Family Mellmann

Katherine and her fellow upper classmen (high school juniors and seniors) loaded up three cars and drove eighteen hours south to North Carolina and The Wilds.  Every other year the juniors and seniors go to The Wilds in NC where they hear challenging (and often entertaining) talks, enjoy fun activities, and share in some laughs along the way.  Our little troupe of eight students joined with roughly 200 seniors and juniors from Christian schools in Wisconsin, Michigan, South Carolina, Florida, and elsewhere across the country for a week of everything from crafting to rafting, soccer and basketball to Cat in the Hat (it's a game), hikes, zip lines (across a gorge!!), a giant swing (and I do mean GIANT), and even a little down time for ice cream or reading a book. We're back to Vermont now and it's one more week of school for the seniors. Here are the travelers (2 seniors, 6 juniors, and 3 drivers/chaperones) ready to hit the road. On the first day at camp, the students hiked ...

As the school year rolls rapidly toward the end, we have entered that phase where every event is "the last event".  Last Spring Program (was May 6th).  My last birthday with "minor children" (was May 7th).  My last Mother's Day with a high school student in the house (was May 8th). Today, the last Trinity Baptist School Run-a-Thon fundraiser with a student in the race.  Katherine and her best friend, fellow senior Gabby, take off on their final run-a-thon. The next "last event" will be a Junior/Senior School Trip.  This year, they will be going to the Wilds in Brevard, North Carolina (starts Sunday, May 15th).

Two-thirds of the graduating  have the freedom to use their lunchtime to work on a homework assignment together.  How convenient that Katherine's fellow Senior is also her good friend.

We are six days (according to the Farmer's Almanac) into Spring!  And, while I am guardedly optimistic that we have seen the last of any real snow and miserably cold temperatures, my yard and garden still show little sign of that tell-tale bright green of young growth or the red bumps on the trees that foretell of coming leaves.  Mud? Yes.  Naked branches?  Definitely.  Shades of grey and brown?  Everywhere. My naked Harry Lauder Walking Stick (also known, I recently learned, as contorted filbert or corkscrew hazel) is patiently waiting, like all the deciduous trees in our yard, for warm sunny days when it can explode with green leaves.  Well, maybe explode is a little too forceful.  Harry is not a speedy guy; he seems to prefer budding out slowly...but what a show those leaves are when they finally appear! In the meantime, I will enjoy these tulips that someone else grew.

 I may not be able to do much about world peace, but it was very peaceful on River Cove Road. Christmas Day is weird.  In our house, it's quiet; video games to play, little projects or tasks to attended to, movies to watch, books to read, Christmas cookies to eat.  When I step outside the door, there is a peacefulness around me; a palpable calm.  No traffic noise.  No industrial sounds as businesses go about their work.  Nothing.  No buzz.  No hum.  Just the sound of the snow falling.  It's a peacefulness I have only experienced during COVID lock-down when all businesses were shuttered and people were ordered to stay home and once every year...on Christmas Day.  It's weird, but I like it. As we enjoy this peaceful day, I am putting in some good time on my knitting project.  I hope to have this afghan finished before I return to school next week.  We'll see how it goes.  In the meantime, I hope you find peace in your l...

Christmas Eve on River Cove Road is full of tradition; the annual family picture in front of the tree, reading the account of Christ's birth from Luke, singing German and American Christmas songs, presents, and of course fondue.  This year, like a few years gone by, included a short pause in the events while I directed the children's choir in the Christmas Eve service, the same choir Patrick sang in when he was young-er. So, from the Mellmann Family on River Cove Road to all of you, Merry Christmas.    

After several weeks of long hours, lots of activities, and long to-do lists, we are all ready for a nice quiet Christmas holiday.  To get things rolling we have made our annual Christmas cookies (true confessions; this is our second batch). It has been a busy time for us.  Christmas program at school for Katherine (and me), finals for Patrick and plans for a "J term" to get his CFII (Certified Flight Instructor-Instrument) rating, big projects for Joerg, and a variety of obligations for me. One of the projects that will take up some of our precious vacation time is the turnover and full renovation of one of our rentals.  New kitchen, all new flooring, fresh paint...the works.  Fortunately, most of our labor comes at the beginning (Patrick and I delivered most of the kitchen cabinets to the unit yesterday) and then we turn it all over to our local contractor who has already pulled out the old kitchen and flooring.  Never a dull moment. :) Tonight, Patrick is out ...

Patrick is in the middle of his training to become a Certified Flight Instructor.  Next semester he'll add Certified Flight Instructor - Instrument to his credentials. In his training to be an instructor, it is important that he learns how to fix potential problems created by an inexperienced or nervous student.  One of those hazards would be a spin.  Today's flight was "spin awareness training".  The report from Patrick is that it was really fun.  I'm not sure I would feel the same way with a warning horn blaring at me and the earth rising to meet me in my cockpit seat, but sitting here in my office and watching the video...it does look like a fun twisty roller coaster.  If you can stop screaming long enough to look around, you'll see that our fall colors are here, but they are fading fast. ;)

 Our road trip through the Adirondacks was quite lovely...if a little warm.  After more than a year of not going anyway, we were all ready for a little time away.  Not one of our "epic adventures", this trip involved no significant plan, just a basic map, three motorcycles, and the family. We took the ferry across Lake Champlain and continued south to Pottersville where the natural (stone) bridge and caves are.  We were there twenty years ago with another couple but I don't remember there being so much climbing involved.  Back then I would have been pregnant with Patrick.  This time, Patrick was a steady shoulder to lean on as I stepped down the rocky steps in my motorcycle pants and heavy leather boots (not particularly awesome climbing gear). After the caves, we continued on our way enjoying the scenery, the weather, and the open road, stopping occasionally to stretch our legs and grab a drink, read a book, and check the map.  All-in-all this trip...