Marbles

I HAD TO SHARE THIS Story Someone Sent to ME -- I was at the corner grocery store buying some early potatoes... I noticed a small boy, delicate of bone and feature, ragged but clean, hungrily apprising a basket of freshly picked green peas. I paid for my potatoes but was also drawn to the display of fresh green peas. I am a pushover for creamed peas and new potatoes. Pondering the peas, I couldn't help overhearing the conversation between Mr. Miller (the store owner) and the ragged boy next to me. 'Hello Barry, how are you today?' 'H'lo, Mr. Miller. Fine, thank ya. Jus' admirin' them peas They sure look good.' 'They are good, Barry. How's your Ma?' 'Fine. Gittin' stronger alla' time.' 'Good. Anything I can help you with?' 'No, Sir. Jus' admirin' them peas.' 'Would you like to take some home?' asked Mr. Miller. 'No, Sir. Got nuthin' to pay for 'em with.' 'Well, what have you to trade me for some of those peas?' 'All I got's my prize marble here.' 'Is that right? Let me see it', said Miller. 'Here 'tis. She's a dandy.' 'I can see that. Hmm mmm, only thing is this one is blue and I sort of go for red. Do you have a red one like this at home?' the store owner asked. 'Not zackley but almost.' 'Tell you what. Take this sack of peas home with you and next trip this way let me look at that red marble'. Mr. Miller told the boy. 'Sure will. Thanks Mr.. Miller.' Mrs Miller, who had been standing nearby, came over to help me. With a smile she said, 'There are two other boys like him in our community, all three are in very poor circumstances. Jim just loves to bargain with them for peas, apples, tomatoes, or whatever. When they come back with their red marbles, and they always do, he decides he doesn't like red after all and he sends them home with a bag of produce for a green marble or an orange one, when they come on their next trip to the store.' I left the store smiling to myself, impressed with this man. A short time later I moved to Colorado , but I never forgot the story of this man, the boys, and their bartering for marbles. Several years went by, each more rapid than the previous one. Just recently I had occasion to visit some old friends in that Idaho community and while I was there learned that Mr. Miller had died. They were having his visitation that evening and knowing my friends wanted to go, I agreed to accompany them. Upon arrival at the mortuary we fell into line to meet the relatives of the deceased and to offer whatever words of comfort we could. Ahead of us in line were three young men. One was in an army uniform and the other two wore nice haircuts, dark suits and white shirts....all very professional looking. They approached Mrs. Miller, standing composed and smiling by her husband's casket. Each of the young men hugged her, kissed her on the cheek, spoke briefly with her and moved on to the casket. Her misty light blue eyes followed them as, one by one; each young man stopped briefly and placed his own warm hand over the cold pale hand in the casket.. Each left the mortuary awkwardly, wiping his eyes.. Our turn came to meet Mrs. Miller. I told her who I was and reminded her of the story from those many years ago and what she had told me about her husband's bartering for marbles. With her eyes glistening, she took my hand and led me to the casket. Those three young men who just left were the boys I told you about. They just told me how they appreciated the things Jim 'traded' them.. Now, at last, when Jim could not change his mind about color or size....they came to pay their debt. We've never had a great deal of the wealth of this world,' she confided, 'but right now, Jim would consider himself the richest man in Idaho ......' With loving gentleness she lifted the lifeless fingers of her deceased husband. Resting underneath were three exquisitely shined red marbles. The Moral: We will not be remembered by our words, but by our kind deeds. Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath. Today I wish you a day of ordinary miracles ~ A fresh pot of coffee you didn't make yourself... An unexpected phone call from an old friend.... Green stoplights on your way to work.... The fastest line at the grocery store.... A good sing-along song on the radio... Your keys found right where you left them. IT'S NOT WHAT YOU GATHER, BUT WHAT YOU SCATTER THAT TELLS WHAT KIND OF LIFE YOU HAVE LIVED! "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" Phil 4:13

Making Someone Smile

I spent last weekend sewing buttons and buttons on a patchwork throw for a lady in the nursing home part of the hospital/personal care/nursing home where I work mainly overnights. Usually I walk with 3 of our resident ladies in personal care to the upstairs activity room to play Bingo. There is a younger lady who always tries to make conversation with me. It is so apparent that she is lonely. I did a little investigating and found that she had been a special education teacher, had no children of her own, and suffered some type of stroke a few years back leaving her in a wheel chair with some memory problems.

Also, birthdays are celebrated once a month at the facility for residents. Her birthday was last Wednesday. So this gave me the idea to spread a little joy and finish a project. My 14 year old son, Wynston and I strolled into her room on Friday and she was so pleasantly surprised. She kept asking my son, "Did she make this for real?" I saw her yesterday at Bingo and she was all smiles telling me that she slept with the quilt on her the night before. I told her I hoped she had pleasant dreams. Her reply, "Only the best kind." Don't know who is smiling more -- her or me.

