A trip down memory lane…

Posted on September 14, 2009 by Barbara Harper

It’s going to be a busy week — ladies’ meeting tonight, Jesse’s birthday Wednesday, then he’s having guys over to celebrate his birthday Friday. So I am going today with this survey I saw on Facebook. I adapted it a little to use here. Feel free to borrow the format.

Who was your first “best friend”?
The first one I remember was a girl named Cindy in elementary school, about third grade.

What was your most memorable birthday as a child?
I had three cousins in Louisiana whose birthdays were all in August, as was mine, and once I happened to be up there during my birthday, and we had a carnival-like party for all four of us.

Who was your first “crush”?
My cousin Tommy when I was two, so I was told. The first I remember was a boy named James in 3rd grade.

Where was the best vacation your family took as a child?
We didn’t really take vacations other than to visit relatives.

What was your favorite pastime as a child?
Reading.

When did you learn to ride a two-wheel bike?
I don’t remember for sure — some time in elementary school. At one time my friends and I rode bikes everywhere.

What is your most traumatic memory as a child?
Probably not the most traumatic, but the first that comes to mind was trying to go to a neighbor’s house, barefoot, getting into a patch stickers (some people called them cockleburs), and having her dogs barking at me. I was afraid they were going to come after me, and I couldn’t run because my feet were full of stickers. I was afraid of dogs for a long time after that but still ran around outside barefoot until about 14 years ago.

What age did you learn to swim?
I never did….even though I grew up near the beach.

What smell automatically takes you back to your childhood?
The ocean. We lived near Padre Island and went to the beach a lot.

What was your first pet?
The first one I remember was a collie named Sam, though we had pets before that.

Who impacted your life as a child?
My father’s mother. When we lived in the same town she had me over to spend the night a lot and took me with her on a few trips to visit relatives in LA and AL. We both loved to read and would stay up late nights reading. She wrote letters to me for years and encouraged me as a Christian.

What is the most exciting Christmas gift you received as a child?
Barbie dolls.

Who was the neighborhood bully when you were growing up?
I don’t remember one in elementary school, but in high school it was a girl named Nadine, and it was at school rather than the neighborhood.

Who was/is your best friend as a teenager?
Dawn.

What is the first car you can remember your family owning?
I don’t remember the name. It was green and white and bulky. I have a picture that I will post later if I can find it.

What was the first award you ever received?
One for book reports in about the third grade.

What is the name of the first sports team you played on?
I never played on one other than P.E. I was not very athletic…

Let me know if you do this one, too.

Culturally speaking…

Posted on September 12, 2009 by Barbara Harper

I saw this meme at Melli‘s, who saw it at Dr. John‘s, who saw it who knows where.

In the past week have you done any high cultural activities like see theatre, opera or visit a museum?

I haven’t gone anywhere to do so, but I heard a Chopin piece on the radio yesterday (I used to know the names of some of them but have forgotten now) and the melody from Beethoven’s Symphony 7, opus 91, movement 2, allegretto has been running through my mind since I saw it in a movie earlier this week. I had heard it before, but didn’t know the name — I looked up the movie (which I DIDN’T like — the movie that is, not the act of looking up the piece) to find it.

Do you consider yourself a cultured person overall?

Well, I had to ponder that one. I looked up the dictionary definition of culture, and three applicable definitions of the ten listed are:

1. the quality in a person or society that arises from a concern for what is regarded as excellent in arts, letters, manners, scholarly pursuits, etc.
2. that which is excellent in the arts, manners, etc.
4. development or improvement of the mind by education or training.

We’ll skip the one about growing bacteria. 😀 I would say I enjoy culture, but I don’t know if I would say I am a cultured person. I have some education, I know some classical art and music, but not as much as I’d like. Whatever I know, there is much more out there to know. Another definition says, “Educated, polished, and refined; cultivated.” Polished — no — I have a long way to go there.

What is your favorite high culture activity?

I like listening to classical music, but I most enjoy listening to it at home while I am doing other things.

