Wordless Wednesday - My late Mother's 1st Birthday photo!

Happy Birthday Wilma!

I've been very remiss with my blogging lately - being away from home hasn't helped either & yes, I'm now home.
To be honest, I very nearly missed my good CA Prairieland friend Wilma's Birthday, tutt-tutt indeed; only a Facebook alert saved my blushes today!

For a serious lover of handbags, a special cake is called for...And heart felt greetings...
"Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday dear Wilma,
Happy Birthday to you!"

Hope you have a great day filled with wine & wonderful things.

True Colours Thursday - AZURE!

AZURE is simply another name for BLUE.
And to be BLUE is to be sad.
So, it certainly is a doubly appropriate colour for me this week, since it was with an over whelming sense of sadness, still with me, that I learnt that my favourite, much loved WFT Jackson had passed away on of all days this Monday - my birthday & whilst I was in Brighton in the hope of seeing him one last time.
Now AZURE wasn't necessarily his favourite colour, like his J1, I suspect he preferred Greens & Reds, but I like to believe I, Blue was one of his favourite people and as I want to start this post with a photogragh of Jackson, here he is peaking out of his AZURE chariot...May he be running, rather than riding, pain free, over @ the Rainbow Bridge with all his friends that went there before him like Oscar, Charlie & Miss Snickers and may he meet my Hero too!

On my belated Birthday lunch with Jackson's J1, she delighted me with this 'Forever Foxed' greetings card... And this great bag - both images are based on the Jax...
After our lunch together, I as usual strolled the North Lanes looking for inspiration for TCT - they never fail me!
A pretty sun dress in all shades of AZURE - if only my figure would do it justice now...And an upper shop front...
Then walking back via the sea front found the pebble beach so loved by Jackson was decked with BLUE chairs blowing in the breeze... While by Brighton Pier, there was lots of bouncing action...And, even my hotel's restaurants tables that evening were laid with AZURE napkins for me to photo...
I've no cake, birthday or other wise to finish off with as normal.
However, pup friends Doyle & Mollie told me to buy myself a Birthday treat in Jackson's memory aka a Stuffie as he was 'the Master' when it came to their destruction, so I did...
To join True Colours Thursday, whose designated blog home is HERE, all you need, is to post a photo/photographs & text, or better still both, on the specified colour of the week.
If you simply want to use the idea as a 'prompt' for a post, that is fine with me.
But, if, you'd like others including me, to visit you, please leave a comment, on either blog so we know you are 'IN'!
Previous known participants are shown in the TCT Roll Call in that blogs side bar.
Next week is colour is RED & WHITE together!
And, please remember ideas for forth coming colours would be very welcome.

RIP Jackson!

Words don't come easily today - only tears.
Dear darling Jackson passed peacefully away in his sleep early this morning, in his own bed, in his own home.
This is one of the final photographs I took of my favourite WFT, looking as handsome as ever on the Fox Terrier Fun Walk the other week, his final 'public' appearance in front of his adoring fans & friends...He was one very special boy, who was much loved by many including me - he will be sadly missed.
My heart breaks for his J's, especially his devoted J1, who loved him as much as he visibly loved her.
I feel privilaged to have personally known him & will always remember the Jax with great fondness.
As many of you know, I'm in Brighton and it is my birthday, but it's not one I'm celebrating.

Saturday Photo Hunt - Daily AND Birthday Memories!

tnchick prompt this week first made me think of a daily pinta - milk delivered in 1 pint glass bottles, to ones door stop by ones daily milkman in the wee small hours of the morning; but much cheaper, larger Supermarket plastic cartons has seen the demise of this tradition locally, so unless I 'borrowed' an image that wasn't going to work.

So what about a small snippet of daily verse, as found in my ancient 'Children's Birthday Book'...

I see two birthdays down for today, so a trip down memory lane too!

Anne, I only knew briefly - I was her Group Leader during my time as a TOHG [Tax Officer Higher Grade] in the Inland Revenue - she unlike me, wisely didn't waste years hating working in the Tax Office; she resigned after a couple of months, while it took me 10 years!

Ron on the other hand, was a valued older friend for a good number of years - he was even @ one time my chauffeur, who drove me out daily, and by doing so saved my cake business from disaster after I lost my driving licence for 12 months - we eventually lost touch when he moved away to pastures new.

Anyway, Happy Birthday Anne & Ron where ever you are.

