Aunt Aggie's Boneyard

"Aunt" Aggie Jones, a former slave, created a magical garden in Lake City, Florida.  This garden existed between 1900 and 1908.  What was unusual about Aunt Aggie's garden was there were multiple trellis' and structures made from animal bones.  Even sand pathways were bordered with bones.  

There were no human bones in the garden, however, as Aunt Aggie believed the ghosts of the dead people would haunt her magical garden..  Interestingly, she did have a human skeleton on display in her house, though.

While Aunt Aggie did not charge an admission fee to visit her garden, she did have flowers and fresh vegetables for sale.  A bit of a magical woman, she would also tell fortunes.  

I don't know if it is true or not, but Ive heard that there is now a strip mall where this magical garden once stood.  Wouldn't it be wonderful to go bac in time to visit this secial place!

A Palace In Ice

In 1896, a magical palace made of ice rose over the small town of Leadville, Colorado.  Although this beautiful creation only lasted for a few months, it is still remembered to this day.  

Leadville had been a silver boom town in the 1800's.  As the returns from the mines began to dwindle and miners began to leave, Leadville began looking for a way to bring people back.  A plan was conceived which would build a giant ice castle in thee winter, drawing tourists to the town.

 In November off 1895 construction began.  Wooden framework was constructed and ice blocks were brought in to add to the framework.  Blocks of ice were put into place and sprayed with water to hold the blocks together.  The castle contained a skating rink, a dance floor, a restaurant, and even a merry-go-round. \\\\\\\\\\\\\

The castle opened on January 1, 1896.   Admission was $0.50 for adults and $0.25 for children under 12 It was lit up with electric lights and the restaurant had samples of its culinary delights frozen into blocks of ice on display..  Evening searchlights made this a truly wondrous sight

Many tourists did come to view this winter wonderland, but unfortunately did not spend the money which the city had hoped.  An unseasonably warm winter caused the ice castle to close in March of 1896.  However, the skating rink was still in use until May of 1896, with a May Day skating party being the last event held there..

The ice palace was not the financial windfall it had been hoped, and was never rebuilt.  Thankfully, we still have the pictures of this brief, but magical palace to stir our imaginations.

Unleashing Your Inner Creativity

Have you ever been around someone who is always brimming with great ideas? People who reflect creativity in every aspect of their lives and make it look so easy that even a child could do it? Have you ever wondered how they do it?

Well, the good news is that creativity is a skill. It's one that we all have and one which can be developed.

Read on for a few ideas to get your creative juices flowing.....

FREE WRITING

Free writing is something we all can do and it isn't hard at all. You simply sit down and start writing anything and everything that comes to mind. Don't worry if your grammar, spelling, or punctuation isn't right, nobody but you will see this.

KEEP A JOURNAL OF YOUR DREAMS

Sometimes, our best ideas come to us while we are sleeping.  But if you're like me, those dreams slip away shortly after I wake up.  Keeping a journal by your bed allows you to record those dreams before they dissipate into our daily life and thoughts.  

ACT LIKE A KID AGAIN

Adults seem to have a built in filter which stifles true creativity. We tend to over think things. You know, what will other people think or how much will this cost? What if I fail or, even worse, what if I get laughed at?

Children haven't yet developed this filter. The result is that they have a joy for living that very few adults possess.

Try to remember how you would have reacted to something when you were young.

HANG AROUND WITH CREATIVE PEOPLE

People tend to pal around with like minded people.  We also tend to conform to our respective peer group in an attempt to fit in..  If you only associate with analytical, business minded people, you will tend to act in the same manner. Why not add some creative and artistic people to your friend group.  When ideas are being discussed, you might just find yourself contributing to the conversation and you'll be amazed at the ideas you come up with!

TRY SOMETHING NEW AND GET OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE!

If something looks fun and/or interesting, dive in and give it a try.  Take a dance class - you may never be a prima ballerina but you may have some fun and get into better shape.  Buy some art supplies -  you don't need talent to create something, just the willingness to do it.  Join a local theater group - there are plenty of creative opportunities both onstage and off.  Even if you discover this new activity just isn't for you, you will have learned something new and (hopefully) had some fun in the process.  It may even point you in a new direction you never would have thought of otherwise.

DOODLE

Keep some paper and a pencil nearby.  When the mood hits, grab it and start doodling.  Doodle when listening to music, watching tv, or any time the urge strikes.  Many of the great minds of history have been doodlers, why not add yourself to this group.

BE CURIOUS, ASK QUESTIONS, LISTEN TO OTHER PEOPLE

I remember one of my previous bosses liked to brag that whenever he entered a room he knew that he "probably was the smartest guy in that room".  He was also one of the most boring, uncreative people I had ever met.  You couldn't have a discussion with him, he spoke at you and only considered his own ideas as valid.    

Don't be shy about asking questions.  If something looks interesting, take a long look.  Explore it..  Ask any and all questions you might have.  Remember, everybody knows something you don't and everybody has seen things you haven't.  Never miss an opportunity to learn from somebody else.

