Mary's Musings

Project 365 - Day 54

2012-03-03T16:40:00.000-08:00

The hubs and his twin sister

February 23, 2012

© copyright 2012, all rights reserved
Mary Post Warren

Project 365 - Day 53

2012-03-02T11:50:00.000-08:00

Day 3 - We're done until the exterminator gets out....scheduled for Monday morning. Then the tile people will be here and hopefully this will be done by this time next week - dream on, right? Picture on the left is after the new tub was put in but before the sink/toilet were taken out (left over from day 2).

The picture on right was taken today - after everything was out. It looks like one big empty room that i'm thinking would make a nice closet! But then after 3 days with the hubs and sharing a bathroom I'm not sure I could live with just 1 bathroom and 2 large closets :)

© copyright 2012, all rights reserved
Mary Post Warren

Project 365 - Day 52

2012-03-01T12:33:00.003-08:00

Day two was very successful....but ending with a glitch in our time frame. The bathtub was removed and disposed of successfully. The wall behind was removed raising A LOT of dust and dirt but coming out with no problems.

One of the biggest problems after the demolition began was the cockroaches that came from EVERYWHERE!

One of many!

We knew there was a problem with the cockroaches as we've fought them for the 2.5 years we've lived here. People in our complex said 'everyone has issues with them'....the city of Phoenix said 'it's a problem that is caused by the dampness and humidity' (which is part of living in Phoenix). We felt our problem was above and beyond all this because it was a daily fight with the things. We also felt it was weird that we had no issue with them in the other bathroom or kitchen. We had learned to live with them...

As we took down the walls literally 100's of the cockroaches came out of the walls! I say more like 100,000+ but the hubs says 'don't exaggerate' so I'm guessing about 500. The plumber felt there was more to it and was insistent that we find the source....much banging, and hole making later we did find the source, an uncovered pipe in the wall that went directly from behind the toilet down to the sewer!

Uncapped pipe in wall
behind toilet

SOOOO....now we are on 'hold' until the exterminator gets here on Monday -

Stay tuned for the next chapter in what could be just the beginning of a long book!

Mary Post Warren

Project 365 - Day 51

2012-02-29T11:06:00.002-08:00

This week we have the 'pleasure' of remodeling one of our bathrooms. The bathroom is fairly small so it's hard to get good pictures of it. The bathtub was leaking and has not been usable for 6 months...the fun part was finding a good plumber - we scheduled appointments several times - only to be stood up with no phone call. The guy we have is awesome - works on his own but does it full time. He's also sub-contracting a 'tile guy' for us, and is giving us a discount because the hubs is so good at helping him. What more could we ask! Yesterday they started the demolition work - pictures to follow. These are the before pictures....additional pictures as the work progresses, to follow.

Mary Post Warren

Project 365 - Day 50

2012-02-27T18:52:00.000-08:00

This gave me something to do on a boring day in Phoenix!

They taste as good as as they look!

Mary Post Warren

Project 365 - Day 49

2012-02-26T07:42:00.000-08:00

Straight from the garden - there are actually 6 of these

beauties in the basket!

Mary Post Warren

Project 365 - Day 48

2012-02-25T19:37:00.001-08:00

Hays Coulter Post

February 15, 1913 - February 25, 1987

Born in Venice CA, Died and Buried in

Pomona CA

Mary Post Warren

Blogger 365 - Day 47

2012-02-20T19:48:00.000-08:00

I've blown my goal of 365 pictures during this year, twice now...and this time was longer than the last time :( I think I've missed totally 3-4 days in not even 2 months time. This time I've got lots of excuses - I've been sick for over a week and we are expecting company tomorrow who will be staying for several days, and thus not much time to post here lately. Yeah, I know, excuses, excuses, excuses.

Several weeks ago I went to Pampered Chef's Spring Launch...a convention where they showed all of us consultants the new Spring Products that will be released to the general public on March 1. Can't tell you what the items are yet - but can tell you that you WON'T be disappointed! 50+ brand new items....some new stoneware, some new cooking utensils, and some other items too!

Anyway, while @ the convention we all spent some time working on our goals for 2012....several of the incentives that Pampered Chef is offering for high sales is all expense paid trips...one to Nashville, TN, another to Dublin, and a third to Las Vegas NV....which one do you think I picked as my goal? My hubs said I should have picked Dublin but I didn't, we've been to Nashville....and it didn't show us much....so I opted for Las Vegas. Now those who know me, know that we lived there for 12 years in the late 1990's to 2009. I'm sure you are asking 'Why in heavens name would you pick this as your FREE trip (WHEN I make my goal)?' The main reason is we have lots of friends in Las Vegas that we have not seen in 2 1/2 years....I miss them all terribly. And I'd rather see friends than the world. Sounds crazy but that's the way it is! So here I am - standing in front of my goal destination.

If you would like to to help me reach this goal you are welcome to contact me and I can direct you to my Pampered Chef website. This is one goal I WILL make......

Mary Post Warren

Project 365 - Day 46

2012-02-17T03:00:00.000-08:00

Hub's cousin Carl Stanislaus with his wife

Late 1940's/Early 1950's

Carl is the son of Curly and Alice Stanislaus

(Carl says he'll never buy his sport coats from the Goodwill again!)

Mary Post Warren

Post 365 - Day 45

2012-02-16T00:30:00.000-08:00

A picture taken in my friends garden in mid-February 2012.

I personally feel the flowers blooming so early in the season just makes the season come and go very quickly....we're just getting to plant our veggies..... zucchini, supper squash, some herbs, Tomato plants need to get planted NOW...not tomorrow NOW...I've seen some with so many tomatoes they are giving them away. Maybe a pumpkin late in the summer would be nice.

This year I'd like to find a mountain in Arizona where we could pick some fruit, much like we did at Oak Glen in California last year. I'm not sure the heat/humidity in Phoenix is conducive to growth. But the cooler mountains may help!

Mary Post Warren

Project 365 - Day 44

2012-02-15T20:42:00.000-08:00

February 15, 1913 - February 25, 1987

Hays Coulter Post

(Picture taken in 1944 with me)

Mary Post Warren

Project 365 - Day 43

2012-02-14T19:16:00.000-08:00

Happy 100th Birthday Arizona!

Mary Post Warren

Project 365 - Day 42

2012-02-13T19:43:00.000-08:00

Remembering well the desks and typewriters

the school I went to had windows like these

but they had bars on them

Mary Post Warren

Project 365 - Day 41

2012-02-12T20:27:00.000-08:00

Just bought a book from Amazon....'Caine's Pestilence' - Obama is missing, Pelosi is President, Bush and Biden are in jail. Set in the year 2015. John Bascom is the author....21 reviews = 21 five-star ratings.

Mary Post Warren

Project 365 - Day 40

2012-02-11T18:32:00.000-08:00

Just ordered these - saw some similar on someone

and fell in love with them.

Mary Post Warren

Project 365 - Day 39

2012-02-10T18:13:00.000-08:00

Oops, I missed another day :( Trying to get back on track and not doing a very good job of it. I have a picture of a typical Arizona evening in the middle of winter. The beauty of it just takes my breath away! A friend took the picture for me - I'm not the best photographer in the world!

Mary Post Warren

Project 365 - Day 38

2012-02-07T19:59:00.000-08:00

Photo by cousin Carl Stanislaus

Mary Post Warren

Project 365 - Day 37

2012-02-06T21:07:00.000-08:00

One of our favorite places to go

So beautiful in Sedona Arizona

Mary Post Warren

Project 365 - Day 36

2012-02-05T20:15:00.000-08:00

Only in Phoenix!

At the corner of Tatum and Cactus...

about 100 yards from a traffic signal.

I believe there is one on each corner of the intersection.

Mary Post Warren

Project 365 - Day 35

2012-02-04T21:19:00.000-08:00

Francesca Reh was my great grandmother, Maria Fietzek Motzko's sister. She and her husband came to the United States, from Poland, with Phillipp and Maria Motzko on the same ship at the same time. I am assuming this picture of Mary Reh is Francesca's daughter.

Mary Post Warren

Project 365 - Day 34

2012-02-03T18:01:00.000-08:00

A blast from the past!

