Posted in Sunday Report

Late Report

It’s been a busy week here at Sonnystone Acres… If that sounds familiar, you may have been a fan of Prairie Home Companion and Garrison Keillor’s stories from Lake Wobegone. Since we began our week celebrating our 42nd Wedding Anniversary, I thought I’d share this blast from the blog-past from 2010, the year we went up to Conner Prairie Amphitheatre and enjoyed a lovely performance of Keillor’s “Summer of Love Tour”.

(Again, I apologize for the no-caps thing, I was just too lazy back then and I’m still too lazy now to go in and capitalize correctly…it was a phase I was going through, forgive me.)

a lovely 30th anniversary

we didn’t get in any hurry to sit in the sun before the concert sunday evening up at conner prairie.  other folks were staking out the down-front seats, but we stopped over at a local brewery, drank a bighorn blonde and ate a hamburger, took the leftovers with us as a picnic lunch.  we were rewarded for our nonchalance by snagging a picnic area directly in the middle top—no sweaty bodies close by and the bathrooms were close, too.  and we enjoyed the show so much, listened to the news from lake wobegon and caught up with guy noir, sang tons of love songs and took some fun pictures. 

fred newman, the sound effects guy and mr. keillor

Garrison Keillor is one of my idols, a writer/storyteller who does talk a little slowly, it’s true, but who creates characters who you feel you know, or are.  he and sara watkins, fiddle player singer, walked about the audience for about half the show, him making up lyrics to songs as he walked based on what he was seeing the folks do.  i’m proud to say that he included me in one of them, singing of “the lady with the pink shirt strolling down the aisle to take pictures”.  

garrison keillor and sara watkins

it was, after all the Summer Love Tour, and during the drive home the medley of  “can’t help falling in love with you/unchained melody” was stuck in my head—happily.   i’m ready for another 30 years…..


We didn’t go anywhere this year, but we did build a campfire and roasted some dawgs and mellows and agreed completely that we are about as happy as an old married couple can be. I wrote about it this way nine years ago when we celebrated Anniversary #33:

It was 33 years ago today that Casey and I took our vows.  They were the traditional “have and hold, for richer and poorer, in sickness and health, as long as we live” stuff.  As Melissa and I walked down the aisle, I couldn’t have even imagined 33 years…

There are very few pictures of the event…the “photographer” was a friend who borrowed her brother’s fancy 35mm camera and loaded the first roll of film wrong.  I thought she was kidding when she told me the next week…but she wasn’t.

I remember it clearly and dearly:  it was so hot and humid that I couldn’t stand outside for more than 5 minutes without sweating through my dress.  We didn’t have air-conditioning in our house, so I went over to church early to cool off.  It was only family and some of our very best friends.   Donna had a nice reception for us afterward at her house.   Sadly, it seems like most of the people who were there are now dead…

And the last 33 years?  Well, it’s not been exactly fairy-tale sweetness, but we’ve laughed more than we’ve cried.   As we’ve shared our everyday lives, growing up and growing old, we have become Us…and I really like Us.

The News from Sonnystone Acres, August 15, 2013

Hope your week is a good one! Don’t miss a chance to make someone smile!

Peace

Posted in Camp Sonnystone 2022

Camp Sonnystone 2022

We’ve been having camp for a solid 10 years now, can you believe it? The grandies were so little, one not-yet-born, and we were go-go-go to the zoo, the museum, New Harmony, Henderson fests, downtown extravaganzas, and movies. Back then, Melissa would ship Emma here for a month, usually in June; once Eliza was about 3, she came, too. Melissa would show up and stay a week, a couple of times we went to Disney at the end of their visit. Irish Dance began to take up more of their time (National competitions are always July 4) and the visits were moved to two weeks, end of July-first weeks of August.

We’ve all gotten older now and our time together is more precious. The highlight of the New Yorkers’ visit is the morning run to Donut Bank for strawberry milk and French crullers, with the evening bed-time ice cream snack a close runner-up. The grandies changes have been faithfully recorded on the wall as they grew, but there’s so much more to them than their height and that growth can only be observed, as each year two different kids visit me, though still powered by the same sweet souls I have always known.

