Dear 1036: The Grounds, Grandparents, and Great Gifts

Dear 1036 Clarence,

Summer is a great time to be outdoors.

I enjoyed the outdoor grounds surrounding the house.

There's a rather sizable backyard.  I enjoyed walking around in the grass with its soft feel.  Sometimes at night, it helped me enter into a prayerful, meditative state while doing so.  I especially delighted in the light of the full moon on a clear night.  A handful of times, I observed a total lunar eclipse from the backyard, which gave the moon a distinct red look.

The same goes for walking around in front of the house.  At times, I could hear the rustling of the leaves on the tree in front.

Even when we got landscaping work done, I still liked walking around the yards in front, in back, and to the side.

At one point, Mom found some decorative items to put in the front ground of the house and they lit up.  I noticed many wonderful comments from people who passed by and admired those decorative fixtures.

Today, July 28, is just two days after the Feast of Saints Anne and Joachim, the parents of the Blessed Mother Mary and the grandparents of Jesus.  One memory of my grandparents in you is the gifts my paternal grandparents gave me at a gathering after my Confirmation Mass.  Abuelo Jose gave me a piggy bank.  Abuela Vel gave me a sketch of the Holy Family.  They had a special part in encouraging me in faith.

In light of the recent awe-inspiring experience of the National Eucharistic Congress, and starting to hear the Gospel readings from John 6 today, I'm reminded of when I was preparing for my First Holy Communion.  One night, in the weeks leading up to that Mass, someone from the St. Giles Family Mass Community stopped by with a loaf of homemade bread as a token of goodwill and encouragement for me as I drew near to my First Holy Communion Mass.

With these memories, I declare that you shall never fade into the background but ever remain deep in my heart as that beloved place, that beloved world:

We shall remain ever connected:

All my relations.

With much gladness and gratitude for you.

God's blessings,

Paul

Relationships Rolling on to the Hills

The Trinity is a mystery of God that we can't fully understand in this life, but we know Its effects, especially in our relationships.

And so it was fitting that the celebration of Trinity Sunday 2024, timed for May 26, provided a backdrop for a trip over Memorial Day weekend to visit my parents in their new retirement spot.

After an exciting day back in middle school, I spent the night in my Abuela's residence to be poised and ready for our drive to Tennessee.

We were packed and ready to go at about 8:50 AM on Friday, May 24, 2024.  It was a great day to head out on a trip by car because the Friday before Memorial Day weekend is National Road Trip Day.  (Please note that all times in this post are CDT unless otherwise stated.)

After making it through two slowdowns, we reached I-65 in northwest Indiana.  We stopped at Costco in Merrillville for gas and then at the Roselawn southbound I-65 rest stop, which was a fabulous place, especially with the exhibits and decor inside.  There, we had some food while enjoying a pleasant day.

Above and below are displays inside the Roselawn rest stop. As usual, all photos in this post are mine unless otherwise stated.

Look at all those butterflies

Here I am posing by the signage outside the Roselawn rest stop building that reads "Indiana Welcomes You." Abuela photographed me.

Once we got past Indianapolis, I looked for a place to stop for a quick bite to eat, and I went for the first Culver’s I saw, which was around 2:15 PM EDT. We made another stop at the final rest area on I-65 before we reached the Louisville Metro Area. There, we exited I-65 to bypass the toll bridge and used the US 31 bridge to cross from Indiana over the Ohio River into Kentucky, right by the Yum Center. After winding around on downtown Louisville streets for less than 5 minutes, we returned to I-65. We made another stop at a rest area south of Louisville.

At the rest stop south of Louisville, there's a sign between horses that reads, "Welcome to Kentucky".

At Cave City, we exited I-65 and drove on several state roads through rural Kentucky. Around 8 PM, we entered Tennessee. In about another hour, we reached Monterey, where we picked up I-40 and it was a straightforward journey east to Crossville.  We finally reached my parents’ house close to 9:30.  I was glad my Dad and a neighbor were able to get Avila unstuck from the drainage ditch at the end of the driveway when I made a sudden turn in, since, at first, I had missed their house due to the different nature of the mailboxes. Mom and Dad already had dinner waiting for us, and we spent time together while Abuela and I ate before bed.

The next morning, Saturday, May 25, Dad went with me in Avila and directed me to the community center to pick up a pancake breakfast and we carried it out and brought it back to the house--please see photo below.

