost ready to harvest as well.

However, we will be leaving those to the kids and grandkids this year as we are turning our thoughts towards Georgia and the upcoming birth of our newest grandchild who is due any time now.  We will be flying out tomorrow and staying for as long as we are needed. When we return, in a few weeks, summer will be waning, and it will be time to start looking forward to the colors of Autumn.  May the Lord bless and keep you until we visit together again upon our return.

Adieu!

 

The Wedding

As I sat out on the front deck this morning, I finally had a chance to reflect on our son's wedding, which took place two days after the "phantom rehearsal dinner." So much has been happening since then.  I can post on that later, but I wanted to think about just this special day. Our daughter was able to fly out from Georgia so the whole family was present. Such a blessing!

 

 Their friends did all the flowers and decorated the tables. The scene was so beautiful!

 

As were the bride and groom!

This is my beautiful new daughter in law with all her flower girls. The girls in front on the far right and left are my granddaughters.

 

 My handsome son with his best man.  Everyone kept asking me what the sword was all about.  I didn't really know at the time, but I have since learned that in medieval times it wasn't uncommon, for the groom to kidnap his bride from a disapproving family.  So the best swordsman's job was to guard and protect the back of the groom from angry relatives before,during and after the ceremony.  Jason's friend has just the personality to really get into the spirit of things!

 

 As we listened to them say the vows they had written for each other it was clear to all that their commitment to each other and to God is true, deep and strong. There wasn't a dry eye anywhere as everyone listened to their sincerity. As a parent, I know they will face many disappointments and challenges as the years go by.  I also know they both have what it will take to build a strong and lasting life together. What a joy it was to behold. 

 I know that looking at wedding photos of people you will never meet can only hold interest for so long. So I will keep this short and say it was a wonderful Day!.

 

 

May God bless and keep them all the days of their lives.

Adieu!

 

The Phantom Rehearsal Dinner Party

 This has certainly been a whirlwind of a summer! My right hand doesn't know what the left is doing, and I seem to be spinning in circles as I bounce from event to event.  It has already been almost a month since our son's wedding and I have barely posted anything about it.

I had planned on sharing loads of photos of the wedding rehearsal dinner party we hosted here two days before his wedding day. The Inspector and I had been working on the yard since the beginning of May, planting flowers and cleaning decks, lighting the fountains and so forth.  We put up large tents with tables and chairs to seat fifty guests and I decorated each table with tablecloths in the wedding colors with mason jars filled with fresh wild flowers from the gardens and farmers market.  We had grilled salmon and beef brisket as well as trays of grilled fresh vegetable.  I made four huge salads and  baskets filled with warm crusty bread.  It was my new DIL's birthday as well, so I had a lovely cake table too.  Everything looked beautiful and the food was absolutely delicious, but....I was so busy getting ready and hosting that I completely FORGOT TO TAKE A SINGLE PICTURE!!

 Most of the time we all want to share the beautiful side of our lives.  However, sometime the reality of life takes over. This is a picture of my kitchen taken just before I went to bed after hours of cleanup when the party was over.  We were too exhausted to finish.

My mother, daughter and I had put together a dozen jars filled with garden flowers. Most of them wilted pretty quickly in the summer heat but I was able to keep a couple of bouquets for a few days.

The front courtyard fountain looked lovely as our guests both arrived,  

and throughout the evening as they departed.

I really did host a wonderful rehearsal dinner party, even if I can't share it with you all.  Most of the memories of it will remain in my own heart, and hopefully in the memories of our son and our new daughter. Isn't that the best place anyway?  For it is what is in the heart that counts most of all.

Adieu!

Thankful Thursday - A summer morning

 For the first time in weeks I find a moment to sit and savor the quiet of an early summer morning.  It's peaceful.  The low harmonic tones of the wind chimes whisper softly in the breeze.

 

A bird sits chirping in the branches of the maple tree. I look for movement but it is deeply hidden in the green leaves.  Perhaps it's talking to its mate or perhaps it's just giving its own thanks for a beautiful day.

The sun sparkles on the ripples of the lake in the distance. The clouds form a swirling backdrop to the mountain peak. The trees have grown up over the years, and we don't see the mountains or lake as well as we used to, but the knowledge of their presence is still with us.

What joy to be able to embrace the stillness of a summer morning, to reflect on God's love and blessings from the past few weeks and to hold close to my heart his graciousness towards me.

Eucharisteo.