TREES VS BILLBOARDS

                                               I THINK THAT I SHALL NEVER SEE,

                                               A BILLBOARD LOVELY AS A TREE,

                                               INDEED UNLESS THE BILLBOARDS FALL,

                                               I SHALL NEVER SEE A TREE AT ALL.

                        I have been meaning to post this cute little poem that I learned as a child.

                        As I traveled a quad state area this summer I saw many torn and tattered billboards.

                        Which also reminded me of another poem I learned as a child.

                            ONE DAY AS I WAS WALKING ON A DARK AND DREARY DAY, 

                             I CAME ACROSS A BILLBOARD AND MUCH TO MY DISMAY,

                             THE SIGN WAS TORN AND TATTERED, FROM THE STORM THE 

                             NIGHT BEFORE, THE WIND AND RAIN HAD DONE IT'S WORK 

                             AND THIS IS WHAT IT SAID......

                                                      DRINK COCA COLA CIGARETTES.....

                                                       CHEW WRIGLEYS SPEARMINT BEER......

                                                      KENNEL RATION DOG FOOD MAKES YOUR

                                                      COMPLEXION CLEAR....... 

                                                      SANITIZE YOUR BABY IN A HERSHEY CANDY BAR....

                                                      AND TEXACOLA BEAUTY CREAM IS USED BY ALL  

                                                      THE STARS...

                                                      SO TAKE YOUR NEXT VACATION IN A BRAND NEW

                                                      FRIGIDAIRE.......

                                                        LEARN TO PLAY PIANO IN YOUR WINTER 

                                                        UNDER WARE......

                                                       DOCTORS SAY THAT BABYS SHOULD SMOKE

                                                       UNTIL THEY'RE 3......

                                                       AND PEOPLE OVER 65 SHOULD BATHE IN LIPTON TEA.

I read a blog today by Joy Sussman --Joyfully Green.  I as well as Joy started my career as an advertising

manager in my mid 20's in Des Moines, Iowa.  Cut and paste back in my day was with a pair of scissors and some Elmers glue. It was rush rush rush to put the ad together and get it to the printer. Print many more copies than were necessary. After all trees were grown to make paper so they said.  Then the advertising was moved to the highways for all to see. After all the more people who saw the add the more goods that were sold. After traveling this summer I noticed that most of the billboards are now digital and the old billboards are still standing like a sore thumb unattended to on our highways just torn and tattered.  

I want to thank Joy for her blog today, and thank her for not advertising.  

                                                       

                                                                                                                         copyright Pinecone Prints

THE OLD TRAIN DEPOT IN LAWRENCE KANSAS

This is where I find myself spending a lot of time these days.  We were called to Lawrence, Kansas to help out with our 4 yr old grandson who was having trouble in day care. Not just 1 day care but 3. As the weeks unfolded Mom and Dad realized that they needed to seek professional help for him. We are now waiting for an appointment at Childrens Mercy in Kansas City.  We do not know what the diagnosis will be but the signs and symptoms point towards aspergers.  I am writing this not for sympathy but in the hopes that someone reading this may have experienced this and may be able to shed some light on our situation.  Many things seem to frustrate him and make him angry but on the flip side he can be very happy but you must keep him busy every waking moment with no time for yourself.
The following photos are where we spend a lot of our afternoons. Thomas loves trains and Grandma loves to take photos. This is a win win situation for both of us.

 The old train station is now the Lawrence, Ks visitors center.

 We count cars and learn our numbers from the numbers on the engine.

The old luggage cart is fun to play on.       Below, view of downtown Lawrence, Ks from visitors center.