Ken Loyd's Eclectic Blog

Your Roadmap to the Beulah Hill Blog Posts

2012-01-17T19:25:00.000-05:00

Welcome to a special series of

blog posts featuring all aspects

of Beulah Hill Baptist Church's

recent renovation project.

There will be dozens of photos

as well as some explanatory

comments. It may be more than

you wish to view in one sitting,

but I hope you will want to see

it all at some point.

You can see all the blog posts by

continuing to scroll down. This is the

order in which you will come to titles:

* A Portrayal of the Life of Christ

(The scriptures that accompany the

new stained-glass windows)

* Beulah Hill Baptist Church

Renovation Part I

(Covers a wide range of indoor

and outdoor improvements)

* Beulah Hill Renovation: Stained

Glass Windows Depict the Life of Christ

(This shows the actual installation of

the windows and is different from

the scripture blog which precedes it.)

* Beulah Hill's New Steeple is Raised

(This includes photos as well as

three exciting videos of the raising.)

I hope the posts are a blessing to you.

I have been greatly blessed by following

the months of work and seeing the

inspiring fruits of this labor.

A Portrayal of the Life of Christ

2012-01-17T18:02:00.000-05:00

For many years to come, worshipers at

Beulah Hill Baptist Church will be moved

by the beloved scenes of inspiration that

now adorn the sanctuary.

Come now and take a walk through the

familiar scriptures that each one calls to mind.

The Angel's Announcement
Luke 2: 10-11
And the angel said unto them, Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

The Birth of Jesus
Luke 2: 12
And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

The Boy Jesus at the Temple
Luke 2: 42, 46, 47
And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast.
. . . they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both hearing them and asking them questions. And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.

Baptism of Jesus
Matthew 3: 13, 16, 17
Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to the Jordan unto John, to be baptized by him.
And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water; and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him. And, lo, a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

The Sermon on the Mount
Matthew 5: 1, 2a; 6:33; 7:7; 7:28
And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was seated, his disciples came unto him, And he opened his mouth, and taught them . . . .
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine; For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

Jesus Prays in the Garden of Gethsemane
John 17: 1-23
These words spoke Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee. As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

Jesus is Crucified
John 1: 10-11
He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

The Resurrection
Luke 24: 2, 3, 5-7 John 20: 16
And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulcher. And they entered in , and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.

[the angels] said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen! Remember how he spoke unto you when he was yet in Galilee, Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.

Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.

The Ascension to Heaven
Matthew 28: 17-20a Luke 24: 50
And Jesus came and spoke unto them, saying, All authority is given unto me in heaven and in earth. go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you . . . .

And he led them out as far as to Bethany; and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.

A Living Lord
John 1: 14 Revelation 3:30 Matthew 28: 20b
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock; if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the age.

May God richly bless you as you
continue on your spiritual journey.

Note: All scripture references are from the King James version of the Bible, Schofield edition

Beulah Hill Baptist Church Renovation Part I

2012-01-17T18:00:00.000-05:00

Beulah Hill Baptist Church is located a short distance from the famed golf resort of Pinehurst, North Carolina. In fact, the church was established in 1895, the exact year of Pinehurst's founding.

This past summer, the church voted to do a total renovation of the building in which we have worshiped since 1959, over half a century. The work began in September 2011 and took about four months, concluding with the raising of a new steeple on January 5, 2012.

The church underwent a total makeover from top to bottom, inside and out. It included all-new carpeting, paint job with a new color scheme, re-worked / repadded / revarnished pews, all-metal roof, new fellowship hall lighting, new doors, new stained glass windows, the new steeple, and much more.

This blog is intended for the enjoyment of both members and friends of the church who would like a pictorial chronicling of the labors that have gone on. Three separate posts are planned. This one will portray most of the varied jobs that were completed. The second will feature the new stained-glass windows which depict ten scenes from the life of Christ. The final segment will detail the removal of the venerable old steeple and the raising of the new one.

The pictures are not in precise chronological order since many jobs were in progress simultaneously. But I hope they will give you some idea of the labor of love and spirit of excitedment that has pervaded our church body during the renovation. I'd like to think it compares favorably to what Ezra and Nehemiah experienced in the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls and the temple.

The sanctuary pews were trucked off to High Point for varnishing and shortening to create more aisle space near the walls.

Everything inside the church got a new coat of paint. Most notable is the sanctuary, which also sports a new color scheme.

Concrete was poured for our rear downstairs entranceway.

A rich, velvety carpet now covers the entire sanctuary. Other areas that were previously hardwood or linoleum are now carpeted as well.

The old wooden downstairs doors were due for replacement.

The sanctuary's new look without pews.

Changes for the stairwell were in store, too.

When the pews returned, a multi-stage process began. The pieces were laid out in their proper places for painstaking re-assembly.

When that was accomplished, total reupholstering was done on-site.

The refurbished pews are padded on both the back and seat.

New recessed lighting and replacement ceiling tiles have brightened the fellowship hall, scene of Bible study, special events, and many a good meal.

New fixtures have modernized our downstairs rest rooms.

Our pastor, Dr. Curtis Barbery, is pleased to preach from behind our original oak pulpit which has been brought out of retirement. Our other pulpit, handcrafted by member Helmut Blazek, is now used each week in the fellowship hall during Bible study.

New tile added to the bathroom's more pleasing appearance.

Many hands labored and much preparation was done prior to painting, carpeting, and other work.

The nursery has been totally revamped with a user-friendly cork floor, bright, kid-friendly colors, and improved toys and supplies.

Of course, much work had to be done getting rid of the old before the new could be installed.

Every room in the church had to be totally emptied at least once during this renovation process.

Men of the church are accustomed to workdays, but many worknights were also held.

Historically, Beulah Hill has attempted to employ the skills and knowledge of its own membership when possible and practical.

The church's long-time motto is "Laborers together with God." Seldom has this been more apparent.

Volunteers of all ages were welcomed and assigned a wide variety of helpful tasks.

These ladies worked upstairs while their husbands worked downstairs.

Everyone seems pleased with the metal roof which has replaced our worn shingles.

Pastor Barbery gives an approving appraisal of the work, along with long-time building committee members Johnny Williamson and Wilbur Calcutt.

Not everything was finished in time for November Homecoming, but the fellowship hall was ready.

For many members who have moved away, returning for Homecoming would be a first glimpse of many of the building improvements.

It was a beautiful day, and as both present and former members gathered for worship, all thanked God for blessing the efforts that had been done in His name and for His glory.

In his loyalty, steadfastness, and love for all, Steve Graham embodies the qualities of Christ that we all strive to emulate. In many ways, Steve is the heart and soul of our church, and he is thrilled to see the many wonderful improvements.

Be sure to view the other posts which will highlight the stained-glass windows and the new church steeple.

Beulah Hill Renovation: Stained Glass Windows Depict the Life of Christ

2012-01-17T17:59:00.000-05:00

Though Beulah Hill's original sanctuary windows

have served well for over a half century, the

reaction to the new stained-glass windows has

been overwhelmingly positive. Here's a brief

pictorial overview of this portion of the renovation.

The original sanctuary windows.
Before the church was air-conditioned
these windows had crank-handles for opening.

The work crew first had to remove the
old windows and frames.

The old sections are carefully set aside.

This is a last nostalgic look at the new sanctuary
with the old windows.

With the old window removed, this was
my view from the organ. Very nice view,
but not very practical for all weather.

The "big picture" view shows a hive of activity
involving several workers and tasks.

The first new window is set in place.

There is no room for error or haste in this work.

One complete side of the building was
completed in the first day of labor.

The windows look wonderful from the outside,
but must be viewed from within for full appreciation.

Each window depicts foundational
events in the life of Christ.

The Nativity

The Sermon on the Mount

As the final phase of the renovated sanctuary,
these windows complete a wonderful transformation.

In the next post, you'll see the old steeple

removed and the new one raised, including videos.

Soon, an additional blog will be posted

with all ten stained-glass windows and the

scriptures that reference them.

Beulah Hill's New Steeple is Raised

2012-01-17T17:58:00.000-05:00

The last major phase of Beulah Hill's

renovation project was the replacement

of the steeple. These photos and three

short videos document the process.

