Alabamian of the Month for May - Jesse Owens

Who would have thought that the son of a sharecropper and grandson of a slave would go on to become the best remembered athlete in Olympic history?  In winning four Olympic gold medals he thwarted Adolf Hitler's plans to use the games as an example of Aryan superiority.

James Cleveland Owens was born in Oakville, Alabama on September 12, 1913.

Called "J.C." by his family, the name "Jesse" was inadvertently given to him by a schoolteacher in Cleveland, Ohio, where the family moved when he was nine years old.  When asked for his name, he replied "J.C."  However, the teacher thought he said "Jesse," and that's the name she entered in her roll book. From then on he was known as Jesse Owens.

When Jesse was in high school, he won all of the major track events, including the Ohio state championship for three consecutive years. As a result of his high school career, several colleges recruited him. And although Ohio State University couldn't offer him a scholarship, he chose to enroll there. To support himself and his wife, Ruth, he worked several jobs: night elevator operator, waiter, and gas station attendant. He also worked in a local library, and served as a page at the Ohio Statehouse.  He somehow managed to find the time to practice and set records in intercollegiate competition.

Source: http://www.jesseowens.com/

More to come....

Iris -- Goddess of the Rainbow

When I was in high school, I was a "Latin" geek. I took three years of Latin in high school, because I was so interested in mythology.  Since there were only about fifteen of us in third year Latin, our teacher asked each of us to choose a Latin name.  So I chose the name "Iris." 

Iris was the goddess of the rainbow, and the messenger of the gods. She was the goddess of the sea and skies, and as the rainbow arcs from the sky to the sea, she was believed to replenish the rain clouds with water from the sea.

My real reason for choosing that name was because of the iris flower, which has as many different color combinations as the rainbow. 

Probably the most beautiful iris of them all is the bearded iris.  My daughter has taken quite an interest in these beauties and has given me some as well.  The following pictures were taken in her garden over the last couple of weeks.  I don't know the names of these lovelies; I just know that they take my breath away.

This one is in my front yard.

Is This What T. S. Eliot Had in Mind When He Wrote

Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats?

This little fellow apparently has found a home under my house. Since I have cats that live outside in my back yard and I feed them at my back door, imagine my surprise to see little Pablo trying to eat cat food the other morning.  One of the cats was just sitting there, watching him. The poor thing can barely chew the food. I'm guessing he's an orphan, but he has the instincts that God gave him to know when he's got a good thing going.  As long as it's live and let live, I'm okay with him hanging around.

Everything's coming up roses - for me. (Ethel Merman)

Roses in my yard. I don't know the names of most of them, since many were planted when I bought the house. This is one of them. I love its color.

The bud of an English tea next to my garage.

Fully open.

This one is called Night Owl.

Betty Boop.This climber has been planted for at least three years. Now it's blooming for the first time. The picture doesn't do it justice, though. It's covered in 'bunches' of blossoms.

Some people are always grumbling because roses have thorns;

I am thankful that thorns have roses. (Alphonse Karr, author).

Won't you come into the garden? I would like my roses to see you.

This quote is from the Irish playwright, Richard Brinsley Sheridan. I can think of no other quote that applies so fittingly to my daughter's roses.  Come with me on a walking tour:

Above and following are Comtes de Champagne, lovely English tea roses. Starting out with yellow buds, upon opening they are lighter, and then fade to white when fully open.

The white roses in the background are called Lichfield Angel.

These roses are named Harlow Carr, and have the fragrance of the perfume "Joy," by Jean Patou.

The Queen of Sweden.

Let's Go Indoors for a While

Okay, so it only took me five years to redo my front bedroom. Better late than never. It's hard to tell, but the color was a very faded pale green.  The color was one I liked, but it was DIRTY!!!

My daughter gave me these lovely picture frames, which finally inspired me to do something about this room.  With her input, the decision was made to venture into the pinks/roses/lilacs shades.

So, we bought paint samples and brought home paint swatches to try and make a decision.  That process started last fall.

I began painting in February but then for various reasons just put the project on hold. Finally, this weekend I was determined to finish. The paint color is a pale pink, called Water Lily Bloom (from Lowe's). Part of the reason I chose it was because of Lily, one of my daughter's cats.  Even though Lily despises me, I love her!

All done! And now, I have a room that I'm happy to enter and enjoy! 

I'm thinking about getting some white sheer panels for the windows, but as usual, my daughter will have the final decision on that.

That interesting mark on the wall is apparently the reflection from the mirror!

This potter's bench is perfect in this room now. There is a shelf on the bottom, which I promise not to clutter up!

Now, the only thing left to do is freshen up the closet and bedroom doors, plus the molding around the windows, with some white paint. It's on my list. Oh, and yes, I have to put some pictures in these lovely frames!