Saturday, February 8, 2025

Saturday 9 But Beautiful

But Beautiful

Hosted by Sam!

Welcome to Saturday: 9. 
Saturday 9: But Beautiful (1947)
   
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
  
1) The lyrics encourage us to take a chance on love. What's something you've done recently that took you outside your comfort zone? How did it turn out?
When I signed up to chair the Bereavement  committee  last year at our church..  I wasn't  expecting   what I got. I had  been social chair  at  two  previous churches  as a younger woman and so  when this need arrived  I spoke up.. Well, in my experience  a bereavement meal  was for  the  family members to  be served   following  a funeral.. my experience  was to expect about 30 total  folks..  Well, my very first  meal  surprised me with 80  folks attending.  I  about flipped out of my skin..  Not knowing  that many  in the church.  I had only  2  other  committee members and  was  undone by the amount of food  to  be  gathered  expected.. But I  stepped up to the plate and  just  allowed the Lord to work through me and   things worked out  wonderfully. It really   poured joy in my heart to see  God in action as everything  simply fell right into place.  I learned to just  walkinto the fire and  allow  Him to  work!
 
2) Bing Crosby introduced "But Beautiful" in the 1947 film, Road to Rio. Name another movie song that became a hit.  I always think of soundtracks and this one  came to mind first!!!
https://youtu.be/QjWghPS2dUw?si=FP5XiZfPKl-aqOGJ  
 Hope you will   open and enjoy!

3) Bing's leading lady in Road to Rio was Dorothy Lamour. When she was a teenager, she worked as an elevator operator. With the advent of user-operated/push-button elevators, few elevator operator jobs remain. What's another job that was once commonplace, but has virtually disappeared?
 Car mechanics at your  neighborhood  filling stations.  I say this because  we have to wait    a month to get our car looked at at  the dealership!  
4) Road to Rio was one of seven Road movies Bing Crosby and Bob Hope made together. They were once the most financially successful comedy teams in history. What movie or TV show always makes you laugh?
Just about every Mel Brooks film.. 

5) Crosby's given name was Harry but he acquired the nickname "Bing" because as a kid he was a fan of a comic strip character named "Bingo." As a child, did you read the newspaper?  I loved the  comic strips on the 50's and 60's  so much better than  those of today!
 
6) His 1942 version of "White Christmas" is still one of the best-selling records of all time. He was a movie star, nominated three times for the Oscar, winning once. Can you name another performer who has been successful both acting and singing?
  I do not remember her singing that much in the  films  but I really  enjoyed Barbara Streisand movies and I do love  her  songs!
See above  video    for a clip of my fav movie  of her's~

7) Bing loved golf and enjoyed traveling the world, playing at different courses. If today you were to receive an airline ticket to any city in the world, what destination would you choose? What would you be certain to see/do there? I believe I would go to Israel..  It seems most all of our friends  have been there and absolutely loved it.. I would love to walk where our Lord walked!!!

8) In 1947, when "But Beautiful" was a hit, Farrah Fawcett was born. She became famous for her bathing suit poster, her blonde hair, and a 70s TV show. Without looking it up, do you know the name of that television series? Nope.. Have no idea!

9) Random question -- Are you someone who makes things happen, or someone things happen to?  I think I make things  happen more than  anyone else of my  generation I know!
 

Tuesday, January 28, 2025

Tuesday 4 Dreaming!

Dream.. Dream.. Dream

 
Welcome to Toni's Tuesday 4 friends!  
It's up early due to a busy weekend.
Dream, when you're feeling blue
Dream, that's the thing to do
Just watch the smoke rings rise in the air
You'll find your share of memories there

So dream, when the day is through
Dream, and they might come true
Things never are as bad as they seem
So dream, dream, dream
                           ........by Johnny Mercer

1. As evenings are long, temperatures drop and we have more time to dream and ponder, are you pondering or dreaming of anything right now?I hate to wish my life away, but I do long for the   spring and sunny,  warmer weather..  I long for  bulbs  bursting  up  from the ground and buds popping out on the trees!

2.  Day dreaming , singing, humming even, can lift your mood and change the entire state of your health.   Do you daydream or sing during the day ? Now that you know it can improve health will you try it?Now that you know it can improve health will you try it?  I do love to listen to music that  inspires   dreaming..  I have several  cd's of Dan Gibson, whose music is quite dreamy!  Click the link below to see  many of  Dan's  compositions and  listings..  

https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWLaUoe6IkBZ0kClCcbEs6z6ijZIDFU8r

3. Fess  up friends!   When you window gaze is it because you are nosy or because it's just so lovely outside?  We will still love you no matter what the answer.I  can  day dream  to distraction..  I guess many like my mom would say I've wasted a good amount of time  window gazing.  I think I was even scolded in elementary class  for the same! But I am  a  pretty creative person  and  I loved to write stories as a young lady,  so  I think it is probably reasonable that I spent  a good amount of time within myself  dreaming  of what could be! I still do, as a matter of fact!