This is a final glimpse of the original
copper-plated steeple that has adorned
Beulah Hill Baptist Church since 1959.

You can't just call for a "workday" for jobs
like this. A powerful crane arrives along
with the new steeple.

The roofing crew and steeple crew
spend a day coordinating their work.

This crane is ready for heavy lifting.

Pastor Barbery (center), Johnny Williamson
(right), and the crane operator anticipate
the church's new look.

Just getting the old steeple, belfry, and
bell to the ground is no trivial undertaking.

There's plenty of service left in this venerable
old bell, which has summoned multitudes to
worship for many decades.

Prior to its raising, the cross atop the new steeple
casts its shadow while still on the flatbed truck.

During the brief period when it had no steeple
at all, Beulah Hill looked strangely bare.

The massive base awaits installation.

The steeple is prepared to be seated
upon the base.

The base is cut for a perfect fit to the church roof.

The new alongside the old.
Both will stir cherished memories.

A thill is in the air as "lift-off" moment arrives.

The beautiful white spire features
praying hands lit by a solar cell at night.

Up, up, and away. An expert crane operator
makes a difficult task look easy.

The following two videos, 41 seconds and

76 seconds, show the actual raising of the

steeple from start to finish, a historic moment

in the life of Beulah Hill.

Mission accomplished!

With the new steeple in place, the
renovation is largely completed.

Then there's the matter of the church

bell. The following video shows you

the "reclaiming" of the bell by the

powerful crane. Listen to it clang

as it sways between heaven and earth.

Pastor Barbery envisions that the old bell, in a
new location, will once again summon worshipers
to Beulah Hill Baptist Church.

So this church, well into its second century,
embraces a new era. The changes in the building
are readily apparent. But the CHURCH, which
means God's people, has not changed in its mission
or its character. We still seek to be a Lighthouse on a
hill, a beacon which can guide men's souls to Christ.
And a fellowship of believers-- Christ's ones-- who carry
that light into our community and the world beyond.

At Long Last, Christmas in Atlanta!

2012-01-15T08:51:00.000-05:00

Christmas 2011 has come and gone, but the

memories of a wonderful time in Atlanta will

remain with us forever. Great-Grandpa Loyd

was in fine form to receive his four great-grandchildren

along with the rest of the family.

Evan and Claire visit "Grandpa Loyd" upon their
arrival. Claire is proud to show off her new glow-
in-the-dark airplane shirt.

Grandpa Loyd has an airplane of his own to
show: his P-47 Thunderbolt.

But leave it to Claire to provide the action!
"I'm going to be a pilot!"

The game of one-upmanship continues as
Grandpa pulls out his harmonica and entertains.

It's chilly, but nice enough for a stroll in the garden.
Claire shows the butterfly she's found.

An updated four generation picture.

Claire: "I like your place, Grandpa Loyd."

Evan decides to go reindeer hunting.

"Uh, what do I do now that I've caught him?"

Day 2 found our whole clan gathered at Picadilly
Cafeteria for a festive meal. With these four to
watch, the food took a back seat. Not that we
left anything on our plates.

Brianna: "Can you imagine how much more fun
this would be if we knew what money was?"

Hide-and-seek around a vending machine.
Cheap entertainment-- at this age. Next year . . .?

Why pay babysitters. These guys take
care of themselves.

Hunter and Stephen make up their own games.

Later, Hunter practices his karate on some
unsuspecting table ads. Including something
like hee-YAH!

The big event was after dinner at Grandpa Loyd's
house. The children were fascinated with this
holiday setting Caryn brought.

They were drawn to it like a magnet.

"I FOUND IT! The magic music button!"

Bold Brianna is sent off all by herself to tell Uncle
Buddy something. Wonder of wonders, she does it!

Evan: "How am I going to open this without
putting down my toy train?"

The biggest miracle of this Christmas may be
that everyone was looking at the camera! We
weren't sure the traditional family picture was
even a possibility this year, but it was!

Grandpa Loyd is thrilled to be surrounded by
all four of his great-grandchildren at once.

These children love toys, but they create their
own fun with whatever's available.

Hunter's trying to show Brian a little about
how to play the piano.

Always thoughtful Caryn has Brianna deliver a
birthday cupcake to Mommy Amanda. Almost
every birthday of her life has been celebrated
in Atlanta. (She's also never had to go to
school on her birthday!)

Bri and Hunter weren't nearly as interested in
playing the organ as in hearing the loud whirr when
they turned it on and off. Again and again and again. . . .

Hunter was quite impressed with Grandpa Loyd's
aviation bear. But his thumb was even better.

Matt shows Grandpa's many Air Force photos to
an awed Claire. She's the real aviation enthusiast!

It would hardly be Christmas in Atlanta without
special and heart-warming music from our friends.

Even the young listeners know talent when they hear it.

Evan says: "This is some party, Dad.
Let's come back every year."

Pick your own favorite caption:
Ken: "What do you mean, Can I put Evan on
my shoulder?"
Hunter: "Folks, I'm getting a little squished here."
Claire: "Um, I think Bri's about to go BOOM."
Brianna: "Coud somebody hurry up and
take the picture? Yikes!

We never let a photo-op "slip away."

Here's the Loyd family's parting shot. Also, the
Coles, Kirbys, and Talberts. One slight difference
from the earlier group photo. Bri's waving at you!
Have a great 2012 everyone!

Part II of Christmas at Granny and Grandaddy's

2012-01-05T17:55:00.000-05:00

Here are more pictures of our Christmas

Day celebration at Judy's parents' house.

If you haven't yet viewed Part I, you may

scroll down to the previous blog post.

Gathering around Granny's tree is
much more about love than gifts.

The way these kids rambled comfortably around
the house, I was fortunate to get this one picture
with all four of them at once. All doing different
things, too, mind you.

Brianna: "Anybody who doesn't know how
to use a Bolo-Bouncer just watch me.
And stand back!"

Uncle Matt to Hunter: "This looks like a really
good book, but I'm with you-- let's go shoot
some hoops. And it's none of my business,
but did you lose your britches since
the last time I saw you?"

Hunter: "My new game: roll the ball down
the stairs, then holler till somebody
downstairs fetches it for me."

Claire: "I GOT IT! I GOT IT! An AIRPLANE shirt
like Grandma and Grandpa's. Thank you, thank
you, thank you!" (Hers is better: it glows in the dark!)

Evan: "That's me-- always ready with a smile
and a wave. And let the record show
that I've still got my britches on."

Hunter: "Well if you're going down, I'm going up."
Bri: "And if you're going up, I'm going down."
Emma: "I'm just holding my breath . . . .

Bri: "HA! For all you doubters, I made it.
And I didn't take the 'quick' way down, either!"

Bri finds this tender "guy moment" heartwarming.

Scary thought: all four people in this picture,
including the two year-olds, know how to play the
game on this I-pad. The photographer does not.

The Loyd/Talbert/Kirby version of a
"Texas Death Match." Who do you think
came out worst in this tangle?

Actually, we were all winners, and there
are no hard feelings, as you can tell.

I've stopped worrying about my hair when
I'm around Hunter and Evan. It's not even worth
taking time to comb it until I'm going home.

Hunter: "I'm finding it difficult to check
my voicemail without dropping the ball."

More like sisters than cousins, Bri and Claire dare to
venture down the steps as long as they're holding hands.

What a model of teamwork and cooperation!

But even a better example of
LOVE!

Christmas at Granny and Grandaddy's 2011

2012-01-05T11:09:00.000-05:00

I feel richly blessed that our family was

able to gather for Christmas fellowship

at Judy's parents' home once again. The

exuberant joy of the grandchildren is the

focus of today's blog. And there will be

a Part II. I promise.

"Hello, this is Brianna. We're all here at Granny's and Grandaddy's and we'd love for you to join us right away!"

Hunter: "Wow, just look at all those presents! Who do you think they're for? We've already had all our birthdays for this year."

Claire: "Now everybody say che-e-e-se. Except for me, of course. I'm the photo-ma-tographer."

Stephen: "And Bri, this is Santa's grabber. It's for putting stuff way down in children's stockings."

