Of Friends, Family, and One’s Church Family
By Rosalyn Queen
You know when you are 84 years old a lot of your time is spent going to church, going to the doctor, taking naps and attending funerals.
This week found me attending the funeral of Rosalee Iquinta Jordon. A little history about our two families. We both lived in the East View section of Clarksburg. Rosalee was about six months younger than me but we were not in the same grade in school. Her mother and father were friends of my parents. Her father worked at the factory with my dad. Her mother was one of my daughters’ Godparents. The list goes on and on which only reinforces why my presence at the funeral was important to me.
I want to compliment her children for the lovely service they arranged for their mother. The readings and the music were exactly what I would have chosen for my service. As is traditional for most funeral services, our church provides a bereavement luncheon after the service. The committee handling these affairs also did a great job.
But the luncheon afforded me the opportunity to visit with some of my church family. I sat with our organist , Jim Mazzie and our cantor Victor Folio. Maria Pasceria, who helped with the luncheon, stopped by our table to chat and of course our conversation centered around food and about our gardens.
Several weeks ago Fray Queen brought a tool to my house that had belonged to my dad. Just the site of it flooded my mind with a lot of memories. In American we would call it a plant hole digger, but I can so vividly hear my dad and grandmother referring to it in Italian but could not remember the word. So I jumped at the opportunity to ask Maria. She told me they called it a “PIZZASOCOULA.” This could be the wrong spelling but it is in the ballpark. This tool is kind of in the shape of a pistol with a sharp point that helps you make a hole in the ground to plant your plants.It brought back a lot of memories of my sister, Joan and me helping my dad set out the the pepper and tomato plants
I now have the pizzasocoula in my possession and it has found a home in my little garden on my deck. By the way, my vegetable and flower plants are doing great. I have some really beautiful flowers on my deck. I enjoy so much having my morning cup of coffee surrounded by this beauty and tranquility.
So much for the funeral and May Rosalee rest in peace.
Just a reminder the Clarksburg Farmers Market has great vendors and a good selection of produce. Stop by on Saturday morning at the Tractor Supply Parking lot.
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Enjoy the summer, stay cool and until next week “Now You Have Heard It Through The Grapevine.”