Agatha Christie

Agatha Christie is the best selling novelist of all time. (Take that, John Grisham!)   I love her books and I urge you to search them out and read them.  You might have seen a good many of her mysteries portrayed on the TV screen with the wise Miss Marple  and those with her Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot  (using his little grey cells!)
In November, there will be a new film based upon one of her most popular stories, "Murder On The Orient Express".  I hope that they have done a good job with it!  I have a trailer of it if you would like to see it...

Agatha Christie was English, born on September 15, 1890 in Torquay in Devon.  Sadly her father died when she was only eleven years old. (He was an American, by the way.) Her entire life is fascinating, I urge you to read it in greater detail and you may do so just here.    

Remember I told you about another movie coming out in November?  That will also be about someone who had an American parent, in this case his mother was American and his father was British...do you know who that would be?

Winston Churchill! The film will be "Darkest Hour" and stars Gary Oldman as Churchill.

Now, why doesn't someone make a movie about the life of Agatha Christie?  There may have been one made in the past but hey, I want to see one right now! Maybe some famous screenwriter will read this blog and be inspired.  (Mention me when you win an Oscar, would you? Thank you!)

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My friends, I will have to tell you about our trip this past weekend in my next post. It involved a lot of walking up and down steps!

                              Yes, I lived through these stairs! 
                              Stay tuned!

Vote! (Rock & Roll Hall of Fame)

Now is the time for all music lovers to vote for the nominees for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame!

You have until Dec. 5th  and you can vote EVERY DAY

until then but you can only vote once a day. Oh, and also you can vote for up to 5 artists. Got that? Okay, go here and vote!

Want to know my vote?  I wonder if you could guess? You don't have to, I will tell you!

The Moody Blues, Dire Straits, Kate Bush, The Zombies and Sister Rosetta Tharpe-  these are my choices!

The Zombies

                                                 Sister Rosetta Tharpe

                                                    The Moody Blues

My heart is a bustin' with my love for music! (Sorry, I only just found  the heart's a bustin' bush this year.  It is not quite as colorful since the seeds were almost gone but it made me happy to see it.)

Monarch butterfly visiting our Mexican sunflowers on Oct. 17th!

The Last Detective (Sean Hughes, Rest In Peace)

I watch every single British TV show that I can.  "The Last Detective" starred Peter Davison as "Dangerous" Davies  and  his sidekick, Mod Lewis was played by Sean Hughes, a former stand- up comedian.
Sean Hughes died today.  He was only 51 years old.

The show was very funny but also low key and subtle.  Keep an  eye out for it, if they repeat it here or you could buy the DVD set of the episodes.  You will see how funny those two men are together on The Last Detective.

New Film About Louis Zamperini! (It Is No Secret-Stuart Hamblen)

If you have been reading my blog for any time, you will know of my admiration for Louis Zamperini.  Most people know of him from the movie "Unbroken".  I read his book  "Devil At My Heels" in 2004 and wrote to him.  He must have received thousands of letters like mine but he personally answered my note to him just as he did to anyone who wrote to him.  While I was pleased that the film was made about him, the main focus was on his childhood, Olympic track experiences and horrific imprisonment in WWII Japanese camps and said very little about his long life. (Mr. Zamperini died in 2014 at the age of 97.)  There will be a new movie released in 2018 and this will tell you the story of his life AFTER World War II in which he attended one of the Billy Graham's crusades in California and completely turned his life around.  After the war and his return to the USA, he suffered for several years with what we now know as PTSD or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.  Drinking heavily and having terrible nightmares, you can imagine how hard this was not only for himself but also for his loved ones.  His wife Cynthia was able to persuade him to attend a tent revival and to listen to a young preacher from North Carolina in 1949.  (The young preacher was Billy Graham.)  At the same night, other men came forward...there is an article that I found for you which has a photograph of Billy Graham with them...you may read it and see the photo just here.

The man pictured beside Mr. Zamperini is Stuart Hamblen, who was quite well known at the time as a singer, actor, radio show host and SONGWRITER.  (You all must know how much I admire songwriters.)  If you look up him up, it says that he is most well known for the song "This Old House.".  Reading more, you might also see that he wrote the song, "It Is No Secret".   Stuart Hamblen had a friend in the actor John Wayne.  After Stuart Hamblen gave up drinking, John Wayne said to him, "How did you give it up, what is your secret?".  His reply was "It is no secret what God can do".  At that, John Wayne said to him. "Well, that sounds like a song".     From what I have researched on this, this is a true story. It does sound just like John Wayne, does it not? (I love John Wayne, I thought he was a great guy.)

(I also have this being sung by Bill Kenny of The Inkspots. I love this.)

In this new film, the role of Billy Graham will be played by Will Graham, Billy Graham's grandson.  Even though he is not an actor (it will be his first role) I find it interesting to know that he will be in this movie. That makes it a special thing for me. (Seems like I remember that the grandson of Mr. Zamperini was in "Unbroken".  Also, I think that was a nice touch.)

