<div dir="auto"><div>Mary,</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">Thanks for sharing your reflections on your year. As a friend of Martha "Sky" Dempster for many years, I appreciate you remembering her. She spoke kindly of you. </div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">Be well,</div><div dir="auto">Sharon</div><div><br></div><div data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><br><a href="mailto:saf1220@gmail.com" target="_blank">saf1220@gmail.com</a><br>c: 503.807.7385</div></div></div></div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote gmail_quote_container"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Wed, Jul 30, 2025, 7:25 PM Richard Alton via OE <<a href="mailto:oe@lists.wedgeblade.net">oe@lists.wedgeblade.net</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size:large">Thanks, Dick</div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Wed, Jul 30, 2025 at 9:15 PM mary hampton via OE <<a href="mailto:oe@lists.wedgeblade.net" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">oe@lists.wedgeblade.net</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div><div style="font-family:"Helvetica Neue",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><div dir="ltr"><div><p>A Year</p>
<p>August 1 I will be 76 years old,<span> </span>I reflect on this turning.</p>
<p>In June we had a different vacation.<span> </span>We took a Viking river cruise on the River
Elba.<span> </span>WE started with two days in
Prague, then 5 days on the river and 2 days in Berlin.<span> </span>It was a more pampered way than we have
travelled with tours every day, excellent meals and drinks included.<span> </span>I wondered if I would have had the endurance
for a longer cruise.<span> </span>We followed this
with 10 days in England.<span> </span>Highlighted
more touring by train, staying with Stuart’s sister, Brenda and visiting His
brother Malcolm.<span> </span>I also met and
immediately bonded with Quaker, Bill M – we are both penpals of Joseph on Texas
Death Row.</p>
<p>One of my favorite actions in England is to visit the
multiple small thrift shops.<span> </span>(Every
charity from Air Ambulances to P.E.T.A. seems to have one in every local High
Street.)<span> </span>After shopping in some on our
day train trips and having a longer wander in Watford High Street I observed my
purchases:<span> </span>assorted Knick knacks for
gifts, 3 blue handkerchiefs, a blue dress, blue blouse and blue, print
skirt.<span> </span>I do not do this consciously.<span> </span>I have worn them all since I got home.<span> </span>One young woman at Meeting affirms “Blue is
good on you.”<span> </span>Without my asking.<span> </span></p>
<p>I just read <u>Iron Boy</u> by David Marshall.<span> </span>So did Stuart.<span> </span>When I talked to our daughter Lis, so did
she.<span> </span>I remember many years ago being
asked if I grew up in the Order.<span> </span>“Yes,
but I was 20 when I came.”<span> </span><span> </span>A world of difference in being 20 and deciding
and 6 and told this is where we live.<span>
</span>Thank you, David. </p>
<p>In February the State of Texas executed my friend of 16
years, Richard Tabler.<span> </span>When we were
travelling, I learned of the death of Martha (SKY) Dempster.<span> </span>Martha was my college roommate, invited me to
RSI, and was my bridesmaid.<span> </span>It has been
ten years since we talked; a loss.<span> </span>I
also lost Donna S, a dance instructor here in Austin.<span> </span>Then 130+ died in floods between the Texas
Hill Country and Travis County where live. </p>
<p>In the midst of life, you know.<span> </span>My year has been given to activity familiar
with the exceptions being the last two months.<span>
</span>Being Quaker, Religious Society of Friends.<span> </span>My shorthand definition “Go cheerfully
through the earth responding to that of God in everyone.”<span> </span>Some of that translates into direct care; I
am currently clerk of Care and Counsel, our local pastoral care committee. <span> </span>Death Row and other prison visits are
important to me.<span> </span></p>
<p>I dance. This one of my communities meets twice a week for choreographed
play,<span> </span>I continue to keep an art journal—now
on Volume 6.<span> </span>We are lucky enough to
live an hour or less from our children, Elisabeth and Christopher and from our
grandchildren.<span> </span>LIFE IS GOOD.</p></div><br></div></div></div>_______________________________________________<br>
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</blockquote></div><div><br clear="all"></div><div><br></div><span class="gmail_signature_prefix">-- </span><br><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div>Richard H. T. Alton</div><div>ICA Global Fund</div><div>United Methodist Creation Care</div><div>T: 773.344.7172</div><div><a href="mailto:richard.alton@gmail.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">richard.alton@gmail.com</a></div><div>Make Plain the Vision, Habakkuh 2:2<br></div><div><font size="2">Won't you be my neighbor?</font></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>
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