Thursday Thirteen

I like words, odd words, fun words, words that catch your attention. So for today I present:

Thirteen good words to know

1. Tintinnabulation: the ringing sound of bells (One of my favorites! My son likes this one too.)

2. Gnomon: 1. The raised arm of a sundial that indicates the time of day by its shadow. 2. The remaining part of a parallelogram after a similar smaller parallelogram has been taken away from one of the corners.

3. Omphaloskepsis: the contemplations of one’s navel. (Synonym for blogging??)

4. Roborant: restoring strength or vigor; also, a restorative.

5. Arriviste: an upstart.

6. Autochthonous: indigenous; native.

7. Abecedarian: pertaining to the alphabet; also, rudimentary; also, a beginner.

8. Zanjero: one who is in charge of water distribution.

9. Pilgarlic: a bald-headed person. (Things that make you go, "Hmmmm...:

10. Hirsutulous: Minutely hirsute. (Would Extrahirsute mean the opposite? Just kidding.)

11. Verbigeration: Obsessive repetition of meaningless words and phrases. (Would this mean ME?)

12.. Vomitorium: A passageway to the rows of seats in a theater. (Really???)

13. Triskaidekaphobia: fear of the number 13. (Thought that was appropriate!!)

THE PURPOSE BEHIND THE THURSDAY THIRTEEN:
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. What do you do? Write Thirteen things about yourself, summarize your week in one entry, make it easy for other bloggers to get to know you on a weekly basis. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged!

Wordless Wednesday

Here, Fishy, Fishy, Fishy...

What, Mom??? I'm busy!

For more Wordless Wednesday participants check the HUB.

Spread Some Love

Maria at Free to Fly has graced me with the Spread the Love Award. Thank you Maria, you are such an encourager. The award originated at Garb-oodles Soup with Mica. What a sweet admonishment to spread the love.

I can’t be stingy here, love is to important not to pass on. So I am not being lazy, but truly everyone on my blogroll deserves this award. Spread the Love everyone, spread the love.

And as long as we are speaking on love, I would ask that you visit sweet Kelli and send her some prayers and love. She is at a serious point and is asking a crucial question. Your part might be a prayer, maybe a link, maybe more, but spread some love to Kelli for me. ‘K?

A Year of Romance

Maria at Free to Fly is asking us about romance. She is, in fact, hostessing "The Year of Romance."

Weeeellll…hmmm…If you want to know how my Cave Geek speaks my “love language” you could read this post. To some that might not be very romantic, but it is to me!!

Fifteen years is not as long as some, but I think these days it is pretty impressive. We’ve agreed on how things should be, they are things that others might not see eye to eye with us on, but that is okay. We married each other and no one else. What keeps us going is the common bond, the common goal and the appreciation for the little things—he bought me the can opener, tonight I remembered he is in need of sweat socks. I’m telling you, they will not write a book about sweat socks. But it is those little things.

Romance is making coffee for the other to wake up to. It is ignoring my housekeeping (or lack of). It is being content just to be in the same house. My husband travels some and while I am a capable woman, it is just nicer to have him here. It is shared stupid jokes and finishing each other’s sentences. It is having the same sarcastic, smart-alec, barbed sense of humor. My sister’s affianced really thinks we are weird the way we talk to each other. We are not ummmmm…very, shall we say "courtly".

I don’t need the car door opened for me, but help with the groceries is nice. He can do his own laundry, but is ever so grateful to have me do it for him. (Out of compassion I did quit ironing his clothes, though. I ruined more than one pair of dress pants. Blush.) I don’t always need my hand held, but there are times I need a shoulder to cry one. He doesn’t need me to watch every football game with him, but if I will listen to him vent about the outcome of our team, it is nice. He takes my opinions about work and matters of our future and gives them weight and tells me they are valuable. And proves it with his decisions.

Newlyweds may have flames, but I’ll keep my cozy well stoked marriage. There was a time in our lives when we went dancing and dining. Now we settle for a two-step or a waltz in the kitchen. But the rhythm is still there.

Visit Maria and tell her (and us) what is romantic at your house?

Children's Book Monday

Last night I got to hold a precious new baby Her mommy has been my friend for over sixteen years now. I’ve watched my friend grow from a teenager to a fantastic young woman and now a new mother. What a sweet and precious thing.

Before this lovely child was born the boys helped me pick out a shower gift for our friend. She told us last night how much she enjoys the books we got her. They are some of the boys and my favorites. Since she was pleased I will share the books we gave them for our review this week.

The first was The Quiltmaker's Gift by Jeff Brumbeau and I talked about that briefly during the Read to Me 2007 Challenge. It is a favorite of mine and since our new baby friend's grandma is a quilter, I thought it would be perfect for when Grandma babysits.

The second is Jamberry by Bruce Degen. It is a fast and nimble almost tongue-twister, certain to bring giggles and smiles. Who can resist"...Strawberry ponies, Strawberry lambs, Dancing in meadows, Of strawberry jam..." The colorful and lively illustrations are funny and joyful.


The next book is Tumble Bumble by Felicia Bond. We have a video of Roo's third birthday party where he "read" it for us. Of course he had just memorized it, but that was due to us reading it at least once a day...maybe more.

It is a book of meeting new and unexpected friends and a tiny adventure and surprises. Felica Bond has, of course created many other books, so this treasure is no surprise.

The last book is Time for Bed by Mem Fox, Jane Dyer Illustrator. This soothing, gentle bedtime rhyme sets just the right tone for the last book of the night. All the animals are ready for bed, from the bee to the horse, from the dog to the deer. Bedtime was so sweet reading this little gem.

