It is Day 4 – July 31, 2011 – of our vacation. Not much happened today, just a lot of visiting. My Great Uncle showed me his nail collection. He has found nails around his place dating back to 1750, all have square heads instead of round. My Great Aunt showed us pictures from their trip to Alaska a few years back.

Grandma, my Great Aunt, and I looked through the funeral book from my Great Grandma’s service. There were several notes she had written and newspaper clippings. I found the following poem she had copied, entitled “Safely Home.”

Safely Home

I am in Heaven Dear Ones. Oh, so happy and so bright

There is perfect joy and beauty on this everlasting light

All pain and grief is over. Every restless tossing passed

I am now at peace forever, safely home in Heaven at last

Did you wonder I so calmly trod the valley of the shade

Oh! But Jesus love illumined every dark and fearful glade

And He came Himself to meet me on that way so hard to tread

And with Jesus arm to lean on could I have one doubt or dread

Then you must not grieve so lonely for I love you dearly still

Try to look beyond Earth’s shadows. Pray to trust our Father’s will

There is work still waiting for you. So you must not idly stand

Do it now while life remaineth

You shall rest in Jesus land when that work is all completed

He will gently call you home

Oh the rapture of that meeting. Oh the joy to see you come

Daddy’s cousin K and her daughter came by to visit before dinner. After dinner two more of Daddy’s cousins N. and B. came to visit. Cousin N. brought his daughter and son and Cousin B’s husband came as well. All three of these cousins are siblings and Great Uncle M. and Great Aunt E.’s children. I took pictures of the view outside my Great Uncle and Aunt’s east picture window in their living room, Aunt E’s flower bed, and Uncle M’s fruit orchard. In the picture of the fruit orchard you can also see Flathead River, which is on the edge of their property.

The fruit orchard is in the front yard. I some are plum trees, I’m not sure if all of them are or not. There is someone who buys the plums and makes wine out of them. Uncle M is a collector, he told me about some of his antiques and his rock collection. It was pretty interesting how he acquired some of it.

Well readers, that’s day four. Not much happened today but I promise there is still a lot more to share.

Until another day,

AC