Halloween Memories

 

I read with great interest Laura Sampson’s Saturday column on Halloween and old-fashioned traditions. I loved how we spent Halloween when we were kids, but it could still happen for you! Some of my best childhood memories come from Halloween! Let’s make it fun for our kids! Remember…bring the kiddos on out to my house on Halloween night!!! Yes, I turn down storytelling jobs on that night! “What,” I say, “I can’t possibly leave my own community on Halloween night!”

I can only remember my dad coming home early from the office one night a year. That night was Halloween. Well, there were two good reasons for it. First of all, it was my mom’s birthday, and he always wanted to make it special for her, at least as special as possible as it was Halloween!

For me, Halloween was the best holiday of the year. I think I still feel like that, and it wasn’t just because it was my mom’s birthday, but I love Halloween. As soon as we raced home from school, we got into our costumes. It was often a bit early as trick-or-treating didn’t start until dark. I mean goblins and ghouls do not show up until dark so why should we? We walked around in everything except our masks making sure we were ready. Trick or treat bags or plastic pumpkins, sometimes…lighting the candles in the pumpkins on the porch…filling up the big bowl for the trick or treaters at home which our mom would take care of. There was no way we would stay home.

Finally, finally it was dark and with our plastic masks in place and our bags gripped into our hands we headed out. Just being outside in the dark was thrilling enough for us. On Halloween night, there were no rules! My brothers and sisters and I always went in a pack. No matter how old I was, my dad was always there. He was always lurking in the shadow watching us, waiting for us, and if my dad were a pipe smoker, he would have had a pipe, but alas, no pipe.

We usually walked on the sidewalks, but sometimes we ventured out onto the curbs to the piles of leaves which had not been burnt yet.  We scuffed them high with our shoes sending them cascading on the person in front of us. How I loved those dry, crispy leaves! However, we were ever so mindful of the smoldering piles of leaves as we walked. To this day, I can still smell those burning piles of leaves. It was a marvelous scent with the thin blue line of smoke circling houses, towns, fields, pumpkin patches.

We walked until our legs ached and we were so cold. Halloween was always cold. Finally, dad would nudge us back towards the warm house with lights in the windows and the pumpkin still lit on the front stoop. Clamoring into the house, we couldn’t stop talking and couldn’t wait to see what was in our bags. It was always hard to see with those darn plastic masks.

Mom was waiting for us in the doorway with that large empty bowl of candy. The table was reset for cake with birthday napkins and candles on the side. Dad always ordered a Halloween cake. After the cake and ice cream (patiently we waited) we dumped out all of candy and let mom choose whatever she wanted. As she perused our stash of candy, we held our breaths as she passed over the Bunn candy bars. I mean, they were huge and worth ten cents! She always chose the smallest items and even mom couldn’t take the raisins or apples folks passed out. Who gives children raisins or apples???

When mom was done, we sorted the candy into piles: chocolate, gumdrops, lollipops, gum and then threw it all back into the bag. Finally, it was bedtime, and as tired as I was, I could barely give up the evening. Everything is magical on Halloween…the weather, the smoke, the fires, the candy, I remember going back out on the front stoop to take a final look up into the trees for flying witches (always hoping to see one!), taking one last look at our sad, caved in pumpkin. There were always a few stragglers coming along, usually the teenagers. My parents always saved candy for them.

Halloween as a kid was just as magical as it is for me as a grown up.

Happy Haunting.

Edgar Allan Poe Night!!

 

Edgar Allan Poe remains a mystery to all of us. There have been so many books and scholarly papers written about Poe, and yet, there are so many secrets he took with him to the grave. Poe was born on January 19, 1809, and died on October 7, 1849. Even though he was just 40 years old, and he left us such a body of work. I always find it interesting that he died on the day James Whitcomb Riley was born.

Most of us know the stories surrounding Poe’s life and death. His parents were actors, even his mother which was difficult at the time. By the time he was three years old, both parents had died, and he was put into the home of John Allan. He was never adopted but was given the best schooling possible. He attended the University of Virginia at Charlottesville in 1825. He only spent one year there due to financial difficulties. He eventually went to live with his aunt, Mrs. Maria Clemm. He wrote so many short stories at that time. He also married his 12-year-old cousin, Virginia in 1836. She died of tuberculosis in 1837 as had his own mother and Mrs. Allan. Is it no wonder he wrote such Gothic tales, although many of his poems are romantic and beautiful.  Interestingly enough, he had great interest in Nathaniel Hawthorne and Herman Melville. Later other authors were influenced by Poe including Ambrose Bierce and H.P. Lovecraft. During his young years he was greatly influenced by Lord Byron, John Keats and Percy Bysshe Shelley, the romantic poets.

Poe’s death still puzzles all historians and literary critics. We do know Poe took a boat from Richmond to Baltimore on September 28, 1849. He became very ill and disoriented and died in the Washington College Hospital. No one knows exactly what happened. He was not wearing his own clothing and why was he in Baltimore? Theories abound about his death swirl around tuberculosis, epilepsy, diabetes, alcoholism and someone once suggested rabies. He was buried under the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Baltimore with no grave marker.

