I was going to call this “The Downside” to go with the last entry, “The Upside“, but downside has too many unpleasant connotations. There was one downside, however. As of the last entry, we stood atop Cliff Top of Mt. LeConte, 6.6 miles into the trip. Given our chosen route, we still had another 9.0 miles to go, and it wore sorely upon us. Trillium Gap Trail (TGT) was definitely the better downhill choice, but we should have hiked across to the Rainbow Falls trailhead from the TGT-head rather than leaving that traverse for late in the day. It was a pleasant walk with things to see, but, tired as we were, I did not take as many pictures. Click on “LeConte Descent” to see what notable things we saw.
Posts Tagged ‘Family’
LeConte Descent
Posted in Family, Grandchildren, Hike, Nature, Outdoors, tagged Family, Hike, Mt. LeConte, Nature, Outdoors on May 30, 2023| Leave a Comment »
The Upside
Posted in Family, General, Grandchildren, Hike, Nature, Outdoors, Photo, tagged Family, Grandchild, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Hike, Mt. LeConte, Outdoors on May 28, 2023| 1 Comment »
Continuing the story about a Mt. LeConte hike this past week (see “Approach Day“), we arose just after 5 AM and got away at 6:15 for a one-hour drive to the trailhead. I had wanted to hike Trillium Gap and Rainbow Falls Trails. My daughter asked me about how they are different. I said Rainbow Falls Trail is shorter, steeper, and rockier. She said that she would prefer to go up on a steeper trail since coming down that way would be more painful on her knees.
So, carrying one pack with food and clothing and water, about 25 pounds, and carrying a second pack with her son and water, about 35 pounds, we started off. I record our progress with commentary and pictures at “Rainbow Falls Ascent“.
Approach Day
Posted in Family, General, Grandchildren, Hike, Memories, Nature, Outdoors, tagged Family, Outdoors on May 27, 2023| 1 Comment »
I was chosen to take the place of my daughter’s hiking partner who had other responsibilities crop up. We were slated to take a 16-mile hike to Mt. LeConte in the Smoky Mountains National Park. Over the next several blog entries I am going to lay out the gist of the trip. The first day was travel and rest. Pictures of our lodging place are included at “Cabin up the Crick” along with a little flashback surprise.
A Quiet Weekend Visit
Posted in Delights, Family, Influence, Photo, tagged Family, Grandchildren, Visiting on April 30, 2023| Leave a Comment »
You can make plenty of plans, but circumstances may superintend them all. We had planned so many things outdoors when we were to visit our son for the weekend. We did do one chore before it rained. On Friday evening before supper we plopped a fourteen foot section of telephone pole into a four foot hole and tamped in dirt until it was solid and plumb. It rained lightly thereafter, so we ate supper and played with our granddaughter. The next morning we tamped in a second pole to within six inches of surface level before the rain came. So, instead of more outdoor activity, we went to a Book Barn of used books in a warehouse. I found a few good reads. Between the periodic hard showers pelting on the metal roof, the hypnotic classical music, and the row upon row of books it was quite relaxing. That evening during supper we watched a nice PG movie. Sunday morning we were challenged by a sermon from Acts 4 on praising God for the bright and dark providences. I hope to make further comment on that at a later date. After a big lunch we talked a few more hours before driving 4 hours home. Times with family can be so short but so meaningful. I hope that it encouraged our son and daughter-in-law as much as it did us and made our granddaughter as happy as it did us. Click on “Little Visit” to see a few pictures.
Posterity and Sibling Visit
Posted in Birthday, Family, General, Grandchildren, tagged Birthday Outing, Family, Grandchildren, Siblings on April 2, 2023| Leave a Comment »
My grandchildren are adorable. Well, I am a bit biased, but I am probably supposed to be. My wife and I got to spend half of our Saturday with seven grandchildren and their parents. Then we went out to eat for her sister’s birthday. It was quite the full day and good day. Check it out at Grins and Giggles.
Manifold Grace
Posted in Birthday, Blessing, Family, Grace, Grandchildren, Photo, tagged Family, Grandchildren on February 11, 2023| Leave a Comment »
I repeat myself a considerable amount on this blog, but it is a product of what I’m thinking (and maybe the beginnings of senility?). Anyway, repeating truth is a good thing. I love the “manifold grace of God” that He abundantly pours out on us for serving others. A full and running over cup is, well, full. I am overflowing with the arrival of my 12th grand-child. God has been so good to my family. Check out the pictures of my 6th Granddaughter.
