sign of summer #1

Cutiedog's tongue indefinitely hanging out of his mouth. He's one hot dog, thanks to his furry tuxedo.

don't get mad, get glads

The gladiolis that I planted last year and thought had died have bloomed again this year! They are a hardy flower, which is great for neglectful gardeners such as moi. I used to dislike glads. That was until my father planted them in his garden a few years ago and I saw them return the next year after a hard winter. Another reason I like glads now is because white ones were included in mine and My Darling Husband's wedding floral arrangements. Glads are an old-fashioned flower which fit perfectly into the vintage decorating of our wedding.

The vase is an heirloom from one of my grandmothers. I think it is very suitable for gladiolus; the gaudy parrots compliment the gaudy glads.

Sunday scenery #3

For God and Country. A couple of triple-windows in our church sanctuary are of a patriotic nature. They were made and installed in the late 1800s or early 1900s. They commemorate the American Civil War as far as I can tell. This is one of the windows.

oh, so that's what it is called

This summer at work I am with the five- and six-year old children. I work at a daycare. I like the children best when they are being angelic, unintentionally make me laugh at something they do, and when they are quiet! So I relish leaving the DIN each day and coming home to ahhh!, a quiet house.
In the category of making me laugh at something they do, today my class and I were coming inside from eating popsicles out in the yard. While waiting for the other children to line up a couple of the girls were having a conversation together. One said to the other, "You know that stuff dogs get under their eyes? That's eyeball juice".

my dog is American but he can eat like a Chinese

My Darling Husband is away on a business trip, so I thought I'd post some photos of what CutieDog and I have been up to while M.D.H. is away. He reads this blog so I'll add this to our forms of communication.
I was craving (not pregnant, Moms) Chinese food the other day so I bought some take-out. There are three Chinese restaurants in our Small Town. Two of them are Bad Dried-Out Hard Chinese Food restaurants, and the third is much much better. Not all the way up to Big City standards, but still good nonetheless. Mmmm, your food looks mighty tasty!
After using the fork for a few bites, I suddenly remembered these pretty chopsticks we have and what is Chinese food without chopsticks? These were bought from Crate and Barrel some years ago. Honey, the dog is well-educated in the area of international cuisine now.

Take a deep breath...this was after I finished eating. He got the scraps like a good dog anywhere in the world. I think he would order crab ragoons if he could.

Sunday scenery #2

Inside that front window at our church.

Sunday scenery #1

"Sunday scenery" is a series in which I post snapshots of churches, mainly in southeast Kansas. This one is our church.

sign of spring #5 or, this is dedicated to a niece I love

Graduations. Alright...this is the last "sign of spring" for spring--er, summer--2010. I promise. It's already June 4, but I can't go through the rest of the year without posting about this great event in a special someone's life.One of my nieces graduated from high school! Congratulations, Sweet Pea. I'm extremely proud of you and the Godly, creative, vivacious, friendly, caring, funny and tenacious woman you are and continue to become.

Wow. My niece...a woman. You are so grown up, I think I am going to cry!!!

I wanted to write a poem here for you because you like literature and because this post commemorates a special occasion. Poetry is useful for commemorations. I looked through my books of poetry and chose to quote Rudyard Kipling's poem, "If". (I hope this poem doesn't seem pessimistic to you, as Kipling is sometimes.) This poem reminds me of your bright, positive attitude to life and your desire to keep on keepin' on.

If

If you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,

But make allowance for their doubting too;

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,

Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,

And yet don't look too good; nor talk too wise;

.

If you can dream--and not make dreams your master;

If you can think--and not make thoughts your aim;

If you can meet with triumph and disaster

And treat those two imposters just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken

Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,

And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;

.

If you can make one heap of all your winnings

And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings

And never breathe a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

To serve your turn long after they are gone,

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";

.

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

Or walk with kings--nor lose the common touch;

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;

If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

With sixty seconds' worth of distance run--

Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,

And--which is more--you'll be a Man, my son!

-- Rudyard Kipling

in memoriam

Memorial Day 2010 in our Small Town. The American Legion and the VFW sponsors a ceremony at the flagpole of the local cemetery. The Stars and Stripes on the main flagpole flies at half staff. A woman from a large city in our state reads from the diary of her late father who was in the battle of Okinawa during World War II. A World War II Navy veteran who is present is recognized for his time as a prisoner of war. The town band plays patriotic songs. The Ladies Auxilary lays flowers under the pole. A local pastor prays publicly in Jesus's name, thanking the Lord for our freedom and the brave men and women who have laid down their lives for it ever since 1776. Three volleys are fired. Taps is played.

My heart and tears say Thank you! Thank you! to those who died after defending freedom and while defending our freedom. War is ugly and should not be desired, but it is necessary sometimes. When I lived in Kansas City (I even saw it on a car at the cemetery today!), I would often see a bumper sticker that says War Is Not The Answer. That is soooo wrong. If it wasn't for war, then the Nazis would be ruling the world right now. The Muslim terrorists currently trying to rule the world do not stop their horrors when we simply dialogue and ask them to.

Sometimes war is the answer. It is necessary to defend oneself and one's country. Freedom is not free. Thank you, grandpa, Pvt. Long, and all the others...I remember often your duty, your sacrifice, your desire to keep freedom intact. May the rest of us be as brave.

In Flanders Fields

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

-- John McCrae

America's Answer

Rest ye in peace, ye Flanders dead.
The fight that ye so bravely led

We've taken up. And we will keep

True faith with you who lie asleep

With each a cross to mark his bed,

In Flanders fields.

Fear not that ye have died for naught.

The torch ye threw to us we caught.

Ten million hands will hold it high,

And Freedom's light shall never die!

We've learned the lesson that ye taught

In Flanders fields.

-- R. W. Lilliard

the sister got hitched

One week ago today My Darling Husband's sister was married on a bluff overlooking the Tennessee River in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
A Beautiful Southern Belle of a Bride.Please write on the picture frame. More practical than a guest book. (When My Darling Husband and I married, the guests signed a cloth, which I am embroidering and it is destined to become a quilt...very practical indeed.)The Georgian reception hall awaiting guests.These goldfish found their purpose in life: table decoration. Salmon was on the menu.We tried so hard to be secretive, but the bride and groom caught us decorating their getaway car! Apparently they were not blinded by love.