In my previous blog I describe growing up in the sixties. I was too young to understand most of the significance of the Sixties’ societal issues. Even so, cultural shifts, social unrest, and political turbulence unfolded (sometimes exploded) around me.
I just had a birthday . . . the one that officially signifies that I am old! At the ripe age of sixty-five, I don’t feel old mentally as I still have much I want to accomplish. However, it does make one stop and ponder the past and what influences made you who you are. I am a child of the sixties―the decade of peace and love.
Nothing compares to being in love. In the previous blog I shared my Top Ten Favorite Love Songs—plus honorable mentions and favorites from The Great American Songbook. I also mentioned that in songwriting classes we are urged to find new and different ways to write love songs. We are told to never use the words sun, moon, or stars and to never use the phrase “heart and soul.”
Music has a way of speaking right to the heart. And, most especially, love songs express what we can’t say with mere words. I want to share my Top Ten Favorite Love Songs—just in time for Valentine’s Day!
The world right now is not what I would wish it to be. I will be the first to admit that the last two years have been challenging, scary, disheartening, and maddening. Yet, I am alive. I have survived and endured. I hope for a better future and am glad to say, “Welcome!”to the new year.
We need a little Christmas. It is a season of joy, laughter, and hope. Christmas brings out the child in us and gives us permission to show love and gratitude through gift giving. We party with family and friends. We adorn our houses and yards with trees, lights, and all kinds of decorations . . . and many are humorous or whimsical.
I have many nostalgic Thanksgiving memories. When I was a child, I always watched the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV. Daddy would go out and mow over all the leaves in our yard and then come back in and fall asleep in his chair. Mother stayed busy in the kitchen cooking our Thanksgiving dinner . . . which was always eaten in the middle of the day.
In 2001 after visiting the Gamble House in Pasadena, California, my husband and I toured the Riordan Mansion State Historic Park in Flagstaff, Arizona. I had purchased the book Arts & Crafts Design in America: A State by State Guide which alerted me to this interesting example of Arts and Crafts architecture. I knew we would be going through Flagstaff on our way back to Alabama and this book listed the Riordan Mansion as being open for tours.
A simple, humble bungalow started me on an adventure. When my husband and I bought our first house in 1983, it spurred me to investigate the various styles of houses. Ours had a straightforward floor plan with many charming details but, at the time, I had no idea what style it was. I bought a book about American house architecture and was soon hooked on learning more.
Fall is not my favorite season. However, I do enjoy the cooler days with less humidity. I love the crispness of the air. I love the bold colors of the foliage on the trees, and watching the leaves drift gracefully through the sky to the ground. The smell of freshly raked leaves brings pleasant memories of raking leaves with my parents and of being able to rake leaves in my own yard as an adult.
© 2021 · pegthompson.com · Theme by HB-Themes.
Recent Comments