A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

by Cynthia, posted in Reviews

By Betty Smith (Elisabeth Wehner, born in 1896)

This American classic falls in the Young Adult genre yet is instructive for adults of all ages. The book is an account of the life of Francis, a girl who lives in poverty early in the 1900s. Told through the eyes of Francis in the form of five books, the author shares an almost autobiographical treatise of her experiences and varying relationships. The story highlights the way she interprets each encounter — each observation through the lens of her age and situation.

I found the book to be harsh and, unfortunately, real. While the universal themes of poverty, alcoholism, and education are pervasive, the story highlights the human spirit … or lack thereof. There is, throughout, the failure of women to uplift and support each other – to find fault in others who struggle equally yet differently and separately. At the same time, the theme of tenacity runs consistently through Frances’s life.

Tales of discrimination which reminded me of how cruel people can be even today, after all we have experienced and observed. Discrimination is in the form of race, color, politics, socio-economic status, and gender.

I found the character development weak, the writing mediocre, and the plot almost non-existent. But what do I know?  This book was an immediate success and was in its second printing when it was officially published in 1943. Ms. Smith entered the book as a piece of non-fiction into a Harper and Brothers competition. At the publisher’s recommendation, she changed the title and the classification to fiction. This publication was one of the most widely mailed to service men in World War II.

Obviously, I am far from a literary genius. I wonder how some publications become “classics” while other, more meaningful works fall by the wayside. Yet, this coming of age story truly reflects life as we knew it then and know it now. From my reaction, one might think I didn’t appreciate the read.  On the contrary, I recommend it.  Sometimes a classic just needs to be read. We need to recognize the themes and the struggles of the characters. Hopefully, the exercise will help us reflect on our own lives – the way we live each day and how we treat others.  And maybe, just maybe, the world will become a better place, as we learn from our errors and strive to rise above, lifting others as we go.

The Nest

by sssmahh303, posted in Lifestyle

Mary Ann

People over the centuries have named their homes.  There is Mt. Vernon or Monticello. Palaces and estates have names like Buckingham and Versailles.  We want to make our homes unique so giving them names make our domiciles very special.  It may be a way for the rich and famous to keep their different homes straight in their minds. 

I have given my townhouse a special name, but in truth the house named itself. When I bought my townhouse, the former owner had a wreath on the front door.  At closing, I got my keys and was so excited to be going home!  Well, I got there, and a house finch had set up housekeeping in the wreath.  We could not use the front door until mama bird fledged her babies.  For six weeks we used the garage to enter the house.  Finally, a For Rent sign appeared on the nest, and we could use the front door. 

For the next 18 months, the house was renovated and shortly afterward, I retired and moved my life to the new house.  My apartment furnishings arrived shortly after my final day at work, and when the movers were moving me in, one of them said, “You have a friend.”  We went outside and right near the front door a female mallard had built a nest in the middle of the pachysandra.  I am sure mama duck thought she had found a quiet place to raise her family.  No one was living in the house.  My townhouse is across the street from a pond.  It was location, location, location. The duck real estate agent did a bait and switch not revealing to Mama Duck that she had a human neighbor.  So once again we avoided using the first door.  However, you could look at her as she was incubating her eggs.  She was so still that I am sure she didn’t think we could see her. 

Fast forward, mama duck did her duty until one day about a month later, the ducklings hatched.  This little brood of ducks moved in a tight formation together around my front porch and driveway.  Mama duck was nowhere to be found.  I called the wildlife center to see if mother ducks left their babies alone.  They told me that they never leave their babies, and that I needed to bring them in for care.   Something happened to mama duck.  I gave it until the next morning in case their mama did come back. 

My nine baby duck guests were still huddled together on the porch the next morning.  My brother and I began catching them and putting them in a box to take them to the wildlife center. Baby ducks are so soft and so cute.  I put a pan of water in the box.  By the time we got to the center, the babies were all in the water.  They just knew what to do.

At the wildlife center, the ducklings were given a chance to safely grow up.  I was given a code to call and check on their progress.  All nine babies made it to adulthood and were released.  In the wild, it would be good if half of them made it.  Mama duck was a good mother and probably gave her life to save her babies.  We got them to the right people so they could grow up.  I did keep the broken light green eggs in a jar, and they are on my shelf of nature artifacts. Sweet reminder!

