A Child's Christmas Eve Dream

Last night I had a lovely dream, but strange as it could be,
For on the hill beside our house, stood a great Christmas tree.
It glowed with lighted candles, right at the top a lighted star,
And round it dancing in a ring, children from lands afar.
Polite little English girls, Swiss boy's with funny skis,
Dutch children in queer wooden shoes. joined hands with shy Chinese.
Turkish lads is tassled fez, tots from France, Greece and Poland.
Laughing as the children do, in the safety of a free land,
Perhaps my dream's a prophecy, of Christmas to be,
When little children everywhere, can sing because they are free.
I surely wish with all my heart, this day of Jesus birth,
That peace and love and happiness, soon cover all the earth.

I would like to wish all my blogging friends==A very Merry Christmas and may all your dreams come true, love=Margaret.

The Night Before Christmas

Clement Clarke Moore (1779-1863), wrote the poem "The Night Before Christmas" also called "a visit from St. Nicholas" in 1822. It is now the tradition in many American families to read the poem every Christmas eve. The poem has redefined our image of Christmas and Santa Claus. Prior to the creation of the story of Twas the night before Christmas St. Nicholas the patron of children had never been associated with sleigh or reindeer's.

Clement Moore the author of the poem, The Night Before Christmas was a reticent man and it is believed that a family friend, Miss H. Butler sent a copy of the poem to the New York Sentinel, who published the poem. The condition of publication was that the author of The Night Before Christmas was to remain anonymous. The first publication date was December 26, 1823 and it was an immediate success.

It was not until 1844 that Clement Clarke Moore claimed ownership when the work was included in a book of his poetry. Clement Clarke Moore came from a prominent family and his father-Benjamin Moore was the Bishop of New York, who was famous for officiating at the inauguration of George Washington. The tradition of reading The Night Before Christmas on Christmas eve is now a world wide institution and tradition.

Waiting For Winter

Right now I crave the quiet days that brings along with winds that sweep the streets clean of life.

What wonders lies in cold times, the ground gets bright like the moon in the night sky, and during those times when the moon shines, she tends to brew up a gloomy atmosphere for all to bathe in and all to sleep through.

Those peaceful times!
Those peaceful times!

Poem by Ralgy Cepeda

My Year 1933

Some facts that occurred the year I was born, I found interesting. It was a common year, starting on a Sunday of the Gregorian year. As you probably guessed, this is my birth year (November 24th), my birthday comes on Thanksgiving every seven years.

These are just a few facts that happened in the year 1933. Construction of the Golden Gate bridge in San Francisco Bay begins. The U.S. Congress votes for the independence of the Philippines. U.S. Constitution is ratified, changing Inauguration Day from March 4th to January 20th.. Mount Rushmore was dedicated. A powerful earthquake and tsunami hits Honshu Japan, killing 3,000 people.

During the Great Depression, President Roosevelt declares a "bank holiday, closing all the banks in the United States, and freezing all financial transactions. Dachau, the first Nazi concentration camps, it opened March 22nd. 1933. The Jews called for a boycott of German goods. Beer is legalized in the United States.

The first alleged sighting of the Loch Ness monster occurs. The first drive-in theater opens in Camden, New Jersey. A United Airlines Boeing 247 destroyed near Chesterton, Indiana by a bomb. This is the first proven case of air sabotage in airline history. Albert Einstein arrives in the US as a refuge from Nazi Germany and accepts a position at Princeton University.

New Deal by President Roosevelt unveils Civil Works Administration designed to create jobs for more than four million of the unemployed in our country. The 21st amendment goes into effect, alcohol becomes legal in the United States. King Kong movie is out. Aldof Hitler becomes Chancellor of Germany. Gas was 10 cents a gallon. Rent was $18.00 a month. Bread was 7 cents a loaf. Hamburg was 11 cents a pound. Average labor wages was $20.00 a month. This may seem like a dream but most were unemployed or their salary was small.

Hope you enjoyed these and Hope you all have a very happy Thanksgiving, don't eat too much, know I probably will.

Facebook

My facebook problem has been solved, thank goodness.

Facebook

I just found out that my facebook account is blocked and I am trying to find out who is using my account. Just wanted to let you know why I can not post. Has this ever happened to any of you?

Coming Back

I will be commenting on your blogs by the end of the week. I appreciate all your kind comments. I guess we all get into the blue stage of our lives, especially in our older age of life.

I really hate feeling sorry for myself but I guess this is what I am doing, please forgive me for doing this. We do have our health and I am glad I live in America and have the freedom we all share. I have missed you all and I guess I will come and see what you are up to (I missed this most of all).==love=Margaret

Ode To My Dog Spot

Even though it has been sixty-seven years since I last saw you, I still think of you. You were my dads dog and he had a few years with you before he was killed at work. I remember seeing you lying by his bed with sad eyes, hoping he would come home.

I was only a young child of seven years and don't remember too much of your first two years. I am sorry to say I don't remember ever feeding you but I am sure I did, especially after my dad died. You did follow us all over the neighborhood. You must of been a good dog because the neighbors never complained about you.

The sad thing is my mom had to sell our house and we had to move to another state and live with my Aunt Lottie and her family. You came with us but things did not work out for you there. My mom found you a home back in our old neighborhood and I am sure you missed us. Again we had to move this time to Michigan to live with our Aunt Margaret, and I knew I would never see you again, this made me sad for many a years.

I found you one last time before we moved, you were with your new family. I really cried to know I would never see you again. I never forgot about you and over the years I wondered if you had a good life. I also wondered how your little life ended, I hope of old age. I think of Spotty ever time I read my friend Abe's story's about his dog Pepper Jax.

I write this with a heavy heart and tears in my eyes, This is the first dog we had, and things did not go our way either, we were left alone a lot. I really can't remember too much about Spots care after my dads death, because we were scattered to the wind, doing what ever we wanted (unsupervised), my mom had taken to drinking and spent much time at the bars, sometimes not coming home all night. and sometimes not for a day or two.

I wish I had a memory like my blogger friend Linda, then things would come to me. I don't know how to put pictures on my posts, but if you click on Family Pictures above and scroll down to see Spot sitting up with my Grandfather. you will see him. Sad days make for no sunshine but my blogger friends make the rays of the sunshine break through the clouds and brighten my day.

I am sorry I sound so blue, but things around here have not changed, please bear with me, I feel better getting this out of me and feel Spot heard me==love Margaret

To My Friends

Hi, to my good friends, I would like you to know I will not be posting for a while. All the luck to you and will post comments on your blogs after a bit. I am tired and can't think what to write about anymore. My husband is no better, and other issues have risen. So, goodbye for now, love you all..

Vitamins & Minerals

Vitamins and Minerals are essential nutrients that our body requires daily in order to function normally. Vitamins are a complex organic molecules that are required to carry out the normal functions of our body. Minerals are the basic components of all matter and are essential in building the body cells, therefore, minerals are called as building blocks of the body.

It is important to know how our body works. Ever day our body manufactures 200 billion red body cells and every 120 days our blood supply is totally replaced. Every 1 to 3 months our skin regenerates and our bone structure is destroyed and rebuilt within 90 days. Thus, to carry out this major rebuilding of the body, vitamins and minerals are very essential.

Vitamins are divided into two types: fat soluble and water soluble. Fat soluble vitamin are stored in the fat tissues and liver. They can remain in the body up to six months. When the body requires these minerals, they are transported to the area of requirement with in the body with help of special carriers. The fat soluble vitamins include vitamin Water A, D, E and K.

Water soluble vitamins are not stored in the body like the fat soluble ones. They travel in the blood stream and need to be replenished every day. Water soluble vitamins include the vitamin B group and vitamin C.

Minerals are important as vitamins in the development of our body. They are known as "spark of life" as they have a multi-functional role in our body. They are found in cells, tissues, organs, in fact the whole body . There are two types of minerals essential minerals and trace elements.

Essential minerals include calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, sodium and sulfur. The trace elements are required in very minute quantity than vitamins and minerals. They include boron, cobalt, copper, chromium, florid, iodine, manganese, molybdenum, selenium, silicon. and zinc.

