A Sunday Hello!

I'm just stopping in really quickly to wish you all a blessed Pentecost Sunday!

What a beautiful spring day it is here - sunny and pleasantly cool. Mass was especially interesting today; the local American Legion and Women's Auxiliary were present and processed down the aisle to display the flags at either side of our church. These 25 or so men and women were dressed in their formal attire, with caps and capes. My boys were mightily impressed and intrigued. The red altar linens and banners, embroidered with images of the dove and flames, were quite eye-catching, as was Father's bright red vestments today. We sang the hymn, "Come, Holy Spirit, Come," just before the Alleluia. I love all those little things that make the season, the feast, the moment come to life for us all. You know how Crackerjack feels about red - well, today was his day! Even more so because he made his second Communion this morning - just like a pro. ;)

Later in the morning we set off for a visit at Damee's house. We brought watermelon and a big bouquet of Memorial Day flowers for her. The boys played outside for quite a while, coming in to show me neat things they found in the yard - a tall stalk of "wheat" (grass), some smooth white rocks and best of all, the tiniest pale brown "elf caps" (some kind of papery evergreen cones). I'm not sure which tree they dropped from, but these caps were a bit sticky to the touch. They were all over Damee's yard, and truly, looked just like the perfect sized cap for a tiny woodland sprite. We brought one home for our nature shelf.

This afternoon has been quiet and homey. Bill hung up a clothesline for me and set up the bird bath at long last. (Who will take the first dip, I wonder?) We're a bit behind in our planting schedule (our favorite farm doesn't open till next weekend). Lots to do in the meantime, however - the lawn needs a good mowing, and the raspberry patch needs weeding.

Tomorrow we're having a cookout after Bill and I get back from the movies. You know, I think "cookout" is a regional thing. I almost never say barbecue - it's always a cookout. How about you?

We will also hang our American flag tomorrow morning. I read in a Scouting manual that on Memorial Day, the flag is to be kept at half-mast until noon, at which time it may be raised to full-staff. I think that is very interesting, though our flagpole does not allow for raising or lowering - just hanging at a diagonal. Flag history and protocol would make a wonderful unit study, don't you think? (I'll tuck that away for the fall.)

Well, I hope you're enjoying your weekend! I'm off again until after the holiday. :)

*Artwork is the June Magnificat - Dove and the Holy Ghost, 16th century France.*