Well yes, there you have it!! The story of the destruction of art in Nazi Germany---the paintings that disappeared for decades or forever, the artists maligned in the Nazis' Degenerate Art exhibition---is familiar to many. Less well-known is the story of the art destroyed to aid the war effort---metal church bells and statues melted down to make munitions. Saint Mary's University(Halifax) history professor Kirrily Freeman's PhD thesis focused on the topic of melted statues in France, but it was a graduation gift that led her to her current area of research. Bells awaiting their fate The exhibition Silence and Memory: The Lost Bells of Europe is a collection of plaster casts of details of the decoration on German church bells that were melted for metal by the Nazis during the Second World War. The bells come from the 12th century to the 20th. The Nazis melted down thousands of church bells across Europe in occupied countries, but only for German bells did they hire art historians as advisers and made casts to preserve some of the imagery, the German bells being tied to the sort of "authentic" German culture the Nazis pushed. Even the evidence of the lost bells was lost for many years. A Canadian bell expert, Percival Price, was sent to Germany by the Allies at the close of the war to discover what had happened to the country's church bells and find out if any had survived. Price met with Nazi art historians and found the casts, returning home with 127 of them, which sat in his office and were bequeathed to Ottawa's Museum of Civilization upon his death. One of these casts came into the possession of a friend of Freeman, who gave it to her as a graduation gift, along with one of Price's books on bells. This was not the first instance of bells going to war efforts in Europe - during the French Revolution, over 100,000 bells were removed, and were melted down into coins or cannons. The plaster casts were spirited out of Germany as 'enemy technology' - otherwise, their fate was uncertain. And yes, Bobbie, the Passing Bell is just that, to note someone's passing. It is usually the smallest, so the only bell remaining. So, for Cyn, Bobbie and TM: Sorry, maybe not enough clues, Annette?? Better luck next week! I attached the 2nd part of the documentary here, if you are interested, and you can link to Part 1, which is more 'Canadian' oriented! TM, that was quite the odyssey you were on!! Glad it all worked out. Thanks to all for playing, and yes, I am home. I didn't sell anything at the 'new' job last week, so out I went. Oh well, had that not happened, I wouldn't have picked up on a dream job posting, so fingers crossed, everything happens for a reason. See you next weekend! Nancy. Here is a link that might be useful: Bells & Whistles

We've had quite a few honey bees buzzing around my caerulea passion flowers this spring--last year I had a few bumblebees, but that was all. While their numbers were heartening, I saw two things in recent days that gave me concern, and both happened around dusk. The first, early last week, was a bee crawling around on one of the passion flowers. I'd been covered with pollen, so I knew it'd been there for a while. But it was just moving around, not really feeding, and unwilling to fly off. I watched it for a while, expecting it to leave any moment since the sun was down, but it never did even as it was getting dark. I checked the next morning, but of course the bee was gone. Then on Monday I took my daughter to church for a function. At about the same time of day as the previous incident, I noticed a bee *walking* along the sidewalk. Not flying, walking. It went one direction for a while, then turned and went over the edge into the parking lot. Then it meandered a while, not going any particular direction. I eventually had to go inside. I don't know if these two bees were sick, injured, disoriented or what, but something was amiss with them. No idea if it's related to the disappearing hives, tho.

Hi all, I come by and check but don't read everything. I see Marci and Dee said hi, and maybe others have, too. My family's left. I don't know if I mentioned it, but they were successful in their attempt to set up swimming with the dolphins. I couldn't go to that, but did get to swim in the ocean. That's not something I can ordinarily do because of my illness and disabilities. I tried to post a couple of days ago, but everything that came out sounded upset and I didn't want to scare anyone. :) I've been ill the last few days. I talked to my doctor and she said it sounds like viral meningitis. That's the mild kind, not the kind that can leave a person brain damaged or dead, so its nothing to worry about, just uncomfortable - who needs more pain and fatigue. I might go in to her office tomorrow. Tropical Storm Celia went by here yesterday. She was a hurricane a few days ago, but diminished. There was thunder and lightning and heavy rain and winds, but nothing too damaging. Just enough excitement but not too much. I've got into anime for reasons I won't go into. I ordered Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz. Has anyone here seen it? Does anyone know or remember the song by Don McLean, "Chain Lightning?" I've always liked that song. Very dramatic. My internet relationship, which I talked about earlier, is still going strong - seven months now. I said that he is very unhappy and troubled, which is still true, but he has turned out to be also very caring, intelligent, and sweet. I hope we can continue to be friends for a long time, and I hope his situation improves for him. I've been reading about the get together next year. Remember, I'd like a video. :) I know that it will be a blast. It's nice to come here and have this group. You are such a loving bunch where all are welcome. There have been so many ups and downs, but people are always supportive and caring. Love to you, thanks for remembering me, and I hope everyone has a good day. I'm not spending as much time here as I was, which may change (who knows) but I won't get lost. It's been so frustrating to me when others that I care about quit posting and then I never know how they are doing. Also I've asked my son to let people here know if anything happens to me so that everyone won't be wondering. He knows how important this group has been to me. Amy

Thank you all very much for your thoughts and prayers. There are always miracles, but from what we have been told so far, this is the "bad" kind - adenocarcinoma. We will know more on Tuesday. I appreciate so much you keeping her and our family in your prayers.