HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!

HAVE A SAFE AND FUN 4TH!!!

Thank you to the Graphics Fairy for the vintage postcard picture!

A NEW BLOGGER FRIEND

I have found a new blogging friend. She is at Edie Marie's Attic and she is having a lovely give-away (her first). Click here and please stop by and say hello and join in. I found that we have violets, poodles, shabby chic and picket fences in common. Isn't this blogging world terrific?

MON PETIT JARDIN

I am not much of a gardener, but this year I thought I would make another attempt at a few tomato plants. Several years ago I planted some tomatoes and herbs. The herbs did well. The tomatoes did not. I tried for a few years and then gave up. This is what it looks like now.

Here is my new "petit jardin." Did you know I am French in my heart?

I have five tomato plants, several of which are cherry tomatoes. I have one pepper plant, one parsley, one basil, one lavender and one mint (that appeared out of nowhere from the old garden and I transplanted it). I hover over this little garden several times a day. Maybe, maybe, I will get a few tomatoes this year.

Which brings me to another subject. Are you avoiding tomatoes because of the salmonella scare? I have to a certain extent, but enough is enough. Now they say it could be something else. I wish I could grow all my own vegetables (actually there is nothing stopping me except the lack of energy to do it), have a few goats to mow the grass, and a few chickens to give me eggs. The goats and chickens aren't allowed where I live. Actually, cleaning up after three cats and one dog is enough. The goats and chickens might just be too much.

Here is also a picture of the blossoms on an old mimosa tree in our yard. The tree is not in the best of shape, but I love the funny pink blossoms that smell so sweet.

And here are some pictures of a local garden center that has wonderful produce and flowers. This is where I buy my tomatoes and corn.

Thanks for stopping by!

AROUND TOWN

I live equidistant between two small beach towns in Delaware. Both towns are considered historic, each in its own way. The towns draw tourists and vacationers from all over the East Coast and elsewhere.

Here are a few pictures taken within the past few days through my car window and camera lens. They are not necessarily postcard views, but just typical of what I see everyday. I'll continue to take some candid shots and share them with you.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY BETH AND DALE!

Today is my daughter and son-in-law's 15th wedding anniversary. It is hard to believe it has been that long.

This is their love story:

Beth and Dale met while each of them were rowing for different boat houses on Philadelphia's famous "Boathouse Row." Dale was rowing and competing for the Navy since he was a graduate of the Naval Academy. He was a world class rower and even went on to coach at the Academy. Beth decided when she attended college in Philadelphia that she would learn to row. She worked very hard and in time she also excelled in the sport. They met, fell in love and were eventually married in a beautiful military wedding at the Naval Academy in Annapolis.

How could they not have fallen in love? Dale looked like Tom Cruise and Beth had long naturally curly red hair and the face of an angel. (Naturally, this is mother speaking.) They each are so good and kind to each other and they make friends wherever they go. I am so proud of both of them and especially thankful for the two sweet grandsons they have given me.

And so, Happy Anniversary to my sweet children!

MEMORIES, PRESSED BETWEEN THE PAGES OF MY MIND...?????

I now know I have lost my mind. Totally. Completely.

I have a cute little cup and saucer and a teapot, both with violets on them. Last night I saw them on a top shelf in my kitchen and I remembered that I thought I had bought a little sugar bowl to keep them company. I was picturing them together on a little tray for my solo tea parties (meaning that I am the only guest) which I never really get around to having, but I always think it is a nice self-indulgent thing to do.

Where was the sugar bowl? Did I buy it at the antique store I was in recently? Did I buy it on ebay? Didn't I put it up on that shelf already? Did my husband reach up there for something and accidently knock it down? Yes, maybe that was it. (As he had already done that with one of my favorite teapots.) He was probably afraid to tell me and he cleaned up the pieces and won't admit to it. Ok. So now I have not only lost my memory, but I am also paranoid.

