This week’s menuWaiting for the crowdBiding time with a crossword puzzle Early birds here to visitTune in to those conversations- you’ll keep up with all the community news!Karen & Briana are busy creating their delicious lunch for today. They treat themselves to coffee, tea, water, or lemonade… Or as server, I deliver it. Sometimes whole groups reserve a table and meals for their lunch meeting. This was the ROMEOs = Retired Old Men Eating Out!Mary is the volunteer at the reception desk today. She collects their $5. Best deal in town!!The Center is used for a variety of purposes. One of them is described on this poster that greets our diners. All our workers are volunteers except for Brianna who is the main chef, menu planner, shopper, etc.
The hands above belong to today’s volunteer dishwasher. He is eating his meal early so he’s available to do his job when the dishes and pots n pans start pouring in.
But no meal’s complete without dessert, right?And no chocolate pie is complete without whipped cream!Never fear… if chocolate’s not your thing, we have coconut cream! Your friendly waitress will BEE happy 🐝 to take your order.
So, that’s what I did this morning. What did you do
I promised a week or so ago that I would post pictures of the main plates at our Madison Valley Ranch “Food & Wine Pairings” dinner gathering. Zach, one of the coordinators, said he’d send his photos to me. I was so busy enjoying the meal and chatting with friends that I forgot to get my phone out of my pocket!
Zach didn’t send photos, but I recently received these from another of the event’s participants:
The steelhead entree with pea shoots – Very tasty!
I don’t remember what this was. Can you guess by looking at the menu?
Bison shortrib
I think this was the gnocchi – what do you guess? I remember it not being shaped like my grandma used to make. It looks like a dessert, but it wasn’t.
Anyway, a promise is a promise. I said I’d share the photos. Needless to say, they don’t do justice to the tastes and the ambience. I wonder when computers will emit food smells?
It’s a day for love. Love is so easy to SAY… but while saying it is important (when it is sincere), it’s not the word that counts. It’s the heart and the action behind that word. You know that! So, what did you DO this week, what did you do yesterday, what did you do today to SHOW your love?
Bob Goff is one of my favorite authors. About 8 years ago my granddaughter gave me his book, Love Does, as a Christmas gift. Have you read it? Do you know this zany, whimsical, amazing man? Check him out at this link… Google it – and listen to him. He will inspire you to DO LOVE!!
LOVE DOES by Bob Goff
176,359 views • May 11, 2012
Kittie Eneboe
Yesterday our Madison Valley Woman’s Club had a Valentine party. My friend, Kittie, came dressed for the occasion. I love her spirit! Don’t you?
We decorated chocolate covered strawberries to take home to our loved ones, and we created/decorated Valentine’s cards to give to someone special in our lives. (Oh, and we got to eat some of those strawberries, too. Yum!)
It was a fun activity… but the real fun was delivering our gifts to our “Special Valentine” today.
Of course, you know who mine went to… but I also decorated an extra couple of the strawberries and made a card for our pastor, Steve, and his wife, Elaine, and delivered them to their house yesterday afternoon. Love does! Love shows. Love cares.
Love does show on our faces. Bob got my strawberry and card for his breakfast today.
And love shows on the faces of our friends, Steve & Elaine, too.
Love DOES show in their lives all the time.
Last Sunday Steve & Elaine hosted a fellowship at their house after church. Our mutual friend, Christine, created these skewers to add to the goodies we all enjoyed. Someone else lovingly made the bean dip.
Our friend, Jim Forsberg, brought his guitar.
Jim led us all in singing some of our old favorites. “Oh give me a home where the buffalo roam, where the deer and the antelope play.” Ah yes, music is an automatic transmitter of love, don’t you agree?
I inherited a book from my mom. It is tattered from loving years of use. It is titled, The Modern Hymn Book. It was printed in 1924. There is a bookmark on the page where my mom’s favorite hymn is, “Blessed Assurance.”
“Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.”
Ah yes, on this Valentine’s Day, this song is a great reminder. There is no greater love than the love of our Savior who demonstrated LOVE DOES with His whole life. How blessed I am to have had a mother who marked the page, loved the song, and knew that story well. The song was copyrighted in 1873… and its words are as pertinent today as they were then. The tune is known around the world. Let’s sing it!
