The end of an Era

Those of you who have lived here or visited here knows what an Icon Simons Hardware has been in our community. This saturday at 6 PM they will close their doors for good. The store has been sold, who knows what will be there in the future, but it will never be the same. Since we moved here we have enjoyed going into the store, being greeted by Stan, or Jared, or even Don. I understand that things change, time moves on, but this is one change I don't welcome. When ever I pass by the store I will think of times gone by.

A Long Day

It is 9:25 at night, and I feel like it is midnight. Today was the day that either I bottled the pears, or I would be throwing them out tomorrow! So much to Sage"s shagrin, I bottled. 24 quarts of pears and 7 quarts of pickles later I am done in. All that after spending an hour plunging the kitchen sink! I really think the worst part of the day was washing out the canning jars that I hauled up from the basement full of all sorts of creepy crawly skeletons. I just kept telling myself -be grateful they are dead!I must remember next year to store them upside down!--So with the peaches and tomatoes we did last week, we are done except for the tomatoes still on the vine, which at this moment are covered up because of the projected drop in temps tonight. Hopefully I can wait until Friday to pick more tomatoes! Then next week we will dig up the potatoes. The squash needs to wait until after a heavy frost, then we can bring them in--my my, don't I sound like a farmer!!!

ODE to a Memory

I have mixed feelings today as the house across the street comes down. I spent many hours sitting on that porch visiting with Gladys. Those are treasured memories to me. My younger children spent many hours playing there while the older ones were in school. After Gladys left, Jo moved in with her family. Again I have treasured memories of a wonderful friendship. Our children became friends and we spent many hours visiting. I loved the time I spent over there and the friendships that I had. If I was the drinking kind, I would raise a glass to you, Gladys, and to you Jo, and to the memories I have.

ODE to a Memory