Years later, the folks of Baltimore decided he needed a real grave with a real marker and so began collecting small pieces of money. School children collected pennies and other donations came in for his grave. The new marker was designed by George A. Frederick. His body was moved from the unmarked grave to a corner of the church lot where he remains today with Virginia and Maria. The new grave was dedicated on November 17, 1875. Several notable folks attended including Walt Whitman.

Oh my…so much information. I think I need to take a small break for a cup of tea. While drinking my tea in the garden I had to reminisce about the time Morgan Sauer, and I took the train to his birthday celebrations in Richmond and Baltimore. It was a wonderful time for us, and it will always be one of my favorite memories of Poe. We celebrated with a dram of cognac and spent time admiring his grave. I wanted to become the Poe Toaster, but the fence was too high!! That’s another story!

Where am I going with all of this? Oh, thank you for asking. Each year, for thirteen years, I have hosted Edgar Allan Poe Night at Trine. This year I have moved the location to accommodate more local folks. My theatre group and I are hosting this event at the Cline Museum sponsored by the Steuben County Historical Society. This event will be held October 24^th at 7 bells. (7:00 p.m.) I am so excited about this new location. If you do not know about the Cline Museum, perhaps it is time you visit. This is the perfect time. The address is 313 East Maumee. It is right across the street from Cameron Hospital.

I daresay this will be a really fun event. Come on out and let Poe’s stories and poetry add to your Halloween pleasure. Music will be provided by Tom Adamson. Other actors in the show include Jan Thomas, Amy Oberlin and Jacob McNeal. Here’s the catch! I need a few more voices. Do you love Poe? Would you like to be part of our group? I would so love to chat with you. Please send a note…email at the end of this piece.

Edgar Allan Poe is a mystery to all of us. Come on out to the Cline Museum and decide for yourself…if you dare!

Rolling Victory Weekend

Lou Ann with the Baggage Car Boys!

“I hear the train a-comin’, it’s rolling ‘round the bend,” sang Johnny Cash in his “Folsom Prison Blues” song. I love this song and find myself singing it often especially after the Pleasant Lake Variety Show last April. We were all singing the train blues that night! Now I find myself singing it every time I hear the steam engine 765 rolling into town. From my garden, I can hear that whistle coming down the track and with the chugging along comes the black smoke. I always stop what I am doing to listen and to smile. Actually, I do this every time I hear the train whistle, but the past two years even more so with the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society taking hold of northern Indiana.

I don’t know exactly how it happened that Pleasant Lake, Angola and other small towns have been the recipient of this magical experience, but we are not complaining! Train rides feature the ice cream train, the whiskey train, the fall train, the Christmas train and this past weekend, the Rolling Victory Weekend trains.

It was a marvelous experience, and even though I did not ride the train this weekend, I was part of the event on Sunday. Dressing up in my Miss Columbia dress, last day to wear white by the way, I helped greet the trains along with other Pleasant Lake folks. We were there to hand out maps to the Pleasant Lake Museum and welcome them to town. When I had the chance, I told my story as my costume was a WWI costume complete with the American flag. I said to several folks, “Don’t worry we won the last war, we will win this one!” Of course, I was referring to the WWII reenactments going on all weekend as part of the Rolling Victory train.

As folks clamored off the train one by one, I was certainly in awe of some of the costumes. Some folks went all out including hats, shoes, dresses, suits, purses and much more as they got into the vintage victory experience. Children were sporting suspenders and hats. I took lots of photos of these families and thanked them for getting into the spirit. It certainly makes it much more fun. As a word of advice, start looking around for these fun clothes and accessories for your next train experience!

Pleasant Lake welcomed the “travelers” with food stands and even ice cream from Scoops! Between trains, railroad folks sat around chatting in their vintage uniforms as well. A few soldiers were walking around with their gear. It was easy to find myself back in time for this event. As I was sitting with Carolyn and our new friend, Sharon, the band, The Baggage Car Boys, were set up and started playing. I immediately was in love with their music. They were playing a lot of blues and jazz, popular songs from the forties as all big bands were doing at that time. They also played for the Saturday night dance. I went over and took a video and chatted with the three of them for a while. They asked if they could have a photo with me. “Sure,” I said. I never turn a photo op down!! Afterwards I just hung around listening until the next train arrived.

The Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society have taken us all by surprise. I remember hearing the rumor that this might happen a few years ago, but perhaps we needed it to actually happen, and it did. As I sat around the old depot in Pleasant Lake with the train roaring in and the folks in costumes, I felt the excitement much as folks must have years ago when the train came into town. The train brought visiting folks, servicemen, groceries, letters, dry goods, cattle…well, everything. Meeting the train and telling stories while waiting must have been a wonderful town event.

