Herman and Grandma

Today I'm showing two dolls from my collection. Herman is a little four inch Red Coat soldier from the time of the American Revolution. I don't know why I decided to name him Herman. He has just been Herman as long as I can recall. Likely, it was a suggestion from my mom. He looks to be a model officer with his tricorner hat, powdered wig, lace ruff, big brass buttons and high polished boots. Herman is one of the oldest dolls in my collection. I don't remember a time when I did not have him on my shelves in my childhood room.

Later on, Grandma was added to my collection. I bought her when we took a family vacation to Colonial Williamsburg. That would have been some time around 1975 or 1977. I bought her primarily because I loved the lace she was tatting and the beautiful blue of her dress. But I got the small sized souvenir doll rather than a larger one so she would not dwarf Herman! As they are from the same time period I used to display them together.

Sometimes I'd imagine Grandma was forced to quarter Herman. Other times Grandma was a Tory making a gift for Herman's girl back home in England. Still other times, Grandma was an American spy weaving messages into her lace. Do you think General Washington spent much time admiring laces? Well, in my child's imagination he must have!

Here is a close up of Grandma's work table.

Flag Day

Celebrate Flag Day today!Here is a tidbit from About dot com : Homeschooling

On June 14, 1777, the Continental Congress proposed that the United States have a national flag instead of the British Union Jack. The 13 stars of the flag represented the 13 new states. There were few public ceremonies honoring the Stars and Stripes until 1877, when on, June 14, it was flown from every government building in honor of the centennial of the adoption of a national flag. Schools had unfurled American flags over their doors or outside the buildings long before this; but in 1890, North Dakota and New Jersey made a law that required their schools to fly the flag daily. The first official Flag Day was observed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1893. New York also proclaimed June 14 as Flag Day 1897. Other states were slow to follow. Some people thought that the day was too close to Memorial Day and Independence Day.

In August 1949, President Harry S. Truman proclaimed June 14 as Flag Day. Since then the President proclaims the commemoration yearly, and encourages all Americans in the country to display the Stars and Stripes outside their homes and businesses. Individual states determine how they will observe the day.

There is also a Flag Day Quiz here.