On God's Errand

Pristene Santorini

2009-11-24T12:29:00.007-07:00

After a rather harrowing ride to the top of

Santorini Island astride these "cute" donkeys...

We discovered stunning views...

and charming villages filled with

lovely cobalt blue and white architechture and

brilliantly colored blossoms.

It's truly a gem of the Mediterranean.

Mitch took to the 4-wheeler after
wrestling with the donkeys.
We all opted to ride down the hillside on the tram.
One encounter with the donkeys was quite
enough!

Croatia

2009-10-26T17:14:00.005-06:00

I know, I know! It's been two months since I promised to post more pictures of some of the places we traveled following our mission. Frankly, I thought no one would notice that I hadn't posted anything, but it's nice to know that someone does look occasionally. Thanks.

These pics were shot in Dubrovnik,Croatia. We visited the old city there and paid our money to climb the steps and walk the ancient city walls. It was at least 105 degrees, but we walked the entire 3 miles and got a birdseye view of this charming city and it's brick red roofs.

Aaaah, Venice!

2009-08-24T14:48:00.005-06:00

What can I say???
The pictures say it all.
Venice is charming and there is
no other place like it on earth.
Everyone should visit it at least once,
but I have to admit, I wouldn't want
to live there.
It's an absolute maze of canals and walkways.
The only way
to get around is by BOAT or on FOOT.
Thanks heavens we had
Mitch with us----
He led us around with a map in hand
wherever we went, or we could have been
wandering for hours just looking
for that place that served up GELATO.
MMMMMmmmm!

On the Way Home

2009-08-07T12:15:00.003-06:00

When the final goodbyes were said...
with mixed emotions we headed to airport...

and took a plane to the beautiful and charming city of Venice, Italy.

...and after 3 glorious days

we met up with some of our family and boarded
the Splendor of the Seas for a memorable
trip in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.
Stay tuned for further fantastic pictures of our journey home!

Where did those 10 lbs come from?

2009-06-23T01:51:00.002-06:00

Eating---
such a pleasant way to spend our time.
As we say our last goodbyes in Poland,
everyone wants to get together for a dinner.It's lovely! I haven't had to do much cooking
and we've really enjoyed the time spent
with our friends here.

The scales may be climbing,
but it's worth every pound to spend these
last few precious moments together.
And...
TWO more meals out today.

The Last Days

2009-06-12T06:39:00.003-06:00

As we approach our last few days in Poland,
there were some things we knew
that we must see before we left.
These are places that are a sobering reminder
of Poland's past and a profound part
of its present too.
Here stands the aged gate to the
Jewish cemetery.
Tens of thousands of Jews who died in the
ghetto
from disease and starvation
during the war found a resting place here.

The headstones are in disrepair and and the
grounds are overgrown and unkept.
And myriads were simply thrown
into mass, unmarked graves.

We also felt it was important to visit Majdanek
---a prisoner of war and
extermination camp.
In this building thousands and thousands of Poles met their death as they were gased with Zyclon B.

Today a massive mausoleum honors the dead and their remains.

"Here are deposited the ashes of the victims."

It's not easy to see, to comprehend, or to write about,
but it is important to remember.

Item #53

2009-06-03T07:28:00.002-06:00

People often ask,
"What will you miss about Poland?"
Item #53 is the strawberries!
These are grown in the fields just outside of Warsaw
and the farmers race to see who can
have theirs to the marketplace first.
There are so sweet and delicious!
They are sold on virtually every street corner
and the price is RIGHT!
This week I bought 4 1/2 pounds for only $3.00!

So, it isn't any wonder that we've had
strawberries on Cheerios,
strawberries on waffles,
strawberry shortcake,
strawberry pie and of course,
strawberry tarts.
MMMMmmmmmm.

Classic signs

2009-05-16T08:45:00.004-06:00

Sometimes you have to wonder about
"progress".
Today, everwhere you look
your view is blocked by gaudy,
seductive,
" in your face"
signs advertising products and services.

A hundred years ago...
this is how you invited someone in
to your shop. . .

Somewhere along the way, we lost sight of
simple class.

Why Seek Knowldege?---for CHARITY

2009-05-08T06:55:00.003-06:00

I know I'm not one to write very seriously on my blog, but this past week I came across a quote that created an "aha" moment for me. A medieval Christian writer named Bernard of Clairvaux wrote, "Some seek knowledge for the sake of knowledge: That is curiosity. Others seek knowledge that they may themselves be known: That is vanity. But there are still others who seek knowledge in order to serve and edify others, and that is charity."

I love it!

And our apostle, Elder Dallin H. Oaks, collaborates this opinion. He says, "The ultimate goal of an education is to make us better parents and servants in the kingdom. . . Education is a gift from God; it is a cornerstone of our religion when we use it to benefit others."
I relish learning and hope that I always will, but I also hope that it is for the right reasons. . .so that I can bless the lives of those around me.

??????

2009-04-26T13:36:00.004-06:00

Wonder how we spent our weekend????

Having a "SUPER SATURDAY!!!"

Wet Monday!

2009-04-18T03:01:00.004-06:00

Well, I have to admit it was fun!
Wet Monday turned out to be exactly that...
I tried to stay dry.
REALLY!
But they were waiting and plotting.

CRAZY kids!

Easter time in Poland

2009-04-12T11:53:00.002-06:00

This morning we were surprised by a knock at our
door at 7:30 am.
Standing there was our neighbor from
across the hall and
she was carrying this lovely
dish with hand-painted eggs.
We've never really known too much about
Polish Easter traditions,
so I decided to do a little bit of research.
Of course since Poland is definitely Catholic----
Easter begins with Ash Wednesday and Lent.
Pussy willows are collected prior to Holy Week,
the week between Palm Sunday and Easter, and are
brought to the church for a blessing.
Some of the older
generation believe that it is
good luck to eat
one of the buds of the pussy willow.
On the Saturday preceding Easter,
people are seen
everywhere taking their decorated
baskets to the church for
another symbolic blessing. This time
they take a sampling
of foods, similar to the one seen here.
This food remains
untouched until Easter morning.
The egg symbolizes new life.
The flowers painted on the egg stand for love
and charity. The bread is symbolic
of Christ---the bread of life,
and the sausage is representative
of the changes in the old law that occurred
at the advent of Christ.

