The
marriage of Betty Jo Ann Paxton to Frank William Slate, was, surely, the
climax of the summer of 2001. The
ceremony took place on Saturday, August 25th at the island home of
the bride. Betty is the daughter of
Catherine Paxton.
Frances
Garnsey, her step-father escorted her down the lovely winding path to the altar
at the river. They were
accompanied by Eileen Slate,
Betty’s maid of honor, and Jada
Lashomb, her bridesmaid. As they wound down the slope Janna Karpel strewed
flowers on their way, and Emma Paxton’s little legs kept up with Janna as Emmy
dropped handfuls of flowers from her basket too. Little Matthew Karpel carried the ring on a pillow.
At
the altar, which was decorated by Emmie Sorth and Kay Duncan with a cross
of deep red chrysanthemums, and
bouquets of white, red, and blue flowers,
the procession was awaited by Betty’s husband-to-be, Frank Slate. Harry Slate, Frank’s best man, and Jeremy
Slate, his cousin, stood with Frank, the blue of their blazers looking very
spiffy against the blue of the river.
The Reverend Richard A. Petry, minister of the Grindstone Island
Methodist Church, and the Reverend John H. Marks, the organist at the church,
and Professor emeritus at Princeton University, performed the ceremony--
Performed
the ceremony to the great joy of a great cloud of witnesses, some sitting on
bales of hay positioned like pews on the wide, green lawn in front of the
altar, some sitting in folding chairs in the shade of a tree, some sitting in
the shade of tents where they would later eat a magnificent dinner, and some
way back by the tent that shaded the band that played the processional. The Depauville Firemen prepared their famous
chicken. The salads, and vegetables that filled each plate were prepared in
Kitty’s own Paxton kitchen, where Hazel Burlew, Kitty’s cousin, was on hand to
help, or in the kitchens of many of the friends-of-the-family on the
island. Brenda Slate, who is talented with
frosting, made and decorated the elegant
cake the day before the wedding.
There
were impromptu dance performances, there was some Ennis family singing, with
Alvin Taylor lending his bass voice to the group, there were groups having
picnics on huge rocks looking out to the islands along the north shore of
Grindstone, and every single one in the crowd, marveled at the beautiful
weather the wedded pair was blessed with. Who could ask for a more beautiful
blue than a northeast wind can bring!
It was a wonderful event, and more
wonderful because everyone wishes both
Betty and Frank so much happiness.
Last
winter when Kitty called me to ask if August 12th was a good day for
a pot luck lunch in the church carriage
house to celebrate the fiftieth anniversaries of both Andy and Beverly Davison
and John and I, I thought, “How will
Kitty have time to even think about that? The wedding will be only a couple of
weeks off by then. ” But yesterday, I
realized it was part of Kitty’s perfect pitch, part of her thinking of the
whole. In this summer’s excitement of
her daughter’s new marriage, she must have wanted to think also about the
everyday grace of fifty years of
marriage. Kitty’s and Salt’s
sensitivity to the island’s intricate relationships was evident through the
whole afternoon’s festivities. And
Betty and Frank were just as sensitive as they mingled with their friends,
making everyone feel special.
Watching
Josephine Murray’s radiant pleasure in all of the activities of the week was
another of the graces that were woven into the pleasures of this Grindstone week. Her care-givers’ tenderness with her, and
their attentiveness gave us confidence in the wisdom of her being here this
summer on the island she loves so much.
And their enjoyment of all the activities gave Josephine the encouragement
she, I’m sure, needed to enjoy every minute of the island’s respite and
activity and fun. Urch and Harry moved out of their new home, and into Erma’s
house, so Josephine and her aides could live in the “farmhouse” she owns there
just past Erma’s place. And Erma was
right next door, the years of her neighborliness snowballing roundly with
support to the nurses and companionship to her friend.
But
would you believe it, after such a party, when we went up to the hall about
nine o’clock in the evening, there was a crowd of many of the same young people
who had been reveling all afternoon, and Debby Donaldson was, again, dancing,
this time with Brenda, to the music of River Shack. Buster Faust and Carol were happily cooking hamburgers and hot
dogs, and the dancers took turns eating them hungrily!
