Sunday, July 03, 2011

The National D-Day Memorial

The National D-Day Memorial is located in Bedford and is about an hour's drive from me. We visited the memorial in June when relatives were visiting us.

The National D-Day Memorial is a remembrance of June 6, 1944, when Allied Forces participated in the Invasion of Normandy during World War II.

The Memorial is in Bedford because, per capita, Bedford lost more soldiers on D-Day than any other community in the United States.



The entrance to The National D-Day Memorial


We were there on Flag Day.


The many statues depicting the Normandy landing are among the finest features of the Memorial.


This is a depiction of the beach landing during the Invasion.


 The statues are extremely well done.


 More statues.


A small airplane recognizes the contribution of the Air Force.


Numerous plaques spell out details of that fateful day. There are also plaques which name every US soldier killed on that day.


This statue in particular grabbed my attention. The detail on this was incredible.





This story of the Chad Valley Toy Company in England was quite interesting. The toy company during the war created a method of mapping that allowed the maps to be shipped in parts, like a jigsaw puzzle.


This is a mosaic of one of the maps the Chad Valley Toy Company created. It is on the ceiling of the folly below.


 I think this is Dwight D. Eisenhower but I am not positive of that and I can't read the plaque in the picture.

 From the far left, my husband, Cousin Don, and Uncle Buddy, studying the many plaques with information about the war.


From far left, Cousin Kathy, Aunt Marjean, and Mother-In-Law Eunice as they study information about the Normandy Invasion.


The Memorial from the rear.

Saturday, July 02, 2011

Visiting the Dead

When the relatives were in back in June, we visited two cemeteries in Fincastle.

They are old cemeteries and the history buffs among us enjoy walking through the gravestones and reading them.

Godwin Cemetery is at Fincastle Methodist Church. Many of our relatives, including my husband's father and his grandparents, rest in this graveyard. The other cemetery is located at Fincastle Presbyterian Church. This cemetery has Revolutionary War heroes buried in it.

While wandering cemeteries may seem ghoulish, it is a great way to learn history and take a peek into the culture of a time long passed. I highly recommend it.


Monuments at Godwin.

 

More monuments at Godwin.

 

Fincastle Methodist Church in the background.


I reckon I'll spend eternity near that tree trunk up there on the upper left. This is also Godwin.




Some of the best views in the area can be found from atop the hill at Godwin Cemetery.

 
Crypts at Fincastle Presbyterian cemetery.


The interesting stone of Robert Figgat. Regular readers might remember I wrote about Nanny Figgat a few weeks ago.
This is a monument for George Neville, Clerk of the Circuit Court of Botetourt, who died at age 33.


Thursday, June 30, 2011

Thursday Thirteen

Monday is July 4, which is the day Americans celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence. This document proclaimed that the geographic area and its people, now known as the United States, would no longer be a part of Great Britain. It was signed in 1776.

After a period of time - over a decade - the US Constitution was implemented, creating the framework for government.

I happen to be a fan of government. I think government does very good things, and is quite necessary in order to ensure law, justice, and a semblance of equality. Yes, there may be problems in some areas, but it is not the evil that some make it out to be.

Our government is made up of you and me. Government workers are our neighbors, our friends, our spouses, and our children. All they are doing is trying to earn a living and help out their communities. They are not villains.  They have cookouts on the Fourth of July, too.

So in these days when it is fashionable to blame government and bash government workers, I offer up a short list of 13 things I think government does well. Please note this list could actually be longer!

1. Builds roads and bridges. We can't even afford to pave the driveway, much less create roads. If the roads were private and we had to pay tolls, how much more than what you pay in taxes do you think you'd eventually pay out? And if the roads were just ruts and not kept up, how much more would your repair costs be?

2. Police officers, firefighters, and emergency service workers are paid for with tax dollars. They are there to assist, aid, and keep the peace. These are dedicated men and women who want only the best for you and yours.

3. The US Postal Service delivers our mail. Even at 44 cents an envelope, it's still not a bad deal.

4. Thanks to government oversight, we have some modest assurance that our drugs and medications are relatively safe. Personally, I think this needs more regulation and more eyes and bodies to make this a better service, but I am glad something is in place to help ensure that my blood pressure medication doesn't kill me before I'm ready to go.