Viewing History

What was it like? I can remember asking that question to what I considered "elderly" people when I was growing up. Granny would tell of how hard day-to-day farm life was. Mom (my foster mom, in her 60's then) would tell of her daily chores, of walking more than a mile to the one room school house. My foster dad would tell of the first radio coming to the "mountain", of moving to the "big city" of running water in the house, of the first cars, of working for the CCC's and making park trails as part of his work with them. I got to visit the one room school house often as it was the community center years later on the mountain and we would have dinner socials there to then travel around to the small cemeteries to decorate the grave stones on Memorial Day. What was it like? I didn't want to ask Junior of his time in Vietnam. His life and health was changed forever there. He wouldn't apply or accept diability even though he was stricken with the worst form of Psoriasis over 98% of his body. This only from his time overseas during the war. History wasn't my favorite subject in school. I found reading about it in a book to be somewhat boring. Now I find that viewing pieces of history and talking with those that love it (my husband and son) can be very interesting. It amazes me how much my 14 year old knows. He has always loved the history channel. My husband reads constantly about past wars and can tell you time periods on most things of history. So I am going to plug again about a wonderful museum for you to venture to if you are ever in the area of Polson, Montana. It is called Miracle of America Museum and they boast a person can spend anywhere from 2 to 6 hours there. We spent 2 hours but plan on going back some time soon to explore more. There are 5 acres and I don't think we got past 2 acres. My cameras were flashing as well as my daughters. Click here to see more pictures Miracle of America.

Going to the Birds

A dear friend of mine asked me yesterday to send her some pictures of what I have been working on lately. One might could say that my life is "going to the birds" here recently. I have been stitching a new set of blocks that have birds in each one of them. I also think they look like Kaliescope pictures or even Mandala type art.




Now just have to figure out how I want to place them in a quilt and what fabrics to use. Lately, I have been using very vibrant colors because I have so wanted Spring to get here. Thanks goodness it has finally arrived, but we did have quite a bit of snow fall just the other day.




I am so happy the snow melts quickly once the winds start to blow and the sun comes out again. Does make for interesting driving down our mud pit though.



Also, people have been delivering vases of dafodils to the residents of the nursing home and personal care where I work. I love seeing this bright yellow around and the flowers make wonderful conversation pieces to get everyone talking to each other.

Enjoy your Spring and I hope it doesn't fly by too quickly!!

Where did February Go?

Happy Leap Day!

I am in shock that February 2012 has flown by. My son also pointed out to me the other night that I am now NOT a blogger. I asked him why he said this and he replied, "Because I never see you typing furiously on the computer and telling me to be quiet while you think." He is 14 and full of wonderful insights.

I have been putting in 45 hour weeks in Personal Care. The 3 ladies in the wing are such precious characters. It is a delight to get them talking about their lives and "the way things were" in the past.

Just the other night I was talking to one of the ladies about a quilt I am working on that a person in Georgia has requested. It has been something for me to wrap my mind around -- a quilt for their casket. The person is in her 60's and has always wanted a tulip quilt and wants one for her casket. She says she is in good health but one never knows.



I am still working on adding the leaves as shown in the picture.

This lady in personal care told me that is not a strange request. She said that Blackfeet Indians used to place a star quilt on their caskets. She said it was a tradition. I had never heard of that before.

I know my foster mother used to tell me that she did not want flowers at her funeral, she wanted them while she was alive. So being the dutiful daughter wanting to please, I planted 100's of tulip bulbs along the walkway sidewalk out in the front yard. I got as much joy from them as she did.

Just talking of flowers has got me wanting Spring to hurry and come. I love the blooming and greenery.

So as to prove my son wrong, I am going to strive to take time to put my thoughts, sights, and experiences to the keys in March.

5 Things in Life

Got this from a DEAR FRIEND... There are 5 things in life you cannot recover: A stone...after it's thrown. A word...after it is said. An occasion...after it's missed. The time...after it's gone. A person...after they die. Life is short. Break the rules. Forgive quickly. Kiss slowly. Love truly. Laugh uncontrollably. And never regret anything that made you smile, Enjoy Life!!

Cracked Pots

An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which she carried across her neck.

One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water.

At the end of the long walks from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For a full two years this went on daily, with the woman bringing home only one and a half pots of water.

Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments.

But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it could only do half of what it had been made to do.

After two years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the woman one day by the stream.

'I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house.'

The old woman smiled, 'Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side?'

'That's because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you water them.'

For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table.

Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house.'



Each of us has our own unique flaw. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding...

You've just got to take each person for what they are and look for the good in them.


SO, to all of my cracked pot friends, have a great day and remember to smell the flowers on your side of the path!

