Zsa Zsa

Bonjour from Campagne Maison

On February 6, 1917, Sari Gabor, better known as Zsa Zsa, was born in Budapest, Hungary. She was crowned Miss Hungary 1936. Zsa Zsa came to the United States with her two sisters, Eva and Magda, in search of movie stardom. However, rather than seek out acting jobs, she sought out wealth and jewels. Zsa Zsa's theory was that "any publicity is GOOD publicity". Married 9 times, her only daughter, Francesca Hilton, was from her marriage to hotel magnate, Conrad Hilton.

Officially known as an actress, she is more famous as an "old school celebrity sex symbol". Zsa Zsa's most famous "act" was from her arrest for slapping a police officer while being stopped for a traffic violation. She was found guilty, spent 3 days in jail, and had to pay over $13,000 in court costs. Aunt to Paris Hilton, Zsa Zsa is now 93 years old and suffering from complications of a stroke that she had in 2007.

In 2009, lawyers found that she may have lost as much as 10 million dollars with swindler Bernard Madoff thru third party investments.

Zsa Zsa's is noted for her many quotes which include:

"I am a marvelous house keeper. Every time I leave a man I keep his house".

"Conrad Hilton was very generous to me in the divorce settlement. He gave me 5,000 Gideon Bibles".

"Husbands are like fires. They go out when unattended".

I am participating in Jenny's Alphabe-Thursday. Please grab her button on my sidebar and head on over to the class room. This is our LAST Alphabet class and I am sure there will be lot's of good Z's and no zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz's!

Thanks for stopping by the farmhouse for a visit. We love having company!

Au revoir,

www.wikipedia.com

Yesterday When I Was Young

Bonjour from Campagne Maison

my mom...Sylvia

"Yesterday When I Was Young"

My family was fortunate to have another REunion here at the farm on Father's Day weekend. Our father, Voy Rivers, passed away on March 1, 1981--29 years ago--but his memory REmains with us and his life will always be celebrated as long as there is breath in any of us. As I was looking at literally hundreds of photos that were taken over the four days that we had together as a family, to REunite and REminisce, I was touched to REcall the many blessings that the union between my father and my mother has brought to each of us. The greatest of all these are our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

My mother, Sylvia, celebrated her 88th birthday on Friday, July 2. Although her many trials in life have become a broken REcord to us, she none-the-less brings joy and happiness to us on a daily basis. I think you will agree that she looks amazing for her age. She started married life the early age of 15 1/2 and birthed all nine of her children at home!

This week I would like to share a few of the pictures taken during our REunion. I found myself looking into the faces of a few of my siblings via their children and grandchildren, as well as my own. The strong German jaw line, high Choctaw cheekbones, Irish red hair, and the large eyes, strong brow and nose of the French. We've been blessed with two more new additions to the family this year and there are two more in the oven!

Memphis

Jace

Ethan and Amelia

"Yesterday when I was young

The taste of love was sweet as rain upon my tongue;

I teased at life as if it were a foolish game

The way the evening breeze may tease a candle flame"

Madison

Maggie and Hayden

"The thousand dreams I dreamed, the splendid things I planned--

I always built to last on weak and shifting sand;

I lived by night and shunned the naked light of day,

And only now I see how the years ran away"

Owen

Boston

"Yesterday when I was young,

So many happy songs were waiting to be sung,

So many wayward pleasures lay in store for me,

And so much pain my dazzled eyes refused to see"

Parker

Conner

"I ran so fast that time and youth, at last, ran out,

I never stopped to think what life was all about;

And ev'ry conversation I can now recall

Concerned itself with me, and nothing else at all"

Evan

Haiven

"Yesterday the moon was blue,

And ev'ry crazy day brought something new to do,

I used my magic age as if it were a wand,

And never saw the waste and emptiness beyond"

Kaleb

Mya

"The game of love I played with arrogance and pride,

And ev'ry flame I lit too quickly, quickly died;

The friends I made all seemed somehow to drift away

And only I am left on stage to end the play"

Josiah

Sylvia

"There are so many songs in me that won't be sung,

I feel the bitter taste of tears upon my tongue;

The time has come for me to pay for yesterday

When I was young"

I will be linking this post up with Jenny's Alphabe-Thursday. On Thursday, please grab her button on my sidebar and head on over to class. I'm sure there will be LOTS of "Y" 's in class!

