Community, Casseroles, and Connections

Olympic Sport

As in other countries, for example, Norwegian Curling  or Irish Hurling, hometowns in Pike County, Illinois, their own particular events occur.

All would agree that basketball, baseball, soccer, football, wrestling, and any other sport is played across America.   These games start in the early years on elementary school, heading up through high school, and maybe on to college.  Then onto a friendship that is shared.  All observers would be correct

An extremely passionate sport, county against county. Many injuries.

Community is an important, maybe even vital, word.  It means being part of a group of people who join together in anything from a potluck before a city council meeting to box derbies to parades and, most important, funerals and honoring veterans.  Locals join together just for connections that keep binding people, one to one another.

Coon Hunters Club    

Pike County, Illinois, is a prime spot for hunting of all kinds of wild animals.  (Lock up your cows.)


Annual Pole Shed Open.

Jennifer Wellman (obviously a pro in Pike County,) confronts and then swiftly wends her way through various obstacles of toy tractors loaded with corn, a water fall, and even toy combines and silos. As a fundraising event, the final tally total was not given yet according to Dustin Morrow.  The event was a rousing success.  Money will be applied to ag scholarships, as well as other events and funding for Pittsfield High school FFA.
Photo taken by Beth Zumwalt/Pike Press

First Continental Crossing

Probably August is a biggest month my hometown community celebration.  It is a remembrance of a landing of Vin Fiz plane, piloted by Cal Rodgers.  He was the first to make a continental flight, funded by millionaire William Hearst. (Who would pay Rodgers at the completion of the flight, if he met required time.  He missed the date by 15 days.  Hearst reneged on paying him..

This annual event has events with multiple activities. a grand parade, car show, and awesome BBQ.  Having been to one or two of the Vin Fiz day, I agree this community activity is excellent.  (I wrote a blog post about this event some time ago.)

It is a certainty that other annual events exist and bind communities together. No matter the event, friends and neighbors will be there, probably with a casserole.

Wish I were there.

My Hand in Hers

Source

One of the best and heart breaking journals of facing a death of a parent has been written by a fellow blogger, Sandra Tyler at her site, A Writer Weaves a Tale.

In the last years of her beloved mother's life, Sandra keeps a diary in  form of her blog.  Step by step, she writes how her talented mother loses the battle to retain her memories and talent.  What is never doubted, her mother loved Sandra with a fierceness that only a mother can hold.**

My husband John's mother, Dorothy Kane recently died.  It was the type of death she had prayed she would have:  in bed, sleeping and drifting away.

Many of my blogger friends thought that this was my mother who had just died. I so appreciated the sympathy comments on that blog.  Comforting words lift the heart and spirit.  

For 43+ years, Dorothy Kane HAS been a mother to me. I called her "Mom" from the day of my marriage to her oldest son, John. In the last few years of her life, she told me frequently "You weren't born as one of my children, but you are my daughter."

God bless all who have had to let go of hands who held yours  all your life.

**Sandra Tyler's credentials are astounding.  She had written two books, Blue Glass and After Lydia.  Please visit her site! 

Farewell, dear heart

photo credit: theblondecoyote.com

Life begins

And

Life ends.

On Thursday, February 4, 2016

Dorothy Ethel Kane

Died in her sleep, at the age of 89.

For the next week,

We will be remembering our mother,

In a celebration of her long life.

Mom was feisty and pragmatic---

She’d say, “Get over it!  Life goes on!”

She was/is absolutely right.

Safe home, Mom, safe home.