The Hawkins Family

Monday, June 30, 2008

Blueberries

It is blueberry season out here in Florida and I have been taking full advantage. So far I have been three times and my freezer is now stocked for a year! I certainly understand why blueberries cost so much in the store...major manual labor! The first little spot was out in Molino...a town smaller than Pace (if you can believe it)! It is about a twenty minute drive, but for $1.00 per pound you won't hear me complain. The blueberry plants were very close together and we were in much need of some OFF. The second place was between Milton and Jay...and across the street from a pecan farm...awesome!! Although these blueberries were $1.50 per pound...I could certainly justify the price different. The rows were spread out, maintained, and they have about twenty different varieties...who knew there were so many types of blueberries. Enough about blueberries. I will stop before I put everyone to sleep. I have posted some pictures below for your viewing enjoyment!


Part of our gang...before the fun began.



Me after we were done. It was a LITTLE toasty out there!!

Saturday, June 28, 2008

I am here!

I am SO far behind...do I recap or forget about it and start from where I am now? I haven't decided yet, but I guess you will find out soon enough! Just wanted you to know that I am still here and will be blogging again soon!!

Sunday, June 8, 2008

Army Wives

Tonight was the season 2 premier of my all-time summer show...Army Wives...on Taris' favorite network...Lifetime. I love Army Wives because it reminds me of all that I am missing from a normal deploy able squadron.

Anyway, on to tonight's episode. WOW!! I can't believe the premier! How ridiculous! It started with a recap of each of the characters that we met last year. I will spare you a full play by play, and just say this...the ending threw me for a loop! Poor Claudia Joy...she stopped at the Hump Bar to give a check to the owner for a surgery that she needed and ended up being at the wrong place at the wrong time. Her daughter, Amanda, went in to check on her mom in the bar and by the end of the show, she was dead. Very tragic. As my friend Kathleen says...it was the worst season premier she has ever seen! Whether it was or not, it does look like it will be a fantastic season.

Sunday, June 1, 2008

Lt John Alley

I haven't written anything on the blog in a while. I have struggled this week on what would be appropriate and right considering the circumstances that have been this past week. This time last week, I received a call from a friend from our squadron that one of the pilot training students, Lt. John Alley, was missing. The police found his car on Saturday morning, but no sign of him. We spent Sunday hanging fliers and speaking with people about John and getting his information out. On Monday, we went to a Memorial Day Celebration in Milton and passed out fliers, and then headed to their church for another canvasing. While there and preparing to headed to our assigned locations, a call came in. John had been found. A 16 year old fishing along the Escambia Bay found his body in the water. It has been a difficult week for all of us in the squadron.

After helping the family with whatever was asked, I have come to know a little about them. I have met John's beautiful wife, Emily, who found out on Friday that they are having a boy and I have met both John and Emily's families. It makes my heart ache even more for them and this time that they are having to go through. They had a beautiful memorial service for him on Saturday morning. After the ceremony, we went out to see the missing man formation with T-34's. They are having the funeral and burial in the Salt Lake City area (where they are both from) this week. There are questions that may never be answered, but I pray that the family can find peace and comfort as time goes on.