MONUMENT — Have you started your gardens yet? I am sure most of you have, but I just started planting mine, because you know, where I live, the weather can be sketchy and all of a sudden have a cold snap in the middle of high temperatures. It is better to not risk getting freezing temperatures and kill your just-planted vegetables. I’ll share more about that in just a bit.

Our greeters at the table were our faithful volunteers, Bob Cockrell and Jan Ensign. They checked in all the guests, collected and counted up the money. Bob led us in the flag salute and made the announcements. Yours truly prayed the blessing over the meal.

Terry Cade and Carrie Jewell made us lasagna, garlic bread, a fresh green salad, and we had an assortment of desserts, compliments of Chester’s in John Day. We thank our wonderful cooks for our hearty and delicious meal. We also want to thank Chester’s for their generous support of our senior center and our community! We appreciate everyone’s donations and support.

There will be a health fair in John Day at the fairgrounds on Friday, June 16. You must register online at bluemountainhospital.org before going.

We will be having our monthly sewing get-together on Wednesday, June 14. We meet at 9 a.m. and go until around 2:30 p.m. We share a potluck lunch around noon. You can bring any project you want to work on, whether it be sewing, knitting, crocheting, etc. This is just a small gathering of women who passionately love to sew, and we also have a good time visiting and eating a meal together. Hope you can make it!

I am amazed how God has created tiny seeds that turn into so much more! I planted some Kentucky green beans and some peas. The tiny plants are starting to push their way out of the dirt and having their breakthrough. I have one green bean and one pea so far. I am sure they will all soon be popping out of the ground.

My son planted his dill and cucumbers in one bed. He is expecting to get pickles made for the winter. He loves pickles, and my hubby’s Auntie Marge had the best pickle recipe! We also have pak choi that we will be eating in a few more days. Ah, love fresh fruit and vegetables. Straight from the garden onto your table.

Thanks to Terry Cade and Mary Gilbert’s contacts, we finally had Cyrus and Reese, the alpacas, sheared! They look so small now that all their fiber is gone! They were in such desperate need to be sheared, and now it is finally done. Let me tell you, I am as relieved as they are, if not more. All that fiber, man, it sure was heavy!

They look a little funny right now with no fiber. They are bald! Ha. Well, at least they won’t be so miserable in the heat in the days to come.

Malachi 4:6 And He shall turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

PRAIRIE CITY — Yep. Summer in Grant County has arrived. You can tell by the wildly fluctuating temperatures from one day to the next. Started out nice at 60 degrees, went up to 85 for a few days, then plunged back to the 60s with lots of rain and thunderstorms. I just prayed that the hail would not come and hurt my little garden. And so far we have escaped the hail. Whew! And of course the rain meant I didn’t even have to irrigate! Whee! A few carrots have appeared, so I have hope …

The new flooring required that we put floor protectors on the legs of the chairs and tables. Would you believe that we have three different kinds of protectors now?

The first ones were two different sizes. Well, they fit both tables and chairs. But we needed more that would fit the chairs since there are more chairs than tables. When that batch came, they were too small. So once more into the breach! This time they were the right size, but very hard to put on. But we got ’em on through main force and awkwardness. (I bet the 20-somethings don’t know what that phrase means!) Got the sound system back in operation so Ginger doesn’t have to holler anymore. So by dinnertime, we were ready to sit down and eat!

Josiah rang the dinner bell, Delores led the flag salute, Theresa won the Len’s Pharmacy $5 gift card, and Tom asked the blessing. We enjoyed a dish called “More, Please, Casserole,” strawberry Jell-O with strawberries, corn, tomatoes, cottage cheese, biscuit, choice of peanut butter or chocolate chip cookie, and tapioca pudding. Our volunteers have started putting the dessert on the cart and bringing it to the tables since it is too hard to hold the plate of food and then balance two or three little cups of other stuff. We appreciate that! We thank our cooks for the delicious food that they prepare for us every week.

We also appreciate Del, who got the swamp cooler up and running today. That little cool breeze was just the ticket. Our volunteers today included Sharon, Mary, Del, Carla, Tom, Chris and Theresa. Thanks so much.

