So much to be thankful for this week. I'm praising Hashem for my wrist being healed. I've struggled with this injury for eight months. This week, my ability to use it has returned. I have a twinge now and then, and I still am aware of not over-using it, but it is much, much better. Haleluyah!
My title for this post is The Mundane, and the happenings at Golden Cottage have been anything but that. My thought on that subject will follow all the happy, and not so happy, things I've experienced over the past few weeks.
I didn't share about our trip to the Florida Folk Festival. How did I miss that? We enjoyed a great time, with perfect weather and a safe, uneventful trip up there and back. First thing before we went to the festival, we visited and cleaned Mama and Daddy's graves and added fresh flowers. It was a beauty-full blessing to have the church bells ring while we were working. The song is Come Thou Almighty King and it was so worship-full.
After that, we headed on to the hotel. We always love seeing the stars and bars and are glad it's still waving There's a memorial there on private property, so it won't be removed. We're glad to see our Confederate relatives honored for all the passersby on the expressway to see.
This is the entrance to the Stephen Foster Memorial Park and the beautiful bell tower. I'm so thankful that the funds have been raised to repair the bells. We were blessed to hear them ring while we were there.
We got to hear my favorite mountain dulcimer player, Bing Futch, perform. He's just amazing.
The only dark spot on our trip was that we both got tick bites. Jem got one and I got three. Two bites I didn't find out about until two days later. Had to go to the emergency room because of the swelling, burning and itching. I learned something from the attending physician. She asked where we were when bitten. I told her White Springs. She said, "In that case, we have to do the antibiotic for prevention of Lyme disease." She said the ticks get infected by biting deer that live in North Florida. Here on the Space Coast, the bites are not a problem. Who knew? So, if you ever go up there for the festival, wear long pants, spray yourself really well with tick repellent, and don't walk through woodsy areas. Stay on the beaten paths.
I saw this pretty thing at the gift shop. That's so true for us, and I'm so thankful for my sweet husband..
And I had to get a picture of this cute little cottage near the park. I'd like to meet the person who created such beauty.
The peace lilies are blooming here at Golden Cottage. Aren't they gorgeous?
We celebrated Shavuot last week, and I made a yummy sugar-free cheesecake. Everybody at the synagogue loved it. It was a traditional filling, with a nut crust, strawberries and Skinny Chocolate drizzled over the top. If you want the recipe, it's in the Trim Healthy Mama cookbook.
Speaking of Trim Healthy Mama, I listened to one of their podcasts this week. The topic was being grateful for the mundane. Instead of grumbling about having to cook, clean or wash dishes, we can take the attitude of "I don't have to . . . I get to." I love that thought because it reminds me of a time when I didn't have a kitchen or a laundry room. I had to wash dishes in the bathroom sink and wash the clothes at the laudromat. I developed a deep gratitude for being able to have a sink and my own washer and drier. This sign is one I think I'll duplicate as a reminder to be grateful. I'll add the words, " And I Get To . . . Haleluyah!"
I hope y'all have a blessed and thank-full week.
