Congratulations to .....

..... Aurelia Marie, who was baptized last week!

May she grow up in the joyful certainty that God loves her with a love beyond her wildest dreams and her widest comprehension.

Quotables

The voyage of discovery is not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes

– Marcel Proust

I like this because it is very Chestertonian.  Plus, it is much cheaper than a six week vacation in Bali.  (Not that I wouldn't mind visiting Bali….)

Garden Soup

I made soup yesterday and these ingredients went into the pot from our garden:

tomatoes
carrots
beans
garlic
oregano
thyme

It was a good feeling to make that dinner.

Yes, They Do Get That Big

The grocery-store chives that we replanted seem undaunted by their unorthodox beginnings.*  They are plenty robust and reaching for the sky.

* They were regular grocery store chives placed in water until their roots re-grew and then planted.

Unexpected Compost Pile Adornment

Oddly enough, I saw the branch fall.

The windows are all open right now since it is finally cool enough, and as I was making lunch I heard what sounded like fireworks in the backyard.  That seemed like an odd occurrence, especially since it has been raining all day, and as I looked out at the backyard I saw the branch slowly bend, break, and fall on the compost pile.

Happily, the compost pile is sturdily built.

I'm also glad that the branch didn't crush the nearby tomato plant.

Still, it was rather surreal.

Pottery + Photo booth

Here are my first two pieces of pottery... and my first attempt using Photo Booth on my Mac:

I am wearing the shirt I always wear to pottery class, just to give you the true sense of how messy I am.....

My Barrel Runneth Over

Look, Ma, the overflow spout on the rain barrel really works!

It’s been raining a lot here lately.  This photo is from last week, but if anyone is curious as to how much water can come rushing off of a roof, this gives you some idea.