Coming back

Dear Les,

Other son of LVD I, although you eschew the New York Times as the conservative you are, I thought this Op-Ed article in their Week in Review section was worthy of our brotherly friendship. I awoke to this fine regularly read newspaper at my side. Dee put it there before she trekked to church way before service - she's starting her church vacation today and just wanted to make a quick delivery of flowers for the altar. Thus began my Fathers Day on a great note.

enlarge to read

Our Dad in 1933, before neither you nor I, nor WW II was on his mind.

Happy Fathers Day, Dad,

bones reposing at Arlington,

and thanks!

From Rocks to Raccoons

MUSHROOM, LOON, RACCOON & etc. artist, the lamentably late Joan Beringer Pripps, pictured below, painted these true Rocky Raccoon rocks for sale in her cottage shop near Springstead WI called THE STUDIO IN THE WOODS. They date from the 50s or 60s and have been in the proud possession of friend of the SRN and Pripps collector David James, Tucson AZ ever since.

David sent a polaroid of the rocks to us today, herewith presented. Note the tails curled at their sides.

Reference: http://raccoonnews.blogspot.com/2010/05/morels-again-at-waukesha-farmers-market.html

Rocky Raccoon link: http://www.mefeedia.com/entry/rocky-raccoon-rides-into-santa-monica/3624815

Heart arborists go all out

Picnic 2010

On 6-14-10, we had pleasant duty covering the annual picnic of the First Congregational UCC church, held this year at the country home of Bill and Cleo and Bill Glasenapp near Dousman WI.

The doings began at 11 AM in place of Sunday church worship and continued until late afternoon. An on-site service held before a hay bale altar was conducted with inspiration and verve by interim minister Rev. Deborah Howland.

Then the frolicking ensued. It ended in late afternoon when around 100 attendees pointed their cars down the picturesque drive and sought their respective homes. Most returned to far less idyllic dwelling places after basking in the wide open grassy spaces of the Glasenapp “ranchette” so graciously shared.

The guests, members and friends of the church had it easy compared to Bill and Cleo, who were for many days in the preparation for this gathering on their grounds, and, we dare say, also long in the dismantling. Removal of outdoor bathroom facilities, drying out and deconstruction of the massive tent canopy, and many other duties were before them.

They did it willingly, for it was a gift they could share with loved ones: sitters upon folding lawn chairs, but many of whom had taken on preliminary tasks in the preparation, and some did in the breakdown.

The sun seemed to keep prospective rain at bay until after the picnic, for which all were grateful. A lot of prep work and high hopes were vindicated.

The sun is probably still at work straightening the bent grass of their joyfully -trod grounds. The timely rainfall the next day seemed a coda of blessing for Bill and Cleo. Their children, grandchildren, dogs and horses, even the tested big tree limbs swung from by rambunctious rope-climbing youth must have breathed sighs of contentment.



Pictured below are Cleo and Bill:

Rev. Howland led worship with verve and inspiration

Geri and Dee present 'God Is Still Speaking' caps honoring SS teachers and their assistants

Kathy and Mary

Music for singing

Bill rigs Pinata rope from tree midst high anticipation

Redding twin (Morgan or Thomas) and Tod, roping

............

Footnote: Old picnic goers will remember this 1955 film:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNxtxfuZD6M

Historic stained glass window now hangs in historic Putney building downtown

People have asked

just where do we live downtown.

Now with the air conditioner in, we have hung the Resthaven stained glass window

in the center window of our living room.

All they have to do now is look up to the top floor (3rd) and examine the row of windows running from left to right. We are the three windows farthest right, and the window pinpoints our location.

An auspicious day it has been. Not only do we have the window up but the management company planted the flowers in the courtyard. All just in time for our first guests Friday, the Helts of Hogsback Road, Hubertus.

The Yibawean umbrella

Dee can be seen sometimes

carrying her umbrella, since she now lives in historic downtown Waukesha. She works her two jobs both within walking distance of our old Odd Fellows high-ceilinged apartment in the Putney Building. Today she left after lunch carrying the umbrella. Rain was threatening.

The official YIBAWEAN SOCIETY umbrella has a handle we carved from a sapling root ball found at the Schlitz Audubon nature preserve in Bayside WI. The shattered small tree was washing in the water and was salvaged.

We ground off the root ends and shaped it into what became an umbrella handle. It also serves as a direction finder. There is a small compass sunk into the cranium. And as protection, if Dee finds herself in a situation she cannot talk her way out of. A shillelagh. She would do a lot of friendly talking first, for the umbrella is formidable.

Readers wondering about the Yibawean Society can search the raccoon news under YIBAWE. YIBAWE is still our car plate number. The Society was founded in 1987. It's an already well-covered uncovered story.

I'd like to speak to the person in charge, please.....

Sometimes we just want to say, Thank you, Jesus......

Is this one of those times?

Certainly we thank those 'In Charge'.

We have the air conditioner promised;

it kept the loft bowling alley simulation

at 72 and 30% humidity in front

and back by the pins very tolerable

and much appreciated

through-out the night.

Somebody.........

Carrier, Berg Management (?)

put it all together

for us!