Sepia Saturday 72 : 30 April 2011

Wars, they come in various ways.....As this cartoon depicts Minnesota's Grasshopper invasion. If you lived through it, you would know exactly what true war of beast against man was..... Courtesy of The Minnesota Historical Society

In the early 1870's Minnesota was recovering from the Civil War, and the Dakota War.  Then in the summer of 1873 hordes of Rocky Mountain locusts flew in from a strong southwest wind and they ate all that they could devour.  Followed by the next spring with locust's eggs hatching and more grasshoppers were alive and eating again....families lost everything. 

I hope everyone has survived the big wedding, if you were invited, or for the rest of us that are survivors of it's discussion (everywhere) wishing for life to be normal without any wedding bliss updates please follow along with me!


     My post this week involves Alan's theme (sort of) although, how do you follow an alarm clock with a fragment of a German shell lodged inside of it?  The main keyword is really, "time" followed by wars and or weddings, imagine that!

If you too want to follow along in time from way back when go here http://sepiasaturday.blogspot.com/2011/04/sepia-saturday-72-30-april-2011.html

On the subject of time and royalty.....I think time really stands out like a sore thumb from this photo taken for "The Plain Truth - a magazine of understanding " ( I discovered this complete copy within my grandmother's scrapbook treasures) and this publication was printed by the Ambassador College, Pasadena, CA. and it's founder then, Herbert W. Armstrong and it was published in July 1981 around the time of that all important wedding for Prince Charles.....

My how TIME really stands out in this photo wouldn't you agree? 



Charles, Prince of Wales, beaming with all the warmth of Britain's monarchy, and inside this publication quite a collection on the art of photography in an outdoor setting and more, as the Prince reflects his personal happiness as well as his father's special concern for the natural environment.


Now that we've imagined time....... and a brief touch on war.....we close with.... "The, or rather A Wedding.....  One very important thing that you will witness through photography of long ago....is their continued use of demonstrating within their photographs the importance of that photograph.   I always find it so rewarding within the Minnesota History Center and the endless hours of scanning through their unbelievable supply of all things past.

The Wedding, documented proof is in the groom's hands, taken about 1889 at Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis.  - Courtesy of Minnesota Historical Society.

So, if you too want to share some Sepia passages of time or anything else why not visit Sepia Saturday.

Six Word Saturday - 6WS April 30

Hello on this last day of April.  Really?  It feels more like February in Michigan......and that feeling of being Alaska in Minnesota is getting really old.......  So, I need some real word power!  If you do too, and want to share your life in SIX WORDS with us please go here  http://www.showmyface.com/2011/04/six-word-saturday_30.html


I KNOW WHAT THINGS ARE GOOD



Living fully and enjoying my life --Love, friendship, work, food, nature, conversation --  Hope and joy comes from our relations -- in living life and keeping our memories alive.....

I read a fantastic quote,  "Life without a friend is death without a witness." -- Spanish proverb

and you know what, friends are where life's true wealth lives. 

Yes The Kiss Happened! But what about The Trees!

Okay enough people......even my daughter's step-mother-in -law has posted "The Kiss" on her Facebook page....really?

       So in honor of what other special grand day it is today.....ARBOR DAY (USA)  my youngest son gave to me this darling little tree ...planted with his very own hands in a pot on our deck.....I thank you Danny, and someday this little tree so happy to be....... will be enormously thanking you from another location somewhere off the deck.......... Happy Arbor Day everyone! 

Really, it's all about......The kiss of life for yet another tree to carry the burden of too much snow but be happy for it!  We love you trees everywhere!

I thank you Danny for this wee little tree, and one day this tree will enormously thank you too when it's all grown up and out of this planter......living amongst the other big trees ready for heavy amounts of white stuff and kitties dancing around it!

I'm a Red Pine seedling of course!

Thematic Photography # 144, Happiness is

Greetings out there...... are you thruming like a live wire......and does this post catch you raving abundantly with an inchoerence of joy and simply......ecstatically jubilant over another new day!  Of course and why not as it's Friday and last night TP posted it's new theme being....... "Happiness is..."  if you care to share in some happy, sappy or flappy kind of happy of your own just go here please
http://writteninc.blogspot.com/2011/04/thematic-photographic-144-happiness-is.html

I may not be whole, but I'm given to poetic enthusiasm, for a life well lived, and I'm untouched by any long ago recklessness, since today I stand here full of insatiable beauty carved in stone and pleasantly humble just for you to view my amusement of watching all who pass by....

