Mercy me, lots to read this morning. And that's a treat because I have to go into work late this morning :( ! and this will amuse me until I departure time (7 AM). Count me as another admirer of that nifty wreath. Please tell me about the plant with the amazingly colorful buds/seed heads... is that color for real or a trick of the monitor? The baby jacket is wonderful; I am not a knitter but perhaps I'll give it a whirl as Mum was very accomplished and there are scads of pattern books (dating from the late '30s-early '90s) as well as countless sets of "knatting noodles". Cat names: Sir Thurston Bottomly, Sam, Fred (slept in the basinette with me), Thomasina, Tosca, Millicent Friendly (Millie), Oliver Orange (all over orange, Ollie), Nicolette, Salvatore, Floey (Florence Griffith Joyner), Robert E. Lee (Bobby Lee), Mr. Sleek (Junie, short for Junior), Polly, Spencer, Vera, and Minnie Pearl. Nick names are too numerous to recount without putting you all to sleep. Hey YOU asked! Smitten with kittens we are indeed. Wow, Drema, I had forgotten about your daily commute. I'd hasten a bet you won't miss that too much. I have between 15 and 25 minutes, depending on which route I take, but it's early in the morning and is unfettered by clogged roadways. Gas is just over $3/gallon and my usual route takes me by all the places I need to visit routinely, so I accomplish much "on the way home". I don't joyride much these days. I hope the impending "vacation" doesn't add too much stress to you life. Any thoughts on what you might do as a "second" career? Mary, have you ever heard of LAGQ, Los Angeles Guitar Quartet (or quintet, never can remember)? I occasionally hear something by them when I'm allowed to listen to the classical program on NPR (workers generally veto that selection, sadly). Anyway, they're terrific, Deanne would probably like them, too. Bedbugs! uck... who would ever have thought we'd be revisiting those detestable creatures? Shudder. I'm not particularly squeamish, but they give me the creeps (ticks, leeches, included). OTOH, I have to confess to a certain grudging respect for their adapability... . Sounds like an intersting research project for you, Cindy. :) There have been a rash of grisly domestic violence incidents in our area over the past couple of years... the weirdest was the guy who killed his wife and entombed her fibreglass at a marina. What's up with THAT? I sympathize with the worries about friends/children and the loss of one's "space". Having had one dreadful room-mate some years ago, I know how it feels to come home and see their car in the driveway when you were hoping for some ALONE time. The best I can say for that idiot was that he paid off our mortgage for us! haven't seen him since and don't care if I ever lay eyes on him again. Hang in there, you guys. The seamless gutters were in place when I returned from work yesterday. The estimate for the drywall came in yesterday, too. I still don't understand how anyone can do that sort of work for that price. Sheetrocking and insulation rate as the most odious of home improvement tasks, at least to me. Rich will understand, huh, Martie? Rex has become quite a pest when I get home. He follows me everywhere, sitting directly in front of me and staring at me with imploring eyes... are we going out for a walkie, Mummy? WHEN, pleeeaaase? Jeez, I can even use the bathroom without him. He apparently missed the memo that I hate dogs. Time for the "rain locker" and raiment selection and then off to an interminable day at work. I'll probably be alone (mercifully) but will be faced with the final round of huge curtains for the largest of our commercial accounts. Greeaat. Hope your day is a fine one, everyone.

