Peonies and Remembrance in Yellow Springs

In our neck of the woods, Memorial Day generally coincides with peonies blooming. A nearby cemetery has many lovely peonies, and it is a very peaceful place to visit. The juxtaposition of such exploding life amongst the monuments draws me back, year after year.

Solemnizing and Remembering

Saturday and Sunday were days of jubilation and celebration as we helped facilitate the marriage of two former students, now dear friends! It began with rehearsal at an idyllic setting three counties north of us

The weather was picture perfect!

Barn swallows were SO busy as we rehearsed: courtship done, they were building nests

This was my first "solemnizing" as Ohio calls it...my first wedding as an officiant

I had gone through the process just for these dear friends, and though I took short-cuts

(hello...ordained online?), I am a former ministerial student, an ordained deacon.

I hold a Master of Divinity degree (with biblical languages, no less!).

So don't think I took this lightly...in fact, this process changed me...

At a deep spiritual level, I am not the same person I was last year.

I am now "Wedding Solemnizer" and Dr. M, Historian.
I embrace the full responsibilities of each...

But I also do not wish to detract from the loveliness of this wedding!

 The beautiful bride to be, with her father...

Modeling her great red wedding shoes!!!

I called the couple "farm boy" and "Buttercup" as we rehearsed the vows...

if you don't get it, I will pray for your soul...

My dear Bug, who helped with the music, also made these lovely dish cloths!

Even as she obsessed over my hair...

And so the day came...the time came...for the wedding!

 The stunning bride, rocking the great dress and the red shoes! I love her...

 Bridesmaids in red...gorgeous, all! No close-up of Katie? Dang...so beautiful.

 Bride, Groom, and Officiant in this splendid pastoral setting!

I was sweating a bit, but the weather was perfect! PERFECT!

The ceremony, written by this amazing couple, also was perfect...as was the cake!

 There were toasts and tears, yes, indeed!

 And cake! And oh, that dress...so right for Heather!

 And my dear Bug, rewarded for her patience...

 And oh! Those red shoes and that gorgeous bride...

Married to her zany Prince Charming...a fairy tale!

It was a dream within a dream...a weekend I will NEVER forget!

So, too, will I never forget those who gave the last full measure of themselves

So that this kind of celebration can happen.

This in not a trite tag-on...even as we celebrated this wedding,

our dear nephew, among a host of others, still stood ready

for deployment. A poignant, beautiful weekend, indeed.

The Making of a Moment

Dolphin watching is just one of the many reasons to go the the Delaware beaches,
but it was a major reason why I wanted to go

We splurged for an ocean-front room just for this kind of view,

and for the most part we got it! Until Friday...

We spent the morning watching it rain as we lounged in our room.

Then we went shopping at the outlet stores

Finally we dined at The Starboard and then returned to our hotel.

And that's when the magic began!

The view cleared and we could see freighters in the distance,

headed for the Delaware River

And this happy little girl running up the beach!\

Awesome!

And THIS! A life bird for me...

The mood was right...the sea was right...

For bottlenose dolphins!

I wondered if these girls had any idea the dolphins had arrived

I think maybe the boy spotted them!

Does the girl in blue shorts see them?

Yes! Now they're looking!

Turns out they were a softball team here for a tournament

up the road in Rehoboth Beach

There! Dolphins!

This is what they see!

And BAM, there you go...the winning shot...

Truly a magical encounter!

And then the dolphins moved on, and we were left to ponder

the moment most special we strangers had shared.