Today is the anniversary of Neil Armstrong’s historic walk on the moon.  It is also the anniversary of a very special person’s entrance to THIS planet.  My mother!

Mom and I are in the top left photo.  It’s from an album she made for me from my childhood, and it’s a precious gift and wonderful memories. She has always been there for me, and supported me, and encouraged and guided and yes, even lectured me!  I needed it, and still do!

This is a photo of mom with her baby sister Joan having some water fun.  They are still close and appreciate and love each other!

And this is Joan and Mom (left) last year- the two original members of the Skunk Hollow Girls!  Love these ladies!

Mom, I may have ‘grown up’ to be taller than you, but you are a giant in my eyes.  You are a great lady, a wonderful example, a Godly and precious woman, and a very special person to everyone who knows you.  Happy 85th birthday Mom – Kathy and I – and ALL of your family and friends – love you and wish you 85 HEALTHY and HAPPY more to come!!!

My sister and I had a lovely weekend visiting with Mom and John.  We left early Saturday and – after a brief stop to pick up a happy-to-you carrot cake for mom – arrived to a yummy lunch of potatoes, chicken breasts, broccoli, apple sauce, salad, and gravy.  Following a quick clean up, Kath and I went outside to help in the gardens.  Saturday’s job was to cut back dead branches on a flowering thorn bush.  We both have the scars to prove we did a great job! 

We were just finishing up when the neighbor down the road drove by with his two huge draft horses.  I think their names were Bob and Chubbs.  Bob was the taller one.  Their owner explained that it took about $300 a week to feed them.  He bathed them daily and got them all the exercise they could possibly need.  They were extremely intimidating!  Kath loved them, but then, she had a horse at one time and was way more comfortable with them.

Early Sunday morning Kathy and I – as usual – got up early and took our 2 mile walk before breakfast.  At the end of Keepville road is a spillway that flows into a wide, shallow creek surrounded by trees and lined with rocks.  It was refreshing in the quiet morning, as well as peaceful.  After a wonderful message by Pastor Byron Gurnee and a left-over lunch (yummy one!), Kath and I attacked the weeds in the lily garden.  Three hours, 4 dirty feet, two sweaty bodies, and dozens of scratches later the garden looked fresh and happy – as were the rest of us from a job well done. 

All in all a beautiful weekend with cherished family!  Treasures of the best kind!

This past week was insane.  Very fun and fulfilling, but insane!  Hempfield Church of Christ had their summer Vacation Bible School, and had a whirlwind week of Bible lessons, life applications, missions, snacks, recreation, more snacks, song time, and genuine fellowship. 

On top of that, I worked a full week at Smail’s, 3 nights and two lunch hours at Pinnacle, and attended the open house of the newly remodeled Mercedes dealership (which is fabulously wonderful, of course!).

My night to teach the lesson was on Monday, and I taught the lesson that God’s love is incredible through Moses and the burning bush.  The kids (pre-school through 4th grade) were all great listeners and enjoyed hearing the story as told by Moses’ wife.  I love teaching the little ones, and along with a ‘burning’ bush, a flock of stuffed sheep, two lions and a bear, it truly made the lesson come alive.

Thursday was my birthday, and my dear friends and co-teachers Mary and Joni brought a chocolate chip cookie to share with the teachers.  My favorite!  It was a great night, and a great week, and I feel very blessed to have the opportunity to serve God by teaching and to have such wonderful friends.  Blessings abound!

I did decide, however, not to celebrate any more birthdays the week of VBS.  I REALLY feel my age after running six days in a row, working, picking up the girls, working and/or teaching, delivering the girls home, and getting my home chores done.  Looking back on the week, though, it was a delight to share with so many wonderful people in a place ordained by God.

