USMC 246th Birthday

The United States Marine Corps celebrates 246th birthday on November 10th.

Proud mom of my son Mark

Bottom left: his wife Erika at Birthplace of Marine Corps, Tun Tavern in Philadelphia. Bottom center: Commissioning Day 1998 Bottom right: at his Unit in Hawaii 2000 Top right: Mt. Fuji 1999. Center right: 2Lt arriving in Okinawa

The Marine Hymn. https://youtu.be/sSRlQPD6Xiw

My Dad Bought These Shoes in 1994

On the way to Christmas Eve, my son showed me his shoes.  “Grampa bought me these shoes   in 1994.”

 Mark told me he wore them to his high school, college and grad school graduations. He wore them at the baptisms of each of his 4 children.

He proposed to his wife in these shoes.

Mark added the burgundy laces for Xmas  and he showed me the socks I knit him for his 40th birthday.  It was sweet to hear the story of his shoes.

This morning he said they are Johnston & Murphy Conrad wingtips.

25 year old shoes

 

1984 Quilt Started With a National Geographic Map

We lived in Clarion PA in 1981 and I created this State Capitals Quilt for my 5 year old son Mark ( he’ll turn 43 next month). Bicentennial baby. My grandmother actually knit a red white and blue Afghan to match.  Anyway, Mark  learned all the capitals of the states at an early age thanks to my dad. It’s fun to hear a two year old say “Sacramento.”

I’ve seen the quilt in grandson Michael’s and also in Jack’s room but today it was hanging over the banister  here in Ohio so thought I’d post it.

I used a National Geographic map as the template for the states, machine  appliquéing them onto the squares in the order they entered the union. Delaware and Maryland  State the First square. I embroidered the capital on each. Texas and Alaska are on a different Scale so they’d fit onto the their square. I wish I knew how many miles to the inch  The last square I embroidered a bit of the Nation’s Capital.

Then my Aunt Rhea and my cousin Beth (both whom have passed)  took it to their church quilting group in Illinois and the group hand quilted it, completing in 1984. We were living in Germany that year. I can’t remember having it there but must have been reunited with it in 1986 when we moved stateside to Kentucky.

Same Shirt, Same Couch- 38+ years Difference

My son Mark, (uncle to Charlie) on the left holding his brother Matthew, Philadelphia Christmas 1980.

My grandson Charlie on the right, holding “Henny” Pittsburgh, January 2019.

(Yes, the couch used to be jewel red)

The brand of shirt was Health-Tex and I’d say it held up quite well. Who knows why I saved it.