Of course, we painted birdhouses and canvases, shucked corn and snapped green beans for a picnic, but our Big Project was to restore our old Signs. The older Words had seriously faded, so we used some bright markers to bring them back alive…

Here’s an example of how faded they had become…

Ten Signs, ten years of growing hands and important Words…

You have to take the funny face pictures…

I’ve got more pictures for the movie and I’ll be working on that, but the house and gardens have required my attention. While the kids were here, we had a big storm that blew down several large tree limbs and one large tree. Casey has the limbs cleaned up, but the trees were old and it will take a while.

In the meantime, Now the weather is perfect and outside is where I’ll be…

Peace

Posted in Camp Sonnystone 2022, Sunday Report

Day at the Races

It’s been such a busy week here and I’m not at all prepared to give you the details, but I wanted to check in and share our traditional photo from Ellis Park.

PawPaw, Samantha, JoJo, Emma, Eliza, Nova at the track, 2022

By the Way, I’m a real loser this year — I’ve only won Once this entire season!!! Oh, well, we’re all having fun!

The Jose Gals are here until Friday and we’re pretty booked up, but there’s always room for More. Call or text if you’d like to visit…

Peace

Posted in Sunday Report

They’re almost here!

The New Yorkers, sans Eric, are driving even as we speak, due to arrive later tonight for the next 11 days!!! We are soo Ready, but I saved a few chores for today — make up some cucumbers-in-vinegar, a tomato salad.

It is so gloomy outside, but cool, so I’ve trimmed basil, and cleaned up the tomatoes and cukes which have started yellowing with powdery mildew — all this rain!!! There is so little to show for our efforts at this time, but there’s a second wind of flowers on the bell peppers, a couple of canteloupes and cukes. Still no sign of zucchini, but we should get a couple of yellow squash while the girls are here, and the green beans are plentiful. The jury is out on the tomatoes…maybe a second wave???

We are filling our Peace/Bird Garden hummingbird feeders every 3-4 days and it’s a blast to watch the tiny birds fuss and fight with each other. I caught a peaceful trio this morning while my camera was handy.

I’ll be reporting in as Camp Sonnystone begins, so clear your calendar for my scintillating updates. Oh, please call if you’d like to visit!

Peace

Posted in Evening Edition, Sunday Report

Nothing

For weeks now, it seems to me, I’ve been doing a whole lot of nothing — unless you call being sick doing something, which I do Not. I confess, that is my usual Summertime Mode, and I am quite good at it. I shuffle through the a.m. requirements of feeding the cat and drinking several cups of tea, but that’s nothing, really. Then I check the old email and wade through ads and newsletters, finally getting up and dressed, then back to the computer to obsess on Harry and Meghan, then outside to the back porch, down to Shady Grove, back up to the house and sit around and watch some YouTube, then fix some lunch, maybe get in the pool and float around, then back to the back for a siesta, then up and fixing supper, then more walks around the house and back to the TV for something boring so I can go to sleep…and on and on. Meanwhile, Casey’s out fixing something, or building something, just generally being creative and productive, even in sweltering heat, which seriously aggravates me. Stop and Rest with me! He does stop occasionally, but he’s just not good at doing nothing, no talent for it at all.

I made a river rock circle around the Shady Grove firepit!

Soon enough I’ll be doing something: The New Yorkers will be here next week! What’s next week? I dunno. Melissa stays maddeningly vague about their Estimated Day of Arrival, but I could now clean the dang house, wash up the sheets, plan some meals, and take inventory of my Camp Sonnystone stock. We have this year’s hand sign ready for their touch. I’m playing “The Gettin’ Ready Rag”! Our Camp Word for 2022 is Grateful.

I think we could safely plan some parties and performances for after August 1, working around weather and camp activities. I look forward to seeing our friends and family, so give me a call/text so we can make plans.

I’m sooo excited to Do Something!
Peace

Posted in Sunday Report, The Gardens of Sonnystone...

ADPIE

I’ve been sick since Wednesday, flat out on the couch both Thursday and Friday, finally somewhat upright yesterday. My little brain has been doing the Nursing Process since the onset of symptoms — that is Analyze, Diagnose, Plan, Implement, Evaluate — and as I’ve analyzed the hell out of the illness, I have no diagnosis. Isn’t everything Covid now? It’s not a cold (what happened to our old familiar rhinovirus?), but the body aching is reminiscent of flu. The coughing could be either/or, low-grade temp same. After my #3 vaccine, I was sick for a day, and somehow this feels the same, only with lots of coughing/snot. I’m calling it Covid because I want to finally face this thing I prepared for all these years…

Even though the diagnosis is iffy, the Plan is the same, so I implemented decongestants, cough drops, tylenol, plenty of fluids. The most important treatment, for me, is to lie down with a box of tissues at hand, and let my body do its healing thing. Our immune systems are wonderful and hats off to mine for its valor and ongoing dedication to my well-being. I still feel rundown, and definitely brain-fogged, as if I’ve been gone for a while, but I have rallied, so I’ll evaluate the Plan as a winner and carry on.

