Summer is in the process of bowing out making way for Autumn. There has been no need for the air conditioner this week. The windows are open, a breeze blows in steady gusts through the openings. The rowdy sounds of frogs, and cicadas are silent most nights.
When summer was in full throttle, the wind chimes were drowned out by the night noise of nature. Over time nature lost momentum allowing the large number of wind chimes scattered around our yard, near the edge of the woods and in flower beds, to create the orchestras I now hear at night. Owls are once again getting feisty, speaking a language that makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Most gardens have started to die. The ground will be tilled waiting for next Spring to replant and grow.
This past spring there was a vine growing in one of my flower beds in the front yard. I started to pull it up with the other weeds however, it was a pretty plant and I wanted to see what it turned out to be. It was a pumpkin vine that soon took over the whole flower bed. I was delighted. The one pumpkin I did not throw away last year had voluntarily started to grow again in the spring. I didn't think pumpkins did this. As far as I know pumpkins are annuals. This little group of seeds made it through the winter snows and emerged in late spring. It went from a handful of vivid green leaves to a small mound within two weeks.
One month later it had doubled in size. Huge orange blossoms were forming. There were at least fifty flowers if not more. They ran in all directions, making it hard to mow around the area.
Another month went by and the blossoms turned to greenish white balls. Most of these withered on the vine. I watered and fertilized and still they died. I even tried to add more fresh dirt since they were growing mostly in mulch. You could find me any time during the early mornings or late afternoon, spooning dirt into places that a pumpkin might possibly grow.
Finally, I turned to the Internet for more information on growing pumpkins and found that I needed bees...lots of bees to fertilize the plants. This proved to be a problem. We had a bumper crop of horse flies, yellow jackets, and wasps but bees were on the slim side. It has been that way for the past five years...a decline in the bee population. That was fine with me until I wanted to grow pumpkins.
I also did not know there are male and female 'flowers' on a pumpkin vine. The male flower blooms one day and needs the bees to be ever vigilant that day so when the female 'flowers' bloom the bees will be ready to pollinate. Evidently my bees are not all that concerned in procreating pumpkins!
However, I did have the joy of watching six little pumpkins grow. Two of them died or withered before I could harvest them. The other four are picked and in my sun room. I enjoy them every day. Next year I intend to have a large area and plant all sorts of pumpkins. If the bees cooperate it will be a pretty fall for decorating at the Carter house.
It really doesn't take much to make me happy.
Tommy and I grew up about seven miles from each other in a small southern town in Western Kentucky named Clinton. We were 11 miles from the Mississippi River. There was a sign posted on Highway 51, the main road running through the center of town, stating " Welcome to Clinton-- Population 1600". The eighteen years I lived in Clinton, the population sign never changed. I laughed about this oddity when I was a teenager. Now as I remember the old sign, I find its memory very comforting. I also wonder what happened to the sign. I hope it is hanging in someone's den instead of at the bottom of a trash dump. Funny how something that never mattered before matters now.
When Tommy and I visit Clinton, there is not a piece of wood or any remnant of a home or building showing that either of us lived in Hickman County. Every home we lived in as children has been torn down. The land belonging to other people and families. We drive by and look at where we used to live, telling stories to each other we already know.
When Tommy and I went home this year for the family reunion, we first stopped at Barbara's to say hello. Soon we were reminiscing about their childhood. I began taking notes so I could get the story straight. I still don't have it exactly right. There were chunks of memories I had never heard before. We decided to meet on the following Monday to drive through the back roads and countryside. While taking photos, I listened to see and hear their story. I wanted their stories as they saw a road, a creek or a sign post that brought a memory to the forefront of their mind. Some of the things they hadn't thought about in years were at times sad and at other times down right funny. I think I got the most enjoyment listening to how they played and how they fought. I am surprised any of them made it to adulthood. I also have a renewed respect for Mrs. Carter. She and Mr. Carter did a remarkable job raising children with the resources they had to work with, especially Mrs. Carter.
