I haven’t posted for a week. Have a Happy Cinco de Mayo! Just here for a quick catch up…
Today’s message in my on-line Guideposts devotional contains an unintentional pun. I’ve been told that the doc may cast this hand with the broken finger when I go in for my follow-up appointment next Wednesday. Meantime, it is wrapped like a mummy and the pain pills are an important part of keeping me from full agony. But they also have some unpleasant side effects that I won’t elaborate on…
Here is a screenshot from my iPhone:
Yes, cast my cares. Cast my hand. Rest in God’s Grace. These are important prescriptions.
Thank you for your prayers. God is good 👍🏽 If you read my blog a week ago, you know I misjudged the height of a curb, tripped, landed on the sidewalk with all my weight on my left hand, broke and dislocated the little finger. You know it could have been much worse. Coulda been the right hand. Coulda been the head or the hip. This left pinky finger will heal. I need to be patient, and faithful about elevating and icing it.
Before I go, though, I need to tell you: Love ya… Appreciate your expressed concern. So grateful for neighbors/friends who come with food and friendship. We are blessed indeed. Your kind words are a comfort. I’ve missed my WP blogging… but, it’s too hard with one hand. As the Guideposts message suggested, I need to let go my troubles, cast them aside, and rest in God’s grace.
It’s hard to beat Dave’s Sushi in Bozeman, Montana for a great sushi meal. This platter was created for Bob & me and our grandson, Nick (and Celine) when they were here last Thanksgiving.
Knowing how much Bob & I relish sushi at Dave’s, our Daughter #2, Laina, sent us a gift certificate for a meal there to celebrate our 60th anniversary. What a thoughtful present! Bozeman is an hour’s drive from Ennis (where we live), so we don’t go there every day – not even every week. But, we had a dental and a doctor’s appointment there yesterday, so we went to Dave’s afterward.
If we look like we’re happy, it’s because we are!
You can count on their specials being wonderful!
Cheers!
Dave’s has a varied menu, a good wine list (that’s what I chose – a house white – while Bob had a cold and refreshing beer), great service, and a friendly, lively ambiance. We are blessed to have this restaurant in our part of the world. Laina told me she was hungry for sushi after she saw our photos, but she doesn’t have a sushi place in the Baltimore area that’s as good as this one in Bozeman!
We began with shrimp as our appetizer. It was delicious!
Our Alaskan King Crab sushi roll was wonderful!!
When my California grandkids were little, I used to take them to lunch every Wednesday while I gave their mom (who home-schooled all four of them) a break. Sushi was one of their favorite places to go… and they called those orange fish eggs “Poppies” because they popped in their mouths when they ate them. I always think of Sam, Hope, Jordan & Faith when I eat sushi rolls with “poppies” on them! This one was as yummy as it looks!
My sister, Sally, used to love to take my grandkids (her nieces & nephews) to lunch, too. It was Jordan’s choice to go to sushi. Sam always liked Burger King! (Don’t ask me why he’s looking so serious in this photo! He’s usually more like that picture upper left where he is smiling big with his sister, Hope)
Bob & I are both particularly fond of sushi. He was not a fan initially… and would order some kind of rice bowl instead (Dave’s does have other choices). However, as the years have gone by, he has become wiser! Ah yes, he loved our lunch at Dave’s yesterday as much as I did!
I had passion fruit sorbet for dessert. Bob chose the mango. He liked mine better! Hah! So did I.
Here we are with Laina.
Thank you, Laina, for your very tasty, and very thoughtful gift!
So, my WP friends, tell me, do you relish sushi?
Do you have a good restaurant in your area where you can go and celebrate a special occasion like we did?
What is your favorite choice of meal?
See ya tomorrow (God willing). Thanks for visiting JanBeek today.
As promised, here is the way our 60th anniversary day ended. We took three friends with us physically (and dozens with us in our hearts) to Pompey Grill in the Sacajawea Inn & Hotel in Three Forks to enjoy an evening of thanks and fellowship and good food.
It’s a beautiful hotel.
BW, Ed & Maria helped us celebrate our 60th. BW and Ed were both soooo helpful during this recent move in and out of our house while the floor was being done!
We had already enjoyed a shrimp hors d’oeuver and a glass of wine and we were digging in to our meals when I remembered – oh yes, DeAna wanted me to be sure and take photos of us at the restaurant and the food we ate… so here are a few of our plates:
I enjoyed rack of lamb.
You decide what the other plates were! Everyone raved about the flavors in the plates they chose.
Bob & I shared our special dessert with our friends.
Wish you could have joined us!
When we returned home, Laina had sent us this collage of our 1962 and 2022 pictures:
Thank you, Laina! (Bob’s as handsome as ever, huh??)
