WHEN APRIL SINGS

WHEN APRIL SINGS Robert Stolz (m) Gus Kahn (l) 1935 as rec by Deanna Durbin w Orch dir by Charles Previn August 28th 1940 Hollywood The countryside is green again, The world id seventeen again, My heart awakes when April sings. The skies above are blue again, The daffodils are new again, These are the joys that April brings. Songbirds are whispering down by the stream, Telling our weary world, "Wake up and dream!"; For love is new again, And one and one are two again, My heart awakes when April sings. Spring is here, Not a mere January thought, But a little robin I saw told me it was so, And so I know! Spring is here, Summer's near, How can I tell? I know every sign of Spring So very well! The countryside is green again, The world id seventeen again, My heart awakes when April sings. The skies above are blue again, The daffodils are new again, These are the joys that April brings. Songbirds are whispering down by the stream, Telling our weary world, "Wake up and dream!"; For love is new again, And one and one are two again, My heart awakes when April sings.
MY MOTHER SANG THIS OVER AND OVER EVERY SPRING: IT WAS TRULY WONDERFUL

HAPPY BIRTHDAY's?

March 9th, oh, when I just saw that date go up I realized it is a day after Isaac's birthday (see previous entry) AND the day before my Great Grandmother's birthday who was born in 1885, Anna Smick Livezey. (oh brother,,I use too many words,,that's called ''between") Anyway, at that moment I thought, I wonder if anyone I knew was born this day and = wouldn't that be cool, a distant relative born today mabye? anyway, if so,......> Happy Birthday!   (in september my birthday is the 14th, my sister's is the 16th and I know of someone the 15th; not a relative but still think that's cool.) I wonder how many of you out there know of someone born the same day as you; I know of two on my special day. Yeah, its special to me. Mom made it so very special...but, i think i wrote about that already. (did I write already that my sister and I are the same age for two days...perhaps I did.)


I never knew my Grandmother. She knew me ''perhaps." Mom took me several times to see her but my great grandmother forgot I was even there. She died about 3 months after I was born. Mom says I took after her with my love and passion for gardening. My grandmother was in a wheelchair when she was in her 60's. She had childhood rheumatoid arthritis. So, when she was older and gardening she would drag herself along the ground and weed her gardens. Mom said that people all around came for seeds from my grandmother's gardens and for flowers. She also placed a tub in the ground between two gardens where my mother would sit on a large stone and watch frogs jump in and out of the water garden. One frog my mother brought home from their walks from ''the Pines" in south jersey, would sit on the edge of the tub while my mother pet him. Imagine! That stone is still there today. I know there is a name for this type of stone; it is the stone that was placed in front of a home so when the coach stopped the passenger would step on it instead of stepping into the mud. I am hoping one day to ask if I can have the large stone.  My grandparents home was established in past years as ''historic'' and has been the local library for quite some time! Isn't that neat? (anybody want to loan me a crane to get it home?)

Anna was a beautiful woman, particularly with her hair pinned up. Remember how woman back then put up their hair but poofed it way out? Well, there is a beautiful picture of her next to the Wissahickon Creek outside Philadelphia where she would go boating often with her beau's. I would love to scan that pic and put it here but that is not possible considering the size and condition of the picture.

Well, for now I will just say, since i need to practice my piano, that Anna S. Livezey, a nurse in Philadelphia married a Dr. John Smith.  Can you believe that name?  John and Anna had 3 daughters. They named their last daughter none other than Mary, Mary Smith.  Can you imagine that? And Mary is my wonderful mother! Yep, we are pretty common folks but, special, gifted, talented, extraordinary ''folks." ha haha want to hear another joke?.......................................

WHAT HAPPENED TO SEPTEMBER?

September is our birthday month. My sister and I are Irish twins; for two days we are the same age. My birthday is very special to me because Mom always made a big deal. Breakfast in bed is how our day started. We got to choose what we wanted for breakfast and dinner. Now isn't that a thoughtful Mommy?