Shortly after 9:30, Mom and I departed in Avila for Crossville. First, we visited the Art Circle Public Library, where Mom volunteers. 

Outside the Art Circle Public Library

Inside the Art Circle Public Library

Then we walked around in the downtown area.  Next, we went on other errands, including the Flying Pig BBQ restaurant where Mom picked up her birthday dinner meal.  And then we returned to the house for lunch.

Later in the afternoon, we went for a 4:00 boat tour on the lake, which was about an hour and a half.  The pilot took us around the perimeter and told us about the houses on the lake.

The boat dock

The lake

Above and below are views of some houses along the lake

Our boat pilot and guide

Another house on the lake

Out on the lake

Out on the lake

Mom photographed me as we neared the end of our boat ride tour.

Back at the house, we had dinner, which was a chicken and rice dinner that Abuela cooked.

The next morning, we attended 8 AM Mass at St. Francis Church, about a 5-10 minute walk from the house.  It was a wonderful time to worship God, and today’s liturgy was fitting for this weekend of being together as family since it was Trinity Sunday, a mystery that we recognize as real because the Trinity and Their Love is manifested in our relationships.

Outside St. Francis Parish

Above and below are views inside St. Francis Parish. The two photos show the opening lines of the hymn "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty."

After Mass, we went out for breakfast at the nearby golf course restaurant.  It was a splendid morning as we ate our breakfast alfresco in the gentle breezes.  

Here are the breakfast plates.  I got pancakes with ham, hashed browns, and eggs.  I gave the scrambled eggs to Dad.

The server got this group photo.

When we finished, I walked with Mom on the path back to their house--please see photo below.  

We relaxed for much of the afternoon, which seemed fitting when it started to rain.

My friend Richard called me out of the blue and we chatted for a while. Then I watched some of my former RE students at the OPRFHS graduation ceremony.

For dinner, we had food from the Flying Pig that Mom picked up yesterday when we were out, which included pulled pork, ribs, baked beans, coleslaw, and banana pudding, much of which is featured in the photo below.  

It was wonderful to continue the spirit of celebration.  After dinner was the moving National Memorial Day Concert on PBS.

The next morning on Monday, May 27, Memorial Day Observed, I went to 8 AM Mass at St. Francis.  Upon coming back to the house, I had breakfast.

A little later, Mom, Abuela, and I went for an outing.  We went to Bucc-ee’s, a gas station/retail outlet chain, which is quite a happening place with lots of gas pumps and lots of merchandise inside, especially with all the Memorial Day weekend travelers. I was tickled with delight looking at the Bucc-ee’s Beaver.  And we also stopped to shop for a few items at Kroger.

To the left is the Buc-ee's store, and to the right is a view of the gas pumps, of which there are nearly 100.

It was a happening day inside Buc-ee's.

Here's the Buc-ee's mascot making an appearance.

A fellow visitor photographed us by the Bucc-ee's Beaver statue outside a store entrance.

Once we were back at the house, we had lunch.  Subsequently, I went to the nearby Food City to get something I had forgotten about at Kroger, and on my way back, I stopped at the nearby Custard Cabin, which is in the photo below.  (I think I got a special flavor, which was peach or a red berry.)  

At the house later on, close to 3 PM, Dad and I made homemade tortillas.

The finished product of the homemade tortillas

There was a concert later, in the early evening, which is something that happens often nearby on select evenings of the week.  We attended the opening part of it.

The concert

Then we returned to the house for dinner, which included burgers from the grill along with a potato/bell pepper medley--please see the two photos below.

After dinner, we sat outside on the front place in the driveway and listened to the music from the concert, which was about half a mile away.  There was something special about hearing “God Bless the USA”, especially the line “From the lakes of Minnesota to the hills of Tennessee...”, which prompted rousing cheers from the crowd.  It was nice to linger out in the night under the stars.

The following morning, on Tuesday, May 28, we had one final meal together over breakfast. Abuela and I got packed up and we departed shortly before 9 AM.

The rising sun over the house before our departure.

We got on I-40 and exited at Monterey.  Then we took a series of roads through small towns and the rural hillside from Tennessee into Kentucky.

Around 1 PM EDT, we reached Abraham Lincoln Birthplace NHS.  I was eager to stop there and show it to Abuela.  We parked at the visitors’ center and then had our lunch.  Next, we stopped inside the center for shopping.  Then, we followed the wooden plank path up the hill to the Memorial structure housing the symbolic birth cabin.

Abuela stands next to the Symbolic birth cabin inside the Memorial Building.