And I felt doubly blessed that I wasn’t Kyle, who was sacrificed as a giant S’more by 40 plus kids who covered him in Hershey’s syrup, pelted him with min-marshmallows, and dumped graham cracker crumbs on him!  Blessings do abound!  🙂

I had the delight and pleasure of spending this weekend with my family.  Kelly and Matt, with Peyton, Logan, and Chase, came up last night and we spent the evening at their friends’ new house in Ligonier.  It was my intense fun to entertain 3 month old Conner all evening.  We bonded.  I’m now officially his newest ‘grammie’!  Thanks, Trent and Michele for sharing! The girls – Chris and Autmn – joined us for the day on Saturday, and Nate rounded it out by being here for the hot dog roast over the fire pit for dinner.

Today after our morning walk and a few errands we spent the day outside.  Peyton led the group in his traditional safari to catch that pesky wabbit.  We had rabbit traps, string, ‘rabbit stew’, bags, boxes, wood, flowers, buckets, and every other type of tool necessary to trap and capture that rabbit.  Rosemary (as she was dubbed earlier in the spring), successfully avoided capture and is right now dwelling quite happily under the deck.  She comes out to nibble on the clover by the fence.

Every year there is a bunny living under the deck, and this year is no exception.  Other little bunnies have been named Herb and Herbette, and even the bigger guy living under the Pussy Willow tree is named Basil.  Reason being, they basically live on the herbs from my herb garden, just beside the deck.  Rosemary is no exception. 

The kids are of course disappointed that Rosemary alluded capture, but I am secretly quite happy.  We can continue in the peaceful existence of co-habitation.  However, right now there is about 6 miles of string and fishing line woven through my gardens, tied to fences, and strung through the shrubbery.  Oh well, something to do tomorrow!!!

My cabin grandparents – Jess and Erma Crooks – were such a huge part of my life!  Growing up spending time with them – and all the cousins (yes, our Skunk Hollow Girls!) was priceless.  I have little reminders throughout my home of those days – including the clock on the mantle behind them.

But basically, I’m an outdoor kind of girl, and my grama’s gardens were a thing of beauty and the envy of everyone who loved flower gardens.  I always said I was going to get married in her gardens, but they weren’t there when the time came.  Alas…. 

My mother inherited her mother’s knack for growing flowers and gardens, and I have been blessed to at least inherit the desire!  So every year for the last several years, in the spring and summer on trips to Mom and John’s farm, I would take a small clipping from a tea rose bush – that I believe she told me her mom got from her own mother.  But every year the bush would fizzle out and not bloom – then fade away and die over the winter.

Ah!  But finally, the efforts paid off!  Last year I took a small cutting and placed it in a place of honor, choosing a different location.  To my delight, this year, SUCCESS!  Not only is the bush growing, but is full of beautiful, pink clusters of small button roses.  I am very excited to be able to keep this tradition going.  Hopefully, one day one of my grandchildren will take a little delicate cutting and the roses will continue to bloom across the centuries.  God is smiling!  And so am I!

It was a perfect day for another Skunk Hollow Girls outing.  Nine of us got together at Linn Run State Park, and set out for a day of hiking, eating, and talking.  Mostly talking!  After a close call with a huge, undefinable snake (yuck!) up by Adams Falls, we walked back to a cabin on the hill above the water.  It was big but quaint, and Beth is determined to find out how much it will cost to rent.  Hoping we can –  That would be SO cool!

After our hike, we spread out the food – but not before we presented Gail with a bravery award.  The week before she had saved her mom the grief of a snake in their house by yanking a 4.5 foot black snake out of the outside dryer vent!  After numerous screams and an hysterical moment when the snake actually wrapped around Gail’s leg (Yes it did!) and slapped against Susan’s shoulder, we disposed of the intruder in an undisclosed manner. She definitely went above and beyond! 

Connie put together a scavenger hunt, and we divided into two teams:  the ‘kids’ (ages 50 to 60!) and the ‘oldies’ (60 plus).  It was a close finish, but those aggressive kids won by finding the illusive butterfly, which we oldies could not do.  They managed to find a pop can by dumpster diving, something I never in my life thought I would see our prim and sensitive Holly doing!

Prizes were awarded all around, and we headed for a final walk – down to Flat Rock to stick our feet in the water. A kind passer-by snapped a photo for us in front of a stone shell – which Kath described in great detail as belonging to a long-ago Uncle Charlie who founded the area over 100 years ago.  Yea, right.  Good try, Kath!