Before the Easter breakfast, it is common
to cut wedges of the hardboiled eggs and
share them with loved ones.
As you do so, you wish them health and
happiness
for the rest of the year.

Easter mass is celebrated on Sunday morning.
Today, the bells
pealed for 30 minutes and the priests and
congregation circled the church three times.
One of the most fun traditions is "Wet Monday".
This is the day following Easter when
everyone looks for a reason to sprinkle (or douse)
water on each other. I'm not sure where this
tradition started (or why), but I'll probably
be sure and stay home tomorrow. Some say that
you will have good luck if you are sprinkled,
but I think I'll take my chances.

You're Never Too Old

2009-04-10T09:47:00.004-06:00

Last year I could only find brown eggs to dye for Easter.
They all turned out pretty much the same
color that they started.
BROWN!
Th
This year I found some white eggs!
(I don't know where they hide those all year long.)

But I couldn't find any egg dye
to put on those lovely white eggs.

But they got decorated just the same.

Some traditions have to be kept...
EVEN WHEN YOU'RE
WAY OFF IN POLAND.

The Big Decision

2009-04-02T04:49:00.003-06:00

After lengthy moments of
posing,
agonizing, twisting,
turning, preening,
hmmmmmming,
analyzing, gazing,
primping,
contemplating,
and seeking the opinions of
total strangers.....
the decision was finally made.
These are the sunglasses for 2009!

We're just grateful there is enough
sunshine to require these gems!

Collection Adam

2009-03-21T07:29:00.003-06:00

The missionary "uniform" can become very tedious after a couple of years of wearing the same two suits and white shirts everyday. So to add some color to their ensembles, the Elders like to make a visit to

Collection Adam

to buy ties!
Mr. Adam produces and ships ties all over the world, but he loves the LDS missionaries and allows us to come right into the factory where he sells these beautiful ties at a fabulous price.

So ocassionally, on "P-day" we all head
south for a shopping trip.
Some missionaries have spent thousands of zlotys on kravats and have their own
"Collection Adam"
hanging in their closets.

We must confess to having added to Dean's tie collection too.

Mr. Adam appreciates the business so much
that he has even created special
white ties for use in the temple and embossed the
Warsaw, Poland Mission
name on the inside of the tie.

This pink and navy one is my personal favorite---
Dean thought it was a bit "much"
at first, but he humors me by wearing it any way.
What do you think?

5 Things to Love

2009-03-09T06:52:00.007-06:00

As we approach the last few months of our mission,
I naturally start to reflect on this lovely
country and the many things that I've learned to
appreciate about it.
Today, I will share just 5 things
that I love and enjoy about Poland.
#1 Food presentation is elegant!
It doesn't matter how expensive the restaurant is
or isn't,
they take great pride in the way the food is presented on the plate.
You always feel like you are in the royal dining room---
much attention is paid to details
as you can see from these pictures.
The chefs are creative and each plate is a work of art.

#2 Flowers.
Perhaps because the skies are so often gray
and the buildings are drab,
the Polish people love their flowers.
All year long you will find these kiosks
set up with flowers for sale to brighten the landscape.
They are really quite cheap too!
A bouquet of nine daffodils only cost me 13 zlotys,
that's about $3.50.
We often bring some home to cheer up
our little apartment.

#3 Castles.
Imagination and fairy tales come to life
when you see the moat, the ramparts and the towers
of an ancient castle.
Your mind can't help but be transported back
hundreds of years to a different time and you wonder
what it might have been like to live in the age of knights and ladies.
We don't have anything like these at home.
#4 Cheese.
Europe has sooooooooooo many different kinds of cheeses.
It's actually a bit overwhelming to try and pick
one out when you go to the store. They're delicious.
You just want to grab a baguette, some fruit and
cheese and go and sit by the river and soak
up the scrumptious flavors and feel very European.
#5 Sunsets. Need I say more?

Be Prepared!

2009-02-28T03:56:00.003-07:00

Elder Edmunds recently had a serious accident. He fell through a glass door while exercising in his apartment. Here he's showing curious fans his pictures of the nasty gash in his leg and describing the 40 stitches that were required to sew him back together. It was not a pretty sight and he has spent the last month hobbling around on crutches.
But, through this experience we all learned a valuable lesson. Always be prepared!
After the doctor finished cleaning out the glass and stitching up the wound in the hospital emergency room, it was determined that it would be best to keep him in the hospital overnight. Late that evening, Elder Edmunds found that he needed to use the bathroom, but when he tried to do so, he discovered that it had no toilet paper. He asked a nurse for some, but she said that she couldn't help him. He then asked another nurse and got the same response. He finally limped down to the nurse's station to see if he could get some help from them. It was at that point that they informed him that you're supposed to bring your own when you come to the hospital. Elder Edmunds explained that he didn't know that policy and that when he came into the hospital he was bleeding profusely and that toilet paper was not on his radar screen. He asked for just a couple of squares, but was told that he should call a friend to bring him some. After some talking and coercion they were finally generous enough to tear off a piece of paper from the examining table!
So...another lesson learned. Always keep some tissues or TP in your purse or in your pocket, you never know when you'll end up at the hospital and have need for it. The scout motto of "Be Prepared" has once again proven to be a truism.
Or better yet, just stay out of Polish hospitals.

The Carts

2009-02-20T05:57:00.003-07:00

When you go to the grocery store in Poland....you will find that all of the shopping carts are locked together. If you want to use one, you must insert a zloty and then the lock will release. To get your zloty back after shopping, you must return the cart to the rack and lock it to the other carts. This is a pretty ingenious way of making sure that their shopping carts don't wander away and it's easy for the personnel to go and collect the carts.

