Category Archives: History

Faith & Speculation in God’s Creatures

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Life is like a wild horse. You ride it or it rides you. ~ Unknown

Pimlico-Race-Course---Preakness-StakesThis coming weekend is the Belmont Stakes. A few weeks ago Baltimore celebrated the running of the Preakness. Since 1873 ,every third weekend in May, the Pimlico Race Track has played host to one of the horse races in the “Triple Crown Series.” That’s a long history.

In our household, every year before the Preakness, we’d wager our bets among us as to whether King Leatherbury, our relative and well-known horse trainer would enter one of his horses in the contest. http://bit.ly/1nRGAYz. Sometimes he put faith in one of his throughbreds and other years he refrained from entering. But the speculation was usually among our annual May Day family dinner conversations.

If you are from Baltimore, you can’t watch the Preakness Stakes without a mint julep in hand. So my Dad always mixed up a batch of “juleps” for any adults that came by the house the afternoon of the race so they’d be ready for the showdown, whether one of King Leatherbury’s horses was in contention or not.

What’s the purpose of this blog, you might ask? Your looking at lucky and another fulfilling memory that I have of my days of growing up in Baltimore that got left out of my memoir. That’s all.

preakness lookin at lucky

Photo Credit: 2010 Cindy Pierson Dulay

Lookin’ at Lucky – Winner of 2010 Preakness

This blog is brought to you by the author of Gift of a Lifetime:Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected.Sue’s memoir

 

 

 

Toys of Yesteryear

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“If you are yearning for the good ole days, just turn off the air conditioning.” ~ Griff  Niblack Nostalgia Quotes & Sayings (Being Nostalgic, Good Old Days, etc)

 

etch a sketch Where is your tech support person when you need him? Weeks ago my husband and I moved,and getting digital equipment reconnected is time consuming.

We are not so technologically challenged that we’d confuse an Etch-a- Sketch with an i-pad. But sometimes I think I’d rather return to the days  of the Etch-A-Sketch  since there are only two knobs and no wires or portal interfacing. Trying to connect some digital devices are challenging even though they are reportedly “user friendly.”

I remember when the Etch a Sketch came on the market in the early 1960s – it immediately went to the top of my Christmas list, and Santa fulfilled my wishes. The Etch-a- Sketch was our traveling companion. It  kept us kids entertained and from fighting on road trips.

car trip toyThe other toy that was a saving grace in the car were these number puzzles. Remember them? We also had a larger one with a U.S. Map on it that you had to unscramble- that was very challenging.

It’s fun to look back on old toys from my childhood. Some of them make me wonder if kids today would even know what they are or take interest in them. If you are from the baby boomer generation, what was your favorite plaything that you wish you could still locate today? Search, you might find it here http://www.vermontcountrystore.com.

computer as a kid

 See you tomorrow on All Things Fulfilling.

This blog brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard, author of “Gift of a Lifetime:Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected.”Sue’s memoir

 

Fellowship of Artists

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“May it be a light to you in dark places, when all other lights go out.” ―J.R.R. Tolkien, Fellowship of the Ring

Yes, indeed, Christmas does come in May! Last week I had a beautiful holiday in May when I unpacked my 2nd most treasured possessions (unfortunately it was not my family that I unpacked and moved here).  But, my art that had been in storage for five years. When we moved from Vermont to Colorado we were in living in a place that really was not conducive to hanging artwork. So, except for a few choice pieces, the work remained in their boxes, that I had carefully constructed to store each piece. I learned how to build the custom boxes through observation. I had watched what the master artists from West Wind Fine Art, LLC did when they transported and sold paintings.

On May 1st we moved into a new place that showcases the art magnificently. As I carefully unpacked each and every piece it was as if I was seeing the artwork for the very first time. I had forgotten how beautiful my collection. Over the following days, my husband measured and hung the beautifully framed limited edition prints (and a few originals) to perfection. I have a good eye for placement of design, but the mathematics of getting the artwork hung just right proportional to the spaces without putting a million wrong holes in walls is tricky. Terry, thank you – it’s spot on! You have a much better perspective on that than I and it is a task that overwhelms me.

