July 4, 2008
Independence Day
The sun is peaking through after a rainy and cool morning - unbelievably enough it is only 61 degrees right now where normally the temperature would be roasting us on the 4th of July!
I have been listening to patriotic music and recordings all morning - never fails to give me the shivers and bring tears to my eyes. I am glad for that actually because it means that despite all the things that are wrong with the USA, overall I am proud to be an American and appreciate the sacrifices that have been made for me to live here in freedom.
I love the song "God Bless America" and nobody sings it better than Kate Smith ~
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r26_CSzk3Xw
Happy 4th of July!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by Carol at 12:57 PM | Comments (0)
June 25, 2008
Carol, the Vole Slayer
Last night Matthew and Davie were here to see our Baltimore pictures. Afterwards we went outside, and all of a sudden Davie spotted a pesky garden vole on the ground next to the gas grill. I have been trying to rid my gardens of this beast for probably ten years and have trapped him under a bucket more than once only to have him slither under and escape before I could decide what to do with him. This time however I promptly removed one of my trusty well worn Born sandals, walked over and whacked him smartly with my shoe! He has breathed his last and peace reigns again in my gardens. No more plantings will disturbed by the tunneling and nibbling of this furry little mini-monster. Hmmph.
Posted by Carol at 10:32 PM | Comments (0)
June 24, 2008
Tasha Tudor
Last week the author/illustrator Tasha Tudor died at the age of 92. Her illustrations were to me reminicsent of Beatrix Potter's - quite magical and lovely.
Tasha Tudor lived with no electricity or running water - she was quite a woman, lived as if it was the 1800’s, and yet wrote and illustrated books that sold millions in the modern world!
Posted by Carol at 4:22 PM | Comments (0)
June 23, 2008
Water Taxis
After fast talking Delaney onto a water taxi in Baltimore last week (she has a long-standing fear of being in a boat on the water!) I had a hard time talking her off of it!! She loved the concept of traveling about the inner harbor via these small open air excursion boats and we rode to various points, got off, explored the area and then back to ride some more!
She enjoyed Fort McHenry and already knew the whole story of Francis Scott Key and the Star Spangled Banner etc. Her favorite place in Baltimore was the National Aquarium and the gigantic sting and manta ray tank.
Not far behind that was her swimming schedule - 4 times every day that we were there! She is a self-taught swimmer which is pretty rare in these modern times of signing up kids for every sort of activity or lesson imaginable.
And she (as well as Ella) loves to travel! She listened on the airplane headphones to the air traffic control and pilot conversations for all aircraft in our area and duly reported the latest for our flight number!
Small world report - on Friday we got on the same water taxi as my Conversation Club friend Kate & her family were on! They were in Baltimore for the day, then attending a weekend wedding in Harper's Ferry!
Posted by Carol at 1:13 PM | Comments (0)
June 16, 2008
Headed east
Tomorrow morning early Steve, Delaney and I fly out to Baltimore - Steve has a UPA conference to attend, so we girls will sight see and take it easy as fits our mood:) The weather promises to be mild and dry, unlike the other time I was there about ten years ago when it was 95 and humid!
So many flowers here are ready to burst into bloom and I hope they will still be pretty when we return on Saturday!
Posted by Carol at 10:56 PM | Comments (0)
June 10, 2008
Drown or Fry
We have had more than ample rainfall so far this growing season - so much, that I have to go around and dump the excess water out of my potted plants lest they suffer root rot. In fact, I have already lost one (expensive) mandevilla vine this way. Last year at the same time I had all that I could do to keep everything watered, and was instead seeing many flowers and plants succumb to the heat and dry weather.
My dilemma is nothing though, compared to the disastrous flooding Indiana is experiencing right now. Many people have lost everything, and because they aren't considered to be in a "flood plain" they don't have insurance to fall back on. I guess we should have asked Mother Nature what she thought...