We also had scavenger hunts sometimes for our gift. Get it gift. Today we give too many gifts and too costly of gifts. Simple is often the better way to go; especially homemade gifts taylored to the individual. Mom made us dresses. I remember one dress I really loved. It had puffy sleeves. The sleeves were short and had elastic around the bottom to gather and puff the sleeve. The dress was blue with rick rack for trimming. I wore this dress in 9th grade. I wore it everywhere. Anyway, she made us girls dresses and doll clothes, our curtains, and stuffed animals. I still have the pink large hippopotamus Mom made. It was my "huggable lovey doo" animal from 9th grade to college. I slept with him every night and talked to him about many things during my growing up time.

Anyway back to our birthdays, Hannah"s and mine. We celebrated with a lunch at (oh my what is it called?) It is something like Kung Pou or Ping...it is the restaraunt that has two huge horses out front along Rt. 1 and Rt. 322. How's that. Ding! Well, we sat all day and had a very nice time. Mom would have loved it too. Hannah is an artist; and, artist's always give interesting ''stretching/outside the box" gifts to their sisters. Did you know that? It has been the cause for some laughter and major hilarity. (a story to be told another day on one specific gift many moons ago that could have caused a car accident; we did live through it, just so you know!!)
Above is the picture of the surprise birthday gift, unable to be wrapped because of its unusual shape..ahemm. What is in there? Well, below is a picture of what she gave me. ''For your Library Suzie!" she says.

Now what in the world is that you say? Well, I am always nervous, isn't that silly (?) but true, when opening a gift from Hannah. It can be dangerous. So I take one glance at it after having opened it and I register ''horse." And I think this time it IS A COOL FUN gift.  I can adjust the neck and legs and position the horse anyway I want. Notice he is drinking from a water glass. Well, what a roar! It took me about 5 minutes before I realized it was

A GIRAFFE and NOT A HORSE! Man, ding dong.! We laughed and laughed. I do like it and have it  

now seated on a high piece of furniture with him appearing to be eating from a real plant. Of course there will be days where I will have to change his position and see if anybody notices. No one will notice; that I do know. Oh well. I will, and that is the fun part. Here is a better view of MY GIRAFFE & LUNCH: Now how in the world could I have registered: ''horse?" 

Eating outside is wonderful, isn't?
Well, after much chatter, sharing of tears about the really hard things in our life and just being ''together,'' we hugged and parted. She to New Jersey, me back to my home. So now we are 56 and 57.  ---the end.

PS: just remembered I did not ''reveal'' my gift to Hannah! Well, let me upload it: simple but nice: a fan from Ecuador for the hot days on her back porch at our parents home: (many memories on the porch).

Hannah has the most beautiful green eyes. Mine are a pale washed out blue. Doesn't Hannah look fun? She always wore green and I wore blue.
Sometimes we would pick out the same item from a clothing rack without the other aware of what we were doing, at the same moment. Her choice would be green and mine would be blue.

Susie Little Susie 

Susie, little Susie, now what is the news? 

The geese are going barefoot because they've no shoes 

The cobbler has leather but no last has he 

And so he cannot make them their shoes, don't you see 

Susie, little Susie, some pennies I pray 

To buy a little supper of sugar and whey 

I'll sell my nice bed and go sleep on the straw 

Where feathers do not tickle and mice do not crawl 

Susie, little Susie, now what is the news? 

The geese are going barefoot because they've no shoes 

The cobbler has leather but no last has he 

And so he cannot make them their shoes, don't you see 

http://www.bigsmithband.com/susielittlesusielyrics.html

Picture to the Right: Those are Mom's hands on my shoulders.

The story: Mom, as I've mentioned sang all the time. But this

song was especially for me! Well, I forgot all about this song

over the years until the other day when thinking about my

mother I started singing this song. It was a spontaneous 

serendipity occurrence. I stopped dead in my tracks. Johanna

was home so I ran to her and said, "Johanna, you have to

listen to this song!! Mom sang it to me all the time and it just

came back to me!!" So, Johanna kindly humored me and 

listened...then we chatted for a while. It was a very nice

time for me, now as "Mom," to be talking with my daughter. Did you catch the drift? A.K.A: ''talking" not singing!! Ha ha! I cannot sing well like my mother did so, I spared Johanna the complete rendition...ha ha ha! 

