Festival of the Trees

Another tradition that happens on Thanksgiving weekend... The Junior League's "Festival of the Trees". This is a fundraiser for the Junior League and it has hundreds of vendors, with crafts, decorated trees for sale, and an auction. It keeps getting bigger each year, and this year it was held at the DECC (Duluth Entertainment Center), and there were two floors and lots to look at. I didn't go on Saturday, as there are so many people on the first day. It's held both Sat. and Sunday. So I dropped down there for a time on Sunday, to browse through the tables. I didn't buy a lot, but I did get a few small items, and of course some of the famous "Homemade Jr. League Toffee". Here are some photos.

The Season is Coming

I am a week late posting the "1st Advent Sunday" post, and even later posting about the concert that has become a tradition to our daughter and me to attend the Friday evening after Thanksgiving. The Lori Line Holiday Concert", pianist Lori Line brings her pop orchestra to Duluth DECC every Friday after Thanksgiving. This was her 15th year. She has been touring for 17 years. It's a great way to get into the Holiday Spirit.

This year, Dawn was not able to come up for the concert. I wasn't going to go, so didn't buy my ticket for the front rows, as soon as they went on sale in August. When the date got closer my husband suggested I should go, as I would miss it if I didn't. I told him I felt that if I went, I needed to share her with someone, maybe someone who has never been to her concert. I thought of many of my friends that I haven't seen for awhile, thinking this would be a good opportunity to get together with an old friend. After calling around on Thanksgiving week, I found an old friend that went with me. She never saw Lori Line, and she was thrilled with the concert, she really enjoyed it. We enjoyed being together, and I enjoyed sharing Lori with an old friend. What a lovely evening!! I am so glad I went, and so glad I was able to share it with an old friend!

PS... oh, I just now noticed that on Nov 27th I did already write about this...oh well, that was before the concert....

First Sunday in Advent

Boxes, tissue paper, tape, ribbons, tags.... is everything all ready now for the season of giving?

Wrap us in your love, O God.

Lights, wreathes, trees, lawn ornaments, window candles.....is everything all ready

now for the season of celebration?

Light our way in the darkness, O God.

Schedules, Parties, Gatherings, Visits.... is everything all ready now for the time of gathering?

Guide and direct our lives and steps, O God.

What is there left to do?

Place our hope in your presence and love, O God.

But all the stuff we have to do....what happens to all of that?

Don't be frantic. Place your hope in God. Place your hope in God. Slow down. Listen. Behold! God is with you!

Where is God?

Here, right here, right now, beside you, before you, behind you - with you always.

You don't have to fear

Thank God.

Advent

This was the Second Sunday in Advent. For us Christians, this is the time of year that we prepare our hearts for the arrival of Jesus Christ, who is the "reason for the season". As our message from the pastor at our church gave us this morning, "we prepare for 'another run' at trying to be what God wants us to be." We keep getting chances to be what God wants, due to the GRACE that God gives us through Jesus Christ. For example: Wash ourselves of the old grudges that you may hold for others. Things like grudges tarnish our souls. God helps us to get rid of the grime in our souls. Our scripture this morning was from Malachi 3:1-4, if you'd like to read more.

"We have prepared our homes and our gifts, Lord, but we need help in preparing our spirits to receive your message of Peace. Free us from the stresses and strains of this time, and place your peace which passes all our understanding in or heart. For we ask this in Jesus' name. AMEN

Thanksgiving Friday Tradition

According to this title, I know you are thinking I will write about shopping on "Black Friday". No, I am not. For 6 years my daughter and I have had a Friday after Thanksgiving "tradition"of going to the pianist, Lori Line's Christmas concert at the D.E.C.C. It has always been a fun way to start the holidays with my daughter, here in Duluth, putting us both in the Christmas spirit. Last year we took my Granddaughter with us. It was great.

This year, Dawn and her family were not able to come up for Thanksgiving or the weekend. As this week came closer, my husband commented to me that "you will really miss not attending Lori Line's concert". He suggested I go myself. (He is not interested, plus there's football on TV tonight you know). I decided I would go if I could find someone to take along that I could share the joy with. I found someone, and purchased the tickets the other day. So, tonight my friend, who I haven't seen in a very long time, and I will be enjoying Lori Line's Christmas music! I can't wait!! I'm all ready to go!