This is one of two photos I have of Mrs. Carter's mother, Birtie George Campbell. Tommy talks fondly of her. She has a story to be told some day by someone who knows the story better than I do. Tommy remembers sitting on the back porch drinking Coke and eating peanuts together. Once he told me that Grandma Birtie would give him a quarter to drive the tractor to the store for the sodas and peanuts. He likes that memory.
While we were on our trip up and down the back roads, Tommy, Bobby and Trea sat in back of the SUV. Barbara drove and I took photos of their memories. Our last stop was Reelfoot Lake, where we ate dinner and walked the nature trails. That story is for another blog. Tommy and I loved every minute of it. The stories were nonstop as Barbara and Tommy remembered their childhood. Some of the stories were bittersweet, as with all families not everything was as it should have been. However, it made them the strong men and women they are today.
I think this is Johnny standing in front of the old home place on the Utterback farm. Tommy was basically raised on this farm. It is where he learned to drive a tractor, buck hay, help with the garden and anything else that was required to keep a family of two adults and eleven children fed and clothed. Everyone who was big enough to work had chores to do daily.
This photo is of Bobby and Barbara kneeling in the back. Tommy, Joe Neal, Johnny and Joanie from left to right in front of them. I think Tommy was probably 7 or 8 in this photo.
Tommy often talks about how he loved to slip off and go hunting with a 22 rifle or fishing. He liked to ramble around in the woods. He still likes to do this.
A double wide mobile home now sits where the old house used to stand. The big tree at the edge of their yard is still there and so is the old dirt road the kids walked to get to the back fields to work.
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This photo of Tommy is about the earliest memory I have of him. I guess he was about 9.
When we were in the 7th grade we had our first school dance. It was held in the library at Central School. Tommy and I taught each other how to slow dance. We took turns leading:) When the dance was over, Tommy didn't have a ride home so I took him out to the car with me. I told Mama, Tommy was coming home with us. If looks could kill, I would have been dead on the spot! I don't think I said it exactly right and Mama did not give me a chance to reword it. Instead Mama took him to our mobile home on Waterfield Drive and let him out. Tommy had to walk to the poolroom to catch a ride home with his brother Bobby. The next time I brought him home to stay...we were married.
Tommy and his family went to Oakwood Methodist Church. Most of the Carter's are buried in Oakwood Cemetery. We walked through there and I saw the graves of friends we went to school with. Our best man, Danny Joe King is buried there so is Joe Neal, Tommy's brother. He was our groomsman. He died so young.
Tommy spent a lot of time fishing in Moscow bottom. Fishing is still one of his favorite hobbies.
When Tommy turned 19 he enlisted in the Marine Corps. This photo was taken when he first came in on leave from bootcamp and ITR.
When Tommy was young, his life was filled with brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles and cousins by the dozen. They played music on the back porch, sock ball with a broomstick in the summer, and ate Mrs. Carter's checkerboard cake for Christmas. They each have their own memories of growing up in a big family.
I have enjoyed being a part of this family for 43 years. I especially love number five son, number 8 child.
Last week I spent four days with my grandchildren while Tami went to a Joyce Meyer's convention in St. Louis. I thought I was all prepared, ready to be 'Super Nonnie' with everything under control. After all I raised 3 daughters and we all survived! What could possibly go wrong? Famous last words. In a nut shell the answer is I never raised a little boy...Tommy is still a work in progress, so the results are not in on him yet. However, Logan has me wrapped around his little finger...and he knows it! Jacy does too but it comes natural with us. It has been this way since she was a baby. I belonged to her then and I still do.
Thursday night Logan and I went out to eat. It was just the two of us, since Jacy had swim practice in Columbia and Aaron was taking her. She wouldn't be home until around 8 p.m.