Since then, I have had nests in planters and gutters and nearby trees.  I am sure you know what I named my house – The Nest!  You probably knew from the title of the blog.   I look forward to seeing where the next nest will appear and am thankful Mother Nature has trusted me enough for birds to make their home at my home.   

Thank a Teacher!

by sssmahh303, posted in Friends and Family

Mary Ann

When the leaves begin to change and Thanksgiving nears, it is a good time to reflect on what we are thankful for – family, friends, health, pets, peace, freedom, safety, etc.  I think we can all look back on our schooling and remember a teacher or teachers who made a difference in our lives.  If you are reading this, that is a gift that a teacher gave to you. 

I have had a lifetime of excellent teachers.  At times, I did not always know how really good that they were.  Often, you take them for granted.  Not until later in life do you realize how lucky you were to experience that special person.

Mrs. Graham was my fourth-grade teacher, and she opened the world to her students over the years.  She would read to us right before dismissal every day.  We all loved Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn and couldn’t wait to hear of their next adventure.  She had full collections of the Old Mother West Wind series, the Bobbsey Twins, Nancy Drew, and the Hardy Boys, and for a budding reader, it was pure treasure.  I read them all.  Mrs. Graham also introduced us to the countries of the world.  She would bring in Gouda cheese and Swiss Chocolates for us to sample.  I think she ignited my desire to travel.  I wanted to eat Gouda in the Netherlands!

Mrs. Driscoll was my fifth-grade teacher, and she had our class always working on projects. She would put up a blank bulletin board and let us create.  She would give us a theme about Christmas or Native Americans and just let us draw whatever we wanted and somehow it morphed into beautiful murals.  I modeled my own teaching on how she taught.  She made learning exciting. 

My brother and I had a unique experience in having our father teach us biology.  We were in a small school district, so everyone had my father for biology.  One year, my brother had regular biology, and I took advanced biology.  He had us both that year.  We rarely talked about his class keeping school and home separate.  We were expected to do exactly what everyone else did for biology – no breaks for us.  I am sure it was hard for him, and yet he never skipped a beat.  My brother and I love nature.   My father instilled that love in us.  He was our favorite teacher on so many levels.

When I began teaching, I wrote Mrs. Graham and Mrs. Driscoll and thanked them for all they did for me.  What I shared with you, I shared with them.  They called my mother crying.  They wanted my address and did write me back. 

 At this time of year when we remember what we are thankful for, it is a good time to thank that teacher who influenced your life.  It will make their day, maybe their year.  I occasionally get a thank you from a former student.  Those letters warmed my heart and touched my soul. 

A Cup Of Tea

by sssmahh303, posted in Wellness

Mary Ann

When I would come home from school and was upset on the newest playground kerfuffle, my mother would say, “go make a cup a tea.”  I would go in the kitchen, heat a kettle of water, wait for it to boil, find a tea bag, and get the milk and sugar ready to make the perfect cup of tea.    It wasn’t that the tea held a magic potion to solve my problems.  It was the process of making of the tea that slowed everything down, and it would give me time to settle my ire and just breath.  The first sip of the tea immediately relaxed my body, and my attention then focused on enjoying the tea rather than my problems. 

There must have been a whole branch of English on our family tree, because we all were tea drinkers rather than traditional America coffee drinkers. We always had Lipton tea with milk adding a little of sugar to sweeten it.  Often, we would have tea and toast for breakfast.  Tea was a constant in my family’s life. 

Growing up, I was not a fancy tea drinker, but as I matured, I became a tea connoisseur.  It is such a treat to try different blends of tea, and there are endless varieties on the market today.  My favorite tea is Paris by Harney & Sons. It is a family run New York City company.  They offer 300 teas to sample.  Paris is fruity (currents) black tea that features vanilla and caramel flavors with a hint of bergamot.  The loose-leaf tea comes in silk sachets. To get the best taste use hot water, not boiled, and seep for 4 to 5 minutes.  I do less time, but the tea must have a rich brown color.  The Harney & Sons website is full of information about all their teas with instructions for a perfect cup.  You can purchase the tea there, or of course, you can get it on Amazon and can use their subscription service to have tea delivered regularly to your home. 

