My New Bible Study

Yesterday I picked up my new bible study materials from church. 

We'll be studying Philippians. 

I like pretty things, so I have a hard time writing in them, but why not?

That is what they are there for. 

This is frameable. 

Our study starts tomorrow. 

Hopefully, this will be a good study and reinforce that we can find JOY and not fear during these troubled times. So many Christians, fear these days. It's fine to have a healthy concern but fear takes over your spirit and soul. 

Boy isn't that the opposite of what the culture is today.  

This is what it is all about, isn't it? 

It's funny that our women's bible study is about Living for Christ when for the last month or so I have been watching this you-tube channel by Peter Santenello. 

He's from San Francisco, and he goes to communities around the US and the world where he films and interviews them, etc. 

I just finished his series on the Amish and Mennonites. Excellent. I thought I knew about them as my maternal family was from Ohio and I'd been to Holmes County many times as a kid. 

I did not know there was an Amish town in Florida? That's where some of them go to retire. I also didn't know there were so many different types of Amish - Old Order, Beachy, Dan, Swartzentruber, etc. I'm sure many of you probably already know this stuff - but for me as a Californian, I was amazed. 

I had my first Amish Pretzel in Lancaster County back in the mid-1960s. Mom had always talked about how good they were and I've since had nothing even close to it. 

So if you're looking to space out and relax, I totally recommend this series. I'm going to recommend these videos to the ladies of my bible study. 

 

Before the Amish series, I watched his series on Native Americans living on the reservation. He was able to get in, where others are not. 

I plan to watch all of his playlists. Next for me to watch are the Hasidic Jews. 

Till next time, 

Enjoy -

Debby

Ran into a neighbor today

At the corner where I walk are several goats. They recognize me and call out to me. Yesterday I was on a roll, and kept going and later on, it bothered me that I didn't stop and make the time to  tell them, "hello."

I'm an animal lover - how could I have done that? For them, to recognize me is an honor. 

So today, I knew I would stop by and give them a pat! I took a couple of photos but they were so happy for the attention that they kept butting horns as to who would come nearer to me. This is the only photo that wasn't blurred. 

When we are outside there are mornings when we can hear these goats. Coming from a metro area, I had no idea the sounds goats make and would hear a baby cry or a woman yelling. I wondered, what was going on, in my new neighborhood.

A neighbor mentioned to me about the goats and it was then that I was educated on the sounds of goats. 

I still think they are adorable - funny sounds and all. 

 

Living on the Outskirts

 

What a beautiful day this first of February is. It's been cold - we're only getting up to maybe 56 during the day but it's been sunny and no wind. It is cold in the shade so I stay in the sunshine. It gets down to the '30s at night. Our lower pond, has a thin layer of ice on it, in the mornings. 

The sidewalk that goes, to no where

I live on the outskirts of town - If I want restaurants and shops, I go to the areas in my town where that is provided. I've noticed, that after 15 years of living here - my town is starting to grow up - get big.  Just this week, they introduced parking meters downtown. The community is not happy about it. 

We have new homes sprouting up - new businesses going in and the focus of this town is toward young adults. They're building skate parks, and fancy bike lanes and everything is geared toward the youth. 

That's fine - change is inevitable. 

But you do start to notice, that there are a lot of "takeaways" and they take away from the seniors. Like we used to have a bus stop back here. It's gone now. Probably because those electric scooters are everywhere - even back where we are at. 

Yep, things are changing. 

Sprinkled throughout my area are older mobile homes on the property - small wooden framed houses - where the occupants are old now - some have died and people are buying up their properties as well, as larger property investors who want to build more subdivisions.  We still have a few farms and ranches - people have goats and Alpacas. 

When you walk out of my subdivision, there used to be no sidewalks. I've noticed they have started putting them in - but only on one side of the road. So you zig and zag as you walk, crossing the street if you want to stay on a sidewalk. 

Sometimes they have a sidewalk that goes nowhere and doesn't connect - like an afterthought. Like the first photo. 

Here's a flock of Canadian geese out for their morning stroll. 

Across from the turkeys, is a new development that is going up - No model homes yet but I did walk over to take a peak. 