It was a wonderful day start to finish. Thanks for sharing it vicariously with us.
We hope to celebrate many more happy anniversaries together!
God bless you, my friends. Have a beautiful Valentine’s Day weekend!
Check out my response to the #Bloganuary prompt #20. Click on the link above.
By the way, I love that photo of Bob back in his beekeeper days when he permed his hair. Don’t you? It was taken in our house in Modesto, CA with our Boston, Jacques. He had funny buck teeth (the dog, not Bob).
Do you know why Bob curled his hair? He hates to wear hats. As a beekeeper with naturally oily hair, bees loved to buzz in there and sting his scalp. The curls lifted the hair off the scalp and dried out the oiliness. The bees left his head alone. Interesting, huh?
I hope you enjoy the collection of photos I put on the Bloganuary site today.
Tell me, can you choose a favorite photo that you have taken?
Thanks for visiting JanBeek. See ya tomorrow (God willing)
Bloganuary#16 asked us to write about something we are passionate about. I can’t pick just one! Can you? Do your passions include some of the six things I am passionate about?
Here are a half a dozen of mine:
1. Let’s start with my love of home and family and the delight at being safely back here again. That’s passionately on my heart right now after being gone 3 weeks, getting a miserable respiratory virus, and being cared for so lovingly by our son, Ty & his wife Monika:
Home Sweet Home
2. If you have read any of my blogs before this one, it will not surprise you that I am passionate about Jesus and His sacrifice that saved my soul. I love the Lord with all my heart and pray daily for His Holy Spirit to guide my thoughts and actions, and to guard my tongue, and to inspire my writing. I read His Word daily and am passionate about inspiring others to Trust also in His promises.
3. I am passionate about music. Often I include a YouTube music clip at the end of my daily message here. I love to sing. I used to play the clarinet (was quite good once upon a time before arthritis bent my fingers so badly – my skill was thanks to years of private lessons my parents provided for me and hours of happy practice during those ages from 10 to 18 – – – I also play the accordion (you can find posts about that by putting “accordion” in the search bar in the upper right of my blog). I still am passionate about sharing the joy of the accordion with others – – – it’s like carrying a party on your back!
Here’s a wonderful video clip of a great song sent to me by a dear friend this morning:
4. I am passionate about cooking – and providing homemade meals for Bob and me that are pretty as well as nutritious and tasty. Besides music and writing, cooking is one of my favorite hobbies. It’s one of the reasons I love following Caralyn’s posts on BeautyBeyondBones. If you haven’t followed her blog, do yourself a favor and check her out.
5. That’s another thing I am passionate about: finding things, places, people, books and blogs I love and sharing them with others. Here’s a link I hope will take you to the source of the picture below = (Thank you, Caralyn) https://wordpress.com/read/feeds/36990166/posts/3768091539
Isn’t that mango salsa over a nice piece of flakey, cooked-to-perfection halibut enough to make your mouth water?
What are you passionate about? I’d love to hear.
There I am in those days when I was able to serve as a volunteer at the Food Bank. (I can’t right now… until I am sure this RSV is all gone … and until Bob & I return from our trip next week to Mayo Clinic). BUT, that’s #6 on my list of passions: using the time and talents God has given me to serve others with love and compassion.
I bet you do that, too (or are you waiting until you retire?)… Don’t! Begin now… it’s so rewarding! In this COVID world, find a way! Your talents are in passionate need out there!!
God Bless You! Thanks for visiting JanBeek. See ya tomorrow (God willing)
Time with family is memorable, indeed We’re grateful for the ones who embrace the holiday mood We’re blessed to have them open their home And share their love and delicious food.
Our daughter, De, in Switzerland shared photos of their beautiful meal Imagine how plates like these enchant your guests (think how they feel)!
The family in far-off Europe included our grandsons with our De I’m grateful for the internet and the pictures she shared with me.
Nick, De, Mike & Chris
Here in California Eleven of us gathered round – add two big, rambunctious dogs and laugh as kids and animals clowned.
Christmas Day was a time for fun with love and gifts exchanged Friends shared photos of their day Our family did, too … we got arranged!
Thank you, Ty & Monika for your gracious hospitality – we’re blessed to have our son & spouse share their life & love with Bob & me.
I pray your day was blessed and you celebrated Christ’s birth with those you love gathered round – good food, warm hugs, and lots of mirth!
A note for this day-after-Christmas-morning: Faith (our granddaughter) and Kyle were headed home to S.Lake Tahoe last night and about 3 hours later had to turn around and come back to Placerville. The road ahead was closed due to heavy snow and lots of accidents ahead. The good news is that they were not involved in one of them… and we’re all safe and sound… feeling blessed!
