11 - 11 - 11 Veterans Day!

Another historical day . . .   11-11-11   . . .   If you think about it, there are only 12 years at the beginning of each century that we can see the 'same' numbers for month/day/year.

It's a great day to remember our Veterans.
We cannot give them enough thanks for all they have done to keep us safe and protect our democracy.  We support our heros who have come home injured as we contribute to "Wounded Warriors" but I wish I could do more.

 I guess my love for flags makes a statement that we care about our country and those who protect it.  There are a few of us who put the flag out each day.      Most are older veterans in our community who are proud of their service in the Armed Forces . . .   here and abroad.

I try to get this out early each morning when it is not raining.

Pieces of wood nailed together and painted.  Add a few stars and it becomes a flag.

Here are a few flags  placed around our yard.

 

I love this flag as people can see it from a great distance in spite of foliage.

Red, White and Blue Petunias deserve to fly the flag.             

As you can see ... I am very proud of our flag.
There is one on the bench that is about to be added.
Any painting that has a flag catches my eye.

 Again, thanks to all veterans.  Because of you our nation is blessed with countless freedoms.  

Snow in October?!

Another surprise!
We moved here to get away from crazy weather but it seemed to follow us.  Let's see . . . flooding from a tropical storm . . . AFTER the earthquake that damaged two of our 'sister' churches.  We are still cleaning up and repairing that damage when the snow came . . . Saturday, October 29!

Early morning - Wet snow begins to stick.

Can you imagine, I had to serve at a funeral that morning.  I managed a quick shot of the front lawn as the snow began to stick.




It was a very wet snow that froze.  Fortunately, my husband and I put on our snow clothes . . .  with rain gear on top . . .  and 'fluffed' our rose bushes, holly trees and our beautiful Leyland Cypress tree that towers over our tiny yard.  Notice how the Cypress branches are weighed down with snow?  That 'snow' turned to huge clumps of ice before I could get out there and help a little.

October 28 snow! Our Leyland Cypress looked sad

Fortunately, I had just finished re-digging the back yard to add more garden space.  ["Garden Dig" pictures next time]   We cleaned, tied, fixed and prepared everything.  We even brought in the garden hoses. . . but I forgot St. Francis!  He is now nestled neatly in our shed.  He is made of resin and can easily break in the cold.  I am glad he did not tip against our stone bench.
  I knew it was going to get cold enough for a light dusting of snow but never imagined this much before Christmas, much less before Halloween.

Variegated Red Twig Dogwood

 This lovely bush has white tipped leaves in the summer but once the leaves are gone, the red 'twigs' really shine in the snow.  Some of the twigs got buried so I had to, ever-so-gently, lift these thin branches from their icy grip.

Fall?  Snow smothers everything!

 Heavy, icy globs of this white stuff were smothering my lovely rose bushes.  Even our Forsythia was laid low.  With broom stick in hand, crawling on my knees, I found the very tips of each branch and carefully lifted each one.  Almost immediately they sprung back and continued to show off their blooms as this heavy whiteness lingered for a couple of days.

Rose Bushes perked up a bit after being rescued

 Ahhhhh, so much better!  The roses stretched back to their normal, queenly stature and now . . .  after the snow has melted . . . linger a little longer in this cool air.  It's as if nothing happened.  They are determined to continue showing off.  How wonderful!

Gaillardia covered with Russian Sage and SNOW!

 Even my Gaillardia 'Goblin' was determined to last at least through Halloween!
What a fun name for this persistent bloomer.  It starts early and never stops.

More garden space invited some changes

 Once I 'fluffed' the branches of our precious little Cypress tree, it seemed to stand taller than before.  At least it seemed a little freer to blow in the breeze.  See that object that looks like a basket?  Our new garden space afforded a place for a tiny rose bush that was hidden behind a huge bush.  I thought I would 'plan ahead' and circled it with wire mesh and overlay it with burlap to keep it's tender roots from freezing too soon.  Glad I lingered in the garden a little longer before our snowy surprise.

View from our house: wetland area with farmland beyond

 A hazy shot of snow on dirt and whatever pops up in between.  Our little wetlands that got bulldozed this summer.  Long story.  At least they did not touch the cattails that are now standing tall on ragged stalks.  They look so lovely on a sunny day.  With so many leaves gone from the row of trees in the background, we can now see the old farmhouse in the upper left corner.

Notice the green post in the picture below?  I removed my birdhouse and placed an old pot on top to protect the hole that holds the birdhouse.  All that was done the day before the storm, the only time we had to get things done.  Glad we took the time.

Roses continue to show off their blooms

Today is November 1, and very little snow is left.  I hope we can enjoy a little bit more Fall before more of this white stuff falls.  I love snow but . . . there is a time and place for everything.

Next time I will show you how we expanded our planting space . . .  and almost filled it up with transplants.  But, we saved a lovely patch for Spring planting.

