This and That

I have always been less than perfect when it comes to writing in a journal and it would seem that keeping my blog updated is also a challenge.  I guess the challenge is that, while I enjoy my life, it really isn't too thrilling or noteworthy.  Recently I was talking to Hannah about Individual Worth and how some of the things we do can lead us to value our individual worth a bit more.  I don't seem to apply that principle to myself very well and thus, the lack of noteworthy material to enhance my blog, but I am shortchanging myself.  I lead a quiet life, but I try to do the right things, help people, love my family.  Are these not all noteworthy endeavors?  I think so, but then I don't want to brag...hmm?  I think I better up my game and write about even the small things in my life because I believe someday, my posterity may find it interesting that ggggggggreat grandma was a nice person.

So, to begin I am going to share some pictures and thoughts from the past several months.  My last post, previous to the Pumpkin Patch, was about Melanie leaving on her mission.  Now, just 7 months later, she is home because of an illness she contracted in the Philippines.  To say I am happy to see her is an understatement...I am overjoyed but I am also a little sad.  I don't want her to be sick and I know she really wanted to stay and serve where she had been called.  Here are some pictures of her homecoming.

Right after Melanie came home, Ray and I went to a concert in Lodi, California.  We went to hear Cecilio and Kapono.  They are a soft rock/folk music duo from Hawaii.  I first heard them when I was a senior in high school some 30 years ago.  They are just as good now as they were then.  I am lucky Ray likes their music as much as I do and we have gone to see them several times.  On this trip, we got to see some of the countryside near Lodi.  I had no idea that there were so many wineries around there.  Here is a picture of Ray near one of the grape vines and a picture of us at the concert.  We had a great time!!

 

Here is a clip from the concert.  Cecilio and Kapono are kind of hard to see but you can get a taste of their music.