My daughter has become friends with a girl at school who emigrated with her mother and brother to the USA from the country of Ukraine.



They have a delightful Ukranian/Russian accent yet speak English very well.  While my Dad was here, we had stopped by the local Burger Express to get an ice cream when my daughter's friend and her family were eating there also.  While we visited, we began to talk about gardens, and swimming, and such, and before long, they had extended an invitation to come and visit their home and for our children to spend the night with them.  So, we finished our ice cream, and headed over to their home.

They live in a beautiful home that borders the Upper Priest River.  After emigrating from the US and marrying a military man, together they made their home here in the Priest River area. 

I asked her if she had ever gardened before, and she told me no. She said it was so cold in the Ukraine, that she was never able to have a garden. 

I was astonished that she had never gardened before, because when I saw her gardens, I wanted to go crawl in a little worm hole and hide!  Her gardens were immaculate, weed free, and the plants were huge! 

Here... join me for the tour that I was graciously given through this precious lady's garden... remembering that she has just read everything she could, and watched Youtube videos and worked with her husband to create this beautiful garden with no previous gardening experience!

First of all, the garden was completely enclosed with a tall, about 8-foot fence to keep out any hungry animals at night!  I need one of those fences! 


Each of the different vegetables had their own box or raised bed in which to grow.  My pictures do not do justice to the amazing loving and tender care that all these plants had been receiving!

These tomato plants are planted inside their own stand alone plant boxes with plastic placed over the top of the soil to keep weeds out, and a trellis for them to grow up...


These are cucumber plants being trained to grow up a trellis as well.  I loved this idea... my cucumbers would love a good climb like this!


When I saw her corn, that is really when I wanted to go crawl under the nearest rock and hide.  I couldn't believe how huge her corn stalks were!  She told me she had started them inside back in March.  I had just planted the corn right in the ground around the end of May.  So her corn has a huge jump on mine, and in fact, her corn is already putting on tassels!  My corn is still knee high, while some of her corn is about as tall as me! I also noticed how they had individual mounds of soil around each corn stalk, along with a ditch to collect the water... lots of work, but probably exactly what the corn needs in this climate to survive and thrive!

Some more tomato and pepper plants in their own hand made box. Notice NO WEEDS! I like this concept!

A closer picture of the squash...

Again, the peas had their very own trellis and growing box.  After dealing with my peas climbing everywhere in my greenhouse... I can tell you that this idea is really appealing to me as well!

Several tomato plants planted all together in a barrel....


A picture of all the plants that they had started in buckets and barrels along the back wall of their garden... just growing away and as happily content as they could be in their containers...

More plants inside the greenhouse... now a word about the greenhouse... again, this was a professionally built greenhouse with windows that opened and closed, and it was a beautiful piece of handiwork.. one can only dream! It was smack dab in the middle of their amazing garden.  I wish I had thought to get a better view of the greenhouse so you could see how nice it was, both inside and out.


 A step back from the corn just so you can see how wonderful they look. 


Her raspberry bushes were simply amazing too!  They had been planted with chicken wire strung between them, and when all those raspberries begin to turn red, they are going to have a great harvest!!!! 

After we had been given a tour of the garden, my new friend wanted to show me the river.  They live on a bluff that overlooks the Priest River.  So we hopped onto their Gator, and headed to the bluff overlooking the Priest River that their property borders.  It was close to dusk by now, so the pictures show the setting sun off in the distance.


It was an incredible view of the river.  Since Dad was so intent on seeing a moose, we scanned the horizon for any signs of one, but there were none around.  She told  us that they had moose quite often around their place, as well as deer and elk.  She had never seen a bear around their property, although I wouldn't be surprised if they were close by too.  I told her about the bear my husband and I had seen running across the road one time not too far from their property. 


We drove in the Gator down the steep trail that took us to the water's edge.  The trail down to the river had washed out a bit, and my Dad and I had to get off the Gator at one point because the Gator had slid into a washed out mud hole.  Those Gators are pretty tough vehicles, because it was able to pull itself out of the hole, and we hopped back on for the rest of the ride.


Down at the river's edge, all was still and quiet.  The only thing breaking the silence were all the fish jumping in the water.  The sun was setting, and darkness was creeping in on us, and our tour, but we enjoyed the last few rays of light to the very end.



