Thursday, May 7, 2009

Happy Mother's Day

Old World Roses in a Basket
Old World Roses in a Basket Art Print
Williams, Albert
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Society News

Reported by Lillibeth

Society around here has either been very dull or very quiet, and I have barely anything to report, except that Mr. and Mrs. Humphrey went to London for their anniversary last month. But as there was not a lot to do there, the trip was only an afternoon one. 

Oh, and it has recently come to my attention that my local area used to be the fight'n-ist town on the river.

Have you been to your local museum lately? 

It is fun to use a program such as "Google Earth" to see places. I think it would be extra fun to have a "Historical Earth" overlay to a program like that, and superimpose old maps showing the way things used to be in a particular spot.  Or, do a "street view" with pictures of the same scene a hundred years ago. It is interesting to go into a museum and  see what was your town looked like a century or more ago, compared to what it is now. "There used to be a mill in that parking lot! I had no idea there was a house there, that stood for three generations- it is just a flat field of hay!" 

I was struck recently by this verse in the book of Zechariah: "Thus saith the LORD of hosts; There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age. And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof. (Zec 8:4-5)" Isn't it interesting that the old people and the unborn babies are the ones that society tries to get rid of? And yet God sees the population of elderly and children as a sign of good things. 

As I was looking through some very old issues of The Pleasant Times (15 years old already!), I enjoyed the pleasant memories brought back by the Society pages. I decided that though it may be old news to me, it is new to some of you. So, here is what Society was doing in May 1994:

The church held a Ladies' Day May 5th. The speech was given by Mrs. Sherman and the other Mrs. Sherman read a few short poems and essays. There was a delicious luncheon afterward, consisting of salads, casseroles and desserts. Mrs. Kent made some beautiful pins and handed them out to the ladies. All the ladies looked beautiful in their spring dresses. 

The Shermans paid a call on the Lawsons and just happened to drop in around tea time. Mrs. Lawson served some delicious biscuit and fresh fruit, and various other good things. The tea was delicious and they had a very good time. 

Mrs. Finley is expecting the arrival of her 46th great-grandchild. 

Joe and Lucille have been having some mattress problems. Lucille went and bought a new mattress and Joe did not like it, so he fussed and fumed and griped and complained until she went and exchanged it. When the time came for the new one to be delivered, Joe said "Maybe this one isn't so bad after all," and Lucille said that he'd better keep his mouth shut, and if he didn't like this new one he better start running!

The family of Mrs. Hazel treated her to a picnic by the river on Mother's Day. 

Applications for the Walk and Gawk Society will now be taken. The Walk and Gawk Society is a club in which the members meet once a month to take a walk down a beautiful road or in a pretty neighborhood and gawk at the flowers, architecture, and scenery. Members are required to have a good pair of walking shoes and a cheerful outlook on life even in the foulest weather.  In return, the members will benefit from the fresh air, exercise, and good company. Each month, one of the members will host a walk , and provide some light refreshments at the end. There is no cost to join, and no age limit, as long as you can keep up you can come! The walks will go from June to September. Call the Editor if you are interested. 

Mother's Day

Things to do for Mother

Don't have enough money to buy mother a gift this Mother's Day? Or maybe she really doesn't have the room to put one more thing...   

Here are some ideas that all mothers can appreciate, and the only cost is your time:

Organize. 
  • Sort sewing thread in color groups, and match up the bobbins with them. 
  • Tidy up the bookshelf, sort by subject. 
  • Untangle the necklaces from the brooches in her jewelry box. 
  • Organize art supplies, office supllies, or craft and hobby supplies. 
  • Tidy up the silverware drawer, and remember to dust or vacuum it out. 
  • Organize the baking cupboard, line spices up in alphebetical order, put all the cake-baking supplies on one side, with the cupcake liners, the birthday candles, etc. 
  • Organize photos, put into albums or file them. 
  • Get out any drawer that needs tidying (telephone stand drawer, letter writing drawer, etc.) and organize. 
  • Sort DVDs and CDs on a shelf or in a box by alphabetical order. 


Make It Yours. 
  • Take special interest in a particular place, such as the shoes by the back door, and keep it tidy. If family members come in and kick off their boots there, you make it your business to put them in order whenever you pass by. 
  • Make it your job to take over some part of the housekeeping, such as dusting, or sweeping, etc. 
  • Keep your eye outside for things you can do to keep the place tidy, such as put tools away whenever you see them out, roll the hose back up, pick up trash, etc. 
Make It Yourself. 
  • Make a special scrapbook out of paper bound with ribbon (punch holes in the end and thread ribbon through, then tie). This is for Mother to put her cards in, the little crafts and paper pictures that children give her, etc. 
  • This Autumn, plant bulbs or flower seeds that will come up around May, and gather a "free" bouquet for mother, or leave it in the garden to beautify the yard. 

Who Loved Best?

Picking Apples
Picking Apples Giclee Print
Morgan, Frederick
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"I love you, mother," said little John;
Then forgetting work, his cap went on,
And he was off to the garden swing,
Leaving his mother the wood to bring.

"I love you, mother," said rosy Nell;
"I love you better than tongue can tell;"
Then she teased and she pouted full half the day,
Till her mother rejoiced when she went to play.

"I love you mother," said little Fan;
"Today I'll help you all I can;
How glad I am that school doesn't keep!"
So she rocked the baby till it fell asleep.

Then, stepping softly, she took the broom,
And swept the floor, and dusted the room;
Busy and happy all day was she,
Helpful and cheerful as child could be.

"I love you, mother," again they said-
Three little children going to bed;
How do you think that mother guessed
Which of them really loved her best?

-Joy Allison