Memorial Day...much to remember!

Maple Hill Cemetary ~ Kansas City, Kansas

photo by suzanne ~ July 7, 2009

The above photo is at Maple Hill Cemetary in Kansas City, Kansas.  It is where my father, grandmother and grandfather, and an aunt and uncle are buried.  The photo is not meant to sadden anyone, it's just to show how simply beautiful the grounds are presented.

"Our Flag" ~ photo taken by Karo ~ April 11, 2011

"They hover as a cloud of witnesses above this nation."

~Henry Ward Beecher

The observance of Memorial Day pretty much began unofficially in May of 1866 when people started decorating graves of fallen soldiers.  In 1868, General John A. Logan, Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Army Republic, brought the 'Decorating of the Graves' event to public attention, thus, Memorial Day.  And the date of May 30 was chosen because it was NOT the anniversary of a battle.  In essence, it is a day to honor all Americans whether they served in the military or not.

"Decoration Day" * Chicago, Illinois 1927

 My mother decorates 10 to 12 tables at her Church Senior Luncheons, and always tries to come up with a theme, especially on holidays.  I thought I would help her out for Memorial Day and sent her some sparkly table decor and patriotric ribbon.  Let's hope she will send photos to show! I designed a dozen 'table cards' (6 different designs), which are actually note cards, to stand up on her tables with the decor.  Below is one of them.

The Front of the card

  

Well, folks, try as I might...I couldn't get the rest of the card on here.  I chose Memorial Day quotes for most of my cards, but for this one, I wrote my own sentiment on the inside.

"We will focus on the joys and laughter

We shared with those we have lost."

 And what do you know...here comes the back of the card, minus the American Flag colors inside the coffee cup!  And I dedicated this card to my brother Stan who passed away March 16, 2007.

My mother received this illustration in an email and forwarded to me...I think it's very nice.

"touché"

And what's wrong with this picture?

 Well, my dear readers, that's all for now.   I so appreciate you stopping by...please feel free to leave comments, or check my reactions bar below.  You might also like my new blog, "My Texas Gardens".  You can click on 'Ole Maxine' at the top of my sidebar to get there.

 While I'm remembering the loved ones I've lost, I will also remember the loved ones I still have, and celebrate the memories I share with them today.

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Please, have a safe Memorial Holiday!

***
Thank You Mom
Thank you Google
Thank You Yahoo Images
Thank You Wikipedia

***
When you walk through a storm, keep your head up high,
And don't be afraid of the dark...

This song "You'll Never Walk Alone" is
From Rodgers & Hammerstein musical 'Carousel'

"Mom's" the Word...Happy Mother's Day!

Photo by Suzanne, May 2009

My Mother's Day Flowers from my son Rusty

Hello to Mom's aka Mum's all over!  I used to think "Mums" was just a name my Grandmother in India made up... you know, a family thing.  When she would write to my mom, she always signed her letters, 'mums'.  And my mom always signs her cards and letters, Love, 'mums'.    And, now, as a big girl, I hear the word 'mums' used frequently by several of my blogmates, and with pride and respect!  My husband, Karo has even picked the word up, and refers to my mom as "mums" (but not to her face, he's shy, you know)!  I have come to like the term and appreciate it.  But wait!!!  I kinda looked it up to see where and how it originated. 

From http://chacha.com/ it is said that 'mum' originated from the Middle English in 1568, and was first used in 1704 in the UK, Eastern Canada, Australia and some parts of Western Pennsylvania.

And on http://wiki.answers.com/, I find that that 'mum' has been used as a "slightly" derogatory description for soccer moms, who spend much of their time driving their kids to and from soccer and other sports that they may participate in.  And also used in the UK, Australia and New Zealand.

SO WHAT'S IT GONNA BE? ...MOM OR MUMS?

You decide-I like them both!

Here's my lovely mom holding my little brother Stan when he was, a tiny baby.  A beautiful picture of mom and precious of my brother, taken in Kansas City, Kansas in 1950.  I wonder if my niece Erica realizes that this photo of my mom looks just like her?

