Thursday, November 14, 2013

A Fine Romance.............

I bought a book recently, I can't remember why now. I sent for it from Amazon and it took ages for me to get it. Well once it came I fell in love. "A Fine Romance" by Susan Branch. It is hand written and is a journal of her and her husbands trip to England. The sub title is "Falling In Love With the English Countryside". I think originally I wanted it for its drawings as well as subject matter. In any case I am more than half way and never want it to end.
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What I love about it is her joy in all the things I love about England. The simple every day life. The Hedgerows, the wild flowers, the lambs and the cottages. She has a thing about Beatrix Potter. Her delight is contagious. Having read Beatrix Potters books as a child (didnt we all?) I understand her love. Beatrix was an extraordinary human being. The money she earned from her books went into buying up land and farms and giving it to the National Trust so it will always be there for everyone
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Anyway Susan Branch is an artist and author and had gone to England on her Honeymoon, so they decided to go back for two months of wandering the English countryside.
They began in the south, in Kent and traveled to the Lake District and went to all the places they always wanted to see. She kept this journal and illustrated it with her drawings and photos she took. It's amazing. I would buy one for everyone I know who loves England but it took ages for me to get this one. I see there are some again now on Amazon. I don't want this book to end. I have sent for about 3 of her other books, not the same thing, they are cook books (and this one has some recipes in it).............if you have never seen England you will fall in love. If you have been you will want to go back. Me? Well I am saving for my next trip.

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Back Home......

My Facebook page "Houghton Regis back in the day....." has been doing well. An old friend joined today, I have known her since I was 4. I remember the day we met. Her mum came over to meet my mum, we had not been moved in long ourselves, into council houses that mum and dad put in for as soon as Dad got home after the war. Well Jennifer was with her mum and both of us were hiding behind our mums and peeping around. I can still see her in my mind, we were both about 4 years old. Pretty soon we were in the same class at school. My friend Margaret, who lived on the farm was also at the same school and once our mums met, Margaret would come up on the bus in the morning and wait at my house to go to school. We would walk together. We did that all throughout our school years, holidays and weekends I was down at her house on the farm.
Anyway.......Jennifer is now in the group on Facebook and we are catching up.
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In that picture, taken at "Top School" ........Jennifer is standing on the left and Margaret on the extreme right. I dont know where I was or why I am missing.
Anyway, today we were talking about our outside toilets. Jennifer and I lived on Bidwell Hill and our toilets were outside at this point. So were the ones at school for that matter. They were built with a gap in the door at top and bottom, no idea why because they were at school as well. This is just like the one at our house except we did have a window.
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Margaret, down on the farm was not as lucky, theirs was outside but a hole in the ground. With a nice wooden seat. Jennifer said her job was to cut and string the newspaper for toilet paper and remembers it made her white knickers black. Just had to share that.
Well........its fun to talk and to share our childhood. I am getting to know other kids from the village. Learning about their lives so similar to my own. Country life at its best. Total freedom. Something we all shared and treasured. No fear, no worry, no crime. Well........only the childhood escapades of the local boys who did what boys did for generations before them.
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Talking of local boys.......here is "speedy" our local "copper".....called speedy because he rose his bike at leisure. We first met him, Trevor Davis when my Dad and I were out shopping in Dunstable. We almost got hit on a Zebra crossing and PC Davies came to our house to get the information from Dad. They became fast friends. PC Davies was always up on Bidwell Hill visiting the Moles over the road. Hehe....the Mole kids were always in trouble. A family of 4 boys. Patrick said he saw more of Speedy than his dad hehe. Joke..........well PC Davies liked his tea with a touch of whisky in it and would often stop in for a cup before finishing his rounds that took him down Bidwell Hill to be sure the Red Lion pub was closed on time and probably to nip in for a quick one before his ride back up the hill. On a cold night he might also stop in on the way back. The village boys were the bane of his existence. They did things with his bike one would think impossible. My Dad, as a lad was the same way and no doubt the village copper at that time had it far worse than Speedy did because my Dad had lots more brothers. Most of our games were harmless and fun. We all had dens
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They took time to build and especially if we did them underground. I was lucky to have friends whose dads didnt work on their gardens and did not mind at all when we dug holes in the garden and put on tin roofs. We played harmless games
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and made what we called chassis........
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I have probably written about all this before but it comes to mind after a day of chatting to these old friends. Well, not a day, you know what I mean if you go on Facebook yourself. On and off during the day is what I mean.
This is not what I originally was going to write about. I have been busy cropping and enlarging old photos of the village. I got into that while looking for a picture I was going to post and got distracted. I forgot what I was originally going to write............so thats it till I remember.