5. The courts, laws, and judges are in place through our tax dollars and are a part of the government. If nothing else, this at least guarantees us a fair hearing when we are wronged or have done wrong.

6. Social Security. This is a great program and it keeps millions of people from dying prematurely every year. I have read many older newspapers through my work and research. Old people used to end up in something called the poor house, or they'd simply starve to death in the streets, before Social Security was put in place. Is that really something we want to return to?

7. Water and sewer infrastructure. Thank goodness for these items, which keep water supplies healthy and have cut down on diseases. Without sewer, waste would be dumped in the streets as it used to be in days long forgotten. How would you like to wade down Main Street through piles of human filth?

8. The Center for Disease Control. This is important in order to keep things like HIV, tuberculosis, whooping cough, and other killer diseases under control and in some cases eradicated. Without government funding, would these diseases ever be cured or controlled?

9. Public education. Say what you will about public schools, the best thing about public education in this country is that it is available to all. Anyone can attend school and learn to read, write, and do math, regardless of race, gender, or religion. It is one of the country's greatest accomplishments.

10. The Freedom of Information Act. FOIA laws, also known as Sunshine Laws, allow you and me to learn what municipalities from the lowliest town council to Congress are doing when you're not at the meeting. Thanks to FOIA, government has to be open and honest, and the laws are in place because government listened and thoughtful people realized the importance of open information and dialogue.

11. Public libraries. Public libraries are open to everyone, without discrimination, and are places of learning and community. Best of all, most of them are free, making education and learning available to all. Truly, ignorance is no excuse.

12. The FDIC. This insures your money in the bank up to $100,000. Previously, if the banker ran off with all the dough in the vault, that was too bad. At least now you have a little recourse. And let's face it, not many of us has that kind of money socked away anyhow.

13. The Armed Forces. I do not approve of wars in general, but I understand the need for a defense. An army under control of this government is not supposed to turn on its own citizens. An army under control of a private company might very well do just that.

I could go on - how about the FAA, Uniform Building Codes, NASA, weather, E-911, Head Start, Extension Offices, Medicare . . .


Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 197th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Festival of the Tomato


My husband had been watching the tomatoes on the vine for several days, and had declared Tuesday as the Day of the Tomato.

At lunch, he brought in three juicy, ripe tomatoes. I ditched my diet. "I shall join you in the Festival of the Tomato," I said.

I made sandwiches with mayonnaise, ham, and tomato on white bread.

We both practically danced around the kitchen holding our plates before settling in at the table.

The tomato was still warm from the sun and it blended perfectly with the cold mayo. It was juicy and we both ended up with mayo and tomato on our faces and all over our hands.

There is nothing quite like that first tomato of summer.

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

The Swinging Bridge

The pictures below are of the swinging bridge in Buchanan. The bridge is used for foot traffic and crosses the James River.

It has an interesting history.


This is the only such structure to cross the James River.  The bridge was initially constructed as a toll bridge by the Buchanan Turnpike Company. The toll was a nickel per person, wagon, or animal.


The bridge is 366 feet long. Some parts of the bridge, most notably the rock piers, date back to 1851, and Civil War troops used it to cross the river.


Uncle Buddy and Cousin Kathy stroll along the bridge.

The bridge, then a covered bridge, was burned in 1864 by General John McCausland in an effort to keep  Union troops from using the bridge to cross into Buchanan to burn parts of it during Hunter's Raid.

Cousin Don acting a little silly.

After the Civil War, the bridge was rebuilt, but a flood washed it away in 1877. The bridge subsequently has been replaced several times, finally becoming a pedestrian bridge in 1938.



The bridge is featured on the Town of Buchanan's official seal.


Monday, June 27, 2011

The Doe and Her Fawn

I bet you don't see something like the first few seconds of this video every day.

I shot this footage last night.

Sunday, June 26, 2011

The Botetourt County Courthouse

Botetourt County's Courthouse reopened in 1975 following a devastating fire in 1970. A story about the fire, along with a picture of the old courthouse and a photo of the courthouse burning, may be viewed here.

The county's records, fortunately, were in a fire-safe room-sized vault, and saved. As a result of this fire, the Virginia General Assembly in 1975 passed the Virginia Records Act, which mandates microfilming and otherwise archiving records so that they may be stored at a second site, the Library of Virginia in Richmond, for safekeeping.

