Strait of Juan de Fuca from Victoria B.C....

On our recent vacation, from our hotel in Victoria B.C. we were a short walk northeast to the inner harbor, (seen here), and a wee bit longer walk southwest to the Strait of Juan de Fuca between Vancouver Island and Washington State, U.S.A. 

While there are plenty of things to do and see in Victoria's beautiful downtown, I also love to get away from the city and to walk along the stunning shoreline of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. (In the first photo you can see the Olympic mountains in Washington State seen across the Strait.)

 This piece of driftwood came home with me and is now part of my autumn mantel decor! 

The shoreline along the strait is rough and rocky. For a stroll there are walking paths on the rise above the shore. A walk on the shore itself includes scrambling over large boulders and driftwood logs. In spite of that, I still couldn't resist exploring along the water's edge. There are stairs from the walking path down to the shoreline.

Victoria is a beautiful city located in a beautiful location. No wonder I love it so much!

still following, 

image-in-ing:Variations

http://www.lifenreflection.com

buckaroo mama

peabea

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY at CREATE WITH JOY

Tom the Backroads Traveller

http://sharonrwagner.blogspot.com

Thankful for a God Who hears and cares...

It was an insignificant problem in the grand scheme of things, but an irritating one. For two weeks I've been unable to reply to comments on my own blog or to comment on others' blogs. I've tried most of the solutions suggested in online help forums to no avail. This morning after praying about it, I tried one more thing and it seems to have worked. Praise God! I'm so grateful that there is nothing too big or too small to ask God about. He's such a good Father and I am so grateful!

******************

Since 2009 I've been counting my blessings thanks to the prompting of Ann Voskamp.

 I continue to count my thanks, 

piling up gratitude day by day in my journal.

(and capturing some of my blessings via my camera or iPhone)

#11,260-#11,281

9-24-18-

-God's faithful care and provision for us

-walking with my grand girlies and their friend to the park and then to McDonald's for sundaes

-a quiet evening at home with my poor sick husband who has a cold/flu

9-25-18-

-a sweet, encouraging text

-talking to and praying with my "unofficially adopted granddaughter", 

(who is away at college now), on the phone

-a beautiful autumn day for a long overdue visit with a friend

-flowers from my guy

9-26-18-

-another beautiful autumn day

-hot Pho soup for my husband who's still battling a cold

-watching the Great British Baking Show together, (yep, he likes it too!)

9-27-18-

-a clean, sanitized house-be gone germs!

-watching, crying, praying as I watched the Senate hearing and knowing that God hears and cares

-the blessing of our worship and prayer night at church

9-28-18-

-a beautiful sunrise out of my kitchen window

-lunch by the river at a favorite restaurant

-our oldest granddaughter getting first place in her swim meet

9-29-18-

-a sweet phone call

-youngest grandson's puzzlement when it began to sprinkle on our walk 

and he couldn't figure out where the water was coming from!

-snuggles, songs, books and prayer before tucking him in

9-30-18-

-God continuing His good work in us

-lunch with my sister and her husband before they move on after being in the area this past month

-God's Word to rest and trust from Isaiah 30:15

still following,

It's time to pray...

In light of current events I shared some of the following thoughts on Facebook and Instagram. Many people have been sharing those posts, so I thought it might be helpful to share my thoughts here with some links you can click on that will lead you to some scriptures that some of my statements are related to.

It was the summer of 1982 when she was fifteen years old and he was seventeen. Thirty six years later, she's a highly educated, successful college professor, wife and mother. He's a highly educated, successful judge with an unblemished record of public service, a husband and a father. Last Thursday in a highly charged emotional Senate hearing we saw both of them give sworn testimony about an alleged assault in that summer of 1982. I cried as I watched. I prayed. I'm still praying.

God alone knows the real truth of what did or didn't happen. But, what we can be sure of is that the spiritual forces of wickedness will destroy them both in order to further divide and destroy our nation. Look beyond the headlines-there's a spiritual battle going on in our nation, for our nation.  (Join me for the rest of this post on Sunday, September 30th, at Woman to Woman Ministries where each Sunday I share a bit of Sunday Soul Food!)

still following,

Also happily linking up with the lovely

Susan B. Mead
and

Sunday Scripture Blessings

Friday Faves...My new favorite painting

A couple of weeks ago I showed you my autumn mantel which included an attempted abstract beach painting done by myself. You can see that here. This past weekend my six year old and nine year old granddaughters spent the night at our house. I had a leftover canvas and decided to let them paint, using some navy blue paint, some white paint and some sponges.  I LOVE their painting so much better than my own and I wanted to share it with you.

