After nearly a week of wandering around in Kentucky, I have returned home. It's always good to be home, no matter where I've been.
Fern and Betty and I spent our days in libraries finding all sorts of things. I'm telling you, we love this work. There is such a feeling of connection when we run across our ancestors and get in touch with their lives. Some were stellar individuals - some were not so stellar.
It's alright. Some of us aren't so stellar, either.
Most of eastern Kentucky, where a good many of our people are from, is considered Appalachia (not "App-a-lay-sha" - it's "App-a-latcha"). There is a lot of poverty there. It's beautiful in parts - but some parts have become very run down. If my parents had remained there, or in West Virginia (where mom and my sisters were baptized) who knows what our lives would have been like...
There was one thing that really touched our hearts. My dad had always said he went to college in Berea, KY. My attitude was usually, "Yeah, right...", for dad didn't go to school past 6th grade. He spent three years in 4th grade! College? I don't think so.
We went to Berea, KY. It is a beautiful college town. After some things we found out, it became even more beautiful.
Dad did indeed go to college there. Just like Oberlin College here in Ohio, it became one of the first co-educational, non-segregated schools in the country. It was founded in 1855. One could go to school for free - and you still can. With qualifying grades and support from the private sector and alumni, tuition is free. Students work their way through. It is specifically for the students of Appalachia, but one of our waiters was from Shaker Heights (just outside of Cleveland, OH). The demeanor of the students there was one not always seen on campuses.
We went in to the Special Collections and Archives. Dad was enrolled in September 1930 in the Junior High program. It was a way to get caught up on grades 1-9. In April of 1931, his father called him home to work. He went for 1 1/2 semesters and never got to go back. It was planting time in Kentucky. His formal education had come to an end.
Dad had an engineering mind, as did his ancestors before him. It was said of his grandfather that all you had to do was tell him the size house you wanted built. He would figure it out in his head how much lumber was needed, and there would barely be a splinter left over. Dad could design anything. He built me a wheat grinder out of two burr stones, some plywood, and a washing machine motor he found at the dump.
I wish I would have inherited some of it - just a little bit.
We loved the little town, and will always have fond memories of it.
Boone Tavern, where we had many meals. We couldn't believe the price for a room - about the same as a Fairfield Inn - or even a Comfort Suites!
The lobby in Boone Tavern.
A flower arrangement in the Tavern, where they incorporate live flowers into the arrangement.
Me in one of the many lobbies - but forget me. Look at the rug!
Quilt patterns are on the sides of many buildings. We mostly saw them on barns. There is even a quilt trail through several counties.
A quilt hanging in the public library in Berea. It was made in 1885 - just one year before my grandmother was born.
I loved this picture depicting a country dance. It reminded me of a dance I went to in the mountains of Virginia several years ago. I spent the evening dancing with a retarded man. When I got too tired, he picked up a broom and started dancing with it. It was probably a better dance partner.
The streets of downtown Berea. The whole town was this clean.
Dr. Thomas Walker - one of my distant ancestors. He was one of the early explorers who led an expedition west of the Allegheny Mountains in 1750 - about 19 years before Daniel Boone. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Walker_(explorer) Doesn't he look a wee bit Scottish?
Well, I suppose that's enough of a history lesson for this week. You can tell that it's one of my greatest loves - the history of my family and the history of this nation.
I arrived home on Thursday evening to Kerry's long and loving embrace. Oh, it felt so good. I'd had a week of pinto beans with sweet onions, cornbread, salmon patties, buttermilk, biscuits and gravy - all of the food I grew up on. Now it was time to come home and get back to a little bit healthier eating.
But, Betty insisted that I go back into a restaurant and look on the wall. Sure enough, there was a tile that I HAD to get a picture of...
I think Mr. Kerry has improved my character. He's a good, good man.
This month, we wish a happy birthday to:
Spenser - Jean's grandson - Oct 2
JJ - our grandson! - Oct 8
Janet - my good friend from Akron - Oct 14
And a happy anniversary to:
Dave and Joan - Jean's son and d-i-l - Oct 19
Orson & Shirley - Kerry's parents, who were married Oct 30, 1944. Good, good people. I miss them.
And, a few good reads:
"Learning to endure times of disappointment, suffering, and sorrow is part of our on-the-job training. These experiences, while often difficult to bear at the time, are precisely the kinds of experiences that stretch our understanding, build our... character, and increase our compassion for others". By: Joseph B. Wirthlin, "Come What May, and Love It", Ensign, Nov 2008
"Keep the fire of your testimony of the restored gospel and your witness of our Redeemer burning so brightly that our children can warm their hands by the fire of your faith". By: President Boyd K. Packer Ensign, May 2003
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Take me home, country roads...
I was born and raised in Ohio, but when I come to Kentucky I feel like I'm coming home.
I left church a bit early today to meet Fern and Jim and Betty, who were waiting in my driveway for me to arrive. It was time for a genealogy trip. Due to illnesses with ALL of us, we have not been able to go on one since almost exactly one year ago. Fern and Betty's husbands have not had the best of health in the past few months, so we bring Jim along and Pete stays at home, where Justin is close by to help when needed.
It's much different than when we used to take 2-3 trips each year. But, things change, and we just have to do the best we can do.
