My most memorable road trip was in January this year 2024 … but now in Nov. 2024 is hard to beat!
Back in January, our son and daughter-in-law
loaned us their car for this trip.
We were so happy to be in
sunny California instead of home
In Montana right then … and the same is true now! We are happy to be in Switzerland on this Election Day ‘24 in the USA. It is so contentious there!
Back in January:
It was -23 and felt even colder with the windchill factor back home today. We were in Paso Robles, CA then with the sunny skies that were perfect for enjoyable wine tasting opportunities. The same is true now. Time with friends is what made that and this road trip so memorable, so special, so much fun!!
Our son-in-law, André, is a wine connoisseur!
Wish you could have joined us!
Sculpterra Winery
was filled with amazing sculptures.
You would have oogled and ogled
just as I did!!
Bruce, our wine guide,
poured some delicious tastings for us.
This was one of my favorites.
As a retired beekeeper,
Bob was especially interested
in their display of honeybee products.
Meantime, back in Montana,
the cold spell continues …
and we’re grateful our road trip
doesn’t involve driving there right now.
If you’re in the pattern
of this Arctic storm
with its sun-zero temps,
Escape now!!
Come join us!
We didn’t mind the 80’s plus folks…
And we’re loving the 70’s weather here in Switzerland 🇨🇭
I found this post in my “Drafts” folder. I thought I’d already posted it.
I guess WP was waiting for this 2nd day of Lent when we’re spending 40 days preparing our hearts for the greatest love ever told: Jesus’ death on the cross for our redemption.
Back when I started this post, we were being wined & dined – loving and being loved.
That’s during some of our travels last month in CA. Here we were in San Clemente … cool ocean air … warm family fun!
Bob & I loved being with friend Bob and our son’s father-in-law, Darrell.
There had been high tides that washed away sand. They were replacing it ingeniously!
Before coming to southern CA beaches, we spent glorious, loving time with dear friends, Jim & Terry in Paso Robles. Ah, feeling love all around!
The warmth of their love was matched by the warmth of their home and beautiful fireplace.
Church on Sunday in Paso Robles was filled with the love of people singing and praising God and seeking to return His love in tangible ways.
The cover of the Sunday bulletin
As we continued our road trip through California for another week, soaking in the love and hospitality of family & friends, I reached out in prayer for you, praying you, too, can FEEL love every day, every hour, every minute. You ARE loved!
I hope you are having a love-filled week!
Necklace is a love gift from Terry. Thank you, sweet “Soul Sister!”
Today’s prompt on JetPack was: “What do you enjoy doing most in your leisure time?
Visiting family and friends is my obvious answer! Today we met our dear friends, Bill & Marcia, for brunch in Bozeman before Bob’s ENT appointment.
It’s such a joy to meet up with and stay in touch with loved ones.
Bob & Bill
Fun!
Marcia & me
So dear!! But, oh my goodness, I need a haircut!! We’ve been gone 34 days – vacationing in California. I think I posted a couple times on our trip, didn’t I? That’s leisure time … nearly a dozen different beds in 34 days! Time with dear family/friends. God bless ‘em!!
Great-granddaughter Cosette, daughter-in-law Monika, great grandson Christian 1 month new, granddaughter Faith, and great-granddaughter Mable
What a blessing to be with these dear ones!
My former 1st/2nd grade student, Eva Lear (Stanislaus Co. Teacher of the Year)
Another favorite spare time activity: touching bases with former students and wallowing in their successes!!
Darrell & Ruthie Payne, our son’s in-laws, part of “Mi Familia!!”
Four lovely days with that dear couple – can’t be beat! Went with them to dinner at Fisherman’s in San Clemente- and for scrumptious Italian in Pasadena. Deeeelicious! Such gracious hosts!
Diane, Ruthie & me
Prior to that stay, we were wined & dined in Paso Robles by my “soul sister” Terry & her wonderful hubby, Jim.
Jim & Terry with us at Sculpterra Winery
Time with my dear cousin, Adrian, and his wife, Laura, is hard to beat. Did I tell you earlier about them? They deserve a blog post of their own (coming soon).
Bob with cousinAdrian & his sweet wife, Laura
We also got to spend time with my high school sweetheart, Jerry & his darling wife, Carolyn, and Bob’s former Sunday School buddy, Monica, and his former girlfriend, Sally ( my song girl classmate) and her terrific hubby, Bob Phillips.
The latter two were not able to join us for lunch, but we stayed a night at their house. Do you get back together again with those dear to you from 60 years ago??
Jerry, Bob, Monica, me & Carolyn.
Before that gathering in Turlock, CA, we were in Carmel/Pacific Grove/Pebble Beach with Bob’s two brothers and their wives – and with our long-time friends, the Tillions. Did I post earlier about that 85th birthday of Bob and that New Years Eve experience?
It’s been quite a memorable month!!!
Bob, me, brother Bruce, Ann, Marge, and brother Bill. Me, Ingrid, Bob & Alan
Our “leisure time” activities included a lot of dining out in terrific places. This was Big Sur, CA. Such a pretty day! It was 47 degrees, sunshine & feeling warm while back in Montana there was an Arctic storm and the temp was -47! That’s 100 degrees difference!
Suppose we were happy to be spending our leisure time with family & friends? You bet!!
Bob, Ty, me & Monika
Our last evening in CA we took our son & his wife out to dinner. Merry Christmas! Happy New Year! And thank you for loaning us your Lexus so we could travel the state in style for a month!!! What a gift!
Home Sweet Home
Time to unpack, do laundry, sort the mail, pay bills, and take down Christmas decorations! Happy 2024, my friends!
What’s YOUR favorite leisure time activity?
Last night we celebrated our friend, Julie’s birthday. The love of time with family and friends goes on…
If you could make your family and friends understand one thing, what would it be?
