Chapel of Hope Stories

Dear Reader:

Yesterday was Father’s Day and the longest day of the year-the Summer Solstice! For the Lowcountry the predicted wash-out day was delayed, long enough, from the remnants of the tropical storm that hit Louisiana, to give everyone time to drag out the old grill!

The official first day of summer is also the day that at ” high noon” one’s shadow is the shortest that it will be all year. * Actually I didn’t try this since I feel I am shrinking quite nicely-with or without shadows -every day of the year!

Mid-summer Day, made famous by Shakespeare arrives later this week. Historically it marks the mid-point of the growing season, halfway between planting and harvest. Traditionally it has been celebrated by feasting, dancing, singing and magical potions of love! The latest sunsets of the year will occur several days after the solstice!

And apparently right on Solstice as experienced by Walsh, Mollie and family in New England!

Each summer I become a reader ” maniac ” -I start with all the new beach novels ( fertile time for authors) and then start exchanging books with other avid friend readers. Yesterday Anne and I are met at Five Loaves to exchange more books. There is no ordinance that a book exchange must center around food-but it certainly makes it more enjoyable!

And that brings me full circle on the importance of savoring and remembering fun or exciting events from each summer to share with your peers on the first day back at school in the form of stories.

It is the traditional ice-breaker activity that each teacher uses on the first day of school. Nothing is worse than listening to others tell about all these exciting vacations their family went on when your family didn’t go on one!

So by second grade I had ” wised ” up and was always ready to choose a funny true anecdote that took my peers’ minds off vacations since we spent several summers with Grandmother Wilson when mother was recuperating from her hand amputation.

The funniest story dealt with Ben and his ” fake” snake he had won at a carnival-it was made from color beads held together with a string. He put it on grandmother’s front porch and got me to scream ” snake”! Grandmother came running-shoo’ed us away -grabbed the hoe in the corner and promptly began chopping it up. With the string broken… all the parts began rolling off in different directions! Ben was screaming ” You killed my snake ” Grandmother!”

The kids would all laugh and no one thought to ask me about a summer vacation! The beginning of my love of storytelling !

So until tomorrow… stories unite us in ways nothing else can!

” Today is my favorite day” Winnie the Pooh

Sorry about yesterday! I was almost finished with the blog when it started jumping to the point I couldn’t finish it-the T- Mobile man said it might be the screen starting to go! Hoping not… but we will see what we will see! Those squirrelly computer gremlins are always up to something! Please excuse any errors today-exhausting day yesterday!

Dear Reader:

Yesterday I had such a craving for a tomato sandwich I had to jump in my car and head straight to the Coastal Produce stand.

Apparently I wasn’t alone in this desire… there was a long line to check out so I grabbed some cantaloupe too! Now my mouth was watering. A plain tomato sandwich is the perfect taste of summer in the Lowcountry!

*You noticed I had to add chips too… I wasn’t called ” The Potato Chip Kid” for no reason when we played cowboys in the summer! I still can’t eat a sandwich without chips to this day!

In the Lowcountry we get most of our tomatoes from the local islands … like John’s Island. South Carolina is still a major supplier to the rest of our country with its sea island tomatoes! Why?

Because they are so good… and so simple! Two slices of bread, sliced tomatoes, Dukes Mayo, a little salt and pepper! ( BLT’s are just for company) Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato)

Tomatoes were once considered aphrodisiacs when they arrived in Europe in the 16th century …to the point that the Christian Church deemed it lewd and disapproved of its consumption.

In the Lowcountry, because of our warm temperatures we have two tomato growing seasons-look at my neighbor Vickie’s tomato vines.

Tomatoes have been given many nicknames by different countries-” love apples” and yellow tomatoes ” apples of gold.”

Like we have ” The Three Sisters” we grow together in SC-learned from the Native-Americans-corn, beans, and squash-West-African cuisine consists of the ” holy trinity ” tomatoes, onions, and chili peppers.

In the Lowcountry today we sat” Tomayto” but in 1764 when Charleston merchant, Henry Laurens, first cultivated the plant, he spelled it phonetically, sending ” tomawtoes” to his Cooper River plantation-Mepkin.

But as for me …eating a plain tomato sandwich reminds me of simpler times and while we can’t physically time-travel back we can still taste and enjoy memories of the past simultaneously.

So until tomorrow… on this Father’s Day-a day filled with past memories…Try this taste-one that should remind you of everything good in the world!

” Today is my favorite day” Winnie the Pooh

Look at my moonflowers climbing…

Dear Reader!

