Cemetery Viewing...

Wednesday, June 24th, the nursing home was having a Prom for the residents.  They told us the week prior that we didn't need to come that day because of the Prom.  So, I searched my brain to find a way to get Papa out and about instead of the nursing home. 

Once, while visiting Mom, we talked about cemeteries being neat places. I reminded Papa that the cemetery in Frankfort, Kentucky was full of neat headstones. He expressed interest in driving through it. I figured Wednesday would be a good day to do that. 

We had a perfectly delightful drive through the cemetery. When we got there I stopped at the office and picked up a little map that showed some of the highlights.  Then I told Papa, "I'm going to drive really slow and will stop anywhere you want to look at something. I can get out and read markers for you or we can walk out to some if you want. Your visit, you tell me what you want to see and when you want to stop."  He agreed and we started on our two hour drive of this beautiful old cemetery.

Our first stop was at a monument to William Goebel. He was the 34th Governor for the Commonwealth of Kentucky. He was assassinated, the only Governor in Kentucky to be assassinated. He was only 44 years old. There is a big monument to him and Papa wanted to see it.  He managed to get down the little bit of a hill and back up that hill. Scared me half-to-death. He is very unsteady on his feet. But he did it and was happy to be out and doing that kind of thing.

We continued our leisurely drive to Daniel Boone's grave. I asked Papa if he wanted to stop and walk down there.  He thought he would like to do that. This is a longer walk and there are steps with no railing, just a chain. Papa made it down. There were three different sets of people that viewed the grave site when we were there. Papa went into tour guide mode and shared his knowledge of Daniel Boone with each set.  Papa enjoyed the beautiful view of the Kentucky Capitol and the Kentucky River.  It was a nice stop but that would be the last time Papa wanted out of the car.

The other things that piqued our curiosity were signs for the Unborn Children's Monument.  The name alone did not make any sense to us. We followed the signs and it took us down a road on the hill below the cemetery. It felt like a maintenance road and somewhere I really should probably not be driving. It turns out this is still being developed. There is a path one can walk (if one can find the entrance) above. None of the signs we saw directed you to this path, only to this road below the site. When I got home I checked the internet and learned a little about this area of the cemetery. 

A lady had to have an abortion with her first baby. Not sure of her story for needing this abortion but the vague story indicated something happened that was not right and the abortion was necessary. She had a very difficult time dealing with her feelings after this experience. She eventually married and had two children but still had these buried feelings she had not dealt with. The answer came in organizing this portion of this cemetery.  There is a huge wall with the names of children who were born and did not live or were the result of abortions for whatever reason. This helps to give closer to those difficult feelings when this occurs.  On another trip it would be worthwhile to find the path and walk to this area of the cemetery.

We finished our tour and stopped to get Papa a chocolate shake for our ride home.  

Good visit.  Enjoyed checking dates on the headstones.  Today when we visited with Papa he was very happy with this particular outing.  I told him our next one will be to the Lexington Cemetery which I understand is just as full of neat things to see.

Then...And Now...

We moved into our home in August 2004. We are nearing 11 years here in Sadieville, Kentucky. 

This year we have both marveled at how much we have done on the yard and how, this year particularly, it feels like the trees are beginning to look like real trees and things are looking and feeling settled. Because of that good feeling of finally getting there on some level in getting our yard like we want it, I kept feeling I wanted to take a look at what we started from and what it looks like now.

This is the front of our home when we bought it. Herb Archer, the builder, planted sod in the front yard and most of the top of the back yard. This is the 'then' picture.

Now for the 'now' pictures. Tiers of flower beds full of perennials along the front of the house, with the middle bed containing peonies from Utah and with the lowest bed full of lilac bushes. The little trees are really getting bigger and fuller. The day lilies in the ditch are growing on down the ditch. These are so pretty growing wild in the ditches in Kentucky this time of year. Claude and I thought we would plant some and see how they did in our ditch. 

This picture shows the little red bush in a bed Claude made.  Like the hosta bed by the back porch, this was a product of making mowing this spot a little easier. You simply drive the tractor along the edged and the part it didn't reach is where you make a flower bed. Then you find the right plant and put it in that spot. Claude did a great job with this one.  This year the little bush seems to be shooting out a lot of new starts. 

What is not in the picture is the ground cover under the mailbox and the seasonal flag Claude added under the mail box. There are trees and bushes marking the edge of the lot our home is on and the empty lot next to the left that we own. The right side of the house has burning bushes that are well established.

This 'then' picture I took of the back of our home the night after we closed on it. It was taken from the hill across the creek. It was one of those ah-ha moments when we clearly saw the steep slope of the lot and knew we had LOTS of work ahead of us. The house came with a concrete patio under the deck from the great room (that is the fancy name for the living room). 

