October

We have had a beautiful Fall,  The extraordinary dry months of summer set the wheels in motion for a most lovely, colorful fall.  Himself and I had two trips to Missouri and back in which we both exclaimed over all the colors in the hills and vales.  We both said we have not seen such a beautiful autumn in years -- if ever.  Now, we have had a little rain and some wind and most of the leaves are down.  There's a couple of exception tho.  Our big ol' Maple tree out front of the house.  It still has a quarter of it's leaves; it is always the last tree in the neighbor to let down and let go.  The other exception is any timber full of oak.  Oak trees don't let go of their dry, brown leaves until spring -- when the new green leaves finally force the old leaves to drop.  This was our experience, anyway, down to III. 

I guess this photo is from November but we aren't far from October and I'm going with it!  Himself and I took a ride today to run down the Bohemian National Cemetery.  I took my children here years ago on our cemetery tour but hadn't been back for so long, I didn't know how to get there and Himself claimed never to have been here.  We ended up having to call his cousin and get directions over the teleephone.  We found it!  I am truly surprised that Himself had never been here because he has great grandparent Novys and Sychras laid to rest here. 

Himself remembers this Great Grandmother, his Grandmother Tony's mother.  He remembers being bribed to call her Babička -- grandmother in her native Bohemian language.  If he wasn't too shy to say it, he would get a piece of candy.  All the others would end up with a piece of candy except for Himself -- he thought babička was a "cuss" word and wouldn't try to say it!  (I think he must have been in trouble already, with cuss words.  What do you say?)

Anyway, today we tracked down Gramma Sychra's "little mother", Babička, and himself's great grandparent Sychra's.  Someday, I'll make a book -- photos, relationships, cemeteries, maps!  And stories.  and more stories.  I'd better get busy! 

We celebrated a milestone birthday for this dear ol' guy. 

Shhh; he doesn't like to talk about it.  

And, we have had a little down time.  I think I have actually read three books this month.  I remember when I used to read three books a week.  I also have read at least three magazines, a daily paper and 2 weekly newspapers.  If I include what I read in the internet, I think I am reading as much as I always did.  I'm just reading different.  Anyway, glad you stopped in to visit.  Hurry back . . .