Up Up and Away!!!!!

When I saw a link on Facebook this afternoon from my hometown (Binghamton NY) newspaper that there would be a live video of the Spiedie* Fest balloon launch , I was very excited.  I used to attend the festival with my family and some years by myself for many years before I moved to Elmira nearly 16 years ago.  
I was able to watch most of the launch live.  I was awestruck at the beauty of the balloons being blown up then take flight.
I called my mom, who lives about 5 miles from where the balloons took off, and told her about the video.  She found it and we watched together.  What a neat experience as we could not be physically together.  After a while, my mom decided to go outside to see if the balloons would come her way as they used to on a regular basis when the festival first started nearly 30 years ago.  Sure enough at least 3 balloons came in sight. 
I really really got homesick. It brought back a lot of special memories, but most of all I longed to be home to experience the sights in person with my parents.  I only live about an hour away, but it seems like forever sometimes.  Thankfully my mom is on vacation this week.  My dad is retired.   I'm hoping to get home to see them.  My mom and I were talking about taking part in another favorite childhood tradition of going to my favorite park and riding the carousel with the kids.

*edited to take out outdated links


PS For all of you out of town readers, a Spiedie is cubed marinated meat (my favorite is beef and chicken).   It's a specialty started in the Binghamton NY area back in the 1930's according to Wikipedia.  YUMMY!!!!!!!  On Sunday the festival will feature a Spedie cookoff.

Comments

Still Single After All These Years said…
What a blessing to be able to share this with your mom!
August 4, 2012 at 1:25 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Senior Citizen Day

 It's official!  I'm now a senior citizen.  I made my appearance in the world at 7 PM on January 11, 1970.  Now I am eligble for senior discounts.  Tim told me that includes Michaels. That will come in handy.  On Facebook, I've received greetings from people from all times of my life.  That's been fun to see. It's brought back so many fun memories.  Some from my schools, my churches, and extended family.   I've been such a blessed woman, that is for sure.  I still have my parents who still support me and show they love me.  I've been blessed with many friends and I continue to make more. I have an amazing husband and three wonderful kids.  My youngest, my daughter Anna, is planning on getting married next year.   I have a special church family who have taken Tim and I under their wings for almost a year now.  We have had so many opportuntities to serve at Christian Faith Fellowship. Most importantly I have a...
Read more

Cry out to God

My pastor, Stephen Crupi, preached about Lamentatations 2 on Sunday morning.  Verse nineteen caught my attention. “Arise, cry out in the night,   at the beginning of the night watches! Pour out your heart like water   before the presence of the Lord! Lift your hands to him  for the lives of your children, who faint for hunger   at the head of every street." (ESV) Thankfully today, most of the children of the world are not suffering with physical hunger, but they hunger for the things of this world.  Many adults are the same way sad to say. When Pastor Stephen read the verse in Lamentations, another cry out to God verse I heard over fifteen years ago at a ladies conference immediately came to mind. Thankfully I had noted the passage so I could find it. The verse is Psalm 57:2  I cry out to God Most High,  to God who fulfills his purpose for me. On this particular day in June of 2008, my Mom and I sat listening to Joanna Arp with heavy hea...
Read more

Nature's Orchestra

Image
  I have been blessed to be able to visit Sperr Park a lot lately. Today it's an extra special blessing. A few months ago I discovered a swinging bench. Today I discovered that it's directly across the lake from the flag pole.  I'm singing the Star Spangled Banner in my head. I posted a reel on my Facebook page with the song It seems fitting as this beautiful park was founded as a memorial of State Trooper Andrew Sperr, who died nearly 20 years ago in the line of duty. He was shot by men who had just robbed a bank near the land that was transformed in his honor. I love to come here, especially this particular place, to relax and listen to the varied nature songs. My favorite here is the red wing blackbird.  I'm thinking of Psalm 19:1 NIV The heavens declare the Glory of God, the skies proclaim the works of his hands. Here it's the birds, bullfrogs, the rolling hills, the trees and  much more.  I'm sitting here with my eyes closed taking in the warm breeze and th...
Read more