It's the blogging bandwagon...

...and I have fallen off of it. Oops. My apologies.

My last week at Silver Bay ended up being fairly busy, and I wanted to spend my spare time just enjoying life! I know I promised more pictures in my last post, so here they are...a little tour of Silver Bay:

The Silver Spray is a beautiful wooden boat that takes people on tours of Lake George. One of the skippers, Don, let me blow the horn as we were coming back into the Bay. It was one of the highlights of my trip!

There was so much Queen Anne's Lace - one of my favorite flowers!

This is the picturesque little chapel where the quartet rehearsed and performed.

This last picture is my favorite. I took it early in the morning on my first day at Silver Bay. It was so glorious watching the sunrise. I knew then I was in a very special place.

I'll show you a few of my favorite spots to sit at Silver Bay tomorrow, and I'll have an update on my crafting!

Peace

Silver Bay has such a rich and beautiful history. There are families here that come every summer. Church conferences and family reunions happen here. One of the ladies living with me in Sunnyside has been coming since 1944 and met her husband here! So sweet!

I'm on the verge of getting sappy, but I may as well continue. I went to the EMPS musical last night - Nunsense. On the back of the program, the director, Mike, wrote, among other things, "This is a place of healing and peace, of love and compassion, of friendship and family....This is truly a home and ours is a loving one." I can't think of a better way to describe Silver Bay. Besides my own home, I've never been in a place where I've felt more welcomed and loved. Although I am looking forward to going home, I am reluctant to leave such a gorgeous place and wonderful friends, both old and new, that have been so restorative for my soul.

This evening's Vespers was at Slim Point where we could see the sunset and hear the water lapping up on the beach. We took several minutes to just be quiet and still and feel God's presence. It was an inspiring moment, and I am so grateful to have been invited to play in the quartet here. Little did I know that it would be such an amazing experience.

The end. Sappiness over. Probably until tomorrow.

I'll have more pictures soon!

Em

Sunshine Award and 8 Questions

A few weeks ago my friend Mandy at Mandy's Yellow Corner gave me the Sunshine Award, and few days ago she tagged me with 8 Questions. For the Sunshine Award I have to tell 7 things about myself. For the other, I have to answer the 8 questions from Mandy then ask 8 bloggers 8 new questions of my choice.

The Sunshine Award:

1. I love chocolate. If I had to eat one food for the rest of my life, it would be chocolate. Please, twist my arm.

2. I love Tudor and WWII history. I read a lot of historical fiction, especially about English history.

3. Brahms is my favorite composer. I don't think I could ever get tired of playing Brahms. Sigh...

4. I am a published author.

5. If I were not pursuing a career in music, I would love to be a pastry chef or an architect. Random, I know.

6. My favorite stuffed animal and one of my oldest friends is Disaur. He's an orange brontosaurus. His name comes from my inability to say dinosaur when I was little.

7. My last name, Blankenship, is derived from the English Blenkinsopp, a locational name in Northumberland, England. There is a medieval Blenkinsopp Castle, which is now unfortunately in ruins. But I still kind of want to go claim my turf.

Since I'm doing these together, I am only going to tag a few people...

1. Amy @ Forever Curiouser

2. Wendy @ a & w

3. Tammy @ StitchnStudio

8 Questions:

Here are Mandy's questions...

1. Your house is burning down and you and your family are all safe. You can only grab one thing. What do you take?

I would definitely take my Bible. I've been using the same one for many years - the one that I received when I officially joined our church. Although I was baptized as an infant, I made a conscious decision to accept Jesus as my Savior and join the church at age 11.

2. What is your favorite color and why?

Purple. That was easy. The why is a little harder. I love deep purple tulips, the way the sky looks almost purple at dusk, violets, lavender, victorian lavender silk...

3. What is the weirdest thing you've ever eaten?

Sweet bread. Look it up.

4. Is your hair its natural color right now?

I've never dyed my hair.

5. Are you most comfortable in a dress and heels or jeans and flip flops?

I'm most comfortable in jeans and flip flops, but I LOVE getting dressed up and putting on an adorable dress and heels.

6. Where would I find you at 10:00 AM on a Saturday?

You would most likely find me still in bed...I'm a little embarrassed to say that, but I like sleeping in. Can you blame me?

7. What station is your car radio usually set to?

NPR. Nerd alert.

