I promised that I was going to post the highlights of the trip to Michigan back in June, buuuuuuut I’ve been a bit of a slacker. I mean, I’ve had stuff on my plate this summer, but not enough to really excuse it. This week, we got a package which reminded me of that promise, so here is a post about one of my favorite finds near Traverse City, MI.
It was not on my list of things to see, but we drove passed it a couple times and I KNEW I had to make a stop at some point during our visit. The irises were in full bloom and absolutely gorgeous!
It was very cloudy the morning we decided to stop. I was sad, because the colors were so vibrant in the sunlight. We were not the only ones with the idea to stop, though. A group of ladies were setting up chairs and easels to paint the beautiful colors of the flowers. The sun was trying its best to make an appearance, and did in spots.
There are so many kinds of irises with so many creative names. We put in an order for rhizomes to be mailed out to us once they were ready. We ordered 5 different types: Seakist, Immortality, Forty Pinochle, Wabash, and Neutron Dance. They finally came in the mail after I had almost forgotten about them!
If you are ever in the area, you should definitely stop by! Peak season would be late May-early June. You can pick out which rhizomes you like and they will be delivered to you the end of October/early September. They come bare root (as you can see), so there’s no worry about invasive species making their way into your community. It even includes a Certificate of Quarantine Compliance! If you’re a “native” junky like me, you will love that they take this extra precaution. Irises are beautiful but not worth the spread of Japanese beetle or plant disease. I am very excited to see what they look like next Spring. The goal is to plant them in the garden bed on the side of the house, using old tire halves to make raised beds for other annuals. I’m so pumped!
Iris Farm in Traverse City
5385 E Traverse Hwy
Traverse City, Michigan 49684
(231) 947-9040
To continue in the Bible Verse calendar, here are downloads for the month of September in three versions, ESV, KJV, and NIV. I think everyone is back to school now and this month’s theme goes along with the theme of teaching and learning – to grow more like Christ and together as a body.
I hope you enjoy!
Instructions:
Download the .pdf file below.
Print onto white 8.5 x 11 card-stock (other colors might be ok, but you’ll have to test that out yourself).
Cut along the dotted lines then sort into numeric order.
Prop up on a little stand, or keep in a drawer and swap out on the fridge. Or buy a recipe box with a ridge in the top for easy reading.
Keep in a prominent place where the members of the household will easily see it. The kitchen table is good, if you have breakfast there.
Discuss verse(s) with family and encourage reading the surrounding verses for context and meditation throughout the day.
Enjoy! Oh, and subscribe to this blog to the right if you’d like notifications of new posts and the next of these printables. I promise not to overwhelm your inbox. 🙂
Some recent Pins that have made me happy, inspired me, or just piqued my interest:
Soft Glazed Pumpkin Sugar Cookies…um, these look amazing and I’m sure I’ll be making these at some point this Fall. Plus, I usually end up with a half can of pumpkin puree, so it’s a perfect use!
31 Bits has their new 2014 Fall and Winter Collection! Paper bead fashion that saves lives – awesome!
John Piper
I am such a nerd….I don’t like to consider myself a grammar nazi, though. 🙂
American Bellflower – wildflower throughout many of the parks in southwest Ohio and across the nation
I have read so much Elisabeth Elliot stuff over the years. She was a fabulous lady!
Honey and Olive Oil Zucchini Muffins – also with maple syrup. Have I told you I made these??!?! And they are amazing?!?!?!?! Yes!! – by Pinch of Yum
another Pinch of Yum recipe – Beef Biryani. I am going to have to try to make my own Indian food at some point. It’s just getting to be too much. Plus, the Huz can’t handle the bones in the stuff we got at the restaurant.
Halloween Mason jar craziness!
Candle Lampshade Craft – Good Housekeeping
You are welcome to find me on Pinterest. There is a quick button to the right of this post, just under the Instagram feed.
To continue in the Bible Verse calendar, here are downloads for the month of August in three versions, ESV, KJV, and NIV. August and September are big harvest months for the US. The theme reflects the views at American farmsteads and some particularly August flowers, like poppies and gladiolas. Although, my gladiolas are nearly spent already. It’s ok, I’ll forgive them. They were gorgeous.
I hope you enjoy!
Instructions:
Download the .pdf file below.
Print onto white 8.5 x 11 card-stock (other colors might be ok, but you’ll have to test that out yourself).
Cut along the dotted lines then sort into numeric order.
