I went through another fun box while decluttering…my Barbie and Ken dolls …I have two original dolls from the 1950’s.
I can’t remember when I first got my Barbie and Ken dolls, but I do remember spending time playing with them. It was fun to change out the outfits and set up a house for them with cardboard furniture, back in the late 1950’s.
At that time, if you wanted Barbie to be a nurse you put on her nurse uniform and nurse cap. Back then, you had to change her outfit for a specific activity, these days you just buy a different Barbie!
In July I took out my old Barbie and Ken dolls, in the original black carrying case, with all their paraphernalia, and let our oldest granddaughter play with them. She found a cardboard box and cut out doors to make a house for Barbie and Ken, just like I used to do, and played quietly in the corner.
The box full of Barbie and Ken’s paraphernalia.
In decluttering our grandchildren’s play area, I gathered up the box and the carrying case and decided to organize it, to get Barbie and Ken ready to move. I had fun going through the many dresses and outfits I had for Barbie (not so many for Ken, but a few).
The accessories are amazing too…I had three pairs of shoes for Ken, and four pairs for Barbie, plus a pair of slippers! Not bad having matching pairs after all these years.
There were knitted sweaters with matching hats, undies(!), sun glasses, swimsuits, purses, luggage, and cardboard furniture.
I love the knitted coat and sweater, with matching hats. I wonder who knit them? I’d love these for myself!
I remember having more cardboard furniture, but I’m not surprised there are only a few pieces left.
After thoroughly enjoying examining each outfit, I dressed Barbie and Ken and strapped them into their carrying case. I hung the clothes on the rack in the carrying case, using all the cute, miniature hangers I had. I tucked the rest of the clothes into the case, adding the cardboard furniture, then latched the box.
I enjoyed my playtime with Barbie. She and Ken are all ready to move again, tagging along with me as they have over the past 60-plus years.
This morning I went for a walk with a friend in Carleton’s lower arb. As we walked near the river, an eagle flew out of a tree in front of us and flew across the river to the other side. It was amazing to see it up close…the wing span was large.
The eagle flew from one side of the river to the other
I thought of the verse in Isaiah 40:31 “…but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
It was a majestic sight and a wonderful reminder that as I am hoping in the Lord these days, He will renew my strength.
I like radishes!
And…my friend surprised me with a bunch of beautiful radishes.
We are slowly going through all the stuff we have stored in our basement, in an attempt to downsize. Some things are easy to go through and get rid of, other stuff… not so much. I find it easier if I can go through boxes while sitting outside on our deck. The weather was conducive for that when going through my playbill box several weeks ago.
The contents of my playbill box.
I have collected playbills over the years. After each performance, when I stashed a playbill into the designated box I kept downstairs, I thought to myself, it will be fun to go through these someday. Well, that “someday” has arrived. And it was a lot of fun!
This is one of my all time favorite plays/shows. We also saw this play in London, in 2003. I didn’t find the playbill from that performance.
I have saved a lot of playbills. Although I tried, I can’t say I’ve saved one from every play or concert I’ve been to, but there were hundreds, a box full, dating back many years…into the late 70’s. I found it interesting that some playbills did not have the year on the program. Really?! And one or two didn’t even have the name of the theatre.
Miscellaneous playbills.
I have always liked going to plays and concerts and had fun looking at the many different playbills from those I’ve attended. I looked over each one of them.
When we lived in Ohio for two years, I auditioned to dance in this traveling show.
The most memorable was from 1979, The Red Glove Review in Sidney, Ohio because I danced in that performance. It was a community event I auditioned for, was selected, attended rehearsals, and danced in the production. I enjoyed that a lot.
I went to see A Year with Frog and Toad with a coworker, as a retirement celebration.
We saw this play at the Historic State Theatre and two other times: at The Chanhassen Dinner Theater and at the Northfield Arts Guild (NAG).
The Nutcracker Ballet.
Our one time at the Grand Ole Opry, in Nashville, TN in 1984.
I separated the playbills into various piles. There was a large pile from St. Olaf (with a few from Carleton). Other venues included: Northfield High School – band concerts and plays,
The NAG – Northfield Arts Guild (our community theater), various church programs, our boy’s recitals and science fair programs, the Merlin Players in Faribault and the Paradise Center for the Arts, Eisenhower Community Theatre (Hopkins), Commonweal Theatre, Old Log Theater (it has recently closed),
Northrup Auditorium, Children’s Theater, The Ordway, Orchestra Hall,
Concerts at Orchestra Hall, including from summer Pops Concerts in the 80’s.