The county's courthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.


The Courthouse was rebuilt in the Greek Revival style, and this courthouse and the one before it are thought to follow plans initially created by Thomas Jefferson, though this is has not been proven to everyone's satisfaction.

The original log courthouse was built in 1772 before being replaced around 1848 by the brick courthouse that burned.


This is a monument to the Confederate soldiers of the American Civil War. It was installed on the courthouse grounds in the early 1900s.

This is our cousin, Kathy, taking a picture of the painting of Norborne Berkley. Berkley was the Earl of Botetourt and a governor of Virginia from 1768 to 1770. The county is named after him.



This is the courtroom as seen from the balcony. Note that the jury is seated around the judge's bench, and thus the defendants must face the jury when they are in the stand, which is the space at the far lower right of the photo.

Circuit Court Clerk Tommy Moore brought out the special books that house important historic documents so that the relatives could take a look at signatures of Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Andrew Lewis, and other patriots.



Aunt Marjean has a chat with the Circuit Court Clerk about various and sundry historic issues.


Saturday, June 25, 2011

It's Called Stealing

Last night my husband and I ventured out for dinner and a little shopping.

In the parking lot of Home Depot, two women and a young girl were standing around a truck. As we walked by, I overheard this comment:

"We'll get the paint and paint the bedroom, and then we'll fill the paint cans up with water and bring them back for a refund."

I was appalled. First, I could never think of such a thing as my mind simply doesn't work in that direction. Secondly, there was a child there. What are these people teaching that girl?

Then we went to Tractor Supply so my husband could purchase a new pair of work boots.

He opened up the box for his size. Inside lay a pair of boots. But not the right boots. Not even new boots.

These were boots with the tops worn completely out of them. These were someone's old boots. Either someone had walked off with a new pair of boots, leaving these, or a new pair had been purchased and the box returned with these in them.

Either way, someone had a new pair of boots, and I am 100 percent certain they didn't pay for them.

We flagged down a store clerk and handed over the bad pair, shaking our heads and clucking about the things we were seeing on this strange summer night.

I know that times are tough. And I know that faceless, evil corporations are the ruin of the nation, and they should get theirs. I have certainly felt that way when dealing with some behemoth company that cares about nothing but the bottom line.

But it's still stealing. And I am many things, but I am not a thief.

Friday, June 24, 2011

The Bus Driver

Last night I dreamed of Mrs. Wilson. The dream wove in and out of memory. I will tell you the memory.

I was in the seventh grade, and Mrs. Wilson was the school bus driver. She was a rather large woman with black hair. She tended toward the taciturn and I don't think she had the personality for school bus driving. But she drove the bus for many years.

We were not friends.

The bus ride for me was an hour long regardless of where I attended school. In the seventh grade, that was Botetourt Intermediate (BI), which is now called Central Academy. The bus would pick us up around 7:30 every morning and drop us off about 4 p.m. My brother, who was in the fourth grade, was at Breckinridge, and I would ride a bus from BI to Breckinridge, where we would pick up the smaller kids, then ride home. It made for a long day.

One day, my brother forgot his coat. He asked Mrs. Wilson if he could go back for it, and she nodded. He raced back into the building.

And she drove off and left him.

I yelled at her to stop when I realized my brother hadn't returned to the bus. But she did not. I turned in time to see him running out the door and after the bus, his legs pumping, his face scrunched up as he realized he would be left behind. His mouth was open as he cried out, and I thought I could hear his pleas. "Wait! Wait!" In my mind's eye, I even saw the tears streaming down his face.

Being left behind was a big deal. Both of my parents worked. Neither generally came home until after 6 p.m. We stayed with a neighbor until one of them came for us. I had no idea how my brother would get home or how he would fare. This was 1974. There were no cell phones. I was on my own, and so was he.

I cried all the way home because my brother had been stranded. And when we reached the bus stop, I laid into the bus driver.

"You are a big fat liar!" I screeched. "You said you would wait, and you didn't! You better hope nothing happened to him."

And I flounced off the bus.

I do not remember how my brother got home that day. I don't know if my parents picked him up or the neighbor went after him. In any event, he was safe.

