A Deep Hodgepodge

This photo from January of 2016 (10 years ago) was from a few days spent in San Francisco while Greg was at an Oncology Conference. The words below the first photo are about that day in 2016.

Alice day S.F 030

Today was a full day of sight seeing with an old friend from my college days who grew up in San Francisco. She happens to be Russian/Chinese and knows the city well. We had several stops and enjoyed lunch and shopping in China Town where everyone is getting ready for the Chinese New Year. I don’t think I need to tell anyone what bridge they are looking at in my photo…

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My friend, Alice, at our delicious lunch in Chinatown. She did the ordering. My friend passed away in 2018.

Back to…

…Another winter Hodgepodge with a flashback to ten years ago thanks to Joyce From This Side of the Pond.

1. Ice skating, skiing, sledding, snowshoeing, playing in the snow, or a snowy walk…which winter activity do you choose? Have you done any of these activities so far this winter? 

Nothing this winter. We have not had any measurable snow this season.

At this stage of life, the only winter activity I would choose are the walking kind.

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When we have a good dump of snow I have gone out our door to snowshoe. This is from 2019.

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This one is from 2022.

2. Everyone is posting pictures from ten years ago on their social media sites so let’s jump on the bandwagon too. Share one photo and one thought to go with said photo from the year 2016. And maybe everyone isn’t doing this, but many are and we’re going to be part of the fun. 

This was one of the best memories of 2016! This is the photo that was shared with us and I shared it on the Hodgepodge with the words below the photo.

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We have the best of news that we have permission to share now with the world. Dear and I are grandparents for the first time and will  be able to see our new little granddaughter for the first time in person sometime in March or April of 2017 depending on when she pops out. Even though our little granddaughter is not born yet we consider her our granddaughter already as God is wonderfully forming her right now.
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At the end of 2016, this review of the year from July to December was published on my blog. What a year!
~

3. What’s a trend you hope disappears in this new year? 

Stalking, attacking and verbally assaulting Law Enforcement.

4. ‘They’ say there’s a day for everything and January 21st proves it. National Granola Bar Day. Do you like granola bars? How about just regular granola? Do you like bars of other kinds? 

I’ll have one if I’m desperate but they aren’t something that is purchased and available in my pantry. I do enjoy granola as a cereal with milk.

5.  A frozen lake, a trickling stream, a raging river, or a deep well…which one describes something about your life right now? Elaborate as much or as little as you like. 

A deep well. There is so much to learn that I do not know. So much to see that I haven’t seen. So much about God that I do not know. I believe the ache to know more, see more and do more comes from a deep longing from our inner being that wants to see God as He is. It is a hard thing to explain. Someday that will be a reality. Until then I’ll keep digging in God’s truth and in the world God created for us to enjoy and give glory to God in the discoveries along the way that show me more of Him. My deep desire will become reality when I graduate to heaven.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Speaking of 2016, this is another amazing memory and experience we had in September/October of that year.

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The “Girls” and most of our husbands have just returned from a seven day trip to Indiana and Ohio to see a production using our name in Amish/Mennonite Country. The Blue Gate Productions hosted us and treated us as VIP’s. All ten of the girls were together at the Blue Gate Garden Inn where we enjoyed “Faspa” on Sunday night before we had our cooking show and saw the production for the first time. As you can see from the first photo above we have fun together.

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We took this opportunity to get some photos of all ten of us since Betty and Charlotte live in Manitoba and miss many of our get togethers in British Columbia and Seattle.

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I shared many posts about our time in Amish Country. This is the initial one here.

Happy Wednesday, Hodgepodgers and all who stop by here.

Our Road On Sunday

It has been, for the most part, a snowless winter for us here in Colville. This was our drive on our road home from church and lunch on Sunday January 18th with reflections on our sermon.

Our sermon was on Psalm 25. A Pattern of Prayer: Dependence on God and expressing and reinforcing that dependence in prayer.

