'By the Bay'

  What has my friend Maureen been so excited about lately?    I had to go find out!   She has been spending much of her time working with a group that has been restoring a historic bayside area including the shipping sheds and wharves and  a 1928 oyster schooner, A. J. Meerwald, N.J.'s  Tall Ship.
She invited me to the very first "2nd Friday-'By the Bay'.  What a delightful evening! Mingling with local artists, tasting oyster stew and other seafood delicacies, and more delicious homemade refreshments! Enjoying folksy guitar music on the dock, and learning something of our rich  maritime history in South Jersey!

A model of the A.J. Meerwald in the museum.
 She wasn't in port, because she was in
a schooner race in the Chesapeake Bay this weekend!
for her history and details, go to www.ajmeerwald.org



Maureen in the museum shop, with lots
of  bayshore artwork,  local crafts
and pottery, and souvenirs

Ted  had a cup of grog

I saw exquisite artwork by Anthony Thompson and others.


  This is a painting of Eastpoint Lighthouse, in Cumberland County,built in 1849. It fell into disrepair, then was later restored 
 and is a very popular local artist subject. It is also a place where the Monarch Butterflies stop before their Autumnal Journey to Mexico, and this can be quite impressive to observe.  To learn more about the lighthouse history and tours, please visit www.njhs.org/links.html 
 or email the Maurice River Historical Society, at eastpointlighthousenj@yahoo.com

Photo from nrm.wikipedia.org/wiki/File oysters_in_circle_on_plate.jpg

 At the Raw Bar on the dock, we watched oysters being shucked and we could buy a plate of 6, for $6.00!  For more fascinating information on New Jersey oysters, visit www.cumauriceriver.org/downjersey/maritime , and www.jerseyseafood.nj.gov

Knot work being  taught by Horace Whitfield
 When I tried to make a square knot,
 He told me it turned out to be a "granny knot".
I thought he was kidding me!

A section of the lovely mural by Rudderow
in the museum


Each month there will be themed events, on the second Friday evenings, at the shipping sheds and wharves
 in Bivalve, Port Norris, N.J.
 They are also presenting children's programs.
Details and directions at www.bayshorediscovery.org
856-785-2060 ext 100

 That was a really fun and educational evening! 
 Who knew I lived near such an interesting place!
 Love, Linda

Three Days A Week

At least three days of the week, I am playful. I laugh a lot, sing all day long, and dance freely.

  

At least three days a week, I have fun. I learn new things, I see clearer, I feel hopeful.
At least three days a week, my faith is stronger and I have bigger dreams and aspirations.

I am confident, sharing what I know and teaching what I've learned in life.
I feel loved, appreciated, truly honored.
I make a difference, and there are little eyes looking up to me, following my example.
I take my job very seriously. It's a most important job,  oh, I'm still parenting although my kids are way grown-up, I am helping them parent!.
I am now becoming the matriarch, gradually inheriting this esteemed position after being silently, subconsciously  tutored throughout my lifetime, by my sweet mother, mother-in-laws, and grandmother's excellent examples, triumphs and mistakes.   I must be sometimes strong and firm, sometimes soft and  tender. Someone small totally depends on me, so I must be wise and gentle too,

.
 Because, at least three days a week I spend with a dear little child,my grandson.
And the other four days of the week I go about my business, working and playing, growing and learning,  day by day, finding a balance and  purpose in my life, praying for God to show me the way to do it all and let His love shine through me.
 I know I am so blessed, and that the best is yet to come.  Being a grandma is the richest, most satisfying role I've ever had in my life!.

image from http://shandalin.com/store/fall-pumpkins-bears-clipart-p-289-html

Enjoy the little ones in your life and have a very happy fall season!

                    Blessings!  Linda

It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

(I was just singing this!   I loved Mr. Rogers!)

The sun came out,  Friday, after so many rainy days!  Tommy just  couldn't wait to get outside for a stroll around the neighborhood!

We saw lots of pretty flowers!  Some are just at their peak, others are finished and going to seed, but summer's not over yet!  I want to savor every last sweet minute of it!
"Look, Tommy, see how pretty the flowers are?"



Did you ever see variegated morning glories?

" Listen, Tommy, there are some birdies!  what do the birdies say?  "Tweet, Tweet, Tweet"
Oh my, that sounds like a big doggie barking!  What does  the doggie say?,  'woof,woof'

Uh, oh!  Somebody dropped their trash here. Grandma will pick it up and put it in our recycle can. Isn't is a shame that some people litter?  I want your neighborhood to be safe, clean, and pretty, so we will clean up."

Sadly, we found all this litter within a half hour .