So tonight, Betty and I are in a hotel room in Ashland, KY. We had a good hillbilly dinner - I had salmon patties, mashed potatoes, coleslaw, pinto beans, cornbread, and peach cobbler. The others had various meals of chicken and dumplings or hot roast beef sandwiches with gravy and potatoes. No one knows what low fat dressings or egg beaters are down here.
Years ago, Kerry and I brought our kids down here to my mom's only living brother - my uncle Dick and his wife, Aunt Betty. I could never figure out how she could have a spread on the table within minutes - including things like jello. That always fascinated me, for it takes some time to make jello.
We stayed all night, and breakfast was at 5:00 am. She hollered up the stairs and wondered when we were all going to get up and moving. We came down to a table laden with ham, pork chops, bacon, sausage, biscuits and gravy, fried apples, juices, etc. Kerry just about fell over, and asked if they ate like this every morning. Uncle Dick, a tobacco farmer, just looked at him and said, "You can't go out and work the farm on a bowl of Cheerios."
A true statement.
This week was good. There was one day I heard from three of my four kids. They usually call late at night when Kerry and I have already lapsed into a coma. Peter had gone into the hospital again last Sunday evening, but is now out. Harmony wanted to know if Kerry and I were going to go to California for a visit anytime soon (we went three years ago - we tend to go every 8 years). Erik came up to Mansfield to return some things he had borrowed and stayed for awhile before going home. It was good to talk with all of them.
Kerry worked at the temple Tuesday night, the first time it was open after being closed for a two-week break. It was very busy that night. I worked Friday and nearly met myself coming and going. I have never seen the temple so busy. Many stakes (like a diocese) are having celebrations commemorating the tenth anniversary of our temple, so we have been extra busy. Extra sessions were added, and there was a feeling of joy and gratitude everywhere - for we are very thankful to have a temple this close to us. We used to have to travel to Washington, DC - an 8-hour trip.
That evening, Kerry and I went to the Bellville Street Fair - an annual event. We LOVE to go, and always run into people we know. We parked and began walking over to the festivities - and the first thing that hit us was the smell of the food. Oh, my! There's no smell like it on earth!!!
The next day found me running errands and going to the farmer's market. Eddie knew something was up when he saw my suitcase come out. He began to get into a snit.
I don't care. He's just a dog, so he'll get over and be jumping for joy when I get home.
Thanks for all of the positive comments you have sent to me for the past few newsletters I have sent. Y'all have really seemed to enjoy the pictures. I did make an error last week, though. I inadvertently put down 2001 for the year Kerry's sister, Gay, passed away. It was actually 2000. I knew it the minute I sent it. And I'm a genealogist!!! Imagine that!
Till next week!
Miss P
"In a world filled with much laboring and striving in parliaments, congresses, agencies, and corporate offices, God's extraordinary work is most often done by ordinary people in the seeming obscurity of a home and family". By: Neal A. ...Maxwell (The Collected Works of Neal A. Maxwell, 1974)
Influences That Erode Faith
Posted: 14 Sep 2009 12:00 AM PDT
“First is doubt. . . . It comes from a lack of confidence in one’s self or abilities. It is inconsistent with our divine identity as children of God. “Doubt leads to discouragement. Discouragement comes from missed expectations. . . . Discouragement leads to distraction, a lack of focus. . . . Distraction leads to a lack of diligence, a reduced commitment to remain true and faithful and to carry on through despite hardship and disappointment. . . . This path ultimately leads to disobedience, which undermines the very basis of faith. So often the result is disbelief, the conscious or unconscious refusal to believe.”
Kevin W. Pearson, “Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ,” Ensign, May 2009, 40
“There is no infirmity, affliction, or adversity that Christ did not feel in Gethsemane. . . .“President Howard W. Hunter said: ‘If our lives and our faith are centered on Jesus Christ and his restored gospel, nothing can ever go permanently wrong. On the other hand, if our lives are not centered on the Savior and his teachings, no other success can ever be permanently right’ (The Teachings of Howard W. Hunter, ed. Clyde J. Williams [1997], 40).”
Rafael E. Pino, “Faith in Adversity,” Ensign, May 2009, 41–42
I left church a bit early today to meet Fern and Jim and Betty, who were waiting in my driveway for me to arrive. It was time for a genealogy trip. Due to illnesses with ALL of us, we have not been able to go on one since almost exactly one year ago. Fern and Betty's husbands have not had the best of health in the past few months, so we bring Jim along and Pete stays at home, where Justin is close by to help when needed.
It's much different than when we used to take 2-3 trips each year. But, things change, and we just have to do the best we can do.
So tonight, Betty and I are in a hotel room in Ashland, KY. We had a good hillbilly dinner - I had salmon patties, mashed potatoes, coleslaw, pinto beans, cornbread, and peach cobbler. The others had various meals of chicken and dumplings or hot roast beef sandwiches with gravy and potatoes. No one knows what low fat dressings or egg beaters are down here.
Years ago, Kerry and I brought our kids down here to my mom's only living brother - my uncle Dick and his wife, Aunt Betty. I could never figure out how she could have a spread on the table within minutes - including things like jello. That always fascinated me, for it takes some time to make jello.
