Hot Fun in the Summertime

Every summer, I experience a condition that can only be described as throwbackitis. Do you suffer too? From music to scents to those tender little feelings that tickle the memory; they all transport me to a different time and place.

Destination: Carlsbad, CA – 1779 Guevara Road

Time: Mid-1960’s

Dad is holding Cindy, Mom is holding baby Brian and I got to hold the red balloon. I should have been smiling harder but I don’t like crowds. This was taken at a fund-raising church bazaar.

My family, the Laytons; my Dad, Mom, sister Cindy and Brian and I, are living in a cozy 3 bedroom house with a big grassy backyard and a dichondra/clover lawn in the the front. Mom and Dad bought their first house, a simple ranch-style on a street just a few blocks from a eucalyptus grove and a stinky lagoon (estuary) and the beach! My genius Dad built a wooden fence and installed sprinklers.

He also built us a sandbox out of wood which might have been a good enclosure for the tortoises we babysat one summer for the Headstart program at his school but they were of the Houdini genus. Our gray part-Persian cat Puff was both our purr baby and a watchcat keeping dogs out of our yard.

1779 Guevara Road, Carlsbad, California. the window on the left was Cindy and my room, the one behind the palm tree was Brian’s room. When we lived there it had a lush green lawn. Our funny little cul-de-sac had no sidewalks.

I am pretty sure my Dad used his GI Bill to buy his first home. After serving in the Korean War as a rocket scientist in Germany, he attended USC in Los Angeles. He earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in education then took a job teaching in the Oceanside School District. He had determined it was better not to live in the town he taught in and found this house in Carlsbad. My Mom hadn’t learned to drive yet when we moved to Carlsbad!

Dad took his first teaching job at North Oceanside Elementary School. Within a year or two he was the principal. Then a big construction project took eminent domain and the school was demolished to make room for the I-5 being built from Los Angeles to San Diego. Dad worked as the Vice Principal at Lincoln Junior High in Oceanside and then became principal of The newly-built San Rafael Elementary School at the front gate of Camp Pendleton.

Cindy and I shared a bedroom which our parents painted lavender ( I don’t know where that came from, I was more of a turquoise fan and I think she liked yellow.) We had lavender floral print bedspreads and fiberglass curtains – a new thing.

Image result for little kiddles — We collected Liddle Kiddles.

We had matching teal-padded vinyl toy boxes in our closet where we stored our valuables; dolls, stuffed animals, crayons and coloring books, paper dolls, Barbies and their wardrobes, etc.

Image result for red head original barbies

We had great dolls – Raggedy Anns, Chatty Cathy and Chatty Baby, highchairs, strollers. I had a doll named Hilda that had a removable hairpiece that could be styled. We had trolls and stuffed animals. I had one I called Wonderdog – he was a kind of Basset hound that I could put my head on when we watched TV. And Batman rings from vending machines – you had to wear your batman ring while watching the TV show.

Image result for BLACK plASTIC Batman rings

One Christmas Cindy and I got talking Mr. Ed puppets; Mr. Ed the talking horse was a tv show character. Brian got a talking Larry the Lion ” Rrroarr – oo, I scared myself!” One of the little neighborhood girls came to our door on Christmas morning looking for the Larry the Lion – she was sure it was hers and Santa had left it at our house by mistake. That stoked my emerging territoralism.

The original kitchen featured birch cabinets and Mom’s home-baked cookies.

Was our kitchen this tiny? It always seemed so big when I was small. A lot of memories were created in the dining room which held a Danish Modern dining table and chairs as I recall.

Brian was down the hall in his own room in a crib. Dad and Mom were across the hall. They even had their own bathroom – a big deal back in the day. The house had a fireplace and was furnished with Danish modern-style furniture that we call Mid-Century today.

At the risk of sharing TMI, I do remember a lot of baths in this tub. Dad usually got the water a little too hot but he did sing us funny songs so we forgave him. Mom let us hold a folded washcloth over our eyes while she washed our hair – it was nice of her but I really hated getting my hair washed.

Brian had a highchair and I had 2 rocking chairs; being the oldest grandchild, I think I got one of whatever I asked for from both sets of grandparents. 1 rocker was wooden with clown decals and a music box that played when the chair rocked. The other was white vinyl; the perfect canvas for American cheese collages (I wouldn’t eat American cheese, but found it came in handy for tearing into shapes to stick on my white rocking chair in artistic arrangements. )

We had a real fireplace! My Mom used to sit in a chair in the lower left corner and listen to me read Dr. Seuss’ One Fish Two Fish.

My best friend, red-headed Judi Chaplin lived in a cottage on Oak Street, a few blocks away with her Mom, Dad and enormous German Shepherd Pepper. Judi’s house was my favorite destination. Her Mom Lois made crafts and had a great supply of potato chips in their food storage in the detached garage.

Judi was a full 11 months older than me and knew all kinds of interesting things like how to trace around a picture to color in the lines and about new trends like the Beatles. She also lived down the street from a huge mansion (to us) that had a swimming pool and a homeowner that allowed Judi to bring neighbors over to swim. Her Dad, Don Chaplin, owned one, then 2 motorcycle shops in Carlsbad. Sometimes Lois would take me home on the back of her motorcycle. It was scary and thrilling all at the same time!

Image result for victorian houses on highland drive, carlsbad, ca — The Schindler’s house were we spent many happy hours swimming in their pool.

I had some second-tier friends that were fun to play with if I didn’t have permission to travel the half mile to a mile to Judi’s. There was Debra Brunswick, the daughter of a Marine stationed at the Camp Pendleton base in Oceanside. Cindy had Linda Urbanski who lived almost directly behind us on Butters Road, I think her father was a policeman. Her family had a travel trailer parked next to the house and they let us play in it. Next to her were twins Pam and Kim Hendricks who were too old to play with but were cool tweens and taught me how to ride a 2-wheeler bicycle. Also their little brother Eric, but we hadn’t noticed that boys existed yet.

Image result for Church of jesus christ of latter day saints in Oceanside, CA

We attended services at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints meetinghouse on California Street in Oceanside, California where we attended Primary one weekday afternoon a week, Sunday School on Sunday mornings and Sacrament Meeting on Sunday afternoons.

Image result for buena vista elementary in carlsbad, ca — I don’t know what happened – when I attended BV there were no prison bars!

I attended Buena Vista Elementary School a few blocks from home. I think it was built a year or two before we arrived in Carlsbad. The principal was a towering man that wore glasses and a serious expression; Andrew Channel. I was far too intimidated to test or make fun of him for any reason.

Mrs Boyer was my first grade teacher and I don’t think a kinder woman ever taught littles. On hot days she would have us come in from recess, put our heads down on our desks and place a wet paper towel on our necks to cool us off. I don’t remember her ever raising her voice. My one complaint is that after a fabulous art-making experience, we would put away our pictures and drawings and she would get out the counting man, a metal figure that had spaces for magnetic digits. I remember my brain shutting right down when it was time for math.

