A Catastrophic Anniversary

Forty years ago this month Mt. St. Helens erupted.

About a dozen years later our family set out to hike close up to the still-rumbling crater. Though one camera with all its photos was stolen where we left a backpack "hidden" along that barren path, we still have great memories!

Check out this interesting summary of the history of Mt. St. Helens and how it has turned into an important help for understanding geologic processes.

Colorful Growth

April 14th: Elsa and I got to visit the greenhouse
where Dad and Mom had already been helping
for several weeks. I love all the colors and textures of coleus!
At this point they remind me of viewing fields
from an airplane.

 

That day we also noticed weeks of growth
in our little nephew.

May 15th: My, how they've all grown!

A Look Back at February - Part VII

Another day in February we took a step back in history on the Kingsley Plantation.

(For my readers who also enjoy my sister's blog, I apologize for the repetition.)

We enjoyed the display showcasing the historic crop of this plantation - Sea Island Cotton.

The plantation house is no grand edifice as we read of in other parts of the south. It is smaller than many homes today but has a great view of the waterways that connect nearby with the Atlantic Ocean.

Behind the house and across what were once plantation fields stand the remains of the tabby-built slave cabins. 

What a mixed-up history the Kingsley family had as the master married and freed one slave woman who then became a slave owner with her own plantation as well.

Just down the road, also on Fort George Island, stands a different part of Florida's history - as a retreat for the wealthy.

The Ribault Club had some famous visitors, including Winston Churchill.

Driving a few miles back to our campsite, we enjoyed the present with a hot carob drink around the cosy campfire.

Sunshine!

Isn't it amazing what a shaft of 

sunlight can do for any view?!

Recently sunshine has been making me stop 

and take another look at my surroundings.

"Walking in sunlight all of my journey,

Over the mountains, through the deep vale;

Jesus has said, "I'll never forsake thee,"

Promise divine that never can fail.

"Heavenly sunlight, heavenly sunlight,

Flooding my soul with glory divine;

Hallelujah! I am rejoicing,

Singing His praises, Jesus is mine."

Hymn lyrics by Henry J. Zelley, 1899

Seeing with New Eyes

As I mentioned earlier, 

learning to watercolor is certainly 

opening my eyes anew to 

the wonders of God's creation.

"Loved with everlasting love,

Led by grace that love to know;

Gracious Spirit from above, 

Thou has taught me it is so!

O, this full and perfect peace!

O, this transport all divine!

In a love which cannot cease, 

I am His, and He is mine.

reference photo from our 2011 trip to Glacier Ntnl. Park

"Heav'n above is softer blue,

Earth around is sweeter green!

Something lives in every hue

Christless eyes have never seen:

Birds with gladder songs o'erflow,

Flow'rs with deeper beauties shine,

Since I know, as now I know,

I am His, and He is mine.

First and second tries

"Things that once were wild alarms

Cannot now disturb my rest;

Closed in everlasting arms,

Pillowed on the loving breast.

O, to lie forever here,

Doubt and care and self resign,

While He whispers in my ear,

I am His, and He is mine.

"His forever, only His;

Who the Lord and me shall part?

Ah, with what a rest of bliss

Christ can fill the loving heart!

Heav'n and earth may fade and flee,

Firstborn light in gloom decline;

But while God and I shall be,

I am His, and He is mine.

- George W. Robinson, 1890

First try

Second try

Art "Therapy"

One of the artists/teachers who has been guiding our learning process is Dallas from Bestowing the Brush. I am glad I invested in her first video course called Brush, Chalk, and Charcoal: Foundations in Drawing. 

We are first practicing the foundational methods of brush control (sounds like breath-control in singing or playing trumpet, like my dad!) A great bonus of this new activity is the exercise it gives our disease-damaged brains. 

Those methods are something like practicing scales on the piano (which I enjoy, actually), and they also leave room for creativity.

In the early weeks "at home", Dallas had time to share some live sessions on her Instagram and YouTube accounts, which have been inspiring. Though not now as frequent, she has another IG live painting class coming up this Friday, May 15th at 3:00 PM central.

I got a couple questions answered while sketching along with Dallas and another of her artist friends one day. Inspiring! I love how her goal is to help us see and appreciate God's world more. That is certainly already the result as Elsa and I begin to paint and draw more often.

One fun brush-handling project was these colorful circles. Mom even joined us for that class!

We are filling our fridge while we wait for our little nephew/grandson to start making his own art for us to enjoy there!

A New Creative Outlet

Another new activity in the past month has been such a joy!

Elsa pulled out our childhood watercolors one day, and we had fun painting a springy coloring sheet by whimsical artist Loré Pemberton (https://www.etsy.com/shop/llorepemberton/).

Later, we tried painting some natural beauty within reach.

With our appetites more than whetted, we asked a couple artistic friends to refer us to free tutorials online. That led to buying a few updated watercolor supplies, which were dropped off on our front steps rather than handed to us - as is the new norm.

It has been amazing to begin learning the complexities our Creator built into color as all of the below colors were mixed from only three paints.

Cleaning the Library

Though the past 50 days of "stay-at-home" orders have given our family very little extra time and no more extra energy, we have still been inspired to tackle a couple rare or new activities.

Mom spent days (with some sorting help from Elsa and me) cleaning our basement library which had been gathering dust for years, even though we kept reading. We found plenty of books to pass on, so now the overflowing shelves are just full shelves.