Taylor University, Calvin College, Chanhassen Dinner Theatre,
Playbills from the Chanhassen Dinner Theater.
Sight & Sound Theatre in Pennsylvania and Missouri,
I’m missing a couple of productions playbills that we have seen at Sight & Sound.
Rock & Roll Revival and Over & Back venues in Northfield.
I also have playbills from a concerts/plays we attended in Vienna and London.
A fun concert we went to in Vienna, Austria.
We saw The Mousetrap in London (2019) and came home and it was put on by St. Olaf students a few weeks later. We also saw the plays My Fair Lady and The Lion King in London.
My favorite all-time story is The Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens. I watch a DVD every Christmas season and have attended many plays in different venues over the years.
This is one of my favorite playbills because it’s The Christmas Carol, and it’s sponsored by Dayton’s Department Store.
We went to a twist on The Christmas Carol a few times. The Gospel According to Scrooge was performed at a local church.
I will continue to go to The Christmas Carol productions when the opportunity presents itself.
The playbill for the opera.
Another event was my first and only opera; La Finta Giardiniera…an Opera Buffa by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. It was held at my favorite venue on St. Olaf’s campus, Urness Recital Hall in 2006, and performed by St. Olaf students. The definition of Opera Buffa is: “a lighthearted and often very funny form of opera that typically depicts everyday characters dealing with everyday problems”. I don’t remember the plot of this opera buffa. I do remember thinking it will be the last opera I attend. Ha!
These days, the new mode of operation for some venues is to recycle the programs to reuse for other performances. From now on I will try (old habits die hard) to leave my playbill behind, as I will no longer be collecting them.
This is my oldest playbill…no date (!) but it might be from the 60’s, and it was held outdoors in South Dakota. I went with my parents.
I believe going through this box is one of several trips down memory lane in store for me.
Henri J.M. Nouwen’s prayer*, that I posted a few days ago, came to mind when I was cruising on the Pacific Ocean one afternoon. I had some free time and decided I wanted to get out on the water. I booked a coastal cruise. There was an additional fee to get on the upper deck, which I decided to pay… I did have a coupon so that covered the extra cost. I’m glad I chose that option. I was the only one up on the deck. There were twenty-six friends in the main enclosed deck below. They were having a good time. But I was blessed to be on top.
It was amazing to see the SEA and reflect on Nouwen’s prayer. The ocean is unfathomable and incomprehensible. When one is looking out over the vastness of the water, towards the horizon it seems never ending… as Henri compared it to the never ending love of God.
“O Lord, [you are the] sea of love and goodness” (*Nouwen’s prayer).
“Out of your love I came to life, by your love I am sustained, and to your love I am always called back.” (*Nouwen’s prayer).
I was feeling a little vulnerable from all that’s happening in life right now, so when many kindnesses were shown to me on this cruising adventure, I teared up.
To begin with, the ticket taker was friendly and warm, and engaging (I was first in line).
Boats moored outside the harbor.
I boarded the yacht and immediately went up to the upper deck. One cheery crew member came right up to greet me and hand me a menu. She came back a little while later to take my order, but I didn’t order anything.
A bit later, I was sitting on the top deck by myself, and the captain came out and started a conversation with me. He was interested in my story. He was so kind.
Again later, the cheery crew member came back to check on me. She wondered if the music was too loud (it was a bit – so she turned it down). Then she started to chat with me, and showed a genuine interest in me, that I found endearing.
That afternoon boat ride was a wonderful reminder of the power of kindness, and the sea was a beautiful reminder of God’s love.
“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” Leo Buscaglia
“Kindness can transform someone’s dark moment with a blaze of light. You never know how much your caring matters. Make a difference for another today.” Amy Leigh Mercree
I get an email each morning, in my inbox, from Henri Nouwen Society. Currently I am in California with my son and his family, along the beautiful Pacific Ocean. This prayer came through while I was here, and spoke to me.
