Friday, August 4, 2017

The Main Event

of the 120-year celebration of the Warwick River community and Warwick River Mennonite Church took place on Sunday.  The Yard Man and I started our day with a fantastic hotel breakfast  (the details of which I'd love to bore you, Reader Dear, but I'll refrain).

Since I'm starting with food: 
At lunch I ate some of those heritage pecans that are soon to be extinct (It was only after I had eaten the Chicken BBQ Meal, served outdoors on this day of most glorious weather!*)


But why, Dear Reader,  am I talking about  food when there were so many more-special features of this 120-year celebration ?! (No need to answer.  I'll move on).












First and foremost of the delights was the greeting of old friends and family!

It was the best by far!
There was an abundance of visiting going on, all day long!  We visited at lunch around the tables that were under the tent!  We visited while perusing the pies, and we visited while perusing the historical displays*!

 *A model of the community as it existed in 1947, constructed by an uncle of mine for a previous reunion (showing a small fraction of the blue Warwick River)
*Viewer Dear, here's a photo of my very own mother, Circa 1933. (There were, oh, so many  historical photos [neatly organized and displayed!])





















But, yes, there was so much catching-up to do that the only time the visiting stopped was during the "Old-fashioned Hymn Sing."*

*Except, uh,  due to my close proximity to my LTF, and another friend, I'll have to admit that a bit of visiting did not completely cease.







I told you it was a musical weekend, did I not, Reader Dear?!
Here are just a few clips:

SHALL WE GATHER AT THE RIVER
Listener Dear, this is a hymn, the unofficial theme song of this church and this community.

It's been the song we most love to sing throughout this entire 120-year span of time we're celebrating  (Now, I will readily admit that I've not been there for the whole one-hundred and twenty years, but ask anyone who has, Dear One! They will confirm it's true!)




Eventually The Yard Man and I had to say goodbye to the Warwick River and the Warwick River Church and the Warwick River community and the Warwick River 120-year celebration (It means, Reader Dear, that you must bid farewell as well).

It was late afternoon, and we had to head north.
(We had to cross the Potomac River, the Mason-Dixon Line, the bridge of which nightmares are made*!)
*Notice, Viewer Dear, how this is an old,  narrow, two-lane bridge with no shoulders, extending way high into the sky (perhaps half-way to heaven).  Imagine, if you will, being stopped for road work on this bridge while driving (nearing the crest, but not quite far enough to see over), escorting three of one's own small children southward.  Now, picture large tractor-trailers and other vehicular traffic speeding by in the lane that was allowed to move. Think about the bridge rocking and swaying with each passing vehicle.  (Think of being stopped for a hideously long period of time).  Imagine feeling as though you may soon be more than half-way to that heavenly home!  (Er. Uh. Now, Reader Dear, imagine the phobia!)

So, okay.  Believe me, Reader Dear, when I tell you that I was glad The Yard Man was driving.  We sped along toward home, and I mourned for all good things that are ending*

*Pecan trees. Etcetera.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

I'm swamped.
It's all those etcetera...

Pat Hertzler said...

We still have two of the pecan trees from Denbigh growing at our place. Another pecan tree bit the dust in a storm two weeks ago, almost the same day the homestead was demolished.

KTdid said...

It's good to know the Hertzler Pecan strain is on-going!
Q.