Norwalk Square (near Long Beach, CA)

Late 1950s/early 1960s

Mary Post Warren

Project 365 - Day 33

2012-02-02T21:02:00.000-08:00

A friend took this yesterday in her backyard. Ah,

Arizona in the almost-Spring time

Mary Post Warren

Project 365 - Day 32

2012-02-01T18:51:00.000-08:00

I remember gas being 23cents a gallon but not this low.

When a senior in high school I can remember a half dozen

of us being in a car and everyone pitched in a quarter -

it was enough gas for cruising around for the week!

We didn't even have to do the filling-up in those days

the guys at school all worked at gas stations after school -

they pumped the gas, checked the oil and cleaned the windows -

no additional charge!

Mary Post Warren

Project 365 - Day 31

2012-01-31T22:26:00.000-08:00

Missed a day of my Project 365 so am adding an addition picture to bring me up to par! Just a little something to dream on....enjoy!

Mary Post Warren

Project 365 - Day 30

2012-01-31T19:08:00.000-08:00

Having a Super Bowl Party this weekend?

How's this for a Super Bowl snack tray?

Mary Post Warren

Project 365 - Day 29

2012-01-29T15:19:00.000-08:00

Memories!

Mary Post Warren

Project 365 - Day 27

2012-01-27T19:24:00.000-08:00

Don't ya just love the lovely (?) green color on this house,

note the chimney that is painted pink and the

two toned green car (to match the house) sitting

in the driveway! From the view in the picture

the chimney does not look that bad but it is a

BRIGHT PINK.

Mary Post Warren

Project 365 - Day 26

2012-01-26T15:08:00.000-08:00

Poor Hannah had to go to the groomers today.

She hates to get her hair/nails done but she

hates having her picture taken more!

Mary Post Warren

Project 365 - Day 25

2012-01-25T14:18:00.000-08:00

received via e-mail - have no idea who to give full credit.

Mary Post Warren

Project 365 - Day 24

2012-01-24T17:01:00.000-08:00

Did you know that it was on this day in 1957 (January 24) that Wham-O produced the first Frisbees? The name wasderived from students throwing around empty pie tins from the Frisbee PieCompany. The first version of the Frisbee was marketed as the Pluto Platter tocash in on the public craze over space and UFOs. Go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_disc for more information.

Speaking of Pluto, ClydeTombaugh first photographed the tiny ex-planet on today's date in 1930.

Mary Post Warren

Project 365 - Day 23

2012-01-23T18:35:00.000-08:00

My mother-in-law's sister made me a set of kitchen towels and potholders almost 48 years ago for a wedding gift. There was one of each for each day of the week, and I believe there was also one for each month of the year. How I wish I'd never used those towels and potholders (or at least saved one)!! She used the above pattern/transfer to make the towels and potholders. Hub's cousin found this among his mother's things and took a picture and sent to me. Thanks Carl!

Mary Post Warren

Project 365 - Day 22

2012-01-22T20:13:00.000-08:00

From hubs cousin Carl and Marjie's garden in Chickasha OK

Isn't it beautiful?

Carl says: We only had one Naked Lady in our garden this year.

Aka Surprise Lilly, Resurrection Lilly.

How one plant can have so many blooms...on one stem...

is amazing!

Mary Post Warren

Project 365 - Day 21

2012-01-21T15:43:00.000-08:00

Hung my clothes on the line this morning, turned around to get some more and heard this 'swish'...."what the heck is that" I said to myself, turned around and this is what I saw. A lot were in the dirt :(

Mary Post Warren

Project 365 - Day 20

2012-01-20T14:45:00.000-08:00

Dozens of oranges, Arizona grown

hubs picked them from friends tree today,

friends gave us some of them.

Yummy fresh orange juice!

Mary Post Warren

Project 365 - Day 19

2012-01-19T17:32:00.000-08:00

These boots (shoes) are made for walking and that's just what they'll do! Just got these today...in the Avon cataloghttp://mdwarren.avonrepresentative.com/ Totally comfy! They are the official 'Curves' tennies....now maybe I should join Curves to put them to use :)

Mary Post Warren

Project 365 - Day 18

2012-01-18T14:41:00.000-08:00

Look what I bought myself today.

Mary Post Warren

Project 365 - Day 17

2012-01-17T18:48:00.000-08:00

Mmmmm, yummy - Pampered Chef's

Deep Covered Baker (comes with lid)

with 'Burrito Bake' in it.

Too good and too easy!

Mary Post Warren

Project 365 - Day 16

2012-01-16T18:09:00.000-08:00

In the year 2004, wind energy in California produced 4,258 million kilowatt-hours of electricity, about 1.5 percent of the state's total electricity. That's more than enough to light a city the size of San Francisco.

More than 13,000 of California's wind turbines, or 95 percent of all of California's wind generating capacity and output, are located in three primary regions: Altamont Pass (east of San Francisco - a portion of which is shown on the right in this photo from NREL), Tehachapi (south east of Bakersfield) and San Gorgonio (near Palm Springs, east of Los Angeles). In 1995, these areas produced 30 percent of the entire world's wind-generated electricity.

According to the Electric Power Research Institute, the cost of producing wind energy has decreased nearly four fold since 1980. The levelized cost of energy from wind turbines in 1993 was about 7.5 cents per kilowatt/hour. With current wind research and development efforts, the Energy Commission estimates that newer technologies can reduce the cost of wind energy to 3.5 cents per kilowatt-hour.

Wind energy also creates jobs. The America Wind Energy Association estimated that through the early 1990s, 1,200 direct jobs in California's wind industry, with as many as 4,000 indirect jobs, were created. Total private investment in wind energy in California amounted to $3.2 billion through 1991.

Smaller turbines can be used by farms, homes and businesses in windy locations, such as along the coast. They can also be used (like solar cells) in areas where it is not feasible to run power lines because of the cost.

The Energy Commission tracks wind production in its annual Wind Performance Reports.

Information received from Overview of Wind Energy in California (Picture taken by moi as we drove through San Gorgonio (near Palm Springs) in 2011 on our way to southern California)

Mary Post Warren

Project 365 - Day 15

2012-01-15T14:37:00.000-08:00

Our new Table/Chair set for the kitchen/dining room.

Picked it up second hand from

someone who was getting rid of it...Only $50

(what a steal!).

Came with 5 chairs and an extension leaf.

Mary Post Warren

Project 365 - Day 14

2012-01-14T00:00:00.000-08:00

Birds are awesome, I love the little critters and to 'bird watch' for all kinds of birds but what I'd like to know is WHY do they always decide it is time to 'poo' on my car windshield? And it's always after just washing it!

And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and BIRDS of the air [have] nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay [his] head. Luke 9:58 KJV

Mary Post Warren

Project 365 - Day 13

2012-01-13T10:02:00.000-08:00

Ding Dong - Avon Calling

Since the first of the 2012 I've been selling Avon

along with another product I will picture at a later date.

Visit my Avon website and place an order if you'd like.

Mary Post Warren

Project 365 - Day 12

2012-01-12T14:05:00.000-08:00

Along the Scottsdale River Walk

Scottsdale Arizona

Mary Post Warren

Project 365 - Day 11

2012-01-11T16:44:00.000-08:00

Cornerstone Baptist Church

Phoenix, AZ

http://azcornerstone.org/

Mary Post Warren

Project 365 - Day 10

2012-01-10T19:12:00.000-08:00

That's my good looking hubs - 3rd in line with the green shirt and cap on. Taken in Las Vegas in August 2009

Mary Post Warren

Project 365 - Day 9

2012-01-09T13:29:00.000-08:00

While out and about this morning I took this picture to show what a glorious day it was...the temps are in the mid to high 70s (F). This was taken along Lincoln near Tatum in Paradise Valley. (Love the houses on the hills too)

Mary Post Warren

Project 365 - Day 8

2012-01-08T19:43:00.000-08:00

In November 2011 our youngest son Robert was ordained into the ministry at Valley Baptist Church in Yuma, Arizona. Robert is in the middle (with the blue shirt and tie)

Mary Post Warren

Project 365 - Day 7

2012-01-07T17:37:00.000-08:00

My display at the Vendor Event I worked today. It was an awesomely, beautiful day to work outside...with temps in the mid to high 70's. There were several, about 10, other vendors and a lot of traffic going though. Productive day in my opinion.

