"A Memory of a Trip With My Dad"

Written by Eric Bunge

 


This postcard is a very special keepsake to me.




Postcard of Big Bend Nat'l Park, Texas
at Sunset

I spent several days with Dad in the valleys surrounding the mountain you see in the distance.

 

To get all the way down there takes a lot of time and effort and Dad convinced me to do it.

 

And together, we explored all over the deserts in this distant land.

 

If I ever see it again it will only remind me of Dad.

Eric and his dad, Larry, on this trip

 

 

I wonder if he recognizes the mountain? I do.

 

-On the right are the plains of Texas





-On the left, the lost ole Mexico

 

-The river (Rio Grande) cuts a canyon to the left where surely many have died

 

-In the foreground is the Texas Dad loves so much (his Dead End Canyon)  



"A Christmas Message"

Written by Pastor Renee Ford

A Hand-Made Nativity Set
Donated by a Church Family

          "It is time for us to celebrate the birth of our Lord! God has brought an amazing and unexpected gift to our world. During this time, I invite you to reflect on the unanticipated moments and gifts God has brought to you that bring you hope. Even when life brings unexpected trials, we are graced by God’s presence and the unexpected help God can send at just the right time. Each year, we find new ways that God touches our lives to bring us encouragement and strength. My prayer is for this to happen for you so that the blessing of God’s presence will enter your life anew this Christmas."

        "This Christmas Eve, we’ll reflect on the meaning of the manger and the gift God has given to our world through Jesus. When I was in elementary school, I was asked to sing “What Child is This?” at church on Christmas Eve. I have always loved that carol because it asks a really important question about who Jesus is for us. The gift of the manger can mean many different things for each of us. It can mean love when we are feeling unacceptable or unworthy. It can mean hope when life has brought us to a low point and the future feels terribly bleak. It can mean a higher calling for us to live and follow the ways of Jesus so that we move God’s will into the world through our work, our prayers, and our efforts of justice, our compassion and mercy as the hands, feet and heart of Jesus. I invite you to come to worship this Christmas Eve at our 4 p.m. candlelight service and discover the meaning of the manger for you. As God’s people, let us welcome and honor Jesus – God’s gift for the world. And let us find joyful ways to share this gift of love."


Woodycrest Sanctuary

Merry Christmas!!

Pastor Renee
Woodycrest United Methodist Church





Woodycrest United Methodist Church Will Celebrate 80th Anniversary



The Woodycrest United Methodist Church

The Woodycrest United Methodist Church will celebrate its 80^th Anniversary on November 13, 2016.

Rev. Dr. Renee Ford will officiate the anniversary church worship service at 10:30 a.m.

Refreshments with a “Pumpkin and Spice” theme will be held in the fellowship room from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Everyone is welcomed to attend our anniversary celebration.

We have eight members who have been members for 50 years or more. One member, whose family were founding members of the church, has been a member for 79 years and joined the church during its first year of existence.

 That's a total of 428 years for our top 9 longest-standing members

The church has decided to build a lift to make the church building fully accessible to all people. This will be an investment in the future of the church and enhances the church's ability to better serve the community

 Other services Woodycrest United Methodist Church provides:

·        Sunday school at 9. a.m.
·        Worship at 10:30 a.m.
·        Prayer Chain – Prayer requests are prayed for by the church congregation
·        Free Store – Open to the public the last Saturday of each month from 10 a.m. until noon
·        In-His-Service – Coordinates volunteers for the free store and for fellowship suppers
·        Men’s breakfast on the last Saturday of each month

Saying Goodbye

Son, Eric, and Grandson, Eric, Jr.
 

A mother's heart can be mixed with many emotions when she says goodbye to her son and grandson. And as happy as I was to spend some time with each of them on their visit to State College, it's hard to hold back the tears as I write about saying goodbye to them on my blog.

Our son, Eric, flew in to BWI in Baltimore where we picked him up on Sunday. During the short four days he was here, he spent most of his time with his other son, Frank, who is building a amazing tree house in a hundred-year old oak tree. His other son, Eric, drove up over a week ago and spent a lot of time hiking with his family.

