Bonnie’s Blog
Bonnie B. Matheson
- Thanksgiving! Are You Giving Thanks?
This season is so necessary and so healthy. We should all be grateful for the idea of Thanksgiving. It is so healing and beneficial for the world. If you are breathing, you are probably thankful. Besides that this holiday does not require presents, greeting cards, long church services or even elaborate decorations. Just food. It is traditionally a feast day. The reason for the feasting is gratitude. What could be better? There is so much to be thankful for. When… - Do You Have a Hat for the Races?
My hat is ancient. It may be 30 years old, but it is more like 40. It was a nice straw hat from the beginning. However, age has mellowed it, and it has a patina that can only come with many years of use. For a long time, I kept it in my car all summer. It was always near in those years when we regularly drove a ‘four-in-hand.’ It sat on the back shelf below the rear window of… - How Important is Your Lipstick
How important is your lipstick? When she was about 97, My mother had a fall while letting the dogs out. She called and called until the cook heard her. Absolutely terrified, the cook called my sister-in-lawand then 911. Mother was shaken, but she said, “Someone bring me my lipstick and a mirror. I am not letting strange men come into my house and take me away without making sure mylipstick is on.” They insisted on taking her to the… - What is Your Biggest Fear?
Have you been terrorized by your TV? Do you listen to the numbers of people who have been diagnosed with covid? Do you pay attention to the number of dead? Do you know that these numbers are simply not true? All the information is available online. But you really have to search. Many doctors and scientists have been silenced or marginalized because tech companies do not want to allow dissent. Is this because the number of dollars for advertising comes… - Will We Ever Be Able to Trust the Media, Again?
This quote is by Henry Kissinger. “It is not a matter what is true that counts but a matter of what is perceived to be true.” This is interesting. It is also terrifying. Why are people just ignoring this?We are living in an age of pure propaganda, and I do not like it. The news is slanted toward the Democrats, but I believe they are also deceived. They are very short-sighted if they think this does not apply to them,… - 5 Ways to Enjoy a Wonderful Fall Week.
This week has been both icy cold and unseasonably warm, and last night, it was raining (but warm). It seems to me that there are many ways to enjoy the changing season. Here are my top 5. Number 1. Go out into the fresh air. Breath. Saturday was the Opening Day of the Keswick Hunt, and I went to the meet to see them off. It is lovely to be involved in hunting, even as a spectator. Thanks to my… - Are Vaccine Passports Dangerous?
The number of places that still ask for masks to be worn or, worse yet, vaccine passports is shrinking. But it is NOT happening fast enough for me. It causes my heart to race, my blood pressure to rise, and my mind to fill with what I would like to say to them. There are so many false reasons why these people are suffering from fear. They are anguished and suffering for nothing. Terrified by lies and propaganda that they… - How I Accidentally Began Fox-Hunting!
Like so many things, it all happened by chance. We were staying for the weekend at Heathfield, our farm near The Plains, Va. We had not owned it very long and were not connected in any way to the horse world there. On a warm Labor Day weekend, the phone rang. It was a foxhunting friend wanting to speak to Charley. We met Mike because his wife was at Holton-Arms School with me. I always liked her. She was a… - Drinking: Should You Do It?
Alcohol is a tricky subject. A young person I know is having a tough time because he has Mono and is not supposed to drink. The reason this is a problem is that he is at college. Drinking is pretty much part of going to college unless you are a Mormon. This situation made me think of how much the culture of drinking has changed. The generation who grew up just after prohibition ended drank a lot. They often had… - Do You Set Deadlines, Boundaries, or Limits on Love?
Procrastination is so prevalent in my life, it no longer bothers me. It is like having a bad knee or shoulder that you must be careful of injuring. You just live with it. You manage your life around it. And carry on with what is essential, perhaps, while leaving so many unfinished tasks in your wake that you lose track. But there is a cure. It was given to me as an aside when I asked a friend who was… - Have You Been Ostracized?
When will the craziness end? Recently I was told I could not attend a dinner party that I had paid for at a lecture club that I belong to. They still have a rule that you must show proof of vaccine in order to attend. I believe this is wrong, insulting, invasive, and fascist. All along, I have refused to show “my papers” at private events or clubs or anywhere actually. But I thought that craziness was over. It is… - Have You Ever Seen a 4-in-Hand?
August 19-21, 2022, was the Weekend of Coaching in Newport R I. This is a spectacular event, resplendent and memorable to anyone who has seen it. Like a major production of an opera or stage play, there are elaborate backdrops and paraphernalia. When the photos began to show up on Instagram and Facebook, they brought back memories from my time on the box seat of our road coach, The Viking. For many years, we participated in these weekends in Newport…. - Something Everyone Must Know!
