Happy Birthday, Riley

This is Riley watching the news on TV . . . there was a story today about a puppy falling into a three foot deep crack in the backyard where it lived . . . lots of cracked yards around here, caused by the severe drought conditions here in Texas . . . anyway . . . the puppy did a lot of yelping as it was being rescued . . . and Riley ran for the TV every time he heard it . . .

Clicking on the photo will take you to an online Picasa album containing today's photos of Riley which were taken for his 4th birthday . . . he is spoiled rotten as it is . . . but he got special treatment today, including extra chicken jerky treats (he always says please and thank you) . . . and a serving of his favorite Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream . . .

Happy Feet!

Rainbows and Butterflies

Happy Birthday, Gini . . .
I wish you . . .
rainbows and butterflies
wallflowers and starry skies
and dreams that aren’t afraid to come true
sunsets and autumn leaves
snowfall and make believe . . .

adapted from lyrics by
Billy Swan

P.S. I know it's a day early . . .
but the photo-op happened a day early . . .
and the lyrics just seemed to fit!

Happy Birthday, Miss Ruby

A HISTORY
OF
LEE COUNTY
TEXAS
VOL. II

THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED
BY
LEE COUNTY HISTORICAL COMMISSION
TO

MRS. RUBY NETTLES VANCE
LIFE LONG RESIDENT OF LEXINGTON
A MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION SINCE 1965

Her deep love for preserving history has been her motivation for many years to research and chronicle the histories of Lee County families and events and to share this knowledge through the pages of Lee County publications.

She was instrumental in gathering information for Volume I of the History of Lee County and she has been one of the driving forces in insisting that this continuation of the History be completed.

Researchers will be eternally thankful to Mrs. Vance and to her fellow historian, Mrs. Jan Conn, for their diligent work in compiling a record of every cemetery in Lee County -- listing the wording on many of the grave stones and the location of each grave in all of these cemeteries.

Thank you, Miss Ruby
01 April 1910 ~ 14 April 2003

Happy Birthday, BLE III

These are some of the Everhart family photos I need to scan and share . . . the tall Everhart in this photo is 23 years of age as of today . . . and the short one will soon be 18 . . . they are standing in front of the azaleas in my Mom's yard in Rockdale, Texas . . . that is my vintage Canon AE-1 that was used to capture those images . . . there are lots of family photos around today, thanks to that camera . . .

In Memory of Elfie

Elfriede "Elfie or Frieda" Haf-Concepcion Haf-Serafin
21 March 1933 ~ 21 July 2010

Let me remember only lovely things . . .
The sapphire of the sea, a star adrift,
The spreading glory of the dying day . . .
The clear, blue sky that follows summer rain,
Sweet warbled notes, and sunset's afterglow.
Thus shall I keep the storehouse of my mind
Barred to the gloom that memory often brings;
Beauty will mold each thought that lives with me --
I shall remember only lovely things.

Willa Hoey

Happy Birthday to Gini's Mom

Bennie's Birthdays

Ten years ago today I presented the above gift certificate to my Bennie as a surprise for his 53rd birthday . . . this piece of paper has been in this place on his shop wall since that time . . . it informed him that I was gifting him with the opportunity to take 20 laps in a Winston Cup Stock Car (NASCAR) at Texas Motor Speedway . . . he had a blast! . . .

More than fifteen years before he started racing (1998) on the dirt tracks around Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, et al, Bennie bought a Cessna 150 and earned his private pilot's license . . . he enjoyed the freedom of flying above the earth's surface . . . sooo . . .

For his 1st birthday in Heaven . . . and for the 63rd anniversary of his birth here on this earth . . . I submitted his photo to be included in NASA's Face In Space program . . . click on the following link to view a few related images . . . you still have time to submit a photo to go into space on the final shuttle mission . . .



Bennie & NASA . . . his face in space . . .