Day 12 - A picture of someone you miss.

Dad and Momma :)

Taken in December 2009 at Pizza Hut in London :)

Day 11 - Another picture of you and your friends.

Cardiff Castle

Vali, myself, & Cee

New England foliage

I was able to visit some friends who live in New England.  The leaves were gorgeous.  I believe I made the trip at the perfect time.  Leaves only just started to fall this weekend, so most were still there to be admired.  I love the colours!  These pictures were taken near the town of Mystic, Connecticut.

Day 10 - A picture of the person who has gotten you through the most.

I'm blessed by people who have gotten me through a lot.  Community is very important to me and they are such a blessing.  I'm so thankful for my family.

A quick trip to the Farm

I had to make a quick trip down to the 'boro today.  I love watching these little guys skip around the pasture.  When I went over to their fence. they became rather curious.  Too cute :)

Day 08 - A picture of your favorite memory.

One of many great memories.  I took this from a boat on the Zambezi River in March 2007.

Day 07 - A picture of your favorite band or artist.

I skipped Day 6.  I don't have a favorite superhero!  I actually don't really know superheroes....

Celtic Woman.  Amazing!  I love listening to them sing The First Noel, O Holy Night, & You Raise Me Up.

Day 05 - A picture of somewhere you’ve been

Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos Islands

Day 04 - A picture of a habit that you wish you didn’t have.

I love to read but I have developed a very bad habit of creating a stack of books to read that I never actually finish reading!

Day 03 - A picture of you and your friends.

Boston Common: August 2010

Day 02 - A picture of the cast from your favorite show.

I love Bones.  Temperance Brennan is a forensic anthropologist.  It's the only crime solving show that I absolutely love to watch.

Day 01 - A recent picture of you and 15 interesting facts about yourself.

1. I have no interest in medicine but would love to study human musculature.
2. I'd love to go on an archaeological dig, preferably in the Middle East.
3. I love Zumba!
4. I've been a vegetarian for almost six years.
5. I'm starting to love cooking but I have to be in the right mood!
6. Canoeing on the Zambezi River was one of my favorite family vacations.
7. I'm a licensed Minister in my denomination.
8. I spent Valentine's Day of 2007 in three different countries and, due to flying across the International Date Line, it was a 34 hour Valentine's Day.
9. My childhood home didn't have a telephone.
10. Dancing makes me feel alive.  I'm not the greatest, but it's so much fun!
11. Sweet Potatoes are an amazing meal.  Roasted over a fire, nothing added, and it's pure yumminess.
12. I love Lindt Chili and Chocolate.  
13. I have yet to read about a place I wouldn't want to visit if given the means.
14. I'd love to learn French while living in France.
15. I hate butter.  

Day.

I saw this on another blog and decided I'd try it :)  I'll change it a bit I'm sure, but I like that the list uses a lot of pictures :D  Look out for a few more posts than you are used to from me!  

Day 01 - A recent picture of you and 15 interesting facts about yourself.
Day 02 - A picture of the cast from your favorite show.
Day 03 - A picture of you and your friends.
Day 04 - A picture of a habit that you wish you didn’t have.
Day 05 - A picture of somewhere you’ve been to.
Day 06 - A picture of your favorite super hero and why.
Day 07 - A picture of your favorite band or artist.
Day 08 - A picture of your favorite memory.
Day 09 - A picture of something you’re proud of in the past few days.
Day 10 - A picture of the person who has gotten you through the most.
Day 11 - Another picture of you and your friends.
Day 12 - A picture of someone you miss.
Day 13 - A picture of somewhere you’d love to travel.
Day 14 - A picture of Someone you admire.
Day 15 - A picture of a movie you can watch over and over again.
Day 16 - A picture of a hobby you once had.
Day 17 - A picture of something weird/different you do on a regular basis.
Day 18 - A picture of Plans/dreams/goals you have.
Day 19 - A picture of home.
Day 20 - A picture of something that calms you down.
Day 21 - A picture of something that makes you happy.
Day 22 - A picture of what makes you different from everyone else.
Day 23 - A picture of your room.
Day 24 - A picture of your favorite book.
Day 25 - A picture of what I would find in your bag.
Day 26 - A picture of something you hate.
Day 27 - A picture of something you love.
Day 28 - A picture of you last year and now, how have you changed since then?
Day 29 - A picture of you when you were little.
Day 30 - Another picture of yourself

Ma'loula

I've been studying the Lord's Prayer for a class I'm taking on the Synoptic Gospels.  As I've been reading and rereading the prayer, I remembered a story....I spent a semester in the Middle East.  For a day trip, we went to the town of Ma’loula.  Ma’loula is one of three towns in Syria where Aramaic is still spoken.  


