Elegant Rose

Tuesday 6 November 2012

Remembering November and a Few Friends.....

~ November silently sneaks up on us, catching our senses by surprise......
There is no shade, no shine, no butterflies, no bees, no fruits, no flowers, no leaves, no birds.
Outside, silvery grey shafts reveal a familiar landscape stripped of pretence.
Behind closed doors, glowing amber fires shed light upon the Real.
Like a woman who has found her authenticity, November radiates beauty from within.....
~Thomas hood.
Taken from Simple Abundance.





Hello and welcome to November.



Did you have sparklers, squealers and skies full of blasts last evening I wonder?
We enjoyed a small 'Sparkler' or two at my sisters home, washed down with very hot/spicy home-made soup and then yummy pie and peas! (the best bit)
It's always a family affair 'bommy night' for us, ever since the children were small, we have always got together and celebrated.....
My kittie cats weren't so happy though.
No-sire....
I always feel sorry for animals on this night each year, mine sneak away under the beds, not to show their faces till the commotion is all over and done with for another year!

courtesy of Google.

I can always remember 'Penny for the Guys' on street corners at this time of year, when I was small.
The guys always stuffed with saw dust and made from old clothes, waiting to be thrown on the top of the bonfire after a few pennies had been made!
Thankfully this seems to have faded out and bonfire night doesn't seem to be quite as spectacular, as once was....

Later in the week I have my son, Dean, home.
Ooh the Olympics and Paralympics seems a while ago now!

He is visiting home for a couple of days to do a presentation for the Cumbrian sports awards here.
He has also been asked to visit local schools to chat to the children about London and his Paralympic début.
~ All good things and it will be lovely to catch up with him and his laundry!
I may have mentioned that Patrick (husbando) is also a local running coach here and recently came home with lovely news about two young new members that had recently joined up.
Nothing unusual I thought as he started to tell me, people do join all the time.......
"It's splendid though," he said, "as these two boys both have disabilities and were inspired to join and take up athletics, after watching the young man from their home town who ran in the Paralympics in London"....
That warmed my heart a little...

On to the house work now...
Look who came out of the closet when I should have been dusting and making beds up!
I do get side tracked whilst sorting and cleaning...




Why, Bramwell Brown of course, can you remember, old bear and friends story books?

Now I know only to well he isn't too vintage just yet, unlike some special Teds that have been on your lovely blogs, but he has been loved and enjoyed very much by my children and I must admit I had forgotten all about him....



We did start a little collection of the various bears for the children when small and it was lovely to see them again...
'Rabbit' making a showing here for the group shot.
I  loved 'old bear stories' and tried 'jolly hard' to get, Jolly Tall for my children, but alas he was never reunited with the gang here....


Little bear was Olivia's favourite, as he was pocket sized and fit just perfect in her hand when small....
But I was always fond of 'Hoot' the owl who lived quite happily on top of a wardrobe inside a knitted woolly hat for a nest.






It was lovely to dust them down and see them again.
Now I wonder which box those Sylvanian families are stored in?
That will have to be another post....
I will close for now dear friends, but once again thank you for your thoughts and comments and for always taking the time to visit me.
I do enjoy your blogs very much.
Keep warm and keep posting!
Brrr it's cold outside.
Love Maria x





19 comments:

  1. Hi Maria! Bonfire night used to be a really big thing didn't it, with guys everywhere, some a lot better dressed than others! My Dad hated bonfire night with a passion and always hoped for rain ... well he was a fireman!

    Love your bears,really liked the Old Bear books. Helen had a Paddington Bear and my children had a very random selection including Jess from Postman Pat and Zippy from Rainbow.

    Enjoy your time with Dean, and oh! Audrey's back xx

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    1. Ooh am so pleased!!
      I do love them chucks... xx
      See you next week.

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  2. "And the day came when the risk it took to remain tightly closed in the bud, was more painful than the risk it took to bloom"
    THIS IS THE ELEMENT OF FREEDOM! (The Lovely Alicia Keys)x.

    Surprisingly enough, l nor my daughter take to bonfire night. The reason, it used to upset our pussy-cats, the fireworks that is....On the funny side though, l always think of George, we'd sit on the settee, watching telly, when the fireworks started, it was a race to see who would get under the stairs first...(I hated them to, you see)...Him or Me....! HeHe! :)
    Bless him...Miss him....

    Love the Teddies....My daughter has loads...And, still has them....
    Me...I had one Gollywog....oooops sorry...Jolly-Golly...(Which l still have). Gave it a hair cut when l was about five...HeHe! It never grew back..! :<).

