virginia for labor day

i spent labor day weekend in virginia with my cousins jay and sue. it was truly a relaxing weekend and so good to see my virginia family.

the battle of yorktown monument

visiting with sue while waiting for the concert

sweet lobby cupcakes

btw, this is what they look like when turbulence doesn't up end them.

cousins dave & ange

outside the fort at jamestown.

with captain john smith...

not nearly as good looking as the disney version.

inside the fort at jamestown

cousins jay and sue with pocahontas.

the chapel at jamestown

the digs at jamestown are open during the week, but covered up on weekends.

i need to go back during the week sometime.

a map of jamestown.

unmarked gravesites

jamestown was really beautiful. it was a fun visit, but way too hot and humid.

i love this view of jay and sue's backyard. usually the bird feeders are full of birds which provide hours of entertainment. i love siting at this window and watching the birds.

i know

So, I meant to write, I know Christ lives.

My roommate pointed out my omission when she said, 

"What a nice expression to put with Happy Easter."

As I thought about this all morning and wondered if it really was true for me,

I came to the conclusion that I do know Him, 

and the important thing is I'm striving to know Him better.

After all isn't that His message was all about, coming to know Him:

"...learn of me... and ye shall find rest unto your souls" (Matthew 11:29).

So, Happy Easter and may you also know Christ.

~~~~~o~~~~~

I found these lovely lilacs as I was getting ready for bed last night.

My roommate is the best!

And because I slept in lilac scented air, I had no nightmares last night...

At least this was one of the contributing factors.

nontraditional

I appreciate tradition. The connection to family and past through a cherished routine is visceral for me. There is a security, comfort and tangibility in breaking bread with family and friends.


And yet, lately, the most memorable times have been those moments when I throw aside tradition to do something totally new. Sometimes, it's a choice and other times it's circumstance.


Three years ago, I spent Thanksgiving in Kuwait. I was headed home from a deployment to Afghanistan. I passed the day with two traveling companions. We hung out in our tent, ate a late dinner in the chow hall--turkey with all fixings-plus--, played some pool and watched a black and white Cary Grant. Not totally without tradition, but the part I remember most is smuggling bottles of Welch's Sparkling Grape Juice (non-alcoholic) back to the tent. We saved one for when we finally got through military customs to start our flight home, so we could celebrate. It took a couple of tries, but our flight finally wasn't cancelled and we opened that bottle and passed it around as we waited to board our flight home.


This year, I decided not to travel home again. I rarely travel on Thanksgiving, because it's just too crazy and I like to save my leave for Christmas. A couple of close friends sent an invitation for dinner at their house for anyone who didn't already have plans. J&MP and I had talked about cooking a turkey together, because none of us had before and figured together we could figure it. However, it ended up just being the three of us.


I'm of the opinion that Thanksgiving dinner is same amount of work, whether it's for three people or 20 people. I was feeling lazy, so I convinced my friends that we needed to splurge on a really great dinner at a DC restaurant and that is exactly what we did. My friend SD was able to join us as well.


I had one of the best Thanksgiving dinners, in fact one of the best meals in my life. The food was amazing. It was Thanksgiving dinner from Italy and with fresh mozzarella, parmigiano and pecorino, pancetta and prosciutto for ingredients. We had turkey with the fixings and it was the best turkey I've ever eaten, so moist and perfectly flavored, with squash, stuffing, mashed potatoes and brussell sprouts. But dessert was an experience in and of itself - panna cotta, chocolate mousse, Torta del Finanziere (a carmel, brown butter apple cake) and, of course, pumpkin pie.  But wait, there was gelato! 


I've now decided that every Thanksgiving dinner must include gelato, and if it's from Bibiana then nothing else in the dinner matters. It was heaven on a spoon -- apple cider gelato that took me right back to the streets of Florence and dark chocolate gelato with so much cocoa you could feel the grains on your tongue. I was cheeky and asked for more gelato and we got these huge servings for the four of us to share as an after dinner treat. Our server, who was fabulous, told me that if I call ahead I can order gelato to go and the chef will prepare it for transport. I am so going to do to do this!!


After dinner we went back to my place to make pies, stopping off to get the "secret" ingredient for one of the pies, and to get ice cream and whipping cream. 


We made four pies: two Pumpkin-Apple Pies, one Old-Fashioned Apple Pie and a Bourbon Chocolate-Pecan Pie. We played around with cameras, played Rummikub and ate pie all night. It was great fun!


For an nontraditional Thanksgiving, this was definitely one for the books and had plenty of tradition mixed in:  good friends, pie making, games and great memories. I'm thankful for such a great day to add to my memories.