Evan: "I'll give you three guesses what Grandma's been feeding me."

Hunter: "Surely you know man does not live by bread alone. How 'bout a banana?"

Brianna: "Now everybody say 'limberger'. No, that doesn't sound right . . . .

Hunter: "What do you mean 'Am I Tinkerbell or Peter Pan?'"

Evan: "Doesn't anyone care about the camera besides me?"

Hunter: "Look, everybody. I can palm a basketball!"

Let the chaos begin!

Bri gets an instant jewelry collection.

Nothing could make Granny and Grandaddy happier than to see all the happy children scattered around their living room floor.

Claire's dream: AN AIRPLANE!

And a BIGGER AIRPLANE!

Bri: "Yahoo! Now I'll have a copy of Wheels on the Bus for Grandma's house and one for home."

Hunter: "Hey y'all. What's wrong with the goofy ball?"

Evan: "Trust me. I know what I'm doing. I've done stairways steeper than this hundreds of times."

No, no Hunter. Don't touch that nasty stuff. Get away while you can!

Now that's more like it!
(Hunter stayed in that glide rocker as proud as if he had climbed Mount Everest)

Well folks, I'd better warn you. This is only HALF of the pictures from Christmas Day. Then I'll be blogging about our second Christmas in Atlanta. If you're not that interested you can check back in a few days. I'm sure I'll have something else to blog about by then. But if you ARE interested, I promise more cute snapshots and corny captions. It's a new year, but some things never change!

Friends Like You

2012-01-01T20:50:00.000-05:00

My first blog post of 2012 is a very special

one to me. This rendition of a beautiful and

meaningful song is sung by my friend Brian

Weatherby, accompanied by life-long friend

Warren Calvert on the guitar and his daughter

Leah on the fiddle.

My friends were performing at our umpteenth

annual Christmas gathering at Mama and Daddy's

house in Atlanta. You'll see Daddy seated up

close in his wheelchair. You'll hear a little

background noise. You see, right under my

camera, my grandaughters Brianna and Claire

were enacting the very love and friendship

the song speaks of. After you view the video,

read the lyrics of the song beneath it.

Friends Like You

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you.
I praise Him, praise Him for the way
He shows His love through you.

At times He’ll tell me I’m doing fine
In something He’ll have you say.
At times He’ll use you to right my wrongs
And show me where I’ve disobeyed.

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you.
I praise Him, praise Him for the way
He shows His love through you.
He shows His love to me through friends like you.

Brian has sung this song for us

at countless Christmas celebrations.

He has also sung it at my sister

Caryn's wedding and at my

mother's funeral. I cherish these

words and the melody. But most

of all I cherish friends like YOU!

May God bless you richly in 2012.

Breezin' Along With Bri

2011-12-26T10:03:00.000-05:00

The Friday before Christmas Brianna and

Hunter spent a few hours with us. I've already

posted a blog about Hunter's activities. Here's

the heads-up on Bri's busy day.

First, we have a hungry baby. Bri sets

the table and starts to round up some vittles.

"Mine tastes a little gritty.

How about yours, Baby?"

"I think I needed to sift the sand a little longer."

Bri has played on the glide swing at Claire's

house, but today was the first time she showed

much interest in this old relic of ours. But

she climbed on all by herself and pumped away.

This hobby horse is even older than the

swing, but still has enough bounce for

this two year-old.

Hunter's not the only one who plays ball.

And Bri had the most fun kicking the ball

through a pile of leaves.

Off to the front porch to see what's going

on. Bri cradles a plastic Baby Jesus from

an old nativity scene.

Let's pull this musical wagon around

for a while.

Meanwhile, Hunter wants to see if he's

big enough to navigate Bri's tricycle.

It's a real challenge with the handlebars

turned backwards. And you'd have to

be a giant to reach those pedals!

Fortunately, big sister is always there

to lend a helping hand . . .

and I do mean always!

Bri had a love/hate relationship with

this plastic spider we found in the garage.

When Bri agrees to a ride in the double

stroller, she gives very specific instructions

for draping a blanket over the top.

Her riding partner, Hunter, laughs,
"So you think you can stroll me to sleep? Ha!"

(See previous blog)

When Grandma and Hunter head inside

for a while, Bri leads Grandpa to one of

her special places and sets up a reading

corner in -- our canoe!

Everything has to be laid out just so

for the reading magic to take place.

This vintage Santa Claus pop-up book

fascinated Bri for a good while.

Merry Christmas to All!

"Yeah, that's what I thought he'd say."

Can't stay in one place for too long.

Might get sleepy.

So Bri hauls her reading chair 100 yards

to the sand pile.

I think she must be expecting an extra guest

for this holiday tea party. Or whatever.

You've heard of re-fried beans?

Well, these are re-raked leaves.

They get raked over and over again by Bri.

Bri found a single un-mated work glove

of mine and I decided to show her all

my other work gloves.

That included a pair labeled with a big

capital "A." Those were Mommy's

(Amanda's) first work gloves back when

she was "Daddy's Little Helper."

I see a little family resemblance. And

Amanda, you can take those gloves home

for your little helper anytime!

Having a Ball with Hunter

2011-12-26T09:24:00.002-05:00

Hot on the heels of a wonderful Christmas

with our family, I'm sharing some end-of-year

photos of Hunter today. I'll blog more about

Christmas in the near future-- but ours isn't

over yet!

As I loaded these recent pictures, I noticed

that almost every one featured Hunter with

a ball. Hence, the title. This wire basket

served as a rudimentary "practice hoop"

for indoor basketball.

He's up over the rim and . . .

he slams it home! TWO POINTS!

Uh huh. Are you beginning to see a pattern?

Even in his swing, he keeps working

on his jumpshot technique.

YAY! That one went forward!

"Um, could somebody help me lift this

over my head (a little heavier than the

beach ball he warmed up with)?"

"Kitty Cat, would you mind fetching that

basketball for me?"

"Thanks, Grandpa. I forgot Kitty Cat

doesn't fetch (or anything else that

hints at servitude)."

Hunter works on his Fisher-Price basketall

hoop while Brianna tries out a mini-football.

Yup. You guessed it. It was less than a

minute before Hunter ventured into a

new sport.

At half-time, Grandpa Loyd called us

from Atlanta. We sat in Judy's prayer

garden swing and chatted. One of us

decided to catch a few winks.

"Grandpa, I don't think I can make it

out for the second half. Just tell 'em it's

naptime and I forfeit."

That's okay, big guy.

There will be other game days in 2012.

Lots of 'em.

Pre-Christmas Special: Evan and Claire ... and Kitty Cat

2011-12-24T13:57:00.086-05:00

It's almost 10:30 on Christmas Eve and this will be posted before Santa arrives. I doubt if (m)any of my readers will see this tonight, but Merry Christmas, anyway.

Just like Santa's toysack, this blog is a mixed bag (eclectic, ya know). It has Evan and Claire and Kitty Cat and Dasher and Dancer and Prancer ...

WHOA, WHOA, WHOA. I'm getting ahead of myself.

Okay, let's start with Evan. He's giving some of

Grandma's chocolate chip cookies the taste test.

"Uh, Grandma. I think I'll need to sample

another one before I render a verdict."

Claire: "Evan, if you eat 'em fast, they forget

how many you've already eaten."

Of course, Evan is versatile. He can down

a banana in record time.

Surrounded by a roomful of Christmas

icons, Claire snuggles up to Grandma

for a Capri Sun and an airplane video.

Yeah, that's right. An airplane video.

Evan, on his little beach chair, wonders

how to get from here to there.

Claire shows Granny some of our

Christmas playthings. Like candles . . .

and Santa ornaments . . .

and a tic-tac-toe board with

Santas and Frostys.

Evan: "Santa can't have as much cool

stuff as Grandma and Grandpa!"

Speaking of Santa, isn't it about time he

rounded up Dasher . . .

and Dancer . . .

and Prancer?

I'm just kidding. All three of those

were Dasher. And he left for the

North Pole in plenty of time.

Now, for a bonus, because you've been

very good. Here's a video of little Evan.

