Goodbye Lilacs

Last week I wanted to write a post about all the beautiful lilacs that are in our city. It seems we have an abundance of lilac bushes, and most of them look pretty mature, like they’ve been around a long time. Our backyard has lilac bushes that were so high that puts a border between our yard and the neighbors in the other streets yard. They were high when we moved here, and we have never trimmed them, so they have grown even higher, so that I can’t reach the lilacs to cut them off for putting into a vase. That’s alright, my neighbor has a beautiful bush in his yard that he has trimmed down many times, and he doesn’t mind if I pick some of his. The week they came out, I had a vase of lilacs in the kitchen, living room and living room! I love to smell them.

Today I am writing about saying goodbye to the lilacs…as their blooms are over. So sad. But, even sadder, the picture I’m posting showing our lovely lilacs at our Hope UM Church, will soon be gone forever, not just after the blooms. We are doing a total revamp of our church parking lot. The lilac bushes are not in the new plans. They will be taken out, and I am going to miss them. I’m really glad I took a picture of them.

Now, about there being a lot of lilacs in Duluth. I found some interesting information to share with you, if you haven’t already read about it in the News Tribune a few days ago. I’m not wrong in thinking we have a lot of them. Chuck Frederick, from the News Tribune did an article “Duluth Heights lilacs: Living memorials planted 40 years ago to honor WWII soldiers”. 40 years ago the Duluth Heights group of the Duluth Garden Flower Society, planted Charles Joly French Lilac bushes at childhood homes of young men killed in action and widows. Lilacs were also planted in other parts of the city. The story is in the local news section of yesterday’s Duluth News Tribune (June 29th) (see my Tribune link). Wasn't that a neat idea to do!

Good Health

The good news about these last few weeks is this: I am 14 pounds lighter since June 10. June 10th was “D Day” for me. The day I decided that I simply MUST do something about my health, mainly my high cholesterol, and my weight. I think I mentioned earlier that the doctor was not happy with my last blood work results. My fear for years has been getting diabetes, like my Mother and so many relatives on my Mother’s side of the family. I am at high risk with my weight and diet, so I have to quit having my head in the sand, and really put forth a real effort to make my body healthier. I went to see a dietician June 10, finally admitting that I cannot do this alone. She set up a “food plan” for me and I have been sticking to it faithfully. I can’t believe it, but going strictly by her plan, I have not been hungry in between meals, I am allowed a small healthy snack mid morning, afternoon, and evening. In the past, when I have dieted, I have had a hard time, but this diet, NO, not diet – but “food plan”, is really working. Now This past week I am at a stand still, have not lost, but I knew would happen, after dropping weight so quickly in the beginning, but I am sticking with it. I think one of the things I’ve done wrong in the past, was not getting enough protein in my diet. It’s not easy, as I’m not a big meat eater, but I am working each day at getting protein every time I eat. It certainly seems to be a key for me.

Last weekend was a real test, I did not give in to temptation with all the goodies, dips, snacks and sweets that were at Skylar’s party. I had my three square meals that day, and never touched the snacks, dips, candy dishes, or his cake. Drinking lots of water too.

Last night and this morning was another test that I passed. Our relay team was doing the coffee hour at Hope this morning, which meant I needed to make something sweet to take, I made my nut goodie bars, which usually I can’t resist, but I didn’t eat one, although I admit, I did lick the spoon after I poured the mixture into the pan. This morning we had so many sweets at our coffee hour, and I stayed away from them all. Before June 10th, there was no way I could have resisted them. I guess it really is a matter of setting your mind to it!

This eating healthy takes time to plan what you are going to eat, and extra time at the grocery store, reading labels. It's been keeping me busy! On to week four!

Update

The last two weeks have been busy and have flown by so fast, I can’t believe where the month of June went. I guess going to Hudson three times in the last month, made it whiz by faster than it usually does!

The job has been very busy and stressful, so I’ve been too tired to blog in the evenings.