We stayed all night, and breakfast was at 5:00 am. She hollered up the stairs and wondered when we were all going to get up and moving. We came down to a table laden with ham, pork chops, bacon, sausage, biscuits and gravy, fried apples, juices, etc. Kerry just about fell over, and asked if they ate like this every morning. Uncle Dick, a tobacco farmer, just looked at him and said, "You can't go out and work the farm on a bowl of Cheerios."
A true statement.
This week was good. There was one day I heard from three of my four kids. They usually call late at night when Kerry and I have already lapsed into a coma. Peter had gone into the hospital again last Sunday evening, but is now out. Harmony wanted to know if Kerry and I were going to go to California for a visit anytime soon (we went three years ago - we tend to go every 8 years). Erik came up to Mansfield to return some things he had borrowed and stayed for awhile before going home. It was good to talk with all of them.
Kerry worked at the temple Tuesday night, the first time it was open after being closed for a two-week break. It was very busy that night. I worked Friday and nearly met myself coming and going. I have never seen the temple so busy. Many stakes (like a diocese) are having celebrations commemorating the tenth anniversary of our temple, so we have been extra busy. Extra sessions were added, and there was a feeling of joy and gratitude everywhere - for we are very thankful to have a temple this close to us. We used to have to travel to Washington, DC - an 8-hour trip.
That evening, Kerry and I went to the Bellville Street Fair - an annual event. We LOVE to go, and always run into people we know. We parked and began walking over to the festivities - and the first thing that hit us was the smell of the food. Oh, my! There's no smell like it on earth!!!
The next day found me running errands and going to the farmer's market. Eddie knew something was up when he saw my suitcase come out. He began to get into a snit.
I don't care. He's just a dog, so he'll get over and be jumping for joy when I get home.
Thanks for all of the positive comments you have sent to me for the past few newsletters I have sent. Y'all have really seemed to enjoy the pictures. I did make an error last week, though. I inadvertently put down 2001 for the year Kerry's sister, Gay, passed away. It was actually 2000. I knew it the minute I sent it. And I'm a genealogist!!! Imagine that!
Till next week!
Miss P
"In a world filled with much laboring and striving in parliaments, congresses, agencies, and corporate offices, God's extraordinary work is most often done by ordinary people in the seeming obscurity of a home and family". By: Neal A. ...Maxwell (The Collected Works of Neal A. Maxwell, 1974)
Influences That Erode Faith
Posted: 14 Sep 2009 12:00 AM PDT
“First is doubt. . . . It comes from a lack of confidence in one’s self or abilities. It is inconsistent with our divine identity as children of God. “Doubt leads to discouragement. Discouragement comes from missed expectations. . . . Discouragement leads to distraction, a lack of focus. . . . Distraction leads to a lack of diligence, a reduced commitment to remain true and faithful and to carry on through despite hardship and disappointment. . . . This path ultimately leads to disobedience, which undermines the very basis of faith. So often the result is disbelief, the conscious or unconscious refusal to believe.”
Kevin W. Pearson, “Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ,” Ensign, May 2009, 40
“There is no infirmity, affliction, or adversity that Christ did not feel in Gethsemane. . . .“President Howard W. Hunter said: ‘If our lives and our faith are centered on Jesus Christ and his restored gospel, nothing can ever go permanently wrong. On the other hand, if our lives are not centered on the Savior and his teachings, no other success can ever be permanently right’ (The Teachings of Howard W. Hunter, ed. Clyde J. Williams [1997], 40).”
Rafael E. Pino, “Faith in Adversity,” Ensign, May 2009, 41–42
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Back to the Ohio
BACK TO THE OHIO
I’ve been to the big city, and I’ve come back to North Central Ohio.
I’ve been to the fantastic arts and cultural entertainment opportunities in those bigger cities, only to come back and find similar enrichment right back home.
My parents were native Kentuckians who were transplanted to the coal fields of West Virginia. They left their extended family members to look for a place that would afford better employment and opportunities for education. This is where they settled. And, after living in some of those bigger towns, I came back and settled here, too.
This is where my husband and I wanted to raise our family. And, we did.
Raising four children on a single income was not always easy, but it was possible. While my husband worked, I found good ways to stretch our budget. Farmer’s markets, pick-your-own strawberries and apples, raising some vegetables and fruit on our own helped us make ends meet. Opportunities for stretching our imagination and learning existed in library programs and book sales, nature centers and heritage festivals. Watching fireworks and being part of a parade contributed to our patriotism.
On those rare days when all six of us were home together, we drove short distances to see how people who seemed to come from a different era of time live their lives. We breakfasted by a covered bridge in the forest, camped and roasted day-old donuts in our own backyard while looking up and making shapes out of the clouds. At night, we would marvel at the constellations that can only be seen when it’s completely dark – something one misses in the city.
Now those children are gone – mostly off to bigger cities. But, how they enjoy coming home! It has been such a joy to hear them reminisce on those events of their childhood, and how they want the same for their families.
It’s just the two of us now. We live in a different day and age than when we raised our children, and certainly from when we ourselves were children. News comes to us daily of terrorism threats, violent weather, violence between people, and the degrading of moral values. Certainly those calamities have reached into our little part of the world. But, living in a tranquil area helps me to be able to handle bad news – no matter where or who it comes from.
