It is a new week and new experiences.....

We began the week last night with dinner at a member's home.  This was their second big meal for the day having earlier had the rest of their family in for Father's day.  When we got home we called David because the last thing he would do would be to take time to remember it is Father's day and second to call his dad.  As usual he was watching TV and when he is watching TV we cannot get him to say much at all.  all we got were monosyllabic answers and nothing else.
Today we had set a goal to be in the office by 8am - but it turned out to be 8.15 but we did 12 folders today so that was not too bad.  Bill had made a typo  on the report and had put us at 160000 images but our supervisor corrected the report to read 16000 which is our best output so far.  I guess the fact that our court docket books are only about 200 pages that we are able to fly through them.  They also turn easily and are not falling apart like the ones dated 1799 etc.
Last night we went for a short walk along the highway and up a side road called Riggs Brook Road.  When we came back we looked into the window of the apartment we are to move into and saw that it was being painted.  tonight we went for a walk instead of going to Western Line Dance class and saw the light was on and so we went in to check out the apartment.  You bet it is small - you cannot swing a cat in any of the rooms but it will have to do for 2 1/2 months.  Well we are only there to sleep anyway so it is going to be ok.  I really think it is only suited for one person but a couple was living in it before this.
We will have one room for the office, one for the bedroom and one that will have to double as a living room and eating room.  I really doubt if we will be able to have the missionary correlation meeting there because it is so small.
As I was going through the court dockets today I noticed the name Bessey and had heard Anne talk about relatives named Bessey so I sent her an email telling her about it and asking if it might be her family and she sent back that it was.  She is delighted that I noticed it in the  court docket so now she can go look up the court case to see what it is all about.   Found a second court docket containing the name Besse - hers too.
So far we have the use of someone's open internet connection but most of the time the signal is weak.  I have no idea where it is situated but hope that it is available when we are at the new apartment.  I cannot wait till we get home and we have full access to an internet line.....one of our own.
I have been reading the books about the Underground railroad - ferrying escaped slaves from the south to Canada.  Have often wondered about the Negro Spirituals and in the one book  it says that "Cainan" actually stands for Canada which is where they escaped to.  There is a lot of imagery in these spirituals just as there is in the Australian bush Poetry and the Hawaiian Hula and the songs of Japan and on and on and on.  The book makes the point or seems to make the point that ONLY negro spirituals carry imagery that is known only to them and to no one else.  There are many iconic images in the world that have special meaning to the initiates and the rituals connected with these special iconic images are what holds groups together and forms the warp and weft of societies that spring up as a result.  I think that the writer of the book got carried away in places but it is a book that illustrated for me in a rudimentary way how the quilt patterns of our fellow quilters got their names and configurations.  I guess I will never look at a sampler quilt quite the same way any more.  However, I must say, that all quilters put something of themselves into their quilts that makes each quilt uniquely theirs and that the slaves are not the only ones or first ones to stitch found objects etc into quilts.  I also question her assertion that all the quilt patterns used originated with the slaves.  I would suggest that the slaves adopted and adapted the quilt patterns to suit their own particular culture.  After all, quilts were used in Europe and brought to the US by the pilgrims etc. and used for many years before the slaves showed up. The Pioneers on their trek west used all the fabric they could muster to make quilts.Guess it goes back to the question of which came first - the chicken or the egg? One thing is constant and that is the use of the various quilts to be signals to the escapees to speed them on their way.
Whether it be chickens or eggs, whichever you choose,  you are likely to end up with shells or feathers.  Its all in how you go about it.

Relax, w're here to stay

It is very freeing for the powers that be to have made a decision to let us finish off previous couples work.  Oh yes, it will be different than doing books, such as we have done this past 9 months, and we will be doing papers.  Loose papers at that.
It will be a new learning curve for us.
we are excited to do something new.
We also have to move to a new apartment - just across the parking lot form where we are now, but it is only for 3 months and then on to Pennsylvania to visit with our friends who are on a mission in State College, then to Johnstown where we lived for 20 years, and then catch I-80 all the way to Lincoln, Nebraska and to our children there for a few days then on to Ariona via I-80 and catch the interchange in Colorado to go down to I-40 across the desert to Arizona then to 89 and home.  Aaah, warm weather at last.  What will I do with my LLBean warm bubble gum pink heavy jacket?

Riggs Brook Lane at 8am Saturday

 I saw this sign on Riverside Drive and decided to follow it to see how far it went.  Not too many of these little side roads lead much further than someone's garage, but this one was a surprise to be sure.  I did not find a brook anywhere, but the walk along this lane was peaceful and quiet and filled with the wonder of God's beautiful world.

 the Daisies were happy to greet me.  They are not cultivated but they are everywhere this spring.  They look clean and fresh and excited to show off their yellow and white to the world.