God is always reliable and worthy of our trust. Our prayers should express trust.

God gives us our next breath.

We cannot live spiritually without God’s help and without waiting on God with patience.

I’m asking God to give me a teachable heart and guidance to live Godly while I put myself under God’s Truth.

God’s character is to be merciful to sinners. It is good to admit our sinfulness and receive fresh mercies every morning.

Turning into our driveway at the orange reflective triangle for a quiet Sunday afternoon.

Thanks for coming along on our drive home with some main thoughts from our Sunday sermon.

The Birthday Finale

Today is our firstborn’s birthday and that brings our family January birthdays to their finale. He is a joy to us and to so many others.

Happy birthday, dear Joshie! Here’s to a year filled with many good things and lots of love and growth in the Lord.

 Every good and perfect gift comes from above.

Glad we could celebrate you in person back in December.

Here’s a celebration from a few years back.

Seahawks are in the playoffs so this collage with you sporting your Seahawk Jersey seemed appropriate to share.

Of course soccer and the Sounders have a lot of extra loyalty for you and our whole family.

You are loyal fans when they are home and away.

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I love that you and Laura made it all the way to Toronto to see the Sounders win the MLS cup!

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Family times at the games are a great memory.

With FIFA World Cup coming to the USA again it brings memories from 1994 when the USA hosted this popular world event. Seeing prices and how hard it is to get tickets for games this year makes the fact that both you and Dan got ticket packages for less than $100 for a few games in each package seem like a miracle. Not only did you get tickets but we were able to meet the whole U.S. team at their practice field and their hotel. What fun that was to experience.

Hopefully, tickets will become available for you this time around!

Another memory is popping up for the year.

Looking ahead to October, this experience from 1997 comes to mind. You and Dan have been back to Hawaii since 1997 but it will bring back memories when we are all back there together again. I won’t be renting any beach rafts this time around!

Hope you have a special day today and that you know how much you are appreciated and loved.

Go Sounders…oops…Go Seahawks!

A Few More Marchings Weary ~ Hymn

 

A Few More Marchings Weary

A few more march­ings wea­ry,
Then we’ll ga­ther home!
A few more storm clouds drea­ry,
Then we’ll ga­ther home!
A few more days the cross to bear,
And then with Christ a crown to wear;
A few more march­ings wea­ry,
Then we’ll ga­ther home!

Refrain

O’er time’s ra­pid riv­er,
Soon we’ll rest for­ev­er;
No more march­ings weary
When we ga­ther home!

A few more nights of weep­ing,
Then we’ll ga­ther home!
A few more watch­es keep­ing,
Then we’ll ga­ther home!
A few more vic­t’ries ov­er sin,
A few more sheaves to ga­ther in,
A few more march­ings wea­ry,
Then we’ll ga­ther home!

Refrain

A few more sweet links brok­en,
Then we’ll ga­ther home!
A few more kind words spok­en,
Then we’ll ga­ther home!
A few more part­ings on the strand,
And then away to Ca­naan’s land:
A few more march­ings wea­ry,
Then we’ll ga­ther home!

Refrain

Words: Fanny Crosby, 1882.

Spokane Celebration

We gathered together to celebrate these two at the Rusty Moose in Spokane.

We enjoyed our meal and our time together.

This little guy had a cavity filled before our lunch time celebration so his smile was a little off kilter. He did great for the procedure but wasn’t a fan of the numbness and the ‘weird’ feeling as the novacaine wore off.

The restaurant that we gathered at was in the neighborhood of the airport so Greg and I took the opportunity to stop at the airport before our lunch and apply for our TSA Pre-check. It was a smooth process and we are happy to have it done.

Truth for Today #176

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Friday January 16th

On Fridays my posts will include verses that stood out in my readings from the Bible during week. One, two, three or maybe more. If you have a verse/verses that you read during the week and would like to share, leave it/them in the comments and I will add it/them to the post. Let’s continue to dig deep into God’s truth.