So, North Central Ohio is where I’ll stay. It’s home to me. It’s home to my family. And, when out of state friends come to visit with the challenge to “show me Ohio”, this is where I bring them.
A wise man recently said that “the world sees peace as being without conflict or pain. But, we can have peace amidst the conflict.” Ohio is a place where that is possible, both in our lives and in our own homes.
It all begins with us. And what better place to start than right here, right now, in North Central Ohio?
I’ve been to the big city, and I’ve come back to North Central Ohio.
I’ve been to the fantastic arts and cultural entertainment opportunities in those bigger cities, only to come back and find similar enrichment right back home.
My parents were native Kentuckians who were transplanted to the coal fields of West Virginia. They left their extended family members to look for a place that would afford better employment and opportunities for education. This is where they settled. And, after living in some of those bigger towns, I came back and settled here, too.
This is where my husband and I wanted to raise our family. And, we did.
Raising four children on a single income was not always easy, but it was possible. While my husband worked, I found good ways to stretch our budget. Farmer’s markets, pick-your-own strawberries and apples, raising some vegetables and fruit on our own helped us make ends meet. Opportunities for stretching our imagination and learning existed in library programs and book sales, nature centers and heritage festivals. Watching fireworks and being part of a parade contributed to our patriotism.
On those rare days when all six of us were home together, we drove short distances to see how people who seemed to come from a different era of time live their lives. We breakfasted by a covered bridge in the forest, camped and roasted day-old donuts in our own backyard while looking up and making shapes out of the clouds. At night, we would marvel at the constellations that can only be seen when it’s completely dark – something one misses in the city.
Now those children are gone – mostly off to bigger cities. But, how they enjoy coming home! It has been such a joy to hear them reminisce on those events of their childhood, and how they want the same for their families.
It’s just the two of us now. We live in a different day and age than when we raised our children, and certainly from when we ourselves were children. News comes to us daily of terrorism threats, violent weather, violence between people, and the degrading of moral values. Certainly those calamities have reached into our little part of the world. But, living in a tranquil area helps me to be able to handle bad news – no matter where or who it comes from.
So, North Central Ohio is where I’ll stay. It’s home to me. It’s home to my family. And, when out of state friends come to visit with the challenge to “show me Ohio”, this is where I bring them.
A wise man recently said that “the world sees peace as being without conflict or pain. But, we can have peace amidst the conflict.” Ohio is a place where that is possible, both in our lives and in our own homes.
It all begins with us. And what better place to start than right here, right now, in North Central Ohio?
Treasuring Our Homes and Our Families
Treasuring Our Homes and Our Families
Peggy L. Lauritzen
I love my home and my family.
The world I grew up in doesn’t seem to exist anymore. My father went to work and my mother stayed home. Both were productive and were devoted to providing a place that I could feel safe in. The black and white television shows didn’t need to be monitored by my parents, for they were safe. Ward and June Cleaver took the time to teach their boys good morals, Lucy was still learning lessons from Ricky for not thinking things through, and Barney Fyffe was frantically trying to uphold the law while Sheriff Andy Taylor was calmly teaching the community and his boy, Opie how to get along with each other.
It’s difficult to find those elements today, both on television and in our own lives. But, it can be done if we make our homes and our families our number one priority.
We have a solemn responsibility to love and care for our families. The relationship we enter into as husband and wife is second only to the relationship we have with our God. It requires nourishment. It requires patience. It requires putting that person above every other person on earth. Second to that is the relationship we have with our children. When each of our family members enters into their home, it should be a sanctuary and a refuge against everything else.
Growing up in Mansfield has proven to be a blessing. As a youth, I moved to the bigger city of Akron, and eventually the suburbs of Washington, DC, where I met my husband. They were exciting places to live and offered many artistic and cultural opportunities that enriched our lives. But when our family started to come, we both knew we didn’t want to live in a large city.
We came back to my hometown.
It certainly had its challenges. Early on, we decided that we would take the advice of wise ecclesiastical leaders and do whatever we could to keep mom at home. As we grew into a family of six, it took great effort and working together to keep everyone fed and clothed on a single income. There were even times I longed to go back to work to get some rest!
But, we did it. We took advantage of every single opportunity that we could think of that would enrich our lives. Farmer’s markets and pick-your-own fruits and vegetables helped us make ends meet when our attempts at a garden were not always successful. Opportunities for stretching our imagination and learning existed in library programs and used book sales. Watching fireworks and taking part in parades contributed to our patriotism.
On those rare days when all six of us were home together, we would drive short distances to see how people who seemed to come from a different era of time live their lives. We breakfasted by a covered bridge and roasted day-old donuts on a campfire in the backyard while looking up and making shapes out of the clouds. At night, we would marvel at the constellations that can be seen only when it is completely dark – something that one misses living in the city.
Now, those children are gone – mostly off to bigger cities. But, they love reminiscing about home when we talk. In many ways, they have tried to recreate those same simple times of their youth.