Just your typical track-type house - in a small cul de sac. 

Boy, whoever was in this house working was rocking out. The music was LOUD. 

Right across on the other side of that loud house, is this property. I'm sure a thorn in the side of the developer who probably wanted his land to build more houses. 

This is on the other side of that pond, I visited yesterday. In good years, the water from the pond covers this green wooded area. We still need more rain. 

I'm happy the waterfowl is back - and flourishing. 

Such a nice morning with the sun shining through the cedar tree in my front yard.  

And another Daffodil pokes her head up to say, welcome home. 

Yesterday, I texted Navy at work and asked him if he would drop by the house after he got off. And he did. I haven't seen him since Christmas and I just wanted to touch base with him...you know, get a hug from my kid! 

He stayed a couple of hours and we caught up - It was nice. 

Today I paid most of the bills with the exception of a couple of websites I could not get on - they are having "difficulties" so I will go back to that tomorrow. I like to get all my bills knocked out at once. 

I did some laundry - and I baked a loaf of banana bread. It smells good and will taste even better! 

Take Care,

Debby

February 

Twice the distance
Three fewer days
The second overall
Two-twelfths of the year
Ten more to go
This month of cold
They wait
Their spring may arrive

Unknown

My morning walk

Woke up to a cold but sunny day and NO WIND! Decided I would take my morning walk...I walked over across the main street to this pond area, booming with all types of fowl. 

I came across this guy - standing on the path and he wouldn't move. 

I was able to get close to him. 

Finally, he left...skimming the pond water as he flew off. 

This is why Mr. Mallard wouldn't move - She was near him to the side. 

This pond used to be part of a cattle ranch - years ago. 

Now they have built houses around it and for many years, this pond was dry due to the drought. 

There still is a working ranch across the pond. 

It was so quiet - except for the various sounds of bird life. 

Across the pond there was a huge flock of turkeys - I didn't get a chance to get their picture. We could sure hear them though. 

Nice view of Shasta Bally

Today's agenda:

I have my Tuesday meeting at noon. 

There is an item I want to purchase that I need to check out. 

And then the usual keeping up the house and the laundry. 

Right now my husband is outside working on the Library house 

which is going to look like a little church. 

Just getting ideas. 

He wants to keep it stocked with Christian books for the most part. We'll see - It should be interesting. 

We inherited so many books from Margie - we can keep it stocked quite well. 

We talked about the household projects that need to be done - maintenance stuff. 

1. Paint the picket fence
2. Paint the trim on the house
3. paver patio in the front yard under the window 
4. continue the paver patio in the back yard to slowly eliminate a good portion of the lawn. 
5. The back fence where we now have a cash envelope we are putting money. 

That's just the outside. Not too bad. There is always something to do when you live in a house. Navy is finding that out as he has owned his home going on for 3 years. Last I heard, they had to put in a whole new sprinkler system. The city made them because they had a leak and one month they spent $300 in water due to a leak they could not find. That's home ownership! 

Have a great Day

Debby

 

Windy weather

 

For the last couple of days and especially yesterday and last night, we have had some major wind and gusts. Over 100 mph on Mt Shasta and some clocked the winds around here at close to 80 mph with gusts. Sounded like a plane landing at times. We had to take everything down in the yard, bird feeders, chimes, wall art, and anything that could be a projectile in this wind. The back fence held - both our side and the neighbors have it propped up really well. 

I don't like the wind. I am thankful this wasn't in our dry summer with 105+ degrees - that is how fires spread. That is what really scares me. Makes me dread summer and what is to come. 

Foodie rode his electric bike home during this wind and said he almost fell twice. I keep telling him to let me know and I will drive over in the van to pick him up - it's no trouble at all and he works close by he doesn't like to bother us. Grrrrr. 

Source: Internet 

Saturday we drove down to Red Bluff to just look around at their shops. I love this historic western town about 30 minutes south of us. They have some really cute shops. We had lunch in a saloon - really good hamburgers. It was nice to get away, and I was planning to take some photos of the Victorian homes but my husband's back started really bothering him, to where he could hardly walk. We both have ruptured discs and as we age, our backs just give out now and then. I think it is the weather - Last week we had mild temps but very cold at night and in the mornings. 