One historical site in Ma'loula is the Convent of St. Taqla.  St. Taqla has an interesting story.  She was the daughter of a Selucid prince who is was believed to have studied under St. Paul.  Her father sent soldiers to capture her and force her to surrender her faith or execute her but she ran from them.  Taqla ended up trapped against a rock face of the mountains of Qallamoun.  Knowing the soldiers were not far behind, she prayed to God to be saved from them.  The rocks split, allowing her to escape to a small cave high in the mountains.  When approaching the convent, there is a narrow path split between the rocks to reach the top of the cliffs.  I've read that Ma'loula means "entrance" in Aramaic.  


The reason I mention this is because of a special memory from Ma’loula, which connects to my study of the Lord's Prayer. We arrived at the beautiful sanctuary on a freezing cold night in November and found our way into the sanctuary of the church.  I loved the rough stone walls, the slightly damp smell of earth, the silence, and the realization of being in a place where hundreds of believers have offered prayers across centuries.   As we stood there, we were able to listen to a Syrian Melkite (Christian) priest recite the Lord’s Prayer in Aramaic. 
 Listen to a similar recitation here, thanks toYouTube

Roz bel Laban

Last night, I had that nagging feeling of being hungry for something, but not quite sure what I was hungry for....I finally decided it was roz bel laban, literally "rice with milk" or rice pudding, which was a frequent dessert of mine while living in Cairo for a semester.  As is often the case, I had not made it myself and wasn't sure it would turn out, but it did :)  

If you want to try it, here's a recipe.  Nice and easy :)

Roz Bel Laban ( Rice Pudding)

Ingredients: 

1/2 cup white rice


1 cups water


1 1/2 cups milk


1/2 cup sugar (adjust to desired sweetness)


1 1/2 t orange blossom water (I just use vanilla in place of the orange blossom water)

Rinse the rice and place it in a saucepan with water.

Cover and simmer over medium heat for 15-20 minutes.

Add milk, stirring constantly.

When it begins to thicken, add sugar and orange blossom water.

Continue stirring constantly until rice is soft or well done.

Remove from heat and pour into individual bowls.

Cool and serve.  (I love to sprinkle cinnamon on top just before serving)

Enjoy :)

Memories with a cup of coffee

I love Starbucks.  Friends and acquaintances give me a rough time of it, citing a litany of predictable reasons of high prices, snobbery, politics, and corporations. But I enjoy it.  One benefit of a world wide company is the consistency it offers.  Right now, I’m sitting in a Starbucks in Philadelphia, sipping my blissfully sweet, hot caramel latte.  The slogan on the door advertises “Take comfort in rituals.”  And that’s exactly what I’m doing.  Starbucks as become part of my ritual. 

The first time I was in a Starbucks?  Beirut, Lebanon.  I didn’t even drink coffee at that point, but November in Beirut was rainy and wet and I warmed up each night with a hot chocolate from Starbucks.  It made for a great supper with a cheese filled crepe from a street vender. 

My second regular encounter with Starbucks?  Airports.  London, Frankfurt, Los Angeles, Johannesburg, Seattle, Chicago, and Bangkok…You name it, and it was Starbucks. 

I moved onto Colorado for a training program.  On the way to church on cold mornings, guess where my friends and I stopped?  Yep, Starbucks.  Caramel Apple Cider, nice and hot.  It warmed me up and woke me up.

Next location I lived: Beijing.  By this point I drank some coffee, but also lots of green tea and hot chai.  I was in China, after all. 

After a month back at my childhood home in Africa, far away from any coffee shops offering free Wi-Fi, my sister met me at baggage claim at Dulles with a hot caramel latte.  I have a very good sister. 

Now I live in London.  I read once that when you stand on Oxford Street in Central London, there are 155 Starbucks coffee shops within 5 miles of you.  155.  (No, I have not been to them all!)  My friends in London know that if we meet for coffee, I will likely suggest a Starbucks.  It might be on Portobello Road, Notting Hill, Oxford Street, High Street Kensington, or West Hampstead, but it still offers my sweet Caramel Latte.

I’ve also had Starbucks in the Louvre in Paris, ordered it as Esperanza in Madrid, and if I ever it make to my dream cities of Prague, Istanbul, and Venice, then yes, I’ll probably stop at a Starbucks at least once.  