Thanks for stopping by the farmhouse for a visit today. We love having company.

Au revoir,

"Yesterday When I Was Young" sung by Johnny Mathis

photo credits: Voy Gillentine

X marks the spot

Bonjour from Campagne Maison

X marks the spot

Dear Ms. Matlock,

I've always thought that the alphabet letter X carried a mysterious air about it and after much contemplation over what to write about X this week, here are a few things that I have to report:

X used by the Romans denotes the numeral 10
X used in arithmetic multiplies or increases another number
X used in legal documents identifies a signature of a person who cannot write their name
X used by movie makers rates violence and subject matter for their audience
X used by mathematicians signifies an unknown quantity
X used in the garment industry declares a size
X used by proof readers deletes an entry
X used on a map marks a location
X used by lovers as a symbol to represent hugs
X used in the chromosomes of our reproductive system determines sex as female
X used in conversation nullifies a position from the present to the past

X is a pretty significant letter!

My pet peeve about the letter X is when it is substituted for Christ, when writing Christmas----that is just taking the letter to the Xtreme!

I am participating in Jenny's Alphabe-Thursday this week. Grab her button on my sidebar and head on over to class. It will be interesting to see what other students will be writing about the letter X today.

Thanks for stopping by the farmhouse for a visit. We love having company.

Au revoir,

W is for 1927 Wedding Gift

Bonjour from Campagne Maison

"W"

Befitting the pages of a well written Danielle Steel novel, the love story between a high fashioned New York Model and a small town landowner/farmer, made its way onto the Society pages of NE AR history. Charles Wood swept Estella out of her high heeled shoes and shoulder padded silk lingerie straight off Fifth Avenue and into his arms and a new way of life when they wed in 1927 and moved to Luxora, AR. Big city gal, small town country boy....

Because I've had my hands busy helping with our annual Family Reunion, I haven't been able to get all the details of this weeks lesson together, so Ms. Matlock will probably make me sit in the corner this week. I do promise, however, to attend to all the details very shortly and write a REAL report of the account. I will have to give my mother time to "reflect" back on her memories and compare notes with me before I commit my writings to stone.

The friendship between Ms. Stella and my mom was unwavering. It resulted in my mom being banned from the local nursing home because she would sneak food and other contraband in to Ms. Wood. Like I said, fodder for Danielle Steel!

One of the things given to my mom upon Ms. Stella's death was a treasured wedding heirloom, the remainder of her Oneida Community Plate Silver Bridal Chest collection. After many years of wishing, hoping, begging and good fortune, Mama handed the heirloom down to me. I really think it was because the silver is engraved with the initial "W" and I am the only child of hers with that initial. Lucky me--or as I would prefer to say---BLESSED!

1921 Grosvenor Oneida Community Silver Plate Set

6 pc Place Setting sold for $ 34.25

My mom, Sylvia Gillentine and Ms. Estella Wood circa 1980

I am participating in Jenny's Alphabe-Thursday. Please grab her button on my side bar and head on over to class. We are only a few weeks away from graduation!!

Thanks for stopping by the farmhouse for a visit today. We love having company!

Au revoir,

V is for Voices From The Past, Papa's Violin

Bonjour from Campagne Maison

modern version of a German Cremona Violin

Voices From The Past, by Faye Witt Moreland, unravels a bit of family history on my father's side, beginning in time of over a century ago. It is written in the 18th-19th-20th century dialect of Itawamba County, MS where John Gillentine's Alabama exodus landed him in the Hopewell community in 1840.

At the age of 14 (1907), the authors father was gifted a maple violin, made in Cremona, Italy c: 1895-1900 from his father. Next to the Bible, the violin was his most sacred possession. His ancestors migrated to Germany from England in the 11th century. It was from his German ancestors that he inherited his love of music, especially the violin. Upon his death in 1948, the violin was stored away until 1970, when it was given to the author by her mother. She had it REstored to it's original likeness and displayed it in her office for 34 years. Unfortunately, a family member stole it and to my knowledge, it was never returned.

This book is a personal treasure to me. The author, Faye Witt Moreland and I are second cousins. I've never had the pleasure of meeting her, but, through her writings I've gotten to know more about my father's family and their way of life growing up in the back woods of Mississippi.

Faye is a retired newspaper photographer/report, a member of the National Federation of Press Women, author of "Green Fields and Fairer Lanes", a Contralto Soloist and landscape artist.

