Tuesday's Truths WK 213: Lilies of the Valley can be deadly.

Lilies of the Valley (the flower type seen in the images directly above growing in front of a brownstone on the street where the building I live in is located), are not as innocent as they look, they can be deadly. 

I first was introduced to this flower type when my grandfather, seen in the picture directly below with a tree he had just planted.

His Lilies of the Valley grew alongside of the northern portion of his home which is off camera in this image. He might've been an influence in my liking trres and garden,s which is something I've discussed in one of my earliest posts here on Blogger.

I do not recall ever hearing about the dangers posed by Lilies of the Valley, but if you'd like to read about this phenomenon, dear reader, please allow me to refer you to an article published by The Spruce, and that dear reader, is my Tuesday's Truth for this two hundred and thirteenth segement.

Sunday's Sentiment: Remembering my Grandfather's Appreciating Trees

My maternal grandfather, Albert Elmer Herman Lewis Melahn, can be seen in an unndated snapshot (directly above) with a tree he had just planted. He died in the mid to late 1970's on this day of January 24th.

National Grandparents Day 2020

MY MATERNAL GRANDPARENTS ARE FEATURED IN MANY BLOG POSTS

I don't want the day to pass without mentioning that today, being the first Sunday after Labor Day, is a holiday known as National Grandparents Day. According to Holiday Insights the holiday "originated in 1978 when then President Jimmy Carter declared it to be the first Sunday after Labor Day."

I've read that "the impetus for a National Grandparents Day originated with a housewife in Fayette County, West Virginia. Her primary motivation was to champion the cause of lonely elderly in nursing homes. She also hoped to persuade grandchildren to tap the wisdom and heritage their grandparents could provide."

I am the first grandchild of my maternal grandparents (they can be seen in the snapshot, atop this entry as well as in the image below which I featured in a recent post here on Blogger.

MY MATERNAL GRANDPARENTS ARE FEATURED IN MANY BLOG POSTS

In any event, both of these photos were taken in bygone — way bygone — years and I hope the Welsh proverb, "perfect love sometimes does not come until after the first grandchild," proved true for my maternal grandparents.

I feel very fortunate to have grown up near my maternal grandparents' home, and I've always been appreciative of the wisdom, as well as the heritage they provided — although my maternal grandmother might've begged to differ a she never liked the fact that I moved to New York City.

Monday Musings: August 24th

MY GRANDPARENTS ARE FEATURED IN MANY POSTS

Today is my birthday and if truth be told for the most part, I have always disliked the fact that it falls on August 24th. This is because in college days (which were not good for me) orientations and class registration were taking place. Moreover, I've had an aversion to to the date, August 24th, as it is often the day either the RNC or DNC begins (or began).

BUT when unpleasant thoughts occur surrounding the date of August 24th, I think of one reason (and IT'S A GOOD ONE), to have been born on this day: I am my maternal grandparents first grandchild and I was born on their anniversary.

They can be seen in the picture (atop this entry) celebrating my birthday in bygone (way bygone) years as my dearly departed maternal aunt watches me open a gift.

Many people now know of my grandparents through posts on this blog and because the narrator of my book series, Words In Our Beak, (pictured below) is a female cardinal named Cam.

MY BOOK SERIES

The name Cam is in honor of my maternal grandparents, a fact I've mentioned  in my cyber-venues over the years, where I've explained the "C" in Cam's name is for my grandmother, Clara. The "a" in Cam's name is for my maternal grandfather, Albert. And the "m" in Cam's name is for their surname, Melahn.

Remembering Clara May Fitchie Melahn

CLARA MAY FITCHIE WITH SIBLINGS

My maternal grandmother, Clara May Fitchie Melahn, was born on this day of July 23rd in the 1900. She always hated the fact that she was born within that year because her age could be calculated so easily. In any event, she can be seen (standing at the right) in the back row with her siblings in the photo atop this entry (which has been featured in a number of entries here on Blogger).

Monday's Musings Father's Day 2020

Yesterday was Father's Day and the photographs atop this entry are ones from various moments of childhood and they feature me with my dad on various occasions.

He moved out of our house the year the latter picture (where I have a cast on a broken wrist) was taken; so Father's Day can be such a bittersweet holiday for me.

