Another year has gone...since last we sang this song!

Wednesday evening we attended a 90th birthday celebration (turkey dinner) for Marlene Ennis. Here is Marlene and some of her many guests.
Chester Taylor, Rex Ennis, Janet Ennis, Linda Jackson and Kelly Ennis

Tom Brabant, Urch Slate, Harry Slate, Betty Paxton (Slate) and Frank Slate

Gwen Taylor, Bruce Taylor, Art Couch, Jerry Couch and Diane Brabant

June Augusbury and granddaughter Emily Rand........

Marlene with her family from left to right, daughter-in-law, Janet, son, Rex, daughter Lauren and granddaughter Kelly.

Once again Brenda Slate made the cake. Here she and Lauren prepare to cut into it.

Marlene with one of her caretakers...Kathaleen. Kathaleen was responsible for organizing and doing all the cooking!!!

Happy Birthday Marlene and many more!

Celebrate...celebrate

Oh my gosh.....19 years ago today, Salt and I were married....I was thin and he had hair!
It was so strange to go through the album and see how many of our friends who attended the wedding are either deceased, divorced or just grown up!

We will be celebrating at the home of Peter and Frances Rossmassler.
Betty and I went shopping all day yesterday....I desperately needed new clothes and we found some great sales at the Mall. Buying clothes at this time of the year works out well for me since I can wear them in Florida in winter.

Last night at Bunko we celebrated Elaine Brooks's birthday.


Kelly Ennis (front left) was visiting from North Carolina...

as was Pam (Brooks) Barton. Pam's daughter Lindsey was also at the party, but somehow I missed a picture of her. Will have to catch her at dinner tomorrow night!

Roots go down, leaves come up......

Roots go down, leaves come up

with a bit of care and a measure of luck

The trees of life will grow tall

The seed's inside of us all

Steve Schuch

Sometimes these really strange things happen to me that I don't quite understand but even though it is not my plan, turns out to be exactly what I need or where I should be. It always reminds me of the old adage "If you want to hear God laugh, tell Him YOUR plans".

I had decided to skip church this morning justifying the decision with the fact that I would be doing a meeting this evening and would get my spiritual "fix" from that. While I was sitting with my cup of fresh ground Starbucks and a great book, something just clicked in that I really should make the effort and get to church. I did, and as it turns out one of my favorite preachers was doing the service today. DL Marshall is not your typical preacher....he will tell you before he starts, "Fasten your seat belts"! I love his messages....I PAY ATTENTION!! DL does not pretend to be a perfect person and is rigorously honest about his past and how he came to where he is today. For me, at least, he puts me in a comfort zone where I feel although not being a perfect person, I am at least worthy of being in God's presence and working to better myself and learn how to better serve God.....basically more able to understand "The Purpose Driven Life".

Wow....don't know where all that came from other than I truly enjoyed the sermon this morning...thanks DL!

During "joys and concerns" Phil Marra recognized all the help at the dinner (Pig Roast) last night......

After the service, a tree was dedicated in honor of Doc and Phylis Schwartz. Doc and Phylis have been of service to the church for over 40 years. Doc spent many of these years as Church Treasurer.Dedication and prayer of thanks for Doc and Phylis.....

Another summer day has come and gone away.....

Since I have been so negligent in any type of exercise program, I decided to get serious and start taking some time to try and get somewhat fit before leaving for the winter. Instead of trying to be "wonder woman" the first day and ending up not being to move without pain for a week, I decided to start out with a simple walk.

I decided to walk up to one of my very favorite spots on the island. It is a small cemetery on the top of Lawrence Black Hill, where my good friend Frank Augusbury rests. June (his widow) keeps 4 Adirondack chairs in the cemetery and there is just something SO peaceful in sitting down and overlooking the river. It is incredibly serene.

This is the view from the cemetery....
A place of peace......

