Summer has begun for us. School got out early this year, May 9 so we have already started planning events to do with the kids this summer.
We all went to the cemetery the Friday before Memorial Day where we laid a wreath and visited our beloved husband, dad and pappa. Then we took a tour of the cemetery.
The Ft. Gibson National Cemetery began in the 1800's with burials of soldiers, their families and some of the settlers in the area of the Fort. Also there are some Indians and some important people in history. We walked the Officer's Circle where the most famous grave is that of Sam Houston's wife. It was interesting to read the headstones and learn some of the history of the soldiers who served there.
Later we went over to take a tour of the fort. It had a fire a few years ago and has been rebuilt to the original design with as much of the material as was original to it. Very interesting to see how they lived within the fort and the look out towers. There were some old log homes and the ruins of others just outside the fort and the ruins of a large home that Jefferson Davis had stayed in for a short period of time. We didn't drive around the area but learned there are several log cabins as well as early Victorian homes in neighborhoods surrounding the fort so we hope to go back one day and take the tour. The rooms at the fort are furnished as they would have been during the occupation of the soldiers who lives there so we all got to see the sparse and simple furnishings.
We got ready to have a yard sale that we planned to run on Friday the 31st and Sat. the 1st but Mother Nature had other ideas. We did have the sale on Friday and did well. Put everything under the carport as they said we could have rain.
Well, we got a little more than rain. Michele and the kids stayed on a bit due to weather warnings but then it seemed we would be spared so they went home, only to race back here around 11 PM as the weather turned worse and we were in tornado warnings. We went to the shelter and there were a couple spotted within a half mile from us but were small and just barely touched down so no damage but still a little to close for comfort. After the storms had passed and it was safe, we all crashed where we could find a spot until early the next morning when they went home and we shut down the sale due to the weather as we still had some rain showers off and on.
The storms that came over us were all part of the system that hit El Reno and OKC earlier. But once they were beyond us, we haven't had any real severe weather like that and hope we will have a reprieve. After the terrible tornadoes that hit Shawnee and Moore, we have had our fair share and will be happy that they are leaving us alone.
But that also means that our spring has ended and summer has begun and it is letting us know it is here full force with temps in mid to upper 90's this week and heat index of over 100 today. I've been waiting for the warm weather so guess it is here but a little warmer than I had hoped. It would have been nice to had a gentle warm up but we went from low to mid 80's to the temps we have now so a big jump. However, I still prefer this to the cold of winter. I can find a way to get cool but during the cold, it takes forever to get warm it seems.
And it also means it is harder to get out to do what has to be done outside, like the mowing. I wait until evening when the sun is down behind the trees so I have shade and if there is a breeze as it has been the past few evenings, it really isn't that bad so I'm getting the yard done in sections. But in this heat, the grass won't be growing as fast so hope to get it all mowed this week if we don't have a surprise shower like they are predicting. Then maybe I'll get a cool spell where I can mow it all if needed.
There are more plans to have family get togethers and for the grandkids to visit some of the interesting places around the area if they can. With Michele having back surgery earlier this year and still experiencing some problems with a possible outlook of more surgery, we'll have to see what and where we can go. They have been to the lake a few times to enjoy the swimming.
So I say the good ol' summertime has arrived and now we'll just have to wait to see how it goes and what fun we will all enjoy.