  Wow, Tommy, those are grapes growing there!  That's what they make jelly with. Grandma will cook jams and jellies with you when you get bigger, just like my mother did, and I did with your mama.

Concord grapes, grow wild in South Jersey

     Oh, there is another flag!  It's so good to see our American flag, isn't it pretty?

 Counted 23 flags in this little neighborhood!   "O'r the Land of the free, and the home of the brave!"

"Let's walk down to the pond and see if the ducks are there.  Look, Tommy, they come right up to you, because you are so nice to them!  What do they say?  'quack,quack,quack'  "

 "That's a mimosa tree.  I love the little feathery flowers! They are soft and smell pretty, don't they?"  I swish one across his cheek, then hand it to him.  He sticks it in his mouth, of course. "When Grandma was a little girl, she used to sit up on a big, low-swooping branch of a Mimosa tree with her girlfriends, and sing Beatles songs, and watch for lightning bugs."

Mimosa

 Oh, it feels so good, walking, and talking with Tommy. It is indeed, one of my life's "Simple Pleasures".   I want to teach him all I know, and show him everything.  I know he's taking it all in, and he's looking all around and smiling!  Soon, his baby-babble will become words, and giggles, and little songs, and then he will become a little question box, and  then  he'll be going off to school___way too soon!.  But I just want his  sweet, simple baby-days to last forever, even though I know they won't, and they are going by way too fast!  "If they could just stay little 'til their Carter's wear out!"  Remember that jingle?............................  Nah, you're too young!



Visit http://alittleofthisandthat2.blogspot.com9p)simplepleasures.html/ and see other blogging friends simple pleaures!

Thomas, at 13 months


Maybe when I was younger, I was eager to see my kids grow, but now I wish I could slow time down!
These are the best days of my life!  And I truly think that becoming a Grandmother is the best thing that ever happened to me!   One of my most important roles, and most rewarding and meaningful jobs.  What joy!   


 "Grandchildren are God's way of compensating us for growing old"  ----Mary H. Waldrip 
                                                                                                  

  Love, Grandma Linda
                     

Travels with Ted

   Traveling recently in the south, seeing the bucolic countryside, city skylines,  and other fascinating places as we rode from New Jersey to Florida, was just the thing I needed, after a difficult move this summer.  New faces, new places, "a change of scenery"! 
  As soon as we got over the bridge, Ted would begin pulling into Waffle Houses all along the way, every time we needed a coffee break!
 


Ted can't resist the friendly, fast service  at Waffle House whenever we stop to refuel !

    

Sign looks vintage!   The American icon, Waffle House, Inc.  began  50 years ago, in 1955,
 with kitchens out front in full view, preparing good, inexpensive food, cooked to order. 

 

Picture of founders Tom Forkner, and Joe Rogers, then and now, continuing traditions
started 50 years ago. Joe said, "We're not in the food business, we're in the people business."

Ted gets his kicks out of stopping at all the Waffle Houses.  I am content to read, soak up the scenery,  and explore antique shops and book stores.
  We indulge in good meals each evening, and  I enjoy swimming  in the motel pools along the way.  The journey soothed my tired   soul! 
Isn't it refreshing to get away for a little while, and combine a little pleasure with a business trip?  

 pretty sweetpea  pattern, Calcough, made in England



A lovely assortment of Roseville Pottery

Good Heavens!  I sure am glad I don't have to use one of these!

Crown Trent, made in England, converted into a hanging planter

some verdant Depression Glass



 verdant Virginia landscape

I met the sweetest ladies, coming from a Red-Hatter's luncheon, and we chatted awhile and admired antiques in one of the many charming antique shoppes in Selma, North Carolina.

Southern Belles

 The  beautiful  Tallahassee Capital Building has red and white- striped awnings
Spanish  moss drapes the huge old Oaks at curbside

 French Poodles, knick-knacks of the fifties.   Poodles are the world's most misunderstood dog.
 They are "Master of all trades, and one of the finest companions any human could ever hope for."

    In Tallahassee, more antiques, and work for several days.  I got to swim each day after work, and finally got some blissful rest in a gorgeous suite!
    Then a pleasant two-day ride home,with beautiful sunny skies.   Hard to believe, that not too far away there was a raging storm taking lives and destroying property.   Traveling an alternative route home, to avoid Hurricane Irene, we were anxious to get home and make sure everyone was okay!  We passed convoys of tree-specialist trucks and disaster-remediation vehicles heading north on the highway to help.  Some motels were full with evacuquees.
   Thankfully, we didn't have much damage!  I pray for many who still endure the aftermath of the storm.

    Now, why is it after a nice trip like that,..... I am ready for a vacation?

July 4th, Let's Celebrate Our Freedom!

  This neighborhood in Cape May, N.J. proudly flies our flag!

