SWAN PLACE

I love to read Southern Fiction Books 'Coming of Age', that read in the first person (as if the main character were present). I especially enjoyed 'Swan Place', because it reminded me of growing up and taking care of children.

The main character is a l4 year old young girl named Dove, she lives in Georgia with her 'Honky Tonk' mom and siblings. Her mom works at the beauty-shop adjacent to her home, and she enjoys going 'dancing' with her husband. Dove loves taking care of her little brother & sister. They live next door to Savanah a young girl who becomes Dove's best friend. Savanah is the granddaughter of Meme, a Southern Black lady who loves her neighbors. Dove's mom is sick and dies on Easter morning, and her Aunt Bett takes care of them.
A caring teacher encourages Dove to begins writing stories about her life in note-journals.


Her step-dad remarries a young girl, then he dies in an auto accident. Dove's mom's 1st husband threatens to take the kids away, so they have to move. Her loving neighbor Meme sends them to her relative 'Buzzard', to 'SWAN PLACE' to live. Buzzard the care-taker of their beautiful new home reminds me of 'Medea', she tough yet loving.

Dove's new life with Crystal and her siblings is wonderful, they have gorgeous rooms, state of the art kitchen, and beautiful new clothe and a nice sitting-library room for the children to play in and them to relax & enjoy. Everyone is town was curious about the 'SWAN'S-new grand niece' Dove.

At her new school Dove's introduced to two young girls her age, one is really nice and the other is very nosy.
Crystal gets a job at a salon and is expecting a baby. Buzzard's 'Circle of Jesus'-church ladies, 'sister all- forgiven' and 'sister feed-my sheep', prayed during the baby's birth. Crystal has the baby blues and leaves the baby with Dove.

Dove thanks Buzzard for all her help and calls Aunt Bett. Her family can safely go home, yet Buzzard will be lonely, again. A secret revealed: The Swan's an elderly couple had passed away and gave Buzzard the home and money for a lifetime. Dove recieves a letter from her best friend Savanah and loving Meme decides to send Savanagh to live and care for Buzzard in her old age

ENJOY & REMEMBER: When you walk through a Valley of Weeping, it will become a Place of Springs where pools of Blessings and Refreshment collect after rain. Psalm 84:6....

First Words

Yesterday while Blackie our friendly neighborly cat was visiting, I told him to 'lay down' upon which he promptly responded. I was surprised because this is all new to me. He usually goes 'outside' and 'eats' on request, two commands I'm sure he learned at home. Blackie's owners work during the day, so he spends afternoons with us. He is becoming much more comfortable on his sofa blanket, yet he always checks the open door. I got treats from Valley grocery and he's eating out of my hands. You know what they say, 'Don't bite the hand that feeds you'... We really enjoy this precious pet and his timely visits. Because Blackie visits only on occasion it doesn't, Thank God, affect my asthma.

Enjoy & Remember: IN GOD'S HAND IS THE LIFE OF EVERY CREATURE AND THE BREATH OF ALL MANKIND...JOB 12:10

Enjoying our Sunny Front Porch

I hear the wind among the trees

Playing the celestial symphonies;

I see the branches downward bent,

Like keys of some great instrument.

By:Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Enjoy & Remember: Put you Hope in God...Psalm 42:5

Home

There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort.

By: Jane Austen

I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therefore to be content...Philipians 4:11

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A Room with a View

The Kiss of the Sun for Pardon,

The Song of Bird for mirth,

One is nearer to God's heart in a Garden

Than any where else on earth

Our neighbors have returned for the Spring/Summer season. We so enjoy the view from our kitchen window. The Gazebo is beautiful and the garden is well maintained. Every time I look outside, I see new flowers. Today I saw a huge pathos like bush. They have calla-lillies, too. When the English shepherd dog and his mate and baby come out to play, it's a sign they've arrived. Andy and I enjoy watching the dogs play, they are so cute. On a sunny day it's really a pleasure to watch the birds in the bird bath flittering and singing for joy. We really love this pretty site.

Enjoy & Remember: Thou O'Lord God has put Gladness in my Heart...Psalm 4:7

I'll be somewhere waiting...

One Sunday morning while worshiping our Lord God in Spirit and in Truth, Andy chose a song of praise,'I'll be somewhere waiting', that I fondly remembered singing in Groton,Ct. years ago. It really touched my heart because it's so deep and meaningful. To think that we'll all be somewhere on this beautiful spinning earth, when Christ returns is awesome.

I had a dream with lady, and she mentioned this painting. She seemed to be in my family, sister, maybe. I reminded her of the door knob being on the inside of our hearts and she agreed, that we need an open obedient and trusting heart; mind; body; soul & spirit...

