Saturday, October 31, 2009
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
OUR FALL FLING!
Bright 'n early Sunday morning Pat and I loaded up the ol' RAV4 with our 'camping gear', i.e. snacks and other delectables. And headed due west for our annual Fa
ll Fling. Gorgeous day. Idyllic, crisp blue skies and all the varied colors on Mother Nature's Fall palette: russets and reds, unique autumn auburn-persimmon-gold combos, and here-and-there, a dab of evergreen. Hard to keep my eyes on the road!
First stop...lunch. Not just lunch but a picnic lunch! At Codorous State Park, a few miles this side of Hanover, PA
We dragged our multi-striped picnic cooler back and forth, hither and yon, for 20 minutes while Pat was trying to decide which was the idyllic picnic venue...along the lake or in the woods.
Hey, perfectionist Pat! I've got a great idea! Let's eat in the car!
Oh, Chris! What a wonderful idea! We can nosh in the car with beautiful music in the background!
And so it came to pass. See! Perfectionist Patricia really is easy to get along with! Codourus State Park and lake. Beautiful setting!
While travelling on Rt. 116 east of Hanover, we had to stop to see an old boarding school of mine. As we do every time we're roamin' in this neck-o'-the-woods. St. Joseph's Academy. This was a boarding school for boys and girls, grades 1 thru 8 when I was enrolled
there back in the Fall of 1939. I was a 3rd grader. Lordy! 70 years ago this very month. The nuns who ran the place were strict (that's a given in those days!) but they were also loving and maternal in their own way toward us kids.
Today, St. Joe's has come full circle. It's an Interfaith Org. dedicated to the care of the elderly. We could retire here in 10 or 20 years! Whadda' ya' think, Pat!
We then pushed on to Gettysburg. A small town where Lincoln came to dedicate and consecrate hallowed burial grounds for the thousands of soldiers killed in that famous three day battle between the Union and Confederate Armies. The turning point in the Civil War. Gettysburg will always be iconic in American history. Lincoln's Gettysburg Address: "Four score and seven years ago, our forefathers brought forth..."
http://www.visit-gettysburg.com/the-gettysburg-address-text.html
The new Gettysburg Memorial War Museum opened recently. Magnificent! The old museum up the road toward town was getting old and 'seedy'. The new one does honor to both sides of this terrible war bet. the States.
Definitely worth a visit. And time for reflection!
Monday morn we hit the road to Hagerstown, MD. Potomac St. has been all gussied up lately, incl. the installation of these large butterfly art works along the sidewalk.
Chris, I wanna' photo you standing next to this precious big butterfly!
No thanks, Pat!!!!
Why!!! Uhhh....it's a guy thing..
But I'll be happy to take YOUR picture, dear heart!
N.B. Most of us know how Patricia loves butterflies! One happy woman!
From Hagerstown motored up into the Maryland mountains along meandering country roads.
To one of our all-time favorite mountain spots near Cumberland. Rocky Gap State Park and Lodge. This locale on Lake Hajeeb is a high class resort we could never afford. But it's fun to wander around there like we're guests or sumpthin'....
Spent most of Monday right here at the Park. About five hours. No need to drive farther for scenic beauty.
Time for another 5-star-inthecar - picnic lunch!
Once again, we hiked an old Indian trail around the lake for several miles. Nature at its best!
Pat! I think this moose whiste really does work! Look at that herd of moose (mooses? meese?) comin' over yonder hill!!! Let's run back!!!
Chris! Stop hallucinating! There's nothing on yon-derrr hill but three trees!
Really?? Uhhh....guess I hafta' cut back on my medications! Scared me!
THE END
ll Fling. Gorgeous day. Idyllic, crisp blue skies and all the varied colors on Mother Nature's Fall palette: russets and reds, unique autumn auburn-persimmon-gold combos, and here-and-there, a dab of evergreen. Hard to keep my eyes on the road!
First stop...lunch. Not just lunch but a picnic lunch! At Codorous State Park, a few miles this side of Hanover, PA
We dragged our multi-striped picnic cooler back and forth, hither and yon, for 20 minutes while Pat was trying to decide which was the idyllic picnic venue...along the lake or in the woods.
Hey, perfectionist Pat! I've got a great idea! Let's eat in the car!
Oh, Chris! What a wonderful idea! We can nosh in the car with beautiful music in the background!
And so it came to pass. See! Perfectionist Patricia really is easy to get along with! Codourus State Park and lake. Beautiful setting!
