Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Pom Pom's Roots

 Hello again, visitors!  Yesterday I stayed at Jeff and Christie's while James napped. They had a doctor's appointment because (wait for it) they are having another BABY!  Woot!  Woot!  Double Woot!  
 I always look forward to spending time with Scout, but she really doesn't get too excited when she sees me.  She napped beside me.  Isn't she cute?
Was your Valentine's Day full of hugs and kisses?  Chocolate?  Flowers?  Sweet cards?  I hope so.  I didn't make heart cookies.  Truthfully, they make me feel horrible, but I LOVE the way they taste.  Maybe next year (using Jody at Gumbo Lily's recipe) I shall make many yummy sugar cookie hearts.
 This morning I had to run a few errands and I thought, "Since I am out in the car anyway, maybe I should go some place fun like the garden store or the antique mall."  Well, I didn't feel THAT ambitious so I came home, but last fall my friend Janis and I went to the garden store and viewed all of these pretty things.  The fairy gardens are especially pleasing.  I have moved beyond my fairy garden obsession because the grandkids do not share my vision.  They sort of throw the stuff around.  I think fairy gardens are for fairy grandmothers, do you think so?





 Someone asked me, I think it was my new New Zealand friend Julie, where the name Pom Pom came from.  (I mailed your pattern today, Julie!) Well, since I've been blogging for so many years I will explain it to you.  About twenty (gasp!) years ago,  I met a clown at a department store and I asked her what her credentials were (ha!) She told me she went to clown school with the Colorado Clowns. I decided to do the same!  I learned to do a few tricks (very few, turns out I'm not tricky) and I learned how to put on the make up.  I found my face that way!  I had to drive very far, through the city, to find a real clown nose and I ordered my clown shoes from a company in Nebraska.  I sewed my Pom Pom dress all by myself.  I found my wig in my neighbor kids' dress up box.  For a while I did birthday parties.  It would take me one hour to apply my make up and if I goofed up, even more time.  On my way to birthday parties I'd stop at the toy store to buy the birthday kid balloons and a small gift.  By the time I went to all this trouble and entertained the kiddies (I hated it when the adults/parents wanted to be entertained because I'm not THAT funny!) and drove home, I could not conclude that being Pom Pom the Clown was a money-making endeavor, but it WAS fun.  Only a few friends call me Pom Pom because that was YEARS ago, before I went back to real college to finish my degree and begin teaching school.  Jeff and Christie found my business cards (joke!) a while back.  Christie asked if I could perform a singing telegram.  Oh, that was a long time ago.  Fun and silly.  Now you know where my blog name came from and why I have continued to be a form of Pom Pom.  My wig is purple.  It looks black in the photo. 
I just looked at the time and it's only 1-ish.  How lovely!  At school when 1 pm rolled around I would think, "I NEED coffee to make it through the rest of the day."  Now, I think, "YAHOO!  The day is young!"  
I hope you are having a peachy day, doing things you like to do and rubbing shoulders with VIP's like your friends and family!
(BIG HUG!)

23 comments:

Kezzie said...

I have often wondered the origin and WHAT a fascinating one it is!!! You were actually a bonefide clown!!! Amazing!!!Xx
Congrats to the parents to be!!x

Julie said...

What a lovely post. Those birdhouses in your photo at the Garden Centre made my heart skip several beats !!! Yes it was me who asked where the Pom Pom came from. Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful story ... I loved it & adore the photo of you as a clown. I think I shall continue to call you Pom Pom if thats okay with you. Your blog is always such a joyful place to visit. x x x Oh & thats wonderful news about another granbaby on the way.

Elderberry-Rob said...

Hi Pompom, I knew the story about your name as I have followed for such a long time! I hope you will keep your fairy garden, even if the kids do mess it up - it's lovely to have one and as they get older they will appreciate it and be kinder to it! I am hoping you will get my letter any day. Have lovely days off and don't clock watch! Betty

Jennifer Hays said...

Oh my gosh, how interesting. I bet you were a wonderful clown. I used to know a lady who also was a clown for parties and she really loved it. I'm so excited to know you have a new baby in the family on the way, what happy news. I hope you're having a good week so far.