Minerals play an important role in catalyzing or activating an enzyme in the body. If there is deficiency of any mineral, it may lead to acute or chronic ailments. Decrease in potassium and magnesium may lead to heart attacks. Minerals help in prevention of osteoporosis, cancer, arthritis, goiter, gastrointestinal problems, periodontal disease and anemia.

Potassium, sodium, iron and calcium phosphates are essential in nerve formations. Minerals are needed for controlling body fluids inside and outside the cells. They help in converting the food into energy. If even a single mineral is deficient in the body, the normal functioning of the body cells gets hampered. Proteins, carbohydrate, fats and vitamins are rendered useless if there are no minerals to catalyze. the chemical molecules in the body. Thus, without the minerals, body cannot function normally. Before you start on any vitamin or mineral tablets, you should consult your doctor for advice.

If you would like to read about the vitamins and minerals I have mentioned, go to this link I t will be the first one on the page.

http://www.buzzle,com/articles/why-do-we-need-vitamins-and-minerals.html

NOTE: I do believe that the second paragraph is worth knowing about your body function.

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Prelude

My very next post will be a little long but it is worth the read. I usually don't like to post long ones but when I started to read this it was so interesting I did not know where to stop, and I wanted you all to know this, it is important to know how our body functions. Besides I think it is something you should know, hope you enjoy it. I can't believe it, I just posted my 200th blog, OMG it took me three years to do it, but it was worth every word. I enjoyed all of your blogs and I learned a lot, like recipes, your travels, lots of antiques, how to decorate with those vintage items and jokes, quotes, lots of garage sale items, the list goes on, ,thanks to you all. Friends are great and I loved all of you, especially when I was down you brought me up. We are not over the hump yet, but hopeful it will get better. LOVE=Margaret.

SEASONS

A Season is a division of the year, marked by changes in weather, ecology and hours of daylight

Seasons result from the yearly revolution of the Earth around the sun and the tilt of the Earth's axis relative to the plane of revolution in temperate and polar regions, the seasons are marked by changes in the intensity of sunlight that reaches the Earth's surface, variations of which may cause animals to go into hibernation or migrate, and plants be dormant.

During May, June and July, the northern hemisphere is exposed to more direct sunlight, because the hemisphere faces the Sun. The same is true of the southern hemisphere in November, December and January. It is the tilt of the Earth that causes the Sun to be higher in the sky during the summer months which increases the solar flux. However, due to seasonal lag, June, July and August are the hottest months in the northern hemisphere and December, January and February are the hottest months in the southern hemisphere.

In some tropical and subtropical regions it is more common to speak of the rainy (or wet or monsoon) season versus the dry season because the amount of precipitation may vary more dramatically then the average temperature. For example in Nicaragua the dry season (November to April) is called summer and the rainy season (May to October) is called winter even though it is located in the northern hemisphere.

In other tropical areas a three-way division into hot, rainy and cool season is used. In some parts of the world special seasons are loosely defined based on important events such as a hurricane season, tornado season and wildfire season.

You may go to Google and learn more, here is the link;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Season

OLD GLORY=PART TWO

On June 14, 1777, in order to establish an official flag for the new nation, the Second Continental Congress passed the following Resolution : "Resolved, that the flag of the United States be made of thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation."

On May 14, 1804, by order 0f President Thomas Jefferson, the explores Lewis and Clark set forth on their journey to map and record the vast territory of the recently acquired Louisiana Purchase. Traveling by boat, foot and canoe. After two years of travel they carried the American flag all the way to the shores of the Pacific Ocean.

After the two day bombardment of Ft. McHenry in Baltimore harbor. on the morning of September 14th, 1814. the battered garrison flag was still visible. Young lawyer Francis Scott Key was inspired by sight to write his famous poem, which later became the national anthem. That flag featured fifteen stars and fifteen stripes, and is now on display at the Smithsonian.

The flag featured in the iconic photo "Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima" taken by Joe Rosenthal was the second flag raised on Mt. Suribachi that day, larger then the first . Both flags are preserved at the National Museum of the Marine Corps. Like all US flags during World War two, they boast 48 stars, as Hawaii and Alaska had not yet joined the union as states.

July 20, 1969, the world watched breathless as Neil Armstrong made history. The first man to set foot upon the moon, he planted a specially supported US Flag. The Flag still stands, next to a plaque which reads, "Here Men From The Planet Earth First Set Foot Upon the Moon, July 1969 A.D. We Came in Peace For All Mankind."

OLD GLORY=PART ONE

On September 3, 1777, the US flag was flown for the first time at the Battle of Cooch's Bridge in Delaware. Over the next two centuries, the flag would become one of the most recognizable in the world, and stands today as a symbol for the values of the American people.

The nickname "Old Glory" was coined for the flag in 1831 by Capt. William Driver of Salem, MA. As he set sail on his whaling vessel, the Charles Doggett, he raised the large flag of 24 stars. Seeing it as it caught the ocean breeze, he dubbed it "Old Glory" Capt. Driver's flag survived his sea faring life as well as the Civil War, and now housed by the Smithsonian in Washing, DC.

The exact hues used in the flag have been designated by Congress as "White ", "Old Glory Red" and "Old Glory Blue". They were formally standardized in 1946, and are the colors used in flags produced for use by the US Federal government. The United States Flag Code was devised by a committee of 68 organizations organized by the American Legion in 1923. It was adopted as law by the US Congress in 1942, and dictates proper display and treatment of the flag.

The first version of the Pledge of Allegiance was written by Frances Bellamy, circulating manager of the Boston-based magazine, "The Youth's Companion," in 1892. Bellamy circulated a simple leaflet to schools nationwide with the recitation and requested students repeat it in front of the flag on Columbus Day. That year on Columbus Day (October 12th, 1892), 12 million children said the Pledge of Allegiance.

During World War 1, citizens from across the country sent letters to the Capitol urging that the flag be flown continuously over public buildings in Washington, DC. Since then the flag has been flown 24 hours a day over the White House and many historical land marks.

Flag Day, June 14th, was declared by President Woodrow Wilson in 1916, but the US flag was celebrated in its own right before that. The earliest known reference dates from 1861! Communities across the US mark Flag Day with parades and picnics.

Here is a link from Google that you will find interesting about Flag etiquette.
http://www.usflag.org/flagetiquette.html

Laura Elizabeth Ingals Wilder

Laura Elizabeth Ingals Wilder was born in the big woods of Wisconsin on February 7, 1867, she died on February 10, 1957, living to be 90 years old. Laura is buried in Mansfield, Missouri, with her husband Almanzo and daughter Rose Wilder Lane.

Most of the schools houses when Laura was young were one room, students of all ages attended. The students had to buy their own supplies and books which was purchased at the General store for a few cents. Students brought their lunch in a small pail. Male teachers was paid more than female teachers

Laura taught three terms of teaching but she had never attended a college. Although Laura never kept a diary she did write constantly throughout her whole life and saved nearly every scrap of paper that she wrote on. Laura wrote down her thoughts on life, her famuly and the people and places around her and her little house.

Laura's first book "Little House Big Woods" was published in 1932 and she next wrote "Farmer Boy". Girls and Boys wrote to her asking what happened to the little girl in big woods, so Laura continued writing her series of books, her last book was published in 1943. After her death a manuscript of her first four years of marrage was found among her belongings she was writing when Almanzo passed away but she did not have the heart to finish it.

Almanzo Wilder was born in Malone, New York on February 13, 1857. Almanzo and brother Royal decided to try and homestead in the Dakato territory and this is where he met Laura Ingals. They were married on August 25, 1885, they moved to Mansfield, Missouri in 1894. This would be the last home of Almanzo, he had been weakened from diphtheria when he was young but it was his heart he had trouble with later in life, he died on October 23, 1949 at the age of 92.

After they lost their crops and their home burnt they moved to Minnesota with his parents, both Laura and Almanzo were sick with diphtheria . Almanzo had a sister whose name was Laura so to not cause confusion Almanzo nicknamed his wife "Bess", short for Laura Elizabeth, this nickname followed her all the rest of her life.

You can go here http://discoverlaura.org/discover.html#q28 it will be the first one at the top_" Discover",there is a lot of information there.

