Returning

After an unintentional sabbatical from blogging and Etsy, I'm back! Spring is here already, and life is rolling along quickly. Here's a photo from the time off.

My lovely sister Beth and I, making rosettes, which, for the uninitiated, are pictured below with Mama. Think crispy, thin funnel cakes dipped in sugar. They are a scandinavian cookie, though many cultures claim them. This really isn't surprising because they're SO good!

Come Weary Saints

Joining the bandwagon of bloggers who are posting some of their favorite music, let me say that Come Weary Saints is one of the most refreshing albums I have ever listened to.  No, it's not new, but the lyrics are so true and always timely.  The song It Is Not Death To Die is one of my favorites, as is As Long As You Are Glorified.

Nutella

There's a World Nutella Day website.  With recipes.  Enjoy!

Soft Foods

My wisdom teeth came out today.  Everything went a lot more smoothly than I had expected, and I feel great!  Being put under is the strangest thing - this is how I remember it, after I was hooked up to the IVand everything:

Doctor: So, what do you want to do career-wise?

Me: Well, I want to be a homeschool mom [he shows no recognition of the phrase], you know, teach my kids at home.  I'd also like to run a small home business, perhaps a greenhouse.

Doctor: Hmm, homeschooling.  I've often told my wife, she's a teacher, that it would be a great economic enterprise if she was to homeschool, not just our kids, but other people's kids, you know, on a selective basis.

Me: Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Next thing I knew, I was awake (and just a little loopy), had a mouthful of gauze and no wisdom teeth.  So much for that conversation.

Beth brought me these orchids.  Isn't she sweet?  I love them, and they look so pretty on my temporary side table, next to the "I need help!" bell,  and the bottle of drugth.  My family has been so great.  David's been running up and down the stairs asking if there's anything he can do.  Chrissy made jello, pudding, soft truffles (seriously) and flan for me, and Mom and Dad have been doing their best to make sure I'm comfortable and getting all my pain meds.  I'm so blessed through them!  

The doctor mandated soft foods for the next few days, so here are a few recipes:

Green Smoothie

Basil Peach Smoothie

Tapioca Pudding

Excuse me now, I think I'll go have some pudding for supper.

The Happy Couple

It's been twenty seven years today. Weren't they cute? 

And they say they're more in love now than then.  Still cute, too.

Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad!  Thanks for faithfully modeling the relationship between Christ and the church for your kids.  We love you, and are so thankful that you love each other!

Summer

What a summer it has been.

My family and I travelled North and South, to the prairies and mountains, respectively. I took two summer classes, made new friends and grew closer to others, went to camp for the first time ever, worked, hunted for a car, was a pathetic gardener, called the oral surgeon about 307 times, and have been shown God's mercy, goodness and sovereignty through it all.  It's always amazing to me how he works out the tiniest details.

I'd love to post some photos.  We'll see if that happens.

Convicting Words

I will sing of steadfast love and justice;

     to you, O LORD, I will make music.

I will ponder the way that is blameless.

     Oh when will you come to me?

I will walk with integrity of heart

     within my house;

I will not set before my eyes

     anything that is worthless.

I hate the work of those who fall away;

     it shall not cling to me.

A perverse hear shall be far from me;

     I will know nothing of evil.

(Psalm 101:1-4)

     Could I use this as a description of myself without lying?  Sadly, no.  For instance, how often do I ponder the way that is blameless, meditating on God's Word?  Nowhere near often enough.  How often do I set before my eyes something that is worthless by wasting time on the internet or reading books that have little eternal value?  Far too often. There is a Redeemer, and only through his mercy and grace can I ever hope to change.