Posted by Carol at 10:56 PM | Comments (0)
June 8, 2008
Dancing holes in my shoes
My parents know how to throw a great party!! They treated us all to a wonderful evening of dancing, visiting and eating on May 31 at the Klossner House in honor of their 60th wedding aniversary. To the music of the Leon Olsen Show we danced the night away - most fun partner had to be my little sister Barbara. We whirled around the floor like we were kids again - the air was thick with memories of Pine Camp Ballroom.
Leon plays a mean concertina - he owns not one but three Christy Hengel handmade beauties, valued at over $12,000 each. He and his band can play every style of "old-time" and "new-time" music so there was something for everyone to enjoy. I was also very honored to be led around the dance floor by my dad, who is much in demand by all the ladies I am told:)
Posted by Carol at 10:37 PM | Comments (0)
May 26, 2008
In Observance of Decoration Day
In Flanders Fields
by John McCrae, May 1915
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep,
though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
Inspiration for the Poem
On 2 May, 1915, in the second week of fighting during the Second Battle of Ypres Lieutenant Alexis Helmer was killed by a German artillery shell. He was a friend of the Canadian military doctor Major John McCrae. It is believed that John began the draft for his famous poem 'In Flanders Fields' that evening.
Posted by Carol at 3:16 PM | Comments (0)
May 21, 2008
Princess Ella
Our trip to Disney with Ella was wonderful. She is the perfect age (she will be 5 at the end of July) and temperment for all the magical Disney sights and sounds and attractions. We had great weather - hot but not too humid, no rain but some nice heavy overcast skies now and then. Trips like this are a tidy investment so it is always nice when everything goes so well!
Posted by Carol at 9:58 AM | Comments (0)
May 14, 2008
There and back
My weekend in Minnesota was quite fine. My folks were thrilled to have their children at home to celebrate their 60th anniversary which is actually today, May 14. We attended church, then had a wonderful coffee hour with the Norwegian wedding cakes and tables decorated with flowers. We all went to a delicious brunch at the New Ulm Holiday Inn, followed by more festivities at my folks house including a toast to their happiness and opening some anniversary gifts and of course Mother’s Day presents. Three of their nine grandchildren were able to join in so that was an added bonus. My folks continue to amaze me - they have a zest for life and activities that leaves me rather breathless! Both Steve and I will travel back to Minnesota for their big open house dance on May 31st, but first comes our trip to Disney with little Miss Ella on Friday till Monday.
Posted by Carol at 11:30 PM | Comments (0)
Hello there!
Hey Gloria! I am glad that you found your way back - would have left a comment on your post but something is not right with that deal and I can't seem to log in under the comments. It is always hard to decide to actually be done with a living tree, but sometimes we have to do so for the greater good!
Posted by Carol at 3:43 PM | Comments (0)
Lighten Up
I spent a few minutes (well more than a few, Carol is very faithful to journal on this site) to capture the thoughts of my friend Carol. I have long been absent from this little spot. In fact I do not recognize the format so I do hope I am where I ought to be!
Yesterday a very old grew up on its own Silver Maple tree was cut down in our back yard. It was significant in height and trunk circumference but not particularly elegant in form, such the growth pattern of Silver Maples. It was ever so close to our house and the trunk was tri-furcated...is that a word? So the decision was made to slay the beast. The change would be noticeable for sure but the surprise to me was the light that has come to the space it once took for itself. I have gardens near where is stood and now they will enjoy a whole new view from the sunny sky. I am excited to watch what happens to the little green folk that live there. Instead of two or three blooms on my coneflowers I may be delighted with many more. So then thank you to the old Silver Maple and the sacrifice it gave to my garden...new life...I think I have heard about that mystery before?
Posted by Gloria at 10:31 AM | Comments (0)
May 6, 2008
Hummers return
I hung the hummingbird feeder up last week and on Sunday we had our first customer - a beautiful male Ruby-throated hummingbird. Yesterday there was a pair of Baltimore Orioles in the back maple tree. I heard them before I saw them, which gave me time to run inside for my camera. Got a couple of good shots, then I raced back inside for an orange - cut it in half and put it on a plate on top of the gas grill in hopes of attracting their attention. So far I haven't seen any takers, but I am still hoping!!