4.Daydreams can become reality if they stir us to action.    Were there any times in your life when dreams came true?  As I consider this question the first thing that  came to mind was the fact that  God in His  majesty and good gifts   provided many opportunities for my life that I never even  considered  in my dreams..  I dreamed of adventures,   but never dreamed  I would actually live  a year in a foreign country  before I ever  began my life's work. It was a land of  castles and  marvelous  tales of  fantasy  from my youth,  and I got to  visit and  be a part of  them before I was 23..

That is just one way God worked in my life  offering me  the   reality of many such dreams I am sure I  visited as a youth!

We actually lived  right beside this  mountain range  called the Odenwald  which   was  the  area  where the  Brothers' Grimm lived and got so many ideas for their stories!  We could see this ruin from our  living room window!

  This is Frankenstein's Castle which Mary Shelley visited  and was so taken by the   horror story of the actual man who lived here  was compelled to write  her  own story  about the  site!  We arrived  at this castle  right at dusk and saw it    in it's most ghoulish setting..  We were the only ones  there at the time..   It was rather chilling as we had just read the true story of Dr. Frankenstein!




Monday, January 27, 2025

Happy Homemaker Monday

Happy Homemaker Monday

 

Hosted by Sandra.

               *** The weather in my neck of the woods*** 


  
Monday - 50/33 sunny
Tuesday - 52/37 windy
Wednesday- 58/31 sunny 
Thursday -  51/36 mostly sunny
Friday -  54/40 showers
Saturday -  52/45. Showers
Sunday - 50/37 cloudy
 
 Oh, how I am loving these warmer days! 

 *** Things that make me happy ***

  This weather is compelling me to undo the wintry decor and pull out the spring.  Now that will make me extremely happy!


*** Book I'm reading *** 
I am reading and so enjoying, Pride and Prejudice..  yes, Jane’s fabulous book.  This is about the 6 th time I’ve read it.  My favorite book since my teen years! 
                                    
*** What's on my tv today *** 
YouTube
Homemaking vlogs
 All Creatures Great and Small  
 
Hallmark
When Calls the Heart
Various    movies  I enjoy over and over

  
*** On the breakfast plate *** 

Early  this morning I enjoyed my yogurt and coffee.  But then Lynn and I went to the dentist.  Great reports,  so then we dined at our favorite breakfast spot, The Toastery. We got the Breakfast Sandwich  which I like to deconstruct and dine on my 2 eggs over medium, crisp country bacon, cheese, on sour dough bread. And my side is a fresh fruit cup with coffee. 
 
*** On the lunch plate *** 

Our breakfast out sufficed as lunch as well! 
 
*** On the dinner plate *** 

Homemade Potato soup and a lovely romaine salad! 
 
 
*** On my to do list *** 
Today: 
Dental visit
Lunch out
A visit with a new orthopedic doctor.  This is to check on my back and sciatica!  Hoping for some relief!
Work on my Community Bible Study Homework

 
This week: 
Attend CBS small group
Dine out with our church group 
Swiffer the floors upstairs vaccuum the carpets
Put my washed and folded clothing away
Work on my  Jackie Lawson February birthday cards to send


*** No words needed***


***Devotional***



Tuesday, January 21, 2025

Tuesday 4

Weathering the Storm...

Tuesday 4, hosted by Annie!
Weathering the Storm

 Hello .. This is Toni's Tuesday  4 where we strive to get you thinking and blogging and connecting with others.
 The saying used to be on my blog as a description: "Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain."
This was important to me when my spine went south on me.  I was born disabled  and became a dancer.  Now I am disabled again. Que sera, sera, whatever will be will be.   But we keep on going. and turn the lemons to lemonade...or we should I think.
Let's talk about it because we have all been there, done that.

1. What/who is your rock through the storms of life?My dear husband  is my rock.  Actually, I do not think I could get by without him  at this stage of life.. I am in my mid u0'[s and   my health is  hanging in there,  but my body is   weak and  pretty painful.  I cannot negotiate steps well. I certainly can not carry  items with me  so    there it is.    
What beliefs do you have to stand on? OH, I absolutely depend on  my lord and savior  Jesus Christ, and   God  for the air  I breathe and  every   moment that I live! Prayer is  very important in my life!

