Oh, I am so delighted! This morning, I discovered that a pair of wrens are building in our wren house, which has been totally unoccupied since moving here 5 years ago.

Why am I so excited? Well, it might be because, as you know if you read my blog, I love birds and had a great time watching a Mama Robin raise a brood of baby robins from egg to flight. Having a nesting pair of wrens in plain view of the window over my kitchen sink will be such a delight!

But it's more than that. Hearing the wren's call and seeing the Mama and Papa hopping around the house brought back a flood of wonderful memories.

When the boys were small, nearly every spring we would get a phone call from my mother-in-law, Carolyn, inviting us over for home made cookies and fresh squeezed lemonade. When we got there, she'd have lawn chairs set up in the driveway behind the house and a couple pairs of binoculars at the ready, because "the wrens are building!"

And so we sat. And listened. And watched. And enjoyed every minute of the day, treasuring up memories--for the boys, of wrens and cookies and lemonade--for me, of what it means to be a grandma.

With the birth of my own grandson three weeks ago, I have thought of those days so often, imagining what it will be like to share small joys with Elliott. How wonderful it is to me and what a delightful blessing from the Lord that, after five years of an empty wren house, a pair of wrens would choose to nest here now that I've got a grandson of my own who will someday sit in the driveway eating cookies and drinking lemonade and watching the birds.

Happy Fourth of July, everyone!

Psalm 4
Answer me when I call,
O God of my righteousness!
You have given me relief when I was in distress.
Be gracious to me and hear my prayer!

O men, how long shall my honor be turned into shame?
How long will you love vain words and seek after lies? Selah

But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself;
the Lord hears when I call to him.

Be angry, and do not sin;
ponder in your own hearts on your beds,
and be silent.
Selah

Offer right sacrifices,
and put your trust in the Lord.

There are many who say, “Who will show us some good?
Lift up the light of your face upon us, O Lord!”

You have put more joy in my heart
than they have when their grain and wine abound.

In peace I will both lie down and sleep;
for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.

Oh, this Psalm takes me back about 20 years, when Jake was a preschooler.  He used to be afraid at bedtime and always needed an extra hug and a night light.  Many was the night that I would sit on the edge of his bed in the semi-darkness just sitting there with him, talking to him about this thing and that; praying with him.  Those were the days of one more drink, one more hug, one more question, one more story.

I told my sister, Kathy, about Jake's night fears and she gave us a little piece of paper  (might have been a sticker) with  a cheerful little blue bird and the words of Psalm 4:8.  This became Jake's comfort in the night.  We taped it to his headboard and it was always there, reminding him that God was always there, giving Jake relief when he was in distress.

Did David have any idea that the psalm he had penned would give comfort and peace to a little boy so many centuries later?  No, but God did.

I remember your name in the night, O Lord  Psalm 119:55

You can find more meditations on Psalm 4 at Light Came.  

In the comments of the last post, Rosemary asked me to "tell us what it's like to be a grandma. "

My first thought was, "I have no idea--yet!"

I can tell you what it's like to see your grandchild for the first time and to fall in love with him at first sight.  I can tell you what it's like to see your son so full of pride and delight at seeing his son.  I can tell you what it's like to see your daughter-in-law radiate ineffable joy and unmistakable motherliness after her long day of bringing him into the world.  I can tell you what it is like to praise God and rejoice with thanksgiving and gratitude.

I can tell you what it's like to lie down to sleep with an image of a little face indelibly imprinted on your mind and to remember the feel of having a babe in arms again after all these years.  

 Oh, I've experienced so many wonderful emotions, accompanied by tears of joy and pride, but what it's like to be a grandma?  I think I will spend the rest of my life learning about that. 

Becoming a grandmother is effortless.  But BEING a grandmother will be the greatest joy of all.

 

Yes, that would be me.

So, yesterday morning we had a violent spring storm.   You know the kind; high winds, black sky, horizonal trees--amazingly rapid onset, wild and brief.  Must've been around 10:30. 

We lost and regained electricity multiple times in a very short period of time.  As soon as I realized the storm was here, I tried valiently to shut the computers down before it hit.  It was during shut down that the on again, off again power surges happened, so I am happy to even have a computer that works this morning.  (After various disc checks and reboots and alarmingly scary Microsoft error messages, everything SEEMS to be working except my active desktop.  I still can't get past the Active Desktop Recovery page.)

Back to my story.  So we lost electricity, but we didn't think too much about it.  That happens.  Out came the sun and dried up all the rain.  It got hot and humid.  Tom came home about 3:00 because they'd lost power at work, too.  We fooled around all afternoon without electricity.  

It was strange.  So many things I wanted needed to do.  Just regular Friday stuff like laundry and vacuuming.  I was going to shampoo the rug on the front porch.  Couldn't use my light board.  Couldn't download the birdy videos I took before the storm.  Couldn't work on the Sunday bulletin or type up my Sunday School lesson.

