Good morning everyone, today is May 16, Sunday 2021. I see it is bright out but I can’t be sure if the sun is shinning, yesterday proved to be a beautiful day, I hope today is the same. Well I went to the farm yesterday for the first time this season, they had some beautiful greens which I bought and enjoyed for lunch, some I have never had before. Now this whole farm is a historical site and the farmhouse a museum, so as Rocco ran around the grounds and found children to run with I went to look at the house. It just so happens they were open and had a display of farming in Cedar Grove over the last 200years. So I love any museum so o went in. The docent said I could take a tour if I wanted or look by myself, I chose the latter. There were photos there that brought great memories to me, Taylor’s Dairy, best ice cream I ever had and the always had a big jar of pink bubble gum that was also good, I dislike gum immensely, but for me to remember it, I guess I didn’t always dislike it. To go there was always an outing sitting by the brook with my chocolate mint chip cone. As I was standing in the front room one of the women said this is such a great example of a 18 th century home , I agreed and remarked it was much brighter than I remember, she said you have been her before,so of course that was my invitational to tell all I knew. I said I grew up across the street in the early 50’s, she asked what it was like then, I told her there were no offices across the street just farmland all around. Even where my house stands and I showed her was a mushroom farm before. So she asked how I came to be in the house I said Mr. Morgan took me in, she said you knew Courtney Morgan, by this time other docents were listening to the story. I continued how he wa such a tall man and very imposing and how he explained I could have whatever I wanted but you have to pay for it, she remarked he was teaching you, she asked how old I was at the time, I said maybe 7, 60 years ago. They all enjoyed the story,however I didn’t mention I had taken a pumpkin, after all these years I was still embarrassed of that action and didn’t want them to think less of me. So I guess I really did learn a lesson that day.

Good morning everyone, today is Friday May 14, 2021. The weather is excellent. Well we have put in another week and getting closer to summer every day. Again I’m putting things on hold waiting for summer. What am I waiting for, we should enjoy every day we have, nothing in life is a guarantee. Why, lol I is summer miraculously going to make everything better. True it will be warmer and more laid back but in January we waited for spring. It’s here let’s enjoy it’s beauty and all that goes with it.

Yesterday I spoke about May being a special month in the Catholic Church. One of the most beautiful customs is the May Crowning, it is an event basically for little girls, it is a ceremony where they crown the Blessed Mother with a wreath of flowers. Most of the girls are around 7 or 8 years old. They are this age because they have just made their First Holy Communion and they all wear their beautiful white dresses. It is really something nice to witness. Being as how that dress is almost as important as a wedding dress at least that is how it was in our house. Amanda looked absolutely beautiful in hers on the day of her communion and the day she was part of the May Crowning. These small events in life give it meaning and a purpose. They are also teaching moments, it teaches reverence, beauty, grace, piety. Many of these attributes are lacking today.

I ran a religious school in college for children with special needs, mostly children with Downs Syndrome. This was a time before inclusion and children with special needs were not included in everything. Thank God someone had the mindset to change all that. In May I decided these girls should also experience the joy of being part of the May Crowning. We practiced for weeks in preparation , learned the songs, learned how to walk and carry themselves with pride, chose the girl to actually crown Mary. invitations were sent out. The Saturday came and the procession took place, I don’t think there was a dry eye there, the girls were perfect as I knew they would be, children just need to be given a chance and expectations high and they will pull it off. Never expect less than the best from them and you will get it. That is a something I strongly believe in. I feel that is one of my proudest moments in myself. That day there were no disabilities for anyone, and they took that experience just as all other girls do and it became part of them. Customs are a beautiful part of our lives , they should always be preserved, without them we are really not much.

Well it’s that time where I say goodbye for the day, and wish you a great day. Sometimes that might sound Like a llplatitude but I truly mean it . I want us all to experience something enjoyable during the day to bring us a happy feeling. We all need that everyday. So let’s try. We will talk soon Til Tomorrow!

Good morning everyone, today is Tuesday May 11, 2021. Finally I woke to a beautiful sky, right there puts me in a good mood. I guess if I lived in Florida or the Carolinas, anywhere where the sun always shines. I would be in a perpetually good mood. But knowing me after awhile I would yearn for the other seasons. That’s why we have vacations.

Each morning I wake up and think to myself what am I going to talk about today, now I have so much in my mind I want to share. Remember this blog , I guess that is what I am doing is called, I also do share at Reflections of a life on WordPress with daily quotes is about life, my life , your life , the lives of many people. I use my life as a catalyst for everyone to think and enjoy life in general. Plus I like reliving the stories and traditions

This morning I had something in mind to talk about, but I just skimmed Facebook as I usually do and there was a conversation of former students posted. So I read it and it took me in a totally different area. Everyone knows I was a teacher at Wilson Ave. for more than 30 years. Most of my tenure was in the 7th grade so I saw many young people, I’m not a fan of the word adolescent. This time of year we had to start to prepare our promotion lists and which class for eight grade they would go to. We didn’t choose the class just made a suggestion. When we met my colleagues would say their part and then me but once a teacher remarked about some of the students as in the future they would be a handsome man or a beautiful woman. This was not said at all in a bad way. For some reason this unnerved me, t thought to myself these are children 13 years old, they are beautiful right now as they are, in my mind that’s where they will always stay 13. Of course they have all grown upend from what I see many successfully, parents themselves, which sometimes I find unbelievable that , that much time has pasted. Scattered all over the world. Yes to me they are my children but life has given them an adult purpose. That’s why I keep in touch with so many former students the more the merrier because I am proud to see and share their accomplishments, and many times I do comment out of sheer concern and love.

