Category Archives: Travel

Advent Adventures: Unusual Foods and Christmas Magic

Posted on by
Reply

Welcome back to to another post. We’re preparing for Christmas with our little advent focus… I’m actually combining a couple of lessons from our study because we missed a week travelling… did you even notice? I did. Nonetheless, the kid and I have made it back safely to Itsnottafarm and have resumed our rather boring existence. Winter hit. I’m bummed out about it. So let’s talk more about our vacation instead, okay?

I love to try new foods when on vacation. Obviously, when you are in a new place, there are things that you do that are “out of the ordinary”. That’s the point, right? Vacations are supposed to be when you see new things, try new foods, and throw a few extra ordinary things in there. And of course we did this on our little mini getaway, too. Two restaurants on our list whenever we go to the USA are Olive Garden and Cracker Barrel. We used to have Olive Garden here in Canada, but no longer… and it is a shame. All you can eat bread sticks? Yes, please.

Anyway, amid our navigational disasters, we did manage to make it to an Olive Garden. And it was worth the drive. Our waiter bamboozled us a little into getting extra dipping sauces… but hey, we were on vacation. Alfredo for the win! I suppose pasta places are not unusual as far as restaurants go, but anything different from “home” is worth it. Our second unusual stop was a place called “Shake Shack”. A new one to me, but the “elevated” fast food joint was on the kid’s list and right next to our hotel… so it was hit up as well. Apparently the burger was great. I can say that my shake was quite good. I got a peppermint bark shake which had big chunks of real peppermint bark. I suppose the Shake Shack will be added to the list for future trips.

Being in Boston, we also had to try the “specialty”: Lobster rolls. It served as our lunch one day whilst downtown. We had the entire restaurant to ourselves at about 2 o’clock in the afternoon… and paid through the nose for essentially a sandwich, but we did it just to say we did. Anyone have any foodie lists for vacation? What’s your extra ordinary food when you don’t want to be ordinary? Perhaps a Christmas tradition that only comes out at this time of year?

So. Let’s make our transition to our lessons, shall we? Extra ordinary. Different from the norm. On the list but not the everyday. Can we say that the birth of Jesus certainly fit in this theme? First off… no sterile hospital bed for Mary. She had the luxury suite in the barn cave of a kind inn keeper. Mary and Joseph were on a trip, but nary a fancy meal for them. No endless bread sticks on the menu. Instead? Lowly shepherds in the middle of the night. Then later, a visit from a few wise men who followed an “unusual” star. One never seen before. Yup, babies are born in the middle East all the time… but this one? Freaky all around.

If you think about it, the entire description of that Holy night was unusual. Out of the ordinary. Different in almost every way from the normal… time, place, people, creatures… how did the world not know? Did the friends of the shepherds not question their sanity? Didn’t other people see a shining light and a multitude of angels on a hill in the blackness? What did Mary think of the whole thing? Really? “Treasured up all these things in her heart” is an understatement. Crazy crazy things happened to this peasant girl and her betrothed, slightly confused husband. They’d never been through these things before… and the verses in the Bible seem to gloss through the story… because it really is extra ordinary.

Ordinary Night in Bethlehem? Not in the Least! Photo by mark soetebier on Pexels.com

Perhaps that’s why we make Christmas time extra special. Perhaps that’s why we bring out all the goodies that we only splurge on at this time of year. It is cause for celebration. It is an excuse to see the phenomenal. Angels, wise men, unnamed stars, stinky sheep and their caregivers in a foreign village in a barn. Would not be on my birth plan. Nor on my vacation list. Yet, it was all as the ancient prophets had predicted. And all according to God’s plan.

Obviously there is a lot more we could unpack in these advent days. The story of King Herod and the death of innocent babies. Who were the shepherds? The wise men? What ever happened to Joseph? The gifts? Yet, I’m going to choose to sit here with my endless supply of bread sticks and just enjoy the unusual. It’s worth the seeking to experience an “ordinary event” in an “extra ordinary” way. I’m up to try it. Are you? Let’s make it a plan to see the magic of Christmas… both past and present this year. Cheers!

