The Family Tradition

Both my father and brother were fighter pilots. On my recent trip to Denver, my brother showed me a photo of him taken in Thailand while he was in the Air Force. Roland flew Phantom F-4C's and F-4D's on night missions. It's amazing how much knowledge he has about every facet of his flying career. I took his photo and created layout commemorating this time in his life. Like my Dad before him, he is so thorough to a fault. But that's what kept him alive!

Heritage Fotos is one of the favorite classes I teach. I guess I just have a soft spot for those classic photos and portraits from yesteryear. My favorites are the pre-50's photos. It's like a piece of detective work looking at the clues--hair styles, clothing, jewelry--and seeing if I can come close to dating an image accurately. I've been lucky having recently acquired scans of old family photos. Those faces from the past are trying to share their messages. It's fascinating!

Picture Perfect

Reagan loves her camera. I've allowed my grandchildren to use my Nikon camera and try to help them understand the value in taking a good image. They are each on their own journey and the skill of taking good photos will go a long way in helping them understand who they are and where they've been.

Salt Lake City and Denver

The ScrapGirls Convention in Salt Lake City was terrific. I sat at a table with Brandy Murray--a very talented designer, 3 other digital teachers and 2 other ladies. The presentations by the "Purple Shirts" were very informative. Apparently the guest speaker from Canon canceled out on us (tacky) but another photographer came to the rescue with an informative program. I think it was the friendliest group of women I've ever been associated with ever! Ro, V, and the entire staff did a fantastic job organizing the programs and putting the educational presentations together. My hat is off to all of them. Ro said there will not be a gathering next year due to the economy. Let's pray that the world is a better place in the near future so that we can all grow and prosper.

Right now I'm at my brother's home in Denver, CO. Three out of five of us has had the flu this week. I've been washing my hands religiously, brushing my teeth and using Listerine. I do have a bad habit of touching my face which is a no-no when it comes to spreading germs. I'll try to do better. Tomorrow morning I board the great silver bird and fly home. And as the saying goes...There's no place like home!

Breast Cancer Awareness

Our Digi Crop Club meeting at Memories Galore will feature a "Pink" layout in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I lost my mother to this dreadful disease so it didn't take much convincing when several of the girls wanted to change the format for October. This month's lesson will be "Tearing Paper". Plus we'll look at an alternate photo technique. It's a great technique I use often.

If you haven't already, check out www.ArmyofWomen.com that is working towards finding the causes of Breast Cancer BEFORE they occur. I joined last year. They are active with researchers and post various opportunities to get involved at a local level.

Let's put Breast Cancer in the past!

Can't you see the excitement in his eyes? The grease paint under his eyes was a big deal for this 6 year old. He pointed it out to me 3 times to make sure I recognized how cool it was!

Locked Out

For some strange reason, I have tried to post several times and couldn't. I tried tonight and figured out what I was doing wrong. So I'll try again!

This year I have felt the seasonal shift more than any other year I can remember. Maybe that is a sign of age, who knows. The leaves haven't changed their colors yet but I can feel the winter's howl right around the corner. My grandson is playing flag football and loves running all out on the field. I included a layout of his first game.

Reagan's soccer team gave her a nickname. They call her "Smiley". The name fits. She has a gorgeous smile. It's an appropriate nickname and I hope it follows her for a lifetime.

Last night I whipped up a pot of White Chicken Chili. Jimmy had some for breakfast and lunch. He said he didn't want it for dinner so I made paninis with pork roast, roasted peppers and swiss cheese. It was good for a change.

As the World Economy Turns!

The world HAS changed. Too much greed surrounds us and has seeped into the upper levels and corrupted our everyday way of life. Years ago I would take my little insignificant stock vote and spend an hour or so trying to extract from the stock report what exactly I was voting for. (Notice that they never exactly direct you to that information.) I'd always find some sort of "incentive" for the board members or selected corporate big guys buried in there somewhere and I'd vote against it. My brother, a financial planner, said I was just wasting my time...my vote was hardly noticable and it wouldn't really mean anything. But to me it was about the principle! If everyone had the same desire to see a cooperative attitude and not see their role as a personal opportunity to pull the financial wool over everyones eyes, maybe some of this elitism wouldn't have taken such a deep hold...Maybe the economy would be healthier. Maybe.