 This is a field of Buttercups.  I did photograph this field some time ago when it was filled with Dandelions.  I guess the Head Gardiner loves Yellow and Green.

 Buttercups and purple crownvetch together with the green are peaceful flowers.

 These very tiny white flowers grew in this clump but I have no idea what they are called.

 This farm house looks lonely way out in the field  It seems that someone came by and cleared out or mowed down the remains of last years corn stalks.

 I found a slug on the colts foot leaf.  What is better than one slug on a colts foot  plant?

 Why, two slugs on a colts food leaf. 

 Butter cups at t heir best.

 Riggs Brook lane pasture on the right has an electrified fence and there are a number of horses in this pasture.

 Looking back along the lane.  It was such a pretty day that I took lots of pictures.  I needed to be in such a peaceful place after the tumultuous week we have had.  we have gone into the office to work at about 7 to 7.30am just so we could get all the court dockets done.  We did not go anywhere today other than to the supermarket - we just needed to stay home and rest up.  We are not young enough to keep up the hectic pace of this past week.

 The cheerful buttercups change the color of t he countryside.

 The buttercups are taking over.  At the corner of Rte. 3 and Rte. 201 there is a vast field filled with buttercups and I would love to be able to take a picture of it, but to try to do so with all the traffic that passes through this intersection  would be to take my life in my hands and probably lose it as a result.

 The horses were content to let me take their picture.  The little one on the left is not a foal, but is a full grown miniature horse.

 At the end of the lane, I looked back to the area past the horses and the combination of clouds, trees and wildflowers was a sight to experience on a crisp spring morning.

 This is a farm house that borders Riggs Brook Lane.  What a joy it must be to wake up to such peace each morning.

 another farm house on Riggs Brook Lane.  I saw a flash of red and knew that I had seen a Cardinal.  I did not see too many of them this winter, but I saw one today.  There was also a stand of Queen Anne's Lace that we passed by when we were driving.

I received an email today telling me that a new director to the family history center has been named.  That takes a lot of pressure off me because it was told to me before I left on this mission that I would be the next director when I got back to Arizona.  that would have been difficult for me to do.

I am really pleased with my African Violet plant.  It was in full bloom when we brought it home from Longfellows green house before Mothers day, and then the blooms all died off.  I looked today and see that there are two spikes that are going to produce flowers for me.
Last night I went out after dark and looked down towards the river and we have loads of fireflies there.  It is wonderful to see them again after all these years away from the east.
We had an ant infestation at the apartment building and the bug eradicator fellow came by and put a green thing in the front yard that looks like Jabba the Hutt's house from Star Wars.  He said that the ants would be attracted to it and they would go in and die there.  I went over to it and examined it and found that it has a little sign on it that says "Ant Entrance".  Made me wonder if he sent out invitations to the ants to come on by and eat with small road signs pointing the way so they would know how and where they were supposed to be.   I guess they found the place because I have not seen any ants for a while now.
All day long there has been a woodpecker working his way through the woods across the street.  By the time he is done we will have "Holy Trees" for Sunday.

How to make Lasagne on a Mission

 Start with the only two large pans you brought with you on your mission.

 Read the Lasagne box because you forgot to bring your recipe book and need a recipe to make Lasagne.

 Cook the noodles in the only large pan you have - easy to see they do not fit very well.

 Cook the onions - then add the meat and tomato stuff.

 Aaah! the left over dirty utensils but the Lasagne is made - observe pan on right.

 doesn't it look good?  Well we will see how well it eats........................

did not want to have to clean up spilled tomato stuff in the stove so wrapped it up in foil...............

So someone made up thier collective minds..........

We just got the news that we will be staying here in Augusta for the remainder of our mission .  Now, all we have to do is to wait for our landlord to say that we do not have to move.
Waiting is not fun.................
I am waiting for the lightening bugs to appear.  Last night I went out to look for them but the short grass does not seem to be the place for them to frolic at night.
Perhaps it is too early in the year for them but I am waiting.
So we wait for other things as well.
The Hazardous Material Removal company was here to assess how much work it will be to dismantle the dark room and all its chemicals because they need the room for something else and they are closing down the dark room.  so we are waiting for this to happen.
the repair persons for the electronic scanner that Christina was using was here, took some information and left and today the boss person came in and explained to the staff here how they could access the information she has scanned into the system and in what manner the public could access the information and what information they could not access.  But we are still waiting for the repair person to come and fix the machine.
Other people came into our room and were talking about how to re-arrange the room so that Janet has the window side of the room.  That's not such a good idea until they repair the window - it leaks cold air in the winter and rain water when it rains but if that is what she wants, then we wait for that to happen as well.
We are also waiting for the powers that be in SLC to put the rework file up so that we can do the lone re-work from last week's efforts.
Hurry up and wait seems to be the mantra..................