Last Christmas, a friend gave me a tin of Harney & Sons Hot Cinnamon Spice tea.  This is their most popular tea world-wide.  It is perfect for a cold, winter’s day – a great cup of tea to imbibe by the fire.  Another new discovery is Provence that has captured the region with apricot, lavender, and lemon.  I like this tea all by itself – no cream, no sugar.  It has a wonderful aroma. There are so many yummy teas from Harney & Sons that I have years of possibilities.  Though, I tend to keep enjoying my favorites.

I also love to go to a tea shop and enjoy a high tea with all the little sandwiches and pastries.  A fond memory was having tea at the Brown’s Hotel in London.  The room was filled with chintz sofas and chairs nestled around fireplaces.  The tea is slowly paced so you can enjoy every morsel and savor the delicious tea.  We should all start doing afternoon tea – a special way to end the day! 

However, the best cup of tea I ever had was on the same trip.  I had it a non-descript restaurant on the way to see Stonehenge.  It was not a fancy place, but the cream they used was clotted cream which turned the tea into a masterpiece. I have tried to recreate the cup of tea but to no avail.  It is close, but it is not that magical cup.  I would probably never find the little restaurant again. It is just a lovely memory.

I still make a cup of tea when I am troubled. The ritual is calming and by the time I finish drinking it, I gain a new perspective on life.  Maybe I need to learn how to read tea leaves to determine the outcome of my worries or just make another cup! 

Note: The English have a tea ritual called Cream Tea that is tea served with scones, jam, and clotted cream.  The order you put the jam and clotted cream on the scone determine if is Devon or Devonshire Cream (cream first then jam) or if is Cornish Cream (jam first then cream). Read more about Cream Tea on the Internet!  Who knew?

Beware of Scammers!

by Cynthia, posted in Taking Care of Business

We all have heard it before. We watch in awe as the nightly new reports on yet another person falling for a financial scam. We think how can people be so stupid? How can people be so unware?! Well, it’s easy to be a victim of scams these days.

Scammers are becoming more and more sophisticated at their jobs.  Yes, their jobs. These people have perfected their craft. They are trained to the most minute detail in the art of building trust with the victim before cleaning them out. And the real kicker, is they are not exactly doing anything illegal. Certainly the perpetrators are unethical. But in the eyes of the financial industry, you are complicit. Therefore, banks will not help you recover your funds – money you “willingly” gave to a stranger.

Most of us get text messages and/or emails from our banks when a potentially unauthorized charge or withdrawal comes from our bank accounts or credit cards. Scammers use this fact to prey on people’s concern.  A scammer’s text usually comes from a legitimate-looking phone number rather than the five-digit coded number of automatic messaging. They can spoof your bank’s number.

Scammers will ask you in the text to respond Y or 1 if the charge is yours; N or 2 if it is not. Of course they know it is not your charge; they made it up. Once you unthinkingly respond, they immediately call, saying they are from the fraud department of your bank and that someone is trying to get into your account. They may say they are already working with the FBI. They may say someone at the bank is suspected to be in cahoots with the illegal activity.  Now, your concern is heightened and you want to work with the person who is being helpful and trying to protect your interests. They have you!

They will tell you – for your protection – that they have created a new account for you. They ask you to load the account number on your phone’s wallet.  Then withdraw cash from your bank account or credit card and deposit the money at an ATM just outside the bank. Next you are instructed to delete the account from your phone’s wallet as this was a temporary card and a new one has been issued, which you will receive in the mail in a few days.

If you do everything that is suggested, the bank considers this your choice.  You can file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission and your local police department but don’t expect to see your money again.

All of this sounds incredible. However, people are being scammed every day. Some people have lost in the six figures! The scammers are becoming more and more sophisticated.  Our best defense is to remember always be present in the moment.  Answer texts only when you know the person sending.  Never engage in a conversation with an unsolicited caller. And banks and other financial institutions will never ask you to withdraw your money, especially in cash.