When I left for class this morning, I said goodbye to my son, Eric.  His son, Eric, was planning on picking him up at 7:30 a.m. I decided to make a quick trip home after my ten o'clock class and found them at my place in the car ready to leave. This is the only picture I have of them on this visit.

They are their own journey now, a father-son bonding trip. https://goo.gl/maps/98G4JJvjkvG2. They plan to camp tonight and tomorrow tonight, and be in Bluffton, were my son lives, on Saturday. Grandson Eric will leave for his home in Florida on Sunday.

Happy travelling, son and grandson.  Love, Mom and Grandma

My Compassion For Customer Service



Mary, presenting, fellow students, and Mr. Gates, our teacher
 

I have always felt a compassion to help others and believe my work in customer service has been a good fit for me.

At the South Hills School of Business & Technology, where I am now a full-time student, we are learning about teamwork in our management class.

Today, we were presenting our answers to teamwork questions assigned to us by our management teacher, Mr. Gates. It was great timing to share with my classmates about my role in customer service with my previous employer, ARRIS Solutions, a global telecommunications provider.



Nate, presenting
 

It was both exciting and an honor to share with the students how customer service is an important core value at ARRIS, and how fortunate I was to be on their customer service team for five years.

Since we are learning about teamwork and the importance of helping each other in our workplace, I shared with my classmates how our supervisor, our coworkers, and employees from other departments at ARRIS helped the customer service team be successful.

My fellow students gave impressive answers to our homework assignment on teamwork this morning. I love to listen to them present their ideas and answers. Here is a picture of Nate who captures his audience with his wit and persuasion. We voted him to be the captain of our ship on the first day of class.  Nate is still our captain, and we are his team!

Hope Is A Feeling Of Expectation That Something Good Will Happen.



These mums are named "Hope"

On the last Saturday of each month, from ten until noon, the Woodycrest Methodist Church, provides hope to those who shop for free during these two hours in the Free-For-All shop. All items are donated to the church and given out free to the shoppers. The items include clothing for the whole family, kitchen items, books, videos, toys, pictures, and so much more. Faithful volunteers sort and place the items in the appropriate rooms in the shop which is located in the basement of the church. Each family that visits is given a very large, heavy-duty, plastic bag to hold their selections. Our volunteers wrap glass and breakables in newspaper. The men volunteers help the ladies carry their heavy treasures up the stairs and to their cars.

Free-For-All shop view

Each month, the church also gives each family a bag with new items in it. It's always a surprise. The shoppers have no idea what's in the bags until they open them. One month it was shampoo, toothbrushes, and toothpaste. This Saturday, it was a six-inch mum with yellow and gold colored buds. There were a few mums left so the volunteers took them home.

Another Free-For-All Shop View

Last evening, after I planted my pot of mums at the corner of my shed, I sat back in my lawn chair and reflected on how beautiful the yellow and gold colors were, and then I thought back on two hours I spent at the Free-For-All shop in the morning. People who shopped that morning were all hopeful they would find things they needed. Volunteers were hopeful they could provide inspiration and hope to all who shopped.  "Hope" seemed the perfect name to give my mums.

Every Little Girl Should Wear Flowers In Her Hair

A Story As Told By Our Grand dog, Suuki  ......Written by Larry Bunge



Is It Blue?







Is It Pink?







My Grandpa says every little girl should have a flower in her hair.

As a result every time we go hiking, he sticks a flower in my hair and takes a picture.

 

My question to you is: which color flower do I look best wearing?

 



Is It yellow?

 

Is It Brown?
HEY WAIT A MINUTE – Grandpa are you playing tricks on me again – I think this thing is a WEED!



Honoring My Mother

Peonies were Mother's favorite flower
 

This is my 24th post to my blog, "Memories Captured With A Camera". I created my blog to full-fill a class project this term in my Social Medial Class at South Hills School of Business and Technology.

I would like to honor my mother by sharing just a few of my memories of her.

My mother's name was Lillian. She was a single parent. She taught school. We lived on the farm where she was raised but in a different home than she grew up in. She was one of thirteen children.



Mother, Mary, Cat, Nephew Eddie

Mother at Coney Island
 

Every spring, we would plant a big garden filled with tomatoes, potatoes, corn, green beans, watermelon, and so much more. She taught me how to furrow out a long row so that it was straight and the right depth for the vegetable we were planting.