It seems as though I am always rushing to and from some event and sometimes I never really stop to enjoy the beauteous nature this island provides. I took my camera with me and snapped some pictures which are so simple but so beautiful.

Here is a pile of granite I have walked by for years and am not sure I every really saw it???? Unfortunately the picture didn't pick up the sparkle provided when the sun shone on it.

Fields of weeds to some, are bouquets to my eye.....

I never tire of this view or cease to appreciate the privilege of living on the river!

and at the end of the walk here is my pet deer who insists on visiting every morning and evening....with her twin fawns! The babies scampered away before I could snap the picture.

Last night was the annual "Pig Roast" held at Dodge Memorial Center....another great meal and record turnout.

Doreen Meeks sells raffle tickets...Emma won the wooden puzzle she wanted! Yea Emma!!!

and here are the servers....Brenda Slate, Karen Lashomb, Erma Slate and Yovonne Marra....if there is work to be done, these are the girls that will show up!! I told Brenda I never saw anyone so happy to work all day and then come right back for another night shift! Thanks girls for all you do to make our island such a wonderful place to call our home.

Salt and I joined Tom and Diane Brabant at the dinner table. Tom and Salt work together on many of the island projects.

Doreen made sure all the kids were provided with "goodie bags". Here Emma and a friend enjoy the contents.

And special thanks to the cooks....Rus Beckwith is in the middle, the head chef. On the right is Steve Coolie and unfortunately I did not get the name of the gentleman on the left.....sorry.

The dance was just starting as Salt and I left for the evening. I did manage however, to grab a quick picture of Emma and her friends doing the "Chicken Dance". Her dance partner is none other than Jeff Marra. Jeff is a part of the new generation who are starting to take over many of the island responsibilities. The island will continue to be a great community with the likes of Jeff. He is one of the island's favorite "sons" and we are grateful to have his talent, energy and sense of commitment! Thanks for all you do Jeff!!

It's a hard knock life for us.....

We just returned from one of the best parties of the season.....I have not laughed as much....well, wait a minute I laughed a lot last weekend when the kids were here but definitely not as much at a party as we did this one.

Our hostess Elaine Brooks, is so clever when it comes to theme parties. This one was a Depression/Recession party. I dressed up as one of the orphans in the Annie movie....rag curls, patched housecoat, two different colored socs, sneakers with duct tape holding on the sole. I carried my little mop pail and went in singing "It's a hard knock life"! Salt said it certainly depressed him! I won first prize for best costume for the women and my friend Ken Deedy won for the men. Ken went as a Sheik...claiming he was the reason we were all poor.

The orphan.....

Ken the Sheik.....

Me and the Sheik....

Elaine served the "Blue Plate Special" which consisted of tuna/noodle casserole, green beans, fresh fruit, salad and garlic bread.

Hanging from the ceiling were all kinds of articles from the Wall Street Journal....all gloom and doom of course. Failing banks, high food prices, mortgage foreclosures, etc. One of the games was a quiz on the articles. We also played "pin the tail on the bear". Art Couch took first prize....a stuffed bear! Black crepe paper draped from the ceiling.

Jim Adamson about to be blindfolded.....he might be able to find the space station but sure as heck couldn't find where to put that Bear's tail!!!

Art Couch hugging his prize bear......


Doc Schwrtz and me

Doc Schwartz, me and Fred Jackson ....Doc is wearing his tin cup, hoping to take a collection for a haircut!! Nice hair Fred.....hopefully Doc will collect enought for a haircut for you also!!

Call out the preacher...he's the only one who can reach her..

So today I asked Emma if she wanted to ride to the mailbox with me. She said she would if she could drive the 4 wheeler by herself....as she can now shift! It was such a beautiful day after we dropped off the mail we took a little tool around the island. I asked her if she had ever been to the little cemetery where Frank was buried....she said she had not, so I took her up to the top of Lawrence Black Hill where the grave is. She got there and bowed her head and said "Grandma make sure you say a prayer....God likes it when you pray but he gets (she now spells) p i s t when you don't. I said "Emma, what does p i s t spell?"" She says "sound it out Grandma"...I said I sounded it out and it sounds like pissed.... which you should not being saying and you spelled it wrong." "Well", says Emma, I'm not a very good speller but I know God gets that way and that's when he sends tornadoes!!"