All four books are books that I cannot bear to part with. Too many memories all wound up in the words.

Visit Elise at A Path Made Straight for more wonderful children's book recommendations and Children's Book Monday.

Trust & Obey

He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8


My spirit on Thy care,
Blest Savior, I recline;
Thou wilt not leave me to despair,
For Thou art Love divine.

In Thee I place my trust,
On Thee I calmly rest;
I know Thee good, I know Thee just,
And count Thy choice the best.

Whate’er events betide,
Thy will they all perform;
Safe in Thy breast my head I hide,
Nor fear the coming storm.

Let good or ill befall,
It must be good for me;
Secure of having Thee in all,
Of having all in Thee.

Words by HF Lyte
Music by Beethoven arranged by JE West

Visit Sheryl at Taking the Challenge for Faith Lift Friday.

Thursday Thirteen

Blogging was a new adventure for me in 2007. When I began I had never heard of StatCounters or considered what was involved in my Google searches. But I learned quickly. Here are thirteen Google searches that landed visitors at my blog in 2007. Thankfully or oddly enough, my blog does not come up quickly for most of these any more.

Thirteen Google searches that lead me to say..."What were you people thinking?? I don't think you will find this here!" But I was glad they visited.

1. chocolate is cheaper than therapy rubber stamp--I too would love to have this as a rubber stamp. I am sure it is available. Just not here. I have talked about the three things though, chocolate, rubber stamps and therapy. All in the same post even!

2. eclectic parrots--do they like Jimmy Buffet and Johann Sebastian Bach? Do they say random things? I am curious?

3. scarlet macaws mac & cheese--I hope this was not for a recipe. Yikes!!

4. in the bible scarlet macaw--Well I don't know that they are mentioned specifically, but I am sure God enjoyed the color palette for those.

5. My dog ate a loaf of bread--yeah, I know I blogged about that.

6. the little ants march to Jerusalem--I had no idea when they went one by one and two by two that they were headed there. Who knew?

7. what do you call an ant with no hair? I don't know, Curly?

8. what four things are smaller than an ants mouth--ant breakfast, ant lunch, ant dinner and ant snack? Just guessing.

9. age of innocence poodle--as opposed to those not-so-naïve poodles, you know the ones who say, "Ooooo-la-la" and "Voulez vous...?" OOooops...never mind, this is a family friendly blog.

10. jennifer van roo ballett--clueless, just clueless.

11. dr seuss passover plagues--The venerable Theodor Seuss Geisel wrote on many things. I did not know he wrote a book on a Jewish Holy Day...but I've learned a lot around here. I wrote about a plague of frogs once.

12. childrens bible lessons on rockets or spaceships--I don't think the Bible mentions spaceships, I know I've mentioned the Bible more than once, I may have mentioned spaceships...?? The scarlet macaw in the Bible made more sense.

13. how to make a tapir shadowbox--Okay, I like tapirs. I really do. But perhaps this is a bit much.

I need to start saving some more searches that land people at the Joyful blog in 2008. What odd things do visitors look for at your site?

Find more participants for Thursday Thirteen!

THE PURPOSE BEHIND THE THURSDAY THIRTEEN:
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. What do you do? Write Thirteen things about yourself, summarize your week in one entry, make it easy for other bloggers to get to know you on a weekly basis. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged!

Wordless Wednesday

Tree Kangaroo

For more WW participants go to The Hub

Beloved Castaway—A Review

Beloved Castaway by Kathleen Y’Barbo

Historical fiction set in New Orleans and the Florida Keys in the early 1800s is the stage for intrigue and danger.

Beautiful slave, Isabelle Gayerre is the heroine with a heart for the LORD running for freedom. Her path crosses with a sea captain, Josiah Carter, who believes himself to be too far removed from the path for God’s notice. Their first meeting is full of mistrust and deception. How can anything positive come from this?

Beloved Castaway was a rapid read, engaging from the beginning. Y’Barbo draws the reader right into the infamous New Orleans culture. This story is full of twists and turns and mounting tensions. There is nothing superfluous in the telling though, and I was very grateful for that because I became extremely attached to Isabelle and wanted to reach a conclusion for her flight.

I stayed up way to late one night to finish this—there was no way it would wait until the next day.

Kathleen Y’Barbo is new to me, although she is a prolific writer. This won’t be the last of her work that I read.

Hollywood Nobody—A Review

Hollywood Nobody by Lisa Samson

The first installment of a new series for Samson.

Fifteen year old Scotty Dawn is on the road with her rock-star resembling mother, hanging out on the sets of Indie films. She dresses in chic thrift store finds and has a lot of freedom and more than a few questions. Scotty Dawn and her mother, Charley, travel in an old RV she calls the Y. She meets famous people on a regular basis, but is more excited about the senior citizen RV-ers she meets at campsites along the highways en route to the next movie. Well there might be one up-and-coming young actor she is a little excited about…

Apparently I have been off the deep end of the earth because I’d never read one of Lisa Samson’s books until I received it as part of an author’s blog tour I participated in. I have to say I liked it and will be reading the following episodes.

Hollywood Nobody is tagged as a Young Adult read, a genre I enjoy on a regular basis. I can see that this story with many current culture references will grab young readers. I would recommend this for the fourteen and over crowd. Lots of dating and relationship references, although there are plenty of solid adults surrounding Scotty’s life to offset her offbeat mother and the teen angst. This is obviously a Christian book, and Samson is weaving it in a gentle and appealing fashion.

Hollywood Nobody, a fun, fast read.