Garden Art Show Entries

Welcome to Queen Felicia's entries to the
Wazoo Farms Garden Art Show!





She likes to add 'Critters' to her various areas, both real and imaginary!


















Hanging plants tend to last here until October, as long as you remember to water them daily.
That can sometimes make travel difficult.














Whimsical fairies and a naughty angel with one wing (Felicia, mayhaps?)
adorn the front flower bed. As does our cement Cardinal.
We have an entire colony of Cardinal's living in the wooded berm next to us.
It is really enjoyable to sit in the front room and identify the various generations
of birds feasting at our tray feeder in the Crepe Myrtle tree.
































Many of her plants attract both Butterflys and Bees



The Andirondack chairs are a birthday present.
We will move them in the back to the Firepit this fall.

The Pepper Garden on the side of the garage.
We normally have enough to get us through the winter.

Our stone bunny rabbit. He eats less than the others.
















































As with all garden's, her's is a work in progress.
A lot of her ideas depend on her yard boy,
AppDaddy and the relative strength of his back!
















The front pond was my first big addition. Quite a challenge digging through our rock hard sandy loam and stone soil.

We plan on adding one in the back, but that will be above ground.
No more digging!


This lizard was showing off. We have a variety of different reptile species, including snakes.


They do get your metabolism up when they appear unexepectantly.















Our favorite critter Csonk posing for the jacket of his first novel. Very intellectual!

























The Pine fell during a bad storm, and still thrives.










































The chickens and ducks lazing at the pond.













Thanks for visiting Felicia's garden!

"Yesterday", when we learned to "Twist and Shout"

For Father's day, AppDaddy was treated to an outdoor concert by his tribe.
We had never been to this relatively new venue, although I had heard many good things about it from friends.
The small amphitheatre was nestled amongst the pine trees in a public park in Cary.
A winding path through the trees had us charmed before we even got to the site.
And, wonder upon wonder, you are allowed to bring in your own food and drink (wine included), coolers and even comfy lawn chairs!
Being newbies, we did not realize the extent people went to insure maximum comfort.
We saw portable tables, complete with tablecloths and flowers, folding recliners, etc.
The SummerFest series is sponsored by our excellent NC Symphony Orhestra.

Saturday's program was "Classical Mystery Tour".
The original members of the Broadway production "Beatlemania" joined the orchestra to perform a wide range of Fab Four hits with the symphony backing them.
Complete with period costumes, it was the closest most of us ever came to seeing the Beatles perform live.
After the orchestra did a symphonic introductory medley, the four 'lads' walked on stage, dressed in the dark tailored suits that the Beatles wore in the early "Ed Sullivan" era.
Playing duplicates of their original equipment, Rickenbacker guitars and such made the sound authentic.
After playing a couple of 4/4 Rock and Roll classics, including "I saw her standing there", everyone but the "Bass Player", Paul's doppleganger left the stage.
After introducing the acoustic song he was to play as "the most famous and recorded song in history", he played and sang the first line from "Feelings". This gag was right from the real Paul McCartney's live tour, and drew a big laugh.
Of course he then did a beautiful version of "Yesterday", a lovely introspective song that Paul wrote when still in his teens.
Then the other three came back on stage wearing the Sgt Pepper outfits they wore on the famous satellite broadcast from Dec of 1967, which was the first live world wide broadcast.
After "Paul"rejoined them, they did a spot on version of "All You Need is Love".
The orchestra matched the original performance note and nuance for note, it was quite spectacular. During the original broadcast, and on many of the Beatles period recordings they were joined by the London Philharmonic.
Many of you youngsters may not realize that after 1965, the Beatles stopped touring.
Most of their works from that point on were never performed by them live.
A lot of their recordings did involve symphonic orchestration and unique sound effects, so reproducing them live is a real challenge.
The NC Symphony did a masterful job, and the "Classical Mystery Tour" are fabulous musicians in their own right.

I was treated to hearing some of the best songs from their catalog, which I never thought I would hear properly performed live.
"Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band" followed by "With a Little Help From my Friends" opened the second half.
Then came "Penny Lane", "A Day in the Life", "Eleanor Rigsby", "Lucy in the Sky", "Ob-La-Di", "Hello Goodbye" and the wonderful "I Am the Walrus", where the orchestra really shined to name just a few.
The lyrics from that song are WEIRD, even for a sixties piece, and it was funny to watch some of the oldsters look at one another when "John" sang them.
Many of the songs that were performed Paul does not do in his live tours, because he didn't sing the lead on them originally.
"Yellow Submarine", "Here Comes The Sun" and "While my Guitar Gently Weeps" are among those done in addition to some previously mentioned.
After doing a couple of their solo post-Beatles hits, "Imagine", (complete with the white suit and fake beard and longer hair that John wore in the early seventies) and a killer version of "Live and Let Die" from the Bond movie where the orchestra was really able to cut loose, the encore portion of the show started.

A point of reference is needed here. Cary is one of the more upscale communities in the RDU area, with some of the most restrictive neighborhood appearance and HOA codes.
We were among the youngest couples in attendance, and Ariel was probably one of only 100 or so under the age of 25.
During a couple of the old numbers we saw people get up and 'dance' a bit, but it was a pretty staid crowd for the most part.

But after "Paul" did "The Long and Winding Road", and then went right into "Hey Jude", some of the folks turned up their pacemakers a bit.
They used the same stage banter that Paul really uses in his shows, getting the ladies to sing in rounds, then the 'fellas'. It gets everybody involved and loosened up, and it really is a fun song for an audience to get into.
Kind of my generations anthem, even though the lyrics don't really have an intrinsic meaning to them.

Then came the obligatory leave-the-stage-the-show-is-over encores you expect from concerts.
When they came back on stage they sucker punched us.
The Beatles liked to use several old fifties rock standards for their encores, such as "Kansas City" or "Hey Hey Hey"
These guys started by getting the crowd to respond to "Hey Hey", and then went right into
"Twist and Shout!"
Shades of Ferris Bueller, the place went nuts!
What is probably the greatest live rock and roll classic of them all was performed flawlessly, and nobody was still sitting down acting stuffy anymore.
Some of those folks hadn't moved like that since the Kennedy administration.
Queen Felicia herself was "dancing like a spinning top", her bemused son looking on.
The old folk aren't as old as you think lad, we can still rock when properly motivated!
They closed with "Money Can't Buy me Love", and all of us would have stayed as long as they wanted to keep playing, but alas that was really it.

I had a fabulous time, felt like I was 18 again afterwards. What better Father's Day gift could a man have, his family with him and back in his youth at the same time!

Check out their website www.classicalmysterytour.com

They have a few songs for download posted.

Note, they will be in Baltimore right after Thanksgiving with the Baltimore Symphony.
You will not regret going, and take the kids, they will love it! (Especially Merry!)

Peace out, brothers and sisters!

Follow up

My Grandad Arthur H. Harvey, Paw-Paw, with my sister Lily December 1956, she was about six months old.

Born and raised in WV, he married my Grandmother Ollie Garten in 1914.
My Aunt Bee (Bernice) was born in August of 1915, and my Aunt Rosalie (Lee) in July of 1916.
My dad was born in May of 1921.

My grandmother taught school before they married and was responsible for all three of her children's literacy. My Aunt Bee just finished sixth grade, my Aunt Lee went to teachers college, now Jr College and taught school herself for 40 years.
My dad did go to HS, but did not have the chance to go to college after WWII.
He went right to work, and was a well respected cival engineer and concrete expert in his industry.

