What do you remember?

I wrote my poem for September ending with a question. My sister sent her answer. What's yours.



September Joy

What brings you joy
When you think of September?

What makes you dance
In the streets, in the fall?
Is it Indian Summer?
Or going to School?
The leaves red and amber
The nights turning cool?
Apple pie warm and spicy
The last day at the pool?

What brings you joy?
Tell me what you remember.


Turquoise blue skies behind amber gold leaves
White bars of Aspen from dry grassy sheaves
Red-sweatered children near mom and dad's hand
Pic-nic rejoicing in family and land

It's August Already!

It’s August. It’s hard to believe that for many students school is just weeks away.
I always loved the fall. I was excited to see who’s class I would be in; who my classmates would be; and what we would learn that year. In elementary school that only lasted a week or two. Then I was excited for Friday to come and we could have a couple of days off. I was reminiscing with my daughter today and she says she feels the same way. For the month before school started each year she would pack and unpack her backpack of supplies every day in anticipation. The year she was going to start middle school she and her dad would ride up to the school to peek in the windows, she was so excited.
Even this year, as her last year of college approaches, she got one of her class books early and is reading it.
One of my son’s friends recently reported that the school some of his children attend has lost their principal, and the band director. However the band plays on. The Marching Band students, knowing that competitions are coming and not wanting to be behind, are getting together on their own to practice marching and playing a new program. Having been a band parent, I know the dedication these band students can have, and the work they have to go through to accomplish their goals.

Why should we continually seek spiritual and secular education? D&C 93:36-37 says “The glory of God is intelligence, or in other words, light and truth. Light and truth forsake that evil one.”

President Henry B. Eyring says “We will have to make some hard choices of how we use our time… But remember you are interested in education, not just for mortal life but for eternal life. When you see that reality clearly with spiritual sight, you will put spiritual learning first and yet not slight the secular learning… “…And since what we will need to know is hard to discern, we need the help of heaven to know which of the myriad things we could study we would most wisely learn.

Robert D. Hales adds, “Lifelong learning is essential to the vitality of the human mind, body, and soul. It enhances self-worth and self-actuation. Lifelong learning is invigorating mentally and is a great defense against aging, depression, and self doubt.”

For many years after graduation I would take a community night school class, learning how to fix my car, woodworking, water color classes, pottery, quilting and photography among others. These have enhanced my life, and given much enjoyment to me and benefits to my family. Now I do my learning through books. I have an “ insatiable curiosity” as President Eyring says.
Last year I explored Mongolia in the 1920’s and the Modern Art Movement. This year I’m enjoying the lives of our presidents and first ladies.

What would you like to know more about? What are you reading?

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us."
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

For The Birds

FOR THE BIRDS

August—A month
That was made for the birds—
At four in the morning
They start those bird words—
Chirping and warbling
And singing with glee.
I just want to sleep
—Silly old me.

They flit through the air
Like a wisp in the wind.
They alight on the lights
As the traffic begins.
While peering through flowers
For breakfast and treats
The bird’s day beginning
Brings fun to the streets.

Happy 4th of July!!

Hope you had a fun fourth! We just got back from a trip to Chicago so we didn’t celebrate much. We did go to the ward 4th of July breakfast which is always fun.
Besides the wonderful pancakes, and orange juice we had the treat of Lincoln Oliphant giving a talk on the constitution. I think it is so much fun to actually be here in the DC area on this special day.

It seem like the books I chance to read are starting to have a theme. I pick a random pile of ten for each month, about six months ahead, not paying particular attention to which month it will be. For Easter the top book was on the life of Christ. For July there was a biography of Dolly Madison, through her letters, during the war of 1812, and First Ladies, by Margaret Truman. Unintentional as it was, I enjoyed the timing of reading those topics. It’s wonderful to read about history where it happened.

I got an interesting e-mail today. It was titled,The Pope said, “What would Jesus Blogg?
The Pope wants his flock to get online and start blogging. In a recent announcement, Pope Benedict XVI extolled the virtues of the world wide web saying, “Young people in particular, I appeal to you: bear witness to your faith through the digital world!”