Madame Mustache Eleanor Dumont

A colorful character that once resided in Fort Benton, Montana is Madame Mustache Eleanor Dumont. I had never heard of her before but she sounds like a pistol. Don't know how the women of the town liked her, but the men did respect her gaming skills.




Eleanore Dumont, better known as Madame Mustache, was one of the first known professional blackjack players in American history and, for over three decades, made her name famous across the mining camps of the American West.
She was thought to have been born in New Orleans, Louisiana in about 1829 but, for whatever reasons, made her way west during the California Gold Rush. Known as Simone Jules, a petite and pretty French woman in her early twenties, she arrived in San Francisco in about 1849, where she soon established herself as a gambler, favoring the game of Vingt-et-un, which means “21,” the precursor of American Blackjack.



At times, Eleanore could be a tough, shrewd businesswoman, but she also possessed a good heart, often providing free meals and a place to stay for miners who needed it. While at Fort Benton, Montana, she was perpetuating her reputation working in what was known as “the bloodiest block in the West.” Here, on Front Street, the block contained more than a dozen saloons, dance halls, and brothels, where Eleanor had set up her table in a gambling den called “The Jungle.” In June, 1867, as she sat at her table dealing cards, she spied an incoming steamboat called the Walter B. Dance coming into to dock. Having heard a report that the boat was carrying smallpox aboard, she jumped up from her table, ran down the stairs and across the street to the levee, where she brandished two pistols, warning the captain not to stop.

When the rush was on in Deadwood, South Dakota, she was also present. While there, some say that she was friends with Calamity Jane and tried to teach her the finer points of poker. However, if this is true, her attempts failed, as Jane was always known to be a poor gambler. In 1877, a Deadwood reporter would say of her: “A character who attracts the attention of all strangers is ‘Mme. Mustache,’ a plump little French lady, perhaps forty years of age, but splendidly preserved.

She derives her name, which is the only one she is known by, from a dainty strip of black hair upon her upper lip. She deals her own game, and is quite popular with the boys, who treat her with marked respect. She has bright black eyes and a musical voice, and there is something attractive about her as she looks up with a little smile and says, ‘You will play, M’sieur?’” He continued by saying, “No one knows her history. She is said to be very rich.”

Time and Friends

“There is no hope or joy except in human relations.”
-Antoine de Saint-Exupery
* * * * * *
“The bird, a nest; the spider, a web; man, friendship.”
-William Blake
* * * * * *
“‘Tis the human touch in the world
that counts—the touch of your
hand and mine—
Which means far more to the sinking
heart than shelter or bread or
wine
For shelter is gone when the night is
o’er, and bread lasts only a day
But the touch of the hand and the
sound of the voice
Live on in the soul always.”

-Spencer M. Free
* * * * * *
“The only way to have a friend is to be one.”
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Five Lessons About The Way To Treat People

I have had this email sent to me several times over the years and wanted to pass along its message here. -- Alice



Five lessons about the way we treat people


1 - First Important Lesson - Cleaning Lady.

During my second month of college, our professor
gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student
and had breezed through the questions until I read
the last one:

"What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?"
Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the
cleaning woman several times.. She was tall,
dark-haired and in her 50's, but how would I know her name?

I handed in my paper, leaving the last question
blank.. Just before class ended, one student asked if
the last question would count toward our quiz grade.
"Absolutely, " said the professor. "In your careers,
you will meet many people. All are significant... They
deserve your attention and care, even if all you do
is smile and say "hello."

I've never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her
name was Dorothy.





2. - Second Important Lesson - Pickup in the Rain

One night, at 11:30 p.m., an older African American
woman was standing on the side of an California highway
trying to endure a lashing rain storm. Her car had
broken down and she desperately needed a ride.
Soaking wet, she decided to flag down the next car.
A young white man stopped to help her, generally
unheard of in those conflict-filled 1960's. The man
took her to safety, helped her get assistance and
put her into a taxicab.

She seemed to be in a big hurry, but wrote down his
address and thanked him. Seven days went by and a
knock came on the man's door. To his surprise, a
giant console color TV was delivered to his home A
special note was attached.

It read:
"Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway
the other night. The rain drenched not only my
clothes, but also my spirits. Then you came along..
because of you, I was able to make it to my dying
husband's' bedside just before he passed away... God
bless you for helping me and unselfishly serving
others."

Sincerely,
Mrs. Nat King Cole.



3 - Third Important Lesson - Always remember those
who serve.

In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less,
a 10-year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and
sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in
front of him.

"How much is an ice cream sundae?" he asked.

"Fifty cents," replied the waitress.

The little boy pulled his hand out of his pocket and
studied the coins in it.

"Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?" he inquired.

By now more people were waiting for a table and the
waitress was growing impatient.

"Thirty-five cents," she brusquely replied.

The little boy again counted his coins.

