Memories & Blessings

Joining Joyce for this week's Wednesday Hodgepodge.

1. I saw a meme on Instagram that went like this-'The movie Dirty Dancing came out in 1987 and was set in 1963, so if remade in 2026 it would be set in 2002. Now I need a little lie down in a dark room for a while." 

Time is crazy isn't it? So...what were you up to in the year 2002?

 

Our retirement celebration picture

We both retired in August of 2002, and moved from a small town where we had lived for over 33 years.  Where our children were born and grew up and many lifetime memories were made.  We moved to one of the largest cities in our state to be near our son and his family, and closer to our daughter and family in Dallas, TX.  There were a lot of adjustments to be made, but neither of us stayed retired long, and ended up retiring again in 2011 after we both had productive careers, before moving to Plano, TX in 2020.

2. "Me? I'm scared of everything..." What's something that scares you that you'd like to try anyway? 

The only thing that really scares me at this point is falling, and definitely do not want to try that again.  So my answer would be nothing.

3. Watermelon-yay or nay? Which melon is your favorite-watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew. Of the watermelon food/beverages listed which would you say yes to...

watermelon salsa~watermelon feta salad~watermelon sorbet~

a watermelon Jolly Rancher~a watermelon margarita

Watermelon is my favorite summertime fruit.  Of the items listed above, I would choose watermelon sorbet, but the best way to eat watermelon is by itself.

4. August 12th is National Middle Child Day. Are you a middle child? If not, where do you fall in the birth order in your family of origin? Do you think this has influenced your personality? Elaborate.

Oldest Child Birth Order

I am the first born of three girls and am quite typical of this birth order.  It is said that our traits exists mostly because our parents are new to the parenting role and expect a lot from themselves and thereby these expectations are exhibited to the child. By the time #2 child comes, the parents are more relaxed and therefore the child is as well, and with the 3rd, all rules go out the window.

“Firstborn children can be goal-oriented, outspoken, stubborn, independent, and perfectionistic,” 

I am all of these.

 

5. Would you rather talk to everyone at a crowded party for a short time, or have a significant conversation with two people? Explain.

I am not a mingler, and don't really like large crowded parties, but when attending such, I much prefer to sit off to the side and watch.  Should someone care to join me, that is fine, but holding a significant conversation is not necessary.  Intimate dinners with special friends and family is my chosen social gathering.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

From my Bible devotion this morning:

Psalm 3

1 Samuel 13-18

When David is being threatened by his son, Absalom and forced to leave his city for his own safety, he first told the Lord what was going on - many enemies among his own leaders, many were attacking him, many were saying God could not help him.

Then David acknowledges who God is and what only He has done:

I love these few words - "But you, Lord!"

"But you, Lord, are a shield that protects me;

you are my glory and the one who restores me.

To the Lord I cried out, and He answered me from His holy hill."

Lesson?  Things are never as bad as they seem when our confidence is in the Holy Lord God Almighty!

All About Summer

Thank you for joining us for this week's Wednesday Hodgepodge where Joyce gives questions to ponder and then share with fellow Hodgepodgers.

1. What's something on your August calendar you're looking forward to? Or dreading if that's easier to answer.

 Our handsome son, John will celebrate his 57th birthday on the 22nd.  He is our first-born and only son of whom we could not be more proud.  He is a faithful and devoted husband, father and grandfather, but most importantly a man-of-God and strong in his faith.  He and Michelle will celebrate 31 years of marriage on the 13th.  They are a blessing!

2. August 5th is National Oyster Day...do you partake? How do you feel about pearls?

I do not eat oysters but do love my pearls.

 

3. Tell us about a time when you felt like 'the world was your oyster'. 

I personally have not felt like that in a very long time; however, I do feel that way about my grandchildren and greats.  My grown grands have nothing but bright futures ahead of them as they grow in their chosen professions, and as they face the daily challenges of marriage and parenthood.  Who knows what lies ahead for my soon-to-be eight great grands.  I pray God's direction, protection and blessings on each of them.

