July 12, 2008
Greetings on this half-way point of Summer!
My husband and I plan a different vacation -- different because of being at home each night. We'll enjoy a trip to Harber Village, a outdoor museum near Grove, Oklahoma. Two attractions they offer is a church full of nut-made worshippers. You can see them through a window. The nut dolls are dressed in old time costumes. The person who made this exhibit is truly artistic! Another attraction is the Doll Museum. You can see dolls from Chatty Cathy to replicas of Miss America. Dressed in beautiful costumes, they are a delight to most ladies.
Another day we plan to take a scenic route to Eastern Oklahoma. Our trips include pictures of country roads, cattle, horses and lakes. A stop at Braum's for ice cream may be included while out 'on a lark'. Getting out of the house into a change of scenery is uplifting and therapeutic.
Country Roads
Country roads are our delightMany images greet our sight.Lazy cows and horses free.Lovely nature things to see.
Road sometimes is very roughMissing potholes can be toughBeauty of the countrysideBrings us joy on our long ride.
Leave the city and the rushThen enjoy the country hush.Although cattle vent their voiceIn country calm we rejoice.
(c) Bertha James LairdJuly 12, 2008
July 5, 2008
I spent the fourth of July in the backyard -- reading, writing, and appreciating the freshness of God's outdoors. My book for the day was Locust Hill, by Mary Wallace Kirk. Written in 1975, it is a true story of a southern lady growing up in a large, close family. Her uncles, dad and grandfather, whom she called 'Papa' were lawyers. The freeing of their slaves was a side note of the book.
Although an only child, Mary had a happy childhood. When small, after her grandmother died, she, her dad and mother lived with 'Papa' and two of his sons. The family home was spacious and she had wonderful times with her uncles. The Arkansas Boys (her cousins) visited often and joined in the fun.
If you'd like to learn about ante-bellum days, read this book. It is such a delightfully written story, even children would enjoy it.
There's a world of knowledge and enjoyment in books. Read! And write your own story.
On this fourth of July weekend it's time to thank God for our country-- USA, and remember our service men and women. They are fighting for our freedom.
--(c) Bertha James Laird
June 28, 2008
Rain is the name of the game! Although we've had no serious flooding like the states along the Mississippi River, it has come very often this spring. However, I'm thankful I was able to walk eight times in the last five days. This morning we walked in Sooner Park before it became to warm and humid. Around 11 a.m. black clouds gathered, lightning and thunder accompanied them. Rain spattered the windshield as we drove to a restaurant and we sat in the car while raindrops cascaded down. Thinking it was about to let up I dashed from the car into the building and you guessed it: I not much of a duck and my blouse was wet (though not thoroughly soaked)!
Yesterday morning I sat on the deck as rain spattered the deck and I wrote two poems:
Listen to Music of the Rain
Lightning flashes Thunder rollsRain steadily fallsOn grass calls.
Listen to the music of rainFalling, falling on the lawnFlowers, grass it will caressThe world with beauty bless
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The Writer's Notebook
Thoughts, poems, and words
Sometimes the song of birds
Ideas, plans, activities
Are my notebook’s written words
A plot for a story
An essay’s outline
Some are unusable
All come from my mind.
Vacations, outings
Story of our journey
Many, varied writings
Events we live and see.
--(c)Bertha James Laird
June 27, 2008
Weather and writing, subjects nearly exhaustless for the eager (and not so eager) writer. Here's another opportunity for writing. Try it!
Bertha Laird
(My poems are copyrighted. Please do not copy or forward without written permission.
Thanks.)