I am linking up with Jenny's Alphabe-Thursday. Please grab her button on my sidebar and head on over to class. We're all about the letter "V" today!

Thanks for stopping by the farmhouse for a visit today. We love having company!

Au revoir,

credit: "Voices From The Past" by Faye Witt Moreland

U is for UP

Bonjour from Campagne Maison

Up primarily denotes direction of movement and this song definitely makes your entire body move in all directions. I thought I'd change things UP a bit this week! Besides, I think Ms. Matlock will agree that every good student needs a music class.

"Up!"

It's 'bout as bad as it could be
Seems everybody's buggin' me
Like nothing wants to go my way--
yeah, it just ain't been my day
Nothin's comin' easily

Even my skin is acting weird
I wish that I could grow a beard
Then I could cover up my spots
not play connect the dots
I just wanna disappear

Even something as simple as
Forgettin' to fill up on gas
There ain't no explanation why--
things like that can make you cry
Just gotta learn to have a laugh

When everything is goin' wrong
Don't worry, it won't last for long
Yeah, it's all gonna come around
Don't go let it get you down
You gotta keep on holding on

It's 'bout as bad as it could be
Seems everybody's buggin' me
Like nothing want to go my way--
yeah, it just ain't been my day
Nothin's comin' easily

UP, UP, UP
can only go UP from here...
UP, UP, UP...UP
where the clouds gonna clear
UP, UP, UP,
there's no way but UP from here

UP lyrics sung by Shania Twain

I am linking up with Jenny's Alphabe-Thursday. Please grab her button on my sidebar and head to class to see what's UP!

Thanks for stopping by the farmhouse for a visit today. We love having company.

Au revoir,

T is for Tongue Twisters

Bonjour from Campagne Maison

Tongue Twisters

A tongue twister is a phrase, sentence or rhyme that presents difficulties when spoken because it contains similar sounds - "Whistle for the thistle sifter" for example. To get the full effect of a tongue twister you should try to repeat it several times, as quickly as possible, without stumbling or mispronouncing.

Tongue twisters have long been a popular form of wordplay, particularly for schoolchildren, but they also have a more serious side - being used in elocution teaching and in the treatment of some speech defects.

Try to tackle this tricksy tongue twister today!


A tree toad loved a she-toad
Who lived up in a tree.
He was a two-toed tree toad
But a three-toed toad was she.
The two-toed tree toad tried to win
The three-toed she-toad's heart,
For the two-toed tree toad loved the ground
That the three-toed tree toad trod.
But the two-toed tree toad tried in vain.
He couldn't please her whim.
From her tree toad bower
With her three-toed power
The she-toad vetoed him.

My tongue is so twisted I have to stop here!

Grab Ms. Matlock's Alphabe-Thursday button on my sidebar and hurry on over to class and read all the other great "T"s for today.

Thanks for stopping by the farmhouse for a visit today. We love having company!

Au revoir,

S is for Sequoyah's Syllabary, Sogwali, Sequoia

Bonjour from Campagne Maison

Sequoyah 1776- 1843

Sogwali was born in 1776 in the village of Tuskeegee, near Vonore, TN about a twenty minute drive from Campagne Maison. His mother, Wut-teh was the daughter of a Cherokee Chief. His father, Nathaniel Gist, was a white Virginian fur trader. Sogwali's name was changed to Sequoyah by the missionaries but he was known to the white man as George Gist.

Sequoyah became a Silversmith by trade. He married a Cherokee and had a family. Along with other Cherokees, Sequoyah enlisted on the side of the United States under General Andrew Jackson to fight the British troops and the Creek Indians in the war of 1812.

Although Sequoyah was exposed to the concept of writing early in his life, he never learned the English alphabet. Unlike the white soldiers, he and the other Cherokees were not able to write letters home, read military orders, or record events as they occurred. Driven by the desire to see literacy for his people, after the war, Sequoyah began in earnest to create a writing system for the Cherokees. He started by making symbols that could make words and reduced the thousands of Cherokee thoughts down to 85 symbols representing those sounds.

Sequoyah devised a game of this new writing system and taught his little girl, Ayoka, how to make the symbols. In 1821, after 12 years working on the new language, he and his daughter introduced his syllabary to the Cherokee people. Within a few months thousands of Cherokees became literate.

