Today was an unbelievably beautiful Sunday in the Park with a free concert sponsored by the Cleveland Hungarian Cultural Garden.  Stay tuned for Opera per Tutti next week--Sunday, August 9th 6:00 p.m.  See information listing above.
 

Some one has also lovingly tended the Hebrew garden next to the Hungarian Garden.  I felt a wave come over me today.  If only we could heal ourselves and come together. Music heals. 

Jeff, you and Laura aren't the only ones who threw tomatoes.  A story from the hills.  Our old clapboard house sat upon a little hill side and we had this big tomato patch out in front - there was an apple tree and then a big drop off where some of our relatives (a hateful great aunt) had a little store.  A short distance out from the store was the outhouse - the door opened up and faced up hill toward the apple tree.    My brother and I used to gather up all the overripe and rotten tomatoes and evertime we saw somebody go in the outhouse, we would keep 'em in there by throwing the tomatoes.  Sometimes a long time - when we thought they'd had enough we would hide behind the apple tree, watch and listen to an explosion of words we weren't allowed to say. 

Just the memory has me laughing my head off.  Of course, sometimes we ended up at the end of an Iron Wood Switch (if we got caught). 

That's awesome! 

My folks used to shoot at eachother in the backyard under the crab apple tree! They'd run cars into the yard trying to run each other over... and when they were fighting outside a bar and a cop tried helping my mom-she hit the cop for interrupting their fight! 40 years later...she died in their bedroom...they fought til the day she died... and they loved more than any 2 folks I've ever met in my life! The fighting Irish...boy could I tell you some stories! 

Sometimes...the love of fighting...for what's right, for people's rights, and for others comes from a long history of watching 2 of the most awesome parents in the world fight for the people that they loved... the helpless, the weak, and the powerless... Their spirit is undying...

God put each of us here on this earth and gave us some great skills.... tools...and hearts so that we could pass it forward! You all are awesome all the same! What hasn't killed us-has only made us passionately stronger to build us all to this stage today...and unite us so that we can kick some behind in this community we love so much! 

ANGELnWard14---United We Stand! 

Thanks, your family sounds like mine.  Man, I guess big families fight.  I'll tell you a really good one - about a month ago, my brother (51) and my sister (45) got into a know down - drag out fist fight), I mean kicking, pulling hair, the whole deal in my mother's kitchen downstairs.  The egg pan was flying, the eggs ended up on the floor,  utensils were flung through the air.  We had a awful time getting them apart - the police showed up - hauled both their asses off to jail in the same car, mind you, once they got there, they both refused to press charges against each other, so they kept them for a few days - they ended up turning my brother loose first - and he didn't want to leave without my sister - he wanted to bail her out so she could go home too.  Could have kept them as far as I was concerned.  I did not have any sympathy, empathy or any other feel sorry emotions for these two.   

When they both got back home, these two idiots hugged, cried and said how they sorry they were for the pump-knots and bruises they gave each other.  I thought they should be "horse whipped."  At least, we had a couple days of peace. 

Wow! Sounds like a fight I once had with my dad! SMILES...

So...as of this month, my disabled brother owes me like $10,000+++ in rent  over the last year or so... he has a wife who's on oxygen and 4 kids...2 of which are disabled. I have to put them on the street. The home they live in was in A-1 condition when I rented it to them in 2006...

The other night, a friend of my brother's asked me how he was? I grimaced and said-You know, right now I hate him for everything he has put me thru, but don't let that overshadow that he's still my brother and I love him twice as much as I hate him....despite the fact he's making some horrible decisions that adversely affect me... Then, some guy overheard me talking with the friend about my brother and said, "that's your house? It's DESTROYED!" 

Inside, I wanted to cry....I had already anticipated this issue. However, the pending eviction that is putting them out will enable me to recover the unit and progress forward out of this nightmare that 'my family' cost me.... Ultimately, I made a bad decision to rent to family.

Prayerfully, I'll be able to recover from this situation that has exhausted me and diminished my desires to own a property, invest into the community, and keep smiling amidst the messes that I clean up when other folks are being abusive.

But, on a lighter note...my dad is here visiting today...and for this...I am blessed! 

That's just it - you love them.  Some of my brothers and sisters are more like my children that my siblings.  I was the oldest and my mom had 11 more after me - I think that from number 6 down, as they came along, they got handed over to me.  One I even delivered when I was 16 - they still needed a good whoppin." 

  A few images of the garden before and during the performance.  A beautiful (HOT!) evening in the City of Cleveland.  Many REAL photographers were there, so expect more images soon.  Get out!  Enjoy your beautiful city parks!
 

Apologies for the poor video and sound quality--in advance.  But you can get a feel for the evening.  I was stuck to my chair...hot.