Please come in and grab a cuppa! I have several different brews of coffee and a couple of tea blends – a green Japanese sencha along with my ever-present cinnamon blend and a wonderful orange pekoe. If we were having coffee today, I would first tell you about the lovely family reunion I attended beginning early in last weekend and extending through part of the week..
The reunion was for my mother’s side of the family that originated from eastern KY, a part of Appalachia. The roots of my mom’s family began there in the years before the Revolutionary War and some of us still live there. This reunion was really in honor of my only remaining aunt who turned 90 a few days ago. A very vital, active 90. She’s amazing. When her daughter asked what she wanted for her birthday, she said she wanted to go home,,,,home being here in Kentucky. So they planned a trip and brought her home. I had not seen her in eight years, so I really enjoyed seeing her.
On Thursday night, we all had dinner together at one of the restaurants in the city in which she is staying. The closest large city to me. The whole family didn’t show up but a very good representation. It had been a long time since I’d seen most of them, so it was wonderful to catch up. Then, on Saturday, we all went ”up in the country” to where my grandfather’s beautiful farm used to be. I have a cousin who still lives there at the old homeplace. Some of us cooked a spur-of-the moment dinner but we did have the traditional green beans and cornbread plus more. Almost everyone was there although there are a handful of family members lost to us. At least, I feel they are lost to me, but I guess that happens in most families. I could only stay for a few hours, but it went very well and many in the family got to relax, talk and enjoy the day even though it was stormy. The house is in the picture below and you can see the big wraparound porch. We hung out there, and in the house, most of the day.
This is a picture of our old homeplace in eastern KY. It was built by my grandfather in 1901 and this is where he raised my mother’s family. This is also where we just had our family reunion. The house has been upgraded and restored. Our reunion here was a great success!
This was probably my 90 year old aunt’s last time to come back ”home.” She lives near her daughters in a wonderful retirement center in Scottsdale, Arizona. The cousin who lives in this house is also elderly at 84. Chances are slim that she’ll ever be able to host us again even with help as she has some ongoing illness issues. Sad for me, as this is where my roots are and it always feels like home.
Other than the reunion, Hubby and I have been busily preparing to have a new roof put on our home. What a big job! We have storm damage to the roof, as do most other people in my area. We may have to wait weeks and maybe months, but it has to be done before winter. Building materials, although dropping in price now, are still expensive so the estimates are coming in for the roof way on the high side.
I haven’t had much time for creative endeavors amidst the reunion and the roof on my home. I’ve only been able to do a little writing recently, most of here on this blog. I have read a few really good books and as we all know, reading is essential for a writer. I try to read many different genres and styles. My next project, which may have to wait until cooler weather, is a fantasy story for young adults that I am working on. It’s set in medieval England, but more about that when I dive back into it.
I’ve always been a political animal and I find myself very interested in not only American politics right now (which are a mess) but also into worldwide politics. The next two years will be a fascinating and scary time for American politics. I’m considering starting another blog where I would write only about politics, mostly opinion pieces but fact-checked to the max. What do you think?
We are probably not traveling this summer. We waned to travel some, in a limited area, in the US in our RV. But with high gas prices (at least high to us), we’ve decided not to. It would take $500 to put gas in the RV once!
We are having a very hot, and now humid, summer. Here are some photos of my flower garden to end our coffeeshare time.
I’d love to hear about your weekend!
For #weekendcoffeeshare
The Write Scribe 
Hi Rosemary,
I enjoyed your retelling of this family reunion with all the disconnects and age issues that they bring.
We find ourselves in much of the same spot. Disconnected to so many family members because we are so different, religiously, politically, and sometimes even morally. A month or so ago, one of my cousins died and frankly I wondered how he lived so long as he abused his body so badly. It triggered a small 6-member cousin reunion because there really was no ceremony to say goodbye or to even grieve with each other. So, we met at a restaurant. It was fun and cordial, even spirited with lots to laugh about, but it was also a reminder of why I, at least, tolerate being so distant from these people. I love them but prefer to do so mostly from afar.
Human drama – it just never ends.
To your question about starting a political blog, I would not want to do so myself and likely would not spend much time participating. I was furious at how corrupt our last presidential election was, how thoroughly manipulative our media has grown, how useless and politically driven our courts have proved to be and how willfully blind many of our peer voters have become – and everyone who writes about it has become so shrill and angry.
I don’t see a foothold for someone like me and fear that the country we use to have is now only a history that we may yet lose because learning from history has itself fallen out of favor.
So, while I used to enjoy staying current and getting involved to a limited degree, now politics only leaves me feeling like I need a bath if I spend any time with it.
I’ve retreated to my faith in regard to how this country will move through the 2020s and don’t really expect things to get any better. We have dropped from having the best version of a government of, by and for the people to just another 3rd world-quality mess.
Sorry, that was more ranting than you likely cared to read. I’ll stick with learning how to write a good entertaining story and try to be an influence for good wherever God gives me a voice. I would be tempted to read your new blog but fear finding that we don’t agree on whatever, which these days translates not to thoughtful discussion, but a quick cancellation of any form of friendship.
We’ve already lost so much to what passes for politics today, I have little appetite for losing any more.
Hopefully – still a friend,
Gary
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Gary, I’ve decided not tp burden myself with a political blog and instead, work on my book(s). U.S. politics has become way too upsetting and I have very firm beliefs. I don’t think your belief system even plays a part these days. IMO, we are in a fight for our very democracy and if the next two elections go the wrong way, we’re going to find ourselves in an autocracy. A democracy, once lost, is difficult to rebuild. Hopefully, the lessons history has taught us will help us guard against the Fascist element in our society.
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Hello Rosemary,
Your words are so true. Our democracy is at risk and I would argue is already seriously damaged. Respect for the rule of law may need a full generation to repair as the loudest among us are often the ones ignoring clear laws that have kept us free.
I’ve told my children that I regret the political mess we are leaving them with, but lacking both an honest media and a respected court system, I don’t see a way to change our course.
Lord I hate being so negative about it all, but there it is.
I do still wish blessings on us as a nation and you in particular.
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Starting a political blog is very brave of you. I guess expressing my thoughts on my Facebook feed was some sort of microblog expressing my thoughts, albeit it was only a couple of sentences. From there it morphed into a conversation full of misinformation and bizarre conspiracy theories. This was before 2016. I did not engage in the comment section of my own post, I thought it was best to let the people “have it.” Since then i have hardly posted anything.
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