I think she and her cousin Asa have been going to the same religion classes....he also says the funniest things about God and Jesus. I don't quite know how their little minds work but they both think WAY out of the box!

Wild and windblown....that's how you've grown

I awoke this morning to yet another wicked thunderstorm. Just for the heck of it logged onto the blog and went back to last September when we started our trek across the country. I think that may have been a HUGE mistake. I am really getting the urge to get back in the motor home and start traveling. Unfortunately, Salt has more work to complete and I have a mess of appointments. I do believe however, that by the 12Th of September when we leave for Plattsburg and Liz Bacci's wedding, we will be race ready to keep going.

I have finally retired my poor old camera with the burned out pixels and thoroughly read the directions for the new SONY. Betty and I had so much fun playing with it yesterday. Get this....it even has a feature on it where you can take someone who is not smiling and put a smile on their face. Crazy huh?

Coffee, this morning, was held at the home of June Augusbury. There were so many in attendance, we had to take the picture in to two groups. June's granddaughter Emily Rand who is spending some time with her grandmother before returning to school in London, was a huge help and a perfect hostess. Unfortunately I didn't get a picture of Emily...hopefully I can snap one before she leaves the island!

All gave some....some gave all

Many people are not aware that there is a Civil War cemetery on the island. One of my close friends, Matt Shelnutt, volunteered to clean it up and make it presentable this summer. Manley Rusho has been taking care of it over the years, but with Mary Lou being ill, Matt stepped in to help Manley out.

I took a ride down this evening and was very impressed with the job Matt did. I think it is such a tribute that these men are still being remembered,if only in a small way, for the sacrifice they made all those years ago.


a grave marked only with a piece of granite and a cross......

this stone is still standing.....1861

Thanks Matt....well done!

Yo Ho, Yo Ho a pirate's life for me......

Today was a big day for the children on the island. Urch and Harry Slate came up with the idea of putting a playground back on the schoolhouse lawn. Urch started a fund raiser in memory of Frank Augusbury and in no time had raised enough to purchase a "pirate ship".

JR Rusho volunteered his barge for transportation across the river.....

It arrived at the schoolhouse amidst the shouts of joy from the kids....

After finding the perfect spot for it.....

The parts and pieces were assembled......

and the kids were turned loose .........They were all very excited about appearing on the local 6:00 news. I went up to Betty's to watch it with Emma....she was ecstatic as she appeared 3 times!!!

And I couldn't resist adding this picture of one of my favorite little girls.....Her name is none other than "Kitty" Par Brown (held by her mother Elsbeth) What a charmer!!!

Look at that impish little smile.....I am sure she can live up to the name!!!

Where you can be a tourist, a beach bum or a star....and be as you are

Last night was Bunko with the girls....since all of my company was gone and the "motel " is closed for the season, I took the opportunity to join in.

Here comes the Judge....Here comes the Judge!

Lynn Taylor (California) visiting for the summer, directs the picture taking. When the Judge speaks, people listen....but probably not on Grindstone!!

as exhibited by Sue Smith as she clowns for the camera. Sue was one of the prize winners and shows off her bag of fresh string beans. Now you may not think that is such a great prize, however......

if you received a chicken that lays bublegum eggs, as Jerri Couch did, you may prefer the beans!!

Ride my jet skis....lounge under the shade trees

I keep finding pictures from the weekend which I missed on the last blog entry. I know Sarah will want to have her jet ski experience documented! She also started driving the 4 wheeler by herself this year....for some reason Grandma wasn't there with the camera....I can't imagine that!