Outside Inside

It is a lovely Saturday morning. Grey skies, rain, and misty fog.

 

A perfect day for listening to music by John Rutter, sipping tea, reading, homework, and music practice.

What does your Saturday look like?

PS. Use the code SHIPFREE to receive free shipping on any order in Peasant Cottage today!

Beauty

On a general basis, I try not to make a post on blogs or links to blogs. Even the ones that I have listed on the side, as wonderful as they may be, are not what I could always endorse. There is alot like that out in the internet, media, literature, the arts (and life?) in general. An older woman once told my sisters and I, "eat the watermelon, but spit out the seeds."

Now that the introduction has been made, :) I'd like to share two blogs with you that recently posted on the topic of beauty.

Beauty. What is it, anyway? Certainly in a world such as ours today, it can mean wide variety of things.

Last week author and blog writer posted an excellent post on this very topic. After reading it, I sat silence for quiet awhile, and wondered what my life would have looked like if only words of grace were spoken to me instead of the other things said to me and about me said behind my back but well within hearing range.

Being a reserved and quiet natured sort of person, I generally don't struggle with letting words slip out of "Wow, you've really been eating the sugar haven't you!" or "She certainly takes after her mother's flat-as-a-board genes" but on the flip side, the article challenged me to encourage my sisters, my friends, and even my little friends with words that speak grace: to speak words that build up, encourage, and give glory to God at the same time. Sometimes it's the words left unsaid that can wound, too. I speak from experience on both sides of the coin.

The other link I wanted to mention was this one on Reclaiming Beauty. Two sisters are hosting the webinar on this very topic and looking at their index of topics to cover, it looks like it would be interesting and most likely helpful in some aspects. If you can't afford the webinar (like me!) they are offer the first session for free, and it starts next week. More details are here.

A Peck of Peppers

The year in which Cheri's garden decided to produce peppers (orange and yellow bell peppers, and mini multi-colored sweet peppers were planted) was the year that Cheri was away in college.

 

In previous years I was lucky if my plant grew 8 inches, and VERY lucky if it produced a pepper (though it ended rotting on the plant anyway). And these were plants from a greenhouse that I tried growing!

 

Must be this year's success is due to saving/drying my own seeds, and God's good, good blessing.

 

My family says they go out every day to pick several, and they taste amazing.

They get heirloom tomatoes every day, too, along with purple bush beans still growing, the raspberries (you can see them in the top of the picture if you click on it) in abundance, and the herbs still flourishing. Needless to say, I'm trying not be envious that they get to enjoy the fruits of my labor.

The River of His Pleasures

I began the weekend yesterday afternoon by wading/swimming through this creek and sitting on top of these waterfalls, as well as observing various kinds of water bugs and trying to catch minnows. It was perfect.

 

How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.

 

They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.

 

For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.

Psalm 36:7-9

 

A Car Show in June

Every year our church has a Car and Motorcycle show on Father's Day as sort of an outreach ministry to the community. If you like old cars (or expensive ones!) it is a great afternoon to look around and talk to proud owners about their cars.

While I know I normally will talk about sewing, gardening, and recipes, and rightly so since I am a girl, but I must say that I do love old cars. One of my dreams is to ride in one someday, and not just in Michigan's Greenfield Village, but out on the real road. Anything from a Model T to 1940s would suit me fine. :)

Anyway, these are a few pictures my sister and I took that afternoon:



Reflections in a hub cap

Probably my favorite with the striking red interior

Hello. :)



Fancy logos

If you were bored to death with cars, forgive my vintage-car-love and wait patiently for an upcoming post that suits to the usual standards of the blog. ;)