Dear Lord,
Today I thought of the words of Vincent van Gogh: “It is true there is an ebb and flow, but the sea remains the sea.” You are the sea. Although I experience many ups and downs in my emotions and often feel great shifts and changes in my inner life, you remain the same. Your sameness is not the sameness of a rock, but the sameness of a faithful lover. Out of your love I came to life, by your love I am sustained, and to your love I am always called back. There are days of sadness and days of joy; there are feelings of guilt and feelings of gratitude; there are moments of failure and moments of success; but all of them are embraced by your unwavering love. . . . O Lord, sea of love and goodness, let me not fear too much the storms and winds of my daily life, and let me know there is ebb and flow but the sea remains the sea.
While driving up north you leave the busyness of the city and daily routines behind, and life slows down. The scattered lakes among evergreen trees, blue skies, fresh air, loon calls and the full, super moon reflecting on the water…
Morning has broken…offering an easy, peaceful feeling.
…all its natural beauty reenergizes and restores…and it feels a little closer to heaven.
So, when I saw a coaster with the saying “Heaven feels a little closer at the lake” I immediately purchased it for my friend. Every year she invites me to her cabin on Daggett Lake, near Crosslake, Minnesota, and every year it does seem we are a little closer to heaven while we are there.
And so it was again, this past week, up at the lake.
My granddaughter, age 7, found a fun book at the library, Fancy Nancy Ooh La La! It’s Beauty Day, and checked it out. She wanted to create a spa from the descriptions in the book, so I helped her out.
Grandpa was busy cutting down a vine from our son’s garage. I thought, the vine might be fun to use to create a soothing, nature themed spa, located in the outdoor space tucked in to their play set. It worked well to drape the vines.
My granddaughter set up a table and supplied it with the suggested items in the book: nail polish, nail clippers, q-tips, hair brush, towels, lotion, books (instead of fashion magazines). She brought out a bowl of warm water, for the foot-bath.
A page from the book.
I made the sign for A & L Spa and pinned it to the entrance.
We brought out a stool, for the client, and a chair for the assistant…her younger brother. Our granddaughter was the director. We cut hydrangea flowers to scatter on the floor, and I used my cell phone to play relaxing music.
Photo taken before hydrangea petals.
Voila! A & L Spa was ready for business, and I was the first client.
My fingernails were the first item on the agenda (my toes already had polish). I chose purple nail polish, from three different color options. I liked it!
Next, my granddaughter brushed my hair as my feet soaked in the warm foot-bath. Then her assistant, our grandson, rubbed lotion on my feet…all the while enjoying the music and each other.
It was the best spa experience ever.
After Mom arrived home, she was also treated to a very special spa date too.
There were several sheep along the shore of the lake on Carleton College campus.
While walking at Carleton College I saw about twenty-four sheep penned in along the lakeshore. I have seen goats there, knowing they “rent them” to eat all the unwanted brush. I assume sheep do the same thing, but I had not heard of that before.
One sheep taking a break…
Green jewels.
A few days later we were up with our grandchildren and as we walked out the front door our grandson spotted this beautiful dragonfly clinging to the stucco of the house. It looked like its body was made of green glass marbles. It was glistening.
The largest of several frogs in the pond.
And while walking around Pond Number Two near our house, we noticed several frogs. Frogs are a good thing to have in our ponds. We counted at least a dozen, and then spotted this large bullfrog! He was maybe 6-8 inches long…a whopper!.
It never ceases to amaze me…the chapel at Lakewood Cemetery, on Lake Bde Maka Ska (previously Lake Calhoun). My paternal grandparents, and a beloved aunt, are buried in this picturesque cemetery. That is how I discovered the chapel. I didn’t know about it before I went to the cemetery to see the family graves. Since my discovery, I do visit the chapel occasionally, and often bring friends or out-of-town guests there, if they have not seen the stunning chapel.
My paternal grandmother’s gravestone.
The cemetery itself seems like an extra special place. Two Hundred and Fifty acres of mature trees, lush grass, and rolling hills with magnificent tombstones and monuments. I learned on my last visit, the grounds of the cemetery are an accredited arboretum. I would assume my grandparents chose to lie in rest at this cemetery because of its beauty and proximity to a city lake. I know my grandmother loved the water, as do I. And as did Auntie Ag.
The Lakewood Cemetery Memorial Chapel.
