Memorial Day Poster Girls

Deborah Samson is the Official State Heroine of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. She was awarded this honor On May 23, 1983, because of her heroic role in the final months of the American Revolutionary War.

At a young age, Deborah was sent away from her family because her impoverished mother was unable to provide for the large family. An independent spirit certainly was born of necessity, and Deborah asserted herself early by gaining an education despite the lack of formal schooling, and later, in a burst of patriotism, disguising herself as a young man in order to enlist in the Second Massachusetts Regiment.

Now known as Robert Shurtliff, Deborah faced some wild skirmishes and merciless hand to hand struggles in the final gasps of the fight with Britain. She was able to preserve her disguise by treating one leg wound, but a more serious wound, incurred later on, and one that almost cost her life, required medical attention that revealed her sex.

After an Honorable Discharge, Deborah, like so many veterans, attempted to return to normal life, but was unable to fit in. She once again donned male garb, and traveled to the house of her aunt, this time as Cousin Ephraim.

Deborah Samson Gannett

The disguise was finally deemed unnecessary when she met and fell in love with farmer Benjamin Gannett. Even as a wife and mother, Deborah lived a life of unusual courage and determination. She traveled all around the now United States, lecturing on her role in the war.

One wonders if Deborah Samson suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, like so many of her brave modern colleagues who are the veterans of all too many wars.

Poster Girl is a documentary film telling the story of Robynn Murray. Robynn, like Deborah, wanted to make a difference by enlisting and going off to fight in a war; this time the war was in Iraq. First time director, Sara Nesson, creates a film that follows Robynn through her Post Traumatic Stress Disorder following her deployment home. The film, nominated for an academy Award for best short documentary, is a touchingly honest portrayal of an amazing young woman. Like Deborah, Robynn’s journeys chronicle war, brutality, and pain both physical, but even more heart rending, emotional. Both women come out on the other side. Both women find someone to love and understand, and both women represent the price paid in the call to duty, and the debt we all owe for the sacrifice they made and are making.

Perhaps in another time Deborah Samson would have shown the honesty that Robynn Murray demonstrates in Poster Girl. Who knows, though, perhaps Deborah’s American Heroine lecture series did exactly that.

 Robynn Murray and Deborah Samson, two American heroines, who made a difference, of whom we are proud, and who should take great pride in all their accomplishments.

That's what Memorial Day weekend is all about.
 Let's remember!

http://www.canton.org/samson/
http://www.portrayalfilms.com/

Nellie Bly and Lois Lane

Happy Birthday to an amazing and talented woman, Elizabeth Cochrane, better known as Nellie Bly!

A true super woman,Nellie Bly became famous for her inventions, adventures, and investigative reporting. Nellie gave voice to those held down by gender, poverty, and social injustice.

I've always loved super heroes and grew up watching Superman. I was a huge fan of all the characters, so, I was thrilled to discover that Lois Lane was based on Nellie Bly.

Lois Lane was created in 1938. She was a tough, career minded woman, like real life journalist, Nellie Bly. In 1940, much to Lois' dismay, along came Clark Kent. 

To her he was nothing but annoying competition in the dog-eat-dog world of reporting on the Daily Planet. 

Of course, though, when Clark Kent came along, so did Superman. Was I the only person who was amazed at Lois' obtuseness concerning the identity of Superman? How could she not see that he was Clark Kent? 

I think that Nelly Bly would have done some investigation and solved the Clark Kent/Superman mystery,but maybe Nellie, always one to seek adventure, would have understood the power of Clark Kent's mystique.

As soon as the guy took off his glasses and put on the"S" outfit, complete with cape, he was transformed. He looked no more like Clark Kent than Jimmy Olsen did. Lois often came close to thinking Superman and Clark Kent were indeed the same man, but fortunately our caped crusader always managed to keep the myth and the romance alive. Lois and Superman have been an item for a long time. Here's to Nellie Bly and the Superhero in all of us!

www,wikiepdia.com

Prince William and Princess Kate

Prince William and Kate Middleton met at school. They were both students at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland when they met in 2001. The relationship went through the usual ups and downs, mostly William not wanting to commit, and then realizing what he was throwing away. Fortunately for him, Kate was willing to try again. This time he took the step, proposed, and she accepted.


The result... the Royal Wedding on April 29, 2011...the birth of Prince George, on July 22,2013, and a new arrival!


