St. Gregory's Episcopal Church, Long Beach, CA April 11, 2013

The church where Clara attends has a healing service Thursdays at 10:00 am. It was my honor to go and be blessed and prayed over. I was so impressed with the beauty of the church, but they will be doing a grand remodeling project beginning this summer. I called it modern, but the priest's wife called it mid-Century, i.e. 1950's style. 

The Priest's robe matches the altar
tablecloth and linens. Daffodils are my
favorite flower.

Our service was in this smaller
chapel and part of the sanctuary.

Beautiful!

Front window.

Altar detail

Piano and Organ

Justice

Love the Children

Where Clara sits.

Permanent candle holders every
third pew.

Looking out

In the Narthex

Many colors of roses
 in the front Memorial Garden.

Amazed at the buds clustered
around these roses.

I missed the Bishop's Lunch
by a week.

St. Gregory's in Long Beach, CA

Rancho Alamitos April 10, 2013

After computer class, Clara and I journeyed under a freeway to Rancho Alamitos (Ranch of the little Cottonwoods) also in her neighborhood. They had a short documentary film that was helpful to meet the people who settled here around 1880 and how it evolved through time.

In 1947

Today.

1880 Cottonwoods and Pepper Trees.
1890 Moreton Bay figs in front yard.
1909 Canary Island date palms.

All the walls are painted with native
plants.

Two horses are left from many.

They are proud of their Bristol Sheep.

Inside the chuck wagon.

Story goes that one of the hands wouldn't bathe, so they
made him stay in the chuck wagon! Before we had RVs.

Used to have milk cows
and have left the barn
just as it was.

Rescue chickens.

They had a blacksmith
shop.

Multiple tools.

Oh, the other horse!

This strange root
of an imported tree.

We couldn't take photographs inside the house. It was very interesting and full of history. We didn't have time to visit the gardens and the gift shop. I hope anyone interested will have the chance to visit.

Dogs and Labyrinth in Long Beach, CA April 10, 2013

Clara is a friend from St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Jacksonville where I go to church. She is helping her daughter here in Long Beach and invited me to stay with her a few days. The daughter has the cutest dogs. Binky had eye problems and the Vet removed the eyes and sewed them shut. With all the curly hair, you realize there are no eyes after seeing him find his way around by gently bumping into the wall. Clara takes them for a walk and he walks behind, but he does keep up with encouragement. Bogus is very jealous and any extra attention for Binky, he gets into the middle. No, he does not take care of Binky. I enjoyed my stay and it was hard to leave.

Binky likes to be cuddled
up in his blanky.

Bogus wants to be ready to go
on his side of the blanky.

Proud Clara, Bogus and Binky

Our church ladies had a retreat last year and learned to walk the labyrinth as a form of meditation. Clara found one in her neighborhood while walking one morning.

Multifunctional Church

A beautiful fountain reminds
me of the mission fountains.

This is the first labyrinth for the
 bricklayer to design and build.

Two shades of brick.

We met the pastor who said they
wanted it in front so the public
had the opportunity to use it.

Inside I met the Lady
Guadalupe, patron saint
of Mexico.

The altar can be set for Protestant service
or this way for the Roman Catholic service.

A member drew this Lord's Last Supper
on brown paper. They have a light
behind it and we got to turn on the light!

San Pedro, CA St. Peter's Espiscopal Church April 9, 2013

We lived in San Pedro, CA from summer of 1977 until Summer 1979 when we moved to Jacksonville. It was the only time in Charlie's career that we lived in Navy housing.

When I meet the priest for St. Peter's, she said "Welcome to the most beautiful stained glass in the world." I stepped into the door and caught my breath for the whole sanctuary was breathless!

From the floor
to the ceiling!

Close up of the center.

I've never seen Jesus
hanging like this before.

It was very hard
to take photos of these
side windows as there
was too much light.

Even more
colorful
in person.

Close-up.

This organ is so tall
I had to take two photos.

The top.

This beautiful mosaic was sorta
hidden behind the lectern.

Keys to the
Kingdom.

Journey to a
new world.

This banner is enlarged
in my photo.

Another organ in the side room.
The little blue banner is
Daughter's of the King.

And there were
more.

St. Peter's set high up on a hill from the street. Perhaps
you can get a better idea of how large the stained
glass window is from this outside view.