Lest We Forget

Good morning son! Well, what can I tell you? It's been another awesome week. The weather has been crappy but we survived. We've had tons of rain this week but the weatherman said this morning that we were 2" below normal for this time of year and we caught up this week. So, as lousy as it was, it was a good thing. The rhododendron in the front yard is in full bloom, hot pink, and is beautiful. Everything is lush and green. The temperature has been about 15 degrees below normal for this time of year but by the end of the week we're headed into the high 80's and probably be wishing for the low 50's, and that's the way it goes from here. I'm looking forward to the warm weather. I think dad's looking forward to putting in the air conditioners in preparation for the hot weather. He gets a big kick every year with my reaction every time he mentions it. He knows I HATE window air conditioners but sadly, if we want to sleep in the heat, it's necessary.

It's Memorial Day weekend and the flags are out everywhere. I can't see one without thinking of you. You loved the American flag and what it stood for. Since you were little you use to get so excited when you saw a flag. It is pretty awesome to see a flag completely unfurled in the wind. I don't know what happened to our large one since we moved. I picked up three from the Dollar Store and put them in planters on the porch and they look beautiful.

My solar chandelier

It's been a full week as always. Dad and I are busy all day and at the end of the "work week" we wonder where the days went. I finished my solar chandelier for the front porch and dad helped me hang it. At first the intent was to put 15 W chandelier bulbs in it and then I got this wild idea that maybe I could use the solar lights from Walmart that are $.94 each. I had three of them already in planters and they've been working just fine. It took eight of them, I added some crystals I already had an voile', a solar chandelier for the front porch. It gets plenty of light so the lights charge fine and give us enough light on the porch that we don't have to use the porch light and try to remember to turn it off at night.

I went over to have a pancake and a brief visit with Corey & Josie Friday morning. It turned out to be an all morning visit. I locked my keys in the car again. This Subaru isn't suppose to lock with the keys in the ignition but I guess it's forgotten that! Anyway, we had a good visit and an awesome chocolate chip pancake. Thanks Corey!  Yesterday Jon brought me a beautiful tomato plant. I just wanted one to see how it will do on the front porch. It gets plenty of sunshine so I think it will do fine. It would be really great to have fresh tomatoes all summer long. I think I'm going to use one of my drawer planters for a zucchini plant. One plant should produce enough zucchini to keep us in Zucchini Relish all summer and store some up for winter. I'm beginning to sound like a squirrel. Dad is finishing up the mirror right now and with any luck the weather will be better tomorrow and we'll get it installed in the corner of the porch and I can plant my strawberries. I'll have to find some type of netting to cover them or the birds will have them all.

ZUCCHINI RELISH

10 cups finely chopped squash

4 cups finely chopped onion

5 tablespoons salt

2 ¼ cups vinegar

4 cups sugar

1 tablespoon each: Nutmeg, Tumeric, Celery Seed, Black Pepper, Dry Mustard

2 red bell pepper, finely diced

2 green bell peppers, finely diced

Mix first three ingredients well and let stand overnight.  Drain, rinse well, drain and rinse again. Cheese cloth works well.  Add remaining ingredients, bring to boil, boil 30 minutes, seal in hot jars. Makes about 6 pints.

This next week I'm going to work on the entry. It's gross! I can't paint all the high walls any more but I can wash down the stairs and next landing, scrub  the "white" woodwork, paint the walls that lead to our front door and I'm going to paint our front door and the entry door in Cobalt Blue. I think I'm going to paint and use one of the old antique dressers I have in the entry so house all our winter gear, knee braces, doggie supplies and such. We have an entry light but it's on a timer and in the winter it usually doesn't come on until you get to our front door which isn't very safe. I usually keep a small lamp in the hall way. It would be cool if the entry gets enough light so that I can again use solar. I'm going to give it a try anyway and see. I think I can get it done in a week so we'll see how it goes. I'll keep you posted.

Dad and I are going to start working on the back deck too. We "found" two 2"x12"s out in the

I can still dream!

yard and are going to make a bench to go alongside the front of the deck. I wanted to build planters but this will be easier and basically the same effect. I'd like to power wash the deck, it really needs it, but I don't know if our landlord has one. We'll see. The niece thing about planting in pots is that it adds tons of color and are easily moved if we change out minds or the plant isn't doing well in the place we put it. Also if need be, we can put them all on the deck for winter and cover them if need be. Dad has his butane and can't wait to start barbecuing. I'm making the barbecue sauce today so he should be in good order for the nice weather tomorrow. I have a lot of scrubbing and cleaning at the back entrance too. It's great to have the time and still the energy to be able to do the things I love to do. We love our home and love fixing it up. God is so good.

Just try and tell me this is not amazing.

Speaking of God, how is He? I mean you really do have some first hand experience now. Is He anything like we imagine? I bet not, because all we have to imagine with are the tools that we have here and what we know here. There is just so much more to the universe than what we can even imagine because we are limited by what we know. I would imagine that's why so many people search for more and more knowledge. Sometimes when I'm "cruising" on Pinterest and see the pictures of places people post I am amazed at the beauty here on earth. And to think that there are places here on earth that even surpass what we've already discovered, that will probably be forever undiscovered. To try and imagine that the beauty of heaven is far greater still blows my mind. As I look out this morning on our little piece of heaven here on earth and see the bright green of the grass and trees, the glorious pinks, whites and yellows out my living room window and the flags billowing in the wind, I feel so very lucky. I think of the men and women who over the many years of our country have fought and died so I can have this little piece of heaven I am forever deeply grateful.

Ours is truly a great country and we are so very lucky. We have the freedom to choose. What a freedom that is. Just think about the possibility of not being able to make the everyday choices we take for granted every day. How would it be if we weren't able to choose for instance, when to get up. Who to marry. How many children to have. Who are friends were to be. What higher power we were going to worship. Where we were going to live.

Dad teases me every single day about projects and how many there are. I don't think I'll ever NOT have a project. It's been a lifelong dream of mine to be able to get up in the morning, set my feet on the floor and say to myself, "Hm, I wonder what I want to do today?", and do it. I remind myself every day there are thousands of people in the world for whom that is not possible. Not only do they not get to do what they want to do, they don't have a bed, floor or sometimes, even feet.

What a blessing it is to be in God's world, to enjoy His creation, to be blessed in so many ways and to know, without a doubt, that there is even a place more beautiful yet to come. I rest in this assurance, thank God for the privilege of choices and the miracle each and everyday to set my feet on the floor and live the life I have. 

Happy Memorial Day son. Tell grandpa thank you.

Until next week, be Aaron, love mom