Awareness is the best defense.

A Wing and A Prayer

by sssmahh303, posted in Friends and Family

Mary Ann

This is my family’s Veteran’s Day story – 

During WWII, my father was a P51 Mustang fighter pilot with the 15th Air Force, 51st Fighter Wing, Group 325, and Squadron 319 in the European Theater that included Africa, Europe, and the Middle East.  He was a member of the Checkerboard Clan – that is the tail patterns that identified the different squadrons.  Being a P51 Mustang fighter pilot in WWII was like being an X-Wing Starfighter pilot in Star War Movies – brave warriors.  He flew 51 missions. 

He was that all-American boy from small town America who was doing his duty for his country.  He was the best of the Greatest Generation. 

This is the public story, but I would like to share his own Greatest Generation Story that he shared in recent years with friends and family.  

As the Germans were leaving Greece at the end of the WWII, my father was on a mission to attack them in the former Yugoslavia.  When his group left in the morning, the weather was bad and grew worse as the day progressed.   During the mission, his plane was hit with shrapnel, and the instruments ceased to function.  Upon leaving the area, he was separated from the group.  Now lost, he was surrounded by white clouds and could not see anything.  He did not know where he was – the compass was broken.  He knew if he would fly higher, he would need oxygen, but the oxygen was not working so at that height, he would pass out and crash.  If he flew low, he could possibly run into a mountain or run out of gas and plunge into the ocean.  He had few options.   

At that moment, he said a prayer asking God for help, and the surrounding white opened with a patch of blue.  He flew through it, and he was over a river that he followed to the sea.  He was saved.  

However, it did not end there.  My father’s plane was nearly out of gas, so he had to land.  There was an island, Vis, off the coast of the former Yugoslavia that was used as a base to rescue downed pilots.   If you saw the second Mama Mia movie, that was the island of Vis. There was uncertainty about who would greet him upon landing.  There were both Serbs and Croatians on the island.  If the Serbs found you, they would turn you over to the Germans, and you would be a POW.  If the Croatians rescued you, they would help you.   Luckily, the Croatians found him, sheltered him, and got him fuel for his plane so he could fly back to Italy in the morning.

My father came back to the United States after he completed his 51 missions to prepare to leave for the Japanese Theater.  Then, Hiroshima happened, and the war ended.  He returned to civilian life; however, he remained in the Air Force Reserves until he retired in 1986.

My father and our family would not be here if it were not for that prayer.  I often say that we are all here because of a wing and a prayer.  Thank you for a well-built P51 and the grace of God.  My father, as a teacher and coach, has made a difference in the world touching the lives of countless young people.  Imagine if he had not.

Make the Usual Unusual!

by sssmahh303, posted in Lifestyle

Mary Ann

I like to take something and give it a new purpose. I have made tables out of wicker animals or wrought iron planters.  Just add a piece of glass and voila, you have a table.  Sometimes I create these things out of necessity. I can’t find the right thing, so I figure out how to use something else to accomplish what I need.

Case in point, I needed a hamper, waste can, and tissue box for a bathroom and just couldn’t find what I wanted so I found some white planters (Shabby Chic looking) at an import store and used them.  I added a mesh bag to the big planter for a hamper.  The small planter perfectly held a boutique tissue box, and a little footed planter became the waste can.  I suddenly had a garden.  

Then I needed some storage for the same bathroom.  I kept looking for a basket or a box for my perfumes.  Nothing seemed right.  One night I dreamt that I put my perfumes in a birdcage. The next day at Marshall’s, I found the very birdcage that was in my dream.  However, it was black rather than white, and that was easy to fix.  It was one of the few times in my life where a dream came true.  

I got other white birdcages to store bath salts and oils, sponges and loofahs, and a big one to keep toilet paper.  The birdcages fit right in with the planters for a garden feel.  It was fun to grow the idea and find the pieces to make it real.  

These ideas are probably on Pinterest, but I have never really used the platform.  I am a little scared that once I started using it, I would never surface. I would get lost in all the creative ideas.  

I encourage you to try to take something ordinary and make into something extraordinary.  It is fun to experiment and see where your creativity will take you.  Sometimes necessity is the mother of invention, and where it takes you can be an adventure!   

