Grandma, your smile sure warms up a room!

This past week, my Grandma Clair ended up in the hospital for a few days. She and my Dad both caught a cold on the flight home from Vermont a few weeks ago. What a drag! It really took a toll on her. At the delicate age of 94, things can get complicated.  She is home now with my Dad and Jane who are taking great care of her but, her body is still weak. I am thinking of her lots these days…and hoping to have a visit with her in the next two weeks.   

Earlier this afternoon, I decided to head down to the cabin to check in on things. I haven’t had the chance-in between renters-to get things looking the way we like them to. By 3pm today, I knew the rain was imminent. I started working on the yard upon arrival. We’re getting to the point where we could use more rocks on the upper portion of the path-they’ve just been raked away. That’s on the agenda for later this summer. The foliage is growing so quickly with all the rain. It's hard to keep up with the new growth! OK. Well...not everything is growing. I’m sorry to report that we’ve lost all but 2 of our 20 Geranium plants. For some reason the squirrels aren't disturbing the pot that sits in between the three Adirondack chairs. Strange. Anyway...

Once inside the cabin, I spent some time straightening, sweeping, mopping, dusting, etc. When things were looking pretty good I decided to tackle a slightly larger project. I have wanted to straighten up the shelves in the living room for some time now. There are so many interesting items in the cabin…sometimes they take over. While I was going through things, I found one small, mustard colored envelope.  I peeked inside and found some old family photos. A few of them were taken on my Grandma’s wedding day. For years and years we’ve had the essence of family weaved throughout the cabin: pictures, poems, notes that are part of our family history. This poem is missing from the kitchen but, I still remember it:

Thank God for dirty dishes;

They have a tale to tell.

While others may go hungry,

We're eating very well

With home, health, and happiness,

I shouldn't want to fuss;

By the stack of evidence,

God's been very good to us. 

A few years ago many of the family photos that decorated the walls of the cabin went to Indiana to be with my Grandma. I’ve missed them so much. The soul of the cabin is different without them. So, I can’t tell you how pleased I was to find this short stack of photos of my Grandmother looking so happy! Things feel better already. Here are the before and after photos. Fun!