The kids were planning a midnight bonfire, and swim, and followed us back up the hill to the house to get all the supplies they needed for their midnight fun.  Dad and I weren't up to waiting for the midnight hour to have a swim and a BBQ, so we headed for the house. I left my camera with them, and they took some pictures for me of their fun.

First, they enjoyed several games of volleyball in the dark.


Then, once all the stars had come out, they took a midnight swim, laying on their backs in the water looking at the stars.


A picture of our new friends around their bonfire after the midnight swim.



The next day, the kids slept in, and then headed back down to the river for more swimming. 



When it was time to come home, the kids had lots of stories to tell about their adventures down at the river, the bonfire, and the midnight volleyball game.  They also brought me a gift from their garden!  Freshly dug up raspberry bushes!  I was so excited, and planted them immediately.  I will try to make their life here at my home as happy as I can.  These raspberry bushes were beautiful, and I warned Ms. Annie to stay away from them... one can only hope she understood and will listen!

I planted the raspberry bushes, and put wire baskets around them to protect them, and so far now, about a week later... the raspberry bushes still stand... one can only hope Ms. Annie has learned her lesson not to munch on raspberry plants!

Anyway, we look forward to spending more time with this delightful family.  I was thinking of how much this little family has offered to our country with their hard work and ingenuity.  I didn't mention how she also is a fashion and design artist, and is currently enrolled in a class learning design techniques.  She loves to design clothing, and there is no doubt that she is one very talented woman!  She showed us some of her artwork while we were there, and she is an amazing artist too.  How she finds time to do it all, I do not know!  She has endless energy, and never stops moving and doing.

I also realized that she and I need to hang out more, because for once in my life... I have a friend who is shorter than me! She is probably about 4' 10" or so, but, don't let her height fool ya... good things come in small packages!  Yes, it is obvious she can do just about anything she sets her mind to.  The United States would do well to consider inviting more emigrants like my new found friend and her family to this country... what a difference it would make to bring people in to this country who have something to offer our country, instead of coming here to see what they can get for free. 

I for one, am so glad they are here, and glad that my children have such wonderful friends.  They are even learning some Russian as well.  We look forward to many more fun times together! 

Today's post is a bit philosophical... just so you are fairly warned! 

I had some time yesterday to do some thinking and reflecting on my life, and life in general.  I was sitting outside enjoying the warm sunshine, and gentle southern breeze.  I was thinking about how fleeting summer is, and how quickly the cool winds will blow again, bringing fall and then winter. 

The word "Change" came to my mind, and I began to reflect on it some. 

Change is something that we all dread... we get used to doing things a certain way, and it is comfortable, and then that big bad word "change" shows up, and turns our world upside down, and most of us, myself for sure, just don't like that.  We fight change with everything within us, trying to get back to that comfortable zone that we were so familiar with. 

Yet, on the flip side, we all know too, that change is inevitable.  It comes to us unannounced, unexpected, and most of the time, unwelcome.  Yet, when the transition has taken place, and the dust has settled, then we look back, and realize that the dreaded change that came, really was for our betterment, and for our good... we just couldn't see it at the time. 

And as I reflected on change, and how it comes unannounced with perhaps a phone call, or a split second decision, with a conversation with someone, or just something that you see on the horizon for a while, and know it is there, and continue to dread it and push it aside and away from your thoughts, yet... you know it is coming.

That is what I was thinking about yesterday.  I think a change is coming in our lives.  I see it on the horizon, I know it is there, and yet, I continue to push it aside, try not to think or dwell on it, and try to continue to live my life as it is.

One of the changes on the horizon for us, within the next year, is the fact that our oldest daughter will be graduating.  Now many of you reading this will smile, and nod your head, for I know you've already had to experience this transition, and this change in your life.  Of course, it is a new one for me, and one that I've seen coming for a long time... but I've been trying to ignore the flashing lights in the distance that signal a "change" is coming!

As I was reflecting on the fact that my daughter soon (within a year) will have graduated, and will have decided where she wants to go to get a higher education, and how all that will affect us too, I began to realize that many times as we see a change on the horizon, worry, and fears can set in... with the "what ifs" of life...

And then I began to remember how all the changes in the past have come much in the same way, somewhat anticipated, yet dreaded, and then when the dust settled, I realized, it was all exactly how it was supposed to be, and this change was good for me.

I realized too, that we never walk this journey of change alone, if our trust is in the Lord.  Knowing that our lives are placed firmly in the hands of the Great Master and Guide, brings great peace to my heart, because I know that He has always taken such great care of us in the past, and this journey ahead that we face is no different. 

