We have had

a little bit of activity here in the 'heartland' this past week. First off last Saturday Sept 10th - Ruth, Tom and I made the treck up to Wellsboro PA to visit with Lee and family and then bring Mom back down here. We had an absolutely wonderful day on Sunday at Lee's house with Lee, Danny, Amy and Alex, Tracey and Zachery and Laura (Danny's daughter) and her fiancee. The food was fantastic and the company just delightful. Tom got his first chance to see the area of the country where I was born and enjoy a couple of days in the mountains. Danny took Tom and I out for a ride in the countryside while dinner was being made. We did the PA Grand Canyon and the area around Sandy Forks.. Amy and Alex were very gracious to let us stay with them in Mom's old house which they bought from her. It is in the center of Wellsboro and Sunday AM Tom and I walked all around town and just admired all the old beautiful houses that make Wellsboro so quaint.

Monday we came back home - it was a very long drive for Mom and she spent several days resting up from that but was eager to go to church yesterday. Yesterday afternoon we had a barbecue and baby shower for Kevin and Jenn. Thc baby is due Oct 20th and we are all getting pretty excited. I have let Tom describe the events surrounding the grandsons and their "discovery" and post the pictures. It was such a special moment to share with the kids. Later we went up to Kevin and Jenn's to see the nursery and have dessert. We will have some pictures of Kevin's handiwork in the baby's nursery. Let me just say - I am very proud of both Kevin and Jenn and the work they have done - Jenn with her sewing and Kevin with his painting.

As for the gardens Tom planted broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage and I sowed more lettuce, beets, and spinach this past week. This week I will be re-doing window boxes and getting the fall decorations up. The other beds have been slowly going downhill and the fall cleanup has started. I hate to see this part of gardening arrive but know it is just the circle of life. We will enjoy the fall palet that God paints for us and then settle in for a couple months of winter and eagerly look forward to those first rays of spring. I do love the fall with the smells, the fall leaves, the crisp cool nights but I don't like the shorter days but it will be a time that we can work on things in the house and the garage.

Thats about it for news for now but I can't believe I am signing off again listening to reports of yet another hurricane (Rita) headed towards the Florida Keys and into the Gulf. Our fellow countrymen to the south continue to need our prayers as does our own Tracey (my niece) as she heads to Biloxi MS for two weeks to help in the medical field with the hurricane victumns. Life will go on but for so many - it will never be the same again - it will be up to each individual family to have the strength to go on and I pray that they do. It is like when I lost Glenn over 2 years ago - my life changed forever but with God's blessings it remained good - so very good - different but good.

Until the next time...............

~~he who plants a seed - believes in tomorrow~~