Round Robin Challenge: Americana

"If you live to be 100, I hope I live to be 100 minus 1 day, so I never have to live without you."

-Winnie-The-Pooh

In 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt, while on a hunting trip in Mississippi, displayed an act of compassion and respect in a moment when he didn't have to. He chose that day to spare the life of a tired, frightened bear which had been caught and tied to a tree for his presidential hunting party, because he felt it would have been unsportsmanlike to take it's life. This act of reverence made national headlines the following day, when Clifford Barryman, an editorial cartoonist for the Washington Post, wrote a cartoon montage of the incident. The title of the front page story was, "Drawing The Line In Mississippi." After reading the story in the Post, a shopkeeper in Brooklyn, N.Y. began displaying bears in his shops window that had been crafted by his wife, who made them from soft plush and gave them two shoe button eyes. The shopkeeper, Morris Michtom, enjoyed an instant success with the sales of the handmade bears, and eventually asked, and then received,permission from the president himself, to call the bears..."Teddy Bears." The rest is cuddly, Americana history. :)

I have always been an avid bear collector. At one time, I had almost 200 bears of all shapes, colors, and sizes in my collection. One day they were stolen from my storage, in my sorrow, I made a decision to not continue with that hobby, but every once in a while I do treat myself to a new bear, which mostly sit in areas around my desk. I now have about 15 bears...and a moose, named Ross. LOL. And now I only purchase them from Boyd's Bears, of Gettysburg Pa. Each of my bears holds a special place in my heart, and because they are handmade, each one has their own special personality. LOL. Yep...on those difficult days when nothing seems to go right, I have been known to hold a conversation with my bears. But only if my cat, Elvis, is busy. :) Now remember...

"If the person you are talking to, doesn't appear to be listening, be patient. It may simply be that he has a small piece of fluff in his ear."

-Winnie-The-Pooh :)

Cosette, author of the journal, "Pandora's Bazaar" chose "Americana" for this edition of the Round Robin Challenges. Thank you Cosette, this was a lot of fun. Tis the season after all. :) Please pay a visit to the other members of the Round Robin Challenges, simply follow the links below. And if you want to join us, you are most welcome to come along. Simply pay a visit to the official blog of the Round Robin Challenges, read the current entry, leave us a link as requested, and you are in! If you haven't played before, take a moment to read the ***Welcome Entry & Rules Of Play*** And don't forget to come back to the Round Robin blog on Thursday, to find out what our next photo challenge will be. :)

-OndineMonet
"My Bears"
Berkeley, California

Linking List

Cosette... Pandora's Baazar

Carly... Ellipsis... Suddenly Carly

Karen... Outpost Mavarin

Julie... Julie's Web Journal

Valorie... Retrospect USA

Maryanne... Inside The Gilded Cage

Pamela... My Photos

Brad... We-Is WELCOME NEW MEMBER!

Tammy... The Daily Warrior

Suzanne... New Suzanne R's Life

Steven... (sometimes) photoblog

Connie... MOMENTS TO REMEMBER

Janet... Fond Of Photography WELCOME NEW MEMBER!

Amy... My Life And Pictures