December 17-18

 

Yesterday was a day of laundry, housework and catching up from our overnight getaway.  The picture above was taken in Kennebunkport, Maine.  We detoured there on our way home on Tuesday and took a short walk around this charming town so well decorated for Christmas.

I will post more about our getaway later, hopefully, but I want to share these beach pictures especially for my friend Pam, who had wished to see them.

You can see how we had to walk through a bit of snow to get to the actual beach.

 

Today I am hoping to send out some more Christmas cards and emails, and then work on a few kitchen gifts this afternoon.  We will see!

It's a mild day and promises to be a mild night, so Mr. T wants to stay at our cottage, so that may impact how much I accomplish here.  I will check back in tomorrow and report!

December 15-16

 I will post more about this in the next few days, but we just returned from a wonderful overnight getaway to the coast of Maine. 

We stayed in a charming seaside inn, enjoyed delightful food, Christmasy decor and lights inside and out, walked on a beach, and just had a relaxing, refreshing time.  I even got a few Christmas cards written and worked on a small handmade gift.

Tomorrow it will be back to the busyness of life and of the season, but I am coming back to it rested and refreshed.

A refreshing day by the water

 

Yesterday we took an impulsive day trip to the Maine coast, a brief interlude between the busyness of May at TWNE and a busy summer catching up with things at home & camp as well as a potential road trip in July. 

Dunkin is often a day trip essential for us.  This time it was only a box of Munchkins which I didn't bother to photograph, choosing to use this older more classic photo instead.

 We got no photos at all of the beaches or lighthouse (we have plenty of those from other times and seasons) although we did go to both places.  The beach, though nowhere near as crowded as it will be in summer, was still much too crowded to enjoy walking on, so we were glad we knew of other walking options. 

And thus we got pictures of the lovely flowers along a favorite path, the Fisherman's Walk in York Harbor. 

This path winds along the ocean at the base of a hill and there are many lovely old plantings from the mansions situated above. These lilacs were especially beautiful and fragrant. 

Other photos are of pink bush honeysuckle,

  a yellow flowering bush or tree we couldn't identify,

and a deep purple lilac in the yard of a beautiful old home at the top of a side street. 

The deep purple lilacs are our favorites.

 
We had a refreshing day by the water.  I didn't realize until today how refreshed I feel.  We got home in time for a healthy supper, went to bed while it was still light out, and slept soundly.  Today I feel ready to tackle housework and other tasks with renewed energy.  So thankful for God's kindness in giving us this lovely day away.

Shedding some light on the Wednesday Medley

It's Wednesday again, and time for the Wednesday Medley hosted by Terri at Your Friend from Florida!  This week's questions are based off National Lighthouse Day, which is celebrated today, August 7. Why not head on over to Terri's and get the the questions to answer on your own blog?  

Here goes with the questions:

1.  Let's start with a number! How many lighthouses have you visited?

Oh, good question.  At least a couple on Prince Edward Island and at least four in Maine .. so let's say at least half a dozen. I believe that the image below is the Point Prim lighthouse on PEI, which the rest of my family did climb to the top of.

Image by Brigitte Werner from Pixabay

2.  Have you been inside a lighthouse and did you walk to the top?

I have been inside one of the Prince Edward Island lighthouses and, although I started up,  I did not make it all the way to the top.   Circular staircases make me dizzy.  My hubby and a bunch of kids and grandkids did go up inside the Pemaquid Point lighthouse, pictured below.  I believe it's one of only a very few in Maine that one can go to the top of.

3.  Do you seek them out when you are traveling the coastlines or are you not that big a fan?

Oh, I'm definitely a fan.  My hubby is also, so we definitely seek them out when we have the opportunity.  Below is Portland Head Light in Maine.  Photo from Pixabay.

4.  Do you have a favorite scripture or another reference to share with us concerning a guiding light in your life?

 "The LORD is my light and my salvation: whom shall I fear?  The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" Psalm 27:1

And a very meaningful song to me has been the Gospel song "The Lighthouse" by Ronnie Hinson.  Here are the lyrics:

 There's a Lighthouse on the hillside
that overlooks life's sea.
When I'm tossed it sends out a light
that I might see.
And the light that shines in the darkness,
now will safely lead us o'er.
If it wasn't for the lighthouse
that ship would be no more.

Everybody that lives around me says,
tear that lighthouse down,
The big ships don't sail this way anymore,
there's no use of it standing 'round.
Then my mind goes back to that stormy night,
when just in time I saw the light,
Yes, the light from that old lighthouse,
that stands up there on the hill.

