Sassy and I in the backyard, being beautiful

Gpa

A picture of Gpa looking for the perfect wave...
WHOOO>>>>> WEIRD WATER>>>

My Boyfriend.

Home from Ireland, hugging on this cutie
Happy Birthday to me, and Butch, of course.

Looking for...?

Now where is my family? The bicycles are gone, the parents are missing, and the Whalens have gone to the beach.
I have been left to keep an eye out for pirates.

Who is this guy?

One cute couple.

Amy Graduates

Super Star Amy and several Burka/Whalens....
Amy earned so many honors, one of them being a permanent member of the Burka family! Pictured here are other famous folks belonging to the Membership only Burka Club.

Ocracoke Beach

Once again, Butch is caught waiting hand and foot on Joquita. Being a Burka, he lives to serve ohers.

BBBBBuuuuuuutch

Zoooooooommmmmmmminnnnng with Butch .....Hello World!!!!

Bear with Sam

I went to the beach with Sam, Rose and Paul and a bunch of Burkas. Sam is helping me review my blog. Sam isnt asleep, he is concentrating.
Bee Bear at the Beach

Whelan's Pub

So much fun was had at Whelan's pub, they put me in my own small space just to make me behave. I wanted some of the Irish Beef, Roasted Lamb and potatos, Rhubarb pie, and Death by Chocolate. Alas, no food for the Bear

even one as nice as

me
the
Bee

Can you SEE

Me the BEE and Adam have climbed a crooked tower with crooked steps. Can you tell who is having the most fun?

Birds and Bee

Here I am with a few of my bird friends. We are resting from flying about the Rock of Cashel.


a bit hard for a bee bear

Rock of Cashel

This was Rose's favorite place in Ireland. Wind, Rocks, Celtic crosses, stories of Kings, St. Patrick, and Irish dreams come and gone.

Family

Well Rose did it, she met some of her relatives. Left to right you have Rose, Flail Nichols, Hugh Maloney, and Archibald Murphy.

now aren't they just fine folks

Paul

Neo-gothic church.....

Kylemore Abbey

Beauties and the Bee

Kylemore Abbey

Oh, pretty

Kylemore Abbey and Gardens

Paul and Rose visited an Abby near Galway Bay
It was so exquisted. There were many many bugs around but they only bit the people. They didnt like the taste of bear fur.

ummm

Well you see, it was like this. I was captured and forced to go to Durty Nelly's Pub and , well it was a party don't ya know, and well just know this

They did not let me drive home..


Beeee

Bunatty

Bee u tea full garden at Bunratty!
Bee u tea full Bee in Bunratty Garden Walls!

Murphy

Well now, we had to have a wee taste of our family's ice cream and it was lovely. This is Murphy's in Killarny. We have had a lovely day looking at the gardens at Muckross House. Victoria is smiling because she is about to eat the cookie bear. I am smiling as well, but it is hidden in my fur.


bee bear in ireland

Killary

Here I am with my ladies. Queen Paula and Princess in training Victoria. We are staying at a lovely Bed and Breakfast in Killary. I am waiting for them to pour the tea, now.

Rose

Once there was a lovely lady named Rose
who sent out blogs and email, don't you knows
comments were found
on the blog
all around
but no answers to the emails of Rose

Lepreachaun

Help me, help me, I have been captured by a Lepreachaun!

But she sure is cute, don't you know.


She is Bee-U-Tea-Full


Bee Bear

Narnia

A Doorway to Narnia has opened in Ireland, let me show you the way.


I'll Bee Back Bear

Bunratty Castle

I went to Ireland and all I got was this castle, oh , and these people of course
The Bee Bear

Bears!

Bears in the woods, bears in the woods!
Oh wait,
It's just me


The Bee

BEE Breakfast... yum

I took the two Queens of the Castle to breakfast.

BEARS GONE WILD VIDEO, um blog actually

Ireland will be seen through bear eyes this trip, so bear with me while I turn over the blog to BEE BEAR

We are visiting Bunratty Castle in Limerick Ireland with our friends Paula and Adam Bigelow and their lovely daughter Victoria. After I posed with this giant Poppy, I let Victoria get her picture taken with me, the star of this trip.
After all, it is all about me, the bee

April / May newsletter

The News of the Wonderful Whalens

Paul continues to travel to Ireland..he returns in a few weeks, leaving on May 20, his 54th birthday
Rose has lost 27 pounds since starting in December. The new body needs new clothes!
Zach continues to work on his ABT program. He has carefully planned out his remaining requirements and is sticking to his plan.
Stacy is as cute as can be and continues to grow closer and closer to our hearts.
Sam just received his Master's,,, ( see last post)
Andrew made an A in Public Speaking!!! This semester's totals are three A's and two B's
Andrew is doing well in his new job. Several of his friends also work with him.
Teddy has a new doggie resort to visit when his mom and dad are out of town. He is happy to visit but loves to see Zach and Stacy come and pick him up.

Now the sad stuff
Suddenly and painfully, Yak left us to go to Kitty Heaven. I am heart broken and miss my friend very much. Yak left many friends. A new garden has been created in Yak's memory. He is now resting with our other missed animal friends.
Paul has hurt his shoulder and back. The back is getting better with Physical Therapy but the shoulder just gets worse.
Rose continues to be kneedy. Physical Therapy is being tried but surgery is on the horizon. This time will be full knee and a wee bit more painful. Gma and Gpa will come and visit , alot!
She may or maynot go to Ireland on this trip.

Cherry Berry is doing her best to fill in the missing lap naps and bedtime footwarming jobs left by her best buddy Yak. Cherry is a cutie pie.
The Whalen pond will be open soon and plans are already being made for future swimming parties ..
More news later......

