Friday, July 15, 2011

Lil' Gardener

Here I am in Westbrook. I guess this is a testament that I was always a gardener and have always loved to wear hats.
Happy 29th birthday to me! If Jack Benny can say he was 39 all his life, I say I'm doing him ten better! Ha!
In lots of ways, grandmothers are the wisest of people. As this story was told to me, not long after my birth, and I was brought home to Devon Street, my grandparents paid a visit. When my grandmother stared into the crib, and found her first grandchild nestled among the blankets, she exclaimed to all present, "He looks just like Prince Charles!" This incident traveled with me all my formative years with some embarrassment on my part I might add. Often at my parents' parties, Nana would pipe up, "Doesn't he look just like Prince Charles?" I just wanted to melt into the carpeting. Now here's where the story gets interesting. Elenka's Babka( Slovak for grandmother) lived in Hillside, NJ for a time, and she along with her sister and cousins would visit often. One of the times, the ouija board got brought out for some fun.
Elenka asked, "Who will I marry?"
After a short time and a few moves of the pointer towards letters, Babka looked at the board and exclaimed, "You are going to marry Prince Charles!"
Strange or what? That's my story, and I'm sticking to it!
My plans for the day? Doing very little. Perhaps little bit of painting, relaxing on the deck, and dinner and a nice glass of wine at On the Marsh.
Enjoy my day!



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37 comments:

  1. CloudiaJuly 15, 2011 at 12:24 AM

    glad you are relaxing, Prince!



    Aloha from Waikiki;

    My posts seem to be updating again!!!! Hooray!

    Comfort Spiral

    ><}}(°>


    > < } } ( ° >

    < ° ) } } > <

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  2. Genie -- Paris and BeyondJuly 15, 2011 at 12:35 AM

    I am certain that all through your life people have said that "he is a prince of a fellow" and they would be right! That is a great story (as are they all) but the Ouija board makes it a predictor of things to come.

    Enjoy your 29th birthday, mon ami!

    Bises,
    Genie

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  3. PerthDailyPhotoJuly 15, 2011 at 2:49 AM

    The love of photography has obviously been passed down to you Birdman, whoever took this image did a fantastic job and proves my point that monochrome makes for a great portrait shot (of course it could have been so long ago that colour wasn't around then haha!! Only kidding, happy birthday.

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  4. brattcatJuly 15, 2011 at 6:09 AM

    Happy Birthday, Birdman! I've pegged you as a prince for a while now. Bet E and little Bird make this a day to remember. Mr. Brattcat and I will drink a toast to you at dinner tonight. Wish you were here to join us.

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  5. Sharon CreechJuly 15, 2011 at 7:13 AM

    Happeeee birthday, Birdman! What a great story about 'Prince Charles.' Do you still resemble the (current) Prince?

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  6. HalcyonJuly 15, 2011 at 7:15 AM

    Well, you look like the sweetest young gardener in training. :)
    How funny that those two stories should match up later in life. If Ouiji said it, it was definitely meant to be! ;)

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  7. HalcyonJuly 15, 2011 at 7:15 AM

    PS: Happy birthday!

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  8. OlivierJuly 15, 2011 at 7:26 AM

    Oh superbe photo, trop mignon et le choix du "sépia" est très bon, j'adore. J'en profite pour te souhaiter un bon anniversaire.

    En réponse a ta question : dame nature 85% photoshop 25% ;o))

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  9. AnonymousJuly 15, 2011 at 7:30 AM

    I like the gardeners pose with the sprinkling can.

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  10. magiceyeJuly 15, 2011 at 8:33 AM

    such a cute portrait!

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  11. ElenkaJuly 15, 2011 at 9:35 AM

    Happy Birthday my Prince! I'm so glad kissing you didn't turn you into a frog!
    I never thought you actually looked like Prince Charles at all, not even one iota. When I first met you, you looked more like Paul Mc Cartney to me. You're still the best looking thing I've ever seen...("she says, trying to shove an image of Johnny Depp back into the recesses of her brain"...) Really.
    Hope you have a great day. I will try to be good. Love you forever.

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  12. SharonJuly 15, 2011 at 9:43 AM

    Happy Birthday Birdman! With the possible exception of the money and the castles, I think Elenka got the best of the Prince Charles deal! When I saw her note about Paul McCarney, I was sure of it.

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  13. AnonymousJuly 15, 2011 at 9:47 AM

    This is a really nice old photo about you as a gardener :)
    Happy Birthday!