The prompt asked about making a pet understand. Well, we don’t have a pet right now. So, I substituted “family and friends.”
I want you all to know, “It’s never too late.”
“Too late for what?” you ask.
Well, you fill in the blank!
As a life-long Christian, I have often heard the pastor say, “Remember your baptism” on various occasions. I can’t. Or I should say, “I couldn’t!”
Not until yesterday!
My mom & sister often told me,”Yes,” when I asked, “Was I baptized?” But there are no pictures. (Mom was an avid picture taker all the time!) And there is no certificate or other written record. I find that strange.
I tried to contact the little white Methodist/Presbyterian church in California’s Central Valley where it supposedly happened, but it burned to the ground years ago … and all records with it.
So, I decided to”It’s never too late. I want to have a baptism I can remember!” At 84, you think you wanna be dunked? You bet … by my son (who recently was ordained as a minister at his church here in CA, where we are visiting this week before we head home from our month’s reprieve from Montana’s ccccold Arctic blast).
Did it take courage and commitment? Was it a hard decision? You bet! But was it important for my spiritual health!? Definitely. I wanted to be able to “remember my baptism” – feel the obedience to the Christian command, “Go, and be baptized!”
It’s never too late!
Do you remember your baptism?
It’s never too late!
Love, JanBeek
My son, Ty, with me and 2 of my great-grandchildren- See my wet head? Yup, I remember being dunked!!
My career as an educator was more than a job. More than a “dream job.” It was a beautiful calling. It was a gift. I was a teacher. I loved my students, my teaching colleagues, the joy of making a positive difference in someone’s life.
Today I had the wonderful privilege of reconnecting with a student who was in my first and then second grade classrooms back around 1969-70. Today she is a teacher – and has been honored by being selected as the Turlock School District and Stanislaus County “Teacher of the Year.” Congratulations to Eva Marquez Lear!! Thank you for expressing your gratitude and recounting your love and reaching out to tell me I was one main reason you decided to become a teacher. It’s more than our “dream job” … it’s our calling, our gift … pass it on. God bless you!!
Today’s WordPress Prompt was: “What is your mission?”
My mission is to spread God’s love, live in faith, and “bee” an inspiration for others to do likewise!
How about you? What is your mission? You know we each are put in this world for a purpose. Do you know yours? How are you fulfilling it?
Meet with old friends! Today we reconnected with my high school buddy, Monica, and the wife of my senior class sweetheart. Carolyn is fulfilling one of her missions: taking care of Jerry !!God bless Carolyn & Jerry! Such fun to reconnect with them. Jerry and I had a year of wonderful fun together in 1956-57!!
And Bob reconnected with Monica … with whom he attended Sunday School every week during his childhood. So precious!!
No friends like old friends!!
Our mission is to spread love and joy wherever we go. What a wonderful way to begin this new year of 2024! Our travels in California have been blessed with great weather, family, friends, and Bob’s 85th birthday celebration along the Pacific coast. Such fun!!
Alan & Ingrid with Bob at Monterey Aquarium.
Alan & Ingrid with us at Big Sur.
Then precious time with my brilliant cousin, Adrian, and his wife, Laura.
Life doesn’t get too much better than this!
God bless my birthday boy!My main mission besides spreading God’s love: take care of this BeeBoy! I’m so blessed to have him in my life all these 65 years!! I pray we have many more.
If you have known me a while, this answer will bee a no-brainer!
Thanks for buzzing in to visit JanBeek today. I will post my sermon notes later today. I hope you had a lovely Sunday morning. We did!
It was so good to bee back with our Ennis church family!
What tree would you bee??
Here’s a darling children’s picture book about trees. Do you have a child nearby (like maybe inside you) who would enjoy learning some basics about trees?
How am I changing the world? That was the question for today’s January 29th #Bloganuary prompt.
How would you answer it?
I changed the world when I was born Because I am as unique as one can be I change the world I live in Because there’ll never be another me
I changed the world when I gave birth to my first child, Tyronee Bee. He changed the world around him, too, Because he has deep faith, the same as me.
Ty is letting Jesus take him and Monika To the place God has for them both They tackle each day with perseverance And let God guide their daily growth
They reach out to those around them And share their wisdom with finesse Their hearts are full of love and wonder It’s obvious, those they touch, they bless.
I changed the world when I gave birth to my second child, DeDe Bee Her nickname is Miss Sunshine Her sparkle touches you and me
She smiles at life through thick & thin And “Carpe’ Diem” is her motto Her days are filled with sweetest song A smooth, clear tone with no vibrato
I change the world when I can travel To see my kids and encourage them I know the Good Lord guides their paths And nothing can discourage them
I know if I am weak and needy They’ll help me out however they can They’ll do the same for all they meet They know no stranger – child, woman, or man
I change the world when I reach out To gather friends and take them in Enlarge our family with additional members Reach out, expand, let others just blend in
They change their worlds in return And the circle just grows larger Connecting lives where e’re they go Giving others energy – a super recharger
I change the world when I give hugs Virtually or in gentle person Without the care and love of others The world of loneliness would worsen
So, never doubt your worth, dear friend Never imagine that you don’t matter Every kind word that you speak Is like seed in wind – let them scatter
Influence You matter You change lives Of those around you Love
Your world may involve only one One other person to interact with But that person means the world to you And that’s the world you’re packed with
So never underestimate your worth To just one – or to a world of plenty – You change the world where you are Folks who do not matter? There aren’t any!!
Many thanks to my faithful long-term friends here – And a hearty welcome to my new followers! You make me smile… You change my world.
Have a great weekend. It’s so good to be home! Go out – or stay in – either way, You change the world around you.
Never doubt it!
Thanks for visiting JanBeek today. See ya tomorrow (God willing)