I thought this was an interesting piece of Poland, so yesterday while shopping I asked Dean to take my picture while I got my cart.
I guess that's not allowed, because the security guard approached and told us we were forbidden to do that. So we played the "ugly, dumb, American" and went about our business anyway. Here are the pictures we were able sneak. I guess that I'm lucky that I'm not writing this from a jail cell.

The "L"

2009-02-13T07:36:00.004-07:00

In order to drive in Poland, you're required to take driving lessons and log many hours on the roads. This is really a wise thing, because they definitely have their own way of driving here. There are dozens and dozens of driving schools and I think that 20 of them are located within a 1 km radius of our apartment. We are always following one or two, or three down the stree. And there must be a rule that they can only drive at 20 km./hour. It's interesting to note that every car used by every school is a Toyota Yaris. I have no idea why that's the case-----Toyota seems to have a monopoly on the driving school cars in Poland.
The cars are also all obviously labeled with a large blue L on top. I'm so glad that I didn't have to announce to the whole world that I was a beginning driver (although I'm sure that my dad thought it was obvious to everyone anyway.)
We haven't figured out exactly what the L stands for---"Learner", "Lesson", "Loser", "Lame",
or maybe "Look out!"

Lessons from a Snow Shovel

2009-02-09T05:03:00.003-07:00

All last winter we laughed as we watched everyone shovel there snow with these wooden snow shovels----wondering how it was that they had not yet discovered the metal scoop that we use in the States. How could they be so behind the times?
Then one day, I got to thinking....
(I know, I need to try it more often.)
and I looked at the sidewalks and noticed that they are not cement slabs like we have at home, but rather they are made from paving stones, bricks or even cobblestones.
Now I remember shoveling our driveway at home and everytime I would come to that crack in the middle, the shovel would catch and give my teeth a jar. The shovel was also worse for the wear each time it crashed into that impediment, curling and bending on the edges.
So, perhaps they DO know what they're doing here. A wooden shovel gives more and slides across the top of those rough edges much more easily. Their years of experience had taught them that.
So-------what is the lesson I learned.
Perhaps we are too quick to judge others and their choices before we have the full picture. It is easy to think that our way is best, or smarter or we are more clever. But, we need to step back, put ourselves in their shoes and try to understand where they are coming from. Be humble, be teachable and open. There is much to learn from other cultures. I know that I have learned an important lesson from the snow shovel.

My Domestic Side

2009-02-02T03:30:00.004-07:00

Keeping myself entertained in the car as we drive
all over this country to meet with teachers,
students and do various mission assignments
has been a
real challenge.
Our car is standard missionary issue----
no air conditioning, no radio, NO CD player.
The hours can become long and tedious sometimes.
So, my friend Jann has been a blessing---
she has helped me learn how to do Swedish weaving.
I spend hours working on little projects
like these dish towels.
I love it, it's so simple that even I could figure it out,
but I think that they turned out lovely.
Probably too pretty to ever really use to
dry pans and pots.

Mixed Messages

2009-02-02T03:09:00.004-07:00

This past week we traveled hundreds of
kilometers throughout Poland
training the missionaries here to be
facilitators  for a "Stop Smoking" program.
Poland is filled with people lighting up
on the street corners, at the bus stops
and standing out on their
balconies in frigid temperatures. 
I'm personally convinced that the
gray cloud that covers the city is
from cigarette smoke,
not coal or wood burning stoves. 
It's a huge issue here.
Most people say they want to quit.
But, when I saw this in our
hotel room this week,
I couldn't help but laugh
at the mixed message. 

Does it strike you as a bit confusing too?

My Mini-Miracle

2009-01-19T08:15:00.004-07:00

Last summer when we were in Gdansk with our friends,
the Crocks, we took the opportunity to buy some
amber jewelry.
Included in the purchase was a ring with three stones in it; each of a
different color of amber. I loved it because was representative
of the variety of beautiful colors of amber found here in Poland.
Some weeks later as we were driving out of Warsaw,
I looked down and noticed that one of the stones was missing!
I made a thorough search of the car and turned up nothing.
When we arrived home a couple of days later,
I also thoroughly searched my luggage,
my make-up bag and the apartment
Still nothing.
So, I had to conclude that it was lost.
After all, it could have fallen out anywhere!
A month or six weeks later when were in our hotel in Zakopane,
hundreds of miles from our apartment in Warsaw and at a
location we had never been before, I noticed something on the
chair next to the bed in our room.
On closer inspection Dean recognized the stone from my ring.
I have no idea how it appeared there on the seat of that chair.
Three weeks later we were back in Gdansk and the
jeweller replaced the entire ring for me.
Who says miracles don't still happen?

Fonts

2009-01-09T07:33:00.008-07:00

Since our arrival as missionaries in Poland,
we have witnessed a number of baptisms.
It's wonderful to see the Church growing here.
However, it is still in it's infancy and there is only
one chapel in the entire country,
thus only one baptismal font.
So when people in the outlying cities
wish to be baptized,
we have to be creative in finding locations where
it can take place.
In Szeczecin, they used the river.

In Bydgoszcz, tarps and an oversized tub were utilized.
In Wroclaw, we used an Olympic-sized swimming pool. I guess it's not really about where it's done...
it's just about GETTING IT DONE.
6 BAPTISMS in Warsaw last week!!!

Not Costco

2009-01-09T06:10:00.003-07:00

Grocery shopping
in Poland is certainly not like shopping at Costco.
There everything is super-sized and maxi....
requiring a mini-van to get it all home,
and a freezer and a large pantry to store it in.
Here, most people live in small apartments and
many do not have a car. 
Whatever they purchase must be
carried home in a bag or pulled in a
miniature shopping cart. 
So, to accomodate the needs of the masses,
everything is packaged in much smaller
quantities and sizes, and buying a case
of anything is unheard of.
To give you perspective I placed a small juice glass
next to the items you'll see.
This can of corn contains as much
as an average can at home, but contains no water,
so is only half the size.
MILK comes in 1 liter cartons
and is stored on the shelf,
not refrigerated.
It takes an entire box of cocoa to make
a pan of brownies.
This is a box of 
CEREAL.
Flour comes in 2 lb. bags.
Baking powder packages contain 1 tablespoon.
And this bottle of vanilla flavoring contains 2 teaspoons.
It's no wonder that people here shop every day.