Mary Post Warren

Project 365 - Day 6

2012-01-06T19:09:00.000-08:00

No real story about this - just a picture given to me by the hubs cousin, Carl Stanislaus. Thanks cous!

1.7.2012 - Cousin Carl's update to the picture above:

The geese behind the wall are the Dawn Security Patrol at the park. One early morning I noticed them following me to see what I was up to.

Because of the difference ground levels, they kept going up and down....like they were hiding, or "Under Cover".

Mary Post Warren

Project 365 - Day 5

2012-01-05T16:12:00.001-08:00

Out running errands this morning and this is what I saw on my trip. Couldn't help taking a pic! Aren't they cute? It was a beautiful day - in the high 70's.....perfect day to enjoy a teeter-totter!

Mary Post Warren

Project 365 - Day 4

2012-01-04T00:00:00.000-08:00

This is what I did yesterday - being a Pampered Chef Consultant isn't all taking orders or doing cooking shows, it's also the work behind the scenes of sorting down the orders by show and then by customers - I have three boxes full of this to deliver this week. But I LOVE my job!

Mary Post Warren

Project 365 - Day 3

2012-01-03T00:00:00.000-08:00

Currently we live in a condo complex in Phoenix - these are some of the flowers from within the complex. The gardeners do a pretty good job of keeping the plants and flowers growing and looking nice both during the dead of winter when the temps average about 70-75 degrees and the middle of summer when the temps average around 105-115. Not much snow for us here! But we do get it occasionally and our plants in our back yard, as well as the plants around the complex, need to be kept covered when those temps drop real low (30-35)

And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin Matthew 6:28

Mary Post Warren

Project 365 - Day 2

2012-01-01T23:43:00.000-08:00

In December 2011 we went to the Mormon Temple to do a few of their grounds all decorated for the Christmas season with 1000's of lights and many small vignettes of the Nativity, the Wise men, etc It was a awesomely beautiful display. Pictured are moi, hubs, John and Kim.

Mary Post Warren

The Beginning of Project 365

2012-01-01T00:00:00.000-08:00

Project 365 begins today! January 1, 2012.....until December 31, 2012 I hope to post a picture a day to this blog. Something that has to do with life in Phoenix, ancestry, family, etc. Most pictures will be taken by me but some will be photos given to me by family/friends to post. I hope you enjoy this project and we go through 2012 in picture form -

The first picture I post shows what some people were doing in the 75 degree weather here in Phoenix on New Year's Eve day! You definitely DO NOT see me in this photo!

Happy New Year Everyone!

Mary Post Warren

The Amazing Story of 'O Holy Night'

2011-12-22T09:48:00.000-08:00

The Amazing Story of 'O Holy Night'
By Ace Collins

Declared 'unfit for church services' in France and later embraced by U.S. abolitionists, the song continues to inspire.

The strange and fascinating story of "O Holy Night" began in France, yet eventually made its way around the world. This seemingly simple song, inspired by a request from a clergyman, would not only become one of the most beloved anthems of all time, it would mark a technological revolution that would forever change the way people were introduced to music.

In 1847, Placide Cappeau de Roquemaure was the commissionaire of wines in a small French town. Known more for his poetry than his church attendance, it probably shocked Placide when his parish priest asked the commissionaire to pen a poem for Christmas mass. Nevertheless, the poet was honored to share his talents with the church.

In a dusty coach traveling down a bumpy road to France's capital city, Placide Cappeau considered the priest's request. Using the gospel of Luke as his guide, Cappeau imagined witnessing the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. Thoughts of being present on the blessed night inspired him. By the time he arrived in Paris, "Cantique de Noel" had been completed.

Moved by his own work, Cappeau decided that his "Cantique de Noel" was not just a poem, but a song in need of a master musician's hand. Not musically inclined himself, the poet turned to one of his friends, Adolphe Charles Adams, for help.

The son of a well-known classical musician, Adolphe had studied in the Paris conservatoire. His talent and fame brought requests to write works for orchestras and ballets all over the world. Yet the lyrics that his friend Cappeau gave him must have challenged the composer in a fashion unlike anything he received from London, Berlin, or St. Petersburg.

As a man of Jewish ancestry, for Adolphe the words of "Cantique de Noel" represented a day he didn't celebrate and a man he did not view as the son of God. Nevertheless, Adams quickly went to work, attempting to marry an original score to Cappeau's beautiful words. Adams' finished work pleased both poet and priest. The song was performed just three weeks later at a Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve
Initially, "Cantique de Noel" was wholeheartedly accepted by the church in France and the song quickly found its way into various Catholic Christmas services. But when Placide Cappeau walked away from the church and became a part of the socialist movement, and church leaders discovered that Adolphe Adams was a Jew, the song--which had quickly grown to be one of the most beloved Christmas songs in France--was suddenly and uniformly denounced by the church. The heads of the French Catholic church of the time deemed "Cantique de Noel" as unfit for church services because of its lack of musical taste and "total absence of the spirit of religion." Yet even as the church tried to bury the Christmas song, the French people continued to sing it, and a decade later a reclusive American writer brought it to a whole new audience halfway around the world.

Not only did this American writer--John Sullivan Dwight--feel that this wonderful Christmas song needed to be introduced to America, he saw something else in the song that moved him beyond the story of the birth of Christ. An ardent abolitionist, Dwight strongly identified with the lines of the third verse: "Truly he taught us to love one another; his law is love and his gospel is peace. Chains shall he break, for the slave is our brother; and in his name all oppression shall cease." The text supported Dwight's own view of slavery in the South. Published in his magazine, Dwight's English translation of "O Holy Night" quickly found favor in America, especially in the North during the Civil War.

Back in France, even though the song had been banned from the church for almost two decades, many commoners still sang "Cantique de Noel" at home. Legend has it that on Christmas Eve 1871, in the midst of fierce fighting between the armies of Germany and France, during the Franco-Prussian War, a French soldier suddenly jumped out of his muddy trench. Both sides stared at the seemingly crazed man. Boldly standing with no weapon in his hand or at his side, he lifted his eyes to the heavens and sang, "Minuit, Chretiens, c'est l'heure solennelle ou L'Homme Dieu descendit jusqu'a nous," the beginning of "Cantique de Noel."

After completing all three verses, a German infantryman climbed out his hiding place and answered with, "Vom Himmel noch, da komm' ich her. Ich bring' euch gute neue Mar, Der guten Mar bring' ich so viel, Davon ich sing'n und sagen will," the beginning of Martin Luther's robust "From Heaven Above to Earth I Come."

The story goes that the fighting stopped for the next twenty-four hours while the men on both sides observed a temporary peace in honor of Christmas day. Perhaps this story had a part in the French church once again embracing "Cantique de Noel" in holiday services.

Adams had been dead for many years and Cappeau and Dwight were old men when on Christmas Eve 1906, Reginald Fessenden--a 33-year-old university professor and former chief chemist for Thomas Edison--did something long thought impossible. Using a new type of generator, Fessenden spoke into a microphone and, for the first time in history, a man's voice was broadcast over the airwaves: "And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed," he began in a clear, strong voice, hoping he was reaching across the distances he supposed he would.

Shocked radio operators on ships and astonished wireless owners at newspapers sat slack-jawed as their normal, coded impulses, heard over tiny speakers, were interrupted by a professor reading from the gospel of Luke. To the few who caught this broadcast, it must have seemed like a miracle--hearing a voice somehow transmitted to those far away. Some might have believed they were hearing the voice of an angel.
Fessenden was probably unaware of the sensation he was causing on ships and in offices; he couldn't have known that men and women were rushing to their wireless units to catch this Christmas Eve miracle. After finishing his recitation of the birth of Christ, Fessenden picked up his violin and played "O Holy Night," the first song ever sent through the air via radio waves. When the carol ended, so did the broadcast--but not before music had found a new medium that would take it around the world.

