The weather has changed again. It has been cool at night and more rain. The flowers are rejuvenating a little. The breeze has gotten stronger, and the waves are huge rolls with whitecaps. Children are few and far between. School has started in many areas. We are on the downhill road of summer.
Labor Day was a big weekend. We had friends come, and the men played in the biggest golf tournament of the year at our little country club. It was a busy time, fun time. The girls played bridge and there was a dinner dance, and other dinners and events. I guess I would miss it. I have learned to live with some empty spots in my life. This would surely be one of them. We are getting older and I know we both think of how many more years we will be able to go back and forth. I would probably have to admit I would miss the people, and the lake, and the flowers.
A few weekends ago we took my brother and his wife and went into the hill country. On our way we passed lush vineyards. It won't be long until the grapes will be picked. In the early fall you can smell the grapes when your passing through. As we head into the hills we see beautiful well kept farms, and little plots with large gardens and maybe a horse or two in a small paddock. It is like going back in time. Another aspect of the land is the number of Amish that have farms among the rolling hills. Backroads through the Amish country provide gorgeous views. There are horses and buggies that we gingerly pass. We get a glimpse of a large straw hat, and a longish beard. Jams and jellies are for sale along the road. There is a family that have a store. Quilts are brought here for sale. Through the years I have visited Katy, and once years ago she made me a wall hanging. All the women work making these quilts. It is a clearing house, and the proceeds pay for their health care. They must believe in doctors and hospitols.Years ago I didn't think too much about this. They are a rural society. They live by their religion, and off the abundance of the land. Were there people that had studied herbs and their medicinal properties? Do they follow simple well know medical procedures? Do they understand about infection? I'm sure they understand and use disinfectants. They do however realize that they can't provide all their health needs or why save money for healthcare. Their life is simple. They live as they lived one hundred years ago. They do have schools so they know how to read, and do math. They are merchants as well as farmers. They are wonderful carpenters and much of their income comes from these skills.
In August they had an auction to help with their healthcare costs. All this industry to provide for healthcare makes me wonder. Are we headed in a direction where much more of our energies will be directed into paying for more costly health insurance? The companies are going to be expected to pay for your children until their twenty-six years old. They will have to cover much more than they do now. That means they will have to raise our premiums. Will our government put the insurance companies out of business if they don't adhere to the government regulations to keep costs low? Will we wait months for an operation? At a certain age will we be turned down for certain procedures? Will there be a young doctor to see us when our doctor retires? What about the cost of hospitols? Are the doctors going to be in unions? What if the doctor's union decides to strike? These things drifted through my mind as we traveled the Amish roads. Maybe we should all read up on medecinal procedures and learn how to set a bone. hmm.... but I digress.
From along the ridges, you can see Lake Erie. As we go farther East over the long level plateaus, and start down the other side, we see Chatauqua Lake. Breath taking! You could create a beautiful tapestry of this scene. It is a contained inland lake with sailboats and bridges and houses surrounding it. You see blue misty hills on the far side. Art galleries in the region are full of paintings depicitng it's beauty. It is an area for the creative at heart, and all artists of any description. We find one especially beautiful art gallery. In the entrance room there are cases with lots of gorgeous jewelry. I see one of those new chunky bracelets with all the beads. I really like it. Silver and deep red are the two predominant colors. I find it much too pricey for my pocketbook. However this makes me start thinking. Why not start to make some jewelry. Lots of people are doing it, and I even know where I can get some help and advice. Maybe this will be one of my winter projects.
I am sitting here today looking out at the lake. I will miss it, but already that touch of fall is here. The breeze is constant. The sky is blue but just the slight bit misty, with watercolor type clouds spreading in streaks and soft clumps across the sky. People have gone home, and my bones are starting to ache, a sure sign it is nearing the time to leave. It is September 11th, my grandaughter Lyndsey's birthday. She will be fourteen and has big plans for a sleepover tonight. I do hope they have fun.
Most of us are remembering that fateful September 11th in 2001. The tragedy of that day puts a damper on all our spirits. I watched a special last night that was the most complete story I had ever seen. They showed the street below after the first tower went down. It looked like Mars or a bombed out area in the Middle East somewhere. I was actually shocked to tears. This country is wonderful though. Those people in New York just picked themselves up and helped one another while they were shedding their tears. Nothing lay around for weeks. Right away they got the rubble cleaned up. They got back to work as best they could and they buried their dead as best they could.
Rudi Guiliani believes they should not build another huge building there, which they are doing. He calls it half and half, half memorial, and half business. He thinks it should be just a memorial to the fallen, and a low museum type building. I hope we never forget this terrible day. I hope it will make everybody especially the young people who are growing up with so many advantages and so much going for them, realize that your state of well being and your good life can be a fleeting entity. Work hard, play hard and pray hard., not necessarily in that order. It is easy to think these thoughts today as I am by myself this afternoon.
We have been studying Joshua in my Bible Study. I was in charge of doing Chapter Two, which is about Rahab, the woman who helped the spies that Joshua sent to scout out Jericho. When we have discussed it a few more times I am going to let you in on our findings. We got into some very good discussions.