 
         I just love walking around the neighborhood and seeing so many flags displayed!
      Our flag looks so beautiful, and makes me feel so proud and grateful to live in America.
      I can't help singing Leo Greenwood's song, "cause the flag still  stands for freedom, 
          and they can't take that away!"

Sometimes, I don't think we realize how blessed we are in this country. Sometimes we may go too far with enjoying our freedoms, by being thoughtless of others, with hurtful speech, annoying music, and other rude acts, and declare that, " it's a free country, we can do whatever we want". 
 I rather think we should be considerate and always remember, that peace begins with each of us, and how we get along together.  And in doing what we please, we shouldn't impinge on someone else's rights and freedoms.

Image courtesy  of Little Birdie Blessings

In America, we have freedom to grow up and become anything we want to be.  This is an amazing opportunity  for our kids and grandkids, and the hope for the future.

If you can dream it, you can become  it!  Sky's the limit!

Our children and grandchildren have the right to a good education,

 which is the key to their future.
If they apply themselves, they can build the life they desire,

and we must do all we can to encourage them to follow their dreams!

           "  Liberty and justice for all."-      

   A goal we still need to work on.

An old church in Cape May, New Jersey

Then there are so many priviledges we don't even appreciate, like the freedom of religion, and worshipping however we please.  We have the right to assemble, but sometimes we just don't bother. 


Many people don't even vote,
 yet they complain about how bad things are.

Vintage image, from Vintage Holiday Crafts

Today as you celebrate living in America, remember,

 so many gave their lives so we could have all this.

Lovely image courtesy of The Vintage Moth

God Bless the USA

 Happy Father's Day to all of you wonderful, devoted Dads, Granddads, and Uncles!  For all the love and  many sacrifices you have made for the children you have loved and cared for, we honor you and thank you!




"Wow,    I'm A Daddy!"

   I'm so pleased and proud of my sons-in-law, and other young daddies I am close to, because they are so openly affectionate with their children, so very "hands-on" involved with their care, and not afraid to show emotion, as some  fathers of previous generations were.  Your children are so blessed to have you for fathers!  Being a good grandmother, and aunt is only possible because of your support and respect and, your graciously including me, and I'm so happy to be a part of your precious family's lives.




I am thrilled to see my precious grandbaby bonding with his wonderful daddy!



A bunch of grand Pop-Pops, with  whom  I share the most beautiful granddaughters!

      My father was very affectionate with me and my sisters, but unfortunately, not  as demonstrative with the boys.   This was old-fashioned conditioning, I guess, and a common mistake.  Today's fathers  should know that it's not unmanly to show your feelings.   
     My brothers, however,  learned from their dissapointment, changed the behavior, and became exceptionally tender, loving parents, holding back nothing.  Consequently, my nieces and nephews are so lucky, and have become such fine young people, secure and compassionate.
      Daddy worked hard to support us and was a strong, decent, God-fearing,  and  hard-praying role-model to all seven of us.  We didn't have much money, but we learned good values,  common sense, and how to make the most of what you have.  My dad was quite a handyman, always fixing the washer, the car, and everything around the house. 
      But he took time to play with us in the yard, kickball, badminton, softball.  In the winter, he plowed the deep snow off the lake  with his lawntractor plow, so we could ice skate, and pulled a train of a bunch of kids on sleds around the neighborhood.   
      He took our youth group canoeing and camping.  Our family went on daytrips and picnics to historical places, like Washington's Crossing, and Batso in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey.   We frequented  parades, concerts, church functions,  went visting relatives, and to the beach and boardwalk.  People always commented on us being " such a big family, and so well-behaved"!
      When my siblings got older, they'd come visit me, the older married sister, who always moved around with her Navy husband, which  gave them a new interesting destination.  They'd  load up the motorhome, then come see me and my babies, and we'd visit all the local parks,  beaches,  antique train stations, airshows and  noteworthy points of interest.      These were very educational, and rich experiences  of  traveling, exploring, and playing together. 

 Daddy  gave me the love of music.  He took me to piano lessons, that he could ill-afford. 
We sang together at home, in church, at shut-in ministries, and in Haluwasa Choir.
 He plays a fine sax.  He's always played Christian music, often lead church musicians, and now plays secular music as well.  His orchestra holds patriotic programs, plays Dixie-land Jazz and Big-Band era music.

    He taught me to trust in Jesus and that's the most important thing I  ever learned from him.  My faith and prayers always get me through whatever happens.  
    I have a "peace that passeth understanding".  " I know who holds tomorrow, and I know who holds my hand".   And I always have a song in my heart!

I love you, Daddy.   And yes, I was always listening to you, even when I seemed to be questioning  your ideas and ways.