RAINY DAY

We had a few glorious days of warmth and sunshine, but I was getting over whatever it was I was getting over.  I finally felt the need to get out of the house last Friday (the 7th), we decided to go to one of our favorite gardens for a walk and left the house early-ish (10:15 a.m) and headed in the direction of Meadowlark Gardens.  We like to stop at a favorite pasty shop.  It is on the way to the garden.  We intended to have a picnic before we began our walk.  However, it started to rain heavily.  When I checked a few days before, the weather was going to be cloudy but with zero rain.  Great for taking photos of flowers I thought.  The shade would help the colors pop.  

Five minutes after we left the house it started to pour, and still hoping it would finish before we reached our destination, we realized it would probably be socked in for at least the next few hours. Not wanting to get drenched, and most definitely not being the stuff of ducks these days...

 having not thought of the brolly or wellies in the trunk, not having thought to look at the day's forecast, we resigned ourselves to the fact that our walk would be on another day.  

But, all was not lost, we still went to our pasty shop and had a car picnic instead.  We thoroughly enjoyed our traditional pasty and chatted away looking at the rain.  This is where we parked, with the sign showing the shops nearby.  I noticed the rain-drop patterns and out came my cell phone.  No photos of flowers but what the hey.

On our way home we rolled into the coffee shop drive-thru.  A long line of cars greeted us.  We followed the blue Kia and read the stickers on the back.  They had the Adventure Zone, What's Up You Cool Baby(?), a sticker showing a line of cacti, the Yellowstone Park sign (our all time favorite national park), Big Foot and yes, I saw Big Foot that day but only in sticker form...he was as curious about us as we were about him.

There was a World Series Champions sticker (for the Nationals in 2019), a ribbon I didn't recognize, a statement on vaccinations, a sticker of a cute owl and knowing there was an owl lover driving the car, well, that made me smile.  

I remembered all the times our son when young wanted to put stickers all over our car and baa-humbug I don't like stickers on our car but apparently, I do enjoy readings others on other cars now.  Hey-ho it's a rainy day, did I mention it was a long line?  

We finally got to the window and I ordered a tall cup of coffee from the friendly barista.  She was also making a statement and on every square inch she had about 3 dozen pins pinned on her pinny.  I was curious but I didn't think she would appreciate me hanging my head out the window to read them (wrong side anyhow), and it was still raining though not quite the downpour it was before.

  Gregg was finishing off his coca-cola from the pasty shop, and I had finished my small bottle of Fanta.  By the time we reached the drive-thru I was ready for my coffee and I was now well informed on the stickers out there.  It was still raining and we drove home.

We missed having a walk around the garden but as that old saying goes, make lemonade out of the lemons you're given, or something like that.

Have a great day everyone and thanks for dropping by.

FOR THE LOVE OF TEDDY BEARS ….

 “You really don’t have to be young to find a friend in a Teddy Bear.” 

~Rachel Newman~

 “A teddy bear is your childhood wrapped up in faded yellow fur and as such, he commands affection long after he is outgrown.” 

~Pam Brown~

 “In a world where everyone seems to be larger and louder than yourself, it is very comforting to have a small, quiet companion” 

~Peter Gray~

“A teddy bear is the kid’s first friend and the memories they make with them stays longer than their childhood.” 

~Sarvesh Jain~

“Long before I grew up, my teddy bear taught me what love really meant: being there when you are really needed.”

~Willie Nelson~

“It is astonishing, really, how many thoroughly mature, well-adjusted grown-ups harbor a Teddy Bear – which is perhaps why they are thoroughly mature and well-adjusted.” 

~Joseph Lempa~

“It's hard to visualize the toys you had fifty years ago - all save bear. He's as clear as if he were sitting on the desk in front of you...of course...he probably is.”

~Pam Brown~

“May the warmth of love always be with you and here I am sharing my teddy bears to keep you warm.”

~Author Unknown~

A few poems for Teddy Bear lovers can be found at this link.

Here is a small part of my teddy collection.  I am in the process of cleaning them, and they will be put away in their storage box until next December.  Each Teddy reminds me of someone in my life. I have been gifted many by very special people, and each one brings back a memory of that loved one.  Others my dear other half gave me when we were traveling.  I have always had a love for Teddy Bears since I was a baby, which I have mentioned many times before.  I haven't added to my bear family for a long time now, but those I have are treasured.  In this sense they help me keep in touch with my inner child, and I feel that is an important thing to do.

 

AN OLD ONE FROM 2012...

and keeping in with the season.  I thoroughly enjoy looking at what ornaments are hanging from someone else's tree, whether they be in the homes of family or friends, or even in places such as Mount Vernon's visitor's center.

