Sunday, August 9
If we are going to walk in August, we have to get started earlier! - 7:30 instead of 9:30. As we started out today, I reflected on how hard it is to notice something different on a familiar route. This morning, I determined to be on the lookout for details that I haven't "noticed." I remembered an old piece of abandoned farm machinery that I haven't noticed for a very long time. Sure enough, there it was where it has been since I've traveled this road. Someone has recently cleared away some of the brush and vines, revealing it. It appeared to be a very old hay baler. What stories could it tell?
We spent a quiet Sunday at home, interrupted only by a visit from Laura, Claire and Amanda. The girls came to do a small raking job for me on their way to an afternoon boating on Melton Hill Lake.
Monday, August 10
We managed to get going a little earlier this morning - 8:05 instead of 9:30! The air was quite humid but cool enough so we walked our lake route. About the time we started the uphill climb toward home, a light sprinkle started. We were glad that we started early. The morning remained rainy, a good time to catch up on laundry and other chores. This hill doesn't look to steep, but I certainly feels like it at the end of our walk.
I started serious work on my worship planning for Friday. When complete, it will be posted under "Sermons & Essays" as "What are you Wearing?" and based on Colossians 3:17. At 3 pm I left to pick up Amanda for a golf match in Alcoa/Rockford. Bill met us there at tee time. We walked 9 holes with her. The sun came out in full force just as we started so it was quickly hot and steamy. Fitbit recorded 5 1/2 miles for the day.
Tuesday, August 11
No walk this morning - still recovering from yesterday. One of the features of getting older is slow recovery! Instead, I harvested tomatoes, a small picking of green beans, purple hulls and a couple of zucchini. The afternoon was spent processing and overflowing pint of beans and a scant pint of peas. I got out the Victorio Strainer and made sauce of the tomatoes. I started with 13-14 lbs of tomatoes which became 11 lbs after culling, trimming and quartering. The tomatoes then went into the big cook pot to heat until soft.
Then they are put through the strainer to separate out the skins and seeds. The puree went back into the big pot to cook down with a bit of garlic-infused oil, dried basil and salt. Finally the sauce is sealed into pint gars and processed in a water bath for 20 minutes. The end product of 13+ lbs of tomatoes was 5 pints of sauce. No wonder no one does this anymore! But it is good, and I know it is as pure and local as I can get.
Wednesday, August 12
I made it to Good Samaritan by 10 am, in time to greet the Executive Committee members that I haven't seen since January. Our grant meeting started at 10:30 and lasted almost 2 hours with three women from Align 9, included our own Raquel. The purpose was to determine whether we would collaborate with them on the grant. We were interested to learn about the work that they do, but did not find many points of overlap of our goals.
Later in the afternoon, I met Laura at Avalon to watch Amanda's golf match. This is her digital scorecard in the golf cart.
Numbers: TN Dept of Health
case count: 126,393; increase of 1478
deaths: 1289; increase of 18
age 0-10, 6096; 11-20, 14760
Loudon County: 774 cases; 256 active; 7688 negative tests
US, Worldometer: 5,361,131 cases; 169,161 deaths
Thursday, August 13
On the way up the hill to the overlook this morning, I heard a distinctive bird call, but I did not recognize the bird. I have always wanted to be able to identify birds by their call, but I have not been willing to exercise the discipline and diligence, nor put in the time needed to develop that skill. This morning I recorded the bird in hope of identifying it later. I began to "notice" the other sounds around me: the chatting of a flock of little birds in the tree tops; the cawing of a flock of crows; the hum of Melton Hill Dam generators as we came down the hill; the soft cooing of a dove; the rapid drumming of a woodpecker in the distance; quiet people sounds as we walked through the campground; a brief conversation with a woman who was also enjoying the morning birdsong; the harsh energy of a leaf-blower as one of the campground hosts tidied a campsite for the next visitor; a large dog's bark, but no small dogs yapping at us; the whirr of insects in the trees (or is it my tinnitis - I'm never sure)' the sound of my own hard breathing on the uphill climb toward home; and finally the welcome clink of ice in a glass for tea.
I later found an app that identified that distinctive call as a towhee and the birdsong as a flock of titmouse.
I experienced the sounds or re-creation and re-vitalization; the sounds of harmony and peace. "He restores my soul."
The rest of the day I spent preparing the worship message for recording on Friday.
Numbers:
US: 5,405,100 cases; 170,093 deaths; 2,831,072 recovered
TN: 128,511 cases, increase 2118; 1313 deaths, increase 24
age 0-10, 6245; 11-20, 15051
LoCo: 779 cases; 245 active; about 25 new cases/100,000 still way too high
Friday, August 14
I woke up this morning with my "performance" foremost in my mind. My goal was to leave home at o am so as to have plenty of time for relaxed preparation, mike tests, etc. I made sure I had all my equipment loaded in the car. My "costume" and a change of clothes were packed and I was dressed for church and out the door on time. When I got to the church I realized that I hadn't put my accessory bag in the car. My plan for a relaxed prep time was blown! Bill saved the morning by meeting me halfway at Eaton Crossroads with my bag of stuff.
The main accessory was my housecoat. I intended to come out dressed in my housecoat to tease the topic of the day, "What are you wearing/" As I write this, I haven't seen the finished video but I will link it here and post my text. https://youtu.be/41w70wKCI_c
The other event of significant today was the death of Mrs. Florence Evans, age 101, who was a "cradle roll" member of Trinity. She was a remarkable woman and beloved in the community. Her two grandson's who live away were able to fly in and were with her when she passed last night. She was aware enough to know they were coming and waited for them. Her last words were "I love you" to them. A beautiful life, well lived. I went with Bonnie to the funeral home to visit with Rick and Billy before supper.
Saturday, August 15
Happy Birthday, Amanda! Happy Quincineanera!
The first main event of the day was to attend the graveside service for Mrs. Florence. I picked up Bonnie again and we went first to the funeral home and then to the old part of Lenoir City Cemetery just off Hwy 11. Loud trucks interrupted the service which was conducted by Rev. Mahan Archer in Pastor Kristie's absence. It was good to see him and Laura. The men's ensemble sang "Let There Be Peace," a favorite of Florence.
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| Auspicious rainbow on the way to Amanda's birthday party. |
At 7:30, after supper, Bill and I went to the Matzek's to celebrate Amanda's birthday. She - Amanda- made a wonderful cappuccino chiffon cake with real whipped cream icing. It was beautiful and tasted fantastic. She has become quite an accomplished baker to produce a perfect 3-layer chiffon cake.
Wayne and Kathy were there also. After a raining day, the evening was cool. We celebrated under the carport because of rain and to be safely distanced. Nice way to end the week.
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