Friday, June 29, 2012

His Soul goes Marching On - Postcard Friendship Friday #122


Every Fourth of July there is a huge shindig in our little town of Independence.  There is a marathon run, a parade, wonderful stuff down by the waterfront, music and fireworks.  It is a great place to be for the Fourth of July.  We moved here 12 years ago July 4th.  So much has changed since then--and yet so much is the same.

I am grateful for my family, friends, my country and especially for this lovely little town of Independence.

*  DON'T FORGET:  When you submit a postcard, be sure to put a link back to this page.  You can copy and paste the PFF badge, which has the link embedded.  Thank you!

*  NOTE: You don't have to stick to the theme I choose each Friday. Just put up the postcards you love and tell us why you like them.

*  REMINDER: Comments and links which contain advertising and do not refer to any of the following; Postcard Friendship Friday, mailboxes, the Post office, postcards or the love of postcards, will be deleted.




Thursday, June 28, 2012

Box of Candy - Guest Heart Thursday


I must confess--I borrowed this scanned card from my sweet Sissy--the hostess of Guest Heart Thursday.  I just so LOVED that picturesque box of candy, those delicate flowers--what a beautiful card this is and so perfect for the day.

I adore you, SissyBoo.  (grin)

For more heart art, photography and altogether fabulous heart stuff from around the world, visit Clytie at Random Hearts for Guest Heart Thursday!
 





Friday, June 22, 2012

Here's to the Red, White and Blue - Postcard Friendship Friday #121


Thank you for your patience this morning--I spent all of yesterday helping a friend move and with all the catch-up I had this morning, I'm late!

I am sure, from the style of the clothing these women are wearing, this was right around 1900.  

This postcard is poignant to me.  It comes to mind that at the time this postcard was printed my Grandfather was a young man, who would serve in WW1.  WW2 had not happened.  The Korean War, Vietnam War---all of those had not even happened yet.  It is a tiny bit like going back into the past to a more innocent time.

I had never heard the poem before, or what the colors of the American flag stood for...

Here's to the red, white and blue
the colors our good Flag bears:
Red stands for Love that's true.
White for purity in all our affairs;
And Blue that's true, stands for Fidelity.
While all three stand for Liberty.

Have a lovely day, everyone!

*  DON'T FORGET:  When you submit a postcard, be sure to put a link back to this page.  You can copy and paste the PFF badge, which has the link embedded.  Thank you!

*  NOTE: You don't have to stick to the theme I choose each Friday. Just put up the postcards you love and tell us why you like them.

*  REMINDER: Comments and links which contain advertising and do not refer to any of the following; Postcard Friendship Friday, mailboxes, the Post office, postcards or the love of postcards, will be deleted.


Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Clinique Cheron


Isn't this a charming advertisement?  In the tradition of Art Nouveau, this graceful girl and her loving friends bring a smile to my face.

Today is the beginning of summer and time outside in the sun with our furred and feathered friends.  How grateful I am for their loving companionship.


Monday, June 18, 2012

Kitty in a Basket of Forgetmenots


This is such a cute picture.  I signed up for Dover's free samples and this darling kitten is one of them.  Every month they send samples of what they're offering.  It is so much fun--I am always excited to see what they'll be sending next.

Have a lovely day, everyone!


Friday, June 15, 2012

National Scoliosis Month - Postcard Friendship Friday #120



I have known Lacie since she moved to our area as a teenager years ago.  I remember the first time I saw her--a tall willowy girl with red hair so long, she could sit on it.  She has grown into a wonderful woman.  Yesterday she sent me something about June's designation as National Scoliosis Month.  At first I thought it was an article from a magazine.  But it wasn't. 

Yesterday I learned something I didn't know about my lovely young friend.  She had written the words which had so stirred my heart.  I was deeply touched by the power of her story.  The sheer bravery of her life is an inspiration.  I wanted to share her thoughts with you.  I know you will be as inspired as I was. 

