Another Favorite: Globes

It was over 10 years ago that I brought home my first vintage metal globe bank. Dub Ingram had the cutest little junk store in an old house on Main Street in Holdenville, and that's where I spotted three globes in a grouping. They were marked $12 each. I took one home that day, then eventually collected the whole trio.

What I love about these metal banks is that they were so common. Most of mine are advertisement pieces, so they were probably given free to customers back in the day (1960s-70s?).

Another thing I love about globes...I'm a peacemaker. I love our earth and all the people on it. Seeing them just reminds me we're all in this thing together.

These days, I collect globes of all sizes, not just banks, but mostly the smaller globes appeal to me. (In other words, I'm running out of room.)

I ordered one from eBay and was especially pleased to find that it was WAY smaller than my smallest globe. I figure it's pretty rare. See him, right there in the middle on the bottom shelf?

Prices on these shabby little globes have steadily gone up since I started collecting them. My rule is $20 or less, and now that I have quite a few,  I have to be sure I don't have the exact globe.

One year I grouped all of them above our mantel in order to make room for the Christmas decor. Vaughn was aggravated when I split them all up again in the spring because he loved the way they looked up there. They DID look awesome as a "club".

Not long ago, I was in Joplin, MO, visiting with friends. Here we are in some funny hats at a super cool antique mall we all loved.

All this to say...this happened to be right after I did Marie Kondo's "tidying up" in my house. I told my friends I would love to go junking with them that day, but wouldn't be bringing anything home because I had just done all this organizing and clearing out of the excess at my house. Well, who was first to claim something for purchase that day? It was me! When a globe is available at a decent price, I just can't resist.

I even use two globe banks in my fourth grade classroom as my bathroom passes. No, they don't take my precious globes to the bathroom with them. If there's a globe on the shelf, students know they can put one on their desk as a sign to me that they're currently away from their desks for personal reasons. Works like a charm.

I got this awesome globe from Kirk at Gatsby's in Wewoka. Not a bank at all, but certainly worthy of my collection. Wonder how many people have a shabby globe with John Glenn's orbit around the earth on it? Very neat!

Nona

Nona passed away last Sunday after a long illness.

And before that, a difficult struggle with arthritis in her hands. Hands that had done so much for so many.

Nona loved flowers. In fact, she was a gifted arranger of flowers at a shop in Wewoka for years. 

And what a cook she was. People at church fought to get one of her pieces of pie at potlucks.

One time she gave me a clear glass dish with a lid, "perfect for a small meatloaf", she had said. At the time I remember thinking it was such a neat dish, but no way, no how, would it work for our family with two boys who were eating us out of house and home. But our story has changed, with both boys grown, and of course, Nona was so right about the dish's perfectness for a small meatloaf. For two. What a treasure to me now.

Nona gave even when it wasn't easy to give. I could tell lots of stories about her generosity and kindness.

Mom must have told Nona I loved old needlepoint. That's when she gave me the happiest, framed needlework her daughter made. How Nona fretted over Donna's battle with cancer. And how hard it was for her to lose Donna and her husband, Jack, within two months of one another. The needlepoint will be appreciated for many years to come at the Johnson House.

Nona loved Vaughn. If we both stopped by to visit her, she barely noticed I was there. She sometimes called him her "boyfriend". She almost always had a little honey-do for him to take care of when we visited.

She loved her church. She and Jack were regulars at Community of Christ in Seminole, favorite pew and all. When she wasn't able to attend anymore, members stopped by as often as possible with communion and a visit. Sometimes she had us stop at Long John Silvers and bring her some fish.

Nona loved her family. And they loved her.

At the funeral Wednesday, I got to see all the family gathered. I put faces with names, the names Nona had bragged about so often when we visited.

The service was lovely. So many flowers and photos to enjoy. Kind words were shared from everyone who knew her.

