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My Thanksgiving Letter

24 Nov

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

 I am writing this as a letter because, I think of our readers as friends. You come and let us share our lives with you and share yours in return. That is what friends do. I am beyond thankful for the friends who faithfully blog here each week, DiVoran, Bill, Louise, Judy, Melody and Janet. They inspire me with their commitment and wisdom. I love you guys!

Dear friends,

It is funny how circumstances change our thankful list. Usually on Thanksgiving our  list is for family, health ,friends, and of course, our Savior.  This year, we woke up to wet grass and the wonderful rain is at the top of our list.

Our beautiful North Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee mountains that are part of the forest service lands, have been viciously attacked by arsonist and thousands of acres  are affected.  I pray it was enough to give our firefighters and those from across the country who came to help, a rest this Thanksgiving day.

This morning, I pulled out old favorites as well as new cookbooks to get our meal started. One of my “must have” books is an old one from Ebenezer United Methodist Church in Raleigh, NC. It has been a part of our Thanksgiving meal for years. They have put out newer ones, but I love the old version. This year, I have added a new favorite, Janet’s Appalachian Cookbooks. Rebekah mixed up the School House Rolls recipe and I can’t wait to sink my teeth in their yeasty goodness. Of course, I had to go to the internet to find a recipe so we have a beautiful blending of old with new. Our turkey is in the roaster and the oven is almost ready for the side dishes. It has been a joy working side by side in the kitchen with my daughter. We each have our quirks when it comes to cooking and how we do things, but we can laugh about them and it adds to the fun.

I won’t pretend that my heart does not have a tender spot, missing the large family meals with my parents, brothers and their families. We don’t have any children’s voices laughing and arguing or the camaraderie of a bunch of women in the kitchen. I miss it but I am so blessed to have had that time. I hope wherever you gathered today, that you treasured the moments and you loved richly.

Talk to you later, the oven is ready!

Love,

Onisha

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UPDATE: One of our favorite places in Macon county is Wayah Bald, with it’s rustic fire tower and breathtaking views. It is also a favorite rest stop for hikers on the   Appalachian Trail. I read on Facebook tonight that one of the forest fires burned the tower. I can’t conceive of the anger a heart must hold to destroy so much beauty. I fear the damage to the stone structure might be too damaged to repair. I am thankful for the memories we made there and hopeful it will be restored.

Beautiful in the fall
Burned

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Does History Matter

10 Nov

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

I wrote this post during the mid-afternoon on election day. At this point, I have no idea who the winner will be.

I grew up thinking everyone’s family listened to the week day six o’clock news and discussed the world and local events of the day. I assumed everyone’s parents knew the history of political candidates. Take for instance Mitt Romney and Al Gore’s fathers. George W.Romney was the Governor of Michigan and ran for the Republican nomination for President in 1968 and lost to Richard Nixon. Al Gore’s father, Albert Gore Sr. was a Democratic Senator from Tennessee. I can’t remember exactly why my parents were not fans of these men, but I do remember they had doubts about them.

My parents, especially my dad, had one habit that I found maddening. Growing up in the rock and roll generation I was sure “my” music was brand new, not that old stuff he listened to. He often burst my bubble by naming the individual or group who had first recorded a song.  He knew the songs history and he shared it with me.  That may have scarred my psyche, as for the life of me, I can’t tell you who the recording artists are for most songs. I DO know that my obscure favorite, Little Black Egg was a one hit wonder by the Nightcrawlers! (Should you click the link, don’t judge me. I was a 13 yr old whose brother had a band. I am sure there was some subliminal sibling angst going on.)

Over the course of the election season, I came to realize my childhood was not necessarily typical, although for the time it may have been. I read posts and comments that indicated some people who were voting  had no idea of  history and worse yet, no interest in it. I’m not talking about memorizing dates, but learning who did what and why. For instance, Al Gore’s father was on the board of Occidental Petroleum. Did that affect his stance on the environment?   Whether we like it or not, we have a political class and they have history. It is not enough to listen to sound bites and political videos to  make a good decision. A catchy slogan does not make a good leader.

I spent a lot of time praying over this election and regardless of who won, I intend to continue praying. Our new President will need wisdom to navigate the pitfalls awaiting our country and I know the one who gives it freely. Do you?

