Clarissa Harlowe Barton (December 25, 1821 – April 12, 1912) was a pioneering American nurse who founded the American Red Cross. She was a hospital nurse in the American Civil War, a teacher, and patent clerk. Nursing education was not very formalized at that time and she did not attend nursing school, so she provided …
Category: Childhood Memories
More Thoughts About Poppy
In no particular order of importance. I never saw Poppy get mad or raise his voice. I expect that he did – don’t we all – but I never witnessed it. His sons-in-law respected him. Tony, Harry, Don and Joe were not afraid to tease him, and they loved him like a father. He …
Poppy
Margaret and Harrison Continued Our 1958 Christmas rescue of the house with “no heat” was resolved very quickly. Preparing for the job took longer than the job itself. There was a family Christmas party being held at the home of one of Poppy’s customers. It was much like the one we left, only more …
Margaret and Harrison
Their friends called them Margaret and Harrison. Margaret was born Margaret Louise Walker. Harrison was really Carter Harrison. Kate, Ruth, Eugenia, Harry and Mildred called them mom and dad. To my sisters, cousins, and me they were Grandma and Grandpa Barner (AKA Poppy). They lived in Kentucky where my mom and Aunt Ruth were …
Playing in the Band
Ruth and I went to a concert last Saturday. We saw David Foster and he was spectacular. If you’re not sure who he is, and I wasn’t, think Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Andrea Bocelli, Michael Buble’, Josh Groban, Rod Stewart, Stevie Wonder, Earth, Wind and Fire, Michael Bolton, Kenny Rogers, …
Red Boiling Springs
I first heard of Red Boiling Springs, Tennessee when I was about twelve. My grandparents had visited a local hotel on a couple of occasions and loved it. The hotel was known for its mineral baths and their medicinal powers. At least one year my Uncle Harry and Aunt Ruth and my cousins, …
Snowballs
Michigan is getting hammered by snow today and the weather reports reminded me of the snowball throwing in my youth. When you’re kid, and there’s snow, you’re making snowballs. You have to. The kids in the neighborhood had snowball fights all of the time. We made snow forts in our backyards and went to “war”. …
Traditions
I expect that most, if not all, families have traditions. The holidays are filled with them. Growing up my family had ours. I don’t know how they originated, but they were truly a part of our annual holiday celebration. My Grandpa Barner made homemade custard. It was rich with eggs and cream. We …
Peeing In The Pool
Be honest. I expect that each of us has peed in a pool at least once in our life. If not as an adult, you probably did so as a child. When you’re a kid playing in the water, even if some of it comes from you, it’s more fun than getting out, walking …
Trick or Treat
I’m not a big fan of Halloween. I’m OK with the fun stuff but not the scary stuff. I think it stems from the first Halloween that I remember. I was six and invited to a Halloween party at a friend’s house. I don’t recall the friend other than I know she was …