My grandad, with mom, me (age three) Lily, six months, and Aunt Bee, in late '56, early '57

Life during the period after the World War and the Great Depression was harsh.
Both of my grandfathers were carpenters and builders by trade.
During the building season, they were away from the farm plying their trade.
My granddad Harvey worked for the Stotesberry Coal Mine, building structures and forms that were sent down into the mines.
Granddad Cupp was a mason as well, and worked on houses and other structures.
My grandmothers stayed behind and ran their farms and raised their young'uns alone.
And all of that without electricity, or indoor plumbing!

My dad told of watching his father pick up a barrel of nails under each arm, and carrying them over to where he needed them.
Each could weigh as much as 200#.
He was still a powerfully built man in his later years.


We kids with our PawPaw and Aunt Bee, at the farm March of 58.
I am 3 1/2 here, my sis is almost two.

This is a rare picture of him laughing.
He did not laugh much after my grandmother passed in Sept of 1951.
He never remarried.

Quite a character in his younger years and a bit of a ladies man to boot.
I have a picture of him as a teenager with two rather attractive young ladies.
My Aunt always told me they were his aunts, dad told me years later that they were actually a couple of his lady friends.
After my Aunt Bee passed, we found a box of picture post cards that my Granddad and Grandmother sent back and forth to one another during their courtship between 1912 and 1914. She had quite a personality, I regret I never had the privilege of knowing her.

I knew my Grandmother "Granny" Cupp well.
She passed just before Ariel was born.
She remains a major influence on my life. Grandparents are a blessing to have.

I found this picture of my father with three of his buddies taken in Oregon in early spring of 1942, right after they finished basic training.
He told me the other three boys were all killed in combat in either N Africa or Italy.
Dad is in back with his arms around his comrades in arms.
They never got to be dad's themselves.
There are always the few who sacrifice for the many.

Father's Day 2007

If we are really fortunate, the family chain that stretches through the generations between a father and his children remains unbroken.

My Grandfather A.H. Harvey is the first man from the left, top row. He is holding my Aunt Rosalie, about two years of age. My Grandmother stands to his immediate left.
The old gent in the front row with the child on his lap is my great grandfather, John S. Harvey.
He is holding my Aunt Bernice on his lap, age three.
My own father was yet to be born, this picture circa 1918.



Dad and I, probably in early 1954.
This was taken in their first apartment in Princeton WV.







Dad closely resembled the only picture I've found of his namesake James S. Harvey, my gggrandfather, his great grandfather.
James S. was a LT on Stonewall Jackson's staff and survived the War Between the States by many years, but he did not see any of his own grandchildren.

One of the great regrets of my life is that Dad did not live to see his own grandson..




My maternal grandfather, L.J. Cupp.
A fine man by anyone's standards, he saw all of his own grandchildren but the three youngest.
He was a man who loved God, and lived like it.



This picture circa 1954, taken in at their place in Narrows VA.
That is yours truly standing on his lap.
I remember him taking great delight in sitting whichever grandchildren were around in his easy chair on Saturday morning and watching cartoons with us.
He loved to laugh, and he loved to make us laugh.

I could not lay hands on a picture of me and my Granddad Harvey, "Paw-Paw"


On November 22, 1986 when Dr. Wells said
"Dad, you've got yourself a boy!"
I joined the ranks of proud fatherhood myself.
Parenthood is not for the faint of heart to be sure,
but nothing I accomplish in life can equal being a dad.

I hope to be a granddad someday.
I will spoil my grandchildren, but also hope to be a source of strength and family history and oneness to them as well.




We cleaned up OK I guess.
I was much smaller and had darker hair then.
We dads earn every gray hair the hard way.

The first time your offspring barfs all the way down your back as you try to race down the hall to the bathroom you start earning your stripes.
And that after drinking grape kool aid.





Worrying over every cold and fever, scratched knee or 'boo-boo' fades as they get older.
"If you're not bleeding or no bones protrude just keep playing" is a sentiment most of us have heard in our youth.
And used ourselves with our own.