I've learned to use it as a sort of party trick. I get a glimmer in my eye and I ask "Have you seen my hump?" Some people look at me like things are about to get inappropriate until I turn around, hang my arms to the floor and bend over. Then I get a mixture of "Ewwwwwww!" or "Whooooaaaaaaa." or "What the heck?" as they catch a glimpse of my Quasimodo-like ribcage. It's only uneven on one side, from the back. My right side peaks up much higher than the left, making things most people take for granted, like situps on a hard surface, impossible. I also can't sit comfortably in flat backed chairs or church pews. Even office chairs eventually become uncomfortable if I have to sit for long enough.

In the front it is the opposite, though not as noticeably. My left side pokes out to the front a little more than normal and rounds out in a bit of a deformed way. Sometimes I get self conscious about it, but then I realize people are more likely to notice how blinded they are by my pale redheaded skin than they are to notice (as my good friend Heidi likes to call her extra curves) my "lovely lady lumps".

I am generally a very cheery person, and I prefer to be the happy, loud and bright person in the room. I like to brighten the days of those around me and I love to make people laugh. There are days where this doesn't come so naturally for me. I have a lot of good days. Days where maybe I only have muscle soreness or my spasm doesn't act up or I get to sit comfortably most of the time I'm sitting. I also have bad days. It's something people with scoliosis have learned to deal with, something we've learned to make our own. Much like any other sufferer of chronic pain, we have our own coping mechanisms whether it's muttering curse words under our breath when a spasm hits or cherishing the funny looks as we stretch and move to ease the joint and muscle pain anywhere at anytime. A lot of my bad days are very bearable thanks to ibuprofen, a good cup of tea, and lovely conversations with others who suffer from back pain. I think companionship and understanding are so important when it comes to back pain, there's just nothing better than someone saying "I know, right?" when you know they actually do know.

Scoliosis is something that a lot of people still don't understand. It's not easy to explain pain when it isn't a physically observable thing for most people around you. Some days, when I have a smile on my face or I'm out on a run, I'm feeling every step in my spine and the muscles that surround it. Some days I can't help but tear up a little because I'm just so tired of being in pain. The last time I saw a spine specialist (after he lost my x-rays and had no idea of the progress of my condition) he simply said "I'd like to try posture correction." I wanted to yell at him "I'm A BALLERINA! I've been using posture correction since before I was diagnosed with this!"

Now, don't get me wrong. I'm grateful to be the happy, healthy person my environment and my body have allowed me to be. This is nothing compared to what a lot of people go through every day. I simply wish there was more research being done, more treatment ideas and more acceptance of alternative treatments in the scoliosis world. I would love to know that if I have kids and end up passing this along to my kids there will be something I can do to make sure they don't feel stuck in a body years older than they are.

I'm doing my best to maintain an active lifestyle, to maintain a healthy weight because I've learned that every extra pound means struggling a little more. I take supplements to strengthen my bones, lubricate my joints, and reduce inflammation. I stretch, massage, move and work out my muscles so that I can avoid being stiff and frozen for as long as possible.

Please, be patient if you know someone with scoliosis. We have our grumpy days, but know that it's not you, it's not anything you have control over and really the reason isn't anything we have much control over either. Offer a back massage, a shoulder massage, or uninterrupted bath time. Dating or married to someone with scoliosis? Learn to cue in to ways of dealing with the pain. The smallest things mean so much.

Happy Scoliosis month to all my twisted sisters (and brothers!) And to everyone working to further research and treatment!   
~Lacie Rae Wallace 


*  DON'T FORGET:  When you submit a postcard, be sure to put a link back to this page.  You can copy and paste the PFF badge, which has the link embedded.  Thank you!

*  NOTE: You don't have to stick to the theme I choose each Friday. Just put up the postcards you love and tell us why you like them.

*  REMINDER: Comments and links which contain advertising and do not refer to any of the following; Postcard Friendship Friday, mailboxes, the Post office, postcards or the love of postcards, will be deleted.


Thursday, June 14, 2012

Birthday Flowers - Guest Heart Thursday


This morning when the phone rang, I had the most marvelous surprise--SISSY was singing Happy Birthday to me.  (grin)  What a great way to start off the day.  And then Mumsie sang to me later on--now that took me back to my girlhood--in church, standing next to Mom, grinning as I listened to her singing the hymns.  It is a little known fact, that many authors and writers are, er, singing impaired!  A few years back I went to a writer's conference with my Mother and to my delight, discovered the true meaning of making a "joyful noise." 

