We could not let this day go by without acknowledging and honoring those 13, who in service to their country and their follow man, yesterday gave their last full measure of devotion…they gave their very lives.
To them and to their grieving families we say a very insufficient “Thank you for your service”. We honor you. Rest well. You are not forgotten.
When you look up into the sky, you may see one or two stars, maybe no stars. But you KNOW they are there so you keep looking and the more you look, the more you see.
Have you ever stopped to realize that there are so many things all around us that we so easily take for granted? But even the ordinary, the everyday things, can be extraordinary. It’s in the details.
Its nearly the weekend. We thought maybe you could use a good chuckle. Here’s what can happen when someone takes your instructions a little too literally!
We all face challenges. No one who has ever walked on this earth has escaped them. Challenges aren’t a question, they are a certainty. We came across a wonderful reminder regarding those life challenges we wanted to share with our chums to start your week.
At midday on July 10, 1040, Lady Godiva famously rode on a horse naked to protest the crushing taxes levied by her husband on the peasants of Coventry, England.
We came across some wise words that are good to remember whether you are celebrating the legal holiday for Independence Day or just see today as Monday. This message is good all day every day.
The popular image of Josephine Baker is of a daring entertainer, one who often shocked audiences by defying all the conventions of the day. But behind the tabloid fodder of her dramatic stage performances and glamorous lifestyle — including a pet cheetah — there was a complex woman who many of her fans never saw.
On this day in 1953,Queen Elizabeth II was formally crowned monarch of the United Kingdom in a lavish ceremony steeped in traditions that date back a millennium.
The freedoms large and small we all sometimes so casually enjoy, were bought with a price…the highest price of all. Remember those who paid it and honor them by being the best citizen and neighbor you can be. That is the least we can do to show our gratitude for their sacrifice.
On this day back in 1907, Marion Michael Morrison, an actor who came to epitomize the American West, was born in Winterset, Iowa. But this was not the name we know him by.
Tomorrow will mark one year since the dreadful death of George Floyd in Minneapolis and the protests that followed that involved rioting, looting, destruction, and ultimately even more deaths. Add to that the growing tension over what the right way to express pain and outrage should be. We have all witnessed arguments that have sprung up in communities, between neighbors and within families over whether to say “Black Lives Matter”, “Blue Lives Matter” or “All Lives Matter”. So when we came across this message at a middle school in a racial mixed neighborhood, it had a very stunning effect.
Yes, Today IS Cinco de Mayo but we are feeling that there is not too much that we could write that you, our readers, do not already know. Suffice to say that we wish you a happy Cinco de Mayo and hope that you celebrate well!
This photo was reprinted in this month’s Harper’s Bazaar. It was originally seen in the April 1964 issue of Bazaar, along with some wonderful info about the fashionable Audrey Hepburn.
Today happens to be the 95th birthday of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Somehow saying “Happy Birthday” to someone, who has, only days ago, lost her husband of 73 years, just doesn’t seem quite correct.
Since his passing last Friday, there has been an outpouring of expressions of respect and admiration for Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. One might expect as much for someone who, for so many, many years, has been in the public eye. During his years of service he took on more than 22,000 solo engagements, 637 official overseas trips, gave approximately 5,493 speeches and worked as patron to some 800 organizations. That is action.
But amongst those who gave the expected tributes, there were many that truly spoke to the character and heart of the man, and not just his accomplishments.
An old chum posted this info about the 23rd Psalm on social media and we found it so interesting and enlightening that we simply had to share it with you 🙂
At 40, Franz Kafka (1883-1924), who never married and had no children, walked through the park in Berlin when he met a girl who was crying because she had lost her favourite doll.
“I love people who make me laugh. I honestly think it’s the thing I like most, to laugh. It cures a multitude of ills. It’s probably the most important thing in a person.”
“Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends.”
Max Eastman
“Dogs laugh, but they laugh with their tails.”
Richard Pryor
“There’s a thin line between to laugh with and to laugh at.”
Anthony Burgess
“Laugh and the world laughs with you, snore and you sleep alone.”
Jay Leno
“You cannot be mad at somebody who makes you laugh – it’s as simple as that.”
Doesn’t matter who you are, it is always important to be able to laugh at yourself when you accidentally do something funny or if someone catches you in an unintended funny pose while taking a photo. This photo is an example of that. We have another one to share as well. It too is a doozy!
This fawn was on our porch and I thought its mom had died… called animal control and they said what this article says.
Dear Friends,
We just received our first phone call regarding newborn fawns, therefore it is the time of the year to post this. Deer deliver their newborns in the strangest of places! Residents will find them and be concerned about a newborn deer on their lawn, in their garden, under the azaleas, etc. Most call because they think the fawn is in peril and Mom is nowhere to be found.
