BACK IN SALEM

On July 27th I packed up everything and headed south to Salem. Uneventful trip, beautiful drive. Everything working fine. Arrived at Salem Village Mobile Home Park mid-afternoon and went to see Carol and the kids. It really felt like arriving home.

I spent the next week getting settled back in. Post Office, Banks, etc etc.

Boring.

But very nice to be greeted and welcomed by name. Salem really is home.

Then the weekend was here and I had visitors !

Remember Karen Alley? The incredible young hammered dulcimer player from State College? Well, she and her Mom stopped for a night in Salem on their way to a dulcimer workshop in NC. We had a wonderful talk and dinner at my favorite Salem hangout - Mac and Bob's. Just as I was telling them the story of the place, Bob Rotanz, the owner, came by the table and said, "I thought you ran away from home." I told him it seemed that I was an intrepid "world traveler" - for about 90 days. Then I got so homesick for Salem that it was pitiful.

And that was BEFORE Carol and the kids came into my life.

After dinner, we came back to the Airstream and jammed for a while. Karen had just had four wisdom teeth removed and wasn't completely up to speed. It was hard to tell from her playing. It was fantastic. She just didn't play as long as I would have liked. But, then, I would have happily listened to her for the entire weekend, so I may not be a good judge of her stamina.




I loved accompanying her, but several times I stopped, just to listen.

Although this next video was made later at the dulcimer festival, she played it at my place, too.



I've stayed in touch with her Mom via email.

She just finished reading Tinkerbell Jerusalem and said,

"I finally finished Tinkerbell Jerusalem - she hit on the head so many things about the way I try to live my life. There is just so much around that can be enjoyed if people would only open their eyes. I remember one time in Madison WI, I was cutting through the State Capitol on my way back to work. Madison does really wonderful things with their grounds around the building and this was fall, so there were lots of colorful orange and yellow marigolds (or maybe mums, but that color). On this particular day, a monarch migration was passing through and there was a butterfly on virtually every flower - hundreds of them. I wanted to jump up and down and grab
every passer-by and make them notice. It was so exciting - and sort of depressing watching the number of people (it was a very busy time) who walked by and never even looked.

I have always believed if the only thing we passed on to our children was an active sense of wonder, they wouldn't need much more."


Thanks, daily, for a gracious God Who provides such wonders as butterflies, music, and people like Karen Alley - who appear at just the right time and place, dragging a funny shaped red case on a luggage cart to bring wondrous Joy into our lives.

And "Thank You" to Bonnie Kelley Kaback for writing "Tinkerbell Jerusalem" and being such a good friend.

Life is Good.

LAST DAYS IN STATE COLLEGE - FOR NOW

It's going to be hard to leave Casey, Sarah and Ben. I've had a wonderful two months, seeing them every day. Providing some baby sitting, lots of transportation and having a great time playing, reading, walking to the parks, picking -and eating - blackberries.

Before I left, we had another great day, this time at Greenwood Furnace State Park.

Wow, what memories - it was where I went with friends 40+ years ago when I was at PSU.

As beautiful as I remembered.






Even though it was a hazy day, the sun was warm, the water was chilly and we were all kids again, for a little while.




On one of the last days was there, it actually rained and I had to go to town in the truck instead of riding the Honda. Tom took advantage of working from home and went out with the kids to play in the rain.







When I rode "up the mountain" to Seven Mountains Campground, a double rainbow greeted me at the top of the mountain. The second one is very faint - to the right of the primary one.




And it was still there when I got to the the Airstream. This picture is taken from my "living room".




What a great end for a wonderful visit.

Life is Good.