Last Day of May

 Clayton and Greta and Robert and Hannah are all at Aunt Helen's today.  All I can say is "hang in there Auntie".

 Astrid and her Mother went on a hike yesterday.  I hope they watch for critters.

Harvest Today

 I cut a cabbage today and made cole slaw.  I saw a tall "hog" weed in my potatoes and pulled it.  Well, it exposed a couple of big potatoes, so I dug that one spot and got these three nice potatoes.  When the garden dries out, we will need to dig the potatoes.   If we don't they will rot, when it gets really hot as they have had lots of rain.  We got another big shower this afternoon.

 I picked the zucchini.  I got several green ones and a couple yellow squash.

 My Tiger lilies are starting to bloom.  I wish I had another flower bed so I could fill it up with them.  They have grown into the pasture.  I need to rescue them.

 This is a bloom off a plant that is of the cactus family.  I have never liked them.  It too has moved into the pasture, but I will not try to move it as they are just not one of the plants I like.

 Astrid finished one of the canvases for Erin's office.  I took a close up of the fish so you could see all the detail.  Erin's office had no color so Astrid picked this to liven it.  Now, she is working on the Beatitudes.  I know it has some green and the pink color in it.

Helen sent me this.  It is the wreath Sharon Kay made for Uncle Floyd and Aunt Lovetta's stone.  It is pretty but Helen's were even prettier I thought.  

Celebrating in Style

 It was Eric's birthday--Sunday--we had steaks that he grilled.  Oh, they were so good.  Laura fixed twice baked potatoes, salad with garden lettuce, and a fresh strawberry pie made with Arkansas strawberries.  It was all delicious.

 Here is one the the plants Sigrid chose to put by the pool.

 Clayton and Greta got her about 11:30 and had a snack before going over to Auntie Laura's.

 They had fun in the pool with Sigrid, Astrid, and Zack (Astrid's friend).  Ingrid was experimenting with makeup and did not want to "wash it off".

 This is Sigrid doing a handstand in the pool.  She will be on the swim team again this year.

So She Sewed

 Sigrid went to "new Patsy's" Momma's house and sewed yesterday.  I know she loved it.  She proudly showed me the stitches she put into her garden flag with a C.  Her seamstress friend is called "Big Momma" I think and I can see Poppa there making sure everything goes just right.  Big Momma has what I would call a sewing studio seperate from her home!  I am envious.  It is one of my "forgotten" dreams.

 Here you can see Sigrid's pillow case and below the flag for her garden.  I asked about how many sewing machines Big Momma had and Sigrid said "several".  Lucky lady indeed.

 Ingrid went on a shopping spree with friends.  This is in preparation of her big trip coming up June 9.  She will get to see a Broadway show and visit many famous sites in Washington D. C. and New York City.

More Grave Flowers

 Sister Helen finished the flowers for the graves.  Above is Debbie's.  She loved pink.  Below is Janet's.  These three will hang from a hook in the ground.  I forget what Helen called them--maybe Shepard's hooks.

 This one is Sister Patsy's.  She would like the Dog Woods.

 Daddy's peacock feathers in Clayton's wreath.

 Sister Patsy's and Niece Janet's--on shepard's hook!

Little Debbie's

 Powell's at rest!

Larry finally caught some Channel Catfish and we had two last night.  Will cook the rest tonight.  The Lake is very clean and the fish are good because of the clean environment.  This is Larry's brother fishing.

 I made anohter Iris bed and tried to get yellow in it.   There are lots more that it shows.  Many are just roots.  I put 3 bags of cow manure compost and then the mulch.  Hope to see blooms next year.  The timbers were around our tree that the storm blew down.  I moved it here.  Was more work than it looks like.  You have to level the timbers to get them to fit.  They had huge nails in them, but I did get it done without dying.

 This is Opal.  She is a Reg. Mt. Feist squirrel dog.  She is 11 or 12.  A snake has been bothering her in her dog pen.  It was under the timbers around the chain link.  She would bark and bark and scratch, but she could not get to it.  We put the timbers around the bottom so dogs can not dig out.  Well, yesterday Mr. Rat Snake came out and she finished him off quickly.  I went out to see what was going on and saw the murder.  The snake was huge, but no more!

Alpena Cemetery

 Helen has finished some of the flowers for the graveyard.  The yellow really looks good on Brother Clayton's stone.

 Mom and Dad's and Grandpa and Grandma's turn out nicely too.  I like these she made better than those she bought last year.

Cemetery Reflections--by Fayrene Farmer
I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. Philippians 4:11

As I write on this Memorial Day, I am sitting alone in New Home Cemetery. 

New Home is part of my past, my present, and my future.  As a child I played here, as my parents' home was less than a quarter of a mile away.  When I had one of my frequent bunking parties, I often brought my friends here for entertainment.  We would read names on headstones, note the graves of children and as darkness fell, hurry home for some of Mama's popcorn, homemade grape juice and fudge.

Yocum Creek, a twisting trail of gleaming silver in the sunlight, races northward in the valley below.

It is an old cemetery, as is the abandoned school house which rests in hits midst.  Artificial flowers, of such brilliance,  that, a pair of monarch butterflies pause for a moment to decorate the graves. 

But as Mama used to say, "Bloom where you are planted."  Slow down and enjoy life wherever you are because in spite of all we do, life goes on. 