This message is for all my friends. My most liberal and my most conservative friends, who voted for Obama, and even those few who voted for Joe Biden, as well as my friends who voted for Trump will benefit from reading this. This post is a present from me to you. John Whitehead is fighting for us all. Do more reading of his views at: https://www.rutherford.org John Whitehead’s Commentary Repression, Terror, Fear: The Government Wants to Silence the Opposition By… - Do You Have a Talisman?
When my first grandchild was born, my mother gave me a ring.It is a noteworthy event when a new generation appears in a family. Everyone in the family was extremely excited about this new development. And in our family, such milestones were often commemorated with a gift of jewelry. My mother and I were standing in her beautiful blue and white bedroom. I noticed our reflection in the mirror. We both looked young to be grandmother and great-grandmother. Mother, at… - Do you still trust your doctor?
“The further a society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate those that speak it.”~George Orwell A man I know had what he believed to be the beginning of a blood clot in his leg. He had been very sedentary and taken an automobile ride last 4 or 5 hours without moving his leg. When he woke up the following day, the leg was very sore, red, and swollen. The skin was hot and tight to the touch…. - My Friend Mr. Dingus
My dear friend, Mr. Dingus has died. You know how people say “Oh that is the end of an era!” when someone important dies? Well, his death is the end of an era for our whole family. We will all miss him terribly. He seemed to be a constant presence in our lives from the early 1970s until we left Heathfield. Mr. Dingus started his company Fauquier Enterprises, in 1974. My husband was an architect who loved to design and… - What Good are Parties?
When I look at old photos of my life at Heathfield, it is as if I could enter that life again. It is physical pain, a longing, and a deep feeling of wishing I could go back. But of course, none of us can go back. We need to go forward. My life is wonderful now, but it was also wonderful back then. It is hard to say what is most important my very long and eventful past or my… - We Are Adults Now.
“We Are Adults Now.” We have grown up. We are adults now. We must learn to take responsibility for ourselves. We need to understand that our emotional intelligence is in our hands, no one else’s. Our health and our outlook on life are solely our own responsibility. Why do people expect someone else to save them? That is not only an unrealistic expectation, but it sets us up for being manipulated by unscrupulous characters, often the government itself. “Governments do… - The Secret Life of a Grandmother
I have been waiting impatiently for the 30th of June to arrive so that I could go to a luncheon I had been invited to. Yet on the actual day of the party, I forgot. Is this old age? Or is it the various distractions of my life many of which were unplanned but often very pleasant? I am distraught to have missed the luncheon. An author of a historical novel asked other authors to come to enjoy each other’s… - In Honor of my Father
My Daddy adored me. I was his first child. He was besotted with his first little girl. According to my mother, I adored him back. She said he used to take me everywhere and spend hours playing with me. Painting pictures, cutting out paper dolls, and making things for me. In those days, shirts came from the laundry with cardboard inserts to keep their shape. My daddy would help me cut out crenelated shapes from these and glue them together…. - Pandemico, Movie of The Mind
by Jon Rappoport June 14, 2022 This movie has been produced in many ways, in many minds. In all cases, the theme is the same: DO NOT LIVE YOUR LIFE OUT IN THE OPEN. Instead, obey all restrictions. SHUT IT DOWN. Believe in the dangers you’re told to believe in. In the final analysis, this movie was a box office hit because most people gave in. Their fears may have hooked into different parts of the COVID narrative, but the… - Wedding Weekend! Perfect!
June 3-4 weekend was an example of a perfect family event for this Grandmother. Of course, I hope and believe that everyone had a lot of fun at my grandson’s wedding to his fiancé. But none of them could have enjoyed it any more than I did. The weather was spectacular—cool evenings and not too hot or humid in the daytime. The sun was bright, the air fresh and fragrant, the grass green and shrubbery lush due to a great… - Serena, Found!!!
I am smiling as I write this because I know the ending to this part of Serenas’ story. It had been ten days since my dog, Serena went missing. Ten days with no word at all, made me assume she was dead, gone for good. After all, I had contacted everyone I could think of. I went door to door to the neighbors, begging for information. They all understood how much it meant to me. We had contacted the local… - Serena
One Christmas many years ago, our children surprised me with an unexpected gift. They told me they had a present for me but I had to wait in the living room, while they went to get it. They were giggling and acting very pleased with themselves. With much whispering and fanfare, they brought a rather unwieldy-looking tan-colored cardboard box adorned with a red ribbon on top. When I opened the large badly shaped box I was shocked. There, inside, was… - Raising Boys
Our kids grew up in a wonderland, at least it seems that way in retrospect. Now, like Camelot, it has disappeared. All that remains is a memory. But it colors all of our lives and enriches them. It was, in fact, our life at one time. We lived it large. We enjoyed it ‘in the moment’ for the most part. Even then, I think we knew it would soon be gone forever. Though we could never have imagined the world… - What Happened to Freedom?
