White

Way

But he knows the way that I take;

when he has test me, I will come forth as gold.

Job 23.10 NIV

Plant census

Upstairs bathroom

In one of my favorite children's books, The Plant Sitter by Gene Zion, Tommy's life becomes overrun with plants when he agrees to care for neighbors' plants while they are on vacation. Were I to accept responsibility for all the plants in our house, I might have nightmares with Tommy. 

Parents' room

I took a census of our houseplants yesterday. Here are the results:

B-L-N's room

• Kitchen, 0
• Dining room, 4
• Living room, 3
• Schoolroom, 18
• Downstairs bathroom, 3
• Laundry room, 2
• Hallway, 0
• Brian and Logan's room, 3 
• Amy and Julie's room, 5
• Betsy, Libby and Naomi's room, 3
• Parents' room, 4
• Upstairs bathroom, 3

Livingroom

Schoolroom

Schoolroom

Parallel

Quonset hut

Tissue toss

A pictorial representation of my current state of health.

Another idiom

My sidekick was at college yesterday afternoon and was unable to assist me as I explored the intricacies of the English language. I think she consumed the best of the bananas before she left. Thus, this is my feeble attempt at portraying an idiomatic phrase.

Inside pets

Mom took the schoolchildren on a field trip to the pet store, Friday afternoon. Libby returned with two new pets to feed, clean, observe, and generally dote upon. Along with her barn animals, Libby now cares for two inside pets--a Betta fish and a Hermit crab.

Barn peak

Peak property ideal for constructing your dream nest. Now accepting applications for summer 2011. Space is limited--act today to reserve your barn-front abode! 

Glory

A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word, 'darkness' on the walls of his cell.   ~C.S. Lewis

Green

(and yellow)

Cheeks

Hosanna

Thaw

If I didn't know better, I might think spring were here. Yesterday the sun shone, birds sang, snow drifts melted and the Road Commission applied seasonal weight restrictions on trucks hauling loads on the roadways. 

Barnyard sculpture

Museums and libraries aren't the only places that display modern art in their courtyards. 

Sudanese cuisine

Finger food Friday night was more exotic than sloppy joes and potato chips. Our meal, at least the recipes, originated in Africa.

One of Amanda's friends spent Friday preparing dishes and sharing about Sudanese culture. The guys gathered around the dining room table to sample salad (yogurt with shredded cucumber and carrots), the staple bean dish (pronounced fool), lentils, and soup (poured over torn-up bread). The ladies' group was a bit more authentic, since we gathered around a tray set on a stool. But no matter which group, the rule of etiquette was simple--don't use your left hand to tear off a piece of bread and dip it in the common dishes.

In Sudan, the men are always served first and the women and children wait to eat until the men have had enough. Though the ladies were in another room, we received the impression that the menfolk would have preferred sloppy joes for dinner. That was in our favor, because even with adolescent boys there were still plenty of lentils for the ladies after the men were served. 

Valentine's day

One of the roses in the bouquet my Dad gave my Mom

Blossom

The desert and the parched land will be glad;

the wilderness (winterness*) will rejoice and blossom.

Isaiah 35:1 NIV 

*Michigan paraphrase

Gray

Sled hill

Sometimes you have to build your own sled hill.

Waterline

Hamlin Dam, Ludington, Michigan

Symmetry

Pseudo-arctic

Betsy

Accompanied by our friends Rebecca and Lydia, Julie, Betsy and I braved pseudo-arctic conditions at Ludington State Park on Saturday morning. Believe it or not, by the time I climbed the last icy dune I was sweating enough that I unzipped my jacket and unwound my scarves.

Snow fence on the beach

Chocolate-vanilla swirl

Lydia, Julie, Betsy, Rebecca

My skis

What we saw when we finally climbed the last snow/ice dune

Breathtaking

Breathtaking is an accurate description of our visit to the North Breakwater in Ludington, Michigan on Friday afternoon. The beauty of the snowy beach figuratively took our breath away, while the wind literally took it away. 

Julie, Betsy and I employed snowshoes and cross country skis to trek across the beach and scale snowdrifts taller than us. Snow and wind from Wednesday's storm formed huge snow-dunes that we conquered. 

On Friday, we watched the waves knock against the glacier-like formations at the shore of Lake Michigan. For a second, particles of water formed patterns in the air. Then they dropped to freeze into yet another layer of ice at the water's edge.

It was beautiful. It was incredible. It was cold.

I loved it.

Photo credit: Betsy Cook

Spirit

Ludington State Park

The wind blows wherever it pleases. 

You hear its sound, but you cannot tell 

where it comes from or where it is going. 

So it is with everyone born of the Spirit. John 3:8 NIV

Laundry

I toss my dirty clothes in the hamper and they return clean and ready to be hung in my closet or placed in my drawer. I am thankful.

Payday

Julie was ecstatic when she received the pay stub from her first pay check. A couple of weeks ago, she landed a part-time accounting position with a non-profit organization that provides low-income housing.

Drifting

Our driveway, Wednesday morning

Idioms

Yet four more of the strangest phrases in American English. Can you identify the idiom represented by each image?

Pink

(I told you we love holding that baby)