GRATITUDE ~Shabbat Eve

I’m planning a relaxing kicked back Shabbat 😊

Temperatures of 100- to 103-degrees are forecast for the weekend, so I watered my garden area and front flowerbeds deeply as soon as I woke up this morning.

After that was done, it was lunch time … and I was craving Chinese food from our favorite dine in/take out restaurant; so off to Kalama I went 😉

Tears didn’t spring to my eyes when I sat down in our booth. Since Bob was on my mind, I ordered what he would have ordered had he been with me – and I ate it without a choking lump in my throat.

I boxed up half of that lunch special, and took the long way home: up the hill and over Spencer Creek Road and Modrow Road, which drops down onto Kalama River Road. Road and culvert work on Spencer Creek Road has finally been completed – rebuilt, repaved, and no more runoff erosion happening; it’s very nice.

I’m glad Bob took me on these backroads all of our life together. I am thankful Elohim revived my memory and that Yeshua was my driving instructor when I set out to figure them out on my own, 18 months ago. I was missing them. I am filled with heart-felt gratitude that I can drive them solo lobo without crying now; even though the memory of Bob’s smiling face and gentle tone is always with me on these drives.

It was an enjoyable couple of hours spent away from home.

Pork Chow Mein, Sweet & Sour Pork, Fried Shrimp, & Jasmine Tea.

The story of my life since the wrapping up of 2018; I’m glad I’m able to balance the sweet and sour aspects of my life now …

More Road Work and County Upgrades – it's everywhere; which makes it easy to tell which mayor in WA, is working with the obamiden cartel. The monies can only be funneling in from DC favors to those sticking to obamiden Party lines since we are officially in a recession.

Modrow Road, Kalama-WA

Hilltop House; Kalama - beyond Modrow Road.

Pretty fancy Digs ...

Back in Longview, and cruising down Industrial Way (mere minutes away from home), I saw that the Reynold’s Building has been torn down and the debris is being cleared up.

The old Aluminum Plant has finally been pulled down.

It’s been a week or so since I’d driven this way … so I checked online to see what was happening.

Cleanup of Former Reynold’s Aluminum Plant: https://www.seattletimes.com/business/cleanup-of-former-reynolds-metals-site-in-longview-could-begin-in-2023/

Longview Reynold’s Plant: https://www.bizjournals.com/portland/blog/sbo/2014/07/toxic-battle-brewing-at-longviews-reynolds-plant.html

I instantly saw red when I read that a coal export facility was going to be built here. WTH! The eco-freaks have effectively shut down coal mining in WA State and put a lot of willing and able-bodied people out of work – how does that square up with building and establishing a {Coal Export terminal} on the site??? Are they going to import the coal our obamiden bootlicking governor refuses to allow Washington mines to excavate? It makes no sense whatsoever to import coal to Washington when coal can be mined in Washington State if allowed to do so.

Coal Mining in WA State: https://pugetsoundkeeper.org/2018/05/31/say-no-to-an-active-coal-mine-in-washington-state/#:~:text=Washington%20currently%20has%20no%20active,the%20equivalent%20of%2051%2C000%20cars.

I was needing to get home and enter into my ‘Island of Rest’ mindset: pronto.

When I got home, I deliberately shut the world out … and embraced the mindset of the Day.

I sat on the front porch – on Bob’s Coho Bench (I’m getting comfortable with doing that, now) – with a soft drink on the folding outdoor table beside me, and a light reading novel in hand 😉

Gratitude swept over me as I listened to the gentle tune of the dancing wind chimes as the cooling river breezes blew through; and I looked over the garden area Bob prepared for me before Elohim called him Home. People walk/peddle their bikes past, and wave or comment on the garden area; and I wave back, or say, “thank you, my husband built this for me.” Peace and joy surrounded me as I sat on my sunny porch and looked over my small domain; appreciating the tangible love Bob left behind. My Spirit was soothed.

Blue Skies as far as the eye can see ...

Birdy – ‘Blue Skies’ song:

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYw1e_99PUs)

The Geraniums are blossoming profusely now.

The corn is shooting upward ...

Isley Brothers – ‘Summer Breeze’ song:

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eq4l8v7wm5o)

Gusty river breezes whip the corn around – that's the reason for the staking. I’m glad Bob fashioned these stakes for me.

The Apples and carrots are coming along fine.

Enjoying the cooling summer breeze and the quiet solitude of my front porch.

I will always love and miss my husband; but my heart is in a better place this year. My eyes do not feel like Niagra Falls this August. Elohim is faithful to blunt the pain of heartache – and I am grateful.

Elohim is faithful to soften that missingness as I forge a New Life; and Yeshua makes sure that I never feel the acuteness of being a solo lobo while I walk this Earth. My heart is filled with gratitude. I truly am greatly loved and highly favored as I enter this week’s Sabbat Rest 😊

James Block – ‘Psalm 103’ song:

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItbxkLqo3b8)

FUNNY BONE TICKLED

My morning started off with a text from a friend inviting me to Fellowship Sunday morning – she’ll be picking me up on her way through town 😊

Then I spent 2 hours of afternoon time chatting with a Rosburg friend; and begged off meeting her for Supper at the Duck Inn, due to the moon’s influence on my appearance 😉 My face is healing quickly, so we made plans for next week.

Music lured me out-of-house this evening, and off to the Jam Session on Spruce Creek.

I could finally wash my hair today! I had to give the eyebrow glue time to {set} before I could get water near it.

A touch of lip color ... that’s easy to clean off a sore face 😉

Ready to meet the public; I chose this blouse because the cut-out-sleeves allows me to keep my bruised shoulder moistened with coconut oil.

A few people at the session had already seen my face – and heard the story of how it happened, so I was comfortable showing it.