Have you ever been a participant/performed in a cultured activity?

I was in a choir that sang Handel’s Messiah.

Do you prefer pop culture or high culture?

I guess it depends on what is meant by or included in pop culture. I like some of Michael Buble, Josh Groban, the Irish Tenors, Il Divo, the King’s Singers — they’re current but in between either extreme, I think. I don’t listen to much of what’s popular in music — I’d be as wary of a modern-day play (as in one written in modern times, not a classic one that is performed now) as I am of modern films and literature because of the more overt language and sensuality. I’d have to say I prefer the classics, though I don’t like everything that one would call classic. I also like most the “standards” — “I’ll Be Seeing You,” “Just the Way You Look Tonight,” etc., which were pop culture in their day.

And someone will likely note that operas and some classic plays and films and literature have some degree of sensuality. I don’t read or listen to anything overt, but just the fact that one of these pieces has adultery or something related isn’t enough to put aside: it depends on how it is handled. The Bible, after all, tells us of people who committed various sins, but not in a way that would tempt one to follow suit and with clear consequences for the actions.

Was there anything in this past week that you couldn’t wait to be done with?

I’m with Melli in wondering how these last 3 questions relate to culture??? I’m trying to think — nothing is coming to mind.

Did you clear it out of the way or will it face you once the new week resumes?

Since I couldn’t think of an answer for the above question I guess I don’t have an answer for this one, either.

Do you now know how to prevent such a thing from occurring in the future?

I know with unpleasant or hard tasks that it is best to go ahead and get them out of the way, but I confess I all too often put them off and have to get myself in gear.

What was one of your favorite cultural experiences?

This wasn’t on the original meme: I added it. I had never attended an opera before college, and the college I went to put on one opera a year. I determined that I was going to have a good attitude about it and look for the things about it I could enjoy (not my usual procedure, I’m afraid.) And I did love the costumes, the emotion, the abilities of the performers. It helped that my first opera experience was Mefistofle, the Faust legend in which Faust sells his soul to the devil, but in this version he comes back to God at the end. I’ll never forget the scene at the end where he’s praying and the devil is trying to show him various temptations, but Faust ignore him and keeps praying. One doesn’t cheer at operas like one does at a ball game, but I wanted to cheer, “Go, Faust, go!”

I kind of have to be in the mood to enjoy opera, but I also used to like a radio program that was on years ago which I think was called “Saturday Afternoon at the Met.” They would play an opera performed at the Metropolitan Opera House, and they’d explain what was going on in the scenes and have neat interviews and such at the intermission.

Another was seeing the King’s Singers perform live. I would love to see the Irish Tenors and the Boston Pops live some time.

Another was visiting the home of Joel Chandler Harris, author of the Uncle Remus stories, when we lived outside of Atlanta. We were home schooling at the time and our home school support group took a field trip there.

Another was the Living Gallery that Jason was a part of last spring.

I listed some of my favorite classical music pieces here and favorite CDs here.

How about you? Let me know if you do this meme. I’d love to see your answers.

Friday’s Fave Five

Posted on September 11, 2009 by Barbara Harper

Susanne at Living to Tell the Story hosts a “Friday Fave Five” in which we share our five favorite things from the past week. Click on the button to read more of the details, and you can visit Susanne to see the list of others’ favorites or to join in.

I’m running behind today!! Here are my fave five’s:

1. A day off. We don’t really “celebrate” Labor Day in that we don’t really do anything specifically to commemorate the holiday. But it is nice to have a relaxing day off — I love not setting the alarm clock. Well, it was relaxing for me, anyway. The guys all went to Jason’s to do yard work. Then we ate at Jason and Mittu’s (son and new daughter-in-law). It was nice not to have to think about dinner!

2. Naps. With school starting I get up earlier, and I have been going to bed earlier than I did over the summer, but if I were to get a full eight hours I’d have to go to bed at 9, and that’s just not happening. Most days I can get by without a nap, but two or three times a week I get one in, and it’s a big help.

