Happy Birthday, Renoir!

Happy Birthday to Pierre-Auguste Renoir, aka my favorite Impressionist painter, born on this day in 1841.

Happy Birthday, Albert Schweitzer

Today's quote comes to us from Albert Schweitzer, born on this day in 1875. His list of accomplishments reads like someone made a typo and combined the lives of two men into one. He was a pastor, missionary, writer, surgeon, musician, and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1952. I know I've left out much but suffice it to say he achieved much and was even mentioned in a Peanuts cartoon!

He said:
~~"A man can do only what he can do. But if he does that each day he can sleep at night and do it again the next day."

~~"At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us."

~~"There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats."

Today in history

Today we remember Henry M. Muhlenberg, who died on this day in 1787. He was born in Germany and came to this country in 1742 in response to requests from Lutheran congregations who wanted someone to provide leadership for the Lutheran church in America. Lutherans today still use liturgies descended from the one he proposed in an effort to unify churches in the colonies. He is considered the father of American Lutheranism.

Today we also celebrate the birthday of DaHubby, born on this day in 19 mumble, mumble, in the city where Muhlenberg first landed in America. Avid baseball fan, involved family man and hard-working grounds keeper for the castle gardens, DaHubby manages to find time to appreciate and support the knitting of those he loves. He has recently returned to the church of his ancestors, who are rumored to have known Martin Luther himself. Happy Birthday, Dear!

Many Happy Returns of Degas' Birthday

No, it's not my daughter and her friends, it's "The Dance Class" by Edgar Degas, born on this day in 1834 in Paris. Happy Birthday to one of my favorite painters.

Happy Birthday to M.C. Escher

I don't quilt unless it's something I can knit, but I still see quilt patterns in things....like in M.C. Escher's (born on this day in 1898) works. I don't know what this one is called, but it looks like Flying Geese to me. Flying Geese meet Flying Fish, that is.




Does anyone still have one of those crazy neckties made from an Escher print??


And then there's this close up of a bag SuperCraftyDancerGirl is making...coincidence?

Today's quote, May 10

Happy Birthday to Fred Astaire, born on this day in 1899, easily my favorite of Ginger Rogers' dance partners! lol

He said, "Old age is like everything else. To make a success of it, you've got to start young."

And, "The higher up you go, the more mistakes you are allowed. Right at the top, if you make enough of them, it's considered to be your style."

A quote or two for today

Today's quote comes to us from Anthony Trollope, fabulous Victorian novelist, born on this day in 1815.

He said:
"That I can read and be happy while I am reading, is a great blessing. Could I have remembered, as some men do, what I read, I should have been able to call myself an educated man."

And this from Phineas Finn:
"Remember, I do not recommend motion at all. Repose is my idea of life; repose and grapes."

If you've never read any Anthony Trollope, I highly recommend him. He wrote 47 novels, so there's plenty to choose from. Miss Mackenzie might be a good one to start with, though I'm sure other Trollope devotees would have their own recommendations...

Happy Birthday, Chuck! (One day late)

Yesterday was the birthday of Charles Dickens, one of my favorite authors as a child--well, ok, more like Jr. High and up. I wouldn't want to give the mistaken impression that I was reading David Copperfield in Kindergarten or something. I mean, I was a pretty sharp kid and all, but maybe not THAT sharp.

I think, aside from all the great writing, Dickens should be remembered for trying to change the world for the better. He didn't just write about things that needed to be improved, he put his money where his mouth (or pen) was and made a difference.

That should give us something to think about during this season of Lent. Are we being intentional with our time, our talents, our resources? The sermon at church on Ash Wednesday challenged me to get past the distractions in life ---- is there any way to do this besides minimizing the distractions??? ---- and.... then what? What happens when the distractions are fewer? Will I become a better steward of my time, recognizing waste when it happens and turning it into something that will bear fruit? Will I be better able to focus during my devotion time, instead of thinking about my plans for the day? Will I be more patient with those around me, setting aside my agendas (even when the agenda is knitting!!) to remember that the most important things in life are not things, but people? Will I wax philosophical on my blog on a regular basis???

I guess I've got 40 days to find out.....

Meanwhile, JrBravesFanatic just walked by outside the window. I can't say for sure, but it looked like he had a large clump of Spanish moss on his (knitted cap on his) head. Naaahhh, couldn't be!

Glad Tidings

It's the birthday of Charles Wesley, born on this day in 1707 (or 1708, depending on what you're reading). He wrote over 6,000 hymns and is considered by some to be one of the most prolific poets in the English language.

And since it's a week till Christmas, I'll leave you with one of his hymns. Yes, I realize that you'll probably hear it so many times in the stores this season that you might wish Charles Wesley had been a plumber or a botanist. ***Has anyone else noticed that you can't go anywhere at all without an unceasing stream of Rudolph's and Frosty's? And isn't anyone else worried they'll get tired of it all long before the 25th?? But I digress... ***

Ok, so, despite the fact that you've probably learned to tune this out already, read the words and let Christmas be real for you, since that, Charlie Brown, is what Christmas is all about. Merry Christmas!!

1.

Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the new born King,
peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!"
Joyful, all ye nations rise,
join the triumph of the skies;
with th' angelic host proclaim,
"Christ is born in Bethlehem!"
Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the new born King!"

