Let's Hear It For Cell Phones

I love cell phones! It certainly takes the worry out of all dire thoughts when someone is in the middle of Hurricane Gustuv! Eric's been checking in and he and his AmeriCorps Team evacuated out of New Orleans Sunday to 40 miles North West of New Orleans to Covington, LA to a Red Cross Station. Course, the next best thing is a Kindle that I can send messages to for a dime!



Contributed: Ann

Sunflowers

In the middle of flat land and sunflower fields, our Tourco tour bus rolled by a towering easel highlighted by cerulean skies. Where else would you find a tribute to local economy and van Gogh's art work but in Kansas!

Contributed by Ann

Bucket Punch

A recipe for life...

Ingredients:
compassion, humility, acceptance, humor, love, friendship, dreams, joy, faith, service

In one bucket:
Pour in 1 gallon of compassion
1 quart of acceptance
1 cup of humility
1 pint humor
8 ounces of sparkling joy
3 cups friendship-one each from family, friends, community
dash of dreams
pinch of faith in human kind
squirt of love in each serving glass
sprinkle generously with service

Stir with courage
Serve with a smile over the rocks of shared experiences

Serve in:
reflective crystal
topped with lemon slice or cherries
sprig of the inevitable

Serve hot or cold, 365 days for a century
Sip slowly hearing the sounds of laughter and treasuring nature’s tranquility

Contributed by Ann

Citizenship

My Citizenship Picture (1947)

It reminds me of a number of different emotions. The day of my examination was a day of trepidation. My parents-in-law drove my husband and me to St. Paul. I trembled through the whole trip which took longer then than it does these days, afraid I wouldn’t pass the exam. Marriage for me meant for life so I know I would be in America for the rest of my life so I needed to apply for Citizenship. I took a course by mail at the U of MN and learned all about the workings of the government and what it meant to be a citizen.

I was also asked for my thoughts on different subjects. One in particular shocked me some at the time. It was, “Do you think the standard of education in the South should be on the same level as in the North?” I answered it with my own question, “Why should it be any less?” I am glad I took that route of learning. It was very thorough and I did pass the examination and was pleased to become an American and yet even so, another emotion was making itself felt about the fact I had to give up my British passport and the security it afforded me. But it wasn’t as much about losing the security since my husband had the same values as I did. If we had problems along the way we would work them out but it was like deserting my family, friends, and country, and part of my identity.

But I have been an American now for nearly 62 years and it has been good. I have a good husband and two fine children, five grandchildren, and one great grandson. I look at that picture now and say, “If only you could have seen ahead, you wouldn’t have worried one bit.” I am so glad Great Britain is an ally of the U.S. of A. How could they not be?

Contributed by: Gwynneth Schwanbeck

Hornets

Emma has immersed herself in zoos, touch and feel labs, and exploration of all kinds of habitats this last month. She even practises the "one finger" touch rule in order to pet without alarming nature's creatures.

During a family reunion, the pavilion had some dripping water that collected and formed a puddle. Emma spotted the hornets skimming over for a water break. She eagerly approached the puddle calling over her shoulder, "Me pet bugs Momma." She turned, held up her hand, "Just one finger," assuring mom she knew the rules.

You've never seen so many adults converge on one small girl and swoop her up out of harm's way. Guess this wasn't the same as the turtle, cockroach, sidewalk ants, or python she'd "petted" before she became a rescue mission.

Contributed by: Ann

Summer Snow

Mowing my lawn is a relatively recent development for me. I have now been mowing lawns for 2 years and 3 months. Prior to this other people mowed my lawn. My dad, my grandpa, my husband dutifully mowed and mowed and mowed. For the most part I accept this new task semi-grudgingly and do my best to keep things tidy.

Recently, however, the dandelions in my lawn went on a fantastic growing spree. They were everywhere and they were huge. Fortunately, I live in the country and no one goes crazy when my lawn looks bad. I did finally decide to take care of my dandelions though and set to mowing. As I mowed down my gigantic field of dandelions something wonderful happened. All of the fuzz from the thousands of dandelions in my yard started to float up and around me as I mowed. It was thick, white, and fluffy. In the early summer sunshine I had the most beautiful snow of the year.

Contributed by Sarah.

Awareness

An older man came into the coffee shop today wearing a camouflage jacket and a baseball hat with a moose on it. He came up to the counter with his white five o' clock shadow and asked for an ordinary cup of coffee. I asked him what size he would like, and he replied, "I need awareness, not an epiphany, so small please."

Contributed by Aryn.