I went to sleep thinking about that darn sugar bowl and awakened still wondering about how I could possibly forget whether I bought one or imagined it.

Just now I was reading my e-mails and there was one from a seller from an "Etsy" shop asking me a question about the sugar bowl I ordered. WHAT??!! Do you mean that I have not lost my mind - well, maybe partially. I checked my Etsy account, and yup, there it was. A sweet little violet covered sugar bowl still waiting to be delivered.

INHUMANITY

Did anyone read in the news about the 78 year old man who was run over by a car in Hartford, CT and NO ONE stopped. Not just the driver, but not even any bystanders. They just stood there and watched or walked by without doing anything. There he was -- lying in the street -- injured -- in pain -- NO ONE did anything. Someone on a scooter even circled around him to look at him and then drove away. Police assisted because they had been on another call and happened upon the accident. It was not known if anyone called 911.

What in the name of God was wrong with those people who witnessed this?

As I read the article, however, I stopped to consider all the people who DO stop to assist people. But this is Delaware. Maybe things are better here.

REMEMBER

I still have my mother's wedding dress. It is a handmade dress worn on her special day January 10, 1944. I also have one of my father's Army uniforms, possibly the one he wore on that day. Although he never fought overseas during WWII, there was at that time the strong chance that he was to be sent at any moment. He took that long train trip from the east coast west in preparation for a possible assignment in the Pacific. Those were scary times. Unstable times. You never knew what came next. People were married on the spur of the moment just as they still do in times of war and upset. I have two uncles who served overseas during WWII. One was a fighter pilot. One made a daring escape from German captivity. I knew a man who was a prisoner of war in the South Pacific in WWII and was tortured by being kept in a small metal box in the sun. My husband piloted transport planes full of soldiers and supplies to Vietnam during that war. We all have stories of someone in our families who served and died or served and lived to tell the story. Remember and honor them.

This memorial weekend when you see pictures of wives and family left behind by those who served our country, remember those faces. They could be you or me if not for the courage it took for our young men to "join up" and the bravery of them as they fought their last battle.

Remember the men who left here as boys and returned as men. WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf, Afghanistan, Iran.

Always, always remember.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BETH

Just about this time 42 years ago I gave birth to the most wonderful, the most beautiful, the most talented, the sweetest daughter I could ever ask for.

Happy Birthday to my dearest, my only child.

ANDY WARHOL AND THE WEATHER CHANNEL

Andy Warhol said that everyone will be famous for fifteen minutes. Well, I don't know if that is true, but yesterday may have been one of my husband's few seconds.

I was sitting by the ocean yesterday and noticed a Weather Channel van parked nearby. I did not think it unusual because we often get news cameras by the beach to film a storm. We had just had that nor'easter and the beach was eroded as a result. I knew my husband was working a few blocks away and I thought of calling him to let him know his favorite channel's news was in town. I didn't call, but the next thing I saw was him standing by the news van. They hooked him up to a microphone, turned the camera on and there he was being interviewed and taped. This was a big deal for him, since as a retired Air Force pilot, weather was and still is important to him. We called our family to tell them, and about 7:30 last night he was on television. His interview on site took about ten minutes. After editing, he was on the screen for about ten seconds. Following him was an interview with a surfer who happened to be walking by. He got more air time. So much for television.

SQUIRREL UPDATE

A squirrel has been finally lured and captured into our trap. However, it may not be THE squirrel. The trap sits along the tray ceiling in the master bedroom (in which I have NOT been sleeping until all culprits are captured and all ceiling and attic openings sealed!). This occurred late last night. We set it loose and so far it and/or its partners have not reappeared. (By the way, he and his possible friends are all named "Peanut." If you share a bedroom with squirrels you have to name them.)

I will keep you apprised.

BOOKS, BOOKS AND MORE BOOKS and elephants, too

I am surrounded by books to read. I recently finished the BEST book I have read in a long time. It is "Water For Elephants" by Sara Gruen. It is fiction, but laced with some true events and facts. This book is SO good. It is definitely a "must read."

