Memorial Day again

A time of remembering loved ones

now gone from our presence but

whose influence we still feel guiding us.

Not forgotten, but remembered today.

My mother and father together again

after a very long absence of 62 years.

I love to think of them side by side

expressing and renewing their love.

One day I will have the complete family

I always longed for and come to know

my long absent father better who

has been silently by my side all these years.

Sunday Quotes

I have the best Sunday School teacher and learn so much from him each week as we discuss the Old Testament. Here's some ideas or thoughts to consider:

Don't take counsel from your fears but from your faith.

Revelation comes as a conclusion, explanations will come later.

My sweet friend Aline 99 years old in July taught dance at BYU

in 1933. I'm writing a magazine article on her many achievements.

Prompted

From a fellow blogger Brenda in Canada, here's some prompts to write about...

1. I never thought...I'd be nominated for Utah State Writer of the Year but a friend is nominating me from St. George.

2. I don't really enjoy...enjoy watching the news especially political or violent news.

3. I like to eat...hot homemade bread. Just had some hot banana nut bread. Yum!

4. I can not...figure out all aspects of Photoshop sometimes. Need to ask my son Daniel for another lesson, but he's too busy.

5. I have...overcome many setbacks in my life and plan to continue learning more from life's lessons. 6. I do not like...to eat liver and have successfully avoided it most of my life.

7. I'm going to...publish my children's poetry book with an official ISBN#, also finally signed up for clipart.com-they have great images I like to use. My children's book is called "Nature Notes for Kids" and is full of fun poems that kids can read about animals in our world and a section where they can write their own poems. Coming soon...

8. A book I'm enjoying these days is..."Failing Forward"-lots of good ideas to implement in my life. You haven't failed if you keep trying and don't give up.

9. Some advice I'm going to take is...to exam the DUALITY of life and not judge situations in black or white but see the degrees between those extremes. It makes life more of a learning experience.

10. I haven't figured out to...communicate effectively with ALL the people in my life but I'm still working on it. Trying to make so called communication failures a learning experience. But it does take two to tango!

Article #102 Birthing

Of course, in those days, the father-to-be was left in the hospital waiting room while the doctor, nurses and mother-to-be performed this intense dance of birth called delivery. When it was all over, the father was notified and able to meet the little one before the newborn was off to the nursery to sleep. Staying in the hospital for a few days to recuperate was the norm for the exhausted new mother, but in pioneer days the new mom was prescribed two weeks bed rest after a home delivery. Sounds good to me.(Photo-4 generations of Franks.)

Many modern day moms, give birth and return home sometimes the same or next day to get back to their busy lives. Any career that a new mother ever had fades in comparison to her new 24/7 career as caretaker to a newborn that wakes up at all hours demanding feeding and changing. Your life as newlyweds is over and everything is focused on keeping the baby satisfied and not crying. If the baby has colic, which causes stomach pains then, you rock or walk the baby till he falls asleep before you can rest or live a “normal life,” which by the way-will never return again.

I taught dance until the night before my baby was born and then returned within two weeks to teaching part time as my husband was still a graduate student. The only problem was now I had this dependent little creature that I was trying to nurse day and night. After two weeks of my firstborn waking every two hours for nourishment, my doctor suggested I start feeding him cereal. That’s probably why my son is 6 ft 5 inches today.

No one can prepare you for the shock of on call duty as a mother when all you want to do is sleep but instead you get up in the middle of the night, change the baby’s diaper, try to feed him and rock him back to sleep. Unfortunately, our first son was very colicky so the nighttime hours were as busy as the daytime hours. After a few months of trying to be a fulltime mother and a part time dance teacher, I knew something had to give. So I gave notice at my job and became a full time mother, although I tried to keep my hand in dancing by teaching children’s dance in the basement of our rental apartment.

Happy Birthdays-Emilee and Heather

Two special grand daughters
came into our family
in a different way
guided by our Heavenly Father.
Born in Tennessee brought to Utah
by a loving birth mother
who choose the Hatch family
for them to be raised in
with Christian values and love.

Now adopted and sealed together,

we are an eternal family

always and forever joined

within sacred temple walls

by priesthood power.

Our love grows daily

as our extended family

develops and expands each day.

HAPPY 12th BIRTHDAY HEATHER and EMILEE!
Special birthday cards made by a niece Dawn Mercedes.


Birthday girls celebrating at Brick Oven pizza with family.

That's their mom's parents from New York!

Stuffing ourselves with pasta and pizza!

The twins got sung to and a free ice cream sundae.

Back on TRACK

We all have down times

because of illness, worries

or something else. Time

slows and nothing gets done.

Then it's time to get going

again-looking forward

and making some progress

on goals and projects.

I'm currently working
on completing my children's
book with an ISBN number
so I can sell it locally. Also
returning to some long
forgotten genealogy projects-
histories to write and publish
and temple work to submit.

