I thought it was allergies, but, no.  I'm definitely a-a-a-choo, cough-cough-cough, sick.  I feel like falling asleep right now!

Cavalry Charge, Remington

Where's the cavalry?







But, of course, I can't pass up the opportunity to share my favorite "sick" poem:

Sick by Shel Silverstein

“I cannot go to school today,”
Said little Peggy Ann McKay.
“I have the measles and the mumps,
A gash, a rash and purple bumps.
My mouth is wet, my throat is dry,
I’m going blind in my right eye.
My tonsils are as big as rocks,
I’ve counted sixteen chicken pox
And there’s one more–that’s seventeen,
And don’t you think my face looks green?
My leg is cut–my eyes are blue–
It might be instamatic flu.
I cough and sneeze and gasp and choke,
I’m sure that my left leg is broke–
My hip hurts when I move my chin,
My belly button’s caving in,
My back is wrenched, my ankle’s sprained,
My ‘pendix pains each time it rains.
My nose is cold, my toes are numb.
I have a sliver in my thumb.
My neck is stiff, my voice is weak,
I hardly whisper when I speak.
My tongue is filling up my mouth,
I think my hair is falling out.
My elbow’s bent, my spine ain’t straight,
My temperature is one-o-eight.
My brain is shrunk, I cannot hear,
There is a hole inside my ear.
I have a hangnail, and my heart is–what?
What’s that? What’s that you say?
You say today is. . .Saturday?
G’bye, I’m going out to play!”

Beach Time!

African Lion on the beach

One of the great delights of the Easter season is spending time out-of-doors after a long winter.  Yesterday, we had such warm and glorious weather here, so off we went to the beach!

 We are blessed to live so close to the Atlantic coast with its wide, sandy beaches.  Even in the winter, we head out to the beach for walks and explorations, but today it was a real summer-like event.  Swimsuits, beach towels, sand castle tools, beach chairs....the whole enchilada! Some folks (not me!!) even braved the still-chilly waters!

An impromptu sand castle building contest developed with the builders taking advantage of local materials--sea grasses, seashells, and, of course, SAND!  

Sea grass flags fly from the battlements

Constructing the defensive walls

Adding a finishing touch

Contemplating the next addition

We had such a refreshing afternoon enjoying God's beautiful creation.  We all returned home rested and restored!

 

The Second Week of Easter

Resurrection, Caravaggio

What good would life have been to us,

had Christ not come as our Redeemer?

Father, how wonderful your care for us!

How boundless your merciful love!

To ransom a slave you gave away your Son.

O happy fault,

O necessary sin of Adam,

which gained for us so great a Redeemer!  

                                                                   ~St. Augustine, Exsultet of Easter Missale Romanum 1970

This week I am  meditating upon St. Thomas's great profession of faith:  "My Lord and my God!"  I am so grateful to God for His love for me, a wretched sinner, and His gift to me of union with Him.  As I think back over my own sinful past,  I have sometimes been angry.  Why did I do such foolish things?  Where was God when I was afraid, lonely, or in despair? When I "have sinned in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done or have failed to do"?  I am trying now to see God in all things, even in those difficult moments of my past.  And what do I see?  

God the Father, Veronese

 I see a loving Father who was at my side at every moment, who never failed to see and love me even as I turned my back on Him, who was weeping to see me abandon my true self for empty moments of indulgence.

The Holy Spirit, Giaquinto

I see the Holy Spirit, hovering over the scene, convicting me of sin even as I acted upon my own whims and sinful desires, pouring out the grace that would bring me back to God.  

The Raising of Lazarus, Bloch

 I see Jesus, grieving over my spiritual death as He wept over His friend Lazarus, praying for me in the garden, walking the Via Dolorosa to the Cross.  

Noli Me Tangere, Tissot

 Most of all, I see the moment of Resurrection joy!  In this joy, all of the loving plan of God to bring me home to His Heart is finally realized.  In this joy, she who sinned much is brought to love much, because she has been forgiven everything.  In this joy, I am united to the Father and the Son in a union as intimate as their own union with one another. Oh, happy fault! 

The Resurrection of Christ and the Women at the Tomb, Fra Angelico

Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown

Soldiers of the Crown!

I promised I'd post a bit more about our vacation!  The Historic Triangle of Virginia is a fabulous place to visit and it fits in perfectly with our current study of early English settlement through the Revolutionary War.  

Jamestown has a fabulous museum, which was built for the 400th anniversary of the establishment of Jamestown colony, the first successful English colony in North America.  We were sure glad that the museum was as extensive as it was, because just as we arrived it started to rain--heavily!  All of the fort, ships, and Native village sites are out-of-doors, so we were confined to the museum.  It turned out to be a blessing, as we really were able to take our time and enjoy the very well-designed displays.  The museum focuses on the three main ethnic groups that influenced the early settlement--Native Americans, African slaves, and English colonists.

On the next (drier!) day, we were able to enjoy the outside exhibits, which are all reconstructed and very hands-on.  First, we spent some time in the Powhatan village, then on to the ships and the fort:

Making faces in front of wigwams!

Grinding corn

 

 

 

 

On the deck of the Susan Constant

Getting proper fit in armor is tough!

The next day, we progressed in sort of chronological fashion to Williamsburg.  Williamsburg always is quite a lot of walking, but we were up to it!  We visited the Governor's Palace, got stuck in the stocks, and learned about brick making at the brickyard. 

Governor's Palace

He doesn't always make faces, just when the camera is on !

The brickyard was off the beaten path, but well worth a small hike

 Lastly, we enjoyed Yorktown (the reconstructed campsite).  We learned how and why muskets were used in battle and spent quite a bit of time talking about colonial medical treatments with the company doctor.  