Sequoyah's Syllabary

By 1825 much of the Bible and numerous hymns had been translated into Cherokee. By 1828 they were publishing the "Cherokee Phoenix," the first national bi-lingual newspaper, along with religious pamphlets, educational materials and legal documents.

In recognition of his contributions, the Cherokee Nation awarded Sequoyah a silver medal and a lifetime pension. He continued to serve Cherokee people as a statesman and diplomat until his death.

The Sequoyah Birthplace Museum is located in Vonore, TN, Loudon County, TN. It is open Mon - Sat, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. and on Sunday from noon until 5:00 p.m. It is the property of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians whose mission strives to promote the understanding and appreciation of the history of the Cherokee people.

"Never before, or since, in the history of the world, has one man--not literate in any language, perfected a system for reading and writing a language" (taken from www.sequoyahmusuem.org/ website)

It was also noted that the great Sequoia trees were named in his honor!

I am linking up with Jenny's Alphabe-Thursday for this week's letter "S". Grab her button on my sidebar and head on over there to read all the other great "S" words.

Thanks for stopping by the farmhouse for a visit today. We love having company!

Au revoir,

http://www.wikipedia.com/

R is for RED Skelton

Bonjour from Campagne Maison

"R" is for Red Skelton, the artist

Richard "Red" Skelton

Triple Self portrait

On July 18, 1913, America's beloved clown, "Freddie the Freeloader", was born. He was named Richard "Red" Skelton. Red's father was a Circus clown who died shortly before his son's birth. It soon became evident that the clown gene was passed onto Red as he began working with the circus, but "Freddie the Freeloader" didn't made his appearance in 1951.

When Red was 10 years old, he was introduced into show business by Ed Wynn. And, by the time he was 15, he was working full time in burlesque, showboats, minstrel shows and the circus. Although Red Skelton is most noted for his success as a comedian and actor, he was a man of many talents including an accomplished artist. It was his love of clowns that actually motivated him to start painting. When asked why he became an artist, Red related a story that reflects his wit and humor.

"I walked into this gallery and was looking at a painting of a clown when the salesman came up to me. I asked him how much the painting was and he said, five thousand wouldn't touch it. I was shocked and immediately told him I was one of them and left."

As the story goes, Red Skelton went out and bought a set of paints, and began painting. A Red Skelton original could sell for as much as $80,000 prior to his death in 1997, and may bring more today. Red Skelton clown paintings are coveted by collectors around the world. His works are a sound investment in art, as well as a recognized collector's delight, revealing the man who painted them. His art work has proven its value with other contemporary artists and their worth has no limit. They are intensely moving, winning him the Footprints in the Sands of Time award... one of the highest honors an artist can receive.

Red was inducted into the International Clown Hall of Fame in 1989 and was presented the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Governors award in 1986. He was also a Free Mason, a Shriner, a member of both the Scottish and York Rite, and a member of the LA Shriners. He composed music and wrote children's books in addition to breeding quarter horses on his ranch outside Palm Springs. In the early 1960's, Red was the first CBS host to tape weekly programs in color.

Red's famous sign off at the end of his weekly television show was "Good Night and God Bless".

On September 17, 1974, at the age of 84, Red and Freddie passed away. Their body lies in rest at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery, in Glendale, CA.

I am linking up with Jenny's Alphabe-Thursday. Please grab her button on my side bar and head over to class to read all the other student's "R" words.

Thanks for stopping by the farmhouse for a visit. We love having company.

Au revoir,

http://www.redskelton.com/BIOGRAPHY.htm

Q is for "Quinn the Eskimo"

Bonjour from Campagne Maison

"Q" is for "Quinn the Eskimo"

......Come all without.....

....Come all within....

You'll not see nothing like the Mighty Quinn.....

"Quinn the Eskimo (Mighty Quinn)" is a 1967 folk-rock song written by Bob Dylan during "The Basement Tapes" sessions. The song became a hit in 1968 for the British band Manfred Mann, who released it as a single using the title "Mighty Quinn".

The subject of the song is the arrival of the mighty Quinn (an Eskimo), who changes despair into joy and chaos into rest, and attracts attention from the animals. The metaphorical lyrics have prompted suggestions that Quinn is a village elder. Dylan himself has said that the title character refers to actor Anthony Quinn's role as an Eskimo in the 1959 movie "The Savage Innocents". Dylan has also been quoted as saying that the song was nothing more than a "simple nursery rhyme".