He wanted Mexican food. It sounded great to me so we drive to the restaurant. On the way he tells me, "Nonnie, you pay for dinner and I will buy dessert." I told him I would be happy to pay for both, however he insisted. After we ate and I was paying the bill, Logan takes off around the corner and comes back with a little brown paper sack. I asked him what was in it and he proudly brings out 3 sticks of what I used to call "laffy taffy'. He proudly lets me pick the one I want and says he hopes I enjoy my dessert. It was the best laffy taffy I have ever eaten:) Did I mention Logan is 9 years old:)
Before bed time we were getting our time frame ready for the next morning. They go to different schools and for once I wanted to get the right kid at the right school on the first try! Bingo!! I did it!! This was a big deal to me. First time ever in fact and more importantly I found them when school was out!!!
However, before the kids go to school the dogs have to pee. I took it upon myself to 'help' the kids by taking the dogs out. Max has to be on a leash and Precious has no bladder control once her kennel door is open. The back door better be open and no one should be in her way. Once she is done, she takes off to pee in the neighbors yards also and visit for awhile.
When Precious crosses the street, I am outside in shorts and a tank top, barefooted with my hair on fire because is hasn't been brushed yet, yelling at the top of my lungs, "Precious get your wazoo back in the yard right now!!" The time was 6:30 a.m. I grab the dog and run back inside, as lights pop on in several of Tami's neighbors homes. Hmmm so much for neighbors. I live in the country and have none...now I remember why!
Friday night we go to Subway to eat. We love that place. On the drive everyone is saying what they are getting. We get inside and Logan changes his mind. He wants a foot long BMT. I told him "No, because he couldn't eat it all and we had already decided what we were getting." We go round and round. The man waiting on us had no sense of humor until 6 little cheerleaders came in to eat. Then he was Happy! Happy! Happy!!!
I finally cave getting Logan the foot long sandwich. The man waiting on us, gives me the ole "You Sucker" look. Back at our table everyone is eating, laughing, talking and watching the other customers. After Logan has eaten the first part of his sandwich, he is full. I didn't say anything. I wanted to see what he would do. He let out a small burp followed by 3 long sighs as he picked up his other half of the sandwich. He took a bite and I said, "So are you still hungry?" He says, "Yep I could eat two of these!!" We shall see little boy. He moves the lettuce around, adjusts the spinach and rearranges the meat on the sandwich...and he takes another bite. I asked him if he was full and he said, "well, kinda." I told him he didn't have to eat it but never again was he to order a foot long sandwich. He sighed, agreed and grabbed the food up and threw it in the trash before I could get out the words, "we can take it home with us". Half way home he says "Nonnie, I love you." "I love you too you little stinker".
The next morning was football practice which Logan decided started at 7:30. I am up and ready, coffee in hand and off we go to wherever practice was to be held. When we get there only girls are having softball practice. We wait. I ask him again if we are at the right place and the right time. By now his positive attitude has dissolved. He thinks maybe he has the wrong time so we send an SOS to Tami and sure enough, practice starts at 8:30. We are heading back home when I run a 4 way stop sign. The sun was in my eyes and I really did not see it. Logan goes ballistic, "Nonnieadimos, you just ran a stop sign!!! Oh my Gosh, you ran a stop sign!!! You could get arrested!!" He was literally bouncing off the walls. I look in my rear view mirror and yep there was the stop sign. I tell him I am sorry that I really did not mean to miss the sign, I just did not see it. Then I remind him that he got the time wrong. We are out an hour early... I think I threw in a "so there" for good measure.
We have an hour to kill, I figured we would go to a yard sale or two. Logan does not like yard sells nor does he want to go to one. I am pouting and he is quiet while I decide how much I want to go to a yard sale. A light comes on in Logan's head and he decided he wanted to go to a yard sale and get a 'mongoose'. To say this was the best of mornings would be an exaggeration and I had only had one cup of coffee so not all my cylinders are clicking. At that moment in time, a mongoose was an animal that kills snakes and I think they live in India. I am like "No Logan you have two dogs you do not need a mongoose and besides there probably isn't one in Missouri much less at a yard sale." He starts laughing and says "It's a bike Nonnie". Hmmmm I quietly say 'I knew that" and home we go. Logan was still laughing as we pulled into the drive way.
