By the Grace of God...

 We stayed up last night to see the Chicago Cubs win the National League Pennant by beating the SanFrancisco Dodgers 5-0 and winning the series 4-2. The Cubs will open the World Series in Cleveland Tuesday evening against the Indians representing the American League. I saw my first Major League game on September 23, 1948 with the New York Yankees playing the Chicago White Sox in Cominsky Park. The next day we saw the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Cubs 4-2 in Wrigley Field. I am presently up-to-date on having seen games in each of the current 30 Major League Parks with Wrigley Field being by far the oldest.

We went to 8:30 Church to hear Rev. Robert Henre give his sermon on “I am a United Methodist... Because I Am a work in Progress.” He went on to tell of John Wesley's distinctive understanding of God's saving grace. This incredible grace flows from God's great love for us and was described by Wesley as being threefold: prevenient grace, jusitifying grace and sanctifying grace. Prevenient grace is God's active presence in our lives and enables us to discern between good and evil and make wise choices. Justifying grace points to the reconciliation, pardon and restoration of our sins being forgiven and our relationship with God restored. The process of salvation involves a change in us and may be sudden and dramatic or gradual and cumulative. Sanctifying Grace is the ongoing experience of God's gracious presence transforming us into whom God intends us to be. Through God's sanctifying grace, we grow and mature in our ability to live as Jesus lived. But, we are to press on with God's help in the continuing path of sanctification toward perfection. (It was a good sermon, but I had to do some additional research. )

A Good Day

We took things to the recycle center this morning and then on down to the 4-H building where Schweitzers had an auction for B. Erb and guest. We "made the tour" and then sat down to watch things sell. This is the only gun on the auction which sold for $250. It is a .22 Cal Remington Pump that appeared to have some age. It didn't seem to me that things were not selling for quite as much as they have at some recent sales.We bought a box of glass relish dishes, pie plates, pitcher and glasses for $2.00. I do regret not getting a bid on a box of children's books that included one on Smokey Bear. As I paid the 14 cents City sales tax, I wondered just how much tax revenue the City collects over the year with Seward being a popular location for auctions. It was a beautiful day again and nice to be outside. 

We planned our day around the auction, watching the Nebraska-Purdue football game and the Chicago Cubs-San Francisco Dodgers baseball game this evening. While Nebraska was a 24 point favorite, we were pleased to see them come back and win 27-14 after trailing 10-14 at the half. It is ironic that the Huskers have Sam Foltz #27 football shirt draped on the sidelines as a memorial to him, and they have scored 27 points in the last two games.  We went out at the half, took the grass catcher off the mower, and went over the front yard, chopping up the leaves and cutting the grass. The leaves on our Maple tree are turning yellow and dropping, but they are not nearly as colorful as the one across the street nor some of the others around town. Kershaw and the Dodgers are having their problems in Chicago and trail 4-0 after 4 1/2 innings.

Fall Drive to Days Gone By

We have traditionally gone on an annual car ride out past where Elaine and I grew-up, as well as past the 2 farms that we owned at one time. We usually make the drive in early September, at about the time of Elaine's birthday, but were unable to do so until this afternoon. We also drove the route in the opposite direction today. And, did have to make some turns to get the picture like this one of the old Vrana farm. The only landmarks remaining are the Walnut tree and the Windmill across the road. Wagenknecht's house shows very much like it did on a family picture taken back in 1932. Elaine's home farmstead still has the Barn, Windmill and Corn crib.

Our farm out in "A" township has what appears to be a new "head" on the old "tower". We seeded it to grass back in the Conservation Reserve days and it has never been farmed since. While they built a dam for livestock water after we sold the place, the new "head" may have been necessary for water distribution over the 160 acres. It was a beautiful afternoon and good to see most of a great crop of soybeans harvested and the corn harvest well underway. The native trees along the way were not very colorful in comparison to the improved varieties that we see here is Seward.

