In Which I Play Well With Others & Create A List Of What I Learned Last Month

July 2, 2013July 2, 2013 / Ally Bean / 27 Comments

Relyn at Come Sit by My Fire is doing this:

“On the last day of each month I plan to post a list of things I learned paired [with] my own favorite photo from that month…. I hope you’ll play along.”

I’ve decided to play along this month. Here’s my What I Learned In June list.

~ • ~

• Hanging pictures is my kryptonite. I use the 60″ rule as a guideline, but it doesn’t always hold true when working with an eclectic collection of art. I love having artwork on the walls, but admit that the process of getting it there makes me cross-eyed and anxious.

• Being stuck inside because of wet Summer weather is every bit as annoying as being stuck inside because of wet Spring weather. You’d think that just because it was Summer, it’d be better; but it’s not. Stuck is stuck. And I’m tired of it. Where are my weeks of sunshine?

• 52 Acts is a project based on the idea that: “one small act of kindness can change a life forever.” Cheri at Naples Girl Blog sent me a 52 Acts bracelet + booklet. Cool, huh? Now that I know about 52 Acts, I’m happy to be a part of it. Thanks, Cheri.

• When putting a casserole dish with a Pyrex glass lid on top of it into the microwave, it is easy to knock the lid off the casserole dish causing the lid to bounce off the granite counter and onto the kitchen floor. This creates a five foot radius of broken glass and shards, leading me to ponder the wisdom of cooking in bare feet.

• Planning a vacation seems like a good idea until you actually begin to price it. Then visiting the local zoo, followed by an afternoon at a German brew house, suddenly sounds like a grand idea. An adventure. Something with the exotic elements of a vacation, but without the inconvenience and cost.

Christmas In June

June 25, 2013June 25, 2013 / Ally Bean / 28 Comments

Years ago I met an Australian woman whose husband’s company had transferred them to the U.S.A. for one year. It wasn’t until after she got talking about how much she had disliked experiencing Christmas in the wintertime here, that I got thinking about how people in the Southern Hemisphere celebrate Christmas. For them, Christmas is a summertime, outdoorsy holiday.

~ ~ • ~ ~

I think of this woman every June 25th– and pause in her honor to reflect upon how much more I, too, would enjoy Christmas if today’s weather was our typical Christmas Day.

~ ~ • ~ ~

Sunny skies. Warm temperatures. Colorful flowers. Green grass. Games on the lawn. Easy outside living.

~ ~ • ~ ~

So today, just for the heck of it, I have decided to put this red poinsettia* in the middle of the dining table on the deck. Sure, the calendar may not say that it is Christmas Day, but I think that I’m going to go ahead and pretend that it is. Care to join me?

“Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la”

~ ~ • ~ ~

* Yes, this is the same poinsettia, previously featured here & here & here, that I’ve had growing inside the house since November of 2011. Best. Christmas decoration. Ever.

My Report On The U.S. Flag Complete With Commentary

June 14, 2013June 14, 2013 / Ally Bean / 33 Comments

{ image from Library of Congress}

Today is Flag Day. On this date in 1777, the Continental Congress officially approved the design of the U.S. flag as we know it today.

• But you knew that, of course. You paid attention in history class and it’s right there on your calendar, in small print.

# # #

In adopting the flag the Continental Congress stated: “Resolved, That the Flag of the United States be 13 stripes, alternate red and white; that the Union be 13 stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation.” It is interesting to note that the colors of red – white – blue did not have meanings when this resolution was adopted.

In 1818, after 5 more states joined the Union, the U.S. Congress passed legislation fixing the number of stripes at 13 and requiring that the number of stars equal the number of states.

• Smart thinking if you ask me. Have a plan, stick to it.

# # #

In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson declared June 14th as a national day of recognition for the flag. According to this declaration, the flag is to be flown everywhere on this day, not just on government buildings and schools.

In 1949, while President Truman was in office, the U.S. Congress established June 14 as National Flag Day. The next year on June 14th he proclaimed it as such. However, this does not make June 14th an official federal holiday so no one gets the day off from work because of this Act of Congress.

• I fail to see the reason why the U.S. Congress did what they did, but that’s nothing new.

# # #

The U.S. flag has three nicknames: “Stars and Stripes” – “Star-Spangled Banner” – “Old Glory.” And as you can imagine, no matter what you call it, there are etiquette rules for flying the U.S. flag. Reading through them you will discover that We, The People, break these rules almost daily.

• I direct your attention to the Decorative section of the list. ‘Nuff said.

# # #

In 1960, on July 4th, the last new star was added to the flag when Hawaii became the 50th state. That is the last time there has been a change to the U.S. flag itself. But there is more to the story than mere design changes. You see, on June 14, 2004, the U.S. Congress unanimously voted to declare that Flag Day originated in Ozaukee County, Waubeka Wisconsin, thereby acknowledging another little known historical fact.

And with that I have nothing more to add to this report. ‘Tis time for me to go put my cute little red, white & blue flags in my large ~~blue~~ green flower pots filled with dark pink geraniums, so that I can say that I’m [stylishly] observing this holiday.

• How about you? What are you going to do to celebrate Flag Day?

# # #

Not Lonely, Not Bored

June 10, 2013June 10, 2013 / Ally Bean / 24 Comments

The Forest Primeval says Good Morning to You.

– – • – –

Another rainy morning here. Unlike earlier this Spring when the rain made me cranky, this rain is soothing. Now that bushes and flowers are in bloom the different colors outside combined with the rain make the scene look serene. Funny what a few weeks will do to a person’s perspective.

Seeing as the forecast says that this rain will continue most of the day, I’ve gathered my favorite electronic gadgets* and am thinking that I’ll make a nest for myself on the TV room sofa. We’ve got lots of pillows in there and with the window blinds up, I’ll be able to watch the subtle changes in the trees in the Forest Primeval [aka our back yard] without getting damp.

Only five years ago a Summer day like this one would have made me irritable. But today, thanks to wi-fi, I can sit anywhere in the house and not feel lonely or put out by the weather. Thinking about it I realize that this development might be one of the biggest changes in my lifetime. Used to be that a rainy day meant only reading a book sitting in a corner all by myself.

However, now in addition to reading a book I can: connect – research – catch-up – enjoy without going outside in the muddy, wet world. This is progress, my gentle readers. Oh yes it is. Don’t try to tell me otherwise.

– – • – –

* On ~~deck~~ sofa for today are:

my [new] Kindle – reading a book
my [relatively new] iPad – watching a TV show or a movie, tweeting on Twitter
my [ancient] Motorola clamshell wireless phone – chatting, texting with whomever about whatever, as usual
my [almost new] Nikon Coolpix camera – observing the world in case there’s a photo opportunity
my [old] MacBook – reading + commenting on blogs, writing a post should the muse strike