I don't know what kind of changes you are facing in your life.  I do know this... all of us are facing changes in our lives in one form or another.  I haven't talked to a single person recently who isn't facing a financial difficulty, a family member in distress, a discouraging health issue, or something in the distant horizon that has "change" written on it. 

I believe that change is a part of our human life, for even as we look around us, nothing ever stays the same.  We have the four seasons of the year.  Whether you love fall best, or summer, or whether you eagerly anticipate the cold snowy days of winter, or the beautiful blooming party that spring brings to us... there is change constantly happening around us.  Nothing stays the same.  The flower that bloomed today, will be dead soon.  Nothing can change that fact!  The trees that are covered with beautiful leaves in spring will shed those leaves in fall to become barren and lifeless during the winter. 

So we see that change is a part of nature, and it is a part of our lives as humans, and try as we might to stop change, we can't.  It comes and is coming to us, whether we want it or not. Whether it is a child leaving the safe nest of home, and entering the big bad world (as in my case!), or whether it is a career change, or a move, or the loss of something or someone you love dearly, or something completely and totally unexpected... change IS on your horizon...

So, then my question is this... how do we handle the changes that come into our lives?  What is the best way to deal with changes that come waltzing into our lives, upsetting the apple cart that we thought was doing so well, and turning everything upside down? 

There is a passage of scripture in the Bible that brings my thoughts into coherence, and I want to share it with you.


The very first part of this passage says "Rejoice in the Lord alway, and again I say, Rejoice." 

Now, if change has just brought some terrible sadness or disaster into your life, those words feel like salt being poured into an open wound.  How can you rejoice over something that has just ripped your life, and your world apart? 

I believe the key here is to understand, that we do not rejoice in the circumstance, such as a health issue, a job lost, or a terrible tragedy or injustice that happened.  We do not rejoice that such a thing happened, but instead, we rejoice "in the Lord"  ... understanding the second part of that phrase is key to understanding the next verse that seems so tough and that is "and the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." 

You see, even in a difficult circumstance that we face, as awful as it may be, when we can trust "in the Lord" as the verse says, even in the midst of our situation... there IS a peace that becomes available to us that "passeth all understanding".  That peace comes to us in a time when nothing makes sense in our world that has been turned upside down, and yet, this is the kind of peace that we can only have when you can rejoice in the Lord, although not in your circumstances. When you begin to see that your peace and your happiness do not depend upon your circumstances, but upon your relationship with the Lord, then there is a peace that comes into your heart that goes beyond any human understanding or comprehension. It is not something that can be bought, traded, or sold by human means, but is given to us in the midst of circumstances that we would not have chosen for our lives. 

And that is why when change comes into our lives (by whatever means it comes), that we must look at that change as a possibility of a new beginning, of an open door, and a pathway to a place we may never have reached without that change. 

My thoughts came full circle today, as I realized that even though change is on the horizon for me, and no doubt for you... that change is something that I can't stop.  It is as relentless as the waves that pound the shoreline.  You can't stop the fact that change is coming into your life, in one form or another.  Just as the seasons slip by us one by one, like beads on a chain, summer, fall, winter, then spring... we know that what we hold in our hands today may not be there tomorrow.

So then... we must learn our lesson from nature, even as it speaks so clearly to us.  Don't pin all your happiness on some date in the future when you'll have your house paid off, or when your kids are through college, or when you can take that dream vacation or when..... you fill in the blank for the dream that you have for some day in the future...  Don't pin your happiness on a fleeting moment in the future.  Enjoy today for what it is ... today. 

Enjoy every moment today that you can possibly enjoy.  Look around you and see the beauty of life where you are today, and enjoy today for what today is! Enjoy the journey of where you are today, find beauty in the moment where you are today, and don't resist the fact that change is coming, but open your heart to it, and trust the Lord with it... and you WILL find that peace that passeth all understanding... it will be given to you in the moment you most need it...

So today... rejoice IN THE LORD ... rejoice in the beauty of the things around you, and even though change is on your horizon... it's okay... its the natural course of our lives... don't fight it or resist it, but look at it as an opportunity for spring to turn into summer, or for summer to turn into fall... and for fall to turn into winter... there are marvelous wondrous things to be found in each season of life.... today and every day! 

While my Dad was here, one Saturday we went up to Priest Lake to spend the day.  Priest Lake is probably one of our most favorite places to visit.  The mountains surrounding the pristine water simply astound you every time you see them. 