I got in the car to join the procession to the cemetery, turned on my lights. As soon as we turned the corner, I watched as people who were on their porches stopped in their tracks and paid respects. I love this about Oklahoma, or maybe all of Small Town America (not sure). For a moment, obligations were put off by those who were walking, or those in cars who pulled to the side of the road. All was quiet.

The police officer escorting the procession got out of his car at the intersection, lights flashing, and stood with his hands behind his back, protecting us as we traveled to Nona's final resting spot, up on the hill with Jack and Donna.

Oh, she'll be missed. But what a reunion Nona had last Sunday morning in Heaven. No more pain, no more loneliness, no more struggles.

When the Grandgirls Aren't Here

When the grandgirls ARE here, there's usually popcorn, Diet Coke and movies. There's usually toys everywhere upstairs because we like to play with a lot of stuff at once, especially "tickets", as Cora calls it, where we use the Monopoly money and real estate cards to zip to and fro on the train. I'm told I'm the conductor and they are the passengers. We visit the American Girl store in Chicago, special museums there too. (We even went to Hawaii on the train last time the girls were here.) When they're here, the girls have certain things they love to do, like swing on the tire swing and "the blue swing" and the front porch swing, pick up pecans, read books, put together puzzles, play in the backyard. They love bubbles on the front step too.

But then it's time for the girls to go home.

And when the grandgirls AREN'T here, especially right after they've left, that's when we start reliving the time we had together. We laugh about their differing personalities and some of their demands requests. I ask Vaughn if he heard Goo say what she said. He, of course, heard it, or heard about it, but wants to hear it again. I do my best to use the same voice she used to tell Cora, "HEY, it's MY turn!" We look back through the photos we attempted to take (usually with little success...they aren't ever BOTH ready to pose). We get to use our technology again (when they're here, they love to play with our iPhones and iPad and computers and...). We get the house all back together again, but immediately look forward to the day they come back and enjoy it with us again.

Snippets from the last few visits with the girls:

Cora's vocabulary is extensive for a just-turned-5 girl. She used a recent third grade vocabulary word to tell me she "caught a glimpse of a episode" on television. Wow.

Magnolia is very much a second child and wants to claim what's hers. She and Brannon (Becky's grandson) are both quite vocal about MINE and HEY when playing together.

When I asked Magnolia where Parker lives, she knew. She said "Colo-raw-doe" in the cutest voice.

Cora and I worked quite a lot on reading. She would read a chapter, then notice Magnolia playing something on the iPad and want to put the book down, but within a few minutes, she'd be back, intrigued by her new-found reading skills. Minutes later, Goo wanted to draw on the giant chalkboard in our entryway, and while drawing she was sounding out words like she had just heard Cora do with me. It was so cute, her wanting to be a big girl and read too.

Tangles happened when the girls were here last. Offey says we have to buy some special conditioner or something. He didn't like the tears when he was in charge of combing.

Magnolia usually wears cloth diapers, but at my house, we go disposable. She loves Mickey Mouse diapers and talks during every diaper change about Mickey and Minnie. She also loves Elmo diapers. She's not willing to discuss using the toilet at this point. 

Both girls know my Jeep's name is "Joe". Magnolia can't wait to ride in "Joe COR", pronounced a little like someone might say it who was from New York. She's still in a rear-facing car seat and has been known lately to pinch or poke Cora in Joe Car when we can't see her.

Cora has called us "Tracey" and "Vaughn" off and on for years. Now it's Magnolia's turn to do that. Cracks us up. When she does call me Gram, it comes out like "GREM". I love it any ol' way she wants to say it.

And last, but not-at-all the end of the cuteness my grandgirls displayed while here, instead of kisses, Cora is in a phase (I hope) of licking her loved ones.