Gathering of the Clan
Posted in Blessing, Family, Grandchildren, Photo, Thanksgiving, tagged Family, Grandchildren, Thanksgiving, What is important on November 29, 2022| Leave a Comment »
The meal, the conversations, the flag football game, more talking, more eating, renewing and strengthening family ties, becoming acquainted with new friends, and even a little football watching was done. I hope that your family had a relaxing and enjoyable time together. Holidays can be stressful. We so need to focus on what matters: our relationship with God and attention to His Word, His multiple provisions for us, our relationships with family and friends, and our and our nation’s life before God. Be thankful to God and diligent to please Him, friend. Check out our celebration of the day at “The Big Meal.”
Extending the Tradition
Posted in Blessing, Family, General, Grandchildren, Photo, Thanksgiving, tagged Blessing, Family, Grandchildren, Thanksgiving, Tradition on November 28, 2022| Leave a Comment »
If you have followed this blog for any period of time, then you know that there will always be one or more post-Thanksgiving entries. There are rich traditions developed around this holiday in my family. I have been realizing how valuable that is to the next generations. The big meal and afternoon flag football game have been a staple for two generations now. Seriously, my nephews and niece and my children and their children have been doing this with us for nearly 40 years now. There has to be a time when the traditions are passed down to the next generation, and changes, deletions, and additions are inevitable. Thus far the changes have been almost exclusively additions. This year we added going to my son’s house for Thanksgiving Day. Enjoy the pictures here of two children and their spouses and eight grandchildren. Another day I’ll share pictures of the big Friday meal.
A Day in the Sun
Posted in Family, Grandchildren, Outdoors, Photo, Relationship, tagged Family, Grandchildren, Lakeside, Outdoors, Picnic, Reunion on October 11, 2022| Leave a Comment »
I went to a family reunion last weekend, but the majority of the people there were from an in-law’s family. They were nice people, but I didn’t have much to say to them since our connection is tenuous at best. Instead, I talked to the few closer relatives there and most spent time with my oldest son and his family. The day was absolutely beautiful and at that perfect temperature so that you could warm up in the sun and cool down in the shade. And it all took place by a lake with plenty of views, wildlife, playgrounds, walkways, easy places to lounge, and smiles. Click on Grandchildren Run to see what we enjoyed.
Eastern Sixers
Posted in Beauty, Family, General, Grandchildren, Hike, Nature, Outdoors, Photo, tagged Family, Hike, Mountains, Outdoors on September 19, 2022| Leave a Comment »
My daughter decided to start hiking to build up her stamina. She said that she needs intermediate goals in order to make progress and keep interested. So, she decided to start hiking to the top of the 25 tallest peaks in the Eastern U.S. That had to morph into a different goal because it is either hard or silly to do, depending on which list of highest peaks you look at. The hard has to do with deciding which peaks are the 25 highest. Different lists credit different peaks with that status. You may think that is silly in the days of Global Positioning. In one sense it is silly. One site included any peak that rose from around the surroundings for 160 feet. That means that you could “bag” five or six peaks on two hikes along two different ridges. The site she settled upon was a Wikipedia page called “Southern Sixers“. It includes all of the mountains east of the Mississippi that are taller than 6000′ above sea level, except Mt. Washington (6288′), which is in New Hampshire and would rank 22 on the list. The list has 53 entries, so 54 with Mt. W. I don’t what my daughter is going to do, but she suggested some number like 32 on the list. She will bag some peaks lower on the list with the two ridge walks that I mentioned above. I hope that I might be included in a fair number of these excursions.
Click on A Good Beginning to see how the first two “sixers” went.
Long Overdue Family Interaction
Posted in Family, General, Grandchildren, Nature, Outdoors, Photo, tagged Family, Grandchildren, Posterity, Visiting on April 10, 2022| 2 Comments »
My wife and I had a long weekend with family, the first since Thanksgiving because of sickness, finances, and business. We interacted with 8 our of our 10 grandchildren, two of our children, three of my brothers, one of her sisters, nephews and nieces, grandnephews and grandnieces, and in-laws at meals, on hikes, sitting around, and in church. Click here are some pictures of a few of the activities.