It almost looked like a shooting star across the sky, but... it was just an airplane... but I loved the contrast in this picture with the shadowed trees, and blazing trail left by the airplane flying overhead.


Can you see the snow on those distant mountains... yes... don't let the gorgeous water fool ya... it's still COLD!




But, even though the water is cold as an ice bath, there were plenty of people out there soaking up the sun's rays, and a few brave souls were actually in the water... including us!  Yes, we were some of the crazy ones who got into the water.  My husband and I slowly... slowly... slowly walked out into the water, and finally he took the plunge, and then I did.  Whew! It was cold, but not as ice-biting cold as it seemed at first.  Once we were fully wet, it wasn't too bad... but I couldn't help looking at the snow still on the mountains, and thinking how that snow and ice water was still draining into Priest Lake!



Back at our picnic site, the fire was being prepared by my dad and my son.  They decided they wanted nothing to do with getting cold and wet, and decided they would rather be in charge of getting the food ready... I had no problem with that plan, it sounded great to me!

Dad kicked back enjoying the beautiful day...


So, after we had climbed out of the cold water, and warmed up around the BBQ pit, and enjoyed the great hamburgers, the sun had already started to dip down into the horizon, and we still had plans to take Dad up to the Granite Falls before dark.  So, we began to pack up, and as we did, I noticed that most people out here were doing the same.  After the sun had dipped over the horizon, even though it was only 5:00  in the afternoon, the place that had been packed earlier in the day, was now almost vacant. 

So, we packed up and cleaned up our little picnic area, and headed due north into grizzly bear country!



Although Dad kept an eagle's eye out for any sign of bear, we didn't see any.  We drove about ten miles down a gravel road and arrived first at Huff Lake.



This is a lake that supports all kinds of rare plant species.  We have seen moose here before too.  It is truly an incredibly beautiful place. It is so still and quiet out here.



The lake is very marshy, and has all kinds of very unique and rare plants growing in it.  There is a boardwalk built so you can walk out towards the middle of the lake.









 Some of the plants growing here around the lake.


There was no sign of our moose friend here tonight, even though we arrived several hours before sunset, which is usually when she comes out, or so we've been told by the locals.

And so, even though we did not see any moose while we were at Huff Lake this time, I will share some pictures with you of a moose at this lake that we saw here last August. 

Last August my husband and I had discovered this lake after taking a drive one afternoon, and not knowing where the road would take us. We ended up here at Huff Lake. We had been about ready to leave when we heard a very LOUD cracking noise in the trees across the lake.   It wasn't long until we saw what was making that very loud noise.


She was as surprised to see us, as we were to see her!


At first she wasn't sure if she should worry about us or not.  We were very quiet, and finally, she went about the business of getting something to eat and drink, and commenced to not even give us any more of her time or attention.




After a while, she tired of the spot she was at, and began to slowly walk around the lake, in our direction.  We continued to wait and watch her quietly.  When she began to get close enough to our side of the lake, we decided it was time to leave her in peace and not wait around to see what she might do if she got close enough to us! Some locals to Priest Lake showed up and watched the moose with us, and told us that she generally comes out around 7:00 to the lake for a drink.  But, we've been back several times since, and haven't seen her again... so... no doubt she's moved on and found somewhere else to hang out.  But it sure was exciting to be able to see this magnificent creature so close, and in such a beautiful setting.

But, back to our present adventure... unfortunately this time at Huff Lake, we did not see our Ms. Moose... she was nowhere to be found. 

So, we headed on down the gravel road to the Granite Falls.  By this time, the sun was beginning to set, but there was still enough daylight to enjoy the Falls.


This is an absolute wonder and amazement to see how the water has carved out the rocks, and created such an amazing waterfall. 








It was a cool and wonderful ending to the lovely day spent out at Priest Lake.  If you are ever out at Priest Lake, and would like to explore the area a little more, I highly recommend taking the time to drive out to Granite Falls, and stopping at Huff Lake along the way... you'll be glad you did!  Make sure you get there in enough time to take the hike up into the Roosevelt Cedars... unfortunately every time we've been out here, it has gotten dark before we've been able to take the hike.  It is on our "to do" list of things to do at some point very soon.  We've been told the Roosevelt Cedars are absolutely astounding and amazing trees.


And someday soon, we plan to hike up there to see those cedars... and when we do... I'll be sure to share the journey with you!