Saturday

Let's start with Friday night. I made it a point to start gathering flowers for the Saturday trip to church. I snipped a whole lot of B E Susans.  They went into a bucket of water and remained looking very fresh Saturday morning.  I motored on over to Kathy's house and snipped some beautiful zinnias, using another bucket for them.  

                                                The altar arrangement for the chapel.

My next job was working on more H Tea.  This recipe included Hyssop with dried red H. flowers crushed and steeped in hot water.  I added ice and then Country Time Lemonade just to be something different.  And surprise, surprise.  The dark red turned to a beautiful pink right before my eyes.  I think science had something to do with it.  You think? I had a southern drink for sure.  

Ms. Science played again this Saturday afternoon using mint with hibiscus, steeped in hot water.  Then strained adding a bit more Country Time and raspberries.  I think every southern bell would approve unless they wanted a mint julip.  It's been fun messing with this but the poor red hibiscus plant is losing more flowers but there are more in the works.  I think the bush had about 25 flowers on it this morning.  Not so now.  

You are seeing a raspberry added.  I would say not a bad drink although I'm missing any Hibiscus taste.                         Where is it Mr. Southern Gentleman Dee? How much Hibiscus do you use. 

So, now for some other Sat. news.  I was off to church with buckets of stuff around nine.  I got to work, and the deed was completed in short order.  

I called Heidi about some somethings and she and James with the dog were about 5 minutes away walking to church to work on communion preparation.  So, I stayed till they arrived, and we talked and got a few more things tucked away again.  Darren is keeping our minds busy thinking about visuals for sermons planned for the fall.  

                      Two arrangements for the sanctuary. I would say those colors are just the best.                                                                  They grab your eyes! It's hard to look elsewhere.

This afternoon there was a big Aldi's trip.  I love food shopping where folks are so friendly and helpful.  I more than once have needed help with top shelf things.  I would imagine all the white polyester called hair doesn't hurt.  I climbed up on a bar to get some top shelf lettuce which created a "can I help you?" And my answer was I can get it. I should have said I'll need help next year when I'm 88!  I think that would have surprised my new friend helper. We met again at the cash register.  Maybe I should say the credit card checkout machine once again joshing with each other. 

I really dislike putting away groceries at home even though Doug and I have a great system.  I'm always filling the refrigerator which is packed in one bag. Not today. He pretty much does the rest unless I finish sooner than he does.  That doesn't happen often.  I'd love to stretch this buy to three weeks. We need another box of pop tarts to do that. That's the challenge. I'm so proud of Doug who now knows the grocery store, as well as where things are kept in the kitchen. That's a huge positive.  

        This time a black swallowtail emerged and very excited to be free.  One more caterpillar to go.

And now a bunny report.  I saw BOTH of the bunnies at the same time.  Darn!  But so far, the damage hasn't been too great.  They are seen eating clover.  Thank goodness.  One of Darren's sermons is about the vision reported in Acts when the sheet is brought low with unclean animals. I was looking up information about that in various places, one place saying rabbits were on the unclean Old Testament biblical animal list along with many other animals being scavenger in nature.  

Today there were a lot of do's to do.  And they were completed with extra time to do other things. Life is good and I'm the recipient of so many good things. I pray the same for others. 

One more UP report...

Today the UP family is experiencing their last day of vacation.  That includes collecting what will end up at Hope, Michigan.  In this case, the Hunters Point rocks Jared is carrying which should end up at the Carmel Russell house probably around Christmas.  So they say. That Xmas shopping is finished.  

        Tomorrow morning the trailer lid will close and it's back across the bridge again with an Odyssey                                 stuffed to the max and heads full of memories.  Onward and forward!

                                        Adam and Jacob with more stories to talk about.                                                                     I am grateful for so many pictures and messages that came these past two weeks. 

Not camping with the family has been a big adjustment.  But I think a good decision staying close to doctors who had questions for me during those two weeks. Copper Harbor has no cell service.  It's most important at this point to be around healthy people when out and about.  We still do church, garden, groceries, drug store and library. Some of these are limited in time.. So, home with Doug is the best for now.  We do a lot of that. The immune system is very weak with both white and red blood counts in the red zone according to the portal and doctor. Strong cancer meds cause some of that to happen. I must be smart knowing where I put this body. Life is still good and I'm grateful for all that I have.  I truly am.