A Beautiful Day at The Garden and Other Happenings

I’ve been away for a while again. Nothing exciting, just life has been happening. We have been so busy every day and I just haven’t had time to sit down and do a blog post. I’ve tried to comment on blog‘s every day, but usually it’s one or two at a time as I have a minute here and there.

Dennis’s uncle and two cousins were here from Minnesota from Thursday of last week until Sunday. That kept us busy visiting with them and not being home much at all. One of the things we did was go to the Lauritzen Garden here in Omaha. Many of the flowers were gone for the year, but there is still a lot of beauty to be had, as shown in the following two beautiful beds.

This is Mom enjoying a walk around after the tram dropped us off for a break to enjoy the beautiful shrubbery. She just turned 87 last month. Her brother Al is over her right shoulder and he is 90. He is a bundle of energy. He still walks a couple of miles every morning and does his own house work and cooking. The tram was a great way to get around the entire park because it’s very large and there’s no way Mom could have walked the entire thing.

There is a huge display of jungle type flowers and plants in this greenhouse. They also had a huge display of flowers that they called the wicked display. There they had all kinds of poisonous plants, spiky plants, poison ivy, etc. on display for Halloween.

There is a beautiful Japanese garden that we didn’t walk around. I just took photos as the tram drove by. It’s usually much prettier in the summertime, but as it’s getting cold out, the grass is starting to die out.



We had a lovely time with them all during the visit. They drive down about twice a year so Uncle Al, Mom, Aunt Joyce and Aunt Jean can all get together. They are the last of the siblings and spouses. There were 11 children in the family, so 22 aunts and uncle’s. The four of them are the last of that generation. Mom is the very last on the Queen side, out of 9 siblings, so 18 aunts and uncle’s!

Shifting gears to today. Dennis and I went to Pipers Halloween parade at school. This was the picture I got of her as they all walked by very quickly! It was 36°F and a north wind at 15 to 20 mph. It was cold! So when we got back to her house, I took a better picture for you all. 😍 But first, isn’t her tail cute! I love it!

There she is! My beautiful Cheshire Cat, from Alice in wonderland! Look at that smile! Isn’t she cute? I was sure glad she had a costume like this on today, instead of the skimpy princess ones that some of the girls had on. And some of them refused to wear their coats for the parade around the school. They had to be freezing. I had a coat, hat and gloves on, and I was still cold.

On Wednesday of last week, there was a funeral for a soldier who has been gone for over 70 years. He was a prisoner of war in Korea. The government received the bones of several POWs several years ago. After they were released, two of his fellow prisoners had told the government approximately where he was buried, and what he died of, which was pneumonia and malnutrition. He was 23 years old. Before they passed away, his mother and sister had both done one of those DNA things that were so popular a few years ago. They were able to identify his bones through a DNA match with them!

Now, how did we get involved? There is a gentleman that we have known for over 50 years, since before we were married. We went to church with him until we moved to Spokane. We attend the same church again now and sit next to him and his wife every Sunday. He is the nephew of this soldier. He was only four years younger than his uncle, they were more like brothers and played together as children. Guess who else played with them? Dennis’s dad! Ted the nephew, asked Dennis to be a pallbearer. Ted is 89 years old now. Dennis has actually known Ted much longer than I have, as his first girlfriend was Ted’s daughter! The service had full military honors, and many military service members were there to honor him. Ted and Donna are so happy to have him home and as his last living relative, Ted had his remains placed in a grave next to where they will be buried. There wasn’t a dry eye at that service.

I have been crafting when I’ve been in the car and in fits and starts here at home. I finished all of the Christmas ornaments for the family about midnight one night. That was a big relief. I definitely will take a picture so I can show all of you after Christmas. I’ve also been crocheting on the same shawl I was working on last week. Since I’m still working on the same shawl, it gives you an idea of how busy I have been. I’m also trying to finish a diamond painting that I’ve been working on. I’m almost finished with it and then I will have one finished for each season of the year. I plan to switch them for each season using the same frame.

Dennis has surgery on his thumb again next Thursday. We have several appointments before then to see doctors and have x-rays. To put it simply, they’re going to basically saw his thumb off and reattach it with screws and plates. The first surgery went well, but the splint they put on it afterwards allowed the pins to move around and now he’s in worse shape than he was before. He has no strength in that hand, and he can’t grip anything with his finger and thumb together. Please pray there are no “mess ups” this time around and he does well in surgery.

I hope you are all doing well. I’m sorry this is so lengthy, with so many photos and stories. Take care and stay safe.

Blessings and love,

Betsy