Simple Sunday

This morning, we went to our parish's Tridentine mass, the second time I've ever been, and the first time for the rest of my family.  While a firm believer in preserving the traditional values of the Catholic mass, I'm not really too keen on the Trid, mainly because my mind tends to wander far beyond the sacred mysteries present on the altar and my knees wail in agony.  However, despite my stubborn insistence polite preference to go to the Novus Ordo mass, I soon found myself kneeling, and kneeling, and kneeling.  Despite my silly stubbornness, it was a truly lovely mass and I'm glad I went.  Plus, during the closing hymn, the baby in the pew in front of me started "singing" in time to the music.  Melted my heart!  After mass, we went to visit the farm where we get eggs and such lovely things.  It was my first time accompanying my family there, and I was in for a lovely time.

Upon exiting the car, we were accosted by the shrieking sentinels of the barnyard--peacocks during mating season.  The males were strutting around, fanning their gorgeous plummage, and screeching at the top of their lungs.  Did you know that they rattle their tails?  I didn't know that until today, but they quiver all their feathers until they make a rattling noise.  Very lovely birds, but rather intimidating--I prefer to stay a good distance away from them.

Oh, and there were the MOST adorable baby cows!  Love at first sight of their deep, velvety-brown eyes.  Last time the fam went to the farm, my dad tried to reach into the pen to pet them, but lost his balance, discovering first hand just how electric the fence really is.  ;)

As I was crooning over Jersey calves, my lovely sister was getting all touchy feeling with a goat.  This here goat would not let her stop scratching between his horns.  She wanted to go pet a pretty little white goat with a pink collar, but this guy wouldn't tolerate any infidelity to his horns.

Next to the goat pen, was a little flock of not-your-average-ButterBalls.  Two quintessential Thanksgiving staples were stalking around in the shade, each competing for the prize of most impressive tail spread.  My brother, braver than I, got a close up view of them.  I was a bit put off by a terrifying "thud" sound that they made occasionally.  If you can't already tell, I'm a bit wary of huge birds making intimidating noises.  Hehe...

Once home, after a glorious day in the sunshine, surrounded by cute, scary, funny farm animals, we set about making some good old fashioned home made ice cream.  Perfectly creamy, soft, and really really rich, we topped it off with chocolate chip cookie crumbles.  Unfortunately, I ate it too fast to remember to take a picture.  So here's one of me holding a peacock feather. ;)

I hope you all had a lovely Sunday as well!  Let me know in the comments what you were up to.  :)

July

Heat...

Wading through heavy air.  

Lifting swollen hands to open a kiln-like car's door.

Bees buzzing in a muddled daze.

Humid haze settling in a torpid maze.

We beg for relief.

We beg for rain.

Anything but the trickle of sweat.

Down our backs.

Clotting on upper lips.

Suddenly silence.

The buzz is gone.

The anvil rises in the East.

A rumble reaches our hungry ears.

Drip, drip...

Drip, drip, drip.

Faster the rain falls, pattering.

Liquid silver pelts from the sky.

Surrounding us in salvation.

Sun...

Shining through rain like golden sparkles.

Birds sing again.

A whisper of cool breeze.

Gentle fingers of mountain air.

Saved...

Summer Adventures!

It's been a busy one lately!  I've been working at a local sub shop (not Subway!) where they make some gosh darn awesome subs.  Plus, it is a very friendly work atmosphere, a welcome change from my previous places of employment.  :P 

But, last week, I took five days off to traverse across several states in a visit to my boyfriend and his family.  It was SUCH a lovely time!  The first afternoon I got there was dedicated to watching World Cup matches.  It was a good way to unwind after the longest solo car trip I've ever driven. 

The next day, he and I drove into the city, where he brought me to his favorite museum of natural history, famous for its dinosaur exhibits. There were plenty of marvelously preserved and reconstructed bones.  The T-Rex looks fearsome even as a skeleton.  Can you imagine meeting a live one face to face?  I'd pee myself. 

The museum had adjacent art gallery, which we visited, thrilled to find a bust of Pope Gregory Somethingorother by Botticelli, a beloved art pal from our Rome days.  There was also a Hall of Architecture which had replicas of many different church facades and interior works, several of which we recognized from Florence, Siena, and Paris.  There was also a modern art exhibit, where we found this.  I suppose I am supposed to glean some deep truth about the mystery of life from it, but all I could get was a good selfie opportunity. (#letmetakeaselfie)  Notice the Thinker Dude behind me and my boyfriend, he's probably peeved at our juvenile giggles over his "art." ;)

 Then after that, we wandered on to a botanical greenhouse garden.  It was one of my favorite things that we did all weekend.  Every greenhouse had a different botanical habitat, such as the Summer room, the Butterfly room (where there were butterflies floating gracefully through the air around us), a French Garden room, etc.  We both thought it was so nice that we went through it several more times, just to make sure we saw everything. 

Only problem with the trip was the drivers up North where I was visiting.  Apparently in my boyfriend's town, they don't have any nice handy-dandy signs telling you to yield on green to on coming cars when turning left, which led to some confusing left turns for me, who assumed that since there wasn't a sign indicating otherwise, I had the right of way.  Let us just say my guardian angel was doing double time for me until I realized that just because there wasn't a sign I didn't have the right of way.  Oh, and if you pause even the slightest at a four way stop sign before crossing, the other car will assume you aren't going and will nearly smash you to smithereens.  But I survived, and I breathed a huge sigh of relief when I crossed back over the Mason-Dixon line on my way back home, cuz y'all know how to drive nicely down here.  ;)