Lacoochee kid

It's the day after Christmas.  Sarah and I enjoyed a quiet day together, waiting for Ella to return with her family from Sabrina's parents' house.  We'll celebrate together in the next day or two.  I hope you all had a good time together with family wherever you found yourselves.

I've neglected this blog for so long, and I sometimes think of taking it down, but I do treasure the friends made through this medium, and I do like to stay connected.

Steve Goodier of Life Support System posted this a few days ago, and it is so fitting for every day, not just Christmas.  You can find Steve's postings here.

An Incredible Feeling

Newscaster Paul Harvey once told about a woman who called the Butterball Turkey Company and said that she had a turkey that had been in her freezer for 23 years. She asked if it was still any good. She was told that if her freezer was at least zero degrees Fahrenheit, then the turkey was probably safe enough to eat. But they wouldn’t recommend that she eat it. The flavor would have deteriorated considerably. She said, “That’s what we thought. I guess we’ll just give it to the church.”
   
I suppose there are many reasons we choose to give. But people who enjoy sharing with others the most do not share simply because they have a need to get rid of something. Those who find the greatest joy from giving have learned to give from a deeper place; they give from their hearts.
   
Santa Claus is becoming a universal symbol of giving. Millions of children write letters to Santa each year in hopes that they won’t be forgotten during his annual giving spree. Did you know that the US Post Office actually found ways to answer those letters to Santa Claus? They used to just stick them in the so-called dead letter box. But now some cities have programs that allow people to sort through these hand-written pleas, hopes and wishes and become “Santas” to others in need. They choose a letter and respond however they can. Most anyone can play Santa.
   
One letter that might have been discarded a few years ago, but was picked up by a volunteer Santa Claus, came from a boy named Donny. He wrote that he wanted a bike for Christmas and “some food and what I really need is love.”
   
Another volunteer Santa latched onto a letter from a young mother who wrote, “I lost my job...and I cannot afford to give my two children the things they need for the winter months.” That generous spirit helped with some necessities for the children.
   
“I like to go to their home on Christmas Eve,” one joyful Santa said. One year he bought presents for four children and a ham for their mother. Then he added this poignant observation: “The feeling you get is just incredible.”
   
I admit it – I don't always get that feeling when I give. But then I don't always give out of untainted motivations. Sometimes I give from other places. Sometimes I give out of social obligation or out of guilt. Or I give with an expectation for receiving back. But I give best when I give from that deeper place; when I give simply, freely and generously, and sometimes for no particular reason. I give best when I give from my heart.

The following is a quote from the orchard's website.  Please be sure to click on the link to read further about the hosigaki method of treating the fruit. There is a slideshow there that shows step by step the process. The following is a quote from the website.

After the fruit is picked, each persimmon is peeled and a string is tied around the stem.  It is then tied to another persimmon and hung on a rack to begin the drying process.  During the drying period, the fruit is massaged to bring out the sweetness."

This photo shows the final product.  It looks moldy, doesn't it.  It isn't mold; it's sugar.  My question was, "What do you do with it?"  The young man said that it can be cut up and put in salads much like dried cranberries or other dried fruits.  One of the ladies at the farm gave us a sample of the confection.  It was very good.

The thing that impressed me most about this orchard and its owners is that they give regularly to the local food bank.  Angela, the lady who was talking to us, said that they don't give seconds, they give the best that they have.  They truly are giving of the firstfruits of their labor.  Angela also told us that they make sure some of the fruit is soft, so that those who come for food and have few teeth or none at all can enjoy the fruit.
I thought of my giving.  Do I give my best, my firstfruits?  Proverbs 3:9 tells us to honor the Lord with our wealth, with the firstfruits of all our crops.  The Message puts it like this: Honor God with everything you own; give him the first and the best.                                                                                                                  
  I believe the folks at the Otow Orchard are truly doing that, and they are blessed.  I'm so glad I was able to visit their farm and see their faith and good works in action.

Having finally accumulated enough air miles, I flew to California last week for a visit with my "axe-murder" friends, friends I met a few years ago through blogging.  When I first went to California to meet them, I had some friends here in Florida who wondered about my sanity.  It all turned out for the good.  We have become the best of friends.

Three years ago, when I first met  them, they showed me San Francisco and Lake Tahoe.  It was a wonderful week of seeing things I had only read about or seen pictures of.  This time the trip was much more low key.  When my friends moved to the Sacramento area, they bought a home that had several fruit trees in the back yard, one of which was a pomegranate tree.  The only other time I had seen such a tree was in my grandpa's back yard in north Florida.  I remember eating the fruit and liking it very much.  I came home with some of them in my suitcase.

On Sunday afternoon we visited the Otow Orchard, where we saw lots of persimmon trees.  Again, I knew of persimmons, mainly my mother having said that if you ate one before it was ripe, it would make your mouth pucker.  I remember one time being in line at the grocery store, and someone had one with his groceries.  He must not have known what it was, and the cashier didn't know either.  They asked me if I knew what it was, and I said I think it is a persimmon.  The cashier looked up the code for it, and it went through, so I guess I was right.  I will write more about this orchard in another blog post, because there is so much to tell about these fine folks.  Be sure to click the link and read about their farm.