Last Monday my StoryWorth question asked me what advice I would give my children now for raising theirs. I responded that most verbal advice goes in one ear and out the other when children are young. What children remember more are our actions and reactions.

Apparently visual dominates auditory when it comes to raising children and retention. They watch our every move-remembering how we responded to daily frustrations …up to life/death tragedies. They are taking it all in and putting it in their memory boxes.

But the one most important verbal advice I would give my grown children about handling life’s up’s and down’s would be ” Pick your battles.”

Children get so much verbal advice from all adults in their lives that soon they just shut it out like Charlie Brown.

I remember one particular on-going battle with Walsh when he got to middle school. He decided to start a new trend wearing his long shorts to school every single day… fall, winter, and spring. Of course his peers wanted to copy him but by winter some parents started balking.

Walsh attended the middle school where I taught and I did get a few comments snd looks from other teachers when the weather turned extra cold. My response was always the same… ” I pick my battles and this one I gave to Walsh. ”

As a middle school teacher I knew how important it was to be accepted during these crazy hormone elevator middle years.

I reasoned he wasn’t putting himself or others at serious risk ( ironically Walsh was my one child who rarely ever got sick or even had a cold) – he wore a jacket with his long shorts and we all survived middle school together.

And I will have to say he has carried this independent tolerance over to his own children and their expressions of individuality.

So until tomorrow…Keep a sense of humor when choosing battles-just think of ” No man’s Land” as No Mom’s Land! We need to reserve our energy for the war instead.

” Today is my favorite day” Winnie the Pooh

Yesterday was my favorite day… it was my oldest grandson, Rutledge’s 8th birthday! He spent it with the boys ( dad, brother, granddad) -camping out…climbing mountains! Way to go Rutledge!

Let’s hear it for the birds-leaving a petunia seed to grow with other pretties

Dear Reader:

I love this whimsical ” Creation” artwork by Diane Frankenberger – Honey wrote a note on this card and sent it to me.

I keep smiling every time I look at it. This Garden of Eden scene is filled with laughing children holding hands, animal creatures of every kind, a smiling sun and all kinds of pretty examples of flora and fauna.

Inscribed within the painting are the words CREATION -when the breath of God met the dust of the earth. And it was very good… In fact it was Great!

I think sadly, how perfect it was and how mankind has been searching and yearning for it ever since. And how man, mistakenly also confuses material wealth with having it all.

I read a story about a group of tourists who arrived in a tiny Thai fishing village. Within this group, a big businessman started asking questions to one young fisherman about their catch-the amount and time it took to catch the fish.

The young fisherman explained that they didn’t stay out long-just long enough to meet the daily needs of their families.

The business man asked what they did the rest of the time. ” We sleep late, fish a little, play with our children, take siestas with our wives. In the evenings we go into the village to see our friends, have a few drinks, play the guitar, and sing a few songs. We have a full life. ”

The business man stated that he had a MBA from Harvard and he could help the village fisherman be more successful! They needed to fish longer every day and sell the extra fish they catch, then with the extra revenue buy a bigger boat.

” And after that?” One of the fishermen asked.

” With the extra money the bigger boat brings in… add on more boats until there is a fleet of trawlers. By then you can leave this little village and move to Bangkok to open an enterprise. “

” How long would that take?” the fisherman asked. He was told about 20 years.

… ” And after that?”

” Afterwards? Well my friend that’s when you can make millions!”

” Millions? … and after that?”

” After that, you’ll be able to retire, live in a small village near the coast, sleep late, play with your children, catch a few fish, take a siesta with your wife, and spend your evenings socializing and enjoying your friends.”

” With all due respect sir, but that’s exactly what we are doing now. So what’s the point wasting two decades?”

So until tomorrow…We may already have enough of what we need. I know I do and now I just enjoy life.

” Today is my favorite day” Winnie the Pooh

I think Jake’s kindergarten recognition award says it all-he got the Extra Enthusiastic Award! I hope that trait continues with him the rest of his life. If so, I know he will have lived his life fully.

Winnie is so full of enthusiasm… if she had anymore for life-she would explode!

Dear Reader:

When I sent Libby her birthday card on June 3 -it had a coupon in it -good for a birthday lunch at Oscars and a sleep-over on the B& B side!

Yesterday was the day it came together. The only down part was that Brooke couldn’t join us -her husband Ted fell recently and she is needed at home until circumstances improve. Jackson is in New Jersey so by default that just left Libby and me.

But I told Libby to come on-these days if we wait until everyone is available-a lot of life would have passed us by… We just have to seize the moments with whomever is free and pray for that long-awaited day when all four of us will be reunited! We have been together over the best of times in our lives and we can never give up -just because we are going through tough times!