I am so enamored with the whole process that I joined the society. It wasn’t much really, $50 for a single membership. My money will go for train repairs and other necessities of the new adventure. I also am now on the list for volunteers and helping out when I can. I am not sure I would be much help in restoring the trains, but I sure can tell the stories.

We are blessed to have these events in our town and surrounding towns. As Johnny Cash said, “I’d let that lonesome whistle blow my blues away.”

Dog Days of Summer

 

I guess I was wrong about the Dog Days of summer as they are here! The cool weather was nice while it lasted, and be assured, it will return. As for this week, if you have air-conditioning, you are in luck! I prefer not to use the air-conditioning, but this week is definitely an exception.

So, why do we call these days the Dog Days of summer? Let’s look into history for a few moments. In Ancient Greece and Rome, these hot days of August came bringing drought and bad luck for men and for dogs! This also coincides with the rising of Sirius, the Dog Star and the brightest star in the night sky. Some say it is so bright it can be seen in the daytime! In ancient days, the rising of Sirius during the late summer, combined with the heat causes these Dog Days. It is also interesting to note that Sirius is 25 times brighter than the sun and 8.6 lights years away from the Earth. For those of you who just have to know, in ancient Egypt, Sirius meant scorching or sparkling! Rise early in the morning, take your coffee out to the stoop and look for Sirius in the southeastern sky before daybreak. It will definitely be much cooler sitting outside at daybreak!

The end of August brings so much to mind. It seems as if the month just started and here, we are in the last few days. This past weekend was absolutely full of end of August events, and I tried not to miss any of them! Let’s chat about Friday night football. Yes, I said football. I get involved with sports when my ids or now grandkids are involved, of course! This is Graham’s sophomore year at Angola High School, and he was able to play for a few moments on Friday night. I think I truly have forgotten how fun it is to attend the high school football games! Friday night was perfect! The stands were full, the players looked great and kudos to the marching band for all their hard work. We lost the game to Dekalb (congrats to them), but it was still a wonderful evening sitting with family and friends and ringing the cowbell. Yes, I was the one with the cowbell.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I mean back at Commons, Tabitha and her park board team hosted another night of music in the park. On any other night I would have been there, but I know so many of you attended and what a great night for that. Meanwhile…music at the Furth and the Gala at the Heritage Club. If anyone ever wonders what we do in this little town, well, there is really no way to explain all of it. On Saturday Trine hosted the Trine Fest downtown, and it was full of community members and students. Everywhere I went I met up with my lovely students buying coffee at Caleo or special items at Elemento!

Meanwhile…my neighborhood hosted another potluck! We have one every month and they move around. I would love to talk to anyone about how to make this happen. Each month 40-50 neighbors gather to share each other’s cooking and stories. This month everyone was asked to bring something for the Blessing Box at the Episcopal Church. Since our potluck was across the street at Michael Eyster’s, Nate walked the children over to put the items in the box. I had to laugh as I watched him lead the way as a Pied Piper.

My weekend ended with a visit to Elten and Carolyn’s prairie. Once a year they give tours of their prairie, and it was Sunday. It was a perfect day to coast along in the golf cart listening to Carolyn’s stories about each plant. The weekend ended at 6 on James to celebrate the come-back music of Mike Dougherty. This was a very special event, and it was a packed house with friends and family coming to hear Mike play. He played beautifully to the delight of everyone, and the standing ovation was enough to prove it. Mike thanked everyone for coming and when I was leaving, he said to me, “The music community has been wonderful. They mow my grass, bring food, and cheer me on!”

I thought about that on the way home. Isn’t that our job? To cheer each other on?

My friends, the Dog Days are here. Stay cool, celebrate and be kind.

Catch a Falling Star...

 

August 12, 2024

The note came in the afternoon. It was simple. “Do you want to go out to Fred Wooley’s to watch the meteors tonight?” Do I want to go to the meteor showers? Of course, I do! I send back my affirmation and wait for the reply. The caravan, okay, just one car, would be picking me up at 11:25. I gather all of the needed equipment…my chair, flashlight and sweatshirt as these mid-August days have showered us with not only meteors, but spectacular weather.

I have always loved the Perseid Meteor showers. I have such a fascination with the sky. There is also a personal reason for loving these showers. My twin sons, Adam and Aaron, were born during the Perseid Meteor showers. When we were all living at the farm, their birthday night was spent watching the showers. I filled a thermos with hot chocolate and spread the blankets out under the stars for our birthday viewing. All of us on the blanket watching the sky waiting, waiting for shooting stars was a great adventure! “Choose one for your birthday present.” Sometimes the sky was full, but other times we would just wait and wait, and the boys would beg to go to bed! Years later we spent the evening at Pokagon listening to star stories and viewing the magnificent sky with the telescopes all set up. Now that they are grown up and gone, I still remind them to go watch the meteor showers. Sometimes birthday gifts do not come wrapped up in ribbons.  