2.  Do you take precautions for bad storms? What precautions do you take? Well, we do not have tornadoes,    hurricanes, and floods  per se   
right here  where we live.  We may have   downpours that  supersede our  drains  and must  eat,ch    how things are  going  as  our back door is flush with the sidewalk outside! IfWe live on the side of a hill and sometime   the rainwater  flows downtime hill at such a degree  we    can take measures to  divert the water  flowing down our  driveway toward the house.  But that is  about  all we do  in the wake of storms.

3. The Sheep are caroling in the snow... do you sing during the tough times? I sometimes, do actually.  certain hymns bring me solace..   Because God is so faithful.. I  sing Great is Thy Faithfulness:
                                          “Great is Thy faithfulness,” O God my Father,
                               There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
                                   Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not
                         As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.
 
                             “Great is Thy faithfulness!” “Great is Thy             faithfulness!”
                         Morning by morning new mercies I see;
                      All I have needed Thy hand hath provided—
                 “Great is Thy faithfulness,” Lord, unto me!
          2
                                 Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,
                    Sun, moon and stars in their courses above,
                     Join with all nature in manifold witness
                To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.
3
                                Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
                Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
                       Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
                    Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

    What things, what activities pull you through?  I  certainly pray..  talking to God is a great  solace!  I  may just write  in my  journal and listen to  christian music!

4. Whatever we do, we should be there for others in the difficult times.
What advice can you give to those who are going through a difficult time now?  Phone calls,  notes, and visits are  one  thing.. Sometimes I take a meal and a visit.

Sunday, January 19, 2025

Happy Homemaker Monday

 

Hosted by Sandra.

               *** The weather in my neck of the woods*** 


  
Monday - 20/10 falling temps
Tuesday - 25/9   cloudy and breezy
Wednesday-26/11  sunny and cold
Thursday -  37/20  cloudy  
Friday - 40/20  flurries
Saturday - 43/33  cloudy
Sunday - 50/37 cloudy
 
 
 *** Things that make me happy ***

  Having  facetime with my granddaughters.  Can't this weekend  because they are  occupied!





*** Book I'm reading *** 
I am deep into   my cosy mystery... 
                                    

*** What's on my tv today *** 
YouTube
Homemaking vlogs,  Weather,  and   I watched  the first show of  season 5  of  All Creatures Great and Small  that I taped.
 
Hallmark
When Calls the Heart
Various    movies  I enjoy over and over

  
*** On the breakfast plate *** 
Lynn brought me my  fruited yogurt and  coffee!

 
 
*** On the lunch plate *** 
We dined out after church with our friends, the Walters!  We ate at our favorite Mexican  spot.  Gerri  and I enjoyed the   Quesadilla Delicioso and a slice of  chocolate  chess pie. 

 
*** On the dinner plate *** 
Haven't eaten yet!

 
 
*** On my to do list *** 
Today: 
Change bed linens
Get my 2k steps in
Cook a pot ot potato soup
Read  the Bible
 
This week: 
Workout and 2k steps every day
dust mop the floors  and rooms down stairs  
Grocery shopping

*** No words needed (favorite photo or picture) *** 


 But I must tell the story.  I got  a  letter from one of  our grand daughters  who sent her love to Farmer Brown..  and about that moment Lynn came down dressed  just like this to go out and  work on the ice on the driveway.  So I had to take a photo to send to  Viv!

***Devotional***



Saturday, January 18, 2025

Saturday 9. Careless Whisper

 Welcome to Saturday: 9. Hosted by Sam!



Saturday 9: Careless Whisper (1985)
    
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
 
 
1) In this week's song, George Michael sings that, when it comes to relationships, "there's no comfort in the truth." Have you ever learned something about a friend, lover or relative that you wish you didn't know? Yes,  in all three and it was a bit devastating… nothing I’d wish to share.

2) Though this was the top song of 1985, George wrote it years before, when he was still working as a dj at a restaurant outside London. He recalled the moment the sax solo popped into his head. It was while he was on the bus on his way to work. If you go to work, how do you get there (car, bus, train, etc.)? If you don't work outside the home, tell us about a trip you make regularly. I drove to teach school about 25 miles into the next county! I had about 5 different routes  I could take and utilized them all, especially on those days I could not face the interstate!
 
3) The video for this song was very expensive. It was filmed on location all around Miami, including the luxury Grove Towers Condominiums, but then much of it had to be reshot because George didn't like his hair. Are you having a good hair day today?  Much better than yesterday’s hair! I washed it this morning and used a nice product! But yesterday, even though I was also going to church I was the coordinator for an important meal and I worked hard before going to the church and worked in the kitchen for. 5 hours!  I had to wear hair pins  to tame my granny  frizzy hair! 

