Living Eternally

I've been over at Rosie's blog and was inspired by this post.  I was especially grateful for being reminded about Living Eternally. She linked to this video of Francis Chan that I'd forgotten about--such a good reminder.  Thanks Rosie!

Summer--thunderstorms and sunshine

Hello!  I'm glad to be back to posting, but very much enjoying living in the mean-time.  Hope you like a little glimpse into it.

If you look closely, this picture is not dingy, only rainy--see the gardens beginning?

Tuesday was a particularly delightful rainy day.  There was a really proper thunderstorm that began at about noon and did not decline until late evening.  I chanced to be at Katie's house for that part of the day, and hers is quite the perfect rainy-day place to be.

The rain pattered her windowbox-geraniums and splashed upon the street outside.  Great racks and swirls of clouds hung in the sky, and the fresh smell of rain drifted into Katie's cozy and candle-lit cottage.  A few dishes later, and with babies down to nap, I sat down with a Sherlock Holmes of hers that wasn't in my edition.  And so while he splashed down London streets, pottered among his chemicals, and generally astounded Dr. Watson, I was curled in an orange chair while the thunder rent the sky behind my head and Josiah slept at my feet.  A most enjoyable situation indeed, and hardly to be improved upon.

When Greta woke, I was quite ready for snuggles of all sorts, protection from thunder, and watching the raindrops on the street, until a particularly loud crash woke Josiah.  We watched Nigella, and puttered while the rain continued to fall, leaving droplets on the clothesline, ringing into the birdbath and hydrating her luscious gardens.  We drank copious drafts of tea, she hemmed some pants and made supper, and we bathed happy, splashy, squishy babies.

*   *   *

*   *   *

And speaking of coziness, a few other pictures of home comforts from recent days.

*     *     *

*     *     *

And if you are a little warm from the heat of the day. . . .

I love food ~ cold or hot, making or eating . . . but I love to cook for the weather. . .  

The Rose Garden: Still she sings

The Rose Garden: Still she sings: "Meet Sadia Moyo, a little girl orphaned and abandoned amidst the horror of the genocide in Sudan. Sadia has been rescued by the brothers ..."

You can visit Katie's blogpost here. This is hard stuff--see her note at the bottom; but please, please pray for these people. I am so thankful for the ministry over there . . .

When it is very hot . . . .

. . . you don't do a great deal besides drinking water and lemonade, and watering the gardens.  But, besides those chief occupations, we have enjoyed music and humming fans, biking over to see sister, niece and nephew, some light housework, and some reading. . .

I didn't know Ben was taking the picture :) 



Beautifying my Records

 ~morning music, and the beauty of Ithilien

To A Skylark

"Hail to thee, blithe spirit!

Bird thou never wert,

That from heaven, or near it,

Pourest thy full heart

In profuse strains of unpremeditated art."

 ~ PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY

{Hear their Song}

June

 Glorious June!

Our poetry selection today was 'June' by James Russell Lowell.  This is not raking for leaves, friends, but if you wish to dig for diamonds, click on the link.