Happy 95th birthday, Grandma!

My grandmother would turn 95 today. She was the perfect blend of stubborn and tender-hearted. I thought of her yesterday when I was in the garden picking beans, my posture and picking technique a mirror of hers. I yelled at and chased a bunny that was snacking on my pumpkins, she would have done that too, and said "Rabbits are cute but stupid, they don't belong in gardens." I made a batch of her favorite green bean soup in her honor.
She is in a better place and I am happy with that, but when grief sneaks up, I miss her and feel a dull ache in my heart, until I hear her words "Get over it!" Love you, Angela Schmitz!

Joe

July 26, 2015
Saw in the paper it is the 10-year anniversary of the death of a very dear friend, my youngest son Joe is named after him. I showed Joe the picture in the paper and answered all kinds of questions about what he was like. He loved the Cubs, hated the show Friends ("I hate that Ross guy"), had almost blind allegiance to anything West DePere, had characters and storylines for just about everything (his golf ball, his daughter's dolls, even my lesson plan book at school was given a personality and a voice), and genuinely loved to laugh. Mark and I shared a bunch of memories and laughs, and I saw a sparkle in my Joe's eyes that rival those of the amazing man he was named after. We miss you, Joe!

Oldest Daughter

When my great-grandmother was on the last leg of her life's journey, my grandmother visited her daily at the nursing home.  My great-grandmother was doggedly independent and self-sufficient, so many of my grandmother's visits were clouded by my great-grandmother's dissatisfaction with having to finish her life under someone else's care.   I recently read a journal entry my grandmother wrote to answer the question "How did your mother show her love and affection to you?"  She wrote; "Mom was not outwardly loving or affectionate, but she showed her love on a daily basis for what she sacrificed for her children and how hard she worked to provide for them.  The biggest compliment she ever gave me was when I visited her at the nursing home and told her 'you are a good mother' and she said 'and I raised good mothers.'"
I think it's pretty great that one of her proudest accomplishments was her children.  That was her legacy.  So blessed to be a part of it!

Equinox and my Dad

An email my dad wrote about the summer solstice.  He and my brother Andy (who now lives in St. Paul) had a tradition of documenting on video the events on the longest day of the year.  It's a great piece and makes me think about how much I love my dad and how things change, but memories carry us.  An important reminder to live in the present and make new memories too:

Andy:
I didn't quite work from dawn to dusk, took a nap after lunch and quit
working at supper time. I should have also noted that an equinox and a
full moon on the same day occurs only once every 30 years. It's a
bitch (opps, politically incorrect) getting old.  But at least I
didn't have to chase a dog around the yard for harassing my cattle
while my wife and son laughed at me.  I thought about the good old
days and the film documentation for our "longest days" tradition and
got very nostalgic.  Then I realized that like the song line: "these
(meaning now) are the good old days" and I  better enjoy them too.
Went to Menards and picked up the steel and 2 x 4's for the house roof
repair.  Ironically, the south side which was fixed almost last about
1990 is in need of replacement.  Thankfully, it can be put on without
scaffolding and ladder hanging.  We'll send pics as the project
unfolds. Got all the 1st cutting  hay under roof (barn) and will
attempt  today to replant missed corn rows the planter skipped in the
original plant time. Oats is heading out, corn and beans are enjoying
the rain and hot sunshine, 85 degrees is optimal and I hope Minnesota
doesn't hog all the rain for the rest of the summer.  Hope all is well
with you and your family and remember all kids who live near Lake
Wobegon are above average.  Have a good second longest day.
Dad, Harry