Monday Musings - a week old

I didn't forget you faithful readers.  Really I didn't!  In fact, to prove it, I will Muse not once, but twice today!

So here goes.  We had a very special week leading up to a special day.  It turned into an extra-special week because we had extra-special opportunities to be with extra-special people.  I say this not to elevate them - because I am certain they wouldn't want to be called extra-special.  However, to me they are extra-special and so I am at liberty to say that.

I got to see these two ladies at a lunch.  The one in the middle invited me to come over.  She is a independent, interesting, funny, and most importantly, spiritual dear lady.  She is a walking proverb and shares her bread unsparing.  And with lots of butter.

The one in red is one of our very own.  A helper with a lovely background of parents that have a very open home.

The one in green was a visitor from a cold place.  But she came with a very warm heart and countenance.  She was born into the same meeting place where my grandparents lived.  They were very close to her parents.  In fact, they acted as surrogate parents to this lady-in-green's parents.  And thus, their children were loved upon as much as grandparents could.  We would get letters telling us about things that were happening with lady-in-green's family.  The joys.  The sorrows.  My grandparents loved them dearly.

I spent nearly a week there one summer helping out the lady-in-green's mother.  It was a joy to haul around one of her brothers on my skinny teenage hip.  To ride ponies that ran away from me.  To be chased by some very exotic and noisy birds.  To pet the large group of cats that sunned themselves on the porch.  To pet a humongous dog that stood nearly taller than I did.  To help her mother make many, many apple pies for the freezer.  To sit and eat waffles around the table and hear her mother tell the older sister she ate way too much of the bacon.  Cozy family.  And so, many years later, it was a joy to see her so content in her special place.  Yes, they are missed and we are succeeding.  We are enjoying fruits of those that sowed in springtime.  And yes, we still are remembering for what they have done.

Then we had another couple of special visits with some other special ones.  One of these was in the same state as me many years ago.  We crossed paths here and there and as I went through a challenging experience, she was very helpful in encouraging me to be helpful to another.  She often brought up this situation over the years to remind me of maybe some good deeds.  It was appreciated and has encouraged me to want to be a helper in any way I can - even if it isn't the most pleasant.  I have lots to learn and have lots I should yet be doing.  But I'm so glad there are those that encourage us to be helpers.

Here are the annual special morning shots: