Come take a walk with me

I took a nice, long walk today on one of my favorite routes and decided that maybe you would like to come along with me. So if you would like to join me, plug in your ipod, be sure it is loaded with lots of Jimmy Buffet, put on your walking shoes, and be prepared for this beautiful five mile walk.
Warning: This blog is long and has lots of photos. On a walk, you can't just quit, but not so with blog reading, you can quit anytime you want, but I hope you will walk with me for the long haul. First point of interest is Kraemer Dairy taken from the St. Vinney's parking lot. I have so many happy memories of Preschoolers running around in Rich's pumpkin patch visible in the back of the store. Rich was always so generous with pumpkins, gourds, golf balls, really anything the kids could find in the field. So different from the big commercial pumpkin patches.

Heading up Carl Schurz Drive, mostly a means to an end. Not a particularily noteworthy street.

At the top of Carl Schurz Drive we take a right and head out of town down Center Street.

Checking on the ipod. At this point, I am walking briskly to Kokomo and thinking about Carribean Islands.

At the end of Center Street, we will cross over Highway 16. Listening to Buffet's Coastal Confessions. Thinking about a few confessions I can be making right about now.

Officially in the town of Emmet.

I have to stop and wonder how these plants can grow right out of the concrete and I am not able to grow plants in soil with fertilizer. But, then I remember that God is the gardener here and he has a much greener thumb that I do!

We are now on the road that leads to Highway M. Not one vehicle will pass us on this route today. So peaceful and pretty and so easy to relate to Steven Curtis Chapman's song "It's all Yours, Lord." I find myself singing along, good thing there are no vehicles!

"It's all yours, God, it's all yours. Everything is yours. From the stars in the sky to the depths of the ocean floor. You're the maker and keeper, Father and Ruler of everything, it's all yours. I walked dirt roads of Uganda seen the scars that wars have left behind, but I hear children's voices singing of a God who heals and rescues and restores and I am reminded that every child in Africa is yours."

"All of creation, it's all yours, God. Yours, God, it's all yours." Okay, I played this song two times just because it is so fitting as I look around at all this beauty. "We are yours God."

Check out how the milkweed plant looks. Reminds me of a desert plant.

We are nearing the end of this road. If we look over to our right, we can see the cemetery in the distance.

This is the scene ahead of us across Highway M. "I Hope you Dance" is the song and I think the part, "I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean," is appropriate here since I still feel small when I look out over this vast land.

There is the Lutheran cemetery, our first destination. (Remember there are three "e's" buried in cemetery and you will never mispell that word)

We will get off the highway and take this shortcut along the cornfield.

We are listening to MercyMe sing, "I can only Imagine." These are perfect songs for our walk today. We entered the Lutheran Cemetery. I do not believe that any of these people are still in these graves, but there is something about seeing their names and remembering their lives. They are in a far better place and no longer need to "Imagine what it will be like when I walk by your side, imagine what my eyes will see when your face is before me." This little girl who died at the roller rink in a freak accident is "surrounded by Your Glory." She may be dancing for Jesus right now. I hope you are not bothered by cemeteries because we are going to explore this one. I, for one, love the peace and calm that comes from a cemetery. I love to think about all the people who went before me and are waiting for me in heaven.

Here we will take a moment to remember our friend, Bob Wilke. I remember "I can only Imagine," being sung at his funeral. He fought hard and long, but in the end cancer won and Bob got his heavenly healing.

This is the daddy of one of my former preschoolers. He died when she was only eight months old in an accident. We would talk about him in Preschool and how happy he was in heaven and how he was waiting for his little girl. Preschoolers need to know that death comes at anytime, to anyone, but as long as they believe in Jesus, they will go to heaven. No need to fear death.

And here is my dad. I stopped to have a drink with him, just water today. Dad died at age 62, just 4 years older than I am now. What a happy man he is today though.

I like how my shadow is on the gravestone here. I know some people who talk to their loved ones at the cemetery. I don't do that because I know they are not there and could care less about what I have to say, but we all get our comfort in different ways

This sums up my feelings about my dad. It sits in back of his stone.

This is my dad's best friend and his wife who happened to be my mom's best friend. Their headstones are just yards from one another, just by chance. Their friendship continues in heaven.

This is a friend's son. Loved his mustang, died in his mustang on a Super Bowl Sunday, many years ago. Funny how we never forget some details.

"Bridge over Troubles Water" by Simon and Garfunkle is playing now.

Time to reflect a moment on my four grandparents, who by chance happen to be buried very close together in the cemetery. Many happy memories with three of these folks, did not ever meet my Opah. Waiting anxiously for the day I see them all again.

This is where many of my relatives on my mom's side are buried. Some of them I knew, some of them died before I met them. A big chunk of my past lies in this area.

Everytime I walk past this gravestone, I wonder about these people. Lots of sadness in this family, losing mom in childbirth, I think. These stones really do tell a story, sometimes I wish it was written out on the stone for all to see.

Here is where we leave the Lutheran cemetery and enter the Moravian cemetery, no real markings, just a common known fact. Listening to some Buffet again. "Back to the Island," makes me remember St. George and wonder when I can go back there.

Two very good friends of my mom and dad. They were both cremated and ordered this stone from Sweden. Just a little fun fact as we travel through the Moravian cemetery.

Back on the road heading into town. A bit of "Sister Golden Hair" to remind me of my daughter with the golden hair.

From this road, Juneau Street, I believe, you can catch a glimpse of our old house on Hillside Lane. It is the blue one barely showing through the other two. Lots of good memories in that house.

We are going to cross County Trunk R and head into the other Lutheran cemetery. You know, the ELCA's could not share with the WELS. Wait till we are all together in one heaven!

Just found this baby's grave. I cannot imagine the sadness parents feel when they lose a little one who never even had a chance to live. What a happy reunion awaits them.

I remember the night these two teenagers were killed in a car crash. It is always sad when young people die. Rod Stewart is singing "Forever Young," at this point. In our hearts, these two teens will remain, "forever young."

Here is the road we are taking out of the cemetery. I am recalling how I danced to "Forever Young" at Courtney and Paul's wedding. It brings back very good memories on a beautiful Island. Good things to think about on this rather boring section of our walk.

Going under Highway 16, same Highway we crossed over a few miles back. I have decided we would stop at one more cemetery, it is definitely a cemetery walk today.

This angel welcomes us into Oak Hill Cemetery. Oak Hill is the cemetery of choice for anyone who is not Lutheran or Catholic in Watertown, although there are Lutherans and Catholics buried here, too.

I really like this bench, but because people were cutting the lawn, I did not sit down on it because I wasn't sure if it was an actual stone, didn't want to be disrespectful.

Jason was a very good friend of Courtney's who died on Christmas when he was only 22 years old. Everytime anyone from Courtney's class hit a milestone like college graduation, marriage, kids, etc, I imagined how hard it was for his family. Jimmy's "Breathe in, breathe out, move on," seems appropriate here for some reason.

I was drawn to this pretty cross marking this little girl's grave. "If a hurricane doesn't kill you, it will only make you strong." I wonder if that is how these parents feel, "if it doesn't kill you, it will make your stronger."

Or how about these two siblings who died of a genetic disease and left their parents alone. "Don't try to explain it, just nod your head, breathe in, breathe out, move on."

Saw this headstone on my way out of the cemetery. Beautiful sentiment, time to breathe in, breathe out, move on.

Heading down Boughton Street toward home. No more cemeteries along this route. Marina McBride is singing, "This one's for the Girls," perfect beat for this hill and perfect lyrics for all of us girls.

Back to Highland Avenue. Almost home now. Remembering that every laugh line made me who I am today, thanks for that reminder, Martina.

Passing some memorable trees by the swimming pool. My friend, Connie and I used to have to part at this corner after a walk home in the dark. She would run her way and I would run my two blocks home. We were always sure there were people in those trees who were going to follow us and do who knows what to us! We always called one another to make sure we were safe. We had each other's back for sure.

We have new neighbors, they just moved in. They keep their camper in the front yard right outside their front door. And we are home.

Thanks for taking the walk with me, especially if you are still reading. It took me almost as long to write this blog as it took to take the walk!