Old Fogies New Year's Eve

2009-01-01T08:12:00.003-07:00

Warsaw Senior Missionaries
decided to get together for a little celebration on New Year's Eve.
Dean said, "Do you think we'll be able to last til 10:00?"

But we did!
And we enjoyed a lovely evening of dinner, visiting and
writing some crazy New Year's resolutions.
At midnight, the sky around us lit up and
a thousand booms filled the sky.
You see, anyone can buy and set off fireworks in Poland---
and they do! Especially on New Year's Eve! As we stood on the balconey and
watched, we didn't know which way to look. They sky was brilliant with color
and sparkle! I've never seen such a display...it was amazing. Unfortunately,
it was impossible to catch it on my camera, so you'll just have to take my word for it.
It was truly memorable. . . just as we know 2009 will be!

Little Old Man

2008-12-27T07:39:00.005-07:00

Probably not many of you were
hoping for an old man in your
Christmas stocking this year...
but I was.

Imagine my delight to find
3
of these charming figures
under my tree this year!
These hand-carved figures are created by carvers
in the Polish Tatra mountains and
sold in the marketplaces.
The Jewish figures are particularly
popular and thus, my Christmas request this year.
Dean magically surprised me with these musicians.
I have
NO
idea how he was able to get them home
and hide them without me knowing.
Pretty tricky, wonderful GUY!

Old World Christmas

2008-12-26T07:13:00.004-07:00

Sit back and enjoy the sights of a
magical evening strolling the streets of
Old Town Warsaw
at Christmas time.

Early Christmas

2008-12-10T09:21:00.007-07:00

Yesterday, President and Sister Engbjerg
invited our missionary zone to the mission home for a
"Danish Christmas".

The table was set exquisitely
and we enjoyed pork roast, brown potatoes,
purple cabbage,
mashed potatoes, gravy and
of course Danish
rice pudding with cherry sauce.The tree even had real candles on it!

We sang carols,

listened to the soothing tones of
"Away in A Manger",

laughed, giggled, munched, presented and observed some clever skits,
and even Santa was there!

It was a warm and wonderful day with people
we have grown to love and cherish like our family.
If we can't be with you this year.....
there's no better place to be.

WISHES

2008-12-03T08:12:00.007-07:00

Admit it!
You have made a wish on the
turkey wishbone.

Ever wonder where this tradition came from?
Probably not til this moment---but now that you have,
I'm going to share my research with you.
The Etruscans
(they lived in Italy 800 years BC) thought that
chickens had some powers of divination. When the hen died
they saved the clavicle, dried it and would
rub on it and make wishes.
The Romans brought the tradition when they
conquered England, and the
English colonists brought the tradition to America.
The term "get a lucky break"
originally applied to the person
winning the
"wishbone tug of war".

I even did some research on how to always win this
"tug of war".
The theory is that
you don't tug on the wishbone.
Just hold it firmly and
this will cause the OTHER person to do the tugging.
If they tug,
it will cause the wishbone to break at its
weakest point and you will
always win.
So, I decided to try out this theory...

As you can see, there were no winners
at our house this year,
but no one came away disappointed either.

December 1st!

2008-12-01T09:30:00.004-07:00

You never know what people
keep under their couches...

for us it was the perfect place to store our Christmas tree and ornaments.
So since today was the first day of December,
I figured that I had waited long enough
and we decorated the tree.
It only took 30 minutes.
It's tiny, but big enough to bring the season into our little apartment.
We're the first in the neighborhood to put up any decorations,
but I kind of like being a trend setter.
I'm sure the others were just waiting for someone to start.
Our nativity set is miniature too, but the
center
of our thoughts this Christmas season!

Winter Has Come To Poland

2008-11-26T11:22:00.002-07:00

BBBrrrrr.....

Time to put up the Christmas
decorations.....
Santa's
on his way!

Update

2008-11-25T07:44:00.004-07:00

Well, the man was back outside my window today.
This time he was painting the wires black...But, today it was 30 degrees and it had snowed last night!
Crazy!!!

And you ask---
"What became of the "yummy" raspberry/garlic tart?

Well, it gathered a little "moss" while waiting to be devoured.
I guess garlic is a natural antibiotic, but it doesn't kill mold.

Wroclaw

2008-11-19T08:38:00.007-07:00

Our travels last week took us
to the lovely city of Wroclaw, where we viewed the Opera House, the Town Hall and the ancient market place. Although much of the city was a victim of
World War II,
the city center has been rebuilt in the
traditional style....buildings of myriad hues, equisite gardens and
towering church steeples.

However, I have to admit...

I did find the people a little
bit peculiar.

Outside My Window

2008-11-12T09:46:00.002-07:00

What's crazier than looking out your window
and seeing a man climbing a radio tower
on top of the next building
and painting it white???
Looking out your window and seeing two men
painting the radio tower red and white!!!

Another Language Calamity

2008-11-12T09:26:00.004-07:00

It's still raspberry season in Poland,
uuuuummmm, good!
So, I thought to myself...
"I'll make another delicious raspberry tart."
Looks delicious, doesn't it?
Well, this tart came out with a rather odd smell...
As I studied the cream cheese package more closely,
I noticed that it said that a tastey ingredient had been added...
GARLIC!
"And how did it taste?" you ask.
Well, let's just say that I won't be winning the
Pillsbury Bake Off this year!

Safe Water

2008-11-07T08:27:00.004-07:00

When we were in the MTC we were instructed on how important it was to drink only purified water. Only bottled water should be used, even for brushing our teeth. When we got to Poland, the mission doctor emphasized that even the water that we rinse our dishes in should be purified. Now of course we don't use bottled water for washing and rinsing dishes, so they taught us how purify it ourselves. You can boil it and then put it through a coffee strainer, or the more simple option is just to add a few drops of Clorox to the water. Naturally that sounded like the easier and more practical solution.