Sunday, November 10, 2013

Semper Fi..........................

November 11.......The Marine Corps Birthday and Armistice day 11.11.11 Semper Fi.
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My son in law was/is a Marine (once a Marine always a Marine), he married my daughter Laura and became a recruiter. Both my boys were encouraged to join. They did so prior to leaving school and after boot camp were trained and became electrical engineers. The first picture shows Justin, Laura and Dan with Jason in front. They had all been to the Marine Corp ball when the photo was taken. They look a little worse for wear but they did have a great night out by all accounts. I heard some of the stories. My two boys served 6 years each. Dan retired from the corps. He is actually living with us at the moment.
The 2nd picture is Justin who is still in school at that point and Jason is just home from Boot camp. The next picture is my nephew Greg Schaub who was also in the Marine Corps and serving at the same time, thanks to Dan. We had some good times when they were all in the Carolina's
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My father served as did most British men because of the war. My grandfathers served in the Great War.
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My mothers Dad was in the Royal Navy(WW1), his ship was torpedoed and was sunk. He spent a lot of time in the water before he was rescued. My Grandfather on Dad's side was serving in North Africa (WW1).
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My father was a prisoner of war in Japan, captured at the fall of Singapore he was in POW camps for the remainder of the war.(WW2), captured at the same time were his brother in law (soon to be), and his cousin. All spent the war in Japan as POW. My Uncle, my dad's brother in law died at Dunkirk. He is buried in France. So..................Lest We Forget...........Thank you all for your service. All are gone now.
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Would the young man who wrote this poignant poem have ever known how it would effect so many, so deeply when he wrote it?
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War to me is never an answer, but sometimes there is no other choice.........for those who served we all thank you.

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

November.........

November......I will always think of the Edmund Fitzgerald, of Guy Fawkes night and cold crisp Autumn days with guilded leaves touched with frost.
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Spiders webs frozen in the hazy morning sun, shining like a thousand diamonds and my breath puffing white in the air. The hedges have hairnets of gossamer silk spun in the night by who? A thousand fairies who come each evening to complete that task?
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I love it when you inhale and your nose closes shut with the coldness of the air. Not healthy for animals who have to run, cold air in the lungs. Some used to cover the noses with a scarf and it would get wet and freeze in the air. We had to keep our horses in the barn on some days when it was that cold.
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When I was a child growing up in England our windows would freeze. Jack Frost would paint incredible designs on each pane of glass and a small pile would accumulate along the seals on the window ledges. Why that is a treasured memory I don't really know but most of us who grew up that way remember it. Wearing your hat and gloves in bed, socks on and a hot water bottle still did not keep us warm.
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The robin redbreast would show up among the frosty branches like a little red berry
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The fruit left on the trees would glow like Christmas ornaments.............frosty mornings, I just love them.

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A frosty morning is also best spent in front of a big blazing fire toasting crumpets for breakfast before venturing out into the cold.
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Sharing with Our World Tuesday

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

History. Anne Boleyn.............

