Trump Thursday

Bobby's Uncle Roger is the farmer behind Balls' Berries & Produce in Garner. For non-locals, it is a small strawberry farm, but also sells other produce throughout the year, some of which he grows himself. Roger, like his Dad was, is a die-hard Democrat. But he had a surprise this past week when he had a call saying it needed to be kept quiet, but Ivanka Trump was passing through the area and wanted to visit some local farms and meet NC farmers. He did call two of his siblings and tell them he couldn't say why, but he needed them to come to the produce stand around 2:30 on Thursday.

Left to right: Sharon Ball and Roger Ball, Forrest Ball, Ivanka Trump (in front), and Cathy Ball Rackly.

Roger Ball, Ivanka Trump, Sharon Ball

the sign in front of Roger & Sharon's produce stand

the original produce stand across the road

We saw Forrest this morning, and he was showing us the pictures from his cell phone...of the cars!! One of the secret service guys laughed and said something about the cars being the most interesting thing. Forrest was most impressed with the Secret Service guy opening the door and never letting go of the handle until Ivanka Trump returned to the car. He said they had researched the family thoroughly, knew that Roger had two brothers name Forrest and Henry who used to farm tobacco and that Henry had died of cancer. We did get a kick out of Ivanka's Facebook post saying that Roger and Forrest farmed strawberries...Forrest has nothing to do with it. Now all the family is wondering if this might sway  Roger's vote any. Who knows?

Either way, it's not often something like this happens in Panther Branch. I'm thrilled that Roger got some recognition and publicity.
 

A few extra hours

Weekends are half days for early voting, which is a blessing for poll workers. Today with my extra time we went to Ken's Produce and Garden to get some flowers and gourds to go with my one lone orange pumpkin from the grocery store. I figure since the dogs have not chewed up the doormat in a whole month (a first), they could handle flowers without dumping them so they can chew up the pots.

And even though it is October, the grass still needs cutting. I managed to get the front yard cut when Bobby flagged me down as I neared the chicken pen. Turns out we have a new chick! I love it when they pop their heads out in random places.

After cutting a little in the backyard, I fed the chickens and gathered eggs and realized we had more green beans. The hand full I was expecting became a bucket full. So while watching so.e of the Alabama game I snapped beans. I am simply too tired to do any more, so they're chilling in the fridge until tomorrow afternoon....oh, and the beaver is back. In the middle of cutting grass I cleaned off the drain and threw parts of the mud fortress away from its sides. 

It seems strange to say I'm looking forward to "sleeping in" by getting up at 6am tomorrow  and my ears do not even want to think about donning a mask for even a few hours. We'll see what tomorrow brings.

Tis the Season

The last few years we have planted a Blue Lake pole bean. Bobby's not a huge fan because they are very stringy. I like them because the grow upwards, making them easier to pick. The one thing I'm not overly crazy about is they grow all summer but never produce, but start producing in August and will go through the first heavy frost. Last year I was still picking in November.  So this year I didn't plant as many, and put them along the back fence of the garden. Above is the vines growing over the edge of the fence.

And here is our surprise.  They not only went over the fence, but they connected to one tree limb and have spread out and up throughout the nearest pecan tree. I've actually picked beans out of the tree, and there are many more I simply can't reach!!

And the pecan shells are beginning to open up. My preference is to wait for picking until they hit the ground, as the shells will stain your hands, but if I don't start picking them at this point the squirrels eat them all before I can get to them. This was the first week we had noticed opening, and there were already a pile of hulls at the base of one tree. Since early voting started Thursday, the squirrels might win this year.

Hot fries

 When I was a kid, the summer church camp I attended had a canteen that was open after play time in the afternoon and after the evening service. I was allotted $1 a day, which amounted to one drink and either one bag of chips or candy item. 

In Junior Camp, one of the crazy things available was a bag of hot fries. At least once every year, someone would throw out a hot fry challenge.  All her friends would buy a drink, and one person would buy hot fries as the snack. A fry would be passed out to everyone in the circle, and you'd eat it and wait one full minute. If you took a sip of your drink, you were out. The next round everyone still in would eat 2 fries. I made it to the three fry round once. 

The bag from my childhood was snack size, was a Tom's brand, and only cost 50 cents.

Why am I remembering this now? We were preparing a care package for my nephew, who loves spicy foods, and saw this in the grocery store. It ended up not fitting in the box, and during a Zoom class this morning I decided to see if my mouth still found them hot. It does, though not quite as bad as in my childhood.

Angela

March 03, 1969 - October 06, 2020

Tomorrow my family will gather once again to grieve together. The end of July they gathered to celebrate the life of Angela's mother Phyllis, a breast cancer survivor who died of Covid-19. Tomorrow they will remember the life of Angela.

It's strange to look  her age and date of birth. Growing up, I always thought of her as one of the older cousins, one who could reprimand or assist as needed. At family gatherings growing up she was always with her sister Tina and her cousin Ron, and I was never that close to her. But I do remember there was always laughter whenever she was around.

With Dad's job as a pastor and White family gatherings on Sundays, we were seldom able to be with the family except for holidays. As I moved away from home and life moved on for everyone, there were many times when family gatherings seemed awkward for me. Angela was one of the ones who always made them easier.

The last several years we've connected on Facebook quite a bit. We shared a love for gardening and cooking and canning, though her tastes were a bit spicier than mine. I am truly going to miss all the videos and recipes and photos coming through my feed 2-3 times a week.

I grieve for her husband of less than a year, and I cannot imagine what he is experiencing right now. They were supposed to sign the papers for their new house on Tuesday when she died in a car wreck.

I hurt for her children and grandchildren, and cannot fathom the roller coaster of emotions they are experiencing. 

I hurt for her sisters, who have stood by her thick and thin, praying, encouraging, rebuking, helping, laughing, loving. 

I hurt for her Dad Larry, my cousin whom I've always viewed as an uncle, a Vietnam Vet, who has now lost a grandchild, a wife, and his oldest daughter. 

So many thoughts and memories and questions are rolling through my brain. Today I have few answers.

Today I yearn and pray for my family. I pray for that peace that passes understanding. That in the midst of all the anguish and hurt that they will feel held by God. That with all the questions and doubts they can rest in the unknowing. That in all the anger God will prod all of us to do more, to be more.

While today we both celebrate and mourn a life, the reality is her impact will be with us always. Angela will forever be imbedded in our minds. Today we greatly are slapped with the reality of sin and its toil on all of creation. And I yearn for the healing that only God can give.