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.November 11, 2016 is Veteran’s day. Thank you to all who served and protected our freedom.  A special thanks to a veteran I have never met, Forrest J. Sterling. He is the author of Wake of the Wahoo, The Heroic Story of America’s Most Daring WWII Submarine, USS Wahoo. The Wahoo disappeared during the war and it’s remains were not discovered until 2006 in La Perouse Straight. Sterling served on the ship until its final mission. Because of his book, I know what life was like on the fighting submarine my uncle, Howell Holmes served and died on. It fills in a missing piece of family history. My regret is that my dad was not alive to finally know what happened to his baby brother.

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Fall, Family and Margaritaville

3 Nov

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

After the drama of Hurricane Matthew, we were more than ready to return to our home in the North Carolina mountains. I had my heart set on being able to spend some time enjoying the Fall color and cooler temperatures. We set off on our return trip October 12 and quickly ran into a rain shower. Fortunately, it was brief and we were blessed with a double rainbow just before we drove up the interstate entrance ramp.

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We arrived at our home in the early evening and I was delighted to see the trees were still clothed in vibrant colors.

Sumer’s Last Stand

The following weekend, my cousin Delores, and her mom drove over from Raleigh to spend a week with us. They arrived in time for the annual Pumpkin Fest. It is a fun time with lots of food, crafts and of course, the pumpkin roll. The participants in the contest take it seriously, after all, the grand prize is $100.00! There was a large crowd milling around watching and awaiting their turn.

Fall in Florida consists of slightly cooler days but there are no changing leaves and definitely not the fun of all festivals. If one was inclined, I think they could attend a Fall festival every  weekend.

My cousin’s birthday occurred while she was visiting and we decided to make it a special day. We began the day with a drive on Highway 28 and once we were past Bryson City the Fall color was gorgeous, especially near Fontana Dam. I am sure the low sunlight and low hanging clouds added to the “pop” of the color.

Just north of Fontana, Highway 28 meets up with US Highway 129 and becomes the world-famous “Tail of the Dragon”.  With over 300 curves in 11 miles, daredevils on bikes and sports car drivers love the thrill and danger. Fortunately or unfortunately, we weren’t driving either, but it was still a fun ride and my cousin enjoyed taming the dragon and she has the tee-shirt to prove it!

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After the Dragon, we continued up 129 to the Foothills Parkway and eventually ended up in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. It was time for some retail therapy! After all, we were celebrating a birthday. We didn’t visit a single shoe store but we did score some great finds in the Corning Revere outlet. The one in the Red Roof mall has a section that has some serious discounts due to it being a returns center. While my husband was in a tool store, I placed a call to Paula Deen’s restaurant located on “The Island” and had our names put on the dinner list.  The Island is a newly renovated entertainment area complete with an Eye-like ride called the Smoky Mountain Wheel, Margaritaville and several other dining venues. If you enjoy Southern style food, I think you will like Paula Deen’s restaurant. I sure did!

My cousin and her mom

My cousin and her mom

 

As we left the restaurant, I wanted to explore more of the Island’s shops and entertainment, but it had been a long day and we faced a two hour drive over through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park ahead of us, so we boarded the tram for the parking lot. I know I want to visit it again and Rebekah has a birthday coming up in December. I need to find a Groupon or discount for the Margaritaville Hotel!

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It’s Music To My Ears

16 Oct

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

 

Seems like I have always loved to sing. I vaguely remember being in the Christmas program in my 1st grade class, and sang a solo. I think it was….Santa Claus Is Coming To Town.

I’m sure I sang in the children’s choir in our church. I don’t remember much about that. However, I do remember being in the youth choir in our church. And when I turned 17 years old, those of us that age, were allowed to sing in the adult choir. I was rather appalled to realize that some of those older women really needed to stop singing in the choir! And I made up my mind then and there that, when I got to that age, and if I found myself “warbling” like they were then it was time to stop singing in the choir!

I remember singing in my Junior High School chorus. Back then, Elementary school was 1st through 6th grade. Junior High was 7th through 9th grade, and high school was 10th through 12th grade.