Jack & Sadie's visit

Jack knows how to take pictures with my laptop while setting on my lap but he hasn't figured out the 3-second "count-down" after he pushes the pad until the shutter opens. So, many of the "poses" are "by chance". He spent some time with us this afternoon and enjoyed one of the strawberries that we picked up at the grocery store this morning. There are few things that he doesn't like, and it wouldn't be our house if their wasn't a cookie for him in the kitchen. His Grandma and sister Sadie stopped by during the time he was here so that added to the activity. Carolyn and Sadie had been to a garage 

sale where they bought a small case that contained beads, wire, etc. Sadie sat at my workbench and cut the wire the right length for a necklace. After she got it strung, she decided to rather have a bracelet, which it became. We went to the workbench again to make the transition. She is much more interested in the tools on the bench than Jack but maybe he will develop more interest in it as he gets a little older. Right now, it it doesn't have wheels, take pictures,  or be able to eat it, he's not interested.

Our Home in Mantua

During the time Verlon was here recently we talked about our house back in the Mantua neighborhood in Fairfax, VA. We only owned this house for 4 years prior to moving back to Nebraska in the summer of 1980. We were doing some work on our deck here in Seward that we built in the early 80's and wondered how the one we built across the back side of this house in the late 70's was holding up. I pulled up this recent picture (left) off Google Street view. 

Here is how the house looked back in the spring of 1980 with our little Buick on the parking area. It is a great house with 5 bedrooms and 4 baths but only a single garage. Regulations may have prevented a double garage but we never even checked on it. The old historic maps and early air photos did show a wagon trail along the south boundary of the property which ran from downtown D.C. to Bull Run but it was never marked as such. The little wooden mailbox is still shown in other current Street views though the address has been changed. 

Kiwanis Back Pack Program

Teresa reported at Kiwanis this noon on the advanced ticket sales and final preparations for the 9th annual Empty Bowls Luncheon that will be held tomorrow at Harvest Hall here in Seward. This luncheon is used to raise funds for the "back-pack program" which involves sending weekend food-stuff home in a back-pack with elementary students who qualify for benefits under the Elementary School Program. The Helping Hands Kiwanis Club of Seward has a program for students during the summer vacation months. Teresa has provided leadership for this program since its inception here in Seward, but will be moving with her husband to Wayne, NE in the near future. She will be missed, not only for her leadership on this program, but also on others.

Teresa reported that 14 vendors will bring their soup specialty  to the luncheon where participants are encouraged to try more than one and then vote on their favorite. Hot Rolls are also being provided this year for the first time. While many advanced tickets have already been sold, they will still be available for purchase at the door tomorrow. Marv Taylor announced at today's meeting that Jane Erickson, from Bellevue, NE was written up in this mornings Omaha World Herald as this years International President of the Kiwanis Organizations. This is the first time that we have had an International President from Nebraska during the Clubs 100 year history. Teresa has sent her an invitation to attend tomorrow's event.

Old War Stories

The story of Julius and Edith Rosenberg who were executed for espionage on June 19, 1953,was featured on 60 Minutes this evening. It also included the story of their 2 young sons, their lives and current activity to exonerate their Mother.   Julius and Ethel were both born in NY City, and he received a Degree in Electrical Engineering from CCNY and in 1940, joined the Army Signal Corps  Engineering Lab in New Jersey, where he worked as an inspector. He was fired in 1945 when it was discovered that he had membership in the Communist party years earlier. He not only supplied Soviet operatives with secret information but also recruited informants at Oak Ridge, TN, for secret information. Edith was convicted for her role in typing some of the information which has since been questioned. 

I had remembered the case so went to my old 5-year Diary to see what I had written. I did note that: "Rosenbergs were electrocuted last nite". Dale Flowerday was with the Army in Korea at the time and I noted that "Flowerday's haven't heard from Dale for quite a while". He did come home OK and went on to get his PhD in Agronomy and had a very successful career. In March 2016, Michael and Robert (via the Rosenberg Fund for Children) launched a petition campaign calling for President Barack Obama and Attorney General Loretta Lynch to formally exonerate Ethel Rosenberg before they leave office in January 2017.