The above caring & sharing may be a similar trusting conversation we may have with Christ in prayers. Just like the painting depicts have an open heart...Remembering Christ promises 'I will be with you always even till the end of time'...

And when he does return as awesome as it may seem, we can joyfully say in our hearts & minds & soul...I'll be somewhere waiting & listening for my name....

Enjoy & Remember: Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the Heart...1 Samuel 16:7

Credit: Christ patience & love for us all...

Go for the Gold

Baltimore's Best goes for the Gold.

Olympic gold winner Michael Phelps, shown here after receiving one of his gold medals for winning in swimming. He looks so proud and so is America proud of one of our own.
When the red ribbon was placed around his neck,  Mark was looking for his mom and she stood up, waving at him. A proud moment for both to share. Even at the center stage, he still looked up to his mom.

This young man practiced his way out of adversity to stand tall and proud, a handsome sight for all to behold. He is a good example of not letting any handicap stand in our way. Mark's mother said his swimming helped him to focus and calm down. The buoyancy of the water being a different environment, I believe, helped him be in control of his body and set the purpose and speed toward his goal.

Remember: Enjoy the race and go for the greatest goal - In Christ...

Philippians 2:13 - "For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose"...

Credit: ABC news media

Chateau de La Mer-Cottage by the Sea

"Make yourselves nets of pleasant thoughts, bright fancies, faithful sayings; 

 treasure-cottages of  precious and restful thoughts, which cannot disturb or poverty take away from you, cottages made without hands for your souls to live in. "  John Ruskin

Hebrews 10:35 - So do not throw away your confidence: It will be richly rewarded...

My Birthday-Mi Cumpleano

This year my birthday was on Sunday, August 10th. I love Sunday, it's my favorite day of the week, so I call it 'Domingo Dia de Dios'.

I chose a Hawaiian theme, my outfit had the cool colors of robin blue with lime green. Andy bought me my favorite perfume 'Heaven Scent' and much needed files for for my scrap-booking visuals.
We had a nice French toast brunch and Rebekah, Joe & the boys gave me a beautiful gift. Looking inside the gift bag, I saw a large ceramic angel resting with a wing spread over a dish, a bird feeder for our front porch, how wonderful.

Andy joined us for a quiet restful afternoon and the boys baked me chocolate cupcakes with vanilla frosting. They had different color sparkles, so cute and delicious, we took some home for breakfast the next day. I enjoyed the day with my wonderful family, they always make every occasion so special.

Remember & Enjoy: 'Domingo Dias de Dios' with special family celebrations...

From: Our 'heaven-scented' Front Porch to yours...Ana & Andy.

Credit: God for our precious family...
Your love gives me great joy & encouragement.Philemon 7

Congratulations Joey!

Sunday was a busy & lengthy 'Lord's Day'. I began my long distance walk 2.5 miles to our son's house for worship. The walk was purposeful in that, at the half-way point, a library book was returned. The weather was cool & breezy, a few joggers and bike riders were out, passing and waving. With my headphones on, while listening to classical music, I passed beautiful gardens, homes being restored, I turned left at our local 'Wild-cat' high school.
The road led to the fair-grounds, a scene out of a Country magazine: Palomino horses in barns, black-eyed susans, and an old red barn. I continued on toward Navy-housing and saw a large sign reading 'Antiques for sale', I hope to return with Andy to check it out. Finally got to Joe's for bible-class and worship. Met a new brother-in-Christ (Joe's age) a carpenter from Ohio, he joined us for brunch with the family.
Then Uncle Scott said,"I didn't know there was a fair in town?, lets go!" Everyone joined in the fun. We 'walked' back the 1/2 mile up the road to the fair-grounds. Davey led the way to the showcase display where Joey's award winning cookies were displayed. Yes, Congratulations Joey!, on winning second place with your chocolate-walnut and plain pastel cookies. Davey led me to see their neighbor John's display of a mallard duck. Davey loves mallard ducks, they're his favorite. We met up with Uncle Scott and Aunt Angie and the kids and continued on.
Uncle Scott won a large purple & yellow basketball for cousin Wesley, he also won a small dog for Jasmine. Courtney Anne, Joe and I walked through and viewed the art gallery, really nice submissions. Jasmine and Wesley got on the Carousel.
We all joined Aunt Angie and visited the Nature-Flower display; the kids were given butterflies to set free. Last, we got curly fries and water, after hugs & kisses, we 'walked' home. All in all, it was a beautiful day, thank you, Lord.

Enjoy: Country walks, Brunch with family & County fairs...

Remember: You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out. Deut 28:6.

Credit: Uncle Scott for saying, "Let's go!"...

