Ho Ho Ho - Merry Christmas

John recently changed into Santa for a visit to a retirement community.

I snapped this picture of him just as he arrived home down the chimney.

Happy 90th Birthday

John's dad recently celebrated his 90th birthday, and we were able to be with him.

                                Happy Birthday James

Daddy 1922 - 2009

I haven't ventured into my blog at all since John and I left Kentucky.  In fact, I'm just now deciding to share this with you.

My dad went into the hospital the day we returned to California from Kentucky.  Our family was by his side for the nearly two weeks he was there.  He passed away on November 19th.

This picture of him was taken in 1992 when he and my mother visited John and me in Florida.  I love this picture of him because it captures his personality.  He was a happy loving father to all of us kids throughout the years.

I love you Daddy.

Vintage Photo Sunday - What a Doll

Doesn't this little girl look like a life sized doll?  Her photograph was in a box of phtographs I bought a quite while back.  There isn't any information written about her on the picture.  Please, feel free to use the image if you like.

Heading Back to California

We are scheduled to head back to California on Monday, Nov. 2nd.  We will spend nearly a week on the road for the return trip.  It is nice to take our time and visit places along the way.  This year part of the route we are going to take is new to us - from Little Rock, AK we will be driving I 30 across Texas and catch up with I 10 in New Mexico.  I will try to post pictures we take along the way when we stop at night.  Since I am turning in the modem today, I am offline until at least Monday night with the exception of a scheduled post for Sunday.

Elizabethtown, Kentucky - Cemetery Hill

Cemeteries usually invoke strong feelings in people.  I'd say many people have negative reactions to going to a cemetery.  But, I find them calming.

The Elizabethtown Kentucky city cemetery on Cemetery Hill was the place where the only battle in Elizabethtown took place during the Civil War on December 27, 1862.  Elizabethtown was occupied with Union soldiers when Confederate General John Hunt Morgan attacked Elizabethtown with an artillery battery from Cemetery Hill.  After a fight that lasted hours, the Union soldiers surrendered.  Read more about this battle here.

It was a sunny day, and I snapped quite a few pictures.  I am going to add many of them so you can see some of the old tombstones.  Scroll to the bottom of this linked article to see an interesting explanation about the symbols on gravestones - For example: Hands Clasped - Goodbyes Said at Death.

                                     

                                                   These headstones are taller than me.

Vintage Photo Sunday - Thomas

This small cabinet card photo is marked Thomas with a 1700's date.  Don't know if that information is correct.  I do know that young boys were often dressed like girls.  In any case - what a cutie!

Our Beautiful Maple In Its Autumn Clothes

Autumn is a second Spring when every leaf is a flower.

Albert Camus

Vintage Photo Sunday - Alice 1929

The only information I have about this photograph is the 1929 date written on the back of the photograph.

I used it once for the subject in an earlier wallhanging where I named her Alice.

I would love to have some of that gorgeous drapery fabric!

The sleeves on her dress are interesting too aren't they?

Vintage Photo Sunday - Bathing Beauties

These are some swimsuits aren't they? Styles were so much different than they are today. I suspect all that material would be quite heavy when it got wet. I think the girls are smiling because they know they are stylish.

Old Keys

I was snooping around in John's workshop and spotted a ring of old keys. He said I could use them in my projects, and I have something in mind. They were covered in a greasy kind of dirt, so I cleaned them enough to get rid of that without making them look like new. I think I may use all of them in one collage.

Rineyville Day Parade 2009

Another year and another Rineyville Day Parade. We grab our coffee and lawn chairs, and head out to the yard to watch the parade go by. When you compare each year's pictures they look very much the same. Still, I enjoy snapping away and sharing them with you here.

Great old tractors!

Great old cars and trucks.

And don't forget the horses.