The Gathering
Posted in Family, General, Grandchildren, Hike, Nature, Photo, Thanksgiving, tagged Family, Grandchildren, Hike, Thanksgiving on November 30, 2021| 2 Comments »
For various reasons it was decided that we could get together as a family for Thanksgiving again this year. We enjoy the time together and I hope you will enjoy my pictures at “2021 Thanksgiving and Hike.”
Family Reunion 2021
Posted in Family, General, Grandchildren, History, Photo, Reminiscence, tagged Family, Family History, Family Reunion, Grandchildren on October 7, 2021| 2 Comments »
My oldest brother and his wife decided to have a big family reunion of both sides of their family. They had planned to have it at their house where many years of Thanksgiving gatherings have occurred. Those gatherings had brought upwards of 30 people, but this one garnered replies of attendence from 70+, threatening to overwhelm their residential infrastructure. They had rented an event tent for the occasion, but that fell through. Their youngest son acquired permission for them to have it at their church. It was best that it happened that way. It was roomy and quite nice.
My wife and I headed out on Friday morning, going to a doctor’s appointment on the way to Knoxville. We met two of our sons and their families at Austin’s Steak and Homestyle Buffet in Knoxville for an early celebration of my wife’s birthday. What better gift than seeing six grandchildren, two sons, and two spouses. It was all you could eat and I was up to the task, filling 4 plates and concluding with two more partially filled.
The morning of the reunion, my wife got together with her four sisters. With me and two brother-in-laws, we had a mini-reunion. Seven of us went out for lunch at a Mexican restaurant, sitting outside under cover with pleasant breeze. It was so encouraging to hear my brother-in-law pray over the meal, not just for the food but for the physical and spiritual well-being of family members. After many years of atheism he came to Christ in his early 70’s. I was among many who prayed for him over the years. Keep praying for those loved ones. Importune God based on His grace to save those around you and be bold to share your life and the Gospel.
The big reunion started around 2 PM. People trickled in and children took up playing GaGa Ball. Including children, my count of attendees at the Francis-Whaley Family Reunion was 51. We met people, set-up, re-acquainted, caught up, played kickball, ate, ate some more, learned family history, reminisced, perused family histories and photos, talked some more, took down, and cleaned up. In one real sense, that’s all we did, but that doesn’t communicate the feelings and emotional connections that were made and strengthened which constitute family. It occurs to me that pictures, though better at conveying those connections, still fall short. I guess you just have to have been there. So, the next time it happens, come along. Concerning the pictures, you can see those at Francis-Whaley 2021.
During the kickball game, I was running to second base and trying to slide so I wouldn’t be put out. My oldest nephew scooped up the ball and smashed it into my face and close range. Impulse and heat of the moment he called it, but in a bit of rebound I’m reminding him that it was just a friendly family game of kickball. My niece reminded me that it couldn’t be a Francis family gathering without me getting hurt. Over those many years of Thanksgiving gatherings we would play touch football, and given my personality, I don’t really play half-heartedly, so her comment was justified. I guess my nephew is of the same tribe.
The Whaley family tree stretches back quite a ways, verifiable back to Charlemagne. So does the my mother’s family Shelton, though we are missing a few generations of making that connection to my family. Oh well, we are all connected to Noah and Adam. And more importantly my wife and I and our five children are part of the family of God. We will just keep praying for those grandchildren.
Finding Time
Posted in Blessing, Family, General, Grandchildren, Photo, tagged Family, Grandchildren, Neighbors on August 11, 2021| Leave a Comment »
My daughter’s youngest child turned 3 years old on August 2nd. We were not able to get to their house until the 3rd because of a doctor’s appointment, but any excuse to see the grandchildren will do. We arrived 1/2 hour before dark after 5 hours at the doctor’s office and a total of 4 1/2 hours of driving. We so want to build relationships with the grandchildren, but distance, health, responsibilities, and flexibility conspire against us. I decided to use the smartphone app for this purpose and am reading the Chronicles of Narnia 2 or 3 evenings a week to my grand-daughter. Even then other activities cause rescheduling, but here flexibility is my friend. We are on the third book, “The Voyage of the Dawn Treader”.