Prop up on a little stand, or keep in a drawer and swap out on the fridge. Or buy a recipe box with a ridge in the top for easy reading.
Keep in a prominent place where the members of the household will easily see it. The kitchen table is good, if you have breakfast there.
Discuss verse(s) with family and encourage reading the surrounding verses for context and meditation throughout the day.
Enjoy! Oh, and subscribe to this blog to the right if you’d like notifications of new posts and the next of these printables. I promise not to overwhelm your inbox. 🙂
To continue in the Bible Verse calendar, here are downloads for the month of July in three versions, ESV, KJV, and NIV. As I’ve said before, I live in the US, so these calendars are America-centric. I apologize if you are not in the US, but July is the month of our independence – they are styled accordingly.
I hope you enjoy!
Instructions:
Download the .pdf file below.
Print onto white 8.5 x 11 card-stock (other colors might be ok, but you’ll have to test that out yourself).
Cut along the dotted lines then sort into numeric order.
Prop up on a little stand, or keep in a drawer and swap out on the fridge. Or buy a recipe box with a ridge in the top for easy reading.
Keep in a prominent place where the members of the household will easily see it. The kitchen table is good, if you have breakfast there.
Discuss verse(s) with family and encourage reading the surrounding verses for context and meditation throughout the day.
Enjoy! Oh, and subscribe to this blog to the right if you’d like notifications of new posts and the next of these printables. I promise not to overwhelm your inbox. 🙂
Sunflowers are known for their ability to turn the flower heads toward the sun, or other strong sources of light. They are often used as an analogy for Christians needing to continually follow Christ through their lives and even through the day.
What struck me this morning was how, through the extremely cloudy sky, the sunflowers were still facing the direction of the sun.
Sometimes God will withdraw Himself from our presence – there can be multiple reasons for this: we have distanced ourselves from Him, or He is testing us to see if we will continue to seek Him.
But we need to be like the sunflowers; even when our skies are cloudy, or lives are difficult, we should still be seeking out God. Just because there are clouds does not excuse us from looking for Him.
To continue in the Bible Verse calendar, here are downloads for the month of June in three versions, ESV, KJV, and NIV.
Boy is this your lucky month! Because it’s JUNE, and it just so happens to be my favorite month – what with my birthday being the 14th, and our wedding anniversary the 1st (Yes, Yes, YES! We are celebrating our 1st anniversary in just a couple of days!!!!) – I decided to make the usual 3 versions, but also to spice it up with a Sarah-specific ESV version (see below)! The colors are indulgent, the graphics quirky, and it all screams out ME! But, you know, the red and yellow with sunflowers on the other three (see above) are very My-taste as well. So, really it’s just my month and I’m bringing you along for the ride.
I hope you enjoy!
Instructions:
Download the .pdf file below.
Print onto white 8.5 x 11 card-stock (other colors might be ok, but you’ll have to test that out yourself).
Cut along the dotted lines then sort into numeric order.
Prop up on a little stand, or keep in a drawer and swap out on the fridge. Or buy a recipe box with a ridge in the top for easy reading.
Keep in a prominent place where the members of the household will easily see it. The kitchen table is good, if you have breakfast there.
Discuss verse(s) with family and encourage reading the surrounding verses for context and meditation throughout the day.
Enjoy! Oh, and subscribe to this blog to the right if you’d like notifications of new posts and the next of these printables. I promise not to overwhelm your inbox. 🙂
Enjoy! Oh, and subscribe to this blog to the right if you’d like notifications of new posts and the next of these printables. I promise not to overwhelm your inbox. 🙂
Last weekend, the Huz and I took off for Western PA to enjoy some time with my grandma. The nickname, Grambo, was lovingly put into use by some of my cousins (she could do anything!), who have since dropped the usage. However, I have continued to refer to her as Grambo to this day and therefore she will be known as Grambo for the rest of this entry.
I have been going to Western PA for visits all my life. For most of said life I’ve lived in southwestern Ohio, so the trip is familiar and as comfortable as putting on pj bottoms when you get home from work.
So when we hopped in the car and it had already been raining, I decided it would be best for me to drive this regular route. On the Ohio side, the roads are great. We usually take 71 up to Columbus and shoot around the loop to catch 70 over through Wheeling. Once you get on the other side of Wheeling, though, the roads take a turn for the…well…for the Pennsylvania.