Merry Christmas! Bee 🐝 well! Bee blessed!
Keep the Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love in your heart year-round! May Jesus remain alive in you!
Mi Familia is such a blessing We’re so glad we are here The trip was long and arduous But we traveled without fear
We knew God was with us Your prayers were felt for sure Thank you, God, for safety With You our trip was secure
God bless “Mi Familia!” It is so good to be with them! Monika, our daughter-in-law, is taking the picture. That’s Ruthie & Darrell, her parents, on the left. Our son, Ty, is at the head of the table there… and of course, Bob & me. We’ll be joined on Christmas day by our grandson, Jordan, and his family – – – and our granddaughter, Faith, and her husband. They are expecting their first child (a baby girl) in April. We are so excited for them!
Monika and Ruthie fixed a wonderful dinner last night: salmon and veggies and potatoes. Yum!
We spent time talking about our heritage and remarking about how much Ty looks like my dad, his Grandpa Sal. Can you see the resemblance?
Then we had fun giving Bob a bad time about his “honker!” See how he inherited his nose from his paternal great-grandfather Davis? That’s his dad’s mother’s father.
Prior to dinner we took time to toast “Cheers!” to all the family and friends who prayed us safely here – and gave thanks to God for answered prayers.
Outside the weather was chilly, rainy, and then foggy … but the spirit of Christmas was alive and well, warm and inviting.
Across the continent – and over the Atlantic to Switzerland, our crazy, fun-loving grandson, Nick (and his sweetheart Celine) celebrated the birthday of the King in their own way with a milkshake from the Burger King!
Don’t you love the way the internet shrinks the world and brings “Familia” into our lives from around the world?
Merry Christmas to you, my dear blogging friends. I pray that you have a meaningful, love-filled holiday with your family gathered round.
Remember the Reason for the Season… and bring that Christ Child into your family circle.
God bless you. Let me know what your Christmas plans are, okay? I look forward to hearing from you… and I thank you so much for following my blog. I post with you in my heart and prayers.
Bee Happy! Bee Well!
I send my love and hugs. Have a wonderful time with your family! See ya tomorrow (God willing) Love, JanBeek
Grandson, Nick, and his girlfriend, Céline, joined us for Thanksgiving. I am so grateful for family who come all the way from Switzerland to share time with us!
(See the bottom of the post for numbers 2-9 explaining the rest of the photos. Try to guess what you think I may say about each before you peek down there!)
2. Neighbor/friend, “Whooter” (Greg Winden, came at 8:30 am to help Bob prepare the smoker and to help me put the finishing touches on the turkey. I am so grateful for such caring, generous folks. We are blessed to live in this “hood!”
3. Thanksgiving is a day to be shared. I am thankful for those who joined us to make the day festive.
4 – 5. There’s Whooter helping Bob get the bird in the smoker. And there’s the turkey ready to be carved. I am grateful for Whooter’s tip: stuff the turkey with chunks of apple and orange! It kept the meat so moist! Have you ever done that with your turkey or baked chicken??
6. That’s our friend, Kathy, with Nick & Céline, and our pastor/friend, Mary Grace enjoying a few before dinner refreshments on Thanksgiving Day. Those hors d’oeuvres are part of Thanksgiving “trimmings”!
7. Meantime, in Switzerland our daughter, DeAna was having her own reasons to give thanks. Duchess (Pipo’s queen cow) gave birth to a healthy calf (a future queen for sure) and we gave thanks for his gift of naming her after our De! The calf ids (Diana – pronounced Deanna in French)! It’s quite an honor!!
8. That’s SureShot Lake … frozen over and dehydrated. We gave thanks for the fun of driving up there yesterday, but we’re disappointed to see how low it is. Those dirt mounds out there generally are under water!
9. Most mornings I start my day with a very special “Good morning” and a picture of the sunrise with prayers from my friend, Lisa, in S. Carolina.
Do you have a special friend who prays for you daily and greets you with his/her sunrise? If so, you are blessed indeed! I know for sure that I am!
What else contributed to your day of turkey and trimmings? I’m still celebrating… just finished a bowl of turkey soup made from the leftovers. Yum!
Enjoy your Saturday night, my friends. See ya Sunday. When I count my blessings, you’re right up there with the turkey!! Yup, part of the trimmings!
Bob & me on our 59th anniversary- It’ll be 60 in February!!
Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving week, too. Can’t let this weekend pass without telling you how much I appreciate your visits here. Posting on WordPress is one of my favorite hobbies – and it wouldn’t be worth a darn if it weren’t for you. God bless you! Thanks for commenting and telling me a little about those things that count on your list of blessings.
Bee well! See ya tomorrow (God willing)… Love, JanBeek
MMMmmm, it was good! We loved sharing – comparing Naming – Enjoying!