Will You Remember Me

Rosanne Cash, born May 24, 1955, in Memphis, Tennessee, she has three younger sisters. Her father is the famous country singer Johnny Cash. Rosanne wrote this song for her step-mom June Carter Cash (Johnny Cash's second wife), it is titled "Will You Remember Me".

Will you remember me, like the circle of stones,
On the ancient hills where you walk alone?
Where the wind can speak my secret name,
Like the air you breathe, will you remember me.
Will you remember me as your airplane flies?
Over foreign seas and breaking skies-
Like a perfect child you can't bear to leave,
In your last long days, will you remember me?
Will you remember me on the edge of life,
Where time runs slow; where song can fly
In these shuttered rooms, where we say goodbye,
When the soul is free, will you remember me?
When there's no need to breathe, will you remember me?

Rosanne wrote this song after June and Johnny passed away. June died May, 2003 and Johnny passed away same year on Sept., 2003. Both their family's are still involved in music. I might note that June and Johnny's home burned to the ground in 2007. They lived in it for 35 years and sill lived in it when they passed away and they wrote most of their music from there.

Cozy Kitchen Quotes

I received my 2012 calender today from "Vet's First", a United Spinal Association and would like to post it now instead of waiting until 2012.

January==Eat, Drink and be Merry...for tomorrow we surly Diet!
February==Forget Love..Wouldn't you rather fall in Chocolate?
March==Never Underestimate the Power of a Cozy warm Cup of Tea!
April==Happiness is Home Brewed!
May==A Happy Cook makes Thyme Fly!
June==Happiness is like jam...You can't Spread even a Little, without getting Some on Yourself!
July==When life gives you Lemons, Make Lemon Ade!
August==Housework never killed anyone, but why take a Chance?
September==This is an Equal Opportunity Kitchen.
October==Kitchen Help needed, Apply here!
November==Keep in mind...Stressed is Desserts spelled Backwards.
December==Holiday Tea-Cranberry, Cinnamon apple, and etc

Hope you enjoyed these. Hope your summer is going great, but alas, fall is upon us. I love all the seasons, my favorite is fall, so much going on.
Spring==rebirth of all nature, and the last of snowstorms and Memorial Day.
Summer==lazy days, sunburns, picnics and swimming and the Fourth of July.
Autumn (Fall)==falling leaves, crisp nights, harvest time, school and Thanksgiving.
Winter==falling snow, sledding, hayrides, cool crisp mornings, Jack Frost and Christmas.

One Fine Morning

I was telling a blogging friend of mine today, that I should post about an experience I had many years ago, while metal detecting, it was very scary.

One morning I went to Lake Michigan to do some metal detecting, it was around eight thirty in the morning. As I approached the lake I noticed the water had drawn out a ways in one section of the lake. I was astonished and looked up and down the shore and noticed it was just in this one spot, the lake had receded out about 15 feet.

When I recovered I decided to go out there and check it out, this part of the lake was always covered with water and I thought I might find something valuable. I did strike on something, as I bent down to retrieve it, I heard something and looked out toward the lake, the water had started rushing in real fast and I started running toward shore as fast as I could, but did not make it, the water caught up with me. The water was up to my waist before I reached shore.

It is a good thing I did not fall in the water, because the box that holds the batteries of my metal detector is not water proof. The thing that I found was an old charm bracelet not worth a penny and wasn't even engraved.

I found out that there was an earthquake up in the northern part of Lake Michigan. No one had seen this happen here, I was the only one on the beach at the time. I went home, all shook up. Do you have a scary story?

One Life At A TIme

This is a fictional story, it will carry the full reason why we never know if this will happen to us next. Too many TV reports and also in newspapers and magazine, I am sadden of these shootings. Sometimes a story will makes us realize the lives that are touched by senseless acts of violence, and a lot of times these shooters don't even know the people they shoot..

Josh and Susan had met in college and were now among the working class. Josh loved computers and was glad he was hired, just today, by a large legal firm. Susan has worked for two months for an accounting firm. So they chose this Sunday to go out and about, just because life seemed worth living. They now could look forward to a future together and children, which they both loved.

It was getting late into the evening and they had just come from their favorite movie. Josh walked Susan home and they kissed briefly on her door steps, she turned and waved goodbye.

Susan had just shut the door and she heard gunshots, she rushed back outside and saw Josh lying on the sidewalk. She ran over to him, he was lying on his back, with two bullet wounds in his shirt. The blood was already running out on the pavement, the bullets probably hit a major artery. The neighbor had already called 911, because he was sitting on his door steps and was fortunate that the shooter had not seen him but sad for the man that was shot , because Josh was dead, and Susan was hysterical.

This is a scene that is repeated all over the country and most of the time the shooter gets a way with it. But, Josh' s shooter was caught, thanks to the neighbors discription. Here are two young lives shattered by one senseless act of violence. Susan will grieve for Josh and her one true love. Yes, people go on and try to put their lives back together but things will never be the same. This kind of grief seems to rip your heart out and the pain never goes away.

I had read about another shooting and thought I would comment on it. This has not happened to anyone I know and I hope it has never happened to anyone you know. I also know we should have our gun laws changed but most people have guns to protect their property and their lives.

The Mighty Sequoia

Giant Sequoias are the most massive trees on earth. Many of these cinnamon colored giants stand almost as tall as the Statue of Liberty and date back 3,500 years, making them among the largest and oldest trees on Earth.

Only a small portion of the original range of Giant Sequoia groves remain, with over half lying within the boundaries of the Giant Sequoia National Monument, which managed by the U.S. Foewst Service.

The Department of Agriculture and U.S. Forest Service are considering several plans that will allow logging within this ecologically landmark...a move that will threaten the survival of the Giant Sequoia ecosystem. It is essential for the Secretary of Agriculture to reserve plans to log this area, and to take steps to protect this precious place.

If the lumber industry is allowed to log in this area, bulldozers and other heavy logging equipment will be allowed to plow through the Monument's fragile habitats,

Old growth forests in the Sierra Nevada have already been reduced by 60-85% as a result of logging on National Forest and provate timberlands, The protected lands of the Giant Sequoia Monument provide a critical sanctuary for unique wildlife of the forest.

Citizens in the United States overwhelmingly support conserving and protecting our land, air and water for our children and grand-children. Our time to push forward is now. We must push the Department of Agriculture and the Forest Service to withdraw their plans to allow logging, and to come out with a new plan which will manage the Monument like the adjacent Sequoia National Park.

But only with an active citizenry can the Sierra Club stop the logging industry from destructive actions that will forever damage America's forest and natural treasures like the Giant Sequoia Vational Monument.

God Bless America Again

God bless America again;==Bobby Bear/Boice Hawkins.

God bless America again, you see all the troubles that she's in, wash her pretty face, dry her eyes and then God bless America again.
God, I sure to wish you bless America again, you know like you did way back when it all began.
You blessed her then but we just sorta, kinda took it for granted and never did ask again.
So just hold her hand God that's all and if she should stumble please God don't let her fall, God bless America again.
You know I don't understand everything I'm reading here, about what's wrong with America. But, when you don't have a lotta book learnin I guess there's a lotta things you don't understand. But, let me say this God, she's like a mother to me, and all I am and ever hope to be, I owe to you and to her.
So, wash her face and dry her eyes and then God bless America again.

This was sung years ago on the Grand Ole Oprah by Loretta Lynn and Bobby Bear.

The Great Adventure

This started out to be one of those muggy, rainy Saturdays but turned out to be a scary adventure, that ended on a happy note.

Sarah had tied out her new puppy (Jackson) to do his business and because it was raining he wanted right back in. She let him in but did not shut the door all the way. Jackson was put in the bedroom, because the Ferrets were running in the house.

Ron (Sarah s dad) said he felt fresh air in the kitchen and realized he had shut all the windows because it was raining. He quickly went to the entrance porch and discovered the door to the outside open. He panicked when they looked for the Ferrets and did not find them.

The hunt for them outside began. Sarah started to call Gibson and saw him peek his head out from under the back steps, he scares easy and sought the saftey of the steps. One found, but where was Logan, our adventurous one.

