This is a selfie of me, your roving reporter, about to head out the door. I’ve got my coat on, even a snazzy beret, but no footwear, er … paw wear. Hmm – decision, decisions. Do I wear shoes, snow boots, or ice cleats – what weather havoc did Mother Nature wreak today?
Our weather here in Southeast Michigan has been unbearable … snowy and blowy, or icey and dicey, for a solid month now. This morning the weatherman said “folks, don’t believe a word the Groundhog told you – we have another two weeks before things relax a bit.” Grrr to the Groundhog, who likely needs new glasses. While I’m grateful for the spurts of good weather the past several weekends, giving me a chance to get down to the Park, or explore other venues, I’m eager to get back to my walking regimen full time. I am sure my Park squirrels are scratching their heads, (and no it isn’t just lice or fleas), wondering why the Peanut Lady abandons them during the work week.
While my heart’s desire is better weather, your wish may be chocolate, so this bear is bearing bonbons for Valentine’s Day!
The picture above is from an American Greetings Valentine’s Day card and features this vintage American bear, manufactured by the Ideal Novelty and Toy Company, circa 1906, and is part of the Yenke Collection. Through the years I collected teddy bears too, though none of them were antique or vintage bears. I gave this greeting card to my mom one year because she was born on Valentine’s Day – she would have turned 93 today.
Happy Valentine’s Day! I’ll leave you with this wonderful quote:
Linda Schaub
WALKIN', WRITIN', WIT & WHIMSY 
Happy Valentine’s Day to you and your crew.
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Thanks Kate – same to you and yours.
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Happy Valentine’s Day Linda! 💖
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Thanks Sabine – same to you.
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Bear hugs to you, Linda Valentine Bear. Hoping the Valentine’s day weather is to your liking, with plenty of warm sunshine, un-slippery walkways, furry friends, nature, fresh air, plenty of exercise and lots of love,
Susie
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Hi Susie – bear hugs back to you! We actually had a balmy day and even some sun, but that didn’t happen until late in the day. I looked outside and saw some of the ice has melted, but not all of it. Tonight when it dips down below freezing, it’ll ice up again, but nothing like the other day when it was like a sheet of glass, and even the snow was slick and crunchy. I’m hoping that Saturday and/or Sunday the cement will be dry and ice free. Crossing my fingers for that and I can get in a walk to the Park.
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I know it’s a hard day when you are missing your mom. Sending you big hugs. I love the Dr. Seuss quote – so true. ♥
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Thanks Ruth – yes it is hard every Valentine’s Day. It was especially hard the first year, because it was two weeks after she passed away. Thank you for the hugs. I have always enjoyed Dr. Seuss quotes – this is one of my favorites; the other is this one because we agree it is good to march to the beat of a different drum sometimes:
“Be who you are and say what you feel, because in the end those who matter don’t mind and those who mind don’t matter.”
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You are welcome Linda. Another great quote! 🙂
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I knew you’d like that one too Ruth.
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Happy Valentine’s Day to you and Happy Birthday to your mom in heaven!
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Thank you Diane for both wishes – Happy Valentine’s Day to you as well.
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What a beautiful quote. You gotta love Dr. Seuss. I always think about my mom on her birthday too. Hope you are feeling OK today. I sometimes get a little blue on that day. My heart’s desire is for spring weather too, but I did enjoy the chocolate-covered strawberries Hubby gave me for Valentine’s Day.
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Laurie – I have always liked Dr. Seuss and I have two favorites: this one and also: “Do what you want and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” I just shared that quote with Ruth Soaper because of her comment last week when I said it was good to march to the beat of a different drum sometimes. I have thought about my mom through this day – it was hardest the first year as she passed away on January 31st, two weeks to the date before her birthday. And all the ads on the radio or social media about Valentine’s Day hit me hard. Spring would be nice and soon. We actually had balmy weather today but late in the day, and it melted some of the ice, where the sun shone on it – unfortunately large portions of the driveway are not in the sun. Tonight it will freeze over again. I always hear the ads for Shari’s Berries and they sound so delicious … my mom used to take the big strawberries when they were in season, and wet them, then roll them in strawberry Jell-o crystals. She had some plastic “stems” that you used to roll them … they were delicious. We tried dipping them in chocolate one time, but they didn’t look like the professionals. 🙂
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Another good Dr. Suess quote! Our balmy weather was on Friday – actually got up to the mid-60s. We have a Fire and Ice festival here in town that began that day. They have dozens of huge ice sculptures all over town along with food trucks, a chili cook off, music, etc. The weather was great for the people but not so good for the ice sculptures.
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I thought you’d like that quote Laurie. We had one balmy day and now snow started tonight at 6:00, then another ice storm on Tuesday. We have the Plymouth Ice Festival – it’s not near me and I’ve never gone to it, but I like looking at the photos when the media covers it. When they had it this year it was bitter cold and they joked nothing would melt unlike some years, when the ice carvers lose their creations once the sun came out. It always sounds like lots of fun.
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Linda……………………..thank you for sharing about your mother’s birthday………………………………and i love Dr. Seuss’ quote………………….nice to think about.
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Hi Ann Marie – Yes, Valentine’s Day will always remind me of my mom and her Valentine’s Day birthday. The first year was really tough as it was two weeks after she passed away suddenly. I do love this Dr. Seuss quote – his quotes are quite diverse and I’ve never read a quote I didn’t like, but this is one of my all-time favorites.
