GOT A MINUTE OR TWO

This is "Pulled Pork" the Torres style  We celebrated Labor Day with our daughter, Michel and our SIL's family.  Their idea of pulled pork is get a pig from the pig farm, bury it with the hot coals and let it cook 24 hours.  Oh my goodness.  It was so good, with all the side dishes including a big bowl of cold slaw. This is only the second time I've seen the whole pig roasted.  When Michel and Michael were married, his family did a full Mexican meal for the wedding reception. Most people would prefer not to see this scene before eating, but it was rather fascinating and the kids thought it was pretty cool.  How was your Labor Day?  Did you party or stay home?

LAME HANDS OF FAITH . . . "I falter where I firmly trod, And falling with my weight of cares Upon the great world's altar-stairs That slope thro' darkness up to God, I stretch lame hands of faith, and grope..... Dear Lord, I do not know the author of these pleading words, but I have many time felt this way when I try to pray and the weight of my cares take my words away, and the stairway to You seems dark ~ so I do stretch my lame hands of faith and grope for words to say.  Then I remember that You said when my words won't come ~ the Holy Spirit groans my feeble words and shares my deepest heart with the Father.  Thank you Lord.  I love You.  Amen. Staircase from googleimages.com 

On the River Boat at Lake Tahoe 1990.     The pulled pork/cold slaw sandwich...Delicious. 

Most of the trees in the complex are still green, but one is really ready for Fall. We are finding new places to check out and one is the West Covina Plaza where our granddaughter, Monique is the assistant manager of the "Red Robin" café.  We had lunch there and right across the way was Anna's Linens.  I've been looking for cushions for the wicker chairs (cute but not comfortable).  They had them on sale and in green.  Eating in comfort is better. Was really in the mood for pulled pork sandwiches and cold slaw, so a small pork roast is cooking in the crock pot!  House already smells good. There is a huge yellow and black butterfly that keeps teasing me.  He flies right in front of my chair on the balcony, and when I get the camera...he smiles and flies off.   I will catch a picture of him one of these days!!

Martha's "Pie Challenge" was almost a complete disaster.  I really didn't have any ingredients on hand for a pie, but this is a busy week, so wanted to do something.  I remembered I had some coconut in the freezer and decided to make a coconut pie.  Made the pie crust, and baked it.  While it cooled I mixed up the ingredients for the filling.  In the middle of the process the phone rang and it was the pharmacy asking me some questions about my medication.  Answered the questions, went back to my pie filling, poured it in the crust and stuck it in the oven.  The challenge was to make a pie and post a picture of it. After a couple minutes I opened the microwave to heat up my coffee and there was my 1/2 cup melted butter for the pie!  Oops. The pie is in the oven!!  I quickly took it out of the oven and poured in the melted butter, tried to mix it in without splashing it all over.  Yikes, and this is a pie for a challenge.  Yep, t...

Saturday Don and I traveled to UCLA Medical Center to visit our cousin's husband who just had extensive surgery.  We are praising the Lord, as the surgery was successful and what was stage 4 cancer on his face is now gone.  Many details about the surgery I won't share, but he is doing and looking great, and the surgeons were beaming at the success of this intricate surgery.  God is so good. The picture on the left is Fox Theatre Westwood, walking distance from UCLA, and where Hollywood's actors come with all their flair to see the previews of movies.  After a visit with Howard, his wife Lou (Don's cousin and one of Aunt Trula's daughters) invited us to walk down to Barney's Beanery for lunch.  Howard and Lou's family are so supportive and spend many hours with him at the hospital.  The Nachos were the best appetizers ever. This morning at church a friend came up to me and said in a stern voice, "Wanda, what's going on?"  To which ...

I have a Creative Tuesday dilemma ~ The theme is "Poppies" which I dearly love, but I wrote down that the due date was August 26, not today!!  I've been out of watercolor paper and badly need some tubes of paint and planned to make a trip to Aaron Brothers this week and have my poppy painting ready for CT.  However this morning I see all the artist have their poppies up, and I check the date..and yep!!! It's today.   So instead of a new painting ~ I will share some painting I've done in the past of poppies.   This first one is done on hot press paper and give a really different look that my normal watercolors.  Rather a velvet touch.   This is one of my note cards, with two simple poppies growing out behind a rock. And last, the painting hanging on the wall behind my desk is Iris and Poppies that I painting when my mother was in her last days battling cancer in 1991.  She slept a lot...

  Today we did some running around.  I wanted to check out the Library in Monrovia as the one in Baldwin Park is under renovation and will not be open for a couple of months.  The Monrovia Library is just beautiful and big.  This interesting tree was on the grounds and I wanted Don to take my picture so you can see the size of the tree.  Also a beautiful water fountain.  I know we are in a drought, but this water is being recycled.      After dropping off Molly at a new groomer, and visiting the Library we had lunch at a old fashioned "Diner from the 50's" called Leroy's Original.  The red padded booths, the people eating at the counter, and the signs and décor on the wall's....all 50's.      It's really fun checking out our new area.  Monrovia is the cutest town, with all kinds of shops and eating places.  We like the new groomer, Gabriel and looking at a new Vet there too.   W...

