"Oink" in the Park- you sort of had to be there!

Time once again for "Parables in the Park", and this year we got roped into helping out. Tom managed to stay "backstage" - helping with props and signs, but I had a speaking (or rather "oinking") part!

This was the story of the prodigal son, who wants his inheritance right away and then squanders it, ends up eating with pigs, goes home, and is welcomed with joy & celebration by his father-much to his older brother's disgust. This Bible story is quite well-known and can be found in the 15th chapter of Luke.




Awesome band !

The Prodigal taking leave of his Dad.

The proprietor of Porky's Carob Pod Cafe...


And some of the cafe's patrons....

4th of July?

Every July has a 4th, but this past one certainly was not noteworthy for fireworks & parties, fun & sun. It was a damp, cold, rainy day here in Central NY, and since it was a Wednesday, not many celebrations were in evidence at the lake.

Of course we had invited the Hollister relatives for a party at the lake, but by mid-morning it was evident that the lake was not going to be a fun place to be. So we were resilient, and carted the food to Susan's house in Syracuse, where we enjoyed the camaradarie of our relatives in warmth and comfort.

Thanks to Susan for hosting us all!

Uncle Sam

Last week I had to go to Albany for work, so Tom & I went up the night before and stayed in Troy, NY, which is just outside Albany on the Hudson River. (We wanted to check out the waterfront & marinas.)

While driving around Troy, we noticed lots of references to Uncle Sam, including a large Uncle Sam statue. It seems that Troy, NY was the home of one Sam Wilson, a butcher who supplied barrels of meat for the US troops during the War of 1812. He stamped those barrels with the letters U S, meaning that the meat was destined for the front. However, many of the soldiers fighting in that war were from the Troy area, and knew Mr. Sam Wilson personally, and began saying the US initials stood for Uncle Sam. Sam Wilson thus became the personification of the United States. In the 1960's, the US Congress passed a resolution declaring that Troy, NY was the birthplace and home of Uncle Sam.

And to think I hated history in school......