Mary@mydogsmygardenandmary said...

What a great post. Your clown job sounds like it would be a lot of fun. I know the kids all loved you.
Congratulations on a new baby in the family. Your kitty is sure cute.
Have a great week PomPom.
Mary

Danette Bartelmay said...

Oh My Goodness!
I LOVE it! I've wondered so many times about the name Pom Pom and just figured it was a family nickname. It's So Cute! I thought maybe because you have a fondness for Pom poms. It never occurred to me to simply ASK YOU!
I absolutely LOVE the real reason😍
You are ADORABLE as Pom Pom the Clown!

Gumbo Lily said...

A new baby's on the way!!! So exciting, so wonderful, so God!

The garden pictures are so beautiful. I am longing for the green things growing. It will come. There are sprigs of green grass down in the brown stuff. That's encouraging.

I can imagine that you were a wonderful, happy clown, kind and generous. Like you are. God bless.

Anonymous said...

Well I'm happy to know why your blog is called pom pom! Congratulations on another babe on the way. Too fun! Hope you have a great week!

Julia said...

Hi PomPom, it was nice learning something new about you. I wondered myself about the name PomPom and now I know.
How exciting to have another baby on the way.

I love that fairy garden but it looks like a lot of maintenance for keeping it trimmed.
Have a great week.
Hugs,
JB

elizabeth said...

how fun! always loved your name! now I know why! you are a very creative, brave and thoughtful lady!

magsmcc said...

I rubbed shoulders with all my VIPs today and now I'm rubbing yours x

Farm Girl said...

I am so excited about your new little one, and James will have a friend. I need to write you an email and meant too all day, but have been too sick. :(
I love that story of Pom Pom the clown. I am glad you showed a picture. You are so talented.
I love fairy gardens, but the chickens would tear them up I am afraid.
I always think about it though. I love your visit through the garden shop.
I hope you have a very nice evening. I am so excited for you and your family.

ann said...

And your little brood grows. How exciting. A new baby. We were in a garden center this week end. I had a hard time leaving. All the fairy stuff. And, yes, now I know how you have by your moniker. A good story. Love the warm weather. Hope it stays.

happyone said...

Thanks for explaining why you are Pom Pom. What a cool thing to have done. : )
How exciting to be adding another little one to the family!! Congratulations.

Angela said...

I have always wondered. What a cool thing, to be a clown like that! I love the costume. But I am sure being a grandmother is even more exciting!

Heather LeFebvre said...

Oh that is too fun!!!!!! I love the picture of you! And now the name makes sense!!! Congratulations on another grand baby!!!!!!! So happy for you!

Boyett-Brinkley said...

what a fabulous story! I was wondering about your name, as well, and was so surprised and pleased at how it came about! I think you make an adorable clown and I can see where that sort of a profession could be such great fun! I am sure you did a wonderful job. Wow, this just made me smile this early morning!

Amy at love made my home said...

Congratulations to all of your family on the new baby!!! Interesting to hear about the beginnings of Pom Pom! I am actually really scared of clowns, but I am sure that I am not scared of you! xx

Jeannette said...

What a cute clown. and did you learn how to juggle? I made four new sets of juggling cubes last week or so...that's 12 little bean stuffed cubes. They probably will function as ready made presents for young ones...or if bill collector's come knocking, maybe I will sell them. It will be like you, buying balloons with your wages, not terribly profitable!

handmade by amalia said...

A baby! News of the best kind! Congratulations.
Amalia
xo

Fat Dormouse said...

Lots of joy in the Pompom household! How wonderful. Like everyone else I think it's fun to finds out about your alter-ego as a clown!

Thistle Cove Farm said...

Congratulations on the new baby!

M.K. said...

That was fun to read! Love the clown account. I'm not funny/tricky either, so I think you were quite brave to do the whole clown school route and pursue it. Ooo - congrats to everybody on the new baby on the way! James will be a big brother!! Wonderful. I've been wanting to stroll around in plant stores too, checking out Lowe's and ruminating on where to put certain shrubs in the yard. soon!!

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