I enjoy the small little coffee shops as well.  I patronize them quite frequently due to my constant chill in cold English winters or damp English springs.   But that doesn’t stop from me from enjoying Starbucks.  I live my life with my family on three continents, my friends on six continents, my belongings mostly packed away in storage, and my memories are very dear to me.  Stepping into a Starbucks in Philadelphia can remind me of those rainy nights on Hamra Street in Beirut or Thanksgiving in Madrid.  I feel at home when I sit down with my laptop, journal, or book.  Those memories are precious to me.  Perhaps I enjoy them as much as the coffee I sip.  But regardless, I’m at Starbucks.  

Birthday girl ;)

My sister's birthday is today!  Yesterday I was able to (partially) surprise her at work with roses from my parents and I.  They were gorgeous and so is she :)

This delay on my visa is not what I want, but it has allowed me to spend a special day with  my sister.  And that is something to always be appreciated.

Research Days

Thank goodness my sister lives close to a fantastic library.  It has meant that while I'm here in the USA, I can continue research!  Here's a little glimpse of where I'm doing my work today  :)

Today my task is looking through 32 years of issues of magazines to begin to verify and reference facts in the museum tour we do in London.  This might take more than just today!

Countries Visited :)

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I love to travel :)  According to this map, I've been to 26 countries and the list won't stop there, I'm sure.  And by the way, I only count countries where I left the airport...layovers don't count :)

A little update on the Birthday List

Goodness, there has been a lot going on and not enough at the same time.  I'm still waiting on the powers that be for my return to London.  It's been good to be here in the USA but I'm missing London.  It's hard to keep waiting and waiting, keeping life on hold indefinitely.  Today I realized that my sister's birthday is coming up and that reminded me of our birthday lists developed this time last year.  Since it's Joy's birthday, that means I'm halfway through the year I have to accomplish my list.  Time for a little evaluation :)  I didn't even remember all of my goals, to be honest!

1. go to Ikea... in Sweden....hasn't happened yet!  A lot of my travel plans will have to be adjusted after being here in the USA for so long...
2. Hillsong concert 
3. participate in a bike race I'm thinking this one might be eliminated...
4. lead the British Museum tour entirely on my own I have one scheduled for when a friend visits in January
5. visit Giant's Causeway in both Ireland and Scotland again, the visa thing....
6. live a month as a non-vegetarian! (That was Joy) whether I like it or not, that is in the process of happening!  It is hard to be a vegetarian when I spend so much time visiting others and eating in homes.  I never want to offend people and not be able to eat what is prepared for me.  As a result, I sometimes just go ahead and eat whatever meat is there as well. 
7. visit the Vatican again, the visa...
8. read a book by Kipling I have a copy of The Jungle Book to start reading soon...I've only ever seen the Disney version so I suppose I should read the original work!
9. memorize a poem working on it :)
10. eat a curry on Brick Lane DONE!  And it was amazing....
11. walk down Abbey Road DONE!  I lived the last six months in London in a neighborhood close to Abbey Road and have spent a fair amount of time catching buses in the area!
12. go to a ballet
13. visit 5 new museums DONE!  My family visited London and I think we went to a million museums!
14. go to the Opera! 
15. have a picnic DONE! Picnics in Hyde Park 
16. do a photo shoot DONE!  Cape Cod and the lovely beach made a good backdrop
17. grow your hair long again DONE!  
18. get it cut by a French hairdresser Now I'm not sure I want to cut it....
19. pick a favorite book set in London, and visit all the spots mentioned...haha...if I get back to London!
20. go to Prague again with the visa...
21. if possible, go to a Keith Urban concert in London!  I don't think he's in London anytime soon...
22. buy a pair of Italian shoes
23. get a henna tattoo DONE thanks to Hepsi :)
24. ride a vespa Almost did, but plans changed
25. tour a chocolate factory in Switzerland :) Someday....
26. continue school!  DONE!  I'm currently taking my second and third courses of the year, one on Synoptic Gospels and one on Discipleship, following my summer course on the Pentateuch.

Well, I've completed or am in process of completing 13 out of 26, with a few that may be impossible for year 26.  Sort of halfway, but we shall see what the next six months holds!  If you have ideas for a few replacements, let me know ;)

The Bush Baby has become a City Girl

Not entirely.  But considering I grew up in the African Bush, I think it's funny that I enjoy living in the city.  A while ago I was in the car with a friend as we (accidentally) drove through New York City.  I thought the skyline was really pretty...

The Storm

On Sunday, I attended a church called highrock.  A friend heard good things about it, so we went to visit.  I felt at home with their great mix of ages and nationalities and a blend of ritual and personal elements to the service.