On the playgrounds were blacktop game areas complete with tether-ball courts, basketball hoops, 2 and 4-square courts and dodgeball courts. On the dirt were climbing equipment like monkey bars, a pirate lookout tower, climbing ropes and a huge dome to climb. I was wary of heights and preferred to remain on terra firma. There were also giant cement rings that we would claim for forts and other defenses.

I started there in first grade and attended through 5th grade; 6th grade was at Valley Junior High. One year, the city built a street behind the school with an underpass for the students who now had to cross a road – it was thrilling and a bit scary to descend into the underpass that had puddles and earthworms when it rained and my first look at graffiti on the walls.

It was at Buena Vista that I had my first experience as an author. Every year the school held a book fair and each student made a book to enter. In second grade I made a book about dogs with a pink cover and a torn-paper dalmatian. My proud parents oohed and aahed over my clever little book. I knew right then I would need to write at some point.

Our parents had given us a swing set one Christmas, white, decorated with teal diamonds. We also had an inflatable pool that we could turn into a mermaid lagoon and whirlpool when the notion would strike. But our favorite playground was the ocean. I am pretty sure I am part mermaid. My parents could get me to do anything for the promise of a trip to the beach.

Image result for carlsbad california beach trail

Image result for the view of the ocean from Buena Vista playground, carlsbad, ca

This morning, in July of 2019, for the first time in a long time, my husband, son and I all got back in the water. We went to a public pool and swam laps for a long time. Even though it was a Monday, I was so happy.

If you need a little more beach time this summer – download a copy of A Mermade’s Tale on Amazon.com
https://www.amazon.com/Mermades-Tale-Adventures-Shell-Pearl-ebook/dp/B01KVVG7R2/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=pam+mcmurtry&qid=1563211124&s=instant-video&sr=8-3

Our new logo! Contact us for your creative project needs.

July 2, 2019July 8, 2019

3 Cheers for the Red, White and Blue!

The Fourth of July; Independence Day – our Nation’s birthday. It is an honor and a privilege to be citizens of the greatest country in the world. So many people have sacrificed to provide the elements of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.; I’d like to thank them all but it would be impossible. So to all of you whose sacrifices were known only to God, we thank and honor you.

Here is one of my favorite stories of patriotism, I’ve shared before but it is so meaningful to me that I would like to share it again. It began on a farm in Lancaster, Pennsylvania in the year 1750.

I am writing a historical fiction children’s book called Traveling Time about grandparents who take their children on a trip to get to know their relatives – in other centuries by way of a magic pocket watch and an old suitcase filled with maps. The story begins…

Traveling Time

Elizabeth Duncan Porter

America: 1750-1845

…We look at one of the maps and discover a 1200 mile trail from Virginia to Quebec by way of Detroit, Michigan. The year is 1780 and we don’t know it yet, but we are about to come face-to-face with our great… great grandmother Elizabeth, an American patriot who has been captured by the British. She was marched, while pregnant, over 1200 miles as a prisoner-of-war. As we set the watch for 80 past 1700, the clock begins ticking loudly, “Hold hands!” says Grandma. A whistling wind arises and we close our eyes; as the wind dies down we hear tinkling chimes. We open our eyes and find ourselves in another place… and another time. We are standing in a British prisoner-of-war camp in the freezing winter of Quebec, Canada. The year is 1780. We hear a baby crying. “We’re here,” states Grandma matter-of-factly…” The rest remains to be written, maybe I’ll finish it on the 4th.

In case you are wondering what became of Elizabeth, here is a brief biography:

Honoring an American Heroine; Elizabeth Duncan Porter

Elizabeth was born to Thomas and Elizabeth Duncan in Lancaster Pennsylvania in 1750. The Duncan parents were born in Scotland, moved to Ireland and then to the British colonies in America. They settled in Lancaster, which is known in modern times for an Amish community, lush green farms and hillsides.

Elizabeth enjoyed growing up in the beautiful countryside of Pennsylvania. In the spring she played with the lambs and picked flowers. But childhood ended early for Elizabeth; her father died when she was six years old and her help was needed for the farm and family. She grew to be a strong and lovely woman.

At twenty-five she met a man who would sweep her off her feet and she married her beloved Samuel Porter. He and his brothers had immigrated to the colonies from Ireland. As a member of the Virginia militia, Samuel was one of the men responsible for patrolling the roads and trails to keep travelers safe from Indian raids. The British had enlisted the Indians to attack settlers on the western frontiers of the colonies.

The winds of war began to blow across America.

Samuel, Elizabeth, their two children, her mother, brother and other family members had established a small village in the hills between Kentucky and Virginia. The entire town was captured by Indians in 1780. It is thought that British soldiers were with them because they were not scalped. The attackers took all of their stock and possessions.

They were marched and carried over 600 miles to Detroit. Elizabeth had to work hard to keep her little children quiet so they would not be killed by their captors. She was pregnant with her third child. Sometimes when she was permitted to ride in a canoe, she sat with her feet in water for hours and hours. Samuel was sentenced to die. The other men were placed in stockades and pens and nearly starved to death.

Elizabeth was put to work cooking for the British officers. She saved scraps of bread and meat from the plates and smuggled them out when she took out the dishwater. As she placed the tub of water and food near Samuel’s prison, he was able to reach through the cracks in the barn to get the food. Her act of courage probably kept him alive.

Elizabeth who was still pregnant, her young children Margaret and Hugh and her mother were marched as a prisoners of war another 700 miles from Detroit to Quebec, Canada.

On January 7th, New York Harbor froze over. In the bitter cold of a winter that would become known as the “little Ice Age, ” far from her home, Elizabeth gave birth to baby Samuel. She was a captive of the British and Shawnee Indians because she believed in freedom.

Her husband Samuel suffered as well in the confinement of the prison camp. 8 of 10 American prisoners died in the hulls of British warships. He did not know what had become of Elizabeth, their unborn baby or the other two young children.

Many people sacrificed much for the cause of freedom. Some sacrificed everything.

Elizabeth took care of baby Samuel, little Margaret and Hugh the best she could. She sang to them the Celtic lullabies her mother had sung to her.

She told them the Bible stories she had learned as a child. Tales of Moses leading Israel to freedom, of brave Joseph and how Daniel’s life was spared.

She would have loved to have been home when spring came. She would have loved to have worked in her garden with her children and enjoyed outings with her family and friends. Because the cause of freedom had meant so much to Elizabeth and Samuel; she had no home to return to.

Samuel was a hard worker and as one of many brothers, he knew how to get along and be helpful. His execution was stayed by a British commander who took a liking to him.

The price of independence was very high. When the war ended and freedom was won, Elizabeth, Samuel and the others were released and made their way back to Virginia and to each other.

