The Sound of Music & You Can't Go Home Again

Although I must say I didn't watch it all, I was curious to see Carrie Underwood's live theater version of The Sound of Music last night. There's no doubt, Carrie has a beautiful voice; but in my opinion, the entire performance just came off a bit flat.  For those who have never seen the original movie with Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer, I'm sure you were impressed with the elaborate set designs and musical talent of all the players. But for me it paled in comparison with the original Rodgers and Hammerstein musical. Yes, I know it was theater, not a remake of the movie. And, yes, it's impressive that it was performed live.  But you just can't improve on perfection...or my perception of perfection from a long-ago memory.

It was 1965 and I was in elementary school...days when people dressed up to go shopping or to the movies. Dad and Mom took my best friend, Pam, and me to see The Sound of Music at the Carolina Theater in downtown Charlotte.  It must have been near Christmas, because Pam and I wore matching outfits...red corduroy skirts and jackets, white blouses with a Peter Pan collars, and gold circle pins. Just so you know...my memory is good, but a photograph captured it in time. It was my best outfit and I wore it for my school picture that year.  In its day, the Carolina Theater was the most elaborate movie house in all of Charlotte, maybe in the entire state of North Carolina.  So, going there was a big deal for me. There were ushers in matching uniforms, lush carpets and seats, swagged velvet curtains, soaring ceilings, painted murals, and ornate fixtures.  It was a day I will never forget.

As the velvet curtains separate, the movie begins from the perspective of a bird soaring over the mountain peaks and valleys of Austria.  And then...there she is..arms outstretched to the heavens with the voice of an angel.. singing, "The hills are alive with the sound of music.  With songs they have sung for a thousand years!" It still gives me goosebumps.

The movie was extremely popular, so the songs were taught to school children everywhere.  In junior high chorus we performed Climb Every Mountain at our spring concert.  If you lived in that era, you probably know the lyrics to every single song.  I've sung Favorite Things and the Do Ra Mi song to my grandchildren.  So...you see, the Sound of Music and I have a history.

Sadly, Julie Andrews can no longer sing after a botched operation to remove nodules from her vocal chords. The Carolina Theater, burned out, empty, and sitting derelict since the 1970's, still waits for funds for restoration to her former glory. I am no longer a wide-eyed preteen, with a world of possibilities ahead of me.  I am now a wife, mother, and grandmother.  I know, as did Thomas Wolfe, "you can never go home again".  But I am okay with that.  I am satisfied with my memories.  So...don't mess with them!

Copyright 2013  Laney's Musings

Crafters Anonymous

I woke up slowly today...no sunlight on this dark, rainy December morning. A glance out the patio doors reveals a world of brown...not my favorite color. The splendor of fall has passed, and the ugly remains are left without a blanket to cover them. This is my least favorite time of year. The days are short; sunlight is in short supply. Like my mother before me, my mood is definitely adversely affected by the winter solstice.

 
My husband is an early riser and left for work hours ago. Sweet man that he is, he left coffee in the pot and a box of Krispy Kreme doughnuts on the counter. God bless him! That should brighten my day..a few seconds in the microwave and you'll swear you just drove away from the "Hot Doughnuts Now" sign.

 
Like Emma in the Jane Austen novel, I need a project.  Yes, I've heard that voice calling out to me for months:  "Organize your craft room", it says! "Stop meddling", I say, after feeling overwhelmed at the magnitude of it, quickly closing the door and walking away.  I pride myself in saying I'm a crafter, all the while knowing it is a half-truth. Actually, it is a lie.  I am a craft supply hoarder.

I should join Crafters Anonymous. You know, that twelve-step program for middle-aged ladies who have no sales resistance to every new scrapbooking, jewelry-making, altered art, stamping...you fill in the blank..product that comes on the market. It's an obsession. You know who you are, sneaking your Michael's and A.C. Moore's bags in after dark, snapping your laptop shut, or quickly changing channels so your husband doesn't know you are on EBay, Home Shopping Channel, or QVC again!

Well, today is the day I will tackle the monster. I can do it! I know I can!  I have Pinterest! I've pinned all the cute craft room photos and the organizational tips. Yes, this is the perfect day. It's raining and I have no where to go.

But wait...there it is again..that voice inside my head, sounding oddly like Maureen O'Hara...or is it Scarlett O'Hara? Oh well...I can't think about this now! I'll go crazy if I do! I'll think about it tomorrow. After all, tomorrow is another day.



Copyright 2013 Laney's Musings

Getting Ready for Christmas?

