Happy Valentine's Day!!

I grabbed some old valentines from days past with my kids and made this cute collage. 

I like recycling the old and seeing what I can do. It's especially fun to do while shopping in 

an antique store. So many ideas to be had from people long departed and history to be learned. 

It's my way of conserving and I suppose it's a reaction to growing up with parents who 

went through the Great Depression. 

Hard lessons recycled? 

Special wishes for a nice Valentine's Day with your sweetie (s). 

I have not blogged much since taking a blog vacation last May, so wanted to say "HELLO" again to everyone. 

I continue to write, but at a much slower pace. Too many tempting diversions in retirement, but I'm not depressed about this at all, just thankful that life continues to be rich and good. Now the gardening season is approaching and I can't wait to see what hubby and I can do. There is the A-Z coming up as well, and I have considered using it to research a period of history (the year 1939), so you may see me again. I do love history as some of you know.

My novel has been submitted, and currently sits with four publishers, so happy to finally have it out there. I'm researching two more and concentrating on outlining a third. I made the mistake of not outlining my first novel in great detail. I had a synopsis and a brief outline, but as the story grew I found myself buried in subplots and threads that led to nowhere. It took a long time to clean up. I'm taking the advice of another writer (I don't remember their name) who advised not to overlook a detailed outline. If I think I'm done, go back and take another look, they advised. It's a process I admit I do not enjoy. I'd rather be writing the story or editing (my favorite). 

Would love to hear how you are doing too. 

~Sharon

Oddbods: Valentine's Kissing Booth

Happy Valentines Day!

Book Buddies: A Good Thing to Celebrate

Reading is a gift we give our children.

 

 Berks County animal shelter’s ‘Book Buddies’ program is the cutest thing

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/phillypets/Berks-County-animal-shelters-Book-Buddies-program-is-the-cutest-thing.html#QjWLh4ZuZ3axlHET.99

This cat reminds me of an old cat adopted my family one year. She was promptly named "Tina" by my sweet daughter Rachel, who had a "Tina the Ballerina" doll at the time and was taking dance lessons. Cuter than cute as I recall, except Tina our new cat was hardly a pink-slippered ballerina!

Our orange tabby was a feisty old gal, as big as a small dog with a tough barnyard personality. She would sit on her haunches in the road in front of our home and challenge any car that tried to pass. She often won. The drivers would shake their heads and simply drive around her. She wasn't a lap-sitter either, but I remember the one time she made an exception to the rule. I was suffering from a root canal and in terrible pain. She slept next to me on the couch for most of the day, purring the way cats do. They know, they really do. Animals know when we need love the most.  

I have never heard of a "Book Buddies" program in an animal shelter before. Have you? What a terrific idea. It satisfies three of my loves - Reading, Children, and Animals. The program not only teaches kindness and epitomizes the love that people and animals sometimes share, it promotes reading and the joy of following the words out loud.

How I cherished sitting down and reading to my own children. For a time, we even had a 'Story Time' in our home after school. My husband and I sometimes read books to each other, or as a family. There is something to be said for 'hearing' the words of a good book read out loud. Soul nurturing, comforting, safely tucked in, cherished . . . words like that come to mind, and when I saw this article, my heart just warmed. Haven't done this kind of activity before? Do . . . DO. Before it's too late! Reading is a gift we give to our children . . . and to each other.


Animals love the sound of our voice, too, and I doubt if the little boy above will ever forget his experience. For all we know, no one reads to him at home and his reading level is poor, although he appears to be off to a good start. Thought this was a pretty good thing to celebrate this week. Such a simple idea, such a huge benefit!! 

Happy Valentine's Day!!

'Celebrate the small things' was started by Viklit at Scribblings of An Aspiring Author. Sign up below and meet some terrific writers and bloggers!   

Sharon M. Himsl

Writer/Author. Blogging since 2011. 
Published with Evernight Teen: 
~~The Shells of Mersing

Happy Valentine's Day

These postcards were sent to my grandfather Carl (Karl) in North Dakota around 1909 and 1910, from Norway and the U.S. Some are so old I can only guess at the signatures on the back. The writing is faded and all is in Norwegian. I believe two of the cards are from a girlfriend, a fiancee Carl left behind. She never joined him in America (some say she got tired of waiting for him to send for her).

[From ??]

Carl immigrated to America in 1906 alone, a brave journey for a young man of 22 years to take. He had the equivalent of $20 in his pocket. He left a girlfriend and his family behind, including his parents Oline and Johan and four brothers, Kristian, Ragnar, Elias, and John. He worked as a farm laborer in North Dakota and eventually moved to Washington state. None of the cards are really valentines, but all are about longing for romance.

[From Ragnar]  

  [From Ragnar]

An interesting picture of the "proper" kiss and culture of the time. The kiss is initiated by the man, and the bedazzled woman is swooning at his touch. Notice the wine glass in her left hand. Her other hand has a watchful guard on his hand, and her eyes are wide open. Mama taught her well, I think. It is just past midnight. Is the occasion New Year's Eve? Past her curfew?  

[From parents, Oline and Johan]

          

Ah . . . a romantic yearning for love put to words in poetry. Carl did not meet and marry my grandmother (Marie) until 1918, twelve years after his arrival in America. Too bad there is scribbling on the airplane. The world was so in love with airplanes then. 

And . . . I happen to know a pilot today who is just as enamoured with this machine! 

 HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!  

 
Copyright 2013 © Sharon Himsl

[postcards from Gravseth family archive]

Sharon M. Himsl

Writer/Author. Blogging since 2011. 
Published with Evernight Teen: 
~~The Shells of Mersing