I do remember singing solo’s in church – and not just in my home church, but in churches that Fred and I were members of years later.

But my best memories of singing came about during my High School days. I remember that we had to choose between singing in the chorus (or being in the band if that was our talent) or taking P.E. I chose music.   I was in the girls chorus all three years of my high school.

But there were two other groups within the music at my high school that I was interested in:  All-State Chorus and a hand-selected group they called Dreamers. I had to audition for each of those groups each and every year. The first year I auditioned for All-State Chorus, I had a cold and didn’t qualify. However, the final two years of my high school I was able to be a part of that group. High School choruses from all over New Mexico came to Albuquerque for the concert. We met in the University of New Mexico (UNM) gymnasium for rehearsals and the concert. As you might imagine, the acoustics were not the best, but we needed the space. And since Albuquerque was more-or-less central in New Mexico, it was always held there. What a fantastic experience that was!!

 

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1959 All-State Chorus from my high school

 

But I think, outside of All-State Chorus, the best thing about high school and singing, was to be a part of Dreamers all three years of my high school. There were 12 of us each year – four voices on each part of a trio. We always had a great blend, even though many of the voices changed out each year, as some graduated. We traveled to sing for other group meetings around the city. It was great!

 

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1959 Dreamers

 

Our chorus director was Arthur Loy. He was also the director for those of us in the All-State Chorus as well as the Dreamers. He had a great love for music, and his students, and the talent to direct us. He picked great songs for us to sing – some of the old great ones: Night and Day was one of my favorites. I was sorry to graduate and leave his tutelage.

 

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As you can see, music has been a large part of my life. I am grateful.

Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth.

Psalm 96:1

 

 

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Getting my Ducks in a Row~Part 2

13 Oct

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

 

We remained inside most of the day after the winds of the hurricane began to die down. Traffic lights were not working and we didn’t want to deal with the hassle driving would be. So Saturday we decided to venture out. We visited a friend and helped take down her boards and later in the day we drove to the marina. There were four sailboats that had washed ashore, but I only took pictures of two as the others were further away.

The yellow is to keep oil and fuel from escaping into the water.

On the way home from our friends home we drove through a neighborhood where we once lived. It is an older subdivision with a lot of oak trees. I was fascinated with the moss that covered yards and the road, The hurricane stripped the tress so that some yards appeared to have gray snow on them. I wasn’t able to get a good picture of the moss as husband felt a tad odd taking pictures while people were in the yard cleaning up.

 

On our way home from the marina, we drove down “river road.” It has a name, but it has always been called this by locals. There was far less damage than I expected as the news had been warning of a storm surge. Thankfully they were wrong. When we were almost at the end of the road, we saw it was blocked by a tree and back tracked.

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On Monday, we went to the local Target to get away from the house.  The third day after the storm passed, freezer cases remained almost bare.

I was nervous before the storm about not being able to board up. We were fine, no wind damage alt all.  I do think it would be a good idea to order some of the plylox to have on hand in the future.

One of the heart warming and encouraging results of the storm is the way churches reached out to help people, especially widows, single moms and the elderly prepare for the storm . We are blessed to have young pastors who have a heart of love for the community. On Sunday, instead of holding a service, they are meeting to go out into the community and aid in clean-up activities.

Monday afternoon was a big day for many of our residents. Power crews were able to restore electricity to homes that had been out since Thursday night. I was visiting with a friend when her power returned and there was a lot of whooping and hollering going on. Power company linemen are heroes in our community and we are thankful for every single one who left their families and came to our aid.

One thing was missing in the midst of this disaster. No one asked who one was voting for in the Presidential election. Neighbors talked to each other. They shared information and acts of kindness were the norm. This is who we are. This election period has brought out the worst in our country, but Hurricane Matthew a force of destruction,  brought out the best in us.

 

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Getting my Ducks in a Row

6 Oct

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

UPDATE 10/8/2016

Waiting for Hurricane Matthew to arrive was making the whole family edgy. We spent Thursday morning picking up a couple of items  like extra snacks and a tote in which to store photo albums. Aside from rain, the weather did not deteriorate until around 10 pm.  By then I was worn out and decided to try to sleep as the worst winds were expected after 3 am. Friday morning came and the storm was still growing strong but thankfully, we still had electricity and air-conditioning it. I will write more on this in my Thursday blog

I’m writing this on Wednesday night instead of my usual last minute on Thursday post. It seems preparing for a hurricane spurred me to be more organized and “get my ducks in a row.”

