“In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: It Goes On.”
Robert Frost
Showing posts with label remembering. Show all posts
Showing posts with label remembering. Show all posts

Friday, November 11, 2016

Veterans Day 2016


This old flag belonged to my Grandfather, it's old, stained and a bit tattered, but still in reasonably good condition.  My Grandfather, his father and my dad are all Veterans and served in the Army.  They have all passed on, but I always think of my Grandfather in his uniform. He wore it once a year, on Memorial Day. I don't have any pictures of him wearing it, which is very sad, but I still remember him all those years ago. 

Thank you to all the Veterans here and in the hereafter 
for your service for this great and wondrous country.  

You will never be forgotten.

~~~Diane~~~

Friday, January 1, 2016

Happy New Year 2016






May the stars above sprinkle upon you all the joys of heaven.




May you reach the moon on all your journeys.




May your days be filled with happiness and joy.





Wishing you fun times with friends and family.






May you enjoy fond memories of those loved ones who are gone, 
but never forgotten.






"...and after the crimson light has fallen, when only the lavender hue of first night remains, as the stars begin their ritual twinkle, let our hearts touch and be full of thanks, because the gift of time is all we have." 
 ~ Susan Florence ~ A Gift of Time



May you make the most of your precious gift of time, 
and use it wisely.




Wishing you all Happiness and Peace in the New Year!
~~ Diane ~~




Monday, May 25, 2015

Memorial Day 2015





Memorial Day is different for every individual. It can be a happy and joyful day for some and a reminder of a crushing loss for others. There has been some debate on social media about using "Happy" to describe Memorial Day, or Decoration Day as it used to be called. I've had many a happy "Memorial Day" but I also understand why many despise the phrase. I still have relatives in the military, so I can see both sides of the issue.

Some of us enjoy picnics and time with family and friends and view the day as the gateway to summer. Often this is the annual trip family members make to visit the cemetery to place flowers at the relatives and ancestors graves. I think there are many emotions involved in this day, happiness, bittersweet memories and outright grief.

So be mindful of others and let us not forget the true reason for this Holiday. Memorial Day is a day for remembering and honoring military personnel who died in the service of their country, particularly those who died in battle or as a result of wounds sustained in battle.

I have fond but bittersweet memories as a child in a small town, placing little American flags on the grave-sites in our local cemetery. Many other local children took part in this somber activity. My Father and Grandfather were both veterans and would usually take part in the ceremony as well. I still remember the trumpet playing the song "Taps". If you've forgotten the lyrics, I found them at www.scoutsongs.com/lyrics/taps.html and posted them below.

Before you go off on your happy party or picnic with family and friends, just take a few moments to remember those who fought and died for you and your loved ones.

Taps
© Pennsylvania Military College

Day is done, gone the sun,
From the lake, from the hills, from the sky;
All is well, safely rest, God is nigh.

Fading light, dims the sight,
And a star gems the sky, gleaming bright.
From afar, drawing nigh, falls the night.

Thanks and praise, for our days,
'Neath the sun, 'neath the stars, neath the sky;
As we go, this we know, God is nigh.

Sun has set, shadows come,
Time has fled, Scouts must go to their beds
Always true to the promise that they made.

While the light fades from sight,
And the stars gleaming rays softly send,
To thy hands we our souls, Lord, commend.




Thank you all for visiting today.
          ~~~ Diane ~~~


Thursday, April 2, 2015

Remembering Balisha~Patricia

Balisha~Patricia





Sometimes bad things happen to good people.  Such was the case with a good blogging friend by the name of Patricia.  We didn't always know her real name. Her blog was called Simply Balisha. Only recently did she tell us that her name was Patricia and that the nickname Balisha was given to her by her husband who rhymed it with her real name.



Of course during that time I had always mispronounced it in my head as Ba-leeesha.  So when she told us her real name it took me a bit to adjust. She was telling us this to prepare us for what was just the beginning of a huge change to come in Balisha~Patricia's life and everyone who knew her.  She told us that she had terminal cancer. Through the tears and words that we her blogging friends shared and the back and forth messages, she left us with a wonderful gift. 


It was one of her favorite gifts, the gift of words. Patricia was an inspirational writer, a wonderful and loving wife, mother, grandmother and friend.  In her blog she shared all of those things with us.  She spoke of her craft projects and cooking, of helping friends and learning new things.  She was a dear sweet woman who was taken too soon away from her family and friends. Patricia was a very strong woman with a deep Christian faith and I find this a fitting time to remember her on one of her favorite holidays, Easter. Below, you will find the words she left for us in the form of a poem.





Morning...by Balisha

Waking up this morning....I'm in my cozy bed,
I heard a birdie singing and this is what he said...
"Good morning dear Balisha...I'm visiting from above,
The skies are clear and beautiful and I am full of love.
I came so early to cheer you up and make you feel OK..
Some other friends are here with me and this is what they say"..
The little wren (my favorite) brings songs so full of joy...
The robin with his winter coat....is being oh so coy..
The black bird on the wire....is too shy to come down..
He squawks his message from above..his face is in a frown.
The chipmunk  out of hiding he gives his little grin...
The possum shyly gives a smile....and turns to go back in.
The sun is  up ... gives me a nod  and stops to say hello..
A sunny day is what we need to warm us down below.
I turn toward the downy bed to rest a little more...
All is well today... a good day is in store. 










Even though we never set eyes on each other, I felt a connection to her as I do with many of my other blogging friends.  For a long time she was one of the first people to arrive at my blog after I posted something new. I miss her.  That was the last poem Patricia posted on her blog and within a few short days, she was gone.


Happy Easter Balisha~Patricia
May the stars shine bright where you are...






Happy Easter and Happy Spring 
to all my dear blogging friends.
At this time of rebirth and renewal I wish you all peace.