What are the Perseid showers? First of all, these brilliant fireballs are actually leftover pieces from comets and broken asteroids. In 1862 it was Lewis Swift and Horace Tuttle who made the discovery of these showers. In 1865 Giovanni Schiaparelli was the first to notice these meteors were coming from the Perseus constellation. Although, to be clear, the constellation has nothing to do with the showers, just the location. All we really need to know is that the first two weeks of August are dedicated to the Perseids, and I love that.

At 11:25 Hope Wilson picks me up. We put my chair in the back and head off to pick up our friend, Jan Mccauley. It is dark and on the back roads of Fremont, it feels as if we have entered another country. Critters scamper across the road…deer, raccoons, opossums. Jan puts her chair in the back, and we chat and laugh all the way to Fred’s house in the country. He is waiting for us with chairs already set up. It is dark except for his garage lights which he shuts off after we get situated. Once the lights are off and we are ready, Fred shares his sky knowledge with us by pointing out the Summer Triangle which literally glistens in the dark sky. He points out other summer constellations as we literally ooh and ahh over the beauty. Because it is so dark, we are able to clearly see the vast Milky Way. There is much chatter, but there is also silence as we each in our own way let the dark night seep into our souls for the complete beauty of the evening. It is cold though, so Fred goes in and brings out lovely woolen blankets which we gladly accept. We are completely absorbed by the sky. Each meteor finds us exclaiming loudly. We don’t all see each one as there is a lot of sky to admire. There are a few fireballs which streak across the night sky leaving us a bit breathless. We stay until 2:00 and then decide to call it a night. We figured, between all of us, we probably saw 25 or more meteors! We thank Fred for his kindness, his stories, and his blankets before we head back out into the quiet night. Hope actually put the heat on in the car!

Driving home, we watch for deer and opossums and talk about the night. What words do I have for that? Magical? Beautiful? Spectacular? Yes, to all three! Sleep comes easy, of course, and maybe my dreams are full of Van Gogh. Maybe.

Shooting stars, meteor showers are all free for the taking. They are still happening tonight. I will watch again in my own backyard thinking about my sons’ birthdays and days of yore. In the meantime, go outside with your chair and your blanket, and don’t forget to “catch a falling star and put it in your pocket.”

LaGrange County Drama Camp!!

 

I have this recurring dream before a show. It can be any show…one I am in or directing. So, last week, the dream came to me again. In the dream the curtain opens, and the cast looks great, but no one knows any lines! In other words, there was no play! In the dream everyone looks at me wondering what to do, and I have no idea.

Luckily this is just a dream, and somehow there is a show. This past week I had the pleasure of directing a show for LCYC. This is my tenth year working with them on summer productions. This year we had a record number of 36 students coming to camp. My usual number is just 15 so it took a lot of extra planning to make this happen for the students. Our youngest was six and the oldest was seventeen. When we sat in our circle on the first day, I just could not believe my eyes to have all these kids in one circle and wondering, how in the world will we have a show???

The scripts are not handed out until the afternoon of the first day. Auditions happen the second day. I tried to make it clear that the auditions were for the “older actors,” but for some reason, everyone auditioned for the show. The auditions took two full hours with several of the younger actors needing help reading the script. We were patient. Everyone was patient. I think the best thing that happened during this process was how the students all respected each other, helped each other, and sat patiently for two hours clapping for each one.

Actually, I was proud of all of the students for auditioning. If you have never done this before, it is a scary thing to stand on a stage and read lines knowing the directors are watching and listening carefully. For children, this is scary also. Several of them told me their heart was racing, and one of young actors came off the stage sobbing because it was so hard, and he was so scared. I had to send him out with Asher, my high school helper. Eventually he came back and was fine.

When we knew we had so many kids, I was able to hire to other directors to help me out. Trine students, Allison and Muriel were so much help along with all the other helpers. Jennifer Martin makes sure everything is taken care of perfectly. She and others cooked for the students, and the helpers, every single day. By the time lunch rolled around every day, we were all really hungry!

Auditions are finally over, and I announce the cast. Muriel and Allison split up the other young actors and take them to work on their scripts for their show and many art projects!

By Tuesday we are ready to start rehearsing. We meet in our circle, I welcome everyone back (and everyone did come back!), and then we split into groups. The students all eat lunch together and then back to work. On Wednesday we have a costume meeting, and everyone takes notes and helps each other. No black shoes for one actor? No worry, someone has them! No jeans for another? I got that covered at Goodwill. I also search my personal costume department and fill Lola with costumes and props.

Friday is “No Script Friday.” Actually, most of my actors had the whole show memorized by Thursday. How do they do it?? Friday night is the show with 193 folks coming to watch. It was a great attendance, and they filled the entire area.

During all of this, I have my lovely granddaughters with me. Both of them are in the show. Our days are theatre, our evenings are theatre as we run lines, our conversation is the show.

They were all wonderful on Friday night with a standing ovation. Flowers. Autographs. Happy thespians. I did keep hearing, “Maggie, what’s our next show?” I am addicted to this theatre, so I have already started working on the next production.

I think, besides watching them work together, my favorite part was having family all come to support the girls. Adam flew up from St. Pete, Abe came from Charleston. Aaron and Rachel’s family came.