I was so fascinated by the behaviour of the elephant, that I checked out two more elephant related books from the library. I am now reading "Jumbo - The Greatest Elephant In The World" by Paul Chambers. I am almost finished it. It is full of interesting facts, figures, stories and photos and illustrations of this famous elephant who was with the Barnum and Bailey Circus. The word "jumbo" meaning large was derived from this elephant's name.

I also have waiting for me:

1. "The Circus At The Edge Of The Earth (Travels With The Great Wallenda Circus)" by Charles Wilkins.

2. "Modoc - The True Story of the Greatest Elephant That Ever Lived" by Ralph Helfer. (I don't know who was the greater - Jumbo or Modoc).

3. "D" Is For Deadbeat" by Sue Grafton. (I am working my way through the alphabet with this author.)

4. "The Diary of a Nobody" by George and Weedon Grossmith. (This was first published in 1892 and is about a timeless comic character in English fiction.)

5. "My Best Friend's Girl" by Dorothy Koomson (This was loaned to me by a friend who loved it.)

6. "Riding Lessons" by Sara Gruen.

I have finished reading "Slow Waltz In Cedar Bend" which was on my Spring Reading 2008 Challenge list. This was a good book, even though I did not really like the two main characters. The author, Robert James Waller, also wrote "The Bridges of Madison County" which I did not read, but saw the movie. Slow Waltz is similar in that it tells an interesting love story. It is worth reading.

I am also reading "Ida Mae Tutweiler's Traveling Tea Party", but I think I have read it before.

It is a beautiful day here in coastal Delaware. Two days ago we were besieged by very high winds and rain. Tree limbs and leaves are everywhere. You should have seen the ocean yesterday -- the roughest and highest waves I have seen for a long time.

THE GREAT SQUIRREL INCIDENT CONTINUES

I returned home last night and looked forward to a good night's sleep in my own bed. I checked outside the house and noted that the holes in the soffit along the roof were closed up and was happy that the repairs were made. Husband said it was all taken care of. I slept like a log and awakened this morning to the scramble of little feet in the ceiling. I got out of bed and looked up and, yup, there was the squirrel looking down at me. I grabbed my phone, called my husband and vented my outrage. Within thirty minutes two of his workers were at the house. Obviously, only the exterior was repaired with the squirrel still in the attic area and with open access to the unrepaired room size opening along the tray ceiling. You can't see this opening from ground level, but I climbed up the ladder to the ceiling myself and saw it. I now await the workers to return and seal up the opening which Husband the Builder said was "taken care of." I have also gone on-line and found out how to trap squirrels. So it looks like I will be heading to the local "Ace Is The Place" hardware store for a squirrel trap. The saga continues.

But -- I did have a very nice visit with my daughter and son-in-law, his parents and sister and her little girl, and my wonderful grandsons. It was a tight squeeze in their house for all of us, but it all worked out. The first communion was beautiful. Little Ian was dressed in the same suit his brother wore three years ago. He was so handsome and so proud. Eleven year old Cooper was the "official photographer" and took a cute video of the children singing at the church.

Well I guess I will head on out to the hardware store. Wish me luck.

BEFORE I LEAVE......

Dear Bloggers,

I am leaving tomorrow for a trip to visit my daughter and son-in-law and my grandsons. My youngest will have his First Holy Communion on Saturday. The other grandparents are coming in from Tennessee and the godmother is flying in from California. It will be the little guy's big day.

I always get stressed out before any trip. What to pack, will I get to the airport in time, etc., etc. It is now 9:30 at night and I am doing laundry. I always feel like the home front can't function if I am not here to supervise. Are you the same way?