Last Saturday at this time we were at our Grandson’s H S Grad party. It was a good party, well attended and went from 4 – to almost midnight. We had a lot of his friends there, a lot of family on the in laws side and some of our family that we haven’t seen for awhile! Scott and Sarah couldn’t be there, due to working that weekend, so we missed them. It was Grandma’s Marathon weekend here and Scott’s job is with Frito Lay, so he had to work all weekend making sure the stores were well stocked with those delicious snacks. Speaking of Frito Lay snacks…. he noticed in our house the other night that we didn’t have the usual Frito Lay snacks and we told him we are trying to eat healthy. Bob told him that he changed from regular chips to the Lay’s Baked Potato Chips, and Scott said “don’t let Frito Lay fool you, those aren’t any better for you than the regular chips!” I thought that was cute! Sarah works part-time as a waitress in addition to her full time job, and Grandma’s weekend is the busiest weekend of the summer, so they needed her. I wonder how they ever see each other, as he works from 3 am to early afternoon and he sees her on the fly in between her two jobs. I guess that’s one of the reasons they moved in together, and now they have to both work hard to pay the mortgage. Still no wedding date yet … stay tuned, the ring is still on her finger.

Well, the grandson moved out, as he is thinking he’s too old now to live at home, kids his age often have that attitude, and it’s bittersweet for our daughter, as on one hand, she doesn’t want to see him go, but on the other hand, she is tired of dealing with a boy who is 18 going on 30, that thinks he knows it all. We are all hoping that he makes good decisions and that he does some growing up and doesn’t make too many mistakes. His Uncle Scott said Skylar is too young (18) to be moving away from home. And, I reminded him “and how old were YOU when you moved away from home (18!)! It’s hard to have patience with young “adults”, I hope we will all find the patience needed to show support for him! As his Mother said “he wants to be on his own, so now he is”, we wish him the best!

Hope's Flowers

Hope United Methodist Church

The flower beds at our church are really looking beautiful this spring, first crocuses were blooming and now the iris's are showing their pretty blue. I really enjoy seeing the blue iris's because my Mother always had them in our yard. We always called the flower "Flags", and my neighbor always laughed at me when I called them flags.

I want to thank the women from Hope UMC that have worked hard to make our flower beds look so lovely. I know that one of them is a reader of my posts, so I ask her to pass on the thanks to all those that helped her tend our landscape at Hope. Our beds have never looked lovelier. I can tell you that the 7 years I worked there as church secretary, I don't believe they were kept up like they are kept up now. Thank you so much! The hedge of lilac bushes border the street side of our parking lot. We will be doing a new parking lot his summer, and enlarging it with some landscaping, I do hope they do not take out the lilac bushes! (Can't you just smell them, looking at the photo!)

Summer's Arrived!

Notice the Honeysuckle

Hostas (a staple in our flower beds and yard)

"Creeping Phlox"

Lilac Bushes everywhere! Love their fragrance!
(I have two vases of them in my house this week)

Summer has finally arrived in Duluth, not according to the temperatures, but according to the flowering trees, the spring flowers blooming and the leaves that are all out on the trees and the brush. Things look absolutely beautiful here in Duluth, even though we have mostly 60 degree days and rainy days. We do get an occasional day that it is very sunny. The weather is definitely looking up. We are thankful that we are not getting any flooding with the rain, though maybe some basements, but not flooding like those in Iowa and other Midwest areas. Isn’t it sad, hearing about houses floating away, and towns being flooded, it makes us realize how very fortunate we are! I sure do feel compassion for all that are losing their homes to the floods. I’ve heard the floods being called the “Great Floods of ‘08”.

Saturday, I was out for a walk in our neighborhood, and couldn’t resist photographing some beautiful scenes, with the spring flowers. I’m posting some of them here. (notice that these flowers bloom in April and May in most other areas of the country!)

How Could a Grandson be a Graduate Already?

I see it’s been 15 days since I’ve written. These last two weeks sure have gone by fast! Last weekend, our car headed to Hudson again. We have this weekend off, and next weekend we go again. Last Saturday the 7th, our Grandson, Skylar graduated from Hudson High School. Oh my, what a teary time for his Grandmother and his Mother.

I can’t believe that 18 years has passed and that he is into his adulthood already! It was double teary eyed, because on Sunday he moved out, to start his “adult life”, as most high school graduates, he was anxious to get away from home, though he is not going that far, but for Mom and Dad it’s farther than they would like. He’s moving with a friend to an apartment in Bloomington, just south of Minneapolis. He will be looking for a job so he can help pay for the apartment. He wants to take the fall semester off, and the go to winter quarter at a nearby community college to get his generals. Then he would like to transfer to a school that has a good arts program, so he can study dance. That’s his plan for now. So often when graduates take off time before going right to college in September, they get side-tracked and don’t get to college. We all hope that won’t happen. We do hope that he will take advantage of the awesome talent he has.