Elizabeth and Samuel had three more children. In later years as Samuel and his sons were building a house, they were attacked again by natives. A pack of wild dogs appeared and chased away the braves. Another time as their daughters were fetching water, they were watched by another band of Indians. It is not known why, but they were left alone. As the family grew, their lives were filled with both joy and sorrow and their sacrifice blessed their family for generations.

Elizabeth lived 95 years. She died and was buried in Jackson County, Missouri where a marker and plaque were placed to honor the memory of this heroine of the American Revolutionary War.

Elizabeth’s legacy is celebrated today by the Daughters of the American Revolution and Sons of the American Revolution organizations with chapters that have been named for her.

This year marks my family’s 400th year in America. Our first ancestor in the colonies was William Tracy who was the governor of the Berkeley Colony in Virginia in 1619, the year before the Pilgrims arrived.

We have lived and died in America, served, wept, laughed and cried here. It is our home and we are forever grateful. GOD BLESS AMERICA!

Nebraska flag at half staff for the terrible shooting in CT. :(

For more patriotic inspiration and images, please visit my Pinterest board. And be sure to thank a soldier; young or old, living or gone on to their reward.

There is a a story about the events of the eve before the signing of the Declaration of Independence. As the authors and members of the Continental Congress convened to discuss the document and ponder its impact on their futures, apparently there was understandable reticence about affixing their name to a document that was in reality treason against the crown and a death sentence. The author of this article from Esoterx recounts an impassioned fiery speech by a “stranger” that urged the signers on to their duty.

Interestingly, the unknown speaker talks about the width and breadth of the country which had probably not been considered as yet and how it was the duty of the colonists to set up a land that God ordained for the freedom of man. As I read it, I found nothing that contradicted my understanding of America as a land of destiny. After the man concluded his remarks he “vanished” from the locked and guarded room. It has been suggested that the unknown orator may have been America’s guardian angel, perhaps Moroni from the Book of Mormon.

There has never been a country like America and those that have studied its rise from humble beginnings to the pinnacle of power of power and influence.

“Gibbet! They may stretch our necks on all the gibbets in the land; they may turn every rock into a scaffold, every tree into a gallows, every home into a grave, and yet the words of that parchment can never die! “They may pour blood on a thousand scaffolds, and yet from every drop that dyed the axe, or drops on the sawdust of the block, a new martyr to freedom will spring into birth! The British king may blot out the stars of God from His sky, but he cannot blot out His words written on the parchment there. The work of God may perish. His word, never!
These words will go forth to the world when our bones are dust. To the slave in bondage, they will speak hope; to the mechanic in his workshop, freedom; to the coward kings these words will speak, but not in tones of flattery. They will speak like the flaming syllables on Belshazzar’s wall: ‘The days of your pride and glory are numbered! The day of judgment draws near!’ Yes, that parchment will speak to kings in language sad and terrible as the trumpet of the Archangel. You have trampled on the rights of mankind long enough. At last the voice of human woe has pierced the ear of God, and called his judgment down. You have waded on to thrones through seas of blood; you have trampled on to power over the necks of millions; you have turned the poor man’s sweat and blood into robes for your delicate forms; into crowns for your annointed brows. Now, purpled hangmen of the world! For you comes the day of axes, and gibbets, and scaffolds; for you the wrath of man; for you the lightning of God!
Look how the light of your palaces on fire flashes up into the midnight sky! Now, purpled hangmen of the world, turn and beg for mercy! Where will you find it? Not from God; for you have blasphemed His laws! Not from the people, for you stand baptized in their blood! Here you turn, and lo! a gibbet! There, and a scaffold stares you in the face! All around you death, but nowhere pity! Now, executioners of the human race, kneel down—yes, kneel down on the sawdust of the scaffold; lay your perfumed heads upon the block; bless the axe as it falls — the axe sharpened for the poor man’s neck.
Such is the message of the declaration of man to the kings of the world. And shall we falter now? And shall we start back appalled, when our feet press the very Threshold of Freedom? Do you see quailing faces around you, when our wives have been butchered—when the hearthstones of our lands are red with the blood of little children. What! Are there shrinking hearts or faltering voices here, when the very dead of our battlefields arise and call upon us to sign that parchment, or be accursed. “Sign! If the next moment the gibbet’s rope is around your neck. Sign! If the next moment this hall rings with the echo of the falling axe. Sign by all your hopes in life or death — as husbands, fathers—as men, sign your names to the parchment, or be accursed forever!
Sign! not for yourselves, but for all ages; for that parchment will be the text-book of freedom — the Bible of the rights of man forever. Sign, for the declaration will go forth to American hearts forever, and speak to those hearts like the voice of God. And its work will not be done until throughout this wide continent not a single inch of ground owns the sway of privilege or power.
Nay, do not start and whisper with surprise. It is a truth. Your hearts witness it; God proclaims it. This continent is the property of a free people, and their property alone. God, I say, proclaims it. Look at this strange history of a baud of exiles and outcasts suddenly transformed into a people. Look at this wonderful exodus of the Old World into the New, where they came, weak in arms but mighty in Godlike faith. Nay, look at the history of your Bunker Hill, your Lexington, where a band of plain farmers mocked, trampled down the panopoly of British arms, and then tell me, if you can, that God has not given America to the free.
It is not given to our poor human intellect to climb the skies, to pierce the counsels of the Almighty One. But methinks I stand among the awful clouds which veil the brightness of Jehovah’s throne. Methinks I see the Recording Angel—pale as an angel is pale, weeping as an angel can weep—come trembling up to the throne, and speaking his dread message: “Father! The Old World is baptized in blood! Father! it is drenched with the blood of millions, butchered in war, in persecution, in low, grinding oppression! Father, look! With one glance of Thine eternal eye, look over Europe, Asia, Africa, and behold evermore a terrible sight — man trodden down beneath the oppressor’s feet, nations lost in blood, murder and superstition walking hand in hand over the graves of their victims, and not a single voice to whisper hope to man.
He stands there, his hand trembling with the black record of human guilt. But hark! The voice of Jehovah speaks out from the awful cloud: ‘Let there be light again. Let there be a New World. Tell my people, the poor, down-trodden millions, to go out of the Old World. Tell them to go out from wrong, oppression and blood. Tell them to go out from the Old World to build up my altar in the New.
As God lives, my friends, I believe that to be His voice. Yes, were my soul trembling on the wing of eternity, were this hand freezing in death, were my voice choking with the last struggle, I would still, with my last gasp of voice, implore you to remember the truth—God has given America to be free. Yes, as I sank down into the gloomy shadows of the grave, with my last gasp I would beg you to sign that parchment in the name of One who made the Savior, who redeemed you in the name of the millions whose very breath is now hushed, in intense expectation, as they look up to you for the awful words, you are free!
Laboring men of America! The voice of Patrick Henry and the fathers of American Independence rings down through the corridors of time and tells you to strike. Not with glittering musket, flaming sword and deadly cannon; but with the silent, potent and all-powerful ballot, the only vestige of liberty left. Strike from yourselves the shackles of party slavery, and exercise independent manhood. Strike at the foundation of the evils which are threatening the existence of the Republic. Strike for yourselves, your families, your fellow man, your country and your God. Strike from the face of the land the monopolies and combinations that are eating out the heart of the Nation. Let the manhood of the Nation rise up in defense of liberty, justice and equality. Let the battle go on until all the people, from North to South and East to West, shall join in one loud acclaim, “Victory is ours, and the people are free!” (Morgan, 1891, p770-774)

We are reminded of quote by Alexis de Tocqueville, ““I sought for the greatness and genius of America in her commodious harbors and her ample rivers – and it was not there . . . in her fertile fields and boundless forests and it was not there . . . in her rich mines and her vast world commerce – and it was not there . . . in her democratic Congress and her matchless Constitution – and it was not there. Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits aflame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power. America is great because she is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, she will cease to be great.”

