Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Blue Bell Ice Cream Wars


Blue Bell Ice Cream Wars

There's been a revelation in
This friendship that we share,
A pushing of the envelope
When we became aware
That for all our generosity
Of spirit, heart and mind,
When it comes to Blue Bell Ice Cream,
Our limits are defined!
I had told you how delicious
I found Blue Bell to be,
I explained that their Dutch Chocolate
Was simply heavenly.
And so you bought a carton, too,
And called me up to say
That, indeed, it was delicious
In each and every way!
You found it quite full-flavored,
You found it quite divine;
(Apparently your love of it
Was similar to mine.)
And I was pleased, I really was,
That you took me at my word.
But then that ice cream went on sale
And things became absurd!
You raced on down to Publix;
I had to do the same,
And who would end up with the most
Was much more than a game!
My mother said that Walgreens, too,
Had put Blue Bell on sale,
I mentioned it and was amazed
At your desire to prevail!
Then I found out Winn-Dixie
Had reduced their prices, too.
I told my mom about it,
But I wasn't telling you!
And so the saga ends with this:
We each had found our seven.
In greed we filled our freezers up,
Now we're in Blue Bell Heaven!
And I'm glad to know our friendship
Has proved, somehow, to be
Greater than our appetites
And our great gluttony!

Written for Lisa Stocks
8 May 2012


Sunday, April 22, 2012

Sunrise and a Space Shuttle


Space Shuttle Discovery flew over us at Beverly Beach
on Tuesday, 17 April 2012.
This was her last flight and she was on the back of a 747,
headed for the National Air and Space Museum in
Chantilly, Virginia.
I was so happy to have taken this shot and to have witnessed
a bit of history. 

And this was the morning's sunrise.
Beverly Beach, Florida
It was a great morning!
 

Monday, April 16, 2012

Beach Couple, Hand-in-Hand


This couple was on the beach this morning
and went into the water hand-in-hand.
I thought it was so sweet.
When they came out, I told them I had taken their picture
because they reminded me of a quote I recently saw online.
An older couple, holding hands, was asked how
they had stayed together so long.
The reply was,
"We came from a time when, if it was broke
you fixed it, you didn't throw it away."
The wife in the photo above told me it so happens that they were celebrating their own Fiftieth Anniversary this weekend.
So, I came back to the RV and printed out this picture for them.  I walked down to their RV and she was sitting outside
and I gave it to her.  Her eyes welled up, then she said 
that she had told her husband what a gift my words
to them had been this morning, 
a perfect gift for their anniversary.
Now they have a photo, too, of their special weekend.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

My Magic Bubble-Gun

The Magic Bubble-Gun

The boy sat with his Grandpa 
By a fountain in the sun,
Creating iridescent orbs
With his magic Bubble-Gun.
I watched him pull the trigger
As he set the bubbles free,
Intriguing him, his Grandpa,
And captivating me.
I watched the beaming older man,
I watched the little boy,
Then recognized that they had bought
A little slice of joy!
My heart and lips were unconstrained,
Embarrassing but true:
I locked eyes with the Grandpa
And said, "I want one, too!"
But the Grandpa spoke no English,
And my efforts were in vain;
Just where one purchased Bubble-Guns
I could not ascertain.
But I was on a mission now
To find where joy was sold!
I asked a store proprietor
And very soon was told
To find the shop on St. George Street,
Down by the water wheel;
I walked those ancient streets again
With purpose and with zeal!
I walked into the little shop,
I bought a bit of mirth!
And there are those who understand
Exactly what that's worth!
And now, perhaps, you'll see me, too,
Sitting in the sun,
Creating streams of colored orbs
With MY magic Bubble-Gun!

Linda Moser Winebrenner
April 10, 2012
(Written after our trip to St. Augustine ~ and, yes, my granddaughter, Jessi, understood!) 

"Never have I enjoyed youth 
so thoroughly
as I have in my old age."
George Santayana

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

March Gifts


The gift of understanding something in a new way...
The gift of feeling comfortable and completely at ease with someone...
The gift of spring breezes, spring green, and sunlight...
The gift of fragrance found in a single gardenia bloom...
The gift that came to me, unsought, from a child's heart...
The gift of giving something to someone
without one iota of expectation in return...
The gift of serenity found in the relinquishment of
having my own way or having the last word...
And the gift of remembering that it is in my power
to give someone else the gift of serenity, too.
lmw

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Blessed



Twenty years ago this month
I had surgery for cancer.
How could I ever take for granted
the gift of another Spring?
I wasn't at all certain then
that another Spring would be mine.
Twenty more were given me.
Thank You, Lord.

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Kindness


I keep this quote as a reminder to myself.
It goes quite well with another I once heard:
"People may forget what you say,
But they will never forget how you made them feel." 
(author unknown)

Friday, February 17, 2012

One Facet of a Thirty-Year Marriage



Allen and I will be married thirty years in a few days.  There are many facets to a thirty-year marriage,
but I'm highlighting just one today, as I look back:  Golf.

We were a threesome from the start ~ my husband, me, and golf.  I remember when I knew no more about the game of golf than this:  my husband loved it.  I didn't understand the rules or the techniques or the precision required, but this I understood ~ my husband was passionate about the game ~ and I was passionate about him.  And it was a privilege to me just to be with him as he pursued his passion.  The beach was more my style, but I went where my man went.

In one form or another, golf has colored our world.  I have a kaleidoscope of memories of rainy days and sunny days, sweltering days and days so cold that only love could have kept me in a golf cart.  At first I just rode around with him, toting my books, of course, and I would alternate reading with exclamations of, "Great shot, baby!"  And even when it wasn't a great shot, he still loved the game.

He tried for a very long time to interest me in playing.  I sensed my limitations, however, and always declined.  But one day I gave in, and within a couple of hours, I had clubs and balls, a cute little pink bag, one glove, and no concept of how really awful I would be.  I soon discovered that for a girl who loved the sandy beaches, I had no patience with the sand on a golf course; but that was where I spent a great part of my time.  Allen even coined a phrase for me:  "Baby, it's sand under repair ~ just throw it out!"  He always has been one to try and leave his wife some dignity.  (Obviously, we were not playing with others.)

The history of my golf game is this:  I've had bogies, double bogies, triple bogies, and bogies that required a calculator.  But I've also had a few pars, fewer birdies, and yes, the greatest feat of all:  a hole-in-one.  It was just six weeks after I started playing.  I had yet to ever hit a green in one shot, let alone a hole.  But I did it.  He dropped his club and looked toward heaven as if to ask, "Why?"  Meaning, of course, why waste a good hole-in-one on a woman who (counting every stroke) shot 151 that day.  Allen said I couldn't turn in a score like that.  I said, "I made a hole-in-one and I'm turning it in."  I think he was simultaneously proud and mortified.  In my mind, I really don't need to do anything else in my golfing career.  I am satisfied.

At this time, Allen plays with the guys several times a week, rather than with me, but I am still proud of his skill and expertise around the course.  And even on a bad day, he's still passionate about the game.

And after thirty years of marriage, I am still passionate about him.

LMW



Another Day's Ponderation
  2 June 2009

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

The Quote Seems Redundant


Just a layout I did recently with a quote Jessi already understands.


Another Layout ~ Jessi's Trip to France

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Beach Collage - 1



26 degrees this morning ~ in Florida!
I scrolled through some of the beach photos 
I have taken  over the years
creating a compilation as my compensation
for enduring the cold.
Warm memories are a great antidote!
 

Friday, January 27, 2012

Thursday, January 26, 2012

A Mom-Conversation not to be Forgotten


Mom and I were at Olive Garden yesterday 
when this conversation occured.
We both had coffee and inside the top of the cup the following words were written:  Caffe' la Toscana.
Mom:  What does that mean?
Me: I have trouble enough translating Jessi's messages in French without attempting Italian.
Mom, after a pause:  Well, it might say 'Your coffee is poisoned."
Me: Touche!  I'll ask our waitress.
Answer:  It translated something along the lines of 
'Coffee from the region of Tuscany."

My mother keeps me on my toes!

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Helping Each Other Out


Like these birds I photographed in St. Augustine,
I, too, have a few friends who always have my back.
And that's a good thing.