Nowadays my Birthday Book certainly seems to contain more reminders of lost friends & acqaintances than current ones - perhaps it's not surprising, as it does date back to 1963 & I'm very bad @ keeping touch!

Today's Flowers on Tuesday - Lily of the Valley and Birthday Greetings Prudence!

Spring may show no signs of arriving here but I've chosen this particular late Spring bloom - seen here via cards from my silk Kensitas Flowers collection; the smaller one came in 1933 with a packet of 10 cigarettes, the larger with 20's - because today's my oldest friends birthday - we meet @ College in 1971.
The cards are my gift to her too, as Prudence was christened after the Lily of the Valley which symbolises 'Purity'.

Her devout Mother's reasoning being four fold & surprisingly shared with me @ Prudence's 21st family dinner party!

The Lily of the Valley, is thought to be the flower alluded to in the Scriptures...

"Consider the lilies how they grow;

They toil not, neither do they spin."
This sweetly scented bloom was her Mother's favourite flower and only worn fragrance.

And her favourite poet wrote this & note the date of his death too...

"No flower amid the garden fairer grows

Than the sweet lily of the lowly vale

The Queen of flowers"

John Keats

[1795 – 23 February 1821]

Prudence & I haven't actually seen each other for more than 17 years now - very religious, my personal [love] life was frowned upon, infact deeply offensive to her.

Since she doesn't do computing, she will never see this post.

And as a serious anti-smoker, I do worry about the acceptability of the Kensitas Flower cards.

But come Birthdays & Christmas, we still continue to exchange greetings & news in memory of fun past moments shared.

So, Happy Birthday Prudence!

True Colours Thursday - SHOCKING PINK, AND Happy Birthday Queen of Halloween!

I suspect this weeks colour is going to throw up a variety of PINK shades, as Googling SHOCKING PINK, it very rarely showed up as matching my personal interpretation - to me it's a bright pink but with a touch of orange as seen here...Why? It's based on these - 1930'S chiffon hankerchiefs & a scarf of my late Mothers...I also recall her wearing a fetching cropped top in the brighter of the tones too - she loved colour!

Me, I think my nightdress is SHOCKING PINK..My fancy umbrella has certain elements too...As do these napkins...

And certainly this briar Rose is SHOCKING PINK...

Now, my cake from the Celebration Cake Shop, may look rather out of Season & you may also ask where's the PINK too...BUT, today is my friend Queen of Halloween's birthday. Greetings to you, enjoy your special day. And, just check out the veins in the eyeballs bubbling away in the witches Halloween cauldron - I rest my case!

To join True Colours Thursday, whose designated blog home is HERE, all you need, is to post a photo/photographs & text, or better still both, on the specified colour of the week. If you simply want to use the idea as a 'prompt' for a post, that is fine with me. But, if, you'd like others including me, to visit you, please leave a comment on either site, so we know you are 'IN'!

Previous known participants are shown in the TCT blogs side bar. Next weeks colour is ORANGE & LEMONS, say the bells of St Clements, a combination of both colours please

And, remember ideas for forth coming colours would be very welcome!

Remembrance Time!

Today is, what was, my late Mother's birthday!

She, we spent, shared, many such happy celebrations here in Brighton - which is why, as old friends know - two years ago on what would have been her 90th, I stole down to the foreshore, to scatter her ashes along with my Springer Spaniel Hero's on the waters edge, with flowers, for the ebbing tide to carry away!

Since then, on every visit, I cast, two similar single blooms ribboned together, on the water in remembrance.

But, today's act is always the most poignant, the hardest, the one most emotionally charged with memories.

This anniversary, I bought my mini bouquet early, so I could enjoy/share them during my stay...Now though, the time has come to part with the flowers, the Rose for my Mother & the Gerbera for Hero and I can only blame my leaky eyes for me not focusing this image properly this morning!

"They are all gone into the world of light,

And I alone sit lingering here;

Their very memory is fair and bright,

And my sad thoughts hold them dear. "

Anon

Poscript...

As the tides swell remains strong, I knew my fragile flowers would be battered & brocken before going out to sea.

So, for the first time, I went along the length of Brigton Pier, and cast them away from there!

Happy Birthday Sir!

Sir, my favourite Saskatchewan farmer, considers Kraft Dinner, the "The Nectar of the Gods"!
He always laughs & tells me I don't know what I am missing when I wrinkle my nose up in disgust @ the mere thought of it [I hate all forms of Macaroni Cheese].
So, hopefully seeing these particular young ladies enjoying his favourite food should make his day...Happy Birthday Sir!
Hope it's Kraft Dinner [& Wieners] for Supper tonight.