A little Princess born on May 2nd 2015...Kentucky Derby Day!
Congratulations!

 I wish them all the best!

Prince Naruhito and Princess Masaka

Prince Naruhito,the eldest son of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, is the heir apparent to the Chrysanthemum Throne of Japan. While in his early thirties, Naruhito met and fell in love with Masaka Owada, a beautiful, intelligent and highly accomplished diplomat in the Japanese Foreign Ministry.

Masaka Owada’s resume is impressive, to say the least. At the time of their meeting when she was 29,  Masako had earned an A.B. magna cum laude in Economics from Harvard University, and had attended  graduate courses in International Relations at Balliol College, Oxford University. She had also studied briefly at the University of Tokyo, in preparation for the entrance examinations at the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A native Japanese speaker, she is fluent in English and French, and is conversational  in German, Russian, and Spanish.

Prince Naruhito had met Masaka Owada when her father served as an escort to the Imperial Royal family, and was reacquainted when she was preparing for her Ministry of Foreign Affairs examinations.

The Prince was understandably smitten and sought Masaka’s hand in marriage. Her name had been removed from the list of potential matches for Naruhito, due to some political scandal in her family’s past, but apparently the Prince did not get the message. Their relationship continued and he proposed twice before Masaka accepted his hand in marriage.

I think that her reluctance had nothing to do with affairs of the heart, but more to do with affairs of state. It’s hard to imagine what it must be like for such an accomplished woman to relinquish all independence and individual success to enter a royal marriage.

Perhaps Masaka’s deepest fears ended up coming true. After years of trying to produce that all important male heir, the royal couple announced the birth of their daughter on December 1, 2001. Despite the fact that many in Japan would welcome an amendment to the Imperial Succession Law, it appears  that Princess Toshi, as she is known, will have no right to the Chrysanthemum Throne of Japan. Like her mother, she might only be looking forward to a life in which she plays a supportive, never a leading role.

Masaka Owada, former female superstar, is now known as the Princess who can’t produce, and the woman who suffers from “adjustment disorder”, more commonly referred to as anxiety and depression. Her husband, who I’m sure, still adores her, actually appealed to the public to be more understanding of his wife’s condition.

 "I would like you to understand that Masako is continuing to make her utmost efforts with the help of those around her. Please continue to watch over her kindly..."

Maybe she should have refused that marriage proposal just one more time.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crown_Princess_Masako

Anton Chekov and Olga Knipper

 Born on January 29, 1860 in the South of Russia, Anton Chekov was the middle child in a family of six children. He always claimed to get his talents from his father, but his soul from his mother.


Yevgeniya was an excellent storyteller, who related spell binding tales of her travels all over Russia before she was wed to Anton's tyrannical father.


It was no wonder that years later, when Anton met and fell in love with the talented and high-spirited actress, Olga Knipper, he was reluctant to marry. He feared that the institution of marriage would be too much of a burden for the romance they shared.


Chekov was considered one of  Russia's most eligible bachelors when he met Olga during rehearsals for his play, The Seagull. The young actresses volatile and emotional personality attracted the handsome play-write and kept him "on his toes".


Chekov, who had advanced tuberculosis, continued contact with Olga during his attempts at recuperation in Yalta. Flirtation turned to deep affection and he worried about committing himself to someone ten years his junior knowing he was gravely ill.


Olga, in frustration, wrote to his sister, "Can anyone come to a decision with him?"


Finally on May 25,1901 Olga and Anton were married in a secret ceremony.
Anton's illness and Olga's career made long separation a continued part of their lives together. Despite this they stayed in love and remained together until Chekov's death on July 1,1904.

He wrote to Olga,

"We have one fault in common, we married each other too late."

http://www.gyford.com/archive/2009/04/28/www.geocities.com/Paris/Parc/9893/anton2.html

The Story of San Juan
Capistrano's Mission Swallows

The miracle of the "Swallows" of Capistrano takes place each year at the Mission San Juan Capistano, on March 19th, St. Joseph's Day.

Each year the "Scout Swallows" precede the main flock by a few days and it seems to be their chief duty to clear the way for the main flock to arrive at the "Old Mission" of Capistrano.