I loved canned yellow peaches during the winter. We would share taking skins off the hot peaches after they were removed from hot water and then placing the peach halves into quart jars.  Yellow canned peaches looked beautiful on the shelves with other canned vegetables.

As fall approached, it was apple butter making time.  In the early morning, we would start peeling apples. Making apple butter turned out to be an all-day process, lasting well into the evening hours. We would take turns stirring the apple butter in a large kettle over a fire built near the garden's edge. I loved the taste of cinnamon in the apple butter. Mother was generous with the cinnamon when she dropped it into the bubbling apple butter.

Thank you for letting me share some of my fond memories of my mother.  I would love to hear about memories you shared with your mother. Please click on comments and share if you would like to.

Friendships Are Like Beautiful Flowers

Pansies at Longwood Gardens
 

How are friendships like beautiful flowers?

Friends bring joy into our lives with their smiles and hugs. They care about what's important to us and always listen. 

Friends will encourage you to take vacation time. You will come back home feeling refreshed, and, hopefully, with lots of camera memories to enjoy over the years to come.

Beautiful flowers can remind us of an old saying, "Stop and smell the roses". This saying can mean different things to people, but to me, it means, slow down and enjoy being with people you love and enjoy things around you.  Beautiful flowers leave imprints on our mind and heart, just like friends do.

Longwood Gardens

Longwood Gardens

Today, I had a memorable lunch with two dear friends. There was lots of sharing and catching up. My two friends have a great sense of humor and tell amazing and touching stories.

It's well into the evening, and I am still thinking about my two friends at lunch today.
 
We gain courage and strength when we listen to our friends' stories.

                                      Friendships make us stronger.

I would love to hear stories about your friends. You can share by clicking on comments below.



A Hike To Charlies Bunion In The Smoky Mountains

 

This story is written by Larry Bunge

 

Appalachian Trail

Every now and then you get the chance of sharing some of the hikes you enjoy with your sons. In the Fall of 2015 my youngest son, Mark, had nine days off, so we took off heading South. My oldest son, Eric, was able to drive up from South Carolina and join us for the first three of those days.


Charlies Bunion Rock/Smoky Mountains
 

Our third hike during those days was to Charlies Bunion. A nice little hike of about three miles on the Appalachian Trail to the intersection shown in the first picture and then continuing another two miles to the overlook named Charlies Bunion.

Larry, Eric, Mark
 

Eric and Mark on top of the bunion

 

It made for a nice day- the hike - the view - and just being able to get together with my sons.

 

 

 

A Ride Down The Okefenokee Swamp

Moving through the swamp

As nine of us sat in a metal motorboat that moved steadily through the green swampy water, we listened to a young tour guide talk about the beauty of the Okefenokee Swamp, while she steered our boat through the water. She talked about swimming with the alligators like it was a stroll in the park.



Keep a safe distance from me!

Beautiful birds playing in the water

The ride was uneventful but my eyes were always watching for the dreaded alligator and there were quite a few along the way. Some had just their eyes above the water and sometimes you could see a thin ridge of their back and tail just above the water, too.

Some guarded the muddy banks unafraid. Alligators are territorial. I kept thinking--why would she swim in the same water they were in?

The boat ride was slow but steady. Gradually, we cleared the thick bush-lined swamp and entered into a wide water-way filled with lily pads, all kinds of flowers, birds, and, yes, more alligators. They seemed to be everywhere.

Our trip back took us down the same water path we had come up. We saw turtles lying on fallen tree branches along the water and many other sights common only to this environment.

Welcome back!

When we arrived back at the dock, we found these two waiting for us. While sunning themselves on the concrete, they guard both directions.  The tour guide said they are there every day. All of us carefully got off the boat and skirted around these two.

I can honestly say that I was never so glad to get back on land again and back into my car.

Secrets Kept By The Gnarled Trees of St. Augustine

What secrets do these trees know that cause them to bend and twist in so many directions?

I feel sad when I look at these trees because their journey in life looks like it was affected by horrible sights and sounds. Could these trees grow this way? I lean the other way since they are located in St. Augustine, FL, where these trees saw many battles where many lives were lost.