We were visiting George Washington's Mount Vernon shortly before December 25th (2012) and it was very festive.  His likeness is on a tree ornament below. 

I have slowed down considerably but have enjoyed adding a couple of new ornaments as each year of our married life passed. I said jokingly to Gregg only the other day, "Well, I think we are ready for our third tree."  I was half-joking but...you know, I like to say the seed is planted.  I'll just have to see how much energy I have next year.

We have artificial trees now.  Always before that, we went down to the tree lot, and even cut a few down at a local tree farm. When son moved out of the house, I bought a small artificial tree, and that stayed in the family room for years.  It looks like an artificial tree but I am still happy with it.  By the time it's decorated, it is beautiful, especially when all lit up.  

A few years later and at Christmas time, son mentioned that he missed seeing a tree in our front room, this on one of his visits back home.  I didn’t need any encouragement because I had been thinking about it for a couple of years, and it didn't take long before the second larger tree arrived.  Though it is still artificial it is more real looking.  Amazing how they are made to look so real now.  I know nothing beats the scent of a fresh pine tree, but I'm happy with the ones we have, and my dear other half enjoys looking at them too, especially at night.  Sometimes he is the first one to put the lights on. 

 

Now, where could I fit a third tree?  Our home isn't that big, and I was joking but who knows what next year will bring.  I am sure there is a corner space somewhere in this house.  

Getting back to Mount Vernon, I wanted to get photos of Presidential ornaments, and have bought a few over the years.  I have just added George to our tree.  We have been back many times, sometimes with visitors, but mostly on our own so that I could pop into the gift shop.  It is a fun place to browse around.  You don't have to buy a ticket for admission to the shop or the eating area, and it is worth a look-see even if you don't buy anything. 

 Usually at this time of the year we visit Mount Vernon's Inn Restaurant, and most often have lunch before we browse for gifts.  A bowl of Peanut Soup is ordered for both of us, along with a portion of their delicious cornbread.  Gregg gets a sandwich and I get a plate of refried green tomatoes.  For dessert we take home a portion of their bread pudding to eat at dinner time. You can view the menu at this link if you are curious.

I'm assuming that the photo above is Abraham Lincoln and more past presidents in the photos below.  

Martha Washington made an appearance.

This is a painting of their home.

George Washington look-a-likes.

A glass ornament of Mount Vernon.

Below you can see George looking through a telescope.

I learned later that he was an accomplished surveyor and used celestial observations to determine locations.

I think this is supposed to be Martha but perhaps it is Betsy Ross because of the flag in her basket.  Betsy  has her own story.

and another of George with a bag of flour.

President Washington also owned a Grist Mill and Distillery three miles away from Mount Vernon. 

Martha was an excellent gardener.  There is a website here that shows you the garden.

Earlier we had come across a real camel in a field.  In 1787 George Washington paid 18 shillings to bring a camel to Mount Vernon to entertain his guests and family.  Since 2008 Mount Vernon has followed Washington's lead, welcoming Aladdin the camel to the estate for the holiday season.  He has a very large field to roam and also a large, open-style barn with lots of fresh hay to munch on.

Camels were a very rare sight in 18th century America. There are only a few newspaper references and all related to an enterprising person traveling city to city with the animals, earning a living by exhibiting them. Records show that in 1787, a pair of camels were imported from Arabia and sold to a New York businessman for sixteen hundred dollars. One of these is probably Aladdin's lookalike that Washington paid to be brought to Mount Vernon for a Christmas surprise.

The ornament below shows Martha Washington in a reconstructed portrait made from other paintings in her later years.  There is an interesting explanation at this website.  Back in those days, portraits of former First Ladies, were usually done when they were a lot older.  The explanation of how this one came to be is very interesting.

Here's Martha and George again....

and one last glass ornament of their home.  There are links throughout this post, so that you can read more information if interested.

Added addition on later on 12-22-22:

Below are three of the cloth ornaments I bought a few years ago...

George and Martha Washington...

George Washington crossing the Delaware... 

and a fife man (General Washington had a fife and drum corps, which you can read about here.)

and not in theme with the above but I thought I would share the two more recent ornaments I treated myself to and I posted here, now at home on our tree...  

Clara holding her toy Nutcracker and the ballerina.  

I haven't shared any other ornaments this year but at the end of 2023, you will see them on that third tree.  In the meantime, you can take a look at all the ones I posted during the lifetime of my blog at this link.  There are several posts so feel free to ignore this, but there is at least one other post from the gift shop.

Thanks for looking and have a great day.