Mom sang as she did her work around the house, outside 

whether she was going about duties or just walking with us,

walking out to the horse barn, on picnics and so on. Music was a big part of her life; a part of her and now a major

part of mine. Mom gave me the love for the out of doors; most of my time was spent outside because of Mom and being on the farm. Anyway, it all fits together nicely; music, nature.........

There is also a poem that my brother had to recite about his little sister Suzie. Maybe I will find the words to it and put it here next time. 

NO AIR CONDITIONING HERE!!!

I am thankful for the breezes that flow through all the windows when I come
home and open them up. No air-conditioning here.

The air is so wonderful. Almost as wonderful as being on water, by water.
To have both is a marvel.

I now remember my mother saying almost the same thing:
"Suzie, just feel that breeze! Isn't it heavenly?" Her exact words.
Her smile.  I remember her smile and motions when she would say those words.
She seemed to gain some peace and joy in her ''nature moments." Many times Mom
would raise her head just a little, breathing in, savoring the scents and scenery. And boy
were there scents! Cows, horses, manure, bugs, cool mud after a rain and flowers to name
a few.
I am thankful for my mother.


I am thankful for the tons of birds that sing all day; for the lone raven in the poplar tree
and the cackling, territorial American Crows that keep the Vultures at bay....for the birds
nests I've come upon.

Cool breeze come waft
by this place,
Caress my cheek with balm. 


Gird me up on graceful wings,
Steel me,
for this hour.
                                       -suzie july 22, 2010

In An Eighteenth Century Drawing Room

In the entry prior to this one I mentioned a song my mother played on the piano for us kids; that I would write the words out. There is a rendition of the music you can listen to if you go to Wikipedia and search for Piano Sonata No. 16 (Mozart) or type in google:
"In An Eighteenth Century Drawing Room" and go to Wikipedia from there. 
 listen to the ''allegro'' version!!!

Music and Lyrics by Jack Lawrence and Raymond Scott:

I FOUND AN OLD MUSTY BOOK,

LONG LOST

IN SOME FAR FORGOTTEN NOOK.

IN THE BOOK A FADED PICTURE,

AND THE SCENT OF FAINT PERFUME,

TWO OLD-FASHIONED LOVERS

IN AN EIGHTEENTH CENTURY DRAWING ROOM.                         (hope to put a picture here of

                                                                                                        my mini-grand, mom's pic...)

NOTHING IS EVER NEW,

EVER SINCE LOVE BEGAN,

SEE HER TWO EYES OF BLUE,

FLIRTING BEHIND HER FAN.

LOOK AT HIS SILK AND LACE,

ISN'T HE DEBONAIR?

AND THE SMILE ON HIS FACE

TELLS OF THE LOVE THEY SHARE.

HEAR THEIR TWO HEARTS SOFTLY BEAT,

ONE MOMENT MORE

AND THEIR LIPS WILL MEET.

WHAT A SWEET AND CHARMING PICTURE,

LOVE IN GLORY, LOVE IN BLOOM,

DON`T YOU WISH THAT WE WERE

IN AN EIGHTEENTH CENTURY DRAWING ROOM.

Man, I can hear Mom singing this as plain as day. It was wonderful and as a young teenager, well, just hopeful and such. Thanks Mom for sharing your love of music with all us kids.

SPRING IS HERE sung by Mom

SPRING IS HERE, NOT A MERE

JANUARY THAW....

BUT A LITTLE ROBIN I SAW,

TOLD ME IT WAS SO.....

