April 16th-25th

Rehearsing at Fred Arter's house for an upcoming gig.

One of my sweet new students

My favorite wild roses in bloom this week and getting to talk to Emily for a little bit on the walk where I saw them for the first time this season.

Saturday was Westminster's Earth and Arts Festival. It was a fantastic day, looking at all the fantastic booths full of wonderful art, volunteering with Hope for Suffolk's plant sale, listening to great local bands play live music all day and finally playing with Old Myrtle Jam as the final group (till we got rained out :P)

Last Sunday playing with Sarah Cox and Mary Bender before Mary moves to CT. What a wonderful friend this woman has been!! I will miss her dearly...

The EP from one of the great bands that played on Saturday

Getting to watch one of my top five favorite movies again with Mum

The overwhelmingly wonderful fragrance of this first branch of honeysuckle filling the house as I wash up the dishes every evening this week

Tonight we went for sushi, took an exploring walk, stopped in at a little record shop, smelled lots of flowers, read historic signs in foreign accents and sauntered back to the church in time for a great bible study. On the ride over to Norfolk we got to start reading Supper of the Lamb together (which was so wonderful and hilarious) and on the way back we sang along to lots of favorite old Jazz standards and shared a late night milk shake as the spring rain pelted the roof of the truck.

The church where our BSF group meets

A riverside walk after dinner 

So many roses to smell and benches to test in this lovely part of town

Two Weeks in Pictures

 A very southern home cooked meal...Bacon Brussel Sprouts, Barbecue Ribs, Rosemary and Garlic Potatoes and sautéed mushrooms. 

We arrived early to Smithfield where I was accompanying a student at an RSA recital so we walked around Windsor Castle Park for a bit. 

As usual in this weather, it wasn't long before I ended up barefoot. 

For dinner we feasted royally at Smithfield Station. 

Sunday morning truck ride to church

 

Sunday Afternoon reading in the gorgeous weather

Our yard in a riot of blooms

Late night Sunday Cookies with two of my most favorite people in the world. 

Tuesday, we didn't have BSF so I went out to the pier at sunset and soaked in a few chapters of John with the last rays of the sun. 

On Saturday, I got to spend the day at Josh's house. We had lunch with his family and spent the rest of the day out by the lake reading aloud, praying, cloud watching, talking, playing music and soaking in the gentle spring sunshine

We also found time for a frolic through the winter wheat...

....and a short caper in a field of buttercups :) 

Saturday Night Daniel and I went on an adventuresome walk to track down Wisteria and then got to work creating Easter arrangements for the outside patio and the Brunch table. That was SO much fun and a tradition I have really really missed being away!

6:30 call time for Rehearsal this morning wasn't so bad when this handsome gentleman shows up at your door to pick you up with dark chocolate and wearing a waistcoat and cowboy boots.

Music Team Starbucks Run 

With Nina, a fantastic Pianist who is quickly becoming a dear friend. We got to play all 5 services together this week and each one was such a delight on every level. 

Pastor Ruffin preached a dynamite sermon this morning which I can't wait to listen to again tomorrow!! You can find it here. It is well worth the half hour listen! Not only was it deeply encouraging as a Christian, but it was one of the most gracious and yet inescapable calls to reckon with the reality of every human's desperate need for Christ - the deep brokenness that sin has caused in each one of us. Only when we see the utter wretchedness of sin and death, can we taste the unspeakable joy of the truth that Christ has conquered every part of death so that we could experience the Life that can only be found in him!