"I'll have the plain ice cream," he said.

The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on
the table and walked away The boy finished the ice
cream, paid the cashier and left.. When the waitress
came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the
table. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish,
were two nickels and five pennies..

You see, he couldn't have the sundae, because he had
to have enough left to leave her a tip.



4 - Fourth Important Lesson. - The obstacle in Our Path.

In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a
roadway... Then he hid himself and watched to see if
anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the
King's' wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by
and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the
King for not keeping the roads clear, but none did
anything about getting the stone out of the way.

Then a peasant came along carrying a load of
vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the
peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the
stone to the side of the road. After much pushing
and straining, he finally succeeded. After the
peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed
a purse lying in the road where the boulder had
been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note
from the King indicating that the gold was for the
person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The
peasant learned what many of us never understand!

Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve
our condition.



5 - Fifth Important Lesson - Giving When it Counts....

Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a
hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who
was suffering from a rare & serious disease. Her only
chance of recovery appeared to be a blood
transfusion from her 5-year old brother, who had
miraculously survived the same disease and had
developed the antibodies needed to combat the
illness. The doctor explained the situation to her
little brother, and asked the little boy if he would
be willing to give his blood to his sister.

I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a
deep breath and saying, "Yes I'll do it if it will save
her." As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed
next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing
the color returning to her cheek. Then his face
grew pale and his smile faded.

He looked up at the doctor and asked with a
trembling voice, "Will I start to die right away".

Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the
doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his
sister all of his blood in order to save her.

Most importantly.... "Work like you
don't need the money, love like you've never been
hurt, and dance like you do when nobody's watching."

The Red Elvises

After the Doll and Pet Parade, my kids, brother, and niece, Samantha Ann (visiting from Georgia) walked down a few blocks and attended the Alive @ 5 music gathering. This is a Thursday evening free event in various blocks in Great Falls, MT.



The band performing this night was called Igor & The Red Elvises. The music was very lively and reminded me more of the B52's. They kept the audience (quite populated in one block) busy doing disco moves with their index fingers -- Up Up Up.



The kids did not really get into this band and so we only stayed for a few songs and then did a little window shopping down Central Avenue.



I thought the band was pretty good and decided to look up their web site and found them on Facebook as well. It looks like they are making the rounds in Montana for a week or so and then headed to Pennsylvania and onto Russia!

Have You Ever . . .

Have you ever purchased something (a gift) for someone and then not sent it to them for some reason or another?

Well, I have a couple that are hanging around. I don't feel bad for not sending them. As a matter of fact, they remind me of those I love and usually brighten my day. I know I may or may not ever give them as gifts to these people. I also know you may be thinking "she is the strangest person", but that is how my life goes.

Ten Commandments of Human Relations

Ten Commandments of Human Relations

Speak To People — there is nothing so nice as a cheerful word of greeting.

Smile At People — it takes 72 muscles to frown, only 14 to smile.

Call People — the sweetest music to anyone’s ears is the sound of his own name.

Be Friendly and helpful, if you would have friends, be a friend.

Be Cordial — speak and act as if everything you do is a genuine pleasure.

Be Genuinely interested in people — you can like almost everybody if you try.

Be Generous with praise — cautious with criticism.

Be Considerate with the feelings of others — there are usually three sides to a controversy: yours, the other fellow’s, and the right side.

Be Alert to give service — what counts most in life is what we do for others.

Add To This a good sense of humour, a big dose of patience and a dash of humility, and you will be rewarded many-fold.

Author Unknown

God Bless America

God Bless America, originally uploaded by ladybugbkt.

Click here to listen to Bobby Darin sing "The Simple Song of Freedom".

Abraham Lincoln
The Gettysburg Address

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived, and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met here on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of it as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But in a larger sense we can not dedicate - we can not consecrate - we can not hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled, here, have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember, what we say here, but can never forget what they did here.

It is for us, the living, rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they have, thus far, so nobly carried on. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us - that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here gave the last full measure of devotion - that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain; that this nation shall have a new birth of freedom; and that this government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

At the Duck Pond

The kids and I visited the duck pond at Gibson Park for the first time today with a bag of old buns. The boys had a splendid time and left saying they wanted to return really soon. I made that happen rather quickly as I loaded them and their dad up after dinner for the excursion repeated. I had found another loaf of bread in the bottom of the refrigerator under the meat crisper.







Also, I had been told that people come out on Wednesday evenings for music performances at the same park. The turn out was great and everyone enjoyed the music played.



We took Fred to see the flower garden and arch. He thought it was lovely but allergies and an asthma attack took over and coughing from Fred played along with the music. So much so that at times people were looking and staring like "what is this sick man doing out and about."







All in all it was a nice evening to be out and about. Next time, however; one will remember to check and see if the inhaler is packed along for the trip.