AND SO I KNOW THAT....                     

and the song goes on into other verses.  I WISH YOU COULD HEAR THE TUNE!!!!! It is beautiful!!! (the photo to your right is a miniature Iris that blooms now in Honor of Mom. She had 3 super long rows of tall iris or different varieties. Before I was aloud to go to the pool all day I had to ''weed the iris" said Mom. Yuck! I was so mad about that all the time! But weed I did and as fast as I could. Man it was h.o.t! The weeds were ''horse weeds" and I promised I would NEVER!!!!!!!!!! GARDEN. Boy did I get that wrong. Jersey has these horrible horse weeds; Pennsylvania they just pull out with a blink of an eye. Back to the song....

My mother sang all the time or recited verse. She played with us and her idea, like mine, is to ''sweep the house with a glance!" ha ha ha! We were more important than the house and other ''things." So, every spring Mom would sing this song looking forward to spring, the first bud, the trickle coming down off the roof from melting snow. Our laundry room had two windows. The back window facing the cow pasture and red garage had a small roof extending just below the outside sill. Mom always had a bird feeder sitting on the roof and an old kitchen pan she filled with food for her coveted winter birds. For me the melt began there and watching the birds. Of course the cats kept watch as well.
I had three favorites cats that were all mine; they were always black. Why I do not know. The funny thing is, Sarah now chooses all black cats as her favorites and she never knew my choice. I know I told her long ago but she doesn't recall those stories. Mom always told us stories!! My first cat was name ''Inkie." I have never been talented at naming animals. I think it followed suit to my children as well. Our first rabbit was named ''Bun Bun" by Jonathan. Imagine, Bun Bun! Oh my. We have our last batch of kitties right now, four of them. Of course the black ones are Sarah's favorites. Johanna and I love the tiger striped kitty Nabisco. Well, we love them all. How can you not?

So Mom sang several spring songs often this time of year along with her usual songs. She would laugh at me trying to remember the verses. I always have trouble keeping the order of verses and their words straight! But, the idea is still there so isn't that ok? So yeah, the kids laugh at my doing the same with current songs as well.

Another song Mom sang was:

THE COUNTRY SIDE IS GREEN AGAIN

THE WORLD IS SEVENTEEN AGAIN...

MY HEART AWAKES WHEN APRIL SINGS....(and so on...)

that is my favorite..."my heart awakes when April sings...."

Lastly, I want to add another song she would sing because of St. Patrick's Day in March. We have quite a bit of Irish ''Heritage." This is the song I get messed up all the time with order; it is beautiful. I might be giving you the middle of the song or beginning; I really do not know. Will  have to look it up but I just keep on singing it in all sorts of order; its the beauty of the song that's important right? (Aside: Do you know the song ''There's a Bad Moon on the Rise?" Well, not only verse but the words get jumbled for me as well! Ding dong. I thought it was "There's the bathroom on the right." Now is that ridiculous. I guess I was too busy dancing and enjoying the rhythm of the music. I never figured it out till college what it really       said.) Now Mom! Mom wanted to major in music and write music. She was gifted in song, the piano and ''i guess'' to write music. Never experienced that with her. But, she gave all that up to be a dairy farmer's wife. She did teach us some piano and played herself alot when she could get in the time. I still cannot play like mom did; and probably never will. She kept the piano in our living room and I still can see her playing.
Here is the beginning of the song she would sing in spring around St. Patrick's Day:

HAVE YOU EVER CROSSED THE SEAS TO IRELAND

WELL MAYBE AT THE CLOSING OF YOUR DAYS

YOU WILL SIT AND WATCH THE MOON RISE OVER CLETTA

AND SEE THE BAREFOOT GOSSINS (sp?) AT THEIR PLAY (or is it "in the BAY.")...

[pictured left is White Trillium...peaceful...]