Exploring Boston: Anticipation and Miracles on the Road

Posted on by
Reply

Greetings from Boston Massachusetts! The youngest son and I are on a spur- of- the- moment trip. Why Boston? Simply because it was a place on the map we could drive to in a day. So, here we are. It’s the most I have ever driven by myself. And getting here was a challenge. We decided to take a route through Vermont. Which was fine, except it was a very straight run through simple trees and the end of our trip was dark — therefore a long, boring, drive. No gas stations, no street lights, no tourist spots along the way… simply dark figures of trees and the road ahead. Barely even another car, because who decides to go through Vermont enroute to Boston in the middle of late fall ? Us crazy Canadians, I guess.

Needless to say, we drove the last few hours straight with a vengeance. We were on a mission to get there. To make matters worse, my phone battery was dangerously low and for fear of our GPS (and only navigation) source dying, the kid was taking screen shots of directions to get us there. Finally, our hotel was in sight… we were safe and had arrived! Then, we were starving and needed to find food (but that’s a different story).

One of the biggest lessons we can draw from our road trip thus far, has been the anticipation. As I said, we planned this little getaway with no real agenda other than the trip itself. Let’s just go! It’ll be fun! How does that thought link to our third lesson of this little advent study we’re in the middle of? Well, we are focusing on Mary and the miracle of her virgin birth and all that surrounds that subject. Obviously, from ancient texts, we can see that the world has been waiting… anticipating… for the final arrival of the Messiah, One who would save the world. We were on a mission to get to the end … and the world was waiting too!

Now, let’s talk about all that surrounded Mary’s story. A virgin birth. A visit from an angel. Lots of out of the ordinary stuff happening to poor Mary… exciting but crazy things! Our lesson points out some interesting facts about Luke’s account of the baby Jesus’ birth as recorded in the Bible:

  • Luke was an expert historian; he would have secured his sources and fact checked; this means he would not likely “make up” points just to be sensational in his writing; Mary’s virginity would be fact
  • Mary’s story also checks out with earlier accounts from prophets like Isaiah; the Bible is consistent
  • Many Greco-Roman legends of the time paint different pictures of their “immortal god births”, often citing gods having relations with mortals resulting in miraculous births… Luke’s account isn’t anything like this, and sticks to the facts
  • speaking of facts… most readers would ummm, understand the “facts” and not play stupid; in other words, because Mary was a virgin, Jesus’ birth is all that more miraculous. If she wasn’t, we could explain it away; We can also say that the ancient people of the time understood where babies came from… so His miraculous birth was just that: supernatural and special

Furthermore, I’m humbled to know that the mighty messengers who came to visit Mary way back then, were looking out for us on our journey as well. I am sure that angels were on the roads protecting us from snow and sleet and my lack of navigational skills. My phone wasn’t miraculously charged, but I have no doubt that God kept us safe on the roads, because lemme tell ya, traffic in Boston is awful! Narrow roads and one way streets with bridges and interstates with crazy on and off ramps. God led Mary and Joseph through miraculous parenthood adventures, and he led the kid and I on some crazy escapades as well!

Just think about all of Mary’s crazy adventures! Image from The Nativity Story

Perhaps I am drawing too much of a comparison between our road trip and Mary’s miracle. Still, it is valid to muse about the well familiar virgin birth story and all the anticipation of Christmas. Perhaps, should you travel this holiday, you’ll think of us and our long road through Vermont and be reminded that the same God who was with Mary, is with you, too, as He was with us on the roads in Boston. He still cares. He is still protecting us. He still has a plan for us. I hope this little post has brought you a little closer to knowing Him this season, and recognizing His presence, even on the dark roads of Vermont !

Antiques and Adventures: A Moment in Time

Posted on by
Reply

Whew! Another week has flown by! Yet time is like that, isn’t it? Especially when you get older and you’re moving “downhill”, shall we say. My current update is the same as last weeks: pallets are still on the driveway, coop still needs cleaning, and we have one out of two porch rocking chairs stained. The status of these projects hasn’t changed much in seven days. We did get a few things in the barn and tidied up before the snow flies, but the leaves are still falling. It’s actually quite sunny out today and I’m not really thinking about snow at all yet. It will be here soon enough, though.