‘Blame It On The Moon’ Post: https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2022/07/blame-it-on-moon.html

Some of the others were shocked when they saw it … and more than a bit curious; they know I am a Widow, and that I don’t date. But my face did look like suspicious activity had taken place.

G & R both asked me, “What happened to you?”, and J replied in a deadpan tone, “She shut the bar down Tuesday morning; you should see the guy she took to task.”

Trick Pony – ‘Just What I Do’ song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhJAggohYv8

More shocked looks aimed at my face. They also know that I am a Christian, and though I can get snippily feisty when pushed too far, I don’t engage in fisticuffs. J and I started laughing so hard we were almost howling as our funny bones were tickled by the startled expressions on G & R’s faces, and I finally found the breath to explain to them about the lure of the moon the other night that landed me in ER at 3 A.M. When we all got done laughing, and wiped our eyes – everyone grabbed their instruments and got down to the business of music 😊

It was a good 2½ hours of time well spent. I love these people. I love music. It’s a good gathering of friends wasting time, doing what we like to do. The ideas flow, and the music being composed is a thing of beauty to watch come to life. GG’s voice is missed, but she’ll be back when her husband recovers from his surgery.

It was still light outside when the session wrapped up for the evening. As I left Spruce Creek and Mill Creek roads, I nipped into the turnout at the end of Mill Creek Road to watch a ship pass. Then … I spotted another one near Stella, and drove to Willow Grove to see what kind it was 😉  

Songs sprung to mind as I watched both ships - maybe it was just having left the jam session; or the thought of Bob's blue cooler that brought the first one to mind. Maybe it was the thought that Bob always liked watching ships cruising the River. Whatever the reason, my thoughts turned to Bob, and the songs, as I watched the river activity.

Spruce Creek Road; Longview-WA

I saw this ship go upriver Tuesday afternoon; Mill Creek Road turnout.

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young – ‘Wooden Ships’ song:

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDuoXYWSZjY)

Mill Creek Road, Longview-WA

This thing is HUGE, and all I could think is that it looked like Bob's blue carry-lunchbox cooler; I laughed as my funny bone was tickled 😊

See the similarities?

The Glovis Century is a Vehicles Cargo Carrier built in 2012, sailing under the Korean flag.

Curiosity at Germany Creek turnout, led me to Willow Grove.

The river was busy tonight with all kinds of boat action.

Very slow moving vessel I spotted at Germany Creek; and that flag does not at all resemble the USA Flag (I researched the ship’s name at home after leaving Willow Grove).

The vessel ESSAYONS is a Hopper Dredger built in 1983 and reportedly sailing under the Flag of the USA. 

In the short period of time it took me to get from one end of the small Willow Grove County Park, to the other end ... that dredger was making a full turn about!

I've never seen a large vessel backup and turn around; that ship backed up quicker than I can make a back up turn, with the Highlander. LOL

Then, it started moving back downriver. Hmmm

As I was leaving Willow Grove, I happened to glance at the car’s dash – and saw a full moon icon winking at me.

That full moon is not going to lure me outside again!

I stuck my tongue out at it, shifted gears, and headed home, allowing my tickled funny bone a chuckle or two.

Another luring face-plant-fall is not going to happen again: from now on, moon viewing/picture framing will be done in the safety of my livingroom 😉

Creedence Clearwater Revival – ‘Bad Moon on The Rise’ song:

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALkaW6CTHJA)

JOY RIDE TO THE CEMETERY

I was visiting friends in the country this morning when an opportunity arose that I could not pass up 😊

I had seen this cute little ATV the other day when I was driving that way … and thought to myself: ‘it would be fun to ride in that thing’.

Today, I got to do just that 😊

Going on a joy ride. LOL

My new friend, Gayle & I, clowning around; her husband knew my husband Bob, & my stepfather John.

The cute little vehicle belongs to my new friend, Gayle – and she even drove me to the Oak Point Cemetery in it 😉

A new road, and a new experience; this little ATV was L.O.U.D.

Oak Point Cemetery.Oak Point Cemetery Info: (http://www.interment.net/data/us/wa/cowlitz/oakpoint/index.htm)

The cutest little thing!

Cemeteries don’t freak me out; I actually find them interesting places to visit: they are quiet places/they are filled with artistic expression (poetic, as well as stonework)/love is expressed there – love overrides the sadness/History is recorded there (County, as well as Familial histories)/families are bound together for all eternity there.

Roy Acuff & Charlie Louvin – ‘The Precious Jewel’ song: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCRUEyekUwQ)

Cemeteries interest me.

Most of Gayle’s Family takes up the cemetery acreage – I had a good local historian to walk me through the place 😉 We spent an hour walking through the place. There were markers there from the Civil War era … and newer ones, too; each marker had a story to tell.

History of Oak Point: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oak_Point,_Washington

3 resident cemetery deer – only 2 showed today.

An interesting grave marker; I've never seen one like this.

An expensive, interesting carved grave marker with detailed carved logs.

I love these old gothic style grave markers.

Some family put a LOT of $$$$$ into this grave marker; very intricate cutwork.

Looks like someone loved the beach.

Another spendy, artistic cutwork on this headstone.

A pretty little Angel statue for this Grandma.

An obvious horsewoman who loved spending time in the mountains.

Another pretty gothic style grave marker.

As I was leaving Oak Point Road, a ship cruised past Ocean Beach Highway on it’s was to the Port of Longview Docking Bay; but there were several ships anchored off Willow Grove beachfront, so this ship may anchor there too, overnight.

Oak Point Road, Longview-WA

Ship cruising the Columbia River shipping lane; headed upriver to Port of Longview docking bay.

It was a good day today.

I always like spending time in the country. And I always enjoy time spent with friends - especially weirdo's like me 😊