Surcees

by sssmahh303, posted in Friends and Family

Mary Ann

When I moved to South Carolina to take an administrative position in1994, I was introduced to a tradition that I have taken to heart and have practiced ever since. Someone gave me a small welcome gift that she called a Surcee.  I had not heard the term before, so I was curious what it was. The lady said it was a sweet remembrance.  

Since then, I have found online a complete definition of the word.  A Surcee is a small, unexpected gift given to express love and thoughtfulness.  The expression should be small, meaningful, can be festive, and focuses on thinking of you.  There are many spellings of Surcee – cercie, surcie, circi, seary, or sirces, but the meaning is all the same.  Originally, the tradition came from Scotland and Ireland, and today it is centered in the Carolinas.

This tradition was right up my alley.  I used to make small gifts for my students when I was in the classroom, and they were surcees.  I didn’t know it.  In South Carolina, I began doing yearly themes with my faculty and would give surcees throughout the year to let the teachers know I was thinking of them and to encourage and inspire them as they taught.  When I moved to New York City for another administrative position, I carried on the practice.   

Then I retired, and I still make surcees for the holidays for my friends, neighbors, doctors, and other people who help me.  It always surprises my neighbors when they open their mailboxes and find a treat of some sort! It really surprises the doctors.  I don’t think people remember their doctors in this way; however, they seem to really appreciate a small token of kindness.

 Surcees are not expensive.  I often go to The Dollar Tree and get holiday containers such as little Halloween bucket or plastic hearts and fill them with holiday candies.  I do buy foiled-wrapped chocolates at a local chocolate shop, and that is a bit pricey but so yummy!  You can buy little cellophane bags that you fill the same way then tie with pretty ribbon. You put together a little assembly line and in no time, you are done! 

I put the surcees in the mailboxes or at the front doors of neighbors.  I take surcees to a Valentine dinner, for example, as favors.  I take them to doctor’s appointments and end our time together with a surcee that I usually put in a little bag, so they aren’t carrying around a little ghost bucket.  It makes me happy to make other people happy.   It is worth all the work to make someone smile.

Why not try making surcees for the people in your life?  It can be a surprise for them, but it will be a bigger surprise for you how happy it makes you.

Happy Halloween

by Cynthia, posted in Wellness

Halloween has always been one of my favorite holidays – if you can actually classify it as such. A holiday is “a day of festivity or recreation when no work is done” according to the Oxford Language Dictionary. In America, as in some other countries, Halloween is recognized as a fun day to adorn ourselves in costume, decorate the house and yard, and share goodies with neighbors – especially the children. And celebrating with family and friends is a great way to shed stress and build wellness.

My fourth-grade teacher – an unmarried woman who never had children – piled on the homework that year on Halloween. She thought it immoral that children would go door-to-door begging for candy.  I will never forget how angry she was when talking about Halloween. Her comments in that witchy tone of voice left a lasting impression. I thought at the time, how sad for her, not to be able to enjoy the laughter and camaraderie surrounding the day.

Fast forward to today. Several years ago in my current neighborhood I would hand out more than 250 pieces of candy. The doorbell rang so much that I finally resolved to standing at an open door awaiting the little ghosts, goblins, witches, princesses, knights, and more.

I so enjoy decorating, although I stay away from the gory, opting more for the delightful skeletons, pumpkins, and witches hats and brooms. In the past I had to make my own décor as decorating for this celebration has not yet caught on. But now! So many options!  One year I sat skeletons at a table with witches hats hanging overhead. I won Yard-of-the-Month because the neighbors enjoyed walking or driving by. Last year the skeletons were raking and planting flowers.

Interestingly, Hallowe’en has been recognized by other names. Allhalloween, All Hallows’ Eve, All Saints’ Eve. In the liturgical calendar the day is for remembering the dearly departed*. Some believe the tradition was influenced by the Gaelic / Celtic festival of Samhain. The day has long been celebrated in Ireland and Scotland, bringing the traditions to North American the 19th century.