4) 1985 was a big year for George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley. As Wham! they had three songs on the charts and became the first Western pop music act to tour China. Have you ever visited China? Would you like to go? No interest what so ever!
 
5) When he wasn't working, George was a creature of habit. For example, he never tired of Cocoa Puffs for breakfast and roast chicken for Sunday dinner. Is there a menu item you find yourself eating again and again? Even though I don’t want to go there, I do love Chinese food!

6) George enjoyed living quietly in Highgate, North London. It wasn't until after his death that his neighbors learned he was the "anonymous resident" who had been funding Highgate's Fair in the Square for years. Held in June each year, The Fair is known for its dog show, arts and crafts booths, music and food. Tell us about one of your community's annual events. We have Dicken’s of a Christmas each weekend of Dec. but we have never gone! 
 
7) According to Car and Driver, when "Careless Whisper" was popular, so was the Chevy Cavalier, a compact car. Nearly 40 years later, the vehicle landscape is very different. There are fewer compacts sold and last year, the most popular Chevy was the Silverado, a light duty truck. Do you drive a car, a truck, or an SUV? A SUV. 

8) Also in 1985, Bill Shoemaker's earnings reached $100 million, making him the world's most successful jockey. Do you follow horse racing?  I love to watch the Triple Crown! 

9) Random question -- In which race would you do better: the Iditarod, with sled dogs in Nome, or speeding in a race car at the Indy 500?  We used to attend the races in Bristol and Atlanta! ID love to have driven there back in the 70’s!
 

Monday, January 13, 2025

Winter Musings


Monday, January 13, 2025

                                                          Hosted by Annie!!!

Winter Musings


 Hello and welcome once again to Toni's Tuesday 4. 

It's cold in these United States.  Everyone seems to be chilly and some have blizzard conditions to contend with.

But I think winter is a time for us, as well as animals, to hibernate and take things slow and easy.  I think many find themselves a bit more sleepy than usual and maybe we are supposed to take the time to rest... Let's talk it over okay?

1. Do you find yourself a bit more lazy or tired as the nights get longer or does it not seem to do much to you? In general how are you doing this winter?  Oh,  I usually  go upstairs    get all  wrapped up in my  jammies, and crawl in bed right after dinner.;  The way Hubs can watch whatever he likes in the den  and I usually  listen to  moody music while I do a few crossword puzzles, sometimes I color a  page in my  Apple tablet,  and then I love to  visit on Facebook the reels  .. I am so enamored by the   cute  babies..    and   several of the other  items that pop up...  of course many I pass on by.   not  up my alley at all.   but those babies are so precious.  then like last evening I put it all away and turned on Hallmark to watch When Calls the Heart!!! AS I have written previously my knee is ripe for replacement so I ahve trouble getting  around , especially out in bad weather.. I look forward to this eek.  the  weather report promises warm and clear days.  I  can get out a bit this week!!

2. Do you appreciate the extra hours of dark that allow for more sleep, more leisure, less travel and hurry or not?  I do enjoy the longer evenings  when I can sleep  Last night I slept like a baby all night long,, but the night before laid away from 9:30  when Hubs  turned out the light til 4am.  Not fun!!!

3. I know I love a hot drink on a chilly evening and the quiet of the streets outside as people stay inside more on cold nights.  I feel more relaxed in the winter.  How about you?  Yes,  IN a way,  but our  85 year old home has a cacophony  of its own which still after  40 years   can disturb my senses!  I rather enjoy the jovial sounds of  friendly neighbors and youth.  so  I guess it just all depends on the  event and the times!

4. Do you ever gaze out of your window like Miss Kitty in the picture just watching the world go by? How do you find yourself relaxing on a chilly evening?I look out  through the shutters  every time during the evening to check on  my near by neighbors. I find it very calming to see lights on  in other homes.  We always have  our property alit because the police did a safety program on  that.  The neighbors right behind us  do ahve lights most of the time.. the opposite corner  across  the street  is dark most of the time.. Our  neighbors beside us  go dark overnight  by 7:30    their    yard is  black hole.     Thankfully, there are lights on the other  side of us.. . I very  thankful there is a street   right on the edge of our back property   and  there is a street light  right  in the middle of the back edge of our  home..  When it does out.  Im always on the phone calling to get the bulb changed!!!

Farewell

 After  17 years of   blogging  I am  pretty sad to  just fade  out  with  hardly  anyone showing any   farewell,  concern  about my  surger...