There is still some constancy amid duplication

The Clematis is vibrant and reassuring as it blooms on the trellis at a friend's home.  The Clematis growing next to this one is finished blooming and she said that it was white.  I tried growing Clematis in Prescott but it must have been in the wrong part of the garden because it  did not do well.

 This vegetable garden is in the tray of a portable bar-b-q and it makes a wonderful mobile garden.  I would not have thought of using a defunct gas grill for a portable garden.  The best part about this little effort is that it can be moved around so that it stays in the sunlight.  You cannot do that with a raised bed garden.  She has tomatoes growing outdoors and they seem to be doing well.  She has a Bay plant and says that it has to be brought in for the Winter.  When we visited Bar Harbor the bus driver pointed out a few Bay plants growing wild and apparently they do well out in the weather but then weather on the island may be a little more kind to plants than inland where we are.  I am really enjoying seeing all the flowers in bloom.  The wild Daisy plants are all over as well as Phlox and Lupines.  they have a little orange flower here that they call Indian Paintbrush but it does not resemble the Indian Paintbrush plant that grows in Arizona.

 I always look forward to the Day Lillies blooming.  I just happened to catch this one before it began to close for the day after gracing the garden with its gold.

 The Iris growing in the parklet at the State House are almost done but it still makes for a wonderful picture right next to the fountain.

 Peonies are my all time favorite flower.  At Toshogu Shrine in Japan, they had carved Peony flowers all over the entrance way as well as a very famous carving of a cat under the Peonies.  This particular carving has a legend that goes like this:  a very famous wood carver was asked to carve decorations for the Toshogu Shrine and he became quite boastful about his skills.  He said that he could carve just as well with his left hand as he could with his right hand.  So during the night when he slept his enemies cut off his right hand.  So to prove his boast, he took the chisel in his left hand and carved the famous "Cat under the Peonies" sculpture that graces one of the gates at Toshogu Shrine.  this shrine was erected to honor Tokugawa Ieyasu who was a great warrior during feudal times in Japan.  He was the first Shogun of the Tokugawa Shogunate.

In the middle of this blog post, the computer shut down so I re - did it.  I am not going  dotty - just interested in preservation of thoughts and the sights of Maine.

Renewal of life and hope in Spring.

 These Clematis grace the garage wall of a friend in Augusta.  I have tried to grow Clematis in Prescott but it seems to freeze out or something.  On the other hand, I may not have it growing in the optimum place.

 A vegetable garden in the tray of a grill is an excellent idea.  The peppers she has growing are wonderful and the best part of this garden is that it is mobile and can be wheeled around so that it gets plenty of sun.

 I love the season when we can see Day Lillies bloom.  Managed to catch this one before it closed up for the day.

 the state house framed by trees and iris and clouds is a spectacular sight.  I will miss seeing this building when we go home.

 This peony is perfect.  It is growing near the post office and I was drawn to it immediately.  At the Toshogu Shrine in Nikko, Japan, there is a whole panel of carved peonies.  There is also a famous carving of the cat under the peonies done by a wood carver who bragged that he could carve as well with his left hand as he could with his right hand.  Legend says that in the night, his enemies came and cut off his right hand so to prove his boast, he took his chisel and carved the cat under the peonies that graces one of the gates in the shrine. This Toshogu Shrine was erected to remember Tokugawa Ieyasu who was the first shogun of the Tokugawa Shogunate in feudal Japan.

 This is the road we take home from the YMCA.  the house in the center of it is across the river and has fascinated me ever since we came here.

 The museum put this lighted sign up showing the attractions that are available in this building.  The museum, the Archives and the Library.

 this truck was in front of us on our way to work and the number plate says "FLOORS".  There is an 800 number you can call for a free estimate and we joked about going back to Arizona and calling the 800 number and asking them to come to Arizona to give us a free estimate for new flooring.  Of course it would never happen, but when you have an 800 number advertised, it is accessible across the nation.

we had stopped along the road to ask directions when we saw this sorry rusting piece of machinery.  I guess they bought a new one to replace it.....and just left it here to rust in place.

the newness of life in spring is front and center now.  I watched a mother Raven feed her fledgling while he was sitting on the rail fence near our front door.  I have heard baby Robins in the back yard and I suspect that there are other fledglings around that I am not home to see.
Amid all the newness of life is hope.
One of the kittens that has been fostered by Mary is back in surgery for an infection in its wound.  It is the one that had to have its leg amputated at birth.  This little kitten is a fighter.  It has had to have numerous returns to surgery to alleviate the problem of infections etc.  Even though this is just a foundling kitten, it is life and it has had numerous humans involved in its daily care and as she fights for her life after this last surgery, we are all hoping that she makes it.
There is life and there is hope and this little kitten named TRIXIE embodies it all.