Again, he's in his beach chair. When

Claire and Grandma decide to head to

the kitchen, he wants to follow, but spends

a little time figuring how to climb down.

Then he has to acquire his blanket plus

inspect the camera before he takes off

to the kitchen, where the action is.

And now for an EXTRA-SPECIAL

SUPER DUPER bonus, allow me to

present Kitty Cat. If this post wasn't

already eclectic, it certainly will be now!

This was recorded a few days ago when

Kitty Cat had to take an anti-biotic.

The way it revitalized him-- filling him

with kitten-like energy and playfulness,

I wonder if some of us humans might

like a dose of our vet's magic elixir.

Anyway, I hope you get a kick of this.

Now, regular readers, I'm sure you noticed

the absence of Brianna and Hunter in this post.

That's only because I took SO many pictures

of them Friday, they'll need a post of their

own. Coming up right after Christmas!

MERRY

CHRISTMAS,

One and All!

Christmas Has Its Cradle and Easter Has Its Lord!

2011-12-21T21:42:00.001-05:00

The miracle of Christmas is not an end in itself.

We must see it as the fulfillment of prophecy that it is.

God's divine wisdom had fore-ordained this moment

from eternity past to lay out a path to eternity future.

To find and follow that path we must know not only

the baby of the manger, but the Christ of the cross.

One of my favorite Christmas carols is now

"Christmas Has Its Cradle." I thought of this song's

powerful words as I saw new stained glass windows

installed in my church this week. I hope the words of

the song and these beautiful images are an inspiration

and source of hope to you as we celebrate our Lord's

birth. This central event in human history is still

transforming lives each day. Because our Savior lives!

Christmas has its cradle, where a Baby cried;

Did the lantern's shadow show Him crucified?

Did He foresee darkly His life's willing loss?

Christmas has its cradle and

Easter has its cross.

Christmas has its cradle, shepherds came to see

Little Son of Mary, Lamb of God to be;

Had His Father warned Him,

none would grant Him room

Save in the Christmas cradle

and in the Easter tomb?

Christmas has its cradle, wise men came to bring

Myrrh and gold and incense, off'rings for a King;

Myrrh alone stayed with Him,

death's balm for this Boy,

From the Christmas cradle and to His Easter joy.

Christmas has its cradle, where that Baby cried;

In the Easter garden, Christ lay, crucified;

When death's pow'r was conquered,

God's life through him poured;

Christmas has its cradle

and Easter has its Lord!

Luke 2: 1-40

Matthew 28: 1-20

Bri and Hunter at Home

2011-12-18T18:43:00.000-05:00

Earlier this month, Judy and I babysat for

Bri and Hunter in their home while Mommy

ran in the Reindeer Run. Here's are some

assorted pictures of that day's fun.

Bri: "Oh dear. Baby's soaked her diaper."

"Not to worry. First we roll her

up like a tumbleweed."

Hunter: "Er, Grandma, you're not going

to let her do that to me, are you?"

Bri: "Why Hunter, how could you

suspect such a thing!?"

Grandma Judy: "Now why would I

need anything else for Christmas."

Grandpa: "Now, now, Hunter. No rude

noises while we're posing."

Hunter: "Grandma, if I can get this thumb

out of my mouth, I might make a desperate

lunge for your glasses. Again."

Hunter: "Of course Daddy lets me push

these buttons. Why do you ask?"

You can't get in trouble if

you're not on the floor!

Bri: "Can't get in trouble, eh?

GIDDY-UP, Grandpa!!"

Bri: "Yeah, us gals are just chillin'

and waitin' for Happy Hour."

Bri: "WOO HOO! This is the

best Happy Hour in a L-O-N-G time!"

Aside from all the other antics, Bri and

Hunter proudly showed us the tree they

helped decorate. And to their credit,

neither of them decided to undecorate it!

And where there's a Christmas tree,

can reindeer be far behind?

OH! It's Mommy! Yippee!

More holiday fun coming soon!

More Christmas Festivities

2011-12-09T20:03:00.001-05:00

Hot on the heels of my Christmas singalong

with preschoolers was an event at . . . shall

we say the other end of the spectrum. This

was the Christmas luncheon of the Ladies of

Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Pinehurst.

The fine ladies below are the organizers, and

the two in the center, Ann and Camille, are

responsible for my having provided music

for Valentine and Christmas functions for

almost two decades.

It was a really nice banquet with a speaker

from Moore County's homegrown foundation,

MIRA. The founder, Bob Bell, told how his

organization is the only one anywhere that

provides guide dogs to blind youth ages 11-17.

It was an impressive an inspirational presentation.

The scene was the Pinehurst Members Club.

There were no signs forbidding photos, so I

thought I'd share some of the beautiful

holiday decor with you.

The main upstairs banquet hall was where

our luncheon took place.

The stairways and everything else

were aglow and bedecked with greenery.

The spacious foyer had many nice displays,

including this manger scene (with no manger).

The yuletide carolers

The view from the main entrance

The grand tree that welcomes

guests at the entrance

A combination of patriotism, a

white Christmas, and traditional

electric train and carolers

Please don't tell these dear ladies I

would provide music at no charge.

They are so kind as to provide my lunch

and seat me with the event organizers,

who are always quite gracious to me.

I must show you my favorite Christmas

tie: Santa playing the piano.

Throughout the course of the affair I heard

much evidence of the tremendous good these

women do in our community. And not just

at Christmas time.

We Wish You a Merry Christmas

and a Happy New Year,

my good friends at Sacred Heart.

See you at Valentine's Day.

Christmas 2011 at WATCH ME GROW

2011-12-07T21:13:00.001-05:00

I was already in the Christmas spirit after

showing our holiday "stuff" to the grandkids

and seeing their excitement. And the feeling

was only heightened by a joyous and touching

hour with pre-schoolers this morning.

The scene was the Southern Pines

campus of Watch Me Grow.

First order of business was to introduce

myself (Mr. Ken) and my sidekick Chipper.

I've never seen a more orderly bunch of

3, 4, and 5 year-olds. Chipper fit right in.

The children boisterously sang some songs

they had alread been working on:

Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Jingle Bells,

and We Wish You a Merry Christmas.

Have you ever heard of a FROG that could

sing Christmas carols? Well, neither had they!

My expertise is not really with this age group,

but time with our grandkids has helped me get

acclimated. And the love of music is universal.

I never kept them seated for long. Every 2nd

or 3rd song involved movement and motions.

I know that sounds redundant, but there's a

world of difference between clapping your

hands and freeze dancing to Jingle Bell Rock.

You know Dasher and Dancer

and Prancer and Vixen;

Comet and Cupid and

Donder and Blitzen.

But do you recall - -

the most famous reindeer of all?

Well, actually, they had heard of Rudolph,

but only a couple knew the words. Just

wait till kindergarten, guys.

Well, well. Guess who has joined us by

this time. The TWO year-olds.

Then the ONE year-olds.

And their manners were every bit as good.

Miss Maryanne helps me teach some

lively motions for Jingle Bells.

Every time we needed a breather or change-

of-pace, I pulled out Froggy to see what

he would sing next. Every time his mouth

moves one note comes out, so it takes a

few notes to figure out the tunes.

"Hey, Mr. Ken, where'd this leg come from?"

I burned a lot of calories singing "Shake,

Shake, Shake Your Sillies Out." Not a

Christmas song, but it was great. We

shook, clapped, jumped, yawned, and

stretched our sillies, crazies, jiggles,

sleepies, and stretchies out.

(Not to mention wiggling our waggles away.)

((Does anyone besides Amanda know this song?))

The lovely teacher assistant in the center

blessed us all by singing O Holy Night.

And these wonderful children were as

attentive and respectful as churchmice.

Oops. With all the happiness all around,

I hope one of the teachers noticed the

one unhappy little elf. I certainly didn't.

For freeze-dancing I simply played my

keyboard's jazzy demo recording. I hooked

up my foot pedal so that it acted as an

on-off switch and my hands were free.

During freeze dancing a rainbow of

action was going on, but the friendship

of the little boy in blue made my day.

His partner was from the one year-olds.

I thought participation was at a very

high level. I hope these children always

embrace music in their lives.