What I love about it is that it gives the effect of being in the middle of a wave when you are looking at it. 

I am loving my subtle, simple autumn mantel this year. It's the peaceful and uncluttered look I am loving these days.

It's almost FRIDAY, friends!

Have a HAPPY, HAPPY Friday

and

a BLESSED weekend!

        

             

Beautiful Victoria B.C. at blue hour...

We ended our recent vacation with a few days in one of our favorite places-Victoria, British Columbia. It's a beautiful city and is especially lovely all lit up in the evening.

Victoria is the capital of the Canadian province, British Columbia. It's located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island. It is about 60 miles from the city of Vancouver, B.C. and 25 miles from Washington state, USA, across the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

Above is The Empress hotel all lit up at night and located right across the street from Victoria's inner harbor. Having afternoon tea at The Empress is an experience everyone should try at least once when visiting Victoria. But, Murchie's Tea and Coffee shop is my favorite spot for an informal cup of tea and the most delicious current scones, (with devonshire cream and jam-YUMMM!), in Victoria, in my opinion.

One of my favorite things about visiting Victoria is that it is a very walking friendly city. In other words, while we do take our car on the ferry to Vancouver Island in case we want to drive elsewhere on the island, in Victoria proper we usually walk everywhere that we go. (Which helps to compensate for those scones I eat!)

The lovely, historic parliament building.

Two out of three of our daughters and their husbands honeymooned in Victoria at our recommendation, and they loved it as much as my husband and I do! I'm already looking forward to our next visit to Victoria!

still following, 

songography at "You'll Shoot Your Eye Out"

image-in-ing:Variations

http://www.lifenreflection.com

buckaroo mama

peabea

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY at CREATE WITH JOY

Tom the Backroads Traveller

http://sharonrwagner.blogspot.com

Autumn blessings...

Looking out my kitchen window and at this week's weather forecast, you'd think it is still summer. But, the chill in the morning air and the changing colors of the trees say otherwise. It's officially autumn and that's an undeniable fact, though at the moment, current circumstances could fool a person into thinking otherwise. On any given day or moment, contrary circumstances can arise, causing one to question God's goodness. But, His love, favor and blessings are an undeniable fact, though at the current moment circumstances can fool you into thinking otherwise. Don't be fooled. Count your blessings. Take note of the evidence that God is faithful, steadfast, constant, caring, and loving. The signs of His love are all around you.

******************

Since 2009 I've been counting my blessings thanks to the prompting of Ann Voskamp.

 I continue to count my thanks, 

piling up gratitude day by day in my journal.

(and capturing some of my blessings via my camera or iPhone)

#11,236-#11,259

9-17-18-

-the first cup of coffee in my favorite cup, lighting my glassybaby candle, 

sitting in my favorite cozy chair in our kitchen nook, meeting with God there

-lunch and fellowship with a sweet friend from church

-the trees beginning to show off their autumn colors

9-18-18-

-praying God's Word-the verses that I stand on, feed on, live on, trust in

-a day in the kitchen cooking and baking for our first autumn small group gathering

-God's provision

9-19-18-

-beautiful signs of autumn all around

-a sweet afternoon with my middle grandson

-living so close to beautiful parks, rivers and lakes

9-20-18-

-texted photos of our grandson all decked out for preschool picture day

-a fresh haircut

-a powerful message on surrender

9-21-18-

-getting to pick up our two youngest granddaughters from school 

-a backyard fire in the fire pit now that the burn ban is over 

-snuggling in our bed and watching the Wizard of Oz

9-22-18-

-first day of autumn!

-making pumpkin scones with our granddaughters

-painting with our granddaughters, 

(and loving their painting more than the one I did a few weeks ago)

-a fun evening with a friend

9-23-18-

-powerful worship

-a good word about worshipping in Spirit and Truth

-lunch with our oldest granddaughter

-friends stopping by for a visit 

 

still following,

(I am having some issues responding to your comments and leaving comments on other's blogs. 

Thank you for your grace and patience while I figure this out.)