R. I. P. REVEREND HAROLD

G-son was ready to go to school this morning,asking when his dad would be by to take him to meet his teacher today.
After chores and breakfast I left him inside working on his new lego projects while I took a walk in the nice weather today.
This Rose of Sharon that is showing off its pretty blooms was a bright spot in the yard today.

I noticed alot of pears on the ground under my best eating pear tree and when I looked closer I could see why as the leaves are covered with black spots and the fruit is rotting on the tree.A result of too much rain I'm sure.

Above our house is a row of huge Oak trees and the leaves on them are also covered with brown spots and are curling and dying .

We are watching these trees closely as they will have to come down if they start to die. Hopefully this is just a disease of the leaves from all the rain and little sunshine we have had this summer.
The sun felt so good on my shoulders as I walked. I spotted this little guy taking a sunbath also. He was enjoying the warmth so much I got really close to him before he even knew I was there.

I finished my walk and when I got back inside there was a surprise waiting for me.

A finished pirate ship driven by the Flying Dutchman and Spongebob and Patrick having to walk the plank !!!

He was proud of himself and told me it was easy to do after he started following the directions !!
I laughed at that comment since yesterday that was not an option !!! Amazing what a good nights sleep will do for an attitude !!
It is beginning to look a little more like a normal August around my kitchen with our first basket full of tomatoes from the garden.

And a partial bowl of ripening grapes to snack on.

I don't think there will be enough of anything to can or freeze this year but it is nice to have plenty to eat and share with the kids.
After #1 son who took half day off to go with g-son to school came and got him I baked 12 layers, 2 pound and 1 wine cake. This is the least I have baked in quite a while but as the end of August nears business slows.
I cleaned my sunroom and kitchen good today for the first time in a couple weeks with the extra time I had from less baking.
I also was grateful to get outside in the sunshine for a dose of vitamin D this afternoon.  As I refilled all the bird feeders I heard thunder in the distance and saw dark clouds starting to form on the southern horizon.
That storm stayed south of our area and did a lot of damage in Polk county, blowing down trees onto houses and barns around Columbus and Tryon.
There was also storms  and flooding rains in S.C. but thankfully our area stayed dry for the second day in a row !!!
Hubbie was hoping that would be the case because as soon as he got home from work he spayed weed killer on the ditch banks along the road.
This week has been a sad week for a dear family that has always been close to my heart. The Reverend Harold Mckinnish passed away Wednesday after an extended illness, he was 80 years old.

This is the minister that Baptized me and both my boys. He served as interim pastor at our church for several years and during that time I was baptized in front of my children and then later the boys were baptized after a Bible school session.
He was blessed with musical talent as he played many stringed instruments and sang. Here he is with his wife Lois and a friend doing what he loved. Singing for Jesus.

When I think of Harold I remember a story he told to make a point in one of his sermons. He said he was clearing some brush off  a piece of property one day and when he picked up a long branch and tried to toss it on the pile to be burned it wouldn't go. The branch kept springing back toward him each time he tried to throw it and the harder he threw, the harder it sprang back. Finally after much fussing he realized he was standing on part of the branch !!  The moral being sometimes we are our own hindrances.
R. I. P.  reverend Harold you made Jesus proud during your time here on earth.  My prayers go out the family.
Good Night and God Bless.