Sarah went down the road looking and Ron choose to look around our house and the neighbors next door. Ron did not find him in our yard but feared he might of went down the back bank into the woods. Ron went next door and around his back yard, he noticed our neighbors basement door open a little. He went in and turned on the light and low and behold Logan was right down by his shoes. Remember Logan did not like the rain and probably was trying to find a way out of it.

We thank the good Lord for their safe return. But what were our chances of finding them both or just one, whew. They are now back safe in their cage and ready for a good nap.

"Life In A Nut Shell"

When we were young , things seem so carefree and day's went on forever. We played all day and when night came we were bathed, a story was told (we never had story books). this was the good made up ones. Later when we learned to read in school, we could buy a few comic books. Comic books was a big thing as we approached the age of ten years old (1943). The thing was, we would buy a couple comics and then went around the neighborhood and traded. So by the time we had traded several times we read at least ten comic books and had only bought two and ended up with two different ones, what a life, we thought. Did we ever think these were precious years, never to be again? No, and why should we, you don't worry about the world, we only worried about what we were getting for our birthday or Christmas.

The teen years, between 13 and 19 years, did seem to fly by. We were so engrossed in school, make up, boys and the change that our bodies were going through. We made many new friends through those years and lost some. In these days "Rock & Roll", came into its own and the dances to this music was heavenly. Some teens were fortunate to attend the "icons" of this musics concerts. Even today these legends are still revered by us old folks. School days, I think, are not the same and why should they be, life is so different for kids now a days.

As we graduated from high school, life changed once more for us. Some entered the work force, went to college, joined the arm forces and even got married and had children. Life was never the same but for the most part was not that bad. We lived, we died and the rest of us past into old age.

I just felt like rambling on and I am going to blame this darn heat for it. Hope your summer is going great, be careful in this heat, don't over exert yourself.

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"What Does Love Mean?"

A group of professional people posed this question to a group 0f four through eight year olds. "What does love mean"? The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined. See what you think.

1. "Love is that first feeling you feel before all th bad stuff gets in the way."
2. "When some one loves you, the way they say your name is different You know that your name is safe in their mouth."
3. "Love is what makes you smile when you are tired."
4. "Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen."
5. "Love is when mommy gives daddy the best piece of chicken."
6. "Love cards like Valentine cards say stuff on them that we'd like to say ourselves. but we wouldn't be caught dead saying."
7. "Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him all day."
8. "Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other."
9. "Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your french fries without making them give you any of theirs."

As Art Linkleter use to say, "Kids say the darnedest things." I use to watch his show all the time.

Monarch Butterfly

The Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) is a milk weed butterfly. It is perhaps the best known of all North American butterflies. Since the 19th century, it has been found in New Zealand, and in Australia since 1871 where it is called the Wanderer. In Europe it is resident in the Canary Islands, the Azores, and Maderia and is found as an occasional migrant in Western Europe. Its wings feature an easily recognizable orange and black pattern, with a wing span of 3 1/2-4 inchs. The Viceroy butterfly has a similar size, color and pattern, but has a extra black stripe across the hind wing. Female Monarch s have a darker veins on their wing, the male Monardhs have a spot in the center of each hind wing and are larger.

The Monarch is famous for its southward migration and northward return in summer from Canada to Mexico and Baja California, which spans the life of three to four generations of this butterfly. The Monarch is the only butterfly that migrates both north and south. Like all insects the Monarch has six legs, however it uses only four of them as it carries its two front legs against its body. The eggs are creamy white and later turn pale yellow. Female Monarch deposit eggs for the next generation during these migrations.

It is sad to know that the Monarchs we see each summer are not the ones that come back. It is the third and fourth generations. How the species manage to return to the same overwintering spots over a gap of several generations ,it is still a subject of research, the flight pattern must be inherited The life span of most Monarchs is two months. Research has also shown that Monarch butterflies can use earth's nagnetic field for orentation. Also Monarch butterflies are one of the few insects capable of making the trans-Atlantic crossings.

Monarch butterflies are poisonous or distasteful to birds and mammals because of the presence of cardiac glycosides that are contained in milkweed consumed by the larva. In the pupa or chyrsalis stage, the caterpillar spins a silk pad on a twig. leaf and etc., and hangs from this pad by its last pair of prolegs. It hangs upside down in the shape of a J and then molts, leaving itself encased in an articulated green exoskeleton. At this stage his hormonal changes occur, leading to the development of a butterfly. It takes two weeks and he comes out and hangs several hours until his wings dry, then off he goes to find food.

Sorry this is so long, but I enjoyed also learning something about my favorite butterfly. I am also sorry to say I have not seen one in my yard this year (have you?).

Dreams!

I posted about dreams before, but, have been having some disturbing ones lately, so decided to re-do it.

Dreams, some think they come from our soul and intend to help you process along your life path, your subconscious never sleeps. Most of us allow our subconscious free reign in many areas of our life.

Most people have three to five dreams a night, during an eight hour sleep, at least two hours are spent dreaming. Researchers have shown that all human beings dream, the study shows brain activity during their sleep. Dreams often reflect our experiences and life concerns. Children's dreams are different than the adult dreams.Is it possible to experience death in our dreams? This will often occur as a result of great stress, caused by relationships, school, career changes, depression, or the on coming death of a loved one, or a sudden death in the family.

Many who dream that they are falling sometimes jerk or twitch their arms or legs and you may even wake yourself up. Sometimes dreams are so real that the brain believes that we are really falling or you are in some sort of danger and hence the brain sends signals to the body to flee.

If you have ever had a nightmare, you are not the only one. A;most everyone gets them once in a while, nightmares are bad dreams, it can make you feel scared, anxious, or upset, but these dreams can't hurt you.

While we sleep our brain does not shut off, it goes through several stages, including rapid eye movement During this sleep your eyes move back and forth under your eye lids and sometimes during these dreams they can be very scary, if you wake during this cycle it is easier to remember what you were dreaming about. Your most vivid dreams and nightmares occur in the early morning hours.

There is no scientific proof that dreams can predict or for see the future Some dreams that re-occur or repeat could be an indication that we have issues not resolved or confronted. Some people say they dream in color, this could be, because color is such a natural part of our visual experience.

Torpedo Alley

This is very interesting article from Wikipedia, and something I never knew before. This takes place right in our own country, right in the Atlantic Ocean waters, off North Carolina and into her inland waters. I never knew the Germans were so close to us.

The Torpedo Alley, off North Carolina, is one of the graveyards of the Atlantic Ocean., named for the high number of attacks on allied shipping by German U-boats in World War two.

Torpedo Alley was the 100 mile stretch of water along the Outer Banks. The Outer Banks are along the coast of the US and comprise a chain of islands off North Carolina (and just a bit of Virginia). These islands shelter the Pamlico and Albermarle Sounds, which run inland. If you check the state of N.C. you will see they do run inland quite a way.

Torpedo Alley got its name because of the effectiveness of the German Kriegsmarine, specifically their U-boats, who sunk nearly 400 ships along that stretch of coast, between January and July of 1942. Some 5,000 people, most of them merchany marines did loose their lives during these attacks on shipping, in what has sometimes been called the "great American turkey shoot".

Thanks to our men in the armed forces, the ones that fought to keep our country free from harm. For them we came through unscaved, except for the Torpedo Alley incident, we will always be grateful.

Gods Gift

Thank you God for the gift of life, for letting me be me,
For all that I can know by words, and all that I can see,
For all the music I can hear and all the songs I sing,
For all the joy that comes to me and all the joy it brings,
For all the food that I can taste and all the sweet scents I smell,
For all the loved ones I can touch, who love and wish me well;
For all the beauty of the world, ever fresh and new,
I do not know whom else I can thank, and so I am thanking you.

Author==unknown

Seasoned With Love

Every year I receive a calendar from Vets First, a United Spinal Association. These are wonderful monthly quotes by Barbara Ann Kennedy, please enjoy them, these are from 2011 year.

