Flash Back Friday

Another honeymoon shot, 25 years ago on top of Mt. Monadnock in NH.

Love Thursday

Bridget, photo by Maria

Day in Toronto, Part 2

After lunch, I headed toward Lake Ontario and saw a grassy area where I could sit.  As soon as I sat down, the Tall Ships started to come in and the air was suddenly full of excitement and awe as the people watched the crews work together to dock these War of 1812 replica ships.  I stayed for hours and met a very nice lady who had lived in Toronto all of her life and it was her birthday and her first day of retirement.  We talked of many things and soon our conversation turned to matters of faith and a tear dropped from her eye and she told me it was a blessing to her that we met and talked there on that spot and when I think about how I very randomly ended up there and her too, I can see how this is something only God could orchestrate.  I would say it was a blessing for me, too.

Day in Toronto, Part 1

While John was in his conference, I decided to go check out St. Lawrence Market which turned out to be good for people watching, photos and lunch.



 
After hanging out here for awhile, it felt to me that I would find something interesting at the waterfront.  What I found will be tomorrow's post!

Toronto

John & I went to Toronto where he had a conference for a day last week.  We saw the Toronto Blue Jays play the Colorado Rockies in the stadium which is next to CN tower.


We stayed at the Fairmount Royal York hotel thanks to a co-worker who had a voucher she wasn't going to use!








Toronto is a very cool city which is now larger than Chicago and is under a lot of construction. We had not been there for 24 years! 

Flash Back Friday

Leo watching Edward eat supper, 2009

Love Thursday

Jesus loves the little children.

Togetherness

After lunch on Sunday, we walked around the Notre Dame campus for a bit to take pix and Edward was his usual humorous-teasing self, something about asking Maria how she would rate the dome and could she make a spreadsheet of all the domes she has ever seen. Just like old times. Maria can handle it.






This was not even posed.


This painting was from Valladolid where Maria stayed when she went to Spain.

After the Storm

“Nobody sees a flower - really - it is so small it takes time - we haven't time - and to see takes time, like to have a friend takes time.” Georgia O'Keefe

Father's Day

We went to South Bend to see Edward at Notre Dame and ate at O'Rourke's Irish Pub.  It seemed fitting.




Edward & Maria had vegetarian boxties which are made with Irish potato pancakes.


It felt like a beautiful European day eating outside with our son who uses a fork and knife.

Flash Back Friday

Cape Cod, 1988

Love Thursday

John planted this perennial last year and we're not sure what it is, but we love it!

The Celebration So Far

We decided to plant a new peonies plant for our 25th anniversary yesterday.  We ceremoniously plopped it in a hole in the earth next to our light pink one.  This one is "red", more like a dark pink, and came with a blossom on it already.  The wonderful thing is, these flowers always bloom around or right before our anniversary.

Happy 25th Anniversary!

So every day
So every day 
I was surrounded by the beautiful crying forth 
of the ideas of God,
one of which was you.”
― Mary Oliver

It really has been 25 years!  I thought I would be old and silvery by now, but something about us together is keeping me young at heart.

Peonies, Again

Such


an


AMAZING


flower!

Flashback Friday

Edward & Maria with Grandma Bouman, April 1992

Love Thursday

I think of this poem every year at this time because it helps me enjoy these flowers before they are nothing forever.

Peonies

This morning the green fists of the peonies are getting ready
   to break my heart
     as the sun rises,
        as the sun strokes them with his old, buttery fingers

and they open--
   pools of lace,
      white and pink--
       and all day the black ants climb over them,

boring their deep and mysterious holes
    into the curls,
      craving the sweet sap,
        taking it away

to their dark, underground cities--
   and all day
      under the shifty wind,
       as in a dance to the great wedding,

the flowers bend their bright bodies,
   and tip their fragrance to the air,
     and rise,
       their red stems holding

all that dampness and recklessness
    gladly and lightly,
      and there it is again--
        beauty the brave, the exemplary,

blazing open.
    Do you love this world?
      Do you cherish your humble and silky life?
       Do you adore the green grass, with its terror beneath?

Do you also hurry, half-dressed and barefoot, into the garden,
   and softly,
      and exclaiming of their dearness,
       fill your arms with the white and pink flowers,

with their honeyed heaviness, their lush trembling,
    their eagerness
      to be wild and perfect for a moment, before they are
        nothing, forever?  -Mary Oliver

Out in the Garden

Rose buds


Mallow


Violas


--- and just a few bleeding hearts this year.
“We don’t have to go far to find the treasure we are seeking. There is beauty and goodness right where we are. And only when we can see the beauty and goodness that are close by can we recognize beauty and goodness on our travels far and wide. There are trees and flowers to enjoy, paintings and sculptures to admire; most of all there are people who smile, play, and show kindness and gentleness. They are all around us, to be recognized as free gifts to receive in gratitude." -Henri Nouwen