The next day, as soon as I arrived at BI, I sought out Mr. Ferrell. He was the principal. I told him I wanted to report a bus driver. I remember the look of surprise on his face, that I would do this. He took me into his office and we sat down, side by side. He said Mrs. Wilson had interrupted his dinner last night to call and complain about me.

"I am sorry she interrupted your dinner," I said politely, "but she should not have left my brother. She said she would wait."

He told me I should apologize anyway, because otherwise I would not be able to ride the bus. She wanted me off the bus, he said. Besides, she was the elder and the grown up and I was supposed to respect that. However, he did concede that she was wrong to have told my brother she would wait and then drive off and leave him. And he said it was admirable that I loved my brother so much, and that I would fight for him.

I do not know what else transpired over this incident. Surely my parents were involved. They must have called the principal, too, not just at BI but also at Breckinridge, to complain about the bus driver who left their son. Maybe she was disciplined or at least given a stern lecture. Or maybe nothing happened at all.

In any event, when the buses came at 2:45 p.m. to pick us up, Mr. Ferrell met me at the door and he walked with me to the bus. Mrs. Wilson opened the door and glared at me.  I looked at Mr. Ferrell and he nodded.

"I'm sorry I said you were fat," I said.

And I climbed onto the bus and found my seat.

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Thursday Thirteen

Positive sayings! Or, as the Halls (tm) Cough Drop wrap calls these, "A Pep Talk in Every Drop."

1. Don't try harder. Do harder!

2. Put a little strut in it.

3. Keep your chin up.

4. Hi-five yourself.

5. You got it in you.

6. Go get it!

7. Flex your "can do" muscle.

8. Elicit a few "wows" today.

9. Tough is your middle name.

10. Put your game face on.

11. Seize the day.

12. Be unstoppable.

13. Dust off and get up.

There are actually more ...

14. Impress yourself today.

15. Don't waste a precious minute.

16. Its yours for the taking.

17. Buckle down and push forth!

18. Get back in there champ!

19. Be resilient.

20. Don't wait to get started.

21. Fire up those engines!

22. You've survived tougher.

23. Don't give up on yourself.

24. You can do it and you know it.


Yes, they really came from cough drop wrappers. Now don't you feel encouraged?


Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 196th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

The Botetourt Museum

Last week we had relatives in from Chicago. These folks love history and so we took in several local historic sites.

The Botetourt County Museum is located in Fincastle in what is called "Courthouse Square," at the rear of the courthouse. The building used to be a law office, and one room is set up to resemble that. The structure also was part of a hotel complex at one point.


Botetourt County was created in 1770 from Augusta County. It was named for Norbourne Berkley, Lord Botetourt, who was a beloved governor of Virginia from 1768 to 1770. As you can see from the photo of the map above, at one time the county went all the way to the Mississippi, taking in Kentucky to the south and going as far north as a little piece of Wisconsin. People who lived far away were excused from jury duty, by the way.



The museum has many period pieces from prominent families. Displays include housewares, toys, clothing, and utensils, among other things.


This is difficult to see because of reflections, but this houses what is believed to be the original bell from the first courthouse. The county has had at least three different courthouses. In 1970, the courthouse burned but the records were saved because they were inside a massive room-sized fireproof vault. The courthouse was rebuilt from plans that are said to have originated with Thomas Jefferson, though no one is 100 percent certain of this.

As a piece of trivia, my husband's father fought the courthouse fire as he was a volunteer fireman at the time.



Speaking of relatives, this coffee grinder belonged to Philip Firebaugh, who is my husband's great, great, great, great grandfather. Philip Firebaugh came to Botetourt in 1818, allegedly with saddlebags full of gold, and purchased property known today as Stonelea (or the old Philip Firebaugh place if you're an old timer). It is no longer in the family.



This is a portrait of James Breckinridge. Breckinridge was a lawyer and statesman, and the museum is located in what used to be his law office. Breckinridge also fought in the American Revolution. He served in the Virginia House of Delegates and in Congress. He assisted Jefferson with the construction of the University of Virginia. He owned a vast amount of property, which was and still is called "Grove Hill."

One of his descendants, Lucy Breckinridge, lived at Grove Hill and kept a diary during the Civil War, which is sort of famous. I've read it and it's quite an interesting look at life during those turbulent times. The book is for sale at the museum.