Today, as I looked at our Christmas tree, still bare, waiting for lights and decorations, I remembered a blog post I wrote almost two years ago.  This time of year we get so busy with gift buying, decorating, cooking, and all the other "events" of the season, that we seldom take the time to really focus on the wondrous event that occurred over two thousand years ago.  

Was Mary, the mother of Jesus, ready for her first "Christmas"?  Truthfully, can you imagine how she felt discovering she and Joseph must travel a distance of over ninety miles to Bethlehem so close to her delivery date? Most likely, tiny clothes had been lovingly made, the birthing room cleaned and ready. Why were her plans for a quiet delivery at home spoiled? Was she fearful of the uncertainties, or did God give her perfect peace that everything would happen according to His perfect plan, albeit not hers?

On that long ago night, a very special baby was born..the Savior of the world. There was no sanitary hospital stay with obstetrician and nurses attending. Jesus was born in a place prepared for animals, not the most precious infant ever born. Instead of a soft, silk blanket, He was wrapped in strips of cloth, placed in a stone feeding trough made for cattle, horses, sheep, and camels. 


There were no beautiful decorations, no Christmas tree covered in lights. God the Father provided the light, the brightest star, guiding seekers to His Son. Christmas cards did not announce the birth of God's Son. Instead, the blessed event was heralded by a multitude of angels. The good news was given first to humble sheep herders. Not exactly who you and I would have expected to be at the top of God's invitation list.

Are you getting ready for Christmas? Will you be disappointed if your vision of a "perfect Christmas" falls short of your plan?  Just maybe, God has a different plan for you this year. Don't be disappointed if the gifts you give, or receive, aren't the "perfect" gift. There is only one perfect gift. We cannot earn it or buy it.

Jesus, the Son of God, the Creator of the Universe, set aside the splendor of heaven for one reason..He loves us. What sacrifice, what amazing...grace!  God's perfect gift, Jesus, is available to ALL who seek Him...not just at Christmas.  I hope and pray that you have accepted God's perfect gift, so that you can be ready for Christmas...in your heart.

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." - Isaiah 9:6

Copyright 2013 Laney's Musings

Buying and Purging & Good Intentions.

As I sit surrounded by mounds of accumulated "treasures" all tagged and ready for tomorrow's yard sale, I wonder how and why we Americans never seem to have "enough"... when in fact, we have too much.  As a re-seller of vintage items, I realize the things I sell wouldn't have survived if not for hoarders.  I have uncovered some unusual items out there.  I'm not saying they were re-sellable, but I've found unopened packages of 1950's bobby pins, sewing patterns, uncut paper dolls, leather-bound books whose gold-leafed pages had never been cracked.

I didn't have to look too far to receive answers.  This morning I had a little "Come to Jesus Meeting" with myself while in purging mode.  I know I have to purchase in order to sell...but when more items stay than go....Houston, we have a problem.

I came across an 18-month day planner I purchased last year.  I forgot I bought it.  It was among rows of cookbooks and photo albums (I won't even go there) in my kitchen.  It's pristine condition and empty calendar pages mocked me. After tearing out 11 months of blank pages, I recalled my intentions when it was purchased.  Every friend and family member's birthday and anniversary would be cataloged.  I'd keep up with appointments, when to change the furnace filter, gift ideas, sizes of anyone and everyone I might want to purchase clothes for...yada, yada, yada.  What is the old adage?  The path to hell is paved with good intentions.

Somewhere in another place and time...there is a woman with straight hair who can't find her unopened package of bobby pins.  The sewing pattern, matching thread and fabric remain in the dresser drawer.  She's decided to wait until tomorrow to make a dress for her cousin's wedding.  She's just too busy to cut out paper dolls...while her little girl will soon be too old to enjoy them.  Wise words remain locked inside the unopened pages of a beautiful book...maybe life-changing words.  Someone opens the mailbox, expecting a birthday card from a her friend. But her friend forgot to write the date in her 18-month planner. 
 
Just some things to think about....

Copyright 2013
Charlotte Laney

Are There Waterfalls in Heaven?

Do you ever wonder what heaven looks like?  Since my mama died, this photo is how I envision it.  Mama wasn't a swimmer, she was a "wader".  On day trips to the mountains, Daddy would often ask, "Ellen, you want me to stop so you can wade in the creek"?   I guess this photo was taken on one of the days she agreed.  I love that she is barefoot and wearing a cotton summer dress.  She seldom wore slacks until she was well up in years, and she NEVER wore shorts. 

