Wedding Randomness

As you can imagine everyone had out their cell phones and even some cameras so we have pictures of every possible combination of people who gathered to celebrate Sam and Joshua. 

Here are a few pictures you might like and some people you might know.

Joshua in "listening mode" as he takes in why things seem to be running late.

No issues or problems. Just lots of young women getting dressed for a wedding.

The Mama Susan and two of grands, Akira and Trinity,

who were two of their brother's attendants. Because Trinity was 

in group, they became the Groom's Dudes!

Chris, best man and Joshua's best friend for years, and 

his lovely sister Abby, both of whom came from Carson City.

A very patient man who played and played some more until the wedding began.

The three Mix women - descendants of a long line of strong women:

Susan, Michelle, and Meredith.

Meredith and David, aunt and uncle in from Philadelphia.

Three generations of strong women and on this day, 

very proud and happy women.

Amanda, the pastor, taking a few last minute notes while her

husband hangs out. 

Grandpa and Mama Susan

Michelle and Marc, such proud parents.

Joshua and Samantha's Wedding

It was the wrong weekend for my computer to die. Thanks to two lovely women at Apple and my wonderful Dean, it was restored last night so here is your first taste of our beautiful weekend.

To quote the Episcopal Bishop who preached at the royal wedding, 

"Two young people fell in love, and we all showed up."

Waiting for Bride in a lovely grove of trees in Lithia Park, Ashland, Oregon.

Lilly leads the bridesmaids from the trolley. 

Finally the bride and her father emerge, and she was Beautiful!

Amanda, whose last name I can neither pronounce nor spell, was the officiant.

She was amazing.

Literally tying the knot.

"You may kiss your bride."

With great joy, Amanda introduced us to Joshua and Sam,

husband and wife.

As they walked away, we were told to give them the first few minutes

of their marriage alone. We did as she gave us some last minute instructions

about the reception and a final blessing. And then they returned to us and to 

the joyful celebration of family and friends. 

Just as with marriage, there is more to come. 

The Wedding Weekend Begins

We are in Ashland, Oregon for grandson Joshua's wedding. Some how, through our Christmas letter I guess, we discovered that while we are here, so are friends from TCU days, Maury and Linda Williams. They met us this morning at the Luna Cafe' at the Ashland Hills Hotel where Joshua works and where we are staying for the wedding.

What a two and a half hours!! We talked and talked and hugged and 

laughed and told all sorts of old and new stories. It was so great for

my daughters to listen to people who had known their dad and who

could talk about him. Rex had married Maury and Linda 52 years ago. 

We had not seen Marc and David for a while either so when

both sons-in-law came together, Dean began to have good

conversation with them too. 

Michelle had not seen her sister for a over a year. After

greeting each other, they began to listen intently to the 

stories being told around the table. 

What a Wonderful morning! It was also made better by the 

staff who showed me around early, explained the food to me 

(until 11, they have only homemade pastries and yogurt and fruit).

Dean and I are very impressed with the Luna Cafe'. I was so 

pleased that this morning was Exactly what I wanted it to be.

It was a great start to the weekend. 

A Bear in One Act

Setting: Susan and Dean's deck. Hamburgers on the grill. A plate of cheese waiting to turn the plain hamburgers into cheeseburgers.

Dean - inside getting a glass of wine.

Oso - inside with Dean.

Susan - heading across the deck to pick mint for her iced tea.

Bear - right next to the turn onto the deck from the path

Susan sees the bear and thinks for a split second it is Oso. Realizing it is a bear, she begins to holler and bang on a near by grill. "Get out of here. Go. Get out of here."

Bear heads up the hill.

Oso hears the call to arms  (Susan banging and yelling) and comes racing out of the house barking and following the bear up the hill. Neither the bear nor Oso pay any attention to the path but rather head straight up the rocks and into the forest.

Dean and Susan stand on the deck waiting. Susan finally returns with her mint to the kitchen and Dean checks the burgers. Oso returns amidst praise for his bravery.

Curtain.

Back to Hiking the Forest

Spring is here. Dean had already made two walks to the Point. This was my day to join them.

I love this place. We can sit. We can view the lake. And we can take lots and lots of pictures.

I hadn't seen this view for a while so I couldn't resist 

One More Picture of the lake from the Point. This morning

the clouds that would become thunderheads by afternoon

were already hanging over the mountains. 

