This is What I Know: October 28,2017

This is what I know. Today is my dad's birthday . He would have been 87 years old. I am sure Mom baked him his favorite cake in heaven today.

This is What I Know, October 24,2017

This is what I know. Our puppy Riley has brought our household new energy, joy, laughter, puppy kisses, a floor full of treasures he has found here and there, and a happy big brother dog Tucker.  We love life with Riley!

This Is What I Know: October 23,2017

I know that fallen autumn leaves arranged naturally on the ground can create a beautiful painting by Mother Nature.

This Is What I Know: October 22, 2017

I know the trees of Kellogg are beautiful in October.

October is a symphony of permanence and change.    Bonaro W. Overstreet

This is What I Know, October 21,2017

"If you only read the books that everyone else is reading, you can only think what everyone else is thinking."  -Haruki Murakam

Today I know that book lovers can always find much to discuss when it comes to favorite authors and titles. Recently I did a talk to a group of women entitled "Happiness is Books". Ahead of time I had each person send me a list of favorite books. I shared the compiled list with everyone. What I love when people share books is how there may be some common threads, but most lists are unique to the reader. What titled showed up on more than one list? The Bible, Jane Eyre, A Man Called Ove, This House of  Sky,and Dr. Suess titles.

Talking about beloved books led to more discussion about books each reader could add to their own "to read" list. I think by the time we were done, each person had a good list of books to find and read. This always happens when you get book lovers together. The titles I shared were:

The End of Your Life Book Club     Will Schwalbe
My Kitchen Year, 136 Recipes That Saved my Life  Ruth Reichl
The Glass Castle   Jeannette Walls
Into Thin Air, Into the Wild, Under that Banner of Heaven, and Where Men Win Glory Jon Krakauer

This is What I Know, October 13, 2017

Pictures are worth a thousand words. Some sneak peeks from the reception at Carol's house after Mom's memorial service last week.  Above brother Bill with lifelong friends Roger and Terry. A slideshow is coming.

sister Carol and lifelong friend Kellee

good friends

Class of '72 and friends/spouses with Coach Curry

glorious food

This Is What I Know, October 12, 2017

Today I know that music can transport you to another time or another place. I put together a playlist for my mother's memorial service held last week. The music played before and after the service. While I was making decisions about what songs to choose, I relived memory after memory of the songs of my youth. Mom and Dad had a collection of record albums that included a few by the pianist Roger Williams. A song that was played often in our household was "Misty", a jazz standard written in 1954 by pianist Erroll Garner. This is one song I chose for the playlist. I remember hearing this piano version on the old record player, but also vocal versions by Sarah Vaughn and Ella Fitzgerald.  Enjoy this version played at Mom's service:

This Is What I Know, October 11, 2017

I know that one thing that can bring me out of the sadnesss of grief  is spending time with our dogs. We found a place that was safe for Riley and Tucker to run free without leashes. It was the first time Riley had been able to run free. I should have set my camera on sports mode because they were flying around the field. What I loved the most was Tucker being herding boy. When they got too far away I called Tucker and he herded Riley up and brought him back. It was amazing!! Believe me, they were ready to head to bed that evening.

 Riley running free

 Heading up the hill

Tucker working on his hearding skills

Good smells

This is What I Know, October 10, 2017

This is what I know. It was a beautiful October morning. The trees and sky at the cemetery were glorious. When we as a family met to place Mom's ashes next to Dad at his grave it was very difficult for me.It is still difficult now. Rest in peace with Dad now Mom.

This Is What I Know, October 9,2017

Today I know I need to mend my life. The Journey One day you finally knew what you had to do, and began, though the voices around you kept shouting their bad advice -- though the whole house began to tremble and you felt the old tug at your ankles. "Mend my life!" each voice cried. But you didn't stop. You knew what you had to do, though the wind pried with its stiff fingers at the very foundations, though their melancholy was terrible. It was already late enough, and a wild night, and the road full of fallen branches and stones. But little by little, as you left their voice behind, the stars began to burn through the sheets of clouds, and there was a new voice which you slowly recognized as your own, that kept you company as you strode deeper and deeper into the world, determined to do the only thing you could do -- determined to save the only life that you could save. Mary Oliver

This Is What I Know, October 8,2017

Today I know the importance of rest. After relishing a day of laying around, sitting in front of the fire, enjoying silence and solitude I did take time to do a photo drive and walk to embrace the beauty of autumn.