The encampment

Loading and firing a musket

If you were arrested, everyone would know what you did!

Hangin' with George!

 We had a wonderful, educational time.  Definitely a field trip worth taking!

And if you come to Virginia to see the sights, you can come visit me!    How great would that be!!!!

Good Grief!

A rare sight here--totally empty bookshelves!

"If it's not two things, it's another!'' (my oldest son's favorite saying when he was little).  Quite true!  After taking a vacation, participating in all the Holy Week activities, and cooking, cleaning, celebrating and rejoicing for Easter, we had to return to our rental home in another state.  On my way home, the painter who we had hired to freshen up the beat-up paint in our rental house called.  He is, of course!, available this week.  It never rains....

A stack of books!

     So, after unloading cars, unpacking, washing, shopping, and all the necessary hustle and bustle associated with relocating, we started to empty the shelves.  What a pile of books we ended up with!  We only have a few of our books here, so it was kind of scary to see how many they were when stacked on the floor!

Well, at least we will get a nice, clean new look when the painter is finished!  So it will be worth the trouble in the long-run. 

Life is never simple, it simply is!

Assateague Island

Bugle Boy overlooking wild ponies on Assateague Island

When we go on vacation, I don't like to post about it while we are actually on vacation, for obvious security reasons, but I do want to share with you a bit about our recent trip to Assateague Island and Colonial Williamsburg.  

The week before Holy Week, we hopped in the car and ventured south along the coast toward Virginia.  Our first stop was Assateague Island.  We had read Misty of Chincoteague and Stormy, Misty's Foal a year or two ago, and we had promised ourselves that we would go and see the barrier island where the wild ponies still live. 

The park has a very interesting nature center that is well worth visiting.  Leaving the center, the road meanders around the island itself.  Arriving at one of the parking lots, we got out and headed by foot down a woodland trail toward the

  

The trail we walked was about 1.6 miles long altogether, but the distance to the overlook was only about 1/2 mile.  The spring woods surrounded us as we walked:

The trail is suitable for strollers or wheelchairs

Above our heads

Walking together

 

When we arrived at the overlook, we were treated to a view of an entire herd of wild ponies.  I had been a bit concerned that we wouldn't actually see any ponies, but it turns out that I needn't have worried!

Wild ponies grazing on the salt marsh

At the overlook

I was so glad we stopped at Assateague Island.  

After lunch we headed further south to the Historic Triangle of Virginia--Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown.  I'll post on that tomorrow!

Have a great day, dear readers!

Easter Doings!

The beautiful redbud tree that greeted me Easter morning

Happy Easter, dear sisters in Christ!  What a glorious morning greeted me when I awoke yesterday!  Our Easter day was so lovely, as I hope yours was also.  Now, however, I have a lot to tell you and to catch up on with you.

Adding the wooden lamb

So, first I need to finish off the Holy Week tree posts.  On Friday of Holy Week, we added a little wooden lamb to our tree and some homemade popsicle stick crosses to represent the crucifixion.  The reading for Friday was Mark 15:16-39.  In addition to this, we also attended the Stations of the Cross at noon and the Liturgy of Good Friday at 3 p.m.  Since I felt that remaining at church from noon to three was more than my younger children could successfully accomplish,  we went home between these two devotions.  During the time we were at home, we observed a time of silence.  We were nearly silent, with as few reminders of, "This is the time our Lord was on the cross, let's be quiet."  This is a tradition in our home on Good Friday, but the children themselves suggested this year that it is something we ought to do more often, so I am thinking about introducing a period of silence on Fridays throughout the year, maybe pegged to saying the Chaplet of Divine Mercy at 3 p.m.?

Covering the lamb with a black cloth

On Saturday of Holy Week, we read Mark 15:42-47 and covered the lamb with a black cloth that  was in the last egg we opened.  The cloth reminds us that Christ "descended into hell", that He lay in the tomb during that day after His death.  I also read this quote from an ancient homily to the children because I think it is so perfect for Holy Saturday.

Decorated for Easter!

Our Holy Week tree was finished.  We had walked with our Lord and remembered the events of His last week, and now we were ready to celebrate His Resurrection!  After the children went to bed on Saturday, I covered our tree with symbols of the Resurrection--eggs, butterflies, and  red hearts, which incorporate the traditional Easter color of red with a representation of God's love for us.  Then the tree served as our Easter centerpiece for Easter Sunday brunch!

We had dyed our eggs:

Set out our baskets (if you are over 18, no basket! so there are only four):

Cleaned like crazy people (many hands make light work):

Dusting the mantel...

A vacuuming blur of activity...

The Happy Sweeper...

wearing her Daddy's shoes!

Dusting the windows!

 Decorated the mantel and laid out the sideboard for Easter brunch:

After Easter, I will plant the bulbs in the garden!

Now we were ready to celebrate!

We hunted for eggs (after Mass on Sunday morning):

The Three Musketeers in various outer wear including a bathrobe!

Hmmm...should I eat my chocolate bunny or look for eggs???

Finding a secret stash!

Off at a run!

Watching from the comfort of the porch, the "Easter bunnies" give tips on where they hid the eggs!

Sisters snuggling!

Marinated shrimp, berries, smoked salmon, muffins, and more!

 We had a big Easter brunch and enjoyed having nearly all of our children and grandchildren with us.  The only one who couldn't be there, although he was in our prayers, was our son who is currently in Afghanistan.  

Don't forget dessert!

At this point, my camera batteries died, which is well for you or you would have to look at a lot more photographs of my whole family!  Maybe another day :).