I asked the storekeeper of a small shop, in the old part of St. Augustine, what his opinion was about all the talk about ghosts. He said there is a graveyard beneath the old part of St. Augustine. If you listen during the early hours of the morning, when everything is quiet, you can hear the strangest sounds. To be honest, I was not brave enough to stay and find out.


After dark, there are ghost rides that take people to where ghosts hang out around graveyards. I wanted to go on one of these rides but they started too late. If you want shivers to go up your spine, click on this link:   Ghosts and graveyards

A New Journey for Mary

It's official!

Happy Day for Mary

On August 29, I will start school as a full-time student in the Administrative Professional program at South Hills School of Business & Technology.

Today, all new students for Fall 2016 were inspired by different speakers on how attending school will be life-changing and the hard work that will be required. I was included in this new group of students.

I saw one of my former coworkers who will be starting in the Engineering Technology program. It was wonderful to see her again.  There's a good chance I will see her each day as we pass in the hallway. We might get to take a course together.

This is a journey I never planned, but the opportunity came my way, and I want to take advantage of it.  I have always loved school since I was a child.

My thanks to all of you who helped me embark on this new journey.

"From Our House To Your House"

A Labor of Love

The small white mailbox with red trim and a red flag has a story.

A lady in our church cross-stitched one of these for each of the church members and gave them to us at Christmas. The lid really does open and inside there is a white dove showing the words:

"May The DOVE OF PEACE Be With You...Merry Christmas--Happy New Year!!"

Her gifts are truly a labor of love. When I showed her the mailbox and dove this morning at church and told her I wanted to write a story about them for my blog, she laughed and said she remembered making those.

More than ten years have passed since receiving her gift, and two new mailboxes, that I picked up at Thrift stores, have joined the small white one. All three mailboxes are located in different places in my kitchen and living room. 

"From Our House To Your House"

These mailboxes remind me how much I love receiving birthday cards, Valentine cards, cards of cheer, and thank you cards in the mail.  They remind me, too, that others like to receive cards and letters.  I like sending cards and writing short notes in them.

Receiving a card can make a world of difference in someone's life.  I hope you like mailboxes after you read my story.
 

Two Hours of Free Shopping

 

Christmas Corner at Free-For-All Shop

By 9:30 a.m. the church parking lot was already filling up and families were lined up outside the church door. In the basement, church volunteeers were organizing fall and winter clothing containers on long tables tagged with cards marked men’s, women’s, and children. In addition to looking at summer clothing placed on racks in a different room, we wanted to give families a chance to search through these containers because we have a lot of seasonal clothing. 

We always provide one very, large, clean bag for people to put treasures in but today we provided an additional large bag for clothes in these containers. We also wrap glassware and breakables in newspaper and place these items in separate boxes.

On the last Saturday of July, our Free-For-All shopping is held from 10 a.m. to noon at the Woodycrest United Methodist Church in State College, PA. 

All items are donated. All items are given back free to whoever comes to shop. One family travels almost thirty miles one way because there is nothing like this where they live. 

Our church has held this event for several years and has helped hundreds of families. Church volunteers take donated clothing, place on hangers, and then hang the clothing on designated racks. Kitchen items, books, videos, and other items are carefully organized on shelves and tables. Toys and children’s items like bikes are placed in a separate big room where children can play with the toys and ride the bikes. 

Many volunteers have made sorting and placing these items their career. They volunteer many hours each week in the shop and are always on call.

You can see pictures of some of these items in my July 11 post.

Trees

On one of our morning walks, I expressed to my friend how much I loved looking at trees, whether they are in full-leaf during the summer, or in the winter when they stand bare or are covered in snow. My friend, always sharing gems of wisdom, replied that trees never move and see all the changes that go around them over their lifetime.

What she said really made me think and I wanted to share her thought with you because I feel it is very powerful.

March 2013
 

Thanksgiving snow 2014
 

Can you think of a tree that you enjoyed looking at as a child, or one that captures your attention when you are walking your dog, or even a clump of trees you see when you travel to work? Was there a tree at your family home that had a strong limb that secured your swing or that you and your friends liked to climb? That tree saw you and your friends grow up and may still be watching over your family home.  Can you see that tree in your memory and let yourself slip back into your childhood and your growing-up years?