A time to linger with Fall Foliage

          Gee, I had no idea I took was so much time between my blog posts.
I also notice that my last blog seemed redundant.
I can finally take some time to enjoy the dynamic Fall colors around us .
Time seems to fly by.  Yet . . .

.  . .  my husband and I try to take some time to linger a moment or two to drink in the beauty around us as.


 This is a gorgeous tree right in the middle of an industrial area and was almost the only point of beauty sprouting from slabs of concrete.  We marveled at the beautiful shape and brilliant color.  My little camera does not catch the light as well as our eyes.

Four lovely Maples, each so different in color.  A delight to see on the way to the grocery store.

Lots of Amish are out on the road when they are not harvesting their crops of tobacco, corn, or soy beans.  They truly know the value of taking a little longer to do most everything.  Their mode of transportation still fascinates me. . .  a unique way to slow down a bit.  So what if chores take a little longer to complete.

For some reason my wild roses began to bloom abundantly.  They did not do well most of the summer so perhaps the cooler nights make them happy?

                                      Doesn't this look like fireworks?
This sunny plot near the garage seems to invite my day lilly to bloom one more time.  I just 'happened' to put the bird bath there after I cleaned it.
 I think I will have to store it soon.

                                My flip flops need to lie dormant from now on.
               It's just a bit too cool to continue wearing my favorite footwear.
                                             This makes me very sad.

                                           Am I desperate or what?
 I so love my Sedum, Autumn Joy.  So, when these broke off from a huge plant, I grabbed a can from the recycle bin.  It now sits in the middle of my garden ... looking too tacky for words.
      I love how this plant slowly turns deep burgundy then stiffens for the winter.  I will try to take shots when the snow clumps on top.  Love it. 

                                     Here is more Autumn Joy ... Oh JOY!
            This is a small group as they are planted throughout my garden.
 I think I overdid it but they look pretty good here . . .  with sage and roses nestled in between.

I guess it is time for me to stop lingering and get back to my Fall chores.

Piles of donations

Aftermath of the flooding lingers longer than anticipated. 

Our donation distribution center had to move but remains open in the new location and is now open for those beyond our county.  Some families lost everything and sought clothing for all seasons.  Other families who stored winter clothing in the basement sought enough for the winter.  

There is plenty for everyone ... even teens found great stuff.   

 And food!  Oh my.  Not only the normal food bank donations but for the first couple of weeks there was fresh milk, eggs and meat ... even some freshly decorated cakes.  Donations continue to exceed demand.

 My little 'point and shoot' camera could not take in the immense size of this warehouse.  The lights give you some insight.  There is another building behind this one that is filled with furniture, TVs, appliances (which are snatched up  as fast as they came in) and so much more.  Each day is a surprise.

One of our favorite ice cream and fun food places was flooded in the basement but the water reached only a couple inches into its main floor.  So, a bit of ice cream for many of us was a nice interlude on this gorgeous, cool day.  Having this place open gave everyone hope that life could get back to 'normal' sooner than later.
We lingered on the hill behind this 'hut' as we sat at a picnic table in the middle of a sweet garden ... which I forgot to photograph.

The rains have ebbed to the point that we can finally begin to dry out a bit.  We hold our breath as the ground seems too soggy to hold much more moisture. All too soon we will shiver in the midst of frozen tundra and wonder what all the fuss was about... maybe.

Footnote regarding one of the two little churches (previous post) ...  just a few hours of labor from about fifteen people and we created a new worship space in the 'newer' section of the church property.   The 'old' church is a historic site so we hope they will soon find the funds from grants etc. to rebuild the foundation.

Two Little Churches after the flood

Two little churches in two small towns,
One is white and one is brown.
One withstood the water's rush,
While the other soaked in far too much.

One still stands on solid ground,

The other's foundation is unsound,

Though both churches are very very old,

Only one is strong and free of mold.

Yet, God's constant grace breaks through,
As people from both churches drew,
Together to clean and fix and renew,
As best they could with this expanded crew.

With hope and prayers and funds, in time,
The unsound church will return to its prime.
But they need to think outside the 'box,'
And let God work beyond this perceived loss.

All we can do is give our best,
To help each other find true rest,
When worshipping in another space,
Created with God's love and grace.

God will guide them as they try,
To embrace these changes and not ask, "why"?
To take each step with heads held high,
And remember God's love will never die.

That sense of loss and heartfelt grief,
Which floods the heart and tests belief.
Will soon turn in a new direction,
As they regain spiritual resurrection.

We're all one family in God's eyes,
Working together to revise,
What seems an end, a sad demise,
For one little church that again will rise.

Agnes to Lee

Agnes came this way in 1972 and caused floods too numerous and deep to count.  So, everyone prepared for the same flooding ... those near the Susquehanna.  Lee caused enough rain to equal the damage of Agnes but did not raise the level of the Susquehanna as much as was expected.  So, some towns did not do as poorly as anticipated.

