Quiet Space

Michelle Craig talks about making a quiet space in a world of noise and tumult so we can hear the Spirit.

“Satan knows the greatest leverage point is in that quiet space, so he tries to separate us from those moments, ... He tries to fill us with distraction—we turn on the radio in the moment we get in the car, we put in earphones while we exercise, the TV is on in the background while we work on dinner or do other household chores. These distractions rob of us that quiet place. It’s not that these things are bad, but perhaps we are forfeiting something better.”

“As the world gets brighter, louder, and busier, individuals must make the time and effort to “extract ourselves from the distractions, the noise, and the tumult,” so the voice of the Spirit can get through."

I'm trying to be more deliberate about making quiet spaces so I can hear the Spirit more easily. 

Refuge & Power

at the hospital

Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast. (Psalm 57: 1)

Keeping powered up 

God is my strength and power  (2Samuel 22: 33)

Royal Wedding Guests

 Kirkland's Cow and Coyote are ready for the royal wedding

note the groom's red beard

Be a Ray of Light

Jeffrey Holland's counsel to Brigham Young University graduates is good counsel for all of us. 

“Go out there and be undaunted.... Go out there and light a candle. Be a ray of light. Be your best self and let your character shine. 

Cherish the gospel of Jesus Christ and live it. The world needs you, ... go forth to serve and strengthen.”  

Mother's Day

Mom always wanted us to set our sights high - even when our focus was elsewhere

Mom - February 1956

My Father & Rhubarb

Rhubarb always reminds me of Dad. Don, our neighbor on Oak Street, frequently gave us rhubarb from his extensive gardens. Mom would prepare it with HUGE amounts of sugar. 

After Mom died, we discovered that rhubarb was something Dad really enjoyed. We cooked some up for him and then he learned how to prepare it himself. There weren't too many things he cooked "from scratch" in quantities for one person (His Navy and Scout experiences provided ample opportunities to cook for large numbers of people). After Dad died we found lots of rhubarb that he'd cooked and frozen in the basement freezer. 

I found the following in a note from a visit with Dad June 10, 2003, a few months after Mom's death. After tasting rhubarb I cooked for him, he said it was "just right. Sour enough to not quite take the enamel off your teeth!"

Dad had some definite opinions about food - what combinations were acceptable. Click here for his comment about a salad Mom's mother made for him (only one time). If I'm remembering correctly, Dad felt chocolate pudding didn't belong in a pie and neither did rhubarb. 

See another post about rhubarb here 

June 2003

Path, Stairs, Handrail

We know life's journey has twists and turns

Sometimes we're even aware that stairs, steep stairs, are off in the distance

When the stairs are upon us they might be steep and difficult to climb

It's wise to look for handrails

Prayer, faith in Jesus Christ, family, friends, scriptures

So many people and things are within our reach

to help us in the difficult parts of the journey

 Heritage Park, Kirkland

Tulip Immersion - Part 3 of 3

It's OK to be different

a dandelion - its own kind of beautiful

For last year's pictures click here & other posts in early May 2017

Tulip Immersion - Part 2 of 3

RoozenGaarde (www.Tulips.com) is a division of Washington Bulb Company Inc., the largest flower bulb grower in North America with more than 1000 acres of tulip, daffodil, and iris fields located in the Skagit Valley. In addition to the vast fields of flowers, we also grow tulips and lilies year round in our 15 acres of greenhouses.

The company is owned by the Roozen family – tulip and bulb growers in Holland and the United States since the early 1700’s. RoozenGaarde has a beautiful 5 acre display garden (and gift shop) that is planted with over ¼ million bulbs and features an authentic Dutch Windmill! Each year we completely redesign and replant the display garden to provide for brand new floral sights and splendidly colorful scenes spring after spring. This year’s design will feature plenty of unique patterns, brilliant color combinations, and the always popular flowering rivers of deep blue muscari! Great photo opportunities abound. A 25 acre tulip field and 22 acre daffodil field sits next to the display garden. Check out our Tulips.com Facebook page for photos from the past and present.

Planted in the display garden are 90+ varieties of tulips and over 150 flower bulb varieties in total. Included are tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, crocus, muscari and other specialty flowers. (source)

 

Seattle Seahawks (see eye in upper middle of image)

I wasn't tall enough to get the entire head

Every year I look for the tulips planted in this sprawling tree

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Tulip Immersion - Part 1 of 3

Tulip time is a beautiful time in this neck of the woods. About an hour north of us RoozenGaarde has more than 1,000 acres of tulip, daffodil, and iris fields. RoozenGaarde is the largest flower bulb grower in North America. The five acre display garden is glorious with over 250,000 bulbs in bloom. It is spectacular!

 It's difficult to articulate the sight and feel of row after row after row of awesome color. 

 Different colors seem to give off different vibrations. 

My whole being feels reenergized after basking in all this beauty

Good Junk Wanted

Look what this artist does with "good junk!"

Conway, Washington

On the way to see the tulips

Evening at the Lake

stunning colors

looking west - last light of the day shimmers across the lake

taken just minutes after the middle image

looking north