On Saturday we stay home, make cookies and eat pizza. We watched the Will Smith movie, "Hancock"...twice. It was a good easy going kind of day. No rush, no hurry no schedule. About 5 p.m. we decide to walk to the park. The trees are slowly beginning to change colors. Plants are in the process of dying after a summer of blooms. All of the pavilions are filled with people having family reunions, cook outs and at one a wedding reception. The area is decorated in bridal flowers. The bride still has on her gown and veil. It is very pretty. I ask the kids to walk by quietly so we won't disturb the festivities. About that time Logan spies a water faucet about 10 feet from where the wedding party is taking place. He wants a drink of water. I tell him there is a reception taking place and we need to be quiet and walk on. He can get water on down the lane. Nope, Logan wants water from that faucet. I tell him 'no' again. About this time Jacy wheels around and points her finger at Logan, in her best Mama voice she says, "Logan, you can not get a drink of water there. Nonnie has already told you 'no' and besides they are getting ready to have a 'resurrection' there and you will spoil it!!!" I lost it and when I loose it I cannot laugh quietly. Tears were flowing. I would have been better off to let Logan get a drink of water, considering how much noise I was trying not to make.
Tami comes home and we are all glad to see her. The next morning is Logan's first football game. They are playing the Chiefs in Columbia. We are the Centralia Panthers. We are up and out the door without much trouble at all. I was impressed. When we get to the park where the game is to be played, there are 100's of cars, kids and parents. Three football games are playing at the same time. This went on all morning, maybe all afternoon also.
As we get out of the car Logan looks over at 4 or 5 boys from another school. He says, "They look at me like I am lunch". And they did. They were sizing up the competition. We find places to sit and soon it is Logan's turn to play. He runs out to the field and we notice he has on one blue sock and one black sock. I don't know if that is for good luck or if he just couldn't find a mate, whatever it was no big deal.
It is like Tami said, "Ever since I found out Logan was a boy, I have been waiting for him to play football." Me too and I also hope he likes basketball half as much as I do. They were so cute on the field. Logan made a tackle. Tami and I went nuts!!!
Logan in number 25
It was a good morning. Tami and I were up and on our feet. When Isaiah made two touch downs, we ran with the crowd down the field, cheering and clapping as we ran. You would have thought it was the NFL. To us it was close. We lost the game but had one heck of a good time, made some lasting memories and caught a few cute shots.
I hope 25 years from now when Jacy and Logan are reading this blog to their kids that they will remember how much fun we had those four days in September. I also hope Logan has twin boys just like him:) I may not be here in person to watch everything that is going on but I will be somewhere close smiling and whispering in his ear, "Take it easy on the boys, I remember when you did me the same way sweetheart."
Every year since we were attacked on 9/11/2001 I get anxious and tense when the anniversary date begins to roll around again. I hate admitting this because I know the terrorists would jump for joy to think they have the power to make citizens of the United States uneasy...even if it is only one citizen who is worried. However, it is true. For one week, I am extremely uneasy wondering what the terrorists are planning and who will die because of their warped mentality. Actually, I wake up every day and turn on the news to see what happened while I slept. They are never far from my thoughts.We are never far from their thoughts either.
This empty, uneasy feeling will pass and I will get on with my life doing the things that are normal for me. However, for the terrorists nothing changes. They will continue to plan and execute every atrocity they can in the name of Allah to rid the world of America and Americans or anyone who disagrees with their warped view of life.
A little 8 year old Muslim girl died on her' wedding night' a few weeks ago, because she was too young and small to have sex. Really??? Who marries off their daughter at 8 and what kind of pervert marries her? Again I say these warped extremists want to rule the world!! Their 'religion' allows this. If they commit suicide and take 'infidels' with them...their reward, in their minds, is a whopping sex party with 72 virgins of their own. Really???? Is that something a god would delight himself in and wish for the world? Does that make any sense? Not to me.