It’s just the two of us now. We are best friends, for we nourished our relationship even while raising our four children. We live in a different day than when we raised our children, and certainly different from the times we were raised in. News comes to us daily of terrorism threats, violent weather, violence between people, and the degrading of moral values. But, living in a tranquil area helps me to be able to handle bad news no matter where or who it comes from. A wise man once said “the world sees peace as being without conflict or pain. But, we can have peace amidst the conflict.”
Our homes can be that place where we have peace. As we practice love, faith, prayer, forgiveness, respect, compassion, service, and wholesome lives, we will find that we can have that haven of peace that others will look to and long to have. Exercise those attributes with own selves first. The feelings of being stressed and frantic will always be in front of us – but knowing we have peace in our homes can readily provide the sanctity we need.
Is this a Pollyanna dream? Perhaps. Can it be done? It can. We have the tools and the resources all around us. If we have the desire, there are many ways to make these things happen.
Consider it.
Peggy L. Lauritzen
I love my home and my family.
The world I grew up in doesn’t seem to exist anymore. My father went to work and my mother stayed home. Both were productive and were devoted to providing a place that I could feel safe in. The black and white television shows didn’t need to be monitored by my parents, for they were safe. Ward and June Cleaver took the time to teach their boys good morals, Lucy was still learning lessons from Ricky for not thinking things through, and Barney Fyffe was frantically trying to uphold the law while Sheriff Andy Taylor was calmly teaching the community and his boy, Opie how to get along with each other.
It’s difficult to find those elements today, both on television and in our own lives. But, it can be done if we make our homes and our families our number one priority.
We have a solemn responsibility to love and care for our families. The relationship we enter into as husband and wife is second only to the relationship we have with our God. It requires nourishment. It requires patience. It requires putting that person above every other person on earth. Second to that is the relationship we have with our children. When each of our family members enters into their home, it should be a sanctuary and a refuge against everything else.
Growing up in Mansfield has proven to be a blessing. As a youth, I moved to the bigger city of Akron, and eventually the suburbs of Washington, DC, where I met my husband. They were exciting places to live and offered many artistic and cultural opportunities that enriched our lives. But when our family started to come, we both knew we didn’t want to live in a large city.
We came back to my hometown.
It certainly had its challenges. Early on, we decided that we would take the advice of wise ecclesiastical leaders and do whatever we could to keep mom at home. As we grew into a family of six, it took great effort and working together to keep everyone fed and clothed on a single income. There were even times I longed to go back to work to get some rest!
But, we did it. We took advantage of every single opportunity that we could think of that would enrich our lives. Farmer’s markets and pick-your-own fruits and vegetables helped us make ends meet when our attempts at a garden were not always successful. Opportunities for stretching our imagination and learning existed in library programs and used book sales. Watching fireworks and taking part in parades contributed to our patriotism.
On those rare days when all six of us were home together, we would drive short distances to see how people who seemed to come from a different era of time live their lives. We breakfasted by a covered bridge and roasted day-old donuts on a campfire in the backyard while looking up and making shapes out of the clouds. At night, we would marvel at the constellations that can be seen only when it is completely dark – something that one misses living in the city.
Now, those children are gone – mostly off to bigger cities. But, they love reminiscing about home when we talk. In many ways, they have tried to recreate those same simple times of their youth.
It’s just the two of us now. We are best friends, for we nourished our relationship even while raising our four children. We live in a different day than when we raised our children, and certainly different from the times we were raised in. News comes to us daily of terrorism threats, violent weather, violence between people, and the degrading of moral values. But, living in a tranquil area helps me to be able to handle bad news no matter where or who it comes from. A wise man once said “the world sees peace as being without conflict or pain. But, we can have peace amidst the conflict.”
Our homes can be that place where we have peace. As we practice love, faith, prayer, forgiveness, respect, compassion, service, and wholesome lives, we will find that we can have that haven of peace that others will look to and long to have. Exercise those attributes with own selves first. The feelings of being stressed and frantic will always be in front of us – but knowing we have peace in our homes can readily provide the sanctity we need.
Is this a Pollyanna dream? Perhaps. Can it be done? It can. We have the tools and the resources all around us. If we have the desire, there are many ways to make these things happen.
Consider it.
The last lazy days of Summer
I am milking this time of year for all it's worth! The summer has been one of the prettiest on record, and the fall is promising to be spectacular, as well.
It was my mother's favorite time of year, but she also dreaded seeing it come. It was during this "autumn-into-winter" season that she lost her father and two of her brothers - all within three years. She, herself, succumbed during this time of year. It will be 25 years ago tomorrow.
Mom - don't let her beauty fool you. When I was naughty, one look at me with those eyes made me wither and melt.
Her father, Corb
Her brother, Watt, who looks a lot like Betty's son, PT.
Betty's son, PT. There are times the resemblance is uncanny.
Brother Thearl and Mom
This is also the time of year we have fond remembrances of Kerry's sister, Gay. She died 11 Sep 2001 of Lou Gherig's disease (ALS). She was one of the most talented people I have ever known. The world lost a great artist when she passed on...
Isn't she beautiful? Because of her beautiful name, Kerry will never refer to those that live a homosexual lifestyle by that name, in honor of her...
This is also the time of year when Kerry and I experienced one of our worst nightmares. It was 12 years ago this week that Peter was involved in a head-on collision and nearly lost his life. I look back on that time and remember how if felt like we were living in a dream world. This is what happens to other people - not us. We were told on two different occasions that he would not live.