And I thank God for the Lighthouse,
I owe my life to Him,
For Jesus is the Lighthouse,
and from the rocks of sin
He has shone a light around me
that I can clearly see,
If it wasn't for the Lighthouse
where would this ship be?

I love this song and it reminds me of the decision I made to trust Jesus as my personal Savior at a very stormy, dark time in my life -- the most important decision I have ever made or ever will make.   This song says it all.

Light at Pemaquid Point

5.  If you don't collect lighthouses when you travel, is there something tangible that you tend to collect as a souvenir when you are on vacation or a road trip?

I don't always do this, but a souvenir that is a Christmas ornament or could be used as one is a good idea.

This monument in York Harbor, Maine, depicts a lighthouse.

  6.  Please share something with us about your week.

Oh, let's see.  It's  one of those weeks -- so far, at least -- in which I can't seem to get out of my own way.   I had a very tiring (though wonderfully enjoyable) weekend and was on my feet a lot.  My feet almost never swell, but this weekend they did.  Seems like I'm just trying to catch up a bit this week.  So I'm sort of going with the flow and giving myself some grace.   Oh, I'm walking for my usual hour a day and keeping up with necessary tasks -- but beyond that I'm being gentle with myself.  Doing some creative things like journaling and blogging.

And just for fun ... three grandkids inside the Pemaquid Point lighthouse

 There's this week's medley!  What a great theme Terri chose this week!

A day at the ocean

While my Nevada daughter was here, we took a day trip to the ocean.  Since she and the kids were only here for one week,  they wanted to just spend most of it hanging out with family.  But they did hope for one nice day to go to the ocean.  The one good day of their visit was the Monday -- we had rain at least part of all the other days.  So we headed for York Beach and Nubble Light.

We spent a good bit of time at Long Sands beach, where the kids enjoyed beachcombing and playing in the sand at the water's edge.  It was mostly sunny with a few clouds and not too chilly, although there was a bit of a breeze.

This photo just does my heart good.  I enjoy so much when my two girls can be together, even though it is very seldom.

We had brought picnic lunches, and took them over to Nubble Light.  It was a lot windier there and we really had to hold onto our food so it wouldn't blow away.  After lunch the kids explored the rocks and tide pools, pretty much to their heart's content.
 

 Elliott and cousin Ben (both part of the Nevada group)

 

 We got to see a lobsterman tending his traps.  That was so neat!

 A group of scuba diving students preparing to enter the water

All nine kids together!

 The ever-photogenic Nubble Light.

After leaving Nubble, we went up to Ogunquit just for a quick stop at a shop that had one of those souvenir penny-flattening machines.  The kids have special books for collecting these flattened pennies and so they like to seek out a machine in areas they visit.  (The photos below are from Shoshone Falls, Idaho this past fall, but it will give you an idea what the penny machines look like if you've never seen one.)

Between penny-flattening and souvenir shopping at the same shop, we adults debated whether to stop for fast food on the way home or to go for a regular restaurant which might serve seafood.  We opted for a nicer place and enjoyed a lovely fish and chips special!

 Several of the kids occupying themselves while waiting for our food

The Nevada contingent

It could have been a bit warmer and a little less windy, but it was the day God had given us and we couldn't have been more thankful for our day at the ocean!

Monday musings

Trying for a brief "Monday musings" post today, but we will see ...  the day looks busy.  I'll make a stab at it, anyway.  Here are some blessings from the past week:

1.  Spring flowers and wildflowers beginning to appear.  Winter was a long, hard slog this year and the mud still doesn't want to let go in some places.  It's been cool and rainy, so the new leaves on the trees are taking their time getting beyond the budding stage.  But now there are some flowers appearing (like those daffodils at top of post, which planted themselves in a field!) and that is really encouraging.

2.  A wonderful visit from our Nevada daughter and three of her children plus a niece and nephew.  They were here for a week and it was such a blessing!  Below you see the whole gang plus four cousins.  You will note that many brought along their stuffed animals on a walk around Quincy Bog.  And yes, that is a stuffed monkey around my daughter's neck at right.  His name is "Pappy" and he accompanies their family on many adventures.  Entire videos have been made featuring Pappy and his travels.

3.  Time at the ocean last Monday.  We went to Long Sands at York Beach, Maine and also spent time at Nubble Light.  The vastness of the ocean, the power of the waves, and the constancy of the tides never fails to remind me of God's power and faithfulness.

We got to see a lobsterman pulling his traps.

4.  This is a pathetically little thing, but I am so thankful for the opportunity yesterday to spend some time in my scrapbook journal.  Other than a sentence or two this past January 1, I had not journaled there in nearly 2 years.  Yesterday, Sunday, I managed to squeeze in some time in this journal.  I enjoy it so much, but it's one of the first things to go when there's a time crunch.