Froggy is a chick magnet. By now, we

all knew that he only knows three songs.

But really GOOD songs!

The sweetheart in the denim dress had

conked out before we were done, but

all the rest were still going strong. One

of my strengths as a teacher was always

to get kids stirred up and animated,

then turn them over to someone else.

A tremendously big shout-out is in order for

Miss Maryanne's class for inviting me!

Okay, so much for the formal picture.

Now for the laidback version.

When all was said and done, two special

helpers of Santa's took care of Chipper

and Froggy for me while I loaded up.

My car was a good 75 yards away, but

the children kept waving and calling to

me as I loaded, right up till I pulled away:

Hey Mr. Ken!! See ya next time!!

And I heard him exclaim,

ere he drove out of sight,

"Happy Christmas to all

and to all a good night!"

Christmas Excitement Builds

2011-12-04T18:51:00.000-05:00

The newfound appreciation of our

grandchildren for Christmas has

given us incentive to decorate a little

early this year and to feature lots of

child-friendly ornaments and playthings.

The tree itself is an interesting story. Two

years ago, I decorated this little cedar that

volunteered between our fence and driveway.

I actually decorated it about four years in a

row. But it was beginning to be a hazard

for cars driving into our yard.

So I suggested to Judy a few months

ago that we might as well use it for

our Christmas tree since it would need

to be cut soon anyway.

VOILA! Our one-time "Charlie Brown"

tree is a perfect fit for our cozy little

house in 2011.

Stealing from Amanda's blog idea, I

would like to highlight some of my

favorite ornaments. This brightly-

colored bi-plane should have special

appeal for the girls, who love airplanes.

If one is good, two is better. I love pewter

ornaments, and this is the P-47 Thunderbolt

for which my father was a flight chief in WW II.

This "Little Town of Bethlehem" ornament

plugs into our regular strings of lights.

I'll show the children how the lights coalesce.

Maybe I won't use that word, though.

Not much is typical about our tree, and

that goes for the angel, too. Her lovely

gown is just right to cover one of our

tree's bare spots.

Years ago a student gave me a set of

four ornaments with snow-covered pine

cones and woodland creatures. Here

are the cardinals.

This choo-choo train is really pretty

generic, and I'm not even sure we've put

it on the tree before. But I thought all

the kids would enjoy it.

There are lots of others I could show you,

(but then you might want me to look at all

your ornaments) so I'll close with a very

precious one given to me and Judy by

Brianna!* Just think, in 20 years or so, we

may have enough ornaments from the

grandchildren to trim the whole tree!

And I'd give a big HO HO HO to that!

*P.S. There's a little optical illusion at work

with Brianna's tree ornament. Does it appear

to be see-through green plastic? It's actually

solid green foil, but the patterns in it mimic

the cedar branches perfectly. You can make

yourself see it either way if you concentrate.

Let the Good Times Roll: from November to December

2011-12-02T19:15:00.001-05:00

This blog transitions from November babysitting

(Tuesday) to December babysitting (Friday).

Judy and Amanda pulled the wishbone

from our Thanksgiving turkey.

As you see, Amanda won.

Judy's wish: That we could babysit more.

Amanda's wish: That we could babysit more.

Bri: "Must you take our picture? We're

trying to enjoy our pop-up book here."

Bri demonstrates how one should nap

on this cool beach chair Ray gave us.

"NAP? Are you kidding?!"

Hunter: "Hey, Grandma, what's with

the pink socks?"

"Grandpa, I refuse to smile for the camera

until I can get some manly socks."

"And Grandma, I'm not letting you up

until you promise to never again put pink

socks on me. OR Evan, for that matter.

Watch how coolly Evan removes a few

Goldfish from the bag. He'd make a

great pickpocket, wouldn't he?

Evan: "Missing Goldfish? How awful!

Who would do such a thing? I didn't

even know we had any Goldfish."

In a variation on the Pacific islanders'

coconut monkey trap, we snag two

Goldfish addicts up to their elbows in

incriminating evidence.

Kitty Cat shows he can be just as

laid back as the rest of us.

Ever seen a happier cat?

And we don't even have to supply Goldfish.

What an exciting December is ahead:

every good thing associated with Christmas!

November Nature Walk: Highlights of the Forest

2011-11-29T21:30:00.000-05:00

In the previous nature trail blog, I focused

on the school children's experience. Here,

I'd like to share a few closeups of highlights

of our fall walk.

Here are the star-shaped leaves of the sweetgum.

It is often known by the seed-bearing "stickerballs."

The next two shots show the array of

colors of the abundant red maples.

This shot highlights the bumpy texture of

Old Man Poplar's trunk. How much longer

can it stand?

We also have sugar maples on the trail.

I love this vibrant gold.

The single green leaves among the dried

brown leaves are Cranefly Orchid, one of

the most unusual plants on the trail. The

underside of the leaves is purple. These

plants emerge in the fall and die down in

the spring, just the opposite of most plants.

In the previous blog, I showed students

viewing this moss-covered trunk which

spans the creek banks. Here's a better

view. I wouldn't walk on it; it's been

decaying here for two decades. On the

other hand, I don't know how long it

could remain. But please don't test it!

Here are the dying fronds (leaves) of the

Royal Fern, one of our less common species.

Even though there was a pool of water at

Big Rock and some other spots, there was

no water under the bridge.

There were still many samples of heart-

shaped wild ginger once we crossed the

bridge (leading off of school property).

Each student received a tiny piece of the

aromatic leaves to carry along.

The still-green fronds of the Christmas

fern demonstrate the diversity of the

fern family. Old fronds will die down,

but many will remain green all winter long.

Sunlight filters through these magnolia

leaves. This is another sort of evergreen.

We noted this tree had been struck by

lightning at some point in its life. There

are many examples of natural damage

throughout the woods.

These cinnamon ferns lend their colors

to the changing landscape.

Strong winds and shallow roots are a

combination that occasionally result in

uprooted trees. Its fun to see the changes

on the trail from one visit to the next.

Here's a closeup of the spiny vines of

Smilax (scientific name), also known as

cat-brier and wait-a-minute vine. It can

deliver painful scratches.

This picture was taken from atop Big

Rock, looking down into the stream bed.

Don't you wish you could walk this

trail today? Why don't you?

As I drove away from school that day

I stopped on McCaskill Road and took

this panoramic shot of the nature trail's

canopy. I can't wait for my next visit.

If you're on Facebook, I invite you to

visit the Friends of the Sandhills Farm

Life Nature Trail page. All my nature

trail photos from over the years are

posted in albums there.

November Nature Walk: Focus on Students

2011-11-29T19:38:00.000-05:00

In case you're wondering, the Sandhills Farm

Life Nature Trail never shuts down. If you can

get there, it's open even in the winter. Every

season has its plusses, but Fall is one of my

favorite times to explore the hidden treasures

of the trail each year.

In early November, Mrs. Teague and Mrs.

Cameron's 2nd graders were the latest class

to experience the wonders of this great

resource of our school and community.

The looks on the faces of these eager

students confirms that they are highly

motivated about visiting their outdoor

classroom. And what an attentive and

inquisitive group of learners they were!

One of our first stops was the unique

poplar tree we have named "Jack, Will,

and Tom." Students wait patiently

for their turn at a spectacular view.

This is three trees in one, an icon as

well as an important landmark on the trail.

With two dozen pairs of eyes

diligently seeking unusual finds,

it's not surprising that the children

discovered countless acorns that

were sprouting all over the place.

Young hickory trees are abundant

and colorful along the trail.

As we progress, you can see how

observant the young naturalists are.

They use all their senses on this walk.

The last class that walked the trail was

fortunate to be able to climb on Big Rock.

Mrs. Teague's class was not so lucky;

there was sufficient water in the stream to

make a crossing too treacherous. None

of us adults wanted to be responsible for

muddy shoes or damp clothes.

While we surveyed the area around Big

Rock, I pointed out the moss-covered log

that spans the stream. This log is the

remnant of a massive tree that fell across

the forest some twenty years ago. During

the first few years, we had to clamber over

it to get to Big Rock. Now we simply walk

on the humus formed from its long-decayed

trunk. Apparently, the portion of the trunk

that crosses the creek has been sustained to

a degree by being "air-dried" and by not

being in contact with the damp ground.