This is a card I "stole" from Sissy.  (grin)  It seemed perfect for today, because not only is it my birthday, but each petal in those beautiful pink flowers, is shaped like a heart.

For more heart art, photography and altogether fabulous heart stuff from around the world, visit Clytie at Random Hearts for Guest Heart Thursday!
 

Friday, June 8, 2012

Flag Day - Postcard Friendship Friday #119



When I was a tiny girl, I loved the flags which bloomed everywhere on my birthday.  It was obvious June 14 was a special day.  As a child, one is quite self-centered--so, of course, I believed flags flew because of me! 

What a blow to discover Flag Day actually originated in 1885!  Ah, but the story which lies behind this American holiday is well worth reading.  And I enjoy a good story!  Mrs. B.J. Cigrand, Wisconsin school teacher, loved our nation's flag and believed its birthday should not go unnoticed.  This wonderful lady pushed hard for a special day to commemorate  the birthday of the American Flag.

It wasn't long before the idea caught on.  Joining Mrs. Cigrand's cause in 1889, George Balch, a teacher from New York City, planned Flag 'Birthday' celebrations for the children of his school.  Later on, these celebrations were adopted by the State Board of Education of New York. In 1891, the Betsy Ross House in Philadelphia held a Flag Day celebration and the following year, the New York Society of the Sons of the Revolution, celebrated Flag Day.

In 1914, Franklin K. Lane, United States Secretary of the Interior spoke these stirring words--words he said came from the Flag itself, "I am what you make me; nothing more. I swing before your eyes as a bright gleam of color, a symbol of yourself." 

But it wasn't until August 3rd, 1949, that President Truman signed an Act of Congress designating June 14th of each year as National Flag Day.

It is fascinating to discover the history behind so many of our holidays.  Have a wonderful day, everyone!

*  DON'T FORGET:  When you submit a postcard, be sure to put a link back to this page.  You can copy and paste the PFF badge, which has the link embedded.  Thank you!

*  NOTE: You don't have to stick to the theme I choose each Friday. Just put up the postcards you love and tell us why you like them.

*  REMINDER: Comments and links which contain advertising and do not refer to any of the following; Postcard Friendship Friday, mailboxes, the Post office, postcards or the love of postcards, will be deleted.


Thursday, June 7, 2012

My Heart's Best Gift - Guest Heart Thursday


I adore the idea of a heart's "best gift."  I think the clothing this young fellow is wearing is so much fun--can you imagine him trying to jump a mud puddle with those bloomers and shoes?  The hearts, so gracefully draping from that arrow are gorgeous.  Happy Guest Heart Thursday!

For more heart art, photography and altogether fabulous heart stuff from around the world, visit Clytie at Random Hearts for Guest Heart Thursday!
 

Saturday, June 2, 2012

Lovely in Pink - Pink Saturday



Here is another postcard of the little girl I love so much.  These postcards are from the early 1900's.  This one is especially pretty--just perfect for Pink Saturday!

For more fabulous pink stuff, join Bev at How Sweet the Sound!

How Sweet the Sound

Friday, June 1, 2012

Flip a Coin Day - Postcard Friendship Friday #118




June is one of my favorite months--not too hot, not too cold and the flowers are blooming everywhere.  Did you know June 1st is Flip a Coin Day?  The tradition of flipping a coin to make decisions dates back to Julius Caesar. Caesar would take a coin and flip it when the right choice was unclear. The correct answer was "heads" which of course, bore his noble visage.

I know this postcard doesn't actually celebrate Flip a Coin Day, rather it is Christmas--but the drawing on the postcard seemed just perfect for the holiday.

So, in celebration, let's all flip a coin!  

Have a lovely day, everyone.

*  DON'T FORGET:  When you submit a postcard, be sure to put a link back to this page.  You can copy and paste the PFF badge, which has the link embedded.  Thank you!

*  NOTE: You don't have to stick to the theme I choose each Friday. Just put up the postcards you love and tell us why you like them.

*  REMINDER: Comments and links which contain advertising and do not refer to any of the following; Postcard Friendship Friday, mailboxes, the Post office, postcards or the love of postcards, will be deleted.