When I look at my collection, much of it came from West Wind Fine Art, LLC. It brings back wonderful memories of the time I spent working with some of the finest master painters in the world – Timothy R. Thies, Nancy Guzik and Richard Schmid. Their curator and representative, Kristen Thies, creates and orchestrates some of the most outstanding art exhibits in this country. timothy thies painting

Pastel Garden © Timothy R Thies

In 2011 Kristen traveled to the U.K. as an emissary for master artist Richard Schmid when his painting of the Manor home of Sir Walter Scott was unveiled for the Abbotsford House. She had the honor of meeting and hearing the praise about Schmid’s painting ‘from HRH Queen Elizabeth during the grand re-opening of the house and Visitors Center.

To read more about the artists of West Wind Fine Art, LLC please visit www.westwindfineart.com. Don’t miss out on their latest video about their painting expedition to the gardens of  historic Middleton Place in Charleston, S.C. The images in the video will beautify your day, and so will the music. http://bit.ly/1jEyyCm .

Seeing my treasures hanging on the walls of my place of residence once again has been a gift that will bring me great pleasure, years beyond my Christmas in May.

This blog brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard, author of Gift of a Lifetime:Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected.

Sue’s memoir
 

Etching the Psyche

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“…realize that there is only one ‘race,’ – the human race, and we are all members of it.” ~ Margaret Atwood

There have been so many monumental national and worldwide historical events that have occurred throughout my lifetime – man walking on the moon, the Equal Rights Amendment, Watergate, the tearing down of the China Wall, space shuttle Challenger exploding, The Persian War, the collapse of the Twin Towers, just to name a few. But, none of these events have been etched as deeply into my psyche as the Baltimore riots following the assassination of Martin Luther King.

Indeed, “the sixties” was a time of revolution including trends in clothing, music, education and social order in general. Drug experimentation and rebellions on college campuses was indicative of the turbulent times.

I remember when I was eleven I thought that the arrival of the Beatles in the United States was newsworthy of unmatched historical proportions. But by the time I turned fifteen, I had matured in my thinking and I grasped the fact that upheavals in the political and racial climate were were hugely more consequential in nature. A national shift in culture far greater than the Beatles. I was well-tuned into the events around the death of Martin Luther King and tried hard as a teenager to understand the radical changes that our country was undergoing.

baltimore sun MLK headlinesIn one chapter of my memoir I recall the feelings I had one morning as I sat at the kitchen table reading the headlines and the reports in the Baltimore Sun Newspaper. I felt as if I was sitting amid a battlefield I had so many scary, anxious thoughts running through my mind.

Thank God my thoughts running rampant were very different than reality for me. But for so many people residing within the boundaries of the inner city of Baltimore my thoughts were a reality of their living conditions.

I have some fun things planned for next week  All Things Fulfilling on Monday. We will be celebrating twin week. Have a good weekend!

 

Memories of a Pantry

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“Memory is the diary that we all carry about with us.” ~ Oscar Wilde

DSCN2113I only have one lasting image of my maternal grandmother’s pantry, she had cans of the most delicious chicken and dumpling stew I have ever tasted in my life. I have yet to find freshly made or canned chicken stew to beat it.

Yet, my paternal grandmother had quite a pantry down in her basement. She was well supplied and in the case of an emergency, she could have fed multiple families for weeks on end. My sister and I loved to “poke around” in her pantry to see what we could dig up. Some of the staples that sat on her shelves are still sold today, yet not as frequently as they used to be. The costs of them are pricey compared to in the 5o’s. http://bit.ly/1hoIyxs.

I’ll never forget my Grandmother’s talk of “putting food up.” As a kid, I wasn’t quite sure what that was but I figured it had something to do with the gross and disgusting pickled pigs feet and pickled hard boiled eggs we came across in her pantry in huge mason jars.  I thought, “Maybe putting up food meant putting those awful jars way up on the upper shelf to save for when the atomic bomb hits. Eating that gross stuff surely is enough to kill anyone on the spot. Grandmother will be saved from having to experience the horrors of the bomb, if she eats that.”  Coming across pickled pigs feet and pickled hard boiled eggs in the pantry was enough to turn any child off from eating. Eeeeewwwwww…..