We picked blackberries at the neighbor’s house across the road, because they asked my daughter to since they were away. As we picked my daughter reflected on why she did not want to move from their present house. “We have the best neighbors. And no one else can build here because the soil percolates so poorly that septic drain fields are expensive and difficult” with the new regulations. It is a very beautiful spot and the neighbors are helpful and friendly. The neighbor behind them allows my daughter’s family to walk on the trails in their woods on about 40 acres. The next night the grandchildren, their father, and I walked to this neighbor’s house down their long driveway. The man who lives there was glad for someone to talk to and allowed the children to watch the Koi while he told how much old Koi can cost and his plans to add a deeper pond for overwintering.
The morning of the next day, the grandchildren and I were dropped off at a playground park while my wife and daughter went shopping. We tried out the various slides and swings and crawled up onto the old caboose. I think that the little ones liked the trail that I found across the creek best. They had to take their mother and mamaw to see it when they returned from gathering sale items. Every once in a while you get a good picture of several people together. What most usually prevents it is the movement and moods of the subjects. I got two good shots in a few minutes. Check here to see the pictures.
I am so thankful to God that my wife was feeling strong enough to make this trip and that we had time with this part of the family. It seems to get harder to have family time as time and distance increase.
The Years Are Passing
Posted in Blessing, Family, General, Grandchildren, Hike, Nature, Outdoors, Photo, Relationship, tagged Birthday Party, Family, Grandchildren, Hike, Visiting on June 17, 2021| 3 Comments »
Last weekend my wife and I went to Knoxville for a one our daughter-in-law’s surprise birthday party, my wife’s family reunion, and other visits. What makes this so amazing is that my wife had had health problems that prevented her from significant travel or visiting- she was in much pain and it simply wore her out. About 3 weeks ago the symptoms suddenly began to go away after almost two years of intensifying. She has been to many doctors, but mostly they could not pinpoint the problems, which are not all solved but she feels like she has a life again. She decided that the birthday party with many people would be too much for her, so I dropped her off at her sister’s house to have a quiet visit while I was at the party.
Her husband is very patient to talk to my wife at the slower pace of someone with aphasia.
I missed the surprise moment of the daughter-in-law’s arrival, but there was plenty of visiting all around.
Visiting with my six grandchildren by my oldest son and his wife was enjoyable.
My oldest son is listening to a story by his pastor. We went to church with them the next morning. You can see my sister-in-law in the pink pants getting to know one of my grandchildren.
The pastor is also a near neighbor, so the grandchildren feel comfortable with him and his wife.
I said that there were six grandchildren. The one in the green cap holding his mother’s hand in an earlier picture didn’t stand still long enough for me to get a picture. My oldest brother is a retired pastor and quite the UT fan.
My sister-in-law is quite the story teller. You can about see her spinning a yarn here to my youngest son: “Ye…eeep! It was a real humdinger.” The daughter-in-law’s brother is listening to another story with pleasure.
My third son has that “are you taking my picture” look, but his wife just smiles.
The family gathered for the reunion at Cumberland Mountain State Park on Sunday afternoon after church. Eating and talking is what you do at a reunion. Most of the participants are past playing games.
Mother and son.
Who looks more mischievous, uncle or nephew?
Brothers.
Their spouses.
The eight siblings of my wife’s family and all but one of their spouses are still alive even though the siblings range from 63 to 86 years old. They didn’t get to have a reunion last year and everyone feels like this can’t keep happening from now on, but they are blessed to still be alive and still enjoy getting together to catch up on what has happened in the last year or two. Could you point them out in order by age?
My two oldest grandsons and their father rode with us to the reunion. The others stayed back for a much needed nap. We had gone on a hike together previously, so they wanted to go again. We went down the road a short distance to the dam where we found a trail down by the creek.
The bridge over the dam is the most picturesque feature in the park.
Besides painted dots to mark trails, the park has these special trail markers, this one on Black Oak bark.
I am trying to keep up on the march in the woods.
This is fun, grandpa, but the creek water is only cool and not cold as we expected.
It floats but will it support any weight?
