when it started taking a long time, the kinder figured out how to settle this peacefully all on their own.
—
“then i reckon we got ourselves a good old-fashioned standoff…..
nobody moved, or said anything for the next few moments.
old-fashioned standoffs are mighty borin’ “
-derek landy, irish author, screenwriter and marvel comics contributor
“we see mermaids in the water!”
—
“rainbows and mermaids are proof that beauty and imagination go hand in hand.”
-author unknown
she remembered off and on
throughout the afternoon
why she needed to leave school and go home
she tried calling on the old wood phone
told us she did not need to be here
told us her mom misses her
gave us so many, many reasons
and finally
she came up with my favorite:
“i need to go home…….to fix my hair!”
well, why didn’t you say so in the first place?
of course you do
we reminded her that mom would be back pretty soon
and in the meantime
we marched around like big dinosaurs
laughing and playing
ate applesauce and ran around outside
on a cool almost fall day
hair flying in the wind.
-aleksandar hemon, the lazarus project
a few years back
one of the grandies fixed his car
he’s still fixing and he’s still standing.
—
“even things that aren’t broken can be fixed.”
-lauren destefano
how exciting for the class (and for me)
to receive a beautiful poster and message
from our penpal friends
led by a blogging friend/teacher i admire, jennie fitzkee
all the way from the aqua room in massachusetts
connections can be made in so many wonderful ways.
jennie with the letter we sent back to our friends in massachusetts
https://jenniefitzkee.com/2023/05/03/thank-you-letters/
—
“with a little paper and ink –
and some help from the postal service –
friendship can span many years and many miles.”
-caroline rose kraft
another beautiful outdoor adventure day
—
“in this modern world where activity is stressed almost to the point of mania,
quietness as a childhood need is too often overlooked.”
-margaret wise brown, american children’s book author
when we were growing up
our mom would buy bridge mix
for when she had company coming over
my sibs and i
would quietly sift through and pick out all of our favorite pieces
leaving the rest
we each chose our favorites
until there were not many left at all
i think we left my mother
the giant nuts covered in chocolate and perhaps a cream or two
probably no one’s favorites
we just couldn’t help ourselves
reasoning out if we each only took a few
no one would notice
but the math was not on our side
nor was our mother, in this case.
—
bridge mix info: (you never know when you will need this info):
bridge mix: consisting of nuts, fruits, and cremes, covered in milk and dark chocolate.
Brach’s is the major US producer of Bridge Mix. Hershey Canada sells it under the name “Bridge Mixture.”
Bridge Mix was formed mainly when the former employee of Hershey Foods dropped the candies from six conveyor belts on a foot bridge. The bridge was used in the plant to repair equipments and was made to tilt to remove the fallen candies. The candies were then placed in big containers around the facility and the staff was allowed to have candies from the “Bridge Mix”. The Bridge mixture was then given a formal name of “Bridge Mix” by the new management. It has also been found that the name “Bridge Mix” comes from the game of cards, “Bridge” since Bridge matches have been considered notorious for getting snacks and candies on the tournament tables.
—
“one of the secrets of a happy life is continuous small treats.”
-iris murdoch
—
source credits: brach’s candy company, hershey’s canada, ifood.tv
Meet Cake4Kids: The Nonprofit That Bakes Birthday Cakes for Foster and At-Risk Children
Inspired by an article profiling a young girl in the foster care system who burst into tears upon receiving her first birthday cake, Cake4Kids founder Libby Gruender recognized that such a simple gesture could have a profound impact on the lives of underprivileged children. IIn 2010, Cake4Kids launched as a grassroots effort in Sunnyvale, California, with a handful of volunteers baking 13 cakes for a few agencies that support youth. Today, the organization encompasses hundreds of volunteers, serves over 400 social services agencies, and provides over 3,000 custom, homemade cakes or sweets for at-risk kids (ages 1-24) on an annual basis — with more than 40,000 treats delivered in the past 13 years
While a birthday cake may seem like a simple gesture to many, each baked good serves as a sweet reminder to the children and youth in the U.S. foster care system that they are seen, cherished, and not forgotten.
Per the organization’s website, children served by this mission include “youth in foster care, group homes, homeless shelters, transitional and low income housing, domestic violence or human trafficking shelters, substance abuse programs, and refugees.” Agencies partnering with Cake4Kids must serve at-risk or underserved youth, be categorized as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization or government agency, and have offices in an area served by Cake4Kids.
Three years after Cake4Kids began, Gruender sadly passed away, but her mission continues to live on: The organization has since expanded across the country, with chapters all across the United States.
For more information, visit the Cake4Kids website to learn how you can volunteer, start a chapter in your area, and donate.
—
“how far that little candle throws his beams! so shines a good deed in a weary world.”
-william shakespeare, the merchant of venice
–
-source credit: julia diddy
Toy Department during Christmas season in the J.L. Hudson store, Detroit – 1957
loved this view of the toy department at the store during the Christmas season.
toys were displayed on shelves, tables, and display cases,
with decorations featuring elves, a sleigh, and reindeer in background.
—
this is where i went every year
all dressed up fancy
to buy little gifts (with help from the elves) for my family
to see santa
to have a special lunch
always, always amazed
by the glamour and magic of it all.
—
“like snowflakes, my christmas memories gather and dance –
each, beautiful, unique, and gone too soon.
-deborah whipp
—
credits: detroit memories, linda yates rudnicki, j.l. hudson’s
I didn't have my glasses on.... 