Master Sam

Samual Joseph Whalen now has his Master's of Science with a major of Kinesiology, Sports Psychology concentration.

We are so proud of him. He will be moving back to Knoxville to continue his education at the University of Tennessee. Sam will live at home with his loving parents and brother until he finds a suitable and affordable apartment. Gma says that she is happy Sam will be living in Knoxville once again. Gpa is thrilled that, once again, we have a student at UT....

The Cat and the Hat

I am going to miss my lap warmer

Teddy

Mom is going to see Rose, Paul and Andrew this weekend, I miss her already. I am sending her a message with my laster beam eyes. And I am chewing on her favorite blanket right now.
Teddy

Spring time in Tennessee

Is it Spring Time yet?

Driveway

The driveway is signed, sealed, delivered and drying. There is a lovely lady, looking out the window, waiting for visitors and Spring.

gma and Gpa

Gpa and Gma,
sitting on a hill
one fell down
and It was no thrill

One helps her
all day and night
He loves her most dearly
with all his might

kitty kisses

Hello there everybody!

Roses

Are these for me, said Miss Cherry

Happy Birthday Gma

Gma and Gpa and all the kiddos

My Three Sons

Last night, my three sons where home again. Each brought a gift. Zach brought Stacy, Sam brought his sensibility and a promise to help me give Yak a bath, and Andrew came with a smile. Wow. Zach and Stacy's baby, Teddy, entertained us and wore out his parents. Cherry and Yak kept cornering Teddy and Zach would rescue him. Cherry was very brave and wanted to play. Paul and his boys loaded up a dresser and took it to Andrew's house. Everyone slept in their bedrooms from long ago.

All is well

Today was ....

ahahahah I love/hate my laptop. Sometimes I type along , writing a Pulitzer Prize Blog with correct grammer, spelling and then ZAP, it is erased. How does that happen, where is that stupid button that zaps my beautiful word. My memory is so bad, I am unable to recover my lost data. My memory is so bad, I can hide my own Easter Eggs.

Monday I spent the day at the Burka Mansion, in the land of Fountain City. Mom, Dad and I floated about in the exercise pond for a couple of hours with lots of "young "bathing beauties, plus one man who has informed me that he takes Viagra. ( That is nice to know, I have filed it into my GROSS file )We went to the house and Mom and I then set our noses to the grind stones...beads...and began making goodies for the craft show. We are only in one show this year. Last year I spend $2 for every $1 I made. This year will be the same. Hey , we are having fun and making nice stuff.

After we hit a creative block, the three of us went for a walk around the block. Dad declared that he has been trying to find a way to walk down hill for the entire walk, but so far, he has to walk uphill half of the time.

Like he said, it is all uphill from here.

Maloney

Our gggggg gpa was Hugh Maloney. His brother, Robert Maloney was a tailor in Greeneville, TN. Andrew Johnson asked Robert to make his marriage suit. They were friends and Robert signed Andrew Johnsons marriage certificate. A copy is in the Andrew Johnson Museum in downtown Greeneville. Andrew Johnson and Robert Maloney's name are on the second and third line. Robert signs the certificate at the bottom right. Andrew Johnson was also a tailor and must have liked Roberts work. Andrew Johnson later became President of the United States

Looking for Lucy

For my millions of readers that might not be aware, I have been searching for Lucy. Lucy was Paul's Grandmother. She has always been a woman shrouded in mystery that holds the key to family history of Paul's family, the Wonderful Whalens. The Burka/Allen/Murphy/Maloney/Cunnyngham families have made themselves known in many ways and are easy to trace, discover, and ponder. The Whalens are on the opposite side of the family history story. This family is very private, shy, and somewhat secretive. The known facts are few, the family stories confusing. Thus the adventure I call, Looking for Lucy. Lucy's story alone would make a wonderful novel. Two husbands, maybe. A third love but not marriage, two children, red-hair, wild mountains, beautiful coves, coal-mines, a last train ride home from Alabama. A devoted son, many grand-children, millions of great-grands.
Paul and I are following the family story that Lucy is buried in a cemetery in Oliver Springs. We have spend the last three Sundays, looking for Lucy.
It is a beautiful time of year to be looking.

Happy Birthday Andrew

Happy Birthday Andrew
Your Dad and I are so proud of you. You have grown up in so many ways. We love you and pray for you everyday...
MOM and DAD

Zach, Stacy and TEDDY

We drove down to Florida to visit Zach, Stacy and Teddy. We had a wonderful visiting, playing and resting. Teddy sometimes turns Zach's world upside down! Oh but he is such a wonderful dog and friend.

Sam

Paul and I just returned from a trip to visit the family. First went to visit Sam in Statesboro Georgia. Sam is doing well at Georgia Southern. He took us on a tour of the school and his office. We got to meet many friends and professors. We only met people that love Sam and think he is great. Sam is very organized and working his plan to move to the next level in school. He is sorting through his options for the PHD level in his field. We are so proud of Sam.

Cute Couple

Oh, here I am with my boyfriend.....

The View from the top

A beautiful day in the mountains. A view from Clingman's Dome

Cades Cove

Paul is trying to reconnect with the real world. He has been out of town most of the year. We went to Cades Cove and paused at one of the last stops and watched the sunset. We have passed this place manytimes. We decided to walk out to the trees, while we waited for the long lines of cars to pass. There is a cemetery under those trees. The stones are so old, that no ingraving can be read. We then walked out to the trees, out in the distance. It was so awesome. We realized that you can stay in the Cove, after the front gate is closed, because they do not close the back gate. We soon had the place to ourselves, so beautiful, so quiet.