Sometimes bitter because he left when I was so young and I subsequently spent most of my life trying to garner his attention and approval to very little avail.

Moreover, he passed away in 1995 and that adds to my sadness on Father's Day.

But Father's Day can also be sweet because no matter what, a father is still a father, and mine had a quick wit, which is a trait I have when I don't take myself so seriously.

In Memory of my Maternal Grandfather

MY GRANDFATHER MAKES A WISH

I'm thinking of my dearly departed grandfather, Albert Elmer Herman Louis Melahn, who was born on this day in 1903 (he died in the late 1970s.) The image atop this entry was taken on one of his birthdays in the early 1970's.

My grandmother can be seen helping him blow out his candles and my next youngest sister and I are behind them. We were told to "pose laughing," by my mother, who took the snap-shot when his cake caught on fire. (Our cousin Karl, who is for the most part of camera, is to my left).

Beloved Albert Elmer Herman Louis Melahn (AKA G'pa to me) Died on 1-24 in the 1970's

My maternal grandfather, Albert Elmer Herman Louis Melahn, died on this day of January 24th  in the mid to late 1970's. He was sixty-nine years old. He can be seen in the photo directly above with my grandmother, Clara May Fitchie Melahn where they are standing in front of one of their favorite restraunts that was located in Crystal Lake Illinois.

This photograph was one of my dearly departed grandmother's favorites, perhaps because of the memories she had of enjoying meals with him at one of their favorite places. For years after his death she laid the framed photo facedown on an end-table. Evidently looking at the image made her miss him even more. I am their first grandchild and the loss to me was great as well which is probably how most people feel when their grandfather dies.

Sunday's Sequel to Friday's Follow-up

In my last entry here on Blogger, I discussed the fact that I had submitted a synopsis for my book project, Imperfect Strangers. Later that same day my aforementioned post was published, I received a response (email) from a person who works for the place I had submitted my book. Her words are featured in the "talk bubble" atop this blog entry.

I am beyond thrilled to have received this news and they came on the eve of my birthday, which was yesterday.

July 23rd is Gorgeous Grandma Day! (Tuesday's Truths WK 135)

Today, July 23rd 2019, would be my maternal grandmothers's (Clara Fitchie Melahn) one hundred and nineteenth birthday had she not died (in 1987) at the age of eighty-six, four days before what would have been her eighty-seventh birthday.

She was born on July 23rd in 1900 and always hated being born in that year because it was easy for folks to do the math to determine her age. She can be seen in the photo (back row on the right) atop this entry with her siblings.

Her day of birth now coincides with a holiday known as Gorgeous Grandma Day which was evidently established by Alice Solomon in 1984.

I am her first grandchild and have written about her within a number of entries on this blog, where in some of them, I have explained that Cam, the story teller of my three volume book series, Words In Our Beak is named for her and my maternal grandfather, Albert Melahn.  She is standing next to him in the last snapshot included here.

THE WORDS IN OUR BEAK BOOK SERIES

Sunday's Sentiments: A Tribute to my G'pa (Albert Elmer Herman Lewis Melahn)

The photograph atop this entry is one you might recognize, dear reader, for it has been featured in many of my blog posts here on Blogger (including one of first entries which was in 2010) when I've referenced my maternal grandfather (Albert Elmer Herman Louis Melahn), the man featured in this picture. Last Sunday would have been his one hundred and sixteenth birthday had he not died at the age of sixty-nine.

I think of him on countless occasions, but he was especially on my mind yesterday when I was at The Conservatory Gardens in Central Park and came upon the peonies featured in  the next set of images.

OTHER PEONIES ARE FEATURED IN VOL 1 

OTHER PEONIES ARE FEATURED IN VOL 1 

OTHER PEONIES ARE FEATURED IN VOL 1 

OTHER PEONIES ARE FEATURED IN VOL 1 

OTHER PEONIES ARE FEATURED IN VOL 1 

OTHER PEONIES ARE FEATURED IN VOL 1 

My grandfather introduced to this awesome flower when I was nearly three years old.