Father's pass on all sorts of things to their sons.
Not the least of these are the love for worthy athletic teams.




My boy is still infected with an inordinate love for all things Miami, even though he's never lived there.

The one thread that kept us together throughout the tough late teen years was our mutual love of sports.
We were able to go to the U.S. Open here in NC a couple of years ago.
Still plan on hitting a Super Bowl and World Series.
And if Miami ever makes it the a BCS college football championship again that is high on our list.

Some of the best memory's we have are from the Little League youth sports years.
He didn't know anything about baseball when we started at age six, and I sure didn't know anything about coaching.
We learned together.
Several All-Star teams were in our future, he earned his spot playing and I coached a couple of them.

Long road trips to watch him play High School football were a part of our lives.
Then dad becomes a spectator, and has to bite his tongue and let someone else do the coaching.
"What's wrong with that coach, doesn't he know that he's a linebacker, not a defensive end!"
Of course we never critiqued any of his coaches. Riiiight!

Everything we are told by our elders about the passage of time is true.
It vanishes like a mist, speeds by us like a starship, faster than light.
One day your little one looks up to you, both literally and figuratively.
The next he won't walk anywhere near you in the mall, lest someone he knows sees him and gets the idea that we are related.

Then slowly, and inexorably they will come back around.
"Dad, what do you think about this, or should I do that?"

And then one hot humid summer day you sit in the bleachers at Ft Jackson and watch him take the Soldier's Oath along with 800 other young men and women, thereby becoming a Soldier and Warrior like your father and forefather's before him.
And you ask the inevitable question, "Where have the years gone?"
How did he get so tall and strong, and how did I get so gray and decrepit?"

Time, my childen, time.
Use it well, love your children, and devote yourself to them.
Your job can wait, weekend golf can wait, the rest of your extended family can wait.
Buying them stuff is not a substitute for doing things with them.
They'll forget all of those things, they will remember events where you took the time for them.

"Train them up in the ways of the Lord, and when they grow old they will not depart from it"
And they will do so with their own children, your grandchildren.


Ariel and I last Christmas.










Next on his agenda is Airborne Training this summer.
Only four semesters of college remain, then the full time Army.

Indeed, where have the years gone?

"Oh, say can you see.." 14 June, 2007 Flag Day

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

Those of us who went to school here in the States are well familiar with the pledge.
But most of us are unaware of it's history.
It was penned in it's original form as a marketing gimmick to promote the sale of the National Standard in 1892 in honor of the 400th anniversary of Columbus 'discovering' America.

It's author was Francis Bellamy, a Baptist Minister who was also reputed to be a socialist.



It was published in "Youth's Companion" on September the 7th, 1892, and Bellamy meant for it to be recited in 15 seconds or less.
You may be aware that the phrase "One Nation Under God" was added decades later, and there is now a controversy to remove it from the pledge.
This is the version that I recited as a schoolboy, and the one that I will continue to recite.

The proper protocol for reciting the pledge, and reviewing the Stars and Stripes or during the singing of the National Anthem is as follows;

All of those not in uniform are to place their right hands over their hearts, men are to remove their hats and place them over their heart.
Those in uniform are to hold a proper salute for the duration.
Respectful silence is to be observed throughout.

Why and how did the flag get to be a revered symbol of our Nation?

The evolution of the flag can be researched on the Smithsonian Institutes excellent American History Museum web site, www.americanhistory.si.edu/SSB/6_thestory/fs6.html
The web site for Fort McHenry is also a wealth of information.

The 30'x42' Flag that flew over Fort McHenry on 14 September 1814 which inspired Francis Scott Key to write his famous Broadside poem that became our National Anthem has an interesting story of it's own.
The Army commissioned Mary Dickersgill to make two flags for the Fort in the summer of 1813. She was paid $405.90 to make the large flag, and $168.54 for a smaller flag that was to fly on the parade ground inside the fort.
The big flag was so large that she had to spread it out on the floor of a nearby brewery to complete it's construction.

