Visiting cemetaries

Today was the day to visit cemetaries and put flowers out for Memorial Day. I go to 4 cemetaries but only took pictures at a couple of them.

My maternal grandparents and numerous other relatives are buried here. This picture doesn't show the whole thing but it is a small rural church and cemetary. Very quiet and on a seldom traveled gravel road.

This is the church. There are so few members that they can't sustain the church any longer so it is empty and unused. But here is where my mother attended church and was confirmed.

This is the cemetary at the town where I grew up. My parents are buried here with a few relatives both maternal and paternal.

When I was in high school, once or twice a summer a few friends and I would ride our bikes out to this cemetary and just enjoy the park-like atmosphere and the quiet. And having done that I am now not "creeped out" by cemetaries. They are peaceful, quiet and restful places to me.

I haven't taken a walk around for awhile but sometime I will. I enjoy reading the old stones with their various inscriptions and wonder why we don't still put sayings and Bible verses on the stones. Although if the trend towards cremation continues there won't be stones and cemetaries in the same way as now.

There is only one thing that kind of still blows my mind about this cemetary and that the picture above is the Lutheran side of the cemetary and...

this is the Catholic side. I never have been able to understand why they couldn't just mingle with each other! I wonder if other cemetaries are the same?

Just the sweetest thing...

Thursday was 1st DGD's Kindergarten Celebration (Graduation). (Although they don't call it that anymore.) I just love this event. The kids are so excited and enthusiastic. I wish they could stay that way forever...

They said the Pledge of Alligance. They sang a couple songs. One of them was kind of a rap song that was the Preamble to the Constitution. It all had a very patriotic theme. The little girls wore red, white and blue dresses. Cute!

There was a slide show of things they had done during the year. They each stood as the teacher told what they want to be when they grow up. It ranged from being a mom or a fireman to a paleontologist! DGD wants to be a doctor. :)

They each were given a certificate and shook hands with the elementary principle who, btw, was all 3 of our sons' Kindergarten teacher!

There was a lovely reception after with cake and punch. The graduates each got a cupcake with their picture on it....well, there ARE only 16 kids in the whole class. And they come from all over the county to make up that class. ND is rather short on people, don't ya know!

There were pinwheels for all of the kids there and they had a great time running around the gym to make their pinwheels spin! A good time was had by all!

The next day was the last day of school and high school graduation is Sunday.

School's out for summer!!

All better

Things are looking up here.

The lilacs are finally starting to look alive. Cute little leaves!

We have sunshine! And warmer temperatures! It is actually already 60F. I won't discuss what it should be. I'm just happy with what it is. :)

I started a new shawl. Eliina. This is the yarn that I bought at Joan's stash busting sale. I LOVE it. Doesn't it just make you think of strawberry ice cream? I'm always hungry while I'm knitting on it. Maybe that's NOT a good thing...

The only downer is I've got a yarn barf. Too much yarn came off the ball at once. I'm going to give it another try but it might come down to cutting it and doing a russian join. No worries. The sun is shining!

Are you SURE it's May??

It's grey. It's windy. It's damp. It's only 37 F at 1:30 pm. And I'm back to wearing my wool socks!

Spring IS late.

Last spring I took a picture of this same plant, basically doing the same thing as now. Having buds and getting ready to bloom. But last year it was April 20th and not May 10th. Almost 3 weeks later this year than last.

It is getting scary late for farming too. From what I've been hearing, most local farmers have taken corn out of their plans. Our growing season is just barely long enough to start with and with this late start it just isn't going to happen.

I was out to the farm yesterday and there is still a bit of snow in the trees around the yard. DH has always said if there is still snow in the trees, the ground is just too cold yet to put seed out there. And he's right. Hardly anyone has turned a wheel yet. It's just to wet and cold. We need a real turnaround here and quickly.

Slighty random

The cardigan is coming along. The ribbing is finished and it is bound off. I'm anxious to get the sleeves started with the lace in them. I've never done that before. But first I have

more yarn to wind into balls!

And this is a picture of me from long ago. While looking for other pictures I came across my baby photo book and this one caught my fancy. So I'm putting it in here just cuz I like it!

Mom must have liked the surprised "hunh, what's going on" look because there are a lot of pictures with that look on my face. Either that or I was slow to catch on and never knew what was going on around me... ;D

38 years ago...

DH and I were married. It was an unusually beautiful day for early May. Quite warm and oh so sunny.

We had a very small wedding. Just the immediate family. I had my sister for matron of honor and he had his brother for best man.

Our pastor, at the time, had a wonderful singing voice and he sang for us. It might be written down somewhere what song it was but I have no idea right now.

I do have wonderful memories of things that you don't write down...my dad walking me down the aisle, us saying our vows, the kiss afterwords!

38 years. Some ups and some downs (they just made us stronger) but overall very good years!