Happy Cinco de Mayo!

 

The title has nothing to do with this entry.  We just recognized it, gave a sigh thinking about our favorite Mexican restaurants, and then didn't even eat Mexican food!  I can make some really good pico de gallo, green salsa, and anything else that doesn't require corn tortillas....they are sadly lacking, although once in a great while we can find a decent corn chip.

It took me a couple of hours this morning to read and answer each class member's assignments, to grade them and to enter them into a different program. I also have an hour ahead of me tonight. I am just happy that I don't have 40 in the class. I really don't mind doing all of this. I am learning, and I love the idea that I am working with a group from all over Europe and Africa. But it is taking so much time now, and it seems like we have more to do with mission work than ever, so I feel a little torn. If push comes to shove, we are here for the mission and the young adults, and they will have to come first.

We drove down to Newbury today. It is about a half hour south of Oxford. The drive was magnificent.  Somewhere there my great grandmother was born. It is a large city now, and I can't imagine there is anything remaining from the time that she was born. Although there are plenty of old old old buildings, including the castle used in the filming of Downton Abbey. 

All of these pictures were taken within two hours of each other. We passed through heavy rainstorms, hail, and brilliant sunlight as we drove through sleepy little villages and quiet  towns.  The small ones are just a few homes built by the side of the road, like Orderville, Utah.







We pulled off the road in a lovely wooded spot and just walked through the forest.  It was magnificent.  The wild bluebells are dying, but I've seen pictures on Facebook of entire fields of them.  Those places are even listed on the National Register, as places to see just for the sake of the bluebells.  SK of course loves them because they are closely related to the color purple.







Obviously this was an interloper, and it is called a yellow archangel.  There are so many beautiful wildflowers everywhere.


We made a quick stop in Costco.  They still don't have the famous Costco corn chips.  We have purchased them many times here, but they haven't had them for nearly two months.

Back home, I worked on the Pathway a little more.  We had Zoom Institute tonight for our young adults....we are starting on "Women in the Scriptures" as a course of study.  It was excellent this evening.

Dave and Deb were featured in a podcast speaking about their mission during COVID and other challenges.  It was an excellent 28-minute podcast.

https://www.thechurchnews.com/podcast/2021-05-04/episode-29-president-sister-checketts-sheri-dew-missionary-work-212390

Comments

Erin said…
Those pictures are all just absolutely charming! And I am jealous you are both wearing your coats. I think it hit 100 here today.

We had a youth activity at my house with close to 30 youth. We had a supreme nachos. They all seemed to have a great time!

The pathway program sounds so time consuming but I’m sure the rewards are worth the time.

3 of my friends all saw the podcast posted yesterday and texted me about it. It was wonderful to listen to. I cried a few times from the experiences they shared. I’m so glad I got to hear a small part of their experiences.
May 5, 2021 at 11:31 PM
melissa said…
Those pictures!!!! 🥰
May 9, 2021 at 4:53 PM
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