When I was in Strasburg, I had the excitement of meeting a xanga friend face to face.  Do you remember this winter when I asked if any of you wanted to be penpals?  Well, Jess was one of the first to ask for my address so we could write “the old fashioned way”.  She is a sweet, Christian woman– married, with 3 little girls.

Anyway, since becoming penpals, I’ve read her blog and studied most of the pictures.  Therefore, it was quite wonderful to see the pictures come to life that day when she drove half and hour to meet us at the Hershey Farm and Inn in Strasburg, PA.  The kids and I were already outside looking at the animals when I turned and saw her walking toward us–so pretty–with a big gift basket for us, full of yummy baked goods and flowers.

I handed my camera to my “assistant photographer”–my 10 year old son, Jacob, so that Jess and I could walk and talk together.

August 10, 2007

“Yes’m old friends is always best,
‘less you can catch a new one
that’s fit to make an old one out of.”

Sarah Orne Jewett

Whew!  I just finished this pillow (that I started last night).  I am so excited, this is the first one I have ever made like this.  The “simplify” piece was cut out of one of my old shirts.  I had to look online to figure out how to do the ruffle.  I was a bundle of nerves as I was sewing around the final outside piece. . . .my hands were actually shaking as I turned it right-side-out–hoping for no major mistakes!  Please tell me that my next one will be more relaxing to put together. 

Now I gotta go get out of these pj’s. . . . . .

Wow, there are some really good comments left on my “solitude” blog.  Please go through and read them if you haven’t done so already.  Very good stuff there–thanks everyone!  I was truly inspired by all of you!

I still have some vacation highlights.  Today I want to share some pictures that I took of a really great shop that my mom and I went to in Strasburg, PA.  It was the perfect place to browse.

This is the front of the shop.  Love at first sight!

It was a feast for the eyes as there were lovely things to see everywhere.

sneakers laced with ribbon

chandeliers (by the way, the “chande” in chandeliers is exactly how you pronounce my name–Shanda–)

hats

handmade handbags

vintage dishes

handmade baby items like changing pads

Here I am, using a mirror to take my own picture.  Notice the belts, nail polish, powders.  They also had some cute skirts and tops.  I kept going back to the same awesome skirt but could not afford it. 

The jewelry was 1920’s and made me drool.

It seemed like pink and green was used everywhere.

I enjoyed looking through their vintage kitchen items.  The green of this cabinet appeals to me.  Notice the wreaths, the linens, the sparkling glass, candles.

I came away with a vintage cherry tablecloth and some cute stationary.  My mom bought me something but I don’t know what it is because she made me go away while she paid for it.  The saleswoman placed our purchases in a brown paper bag with their tag dangling from it and, for an added touch, they tied a small ribbon on the handle and stuffed the bag with tissue paper.

There are a couple old family photographs by the cash register–of 2 little girls–wonder if they were “lulu and tutz”?

I can imagine going back with a girlfriend.  This is the type of shop my husband would tolerate but not understand or appreciate. 

 Lulu and Tutz
11 W. Main Street
Strasburg, PA

What does solitude mean to you?

Why do you think it’s important to be alone sometimes?

Where do you go to spend time by yourself?

How do you feel after you have spent some time in solitude?

And when He had
sent the mulitudes away,
He went up into a
mountain apart to pray:
and when the evening
was come, He was
there alone.

Matthew 14:23

Just when I needed some encouragement:

This is a set of hand-made cherry napkins from my friend, Amanda.  She read on my site that I like cherries and she kept searching until she found this material–perfect for the cherry lover!  I was so surprised and so touched.  She even found a notecard to go with the gift!

I know for a fact that when we take the time to encourage one another it is very pleasing to God and I urge anyone who may read this to go ahead and do something for a “special someone” (child? husband? friend? stranger?).  Be on the look-out for ways to lift up others.  It’s so important.  People get tired and weary and an unexpected ray of sunshine may be just the thing they need to keep going.

By this shall all men know
that ye are my disciples,
if ye have love one to another.

John 13:35

“Mom, I have to go to the bathroom,” said Jacob.

I inwardly groaned.  It was hot and I had just gotten the kids a picnic lunch and was settling down with a magazine at the park.  There was a playground and I thought the kids would play for a bit while I read. 

“Jake, you’re going to have to go off down there to the woods and go,” I said.

Ethan went along, too.  I had to laugh at that.  They do everything together but a trip to the woods for a bathroom break was carrying things a little too far, I thought.  There was a big stream down there and  I wondered if they would notice.  A few minutes later they both came back running.

“MOM!  You’ve GOT to see this!”

And that is how we discovered the stream and how I gave up my “quiet time”.  We went down and the kids paddled around in it.  It was so much fun that few days later we went again and I took my camera.

It was beautiful down there.  Dark and cool with the sound of running water. 

I found this rock:  

It is covered in fossil markings and when we got home I put it in my garden.

The afternoon was all the more fun because the playground and stream are at the school grounds that Rich and I both went to as kids.  Seems like yesterday.

I am so incredibly thankful to God for such a lovely vacation.  Sure, I was weary at times of living out of the back of my vehicle (I discovered it was much easier to keep the luggage in there) and not sleeping in my own bed, but hey, those are small prices to pay for making memories. . . .

I believe I took about 300 pictures, most of which are blog-worthy (I think so, anyway!) so I plan on sharing vacation highlights all week long.   (Let’s see. . .what’s 300 divided by 7? okay, maybe I won’t post all of them!  LOL)

For now, here is a hodge-podge of photos to get the ball rolling:

(at the lake in NY, where we stayed for 4 days:)

(with Colleen antiquing in Greene, NY:) 

(at my Grandparent’s empty “for sale” farm house, my mom took the picture:)

(Shanda and Joanna together again for a wonderful but too-brief visit.  6 hours wasn’t long enough for us:)

(meeting a xanga friend -Jessica- face to face in Strasburg, PA:)

Thanks for your prayers for my family during this vacation.   I truly appreciate it!

Today we are “recovering”.   It’s nice to be home.   However, Grace is still in NY with her grandparents.  (Rich’s mom and stepdad).   I sure miss her — she’ll be back next Sunday.  Grace has two little aunts that are just about her age and they have horses for her to ride.  I am sure she will have the time of her life this week.

More tomorrow!