June 12, 2019June 30, 2019

Beach Day!

Make a splash at the beach with a little preparation and planning. Catch the (air) waves on the LISA SHOW on BYU SiriusXM Radio 143 on June 27th at 6:40 a.m. Mountain to learn how.

Here’s a link so you can enjoy the broadcast any time.

While growing up at the beach in Carlsbad, CA, I spent countless happy days playing in the sand and surf. Here are my favorite tips to help you plan a memorable day at nature’s playground.

Photo by Mick Yarbrough – this surfer reminds me of my brother Brian who surfed on the Air Force competitive team.

SAFE AND SANE AT THE SEA

For tide pool exploring and gentler body surfing waves – hit the water at low tide; check out californiabeaches.com for your CA adventures. The farther south you go, generally the warmer the water is, with the most temperate tides from San Diego to Santa Barbara. Northern California has plenty of gorgeous beaches and bays but if you intend to spend much time in the water a wetsuit is a good idea. Website Surfline rates waves and the U.S. Coast Guard patrols the seas.

For maximum safety, look for a beach with a lifeguard on duty. These specially trained safety experts survey the area from the parking lot to the sea beyond the breakers. They can assist with all kinds of problems, post warnings for riptides, sharks and other nasties and keep the beach safe, they are LIFE GUARDS.

Worried about what is in the water? These 2 apps that track shark sightings can give you peace of mind: Sharktivity and DORSAL. Regardless of the enviro soft talk you hear at places like the Monterey Bay Aquarium, sharks are not your friends! Stay away from all varieties. Dolphins on the other hand, are your friends and keep sharks away from surfers. If you have an uneasy feeling, get out of the water for a while.

If you are in warm ocean water and are concerned about stingrays, shuffle your feet and hit your heels hard against the sand as you walk in the water. This will send shockwaves that warn string rays and they will try to move away. If you step on a stingray their sharp tail can swing up and pierce the back of your leg, causing pain that you will not likely forget. I visited the beach for many years and never saw a stingray; only 2 friends that I know were stung out of the hundreds of beach-goer family and friends that have been to the beach thousands of times.

It hardly ever happens, but if someone gets stung by a jellyfish, scrape off the stingers with a credit card and pour vinegar on the area to neutralize the toxin. Lifeguards can help but its smart to have a bottle of vinegar with you just in case.

Website wildlife.ca.gov also has calendars for grunion runs, information about fishing licenses and more. Harbor cruises, fishing boats and whale watching tours are available at the larger harbors from San Diego northward. My first experience ocean fishing occurred when I was about 10 and visiting my grandparents in Santa Maria, CA. My neighborhood friend Debbie Smith invited me to go with her and her father to fish in their boat off the coast near Pismo Beach. We counted the jelly fish and ate Fritos to stave off seasickness – well I tried. Her father caught multiple salmon, took them home and smoked them, then invited us over for dinner. I was hooked, not on fishing but on the smoked salmon!

For seasickness try chewing ginger or candied ginger or eating salty foods like Fritos or soda crackers and drinking Vernor’s ginger ale. OTC meds include Dramamine, Sea-Band wrist bands, Hyland’s Homeopathic and MQ patches; customers report various levels of effectiveness with these.

Southern California wave photo by Mick Yarbrough

SUN PROTECTION AND WATERPROOFING VALUABLES

Sunglasses, sun hats, sun shirts, sunscreen …

Keeping your skin safe from harmful rays may not seem like a big thing, but I know too many people that have dealt with sun-related skin cancer, including yours truly. My doctor, when I lived in Carlsbad, used to make fun of fair-skinned people who went to the beach – really. And to be honest a bad sunburn can sideline you for several days while you wait for the pain to subside. You can get hats and shirts that have UPF50 to extend your safety in the sun.

SPF (Sun Protection Factor) refers to sunscreens such as lotions or sprays while UPF refers to Ultraviolet Protection Factor which are hats, clothing and sunglasses; here is a link with a good explanation. My dermatologist at the University of Utah was very clear that a sunscreen needs to have a minimum 70 SPF rating. Apply at least 15 minutes before swimming and reapply often. If you are snorkeling around a reef or other underwater area, there are reef-safe sunscreens made to protect the environment of the biosphere.

If you can, avoid sun exposure between 11:00 a.m. and 3 p.m. when the sun’s rays are strongest. If you must go then, hats, sunscreen and shirts can help.

silver-colored framed hippie sunglasses, eyewear, fashion, beach, no people, close-up, reflection — Image by Nicepik

I’d leave my phone in the car when I plan to go in the water but if you need it to blast tunes on your Wonderboom, be sure to shop for a GOOD waterproof cover; a ziplock bag will only go so far…Here are Lifewires’ picks for top for phone protection. Also protect your clicker keys from getting wet. If they do, dry them out and maybe replace the battery – about $4 at Walmart’s auto center. Some people use a magnetic key holder and hide them up in a wheel well or somewhere safe.

Try a beach vault! Bury this handy device in the sand and throw your towel over it.

Lol very funny and clever! Keep valuables hidden at the beach by storing them in a rolled-up diaper

Use your home bathroom before heading to the beach. Some beaches have public restrooms but they are often rather crusty and toilet paper is in short supply.

SHADES AND UMBRELLAS

In the old days we used to take a beach umbrella to stick in the sand or a playpen for our tiniest babies with a sheet over it to provide shade but the new pop-ups are so much easier and safer (I just read about someone getting killed by a flyaway umbrella.) From Walmart’s $30 version to LL Bean’s $130 one, they are lightweight, easy to set up and less dangerous than those adorable striped market umbrella-looking numbers.

SOMMARVIND Pop-up sun/wind shelter IKEA — This pop-up shade from Ikea costs about $25.

Sand crabs and seashells – early morning is usually the best time to find beautiful shells, try to get there before the other beachcombers have arrived.