 

I have found the retirement life,with flexible plans and few deadlines, feeds my procrastination gene. However, this week I discovered a remedy and its name is Hurricane Matthew! We have been steadily watching the path of the large storm and feeling safe since it was predicted to move east and away from Florida. On Monday it became apparent that Matthew might not agree with the projected track and Rebekah and I decided to top off our hurricane supplies. To be honest, I was feeling a bit smug that we were being proactive and not waiting until the last minute. That night we discussed the pros and cons of boarding up windows as they are relatively protected by a porch and the side walls of other townhouses.

We decided to board two windows that might be vulnerable and headed out to the home improvement store early the next morning. When we arrived at the store it  was busy but  without the craziness one sees when a storm is imminent. We planned to look first for Plylox, clips to hold the plywood in place over the windows, then grab a piece of plywood and hopefully have it cut to make it easier to carry home.

Plylox clips

Plylox clip

On our way to locate the clips, we passed the area where a large saw is set up to custom cut wood. To our dismay, a sign stating the saw was out of order was taped to it. Oh well, we should be able to find a way to get the wood home on top of our car. We hung a right and went to the far end of the aisle where a large container for the Plylox clips stood…empty. To be honest, we were irritated that the home improvement store was so unprepared.

Do you see the humor in that? We were upset that they were unprepared. Our daughter has owned this home for eight years and this is the first time any of us gave thought to purchasing supplies to board up for a hurricane.  I guess the best plans can have a flaw. Our flaw could be a major one, but I have a peace about our safety even though Hurricane Matthew has tracked further west and may make landfall in our county early Friday morning.

hurrican-im-here

Since the hurricane will be passing over us during daylight hours, I hope to get some photos and will post them here as an update when power is restored. Prayers for the safety of everyone in the path of this storm are appreciated.

Luke 8:22-25 The Message

22-24 One day he and his disciples got in a boat. “Let’s cross the lake,” he said. And off they went. It was smooth sailing, and he fell asleep. A terrific storm came up suddenly on the lake. Water poured in, and they were about to capsize. They woke Jesus: “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!”

Getting to his feet, he told the wind, “Silence!” and the waves, “Quiet down!” They did it. The lake became smooth as glass.

25 Then he said to his disciples, “Why can’t you trust me?”

They were in absolute awe, staggered and stammering, “Who is this, anyway? He calls out to the winds and sea, and they do what he tells them!”

 

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Trapped in Florida

29 Sep

On the Porch

Onisha  Ellis

Our time in Florida has certainly not been boring. Unfortunately the action has been of the golden years type. ( You know, when all of your gold goes to pay doctors, tests and medicine) We expected to spend two weeks in Florida  checking in with our doctors and then flee the Florida heat. My husband’s first visit seemed innocuous, a routine eye exam. Then the doctor “saw” something which led to two tests being scheduled. Next came a trip to the orthopedic doctor for him to get a simple steroid shot. Yep, not simple. He needed an MRI. We followed this up with a visit to the primary care doctor for him to go over the results of the first two test results. Guess what? Another  test is needed AND a specialist is the only one who can  order it which  requires setting up a new patient appointment. Have you ever tried to get a new patient appointment with a specialist? They are booked for weeks and some, months in  advance. Our two-week visit is turning into three weeks and we are putting our foot down. Either the doctor schedules the next test ASAP or we are going back to North Carolina and enjoy fall.

i scrolled though some of my fall photos and here are a few.

Not a Fall photo but I love it.

In addition to all these doctor visits, the hot temperatures have triggered some ferocious lightning storms and it appears like another may be exploding soon.

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On the positive side, it has been fun catching up with old friends, sneaking a pumpkin donut at Dunkin Donuts with my daughter and not to be overlooked, a much appreciated hair cut with my favorite hair stylist. I would tell you her name, but she is hard enough to get an appointment with as it is

I just thought of another plus for being in Florida in the fall. High-Speed-Internet. I am sure I have moaned about our internet speed in the mountains before. I am truly grateful to have internet up there but having fast internet is bliss when I am attempting to create graphics for Rebekah’s books. I made one today. If you take a look at the book titles, you won’t find one with a fall title. We go straight from summer to winter.