While travelling on Rt. 116 east of Hanover, we had to stop to see an old boarding school of mine. As we do every time we're roamin' in this neck-o'-the-woods. St. Joseph's Academy. This was a boarding school for boys and girls, grades 1 thru 8 when I was enrolled
there back in the Fall of 1939. I was a 3rd grader. Lordy! 70 years ago this very month. The nuns who ran the place were strict (that's a given in those days!) but they were also loving and maternal in their own way toward us kids.
Today, St. Joe's has come full circle. It's an Interfaith Org. dedicated to the care of the elderly. We could retire here in 10 or 20 years! Whadda' ya' think, Pat!
We then pushed on to Gettysburg. A small town where Lincoln came to dedicate and consecrate hallowed burial grounds for the thousands of soldiers killed in that famous three day battle between the Union and Confederate Armies. The turning point in the Civil War. Gettysburg will always be iconic in American history. Lincoln's Gettysburg Address: "Four score and seven years ago, our forefathers brought forth..." http://www.visit-gettysburg.com/the-gettysburg-address-text.html
The new Gettysburg Memorial War Museum opened recently. Magnificent! The old museum up the road toward town was getting old and 'seedy'. The new one does honor to both sides of this terrible war bet. the States.
Definitely worth a visit. And time for reflection!
Monday morn we hit the road to Hagerstown, MD. Potomac St. has been all gussied up lately, incl. the installation of these large butterfly art works along the sidewalk.
Chris, I wanna' photo you standing next to this precious big butterfly!
No thanks, Pat!!!!
Why!!! Uhhh....it's a guy thing..
But I'll be happy to take YOUR picture, dear heart!
N.B. Most of us know how Patricia loves butterflies! One happy woman!
From Hagerstown motored up into the Maryland mountains along meandering country roads.
To one of our all-time favorite mountain spots near Cumberland. Rocky Gap State Park and Lodge. This locale on Lake Hajeeb is a high class resort we could never afford. But it's fun to wander around there like we're guests or sumpthin'....
Spent most of Monday right here at the Park. About five hours. No need to drive farther for scenic beauty.
Time for another 5-star-inthecar - picnic lunch!
Once again, we hiked an old Indian trail around the lake for several miles. Nature at its best!
Pat! I think this moose whiste really does work! Look at that herd of moose (mooses? meese?) comin' over yonder hill!!! Let's run back!!!
Chris! Stop hallucinating! There's nothing on yon-derrr hill but three trees!
Really?? Uhhh....guess I hafta' cut back on my medications! Scared me!
THE END
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Monday, October 5, 2009
Sunday, October 4, 2009
"....AND BABY WILL MAKE THREE!"
I'm a blogger well-versed in trite, hackneyed expressions, a corny purveyor of down-on-the-farm, somewhat archaic reflections about life and the celebration thereof! Corn is everywhere! Bring it on, baby
Photo: Soakin' up inspiration!
All that having been said, let's relive the great extended family event we celebrated this first weekend of October! A Skype baby shower on Long Island for expecting (November)Varinthorn (Kay) and our son Mike living out in Portland, OR. Why Skype? Simple, we were on the east coast, Long Island, and Mike and Kay live on the west coast. Impossible to party in person. So, we all Skyped and celebrated this happy time....virtually together.
Our daughter Kelly and her husband Mike T. hosted our family get-together at their lovely home and backyard, Long Island.
Hi Kelly! Lookin' good, kid!
An American flag flies and flutters high over Kelly and Mike's home...."Fort Tornabene"(?). Their neighbors marvel that Mike T. was able to climb and fasten their flag to the very top of this glorious 62' evergreen in their front yard. Some neighbors even stop and salute as they motor by!
The famous flag-topped tree!
Pat and the family aunties. The 'Golden Girls'!
Back l-r: Kathy and Grace
Front l-r: Elizabeth, Pat and Barbara
A beautiful bevy of feminine pulchritude!
'Twas a sunny, early autumn Sunday afternoon. The party quickly moved outside to......'Tornabene Park'.
Why....that must be golden-haired cousin Kathleen in the foreground!
l-r: Cousin Mary, Aunt Barbara with granddaughter Adrianna Rose. My Pat. Daughter Kelly.
Aunt Kathy with cousins Kathleen and Mary.
Barbara's son Brian with wife Teresa and Adrianna Rose.
Pat with Barbara's daughter Eileen
Kathy's daughter, cousin Jennifer. Thanks for helpin' out, Jen!
....and Jen's other daughter shy Shannon
Thanks so much, Kelly and Mike, for hosting such a great extended family baby shower for Kay and Mike C.