Winnie the Pooh sure didn’t with his best friends and that is why I always sign off with Winnie the Pooh declaring another favorite day!

When I found this friendship birthday card -I knew it was meant for all the Ya’s and the revolving roles we have all played over the years!

As time goes by, I count among my blessings the many different friends you’ve been to me-a friend to share fun times and laugh a little or just provide some quiet company…

A friend whose wisdom puts things in perspective, whose wit can spread a smile across my face… to me, your friendship’s more than just a blessing-so many times, it’s been my saving Grace!

It was on to Oscars with my favorite waiter, Mitch! He was so nice snd brought Libby the birthday ice cream crepe! And then he lit a birthday candle for that all-important birthday wish!

So until tomorrow…”Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; staying together is amazing!”

” Today is my favorite day” Winnie the Pooh

Dear Reader:

I think sometimes people immediately think of travel as a substitute for the word ” adventure ” … and feel like they didn’t accomplish much in life if they didn’t travel

and experience the world up close and personal.

Helen Keller couldn’t see or hear any part of the world, since she was blind and deaf, yet she authored the blog title quote today. ” Life is a Daring Adventure or Nothing.”

I have been blessed to have been able to travel to several other countries through historical foundation scholarships and other ” seize the moment” opportunities.

I never regretted any decision to travel. However I think Helen Keller defined ” adventure” differently. Adventure is stretching ourselves outward to embrace the passion within us… waiting to be seen and heard.

My greatest challenge and adventure began after my ” little c” diagnosis and the birth of my first grandchild. It was this blog.

While teaching…my passion for stories and storytelling was met in the classroom and later while traveling and storytelling at educational, civic, community and historical conferences and conventions.

After I retired there was still one passion left-writing. With encouragement from friends and family, instructions from my son-in-law ( ” Now what IS a blog?) my greatest adventure and challenges began. That was over a decade ago and I have never regretted that leap of faith.

So until tomorrow… Don’t ever think that it is too late for another adventure in your life… as long as there is a passion left inside you wanting to get out… there is one more adventure waiting patiently for you to start!

” Today is my favorite day” Winnie the Pooh

Mollie sent me these photos of the children embarking on the plane to their new adventure-summer vacation. Heading to NH to see Mollie’s family-not seen since Covid! Happy Days are Here Again!

Gardening is always an adventure… and delight!

Dear Reader:

In most schools in the Lowcountry it is count-down week to summer vacation! An oasis of happiness waits on students and teachers! An ending to one of the most challenging years of teaching and student learning… ever-a well-deserved respite!

Because schools were late opening, due to the pandemic, they are now late closing… usually Memorial Day signifies the educational ” cease-fire” to the academic school year in the South. It is bare footing season!

Feeling connected to each other is a basic human need-we all felt the absence of the physical presence of others during the past year and a half. Thank goodness for that new wonderful connection-vaccinations-for helping restore physical hugs and kisses again! Our physical, emotional, and psychological cravings for other human connections is embedded in us- a part of whom we are. We feel lost without these vital life connections!

John McCain once confided that the hardest part of being a POW was solitary confinement… ” The most important thing for survival is communication with someone, even if it’s only a wave or a wink, a tap on the wall, or to have a guy put his thumb up. It makes all the difference.”

Some might think the two types of people in the world are the glass half-full or half-empty folks but I disagree. Instead there are the people who believe we live in a world where random acts befall us and we are at their mercy and the people who believe in connections and patterns in life-I fall in the second category.

Sadly these two polarized views of life are as opposite as our country and the world today.

We have to remind ourselves daily that the human race is more similar ( down deep) than different. We all long for security, peace, well-being, and hope for a better tomorrow with the American Dream intact and alive for all our children, no matter the race, gender, status level, or heritage.

Scientists repeatedly assert that the universe IS connection. Everything is connecting to everything everywhere all the time. We are all the threads that comprise the web of life.

So until tomorrow…

” Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect! ” -Chief Seattle

” Today is my favorite day” Winnie the Pooh

I am drawn to the marsh where life lives in abundance-plant and animal life connecting and dependent on survival together -the marsh behind John and Mandy’s home.

Life imitating art through an unique connection…Anne’s potting shed sign!

Dear Reader:

I never cease to marvel at the creative endeavors and newly recognized entrepreneurs who have risen from the pandemic like a Phoenix from the ashes.

Many used the loss of jobs to do what they always wanted to do… follow their passion and are happier than before the pandemic for taking a leap of faith!