Me and Mom in San Marcos, Texas

photo taken by my sister, Leta in July 1992 (I think)

Ok, Ok, I know you're checking out the hair!!!  I have really straight hair...give me a perm and it explodes!!!   I'm okay now.  So, back to the story at hand.  My mom and sister flew to Texas and we hit the road for a girl trip.  Mom had retired from one her many jobs (workaholic) and I wanted to do something fun for her.  So we headed due south, to Waco, Texas, where my brother was living.  We dumped my Ford Bronco on him and escaped to San Marcos in his "roomy" LTD.  There we spent one night at a bed and breakfast, shopped, ate at an outdoor French restaurant, and moved on the next day to San Antonio, Texas, where we visited the Alamo, the famous River Walk and various other fun sites.  We stayed a few days, got some good pics and headed back to my brother's house in Waco, and then back to my house in Weatherford.  My point?  It's kind of like a great Mother's Day memory, even tho it wasn't Mother's Day.  Us three girls, three moms... no men, no kids.  Running-amuck, shopping, having coffee and cocktails, eating great food-and laughing it up!!! 

San Antonio, Texas Riverwalk

photo taken from aboard the gondola by my mom 1992

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Another Great Mom!

My Mother in Law, Dorothy Trammell

In Loving Memory

Karo's mother, Dorothy passed away in December 2009 at the age of 84.  She was a wonderful and giving lady, and a loving mother.  This tiny lady was also a great shopper, and loved to eat at the Dairy Queen.  She was active in her church and charitable in the community.  She was raised, and lived all of her life in Bridgeport, Texas, where she and her husband Bennie Trammell raised their two sons, Danny and my husband, Karo.  She owned and operated a cafe and boutique-she always declared that she was a "businesswoman", and rightly so!  Dorothy kept me in stitches when we were together-being very fashion conscious, she was still wearing jeans and high-heeled boots up to the time of her death!  I loved her spunk and vitality.  Oh, and she loved to watch Rambo movies, hmmm!

We all miss her very much and think of her daily.

***

Happy Mother's Day Mom-I love you.  Thank you for the way you raised me-I know how to sign checks, hahaha!  And I can boil water!

Happy Mother's day to my sister Leta and my niece, Erica!

Happy Mother's day to my four aunts, Gerty, Ethel, Edie and Yvonne!

And Happy Mother's Day to all of my 'mom' and 'mums' blogmates!

Be happy and safe!

how about some Mother's Day mocha?

***

"Making a decision to have a child-it's momentous.

It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around

outside your body."

~Elizabeth Stone

"MayDay and Other Scuttlebutt!"

Why, I believe it's MayDay!!!

If the weather permits (though now in Fort Worth it's a rainy 50 degrees), there will be many festivities everywhere...one, being the Maypole!  Every year, the sixth grade girls in my elementary school would get to wind the Maypole.  I considered it an honor and just couldn't wait for my 6th grade year and my turn to participate.  My sister did it the year before me and it was beautiful. We learned a special dance first, and I just can't remember which song was played, and then, we were taught the procedure of winding the large, large pole out on the playground so it looked like a beautiful braid when we were done.  I wish I had a picture...MOM??? Well, mom had to work, and we did the pole on a school day afternoon, so she didn't get to attend the ceremony.  Each girl had a partner, and the costumes were gathered gingham skirts and white blouses.  My partner and I wore pink and white gingham, there were two girls with blue & white, two with yellow & white, and so on-even lilac and white.  It was all pastels, so bright and lively, and the ribbons we wound the pole with matched our colors.  It was my first time to get to wear nylons which I, OF COURSE, managed to get a hole in them on that day-GAAAGH!
But, a good memory and lots of fun!

Here is a photo of my elementary school that I took in July of 2009 when we were visiting Kansas City.  The Maypole is now gone.  It was sooo tall-I wonder what happened to it?
  We also flew the American Flag from this pole.

Franklin Elementary School ~Kansas City, Kansas

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May 1st is also my son, Rusty's birthday...he was born Tuesday, May 1, 1979.  I wanted to create something different on the front of his Birthday card, and, since he is a guy, this is what I came up with.  He thought it was pretty cool, and appreciated the time I spent on the card.  Eventually I will add a page to my blog featuring some of my kreations from the kardkorner, as there is much more to this particular kard.

