Settling In

We arrived back at our winter home in Gold Canyon last Wednesday and we are about settled. We had been on the road for 5 1/2 months and it takes a long time to bring everything we need from the trailer to the house. We also have to clean up a lot. Leaving a place for that long lets a lot of debris build up. We are fortunate that we don't have to do weed removal like most people do. Even when the temperature gets over 100 degrees numerous times during the summer, there are some weeds that still grow and grow and grow. We have a neighbor who is here year-round and he sprays all the yards on our street so the weeds won't grow and spread to his place. Thanks, Don!

It had been good to shop in familiar stores and begin worshipping at our regular church, Epiphany Episcopal in Tempe. So many in the congregation greeted us with "Welcome back! It's good to see you again."

Our resort is very quiet right now. Most snowbirds don't arrive until at least October. Soon we will be the ones saying "Welcome back!. It's good to see you," to our neighbors as they show up.

Holy Week and Easter

This spring, per our usual schedule, we stayed in Gold Canyon through Easter so we could worship at our winter church home, Epiphany Episcopal Church in Tempe.

John assisted at all of the services during this most holy week of the church year, beginning on Palm Sunday.  The service began in the Parish Hall then we processed with palms to the church where John censed the altar.

Thursday we marked the Last Supper when Jesus washed his disciples' feet and instituted the celebration of Holy Eucharist.  Our Good Friday worship was marked with an empty altar and an empty cross.

Saturday night we began our Easter Vigil in the dark as we remembered the disciples waiting together in fear after Jesus' crucifixion before the first light of Easter is kindled.

The church is no longer bare but full of gold drapery and white flowers.

Easter Sunday the church was packed with worshiping Christians and three young children were baptized.

Even the Arizona desert flowers celebrate Easter. Each spring this beautiful flowers bloom--for only one day. I call them Easter lily cactus.

Then we were off on our summer travels.