Illuminate Home Get ready to share your meal Thank God for your friends
I thank God for you I pray for health and safety For each one of you.
Tell me about your Thanksgiving. I hope your day is filled with good food, Good friends, and lots of great conversation.
I am sorry that some were unable to come Because not all are vaccinated and some Feel vulnerable with this darn COVID-19 Still threatening to infect even those with Boosters.
I pray for an end to this pandemic And for all who can do so to go and get the vaccine. Embrace illumination – shine your light on healthy choices! But, it is not for me to judge… if you choose not to, You have your reasons – and I love you anyway.
Just BEEEEE SAFE! And Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Missing my sis…
Keeping you in my prayers. Thanks for visiting today. See ya tomorrow (God willing)… Love, JanBeek
Do you have trouble asking for help? Or trouble receiving it? Or trouble knowing when you need it?
All of those are questions to which I must admit – yes! I enjoy being able to say, “I can do this!” Mom told me that two of my favorite words as a toddler were, “Me do!”
So, it should come as no surprise to you that I was reluctant to accept the help of a wheelchair when we were in Switzerland this month. Our daughter and grandsons were very wise, however. They didn’t ask. They just rented one and had it available for the loooong walks they knew would be part of our schedule. God bless ‘em!
Bob, with his congestive heart ♥️ failure – and me with my arthritic knee and ankles, needed it! And we appreciated taking turns being pushed as we toured Sierre (with Mike’s fiance’ Tania, as our gracious tour guide) and as we walked the distances required at the Sion Wine Festival. (Seeing how others see you when you’re in a wheelchair… well, that’s a topic for a future blog!)
The other help that we really treasured was our daughter, DeAna’s tech skills. She helped us find the links to the COVID-19 tests and other paperwork we needed before travel, the taxi we needed to get from airport to hotel/hotel to restaurant/ restaurant to train station, etc. Lordy, we could not have made this trip without her and all our other helpers!
Here are a few more photos of the phenomenal experiences we had:
The train took us from Derrick’s in Downton to London. We had a wait at Waterloo Station before the next train to the airport, so we took the opportunity to relax and grab a bite to eat. (Yes, food always is a highlight of foreign travel!)
The travel in London is very easy if you have someone helping you find the right direction, the right train or taxi. On the train, each stop is well labeled. Away we went… headed for Heathrow Airport and on to Geneva.
De’s husband, André, picked us up at the airport… another helper whose gracious assistance we accepted willingly. It was a drizzly, gray day, but that weather only lasted two days. The rest of our two weeks in Switzerland were gorgeous blue skies!
This is our view on morning #1 from Denise’s balcony in Sierre.
That first Swiss week, we were at André’s mom, Denise’s in Sierre. And of course, more food … and delicious wine. That’s our DeDe getting ready to serve the wine. Our grandsons, Nick & Mike, provided the cheese fondue. More evidence of generous helpers… doing the cooking and serving!
The fondue is always one of our favorite Swiss meals. As you know, Switzerland is noted for its cheese, chocolates, and watches… oh, and banking! It is an amazing, clean, technically advanced, beautiful country!
In advance of our arrival, our grandsons created a spreadsheet of activities they planned for us and sent it out to family, so others could choose times to be involved with our visit. Soooo sweet of them!
Thank you, Nicky, for being such a wonderful, loving helper! We look forward to your visit here to Montana this Thanksgiving with your sweetheart, Celine.
Thank you, Mike & Tania, for taking such good care of us and showing us so many beautiful sites! We look forward to returning to Switzerland next September for your wedding!
Back Home
In today’s sermon at our Madison Valley Presbyterian Church, our pastor, Mary Grace Reynold’s sermon fit right into this theme of “Embrace Helpers.” Using Mark 10:46-52 as her springboard, she shared the helping nature of Jesus. The story of the blind man who asked for Jesus’ help pointed clearly to need for us all to set aside our “Me do” childish attitude and ask for help when we need it. Accept help offered, and praise the Lord with all our hearts when that help comes.
Mark 10:46-52
New International Version
Blind Bartimaeus Receives His Sight
46 Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means “son of Timaeus”), was sitting by the roadside begging.
47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
48 Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”
So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.”
50 Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.
51 “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him. The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”
52 “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.
Mmmm …
Thank you, DeDe, for marrying Andre’ and giving us this wonderful place to “have to” visit! Thank you for all your help & love.
Dear blogging friends, I pray when you have a chance to travel and you need help seeing all you want to see, you will take a lesson from Bartimaeus and from Bob & me… Ask for help – Graciously receive it – And enjoy the journey with gratitude and joy in your heart!
janbeek 
Written
on November 27, 2021