Anthony Quinn 1915-2001

"The Mighty Quinn" with Denzel Washington

More recently, Dylan in his autobiography Chronicles Volume One (published 2004), makes further reference to the song: "On the way back to the house I passed the local movie theater on Prytania Street, where The Mighty Quinn was showing. Years earlier I had written a song called "The Mighty Quinn" which was a hit in England, and I wondered what the movie was about. Eventually I'd sneak off and go there to see it. It was a mystery, suspense, Jamaican thriller with Denzel Washington as the "Mighty Xavier Quinn", a detective who solves crimes. Funny, that's just the way I imagined him when I wrote the song--- The Mighty Quinn, Denzel Washington".

Dylan originally recorded the song in 1967 during the Basement Tapes sessions, but did not release a version for another three years. Meanwhile, the song was picked up and recorded by the British band Manfred Mann, who released it under the title "Mighty Quinn." The Manfred Mann version reached #1 in the UK Singles Chart for the week of February 14, 1968, and remained there the following week. It also charted on the American Billboard chart, peaking at #10, and reached #4 in Cash Box.

A later incarnation of Manfred Mann, Manfred Mann's Earth Band, included a dramatically different live version of the song on their 1978 album Watch.

A demo of 14 of the Basement Tape recordings, including the first of two takes of "Quinn the Eskimo", was produced in 1968, but was not intended for release. Recordings taken from the demos began appearing on bootlegs, starting with Great White Wonder, a double-album bootleg that came out in July 1969. The first official release of the song was in 1970 on Dylan's Self Portrait album, a live recording from 1969's Isle of Wight Festival. The live version was also selected in 1971 for the second compilation of Dylan's career, Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Vol. II.

When Columbia finally released The Basement Tapes in 1975, "Quinn the Eskimo" was not among the double-album's 24 songs (although an Eskimo was featured on the album cover, alongside Dylan, The Band, and several other people meant to represent certain characters from some of Dylan's songs). However, ten years later, in 1985, the second of the original takes appeared on the three-disc Biography set. This version from the Basement Tapes was used again on The Essential Bob Dylan, a compilation released in 2000.

...when Quinn the Eskimo gets here, everybody's gonna jump for joy...

I am linking up with Jenny's Alphabe-Thursday. Please grab her button on my sidebar and head on over to class to read about all the other "Q"s today!

Thanks for stopping by the farmhouse for a visit. We love having company.

Au revoir,

http://www.wikipedia.com/

The Silent P

Bonjour from Campagne Maison

"P"

Dear Ms. Matlock,

I saw my physician yesterday and was diagnosed with pneumonia. He sent me to the pharmacy for some medication. While I was there, I saw some photos of people with psoriasis and started having phantom pains. I can't stop scratching! Then, on my way home, I stopped for supper and developed ptomaine posioning.

Today, I have to see a psychiatrist because I have developed psychasthenia. I should have listened to that psychic instead of accusing her of being a phoney. Maybe the best thing for me to do is read a Psalm and stay in bed.

I would turn in my paper with a pseudonym this week, but I know that you check attendance and would miss me. I have studied really hard on my spelling this week, so please excuse me from class today. I will return next week.

I am linking up with Jenny's Alphabe-Thursday. Please grab her button on my sidebar and head on over to read all the other "P" words for this week!

Thanks for stopping by the farmhouse for a visit today. We love having company.

Au revoir,

"O" is for The Big O

Bonjour from Campagne Maison

Seminole Indian Chief Osceola

"O" is for Osceola, Arkansas, my hometown. Us natives (no pun intended) proudly refer to it as "The Big O".

The original Osceola town site was named Plum Point, as referred to in the writings of Mark Twain, and was established in 1837 directly on the Mississippi River. The town of Osceola was incorporated in 1875. It was named in honor of Osceola, a Seminole Indian chief, who at one time was thought to have visited Indian tribes there, regarding an exchange of local land for Seminole land in Florida. I will talk more about Chief Osceola in a future post, but the "Big O" today will refer to my hometown.

Steamboats and river packets frequented the early village as a REfueling station because of the availability of firewood. The town was noted for its generous assistance to victims of the all too frequent boat wrecks, which occurred in the area. Although Osceola enjoyed an established river trade by the time of the Civil War, it was too small to be of military importance.