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And now it appears we have a hurricane named Matthew that may or may not turn towards Florida. The positive side is I do enjoy a rainy day.

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40 Days of Generosity 2016

15 Sep

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

In the midst of the never-ending divisive speeches and billboards that characterize the Presidential election season, I saw this small sign that trumped (pun intended)  them all.

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Guitar, Vocals, Percussion 40 Days of Generosity

 

Last year, our town, Titusville, Florida joined together to encourage and strengthen this community that had faced massive job losses and homes whose dollar values made underwater look like an improvement. It was a month-long event and according to Florida Today, the community raised more than $200,000 for a splash park at Sand Point Park and $42,000 to help rebuild a Salvation Army building that would be used as a family emergency shelter in Titusville.

It was a joy to see and read about the large and small ways the community came together and that bonding had lasting results. I believe that hearts are intended for generosity. All hearts. In the past two months we have seen floods wipe out towns in West Virginia and Louisiana. It wasn’t FEMA who worked hand in hand  with the communities to salvage their homes, it was everyday people. Some were from community organizations, others church groups, and still others folks who loaded their vehicles with supplies and showed up. In the midst of the campaign frenzy, let’s remember that we are not what those seeking power choose to label us. We are good people. Generous people.

 

If you would like to learn more about 40 Days of Generosity visit LovingBrevard.org

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Don’t Fake Love

8 Sep

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

My friend, Pat is a delightful mixture of elegant Southern style, charm and out spoken opinions and I love her. This past year she has traveled the road of widowhood and has done so with courage, joy and tears.  She and her husband, shared a life long passion for memorizing scripture passages and the conversations of our weekly breakfast group were often spiced with passages that tied into whatever of the world’s problems we were solving.

This Wednesday at breakfast she handed me a card in an envelope and asked me to open it after we left. At home, I opened the card, a beautiful handmade creation, with a hand written note, thanking us for offering to drive her to Asheville for eye surgery. I looked on the back and sure enough, there was the name of the person who made the card.  I suspected  Pat had purchased the cards to encourage this creator in the same way she encouraged my daughter, Rebekah by buying her novels and giving them to people she thought might enjoy reading them.

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Isn’t it pretty?

At the bottom of the sweet note she shared a scripture, Romans 12:9-13. KJV

9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;

12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

13 Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.

 

I decided to read some other versions and when I came to The Message it read in the same way Pat encourages us. Perfect!

The Message

9-10 Love from the center of who you are; don’t fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle.

11-13 Don’t burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don’t quit in hard times; pray all the harder. Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality.

 

This was on the bottom inside of the card.

 

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My Internet is Evil

1 Sep

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

I probably shouldn’t use the word evil to describe my internet, but the level of frustration it provokes in me leads to dreams of random acts of revenge.  It isn’t the internet itself that is evil, it’s my internet provider. It has no respect or concerns for my needs. Whether I am in the middle of booking a reservation or snagging a sudden opening  on a promotional site, it does not care. It will drop me faster than an egg in an egg and spoon race and as often.

Egg and Spoon Race

 

After a particularly dreadful bout of internet failure, I appealed to the provider on Facebook. Their social media team expressed dismay and distress for my predicament and sent a request to their escalation team asking them  to call me. They did call. I missed it but they did leave a message. It seems I live in a high usage area . No consolation of an impending improvement. Basically too bad, so sad.

Now you might be thinking, why doesn’t the woman change providers?  I would love to. BUT we have DSL and it seems that all of the internet in the area runs over the same system. No matter who we pay, the service will be the same. Now that I have grumbled and groused, I need to say that I am grateful and blessed to have internet service, Many families in rural areas have no DSL or broadband internet.

Another thing I am grateful for is my husband’s improving health after two years of decline. This summer he has completed multiple projects and is almost finished with his current one, replacing our entryway stairs.

 

I am working on grousing less and giving thanks more, but my internet service is really testing me!

 

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