When can a horse move while standing still?

"When can a horse move while standing still?" Have you figured it out yet? Here's your answer! A horse can move while standing still when it's a wooden horse on a Merry-Go-Round! [Original Riddle by MarashGirl©2022] Above riddle written in memory of Uncle Paul and Newton's Norumbega Park where Uncle Paul always took us kids on the Fourth of July!!

Remembering the Fourth of July on Wilbraham Mountain . . .

Before the tornado . . . before the tornado took with it the cabin that sat on top of Wilbraham Mountain . . . many Armenian-American families originally from Marash celebrated every Fourth of July on top of their beloved Wilbraham Mountain. How did they celebrate? --Raising the American Flag on a flagpole on top of Wilbraham Mountain, signaling the beginning of summer for the Marashtsis in Western Massachusetts! --Building a fire in the stone fireplace built by the Marashtsi men behind the cabin, a fire perfectly designed for cooking the shish kebab that the Marashtsi women had prepared by hand for all to enjoy. --Putting up the curtains and making up the beds in the cabin (the building which had been the first schoolhouse in Springfield, Massachusetts) on the top of Wilbraham Mountain. --Remembering the blessings of this United States of America, the country that had welcomed these folks, many of whom had survived the horrors of the Genocide of the Armenian people. --And Levon and George as young boys, shooting off fireworks to celebrate with their parents, cousins, aunts, and uncles the freedom and wonders of their country, The United States Of America!

Angelina The Goat

Visitng Blogger Rene writes the following . . . A holiday dinner wasn’t a holiday dinner without my grandfather, Ashod, telling the story of Angelina, his beloved goat. The topic of milk would inevitably come up in discussion (maybe in relation to the mashed potatoes), and my grandfather would ask me, “Have you ever had goat’s milk?” I’d shake my head no, mildly disturbed by the thought of milk from a non-cow source. “Well, let me tell you, it’s the best thing! Did I ever tell you the story about Angelina the goat?” We’d all nod our heads and giggle to each other, “Here he goes again!” His face would light up. “I used to have a little goat named Angelina, and she was the best little goat!” Sometimes he would even throw in his signature exclamation, “Oooh-weee!” He would go on and on, the details having faded from my memory at this point. Mostly, I just remember him repeating this story over and over, and looking back, Angelina must have been quite a special lady! I can’t remember where he had kept the goat, but I believe it may have been up on his family’s island in Boothbay Harbor, Maine. Maybe Marash Girl could remember? N.B. Marash Girl wishes Uncle Ashod had regaled her with the stories of Angelina! Marash Girl misses you, Uncle Ashod!

HAPPINESS ON EASTER . . . AND EVERY DAY . . . IN ARMENIAN AND ENGLISH!

Greeting on Easter Day:  KRISDOS  HARYAV  Y  MERELOTS!  Christ has risen and conquered death!

Response:  OHRNYAL EH  HAROUTIOUN  KRISDOSI!  Blessed is the resurrection of Christ!

And if you can read Armenian, here it is in the original:  

                                      Քրիստոս Յարեաւ Ի Մէրէլոց:

                                      Օրհնեալ է Յարութիւնն Քրիստոսի:

Thank you, Uncle Paul, for teaching us this important Armenian Easter salutation while we were still young 'uns . . . and for teaching us the true meaning of Easter! 

                                                                                                    Above Photos By MarashGirl©2022

'WHAT? You're Sending Your Daughter To College?"

'WHAT?  You're sending your daughter  to college? . . .  Oh! You're sending your daughter to college to get an MRS!  Now I understand!"

N.B.  FYI, Marash Girl's father was mortified at the thought . . . as was Marash Girl!  How dare they! Perhaps this memory should have been posted yesterday on April Fool's Day!!!

Remembering Betty & Veronica . . . And An April Fool!

Years ago, when Marash Girl was in her early teens, Cousin G.  (name omitted to protect the innocent . . . or not so innocent) arrived in the United States of America from his home in Paris.  Visiting Marash Girl and her family in their living room for the first time, Cousin G. spotted a then current issue of Betty & Veronica . . .  (not the copy shown below!) In shock, he asked what they (Marash Girl and her sister) were doing reading such “trash” . . . although, as he asked the question, he never once took his eyes off of Betty’s breasts!  

