Songs and Memories from our Parents for our Kids

A Term of Modern Music Study for 2020

In which our parents share songs 

meaningful to them 

with our children. 

1. Give Me Jesus pre-1867 (Negro Spiritual), EG
2. Life is Like a Mountain Railway 1890, EG
3. We Have an Anchor 18??, EC
4. Old Rugged Cross 1912, MC and PG
5. I'm Thinking Tonight of My Blue Eyes 1935ish, EG
6. If We Never Meet Again 1946 (Ricky Van Shelton), MC
7. Dust on the Bible 1946 (Hank Williams), MC
8. I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry 1949, PG
9. I'm Movin' On 1950, PG
10. Jambalaya 1952, EC
11. Calija 1953 (Charlie Pride), EC
12. A White Sport Coat and Pink Carnation 1957, EG
13. Sixteen Candles 1958, EC
14. Tall Paul 1958, EG
15. Teen Angel 1959, EC
16. Things 19?? (Dean Martin or Bobby Darin), EC 
17. Graduation Night 19?? (Johnnie Allen, born in Rayne, LA), EC
18. Walking to New Orleans 1960 (Fats Domino), EC
19. Hello, Walls 1961, EC
20. Crazy 1961 (Patsy Cline), EC
21. The Last Letter 1963 (Willie Nelson), PG
22. Blue Velvet 1963, EC
23. Ring of Fire 1963, EC
24. Leader of the Pack 1964, EC
25. Down in the Boondocks 1965, EC
26. Barbara Ann 1965 (Beach Boys), EC
27. These Boots Were Made for Walking 1966, EC
28. I Don't Want to Play House 1967, EC
29. Harper Valley PTA 1968, EC
30. Stand By Your Man 1968, EC
31. D-I-V-O-R-C-E 1968, EC
32. Folsom Prison Blues 1968, EC
33. Take Time to Know Her 1968, EC
34. Ballad of Forty Dollars 1968, me
35. A Boy Named Sue 1969, EC
36. Sugar, Sugar 1969, EC
37. Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head 1969, EC
38. I Was Born a Coal Miner's Daughter 1970, EC
39. Me and Bobby McGee 1970 (Kris Kristofferson), PG
40. Sunday Mornin Coming Down 1970, me
41. Coat of Many Colors 1971, EC
42. Old Dogs, Children, Watermelon Wine 1972, me
43. I Love 1973 (Tom T Hall), MC
44. The Letter the Johnny Walker Read 1975, PG
45. He Stopped Loving Her Today 1980, me
46. Summer Wage 1986, PG
47. Deeper Than the Holler 1988 (Randy Travis), MC
48. Nobody Answered When I Called 1989, PG
49. If Tomorrow Never Comes 1989, PG and EG
50. Go Rest High on that Mountain 1994, PG

Listen to one song every day except Friday for the first term of school. Read grandparents' thoughts and notes (on separate papers) as we go. Read the lyrics to the song as well (google these as we go or use hymnal).

Nana ~ Erlene Gail (Broussard) Clouse

Nana in college, I believe. She's wearing the long dress.

Aupa ~ Michael Eugene Clouse I

Aupa with his siblings. He's in the gray shirt on your right.

Mimi ~ Frances Elayne (Ferguson) Gore. 

She's the little girl in the middle.

Mimi in high school.

Papa ~ Paul Ashford Gore

Papa in Army Basic Training at Fort Leonard Wood. 

Daily Summer

What a pleasant summer we've been having.

There's enough to do that we aren't bored, but the days are easy-going too. 

I kind of wake up and wonder, "What's going on today?" 

School days are more, "Let's go, let's go, let's go!"

We've been here long enough that summers have taken on a noticeable routine. Spring Cleaning, School Planning, Friend Get-togethers, All that stuff I've wanted to do during school and didn't have time.

I've been doing much more reading than usual. All those literary podcasts I listen to are spurring me on. Right now I'm on Gaudy Night by Dorothy Sayers, Frankenstein, and Introduction to Mathematics by Nicomachus. And still working through The Great Tradition by Richard Gamble, one slow chapter at a time. My goal isn't necessarily to read that last one all the way through. But if we carry on with our book group and I make it a good way through, - say, 3/4 through- I'm definitely going to finish it.

I usually walk in the evening now that it's so hot during the day. 

But on this day I walked in the morning and it was lovely at the library.

Snail with shadow.

Harrison and his friend set up a stand to sell these hand puppets they made. 