4. Trip Advisor lists seven islands in the US that require no passport (for US citizens). If you're answering today from outside the US you'll still need to produce yours. An-y-way, have you been to any of the seven? Let's pretend you get an all expense paid trip to one this month...which one do you choose and why? 

Catalina Island California~Martha's Vineyard Massachusetts~Mackinac Island Michigan~Key West Florida~South Padre Island Texas~or Kauai Hawaii

We have driven around on Padre Island, Texas, but did not stay there.  The only island on the list that we have actually visited is Mackinac Island in Michigan.  We have been twice and loved both experiences.  At this point, I don't have a desire to see any of the others, free or otherwise.

Our favorite place to stay is Mission Point - 2017

A favorite memory was cycling the island and enjoying all the sights close-up - 2017

The Grand Hotel as seen from the ferry 2024

5. Sylvia Plath is credited with the following- 

"August rain: the best of the summer gone, and the new fall not yet born. The odd uneven time."

Agree or disagree? In other words, how do you feel about this month?

Disagree!  In the south, August can be the hottest summer month.  Here in Texas, there is rarely a day below 100 degrees and no rain.  We don't see "the best of summer gone" until October.

In other words, I dread August and try not to plan any outdoor activities.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

The first Wednesday Hodgepodge of August, 2014, I wrote the following:

"Ahhhh, the summers for us southern country kids of the 40's and 50's were wonderful lazy days spent playing and imagining; creating and pretending; getting into trouble and having to select your own personal switch; spending time with friends; picnics; fishing.  I loved not having homework, but instead doing creative projects that Mother and Daddy always seemed to provide.  Yes, life was good!"

Celebrating the End of July

In July, 2020, I did this painting for some of our dear friends who had lost their home in a flood.  We visited them after the restoration was completed and gave the painting to them as a reminder that God's mercies are new every morning.  This is still a reminder to me to be grateful for this great promise.

Joining with Joyce for this week's Wednesday Hodgepodge.

1. What was the last thing you celebrated? 

The last celebration was our great-grandson's 4th birthday.  I featured some scenes of this in last week's Hodgepodge, so I'll share a few more today.

The party scene is always at the Day House and pool.  July is the perfect time for a pool party in Northern Indiana.

"Happy Birthday" before blowing out the cupcake candles

Little Sis supervising the opening of presents

2 July 29th is International Day of the Tiger. Besides the wild animal itself, when you hear the word tiger what's the first  person-place-thing-whatever that comes to mind?

For anyone remotely related to Louisiana, there is an immediate association the the LSU Tigers!  The first game is only 6 weeks away and every Tiger fan is counting down the Saturdays.

3. The expression 'eye of the tiger' describes someone with intense focus, determination, and the drive to succeed. What area of your life are you currently bringing that kind of energy to?

Thankfully, there is nothing going on in my life at this time that demands an "intense focus, determination or drive to succeed."  These truly are the "Golden Years" when spending the morning sitting with a book, or the afternoon finishing a movie we started the night before, is OK.  

  

4. What was the last meal you cooked?

As I am writing this on Tuesday, Monday night's dinner (supper) was warmed left-overs from Sunday's lunch with friends at Olive Garden.  Second day Shrimp Scampi is always better.

5. Describe your July using exactly five words.

Travel, Hot, Family, Hot, Memories

6. Insert your own random thought here.

One afternoon during our recent visit, DIL, Michelle and I took the greats to Mishawaka's Japanese Garden.  It has been a favorite spot of mine since discovering it shortly after the family moved to Indiana in 2008.

Navy Grace visiting with the "Children"

It was a fun time for me to share such a beautiful oasis right in their back yard.

