HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!!

Here in the south, Memorial Day signifies the first day of summer. If you mark your calendar by what the mercury on the themometer reads, it's actually been summer for a few weeks already!!

I LOVE summer!! I LOVE everything about it. Backyard barbecues, fresh-squeezed lemonade (see recipe below), longer days, swimming holes, catching fireflies, the beach, homemade ice cream, the lake, walking barefoot......I could go on and on.

The time just seems to slow down a bit in summer.

Don't forget Memorial Day is also a time to give thanks to all the brave men and women in the armed forces, past and present, who have fought and paid the ultimate price for our country. Your service has not gone unnoticed.

THANK YOU!!

Have a safe and happy Memorial Day and let us know what some of your favorite summer pasttimes are. We'd LOVE to hear from you.

FRESH-SQUEEZED LEMONADE

makes 8 cups

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup boiling water

1 tablespoon grated lemon rind

1 1/2 cups fresh lemon juice (8 large lemons)

5 cups water

Stir together sugar and 1/2 cup boiling water until sugar dissolves. Stir in lemon rind, lemon juice, and 5 cups water. Chill. Serve over ice.

you light up my life

Vintage lamps are a great way to bring a little kitsch to a nursery or child's room. From well-loved nursery rhyme characters to friendly animals, these lamps have brought a smile to many kids as well as adults throughout the years.

Vintage baby lamps were often made of painted wood, plaster, or ceramic. Today, many of these old lamps have peeling paint or chips which only add to their charm. In addition, most old shades are in poor condition, but adding a new one is an easy fix.

As with any vintage children's item, extra care should be taken to make sure it doesn't pose any hazards. Make sure there are no small parts which could cause a choking hazard, place lamps out of reach of curious hands, and always have any vintage lighting rewired to avoid shocks or burns. With these suggestions in mind, your vintage lamp will be ready for new generations to enjoy. Check out our website at http://www.georgeandbessie.com/ to see which styles we currently have in stock.

come swing with me

A while back, when I was out-and-about, something caught my eye. Along a jogging path and amongst several majestic oak trees, seemingly in the middle of nowhere, hung a single, red, wooden swing. I couldn't help but think to myself......who hung it there and why? It looked rather out of place and I was curious to find out more about it. After a little research, I found out that it was the handiwork of a group called The Red Swing Project. Click here to find out more about them.



To me, these swings convey such a powerful message. In our hurried, fast-paced world of cell phones, work deadlines, and family obligations, take time out to enjoy the simple little things in life. I mean, who doesn't like to swing? I think this poem by Robert Louis Stevenson sums it up quite nicely.

The Swing

How do you like to go up in a swing,

Up in the air so blue?

Oh, I do think it the pleasantest thing

Ever a child can do!

Up in the air and over the wall,

Till I can see so wide,

Rivers and trees and cattle and all

Over the countryside-

Till I look down on the garden green,

Down on the roof so brown-

Up in the air I go flying again,

Up in the air and down!

Maybe one of these swings will come to a city or town near you someday. Whether or not, try to take some time out of your day to just "swing".

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!

(Me with my mom and our dog, Bosley, circa 1978)

M-O-T-H-E-R

by Howard Johnson

"M" is for the million things she gave me,

"O" means only that she's growing old,

"T" is for the tears she shed to save me,

"H" is for her heart of purest gold,

"E" is for her eyes, with love-light shining,

"R" means right, and right she'll always be,

Put them all together, they spell "MOTHER",

A word that means the world to me.

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms (and soon-to-be-moms) out there!!