Life, Lately — Entry No. 2
June Recap: garden updates, summer brunches, reconnecting with people, new reads, and a big life update.
Life, Lately.
1. One of my absolute favorite things about June is the Hood strawberries!
I am blessed to be living in Oregon where the strawberries are THE BEST. It doesn’t get any better than Hood strawberries from my local farmer’s market. They are so sweet and fresh, and kind of small so it’s easy to eat a whole pint of them in one day. 😜
2. I hosted a garden party!
I called it “Charcuterie in the Garden” and had guests bring a charcuterie board. I made strawberry lemonade, cucumber lime agua fresca, and mini angel food cakes with a strawberry compote and whipped lemon curd.
We were blessed with the perfect weather, delicious finger food, and laughter. It felt so sophisticated! A great way to welcome summer. Oh, and of course there was mood music! I made this playlist specifically for this garden party (I recommend playing it on shuffle).
3. Garden update
My nasturtiums and cherry tomatoes are coming in beautifully! The cilantro, green onions, and poppies are getting taller. I have really enjoyed seeing God’s creation grow and it feels like a privilege to be able to care for it.
4. Brunch at La Provence with some ladies from church.
This was a wonderful time catching up with some ladies that I was in a Bible Study group with in 2020/2021. After that study we got together the next couple of summers but had not been all together for a while. So, we got together for brunch a couple weekends ago and it was fun catching up, being vulnerable with each other and sharing our prayer requests. The body of Christ is so good. 🤎
5. Summer reading….outside!
I went to a Powell’s bookstore in my area because I always have to stop at Powell’s if I’m near one. If you find yourself in Portland, I highly recommend visiting the iconic Powell’s City Of Books — the bookstore spans a whole city block and there’s even a little cafe inside. I picked up Mint Chocolate Murder, a cozy mystery whose main character runs an ice cream shop. I have to admit, the cozy mystery genre is not my preference but it does make for light summer reading. Plus, I couldn’t resist the cover!
I definitely want to read outside more this summer, though I’m not a hot weather person. But early summer mornings and late evenings are so nice and I want to catch some sunsets. I’m also reading the book of Psalms this summer! You can read more about that here.
6. Art Meet-ups
A friend and I have been meeting up every 2 weeks at different coffee shops to work on our individual art (or craft) projects. It’s been SO good having a dedicated time for this and I’m using it as a way to play and get back to basics. You know, to “master my craft,” but like I said, to PLAY — to enjoy the process and be messily creative without judging the result (it’s not easy!).
Here’s a sneak peek at something I’ve been working on to frame on my wall:
7. BIG news!
Some of you know that in the spring of 2017 I lost my legs in an accident. It has not been an easy journey and it won’t get any easier, probably for a long time. I’ve recently started the process (for the 2nd time) to try and walk again. This means getting prosthetic legs and, God willing, eventually having Osseointegration surgery.
I have my next appointment with my prosthetist in a week in which I’ll be standing again for the first time in a long time. Pray for me! I still don’t know how I feel about it. I guess I’ll let you know after it happens.
Keep reading:
Soaking in the Psalms this summer.
Sure, soaking in the pool is nice, but what if I soaked in scripture? What if I let the Word of God be that refreshing balm my soul longs for, thirsts for?
More.
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