Next
Saturday night, by the way, Dodge Hall will
sponsor its annual benefit dance, with John Morrow, as disk jockey for
the evening. It will be the last dance of the season. We have just said “au
revoir” to Jeanne and Norvin Hein, and watched them go off across the water
toward home in southern Connecticut, until next year. It is always a sad time of year as good byes are said over and
over and over, as we leave the island in the good care of Erma and Brenda and
Clara, and Frank and Betty and Jay and Harry and the Browns and all the rest of
the staunch winter residents for the cold part of the year that demands their
toughness, in the good care of the ones who call Grindstone “Home”.
While some of us were at the rehearsal dinner, many
others were at an open informational forum at Dodge Memorial Hall on Thursday
night to discuss three bills that are in the federal legislature right now.
They recommend that the Army Corps of
Engineers do some dredging and blasting to widen and deepen the St. Lawrence
navigation channel, and that the Sea Way be privatized, with a private group
assigned to operate it. Stephanie Weiss
from Save the River was the key speaker, and other knowledgeable members of the
Save the River Group and the Grindstone Island Research and Heritage Center
were with her. If we want to keep the river as it is, we should get in touch
with Save the River, and find out what we can do to protect our riparian
rights, to prevent winter navigation, and to safeguard the Great Lakes, one of
the world’s most valuable pools of fresh water.
On
Friday, August 24th, the schoolhouse was the scene of an exhibit by
Greg Lago of many of his woodcuts. He has done a unique collection of scenes in
island life. Some have a bit of satire
wound into them, some have a bit of pathos. All of them reflect the rhythms of
the river’s unpredictable moods, giving them the intense cohesion and the rough
beauty of the simple life we live here.
The schoolhouse proved to be a good place for such an exhibit. Greg, always having a good sense of where he
is, used the school desks for his exhibit space. That meant we had a chance to examine his work and his metaphors
in leisure and up close.
The
morning church service is always a kind of celebration. We all come delighted to be together even
though we’ve just been with each other earlier in the week. This week Mary
Petry urged the children to think about
the strength of water, how it can drip
a hole in rock, save a thirsty man from death, wash our hands clean, and
signify in baptism the love God has for each of his children. Debbie Donaldson and her daughter, Jacey
danced together, their rhythm explicating God’s gracious love for us. Jacey’s
smile just would not be put away in hiding. And Carol Davison could not hide a
smile when her baby boy, who was in the care of grandmother while mother Carol
sang with the choir, began to “talk” with a lilting gurgle. Jeff Kime passed
the collection plate with his Uncle Bill Streets, and he, too, couldn’t hide
his smile. Nor could we, throughout the
whole hour that The Reverend Petry led us to look for our hearts.
We
enjoyed, for one thing, the three
pulpit chairs, now reupholstered in red velvet, that was given by Margaret
Taylor and put on by Dick and Mary
Petry, a work of love. They, in turn,
thanked Chris Williams for lending his compressor so they could do a good,
tight job of tacking the velvet, and Amy Stail of the Mom and I Upholstery Shop
for making the kneeling cushions. Bob Meacham and Sylvia Anderson Shoultes are
making a kneeling bench for the cushions to rest on, and for tired knees to kneel on when the church
celebrates Holy Communion. Every task becomes a community task. We always have
some energetic, generous, imaginative people to thank.
Some
notes:
At
a church meeting after the morning service, the trustees were authorized to
continue the study and planning for the facilities used for Christian
education, dinners, and other fellowship activities of the Grindstone Island
Church.
Jeff
Marra reminds islanders that membership dues for Dodge Hall Community Center
should be paid soon for this year. If you have any questions, contact one of
the members of the executive committee.
Renewal now would also be much appreciated.
Next
Sunday, September 2, Remember our Squatters’ Picnic down the road to the
Marra’s after our final summer worship service. We will gather, as we do
each year, around the big tree in front of the church door to sing and say our
farewells before lunch.
If
anyone has gifts to add to the Liz Brown Whitten basket, call Dick or Mary
Petry and they will see that yours are sent too. (686-3113) Liz, we all say
“Hello’ to you every day, in our hearts.
Next
year’s Harold Herrick Skiff Race will be held, probably again at Midriver, on
August 10th. It would be
great if some undiscovered skiff lover got
an old neglected sailing skiff out of the boathouse, and had it ready to
sail in the race next summer.
And
one last note: Katie Carlisle’s grey cat named Stoney (for Grindstone Island)
has been missing for over a week. Katie is heartbroken. If anyone finds him, please call Katie, at
686-4075!
So
it is, Aminta Marks