The stories I love the most are the people who found a need and decided to meet it head on… putting others’ needs before themselves…

Creativity is in full bloom these days -many times using mundane things around the house to put to good use and improve conditions.

I discovered a bin of old newspapers in my garage… and it took me back to my teaching days. WWI aviators who fought in open cockpits were always looking for a way to stay warm while flying in cold conditions-after trying several things … wadded newspapers won out!

When I came across this next creative solution to a problem, in a story, I had to smile.

” Dr. Williams is Upstairs”

A doctor who devoted his life to helping the underprivileged lived over a liquor store in a poor section of a large city. In front of the liquor store was a simple sign reading ” Dr. Williams is Upstairs.”

When he died they found no relatives and no money had been left for his burial. He never turned away any patient who couldn’t pay-which were most of his patients. Friends and former patients raised enough money to bury him but there was not enough left to mark his name on a headstone.

Then one creative soul came up with the solution. They took the sign from the front of the liquor store and nailed it to a post over his grave. It made a lovely epitaph:

Dr. Williams is Upstairs

So until tomorrow…Good works towards our fellow man will be around far longer than the time it took for the good deed to be done.

” Today is my favorite day” Winnie the Pooh

Remember my huge hibiscus bloom from yesterday-now look who joined it!

Dear Reader:

I love that my statue of St. Francis greets visitors to my garden! The perfect person to open up his arms to all who enter the sacred beauty of a well-loved sanctuary.

When I looked up the origin of the terms Salutations and greetings… the term salutation is first recorded in the English language as far back as the 1530’s.

The term greeting is an old English word ” gretan” meaning to come into contact with another human being. Because of this notion-the physical gestures of greetings emerged-mainly in the form of handshakes.

Of course when the pandemic hit-handshakes quickly disappeared and some cultural researchers aren’t sure the practice will ever return, at least in the same abundance as before.

The end of the handshake, if it happens, will end traditions seen in murals dating back to the ancient Assyrians. Even Homer alludes to the practice of handshaking in his Iliad and Odyssey.

However I thought the most interesting greeting was simply HELLO.

Ammon Shea, author of The First Telephone Book explains the origin of the greeting ” Hello” this way. He says that back in the 1830’s people used the term to attract attention. Example: ” Hello, what have we here?” Hello didn’t become ” hi” until the telephone arrived.

Thomas Edison and his rival competitor for the phone argued over the proper greeting etiquette for answering the phone.

Edison urged everyone who used his phone to say” hello” when answering. His rival, Alexander Graham Bell preferred ” ahoy. ” Bell used the nautical term for the rest of his life-but he was the only one.

By 1889 central telephone exchange operators became known as the ” Hello Girls.” ” Hello” became the permanent greeting. ( At least until Lily Tomlin became ” Ernestine” -the brash tough telephone operator with ” one ringy

dingy… two ringy dingy.”

So until tomorrow… Don’t greetings play such an important role in our lives? When I answer the phone to a friend or family member’s call.. ” Hello” means thanks for thinking of me and sharing time out from your life with me!

” Today is my favorite day” Winnie the Pooh

So Salutation and Greetings and just plain “Hello” -thanks readers for sharing precious time with me!

My garden greets you today with love and affection.

Dear Reader:

I am so proud of this sword fern – ( Boston Fern) is part of this family.

It is huge and still growing-it is in a location where it gets filtered light and in a high humidity climate that keeps the soil moist… two pre- requisites for healthy growth.

I think my love for ferns parallels my passion for history. After all ferns existed 100 million years before dinosaurs roamed the earth.

Ferns grew before flowering plants existed. Today there are thousands of species … ranging in height from just a few inches to tree size structures.

Sword ferns loved moist wooded shady areas… so it should have been no surprise when a hanging fern pot fell and cracked… the fern, not only continued to live but thrived in that environment.

Ferns symbolize on-going life , hope, and new beginnings.

Magical folk tales sprang up about the fern due to the ” invisible seeds” within it. In reality it is spores mixed with sun and photosynthesis turning them into gametes that move into the fern to reside.

It was thought ( in the Middle Ages) that a fern would flower and produce one magical seed on Mid-Summer’s Day. If you were lucky enough to find it…you could understand the language of birds, find buried treasure, and have the strength of 40 men.

So until tomorrow… just think how young the human race is in comparison to ferns ( separated by millions of years) yet today we love and care for them as part of our surrounding beauty of life.

” Today is my favorite day” Winnie the Pooh

Look at my hibiscus on my other bush-as big as a basketball!

A summer storm is brewing-signing off!