With the arrival of early dawn on St. Joseph's Day, the little birds begin to arrive and begin rebuilding their mud nests, which are clinging to the ruins of the old stone church of San Juan Capistrano. The arches of the two story, high vaulted Chapel were left bare and exposed, as the roof collapsed during the earthquake of 1812.

This Chapel, said to be the largest and most ornate in any of the missions, now has a more humble destiny--that of housing the birds that St. Francis loved so well.

After the summer spent within the sheltered walls of the Old Mission in San Juan Capistrano, the swallows take flight again, and on the Day of San Juan, October 23, they leave after circling the Mission bidding farewell to the "JEWEL OF ALL MISSIONS" San Juan Capistrano, California.

http://www.sanjuancapistrano.net/swallows/

The Swallows Return to Capistrano

Anyone in my family could tell you that I have a terrible memory for dates. My husband often teases me that I will someday forget our wedding anniversary. One date I always remember, though, is the birthday of my father-in-law, Bill. He was born on March 19th; the day the swallows return to Capistrano.

It seems fitting that Bill's birth date is renowned for this famous migration. Bill grew up the youngest of five in Southern California. His ancestry goes back to the Basque Country, and his grandfather, Domingo Amestoy, who landed in San Francisco, traveled by foot down to Los Angeles,and allegedly shot a bear along the way. He became one of the area's early ranch settlers.

The Amestoy family prospered and lived at  Rancho Los Encinos, in the San Fernando Valley.
Bill grew up loving the beautiful California landscape and later reminisced over the enormous flocks of birds that would blacken the sky as they migrated south.

When World War II broke out everything changed. Bill enlisted in the Marines and was sent off to fight in the Pacific. His horrific war experiences matched those of many young men, and after years of intense island fighting, he was sent home to recover from shock,stress, and break down.

Serendipity

 Serendipity is defined by Merriam-Webster as 
"the faculty or phenomenon of finding valuable or agreeable things not sought for."


The word was first used in 1754 by writer and parliament member Horace Walpole. In a letter to a friend, Walpole wrote that he came up with "serendipity" while remembering a once read fairy tale, "The Three Princes of Serendip".


While traveling from their small island nation off the southern tip of India, the princes frequently made discoveries of things not intentionally sought after.


Many marvels from the benefits of penicillin to the wonders of Viagra:) have been discovered while researching for entirely different purpose.

So, what better way to describe that chance meeting that results in that amazing relationship? How often do we ask ourselves those hundreds of "what if" questions referring to the slight change of plans, timing, or choices that would have resulted in never meeting our special someone?

A UK translation site lists serendipity as one of the most difficult words to translate in the English language.

The word itself may break down in translation, but the true meaning is universal.

 http://writersalmanac.publicradio.org/index.php?date=2010/01/28

Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII

Lovely Anne Boleyn was a woman with a mind of her own from a very early age. Born in 1501 to Thomas Boleyn 1st Earl of Wiltshire and Lady Elizabeth Howard, Anne was educated in the Netherlands and France to be a maid of honor to Claude of France. She was brought home to England in 1522 to marry her cousin, but the marriage plans fell apart and Anne became secretly betrothed the next year to Henry Percy, son of the 5th Earl of Northumberland.

This match was never to be, and Henry Percy was forced to withdraw his betrothal and follow the preexisting marital arrangements made by his family.

Anne was sent home, and was soon the object of Henry VIII's unwanted attention. She had already observed the tragic consequences of her sister's life as Henry's mistress and she refused to follow suit. Henry, not accustomed to being denied his pleasures, became obsessed with winning Anne's hand. He broke faith with the Roman Catholic Church in seeking a divorce from Catherine of Aragon and caused even more controversy by marrying Anne.

Anne bore Henry a daughter, Elizabeth, but this birth was followed by three miscarriages. Not getting the son he yearned for, Henry's affections wandered toward Jane Seymour, and Anne Boleyn found herself in grave danger. Wanting to, again, free himself of a wife, Henry had Anne investigated and arrested for high treason. Harsh measures of persuasion forced accusations from those most close to her, and Anne was found guilty and sentenced to death.

Four days after her trial, at the age of 35, Anne Boleyn was executed. She climbed the scaffold and gracefully addressed the crowd who had gathered to watch the beheading. She begged her listeners to forgive her if she had not "used them all with becoming gentleness" and asked for prayers for herself and for the King. She also asked God to be compassionate to those who had condemned her. The crowd wept as the executioner swiftly used his sword.