Between the lake and the ranch we see many gates. The gates all go into ranches. Many gates are fancy and large and are made of stone. They might be thirty feet on both sides of the entrance and ten or fifteen feet high. Massive gates. Many gates are simple, with a metal gate that someone needs to get out of the car to open. The variety of the gates and the surrounds are quite remarkable. Often you cant see the house from the road so you cant tell if the gate is being pretentious.
In Texas, they have a saying about people. "He is all hat but no cattle". This is not a complement. They mean that the person looks the part of a cowboy and talks the line of a cowboy but really has no cattle at all. it is all for the show.
I always suspect that many of these fancy gates are all about show and that the ranch really is small. These folks bought a ranch and had a big gate to impress their city friends....maybe. It is my guess that the real ranches, the big ones, have those little bitty metal gates that were installed in 1936, while the big fancy ones are all for show. It does make the drive more interesting because the Texas gates are everywhere. They are part of the charm of Texas.
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
November 13, 2012. Harper, Texas. Marianne Casey.
Duty is an old fashioned word. For the past thirty years, right in front of our eyes, we have seen duty in action. Duty performed with love and kindness and cheerfulness. It was a wonder to behold. Marianne died last week at age 50 with her parents at her side.
Marianne was a younger sister of my friend Maureen, with whom I worked for 23 years. Marianne was diagnosed with MS at age 20 and when I met her she was working full time and living the fine life although already using a cane. She was beautiful and lively and spirited. And she did not complain. She worked hard to stay fit, swimming several times a week to keep her muscles active. Her seven siblings laughed along with her efforts. Then came the walker. Next the friends held a Van Dance, to raise enough money for a van that would lift a wheel chair into the van so Marianne could be mobile. The disease is terrible. Bit by bit function ceases and you never know when. But she never complained, always maintaining her spirit and spunk. Her duty was to do whatever she could at every stage of the disease. Next she was bed ridden but still smiling.
Marianne's parents took on the task of caring for Marianne. When Marianne could no longer live alone, they took her into their home and looked after her right to the end. No complaints, no grumbling, just did what was necessary to look after Marianne. Their duty was to care for their beloved child Marianne. The example of love and kindness will never be surpassed but they did it and never batted an eye. They just did their duty and they did it cheerfully. We will miss Marianne and we will remember with gratitude the life she led and the example of duty performed by her parents. Again, it was a wonder to behold.
Marianne was a younger sister of my friend Maureen, with whom I worked for 23 years. Marianne was diagnosed with MS at age 20 and when I met her she was working full time and living the fine life although already using a cane. She was beautiful and lively and spirited. And she did not complain. She worked hard to stay fit, swimming several times a week to keep her muscles active. Her seven siblings laughed along with her efforts. Then came the walker. Next the friends held a Van Dance, to raise enough money for a van that would lift a wheel chair into the van so Marianne could be mobile. The disease is terrible. Bit by bit function ceases and you never know when. But she never complained, always maintaining her spirit and spunk. Her duty was to do whatever she could at every stage of the disease. Next she was bed ridden but still smiling.
Marianne's parents took on the task of caring for Marianne. When Marianne could no longer live alone, they took her into their home and looked after her right to the end. No complaints, no grumbling, just did what was necessary to look after Marianne. Their duty was to care for their beloved child Marianne. The example of love and kindness will never be surpassed but they did it and never batted an eye. They just did their duty and they did it cheerfully. We will miss Marianne and we will remember with gratitude the life she led and the example of duty performed by her parents. Again, it was a wonder to behold.
Monday, November 12, 2012
November 12, 2012. Harper, Texas. Frances Itani.
Remembering The Bones is the book I just read, written by Frances Itani. It is an excellent book, and I enjoyed it enormously. My friend Wendy told me about the author and this book and I am grateful for her for giving me the tip. It is a book that Ken would hate as there is no action. But you learn everything about this old lady, including her ancestors and those of her husbands. I loved it.
It deals with the question of what happens inside your head when you are not involved with anything else. Whether we like it or not, your head is never really off duty and ideas pop in at unusual times. This is all true, as you learn in the book.
Perhaps now that I will turn 75 this year, I am somewhat interested with the life of an 80 year old. Frances Itani is an excellent writer and has four children and a long time husband. All this shows in this book. She has published two subsequent books, plus four books of short stories. I will find and read those books.
I just read the other day that Alice Munro has turned 80 and has published a new book of short stories. Incredible to think she is 80. She is the only author who became famous by writing short stories only.
It deals with the question of what happens inside your head when you are not involved with anything else. Whether we like it or not, your head is never really off duty and ideas pop in at unusual times. This is all true, as you learn in the book.
Perhaps now that I will turn 75 this year, I am somewhat interested with the life of an 80 year old. Frances Itani is an excellent writer and has four children and a long time husband. All this shows in this book. She has published two subsequent books, plus four books of short stories. I will find and read those books.
I just read the other day that Alice Munro has turned 80 and has published a new book of short stories. Incredible to think she is 80. She is the only author who became famous by writing short stories only.
Sunday, November 11, 2012
November 11, 2012. Canyon Lake, Texas. Veterans Day.
It was a horrible War, the First World War, so when the war was over, everyone celebrated all over the world, thinking that they had just ended the War that ended War. It was naive and short lived but today we still celebrate the end of the world war, but now we honor the Veterans in all the wars. Once the celebration was called Armistice Day, but now it is Veterans Day.
Monday is a Federal Holiday but the schools are open in Texas. With Thanksgiving so close, I suppose that the holidays were too close together so the schools do not take a holiday for Veterans Day.