But, he did. He still had a purpose on this earth. We all do, until we are called home.
I hope I never have to have an experience like that again. The thought of burying one of my children just turns me inside out.
But, I will never forget the family and friends who were there to hold Kerry and I up. Kindnesses were done for us on every turn. There are some deeds that were done for us that leaves me wondering to this day who did them. There were hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of prayers offered up in his behalf - and ours.
There were those that helped with Harmony, Jordan and Erik - driving them to and from practices and piano lessons and church activities - trying to keep some sort of normalcy in their lives while Kerry and I were at the hospital round the clock.
Oh, my. I get a lump in my throat just thinking about that time in my life - in our lives.
Peter - about a year before his accident.
I sure received a lot of comments after my post last week. I'm glad you all like my pictures. I've become quite the photographer, for it helps us to see and become involved in what's happening. A couple of you asked what the gas prices were in Canada. Remember - they use the metric system. It ran an average of $1.05/litre - or close to $4 per gallon. Did we need a passport? We already had ours, but friends of our obtained a passport card this past summer on a trip to Niagara Falls and it cost them $25.
I had another return appointment with my doctor this week. The MRI shows a disc bulging forward and a disc bulging backward - both being filled with arthritis and clamping the spinal cord. He gave me a shot of cortisone, which nearly sent me into orbit. After some rubbery legs and knots in my calves and thighs, I do feel a bit better.
Now it's time to nestle down and listen to the katydids, the tree frogs, the coyotes that howl, and my stomach rumbling. I shouldn't be hungry, but I am...
Love to y'all..
MIss P
It was my mother's favorite time of year, but she also dreaded seeing it come. It was during this "autumn-into-winter" season that she lost her father and two of her brothers - all within three years. She, herself, succumbed during this time of year. It will be 25 years ago tomorrow.
Mom - don't let her beauty fool you. When I was naughty, one look at me with those eyes made me wither and melt.
Her father, Corb
Her brother, Watt, who looks a lot like Betty's son, PT.
Betty's son, PT. There are times the resemblance is uncanny.
Brother Thearl and Mom
This is also the time of year we have fond remembrances of Kerry's sister, Gay. She died 11 Sep 2001 of Lou Gherig's disease (ALS). She was one of the most talented people I have ever known. The world lost a great artist when she passed on...
Isn't she beautiful? Because of her beautiful name, Kerry will never refer to those that live a homosexual lifestyle by that name, in honor of her...
This is also the time of year when Kerry and I experienced one of our worst nightmares. It was 12 years ago this week that Peter was involved in a head-on collision and nearly lost his life. I look back on that time and remember how if felt like we were living in a dream world. This is what happens to other people - not us. We were told on two different occasions that he would not live.
But, he did. He still had a purpose on this earth. We all do, until we are called home.
I hope I never have to have an experience like that again. The thought of burying one of my children just turns me inside out.
But, I will never forget the family and friends who were there to hold Kerry and I up. Kindnesses were done for us on every turn. There are some deeds that were done for us that leaves me wondering to this day who did them. There were hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of prayers offered up in his behalf - and ours.
There were those that helped with Harmony, Jordan and Erik - driving them to and from practices and piano lessons and church activities - trying to keep some sort of normalcy in their lives while Kerry and I were at the hospital round the clock.
Oh, my. I get a lump in my throat just thinking about that time in my life - in our lives.
Peter - about a year before his accident.
I sure received a lot of comments after my post last week. I'm glad you all like my pictures. I've become quite the photographer, for it helps us to see and become involved in what's happening. A couple of you asked what the gas prices were in Canada. Remember - they use the metric system. It ran an average of $1.05/litre - or close to $4 per gallon. Did we need a passport? We already had ours, but friends of our obtained a passport card this past summer on a trip to Niagara Falls and it cost them $25.
I had another return appointment with my doctor this week. The MRI shows a disc bulging forward and a disc bulging backward - both being filled with arthritis and clamping the spinal cord. He gave me a shot of cortisone, which nearly sent me into orbit. After some rubbery legs and knots in my calves and thighs, I do feel a bit better.
Now it's time to nestle down and listen to the katydids, the tree frogs, the coyotes that howl, and my stomach rumbling. I shouldn't be hungry, but I am...
Love to y'all..
MIss P
Sunday, September 6, 2009
September morn
Oh, what a wonderful week Mr. Kerry and I have had!
Last Monday morning, after dropping Mr. Eddie off at the doggie spa and resort, Kerry and I headed north. It was somewhat what we did three years ago, but we had a few different tweaks in this trip.
After stopping at a little college town named Alma, we made it all the way to Sault Ste. Marie in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and stopped. Along the way, we laughed, we talked, we ate, and we thoroughly enjoyed each other. It always brings back memories for us to go along this route, for my parents and I headed up north many, many times.
I also thought of Gene Sampson as we went through Grayling and crossed the Au Sable River. He took Peter (and maybe Jordan?) canoeing down that river with the Scouts several times. So pretty.