And what would a fall day be without pumpkins.  On the day before I left we visited Apple Hill, an area with many apple orchards...lots to write about there too.  Being fall, there were pumpkins, and that is where I will leave you today.

While I was not blogging actively, many things happened.  I hadn't stopped reading blogs.  I just had not been active in commenting or posting.  One day, I read Granny Annie's post.  In that post she mentioned how much she had missed her blogging friends during her absence.  I was sorry to learn that her husband had passed away.  And then, a longtime blogging friend was losing her dear feline friend, Abby.  I realized how much I was missing these virtual friends by not being around.

In June I took a trip to Europe.  I'll post about that trip from time to time.  After the tour that I was on, I traveled on to Estonia.  I had been there in 2003 with a group from my church.  Since then our church and the church in Allika have been in close contact, and from time to time, members of their church have come to Florida to visit us.  One of those ladies has become a good friend.  She has stayed with me both times she has been here.  So, after the tour I was on finished, I traveled on to Estonia to visit Tiina and her family and the church family there.

The header photo on my blog is at Tiina's house.  While I was there, the sun was bright at 4 in the morning, and there was still bright sunlight at 10:30 at night.  Their gardens flourish during these times and everyone loves being outdoors, soaking up the sun, having picnics, and all the things we associate with summer.

It wasn't so long ago that Ella could be seen with Hector, the neighbor's cat.  She followed him around and really imitated his every move.  When he licked his paw, she would lick her hand.  When he stretched out in a comfortable position, Ella did too.
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When I was in Virginia  this month, I saw Hector again.  Actually, I see him every time ago.  He's such a good old boy.  He lets the children stroke him and pet him all they want.  There is a new cat in the family now.  And he is friendly like Hector.  I asked Ella's mom if the family had gotten the cat to be there for whenever they didn't have Hector any more.

She said, "No."  They had seen the cat, and her daughter, Ella's friend, begged her mother for the cat.  Mom said that they couldn't get the cat because it would cost too much to feed and take care of two.  The daughter went and got fifteen dollars that she had received for her birthday and said, "Here, Mom."  What could Mom say then?  So they ended up with another cat.
Here are Ella and Hector today.  If you look closely at Hector's right ear, you can see that some of it is missing.  He apparently was a loser in a fight.  He's still the mellow cat, and Ella still loves him.

I thought I might try to post each day in August, but I failed miserably.  I didn't have my computer with me, although I did have a tablet.  I tried a few posts.  They worked, but not as easily as they would have if I had had my laptop with me.

I spent August in Virginia with my daughter and my son and his family.  August is a special month because it is Ella's birth month.  We celebrated her seventh birthday on the fourth.  Actually she had a party with her friends on Saturday, then on Sunday we celebrated as a family.  We had dinner together at a restaurant and then went back to Aunt Sarah's condo for cake and presents.

The last week and a half I spent at David's with Ella.  The summer program that she was in ended before school started, so they asked me if I would mind staying with her.  Well, do you think I minded?  Not one bit.

Ella's birthday was August 4. She turned seven. This week, since her summer program is over, I'm staying with her during the week while her parents work.

On Monday morning, when she had finished breakfast and done her treatment, she sat right down to write thank you notes. I was not surprised. Rather, i was impressed. How many times have you received a thank you note lately?

Well, I tried to upload a photo, but mobile Blogger says the format isn't supported.  Jpg.....hmmm. oh well, most of you have seen it on Facebook.

I just installed Blogger on my phone and did a quick post. However, it did not publish. Now I'm trying my tablet to see if it does any better.

 Ella, on Saturday, before her guests arrived for her "My Little Pony" birthday party.
Ella, on Sunday, after a trip to Build * Bear to build this pony.  Yes, there are other items besides bears.  She also has Rudolph the Red Nos*d Reindeer and his girlfriend.  She had a very happy birthday.

Well, I was going to try to post a photo of Ella from Facebook, but the link didn't work. (I know why now. On FB I limit who can see my photos to my FB friends.)  When I get home and have access to my own computer, I'll work on getting some photos up.  Ella had a great party on Saturday with five friends who magically turned into "My Little Ponies."  With fancy hair barrettes and "tails" made with flowing ribbons, they pranced around and enjoyed themselves immensely.  Ella's mom made all of the decorations, and is her style, everything was elegantly made.

The center of the table had bowls of daisies because that is what the one particular pony eats.  Everything was fitting with "My Little Pony."

After the girls went home, one little friend remained and spent the night with Ella.  She is her friend from pre-K. Since they don't go to the same elementary school, they don't see each other as often as they would like, so having her spend the night was extra special for both girls.  David said they were out like lights as soon as their heads hit the pillows.