It's a Hot Yellow Hodgepodge

Welcome to the sporadic wanderings of my blog posting.  There really hasn't been much time for posting this month; however, I did manage to get out one post on our recent travels.  If you care to see one of the most fun adventures of our trip go Here.

1. Do your goals and dreams energize or exhaust you? Elaborate.

Let's just say that my goals are not very long-range these days.  The most important dream (prayer) is to see my great-grandchildren come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.  Usually, the goals that I wish to achieve energize me; however, I did get a bit tired of the planning that went into our recent road trip.  In the end though, it was all worth while and we had a wonderful time.  

2. July 23rd is national lemon day. Are you a fan of this flavor? What's a favorite dish or beverage you enjoy that calls for lemons?

Yes, I like the lemon flavor.  One of my favorite dishes with lemon is of course a good southern Lemon Icebox Pie with meringue.  I also like Lemon Loves.  These were always a staple at every tea or coffee that ladies used to plan and attend.

3. "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade"...is this something you're pretty good at managing? Have you had to do this recently? If so tell us about it. 

Yes, I think I am pretty good at doing this.  Thankfully, I haven't had to make lemonade recently.  Well, maybe once.  Here's the story.  In planning our trip, I decided while in Gettysburg, VA, rather than staying in a modern hotel like the rest we were staying in along the way, I wanted us to stay in a historic Inn in the historic section of the city.  I did find a lovely old place and in a perfect location.  I failed to realize that when you stay in a building on the National Historic Registry that there will not likely be an elevator.  Sure enough, we got there to find out our room was on the 3rd floor and two flights of 32 narrow steps to get there.  That was not ideal for two folks in their 80's with luggage.

We made the most of it and enjoyed our stay very much.  If you don't mind stairs, then let me recommend the Brickhouse Inn.

4. Something you love that is lemon yellow in color?

I added a yellow linen outfit to my summer wardrobe and have enjoyed it very much.  I am more of an orange person, but I think this yellow is a good shade for my coloring.  I especially enjoyed wearing it with matching yellow sandals for our great-grandson, Jax's 4th birthday in Northern Indiana a couple weeks ago.

5. How would you describe your attention to detail?

Excessive??  I am very aware of details and doing things with order and sequence.  Would you care to see the folder of our travel plans?

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

How about some pictures of our trip?

The first stop was in Lancaster, SC with these our longest couple friends, Bill & Velta.  Dick proposed to me in their apartment in 1965.  Love these precious people and she is Miss Hospitality personified!

Blue Ridge Pky, Boone, NC

                                            Natural Bridge, VA

Shenandoah National Park was so socked in with cloud cover that we missed much of the natural beauty and it definitely challenged my driving skills.

                                                Our Indiana family

We endured the Summer Heat Bowl of 2026 in the upper Mid-West only to return home to Texas for the Extensive Heat Wave.  As I write this at 3 PM it is 103 degrees with a heat index of 109, and it is expected to be several degrees higher by 5 PM.  Plus, we are now under an Air Quality Alert with tomorrow being declared an Ozone Action Day.  The north has smoke but we have fumes while the Gulf of America is bracing for a Tropical Storm.

Welcome to Texas!

Wytheville VA Graham's Forge Adventure

In planning our trips, I look for interesting places off the main highways.  We do not normally travel interstate highways because we much prefer the adventure of backroads.  In planning the drive from Wytheville, VA to Harrisonburg, I saw that just off the highway was Graham's Forge.  For some reason, it caught my imagination and decided we needed to try to find it.

Little did I know the adventure this little detour would provide.

I parked in the church parking lot and proceeded to get pictures as near the old building as I could.  I am assuming the brick building may have been the Graham family's general store, and I'm sure it carries its own stories.

The old Forge is the wooden building in the background.  I have since found better pictures of it and a bit of its history.

