A Postcard from Wanda

A big thank you to our friend Wanda who is always ready to pitch in and lend a hand whenever it’s needed. When she read our last blog about the dire threat to the postcard she immediately responded by sending us a few postcards while on a visit to Florida.

We’re including one of those postcards in our blog this week. Not only is this a really interesting postcard about a beautiful tradition we would most likely never have heard about,  it also serves as a reminder to all those rude folks who think nothing of snapping tourist photos at religious sites during sacred ceremonies. Look! There are other ways of sharing your latest adventure without being downright rude and disrespectful.

From the back of the postcard: Annual celebration honoring Mother’s Day with 10,000 roses at the Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary, Queen of the Universe in Orlando, Florida.

Wanda: Stretch and Tiny are gathering some roses from their garden and making a little window box for your miniature house. Watch the mail for a package from BEAR FLORISTS.

Save the Postcard!

We read a bit of news recently that really distressed us. The postcard is in danger of becoming extinct! Yes, with everyone taking “selfies” and instantly being able to send photos across the world on their cell phones or tablets these days, it seems postcards are following the dinosaurs down the path of no return.

This really saddened us, particularly because, as our relatives and friends are well aware, we are postcard junkies. Stretch and I love nothing more than to go to our mailbox and discover some exotic or funny or just plain touristy postcard hiding among the usual bills and junk mail, waiting to entertain us.

What’s more, we also collect “historic” postcards. Not historic in the sense of being rare or valuable, but fun history that records for posterity the often funny or unusual messages people took the time to write, or the truly wacky scenes of tourist spots that could never exist in our politically correct times.

After reading about the peril the postcard is in, we’ve decided we can’t sit idly by. So in the next few months you can expect to find postcards cleverly (we hope!) worked into blog posts as part of our mission to convince at least a few people to pick up a postcard on their summer travels and support our cause to save this endangered species.

April Fools and a Museum Trip

So as I was debating whether it’s appropriate to write “Happy April Fool’s Day” (would that be implying that the person who reads the greeting is a fool?), Stretch showed me his latest e-Bay bill for the spring gardens he’s been working on. I laughed and said, yeah, I know “April Fool.” Then he looked at me and asked “What’s that mean?” Sigh.

Moving right along, our fellow history buffs might be interested in some trivia I found out about this day. It began in France in 1564 when New Year’s Day was changed that year from April 1 to January 1. Some people insisted on still celebrating the New Year on April 1. They became known as “April fools” and people started making fun of them and playing tricks on them.

Stretch:  Sounds like those French folks needed some anti-bullying lessons, huh? But since no one could call me a fool, this holiday really doesn’t interest me. If we’re going to have a history lesson here, how about if I share some things I learned at the museum last weekend?

After I got this beautiful miniature buffalo hide artifact from my friend Barbara to hang in my “bear cave” room, my human sidekick of course had to drag me to a museum to learn some facts about Native Americans.  Here are a couple things I found interesting:

The historic Native Americans are a lot smaller than they look on tv and in the movies.

This is a dance wand with eagle feathers that it says here was used in the Eagle Dance of the Cherokees. If I come to visit, will you teach me how to do that dance Wanda?

Wow, these guys had a Sugar Shack operation just like my cousins in Massachusetts!

We could have used one of these coats this past winter!

It says here that the Chief of the Natchez, called the Great Sun, was carried on a litter on special occasions.  Hmm.  That gives me an idea to suggest to my assistant . . .

You know Stretch, it’s a good thing I never thought of becoming a teacher because somehow my history lessons never turn out quite as I plan. But here’s something interesting I noticed outside the museum that’s a good lesson for all of us. They put all these spikes around this security camera to prevent birds building a nest on it. But one pair of birds was obviously not going to let those obstacles stop them.

“Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” Theodore Roosevelt

The Orchid Show at the NY Botanical Garden

As this never-ending winter continues, Stretch suggested yesterday that we should seek out some flowers again before the next scheduled snowstorm was due to arrive in the mid-afternoon.  The annual Orchid Show at the NY Botanical Garden opened this weekend, so I innocently packed him in his carrier and headed off.

Now you’d think after going through a press conference at the Monter Center where Stretch was the center of attention, being upstaged by him in an article in our local newspaper, seeing his image displayed in an exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum and having him appear at the Oyster Festival with Yolanda Vega from the NY Lottery, nothing would surprise me anymore when it comes to this bear. Well, you'd be wrong.

It turns out the reason the little guy was so anxious to get to the Orchid Show was that he was scheduled to be interviewed by a news crew from NY1 who were anxiously waiting to hear his review of the show. As usual, I will just fade into the background and let him tell you about it (although I will admit he did invite me to say a few words for the broadcast).

So here I am at the NY Botanical Garden’s annual Orchid Show, meeting up with my new friends from NY1—Tara Lynn Wagner and Matt Ealy. They were most gracious and made me feel right at home in front of the camera.  

Some highlights of my review:

This is the perfect place to spend a winter day, surrounded by colorful tropical plants.

You’d need a big patio to hang that giant orchid sculpture!

My assistant tells me that back in the last century when she was in high school, every girl wanted to get one of these orchids from her prom date.

These Moth Orchids really do look like fluttering moths, don’t they?

Now here’s one of those things I don’t understand about humans. They call these orchids “Epiphytic” which means they grow clinging to other plants, especially trees. So why not just call them “Tree Huggers” so everyone would know what you’re talking about.

Even though the sign said these flowers “serenade” you, I didn’t hear any singing. But maybe that’s because the sign says they serenade the king and I’ve been dubbed an Emperor by my friends.

Well, there were a lot more beautiful orchids at the show, but I didn’t want to take an entire news show with my report, and my assistant was still pouting a bit about my stealing the limelight again. So I thanked my wonderful new friends Tara and Matt and headed off to the gift shop where I found the perfect present to cheer up my assistant.

She was so thrilled she could only blurt out some incoherent babble when I presented it to her.

Twas the Week Before Christmas

(With profound apologies to Clement Moore)

Twas the week before Christmas and all through their penthouse,

Little bears are decorating, while I get the bills and grouse.

Their stockings are hung by their chimney with care,

And presents from friends can be seen everywhere.

(Thank you Debby, Judy, Karen, Mitzi, Paul!)

Their kitchen is full of baked goodies set out to cool

While they’re waiting for a bite, Stretch and Tiny play pool.

Some monkey pals are watching a holiday DVD

And the cousins are relaxing by my Mom’s Christmas tree

The greenhouse is filled with poinsettia plants

And Matisse’s “Christmas Eve” lends an air of romance

But lest you think these spoiled bears are a bit too greedy,

Rest assured that we haven’t forgotten the needy.

We interrupt this blog for a public service announcement:  We support The Breast Cancer Initiative Foundation started by my doctor, Karen Kostroff; Wounded Warriors; The Harry Chapin Food Bank at Long Island Cares; The Salvation Army.  We hope all of you take time to say a prayer for those less fortunate this holiday season and remember your favorite charities while doing your holiday planning.

And with the serious stuff taken care of, we’ll be back soon with more holiday reminiscing . . . including Stretch's decorated dining room, special Christmas Eve meal, and some other holiday trivia/memories.