October was a busy month!!

October began with the celebration of our church's 150th anniversary. Ten years ago, I had collected signatures from those attending that anniversary, and decided to combine them into a banner. Some were on 1x4inch strips, and some on 2x4inch pieces. I used my vast collection of floral scraps to make setting blocks, and added the blue strip between them, and blank strips around the border.  During some of the anniversary events, I collected signatures of newer members to add in the border and to vine leaves and petals. Today I finally got a picture of the banner hanging in the entry lounge.

 

The week following those events began our three week stewardship emphasis time. The stewardship banner was hung at the corner of the stairway, choir activities picked up, I was asked to give a talk ... not my favorite kind of activity... Toss in scout meeting and school activities, and October zoomed by in no time.

As the end of the month neared, I began to worry about my Monday morning onigiri delivery. Last year, because of all the Halloween gatherings, the police had blocked off the parking along the main streets and when I arrived, I was unable to pull over and park. I kept going along the one-way streets crammed with crowds of costumed drunken young people, moving slowly a foot or so at a time until I came back to the parking space. Then, one of the homeless brothers ran out and moved the cones so I could pull over to park.  Remembering that, the week before, the same homeless man who meets me at my car, asked if I would be coming. When I told him I was worried it might be like last year, he told me not to worry, that he would be there for me.

Well, Sunday afternoon, as I was leaving church, there was loud noise and music and a huge group of young people on the street.

The crowd of costumed celebrants were walking up the left side of the hill in front of the church. When they got to the light, they turned back down, and soon the street was filled with people dancing along.

 

Here they come back past the church on our side of the street.

Watching them pass with no end in sight, I began to worry about what the morning delivery might be like.

The evening had more things to consider, A huge bouquet came from all my children. Then my Tokyo family arrived in bits and pieces as we had a date planned for dinner together.

here is a partial picture with Norie and all those flowers.

Well, we went out to a neighborhood restaurant for the planned dinner, and what a shocking surprise that was!

When we came in the door, there were two of my church friends that I worked with at Vacation Bible school,  a girl who has become my "daughter on loan" and a good Scouting friend. We hadn't settled in long, when my "Son on loan" and his darling wife showed up. It ended up a birthday party ... with even a little cake and candle.

That night, Norie stayed over and went with me to Shibuya for the onigiri delivery. There were cones around the station area and the scramble crossing was full of young people, but my homeless friend was waiting and the parking space was clear. It may have been the disaster in Korea turned the Tokyo gang into a better controlled outing.  Other than my family and friends, that was the best birthday gift of all.

Now we are into November. I can't believe how suddenly we went from the sauna weather into warm and wooly clothing. Sitting at my computer in a winter jacket while all the fall clothing hangs untouched in the closet. Friday I was lucky to have the day off work and could meet friends for a quilt show. That will be my next post later this week.  

Bad choice

     Every fall, the tree trimmers  come to my door, wanting to prune the trees in my front border. Actually, I do not want all the buds cut off of of my lovely plum tree, so I explained to the most recent "gardner" the reason for not wanting his service at that time. 

      That was a good choice, because this past spring the plum tree was the most beautiful ever and early summer brought more plums than there have ever been. 

I sometimes get complaints from people walking by, that the branches are rather low, and someone on a bike might touch them with his head. This is not a "through street" and there is a sign behind where I was standing to take this picture saying no cars. Yes, sometimes cars do try to squeeze past this wall and the fence on the other side. Often they end up knocking leaves off the tree as they pass. I often trim the lower branches so there will be no problems, but I have been concerned about the higher branches that are against the house and touching my neighbor's roofed area, so, when the guy showed up earlier in the week, I said OK, but told him I only wanted the lower branches above the street and those against the house and neighbor's roof taken off.

     I should have stayed outside, but I was in the middle of an online meeting, and didn't get back out until much later. By that time, he was cutting back the biwa on the other side of the house. It was after he left that I went back out the front and saw the results of his work.

 

None of the branches touching the house had been trimmed and there is no longer shade over the street.

     The maple as well Is more butchered than trimmed. The branches that were ripping the second floor window screen are still there. I'm pretty sure there will be branches returning, but removing those against the house will require setting up a ladder just to reach the lower ones. there were a lot of clippings left among the plants under the trees and a few caught among the higher branches where I will need a ladder to reach, 

     The shade along the street is gone and more sun comes into the house at the heat of the day. I guess I have learned my lesson the hard way. For what I paid, I could have gone out and bought one of those long-arm shears at the end of a pole.

     This will be the next choice. I hope it will not be as bad. I have finished piecing the upper and lower parts of the banner, Before I insert the blue area, I am thinking it might be easier to add the flowers and vines and words first. Probably I need to prepare a large piece of paper with drawings of the things I need to add ... or maybe I could cut the blue to fit and then overlay it with drawings.

     I still need to come up with ideas for the border. I am thinking of including strips for those who want to sign their names. Hopefully I don't melt from the heat before this is done...