Homecoming...coming home...

And so I had wanted to include pictures with this when I started it a few weeks back...but seems that it just keeps building but today seems the day to bring it out and finish...a beautiful day!   A HOME day...oh some might say it is rainy and dreary outside...as dry as it has been I embrace it!   Actually have to confess I love these days from time to time...even though kind of funny how the weather person had said to hunker down as it was chilly out...

Yesterday was my flex Friday...no Firecracker...so I got some tomatoes and green chili's.   For those of you that have not smelled fire roasted green chili's--you are missing out!   So today I am going to put up some tomatoes and make some salsa.   Well I say "I" but I have requested the assistance of the "shepherd" as he makes the better salsa...But they are talking about possible frost...wooo...barely made it under the wire...with produce it is not forgiving...if you put it off too long then you just have to wait until next year and that makes for not as tasty of a winter!   And though talking of its own story in itself..the aroma that has taken over the house is definitely one of HOME...and so I combine it with time spent a few weeks ago...

Anyway I go to where this originally started and what an amazing day it was...okay so days with Firecracker...are almost always AMAZING days...but this was a special day...

I had started writing...Left my kitchen table early this morning and am now watching the CSU/CU (pretty big rival game here in Colorado...always cheer for those Rams but "Ralphie the buffalo" who is really a girl okay another story but anyway CSU lost) game while one little Firecracker is trying to take a nap before the Limon/Crowley County football game!   But I hear quite a bit of chatter so not sure how much of a nap we get in...

This particular morning the old P-pa and I headed north in order to get to Limon in time for the parade...and I think back of how a year ago we had all went to the homecoming parade...and I can picture my "favorite son-in-law" Jay strolling up the street with his buddy Tyler.   Of Izzy not sure of the whole thing but  Chief Lynn Yowell taking her with him out to direct traffic...and the feeling of loving a small town...and a memory of another good day...

The ride up was one of memories and emotion as Jay was heavy on my mind...and I realize that in not writing it at the time...many of the things that stood out have faded and I think this is why it is good to put these thoughts down soon...not sure where they go and why some memories are there and others are not...but I remember music on the ride up there and now it comes back...because Jay had so been on my mind and then on the drive we hear the song, "Holes in the floor of Heaven".    And I am taken back to Heather and Jay's wedding and I can remember Jay's mom and sharing that song and through tears we smiled thinking that these two had their grandparents looking over them...and then I come back and listen to this song...and I think of our Izzy and Heather and hope they feel another watching them through the holes in the floor of heaven...and now through tears I realize why I delayed on writing this...and I look up through my living room window and it is covered with rain and this song is playing and the emotion is there but someday I hope little Izzy will see this and sing and feel some comfort...



"And there's holes in the floor of heaven and his tears are pouring down that's how you know he's watching wishing he could be here now and sometimes when I am lonely I can remember he can see yes there's holes in the  floor of heaven and he's watching over you and me."  Holes in the Floor of Heaven sang by Steve Wariner.

But the ride was good with all kinds of songs from my childhood as the "shepherd" puts it on the country oldies and I am also reminded of my mom when I hear the "Green Green Grass of Home"...and I look it up and Google tells me that Tom Jones is the original artist...while I am not sure who I remember as the original...I don't remember it as being Tom Jones...anyway it is a song I think of others who have left as well...singing, "It's good to touch the green green grass of home...Yes they'll all come to meet me arms reaching smiling sweetly it's good to touch the green green grass of home..."   And I think of all of those that have gone "Home" and that someday we will see them all again.
 

But I go back to my story...and we arrive at Firecracker's house and she is still sleeping.   Her mama lets her sleep until almost time to go and then finally decides to wake her up...so I watch on at a little sleeping angel and when her mom tries to wake her up...it is as though watching her daddy wake up and finally Heather says, "Wake up little Jay."   Because the similarity is uncanny and we both laugh at this little trait that was passed on that we feel Jay's little "Peanut" has her daddy with her more times than we probably know...



Heather and Izzy
Gotta love a parade
Gotta love my girls!



But we go to the parade and this is just a special day.   Watched the involvement of the Yowell family in this production...Lisa (Chief's wife) came riding through on a golf cart...later followed by the "Chief" in his car...then the Chief's daughter, Amie, shows up on a horse...and later followed by Chief's son, Dylan-Yes he is royalty one of the homecoming candidates.  



But there is another family there this day...the police family.   We are on the corner and are joined by Jake (Limon PD) and Amy to take in the show.   There watching traffic is the Chief, then up pulls up another "brother" Gordon (LCSD) who will be watching from the west.   There is also Fred (LPD) watching to the east and then here comes Mike (LCSD).   And it is now showtime...for those  who have not experienced parades in small towns, I encourage you to do so...it probably doesn't matter which town...in being there you get a taste of "home" of that feeling of though the faces have changed...some things stay the same...the band...the candy...the children running out in the middle of the street being encouraged to do so when any other time they would not be...

Izzy and Chief Yowell

 

I realize that Izzy has some "princess" status where these guys are concerned.   I smile thinking of Patrolman Bandy jumping off of his float to bring Izzy a whole hand full of candy.  Taking the harrassment of whether he can jump back on to which he hops back on rather easily I might add.    How this little Firecracker does one of her favorite pass times "Tease Jake".    She loves this guy but she loves more to tease him!



Izzy and Jake in their matching shirts...



And it is Jake and Amy that go with us to Ruby's to take in lunch before the big game and maybe the "big pre-game nap" that one little girl should probably take...but at Ruby's, Izzy does decide to go see her buddy Jake...but she makes him work for it.  I think Jake and Izzy were both wanting a nap...

And maybe it is because a small town...maybe that Izzy is a "regular" but Heather goes to pay and Firecracker marches up to pay.   She wanted to sign just like her mom and so the waitress accomodates and let's Izzy sign a ticket...I am not thinking that in the bigger cities...this would be an occurance.

So I get distracted working on a collage in my Photoshop of the events of the day...trying to catch time at the game with Josh, Jake, and Amy.  Pics from the parade...the Amiey's (Okay I came up with that as they are friends with the same name just spelled differently).   Talking to Mike and Gordon....Russel talking to Izzy...just a good day.  

One might be thinking well surely she is finished with this but like I said this has been building for a couple weeks.  

And I am reminded of "home" in a family discussion where one of my cousin's was missing her mother...while we all spoke of home...another cousin said, " It is the warmth of being home when it is cold outside.   It is the sense of belonging - the feeling of being safe."   Another shared an amazing poem she wrote...which gave us all comfort.   We can find "home" in so many places...

I think of my kids coming home for a visit...I think of my friend's daughter Kasey Jo...living in the city but living it up by coming home to spend time with family...canning salsa and peaches...and of course watching an old vhs of "Return to Snowy River".   It is the little things that take us home...that keep these memories forever embedded in our hearts and minds...for a chance to visit some other time...

P-pa the shepherd...mixing up his salsa...

And this brings me back to my day spent making some salsa...canning some tomatoes...and it brings back memories of days gone by canning tomatoes with my kids, my mom, my grandma, and my aunt...and the scent that permeates my house takes me back to a special place...and though not my childhood home...I am still home all the same.

They talk that there is a chance of frost...I guess we will see but thankful we have a little bit put up...but I have to admit that "shepherd" made some tasty salsa...with a smile no less!

So I am finally just sending this off...before another day has passed...thanks for coming along and I wish for to have your own "home" coming...

lyp