A Valerie Challenge-Dad & Mom

The "November" layout posted is actually a wallpaper screen. It was a freebie from ScrapbookDimensions.com

Fall

It's been a pretty busy Fall. I've been teaching digital scrapbooking at our local scrapbooking store all year. I don't want anyone else to go through the frustration I had several years ago when I started scrapbooking. That was awful. I thought that since I'd used other Adobe product for years, Photoshop Elements was going to be intuitive and a breeze....WRONG! Today there are lots of tutorials on the web that are available that weren't there when I started. But, the people who take my classes have the advantage of all I have learned in my trials and tribulations. I wish I'd have someone to show me some of the things I didn't discover for a year or two of active scrapping!

I love digital. Clean up is a breeze. If you get caught in the middle of making a layout--no problem. Just Save and Exit. Pick it up later and finish it. No paper, glue and scissors (not to mention a thousand other little things) to put away.

I'm doing a fairly simple style right now. More graphic in nature. Christmas is around the corner so I need to get to work and make some mini albums, calendars, etc. for gifts. I love personal gifts that are made by someone--cookies, photos, crafts. Maybe with the economy like it is people will be more resourcefull without their Visas and share something special.

Thanksgiving is Thursday. I am so thankful to have the wonderful family I have. We will truly miss Fax who won't be coming home from school. But the rest of us will gather in Charlottesville to celebrate at Scott and Lou's home. They do the annual get-together and do it up big with style. I'm the official pie maker. I love to spend Thanksgiving morning rolling out crust and filling and baking. Baking has always been a favorite interest. Enjoy your family, holiday and your pie, too!

Alaska...The Last Frontier!

Jimmy and I took 2 Alaskan cruises this month! The first was from Vancouver, BC, to Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Park, College Fjord and Whittier. The next was the same in reverse. The coastline reminded me of South America--going South along Chile's rocky shoreline with occasional human habitation. We were on a Princess Cruise and I must say that they did everything possible to make the cruise delightful. The food was superb and the staff was most accomodating. My brother, Roland, and his wife, Karen, consider cruising as their favorite vacation pasttime. It is great getting to spend time seeing each other without anyone having to clean or cook. Roland is a character. He delights (as do I) in playing a tough game of Trivia. Why we seem to learn all these points of interest and random facts is beyond me but we both do it. I guess it is a throwback from our childhood as military brats. You had to land on your feet and learn as much as you could about a place as fast as you could. Roland, Karen and I played Trivia on the ship almost every time it was offered. We won countless luggage tags, a Princess ball cap, a tote bag, a passport holder, etc. Karen is the whiz at showtunes and music. One night we played "Name that Tune" at the bar with the most incredible piano player I've ever heard--Ray Cousinns. We tied with 2 other teams and won it in the playoff. A bottle of awful champagne. But we did have fun! I took lots of photos. To use an old saying...Alaska--It's a nice place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there.

Visitors

Through the years I have been fortunate to have some uninvited visitors.

About 10 or 12 years ago, Jimmy and I were sitting on the edge of the bed savoring a cup of java when a large dark shadow passed in front of the windows. Jimmy said it was as big as an eagle; I said it was as big as a condor! He looked outside and didn't see anything. A few minutes later I went in the Kitchen for more coffee and low and behold, outside on the terrace was a peacock with his irridescent tail fanned out! How exotic to have a peacock keep you entertained for over a week. Have you ever looked at one up close? Really close? His beak and feet are built for power and the muscle control he has to spread those tail feathers must be unbelievable. But as fast as he came, so he flew home to a nearby river plantation. But I'll never forget the sight of him and his beautiful turquiose plumage.

