Their New Life

I was at the antique store in my parent's little town today, buying a vintage cloth that my sister and her new husband will stand on after their betrothal tomorrow.  The priest will lead the couple to the center of the church to come stand on this cloth, which symbolizes their entry into their new life.  Fortunately, Anna likes the one I picked out enough to plan to use it with her Pascha basket in future years!

Roses in the Rain

These roses are planted in front of my father's church and looked so lovely in the rain. 

Wisteria

Stripes Forever

We spotted this sweet little top at Target a few weeks ago and snapped it up as soon as we found our little girl's size.  Stripes are one of my favorite patterns and I'm so glad that the Trio likes them, too!

Rejuvenated

It is no secret that I enjoy going to museums (especially art ones!).  On our recent trip to my sister-in-law's baby shower, we had a little time to stop for lunch between Liturgy and the party.  The children and I popped in to quickly gaze at our favorite Pre-Raphaelite paintings and shared sandwiches in the museum cafe...  it only took a little time amid this glorious beauty to feel rejuvenated! 

The above painting is one of my favorites:  Water Willow by Dante Gabriel Rossetti

Sunday Liturgy

 

 

We very rarely get to attend a Sunday Liturgy someplace other than our own parish, but my sister-in-law's baby shower was held on Sunday afternoon.  In order to make it there on time, the children and I had to attend church on the way up to the party.  We decided to visit a Greek church a few hours away.  Isn't it lovely?

Joyful Anticipation

She bought a cheap cushion at one of Liberty's sales, and some bits of twopenny-halfpenny art china for her narrow mantelpiece.  A lacquered tea-tray and a tea-set of a single cup and saucer, a plate, and a teapot, made her feel herself almost sumptuous.  After a day spent in trudging about in the wet or sold of the streets, doing other people's shopping, or searching for dressmakers' or servants' characters for her patrons, she used to think of her bed-sitting-room with joyful anticipation.  Mrs. Cupp always had a bright fire glowing in her tiny grate when she came in , and when the lamp was lighted under its home-made shade of crimson Japanese paper, its cheerful air, combining itself with the singing of her little fat black kettle on the hob seemed absolute luxury to a tired damp woman."

The Making of a Marchioness

Frances Hodgson Burnett

Baby Dish

 

Chicken stew leftovers in the baby dish my parents carted home from their honeymoon/junior year abroad at Oxford (along with their three-month-old baby, Emily).

A Regular Wednesday

 

 

 

 

Today was a gorgeous spring day and perfect to do a little gardening around the church.  My husband planted all of the Easter lilies and a French pussy willow that a parishioner bought for future Palm Sundays.  As the afternoon wore on, it got a little chillier, so I made the Trio mugs of cocoa while they took turns taking hot showers.  

Sugar Plum has started the second pillowcase for her latest embroidery project and I can already see a big improvement in the quality of her stitches.  It's exciting to see her blossom in her handwork!

Grateful Hearts

 

Were there no God, we would be in this glorious world with grateful hearts, and no one to thank."  

Christina Rosetti

Knockout

There was one bloomed rose on these bushes just a few days ago. 

Cake in Bed

 

 

I made a Lemon Bliss Bundt Cake today for coffee hour and drizzled on some glaze made with Meyer lemons (which have such a wonderful taste!).  It is a bit of a nail-biter to remove a cake from a bundt pan, but it worked out today.  There was one slice left and I got to enjoy it this afternoon while knitting and watching Father Brown in bed.   

Lady's Slippers

 

  Elusive Pink Lady's Slippers are dotting our woods.  I look for them all of April and then, seemingly overnight, they are up!

A Place to Lay Her Head

 

 

Our little girl finished embroidering the first of a pair of pillowcases.  She bought the kit at Hobby Lobby after carefully saving her allowance for a worthy purchase.  I am so impressed by all of her hard work and can hardly believe that our ten year-old is able to create such beauty!

Kindnesses

 

If she had been a rich woman she would have given presents to every one she knew, and it was actually a luxury for her to do something for the Cupps, who she always felt were continually giving her more than she paid for.  the care they took of her small room, the fresh hot tea they managed to have ready when she came in, the penny bunch of daffodils they sometimes put on her table, were kindnesses, and she was grateful for them." 

The Making of a Marchioness

Frances Hodgson Burnett 

My Own Sunshine

 

 

 

 

It was another gloomy day weather-wise, but I made my own sunshine with fresh flowers for the table and a return to my knitting.  When things get busy, my knitting and reading get cast aside...  now that things have started to settle down, I can concentrate on some leisure activities.  I'm in the midst of knitting my first Amelie Sock and am slowly reading Few Eggs and No Oranges.  

 

The Day of Joy

 

 

It poured and poured today.  We've kept the fire going for the past two days to ward off the chill and it's cheerful glow has kept morale up in the process.  

Today is the Day of Joy in the Orthodox Church.  It is the day that Orthodox Christians sing memorial services and remember their dearly departed loved ones.  We had a service at church this morning and afterward one of our parishioners gave me a pussy willow tree to plant in the garden.  Hopefully we'll have pussy willows to bless for Palm Sunday next year.  We need to find a wet and sunny spot to plant it.

We've been recuperating from our busy weekend (and really, we're still recovering from Pascha).  The most we've accomplished in the last two days has been a little remedial housework and our schoolwork...  we're all just so tired! I anticipate a few more lazy days until we're back to our usual selves.  Sometimes the best thing to do is to listen to our bodies and rest.  Why is that so hard to do?! 

The Holy Fire

 

 

We were very blessed to be able to bring the Holy Fire home with us last night!  Our dear friends (and two of our children's godparents) were able to get the Holy Fire on Bright Monday and have passed it out to several churches in New Jersey.  It was a little stressful to keep the candles lit on the long way home, but Glory to God, we got it here! 

Snapshots from Anna's Shower

  

Bridal Shower Menu

Sandwiches

Tortellini Salad

Crudité Platter 

Cheese Platter

Assorted Cakes

 

 

Bright Saturday

 

 

 

 

Rejoice, O holy and divine abode of the most high!  For through you, O Theotokos, joy is given to those who cry:  Blessed are you among women, O all-undefiled Lady!    

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My sisters and I spent the day getting some errands done for Anna's bridal shower and her upcoming wedding.  It was a fun day for us all!