So one of the most hated or admired women, or at least best known would be Anne Boleyn. She was best known as the 2nd wife of Henry V111. She was not always a schemer not of the magnitude that she was at the end of her life. She was always a flirt and always rather selfish but in her more innocent days that is really all she was. She was sent to the French court to complete her education. She was maid of honour to Claude of France. She grew up in the French court and she loved clothes and she loved attention. She was not a classic beauty but she had good teeth and she took care of herself. She was striking and got attention.
Anne returned to England in 1522 to marry her cousin but that fell through. She secured a position at the court of Catherine of Aragon. When Anne first came to court it was rather a dull affair after France and dominated by the Spanish fashions and tradition. Anne was like a breath of fresh air, she was soon the center of attention and soon in love. She secretly betrothed to Henry Percy.
Catherines styles were somber, pious.........
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Annes were fresh and new
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By January Thomas Wolsey broke off he betrothal and sent Anne back to Hever, her fathers home. Percy was married off. She had caught he eye of the King. Henry was a loyal if not faithful husband up to this point. He was young, sexy, brilliant and athletic, he could no longer ignore that Catherine was not going to give him his heir. Badly needed and something that was beginning to obsess him. He remembered how England had been in his fathers day and knew that if nothing else, he must have a son. So when Anne caught his attention and refused him he began to rethink his marriage to Catherine. So the country would become forever changed.
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Anne had changed. She was unforgiving by nature and was to become vindictive as well. She realized she had it in her power to become Queen of England if she played her cards right. I should not say she had changed, but she was being prompted and manipulated by her father who's only interest was power. So Anne became what she needed to become to get Henry under her spell and she did that completely. There may have been a short time that she loved him but Henry was obsessed. Deeply in love he could not say no, so systematically she destroyed all who had stood in her way and anyone who slighted her. She was vindictive and responsible for he deaths of many of Henry's friends. He was weak in as much as he wanted to captivate her and please her............and get her into his bed.
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Henry always comes off as the bad guy but people need to take a long hard look at Anne and her part in it all. She was no longer an innocent girl she was cruel now.
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After the way was clear and they married she was pregnant and Henry could never say no to her....unfortunately for Anne the child was a girl. Henry was livid he had come to dislike his bride rather a lot. She was scheming and demanding and accusatory. His eye had began to wander. She was insulted. Still there could still be another child. He had made her Queen of England and given her lands and titles, raised her friends, destroyed her enemies, real or imagined. He had broken with Rome and destroyed the monasteries. He had some bad advisors around him. Henry was gullible, he listened to people. So the beginning of the end for Anne. She had made many enemies, she had destroyed Henry's friends and he was beginning to have many regrets about that. Especially as it was for nothing. He could not know that his daughter Elizabeth would become the best and most beloved monarch England was to ever have. Three miscarriages were to follow and Anne was now a real bitch, he detested her and when she lost her son that was her death sentence. She now had powerful enemies and they began to see a way out and began to plan. Easy does it, Henry's pride did not allow for tales with no substance and so the planning began.
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If Anne had been a wiser woman she would have lived through it all and probably have had a son, but she had made herself so unpopular, so disliked by Henry he could not stomach her. He was courting Jane Seymour by now, a quiet girl who would give him his son. Annes fate was sealed and soon Henry was convinced by Annes enemies of all kinds of betrayals by her.More innocent people were to die. I feel worse for Henry than for her simply because he so loved her, he would change the world for her............at what a cost and to his lasting regrets. They were human after all and who was the one who lost the most in the end.? Henry would have 4 more wives and ironically as a much older man he fell in love again, with Annes cousin Katherine Howard a very young girl who was much like Anne and who broke his heart.

Monday, October 21, 2013

A weekend away with friends............

My friend Nancy has moved from Traverse City back to her home town. She has two daughters who have been on at her to make the move. When she agreed I dont think she was ready for her house to sell practically before it hit the market. Well she made the move and is staying in a small town called Shepherd. Its not a town, its a few houses. Not even a grocery store. Anyway she is staying in her friend Marilyn's home for now (Marilyn died recently and her kids want Nancy there) Its a beautiful house and I would snap it up in an instant but Nancy says its too big for her, and it really is. Its just that Marilyn did so much to the house to make it beautiful. Well...........Edna and I went down to visit Nancy. It's a two hour drive from here. It was a wet Saturday but the leaves were brilliant when the sun came out now and then. We chatted all the way so it didn't seem too long. Nancy was so happy to see us. She has been lonely and we missed her. She will soon settle in because its close to her home town and she does know people there so its just a matter of time.
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We sat around the table and ate lunch that Nancy had ready for us. It was just so nice and even though it was not her house that we are used to, Marilyn's house made us welcome. We sat and just enjoyed each others company. We talked about the usual stuff, our husbands, both Nancy and Edna are widows now and we talked about remarriage and how different men are. They both agree they would never remarry. We talked about women friends and how men seem to lack that close bond we share, at least the ones we know. My husband does not have friends of his own. He has mine, or rather the husbands of mine. We seldom see them any more since I don't work now. Do men talk like we do?
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After lunch we set off to see the area she is making home. I forgot my camera darn it. I left it in Edna's car so I would remember it and then we went in Nancy's. We saw several Amish horse and buggies and some washing on the line I would have loved a picture of. It was so Amish. Ah well.We went to a very small town close by called Blanchard. By the time we got there it was around 3.30 and so we didnt have a lot of time to look around. We decided we would go out again on Sunday to take pictures. There were 3 antique shops and we only got to explore one of them. We saw some abandoned buildings and a lot of farms. We decided we would go out on Sunday and explore everything then. We ate out and spent the evening putting together quilt fabrics for Nancy. She always buys stuff and never know what to put together and both Edna and I love to do that. So we got her sorted out. We had found two new shops, new to us anyway and We have to go back there again soon.
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Sunday we were all up early and went out to breakfast. I remembered my camera. We decided we would go back along the same lines as Saturday, we knew we would not see the Amish or the laundry but ah well. We found a little wayside chapel and went in. So cute...........
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Hand hewn seats
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In that same area was a one room school house.
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There is a park where these places were, it looked like it was made for the whole areas schools and churches, it is huge. Nice ....it overlooked an old abandoned mill. For some reason the water was all drained out of the lake. We could not figure out why.
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We had so much fun, Nancy kept saying I just love doing this............we stopped at a little church yard and explored the graves, it was quite cold so didnt stay long.
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Right close by were some derelict buildings. They looked like grain barns. We didnt go in but loved the old wood buildings and I got a few pictures
How I would have loved to have gone in and explored but we are not that brave.
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This is a different building also derelict
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I took a lot of pictures of farms and fields, old buildings and so on. I wont bore everyone with all that.
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we went back to Nancy's for lunch, not that we needed more food but.....well it gave us reason to stick around and make the afternoon last longer. We decided next time we will go on a Friday night, that way we would have all day Saturday to explore. Lots more places we want to go to. However, the season is winding down and snow is coming soon. Will we make it again this year?
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Time speeds on and next time we have to take Barb with us, we can not give up the time we spend with friends. Its important to keep friendships alive, to be there for each other and to cherish these times together. More so now there is a distance between us. It's not so easy to get away having Tristen but I will do it. I must..........
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Saturday, October 12, 2013