2.
Christ, by highest heaven adored;
Christ, the everlasting Lord;
late in time behold him come,
offspring of a virgin's womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
hail th' incarnate Deity,
pleased with us in flesh to dwell,
Jesus, our Emmanuel.
Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the new born King!"

3.
Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings,
risen with healing in his wings.
Mild he lays his glory by,
born that we no more may die,
born to raise us from the earth,
born to give us second birth.
Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the new born King!"

Today's Quotes

Today's quotes come from CS Lewis, born on this day in 1898.

He said:
"Education without values, as useful as it is, seems rather to make man a more clever devil. "

"The future is something which everyone reaches at the rate of 60 minutes an hour, whatever he does, whoever he is."

"You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream."

So many birthdays!

"I know I was writing stories when I was five. I don't know what I did before that . . . just loafed, I suppose."
P.G. Wodehouse, born on this day in 1881.

"Can't I open a present a day early??"
JrBaseballFanatic, born on this day in 2000.

"I can't believe you made socks for me!!!"
DaHubby, born 10/07/??

Yes, I did make socks and I finished them in time for his birthday, and I had successfully kept them a total secret! Take that, Second Sock Syndrome!

In honor of two out of the 3 birthdays celebrated in this blog post, we have spent the last week hiking and observing trees, birds, animals and books. How, you ask, does one hike and observe books? At the
Carl Sandburg Home, naturally! It made my day when SuperCraftyDancerGirl told me she was jealous of all the books in that place---I think they said there are 20,000 or so of them. And to think, she's only 10. I suspect that we have another book addict on our hands.

So we hiked...in Flat Rock, at King's Mountain, and then later in the week at the zoo. Photos to come...but until then, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my men! And to Plum, too! That'll be all, Jeeves.

Today's Quotes

Our quotes today come from Eleanor Roosevelt, born on this day in 1884--a woman who endured much, accomplished much and just happened to be our WWII First Lady. Oh, and she was also famous for hauling around a large bag of knitting. I read somewhere where she and Mrs. Herbert Hoover even traded knitting patterns.

"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent."
(Thanks to the movie, The Princess Diaries, every little girl in America has now heard this quote.)

"Never be bored, and you will never be boring."
(This one goes right next to my quote from Eloise--"Being bored is not allowed!")

"Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds discuss people."
(Ok, I remembering hearing this one when I was in middle school, but I had no idea it was attributed to Eleanor!)

"A woman is like a tea bag- you never know how strong she is until she gets in hot water."

"You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.' You must do the thing you think you cannot do."

A Funny Day in History

It's the birthday of one-half of that comedic duo, Abbott and Costello. "Bud" Abbott was born on this day in 1897. As a child I fondly remember their movies (in re-runs on tv, people, I am NOT that old!), but have as an adult discovered that they were really good on radio. The smallfry and I have been listening to a cd collection of A & C on radio shows from the 1940's (of course!) and I laugh so hard I can barely see. Not a good thing, since I'm the one driving!!



It's also the birthday of Julius Henry Marx, known and loved as Groucho.

And it's the anniversary of Johnny Carson taking over the desk at the Tonight Show.

Is it just me, or is all that enough to declare today some sort of national holiday?

Swing, batter!

Another WWII poster, this one in honor of Ted Williams, born on this day in 1918.

Today's Quote

Today's quote comes from Birthday Boy Ray Bradbury, one of the few living writers I read as a kid. His imagination, creativity, and style are amazing. The autodidactic nature of his education has always been an inspiration to me.

He said: "I know you've heard it a thousand times before. But it's true - hard work pays off. If you want to be good, you have to practice, practice, practice. If you don't love something, then don't do it. "

Happy Birthday, Bill Watterson!

Today's (Song) Quote

Today is Irving Berlin's birthday (1888), and man is it ever hard to pick ONE favorite out of all his songs!! So I've picked my all-time favorite Fred and Ginger dance featuring words and music by Birthday Boy Irving Berlin:

"Let's Face the Music and Dance"

"There may be trouble ahead,
But while there's moonlight and music,
And love and romance,
Let's face the music and dance.

Before the fiddlers have fled,
Before they ask us to pay the bill,
And while we still have the chance,
Let's face the music and dance.

Soon, we'll be without the moon,
Humming a different tune, and then,

There may be teardrops to shed,
So while there's moonlight and music,
And love and romance,
Let's face the music and dance."

Today's Quote

Today's quote comes to us from Isak Dinesen, born on this date in 1885. After years of struggling to keep her African coffee plantation going, she finally had to sell it and return to Denmark. It was then that she became a published author, her most famous work being Out of Africa, a memoir about her time in Kenya. She also wrote "Babette's Feast".

She said, "All sorrows can be borne, if you put them into a story."

Happy Birthday, Julius Henry Marx!

Happy Birthday to Groucho, one of my favorite laugh inducers. Here are some quotes that have been attributed to him:

"Quote me as saying I was misquoted."
"I never forget a face, but in your case I'll make an exception."
"A child of five would understand this. Send someone to fetch a child of five."
"Go, and never darken my towels again."
"I've had a perfectly wonderful evening. But this wasn't it."

and one more:
"You better beat it. You can leave in a taxi. If you can't get a taxi, you can leave in a huff. If that's too soon, you can leave in a minute and a huff."