Saturday, August 1, 2015

Saturday's Scribbles

Good Saturday morning to you from our corner of the world.  It has been beautiful here since we returned home on Thursday night, warm, but low humidity.  While we were gone over 5 inches of rain fell, including 4 inches in one day.  It is definitely August now, and the grass is not growing quite so fast as before.  Most flowers are doing well, but some are fading. 

Being "up North" in Minnesota, we noticed that the sun does not set until around 10pm while here it closer to 9.  We were either up in lake country with hills and valleys, or on the prairie, and both were enjoyable.  Joel took one day and drove to his home town, then biked 10 miles on a great biking trail before turning around and riding back to where he left the car...first having lunch with his cousin and then having coffee when he returned.  Lots of time to visit! 

We loved sitting on the porch in the silence that only the country provides.  We always say we live in such a quiet area.......and we do.......but on the farm?  We definitely could "hear" the silence speaking.   Loved that.  AND no TV for 7 days was really relaxing.  I did go through nightly news withdraw, but soon adjusted.  In fact when we came back and watched the news, we discovered it to be loud, stressful, and negative.  Our visit with family was soooooo great, and an afternoon visit with a couple of friends was fun!  Joel's reconnection with the people and the church he grew up in was wonderful!  He had such a good time!

We have now been without an oven for 9 days.  Joel and I totally goofed up when we forgot we had a convection oven and put an aluminum tray in the bottom of our one year old stove to keep it clean as we sell the house.  When we turned the oven on, it melted to the bottom of the stove and there is no way to remove it.  So, we have ordered a new heating element/bottom to the stove and a guy will come install it next week when it arrives.  We beat ourselves up for a while, and then just decided....stuff happens....move on.  Sigh.....We use our oven a lot, so we are being creative in finding meals.  Thankfully, it is summer and we can grill.....but not baking bread, or snacks, or our favorite roasted veggies has made us realize how blessed we are!

Today we headed out to a campground around 10 miles from here to visit with friends Mary Lou and Keith and "tour" their new 5th wheel.  Saw a couple of others from our former congregation too.  Fun.  Wow, what a nice home on wheels Mary Lou and Keith have.  We had a nice visit before heading home to more getting-ready-to-sell work. 

I have watched a couple of teachings since Thursday and we havc read a bit, but today our hearts and minds are still back on the prairie, relaxing on the farm porch, and enjoying the family.

3 comments:

Anita Johnson said...

Just a quick hello before my battery dies...oh technology! The farm sounds like a wonderful place...prayers continue! Love, Anita

Sharon said...

So lovely to catch up with you and Joel! Oh, the ordeal with the oven! I hate it when I do things like that!! Hindsight is always 20/20!! My hubby and I aren't a real *cooking* family - he doesn't really like eating much! So, we wouldn't miss an oven like you guys are! But, we are fans of grilling. And summer is the best time for chicken and pork chops and all sorts of other goodies! (Must say, though, I have also seen hubby out there in the snow grilling his little heart out!)

GOD BLESS!

Unknown said...

I am familiar with St. Cloud, Minnesota. My husband drives for a trucking firm there. Summer has to be a delightful experience there. I recall one winter being up there when I wore two pairs of jeans, three shirts, two pairs of socks, and a stocking hat inside of the truck with its heater running. I was amused when you spoke of sitting on your front porch. I imagined myself sitting there in snowy weather and reliving my memory. Funny . . . I don't recall a lot of my adventures with my husband in his truck in the south. Why do we choose certain things to hold on to as memories?