Is there a god who really condones this kind of behavior? A god who will look at them and say, "Well done my good and faithful servant" I don't think so.
I know there are many Muslims who do not act or think this way. They are good decent people who are trying to live in a world that no longer makes any sense to any of us. They are trapped. I feel sorry for them. Fate placed them in an area of the world that thrives on war. They fight each other as much as they do outsiders. It is their way of life. It is not my chosen way of life. I would love to see my grandchildren raised in a world of acceptance, peace, joy, forgiveness and love. The radical Islamists know nothing about the meaning of these words. It is their goal to rule the world. These two factions can not coexist together. They are polar opposites. One of them has to go. Because of our differences, and their hatred for us, we will be forced to fight them from here on out.
For thousands of years, they fought each other and we stayed out of their business. They raised the ante by acquiring weapons that could be used on Israel and on us eventually. Now we are forced to fight people who would just as soon die in battle as live. They strap on a vest of explosives, walk into a crowd of people going about the process of living, and set off the bombs taking as many innocent people with them as they can.
The other day, I read where one of the Al Qaeda leaders..Zawahri calls for radicals to try and hit America in our economic regions since that is where we are most vulnerable.
We will be fighting these people forever!! They have never given up fighting, they never will. For them fighting is a way of life and the very best way to die. It is hard to beat that mentality. Me, I am personally sick of fighting and of war. Sick of seeing our young men and women sent to these countries where you can't tell an enemy from a friend. Sick of our country arming countries in the Middle East, who in turn use these weapons on our soldiers. Where is the sense in this?
It is such a 'mixed bag of oats' the politics we are facing now. All I know for sure is that I remember Benghazi and how our soldiers and citizens were treated and how many of them died. This week someone actually said that our people in Benghazi should have asked for more help. Excuse me but I believe they did. While Americans were dying and in harms way, our leader went to Las Vegas for a fund raiser. I am very hesitant to follow our commander and chief into another war. In fact, I wouldn't follow him down the road for an ice cream cone. This is a completely new emotion for me. Never once have I felt this way about a President but I do now.
Like I said earlier, I really do believe we will be fighting the radical Muslims forever. We can fight them over here or over there but fight them we will. It seems like the decision now is not when but where and under whose leadership. That is a game changer for many people including me. Having Obama as Commander and Chief, to me is what nightmares are made of.
Like most people I pick and choose my memories. There are things that happened when I was a little girl that are etched in my mind. I can bring them to the forefront of my memory and enjoy a visit with my loved ones at a moments notice. I treasure these memories and I hope I am allowed to recall them until the day I die.
LaDonna and I are a year apart in age.
Johnny is two years younger than me. Our fathers were brothers. I have no memory of them when they were really young, but I have pictures and I have a ton of memories as we grew older.
This is Aunt Gene, Uncle Bill, LaDonna and Johnny Wray Humphreys. I am not sure where this photo was taken. Aunt Gene and Uncle Bill were just starting their lives together. They were in their early 20's.
This picture of LaDonna and me was taken out at Mama Pearls. I spent a lot of time 'out in the country' at their home while I was growing up.
One of my fondest memories concerned our determination to "camp out" at Mama Pearl's. We did this each summer, for 3 or 4 years and never once spent the night in a tent.
We worked all day long getting our 'tent' set up. Mama Pearl would give us some old quilts and we hung them on the clothes line to make the tent. We used another quilt for the floor and then each of us had a pillow and a patchwork quilt for sleeping. We made Johnny pack out all the 'stuff' we had to have for our adventure. He was more than willing to help...he also didn't have much choice. If he didn't help--he couldn't stay. He didn't mind. He wanted to camp as bad as we did.
We collected all our dolls, doll clothes, toy guns and flashlights. Since we were all scared of the dark, each one had their own flashlight. The main thing we were concerned about was food. We made peanut butter sandwiches, collected all the cookies and candy we could slip out the back door. We had sodas to drink and an ice bucket to keep them cold. We worked all day long to get our tent arranged like we wanted. It looked like we were going on a safari. Actually we were a mere 10 feet from the back door.