Flower powered with enthusiasm so bright it's swimming in a scented sensation amongst a wildly primitive explosion of life....and blossoms......

A family gathering as the pleasures are many and we're feeling an uncrushable enthusiasm...flying kites and laughing until they get caught in a tree....quick someone come set them free!

Tell me, how could life be more happy then this?

Whimsical Wednesday wk 23 Apr 27 - May 3

Welcome to another whimsy kind of post....
especially for Whimsical W ed N esday!  If you fill the imaginary push of something whimsy shimsy just go here
http://dthaase-lines.blogspot.com/p/whimsical-wednesday.html



Twas once a clown named Sox, and this is Sox!


I once knew a clown

Who never wore a frown
Pleasing everyone in town.


Once, from a land of tall oaks, or Quercus
This silly-frilly-dilly-clown joined a circus
This silly-frilly-dilly-clown named Sox.


Along with Sox
This silly-frilly-dilly-clown named Sox
Came a blue-shoebox
With something so heavy inside this blue-shoebox
Left for the circus
Outside of Castle Firkas.


What’s inside this blue-shoebox?
Waiting for Sox?
the silly-frilly-dilly clown from the circus
Could it be his cousin Alfred Burkas?


Alfred Burkas who
Sox knew
Lived inside this very blue-shoebox
Being a funny cousin of this silly-frilly-dilly-clown
Who never wore a frown
and either did Alfred Burkas


So this silly-frilly-dilly-clown named Sox
who never lived in a blue-shoebox
Oh no, that would just irk us
If he lived in a blue-shoebox
Because this silly-frilly-dilly-clown named Sox
is the life of the circus!

From Seats to Thespian Mayors!

Heading to the lake......these lovely seats begging for hot sunshine ...on........well on any lake.  This serves as my second and last post for this week's Thematic Photographic theme please take a seat......

..... Now about this morning........It was a cold and rainy, bumper to bumper commute right in the middle of rush hour......again...so yeah I know the drill.....and LATER to honor the sun coming out this afternoon......I have an interesting little story I heard on the radio .....while stuck in traffic....and yes it has to do with our Saint Paul Mayor!

They call him a "Thespian now....but in truth (poet or not) Saint Paul is lucky to have Mayor Chris Coleman .....they actually aired his delightfully funny speech on the air and it went like this...(and  some of you may remember Erma Bombeck using the beginning).... He begins in a slow, easy voice much like Bill Murray only much happier.....
"Somebody somewhere said that finding a pimple on a wrinkle is like the cruelest joke mother nature can play on you.  But, let me tell you from personal experience it's not.  Worse
yet, is having to declare a snow emergency and a flood emergency on the same day for your city!"
Yes , it did happen, of course this year with our incredible dragged out winter of 2010-2011!

Okay, if you're not laughing, guess you had to be there....and completely going bonkers from the stop and go and stop and go rainy morning commute.....and so to make the gloom disappear one can simply dream of going to the lake.....!

Can Anyone Offer Directions?

Asked the bird, "I fear I've lost my way...." But nobody answered.....not one of at least fifty birds watching from a single tree...not even one of the geese flying overhead.....and the rain had disappeared before we knew it.   Just another day unlucky for worms but great for catching birds in mid-flight.... all with the purpose to live lightly.......

Life is good.......

Come, Stop and Smell the Flowers

Please forgive the cell phone photo......   It's a rainy day in St. Paul, and when it's dark and gloomy, and especially while it's raining outstide.....take a visit inside Como Park's Conservatory, where there is something more you'll never discover outside.  

Inside the Conservatory there are no faint whiffs; only incredible and extravagent scents of sweet intimate floral spreads......and the most wondrous fragrances from so many luscious flowers to be had by all that roam about......

The Conservatory in St. Paul....at Como Park....where you can ride a carousal and visit an incredible zoo too!

   Our constant delay of spring has turned my world upside down...... and on this rainy-blue-day this quote comes to cheer away all the grey.....

    The first rule is to keep an untroubled spirit. ("Do you hear that Mother Nature?")
The second is to look things in the face and know them for what they are.  -  Marcus Aurelius
...and so....that being said,

The great virtue in life is real courage that knows how to face facts and live beyond them.  - D. H. Lawrence
                                  Spring, spring come bring what may
                                  Come to light and make our day
                                  Spring, spring come bring what may
                                  Oh please I say...
                                  We all want to run and play

                                  and sing, it's spring, it's spring
                                  and life is never boring
                                  now that you've come our way
                                  we're all so happy it's spring
                                  and hop up in the morning to play!