I had the boys in their cowboy hats and boots stand by a healthy Eastern White Pine.
After returning to my son’s home we visited for awhile before departing to my oldest brother’s house for the evening. I was focusing in on my grand-daughter, who is the first second daughter in four generations among the male progenitors. Speaking of whom, the party, reunion, hike, and visit after a week of laboring has rendered him tired. We were all ready for some rest, but content with time we had to visit.
Indeed the years are passing, and we become more desirous of renewing family ties as time goes along. God has been good to our families according to His mercy. We should love those around us and build relationships while we can, because we don’t know what tomorrow will bring, though we can guess what many tomorrows will. Life is short so we best be about knowing God and knowing people while we have the opportunity, because eternity is coming. I am so thankful for the young ones coming along, and I pray regularly for their salvation, health, relationships, and knowledge base. May they know Him and give Him glory. Life is good, because God is good.
Celebrating 61
Posted in Family, General, Hike, Nature, Old, Outdoors, Photo, tagged Birthday, Family, High Shoals Waterfall, Hike, Outdoors, Waterfall on January 7, 2021| Leave a Comment »
I worked on a deck project for about half of the day before my son and his wife came for lunch. I thought we would be sitting around and talking, but he declared that he, his wife, and his brother had planned a hike for the afternoon. I asked to come along for what was a surprise outing on my birthday.
My youngest son decided that he wanted to enter the woods downstream of the main parking lot. The lower lot was full so we had to walk down the road a bit to get to where we wanted to begin on the trail.
For a change of pace we did the usual trail to the falls backwards, hiking up the long, steep, old logging road to a point above the falls. On the way up there is one small view of the waterfall, which was further obscured by fog this day. The backlighting of the fog caused outlines around twigs in the following picture- odd.
Fog precludes panoramic views but it quietens and narrows the woods down to a more introspective view.
I think that my earth tones blend well with the trunks and leaves.
Sometimes bridges are provided which helps when the water is up and cold. This has been another year of excessive rain, so clogged and sand lined creeks are common.
There is always something foreboding about the top of a waterfall.
Most rock can hold its own weight up, so what level of forces are needed to crack boulders in this way and what supplied it?
The following picture has a number of curious elements. Check out the lower trunk on the small tree a the right. What happened to cause that? The moss testifies to the fact that this area is always wet, not just during a damp fog. The couple are frame perfectly, observing nature, and yet seem out of place somehow. There has been much slippage for these boulders to lie just so. The noise and action of a waterfall never ceases to grab our attention, but there is so much more going on if we look closer.
The splash zone of this waterfall and rapids below is quite large so there are plenty of Hornworts, Liverworts, Mosses, and Ferns. Check out the Doghobble at the right.
We came across some friends, all girls: a mother, 4 daughters, and 2 cousins.
There is plenty of Doghobble and Rhododendron, too.
We took a new side trail to a small waterfall as well.
River rocks are so good at revealing the geology above their resting place. Though colorful in variety, they speak loudly of the regional metamorphism that shaped these mountains.
My young friend took the following pictures. She is improving regularly in her framing and composition of her photographs. I wear the sunglasses on my head out of habit even when there is little hope of the fog clearing.
I did not expect a hike on my birthday. I mused later that God is good in the little details as well as the big. I enjoyed the day with a few of my children.
50 years of blessing
Posted in Blessing, Family, General, Influence, Kindness, Marriage, Relationship, tagged 50th Anniversary, faithfulness, Family, Kindness, Marriage, Testimony on January 3, 2021| Leave a Comment »
I want to give glory to God for my brother and sister-in-laws’ Golden Anniversary. The following is a tribute to their faithful union enabled by God’s faithfulness in theirs lives. So many of my memories of those years are deeply personal, but with a slight bit of vagueness, making it public seems no breech of trust to me.
As I consider the blessing of your 50 years of marriage, I know that your commitment to God resulting in your commitment to each other and God’s work and in and through you has brought about much blessing for others. I am one example of that. It seems that one of my characteristics is that of having been a struggler, sometimes because of poor choices and other times just as the result of life in this world. Through all of that you have supported, encouraged, counseled, and prayed for me and my loved ones. Whether it was teaching me to throw a baseball or strengthen relationships in my life, you have helped me repeatedly.
