If You're Yearning for Beauty

{Reflections from Days 4, 5, and 6 of my recent trip.  If you missed the others?  Day 1 is here and Days 2 and 3 are here}

 

1521.  Waking up reluctantly at morning's edge, then peeking out the window to find His Glory shining all over the lake

1522.  Throwing on warm clothes over pajamas, rushing outside with sleep still in my eyes

1523.  Camera in hand, me all giddy with this beauty weighing down

1524.  Reflections of sky in the lake so still

1525.  Geese honking loud from every corner of the water

 
 

1526.  Sun rising behind the trees, dock bobbing up and down with every step

1527.  Snapping the shutter again and again--because I can't stop trying to memorize all this

1528.  Geese flying, ducks swimming, fishermen's boats floating quiet

1529.  Me smiling from ear to ear, so happy full of Him before the day's hardly begun

 

 1530.  Plans made for a road trip adventure

1531.  Those three snowy peaks in full view on that one stretch of highway

1532.  Sun high in the sky while I crochet rounds of color in the backseat


1533.  Wandering country roads lined with orchards in bloom

1534.  Sack lunch in the car, parked in a grassy field in the town called Odell

1535.  Making our way through the Blossom Festival, tables laden with art and food

1536.  Choosing gifts for loved ones, bags of treasures in hand

1537.  Those three flowered headbands for our three generation of women



1538.  Walking through a barn full of quilted beauty, birds singing in the rafters and us in awe of all the colors

1539.  Heading back to our resting place after a long day of travel and sun

1540.  Evening on the cough beside Mom, pouring over quilting magazines, talking out ideas

1541.  A few more stitches crocheted before bed, hours of progress measured


 1542.  Rising early on the last full day here

1543.  Hurrying outside to memorize all the sounds of morning by the lake

1544.  Birds flitting overhead, all this music thrilling my soul



{Visit the blog directly to listen to this recording of bird songs}



{Visit the blog directly to see this video of the morning sights and sounds on the lake}

1545.  Spending the morning combing through photographs of tulips, daffodils, and hyacinth

1546.  Mom and Grandma at the dining room table once more, laboring over beads and laughing over the learning

1547.  Sun climbing higher, us unable to sit inside any longer

1548.  Hauling out chairs and tables and supplies to the yard

1549.  Whole afternoon in the sun crocheting, watching teenage geese bob and swim

 

 1550.  Last dinner together, buffalo burgers and that oh-so-yummy salad

1551.  Packing begun, preparing us all for tomorrow's departure

1552.  Watching the sunset sky over the lake, clouds all decked out in pink

1553.  Running outside to stand at the water's edge and listen to the frogs and the geese filling up the night air

1554.  Lightning and thunder coming up from the South

1555.  Me standing on the back deck in the pitch dark, recording this glory in the sky



{Visit the blog directly to see this recording of the night sky and sounds at the lake}

1556.  Coming inside at last and that downpour of rain starting minutes later

1557.  Running back out into the night just to feel the rain coming down

1558.  All of us laughing in surprise at this day of wild weather

1559.  Staying up late again, our last evening together

1560.  Bittersweet song of the frogs as I lay down to sleep, wishing vacation didn't have to end



1561.  That one goose God sends to my window to wake me up in the morning

1562.  Last-minute photo shoot, three generations of women wearing flowers in their hair

1563.  Goodbye hugs

1564.  Talk of "next time"


1565.  Sunny skies as we head for home at last

1566.  Safe travels back to our home state

1567.  Dairy Queen "rest stop" to get us through the last hour of driving

1568.  Home.  Home.  HOME!

1569.  Bags unloaded, everything finally unpacked

1570.  First night back in my own bed

1571.  Cat curled up beside me, so happy to see me that she won't stop purring

1572.  Going to sleep with love under my arm

Comments

  1. love the pictures. Looks like you had an adventure for sure.

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    1. @Mama Griffith: Yes, indeed! Send four women out in the middle of nowhere and it most *definitely* is an adventure ;o).

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  2. Thanks for "sharing" your vacation with us Courtney. How blessed you are to have a sweet relationship with your mom & grandmother! God has given you wisdom beyond your years in your contemplations on "numbering your days". Love & prayers, in Jesus, Cynthia

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    1. @CynthiaJSwenson: Thank you for kind words, Friend! And for reminding me that I am so very blessed to have close family relationships. After all the broken ones I've had over the years, I don't want to take for granted the ones that are still full of love. And having you join in my story here? It's a gift. Grace to you, Friend.

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  3. wow: not just (beautiful) photos. but videos complete with sound! it must have been a labor of love to put together, and it is much appreciated--

    chris

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    1. @chris: You are right--it *was* a bit of a labor. My video skills are, um, not exactly skills and it was a challenge to edit the clips together and get it to work! But I'm so glad the sounds came through--oh, what beautiful music there was at the lake! I miss it very much. Thank you for appreciating my labor--I knew my friends would enjoy a glimpse into my time away and that made all the work worth it.

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  4. MMMM....so delicious to get to share in your time at the lake. I've missed you! Your pictures are priceless and tell such a rich story of your heritage. So much color. Lovely, lovely ladies. Felt like I was there....wish I could have been there. :) Love to you dear friend.

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    1. @Bernadette: Oh! I wish you could have been there, too! You would have loved it--and we would have loved you. Even if, as you say, you can barely sew on a button :o). I think your soul would've been filled up right to the top with all the beauty and laughter and time to just be. We'll just have to keep dreaming of "someday." Sending love right back to you, my dear.

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  5. So much beauty! Thanks for putting the time in so we could share your refuge. It sounds as if your health held up pretty well in the travel. I'm glad for that. Also, how lovely to see your mother featured in photos here again and to see the family resemblance across 3 generations. You all certainly seemed to be enjoying yourselves, which makes me all the gladder. We don't have geese here, so I enjoyed making their acquaintance as well. (So loquacious! No wonder they woke you up in the mornings!)

    Thank you again for this window into your retreat. Grace and a good weekend to you, dear Courtney.

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