The view of the Memorial Building exterior.

Abuela photographed me by the Memorial Building.

I photographed Abuela near the same spot, with a view of the steps that lead up to the Memorial Building.

Within the hour, we were on our way again.  It was a short drive to I-65, and as we skirted the outskirts of Hodgenville, Laura, my cousin, and Abuela’s niece in the Denver area, called for a brief chat.

Once on I-65, the journey was straightforward for heading north.  Like on the way south, we exited in downtown Louisville to skip the toll bridge over the Ohio River, using the US 31 Bridge instead.

During the ride, I played some Relevant Radio programming, along with other music.

Getting into Northwest Indiana, I stopped at a Love’s Truckstop for gas.  Further north, we stopped for dinner at Cracker Barrel in Hobart/Merrillville, around 6 PM.

Beef pot roast dinner at Cracker Barrel

The server kindly photographed us at our dinner table.

The exterior of Cracker Barrel

By 8 PM or so, we had driven through the city of Chicago and I pulled up to Abuela’s residence.  Then I returned to homebase, arriving after 9 PM.

Over and over, as I reflect on this trip, the idea of Trinity surfaces.  It is a Mystery, yet we know It’s real, especially in our relationships.

That was what this trip was all about for me, spending time with family, connecting with Mom and Dad, particularly at such a special time for celebrating my Mom’s birthday.  It is a way for us to remember we are all special and we contribute something to each other and our world, and that is what makes birthdays special.  So there was a sense of joy in being there.  I am glad that could share the experience of this trip with Abuela.

It had also been several years since I had last been in Tennessee.  I noticed that it’s very green, although Mom remarked it’s the result of all the rain they’ve had.  There’s also a nice sense of community I felt, and even a sense of patriotic pride that feels more defined.

It was nice to travel and see some of the country on National Road Trip Day. This country encompasses a vast sense of geography, which I felt particularly when crossing the Ohio River between Indiana and Kentucky in the Louisville Metro Area.  Stopping at Abraham Lincoln’s birthplace on the way back was special, because it’s a way to connect with the origins of a most distinguished Illinoisan.  I think a defining moment of the trip was hearing the words "the hills of Tennessee" during "God Bless the USA" during the concert while we were seated in the driveway of the house.

The term hill factors into a notable Biblical story that was liturgically celebrated just after we got back to Chicagoland.  The Feast of the Visitation is annually on May 31, and the text in Luke says that Mary went in haste to the hill country of Judea to visit her relative Elizabeth.  And there we were, heading to the hill country in Tennessee to embrace our relationship with Mom and Dad.  Through it all, I recognize that so much of what made this trip special turns back to the beloved place of 1036 Clarence Avenue in Oak Park.

Keeping 1036 Clarence close on this blanket on my bed, even hundreds of miles away

The Admirable Author Harriette Gillem Robinet

On July 14, 1931, Harriette Gillem Robinet was born.

Back in mid-May of this year, hearing the news of her passing evoked so many memories.

She lived in Oak Park for several decades and her life story is extraordinary in many ways, including what I learned from what Father John Lucas shared in the homily at her Memorial Mass on June 8.  She was a civil rights activist who worked for better human relations in Oak Park, and her family was one of the first to live in Oak Park.  She worked in the sciences.  She and her husband McLouis were longtime members of the St. Edmund Parish community and would walk there for Mass.  Here is her obituary in The Wednesday Journal.

I knew her best as an author of children's books, going back to 5th grade.  I had a book report assignment and when I went to the Maze Branch Library, browsing through the spinning shelves, I found Forty Acres and Maybe a Mule.  With my burgeoning interest in history, I thought it would be a good read, and so I picked it.  At the time, I didn't realize she was an Oak Park resident.

About a year later, when I was in 6th grade, I attended the Young Authors Conference hosted by Oak Park School District 97.  When I saw that she was going to be the keynote speaker, I was eager to attend.  Around this time, I became aware of her other titles, though I can't recall how many I had read by that point.

I enjoyed her presentation, and following the conference, I waited with my Dad in line for almost 40 minutes to get her autograph on one of her books that I had.

An even more special opportunity arose later that school year. I had an assignment to write about an author and multiple books written by him/her.  After considering a couple of other authors, I decided upon Ms. Robinet, recognizing there were more books she wrote I hadn't read.  My 6th grade language arts teacher Mr. Brachman reached out to her daughter Linda, who was at Beye School, and they arranged for me to call Harriette Robinet and interview her by phone for my assignment.  I may have been the only person in my class who had the opportunity to speak with an author.  I learned about her life and her writing process.  Indeed, that composition was a memorable part of middle school.