Remembering My Grandpa Melahn

The photo atop today's entry features my paternal grandfather, Albert Elmer Herman Louis Melahn (Albert) and it is one you might recognize, dear reader, for I've included the image within a number of entries here on Blogger, starting with my fourth post which I published on 1/8/2010.

One of the topics discussed in that entry is his probable influence on my rooftop garden.

Feast of the Epiphany and Related Matters

Today is the Feast of the Epiphany, (also known as Three Kings Day), a celebration that I've blogged about in bygone years. I don't have anything to add to my musings re that subject, so please click here to read my former entries and have yourself a blessed Epiphany!

Meanwhile, because there were three kings it's a good time to once again DISPEL (I first attempted to do this here on Blogger in 2011) the adage, "bad things happen in three."

Remembering Albert Loth Youngquist

I don't want this day to pass without mentioning my father, Albert Loth Youngquist, who died on this day of November 30th in 1995.

In the photo atop this entry, he can be seen holding me up when we were on a Florida beach. His parents are standing there with us.  I was two or three years old at the time.

It still saddens me that he left our family when I was in elementary school and that I had so little time with him growing up because he was a wonderful man!

May he be resting in peace.

This Wednesday's Wisdom is from the birds! (Some Facts Re Mallard Ducklings ETC)

I have something in common with the Mallard ducklings seen in the pictures atop this entry (where they are swimming in the Hudson River with their mother), I'm one of three...

The Inspiration of Lewis Carroll (PRESENTATION UPDATE)

A SLIDE FOM MY PRESENTATION

As I mentioned in a prior entry here on Blogger, I am scheduled to give a talk at an assembly that is taking place at an all boys lower prep school.

My talk will be on all the wild birds featured in book series: Words In Our Beak. 

I will have a number of slides for the students to view via a presentation that I created in the Keynote Ap on my Mac.

Twenty-one bird types are included and each variety begins with a given bird asking, "Who am I?"

As I prepared the upcoming presentation, a caterpillar's question to Alice (in Lewis Carroll's famous book) re who she was came to my mind (as evidenced in the image atop this entry).

Soon it will be Father's Day!

VOLUMES ONE AND TWO

Fifteen days from now it will be June 17th, which is Father's Day. Therefore, if you are fortunate enough to still have your father or grandfather, you might want to consider giving them a copy of either volume of the Words In Our Beak book series, which can be seen in the image atop this entry.

Of course anyone you know who is a father, be it a spouse, an offspring, a sibling, a neighbor, a colleague, or a friend, these books make the perfect gift to honor them on this occasion.

Should you decide to get either book (or both of them) in this series, and want to include a bookmark, I have designed one which can be seen (front and back respectively) in the next two photos.

"WIOB" BOOKMARK FRONT

"WIOB" BOOKMARK BACK

As of now, I'm offering to send anyone who purchases (or has already purchased) any version of the Words In Our Beak book series a complimentary bookmark.

Happy New Year — Chinese New Year that is.

The figurine, who is featured in the image directly above, joins me today in wishing you, dear reader, a very  Happy New Year — Chinese New Year that is. This date of 2-16-2018 marks the beginning of the Lunar Year, which happens to be The Year of the Dog.

This occasion has nothing to do with the calendar year being named The Year of the Bird in honor of the one hundred year anniversary of  The Migratory Bird Act.

WW*: Remembering my maternal grandfather. (The probable influence on my passion for my garden,*Wednesday's Wisdom)

Today is the anniversary the death of my maternal grandfather, Albert Elmer Herman Lewis Melahn.

He is featured in the snapshot directly above (in a photo taken in years long gone by), with a tree he had just planted at the time. The passion that I have for the flora growing in my rooftop garden, very likely came from him. I discussed his probable influence on my appreciation for my garden in one of my first entries here on Blogger; which you may reference by clicking here.

It's National Grandparents Day!

It's National Grandparents Day! The holiday falls each year on the first Sunday after Labor Day. It was initiated at the grassroots level by West Virginian Marian Lucille Herndon McQuade (seen in the image atop this entry) with the behind-the-scenes support of her husband Joseph L. McQuade.

This photograph is from a web-page, which discusses a number of interesting facts regarding  National Grandparents Day; including the truism that "it's not a holiday invented to sell cards and flowers."