A Gathered Collection: Treasured Ornaments and Decorations

Christmas has come down from the attic closet, this year with a tornadic whirlwind of just a few hours time. NEVER in the history of all my Christmas decorating have I finished putting out my collections in three hours, but this year, that has happened. Mostly this decorating frenzy occurred because of my broken arm and the pain and frustration I've been dealing with. Vaughn and Parker pitched in and we conquered, and I mean it exactly like that, People, CONQUERED the Christmas decorating. I have to admit it didn't turn out half-bad, considering I didn't mess with it much, you know, sitting and contemplating and rearranging and CLEANING...(nah, none of that this year). 

But now that it's done and my pain is a lot less, I'm thinking about my favorite Christmas doo-dads and thought you might like to hear more about them.

The Willow Tree nativity was collected with great sacrifice through a 3 or 4 year period, each set or piece added being as special as the next. The idea was sparked in Colorado, I think, at a Christmas store. The large collection on the store shelf was so big and powerful, yet quiet and still. I wanted my Christmas home to include the "O Holy Night" feeling this set gave me...the reason for the season. I started with Jesus and Mary and Joseph, then kept collecting at quite a slow pace. Some came from that Christmas store, some from online sales I found once and awhile. Some pieces were gifts from friends. Vaughn made the creche (when he saw the price they were asking). I'm glad he's so talented (and willing to help me).

Of course the grandgirls love this nativity and have moved and rearranged the pieces before, but this vintage plastic set is right on their level on the coffee table, put there on purpose so they can live and relive that special night as they please (and without Gram hovering quite so much).

It totally blows my mind that this tree topper from the 50's (I would think) has made it through to 2012. You know me, you have to know the story. It belonged to Willard and Oleta Turpin, who were neighbors of ours when we bought our first house. Jake was 2 months old when we got to know them. I have the box (that's one reason I suppose it's survived) and I love taking it out each year and admiring it's color and style. I don't think I've ever put it on the top of the tree, strangely enough. It usually ends up in a bowl with other vintage friends like it has this year.

I have a serious love affair going on with Jim Shore snowmen. My gathering of 7 snowmen is totally enough (the class and I have been studying wants and needs this week) but I sure wouldn't hate it if another one or two came to stay at my house. The collection was started with my friends Sue and Judy in Estes Park, Colorado one year. Of course we've contributed to the collections of our friends and that's helped them grow. I decorate with this adorable crew through January. They've been other places, but since I have this many and love them together better than apart, they have lived on the piano for the past few winters, where we'll later-on-in-the-season enjoy lots of Christmas carols with Jake playing. Oh what sweet times these snowmen have seen, watching faces filled with Christmas joy gather around them, singing and loving. That.was.mushy.

Speaking of caroling, sweet, little, vintage carolers are becoming a problem. The junkier-looking, the better. Shabby fits in perfectly at my house. If it looks like it was on Grandma's end table every year for 50 years, I couldn't be happier. Since we were decorating this year at super-speed, it was easy to gather them and plop them in one space in the dining area.  They like it here.

Plastic reindeer that were more than likely 29 cents or less at a TG&Y or a Ben Franklin somewhere are another love for me. I have a few hanging on the tree and some gathered here in the kitchen. They're still and quiet, like I need to remember to be sometimes.

As each year goes by, I plus and minus a little Christmas decor; adding the nostalgic, the wabi-sabi, subtracting the trendy.

You're off the hook. Because it's a sunny December, my photos are giving me fits, so I'll stop here. Next year I'll continue my tour of Christmas at the Johnson house, probably with some of the same displays.

(Don't be surprised if we decorate family-style again next year...I sorta liked getting it all accomplished with less time involved.) That way I got to spend good quality time doing what I love to do during the holidays...turning the lights down low and enjoying the lights on the tree and the feeling of Christmas.

Merry Christmas!

Giddy Over Our Secret for Mom

The finished product.

 It has been such fun to put together a 70th Birthday Surprise Scrapbook for my mom.

If you know her, you know she's very nosey observant. She is pretty hard to sneak something by.

