feathers and snippets

-A soft, delicate, brilliantly bespeckled feather from Zulu (our African guinea...who should actually be called "Lulu") on the arm of my chair. We think she's molting, and it makes for beautiful polka-dotted decorations all over the porch.

-Fresh eggs (not from Zulu though) scrambled with basil, parsley and arugula/rocket, all from the garden...and a bit of cream cheese for decadence. Wonderful.

-Getting so absorbed into a book that even while watching a favorite t.v. show (Dancing with the Stars...who'd have thought??), I muted the commercials to read snippets of it.

a jolly day with lolly

-Going to Austin to visit my great-aunt Lolly. Yesterday was her 92nd birthday! On the way, Mom, Grandmother and I stopped at the Eastside Cafe for some amazing homegrown food. I had wonderful vegetable verde enchiladas.

-Walking around the back garden to see where they grew all of their herbs and vegetables. It was pretty impressive. I've also never seen a literal flower bed before.

-We had a great time catching up with Aunt Lolly and hanging out in her cute apartment.

-We brought yummy little celebratory cupcakes.

-Here's my sassy, witty great-aunt Lolly with her teddy bear (she loves teddy bears) on her 92nd birthday. She's so with it and full of gumption. We had a great afternoon.

-And here she is as a teenager being just as spirited at Balanced Rock in Colorado. I LOVE this picture.

you've got a friend in me

-Wearing purple today as part of a national initiative (through facebook, organized by GLAAD) to take a stand against bullying and with glbt teenagers and their families. I wore purple because hate is wrong, fear of the other is sin which Christ has already conquered and every teenager (and person) deserves to be valued as a child of God no matter what their sexuality is. These bullying-related suicides of teenagers have to stop. Wearing purple doesn't do this, but at least it's once more voice of solidarity.

-While doing a bit of Hebrew work for an upcoming sermon, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that my fantastic friend Jessi had left me a note in it the last time she borrowed it (years ago). I've never noticed it before. What an unexpected, joyful discovery.

-My mom making the most delectable, melt-in-your-mouth, fabulous lemon chicken. It was served on top of homemade buttery, peppery croutons. Oh my, was it good. (Thanks, Mamacita!)

orange you glad you came?

My mom conveniently had a meeting at the downtown Methodist church that has a wonderful pumpkin patch, so I enjoyed exploring it a little. I love pumpkins...they're cheery, useful (Native Americans used to dry strips of them to weave into mats) and delicious. I saw many different kinds...

There were knobbly ones...

Ones with extraordinarily flamboyant stems...

Not-so-attractive ones...

Creamy white ones...

Ones that liked to hang out with their buddies...

and even ones that were a bit dirty.

We had a great time.

And here's the cute sage green guy who came home with us.

why, thank you!

-Grandmother giving me some lovely funky martini glasses. I love them!

-Gorgeous golden sunlight peeking through late-afternoon trees.

-Someone going out of their way to be helpful.

awake, my soul

I went to visit my grandmother this weekend and go to a family meeting and it was just wonderful! I have several glimpses of grace to share, but before we get to that, you should know that today is 4 years to the day that I've been recording everyday moments of God's surprising grace discovered in the mundane and extraordinary. Thanks for sharing in it all with me...

-Getting a little delirious after our family meeting thanks to potent Delaware Punch, my great-great-aunts Eunice and Beula's teacakes (this is what my parents and their cousins always had growing up) and from just being plain tired. I had such a fabulous time reconnecting with family.

-A Texas way to welcome fall.

-Trees golden with sunlight, arching in a luxurious stretch to the sky. They, of course, reminded me of Lord of the Rings.

-A Texas sunset setting the sky on fire with colors so brilliant they hurt your eyes. Only one other place I've been rivals sunsets in Texas (South Africa)...they're extraordinary.

-Going through a poetry compilation book of my grandmother's and discovering part of a poem that is so fitting for the church today (and for any of us who stumble after Jesus):

"God gave thy soul brave wings;

put not those feathers

Into a bed, to sleep out all ill weathers."

May we all embrace the uncomfortable bravery that is consciousness.

signs of the season

-Delectable, sweet-and-savory rosemary roasted butternut squash linguine and pan seared tilapia for dinner. So healthy and delicious. I love fall vegetables.

-Coming across a great quote from Mother Teresa: "Be happy in the moment, that's enough. Each moment is all we need, not more."

-A relaxing, breezy mid-morning bike ride that was warm enough for short-sleeves and cool enough for a scarf.

not-so-minor grace

-Hearing that those amazing Chilean miners all made it out okay.

-Skyping with my good buddy Neil in Belfast for an hour and enjoying the banter and fun of catching up. He even took a picture with his fancy iphone.

-Being invited to write a Shalom Vision article for the Disciples Peace Fellowship about my understanding of conflict in Belfast and in the United States, which was posted today. Fancy a read? It's here.

-Watching an old Hitchcock movie (Dial "M" for Murder) which ended with, no joke, the clever detective pulling out a comb and regally combing his expansive mustache.

*a little note: When I say I've "glimpsed grace" in these things, I'm not equating them...there is definitely more grace in those heroic miners surviving than in a man combing his mustache. Just wanted to clear that up. :)

hey cookie

-Getting a free crumbly, cinnamon-infused cookie with my blt croissant at Halepaska's bakery.

-Using my great-grandmother Mimmie's beautiful purse.

-Hanging out with Ashley for her birthday and experiencing how much fun errands can become when done with someone else.

looks tasty

-A delicious avocado in a rich shade of deep cranberry.

-Turning my back on my plate of eggs to reach in the fridge for some of my mom's homemade hot sauce and then discovering that it had been besieged (with the help of my mom) in my brief absence. I'm embarrassed to say I got a little terrified! And I'm also proud to say that, at 28 years of age, I am an adult...I can eat my mom's incendiary hot sauce.

-The smell (and taste) of mesquite barbecue smoke.

talkin' turkey

The 'rents and I took a little trip to the booming metropolis of Cuero (read: adorable tiny, Texas town) for lunch and a little shopping Saturday. We were there for Turkeyfest, the annual turkey race & parade that brings surprisingly big crowds. The turkey (humbly named "Ruby Begonia" despite being a fella) lost the race, but there was still a good time to be had. Cuero was so relaxing with its peeling-painted doors, delicious Mexican food, shops that hand out free peach & champagne bellinis and even a cactus garden. What a grace-full day.

If anyone has an extra $500, I would love you forever if you would buy me this! I LOVE this stove.

Aren't my parents cute?

*Also, howdyalike my new blog design? I made it myself! She's got a pretty new outfit for fall. :)