    Well, must get on.....tea time soon....A little cold pheasant me thinks...A little salami, olives, pickle....ooooooO! I'm off...........
    Soooo! Arrivederci....Ciao..Ciao....! :).
    "Learn From Yesterday, Live For To-day, Hope For Tomorrow".

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    1. Hi Willie. am smiling at your comments here!
      Do enjoy your tea, as it sounds most deli sous indeed!

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  3. Hello Maria
    Dean and Hubby must be very proud that they have given these young people the inspiration to join the athlectics club...

    We all loved Old bear in this house too..still have some of the books and a small bear..the children also had a Winnie the Pooh..Super Ted..and Pippa collected Care Bears..
    Yes I can remember making Guy's for Bonfire night, They quite often ended up looking like convicts as they always seem to be dressed in my Dads striped pyjamas!
    Love your memories...Enjoy your time with Dean
    Thea x





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  4. I love the bramwell bear stories. Little bear is my favourite too! We didn't have too many fireworks last night, the main local display was on Saturday. Enjoy your time with Dean,
    Victoria xx

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  5. My Minnie didn't seem to bat an eye at all the fireworks! We are big fans of the old bear stories too, although they are growing up so fast I fear I will soon be sat on my own reading them! :)

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  6. November hasn't been too bad as yet here, but winter does seem to drag on....still we have Christmas to look forward to! X

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  7. Hi Maria,
    I had just been on another post reminiscing about pennies for Guys! Our cat was hidden under the bed last night, poor thing.
    How nice to have Dean home for a few days and how wonderful that he has inspired some younger children to join your husbands running club.
    My children also enjoyed the books about Bramwell Brown. Hope you have a good week.
    Sarah x

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  8. Hi Maria. Marmalade never bothers about the fireworks, she just snoozes as she always does but she doesnt go out anyway.
    Loved seeing the bears, brought back a few memories, my youngest son was into Old bear and friends, I wonder if he still has them at his dad's house?

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  9. There were lots of Bommy Night explosions around here, Maria! They sounded quite bomb-like too - I'm sure they make them louder these days. When I was little we mostly had "bangers" - I don't think Dad had quite grown up!

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  10. We went to a firework display on Saturday so that we could be at home with the animals last night. The cats certainly don't appreciate the loud noises and the dogs just bark incessantly which probably puts us in the neighbours bad books. Oh well - it's over for another year. Like the old toys. I too have a soft spot for them.
    June

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  11. Hello Maria, what a lovely tale about the two athletes. How wonderful to have been inspired by your fantastic boy, I imagine you must have felt very emotional over that! Our cats were very insistent that they wanted to go out but we kept them in for as long as we could, it was so noisy outside.
    Take care xox

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  12. Hi Maria,
    We had our fireworks a few days early in our village, though the nice bit is they can be seen from our living room window, which is a bonus.
    Your teddy bears and bunny are sure cute, though my favourite would have to be the small bear :)
    Have a lovely visit with your Son x
    Magie

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  13. Hello Maria,
    Well, we dont have bonfire night here or fireworks.. its traditionally British I think!
    What an amazing story about the two new young athletes. Your Dean has inspired many young athletes I am sure. I love to see your little teddies sitting so nicely on their chair. I dont have anything of my childrens toys..
    Enjoy your time with Dean Maria... its always precious.
    I love the way you have put the little flower designs at intervals.
    hugs and a happy tuesday..
    val

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  14. ......lovely post Maria.....whilst i was watching the paralympics i kept thinking of all those parents and how proud they must be of their wonderful, inspirational children.....have a wonderful time together when he gets home x always love thoughts of old much-loved toys.....!:)

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  15. Good morning my dear Maria!

    You have touched on a subject that is still close to my heart. Animals, whether plush or flesh and blood, have a special place in my heart. AND I feel sorry for them, BOTH KINDS!

    This is truly a time to hunker down and enjoy the forgotten memories of life. Thank YOU for coming to visit me last night and I wish you a happy day! Anita

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  16. Hello Maria - Dean is becoming a celebrity I sense. Is there a book in the offing? I think that the continuing wonderment with the Paralympics is great...I was bit teary all over again reading your husband's words....
    Love the bears - what is not to like!
    Keep warm
    Best wishes
    Jenny

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  17. Hello ! well thankfully 2 of our cats are a bit deaf and so slept soundly through all the noise on bonfire night !! The other one was full of dinner and sat in the living room with us watching TV !! I used to love catherine wheels when I was a kid but I don't think they make them anymore. So glad for Dean's successes and so nice for you to spend some time with him...I bet he is ultra busy! take care....Gail x

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