Since that first rendition at a small Christmas mass in 1847, "O Holy Night" has been sung millions of times in churches in every corner of the world. And since the moment a handful of people first heard it played over the radio, the carol has gone on to become one of the entertainment industry's most recorded and played spiritual songs. This incredible work--requested by a forgotten parish priest, written by a poet who would later split from the church, given soaring music by a Jewish composer, and brought to Americans to serve as much as a tool to spotlight the sinful nature of slavery as tell the story of the birth of a Savior--has become one of the most beautiful, inspired pieces of music ever created.

Reprinted from "Stories Behind the Best-Loved Songs of Christmas" for educational purposes only, from Zondervan.

O Holy Night

O holy night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of the dear Saviour's birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining.
Till He appeared and the Spirit felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!
O night divine, the night when Christ was born;
O night, O holy night, O night divine!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!

Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
O'er the world a star is sweetly gleaming,
Now come the wisemen from out of the Orient land.
The King of kings lay thus lowly manger;
In all our trials born to be our friends.
He knows our need, our weakness is no stranger,
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!

Truly He taught us to love one another,
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother.
And in his name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
With all our hearts we praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we,
His power and glory ever more proclaim!
His power and glory ever more proclaim!

Mary Post Warren

Mary's Musing's Update

2011-11-03T18:53:00.000-07:00

(clip-art found online, no credit available)

I know I haven't posted in a long time - I seem to have lost my desire to research for the time being. I'm involved in a few other things at the moment...one being my Pampered Chef business and trying to grow it, I also read a lot (54 books so far this year, + the Bible all the way through), and am a little involved in politics (supporting my candidates). We've had a lot of family issues the last year one being the passing away of my hub's sister, Janet...after being diagnosis-ed with stomach cancer in February and being given 2 months to live, she passed away on September 22. We were blessed to be able to travel from Phoenix to Long Beach for every month or two to visit her. We were actually in Long Beach the week she passed away (to visit her), her caregiver told us she was waiting to 'go home' (die) until she saw her brother one more time...she died the day after we got there.

My niece in MN had a stroke 10 days ago, after lots of prayers - she's in rehab now and expected to go home this Saturday. This did not take any time from us, just mention it so you all can keep her in your prayers as she recovers. She has 2 small children, a very supportive husband, and my sister (her mother) was able to go back to help her during the recovery period. She won't be able to go back to work for a couple of months, at least. Lots of rehab work to do, which I won't go into here.

Our highlight of the year is our youngest son is being ordained as a Baptist Preacher in a couple of weeks - we will go there for the service....

We look forward to Thanksgiving with all our biological children....I've been in the holiday type of mood and am ready for the season to come on full force.

I'm on google+ as Mary Warren and on Facebook as Mary Post Warren, if you would like to hook up with me there....

Mary Post Warren

Treasure Chest Thursday - The House with Nobody in It

2011-10-20T00:00:00.000-07:00

picture taken by hubs cousin, Carl

The House with Nobody in It
(1913 Joyce Kilmer)

Whenever I walk to Suffern along the Erie track
I go by a poor old farmhouse with its shingles broken and black.
I suppose I've passed it a hundred times, but I always stop for a minute
And look at the house, the tragic house, the house with nobody in it.

I never have seen a haunted house, but I hear there are such things;
That they hold the talk of spirits, their mirth and sorrowings.
I know this house isn't haunted, and I wish it were, I do;
For it wouldn't be so lonely if it had a ghost or two.

This house on the road to Suffern needs a dozen panes of glass,
And somebody ought to weed the walk and take a scythe to the grass.
It needs new paint and shingles, and the vines should be trimmed and tied;
But what it needs the most of all is some people living inside.

If I had a lot of money and all my debts were paid
I'd put a gang of men to work with brush and saw and spade.
I'd buy that place and fix it up the way it used to be
And I'd find some people who wanted a home and give it to them free.

Now, a new house standing empty, with staring window and door,
Looks idle, perhaps, and foolish, like a hat on its block in the store.
But there's nothing mournful about it; it cannot be sad and lone
For the lack of something within it that it has never known.

But a house that has done what a house should do,
a house that has sheltered life,
That has put its loving wooden arms around a man and his wife,
A house that has echoed a baby's laugh and held up his stumbling feet,
Is the saddest sight, when it's left alone, that ever your eyes could meet.

So whenever I go to Suffern along the Erie track
I never go by the empty house without stopping and looking back,
Yet it hurts me to look at the crumbling roof and the shutters fallen apart,
For I can't help thinking the poor old house is a house with a broken heart.

Mary Post Warren

Follow Friday - An Update

2011-08-26T10:31:00.000-07:00

I haven't been around too much this summer - I hope that changes as we slide into Fall. It's just been too hot to think in Phoenix (~~hasn't~~ HAS gotten as high as 119 this summer), much less put out a blog and do research. I've been doing a lot of reading - I've read over 40 books since the first of the year, and although I've slacked off a little bit on my daily Bible reading I'm back to it too. I'm up to Galatians in the New Testament and am hoping to finish before the end of the year (finish the Bible that is, not finish Galatians).   I've also started my own business selling Pampered Chef. At this time I'm looking into working the Arts and Craft shows that are coming up soon, as well as one on one with people who want to purchase.

One of the other things I've been reading is some of your blogs. And since this is Follow Friday I thought I would let you know some of whom I'm following these days:

F   Family Story Keeping

R   Reflection's from the Fence

I     MIssIssIppI MemorIes

D    Dr. Bill Tells Ancestor Stories

A    Angler's Rest

Y    Little BYtes of Life

Mary Post Warren

Treasure Chest Thursday - Coulter Sisters Company

2011-07-21T14:01:00.000-07:00

I recently found this picture of my dad's mother, Bess Coulter Post. I have many pictures of her and don't remember ever having seen this one before. It was in a stack of items 'to be dealt with' that had to do with my Coulter and Post family. It's a professionally taken photo but I'm pretty sure it's a copy and not the original. If you look on towards the bottom, third, right hand side of the photo you can see where something had been printed and is now cut off (maybe the photographers name or the photo studio?). On the back is written

Bess Coulter

~~Rich Western Co~~

Coulter Sisters Co

(note: yes, the 2nd line is crossed off). Also on one side (on back but at top of photograph) is written Aunt Bess. At the bottom is a label which says:

Bess Coulter-Post

Daughter of William D & Lucy Hays-Coulter

The top back "Aunt Bess" (written in red) tells me that someone had this besides my parents (who gave me all the other pictures I have). Several years ago I met some cousins who were the children of Bess' sister Harriet Coulter. I must have received this picture from them....but how it got lost for all these years is beyond me. It's now scanned and on a flash drive with other pictures of Bess, and the original (to me) will go with all other pictures of Bess (to be handed down to my niece upon my death).

Mary Post Warren

Our Family Angel

2011-07-17T00:02:00.000-07:00

Last month on Lucille's 106th birthday I went for a visit at the cemetery, which happens to be just a few miles from us here in Phoenix. (The above picture was taken last summer on the anniversary of her death). She was my dad's sister, although she died before he was born. Among my unidentified pictures I have this one to the right. This picture was with others from my dad's side of the family that were left to me. One of these little girls may or may not be Lucille. If one is her I don't know who the other one is. I have no other pictures of Lucille but I do have her death certificate. Can anyone out there in genealogy land help identify the time period of this picture?

Dad did not know a whole lot about his family. His father left his mother when she became pregnant with him. He had one (known) living brother at that time who was about 4-5 years older than him. He was told there was a child who died before he was born (Lucille, although he thought it was the brother, known as O.J.). He was also told there were several children who died at or shortly after birth. I have no confirmation on this. I do have a picture of dad (Hays Coulter Post) with his brother O.J. Post (assumed to be Orvey Jermain Post) and their grandmother Elizabeth Clayton Post. Dad's parent's names were Bess Coulter Post and Orvey Jermain(e) Post.

Know anything about anyone mentioned in this post? Please contact me using the e-mail address to the right under my picture.

Mary Post Warren

52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy and History - Sewing

2011-07-14T23:24:00.000-07:00

This is not a regular 52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy and History - it's one I made up on my own....just to be different!