Happy Barkday Asta AND Birthday Greetings Julie Papworth!

I have a real soft spot for Wire Fox Terriers
It's in remembrance of my doggy 'Sister' & playmate Judy and because of it, I have quite a few WFT blogger friends.

One is sassy New Yorker Asta, whose adventures & creative photo's never fail to delight & entertain me...Happy 3rd Barkday Asta!

And, looking through my 'Birthday Book', I came across another entry for today, one which sent me down memory lane!

Julie Papworth, was my childhood pen-friend.

She lived in Blacktown, New South Wales, Australia.

We exchanged letters full of schoolgirl gossip for quite a while.

She sent me small Koala bear for Christmas & an Australian Address book for my 13th birthday.

I still have them both...

Then, her mother suddenly died & she moved to live with her aunt in St Mary's, NSW.

After that, my letters went unanswered.

So, Birthday Greetings Julie where-ever you are now!

Recalling my Grandmother!

I never knew my maternal Grandmother, but today is her birthday, she was born back in 1881!
Strange as it may seem, I only learnt these facts last year!

Sorting through some old very dusty books that had been lain undisturbed on a high cupboard in what was my late Mothers bedroom, since way back when, I came across a battered family Bible.

The front flyleaf page that must have shown the first birth, deaths & marriages recorded in it has long since gone, but the inside cover lists the family of my Great Grandfather John Lovell...It shows he had 3 daughters by his first wife Annie, who died aged 26 in 1862, one month after giving birth; that he remarried in October 1871 to a Eliza Dyer, who gave birth to their eldest son John barely 3 months later!

And, that she bore him eight more children including his eldest daughter, my Great Aunt Lucy Jane in 1873 [she brought my Mother up from the age of six] & my Grandmother Marian Lovell.

Now, I learnt very little about this lady during my Mothers life time, other than they shared the same christian name, as she died of Childbirth Fever on a Derbyshire hill farm shortly after giving birth to my Mother, her second child in 1917.

Mother was then brought up by a wet nurse, housekeepers & maids, before being to sent to live with her Aunt, the formidable Lucy Jane after recovering from Scarlet Fever.

She grew up bitter about being abandoned by her Father @ an early age & only ever referred to her Mother, when brooding about her past life, saying it had been loveless because of never knowing a mothers love.

Mother for reasons of her own, never showed me the Bible, or more mysteriously Grandmothers portrait.

The latter I discovered after her death, wrapped in newspaper and stuffed behind a wardrobe, I thought it was a wooden tray, so imagine my surprise when I pulled it out & discovered this large finely framed Victorian photograph...Never having seen it before, my first thought was to wonder who it was of.

Then, I recognised the pendant being worn.

I process the one, which was given to Great Aunt Lucy Jane by her Father.

And, she told my Mother, that Great Grandfather Lovell gave each of his daughters on their 21st birthday, a heart-shaped Rose Gold pendant set with a central Diamond chip.

I knew the portrait was not of said Lucy Jane or that of Eliza Louise called Cissy, as I have similar images of both these two Great Aunts, who I recall from my childhood & Alice the youngest Lovell sister I believe died in her teens, so that left Marian, my Grandmother!

This was later confirmed when I found, also hidden away, this faded postcard picture, showing the same, if visibly older lady...Per the address on the back, it was sent to my Grandmother, then Mrs Barker of Horseshoe Farm near Glossop on the 6/8/1914, the hand written message reads 'How is this of you and Gilbert?', a penciled note adds 'Gilbert Barker aged 3 months' - he was my Mothers brother, they were estranged most of their lives!

And, that's as much of my Grandmother's history that I know.

Thanks to the joys of blogging & the wonders of modern digital photography I'm able to share my finds!

It's just sad, my Mother couldn't have shared them with me, as I'm left with so many unanswered questions, like how did a Gentleman farmers daughter from rural Northamptonshire come to meet & marry my Grandfather from Derbyshire?

I never meet him either, as he passed away during the 2nd World War.

Belated Birthday Greetings Nellie!

So, much for having a Birthday Book!

It's not much benefit if you don't check it regularly, but I was convinced in my minds eye that my Canadian friends birthday was later in the month and not yesterday!

Opps!

If it wasn't for our mutual friend Wilma, I'd be even later sending my best wishes!

I've known Nellie as long as I've been visiting Prairieland, quite a while.

