My Mom the "Tree Hugger"

Smithson Castle Garden

Surrounding the Smithson Castle are these huge gardens. There is just about any sort of flower, tree, plant and shrub that you can imagine. Don't forget if you are ever in the D.C. area to visit here.

U.S. Capitol

The trees are huge in the Washington D.C. area..

And.....you know how I love "Trees"

We were sitting at the tour mobile stop at the Washington Memorial when this Limo pulls up. I said "Let's go take your picture beside it", when the driver shows up and says "Well let's give you the full treatment"...........Cute!!

Lafayette Cemetery

Our trip to New Orleans in November of 2008. We share the love of visiting old cemeteries.

My Mom

Today is my mother's birthday.

She is not only my mother.... but she is my "best friend".

I am grateful for her everyday !

She has been the best mother in the world!

I love you mama!

Iowa

After my parents were married they moved to my father's hometown in Iowa. This would not be easy for the little french girl who so loved the ocean and the beach. But.......it was here that they lived for the next 47 years.

"Military Love Story"

Their love story began when they were both stationed at the Great Lakes. My father being a United States Marine fell head over heals for mom who was a "Wave" in the The United State Navy.

And so the story began...............

Hampton Beach

First Communion

One Hot Tamale!!

Prom 1950 Nashua High School
Nashua, New Hampshire

Mother had spent to many hours on the beach and it was PROM!!!

This would of have been Hampton Beach.

Home of the Best Lobster Roll Sandwich in the world.

National Train Day

Today is National Train Day. Coming from a long line of "Railroad Families", I have always had a special love for trains. As a child in the midwest the train tracks ran right behind my grandmother's house. I remember spending many a night there and when the trains would go by the whole house would shake. I remember several bad vehicle / train collisions. My grandfather Frank and his family worked for the railroad all their lives. I still love the sound of a train whistle today........It takes me back......Please visit www.nationaltrainday.com

Steam Engine

2 Days To Go............

Two more days.............

Until we see Tom...........

Elvis and Tom

Happy Birthday Thelma Houston

The Queen of Disco turns 65 today. Back in the 70's there was a club in Vegas just off the strip called "P J Bottoms". It was one of the best places to disco and there were alot of us that spent many hours dancing to the great songs of "Thelma".

My baby birds are all grown up!

Well it finally happened.......My babies have left their nest.

I have been watching these three little baby birds since their birth and on Tuesday when I went back to work and checked on them......they were gone.

I just can't get over how fast they grew. On Saturday they were so big I thought they would fall out of the nest so I knew their leaving was near. The three of them could barely fit in the tiny nest. I would watch mama bird feed them many times a day as they got bigger and knew that she must be getting very tired, as they appeared to be eating alot.

I was sad ....actually.........and even shed a few tears. I can't explain it and even typing this brings tears to my eyes. I guess it reminds me of my own two wonderful daughters growing up and leaving home to build lives of their own. We can only hope, like the mother bird.. that we have taught them all they must know to manage in this great big world full of ups and downs and joys and sorrows.

The following photos were taken on Saturday and if you go to an earlier post you can see them at about 2 weeks.

Now I will anxiously watch the nest for new life to appear again.

Mama bird watching me as she is feeding the babies.

TOM JONES had his first hit in 1965 with ‘It's Not Unusual’. His flamboyance and knock-‘em-dead sex appeal helped make him a major star, with four more hits that year. An avalanche of gold singles and albums were soon to follow, including ‘Delilah’, ‘Help Yourself’, ‘Love Me Tonight’, and Tom Jones in Las Vegas’. For much of the late 1960s, several of his LPs were in the Top ten Charts in both Europe and the United States.

Wow..........This is early Tom. I'm guessing mid or late 60's.

Ah...........70's Tom

Countdown Is On

Five days until we see Tom Jones. I am so excited. It will be a great weekend as it is also my mothers birthday and mothers day.

and........................We are seeing Tom Jones!

Tiptoe Through The Tombstones

Those of you who know me or have become readers of my blog know of my love for genealogy and family history. I have been a professional genealogist for some thirty years.

In my travels I can't hardly pass a cemetery without stopping. There is always information to found there about our ancestors. This past weekend during my trip north I did some photographing of stones for others and thought you might enjoy the following information.

Epitaphs and Inscriptions

The most obvious reason for a grave marker is to tell who was buried where; the inscription and the epitaph are to memorialize the deceased. Many markers offer nothing more than the person's name and death date. Others elaborate, giving a date of birth, sometimes places of birth and/ or death, age at death, parents or spouse's names, and a verse. Some may even offer a mini biography of sorts, telling you immigration or migration data or an occupation. There is much information for the genealogist upon the finding of the stone.

Along with the inscription of vital statistics, you might find a verse, also know as an epitaph. The epitaph or verse carved on the marker, just like funerary art, revealed society's changing attitude toward death. Colonial verses were meant to provide instruction, not comfort. A common warning to the living about the stark reality of death was:

Stranger, stop and cast an eye.
As you are now, so once was I,
As I am now, so you shall be,
Prepare for death and follow me:

This stone appears to be that of a young girl or young woman and not that of an angel. The symbol of the dove is that of Holy Spirit, gentleness and peace. A dove with an olive branch would represent eternal peace.

This stone holds many symbols:

The symbol of wheat means harvest, prosperity, deceased of full years. The symbol of the lily portrays "resurrection and happiness". The ivy means clinging, memory of the deceased, longevity, despondency, and dependence. The scroll signifies wisdom, life and often used as a background for the inscription. The actual shape of the stone is that of a tablet which signifies the Ten Commandments.

Handshake

What a lovely stone...

The meaning of "the handshake" is God's welcome into heaven and farewell to earthly existence. You will notice the sleeves are one of masculine and one of feminine which means

"holy matrimony".

The "Tree Stump"

I found this stone to be most interesting.

The significance of the tree symbol whether it be fallen, a cut branch or a tree stump is "life cut short".

What I am wondering is the meaning of what appears to be the dead dove lying at the bottom.

Yep.......I could live here

I love the old "Pioneer Homes and Mercantile's" here in our beautiful state of Utah. I thought I would share a few photos.

I'll bet at one time there was alot of bustling in these two old buildings.

I have such a curiosity about me. I always wonder about old stores. What kind a stuff did they sell at this "mercantile"? Who were the folks who ran it and did they exchange credit for other goods? Oh.....those pioneers that came before us and paved the way!

Heaven on Earth

I captured all these pictures during my visit north this past weekend. On Sunday it had snowed and rained all day off and on. Those of you who know me......know that "I LOVE SNOW". I loaded the grandkids in the vehicle and the camera and off we went.

A Little Slice of Heaven

Ducks?

You can barely see the two ducks on the this little pond but the grandkids and I had fun watching them until they flew away.

I am definitely a "farm girl" at heart. I grew up on a big farm in the midwest and LOVED IT.

Eleven Days to Go

Eleven Days until I see Tom....................

The anticipation is building!!!