Glad midsommerdag aften

We have been considerably occupied and distracted the last few days so we are a few days late writing about our Midsummers Day picnic with our dear friends the Blanco family.

We went to Hartman Rocks recreation area near Gunnison, a place where it seems Ice Age hunters tried to capture big game. And 10,000 years later people like us have picnics and ride mountain bikes.

The Blanco children are growing up. Maria Jose is hardly a child any more but a young woman.

Gregory is older and taller every time we see him.

And Rio is also growing up fast.

We had a wonderful picnic and a bonfire and a great conversation.

Ellen and Luke decided to try camping in their new camper, and to spend the night.

But sadly it turned out that the place we chose is where a large part of the Gunnison High School crowd (and maybe some college students) like to go and drink beer and do other things. And it was a Saturday night.

And the noise and lights were pretty disturbing. And Ellen started feeling not so well.

So we went home.

Since then, we have been doing our best to enjoy the Gunnison summer. It is truly lovely.

Ellen has had some real health and medical challenges, which we will save for a future post. But she has received a wonderful package in the mail that makes her very happy. It is wool from Peru. A lot of it.

Our back porch has been a really relaxing and happy place to be.

Ellen is still walking and going out with the dogs when she feels able to do so. And in between, she has really a lot of opportunity for her favorite activities.

We don’t want to let Maria Jose’s Confirmation pass without sharing this lovely picture.

We are sad we were not able to attend this.

So we are doing our best in a difficult environment where everything is twice as hard because of the coronavirus pandemic. And Ellen has not always felt at her best. It has been hard for her.

But we are surrounded with love and caring. This means you.

We are being reminded every day how little control we or anyone else has over the material world. There is no way for us to decide how things turn out. Material possessions come and go. We surely have an abundance of these at this time of life. But they will pass.

What we can have a say in is our love for each other, and for all of you, and our hope, and our faith that all of us are headed for a better, more just and less violent world.

Faith, hope, and love.

And of these, the greatest is love.

We are not through with the Peruvian wool. Our Peruvian goddaughter Kusi and her partner Clever have sent us from Lake Titicaca a gift of love that will help to keep us warm on the cold nights. Keep us in your hearts as we keep you in ours.