Bernie & Vanessa

We heard about Bernie Mac passing away from lung complications on Saturday, Aug.9th. We were both shocked and saddened.
Andy and I started watching his show a couple of month's ago and really enjoyed it. We read where he was sick throughout and had to get treatment between tapings.
He was such a great comedian- in the family show, with the children driving him crazy with all their antics. Bernie Mac was known to be a 'family-man' being married for 30 years. His show 'Bernie Mac' is on late, I'd sleep, then get up to watch it.
Our favorite part is when Bernie recaps with: 'America!, their doing me wrong'.
The next couple of nights, I couldn't make myself watch Bernie Mac.
One weekend afternoon, I saw a re-run show of a funeral. My first thought was that's weird-why now?, it continued, a family-gathering scene and he's hugging his wife.
Then comes the recap and his personal thoughts, I listened intently as Bernie admonishes the audience, reminding us to 'Pay your respects now', then I realized 'why'?, it wasn't so weird after all, it was Bernie's last word's to 'America'...

Enjoy good memories watching Bernie Mac's 'America' family show...

Remember:"Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted"...Jesus-Matthew 5.

Credit: Bernie Mac love for Venessa...

Strengthen Your Nets

I really like watching Diane Sawyer on ABC News' Good Morning America. One spring morning, I was enjoying the program, when I saw her speaking to a young, handsome, and articulate college science professor: Randy Pausch (co-founder of software named 'Alice'), from 'Carnegie Mellon University' in Pittsburgh (Andy's sister's alma-mater).

I raised the volume as the interview proceeded, I listened carefully. His inspirational speech was: The Last Lecture-'Really achieving your childhood dreams'. He spoke with such candor and enthusiasm, I was spell-bound. In the overhead projector, he showed pictures of special moments with his family. I especially remember his quotes, one stays with me: 'Strengthen your nets', as he spoke of an abundant family life. He also spoke of life being too short to be an 'Eyore' ("Winnie- the-pooh" depressed character), also mentioning having a stuffed animal around to hug on occasions, (things we've forgotten, yet still need:'Hugs').

He shared his personal journey through pancreatic cancer by doing push-ups on the stage saying, if anyone felt sorry for him to come up and do a few of those. Known as a brilliant & fun teacher, his students loved the challenges of doing research at his computer-science class. He entertained professors and students alike with thought- provoking lectures on time management; touted a genius in leading, convincing, and showing, by example, through his work and efforts. Randy lavished affection and care on his students, as well on his nieces and nephews, and last, but not least, his wife and three children.

Randy spent 'special vacation times' with each child & video-taped their wonderful times together; of his baby girl-he said, "I want her to know I was the first man to fall in love with her", be still my heart. Randy: "I am attempting to put myself in a bottle that will one day wash up on the beach for my children", this lecture was meant as a road map for his children.

ABC declared Randy Pausch one of it's three 'Persons of the year for 2007', also his #1 'Best seller-Book' is titled & based on 'The Last Lecture'. In his last lecture Pausch said, "Like Moses, I get to see the Promised Land, but I don't get to set foot on it. That's okay. I will live on in Alice". Randy: "The best way to teach somebody something," Pausch explained, "is to have them think they are learning something else. With Alice, students concentrate on making movies and games, but they are also learning to program."

Carnegie Mellon makes downloads of the "Alice" software for free at www.alice.org. I hope Diane Sawyer gets an award for this poignant and well-written true life story.

Enjoy: Strengthening your family nets...

From: Our 'Encouraged' Front Porch...Ana & Andy.

Credit: Christ...Luke 5:4-"Put out into deep waters, and let down your nets".

A Harvest of Blessings/ A Milestone in Words

Recently, "Our Front Porch" passed a milestone of sorts; actually a milestone in words. I just noticed the event several days ago, but it didn't really hit me until I was reviewing some of our latest posts. Our blog has passed the "100" posts mark! Now, I know that this occasion isn't going to set off any fireworks display or start the blogging world abuzz, but, for me this is exciting. Why? Well, for me, it confirms that we are working on something that is truly worthwhile for ourselves, at least, if no one else. We work on "Our Front Porch" when we could be doing something less demanding, less time-consuming, with much less attention-to-detail. My dear wife, Ana, has been doing the posting for quite some time, now. When she started, I think she was very unsure about the whole concept of blogging, let alone trying to compose a post and I wasn't much help, having just started the process myself, about one week before. So word by word, sentence by sentence, idea by idea, we worked on "Our Front Porch" together and now, Ana sits down whenever she has some ideas and some time to spare and she weaves together one or two posts all by herself, in less time than it takes me to come up with one idea. I do have to take some credit for coming up with the title and setting up the blog before even telling Ana what I was planning. Then after writing several posts, I showed her the blog to see what she thought. From her reaction, I believe, she was both surprised and pleased, because she has become "the little blogger who could" and I couldn't be happier for her! As for me, I'm content to work in the background, doing whatever is needed: editing, offering suggestions, etc. I gladly let Ana "run the show", because she pours herself into every post from reading, to research, to artwork and composition,(did I miss anything?) she is the "heart and soul" of "Our Front Porch", because she has dedicated it to God and He, in return, has blessed her efforts. "True efforts bear fruit". From Andy to my Ana, con mucho amor y muchas gracias.