Today I had another suprise visitor. It was one of those perfect days today--clear as a bell, no humidity and in the low 70's. The kind of day you wish was everyday! I had left the sliding door open to let in some fresh air and our little friend must have found his way inside. I went to pick up my purse on the edge of the counter and jumped back when I saw something on the side of it. It was the most incredible hummingbird clinging to the leather. Wray was in the office and came to see what all the excitement was about. I picked up the purse gently and walked outside on the porch. The little bird just remained calm and didn't move. The feathers on his throat glowed with a bright red and orange in contrast to his green body. We snapped a couple photos. Then I held my purse up by the feeder and eventually he flew off into the trees. He wasn't the least afraid of me. The only thing I can imagine is that he flew around in the house a while before taking refuge on my purse. Maybe he was exausted and trying to get his energy back.

When the feeders get low, a hummingbird will fly up to the window and hover looking in and trying to say, "Hey, fill up the feeders, please!" Tonight the battle of who gets to eat at the feeders continued. I'm sure the little guy who visited was there claiming his territory. I wouldn't be surprised if he told the other bird, "You should see the inside of the house!" I'm just glad I found him in time. A couple years ago we found one in the garage that wasn't so lucky!

Who are your people?

My mother-in-law had a funny phrase that I hear from time to time when she would first meet someone. She'd say, "And who are your people?" I think this is an old Southern term coming from the days when knowing someones family had a lot to do with the person's identity and character. Of course that just doesn't fly with today's independent thinkers.

For the past couple years, I have been chipping away at my geneology. I mentioned before that my maternal grandmother was divorced in the 1920's--a most unusual circumstance for that time era. I had always heard, "He left her for another woman!" Scandal! My grandmother had 3 small children, the oldest of whom was my mother. So there was very little I knew about my mother's family on her father's side. But the best thing about this continuing saga was finding my mother's half-sister, Earline Vass Wallace. What a discovery.

It is amazing how much she and my mother have in common. The last time Earline saw my mother was when she was 6 years old and my mother was probably in her mid-20's. Although they weren't in contact, the similarities are many. Red is their favorite color, both owned ceramic shops, I used to catch the city bus to VCU right near Earline's ceramic shop--in fact we lived very close to each other for several years unknowingly! Their sweet loving dispositions are so similar. My mother was the type of person that could keep a secret and would never do anything to hurt or harm another's feelings or well-being. Earline is the same way.

Earline and I have enjoyed getting to know each other. We've gone hunting for headstones--and found John J. Davis's (my Great Grandmother's father) tombstone. We've toured Stomping Branch Farm--the old Davis homestead, and the handsome Victorian house that Luther Vass built in Elmont, Virginia where my mother and her sister and brother were all born. We have traveled to various courthouses and museums looking for any scrap of family history available. And we still have a long way to go. Earline grew up in the area and had the privilege of knowing Aunts, Uncles and relatives. This has been a huge advantage. And along the way, we've met wonderful people who have helped us, as well as discovering "new" relatives like John Henry Taylor! It's been a fun adventure.

Monday we are going to visit a relative that Earline knows but had lost touch with. I can't wait. It's a good life!

Great Scott!

It was warm out today and the robins were hopping around the yard in searching for worms. All intentions have been to get outside and clean up the flower beds and join in the annual neighborhood yard competition. I've been thinking about this for 3 weeks but the taxes, etc. has diverted my attention. On the way back from getting my car serviced today, I thought about how I needed to get some nutrients on the lawn and shrubbery soon--it is supposed to rain tomorrow. So, I went by Sam's Club to see what lawn products they might have.