Down near the water you will often see tiny V-shaped marks in the sand as a wave recedes – this means a small sand crab has burrowed into the sand. Dig down a little and you may find a tiny gray and brown sand crab. You can hold them, they tickle your hand. But don’t try to take them home for pets, they won’t live very long away from the ocean.

Image result for tiny sand crab — Photo by MarineBio.net

BOOGEYBOARDS, FLOATS AND OTHER TOYS

Must-haves and fun ideas: Good spades or camp shovels, Boogeyboards or acceptable knock-offs, buckets, sand castle molds, Frisbees for uncrowded beaches, velcro paddleball catch sets, volleyball, water toys, a bucket to carry home shells.

If you are planning a beach trip in advance, make sure your littles have swimming lessons or are water safe. And I wouldn’t trust those inflatable arm floaties in the turbulent sea. Even with lifeguards on duty, plan to keep a close eye on little ones near the water. And be prepared to help other people’s little ones if they are struggling in the waves.

Infused water and SANDwiches

All that swimming and running works up an appetite – having a well-stocked cooler can keep the troops happy all day. There is a good chance that the sea will be your hand-washing station so pack foods that will not be too sticky or hold onto much sand when eaten on a sandy towel or beach quilt. Wraps are popular choices, go easy on the mayonnaise, eggs or anything that needs careful refrigeration. A meat and cheese roll-up wrapped around a pickle spear with cut up vegetables, popcorn, chips and pretzels and cheese cubes, baggies of grapes, cut-up watermelon cubes, fruit salad on a stick, paper cups of goldfish crackers and trail mix are good bets.

Or pack an ice chest and stop at a sandwich shop, Mexican food or hamburger stand on your way to the coast. But do minimize wrappers and trash and don’t be that family that leaves litter on the beach.

Water bottles like Hydroflasks keep water and ice super-cold -try infused water instead of soda at the beach. Its not surprising that swimming and playing in all of that salt does work up a thirst.

SEAGULL ALERT! Those soaring, screeching gulls are actually scavengers who think nothing of swooping in and stealing snacks. My niece lost a whole (unopened) bag of Teddy Grahams that she left on her beach towel. Hide your stuff.

Save the chocolate for later and pack non-melty, non-sticky treats like red licorice.

Ok, we used to get Big Hunks from Novak’s hamburger stand in Carlsbad and they could collect sand, but a quick dip in the ocean took care of that. All these years later Big Hunks say beach to me. Don’t take little candies with wrappers that can trash the beach, try a bag of bulk licorice vines, Nerds ropes, Jordan almonds, candy corn or jelly beans. Or cookies (Sandies – ha!) Even frozen and thawing drinks like fruit juice boxes and Capri Sun slushies feel like dessert.

Tip: Don’t head to your favorite So Cal beach until the 4th of July or later; June gloom.

Sadly all good things come to an end and when it it time to exit the beach, rinse off at showers if there are any. Dry off in the sun and use a towel to brush off sand. Sprinkle talcum or baby powder on your feet to help loosen remaining sand and brush it off. If you stepped in a glob of tar, scrape it off the best you can and use fingernail polish remover to remove the residue when you get home.

Days at the beach are what childhood memories are made of. Read my nautibiography A Mermade’s Tale about Shell and Pearl and their adventures in Coralsbed, based on the childhood experiences of my friend Judi and me. Available to download on Amazon.com and BN.com.

MERMAIDS LIKE POOLS TOO

But they don’t want green hair. Make sure swimmers get their hair thoroughly wet before jumping into chlorinated water. The hair absorbs the plain water and won’t take in as much chlorinated water. Still be careful of overexposure to sunshine and use waterproof sunblock – reapply often. Wear a shirt if it is midday – the powerful rays of the sun are amplified in the water.

Diving games are fun and improve swimming skills, throw a handful of pennies into the pool or use pool diving toys. Give a prize to the one who collects the most. Ever try using a plastic bottle filled with water? The swimmingpool.com website has more fun in the sun games for pool swimmers.

Don’t forget the classic Marco Polo, cannon ball, water volleyball and others.

Image result for swimming pools — Photo by worldatlas.com

POOL RULES

Use the bathroom and shower before entering a pool; babies need to be in swim diapers.

No running! Don’t dive unless it is posted that it is safe to do so. Watch littles carefully around pools – some don’t know that they can’t swim and jump into deep water. I pulled 2 small children out of my pool when I was a teenager. One was a toddler that went in after a ball when no one was around. I just happened to hear a splash and went to investigate; I’ll never forget his terrified eyes as he struggled below the surface of the water. Another was a 7 year-old that jumped into the deep end during a pool party. It was obvious he wasn’t popping back up and I went in after him. Again, pools with lifeguards are amazing!

NO CELL PHONE ZONE

Please keep a close eye on your swimmers, even if there are lifeguards. I recently read a couple of articles about children who drowned in pools while their parents were sitting nearby playing with their phones. Drowning children won’t be thrashing and yelling for help, they will more likely be under the water pushing down while trying to get to the surface to breathe. Be smart and be careful.

POOL SNACKS

The same foods that are fun at the beach are great at the pool. For some reason being in the water made me crave salty foods like potato chips. Another apres swim favorite is watermelon. The food doesn’t have to be fancy to make swimmers happy. But please – no food in the pool.

Do you have to wait 30 minutes to swim after eating? The Mayo Clinic says NO.

POOL NO NOS

Don’t bring glass or breakable dishes near the pool.

Keep corded electrical devices away from the pool. Electrocution can kill.

Some roughhousing is inevitable but watch to make sure it doesn’t get out of hand.

For more nautical eye candy visit my Pinterest board! https://www.pinterest.com/pammcmurtry/under-over-and-by-the-sea/

And a coloring page to download for your own little mermaids

Spend some time with everyone’s favorite beach bum – the original Gidget with Sally Fields is playing on Amazon Prime or you can pick up the series at Best Buy.

HAPPY SUMMER!

btw – it’s never too early to start think about Halloween! Download my Amazon award-winning A Harvest and Halloween Handbook for great autumn and Halloween ideas.

May 15, 2019May 15, 2019

Christmas Throughout the Year

Some of us dream of an everlasting Christmas. Wrapped in Stewart and Black Watch tartan, for me Christmas has lasted much of my past 5 years. I’m excited to announce that today I completed my
Christmas Handbook!

I’ve had a blast writing about my favorite holiday and sharing creative tips for Christmas celebrations. Our delight in the birth of Jesus Christ brings out the best in us; charity, creativity and love.

April 1, 2019April 3, 2019

Hello Peter Rabbit and a beautiful spring to you all!

Peter Rabbit has become one of the iconic characters of the spring season. As we visited the Hilltop Farm home of his creator last October in the green valleys and charming towns of Windermere and Hawkshead we fell under the spell of the Lake District.