Jon's been the fixer around here lately. 

Fixing his bike, putting in a new door knob, getting the gate unstuck. He's handy to have around!

I start reading at night and then we get a bunch of yay-hoos jumping on the bed! 

I love it. 

Phoebe and I used my sister's coffee shop birthday money to sit in a real-live open coffee shop in town. Local Coffee has shorter hours, but they've been open for several weeks now. Last time I called Starbucks they still weren't. 

Jon's been working on "Amarillo by Morning." 

His violin teacher has him transcribing the music onto paper, learning it, and then will have him put together the other instruments and lyrics in Garage Band (the app) so that he can play the violin along with it for his father. It's giving Jon some fits, but he's getting it done. 

Nina sitting amongst the Marigolds. 

The day after Liz' grad party was Harrison's birthday. 

Nana and Aupa had cake with us before they left to head back to Louisiana. 

While Teressa and Jayda were here for the grad party, we spent some time with them at the River Walk. We were all a little hesitant to go to the downtown part because of rumors of looting and such that have been going on. I know there have been protests there and have read news about looting. I'm not sure there's been much rioting downtown. I know there are armed men protecting the Alamo. 

Anyway, we didn't go to the Alamo to find out; we went to Blue Star Brewery area and then the Pearl area. 

Zachary was there and Teressa's sister and niece. It was a hot day. 

They're going to have to come back when it's cooler!

For Harrison's birthday celebration, we had some old neighbors over for the day.

And went to the newly opened Landa Park. 

All the man-made pools were closed, but the natural springs part of the park was opened. I had never been to this part of the park and it was really fun. We'll have to do it again. I know Landa can be super crazy busy, but it was not on this day; maybe because people don't know it's open. 

And a youth group that Liz is a part of had a graduation celebration at another park (another new one for me!). Liz is the only girl grad. :-) The church gave them a tool kit and camping chair and had a nice dinner and cake. We got to talk with friends we knew and met new people. It was a good time. And, again, we will have to come back to this park. Shallow river for wading or tubing....

We are midway through June with July to go before school starts. Lots of adventure awaits!

Liz' Graduation Party at Emily's Place

Whew, what a weekend it has been! 

Liz is officially graduated. 

Her friends helping her decorate.

Liz and I.

Phillip saying a few words at the beginning. 

Phoebe, Nana, myself at the food table. 

Jayda and Teressa came over from Louisiana! 

The kids' youth ministers from a little while back, along with another friend.

Harrison spent most of the time working on this bow and arrow made from plastic forks. When these other little kids asked him to play - thrice - he said he couldn't because he had to get his bow and arrow made. 

Fruit and Veggie Jars. 

Did as much as we could to reduce fly problems.

The dessert table. 

Liz made the cookies and cake. The roses are from Nana and Aupa.

Liz had a lot of friends there! 

Everyone was ready to party with the last few months of isolating.

Liz put together a photo collage. 

Da boys.

My parents came down! 

They weren't sure until last week if they'd be able to come. My mom will be staying in Louisiana for a little while to visit. They're sitting with this sweet family that comes into Emily's coffee shop quite often. Liz would sit and knit and talk with them. 

Jayda!

Phoebe and Harrison. 

The girls before the party ends. 

It was hot. There were flies. But it was oh, so fun to visit with everyone and so special to have all these people come spend time with us. Thank you, Everyone!

End of School Celebration: Beach Trip

We ended school last Friday (oops, two Fridays ago now; time flies, huh.) And we headed to the beach Sunday afternoon with our Annual Beach Friends. It was Alisa and I and our kids.

It had been calling for rain all week, but the only rain we got was in the middle of the night. Which was stormy enough to keep some of the kids awake, but didn't bother our beach fun otherwise. 

Look at those waves. 

You wouldn't think a Gulf Coast beach would have good waves like this, but these rivaled what we had in Florida.

It didn't click that we made our plans for Memorial Day weekend until we arrived. And the beach was covered with tents and people and trucks. And the gas station was packed with bare-footers. Nary a mask in sight. No social distancing. It was refreshing. 

We decided to rent a condo that we could all fit in so we could have more time together. It really was super fun to do it this way. We had full kitchen, laundry, two bathrooms. 

A walk that evening to the pier on our left. 

Alisa and I walked to the pier on our right the next day. That one took much longer to get to. 

Harrison is the one in our family who still truly loves the beach. The girls are always ready to go home way before Harrison is ready. 

Everyone is growing up. 

This was a wonderful ending to the school year.