Vacation from church, week 1

Today was the first day of my vacation from church.  I suppose you could say that it started on Wednesday since supper and choir were cancelled, but that was a required vacation day.

I began the day with an hour walk through the park to the library and back home.  Thank goodness that I didn't walk as far as the Catholic church, as watching all of the Mormons turn into their parking lot made me feel enough of a backslider.

Best of Show: Mike Peyton“Snake Scraper

I met Adolph on my way home. (I'm getting much better at, My name is Debra.  It's amazing how people respond when I say that)   He owns the house next to his residence and has built the neighborhood Buddhist meditation center in it.  My friend Dan goes to sit there each Sunday morning.  He says they're a great bunch of people.  He invites me regularly to give it a try.

Mom, Murphy, her friend AnnMarie, and I drove to Kerrville.  The destination was the Natives of Texas on the Medina Highway.  But first, we stopped in Fredricksburg at the Herb Farm. They're building some great cabins so that this will soon be a great place for a ladies retreat!

We stopped at the visitor's center as we entered Kerrville, well, after we passed it and made a u-turn.  I love looking at the brochures.  We learned that there was a gourd show at the Kerr Arts & Cultural Center.  There were also some beautiful textiles and designs from found objects.  My favorite was made from shredded paper, silk thread, and tea bags.  This is part of the poem that inspired the fabrics:  ...when your mind isn't clouded/ By  unnecessary things,/ This is the best season of your life." (a Zen master)

The drive from Kerrville to the nursery was along the Medina river near to the summer camps that fill that area. I went to Kickapoo Kamp for Girls as a teen.  I learned to water ski, horseback ride, won medals in archery and riflery . I learned some great songs, too.

At the nursery, there was every sort of native Texas plant you could think of.  I purchased a bigtooth maple.  These are the trees that produce the beautiful color in Lost Maples State Park and McKittrick Canyon in the Guadalupe Mountains.  There's a beautiful memorial site built there.  It relates the story of the founder of the nursery, Betty Streetman Winnigham.  At the moment of her death, a blue light shown in the gardens as observed by her beloved nurseryman.

We returned by way of Fredicksburg to purchase peaches. (Yea! After two years, we have peaches again!)  I wanted to finish the day with  Choral Compline at St Davids, but I'm too tired to drive back downtown.  The link gives recordings for last week, so I can celebrate at home.

A very dramatic reading from Compline:

Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith. 1 Peter 5:8-9a