"And so passed a good man, slipping away quietly in the night, surrounded by family. There was no fanfare, just a simple service and meal, as he had requested."

We bid farewell to my father in law, Gus Neverman (August Neverman III) this week. Grandpa Gus had struggled with an assortment of health issues in recent years; now he is not hurting anymore. You may remember me mentioning his last visit here with grandma about three months ago. They came out for an afternoon and we treated them with fresh baked cookies and bread and some TLC. It was a good day. He and my MIL Jane celebrated 60 years together this past June - and amazing gift in today's chaotic world.

Though it is hard to say goodbye, Gus was the sort of person who made your life a little better just by knowing him. He was always so patient, and devoted to his wife and family. Though he had issues with his hearing and vision for years, it didn't turn him bitter like it might have done to some. Instead, he applied his engineering aptitude and used it as a tool, doing things like turning off his hearing aid and laying down with his good ear on the pillow, so he could rest when it was noisy.

He loved music, too, and could often be heard whistling as he worked his way through tasks. I smile with the memory of it as I hear my youngest son do the same thing. He was a problem solver, too - another trait that my sons inherited. He had the boys help him with routine maintenance and repairs when they were younger, and then encouraged them to tackle projects on their own as they got older. Eldest son also inherited his knack for working with electrical wiring.

He was always ready to lend a hand with whatever needed doing. Here's an old photo from 2004, when we were building our home. We were laying the tubing for in floor heating in the basement. Our friend, Gregg, has the tubing, and Grandpa Gus (center) and Uncle Jake were supervising the install.

“It is no bad thing to celebrate a simple life.” ― J.R.R Tolkien

We gathered on Friday to remember his gentle spirit and full life. After the memorial service, the family came out to our place for supper, so the guys and I were pretty busy cooking and baking for a couple of days and scooting the piles of produce from harvest season out of the way to make room for almost twenty guests. As usual, the homemade bread was appreciated. We went through almost two double batches, one of sandwich buns and one of French bread. The younger crowd wasn't big on salads, so we have leftovers for the weekend, which is okay, since I can use some rest.

On that note, I'm going to wrap up, but I'd like to offer you these "Gus-isms" before I go:

• Be thankful and loving, find peace in prayer and forgiveness.
• It's okay to turn off the noise of the outside world for a bit when you need a break.
• Go ahead and enjoy the dark chocolate, even if it gets a little messy.

All our best to you and yours,

Laurie (and August IV, August V, and Duncan)

This week's featured articles...

Fall is here, and with it, the apple harvest. Many of our local orchards were delayed in their opening this year due to the wonky weather, but I think all are open now. Fresh cider is one of my favorite seasonal treats, and as the cooler weather settles in, hot mulled cider is a welcome variation. We're sharing a recipe, with different spice blends to suit your fancy. (You can make some cute little leaf cookies, too, if you like.)

This is the French bread recipe that the family loves. It also makes a tasty pizza crust.

From the Home Remedies archives - 15 Home Remedies for Warts.

The Herbal Academy Back to School Sale Ends tonight...