Have always liked this time of year as we pass from Summer to Fall. So much interesting family stuff has been going on these past weeks:

We are very proud of our nineteen year old grandson Liam who has earned a spot on the United Sates Down Syndrome soccer team where players were selected from all over the United States. He will be competing against teams from North and South America, plus Spain, in a tournament at Thanksgiving time in Brazil. And we are proud of his brother Brian who has been asked to be part of the coaching staff. Fortunately the competitions fall during Thanksgiving week when Brian will be on break from Penn State and Liam will also be on break from his school program. We celebrate them and all the athletes who will be participating in this sporting competition,

September has always been one of my favorite times of the year and this year is no exception. The weather has been spectacular – warm but not too warm, very conducive to outdoor activities. Jerry and I have been able to get in a lot of golf. Sometimes with games that have pleased us and some a tad humbling.

My parents wedding anniversary was September 27th. It was a double ceremony for them and for Aunt Marg and Uncle Jim. My mother kept a picture of the twin bridal couples taken on their wedding day. The picture sat on her bedroom chest of drawers. As a small child I would stare at the picture trying to figure out which one was my mother. The twins were truly identical . I remember how excited I was when I finally realized that my mother would be standing next to my father. I am a tad embarrassed to say that I thought my discovery was a true intellectual breakthrough.

September 27th is also special because it commemorates the birth of our granddaughter Megan Frances . This recent UVA graduate has just started an internship at the Kennedy Center and this past summer she worked at the Wolf Trap Center in Vienna. Exciting venues for a theatrically gifted young woman.

Last Saturday Legal Services of Northern VA, where son Jim is the Executive Director, had its first gala/fundraiser since the start of Covid. It was a special treat to be able to participate along with several hundred guests and the many family members who came from New York, Pennsylvania, Richmond, and locally to support Jim and the incredible work of LSNV. This event was particularly special because all of our grandchildren are now old enough to attend. Of course all the nineteen were not there – with school and job commitments and distance standing in the way – but the seven who were in attendance made for some pretty proud grandparents.

Probably daughter Meg as the Executive Director of a non profit in Pennsylvania is the family member who could most relate to all the work that Jim and his staff put into making this event so successful. And when Meg has had her events she gets an equally robust dose of family support!!!

In early September we spent four days with Maura and Paul at Ocean Grove , New Jersey at Jerry and Teresa’s beautiful beach home which they so generously share. We were so pleased that Meg and Atar could join us for part of the time. If I were asked my most favorite beach time I would not have a concrete time. I love all beach time so I would say my most favorite time is when we are actually there. It is the ocean view, the sea air, the sound of the waves.

In June and July I put a lot of effort into plants for our backyard patio. I was recovering from Covid and a bout with pneumonia and I think my brain was affected. Several of the plants that I selected were also favorites of the deer who like to visit our backyard. One late afternoon as I was watering the various plants, I felt so proud of the patio flower beauty. The next morning I was eager to again soak in this beauty only to find half of the plants had been stripped of their flowers. I was so bummed!!! Since the deer had been leaving the patio plants alone I expected that behavior to continue. I was so wrong !!!

Immediately I checked our front yard where I had mixed some fertilizer and flower seeds into the the soil surrounding our new dogwood tree. I had picked up the seed at the local garden center – not exactly sure what I would do with it. The flower picture on the seed container was so inviting that I was sucked into making the purchase. Well these seeds were developing into plants. At first, they had no flowers- but the baby plants looked healthy. They had not been attacked by the deer. With the passage of time these baby plants with a minimum of effort on my part, have developed into a riot of beautiful summer/fall annuals. Is there a lesson to be learned here? Does beauty sometimes blossom when we least expect it?

Plants from seed in our front yard.