And Dean took a picture of me.

 The next day we walked beyond the point to the creek 

so Oso could wade and have fun.

He loves it ~ he gets to splash and get a drink.

The creek is running fast and hard. We could here it from

the trail and it drew us to its flow. 

It was a good morning walk and it feels good to be back 

in the habit. All three of us would welcome you to come along.

Pride Goeth . . .

Remember that "pride goeth before a fall" business? Well - not sure pride had anything to do with it but that's still how I am feeling.

I was So happy. Spring was here and I was wearing sandals and a short sleeved T shirt, wow. And then it wasn't spring any more and when we had company to dinner Saturday night, I had on heavy socks, heavy jeans, under shirt with heavy long sleeved T with a fleece shirt over them. We had fire in the fire place and ate inside. Spring was here and then it wasn't.

Warm, sunny days had inspired Dean to get the deck ready for summer. He spent almost a week, in bits and pieces, scrubbing, bleaching, cleaning and sealing. The deck looks beautiful. On Saturday, even though it was chilly, we brought up the furniture and set it all out, including cushions in place. And on Saturday night it turned cold so we ate inside and it sprinkled and then it rained almost all day yesterday. The cushions, that stayed dry and clean under the house all winter, are soaked through and will take days of clear skies and sunshine before we can sit on them.

I don't think I was all the prideful and I sure was happy that Spring was finally here. And Spring just told me very clearly that the season includes all sorts of precipitation and temperatures. Ah well - blessings on your day!

In A. A. Milne's poems "Now We are Six" there is a poem that starts, "Half way up the stairs is a stair where I sit . . .". It is a poem about Christopher Robin having a place to go all to himself just to be. Well, half way down the drive there is a rock where I sit. I haven't written a poem about it and it is a rock I go to once spring comes and the sun is warm in the early afternoon. Oso and I go halfway down the drive and I sit on the warm rock. Oso sits on the warm much smaller stones on the drive. I just sit and let the sun bake into my body and I just am.

I don't do sun much any more. Mostly I use a lot of sun block and stay in the shade. However, in early spring, there is this rock, half way down the drive . . .

Happy Spring!

It doesn't take a lot to make me happy these days. I am very easy to please ~ especially when it comes to Spring. On my morning walk, I discovered several things that brought a smile to my face. 

My neighbor has daffodils and one tulip!

Another neighbor has daffodils. I remember one spring when I had to tell my east coast friends "no more daffodils" because we still had snow on the ground around June 1st. Not this year. We have our own daffodils.

As you know I live where the pines and cedars are green the year round. It is with great pleasure that I observed on the few trees that have been sticks all winter little tiny green buds. So tiny, my camera will hardly photograph them clearly. Doesn't matter. You can tell they are there and I know they are! Spring happiness is here!

Key Lime Pie Recipe

~ because several of you asked:

Key Lime Pie (Bev Wilson)

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk

3/4 cup whipping cream

4 oz Key Lime juice (either bought or squeezed)

1 9” graham cracker pie crust ~ either bought or made

In mixer whip cream. Continuing to whip, add condensed milk. Continuing to whip, add key lime juice. Pour into pie crust and refrigerate 3 hours or overnight. 

I have used both fresh key limes and juice from a bottle. The limes I found were so small that it really wasn't worth the effort if the point is to be quick and easy. As for the pie crust, homemade will take longer and need to be cooled after baking for a few minutes and it is a lot better. Up to you. Enjoy. 

More Randomness

1) Phone rang shortly after 7 this morning. Sears wanted to tell me they were having "delivery issues" and couldn't bring the new washer today. They next time they had to deliver it was next Monday. Hmmm. Thanks, I think ~ and what are "delivery issues"? Sounds like something a woman has at the last few minutes of labor. Sigh.

2) Number One is a bummer but every cloud has a silver lining. We have two washers so I was able to do laundry today after all. All I have had to do is go down and up my stairs a lot of times. I decided to play my piano in between loads and to look on it as exercise - down and up the stairs. Turned into a full body work out which I needed!! The knees are talking to me.

3) My piano got a good work out today too. Last week I ordered a book with very basic classical music adjusted for beginning pianists. I am loving it. I'm grateful the music is simple. I can play almost instantly. My arthritic fingers are getting good exercise too. Music makes for a happy day.

~ a Merry May to you all