July 2, 2021

I know there is a lot of controversy about neighborhood fireworks, but I love them. I just stood outside on my driveway and watched the beautiful display across the street that lit up the sky with light and colors. There were several other families setting them off across the hills. That will go on all weekend.

Fireworks Shows in Los Angeles County
(Stock photo)

Since yesterday’s post was the last vacation day, I will write today’s post about YESTERDAY, because it was a very amazing day.

Yesterday….

Kath and I headed to Albion to the farm (we decided to call it that since Mom nor John aren’t there…) and a day of chores and decisions. John’s son Jim (executor of John’s will) was home from Virginia and was meeting with the lawyer, and Barb asked for help cleaning out the food, etc, from the house.

The farm in spring

We as step-siblings almost never saw each other – so to have Barb, Jim, Dick, Kath and I together would be something new – especially working side by side to begin the cleaning-out process and to sort through items of interest. We had no idea what to expect – from the lawyer or from each other.

Kath and I
Barb Barron
Jim Graves – a few years ago. I don’t have pictures of anyone!
May be an image of 1 person
Jim’s wife SJ
May be an image of 2 people, including Roberta Graves and people smiling
Dick and his wife Bobbie

Turns out we had a marvelous day! We worked together, talked, got to know each other (After 35 years!!), laughed a lot, sorted through what felt like thousands of items but barely scratched the surface. There are so many little things to go through – and all of us were really laid-back about choosing anything. We took almost nothing. This will be a long process, but now that we know we enjoy each other and can work easily together, it will be a blessing to get to know the ‘siblings’ that we only knew at a distance. God is good!

When we got there, Kath and I walked around the yard. It was tradition to go with Mom through the gardens to a ‘flower walk’ every time we went up (weather permitting). So it was like an honor walk! We found more flowers blooming than we expected – considering that Mom hasn’t been there to tend them in two summer, and John didn’t fuss with the flowers. We cut a big bunch of Black Eyed Susans, brought them home, and Kath dropped them off for Mom at the Manor. A little touch of home to touch her heart!

Black eyed Susans
Pink roses
Tiny daisies
blazing stars
Not sure – Twinkling yellows?
Grama Crooks roses
Common ordinary (but beautiful!) day lilies
Rose of Sharon
Eisaman Roses – best fragrance ever!

Today I worked both stores in the morning, got home mid-afternoon, then after lunch cleaned the house top to bottom. In addition to celebrating our great nation this weekend, I need to pay bills, mow grass, get groceries, do laundry and ironing, clean the oven, and take walks around the neighborhood after dark (fireworks!). I’ll hopefully be back on track tomorrow with the posting schedule – in the meantime, God loves you and wants the best for you. Keep looking up; there’s hope in the heavens!

On this day in 1505, after an encounter with a violent thunderstorm, Martin Luther declared he would be a monk! In 1776 at the Continental Congress, John Dickerson abstained from the vote that declared independence. In 1843 an alligator fell from the sky during a thunderstorm in Charleston SC (Boy, I’m glad that didn’t happen last week!!!), and in 1863 it was the second day of the battle of Gettysburg. The founding of the East London Christian Mission was in 1865 (now called Salvation Army); President James Garfield was shot in 1881 and died 79 days later; and in 1979 the Susan B Anthony dollar was issued, the first US coin to honor a woman. Richard Petty was born in 1973 and Lindsay Lohan in 1986. Ernest Hemingway died at age 61 in 1961, and Jimmy Stewart at age 89 in 1997.

Newspaper cutting fom the Times-Picayune on the day an alligator fell from the sky

July 3rd

If I complimented my mirror it wouldn’t believe me. Ha. This is the beginning of one of my favorite holidays – my favorite year is 1776! Spend some time this weekend thinking about our country’s humble yet determined beginnings, and how blessed our nation is to be free to celebrate it! God bless … America!

Where to Celebrate Fourth of July Across the County | Montgomery Community  Media
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