Collage kreated by Suzanne at KardKorner Headquarters

Happy 32nd Birthday Rusty!

My son Rusty, October 30, 2010
"Tattoos", yes-but NO unusual piercings-Yay!

And the Survey Said!!!

Friday at work, three of my co-workers and I decided to try the new M & M's Pretzels.  We were all mmmm!!, crunch!!!, and yummers!!!  So, I jotted down the reactions from these three girls...I don't think they will mind if I share them with you.

Paige said:  "They're almost like a malt ball!!!"

Me:  "This is true.  I was surprised to see them shaped like colored malt balls!"

Cindy said:  "Yummers!  They're quite good!"

Me:  "I quite agree, they are good!"

Paulette said:  "You know, it's a good mix of the sweet and salty!"

Me:  "How true! It is a good mix!"

So, if you're interested in trying this new version of our favorite snack, you might be quite pleased at the shape, color and mix of flavors in this little bag!  And, it proved to be a good conversation piece!

  Not enough time on our hands, eh?

***

Kate and William

Married on April 29, 2011 at Westminster Abbey

I know we've all seen this picture by now...I just think it's a beautiful shot!  I did get to see a little of the wedding Friday morning-WHAT A CROWD!  And I made it just in time to see a shot of Elton John and his mate.  They talked about the wedding all morning on my favorite radio station, and even the macho DJ thought it was a refreshing event from the normal morning news.  I believe it was exciting for everyone in London, bringing back memories of the fabulous wedding of Princess Diana and Prince Charles in July of 1981.  And, having been an admiror of Princess Di, I also felt a sadness of the tragedy that really brought a jolt to the world.

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Cute, Huh?

May 5th is Cinco De Mayo holiday.  A lot of  people may think it is a Mexican holiday...but, it's not.  It is actually an American Civil War holiday that originated in California by the Mexicans and Latinos living there in  1862.

According to en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinco_de_Mayo , there is a national patriotic holiday in Mexico known as "Mexico's Independence Day".  Cinco de Mayo recognizes the Mexican army's victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862.

So Happy Cinco de Mayo everywhere!

***

Well, dear readers, that's the "scuttlebutt" for now.  I hope your MayDay has been sunny and mild.  The temperature in Fort Worth, AS I WRITE!, has dropped from 50 to 48 degrees!  No Maypole here today!  Just some warm, spicy chili and rice!

Thank you for stopping by...I appreciate your comments and your "just looking"!

Thanks to Yahoo and Wikipedia too!

***

"You are as welcome as the flowers in May."

~Charles Macklin

Hibiscus ~ photo by Suzanne ~ May 31, 2008

Fort Worth, Texas

 

Easter Greetings From The KardKorner!

LEAVE NO BASKET UNGUARDED!

photo by Suzanne * April 16,2011

Just cruising by to wish all of my faithful readers a wonderful and safe Easter holiday.  And, of course, I would like to share a few oldies but goodies with you. 

An Easter photo that I believe was taken in 1952.  We lived in Kansas City, Kansas and both of my parents were photo bugs!  Left to right: Me, my brother Stan, and my sister Leta.

***

Who are these two guys?

Are they cousins? Neighbors?  Are they brothers?  Father and son, you say?  EXACTLY!!!  Did these two plan this?   I mean, who'd of thought?  Which one is which, you ask?

Rusty

Shawn

                 My son Rusty * 2 yrs old and his son, my grandson, Shawn * 2 yrs old

They kind of look alike I think, and both are engrossed in those Easter baskets!

I think both pictures were taken by the same person...who?