Birthdays for this day included Dean Martin, Tom Jones and Jerry Mathers. The trivia question: Who said, “Gee, Wally, did Mom say that?” You know, don’t you? Interesting statements: A 13-year-old boy has learned that just when “my room is the way I like it, Mom makes me clean it up.” Right on! And this gem: “He who wants milk should not sit on a stool in the middle of the pasture expecting the cow to back up to him.” Can’t you just see that?! Whooppee!

Time for my annual observance of the fact that it snowed on my parents and us kids when we came over Dixie into Prairie City on June 10 in 1959. We thought it was quite strange. After 64 years, I’ve learned that it is very difficult to predict the weather in Grant County!

Matthew 16:2 …. It will be fair weather, for the sky is red, :3 …. Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast. You know how to interpret the … sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.

JOHN DAY — June is here and we find our year nearly half over. When looking back at what accomplishments have been made during all this time, without a written record it takes some thinking to recall our activities. Life is speeding by, and we sure want to have something to show for it all.On Monday, June 5, 12 diners gathered at our senior center to have lunch and fellowship together. Darlene Nodine was the MC for the day. Gloria Kulis led the flag salute.

It is not noted who asked the blessing for the meal and I was out of town, so I am sorry I do not know this fact.

Darla was not present today in our kitchen, so Nancy Nelson filled in for her. Thank you, Nancy. We sure do appreciate all our volunteers, scheduled or prompt to the need.

The First Christian Church, represented by Mary Ellen Osborn and Chris Robbins, served our lunch. We dined on hamburgers, potato salad, fresh fruit and cookies. The servers helped all diners get meals from the window, served beverages and aided in any way needed to make the meal successful.

Jeanette Julsrud, Pati Davis and Becky Rhinehart delivered 58 fresh and 45 frozen meals throughout the community and other nearby areas.

An announcement was made that we will have a hall board meeting on Thursday, June 8, at 1 p.m.

It is difficult to write about events you do not attend and when notes taken about it are not complete. I do my best to fill in the gaps and sure hope I do not spread untruths.

Janice Kuhlman won the Len’s card, and Gloria Kulis won the free meal. Congratulations, you two.

Some 118 meals went out of our kitchen today. That is a lot of work, from preparation to cleanup, for our chef and his helper. We really do appreciate our chef and his crew, whoever they may be. Thank you, Shay and Darla and Nancy, first of all, and any others that help at times.

The Grant County Community Corrections Division is doing a service for the residents of our county by preparing firewood for seniors. If you need firewood, call Misty at 541-620-3014 to see how to obtain some.

On Thursday, June 8, 22 in-house diners stopped by the desk to sign in and get their names in the drawings for the day. They were greeted by Carol Roe and Judy Thomas. Dave Pasko led the flag salute. Thanks, Dave.

Fifty-nine meals were delivered to residents of Grant County by Pati Davis, Cindy Combs, Jeannette Julsrud and Peggy Molnar. Thank you all for your service of love for other people.

Four meals were prepared for takeout. This makes for a total of 85 meals that went out of our kitchen today. How many of us could prepare and clean up after this much food-making in a minimal time? Shay knows what he is doing. He deserves our support.

The Cornerstone Church was represented by Pati Davis and Chris Robbins to serve at our lunch today. Pati asked the blessing for our meal, and we dined on Southern fried pork chops, mashed potatoes and cream gravy, corn and banana split pit. Yum! Thanks, Shay and Darla, for a terrific meal.

This meal that was so yummy was in honor of Linda Stoltz, our librarian and house decorator. She keeps a wonderful library, pleasant to the eye and marvelously stocked with books, puzzles, magazines, CDs and DVDs. It is a very relaxing place to visit. Linda is so thoughtful to notice things that specific people like and share it with them. We really do appreciate you, Linda. Oh! And she also steps in when servers need help and also in the kitchen when she sees something that she can help with. She deserves all our support.

Dayville is having a July 4 celebration with the theme “Deep Roots, High Hopes.” Dave Round will be the grand marshal.

Valley View has bathroom aid equipment to share with anyone who needs something. Walkers, portable potty chairs, shower seats and wheelchairs, for example. Our senior center also has some of these items to assist the residents of our area.

Greg Starr won the Chester’s card, and Ron Phillips won the free meal, which he shared with a person who was there for the first time. Thanks, Ron, for sharing.

Psalms 13: 4-7 Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I shall not be shaken. My victory and honor come from God above. He alone is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me.

1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your cares upon Him; for He careth for you.