This Is What I Know, October 7, 2017

I know that when I surround myself with family and friends, many that I have known for most of my life, it helps with the pain and grief from the loss of my mother. It reminds me how important it is to cultivate relationships with friends and family. It doesn't just magically happen. It is well worth the time and effort.

This Is What I Know, October 6,2017

I know that our thoughtful conversations, careful planning, bouncing of ideas, sharing of memories, and focusing on the good life of my mother Mary Woolum made the celebration of life today just exactly how we wanted it to be. My siblings and other family members are amazing people and I love them all very much.

This is What I Know: October 5,2017

As I prepare to celebrate my mother's life tomorrow at her memorial service, this is what I know. My mother will always be the most important person in my life.

This is What I Know Today, October 4, 2017

This is what I know today. Family is what really counts in this world. As my mother's extended family of nieces, nephews, and spouses travel to celebrate her life this week it will be a reminder of the strong ties that bind our family together. Her grandchildren, their spouses and friends will also widen that family circle  My siblings and our spouses will be surrounded by this closeness and feeling of love. We are blessed.

This is What I Know Today, October 3,2017

I know that grief is a process each person experiences in a different way. There is no blueprint, no logical steps, no timeline, no beginning and ending. There is no magic bullet, no pill,no cure, no remedy. Each person finds their own unique path and stays with it as long as it takes. I pray for all people grieving yesterday, today, and tomorrow. As I was preparing to honor my mother Friday at her Celebration of Life, this quote was a help.

This is What I Know Today, October 2,2017

I know that waking up this morning and reading the devastating news about senseless violence made me want to hold those I love closer, mourn for those that were killed and injured, and pray for the families and friends of the victims.

This is What I Know, October 1,2017

I know that a poem can often say just the right words.  I have shared this poem numerous times and it  always reminds me of my mother. This is a favorite picture of Mom at my house in Martin Creek making pies for Thanksgiving dinner.

To Be of Use

The people I love the best

jump into work head first

without dallying in the shallows

and swim off with sure strokes almost out of sight.

They seem to become natives of that element,

the black sleek heads of seals

bouncing like half submerged balls.

I love people who harness themselves, an ox to a heavy cart,

who pull like water buffalo, with massive patience,

who strain in the mud and the muck to move things forward,

who do what has to be done, again and again.

I want to be with people who submerge

in the task, who go into the fields to harvest

and work in a row and pass the bags along,

who stand in the line and haul in their places,

who are not parlor generals and field deserters

but move in a common rhythm

when the food must come in or the fire be put out.

The work of the world is common as mud.

Botched, it smears the hands, crumbles to dust.

But the thing worth doing well done

has a shape that satisfies, clean and evident.

Greek amphoras for wine or oil,

Hopi vases that held corn, are put in museums

but you know they were made to be used.

The pitcher cries for water to carry

and a person for work that is real.

-Marge Piercy

This is What I Know Today, September 30,2017

Today I know that I am pleased I decided to take a chance on roses and grow them. I always heard they were hard to grow, but when you get the right kinds and treat them right, they flourish. I am appreciating the last weeks of my roses. Above is a collage of some of my favorite summer blooms.

"Do not watch the petals fall from the rose with sadness, know that, like life, things sometimes must fade, before they can bloom again."  unknown

Here is What I Know Today, September 29,2017

This quote could have hung in the wall in my mother's house. My mother loved to save things for a rainy day, collect things to surround herself with comfort, and keep things she hoped she could pass down to her family. Another family, my brother's family, has moved into the house. Slowly we had to define what was useful and what was beautiful to us and what was useful and beautiful to others that might appreciate her treasures. Thanks to hard work by everyone in the family, particularly my brother, we are beginning to see a house emerging that takes on a whole new look. At times it was tough to make decisions on items. Other times it was easy. What I can say is my mother did surround herself with all these things that were so much a part of her life , and in honoring her we have each taken pieces of her life and added it to ours.