Once in awhile-now and again-this is us

here’s the rest of the story~

i love my cherry tree so much, i wanted to share this story with you. i had so much fun with it and i owe it all to frank, our good friend, neighbor and college professor.  he’s still teaching, online for now, but will retire in a few months.

recently, i had come across this essay written by Hugh Gallagher in 1990. an accomplished writer now, had written this application essay for getting into college. as a lark i think. it got published. but that is another story in of itself. check him out.

here is the essay he wrote that i thought was hysterical. i mentioned it to frank and linda and they had not heard of it. but frank thought it was funny too and thought he might use it in his class somehow.

if you can’t read this here, check it out online:

one night we came home and the paper below was on the door. there was a note on it  saying since i was not in class that day, haha, i could do it at home. i emailed frank back saying “it will take me more than 30 minutes”. haha.

he had used it as an assignment that day in class, and probably gave me the paper as a lark.

i took the challenge. even though quitting high school early, i don’t think i had ever done a diagnostic essay before. maybe not even a regular essay. a book report maybe? like i said i had a lot of fun with it and this is what i came up with. i got an A. an A+ after i added that last line.

well, i am now growing a cherry blossom tree

i owe it all to frank, thanks. you inspired me exponentially. (did i use that right).

i told you this was a long story.

stay tuned for anything

jilly

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but also the germs. so let’s all do what they are telling us is safe, and don’t take chances. let’s all survive this virus, which everyone in the world knows what it looks like  by now.

i hope you’ve all been saving those cvs receipts. i’m holding one visits worth.

we planted a blossoming ‘pink cloud’ cherry tree – before the virus hit. i’ve always admired them. especially in large groupings. i don’t know why i never got one. but recently i was reminded  (long story, later) of my desire to have one in the yard. so for presidents day we planted one where the butterfly garden will be now. we’re putting the beach on the other side.

taken from the dining room. i see this from my chair

midas shares his food with all the critters. if you look hard you can see a heart on the left branch

and this is how it gradually grew into…….

THIS……

in case you didn’t see the heart

i’m enjoying this tree so much, and i owe it all to frank. stay tuned for the long story.

love, jilly

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no, we are not wearing these out. just a little levity

hi everyone,

we ARE all in this together. it’s uncharted territory. who knows what’s right or wrong anymore? all i know is we have to stay positive and know there will be an end to it. eventually. as they say “this too shall pass”.

if you do have to go out, i hope all of you are staying safe. we have been lucky. we started before the panic buying started and have not been in any crowds or long lines. we are as good as we can be right now.

ray sent me this email this morning and i wanted to share it with all of you. it inspired me and i hope it does the same for you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lockdown

by Fr. Richard Hendrick, OFM

Yes there is fear. Yes there is isolation. Yes there is panic buying. Yes there is sickness. Yes there is even death.

But, They say that in Wuhan after so many years of noise You can hear the birds again. They say that after just a few weeks of quiet The sky is no longer thick with fumes But blue and grey and clear. They say that in the streets of Assisi People are singing to each other across the empty squares, keeping their windows open so that those who are alone may hear the sounds of family around them. They say that a hotel in the West of Ireland Is offering free meals and delivery to the housebound. Today a young woman I know is busy spreading fliers with her number through the neighborhood So that the elders may have someone to call on

.Today Churches, Synagogues, Mosques and Temples are preparing to welcome and shelter the homeless, the sick, the weary All over the world people are slowing down and reflecting All over the world people are looking at their neighbors in a new way All over the world people are waking up to a new reality

To how big we really are. To how little control we really have. To what really matters.

To Love. So we pray and we remember that Yes there is fear. But there does not have to be hate. Yes there is isolation. But there does not have to be loneliness. Yes there is panic buying. But there does not have to be meanness. Yes there is sickness. But there does not have to be disease of the soul Yes there is even death. But there can always be a rebirth of love. Wake to the choices you make as to how to live now. Today, breathe. Listen, behind the factory noises of your panic The birds are singing again The sky is clearing, Spring is here, And we are always encompassed by Love

Open the windows of your soul.

love to all of you,

and stay tuned for the cherry tree.

jilly

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