Well, Mom is actually off feeding and helping to keep predators away. Those who call ask what they should do for the fawn. Leave it alone, do not touch, move or attempt to feed it. Here’s the scoop. Deer are NOT like horses. They do not have their legs under them immediately and need time to rest after birth. Horses get up and go that’s the sign of a healthy horse. A healthy fawn will curl up, nap most of the day and move their heads. They have no scent and predators cannot find them unless humans interfere.
Mom leaves during the day for two primary reasons: to feed, and to keep her scent a distance from the fawn. Mom will come back (unless something tragic happens to her), but don’t expect her until dusk and certainly don’t expect her if humans are hovering around. If you are fortunate enough to have the gift of a fawn, please enjoy the experience, respect Mother Nature and let the Mom do what comes naturally. She will move the fawn daily so you may see it in different locations.
There are any number of lovely things we can attribute to the Irish, but chief among them is their ability to liberally give out blessings. It is such a wonderful thing to bless someone. It brings joy both to the one who gives the blessing and the one who receives it. In honor of one of the most celebrated of Irish holidays, St. Patricks Day, we would like to share some of those wonderful blessings the Irish have given to all of us. These are just a few of our favorites:
Yesterday was Mother’s Day in Britain. Amid all the recent stories of conflict and strife in the British royal family, we thought a sweet story was in order.
Do you know this woman? Those who do know her would tell you that you would love her. Nurses and caregivers at the senior home where she lives reportedly fight over who gets to take care of her. She is Lucia DeClerck.
In the last few days you may have heard that amongst some circles of thought, Dr. Seuss has gone out of fashion. We think he did, however, have some wise words for all of us.
Many years ago, the world-famous Italian freediver Enzo Maiorca was diving in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of his hometown of Syracuse, Sicily. As he entered the water he felt a dolphin nudging his back.
Yesterday, my darling Chum, Robin, and her husband, Randy, celebrated their forty-fifth wedding anniversary and I could not let the day go by without making sure they feel very celebrated by all of their chums!
Back in the late 1960s, the BBC did a documentary on the royal family which, at the time, the Queen agreed to. It aired and then nothing was heard about it again. Apparently, the Queen regretted her decision.
Happiness is something we all want and hope for in our lives. Some spend the whole of their lives looking for it, trying to attain it. Pope Francis shared some thoughts about the idea of what brings real and lasting happiness.
Have you ever wondered about the origins of Valentines Day and why people all over the world celebrate love on February 14th? Or why school children and adults alike send cards with the notation “To my Valentine” or “From Your Valentine”? We did too. And this is what we found:
It’s been a while since we’ve had any Royal news to report. So we are thrilled to tell you there is a new little Royal to welcome! This photo is how his parents announced his arrival on Instagram just yesterday.
“Who are those people”?, you may well be asking. The man in this photo is called Robert Sherman. The little boy is his son, Jeffrey. They are a part of a story that very possibly touched your life as it has ours.
Yesterday we brought you some words of encouragement from our personal life experience and understanding. Hours later a chum of ours posted this video of her 5 year old daughter, Caris Hope, bringing her own encouragement. You don’t want to miss this!
It seems now more than any other time we can remember people are struggling, people are scared, people are hurting. What ever difficulty you may be facing today we have some wise encouragement for you dear chum.
We started this week with wonderful words of love from Martin Luther King and would like to continue to week with words to live by. No matter what seems to be going on around you, focus on the good.
There are hundreds of quotes from Martin Luther King Jr. that are spoken and printed regularly…his own words of wisdom and those he took from the Bible scriptures and reworded for the common man. But today, given the difficult and turbulent times where we find ourselves, and given the violence that we witnessed all summer long and even as recently as 2 weeks ago in our nations capitol, these quotes stand out today above the rest.
With all the bad news out there, sickness and lockdowns due to Covid, the political strife everywhere we turn, we thought we could all use something to smile about today 🙂
After the terrible events on Capitol Hill yesterday, we came across some wisdom we wanted, maybe more importantly, we needed to take in ourselves, and wanted to share with you, our chums.
A long while back, we talked about being orderly, the Marie Kondo way and thought, with the new year now in swing, it might be time for a quick refresh on that theme.
It is hard to believe that tomorrow night we will be saying good bye to 2020. This year has been a challenging one for all of us, that is certain. And, we hope that 2021 will be a better one – that goes without saying. But do we have a part in making 2021 better?
It’s been a rather dark year for so many, for all kinds of reasons. But, know that by doing the smallest of things, (that really cost you nothing), you might be changing everything for someone else. You might light the way.