The days are once again flying by with a flurry of activity and I think that’s the way life should be. That is: as long as I pace myself and keep my quiet time special as much as possible. Summer pleasures and activities have begun with some sadness sprinkled in.
And summer itself began with the heat in the house finally getting turned off and the heat outdoors turned up. The wind came in from the northwest that day which indicates a normal to cooler next three months. I’m sure that the humid days will come too and the swimming pools will fill with delighted squeals and summer lessons. The evening primrose is flowering, the day lilies have begun to open, and one rose has bloomed. The oriental lilies and the hostas are starting to exhibit buds and so we look forward to the slow continuation of garden flowers and beauty. Dick took time today and has been weeding along one of the area gardens. It looks so much better.
Busy, busy, busy
The writers’ group held their last meeting here until September, I worked the Primary election, we set up a cozy front porch gathering place, our friend Pat, from Long Island, stopped for a porch visit riding his new gorgeous Harley, and Dick finished painting the house just down the road. That is just a few of the things accomplished in the last two weeks.
Whew, I’m getting exhausted just remembering the flurry of activity
Dick started painting at the new church with Andrea and Matthew helping him get the walls painted a beautiful soft yellow, while I have opened the bookstore an extra day a week. He helped our friend Susan frame a beautiful picture she had painted, we attended a funeral of an elderly friend Joe, and I took my friend Judi out for a very belated birthday lunch. Whew, I’m getting exhausted just remembering the flurry of activity. And I’m not done yet.
Here “just over the hilltop” where the sunrises are glorious, the sunsets magnificent, and the days full of joy and work, we sit in the evening on our porch just listening to the bullfrog, the rumble of the passing train, and watching the sparkling lights surrounding us as the lightning bugs flutter by. Hello from our home to yours.
Saying “So long”
The lightning bugs were out in full force Saturday evening at our daughter Kate’s house where we had traveled for a going away party for Ohm, her foreign exchange student from Thailand. Ohm had been here for the entire school year and not only many from Kate’s and Chad’s family had come but about forty or more school friends and teachers had come. What a fun night. We took a sound system with a wireless microphone and taught the young people the Virginia Reel. Ohm went back home with another feature at many gatherings, country dance. Most of the young people had never heard of or danced the Virginia Reel and really seemed to enjoy it. I overheard one girl tell her partner that we need to tell our parents about this. YES!
most of the young people had never heard of or danced the Virginia Reel
There was a bonfire, badminton, a couple of fun games that Eliot, Kate’s oldest brother had brought, soccer tricks (Ohm played on the soccer team), lots of food, and as I mentioned earlier, oodles and oodles of lightning bugs. The little children were running about trying to catch them and delighting in having them crawl up their arms. Oh, to be a kid. It is always sad to say good-byes but what a wonderful experience and memories for everyone involved in this exchange program.
We then stayed at Karen’s and Jami’s for two nights, going to church with them on Sunday, then resting and visiting in the afternoon. Dick had brought Lester, the puppet bear, and he came out after naps. The grandchildren got to fly into space on the air mattress and came back to earth in the morning when Grandpa let the air out. Then after giving Garrett a haircut (his request), we left to come home arriving last evening. Abraham Lincoln once said “People are about as happy as they make up their mind to be.” Let it be known that we are very happy. Have a blessed week and a happy life. Love Sharon