Nature sure is amazing, Annette!! 1. The red poppies that McCrae referred to had been associated with war since the Napoleonic Wars when a writer of that time first noted how the poppies grew over the graves of soldiers. 2. The damage done to the landscape in Flanders during the battle greatly increased the lime content in the soil, leaving the poppy as one of the few plants able to grow in the region. I too have heard it was due to the disturbance of the soil, both by bombs and by graves - how appropriate, really. 3. At the age of 41, McCrae enrolled with the Canadian Expeditionary Force following the outbreak of the First World War. He had the option of joining the medical corps due to his training and age, but volunteered instead to join a fighting unit as a gunner and medical officer. It was his second tour of duty in the Canadian military. He previously fought with a volunteer force in the Second Boer War. He considered himself a soldier first; his father was a military leader in Guelph and McCrae grew up believing in the duty of fighting for his country and empire. McCrae was moved to the medical corps and stationed in Boulogne, France, in June 1915 where he was named lieutenant-colonel in charge of medicine at the Number 3 Canadian General Hospital. He was promoted to the acting rank of Colonel on January 13, 1918, and named Consulting Physician to the British Armies in France. 4. McCrae fought in the second battle of Ypres in the Flanders region of Belgium where the German army launched one of the first chemical attacks in the history of war. Just a personal note, my maternal Grandfather was there, as well. "In Flanders Fields" has attained iconic status in Canada, where it is a staple of Remembrance Day ceremonies and may be the most well known literary piece among English Canadians. It has an official French adaptation, entitled "Au champ d'honneur", written by Jean Pariseau and used by the Canadian government in French and bilingual ceremonies. In addition to its appearance on the ten-dollar bill, the Royal Canadian Mint has released poppy-themed quarters on several occasions. A version minted in 2004 featured a red poppy in the centre and is considered the first multi-coloured circulation coin in the world. Among its uses in popular culture, the line "to you from failing hands we throw the torch, be yours to hold it high" has served as a motto for the Montreal Canadiens hockey club since 1940. The years of war had worn McCrae down, however. He contracted pneumonia that same day, and later came down with cerebral meningitis. On January 28, he died at the military hospital in Wimereux and was buried there with full military honours. The poem was a popular motivational tool in Great Britain, where it was used to encourage soldiers fighting against Germany, and in the United States where it was reprinted across the country. It was one of the most quoted works during the war, used in many places as part of campaigns to sell war bonds, during recruiting efforts and to criticize pacifists and those who sought to profit from the war. American composer Charles Ives used "In Flanders Fields" as the basis for a song of the same name that premiered in 1917. According to legend, fellow soldiers retrieved the poem after McCrae, initially unsatisfied with his work, discarded it. "In Flanders Fields" was first published on December 8 of that year in the London-based magazine Punch. Thanks for playing this week. I let you off easy - yeah, that's what it was, I meant it to be easy. lol. See you next weekend. Nancy.

Oh sure, Katie, leave me the hard part! Just kidding! What a beautiful ending, perfect, Katie! I'm adding my part now, so we can all read how the poem fits together. And I'll post again when I get the poem from Katie. And I just want to say: Great job, everyone! Not just with the poem, but you all did an excellent job of keeping the Robin going, in a timely manner, for which I am really thankful! Wasn't quite sure how this would work out, but it turned out far better than I could have hoped for. Thank you all for being such great FOTESSERS! And one more thing, I really enjoyed doing the Robin (and hope you did too), and loved Margo's idea for doing a Round Robin Story. SOOOO, we may borrow another month from Jeanne and do this, maybe in the Fall. Keep it in mind and I would appreciate any imput, ideas or suggestions for a Round Robin Story. And because I didn't have to work very hard to finish up, I thought I would give the Poem it's title: Friends of the Earth's Spring Journey A haze of green and longer days, And lots and lots of rain! Helps nature work behind the scene as sunshine pushes through the grey. Upwards push the tender tulips. Companion of the daffodil So lovely, but I sigh, there are evil weeds to dig, battle them tomorrow, for now a glass of wine. First blooms of Redbud glow pink and bright, under a clear blue canopy in the morning sunlight. As with all God's creations, spring brings forth the beautiful flowers. Which are doubly enhanced by the coming of April's showers. Pollen-nation! Oh the sneezes and the misery; the price we pay for leaves on the trees and a colorful array of bright Spring flowers. Let the rain come back again - the irritants to devour. Descending from cloistered winter aeries, Exclusive silver-winged garden faeries dance in the flower beds among blossoms of yellow, pink and red. Cherry trees blossoming in the sun, give a small taste of bounty yet to come. Days lengthen, the earth grows warmer; summer's just around the corner. Awaiting to see the hummingbirds flight, so majestic, what a delight. How fast and silent its small wings zoom, intending to drink nectar from every bright bloom. Spring has sprung, the blossoms bloomed, Now there are plants to tend. Never fear, SummerâÂÂs almost here; But for Spring, this is THE END! Shirley!

Okay since this book is a farewell gift, I REALLY think it should include a photo of your family! After all that is what the other family will want to see, and remember. It doens't have to be a pro one, or even very recent, just so long as it has all of your family members in it that they know and love. Second since this is a chruch related gift, Walmart has some religious type stickers available that are acid free, for under $2.00 for 3 or 4 sheets to a pack, they are located not with the scrapbook items but with the greeting cards or magazines. If there is a scrapbook store in town go there and buy your colored cardstock by the sheet if you are not going to do this craft again or better yet call one of the other members of the church and ask to buy one or two from them, and possibly get some pointers from them then or even borrow some of their sb tools. Next mount the photo on a piece of cardstock that matches the colors of the photo, and mount that to the page, in the remaining area write your poem and mount that on a matching piece of cardstock, arranging the stickers around your name, photo, and poem. HTH Love Penny P.s. I would also include a funny story that involved both of your families that they would enjoy.