images of the past...presently

the merced historical society hosted their celebration this past week-end; a beautiful day....including pizza, ice cream and cake!

when was the last time you celebrated the history of your community?

the picture on the left is the old courthouse; it stands as a remarkable building in the midst of our community, and a wonderful structure both old and new; you can take a tour of this historic building and get a sense of yesteryear!

 part of the festivities on saturday included this old fire engine.  pretty near, hu?  you may remember that horses pulled early trucks.  but with the invention of motorized cars...or 'horseless carrages', we became modern, and horses were put back into the pasture.

isn't it neat to see such a truck in great condition?  everything so shiny.  this event, of course, gets us ready for our county fair, beginning tomorrow.  it is always a great event, but a clear reminder that it is summer...nearly 100 degrees today!

and what historical event would be complete without a car show?!  lots of cool cars, of course, and some unusual ones, as pictured here on the left.  i had a metal model car like this that i would spend hours playing with when i was too young to drive. 

i was raised with the idea that you shouldn't own anything you are not able to fix yourself.  in this day and age, i can't ever believe i was taught that!  my mother sewed...and she was able to tear apart, repair, and put back together her sewing machine.  i'm lucky to be able to put GAS in my car!

and sorry, folks, but this is what happens when my hands move quicker than my thoughts.  i couldn't quite figure out if this was in the correct position when i posted it...and not that i see it more clearly ... if you'll just turn your head to the side, you'll be fine!  (see why it is best for me not to try and fix my own computer?!)

this picture shares the mission project of our annual conference, meeting next week in sacramento.  each church is asked to put together four 'flood buckets' -- used for disaster relief and clean-up; they will be stored until needed.  this table represents the materials used for cleaning...and they fit into a 5 gallon bucket with a lid!  our other, and on-going mission project, is 'nothing but nets'.  for $10, you can help a child or an adult receive a net to sleep under in a country prone to malaria.  pretty cool, no?  doing mission projects is educational, and reminds me that being a united methodist isn't just about going to church!