Oh dear, I needed to turn my calendar to August earlier than I prefer. Today is really July 38th or as you know it, August 7th. As many of you may remember I loathe i.e., hate turning the year’s calendar to August. Not because I dislike August but rather because I dislike how fast the year ends after flipping the page to the eighth month. It seems to go downhill faster than a flying saucer on ice.
Yet here I am, in August and still enjoying every day. The potted plants are overflowing and I’ve had to give them haircuts regularly, the hanging ferns are huge and billowing out below their pots, and the English bluebells in the upper garden are the last of my perennials to bloom. Each year I think they are weeds but don’t seem to completely weed the garden and there they come blessing me with unexpected beauty. We have a large toad, that has been around quite a bit this year, but yesterday he was on the porch. He is huge but I don’t think he was getting into anything.
Activities and guests
We have a guest from out west this week and this morning I had invited her two brothers to have breakfast with her. I enjoy serving them and letting them visit here and on the porch. Did I tell you how much I love the porch? It is great in the early morning, the late evening, a hot afternoon, or a rainy day. Yup, I love the porch……until the mosquitoes come out and this year they have been bothering a lot. But they will be gone soon enough now that August has come.
I cannot tell a lie. Yes, I did and I used my hatchet
Dick refinished two more of the fifties-style lawn chairs to match the ones he did last year. He is amazing and enjoys fixing things up. He cut up a neighbor’s broken apple tree limb that fell during a storm and attached a counter-top to its base at the church kitchen. Our neighbor at the bookstore wondered if the “Lawn Ranger” had become “George Washington” and chopped up her apple tree. He said, “I cannot tell a lie. Yes, I did and I used my hatchet.” He also used his circular saw, clippers, and hand saw. Then Saturday he attended the men’s breakfast and looked at a bathroom job along with his weekly trip to the library sale. He is busy with puppets and dug out “Lester B. Grumble,” a bear, from the barn library to begin preparing him for service soon. We are working on our first workshop to be offered at the bookstore; “Storytelling, Puppets, and Songs” and Lester plans on making his debut then. We should have this class ready for the end of August and will let you know in case anyone is interested.
I am still working with the choir and loving every thing about it. The voices and hearts of those in the choir are an inspiration to me and the songs are a testimony to God’s grace and power in our lives. I am honored to play and help in this area. I’m working on a possible children’s Christmas pageant with a youth choir presenting the story of Jesus’ birth. This is exciting for me and I pray it all comes together and that the Sunday School children will enjoy it and be excited, too.
Teaching again
Did I tell you that my daughter Karen has asked me to give her little ones swimming lessons? It has been years since I’ve taught, but I recently dug out my books and have begun putting together a water safety class and a beginner’s swimming class. Hopefully, we can use one corner of the beach. I probably should try to check with someone in charge first. Anyway, I was a Red Cross Swimming Instructor and a Water Safety and Rescue Instructor in my younger years. I’m actually beginning to get excited about teaching my grandchildren to swim and know about being around the water. I am reckoning on not only muscles having memory but that the archives in my brain will bring forth memory in my ability to present clearly the information necessary to swim or to help someone in trouble even if you can’t swim. Glad I kept my books and training manuals!
Well, I must confess that the heat has been around for a while and seems to be affecting my brain today. I can’t remember if I was going to write more so I won’t. Enjoy these hot, humid days of summer while they’re here: just stay hydrated and be safe and careful. Love, Sharon