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.

HAPPY EASTER!

Isn't this the sweetest card? Jo found this for me at Graphics Fairy and sent it to me. (See the little violets?) Thank you, Jo and thank you to Graphics Fairy for sharing her beautiful collection of vintage postcards.

I have been sick for several days with the dreaded stomach flu (yuck) that seems to be going around. I finally feel better tonight. At least I should be able to eat normally tomorrow. I plan to make ham, scalloped potatoes, baked pineapple and some kind of veggie. I want some real food! I have had enough of saltines and ginger ale.

Ken and I were supposed to take a road trip on Friday to Massachusetts to spend Easter with Beth and Dale and the grandsons. I cancelled -- they don't want my germs and I certainly didn't feel up to traveling. We were going to drive so we could take the poodle with us. (Unfortunately, though, he is not a particularly good passenger.) I was so looking forward to it. Now it will just be the two of us at Easter -- well actually the six of us counting the furry, four-legged children.

Having family far away on the holidays is for the birds. I am very much a family person and here I am in Delaware with my sister and my nieces in Pennsylvania and my daughter and her little family in Massachusetts. How I envy those of you who have your family close by.

I hope each and every one of you have an Easter filled with love and promise for the new season.

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!!!!!!

Thank you to Karen at Graphics Fairy for this vintage greeting.

THE STORY OF VIOLETTE

Today I thought I would share with you the story of my oldest cat, Violette. (I used to spell it Violet until I realized that the other three four-footed babies in my house have French names, so hence "Violette."

Once upon a time a very nice lady and her new husband lived in a condo just off the beach in a small town. There were many wild cats in this little beach town.

One day through the back fence appeared a little gray striped wild kitty. She was as wild as the squirrels who lived in the trees. The nice lady wanted to feed the kitty, but the kitty was so wild and shy she would not come close even though she was very hungry.

Each day the lady would put a can of tuna through the fence and the little kitty would eat her fill. Each day the lady moved the can closer to the back door. After many days the kitty would eat from the can while the lady sat beside her. After many more days the lady was allowed to touch the kitty and pet her.

But one day was different. On this day the lady picked up the shy, wild kitty and took her into the house. The kitty was so scared that she ran from room to room and cried to get out, but the lady would not let her out.

Finally, the kitty thought that this was not a bad place after all. The lady and the man were very nice and always fed her. She was no longer hungry. A big, old boy cat also lived there and he became her friend. He took care of her and showed her where she could sleep and even washed her ears for her.

The wild, shy cat was given the name "Shy Violet" by the nice lady. As the years passed, Violette was no longer wild and she was no longer shy. She loved her new home and she loved the nice lady and the nice man and she also loved the big, old boy cat who washed her ears.

They all lived happily ever after because that is how nice stories are supposed to end.

COMPUTER GAME CAN INCREASE VOCABULARY AND FEED A HUNGRY PERSON

Melissa, the winner of my Victoria Magazine giveaway, has done a post about a great Feed The Hungry program. Check it out at FREE RICE.COM.

You click on an answer that best defines the word given. If you get it right, you get a harder word. If wrong, you get an easier word. For each word you get right, 20 grains of rice are donated. Increase your vocabulary and help to feed hungry people. Food is distributed through the UN World Food Program.

In about 15 minutes I donated 2000 grains of rice. Every little bit helps, doesn't it? When you get to the site, read "Options" and you can set it to save your previous scores and you can challenge yourself.

Thank you, Melissa, for highlighting this very worthy program.

AND THE WINNER IS...............................

AND THE WINNER IS.................. Melissa at Off The Wall. Melissa, I hope you enjoy your very own subscription to this wonderful magazine. Please e-mail me with your e-mail and mailing address and I will send the subscription in. Congratulations! And thank you for those of you who entered.

A "JUST BECAUSE" GIVEAWAY

I am having a giveaway! No reason. Just because. The "Victoria" magazine has been a favorite of mine since the first issue quite some years ago. (See my 10/29/07 post) I was devastated when they ceased publication. A lot of people were. One day I received a letter that they were starting the magazine again. I was ecstatic.

To celebrate my "bliss" (as on the cover Bliss - Victoria) I am giving away a subscription to this wonderful magazine to some lucky lady.