Saturday Centus - A Picture Challenge

Welcome to Bunny Land! this 51st week of SATURDAY CENTUS!  Jenny has offered relief from last weeks blunder?  No way, I had great fun didn't you????   Jenny has offered for us one delightfully silly blue bunny with his bunny ears standing tall...oh the stories that could hop out of this photo prompt...but I'll go easy... and very PG......not too ...well never scary....maybe a bit Sci-fi, maybe...nothing bad... all in the name of good bunnyish fun right!  Thanks Jenny since time is short today...I needed this great photo prompt!  Easy as being a blue bunny eating Trixs out of a cereal box!  LOL

If you want to hop on over just go here

http://jennymatlock.blogspot.com/2011/04/saturday-centus-picture-challenge.html

     Once upon a time from somewhere on planet Rabbitari lived many bunnies, and Bunny Idol. Nobody denies that Mr. Fox created the Bunny Idol show. Following this show closer like a fox hunting it began to make utter sense. Admittedly, bunnies can’t really perform; except for those jumping out of top hats. Sure they hop, leap and wiggle their ears but what a silly bunny rabbit this one is, fully clad in blue pajamas. Really, what can he do?

      Oh, he delightfully sings, ”Skip, skip, ....skip to my bunny, ...shoo fox shoo, bunnies in the patch...... where are you, .....skipping with my bunny!
     

 So why not hop on over right now before you consume too much bunny fun????

Thematic Photographic # 143 Please Be Seated

Why not.....sit down for a bit.... Please Be Seated ......as the new theme for this week is from Written Inc. blog by Carmi.....!  If you have the urge, (I know you do) then hop on over to this smart link
http://writteninc.blogspot.com/2011/04/thematic-photographic-143-please-be.html

Just a random kitty on a stroll while vacationing......

"I am a very content cat.  Just happy to watch my world pass by...in hopes of something worthy enough to jump down and chase perhaps..." said the cat.

Please be seated and welcome to our world....

There is something so swell about sitting still after a good hard rain in the woods.......

Please do...be seated...for the moment .....all the seats are open....

In a short while there will be singing....and more singing.....

"A throne is only a bench covered with velvet."  - Napoleon Bonaparte

Everywhere we went, there were places for sitting...and reflecting...and living along the trails of life's happiness....

Six Word Saturday 6WS 23 April

Good Saturday rainy morning!  Welcome to another of Cate's Six Word Saturday to lift us up and away....you can check out Cate's blog from Show My Face here
http://www.showmyface.com/2011/04/six-word-saturday_23.html

      
       WE    MUST    BEGIN 
      WHEREVER  WE  ARE



lIKE...............

       
   Helping Kids for Saving Earth Club


or     Not putting off those important things!


and  "Pay it forward to someone now!"


Ready to.............. describe your life in six words?

Sepia Saturday 71 23 April 2011

Welcome to another Sepia Saturday during this Easter time holiday.......Following Alan's theme for all things Easter...... I have a mix of photos and old postcards to share!  I hope everyone has a blessed Easter!

If you want to see what this Sepia Saturday is about just go here

http://sepiasaturday.blogspot.com/2011/04/sepia-saturday-71-23-april-2011.html

An Easter Egg Hunt, in Logan Park, Minneapolis, about 1923.  Courtesy of Minnesota Historical Society.

Could these boys have more fun?  Look closely those are real eggs too!

Easter card

The other side of this postcard is quite interesting....can you understand what it says?

This postcard below is from Spearfish, South Dakota

Passion Play Setting, Spearfish, South Dakota

This view shows a partial panorama of the stage where thrice weekly throughout the summer season world famous Christus portrayer, Joseph Meier presents the Biblical drama with a cast of hundreds.
        In 1932 Joseph Meier brought from Germany the Luenen Passion Play to settle permanently in Spearfish and to become the Black Hills Passion Play.  He continued in the role of Jesus for six decades before his death in 2007.   Soon after his death the amphitheater and all 23 acres were sold.

A boy and his cart in search of the ...."Easter Bunny?"





A determined lad with his cart and animals in search of hidden eggs...Courtesy of The Minnesota Historical Society

This post card was sent in 1912 to Carrie Durrow of Lake Elmo, Mn.


Clara mailed this in 1912

Easter Greetings sent to Minnesota from Pasadena, California April 3, at 5:30 P.M.with a 1 cent stamp.
The card reads:

Easter Greetings
 When teeming nature replenishes
the earth at Easter, may she
scatter seeds of gladness
in your life.

Next another old time post card - Postkarte - Carte postale

From one, Dear Sister to another?

