Catching up with The News…

Life here at ‘stone has been pretty routine. Michael had a birthday, his 42nd, on September 3, but he doesn’t like fuss over his milestones. I did manage to snag him a pretty good present, the latest sold-out edition of the Disney game Lorcana, and he partied at a September Birthday bash with his in-laws, celebrating several family members’ big day at once.

Last week we got some heartbreaking news. If you’re a regular reader you’ll remember my Twin Cousin, Ronna; her husband of 43-years, Tom, died peacefully in his sleep, age 72. I’ve not been able to really talk with her, but she has been surrounded by their three daughters, as well as Tom’s siblings, and their many friends. (they live in Seabrook, Tx) I need to give her a hug, but for now I just send Love.

The Garden has slowly devolved and I brought in the last of the tomatoes and peppers yesterday, a fair amount of small green fruits that I’ll serve up on the equinox.

We planted peas on Labor Day and they are coming along well. I’ve got three buckets of arugula that is going to make some nice salads.

I harvested all of my basil, made some pesto and dried the rest. The other herbs — oregano, thyme, rosemary, sage, mint, lemon verbena, and marjoram — are still happily growing in their pots.

We took a mid-week trip to Ohio to visit the church founded in 1854 by my 4x great-grandfather, Adam Mayne. The building has been, of course, altered since then, but still sits in the same spot. There is also a cemetery where Adam was buried in 1857, possibly the first person to be buried there. Y’all know how much I love cemeteries and I was pretty excited to see this Major Patriarch’s gravesite, so imagine how bewildered I was to find that a tree – at least 50 years old — had grown up in the center of the Maynes’ headstones, a shrub had sprouted that added to the damage, covering several, and that the base of the tree was being used to throw broken limbs like it was a trash heap!!!

I was devastated. There were two guys working on the door of the church and I tried not to sound too hysterical when I expressed my dismay. They immediately recognized Adam’s name as their founder and took me inside to show me a glass case with a picture of Adam and Catherine, their bio, a picture of the original church, a plaque that honored him —

…but they didn’t take very good care of his grave…

One of the reasons I want to be cremated and my ashes spread around is because I believe that a gravesite becomes a responsibility of your descendants, but that’s a way old-fashioned idea and who knows what my 4x great-grandchildren will think? I regularly visit five burial grounds in Southern Illinois, some down gravel roads or in the middle of cornfields, As I’ve haunted the cemeteries, I’ve never seen one so neglected, outright violated like this one, and I am moved to correct the situation. Keep your fingers crossed that the church-people will let me, because I have a Plan…

The church/cemetery is about 5 miles from John Bryan State Park where we camped. It’s a nice park and adjacent to Yellow Springs, a busy little village with a Hippie Vibe, interesting shops and restaurants. There are various and sundry nature preserves, biking trails, and even springs–ha! As part of the Plan, we’ll be happy to stay there again.

As the Earth moves languidly toward the equinox, the days growing shorter and the humidity of summer clearing, it’s a good time for New Beginnings — just as the Jewish faith prescribes. The light changes as the Sun heads south, giving a visual change of view that can spark a soul change, if you need it, or want it. I’m breathing in the Peace and breathing out the Love toward All.

Peace