Source

Graham's Forge Mill is a historic grist mill located in the community of Grahams Forge, Wythe County, Virginia. The mill was built about 1890, and is a five-story, rectangular, wood-frame building on a limestone foundation. Atop the metal roof is a cupola with a finial, and a late-Victorian-styled lightning rod. Also on the property are the smokehouse with oven / kettle used for hog scalding, corn crib, grain storage facility, oven / kettle remains, and mill dam.

It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.

I love this old photo!

When I got back in the car, I asked, "Where to now?" to able-bodied assistant.  He said, "Well, your directions say to head toward Graham Robinson Rd, but I don't know where it is."  At that moment we both looked up and saw the road sign immediately in front of us.  You guessed it - Graham Robinson Rd.  The only thing about this road was that it was a one lane dirt road headed who knows where.  It wasn't on the map.

Being either brave or crazy, we decided let's do it!

We weren't sure what we would do if we met an oncoming vehicle, but thankfully we were the only explorers on that road that day.

We soon came across these massive cinder block constructions.  As of yet, I have been unable to find out what they were used for.  Whatever it was, it was a large undertaking that petered out.

I decided this one needed investigating closer.

And this is what I discovered.  I was still no closer to finding out what took place in these buildings.  The dirt floor and tree-trunk posts should indicted something interesting.

Dick was happy to let me explore.  There was a nice little stream that actually started back at the Forge and the little dirt road followed it.

We found this interesting, but I chose not to get any closer.  We finally decided it must have been a two-story outhouse.  What do you think?

Then our adventure got a whole more interesting when the road suddenly ended in the middle of field with three non-English-speaking men working on some equipment.  It got a bit scary at this point because we had no idea where we were or where to go.

Finally, one of the men pointed to his right and we noticed this one lane wooden bridge.  Do we or do we not?  Are they trapping us in the woods?  So we prayed!

The road continued to be even rougher that before, but turning around was not an option.

Before we knew it, we had emerged into an open corn field and could actually see the possibility of life.  And we were still intact.

We eventually turned onto a paved road, and you will never believe what we saw.

We have since learned a lot about this old house, but at the time, we were awe struck and mystified to find something of this size in the middle of nowhere.

Construction of this historic home and plantation began in the 1830s for the family of Squire David Graham. Construction of the home and its many additions continued into the 1890s, when the property passed to the family of Graham's son, Major David Pierce Graham. The Graham family made their wealth from the labor of slaves, as well as the iron industry which was also an important part of the economic history of this region. The Graham family's iron furnaces provided pig iron (a lesser quality) that was instrumental in building a variety of items. Major Graham served in the Confederate Army, and his furnaces provided iron for Southern forces during the Civil War.  Graham's pig iron was turned into cart wheels, rail, and even cannon, but it was reported the iron was unsuitable for the task as some of the cannon made from it ruptured.

The home of Squire David Graham, and later his son, Major David Pierce Graham, was built in stages beginning in 1830. The Grahams were influential residents in Wythe County owing to their wealth, the labor of slaves, and ownership of a dozen iron forges and furnaces. The Grahams were also investors in several mines and other projects throughout the region. The family also owned thousands of acres as well as a general store and mill.

David Pierce Graham, was born in 1838. He  was a major with the the 51st Virginia Infantry Regiment, which was formed in 1861 with eleven companies.  He joined at that time and rose to the rank of Major, before being discharged for health reasons. Major Graham still desired to support the Confederacy and provided iron for the Rebel cause. It is even claimed that a children's room in the mansion was used to as a meeting place for Confederate commanders and also to treat Confederate wounded when action drew near.

Major Graham loved the mansion and lived there for his entire life adding to and refining his family's home. After his death, it stayed in the family until it was eventually sold.  More recently it was placed on the National Registry of Historic Places.

Source

The house does now carry the fame of being haunted and there have evidently been para-normal sightings.  Whether or not this is true, the tours are helping support the restoration process.  Let it be known, we saw nothing to prove or disprove the claim.

I hope you have enjoyed taking this adventure with us.