Ladies and gentlemen … THE BEATLES!!!

Before Ed Sullivan ever uttered those words of introduction 50 years ago on Feb. 9, 1964, I was a Beatles fan. Listening to John, Paul, George and Ringo on a tiny transistor radio and gabbing about them with a few fellow Beatlemaniac friends, we could not wait to see them on that wonderful Sunday night.
And after that night, my love for the Fab Four never ended, much to my parents' dismay.
Ringo and John were my favorites, followed by George and, in last place, Paul. 

My room became plastered with posters and photos; my mom made me a Beatles suit with the piping where the collar should be; I bought their 45 and LP records (and later tapes, CDs and iTunes downloads), buttons, jewelry, knickknacks … well, you get the idea.
But with all the attention this week leading up to that magical Ed Sullivan Show 50 years ago, I thought I'd share a bit as well.
Here are a few of my early -- and well-worn record albums. I have too many to show them all...

One of my favorite posters from the early days…

A few glimpses at an ancient scrapbook…

And here are some of my early magazines… a little bit worn, but still well-loved…

Still love my Beatles pillow and serving tray….

 And of course this book by John. I remember how hard I had to work to get it way back when. Local bookstores were not abundant….

A tad bit more-recent treasure...

Ah yes…. those wonderful Beatle flicks!

My Ringo doll! My late Aunt Mary gave this to me, way back then… 

And then there is this treasure … my ticket from when I saw The Beatles in 1966. I remember thinking that my dad would NEVER agree to taking me and a few friends to Philly to see them. But to my utter amazement and complete joy, he said yes! 

Back then, you had to send your money to the radio station sponsoring the show and hope for the best. If you look at the ticket, you'll see I had to pay $5 to see them at JFK Stadium… big bucks!
My parents dropped us off for the show, then went to visit my aunt and uncle in Philly. They said that when they came to pick us up, all they could hear were screams. They said we couldn't possibly have heard anything over those screams… WRONG! It was a night never to be forgotten. 

We saw them, we heard them and yes, we screamed!
 

It seems impossible that all of this started more than 50 years ago. I have many other Beatles items that are near and dear to my heart. I have seen Paul McCartney in concert a few times and even Ringo and his All Starr Band.
It was heart-breaking when John was murdered and I also mourned the death of George.
I hold in my heart countless memories connected to The Beatles' music, movies and lives.
My life was changed and enriched by these "mop tops." I count myself lucky to be a Beatlemaniac.
Most days I look in the mirror and wonder who the heck that old lady is looking back at me.
But I'm happy to be this old so that "in my life" I could love these lads from the beginning.
Thank you so much, John, Paul, George and Ringo.

OK, Phil, we get the message!

Apparently Punxsutawney Phil is tired of people mocking him and questioning his ability to predict weather.
We all know that on this Feb. 2, he delivered the  unwelcome news of six more weeks of winter.
To make his point more clear, we were blasted by inches and inches and inches of heavy, wet snow on Monday.
I snapped a few photos around my yard to offer that proof.
And in case you haven't heard, more snow -- and ice -- is set to hammer us on Tuesday night and all day Wednesday.
Phil, take pity on us, please!
We will never mock or question you again!!

Bundle up! 6 more weeks of winter!!

NO SURPRISE … but disappointment just the same!
Punxsutawney Phil says six more weeks of winter…
Please say it ain't so!!

Critters are cold, too

OK, we're all sick of this way-too-cold weather.
But remember, we're not the only ones freezing our butts off.
Wildlife -- and other critters -- are shivering through this polar winter as well.
I try to help out -- feeding the birds, offering a bit for the deer that pass by and, yes, this winter I have a cat food dish on the deck for a few cats that stop by.
And, working at a veterinarian office, I hear stories on a regular basis of people rescuing kitties from the cold.
It warms the heart to see these people share their hearts and homes -- and wallets -- with these homeless cats that might otherwise not make it through this tough season.
Just to show you how delightful it can be to share your life with a feline, here are a few of mine enjoying the indoors!

ANOTHER YEAR?? HERE'S TO A GREAT ONE!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

MAY YOU BE FILLED WITH NEW HOPE AND RESOLVE … 

AND MAY YOUR DREAMS BE REALIZED!!

Love the sparkle...

Ice can be a real pain … literally, when you slip and fall.
But it is gorgeous to drink in its beauty, as we all discovered on Sunday, Dec. 15.

SNOW, SNOW, SNOW!!

In one of my favorite movies, "White Christmas," Bing Crosby and friends sing a delightful "Snow" song as they travel by train to Vermont. I love that song, and it certainly was brought to mind today, while shooting some snow photos after work.
Here are a few shots of my yard and surroundings.
Everyone have fun in the snow?