Friday, September 4, 2009

Happy Labor Day!

This is Labor Day Weekend and it is time again for Santa Cali Gon Days in Independence Mo.

The first Santa-Cali-Gon Days Festival was held in 1940 to celebrate the unique heritage of the City of Independence as the starting point of the Santa Fe, California, and Oregon Trails. A second celebration was held after World War II in 1947. The event would not be held again until 1973. The festival, then called Three Trails Days, featured a beard and mustache contest, the Miss Independence pageant and a pioneer costume contest. In 1974 the festival was renamed Santa-Cali-Gon Days, a name originally penned by Velma Katschkowsky in a 1940 contest to name the festival. In 36 years the Festival has evolved into one of the nations premier festivals, drawing more than 225,000 people.

Some years we go and then we miss a few and then we go back up and enjoy all the festival has to offer! Now that Nancy and I can't walk long distances Karen and Kelly push us though the crowds in wheel chairs!! They are sweet, brave girls! There are huge tents full of all sorts of crafts that we love to look at but can't see it all!
It is raining here this morning and it is 63 degrees. I have been up there when it was so hot you could not enjoy it very much!! But we went any way! I have taken my grand kids different times through the years.
When Kelly and Brandon were teenager we parked our car at the RLDS headquarters and took the shuttle bus. Then the two of them decided to get me a shelf and a deal to hang quilts on! Wow, that was fun on the bus! But we did have fun! Nancy loves to go and eat everything she can!!







This past week Kelly came home with a stack of books for me and included in it was a wonderful book by Pamela Roswell Moore "Life Lessons from the Hiding Place". I finished reading it last night. I found it so inspiring.



Corrie ten Boom





I've never seen God,
But I know how I feel ...
It's people like you
Who make Him so real.


It seems that I pass Him
So often each day,
In the faces of people
I meet on my way.





He's the stars in the heaven,
A smile on some face,
A leaf on a tree,
Or a rose in a vase.







He's winter and autumn
And summer and spring,
In short, God is every
"Real," and wonderful thing.







I wish I might meet Him
Much more than I do ...
I would, if there were more
People like you!


~ Helen Steiner Rice ~


This lovely poem was sent to me by Denise over at Shorty Bears Place. Thank you Denise for thinking of me.

9 comments:

Renie Burghardt said...

The festival sounds like so much fun. Wish I lived closer, I'd go to it. Love the Helen Steiner Rice poem. Love all her poetry.

We are to spend a lot of time at the cabin on the Current River, if Mother Nature cooperates, that is. Right now, the forecast is saying rain for our area for the next 3 days. Bummer! We'll have to weait and see.

Have a wonderful Labor Day weekend, Grams!

Hugs,

Renie

Mary said...

Grams,

I agree with Renie. The festival sounds like a lot of fun. I hope the weather holds and that you have a good time.

We aren't doing anything. Just a quiet weekend after having the boys through the week all summer. We may take a drive one day. It's a crazy weekend on the roads.

I have read The Hiding Place, but have never read the book you speak of. I must look it up.

Hope you have a great weekend. So nice to hear from you.

Blessings,
Mary

Donetta said...

Hi Girl,
I love that H.S.Rice poem. I trust your having fun.
big hug your way today.

Denise said...

Enjoy your weekend sweetie, I love you.

Love Bears All Things said...

At first, I thought that said Happy Birthday. We're just going to hang around here. I'm going to cook some ribs in the crockpot Monday.
Mama Bear

Nikki (Sarah) said...

the hikding place is one of my favorite books. Her other book, The five silent years was also pretty good.

Carole Burant said...

Hello dear Carolyn:-)

Happy Labour Day to you and yours...one day late!!

That festival sounds like an event I would really enjoy going to. I also enjoyed reading the history behind it! I do hope the weather cooperated and you were all able to go?

We're finally having summer weather over here...temperatures that we should have had in June, July and August!! The veggie garden is still producing lots and keeping me busy:-) xoxo

Sharon said...

I Loveeee that poem!!! Looks like you weekend was a fun and blessed one for sure!! I do love to go to festivals.

Have a Beautiful and Blessed week :)

Linda A. said...

I can NOT believe the "Kelly getting LOST" story didn't make the Sante Cali Gon history!!! That was another "special memory" from that festival! Whew - we're sure glad she got found!!!

I also hope you "dedicated" some of that kettle corn ya'll ate to me! I haven't had kettle corn in about two years. I LOVE it - so luscious!

Tell Nancy, "thanks for mailing me the bracelet" and I will certainly let you know when I get it in the mail!!! I know she's eager to hear about that!!!

I love and miss ya heeps! (Today would be a great "chili day" here in Austin. It's gray, rainy, and cooled "way down" to about 85!!! HA!)

Your "next of kin"
Linda
.