Monday, June 20, 2011

Back to School

Classes start back today for the summer session at Hollins. I will be taking Politics in Literature, and we will be reading such stories as Dante's InfernoReturn of the King (Lord of the Rings), Animal Farm, and King Lear. I have no idea yet how many papers, etc., will be required of me, but I am sure there will be a few.

Summer classes run for six weeks, and so I will be attending class twice a week, for a total of six hours of class time a week. Doubling up, as it were.

I am a nerd, and so I am looking forward to being back on campus. I could do without the heat, but at least Pleasants, the hall where my class will be held, is air conditioned now. I can remember when it wasn't, those many years ago when I was an undergrad.

Last night I transplanted squash and cucumbers from a flower pot into the garden. I had performed a little experiment and the results were in. I had planted squash in the garden and in the flower pot on the same day, curious to see what happened.

The squash in the garden grew and grew, and the plants are tall and hardy. After a little rain this weekend, they are even taller. I expect them to bloom soon.

The squash in the flower pot were very small, looking very much like they'd only been growing a week or two. They were yellowing, also. The plants in the garden were nearly a foot taller. Obviously the potting soil lacked an essential nutrient, magnesium or something. So I ended my experiment and moved the sickly looking plants to the garden. I hope they live.

I had also planted an old pack of wildflower seeds in a pot and set it out. The plants came up okay, but when they reached the height of about two inches, some naughty deer click-clicked its way onto the deck and ate them.

I suppose it could have been a very tall rabbit. But in any event, the seedlings were chomped off.

So after I transplanted the squash, and added a pepper plant and a cherry tomato to our little garden, I planted annuals in the flower pots.

I love the feel and smell of soil. Is there anything more primal? The aroma fills the nose and seems to seep right down into the soul. Grounding me, pulling me back toward Mother Nature and the Good Earth and into total recall of a time when I ran barefoot and played in the rain.

This is the joy of creation, and then the joy of looking at the creation, of seeing the lively colored pots overflowing with oranges, pinks, whites and yellows as they are filled with flowers. Zinnias and petunias, nasturtiums and pepper jacks, names so bouncy and vivid that one wonders who comes up with such labels. 

An evening's work, to be enjoyed all summer, and into the fall.

Friday, June 17, 2011

Big as a Cat

I don't know how well you can see these, but that little spot behind the doe in the photos below is a newborn fawn.

The little thing was about as big as a cat!

I took them through the window (which includes a screen and affects the quality) with my old Canon Powershot.







Thursday, June 16, 2011

Thursday Thirteen

Here are 13 things about me that you might not know:

1. I bought a sippy cup for myself and use it on the bedside table at night. I didn't like using an open glass and so I used bottled water for a while, but I didn't always drink all the water and it seemed wasteful. A sippy cup won't spill if I should knock it over in the night and it doesn't hold as much water.

2. I used to journal every single day, writing by hand in spiral bound notebooks. I stopped doing that in the last 10 years. Sometimes I miss it and will pick it up and do it again for a while.

3. My bones have been cracked or broken in many places over the years. I broke my wrist when I was in the 7th grade. I cracked my ankle in 1995. I've also broken a finger and a couple of toes.

4. I have a three-inch scar across my chest. The doctors cut out a huge mole when I was five years old.

5. My favorite colors are blue and purple, but the older I grow the more I like yellow.

6. My favorite poem is by Christopher Marlowe, The Passionate Shepherd to His Love. This is the first stanza:

Come live with me and be my Love,
And we will all the pleasures prove
That hills and valleys, dale and field,
And all the craggy mountains yield.


7. My favorite poet is Sharon Olds, however. I have read most of her books of poetry and I once met her in person at poetry reading at Roanoke College.

8. I do not have a favorite book. I have read so many books that I cannot pick a favorite, though some are better liked than others. I enjoy mysteries, literature, science fiction, and fantasy but I read very little romance. I read young adult literature, particularly fantasy books. However, so long as the story is good and the characters well-written, I will read most anything.

9. The fantasy genre is among my favorites, but not all fantasies are equal. I am more of a Tolkien girl than anything. Unwarranted violence, zombies, and vampires are not my thing.

10. I have traveled over my area in a hot air balloon and in a single engine plane.

11. One of my secret desires is to find something old and interesting, like arrowheads or gold or diamonds or the site of some ancient human encampment.

