Postal Praise

Happy Birthday, Laura

September 1
The photo is from kindergarten with her cousin, Lewis.  This was her first bike.  It was baby blue and in no time at all she could ride like a pro.  She still loves riding bikes.  Lordy, how old is she...well, it rhymes so you can guess.

Denver, AR 1910

 George Riddle's Store in Denver, AR 1910.  Grandpa Gaddy was born Sept. 2, 1895 so he was 15 at the time of the photo.

Watch Out For Spider Woman!

Poem for Amy--Erin's Nurse Friend.

Granny passed on the farm
I was her hospice nurse
I thought I had seen it all
But this one was a first.

The body was stone stiff
When they finally called me
I rushed out  to the farm
And was amazed to see!

Granny was loaded in the jeep
Her heels stuck out the rear
She was just too long to fit
In there with all that gear!

He showed me shovels, picks,
And an ax that was for choppin'
He said they were in a hurry
On their way to Joplin!

I did not know what to do
What I said they were not hearin'
So I punched in a direct call
To the office and asked for ERIN!

More Volleyball

Astrid's volleyball team played tonight.  They won one match, lost one, and lost the tie breaker, but it was a good game and she played really well.

Happy Birthday, Dear Cuz

Wishing you good health and happy days in the coming year!

Ingrid Wins First Game

 We traveled down the interstate to watch Ingrid play her first volleyball game.  They won, but it went to 3 games.   I am glad they won.  Ingrid played really well!

August Almost Over

 Clayton and Greta before school today.  Greta's new hair cut looks good on her.  Clayton had spelling words to study last night.

 Today we are traveling to Ingrid's first volleyball game.  I hope she does well.  Of course, I bet she is the best player on the team and the prettiest and the smartest!

Lovely

I am losing my touch with watermelon picking.  Got Laura to come over and pull me one.  This is what hers looked like.  Mine is in the frig.  I hope it looks the same.

Janet

Hot Week End

 Greta was going shopping she told her Mom.  Baby's name is Helsa!  She could not locate her good sunglasses and had to wear next best.

 Greta got a hair cut.  Erin said Greg would be mad.  He was asleep as this is his working weekend.  Greta has green eyes.

 Clayton got a hair cut too.  Below are pictures of Falling Water Falls, northern Pope County.  It the rocks could talk the stories they would tell!

 Laura's bunch went to Falling Water.  Granny Renfroe was born within a rock's throw of this falls.

 Girls wanted to jump off the Falls like Uncle Walter said he did when he was young, but the water was really low.

 It is always cooler at Falling Water.

 Some more kids at Falling Water.

 Mema at Falling Water.  This is not Uncle Walter, I forget who Larry said it was.

 Bunch of the girl's relatives at Falling Water--I think it was 1921.  (from memory which is not good).  The second girl from the left is Leon Garrison's Mom.  She was Larry's Grandpa Jonathan Garrison's sister.  She had Leon not married.  Her feller (Melvin Green) moved to OK and in those days--about 1925--she wrote to him telling about her expecting their child...but his Momma got the letters and destroyed them.  Olive Garrison died of child bed fever about a week after Leon was born.  Melvin heard about the child but when he got to the hills of Arkansas, Leon's Grandmother Garrison met him with the door cracked and a shot gun protruding.  Leon did not meet his father until he was grown.  Grandma and Grandpa Garrison raised him as their own giving him all the love they had.  Leon grew to be a fine man.

Mr. C's Ice Bucket Challenge

Mr. C from Russellville Middle School accepted the ice bucket challenge for  ALS.   Larry is mowing today and I am staying inside where it is cool.  

Momma's Quilt

 Erin sent me these two pictures of sweet Greta this morning.  Immediately I spotted my Momma's quilt.  She passed away in Sept. of 1991 So it is pretty old but has held up great. My sweet Daddy passed 26 years ago today.

Watermelon time

Just Can't Trust Anyone These Days

Back To School

 Today is back to school day for my five.  I hope they all have a great day.

Happy Birthday Helen

35 years ago a month before your birthday.  Hope this day is a good one for you with simple pleasures.  I was expecting Erin.  

Connected Past

I wanted this picture so I took it from Helen's Blog.  I have a little slip of paper that tells when Marie was born and what she weighed.  I was at College at S of O and someone took the note when Momma called I guess.

Holler If You Are Taller

 Look at Clayton and Greta's height compared to last August.  Both are taller so they can holler!

Married On Monday

Forgot that yesterday was Erin and Greg's anniversary until I read Bill's comment that Helen had the wrong day for his anniversary and I thought "snap, the 15th is Erin and Greg's big day".  When you don't go to work each day, you forget what day it is.  Anyway, that is my excuse.

Erin and Greg married in 05 so next year will be big 10 and this year was nice 9!  Happy Day to the Joneses!

Oak Grove

All is not lost, Patsy found the Oak Grove photo and sent it to me. It was taken in 1910.

Post Cards Not From the Edge

 Steve Hanley has a postcard in the paper each day.  The other day it was Oak Grove about 1910.  But I forgot to take a picture of it.  Above is the Presbyterian pastor's house in Harrison 1910.  I wish Erin would find the place and take a picture for me.  Wonder what it looks like today.

Below is a postcard from the year I was born.  Air Conditioning in cars and buses was rare then. I bet almost unheard of in homes.  Homes were lucky to own one fan!

Grow Up So Fast

This was the first day of school in 2011!  Oh, how they have changed.  Below is Clayton and Greta August 2013.  They have really changed too!

Today's Visitors

 Clayton and Greta came today and I had a lot of fun activities planned, Aunt Helen.  We sat on the back porch and watched the birds.  I gave each a fly swat and let them kill flies and then to top off the visit...I told them I would let them pick the green beans.  We also picked a watermelon.  I know it was a fun day they will always remember.  Erin said she takes them to Dollar Tree and lets them buy a toy.  It is one of her favorite stores.  She has a little of Helen in her!!

Amazing Greta!

School starts next week for Clayton and Greta.  Greta will get to start speech sessions.  I hope her teacher is as good as my Laura.  But Greta is teaching herself.  She can already speak so much more clearly.  Erin sent this video.   They had just gotten up and Greta does not have her hearing aids in.  They are having a conversation and mostly Greta says "What?".  What she does say you can understand.  

Decorating Mom's Room

Sigrid went to school with her Mom and helped her fix her room.  Here she is with the bulletin board.  She has to get a little more border but it is really cute.

Freshman

Astrid will be a freshman in High School this year.  The 9th grade is in a building with the 8th.  I am glad.  I think when soccer season rolls around, Astrid will be playing with the high school varsity.

Martins Gone South

We have not seen the Martins in about 5 days...so I guess they left us about August 5, 2014.  I noticed a mosquito when I was sitting on the back porch the other day.  I sure miss my fly catchers.