The Memorial Chapel was completed in 1910. It is the centerpiece of the cemetery. It is on the National Register of Historic Places, and it is a work of art; an excellent example of Byzantine mosaic art. I’m not sure why more attention isn’t given to this edifice. It is said, if this chapel were in Europe, thousands would visit it.
“The dome is 40 feet high and ringed with 24 stained glass windows, set in copper and serves as a sundial. Twelve angels adorn the door, relating to the Old Testament’s 12 sons of Jacob, 12 tribes of Israel, 12 gates to the Holy City and the 12 disciples of Christ in the New Testament.” There is a lot of symbolism within the artwork, explained in the brochure.
A zoomed-in image of one of twelve angels in the dome…all small mosaic tiles.
The chapel at Lakewood Cemetery is open to the public daily, when not reserved for special events, such as weddings or funerals. When we were there with our son and his family recently, there was a sound check going on so it was closed to the public, however a woman came over to us and said if we kept silent, she would open the doors so we could peak into the chapel to see the magnificent dome, its amazing walls, and its beautiful mosaic.
From the brochure:
"In 1906, Lakewood’s trustees formed a committee to guide the chapel development and solicit design concepts from leading architects.
In 1908 the Lakewood Building committee hired Harry Wild Jones, a prominent Minneapolis architect.
In 1909 the Lakewood Board of Trustees commissioned New York interior designer Charles Lamb to design the interior. He suggested a Byzantine mosaic design based on the interior of the San Marco Cathedral in Venice.
Lamb traveled to Rome to enlist six of Italy’s most accomplished mosaic artists, who had just completed a project at the Vatican. In Venice they created more than 10 million mosaic pieces, from marble, stone and glass fused with gold and silver [for the Lakewood Memorial Chapel].
The tiles, no larger than a fingernail, were attached to gummed cloth and shipped to Minneapolis. The artist themselves arrived in the summer of 1909 and painstakingly assembled the masterpiece inside the chapel."
The chapel was completed in 1910.
“The alcove at the front of the chapel is lined with entwined mosaic olive trees, whose fruit is known for healing properties.”
Today the chapel stands virtually unchanged in appearance from the day it was completed.
One of four large mosaic figures that represent the virtues of Love, Hope, Memory and Faith. They adorn the side walls below the dome. This particular figure is “Hope”.
If I lived close to this impressive – dazzling – spectacular chapel, I’m confident I would find myself visiting more frequently, just sitting inside and being still.
Copper doors and mosaic tiles and lots of detail are in this architectural masterpiece.
The month of July was a very unusual, emotional month for us – dramatic negatives interspersed with unique positives…
A Negative: A family member has been very sick. A Positive: My second cousin and his wife from Norway stayed with us for five days and we enjoyed our time together. A Positive: Our youngest son and his wife and two children, Zoey & Ezra, came for a three-week visit. A Negative: I tested positive for COVID, and needed to curtail some activities. Thankfully I didn’t get very sick, it didn’t linger, and no one else caught it.
The camping cabin.
A stand-out activity with our two grandchildren from North Carolina, was a camping trip. We made plans to go camping with Zoey and Ezra when we knew they would be visiting us in Minnesota. Their parents had planned a getaway by themselves to celebrate special birthdays, so we made reservations for a camping cabin in a state park, about an hour away.
We enjoyed two campfires.
Camping never disappoints to create unforgettable memories. And we created memories. The biggest problem we encountered were the mosquitos, of course, and it also rained a couple of times. But we were able to do all we wanted to. We ate well (and outside)…blueberry pancakes, roasted hot dogs, s’mores, hobo meals… and we sat around the campfire, relaxed and read in the screen porch, had ice cream for lunch…we had fun.
We made hobo meals to cook over the open fire.
One of my favorite activities with Zoey and Ezra was writing and creating a book about our camping experience after we returned home. Zoey took notes as we all sat together and made suggestions as to what to write about our two-night camping trip and all the mishaps…much like The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Vacation. Both Ezra and Zoey got into this activity and we spent several hours on it. And I must say, it turned out well.
Busy at work, creating our book.
Ezra dictated as Zoey typed it up in a Word document. Then I edited the six chapters, and it “went to press”. We printed copies to present to the parents when they arrived home from their mini-get away.
The end product.
The book, The Very Crazy Camping Trip, became an instant success!
