Kitchen Help

Although these kind of days seem far and inbetween,
I love the day when I can stay home all day and bake . . .



and since good help is hard to find these days,



I decided to take her on
even though she showed up in a ballerina dress instead of an apron.
While she kept busy at the sink,

playing washing and pumping out soap,

I pumped out a variety of breads.



It's a good feeling

to have sliced buns

and pizzas ready for quick lunches.

 

And it's amazing how long a girl can be kept busy, hard at work,

 

 and enjoy it!

A Prince and Princess Wedding

Yesterday we, as family and friends, gathered to witness the marriage vows of Andrew and Naomi. We sat near the front, with his side of the family, including another uncle and aunt and numerous cousins.

It's a wonderful feeling . . . this feeling of family gathered to celebrate. And as we do, we remember . . . I'm sure it's something different for each of us. But for me, as I watched him - tall and handsome - standing front and center, I thought of the time we took him camping with our family, as a four-year-old. For this trip, we had four kids, with him as the youngest. 

As the piano and violin began to fill the room with more nostalgia,

I was caught by surprise at the tears that threatened to spill.

So many "pasts" converging into this special day!

 

It was not long ago, yet so many moons ago, 

that the two musicians were flower girls at Andrew's parents' wedding . . .

 

and now their daughters were walking down the aisle.

There was a smile just for Grammy as they passed by.

The bride, so beautiful, followed on the arm of her proud father.

He looked like he was rather enjoying this walk.

But her eyes focused on the one standing in the front . . . the one whose eyes shone at the sight of her.

A tissue was passed.

The ceremony included a time of focusing on the God who brought them together. The God who
exemplifies love and will continue to be faithful in their lives.

It was her father who challenged them with what the Bible says about marriage.
His Gaelic lilt of the tongue adding some sense of humor,
but not leaving out the seriousness of the occasion.
 They each said "I do"
They lit the unity candle.
They signed
(there was a spring in her step when that was done)
and it was sealed with a kiss.

From the limo, the bride and groom followed a Scottish tradition of throwing money as they left. This came as a welcome surprise to the lucky kids.

I kind of like the idea myself.

The idea of giving and it will be given unto you...

full measure and bubbling over.

The flower girls also got to ride in the vintage Rolls Royce.

Their most interesting comment about it was that there were no seatbelts.

Never mind carseats.

Life used to be so easy.

The reception at Northview Golf and Country Club was a perfect setting on this beautiful afternoon,

with some time to play while the bride and groom were otherwise occupied.

Finally it was time for dinner! Everyone enjoyed great food and visiting around tables as Andrew and Naomi made their way around to meet their guests.

And the day they have prepared for -

for so long -

 came to an end.

May they live happily ever after.

Continuation

In my last post I mentioned what everyone else was doing,
but I forgot to say why I had my camera out.
 I was trying to capture some shots of one of my favorites in the garden.



Some of the shoots were in a jar on the table,

a mere copy of the little tree planted just beside the patio.

This dwarf lilac tree is one of the first to show off it's clusters of flower heads,
 soon after the camellia.
The first color that appears is a deep purple, fading in color as it opens,
 from a dark mauve to a lighter mauve.

I can never quite decide which stage I like best.

Once the blooms open, there is only a small window of time to enjoy them. This photo was taken a few days later, from our eating area window. It was a late afternoon and drizzling . . . giving the garden a lush look . . . but also a reminder that the season for this tree is almost over.

Soon the faded blooms will need to be removed
 and by Fall this little tree will need a few good prunes to keep it small.
Small is good.
But it takes pruning.

Appetizer Anyone?

The table was set.
Julene was listening to her dad tell a story as he was turning
 the chicken on the grill . . .
Chris, obviously in deep thought about something,
and Makenna was riding her mom's old tricycle on the lower patio.



Meanwhile, Tehya and Paeton found something to keep themselves entertained.

A fuzzy, wuzzy something . . .

 

The poor thing was probably very happy when the dinner bell went off
and it was left alone.

The Jean Jacket

As far as I know, the jean jacket came around when I was in my teens . . . in the 70's. I have not googled this... this is just my memory. They take me back to an era of flowery maxi dresses, such as my grad dress above and flared seafarer jeans. 

Since then, the jean jacket has come and gone . . . or maybe it's never really gone, but it certainly is one of those jackets that can hang in your closet for many years before trying it on again after some form of a sabbatical.

These are the combinations I came up with when I shopped a couple of closets in our house.

The jacket has hung in my closet for years. It was a hand me-up from my daughter-in-law. And since she has great taste, I figure even if it's old and may not be the latest fit, it can't be too shabby.

It was fun to pair it up with a more contemporary style of dress and necklace.

I think something with a bit of bling also works well

and I like how it works with a thin strand of pearls,      

                                     

 You can never go wrong with a romantic floral 

or something lacy.

 I think this may be my favorite . . . an old maxi dress

 pulled from the closet that used to be the girls' room . . .

now holding memories of weddings and other special occasions.

I think I'll claim this one for myself.

For Lacey

A year ago we walked down to Fishtrap Creek close to our house. You won't remember how you first clung to me, afraid the geese were going to come and get you . . .

But after watching them for a while, you ventured out toward them

and then acted like it was no big deal . . . you'd seen all there was to see.

This past week I've been back there again,
observing a new generation of geese watch over their young and,
 because I can not take you there this year,
I'll share these pictures with you to possibly plant a seed of a memory for you.
Then one day we'll go back to Fishtrap Creek in the Spring
 and you'll feel like you've already seen it all. Just like you did the first time.