When you abandon freedom to achieve security, you lose both and deserve neither.Thomas Jefferson Benjamin Franklin said similarly: Those who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety. Freedom of speech is the liberty I hold dearest, but speech is being censored day in and day out everywhere. If an organization is not censoring them, many people self censor. They are careful what they say for fear of people or institutions demanding… - Spring Foxes! This is Their Time.
I have so many photos of foxes, it is fun to share them with my readers. The featured image was taken by my daughter Helen. One of the joys of spring is the site of newborn animals and their mothers. Watching females feeding their young is special. From foals and calves in fields by the road to more hidden animals like foxes, opossums, groundhogs, rabbits, ducks, and geese, spring is the time of rebirth. It brings forth new life, and… - Masks, the Mark of the Sheep
The mask mandates have been lifted on planes and all sorts of other places. Thank goodness! Yet there are some out there still demanding to resurrect the mandates. It baffled me right from the start how people could have fallen for the mask mandate. It was easy to prove masks were ineffective and not worth wearing. Furthermore, wearing a mask was like wearing a sign saying, “I am compliant, I do what I am told.” It was also horrifying to… - I found a Treasure!
A treasure trove of information! The little book brings back a time in my life and old friends who are all gone, now. It was a Guestbook for people to sign when they came to the embassy for a party or even just to visit. And along with my mother’s diary for that period and my own, it paints a picture of our lives that first year in Luxembourg. The book was a pale nut brown leather rectangle wedged between… - Changes!
How do you feel about change? The world we all inhabit has changed dramatically since I was a girl.There were a lot more rules of etiquette, manners mattered, and going to church was a virtue. People were addressed as Mr. and Mrs. or Miss, no first names until later, and there was a lot less swearing. There were general fears about war, even epidemics, but no one closed down countries as a result. Skirts used to be a certain length…. - Hunting is Not for Snowflakes
The other day I posted a photo of myself on horseback So many people commented on that photo or simply ‘liked’ it, that I took a second look. I posted it originally because it is sometimes enjoyable for me to see how I looked in those days with a trim figure and youthful features. Life was good. But there is more to that photo than just me. Foxhunting is a sport that requires guts. When I began seriously hunting in… - Do you love your home?
Being given the privilege of living in a place that gives you energy and good vibes every day is the best. Houses have personalities, and property exudes atmosphere and vibrations we may not always recognize. We just get a sense of a place. It can be intense. The property where I live now is wonderful. The rolling hills of Virginia are personified right here. It starts as you enter the driveway shared by a couple of other houses, that goes… - What is a woman? Do you know?
Being a woman is the best. We are so lucky. We have all the advantages and always have. Men want us and need us and protect us and basically revere us. What’s not to like about that? We have such advantages! We don’t have to go down into the basement to discover what “that sound” was! For many everyday scary things men will show us their bravery. It is they who get the snake out of the house, get rid… - You Can Bring Your Dogs, or you can bring your children. But you cannot bring your dogs and your children!
The dog fight! This is the story of why we had to make the above rule in our house. I was standing in the sunny kitchen with Susie. The morning was bright, soft, and warm for November. Standing on the reddish-brown tiles of the floor we watched several of the dogs frolicking outside the French doors. Susie was holding her adorable baby girl. Helen was a little over 6 months old. As the big dogs belonging to Susie and Murdoch… - Dream to Reality? I became what I admired.
Once upon a time, the Orange County Hunt met on Opening Day at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Furness, Waverly, in The Plains Virginia. The Washington Post covered the elegant event in the section that used to be called For and About Women Looking at all of the color photographs, 55 years later, I was shocked to realize I knew every single person in those pictures. This happened when looking through old boxes of memorabilia. We found this… - A Queen is Crowned 1953
Looking back on 80 years of life is sobering. For some time now, I have been trying to organize my files, label things and throw out things no one cares about. In the process I have found amazing items I thought were lost forever. I have found things that hurt my heart to see or read about. Then there are the things that bring such joy and fulfillment that it is thick in the air around me. But it can… - Let’s Hear It for the Truckers!
My heart goes out to the truckers in the Convoy that drove to Ottawa to protest the mandates. I applaud those headed to Washington DC, now. In fact, I am partial to all truckers everywhere. This is because I had a brief, semi-secret life as a trucker’s girlfriend. It may surprise you to know that I once traveled all over the west with a man in a Big Rig. I was simply besotted by that guy. The origin story of… - What Do You Want? Do you know?