~~~ Diane ~~~



Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Sooner or Later



It's been a busy week indeed! The weather has finally improved to the point that I can start to do some gardening. Well, not planting yet, but cleaning up and pruning some shrubs and getting ready. My hands are suffering a bit so I must take it easy for a few days. I love finally being able to be outside in the fresh air and sunshine! It's true, I have been neglecting my online shop, blog and social media! *Gasp!* Times does fly when you are having fun though.

And here we are... it's Mother's Day this weekend. I hope you are all going to enjoy a wonderful day with your family. 
The image below is from my Pinterest Board titled Words.  I think it sums up many of our relationships with our Mothers!  'Cause you know what happens, sooner or later.........

 


via

Happy Mother's Day!

In loving memory of my 
Mother and Grandmothers



Friday, November 29, 2013

The Anticipation...

The anticipation of Christmas is building! It was quite evident the other day when a mother was fending off her child's insistant pleading for something while I passed by the toy isle at the local store.  

Oh, but we're all children at heart when it comes to Christmas!  My husband and I watched part of the old "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" movie, the other night.  I still thought the abominable snow monster was scary! We'd both forgotten about the land of misfit toys. I thought it was worthy to highlight the quote by one of the elves below.  Dreamed up by some marketing genius, I'll bet!






My favorite toys were stuffed animals. One of my all time favorites was a large pink (surprise) cat with a black tail and ears. Oh, I wish I had her still....

What were some of your favorite toys as a child?


Saturday, May 25, 2013

The Memories Of the Heart













The heart hath its own memory like the mind,
And in it are enshrined the precious keepsakes....
                                     Longfellow




Thursday, May 9, 2013

A True Pioneer Woman


My Grandmother astride a horse circa. 1920's.


My Grandmother was a true pioneer woman.  She was born in 1900 to a blacksmith and his wife on the great plains of the Midwest.  She graduated High School but had higher aspirations and went on to College.  She became a school teacher and taught for six years before marrying her true love and becoming a farm wife.  They were together for over 50 years until parted by the death of my Grandfather.  She died at age 90 and without a doubt, rejoined the love of her life.

She was a spirited woman who was a devout Christian and enjoyed a good political debate.  She loved gardening and animals.  Her garden was an oasis in the almost treeless, rolling hills of the plains.  The two story house was surrounded by a fenced yard encircled with trees and all sorts of growing things. She grew roses, trumpet vine, herbs and hundreds of other lovely plants and flowers.  It has been so long ago, over thirty years since I was at her home on the farm.... I scarcely remember all of the plants she had there.  Outside the formal yard near the stream was a huge garden, where sweet corn and beans, peas and berries grew in abundance.

She had beautiful cats which she loved and I remember a couple of times over the years after begging my Mom (also a cat lover), we brought one home with us.  Apparently my love of cats (and animals in general) is a genetic thing!

One of the most precious gifts my grandmother ever gave me was something she made with her own hands.  It is a teddy bear.  I'm not sure if he was from a kit or if she made up the pattern for him herself.



He is a little moth eaten but still in remarkable shape for being at least fifty years old. He still sits with me today in my office, a reminder of years gone by. I always loved him and his velvet ears, paws and nose. I never gave him another name other than "Teddy", not very original, but I couldn't have loved him any more. My grandmother made quilts and crocheted throws and assorted clothing for me and the other grand-kids, but they never held up in comparison to this bear. He was one of a kind and she never made one for any of her other grandchildren. I wish I could ask her why.


