Leaving on a Jet Plane
Our bags are packed and we’re ready to go, but unlike John Denver, we do know when we’ll be back again.
Neil and I have been planning this vacation for nearly a year. This evening we will fly out of Dulles and land in Paris, where we will explore the City of Light for two days and nights. After that, we will meet up with the 65th Infantry Division Association as part of their European tour group. During the next three weeks, we will be onboard a luxury tour bus, visiting historic sites across France, Germany and Austria, following in the footsteps of the 65th Infantry Division during World War II.
Neil’s father was a member of the 65th Division and he was active with his reunion group for many years before he passed away. We’ve joined this group on several reunions in the U.S., but never their European tour. We are excited that two of Neil’s siblings and their spouses will also be touring with us!
There are too many historic sites to mention, but some stops in France will include Normandy, Le Havre, Dieppe and Metz. After crossing into Germany, we will visit Saarlouis, Mainz, Gotha, Nuremberg and Passau, and finally Linz, Austria. Our adventure will conclude on June 8 when we will fly home from Munich.
For those who follow me on Facebook, I will try to post photos as time (and Wi-Fi) allows.
Hickory Grove Update
Springtime is well underway at Hickory Grove. All the flowering trees have finished blooming and are now fully-leafed, and a few of our perennials are beginning to bloom. The hummingbirds have arrived, and last night I heard the first cricket of the season.
Knowing we would be traveling this spring, Neil decided to scale back on the size of our garden. Now that we are safely past our last frost, he planted several varieties of tomatoes, and also added bell peppers, squash, pole beans and peas. We may plant more when we return home, but we will wait and see.
Over the past two weeks, we have received over 4 inches of much-needed rain. Parts of Virginia and West Virginia have been suffering from extreme drought conditions since last year. The latest storms helped tremendously and have filled many of the local ponds and streams. We’ll have to see if this pattern continues. If not, we may stay with a smaller garden this year.
Meanwhile, Kevin will be fully in charge while we are away, with Gipper as his capable assistant. There will be hens to feed and eggs to collect, fields to mow and gardens to water. We are praying that the rain continues while we are away to make his job a bit easier.
A Dream Come True
In addition to the historical sites, we are looking forward to seeing all the beautiful gardens, rivers, mountains — and even birds — of Europe in the coming weeks! (Of course, I am packing my binoculars.)
Looking back three years ago, we remember that Neil was in the middle of his cancer treatment. Traveling to Europe seemed like a distant dream. We are giving gratitude to God that this trip is even possible. What a blessing!
That said, we still have a few final trip preparations ahead of us today, so for now, we bid you adieu!