The voice spoke to me from outside my body but I was alone. There was no one with me. “You don’t want to live here. You need to leave and go to Charlottesville. You want to be with your children and grandchildren. Go!” I was alone in my mothers’ bedroom on a day in late February 2020. The room was dark, curtains drawn, and the blue silk wallpaper seemed to fade out to nothing. The cream-colored, French provincial, dresser I… - Do you care about Freedom?
Are you one of those who make fun of people who talk about Free-dumb? Do you value “free speech”? Have you thought about what your life will be like when you no longer have any freedom to do as you wish? You will not be able to complain because that will be deemed “hate speech”. Can you see that the mandates are taking your freedom from you one thing at a time. And now with vaccine passports, all of your… - Misinformation or Censorship?
A nurse told me, “Your private doctor does not care about you. They just want to make money. They do NOT care what happens to you.” She was emphatic and she sounded angry. Everyone is on edge, these days. She was adamant that doctors were in it only for the money.This was interesting because she is a nurse at a hospital. Most people I know would say that “hospitals do not care about you. They just want to make money.”… - Are You a Conspiracy Theorist?
A ‘ conspiracy theorist ‘ is someone who engages in Critical Thinking. Isn’t that a good thing? When we are young the world is bright with promise and seems to extend out indefinitely. Even if our circumstances are dire, there is hope peaking over the horizon, seen from a distance maybe, but still possible. At the end of life, our gaze turns back to see how far from the starting point we have come. There is less time to begin… - Snow Daze!
The sun shone behind a wall of clouds so diaphanous that it seemed to be made of sheer Mother of Pearl. Silvery, shimmering as if it would burst forth any second now in glorious glaring sunlight. But that never happened. Instead, the sky became thicker and smoother and the scent of snow was in the air. It felt damp and cold and invigorating at the same time. Snow-covered the turquoise-painted outdoor furniture on the terrace, and it covered the terrace,… - How Do You Feel About Birthdays?
Remember being 10 years old? Such a milestone, 2 digits! I was thrilled when I turned 10 that I could say something happened 10 years ago. A new type of “me” arose by the time my life contained that august number of years. Everyone has an annual birthday whether it is celebrated or not. But some are more important than others. 12 was also a big year for me, as I became a woman on my 12th birthday, much to… - Mass Formation, how did we get here?
It is the lockdowns, the high anxiety, the clot shot, and general despair!!! It is shocking but it is no mystery! You can blame Fauci most of all because he is the lone spokesman for much of this. However, the American people put up with it and have not stood up for their rights or freedom. There is no one to blame but ourselves! Learn about Mass Formation. Is that what you want to be a part of? I vaccinated… - Sickening Truths and Consequences of Government COVID Policies
the lies, the manipulations, the conniving, the mistakes, the corruption, the failures—and yes, even the malpractice murders—committed by our government, our bureaucrats, and our media over the last four decades, but in particular during the ugly mess of the COVID-19 pandemic. - Blessed Christmas over, prepare for the New Year!
Christmas this year was one of the best ever. Our family is large and several members have birthdays in December. There is even one on the 23rd and one on Christmas Eve. These family members have parties in addition to the Christmas parties already scheduled by friends and families. None of the parties were canceled. And they were all a lot of fun. The weather was mild, and we were often outside for hiking and eating. At one birthday, the… - Gratitude!!!
When the sun sets with a crescendo of color so magnificent it takes the breath away, trying to capture it leads to multiple photos. Or when it rises in splendid spirals of pink, orange, fuchsia, and golden light. Brightening the dark mauve sky at dawn by degrees is God’s way of increasing the light. My first act after a moment or two of awe is to reach for my phone to memorialize the sight. Looking back through my photos for… - Melting Down Art and History (borrowed article)
This is such an important article I wanted to share it. Please take a look at Intellectual Takeout which is the name of the publication it came from. By Jeff Minick 3 ¼ min After the Civil War, former North Carolina governor Zeb Vance became a U.S. senator. His Northern colleagues enjoyed his affable nature and sense of humor, and some of them invited him to Massachusetts during a break in government business. While there, Vance attended a party, and… - How Bad Can It Get?
Think about the title of this post. What is your threshold? How much will you put up with? What are you willing to do to stop it? Recently an organization to which I belong sent out an email to the membership about their new policy. The new rule which must be complied with is to show a vaccine passport or failing that, a negative Covid test. You must do this in order to attend their dinners and luncheons from now… - Last Week I Spoke to a Doctor.
It was a social occasion nothing medical. He is one of the best doctors in the United States. He is a cardiac surgeon, and if there is ever any reason for me to have heart surgery, he is my choice of physician. Besides he is super nice, personable, handsome, and popular. However, we disagree about what is happening with Covid. He talked about his Texas hospital being full. When I asked why they don’t treat the virus early, he said… - Happy Thanksgiving!