Then there is my 70th

birthday looming ahead

in July to be combined

with a family reunion.

I like to keep busy,

as busy as a bee making honey.

Hey-that rhymes. How about you?

(Images from Clipart.com)

Writer's WORDSHOP reunion

A fun reunion of my original writer's group started 3+ years ago. We met to party, have lunch and share our latest poems and writings. In photo l-r Wilma who writes lovely haikus, Pat a talented writer who has been published, Leah a newcomer who writes sensitive poetry, Marilyn a poet of distinction and an award winner, Mary a talented artist and poet, and yours truly Lin who loves to write. A fun group to associate with and encourage each other in developing our talents.

Still More Nature Poems

Robber Raccoons

by Lin Floyd

Ready for Halloween,

looking like a robber

with a mask on his eyes,

he couldn’t be cuter.

Stealing things at night,

he’s a tricky critter.

Raccoons love eating stuff

tasty or ripe on the ground

plus fresh eggs or baby chicks

or anything else around.

Sneaking about in the dark,

late at night, he's seldom found.

Quote for Sunday

"Do not follow where the path may lead.

Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail."

Muriel Strode

Who was Muriel Strode?

She wrote in England in the early 1900s

according to Amazon.com some of her titles are:

A Soul's Faring

At the Roots of the Grasses

and My Little Book of Life

Unfinished Projects

Lurking in the background somewhere

but not pressing enough on my consciousness,

lies myriads of unfinished projects

started in early times with enthusiasm

now gathering dust or hidden under piles

just like these strawberries I discovered.

It's time to dig them out or gather them

and use or complete them.

Let's see, first I'll make a list:

Number one-me, medications,

weight loss, exercise plan, etc.

Well, that was enough to make me need

to take a LOOONG nap until my

enthusiasm returns, if it ever does.

LOL! Think I'll just go make some strawberry shortcake.

That's simpler than working on me!

Article #101 Motherhood

Finding out that you are expecting your first child is unlike any other feeling in the world. The miracle of creating another life is exhilarating. Then come the months of trying to decide on a name. Family traditions sometimes take away that choice. I knew if my first child was a boy, he would be named after his father, grandfather and great grandfather, but if he were a girl I could choose her name. (Photo of the first of my four sons.)

Being pregnant was exciting but also challenging as I suffered from morning sickness during the first few months of my pregnancy. My normal diet was replaced with dry soda crackers and 7-up to drink. Gradually my queasiness subsided as my middle expanded. New clothes with room to grow were needed. My sewing skills learned in high school came in handy. How hard is it to make a smock or sack dress? By the time I was eight months along I was ready to give birth to this squirmy little one who never seemed to stop moving especially at night when I lay down to sleep. Longing for the day when my first child would arrive, I didn’t look forward to the delivery.

No one ever explains about the actual process of childbirth, just as in my day no one ever mentioned the other word that brings this about. What to expect? I had no idea although I had worried about it for the nine months of my pregnancy. When the reality of those increasingly stronger pains came, I found out that there was no way out of the experience but through it. Even though I wanted to run away, I was stuck in the delivery room. My doctor had discussed with me different types of anesthesia. Since I was not a “I’m going to do this birth all natural,” I had agreed to use “ether” commonly called “gas.” The options were few in those days.

Having some anesthesia helped me with the pain. I was somewhere else for a while. Soon the doctor wanted my help and consciousness in pushing out this new little creature. Muttering a few choice words that I didn’t know were in my vocabulary and with the help of forceps, my new baby was born. It was a “he” and alive though sleepy from the anesthesia I had taken to escape the painful reality of childbirth. I thought the most difficult part was over as I smiled at my first newborn.

Gearing up again

Time to reset GOALS, analyzing where

to put my best efforts. FAMILY calls

starting with my sweet patient HUBBY

then extending out to my SONS' families.

Slowly planning, and carefully proceeding

guided by the SPIRIT taking time to connect

with my ETERNAL FATHER and also family

beyond the veil waiting to REUNITE one day.

I am still gathering and discovering my UNKNOWN

ANCESTORS from long ago, not forgotten but

waiting to be formed into ETERNAL families

linked within sacred holy TEMPLE walls.

Two of my sons: Jeff and Daniel at my youngest son's graduation.

Also shown above Jeff and his wife Rachel's daughter Lorien.

Letting Go of Expectations

It's so difficult to control our universe.
Relationships can't be forced, but can only

be responded to and acted upon with love.

Misunderstandings come all too easily as

we each see our life through our own filters.

It's not easy to be judged by others when your

best efforts at sending value to them are seen

as criticism or felt to be insensitive demands.

Time to go back to the drawing board, apologize-

start over again with more sensitive introspection.

Time to Slow Down

Regroup, analyze, PLAN and restore me.
LOOK within, slowly analyze what it is
I want to FOCUS on, too much going on
in my life. I need to get back to BASICS.