Anyway, so I drove home very carefully, so as to not cause any jarring...He's better today but still needs to watch it. He wanted to mow the lawns, and I told him not to, in this wind. He'd be just fighting it. He doesn't know how to relax like me. He's always on the move. 

This morning I did some financial chores - activating new credit cards that we never use but keep around, just in case. - and cutting up the old ones. I uploaded Laydees' latest Vet bills to the Insurance company and filled out a fraud report to the bank over those fraudulent charges last month. It amounts to $263.63.

I'm looking forward to a new month - how about you? 

Take Care

Debby

Good News, Dry cleaning and Photo Discs

 

Source: Mike Krueger

This is what a Sierra snowpack of over 200% of the average for this time of year looks like from the sky.

Today, Good News from the State Water Resources:

“We are pleased that we can increase the allocation now and provide more water to local water agencies,” said Karla Nemeth, director of the state Department of Water Resources.

Today was another mild day - 70 degrees- but it sometimes felt warmer. I even turned on the AC in the car. I have the front door open, and all the windows. I've got a Vegetable Lasengna in the oven so that it heats up the house but once the sun sets behind those mountains it gets cold. More rain in a few days but just regular rain - not the three back-to-back atmospheric rivers that we had a month ago.

I am fighting the urge to start gardening...

WHEN DID DRY CLEANING BECOME SO EXPENSIVE?

We rarely dry clean - because we don't wear heavy coats that much during the winter. I do have one wool coat that I've had for 25 years and it is still in excellent condition. I paid $10 at the Goodwill in the bay area - It's an Ann Taylor. I dry clean that if I have worn it a lot. This year I've only worn it once. 

 

I wore this raincoat  a lot this past month. It belonged to my mom and it must be ancient. It had a stain on it so I took it in. With what I shelled out, for this raincoat alone, I'm pleased they got the stain out. They no longer guarantee stain removal. I got lucky!

The last time I dry cleaned it was like $11- a couple of years ago. The owner told me, they can no longer use waterproofing because the State of California outlawed it last year - it's a carcinogen. I could go to the sporting goods store and buy a natural repellant and spray it on the coat. I'll take my chances and wash it from now on. Seems my mom always dry-cleaned it so I just did the same. I think she had this coat when I was a teenager - that is how OLD this is. 

Yesterday I found some photo discs from the 1990s - 

I had forgotten what was on them. 

My son, Navy is #20. Red Shirt

Navy playing basketball in high school. 

Here he is making a shot

He's behind the coach - looks like he is touching his ear.

So I sent them to him and he was pleased. 

Those were good times. Climbing up those bleacher seats I surely couldn't do today. I'd be afraid I'd lose my balance and fall. Then sitting there without a solid back - no wonder I have lower back issues. 

But they were the best of days! 

I hope today has been the best day for you. 

Later - 

Debby

Less is MORE.

I have started placing the few Valentine's stuff I have. I thought I had more.

The little pink doily my Mom made for my bedroom, to place my lamp on when I was a child. This one is the only one that survived all these years. 

I will get out some "couples" photos - old wedding photos of my husband's parents, my grandparents, etc and trickle that throughout the bookcases and shelves. Other than that, I really don't do Valentine's Day that big. Fall and Christmas are the big ones. 

Yesterday it got up to 70 degrees and warm temps are back - not our summer temps but nice mild temperatures. While it is nice to warm up and dry out, it's always a bit unnerving. Last year we had beautiful sunny and warm temps from mid-January to March - when we should have had rain. Our almond tree was tricked into thinking it was spring and then in March we had a frost. The tree never produced almonds last year. 

Even though I am enjoying the warmth, we really need our winter rain, since we don't get rain in the summer like in other places. 

Well, I'm not going to worry about it  - it is just a concern that I can't do anything about. 

Doggone it, he did it again. My husband misplaced the FOB for our car. I have mine so we're not stranded or anything. It's just annoying. Not that it will make a difference for now, but I did finally order the Tile tracker; mainly for him. 