By the way, I was reading the Jan/Feb issue (shown above) and there was an article about one of our fellow bloggers and a peek at her lovely home in France. Check out Corey's blog. It is called Tongue In Cheek.

Just leave a comment here and leave a link on your blog and I will randomly select your name on Sunday, March 9 at 9:00 p.m. SORRY, BUT U.S. RESIDENTS ONLY.

Good luck! You will love this magazine.

THIS IS A "STICKY" POST. PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR RECENT POSTS.

SPRING READING THING 2008 - TRY IT - YOU'LL LIKE IT

Katrina at Callapidder Days is introducing a new reading challenge and, despite my previous misgivings about my ability (or inability) to commit, I am going to join in on this one. Click here to read Katrina's post about the challenge.


I am going to keep my reading list small so as not to be intimidated by it. The Challenge begins March 20 and runs through June 19. I'll let you know my reading selections soon. I hope you'll join in, too.


A rainy, miserable day here in coastal Delaware and probably more of the same tomorrow. But - the birds were singing this morning, the worms are crawling and Spring is just around the corner. Don't forget to "spring" your clocks forward tomorrow night!

BEAU - CAUGHT IN THE GENE POOL

My dear little poodle has been scratching so much lately and I discovered a sore patch on the inside of his back leg. Yesterday we went to the vet. Beau apparently has allergies - we don't know to what. He also has a skin infection where he chewed on the sore spot, so now he is on antibiotics for three weeks and Benadryl twice a day. The Benadryl seems to help, but unfortunately it doesn't make him less hyper. (ha, ha) I know Kris and Lynne have dogs with skin problems and have written about them.

Let's see -- My Violette the cat has skin problems, so does Pierre the cat, and so do I. Did they inherit my genes?

SIX WORD MEMOIR MEME

GRANDCHILDREN GIVE NEW MEANING TO LIFE

Lynne at Lynne's Little Corner Of The World tagged me for this. It was hard to do! Give it a try.

Here are the meme rules:

1. Write your own six word memoir

2. Post it on your blog and include a visual illustration if you’d like

3. Link to the person that tagged you in your post and to this original post if possible so we can track it as it travels across the blogosphere

4. Tag five more blogs with links

5. Remember to leave a comment on the tagged blogs with an invitation to play!

I tag:

Kookie at Fraternity of Dreamers

Kris at Gardens By The Lake

Barbara at The Clark Homestead

Linda at Somewhere In Time

Tracey at Show Me State Of Mind

7 ODDBALL THINGS ABOUT ME - A Meme

Quite awhile ago I was tagged for this meme: 7 Oddball Things About Me. I am finally catching up. I can't remember who tagged me it has been that long ago, but here goes:

1. I talk to myself a lot. Sometimes I worry that I have been talking to myself out in public.

2. I learned many years later from an old friend that I was considered very sophisticated and aloof in high school. I remember feeling very shy and very out of place.

3. I often sing and dance when I am home alone (that and the talking to myself -- yup that's me). Actually, I don't necessarily have to be alone to do this.

4. This is not really oddball, but not that common either -- I love poetry.

5. I collect mourning jewelry. These are pieces of jewelry that were generally inspired by Queen Victoria after the death of her beloved Albert. They often braided the hair of the departed loved one and inset it into brooches, lockets, rings, even used it for bracelets and watch fobs. I have some brooches with pictures in them of the loved ones.

6. I like cemeteries.

7. I generally like the company of animals better than people.

Care to share something a little eccentric about yourself? If so, consider yourself tagged!

BEING ALONE

Yesterday I drove my husband to the airport for his trip to Florida. He and an old Air Force buddy get together either here or there once a year. His friend is now 83 and is slowing down a little, but not much. He actually fought during WWII with the Marines in Iwo Jima.


So. I am alone until next weekend. Usually I wallow in my alone time like a pig in mud. Being alone sometimes is extremely important to me. I have always been that way. My mother used to tell me that she could tell when I needed some time to myself because I would start to get grumpy. Yup, that's me.


So last night I started to feel punky and realized I could be catching his cold, which I never do. And now there is no one to complain to!

"FIFTY ACRES AND A POODLE" by Jeanne Marie Laskas

Good evening, dear bloggers. Thought I would let you know another good book I just read. I bought this book several years ago and never read it. Since I own a poodle it caught my eye and I can't imagine why I forgot about it.