N.B. This is April Fool's Day, is it not?  And who, Marash Girl asks, was the April Fool?

                                                                                                                                                                      Photo By MarashGirl©2022                                                                                                   

"Toilet-Training A Cat" by Brent Katz

On 3/20/22,  THE NEW YORK TIME MAGAZINE featured an article by Brent Katz entitled, 

"Toilet-Training A Cat", an article in the New york Times Magazine, 3/20/22,  brought to Marash Girl's mind her grandfather, Moses, who had toilet-trained his cat way back before Marash Girl attended kindergarten.

Marash Girl remembers that the cat would do its duty in the bathroom toilet,  after which it would come around and "meow" to Grandpa Moses, requesting that Grandpa Moses flush the toilet for the cat . . . which Grandpa Moses promptly did!  How Grandpa Moses trained that cat is unknown to Marash Girl, as Marash Girl was well into her third or fourth year of life when the training began for Grandpa Moses' cat!

Happy Birthday To Our Very Own Spring!

     

                                                                                                    Above Photo by MarashGirl©2022  

Happy Birthday To Our Very Own Spring! 

And thanks to NCS for the homemade birthday cake!

 

"Does Watching The News Give You Anxiety?"

                                "Does watching the news give you anxiety?"

Recently, Marash Girl noted the above headline on an email advertisement, a headline which reminded her of the fact that years ago, her father used to have trouble getting to sleep at night.

His doctor asked him, "Are you watching the news on television before you go to bed at night?"

Marash Girl's father answered in the positive.

"Well," the doctor replied, "no need for sleeping pills.  Simply stop watching the news before you retire, and you should have no problem sleeping . . . . "

The doctor, as it turned out, was absolutely correct.

Celebrating St. Vartan on Vartanantz Day

       Remembering the many celebrations commemorating St. Vartan on St. Vartanantz Day                                         at the  AGBU Armenian Elementary School in Watertown, Massachusetts

                                                  Above image borrowed from the internet. 

This day is all the more significant as Vartan was the root of Marash Girl's mom's family name.

Happy Birthday, Anoushig!

Photo byMarashGirl©2022 "Everywhere I look, I see valentines!!!" Happy Birthday to the Anoushigest Valentine of all!

"Yardsaling" With Archie!

Years ago, Marash Girl had never attended a yard sale. Learning of this, her friend Archie offered to introduce Marash Girl to the world of "yard saling" . . . and what a world that was! Never had Marash Girl seen such treasures -- antique teapots, silverware, hardcover books signed by the author/s, brass candlesticks, pewter candlesticks, brand new candles, costume jewelry, and on and on and on . . . a world of treasures, treasures for a pittance . . . a world of which Marash Girl had been completely unaware. Thank you, Archie, for those fun-filled spring, summer and fall seasons of yardsaling . . . seasons that continue to this day . . . or rather continued until COVID reared its ugly head and stopped the fun of yardsaling . . . But as Grandpa Peter would comment, were he still with us, "COVID, too, shall pass!" Allow Marash Girl to add, "And may it pass soon!"

Remembering Armand Andreassian

Wednesday, May 3, 2017 Concert at the Armenian Cultural Foundation In May of 2017, Marash Girl attended (first row seats!) a concert featuring New England Conservatory students -- Canadian/Armenian Eva Aronian, violinist, and American/French Pierre-Nicolas Colombo, pianist. Hosted by The Andreassian Music Fund and the Canadian Women's Club (Canadian Consulate), the musicians, New England Conservatory students, (Violinist Eva Aronian, Pianist Pierre-Nicolas Colombo) played pieces by Maurice Ravel, Johannes Brahms, Fritz Kreisler to name a few. A cocktail reception preceded the concert which was followed by (the concert, not the cocktails) a social hour that included desserts and coffee. An enjoyable Sunday afternoon! And particularly enjoyable for Marash Girl, as the concert was held at the Armenian Cultural Foundation in Arlington, Mass., a foundation established to preserve the collection of her dear, long ago friend, Vahan Topalian.