It is so critical that our schools, and our community provide and showcase our young people in all of the arts. We know the arts keeps kids in school so let’s keep it going!

Coming home...

 

I took this photo a few years ago at the Balloon Festival.

A long day at the airports on July 3^rd gave way to a late twilight flight out of Minneapolis. Even though it was delayed, and we were all anxious to make the trip, it was absolutely beautiful. We flew into the sun, so to speak, and it set behind us with the most beautiful sunset possible. By the time we crossed Lake Michigan, it was dark and because we were in a small plane, we could clearly see the ground. Pockets of fireworks exploded as we flew over small towns. It was a brilliant display of color and very joyous. I talked to the pilots afterward, and they both said it was one of their favorite flights! I had to agree.

With the Fourth of July now in the photo albums, we move into the heart of summer. For me, it is time to be back home and edge myself back into adult life. I miss the kids, and we had the best time, but now time to get back involved with my community and my Indiana family. Yes, as John Denver once saying, it’s good to be back home again.

This week of July brings back the heat, the brilliant sky and Angola’s finest Balloon Festival second only to Albuquerque or so I say! Let’s start with the heat of the day inside a July day in Indiana. James Whitcomb Riley, Indiana’s favorite poet was known as the “Hoosier Poet” and also the “Children’s Poet.” Riley left us with a thousand poems which he wrote and performed in his lifetime. One of my favorite summer poems is, “The Old Swimmin’ Hole.” I think the poem depicts an innocent time for children, and well, for adults too. I guess maybe we could say the good old days. Maybe.

July days bring on the heat which is a must for our gardens! Mine seems to be off to a slow start and maybe that is due from being gone two weeks and letting the weeds dance their way merrily among the flowers and vegetables. A few afternoons of work, and I should be all caught up! Those of you in cottages around the lake live for the month of July. I did too as a teenager. I loved coming up to Lake James learning to ski or go out on the boat to watch the fireworks. Since I am a townie, my fireworks were at the Commons. They were brilliant this year, as was the evening show in my garden with the fireflies. I was watching them last night and lamenting the fact that my Littles were not here to capture them and wonder at their beauty. (No, we did not keep them in jars over night although Noah did try to sneak one into the house!)

The summer night sky boasts a waxing crescent moon passing right through the bright star, Regulus, from the constellation, Leo the Lion. I love watching the moon glide above us and the crescent moons have the early night sky to themselves. Take the time to go outside after dark and prepare to just be amazed.

Now that I am back home, the calendar appears to be filling up with all sorts of events and activities. I love them all from Writer’s group to Ukulele Club. This weekend boasts an amazing event in our town, Angola Balloons Aloft. In a few days the skies will be full of hot air balloons traveling all over the county. I love following them in my Jeep! A few years ago, I had the awesome opportunity to fly in one of the crowd’s favorites, the Dragon. I even had a t-shirt made for me that said, “There is no place like home.” The morning was bright and clear as I climbed into the basket. It was thrilling and horrifying at the same time. I was supposed to take photos and some film footage for KPC, but mostly I just hung on the edge of the basket! This weekend will bring events to the high school along with the balloons. Don’t miss this!

Summer is here…strong and hot. Be on the lookout for huge zucchinis which somehow show up unannounced on our porches! Our gardens are growing, the kids are at camp or at the lake. We are blessed to live here.

The Hurricane and other Sundry Items...

 

The dining room table is full of Go Fish and Old Maid cards. The playroom is full of toys and books litter all the end tables. The fireplace mantel hosts artwork of Kahlo, Monet and Van Gogh (all done by the seven-year-old twins!), and the refrigerator is full. Yes, it is my week to watch all four of Abe’s kids as he and Kristin take off for their yearly trip.

I gear up every summer when I know I have the Littles, then all of them, and then later in the summer, the older two girls fly to Indiana for Drama Camp. This week has been different as I usually watch the four of them in the purple house where Lola, my Jeep, takes us anywhere we want to go, and I have all my resources at my fingertips. Sometimes I watch them at their beach house which is so much fun. I can drive there as there is no traffic and a tiny grocery store on Oak Island plus a movie theatre. Here, in Charleston, it is very different, and it is hot. So, except for a few trips to the library or art camp or to the pool, we live in our self-serving cocoon…me and the four kids.

They are entertaining and fun, and with the different ages, there is always a different activity from movies of Pokémon to the grown-up movies after the twins go to bed. But for the most part, we are all together…all day long.

This time, Abe and Kristin went to Barbados. They chose a new place every summer to get away and relax for a week before coming back recharged and ready to take over again. We make my flight home on July 3^rd because we all know I need to be in my town for the Fourth of July. Of course, this has meant I miss the Philharmonic in the park and the Americana event, but it can’t be helped. “As long as I home by the Fourth of July,” I say, “all will be well.” This will be the first party at Aaron and Rachel’s new farm, and I sure don’t want to miss that!