8. After an hour at the pool are you tanned, burnt, or the same as before?

Burnt. To a crisp.

Tagging these lovely ladies...

Tara @ Cape Cod Drifter

Crissy @ No Sweeter Name

Clare @ L. B - voyages

Here are my questions for you...

1. What chore do you dislike the most?

2. What did you want to be when you grew up?

3. Would you rather get up early or sleep in?

4. What was the last book you finished reading?

5. If you could have dinner with a famous person, past or present, who would it be?

6. What is your favorite thing to do at night?

7. What is your dream vacation if money is no object?

8. Have you ever traveled outside the country in which you live?

Things here at Silver Bay continue to be beautiful. The quartet is working on new music this week - the Dohnanyi Piano Quintet and Britten's String Quartet no. 1. Yesterday, Chloe, her husband Ben, and I went to the Walmart in Ticonderoga to get her a bathing suit. (Yes, we're doing the team triathalon!) Apparently they don't stock bathing suits up here past July. After a long (long) time thinking about our predicament, the light bulb finally went off, and we realized the fact that I have a one-piece bathing suit. And Chloe and I are the same size. Duh.

Anyhow, we decided to check out downtown Ticonderoga but kept driving and ended up taking the ferry to Vermont. I have to say it is a strange sensation to be in your car floating across Lake Champlain. Vermont is indescribably gorgeous with towering mountains and huge farmland fields. I'm still kicking myself for not carrying my camera with me everywhere here, and alas, I have no photos. We spent the afternoon in Middlebury puttering around in used book stores. I inevitably found a place with craft supplies and bought some. The best part about the trip - a fabulous dinner. If you had eaten Silver Bay food for almost two weeks now, you would understand the sheer joy of eating in a restaurant.

Ok, super long post over.

:)

Em

The Past Few Days

Have I mentioned that I love Silver Bay?

The weather has continued to be gorgeous here at Silver Bay, although it was a bit rainy this morning. It was however, the perfect time for a nap after rehearsal.

For church on Sunday morning I sang in the choir, led by Mike, a new friend here. The people here are some of the most kind hearted and genuine people I have ever met. The older ladies I live with in Sunnyside are adorable, and they're taking good care of me. It's nice to be in so welcoming a place. On Sunday afternoon, Chloe and I played shuffleboard. Yep, shuffleboard...

...it's a fun time.

On Sunday night, our quartet gave our first concert. We got really good responses from the audience, and I believe everyone enjoyed it! I certainly enjoyed playing! We rehearse and give concerts in the beautiful chapel on campus. I'll have a picture of that soon.

On Monday, the quartet had the day off from rehearsing, so I spent the morning taking a watercolor class. My attempt was slightly better than last week...but I'll try, try again. In the afternoon, Chloe and I went for a dip in the lake. Now apparently the lake is the warmest it's ever been, but I beg to differ. It was freezing. Being from South Carolina, I wasn't ready for the coldness. But it was enjoyable time to just wade in the lake and talk.

Afterwards, I made a trip to the craft shop. (Yes, in case you were wondering, this place is perfect.) I enjoyed a wonderful hour sitting by an open window with the smell of rain and a light breeze blowing in while making a rosette necklace for Chloe. I will definitely share a picture of that when it is done! I'm excited about it. I'm also excited about the other opportunities in the craft shop - glass fusing, basket making, weaving, and jewelry making! (Did I mention perfect?)

The highlight of today was Vespers in the boathouse. Here's the view near the boathouse:

Bruce, the chaplain here, gave a beautiful message on prayer tonight, and the quartet played a few pieces. The boathouse was a gorgeous place to play with a breeze coming in the windows and the lake in the background.

At the end of every vespers, we sing and play the hymn "Now the Day is Over." It's a very peaceful hymn, and the sight and sound of everyone singing it and looking out on the sunset brought tears to my eyes. Here are a few lines:

"Now the day is over, night is drawing nigh;

Shadows of the evening steal across the sky.

Jesus, give the weary calm and sweet repose;

With thy tenderest blessing, may our eyelids close.

When the morning wakens, then may I arise

pure and fresh and sinless in thy holy eyes."

So beautiful.

I want to share with you a poem someone read in Vespers a few days ago, but I'll save it for another time. It's a good one.

P.S. There may be a team triathalon in my future. Stay tuned.

Blessings!