What Ann-Margret and I have in Common

In a recent article about Ann-Margrett, the movie star who played opposite Elvis Presley in Viva Las Vegas, I learned that she is 82 years old.  She is still very pretty, and she has a life similar to mine except she sings, and I write. She is rich and I am not. Her estimated worth is 25 million dollars.   

Like me, she doesn't get up until nearly noon every day. She makes no appointments for mornings. She loves her dogs. They make her feel joyful.

When Ann-Margret was young, she and her husband Roger enjoyed riding motorcycles. Barry and I loved to ride dirt bikes. 

Ann-Margaret still owns a motorcycle and still rides it. The avid motorcyclist says she “of course” still rides her Harley Davidson. 

“It's lavender and it's got white daisies all over it,” she says. “There's flowers on the back fender and on the front fender. I love the speed.”

While I don’t ride horses or motorcycles now, I well remember the excitement and joy of those halcyon days of yore.      

Good for you, Ann-Margret. Ride as long as you can!

As we age, fight through difficulties, and lose loved ones, we can still count our blessings, and remember.

Books and Movies, Hosta and Deer

Today I watched a documentary on Judy Blume, author of children's books for people much younger than I. Her books written and published in the seventies and eighties shocked many adults because she covered themes that girls and boys wanted to know about, and had questions about, but didn't feel they could ask about. The iconic, best-selling author crafted heart-warming tales for younger children that are filled with humor and honesty and reveal what it's really like to be a little kid figuring out the world. She became very popular. She went on to write adult novels in her later years. She is 85 years old now.

I was not familiar with Blume but I did know she was a popular writer. The documentary is extremely interesting. I always enjoy reading or learning about why or how someone becomes a writer and especially how they become a famous writer. The movie, based on one of her books, Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret is playing at our local movie house this weekend. I wonder if the children, now grownups, who read her books, will see the movie. 

I wish Blume's books had been around when I was a child. She covers many of the things I wondered about but didn't know how to ask a grownup. I have not read her books but heard in the documentary that she wrote about sex, menstruation, breast development, bullying, and other things that parents seldom discuss with their children. Most kids are left to learn from other children who don't always know the correct information. 

I plan to go to the movies Sunday afternoon, but I want to see Air with Ben Affleck and Matt Damon. I like both these actors but I don't see them in many movies because I don't like most of the shows they play in. Modern movies with all the special effects, violence and gore don't interest me, but I have been told Air is about relationships and that will be interesting to me. I have seen some interviews with both of the main stars and enjoyed them. 

Life has been quite busy since I got back to Hayesville. I am trying to save my hosta plants from the deer. They got three of my pretty ones, but I have purchased some deer repellant and sprayed the others twice and so far the deer have not eaten them. I think I might need to spray again tomorrow since we are having rain tonight and in the morning. 

Hosta

If the hungry deer eat my hosta I have more potted on my deck. The deer can't get on my deck. When I got back from Georgia, I found the deer had eaten the lower half of my rhododendrons, my ground cover in front of the house, and stripped my rose bushes of all greenery.  

I love to watch the deer as they pass by on the ridge every day, but I don't want them in my yard. Some people say they eat our bushes because they are overcrowded in the woods and don't have enough to eat. But my deer have a big farm with green pasture next door to my place. Maybe I need to put up a sign that says: Attention deer, green grass this way> and point it to Mr. Hindman's farm.

Lexie says it is time to go to bed now so I guess she is right.  I need to go to sleep before 1:30 AM. so I can get up tomorrow and go to the movie. 

Until next time, hope you enjoy spring and all mother nature brings into your life. 

Thanks for reading my posts. I enjoy hearing from you.

A New Year - A New Opportunity to get it right.

I am Lost. I’ve gone to look for myself, If I should return before I get back, please ask me to wait.

A short time ago these words would have fit me quite well.

But a week’s vacation in a lovely resort on the coast has sent me home in a different mind state. I spent the New Year’s holiday quietly reading and walking in the mild weather, eating fresh caught seafood with two of my dearest friends, my sister Gay and my BIL, Stu. Holidays bring back memories of those who have gone on, and this was no different. We talked about Barry and how he would have enjoyed the New Year's party by the north pool where wine was free. He and Stu would have overdosed on football, and they would have soaked in the outdoor hot tub even though the temperatures were cool. Stu missed his old friend, and so did I.

But life goes on and we enjoyed going to the movies – saw Les Miserables – WOW – what a great job was done putting this story on film. Terrific actors and as usual I cried. The music alone brings me to tears. 

When I see a musical motion picture I am reminded of a story my brother Max tells about one of our farm workers years ago. When  Clarence was asked how he liked a new movie, I think it was Oklahoma, the fellow said he thought it would have been good, but about the time things were getting serious between the hero and the girl, “they busted out singing.” 

I hope Les Miserable will be well attended. I’d like to see more great movies of this type on the screen. If you haven’t seen it, please go to a theater and enjoy it. If we support good movies, perhaps we can convince movie-makers to give us more. 

While on the coast we visited Savannah. Gay and Stu have long been fans of a delightful Irish Folksinger and storyteller who often appears at Kevin Barry’s Pub down on the waterfront of the Savannah River. I don’t know when I have been entertained so well as the hour I spent listening to Harry O’Donoghue. 

 He was born in Ireland but came to the United States when he was twenty with a group he had put together back home. When the group disbanded Harry struck out on his own and became a highly successful solo artist. His music ranges from songs I listened to in the sixties and seventies to his lovely original ballads. He includes a few songs that have a country flavor, but he is Irish to the bone. He is so funny he had us howling with laughter. But just as quickly he brought tears to my eyes with Rod McKuen’s “Love’s Been Good To Me.” If you have the chance to see Harry O'Donoghue in person, you will love him. 

Back home now I am ready to get back on schedule – get my plans in place for spring, which will be here before we know it. I will be writing an article for my high school online newsletter this month on the subject of blogging. I am planning a couple of new classes including Marketing Your Self-Published book. So much to do – so little time. 

http://www.harryodonoghue.com/

http://www.mckuen.com/biography.htm