Oh - yes. Let me tell you the squirrel story before I leave. My husband built a big addition onto our house a few years ago. Since he is a builder, of course a lot of little things were never finished. The master bedroom is very large and has a high tray ceiling. Well, for the last week or so I have been hearing scrambling in the ceiling. I thought it was just squirrels or birds on the roof. Yesterday it got very loud and I walked into the bedroom and saw a quick glimpse of a "creature" up on the tray section of the ceiling. I jumped a mile. After awhile I went back in the room and there was a definite SQUIRREL looking at me from nine or ten feet above me. IN THE BEDROOM!!! Of course, I called my husband THE BUILDER who informed me he would look into it. Last night he went to bed without doing a thing about it. I pondered whether to sleep in that room also or sleep in another bedroom. Well, I thought - I haven't seen or heard anything for awhile so I went to bed and had a rather fitful sleep.

Fast forward to this afternoon. There was the squirrel again brazenly watching me from his little perch along the ceiling. I called my husband and then I left. By this time one of the cats has noticed the animal, but the poodle was oblivious. Husband brought one of his workers to the house and said that they would have to work on it tomorrow because apparently an opening was left from the ceiling to the outside and they would have to bring lumber. ALL THIS TIME - THERE WAS AN OPENING. I COULD HAVE HAD 100 SQUIRRELS IN THERE!!

So, guess where I am sleeping tonight? You guessed it. Not in THAT room!

Hopefully, when I return on Monday, I will be squirrel-less.

Take care, everyone.

REGARDING WEDDINGS

I like the ceremonies of life. I like weddings. I even like funerals. I like formal church services.

I attended two wedding receptions on the past two weekends. Each reception could not have been more dissimilar.

Unfortunately, we were not invited to the weddings because they were small and private. I would have rather attended the weddings than the receptions.

One wedding and reception took place at a small local winery. The reception was for about 100 invited guests with tables for everyone, beautiful centerpieces, heavy hors d'oeuvres and a DJ. The cake was beautiful. The wedding party was small. It was fairly low key and nicely done.

The other wedding took place at a very small, historic church which held a very limited number of people. I would have loved to have seen the wedding because at the end they released white doves into the sky. The reception, however, had about 250 guests, the wedding party (30+ people) and a huge band. There was a sit-down dinner and the food was cold. They forgot the toast. The cake very plain and small. Actually, I kept walking up to the cake and then informing my table that the cake was cardboard and it must have been there until the real cake arrived. As time passed and no fancy cake appeared I realized that it was not a cardboard cake at all! Silly me. But, of course, the bride was beautiful and happy and that is what was important.

I definitely prefer small, intimate weddings and receptions. Simple is best.

What kind of weddings do you prefer?

(The photo above is courtesy of The Graphics Fairy.)

A Cherry Tree

A cherry tree

stands

with her pink skirt

of fallen blossoms

gathered

gaily around her.










(I saw a cherry tree today with a perfect circle of blossoms on the ground around it. Unfortunately, I did not have a camera with me and then it rained and crushed the blossoms. I found this photo online and now I forgot where in order to give the author credit.)

Where have I been you ask? Well, maybe you haven't, but in case you have wondered -- I am still here.

I drove up to Pennsylvania on Thursday to visit my sister and came back on Friday. Thursday night I was fortunate enough to be included in a belated birthday dinner that her friend gives her every year. Linda's birthday is actually in December, but they never get around to it for months later. I have never attended one before and it is pretty special. Why, you ask? Because the menu is home-cooked Italian ravioli!! Linda's friend's mother makes over 300 ravioli twice a year for Christmas and Easter. She freezes some and that is what we had for dinner with the good Italian tomato sauce (or gravy as the Italians call it) which has pork and sausage in it. Believe me. You would think you had died and gone to heaven - it is that good. I am changing my recipe for sauce and will make it this way instead:


Canned crushed tomatoes
Canned whole tomatoes
Fresh chopped garlic sauteed in olive oil (with browned sausage links and/or pork roast optional)
Fresh basil
Grated locatelli cheese
I will add some red wine and red pepper flakes also because I always put that in my sauce.