Above photo by MarashGirl©2017 Above: Armand Andreassian introduces the event at the Armenian Cultural Center, 2017. May the Lord welcome Armand into the Kingdom of Heaven.

GEORGE WESTINGHOUSE: POWERING THE WORLD

The editors of William R. Huber's recently published volume, GEORGE WESTINGHOUSE: POWERING THE WORLD, were in contact with Marash Girl while the publication of this volume  was still in the process of completion.  Why were they in contact with Marash Girl?  Because Marash Girl's father used to sell Westinghouse products at his shop, Newtonville Electrical Co., Inc., in Newtonville, Massachusetts?  No.  Because her father was favored by the Westinghouse Company to repair their products that others found impossible to repair?  All true, but, "No."

The editors of GEORGE WESTINGHOUSE: POWERING THE WORLD were in contact with Marash Girl to ask permission to use her photograph of the plaque commemorating Manhattan's Pearl Street Station, a photograph which appeared in her Marash Girl blog, because, apparently it was the only photograph on the internet of said plaque.  

What was Marash Girl going to say?  "No?"

Nope.  

Marash Girl, of course, was honored to say, "Yes!" And last week, as a thank you for Marash Girl's largesse, the publishers sent Marash Girl a brand new copy of William R. Huber's newly published book, GEORGE WESTINGHOUSE: POWERING THE WORLD.  

 

Should you decide to acquire a copy of the above pictured book, check out the photograph of the plaque commemorating the Pearl Street Station in Manhattan, the photograph published on page 107 of  Huber's GEORGE WESTINGHOUSE: POWERING THE WORLD, the photograph taken one day in Manhattan by Marash Girl!

Creating Jewelry From The Jewels Of The Sea

Marash Girl and her cousin Pauline used to delight in creating earrings and brooches in floral patterns made from tiny colored seashells. They would work in the front room on the third floor using Duco Cement to attach the tiny seashells in patterns reminiscent of flowers, glueing these seashell flowers onto circular plastic bases that were then attached to metal bases that had metal screwbacks or metal pins attached to allow the decorative seashell arrangements to be used as earrings, barpins, and brooches. The two cousins would join Uncle Paul (Pauline's dad) as he drove to the Middlesex County Beekeepers Association (not sure if that was its proper title back then) on (and not sure about this) the fourth Saturday afternoon of every month . . . As soon as Uncle Paul had arrived at his destination, as soon as he had parked the car, he opened the trunk to display the girls' seashell jewelry creations, as all of the beekeepers' wives rushed to view the trays of unique seashell earrings and pins that the girls had created. Of course, the women would invariably purchase a favorite pair of seashell earrings and/or a seashell brooch made by the hands of the beekeeper's daughter and niece, as, in those days, very few people were creating earrings from seashells. (Do folks do so today? Do folks even wear screwback earrings or brooches today?) Little did Marash Girl and her cousin or their parents realize that the fumes from the cement could degenerate brain cells . . . no wonder Marash Girl is not as smart as she used to be . . . she's finally learned the reason! Hurray!

Have You Ever Prepared Egg Salad With Parsley?

You read that right. Have you ever prepared egg salad with parsley rather than celery? Well, yesterday was a first for Marash Girl. Plenty of eggs in the refrigerator, plenty of parsley in the vegetable drawer, but no celery. . . Vaht to do? Egg salad with chopped parsley was the answer . . . a first for Marash Girl . . . and Marash Boy loved it! In fact, he told Marash Girl that his mother (Azniv, a survivor of the Armenian Genocide) often made hard boiled egg salad this way . . . and it took Marash Girl all these years to learn that fact . . . and to prepare egg salad with parsley rather than celery!!!! Try it, you'll like it! And so will all the old folks who can't chew celery!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, MOMMY AND DADDY!!!!