Key penned his poem while being held under 'house arrest' on a British Warship in Baltimore Harbor, during the 25 hour bombardment of the Fort.
After a night of intensive explosions, the Flag was still visible over the ramparts the next morning.
His poem was an immediate success, and was published in 15 major papers.
In later years it was adapted to the tune "To Anacreon in Heaven", a popular ditty originally used as the theme song of a British Gentleman's club that was a music society.
The original McHenry flag remained in the possession of the Fort's commander Lt Col George Armistead for many years. His descendant Lewis was killed fighting for the Confederacy at Gettysburg on 3 July 1863.

If you have the chance to visit Fort McHenry, take the time to view the presentation in the visitor center before entering the Fort proper.
At the end of the media, while the strains of the National Anthem, sung by the Army Chorus echo in the background large curtains slowly part to your right, and a exact replica of the original flag can be seen flying over the Fort. Quite stirring!

The flag is currently undergoing an extensive restoration, as is the American History Museum itself. Both are slated to reopen in 2008.

Tradition has it that the Red stands for valor, White for Liberty and Purity, (there are 13 stripes which stand for the original 13 colonies) and Blue for Justice, Loyalty and Perseverance.
This is not actually in the U.S. Flag code, however.
The actual code and procedures for displaying and observing proper respect for the flag are on the Smithsonian site.

The Flag is but a symbol, but one preserved by the blood of Patriots and worthy of great care and respect.

Too many of them have been draped over the casket's of our fallen warriors to treat it with disregard.

12 June 1987, President Reagan speaks at the Brandenburg Gate

Today marks the twentieth anniversary of President Ronald Wilson Reagan's speech in Berlin at The Brandenburg Gate.
From a man known for his great ability as an orator, this speech ranks as one of his finest.
The challenge to General Secretary Mikhail Gobachev is by far the most well known part of the speech;
"There is one sign the Soviets can make that would be unmistakable, that would advance dramatically the cause of freedom and peace.
General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!"
For the full text of the speech, and audio and video downloads go to
www.americanrhetoric. com/mp3clips/politicalspeeches/reaganbrandenburg4346.mp3


For those of you born after 1975, it may be hard to fully appreciate the perils and terrors of the so called Cold War.
Millions of people in the former Soviet Union and their vassal states in Eastern Europe did not find it particularly cold.
A divided Berlin typified the struggle.

I well remember nuclear 'drills' while in elementary school in Hialeah FL during the early sixties, and I also remember convoys of troops rolling through town during October of 1961 during the Cuban Missle Crises. Read "Thirteen Days" by Robert F. Kennedy, or view the excellent movie "The Missles of October" for a feel for that era.

The Marshall plan set in place in the years after WWII guaranteed that Berlin would have a free, Western sector even though the city was in Eastern Germany, the communist side.
Many thousands died in the attempt at escaping imprisonment in East Germany.
The Stazi was the East German intelligence service, and they were very effective and particularly ruthless.
The wall itself went up almost overnight in 1961, and seemed to catch the west by surprise.
For a good Hollywood look at that era check out "The Spy Who Came In From the Cold" starring Richard Burton.


















The phrase "Checkpoint Charlie" became a part of everyday vernacular in the 1960's.


President Reagan was ardently anti-communist, and viewed the liberation of those under Soviet tyranny the most important goal of his administration.

Although intellectual elitists made fun of his statements during the early portion of his first term regarding the fall of communism and the Soviet Union in particular, he soldiered on.
Early attempts at nuclear arms reduction also brought jeers and derision from them.
And when he responded to the Soviet's placing medium range missles in the Eastern bloc by deploying our own Pershing system, alarmists labeled him the most dangerous man on earth.

