I Love Teddy!

I can't remember the last time I read a Farmer's Almanac. Many yearsssss ago! But one showed up in our house recently so I decided to look through it. (I think it came in with my Mom.)

I've always heard the teddy bear was created when Teddy Roosevelt was in office. It was marketed in England under the trade name "Edward Bear."

But there's another story of a bear that is quite interesting. My information is taken from the 2013 Harris' Farmer's Almanac.

Winnipeg the Bear came into existence in 1914 from the forests of Ontario. A hunter killed its mother, scooped up the cub and took her to a trading post where she was sold to a young calvary officer named Harry Colebourn

Mr. Colebour named the bear Winnipeg, and intended to turn the cub loose at the proper time. But the calvalry troop he belong with adopted the cub. Winnipeg went through England and the Western Front with the troop, sailing on a troop ship and onto England's Salisbury Plain.

Colebourn decided trenches were no place for Winnipeg so he made arrangements with the London Zoo to house her. Winnipeg, now known as Winnie, was a drawing card for the zoo. At the end of World War I, Colebourn decided to leave her in England, donating Winnie to the London Zoo in 1918.

Three years later, a little boy celebrating his first birthday was given a stuffed teddy bear, named after Roosevelt. The boy's name was Christopher Robin Milne. Christopher loved two things, his toy bear and Winnie the Bear, who he visited often at the zoo.

Christopher's father, Alexander Alan Milne, was a mystery writer, but Christopher kept asking his father for stories that featured his two favorite bears. Milne began weaving tales that mirrored both their lives and that of Winnie the Bear.

"The Milne family, lived on the edge of a woodland called the Ashdown Forest, long known as the Five Hundred Acre Wood, which was a favorite haunt of father, son, and stuffed bear," Gregory McNamee writes. The Winnie the Pooh books were born.

Winnipeg the Bear lived until the age of twenty. A statue of her stands at the London Zoo. And a statue of Winnie and her beloved Captain Colebourn stands in a park in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

You can read the complete article "Winnipeg The Bear" in the Harris' Farmer's Almanac 2013, by Gregory McNamee.

I will never forget my first teddy bear. He was a little brown bear that I adored. As you can see from the snaps attached, I still love bears.

And then there's Eeyore whose in a class all his own! Jerry gave him to me before we married. My personality identifies with Eeyore. That's why I like him so much!

Happy bear trails!

PS  This morning two fawns were enjoying the early morning with Mom in the field behind our house. First one started jumping around and running the field, and then, after about 4 minutes, the other one decided he wanted in on the fun! Such fun watching them!

There's a Man in my Yard!

Unfortunately, when Mom moved in with us, along came her man. He had to have a prominant place in the yard. Confucius now lives in Mt. Airy. Along with a rickshaw and bridge that my brotherin-law made, she said it makes a perfect scene!

Three years ago we brought a clipping from Mom's red maple tree home and planted it in the yard. It now is big enough and has the perfect shape to accompany her man, rickshaw and bridge. What do you think? A little deer statue and frog also is part of the scenery.

Mom started decorating with an oriental flavor back when I was a child. Her eye favored the people, plants and land, both inside and outside the home. Now her room in Mt. Airy is decorated with as much as we were able to bring from her home with a Japanese flavor.

Her room has ming trees, an oriental house, oriental pictures and . . . giraffes? I don't think giraffes are oriental, but somewhere along the years she fell in love with giraffes. We found a nice home for the outside statue in front of Sam's kennel, beside a leaning tree, and there are several in her room.

In earlier years she made a giraffe figure in ceramics. It won best in show at an area function. That's it in the picture just below, on the left, sitting on the floor. And what about the giraffe lamp (below). (Mom put eye lashes on him!). She embroidered the picture on the wall of the potted plant.

The Mc Giffin household has changed its looks.  Inside and out.

 But my garden is still intact (I love the oriental fountain grass! Oops, did I say oriental? ) . . . 

and Sam still has her favorite place to sleep,  stretched out, way over on MY side of the couch,             between MY pillows!!

   . . . and I'm thrilled with this Autumn Joy Sedum below, from my friend, Kathy's, bedroom. Thanks, Kathy!

There Are Streams in the Desert

I was reading in the current Homecoming Magazine recently, and a comment made by Lynda Randle made me smile. The article was about the singer's routine of reading the Bible and devotionals, and Lynda's comment took me back many years ago.

Lynda mentioned the book Streams in the Desert by L. B. Cowman. A very dear friend purchased it for me early on in my Christian walk. I read it straight through for many years, and was so thankful to have received it.

You see, it is a great book on helping Christians understand how to handle concerns and trials. Lynda said: "All I can say about this little devotional book is WOW! Somebody must have gone through a whole bunch of stuff because I see my life in almost all of those pages. It is SO encouraging! It is a book, of hope, faith, praying through, believing, trusting, receiving ... it's incredible! It has been life changing!"

That's how I feel about it too. What an education I received going through this book. It helped me see my concerns and trials from God's perspective. It helped me see how good can come from our difficult life experiences, and my eyes read the wisdom from mature Christian people.

