Dear Friend

Dear Carmosina is in our prayers as she struggles to breathe. We feel so blessed to have had a meal with her a few days before she entered the hospital.

Every Leaflet Singing

 

Yea, were every tree endowed with speech...

 

...And every leaflet singing...

...They never with praise His worth could reach...



 

...Though earth with their praise were ringing.

N.F.S. Grundtvig, 1826

 

Pictures courtesy of Mom and Hannah

Hannah Knit a Grey Hat...

...so I copied her in gold.

After the Rain

Herbs and Succulents

These little plants were favors at a friend's wedding. Can you guess who grew them? His name starts with a "J", and he will soon be my brother-in-law. His parents gave a hand, too.

The Garden Path Update

 

Go here to see the progress made on this path in a few short months. Such a good improvement!

Dorothy Being Dramatic in the Morning

Hotel Living and Mini Vacation

A couple weeks ago brought yet another six hour trip to visit doctors for Hannah's and my health concerns. Those are always intense days, but we find what little joys and vacation we can. Here are a few of the highlights.

Mustached rubber ducky in the bathroom

Meals from our cooler heated with my induction burner and in-room microwave

Stalemate tick-tack-toe games in the hotel lobby

Walk by the Mississippi

Miles and miles of Queen Anne's lace

View from the bluffs 

The Year of the Lettuce

 

Each year we have a bumper crop of one vegetable or another. One year was the Year of the Peppers, another the Year of the Tomatoes. This year is definitely the Year of the Lettuce, since we still are eating sweet heads that Dad planted this spring. 

Porch Memories

 

"Office" was the favorite past-time of Maren, Hannah and me in our younger years. I have vivid memories of TV trays in front of each of us organized with old telephones, forms and sample credit cards brought home from Dad's sorting at the telephone office. Filling out receipts, answering phones, creating letterhead... Business was always booming.

 

The most notable businesses included Odds & Ends Around the Bend (Maren), Pleats in the Porch (Hannah) and Super Heny's Cleaning Supplies (Elsa, though Hannah had a hand in creating the marvelous radio ad).

 

 

I was reminded of our creative play the other day when Hannah opened a drawer in our old Singer sewing machine to find order slips and receipts from the glory days of Pleats in the Porch.

 

This business came about after we discovered the ability to make perforated paper using a threadless sewing machine. This was just what was needed for perfect receipts and order slips.

 

Violet (aka Hannah) was a very talented seamstress it appeared. She sewed anything from sailor dresses to tents. Swimsuits and aprons seemed to be specialties.

 

Maren and I rolled in laughter as we inspected Hannah's meticulous attention to detail in writing out her orders - sizes, materials, phone numbers.

 

When Maren asked what I did while Hannah was busy writing down her customer's orders (The two of us were never far apart in those days. Some things don't change.), Hannah replied, "Elsa was pedaling the sewing machine for all she was worth and taking breaks on the day bed to play with kittens.

 

Ah, yes! Those were the good old days.