* A NOSTALGIC SUNDAY ~ AND A BLOG BREAK *

It's Time for Another Nostalgic Sunday

 

 

In keeping with my beloved Andy Griffith Show characters,

 I'm displaying two photos from one of my favorite episodes,

"The Shoplifters," from 1964.

 

 

Andy discovered who the shoplifter was,

 (who had all kinds of jewelry and other valuables hidden underneath her coat)

when he accidentally bumped into the sweet little old lady inside the store.

 

When asked how he knew she was the thief,

Andy replied in his usual folksy manner,

 

"Little old ladies ought never to clank."

 

 

Even though Nostalgic Sundays are one of my favorite posts to write, I just haven't been able to keep up with them on a regular basis. In fact, I haven't been able to keep up with much of anything pertaining to blogging, as I've bemoaned quite a few times lately. SO, after much consideration, I've decided to take a much-needed social media break from blogs, Facebook, and Twitter. (unless I've already committed to hosting a guest here, or being the guest on another blog.)

As I've also said before, I really need to spend a lot more time writing my sequel, plus getting out into the world and doing more promoting and marketing of my memoir, instead of focusing mostly online.

I'm also going to work on my concentration abilities. I'm tired of being so forgetful and disorganized. That's just not who I am, or at least who I used to be, and I refuse to give up and chalk it up to "being too busy" to keep track of things.

My contact information is listed in my profile. I can be reached by e-mail and/or through my website, and I truly hope to hear from you. I'm not sure how long this break will last, but I expect a month or more.

I must leave you with some of my favorite quotes. I hope they inspire you. Every time I read them, it's like reading them again for the first time.

"If you really want to do something, you'll find a way. If you don't, you'll find an excuse." - Jim Rohn

 

"My favorite weather is bird-chirping weather."-- Loire Hartwould

 

"Books can be dangerous. The best ones should be labeled 'This could change your life.'" -- Helen Exley

 

"You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream." -- Les Brown

"Friendship isn't about whom you have known the longest, but about who came and never left your side." - Unknown

 "Your chances of success in any undertaking can always be measured by your belief in yourself." -- Robert Collier

 "We did not change as we grew older, we just became more clearly ourselves." -- Lynn Hall

 

* TODAY IS VERN'S BIRTHDAY! *

Today is Vern's 13th Birthday!

We got him from a shelter in March of 2011. I took this picture of him the day we brought him home! He immediately felt at home....and got up on the love seat next to me! We wouldn't believe he is so "old" if we didn't have all the papers that came with him: Date of birth, vet records, etc. We hope he lives to be 20! He's definitely our much beloved pooch! 

Vern - March 2011

~~~~~

 

Source: Pinterest



 Source: Pinterest

Source: Pinterest

 



Vern hasn't had his "party" yet, so I'll post more photos either later or tomorrow!

* TEA CUP TUESDAY *

Hello! Today I'm once again joining in the fun for Tea Cup Tuesday with Martha's Favorites. This post is a bit different because it doesn't show any of my own tea cup sets and I'm including people and items from my recent trip to Iowa. I wanted to share the lovely place setting and snacks that my dear friend, Marge, had ready for my cousin Nancy and me when we visited her.

 

Here's Marge sitting at the table.

 She didn't want to be in the picture, but isn't she cute?!

 

 

I don't know the name of her china but isn't it pretty?The coffee was just right and the ice cream was de-lish! It was Butter Brickle, which I haven't had in years! We also had scrumptious scones, which are in the center of the table in the photo with Marge. 

I bought these next two items in an antique store while I was in Iowa

and although they aren't "tea cups" I wanted to share them, too,

especially because I think they're so unique!

 



 

This little white china piece, with gold trim and décor, was in the $1.00 section of the store and I just had to have it! It looks like a sugar bowl until you see the actual size of it! It's only 3 inches wide and about 2-1/2 inches tall. (see the ruler below)

 



I guess it could be a toothpick holder,

but I think I'll put sugar and Splenda packets in it.

 

The only marking is the Made in Germany on the bottom.

 

This pretty little dish was also in the $1.00 section,

and I think it looks a bit like a deviled egg dish,

but it, too, is small. It's about 5 inches across

and 6 inches from top to bottom.

Can you see the little hole at the top?

I guess that's to hang it up on a wall, which I intend to do!

 



 This is really much prettier than it looks here.

 My cell phone does not take the best photos sometimes!

 

 

There is gold trim around the edges and also along the top edge.

The little curly flower stems are also gold.

There's not a single marking on the bottom, so I know nothing more about it.

 

 

I'm joining Martha's Favorites Tea Cup Tuesdays, and Tuesday Cuppa Tea.

 

 

 

Wishing everyone a beautiful, blissful rest of the week. Thanks for stopping by!

 

 

~~~

* Please stop back in a couple of days to find out about my newest give-away! *



 

"Don't ever save anything for a special occasion. Being alive is the special occasion." -- Ann Wells 

 



* SERENDIPITY IN IOWA *

While I was in Greenfield last week, I did a lot of walking. Why? For one reason, I didn't have a car, but also because the entire town is small, and level, and the weather was perfect. The Hotel Greenfield was right at the edge of the town square, too, so I could walk all the way around, browsing and window shopping, and purchasing some items, of course!

 

I'll be posting more photos in the next few days, but for this evening, I just have to share one of my serendipitous finds in an antique store on The Public Square.

 

 Eek! It's multiplication...with a 9!

