Last year, I discovered this beautiful little library on a morning walk in Lewistown, Montana. I paused to stare at the ornate exterior of the 1905 building and wondered how a small town could have such a lovely library. I later enlightened myself on the internet. I had no idea that Andrew Carnegie donated funds to build 2,019 libraries between the years 1883 and 1929. It's a history worth looking into! Favorite Libraries: The smell & cozy feel of the Grinnell, Iowa library... the grand Central Library in downtown St.Louis, built in 1912... Walking my kids to the Book Mobile that parked at the Glendale, MO Fire Station... Helmerich Library in Tulsa, where my kids went to story hour and did summer reading clubs...
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This is one of my favorite photos of Heidi because it shows her character. I love the girl in motion, the hint of a smile, the sweet pastel & white outfit, with the sassy Cardinals hat. Best of all, I love how she swings that bunny along by the ear. Heidi has always been a "Let's go do it!" kind of person. Loved that about her then and l love it about her now! Spunky Girls I Admired: I grew up loving books with spunky little girls. Yes Heidi (of the Alps) was pretty spunky. But there was also Dorothy in the Oz books... Madeline in Paris... Alice in Wonderland and my 2 goofy favorites, Eloise who lived at The Plaza Hotel and the zany, Pippi Longstocking!
I love the shapes and colors of these buildings in Curacao. It's fitting that an island in the "ABC Islands" should have playful, storybook-looking buildings! Don and I spent a couple evenings at a small restaurant with this scene as our view. As the sun set, we watched the ships cruise by and the ferry cross back and forth. The buildings were illuminated just enough, to still share a little of their colorful magic. Colorful Buildings: My childhood yellow-painted house in Grinnell, Iowa... The pastel colors of retro Florida stucco motels... The newer, yet still pleasing pastels of Seaside, FL... The 245-year-old, Olde Pink House restaurant in Savannah, GA...
I'm smiling in this photo with a monkey in Honduras. But there was also a lot of giddy laughter, squealing, shrieking and cringing. I've always loved the little beasts and badly wanted one as a pet when I was young. But when Don and I entered the cage with sunflower seeds, these little guys freaked me out, as they leapt onto our heads and backs, eager for snacks! Monkey Memories: We had neighbors who owned a monkey. The sign at their door read - "You are visiting, but the monkey lives here" or something like that... A Peach Farm near Tulsa had a pet monkey. When we went in the store for peach shakes, the monkey attacked shoelaces... I had a memorable conversation with man cleaning the St. Louis zoo monkey house years ago... Not a monkey, but I was knocked down by a chimp on skates when I was a tot. The roller rink owners had a chimp pet...
This blue-haired cutie has been making me smile since the 1960's. I always loved my trolls. They were so much more fun than Barbie and Ken. They did have clothing options like Barbie. My troll even had a pair of ice-skates. If there was no ice outside, I froze a bowl of water for his skating pleasure. Trolls liked trees and caves and stick houses. Their store-bought needs were few! Dolls I Also Had: Chatty Cathy... An Actual Caroline Kennedy doll... Doctor Dolittle doll that I still have and call, Rex... Liddle Kiddle dolls... And recently I acquired a cloth "Dammit Doll" which I can fling across the room when I'm mad... not to be confused with a Voodoo doll!!
These are my favorite photos of my sister, Jenni and me. You can tell she's my older sister because she's patiently letting me fall asleep on her shoulder... and she's offering a protective arm. These photos make me excited... because she is coming to visit, soon! Favorite (but not all happy) Sister Movies: Pride and Prejudice... Little Women... Meet Me in St. Louis... Streetcar Named Desire... Color Purple... Picnic... and the favorites to watch with my sister are, My Sister Eileen and Whatever Happened to Baby Jane!
Today's the day after Labor Day. As a kid this was the day I always started school. My first school memories are in Iowa and there often was a feel of fall in the air. This photo was taken in Illinois 2 years ago in October. It pleases me to see some fall leaves, even though we will see very few in the Houston area. Fall Leaf Memories: Family raking together... Making leaf houses... Burning the giant leaf pile... Ironing leaves between pieces of waxed paper... Kicking through leaves while walking to school... Such colors, especially Elm and Maple... Watching them fall...
This pic of Heidi and Jamie from, a few weeks ago, makes me laugh. They were heading home after spending time at the cabin and they happily went along with my photo idea of posing with some fine wax props... which I just happened to have. I love it when "the kids" go along with my silly requests. Thanks Heidi and Jamie for being game! Silly Requests: Bubble blowing "contest" with gum.... Numerous silly movie requests... Instrument and singing challenges... Posing in our costumes created with silk scarves...
I wasn't thrilled about moving to Texas nearly 20 years ago, but I've grown to appreciate. the state. I learned that Houston was not all about cowboys. I had no idea back then how diverse Houston and my county (Fort Bend) would be. The Houston arts and food scene was a huge surprise, as well. But after years of exploring the entire state, I've learned that people are friendly and there are goofy surprises in all corners. Look at Paris, Texas! You just have to love this creation! Goofy Texas Finds: Picnic stops with oil derrick and wagon wheel themes... the beer can house, right in Houston... bars with saddle- topped stools.... old dance halls that still have polka dancing, which is cool, not goofy... Oil pump jacks, painted to look like moving animals or scenes! I loved this little boy, lagging behind in a village parade, over a year ago. The parade of 100+ school children was in San Pedro, Guatemala and I'll bet the boy with the hint of a smile had no smile by the end. This was the beginning and it was all uphill! Parades I Recall: Watching the inflated balloon shapes, over the crowds at the Macy's Parade... Riding my tricycle in a Halloween parade.. Seeing my little bro with his marching band at Veiled Prophet Parade in St. Louis... Waving flags and cheering with Mom and her Alzheimer's friends at local county parade... Heidi, dressed as a wrapped gift box with her other boxed Girl Scout buddies in a Tulsa parade...
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