So I read.   And listened to Deathly Hallows on my iPod.  And cleaned the bathroom.  And wasted time.  And called ComEd for updates about when the power would be restored.

By 5:00, we decided we better go to the store and pick up something to throw on the grill for supper.  By 6:30 we decided we better do something about the food in the refrigerators and freezers, so out came the chest coolers and ice.  We packed all the frozen stuff into the big chest freezer and crossed our fingers.

We played Nertz by the light of the oil lamps.  We all sat around together and talked about the places we've lived and all the other times we've been without electricity.  We reminised and told stories and called ComEd.   Floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, Nor'Easters, blizzards.  They were all discussed.

Around 8:00, the ComEd recording estimated that power would be restored to our town by May 31st, 5 pm.  A more specific recording based on our street address told us we could have power by 11:50 pm.

And so we started the Father Time game.  This is a family estimating game, usually played in the car on the way home from a long drive.  Sometimes we estimate how long until the pizza arrives or how long Jake will take in the shower.  Tom always wins, usually within a few minutes of his estimate.

I, being the most upbeat and optomistic, said the power would be on by 9:07.  Tom said 10:42.  Sam claimed all the minutes in the 10:40ish range.  Jake, our pessimist, said 11:20.

By 10:30 we had talked ourselves out.   There was nothing else to do except blow out the lanterns and candles and go to bed, which we did.

The power came back at precisely 11:20.  Jake now holds the title of Father Time. 

 

Less than three weeks to go!

I haven't been this excited since our own youngest, Sam, was born!  "I can't wait" is a phrase that has been firmly ensconced in my conversations for many months now.  I'm sure my friends are tired of hearing it!

I can't wait until my "I can't wait" goes from "I can't wait until our grandson is born" to "I can't wait to share the good news and some pictures of our new little grandson!"  Heartstrings are firmly attached already.  Soon he will be tugging them.

The feral grill has finally been replaced, but not retired.  Eldest son will be taking it home with him.  It looks a little wild, but it's still kickin'.  

The photo I used to make my new banner was taken last spring when I visited my family in Ashland, Ohio.

My mom and sister and I always try to make time to visit The Parsley Pot.

From the link:

For 30 years, Don and Sally Dilgard have been pouring their hearts and souls -- not to mention their creative talents -- into their wonderful business. Their shop is located in a beautiful, old bank barn built in the mid-1800s and is often described as a "bit of New England in Ohio." The building itself just radiates warmth and charm. Old mercantile counters and glass cases lend to the shops rustic atmosphere. In fact, the Dilgards still use an old-fashioned cash register.

"People are amazed we still use it," Sally said. "It works for us, so why change?"

The business began as a way for Sally to share her love for herbs. Her beautiful, old-fashioned herb garden is located behind the barn, and the plants -- now 30 years old -- are still thriving.

Some more images of one of Ashland County's favorite spots:

 

 

 

 

 And here's the potting shed, our favorite spot at the Parsley Pot:

 

 

I can honestly say that it really didn't matter one bit to me whether our grandchild is a boy or a girl, but oh, how I do love little boys!  And if this little guy is anything like his father, he'll be cute as a button and

full of fun!

 

I was reminded just now of how difficult the first Christmas season after the loss of a loved one can be.  Christmas is a time of celebration and family get togethers, traditions and memories, laughter and fun; but, to one who is grieving at this time of year, all that Christmas cheer often punctuates the pain of loss.

I remember the first Thanksgiving, the first Christmas, the first Father's Day after my dad died.  Those holidays felt strangely set apart, as if nothing would ever seem "right" again.  With time, that keen sense of loss was replaced by comforting memories.

So, take a minute right now and think about the people in your life who are feeling as though nothing will ever seem right again.  And then write a note, pray for them, make a phone call--connect.  Don't feel you have to solve anything.  You can't.  Just be a friend.

I have permission to share what has been a secret joy and thanksgiving for some weeks now:

 

 We're going to be grandparents! 

Still playing with my new toy.

I used a watercolor filter on this photo of Sam. 

 The Indians have clinched the AL Central and the Cubs are in first place in the NL Central and Baseball Fever is in full swing at our house.  With the enduring hope that both of our family's favorite teams will be in the playoffs this year, I've asked my former sports writer husband (former being "sports writer", not husband!) to be a guest blogger through the playoffs and (hopefully) into the World Series.

 This should be fun!

Before

 

After

All his idea. . . 

Carrot citrus ginger soup

Ingredients:
3 Tbsps. olive oil
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
1 piece (2 inches long) ginger root, peeled, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 large carrots, peeled and sliced
1 1/2 cans (14.5 ounces each) low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup honey
1 cup orange juice
1 Tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp. salt

Heat oil over medium heat in a Dutch oven; add onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions soften, about 2 minutes. Add ginger; cook 1 minute. Add garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, 1 minute. Add carrots; cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly tender, about 5 minutes.