January==Always Kiss The Cook!
Febuary==Make Everyday a Celebration of The Heart!
March== Nothing can go wrong today that a Little Chocolate Won't Fix!
April==Happiness is Meant to be Shared.
May==This is a Self Cleaning Kitchen...Be Sure to Clean Up After Yourself!
June==Coffee and Friends Make the Perfect Blend!
July==Life is full of Uncertainties...Eat Desert First!
August==Cook's Choice: No Substitutions Please!
September==Renew Relax...Cherish the Moment.
October==Keep a cleaner Kitchen...Dine Out!
November==All Meals Seasoned With Love!
December==In the Cookie of Life...Friends are the Chocolate Chips!
From Me===A friend is someone who understands your past, believes in your future, and accepts you today just the way you are. I dedicate the December quote to all my friends, hope the year so far has been good to you all==love Margaret.

Update on Hubby

Just to let you know, he does not stay in bed as much as he use to. He looks better, but I still have to look after him to make sure he takes a bath. His apatite is good and his memory is improving. Thanks for all your concerns and prayers===love, Margaret

Note: I am coming by to comment on your blogs in the next couple days.

Having Fish Tonight?

I received an email a while back from a lady named Beth Lowell, she works for Oceana and is a dedicated person. We should all be thankful for people like her. That is people that dedicate their lives in all fields that protect us from harm, especially in the food industry.

She says you don't have to be in the ocean to be able to appreciate it, Beth likes to walk the sandy beaches to unwind and collect seashells. This is her first time working for an organization whose goal specificically to protect the marine habitat. She says here at Oceana, I work on the Dirty Fishing Campaign to increase funding for marine mammal protection programs strengthen the Matine Mammal Protection Act.

Here is her message on the email= when you buy fish for dinner you probably think that the fish listed on the label is actually the type of fish you are buying. But what if the fish you cook for your family isn't what it says it is?

Recent studies have found that seafood may be mislabeled as often as 25 to 70 percent of the time, disguising species that are less desirable, cheaper or more readily available, which means you could be feeding your family mislabeled, unsustaimable fish.

The FDA has the power to enforce better labeling, increase inspections, and improve seafood safety, but they won't do them. We must tell the FDA that we want safe, legal and honestly labeled seafood.

You have the right to know where the fish you eat comes from, what kind was caught and if it was farmed.You should be able to trace your meal, if companies aren't telling you the truth about what fish you're buying, and follow health and safety laws.

I think we should find out where to go to post our opinions on this. I mean after all the government created the FDA, so they should be responsible for the FDAs action.

Wind

Did you ever wonder where the wind comes from? Sometimes it gently caresses your face and at times it blows so hard against us it makes us move. I have often felt wind on my face and wondered where did it come from.Cool wind can be a friend on a hot summer day, but what ever it does have its purpose here on earth. Those friendly winds can be disastrous in storms, such as tornadoes and hurricanes.

What causes the air to move? It's the uneven heating of the earth' atmosphere. Different levels of heat on the surface of earth is the main cause of wind. The energy in wind comes from the sun. When the sun shines some of its light reaches the earth's surface. Warm air, which weighs less than cool air, rises. So then the cold air moves in and takes over the warm rising air. That movement of air is what causes wind to blow. All different winds are caused by different air pressure. Different levels of heat on the surface of earth is the main cause of wind, also the spin of the earth adds a small amount of winds, orbiting pull of the moon causes some wind (even more the tides).

I was surprised to find the source of the wind was the sun. But might of known that the sun it has a tremendous effect here on earth. It was interesting to find this out, because I have always wondered what suddenly caused that light brush of wind on my face, was it some mystical creature playing a joke by blowing in my face.

Update

My husband had a second fall, which ended up in the ER. He fell in the kitchen backwards and hit his head on our metal heating unit on the baseboard. This caused a four inch cut on back of head and it took four metal staples to close the cut.

We also noticed he was slurring his words and could not walk right. They ran a blood test, xray and a cat scan to make sure he had no internal injuries. They said everything turned out alright. The only thing his potassium was low.

On May 5th, he had an appointment with a neurologist. He was tested and showed a loss of some memory. The doctor ordered blood work and a MRI . The results of those test showed the blood work was okay but the MRI showed he had suffered a mild stroke. The doctor ordered some medicine for the memory loss.

He is eating better so his balance is okay now. He still struggles with memory but hope the medicine puts that right. He still stays in bed at least 23 hours.

I hope to be back blogging this week, I miss doing it. I appreciate all your comments.

love, Margaret

To My Friends

Hello my blogging friends, I am sorry I have not been posting very much lately. I am having a lot of medical trouble with my husband and it is wearing me out, so be patient with me. I will be coming by and commenting soon, I really love you all, please don't forget me.

love, Margaret

About Candy Bars!

Candy is delicious to eat. But how did some of them get their strange names? Take a peek to find out about the history 0f candy names. With so many candies around, one can have different kind of candy everyday. But you have to know the name of the candies that are available, peek into the history of some of the popular candy bar name.

1. Milk Duds==When the first Milk Duds were made in 1928, the manufacture couldn;t make them round so they decided to call them duds, the milk part comes from the large amount of milk used to make them delicious.
2. Tootsie Rolls==the tootsie roll was invented by Leo Hirshfield in 1896, he named the candy bar after his 5 years old daughter whose name was Tootsie.
3. M &M's==This name comes from the last name of the two founders, Mars and Murrie Snickers. Now the Snickers candy bar was launched in 1930 and was named after the Mars family favorite horse.
4. Hershey's== Hershey milk chocolate was made by Milton Hershey himself., this was made in the 1900s. People considered Hershey's as the first candy of America.
5. Milky Way==Created in 1923 by Frank C, Mars. The name was actually created as a competition to malted milkshakes of that time.
6. Mars Bars manufactured in the UK in 1932 as a sweeter version of the American Milky Way. It was made by Forrest Mars, son of American Frank C. Mars.
7. Baby Ruth==It was unveiled in 1923 by the Curtis Candy Company in Chicago. Well who was it named after is not really known. Is is said after the great baseball player Babe Ruth and others say President Grover Cleveland's daughter Ruth, who really knows.
8. Butterfingers==is another Curtiss Candy Company was introduced in 1923. The company had a contest to name the candy bar. The person that won the contest was Lucky Mr. Nikola Jovanovic and this man chose his nick name "butterfingers" because he was clumsy.

I hope you had fun with this, chocolate is always very delicious and sometimes messy, specially with young children. Happy Easter to all my friends, don't eat too much candy.

Deadline Midnight

What we are watching: Friday, April 8, 2011--Midnight budget deadline approaches. If Congress and the White House cannot reach an agreement by midnight tonight (Friday, April 8, 2011), when the current spending authorization measure expires, parts of the government will close down. That means 800,00 government workers will be furloughed and a range of government services will halt. Congress will force a government shutdown if their plan to reduce our government budget deficit is not reduced for the fiscal year.

My belief in all this choas that is going on in the government, is they are spending too much money out of our country, to name the biggest one is the war. First was the Afghan war and then Bush moved right into Iraq. When a country goes to war with another, who has ever heard of rebuilding their country after you caused all the buildings to crumble. We spend more money on rebuilding these country's, than we do in our own country.

One thing a while back our government stopped unemployment for millions in our country, what are these people going to do to exist. What ever happened to the good thinking people that did run our country, you know the ones that actually cared for us citizens. What is your opinion in this situation.

Let us say a prayer that this does not get out of hand, every problem has some kind of a solution.

NOTE: April 9, 2011. this deadline was averted by Congress. What did they have too loose, just another one of their sully games. What a bunch of children they are and too think our laws are passed by these people. I wonder what other countries thought of this stunt.

Girl Scout Cookies

The Girl Scout Cookies had their earliest beginnings in the kitchens and ovens of our girl members, with mothers volunteering as technical advisers. The sale of cookies was a way to finance troop activities began as early as 1917, five years earlier Juliette Gordon Low started Girl Scouting in the United States. The earliest mention of a cookie sale found to date was that of the Muskogee, Oklahoma, which baked cookies and sold them in its high school cafeteria as a service project in December 1917.

In the 1920's and 1930;s, they still baked their own sugar cookies with their mothers. These cookies were packaged in wax paper bags with a sticker, and sold door to door for 25 to 35 cents per dozen. The ingredients for baking six to seven dozen cookies was estimated to cost 26 to 36 cents at this time.