A recent article in the Smart Set points out that religion’s embrace of emerging technologies extends back further than the current, blogg-loving pontiff. The Gutenberg bible was cutting-edge media for its time; and the clothespin, the wheel-driven washing machine, and the circular saw were all invented by the industrious Shaker Christians. … Golberg, the author, also shows how the story of Noah’s ark could be considered a parable for the benefits of embracing technology, before it’s too late”.

I remember a couple of years ago being encouraged to put our testimonies on line and share them with the world. Considering some of the things I have seen people write on U-tube, Face Book and their bloggs, I think some uplifting comments would be helpful. I decided to do this. I get surprised every once in a while to find out that someone read it.

When I think of all the technological advances that have happened in my lifetime, not to mention that of my parent’s, and grandparents; I am grateful that I am here to enjoy them. I don’t think my children can imagine life without computers, cars, or electricity.

What is your favorite invention or advance that has happened in your lifetime?

Have a great summer

SUMMERTIME!

I Want to go wandering
By mountain streams,
Picnic in the forest
With the elk watching,
Chase butterflies through the meadows.
This is my dream.
This is my fun.
This is my memory.

I finally got a picture on. How do I flip it?

Yummmm!
Blue corn tortillas, shredded chicken, green chile sauce, Mexican cheese, adobe walls, Sopapillas, good friends, it’s nice to go home again.

I just got back from another trip to see my dad. I haven’t been since November. He fell and gouged his arm, needing more care. He still doesn’t want to go into a nursing home and we don’t know how to convince him that he needs more help. Somehow it just doesn’t seem right to tie him up and toss him over my shoulder. After an earnest prayer for an answer, I had an interesting experience. At church that Sunday I had been asking my former ward members if they knew of anyone who did elder care. I was looking for someone who would just live in his home and help when needed. He’s still self sufficient unless he falls, or needs to go somewhere.

In Relief Society, the president announced that a member of another ward in the Stake was looking for a room or apartment in town for the summer. His wife will be in England and then they will move to Arizona. I hope things will work out. A home to live in, in exchange for cooking an evening meal and mowing the lawn seems fair. Of course, one of them being a Republican and the other a Democrat might lead to interesting conversations!

In D&C 112:10, we read, “Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand and give thee answer to thy prayers.”

Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: says,” Every honest and sincere prayer adds another piece to chain-mail armor… One of the most important ways to clothe yourselves in the armor of God is to make sure that prayer—earnest, sincere, consistent prayer—is part of your daily lives:

President Thomas S. Monson said, “As we offer unto the Lord our family and our personal prayers, let us do so with faith and trust in Him. Let us remember the injunction of the Apostle Paul to the Hebrews; ‘for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.’ If any of us has been slow to hearken to the counsel to pray always, there is no finer hour to begin than now.”

There have been many times in my life that my prayers have been answered. I have a testimony that God loves me and will answer my prayers, if I but ask. I don’t always like the answer but I know He gives them. And looking back I can see the blessings I have received from the experiences I have been given.

It was a long slow trip back to Virginia in the rain, but as we flew over the sites and monuments of DC, it was nice to come home again.

Sopaipillas
Sweet Fried Cakes

4 cups flour 4 eggs
1 tsp. Salt 1 cup sugar, divided
2 tsp. Baking powder water or milk
4 TBSP. Fat (lard or shortening ) fat for frying
1 tsp. Cinnamon

Sift flour with salt and baking powder to make a dough that is neither stiff or soft. Let dough stand for ½ hour. Roll out 1/4 –inch thick. Cut into 1,1111/2 inch squares and fry in deep fat util brown. Mix remaining sugar and cinnamon. As the sopaipillas are fried, drained and still hot, roll in the sugar-cinnamon mixture.

JUNE

June nights
Hot and breezy
Summertime
Living easy
Butterflies
Flying free
Picnics
Just the ants and me.
June days slip away
Summertime’s
Come to stay.