  However, no one expected the little creeks that snake around so many small towns in this area of the Northeast to spill over with such force and volume.  So, here is the train track that we cross to get into our little town.  Needless to say, the daily train is not coming this way for awhile.

 This is where we cross to get into town.  There is enough space on solid ground to drive across but what a mess it was when the little creek spilled over its banks.  It took a couple of days before anyone could come this way.

 And then came the donations.  Tons of food ... this is only one fifth of the food items.  A HUGE warehouse full ... and... a week later ... donations keep coming ... and people who lost so much keep coming ... and there is still so much to give away.

 Talk about "shop 'til you drop" ... multiply this photo time about five.  Volunteers spend all day sorting, folding and saving only nice clothes.  We filled two dumpsters and even have RAG boxes so people can use 'throw aways' to clean up the mud and goop that is caked on basement floors and walls.
    
Many people lost their winter clothes that were stored the basement.  I helped one family with teenage girls.  They had a ball.  They were not picky at all but made sure that they took no more than they needed.  They are outfitted for the winter with plenty of the cutest clothes... and funky boots and shoes.

This is only one building.  Another building holds furniture, TVs, new appliances and more.  From school supplies to sippie cups ... brand new ... to cleaning items to everything one might need to furnish an entire home ... dozens of times.

 This place was first open to our small town but the donations kept coming.  So the entire county was invited to come.  Now people arrive from as far as they can drive.  The donations keep coming.

  I spent most of the past ten days in this building.  I see new volunteers each day but there is a core group who have gotten to know each other.  We don't want to leave.  We seem to linger a little longer than we should but there are kids to pick up from school and food to cook for supper.
   After about a week, some dear people began to drop off lunch for the volunteers working here.  The fire station in town feeds any and all who wish to come for lunch and dinner.  We can't get away so they bring the food to us.
God is good.
Life is good.
Our little town is good.
And we have a bit of a break from the rain, which is nice.

9/8-9/11

We all stopped to remember, reflect and pray for those who lost loved ones ten years ago.  A somber day in so many ways.  I just now have time to talk about it.

Oh yes, we put the flag out and shared a very reflective memorial service at church... while wearing our work clothes.  We not only recalled the somber moments of 9/11/2001 but we also recalled the tense moments of 9/8/2011.  Our county got hit hard ... very hard ... by a rainstorm they later attributed to Tropical Storm Lee.

We all braced for Irene and only ended up with soggy soil and a few mishaps which I shared with you earlier.  No one said a word about "Lee."  Or, at least, there was not too much fuss.  Of course, those living near the Susquehanna River knew to place possessions on higher ground but these little creeks that meander in and around our little town?  Who knew?

Driving home from a meeting several miles away, we did fine ... until we were about a mile from our home.
 That road was blocked.
 So, we went another direction.
 That road was blocked.
 The only way to get home was to drive about three miles East and pray that the only other road into our town was open from the East.  It was!   But getting there was no easy task.

The one road that was not closed was treacherous.
 Water flooded in front of us from the corn fields at every turn.
 My husband has great eyes and could see the 'yellow line' below the swirling water.  I couldn't.
 He drove slowly and carefully in the thick darkness.
 Praise God for headlights!  Best invention ever.
Inching through the murky swirl of waves, we made it to a relatively dry road.  We turned north and prayed that the one road we could take, as we turned west, would get us home.

By God's grace, we crossed the low area where the creek was just about to overtake the road.  We made it!  One hour later and we would have had to turn around.  We returned to our home ... safe and sound ... sort of.

The rain tore into a side window that must have had a tiny opening.  The wet floor was easy to clean up and the 'sour stain' on our Matelasse drape was easily washed out.  The window installers may have been a bit frugal with the 'flashing' around the window.  So simple to prevent yet so easy to overlook.

Our basement was dry but neighbors were not so fortunate.  A sump pump was not big enough to suck up all the water flowing too fast.  An outside drain near a sliding glass door backed up and ... the basement filled quickly.  Over 300 homes in our little town filled up with smarmy water.  The newspaper showed a picture of a kitchen where water reached above the kitchen counters.
When the storm passed and the sun came out, the ducks were in heaven.  They swooped from their perches in the trees and landed in the middle of streets, on low cropland and in our little reservoir that rose about 20 feet.  It is suppose to be dry but has been filled with water for almost a month.

Our little town so far from the Susquehanna that any idea of flooding was beyond understanding.  However, we all realized that the soggy earth outside our doors could not take the 15+ inches of rain.
             And so we move on.
When I find a bit more free time I will tell you about a little church I was finally able to get to ... once the flooding subsided.  What a smelly mess in it's basement.  Yes, the insurance company will clean and fix.  But all the 'stuff' that no one guessed would be damaged... all because a window broke.  It was one of our 'sister' churches and is so beautiful.  More pictures later.

 This is not the window that broke but such a pretty church, made ready for a fresh coat of paint.  Oh my.