She loves elephants & collects them in every form, so much so, when ever I see elephant memorabilia I think of her straightaway hence her blog name.

And, posting this painting, simply titled 'Royal White Elephant' by American artist Sundara Fawn...

Apologies, Nellie I hope you had a great day with good wine.

Wordless Wednesday - Happy Birthday Little Buddy!

Happy Birthday Twins!

Last Wednesday, I recognised my Prairieland Cousin Lucy-Lu's 92nd Birthday!

She is my late Fathers first cousin, so is my second cousin!!!

Today is her twin grandchildren Birdling & Peterpan's Birthday.

That makes them, my - 4 times removed/generation cousins!!!

The family connection is now getting pretty thin, especially as the Atlantic Ocean separates us.

Miss Birdling, is a talented, creative theatre costume designer based in Toronto...

Master Peterpan, a travel loving 'happy go lucky' chef, now in Vancouver for the Winter Olympic Games of 2010, who will rustle up breakfast for a roof over his head & boy, are the ones he does good...

I wish you both well.

Love & Birthday Greetings Birdling & Peterpan!

Wordless Wednesday - Happy 92nd Birthday to Prairieland Cousin Lucy-Lu!

Happy Barkday Maggie, Happy Birthday Sue!

Dear Airegirl, Maggie has been a long standing, & much valued DWB friend.

In a world of ever changing blog contacts, she & brother Mitch have remained ever faithful.
And, today is Maggie's 11th Barkday!

And, it's always a doubly special event for her, as she shares it with her wonderful Mom's Birthday - just love this connection as my Springer Hero & I were just two May days apart.

As I know Airedale paintings & Poppies are all time favourites in their household, this is for them...

Have a wonderfully happy day together Maggie & Sue!
Here's hoping there's ice cream, and lots of it.

I will be sharing a cone 'virtually' with you both!

My Moasic credits credits go as follows:-

Maggies images - Yes, they are actual paintings of her by their very favourite artist Barbara Keigher, who they affectionately call ABB because that's her ebay user name - it stands for Art by Butterfly.

The Red Poppies, come from watercolorist, Karen Shunk found via Google Images for the occassion!

Color Carnival - Just a Party Plate!

Friends & close neighbours Pussycat Paul, wife France' & their two delightful daughters finally returned from their French holiday on Friday, so relieving me of my purr-less 'cat minding' duties.
While Shy & Little Miss Smile, were away, they both had their Birthdays, 6th & 4th respectively.
How time flies?
This lunchtime, France' throw a garden party for the girls playmates & their parents.
The adults enjoyed beer & wine; the children high jinx in a paddle pool that appeared for the event.
I watched the fun from across our gardens, having not been included as in previous years.
This piece of home-made Carrot Cake, on it's very colourful party plate, was delivered to me afterwards...Color Carnival was created & is hosted by Martha.
All you need is a colourful photo, the subjects yours to choose.

Birthday Greetings Wilma!

Today, I wish this good Praireland friend of mine, who when I started blogging was my muse, and who was has been having a tough time recently re health issues, the best of Birthdays!
Here's hoping you're pain-free and feel able enjoy your special day & favourite things...A Happy Birthday to you Wilma!

My Birthday and Monochrome Monday - The Cake!

Yesterday, Molly & Taffy, aided & abetted by their humans, good friends H & J, saw that I celebrated my special day, in style.
I won't mention the HOURS of gardening it included, that's another tale in its-self - LOL!!!
There was this delightful gift, so I wouldn't ever forget my niece & nephew - as if I could...A very funny card...Scrumptious Black Frost Gateaux, seen here Monochrome Maniac style as it's Monday...And, delectable golden bubbly...Thanks All for an unforgettable day!

Barkday Greetings to Snowball!

"Happy Barkday to you,

Happy Birthday to me,

Happy Barkday dear twinny Snowball,

Happy B'Day to us!"

When via DWB chat, sweet Maltese Terrier Snowball & I discovered we were born on the same date in May, we declared our-selves 'B'Day twinnies'!!!

And, last year to celebrate her 10th Barkday, I even hosted a 'virtual' pawty for us both, set in Dreamingspires.
Lacking the skill & required a photo editing programme, I enlisted the help of WFT's Asta & Koobus to illustrate the event.
These are just two of the fun images they created.
An afternoon of leisure by the River Isis...

Guests enjoying pre dinner drinks in Christ Church Colleges Cloisters...

Happy 11th Barkday Snowball, we'll pawty together again next year - promise!