Ever Wonder What's Inside A Snowflake?

"They had buried him under our elm tree, they said — yet this wasn't totally true. 
For he really lay buried in our hearts" (Willie Morris)

The sweetest dog that ever lived Ole Sophie Girl was.  

The scratches & holes in the photo are from Sophie’s little sharp baby teeth!! Wasn’t funny then, but brings a smile now :)

Sleep Tight Ole Friend 

Sophie

1995 – 12/14/2009

I found this series of letters while looking for something else today. I've had them for ages and hadn't read them in just as long. My grandfather, Grandpa as we all called him, was the greatest of grandfathers. We lived with him and Gran for the 1st 5 yrs of my life. Grandpa had a great sense of humor and fortunately often saw the funny side of things. He was a good one to play things out as well. Back when my Dad was 12, he broke a window at Camberwell School of Arts, a local school. He never denied it & Grandpa was more then willing to pay for repairs … once the local council got their facts straight that is. It took quite a few months before things were finally settled and paid up! So glad they kept the correspondence that went back and forth and so glad that I now have them. :))

This is a letter that my grandfather received from the London County Council regarding a window that Dad broke at a local school. Note that it says the window was broken on the 11th instant!!


Dear Sir,
I am in receipt of your letter of the 7th inst & regret to learn that my son is suspected of breaking a window. I have asked him if he broke a window in the school keepers house at the Camberwell School of Art & he assures me that he has not broken a window for many months & certainly not at the above school. Your letter says the window was broken on the 11th inst (that will be next Sunday - I will keep him under lock & key that day). I think you had better let me know more exact details & in case it should be my son you had better let me know how you arrive at 13/8 for a pane of glass - was it gilt edged?
Yours Faithfully, Nathan Phillips



Dear Sir,
I am in receipt of your letter of the 16th inst. & am perfectly satisfied that my son did not break any window any where during June 1948 & certainly not at the above school. You say you have evidence. I will pay without hesitation if you can prove to me that your claim is correct. Yours Faithfully, NP

Love the fact that they were acknowledging their mistake with the date, although still not correct. They responded to my grandfather's sarcasm of gilt-edged glass too :)




Dear Sir,
Since you now seem to have your facts correct and I feel that I am being asked to pay for something for which I am really liable, I have pleasure in enclosing herewith Cheque to the value of 13/8.
Yours Faithfully, NP

Received of Mr. N. Phillips the sum of Thirteen shillings and 8d. Damage to Council's property Camberwell School of Arts & Crafts cost of repairing window of schoolkeepers quarters damaged 11th Feb. 1948.

"We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures."

~ 21 November ~

~ Happy Happy 23rd Heidi ~

Loved lots and missed more then you ever could have imagined.
You're never far from our thoughts and will be with us till the
very end of time and then some xoxox

“The fall of a leaf is a whisper to the living”

The fall of a leaf is a whisper to the living

Russian Proverb

Oh To Be 7!

(Click to make pictures larger)

Christina

(Click to make picture larger)

Meet Christina. Christina just made a trip across the Atlantic with me. Loved for many years, survived 2 world wars, moved about England spending the last few years with Suzy before making her way with me to her new home in Pennsylvania. She looks quite good for her age. I reckon she's at least 107 or 108 years old and would have oh so many stories to tell if only she could talk. The gown she is wearing is my grandmother's Christening gown worn in 1899. I have a photo of my Gran holding Christina taken around 1902. Oh Gran, I will treasure your Christina till the very end of time and then some :)

MICE!!!

This was the look on Bethany's face when I pointed to my latest shed find
YOU'RE KIDDING RIGHT? There not really real are they? Asked Little B

Another little nest this time in an old tray full of old terracotta pots on a shelf in the shed

Oh NO, A NOSE!

A sleeping babe - GRRRRR!

I'd like to do more then wake it

The blasted thing went back to sleep

ANOTHER - YES, that makes 2 - went for a run

Yet another of many little 'homes' found in the eaves of MY shed

I cleaned the shed in order to DEMICE it, BUT how can I turf 2
sleeping babies out on their own may I ask????

Ya gotta admit they are kinda cute

:(

Oh No, here comes Mom!!

Where's the CAT when I need him??

Grrrrr, I wanted a mouse free shed, how can I toss out Momma and her babes?
I DON'T want a shed full of mice, but I don't have the heart to make this family homeless either. DAMN MICE!! Oh well, it makes for a few pics and gives me yet another story to tell!! :) Just so you know, the shed is unbelievably clean - I even shop-vacced it out - BUT IT STILL HAS this family of MICE!! And, yes I still think they're kinda cute :)

Fly High Sweet Heidi Fly High

4 years ago today my beautiful cousin unexpectedly left the world as we know it leaving us all with a Heidi shaped hole in our hearts. “There will never be a time when I did not exist, nor in the future shall I cease to be, for we are forever” Heidi will always be. Her voice maybe quiet, but her song will play on in our hearts till the end of time.

Fly High Sweet Heidi Fly High.

Who Says Mice Aren't Smart?

I just made a note to myself to never store gardening gloves in the gardening shed again!! Why you ask when the shed is such a logical place?? Blasted mice - they are kinda cute, BUT . . .

1st off they ate the back of the glove and made a handy dandy little nest of which I found

Then they filled all the fingers up with sunflower seeds.

You should see the mess they made. I found sunflower shells all over the shed as well as several very comfy little nests and 'pantries' to boot. Part of me cursed the little suckers and part of me had to laugh at their ingenuity!!

Where's the cat when I need him??!!

It's Pollen Season

Ever see a bumble bee covered in this much pollen? Sure hope he doesn't have allergies!!

First Summer Sighting

First Summer Sighting :)

A Wish Is A Wish

"DANCE LITTLE GIRL"

"DANCE LITTLE GIRL"

Dance little girl to the tune in your heart
And the smiles of your mother and dad,
And your friends looking on-
Who are thrilled with the song
That bubbles from someone glad.
Dance little girl- little boy standing by
Is shy- and wants to be bold.
Take his hand little girl-
Understand little girl,
The treasures more precious than gold.
Dance little girl- for all in this world,
Dance wherever you go.
Lift your head little boy-
Never dread little boy-
Dance - and on with the show.
by C. Beale Fletcher

DoeDoes Anyone Know How To Make These Photos Bigger?

Does anyone know how I can upload these photos to be bigger than they are now? I have selected the largest when I upload and they never show up bigger than they are now :(

The Peony

Within the quietness of a lull in visitors' absence, appears the peony flower! Yosa Buson

Lovin' Strawberries

A Walk On A Windy Day

Make A Wish, these were just about to blow

We can only be said to be alive

We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.

--Thornton Wilder

Me and My Dad :-)

Hey Dad, today's ya 73rd birthday. Not a day goes by without my thinking of you. I smile when thinking of the fun times, the silly times, curse you for not telling me to prime the whole wall and not just where I spackled when painting, laugh when I picture you sound asleep on the trolley missing your stop and me having to drive down to the next stop hoping you'd wake up enough to get off so I could then drive you home - that I might add happened on more than 1 occasion, I loved your warped sick sense of humor, I feared your temper, cursed you the time I ran out of gas on Baltimore Pike and they had to stop traffic and roll that old 67 Chevy backwards down the hill to the gas station only to be told later by you "Oh, I forgot to tell you the gas gauge doesn't work!" THANKS DAD!! I'm told we're alike in many ways - not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing, but will take it as a compliment. ;-)

Dad Happy Happy Birthday wherever you maybe - Love Ya Lots, Miss Ya Even More and sorry for nearly blinding you that day!! xxxx