My grandmother was born in 1900 and passed away in 1999. A long and fulfilling life for a woman who “never paid any never mind” to what she ate. She never checked a label and paid no regard to nutritional values – how many fats, carbos or calories were in her diet. She loved to eat, and saw to it that there was plenty on the family table. She, like others from her generation, had been through the depression and other scarce times, so she kept the pantry well stocked.

When I came across the two images I’ve posted in today’s blog, it brought a broad smile to my face because it made me think of my Grandmother, her pantry and my roots of growing up on the Mason-Dixon Line. How about you? What memories of regional foods do you have that take you back to a time to your childhood and growing up?

4 southern food groups

See you tomorrow on All Things Fulfilling. It is going to be a very special day. Don’t miss out! This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Timeless Message and Gifts Within

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“The horse is an archetypal symbol which will always find ways to stir up deep and moving ancestral memories in every human being.” ~ Paul Mellon

In a time when it seems like many in our culture want to do away with nativity scenes and other signs of the Christmas season, author JL Hardesty has found an extraordinary way to tell the story of the holiday that means so much to so many people. Her book, The Lost Legend of the First Christmas, appropriate for middle school to adult readers, uses a beautiful creature that God created, the horse, along with memorable characters, as messengers of lessons to human beings to tell the tale. The cadence and rhythm of the writing is effective in telling a story in a voice that will long be remembered.

If it is important to you that your loved ones know the true meaning of the holiday, The Lost Legend of the First Christmas is an ideal gift that shares insights of Christianity – having faith and hope in our hearts, and God’s promise to people everywhere.

Come to know the important relationship of the horse to people by reading JL Hardesty’s book.  Horse enthusiasts will love all of JL Hardesty’s publications.The author has spent her entire life in the company of horses, loving them and ceaselessly learning about them. Through her writing, Hardesty shares her knowledge of and adoration for these noble creatures with passion and clarity.

This timeless story is available through Amazon.  http://amzn.to/1cYyYO8. What a great read The Lost Legend of the First Christmas will make as a gift to children who love horses. Put one under the Christmas tree this year for the entire family to enjoy together.

Maggie with Jo Hardesty Lauters Book

Photo: Maggie, a member of the University of Vermont (UVM) equestrian team and student of equine medicine says “Every young equestrian should read The Lost Legend of the First Christmas. She wants to recommend it to her friends.”

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com. See you tomorrow on All Things Fulfilling.

Film Friday: The Book Thief

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How many a man has dated a new era in his life from reading a book?” ~Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862)

book thiefI find it hard to imagine not having a wealth of books at my dispose – what with bookstores, libraries, internet ordering and now instantaneous delivery of digital publications. But, in Germany during the World War II era (1930’s) this scenario was reality. In fact, the best of books were burned. And if you were a poor young girl, getting your hands on books to read was even more difficult.

This is the premise of the story in the film “The Book Thief.” Despite the fact that the film adaptation of Markus Zusak ‘s novel of the same name has been getting mixed reviews, it sounds like a fulfilling cinema production to me.  I am putting this movie on my “MOVIES TO SEE”  list. It is beginning to make its debut in select theatres this month.

If you wish to read a longer summary about the film “The Book Thief,” directed by Brian Percival and starring Geoffrey Rush, Emily Watson and Sophie Nelisse. Click for info & ordering on the Book Thieft
Happy Film Friday, everyone. Keep your eyes open for listings for this movie coming to your local theatre.

See you back here on All Things Fulfilling on Monday. We will be featuring a book that is a great Christmas present for teen readers. This blog is brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Gatsby Groupies

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 “Show me a hero, and I’ll write you a tragedy.” ~ F. Scott Fitzgerald

gatsbyI feel as if I am becoming a Gatsby groupie! Today I walked into the Bud Werner Library, and saw a display case announcing the next One Book Steamboat (a community read). It is The Great Gatsby. “I’m in,” I thought, as I proceeded to the DVDs and took out the 2000 production of The Great Gatsby movie by A & E Television Networks. Then I wandered over the computer and put in a reserve for a copy of the book by the same title.

I guess I haven’t had enough of the Fitzgeralds, the Jazz Age and the Long Island social elite even though last summer on my vacation, I took in the movie The Great Gatsby with my sister and I also hawked my mother’s copy of  Zelda and read it.