Add broth; increase heat to high. Cook, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes. Lower heat to medium; cook until carrots are easily pierced with a fork, but not mushy. Remove from heat.  Strain broth from solids. Return broth to pan and add honey and orange juice.  Place solids (carrots, onion, and ginger root) to food processor and process until smooth.  Return to pot and whisk together with broth mixture.  When ready to serve, add butter, salt and heat.

Servings: 6

Deviled Chicken with Pecans on Brown Bread

Two cups ground chicken (chicken breasts, poached in chicken broth and ground in food processor)
1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped
2 T finely minced mild onion (I use Texas sweet)
add just enough mayonnaise to bring it together and make it spreadable

Salmon with Cucumbers on White Bread

Two cups fresh, poached salmon, flaked and mashed
1/3 c. cucumber, peeled and seeded; minced fine
add just enough mayonnaise to bring it together and make it spreadable

Spread bread with chive butter before assembling sandwiches

Chive Butter

        1 stick soft butter
        scant 1/4 c. fresh, chopped chives

 

Queen Adelaide Sandwich on Rye Bread

1 cup ground ham, fat and rind removed
1 cup ground chicken
1 scallion, finely minced (use less than an inch of the green only)
heavy cream--just enough to bind it together and make it spreadable 

(this sandwich is said to have been King George IV's favorite)

A sprig of parsley is served to tip the guests that there is garlic or onion in the filling. 

Elmwood Scones

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
6 Tablespoons unsalted cold butter
1/2 cups currants
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1 Tablespoon cream
1 Tablespoon sugar
 
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease a large baking sheet.  Combine flour, baking powder, salt and soda.  With a pastry blender, cut in butter, mixing it until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Mix in currants.
 
Whisk buttermilk and egg together, then add to flour mixture.  Stir together until a soft ball of dough forms.  Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently, turning five or six times.
 
Roll out dough with a floured rolling pin to about 1/2 inch thickness, Using a cookie cutter or biscuit cutter, cut scones out and place on baking sheet.  Brush the tops lightly with cream and sprinkle with sugar.  Bake 10 -12 minutes or until light brown.  Serve warm with lemon curd, clotted cream, or preserves.
Makes about one dozen depending on size of cutter.

Devonshire Cream
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons  vanilla extract
1       8 -ounce carton sour cream
 
Beat whipping cream sugar, and vanilla until stiff.  Fold sour cream into this mixture and refrigerate.  Serve with warm scones.

Lemon Curd
3 eggs                                               
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup sugar
 
In top part of a double boiler, beat eggs until frothy.  Stir in lemon juice, sugar and melted butter.  Place over simmering water.  Stir constantly for 20 minutes.
The mixture should become slightly thickened.  Remove from heat and spoon into a pint-sized container.  Cool to room temperature, cover and refrigerate for at least two hours before serving.  Keeps well for two weeks.

Lavender Lemonade

Make a lavender infusion:

2 1/2 c. water and 1 cup sugar.  Heat to a simmer.  Remove from heat and add 3 T dried lavender (you can buy it at World Market in the Spice section or use your own, dried flowers (remove from stem--no leaves).  Allow infusion to cool to room temperature, strain, cover, and place in the refrigerator.

When you get ready to make the lemonade, substitute 1 can of the lavender infusion for 1 of the cans of water.  I use pink lemonade and it makes it a deep, rosy red.

The lavender infusion can be used to sweeten hot or iced tea, too.

We'll see if we can get my sister in law, Sally, to share her sugar cookie recipe with us!
 

Bridal Shower Tea Party Menu

~~recipes to follow

When we got married, we made an unofficial pact. I would do the house, cooking, laundry, etc. (you know, the wifely duties) and he would gas up the cars and take care of the car maintenance and MOW THE GRASS.  And for most of our almost thirty years of marriage, that's the way it's been. 

Well, for the last week, it has rained almost every day so Tom hasn't been able to get out and mow.  It was a week yesterday since the yard was mowed and  it was getting very high!

As he left for work this morning, Tom's last words to me were, "I'll try to get home early tonight so I can mow." 

Now, the forecast says it is going to get into the low 90's by 6:00 with high humidity, s0 as soon as his car was out of the driveway, I got dressed in my most loveliest old clothes and went out to mow.  For him.  When I got to the garage, I discovered that the gas tank and the gas container were empty.  So I went to the gas station (which I NEVER do!--you should've seem me trying to figure out how to put my debit card into the gas thingy. . .) for him.

And I mowed in the already hot and humid sunshine and it was great.  Because I kept thinking of his face when he comes home for lunch and sees that it is already done. 

Let's not talk about the look on his face when he looks at my whirling dervish mowing patterns. . .or the patch I missed out by the pine tree. . .

 

heheheh