We're off to the shore for a week. We'll be in Maine where no hurricanes are expected! Have a blessed week.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlLPLO90fSkWe attended a concert given by our local symphony orchestra. It ignited our excitement for Smetana and taking a trip down the Moldau River. AAAHHHH yet another field trip. I wonder when it's off-season in Switzerland?

Turn off my blog music on the sidebar and enjoy this piece while your feeding the baby, doing the dishes, or taking a break from your studies. (Note to my daughters: ONLY A BREAK.) And in case you were wondering, this is not a video of my local symphony orchestra.

I had two positive incidences happened to me on a recent trip to Barnes and Noble.

First, I tried a Starbucks Mint Mocha Frappachino. I'm in love! I wish I could find a picture to show you what a beautiful creation it is. Don't wait- go get one now! I don't want to know how many calories is in it. I don't want to know how much fat it has. I don't want to know how much sugar it contains. I just want to enjoy the memory of the first sip. Oh, it also had whipped cream on it.

Secondly, my heart was warmed as I perused the magazine isles and a fellow "magazine flipper" had already been there. For those who are unfamiliar with the noble work of magazine flipping, the task involves flipping over the magazines with immodest covers. If only I had seen the culprit, I would no doubt have struck up an immediate friendship. More than likely, we are already friends.

Magazine Flippers Unite!!!!

Glimmerglass State Park- A Place to Decompress

Tom needed an afternoon off to decompress and the rest of us just wanted to get to the lake at least once this summer.We found the perfect kayaking creek just off the lake.

This is the oldest covered bridge in America , built in 1825. We were surprised too. But that is what the marker said!

A perfect New York afternoon. If only state park beaches wouldn't close up on Labor Day! We can still enjoy the rest of the park though.

A Devotional from Elizabeth Elliot

Content to be Weak
What weakness are you feeling today? The inability to manage circumstances that cry out to be changed? Helplessness in the face of another's deep need, or of evil you have to watch perpetrated on others you love? A sense of inadequacy for some task laid upon you? Physical weakness or pain? The need for power to forgive an injury or keep silence about unjust accusations against you?
Christ has been there before you. Every form of human limitation He knew, and out of that utter poverty we have been made strong. Yet, again and again, in the life of each disciple, comes the experience of weakness in order that we may live His life for others.
"We who share His weakness shall by the power of God live with Him in your service" (2 Cor 13:4 NEB).
This sharing of His weakness is one aspect of the death of the cross, one of the conditions of our discipleship, and hence cause for joy rather than bitterness. For we walk the road, not alone, but with Christ, "well content to be weak at any time if only you are strong" (2 Cor 13:9 NEB). The mystery is constantly being worked out--strength out of weakness, life out of death.

The Graduation Party

The graduation party was last Saturday. Here are some random pictures showing why I haven't blogged in over a week!

Preparing the tables

We were a bit concerned about the weather. But the fog did burn off, the sun came out, and we had the occasional rain shower just to add some excitement.

The cake table with memorabilia showing the true Carissa. There was also a computer set up with a PowerPoint presentation of pictures. This was referred to as the "crying corner."

The food: a pasta bar, rolls, salads, hot dips with chips and crackers, fruit salad, and a Greek/Lebanese selection of humus, tabouli, stuffed grape leaves and flat bread. Did I do this all myself? No way! Friends volunteered to bring in various dishes, my mother-in-law made the fabulous fruit salad, and my sister-in-law went way above the call of duty :)

Playing "The Blob."

I couldn't have done it without this woman- my wonderful sister-in-law.

Carissa cutting the cake.

It was a wonderful day of memories as we honored our graduate.

More pictures can be seen (from a different perspective) at Rubies in the Rough.

A Bloggy Conflict

The girls went blueberry picking this afternoon. I have not been feeling well, so they went without me. (Have I mentioned how wonderful it is to have my oldest of the road. YEAH!) As Caroline was walking out the door I said, "Be sure to take some pictures." When they came home I asked to see the pictures and I was told they would be on the girls blog. Their blog! What am I going to post on my blog?!

Well, here's a picture of the blueberries before I put them in the freezer. You can go to Rubies in the Rough, like me, and see the pictures of them being picked. :)

The Hillbilly Housewife Comes Through

I have been looking for a recipe for Wheat Hamburger Buns. Something had to replace the inexpensive, yet nutrition-free ALDI's brand hamburger buns. Hubby liked the homemade but asked me to add a little white flour next time so they will be lighter. If you haven't visited the Hillbilly Housewife yet, she may have that healthy recipe you've been looking for.