Daddy was an excellent swimmer, but I don't think Mama owned more than the one black, 1950's era swimsuit, that I remember, in her entire life.. and it probably never even got wet!  At the beach or lake, she usually stood on the shore looking worried and wringing her hands until all her duckies were safely back on shore.  My kids think I'm just like her in that respect.  Okay, guilty as charged. 

Today would have marked Mama's 93rd birthday.  Although she has been gone for eight years, Alzheimer's Disease stole her from me years before that.  I still miss her and would so love to be able to pick up the phone and talk with her about my day.  Maybe we'd get out the old VHS tapes and watch a few hours of Ann of Green Gables, or While You Were Sleeping.  After that I'd like to sit at the little wooden table in her kitchen and share a banana sandwich, or a piece of apple pie and a cup of coffee...with lots of cream.   Unlike me, who loves cake of any kind, Mama preferred apple pie to cake any day.  Daddy always said that mama and I liked a little coffee in our cream...and I still do.  Happy birthday, Mama.  Are there waterfalls in heaven?  I sure hope so!

 

Copyright 2013 Charlotte Laney

Coveting, Comparing, Jealousy & Loving Are All Choices

I must admit, until today, I hadn't read the ten commandments in a while.  If we all read them daily, and committed our lives to keeping them, even so we would still be sinful people.  The purpose of the Lord's commandments, in addition to giving us the foundation of moral and civil law, is to show us our depravity and need for a Savior. 

The tenth commandment, "Do not covet", while we may not admit it, is probably the sin most often committed by professing believers in Christ. It is not an "outward" sin that others might easily recognize, but an ugly one that stealthily takes residence in hearts and minds. 

It's easy to fall prey to the snare of coveting, comparison, and jealousy.  We are born with sinful natures that "want" what we don't have.  How did Satan tempt and deceive Eve in the Garden?  Although God gave Adam and Eve wonderful fruits of the Garden for food, they were forbidden only one.  But, Satan tempted Eve by implanting these thoughts:  "You have been deprived of something you deserve.  Although your needs are met...you need more.  You should have what others have."

Sound familiar?  Have you looked with envy at Facebook friends' photos or posts of fabulous vacations to faraway places, driving new cars, or moving into new houses?  Maybe you are secretly envious when friends are getting married, or having babies, and you still haven't met the "man or woman of your dreams."  While you cope with screaming babies, leaky roof, a failing marriage, car repairs, credit card debt, bankruptcy, troubled teens, a terminal illness, a lost job, hospital bills, loneliness, a house that won't sell, college loans, aging parents (have I covered it?)...the whole world is out there having FUN!  Why can't your life be like theirs?  First of all, "THERE ARE NO EASY ANSWERS"!  Life isn't always fair...the playing field isn't always level.  God causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 

God created us, so He knows our weaknesses.  Maybe that's why He repeated in Romans 13:9, " ...Thou shalt not covet", but He added more:  "...if there be any other commandment, it is summed up in this word, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."  Wow!  Maybe the secret to conquering the sins of comparing, coveting, and jealousy lie in the last phrase... "love thy neighbor as thyself."  When we stop selfishly focusing on our own problems and wants, and instead give thought, prayer, and action to the needs of others, their importance diminishes. 

When we truly love someone, aren't we happy when they get a new house, or a job promotion?  When we love someone, don't we want to help when their world is falling apart?  We will keep their screaming baby for a few hours so that mommy can get a much-needed nap.  We take a meal...make a phone call, say a prayer, write a check, offer a shoulder to cry on...be a friend.  But the secret is LOVE...and loving is a choice.....  Selah

Copyright 2013 Charlotte Laney

Grandma Daisy and Little Orphan Annie

My paternal grandmother, Daisy, was a tall woman, who from my earliest remembrances often wore a pocketed apron over her flowery cotton "everyday" dresses.  She kept all her money in that pocket, which probably only amounted to a few well-worn dollars and a few coins.  The coins were saved for buying a "dope" at Johnny Russell's store on a hot summer's day.  For the uninformed, a "dope" was the southern synonym for colas.  Although a bun secured most of her hair to the back of her head, curly wisps of coarse white hair sprouted all about.  Dark skin and eyes, combined with high cheekbones, hinted there's more to be discovered of our family's roots in Cherokee County, North Carolina.

How much formal education she received, I don't know.  I'm sure it couldn't have been much, because her sister could not read at all, having gone to work in the cotton mills when she was a little girl.  I was told that my aunt had to stand on a wooden box because she was too small to reach the machinery.  What a sad commentary for times before child labor laws were passed. 