***

I would like to share a bit of nostalgia.  The photo below contains a collection of an important part of my childhood memories. The small prayer book is one I received for my First Communion, June 10, 1956.  It is still in pretty good shape, however, I open it very carefully.  My name and the date of my First Communion, along with the name of my church and our priest, is handwritten in the prayer book.  The various religious pictures are what we called "Holy Cards".  We attended Catechism classes throughout the school year and two weeks of what we called "summer church school" once school was out.  We would receive these "holy cards" as rewards for learning prayers and, I think, for just being there and having wonderful nuns as teachers.  I have quite a collection of them.  The small gold box is a charm that looks much like a bible.  I have lost the bracelet chain somewhere over the years-the lid is covered with what appears to be white pearl or onyx, and it had a tiny blue cross on it (which eventually came off and I have missplaced it).  Inside the little bible is a blue rosary that you see draped on the outside.  This, I also received for my First Communion.  And there is a handpainted ceramic cross standing up against the potted plant.  My mother sent me this cross probably about 12 years ago-not antique yet, but I keep it on my desk.  I have to tell you, I am glad I kept these items throughout all of my life.  I keep them put away, but still nearby.  And, now, I get to share them with some wonderful folks that I have found to appreciate such keepsakes! 

photo by Suzanne * April 20, 2011

Once again, thank you, my dear readers for stopping by-WHEW!!! Tax season is pretty much behind us...onwards to what's left of spring ( springtime in Texas is short!).  And upwards to outdoor grilling, the lake and summer holidays!  Actually, not looking forward to mosquito season! 

Have a joyous and safe Easter holiday-I'm off on a much needed four-day weekend! YES!!!

***

"And on the third day he arose again from the dead:

He ascended into heaven,

Sitteth at the right hand of God The Father Almighty:

From thence he shall come to judge the living and the dead."

~from the Apostle's Creed

Mushroom Garden Instantaneously!

This morning when my husband Karo went out to feed our huskey, Whitey, he discovered a surprise garden resting atop a bale of hay that we negleted to put up out of the rain.  Mysteriously, there had appeared some tiny mushrooms just sprouting from that hay.  Of course, I had to fall all over myself to get the camera and shoot out the door!  So I did get some shots of the "tiny garden", and then wanted to find out what they are.  I have always taken an interest in mushrooms, and eat them almost every day.  Of course, I won't try to eat these, and I'm sure they'll disappear by tomorrow, but I've never been up close and personal with this type of 'shroom before.  So I did my best to find them and I think I may have hit paydirt!

According to "Bing.com" these are "Inky Cap" mushrooms.  They are conical shaped with gray/black gills that release black spores when the cap disintegrates and turns into ink.  The mushrooms decompose and grow on lawns, pastures and manured habitats.  Hmmm, I wonder, can the ink be used for anything in particular, if you could be there "johnny-on-the-spot" to capture it?

Oh, well, maybe another post...this is actually just a TEST post!!!

***

Thank you so much for stopping by

Thank you bing.com

Thank you images.search.yahoo.com

"Their mass rotted off them flake by flake

Til the thick stalk stuck like a murderer's stake,

Where rags of loose flesh yet tremble on high

Infecting the winds that wander by."

~Shelley

The Beatles "dis" the "Taxman" for the 45th year...Are We Having Fun Yet?

photo taken by suzanne in fort worth, texas on 03/31/11

this inflated statue sits atop "Liberty Tax Serivce" in Fort Worth

edited by suzanne at kardkorner headquarters

Well, Well, Well...here we are again-it's the IRS's favorite time of year, or is it?  Do we honestly think the IRS enjoys putting up with all of the tax returns being shoveled in by the post office?  Are they laughing at those who scramble and race to the post office before midnight on deadline day? And do IRS employees get paid overtime for sorting out the "YES"-"I've enclosed a check" envelopes from the "NO"-"you owe me" envelopes?  Can they read our handwriting, especially if it's done in pencil?  Has Turbo-Tax and E-File slowed down the volume of mail going to the IRS?  How about all the questions we have?  "Do I really need to file?"  "Can I claim this, or that?"  Does the IRS appreciate all of the phone calls with questions that are answered online, if we would only LOOK it UP?   Or do we really like the IRS?  Kind of like, "I can't wait to have all of my teeth pulled!"