The graduation had to be held in the auditorium, as the weather was threatening and had rain in the forecast. We sat on bleachers, way on the top, the opposite side of where he was sitting, and we thought we were getting there early. The only time we saw him was when he walked across the stageThe three speakers seemed to be interesting, what we could hear of them, as they had major problems with their sound system. I cannot hear the processional "Pomp and Cirumstance" without getting choked up.

After the ceremony, we went to Applebee’s and ordered a large assortment of appetizers. We only had an hour with the graduate, as he then had to head back to school for the “all night” graduation party that the school throws for the kids.

By 10 am on Sunday, he and Matt were packing up his bedroom and Mother and Grandmother had all they could do to keep their eyes dry. “My goodness,” Skylar said to me as I was hugging him before they left, “it’s not like you’ll never see me again!” But, he’s not our little boy anymore.
Here’s some photos I am posting of him, that we made him pose for before leaving home for the ceremony. Good thing, it was hectic after, and I’m glad we got these photos in the yard. (I would like to add a photo of Mother and Son that I have, that's great... but Mother would give me her permission).

Now, next Saturday we will head down for his Graduation Party. We look forward to the celebration, and we’ll try to keep our eyes dry.

Congratulations, Skylar. We are proud of you!

The Recital

We were in Hudson, WI this weekend to attend the Grandchildren’s Dance Recital last night. It was a good time, and the talent there was so awesome! When the little ones danced, I was thinking how I remembered when Madelyn was that age dancing, and now she is so much older, and dancing harder numbers. Skylar was good with all his numbers he took part in, and especially his solo. We just all were awed at the twists, turns, jumps and many difficult routines he had in his solo. He and the others in the studio that graduate from high school were honored, and it was sad to think that this would be his last recital, but I know we will be going next May for Maddy’s. And, Skylar wants to continue his dance in some way, so we may be seeing him perform again. He is continuing to teach at the studio through the summer months. He enjoys teaching.

Here are a few photos. (Madelyn on the left in second photo) I thought I'd have a lot more, but the kids are hard to catch and hold down for photos during intermission and after. We are not allowed to take photos during the performances. Of course, you know they take photos professionally of each student in their costumes, ahead of time and offer them for sale to the parents. Dawn gave me some great photos of each of them, and a really nice one of the two of them together.

Now, next weekend we will be there for his H S GRADUATION!! How can it be that he could be graduating high school! Back in PA, I have a nephew graduating on Friday, and three children of three cousins that will also be graduating. Another generation is upon us!

Excitement at the Recital!

The Grandchildren’s Dance recital was in River Falls at the Middle School. The second number after the intermission was starting. It was a tap number, Skylar was in it, and it was to a real jazzy tune…they barely got started, when the director came on stage and told all of us to please head to the basement of the building as the tornado sirens were sounding (we didn’t hear it due to the tapping and music), but they knew it was stormy (it wasn’t when we came in an hour and ½ earlier), and they were watching the weather. (The director told me later that they had been monitoring the weather since 5:30). It’s the first time Bob or I had ever been somewhere public when a tornado siren went off. We all headed to the hall and down the hall, downstairs to a small area, that we certainly could not all fit into, we squeezed in, and worried where the kids were that were backstage. We were told that they were being taken care of… we were down there less than 10 minutes, when we got the word that we could head back to the auditorium. It was an experience! It's amazing that everyone walked orderly and pretty quietly, and that things went pretty smoothly. Some of us were so hot and sweaty that we went outside for a bit just to cool off and to look at what was going on. It was very still and the clouds were very dark. We could see where it had been real windy, but fortunately no tornado. (see photos)

By the way, speaking of tornados, a few posts ago I told about the one that hit Hugo, which really isn’t far from where we were Sat. night, and how my sister in law’s best friend and her husband had re located to Hugo. I talked to my sister in law to see if she talked with Diana, as to whether there was any damage where they were. She told me that they had lawn furniture in their yard get damaged, but that their building was alright, though things were a real mess in a lot of the areas, they were thankful they didn’t lose anything more than lawn furniture. This is the woman that was told recently that she had 3 months to live. My sister in law said she sounded really down and upset about about the tornado when she talked to her on the phone. Gee, can you blame her, being told you have a short time to live, then having to go through a tornado!