Posted by Carol at 10:29 AM | Comments (0)
May 4, 2008
One thousand photos
That's about how many pictures we took out our road trip week before last! Steve and I had each our own camera, and thus double the amount of pictures were taken no doubt. So it is taking me a long time to upload and edit and finish out photo order! We had a fantastic trip - enjoyed every place we went, and had good weather the whole time.
Next up, a trip to Minnesota ~ I am flying up to my folks to help celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary (May 14) plus Mother's Day!
Posted by Carol at 10:17 PM | Comments (0)
April 18, 2008
Road Trip
Tomorrow morning Steve and I are leaving on a little trip. We will go to Asheville, NC overnight, on to Charleston, SC for two nights, Savannah for two nights, then over to Atlanta area to visit civil war battle fields, and lastly to Shiloh battlefield near Memphis before we return home on Sunday. It should be alot of fun - mostly new places for us, and the weather promises to be lovely. Steve has been studying up on using the GPS to guide us to our destinations!
Posted by Carol at 9:46 PM | Comments (0)
Shaken, not stirred
I was jolted out of a sound sleep around 5:30 am today by the now famous Illinois based 5.2 earth quake. The bed shook like a train was passing through the bedroom, the knick knacks on the shelves clicked and clacked and to top it off, I could hear the water in the toilet sloshing around for more than a few seconds after the bed stopped shaking!! It was a feeling not soon to be forgotten! Then, around 11:15 am we had a 4.3 aftershock that shook the computer screen, the desk and the chair I was sitting on. We owe all of this to the shifting of the rock 7.2 miles below the Earth’s surface along the Wabash fault line, an extension of the New Madrid fault that includes Indiana. Steve was driving to work and didn't feel a thing!
Posted by Carol at 6:58 PM | Comments (0)
April 16, 2008
Nature's first green...
Today while out and about I noticed the overall color in the trees which I could see by averting my eyes just slightly. Gold colored it was...which brings to mind Frost's words:
Nothing Gold Can Stay
Nature’s first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf’s a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf,
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day
Nothing gold can stay.
And with this gold, the addition of my tulips opening today!
Posted by Carol at 4:44 PM | Comments (0)
April 12, 2008
Back from the woods
We had a fantastic time, good weather and the girls were wide-eyed at the natural beauty of the park. Many of the trails were too rugged and steep for them, but several were nice and flat. Sugar Creek is flowing so pretty right now and the rocky shoreline had plenty of flat skippers - even Ella got the hang of it after awhile. Our room in the lodge was nice and big and right by the big 2nd story veranda where we sat and looked out at the woods. The indoor swimming pool was also quite big and Delaney added up that we swam for a total of 12 hours! Food in the restaurant was homemade and delicious. All in all, a wonderful time. Topped it off with a stop in Rockville at this huge old fashioned dime store - it even smelled like the Ben Franklin store of my growing up years in Pine City. Trip #3 of 2008 is coming up week after next - driving from here to Asheville to Charleston to Savannah and on over to several Civil War battlefields including Kennesaw by Atlanta and Shiloh by Memphis.
Posted by Carol at 2:35 PM | Comments (0)
April 6, 2008
Turkey Run
Quaint Hoosier name for a state park! Steve and I are taking Delaney and Ella there for a couple of days this week as it is their spring break from school. There is a beautiful lodge, a new indoor swimming pool and game room, miles of hiking trails, horseback riding to name a few things we will take advantage of. They are pretty excited and so are we. Today Delaney made a list of 18 items she wants to remember to pack! Now if the weather will stay like it was today - 70 and sunny - we will have it perfect!
http://www.in.gov/dnr/parklake/inns/turkeyrun/index.html
Posted by Carol at 11:54 PM | Comments (0)