Ahh, to find the answer, just turn it over!

After digging through a box of old flash cards of various sizes, I bought this one in J's Variety Store. Anyone who has read my memoir will know what is so significant about these particular numbers! The humorous chapter is titled, "Multiplication Made Easy." It's about how a possible life of crime was cut short at an early age!

~~~

I'll be sharing more news and photos as soon as I can. I'm happy to announce, too, that I went all the way back to my July 8th Tea Cup Tuesday post to catch up on my replies to your comments! Wow ~ nothing like being a month behind. I promise to do better on that, and also on visiting other blogs much more often!

~~~

 

Blogger is giving me trouble this morning, so if I even get this posted, it will surprise me.

Only a couple of things today >>>

Today, August 6, 2014 would have been my mother's 99th birthday! It feels odd to think of her that old, especially since she died relatively young. She was only 74 years old when she died.

My dad's birthday is also this month, on August 11th. He would have been 90. Yes, he was nine years younger than she was, and he died at age 78.

Mother, dad, Mike, and me.

Approx. 1958

Notice the Mother-Daughter dresses

my mother made!

 

 

 



The other thing I wanted to mention >>>

I've been replying to your comments and realized I haven't been doing a very good job at it! I'm still on Tea Cup Tuesday, from July 22nd, which I began this morning and that's when Blogger started s-l-o-w-i-n-g d-o-w-n. I'll keep getting caught up as soon as I can....and begin visiting your blogs and leaving comments for YOU! I apologize for being so s-l-o-w myself!


Okay, I'm now going to attempt to post this...for the fourth time! Acckkkkk!!!!

Oh My Gosh!! It worked!! Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!

 

 

* SO MUCH TO DO - SO MUCH TO SAY *

How have you been?? What all is happening in your lives?

I'm really looking forward to getting caught up on everyone's blogs! (or I should say "attempt" to get caught up, because we all know how bad I am at actually making the rounds.)

I have photos and fun tidbits to share so I'll be back as soon as I can. First, I must begin laundry and other household-like duties, while I listen to my 2-Disc copy of.... The Best Summer Songs......Ever!

                 Meet Me In Margaritaville: The Ultimate Collection

 

~~~

 

P.S. At approximately 9:30 pm CDT, I sent out my Inaugural Edition of my E-Newsletter!! Finally! I intend to send one monthly from now on. AND it does contain different information than I post here on my blog, so you may want to sign up for it. There's a place on the right side to do that, but it can also be done here: http://www.beckypovich.com/contact-me-for-newsletter-comments-and-book-clubs.html

 

 

 

Thanks and goodnight!

 

 



" AMERICAN GOTHIC " A SURPRISE IN HEAVENLY IOWA!

How fun to take the road less traveled,

 

learn a bit more about history,

 

and experience something so Americana!

 

American Gothic
Source: pbs.org

 

That's me in front of the inside "mini version."

My niece, Tammy and her husband John.
Aren't they fabulous?!

Completed puzzle hanging on wall.

Costumes can be borrowed for photos.

"American Gothic" has been parodied for years!

Another parody. Green Acres is the place for me!
...The chores.
...The stores.
...Fresh air.
...Times Square

And look! Even the "Property Brothers" from HGTV!
(I apologize for the blurry photo!)

If it can be made.....it's made!

American Gothic, painted by Grant Wood, approx. 1930.

This is a beautiful site to visit and not that far off the beaten path. It was certainly worth the extra minutes. It has a modern museum and gift shop, photos are allowed, and the staff is very friendly...of course!

~~~

This afternoon is my book signing at Ed & Eva's gift shop. More news and photos tomorrow!




"I had to go to France to appreciate Iowa." -- Grant Wood

* RUNNING ON A TREADMILL THAT TRAVELS THE HIGHWAYS *

Help, I'm on a treadmill and I can't get off!

 

 

I've been busier than ever the past couple of weeks...all in a good way.

Wednesday evening was the library event.

Then Friday night was Field of Dreams, which was an amazing evening! (Outdoors at beautiful Forest Park in St. Louis! I'll definitely blog more about that at a later date.)

Saturday morning, The Ronald and I drove to a friends' house at Lake of the Ozarks for a weekend getaway. (One of our sons came over and doggy-sat for us.) I had the best little vacation: floated in a swimming pool for hours, got a bit of a tan, ate "just caught" fresh fish, sat on a deck just enjoying the lake with best friends. It was the first time...since I don't even remember...that I didn't worry about writing or marketing or paying bills, etc. Ahhh..... 

Oh I did actually come up with a few chapter titles for my sequel.One could even be a country song title!

Below are two pictures from a 2011 visit.

Taken from the deck (Sept 2011)

While riding on pontoon boat (Sept 2011)

Tomorrow (Tuesday) my niece and her husband are coming for a short visit. They began in Georgia and have made a couple of stops along the way already.

They're just here for one day and then on Wednesday, July 30th, I'm riding with them to my favorite town in Iowa! When they leave to drive farther north, I'll stay another day or two, and then come home. I'm not sure of my agenda yet. I may hitchhike, bicycle, drive, fly, or travel by train. (I suddenly feel like an old-time hobo!)


I'm not sure when I'll write another blog post because I still need to comment on other blogs, and reply to comments left on my blog, etc. etc.

 

Wishing everyone a beautiful, blissful week!

"Everybody walks past a thousand story ideas every day. The good writers are the ones who see five or six of them. Most people don't see any." - Orson Scott Card