There is a new place near us called David’s. When we first visited there many of their appetizers were half price, including the freshly baked pretzel.
Bob’s phone is next to the tray to give you an idea of the size of this thing!
The pretzel comes with a little cup of Queso cheese and a little cup of ranch dressing. Now they no longer reduce the price on the pretzel. (They were likely losing money on it!) In fact when we returned recently we had decided to make the jumbo pretzel our dinner. We ate much of it, but carried 2/3s of it home.
If you like the warm pretzel from Sam’s Club, (I like it with Parmesan cheese), this one is WAY over the top of that!
This month we finally made it to the Cincinnati Art Museum. Bob wanted to see the exhibit “Farm to Table.” Such a catchy contemporary title, don’t you think? It featured food in works of art and as the museum says, “The exhibition showcases over sixty paintings and sculptures, including the work of Claude Monet, Eva Gonzalès, Victor Gilbert, Paul Gauguin, Jules Dalou, and Vincent van Gogh, artists who examined the nation’s unique relationship with food. The bounty of France’s agriculture and the skill of its chefs had long helped to define its strength and position on the international stage. ” For more details click on the link below.
The painting above was huge. The features on the faces of the sheep enchanted both Bob and me.
Here is the description of another painting.
We studied the painting and discovered many unusual details such as the man with his hand on the bottom of a woman. What caught my attention the most was the woman along the back wall. Is she crocheting or knitting?
I find the detail almost unimaginable. How did they paint these?
We finally decided she is likely knitting and holding her needles in continental fashion. Obviously, she was relaxed and enjoying her work in the midst of the hubbub!
I give thanks to God for those talented enough to paint these amazing descriptions of daily life. To me, some of them actually looked as accurate as photographs.
“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”– 1 Peter 4:10
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” – Philippians 4:8
This quote stirred in me as I marked year fifty of my mother’s death. The photo above shows my mom with her white gloves at our wedding.
Every sorrow I bear will be supplanted by a greater heavenly joy, when you, O Christ, make all things right and new – even this thing. From Every Moment Holy – For Navigating Difficult Moments
Fifty years ago on Flag Day, I awoke nine months pregnant. My mother was visiting us in Kentucky. She had driven herself down from Ohio. I assured her the baby would not be born this weekend, but she was so excited she could hardly contain herself. She was sleeping on the sofa bed in the living room.
She had brought a Styrofoam cooler filled with food for us. We had put the cooler on the porch the night before to dry. That Saturday morning it was getting ready to rain and a wind had come up. I was afraid the cooler would blow away, so I walked through the living room to go get it off the porch. As I walked by I noticed she was not breathing. I got the cooler, closed the porch door and stopped again. No, her chest was not rising and falling.
That began a time of anguish and grief like none I had ever known before.
This is fifty years later. I know, because our daughter turns fifty in a week or two. Mom never knew any of our children. She has remained Grandma Ann, mostly known for recipes I was able to recreate after her passing.
I still miss my mother. Even though I am now 74 years old, there are still times I long to hear her voice. I wonder what she would say about the book about to be published with Kindle Direct Publishing using my writings from this blog and other writings? I had sort of hoped the final approval for printing would come on June 14th, the date of her passing. Approval did not come on that date though. Page 11 I wrote about her influence upon me by songs she taught us while driving in the car.
The tile of my book will be Treasures in Plain Sight: Growing Closer to Jesus in Prayer. I has 107 pages and is 5 x 7 inches. It will cost $12.00. I will earn only a small fraction of that. I did not print it to earn money though. I worked on this to get the writing out there where hopefully people can use it to draw closer to Jesus. Below is photo of the proof copy.
I am working on Volume 2 which will be about relationship with God.
Please pray for these materials to fall into the hands of folks who are yearning for God. I pray this is all done to God’s glory. I am now wondering if I should submit the poetry for publication through Kindle Direct? So many decisions about so many things!
Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:6-7
Ha! It just came through! Here is the link to purchase the book !! https://a.co/d/1dcvaGf
If you have ever traveled in the western United States you have likely heard the term ‘big sky’ referring to the clear vistas and blue almost beyond imagination.
The Splendor of the Sun
The pride of the heavenly heights is the clear firmament, the appearance of heaven in a spectacle of glory. The sun, when it appears, making proclamation as it goes forth, is a marvelous instrument, the work of the Most High. Ecclesiasticus or Sirach 43:1-2 RSV
This book is included in the part of the Bible called the Apocrypha or Deuterocanonical books of the Old Testament. It is not generalized recognized by the Protestant churches. Why is this sometimes called Ecclesiasticus and sometimes Sirach? Wikipedia says ….
The Book of Sirach, also known as The Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach, The Wisdom of Jesus son of Eleazar, or Ecclesiasticus, is a Jewish literary work originally written in Biblical Hebrew. The longest extant wisdom book from antiquity, it consists of ethical teachings, written approximately between 196 and 175 BCE by Yeshua ben Eleazar ben Sira, a Hellenistic Jewish scribe of the Second Temple period. Ben Sira’s grandson translated the text into Koine Greek and added a prologue sometime around 117 BCE. Wikipedia
Regardless of who is right as to inclusion with other Scriptures, I do believe that ‘the pride of the heavenly heights is the clear firmament! The appearance of heaven is a spectacle of glory!”
by rmdutina
I already forgot the name of this tree. Bob took one or two photos of the tree, I took the close up .
Oh, that sky! When the New Mexico morning air was cool I would just step outside and breathe deeply. In fact, you could do that now as you look at the photos! 🙂
Thank you, Lord, for the beauty of the earth. Thank you for the privilege of seigneur our dear friends again in their home. Thank you for the splendor of New Mexico.
Once while in Los Cerillos (fondly called Cerillos) Dan and Bob visited a rock shop where they found a lovely tube of yellow stone from a mine. It sat for years on my windowsill or as a paper weight in my office. Recently a strong wind blew it out of the windowsill and a piece of the end broke off. It is much too rough for me to try to grind down.
Our trip 2-1/2 years ago to New Mexico Dan tried to take us to the same rock shop. Though the sign said open hours, they were closed. This visit we tried to visit there again. They were open!
This man is the actual owner and quite a character!
The shop was much cleaner than when we looked through the windows.
We found another yellow calcite tube for our son. My favorite new rock is the photo above, orange calcite. It seems to draw light to it and through it.
Dan also found a restaurant listed that seemed to have a great menu. I wanted to order my first elk burger. The Blackbird Saloon was very historical from the old wood floors …
to the neat idea for beer pulls …
The elk burger was tasty and not too gamey like venison. I can likely purchase it at Jungle Jim’s, though I hate to think what that would cost! The burger very very thick. I asked for it well done, no blood. It was served with blood on the plate. I sent it back. It was still too raw in the center. drats. I ate around the edges and took the rest home to have for supper. If I was running the restaurant I would have made it into 2 patties and cooked them through before serving. But, no one asked me!
We had a nice ride on another lovely day. If you get to Albuquerque try to visit Los Cerillos. It was fun!!
for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. Colossians 1:16 NRSVUE
Yes, well. Storms blow through Cincinnati all the time. About 75 degrees and lovely.
Shortly the heavens opened! We were seated next to folks who were rooting for the White Sox. From our seats the State of Kentucky disappeared! The winds came, the rain blew. We moved under an area with a better roof. There we talked with a pipeline construction worker from Oklahoma who was excited to catch the game. He was worrying that they might cancel it.
The screen kept saying rain delay. We eventually chimed in with “No joke!”
The best reward for waiting through a rainstorm is a rainbow. And this one lasted and lasted!!
They were not very accurate at updating the weather radar. Eventually the game began, almost 1-1/2 hours late. I was wearing shorts and had brought a very thin hoodie made of t-shirt like material.
