"Church Bells May Ring" is an old fashioned doo wop song. Doo wop was a 1950's style of R&B music featuring vocal harmonies. This was before my time, but I've discovered doo wop thanks to SiriusXM radio, and I truly love it. I love a song with strong vocals, and especially with harmonies. "Church Bells May Ring" was by The Willows. This group hailed from Harlem, New York. They started out as The Dovers, and then became The Five Willows. Eventually they settled on The Willows as a group name. The vocal group consisted of: Tony Middleton (lead), Ralph Martin (tenor), Richie Davis (tenor), Joe Martin (baritone), and John Steel (bass). This song charted at #114 on the Billboard record charts in 1956. This song is new to me, but I love the energy and the great vocals. And here's a bit of trivia -- Neil Sedaka plays the bells (chimes) on this record!
Do you like doo wop music and old fashioned 1950's vocals? I'd love to hear from you in the comments, below.
Hi friends! I hope you're having a good weekend with no snow! If you are spending time online, I hope you'll browse by my store. I have Valentines and more Valentines and yet more Valentines there! Birdhouse Books on eBay
Here are just a few of my new arrivals!
This vintage Valentine features a girl lying down with paper and pencil to do some figuring. "No matter how I figure it, I must have you for my Valentine."
A cute little mouse on this vintage Valentine says: "For my Valentine - sugar and spice. Gee, but you're nice!"
This vintage Valentine features an owl teacher at a blackboard.
This vintage Valentine has a girl looking over her glasses. "I speck we should get together now."
A cute pink bunny rabbit writes on the blackboard on this vintage Valentine.
This vintage Valentine has a sweet Dalmatian puppy with a big heart.
This die-cut vintage Valentine has bluebirds with "Valentine love to Mommy."
A little girl in a kilt plays the bagpipes with help from her Terrier dog on this vintage Valentine.
This extra cute vintage Valentine features a tiger cub shopping at the grocery store!
A cute bunny rabbit paints at an easel on this vintage Valentine.
A boy and girl share an old fashioned soda on this vintage Valentine. "Need a Valentine? Soda I!"
A happy cat plays bongo drums on this groovy Valentine!
A cute little sheepdog puppy has an old fashioned telephone on this vintage Valentine.
Goofy rides in an old fashioned car with Minnie Mouse on this 1960's vintage Valentine.
I hope you found some goodies here. Have a wonderful weekend!
Dear friends, It is cold and wintry here. We have not had snow this winter - yet! - but I am sure it is coming soon. Thankfully we only get snow once or twice a year. That is once or twice too much. I am of the firm opinion that water belongs in water bowls, not in bathtubs, backyards, rain drops, or ESPECIALLY frozen and falling from the sky as snow.
While I am in a wintry mood, I decided to look through some vintage postcards for pictures of dachshunds. I found some to share for you. They are all by the artist Arthur Thiele. He was a German illustrator who lived 1860 - 1936. He did book illustrations and postcards ... and he loved pictures of dressed cats and dachshunds.
It looks like these dachshunds were going too fast on their sled!
Another sledding incident! Maybe the dachshunds should stay inside where it is cozy and warm.
These dachshunds are in a toboggan and it looks like they are headed straight toward that snowman.
The dachshunds on this postcard are having a snowball fight!
Do your dogs like the snow? What do they think of it? As always, I love to hear from you in the comments, below. Love and xoxoxo, Abby
January 23 is National Handwriting Day. This is a day dedicated to good old fashioned handwriting. When I was in elementary school, handwriting class was part of our daily lessons. Teachers would have charts that pulled down, and more charts on top of the blackboard, and we would practice writing on lined paper - first printing (in the younger grades) and then cursive. I really struggled with the traditional cursive, slanted right, everything connected and uniform.
My natural writing is straight up and down, and loopy. It is a combination of printing and cursive. It's neat and very legible. I like to write with a felt pen (often a sign pen) on paper. It gives a bold, clear appearance that I like. I also love fountain pens and have a couple of them here.
There is a trend in some school systems to no longer teach cursive. I personally think that there is value in writing long form. I was a creative writing major, and find that writing long form vs. writing on a computer is a different process, and produces different results. I write poetry in long form. I journal in long form. I blog and write articles on the computer.
There is also something about the beauty of a handwritten letter. This is something unique and rare in today's world. When I receive a handwritten letter, or a card with a handwritten note, I treasure it.
Here are a few suggestions on how to celebrate National Handwriting Day: Write a letter. Write a poem or short story in long hand. Write in a journal. Write a list of your goals. Write a gratitude list (things that make you happy). Practice your signature. Write your signature and then doodle around it. Make it into art. Do you remember learning cursive in school? Do you still write in long hand? Will you be doing anything to celebrate National Handwriting Day? I'd love to hear from you in the comments, below.
