June is the month of many things for me.  It is the month that I first became a grandmother and now a great grandmother.  It is the month that we observe Father's Day and a month that brings back a lot of memories for me.  

 

My father was an immigrant from San Giovanni in Fiore, Italy.  He came to this country with his mother, sister and father with a lot of dreams and aspirations.  He served with pride in the Marines, came home married my mother and started his family.  There was never any question that his family came first. He was perhaps the hardest working many that I have ever known.  He was a self-made man, never having any formal education beyond the fifth grade.  But in the making of this man, he learned how to be a plumber, how to be an electrician, how to lay bricks and how to be a mechanic. 

 

When I speak of working, I refer to manual labor. He was never afraid of hard work. Every day he worked his shift at the factory, but his day did not end there.  After coming home he worked in the garden, or in his garage or on some building project. After eating dinner he would retire to the floor to take a short nap before resuming his home tasks. I remember so vividly lying with him on the floor after I had taken his shoes off, and if I close my eyes I can still smell that fragrant odor of hard work. He was a working man and he taught his family the importance of being hard workers. 

 

We knew that if we were ever going to be successful we had to learn how to work. I remember his favorite foods, especially his cup of hot cocoa, I remember how great he looked when he dressed up and most of all I remember his pride in his children when they had a special achievement at school. My father has been gone since 1989, but if I close my eyes, it is as though he is right here beside me. It is strange how certain things remind me of him. I never go to the garden to get a zucchini without thinking of him.  I never see a convertible automobile without thinking of him. And I never eat a lupini on Christmas Eve without thinking of him.  

 

I urge all of you to think about your fathers on this special day and if you are lucky enough to have him here with you, be sure you take the opportunity to tell him just how much you appreciate him. As we get older, we realize just how much they have done for us and we might regret not having the opportunity to tell them. On this Father's Day I wish a happy day to my husband, Dave, to the the father of my children, to my sons, Mike and Marty, to my son-in-law Andy and especially to my grandson, Marty, who will be observing his first Father's Day.  I also wish a Happy Father's Day to all of you fathers and hope it is a wonderful day for you and your families.

Speaking of father's I want to call attention to a special book that has been prepared by the Immaculate Conception Men's Group.  It is a collection of Father Casey's Homilies delivered in 2014 and 2015. If you have never attended mass with Father Casey presiding, then you do not know what a great homily he delivers.   The book costs $12.00. And will be a wonderful reference for you.  If you would like to get more information or order the book call the parish office at 304 622 8243.

With all the storms that we have been experiencing, some of us are having power outages and here is a safety tip for your freezer.  A fully stocked freezer will keep foods at a safe temperature for as many as two days while a half full freezer for one day,    A refrigerator will  keep foods safe for  four to six hours.    You must remember to keep the doors closed.

I know that all the rain is good for our gardens.  I just hope that we do not get to much and then suffer the rest of the summer with drought.

Summer vacations are now starting and I urge all of you to be safe on your vacations. I talked with several of those individuals who made the first trip to Myrtle Beach on the flight out of Clarksburg and they were elated.  They plan on doing it more often. Call the airport for more information or for booking this flight.

Salads are always the hit of the summer. Here is a different approach for a chicken salad.  2 cups of cubed granny Smith apples;  1 cup of halved grapes;  1/2 cup of chopped celery;  1 cup of cooked chicken, cubed;  1/2 cup ranch salad dressing.  Combine all the ingredients, stir gently and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Remember to plan mini-vacations right here in West Virginia; we have a lot to enjoy and many festivals to attend.  Stay safe and keep in touch with me at 304 842 2662.  Until next week "Now You Have Heard It through The Grapevine."