2013 Ginda ~ Powell Family Reunion Memories

Ginda ~ Powell Family Reunion ~ June 2013

The Family Birthday Party Celebration

Six family birthdays where celebrated ~ Helen, Paul, Jason, Cody, Anna and little Alex

Brooke, Destiny, Helen & Paul

Jeanette Richard, Emily & Karen

 Amy & Nate

Ann and Michael

 Michael, Ann & Patricia Rose

Sleepy head! Too much fun!

Alex

Chris, Amy & Patty

Amy (explaining game)

Chris, Amy & Darian

Helen ~ 82 years "beautiful & young at heart"

Having fun!

Sister & Brother (Helen & Paul)

Helen with gift from Ann ~ charms created from her Grandmother's China.

So awesome!!

 

 Darian's High School Graduation Party!

The good times rolled on & on...

Amy & Ann

Amy & Aaron (Greg's son)

Corn Hole any one? This was so much fun! Especially with family!

Darian, Helen & Randy

 

 Powell Farm 'family dinner'

Patty in the farm kitchen preparing...

 Family Tree Tea

Ann & Kari helped decorate for the tea at the farm house. Many thanks!!

"Ann" Really? Yes!

 Target Shooting at Powell Farm

My first Tea pot in photo above. I received it from my Mother when I was 12 years old.

Kira & Ann

Choose a cup that 'speaks' to you.

Ann brought me a gift. Thank you Ann!! This magazine is SO NEAT!

Amy & her 'very special' gift from Ann. A family treasured tea cup & saucer.

 

Priceless treasured memories to be savored in life.

Blessed,

Patty in Oz

Excursion to Weston, Missouri for a terrific Tuesday, May 14th

What a find!! Amy and I found Polish pottery heaven today at 522 Main Street, Weston, MO

Here a huge polish pottery mixing pitcher!

Tea pots galore...small, medium and large.

This was interesting, on the lower level. I would love to get my hands on some of those broken polish pottery pieces to mosaic with! Probably you guessed it....crosses.

We've never seen so much Polish Pottery in our lives and now...I'm pondering (since I've been asked) which piece I would like to have. OH MY! Truly like it all...a lot!

 

This photo taken at a statuary store on Main Street in Weston. Roosters..roosters and more roosters.

Polish pottery cookie jars. Sweet!

Amy's Spring Tea

Amy holding up our 'Write & Erase Frame' created for a sample.
She hung the most delightful string of blue birds to decorate her mantle.

Amy's Spring Tea was on Saturday, May 11th. It was an array of celebrating Friends and Mothers for sure. Took some awesome photos of the very fun day. Preparations were so much fun down to the darling details. The photos include words to describe the experience. It was the best 'Spring Tea' ever...making a new friend Helen and seeing the others...one is silver and the other gold.

The tulips were breath taking beautiful on the dessert table.

'Candi, Amy & Kim'

• The luncheon menu was superb! Candi worked her magic in the kitchen.
• Mac & Cheese Mini Pies
• Strawberry & Spinach Salad w/citrus oil dressing
• Hawaiian Roll Baked Sandwiches
• Lemon-cello Cupcakes...for dessert and trust me...it was as dreamy as it gets...lemon cake with custard filling  all made from scratch!

The company of friends really made the Tea party sweet. A little gift of a pot of flowers and package of seeds for guest to take home and plant in their own little garden.

Each guest received a bracelet in a unique little gift boxes, box crafted by Kim 'a new scrap booking friend' and a potted geranium from Kim, our dear family friend.

Karen at the 'bling' table decorating her Write/Erase frame.

We each choose and wrote one of our favorite Scripture verses after decorating our frames.

Then we each shared why it was our favorite or one of our favorite verses.

Matthew 19:26

Jeremiah 29:11

Beautiful Mother's Day flowers from Amy to me.

Fiesta ware??? Really???

The Willow pattern, more commonly known as Blue Willow, is a distinctive and elaborate pattern. The pattern was popular in 18th century England designed by Thomas Minton around 1790 and has been in use for over 200 years.. Willow refers to the pattern, a specific treatment either applied transfer, or stamp, known as transferware.

A big discovery I made regarding how things aren't always what we think they are! I 'need to remember not to forget' that things do not always appear 'how they look'.

Two Christmas' ago, I received 2 gifts from a dear friend. When I opened them I was pretty taken back with awe. Two brand new boxes of Fiesta ware! I was speechless and surprised. My first reaction 'Oh my gosh!' and first words...'how could she?' After pondering what I would do with them, I put them away. Thoughts came here and there over the many months. I offered them to my daughter who collects beautiful items. She got back to me and shared that she wasn't really interested however she does like Fiesta ware. I thought to myself 'now what?'. I had an idea to have my friend for a Tea to set the table with the dishes however life for the two of us has be very full in other words...I never got a round to it.

Spring came then fall and another Christmas. The boxes of Fiesta ware set carefully in our office. I even picked up an orange Fiesta platter at a favorite resale store for $2.99. 'What a deal!' I thought tucking it into the bigger box with the treasured boxes of Fiesta.