As a brother in blood and in Christ, you have always encouraged and supported me. I think perhaps you saw that in my struggling that I desired to do what is right though with much floundering and confusion at times. You quietly helped in any way that you could. You performed the marriage ceremony uniting me to my lifelong partner and counseled me in relationships within my family. We enjoyed the outdoors together and reveled in the truth of God’s Word and truth of His creation of all things in the way that He said it happened. You opened your home and helped me financially and many times offered to.
Your testimony to God’s love is strong. You came along and did not merely own your husband, but owned his family as your own. As we have agreed, we are as big sister and little brother. As sister-in-law and sister in Christ, you have always been a great support to me and my family. You have brought much encouragement to our struggling family and provision and laughter to our gatherings. You have not been afraid on occasion to say bluntly that I was pursuing a wrong course. I know you have prayed for me and you are ever an affectionate sister. We enjoyed discussions of wildflowers and trees and singing of hymns.
Because, as you have said, you have put Christ first in your lives and in your life, your union these 50 years has been a blessing to me and to many. It is and will reap deep benefits to your children and grandchildren for generations to come. This is what we mean by a godly heritage. As the psalmist said of Israel, “God blesses us, that all the ends of the earth may fear Him.” (Psalm 67:7) Your marriage is and will be a blessing as you run this race well to the end.
Something Old and Something New
Posted in Backpacking, Beauty, Change, Ecology, Family, General, God Thoughts, Hike, Nature, Outdoors, Photo, tagged Design, Ecology, Family, Gorge, Hike, Linville Gorge, Mountains, Nature, Outdoors on December 2, 2020| 1 Comment »
The tradition in my family for about 30 years has been to gather at my oldest brother’s house for Thanksgiving. Numerous traditions grew up around this basic idea. One of the most enduring is the day after hike (see “Cascades and Escapades” and “Ebb and Flow of a Tradition” as two recent examples).
Of course, you can guess that this year was different. We didn’t meet at the elder brother’s house. His immediate family did. They also went on their hike. A good portion of my immediate family met at my house on Friday for thanksgiving reflections and a meal. There was plenty of good food prepared by numerous hands. We read psalms of thanksgiving and sang hymns and shared things we are thankful for.
On Saturday, prompted by two of my sons, we took a hike. My youngest and a young friend were beginning a one night backpacking trip, and the rest of us were along for the views and conversation. The slope had been burnt over twice about 15 years earlier and eliminated much of the topsoil. Regrowth has been slow, but the views are good.
The backlighting turned out OK, but since we did not know that at the time we shifted 180 degrees and posed again for the friendly hiker that I asked to record the images.
My son admitted that he was overly packed for a one nighter.
There are patches where it was not completely burned off and the younger trees come back faster here with the presence of more soil.
New growth is heartening.
The previous pictures show the relatively shallow slope the southeast face of the Shortoff Mountain. The next one shows where the trail comes along the edge of the vertical northwest facing precipice.
Table Mountain Pine predominates the stressed conditions of shallow soil, wind blown and otherwise drying conditions.
You wouldn’t be surprised to discover that this young friend is a tri-athlete. He stands upon metamorphized layers that are common to the Gorge.
Lake James actually dams three parallel streams, two of which are visible here. The South Mountains are visible in the background, being the last foothills before subsidence into the Piedmont region.
Wind is a creative and random sculptor of trees, imparting to this specimen a bonsai appearance.
There are many lone trees hanging onto the cliffs but the pine on this vertical section seems somehow “braver” or “more determined” as anthropomorphisms would have it.
Table Mountain Pine is also one of those species that require fire to open the cones and germinate the seeds. The cones appear to be fortresses against their time of opening.
Shortoff Mountain is amazingly flat on top as seen in this view along the Mountain to Sea Trail.
I know that fire is necessary and unavoidable, but I hate what it did to this little pond. First of all, it is amazing that a pond exists at the summit of a flat-topped mountain. It is not a mere wet weather pool. It used to have shade, open water, abundant frogs, small fish with only minimal vegetation in the water. Now the pond has eutrophied to such an extent as to hold no discernible animal life.
