Things in the Works, Things I Appreciate

It is not a new song, but it caught my ear and my heart this week while I was driving. We have so many things to appreciate and be thankful for!

Tess will be knitting two airy shawls for me. One in cream and the other in watermelon. They will pair perfectly with sleeveless summer dresses. I am in awe of those who can knit.

All year we look forward to tomatoes and basil from the garden. Combined with fresh mozzarella balls, olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper, it is a favorite summer staple in our kitchen.

Thank goodness the rug hooking urge returned. I took a few months off from it and worried it might never return. I pulled this Karen Kahle rug out out and got back to enjoying the creative process.

I have been alternating between hand quilting and rug hooking all week. When my fingers start to hurt from the needle, I switch to hooking. When my neck hurts from hooking, I go back to the quilt.

While I both hook and quilt, I have been listening to The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett, author of The Help. I am halfway through and enjoying the story and characters immensely!
 

 

 

 

 

 

Celebrating Claire Today!

 

Claire turns forty-one today! As our firstborn, she made our foray into parenting very easy. She is sweet, quiet, kind, funny, and adventurous. I am feeling old today as I look at this photo. It feels like it was a dream or a lifetime ago that Claire was born. She is still a joy and I greatly admire the woman, wife, and mother she has become. I called her this morning to wish her a happy birthday. I asked her how she was spending her birthday and what would she buy with the birthday gift we sent. She said she was volunteering at VBS all week and she was going to spend some of her gift money on a special Boba drink, without the pearls in it. Yup, she is still an easy child. : )

 

A Wedding

 

Tess and Blake got married (again) this weekend. Five and a half years ago they eloped to Charleston, SC and got married. It was during the pandemic and what more can I say about that. Now they are double-married, as we like to tease them. It was a very small ceremony with the immediate family and a couple of close friends attending. Our friend, Debra took lots of beautiful photos but I like this one the best. This was the moment when Father Xavier pronounced them husband and wife. I love Tess's beaming smile. What makes it even better is the smile on our friend Bill's face as he watched on from the altar where he was serving as Acolyte. Steve was Blake's witness and I am behind Tess as her witness. 

Everyone came up to the house for lunch after the ceremony. Blake wanted to grill hamburgers and hot dogs so that is what we did. It was their wedding day and it needed to be as they wanted it. They baked their own cake, too! It was a three layer vanilla cake with a pink buttercream frosting with a hint of raspberry flavor. It was topped with pale, yellow carnations that tumbled down the side. It was both pretty and delicious. It was such a happy day and it felt good to relax and visit with our guests. 

Father Xavier is moving to a new parish and we will miss him very much. He is the kindest, loving, wise, and gentle priest I have ever known. And he has a sense of humor, too! 

 

Steve and I signed the marriage certificate as Tess and Blake's witnesses.

The night before the wedding, Tess and I gathered lavender and yarrow from the garden and added white flowers from the market for our table decoration at the house.

National Shrine Grotto at Mount St. Mary's University

 

When we were in Gettysburg last month for the Gathering Hands Retreat, Kay and I made a short morning excursion to the National Shrine Grotto at Mount St. Mary's University. The weather was lovely for a cool morning walk through the woods and up the hillside to the grotto. We arrived before early enough that there were no crowds. This enabled us to experience the peacefulness of the woods, the bird song, and the sound of water at the spring and fountain. The Stations of the Cross line the pathway up the hill. There are many little sanctuary spaces to sit and contemplate along the way. There is a beautiful, tiny chapel, a round fountain area with stone bench seating all around, and a spigot which pours spring water for anyone to bottle or drink from. 

The grotto itself is tucked into the hillside. One stone that is darker than the rest stands out with a sign telling visitors that it is from the Lourdes, France grotto. It has been worn smooth by hands touching it over the years. Kay and I lit candles and took some time to sit and pray here. Nearby is a large boulder where Mother Ann Seton would sit and teach the children on Sundays in the early 1800's.

On the way back down, the pathway is lined with beautiful mosaics of the mysteries of the Rosary. Again, there are little niches with statuary and places to sit for contemplation. 

Although it would have been nice to spend more time here, our two hour getaway was a perfect respite in the middle of a weekend filled with talking and activity. It is obvious that this Shrine is well maintained down to every detail. Visitors were respectful and kept hushed voices in order that this sacred space was not distracted by the rush of every day life. I have not been to many shrines in my lifetime but I can say that these places "feel" different. They bring a special connection to our Creator and Savior and to those saints who have gone before us, leaving us with beautiful reminders to help ground us and point us toward perfection in our imperfect lives.