You Don't See That Every Day

What a weekend. On one hand, I have gotten to spend some great time with my three younger girls, doing a lot of family stuff together. We stayed up really late one night watching Anne of Green Gables - we're now on the 2nd movie, of three. What is it about Anne Shirley and Gilbert Blythe? Even though I know the story, and the outcome, I swoon every time I read that story! And the language - so poetic and lovely and flowing. And we had a family picnic on Saturday, exploring a different part of Silver Falls, on our bicycles this time. On the other hand, we went to my uncle's funeral Friday. This man, this family, was like my second home growing up. My cousin was my best friend when we were younger. But changes come, and death comes, and even though I know my uncle is at peace, there is still a sadness. During the service I glanced at my dad, whose brother was in that coffin. And it hit me pretty hard that in a few years - hopefully many years! - we will be doing this for him. ...

A year ago we were dealing with a broken arm and cute little one year old (along with the other 3 kids of course) and also - we had no roof on the garage. A lot has changed since then Now we have an upstairs over the garage!! The doors are in. The mini-heat pump has been installed and we have had cool air upstairs since Tuesday! The other day I couldn't find the girls. They had been playing upstairs because it was cooler up there than downstairs! We moved the Boy into his room, starting Tuesday night. Little by little he has been moving more and more up there. The floor is not completely finished, the window casings are not in, and the electrical is not fully hooked up. But there is a floor and a door, so we moved him. What a difference it has made. We took a break from all the work and I drove the kids to the beach. Funny thing, looking back at my photos, one year ago exactly I had taken the kids to the same beach! It was very hot inland, and s...

Memories. We each have a plethora of them. Lately my kids have been asking for more stories of when I was a kid. I know I loved listening to my dad's stories of growing up (the one about his split finger, the knife in his brother's head). I can't recall my mom's but I bet she told us some! So I have been writing down random memories that come into my head. Someday I might assemble them to make sense and let the kids read them all. Here's just one example: " There was an orchard in the front section of the acreage with peach and apple trees. I took it for granted at the time, but oh how I wish we had one now! On the bottom half of the property we had cherry trees and peach trees past the barn. I used to hate helping my mom prepare the produce for canning; but now…it’s what I do. Mom would pick the beans early in the hot summer mornings and Dave and I would sit at the table and snip the ends off and then cut them up for Mom to c...