Tuesday morning, we crossed the border into Canada. Sault Ste. Marie is known for its locks, and forty years ago my parents and I went on a tour of the locks. I was amazed at how they could change the level of one body of water to match that of another.
Kerry and I had to laugh at all of the moose signs as we meandered our way around Lake Superior. We never saw one, but they must have the same problem with moose that we do with deer.
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Our first major stop was at a town named Wawa. There really not much to it, but I particularly remember it because of a statue of a huge Canadian goose outside of town. It was still there! When mom and dad and I traveled, this was one place we always stopped and stayed a few days. It was also known for these little bugs called "no-see-ums" - and you really can't see them. They sure can bite, though.
We also thought of Miss Harmony, as we crossed a Harmony River and saw a Harmony Beach.
The scenery all the way around the lake took our breath away. Each turn in the road presented a new scene for us to be grateful for. Lake Superior was as smooth as a mirror.
I have always felt that America could learn a lot from the Canadians in the way they care for their parks, rest areas, campgrounds, etc. They are absolutely impeccable. It was no different on this trip. As we entered into the Thunder Bay (part of Anita Adkins' mission area when she served in Winnipeg), we stopped at a park that I will never forget. Again, it was perfectly clean - but this one had food, fruits, pastries, waters, milk, etc. galore! I thought, "Wow! America really could learn a lesson here!". But, I soon learned that a special commemoration had taken place that morning.
Terry Fox is one of their national heroes. At 18 years of age, he was diagnosed with bone cancer that claimed his right leg. They had to remove it six inches above the knee. While he was hospitalized, he was saddened at the suffering of so many children with cancer that he wanted to do something to raise awareness. Hence, he decided to run across Canada.
He dipped his toe in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Newfoundland and began his run. On one leg. He had gone just over 3300 miles when he became sick. Cancer had invaded his lungs. He died in 1981 at the age of 22. But, his legacy lives on. http://www.terryfox.org/Foundation/
This park was commemorating his legacy, and the statue there was beautiful
This is just a bit north of Thunder Bay.
We stayed the night, then crossed the border the next morning. As much as we love to travel, there is something about coming back home to America. Just past the border crossing, we stopped at a rest area, where the first thing we noticed was complete silence - no traffic, no motors, no music, no media, nothing except for a few chirps. Lake Superior was in the distance. I can't remember a time when there was absolutely no sound.
In Minnesota, we drove into a town named Grand Marais and saw a store named Viking Hus. We had to stop! In honor of Kerry's Danish (and Viking) heritage, we had to stop! We loved this shop and had to pick up a few things. Just down the street, we enjoyed lunch at a lakeside restaurant where whatever you ordered was fresh caught. I had walleye fish and cold slaw (in place of deep-fried "chips") and Kerry had a trout wrap. Both were delicious! I declared it was truly the best fish I had ever eaten!!
I got my fill of lighthouses. I love them so much...
I also love waterfalls. Along the highway, we noticed a sign for the Cross River. We couldn't figure out why a river would be so angry. But, we soon learned that in the mid-1800's, a Catholic priest and some Indian guides weathered a severe storm on the lake, and made it to shore at this spot. In order to show his gratitude to God, he erected a cross - a likeness of which stands today. There were some of the most lovely waterfalls ever...
After spending the night in Steven's Point, we stopped in Wild Rose, WI to visit a place we had stopped at three years ago. Back then, we just happened upon a gas station and sports shop by the name of Lauritzens! We had to stop! Right now, there doesn't seem to be a connection, but that doesn't mean there won't be. We bought a few items, looked over the guns and ammo and fishing tackle and lures and said our good-byes.
We were going to take a car ferry across Lake Michigan, but the cost would have been $218!!!! We just don't do those sorts of things - we're pretty frugal, especially when one can go on a Caribbean cruise for about $399. So, we kept on driving. We enjoyed pasties (pronounced with a short "a"), which is a local meat, potato, onion, carrot and rutabaga filled pie. So good!
For our last night, we camped at Indian Lake, which is outside of Manistique, MI. It was in the same campground my parents and I camped in forty years ago. Oh, how it brought back memories...
Those are little ducks on the morning we left.
We cross the Mackinac Bridge and headed home. It had been a good and relaxing and fun trip. Just before cross into Ohio, we stopped at Cabela's and wandered around through the store. If it sounds like I'm a bit into sports and such, don't be surprised. I always tagged along when my dad went into hardware stores, so I feel right at home in one. The same goes for sporting goods stores. My skills aren't the greatest, but that doesn't mean I don't love walking around in them.
Kerry and I had a lot of catching up to do when we got home. We picked up Eddie, who quickly forgave us for leaving him, went to the farmer's market, got the oil changed, went through the car wash to get the MILLIONS of bugs off our car, went to the store, drove to the other side of town to help out a friend, came home, and prepared lessons for church.
Yeah...it was good.
Till next week.........
Miss P
Last Monday morning, after dropping Mr. Eddie off at the doggie spa and resort, Kerry and I headed north. It was somewhat what we did three years ago, but we had a few different tweaks in this trip.
After stopping at a little college town named Alma, we made it all the way to Sault Ste. Marie in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and stopped. Along the way, we laughed, we talked, we ate, and we thoroughly enjoyed each other. It always brings back memories for us to go along this route, for my parents and I headed up north many, many times.