Fear! It is the new way to control you! The fear that inculcates almost everyone these days is inconceivable to me. Where did it come from? I think it was organized and planned many years ago. The fear has made people segregate out the unvaccinated as if they were lepers. It’s a way of also separating out the non-compliant. It’s actually a brilliant way of discovering who is likely to go along and who will refuse. Of course, they managed… - I Miss My Mother!
Today I lay down on my mothers’ bed. I looked at the ceiling beams, which is what she would have seen at the end. Tears rolled down my cheeks because two years ago, Mother died on this day. November 18th, 2019, at 7:05 am. in this room in this house. It is time for me to go back home to Charlottesville, VA. But…I miss my mother on the anniversary of her death. Two years have slipped by, during which everyone… - A Day at the Races!
Montpelier Races! They are the only races held at the property of a historic home, in this case, the house of James Madison. He was, among other things, the 4th President of the United States and the father of the Constitution. The property is gorgeous. The autumn drive along secondary back roads in Virginia is breathtaking. The leaves still on trees were vibrantly colored. A clear blue sky with scudding puffs of cloud here and there accompanied me along the… - When Will You Have Had Enough?
Today I watched a video with Peter Mark Robinson and Dr. Jay Bhattacharya about how the government is using the police power of the state to crush doctors who do not adhere to the latest line from the Biden administration and Dr Fauci. It is tyrannical and wrong. The government assures us that everyone benefits equally from vaccination. Those who have previously had COVID and already have antibodies are not given the choice. They MUST take the shot. There is… - Do Something? Or not?
A funeral of a friend was held at the National Cathedral last Tuesday. The entire church was crowded with mourners; friends and family and those whose lives the deceased touched. It was a beautiful service, true to his ideals and his nature. What a celebration! The Cathedral was full from the front rows to the back. Someone mentioned a figure of 700 souls. Few people whom I know are as well known and also well-liked as this man who died… - Shout the Truth!
“Sorry, I no longer do virtual anything. This fear of the virus has become a worse plague than the virus ever was. The only way to stop it is to stop participating in any “fear-based” actions such as virtual meetings. If you want to meet in person, fine. I will attend. Otherwise, I will see you when people get their courage back. Or stop listening to mainstream media propaganda. I miss you all.” The above is my reply to an… - As Long as We Choose Fear (they have every chance of winning.)
The whole world seems to have bought into the lie. And it is a lie. The Pandemic is not a real Pandemic. The death rate is nowhere near serious enough to call this a global pandemic. And of those who died in the United States, there is a huge question about how many supposed Covid deaths were in fact due to Covid. How can any of us trust anything that we see in print or hear on the radio or… - Where Do You Go?
Where is your “go-to” place? Do you have a special restaurant that you can go to for entertainment and peace at the same time? DeCarlos Restaurant has served the people of Spring Valley for 40 years. It is a charming dark and cozy place that has a staff of people who understand good service. It is easily accessible for those who have difficulty walking. There are no steps to the door to interfere with entry. There seems to be someone… - There is a Snake in Your Closet!
The text came in while I was sitting in my old bedroom in my mothers’ house in Washington DC. The phone rested in my hand. The hair stood up on the back of my neck. A snake hiding in my house in Charlottesville! I scrolled down to a photo of the little critter which my housekeeper sent. It really wasn’t very big. There it was stuck solidly to one of those horrible sticky rectangular mouse traps. Its whole body fits… - How do you like being upside down?
The world we live in is absolutely turned upside down. I do NOT understand why it is so hard for people to see this. But they have been systematically brainwashed with terror. They fear for their lives, literally. These people often feel that a diagnosis of Covid means a death sentence. I am sorry for them, but at a loss about how to help. Even Bill Mahr https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/bill-maher-democrats-misinformed-coronavirus was shocked at the political divide when it comes to ideas about… - Tonight we had pizza on the terrace
One of my children asked about anti-body tests. Are they reliable? Some others talked about crazy stories they heard about people not being allowed to attend weddings of friends unless they had the shot. Some frightened friends of parents would not allow them to come into the house without a mask. The stigma against the people who have not had the shot is out of all proportion to the danger. If one did not know better, one would think that… - Those Were the Days!
One of my children told me recently that they believe the government is their friend and there to help us through the current virus. This child thinks their mother (me) is selfish and stubborn because I do not believe that. It makes me feel somewhat frustrated and a little bit hopeless. There is so much fear of “the virus”. It is pathological. Truly scary, to me, is the idea that a lot of people believe that we as humans are… - Keeping an Eye on Grandpa, the Terrorist
Below is a wonderful but alarming article about the fact that those who question the government or the medical mandates are being seen as terrorists. This article was originally published on Intellectual Takeout. Please read it and think about whether this is the way we want our country to think of people like me. By Jeff Minick I’ve just learned I may be a terrorist. On Aug. 13, the Secretary of Homeland Security issued a… - Are You in Favor of Segregation?