My grandmother was an extraordinarily good cook and baker.  For years, she cooked on a wood cook stove in the kitchen which remained long after the electric range was installed.  She always loved to cook for us and we had wonderful family meals at the holidays or pretty much any time we visited.  Her famous dessert for Christmas was a Lane cake, which has many layers and a custard filling with raisins and cherries.  Her chocolate meringue topped pie was incredible and her fried chicken delectable. 

The food was wonderful because most of it was grown right there on the farm. The milk, butter, eggs, chickens the vegetables and fruits were all produced right there.  The relatives and neighbors all shared and exchanged their produce and other farm products.  She was not a fragile creature, she was a stout farm woman and loved to cook and eat.  Butter was a favorite of hers and she never went in for that new fangled margarine when it came on the market. Did I mention she lived to be 90!

No one ever left her table or house hungry. When I was a teenager,  I remember her saying to me, "You're too thin, you need to eat!" She was a kind hearted soul and believed in helping others. During the depression in the 30's, drifters (hobos) would come by looking for work and a meal and she always gave them something to eat. Usually there was work to do around the farm and my Grandfather would help them find work on his farm or on one of his many brothers farms.

The picture below was taken after her graduation from college.  I think it is such a contrast to how I remember her in a plain house dress and apron working in her kitchen. She told my Mother and I one day towards the end of her life, that when she was younger she was engaged to a preacher, but she just didn't love him enough. She broke off the engagement and soon met my Grandfather a simple farmer. She told us she never regretted her decision and was quite happy with the way her life turned out.








Here are a few things I learned from her. 
She taught me about kindness towards humans and animals. She taught me about nature and being gentle to the earth and how its abundance will bring joy to your life through food or flowers. She taught me to love cats and how to make a rhubarb pie.

But the most important thing I learned from her, is to be true to yourself 
and only do what feels right in your heart.



Thank you for indulging me in this memory of my Grandmother as we approach Mother's Day.
I hope all of you enjoy a special day of your own.  ~~ Diane

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Please Invent a New Cone of Silence

"throwback -- A sudden reminder of the past. This can be brought about by hearing a song from high school, seeing an ex..... Similar to a flashback." source
I've decided to start a new periodic Thursday theme called "Throwback Thursday"; it may or may not occur again, just depends if anyone else finds it amusing. Because after all this blog is all about you the reader. Well OK not all about you, it's mostly about me and my weird thoughts about stuff.  But well I guess I am getting to that age when I start to sound like my parents, when they said things like "Do you remember back when ...blah, blah?" I unfortunately usually stopped listening about then.

Anyway this whole idea about the cone of silence came about when my husband and I were trying to have a quiet lunch out the other day.  We ended up sitting across from an obnoxious cell phone user and thus my husband reminded me about the cone of silence. No idea what I am talking about??? Then you are a mere child and let me educate you.

This gadget was used on the old Get Smart show (1965-1970)  on NBC.  The gag was that it didn't actually work and they could never hear each other but everyone else could hear them. Still no idea what I am talking about, here is a classic bit from the show.




Well I would like a cone of silence that really does work in a slightly different way!  Ideally  with the press of a button the cone of silence would envelope me in a euphoric force field type bubble that sound waves could not penetrate or at the least would be diminished to a whisper.  I  can think of several times this would come in handy.

For example the other day while shopping a mother and her sweet toddler were discussing whether said child should be hanging on the side of the cart.  A disagreement ensued and said child started shrieking so loud I thought me ear drums would burst!  Or how about those pesky cellphone users like the one we encountered in  the restaurant that answer the phone at the table and proceed to get louder as the call progresses.  Then there are the people who turn their car stereos up loud enough to make  my car windows vibrate. Feel free to comment with your own examples!

I want some high-tech company to come up with a new cone of silence, please!


 What was one of the favorite catch phrases of Maxwell Smart?

Friday I will return to my cute posts and the announcement of the winner of the May towel and a NEW Giveaway item! So please come back and enter!

Monday, January 16, 2012

We Remember Martin Luther King, Jr.









 Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars... Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.

    Martin Luther King Jr.
    US black civil rights leader & clergyman (1929 - 1968)



Friday, November 11, 2011

Remembering All Veterans Today

Please take a  few moments to remember our Veterans.


Those we loved but lost
are no longer where they were
but always where we are...
 unknown





"May It Be" by Enya




Here is a way to really help your local Veteran Business Owners. Buy Veteran is a national campaign spearheaded by the National Veteran-Owned Business Association (NaVOBA) to bring the success and momentum of the National Veteran Business Movement to all of America’s 3 million veteran-owned businesses. In 1999, the federal government passed Public Law 106-50 that set a mandate to award 3 percent of all federal contract and subcontract dollars to service-disabled veteran-owned businesses.......
To read more visit this site Buy Veteran.com.



Look for the following badge online or displayed in a store near you.