The Fall Ball...and a Birthday on the Horizon!

Fall collage 11-26-11, a photo by sparrow72 on Flickr.

A touch of Autumn in Fort Worth, Texas!
Here, here... I offer up my fall collage with Cherry Laurel, Pecan tree leaves on the ground, Chinaberry, Crepe Myrtle, and Pansies in the background.

Hi everyone!  You too, Laura!  Well, I've got a few fall photos that I can honestly say came from MY YARD!  Actually, most of my fall photos have come from my yard and neighboring yards.  So, what do we have here?  You see the photo in the lower left corner?  I'd like to bring your attention to this gangly shaped tree called the 'Chinaberry'.  This tree is actually on the fence row, but on the inside of my neighbor's house (who, by the way, chooses not to trim it back).  It began as a sprout that was probably carried in by a bird about 15 years ago.  These trees grow fast!  And when it puts on it's leaves in the spring, they loom over our house, but they have a lovely, shimmery, and flowing appearance.  Then, in the fall, the leaves just DROP to the ground, whilst the berries are forming.  The berries later turn yellow, and then brown, but do stay on the tree for most of the winter.

I found out that this is actually an invasive weed...brought to us from Asia in the 1700's, and, surprisingly enough, it is disease and insect free.  http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/266

In Fort Worth, we see sprinklings of Chinaberry everywhere, offering much needed shade in the summer.  We have even planted a few of the seeds in pots and watched them grow.  They grow fast in the pots, but stop growing at a few feet and need to be transplanted into the ground for better success.  The article I read states that Chinaberry grows along Florida's road sides, and in forests and marshes, their rapid growth replacing vegetation in those areas.
The Chinaberry does bloom in the spring, and the blooms are said to be fragrant, but I have never indulged in the fragrance myself.  According to the link in my previous paragraph, the fruits are poisonous to humans and other mammals-well, I've never tasted the berries, but I've considered cutting some clumps, drying them out, then spraying them silver and gold, or bronze to use in Christmas arrangements!  I think that would really add to a tablescape, don't you?  I guess I'd have to include a little card saying, "Look, but don't sample the berries"!

The article also states that the leaf debris adds alkaline to the soil that can be advantageous to species that thrive in alkaline soil-it's a good thing there's not much else around this tree, because the leaf droppage is major!  Below is a upview that Karo captured showing a massive amount of the berries at the top of the tree.  Berries anyone?

There are berries on every branch of this tree!

photo by Karo * November 29, 2011

***

HEY!  Who does this guy remind us of?  Nooo...not Elvis!

Michael Delaney * Mark Twain Impersonator and Defender

since 1998

This man recently spoke to the Junior class at Bozeman High School in Montana about Mark Twain's writings.  I believe he is from Missoula, Montana.  He defends the writings of Mark Twain.  A new version of 'Huck Finn' was published, just this year, eliminating the 'N'.....word, replacing it with the word 'slave'.  Although, Mr. Delaney does agree that the racial slur 'N' word is offensive, he's not sure that the 'slave' word is totally appropriate either.  And, I think his reasoning makes a lot of sense.

He quotes:

Slave is almost the right word, but it is inadequate to bring to mind “an owner who is content to work, beat and starve another human being to death,” he said.

“The difference between the right word and almost the right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug,” he said, using a favorite saying of Twain’s.

 http://bozemandailychronicle.com/

For the last 126 years, people have been trying to ban and/or censor the 'Adventures of Huckleberry Finn'.  This is an American classic, written by an American, who lived through these times, and was intelligent and gutsy enough to share his thoughts with the world.  I know, I know...I said all of this in a previous post this year that I named Dear Mark Twain...We're Not Gonna Let Them Mess Up Your Work! (written on January 6, 2011).  But, I'm glad to find a person such as Michael Delaney, who works to keep these writings alive!  And, Delaney's right...every time the book was banned it was worth another 25,000 sales!

November 30th marks the 176th year of Mark Twain's birth.  I want to thank Mr. Twain for his contributions to our American heritage, and,

FOR BEING SUCH A TROUBLEMAKER!!!

Let's keep it going...Happy Birthday Mark Twain!

Mark Twain * November 30, 1835 ~ April 21, 1910

"It is better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid

than to open it and remove all doubt."

~Mark Twain

I guess it's time to close...I'm sure I've said enough.  Thank you, my fond readers for stepping across the web to see what I'm up to.  Aren't the seasons just flying by?  Halloween, Thanksgiving, and now, Saint Nick is preparing for his flight in just a few short weeks. 

And, then, YAH!!! The New Year  2012!

Please be safe and happy!

Thanks to:

Mark Twain, of course

Mr. Michael Delaney

My Husband Karo

Google

Yahoo

The Bozeman Daily Chronicle

The Christian Science Monitor

The Fall Ball

Summer steamed in with its almighty drought,

Lending not much desire for rousting about.

Yay!  Autumn's appeared...she answered our call!

Put your dancin' boots on, and join the Fall Ball!

~penned by Suzanne * November 29, 2011 

Veterans Day Family Tribute!

photo by suzanne * March 2011 

 I just stopped by to share photos of a few of the Veterans in my family. 

As you all know, Veterans Day is recognized on November 11, 2011.  Armistice Day was already being observed on November 11 as a dedication to World Peace, and in 1953, Stephan Riod of Emporia, Kansas encouraged the beginning of the expansion of Armistice Day.  His desire was to celebrate ALL Veterans.  Consequently, President Dwight Eisenhower signed Veterans Day into law on May 26, 1954.