Let’s get back to fall, though, shall we? I had a beautiful fall drive the other day through the countryside to pick up our little grand baby. He’s getting so big now… will be a year in a couple months. There’s time flying again. Really flying when you think of all the milestones a little one goes through in a year. From helpless newborn to walking, talking toddler, to helpless teenager again. Did I say that out loud? Ooops. Nevermind. I suppose we can say that time certainly doesn’t stop for anyone on this journey through our earth exsistance.

Anyway… back to my fall drive. The colours were fabulous. Golden hues mixed with brown undertones, a clear, blue sky and a winding road through little rural towns decorated with orange pumpkins and the odd farm stand of weathered wood and hand drawn signs. Post card perfect. Even for the end of the season. Once car seats were switched and snacks were handed out, I headed off home again. Grand baby and I stopped at an antique shop on the way, just to break up the journey. I was a little nervous taking a baby through a narrow aisled shoppe filled with old glass jars and pottery, especially one in an old dairy barn with a cracked (and slanted) floor. He’s a little angel though, and happily ate his cheese bagel in the stroller as I dodged in and out of the booths checking price tags.

Antiques are a funny thing. I don’t claim to be an “antique-r” but I love to look. Why do we pay so much for something so old? I’m a sucker for mason jars, and have a large collection. Still, I stop and look at the price of every jar filled with marbles. I have no idea why. I also wander through such places and think, “if I put that old window frame up on my wall, it is certainly gonnna look weird and not at all like that one in the magazine”. I even have the old century farmhouse now where such things are expected… but my decorating skills are not anywhere near the magazine people. And so I wander through antique barns checking price tags like I know what I am doing.

At the very last booth, however, I did discover two little ceramic birds. I have been craving these for some time now. They aren’t even antiques, likely. I’ve seen similar in those potpourri gift shoppe places. The price tag always deters me. These birdies, however, had a price tag on the bottom of $5.00! So, I hummed and hawed for a second, do I need them? They are a good price, so I wandered off with them to the counter.

My new little “vintage” birdies

I chit chatted with the guy about the weather, these little birds, and how I had been looking for a pair, and how cute grand baby was with cheese bagel stuffed face. He tells me they were $5.56 total. I originally thought they were $5 EACH. So, I am very sorry, nice antique guy, but I didn’t say a single thing, nor question your final price, except that we still had a bit left over for coffee … and I bubbled inside that I now had a great deal (It was mixed with a little guilt I didn’t question him, I’ll admit it! But that’s on the store owner right? The price tags were clearly labelled…)

I suppose at this point, I should muse about being honest. Perhaps speaking truth. Perhaps how our glorious Creator gives us the fall season to rejoice in. Okay, I’ve mentioned all of those things. Yet my thinking originally lead me to “time” for this post. An antique store certainly makes you question time. You literally look at pieces of history from a time past: glass mason jars for canning or marble collections. Movie posters and antique record albums. Rusty farm tools. Real wood furniture, pottery crocks, milk crates and bottles. Baskets, fur coats and license plates. Pieces in time.

My little birds are perhaps “vintage” but likely not real antique. I don’t think they serve any purpose besides sitting on a shelf to make me smile. Still, they will remind me of when a bagel eating grand baby was with me, and how he’s growing so fast. How warm the sun was on that day, and how I need to get going on those porch chairs. How God gives us limited time. Yet, for every waking minute and second of that time, He watches over us, as He does the tiny sparrow. And only He knows when our time is up. When His plan for us is complete and time will move forward with others stepping up to the plate.

Do you love an antique shop, my friend? Or do you love a modern coffee shop and bagel? Either way, it’s an outing with a friend. Or a grand baby. Or a spouse. Or a parent. This week, I’m reminded that time is special. Preserve and cherish it. For not unlike the price tags of antiques, the cost is usually high, but if you get a deal, don’t say too much: Just enjoy it.