Located in central Mississippi County, adjacent to the Mississippi River, Osceola is the original County Seat of Mississippi County. Constructed in 1912, the Mississippi Country Courthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Many famous people call Osceola their home. Besides me, there is:

Bill Alexander, U.S. Representative from First Congressional District, 1969–1993
David Barrett, New York Jets cornerback
Maurice Carthon, former NFL and USFL player and NFL assistant coach
Ran Carthon, running back with Indianapolis Colts
Dale Evans, wife of Roy Rogers, TV and movie Star
Buddy Jewell, the first Nashville Star winner
Cortez Kennedy, former NFL defensive lineman
Albert King, Blues legend
Kemmons Wilson, founder of Holiday Inn

Jeremey Wells, songwriter and stage manager for Finding Jimmy Hoffa band and my rockstar

Gaylon Nickerson, former NBA player
Bill Ramsey, played baseball for the Boston Braves
Billy Lee Riley, Sun Records artist, Rockabilly star
Son Seals, Blues guitarist
Fice Musaveni, American Producer/Musician
Jimmy Thomas, Blues recording artist, lead singer for Ike Turner

I could elaborate for days about all the great memories that I have of the Big O. Honestly, I have never seen a sky more blue, the grass more green, or a rainbow with more vivid colors spanning across the Mississippi River, than I have in the Big O. I've never made dearer friends, had more fun, or loved as many, as I have in the Big O. I've never felt more sorrow, experienced more happiness, or felt as helpless, as I have in the Big O. Times were hard but they were good when making memories to last my lifetime, in the Big O.

I am linking up with Jenny's Alphabe-Thursday. Please grab her button on my sidebar and go over to read all the other great "O" posts!

Thanks for stopping by the farmhouse for a visit today. We love having company.

Au revoir,

"M" is for "Me", "Mariachi Band" "Mexico" "Margaritaville" and "Melanie"

Bonjour from Campagne Maison

Melanie, Jacque, and J. Karen and a Mexican Mariachi Band

Three of my sisters, Jenny, Melanie, and J. Karen, and I went on a cruise to Mexico where we were serenated by a Mariachi Band at the port in Couzemel. We had to leave Jenny aboard the ship to see the doctor, due to a bad case of seasickness, so she is not in the above picture. She was a sport about the whole thing and did get better the next day.

One of the places we visited en route was Key West, FL where we enjoyed a break at Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville.

I wanted a picture to include the signage, so I had to climb up into the window to have it taken. I like to say that I was "high" but not on the Margaritas!

I am linking up with Jenny Matlock's Alphabe-Thursday. Please grab her button on my sidebar and go over to read about all the other "M"s in class today.

Happy "M" day, Ms. Matlock!

Thanks for stopping by the farmhouse for a visit. We love having company!

Au revoir,

"L" is for "Limousin" Cattle

Bonjour from Campagne Maison

Limousin cattle are a breed of beef cattle originally bred in the Limousin and Marche region of France. They are recognisable by their distinctive chestnut-red coloring. The first herd was established in 1886 for improvement of the breed by natural selection. However, the breed may be as old as the history of Europe itself. Cattle found in cave drawings known to be 20,000 years old in the Lascaux Cave near Montignac, France have a striking resemblance to today's Limousin cattle.

Limousins are known for their muscular build, feed efficiency, ease of management and comparable calving ease to other breeds. Limousin cattle produce the leaner cuts of beef that have become a staple of the modern market. Breeders have worked extensively on their disposition issues since their arrival in North America. Most producers find them to be manageable and easy to work with, if not better, than any other beef cattle breeds available today.

Limousins are the breed of choice raised here at Campagne Maison.

I am linking up with Jenny for Alphabe-Thursday. Please grab her button on my sidebar and visit our classroom today. There are plenty of "L"s to read about today.

Thanks for stopping by the farmhouse for a visit today. We love having company.

Au revoir,

http://www.wikipedia.com/

"K" is for a "Knight" at Campagne Maison

Bonjour from Campagne Maison

A Knight at Campagne Maison

Sir Paul or Sir Elton, he is not, and, he does not sit at a round table. But, this Knight keeps the karma and kismet keen at Campagne Maison and serves as a backdrop for many Kodak moments.

I am linking up to Jenny's Alphabe-Thursday. Grab her button on my sidebar to read all the other "K"s for today!