'Wolfie'...friendliest dog in three states. "Hey! When's dat grub comin' out!"
Our other daughter Kim with Andy. Poor Kim felt bad she couldn't be with us for her brother and Kay's baby shower. Taking weekend courses for her clinical doctorate in physical therapy. 3rd year is tough. Can't cut classes anymore. You were with us, Kim and Andy.....uh, virtually!
Friday is Mike and Kay's 10th wedding anniversary.
Congrats on your anniversary! And your soon to be seen baby boy!
Photo: Soakin' up inspiration!
All that having been said, let's relive the great extended family event we celebrated this first weekend of October! A Skype baby shower on Long Island for expecting (November)Varinthorn (Kay) and our son Mike living out in Portland, OR. Why Skype? Simple, we were on the east coast, Long Island, and Mike and Kay live on the west coast. Impossible to party in person. So, we all Skyped and celebrated this happy time....virtually together.
Hi Kelly! Lookin' good, kid!
An American flag flies and flutters high over Kelly and Mike's home...."Fort Tornabene"(?). Their neighbors marvel that Mike T. was able to climb and fasten their flag to the very top of this glorious 62' evergreen in their front yard. Some neighbors even stop and salute as they motor by!
The famous flag-topped tree!
Pat and the family aunties. The 'Golden Girls'!
Back l-r: Kathy and Grace
Front l-r: Elizabeth, Pat and Barbara
A beautiful bevy of feminine pulchritude!
By dumb luck I was finally able to get the Skype program working on our laptop. Our son Mike and Kay, mother-to-be, could see and hear us. And we could see and hear them. A great way to communicate over distance. Skype (a free download) and a cheap webcam is all you need.
Aunt Elizabeth. Pat's sister. Sean and Kerri's mom. Is that Scotch, Eliz?
'Twas a sunny, early autumn Sunday afternoon. The party quickly moved outside to......'Tornabene Park'.
Why....that must be golden-haired cousin Kathleen in the foreground!
l-r: Cousin Mary, Aunt Barbara with granddaughter Adrianna Rose. My Pat. Daughter Kelly.
Aunt Kathy with cousins Kathleen and Mary.
Barbara's son Brian with wife Teresa and Adrianna Rose.
Mike T.'s pride and joy....'Tornabene Park'!
Pat with Barbara's daughter Eileen
Kathy's daughter, cousin Jennifer. Thanks for helpin' out, Jen!
Jen's daughter Princess Deirdre
....and Jen's other daughter shy Shannon
Thanks so much, Kelly and Mike, for hosting such a great extended family baby shower for Kay and Mike C.
'Wolfie'...friendliest dog in three states. "Hey! When's dat grub comin' out!"
Our other daughter Kim with Andy. Poor Kim felt bad she couldn't be with us for her brother and Kay's baby shower. Taking weekend courses for her clinical doctorate in physical therapy. 3rd year is tough. Can't cut classes anymore. You were with us, Kim and Andy.....uh, virtually!
Friday is Mike and Kay's 10th wedding anniversary.
Congrats on your anniversary! And your soon to be seen baby boy!
Monday, September 21, 2009
SEAN and AMANDA! What a beautiful wedding!
Pat and I left Pike Creek Valley, Delaware in the early morning hours of September 17th.....we were finally on our way south to far off Tennessee (650 miles) in our rickety RAV4. At last, we were on our long-awaite
d journey to the family wedding of Sean Roberts (Pat's nephew, our godson) and his beloved Amanda Sheldon at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Lenoir City. We motored over rolling country roads to Winchester, VA, then turned SW on the mighty Interstate 81 down thru yonder Shenandoah Valley.
St. Thomas the Apostle Church. Lenoir City, TN. A beautiful red-roofed complex of rectory, church, cloistered square and parish center!
Fr. Peter Ryan accepted Sean and Amanda's wedding vows...and offered Holy Mass to consecrate their mutual love. Monsignor Ryan is pastor of Elizabeth's parish, Our Lady Queen of Martyrs, Centerport, Long Island. He was also Jim's good friend. Thanks, Fr. Ryan, for coming all the way down to lead us in a faith celebration!
I was too shy to run around in front of Sean and Amanda to capture their beatific smiles. This will have to suffice for my, uh... humble blog till we get the professional pics on line.
Amanda's parents, Sam and Ellen Sheldon
Thanks for hosting such a beautiful-in-every-way wedding!!