I offer the following three pictures as

evidence that our sourwood trees were

the most festive of the fall display.

The sunlight played gently

with the autumn hues.

I couldn't help but be reminded of the

variegated colors of Indian corn.

The leaves below are also sourwood, but

were sheltered and had not yet turned.

So, we had a sourwood chew for a snack.

I told you earlier that we used all our

senses, and that included taste!

Among the many plants that are now being

subdued by killing frosts and freezes is our

nemesis, KUDZU! (aka the plant that wants

to take over the world)

Fighting this non-native and invasive vine

may be a losing endeavor, but I intend to

do what I can to minimize its impact on

our trail. It has the great advantage of

spreading through the treetops. Where

is Tarzan when I need him?

Part of the secret to my success in the

classroom is to demonstrate how little

things are really big things and get

children to buy into the excitement.

So our last moments on the trail were

for the boys, then the girls to attempt

to straighten Old Man Poplar. The boys'

best efforts were unsuccessful.

The girls couldn't do this monumental task

either, but the point is, none of them will

ever forget their encounter with this unusual

old tree. To them, it is now an old friend

of the forest; an aged, leaning patriarch

whom they tried their best to assist.

One day, when that tree falls, hundreds

of students will no doubt embellish the

stories of their exploits here.

Back in the classroom, we had just enough

time for a Molly Whuppie folktale. It was

a thoroughly pleasant afternoon, and these

children have joined an ever-growing group

of young folks: The Keepers of the Trail.

As busy as the Christmas season will be,

there should be several nice days for a

fall or early-winter stroll down these paths.

I invite you to do just that.

My next blog post will contain photos I

took later that same day after the students

had gone home. Hopefully, you'll

find it informative and useful.

November Fun

2011-11-25T20:34:00.000-05:00

November was a month of great fun around

the Loyd place. We were happy that most

of the days set aside for babysitting were

also suitable for being outdoors.

We're getting a few more days usage out

of our washing machine box. It's a perfect

fit to convert our Li'l Tykes slide into a

two story tower of terror. Or whatever.

Brianna gives a shy wave of greeting

from her castle fair.

This must be just the right age for Bri to

start enjoying our tire swing horsie. Up

until now, I had to help hold her on.

Bri has a blast raking (or "sweeping," as she

calls it). And then a rogue leaf has the nerve

to land in her hair!

It took a quick snap to catch Bri in

mid-kick. But what's she kicking?

Grandma and Hunter don't know, either.

But it's fun to watch Bri.

And Hunter thinks swinging is even more

fun than playing in the leaves.

And part of the fun is having Grandpa

fetch the ball Hunter drops.

Whoa! Sometimes these balls can be

a little overwhelming!

Claire and Evan both like climbing in this

snazzy canvas beach chair, a gift from our

good friend Ray. It's just their size.

Claire: "Well, there's supposed to be room

for two, if somebody didn't hog it all."

"Grandpa, make sure you don't miss

any of my jewelry."

How many young Americans topped off

their Thanksgiving feast by climbing the

nearest magnolia tree? Well, Claire did.

Evan: "Wow, Sis, you must be at least

18 inches off the ground!"

Caption 1: "Touchdown, Panthers!"

Caption 2: "Claire go boom."

Kitty Cat decides to spend a little quality

time with his kinfolks. Since it's 35 outside.

Grandpa has cool videos. Micky Mouse,

big trucks, AND airplanes.

Funny how a good video can draw a crowd.

Grandma can also draw a crowd.

But Evan's just waiting for a chance to

make a grab for Grandma's glasses.

Fall is drawing to a close, and what a

wonderful fall season it has been. But

December can bring even more special

times and memories. Get ready!

Thanksgiving: A Secular Holiday?

2011-11-23T12:07:00.001-05:00

On Monday, I re-posted a blog entry from a couple of years ago. The topic was basically the secularization of Thanksgiving. What prodded me to write it was that it was increasingly bothering me how much people say how thankful we are without really expressing that the thanks go to God.

I hate to be picky, and I know that even people who are truly thankful to God don't have to say it constantly just for my benefit. It's really between each of us and God, anyway. When you see what I'm griping about today, you'll really think I'm getting picky. Well here it is.

The Mini Page. Yeah, that's right, I'm peeved at The Mini Page, the dear old standby of the daily newspaper. In years gone by I praised The Mini Page for informative features on the pilgrims and accurate history of their journey. I used it in school for years and years.

So when I read this year's Thanksgiving Mini Page, something didn't ring true. The following things were enumerated for children to be thankful for:

Be thankful for school
Be thankful for flowers
Be thankful school is nearby
Be thankful for school workers
Be thankful for books
Be thankful for running water
Be thankful for clean water
Be thankful for swimming pools
Be thankful for boats
Be thankful for bathrooms
Be thankful for toilet paper
Be thankful for our blue planet

So WHO do we thank for all these things?
How easy would it be to say, "Like the pilgrims, we have so much to thank God for." But I'm not really trying to be critical of The Mini Page. The author has to try hard not to be offensive, and it's not her job to provide religious training. But it certainly makes me mindful how easy it is to fall into the trap of being thankful to no one in particular. And how easy it is to intentionally include God whenever we offer thanks for even the smallest blessings.

And yes, thank you God for toilet paper.
I hope you and your family have a wonderful celebration of this holiday with God at the center.

Brianna on Stage: "Fat Turkeys are We. . ."

2011-11-22T20:34:00.001-05:00

Judy and I had a nice treat this past Friday

evening. Brianna was in her first program

at F.A.I.T.H. Preschool.

That's Futures Are In The Hands of the Lord.

Here's Brianna making her entrance. She's in

jeans and a gray shirt front and center

beside her teacher.

Here's Bri, in place with the other "Toddler

Turkeys." I'm sure all the other parents

were just certain their child was the sweetest

little dumpling in the pot, but that would be Bri.

Because I know everyone is very busy and

it's a lot to ask people to sit through videos

of other people's grandchildren, I've posted

viewing times (all brief) with the four songs

in which I thought Bri was most enthusiastic

in singing and doing the motions. The lyrics

are actually rather humorous. And all the

Pilgrims, Indians, and Turkeys are adorable.

Gobble, Gobble (32 seconds)

                       Gobble, gobble, gobble, gobble
                       Fat turkeys, fat turkeys.
                      Gobble, gobble, gobble, gobble
                       Fat turkeys are we.
                      We're not here for living,
                      We're here for Thanksgiving,
                      Gobble, gobble, gobble, gobble
                      Fat turkeys are we.

Turkey Dinner (33 seconds)

Turkey dinner, turkey dinner

Gather 'round, gather 'round.

who will get the drumstick?

Yummy, yummy drumstick.

All sit down. All sit down.

Chestnut stuffing, cornbread muffins,

Pumpkin pie, mile high.

We were all thinner,

Till we came to dinner.

Me oh my, me oh my!

Ten Little Indians (49 seconds)

1 little, 2, little, 3 little Indians,

4 little, 5 little, 6 little Indians,

7 little, 8 little, 9 little Indians,

10 little Indian boys and girls.

*Oo Ah Oo Ah, shoot that arrow . . .

*Sittin' in the boat and the boat tips over . . .

Indian Chief (20 seconds)

This is a great big Indian chief.

This is his arrow and his bow.

This is his wigwam. This is his flute.

And this is the way he sits just so.

So there's a quick summary of the

season's best entertainment. Wow,

what will the Christmas program be like?

Old Thanksgiving Post Revisited

2011-11-21T14:18:00.001-05:00

Way back in 2008 I posted these thoughts about Thanksgiving and what it means or should mean to us. Thanks to good friend Mark Garner for reposting it on his new Facebook page "Recollections and Remembrances," I was prompted to repost it on my own blog since my readership has changed a lot since those days.
Thanksgiving
I thought I'd better get in some of my Thanksgiving thoughts before folks start traveling for the holidays.