Alas. Alas. Things happen. Things always happen. This time it is an early, unexpected hurricane bearing down on Barbados as I write. I didn’t pay much attention at the beginning as it was just a tropical depression. These things pop up all the time, don’t they? It wasn’t until Friday that I realized it had the potential to become a hurricane and by Saturday, it turned into one. Abe was able to ring us for a few moments to tell us they would be staying as their hotel was strong, even though it was right on the beach and the shelling would be great the next day before they head out. I do not think they realized this would become a category 4 hurricane on a small island.

I don’t keep the news from the kids, as they need to know some of this. “How exciting,” I tell them, “To be in a hurricane! It is like a big party.” They look at time with inquisitive eyes about the party thing. I tell them about the hurricanes on Ocracoke Island and what it was like. The best part of those hurricanes was that the visitors were all asked to just drive away and leave the locals to face the weather and then the clean up afterwards. I know also about the tourism aspect of hurricanes. The quicker the storekeepers can get the clean-up done, the quicker these islands (or towns) can get back into business. On Ocracoke, there was always so much clean up, which was especially difficult when the power was out. We were hot and sticky and definitely grateful for the Red Cross to show up.

As far as Barbados, I don’t really know. What is their infrastructure like? How strong is the airport and the runways? Will they get home in time? Will I make it to the parade and parties on the Fourth? I must plan accordingly too. How will I make that day fun for the kids without really knowing what or where to go to celebrate?

I know we will be fine. I will find sparklers and we will take a blanket to the back yard and watch for local fireworks, if this happens.

In the meantime, Go Fish, movies, stories and lots of chocolate will get us through!

Fireflies in the garden...

 

Staying up late is a complete joy for children. How exciting to spend time outside in the garden after dark in your pajamas! Of course, it stays light quite late, so a warning comes with staying up til dark!

That is exactly what we have been doing. I try to get them to listen to the sounds of nature, the sounds of quiet, the sounds of twilight. Even though I live in town, my backyard is a cacophony of nighttime sounds. Birds singing their good night sounds, doves cooing, the very first sound of a distant owl, and even the train which rumbles through my neighborhood on regular occasions. We love all of these sounds.

I want them to see the beauty of the night as we watch the twilight deepen to dark, the shadows disappear in lieu of the sun’s farewell, the rising of the almost full moon, and, of course, the time-honored fireflies. I often worry about the future of fireflies as forests and meadows face more destruction than ever. However, I am not here to chat about the forests (although we should all be very concerned), I am here to spread the tidings of great joy as summer comes roaring in this week. I do mean roaring in with the high temperatures. I am loathe to turn on my air, but alas, alas here we are with it humming away. I am grateful to have it, but oh how I miss my windows wide open with the sounds of summer seeping in through the screens.

The heat is arriving right on time as we celebrate the arrival of summer on Thursday, June 20 at 4:50 p.m. This, of course, is the Summer Solstice and one of my very favorite holidays, should one call it that. The Solstice is celebrated as a big holiday is most of England, Scotland, and Wales with bonfires and parades and everyone (most everyone!) off of work to celebrate. For us, in the United States, we don’t usually think about the Solstice.

If you have been a regular reader over the years, you know how much I love this day. I will be celebrating with the neighbors this year for our June potluck as we kick off the summer season. I love my neighborhood so much, and I love the gatherings we have come to share. On Thursday we will gather at my house with the table full of food, the yard full of kids, driveway full of music, and the lovely introduction by Nate Simons that sets off our summer!

Following the beautiful heat-driven Solstice, the June full moon will appear on Friday night. This month’s full moon is the strawberry moon named for strawberry season. The strawberries have been beautiful this month, although I see the patches waning a bit! Nonetheless, the beautiful full moon will shine down upon us on Friday night at 9:07. It is interesting to note that the Solstice and the June full moon only coincide with each other every 20 years or so. Some of you might know what I mean…we better take full advantage of this beauty.

Let’s go back to the joy of the fireflies. I saw my first one about ten days ago, and I was thrilled that they would be shining brightly with the twins still here. It is magic, don’t you think? I mean, looking out into the dark gardens and seeing their lights flicker makes me love summer. But what are they really? Fireflies are actually beetles. They have organs under their abdomen which light up, and this is called bioluminescence! Their beautiful blinking patterns are really a signal to other fireflies. This light actually means “come hither!” Fireflies live about 60 days, so we have two months to enjoy their beauty. There are over 2,000 species of fireflies. Adults tend to eat, on occasion, other fireflies, but usually they feed on nectar or pollen, or they do not eat at all. It is good to have a little scientific knowledge, but most of all, go outside after dark and just sit and enjoy.

Summer is almost here. We feel it in the heat. We hear it in the night sounds and the beginning of firecrackers in the distance. We see our gardens steadily growing. We watch children playing in the water or catching fireflies or lighting the sparklers of the season.

Whatever you do, do not miss out on the joys…even with the heat!

Until next week from Charleston

A red letter day...