This post card was printed in Germany.... and below is the other side to this "A Happy Easter"

Penmanship was not this sister's strong suit!

My last old time photo post card is a 3-D and one of my favorites....

Oops!  What do you call this?  A black duckling?

When I was eleven years old my sister passed away the day after Easter, so for me ever since then it holds a bitter sweetness.  Perhaps that is why I so enjoy the memory of Easter with little chicks, a rabbit that loves to hide eggs, coloring my own eggs and one of my favorite gifts from my grandparents over seas....was a bunny (appeared to be made of soap) but once you unwrapped it and set it on the table everyday fur would grow, thicker and thicker!  I've never been able to find them these days, but the memory is very sweet.

May happiness follow you all in everything you do this Easter, and everyday!

finishing quote....

Certainly this quote makes much sense.... and somewhat sums up my feelings around Easter.  "Sorrow looks back, worry looks around, faith looks up...." Guideposts

Reward Offered, if you dare

              I should be back in Minneapolis tomorrow.......searching for my most favorite gigantic chocolate bunny ever........so many Minnesotans (and tourists) enjoy....the real kind...well sort of......I'm sure by now someone removed his hats and scarf, surely they did............while I know he won't be wearing swimming wear yet (did I ever mention we're still not sure if he's a boy or a girl?)
        This post is an all points bulletin, (is that how it's said?) and jelly beans (spiced or not) will be given to he or she that sends first proof (like proof of evidence) that winter has officially left our favorite bunny's grounds.....I can hardly wait to visit our sweet chocolate (?) bunny!

Searching for, spring.......what else?

Have you ever seen such big brown darling eyes before?

Whimsical Wednesday wk 21 April 20 - 26

Welcome to Whimsical Wednesday!     Once upon a morning in an "Easter-Bunny-Garden" (outside my front door)  I spotted a very delightful Four-leaf clover patch and ....see if you can spot the busy bunnies and their friend Duck at play! 
 If you want to play along with us just go herehttp://dthaase-lines.blogspot.com/p/whimsical-wednesday.html
      All drawing has been put on hold while I'm off dancing to the Bunny Hop Song....

The Bunny Hop Song



The ears on the bunny go “flop, and flop,
Flop and flop, flop and flop”
The ears on the bunny go “flop and flop”
All through the woods…


The feet on the bunny go “hop and hop
Hop and hop, hop and hop”
The feet on the bunny go “hop and hop,”
All though the woods…


The tail on the bunny goes “Swish and swish,
Swish and swish, swish and swish”
The tail on the bunny goes “Swish and swish”
All the way to your house!
....sending you a Happy Easter Wish!

An Award (The Versatile Blogger) For Me

Yeah!  Oh happy blogging day!   What a pleasant surprise to log on and see this gift in my comments last evening....! I received it from Debra Ann at the.....Writing with Debra blog...at
http://debragrayelliott.blogspot.com/2011/04/versatile-blogger-award.html

       Of course in order to receive this fine award there are the usual things one must do to collect this grand honor!   First I must share 7 things about me.....

    Seven things you may not know about me,

1.  I enjoy unplanned road trips...come what may style!
2.  I crave evening art classes
3.  Hanging out at the U of M is exhilarating
4.  another fave thing is spending time in Linden Hills, and bringing someone there for their first visit.
5.  Designing odd artsy little things
6.  cooking old favorite dishes in new delectable recipes and pouring over my new "Sugarbaby Recipe book"
7. I still dream of one day being a funny birthday party clown

Now I must bestow this wonderful award to 15 special bloggers......which is an extremely hard thing to do as there are soooooooooo many unbelievable blogs I follow!

1.   JJ at         http://thedisconnectedwriter.blogspot.com/ 
2.  Galen at     http://10stepstofindingyourhappyplace.blogspot.com/

3.  Bob at       http://bobscotney.blogspot.com/
4.  http://crazyasacoolfox.blogspot.com/
5.  http://www.titaniumvertical.com/
6.  http://forestwalkart.blogspot.com/2011/04/glitch-in-cyberspace.html
7.  Max at ....It's about the Journey
8.  Cathy at Living the Rural Life
9.  Sage at .....Musings
10. Judie at ....Rogue Artists
11. Pats Posts
12. Snowcatcher
13. Darlin at .....My Life For a Year
14.  Jenny Matlock
15.  Vintage Postcards

Thanks again Debra for allowing me to have this outstanding award!

