Pilgrim Festival at Pilgrim Place in Claremont

Today I volunteered with my friend Joyce at the Nature Frames booth at the annual Pilgrim Festival at Pilgrim Place. What a delightful event for all ages! After we walked around and looked at all the beautiful & tempting items for sale AND after we had a great hot dog lunch AND after we visited with a lot of people AND after we had a great chocolate chip cookie, we helped children put seeds & nuts & pods & evergreens pieces around their pictures mounted on sturdy pieces of cardboard. These treasures hang on many walls throughout Claremont and nearby communities. Many of the kids have already had their faces painted, so their pictures are beautiful and unique and capture a special moment in time. How lucky we are in Claremont to be able to have in our midst a residential community of retired pastors, missionaries, seminary professors, & people who've worked in the various nonprofit fields. They give so much to all of us and to the community. We are truly blessed.

My Denomination - The United Church of Christ

Butch and I are members of the Claremont United Church of Christ. We first joined the UCC in Lawrence, KS, at Plymouth Congregational Church. This denomination resonates with who we are as Christians in today's world. The United Church of Christ has a message for today. God is STILL speaking. If we listen, perhaps we will hear what God is saying.

Football - Love It & Can't Stand It!

Football is a sport that I love to watch both at the stadium and on TV. I've been watching since I was in grade school and the Lubbock High Westerners won the State Championship. The crowd, the cheerleaders, the bands, the stadium, the teams, the players - the ambiance of the whole day is so appealing. BUT, when a team I'm supporting loses, it's no darn fun! Texas! KU! It's not been a good year for Rose, the Rooter!

What's Your Favorite Dessert?

Cupcakes are THE dessert of the moment. And, that is totally understandable. A delicious cupcake is one to savor and enjoy. So many today are stuffed with all sorts of delectable fillings. What's your flavor favorite? How much chocolate do you want? Do you like peanut butter? What about carrot cake? Red velvet cupcakes are currently so popular. I love Ina Garten's recipes, so you can always check out a few of her cupcake recipes including this one for Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes at the Food Network site.

Claremont Heritage's Home Tour & Oh, Yes, The Border Grill Truck

Today Claremont Heritage held its Annual Home Tour. Were the homes fabulous & interesting? Yes! We're the artisans & crafts people showing their wares excellent? Yes! Were the workshops offered excellent? Yes! Was having the Border Grill truck there to offer food to folks coming to the event a superb idea? Yes! Were my tacos - Cilantro Chicken & Yucatan Pork - both with guacamole- fabulous? Did they live up to all the hype about the Border Grill and the talents of Mary Sue Milliken and fellow chef Susan Feniger? You betcha! Are we glad we went? Yes!

Lightning, Car Alarms, Thunder - All the "Fun Stuff"

Lately, Southern California has seen some amazing lightning storms with scattered rain - sometimes while the sun is brightly shining - and strong winds, with the accompanying debris on the streets, in the yards, and in the pools. When the storm cloud is directly overhead, the flash of the lightning and the crack of the thunder are right together. Car alarms just love that sort of thing. So do the lights that dim and then quickly return. So do young school students who cry and want their mommas (heard that directly from my daughter who teaches 1st grade). Then out come the rakes, out come the street sweepers, out come the pool skimmers, down go the pulse rates of those who dislike thunder and lightning, and then we can all smell the clean air and the "calm after the storm." Hmmmm. There must be some sort of comparison here that's been made many times. Yes, I guess there is for me. Is there for you?

The Budweiser Clydesdales

A highlight for me this year at the LA County Fair is the Budweiser Clydesdales. They are such spectacular horses and such an amazing sight. They participate each late afternoon in the parade around part of the Fairgrounds when the high school bands from different cities march as communities throughout the area are highlighted and people from each community are recognized. The parade features floats filled with people throwing strands of beads to the crowd (this is a big crowd favorite) and cars both old and new driven by their proud owners. The Fairgoers stop to watch the parade, catch a strand or two of the beads, and smile and wave at the parade participants. My family and I had a wonderful time riding in the parade last week and it was a treat to see all of the people along the parade route. It's a "good feeling" parade and a fun time for everyone.