Freedom Don't Come Free

{listen too...}

"Let the world go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike,

that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans,

born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace,

 unwilling to witness or permit the slow undoing of those human rights to which this nation has always been committed, and to which we are committed today at home and around the world.

Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship,

support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and success of liberty. This much we pledge and more."

"to those nations who would make themselves our adversary,

we offer not a pledge but a request that both sides begin anew the quest for peace..."

"Since this country was founded, each generation of Americans has been summoned to give testimony to its national loyalty.

Now the trumpet summons us again, not as a call to bear arms, though arms we need, not as a call to battle, though embattled we are,

but a call to bear the burden of a long twilight struggle year in and year out, “rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation”,

a struggle against the common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease, and war itself.

And so my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.

My fellow citizens of the world, ask not what America can do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man."

John F Kennedy's Inaugural Address
January 20, 1961

Have a Happy 4th of July my Sweet Friends!

And when the words 'Thank You' don't begin to express my feelings of pride & honor & gratitude towards our American Hero's,
when I am at a loss for words & can find nothing else to say,
I am always mindful that...

'Freedom Don't Come Free'!

XOXO

The Cottingley Fairies, Elsie Wright & Frances Griffiths

{frances in the 1st of the 5 fairy pictures taken}

Do you BELIEVE in Fairies?

{frances & elsie at cottingley beck}

Two young cousins who lived in Cottingley, England in 1917 did.

Elsie Wright, 15, and Frances Griffiths, 10, took a series of 5

photos at Cottingley Beck that fascinated the world &

caught the eye of the renowned writer & spiritualist,

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

{the 2nd photo, elsie with a winged gnome}

This magic all began, when 2 little girls were trying to convince

their parents that they had seen fairy's in the Cottingley Beck.

Elsie took her father's camera, went down to the beck & came

back with the 1st two pictures of the Cottingley Fairies.

Today, we may think it fantastic that anyone could be fooled

into thinking these pictures were real, but in 1917 a camera was

a piece of scientific equipment & took pictures of what was

in front of it & nothing else...the Fairy Magic had begun!

{frances & the leaping fairy}

Elsie's mother was interested in the occult, having had some experiences

with the paranormal & went to a Theosophical meeting that was

taking place near her home. The lecture was on Fairy Life.

Polly mentioned that her daughter & niece had taken some

photographs of fairies & it became sensational evidence

of the existence of fairies.

{the 4th photo, a fairy offering posy harebells to elsie}

In 1920 the photographs made there way to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle,

creator of Sherlock Holmes & he contacted the family for permission to

use the photos in an upcoming magazine article he was to write.

Several different researchers looked at the photographs for authenticity

& yet no one could confirm that they were fakes. After publication,

Arthur Doyle brought the girls 2 cameras & 20 photographic plates

in hopes that they would return to Cottingley Beck & catch

more images of THEIR fairies & they did!

{the 5th & last photograph, fairies & their sun bath}

Staying true to their tale for more then for 60 years, the girls,

Elsie & Frances now old women, finally admitted that their

fairies weren't real. That is none were real except for the 5th &

last photograph. Until her death, Frances swore that nothing had

been done to create the transparent images of the fairies dancing

& sunbathing in the grass. Her daughter, grand-daughter & great

grand-daughter all believe this one image to be true.

So my question for you today is...

Do you believe in Fairies??

I LOVE these...

I DO BELIEVE IN FAIRIES!!!

Clap your hands if you believe in fairies!  ;)

XOXO

vintagesusie