3. These:

I like to have seasonal decorations, but with a lot of pink in the house, it’s hard to get fall and Christmas decorations that work with pink. Most time I just put them up anyway, but I am delighted when I find pieces that actually coordinate! And these ceramic leaf dishes were on sale half-price at Hobby Lobby. I wasn’t even looking for anything like them but stumbled across them while perusing the autumn decorations just to see what was new. I also found a really cute dish that went with my daughter-in-law’s kitchen colors and theme (black and red with a coffee mug theme), but I forgot to take a picture before I gave it to her.

4. New pillow. This is from several weeks ago, but I forgot to mention it. I had not taken a pillow on our OK trip because I flew out. But driving back with the rest of the family, it was hard to doze off and get comfortable to any degree without a pillow. I found this when we stopped to eat at Cracker Barrel. I love how it goes with the couch and how fluffy it is — love the quilted stitching, too.

5. A Karla Dornacher stationery set. This is a gift from my good friend Carol. I love the note cards and stationery and the neat box they come in!

Bonus:

A Thousand Words In Idioms: The Rosy Version

Posted on September 9, 2009 by Barbara Harper

Jientje at Heaven Is In Belgium hosts A Thousand Words In Idioms on Wednesdays wherein she asks participants to illustrate an idiom with a photo.

A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.

This is a line taken from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and means that it doesn’t matter what you call a thing, its essence is the same. This photo is from a few years ago and is one of my favorites. It had rained the night before and I noticed this especially dewy rose as I walked up the driveway after taking Jesse to school.

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Everything’s coming up roses.

This means that everything is going really well. This photo is from a year ot two ago as well, a bouquet my son Jason bought for me unexpectedly.

You can see more illustated idioms and even join in the fun at Jientje‘s.

Friday’s Fave Five

Posted on September 4, 2009 by Barbara Harper

1. With the Word by Warren Wiersbe. I forgot who recommended this Bible handbook to me — Susan, maybe? But I had seen this recommended somewhere and asked for it for my birthday and received it. I just started using it several days ago — and I love it. In my reading the Bible through this time around I am slowing down through the epistles and reading them several times over before going on to the next one. I’m in I Timothy and had already read it a few times, but right on the notes for the first chapter there was a key point that I had overlooked that opened up the whole chapter. I had understood the individual verses before, but now the chapter as a whole made sense in a way it hadn’t before.

This isn’t so much an exegetical commentary as it is just Wiersbe’s notes along the way from his own studies, along with a few quotes here and there. There are more detailed commentaries, but for devotional type reading, this is perfect — I can get some additional insight without getting bogged down.

2. Cool mornings and evenings. We’ve just been getting out first touch of fallish weather this week, and I absolutely love it. It’s been cool but not cold, yet still warm in the afternoons.

3. Lights by the driveway and shelves. We (I say we –Jim) had removed them when we he painted a few weeks ago, and we had planned to replace them because the old ones were very hard to get into, but we just hadn’t had a chance to go look for any together. We finally did last weekend, and Jim got them put up. It’s so nice to have light there again. Jim also hung up my embellishment center and a shelf in my craft room. I don’t have my things organized on it yet — I’ll show pictures of the whole room when it’s done.

4. Kielbasa sausage stew for dinner last night. Wonderful! Hadn’t made it in a while. It’s not necessarily an autumn meal, but it seemed just right for this week.

5. A new grandpuppy. Jason and Mittu adopted a chocolate Lab/Weimaraner mix named Spresso. He’s cute.

Spresso

Happy Friday! I have some responsibilities throughout the day, but if you leave a comment I’ll be by to visit you later this evening or in the morning.

Random Dozen Meme

Posted on September 3, 2009 by Barbara Harper

I saw at Susanne‘s yesterday that Linda at 2nd Cup of Coffee had created a Random Dozem meme that looked like a lot of fun.

1. When you go to Wowmart, what one thing do you get every single time, besides a funky-wheeled squeaking cart full of frustration?