Something that has been on my heart for several years now is that society has secularized Thanksgiving just as much as Christmas. But Thanksgiving is not a big moneymaker for retailers, so food is the main thing advertised, not toys and gifts. Retail stores haven't taken God out of Thanksgiving and neither has the government. It's any of us who casually speak of how thankful we are for a whole host of things, but fail to specify that we are thankful to God. It's an easy mentality to fall into, similar to crediting the rain to Mother Nature.

A year or two ago, a columnist in The Pilot wrote an article titled something like "Who are you thankful to?" It reminded me again not to be guilty of thanking good luck, lucky stars, or just saying the generic "I'm thankful."

I'm thankful to God, and I couldn't even begin to list all the many reasons here. Of course, I'm thankful for friends and family and what they mean to me, but Thanksgiving Day has a way of getting me to look at the big picture: how every moment of my life has been lovingly guarded and guided (yet not controlled) by my heavenly Father.

I often think of actor Jimmy Stewart in the Civil War movie Shenandoah. When blessing his family's meal he says something to the effect of: "Lord, we thank you for all this food and for our home. You know we raised every bit of it on our own and did all the work ourselves. . ."

I guess any of us lucky enough to still have jobs (or retirement income) feel like we pay for everything ourselves and that we earned all the accumulated material wealth that is ours. But it's a dangerous fallacy to think we've accomplished anything on our own. Just a little reflection might lead us to credit God, giver of all good things. Most of us can look back to a time we had less, our health was not so good, or times were even more uncertain. I hope that even with today's uncertainties, you can honestly say you are thankful to God. . . for whatever!

Look at the Pilgrims for an example. Arriving in a hostile New England winter because of delays, they were cutting wood on Christmas Day, 1620. Shortly afterward, adults began to fall sick, probably from the poor hygiene and nutrition on the Mayflower. There were days that only 2 or 3 adults were healthy enough to continue laboring on their shelters. The ship became more like a hospital ship. By spring, more than half of their original number had died, predominantly adults. The survivors could have returned to England, but persevered in their faith.

I learned just this week that 14 years earlier in 1606, another group of English settlers had attempted to start a colony for the Plymouth Company, near the Kennebec River in Maine. They returned to England in less than a year, finding the hardships too great to bear. And most of us have never heard of them.
But Governor William Bradford of the Pilgrims documented everything we know about the Pilgrims, the hardships they endured and the faith in God that brought them through it to a time of plenty in their second year.
Governor Bradford had words for us, even though not all of us are of English descent.

May not and ought not the children of these fathers say, "Our

fathers were Englishmen which came over this great ocean and were ready to perish in the wilderness but they cried unto the Lord and He heard their voice and looked on their adversity." Let them therefore praise the Lord.

Governor William Bradford

He's talking about US! Have a Happy Thanksgiving and think of all we have to thank the Lord for!

Fall Draws Us Back to Morrow Mountain

2011-11-20T21:40:00.002-05:00

Now honestly, if my title hadn't given it away,

could you have assumed the beautiful scene

below was near the Blue Ridge Parkway or

Virginia's Shenandoah Valley?

But these scenes were viewed by Judy and

me in the Uwharrie Mountains just one hour

from our home in Moore County, NC.

Specifically, Morrow Mountain State Park,

a refuge we visit at least twice a year, and

sometimes more. We feel very fortunate to

have such a nice state park close enough to

zip away for a half day, a picnic, or a full day

without an exhausting or expensive drive.

I was surprised to see this flower in bloom

in November. I had seen it during the summer

with no blossoms, and wondered what it would

look like. Now I know.

I was not surprised to see the array of fall

colors across the mostly hardwood canopy

of the heavily wooded mountains.

We agreed we'd never seen more

vivid colors in all our visits here.

We picnicked in the mountaintop picnic

area, then drove to the riverside for an

afternoon of hiking.

This is the all-new concession building,

replacing the old, out-dated one. I imagine

this one will be ready to open by spring.

There were 2 or 3 fishermen on the dock,

but things were pretty quiet. We're pretty

lucky at picking quiet days for our visits.

This view across the still waters shows where

three rivers, the Yadkin, the Pee Dee, and

the Uwharrie converge to form Lake Tillery.

Even before we got started hiking, these

crimson sweetgum leaves caught my eye.

Likewise, these golden beeches.

Today we had chosen a portion of the

Fall Mountain trail that we had never

hiked before. Overall, the trail was

designated as "moderate difficulty," but

I referred to a topographic map to limit

most of our walk to fairly easy terrain.

Our trail was marked by orange triangles.

On visits over the years, we have walked the following trails:

Laurel Trail

Mountain Loop Trail

Quarry Trail

Rocks Trail

Three Rivers Trail

In hopes that some readers may be

inspired to visit Morrow Mountain, I'm

sharing these four sections from the park's

brochure. They are very informative about

park services, history, trails, and more.

Click on these to enlarge and learn more.

(If you right-click, you can open in a new

window to view in full detail)

Here are some shots from the Fall

Mountain Trail we hiked. It was a

nice, sunny day, with no jackets needed.

Fallen leaves painted the landscape, but

there were plenty more still clinging to branches.

There's much along every trail to make

one wonder, "What happened here?"

Playing "Nature Detective" is a favorite

pastime of mine.

For a good portion of our walk we

followed this gently meandering stream,

easily crossing it from time to time.

I'm glad I noticed this colorful view

of Morrow Mountain before we departed.

You'll have to strain your eyes to see one

of the deer that we happened upon as we

were driving out of the park. It's exactly

in the center and blends in nicely.

And in closing, here's a dark little corner

of woods where four more deer bounded

silently away as I observed.

But the photo above was not taken at

Morrow Mountain. When we arrived

home that evening, there were four deer

in the field in our own backyard. I circled

through the woods to follow them as they

eased away. I glimpsed them through the

underbrush, but never got a clear chance

at a picture. That didn't matter; I was just

happy to be reminded that we don't have to

leave home to see and appreciate what God

has lovingly surrounded us with. We just

have to open our eyes.

Please let me know if you visit Morrow Mountain.

Evan is ONE _______ (You fill in the blank)

2011-11-19T10:51:00.002-05:00

I would fill in the blank with:

happy dude
sweet boy
YEAR OLD!

Yes, he's all those things. And here are some pictures from his recent birthday party. Hope I'm invited to the next one.

Take a deep breath, Evan!

And now for the first official bite . . . .

"Bless this cake, and especially the icing."

Bri: "I think I'll tell Evan I'm his fairy godmother."

"So this is what they meant when they said

we'd get 'special event seating.'"

Birthday Boy and proud dad, Matt.

Books are always good, even on a birthday.

Evan had a ball opening presents.

Lots of 'em, actually.

No reason to spoil Hunter's day by

telling him everything is Evan's.

Brianna puts a few miles on the hobby horse

just to break it in. And the "oldsters" get our

kicks just watching the young 'uns have fun.

(Same picture, alternate caption)

"All those presents, and not one for us."

(Actually, there were presents for all)

"Grandma, will you teach me how to dunk?"

"Did somebody say Get Wild?"

"What do you mean

the party's over?"

Don't worry Ev-man. Another party

next year. See ya in Aberdeen!

Youthful Exuberance

2011-11-17T19:59:00.000-05:00

As Claire was requesting old videos of

Brianna and herself in action today, I

realized I had a cute segment from July

that I hadn't posted yet. This one is pretty

self-explanatory. It all centers around

an indoor slide and a pair of two year-olds

who know how to have fun together.

It reminds me how much these girls have

changed in just four months. Hope you smiled.

A Veterans Day Tribute: D-Day Heroes

2011-11-08T19:18:00.001-05:00

This post is the culmination of

my Veterans Day tribute. The

handsome veteran pictured below

is my father, Marvin Ellis Loyd.

At 97, he is one of the oldest living

veterans of World War II.

He was a flight chief in the famed

Orange Tails, a squadron of P-47

Thunderbolts. He did not cross the

English Channel on D-Day, but was

in support of air assaults and cover

throughout that historic operation.

I've chosen to feature our National D-Day

Memorial now at Veterans Day rather than

on June 6, which is actually D-Day. My

reason is the connection of the D-Day Memorial,

Sharptop Mountain, and the town of Bedford, Va.