After the rain came the wind became steady and the temperature dropped. The lady next to me was able to go to her car and get her winter coat. She offered me her tiny scarf which I declined.
We left after 3-1/2 innings as it was just too chilly to be enjoyable. We got home before the game ended. And then the Reds lost 5-1.
We did get to go to the ballgame and eat peanuts and throw the shells on the ground! It was also 1-2-3 Tuesday. $1.00 UDF ice cream cups (chocolate sundae cup was delicious.) $2.00 hot dogs. Yep, they were good, too. and $3.00 beer. Bob enjoyed his Kona wave. My husband always love a thrifty deal! A good time was had by the Dutinas!
The opening photo is by r m dutina. Early in the spring, right before a frosty night, I feared I might lose the poppy plant. I covered it a couple times an then decided to let it survive on its own.
They did fine through several very cold nights. I have watched the buds on the poppy plant certain they would open today. Then nothing. Certain they would open. Not yet. And then … drum roll …..
Notice all of the spiny buds!
Yes, they are blooming. I cut the first one to take to a friend. It went into shock but then perked up on her mantel.
Now they are bursting with color.
They were so top heavy with blooms I needed to support them with a piece of fencing or else they would have fallen into the driveway and been crushed by the Volkswagen! I bought these at the grocery store a few years ago. The tag said something about pastel colors. I thought too bad. I really enjoyed the bright red ones at the other house. They did bloom with a few pastel blossoms. Well, here they come all growing in this year with bright red color! They do not bloom for long, but so spectacular! Grateful for these lovelies.
There is another poppy plant growing at the other end of the front flower bed. The Sweet Viburnum shrub has overgrown it. Guess it is time to shovel it out and place in the back flower bed!
As with a house, the work in a flower bed is never finished!
“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” ~ Isaiah 40:8
“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.” Matthew 6:28-29 NIV
O God, whose blessed Son made himself known to his disciples in the breaking of bread: Open the eyes of our faith, that we may behold him in all his redeeming work: who lives and reign with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, on God, now and forever. Amen. BCP
There used to be a painting/print that hung on the wall in the Guest dining room at the Convent of the Transfiguration. It was a depiction of the meal Jesus shared with disciples after the walk to Emmaus. It was a simple depiction that I cannot find online. The portrait was like an icon to me. It has been replaced and put in storage somewhere. No one at the Convent knows exactly where it is.
I have scoured hundreds of online images trying to find a copy of that painting. I would buy it in a heartbeat if I could find it!
This past weekend the Associates retreat was lead by Father David Pfaff, Rector at Christ Church, Glendale. His topic was the icons written after the crucifixion through the Ascension. Yes, the Walk to Emmaus was also featured. He pointed out in the icons he had chosen that one of the people on the walk was a woman. Cleopas is named in verse 18 but the other disciple is not named. In the image he chose that disciple is depicted as a woman, unlike the pictures below. (See opening picture)
Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him.
17 He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”
They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”
19 “What things?” he asked.
“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23 but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”
25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.
30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” Luke 24:13-35 NIV
At first glance it would seem this retreat topic was stuffy and not contemporary. That is a mistaken idea! The icons are ‘drawn’ as an aide in prayer. They lead us to the Holy God. The images attempt to help us envision what the truth is about how God comes to humankind. How we can interact with the Almighty.
Each of the four talks brought me to a place of stillness and enlightenment. There is so much more to discover about our God. Lord, help our hearts burn within us as You speak with us.
Never stop looking for those treasures in plain sight, even if it requires you go to a religious bookstore or, as one man mentioned, shopping on Etsy for an icon! Yep! I tried there for that painting. No such luck!
The blog is entitled Treasures in Plain Sight. This day I found mine among many other treasures at Treasure Island, Florida.