The verses that you share are appreciated and so encouraging, I’m thankful for them and for each of you! 

Hebrews 1:1-4

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

2 Peter 1:19-21

And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

From Vera:

“Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.”
‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5‬:‭23‬-‭24‬ ‭ESV‬‬

From Karen:

Psalm 43:8

O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in Him.

A Trifecta of Birthdays

This was last January (2025). Today we begin celebrating these three. Today is Jamie’s birthday. Tomorrow is Dan’s birthday and then on Monday it is Joshie’s birthday.

We celebrated these three early in December but that doesn’t mean we’ll ignore their actual day!

We are meeting for a birthday lunch in Spokane tomorrow with Jamie’s family to celebrate Jamie and Dan’s birthdays again. It is the big 4-0 for Jamie. We’re trying a new to the group restaurant near the airport, the Rusty Moose.

Today is Jamie’s Day. A very happy birthday to the wonderful mama of our Grands! We thank God for his goodness to our son in bringing Jamie into his life. She’s a good mama, wife, daughter, granddaughter, sister in law, daughter in law and friend.

We are still snowless here at our country bungalow and things outside look more like the beginning of Spring. The grass is green. We’ve had dense fog and rain off and on. So far this has been a mild winter in our parts.

How are things in your corner of the world?

Winter Hodgepodge

I’m keeping up our Christmas and New Year cards for a little while longer.

If it’s Wednesday it is time for answering a new set of Hodgepodge questions that Joyce From this Side of the Pond is asking.

1. What kind of winter person are you-snow lover, fireplace snuggler, winter adventurer, or indoor hibernator? Elaborate.

I’m in the winter of my life here on earth and need to adjust to that reality. When we lived in southern California winter walks on the beach were my favorite. Living in NE Washington State my winter adventures are more in the fireplace snuggler or indoor hibernator realm. Slipping on ice is something that we really need to avoid at our age. I’ll still walk on the beach in winter if given the opportunity.

2. The Pantone color of the year is cloud dancer, described as a gentle, billowy off white shade. The color symbolizes ‘peace, clarity, quiet reflection, renewal, and a soft reset’. Of the terms just listed which do you need most in your life this winter? 

I’ll go with renewal, to restore to a good state.

3. Every cloud has a silver liningon cloud ninehead in the cloudsstorm clouds gathering, or cloud of suspicion...which ‘cloud’ idiom do you most relate to currently? Explain. 

Personally, ‘every cloud has a silver lining’, is my choice. My present and future are secure in my relationship with the God of the Universe so I can rest and see that He will keep me to the end not matter what storms brew.

State of the world, ‘storm clouds gathering’. So much evil intent and noise going on. Law and Order is being challenged like it never has before. Hats off to Ice, Border Patrol, Police Officers and National Guardsmen for keeping their cool as they do their jobs while subversive lawless individuals try to impede, attack and even kill them.

4. coconut, cauliflower, cottage cheese, mayonnaise, onions, ranch dressing…of the white foods listed, which would be the hardest for you to give up? Do you like all or any of the foods on the list? 

I can enjoy all of these white foods but the one that would be hardest to give up is onions. I love the flavor that onions add to meat, vegetables, salads, sauces. I could go on. I enjoy raw onion on a burger. Caramelized onions are so good!

5. Thomas Wentworth Higginson is credited with this quote-

“How many lessons of faith and beauty we should lose, if there were no winter in our year.” 

Agree or disagree? Tell us why. 

There are lessons of faith and beauty in every season including winter. I’m so happy for having all four and learning and growing in each season.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Our Spider Plant has really taken off and it started tiny.

Have you seen these flower arrangements made out of wood? There is a gal in our area who makes them and sells them at one of our local stores and at Craft fairs.

This one is in one of our guest rooms.

Happy Hodgepodge y’all. See you soon.