I remember we ate our supper in the tent. We also read some comic books or looked at the pictures and we played cards. As it started to get dark, we told ghost stories. Each one of us trying to scare the other two. It worked...we were all scared. About this time Johnny shined his flashlight on his face and we were about done for. He glowed in the dark. I was pretty sure he was possessed. That comment scared all of us...especially Johnny. He didn't know what 'possessed' was but he didn't like the idea at all!! About this time the cows came up to the fence which was about 15 feet from our tent. The cows made all sorts of 'cow noises'...none of which I was familiar with. The dogs started barking and Johnny turned his flash light on again. We all screamed and headed for the back door. I don't think we ever made it passed 8 p.m.
It was fun to visit my cousins in the country. For years we had a good time together. Aunt Gene talked Daddy into letting her pierce my ears. They took me to basketball games and baseball games. I was a maid of honor when LaDonna got married.
Then we all grew up and went our separate ways. Tommy and I lived in other states for most of our married lives. We moved home for about 3 years when Lisa was 4 and soon we had another little girl, Tami. We moved to Missouri when she was two. We have been gone since then except for vacations and emergencies.
We stopped by Aunt Gene's on our Labor Day trip. As luck would have it LaDonna was there. I hadn't seen her in years except for funerals. We started talking like we had seen each other last week. She showed me pictures of her missionary trip to Thailand and to Hong Kong. It was amazing to hear her testimony.
Anthony and Darla are my cousins on Mama's side of the family. I was 5 years older than Anthony and 7 years older than Darla. I always went on vacations with them. We were together all the time. Holidays, birthdays, shopping trips, supper; we were literally raised together. Since we have been grown Darla has become the sister I never had. She is my right arm in an emergency. If I can talk to Darla, things will be alright. She is a nurse and helped me so much when Mama was dying with Alzheimers. If we were at a hospital where she worked, my life was so much easier. She made sure I was as comfortable as anyone can be staying in a hospital with a loved one. I will forever be grateful to her. I miss her and wish our grandchildren and children could have grown up together.
This was Christmas when Grandma was still alive. It may have been her last Christmas. I don't have anymore pictures of her. We always celebrated Christmas together, usually on Christmas morning.
Uncle Gene was a great uncle. I love this picture. I think it was taken before he and Aunt Donna got married. I patterned my role as a wife after Aunt Donna. I watched her and I remember thinking 'when I grow up and get married I want to be like Aunt Donna.' And I did.
I don't get to see Anthony Gene much. We both live away from Clinton. Once again it is at funerals and every now and then at Christmas. Anthony is the perfect image of Granddaddy. I am sure Granddaddy looked just like this when he was a little boy.
While I was home Tommy and I went to Paducah to check on Aunt Donna. She had a hip replacement. She is doing good just has a lot of healing to do. Darla stayed with her. Here is a photo of us. Check out Darla's hands....some things never change:)
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for us that is a good thing!
When James Earl Carter married Hazel Louise Hopper many, many years ago, the Carter family was soon to begin. As the years went by they were blessed with 7 sons and 4 daughters. I married one of those sons, Harold Thomas Carter, number 5 son, number 8 child.
I was very glad and a little overwhelmed to be part of a large family, since I was an only child. I could count most of my immediate family on 10 fingers and one toe. Was I in for a huge, delightful adventure? You better believe it!!! I love my Carter family. I enjoy belonging to such a fun loving, God worshiping, mischievous bunch of people. I sometimes forget that I ever was a Humphreys. It seems like I have always been a Carter and I have for the last 43 years.
