Back of a Flower Shoppe -- faces the parking lot

State Fair 2008

Wisconsin State Fair is famous for its cream puffs. In fact, I read that 382,000 of them were sold during the eleven day fair which just ended on August 10th This year eight of the eleven days broke single-day-sales cream puff records.

And so, for those of you have not experienced the cream puff line, which winds through the cream puff building, I took some photos. The lines winds by windows where you watch the puffs get filled and powdered: the best marketing scheme available. By the time you reach the check out you're pretty sure you need a six pack... (yes...they do come in six packs...)

Enjoy the photos -- they are non fat and low carb.

Oh, and the 2009 fair is scheduled for August 6-16. Plan ahead!

Delicious

My hub went with daughter #3 to the Village Festival downtown. Daughter #2 is at work, and Son # 4 (well, child #4) is with buddies. Which left me, alas, home alone!

I have spent the whole two hours on the couch. The ceiling fan is on, the breezes are blowing through the open windows, Boomer is sprawled on the floor nearby, a quilt magazine and a novel have been picked up and laid down numerous times. Rather than read, I have lazily watched the birds feed; the grasses, flowers and trees sway; and the onset and delivery of a summer rain shower. (thank you Lord -- "saturate garden" is now off my evening to-do list) It's been that hazy existence between napping and fully conscious...in and out, here and not...

Ahhhhhh.

A delicious and rare August reprise. These are the views out my livingroom window as I lay on the couch...

Blue Skies

Words are rather important to me. (I hear you laughing, pianomom!) At worship practice this week we had a discussion on the lyrics to some of our worship songs. I find some hard to sing. For instance, we sing one that says "You're all I want, You're all I've ever needed..." Those words stall me. Can I honestly say to God, "You're all I want?" Really? He would beg to differ. If God were truly all I wanted, life would be a whole lot simpler. And so, I add a few words (when I'm in the audience, not on the team)..."You're all I want to want..."

Words matter.
Perhaps that is why I so love examining Scripture with women. I notice the words. Every jot and tittle. Wondrous, inspired words.

This week I am singing a solo at church. On our trip we used my ipod, and I rediscovered a song by Point of Grace (love that name - hee hee) entitled, "Blue Skies." This song hits home for me. I'm not sure why, but I seem to be in a constant discussion with myself about how good God is, and how blessed I am. It's natural for me to focus on what is missing, rather than on the blessings. But these words...whew. To practice, I listen to a song a hundred times in the car. Literally. And this week, I needed these words to be my mantra.

If you have itunes, I encourage you to go download the song. It will lift your day. Enjoy.

On days of gray
When doubt clouds my view
Its so hard to see past my tears

My strength seems to fade
And its all I can do
To hold on, till the light reappears.

Still, I believe though some rain's bound to fall
That You're here next to me And You're over it all.

CHORUS
Lord, the sky's still blue
For my hope is in You
You're my joy, You're the dream that’s still alive
Like the wind at my back
And the sun on my face
You are life, You're grace.
You are blue skies, You're my blue skies

When nights are long
Seems the dark has no end
Still we walk on in light of the truth
For waiting beyond, where the morning begins
Is the dawn, and Your mercy anew.

Oh, to believe we're alive in Your love
There is so much to see, if we keep looking up

Lord, the sky's still blue
For my hope is in You
You're my joy, You're the dream that’s still alive
Like the wind at my back
And the sun on my face
You are life, You're grace.
You are blue skies, You're my blue skies

You filled the heavens with hope and a higher love
A picture of promise for life.

Lord, the sky's still blue
For my hope is in You
You're my joy,
You're the dream that’s still alive
Like the wind at my back
And the sun on my face
You are life, You're grace.
You are blue skies, You're my blue skies

vacation

Sometimes I think I lose sight of me.


Today I am in the car (rented minivan if you must know) with the rare commodity of time on my hands. 19 hours from Winter Park, Colorado to home in Wisconsin. An early morning stop at Barnes & Noble in Denver equipped me with four things: the autumn 2008 issue of "Artful Blogging," the August edition of "cards : the hottest trend in card making," a top spiral journal/sketchpad, (unopened...will be used for an artsy prayer journal/verse list) and a book mark called "hold that thought" which is a clear plastic holder of neon flag post it notes.


Blissful hours later I have savored all of "cards" and it is happily highlighted and post-it-noted. I have read some favorite Psalms, and some of Isaiah (my current read), I have written pages of notes for a women's retreat I'm speaking at in September, I've caught up on sending a few emails via my Blackberry (amazing to send email at 70 mph)(no, I'm not driving!!) And now "artful blogging" is half savored and festively flagged.


As I get inspired I realize the joy I have in creativity. And the sad fact that creativity can be pushed so quickly off my to do list.


In reading a lot about mixed media art I'm close to salivating. The art blog photos are bringing my creative juices to the forefront, and greeting cards might be an attainable medium. (Small intimate hellos to cherished friends). I think of the row of old hymnbooks I have...what lovely backgounds those pages would make. And I have literally thousands of my father's hand written sermons. (He was an ordained minister for over 50 years). My mom's journal dated 1942 is on my dresser...and two redwork quilts are downstairs. (My great grandmother would trace product logos and then embroider them in red floss. Although the quilts have holes, certainly I can salvage some of her handwork.)


If I could find some more minutes for creativity, I'm thinking it would help me to sweat the small stuff a little less. It brings joy, true joy, just to read and savor...how much more to actually create?


Daylight hours are fading. I'm writing this blog as an email to myself...from somewhere east of Omaha...at 70 mph at 7:10 pm. Time to get back to reading "artful blogging" and writing in my moleskine as inspiration hits.


I need more of this.
Roadtrip anyone?