Although it's now called Parkinson's Disease, I was told that my grandmother had "the palsy".  Her handwriting was wavy, and her head and voice shook a little when she spoke.  I have discovered that during a turbulent time in my grandmother's past, she was a songwriter.  But, I only knew her as a storyteller, and one who could quote long stanzas of poetry from memory.  

When we visited my grandmother in the summer, we sat outside under the trees because of the oppressive heat indoors.  I remember Grandma telling the story of Rip Van Winkle so descriptively that when I heard thunder, I could imagine little men bowling.  But it was her animated recitation of  "The Little Orphan Annie" that put goose bumps on my arms every time!   For a scared-y cat little girl, it was probably a bit too much...but nonetheless, it would have me on the edge of my seat....and maybe it will yours, too. 

The Little Orphan Annie

by

James Whitcomb Riley

Little Orphan Annie's come to my house to stay.
To wash the cups and saucers up and brush the crumbs away.
To shoo the chickens from the porch and dust the hearth and sweep,
and make the fire and bake the bread to earn her board and keep.
While all us other children, when the supper things is done,
we sit around the kitchen fire and has the mostest fun,
a listening to the witch tales that Annie tells about
and the goblins will get ya if ya don't watch out!

Once there was a little boy who wouldn't say his prayers,
and when he went to bed at night away up stairs,
his mammy heard him holler and his daddy heard him bawl,
and when they turned the covers down,
he wasn't there at all!
They searched him in the attic room
and cubby hole and press
and even up the chimney flu and every wheres, I guess,
but all they ever found of him was just his pants and round-abouts
and the goblins will get ya if ya don't watch out!!

Once there was a little girl who always laughed and grinned
and made fun of everyone, of all her blood and kin,
and once when there was company and old folks was there,
she mocked them and she shocked them and said, she didn't care.
And just as she turned on her heels and to go and run and hide,
there was two great big black things a standing by her side.
They snatched her through the ceiling fore she knew what shes about,
and the goblins will get ya if ya don't watch out!!

When the night is dark and scary,
and the moon is full and creatures are a flying and the wind goes Whoooooooooo,
you better mind your parents and your teachers fond and dear,
and cherish them that loves ya, and dry the orphans tears
and help the poor and needy ones that cluster all about,
or the goblins will get ya if ya don't watch out!!!

Copyright 2013 Charlotte Laney

Bedtime Rituals and Redeeming Time

Last night the two oldest "littles" stayed overnight.  They worked 4th of July word puzzles and coloring pages.  Later, we made popcorn and watched "The Prince of Egypt." 

Since all fun things must come to end, it was soon time to clean up all papers, crayons, colored pencils, and markers littering the den floor.  Oh, the whining that ensued.  But, Pappy and Laney are not averse to bribery.  "You may watch ten more minutes of Sponge Bob, when you've cleaned up."  The "littles" parents would never have been permitted to watch Sponge Bob.  But, we've matured in our parenting skills.  I can endure poor cartooning and even poorer dialog for the greater good.  It's #1 in the Grandparent's Creed...."Whatever works".    

It's on....  bedtime rituals:  snacks, PJ's donned, a cursory swipe with the toothbrush.  Okay, maybe the teeth didn't get brushed tonight.  I don't remember.  But the important stuff follows.... who sleeps where, books chosen. 

Our #2 "little" must read (or should I say, look at) the Gold Bug book.  It's a cute little book.  Actually, the title is "Cars, Trucks, and Things that Go" by Richard Scarry; but at our house, it is "The Gold Bug Book."  Somewhere on the page a tiny gold bug is hidden in the picture.  Sleep cannot come until every single little gold bug is discovered. 

I know, I know.  They know exactly where every little gold bug is hiding, and I also know it's a stall tactic to keep the light on just a few more minutes.  Hey, it's been a while, but I was a kid once, too.  You know the drill....  I need a drink of water.  I have to go potty again.  It's too dark in here.  Do you snore?  Do I snore?  Why is the dog making that noise?  Laney, are you asleep?

I'm savoring the moments with our oldest grand, realizing how quickly she's growing up.  She gets to sleep with me.  We started reading "Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm" last night.  Although at seven, she's an excellent reader, she still loves for me to read to her.  I find a connection to my mama sharing childhood classics with her.  "Rebecca" was written over a hundred years ago, was read by my mother, by me, and now my granddaughter.  Good literature, and art, transcends generations.  Point in fact, will Sponge Bob pass the 100 year test?  Ummm....I don't think so!