Not knowing that it was there, I had to point out to my young friends that we should stop and look at the best view of Linville Gorge available. Because the Gorge turns slightly at the mouth, you stand here on the rim looking straight up the majority of the length of the Gorge.
You can tell by the quality of the colors that this picture was not taken with my phone. I credit my daughter-in-law for this good picture.
And here she is with her husband.
Near the previous view is another one facing out of the mouth of the Gorge, revealing ridges more than 30 miles away.
I conclude with a picture of me contemplating the change and continuity of God’s nature. We can design our Biosphere 2 in an attempt to copy the real thing*, but our attempts cannot hold a candle to the ability of God’s designed Biosphere to absorb stress in the form of weather and natural disaster and human pollution and still recover and adapt. Man may have caused the fire that so affected this pond, but lightning could have just as well accomplished the same thing during drought. The pond may be changed for the duration of its existence or it may eventually recover its shaded, lively charm. Either way it is and will adapt well.
*If you don’t believe in design in nature, just consider the extent to which scientists go to design experiments like Biosphere 2 and they don’t even work that well.
Two and Counting
Posted in Birthday, Family, General, Grandchildren, Photo, Relationship, tagged Birthday, Family, Grandchildren, Relationships, Visiting on August 4, 2020| Leave a Comment »
Partytime! The little man just turned two so we had a party. Grandparents don’t need much excuse to visit. Growing slowly but steadily, he is a wonder of modern medicine and a trophy of God’s grace given his heart challenges at birth. He takes a bit of time to warm up to you, and dons quite a serious expression, but he studies everything quite closely.
Distracted attention
He is always up to go for a ride in the truck, especially since we went to see a front-end loader dump topsoil in the bed of the truck.
“I’m tied down at the moment.”
While daddy was in the store, we listened to hymns and pretended to be going somewhere.
In the driver’s seat
Besides Mamaw and Grandpa, his uncle and wife came, along with a friend and her parents.
Party!
The friend’s dad has a job collecting stories from WWI and II veterans and their families. Here the little man’s dad is telling his great-grandfather’s story of being in the Med, the North Atlantic, the Caribbean, and the Pacific for over three years. The many stories friend shared were amazing. The one about General Patton’s personal pilot was fascinating. Escaping from a Swiss prison camp was amazing.
War Stories
A storybook with moving parts is the best. I don’t know how much reading or literary learning goes on, but it is non-stop fun. Everyone wants to see the new gifts.
Opening presents
Big Sis has a few stories of her own to tell.
Hanging out
The pictures don’t show it, but the little man actually laughed and ran around quite a bit. Others were focusing on their various forms of media.
- Always the serious one
- It was good to be together. We moved dirt. We heard a sermon and sang. We ate a feast. We talked to family and new friends. We cleaned up dishes. We talked and talked and talked. We walked. We read and took pictures and googled. We came home tired.
Family Based Retirement Party
Posted in Family, General, Grandchildren, Photo, Relationship, tagged Family, Grandchildren, Party, Retirement on June 30, 2020| Leave a Comment »
My children threw me a retirement party this past Saturday. They cooked the food, set up, and thoroughly cleaned up. It was all such a blessing. Four of my children and their spouses, all seven grandchildren, my three brothers and their spouses, and even my newest daughter-in-law’s parents were there. Besides lots of eating and general catching up, I played with grandchildren, helped make ice cream, and told stories. My oldest son’s three oldest children sang songs and recited Scripture. Most of the stories came from a little activity my son came up with. He had fourteen questions printed on a paper for attendees to answer about me. Later I gave answers. One of my sister-in-laws is also a retired teacher, so we kept the flow of stories going for quite some time. Earlier in the week the weather forecast had called for 92 degrees in the afternoon on Saturday, but clouds and Saharan dust kept the temperature to the low 80’s. And there were periodic breezes that kept the mosquitoes at bay. The gathering went well past the three hours set apart for it. I so hope we can find excuses to have these get-togethers on a regular basis.
Trying out some new swings
Newest grandchild
All seven
A mother story?
Productive waiting
Technical story?
Healthy skepticism
Youngest son and spouse
Next to impossible to have 100% happy campers
Still standing by the grace of God
Rare to get us all together in the same place at the same time
“His banner over me is love.”
CreatorWorship 