My mom made 99% of of the clothes we wore as children. The only thing she did not make was the uniforms we had to wear to school. When I was in High School Home Economics was a required class. I had no real desire to learn to cook and sew but it had to be done. I remember one of the projects we had to do during our sewing lessons - that was to make a dress. Mom and I went out shopping for the required items and I picked out what I thought was a lovely pattern and some material. It was a shirt waist dress and blue/white seersucker material. When I took it to class the teacher took one look at the material and laughed....she told me it looked like pajama or nightgown material. I wasn't very happy about it and it kind of turned me off towards wearing that dress and doing any more sewing than I had to.

After marriage I again picked up sewing, I did enjoy it....I made clothes for the kids, dance costumes for my daughter and many in her class, Halloween costumes, etc. One particular dress I made for my daughter (wish I had a picture) was a Holly Hobby long dress with an old fashion bonnet to go with it. When the kids got to be teens I more or less gave up sewing as I was a such a perfectionist and it made me nervous if there were issues with the sewing and the kids at the same time. I spent way too much time being upset with the kids and I felt it just wasn't worth it.

I did keep my sewing machine though - purchased about 1979-1980 it's not at all like the machines of today that do everything. Last summer, I decided I was going to dig out the machine and start sewing during my 'spare time'...the first thing I did was go to the fabric store (fabric stores of yesterday are not like 'fabric stores' of today - yesterdays fabric stores were just that - fabric and patterns and sewing supplies. Today's 'fabric stores' are craft stores and the fabric and patterns are hidden way in the back left hand (or right hand) corner of the store). Hours of pouring over books I finally found a pattern that was suitable for me, easy to make (for a starter).....but boy was I surprised at the prices on patterns! Some ranging $20+.....I use to pay a $1.00 maybe, and could pick them up at yard sales for 25cents! It was real sticker shock to see today's prices. After much search I found one that was less than $5 and that also fit my parameters. NOTE: I've discovered that patterns are available to look at (and order) online at the pattern makers website....this is what I will do in the future.

Now get this, I bought the material/pattern, thread, zipper, and new sewing scissors last summer. GUESS WHAT - after much looking I found some material that was MADE IN THE USA! Last weekend I FINALLY got the machine up! It took me until today to lay my pattern on the material and get it cut out. I wonder how long I'll procrastinate until I thread up the machine?

I'm hoping once I really get going on this that it will be something that I put to use and get moving on.

Mary Post Warren

52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy and History - Summer

2011-07-09T20:46:00.000-07:00

Those Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer

1940ish George Tullis, Margaret Troyer, Hays Post

Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer

Those days of soda and pretzels and beer

Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer

Dust off the sun and moon and sing a song of cheer

Just fill your basket full of sandwiches and weenies

Then lock the house up, now you're set

And on the beach you'll see the girls in their bikinis

As cute as ever but they never get 'em wet

Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer

Those days of soda and pretzels and beer

Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer

You'll wish that summer could always be here

Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer

Those days of soda and pretzels and beer

Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer

Dust off the sun and moon and sing a song of cheer

Don't hafta tell a girl and fella about a drive-in

Or some romantic moon it seems

Right from the moment that those lovers start arrivin'

You'll see more kissin' in the cars than on the screen

Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summe

Those days of soda and pretzels and beer

Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer

You'll wish that summer could always be here

Written by: Charles Tobias;

Music by: Hans Carste;

Sang by: Nat King Cole

#6 1963

Mary Post Warren

The Haboob - The Storm of July 5, 2011

2011-07-07T13:00:00.000-07:00

AzFamily.com

What's an Haboob? Randy Cerveny, a geophysical sciences professor at Arizona State University, explains it in this video from Arizona State University.

This video is very interesting, and only takes a few minutes of your time, it's worth your time to watch it. Before the other night I had never heard the term 'haboob'....now that's all anyone talks about.

It was amazing that the temps here in Phoenix were about 100+/- a degree or two....when this storm blew through. As we walked outside we could feel the temperatures actually dropping. When it was over it was about 80F. According to the news the dust cloud was 1-2 miles long and 60-100 feet high....that's a pretty big cloud!!! The storm lasted a couple of hours (including the rain after the initial cloud) ...Sky Harbor airport was closed down. The storm started to the south of us, although I do not know exactly where. It came through Tucson (120 south of Phoenix).

I would have loved to have stood out front during the storm....but hubs (and I) both knew that would not be good for us. We could feel the dust in the air and the next day I had a migraine that I'm sure was brought on by the 2-3 minutes we did stand outside.

Mary Post Warren

Wordless Wednesday - Bess Coulter Post

2011-07-06T13:55:00.000-07:00

This picture of my paternal grandmother was probably taken in the 1920s. My grandfather was affiliated with the circus and although they were divorced in 1913-1914 they continued theirs was an off/on relationship for many years after.

The diamond ring on her left had is a one and a half carat stone and was in it's original setting. I had it 'broken down' and reset, the setting was used for an amethyst stone which I gave my daughter on her birthday one year. The stone was reset into another setting and sits in a safe deposit box.

Mary Post Warren

Independence Day

2011-07-04T00:00:00.000-07:00

Check out these five handsome guys...all from the same family, all serving at the same time (U.S. Army) in service to our country. What a giving family. The picture was taken at the wedding of one of their siblings. One is a good friend of ours. I believe there is one more boy in the family who is not old enough to be in the service.

Drafted by Thomas Jefferson between June 11 and June 28, 1776, the Declaration of Independence is at once nation's most cherished symbol of liberty and Jefferson's most enduring document. Here in exalted and unforgettable phrases Jefferson expressed the convictions in the minds and hearts of the American people. The political philosophy of the Declaration was not new; its ideals of individual liberty had already been expressed by John Locke and the Continental philosophers. What Jefferson did was to summarize this philosophy in 'self-evident truths' and set forth a list of grievances against the King in order to justify before the world the breaking of ties between the colonies and the mother country. You are invited to read a transcription of the complete text of the Declaration.

Mary Post Warren

Wordless Wednesday - Bahama Winds

2011-06-29T09:42:00.000-07:00

Bahama Winds

Just a lovely picture to share with you, taken by Cousin Carl, makes me want to get out there after the long hot days we've been having here in Arizona (110-115F).

Mary Post Warren

52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy and History - Songs

2011-06-25T16:47:00.000-07:00

Our challenge for this week: Songs - What was the #1 song during the week of your birth? Enter your birth date at This Day in Music (http://www.thisdayinmusic.com/birthdayno1) and find out. I'm too old to make this list - it only goes back to 1945. So I choose another suggestion from the website and decided on the date we were married.

April 25, 1964 - "Can't Buy Me Love" by the Beatles was at the top of the charts both in the U.S and in Australia. Our favorite song at that time was another popular song of the time (we must have heard it a dozen times as we drove from California to Las Vegas to get married) "Going to the Chapel" - by The Dixie-Cups.

Can't Buy Me Love lyricsSongwriters: McCartney, Paul; Lennon, John;
Can't buy me love, love
Can't buy me love

I'll buy you a diamond ring my friend
If it makes you feel all right
I'll get you anything my friend
If it makes you feel all right
'Cause I don't care too much for money
For money can't buy me love

I'll give you all I've got to give
If you say you love me too
I may not have a lot to give
But what I've got I'll give to you
I don't care too much for money
For money can't buy me love

Can't buy me love
Everybody tells me so
Can't buy me love
No no no, no

Say you don't need no diamond rings
And I'll be satisfied
Tell me that you want the kind of things
That money just can't buy
I don't care too much for money
Money can't buy me love

Can't buy me love
Everybody tells me so
Can't buy me love
No no no, no

Say you don't need no diamond rings
And I'll be satisfied
Tell me that you want the kind of things
That money just can't buy
I don't care too much for money
Money can't buy me love

Can't buy me love, love
Can't buy me love, oh

Mary Post Warren

Family Recipe Friday - Mom's Home Cookin'

2011-06-24T00:00:00.000-07:00

Recipe from the collection of Margaret Troyer Post

Mom's Home Cookin'

Carl Stanislaus

O, it sets my heart-a-clickin'

Like the tickin' of a clock

when the first frost is on the pumpkin

and the fodder's in the shock

James Whitcomb Riley

Nothin' sets my mouth-a-waterin',

like the smell of mom's home-cookin'

and nothing satisfies my hunger

like a piece of her punk'in pie!