Scott's is our brand of choice and I pushed my cart as close as it would get to the stack of bags, wrangled one bag off the top and slid it into the front of the basket. No matter that the yellow bag was draped over the front lip because that way I could flip it into the back of my Sienna van. From the opposite end of the isle, I spied a stack of Scott's lawn products in white and green bags. It was Scott's with the crabgrass killer! Just what I was looking for...maybe. I rolled a bag over to read the features and directions and tried to compare it with the Scott's with weed control I had already put in my basket. As I perused the information, a voice said, "Do you have any questions?" I looked up and standing in front of me was a tall soft-spoken man with a beige hat and green polo shirt bearing, no less, the Scott's logo!!!

"Yes", I replied. This knowledgable man shared exactly the information I needed to make my lawn beautiful this year now that I had just about missed the timing for the crabgrass preventative. His suggestion was something that wasn't on the bag so without his miraculous appearance, I might still be there trying to decypher gardening codes. He also recommended getting a Scott's Deluxe spreader--the one with the side guard feature. He said to make sure to rinse it out after every use. And to keep the receipt in case there was ever a problem, Scott's was stellar at backing their products. Jimmy and I had been discussing this very spreader this morning with different viewpoints! Jimmy said you didn't need the deluxe spredder--to just space the spreader from the driveway, sidewalks, etc. I wanted the guard because HE is the one who gets fertilizer all over the hard surfaces and the cost/waste factor would more than pay for the upgrade. Yeah, I've been vindicated!

Sometimes the unexpected has remarkable timing. Thank you Mr. Scott's representative! It's a good life!

The Easter Parade

Now you have to realize I grew up in a time where Easter (besides the religious holiday) was celebrated with families dressing up in new spring outfits. Typically as a little girl, I got a new dress complete with a full skirt and big bow in the back, new black patent leather Mary Jane shoes, white socks with lace trim, a purse, white gloves and a hat! During the fifties, this was the typical annual rites of Spring for most middle class American families. After receiving our chocolate bunnies and basket from the Easter Bunny, our next treat was the annual Easter egg hunt. I remember when I was 5 or 6, I found the treasured golden egg. An older boy snatched it out of my hand and claimed the Grand Prize! (I was a shy little girl and the bully got away with it then. Today he'd have a harder time.) In elementary school, we glued paper flowers on a paper hat. There'd be an Easter Program on the stage wearing our paper hats singing all the ole favorites, "In your Easter bonnet..."

Several years ago we went with good friends for a fun weekend in New York City. The food was fantastic--saw the Rockettes with their Easter Extravaganza--Central Park--Museums--and topped it off on Sunday going to the Easter Parade! So when we arrived at 5th Avenue, I expected to see a lot of sophisticated New Yorkers parading around in their fashionable finest!!! WRONG. Near Rockafeller Center, I did see one group of 4 or 5 beautiful young women wearing spring dresses, hats, heels and Italian sunglasses looking fabulous. But they were the only ones. Today's Easter Parade has evolved into something that is a cross between Halloween and a circus! One man was walking around with a hat with a 2 foot plastic statue that resembled a chocolate bunny perched on top. Others had hats with odd plumage attached but the piece of cake was the lady with 2 live iguanas tied to her canvas chapeau. Everyone thought that was cool. Is this the new meaning of the Easter Parade? This morning I looked at the Richmond newspaper only to see 2 photos of Sunday's Monument Avenue Easter Parade--one featuring a clown on stilts and the other had a dog with rabbit ears!

You'd think the Easter Parade would be a "shoe in" event for those people that love the expensive designer bags and shoes! For all the money spent, you'd think these fashionistas would be out showing off their good taste. But where are these trappings of couture in the Easter Parade? Why do people spend vast fortunes on expensive fashion and accessories only to miss a holiday parade that was created for them!

Long gone is the elegance of yesteryear. It goes to show that now you can wear your old painting clothes just about anywhere or anytime. From someone who loves their creature comforts and hasn't worn high heels for years, this is still disconcerting. Is there a double meaning to the quote, "There is a time and place for everything!" Maybe it should read, "There is a time and place for certain things" meaning everything isn't meant to be everywhere all the time. Have I made myself perfectly unclear?!