Gail, Colleen, Holly, Gwen, Kath, Me, Connie, Karen, and Beth.  We missed you, Susan!  NEXT TIME!  What a great adventure with the best kind of family and friends!

Sometimes it’s crazy the things that can occur in a short span of two hours.  I was just at work, minding my own (and the boss’s) business, when I got a txt message from my daughter with this photo: 

Kelly and the three boys were on their way home from school when a young lady slammed into the back of the van.  Kelly hit the steering wheel and ended up with a mild but very painful concussion – but the boys thankfully were fine.  The van, on the other hand, is probably a total loss.

So I have been praying for my little mangled family and their search for new transportation and for healing – as well as safety.

I managed to get through my evening, but was delighted when I came home from work to find this on my front porch:  My old little mini fridge quit keeping things cold, so I broke down and ordered a new one – a tiny bit bigger and more of a temperature range.  I lugged the thing around back and got it into the house, and thankfully it was to stay in the family room on ground level – so no stairs.

So now the Pepsi, Kool-Aid Jammers, Mt. Dew, and mini-waters are all chillin’ out in the new fridge, and I am very happy with the results.  I’m still monitoring Kelly and the crazy crunchers but as I can’t really change that situation, I am focusing on the fact that God is taking care of them and knows even how many hairs are on their head (and how many I lost over this event!) and that my little fridge can put a smile on my face – and on theirs the next time they come up and need a cold, refreshing drink – especially Chase and the Kool-Aid Jammers! 

We all had a great time on Sunday celebrating Miss Chrissy’s 9th birthday!  There were about 12 kids there in all, running around the yard, jumping rope, playing games, doing relays.  We had purchased some face paints, and Autmn set up a little spot under a sunshade and was open for business!

After the games, we sang HBTY and Chrissy blew out her candle (the wind wasn’t helping!).  We went through almost an entire cake,(Wizard of Oz: See the yellow brick road???)  plus a bowl of candy and 4 bags of chips!  Once we were done with the food part, Chris opened her gifts. 

She got lots of socks (much needed and funky colors!), outfits for summer, and clothes, etc, for her American Girl doll Isabelle.  Her daddy got her the doll’s camper, and I think her mom ordered the bunk beds.  That doll is more hip than I am!

Everyone had a great time, and it was a fun start to a hopefully wonderful year for my special little Chris!  Many happy MORE!!!!  Love you!

Last night, Smail Acura celebrated winning the coveted ‘Dealer of Distinction’ award for the 10th time.  This is a very prestigious award and goes to only the best Acura dealers in the Zones, all over the United States. 

The employees that specifically work in the Acura store were all honored, and given recognition certificates.  All of us attending the party were given the glasses – 10 Time Winners! 

All the employees – from the lot attendants to the sales people to dealer trade drivers – parts and service people, accounting, even maintenance – were recognized.  Everyone works together for the good of the customers and for the advancement of the dealership as a whole, and I’m proud to be a part of the Smail Organization.

The food was great, and the music was fun – and we even had a special guest!  Nancy’s dog, who often travels in her ‘purse’, sat on the floor and watched the comings and goings.  You just never know what you’re going to see at a Smail party!

Seriously, though, it’s a great honor – the store did a great job, and it’s great to be a Smail employee!

Yesterday my step-father, John Richard Graves Sr, turned 94.  If you followed him around for a day, you would not believe he is 94.  He keeps busy throughout the day, feeding the birds, walking the farm, reading his Farmers Almanac, helping my mom – just takin’ care of business!

I am proud and honored to call this man my father.  He is a strong man of faith, honest, kind, loving, loves to tell us stories, treats my mom like a princess, and is always willing to share his time and thoughts.  I am sure my mom would agree that John is a perfect mate for her, as well as an example and father to his own children as well as Kathy and I.

Have a wonderful celebration of your birth – and your life! – John.  Thank you for loving God, loving my mother, and loving us.  Wishing you a perfect year! 

(Mom on the left, John, and mom’s sister Joan on the right)