The more you read about the 20th Century, the more you understand the impact of the wars on the ordinary people. Now we remember and are grateful.
Monday is a Federal Holiday but the schools are open in Texas. With Thanksgiving so close, I suppose that the holidays were too close together so the schools do not take a holiday for Veterans Day.
The more you read about the 20th Century, the more you understand the impact of the wars on the ordinary people. Now we remember and are grateful.
Saturday, November 10, 2012
November 10, 2012. Canyon Lake, Texas. A Book.
This book is very thoughtful , written by Miscamble. "The Most Controversial Decision" is the title. When I first saw the title, I assumed the author would castigate Mr. Truman but it is a careful assessment of the American situation at the time, along with the Japanese military. As everything happened in my lifetime, the history described is familiar but the specifics were not. I enjoyed the review of events and the careful handling of the topic.
It is awful to consider but when all is said and done, the actions of the Japanese were unbelievable. Even after the two bombs were dropped, the military men were all for forging ahead and instilling more damage to the Allies. At last, the Emperor called a halt to the carnage. We forget how horribly the Japanese fought and how they treated their prisoners. What were they thinking? This book, written by a historian, brings it all back. But it written in a non dramatic and gentle way, which is a trick when dealing with this topic. This book is worth reading.
It is awful to consider but when all is said and done, the actions of the Japanese were unbelievable. Even after the two bombs were dropped, the military men were all for forging ahead and instilling more damage to the Allies. At last, the Emperor called a halt to the carnage. We forget how horribly the Japanese fought and how they treated their prisoners. What were they thinking? This book, written by a historian, brings it all back. But it written in a non dramatic and gentle way, which is a trick when dealing with this topic. This book is worth reading.
Friday, November 9, 2012
November 9, 2012. Canyon Lake, Texas. Grandparent's Day.
It is a lovely idea, to invite the Grandparents to visit the school and learn more about the attitudes and practices being implemented. In addition, I suspect the school is hoping for donations, but as it was not mentioned today, perhaps I am merely being cynical. Ken and I have attended several such programs in the past, both for Kate and Mary Frances in Bethesda and Allison and Samantha at St George's here, but today it was the first for us to attend Grandparent's Day at the Episcopal School of San Antonio, or more popularly called TMI, Texas Military Institute. Sarah and Abigail attend that school, the alma mater of General Douglas MacArthur.
The school is small, 500 students, and the campus is beautiful, with wonderful facilities. Today we attended chapel, as do the students every day. Then we were delighted to see the action of the school. We saw several science experiments given by students from the Science Club, and we heard the middle school band, also a scene from the production Our Town being given this weekend. And we toured the facilities including the classrooms. But the best part was eating lunch with Sarah and Abigail, in the school cafeteria. This school serves lunch each day to all students and today we joined with the crowd.
I feel so fortunate to be a grandmother and the girls seemed pleased that we were able to attend. The school has high academic standards along with their emphasis on athletics, which seems a perfect blend for the students. I was certainly impressed and was delighted to be a part of the day.
The school is small, 500 students, and the campus is beautiful, with wonderful facilities. Today we attended chapel, as do the students every day. Then we were delighted to see the action of the school. We saw several science experiments given by students from the Science Club, and we heard the middle school band, also a scene from the production Our Town being given this weekend. And we toured the facilities including the classrooms. But the best part was eating lunch with Sarah and Abigail, in the school cafeteria. This school serves lunch each day to all students and today we joined with the crowd.
I feel so fortunate to be a grandmother and the girls seemed pleased that we were able to attend. The school has high academic standards along with their emphasis on athletics, which seems a perfect blend for the students. I was certainly impressed and was delighted to be a part of the day.
Thursday, November 8, 2012
November 8, 2012. Canyon Lake, Texas. Working.
Hard work is always beneficial. No one has ever achieved anything without a lot of hard work. Most people we know well were not been born rich although they are do live well today. When you ask, folks are keen to tell you how they did it. All the scrimping and working their way through college and graduate school, then saving for the first house, all the while making a life with their family. Never living the high life but saving and investing in their future and the future of their children.
When you look at those folks now, you would never know how hard and diligently they worked, until you ask. One problem for the young today is that their education was provided by the parents. By the time young adults became aware of their parents, the parents were no longer poor, so their life seemed easy.
I asked my good friend the other evening if her children worked as hard as she did when they were young. When she was 10, she decided to be a doctor and coming from a poor family, worked her way through both college and medical school. " Of course not," she said. "I could not pretend to be poor. I paid for them to attend college, which is the normal thing to do today."
I suspect that many young people today have no idea how difficult it is to achieve anything, and are somewhat surprised and irritated they are not affluent. Hard work is it's own reward, as is a bit of deprivation. The next few years will be interesting, but will all require a lot of hard work. You can count on it.
When you look at those folks now, you would never know how hard and diligently they worked, until you ask. One problem for the young today is that their education was provided by the parents. By the time young adults became aware of their parents, the parents were no longer poor, so their life seemed easy.
I asked my good friend the other evening if her children worked as hard as she did when they were young. When she was 10, she decided to be a doctor and coming from a poor family, worked her way through both college and medical school. " Of course not," she said. "I could not pretend to be poor. I paid for them to attend college, which is the normal thing to do today."
I suspect that many young people today have no idea how difficult it is to achieve anything, and are somewhat surprised and irritated they are not affluent. Hard work is it's own reward, as is a bit of deprivation. The next few years will be interesting, but will all require a lot of hard work. You can count on it.
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