Sunday 10 June 2012

Jubilee celebrations

It must have been a bank holiday half term as the rain has not really let up much all week.  However, we have got some jobs done in the garden.  During a rare sunny patch I got out and took some pictures of the changes we are seeing in the garden, both man made and natural changes.

Baskets in bloom


The hanging baskets are looking really good and are set off by the new fence, which is almost completed.  We have added some planting at the bottom of the fence to grow up through the fence.

The vegetable patch is also blooming and as I described to a neighbour all that we are growing I realised how much we had managed to pack into our small patch.  Our first crop of radishes are really flourishing and are needing to be eaten to make room for the second crop which are now coming up.

First crop

We remembered to plant a second row of the mange tout and sugar snap peas as well and have added some runner beans into the mix.  The broad beans needed some support and we were glad we did this early in the week as the winds have really picked up this weekend .

Flourishing vegetable patch
With the rain curtailing most of our plans to get out in the garden this week, I have had time to spend in the kitchen.  Jacob and I made lemonade cakes, complete with fizzy lemon sweet decorations.  They were great and tasted quite fizzy.  I found the recipe in the Hummingbird Bakery Cake days cookbook, which has cakes for all seasons and celebrations.  It was my aim when I bought it to make a cake from each section, so this was from the Summer Teas selection.

Lemonade cupcakes
I also made a chocolate cake to take to friends to celebrate her son returning home from a college placement and graduating to a full fledge apprentice with Network Rail.  The cake is from the same book and is adapted from the cupcake requirements to a triple sandwich cake.  I made some of the frosting runnier so that it would spread around the outside of the cake and then piped a message on the top in white chocolate - glad he liked chocolate.


We celebrated the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, with hand crafted bunting and friends round for lunch.  We rang the bells at church before last week's Sunday service to coincide with the start of the flotilla. Josh, Jacob and I also rang before the Queen's service on Tuesday, which was being shown in church on the big screen.

Jubilee bunting

I led the family service at church today, which included a baptism.  The theme was looking at how we separate our lives between church and the outside world.  However, we discussed that God is in all of our lives, not just the bit on Sunday and we looked at how we can use the Ten Commandments in all parts of lives to check if we are living a committed life.

The minister used a power tool as an example to ensure that we don't make our hobbies an idol or buy items that exploit other people.  I explained, using my phone, that things that take us away from God can be turned around and used to honour God.  I know that I spend time on my phone playing farmville when I could be using my contact list as a prayer prompt, or down load an app to prompt my Bible study.

This week's Bible verse is from Proverbs, a wonderful source of insightful teaching:


The Lord is a mighty tower
where his people can run
    for safety
Proverbs 18:10


Our prayer as a family is that we will look at our lives and ensure that we are committed to Christ in all that we do and not just the bits on Sunday.  We prayer that the family who came for baptism will have taken the message home with them and will want to know more about why we believe Christ has a part to play in our whole lives.  We also pray for Josh as he has his braces fitted, that we will be sympathetic and understanding to his pain as he adjusts.

With God's blessing from my family to yours,

Jo x




No comments: