Look closely

The green bowl.
See it?
I think Mom and Grandma Fern had one just like it
full of popcorn balls!

In Defense of Bud Man

Okay,

So in the defense of my brother and the pickle story. I guess it could have been worse. He could have sent me home with a keg of beer (not bad, unless you're 10)...since the pickle came from the "tapped" fridge and a keg was probably the only other content of the fridge and maybe whole kitchen pantry for that matter!

Bud Man's tricks and treats

So, the one time I actually remember getting to go trick or treating in a "neighborhood" like the town kids, mom drove me around to people we knew and we ended up at the ponderosa (maybe on the day before the night of this party). Mike answered the door and looked a little surprised. He went in the house and came back and told me to open my bag and dropped a dill pickle in my candy bag.
Thanks.
By the time his kids came along...he got the candy thing down. Their costumes were always a
treat!

The Boys of October

Happy (Belated) Birthday to Adam

and

Happy Birthday, Joe!

Hay! (den), Trick or Treat!

Moore Trick or Treaters

Flashback Friday...Happy Halloweening

I've searched thru the pictures of our childhood and surprisingly find very few of us dressed up for Halloween. I know that we gave out treat bags at the Station and I know that Grandma Fern made popcorn balls and wrapped them in cellaphane and I ate them until my fillings threatened to pull out, but where are the pictures? I guess mom was too busy dressing 6 costumes, handing out candy and working to take the pics.
Fast forward
to the GRANDKIDS and there is a faithful bunch of Halloween pics for every kid that visited every year...so much that I may have to have a flashback everyday this Halloween week.
Fast forward
some more to the GREAT GRANDKIDS and it's costume BLISS all over again. I absolutely love this picture and the memory of this day where I got to rewind and enjoy being an (great) aunt of little tricker treaters all over again.

Directions to here:
Give them up!
Go open a popcorn ball and share your memories of Childhood Halloweens here.
I'm listening.

H.B. ~ K.B.

Happy Birthday, Kirsten!

Flashback Friday...pumpkin time

The Great Pumpkin

I've been seeing wagon loads of pumpkins everywhere from the Hayden farm all the way down the road to Indianapolis. And after seeing Tammy's pics of the kids in the pumpkin patch and hearing about the pumpkin painting at Range Line, I decided to dig into my own pumpkin patch of photos from pumpkins past.

I don't remember having pumpkins at the Log Cabin, but I suppose we did...and this picture proves it.



I do remember that once the grandkids came along, Dad would go out and scratch each kids name in a pumpkin while it was still growing and by the time it was ready to pick the name would be scarred into the pumpkin skin.
Not sure if Dad or Susie made this one for Matt, but it's a fine example of what came out of the pumpkin patch in October.












And as the years went by, there were more names to scratch and
pumpkins to pick. This picture cracks me up!

And just a few weeks ago, I was driving down Clay Street with Sister Susie and what did appear out of the corn, but a red truck pulling a wagon full of pumpkins and one dedicated farmer "papa" Grandpa carrying on the tradition!

Directions to here:
The Story of the Great Pumpkin:

"According to Linus, on Halloween night, the Great Pumpkin rises out of the pumpkin patch he deems the most "sincere". The Great Pumpkin then flies through the air to deliver toys to all the good little children in the world. Apparently, one can cause the Great Pumpkin to pass him or her by merely saying "IF he comes", as opposed to "WHEN he comes", which would appear to convey a lack of faith in the Great Pumpkin."

Personally, I would have to believe that the Great Pumpkin would have to come from our pumpkin patch. What could be more "sincere" than a patch full of pumpkins with names on each pumpkin??!!!
F.Y.I...
If you write pumpkin as many times as I have in this post...it seems like the most ridiculously sounding word ever and you keep thinking you are misspelling it!

Must see TV...Starts tonight

Be there or be forever behind on these three shows
And if you happen to know the ending...don't you dare speak it.
7:30 ish
Main Street

Wednesday's Wonder

Wonder Dog

Pre-pup Penny

Luke's pick...

Luke is my song-finder.
He's the one that told me about the song, "What I did Right," 6 years ago and I filed it in the back of my head. It ended up being THE perfect song for our 2005 Christmas video.
Here's his latest pick...but like he said in his comment, I hope I never make this into a video. Here's Luke's comment:

Tim McGraw, I'm Already Home.

Some songs shouldn't be allowed to be recorded.
I hope and pray you never have to do a video to this song.

Luke

The song is actually titled "If You're Reading This" and was performed at the country music awards. You can see his performance here.
And it looks like several others have already made videos for it. Here is one and several others in the links to the right.
But, I'm warning you...have some tissue on hand...I didn't and my shirt sleeve is wet!

Directions to here:
This song definitely gave me a renewed respect for Grandma Fern, Aunt Gladys, mom, Aunt Polly, Aunt Mary, Debbie Hildebrandt and our own Shel...who waited and wondered everyday of enlistment for our family heroes. (Guy, Fay and Bob Vandercar, Harold Hildebrandt, Jim West, Pete Cobb, Steve Cobb, and now, Mark and James...I'm sure I'm forgetting someone).

Old Media Tuesdays...aka...You oughta know

So, every Tuesday the stores are filled with new media releases. Music, movies, books. I don't know why it is Tuesday, but for the most part...I can't keep up with it all. But, I am a consumer and as the lead character in High Fidelity put it, "a professional appreciator," so here's my picks for this Tuesday...even tho some are quite older than new releases:
You oughta see:
Heartlands:
I found myself smiling for long stretches of this movie...even during the heartbreakingly tender scenes...cause it's just so...movie moment-esc. And when you see what vehical this guy owns...you'll know why it stole my heart.
Favorite line: when the main character, Colin goes into a biker bar and tells the bartender what he's riding:
Colin: "Honda"
Bartender: "Goldwing?"
Colin: "50"
I smiled very big!

You Oughta Hear:
Eartha Kitt: Down to Eartha
(on vinyl)
This was my first experience of an all Eartha Kitt record. Pulled it out of the dumpster at work...and whatta save! This record was HOT (maybe too hot)...in the 50's...and it's good to know that she is still performing 50 years later at the age of 80!

You oughta read:
Middlesex by Jeffery Eugenides

Kirsten was right. She's been telling me to read this book everytime I see her. And I haven't even finished it yet, but it's so well written that I know that even if I hate the story or ending...I will like the book.
That's it for this week.
Have you seen, heard or read any of these. If not, what are YOU seeing, hearing and reading that I oughta know?

Sister Susie says...

Susie left this comment about mom and the Buckley pics...thought I'd post it to share with you:
(From Susie):
"I left this comment the other day, but guess it didn't post. I was telling about mom's love of music and when I went to our first choir practice monday night...we sang "Because He Lives" and "Precious Lord..take my hand" We are singing Precious Lord in church on Sunday. I was telling Nancy to BE THERE! Sorry it didn't post sooner. As for the Buckley pictures. Dad grew the corn behind the house. We picked it, husked it, tied it, made scarecrow dolls...the first year, I think we just sold Indian corn. I pulled our little green wagon behind my meals on wheels van...the next year we moved up to the dolls. We must have made some money....but not enough to cover our labor..I'm sure!"

Directions to here:
Somewhere in the landfill of bedroom #1 boxes...I have a corn cob doll...some day I'll find it, photo it and post it...but don't hold your collective breaths.

Flashback Friday...Bygone Buckley Days

The Original Buckley Booth

Hearing about Buckley last weekend got me thinking about this weekend from the past.
I think our family booth pre-dated Range Line's booth.
Not sure if Dad or Jerry grew the corn, but an ambitious crew worked on putting it together:

and then spent all weekend selling the wares (cuteness for free) at the Buckley festival.

These are filed under 1982.

Directions to here:
Susie says these photos are in the book from when "you (Nancy) used to take really good photos." Not sure what that means...maybe just because they are in a book...and have been seen unlike the 1,000's of other photos I have! The cuteness of the original nieces and nephews may have something to do with it!
okay...tell me your story...who's idea was this? How did we ever find the time? How much did we make?

Wednesday's Wonder

Scarecrow Wonder

Take Note!

Must see TV Thursdays has been moved to next Thursday, the 18th!

Must see TV...Thursday nights on Main Street

You're invited:

Remember NBC's Must See TV Thursdays?
I never participated.
But, there are a few shows that have been on so long that the whole series is over, but I'm still stuck in season 2 or 3. I've successfully avoided the media blitz on how they ended...and want to catch up so I'm sending an open invitation to anyone who wants to come along for the ride...1 episode a week until the series is over. So, consider yourself invited:

What: Must See TV Thursdays....Starting with Season one of:
Sex & the City, The Sopranos and Six Feet Under
When: Thursday Nights, 7:30 ish pm
Where: The Art District of Carmel, Nancy's apartment
Who: Nancy and KB for sure...you too, but don't even think of giving the ending away.
Whatevers: Coke beer and cocktails for sure...anything else is a gamble. If you have a favorite drink or snack, bring it along.
Warnings: Seating is limited and the apartment is a mess and over-cluttered...AND these shows contain adult content and general smut...so consider yourself warned (there will be no fast forwarding thru scares, sex or soprano violence, so cover your eyes)!

RSVP by leaving a commet or sending an email.

Her Legacy...Our Inheritance

The Legacy of This Girl's Smile

In each of our lives, there are gifts we receive that we cannot hold in our hands. It is impossible to appraise their worth or put a dollar amount on them. They are in a word, priceless.
This girl’s smile is one of those gifts. By giving this gift, this girl has left a legacy that reaches far beyond her physical presence and her 73 years of life.
The legacy of this girl’s smile lives in the faces of two boys and four girls who bear her likeness. I see it in their familiar grins, dimples, the “I know a secret” on the verge of giggles, shy smile; but I see it most in how they live and greet the world: winning it over with their ready, gentle and easy smiles.
I see it peeking thru on the faces of her children’s children and still, even tho it’s buried a bit further under other layers, I see it in her children’s, children’s children...those babies, who will never see her with their eyes, but will still reflect her image.
On my better days, I see it reflected in my own mirror. On my worst days, it’s the thing I long for most...to see it across the kitchen table...soothing and comforting, assuring me that it’s going to be alright.
This legacy lives on. It amused a mother and put the whistle in a father’s heart. It endeared sisters to her for a lifetime. It won a young man’s heart and devotion. It lightened and brightened her friends lives with inspiration. It welcomed six children into the world and taught them to be friends with it. And it showed grandchildren just why grandmas are so special.
We will carry it in our hearts and minds everyday and it will carry us. And when we leave this world, it will be one of the first things we look for on the other side.
This girl’s smile taught us to laugh, to expect, to sing, to hope, to enjoy, to care, to accept and to love and to be loved.

This is the legacy of this girl’s smile...

Directions to here:
It's this girl's birthday today.
I thought I'd share this with you all again to remind myself and us how blessed we are to have known this girl as "mom."

Flashback Friday...The Bryant Girls

Seeing Aunt Mary and hearing her detailed stories (what a memory she has), made me want to see and spend time with these great girls.
Oh, The stories untold...
Oh, the questions I have...
Oh, to turn back the clock...
Sigh....

Introducing the New Mr. & Mrs. Hayden

Congratulations

Jeremy & Kelly