You're not goin' to find much better

than her fresh bread from the oven,

and if there's one thing close to heaven,

it's her stuffin' made from scratch.

When it comes time for dinner,

with all the kinfolks roun' the table,

we ask God for all His blessin',

and thank Mom for all her grace.

Oh, the years come and go,

relatives are born, and passing,

but when the frost is on the pumpkin,

we'll head home for Mom's home cookin'.

(Poem written by hubs'

cousin, used with permission)

This is perfect for making this casserole in, and it looks pretty on the table also!

Mary Post Warren

Frustration with Blogger Issues

2011-06-22T10:52:00.000-07:00

Is anyone else getting frustrated with the blogger format? I've had nothing but trouble with it for several months and am giving some serious thought to moving to another format. I hate doing this because last time I had to make a major change I lost half my followers (probably people who didn't keep up with me anyway).

Anyway first I lost all my pictures in my blog...this was going back a year and a half...I have them uploaded in Picasa (which is suppose to be blogger compatible) and the pictures were all still in Picasa but it took me several weeks to re-upload them to each individual post. Now, and for the last several weeks, I cannot post comments using my google account. I keep typing into blogger my google account id and password but it keeps flipping back to the log-in screen - funny it works with e-mail ok. I can post comments if I use my name and url but that gets to be a pain in the tush.

I'm also trying to connect Amazon Associates to my blog and have been unable to do it. This one may be my problem but maybe not....who knows.

All this has gone on since the blogger outage a couple months ago - I'm so FRUSTRATED...thus I've not been blogging or replying to others posts as much as I would like.

Has anyone else encountered these problems? What blogging format do you suggest?

Mary Post Warren

Summer vs. Spring

2011-06-21T19:55:00.000-07:00

The first full day of Summer, I love it! Being California born and raised and having lived there (for 50 years), and raising our family there, I had really come to appreciate the summers....easy days, kids were home from school, a lot of running them around to dance lessons, soccer practice, baseball games, trips to the beach, camping...days long gone, but still with me in my heart. California had almost perfect weather - if you'd leave out the earthquakes and the high prices I'd say it's one of the most perfect places to live.

After retirement we moved to Arizona, in the early '90s where youngest son was in college, then we moved again in the late '90s for a stint in Las Vegas, and now we're back in Arizona. Life is good - we are fairly close to 2 of the kids, and within driving distance of son #1. Our 'adopted' son lives in Wisconsin and thus we seldom see him but do keep in touch.

Summer in Arizona brings beautiful sunsets, awesome desert landscape, and wild and crazy heat and rain. The heat can be brutal and mix that with the monsoons you've got a double whammy. It was 109 today, tomorrow is 113.....fortunately the 'dew point' is down at only 21% (it needs to be at 55% to bring on the monsoons), so it's a dry heat for the time being.

Spring brings flowers, home grown vegetables, and 80 degree weather. Summer brings HOT (over 100+), dead plants, and lots of time on my hands.

Summer is GREAT but I think I like Spring best in these autumn days of my life.

Mary Post Warren

2011-06-16T19:06:00.000-07:00

Margaret Troyer Post

June 16, 1909 - September 17, 1987

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM

Mary Post Warren

Wordless Wedneday

2011-06-15T00:00:00.000-07:00

Geese On The Green

Mary Post Warren

52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy and History - Clothes

2011-06-12T00:00:00.000-07:00

Our challenge for this week: Clothes - What types of clothes did you wear as a child? What was “in fashion” and did your style compare?

I went to private schools...so there were no if, ands, or buts about what we wore...it was all picked out for us. Everyone wore the same thing, bought from the same place. Boys wore dark blue corduroy pants with a white shirt and leather-type shoes, girls wore the same uniform that all the other girls wore - sometimes it differed year by year. I can remember wearing all matching uniforms with saddle shoes, and then there's this picture of me in a jumper style uniform. I use to hate all being clones - but I bet it made it a lot easier on the moms not to have their kids arguing with them every morning about what to wear and not wear.

In high school we wore dark skirts and white blouses....stitch down pleated, pleated, fuller skirts but not straight....and lace up shoes but NO patent leather shoes...anyone want to guess why? (don't any family give it away). My mom made my skirts and blouses.

When we went to church on Sunday we dressed up. A covering on our head was required by our church so hats were everywhere...I remember wearing gloves too. Don't remember what we wore to play in....probably something easy like pedal pushers and a blouse. I don't remember ever wearing jeans...maybe we did though, but they'd have been hard for mom to make so I doubt it.

Mary Post Warren

Family Recipe Friday: Margaret's Barbeque Sauce

2011-06-10T00:01:00.000-07:00

My mother's recipe for barbeque sauce

with some ideas of what to do with the sauce.

Mom was a great cook.

Mary Post Warren

Treasure Thursday Twins

2011-06-09T00:00:00.000-07:00

1935 Hubs and his sister

Aren't they beautiful!

Mary Post Warren

Wordless Wednesday - Made In America (Part 2)

2011-06-08T00:00:00.000-07:00

Made

in USA

Make

Your Own Bear

Part 1of 2

Tours Available

Click here for Stuffington Bear Factory Website

Mary Post Warren

This is the Face of Genealogy

2011-06-06T09:21:00.000-07:00

This is the real face of Genealogy - a family (as yet unidentified), probably from the 1800's, probably an uncle, aunt, brother, sister, of someone I've written about on this blog, probably a member of the Schrock or Troyer family from Indiana and Pennsylvania. This is what genealogy is all about - tracking down our ancestors....or someone else's...people who really lived in another time, in another place.

Mary Post Warren

52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy and History

2011-06-06T00:00:00.000-07:00

52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy & History by Amy Coffin is a series of weekly blogging prompts (one for each week of 2011) that invite genealogists and others to record memories and insights about their own lives for future descendants. You do not have to be a blogger to participate. If you do not have a genealogy blog, write down your memories on your computer, or simply record them on paper and keep them with your files.

Week 23: Books - What was your favorite book, or who was your favorite author from your childhood? What do you like to read now? Books or other formats?

I LOVE reading...anything and everything....well almost, I'm not a lover of the tabloids and trashy stuff but if you put anything else into my hands and it's readable I'll read it.

When I was young I loved to read the Bobbsey Twins, the Hardy Boys, the Nancy Drew Mystery series. As children a weekly trip to the library was very common. As I got older the books changed and I've read many from Jane Austen, The Bronte Sitsters, and Mark Twain to Danielle Steele and Mary Higgins Clark and a lot in between. I'm also currently enjoying reading many of the Amish books that are available....giving me some insight into how my ancestors lived. I'm trying to make my way through the older, classic books. I've read many of them before but when it's been 50 years since I've read them it's nice to read them again.

My children bought me a Kindle for Christmas last year and I have to say it's one of the greatest pieces of technology ever made! I pack that puppy in my purse and have it for breaks at works, while standing in line in the bank, or just wait time in the car. There are tons of free books on it as well as many you have to pay for. I've read 25 books just since Christmas. I love that they have kids books on the Kindle, what a great way to get children to read.

Mary Post Warren

Super Sister Sunday: The Engel Sisters

2011-06-05T00:00:00.000-07:00

Helen, Kathryn, Alice, and Myrtle Engel

Christian Engel and Edith Gibson Engel had 5 children. - 4 girls and 1 baby brother. These 4 girls and the little brother Johnny, although born in Ness Kansas, grew up in the early part of the 20th century in Long Beach California....each went on to marry and have between 2 and 3 children. Johnny, the baby brother, maried but he and his Mary did not have any children. He was the ultimate Uncle Johnny to all the nieces and nephews. We honor this great family who stayed close until the end. I've always felt so proud to be a part of this extended family. What a loving family they are.