I started a few weeks ago, sending emails to friends and family, asking for their help. I wanted as many people to participate as possible, to make the scrapbook extra special. I asked each person I got a hold of to do a scrapbook page or send a birthday card to me and I would attach it to paper and decorate it a bit.

There were LOTS of friends I didn't get in touch with. I should have started last August and I might have contacted all the people in Mom's life. 

There was a deadline. I set August 5th as the due date so I could get some of the pages together early (school starts the day after Mom's birthday).

I got a binder at Walmart, the 1" size, but had to go back in a few days and get a 1.5" binder instead. I could have probably used a 2" one, actually.

The pages started coming in from friends, as I knew they would. Everybody loves my mom.

My pages weren't quick in coming. I kept going back and forth to Walmart for more photos or paper. I made lots of trips to school, too, in order to cut things out on the paper cutter, etc. I spent lots of time filling in a little space here and adding a sticker there.

This page was from me. I mentioned our resemblance. I mentioned her courageous spirit. The bottom photo was with the ladies she received her radiation treatments from.

Another couple of my pages. The first was about meals. Oh can she cook. And the other was how much fun we have when we're together. The photo on the bottom right was a shopping trip we took on Black Friday.

Mine was written like a story with photographs, entitled "Who You Are to Me". Very sappy.

Parker's was about game playing. Vaughn's was about wavy meringue and chicken gravy.

Parker got creative with some old playing cards attached to his letter to his Meemaw. We've always played games together and that's a special memory of his.

Vaughn looked at his empty page for quite awhile. I thought he might not have anything good to say about my mom or something, then I realized he was putting together a little ditty in his head. He wrote the cutest poem about her meringue being wavy. The way he spelled meringue makes everyone who reads it laugh. That's Vaughn's style.

This was the beginning of Becky's family's section. She has scrapbooking skills.

Left: Katy and Cooper and Brannon; Right...more Brinlee memories.

Becky and her family supplied me with 11 cute pages of photos and sweet stories. It's hard not to get carried away when writing about Mom. One of Becky's stories was about Mom saying "Dog gone it luck" to her when she was sick or throwing up. Kerry called her (his love-name for her) "Sweaty Betty". Kory poked fun at her striped shorts in a picture from way back, but then commenced to write a tear-jerking note to her about all the simple things she's done for him in his life. Katy, Brannon and Cooper also wrote sweet messages to Mom and put together some neat photos from way-back.

Rusty brought a card with a sweet poem that he wrote inside. One part thanked her for her sweet tea and then he mentioned how he's glad she's cancer-free. Boy, aren't we all!

Dad sent a love message too. A little too lovey-dovey for me, actually. Embarrassed me.

Magnolia Jane's page, created especially for Meemaw.

I had the little grand girls fingerpaint for Mom a couple of weeks ago before they left for Arizona. Cora said some of the funniest things while sitting at the bar painting...all about how much she loves her Meemaw. Goo was a little less talkative, but managed a "Ta-dah" when finished and I knew that meant "Happy Birthday, Meemaw!"

Kerry Burrows & Family/Clevengers

Leanne Condray/Diane Lankford

Stacey Hamann

Marge and Carl

Dorothy & Tammy

Raynita Lee/Extra pages for photos

Friends wrote poems and stories with such touching little remembrances. Each one meant so much to all of us who got to share in the making and enjoying of this scrapbook.

Sorry if I didn't get a photo of your page on this entry, but I just ran out of time and space. I'm sure Mom will be glad to share her scrapbook with anyone who'd like to see it.

Mom has always been the scrapbooker for the family. She's provided us all with our own scrapbooks and continues to keep one for the grandkids and great-grandkids as they grow and change. This was a big project, but oh what a blessing it was to put it together and to watch her enjoy each photo and story.

She loved, loved, loved it.

Thanks to all those who participated in loving Mom.

Happy 70th Birthday on August 12th to the best Mom ever.