The ravioli are made by hand and are stuffed with shredded pork, egg and grated cheese. I don't think I will attempt these, but they are truly delicious.

Linda and I had a great day and a half together. We both love old 5&10's (which are almost non-existent now) and she took me to one that dated back to 1912 and still had a soda fountain. Unfortunately, the store was on its "last legs", but it was fun to eat at the soda fountain and peruse the store goods. We also visited an antiques store and a Mennonite thrift store and had breakfast at a diner (which we both love to do also). I came home loaded with more "stuff." You never know what you will find!

One of my purposes in going to visit my sister was so that we could both go to Mom and Dad's grave to plant some flowers. We never did get there, but I am sure they won't mind - especially if Mom knows we were at an antiques store. We will go to the cemetery when I am up there again next month.

Yesterday I had a wedding to attend (with another one next Saturday). It was held at a local winery. Beautiful bride, handsome groom, elegant and delicious cake -- what more could you want?

Tonight we will attend a Passover seder at a friend's house. I have never been to one so it should be interesting (and delicious!).

Hope you are having a beautiful Sunday dear bloggers!

I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE CHALLENGE

Lynne is challenging us to pick three or more books from now until November that have been recommended to us. I figure I have plenty of time to do this challenge. These are my choices:

1. "After Hours At The Almost Home" by Tara Yellin. Reviewed and recommended by Literary Feline.

2. "The Year Of Living Biblically" by A.J. Jacobs. Reviewed and recommended by Fraternity of Dreamers.

3. "The Brief Wondrous Life Of Oscar Wao" by Junot Diaz. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize in Fiction, this has been recommended by several bloggers.

SPRING READING CHALLENGE UPDATE

I have finished the Tony Randall book that is on my Spring Reading Challenge list. I bought this book for 25 cents - it was published in 1989. I always liked Tony Randall and thought it would be interesting. Actually, for anyone interested in the theater it would be very interesting. Tony shares with the reader a long series of funny stories about New York theater and Hollywood. I think some of it is meant to be understood by show business insiders. The book is entertaining, but since it is an older book, everything takes place prior to the 1980's. Tony Randall passed away fairly recently. I will probably donate this book to the library.



I have started the new Cara Black book which already appears to be of her usual high caliber of writing. If you are unfamiliar with her books, but you like mysteries and you like Paris -- you will love her books. I have waited patiently for this book to appear since she is one of my favorite authors.



James Lee Burke (another favorite) is expected to have a new book (a new Dave Robicheaux mystery) out this summer. Janet Evanovich will have another Stephanie Plum book released on June 17. I can't wait for these to be released.

SPRING READING THING 2008 CHALLENGE

The Spring Reading Challenge began on March 20 and I tentatively set up a small list of my books to be read. I have been so negligent in posting to my blog that I have already finished two of the books! I am keeping the list very short so that I am inspired to read, but not overwhelmed by it. The first three books were recommended by Lynne.

1. "Everywhere That Mary Went" by Lisa Scottoline FINISHED

2. "Final Appeal" by Lisa Scottoline FINISHED

3. "Ida Mae Tutweiler and the Traveling Tea Party" by Ginnie Siena Bivona (This book was hard to come by. I found an old copy on Amazon.)

4. "Which Reminds Me" by Tony Randall and Michael Mindlin NOW READING (I bought this book for a quarter at a thrift store.)

5. "Murder In the rue de Paradis" by Cara Black (latest from one of my favorites)

6. " 'C' Is For Corpse" by Sue Grafton

7. "Slow Waltz In Cedar Bend" by Robert James Waller (I also bought this at the thrift store. The author also wrote "Bridges of Madison County.")

I really enjoyed the two books by Lisa Scottoline. The stories occur in Philadelphia so I was very familiar with everything she wrote about. I worked for major law firms and the protagonists in the two books are both lawyers. When she mentioned Rittenhouse Square or 22nd and Spruce Street, I was right there many, many times. I went to school right there. I can't wait to read the next book by this author.