5.  Several items sold in my Etsy shop.  I had considered putting the shop on vacation while the family was here, but in the end decided not to.  I had only a couple of orders during that time, but then three items sold just as soon as they left!  There was no conflict at all with our family activities.  I wish I had more time to put into the shop, as I certainly have hundreds more things to list.

6.  Good services at church yesterday, with several visitors.  It's always good to have visitors,  and two of these were local folks.  We hope we'll see them again!

I could probably go on for quite awhile, but this is a long enough post for now.  I have another one in the works specifically about our daughter's visit.  Maybe I can publish it later this week!

Wednesday Medley for May 1

Not only is it Wednesday, and time for the Wednesday Medley hosted by Terri at Your Friend from Florida.  It's also May 1!  April seemed to fly by, don't you think?  Why not start off your May blog posts by heading over to Terri's to get the the questions to answer them on your own blog?

1.  Ahhh... May Day!!  Happy May!  Did you celebrate this when you were a child by dancing around a Maypole or leaving flowers on someone's porch? Will you be celebrating a special occasion in May?

 I do remember making May baskets in school as a child.  And, as a teen in MYF, I think we gathered Mayflowers from a church family's property one year and made little baskets or bouquets to take to shut-ins.  

As for occasions, we have several family birthdays in May -- our granddaughter Mackenzie, our sons-in-law Jim and Clay, my hubby's sister Carolyn -- and I think there are more that I can't bring to mind right now.

Mayflowers, also known as Trailing Arbutus

(There are so many other things being celebrated today that I

think we need to give them some attention, too!)

2.  National Mother Goose Day was founded in 1987.  Can you name a nursery rhyme that would fit your life as it was in 1987?  If you are a youngster and not yet born in 1987, you may pass, of course, but do you have a favorite nursery rhyme?  HERE is a list of nursery rhymes.

I'm going to say Old Mother Hubbard.  Those were lean years with all of our kids in Christian school.  The cupboard was never actually bare,  but we did have to be very frugal.

That's my childhood copy of Mother Goose!

3.  National Chocolate Parfait Day is also honored on this day. Parfait means perfect in French. Tell us about a perfect day, in your mind, and would/could it end with a chocolate parfait?

 Oh, let's see ...I'm going to say a perfect day would be spent at our favorite place to stay on Back Lake in the Great North Woods of New Hampshire.  It would begin with breakfast out at a favorite place, perhaps Tall Timber (lovely ambiance and the best scrambled eggs ever!) but more likely Happy Corner Cafe.  Then Mr. T and I would enjoy some good quality devotional time, sitting in the sun on the dock.  We might pack a lunch and go for a picnic somewhere, maybe by another lake.  And then the afternoon would be spent relaxing -- probably kayaking for him and needlework on the dock in the sunshine for me.  For supper, I would likely have used one of these recipes: simple suppers for a getaway -- and sure, why not a chocolate parfait for dessert?  I could put together some simple ones with refrigerated pudding and cool whip, maybe.  Of course, there would be a glorious sunset over Back Lake to end our perfect day.  And a fire in the fireplace!

4.  National School Principal's Day was founded to celebrate these school administrators who support and guide quality teachers and staff to provide productive learning environments for our children.  Did you have a good Principal when you were in school? Do you remember his/her name?

I do remember the names of the school principals at my elementary and high school, but really not much about them.  You can tell that I didn't spend much time in the principal's office if I could help it! And these were sort of forgettable people, at least from my vantage point back then.  (Although I'm sure their families didn't think so!)  Now, of course, I would see them as souls for whom Jesus died.

 

This lovely old building was just down the street from where I went to school.

5. And perhaps the most important one is Silver Star Service Banner Day which honors the sacrifices of the combat wounded, ill, and dying service members from all branches of the military.  Do you have family members who have served this country in uniform? Tell us about them, if you will.

My dad served in the Navy in World War II. Although he was not wounded in combat, he made many difficult sacrifices in serving his country.

6.  It's Hump Day! How is your week going so far?

It's been a good week!  Our youngest daughter is here from Nevada with some of her kids for a visit, and it's been so nice to spend time with them.  We spent Monday at the ocean, which is always wonderful, but even better with family.  Mr. T took the day off from work and was able to go with us.  Just a fantastic day!

 I'll post more about this day later, I hope.  It does my heart so much good, always, to see my daughters together (above).  They were so close for so many years and now are separated by three time zones, so it is always a huge blessing when they can be together.  Below is a photo with all of the kids in it --there were nine!

And there is this week's Wednesday Medley!