In a nutshell:

The author is a columnist for Washington Post Magazine and also writes for other publications. This is a true story of her life with her dog and cat and new husband and his poodle and their new farm and the surprise she gave him for a wedding present and their family and friends and her feelings about the changes she is experiencing and I reeaaaally enjoyed this book. Reeealllly.

A DAY AT THE AUCTION

You have probably heard by now about the license plate that was sold in Dubai for about a trillion dollars. Well, here in the first state, the smallest state, Delaware, we have a record sale price for a license plate also.

When I first moved to Delaware in 1992 I learned that it is a BIG DEAL to own a low number license plate. They are handed down through families, they are bought and sold for high prices, they are coveted and proudly displayed. My question was -- "what if someone steals it?". I now know that it does not matter if someone steals the tag off the vehicle, because it is the registration NUMBER that matters, not necessarily the tag itself (although this can have some value as I will explain).

Here are some facts:

The old tags were black and white.

Many people with newer registrations with longer numbers have the new tag made to look like the old black and white ones.

I know people who have the old real tags and I know people who have the new imitation old plates. It is a big deal here in Delaware.

The Governor of Delaware's tag is #1; the Lt. Governor is #2. I guess they have to give this up when they leave office.

I will never understand why these tags are so important to some Delawareans. Some say it is patriotic. I don't get it.

Yesterday there was a big multi-estate auction in Rehoboth Beach. I love these auctions. A friend and I went at 9:30 and stayed until 6:30. We had breakfast, lunch and dinner there and had front row seats. The big event was the sale of a #6 license plate which was to occur at 2:00. There had been a rumor for months that Katie Couric was going to be there to televise this unusual sale. Katie was not there, but there was a cameraman and other New York types from CBS. There was a model from "Deal Or No Deal" (tv show) to hold up the precious license plate. The family of the deceased prior owner was there and were interviewed. The room was packed -- more than standing room only. At 2:00 you could have heard a pin drop. Bidding commenced. Anyone interested had to leave a deposit of $50,000 in order to register to bid. It was down to two people -- one from Sussex County (the home team) and one representing someone from New Castle County (Wilmington, DE). As bidding became more intense the audience rooted and cheered for the home team guy. He eventually gave up and the plate was sold to the other guy for.....................$675 ,000!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! UNBELIEVABLE.

As bidding on more license plates continued, an old #6 unregistered (or "dead") license plate came up on the block. Someone had found it in his yard. It was dirty, rusted and barely readable. But it definitely said 6. It sold for around $50,000. UNBELIEVABLE.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY and update

FOR YOU DEAR BLOGGERS,

Update: Just watched "Love With The Proper Stranger". Filmed in 1963, Steve McQueen gave Natalie Wood a small bouquet of violets that he bought from a street vendor in NYC. (See my 2/12 post)

THEN WE CAME TO THE END by Joshua Ferris

This was the last book in my Fall Reading Challenge which I am two months late in completing. That is one reason I don't usually do "Challenges."

Then We Came To The End took me through an on-again off-again rollercoaster about whether I should give up on the book or continue. Everytime I thought I would end it, I thought I just had to see what WAS at the end. It isn't that it isn't well-written. It is. In a detailed commentary the author takes us through the hours of the office workday. I kept getting distracted and then had to pick up the thread of the story again. This certainly was not the fault of the author.

The end result is that I greatly enjoyed this book. I even looked back into it to re-read sections for further clarification. I could easily read it again. This is a book that I would not mind owning rather than borrowing from the library. This is Joshua Ferris's first novel. I like to read first novels - they hold such promise for good things to come.

Kookiejar at A Fraternity of Dreamers read this and put it on her best new novel list for last year. She said it was "touching, funny and quirky." Kookiejar has recommended some good books that I have enjoyed.

If you enjoy the television show "The Office" you will surely enjoy this brilliant book.


A little blurb from the book flap:

No one knows us quite the same way as the men and women who sit beside us in department meetings and crowd the office refrigerator with their labeled yogurts. Every office is a family of sorts, and the ad agency Joshua Ferris brilliantly depicts in his debut novel is family at its strangest and best, coping with a business downturn in the time-honored way: through gossip, pranks and increasingly frequent coffee breaks.

I hope you put this on your reading list. You won't regret it.

P.S. Check out the author's website -- it is very entertaining.

