Chautauqua

You feel it the minute you step inside the gates. All who have come here before—Thomas Edison, Thurgood Marshall, Franklin Roosevelt, Susan B. Anthony, Helen Keller, Margaret Mead, Al Gore, Ken Burns, Bill Cosby [and countless others]: their presence is in this place. Their words, art, conversation, and passion linger in the air, the buildings, the landscape.*

Tucked beside Chautauqua Lake in the hills of western New York lies Chautauqua Institution, a unique summer community dedicated to spiritual growth, music, literature and the arts.  Founded in 1874 as the Chautauqua Lake Sunday School Assembly, it soon expanded beyond courses for Sunday school teachers to include academic subjects, music, art and physical education.*

Bill and I had the pleasure of a too-brief visit to Chautauqua over the weekend. Our dear friends Steve and Grace have spent the past two summers working, living and enjoying life at Chautauqua. So we went to check it out.

We found that Chautauqua holds reminders of the past ...

... and also is fully committed to today's people, ideas and issues.

(this amphitheatre holds 5,000 for daily worship, music and lectures.)

I absolutely loved the pace, the spirit, the quiet and

unassuming beauty of Chautauqua.

[Jenny, this photo is for you ...

next summer, one week's theme will be women!]

For those looking for an experience rather than amusement on vacation,

Chautauqua certainly fits the bill.

(thank you, Steve and Grace!)

* Some text and photograph from http://www.ciweb.org/, Chautauqua's website.

tooth troubles?

Dear Ari,

What's this about your teeth causing such trouble?

Mom says you raised quite a fuss.

But while we visited, you rarely let out a peep.

photo by Jenny Haller

Why, you were charming at the Mexican restaurant ...

... showing off your new talent for drinking through a straw.

Mommy's watch or Baba's bracelet kept your mind off your teeth as we waited in line at the pancake house.

And oh, so much people-watching to do!

Those teeth were forgotten while we helped Daddy set up his classroom:

so much going on!

Lots of plain old playin' on the floor was a great teeth remedy.

And oh, boy ... on our final night with you, Daddy wanted to

take you swimming: Baba's favorite! So into your suit and adorable robe ...

and off for an evening dip. Ahhhhh ... who worries about teeth?

What a blast!

So, Ari, I am very proud of your big-girl efforts to

show us a good time in spite of those brand new teeth.

 Until next time,

miss you and lots of love,

your Baba

p.s. only about 6 more years til the Tooth Fairy visits!

the one-day screen

What a stinkin' hot summer. Typically we brag in Ohio about keeping the AC off during long cool stretches. Or short cool stretches. Not this summer. Blazing hot.

How hot is it? Well, the screen on the front storm door was in for ONE day: that would be yesterday. Other than Wednesday, August 18, that darn storm door has had the glass all summer as if it were January.

Bill has given up trying to convince me to keep the front door shut to keep the hot out and the cold in and vice versa. My light-craving, claustrophobic-leaning self simply must have the front door open during the day. In extreme temps, the glass panel's in the storm door. If and when the temps turn mild, the screen is in.

Sigh. I will hope for some September days when I can pop the screen back in and enjoy some cross-breeze through the house.

Does anyone else battle with the glass-or-screen issue?

Margin

I'm going to cheat and combine two themes into one post. I shot these photos on our most recent visit to our little spot up in Michigan over a week ago. Then home for just two days before heading south for a granddaughter-fix in North Carolina. Got that? Here goes.

Heard a message Sunday morning in Charlotte.

On margin. Margin is the extra in life.

Like "blanks" in our days with nothing penciled in.

A few curveballs were thrown into our summer, making it crammed full. But I do make choices. Am I saying 'yes' to things that might be very good but that aren't really where God wants me? 

As the pastor on Sunday said, we tend to forget that when we say "yes" to one thing, we're unwittingly saying "no" to something else. Christ was intentional and passionate in doing His father's will. That's all. (John 9:4) 

So. If I fill up my schedule and run willy-nilly through my days and forget to consult God, then it's a sure bet I'll .... well, run willy-nilly crazy.

I need to make a schedule based on what is 1. priority and 2. wise.

When I don't? Eventually my life resembles a morning shrouded in fog. A life reduced to only what's in front of my face.

I've found that when I desire what God desires, my life is one of more clarity and peace. Not perfect, just more purposeful.

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Ephesians 5:17

like father, like daughter?

I am seeing a certain facial expression on my granddaughter

that I've seen on my son many times ...

it's in the eyebrows.

See what I mean?

s'mores and a wedding!

Well, someone has declared August 10 National S'mores Day ... I think it's the Hershey Company, no wonder. It's thought that s'mores originated with the Girl Scouts (yay, Girl Scouts!) back in the 1930's. I used to be able to eat a half dozen of those goodies, but these days even one is almost too much to stomach.

August 10 is also the date of my wedding, 32 years ago. I'm not really drawing any parallels to s'mores and my anniversary, maybe because I rode 400 miles in the car today. Bleh.

Anyway, my hubby Bill and I are going out for a little dinner right here in town. We'll eat. And reminisce. And marvel that we've stuck together for 32 years, raised four kids and welcomed our first grandchild into our lives this year.

Happy anniversary, honey. I love you.

learn to swim ... and to save

Six teenagers from two families drowned over the weekend in Louisiana. Horrific. I cannot imagine losing three of my children on one afternoon.

Swimming lessons are great, but it's only the start of keeping our kids safe around the water. I failed beginning swimming three times, but my mother, an avid swimmer, kept taking me swimming throughout my childhood. In college, I finally learned to swim well by taking lifesaving and becoming a water safety instructor.

I believe everyone should learn to swim, but also learn the basics of water safety; what to do if you see someone in trouble in the water.

Had those who were out for an afternoon barbecue in Louisiana had some basic water safety skills, the results could have been less tragic.