 

Monday morning. 7:00 a.m. With my coffee brewing and the table set with Honey Nut Cheerios, I wake my sleeping children. Usually, they are the first to rise in the morning, but I guess a few days at Nannie Camp, and they are, well, tuckered out. They roll over once, twice until I whisper, “Today is the first day of soccer camp!” and up they go. They only have summer shorts and shirts, so we grab the sweatshirts and head down to the breakfast table. Noah must first check the back door to see if a Luna Moth came visiting last night and camped out on our screen door. No Luna Moth this morning. Faith brings me her hairbrush for her long blonde hair which is in full tangles (my fault completely!)

I get them to camp where they are a bit shy, but I know under the watchful eye of Tabitha at the Angola Parks, they will see some friends from last year and make new ones, of course! They love the programs at the park. Last year they just squeaked in with the age limit, and this year they are definitely old enough at seven! I do not send them to camp so I can have free time (really, I don’t!), but they love to visit Angola, and this is part of their experience with me.

I have been entertaining and keeping watch over Abe’s children since they were born, and Holly just turned 17! That’s a lot of summers of Nannie Camp, and I wouldn’t trade it. Faith and Noah counted the days until they arrived, and say to me every day, “We wish we lived here.” I have to agree, but I don’t think even I can woo them away from Charleston. The older girls, Holly and Brianna always said the same thing when they were younger. Now, I realize they are older with friends. Holly drives, has a boyfriend, and is very involved in theatre. Brianna is a social butterfly with friends in every neighborhood. I understand, but oh when they were younger…sigh.

Abe brought the twins on the Allegiant flight on Friday from Myrtle Beach. I met him at the airport where they all said good-bye, and he got back on the plane to do the turn around flight. We drug (seriously) the suitcase to the car and headed home. I had to laugh as the two of them jabbered all the way home. Could it be that my grandchildren talk as much as I do? There is a surprise for the first one to spot the purple house. Okay, not much of a surprise, the quarter for Aldi’s but nonetheless, it is a prize. My dad always did this when we went to Lake Michigan for the summer. The first one who could spot Lake Michigan got a dollar. Of course, he started the game when we were just out of Battle Creek, but it kept our attention until we got to Mackinaw City. Yes, I know, the purple house is not quite like Lake Michigan, but to seven-year-olds who can’t wait, it is just as wonderful.

I am ready at the house. Cupboards full. Beds cozy. Toys brought out of the garage and scrubbed up. They run inside from room to room looking at everything. They run outside and visit Harley’s grave first telling him “Hello.” I love that they always remember him. Even though our time together has just started, we don’t miss anything from planting extra pumpkin seeds in the garden to butterfly hunting (thanks to Aaron for taking Noah!), to bedtime stories when the day is over, and we gather on my bed. We take a deep breath and chat about our day before the books. My shelves are full of books…in every room. I choose stories for them that I read to all the other children. They always ask, “Did you read this one to Jonah?” I smile at that. Last night we read “Roxaboxen” which is one of my favorite children’s books. Yes, I read that to Jonah, and he made his own Roxaboxen with the neighborhood kids when he was little. At the end of the book, I cried. The twins looked at me wondering why I was crying. “Oh,” I said, “I guess because I read this Jonah and he is all grown up and some day you will be grown up too.”

“But not yet,” I whispered. “You are still mine for a while.”

Willard Motley

 

I began participating in warmshowers.com many years ago. One night I was talking with a friend on Ocracoke about her bicycle journey across the United States. I found that absolutely fascinating and wanted to know more. I had many questions in which one was asking where she stayed at night. The answers were fun…campgrounds, cemeteries, churches, friends and folks on warmshowers.com. This was the first time I had heard about this organization. I immediately looked it up and became a host. It is quite easy, actually. Warmshowers is an organization that helps bicyclists, those traveling for long distances, to have a safe place to camp for the night. Each host offers something different. Some cook supper for the bikers, offer beds, advice, bicycle repair. I offer beds when I can, but I always offer a safe place to camp in my back yard, and a warm shower, of course!

Over the years, I have had many guests from all around the world. Everyone has a different reason do bike across the country. Some want adventure, some bike for a cause, some bike for their gap years between college and working, others just want to see the country from two wheels and not four.

This past week, I had a cyclist stop in for the evening. I had a free room, and he was grateful for that along with a warm shower. By seven in the evening, I was coming in from the garden and offered to order a pizza from Dominoes and would he care to join me? Benjamin was definitely interested, and hungry, so I ordered pizza, and we sat out on the front porch as dusk turned to evening with just the quiet sounds of my neighborhood.