*** My Grandfather, Joseph Henry Berry, of Kansas City, Kansas, served in WWI:

***

   My father, Leo E. Berry, of Kansas City, Kansas served in WWII:

S SGT US Army

Leo E. Berry

July 11, 1922 ~ June 4, 1983

***

My father in law Benjamin Weaver Trammell, of Bridgeport, Texas

served in our US Navy in World WII

Benjamin W. Trammell

February 22, 1921 ~ August 16, 1995

***

Here's Bennie drying out his laundry!

I think this was around 1944

***

And, 'Glory Be'!!!  My mother is also a Veteran!!!

Sgt. Alma Gabriel WACSI * 1946

Lucknow, India

The WAC(I)s were a part of the British Army.  Mom was in the Steno group doing secretarial work.  She was eventually transferred  to work for a Brigadier General.  And, later, was transferred to the recruiting office to help transfer young soldiers anxious to return home.  That's where she met my dad!

***

My stepfather Robert Jones served in the US Marines

***
My uncle Donald Berry served in our US Navy in the 1950's
***

My nephew James D. Berry served in Korea in the US Army in the 1990's

So, there we have it...or, do we? 

Elvis Presley served in the US Army

March 3, 1958 ~ March 5, 1960

***

Thank you, my dear readers, for coming along the short road with me to remember those of my family, who traveled the long road, to protect our country and countrymen.  Truly, they are not forgotten!

Please stop by whenever you can and say hello!

Thanks goes out to:

My Grandfather

My Mother

My Father

Karo's Father

Robert Jones
Uncle Don Berry

James Berry

And (of course) Elvis Presley

Thank you Google

Thank you Yahoo
'all of the family photos in this post are the property of KardKorner'

 

***

At this time, I would like to honor and thank our Veterans of all time, for their service on behalf of our precious United States of America!   

"The Nation will remain the 'Land of the Free' only so long as it is

'The Home of The Brave'

~Elmer Davis

Sadie Hawkins Dances Again!

A real beauty, eh?

The lovely picture above is that of one 'Miss Sadie Hawkins".  This, uh...character originated from Al Capp's Li'l Abner comic strip in November of 1937.  UGGH!  Sadie was the ugliest, homeliest, and the most "un-sought-after" (I can't say woman) specimen in Dogpatch.

At the age of 35, Sadie was still a spinster, and her dad was tired of waiting for someone to come 'a courtin' for her.  He was beginning to think he would be stuck with her forever (don't know where her mom was).  Anyway, he was a well liked citizen in town with some clout, and planned a day for all the spinsters of Dogpatch to catch a husband.  He lined up the unmarried girls, with the bachelor boys in front, and said, "When I fire this 'ere gun, you get to runnin', and whoever gets caught has to marry the girl!"  (Could that have been the beginning of what we know as 'shotgun' weddings???) Heh heh!

Anyway, Sadie did catch a guy-bless his heart!

Sadie Hawkins day caught on in real time!  Since 1939, high schools and colleges alike hold events and festivities, empowering the women to go after their man!  Al Capp did not intend for this to become a 'true' annual occasion, but it's popularity soared,  Mr. Capp's popularity also increased, so, even in the comic strip, it became an annual November event.

Li'l Abner proposed to Daisy Mae in 1952

Sooo, as Jimmy Soul sang in 1963,

"If you wanna be happy for the rest of your life,

never make a pretty woman your wife."

Needless to say, 'Sadie Hawkins' day did become a, sort of, holiday-rather, an annual event in America.  There are Sadie Hawkins dances, where the girls can ask the guys to dance, or, even take them out to dinner and a movie...sort of a role reversal event.  My husband, Karo, said they had Sadie Hawkins day each year at his school. 

We had a smilar event at our high school in Kansas City.  And it was called 'Twirp Week'.  It usually occurred in the spring, and we girls were allowed to wear jeans for a week to school.  And, as the 'role-reversal' tradition goes, the girls carried the boys' books to classes, bought them cokes, took them home from school, and asked them on dates.  At the end of the week, we had a 'Twirp' dance.  So the girls had to ask the boys for the date to the dance.  Well, I wasn't dating anyone at my school, but got approval to bring a date from another school.  So it was pretty good fun!

Here are some Twirp Week activities at my school in 1966

A tug of war between the girls and the boys...and, the girls won!  Can't see the boys on the other end-were they really there?  And, the girl in the next picture lived on my street.  I guess they were running in and out of a box obstacle course.  Oh well, I suppose that was lots of grins! 

*** And, finally...The Dance! *

What fun!  Our 'Twirp' Dance was in my high school gym with a live band and good dance music.  I drove my old 1953 Plymouth with my date and another couple to the dance.  We had a great time, and the two boys, who weren't even from our school, enjoyed the evening!

So, ladies!  If you're feeling a little 'twirpy' on, or around Sunday, November 13th, JUMP out there, grab a man, and swing him around the bush a time or two! 

Thanks so much for coming by and joining me in a dance or two from the past!  I appreciate all my readers, and 'blogmates'!  Don't forget to stop and say hello! 

It's a cool, breezy 68° day in Fort Worth, Texas

My sources of information came from:

My 1966 High School Annual

Yahoo Images

Google

Wikipedia

 http://www.lil-abner.com/

http://www.prom.about.com/

http://deniskitchen.com/

answers.yahoo.com

And, if you're in the USA and Canada, don't forget to walk backwards 1 hour in time!

Tonite...or, in the morning-whatever!  November 6, 2011

Also, coming up is the Beaver Moon on November 10, 2011 when the beavers are preparing for winter.  Beware, beavers!  Hunters are setting traps...they want your fur before the hard winter sets in, when some of the swamps freeze over.  Hurry, and build your dens!

See you soon!