G.H. Slept Here...

Here it is - proof Dad was here...and that he has very cute great-grandkids! It was wonderful to have him here! Come back soon!

Hope for Laura the Busker

On a recent trip into Montana ( Helena aka "the New Eugene") we chanced upon this young prodigy fiddling away. I wish I had the presence of mind to make a movie, but I was absolutely entranced by her playing and her nonchalant "stage" presence...she was really good!
Wynn loved that all her music was hand written.

See what little girls that practice their music can do in an open air mall, Laura? Just play, smile, and rake it in.

Memory Road

Michael's blog on small time life kind of inspired this entry. In his, a man comments on a toy that he had lost in his old home. And so it bespeaks the question, "What was your most memorable toy and whatever happened to it?".
I think mine was the (obviously) the Chatty Kathy dolls that Debbie and I received one Christmas ( mine a brunette, hers a blonde). I think I was five and that was the most "WOW" thing I had ever seen- it was even "high-tech"! I have no idea where they went or what happened to them...not one.
My second most memorable toy was a lime green Hot Wheels El Dorado Cadillac that I received to go with the ubiquitos Hot Wheel tracks one Christmas. During the races I won every time ( that never happened!). I remember Dad trying to wheel and deal me out of it but I finally must have been old enough to know better.
So, what was your most memorable toy ( or two?). Oh, that Caddy? Well, here it is ;)

Old Home Tour 2009

Old Home Tour Saturday started out with balloon games at Sara's house. A sunshiney way to start a truly drizzly, dreary day!
Cloudbursts assaulted us on the trip up the valley to the Yalecrest Subdivision and then settled down to a consistent downpour during the first half of the tour. There were a couple of really nice Craftsman bungalows to start followed by Tudor and English Cottage on the Yale streets.
The big impact for me was all the art that transformed the houses including the upstairs laundry in one house that had walls covered with great prints! These were not tremendously large houses like in the Victorian Era so the ways to use the more limited space were interesting. A lot of them just had some additions on the back, but the sun porch turned into an artist studio with adjoining computer area was done in a very classy manner. Landscaping was generally very conservative but beautiful, especially after the rain had gone.
The back garden of the house below was beautiful! Gardens within gardens. Question mark shaped paths. A large formal circle to revolve around, and quiet little nooks to sit by a fire or feed a fish or read a book abounded. This is the house that Spencer W. Kimball lived in for 3 years...it was awesome!

My cohorts in Antiquities...L-R Josie and Asher, Sara, and Kris. All in all a satisfying way to keep a tradition.

No Soaring, No Swooping.

Merely posting this to erase the image of the last pathetic blog. No response is needed or even expected. Thanks for your patience and I may try again later...much later when I have the time to be witty and/or charming.

This is the Place

We're packing our bags and heading South for conference weekend to visit the kids and grandkids. I wish I could say we were heading for the usual sunny skies that predominate in
the first part of April, but it looks like the same muck we've been having here in the North country...sighhhh. The bad weather has boosted our sales of chocolate in Porters lately... a common coping technique in our little town. So here's to Spring...if it ever arrives.