Thanks for stopping by the farmhouse for a visit today. We love having company.

Au revoir,

"J" is for "Jacquelin Wells" aka "Julie Bishop"

Bonjour from Campagne Maison

Jacqueline Wells aka Julie Bishop

My mother named me Jacquelin after a childhood friend and I became a Wells when I married. This post is about another.

Jacqueline Wells was born Jacqueline Brown to a wealthy Denver banker/oilman on August 30, 1914. She moved to Los Angeles after her parents divorce and debuted onscreen at the age of 9. She soon became a busy child actress, working alongside Mary Pickford and Clara Bow, during the silent era under the screen name of Jacqueline Wells.

Jacqueline and Buster Crabbe in "Tarzan the Fearless"

Jacqueline took 4 years off from film work in her teens, during which time she attended school and took dancing lessons. She returned to the screen in the 30's appearing in a number of Hal Roach comedy shorts. In 1940, Jacqueline signed a contract with Warner Brothers, and made 84 movies under a name change to Julie Bishop. During that time she worked opposite Buster Crabbe, Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, Roy Rogers, Laurel and Hardy and my favorites, Humphrey Bogart and John Wayne. In the 1950's, she co-starred with Bob Cummings in the TV series, "My Hero" and also starred as Allison McKenzie in "Return to Peyton Place".

Jacqueline retired from the screen in 1957. Among her many lifetime accomplishments, Jacqueline was a licensed private pilot and a painter. She entertained soldiers at the Hollywood Canteen during WWII and was named one of the 10 Best Dressed Women in Los Angeles. She died from pneumonia on her 87th birthday, August 30, 2001.

******Side note: Jacqueline is the mother of actress Pamela Shoop-Sweeny, whose marriage to Father Terrance Sweeney, a Jesuit Priest in the Roman Catholic Church for 24 years, led to their autobiography, "What God Hath Joined". The book records their trials and triumphs as the first Priest to marry publicly--a self-described "modern day "THE THORNBIRDS" only with a happy ending!

I am linking up with Jenny at Alphabe-Thursday. Grab her button on my sidebar and head on over to her place to read all the other "J" 's for today!

Thanks for stopping by the farmhouse for a visit. We love having company.

Au revoir,

http://www.almovie.com/

http://www.erbzine.com/

http://www.altfg.com/

http://www.wikipedia.com/

"I" is for "ICE"

Bonjour from Campagne Maison

ICE is formed when liquid water is cooled below 32 degrees F and appears in nature as snowflakes, hail, icicles, glaciers and polar ice caps.

Have you ever had to "test the ice"?

or skated on thin ice?

Here's a joke in case you ever have to "break the ice"...

What sits on the bottom of the ICE cold Arctic Ocean and shakes?

( A nervous wreck )

Did you know that it would be possible to start a fire with ice if it was carved into a lens shape and then used to focus the sun's rays onto kindling?

Food for thought: If it was ZERO degrees yesterday, and it is twice as cold today, just how cold is it?

I am linking with Jenny's Alphabe-Thursday. Please grab her button on my sidebar and head on over there and read all the other "I" words for today.

Thanks for stopping by the farmhouse for a visit. We love having company!

Au revoir,

"H" is for "Howdy Doody"

Bonjour from Campagne Maison

Buffalo Bob and Howdy Doody

Say kids...what time is it?

It's Howdy Doody time,

It's Howdy Doody time,

Bob Smith and Howdy Do

Say Howdy Do to you

Let's give a rousing cheer

'Cause Howdy Doody's here

It's time to start the show

So kids let's go!

All you kids out there in "Peanut Gallery" can sing along....

Howdy Doody was a freckle-faced boy marionette, operated by 11 strings. His face donned 48 freckles--one for each state of the Union. His original voice was that of "Buffalo Bob" Smith.

Residing in the town of "Doodyville", other puppets on the show included Howdy's sister, "Heidi Doody", "Mayor Phineas T. Blaster", "Dilly Dally", "Princess Summerfall Winterspring" (who was later brought to life by actress Judy Tyler) and "Fub-a-Dub" who was a mixture of 8 different animals. The human population included "Clarabell the Clown", originally played by Bob Keeshan, who later became "Captain Kangaroo". Bob also played "Chief Thunderbird, the original "Kowabunga" man!