He misplaced it last week and we found it in his shoe. His mind is going a hundred miles an hour and when he is preoccupied, he misplaces things. I don't think it's dementia or anything. His mind is still sharp. 

A while back, I made a wooden box and told him the only thing that goes into that box will be the keys. Key to the mailbox, keys to the car, the house, etc. It worked until he started putting other things in the box and it is so overwhelming, to look for a key in that box. He still has his work badge from CalVet in there. 

So that is getting cleaned out. 

He also carries the fob around in his pocket when we are not using the vehicle. Why? It doesn't have our house key on it, so why carry it around and run the risk of losing it?  The replacement can cost between $260-300. He will pay for it out of his part-time money. 

The tile tracker comes in 5-10 days. 

Once again, it's an, "oh well...not much I can do about it."  All I can do is show him the same grace he always shows me when I do something. 

 

Tuesday doings

Isn't this cute? I picked this up today at the 99-cent store. 

Yesterday I started taking down most of my "winter" decor - and will start slowly trickling in Valentine's Day knick-knacks. I only started putting a few things out last year for the first time. I used to decorate back when my kids were young and when I had a small family daycare in my home. 

Last year I was coming off of Covid and wanted some prettiness and looked around my house for all the red and pink (very few) and placed them on my shelves. 

During the year,  I found even more stuff I can use. So I am excited to display it. 

Also, the 16th is our wedding anniversary. We'll be married for 21 years (2nd marriage for both of us) 

I'll have our loved ones over sometime in the month - It is also Navy and Sara's 3rd wedding anniversary (29th) 

I went to the 99-cent store for just these almond cookies. 

I love them with a cup of jasmine tea. 

 

My husband knocked out this little house today - You know those little free libraries? Well, this is what this is going to be. Placed in our front yard for anyone who wants to partake. 

It will have a window in the door so you can see the books. It's not as fancy as some are - we'll make it nice enough. 

Here are some that are really fancy. 

Do you have one in your yard? Are there any in your neighborhood? 

Around here businesses and churches have them out on their yards. 

So that's all I have for you today on this glorious Tuesday. The weather is 68 and sunny. The nights get very cold though and it's chilly in the shade. 

Gung Hay Fat Choy

 

Chinese New Year 2023 is a Year of the Rabbit, more specifically, Water Rabbit, starting from January 22nd, 2023, and lasting until February 9th, 2024. The rabbit is the symbol of longevity, peace, and prosperity in Chinese Culture, 2023 is predicted to be a year of hope. 

 As I mentioned before, I always enjoyed the Chinese New Year as a school kid. One year our teacher gave out the red money envelopes - with a dollar in each one, which back in the '60s, was quite generous. 

 After church, we had Chinese for lunch. Our regular place was closed - so we went to another place and since it was just for lunch and I am not a big lunch eater, I had chicken chow mein and a vegetable spring roll. It was delicious. Oh and a fortune cookie! 

 Did you know that the fortune cookie is actually from Japan? The fortune cookie likely arrived in the United States along with Japanese immigrants who came to Hawaii and California between the 1880s and early 1900s, after the Chinese Exclusion Act’s expulsion of Chinese workers left a demand for cheap labor. Japanese bakers set up shop in places such as Los Angeles and San Francisco, making miso and sesame-flavored “fortune cookie-ish” crackers, among other treats. 

As a kid, we were taught that San Francisco was the origin of the Fortune cookie at the Japanese Tea Garden in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park somewhere in the 1890s. Back in the 1980s, I remember a public riff between San Francisco and Los Angeles as to who owned the bragging rights. The court favored San Francisco and determined that the cookie originated with Hagiwara and the court ruled in favor of San Francisco. Subsequently, the city of Los Angeles condemned the decision. The battle no doubt continues... 

 During the War, with the Japanese being interned, Chinese bakers picked up the slack. 

 Lord willing, next month we are planning to go to Weaverville for the Chinese New Year parade. The Joss House (Chinese temple) will be open as well.

One reason I love California is the diverse culture we have always enjoyed.