I also thought of Gene Sampson as we went through Grayling and crossed the Au Sable River. He took Peter (and maybe Jordan?) canoeing down that river with the Scouts several times. So pretty.
Tuesday morning, we crossed the border into Canada. Sault Ste. Marie is known for its locks, and forty years ago my parents and I went on a tour of the locks. I was amazed at how they could change the level of one body of water to match that of another.
Kerry and I had to laugh at all of the moose signs as we meandered our way around Lake Superior. We never saw one, but they must have the same problem with moose that we do with deer.
tled.jpg" SRC="aoladp://MA27629134-0001/Untitled.jpg">
Our first major stop was at a town named Wawa. There really not much to it, but I particularly remember it because of a statue of a huge Canadian goose outside of town. It was still there! When mom and dad and I traveled, this was one place we always stopped and stayed a few days. It was also known for these little bugs called "no-see-ums" - and you really can't see them. They sure can bite, though.
We also thought of Miss Harmony, as we crossed a Harmony River and saw a Harmony Beach.
The scenery all the way around the lake took our breath away. Each turn in the road presented a new scene for us to be grateful for. Lake Superior was as smooth as a mirror.
I have always felt that America could learn a lot from the Canadians in the way they care for their parks, rest areas, campgrounds, etc. They are absolutely impeccable. It was no different on this trip. As we entered into the Thunder Bay (part of Anita Adkins' mission area when she served in Winnipeg), we stopped at a park that I will never forget. Again, it was perfectly clean - but this one had food, fruits, pastries, waters, milk, etc. galore! I thought, "Wow! America really could learn a lesson here!". But, I soon learned that a special commemoration had taken place that morning.
Terry Fox is one of their national heroes. At 18 years of age, he was diagnosed with bone cancer that claimed his right leg. They had to remove it six inches above the knee. While he was hospitalized, he was saddened at the suffering of so many children with cancer that he wanted to do something to raise awareness. Hence, he decided to run across Canada.
He dipped his toe in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Newfoundland and began his run. On one leg. He had gone just over 3300 miles when he became sick. Cancer had invaded his lungs. He died in 1981 at the age of 22. But, his legacy lives on. http://www.terryfox.org/Foundation/
This park was commemorating his legacy, and the statue there was beautiful
This is just a bit north of Thunder Bay.
We stayed the night, then crossed the border the next morning. As much as we love to travel, there is something about coming back home to America. Just past the border crossing, we stopped at a rest area, where the first thing we noticed was complete silence - no traffic, no motors, no music, no media, nothing except for a few chirps. Lake Superior was in the distance. I can't remember a time when there was absolutely no sound.
In Minnesota, we drove into a town named Grand Marais and saw a store named Viking Hus. We had to stop! In honor of Kerry's Danish (and Viking) heritage, we had to stop! We loved this shop and had to pick up a few things. Just down the street, we enjoyed lunch at a lakeside restaurant where whatever you ordered was fresh caught. I had walleye fish and cold slaw (in place of deep-fried "chips") and Kerry had a trout wrap. Both were delicious! I declared it was truly the best fish I had ever eaten!!
I got my fill of lighthouses. I love them so much...
I also love waterfalls. Along the highway, we noticed a sign for the Cross River. We couldn't figure out why a river would be so angry. But, we soon learned that in the mid-1800's, a Catholic priest and some Indian guides weathered a severe storm on the lake, and made it to shore at this spot. In order to show his gratitude to God, he erected a cross - a likeness of which stands today. There were some of the most lovely waterfalls ever...
After spending the night in Steven's Point, we stopped in Wild Rose, WI to visit a place we had stopped at three years ago. Back then, we just happened upon a gas station and sports shop by the name of Lauritzens! We had to stop! Right now, there doesn't seem to be a connection, but that doesn't mean there won't be. We bought a few items, looked over the guns and ammo and fishing tackle and lures and said our good-byes.
We were going to take a car ferry across Lake Michigan, but the cost would have been $218!!!! We just don't do those sorts of things - we're pretty frugal, especially when one can go on a Caribbean cruise for about $399. So, we kept on driving. We enjoyed pasties (pronounced with a short "a"), which is a local meat, potato, onion, carrot and rutabaga filled pie. So good!
For our last night, we camped at Indian Lake, which is outside of Manistique, MI. It was in the same campground my parents and I camped in forty years ago. Oh, how it brought back memories...
Those are little ducks on the morning we left.
We cross the Mackinac Bridge and headed home. It had been a good and relaxing and fun trip. Just before cross into Ohio, we stopped at Cabela's and wandered around through the store. If it sounds like I'm a bit into sports and such, don't be surprised. I always tagged along when my dad went into hardware stores, so I feel right at home in one. The same goes for sporting goods stores. My skills aren't the greatest, but that doesn't mean I don't love walking around in them.
Kerry and I had a lot of catching up to do when we got home. We picked up Eddie, who quickly forgave us for leaving him, went to the farmer's market, got the oil changed, went through the car wash to get the MILLIONS of bugs off our car, went to the store, drove to the other side of town to help out a friend, came home, and prepared lessons for church.
Yeah...it was good.
Till next week.........
Miss P
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