I am a Beatrix Potter fan girl. For years I dreamed of seeing the home of the woman who brought the world the tales of Peter Rabbit and friends.
Watching the biographical movie Miss Potter kindled a desire to visit the Lake District in northern England. When my son, an American soldier, was sent to Europe for 3 years, I finally found the passion and courage to begin planning a trip to the Old World. We worked and planned, researched and saved and were finally on our way to see our son and to visit Hilltop Farm.

From the first step off the train from London into the Booths market at Windermere and the hike down the winding roads to our Airbnb, the charm of the Lake District is refreshing and awe-inspiring.

Image result for booths market at windermere — Windermere Booths – my favorite market in the UK!

At Booths we would purchase local cheese, freshly-baked bread, garden-fresh vegetables and a few treats to fuel our expedition.

Our Airbnb suite featured Rabbit-themed decor, a comfy bed and an old-fashioned key for the wooden door.

The lanes of Windermere were lined with Peter Rabbit-themed memorabilia. I found a calendar and set of colored pencils.

Years ago, Newell bought me this complete set of the works of Beatrix Potter.

The day we traveled on a local bus from Booths to Hawkshead and Hilltop Farm was cold and clear. The chill of late October had taken the vegetable gardens but the hardier greenery and ferns were still standing strong.

Hilltop Farm was a 16th century farmhouse near Hawkshead in the Lake District where the Potters vacationed during the summers of Beatrix’s childhood. When she purchased the property it was still a working farm; today the historical land trust maintains the property that was bequeathed in Miss Potter’s will.

The art at Hilltop reflected the interests of a single Victorian woman – I was surprised that there were no family representations anywhere.

The original 16th century kitchen was updated only minimally to include indoor plumbing. A child of wealthy parents who employed servants, Beatrix had probably not been taught many domestic arts such as cooking.

Her father painted these plates to decorate her nursery when she was born. His artistic talent was downplayed by his family and he became an attorney but never practiced law.

Beatrix was very particular about the quality of the products that featured her characters.

Her childhood dollhouse was the scene for the story *Two Bad Mice.*

Her home and furnishings often showed up in illustrations for her books.

Her antique bed was used in other stories.

While recovering from surgery, Beatrix embroidered the curtains of her bed.

Potter’s adorable watercolors were sized to fit in her tiny books. Although painted with amazing detail, each was only about 3″ or 4″.

Although well-appointed for a farmhouse in its day, Hilltop was dark and rather stuffy. Its no wonder that Beatrix spent a lot of time outdoors working in the garden and with the animals on the farm.

The artichokes in the kitchen garden were thriving in the autumn chill.

On our way out of the farmhouse we stopped in the gift shop where I found this adorable scarf . I’ve been saving it for spring! I also got a tea spoon holder that became an ornament on our Christmas tree.

After a picnic lunch in the sun outside of a 9th century church, we headed into town to see the Beatrix Potter Gallery.

Later in life, Beatrix married a solicitor, W. Heelis. His office in Hawkshead has been turned into a gallery of her art.

The original office equipment of a turn-of-the-century attorney in a small town. He seems to have specialized in real estate and according to the movie Miss Potter, represented her in her purchase of Hilltop Farm and other rural properties.

Jemima Puddleduck, one of the most beloved Potter characters.

The pre-Photoshop paste-up of the title page of Samuel Whiskers

The playful flagstones of a nearby tea shop.

Wherever you celebrate this spring, I hope you are surrounded by friends.

While you are enjoying your butterscotch nests, you can thank Beatrix Potter for her imaginative menagerie!

Here is my earlier post about Hilltop Farm – enjoy! If you need a little spring inspiration, hop on over to my Pinterest Spring Holidays board:

https://www.pinterest.com/pammcmurtry/spring-holidays/

March 12, 2019March 13, 2019

Lá Fhéile Pádraig sona

As his life wound down, the honorable missionary who had served the people of Ireland for so long and so well was venerated with the holiday we know as St. Patrick’s Day. It is said the people mourned his death for an entire year.

According to the History channel:

who-was-saint-patrick

“Much of what is known about Patrick’s legendary life comes from the Confessio, a book he wrote during his last years. Born in Great Britain, probably in Scotland, to a well-to-do Christian family of Roman citizenship, Patrick was captured and enslaved at age 16 by Irish marauders. For the next six years, he worked as a herder in Ireland, turning to a deepening religious faith for comfort. Following the counsel of a voice he heard in a dream one night, he escaped and found passage on a ship to Britain, where he was eventually reunited with his family.

According to the Confessio, in Britain Patrick had another dream, in which an individual named Victoricus gave him a letter, entitled “The Voice of the Irish.” As he read it, Patrick seemed to hear the voices of Irishmen pleading him to return to their country and walk among them once more. After studying for the priesthood, Patrick was ordained a bishop. He arrived in Ireland in 433 and began preaching the Gospel, converting many thousands of Irish and building churches around the country. After 40 years of living in poverty, teaching, traveling and working tirelessly, Patrick died on March 17, 461 in Saul, where he had built his first church.

Since that time, countless legends have grown up around Patrick. Made the patron saint of Ireland, he is said to have baptized hundreds of people on a single day, and to have used a three-leaf clover–the famous shamrock–to describe the Holy Trinity. In art, he is often portrayed trampling on snakes, in accordance with the belief that he drove those reptiles out of Ireland. For thousands of years, the Irish have observed the day of Saint Patrick’s death as a religious holiday, attending church in the morning and celebrating with food and drink in the afternoon. The first St. Patrick’s Day parade, though, took place not in Ireland, but the United States, when Irish soldiers serving in the English military marched through New York City in 1762. As the years went on, the parades became a show of unity and strength for persecuted Irish-American immigrants, and then a popular celebration of Irish-American heritage. The party went global in 1995, when the Irish government began a large-scale campaign to market St. Patrick’s Day as a way of driving tourism and showcasing Ireland’s many charms to the rest of the world. Today, March 17 is a day of international celebration, as millions of people around the globe put on their best green clothing to drink beer, watch parades and toast the luck of the Irish.”

After visiting 6 countries in Europe , we found the Irish to be among the very best hosts. Our meal in a pub at Waterford was one of the culinary highlights of our month-long adventure.

There may have been some kissing of the Barney Stone involved.

All of the leprechauns we saw had already been captured.

Our St. Patrick’s Day Feast Menu

Every year we have a fanciful feast on St. Patrick’s Day, as much as I wish we could share it together – the practical thing is to share our favorite recipes:

Spicy baked cheese fondue with crudites and croutons

Mustard-glazed roast corned beef

Garlic colcannon

Dijon-buttered cabbage

Irish soda bread

Apple blueberry crisp

Roast asparagus and carrots

Cheesecake and Leprechaun treasure dessert

Mustard-glazed corned beef

This is so tasty, you may never go back to old-school boiled corned beef.

