Where in the world is Susan?

I'll bet someone back east is going, "Now why don't (s)he write?"  (from Dances with Wolves when Timmons sees the skeleton alongside the wagon trail)


Where the heck have I been? Well, friends, I've been busier than a one-armed paperhanger with the itch. That last post nearly did me in with editing and rewrites...I felt as if I were writing the Great American Novel. Then there was a guest for a couple of days, so there was the cleaning and cooking in preparation for that.

Mark, David, Rene', and Pam...cowpokes extraordinaire!

My guest was hubby's cousin Rene', who is a year older than I am. She and David and her sister Pam, and brother Mark were really close when they were growing up. David was like their big brother. We hadn't really talked in years and, honestly, she and I didn't know a thing about each other except what we knew from other family members. And a lot of what we knew was incorrect.

We found out we had a ton of things in common, and we talked and laughed nonstop the first afternoon and evening for about ten hours! As soon as Rene' came downstairs the next morning, the first words that popped out of her mouth were, "Where did we leave off?"  So, we talked for another four or five hours until she had to leave for home. Thankfully, she and her husband only live a couple of hours away and we're planning on many more visits.

Lunchtime with the Cubbies

As soon as Rene' left, I plunged into Cub Scout Day Camp, helping herd vast numbers (well, it seemed like it) of six, seven, and eight-year-old boys through the rigors of such activities as cornhole games, whiffle ball, BB and bow and arrow target shooting, obstacle courses, craft-making, baking oatmeal cookies in an aluminum-foil-lined box in the sun (it really works!), etc. I only participated for two of the four days, but it felt like ten! Poor Nathan was so exhausted from traipsing around camp in the summer sun from 8:30 until 3:30 for three days that he missed the last day. I knew exactly how he felt. Of course, there's always cleanup duty, so today I went back to help load the enormous amount of gear and supplies that it takes to run such an event. I never knew you could get that much stuff into one van!

Nathan at lunch

Gaige shooting the bow and racing to the finish in the foam boat regatta.

While I was there, Michelle (the Cubmaster) convinced me to take on the task of being the Trail's End popcorn sales coordinator for next year. I'm sure you've all been accosted at some point in your life by a cherub-faced Cubbie asking you to buy some popcorn. It is the only Cub Scout fund-raising event for the entire year. It is a worthwhile cause, and it helps make a lot of little boys happy by paying for such things as day camps and overnight camps and field trips, awards and patches for their achievements.

Then there is the gardening which is now becoming very time-consuming, as it usually is this time of year. The weeds are sprouting and growing like crazy, and we're starting to harvest a few things. I've pulled up all my garlic and got quite a bit for such a small space. I'm drying it for a few days before I braid it together for storage. There is nothing like garlic that you grow yourself. Today I also harvested turnips, onions, a few beans and peas and some herbs. I'm going to have a LOT of green beans to pick on Monday. A few days ago, I finally got tired of fighting the cabbage worms and picked my cabbages, even though they weren't yet full size. Better small than not at all, I suppose. 

 I used to think those little cabbage white butterflies were so pretty...not any more! Now they're my sworn enemies!!!

Along with the activities listed, I managed to squeeze in an overnight with a couple of grandkids, and several hours here and there of watching the other ones.

My writing and photography brain just isn't up to speed when I'm extra busy, and something has to suffer, so in this case it was my blog. I've also neglected a few of you and have not left comments as often as I would like, and I am sorry for that. But now that things are mostly back to normal, hopefully I will think of something interesting to write about in the coming weeks and be back to visiting all my friends and exchanging witty repartee with each and every one of you.  

It's official....

....Gaige and Nathan are now Cub Scouts.

We missed the first two meetings, so the night they joined we got a lot of Scout stuff thrust upon us. Every year the Boy Scouts of America sells Trail's End popcorn. It is the only fund-raising event for Scouts, much like Girl Scouts sell cookies. When our boys were in Scouts umpteen years ago, and David was a Scout Leader and I was a Den Mother, the popcorn sales were pretty simple. There was one choice, the kind you put in a pan with oil and popped on the old range. It was really good popcorn...think Orville Redenbacher good. Now, of course, there is microwave popcorn and gift tins filled with popcorn goodies. One really nice feature in the sales, for people who don't care for popcorn but who still want to make a contribution and also help our men and women in the armed services, is the Military Donation program that sends gift tins to our troops.

The other thing that was an immediate rush-to-get-done item was the fall campout happening on Saturday! Four days hence! We decided that the boys would just go for the afternoon and evening, but not spend the night. They were fine with that plan. I think they were a little apprehensive about staying in a tent away from home. And that was really fine with Poppy, because he wasn't relishing spending the night in a tent either.

It had rained the night before and Saturday morning, too, so we weren't sure they were even going, even though there was a "no cancellation, if rain" policy in effect. Luckily, just about the time to leave for the camp, the sun came out and it turned out to be a lovely afternoon.

The guys need to work on their salutes/signs...I'm not sure which one they were going for here, but both of them need work. Gaige seems to have the Scout sign confused with the "peace" sign. Two fingers together, Gaige, and not quite so high in the sky. And, Nathan, the salute is at the right front of your cap brim. Nathan is a Tiger Cub and Gaige is a Wolf Cub.

 

Nathan and another Tiger Cub checking out a daddy long-legs.

Fishing was the highlight of the day. Poppy said they learned to cast fairly well for first-timers.

Nathan even caught a good-sized bluegill, but Poppy insisted on throwing it back. Nathan was not. too. threw a screaming, crying fit happy. about this turn of events, and that is the reason he is not in the picture.

Gaige got to help cut up peppers for the chili cooking in the Dutch oven.

Nathan cut up apples for a tinfoil dessert that was cooked on the fire.

Sung at the end of Scout meetings.....Taps

"Day is done.

Gone the sun

From the lake,

From the hills,

From the sky.

All is well,

Safely rest.

God is nigh."