In 1936, Girl Scout organization began the process to license the first commercial baker to produce cokies that would be sold by girls in Girl Scout counsels. By 1937 more than 125 Girl Scout councils reported holding cookie sales, because the enthusiasm had spread nationwide for the cookies. The cookies were sold annually until WW2 when sugar, flour and butter became scarce, so they sold Girl Scout calendar's to make money.

By 1951 the cookies came in three varieties, sandwich, shortbread and chocolate mint (which is now known as thin mints). In 1956 the baby boom expanded Girl Scout membership and sales.. Also in 1956 licensed bakers began wrapping the cookies in printed aluminum foil or cellophane to protect the cookies and preserve the freshness.

In 1978 the Girl Scouts of America supplied the bakers with a standard cookie package layout and pictures. For the first time in their history all Girl Scout cookie boxes featured the same designs and depicted scenes of Girl Scouts in action, including hiking and canoeing.

In 2008, 15 year old Jennifer Sharpe from Dearborn, Michigan sold 17,328 boxes of cookies, setting a new record for her troop and possibly an all time record. Now a days the price for a box of Girl Scout cookies is $3.50 .

Girl Scouts is a familiar part of American culture for almost a century. Girl Scouts enthusiastic support from their family has helped ensure the success of Girl Scout cookies and activities. The sale of cookies has helped Girl Scouts have fun, develop valuable life skills and make the world a better place by helping suporting Girl Scouting in their communities.

This will help all of us understand what the Girl Scouts efforts have done for us and us for them. We all have a favorite Girl Scout cookie. Maybe you have had a little Girl Scout in your life and reading this will bring back memories and also understand what a big part she is in such a large organization. God bless them and may they prosper forever.

Did You Know??

Just some ramblings about different things of interest. I always like to poke around on Google and see what I can find.

1. Richest man is Carlos Slim Helu on Forbes, worth seventy four billion.
2. Richest woman is Christy Walton (inherited from husband)=worth 26.5 million.
3. The number one killer is heart disease.
4. Earth population will reach seven billion in year 2011.
5. Largest continent is Asia, and most of worlds population live there, and they say there is still plenty of room for more people.
6. Amazon River is the largest, it carries more water to the sea than any other river.
7. Nile River in Africa is the longest in the world, it is 4,184 miles long.
8. There are 600 million cars in the world.
9.The sweet potato is one of the best vegetables has vit. C, potassium and fiber.
10. I guess we have to be careful of products with high fructose corn syrup in them.
11. Daylight savings time started during WW1, in order to save energy. In 1966 Congress passed the Uniform Time Act which standerized the length of daylight saving time.
12. The name chocolate is derived from the Nahuatl language in Central Mexico, it may have been influenced by the Mayan language. The Nahuatl word xocolat meaning bitter or sweet.
13. I believe our first gardens were in the Garden of Eden? This made Adam and Eve the first ever gardeners!

If you have an interesting fact, please let us know.

Spring

Some of us has not felt the effect of Spring yet, but it is coming very slowly. After all March is a very flicked month.

Spring is a great time of the year, winter is gone and now we can cheer.
Looking forward to summer, leaving behind the past,
in a short time, glorious weather at last.
Spring brings us flowers and life anew, all sorts of animals there to bid us ado
Spring gives us budding and trees that will turn green,
Giving us a place where their welcome shade can be seen.
Winter weather rises to a pleasing temp,
Spring is truly a time that's heaven sent
Spring passes quickly in weeks but a few,
and summer burst in with all things anew.

Written by: James Cassey

The Refreshing Orange

Oranges orginate from South East Asia, but are now available in most warmer climates, with the United States being the major producer of oranges in the world. Depending on the variety, oranges are available year long, with the peak season during the winter months.

There are three main varieties of oranges:
1. Sweet=these are for eating and juicing, some have seeds and some do not. They are usually hard to peel, the three most popular sweet oranges are naval, Valencia and blood oranges.
2. Loose skinned= these tend to be a part of Mandarin orange family, they can be sweet or even tart.
3. Bitter=these oranges are bitter to eat raw. They need to be cooked to be palatable, for example orange marmalade or bigarade sauce. Bitter oranges are also used to make essential oils and to make candied peel. Two types of oranges to look for when needing a bitter orange are Seville and bergamot.

Oranges can safely be stored on the counter top for 2 to 3 days, but keep longer in the refrigerator up to 14 days. Select an orange that is heavy for its size and shows no bruising, or has any shriveled or moldy skin, pick a brilliant colored one.

Oranges have extremely high Vitamin C, which helps maintain a healthy immune system. They are also have high fiber and no fat, oranges also have a fair amount of Folic Acid, Calcium, Potassium and Thiamine. So not only are oranges good but they are definitely good for us.

No doubt oranges have many health benefits, always remember to eat in moderation. Excessive consumption of any citrus juices can leach calcium from the body system, causing decay of the bones and teeth. If drinking juice caused excessive mucus build up in your throat, you could be alergic to oranges. The name orange applies primarily to the sweet orange. Lets face it oranges are good for us, and no matter what we will not stop eating them and drinking their juice.

Alaska Wolf Slaughter

I have been receiving e-mails about Alaska Wolf Puppies being gunned down deliberately, this is a cruel and barbaric act. This was approved by state officials, they killed 14 puppies and this happened right after they had killed their mother s and fathers ,this was reported by Defenders of Wildlife. Any un-necessary killing of wildlife or any animal angers me to no end as it does every decent citizens of the world.

Alaskan state wildlife personnel illegally chased down a pack of 14 adult wolves by helicopter, shooting them from the air. They say this is to help boost caribou population which is neither sensible nor humane. Later they raided a den of 14 puppies, now orphaned with their mothers and fathers killed just hours before, these puppies were then executed. Alaskans are now moving to end the Board of Game's barbaric aerial hunting of wolves through a ballot measure.

Wealthy interest groups like the Safari Club International are using their powers to defeat this ballot measure. Alaskans for Wildlife, along with Defenders of Wildlife is desperately trying to raise $80,000 in effort to raise public awareness in order to end the hunting of these magnificent wolves.

Anchorage, Alaska residents along the Kuskwim River want State game management to allow them to kill wolf pups in their dens. During her two years as governor Sarah Palin proposed a $150.00 bounty for the severed foreleg of each killed wolf and she introduced legislation to make it easier for hunters to use aircraft to hunt wolves, and just think this woman wants to run for president of our country.

I don't know how all this is going to end, but right now it does not look good for the wolves. I pray that in the great scheme of life it works in favor for the wolves. I think these people that have something to do with the killings of these animals must get a thrill out of doing it. I could not look into the face of any animal and pull the trigger, may God have mercy on them.

Olden Day Teachers=Part 2

Not too long after the addition of the Vos children, the school came into view, a dingy white beggar sunning by the side of the road.

A number of the children, who lived in the eastern part of the district, had gathered around the door, eager to enter the building. I had walked exactly four miles. I brushed some of the dust from my clothing and asked them to remain out of doors for a few more minutes. I wanted to experience the transforming power, that a group of enthusiastic children would have on the interior of the building.

I walked into the vestibule, against the north wall was a large pile of wood and near the south wall, a pump and dipper. The floor of the schoolroom proper was made of rough wide boards, the wainscoating high with large spikes, driven in at regular intervals, about three feet above the floor, A large rusty box stove, four rows of double seats, a home made recitation bench, a cheap desk and chair for the teacher furnished the room. A small black board hung on the east wall and there were windows on the south and north sides.

After freshing up a bit, at the pump, I opened the door. I have never seen more happiness and enthusiasm in children than this crowd displayed. Hanging their pails on the big spikes, they covered them with their wraps and took their old seats, ready to began at the signal. Very early in the term we began to anticipate the need of entertainment during stormy weather, so I brought from home a strong jumping rope, bean bags and story books. The children furnished small balls, jack-stones, jack knives, marbles and doll clothes, quilt patches and carpet raags for the girls, the furniture was moved and we had quite an indoor play ground.

We had very good times, working, playing, and eating together. The girls and boys did me untold good and my prayer is that I might have helped them to become good citizens. And so another school year rolled along.
Sincerely yours, Anna O'Beck.