And let’s remember the Truth of real AGAPE love on this day of LOVE. John 3:16 – my favorite verse: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Yes, God is the ULTIMATE example of Love Does.
“I love You Lord, and I lift my voice to worship you, O my soul rejoice. Take joy , My King in what You hear; May it be a sweet, sweet sound in Your ear.”
Next Tuesday Bob & I will celebrate our 58th anniversary. We still have that spark alive and well! We started celebrating already by going to a wonderful “Food & Wine Pairing Event” last night.
Later today, when Zach, the coordinator of the event, sends me pictures, I will share the photos of the various plates with you. They were small portions, but delicious and beautifully presented. No one left hungry. It was quite something!
The venue was the lovely Madison Valley Ranch on Jeffers, MT
Bob thoroughly enjoyed his conversation with our friend, Els, afterward. During the meal he got to sit next to Doug Badenoch, the wine guru from The Wine Gallery in Bozeman, MT. Doug was the one who chose the wine pairings. He did a great job.
Here’s Matt, the chef. He did a great job, too!
Today is a snowy, cold day in Ennis. It’s a good day to stay hunkered inside.
Gotcha in prayer. God knows your needs. I’m asking Him to hold you. He will. Believe it!
Pray you learn to trust Your heart and mind and senses. Then you’ll find balance.
I pray your Sunday was a day of balance.
Balance between church and worship, fellowship and football, food and entertainment, work and play.
Super Bowl
It was Super Bowl Sunday in the USA. The San Francisco 49’ers were my choice, but the Kansas City Chiefs played a fantastic game and won it fair and square. We had fun watching the game with friends and cheering each team for their good plays. It’s not about winning or losing for me… it’s about sportsmanship and skillful plays and watching good sports. It’s about sharing the day with friends – and serving them some of our favorite things.
Bob and I made a lemon meringue pie to share for dessert.
Our neighbor, Rex, smoked some beef – yum! I added a mushroom polenta, a shrimp in cream sauce (for surf and turf) and a squash casserole for the meal.
Rex’s wife, Penny, was a great help in the kitchen.
My buddy, Caroline, always makes gatherings more fun!
I was able to sit and enjoy the game, too.
Great to have friends to share the good times with!
It was a close and exciting game until the Chiefs ran away with it in the 4th quarter. Good for them! They hadn’t won it in how many years??
With the snow falling outside, it was a perfect day to cuddle up in our cozy living room and enjoy fellowship, football, and good food & wine. I wish you could have joined us!
I will end this day with that Lakota prayer at the top, knowing God hears me and will indeed help me to “walk in balance with the passing of each glorious sun.”
It’s Friday after Christmas – The tree is standing there With lights and ornaments sparkling But underneath, it’s bare.
Presents all were given To our loved ones with a smile, But now the family’s leaving – Traveling off many a mile.
We created quite a ruckus As we laughed and reminisced. Sisters and their families far away Were in our hearts, but missed.
A dozen of the Beekman/Payne Family
It’s a quiet Friday morning – The family is mostly gone. I sit alone with my memories In this beautiful early dawn.
What memories of Christmas Float in your heart this day? I hope they all are happy ones – As loved ones are safely on their way.
Grandson, Sam, beat me by two points in ping pong. But, I gave it a good fight… 23 to 25!
I enjoyed helping Monika prepare our Christmas salad and asparagus.
I hold happy memories of Jordan being the attentive daddy…
Ty & Monika’s dog (more like a horse), Nakota, loved his present!
Sharing OUR treats was okay, but don’t try to take HIS bone away!
My favorite part of Christmas
It’s not the Christmas presents Given from under the tree; It’s the present of love’s presence That means the most to me.
God gave us His Son on Christmas morn. We celebrate the JOY of Jesus’ birth. Celebrate the gift of LOVE He gives to us With our friends and family here on earth.
Merry Christmas weekend to you, my friends. May Christmas live on in your heart. May you always remember His gift of grace – And pass that love and peace along – do your part!
Happy Friday. from Bob & Jan. What is your favorite Christmas memory?
