And Let It Begin With Me

I'm sure y'all spent the day listening/watching/hearing tributes and recollections of 9/11 and are absolutely emotionally spent as a result of it.  I don't have much more to add to what has already been said, but I don't feel right posting and ignoring the subject all together.  So I thought I'd share this photo ...

This post sits alongside the water in a park in Plymouth, MA.  Bruce and I were both in awe of how something so simple could say so much.  It was hard to get one good photo of it, so I did took several from all angles and put them together.

Sweet dreams everyone.  We made it through a hard day - together.

Nelson Mandela On Love And Hate

I was doing some research for a Service of Peace & Memorial that we are having on Sunday morning to honor the ten-year anniversary of 9/11 and came across a quote from Nelson Mandela that I thought was worth sharing ...

It was during those long and lonely years that my hunger for the freedom of my own people became a hunger for the freedom of all people, white and black. I knew as well as I knew anything that the oppressor must be liberated just as surely as the oppressed. A man who takes away another man’s freedom is a prisoner of hatred, he is locked behind the bars of prejudice and narrow-mindedness. I am not truly free if I am taking away someone else’s freedom, just as surely as I am not free when my freedom is taken from me.  The oppressed and the oppressor alike are robbed of their humanity.

I always knew that deep down in every human heart, there is mercy and generosity. No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.

Nelson Mandela

Long Walk To Freedom

See New England With The Weavers Volume 1

Bruce and I have been in dire need of some time alone and away lately, so we spent a little bit of time planning a day trip this morning.

(Oh - I guess I should say that when I say 'planning' I mean we decided where we wanted to go, used our phones to get us there, got a map at the visitors center once we got there and then played it by ear for the rest of the day.  I love our method!)

Our destination?

Plymouth Rock!  Plymouth, Massachusetts is only about an hour from us and was such an easy drive.  It's a port town, so once we were able to do some touristy and beach-type things.

(The rock is in there!)

The Mayflower! The historic sites in Plymouth are absolutely unreal ...

An old courthouse ... 

I was the judge!

Bruce was the jury!

(I absolutely adore this sign!)


This is the First Parish Church.  It is was the name implies - the first church in Plymouth.  The history behind this church is actually kind of fascinating.  It was founded in 1606 in England and came over on the Mayflower.  It was the original 'meetinghouse' in Plymouth, but made the move to become Unitarian in 1800!  There was a lot of controversy with the move and several members ended up leaving and founding their own church ...

The Church Of The Pilgrimage.  This church was founded as a congregational church and is now a member of the United Church of Christ - part of the Massachusetts Conference, just like the Rehoboth Congregational Church!  I was peaking in the windows and Bruce said, "You really want to get inside, don't you?"  Ha - yes I did. :) We were starting to lose some momentum, so we stopped for a quick bite to eat at a little cafe.

Can you believe we actually split this sandwich?  This was only my half!  I don't know why we have never thought of this sooner, but by splitting something we saved some money and didn't waste any food (on trips like this we can't really take leftovers).  Energy restored! The walking / picture taking may commence.

A working grist mill!

It was such a GORGEOUS day out!


There are times (most of them in fact) that neither one of can really believe how close we are to the water - I love it!

I love him. Today was really everything that we needed - both individually as a couple.  We both feel so refreshed and ready to take on the week!

The One Without The Earthquake

Note: I did NOT feel the earthquake today.  Apparently it was felt in Boston and Providence but I'm pretty sure there was nothing going on in Rehoboth.

However, I was talking to my college BFF Sarah on gchat and she felt it down on the mainline (near Philadelphia) while we were talking!  The whole thing was a little bizarre.  One minute we're talking about blogging nonsense and the next thing I know I get an "ummm, we just had an earthquake" message.  I'm not sure fear and hysteria translate well through gchat.

That being said ...

We did have a gorgeous blue sky today!  Days like this make me I wish I had an outdoor office ...

Dinner tonight was courtesy of our latest "Let Us Break Bread Together" dinner. 