Have you been ostracized from social events yet? Or are you one of those for whom it seems a good idea to ostracize the unvaccinated? Here is an example, part of an email invitation I received this week. “Please note that The Country Club requires all attendees to wear masks while not eating. Due to the nature of the event, which is centered around socializing for a large group, we can only take vaccinated guests. Please be prepared to show your… - Shocking Ignorance About the Virus?
Someone asked, “What can we do to help people with the virus?” So many people are so scared, they can’t think straight. But they know what you are talking about if you mention the word “Virus”. The one that has escaped (or maybe it was released on purpose) from Wuhan China.In answer to that question of what to do, a friend posted the following: Get a poster board, get a marker, and write:”Early use of hydroxychloroquine,Ivermectin, Zinc, Vitamin C, Vitamin… - Summer Storm
Suddenly the hot day seemed to stall. The sun disappeared. Everything got quiet and very still. Looking up into the sky, I was shocked to see it suddenly dark. Storm clouds crowded where the brilliant blue had been only minutes before. The entire sky was suffused in charcoal and shades of grey. Such majesty in that infinite depth defied reason and shocked us with the change from light to dark. The sheer power of thunderclouds which seemed to crash against… - What Scares You Most? The Lies or the Virus?
COVID-19 dominates the news. It feels like the end of the world. Surely we will all die if we don’t listen to the authorities. We are in such danger from each other that we need to avoid people. Be frightened of your grandchildren, and grandchildren be terrified of “killing” your grandparents. What a terrible idea that is. Family is so important we must not ignore its importance in the face of a threat that is way over-hyped. We are supposedly… - Learning to swim in 1916
Can you imagine not knowing how to swim by the time you graduated from college? Helen Dow couldn’t swim. But her finance Dr. William J. Hale wanted her to learn. Reading my grandparents’ letters to each other has been enlightening.It is hard for us to realize that swimming was not something that a lot of people knew how to do in the first couple of decades of the 20th century. Helen Dow had never learned how to swim. But Billy… - Blood and Gore!!!Typical Monday!
It started with constant yelping. There are several types of barking styles employed by my dogs. This was an “I have him cornered!” bark, not an “it’s a snake!” bark or the squealing call which indicates running after a squirrel or a deer.My three dachshunds are very different from each other, though all are extremely lovable in that way that dachshunds alone seem to know how to be. Magnus is sweet-tempered and awfully patient until it is time for a… - Are you offended? Are you outraged?
Is this the straw that broke the camels back? Back a few summers ago, I narrowly missed attending a rally in Charlottesville to protest the planned removal of the Statue of Robert E Lee from Lee Park. I felt so strongly about this that I wanted to go downtown and protest. It would be fun to join with other people like myself who were upset by the idea of dislodging General Lee. As President Trump said, there were a lot… - Engaged!
All summer of 1916 Helen wrote Billy Hale every day except on the days when they saw each other. While he was absent she spent a lot of time painting china. He visited her in Midland, which was a company town, with little else to offer the visitor. She writes of longing to see him, to kiss him, but not too much. She is clearly passionate about him, but circumspect in her writing about this part. They were still chaste… - Helen Dow Married her Professor!
My grandmother Helen Dow Hale was smart and funny. She was one of six children, the oldest one in her family. She had loads of friends when she went to college. She was young and vibrant and full of hope and plans for the future. She graduated from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor in 1916. While there, along with studying and joining a sorority Theta of Alpha Phi and making new friends, she fell in love with her… - Do You Believe in Pandemic?
Ever since I was a little girl, my mother, Ruth, told me stories about going to the cemetery to visit her dead mother on Memorial Day Weekend. They normally did this every Sunday. But Memorial Day was special. Perhaps it was a social event with others attending their own deceased family members. Sometimes they brought a picnic. Her father would tend to the gravesite. He would put fresh flowers there and trim the flowering shrubbery. He pulled the weeds that… - A Letter to My Grandchildren,
I sent out a joke, which I would think was obvious to all, but it caused a stir among my grandchildren. Perhaps it was a bit crude. It is almost certainly exaggerated. However, it is based on the truth that George Floyd was an addict and thief and in death he can do no more crimes. However, his family made out very well being given 27 million dollars by the state and getting 13 million from a go fund me… - Wake Up!!! Danger! We Need Your Help.