The main thing to remember about creativity is that it is a skill anyone can develop.  Just jump in and do it and have fun!  

Fun Facts About Octopus!

Octopus are strange and unusual creatures.  Extremely intelligent, these eight armed animals are part of the family Octopoda and have no bones (except for a cartilaginous skull).  The get around by both swimming and walking and have been known to walk on the land if a tasty treat tempts them.  Read on to learn more about these fascinating residents of the sea.

* There are around 300 known species of octopus. 

* Highly intelligent, they have demonstrated the ability to solve problems and use simple tools.

* The octopus has three hearts.  One heart pumps blood throughout the body while the other two pump blood through the gills. 

* Did you know that octopus can change colors in order to blend into their environment.  The can also change the shape of their body if necessary in order to escape from traps or tight spaces.

* Octopus eject black ink when threatened.  This provides a screen which allows the octopus to escape as well as a scent which throws off the predator's sense of smell. 

* They like to eat fish, mollusks, and crustaceans.  They are able to suck their prey out of its shell. 

* The Giant Pacific Octopus is the largest known species of octopus, weighing in at around fifty pounds and bein approximately fourteen feet long. 

* Unfortunately, they have very short life-spans.  Depending on the species, they can live from six months to five years. 

Being Weird

What's it like to be a strange person living in a very boring world?  It can be lonely and frustrating.  Someone whom society considers to be a weirdo is oftentimes shunned and neglected.  People tend to gravitate towards others who are similar to themselves. which in turn gives them a faux sense of worth.  While this is completely understandable, it's not much consolation when you're the one who is being left out.

I live in a small, rural town.  Not much happens here.  Needless to say, I don't often meet others with interests similar to mine and on those rare occasions when I come across a kindred sole, it's a treat which I savor.  Most of the time, I must keep my predilections to myself.  It can be uncomfortable when your co-workers are going on and on about having their hair and nails done and you just want to tell someone about your most recent animal skull acquisition.   On those rare occasions when you do throw caution to the wind and mention some incredible find you are met with a blank stare, uncomfortable silence, and quiet judgment. 

People assume that if you like odd, dark, and offbeat items you must be a devil worshiper or something to that effect.  I love my strange collections and thoroughly enjoy owning them.  I am also a Christian and nothing will ever change that.  A few years back, a co-worker was telling me about a neighbor she used to have.  Apparently, the woman was very nice, but had "strange" items in her home.  My co-worker announced that "she must have been a witch!"  It crossed my mind that if this particular co-worker came to my home she wouldn't even try to understand who I was. 

If you are that odd soul please know that you are special, you are unique, and you are courageous as not many people have the courage to be the person they were meant to be.  Let the unkind words of others roll of your back and know that you are going to change the world in your own unique fashion and in turn the world will be better off because of it. 

Also know you've got a friend sitting in a small town in rural Nebraska.....

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall...

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall
All the king's horses and all the king's men
Couldn't put Humpty together again

Almost all children are familiar with the anthropomorphic egg Humpty Dumpty, featured in the well known nursery rhyme.  Few stop to consider that Humpty Dumpty is never actually described as being an egg, we all just assume that someone with such a fragile constitution must be an egg.  And if he truly is an egg, what type of egg is he - is he a rather large ostrich egg; perhaps something smaller like a humming bird egg; and maybe he could be a snake egg, who really knows?

While the exact origins of the rhyme are unknown, it first appeared in writing in 1797 in a book titled "Juvenile Amusements".  In 1872 he was featured in Lewis Carroll's "Through the Looking Glass".  In the 1933 movie "Alice in Wonderland" W.C. Fields gives a memorable performance as the ill-fated egg.

The Amazing World of Walter Potter

In the 1800's, an Englishman named Walter Potter used taxidermy to create his own magical world. His anthropomorphic animals set in enchanting, everyday scenes captivated visitors to his museum for over a century until, unfortunately, the museum was closed and the various displays were sold at auction in 2003. Today, all that remains of this magical world is photographs, which are featured in books and on the Internet.

In our politically correct society, many people today are not fans of taxidermy, However, it is hard not to be enchanted by the magical scenes and anthropomorphic animals created by Potter featuring kittens, bunnies, and an assortment of other animals, all acting as small humans. In "Rabbits' Village School" a multitude of young bunnies are hard at work on their lessons. "The Kitten's Tea and Croquet Party" depicts a warm, summer afternoon of tea and games for a group of kittens, while "The Kittens Wedding" features elaborately dressed kittens attending a formal wedding. "The Death & Burial of Cock Robin", considered on of the most beautiful of Potter's displays, feature nearly one hundred birds attending a funeral, some with small, glass tears in their eyes. "The Upper Ten" takes us to a group of squirrels engaged in a friendly game of cards while in "The Lower Five" the police are raiding an illegal game of cards in a rats den.

While it is no longer possible to see these amazing displays in person, it is still possible to view these beautiful creations through photographs. Every time I look at photographs of this enchanting world, I find some small detail which enchants and delights me, and I'm sure you will to.