Preheat the oven to 350. Place fat side up in a baking pan
1 corned beef brisket, rinsed, don’t use the spice packet
Cover with foil, bake for 2 1/2 hours or until fork-tender. Drain, score with a knife,    stud with
whole cloves
   baste with
1 can Vernor’s ginger ale
   brush on glaze, return to oven and bake for 30 – 40 minutes uncovered. Let cool for 15 minutes,
       slice across the grain

BROWN SUGAR MUSTARD GLAZE

Stir together
1/2 C prepared mustard
1/2 C + 2 TBSP brown sugar

DIJON-BUTTERED CABBAGE

Cut in half, remove core and cut into 1/2″ slices
1 medium head of cabbage
Steam covered for 6 to 8 minutes until crisp-tender, drain, drizzle with Dijon butter and season
with sea salt and pepper.

DIJON BUTTER
Melt
1/2 C butter
Stir in
2 1/2 TBSP Dijon mustard

LEPRECHAUN TREASURE DESSERT

The leprechauns keep this hidden until the end of the meal for good reason. You might wish to dig out a Halloween cauldron to serve this dessert sprinkled with gold (chocolate) coins; this treasure has layers of rich chocolate goodness. You can make your own or buy these ingredients:

1 pan of brownies (9″ x 13″ size)
1/2 gallon good-quality mint and chip ice cream
fudge sauce
whipped cream
shaved chocolate

BROWNIES

Bake brownies according to package directions, then cool and break into large chunks

FUDGE SAUCE
Warm in a sauce pan
1 1/2 C heavy cream
Add and stir until melted
16 oz. milk chocolate chips or chocolate bars, chopped
1 tsp vanilla

WHIPPED CREAM

In a chilled bowl, whip until soft peaks form
1 1/2 C heavy cream or whipping cream
1/4 C powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

ASSEMBLE LEPRECHAUN TREASURE DESSERT:

In a cauldron or other container, layer
brownies
fudge sauce
ice cream
brownies
fudge sauce
ice cream
fudge sauce
whipped cream

Sprinkle with shaved chocolate and serve with gold coins

Our favorite family-friendly Irish-themed movies for a wee bit o’ entertainment

And a drawing lesson for your wee ones!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQXvBKUDinE

And our wishes for you in the coming year

February 15, 2019February 15, 2019

Happy Valentine’s Day! Amor Vincent Omnia; Love Conquers All

Here’s a blast from the past – a Valentine’s Day chat with my good friend Kim Stilson Powers on BYU SiriusXM 143 radio – listen for some really good Valentine ideas to share with your loved ones.

http://www.byuradio.org/episode/c231d626-2149-4946-a08c-c8d8cf448148/the-kim-power-stilson-show-valentine-s-day

Image by Julia Usher CookieConnection.com Rilke wrote in his Letters to a Young Poet,

“…only love can touch and hold them and be fair to them…”

Mothers, and fathers may wonder if our efforts to provide meaning and enrichment to our children has value or merit. The hours and the resources we spend to give them experiences that demonstrate our love, is it all worth it? There are those who will not or cannot sacrifice for their family, what does a lack of enrichment mean to a child? I read an article by a mother who doesn’t “do” leprechauns or elves or Valentine boxes. It is a sad thing to be child in that environment.

I believe that every act of kindness and love is counted in heaven and in the heart and that it helps build a defense against the cruelty of an indifferent and competitive world.

A person’s value is not counted like the dollars in a bank account, nor is it related to worldly wealth, in his letters Rilke writes:

“For the creative artist there is no poverty—nothing is insignificant or unimportant. Even if you were in a prison whose walls would shut out from your senses the sounds of the outer world, would you not then still have your childhood, this precious wealth, this treasure house of memories? Direct your attention to that. Attempt to resurrect these sunken sensations of a distant past. You will gain assuredness. Your aloneness will expand and will become your home, greeting you like the quiet dawn. Outer tumult will pass it by from afar.”

Criticism fails to “touch a work of art.”

So go ahead and bake those heart-shaped sugar cookies and read one more bedtime story. You are filling the treasury of your child’s soul and building a defense against the “outer tumult (that) will pass from afar.”

Happy Valentine’s Day

Wondering which romantic movies were peoples’ favorites, I conducted an unscientific, biased survey to which about 250 kind and generous people responded. Here are results of the favorite G – PG 13 romance movies from the respondents. I am not endorsing these and have not even seen many of them, but for your romantic viewing pleasure here is the blooming crop. I’d love to know if investing 2 hours watching them does increase your happiness and makes you more open to loving. That is another survey.

Top voted movies receiving over ten votes each:

While You Were Sleeping (19)

Somewhere in Time (18)

The Notebook (15)

Pride and Prejudice (13)

The Princess Bride (12)

Ever After (11)

You’ve Got Mail (11)

Cinderella Poster — “Be strong and kind.”

The Scarlet Pimpernel (didn’t have over 10 votes but the fans were wildly
profuse in its praise) All of the nominated movies; grab a tissue and box of chocolates girls and guys…A Walk in the Clouds, A Walk to Remember, Always, An Affair to Remember, An American in Paris, Anne of Avonlea, The Beautician and the Beast, Beauty and the Beast, Bed of Roses, Casablanca, Charade, Charley, Cinderella, Circus World, Clueless, The Cutting Edge, Dan in Real Life, Dances With Wolves, Dear John, Dr. Zhivago, Ella, Enchanted, Emma, Enchanted, Ever After, Family Man, 50 First Dates, French Kiss, Ghost, Ghost Town, The Glass Bottom Boat, Gone With The Wind, The Goodbye Girl, Grease, Heaven Can Wait, Hello Dolly, Hiding Out, Hitch, The Holiday, Hope Floats,Jane Austin, Just Like Heaven, Kate and Leopold, A Knight’s Tale, Labor Day, Lady Hawk, Lake House, Leap Year, Legally Blond, Letters to Juliette, Lorna Doone, Love and Basketball, Love Story, Maid in Manhattan, Maid of Honor, Mamma Mia, Man From Snowy, River, Meet Joe Black, Message in a Bottle, Miracle on 34^th Street, Miss Potter, Moulin Rouge, My Best Friend’s Wedding, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, My Fair Lady, Never Been Kissed, North and South (British), The Notebook, Notting Hill, On Golden Pond, Only You, The Other Side of Heaven, Out of Africa, The Parent Trap (both versions), Penelope, The Phantom of the Opera, The Philadelphia Story, Pretty in Pink, Pride and Prejudice, The Prince of Persia, The Princess Bride, The Princess Diaries, The Proposal, P.S. I Love You, Pure Country, Return to Me, Romancing the Stone, That Thing You Do, The Runaway Bride, Sabrina, Safe Haven, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Sense and Sensibility, Serendipity, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Shadowlands, Sissi, Sleepless in Seattle, Somewhere in Time, Sweet Home Alabama, Superman, Ten Things I Hate About You, Titanic, The Tourist, The Vow, Two Weeks’ Notice, The Wedding Singer, West Side Story, What’s Up Doc?, While You Were Sleeping, White Christmas, Wives and Daughters, Your Foolish Heart

You’ve Got Mail

This Cinnamon Crunch Popcorn is a spicy, delicious treat to munch while you are enjoying your romantic movie marathon

Cinnamon Crunch Popcorn
Preheat oven to 250 degrees, lightly butter a large roasting pan.

