4th of July in Landgrove

We arrived in Landgrove in time for the 4th of July parade. The parade included a marching band and many Landgrovians. The parade ended at the WWII monument and a gentlemen shared some sentiments. The festivities ended with a sing-a-long accompanied the Landgrove symphony orchestra.

I enjoyed listening to conversations between the Landgrovians. I quickly became aware of intense familial loyalties. In addition to these loyalties, it also became apparent that the people were loyal to the land. Many of the properties in Landgrove have been in families for generations. Land is important to them. They identify with the land.

We concluded the holiday festivities in Ludlow. We watched some wonderful fireworks.


Following the fireworks, everyone was eager to sleep due to the long drive and festive day.

Landgrove

On Thursday, July 3rd, seven intrepid travelers departed on a journey to Vermont. Our little group was diverse with ages ranging from 21 to 82. The group included 3 women and 4 men. At home, the group includes a pastor, a future graduate student in philosophy and theology, a town employee, an employee at the local pharmacy, a process engineer, a student in the arts, and a dedicated volunteer. However, in the mountains of Vermont, each person, in his or her own unique way, became an explorer - an explorer of God's creation, an explorer of God's Word.

For one week, we called the village of Landgrove home. After excursions, we always knew that we had reached Landgrove when the pavement ended and the dirt road began. Landgrove is a place almost on a different time. The pace seems a little bit slower - even as the world around continues to move rapidly forward. Cells phones don't work. Wireless Internet is not available (the posts after July 3rd were written in advance and scheduled for posting) . The backyard is the West River and it is difficult to escape the sounds of the river. At night, the darkness permeates in such a way that it is not possible to see someone walking directly in front of you. In moments of quiet, some hear strange music. Some rest on the rocks of the river as cool drops of rain pelt the flesh. Some explore the library of books dating back to the late 1700s. Some bask in the glory of the stars as they penetrate the darkness.

This is Landgrove.

Back Home Again in Indiana

After 14.5 hours of traveling by car, it was nice to land in my own bed this morning at 2:45 AM. The group spent a wonderful week on retreat in the mountains of Vermont. More to follow.

Reading

When I pick up a book to read, I almost always pick up a pen. Books and pens - they seem to go together. I like to underline and make notes.

The other day, I ventured to Walmart (Wally World to some) in search of the Chronicles of Narnia. I was hoping to get all seven books in one large book. I headed back to the book and magazine section and quickly located the book - on sale!

My intention for reading this book (or series of books in one large book) was purely for enjoyment. (I had only ever read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and was interested in reading the rest of the books - particularly in the light of the recent movie release.) I have found it quite though-provoking in some places. In fact, I have underlined some passages. This was surpising to me because I have never spent much time in the fantasy genre.

I really liked this observation from The Magician's Nephew: "For what you see and hear depends a good deal on where you are standing: it also depends on what sort of person you are."

So much truth exists in this observation.

Follow-Up to Neighbors

A few weeks ago, I wrote about neighbors. Others shared some great comments about in response to this post. If you have not read them, please check them out.

Recently, my neighbor asked for a favor. I was heading out for a bike ride and heard someone calling my name. It was my neighbor. She needed some help. We chatted for awhile - we talked about our houses, summer trips, and yard work. This was by far the longest time that we have spent together in the last 4 1/2 year. Hopefully, a bridge will continue to develop.

Power of Thanks

I am nominally the senior chemist at the company. However, the vast majority of my efforts involve cost reductions and process engineering. This requires a balancing act between the requirements of management and the needs of our production associates. It is easy for me to slide down the slippery slope of feeling that I am not meeting the requirements of either group. Last week, I had the opportunity to share some information at the shift meetings. I was pleasantly surprised to get positive feedback from both groups. In fact, one of the production associates actually pulled me aside the next day and said "thank you" for the cost reduction efforts. This was a huge lift for the day a significant reminder about the power of gratitude.

Whew, It's Already July...

It is hard to believe the first Wednesday of July is already nearly over. I have been busy the last few evenings working on the final exam for fundamentals of business law. This was my first business class at Bethel College. I enjoyed getting back into a "live" classroom again after taking many classes via real-time streaming video. However, it occurred to me today that this is my ninth year of post-secondary education. This journey has included Saint Joseph's College, Purdue University, Ivy Tech State College, Illinois Institute of Technology, and Bethel. Right now, I'm planning on taking some pre-requisite business classes in the fall and then deciding if I want to continue in an MBA program at Bethel or maybe Notre Dame. At this rate, I may become a student-for-life. I still struggle with figuring out what to do "when I grow up."