However, we've started noticing an attrition in
the number of clothes we can wear in public!

Somehow those couple of drops of Clorox find their way onto our clothes.

Even the pajamas have been
under attack.

What's a girl to do???
Go shopping, I guess!

Food! Glorious Food!

2008-11-05T07:55:00.004-07:00

Have you ever noticed how much fun kids have eating?
No worries about drips or spills or getting it on their clothes
or all over their face...

No counting calories!

Wellllll..........., it's fun most of the time.

Maybe calories do count.
It seems it's a lot more fun to eat cake, chocolate and ice cream
than vegetables and pasta !!!

What's More Fun Than A Birthday Party!

2008-10-29T06:27:00.005-06:00

It wasn't exactly their birthdays yet...
but close enough!
So we decided to celebrate while Milla and Avi were here this week.

2 candles for Avi---
and 4 for Milla.With a twinkle in her eye...
Avi talked about the cake all weekend
Milla's favorite part was opening the presents!
I think we should have got two pairs of glass slippers.
The tutu was the hit of the day!!!
But for us---
the best part was just celebrating them!

Another Day at the Park

2008-10-27T08:24:00.004-06:00

What could be better than spending an
afternoon at the park in the fall???

Spending an afternoon with your
family
at the park in the fall!!!

We enjoyed having Jen, Alex and the girls visit with us here in Poland for a few days.

We captured
some great memories.

Anyone Seen Cinderella?

2008-10-15T09:12:00.003-06:00

The Niedzica Castle on the Hungarian border of Poland
was recently the setting for a ball that lasted
til the wee hours of the morning.
A captivating woman appeared and
completely
enchanted
Prince Charming,
but she mysteriously fled
as the clock struck midnight.
The prince searched high and low
throughout
the castle for the woman
who had won his heart.

Could she be hiding behind these dark walls?
Or perhaps she climbed the great tower.
Oh look! He found her---and they lived
happily ever after.

Slovakia

2008-10-13T05:24:00.002-06:00

Last week we took a tram to the top of Kasprowy Wierch...

From there you can walk the ridge of the Tatra mountains
and step into Slovakia.

Although, by Colorado standards it's not very high, 6,000 feet,
it felt like we were on top of the world....
looking into two different countries at once.
I must confess it made me a bit homesick for the mountains.

Gnomes

2008-10-10T08:49:00.003-06:00

This week was our Senior Conference in Zakopane... The scenery was stunning,
but we did run into a little bit of rainy weather.
However, the seniors were not deterred and
we all purchased ponchos.
A pretty colorful group, don't you think?
It didn't matter if the sun was shining or not---we were dry
and our hearts were warmed by the
whole fun experience of being together.

Sharks

2008-10-04T01:24:00.004-06:00

Hey, it's not easy being a missionary!
There are sharks out there just looking
for a tastey missionary.
Dean had a very close call just this week.
Fortunately, after taking the picture,
I was able to save him from a terrible fate.

A Bit of Home

2008-09-30T14:08:00.003-06:00

Hey,
Look what we found in Szczecin, Poland last weekend!
We felt right at home in that little European city.
We were "Rocky Mountain High".

New Look

2008-09-26T13:28:00.002-06:00

Hey---
Anybody out there notice my new look?
What do you think?
I even got techie enough to add some music. Pretty amazing what you can do these days.
My "blinkie" is my favorite.
It adds some bling!

Potato Olympics

2008-09-21T13:42:00.006-06:00

The Institute/Seminary Opening Social
was a fun evening filled with tasty food and
Potato Olympics!
Everyone personalized their own potato
and then competed in a variety of events...

Each athlete was presented with a medal
to honor them for their sportmanship
and competition.

It's going to be gold medal year!

Who Knew?

2008-09-21T13:30:00.004-06:00

This bottle of
hand lotion
was in our apartment when we arrived in Poland last year.
It has a lovely vanilla scent and a creamy texture....
It took me 6 months to figure out that it
wasn't hand lotion at all.
It's conditioner for your hair!
Oh, the challenges of a learning a new language!

Work Sprinkled with Lots of Fun

2008-09-10T08:49:00.005-06:00

As CES missionaries, we spend countless hours preparing
lessons and sitting in on classes.

Much of our work is administrative
and we spend hours filling out reports and keeping track of records.
But we have to admit,
this job is really alot of
FUN!

We recommend it to EVERYONE!

Laundry Day

2008-08-28T01:55:00.004-06:00

This is my washing machine.
It hides out in the bathroom.
It can hold about 5 shirts in one load
and takes about an hour and a half to run a cycle.First it rotates clockwise,
then stops for 5 seconds
and then rotates counterclockwise and stops.
Then repeats.
It's different than I'm used to,
but better than washing in the stream with a washboard.
This is my dryer.
It takes about 7 hours to dry!

Godfrey

2008-08-26T12:09:00.006-06:00

Let me introduce you to Godfrey. He is the custodian and groundskeeper at the chapel here in Warsaw. He has a heart of pure gold!
Godfrey came to Poland four years ago as a political refugee from the country of Zimbabwe. He had to leave his family behind and cannot return. His wife and three children are still there trying to survive in that war torn country.
Shortly after Godfrey came to Warsaw he met the missionaries and became a member of the Church. He shared his feelings about it with his wife back home in Zimbabwe. She contacted the missionaries there and also joined the Church.
His greatest sorrow is not having his family with him and we all pray that some how, someday they can be reunited, but it's a very difficult and complicated task.

Yesterday, Godfrey turned 50. In his sweet humble way, he had no expectations of any recognition of this special day. That's what made it so fun to surprise him with a birthday party!

He has never had a birthday party before or blown out the candles on his own cake.

Soooooooooooo, then we decided to take him outside to play...

It was a perfect day for water balloon volleyball!

I hope that it made Godfrey's day.....cause it sure made mine!

