We had our church picnic today. They said it was going to rain....and they were wrong!! It was so beautiful and there was sooooo much food, what a variety. We have members of Korean and Chinese heritage and some of the ethnic dishes they bring are culinary delights or in the words of a born and raised 'Seattlite' - Yummie!!
The 'Martha's' were making trips back and forth between the church kitchen and the covered playshed, out back behind the church school, where the tables and chairs were set up, placing bowls of pasta salad, potato salad, molded salad, casseroles, fruit, veggies, breads, chips, salmon dip on the serving table. The 'Men of Smoke' were manning the four barbecues loaded with Bratwurst, hamburgers and hotdogs. There were separate tables with every kind of salad imaginable and homemade desserts to satisfy any sweet tooth.
This is one event where you can be at the very end of the food line and not be concerned worry about whether there will be anything left by the time you get there.
Activities for the kids, or anyone else wanting to participate, were three legged sack races, water balloon toss, horseshoes just to name a few. Prizes for the kids. Of course Pastor K. and horseshoes, what can I say....he saw, he played, he conquered! (his words) There's always next year guys.
Then there's the tractor with the little pull cart behind used to transport the 'old' folding chairs from the storage portable and the tables from the church hall, if it weren't a 'church' picnic I think the guys would fight over who gets to drive it - it's a guy thing! Going between the library and the portable the poor Cedar hedge was shedding all over the walkway it was run over so many times. I suggested installing a rotary trimmer blade on the left side of the tractor or cart, that would be manually controlled, and would trim the hedge as they drove by it. Wasn't taken seriously, something about kids and fingers?
There was a little bird meandering here and there grazing on the dropped chips, crackers, casserole, dessert, vegies, hamburger bits and other refuse. Didn't seem at all disturbed by the noise, kids running around and adults circulating. One of the members said it had a nest nearby. That's what happens when you nest by a children's playground, you can become oblivious to the noise and constant movement. It was fun watching it (male, female?) circulate on it's quest for food and I couldn't help but think how trusting it had become.
If you have read some of my former Blogs you're aware of the mural I'm painting at work. The start of school is getting closer and I want it finished soon, so Saturday I went in at 7:30 a.m. and painted until 6:45 that evening. I had such a good time, just an idea to start and then as the painting progressed more and more ideas came. I have the same experience when I write poetry.
Some of the ideas were: In the field across from the farm the farmer is on his tractor disking the soil with his black and white dog running alongside, cows added to the field, kids waiting at the bus stop, a plane flying a banner saying "McCartyville Centennial August 2105, Flagger, traffic cones, construction site with a large earth mover, crane unloading pipes onto a pile of pipes, engineers with plans and one with a tripod, a dump truck loaded with earth, two workers, with their shovels, looking down into the hugh trench, a worker with a jackhanmmer breakng up the asphalt (pieces of asphalt down in the hole with the center striping on them). All of them are wearing orange safety jackets with a yellow stripe and yellow hard hats with a red logo.
A housing development with houses of different colors, flagstone patio, outdoor lamps, flowers in window boxes, trees, shrubs, cottage stone walls, a train in the distance headed for the city. And signs - 10 MPH in the yard, 'Welcome To McCartyville, Population 975', Tischue Hwy., VonBargen Dr. in honor of our trainers, Fischer Pond "No Littering", Dicus Field (ball field), Wilson School - in honor of our Dispatchers, Detour, Garcia Construction (Asst. Director), a large sign saying 'Mechanicsville 28 miles' with the names of all our mechanics listed and as exit numbers I used the account code for bus parts The only vehicles on the road are a school bus going up the hill towards the farm and the one in front of the school unloading kids...after all, when the population is only 975 there aren't that many vehicles on the road. We like it that way.
The construction vehicles have the names of all the custodians on them; Rosso Earth Movers, Hersey Crane Co., the farm has another custodian's name - 'John Brown's Farm'. When I said I wasn't sure if I could get permission to paint the mural, he's the one who said "You just go ahead and paint that mural Carol, sometimes it's easier to get forgiveness than permission".
I still have a mansion to paint (brick of course) for our brave driver Michele Jones who has been fighting cancer for the past three years. It will have a wrought iron fence and large gate posts with Dragonflies on them (she loves them), a balustrade, rose trellises, A Weeping Willow tree, private drive, and a large stretch limo parked outside. Then the Schoolhouse with the bus in front unloading students, playground equipment; swings, teeter-totter and lots of kids, a ball field with bleachers and fencing, scoreboard and a sign reading "Game Tonight, 6 p.m., McCartyville Mentors vs Mechanicsville Oilers". The last scene will be a building labeled 'Service Center' with a directional sign listing all of the departments that are located there along with our Transportation Dept. Don't want to leave anyone out.
When my painting for the day was complete I opened the doors wide and sprayed it with Matt spray. I mixed a little water with some tacky glue and painted it on the white snow of the mountains and dusted over it with 'Diamond Dust' it glitters like real snow, no color, just reflections of light. I put a little on the pond water also.
My finale was to scrub the baseboards with 'Comet', sweep the floor of the entry, put the table and an arrangement in place, pour some potpourri (sp) in a tin to make it smell nice and then sweep up some dried leaves and plant debris away from the front doors. I lose track of time when I'm engrossed in painting or writing.
I hope your weekend was fun! To Aliea in NY...I know yours wasn't and I'm so sorry! It's hard to leave someone you love behind. Go ahead and hurt, feel unhappy - he's still there and he still loves you. Give your last year in art school the best of the best, jump into the design field head first and make a good name for yourself. I care about you!! If you'd like email Von and he'll forward your email to me. I'm wishing you well and you're in my prayers.
Later,
God Bless!
Carol
GOD’S WONDERFUL CREATION
By Carol Glitschka, 1/26/97
There’s a beauty found in nature,
That pacifies the soul,
No need for explanation,
In the thunderous ocean’s roll.
Hearts set free from burden,
With gulls, take flight in air,
Adrift on unseen currents,
They soar and circle there.
Feet unfettered tracking,
Through sand warmed by the sun.
Absorbing comfort with each step,
Or on the wet side run.
Breezes blowing hair and kites,
Dogs chasing shadows on the sands,
As people of all ages walk,
Laughing, talking, holding hands.
Lying in quiet isolation,
Contentedly gazing up to sky,
Identifying shapes and faces,
In cloud formations passing by.
Collecting treasures from the shore,
Rocks and shells and such,
Yes, there’s a beauty found in nature
That proclaims the Master’s touch.
