Summer's Bounty

Our yard is a riot of color, so many different types of flowers all blooming at once!
It makes me think of the extravagant love of our creative God to see the bright orange tiger lilies bobbing in the breeze next to the fluorescent pink phlox. Under the pine trees are light pink calla lilies and also surprise lilies and dark purple candles of flowers from the giant hostas under the deck. Over by our stone cottage guest house are blue hydrangeas and lemon yellow day lilies with a sweet fragrance that wafts towards the cherry and large tomatoes in our raised bed of homegrown vegetables.
We relished BLT sandwiches for lunch today, only we had homegrown tomatoes and spinach with our bacon, so it should be BST's!
Yum,yum!
And one of these days we'll have rhubarb pie. Stop by anytime.

A Cove in the Mountains

The Young Life Camp called Windy Gap is SPECTACULAR! Henry and I made a spur of the moment decision to drive over to visit Eric. It was a good move. We were stunned with the beauty of the mountains at the end of Coles Cove Road north of Weaverville, North Carolina. The camp is first rate in every way. When we arrived Eric took us on a tour of the amazing facilities...but more important was the upbeat, positive attitude with 200 high school campers as they did relay races, the laughter and welcoming,encouraging words from the staff. The pool, water slide, soccer field,mountain bikes,ropes course, zip line, horses and numerous other activities for having summer fun were mind boggoling! And a beautiful, rustic chalet with great kitchen where Eric and other food staff are busy preparing nutricious and low fat meals for campers and lots of other staffers.
What a blessing to sit by a mountain stream and observe the camp in operation!

Cooking at Windy Gap

A phone call last night from our younger son, Eric brought good news! He is on staff at Windy Gap, a Young Life Camp north of Asheville, North Carolina and is enjoying cooking for a large group! And what great experience to put on his resume! And meeting lots of enthusiastic, Christian young people! Summer in the mountains, under a Carolina blue sky!

Fireworks on High

As we sing America the Beautiful, watch fireworks and remember the blessings of our liberty on this 4th of July, let us remember our Heavenly Father who made the first and most spectacular display in creation.

THE SPACIOUS FIRMAMENT ON HIGH

"The spacious firmament on high,
With all the blue ethereal sky,
And spangled heav'ns, a shining frame,
Their great Original proclaim.
Th'unwearied sun, from day to day,
Does his Creator's pow'r display,
And publishes to ev'ry land
The work of an almighty hand.

Soon as the evening shades prevail,
The moon takes up the wondrous tale,
And nightly, to the listening earth,
Repeats the story of her birth;
While all the stars that round her burn,
And all the planets turn,
Confirm the tidings as they roll,
And spread the truth from pole to pole.

What tho' in solemn silence all,
Move round the dark terrestrial ball?
What tho' no real voice nor sound
Amid the radiant orbs be found?
In reason's ear they all rejoice,
And utter forth a glorious voice;
Forever singing as they shine,
"The hand that made us is divine!"
hymn by Joseph Addison

A Cruising Great Grandma

The matriarch of the Johnson clan is headed up North today! Our family vacations were always "up North". Only then it meant packing up the Buick with some food and the family and driving to a lake north of the Twin Cities (Minneapolis and St. Paul). We would spend the week in a cabin and either fish in a rowboat or swim in the lake. It was fun but not spectacular.
Now Grandma is going for SPECTACULAR! She just turned 90, so I guess it's about time that she REALLY head UP NORTH...NORTH TO ALASKA! She will be travelling with my sister and her husaband who just turned 65! Juno, Alaska seems like a great place to celebrate two milestone birthdays!And especially when you are traveling in style on a huge cruise ship named Celebrity!
My advice to the travelers, "Keep warm, put your feet up, get out the binoculars, enjoy the fantastic views and just RELAX!"
And my prayer is "Please give our loved ones traveling mercies as they head up North and bring them back soon. Amen."