Pottery and Blackberries

2008-08-21T07:22:00.006-06:00

For my birthday, Dean bought me my first piece of Polish pottery.
The pottery industry here is centuries old and is traditionally blue and white and hand-painted.
They say the inspiration for the original patterns was from the feathers on the tail of a peacock. I love it and look forward to having many pieces when I return.The best way to break in a new piece of pottery, of course, is to bake in it...
and what better thing to bake than
Blackberry Slump.

Can't resist sharing the recipe with you...

Blackberry Slump
4 C. fresh blackberries
1 C. sugar
1 C. flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 C. milk
2 T. unsalted butter, melted
Accompaniment: vanilla ice cream
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Put berries in ungreased 5-6 Cup glass dish (Polish Pottery) and sprinkle evenly with 3/4 Cup sugar.
Stir together flour, baking powder, salt and remaining 1/4 C. sugar into a bowl. Add milk and butter and whisk until smooth, then pour over berries. Bake slump in middle of oven until top is golden, 40-45 minutes. Cool 20 min. Serve warm Makes 4-6 servings.

Dean gives it a "thumbs up"!

The Castle

2008-08-13T09:19:00.006-06:00

When we went to Malbork Castle last week,
I looked for Rapunzel to see if she was locked away in the tower.
But, apparently she was rescued ages ago.
The moat is now dry, and the knights are long gone...

But, as the largest brick castle in Europe,
Malbork is truly a stunningly impressive castle.
It dates from the 14th century and was the stronghold for the
Teutonic Knights who invaded Poland.
Largely destroyed by the Germans in WWII,
it has been restored to much of its earlier glory.
However, the chapel is still in ruins, as you can see, and awaits restoration.

The windows were as elegant on the outside as the inside.
The dining hall served the knights and their ladies.
Dean and I think that we could rule
this little kingdom together and live happily ever after.

Dunes

2008-08-08T03:44:00.004-06:00

This week was a special treat.
Our friends, Jim and Jann Crock came from the states
for a visit. One of the sights that we enjoyed
during their stay was Slovinski National Park on the
coast of the Baltic Sea in northern Poland.
Here you find a mammoth crescent-shaped dune of
fine, white sand.It's a 3 mile hike from the road into the dune,
but well worth the effort.
The largest dune is named after the village that was
buried by the blowing sand.
Łącka Dune

I guess Colorado isn't the only place that can claim beautiful dunes.

I Love the Mailman

2008-08-08T03:23:00.002-06:00

A little bit of heaven came in the mail today...
4 1/2 lbs of chocolate chips!
I think that's about 720 delicious,
melt in your mouth cookies.
Divine!
Thank goodness the Crystal Light
that came too has NO calories,
so that I can eat all those cookies
and not worry about putting on pounds!
Yea, right!

Where the Wild Things Are

2008-07-23T08:52:00.006-06:00

What is summer without at trip to the zoo? People around the world are fascinated by God's myriad creations---and the Warsaw Zoo has a diverse menagerie of creatures.
I love them all, but "granddaddy" was my absolute favorite!
Of course no zoo in Poland is complete without the stork.

The turtles were a "tight-knit" group.

These crocs posed all day!

Wish you had been
there to enjoy it too!

Press Forward with a Steadfastness in Christ

2008-07-18T07:41:00.005-06:00

I've been asked to share the story of my pioneer heritage in Church on Sunday. It's an important and moving story, so I've decided to share it here too. It's the story of my great-great grandfather who followed the scripture---"...if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life." 2 Nephi 31:20
His name was Heinrich Elliker and he was born in Switzerland. Missionaries found his family and they were all converted to the Church of Jesus Christ in 1856. Shortly afterward, they determined that they would travel to Salt Lake to be with the other Saints. So, Heinrich and his parents, 4 sisters and 2 brothers went to England and boarded a ship heading for Boston, Mass. After 6 weeks on this ship they arrived in this new country and then they took a train to Iowa City.
At Iowa City they built a handcart and put all of their possessions in it and prepared to push it across the plains and over the mountains. This was the prophet Brigham Young's idea to help defray the cost of many poorer members desiring to go to Zion. This was the first company to cross the plains with handcarts. They were not well prepared, but the Saints were so anxious to get to the Salt Lake Valley and be with the other members of the Church that nothing could hold them back. There was a great deal of trouble with broken wheels and parts.
When they were out on the plains only two weeks, the terrible disease, cholera, struck the camps. On July 15th Heinrich's sister Elisabeth, died and was put in a grave by the side of the trail. A month later death struck again. This time his 15-year old sister, Susanna passed away. Then Heinrich' s father became ill. They put him on the top of the handcart and Heinrich and his mother pushed or pulled the load along.
Heinrich's 21 year-old brother, Konrad became so exhausted that one day as they were nearing the mountains, he stopped by a small stream and told the family to go ahead without him. He was going to rest for a short time and then he would catch up with them. As his family went on and turned the bend they looked back and saw him leaning over the stream wetting his handkerchief. They never saw him again. When he did not show up in camp that evening they put together a search party and went to look for him, but they found no trace.
It was a difficult thing to do, but they had to push on. Heinrich's father grieved so much over the loss of his children that in his weakened condition he died two days later and was also buried along the side of the trail.
Heinrich was the oldest remaining child so it was his responsibility to comfort his mother, sisters and younger brother and help them to press on toward their goal. They gathered up their courage and on they went.
They did reach the Salt Lake Valley and because they were the first handcart company to reach the valley, they were greeted by the Prophet Brigham Young, a band, and hundreds of people. It was a joyous ocassion, but it cost them a dear price---4 members of their family had been lost along the way.
They had left behind their home, their relatives, and friends and come to a strange land trusting only God. They faced heat, broken wheels, fatigue, sickness and even death. They walked 1,300 miles! It was difficult. It was a trial of their faith, but how grateful I am that they pushed forward with a perfect hope in Christ and endured to the end. July 24th is the day we commemorate the fortitude and sacrifice of the early pioneers in our Church. A day to honor and remember them and give thanks for their willingness to do what the Lord asked of them. My life has been blessed immeasurably and I know they will have eternal life with our Father in Heaven because of their faithfulness. May I live worthy of that great heritage and pass it on to my posterity to treasure too.