Here some photos of our pie making...

pumpkin-apple pie
apples on the bottom, pumpkin on the top

apple pie

the venting of the apple pie with stars

chocolate bourbon pecan pie
with chocolate covered pecans and 2 TBsp bourbon

eating apple pie

apple pie

And some photos from playing around with the cameras:

my house! 

playing the piano - i

playing the piano - ii

independence

Image from archives.gov

We hold these truths to be self-evident, 

that all men are created equal, 

that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, 

that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

What other country lists Happiness as right?

Happy Independence Day!

a memorial

Let us, then, at the time appointed gather around their sacred remains and garland the passionless mounds above them with the choicest flowers of spring-time; let us raise above them the dear old flag they saved from hishonor; let us in this solemn presence renew our pledges to aid and assist those whom they have left among us a sacred charge upon a nation's gratitude, the soldier's and sailor's widow and orphan.

~General Orders No.11, WASHINGTON, D.C., May 5, 1868

happy mother's day

h a p p y  m o t h e r ' s  d a y ! !

i am so blessed to have so many good mother's in my life.

i love them all.

he lives

"Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives: I know that my Redeemer lives."
"He is not here, he is risen."


Happy Easter!

40 days to transformation

I've always liked the idea of observing Lent. The idea that it's symbolic of the forty days and nights that Christ spent in the wilderness fasting, praying and talking with his Father before he began his three year ministry. The idea of abstaining from worldly things in the days and weeks leading up to Easter, the celebration of Christ's return to the living from the dead and his ultimate sacrifice.

Lent is not about deprivation for the sake of deprivation, but about greater spiritual engagement, more holiness and a deeper connection with God and Christ. It's about self examination and removing obstacles. As I learned more, I realized Lent is about preparing for a transformation. After all Easter is the holiday of the ultimate transformation and Christ is the transformer.

While Lent is not a religious tradition that grew up with, I've become familiar with it over the years and have enjoyed talking with friends about what they decide to set aside during this time. One year a friend of mine said she was giving up all white foods, like yogurt, milk, vanilla ice cream, shortbread cookies, bread, pasta, potatoes, sugar and white chocolate. When I pointed out that it also included cauliflower, white beans, turnips, onions and egg whites, she laughed and said she hadn't thought of that. One friend gave up his Crackberry for Lent, and boy was that hard for him. Another gave up television. Others have given up chocolate, sugar, internet and even their car except in emergencies. And others have devoted volunteer time to causes in which they believe.

After much thought about this observance I decided to try it out this year. I am going to try this Paleo diet that a friend keeps recommending which recommends no dairy or grains. I'm giving myself two days to cheat, one is my birthday and another is a friend's wedding, and I will be eating cake on those days. I figure I can do anything for 40 (38) days and giving up grains (bread, pasta and cookies) and dairy (milk, yogurt, ice cream and my favorite cheese) seems pretty small in the grand scheme of things. Maybe I'll give up TV too....

Here's to transformation!

I think this poster from the Church of England perfectly captures the essence of Lent.

image here

thanksgiving

The unthankful heart discovers no mercies;

but the thankful heart will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings.

-- Henry Ward Beecher

There is a calmness to a life lived in Gratitude, a quiet joy.

-- Ralph H. Blum

there is much for which to be thankful this year. life is good. i am healthy. i have a good job or two, and work with good people. i have good friends who help me when i need it. my faith in god is growing every day. and i have a great family.

happy thanksgiving.

image

the after

halloween overdose

yes! love it.

image

happy halloween

hilarious!

oh now that's just mean...

good scares can be fun!

ha.

remember not to over do it.

hee hee hee

gocomics.com

what are you going to be for halloween

calvin has a social conscience...

image

the holiday weekend

things that made me smile this weekend:

my flag hanging off the front porch

this grand flag flew in afghanistan too

my friend sw's house all decked out for the holiday

the sunset view of the capitol and the crowds all ready for fireworks

good friends together for the fireworks

a gorgeous sunset...

provides the perfect backdrop for the best fireworks show in the nation

more fireworks

woohoo!

love this view

so many fireworks

they almost obliterate the washington monument

until all that's left is the smoke blowing off in the wind

a magnolia blossom, unexpected and out of season

other stuff i don't have photos of

the capitol fourth rehearsal concert

with good friends

church and babies getting blessed

phone calls with family

and cleaning the bugs out of my furnace room so they don't take over my apartment.

i hope you had a happy fourth and a relaxing long weekend.