North

After sixteen busy days on the road in North Dakota and Minnesota, our family is safely back at home.  Here are a few of the highlights:

• Being with my extended family.
• Spending time in Minot with close friends.
• Making cake and going to graduation parties with Kate.
• Seeing Joanna of Jo-with-it's Portfolio and her fun family.  It was the first time in nearly seven years, and so enjoyable!
• Celebrating my cousin's graduation.
• Watching birds.  If you ever want to see a wide variety of birds, including ones you've never heard of (Bay-Breasted Warbler and Philadelphia Vireo, anyone? I didn't know they exist.), go to North Dakota during migration. 
• Swatting vulture-sized mosquitoes.
• David shot his first raccoon.  And killing a carp.  And a rattlesnake.  For real.  Somehow, David is still alive.  
• Music, music, music!
• Reading and painting.
• Meeting Joren, a Swedish woman who was a foreign exchange student at my cousin's school last year, and came back for the graduation.  She was so sweet, and very fun to talk with.
• Watermelon and blueberries. 
• Spending lots of time outside, in the grass, wind, and sun.  
• As always, coming home.  This was especially fun, as Beth and Dad couldn't come with us on the trip.

On Bin Laden

(Two posts in one day.  I know!)

With all the talk of Osama Bin Laden and the destruction he caused, it's hard to know how to react to his death.  Do we rejoice that he's been stopped or mourn for his soul?  Here is a thoughtful article on how Christians should respond.

An Update

It's about time, after all.

I like Joanna's ideas for changing the blog header.  Once I have access to photoshop again (i.e. once Chrissy brings her computer back from the speech and debate tournament), I will continue the editing.  The orchid did re-bloom!  

School is over until July!  I must say, my first year of college went by very quickly.  Overall, I enjoyed it much more than I expected to, and have had so many useful experiences.  Even if the classes won't all prepare me for "real life" (though most of them will), I've had many opportunities to interact with people - Christians and Atheists and everything in between - and these experiences are preparing me for real life, for sharing the Gospel with those around me.  It's really crazy what some people believe and why, but most of them have reasons, and it's good to understand those reasons, in order to address them.

As I type, there are cakes baking in the oven.  These cakes are most likely going to be failures.  The recipe said they were supposed to bake for 38 minutes, but are nearing 50, and still aren't done.  That's what I get for messing with a recipe (substituted coconut oil for shortening - it worked when Beth did it).   Ah, well, there's always Betty Crocker.  

After experiencing what seems like Brazil's rainy season (just colder) for a few weeks, I'm happy to say that the sun is shining today and Summer may have just arrived.  Please ignore the stormy forecast for the next three days.

Excuse me, that sounds like the timer...

After 55 minutes, the cakes are done!  They're still rather dense, but they'll taste good with strawberries and whipped cream.  Everything tastes good with strawberries and whipped cream, right?

More to come. 

Some Changes II

Well, now there's a new header. Thoughts? I think it may be too large.

The Felixstowe to Ipswich Coach

By Russell Sidney Reeves, circa 1940's.

Some Changes

     As you can see, The Yellow Warbler's layout is a little different now than it used to be.  It's wider.  The header is not centered.  I'd like to change the header in the next few days (read: weeks) to make it fit the right way.  The reason for the change in width is that I would like to post larger photos.

     You may see the layout change many times over the next few days, because sometimes I take a while to make a decision.  You may see multiple headers, text colors, and the like.  The background will almost definitely stay white.  I like white.

Afternoon by the River at Grez

     We had the opportunity to see this lovely painting in person today, and it is now one of my very favorites!  Though small (roughly 7"x 12"), the detail and light are stunning. By Willard LeRoy Metcalf.  Photo from Brooklyn Museum.

It's That Time of the Year

     If you plan to garden this year, don't forget to visit WinterSown for free heirloom tomato seeds.  All you have to do is browse around the site for a few minutes, take an easy quiz on what you read and saw, then send in a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE) with your choice of varieties from a list.  They'll send you the seeds (plus a few extra goodies, usually).  

     Tomatoes are really easy to grow from seeds.  All they ask is water (don't let them dry out), light (a South or West window), and a little bit of fertilizer every now and then.  When it's nice outside and you haven't had frost for at least two weeks, plant them in the garden about 3-5 feet apart  If you plant them deeply, they'll grow extra roots on their buried stems.  

The sweet, fresh taste of heirloom tomatoes is totally worth it.  I recommend the Black Krim, but there are at least 20 varieties from which to choose.  You'll be glad you did.  

Picture courtesy Burpee.com.