Pop in a microwave oven
4 bags extra butter microwave popcorn (should yield 16 C)

Remove unpopped kernels and place the popped corn in the buttered roasting pan. In a large saucepan combine
1/2 C butter
1 C sugar
5 oz. cinnamon candies
1/4 C light corn syrup
1/2 tsp salt

Cook over medium high heat, stirring frequently until candies melt, about 5 minutes. Pour over popcorn, stir to coat. Bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Let cool, store in an airtight container. You’re welcome.

Here’s a cute Valentine for your littles over 3. Sew a tic tac toe game on a scrap of felt, use buttons for Os and small squares of felt with Xs sewn or drawn with a permanent marker. Glue a small heart in the center square.

January 16, 2019January 16, 2019

Ciao, ciao, ciao

After a train ride from Windermere to Stanton airport in the UK, we found ourselves flying back to the Mediterranean. We arrived at Pisa airport and were greeted by our favorite soldier who took us home and made us a pizza; hospitality Italian-style. The next morning we were awakened by a very excited 2 year-old grandson Ender.

Certain Italian trees look like they were inspiration for Dr. Seuss’ work.

After considering our options for the day, we decided to take Ender and walk to the beach. Now Ender and his Dad had been to the beach recently to watch wildfire-fighting planes dive into the sea to scoop up water to release over a fire burning nearby. It was a chilly October afternoon when we left the house with Ender in his wagon. He rode for a while and walked for a while. Annie told us that many of the beaches along the shore with privately owned country clubs.

We finally found a beach that was actually reserved for American military personnel. Ender was very happy to see the water.

Ender and Papa enjoy a walk to the beach.

He broke free of Papa’s hand and dove right into the water!

Ender was a fire-fighting plane.

We scooped him up, wiped him off the best we could and wrapped him in Grandpa’s new jacket. We raced home so he wouldn’t get cold and popped him in the shower. After that we didn’t get to babysit Ender again.

January 6, 2019January 9, 2019

Beatrix Potter’s menagerie; a trip to Hilltop Farm

Beatrix Potter is one of my favorite artists and her books have become some of the best-selling children’s books of all time. Her story of creativity and overcoming societal norms is an inspiration. Reared in a wealthy family in Victorian England, she bucked tradition by refusing to marry for money, as was common at the time, instead pursuing a career in publishing and art. She fell in love with a man “beneath” her social class and through the publication of her books earned enough money to purchase her own farm and preserve a magnificent tract of land in the beautiful Lake District for future generations.

Her story is elegantly told (with dramatic license ) in the film Miss Potter. The first time I saw the movie she became a symbol to me of using one’s talents to make a difference.

We boarded a train in London and sped north through the beautiful English countryside to Windermere. Along the way we saw spotted sheep, tracts of emerald pastures, stone walls and storybook villages.

Beatrix Potter’s family stayed in the Lake District during summers while she was growing up. It’s no wonder that she chose to move there after a tragedy shook her world.

Her story is beautifully told in this interactive book published by Frederick Warne.

This reminded us of our good friend Jodi Huddleston

We took a bus to Hawkshead, a village near Hilltop Farm., then a shuttle to Beatrix Potter’s first home she purchased with royalties from the sales of her books. Another famous writer also lived here as a child, we’ll discover his stomping grounds later.

The Lake District is incredibly beautiful. We loved the stone walls prevalent in the countryside.

The Hilltop farmhouse was built in the 1600s. It is furnished with Potter’s belongings and is accurately preserved.

Apparently Ms. Potter wasn’t too interested in cooking. The original 1600-era kitchen was only minimally updated.

These plates were painted for Beatrix’s nursery by her father when she was born.

Potter was very fastidious in the licensing of her characters. She insisted on the best quality for any product that was associated with her brand.

This dollhouse was featured in “the Tale of Two Bad Mice.” It was the home of dolls Jane and Lucinda and was invaded by mice Hunca Munca and her husband Tom Thumb.

Beatrix embroidered the bed curtains while recovering from a illness.

Potter developed her drawing skills drawing animals and nature.

Above the village of Hawkshead is a 9th- Century church. It was at the church school that young William Wordsworth studied in the 18th Century. Orphaned at 13, he went to live with his uncle.

Behind the school house at Hawkshead, is an old cemetery. It may have served as an inspiration for Wordsworth’s poem “We are Seven.”

In downtown Hawkshead, attorney William Heelis had an office. In the movie, Beatrix had him draw up the contracts for the farm purchase, they married when she was 43. I don’t know if that is how they met but his former office serves as a museum of Potter’s art.

An interesting discovery: Potter’s delightful paintings were all created to fit into her tiny books. Because the technology to expand and reduce art was non-existent, her watercolor paintings were about 3″ x 3 1/2″.

Tom Kitten looks like he is tucked into Beatrix’s own bed.

After a walk around Hawkshead we were ready to move on to our next adventure – Italy.

Artisan breads at our favorite market Booth’s.

December 20, 2018December 30, 2018

Paying Respects at Westminster Abbey and a visit to the Tate Gallery

Westminster Abbey is a marvelous example of medieval architecture. The large rose window over the entrance is an outstanding piece of decorative art.

This trip to London had been initiated by a desire to visit the family memorials at Westminster Abbey. From the coronation of William the Conqueror on Christmas Day 1066 through Edward I, my ancestors occupied the throne of England. After that various relatives led, sheriffed, knighted and served in various offices. But the ones who made the history books were easiest to track down.

The intricate stonework at the entry shows Biblical scenes, saints and angels.

The gorgeous stained glass windows display heraldry

Westminster Abbey was founded in 960 by Benedictine monks as a center for spiritual devotion. Its hard to imagine the skills and the architectural abilities needed to construct these enormous edifices in the eras of hand-building.

Many of my family members are buried at Westminster and others are commemorated there. All British royalty has been crowned at the Abbey since William the Conqueror’s coronation on Christmas Day 1066. We saw the tombs of Edward I, Henry VII, Queen Anne, and his wife Elizabeth of York, plaques in remembrance of Shakespeare and other writers, poets and notables.

Image result for tomb of henry vii — Tomb of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York the “Queen of Hearts. Photo by The Freelance History Writer

Tomb of Edward I “Hammer of the Scots”. Nearby is his wife Eleanor of Castile

As we exited the Abbey, we saw television crews and groups in the streets near Parliament. After the Brexit vote, the legislators were working out the details for Britain’s exit from the European Union.

A few blocks away, you’ll find the Tate, home of many of Britain’s favorite works of art.