I have a book of essays by Fayene called "The Home Place".  I think they were published in the Green Forest Tribune.  Above is part of one she wrote about New Home Cemetery near her home. We did not take flowers and decorate graves when I was a child.  Daddy really did not believe in such. Momma would have liked it but, Daddy ruled our house.  I like going to the "Decorations" but I like to see the folks there.  I do appreciate beautiful flowers on a loved one's grave.  Brother Richard's always make my heart swell as I know he would be so proud of the beautiful remembrance his family leaves for him.

We did visit the little graveyard down on Dry Creek near our home.  I can recall dreaming and wondering about Jacob Shank who is buried down there.  Sometimes we wandered over to the graveyard past Dan Norton's house to dig up a flower.  Some of the graves there had the rock crypts around them.  I thought they were neat but eerie.

Helen's flowers look pretty.  I am proud of all her labor.

Pretty Pickin'

Laura went to the strawberry patch today.  They sure look tasty.  I bet Sigrid went along and helped.

I went to Lowe's and bought 10 bags of mulch.  I have mulched several flower beds and built a new one filled with the irises that were in the fence row.  I hope I got some yellow ones in it.  Laura picked me up at 9 and I walked two miles with Sigrid and the dog Sky while Laura ran.  Well, Sigrid ran some too, but I just idled.

A. C.

Astrid is called AC by most of her Coaches and some of her friends.  I think Nina Chiolina started the nickname.

4-4-44

This was the date that Daddy went into the US Navy.  When I cleaned a bunch of mess in the "carport" room of this old house, I ran across his service papers that Fleta had shared with me.  He lived at Route 1, Alpena Pass, AR.  He had a scar on his left knee and his left hand.  His blood type was A.  He weighed 141 pounds and was 5 feet 9 inches tall.  He had a ruddy complexion, blue eyes and blond hair.  He had 20 20 vision in both eyes and his hearing was perfect.  His preferred occupation was that of farmer.  His next of kin was my Momma and after that he listed Gertie Powell. He named this two children and gave their birth dates.  He gave Richard's middle name as Charley.  He was 28 years old.  His pulse rate was 90 and his blood pressure was 124/82.  His psych test was normal and his intelligence also.  His chest x-ray was neg of disease.  He did not have varicose veins, hernias, venereal disease, or hemorrhoids.  He was a normal male.  He served his country one year, six months, and 12 days.  His service was mostly in Combat Aircraft Service Unit (CASU) 52.

Found this accommodation in his records:  From the Commanding General, V Amphibious Corps

Although considerable mopping up remains the big job is done.  You have captured Iwo Jima, a base deep in the heart of the Empire Defenses.  I salute the gallant men of the 5th Amphibious Corps and it's supporting units who have carried out this attack to the enemy relentlessly for 26 successive days.  A well done to all units of all services participating in the seizure of this Island.

Radio Radar and Electical Shop of CASU 52.  Gilbert Willis Powell was an electricians mate.
Found this photo taken on Iwo Jima and posted by this guy's son with a message asking for all to remember the part the US Navy played in taking Iwo Jima--a land of black sand!
Andrew Lovelady ~ Seaman 1st Class CASU F-52 (Carrier Aircraft Service Unit Forward 52) Photo: Iwo Jima Several Seamen, who left school to join the effort, were included in the waves of Marines who hit Iwo Jima.
My Dad always felt he and others were forgotten, as the Marines are only mentioned,
when remembering the bloody battle on that small, sandy island.
We always laughed when my Dad said that was the 'Ritz' hotel on the right,

and that one of the guys got to it first, and used it instead of a tent. 

Was this guy the Kowalski that was Daddy's buddy on Iwo?

Theodore F. "Ted" Kowalski (1923 - 2015)

NORTHAMPTON - Theodore "Ted" F. Kowalski, 91, of Williams Street, passed away peacefully Monday, May 11, 2015, at his home.

Ted was born Aug. 12, 1923, in Northampton, the son of the late Stanley and Anna (Szczek) Kowalski. He was a lifelong Northampton native, attending city schools and graduating from Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School in 1942.

He began a lifelong career in the U.S. Navy, enlisting in 1943. He was stationed aboard the USS Piedmont, a destroyer tender, and saw heavy action during the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. He reenlisted and served aboard numerous vessels including the USS Brinkley Bass, a destroyer, serving as an aircraft carrier escort and anti-submarine duty during the Korean Conflict. He received the World War II Victory Medal, the Navy Occupation Service Medal, the European African Theatre Campaign Medal, the China Service Medal, the Korean Defense Service Medal and the American Campaign medal. Ted was stationed aboard the USS Brinkley Bass during the Korean Conflict and the boat and crew received seven Battle Stars for their actions. Ted served almost 30 years before being honorably discharged and returning home.

He was a communicant of the former St. John Cantius Church in Northampton.

He leaves his last sibling Helen Bogart of Fairview, many nieces, nephews and great-nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by several siblings including Henry, Mitchell, Stanley, Chester, Natalie Blanchett, Blanche Motyl, Nellie Merski and Jennie Hyland.

A calling hour will be held Friday from 9 to 10 a.m. at the Czelusniak Funeral Home of Northampton with a service at the funeral home at 10 a.m. with Fr. Merle Lavoie, celebrant. Burial with U.S. Navy honors will follow in Holy Rosary Cemetery in Hadley.

Donations in Ted's memory may be made to the Holyoke Soldiers Home, 110 Cherry St., Holyoke, MA 01040, or the Northampton Dollars for Scholars, P.O. Box 60382, Florence, MA 01062.