Truthfully, I was disappointed in the latest rendition of the movie, with Leonardo DiCaprio. The visual effects, I felt, were so over the top and frantic that it distracted me from being able to absorb the tragic tale of wealth and entitlement. The telling essence of Jay Gatsby’s character weaknesses were lost in the visual chaos of the movie, rather being told by the dialogue of the story.

The book Zelda, for me, provided much better insight into the psyche of an artist who “never wanted to give in or give up” despite failure and rejection. The narrative told an up-close and personal story of the relationship between wife and husband, Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald and it gave historical perspective into their friendships with other contemporaries (filmmakers, writers and artists) from the era.

As a lead-up to the community discussion of the novel, on October 10th, the latest Leo Dicaprio version of “Gatsby” will be aired at the Bud Werner Library. I’ll probably skip it. But then again, perhaps with a second look I might have a different opinion. But I hope not to miss what will probably be a very fulfilling discussion on Monday, October 21st.  It will be led by the English teachers of SteamboatHigh School. I hope students are required to join in and read this classic novel.  For more information, please follow this link. http://www.steamboatlibrary.org/events/one-book-steamboat

Come on back tomorrow to All Things Fulfilling. This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Film Friday: Teaching Emerging Filmmakers

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new day films “One of the privileges of being a filmmaker is the opportunity to remain a kind of perpetual student.”  – Edward Zwick

Are you an educator who teaches emerging young filmmakers? The other day I came across a film distribution company that may not be known to visitors who frequent All Things Fulfilling for news about independent filmmaking.

New Day Films is a filmmaker-run distribution company providing award-winning films to educators since 1971. This on-line site “delivers over 230 titles that illuminate, challenge and inspire.”  Many of the films can be digitally streamed directly from the website or delivered in DVD or VHS format.

willard van dykeSince the genre of documentary film is particularly interesting to me, I was drawn to a film called Conversations with Willard Van Dyke. http://www.newday.com/films/Conversations_with_WVD.html. In this film, Van Dyke discusses his belief that “films have the power of film to change the world.”  The man behind his films, Willard Van Dyke, “became synonymous with social documentary in the U.S.”

During his lifetime (1906 – 1986), Van Dyke painted portraitures of Americans, through the medium of film, who made their living through hard labor everyday such as steelworkers, cottonpickers and machinists. The Depression, he said, made an everlasting impression on him.Click for info & ordering Willard Van Dyke’s film

Van Dyke was director of the Department of Film at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) from 1965 to 1974. He also began the film department at the State University of New York in Purchase.  In 1978, he received the prestigious George Eastman Award, given by George Eastman House for distinguished contribution to the art of film. 

New Day Films distributes films on many social issue topics, among them:

  • Aging & Gerontology
  • Media, Art & Culture
  • Religion & Theology
  • African-American
  • Multi-Cultural
  • Children & Family issues
  • Sociology
  • Native American Studies

Film educators and film historians may find the perfect film they are looking for to use in the classroom on the website http://www.newday.com.  Check it out.

See you Monday. This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Treasuring Art

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 “Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere.”   ~ Chinese proverb 

At a thrift store recently I came across an art print of Thomas Moran – imagine my delight! It seemed like a God thing – the image was just sitting there waiting for someone who’d appreciate it to pick it up . I gave in to my desires and purchased it – a real deal. I am very grateful to have the Moran art print hanging on my wall. He was one of the greatest illustrator and colorists of all times.

Every evening the week before last, I had been watching Ken Burns’ documentary The National Parks: America’s Best Idea.  http://bit.ly/182xh1N. Moran’s name was mentioned as one of the top landscape painters of the 19th century who ventured west. I learned he traveled to YellowstoneNational Park from the Hudson RiverSchool in New York, in the summer of 1871, to document on canvas what others described as a place where “hell bubbled up.”

Many artists traveled westward in the early days of the founding of the U.S. National Parks and they continue to be favorite places for artists who are seeking inspiration. Artists still go to paint, photograph and write about the dramatic landscapes in these protected government lands which are far more unique than many other places across the United States. Ralph Waldo Emerson described the National Parks as places where “God is more easily found in nature than in the works of man.” 

Lots of people find personal fulfillment in poking around in thrift shops. You never know what treasures you might find. I scored!

IMAG0868

This blog is brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Do return to All Things Fulfilling tomorrow!