On the menu:

• Ribs
• Halumi
• Fresh Tomatoes and Basil
• Veggie Salad
• Lasagna Roll Ups
• Bread
• Baklava
• Bermuda Rum Cake

Need I say more?  Here are the mouth-watering pictures!

And dessert ... 

Per usual, the dinner was good, but the company was even better.  We have had so much fun getting to know everyone in the church this summer through these dinners!  I think both Bruce and I were in denial that vacation was over but at one point tonight we were all laughing so hard it felt like we were still there!

And now it is officially well past my bedtime (or the one I am trying to institute anyway).  Goodnight!

Wedding Pictures!

I started to go through some of my pictures from the wedding last night - here are some of my favorites!

Don't the guys look awesome?!

They were married on Fort Monroe in Virginia.  Beautiful Catholic church!

I spy a groom waiting for his bride!

Beautiful bride.  The color combos were awesome and she totally rocked the red lips!

My sweet husband reading out of Genesis.

Quite possibly my favorite!

When you marry a man you marry his friends.  I married into great friends.

Things could not have been more beautiful!  I am so happy for them - have I mentioned that? :)

Full Moon

Did anyone see that moon last night?

WOW! I could have stared at it all night. Which I kind of did, because I was having terrible insomnia. At one point I just got out of bed and finished Saturday's memorial service!

Ah, well. At least I was productive.

Last day of VBS - it's pie day! The count hasn't happened yet, but no matter who gets the pie in the face, Bruce and I both agree that we are just thrilled so many school supplies have been collected.

TGIF!

Bizarre

I had a weird night. 

I'll explain in the morning.

Oh, wait. 

It is the morning.

Okay, I'll just explain later.

Goodnight!

Name That Photo!

I'm drawing a blank.

Does anyone have any ideas?

Pretty

I've had one of those days.  And now I'm fighting with my church voicemail.

So I thought I would share this picture.  It's pretty.

I'll be back when I've found my sanity.

Ha.

Teaser

I can only give you a sneak peak of tonight's dinner - Bruce took over the garden/kitchen/grill (and my camera) and said he is going to write a guest post about it tomorrow!

But here's a teaser for you - he dug those potatoes FROM OUR GARDEN this afternoon!

Okay, but you'll have to wait.  Meanwhile, after dinner Bruce pulled me away from my desk and we took a ride to Somerset, MA to explore a different part of the coast.

It was so incredibly peaceful!

There are days when I still can't believe I live this close to salt water.  Amazing.

I see my shadow!

We're currently watching Royal Pains and I am going to (attempt to) go straight to bed when it is over.  I'm trying to establish better sleep patterns!

Goodnight!

Volksmarch Continued ...

Has anyone ever heard of a Volksmarch?  They are walking events that basically take you on a route through towns, seaports, cities, etc.  They are huge in Europe - more like races/events that we have in the states.  But in the United States most the Volksmarches are year-round ongoing events (I think).  You go to the starting point, pick up the map and go!

My uncle does tons of Volksmarches (he started when he and my aunt lived in Germany) and wanted to get one down in Connecticut and one in Rhode Island while they are on the East Coast from Arizona so they came back to Rehoboth with us today.  We decided to stop in Mystic on the drive and do the one there.  It was a 10K and a medium-difficulty course.  A couple of hills, but not bad.  Here are some of my photos!

I love how it says, "I am the resurrection and the life" on the way into the cemetery.  I got chills when I saw that.

We got back into the car and finished our trip to Rehoboth in great time!  Bruce and I showed Coni & Mark around the house and then the church.  Then we headed out to dinner!

(Happy Wear a Dress Tuesday!)

We went to the Old Grist Mill Tavern (one of my favorites still!).

I ordered a chicken and mushroom grilled flatbread pizza.  Oh myyyyyyyy.  I'm so glad there are leftovers.

I'm sunburned, exhausted and ready for bed!  This has been a long 4th of July, but it's definitely been one where I realize how blessed I am to be part of such a wonderful family.

Goodnight!