 I went out between rain storms to get this quick picture tonight of the back of the house as it looks now.  Please ignore the need to power wash the one wall. Claude has done the part by the garage and along that part of the house. We still need to do the wall near the patio & deck. This picture does show the nice wooden deck and concrete steps we added along the back and side of the house. Claude grows his tomatoes in the bourbon barrels on this deck. There is a hosta bed where my sewing room extends beyond the patio. It is the shape of what the mower does as it rounds the end of the house to the patio. The flower bed under the sewing room window is full of mint. 

This is a view of the back from the middle of the hill. I love these beds that Claude originally built to be a garden.  The first year we planted corn and tomatoes in them. We had a huge yield of tomatoes.  The corn was doing great. Then one day I saw the crows feasting on our corn as it was starting to get close to picking time. I shooed those crows off and picked all that corn and brought it in for us to eat. Good Grief!!  The deer then figured out there were eatin' maters in that flower bed and that was that. Those rude little creatures will take a bite and waste the rest of the tomato. Again, Good Grief!!  So, tomatoes now grow in bourbon barrels on the deck.  The bed closest to the camera had blackberry bushes on either side of a decorative bush. The double bed closer to the house has irises from Utah and blueberry bushes. 

Lots of work but it is so nice.  And this year...it feels like it is all coming together.

Flowers...

Whenever it seems we feel a need to plant something in the yard, we both agree that it needs to blossom at some point, grow back every year of its own accord and/or change colors in the fall. As I stood at the bottom of our hill this afternoon looking up the hill and all the planting that has taken place, this is the realization that hit me.  Claude and I both agree on things that blossom filling our yard.

One summer I took pictures of all the blossoms as they burst forth for their summer experience. They brightened our lives with each flower.  I haven't done that this year but we have enjoyed each blossom nonetheless.

This week I returned home from who knows what thing I was doing. As I drove up the driveway and pulled into the garage, my hubby was sitting on the front porch like a good southern gentleman sipping his soda. I'm sure someone is say, "But, Southerners drink sweet tea." We don't drink tea so our beverage of choice is water, lemonade of soda when sitting on the front porch. 

I put my stuff inside and took my soda and sat there with him to enjoy and breathe in some of that country air and just be. While we sat there a hummingbird came flitting around the front flower bed. It found my 'Lucifer' flower and took a little sip of its nectar. I grabbed my cellphone to try and get a picture. Missed the hummingbird (they are VERY fast) so I took a picture of this pretty flower anyway. 

Found this neat flower a few years ago at Kroger. This year it is has sent up four or five additional shoots so it may actually be going to take hold and keep growing. I love this deep red color and its shape is perfect for the hummingbirds. 

Claude planted some day lilies this summer when he was working on his path to go down the hill. He told me today they have pink blossoms. You can't see them from the top of the hill so I didn't know this. I put on my sneakers and took a walk down the hill to view these beauties.

Then I took a few pictures of them from their position on the hill. They are planted at the base of the posts that would form the gate as Claude calls it. This is where the hill goes to a flat surface to the creek.  The first picture is looking up the hill toward our home. The second picture is looking from the day lilies across the flat across the lot we own next to our home. Man, we live in a pretty spot of this earth.

These just make me happy. 

Yard Work Guest...

Yesterday, Monday, June 15th, found Claude and I out in the early morning to work on the hill.  I needed to finish weeding two flower beds.  Claude is working on a rock border for the flower beds that is more permanent.  When he made the beds he used logs from trees he cut down for the border.  That is rotting away and needs to be replaced. So, we found ourselves out before the sun got to unbearable. There was also a forecast for rain which we wanted to avoid if it came.

This story starts with the wall. Claude was working away and had a good bit done on the first layer of rock on one half of the flower bed at the bottom.  When he had to stop to get ready to go to a meeting, he had two layers of rock on the bottom wall.  This is going to look really, really good once it is finished.

By the time he finished this work, I had just about finished weeding the other half of this flower bed. 

While he was working, he paused and said, "Would you look at that!"  I asked what and he told me to look.  I got up from my seating position and walked around the altar and looked at where he was pointing.  I only saw rotten logs, the retaining wall with columbine trying to grow on top.  None of this was unexpected.  I told him I really didn't see anything.  He pointed again and said, "Look right there."  I looked and then I saw it.

Nestled in that loose dirt on top of the retaining wall was what appeared to be a rock or a chunk of wood.  On closer inspection, it was a turtle!!  The more one looked at it, the more one realized this was probably a mother turtle an she was probably digging a spot for eggs to be buried.  So...we have another wild life guest at our hill in Sadieville.  