Fisherman's Paradise 2014
 



When you see a tree that has no leaves, study how its limbs might bend in every direction or twist and turn, yet the tree still grows strong, reaching for the sky.  Do the branches remind you of the twists and turns in your own life, yet you grow strong, and always reach for the sky.


 

Facebook Opens Up A Whole New World For Me

Facebook has changed my world! And I want to share why with all my friends and those around the world who read my blog. I know those who know Facebook inside and out are saying, okay...but I am still very excited to share what I have seen on Facebook just in case some of you are hesitating to sign up.

To be honest, I never had a Facebook account until I needed to set up one for a Social Media class I am currently taking during the 2016 Summer Term at South Hills School of Business & Technology.

Using Social Media like Facebook has made me feel a bit nervous until our teacher helped me set up an account and walked me through the process. I still have much to learn but here's what I have gained in the couple weeks I have been on Facebook.

• Connect and get caught up with family and friends I rarely see
• Watch travel and special event videos of friends and relatives
• Find people just by typing in their name and can see their pictures and videos
• See names and stories of people I used to work with but lost contact with
• Found a high school classmate I haven't talked with since we graduated
• Read inspirational stories and poems that friends upload
• Facebook lifts our hearts when we see what family and friends are sharing

If you don't have a Facebook account, have a friend help you sign up and help you decide how you want to use it.  It will open up a whole new world for you.

A Special Christmas Clock!

 One year for Christmas, my coworker gave each of us in our work group a beautifully wrapped gift.
 Before she handed us our gifts, she asked the six of us to wait and open our gifts at the same time.

When we opened our Christmas boxes, we found this beautiful Christmas clock with a snow scene of Mr. Snowman and his family in front of a pine tree backdrop, a blue sky, with snow all around.
When you look at the scene, you feel like the Snowman family is right outside your window looking in at you. Do you agree?
When I brought the clock home and my son placed it on the wall next to my front door, he stood back and said "Time is like looking through a window of opportunity". 

Time means many things to each of us and clocks help us keep track of time.

To me, this clock is magical because it is a gift from a wonderful coworker I will never forget. 

It's also a reminder of the wisdom my son shared when he placed the clock by my front door where I see it when I both leave and return to my home.  The clock also reminds me the Snowman has a happy family that is always watching me...

 

 

 

 



The Toad That Stayed All Afternoon and Then Left During The Night!

Have you ever had an interesting creature spend the afternoon and then leave during the dark of the  night?

One sunny afternoon in May 2015, I was out mowing my yard and enjoying the day because I love to mow. My yard is not too wide or long so I can pretty well see anything that might be moving through it --so I thought! Somehow, I missed this creature moving in until, out of my side vision, I saw a brown lump sitting near my fuel tank.

Getting up close, I realized it was a toad--those are the ones you don't touch -- you'll get warts, or is that a frog?  I was later told my visitor was an American Toad. The toad seemed tired and uncaring that I was staring down at it.  I thought it might be building a nest because it seemed burrowed down, surrounded by gravel.

The toad never moved while I finished mowing the yard. It seemed uncaring about the noise of the lawn mower. It became an attraction as people came and looked at it, but never once did it seemed like it cared. It never moved.  Could Mr. or Mrs. Toad be sick?

Day turned into evening and my vigil continued. At 9:05 p.m., I took my camera and a light and went out to check on it and this is what I found--Toad heading out.

Toad heading out
 

Deciding to give it some space, I went back inside and came out a little later and the toad was gone.

If you have any clues about this mystery, I welcome your thoughts.

One-of-a-Kind

Today, I visited Frank's display area in the Granary at the Lemont Fest in Lemont, PA.


Frank at Lemont Fest
 

Frank is my grandson who enjoys creating things with his hands.

At his area, I saw all kinds of things from lamps to birdhouses, and some objects he had to explain to me. I am thrilled he has the ability to create these things which can be useful in the home or outside in the yard.

Each item is one-of-a-kind created from wood, metal, copper, and pieces of scrap from somewhere. 

Frank's wants to show how scrap can be made into beautiful things.

At Lampology, you can view more of Frank's creations.