(See the red pin on the map above.) Driving along the beaches in Florida, we found a nice place to park and walk the beach without too much exertion. There was a little boardwalk and then acres of flat sand to the water. Again, not many shells there. This was a wonderful sand sculpture someone had made.
We delighted in the sharks around the sculpture!
As you can see the day was glorious with sunshine, though seriously closer to summer temperatures than what we had left in Ohio. We walked to the water’s edge and back to the parking lot. While Bob used the facilities, I waited watching the crowd from a little ramp.
We had already seen damage from the recent hurricanes. I was a little surprised to see one palm tree that was stripped of all foliage strapped to another thriving palm tree. And then, BOOM!, it caught my eye. A little green bird. As I watched it went into a nesting hole in the seemingly dead palm tree. Then out again, to perch right there.
Yes, the young lady is lovely, but so is the tiny bright green bird!
I found it online and here are the details from Audubon.
The https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/nanday-parakeet site says: Recognized by its black head (and formerly called Black-hooded Parakeet), this species was originally found in the central interior of South America, from southern Brazil to northern Argentina. It has been popular in the cage bird trade, and Nanday Parakeets escaped from captivity have established large feral populations around Los Angeles, in the Tampa Bay area of Florida, and along Florida’s southeastern coast. Smaller numbers are seen elsewhere, including other parts of Florida and near Phoenix, Arizona.
Of course, I always love a close up!!
What a treasure! I wanted to tell the lovely young lady about it, but then her boyfriend joined her and they were gone! For the remainder of the vacation anytime I saw a palm trunk without foliage I was on the lookout for the Nanday! Was not gifted to see another one. There was mighty praise to the Father for allowing me to see that one single bird! It literally made my day!
“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.” Revelation 4:11 NRSVUE
Many years ago when we went with our family to the beach for the first time our oldest Grandgirl at a tender preschool age called flamingos, “Falingos.” On our recent trip to Florida we visited the Sunken Gardens and saw “Falingos!” Of course, I had to text and remind her of the name she chose for these weird, unusual birds.
Once I heard that they have their coral coloring from the shrimp that they eat. “For flamingos, carotenoids are consumed through their primary food sources—algae and small crustaceans such as brine shrimp. Once ingested, these pigments are broken down by enzymes in the flamingo’s liver and absorbed into fats that are later deposited into their feathers, skin, and even their beaks.” https://learnbirdwatching.com/why-are-flamingos-pink/
I would call the birds we saw a medium pink. Not the vibrant they showed on the website above.
Our first view of the flamingos
In “Alice in Wonderland,” the flamingos were used as mallets in a game of flamingo croquet. The Queen of Hearts ordered her subjects to use the live flamingos as mallets. This certainly slanted my opinion of the flamingos as we walked through the gardens.
Finally we came upon a closer view of them. At first they all seemed to have their heads under the water. Diving they sort of resembled frozen pink turkeys! Waiting and biding my time I finally I got a better photo of them.
We enjoyed the gardens. The many tropical flowers reminded us of our trip to the gardens in Hawaii. The pond where the birds were located attached to a running stream throughout the gardens. At one place, I noticed a flamingo feather floating the water. It was away from where the birds were. I SO wanted that feather, but it was too far in the water for me to reach over the plants and retrieve it.
As we moseyed along taking photos admiring the “angel trumpet flower” (Brugmansia) which we had seen in California I was delighted to find it in more colors than we previously had seen! Not just yellow, but pink and white, too!
And rounding a bend I saw it! The lovely flamingo feather that wanted to travel to Ohio with me!
It was soaking wet, but floating where I could easily reach it. Retrieve it I did! First I tried to put it inside my sunhat, but it poked through. So I simply wrapped it in our folder about the Gardens and took it home. I had to think a bit when we returned to Ohio about how the folder got all wet!
Yep, she is one of my very best souvenirs! Thanks, Lord, for helping me see and retrieve it!
Treasures in Plain Sight, A Christian Blog 