It’s been rainy, a good time to be stuck on the couch, and of course the gardens love it…

(I didn’t realize that I had the long lens on my Nikon when I shuffled off to get these pictures between rains, but it’s an interesting change of our usual view…)

The Edible Garden

The Peace/Bird Garden

The Jose’ Family is moving into a new apartment even as we speak…err, write. Their new place has a large terrace and I’m excited to help Melissa plant and grow a nice garden. They still plan on visiting here at the Acres in a couple of weeks, so I’m gearing up for Camp. I’ll let you know as soon as I know when they’ll be here and we’ll plan parties!

Take care of yourselves! Watch out for mystery viruses!

Peace

Posted in ......And they're Off!!!

Back at the Track

Ellis Park, home of thoroughbred racing, opened Friday, but the torrential rains and subsequent humidity kept us away. Today felt humid to me, but there was a nice breeze and we sat in the shade. All of the turf races were moved onto the dirt, so horses were scratched like crazy — there were only four horses in the first race. I was griping, not really feeeling any of the horses/jockeys/names, so sure enough, I lost every bet. When I am not feeeling it, there’s nothing to be done, so I only bet three races ($6) and we came on home. I’ll be going back on Friday and hopefully I can sync in…

But there’s so much more to the races than betting my $2 show wager–

exciting races run by beautiful horses

and fine company…

Lana and Charley met up with us, and they were actually winning…

I must remember to take flat Ronna next time to bring me luck…

It looks like a beautiful week ahead for us; hope it’s just as nice in your neck of the woods…

Peace

Posted in The Gardens of Sonnystone...

In the Garden

Sorry for my absence, but I’ve been caught up in the World of Irish Dance, on the edge of my seat for the North American Irish Dancing Competition that was held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada this year. Emma placed #5 in the U16 group and Eliza placed #17 in the U11 pack. The Jose’ family, consisting of my daughter, Melissa, and son-in-law, Eric, as well as the two EE’s are having the time of their lives and it’s sweet to see.

In the meantime…the garden grows on…

What you don’t see — the bloopers, if you will — are this year’s fails. It seems all of our zucchini plants are boys, so no zucch forthcoming; something broke/ate the bottom stem of one of the canteloupe plants (we have three back-up); after a dozen nice sweet peppers, there is no sign of bloom or fruit. But, we’re feasting on tomatoes, brought in a couple of pounds of potatoes, and will soon have a bumper crop of cucumbers and green beans. I think we’re in the black…

The Shady Grove…a good place to stop…

Peace

Posted in The Gardens of Sonnystone...

Retreat

It’s Day 3 of my News Block. I feel exactly like I did on election day 2016 — sick to my stomach and afraid. I cannot allow myself to be emotionally manipulated by media, both social and otherwise. I have put up the Forcefields to block the anger from entering into my Peace. I am struggling to Be Here Now, in The Present with The Presence.

I’m so glad I have my gardens and my grove where I can throw myself into the trimming, the harvesting, or the contemplation of birdsongs or the purpose of creepy-crawlies. There have been a lot of bees around, a good reason to rejoice, and I’m feasting on homegrown tomatoes and peppers. Gratitude abounds here in the Present Moment…

Edible Garden

Coneflowers in the Peace/Bird Garden

I’m calling this Shady Grove now; an excellent spot for Contemplation.

Casey’s been staying busy remodeling Goldie’s interior, my design, of course, and she’s beckoning us to take a trip off-grid…

I hope that you will take the time to clear your mind of the “slime from your video” (Frank Zappa) and your timeline. Come back to the Present and receive the power you need to go forward in Love and

Peace

Posted in Celebrations at Sonnystone

Celebrate Dads Today!

My Dad passed away 25 years ago…and I’m still kinda mad about it…but that’s another story. Today I just miss him and his wit and wish he were here to make me laugh. He would say, “Right, Bug?” and to that I say, “Right, Dad!”

Me and My Daddy, circa 1978

It’s a beautiful day to celebrate Fathers, both quick and dead, and I hope you enjoy it!

Peace