Words from the June 15th devotion: "Testings are raining upon me which seem beyond my power to endure. Disappointments are raining fast, to the utter defeat of all my chosen plans. Bereavements are raining into my life which are making my shrinking heart quiver in its intensity of suffering. The rain of affliction is surely beating down upon my soul these days.

"Withal, friend, you are mistaken. It isn't raining rain for you. It's raining blessing. For, if you will but believe your Father's Word, under that beating rain are springing up spiritual flowers of such fragrance and beauty as never before grew in that stormless, unchastened life of yours. "For God hath made me fruitful in the land of my affliction." Genesis 41:52

There are several newer volumes out of this book, but the very first volume is the one which kept me coming back for more. It was one of my devotional books for 6 years, before I felt comfortable enough, and assured enough, to stop reading it each day. It was filled with treasure for the soul.

I've purchased a number of devotional books since that time, and hopefully continue to grow in areas that are harder for me to control. But Streams in the Desert will always be a special book for me. My friend, Jeanne, who gave it to me, has now passed away. But her friendship and wisdom helped me to grow as a Christian, and I will never forget her. Or, this excellent book that changed the way I see things.

"Believing God's promises the Christian is taken through difficulties of every shape and size--and arrives safely." Richard C. Halverson

You know what? I think it's time for me to pull that little book down again and be refreshed by its comforting words!

Jerry found this juvenile robin the other day in our yard. We think its wing must be broken. Jerry put it on the branch. The next day we saw it again on the ground. It was a delight to snap him though!

The Boys

Jerry and I got hooked on the Gaither Homecoming videos back in the early 90s. I was introduced to many southern gospel singers and many southern gospel songs that I'd never heard before. The videos were inspiring, relaxing and fun.

One of the performers I particularly enjoy is Ernie Haase. He sang tenor with The Cathedrals. When The Cathedrals retired, and the two longtime, original members of the group died, Ernie started his own quartet. Ernie Haase & Signature Sound. Suffice to say they are high energy!

My friend, Carol, gave me their first video. It was during a time I needed encouragement. I watched that video many times and it got me through some rough days. I also received their DVD Get Away Jordan and enjoyed that too. Its been a number of years since I've seen the video tape and DVD.

When Jerry was away for a night or two he'd call and ask what I was doing. I'd say, "I'm watching the boys!"  I guess he decided this craze would wear itself out, so he didn't say anything. And it did.

These last few weeks of helping Mom while in the hospital and bringing her to my home to live certainly changed my life. So, I just sat myself down the other evening while Jerry was at work and watched the boys! Their high energy hasn't slowed down, and the songs I could sing along with. It was a great way to relax!

My friend, Linda, goes to Lancaster each year to see them perform. I'm a little envious to say the least. Who knows, maybe one year I'll make that trip myself!

One of the songs I especially enjoy the boys singing is titled: Forgiven Again, written by Gloria Gaither and her son, Benjamin. I love the chorus . . .

"Just in sight of the place where the lane meets the road, The Father was waiting to carry my load,
His big arms were open to draw me to Him, Forgiven, Forgiven, Forgiven again."

"Then Came the Morning" is another song I love hearing the boys sing:

"Then came the morning, night turned into day; The stone was rolled away, hope rose with the dawn.
Then came the morning, shadows vanished before the sun, Death had lost and life had won, for morning had come."

If you've never watched a Gaither Homecoming DVD I'd recommend it. One of my favorites is "I'll Meet You on the Mountain."As I mentioned I've been introduced to many singers I'd never heard of before these videos came on the scene. Some of my favorites? Janet Paschal (who I saw in concert with my friend, Pam), Allison Durham Speer (who I saw with my friend, Carol,), Buddy Greene, who plays a great harmonica,  Debra Talley, who has a stunning alto voice, The Isaacs, whose CD Naturally, almost a cappella is great!, Kim Hopper, of The Hoppers, and her CD I Just Wanted You to Know, and The Hopper quartet too! I don't want to forget Squire Parsons, a fine country gentleman and Charlotte Ritchie, who sings like an angel (or so I think since I've never heared an angel before.)

I was also introduced to fine quartets and trios such as: The Booth Brother, The Martins, Greater Vision, and Jeff and Sherry Easter. There are so many groups I love to listen too. I thank God for godly singers who praise our God and worship our Lord.

And now that we finally got cable, I can watch the Homecoming crowd on Saturday evenings. During a show we recently watched, MeadowLark Lemon was a guest, and he said: "This is church. It's what I always thought church should be like."

Let me say that, no, the performers aren't perfect. After all, they're human. They go through all the trials and tribulations as you and me. They comfort each other and are comforted. But the spirit in the circle of performers inspires you to be a stronger Christian and encourages your heart.

I'm sure I'll be watching the boys again one day, and enjoy their high energy entertainment. The put a smile on my face! And at the end of the show Ernie sings his signature song, "Oh What a Savior!" That He is!