As I took the picture above, I said to that turtle, "You probably picked this spot because you knew I loved turtles and have a soft spot in my heart for them. You knew you would be safe."  No response from the turtle but I'm just sure we communicated.  

Claude and I went back to our respective duties.  He headed up the hill to get ready for a meeting.  I gathered my weeding things and put them in the bag. Then I paused to take a few more pictures.

First the turtle...

The first picture shows its back side buried in the dirt on the top of the retaining wall.  The second picture shows the trees along the creek at the bottom of the hill with the turtle looking like a rock on top of the retaining wall. That turtle had a long hike up the hill to that spot. If it is laying eggs for babies, they will have a long walk down the hill to get to the water.  There are lots of birds that would want those babies for a nice snack. I'll have to be careful with weeding this summer and remember above the fourth castle rock is where there might be eggs.

Lastly, the hill...

It takes a lot to conquer this hill.  This view is from the second tier Claude made years ago for a sandbox for the grandmonsters. The third tier is the flower beds and the altar.  There are rock steps between the flower beds to the altar.  All made by Claude.  This year he has planted the trees to mark the sides of the path going down the hill.  The trees and bushes are all growing nicely.  The Irish Spring soap appears to be keeping the deer away from their green leaves. We'll keep plugging away at the flower beds and finish them off.  It is such a pretty spot.  Lots of work but such a pretty spot.

A Brief Visit...

Saturday, June 13th, was a full day. We told the Mini's we would be leaving early so they didn't have to wake up to say good-bye.  However, Hayden woke up and came downstairs, just as we were getting ready to leave, for his hugs. 

After a filling up with gas at Huck's in Shelbyville ($2.48/gallon) and a breakfast drive-thru at McDonald's, we were headed to Papa's.  Claude's Jeep was parked in his garage.  Claude got his Jeep and headed to Sadieville.  I said hi to Papa and reminded him I would pick him up about 3pm.  Then I was off to Lexington for an Inservice Training. 

Nissa was driving from Muskegon to Sadieville with Aubrey.  Aubrey was to be picked up by her father Sunday morning so she can spend the summer with him. Andie was sleeping in a bit and then bringing the Mini's over for a sleepover with Aubrey and some family time with Nissa. Claude was making sure his things were in order for Sunday morning and dinner was ready to cook when everybody got there. I finished my Inservice and got my car washed before picking up Papa at 3pm to take him to be with family at our home.

Nissa and Aubrey beat me to Sadieville.  Andie and the Mini's got there after everyone else.  We filled the afternoon and evening with hair cuts for Nissa and Andie, nail painting with a tropical theme for Andie's work on Monday, Claude grilling a great barbeque chicken dinner, the Mini's watching Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, playing video games, me digging up irises for Nissa and Andie to take home, and the list goes on. We packed a lot in our one night together.

Sunday morning I prepared cinnamon toast, eggs and bacon for breakfast while everyone got their stuff together.  Claude left as family was coming up for breakfast.  David picked Aubrey up at 8:30am.  Nissa left shortly after that for her 8 hour drive back to Muskegon. Andie and the Mini's took a bit longer pulling things together.  I decided to stay with them and missed Church.

When everyone was gone, I drove in and visited with Papa before going home to Sadieville and an evening with Claude. He and I were both wiped out.  We crashed Sunday evening.  So much to do and just nothing in us to get it done.  We simply vegged and watched a movie together.

Alas, I was a poor photographer this time.  Just got two pictures.

 

It was so nice to have a little extended family time. Just love it.

Field Day & Whipped Cream...

Friday, June 12th, was Field Day at Buckner Elementary. Claude and I were invited to come and watch and photograph the Mini's at Field Day.  Andie and Michael could not be there.  We would have gone even if they could have been there.  But it felt good to help cover bases for them.

Bailey was from 10am to 11:40am.  Hayden was from 12:20pm - 2pm.  Claude was able to view part of Bailey. Then he had to go to a meeting in Louisville. He was not able to get back in time to see Hayden.  But I took lots of pictures.

First, Bailey...Can you tell which one is Bailey? Love this little one.

Her classes did the water games first.  Pictures are of Bailey dodging the water balloon her partner tosses at her. After the water balloon toss they play a game called 'Over and Under" with a sponge full of water. Bailey is first in line for that game. The kids are then all asked to pose for a class picture where the adults actually toss the remaining water out of buckets on the kids. 

The kids were moved to the basketball courts where they played another water game. They paired off.  Bailey was very happy she and Mackenzie were partners. I have pictures of Hayden which will show how this game is played. 