Later, she published another book, Twelve Travelers, Twenty Horses, about a group of African-Americans who journeyed to California around the time Abraham Lincoln was elected president.  In April 2003, she presented at the Magic Tree Bookstore in Oak Park about her latest title.  Toward the end of her presentation, I told my Dad, who took me there, that I wanted a copy of the book.  Then she autographed it for me.  (Thank you, Dad.)

In January 2009, I attended another presentation she gave at the Oak Park Public Library Dole Branch about her writing work.

During the years I worked at the Oak Park Public Library, it was a pleasure to work with her son Stephen.  He helped show me the ropes when I first got started, and I enjoyed seeing him at work regularly.

I am grateful to Harriette Gillem Robinet for inspiring me as a preteen, the time in my life when I first came to appreciate history.  Her books helped me come in contact with history in a more real way through the characters of her stories, particularly those who faced oppression.  She also resonated with me when she wrote in the additional material of books about going to the library for research, highlighting the important role of libraries in helping us access knowledge.

She also motivated me to write stories, of which I did plenty in my middle school years.  Perhaps in some ways, that inspiration has carried over to this blog, which is a way for me to write about what's happening in my life and the world around me and furthermore to reflect on its meaning.  

And the message she offered in the afterword of Children of the Fire speaks to the great aim of her writing, that all our lives are important and we should embrace each other as God's children.

Thank you, Harriette Gillem Robinet.

Above the elevator doors at the Maze Branch of the Oak Park Public Library is a quotation from Walking to the Bus-Ride Blues: "In the next block, a public library crowned the corner."

Here's my copy of Forty Acres and Maybe a Mule, which she autographed at the Young Authors Conference in October 2002.

Patriotic Greetings 2024: Good Times with Dear Old Friends

Patriotic Greetings!

I am inspired by this time of year as I recall the history of those pivotal days that launched the United States of America as an independent nation.

Once again we celebrate the pivotal days in July 1776 that birthed the United States of America.  

Following the conclusion of the conflict between Britain and France in 1763, tensions increased between Britain and its 13 North American colonies as the British government steadily increased control over colonial affairs.  As the colonists resisted, the British government reacted more intensely, until the Battles of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775, triggered war, increasing momentum for the colonies' independence.

At the session of the Continental Congress, on June 7, 1776, Virginia delegate Richard Henry Lee presented the following resolution: "Resolved. That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved."

After some initial discussion, the Congress decided to hold a vote on the resolution on July 1 as the colonies used the intervening time for further consideration.  Meanwhile, Congress appointed a committee to draft a document explaining the move for independence should it be needed, and Virginia delegate Thomas Jefferson was its primary author.

On July 1, Congress opened debate on the resolution.  The following day, Tuesday, July 2, 1776, they adopted the independence resolution by a unanimous vote.  After discussing Thomas Jefferson's draft, they adopted the Declaration of Independence on Thursday, July 4.
 
Following several more years of war, the American colonists won a decisive victory at Yorktown against the British in October 1781.  On September 3, 1783, the Treaty of Paris 1783 formally concluded the war, and the United States of America became fully independent.

These days at the beginning of July are a great opportunity to reconnect with a pivotal time in the founding of the USA.  Notably, the calendar for July 2024 aligns with the same days of the week as it was in July 1776.  In other words, Congress voted on the independence resolution on Tuesday, July 2, and adopted the Declaration of Independence on Thursday, July 4.

As we celebrate these days, we can ponder what their significance is for us today.  I'm grateful for those who steward this history and help us reconnect the events.

I make annual trips to Washington, D.C., and I always make a point to visit the National Archives.  It's stirring to walk into the rotunda and see the original pieces of paper for the important founding documents, and to join in the company of so many others who are there for the experience.

On my recent trip to Washington, D.C., the National Archives was the last place I visited before going to Union Station to board the train back to Chicago.  There was a much shorter line to see the special Juneteenth exhibit.  After viewing General Gordon's order proclaiming the freedom of enslaved people in Galveston, TX, I got in another line to see Abraham Lincoln's original Emancipation Proclamation.  I was behind a large school group and I started talking with some of the chaperones, including a middle school social studies/civics teacher from southern Florida.  He noted how special it is to bring students on trips to Washington, D.C., because there's so much here that speaks to the USA and its culture.