A) More than I need.
B) Hot.
C) Toiletries — they are cheaper there.
D) Diet Pepsi.

2. What is something that people are currently “into” that you just don’t get or appreciate?

A) Twitter. I get it — but who has time to keep up with it when they also blog and do Facebook?
B) Excessive piercings. I don’t even have pierced ears — figured I didn’t need another hole in my head. 😀 I have seen some really cute earrings that have tempted me, but it just seemed so absurd to poke a hole in my body to hang something decorative from — even though I love to decorate blank spaces. I don’t think it is wrong per se — it just never made sense to me personally. And nowadays when there are multiple piercings all over people’s faces and bodies….”shrug”…I just don’t get it.
C) Excessive tattoos.

3. What is something that really hoists your sail that other people might feel “ho-hum” about?

It’s silly, but I really love being the first person to open the peanut butter or tub of margarine. Just one of life’s little pleasures.

4. Favorite song to sing in the shower or car?

Usually hymns — just whatever I’ve been listening to or thinking about, or, in the car, what’s on the radio or tape player.

5. A really great salad must have this ingredient:

Ham and shredded cheddar cheese. I know, I know, that raises the calorie and fat content, and I don’t often take the time to add them, but the best salads have them as toppings.

6. Advice in a nutshell to new bloggers (one or two sentences):

“To have a friend you must be one” applies in blogging as it does in real life. I know some new bloggers can get discouraged because it takes a while to gain readers, but one of the best ways to do so is just to get out and meet the neighbors, so to speak: visit and comment on others’ blogs (in a genuine way, not a self-promoting, just trying to get traffic way). And participating in a meme is a great way to do that. And along the way you find some real treasures and develop some good friends.

I also agree with what Susanne and Linda said.

7. What was the alternate name that your parents almost named you? Do you wish they had chosen it instead of the one they gave you?

Virginia Belle. It was my father’s oldest sister’s name. She passed away at a young age, and while they wanted to honor and remember her, they were afraid that using her name might be too hard for my grandmother. I don’t know if I would have perferred it. Barbara sounds sharp and harsh to me, especially when shortened to Barb (just for me — I know other very sweet Barbs), and I like soft, flowing names, so I might have prefered that. I also could have been named Lora Ann — I was named for my Mom’s sister, Barbara Ann, and my Dad’s sister, Lora Lee, so they could have reversed them. But after 52 years of being Barbara Lee, I really can’t imagine anything else.

8. What in your life are you waiting for?

Grandchildren. 🙂 I’m in no hurry though — I don’t want to rush them. 🙂 They haven’t even been married a month yet. But someday….I am really looking forward to little grandpeople.

9. You get a package in the mail. What is it, and who is it from?

Most likely books from Amazon.com or Christianbook.com that I’ve ordered.

10. Today–what song represents you?

Sunrise, sunset
Sunrise, sunset
Swiftly fly the years
One season following another
Laden with happiness and tears.

11. What is one thing that blogging has taught you about yourself?

I would say that I’m too wordy, but I already knew that. That I enjoy writing, at least in this format.

12. How are you going to (or how did you) choose the clothes you’re wearing today? What do they say about you in general or specifically how you’re feeling today?

It was there, it was clean, it was cool (as in lightweight, not as in “hip.”) It’s loose but not baggy. And it’s blue. I guess that says I’m pragmatic, I like comfortable clothes, and it still gets hot during the day, so I’m trying to avoid sweatiness.

If you’d like to do this meme, let Linda know here — she has the code for the cute button at the top there, too. And let me know as well so I can come see your answers.

A Thousand Words In Idioms: Stitched and Sewn

Posted on September 2, 2009 by Barbara Harper

Jientje at Heaven Is In Belgium hosts A Thousand Words In Idioms wherein she asks participants to illustrate an idiom with a photo.

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A stitch in time saves nine.

If you have have a small tear in a piece of clothing, if you go ahead and mend it when you first notice, you’ll ony have to take a few stitches: if you wait, the tear will grow bigger and you’ll have to spend more time and work to fix it. So this idiom is a way of saying we should take care of problems when they are small before they get bigger and more complicated and require more effort to repair.

