Casting Stones

Memorial Day has always been a big family day.  Growing up we would visit cemeteries around Utah, leaving whatever was blooming that weekend (usually irises) on various graves.  For the eleven or so years that my Grandma was a widow we thought it was funny to be at her grave with her as we visited and remembered Grandpa.  Soon after she died, I moved away from Utah and haven't been there for Memorial Day since.  I miss the reunions and the reminiscing (and the cemeteries, I get that morbid inclination from my dear mother) so I always try to do something fun on that day with my family here.  This year we went down to Weldon Springs.  We thought we would meet up with some friends, but it had been raining, so it ended up just being us.  There is a little lake there with a lovely path meandering the perimeter.  The girls made up little games, running ahead, twirling, laughing, while Charles carried Phin on his back for the whole trek.  I don't know how far it is ~ 1/2 mile or 5 miles ~ but it took us about an hour to circumnavigate.  We also visited an old one-room schoolhouse and enjoyed ringing the large, old bell.  As per usual, there are no photos so you will just have to imagine the white schoolhouse in the middle of a meadow, skirted with flowering bushes; the black bell almost as big as Ibby on a brick pedestal; the totem pole carved out of an old swamp tree with an owl, some raccoons, a couple of beavers, a turtle, and a frog; clapping hands as someone catches a fish on the end of their pole; delighted smiles as sparkly rocks are found; ferns, trillium, and pine needles softening our path; sweet kids enjoying each other and nature.

Later in the day we went to our friend's house and had amazing barbecue and lots of laughter.  Charles and two friends went to a park.  Not much time passed before we got a call, "Dad, can you bring some paper towels?... And some bandages?"  What happened?!?  Are you okay?  We were throwing ROCKS at each OTHER.  What on earth--?!!!    He is fetched and returns with a very queasy look and a lot of blood on his face, hands, clothes, legs.  A rock hit him on the head, but once cleaned didn't look serious enough for stitches.  Maybe his head is okay now, but that doesn't explain what their heads were being used for before the "incident"...