One song Mom liked a lot, the name of which won't matter to any of you since you won't recognize it; but, when I tell you the words you will because of my playing part of it on ocassion. Mom had the words all down that someone added much later to the beginning portion of this piece. First I will give you the words:

dah dah dah....(gee can't remember the beginning..will have to ask Hannah,,it is great..) 
well, its about two lovers, old fashioned books, somewhere in time, a drawing room...ever changing hues.......a lovely lilting romantic song....
I wish you could hear the tune...Mom was a romantic!!! -will come back and put the words in soon-

The words were written to the beginning of
MOZART'S :                           SONATA No. 3 in C Major K. 545

So now its time to go out in the garden and get movin' and groovin' and make a dent? ha ha, in all there is that ''could be done''........then piano lessons. My piano teacher, Ori said I could take up this Sonata for my next piece if I wanted to but ..."ahhhhhhh..." it is so difficult! It will take at least  6 months to work up and a few more to perfect. Yeah, Ori is a perfectionist and so am I but, there is joy in that journey of piano and it connects me to my mother and all these years of l.o.v.i.n.g music.

Why did I make this also in Honor of my Dad? (the tall tree picture is symbolic for Daddy: tall, strong, handsome, a rock, security...and not to be corny, but Dad did branch out into many directions in his abilities serving & in giving). Well, he worked so hard, very hard, to provide for us so Mom did not have to work, staying home with us and driving us everywhere!!! She was the ''wind beneath his wings," though. She really was. Well, I could go on and on....the end. (driving me everywhere...another story...out of the 5 kids she had to say no to me since I wanted to do the next activity offered......Hannah loved being at home with books, art & piano; Jack too-a "mr. fix-it engineer" type, content with stuff around home. I wanted to do ballet, .....well, another time......)

Notice the bee in the picture to the right? Well it isn't a great picture but I just have to add him. Played around getting pics of him in and out of the Fairy Bells. Got a good one of his bottom hanging out from the flower but it was not in focus enough to publish, rats!!!
A sign of spring. Flower: Disporum sessile:  Fairy Bells Variegatum

Mom loved Dutchmen's Breeches. Will put a pic of that in next time..they are awesome! And, a pic of Bleeding Heart. Did you know if you take the flower apart you can find two bunny rabbits and Aladdin's slipppers?

THOUGHTS OF MY MOTHER/journal

January 14th, 2010: Missing my parents: today missing Mom more for some reason. (this is the very first time I have thought of using my blog as a journal ''journal." Will see how it goes for now. [To my adult children, I kinda like this idea so you can read stuff that I may not have yet told you about Nana and PopPop. So I am just going to keep adding to this through the year. So, be sure to click on the ''In Honor of My Mother or Father to the left of the page scrolling down to see future stories. I'll date each new entry to help you keep track (this is more for me than you..ha ha ha..you know me and written material.. ha ha, love, mom)]

Today I was walking around the house getting an asundry of things done when it hit me as I passed my mother's antique corner closet. She always wanted me to have it. She decided early on which antique she wanted each of us (5) to have some day. Well, Mom collected antique plates and some not so antique ones. She has salt cellars, teacups and so on. In the bottom she always stored dip bowls, reuseable snowmen toothpicks, seashells for serving none other than ''seafood," and other items. When I was small I would sneak and turn the key that opened the closet snooping through "the stuff." Besides enjoying looking at the things it was fun thinking I was getting away with something; ha ha ha.

Then one day when I was about 17 or 18 Mom told me she wanted me to have the corner closet. She felt it ''fit me." I didn't know what she meant but she saw me as someone who would really take care of the items and the piece; that I would always cherish it. She saw me as a future great homemaker, driven to detail and conscientious. Someone who would entertain and use a dining room and so on. That's enough on that.

So, I found myself wanting to write in a journal about memories of Mom but thought I would start a section here as my journal on memories of Mom, Dad and our family and see how I use this spot over the coming year, if I do. I think I am ADD. I get distracted from one task to another. I think that is why I forget that I have beautiful linens for end tables and other things here and there that I could use blah blah blah.

Back to Mom.
So I spent some time looking at my mother's plates she collected over the years in the corner closet. I did some rearranging while looking. I wonder why she chose cerain ones. I know she told me some stories but I don't remember any. I have a terrible memory; always have! (that is why I take a lot of photographs; I remember b/c of what I see or remember a photograph and then comes the memory).