Our Window on the World

2008-07-15T12:35:00.003-06:00

The windows in Poland are amazing! Not only do they keep out the cold in the winter time and the heat in the summertime,
they are an engineering marvel.If the handle is down, the window is locked.
Turn the handle sideways....
and you can open wide and let in the breeze.
Turn the handle up...
and only the top of it tips in toward the room.
Fascinating!
How does that work???

Note however, that there are no screens on the windows, so you would think that the critters would be coming in with the sunshine all summer.
But, insects must not know how to fly up and in,
because, much to my surprise, they aren't really a problem.
Why haven't we got these in the States?

Ooey Gooey Bites

2008-07-14T08:17:00.003-06:00

Thought I would catch the trend and put one of our
new favorite recipes on the blog to share....Dean gives it a thumbs up!
Enjoy!
We can't get butterscotch chips in Poland,
but Christine included a bag in a recent
package that she sent over.
This was an excellent
use of those little treasures.

Gooey Mixed Nut Bars
1 1/2 C. flour
3/4 C. packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 C. plus 1 T. butter
1 C. butterscotch chips
1/2 C. light corn syrup
1 can salted mixed nuts

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
In medium mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt. Using pastry blender, cut in 1/2 C. butter until mixtures resembles coarse crumbs. Press mixture evenly into ungreased 11 x 7" baking pan to form a base. Bake for 15 to 18 min til edges are light brown.
In a 2 quart saucepan, combine remaining 1 tablespoon butter, the butterscotch chips and corn syrup. Cook over medium heat until chips are melted, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. sitr in nuts. Spread mixture evenly over base. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes more until edges are bubbly.

Day Out With Dorota

2008-07-06T06:33:00.004-06:00

Our cute friend, Dorota, invited us to spend the day with her at
Willanov Palace.She was our tour guide for a few hours through the grounds where King Sobieski once used as a country retreat.
(Nice little cottage, don't you think?)

We packed our lunch and shared it with the
ducks and geese on the lake.
Dorota led us down the path to this pagoda hidden away in the trees. She knew all about the fountains, the chapel and the orangery....Although, she doesn't like to speak English, she did all afternoon for our sake. I'm sure she was exhausted by the end of the day, but it made our visit so much more pleasant to be guided by one of the most wonderful converts the church in Poland has ever seen. She is the future of the Church here.
We were honored to spend the day together.

Language is no barrier...

2008-07-02T12:58:00.002-06:00

Alright----so maybe I don't speak the language,
but that didn't prove to be a problem when I tried to share the Book of Mormon with this gentleman.
He seemed to understand every
word I said.
However, he proved to be a little hard-hearted and just wouldn't get up off of his duff and make a
committment to be baptized.
Don't worry though,
I'm not discouraged. I'll keep trying!

20 Things That Make Me Smile ...

2008-06-27T09:40:00.003-06:00

This one is easy!
(Tagged by Christine)
1-Hugs
2- Yellow roses
3-Chocolate chips and brown sugar in the mail
4-Thunderstorms
5-Toddlers in sun hats
6-A good country song
7-Christmas carols streaming all the way from Colorado Springs
8-Walking hand in hand with my husband
9-Fresh fruit sold on the street corner
10-Flowers blooming on my balcony
11-The clerk who speaks English
12-A frisbee
13-Skype
14-Mexican food
15-A visiting teacher who sends me a message every month all the way to Poland
16-Red sunsets
17-Pictures of my grandchildren
18-Descending numbers on the scale
19-A bargain
20-Recognition of my many blessings
Tag to all who have something to smile about!

The Path of Remembrance

2008-06-22T22:07:00.003-06:00

The Path of Remembrance is found in the center of the former Jewish Ghetto in Warsaw. The Ghetto was created to contain the Jews during World War II. From this location, the Nazis deported 300,000 Jews to the death camps.
The design recalls the cattle trucks used for transportation.The monument to the Ghetto heros depicts a procession of Jews
being driven to death camps
under the threat of Nazi bayonets.

This is all that remains of the wall that once enclosed 450,000 people.

Here the Jews lived in appalling condions and they were used as a source of
free labour for the Nazis.
More than 100,000 inhabitans died of starvation and disease.

In 1943, in an act of desperation, the Jewish Fighters Organization instigated an uprising. This monument symbolizes this heroic defiance, which was planned, not as a bid for liberty but as an honourable way to die. The relief depicts men, women and children struglling to flee the burning ghetto as the Germans suppress the uprising and demolish the entire neighbourhood.

A series of granite markers was erected in the late 1980's. Each is dedicated to an event or hero of the Ghetto with inscriptions in
Polish and Hebrew.

This marks the site of the bunker from which
Mordechaj Anielewicz
commanded the Ghetto Uprising. He blew up the bunker, committing suicide.

Janusz Korczak was another hero. He was a doctor who devoted his life to children. As the director of the Jewish orphange in Warsaw he gave his life and went voluntarily to the death camps at Treblinka with those children in his charge. Their names are enscribed on the Umschlagplatz Monument.

Chopin in the Park

2008-06-22T21:47:00.003-06:00

I can't think of a better way to spend a Sunday afternoon than...

sitting among the roses in Royal Lazienki Park...

and listening to the sound of Chopin's polonaises.

It's All About Presentation!

2008-06-18T08:07:00.002-06:00

Dinner at the Belvedere

...and these were only the
salads!

We thoroughly enjoyed our
"date night"
with President and Sister Engbjerg,
Bulkley's and Kraczeks.

(The food tasted as good as it looked!)

The Wedding

2008-06-13T10:19:00.005-06:00

Two of our favorite people were married yesterday.
In Poland you can only be married by the government or the
Catholic Church,
so the ceremony took place in an office building in front of a government official.
But, back at the chapel we prepared a wedding reception for this sweet couple,
Asia and Richard. It's a Polish tradition to throw rice and money at the couple.
Of course, little ones are always willing to
help pick up the coins.

For two days ahead we worked---
decorating,
cutting fruit,
making sandwiches,
and even a
wedding cake!