The school room was lighted by kerosene wall lamps with reflectors. The stove stood towards the back of the room and had a shield around it. A hand bell was used to call the children in. The school had a wood shed. Some teachers of the school would room and board at a home close to the school and go home on weekends.. In those days the school year was only eight months long. The school had no piano, so the home across the street from the school would let them use theirs for singing.

I hope you used your imagination on this trip back through time and realized how hard it was for some people. Rosy Mound school did burn twice and both times it was rebuilt on the same site, a little better and each time with much needed improvements.

Olden Day Teachers=Part 1

I have always been interested in history, one of my great loves. Anything that keeps me reading about it and digging into the past. This post is about my home town and an old school called "Rosy Mound," started in the late 1800s and is still going strong and still located on Lakeshore Drive over by Lake Michigan.

More than a hundred years ago, sturdy industrious, honest women and men settled in this part of the country, clearing the land, establishing their homes, founding churches and building school houses. Today we have one of the most beautiful and best equipped rural schools in Michigan.

This is a letter written long ago by one of those teachers (Miss Anna O'Beck), who taught at Rosy Mound school from 1893-1894. I am reminded of a day many years ago and would like to know if you would like to go with me, in an invisible form, as I start out to work, (this is how the letter starts).

Early one September morning, wearing a simple cotton dress and heavy shoes, and carrying a small lunch basket in one hand, and a portfolio of supplies in the other, I left my home with a happy heart. I was going to teach, and that was one thing I wanted to do.

The walking was not so bad, until I came to the corner of what is now Sheldon Road at Robbins Road. No more sidewalks or grassy path-nothing but heavy sand and deep ruts in the road. After I turned the second turn in the road, a small girl came running to meet me. She had a small pail in one hand and school supplies in the other. She greeted me with the words, "You are the new teacher aren't you,? My name is Minnie McComb." The gay chatter of her voice and the lilt of her laughter, as we walked along, made me think less of tired feet, heavy sand and distance.

The Vincent trio, each carrying a tin pail and books, joined us as we were passing their gate. The conversation became more animated now and as we entered the deep woods at the base and east side of Rosy Mound (this is the big sand dune the school is named for), they tried their best to show me they were not afraid of any armed bandits or wild beast, that might be in hiding. I for one was glad to get out in the sunlight again.

The Nordhouse girls, each wearing a R.M. badge, met us as we came out of the woods, and together we climbed the corduroy road, which was a hard job, but not nearly as bad as if it were all ruts and sand. Pearl Nordhouse and her brother, properly labeled, were waiting for us at the top of the hill. The walking was easier now, since there were grassy stretches on either side of the road.

Coming up from his home in the valley, we could see black eyed Frank Bradenhof, wearing his badge, running to be in time to meet us at the gate. The last children to join the group , were the Vos trio. This was the assembly pattern we followed for the next one hundred and seventy-nine days of the school year, and on the jaunt home it was followed in the reverse order.

To be continued on part two. The miles from Miss O'Becks home in town to the school was four miles, so even if she is tired from teaching all day, she has to walk the four miles home again, now this is real dedication, and just think they trudged to school even in the rain and snow.

Remember These!

One of the first portable Cassette Recorders from Philips (1968)

I just bought a cassette player off ebay and was thinking of all the different forms over the years I have played music on. So I am listing just a few forms we all have used over the years. All of my young life my music was the record player, I still play records that I have kept over the years and I do pick up the oldies at garage and estate sales

CASSETTE PLAYERS==between the 1970s and 1990s the cassette was one of the two most common formats for prerecorded music , first alongside the LPs and later the Compact Disc. In 1958 RCA Victor introduced the stero, it was big 5" x 7", but offered few pre-recorded tapes despite multiple versions, it failed.
THE WALKMAN==is a Sony brand trademark, Sony began selling them in 1979. The CD based Walkman was launched in 1984, it was officialy called the Discman. Sony still makes the CD Walkman, they have become thinner and more compact with each new version.
THE 8 TRACK==was popular from mid 1960s through the late 1970s..

These are just a few of the old ones we used and loved. There have been many, many new improved items invented over the years. Our TV has become a home entertainment center, and we can enjoy movies with the VHS, and the DVD and please lets not forget the cell phones that do everything that all the above mentions.

Shopping Carts

Fascinating facts about the invention of the Shopping Cart by Sylvan Goldman in 1937. We love to put our groceries in a shopping cart, we like the little ones for light shopping and was glad when it came about. How about those carts for mom to push the kids in and shop at the same time, they come in the form of a car to those cute animals.

One night, in 1936. Goldman sat in his office wondering how customers might move more groceries. He stared idly at a wooden folding chair. Put a basket on the seat, wheels on the legs. Wait a minute, Goldman and a mechanic, Fred Young, began tinkering. Their first shopping cart was a metal frame that held two wire baskets. Since they were inspired by the folding chair, Goldman called his carts, "folding basket carriers."

In 1937 Goldman formed the Folding Carrier Basket Company to make shopping carts.
March 12, 1938 a U.S. Patent was issued to Sylvan Goldman for the shopping cart.1946 Orla E, Watson of Kansas City, MO devised a plan for a telescoping shopping cart.
1947 designers added a child's seat to the cart.

The first shopping carts were put into service by grocery store owner Sylvan Goldman in 1937. Sylvan Goldman was born in 1898, he grew up in the new Oklahoma Territory and went into wholesale produce business with his brother. Goldman's concept was simple, make shopping easier for the customers and they'll visit the store more frequently and buy more.

By 1946 shopping carts found such a firm place in American life as to grace the cover of the Saturday Evening Post. Supermarkets were redesigned to accommodate them, checkout counter design and the layout of aisles changed. Carts have changed over the years, they became larger to hold more merchandise, enabling more sales, and new carts to hold kids and grocery's. What would we do without them, shopping carts hasn't much over the years but the next generation of carts is still evolving with even bigger upper and lower baskets.

Don't you just hate it when you get a cart with a bad wheel that seem to thump , thump, and makes some type of noise or seems to want to go sideways and take out a customer, ha, ha.

SCAMS

There are a lot of scams going around and a lot is through emails. I would like to let my blogger friends know that I would never ask any of you for money or borrow anything. If you ever receive an email from me asking for money or anything else==PLEASE= contact me so I can report it. I have received emails lately that have asked this question of me.

Thank you.

Candles

Candle making was developed independently in many countries throughout history. The earliest known candles were made from whale fat by the Chinese, during the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC). In early China and Japan, tapers were made with wax from insects and seeds wrapped in paper. In India, wax from boiling cinnamon was used for temple candles. During the 1st century AD, indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest fused oil from eulachon or "candlefish", for illumination. In Europe, the Middle-East and Africa, where lamp oil made from olives was readily available, candle making remained unknown until the early middle ages due to the availability of olive oil for burning lamps.

The Anglo-Saxon King Alfred the Great (c.849-899) used graduated candles, also known as candle clocks. He used these candles to divide up the day into equal periods of study, and prayer, royal duties and rest. There were lines around the sides of the candles to show the passing of each hour, later 24-hour candles were invented based on this concept.

The first American colonist discovered that bayberries could be used to make candles, but the yield was poor. Fifteen pounds of boiled bayberries would provide only one pound of wax. Joseph Sampson was granted a United States patent for a new method of candle making in 1790, this was the second patent ever granted by the US.

Despite the advance of candle making, the candle industry was devastated soon after by the distillation of kerosene (a fuel used in lamps) and the 1879 invention of the light bulb. At this point, (20th century) candles became more of a decorative item. Candles were suddenly available in a broad array of sizes, shapes and colors, and consumer interest in scented candles began to escalate. During the 1990s, new types of candle wax was being developed, due to an unusually high demand for candles.

I can never look at a candle without thinking of our pioneer family's. They made their candles mostly of bees wax and animal fat. They lit their homes with these candles and light from the fire place. It must of been very difficult for them to read or do homework from such poor lighting, and mom had to do the mending at the end of the day, after working all day. The need for fire and light is as old as man himself.