12. I can recite The Night Before Christmas poem from memory.

13. I know the secrets to immortality.


Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 195th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.

Monday, June 13, 2011

Haying Time on the Farm



Friday, June 10, 2011

Books: Remarkable Creatures

Remarkable Creatures
By Tracy Chevalier
Copyright 2009
312 pages

My book club met last night and Remarkable Creatures was our read this time.

It is a wonderful book.

The story is a fictional account of a real life event: the finding of dinosaur bones at Lyme Regis in England.

It is also the tale of two women, of varying social classes and ages, and how they connect through a love of the past. They are also both searching for truth, and in this they run up against the conventions and bounds of the day.

Mary Anning is poor and uneducated, but she has a knack for finding treasures on the beach. The treasures are fossils. She and her father and brother hunt the fossils and sell them to tourists. When we meet her, she is but a child.

Elizabeth Philpot is a middle-class spinster who moves to Lyme Regis with her two sisters at the behest of their brother. As male of the household he has determined they should move from London (and his new wife) and settle elsewhere, happy with the stipend he provides.

Elizabeth finds herself drawn to the beach and soon to the fossils. Of course it is only natural that she strike up a friendship with the younger woman.

The book is told in the first person by both women, and this allows the reader to feel comfortable with them. Elizabeth takes on a sisterly role with Mary and is keen to help her and her family after her father dies. However, Mary's mother, Molly, has a strong will of her own.

When Mary makes a major find, unearthing an entire skeleton of a prehistoric fish, the men come out of the woodwork to purchase the beast  - and to take the credit for the find. It only through Elizabeth's persistence that Mary is eventually acknowledged as the real archaeologist.

I read this book when I shouldn't have - I was in the middle of writing final papers for my graduate courses. I needed a break and picked up this book, thinking to read a few pages to clear my mind and then put the book down. Six hours later, I realized I needed to get back to work.

Chevalier has brought to life a character in history who was completely unknown to me. Mary Anning really existed, as did Elizabeth Philpot. You can find information about both women online. It is also worth looking up Lyme Regis to learn more about the fossils found there.

This book is HIGHLY recommended.

Thursday, June 09, 2011

Thursday Thirteen


Last week I saluted my husband for his birthday and did not recite my list of good things that happened in May, so I will do that now.

1. I received As in both of my classes for final grades. I have a 4.0 with two classes and a thesis to write to graduate. I am really hoping I can keep the grades up!

2. I joined Weight Watchers in late May and began seriously dieting. As of Sunday, I had lost four pounds.

3. I read a few books, including Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier, which was great, People of the Book by Gwendolyn Brooks, and Stuck by local author Becky Mushko.

4. My friend and I went to the Green Valley Book Fair and The Cheese Shop and had a very nice outing. I did buy a few books.


5. My roses bloomed full and wonderful. I enjoyed taking pictures of them and watching them fill the backyard with spectacular color.

6. My irises bloomed early in May and as always I thought of my great aunt, who loved the iris. Some of my plants are from flowers she gave to my mother.

7. I attended a lecture on Harry Potter. It wasn't exactly what I was expecting, but it did make me think about book organization.


8. The world did not end. It was supposed to have done so on a Saturday but we're still here. I personally am rather glad of that.

9. The columbine was especially lovely in the garden this year.

10. I walked on the treadmill 20 times during the month. I am pretty happy with that, as that was my goal.

11. I finally put my planner together and made a long to-do list and set down some goals. I have hardly opened it since but I think the activity was very good for me, as I've been trudging along marking off items in my head. "This is on the list, so do it," seems to work well.

12. I took care of myself by getting a massage, seeing my doctor, working on my eating habits, exercising, and meditating.

13. I found a Nikon L22 pocket camera on the clearance table at OfficeMax for $50. I thought it was a great buy.

There you go. Thirteen things that happened last month that make me feel good when I think about them.

Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 194th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.

Wednesday, June 08, 2011

Happy Birthday to Me!

Today I am 48 years old. I am heading into old woman territory. I am definitely in that area where you have lived more years than you have left. Middle age!

Here are a few shots of me through the years:


Me at age three with my baby brother.

 

Starting school, I think. Around six or seven.

 

Age nine or 10.

 

Age 20. Getting married!

 

Me at 47.