6/12/23  Being defeated is temporary-unless you give up.  Then it is permanent

 Sunshine, calm, 55 degrees.  Some clouds this morning, sun and clouds this afternoon becoming cloudy later tonight.  A SSe breeze with a high of 84 today, a low of 56 tonight.  Late day rain tomorrow with a bristol ESE breeze, a high of 71.  Light rain tomorrow night, a low of 57.  Scattered thunderstorms Wednesday, Thursday and Friday with westerly breezes, highs about 73, lows of 56.  Some showers Saturday with a WNW breeze, a high of 69, a low of 55.  Scattered thunderstorms Sunday with a north breeze, a high of 73, a low of 54.  Possible showers next Monday, perhaps next Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon..  North breezes with highs in the low seventies, lows in the low fifties.    Partly cloudy Thursday the 22 and through the weekend with highs in the upper seventies, lows in the mid fifties.

    Sunshine and warmth, and a loving family made yesterday a good day.  Church in the morning included graduation recognition.  Which included Rachel and Evan's graduation from college.  Prayers of thanks for those with joys and special prayers for those with concerns.Some concerns that will be included in this week's prayer.

    We spent the afternoon in the cemetery.  No ticks, Nicole had mowed the grass and Gilbert had weed whacked the edges so there was no place for the ticks to hide.  Besides, they made everything look nice.  Lil Mike stopped by while we were there.  He and Jordn are going to cut back the brush trying to encroach the cemetery.  And he is going to take down a dying cherry tree that wants to fall on a lovely little apple tree.

     Violet's grave was planted with flowers.  Jay's parents had bought a pretty metal sign.  Someone had bought a bright yellow planter in the shape of rubber boots.  So perfect for Violet, she loved her rubber boots and mud puddles.  Doug and Nicole had placed a spinner Darel had made for fencing on Darel's grave site.  It was planted with flowers but some had died.  Too much shade from the apple tree?  Jay and his friend Jeff put in new soil, and planted an astilbe.  I had rooted some coleus to fill in for this summer.  Big Mike planted some black eyed susans by Darel's grave in a spot that gets some sun. This spring Lil Andrew had pulled all the creeping charlie that was trying to take over.  Jay and Jeff put down mulch to smother any bits that were trying to come back.  The girls cleaned the creeping charlie that was growing by Mitch's grave and mulched the flowers around it.  An afternoon with some tears but lots of love and laughter too.  I had some tears of gratitude for such a loving, caring family.

    I planted celery plants in the evening and did more weeding.  The rains have been great for grass and weeds.  There were some very wet spots in the cemetery.  Including around the bench Heather's Mike had made and Keith put by Darel's grave.  Last year Lil Andrew had put pavers under it so the bench was dry, no water to rot the legs.

    We aren't sure what today's plans are.  The nursery is closed on Mondays now. Even though the rains have made us behind in the gardens we may take the day off and join the Andrews at JoMary.

May God bless you on this day, Sally