Pan Italiano

Whenever I pass a bakery, I think of my father. Being of Italian descent, his father was a merchant marine from, we've been told, Milan (or Sicily); our breakfast staple was 'Pan Italiano'-Italian bread.

Early in the morning my father and I would go to the Italian bakery across the street and buy a loaf from the 'fresh batch'. My mother wouldn't sip a cup of cafe without a slice of 'fresh bread'. My dad and I would hurry home, laughing, just thinking of her tapping her foot till we got there. My sisters would be sleeping, missing out on all the fun.

Always, beginning with breakfast, food was a special time with my dad. On Saturdays, I'd help him prepare a delicious veggie-filled tortilla-'omelet'. The Italian bread would be sliced, buttered with garlic and filled with thin slices of cheddar cheese and 'Genoa salami', my favorite choice, a reward for helping him.

To this day, I love 'Pan Italiano' whenever there is a feast, it brings wonderful memories of Saturday mornings with my Italian father. As, in the background, Caruso sang: 'Oh mi papa, so sweet and so dependable'...

And the story continued...the Italian baker's son was in love with my oldest sister, Carmen; every morning he'd sing 'Volare' to her. My mom said, 'Imagine, if you'd marry him, you would never be hungry'.

Remember: Enjoy your food with good memories...and listen to your mother and make your father proud...(Mangia!)

From: Our 'Italian' Front Porch...Ana & Andy.

Credit: God, sustainer of life and giver of good food.

Help Wanted...

I'm really trying to eat right. I lost one pound and gained a lot more this past week.

My friends are the best examples of how to keep on keeping on. I spoke to a cheerful mentor and was advised to walk away the weight. I enjoy garden walking to the library, while listening to classical music.

Replacing treats with sliced oranges takes care of thirst for sweets. Having brunch combines two meals into one. I'm also using avocado dip on pita bread with sliced turkey, a refreshing light lunch. And I'm trying a drop of lemon with (watered down) cranberry juice, real tangy.

As you can see, my weakness is at night. When I was a child, my dad worked nights and I shared a midnight snack with him. Old habits die hard. Every night, I find my face in the fridge. Our meals are mostly non-meat staples and veggies, I hope to keep them that way. I just need to replace the snacks, I've tried raisins; pistachio & honey nuts; and some summer nights, I enjoy cereal instead of a hot meal.

Well, I have to keep on keeping on. I met a lady at a retreat, she journaled scriptures on: 'Eating' and encouraged herself to lose weight.

Remember: Enjoy your meals while memorizing & picturing these scriptures:

Proverbs 30:8-Feed me with food convenient for me...
Proverbs 6:8- Consider the ant- it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. (Save food for the fall)...
Proverbs 15:17- Better a meal of vegetables with love than meat with hatred...
Proverbs 17:1- Better a dry crust with peace and quiet, than a full house of feasting with strife...
Proverbs 21:20- In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but the foolish devours all he or she has...(use olive oil in meals)...

From: Our 'thankful' Front Porch...Ana & Andy.

Credit: Wisdom from God's Word.

Como aqua para chocolate...

Like water for chocolate. My mom used to say, "Estoy como aqua para chocolate". I asked my Mexican friend what it meant, and she said to the 'boiling point'. The water is heated to the boiling point and a dark chocolate bar is shredded into it. So it means, 'I'm to the boiling point'. There's a beautiful Mexican movie based on the book,"Like water for chocolate", it's about a girl born on the kitchen table, among all the vegetables, herbs & spices and how her cooking reflects her life. I thought it was deep and poignant, because in the Spanish culture 'meals'(not recipes) reflect our lives. I enjoy placing a touch of chocolate in my 'Arkansas Coffee'. It all began when Joey was born in Arkansas, the kids introduced me to coffee with chocolate. It's so good, try it once and your hooked. Buen Provecho! 'To your health'.

Remember: Enjoy a nice cup of coffee with a chocolate 'touch'.

From: Our 'tasty' Front Porch...Ana & Andy.

Credit: Art Nouveau 2009 Calendars...