Modern income tax emerged in 1913, and mandatory withholding was established in 1942.  Withholding taxes is considered to be a less painful way of meeting tax liabilities and was presented as a benefit to taxpayers.  Do we, the taxpayers, actually believe that federal withholding is easier on us because we have never seen the money we're paying with? Who wrote that book?  And at the end of each year, we still have to file and report the $.28 per month interest we've received on our savings account, because we're afraid of being "taken down" by the IRS!

No, really, I'm just kidding!!! Or, am I?  I do our income tax returns each year myself, and so far, I have done pretty well.  I figure my son's returns, and I have done returns for others, although I'm not a CPA.  In 1988, I was laid off my job and needed to work. I managed to land a temporary job doing tax returns in a convenience store-Cool, huh?  It was fun-just lasted through tax season and by that time I had found another job.  I put up a card table and chairs in the store, and the customers would come in during their lunchtime or after work until 8:00 at night.  I could do only personal returns, you have to be licensed to do corporate returns.  I met a lot of people and got some good experience in the meantime.

So what do I REALLY do for a living, you ask?

Actually, I work for a stock brokerage firm.  I've been in the business since 1980.  But, rest assured-

I'M NOT A BROKER!!!

I work in Branch Operations processing client deposits, and disbursing checks for interest income and proceeds from sale of stock.  For a few years I worked in the department by myself, but we have taken on more Financial Advisors, more support staff, thus increasing our client base, so I now have two co-workers to share the duties with. There are approximately 60 employees in our Fort Worth branch and we stay bussssy!  I also receive physical stock certificates and deposit the stock into clients' accounts for safekeeping.  We get some pretty colorful stock certificates, and, one of my favorites to see is the Walt Disney Stock.  It actually has pictures of Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck on it.  Stock certificates are like money-some of them even feel like the dollar bill!  I work in a locked, secured area called "The Cage" (we get teased a lot about being "cagey") and we have to use a security pod to get in and out.  More of my duties include entering actual stock and option orders (buying/selling) over the wire to the New York Stock Exchange.  Even though the brokers have the capabilities now to enter their client orders themselves on their computers, some stocks require a handwritten ticket entered over the wire by me.  It's pretty exciting and you have to be on your toes!  These are only a few of the tasks performed by us in "The Cage"-grrrrrrw.   

Tax season is serious business in our office.  Clients who have IRA's must to deposit their contributions for the prior year before the tax deadline.  And we need to make sure we get the contributions deposited and coded correctly before that time.  This year, the tax deadline to file for the year 2010 has been extended to Monday, April 18, 2011.  And we are all asked not to take off during this time-we are all needed to get through this event as smoothly as possible.  As always, there are procrastinators who wait, and, in some cases, their CPA's are trying to help them decide the best methods to use in order to bring their tax liabilities down.  Our Financial Advisors work with the clients' CPA's and assist in reviewing clients' statements, outlining the client activity from the previous year.  It is a very busy time, and not without stress.  But most of our clients have been really good, and have taken care of their 2010 business early.  Kudos to our clients!

I know, I know-we all try to follow the rules, as much as we whine about them (myself included).  Sometimes we make out like a bandit-sometimes not!  But, the law is the law, and we all wish to be law abiding, don't we?  So we try to give the IRS a break and swear we'll get our returns in early.  How does that work for most of us?  Nyeh! Nyeh!

Actually, I found just a few statistics suggesting that maybe more Americans are being honest and filing income returns.  This following was posted by Daniel Downs in 2008:

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* In 2007, 74,152,000 returns were received

* In 2008, 78,792,000 (an increase of 6.3%) were received

* 2007, returns filed by tax professionals was 37,942,000 * self -prepared 15,204,000

* 2008, returns filed by tax professionals was 40,040,0000 * self-prepared 17,705,000

* In 2007, the average refund was $2,427

* In 2008, the average refund was $2,492

***

AND-visits to IRS.gov in 2007 were at 95,534,000 with a 16.7% increase in 2008 at 111,491,000!  You know, I've done that myself in the past few years and have found some real helpful hints, along with the necessary forms needed to process our returns.  They're trying to keep us from calling so much, n'est ce pas?  ...moving right along

Do you have time for a short story and a little fun?