Thematic Photographic -142- Treedom

This week's theme for Thematic Photographic is reaching upward....or sideways....but it's roots are lodged within......"Treedom" rings..... and if you find yourself hanging around ...outside searching for something to do (as I did yesterday morning after yet again another hopefully last snow fall of this spring) follow along and see what I discovered......

Just in case you want to play along too, go here 
http://writteninc.blogspot.com/2011/04/thematic-photographic-142-let-treedom.html


and so it goes in the life of a tree and the daily seasons that affect it...and how they survive.....

A lost ball, and the old tree house, not forgotten just waiting....... 

Sorry birdies, this won't last long.....

Oh the simple power and magic of these powerful familiar trees firmly rooted in our life.....

You see, just last week this is what I found outside my door...and Monster (grounds keeper# 1) resting happily on a past tree turned to bench......"Oh how my life is good....)

I can only wish this view was tucked within our land....this is along Minnehaha Creek in Minneapolis, and shows that spring was breaking through step by step....

One last view from one of my gardens, (now sadly covered mostly in snow) is another spring time view from last week ...but as I look out my window this morning.....spring is trying to take over again.

Saturday Centus - 16 April - Week 50 - Shake' em up, up, up!

                     Oh Miss Jenny you're playing with silliness on this great adventure in honor of week 50...and you're so right it's totally golden!   So not to offend anyone, by an ill review or selecting one post as better than another I'm going to review ...well you'll just have to read and find out!

If anyone else wants to play along and has no idea what this Saturday Centus is all about just go here
http://jennymatlock.blogspot.com/2011/04/saturday-centus-shake-em-up-up-up.html

Every week it's a bit different but in the end it's so much fun and eye opening in so many unbelievable ways! Try it out, you'll see!

As instructed by Miss Jenny, here is my choice to review, "April Showers Bring"... - by Karen S.

          Taylor’s true passion for this centuries old art began from her keen eye for flower design. Victorian people used symbols and gestures instead of words with special meanings for certain flowers. Camellia for graciousness, daisies for innocence and Wisteria for steadfast and so Taylor magically weaved each bride to flower.

         After grooms swallowed their bait, putting all doubts aside and holding a carat before his bride to be, he would ask for her hand in marriage. Love being too insistent to ignore, dates would be set and ultimately after April Showers bring May flowers; Taylor presented, the loveliest of springtime weddings.


This is my review:  (granted it's my own piece) about Taylor and her flower crafting!

         For years I’ve reviewed author’s material from a hot bath! This essay caught me soaking up claims of a compassionate flower designer; yet once the bubbles disappeared it’s only an unconfirmed rumor that Taylor was exceptional. Simply, it lacked hugely important images, and presented a scary thought of another expert amateur designing with her eyes wide shut. This lack luster approach beckons drowning instead of keeping it safe and dry as other writings penned by this author. Seek her Flying Boat poem collection or American Chop Suey Recipes, and let this one swim with the fish!

Six Word Saturday - 6WS

Good snowing this morn, (keeping it positive) and welcome to the game that let's us share our life in six lovely or silly (the list is endless) ways!  If you want to share too just put six words describing life for you right now and do it here











If I were being completely honest my six snowy words would be, My grass is greener without snow!  But for the better good of your day as well as mine....I'm going to another more favorite thing happening in my life (sort of)....
             No I didn't bake a cake either but today April 16th 1889 Charles Spencer (was he related to Di?) Chaplin was born in London, England ( a country very close to my heart) and if who he was has slipped your mind, after all he died on Christmas Day in 1977...

     ...he was an English comic actor, (silent film after silent film too) a film director and composer, and a good friend to all he knew.  He would have had 122 candles on his cake this year.  Robert Downey Jr. brought Charlie to life in the movie Chaplin.....a must see at least once.
   So my six words today are in honor of Charlie and one of his quotes (put in six words.)

"A day without laughter is wasted."

                  Happy birthday, Charlie whereever you are!

What's A Whispered Secret

             I ask you, "What is a wonderfully warm whispered secret between friends........?"...one that lifts your heart with unbearable excitement....in this thing we call.....living.....



 We Can't Live Just For Ourselves...sometimes you just have to reach out....and offer a moment of your time... and maybe a flower.

It was a lovely spring break, away from familiar things.....and my daughter made unusual friends along the way... stepping away from normal.....

Some didn't have much to offer in the way of words....

So it goes, first a whisper shared between friends, and....

as Benjamin Franklin once quoted....
"A man wrapped up in himself makes a very small bundle..."

We must never stop offering kindness, no matter how brief, or slight it may be.....or one day it may be too late.

Don't forget to feed some friends along your journey.