For more on the connection, be sure to read the

two preceding blogs.

This post card shows flags of the eleven

allied nations that banded together for

Operation Overlord, the largest invasion

force in history.

The following four photos are post cards

on sale at the memorial.

The next ten photos are uncaptioned, but

I took these on my first visit there. Each

is moving to those who know the story of

D-Day. Movies from The Longest Day to

Saving Private Ryan's have attempted to

portray the immense drama, danger, and

importance of the invasion, but it is unlikely

any of us who weren't there can ever fully

comprehend the urgency and scope of the

plan. I won't even try to put it into words.

Obviously, I would recommend a visit to

the memorial at Bedford, Virginia. The town

lost the highest percentage of its young men of

any town in America that fateful day.

If you can't go to Bedford, I suggest you seek

out those World War II veterans who still live

and ask for their story. Have your children

listen and learn what they will not likely learn

in school. Books and lectures can scarcely

approach the drama of those who lived WWII.

In my own classroom, and now in my home,

I maintain a "Patriot's Corner," honoring all

those who served, but first and foremost,

my father and his Orange Tail brothers.

I plan to share my father's legacy with

my grandchildren and visitors to our home

whenever I can. A knowledge of history

certainly helps us understand our own purpose.

At my father's last Air Force reunion in

the fall of 2008, I provided music for one

of the squadron's banquets. Neil Melton,

founder and owner of the Tennessee Aviation

Museum, came up to me to see if I'd like to

go up in a T-38 trainer plane, World War II

vintage. Not likely to get an opportunity like

this again, I jumped at the chance.

Here I am with my father (center) and brother

(right) in front of the T-38.

There's a reason I look confident.

Neal at the wheel. Or stick.

Just along for the ride, but what a ride!

We could see Knoxville, Pigeon Forge,

Sevierville, and Gatlinburg. Plus a lot

of little things that looked like ants waving

at us from a runway far below.

This is a P-47 Thunderbolt, one of the

most durable of the World War II

fighter-bombers. It was almost impossible

to shoot down even after multiple hits due

to its heavy armor and air-cooled 16 piston

engine. It was often called "The Flying Jug."

Of course, I knew Neal couldn't take me

up in his own P-47, Hun Hunter. It's a one-

seater. But I'd be scared I'd break it, anyway.

This photo has four men who are very

special to me. From left to right:

Marvin Loyd, my dad, WW II flight chief

Neal Melton, owner of the museum and his

own P-47, and a dear friend of all the vets

Bert Lok, one of daddy's crew chiefs and a

faithful friend for almost seven decades now

John Shoffner, another P-47 owner who flies

in for all the Orange Tail reunions and does

flyovers with Neal.

Our final banquet was in the large hangar.

John's "Wicked Wabbit" is behind us,

providing the atmosphere. Left to right

are my wife Judy, me, sister Caryn,

Daddy, Mama, and brother Ellis ("Buddy").

And yes, if you're that observant, Daddy

can still wear his dress uniform jacket-- it's

the same one as in the very first picture in

this blog!

Here he is one more time, this time in

his work overalls. Doing his little bit

to make the world safe for democracy.

My hero.

Do what you can to honor the

veterans in your own family or

among your circle of friends.

You'll be glad you did.

Tragedy on Sharptop Mountain: B-25 Crash Site

2011-11-08T09:14:00.003-05:00

It was not until Judy and I took a bus ride to

the top of Sharptop Mountain several years ago

that we overheard the bus driver telling about

a tragic plane crash on the mountainside during

World War II.

We were told that November would be the

safest time to search for the crash site because

the leaves would have fallen and the rattlesnakes

might be in hibernation. This stony mountainside

is where it all happened on February 2, 1943.

The crash was near Buzzard's Roost, the

outcropping of boulders pictured below.

This is a B-25 Mitchell, a bomber like

the one that crashed that night, lighting

up the mountainside in a fearsome display

of fire and explosions, visible in Bedford

eight miles away. It took hours for men with

lanterns to reach the sight of the conflagration.

There were no survivors; the five man crew

had perished instantly on impact with the

unyielding mountain slope.

Here is a link to a website from which the

excerpt below was borrowed. You will find

many more pictures of the site there if you are

so inclined. This presents the basic facts.

http://rightsideva.blogspot.com/2008/07/sharp-top-mountain-b-25-bomber.html

"On Feb. 2, 1943, a B-25 bomber on a training mission out of South Carolina crashed into the southeast flank of Sharp Top Mountain, killing all five servicemen aboard. The cause of the crash is still somewhat of an enigma, as a war-stressed military could not devote many resources to solving the mystery of the crash. Nor, did it have the time or inclination to remove the wreckage from the steep mountainside at 3,000 feet elevation. Most of it remains to this day, a true-to-life memorial to World War II sacrifice amid the Blue Ridge grandeur."

Finally, one November, Judy, her brother Tim,

and I were able to embark on the search for the

crash site. The owner of The Liberty House where

Judy and I had stayed before had given me specific

landmarks to help us locate the scene of the crash.

The climb up the mountain was daunting. But our

landmarks did not fail us. As we began to find evidence

of the wreckage we sensed the solemn sanctity of

this place, long respected by all who visited it.

Part of a wing.

A strut from one of the landing gear.

Tim and I posed by a memorial plaque

recently carried up the mountain and place

by a troop of boy scouts.

Part of a wing.

One of the twin engines. Both remain at

the site. The military removed only electronic

and sensitive equipment.

I'm standing beside the largest remaining

piece of the fuselage, or body of the plane.

The other engine.

The mid-section of the fuselage. The

condition of the wreckage makes it plain

why no one could have survived.

These five men's lives were given every

bit as much for the cause of freedom as those

who died on distant shore or in steaming jungles.

The monument below (click to enlarge) is

in homage to these men and hundreds of thousands

like them, who were ready and willing to put

their lives on the line unquestionly.

My father was also in the Army Air Corps.

He knew many men who never returned from

their missions. Daddy was one of those who

came back from the war with a story to tell,

that we might learn, remember, and understand.

My next blog honors him and all veterans and

will conclude my trilogy of Veterans Day blogs.

Sharptop Mountain

2011-11-07T21:33:00.001-05:00

This is the first of a trilogy of blog

posts tied to Veterans Day, which will

be this Friday, November 11, 2011.

It is partly inspired by the book Sharp Top

I recently read. It is a historical novel by

Carolyn Tyree Feagans. Its plot tells the

story of the communities of Mons and Bedford

in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.

The author skillfully wove a story of the

intertwined lives of young and old from just

after World War I until the present time.

It encompassed the Great Depression, CCC

(Civilian Conservation Corps), World War II,

and its aftermath. Two main characters were

portrayed through the agony of the Death March

of Bataan and the D-Day invasion. The impact

of world events on even this quiet corner of the

mountains was inevitable.

Below is the old Mons Hotel, a fabulous

mountain resort, now gone. It was a focal

point of tourism in the area now known as

Peaks of Otter, a favorite tourist spot on the

Blue Ridge Parkway.

Because of a horrifically high casualty rate

among the young soldiers of nearby Bedford,

this area was selected as the site for our

National D-Day Memorial. More details will

be shared in a blog post to follow.

Sharptop Mountain is the crown jewel of

the Peaks of Otter, revered by visitors and

local residents alike. Judy and I have many

cherished memories from time spent in the area.

The first Bed & Breakfast we ever stayed

in was the Liberty House in Bedford.

The views from Sharptop are incomparable.

Climbing Sharptop has been a rite of passage

for local citizens for generations, but a bus

now makes the peak accessible to all.

This stony hillside was the scene of one

of the great tragedies of World War II--

only too common-- a midnight training

flight that ended the lives of five young

airmen in a flaming inferno. Judy, her brother

Tim, and I journeyed to that spot a few years

ago, and it truly felt like hallowed ground.

I will share scenes from that excursion as part

of my Veterans Day tribute this week.

This post is not really meant to be a book

review, but because of my personal connections

to the Sharptop and Bedford area, it meant a

great deal to me. The attention to historic detail

was commendable and it stirred my emotions as

it told a tale that bears telling and retelling.

For all generations of Americans.