George Harrison 

February 25, 1943 * November 29, 2001

We all know who this handsome man is...George Harrison, born in Liverpool, England-one of the Beatles!  I can't even tell you which one of the Beatles was my favorite, because each one of them possessed a uniqueness of his own.  George was lead guitarist and backup vocals for the group.  Sometimes, he did perform lead vocals on a song.  One of the first songs he wrote was in 1966.  He had asked John Lennon to help some with the lyrics and they came up with "Taxman".  George had said, "I started writing Taxman when I realized that we were giving most of our money away in taxes."  It was said that he wrote the song in anger, attacking the high levels of tax taken by the British Labour government  that had put the Beatles in the United Kingdom's top tax bracket.

This song is featured on the Beatles 1966 album Revolver and is still played annually by DJs in the United States during tax season.  During his solo career, George Harrison would perform the song and it has been performed by Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Tom Petty, to name a few.  I have always thought this was a fun song-the lyrics and music are dynamic!  George, you are missed!

 Please join me in remembering George Harrison by viewing this cool video I came across on YouTube.

My gratitude goes out to:

George Harrison

The Beatles

You Tube

Google

Yahoo

answers.com

beatles.wikia.com

thestateofamerica.wordpress.com

My job for the past 20 years!

Thank you readers for taking the time out of this BUSY time of year to read my blog, and REALLY have a few laughs!  I hope your tax experience this year is swift and painless (if that's possible!).

***note:  this post was written in fun, and not intended to offend anyone ***

 (if you are an employee of the IRS). 

"My coffee gets up and brings ME to the kitchen!"

***

Welcome Sweet Springtime!

Today is the first day of Spring, and it has been a windy, but otherwise pretty day.  I just want to share a few quick pics of mine with you and wish all of my readers a beautiful and flourishing spring!

Snapdragons, Airplane Plant and foliage awaiting Stella D'Oros

March 2006

See how the Honeysuckle engulf this old Crepe Myrtle"

photo by Suzanne * April 2007

And Looky Here! 

Anyone care to dance?

What's around this corner?

"Aw, the gate's closed...how do I get home?"

Early this evening, Karo and I were relaxing on our front porch, when Karo spotted this beautiful bird walking through a neighbor's front yard.  A neighbor who lives a couple of blocks over from us raise these birds, along with White Peacocks and Guineas.  From time to time, one or more of these birds manages to get loose and stroll the neighborhood.  We got lucky, ran in the house for two cameras and went to work ourselves.  These are a few of best pics we were able to acquire.  Unfortunately, he didn't spread his tail for us-maybe next time!

This lovely creature is what I believe to be an "Indian Blue Peacock".  It is the National bird of India.  The male Peacock is actually referred to as the Peafowl, best known for its extravagant tail.  The tail is usually displayed as part of the bird's courtship strategy.

***

Hope you enjoyed the quick spring pics.  All photos were taken by me in my back yard and on the street where The KardKorner is located.  It is now 76 degrees with a mild breeze in Fort Worth.  Thank you for visiting...come back y'all!!!

***
 Info regarding the Peacock was acquired from Wikipedia

***
"Spring shows what God can do
with a drab and dirty world."
~Virgil A. Kraft

My Favorite Leprechaun Presents Awards!

My Grandson Shawn at 4 months old...

Photo taken by Karo on February 28, 2009

With St. Patrick's day just around the corner, I thought this picture would be appropriate, since it is one of my favorites, and Shawn is dressed for the occasion.  I like this picture so much, I have one on my desk and I look at it every day, and smile.  He was so heavy at that time, I could hardly hold him up-and HE thought it was funny!  However, I've been told that Shawn, aka Scooter, will probably hate me later for taking this picture.  But I think he'll laugh instead, AGAIN!

Shawn is joining me at this time to talk about, and present a few awards of my own.  I know that some bloggers don't like awards, and I'm pretty shy about receiving them myself.  My awards won't require any acknowledgement unless you choose to do so.  I have received a few awards for blogging, and it's time I shed some shyness, so I can show my appreciation, respect and overall enjoyment of a few of the blogs I frequent.  I will begin with an award I recently received on February 1, 2011.  One of my favorite blogmates, Becky at justbeingme-becky.blogspot.com gave me this award.  I understand that it can be passed on and I have just such a blogmate to whom this award fits.