An Autumn day out.................................

Laura had to work today, Saturday......so we had Raylene and Reina with us today. Company for Tristen but to be honest, him and Reina together are wowza....she teaches him all she knows. Sigh. So what to do...........it has been a beautiful sunny and warm day, and for October we are on borrowed time.So why not shut ourselves up in the car for a few hours, yeah that's the ticket.
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Off we went to Gallaghers, its the closest we could think of. A farm market and has animals. So we let them loose out back to whoop and holla and that they did.
First off Tristen loves this little farm they have set up and always goes right to it. He dives right in and plays with who ever is there.
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Raylene is looking a bit out of it and I am never sure what she is thinking.........she joins in but always seems on the outside somehow.
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They have a childrens maze but the kids seem to enjoy jumping from bale to bale more than working the maze.
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I felt sorry for this pig, there were two of them, the other was sleeping. This one was happy, she was frisky jumping and kicking in a happy little piggy dance. So sad really...........makes me want to cry knowing her end.
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Walking in the pumpkin fields
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We did try for a pose but it was not to be
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I went inside and got some goodies. I bought apples, a cherry crumble pie, donuts, and some squash and bread.
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I love this tree, its so big.......we had left the farm market and its critters and gone to Cedar for ice cream. Last weekend they will be open. Probably open today because it was such a lovely day. Anyway while they were getting and eating those I went to the meat shop for some Brats......Polish, Cherry pecan Brats and some hot dogs. Those too are home made there. Our area is fast becoming popular after being on the Today show and others. Our secrets are out. After that we went to the park to let the kids unwind again and for us to rest our ears.

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They settled down and so back to the car, well, I say they settled down......Tristen decided to have a hissy fit and would not get in his seat. Gerry was outside the car patiently trying to coax him............nah that was not working so when his bottom appeared between the two front seats I grabbed the waistband of his pants and swatted his bum. Rather a shock I suppose because the volume went up quite a bit but he got in his seat right quick. So then we headed towards the beach. Were we crazy or what........of course all the parks are closed due to the shutdown. Did not matter to us, we were going to these beaches since before they were a park....its OUR beach, its our park and by golly we were going to enjoy it. So after plying them with donuts we went on to the beach. Lovely, no wind, and sunny.
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What a beautiful day, especially for October.
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We did stop at another playground before heading home but I stayed in the car............enough sun for one day. Then we headed home before Laura got out of work. We cooked steaks and had the spaghetti squash and zucchini with other fresh vegetables. It was sooooo good. She came to collect the girls and had supper with us. They took home Toffee apples and 1/2 the apples I bought. Tomorrow we will have the cherry crumble Yummy.