Indeed, this one city reflects the whole of the USA, and contains so much that speaks to what this country is about in all its vastness from coast to coast.

I thought about this back in April when I traveled to Greenup, IL, to view the total solar eclipse.  This town sits on the Historic National Road, which was the first national thoroughfare constructed.  It was a big idea at the start of our country, to bind together all the different cities, especially the state capitols, leading from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River.  Other infrastructure efforts arose that helped bind the nation together, like the transcontinental railroad.  And right now, Eucharistic pilgrimages from west, east, north, and south travel that started on Pentecost weekend are on the move, bound to converge on Indianapolis for the upcoming Eucharistic Congress, sparking faith along the way.

We are indeed many patches of a large quilt, and all these places contribute something special to the entire masterpiece.  Last summer, I reached the midpoint of my goal to see all 50 US state capitols.  Each visit is wonderful as I get to see on display so much of what makes each state unique in its capitol building.  And recently, I discovered a playlist on YouTube of music from the 1990's computer game "Where in the USA is Carmen Sandiego?"  It's amazing to listen to various pieces of music and consider the vast breadth of the USA in different musical styles and lyrics.

We are bound together by what has come of the founding days of the USA.  There's so much we can draw from the times and artifacts of our founding for how we can live our experience as people of the USA.

The special Juneteenth exhibit at the archives demonstrates those who sought to advance the founding principles of our country, overcoming flaws and making them a greater reality.  There's something so inspirational about going into the National Archives that touches something deep down, just like it did for Ben Gates, who was driven by august principles in his quest to protect the original engrossed Declaration of Independence and the treasure of the Knights Templars.

Those documents in the display are just two examples of many thousands of other records that show different aspects of our founding principles advancing to become a greater reality.

During my recent trip, I took a side trip to visit the New Jersey State Capitol in Trenton.  The tour guide shared the story about how Abraham Lincoln stopped in Trenton on his way to assume the office of the US presidency.  So many people were critical of him in New Jersey, and Mr. Lincoln made his best effort to bring people together at a time when there was so much division, and he actually won the favor of some people who heard his speech.  This story is a great example of facing challenging circumstances, which have been part of every era in US history, and, in response, seeking to draw from the best of the American character to edify this country.  Also, I think of Pat Nixon, whose birthday I celebrated back on March 16 at the Nixon Presidential Library/Museum.  In her role as First Lady, she promoted service, and so the library/museum celebrated her birthday with a Day of Service, bringing local organizations to share about their efforts to enhance the local community.

Even in our present day, I thought about participating in the process of our government on the primary election day in Illinois back in March.  While so much had already been decided, when I came to the polling place, as I vaguely recalling sharing with those there, it was in an awareness that it's important to "show up" and be part of the process.

Our country's values are something worth striving for constantly, as history has shown.  The days at the beginning of July 1776 are not just something static, but something we can continually draw upon in every era of our country's history, making them very special days indeed.

It is wonderful that we can connect with those documents with our founding principles, how we can celebrate them at the start of July, and live them day after day.

As it happened, I visited the National Archives three times during my most recent Washington, D.C. trip.  Underscoring the familiarity and regularity of viewing the documents on what has become an annual basis, I walked into that building and up to the Charters of Freedom as if they were cherished friends, connecting me back to my roots as a US citizen, and speaking to what this country is about and who I am, grounded in timeless principles continue to have meaning today.  And so I am stirred with special feelings inside as I celebrate this week.

Huzzah for the Spirit of 1776!

Independence Forever!

Long live the USA!

God Bless the USA, land that I love!

Patriotically,

Paul

Here's the rotunda inside the National Archives Building.  Dr. Shogan changed the rules and now photography is encouraged inside.

Display in Greenup along the Historic National Road

P.S. This Patriotic Greetings note is part of an annual custom.  Here are links to view previous years' notes that appear on my blog for 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023.  If you would like a print copy of this note please contact me.

Please feel free to share this year's post, or any previous year's post with others.

Also, I mention in this post about my recent trip to the Washington, D.C., area.  I will soon publish a post on that trip on this blog, and I will include a link to it here once it's available.  Please feel free to check back later this week.

Something I often like to do on the morning of July 4 is watch the Declaration of Independence ceremony live from the National Archives in Washington, D.C.  You can watch it here at 10 AM ET/9 AM CT on July 4, or in its archived version later.