Grand Moments

Grand moments

It was a wonderful week with the grandkids (Grands), Gracie and Noah. At eight and seven they are full of life, questions, comments, and more sugar and spice than is almost bearable. One day we were gazing at a mountain vista, the breeze blowing Gracie’s soft blonde hair around her wondering blue eyes. She sighed, “Ohhh, Kentucky looks just like it did in my dreams.” Gracie, I think that Kentucky blue is almost as pretty as your bright Pearson eyes.
Not to be outdone in the comment column, Noah had a word or two to share in the week too. Although he tended to dance on rocks rather than stand on them, he proved an able “guide” on our mountain hikes. Driving past a sign one day that said Dead End, he seriously informed us that this was where one went on the last day of their life. What a sweet week.

Beverly UMC in its fall colors

The Beverly UMC is picturesque no matter what time of the year it is. The sound of a babbling brook greets attenders; it reminds me each Sunday of the sacred symbolism of water...birth, rebirth, cleansing, life itself.

Pine Mountain State ParK

Lunch at this park is a treat. It has a great buffet…but an even greater view. It’s a popular spot for the after-church crowd on Sunday, as we found out on a gorgeous fall day. The vista is spectacular and we were so grateful to get a table right next to the window! The room was full and we lingered long enough for the waitress to give us the look.

Splendor in the Leaves

The colors of fall are simply splendid here in the mountains of southeast Kentucky. They are more than just seen; they are experienced. Every windy road turns into another colored postcard and every ridge becomes a vista of multi-colored puffs. If the day is clear, the sky is a beautiful blue—bluer than turquoise, clearer than blue topaz. I’ve heard it called simply Kentucky Blue. I didn’t know I liked the combination of blue and orange so well, or blue and yellow. The very best shades of color happen when you get under the leaves and look up through their translucence into the sunlight. I wish I could describe it, or paint it, or capture a photo—but none do the sensation justice. The colors of fall are simply to be experienced.

Mountain Nurse

You would love Marilyn Brock. She's retiring this month after 34 years as the Public Health Nurse here at Red Bird and the years before that in PA, KY, and Sierra Leone. "She's a dandy," the mountain folk say; I say she's the end of an era. Marilyn thought nursing on horseback in the mountains sounded fun so she came to the Frontier Nursing School to study midwifery after getting her RN. Instead of horses, she has made her way around many a winding, steep and uncertain path in Jeeps. I spent a day on the road with her, and sure nuff, we broke down! Her patients love her; she's not only a crackerjack nurse, she's also got the biggest bunch of stories and jokes you ever heard. Marilyn is also a musician and we play four-hand piano every week in chapel, sometimes sing together, and my affection for her caused me to humiliate myself in front everybody singing a song I wrote for her and playing my own autoharp. We have great fun together. I was there when one of her patients, Miss Addie, broke out singing "Walk Around Me Jesus." --And he did. Marilyn is a walking example of a lifetime of love poured out for others. We wish her godspeed.

The Beverly U M Church

The Beverly United Methodist Church is one of the most beautiful and quaint churches you will ever see. It looks like a postcard--nestled in the mountains with a babbling creek running along side. Wild flowers bloom & the sound of water is ever present. Inside, it's chestnut paneling gleams in soft light and a stained glass window graces the front. This is a peaceful, sacred place.

My old Kentucky home

Here are a few photos around our house. You can see that we are surrounded by mountains & much green vegetation. Our front door looks toward several houses and our back door faces a square of grass surrounded by apartments. Teachers & other staff live in these smaller places. We are fortunate to have a single home: 1,300 sq. feet with a single garage.