The pastor, Dave, spoke on the Sermon on the Mount, which they have apparently been preaching on for quite some time.  This week the reading was Matthew 7:24-27. Jesus told his disciples a parable about building a house on a rock, rather than a house on the sand.

He also spoke about trusting God during the storms.  The pastor made two comments that I jotted down quickly, comments which were great reminders to me.  In regards to the man who built his house on the rock, Jesus said: "The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had it's foundation on the rock."  Pastor Dave made a careful clarification for the congregation: 

"God is not offering us protection from the storm.  He is offering us protection in the storm."

At a later point in the sermon, Pastor Dave spoke further on God's provision.  As I was thinking about his words, I realized that so often I want God to give me a proof that He will provide for me in the future.  Mulling over Pastor Dave's words has been good for me in the past  two days.  I've begun to realize, perhaps I need to just remember the consistency of God.  He has provided in the past, and I have no reason to doubt that He would change.

"Trust God will provide because He always has."

Nantucket!

I've been able to take a few days of personal time to enjoy the summertime and to rest!  I went to Nantucket with L and it was gorgeous!  I love the water and the sunshine and the boats and the clouds and .... yep, it was a perfect day!

Summer cleans, holidays, and sunshine

I've been spending the last week with family at Red Barn Farm.  It was so much fun to celebrate the 4th of July in the USA :)  I have also been here for the summer clean :)  I was wildly impressed by my uncle and cousin, who had a vacuum on the roof to clean the gutters!  No spot of dirt escapes these folks!

      

It has been relaxing to be here at the farm.  The dogs are such entertainment (all four of them!), Whitey and Maple (baby calves) are cute, and the family time has been the best, although not everyone has been here.  I've spend my mornings/afternoons working on some assignments for while I'm here in the USA, and the evenings have been for relaxing.  We celebrated the 4th with corn on the cob, cheesy potatoes, and burgers and zucchini on the grill.  I was even spoiled with a sun-dried tomato veggie burger!  Life is good.

Rainer Marie Rilke

I've turned into my dear grandfather.  I talk to everyone!  No one believes I'm shy anymore.  Lines at the store, on the train, planes....One of my more recent plane conversations was with a young guy named Saul.  He was also on his way to the UK, and we both got a little lost in the tiny Halifax airport.  We laughed at how we can negotiate five terminals at Heathrow no problem, but we got turned around in Halifax of all places.  To be fair, they don't have very good signage!  We were on the same flight to London and sat next to each other at the gate, waiting as our flight was delayed several times, until we were finally able to board at 12:30 a.m.

As we waited, Saul started reading a book of poetry by Rilke.  He shared this one with me, and I rather liked it:

She was almost a girl and forth she leaped

from this harmonious joy of song and lyre, 

shining through her springtime veils and clear, 

she made herself a bed in my ear.  And slept

in me.  Her sleep was everything.  The trees

that I had always loved so much, and these

palpable distances, the field I felt, 

and each amazement that to me befell.

She slept the world.  Ah, singing god, how have

you so perfected her, she did not crave 

to waken first?  She rose and fell asleep.

Where is her death?  Before your song is lost, 

can you not find this motif?  To what deeps

does she sink from me--where? ....A girl

almost.....

The bright side of visa problems

I'm a bit of a Pollyanna at times, and I will continue to be with my visa situation as well.  A definite bright spot was Friday morning, my best friend from childhood had her second child.  I had already been in London when her first son was born last March and didn't even see the baby until he was 5 months old.  This time, I was able to go the hospital and hold Colin James and see Amy.  It was a real treat, and I'm so thankful to have been here!  

Introducing Colin James to the world :)

DC Zoo

I used my day off to visit the DC Zoo.  I'm not really a fan of zoos (growing up seeing a lot of exotic animals in their natural habitat does that!), but it was such a fun day.  I love the the cuddly ones, but even some of the creepy crawlies were fun to photograph, as long as there was thick glass between us!    

Red Panda :) My favorite animal of the day!

Memorial Day

I don't consider myself to be much of a farm girl, but it was wonderful to be back at Red Barn Farm for Memorial Day.  I arrived back in the USA on Friday and Saturday, my grandparents collected me from my sister's and brought me to the family farm.  As much as I'm enjoying life in London, it felt good to come back to the vibrancy of Pennsylvania farmland.  

Within an hour of being back, my grandpap sent me off to the cherry tree with a challenge to pick more than I ate.  He knows me well!

Memorial Day, my sister and her husband came to the farm as well.  They proceeded to pick the entire tree!  

The end result: yummy yummy cherries for us all with plenty to share!