Marash Girl loves her mommy and daddy so much, but they are no longer with her . . . as both her mommy and daddy were angelic, each in his or her own special way, they have joined the angels in heaven. Marash Girl remembers her dad laughing as he told her the following tale. Peter's Marashtsi Friend: So, Peter, I hear you are getting married. Are you marrying a Marashtsi or an odar? Peter: I'm marrying an odar! Marashtsi Friend: Is she Italiatsi?(Italian?) Peter: Nope! Peter's Marashtsi Friend: Irrish? (spoken with a heavily rolled r) Peter: Nope! Peter's Marashtsi Friend: Eengleesh? (spoken with heavy Armenian accent) Peter's Marashtsi Friend: Vell, who you marrying? Peter: Ainteptsi! At which point Peter's Marashtsi friend started laughing and pushing Peter, recognizing that Peter had been teasing all along. Of course, Peter was marrying Jennie (Lucille Mae), the love of his life who was born and brought up in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the beautiful younger daughter of Antepsi Armenian parents, Yester Bosnian and Garabed Vartanian of Aintab or Antep (the city known today as Gaziantep), both of Jennie's Antepsi Armenian parents having escaped the Armenian Genocide by fleeing Turkey and arriving safely in the United States of America early in the 20th Century. (More on Peter's parents escape of the genocide of the Armenian people in future blogs. Stay tuned!) And although very few folks had been invited to the wedding, as there was very little para in those days for a young couple to feed a large gathering, so many folks arrived at the Armenian Brethren Church in Watertown, Massachusetts, to witness Peter and Jennie's wedding, that the couple had to change the venue of the wedding service at the last moment, moving the minister, themselves, and all in attendance from the Armenian Brethren Church in Watertown, Massachusetts, to the Western Avenue Baptist Church in Cambridge, Massachusetts, a church large enough to accommodate the crowds that had gathered to witness the marriage of the young couple that was so adored by all! Note 1: odar (pronounced with a heavily rolled r) is the Armenian word for foreigner. Note 2: In the old days, and even today (as evidenced by the title of this blog), folks of Armenian origin self identified by the name of the city from which they hailed in the old country! For example, if they came from Aintep, they were known as Ainteptsis; if they came from Marash, they were known as Marashtsis! Get it?

A Man's A Man For A' That!

When Marash Girl was attending Third Grade at Claflin School in Newtonville, Miss Griffin (Marash Girl's third greade teacher) required each student to memorize and recite a poem in front the class weekly. One of the poems that Marash Girl's dad insisted she memorize for the class, a poem that has influenced her approach to life to this day, is the the poem printed below. Although Marash Girl can no longer recite the poem, she was readily able to find it on the internet. Hope it's not too heavy for the season! Here goes . .. A Man’s a Man for a’ That by Robert Burns Is there for honest poverty That hings his head, an’ a’ that; The coward-slave, we pass him by, We dare be poor for a’ that! For a’ that, an’ a’ that. Our toils obscure an’ a’ that, The rank is but the guinea’s stamp, The Man’s the gowd for a’ that. What though on hamely fare we dine, Wear hoddin grey, an’ a that; Gie fools their silks, and knaves their wine; A Man’s a Man for a’ that: For a’ that, and a’ that, Their tinsel show, an’ a’ that; The honest man, tho’ e’er sae poor, Is king o’ men for a’ that. Ye see yon birkie ca’d a lord, Wha struts, an’ stares, an’ a’ that, Tho’ hundreds worship at his word, He’s but a coof for a’ that. For a’ that, an’ a’ that, His ribband, star, an’ a’ that, The man o’ independent mind, He looks an’ laughs at a’ that. A Prince can mak a belted knight, A marquis, duke, an’ a’ that! But an honest man’s aboon his might – Guid faith, he mauna fa’ that! For a’ that, an’ a’ that, Their dignities, an’ a’ that, The pith o’ Sense an’ pride o’ Worth Are higher rank than a’ that. Then let us pray that come it may, As come it will for a’ that, That Sense and Worth, o’er a’ the earth Shall bear the gree an’ a’ that. For a’ that, an’ a’ that, It’s comin yet for a’ that, That Man to Man the warld o’er Shall brithers be for a’ that. N.B. It is interesting to note that Marash Girl's dad's best friend, Rev. Ian MacDonald, was born in Scotland.

LOOK WHO'S CHECKING OUT WILBRAHAM MOUNTAIN IN LATE DECEMBER!

Photo by LittleQuail©2021

Music, Music, Music!

Below a photo of famous track star and high-jumper Raffi playing Jingle Bells on Christmas Eve.

Photo by MarashGirl©2021