Mary Post Warren

Treasure Chest Thursday: Johnny and Mary Engel

2011-06-02T00:00:00.000-07:00

1920ish Johnny Engel

1920ish Mary Engel

Johnny was the only boy of the five children born to Christian and Edith (Burgess) Engel. Mary, his wife, was born in 1913 and is 98 years old. I do not have full information on them....as in birth dates, wedding date, Johnny's death date. I do know they lived their married life in Long Beach CA. Johnny was the brother of my mother-in-law, Myrtle Engel Warren. The poem below fits the time-frame of the pictures posted. it was written by my hub's cousin, whose mother was also Johnny and Myrtle's sister.

One of my fondest memories of Uncle Johnny was how he called me everyday towards the end of my pregnancies asking "are you still around?".....I laugh at that now but I probably didn't think so much of it when I was pregnant and just wanting to get it over.

Mary Post Warren

Wordless Wednesday: Made in America

2011-06-01T00:00:00.000-07:00

Pick a design or come up with your own

Stuffing Machine - stuff your bear

Finish stuffing and sewing up back

6. Putting on eyes, ears, mouth

7. Cleaning Mr. Bear up

A sampling of the finished project

This is obviously the build your own bear/stuffed animal area. There is also a store where you can buy your stuffed animals clothes for every day of the week.....all made in America. Next week we'll take a tour of the factory where they make bears in large quanities for selling in stores, special promotions, etc. Tours are held for large and small groups and are FREE.

Visit their website by clicking on this link:

Stuffington Bear Factory

Mary Post Warren

Family Recipe Friday: Janet's Russian Fluff

2011-05-27T14:58:00.000-07:00

In keeping with the current generation and those to follow I add a recipe of my niece's. Easy and simple and waiting to be passed down to her descendants by her children!

Mary Post Warren

Mary-Mary Quite Contrary, How Does Your Garden Grow

2011-05-23T14:24:00.000-07:00

When we lived in California many years ago, we had a mature orange tree that produced year round with no care. We also planted a peach tree but only got one or two peaches off it after 3 years of babying it. I did a lot of canning/freezing but the veggies and fruit were always given to us by others. We moved before the fourth year and don't know if the tree produced. I hope if it did that the buyers of our property enjoyed the fruits of our labor!

After 20+ years we decided to give gardening a try. Last year (2010) we planted zucchini in our back yard (the little yellow blossom you see peeking out from under the leaves on the right side is the start of a zucchini) but it never produced. We were disappointed but not defeated. This year in April (2011) we got out our gardening materials and planted zucchini, yellow crock-neck squash, and another variation of zucchini. We waited and we waited, then we watered and watered some more. We gave them lots of TLC but it took a long time (in our opinions) to get them moving. Then last week we gave the plants a good talking to and said 'produce or else'! We had tons of yellow flowers that looked very pretty but they were not producing what we wanted - food!

A couple days after our talk with the squash we walked out to our yard and, voila, there it was! YEAH, our first zucchini! It's grown a little since I took this picture but other zucchinis or squash have yet to pop out. We have hopes...we waited a long time for this one and we're excited about it. Tenacity is the answer! Hopefully we'll get a few more this summer.

We've recently planted spaghetti squash and our pumpkin seeds are ready to plant in July. And next year we're adding tomatoes to our list.

Mary Post Warren

Family Recipe Friday: Biscuit Mix Cookies

2011-05-13T18:43:00.000-07:00

From my mother's (Margaret Troyer Post) recipe box. I've never made these cookies but the recipe looks fairly easy. I'm not sure if I even remember having these when I was smaller - but then my memory is not so good. My mom was a GREAT cook and I loved everything she made.

Mary Post Warren

Wordless Wedneday (Almost)

2011-05-11T15:00:00.000-07:00

Engel, Christian and daughter Alice (about 1909)

Christian Engel was the hubs grandfather and my mother-in-law's father. Alice was one of 4 daughters and 1 son born to Christian and Edith (Gibson) Engel. Alice Clare Engel born January 25, 1906, died September 11, 2000; Christian Engel born May 28, 1847, died January 18, 1932.

Mary Post Warren

Mother's Day 2011

2011-05-08T20:54:00.000-07:00

I know I'm getting this post in just under the wire...it's almost 9pm and the day will be over in 3 hours. I wanted to remember two very special women in my life, my mother and my mother-in-law, on this special day. Thank you very much for all you done for me. You are gone but not forgotten:

Margaret Troyer Post
June 16, 1909 - September 18, 1987

Myrtle Engel Warren
December 21, 1908 - September 9, 2001

Mary Post Warren

Family Recipe Friday: Baked Fish

2011-05-06T00:00:00.000-07:00

This was a recipe from my mom's collection of recipes. According to her diaries, when my family lived in Los Angeles my dad and a friend would go to the beach and fish every couple of weeks...whatever they caught was brought home for dinner. Being Roman Catholic, we had fish for dinner every Friday night. Today my fishes of choice are Salmon, Tilipia, and Trout....I'd prefer it all grown in the U.S.A...but know that is not always possible to find....

I do use my 'white' meat fish with the tilipia and trout and then use the recipe below. It's pretty yummy:

Instead of white wine I will use a marinade and the rest of the direcions. I serve the fish with Brown rice and green veggies!

I fix Salmon once a week too - I LOVE SALMON - and it's almost aways grown on the west cost of the western states. I will marinate in Balsamanic Vingerette Dressing for an hour or so and then pop in the oven. Serve with Salad and a potato it's so yummy! and so easy to make!

Mary Post Warren

Those Places Thursday: In A Country Churchyard

2011-05-04T23:32:00.000-07:00

The year was 1975, and we were south of Anadarko, Oklahoma (18 miles west of Chickasha) on a fall foliage tour. I noticed a church steeple rising up out of the red, gold and green foliage.

As we bumped down the hill, on a narrow rutted road, I had no idea of the historical significance, of the well kept, old church-school house we would find there.

Note: Anadarko is deep in what was once Indian Territory, and now has the tourist attraction called, "Indian City".

Poem written by and used with permission of the hubs cousin Carl Stanislaus

Photo taken by and used with permission of hub's cousin, Carl Stanislaus

Mary Post Warren

Wordless Wedneday

2011-05-04T00:01:00.000-07:00

2011.4.29 Hubs and the son-in-law
solving the problems of the world
Long Beach California

Mary Post Warren

Follow-up on Goals/Resolutions - May

2011-05-01T00:01:00.000-07:00

My May update on my 2011 goals/resolutions....I've kind of evened out the reading vs. genealogy work and am making progress on both.

My goals for the year and their current status:

1. Read 5 chapters of the Bible daily - ON TRACK: Finished Psalms....starting Proverbs today

2. Read 2 books a month - ON TRACK: This month I read "Homespun Bride" by Jillian Hart and "Daughter of Joy" by Kathleen Morgan. Both are historical fiction. I'm also working my way through Jane Austen's "Sense and Sensibility"...it's a slower read than the others, thus taking me a little more time.

Other books I have read thus far this year:

O. Henry's "The Gift of the Magi" (January)
Frances Hodgson Burnett's "The Secret Garden" (January)
Charlotte Bronte's "Jane Eyre" (February)
L. M. (Lucy Maud) Montgomery's "Anne of Green Gables"(February)
Mindy Starns Clark and Leslie Gould's "The Amish Midwife" (March)
Thomas Paine's "Common Sense" (March)
Leslie Gould's "Garden of Dreams" (March)
Patricia Davids' "Katie's Redemption" (March)
Cindy Woodsmall's "The Hope of Refuge" (March)
Tracie Peterson's "A Dream to Call My Own" (March)
Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter" (March)

3. Volunteer in the school library - ON TRACK

4. Research family info and blog a minimum of 3 days a week - NOT ON TRACK

I recently connected with the hub's cousin Carl (his mother and the hub's mother were sisters) who has been sending me much information on their side of the family. He has traced ancestors back to their arrival on the Mayflower and before. I will be sharing much of this information in the near future, be sure to keep an eye open for some good reading. He's also written many short stories and poems that I will be sharing.
I did get done more than my quota of 3 blogs a week this month.

5. Attend a genealogy convention - ON TRACK

went to AZ Family History Expo in Mesa AZ a few weeks ago.
Trying to squeeze in an online classes.

