September 4, 2008

Oh, so many happenings in a week!

Last week I attended the Election Judge Training Session at the Courthouse, so I am prepared to be an election judge on both September 9th and November 4th, 2009. I will work the early shift starting at 6 a.m. both dates.

On Friday, my friend Larry Anderson from Morris brought us 312 pounds of cabbage. This past Tuesday, Sister Ruth and her volunteers made 48 gallons of sauerkraut. That should be enough for meals for the Sisters for almost a year. Larry also brought tomatoes and peppers. Thank you, Larry, for your generous gifts of fresh garden produce.

Today Sr. Ruth is busy making refrigerator pickles—three five-gallon pails so far…and Sr. Joel is making dill pickles, The convent kitchen is a busy place.

On Saturday I drove out to the farm for a few days to visit with my family. Swallows are gathering on the highline wires…a sure sign of approaching fall. On Monday on my way back to Little Falls three deer crossed the road ahead of me. I’m sure glad they were a block ahead of me. I don’t want to touch one with my car.

At the farm, my brother and sister-in-law and I made eight gallons of apple juice. When I saw all the buckets of apples near the garage, I had an idea of what we’d be doing later in the day.

Last Wednesday we had a one-day blood drive…usually it is three days. Anyway, it was a marvelous collection. Our goal was 80 units and we got 106! Thank you, generous people.

School started this week. God bless all the teachers and students. May they all have a good year filled with lots of learning.

Last Sunday, too, we went to an Ice Cream Social at a little county Lutheran church near the farm. My sister, Rita, met many people who support her in her work in Indonesia. After that, my sister, brother and I went into Sauk Centre to visit with Millie Gans. When we were young, she lived on an adjoining farm and we visited her often.

The other day I received a copy of the Lakes Area Habitat for Humanity newsletter. That Brainerd area group is really busy. Since 1990, they tithed $216,933 to their sister affiliate, Habitat for Humanity Guatemala. With the support of all their donors they built 64 homes in the Lakes Area and 73 homes in Guatemala! Good Job!!!

The Little Falls Arts and Crafts Fair is this coming weekend. With help, tonight we will get the vendor spots marked on my two blocks--Kidder Street and Broadway. I am a Block Host and so will be spending many hours at the Fair the next three days. I always marvel at all the beautiful crafts people make. The Fair will be a little smaller this year and we are expecting only about 650 vendors. The new thing this year is the Farmers Market open both days of the Fair. Please pray for good weather. Cool is OK. Rain makes it more challenging.

Pax et Bonum.
Sister Mary Lou