We had a wonderful trip to Virginia. It's pretty where Steve's family lives. Out in the country, rolling hills, lovely gardens, a creek and one of the coolest things is to hear all the birds that sing such sweet songs far different than ours here. We saw our family and got the chance to meet more people who have followed and supported our work in Peru. We visited North Branch School and did a slide show for the children about Sipascancha and Mandorani. And on Sunday we enjoyed a celebration of our wedding with everyone.

Now, if I were anything of a computer-blogger-facebook-y person lickety split I would post photos. This old computer of mine does not enjoy posting photos. It just takes too-too-too long and before I realize it I have shot away a day accomplishing very little besides a few photos.

Now that I think about it, I could do it to the flickr site...maybe later. It's a lovely grey as it can only be here in Oregon and I want to get outside and diddle about the yard. The heat is said to be returning next week.

May this message be like a packet of smiles for you… specially delivered from the heart of someone who wants to send so much happiness and encouragement your way…May this help to deliver a little prayer to you… a precious thought that everywhere you go, people will always lovingly know how much there is to appreciate about you......May the year you are about to enter grant you the promise of success that knows no bounds: friendship and love, blessings from above, and dreams you never imagined would come true.....May you have a truly beautiful day! And may the hopes and wishes of each new day grace your life with a special, gentle touch…Because someone so wonderful, so special and so good, is deserving of so much. You are wished a very happy day with lots of love!
(a transposed message sent to me for my birthday (and now to you) written by my friend Sharon.)

Here's something for September 1.

"What is this life if, full of care, we have no time to stand and stare?"
--William Henry Davies

"....souls like animals and plants , need air. Do our lives have enough space in them to nourish our spirit? Living in cities, plugged into networks of jobs, friends, and projects, we sometimes neglect our standing-and-staring needs.
They're quite specific: we need to be outside, in pleasant weather, with nothing much to do. We need to let the world go on its way without us for awhile. We need to have things pass before our eyes: clouds, or boats, or waving grass.
Blessed idleness! Blessed inattention! When we slip back into the groove, we're refreshed by our passive interlude. Let's remember the recipe and find sometime to stand aside and stare...."
(from The Promise of a New Day)

And another from Sharon:

"Nothing worth doing is completed in our lifetime, therefore, we must be saved by hope. Nothing true or beautiful or good makes complete sense in any immediate context of history; therefore, we must be saved by faith. Nothing we do, however virtuous, can be accomplished alone; therefore, we are saved by love." --Reinhold Niebuhr