What We Are Thankful For

This Thanksgiving, our Residents have a lot to be thankful for. During a lively conversation this week, they shared their personal thanks:

• I am thankful that God gave me another year on this Earth, even though it is in the horrible state that it's in. ~Esther

• I am thankful for my older brother who always played with me and watched out for me. Even though he is no longer with us, I am thankful for all of the memories I have with him. ~Ronnie

• I am thankful for my sons who always take care of me. ~Josephine

• I am thankful for the beautiful people who are here and are so nice to me everyday. I hope it goes on forever. ~Joyce

• I am thankful to spend time with my ailing brother. He has been sick for a while but he always has a positive and upbeat attitude. ~June
  

Happy Thanksgiving!

Resident Written Poetry

Residents in our Health Care Center and Personal Care sat down with Resident Life Assistant Lee Parry to create two poems inspired by a picture of a little girl going into the waves. The two poems were written in response to the picture.

Health Care Center Poem

Summer Fun in the Sun
At the beach.
Picking up sand and let it
Flow free.
Shallow salty water
Hitting me.
Waves splashing and crashing.
Knocking me down.
I could almost drown.
Happiness on the horizon.

Personal Care at Stapeley Hall Poem

Water
Going in water.
She washed her back.
Tippy toe into the waves
Pick up a wave and put it in her mouth
It tasted not so hot
She spat it out
Too much salt
Next time she'll shut her mouth
She'll get another glass
Dry off with a towel
Into the water to swim
Now she knows to shut her mouth when going in swimming.

What Our Children Did That We Did Not Know About Until Years Later.

Many of the Residents at Stapeley In Germantown found parenthood to be an important part of their lives. Even though some schools of thought on parenting may have changed since they raised their children (some nearly 70 years ago!), one thing has remained the same; sometimes kids are so slick that parents are none the wiser about what they are up to until long after their mischievous plan has ended. For instance:

• One Stapeley Hall Resident heard years later about her two sons trying their hand at nesting and hatching praying mantises in their room! Every night, the two boys would sleep with the window open in their room until the thousands of praying mantises were able to make their way out of the bedroom and into the great outdoors.
  

Miss Wilma Shares Her Tips For Growing Great Tomatoes

It seems that Miss Wilma has had a green thumb all of her life. Well into her 90’s, she still finds the time to tend to the plants in our Plant Room. She even grew the tomato plants from seeds she has collected over the year. Growing up in the 1910’s and 1920’s Wilma learned her gardening skills from her family. She remembers that she would help weed her family’s plot and had to learn quickly so she didn’t accidentally pull up one of her mothers favorite flowers. She learned how to grow vegetables from her father who had a sizeable plot to grow food every year. Wilma has had a lifelong love of plants and a special touch with those stubborn plants that don’t thrive with anyone else. Her favorite plants are the ones that remind her of her grandmother’s garden. We are delighted to be able to share some of her tomato tips.

• When planting your seedlings, make sure you dig a deep hole and put some water at the bottom before you drop the seedling in.

• Keep the dirt around the plant loose so that water can get to the roots.

• Make sure you plant in a sunny place but not an area where the plant will be subject to the hottest sun. If the plant receives too much sunlight, it’ll burn the fruit and create yellow spots and rot.

• Be patient with your plant! Though it’s exciting to see your tomatoes growing, they are best when they are bright red and full.

• Think ahead to next season! You can save some seeds from your fruit this year and place them between two pieces of paper towels and put them in a cool, dry place and check on them periodically to make sure they are dry. Next March, you can just place the paper towels in a tray and cover it with dirt to start your seedlings!