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  14. MichelleJuly 15, 2011 at 9:58 AM

    A sweet photo. A very happy birthday to you!

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  15. KaoriJuly 15, 2011 at 10:02 AM

    Serendipity. That's lovely. And happy birthday to you!

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  16. AnonymousJuly 15, 2011 at 10:12 AM

    Happy Birthday wishes to you Birdman from Oregon!!

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  17. Betsy Banks AdamsJuly 15, 2011 at 10:14 AM

    Happy Birthday to YOU.... Glad you are only 29... I'll be 69 in August and am proud of it. I wouldn't go back to 29 and do it all over again for anything... Raising those 3 sons again????? NEVER.... ha ha---Think I'll just enjoy my Golden Years.

    Cute story about Prince Charles and your grandmother... Don't we just love those kinds of family memories????

    Hope you have a wonderful day up there in Gorgeous Maine!!!
    Betsy

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  18. T. BecqueJuly 15, 2011 at 11:21 AM

    It's probably for the better that whole marrying Prince Charles thing didn't work out :) Happy birthday, enjoy your day!

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  19. SunnyJuly 15, 2011 at 11:49 AM

    Happy 29th! I didn't know we were the same age, haha!
    Enjoy your day!
    ☼ Sunny

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  20. CaTJuly 15, 2011 at 12:34 PM

    happy birthday!!

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  21. Montreal Photo DailyJuly 15, 2011 at 1:10 PM

    For making me laugh everyday, I ALMOST wished I could go over there and buy you a drink. Instead, I'll just say Happy Birthday Birdman! And many many happy returns!

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  22. LoisJuly 15, 2011 at 1:53 PM

    Have a wonderful birthday! That is a great story and the picture is just adorable. I totally agree with you about grandmothers being the wisest of people!

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  23. RedPatJuly 15, 2011 at 3:12 PM

    Sounds like you have a perfect day planned! Happy Birthday Birdman!

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  24. annie'smomJuly 15, 2011 at 3:37 PM

    Cute picture and cute story - thanks for sharing! Happy birthday - I have no doubt that you and Elenka will have a wonderful dinner.
    (Maybe she'll surprise you with a puppy!!)

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  25. EG CameraGirlJuly 15, 2011 at 3:38 PM

    Happy birthday! Sounds like you have perfect plans for the day, Prince...er, Birdman.

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  26. Ken MacJuly 15, 2011 at 4:35 PM

    is today really your birthday? Mine too!! like really.

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  27. JackJuly 15, 2011 at 4:35 PM

    Gee, Birdman, I am disappointed in you. You have blown your cover! This is the first photograph of you without your famous brown paper bag.

    There is an infamous picture in my family (allegedly of me) wrapped in swaddling clothes, with only a huge nose peeking out. I claim it was the camera angle. It is my story and I am sticking to it.

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  28. Chattahoochee Valley DailyJuly 15, 2011 at 5:01 PM

    Great photo and a great story.

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  29. CloudiaJuly 15, 2011 at 5:29 PM

    Happy Birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

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  30. john bainJuly 15, 2011 at 5:31 PM

    Prince Charles no. But definitely a young Prince William. Happy Birthday.

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  31. VPJuly 15, 2011 at 5:54 PM

    Great picture, nice story... Happy Birthday!

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  32. ReenaJuly 15, 2011 at 5:55 PM

    all nana's think their grandsons are princes and I'm sure you were to her!
    Cute story ..Happy Birthday, ole chap!

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  33. Folkways Note BookJuly 15, 2011 at 6:12 PM

    Birdman -- Love your gardening pants and of course the picket fence. Celebrate! -- barbara

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  34. SebabJuly 15, 2011 at 7:48 PM

    Happy birthday Birdman. The little fellow looks cute in his work cloths and the hat!

    Cruise Pictures

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  35. RandyJuly 15, 2011 at 8:48 PM

    Wishing you many many more Happy Birthdays for you Birdman! I am really love that hat of yours!

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  36. UnknownJuly 16, 2011 at 2:32 PM

    Belated congratulations, Birdman! That's a lovely portrait. You were about two years old or so, so I guess we can't call vintage to a photo taken 27 years ago. :-)))

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  37. Oakland Daily PhotoJuly 17, 2011 at 1:19 AM

    Happy Birthday, Birdman. May you have many more years to tell your wonderful stories.

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