I think we have had our quota. Two family funerals in 15 days and as we attended a funeral today we learned there was a second cousin that had passed away today of cancer. The old adage “In groups of three.” May that be true. There was a time when I thought all my parents were doing in their spare time was going to funerals and now I am in the position where they were. It is hard to believe that I am now part of the generation that is leading the charge in the families. Whatever contact I now have with my cousins it is on me to be a participant when events are scheduled and I have awareness of them. On my Father’s side there were twenty seven cousins – twenty three are remaining. On my Mother’s side of the family there were twenty six cousins. Today as we gathered at a funeral on my Father’s side of the family we should have been wearing name tags. We were the cousins that played tag in the night hours while the adults were visiting. We caught fire flies and rubbed them on our clothes to see how long the light would last. We have lost a sense of commonality over the years. It’s not impossible to reconnect but we need to do it other than attending funerals. It is a sign of the busy times and it is indeed sad.
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Noreen
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Noreen
Today is a day that normally I would be out on the patio filling up flower pots and then allowing them to rest in the shade before putting them out into the planter. There is not a nursery hoop anywhere that even has flower to choose from. This is the year where patience is golden and as much as I would like to get a few fingernails dirty I can only imagine the itch the farmers are experiencing. Those that had their corn seed already in their machine sheds are now recalculating the maturity dates as listed on tags sewn on the bags of seed and realizing that April 14 not one single field is ready for tilling up let alone putting a kernel in the ground. We just need to keep a lid on it and be thankful all the horrible storms have passed our portion of the state. Blessed be to God.
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Noreen
I am rambling today giving due respect to the day’s responsibilities as they are the usual and customary but realizing that while a phone ringing makes a for a short burp in my day it may change everything forever for those that needed to make the call bringing sad news. My Aunt Esther at the age of ninety seven was called home to be with God. I had gone to see her several weeks earlier in the Gaylord Health Care Facility and I had a great time doing the “remember when.” Within days she contracted phenomena and was gone. It was sudden but also not surprising that her aging system had lost the ability to fight. Yesterday when the phone rang I was not expecting a call of a second loss in the family. (More …)
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Noreen
It is what it is and that is a mess of late spring weather. I believe it is our Lord just letting us know who really is in charge. We hurry around worse than rats leaving a sinking ship. Truth be told those that are always in a hurry don’t get any farther ahead than the rest of us that take a bit more time to enjoy each day’s event. I am truly one that has been on the roller coaster and now I am on a trolley just putzing along and many times even humming a song. I will never ever have this day to replay. There are no “do overs.” I want to hear all and see all that lays before me each day adding it to my databank as I know there will be a day, a time that some instance will rely upon just such a recollection. As the ground is again white with some icy snow I am here to tell you I am just fine with it all and if it were not so I would be sure to tell you.
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Noreen
Nicholas and Megan cleaning out the big maple tree, getting ready for another season of playing when they visit.
It seems as if Easter Sunday was a long long time ago rather than five days ago. Easter Monday we attend the funeral of my 97-year-old aunt Esther Anna Wendlandt Opitz. Of the possible 29 cousins there were 15 of us there to celebrate Esther’s life and become reacquainted with family that get together too seldom and then usually due to a funeral. Within a half hour of getting home daughter Carrie arrived with Megan and Nicholas for them to spend time with Dennis and me. They had not been at our home for an extended time since prior to school starting in the fall of 2012. It was a whirlwind of activity as the possibility of any dust bunny escaping was slime to none. There were birdhouses painted as well as sleeves that seemed to get in the way of the creative styles. (More …)
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Noreen
It’s the close of a great day and the close of Holy Week. The comforting feeling that my Lord is in charge of my life and even more so now that today was my 69th birthday and I rely on the hand of my Lord on my shoulder to guide me everyday. So many things are changing in this world that I have no control over. It makes one feel very small and that’s o.k. I have just enough on my plate to allow me to feel very blessed, happy and content.
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Noreen
The day has been gray sprinkled with a few bursts of sun. Amazingly even the ice on the sheltered portion of the patio has given it up for the season. As a spring gift to self I have redecorated my living room. Martha Stewart: eat your heart out. No visit to Pier One Import or Walmart — just using what has been around for a bit in a unique way. Prep for Easter is under control and I am looking forward to enjoying a relaxing visit from family and grand pups. It’s time to take a bit of time outside as Easter Sunday and Monday are promised to be in the 30s for temps. Dang. Hurry up and wait.
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Noreen
This is the holiest of weeks and I feel a quiet within me that I would not mind staying within me every day. But the real world harkens and I am no different than anyone else allowing the most meager items that will spike my heart rate. I have found that when something does trigger my pulse to quicken I actually do talk to myself and assure the inner me that this is just a little glitch and in the scheme of things it’s going to be okay. There are so many instances in our lives when we need to realize that if it is not something we can control or change we need to let it go before we invest any more of our precious energy into a complete waste. My quest is to work very hard at quieting my heart during the meaningless challenges and save it for long lasting enjoyment of my family — now there is a great reason for the heart to swell as it fills with love. Out with the angst — in with the true joy of each day.
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Noreen
I continue to be amazed what the world has to offer in the most simplistic moments. Watching Blue Jays and alley cats taking turns to belly up to the cat food dish.
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Noreen
My Grandmother Laura’s Butterflies
My Grandmother Laura’s sewn Butterflies
Here I am working with my Grandmother Laura Wendlandt’s (my father’s mother) handiwork from the late 1960s. This work of butterflies was done on grandma’s treadle sewing machine. The stitches are so small and tight. In today’s world and with today’s sewing machines when we are finished with a seam we do a back stitch to secure the tread from unraveling. In the 82 blocks of pink butterflies the black thread is hand knotted on the back side to prevent them from becoming undone. All of the pink fabrics have been turned under so no raw material can show. I cannot imagine the hours her arthritic fingers spent securing the fabric and then sewing around each pattern. I have not quite decided how to work with it, but I do know that all of her handiwork will not be in vain. Sometime in the future there will be an update of a portion of these blocks. Just don’t hold your breath.