Gatherings

Last Friday on the 4th my dear friend sent me a text, "I'm remembering our gathering last year and I miss you!" Ahhh, me too. . .

I've been thinking how we mark time by celebrations and gatherings; for more than a decade, at least since our children have grown older,  John and I have waved the red, white, and blue on July 4th, delighting in diverse gatherings, never in the same place or with the same folks. I love it and wish I'd kept a journal of the people and memories.

And since a blog is a bit like a journal, I'm remembering and recording this year's gathering in Tennessee with family, including 5 sweet grandchildren, cousins, all with eyes like dark chocolate.
It was a first for John and me to spread a blanket on the bank of the mighty Mississippi, under huge Cottonwood trees, awaiting the fireorks display, watching our little granddaughters chase cotton fluff from fallen pods over an expansive green. (I forgot the camera for that part.)

It was a July 4th to remember- who knows where and with whom we'll gather next year?
But I'll probably call or send a text, "I'm thinking about our gathering last year and I miss you all."