Each year for the past 15 or 20 years, Labor Day Weekend has been designated as the time for the Carter Reunion. This year it was held at Bonnie and Bobby Joe Brunswick's church recreational center in Woodland Mills, Tenn. I really do not know the final count of how many of us were there but it was a good turn out with quite a few surprises. A lot of the younger generation had other obligations or had to work. They were missed and for a mere $5.00 I will tell to those absent, the most embarrassing stories we told about each of you:)
Unfortunately, the original clan of brothers and sisters has dwindled from 11 to 6. Each loss is felt. Each person is missed and remembered. We are all getting older. When people looked at Tommy they thought of Bobby. This was our first year without Bobby. He was there in Spirit and I am sure he had a good time like he always did.
Below are some of the photos that were taken. I am sure I missed getting a photo of everyone, but I tried:) I have to admit I did my fair share of talking, laughing, eating and talking some more. One fact I know for sure, Southern cooks can't be beat. The food as always was delicious.
Bill and Linda came in from St. Louis. Bill is now the leader of the pack. His twin brother Jim died a few years ago.
Ed and Mina live in Clinton and were there with their son Todd and his family.
Ed sang two Christian songs for us that everyone enjoyed. All the Carter's can sing. Hopefully they will someday put on a show for those of us who can't carry a tune.
Barbara and Bobby Hopper were there with their son, his wife and grandson.
Tommy and I were the only ones from our immediate family who could attend. Lisa and Lisle live in Florida, Melodi and Lacey live in California and Tami, Jacy and Logan live in Centralia, Mo. We are spread pretty thin but get together when we can. Love transcends mileage in our family. This shot of us is fairly normal... neither of us are doing what we were told to do.
The next photo was one of our most delightful surprises. We had not seen Leisha and Jeff Winters for seven years. It was wonderful to see them and their two sons, John Michael and Bryan Thomas....all the way from Mississippi. To make this visit even more special, Leisha is expecting a baby next April.
Barbara surprised Leisha with a few baby items...all for a little girl:) We are hoping for a little girl since they already have two sons but little boys just can't be beat either. They are mighty special.
Bonnie and Bobby opened their church to us all for fun and fellowship. I adore these two people...just love'em to pieces. We were pregnant close to the same time. There is only a month difference in age between Benita and Tami. The stories we share could fill a book.
Joanie and Dickie are next since she is the baby of the family. She is gonna hate that line, but I couldn't think of any other way to say it:)
Shane, Tracy and their family were there. It is hard to believe that Shane is old enough to retire from the military...but he is. We are so proud of him and all he has done for his country. I am glad he made it out safe and alive. Shane you are one of our heroes. You have a beautiful family.
Brent, Glenda, Cindy, Kay, Brandon and Cindy's grandson were there. I chased Brandon all over the place trying to get his photo. I have some great shots of his hat, his right arm that he threw up just as I snapped a photo!! But I gotcha...so there:)
Here are some photos that were taken randomly. One of my nicest surprises was finally meeting Virginia Garrison. We are facebook friends and talk every day but hadn't met...we are also cousins twice removed.
Virginia's mother used to give Chip candy when he was a little boy and she did again Saturday. As always he was glad to get it:)
DeeDee was there with her grandson. He is such a good baby. Everyone took turns holding him.
There were plenty of Aunts, Cousins, Sisters, and Uncles to go around.
Pearl and Tommy....
Pretty in Pink
It was good to see everyone. I am sure I missed someone in a photo, if I did it was an accident. I was having a wonderful time and snapped shots as I saw them. I have a bad case of the "something shiny syndrome" and have been known from time to time to start in one direction and end up somewhere else.
Tommy and I look forward to seeing you all next year, if not before. Love to all,
This past spring there was a vine growing in one of my flower beds in the front yard. I started to pull it up with the other weeds however, it was a pretty plant and I wanted to see what it turned out to be. It was a pumpkin vine that soon took over the whole flower bed. I was delighted. The one pumpkin I did not throw away last year had voluntarily started to grow again in the spring. I didn't think pumpkins did this. As far as I know pumpkins are annuals. This little group of seeds made it through the winter snows and emerged in late spring. It went from a handful of vivid green leaves to a small mound within two weeks.