But let’s go back a few miles. We were somewhere between Columbus and Cambridge when I suddenly realized that I had left my jeans back at The House. We were halfway through our trek and couldn’t turn around now, so we began looking for the nearest Old Navy on our way. Yes, we were going to stop for some jeans. I can’t spend an entire weekend in my work khakis. Yuck!
We’ve always driven passed the Cabela’s exit so I had no idea what was up there. Wonderfully, there was an Old Navy, an Applebees, and had I lost my will-power, a Bath and Body Works. I stayed strong though and we continued on our way.
Pennsylvania roads are some of my favorites. They are wildly unpredictable in the twists and turns and the construction patterns. Also, the on and off ramps are crrrrazy short. The Huz was not amused by them in the least. Once we got there, all was well and we enjoyed the weekend of going to church, having lunch with Grambo and Uncle Bull at the new Chinese buffet (sadly, Super Panda is no longer in service), pizza for dinner and then a leisurely Monday morning before we had to start our trip back.
Flowers coming up in Grambo’s garden!I asked Grambo if she had a hairdryer and this is what she gave me. I’m pretty sure that my mother used it when she still lived at home.TracksAlways have to stop by Mister Roger’s Park when in town.
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This morning I went back to visit the church I was attending before I got married and moved out of the area. There was a special baptism service for 11 people! Yeah! It was beautiful! A couple of them were kids that I had worked with in the children’s programs – very special to me. A few others were dear friends or the kids of dear friends. It was such a great service and after a whole winter of failed attempts to get back for a visit, it was much needed to see those faces that were such a big part of my life for so long. I’m so glad that I don’t live TOO far away for the occasional visit.
Baptism is such a beautiful event. I was all teary-eyed while it was going on. I love watching people take that step of obedience and the picture of salvation it is – identifying fully with Jesus in his death, burial, and resurrection.
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Our crocuses are in full bloom!!!! They are gorgeous! And a couple days ago, I saw a little fleck of yellow behind them and the mini-daffies are blooming now too. I’m just decided that they are mini’s because they are so much shorter than any other daffodils I’ve ever seen…it is better to say that they were meant to be that way and living up to their full potential than say that they are sorely understated.
The mini-daffodils. No joke, I’m pretty sure the crocuses are taller than these babies.Crocuses are just about my favorite spring flower…they are the first to bloom and remind me that Winter never lasts forever.Yep, I rock a pink flamingo in my garden thanks to my nieces and nephew…it’s the only pink I’m willing to have. And there is a mate for it. 😀
I bought an axe a few weeks ago in preparation of trying to dig/whack out some stumps and roots from the garden beds. The Huz keeps telling me that it’s not long enough to be an axe, but I told him it’s all about proportions – it’s smaller because I’m smaller. Yeah!
I also bought some summer bulbs to add to the perennials I already have going. Last year, there ended up a crazy amount of pink and purple…it was too much. This year, I’m going for more…or less rather…or more…or something. I don’t really have a plan for the garden bed…plus I have these awful stumps that are strewn through the beds. They make me so frustrated that I want to just toss a bunch of seeds on the dirt and be done with it.
I did manage to pull myself together a bit to pull out one of the boxwoods and replace it with a forsythia. I might regret saying this in a few years, but I have no problem with it going all wild and crazy where I plopped it. At least that way, it will cover the stump that’s right in front of it. You have no idea…
Such a pretty little forsythia…so much potential, such a bright future!The boxwood that lost…
And all of this just proves to me the old adage that
To continue in the Bible Verse calendar, here are downloads for the month of April in three versions, ESV, KJV, and NIV.
This month’s theme centers around Easter! One of my favorite times of the year – the new life springing forth from the ground and all around us reminds me of our Savior rising from the grave. Such hope!
Instructions:
Download the .pdf file below.
Print onto white 8.5 x 11 card-stock (other colors might be ok, but you’ll have to test that out yourself).
Cut along the dotted lines then sort into numeric order.
Prop up on a little stand, or keep in a drawer and swap out on the fridge. Or buy a recipe box with a ridge in the top for easy reading.
Keep in a prominent place where the members of the household will easily see it. The kitchen table is good, if you have breakfast there.
Discuss verse(s) with family and encourage reading the surrounding verses for context and meditation throughout the day.
Enjoy! Oh, and subscribe to this blog to the right if you’d like notifications of new posts and the next of these printables. I promise not to overwhelm your inbox. 🙂
You have no idea…
Xapa to the World 