   6. Get my zucchini to grow this year (last year I got none) - ON TRACK - praying my zucchini and other squashes planted earlier this year will sprout! Also doing a lot of watering to keep them moist during this hot weather.

   7. More canning and freezing of fresh fruits and veggies (either grown by me or given to us by neighbor)
No canning or freezing in April - but had a promise today from a neighbor of some zucchini (she said she'd give it to me tomorrow). If I can't get my own to grow, I'll get it from others!

   8. Walk more - NOT ON TRACK - although I did walk a few times this past month to and from school/work.

Pray for my sis-in-law (hubs older sis) who has terminal cancer, diagnosed a couple months ago. Prayers also for my brother-in-law (sister's husband) who has undiagnosed medical problems.

Mary Post Warren

Family Recipe Friday: Margaret Post's Apple Pie

2011-04-29T00:00:00.000-07:00

My mother's recipe for Apple Pie....this recipe looks too easy to believe! I've never made it as the recipe has been in the hands of my sister since our parent's death. Mom was an excellent cook. I'll be buying some Granny Smith apples at the grocery store soon! Margaret Troyer Post was the daughter of Elmer and Mary (Motzko) Troyer, the grand-daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth (Schrock) Troyer and Philipp and Maria (Fietzek) Motzko, and the great-grand-daughter of Yost and Martha (Plank) Schrock, John and Elizabeth (Yoder) Troyer, Franz and Francesca (Piechota) Moczko, and Martin and Catherina (Dyga) Fietzek

Mary Post Warren

Wordless Wednesday (Almost): Swan Lake

2011-04-27T15:51:00.000-07:00

Swan Lake - received from hub's cousin Carl Stanislaus

So peaceful and contentful (is that a word?). Makes me think of a summer day at the lake.

Mary Post Warren

Memories - The Runaway

2011-04-25T09:25:00.000-07:00

This is the story of one very little boy (about the age of the cutie in this picture)...who decided one day he just had to run away from home because - well who even remembers!? He diligently packed his bag, and a little food from the kitchen, found a sleeping bag and sauntered out of the back door. I can't remember what he was upset enough about to decide to 'run away' but we decided to call his bluff and let him go. We lived in a safe neighborhood and knew he wouldn't go far. (Today we would NEVER let him go out by himself).

About 15 minutes later the hubs went out to check on him...nope, not in back and not in front either. But after a short search we found him all set up under the pool table in the garage. When we asked him why he chose this spot to 'run away' to, he replied "well, you told me I couldn't go across the street by myself and there was no where else to go!' .....gotta love those memories!

The sweety next to him in this picture is his older sister...doesn't she just look tickled pink!

Mary Post Warren

Resurrection Sunday - He Is Risen

2011-04-24T13:15:00.000-07:00

2001 - Jerusalem, Israel - The Empty Tomb

Matthew 28:6

He is not here: for he is RISEN, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

Mary Post Warren

Family Recipe Friday: Mrs. Troyer's Brown Sugar Cookies

2011-04-22T00:00:00.000-07:00

One of my Great-Grandmother Elizabeth (Schrock) Troyer's recipes. This is an awesome way to use up that brown sugar that always turns hard on you and then is not useable. I can't even begin to count the number of half full boxes of brown sugar I've had to just toss. Plus they are very easy to make.

Mary Post Warren

Wordless Wednesday: Hood Ornament

2011-04-20T00:00:00.000-07:00

I'm sure he's up there thinking 'how come dinner hasn't been started yet? I'm hungry!'

Mary Post Warren

Memories - The Laundry

2011-04-19T09:05:00.000-07:00

It was a Monday morning...it had been raining all weekend and the weather man said there was no sign of a let up before the end of the week. We had a house full of teenagers and they needed clean clothes to wear. I had done the laundry over the weekend with the hopes the rain would let up long enough for them to dry on the clothes line, the dryer was broken. Alas, that was not to happen.

The hubs worked graveyard shift and was expected home shortly after I left for work so I left a note for him - "please take these clothes to the laundromat and dry them"....I set the note and the clothes on top of the counter. No problem, I figure.

I came home..the hubs was all grins..."yep", he said, looking proud as a peacock - "got the clothes dried, folded, and put away". I was happy...more than I expected.

BUT........there was a problem - hubs had NOT taken the basket of clean clothes that was sitting on the counter by the note, he had picked up another basket that was sitting on the floor and still needed to be washed! The result - since there was no figuring out which clothes in the dressers were clean or dirty - we wore a lot of dirty clothes for that week!

Mary Post Warren

Mystery Monday: Old Dunkard Church

2011-04-18T09:36:00.000-07:00

I found the below postcard in the book I purchased from e-bay "Descendants of Jacob Hochstetler" by Harvey Hostetler.

I find the hole punches around the postcard. I wonder why this was done?

Down the left hand side of the postcard it reads:

"Raphael Tuck & Sons' Series No.#2575 "Antietam Battlefield Md.

"PUBLISHERS TO THEIR MAJESTIES THE KING AND QUEEN"

Photochromed in Saxony

THE OLD DUNKARD CHURCH is about one mile from Sharpsburg on Hagerstown Pike. It was built by the German Baptist in 1853, and used by them as a regular place of worship. Some of the most severe fighting of the Battle of Antietam occurred about here, and after the battle, the church was used as a hospital and embalming station. During the battle the bible was taken by a New York soldier, and after an absence of 41 years was returned and is now occupying its old place on the pulpit.

The Battle of Antietam - click on link to read tons of information on this battle during the Civil War.

Know anything about this postcard or the Hochstetler/Hostetler families? Please contact me using the e-mail address to the right under my picture.

Mary Post Warren

Happy Birthday to My Father-in-Law

2011-04-16T13:10:00.000-07:00

Today would have been my father-in-law's 106th birthday. I only knew him a little over a year when he passed away in 1966. He was born July 16, 1905 in Louisville Kentucky to Archie and Emma Warren. He died July 16, 1965.

I didn't know my father-in-law very well...he died a couple of months after the picture was taken with our first son. That's how I remember him. I remember the time I drove our car from Laguna Beach to Long Beach by myself - with a small baby, he thought the hubs was terrible for letting me do such a thing. Women's lib was yet to come!!

Mary Post Warren

Family Recipe Friday: Mrs.Troyer's Chocolate Loaf Cake

2011-04-15T00:01:00.000-07:00

Joseph and Elizabeth (Schrock) Troyer were my great-grandparents on my mother's side, through her father Elmer Troyer. Joseph and Elizabeth had five children - William Franklin, Ella May, Jesse Edward (died as infant of 2 months), Elmer David, and Edith Magaline (aka Edie). She was the third child of Yost and Martha (Plank) Schrock.

My mother had several of "Mrs. Troyer's" recipes...all of these recipes were very simple, of course made from scratch, recipes. Today I share with you her recipe for:

"Mrs. Troyer's" Chocolate Loaf Cake

1 cup sugar - 2 cups flour - 1/4 cup cocoa - sift together

4 Tables(poon) melted shortening

1 cup sour milk (to sour- 2 Tables(poon) vinegar or lemon juice in cup of milk)
Vanilla
Beat well.
1 teas(poon) in 2 or 3 teas(poons) hot water
DO NOT BEAT AFTER ADDING SODA
350 Deg(ree) for ~~1 hour~~ 20 to 30 min(utes)

Mary Post Warren

Thursday Treasure - Our First Car

2011-04-14T00:01:00.000-07:00

August 1964 Us with our 1964 Dodge Dart

A week before we got married hubs and I broke off the engagement....long story, not needed to be shared here. Anyway, to help mend his broken heart he took the rings back, got the money back, and immediately went to the car dealership and put the money down on this brand new beauty! (NOT me, but the car) A couple days later we were back together and then off to Las Vegas to get married. The funny part about it is the lady at the jewelry store where he purchased and returned my rings had set the rings aside seeming to know he would be back. Hubs dad loaned him to $$$ to get the rings out of hock.

The purchase amount on the car was as much as a down payment is now....$2,700. Amazing - and it was just yesterday that cars were that cheap.

Mary Post Warren