On Sunday, they came to Charlottesville to get a present for Ella fro Build * Bear.  Of course, it was one of the ponies.  We had a good lunch together at Ruby T*esday and then came back to her aunt Sarah's apartment for cake and ice cream and more presents.

She had a wonderful two days of celebrating her seventh year.  In the meantime, I'm enjoying the cooler temperatures here in Charlottesville!

Since Ella's birthday is tomorrow, Sunday, the fourth, we celebrated today with five of her friends.  The theme this year was "My Little Pony."  The decorations were very tastefully done by Ella's mom.  Pink and purple were the main colors.  Each girl had a hair barrette that Sabrina had made, along with tails which they wore all afternoon. 

After playing outside for a while, they came in and did some crafts around a table, then on to the cake and presents.  It was really a lovely afternoon.  I posted pictures on Facebook, and when I have my own computer back and can upload the pictures, I will post them here.

Tomorrow, after church, we are meeting for lunch and then coming back to Sarah's for cake and celebrate some more.

I saw on Facebook the other day a challenge to blog every day in August.  Well, I'm already a day late in starting.  I have been remiss in posting and visiting friends' blogs.  And I realize I've missed a lot.

My computer is on the DL right now.  I drove up to Virginia over the last three days, stopping the first night in Savannah, and then spent a night with a good friend in North Carolina before coming on to Virginia today. 

I haven't been up since March.  It seems so long ago.  I'm here for Ella's seventh birthday on Sunday.  Can you believe it?  She is growing up so fast...too fast.  Hopefully, I'll get some pictures up so that you can see how tall she is, how pretty she is, and I know you can tell by looking at her how smart she is.

I've had a busy summer, and I'll share some of that in subsequent posts, but for now, good night.  I'll be back soon.

It's been so long since I've posted.  I really have no excuse but that I've spent much more time on that other means of social media.  While I still read posts, I don't comment much, and I feel like I've lost touch.  Looking back to when I started blogging, Ella hadn't been born yet.  When she was, she received the diagnosis of CF that changed our world and how we looked at it.

I have been in Virginia...cold, cold Virginia...since the middle of March.  Ella had a few days' stay in the hospital, then home on IV's for 9 more days.  She has been without her PICC line for over a week, and we are encouraged.

My son and his wife don't want me to talk about the CF very much, so I don't.  We prefer to dwell on the vibrant, vivacious little girl that Ella is.  We share many laughs with her.  We listen to her read with such enthusiasm.  Her teacher said she tests out at a fourth=grade level. (She's in first grade.)

So many of you have followed Ella through the years, and I just wanted to give you a little update.

The cold days are becoming less and less.  Last Sunday we had around four inches of snow in Charlottesville.  Yesterday, Easter Sunday, was rainy and chilly, but it seems the snow was no sooner gone, and the trees were budding.  I admire the daffodils and pansies and other flowers that survive the snow and still hold their heads high.

Soon I'll be heading back to Florida.  I've finally decided (I think) to sell my house and downsize.  For now, I see myself staying in Florida.  At some point I might divide my time, but for now I am happy to come and go.  My children are very welcoming, and I do appreciate that.  I'm thankful that I can come often to see them, and especially, Ella.

If you've noticed, I've hardly blogged at all, and when I do, it seems it has been about losing someone.  I get these posts in an email from Steve Goodier, at www.LifeSupportSystem.com.
It might be what you need for todeay.

Thomas Watson, former CEO and chairman of IBM, was famous for
putting the word "THINK" on prominent walls of every IBM building.
The tradition has carried on into modern times. Not long ago in a
restroom at IBM's Watson Center, a supervisor placed a "THINK" sign
directly above the sink.

The next day, when he entered the restroom, he glanced at the sign.
Just below it and immediately above the soap dispenser, someone had
carefully lettered another sign that which read: "THOAP!"

How often do you laugh at work? Actually, humor can make a serious
difference. In the workplace, at home, in all areas of life -
looking for a reason to laugh is necessary. A sense of humor helps
us to get through the dull times, cope with the difficult times,
enjoy the good times and manage the scary times.

Case in point: six-year-old Hannah. Hannah encountered one of the
most frightening times of her life when she discovered she had
cancer. Six years old and she might not live. And if she were to
give life a shot, Hannah would have to endure painful, almost
endless medical treatments. At one point she lost all her hair due
to chemicals pumped into her tiny body. On days when she felt strong
enough to get out, she often covered her head.

One day while shopping with her mother, Hannah donned a ball cap
with a fake pony tail sewn into the back. Unless one looked closely,
she looked as if she had a full head of hair. Before long Hannah
noticed a small boy staring at her as if he were trying to figure
out what was slightly off about the girl. She tried to ignore him,
but he followed her around the store. Finally, she ripped off her
cap revealing her shiny, hairless head. In a stern voice she warned,
"This is what happens when you don't eat your vegetables!"

I don't know what became of the boy, but I suspect he is now a
committed vegetarian. As for Hannah, her sense of humor helped get
her through one of life's scariest times.