The show was created by E. Roger Muir and aired in the United States from 1947-1960 on NBC television station. The original "Howdy Doody" resides at Detroit Institue of Arts, but other duplicates, "Double Doody" and "Photo Doody" were made. " Double Doody" was used as a stand-in on stage and now resides at the Smithsonian. "Photo Doody" was used for personal appearances, photos, parades, and the famed NBC test pattern. He was sold to a private collector in 1997 for $ 113,000.

On September 24, 1960, the show ended with "Clarabell's Big Surprise", when "Clarabell" revealed to everyone that she could talk. With a tear in her eye, as the credits rolled, she said "Goodbye kids".

http://www.wikipedia.com/

I am linking this post to Jenny's Alphabe-Thursd ay. Please click the button to her link that is located on my sidebar and head on over there to read more fabulous "H" posts.

Thanks for stopping by the farmhouse for a visit today. We love having company!

Au revoir,

"G" is for Guillotine/Gillentine

Bonjour from Campagne Maison

"The Tale of Two Names"

My grandfather and grandmother, John and Hassie Gillentine and children, circa @ 1920

My father, Voy Rivers Gillentine, standing, second from the right end

Gillentine: The Gillentines were Christ-loving people and were dedicated French Catholics when they lived in that country during the French Revolution. At the rebirth of the beheading apparatus, promoted by a well-respected physician, Dr. Joseph Guillotine, things didn't go too well for the family name, so off to England they went! There they became followers of the Church of England and brought their religious beliefs with them, when in the 17th century they landed in King William County, VA.

In Virginia they remained true to their Anglican faith, and when George Washington called for arms to free the colonies from all enemies, the only Guillotine eligible to go, wouldn't. He was/is called the family draft-dodger!! (Hey, we all have skeletons in our closets!!) As time went along, and I assume out of embarrassment of that association, the French spelling of the family name Guillotine was changed to the English spelling of Gillentine, of which it is known today.

Dr. Joseph Ignance Guillotine

1738-1821

Guillotine: A common misconception associated with Dr. Joseph Guillotine was that he was responsible for the creation of the guillotine. BUT, history dates back to the use of a beheading or decapitation design introduced on January 4, 1307 in Merton, Ireland. In the 1400's, the "Halifax Gibbet" was used with a record of the last execution by use of the machine in 1648 in Halifax, England. In 1564, "The Maiden", which was fashioned after the "Halifax Gibbet" was used in Scotland.

Dr. Guillotine was President of The Chamber of the Province in 1775, founder of the French Academy of Medicine, and Deputy to the French Assembly in 1789. On October 11, 1789, Dr. Guillotine submitted a proposal to the Assembly debate on the Penal Code, recommending "that death, without the accompaniment of torture, and by means of decapitation, should become the sole and standard punishment in France". A fellow physician, Antoine Louis, took the first practical steps towards the creation of the guillotine in France, in keeping with Dr. Guillotine's proposal. It was called "Louison" or "Louisette", but the press preferred to call it the "guillotine" as the sound of that word "had a nicer ring" to it. It is estimated that over 40,000 people died under "Madame Guillotine". I was surprised to see that it's last official use was on September 10, 1977 in Marseilles, France. I thought it became obsolete after the French Revolution!

This is a "G"ory "G"eneology of our family name, but none-the-less, I've always felt a connection to my French heritage. I am of the 28th "G"eneration of the family recorded in the exodus of England to VA. I am certain that as a physician, Dr. Guillotine felt that this method of death was perhaps the most humane. The compassionate gene still remains prominent in the "G"illentine bloodline today. Sadly, although he did not invent it, Dr. Guillotine's name will forever be attached to it. During the Revolution, the guillotine was used only on people with a noble status, all others were drawn and quartered by a horse, burned at the stake, or beheaded with a sword. I shudder to think about the device and pray that it is never used again!

I am participating with Jenny's Alphabe-Thursday. You can click on her blog button located on my side bar. Please head (no pun intended) on over there and read all the other great "G" words for today.

I am also linking this post back to Amy at http://keepingupwiththeshultzfamily.blogspot.com/

Thank you Amy for the invitation to join in your for "FAMILY FRIDAYS" today!

Thanks for stopping by the farmhouse for a visit today. We love having company.

Au revoir,

http://www.wikipedia.com/

www.freemasonry.com

"Voices from the Past" by Faye Witt Moreland (family historian and author)