Nancy McCarroll

Nancy McCarroll  is one of my favorite blogmates who resides in Colorado.  I read her blog frequently but don't always get the chance to say something.  I know-"Hi" would be good!  Nancy's blog is clearly a blog with "substance" right down to how to choose the type of pencil for your drawing!  She is a wonderful artist and displays beautiful floral and landscaping paintings on her blog.  One of her paintings that really moved me was Nancy's August 3, 2010 post titled My Father's "First Home and My First Home"-one and the same.  She painted a very soft portrait of this home and included a story from her father about the home.  It's a lovely picture and after I saw it, I continued to visit her blog just to see more of her talent.  Nancy also shares arts and crafts ideas, knitting projects, crocheting,  and recipes.  Nancy and her husband are animal lovers.  They have the cutest dog named Libby, who recently auditioned for a "barking" spot on a local radio show and she placed a sample of her little dog's bark in a post-it was really neat!

Nancy is a compassionate woman, who is an advocate for breast cancer, and other illnesses that affect families every year.  She did attend high school in Stephenville, Texas and her mother was a dorm mom at one of our colleges here in Texas, so she is familiar with the Fort Worth area, very close to where I live.  So, HI Nancy!  Hope you are doing well.  I really enjoy your blog!

You can find Nancy's link on my sidebar of blogs I read-truly, a "Blog of Substance"!

***

Grandma!  Who's next?

 Shawn * December 21, 2010

Ok Shawn, here we go!

  Next, we have a young lady whom I've spoken of several times before.  

Becky, I hope you don't mind-I borrowed your picture to design this award for you!  Becky is just what her blog implies-"Just Being Me-Becky".  She lives in Georgia and is a pre-school teacher.  And it sounds like to me that her tiny students love her dearly.  Becky writes frequently on her blog about everyday happenings around town and in her life.   She shares great photos of the events and outings she attends.  At Christmas, she attended a party and got some lovely pictures of the home where the party was hosted.  Becky loves to experiment with her own home by decorating with "cents".  And she does great tablescapes with great finds by shopping for bargains!  Becky and her beautiful family spend a lot of time with friends and relatives camping and fixing yummy food.   Her thoughts are unpredictable (I mean this in a good way!), and you never know what to expect from one post to the next.  For example, I suppose my favorite post of Becky's, (because I have mentioned it before on my blog, and have talked about it to my co-workers) is her October 16, 2010 post titled, "Dust Bunnies-Friends or Foe".  This is a most hilarious post, and also very informative, and, then, hilarious again!  I laughed, and I learned from this post.  Becky has even helped me figure out some things to put on my blog.  When I ask her how she put an item on her blog, she sends me back a friendly answer and instructions right away-sometimes it takes me a while to turn the light on tho!  Becky's link to her blog is on my sidebar (thank you Google for the sidebar post lists). 

Becky, this award comes to you with gratitude and hugs!!!

Shawn? * SHAWN!!! * The envelope, PLEASE!!!

 Shawn * March 4, 2011 * Photo by Karo

One more award before I go.  As most of you know, I like to put a fun survey on my sidebar from time to time.  Most of the time NO ONE votes!!!  Lately, tho, I do get one or two votes.  I make up the surveys myself-sometimes, Karo gives me the ideas.  The source of the votes is not revealed, so I don't know who votes unless you tell me.  One such lady did!

Laura, I know you're not fond of awards, but I just couldn't help myself!

Laura lives in Florida.  She is a massage therapist, oh-not just any massage therapist, but works with the elderly and the handicapped.  She also attends and participates in continuing education seminars and workshops in order to expand her knowledge, enabling her to provide the best service she can.