A few weeks ago we had a HUGE Garage sale. It was truly 'The Sale' to let go of so many things we've collected, saved over the many years. It was exhausting, fun, exciting, interesting and challenging. Day 2 of our sale, I thought about the boxes of dishes and decided I would have some fun setting 'a beautiful table up' wit batten burg table cloth and the dishes. When I opened the first box I laughed it up. The boxes didn't have Fiesta dishes in them. My daughter came to see what was so funny and I whispered into her ear "Amy, this is an example of how things are not always what they seem." We both had a good chuckle as I unwrapped eight beautiful tea cups and saucers. A visitor who just arrived to our sale said 'Oh, that tea cup pattern is about a love story many years ago.' 

Oh of course the cups were not placed for sale. Actually I couldn't wait to google for their story. My friend tucked in one of the boxes a book titled 'Sunsets with God' which I'm really enjoying.

You might be wondering was I disappointed not receiving 2 sets of Fiesta dishes? No, not at all! Girl friends do this sort of thing...wrap in a different box and such... Last Saturday at our 'Cursillo group' we enjoyed drinking a special mix of instant coffee & coco mix and my friends enjoyed the story that was just shared with you. What a fun discovery! What an awesome Christmas gift the Blue Willow tea cups and book are...making my heart smile. Read the romantic fable...sweet...


The Romantic Fable ~ One there was a wealth Mandarin w, who had a beautiful daughter (Koong-se). She had fallen in love with her father's humble accounting assistant (Chang), angering her father because it was inappropriate for them to marry due to their difference in social class). He dismissed the young man and built a high fence around his house t keep the lovers apart. The Mandarin was planning for his daughter to marry a powerful Duke. The Duke arrived by boat to claim his bride, bearing a box of jewels as a gift....where there REALLY jewels in that box??...The wedding was to take place on the day the blossom fell from the willow tree.

On the eve of the daughter's wedding to the Duke, the young accountant, disguised as a servant, slipped into the palace unnoticed. As the lovers escaped with the jewels, the alarm was raised. They ran over a bridge, chased by the Mandarin, with  jewels  in hand. they eventually escaped n the Duke's ship to the safety of a secluded island where they lived happily for years. But one day, the Duke learned of their refuge. Hungry for revenge, he sent soldiers who captured the lovers and put them to death. The gods, moved by their plight, transformed the overs into a pair of doves (possibly a later addition to the tale, since he birds do not appear on the earliest willow pattern plates).



There's no place like HOPE 'Wizard of Oz retreat offerings'



Thank you for your thoughtfulness!

 Happy February friends.

February is off to a pretty good month. To name a few...we have four family birthdays to celebrate, I was able to gift the gift of 'Hope' to a good friend who lost it. It was a 'not so late' Christmas present. Was it wrapped up in Christmas paper and include a Christmas card? Yes. I am signed up for two 'Wizard of Oz themed retreats' both to include spiritual weavings through them I understand.

On a sad note, in the mix of the month of February many friends had to say 'Good bye for now' to Fr. Baxter, a dear friend who was called to Himself (God) just one week ago. Our beloved Bishop gave the most awesome Homilies at the Rosary and Funeral Mass. I will savor just how perfectly our Bishop shared that 'Christ' is the bridge from earth to Heaven. That is profound. Sacred Heat Parish in Halstead, Kansas and the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Wichita, Kansas over flowed with so many of his brothers and friends. Good memories of Fr. Baxter and one of my favorites is how he was serious sharing his faith and I believe this 'loving outloud' has definitely helped people to be 'set free' from whatever has been holding them back. He was involved in both Cursillo and Kairos (Prison Ministry). I'm certain in other ministries I don't even know about. He was very plugged in.

A little Oz retreat information....

You might want to call 'Spiritual Life Center' 316-744-0167 and ask about the 'Oz' retreat Friday evening, Feb. 22nd and all day Saturday, Feb. 23. Sign up before Feb. 19th is requested. 

The other retreat is presented by our dear friend Sr. Joan Burger, C.S.J. - Sisters of the Congregation of St. Joseph, Magnificant Center. To be held on three Tuesdays. Call 316-686-7171.

All faiths are welcome. You will love the centers...both so lovely! The retreats are donation based retreats. Have some 'February Fun' join Tina, Becky and I. You are invited to join us on the journey.

Patty in Oz

TGIF Christmas is coming!

This morning it was so much fun visiting some of your blog spots. I'm getting the Christmas Spirit. Thank you for inspiring me by what you are doing to prepare for Christmas. 

Getting geared up to do some Christmas crafting tomorrow at the N2God Store, Saturday December 9th  at 10 am. The little match box ornaments are the cutest, everyone is unique as you place the little treasure of your choice inside. (some pictured above). Come join me if you can. The first time I opened one of these delightful little boxes...my heart melted. So sweet to see the little baby Jesus laying on the little bed of straw. The other Christmas craft idea I've planned is making 'Wintertime Welcome cones' with embellishments...birds...berries...and greenery. I'll do my best to 'show and tell' and create a post later.

It's Friday and I have a long to-do list around our farm house. I've promised myself I would 'put up' our Nativity scene later this afternoon. We'll see if my plan works out as I would like for it to look really wonderful. We picked up a bale of straw for the dog house last week. The manger will be padded nicely. Of course I waited too long and let some gentle warm days past by. It's cold outside! Maybe I'll make some hot coco and enjoy the warmth of our fire place when I get finished....oh OK....when I get some of my 'to do' list finished.

Friends...I hope you have the best weekend imaginable!

Patty in Oz