Hunting

When I was looking for photos to post, I came across this one, another photo that my Aunt gave me. I believe it was taken in the early 50's. All of the men in my Dad's family were hunters of game, pheasant, rabbits, squirrels and of course, deer. Even the Brother in Laws, who grew up in the city, became hunters. There was a lot more small game back then on the farms, than there is now. I thought of this photo today, since this weekend is the first weekend of Deer Hunting here in Minnesota. My husband is not a hunter. He grew up in the city, but never had any friends here that hunted, so he never took it up. When I hear some wives complain about their husbands hunting, maybe I'm glad. But then again, one of my friends tells how when her husband goes out of town to hunt, she usually gets a new piece of furniture for the house! My Mother was never thrilled with hunting season because all of the relatives and friends from the city would come and hunt with Dad. She always made large meals to feed them too. I know that my Grandma Della, that I post about on this blog did a lot of cooking for hunters too. She really enjoyed cooking for them, even if she let on she didn't...ha ha...she and Grandma both enjoyed cooking for their loved ones!!!

I liked hunting season, because then I saw Uncles and Dad's friends, and I enjoyed helping Mom in the kitchen and sitting around the dinner table listening to them tell stories and talk.

In this photo my Dad on the right with the hunting dog. The other two are my Uncles...(his Brother in Law's who both grew up in the city). They look like a "motley crew" don't they!

This was taken at Grandma and Grandpa's house.

Dad's Farm

This is the home I grew up in. This farm was just down the road from the farm that my Dad grew up on. This was taken in 1953 by one of my aunts, and she gave me a copy. My Grandma helped my Dad to buy this farm by co/signing for him at the bank. He bought it around 1945 or so, before he and my Mother married. He farmed both this farm and his parents farm, as his Dad worked a job in the city. My Mother went to Harrisburg Hospital Nursing School while Dad farmed. After graduating nursing school, they got married.

The farm has stayed in the family. My second to the youngest brother and his family now live there. My sister bought a piece of the land and lives by the farm too.

Grandma's Journal - Youngest Grandchildren visit

This journal entry was written in December, 1991 when her youngest son, Samuel's family visited. Alyson and Jessica were Grandma's two youngest Grandchildren, and my youngest cousins. They each wrote something in Grandma's journal, as the children and Grandchildren often did. I don't think they would mind if I quoted here what they wrote to their Grandmother:

"Every time I pass a church

I always pay a visit

So when at last

I'm carried in

The Lord won't say

Who is it?'

--- Love, Alyson

"Sweet is the Grandma who reads these lines,

May her sweetness all be mine"

--- Love, Jessica

Then their Mother wrote:

"We just ran out of our literary knowledge". - Peggy and Sam

Grandma's Journal - Meals

This is a photo of the farm house that Grandma and Grandpa raised their 7 children in. This photo was taken after they didn't live there anymore. My Aunt and Uncle bought the farm after they retired, and they fixed it up quit a bit. I took this on one of my trips home, when I realized that I didn't have any photos of the house. When Grandma and Grandpa lived there, there was a hedge around the yard, by the road.

November, 1991

"I just had a good dinner I always appreciate the good meals here, because I always made good meals for my family In the summers I had lots of cantaloupes, cucumbers, watermelon. Herbert was a good farmer and we had a big, good garden and a big patch. He had a motor and cultivator that worked the ground. I canned and froze and got ready for the winter. That was good eating. The family did come around to eat, after they were grown. I liked to feed them. I miss them so very much. I have a good window to look out, and some may be around later today. "

December 24, 1991

"A very nice clear morning. I just had a good dinner. Potatoes, meat, bread, pie and fruit. A nice meal. I had big meals to make back when I was on the farm. Lots of visitors, workmen, neighbors, friends. I have a nice big place here, a big bedroom, phone and a good chair Bill brought in for me. My window is full of photos of the little ones."

Grandma's Journal - A Sunday

Sunday, November 3, 1991

"A nice clear, cool morning. I just had a very good dinner. Their meals here are just right. Prepared and tasty. I have a nice, pleasant room to live in and to sleep in. I look for my family to come to see me. They do come. The little ones are so dear and cute. I have a lot of them. You see I have 7 children, Sylvia, Grace, Sara and Jane and 4 boys, Gerald, Fred, and Samuel. A nice good family. They grew up and went to school and college and now they have families that come to see me. This Brethren Home is a good home for the aged. They are good to us. Herbert, my husband, died here. He was a good Husband and Father, worked very hard. I can say this home is a wonderful good home. Everyone is nice to us who live here. I have good neighbors. "

(Here is a photo of my brother and my Dad visiting Grandma in the nursing home. My Dad was Grandma's oldest. I am the oldest Grandchild)