Laura is an artist of nature...I believe that "Mother Nature" handpicked Laura and dubbed her "Nature's Child"!  This lady can walk across any field (just cut her loose) and come back with a camera load of the best and unusual nature photos, and a bag of bones!  Some of her photos include:  beautiful owls, fox, woodpeckers and other birds, right in her back yard, all kinds of tiny critters, such as lizards, lovely butterflies, grasshoppers, and, YIKES-worms, snakes and spiders!  She, her husband, and their coolest cat, Milo, go camping and come back with exquisite photos of sunsets, waterfalls, and very artistic pieces of wood from tree stumps.  Laura photos lots of fungi and mushrooms too!  Her blog also reveals her talent of turning animal bones into jewelry, home decor and hanging art.  Laura doesn't kill the animals-she just collects the bones that she wanders across, and reconstructs them into modern design with an Indian flare. She turns bottles into beautiful pieces, like sun catchers, and incorporates leaves, feathers, and dried flowers into her designs.  Laura candidly quotes the likes of Henry David Thoreau, Winnie the Pooh, and my favorite Mark Twain!  I can't really decide on my favorite post of Laura's, but to mention a few great ones:  "yard critters and passing MOO'S"-Oct. 3, 2010,  "a woodpecker kind of day"-Nov. 9, 2010, and "a spelling freak"-Jan. 12, 2011.  This award is presented to Laura for being a good sport about voting on my survey and actually telling me!

Laura, you can accept this award quietly-or MAKE A LOT OF NOISE!!!

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"Who Said" Survey Results!

Now, about my "who said" survey.  The poll closed Saturday nite at 10:30pm, before Daylight Savings time.  I've left it on my sidebar tho, for reference.  The survey received 3 votes: 1 for Clint Eastwood, and 2 for John Wayne.  I could have considered Clint Eastwood and Bruce Willis myself-it sounds like something either one could have said in some of their movies.  I really can't imagine Sean Connery saying that-since he very seldom got hurt in any of his films.  And Stallone?  Well, he never would have admitted to any pain or broken bones in his films.  The correct answer, of course, was John Wayne in "The Cowboys" when he was confronted by Bruce Dern, and did beat the H... out of him!  Thank you all for your participation-I love it!  And, believe me-there will be more.

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I want to acknowledge a very good friend of mine and co-worker on her Birthday.  Cindy Rogers has worked in the Branch Services/Operations Dept. of our firm with me for almost 2 years.  She previously worked for our company in California, moved to Brady, Texas-and finally escaped the "quiet town" life for the excitement of  "cowtown" Fort Worth.  She came to our office 3+ years ago, and eventually joined me, jumped in with both feet, and we "rock and roll" our way thru each day.  Cindy is younger than I, (I won't reveal her age), but old enough to share the same likes in music, old movies, how to make roux, and apply "bling".  She raised 2 boys-one just got married a couple of weeks ago.  Cindy is a "go-get-'em" lady, and we work well together.  Aside from her eight hour day at work, she volunteers in the community.  Cindy coaches a special Olympics basketball team, and is very well liked by her team players.  When asked to describe herself, Cindy simply says, "FLUFFY"!

Happy Birthday Cindy!

March 17, whenever!

OtherMarch 17th Birthdays include:

"Shemp" Howard of The Three Stooges * born March 17, 1895

John Sebastian * singer and songwriter * born March 17, 1944

Kurt Russell * actor * born March 17, 1951

Rob Lowe * actor * born March 17, 1964

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Once again, I am extremely thankful to my readers and faithful followers.   Please stop by anytime and say hello-AND THAT ALSO GOES FOR NEW READERS!  And I want to express my sympathy and sadness to the people of Japan for the tragedy they have experienced these past few days.  My heart goes out to these people and prayers for speedy relief and recovery. 

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"It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot,

and the wind blows cold:

when it is summer in the light,

and winter in the shade."

~Charles Dickens

"Happy St. Patrick's Day from The KardKorner!"

Thank You Google

Thank You Yahoo

And Thank You my Sweetie Shawn!

"It's been a Hard Day's Night Grandma!"

Shawn * October 2009 * photo by Grandpa Trammell

Shawn was about to celebrate his 1st birthday!

"I make serious coffee-so strong, it wakes up the neighbors!"