An invitation...

Won't you join me in Fort Wayne today for the annual Johnny Appleseed festival. Yes, Johnny Appleseed was buried in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and we "festival" around his gravesite for two days. There will be bagpipers and fife and drum....apple cider,apple pie, apple dumplings (the line is usually an hour long for that one!!)..there will be rows of authentic crafters...blacksmiths, broommakers, hand thrown pottery..and of course I will be there telling stories.

So, if you want to enjoy this gorgeous autumn week end in Indiana, head on out to the fair...but make sure you stop and say hello as we pass by.

The litte person arrives....

No sooner than I jump off my soapbox (you know well the one) then the phone rings. It is my son, Aaron, who tells me his wife, Karen, has just gone ito labor. I actually had to sit and contemplate this for a few moments. Oh, I knew they were having a baby...that is all we talked about, and of course, it was physicallyt obvious...but the realization that a new little person was coming into this world and that a part of you will be a part of him is quite awe inspiring. The words grandma or grannie or grandmama really don't seem to do it for me...but whatever word I choose, it all means the same.

I was able to be with Karen the whole time...holding her hand, stroking her hair, wiping her forehead with a cool cloth. I have never witnessed a live birth, it was so amazing...I just feel honored to have been included.

Jonah was born at 3:16 this morning..with lots of dark hair and the Saylor chin. He weighs 7 pounds, one ounce and is 20 inches long.

His eyes opened up and looked directly into mine, I think he is already asking for stories.

Mama and baby are well, Daddy Aaron had a rough go of it, but pulled through just fine.

Today is a beautiful day in Indiana..the sky is azure blue with a wonderful breeze..the leaves have started to change from summer to Autumn. Everything changes. Today I am a grandmother. Welcome Jonah!

OK, while I'm still on the box....

I just can't help myself...it seems to be this kind of week. I don't shop at Walmart. Period. And it is difficult. I live in a small town, and so many of the mama/papa businesses have gone out of business since we have had our super walmart. Shall I name a few? Our local hardware (they could fix anything, or at least tell me how to fix it!!!)....our family run film store, our bakery where I have purchased every wedding cake, party cake,rehearsal dinner cake (no one in this world baked like they did)...but they have been run out of town (Walmart has cakes, you know, big, cheap cakes)..a shoe store, the local butcher (you actually asked for your meat over the counter and he/she packaged it up in white paper!)

OK, I can't tell you not to shop a Walmart...truth be told, it is a hard decision..sometimes I wish I had never started this. I mean in my town there is no where else to buy a plunger along with spinach. But I chose it, and I will stick to it. So, my reasons..go on-line..you will find a vast array of information (I have recently filled a notebook, am I on a roll or what???)

So you just can't give it up? Here are a few ideas then, a compromise, if you will: Tell Walmart employees you support their rights to form a union (yes, you can do this while they bag your oranges)...check the labels to see where the items have been manufactured and then ask to see the manager...ask him/her if the item was manufactured in a sweat shop (if they aren't too busy filling the popcorn machine, you might get an answer)..shop other stores, especially the mama/papa businesses.

OK. Enough already. I'm going to bed.

On my soapbox...

Last night at midnight the ban on assault weapons was lifted. The news was full of the issues and stories this past week, but it was too late. There were many of us who have been lobbying this issue for several months. These past two weeks I have made numerous calls to my Senator and Congressman and have been put on hold more times than I care to think about to GWB (I never did get past the operator at the White House). I have to thank Jennifer from Chicago for all of her work. And to the statement from Sara Brady, the ban will be back in time, but how many deaths will occur before then?

I have read reports that stores are ready and were opening early this morning to sell assault weapons.

But on a lighter note, Congress did ban the super soaker squirt gun after 4 children were injured. So take heart, America, our children will not be injured with the squirt guns while on their way to school, and what's a little Uzi or AK47??

Community Pot Luck

Today is our community pot luck in my neighborhood in Northern Indiana. When I first visited Ocracoke two and a half years ago...I loved their sense of community. Of course, I watched it from a distance, but I knew I would bundle up a bit of it to take home.


So this is the second annual pot luck. Well, it isn't quite like Ocracoke..I mean we sent flyers around to our friends in the neighborhood...and we all mowed and trimmed and weeded and picked bouquets of flowers. But the sense of belonging to the community is the same. I have a picket fence around my back yard with several small gates that I have opened up for carrying chairs and babies and tricyles and potato salad and apple pie.

We will meet and greet, share our food, share our stories and know that we are there for each other. I must add that I will be thinking of Philip on this day...in his own community..a thousand miles away from mine.