Dear Lord ~ Let me stand today ~ for whatever is pure and true and just and good. for the right of the weak and the oppressed. Today O Lord ~ let me put right before interest. let me put others before self. let me put things of the spirit before the things of the flesh. let me put principle above reputation. let me put Thee before all else. Give me a heart like Jesus Christ ~ a brave heart, a true heart, a tender heart, a heart with a great room in it, a heart fixed on Thyself, for your name's sake.  Amen. ~A Diary of Private Prayer ~ John Baillee

  This was taken Thanksgiving ~ 2001 ~  Making a cake with Amanda and Monica.   This was taken at Monique and Eddie's Wedding ~ June 2014.  Two lovely granddaughters both now in college.

My visits with Elizabeth have been much fewer since we moved.  It was easy to visit once a week when we lived 20 minutes away, now with traffic it's more like an hour.  But today I decided to take care of a few errands on that side of town and make a day of it.  I arrived to see Elizabeth at lunch time, and the owner of the care facility insisted I have lunch with the gals, so I did.  The top left is my dear friend Elizabeth, who likes to introduce me as her adopted daughter, and that pleases me that she would feel that way.  I took a loaf of Banana Bread and in the picture to the right, she is enjoying a piece.  We share a "sweet tooth". The bottom picture to the right are the other three ladies at the home.  Sylvia, Elsie and Ann.  They have become my friends and I enjoy my time with all of them. One of my errands was to visit my old neighbor CiCi and see if I could barter some Banana Bread for lemons from her Meyer le...

Today was Promotion Sunday and the kids were excited to move on to new classes and new teachers.  One of the highlights is between Sunday School and church everyone has balloons on strings.  Tied to each one is a Gospel Track and the name and address of the church with a message that says if they find the balloon and message, call the number of the church and we will send them a free Bible. We have and a couple in the past call from many miles away.  The kids love it, and it's a great way to celebrate Promotion Sunday. I trust you had a great Sunday....we did.

Almighty God, send the wind of Your Spirit to blow across the embers of my heart.  Stir up the fire of faith and re-ignite my passion for holiness.  Kindle within me a desire to use the spiritual gifts You have given me for the good of Your kingdom.  May Your Spirit shine forth in power.  May that power be governed by self-discipline, and may all I do be done in the love of God.  I love You. Amen.

    This time last year my entire house had been transformed into "Fall" colors.  It hit me this morning as I was having my coffee and devotions on the balcony and this leaf fluttered down!  Yes, it's August and Fall is coming up fast.    I hate to admit it, but somewhere in our storage unit on the balcony is a bin of Fall Decorations.  "Somewhere" is the problem and since I'm still adjusting to moving in....I think they will just stay there.  Maybe I'll look for them and put out a few things in September.  For now, I'm just happy to enjoy watching a few falling leaves on the balcony.  I think I will change my header! Have the trees started wearing fall colors yet where you live?

Last night we had a wonderful BBQ with our son Myk, Chelenne and our grandsons, Kaleb and Elijah.  Kaleb heads back to college in Greenville, IL, and Eljiah is a senior this year.  I use to hold them in my lap, and now they tower above me.  I love having such strong handsome men to hold grandma.   Myk's BBQ chicken was delicious and the roasted zucchini was yummy.  My berry cobbler was gobbled up, and thought posting a picture of an empty dish wasn't necessary.  HaHa.  With a scoop of vanilla ice cream...great way to top off a wonderful evening. Max is their boxer, and since boxes lips go "down" it looks like he's mad...So when I told them to smile, Elijah had to hold up Max's lip to make a smile.  Family time is the best!!

Last night decided to have a quick oven dinner.  Panko crusted tilapia, sweet potatoes, asparagus and onions.  Pretty tasty too. Today we are going over to visit our son and family.  He's doing the BBQ, we're bringing tossed salad and berry cobbler.  (as you can see I needed one more strip of crust, and didn't notice it until I took the picture..oops too late!)  Shouldn't effect the taste with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Hope you're having a good Wednesday!

  I joined Stephanie's Giveaway a couple of weeks ago, and lo and behold, I can't believe I was the winner.  She has a delightful blog you will want to visit, if you have not.  She is one of the sweetest Christian gals I met in blog land, and her blog is a joy too see her creativity, and her heart for the Lord.   My wonderful box came with a beautiful green hand towel, trimmed with her lovely homemade touch.  Almost too pretty to use, so I'll find the perfect place to hang it and just look at it.    Also an adorable tote...just as cute as can be with all modes of travel.  Again all her personal touches.    And last but certainly not least, was a small glass bottle vase with lace and jewels.  My son when just a youngster...1977 made me this wooden shelf with mirror.  It has always had a place in our home.  But the vase with a single daisy just is the perfect place to display Stephanie's handiwork and my so...

THE FLIGHT OF THE RED BALLOON!     The theme for Creative Tuesday is a story ~ "The Flight of the Red Balloon"   I'm very low on art supplies, but not imagination.  I loved the theme and made it rather personal.  I do have a flight in a red balloon on my bucket list...Not 80 yet, but getting closer every year...Guess I better get my reservation in. HaHa.   This was done in my sketch book (out of watercolor paper) with pen and ink...and then a dab of watercolor (need to get to Aaron Brothers and get supplies!!)   To enjoy other's Red Balloon stories and artwork, just click on the CT badge on my sidebar. Have a great week!!  Go buy a balloon!!

  Dear Lord ~ we are but earthen vessels.   Common and flawed, but You chose to use us to spread the Gospel and Your love.  As we begin a new month, and celebrate communion, help us to be willing vessels in your hands, and share that forgiveness is available to all who will come to the cross an accept your gift of salvation.  We remember your sacrifice today, and lift grateful hearts and hands.  We love You.  Amen.