 

Partying

Our church hosted a Princess Pajama Party this past Friday evening. It was a fun night for girls and their moms from our church and from our community. There were all sorts of stations of fun. Addy chose the Lego station and she along with some friends each built part of this Princess Lego Castle.

Granny, Addy and Mama chose some animal facials.

Addy won a prize for her coloring.

On Saturday on the other side of our state, our Westside kids all enjoyed our son’s annual employee appreciation party. Our daughter works for her brother so she gets in on the fun, too. Josh and his partners treat their employees well.

The theme was 80’s – Prom Night. It was fun to get photos from the event.

JJ has his own special party every Monday afternoon at Baba and Gramps’.

He found that our family room ottoman was just the right size for a cozy spot to watch TV.

I tried introducing him to the Lone Ranger which was okay for a bit but then we moved on to Silly Symphonies.

Here’s my kind of party…

I started my World of Jane Austen puzzle which was a Christmas gift from Andrew and Katie. This will be a fun one to put together.

Today is massage day. What does your day hold?

I’ll come around later to see what my blogging friends have been up to.

Talking to Myself

I’ve been talking to myself since I finally stepped on the scale last week. Yikes! That number I saw was shocking to me.

Before I stepped on the scale, I had already planned and started a 1200 calorie a day eating plan. I bought a book for inspiration but my choices are personalized.

After a full week on 1200 calories a day I’m telling myself…

1200 calories is plenty of food to eat in a day.

Some days after dinner and being satisfied, I still have 200 calories left to consume.

It’s okay to eat the same thing over and over again if it is what I like.

Adding cucumbers to wraps gives you a delicious crunch and satisfaction.

That a single serving of oatmeal with a walnut, two teaspoons of brown sugar, 1/2 cup of blueberries was delicious and satisfying and under 300 calories. (I’ll be having that for breakfast again)

The varieties of good food I can eat is encouraging and doable.

A Costco chicken deboned chopped or shredded and frozen in smaller portions is a plus.

Shopping with a list of  good things to buy is important. I need to have those items on hand.

Keeping an ongoing, daily list of everything I put into my mouth is necessary for me.

My math skills are being challenged in figuring out calories then adding and subtracting. 🙂

I’m reminding myself that things might be slow going but I’ll be pleased in a month, more pleased in 2 months, etc.

A huge help for me is knowing my ‘girls’ are cheering me on. They are praying with me for resolve to continue doing what is good for me physically and mentally. Accountability is key.

Because of my Plantar Fasciitis I’m not able to walk regularly for extra exercise but I have started chair exercises with a YouTube that is good and going well. Just 10 minutes in the session but still helpful and easy on my feet.

Another reality is that there will be special events where I won’t be counting calories and that is okay.

As my clothes feel less tight I will remember to take notice and be thankful.

You won’t hear any weekly reports from me about this journey but I will try to post something monthly or every six weeks for more accountability.

This ground turkey soup I made on Saturday ended up being 175 calories per cup (8oz.) and was very tasty per Greg and me.

Ingredients

  • 8 oz. cooked ground turkey
  • 1 can chicken broth
  • 1 can Rotel original diced tomatoes and chilies
  • 1 can black beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 small zucchini sliced
  • 2 mushrooms sliced
  • 1 Carrot sliced

Method:

  1. Combine all ingredients in soup pot.
  2. Bring to a boil then turn down to simmer.
  3. Simmer for 30 minutes.
  4. Serve while hot.

Yield: About 5 cups

Note: This was spicy with the Ro-Tel but added some nice depth of flavor.  You can substitute a can of chopped tomatoes instead if you don’t tolerate hot spice.

Some other meals I’ve enjoyed, just to name a few.

  • Low Fat Cottage cheese with pineapple
  • Cooked ground beef wrap with cucumbers and salsa
  • 2 eggs on toast
  • Strawberries with a squirt of whipped cream
  • Avocado and egg on toast
  • Cheese melt on English muffin
  • Teriyaki Chicken breast with rice and brussels sprouts