These lovely people need no introduction
The Sheldon family
Hi! Amanda and Sean! Pictured here with ol' Pike Creek Pat and Chris Corn
The Stephens Girls!
Jim's cousins and family from Ireland. Close friends to both Elizabeth and Jim. Great to see (and hear!) you guys again. So touching that you would travel that distance to celebrate with us.
[Would you please sing one of those great Irish songs again!]
This is a good pic. Would have been great...if it were in focus. I probably had one of my 'old man tremors'....again!
I couldn't believe we didn't get any pics of the people we love so much...Tom and Grace, Mary and Tom, TJ and Emma! And we were all at the same table! Chalk it up to incipient senility. Sorry.
Arrived back in Pike Creek Mon. afternoon....after our 1,400 mile Tennessee caper. Our krazy kats....Rollo and Renee... spent five days in this window...looking and wondering w
here we had gone all this time. (We're so lucky we have a wonderful neighbor who stops by to feed them, play with them....and clean the litter boxes while we're gone).
Dear Sean and Amanda! Ad multos annos!
WONDERFUL MEMORIES! THANK YOU, EVERYBODY!
d journey to the family wedding of Sean Roberts (Pat's nephew, our godson) and his beloved Amanda Sheldon at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Lenoir City. We motored over rolling country roads to Winchester, VA, then turned SW on the mighty Interstate 81 down thru yonder Shenandoah Valley.I-81. Shenandoah Valley. On the horizon to our left... the Skyline Drive along the heights of the Blue Ridge Mts. Glorious! So much corn....corn everywhere! This is real Cornmeister country! And you know how anything relating to 'corn/corny/'out-of-touch'/old-fashioned' stirs my soul! At least, that's what our 3 'kids' used to tell me in their teen years....
Kelly, Kim and Mike, just kidding!
St. Thomas the Apostle Church. Lenoir City, TN. A beautiful red-roofed complex of rectory, church, cloistered square and parish center!Somewhat dark/cloudy sky days during our visit. But I bet it's glorious on a sun-soaked September morning. Definetely has an Hispanic ambience. Why not? Ministers to a large Anglo-Hispanic population.
I would say...at least 200 people attended Sean and Amanda's wedding.
I would say...at least 200 people attended Sean and Amanda's wedding.
Most of us were very aware of Jim's presence among us. An awareness...not just emotionally....but thru faith!
Fr. Peter Ryan accepted Sean and Amanda's wedding vows...and offered Holy Mass to consecrate their mutual love. Monsignor Ryan is pastor of Elizabeth's parish, Our Lady Queen of Martyrs, Centerport, Long Island. He was also Jim's good friend. Thanks, Fr. Ryan, for coming all the way down to lead us in a faith celebration!
I was too shy to run around in front of Sean and Amanda to capture their beatific smiles. This will have to suffice for my, uh... humble blog till we get the professional pics on line.
Amanda's brother, Ryan, was the "Maid of Honor" (Honorable Man-Maid)...and Sean's sister, Kerri, was "Best Man" (Best Woman).
[The above imaginative designations were taken directly from the wedding program...]
Amanda's parents, Sam and Ellen Sheldon
Thanks for hosting such a beautiful-in-every-way wedding!!
These lovely people need no introduction
The Sheldon family
Hi! Amanda and Sean! Pictured here with ol' Pike Creek Pat and Chris Corn
The Stephens Girls!
Aunt Pat.....and a coupla movie stars!!
Jim's cousins and family from Ireland. Close friends to both Elizabeth and Jim. Great to see (and hear!) you guys again. So touching that you would travel that distance to celebrate with us.
[Would you please sing one of those great Irish songs again!]
This is a good pic. Would have been great...if it were in focus. I probably had one of my 'old man tremors'....again!The Tellico Yacht Club! Beautiful setting along the shores of the TellIco Reservoir.
.....and cake!
Last minute advice from mom!
Last minute advice from mom!
I couldn't believe we didn't get any pics of the people we love so much...Tom and Grace, Mary and Tom, TJ and Emma! And we were all at the same table! Chalk it up to incipient senility. Sorry.
Arrived back in Pike Creek Mon. afternoon....after our 1,400 mile Tennessee caper. Our krazy kats....Rollo and Renee... spent five days in this window...looking and wondering w
here we had gone all this time. (We're so lucky we have a wonderful neighbor who stops by to feed them, play with them....and clean the litter boxes while we're gone).Dear Sean and Amanda! Ad multos annos!
WONDERFUL MEMORIES! THANK YOU, EVERYBODY!
Sunday, September 20, 2009
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