Sunday Salon, June 8

Happy Pentecost Sunday!

Weather: It was misting this morning as we drove to church but it is lovely now with blue skies.

Pentecost Sunday: I love being part of a church that celebrates the important days on the Christian Calendar. Today is Pentecost. The day, five weeks after Jesus was resurrected, that the Holy Spirit descended onto his disciples giving them power to proclaim God's love. Our small congregation joined with several other congregations at a local high school for a combined service. We wore red, signifying the flames of fire that came down from heaven that day over 2000 years ago. It was an exciting and spirit-filled worship time.

Scripture: Acts 2:1-4 "When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues[a] as the Spirit enabled them."

Strawberries: The Puyallup Valley strawberries are ready. We picked up a flat of them today after church. These are delicious and soft strawberries that must be used or frozen within a day or they spoil. Sheer heavenly taste, though. I think I will just crush them up and freeze them so I will have them for making jam later this summer.

Walking the dog: I took the dog for a long walk the other day, so long that her feet were sore when we got home. Yesterday I tried again and Muffy refused to make the extra trek to the nearby park.  My photos of her on her walk aren't very good, but you get the idea.  While you read the rest of the rest of the blog, have a listen to one of my favorite old tunes, Walking the Dog by Rufus Thomas.

Muffy is telling me to hurry up and lock the door. "Let's go!"

One cannot expect heeling when there is a dog on the other side of the fence.

Resting in the shade. "Walking is hard work when your legs are as short as mine."

Home but still hot. "I must pant to cool off."

It is the same thing every time we take a walk. She is super excited when she starts out, gets pooped out quickly, revives for a bark at the dogs at the fence, comes home and needs to cool down.

Anne's version of the Hippy-Dippy green smoothie: A new breakfast staple at our house is a homemade green smoothie. I copied the idea from a restaurant in Santa Fe where the ingredients were listed but not the proportions. Here is my version of the Hippy-Dippy. Try it, you really might like it.

Anne's Hippy-Dippy Green Smoothie (Serves 2) 

8 oz. of organic apple juice, unsweetened (I use Haggen brand Pink Lady or Honeycrisp Apple Juice) 

1 largish organic kale leaf with the center stem removed 

10-15 cilantro leaves 

10-15 parsley leaves, depending on size, remove as much of the stem as possible 

Fresh ginger, peeled and grated. I use about a half inch of the root and use a ginger grater. 

Juice of one small lemon, seeds removed. 

Blend thoroughly. Pour into juice glasses immediately. The smoothie will separate into layers (see photo.) You may want to use a spoon to stir it as you drink.  Yum!  I hope you enjoy it.

 Currently reading:

• The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman. Set in Rome all the characters are related somehow associated with the English-language newspaper. I am on disc 8 of 8. I'll finish it tomorrow for sure.
• Red Madness: How a Medical Mystery Changed What We Eat by Gail Jarrow. It is about pellagra, a vitamin deficiency. I'm on page 56 of 160.

Finished reading this week:

• Noggin by John Corey Whaley...finally I'm done. It took me forever and I ended up liking it OK. Look for my review soon.
• The Storied Life of AJ Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin. This is a new favorite and will be the book I recommend when asked. It is for anyone who loves books and bookstores. It stresses the importance of good literature in our lives

Our Spanish-language serenade

Serenade: Don and I had dinner at a small, Mexican restaurant on Friday in a small town near our community. When we walked in the door we noticed a gentleman sitting nearby singing. I was impressed. Later he dropped by the table and serenaded us. It was a first for both of us. It made the evening all that much more delightful.

Last concert: Last night we drove up to Seattle to hear our daughter's last a cappella concert of her college career. I thought I would weepier than I was. Later we walked around campus taking photos of her in her cap and gown. She graduates next Sunday! Where has the time gone?

Carly's a cappella group. She is on the far left.

Proud almost-grad

Time to walk the dog before it gets too late. 

Let me hear from you this week. I love comments.