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Sewed up.

If a project or situation is sewed up, it is taken care of, concluded, completed. The phrase could also mean to gain control of or assurance of, as in “The senator sewed up the votes needed to pass the bill.”

May all you stitches be taken and projects sewed (sewn?) up in good time!

Saturday morning cartoons

Posted on August 29, 2009 by Barbara Harper

Did you grow up watching Saturday morning cartoons? I did. I think it was the parents’ way of keeping us occupied so they could sleep in.

These aren’t cartoons, but here are a few interesting things I’ve seen lately:

The Remember Song. I can all too easily identify…

I don’t drink beer. Cute. But all good reasons!

Hot Pockets. My kids like to eat Hot Pockets for lunch some times, so this cracked us all up.

I don’t know how to embed this one since it is from another service, but it is titled “How to fit in at almost any church.” It would probably be more aptly titled “What not to do to draw undue attention to yourself at church.” My favorite is fact-checking the pastor on Wikipedia during the service — although I have heard some things from preachers that probably should have been checked our before being shared…

This isn’t a blanket endorsement of any of these people — all I know about them is what’s on these clips.

Happy Saturday!

Thank you, a question, and laudable linkage

Posted on August 22, 2009 by Barbara Harper

Thanks so much for all your sweet birthday wishes! My family gave me a wonderful birthday — I’m thinking I might save the particulars for the next Friday’s Fave Five post.

Some of your comments gave rise to a question, though:

How do you get those musical notes in your comments?

Those were so neat — and there are times I’ve wanted to do that but didn’t know it could be done.

I have some assorted puttering around to do today — a little cleaning, a few errands, etc. But I wanted to share with you some great things I’ve read recently. Some of these are blogs I am subscribed to through Google Reader — some I found through a series of links that I forgot to make note of.

Studying love at Making Home — great study of I Corinthinas 13.

Gifted Moms — funny post from Christian comedian Cheryl Moeller.

Before I was a Mom — poignant post on love learned as a mom by The Diaper Diaries.

Interview with Stephen King and Jerry Jenkins — the latter of the Left Behind series as well as several other books, the former of…well, who doesn’t know about Stephen King? I haven’t actually read his books — I don’t do scary — and the only film I’ve seen based on one of his books was Stand By Me, and I really enjoyed that. But though the authors are opposite in some ways, they have some similarities and mutual respect, and I thought this interview was quite interesting.

On the craft front — I love these little collages by Charlotte Lyons at house wren studio.

I’ve mentioned before that I was looking for ideas for craft storage or craft/sewing rooms: here are links to some inspiring ones I’ve found.

Lynn at Queen of the Castle is hosting agiveaway for the book Making It Home.

Reason #4,926 why I love him by Carpoolqueen. Just go read it. It’s hilarious.

Have a wonderful Saturday!

A Thousand Words In Idioms: The Cookie Version

Posted on August 19, 2009 by Barbara Harper

Jientje at Heaven Is In Belgium hosts A Thousand Words In Idioms wherein she asks participants to illustrate an idiom with a photo.

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That’s the way the cookies crumbles.

This was a packet of cookies I got for our recent road trip, but somehow they got to the bottom of my purse and got all crushed. But they illustrate “that’s the way the cookie crumbles,” meaning, sometimes in life things just happen. You wouldn’t usually say this to someone when something really bad happens, like a major illness — that would be insensitive. But for little everyday disappointments, it’s just a way of saying, “Life is like that sometimes.” It can be similar to “Don’t cry over spilled milk” –it’s not worth getting upset over.

I thought about having Jeremy throw these up in the air while I tried to get a picture for tossing your cookies, a euphemism for throwing up or vomiting, but I didn’t want to think about that too very much and I didn’t want to waste the cookies — they still taste good! I can only sacrifice so much for my art. 🙂 I wish it were true that calories leak out of broken cookies, but, alas, it isn’t.

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