Sunday, May 24, 2009

Went to church with George, his sister Jo from Tennesee and Sally. All white choir, all white UCC church and the opening hymn is Lift Every Voice and Sing. Lovely.

After church we talked with 93 year old Margaret Ticknor and her daughters. Although she is small, rather frail and has had a stroke, today, during our brief conversation she was alert and engaged, even correcting some details of Austinburg's rich history. Her daughter, Ginny was pleasantly surprised. Later Ginny gave an exciting tour of the Cowles family home. Ginny is an historian and tour guide, who showed us many authentic artifacts and one room, a study, that had been kept in its original state as stipulated in Betsey Cowles will. Betsey was an amazing strong woman who was one of the first female students at Oberlin College, an abolitionist and a suffragette. And her strong sense of history has made it possible for the family to still have all of these important pieces, furniture, books, documents, journals and stories.

May 17th 2009

Weather: Cloudy but not cold. Good walking weather
Where I walked today: Near Lake City PA
The “Safe house” where I stayed: Tom and Barbara George They are members of Holy Cross Church. We went to 8 am mass this morning. Yes I said 8 am! The church is in the round like a theatre. It is really exquisite, there were beautiful sculptures throughout. One of Jesus on the cross, except there was no cross, so interesting. I was told that the sculpture originally had a cross except that it was too heavy to display with the cross, truly striking without it. This is one of the many churches that Teci called back in March and they connected me with my hosts Tom and Barb George.
Who walked with me: Both Hope and Glenda were drivers so that they both had a chance to walk with me. I think both Teci and Sally were kind of worried to leave me “alone”. There was no reason to worry. I am well cared for and having a grand time.
One thing I really want you to know: Remember a special Underground Railroad home that I mentioned? Well we went back to the house to take some pictures. I wasn’t sure if my friends the Deiners still lived there. I met Albert and Shirley Deiner when I walked back in 2003.

Here’s the story and it is a great one. I was with Hope and Glenda and we pulled into the drive way thinking that we would take some pictures even though no one seemed to be home. The Gals got out first and then Shirley Deiner walked out on to the porch. She just appeared. We hugged each other like long lost relatives. Shirley kept saying to me “It’s a miracle. I saw in the paper that you were here but no one knew how to reach you.” I didn’t even hear you knock. If you had come by 15 minutes earlier we would not have even been home.” I found out later that Shirley had even called the paper in Erie PA to see if they knew how to reach me.

I have met and reconnected with so many kind, loving, wonderful, people. I have run out of words to describe it all. I spend much of my time saying wow, wow and wow. Teci tells me that she made sure to call the Deiners and invite them to the May 30th celebration.