The post I read today also showed a picture of the corner candy store, which brought back many memories. They would come to school loaded with penny candies and eat them all day. Of course this really was not permitted so sometimes I had to take it, but most of the time I turned a blind eye to it, as long as they did their work and didn’t bother each other with the candy however children being children that was not always the case. Sometimes I would look at the candy and think only kids would eat this stuff. Some I didn’t even know what they were at the time, air heads, nerds, and everything was sour. Yes I did partake some days. Much to my dislike. So reading this post this morning and seeing them remember those days brought a little joy to my heart. No matter how old they get they have fond childhood memories. I hope that lasts their lifetime..

Today is sunny let’s not waste it, do something for yourself that makes you happy. Even if it is like the post I read, remember something from your childhood that made you happy and try and replicate it. Talk soon, Til Tomorrow!

Good morning everyone, today is Monday May 10, 2021. Another cloudy day in store for the great northeast, yesterday when I went out in the morning it felt more like October than May. I guess we just have to hang in there and wait for better days. I hope everyone is feeling well and I trust all enjoyed a great Mother’s Day.

Many years ago I took a trip to Williamsburg Va. I went in the summer, I almost died it was so hot. As a matter of fact the French Ambassador at the time of Thomas Jefferson committed suicide due to the oppressive heat, a little trivia, I think it was a bit extreme. But I visited the Governor’s mansion and off the kitchen it had an herb garden which impressed me. However, I thought at the time how many herbs do you need, all you really use is basil in the summer. How wrong I was, now that I cook I use a plethora of different herbs, you like that word I used, see how smart I am, lol. Parsley is used in just about everything. So I set out to make myself an herb garden, I chose a spot where there was an old wooden flower bed and I am building it with stones. Of course I am Italian and the more stones the better, seems like I am a comedian this morning.

But I am no Bob the Builder but there is a sense of achievement that I am getting while I am doing it. That is something we all lack self praise, most of us feel we didn’t do it right, it could be better, I should have done it differently. I think that goes back to childhood, there is nothing more important than praise to a child, it builds confidence, self esteem, worth and much more. My students and I would talk about that all the time , I would expiain if I told them they were wrong everyday eventually they would believe they were wrong in everything. This I believe sometimes is a flaw in my character, I think I don’t praise enough which I know is so important and it has taken me a long time to realize it and correct this flaw. Sometimes as I have explained before I seem to have had some kind of metamorphosis. I’m not perfect but I am working on changing many things about myself. So I am proud of this little garden, when it is done I will post a picture. We need to be proud of all we do and teach that to our children, I think we will be better, happier people. That’s why I want everyone to find something everyday to be happy about, it makes us feel good about ourselves and we all need that. Yesterday, I went to a different kind of florist to get something and the woman was making arrangements , I saw she had lilacs, you never see them in a florist so I asked her Did you grow them yourself? Her response was yes I did and I said they are beautiful. While I was on line to pay she came up to me and gave me a sprig of the lilac and said this is for you. That little gesture however brought me pleasure all day as I looked at it on the counter. So I will be working on becoming a better person.

Again I kept you too long, I apologize but remember it is a new week, we can get a fresh start. So enjoy your day even the clouds, remember they have a silver lining. Don’t forget the small things talk soon Til Tomorrow!

Good morning everyone, Today Is May 9, 2021, Sunday. As far as weather I am cold at 39 degrees. But the sun is out now but I don’t know how long, then cloudy and again rain later. You would think Mother Nature would shine her best today because of Mothers Day and make it a beautiful day everywhere. Maybe she will surprise us.

Yes, today is Mother’s Day, a day we celebrate the women who have given birth to us. Sorry guys this day has nothing to do with us, okay we do play a small part in it but the reality is it’s the women we celebrate today. What is a mother, a person who gives birth to a m child basically but it would be wrong not to count in all the women who did not give birth physically but still love a child. What is a mother’s purpose, there are many they are care givers, nurture red, healers, listeners, teachers example setters, the list could go on all day and they do al this with unconditional love, for good or bad . Your mother supports you like no one else does or will.

I have believed my entire life that a woman and a child have a special bond, they are physically part of one another, you cannot have something grow and nurture in your body for nine months and not share something special. That’s why to me when one loses the other a part of themselves also dies. That is something no one else could ever feel or experience.

Let’s talk about the good things now, I have known many mothers in my life and some I have only met in stories and I could write volumes about each one of them but I can’t I can only tell you about some today and some stories almost are the same. First, I will mention myself, now I have said before I am a lucky man in life in many ways one I had a great mother that you have heard much about and is greatly responsible for the person I am, but God I guess needed her more than me and took her too early for my liking, but he didn’t leave me floundering he gave me the best mother in law in the world, she stepped in and became another mother not a mother in law, who by the way sometimes get a bad rap, and she loved unconditionally. But again God needed her , but again he did not leave us he gave us a wonderful aunt, I guess when she was the second person to see Marylou after she was born she felt it her duty to always protect her subsequently our family. So god has always given me the best mother figures.

Now how could I go on if I didn’t speak about the best mother in the world my wife. No she is not my mother but she is the mother and grandmother of the four greatest achievements of my life. She has every quality of a great mother but she also possess some attributes that go well beyond mother, that only her and I share and I guess that’s the way it should be.

Well I have gone on again today a little too long, and I know most of you want to start your celebrations early , I know I do. So I want to take this moment to wish all of you the Happiest Mothers Day of all time, because the year you have put in as mothers you deserve it. As I look at the posts I see girls, I still consider children themselves are now grown women with children, Happy Mother’s Day. To all new mother’s Happy first Mother’s Day. Finally, to all the mother’s that are no longer with us physically but always in our mind Happy Mother ‘s Day. Amanda and Marylou Thank You for everything you do and Happy Mother’s Day.

With that I am jus going to say good bye for now and enjoy your day. Til Tomorrow!