For My Girls......

(.... and anyone else who may be interested) Tonight, your Dad told me the story about Margaret Wilson, an 18-year-old Scottish martyr. Read her story and be inspired to "do hard things."

How a Teenager Changed Scotland

The Smell of Tuna and Turmeric

I did not sleep well last night, so I didn't rise too early this morning. But at 7:00am I was awakened from my sleep by the aroma of tuna and turmeric. Hubby was making a tuna sandwich to take to work. Carissa has risen early to finish up canning zucchini relish before she went off to her summer job.

It was an interesting combination of smells. Not something I want to awaken to ever again.

With a daughter working this summer at the American Red Cross, blood drives have become a topic of conversation. I have never given blood, but here are some reasons I found to give:

Why give blood? Do you know that less than 38% of the U.S. population is eligible to give blood, and of those donors only 18% give blood.
More interesting facts:
• Every 2 seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood
• More than 38,000 blood donations are needed every day
• A single car accident can require as many as 100 units of blood
• Shortages of all blood types usually occur during the summer and winter holiday
• One donation can save as many as 3 lives
• If you began donating blood at the age of 17 and donated every 56 days until you reached 76, you could have donated 48 gallons of blood, potentially saving over 1,000 lives!
• 4.5 million Americans would die each year without life saving blood transfusions
Who needs your blood:
• various surgeries (4-10 pints)
• car accident/gun shot wounds (up to 50 pints)
• liver transplant (up to 100 pints)
• bone marrow transplant (up to 2 pints/day)
• cancer (up to 8 pints/week)

A Poem

I Have Found Such Joy

I have found such joy in simple things;

A plain, clean room, a nut-brown loaf of bread,

A cup of milk, a kettle as it sings,

The shelter of a roof above my head,

And in a leaf-laced square along the floor,

Where yellow sunlight glimmers through the door.

I have found such joy in things that fill

My quiet days: a curtain's blowing grace,

A potted plant upon my window sill,

A rose, fresh-cut and placed within a vase;

A table cleared, a lamp beside a chair,

And books I long have loved beside me there.

Oh, I have found such joys I wish I might

Tell every woman who goes seeking far

For some elusive, feverish delight,

That very close to home the great joys are:

The elemental things- old as the race,

Yet never, through the ages, commonplace.

~ Grace Noll Crowell

A New Blog

It is an amazing discovery when you realize that your daughters are becoming the women that you hoped you would someday beome. You can meet three of my "delights" at their new blog, Rubies in the Rough

Quotes about daughters
If you would have a good wife, marry one who has been a good daughter. ~Thomas Fuller

A daughter is the happy memories of the past, the joyful moments of the present, and the hope and promise of the future. ~Author Unknown

A daughter is a little girl who grows up to be a friend. ~Author Unknown

"I want my daughters to be beautiful, accomplished, and good; to be admired, loved, and respected; to have a happy youth; to be well and wisely married and to lead useful, pleasant lives with as little care and sorrow to try them as God sees fit to send."~ Marmee, Little Women

Daughters are like flowers, they fill the world with beauty, and sometimes attract pests. ~Author Unknown

Comic relief

On Hospitality

From Revive Our Hearts by Nancy Leigh DeMoss- 10 Reasons You Can't Afford NOT To Be Hospitable. This is a printable PDF file and the website contains so many other good articles to feast on.

Civilization is just a slow process of learning to be kind.

Author Unknown

Tom's Adirondack Birthday Adventure

Here is where the adventure began- one kayak, one patched-up canoe, and six eager passengers going to Old Forge, NY.

The kayak/canoe business drove us in our van to the drop off point on the Moose River and then they drove our van back to the parking lot, where our trip would end. (For all of my Frugal Hack friends, it was a $12 shuttle fee. :) A very full kayak and canoe

We found a sandbar for the birthday party picnic.

Chicken salad sandwiches, a new pasta salad recipe, Doritos (a treat since I never buy them), M&M's (because Hubby loves them), grapes and a pineapple cheesecake (because that is what he always wants).

IBC Rootbeer is another treat.

The birthday boy

The trip was supposed to be 3-4 hours. But when you stop to have a birthday picnic, swim, stop again for birthday cheesecake, swim some more, take pictures of flora, and just pause to enjoy the day, it takes close to 6 hours!

Abby swimming with the ducks.

Indian Paintbrush

I only know this because of my encyclopedic wildflower daughter, Carissa.

I took this picture for Abby. She loves lilly pads.

Journey's end