This country needs to wake up while we still can. Today I discovered something that I had not realized before. Like most people who tend to think other people care about many of the same things they do, it never occurred to me that anyone would not want to do research on their own. Perhaps these “other people” care about the exact opposite. But at least they “care” about something. Or at least that is what I used to think…. - We are Not Afraid! (of research or anything else)
A huge rift has developed in the way people think of masks, vaccines, and social distancing in this second spring of what the government calls the “Pandemic”. There are those who question authority about mask-wearing and those who believe in wearing masks and taking vaccines. Only the unmasked, un-vaccinated know that they are safe. They believe in their own immune systems. They believe the disease is treatable, especially if the person who contracts it is treated immediately. While the believers… - Was it really a pandemic? You decide.
“They actually changed the definition of “pandemic,” removing the requirement of mass casualties, and if it wasn’t for that, COVID-19 simply would not qualify as a pandemic.” Quoted from Naomi Wolf on Dr Mercolas podcast. There is a private school in Miami that is actively “anti-mask, anti-vax” and it is causing quite a stir. The people who believe in masks are often also the people who believe in vaccines. They are often the same people who believe in government as… - Mothers Day Without my Mother
It is hard to believe that this is my second year of being “motherless”. Because I had a mother for 77 years it is rather strange NOT to have one. Most people lose their mothers at an earlier age. Most people mourn their mother’s passing. But many were so old, tattered, gray, and wrinkled by the end that there was little left. They may have been ill for years or incapacitated. Not mine, though. She was vital until she was… - UnMasked!
5 Reasons to Ditch the Mask. Number ONE reason is this: The mask has lost it’s original purpose. It is a mark of fear and a signal that the wearer will conform even when the thing conformed to is uncomfortable and unnecessary. It has become a method of separating one group from another. Social distancing has been enhanced by distancing from those who will and those who won’t wear one. This is what “the mask has really become. It’s gone… - Covid Collusion
Are you terrified of the Virus COVID-19? Please let me relieve your mind. Do you believe we are in the throws of a Pandemic? There are many authorities who do not believe that. Are you afraid you will catch the virus and end up in a hospital? Do you know what the chances of that are 1% – 5%? That is all. Most people do not get very sick with this virus. Yet the general feeling among people who only… - Thank you note from my dogs:
My name is Magnus and I am a medium-sized black and tan, long-haired dachshund. I am 6 years old. I live with my Mom and two other dachshunds who joined the family later after I arrived. Sisi is a pretty, miniature, smooth hair red-gold bitch, also 6. I love her. Her slender muscular frame is lovely to watch. She has the look of a “greyhound”. She leaps and jumps and covers a lot of ground quickly. She is affectionate and… - Easter Gathering! Family parties can be fun.
Easter morning was shot through with sunlight and still a bit chill from the night cooling. But the promise of a warm day was in the air along with the scent of flowering trees and shrubbery. What a Day!!!! Lucky for me, because 24 people were expected for lunch at 1:00 pm. All of my five children and their mates, plus my ex-husband and his wife Julie and ten of our grandchildren (plus 3 young men who were dates for… - What is Identity-Independent Individuality?
This country was founded on the rights of the INDIVIDUAL. First and foremost we have the right to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. Each of us, not some group, but each individual person in this country has that right. We are so driven by Identity Politics these days. It is everywhere. Who are you? Who am I? I am a Scottish American, white, heterosexual, sis-gender female, older than dirt, and politically Libertarian, Spiritual rather than conventionally religious. Do… - Three Dog Trouble
Living with three dogs is a constant adventure. Lots of love, licks and occasional problems. - Wiley T. Buchanan lll RlP
He won the Orange County point to point twice, and he barely knew how to ride. He spoke with a slow drawl as if he really was a cowboy. But he was just a city boy from Washington DC. The West called to him though. He spent years living in New Mexico and Colorado. Everything about the west appealed to him. He loved the openness of the land and the people. The Indians (Do I have to say Native Americans?)… - Cancel Culture has gone far enough.
