Spring Serenade

Did you hear it today?

Did you hear the sound of God's spring serenade?

It's the sound of children playing in fountains!

It's the joyful sound of water!

It's the sound of awakening spring blossoms!

It's the sound of couples strolling hand in hand.

It's the sound of light;

it's the sound of life!

And today on our trip, I heard it!

-

Did you?

~

Blessings, Aimee

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Photos: taken spring 2011 on a trip in the Willamette Valley of Oregon.

The WORD on Wednesdays

Thou art my God, and I will praise Thee: Thou art my God, I will exalt Thee. O give thanks unto the LORD; for He is good: for His mercy endureth forever. Psalms 118:28-29 KJV

Blessings this Wednesday eve, Aimee

Photo: beautiful, sunny Utah

Sometimes You Just Need A Refuge

And if any wildlife or birds are reading this and looking for one...I would heartily recommend William L Finley National Wildlife Refuge in the Willamette Valley :) I heartily suggest it to any humans needing a place to get away and enjoy nature for several hours or more too! And it just so happened that since the refuge isn't too far from the Land of Linn, we continued our anniversary trip among the woodlands, wetlands, hills and historical buildings there.

I'm thinking this is what heaven must look like--or at least part of heaven:) If only the cloud cover was just a little bit thinner that day...sigh. And to think there were once people that did live here--it's nice that we all can enjoy it now!

A little visitor I found while checking out some of the historical places in the refuge. Can you see him? I think of Alice when I see rabbits...and wonderland...and carrots. The big house in the back and to the left of our little friend is the Cabell Lodge, built (approximately) 1912.

Love, love, love carriage houses---love, love, love windows like this with many panes. Ahhh:) This carriage house was built in 1933.

The front of the Fiechter house (1857). I could live here--well actually I can't because it is owned by the government...but I am happy with that because it means these buildings will be preserved!! BTW---the beautiful, big, red barn above---the one where the blog title is...that is across the road a bit from this house. LOVE that barn, love all old barns--this is the Fiechter Barn (early 20th century).

This refuge has so many types of habitat and topography. And did I say you can drive through it? SO nice! The refuge has trails too but during the winter months some areas are off limits because the dusky geese need to rest before they return home to Alaska!

My sibling would love this moss. I know I do!

Ahhh. Peaceful. Serene. Quiet. Beautiful.

A perfect ending to our anniversary trip; a perfect gift from Farmer Boy to his bride:)

Wonder where my path will lead me next? Wonder where your path will lead you?

Blessings, Aimee

Photos taken late winter 2011. Link to the refuge and also source for information on the historical buildings: http://www.fws.gov/willamettevalley/finley/index.html

In the Land of Linn

Ahhh-the magical Land of Linn, better known as Linn County, Oregon.

The first time I saw this place of our family ancestry, I was smitten, and ever since that day I have been completely in love with it. So what better place to celebrate our wedding anniversary? What other gift would be so sweet? You guessed it--a trip with my Farmer Boy to the Land of Linn.

I must explain that, though I've been to Linn County many times, it is generally to the area south of here and so I was very excited to see what treasures this area! Being the history buff I am I was really, really excited to see more of the covered bridges I've fallen in love with (this area has quite a few of them) AND, of course, new scenery is always a treat!

The first bridge that we found after getting lost, finding gas, having a desperate prayer answered in an unexpected way, finding the right road--was the Shimanek Covered Bridge.

Positives: red, neat windows, you can drive through it (at least most vehicles can--there is a weight limit) and after you do that, you can drive along the creek you've just driven over for a bit. And did I say it's RED??? Negative: No good place to pull over (at least that we saw).

Final verdict: It's a RED bridge--how can one not like it???

Ahhh! Hannah. Great name, beautiful location, SUNSHINE, blue skies and a place to pull over and park! So we did that and then we walked back through the bridge (the traffic early Sunday AM is almost non-existent and they were careful with tourist type people, meaning us!) I am so glad we did park and walk through the bridge because down from the bridge we saw lots of GREEN and a very nice creek too! For those that may not know: rain, rain and more rain=very green moss + lots of ferns here.

A view from inside the bridge--the wood planks here are part of the bridge (but you probably guessed that already)

The Land of Linn--hills, gaps between mountains + hills, mountains, farms, historic homes & buildings, rivers, creeks, lakes, forests, countryside and covered bridges!

On to the next covered bridge--our last today. This one is very, very special--you'll see...it just happens to have a great little park by it and it is on a creek with a river very close by. And at this very pretty little park something very special happens--a river (the Roaring River) flows INTO a creek. Impossible you say? Nope, it really does happen in the magical, beautiful Land of Linn! This was also a really great place to play with my camera--BTW, I need many more places to play with my camera (tell my DH, please).

And the roaring river; as you can tell it really does roar--in a watery sort of way--at least in winter/early spring when every river and creek seemed to be swollen in the Land of Linn.

A view of the Larwood Bridge there--you can drive through this one too! I should have worn my pioneer dress and bonnet...but then that wouldn't be a lot of fun without a wagon or buggy and horse.

Ahhhh--the Land of Linn--the more I see of you, the more I fall in love with you!

Your moss--your ferns--your covered bridges and your old historic mill with ferns --on top of the roof...

by a creek--with a covered bridge--and by a river...a river that roars:)

Hope you enjoyed our little trip to the enchanting Land of Linn...more of our anniversary trip later. Blessings to you, Aimee

Photos: taken in northern Linn county, March 2011. Sorry about the sloppy formatting. Am really having a struggle with the html tonight:( (sigh)

Sundays of Our Past

The late 1800's

It is a Sunday morning in the small village in interior western Canada. Overhead are clear, blue skies and the day holds promise of being another beautiful spring day. Along a small, rough trail comes a family--the dad carrying his toddler son on his shoulders, the mom with her infant daughter in her arms and beside them walks their five year old daughter.

As they walk along, they can see the beautiful mountains of that area, and as they grow closer and turn a corner in the path, they catch a glimpse of a steeple--

they are almost there!

And from all directions they see that others are arriving too--

some on horseback,

some in buggies and wagons,

and some, like them, on foot.

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Of all ages, from every walk of life, single and married

they come to this place in the trees to learn, pray and fellowship together.

And soon, very soon the sounds of their worship will spread throughout the village

and rise from earth to the heavens--

and so it is to this day.

--

Have a blessed Sunday,

Aimee

~

Photos:

Christ Church (Anglican) in the town of Hope, BC, Canada.

My dad, mom and sibling made a trip there quite a few years ago (actually we were on our way to the Canadian Rockies but that is another story). Anyway the church is quite beautiful and I hope you are able to see that beauty even though this was taken with an older camera of ours. (You might click on the photo to enlarge it if you are having problems seeing the detail)

For more information on the church and its history see this site.

http://www.anglican-hope.ca/History/index.html