INDIAN SUMMER

INDIAN SUMMER

We are experiencing great warm, beautiful days and cool evenings.  I think we are having an early Indian Summer.  I went to the pool to swim on Tuesday morning and there was no life guard that showed...so drove back to the Inn and my key wouldn't let me in the door...so had to walk around to the front entrance...interesting beginning for that day.  Patty let me into the spa and I exercised in there.  Tuesday we served in the temple in the office...our experience was much better in the temple than my morning had been, we came out to these beautiful trees.

 This tree really shines.  We drove to Chill and Grill and had our last ice cream cone till next spring.  The fast food place closes for winter on Thursday.

 We served in the temple the first two shifts on Wednesday.  I helped a new missionary get her endowment in the early morning hours and then served in the office in the afternoon.

 I was assigned in the office all day on Thursday.  Several people have gotten colds and fevers this week...so far Elder Bushman and I are hanging in there and feeling well.

 These vines are in the Sacred Grove.

We began Friday by exercising and then doing laundry, getting flu shots and just tiding up our room and getting ourselves organized for next week.  We are serving in the temple tomorrow, Saturday, for another couple so we can have some time off when our Oklahoma and Texas friends visit in October.  I have been thinking of all this fall festival happenings around here.  It reminded me of Homecoming at BYU in the fall.  During my Sophomore year I was asked to be the head of the dorm parade float.  I lived in Deseret Towers in Q hall at the time.  We were to combine our float with the boy's dorm at R hall.  So we had our meeting and came up with building a pyramid with a Cougar on top of a Y.  We had lots of co-operation from everyone in our dorms...I worked till past midnight for several days in preparation of the parade.  This is the float as it went down University Avenue in Provo, Utah.  The boys from the dorm were the Israelites who pulled the Egyptian Pyramid!  It would not fit under the electric lines, so we had to have the power company lead the float and lift the power lines for our Cougar to go under...my math still calculates this way!  Ha...This is just a fun memory from the around 1965-66 that I had the opportunity to experience.  Was anyone around at BYU Homecoming that can remember this great float?  "Those were the days my friend...we thought they would never end!"

It has been almost 50 years since I helped organize and build the above float!  My grandchildren have told me that my hands look old and wrinkled.  I have thought about all that my hands have accomplished in this lifetime and am so thankful that I have had "Two little hands.."! These hands created that big pyramid above! 

 

I don't know if you can see it clearly, but the veins on my right hand spell HI & the veins on 

my left hand spell M.  So I believe I am reminded of HIM because I carry Him on the veins in my hands.  

So even though these hands are "old" they have reminded me of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ since I was very young.  I have tried to use these hands to do good works...and as you can see I have about worn them out!  I hope these graphic photo's don't make you think too much of Halloween!  Ha!

Elder Bushman and I got our "super flu" shots...after 65 they give you a more powerful dose because of our low immune system...yah another benefit of being over 65.  We both think our arms are soar this afternoon...so we relaxed and went on a 100 mile ride to look at leaves in Naples, NY.  It felt like we drove to Naples, Italy!  We stopped at Joseph's Wayside Market and got some really good Honey Crisp apples.  They are really crisp and yummy!  

These brussel sprouts reminded me of our Edmond Sunday lunches with family.  These brussel sprouts were as big as the apples.

 You can't tell in these pictures but the cauliflower and cabbage heads were way, way bigger than our own heads...they were huge!  They were the size of basketballs.

So for lunch I had a grape bar, grape licorice twists, fresh apple cider and fresh cheese curds....yummy!  Of course, Elder Bushman had a crisp, crisp apple, crackers and half my grape bar.  I served in the office on Friday evening at the temple.

For our family and friends that are leaf peepers, who are coming in October, the leaves on the hills around Naples Valley are starting to turn...we hope to have an awesome view for you to see...and another 100 mile drive, Ha!  The view at Bristol Mountain Ski Resort has great promise...it was already beautiful as is.

 The reds and oranges on this hill are just beginning...should be gorgeous soon!

I hope all my daughters and granddaughters are able to attend the Women's Conference this evening.  Sister Neeley is hostessing the sister missionaries at Zion's Camp and we will be watching together outdoors, the old fashioned, beginning of time, New York way, via the internet that is!   Hurrah for Israel! 

 Till then we are off to serve in the Beautiful Palmyra Temple this day.  This is our very first time serving on Saturday and the schedule guarantees that it is going to be a very good and busy day.  My "old hands" are prepared to do whatever is requested, now if the brain will just work!  There was a small branch group that attend today.  Their branch is about four hours away.  This Branch President has been preparing for this day for months.  They came and did baptism's last evening and did other ordinance work today along with two own endowments.  They had 100% attendance for their recommend holding branch.  That is the first time I have heard of this.  Does anyone else know of a ward or branch that has had 100% attendance for recommend holders?  Congratulations to this New York Branch!  The Salt Lake Temple Grounds Salute you!

Thank You to each of the auxiliary leaders who spoke at the Women's Conference last evening.  We sat at Zion's Camp by the Hill Cumorah and listened to the beautiful chiors and speakers.  We were wrapped in blankets as a chill was in the air, but knew all in attendance in SLC battled a rain storm to attend.  We are and were filled with joy as we listened, learned and pondered.  We felt the love of Our Heavenly Parents and thank President Uchtdorf for his council and prayer and blessing!

We are off to Cortland for church this morning.  We are leaving with the roads covered in fog...so pretty is this Indian Summer!  Enjoy this wonderful Sabbath day and be joyous that we are all "Children of God"!  Hug's to each of our offspring whom we adore and miss.