FOTO FRIDAY:  T-SHIRTs in their perfect setting...

 

TBT: 6 years ago... COVID CHANGES OUR WORLD

 TBT :  It was just 6 years ago when our worlds changed ... It was a blessing to live where we lived a natural isolation in the back of a valley. Natureman could receive his chemo and return to our mask-free world called home in the woods...  the End of the Rainbow Valley...

MIDWEEK MUSINGS: 2 MiNORITIES WiTH A SOUTHERN PAST

 In honor of WOMEN'S month the Central Arkansas Library System (CALS) provided a peek into a special community relationship  between Arkansan white and black women and insight of the relationship between Jewish women and Black Christian women.  

The program was entitled Memories of the Ottenheimer Brothers and Rocket Plant on 10th & Spring Street even though we diverted to hear a bit re: libraries which were separate but not equal.

Rhonda Stewart, geneology and local history specialist in CALS presented an interesting look at the history between these groups. Jimmy Pfeifer, local historian, also contributed to her presentation.

  First of all, we were introduced to Vera Snook, a transplant from Illinois, a fierce librarian who built the State's library system.  The Negro library on 9th  existed before her arrival but it was kept running and upgraded under her watch.'26-'48.  In '41, a bigger building was opened on 16th & High thanks to her perseverance and help fundraising for the new structure.. 

Full integration didn't start until after her. Black Adults were allowed in '51, 7th grade and up. This was before Brown vs Brown.

We also heard about the Women's Emergency Committee  (WEC)1400, mostly white, well-off ladies from the PTA , AAUW  secretish as they were laws around ties to NAACO but they pulled together. White and Black, Jews and Christians. Open Our schools.Door to door, car pooling to polls and nudging of husbands. Yes, the power of women. Improving community lives. 

So how do the Ottenheimers come into the story. They were the first factory owners to hire a Black Women work force and help improve  lives more than these workers could have ever earned elsewhere although not equal...

Take a look at the chart below.

This made a big difference in these women's lives. The company eventually merged into Kellwood who sold to Sears and local Jewish-owned department stores like Cohen's and Blass. 

I am looking forward to learning more. But history was made... And we can learn from history and try to do better with each generation. Thanks to strong women, yesterday, today and tomorrow.

*Some of the workers' families were present for the program. 

tUESDAY tUNES: DOWN BY THE SALLEY GARDENS

tUESDAY tUNES this week was heard while listening to the movie The Children Act with Emma Thompson who not only played this song on the piano but also sang this song. What a moving story and beautiful tune...

Take a watch'n listen: DOWN BY the SALLEY GARDENS...

MONDAY MUSINGS::NAKED

MONDAY MUSINGS: It is that time of the year here in the South when the last fallen leaves/ pine needles need to be removed from  gutters to let those spring showers flow easier to the downspouts. 

It's also time to rid them from the garden beds where their insulation was appreciated because now the new plant growth needs sunlight and water.

Finally, the house's metal gutter guards are a thing of the past and have been updated with a fabric filter which should work better. Don't worry, you'll hear about it if they do not make my life easier. My kids swore me off the ladder and climbing on the roof so I have my fingers crossed this will help.

New mulch will be added to give the front and backyard flower beds  some extra nutrients besides keeping those weeds under control,. Some monster dandelions grew this month.

Spring is working overtime from that last, hopefully last freeze. Covering the azaleas protected one third of them. But the wind was  ferocious and whipped some sheets off. I got plenty of exercise running back and forth trying to recover them. One can't possibly cover everything and although the dogwood thrived, the Japanese Maple lost its newest flaming red leaves, Its recuperating. Some plants are just too big to cover. If they are close to the house that helps.

The plants who resided inside during the winter months are back outside and acclimating. My living room looks naked with all that green back outside. 

Spring cleaning now begins inside too...

FOTO FRIDAY: TIMING IS EVERYTHING

 FOTO FRIDAY: Timing is everything when it comes to weather which can destroy perfection. 

Cherry trees planted a couple years ago on the UALR campus are putting on quite a show... 

                                        HAPPY SPRING !

TBT: WE ARE A FICKLE PEOPLE ,AREN'T WE?

TBT 2021: Ever noticed how our country flips around blaming different races for our ills? Who's next?