VIOLETS FOR YOU, VIOLETS FOR ME

As you know by now, the violet is my favorite flower (NOT African violets). Violet is the name of my dearest oldest cat. Violetlady is my blog. I have a collection of violet decorated little boxes and bottles and pictures. It was also my mother's favorite flower. My first acquisition in the violet realm was a round violet cologne bottle hand painted with violets. It belonged to my paternal grandmother (my Nana) and she always kept it, even though empty, on a shelf in her bathroom. I admired it for years and finally it became mine.

I love old black and white movies. There is one on the television right now. It is called "Mannequin", made in 1937, and stars Joan Crawford and Spencer Tracy. I haven't been watching it, but I have seen several scenes where Spencer gives Joan small bouquets of violets.

I have seen this done in many old movies. Apparently, violet bunches used to be sold on the streets by vendors. Oh, how I wish that were still the case. And why not? Even in New York and Paris where flower stores put their flowers in wonderful outdoor displays, I have never seen bouquets of violets. Are they not grown for the merchant trade anymore? This is something I would like to know -- on to the internet!

There is a sentimental old song which sings about winter in New York and a gentleman giving a lady violets for her fur. Can you think of a more beautiful sight? A woman in a dark fur coat is walking down, mmmmm, Fifth Avenue. A gentleman is by her side. It is gently snowing. There is an old woman holding a basket of small bouquets of violets for sale. They stop. He buys a bouquet and gently pins it to her fur. The music continues..........

It was winter in Manhattan, falling snow flakes filled the air,

The streets were covered with a film of ice,

But a little simple magic that I learned about somewhere,

Changed the weather all around, just within a thrice.

I bought you violets for your furs and it was spring for a while, remember?

I bought you violets for your furs and there was April in that December.

The snow drifted down ON the flowers, and MELTED where it lay.

The snow looked like dew ON the blossoms as on a summer day.

I bought you violets for your furs and there was blue in the wintry sky,

You pinned my violets to your furs and gave a lift to the crowds passing by,

You smiled at me so sweetly, since then one thought occurs,

That we fell in love completely, the day I bought you violets for your furs.

A NEW AWARD!!

Tristi, Lynne and Kristina each have honored me with this award. Thank you so much Tristi -- you make my day, too! I first met Tristi when she left a comment on my other blog, Cabin Dream. (I am afraid my other blog is sorely ignored by me -- I will have to change that.) I was so thrilled and honored that an honest to gosh author left me a comment. Lynne is our fellow blogger and one of my oldest and dearest friends. She got me started in the blog world. Thank you, Lynne. And Kristina has a delightful new blog and I am grateful to her for this award. We share the same name!


Now to pass this award on to ten more people. I know some have been given this award already, so this may be hard. All of you deserve this award because I love to read your posts!

1. Jo and JD at Bits and Pieces
2. Lidy at French Garden House
3. Nan at Letters From a Hill Farm
4. Mary at Mary's Writing Nook
5. Miles Away In France
6. Willow's Cottage
7. Barbara at The Clark Homestead
8. Morning Glory at Seeds From My Garden
9. Tracey at Show Me State Of Mind
10. Karen at Over The Backyard Fence

GIANTS 17 - PATRIOTS 14

As you all know by now, the NY Giants have won the Superbowl. I actually watched much of the game and I was rooting for the Patriots since my daughter lives in New England. I have never been a football fan at all and I mean AT ALL. In fact, I am not very interested in the major sports unless the Phila. Phillies are playing. I could not believe this game. Did you see the very end, right down to the last minute when the Giants scored a touchdown? Pretty impressive I must say, although I still think the Patriots should have won -- after all they were undefeated during the entire season and that guy Tom Brady is soooooo cute. That's my sports report for the day.

HAPPY GROUNDHOG DAY

The great prognosticator, Punxutawney Phil, arose at dawn today at Gobbler's Knob in Pennsylvania, saw his shadow and declared that there would be six more weeks of winter.

Phil has been predicting his winter forecast since the 1800's and I think he is to be believed, don't you?

A movie that I really enjoy is "Groundhog Day" with Bill Murray. So funny! Sometimes I feel just like Bill. Some days I wake up and know it will be the same ol', same ol'. Just sometimes, though. I hope I find the movie on TV tonight.

I hope you all have a great Groundhog Celebration tonight!