The kids then moved to the field and played some games there.  First for Bailey's class was a tag game. Hula hoops were placed sporadically in the field to serve as safe spots. One kid at a time inside the hula hoop. Two kids were given yellow t-shirts and they were 'it'. They ran around trying to tag the other kids. When tagged you had to sit under a tree in the shade. The temperature in that sun was 90 degrees.  If the kids that were 'it' were trying to tag you, you could tell the kid in a hula hoop to please move. They had to relinquish their safe spot and run away from 'it'.  Bailey got to be 'it' in this picture.

At one point she was tagged and had to sit under the tree.  It didn't take her long to figure out the benefits of doing that versus running in the sun at 90 degrees.  She found my visor in my bag and had a great deal of fun under that tree.

Next came the 3-legged race.  Bailey and Mackenzie were team mates again. They did quite well.

Bailey's class went inside after this for Popsicles and to cool off.  They would run the obstacle course in the cafeteria and then to the gym to enjoy the inflatables. I actually have no idea what Bailey is doing in this picture. She and Mackenzie were waiting for their turn in the inflatables. I was across the gym and zoomed in for this picture. Their expressions are fun. 

Lastly, Bailey's class would go back outside. Buckner's principal is retiring after this year. The new principal was in place to have the kids toss a bean bag at a target. If the target was hit, a little bucket of water would pour onto the new principal's head.

Mr. B showed up while the kids were finishing up.  He was the physical education teacher for years at Buckner. He lived in Indiana and came over every day to teach.  The kids loved him.  He got a teaching/coaching position at a high school near his home. He took that job and left at the end of last school year.  The kids were so happy to see him again.

Next, Hayden...can you find Hayden? Love this kid. He was a bit torn. He had to stay in line but he really wanted a hug. 

Hayden's class started out with the field games.  He was paired with Tucker for the 3-legged race.  They got a strap to tie their legs together that was faulty. They couldn't take more than a step or two before it would pop open. I do believe the Velcro was worn out.  They just kept on stopping and putting it back on over and over again.

The potato sack races were next.  Hayden just jumped over and around the cones and back to his place in line with the greatest of ease. I'm aching with every jump he made but he just kept on going. Ah...being young and springy!!

Hayden's class went to the cafeteria for their Popsicle to cool off. On the way they ran into Mr. B. 

After doing the obstacle course and the inflatables, they went back outside to douse the principal.  This time it was Ms. Cheek, the kids current principal. 

It was then time for the water games. This is Hayden's class picture after the water balloon toss and the over and under game. Hayden is front row left end. 

This is a shot of the game played on the basketball court. There were big tubs full of water on one end of the basketball court.  Hayden sat with a 2-liter bottle on his head while his partner ran to the tubs of water and got a ladle full of water and walked it back to Hayden. Then he poured the water into the bottle trying to get it in the bottle and not on Hayden. Every now and then they would shout for the kids to change places.  Then Hayden ran with the ladle while his partner held the bottle on his head. Fun game. 

Hayden's final event was tug o'war.  Hayden loves this one best.  I'm sure with his sensory issues that pulling on the rope is just so very calming and helpful for him.

Field day was finished.  So was the last day of school for the Mini's.  Claude picked me up and took me for a cold soda after being outside most of the day.  Most excellent beverage!! We would meet the Mini's at the bus stop and hurry home for...Whipped Cream Battle.  

This is the third year for this event.  It is growing in size.  Andie learned of it and determined this was a must do for her kidlings.  So a couple of other mom's agreed and they held the first one.  Last year Claude and I were there for the second one.  This year we were happy to watch the third one of these fun events.  Each child brings their own whipped cream can, flip flops for their feet, dressed in their bathing suit, and carrying a towel.  Andie provides Popsicles for the kids to cool off and lots of things for them to play in their back yard.  The fun starts at 3pm and is over by 5pm.  Parents are to be there to watch out for their own kids.

I went out to the front porch and found Claude in the chair in a protected space for viewing. 

I looked up the street (they live on a cul de sac) and my thought was "If you build it they will come!" from the movie Field of Dreams. Moms and kids walking down the street to participate.

When every one has arrived, Andie gets all the kids eyes on her and she gives instructions (boundaries for the spraying of whipped cream, grass is a safe place, no whipped cream on adults, etc.).  Then everyone raises their can of whipped cream for a group photo.

Then the games begin...

This year I noted that most returning parents brought two cans of whipped cream for each of their kids.  There were at least 30 kids participating this year. When they are finished, the street in front of the Marx home looks a little like the birds in their neighborhood have some kind of digestive issues.

Around to the back of the house everyone goes for Popsicles and games.

 

So much fun for the kids and a great way to celebrate the end of school and the beginning of summer.

Claude and I watched the Mini's that night so Andie and Michael could have a real date. It was a nice day and evening.