When our "littles" daddies were their age, we were busy making ends meet...mortgage, car payments, groceries, medical bills, shoes and clothes for growing feet and bodies.  There never seemed to be enough hours in the day to accomplish everything.  There were piles of dishes, laundry and toys.  Often beds weren't made.  We just dropped into them, exhausted, at the end of the day. 

Time passes so quickly, though.  They don't last forever, those precious moments.  Way too soon...children and grandchildren are too old for lap sitting, being read to, cuddles and tickles.  The Bible says that we "...do not know what will happen tomorrow.  For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away" (James 4:14).  In Ephesians 5:15-16, we are reminded to "...walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time...".

I have decided that God gives us grandchildren for the exclusive purpose of redeeming some time. 


Copyright 2013 Charlotte Laney

First Cukes of Summer

It's the fourth week of June and we just picked our first cucumbers.  Instead of the larger salad variety, this year we decided to plant old-fashioned pickling cucumbers.  In my opinion, pickling cucumbers are much more flavorful.  

My late father-in-law hated cucumbers.  He said even pigs won't eat them.  I think I'll research his assertion; I seriously doubt it's validity.  I'm pretty sure pigs will eat anything!  

My husband eats cucumbers, but hates pickles.  I, on the other hand, love cucumbers, dill pickles, sweet pickles, and spicy pickles.   Once when I was little, I ate an entire jar of my aunt's homemade bread and butter pickles with onion rings at one sitting.  She was amazed...and I'm sure, a bit flattered that I thought so highly of her canning abilities.  My mother, however, was probably more than a little embarrassed. 

As a young woman, working in downtown Charlotte, my co-workers and I often had lunch at Arthur's, located in Ivey's department store.  Arthur's served deli-style food, and it's probably where I ate my first-ever hoagie.  My mama cooked "southern"; in other words...meat, potatoes, beans.  But I adapted quickly to new food choices, because I LOVED those huge dill pickle halves which sold for 25 cents.  Delicious! 

As my palate matured, I developed a taste for the unique Polski Wyrob pickle...a spicier, hotter version of dill pickles.  My best friend and I could easily down an entire jar.   

One of my favorite old-time Andy Griffith Show episodes highlights Aunt Bee's ineptness at pickle making.  Ordinarily a great cook, she failed miserably at making pickles.  Although Barney and Andy didn't want to hurt her feelings, they also couldn't eat the "kerosene cucumbers".  They devised a plan to give away the homemade ones to unsuspecting motorists.  Their plan backfires when Aunt Bee notices the pickles are disappearing.  Assuming they love her pickles, she quickly makes another batch.  

Well, I may just have to try my hand at pickle-making this summer.  Maybe I'll find a recipe for bread and butter pickles with onion slices like my aunt used to make.  Hopefully, they won't taste like kerosene, because in this household, I'll be the only one eating them.

Oh, I just had a horrible memory...my daddy eating pickled pig's feet from a huge jar, poor little hooves pointing downward.  I guess I was wrong, pigs won't eat "anything"... and I, pickle lover that I am, won't either.  


Copyright 2013 Charlotte Laney

New Year's Musing

As I begin this new year, I want to purposefully reflect on the blessings of my life.  For the most part, 2012 was a good year.  I think Mr. Laney and I have adjusted pretty well to downsizing from two-wage earners to one.  We are happily anticipating the arrival in April of another grandchild.  Our family lives close enough now, so we were able to enjoy celebrating Thanksgiving and Christmas with them.  

I realize that 2012 left many feeling they have little for which to give thanks or celebrate.  We in the U.S. have experienced several consecutive years of economic uncertainty.  Many are unemployed or under-employed. Home foreclosures are at an all-time high. The cost of just about everything has increased, but paychecks haven't kept pace.   There's a general sense of pessimism on the part of believers, and non-believers, alike.

It's true.  Life is often hard, sad, frightening, lonely, hurtful, unfair.  Circumstances can make it difficult to look forward to a new year with anticipation, hope, and faith that better days are coming.  We definitely shouldn't look to our government for any hope and change!  But.. we have a God who loves and cares for us with an infinite love...a love to die for! 

Matthew 17:20 says, "....Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” 

Knowing God and his great love for me gives me hope and confidence for tomorrow, and the next day, and the day after that.  
 

"Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help and my God. By day the Lord commands his steadfast love, and at night his son is with me, a prayer to the God of my life." (Psalm 42: 5,8)

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11)

 

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging."(Psalm 46:1-3)

 

Happy New Year, dear reader!  May the Lord keep you and prosper you in the coming year.

 

Copyright 2013  Laney's Musings