One plate says "Palestine" on the back. I know why the farm scens and serene scenes. Mom often had this look on her face when she was outside. A look of awe about the beauty of the sky, birds, trees and definitely scents. She used to take us on picnics and we would sit under pine trees looking up at the sky. Sometimes we would be quiet; other times she would say poetry or tell us a story.

With me Mom would say, "Ohhhh Suzie, look at that sky, would ya?" Or, she would say it and leave out the ''would ya." She'd let out a breath of wonder. Mom loved so many things one of those was us kids: Skeeter, Jackie, Hannah, Suzie and Amy. She would also say to me about you four kids, "Suzie do you know how lucky you are?" She would have these looks of love, wonder and appreciation in her eyes and pride for me. She also said that because I did and do complain about things. She was a good listener when I was down.

Mom was most definitely a thankful person. Always counting her blessings. In winter, I was small maybe 8 or 10; if there was a winter storm with snow blowing she loved to walk down the center of the long farm field that extended down Jessup Road. She told me later it was so peaceful and just gorgeous the snow hitting her face and so on. She also did not mind getting her head wet! I do not like that for some reason. I didn't find this out about Mom till in my twenties. We were going out to the horse barn and it began to rain. Well, I am running to get out of the rain and she is just walking along, almost a saunter. We laughed about it. She'd say, "oh Suzie, you're silly." And we laughed some more. I love water though. Swimming, playing in water...yeah, its great. Usually once I am wet you can't get me out of the water. I do turn purple though, my lips since I was a child. Mom said it was because I didn't have any meat on my bones. Once I was outside and the winter wind was blowing so strong. The driveway was icy. She had just come off the side porch and I yelled, "Mom,
I'm blowing away....!!" And sure enough, the wind pushed me across the ice of the driveway. It was scarey!!

Well, I have said enough for today. I miss Mom a lot particulary today for some reason. I feel like I could cry; like there is something down inside but it doesn't come out. As time goes on I still miss my parents; it never goes away. But it does get easier.

When I picture my mother I see a beautful lit up face with smiling eyes and mouth, someone who loves/loved me and would hug me if I needed or wanted a hug. Mom always had time for us and made time; a giver not a taker.
I love you Mom very much, Suzie

January 16th, 2010: You know, Mom was so interested in everything we kids did and were interested in. She told me more than once how she could have had tons of more kids. One reason why was because we were all so interesting and different; she loved learning, enjoying and watching each of us with our various gifts/talents, etc. that more kids meant more to enjoy! She was a fascinating woman and so nice. People just liked Mom; as I got older and Mom got Altzheimer's other adults would encourage me by sharing the great things they saw in Mom.

EDITH

Years ago I established a White Garden. Spring is the best time to enjoy this garden with its profuse ephemerals. The statuary water feature is placed in honor of my mother, Mary Edith Heritage. Edith is graced by maiden-hair fern, jack-in-the pulpits, miniature hosta, ostrich ferns, astilbe's, etc. The gate leading into the garden is an old door to a tobacco barn placed between two tall poplars. White coral bells grace the path at the entrance as well as foam flower, lily of the valley, japanese fern, hostas, creeping phlox, hellebores and other ephemerals.
A bench rests near Edith to provide rest for the traveler before strolling further into the forest along a welcoming path that meanders through the woods.
Framing the white garden are two trees that have been laced together to form an arch. The arch serves as a ''looking glass'' into the white garden; autumn clematis are currently being trained to climb both arms of the arch. Overhead rises a beautiful white dogwood. An unusual bush deep in the garden is a Helesia: Fairy Bells. The bush blooms white mid-spring with flower bells at the end of each new branch. Shrubs planted late spring include: Cinnamon clethera, Virginia sweetspire and Mapleleaf Viburnum, all of which bloom white! Now we will watch for the deer and see what they choose to nibble on.