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Happy Valentine’s Day and great quotes. I’m sure your mom is looking down and missing you too!
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Thanks Joan – I like Dr. Seuss and this is a favorite of mine. I think my mom is looking down as well. (Probably frowning at the dust and clutter right now.) I have used some vintage pictures of her in the past. When I scanned in all the photos from family and travel albums as well as scrapbooks a few years ago, I found a painting someone had done of my mom when she was young. I don’t know if it was done from a photo or a sitting. It is not on canvas, just on heavy stock. I don’t recall seeing it when I was younger and we sat and looked at old albums and she pointed out her relatives … my grandmother came from a big family (9 kids). It was a nice find.
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Hope whatever Paw wear you decided on it suited your adventure well! 🙂 Happy Valentine’s Day to you too & I love that Dr. Seuss quote 🙂
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It was the last icy day thank goodness Mackenzie – I think the weekend walking is a “go” … I’m happy to get out. That is a very meaningful quote. I hope you and DJ had a great Valentine’s Day.
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YAY!! 🙂 I’m happy for you! I hope you did too- I hope you enjoyed some yummy cookies even though you abstained for 10 years- you’ve got some ground to make up, lol!
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Snow is a’flyin’ once again – it’s like we have mostly a good weekend, then a snow event, and now another ice event on Tuesday night – this Winter is tedious and overlong, and, since you grew up in the Midwest, you know how everyone is ready for Spring by now. The kids have Winter break this week. Those yummy cookies are a great reward – if you like thin and crispy cookies, with a hint of toffee, give them a try sometime Mackenzie.
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Oohh anything with toffee is such a treat!
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Yes, my mom made those Texas Brickle Bit cookies with those Heath toffee bits – you used to be able to buy them in the baking aisle. They were made with wheat flour – hmm, does that make them healthy to eat then? I just searched and found them – I remember there was two types of flour, almonds and brickle bits and they were huge.
https://tastykitchen.com/recipes/desserts/texas-sized-almond-crunch-cookies/
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Oh YUM!!! Sounds healthy to me!! And delish- thank you for sharing this recipe!!
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It’s that whole wheat flour – it allows us to therefore forgive our indiscretions … everyone needs a little wiggle room. 🙂
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hehe totally!!
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Aw, such a sweet post – I’m sure your mom is smiling while seeing you thinking of her and the furry critters, including the bears on her birthday! Your kindness warms my heart!
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Thanks Shelley – I loved this card … the color, the sweet face, just made me smile. And that Dr. Seuss quote is one of my all-time favorites. Glad you liked this post.
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You’re welcome – I agree with you!! 🙂
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🙂 Tell Dr. Seuss that each one of us is the world, though we may not realize it.
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Yes, this is true Tom. Glad to have you back after six weeks off. Hope all is well with you and Marla.
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Linda,
You need to visit this blog( if you have not done so already)-https://littlesundog.wordpress.com/about/
Susie
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Thanks Susie – I will check it out right now.
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Susie – You are right, this blogger is right up my alley. I read a few of her posts, notably one about a squirrel she discovered, who had been injured in a cat fight and a one-eyed squirrel as well. I have followed Lori and am looking forward to her posts. Thank you for thinking of me. – Linda
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Valentines must be a bitter sweet day for you Linda. It being your Mothers birthday. Wherever she is I wish her a great birthday and thank her for having such a wonderful daughter!
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Yes it is bittersweet Wayne, and the first Valentine’s Day was real tough as it was two weeks to the day she passed away. Although my mom had many orthopedic medical issues from being hit by a car at age 11, those issues persisted through the years, and especially the last nine months of her life, then she developed sepsis and passed away 12 hours after being admitted to the E.R. with that diagnosis, so I was still in shock two weeks later. Thank you for your heartfelt comments – they mean a lot to me.
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Sorry to hear about her life long suffering due to that car hitting her.There must be millions living with injuries caused by cars!
I lost my mother in 86 to bone cancer. I miss her very much and my father as well (83).
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Thank you Wayne – my mom did suffer with 42 orthopedic operations in her lifetime. From the time I could walk, she warned me never to go between two parked cars – ever. This is what happened to my mom and one car didn’t see her and drove into her. Only her ribs were broken and her clothes were torn, but she had an ear infection and because of the broken ribs, infection went into the bone, and a few months later she developed osteomyelitis, which is an infection of the bone. Back in 1937 they didn’t have the powerful antibiotics like they have today.
The disease went through her body. I am sorry for your two losses as well … cancer is such a horrible disease and they need to find a cure for it, before worrying about sending man to the moon or the other research they do that seems frivolous to me. Many friends of our family have died from cancer, and in several instances, both the husband and wife. I have not seen my father since 1983 – he decided he no longer wanted to be in this family and announced on Christmas Day he was leaving. He is still alive and living in Germany – I have not been in contact with him since he left, nor do I want to be, but my friend who is interested in genealogy tracked him down for me.
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we each have our own challenges,they are different but affect us in the same way.
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Yes, this is very true.
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So sweet. How lovely your mother celebrated her birthday on Valentine’s day. ❤ Dr Suesse is never wrong either.
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Yes, she was a special Valentine Zena. I love his quotes – they are always so true and meaningful.
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