“Okay,” I said, “what is your story?” He began. Benjamin is from Paris, and even with excellent English, his accent was quite strong and quite lovely. He has his PhD in biology and is currently teaching in New York City. I asked him about his bicycle trip. Benjamin became aware of a man, Willard Motley, who biked from Chicago to New York City in 1930. He followed Route 20. Motley graduated high school in 1929 after being editor of his school newspaper. He wanted to go to college and had hopes of attending the University of Wisconsin. However, the depression hit and made it financially impossible. Instead, he had to decide what he wanted to do. He knew he wanted to be a writer, so he decided to take this bike trip to give him something to write about. The year was 1930, and Motley picked up an old bicycle and started out. Route 20 was still in the infant stages and some places were still a gravel road. There were few places to stop for the night. Roosevelt’s CCC program had just begun so even state parks were not in existence. He spent some nights in cemeteries, other nights in churches. When he arrived in Angola, he could not find a place to stay so he knocked on the sheriff’s door and asked for a jail cell for the night. He was granted that and had a safe place to sleep. He kept an intricate diary, so we know he stayed here at the jail and spent time perusing the town.

Every few days his bicycle needed to be welded so he needed to always find a welder in these small towns to help him out. Following his bike tour, he took two road trips to California working as a ranch hand, laborer, shipping clerk, and any job he could take to learn about America. When arriving back home in Chicago he became a writer for the Office of Civil Defense and was a photographer. All of this went into his first and most famous novel, “Knock on Any Door.” This book was so popular that it was made into a film starring Humphrey Bogart.

As Benjamin and I talked about Motley into the late evening, I could only wonder how difficult this was for Motley as he was a gay African American man making these journeys in the 1930. He was determined to be a writer and find something in which to lend his own voice.

The next morning, after breakfast and a fond farewell, I decided to do my own sleuthing about Motley. I love learning about something new, and I love knowing that Willard Motley stopped in our town looking for material to write about in 1930!

In Flanders Fields

BY JOHN MCCRAE

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

    That mark our place; and in the sky

    The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

    Loved and were loved, and now we lie,

        In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

    The torch; be yours to hold it high.

    If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

        In Flanders fields.

Music and Love

 

If you have never played ukulele with 200 ukulele players, then you are really missing out! (At least in my opinion!) This past weekend, Carolyn and I attended Ukulele camp officially called Mighty Uke Day which, of course, lasted for more than a day! These ukulele camps or festivals turn into reunions for uke players as well as playing for hours and hours!

We are fortunate to live in an area where we can attend many uke festivals since Michigan is a great uke capital of the country. With our bags packed early on Friday, we hit the road on a sunny day to get to camp to register early. As we arrived in Lansing there were so many old friends and new friends to connect with for these short few days. Nametags, lunch, check in to our hotel and back for our first workshop.

Carolyn and I have been teachers forever, and so we know how to be good students…well pretty good students. We took our seats, tuned our ukes and waited for the lovely workshop to begin. However, it seemed as if everyone came out of hiding (finally!) as a hundred players came to that particular workshop. We kept moving our chairs closer and closer together. Finally, everyone was seated, and it sounded as if we were all in a huge band with all the tuning and the ukes in place. The first workshop was hard, by the way! We stumbled through it, taking notes, practicing and then at the end of the first workshop knew that we had already had a great brain workout!

By late afternoon, we could barely zip our uke bags back up as we scurried to dinner to get back in time for the night concert. It is completely amazing to me how fabulously talented are the folks in the uke world. As I told Adam, I will never, ever be that kind of player, but listening to the concert is overwhelming. How can one small ukulele make all of those sounds? Rock band. Classical. Country western. Jazz. Blues. All of those genres were expertly played on the ukulele to a huge crowd of happy listeners.

You would think the evening would be over at 10:30, but oh no. Following the concert, we all headed back to the hotel and filled the lobby with a uke jam until well past midnight. I think the Marriott will never be the same; although they did greet each guest with a small ukulele token attached to our keys! The jam was again so crowded as player after player came into the lobby. The songs were put up on a big screen and we just played our hearts out until one-by-one folks called it a night!

The next day was no exception as we were transported back into our musical world. Again, workshops, networking and a late-night jam session.

By Sunday morning we were packing the car to head home. With a notebook full of notes and a tired uke, we made our way back as the conversation was as colorful as the music we played all weekend. Carolyn is much more a musician than I am, yet I love playing and thinking I am a musician! (I guess we can think we can do anything, and why not?) Research shows that we need “structural and functional brain reorganization beyond the developmental maturation period as an intrinsic property of the human central nervous system.” (Professor Bogdan Draganski, consultant in neurology at the University Hospital in Switzerland.) In layman terms, learning and playing music helps with an aging brain, and let’s face it, everyone has an aging brain! Ukuleles are so reasonable to purchase. They are not expensive, unless you want them to be, and you can have a great time no matter how much you pay. You don’t know how to play? Oh well, you are in luck, our ukulele group, The Steuben Strummers meets the second Monday of every month at the Angola Carnegie Library. Don’t be shy! We welcome you into our group. As I always say bike riding on long trails and playing the uke are definitely Zen moments for me!

Arriving home, I unpacked until Aaron and Rachel stopped by with a dozen pastel roses and an invitation to dinner. Of course, I would never turn that down! I did hear from my other boys and the grandchildren as well, so the weekend ended with a flourish of love.

Music and love…anything better?