June thoughts

Me, leading Vespers' Service at Chapel in the Hills, South Dakota. May 29th - June 10th

Been about five days since I got home from South Dakota.  It is that old feeling of jumping back into the frying pan -- but in a good way.  Coming home always means catching up -- for me that meant mowing my yard which was in dire straits -- about ready for a herd of sheep to come through; weeding the flower beds, drive way and other places where the weeds tend to thrive especially when I'm not here to watch them; paying bills and gulping at how quickly the bank account drops; restocking the refrigerator; catching up on some correspondence; attending a city council committee meeting; touching base with friends, etc., etc., etc.
          Fortunately there are some constants like a good long telephone visit with my brother.  These are pretty much every week.  We catch each other up on the news in our lives.  We talk a little politics, reading, and religion.  It is always a stimulating time.
Life is good.
                   I was really pleased at how well my flowers, grasses and shrubs had thrived while I was gone.  They are looking healthy and some shrubs like my two hydrangea bushes especially so.  I had a new porch added on to the front of my house which has necessitated some re-arranging of flowers and bushes. The ones that were transplanted still look a little shell-shocked, but I have confidence they will survive.
                      I think this time of year everyone suffers from a little 'yard-envy'.  Everyone else's yard and/or trees and flowers just looks better than yours.  I see a pretty flower bed and think -- oh, I should really do that next year.  If we don't get some good rains soon, all of us will be in dire shape because there is only so long you can keep green things looking healthy without moisture.  We have all 'been there, done that' in times of little or no rainfall.
                        This summer I also hope to trap and eliminate a lot of the paper mess in my house.  I have files of family history items that no one, myself included wants, old tax records, and pictures which I am gradually wading through.  Mother was not one to waste her time on photo albums.  In later years she went through slides and photos and threw away the scenery shots and pictures of people unknown to my brother and myself.  Then she arranged them somewhat by subject, put them in manila envelopes, and labeled them on the outside.  She then handed them to me and said, "Do what you want to with them!"  So hopefully this summer will be a time to sort and throw.  I send photos to family members with the caveat -- do with them what you want and you won't hurt my feelings if you throw them away!!
                   And politics, ah, well! Six months of Trump seems like six years, but this too shall pass.

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