85 N. Main St., Norwood, NY 13668
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Blog“Just Over the Hilltop”

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Hello from just over the hilltop in Norwood where the “sun in the morning peeks over the hill and kisses the roses round my window sill; then my heart fills with gladness when I hear the trill of the birds in the treetops on Mockin’ Bird Hill.”

That was one of my favorite songs as a child and it still delights me every time I hear it. “When it’s late in the evening, I climb up the hill and survey all my kingdom while everything’s still; Only me and the sky and an ol’ whippoorwill singing songs in the twilight on Mockin’ Bird Hill.” Well, the deer ate the tops of the hostas and some of the day lilies around the house. With all the rain we’ve had the repellent washed away more quickly. Dick was able to rescue a few younger hostas by spraying again but the lilies in the side garden are gone.

Only me and the sky and an ol’ whippoorwill singing songs in the twilight on Mockin’ Bird Hill

Due to my not getting to the weeding, though Dick tackled some of it this year, we now have English Blue Bells at the corner of the house and in the upper garden. I thought they were weeds last year and am so thankful they returned. We’ve had a few black-caps to eat before the birds help themselves, a goldfinch bathing in the birdbath, and the cardinals, phoebes, chickadees, robins and nuthatches have been singing a tune as they dine on the bugs from the damp trees and fish for worms in the rain-soaked ground. It has been a happy place over here on the hill.

Dick was busy with vacation Bible school last week where his puppet and he performed with great skill and delight, playing the part of Balto, a husky sled dog that pulled the serum to an Alaskan village in time to save many lives. Dick was definitely in his element and had a wonderful time. He is also helping a friend build a deck, has built a screen door for a neighbor friend, keeps the lawn mowed at the schoolhouse, and even took time to create and build a wooden pink flamingo called, “Fabulous Floyd on the Flying Trapeze.” Yes, Floyd is swinging from a branch in the Norway maple just minding his own business and delighting us.

History and guests

We had several guests last week with the first being the granddaughters of the original owners and builders of our home. The sisters brought us some photos to look at and some to keep along with sharing their stories of their childhood visits to this house. I love learning of the history of our homes and the character of the people who lived in them. Knowing that we are just passing through in time and place, we desire to be good stewards of the property and leave a story behind for others to find. Each family link on the chain of time is important and each one was a real person with hopes and dreams, joys and sorrows, laughter and tears. Our time and stories will now join them.

we desire to be good stewards of the property and leave a story behind for others to find

While our guests were visiting and exploring the area, I made monster cookies and pies for them, our next guests, and a friend. The guests that followed were also from Pennsylvania but they were grandparents of one of my former waitresses. In the same week we had granddaughters of one family and grandparents of another. The guests never met each other as their days crossed in time, but we enjoyed the visits with them all.

Sunday I had the sweetest phone call from two little grandchildren, Garrett (4) and Heidi (3), who said together, “Happy Birthday, Grandma.” Years ago the phone company would run ads about “reach out and touch someone” meaning if you can’t get there in person touch them with your voice in a telephone call. There certainly is something special about hearing a voice at the other end of the line. Especially when it is family with sweet little “I love you, Grandma.”

Sunday after church we went to lunch at the Hometown with some friends and discovered that four out of the ten of us were celebrating birthdays. Two on the 16th. One on the 17th. One on the 18th. The waitresses brought us each a doughnut with a lit candle and sang “Happy Birthday” to the four of us. How special was that! That evening our friends Dave and Judi came over and we went for ice cream at the Hometown. It was a quiet, restful, renewing day turning all of sixty-seven. Age doesn’t bother me as I’ve embraced and loved every year I’ve been alive. Thank you, Lord, for my days are in your hands.

Helpful Hint

I’ve been thinking about …….. head over feet. That’s right. Not head over heels but head over feet. Isn’t that normally where our heads are? Of course they are…..until you sit down. It is then one realizes that the feet are beyond the head and shoulders several inches and the standing up presents a small problem. Especially those of us who are aging (that means getting older)! While Dick and I were out on the swing toasting my last day of being sixty-six and watching the sun go down, we were laughing about the way we cautiously try to get up from a sitting position.

we were laughing about the way we cautiously try to get up from a sitting position

Maybe you don’t have that trouble, but be assured, one day you will. This is a good reference point to keep in mind or rather in a folder in your brain’s filing cabinet labeled – “Head Over Feet.” Take your time, extend your head and shoulders so they are parallel to your feet, then lift yourself up out of the chair in the most gracious way possible. DO NOT take a step right away. Stand still, stand straight and take a deep breath. If you are trying not to draw attention to yourself, start talking to someone as though you are not in a hurry to leave or end the conversation. Eventually look down at your feet, make sure they haven’t fallen asleep, then in a stately dignified way, take that first step with confidence and surety. Now that you know our method of standing up with these aging bodies, waiting for the “fluids” to move everywhere and making sure nothing is asleep, we hope you enjoy your getting up from a sitting position with much grace, ease, and care. We love you and hope this helps. Love, Sharon

P.S. If you think this journal was long – it was. I put two weeks in one because life got in the way of my appointment with myself last week. Oh, and it’s okay to laugh and think of us when you stand up. See you next week!

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