Whatever the history, Halloween has become the beginning of the holiday season for many of us.  My brother would call this time of year ChristhanksOween. Our family celebrates a lot of October birthdays through his which was early in December. Several religions celebrate various  traditions during this time of year.

Regardless of one’ religious  beliefs, Halloween has come to be celebrated widely as a fun day for kids of all ages and stages to express themselves through costume, sharing delight with family and friends. It’s a day for letting of steam in a jovial way. So from my [haunted] house to yours, Happy Halloween!

*A Mexican holiday for which we also decorate and remember our loved ones who have passed is Dia de Los Muertos – Day of the Dead – celebrated on November 1 and 2.

Collections!

by sssmahh303, posted in Taking Care of Business

Mary Ann

My family is a family of collectors!  We love the thrill of the “chase” for that next piece.  My brother use to say as we pulled up to a flea market, “Are you salivating yet?”  We were, so the quest began! 

There is a saying that is the ethos of my family.  If you have one of anything, it is a sample.  If you have two of something, you a sample and a backup should the sample break.  And if you have three of something, you have a collection.  We live by that saying.   

We are hunters and gathers by nature that is deep in our DNA, and I think it translates to collecting in modern times.  It is fun to wile away the hours on a weekend jaunt to a flea market or an antique mall or investigating local garage sales.  And when you find a treasure that you have been searching for, the joy is indescribable!  Whatever the price, it is cheaper than therapy and so much more fun!

When I was little, my mother would take my brother and me with her on her treasure hunting.  I hated it. I was soooooo bored.  I swore that I would not have antiques in my home, or I would never collect anything.  However, I did have a stamp collection and porcelain dog collection.  Then, of course, there was Barbie.  Around the time I turned 25, I had an epiphany – antiques are beautiful!  The collecting began, and I never looked back.  My mother started buying 3 of everything – antique rolling pins or potato mashers or whatever.  I couldn’t get enough.  My brother was far ahead of me.  He and his partner have a gigantic Fiesta Ware collection that pales anything I have

So, the house filled, and I collected doorstops, chocolate molds, napkin rings, all kinds of kitchen items, baskets, crocks, rug beaters, opera glasses, prints, post cards, sheet music, baby items, doorknobs, linens, quilts, book markers, antique jewelry and bags, old cameras, bamboo furniture, Annalee dolls, and a huge collection of Candlewick that fills two big cabinets.  I am sure I am missing some. I know I have a problem, and what is funny, I am now downsizing many of the collections in my Swedish Death Cleaning.  

My children or grandchildren will not want most of the items.  I might as well sell the collections if I can get a good price.  You must find a buyer, however. Case in point is my Barbie.  I was older when Barbie came on the scene.  I took very good care of the doll, her clothes, her furniture, and accessories.  I then carried her around the country with me for 60 plus years.  I finally decide to sell her. I got two appraisals, so I had some idea of her value.  A toy dealer is now selling her for me.  She hasn’t found a new home yet!   

Ebay and other like sites are now the new marketplace.  It is fun to peruse the various sites, and I have found items on them.  However, there is something missing when you cannot touch an item as you hunt for pieces.  Many young people are beginning to have epiphanies themselves about the beauty of antiques and the thrill of collecting.  It fits well with sustainability and is helping the earth.  Do you really need flimsy Ikea furniture when you can have solid wooden furniture with dove-tailed drawers and gorgeous patina?  Old furniture was made to last.   

Women of certain age understand this.  For many of us, we are the keepers of the family treasures.  The antiques are passed down and stop with us.  Then what? You debate to find new homes among the relatives or keep it because it is piece of your family.   I finally have concluded that I am going to enjoy my collections, my antiques as long as I can.  Whoever gets the pieces afterwards, even if they are not family, will be people who really want them.  It will be a fellow collector, and could that be any better?  

Note – There are some good collection books available that will give you ideas for collections and how to display them.  Collections Projects & Ideas from Better Homes and Garden, Collector’s Style, Decorating With the Things You Love from Better Homes and Garden, and Victoria’s The Art of Collecting, Personal Treasures That Make a Home by Melissa Lester.  There are many books on a particular collection such as Fiesta Ware.  They will give you in depth info on your collections.