Routines that BUILD and not wear me down:
Exercising, proper eating, filling my well-
spiritually, socially, and intellectually.
Remembering my focus or daily GOALS.

Becoming a better person and FRIEND
to others is high on my LIST including
especially my extended FAMILY who now
encompass a newborn to a trusted spouse.

It's easy to get OVERWHELMED by it all
unless you SLOW DOWN and PAUSE
What is most important NOW to do?
Self care then FAMILY followed by FRIENDS.

Stomach Flu

It's been some time since I've been sick.
How much we take for granted good health.
So last night, I resided close to the bathroom
and revisited my supper again and again.

Marveling to myself about this human body

that we ignore daily until it gets sick
or malfunctions, then we realize how much
ordinary days of no sicknesses are so good.

P.S. I've lost 4 pounds and no more barfing today.

Life's Lessons

I've been reading a new book that I ordered Failing Forward: Turning Mistakes into Stepping Stones for Success. Just the title says so much. I guess you could say I'm a self help junkie-always looking for new ideas to improve myself and my relationships with family and friends.

Being HUMAN we all make mistakes and FAIL at times. That's the nature of life it seems. But one day we will all GRADUATE from this life and be held, I believe, ACCOUNTABLE for our learning from experiences on earth. Thus looking at the graduation photo above, I'm reminded that we are all students of EARTH LIFE 101 and FAMILY 101 whether we are single, married or divorced we are part of a human family which gives us a learning environment and challenges to overcome. And as one of my blogging friends Linda reminds me we are also here to ENJOY LIFE. We can have great joy as well as tests along the way. Each day is a PROCESS not a DESTINATION.

Happy Birthday Gittan

One of my dearest friends since 1980,

we met as pen pals. She lives in Sweden

and I live in America. We felt an instant

bond when we finally met in person.

Throughout the many ensuring years,

she has been there to listen, to advise,

full of spiritual wisdom and great faith,

a true SISTER of mine in every sense.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TODAY dear GITTAN!

Windmills

After our trip to Texas where the landscape is dotted with windmills, I've been looking for a small decorative windmill for our front area. Shopped unsuccessfully all over Texas then found one online in Florida. It came in a box and hubby put it together in the garage, now it graces our patio area and really turns when the wind blows. It fits right in with my antique corner.

Article #100 Homemaking Skills

Gone are the days of the learning to cook, clean, mend and iron from your mother, to prepare you for marriage and homemaking. She is probably too busy working a full time job. In my youth, women were protesting for equal rights, pay and opportunities. Careers were the “in” thing. Most young women considered getting some specialized training usually secretarial or elementary teaching in case they didn’t get married or if something happened to their husband and they needed to work to support any dependent children. (Photo of me with suitcases-my high school graduation present.)

During high school, I attended homemaking classes and learned some basic skills which were helpful. My mom as a widow was working fulltime to support our family. She had no extra time or energy to teach me the basic skills I would need for marriage. We ate many meals out and our little trailer didn’t take much effort to clean. Our wash was done at the laundromat which was certainly a time saver. Mom did any cooking.

So it wasn’t until college days that I learned how to scrub and wax floors, clean bathrooms, and cook meals. I took turns with my roommates, cleaning or cooking and shopping for food or dishes. What an eye opener that was. Especially the budgeting part, we only had so much money that each person contributed for food for the week. Then we had to plan menus, purchase groceries and cook. I learned by doing and thankfully I had some roomies whose parents had taken the time to teach some practical skills to their growing daughters. All I remember from high school cooking classes was how to make cocoa or hot chocolate and perhaps cinnamon toast but my roomies knew how to make spaghetti, casseroles and other basic dishes. So dorm living brought me some practical necessary training in homemaking skills that would be needed after my marriage.

I started a recipe file and asked my grandmothers for recipes of their favorite dishes. Unfortunately, they had nothing written down but just put in a dab or this or that until it felt right. I remember watching my grandmother make homemade bread and became so frustrated because she didn’t measure anything. I was just about to undertake a life long occupation of homemaker which would require new skills not taught in college. Cooking, cleaning, ironing, budgeting, and more not to mention parenting, plus living with a spouse. (My Jr. High photo on the right.)

Temple Square

Last week we stayed in a hotel next to Temple Square in Salt Lake City. This is the Mormon temple Allen and I were married in and my favorite one. Built in 1893 it took 40 years to construct with its huge granite blocks carved from a nearby mountainside then hauled to the site by oxen and rail. Quite a history. We were married on the temple's 100th anniversary in 1993.

The grounds around the temple are magnificent especially in Springtime with flowers of every kind and color. I love to walk around the area-it's so peaceful and quiet.

LDS Church office building in the background.

View from the top of the nearby Joseph Smith building where we dined.

My favorite statue, couldn't be because I'm a mother of four sons-could it? I know the sculptor Dennis Smith who attended BYU when I did.