But his response, along with the ascension to power of Mikhail Gorbachev to the top post of General Secretary of the Soviet Union started the process of change.
When the President walked out of a conference with Gorbachev when he viewed his demands as unreasonable, critics roasted him.
But some months after his Brandenburg speech, Mr. Gorbachev came to Washington on a state visit, and preliminary agreement was reached on the first major nuclear reduction pact in history.

Later, President Reagan visited Moscow on a state visit, an event deemed impossible by his critics.


The agreement was signed, two years later the Soviet Union ceased to exist, and the Iron Curtain came down for good.

Many thousands of brave men and women risked and sacrificed their lives in their own fight for freedom, among them Lech Walesea who led the solidarity movement in Poland.

Their outpouring of affection for Ronald Reagan when he passed in 2004 was genuine and widespread.
The world is indeed a very different place today than it was during my youth.

I wonder what Reagan would think of President Putin's efforts to return to the darkness in Russia today, and indeed what Gorbachev must think?

Once again they proved what reasonable men of good will can accomplish despite the opposition of those who say "It can't be done!"

We all owe them a debt that can never fully be paid.

weekends, empty nests and summertime in the south

Our soldier had a three day weekend drill at Ft Pickett this past weekend, so Queen Felicia and I had the place to ourselves.
Since he is now contracted with the Army/ROTC, he spends most of his Reserve duty with the Platoon LT. learning the ropes for the rapidly approaching time when he will be a newly commissioned "butter bar" 2LT himself.
They experienced training for urban warfare, in particular room by room building clearing tactics. Some of this was live fire, or with live ammo being fired over their heads to add a sense of realism and bring home the serious aspects of their future jobs in the Army.
He thoroughly enjoyed himself, considering this to be valuable training and not the 'busy' work they usually do during weekend drill.

So, even though he is away at school and the Army 10 months or so per year, (and out with his friends most of the rest of his time here at home) this weekend was atypical for the summer months.

What does a young (at least at heart) couple do when they have finished all of their household and yard work beforehand?
Let me clarify that, Felicia still looks young.
Maybe by virtue of being with her so do I, more likely people think I married a really young honey.

Friday we went to a movie, rare for us of late due to the general lousy quality and high price of most flicks. There are a couple of budget houses locally that we frequent but this time we paid the full Monty.

"Oceans 13" was a very enjoyable summer "Pal" movie.
It was light on plot but had continuous action, and was quite funny.
Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Matt Damon (his disguise nose brings the biggest laugh in the picture) Bernie Mac, Ellen Barkin, Andy Garcia, Eliott Gould and a really good comic touch from Al Pacino as the 'bad guy' made me wonder if this was indeed the last of the "Oceans" trilogy.
As you may know the concept is a re-visitation of the famous "Rat Pack" movies of the sixties that featured Sinatra, Davis, Lawford and Dean Martin.
The background music was great, with hints of the big band Vegas music from the original era and some modern pop as well.
The crazy Vegas atmosphere and the allusions to Oprah also brought big laughs.
We heartily recommend it.

Saturday evening was spent with our local AA baseball team, the Carolina Mudcats.
Queen Felicia has finally found a way to enjoy baseball with me.
Watch it from the lap of luxury!
The restaurant at the stadium, Cattails offers a unique dining and game watching experience.
The food is truly gourmet (gourmand?) and allows you to watch the game in air conditioned comfort high above the first base line.
A fixed menu offers a choice of appetizer, salad, entree' and desert, with a pre-selected wine for each course, all for 45.00.
When in the child rearing years this would have been impossible, but now it's payback time for the Queen.
I have to admit, I miss hearing the crack of the bat, the pop of a well placed pitch in the catchers glove and the hoots and razzing from the fans against the opposition.
We did catch the last couple of innings down in the stands, and the home town nine even won this one, with a couple of dingers and a good job of relief pitching to save the win.

This coming father's day weekend however we will be sitting down in the stands with the real folks eating dogs and burgers, with perhaps an adult beverage thrown in to lubricate the tonsils.

You can't have Park Avenue every night!