TBT: A DECADE AGO I BECAME SOMETHING I HAD NEVER BEEN BEFORE...

TBT: It's difficult to believe that it's been ten years since I was called by a new title...  my firstborn made me a Mother of the Bride.

It was a gorgeous day in a beautiful setting in Atlanta.

                          A lot has transpired since that glorious day of May 7, 2016....

During that time,  the couple also gave me a granddog first,

followed by 2 wonderful grandchildren who call me Bubbe. 

Who could ask for anything more?

May you both continue to celebrate many more happy occasions together!

All my Love,

Mom 

MIDWEEK MUSING: I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW

 MIDWEEK MUSINGS have me sharing a long overdue spring chore needing to be done.,,  

I admit I was the one who got up on the ladder to clean gutters in the End of the Rainbow Valley and Natureman's  'good enough'approach to cleaning windows was eventually replaced by a guy who did them for $2/window, including screens. 

So confession time: My children  swore me off the ladder once I  moved to Litte Rock. And for my 5 years here, the 'entire' house's windows and screens have never been cleaned. 

A couple of years ago, a couple of bids were made. But honestly, the sticker shock dissuaded me. This year, after doing some gutter work and a very pollen-filled March, it was time to bite the bullet.

The facia, overhang, screens and windows were done. And you know what?  I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW

tUESDAY tUNES: KEEP GOING

tUESDAY tUNES is a lovely message delivered by soulful Jada Monroe 's version of KEEP GOING

Maybe its message is just what the doctor ordered...

MONDAY MUSINGS: GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN....

 MONDAY MUSINGS is about a drop-dead gorgeous spring weekend in the South with blue skies and an occasional breeze to cool-off 80-degree days. There was no way this gal was sitting inside if I didn't have to...

I started Saturday by tackling mowing the front lawn early before it got too hot. I apologize to my neighbors because it was the time their yard guys usually start on weekdays.SORRY. There's definitely a sense of accomplishment of looking at a newly mown lawn. It is also another one of those spring signs - the smell of freshly cut grass. Ya know, Girls just wanna have fun...

Monday's class aerobics class wasn't in my future, so it was even more fun going to my first Saturday class, as this instructor had made floral decorated visors for Derby Day.   It was a hoot, and the one male classmate was a good sport, donning one too. Cuz he knows, Girls just wanna have fun.

 Hopefully, I can get the class photo, but in the meanwhile here's mine, chosen for its simplicity of just one large bloom. 

A river walk followed mid-afternoon with a stop at the 'ole homestead for my niece's garage sale to pick up an air fryer, and then home for my art project outside 'til dark forced me inside. Ya know, Girls just wanna have fun.

Sunday, planting filled the am and then off to listen to Cliff &Susan, one of my favorite duos at BoBrooks Farm's River Bottom Winery with a good visit with a  high school buddy Laura, We got the last 2 seats. 

Great visiting, music,  cheese, charcuterie, and a couple Berry Mania slushies, made for a terrific outside afternoon.  Here's a clip of Twist and Shout with one guy amidst all those girls. " CUZ You know, Girls just wanna have fun!

FOTO FRIDAY: ANOTHER SPECIES

 

FOTO FRIDAY: The colors are a' changing, especially with all this rain.

And with the overcast skies the colors are more extreme...

I almost feel this could have been one of Georgia O'Keefe's paintings.Those of you familiar with her work know what I mean...

Last week's FOTO FRIDAY was that PORCH GUEST

MIDWEEK MUSINGS: THE HIDDEN HAND THAT SHAPED HISTORY.

MIDWEEK MUSINGS is about one of my favorite activities here in Little Rock which is to attend the Clinton Presidential Center's wonderful programming.

This Tuesday evening, we had the pleasure of hearing Susan Page, long-time USA Today's Washington Bureau Chief who since '95 has covered 12 presidential campaigns and interviewed the last 10 Presidents.

Page is one smart journalist, who you may remember moderated the 2020 Pence-Harris debate. She is also a prolific writer with bestsellers about Barbara Walters, Nancy Pelosi and Barbara Bush. 

Her Little Rock visit was to talk about her newest book. Hot off the presses two weeks ago, is The Queen and her Presidents: The Hidden Hand that Shaped History, a fascinating compilation of behind-the-scenes stories of Queen Elizabeth's encounters with 13 Presidents. Yes, 13. 

Both President Truman (when she was still a Princess), followed by Eisenhower both were like fatherly figures to the would be crowned 27-year-old Queen in '53. 

Queen Elizabeth known for her colorful hats was much more and quite a strategist as she followed her Prime Minister Churchill's advice to stay close with the Americans- influencing everything from the Suez Crisis in the Falklands, her warm bond with Reagan over horses, cooperating with JFK,  LBJ's avoidance of elitists, Nixon needing her help during Watergate, warm connection with Obama and Trump's admiration of her since his childhood. 

We heard many snippets of stories of her 70 year reign. As we used to end our book reports as elementary school students... If you want to know what happened, you need to read the book.  LOL. See, not only can Susan Page plug her book, so can we who heard her speak...

TBT: LAST DAY OF APRIL 2012

TBT: APRIL 30th 2012 14 years ago, I finished a new collage of the Year Anniversary Rally in Madison just in time for this past weekend in Viroqua for the War on Women Rally. It's important to get people registered in order to be able to vote both on May 8th and June 5th. Talk it up... 200,000 who signed the Recall Petitions were not registered.

FYI : I donated my political collages after their participation at various locales around the Coulee region. The La Crosse Historic Society have them for their Political Art collection in the city's museum. I feel honored that they will be preserved and viewable for future museum visitors.