They flew to London today to be
sealed in the temple there.
Congratulations and
Best Wishes!

Can't Resist

2008-06-02T09:46:00.006-06:00

We couldn't resist another trip to Lazienki Park this past week....and the pictures are so amazing that I couldn't resist sending them on.
Enjoy!

It really is a beautiful fairy land.

Toddlers

2008-06-02T09:19:00.003-06:00

I can't help but really miss my
grandchildren
while we're away. So, I'm charmed by the little ones who have come out of their homes this spring. The little girls in their pink hats...

And the young lad who
spends hours feeding
the pidgeons and
the ducks.

Each brings a smile to my face and a bit of
wistfulness
to my heart.

Sunshine

2008-05-25T12:39:00.004-06:00

After the gray winter that we've had here in Poland, I shouldn't complain about the sunshine,
but living this far north of the equator gives us some very short days in the winter---the sun goes down by 3:00 p.m. and it's dark by 3:30.
In the summertime, the opposite holds true---the sun comes up at 3:30 a.m. and it stays light until nearly 10:00 p.m. Our bedroom window faces north and the sun comes streaming in by 4:00 every day, not conducive to sleeping in till 6:30! So, we decided to solve the problem---
and we went "dumpster diving" and found some thick cardboard and Dean started cutting...

and measuring and taping

and it's not beautiful, but it is effective....

well, at least it helps. However, I still wake up in the morning and find Dean wearing a mask!

Bears

2008-05-16T13:06:00.003-06:00

Today we visited the old town market square and found it filled with bears!

The UNESCO United Bear Exhibit came to Warsaw. Every country in the United Nations
was given a bear to paint and decorate and these
bears have traveled to 5 different
contintents on display.

It was fascinating to see the creativity and originality.

It was a "beary" fun experience.

Balconies

2008-05-10T10:39:00.004-06:00

When we were in Paris a couple of years ago,
I was enchanted by the flowers hanging from all of the balconies.
So, I thought wouldn't it be wonderful to live in Europe and
have planter boxes filled with flowers hanging from
my balcony?
Well guess what?
I do live in Europe!
So, I told Dean that for Mother's Day, I wanted flowers hanging from my balcony...
and being the wonderful husband that he is...
We picked out the flowers together from the
street vendor...

and bought a planter box that would hang on the railing.
I transplanted....

and Voila!!!

It may not look like much yet...but just you wait.

I'll be the envy of every balcony in the building!
Thanks, Dean, for a beautiful Mother's Day!

TAG TIME

2008-05-08T03:47:00.005-06:00

I've been tagged!!!

A-Attached or single: Very attached for 37 years

B-Best Friends: My husband, my kids, my parents, Jann

C-Cake or Pie: Neither-----brownies!

D-Day of choice: Everyday is a HOLIDAY...I'm retired!

E-Essential item: My makeup

F-Favorite color: emerald green

G-Gummy bears or worms: sour worms

H-Hometown: Boulder, Colorado

I-Indulgences: Pedicures, monthly haircuts, long, hot showers

J-January or July: July, its my birthday month

K-Kids: 6 charming, intelligent, talented and beautiful ones. 3 boys and 3 girls

L-Life is not complete without: Dean

M-Marriage Date: Aug. 21st, 1971

N-Number of siblings: 4---2 brothers and 2 sisters

O-Oranges or apples: sweet, juicy oranges

P-Phobias or fears: spiders, falling

Q-Quotes: Families Are Forever

R-Reason to smile: My cute grandchildren

S-Season: Autumn, when the leaves crunch and the peaches are ripe

T-Tag 3 people: Everybody

U-Unknown fact about me: I want to learn to play the harp.

V-Very favorite store: Christmas Tree Shop in Maine

W-Worst habit: Reading in bed

X- X-ray or Ultrasound: X-ray

Y-Your favorite food: medium-well done steak and loaded baked potato

Z-Zodiac: Leo

Your turn!

Wieliczka

2008-05-05T07:26:00.004-06:00

300 yards deep within the earth...

is the treasure of
Wieliczka Salt Mine.

For centuries
the miners have
carved statues and reliefs
from the salt

The beautiful chapel of
St. Kinga is completely
created in salt and is
the sight of dozens
of weddings each year.

It is truly an ancient and
modern marvel!

Colors

2008-04-29T13:22:00.002-06:00

Is this a
"Jen" picture,
or what?

Way to go Dad!

Spring Has Sprung

2008-04-29T13:05:00.003-06:00

After a gray and bleak winter...

Spring has arrived!

I guess we must go through the
dreary...
to appreciate the beautiful!

Storks

2008-04-21T04:25:00.003-06:00

Did you ever wonder where babies come from?

Poland!
While cruising around the
countryside
the last couple of weeks...
We've spotted giant nests in the trees and on tops of
poles.
On Sunday we found this one with two
storks standing in it. Amazing!
The lady who had this nest in
her backyard didn't appreciate me
taking pictures and turned
her dog on me!

Castles

2008-04-14T10:04:00.003-06:00

If I could choose a castle
to be a princess in....
I'd choose
this one!

Waffles

2008-04-14T09:44:00.003-06:00

Amazing how much fun you can
have with a waffle, some Nutella and
spray whipped cream...

Who knew that waffles would be such a hit
in Poland?

They put out the welcome sign
wherever we go...
and we love it.

Memories of Berlin

2008-04-06T04:22:00.004-06:00

Not much remains where
"the Wall"
once stood

It's marked through the city
by a simple line---reminding
others that it once carved across this street,
separating neighbors

and Checkpoint Charlie
is only a place to have
your picture taken.

But, this impressive Jewish memorial
was built directly over
Hitler's bunker,
to remind us all of the
terrible tragedy of World War II.

And the bullet holes
remaining on this
building represent the
scars of a tragic
period in the world's history.
May we be ever vigilant
that it will never be repeated.

History

2008-04-04T11:20:00.002-06:00

Not long ago we took a journey back in time to World War II
as we visited the UPRISING MUSEUM.

The stories of courage and valor were fascinating....

but Tragic.