I hope that this new movie will give Mr. Zamperini the proper respect to him and to his Christian faith.  Here is the thing that you might not know, Mr. Zamperini did not like religion to be forced upon anyone.  He was not heavy handed about anything really, rather he seemed to want to have people to be influenced by his example and his life's work.
It is my great hope that this new movie will honor him.  Mr. Louis Zamperini was a man of great faith and joy...I wish everyone could know this.  Why, he went back to Japan and met with his former captors, they were shocked to see him running to them with open arms!  
Once again, the film will be released sometime in 2018.  It will be called "Unbroken: Path To Redemption".  Look out for it.

Wishing for some Fall color right now...this was from a few years ago!  We still have our Mexican sunflowers blooming and our butterflies to enjoy, it will be 80 today! In a few weeks, I will have the autumnal colors and be wishing for butterflies! Laughing at myself!

Butterflies On Radar AND on Mexican Sunflowers

                                           Painted Lady Butterfly


The Painted Lady Butterfly is one of the most widespread butterflies on Earth, it is on every continent except Australia and Antarctica. They sometimes migrate and when they do, they travel in large numbers. 

Last month the weather forecasters in Denver, Colorado saw something on radar that they assumed was a flock of birds and asked for the ornithologists to identify the species.  Instead, it was determined to be thousands of butterflies, a flight of Painted Ladies! (Most birds migrate at night anyway, the bird experts told them.)  You may read about the story here.

Now, that link I gave you shows a photo of a Painted Lady butterfly and says that it is often mistaken for a Monarch butterfly.  Say what?  Never!  Just look at them!

They are both beautiful butterflies but one is a Painted Lady and one is a Monarch.  Got it? Of course you do and you would never mistake them!  My mind will rest easy now...

Monarch Butterfly

We have really enjoyed our butterflies this summer...and since it was in the 80's today, we are still enjoying them.

Butterflies are always on MY radar! (Yes, I said it!)

Very grateful that the Mexican sunflowers that I planted from seed have done so well this year. The butterflies really love them. I can't blame them...I came home from work and looked up at the flower as I walked past and the orange petals against that blue sky...well, you know I had to go and take a picture so you could share in this joyful moment.

Rescue/ I Forgive It All-Tom Petty

(Not a photo of the turtle in the road but the same kind of turtle, an Eastern Box turtle.)


Coming home from work one day recently, I saw a turtle crossing the road in front of my car.  Behind me, a large garbage truck had stopped to pick up the trash at a house.  I had to be quick!  Instantly, I pulled over and got out of my car. I gently picked up the turtle and walked with it (in the same direction that the turtle had been traveling) and placed him down on the grass.  By this time, the garbage truck was barreling down the road, and passed me.   The truck would have run right over that turtle, I am sure of it.
Can't seem to be much help in this world today but I did save that turtle...

Have you heard this song by Tom Petty?  It was on his last album.  It is worth a listen and I have the lyrics for you too. (That is Anthony Hopkins in the video, if you are wondering.) This song makes me cry.  

Take my horse down to the water
Let him graze awhile
Take my horse down to the water
Let him graze awhile
I have not been down these roads since I was a child
I ain't broke and I ain't hungry but I'm close enough to care
I ain't broke and I ain't hungry but I'm close enough to care
Send my things to my niece Laura
She'll keep 'em over there
I forgive it all, I forgive it all
With her, I forgive it all
There ain't no money in this deal, I just tag along
There ain't no money in this deal, I just tag along
Some things I feel right, somebody else thinks wrong
I forgive it all, I forgive it all
With her, I forgive it all
People are what people make em' that ain't gonna change
People are what people make 'em, that ain't gonna change
There ain't nothing you can do, nothing you could rearrange
But I forgive it all, I forgive it all
With her, I forgive it all

Crying In The Chapel -Written by Artie Glenn/Sung by Darrell Glenn

For some reason, I began singing the song, "Crying In The Chapel" today. (Note to self: find out that if you burst into song if it is a sign of insanity.) Of course, it would be the one by Elvis Presley that  comes to mind, but I wondered, who could have written it?

"Crying In The Chapel" was written by Artie Glenn.  His son, Darrell Glenn recorded it in 1953 while he was still in high school. He was only 17 years old! I read from a Texas newspaper that Artie Glenn had had spinal surgery and stopped into a small church near Ft. Worth and began to pray and he really did begin crying, and then, that inspired him to write this song.  I wish I could find more about him!  Darrell Glenn also went on to write music and had a successful music career. He even wrote a hit for Elvis Presley, "Indescribably Blue". 

Here are the lyrics for "Crying In The Chapel":

You saw me crying in the chapel
The tears I shed were tears of joy
I know the meaning of contentment
I am happy with the Lord

Just a plain and simple chapel
Where humble people go to pray
I prayed the Lord that I'll grow stronger
As I live from day to day

I searched and I searched but I couldn't find
No way on earth to find peace of mind

Now I'm happy in the chapel
Where people are of one accord
Yes, we gather in the chapel
Just to sing and praise the Lord

You'll search and you'll search but you'll never find
No way on earth to find peace of mind

Take your troubles to the chapel
Get down on your knees and pray
Then your burdens will be lighter
And you'll surely find a way

Sonny Til and The Orioles recorded it also in 1953.

Elvis Presley's recording was a hit in 1965.    

There have been many others who have recorded this song too, but hey, I have given you three.

I love them all.