The use of candles has always been popular, from a necessity to enjoyment.
Here are just a few ways people do enjoy the use of candles==On birthday cakes==decoration==for their scent==when reading=bath time==weddings==in restaurants==dinner for two==get rid of bugs==memorials==outdoor night parties==telling scary stories==swimming pools and caroling. Candles are fun and always will be, and I am sure you find good use for them especially when our electricity goes out.

Multiple Births

I saw this program on TV and thought it very interesting, it was on multiple births. I never knew there were so many different names for the multiple births. My question is why would a women want that many children all at one time. Most of these births run a great risk of the baby's having many birth defects, and the baby's dying. Most multiples are born premature, their little bodies are not quite finished developing. Another thing it is so sad to see those little baby's all hooked up to keep them alive and some of these baby's spend months like this.

Here is a list of the names of multiples birth count===
1=Twins=two baby's
2=Triplets=three baby's
3=Quadruplets=four baby's
4=Quintuplets=five baby's
5=Sextuplets=six baby's
6=Septuplets=seven baby's
7=Octuplets=eight baby's
8=Nonuplets=nine baby's

Most common of the multiples is twins and triplets, there are always chances of complications in any pregnancy but they increase with the amount of baby's in the womb.

1..The Keys quads, born 6-4-1915, all girls lived to adulthood, graduated college, as of 2004 only one was still living.
2. We all know the Dionne quints, born 5-28-34, first quints know to survive infancy. At four months old they were made ward of the King and were put on display to the public until nine years old. Their parents in 1943 gained custody back.
3. The Dilley sextuplets, born in 1993 are the first born in the United States., they were featured on the TLC channel until they were twelve years old, they are now seventeen.
4. The first septuplets were born 15th century to Thomas & Edith Bonham.
5. The Frustaci sextuplets born 5-21-85, they were the first to be born in the United States, only three of the seven survived.
6. The first confirmed octupletes born in Mexico on 3-10-67, all died within 13 hours after being born.
7. The Onuplets born in Australia June 13, 1971, all died within six days after being born.

You may go to Wikipedia and type in "List of multiple births," and read more about these baby's. Can you just imagine how it must of been for women in centuries of not knowing how to deliver the baby's.

Healing Powers of Vinegar

I was reading this article about the healing power of vinegar, something I seldom use. So I thought I would post about it and see what you think. I think I should start using more vinegar.

You have always known that vinegar tasted great on your French fries and made your glassware sparkle, but I bet you didn't know the intense healing powers of this magic liquid.

Vinegar has been a trusted home remedy that our mother, grandmother and their grandmothers have known. It literally can be used from head to toe. Scalp problems such as dandruff, athlete's foot, yeast infections, even headaches are no match for this remedy. It can also be used as a cosmetic to help protect and beautify the skin. In The Healing Powers of Vinegar, author Cal Orey reveals the secret healing powers of red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar and other natural vinegars.

No single food or supplement can prevent cancer, amazingly however, vinegar is considered a "weapon" against cancer according to scientists at the A.P. John institute for Cancer Research.

New evidence shows that both apple cider and red wine vinegars, which are made from whole apples and red grapes, may help you to==fight fat, enhance your immune system, lower blood pressure, prevent cancer, slow aging process and more.

This doesn't surprise me, I think nature has given us her bounty of fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices and roots to help us fight off certain diseases and illness. But do we trust mother nature enough, no, we run to the doctors for pills and shots to heal us. What if and this is a big "if," that all our ills can be treated without medicine, I mean let nature take its course. There are many articles that tell you how to do home remedies and you can go on line to explore every new find for yourself.

I think we should start listening to the people that take time to discover cures that our doctors don't believe in. There is too much money to be made by doctors and pharmacists, so they give pills not cures. We live in an age of miracles and discoveries of all kinds. We have a wonderful computer that can give us the world at your keyboard, use it and see what is going on especially in medicine.

Some Facts

Johnny Cash==born 2-26-32 and died 9-12-2003 at the age of 71, of complications from diabetes, just 4 months after his wife Junes death...
In 1980 Cash was the youngest (age 48) living inductee into the "Country Music Hall of Fame"
June Carter Cash==born 6-23-29 and died 5-15-2003 at the age of 73, three days after having a heart valve replacement surgery.
1 - Happy Days==ran from 1974-1984
Tom Bosley ( the dad) born 10-1-27 and died 10-19-2010 at age 83 of heart failure.
Marion Ross (the mother), born 10-25-28 and is now 82.
Ron Howard born 3-1-54 is now 56 and a very fine director..
Erin Moran (the sister) born 10-18-60 and is now 50 years old.
Anson Williams (Potsey) born 9-25-49 and is now 61 years old.
Donny Most (mouth) born 8-8-53. and is now 57.
Henry Winkler (the Fonz) born 10-30-45 and is now 65 years old.
2-. Ozzie & Harriet==ran from 1952-1966
Ozzie (the dad) born 3-20-1906 died in 1975 at the age of 69, of liver cancer.
Harriet (the mom) born 7-18-1909 died in 1994 at age of 85, of heart failure.
Ricky born 5-8-40 and died 12-31-85 at age 45 in a plane crash.
David (the brother) born 10-24-36 and is still alive.
3 - Leave it to Beaver ran from 1957-1963
Jerry Mathers (the Beaver) born 6-2-48 is now 62 and has diabetes.
Paul Sullivan (Beavers brother) born 1943 is now 67 years old.
Barbara Billingsley (the mom) born 2-22-1915 died 10-16-2010 at age 94, died of polymyalgia.
Hugh Beaumont (the dad) born 2-16-1909 died 5-14-82 a heart attack.
4 - Bewitched ran from 1964-1972
Elizabeth Montgomery (played Samantha) born 4-15-33 died 5-18-95 at age 62 of colorectal cancer.
Dick York (1st Darrin) born9-4-28 died 2-20-92 from complications of emphysema.
Dick Sargent (2nd Darrin) born 4-19-30 died 7-8-1994 at age 64 from prostate cancer.
Agnes Moorehead (Samantha's mom) born 12-6-1900 died 4-30-74 of uterine cancer.
These are the little girls that played Tabitha== Cynthia Black in 1966. Heidi & Laura Gentry in 1966, Tamar & Julie in 1966, Diane Murphy from 1966 to 1968, and Diane's twin Erin from 1966-1972.

These lyrics are from a Johnny Cash song, he is my all time favorite singer===
Soon we will come to the end of life's journey, and perhaps we will never meet again. ,if we never meet on this side of heaven, there is another meeting place somewhere in heaven, by the side of the river of life, where separation comes no more , and I will meet you on that beautiful shore, where roses bloom forever.

My next post is going to be some more lyrics, it must be from his songs. Hope you don't mind and please don't think me crazy. I am a very sane person, but I do kooky things now and then, so bear with me, maybe it is the winter doldrums, ha, ha.
PLEASE NOTE==
Since I have made this post, there has been an update to the Ozzie Nelson family., see below my good friend Patty's comments, she informed me that David Nelson just passed away

DEJA VU

We all have experienced this in our life time, it is weird when it happens. It makes a person wonder if this may be another lifetime we have lived. The most likely explanation of dejavu is not that it is an act of "precognition" or "prophecy," but rather that it is an anomaly of memory, giving the impression that an experience is "being recalled." This explanation is substantiated by the fact that the sense of "recollection" at the time is strong in most cases, but that the circumstances of the "previous" experience (when, where, and how the earlier experience occurred) are quite uncertain. This recollection can be very unsettling and our minds are scrambling to put these events in the right prospective,

Deja vu, meaning "already seen," is the experience of feeling sure that one has already witnessed or experienced current situation, even though the exact circumstances of the previous encounter are uncertain. The term was coined by a French psychic researcher, Emile Boirac (1851-1917) in his book L'Avenir des sciences psychiques (The Future of Psychic Sciences).

The experience of dejavu is usually accompanied by a compelling seance of familiarity, and also a sense of eeriness, strangeness, weirdness or what Sigmund Freud calls "the uncanny."

The experience of deja vu seems to be quite common among adults and children alike. References to the experience of deja vu are found in literature of the past., indicating it is not a new phenomenon. Certain researchers claim to have found ways to recreate this sensation using hypnosis.