The past happened. It was real. Women were chattel. Children had no rights. There were no Child Protective Services. (Was that a good thing or a bad thing?) There were few safety nets for those who fell on hard times. Life could be brutal. People had slaves, traded human beings like horses or cattle. It sounds awful to us today. Yet 250 ago, slavery was still practiced everywhere. It was not only in the New World but universal. And so… - How Good We Are
This article was so eloquent I asked permission to post it on my site. People with a passion for History are our best hope for the future. By Ron Maxwell Wednesday, March 03, 2021 Editor’s Note: Upset by the recent vote of the Board of Directors of Lord Fairfax Community College concerning changing the name of the college, Flint Hill resident Ron Maxwell read the following into the record at Monday’s Rappahannock County Board of Supervisors meeting: Today we’re not… - Plandemic
This once brave country full of individualists and adventurers has become compliant and afraid. Or rather, they are compliant because they are afraid. It has been the most successful Psy Op in history. More effective than Hilter’s demonizing Jews, more effective than Gandhi forcing the British Empire to let India go. More effective than Martin Luther King speaking of his “Dream.” It reminds me of most of the Red Chinese taking over a once powerful and magnificent country and re-educating… - I Remember Mama, Ruth Hale Buchanan
She was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1918, the year of the Spanish Flu. Her mother died of the disease when my mother was 8 months old. And as a baby, she also had the Flu, but she survived it, which may have given her extra immunity. This may explain the extraordinary health that she enjoyed during her long life. February 22nd was her birthday. This year she would have been 103. She died only about 14 months ago,… - How Do You Think History Will Judge Cancel Culture?I appreciate feedback so much! Whether favorable or otherwise. Recently a young friend sent me this reply after I invited her to subscribe to my blog: Dear Bonnie, I received your invitation to your blog. Thank you for sharing, it’s so important to feel connected these days! I respect your desire to share your voice and experience with the world. It’s brave in a way, but also deeply problematic. I checked it out and have to say I disagree with…
- Stressed? Work on Your Core Muscles!
How many times have you heard people tell you that it is the core that is most important for your overall fitness? When exercising, this is often stressed. Without a strong core, the rest of your body won’t work as well or efficiently. Well, there is a lot more reason to strengthen your core. It is not just your fitness level, or even the way your clothes fit. It has an impact on your health in other ways. Read this… - Snow, Don’t You Love It?
First, they tell you it is coming. The news shows, the weather app on my phone, and people where ever you go talk about a coming storm. Sometimes I think people do not have enough to do with their time. Focusing on a coming storm, especially a blizzard, seems to energize them. People love an impending disaster, especially if it is a little to the north of them. But there is the “possibility” that it might arrive right here. That… - You are not a Victim!
You are not a victim! You are not powerless. Despite the media, the classroom, and many best-selling books plying the public with tales of victimhood, it is not the truth. We all have the ability to rise above our circumstances, no matter how horrid. It has been proven over and over in the past. During the last century, the words of hope from people who were in hopeless situations were abundant. They populate the writings of people who survived concentration… - Birthday Reflections
Gratitude is the antidote for all the unpleasant emotions. - Protest? Why not, they do it all the time!
To me, storming the capitol was about so much more than an election. We have been pushed to the limit. We have been disparaged and disregarded and laughed at for our “old-fashioned values” and our Patriotism. When have conservatives protested? When? We don’t do that. It is not our style. Ever since Barrack Hussein Obama was elected to the office of President, Democrats have protested nonstop about one thing or another. Once Donald Trump was elected, they went into a… - 2020 Wow! What a Year!
2020 has been an incredible year for me. It started with me living in my mothers’ house after her death in November because we needed to get things organized and arranged as the estate settles.When my mother died at 101, my calendar was full. To distract myself from watching her decline, I involved myself in many different organizations. Once Mother was gone, there was no reason to stay there. But I did not realize that at first because my forward… - Christmas 2020 as it barrels towards us.
Christmas is something you carry inside your heart. It does not depend on presents or carols or exceptional food, but all of those things help intensify the feelings of “Good Will Towards Men.” However, it is a time for gathering together. It is a time for Christmas Eve church service attended by the whole family. Time for relatives to fly into town and meet up with their cousins. A joyous time for reunions and bonding with family. So many people… - Are you Scared? Why aren’t you? (good for you if you aren’t)
The restrictions people accept as “Laws” are becoming more and more onerous. We the “People” MUST do something to combat the total erosion of our Freedom. Why are people not concerned? The answer is that they are terrified. I speak to people like this daily. They are intelligent and sensible people, many of whom I have known for YEARS. They tell me that people are dying of COVID, and they do not want to be dead. But they are confusing… - Help! Someone Save Us!Charlottesville is a town filled with fear. I have never seen anything like it. People are afraid. Children are afraid of their grandparents, and parents are afraid of their children. How on earth did things become so twisted? Using the excuse of a disease that is so non-lethal, it kills less than 1% of those who contract it. And they are mostly people with one or more co-morbidities. “They” scare us with tales of hospitals full of patients, refrigerated trucks…
- Are you invisible, or do you sparkle?
“You have inspired me!” She said the magic words. I was feeling a bit discouraged about my “reach”. I had been wondering if anybody cared about my message. I received an email from a woman whom I know only slightly. She wrote those words to me. “YOU have inspired me!” which encouraged me to keep going. When someone says “you inspired me” or variations on that theme, it warms my heart. Some women have even said, “You changed my life.” Those are…
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