Julie's Web Journal

There's just one picture this week, but I do have a story to go with it:

Few things are more American than the Teddy Bear. The "Teddy" got its name from president Theodore Roosevelt. The man was an avid outdoorsman and hunter. The story goes that a group of men took the president hunting and were so anxious for him to bag a kill that they finally tied an old bear to a tree. Roosevelt refused to shoot the bear. Apparently it had been attacked by dogs and he asked that it be put out of its misery. (story here.) Like anything else surrounding a politician, the tale took on a life of its own and pretty soon stuffed Teddy Bears were on sale.

So, in honor of Americana, we have a contemporary, patriotic bear, and a likeness of Roosevelt. There's a story behind the plate. (Yeah, you'd be surprised if there wasn't, right?) It sat in a hutch in my grandmother's house. I don't know why, but it was one of those things I was fascinated with. The plate is a 1911 calendar and bears the name of a business. When she died the plate was among the items she left to me. Unfortunately, it got knocked over one day. It's been repaired, but it's not quite the plate that it was. I don't think it was very valuable in the first place (there were already nicks in it), but the sentimental value for me is priceless.

Check out the rest of the entries:

Cosette, Pandora's Bazaar

Carly, Ellipsis...Suddenly Carly

Karen, Outpost Mâvarin

Valorie, RetrospectUSA

Maryanne, Inside The Gilded Cage

Pamela, My Photos

Brad we.is ***Welcome, New Member***

Tammy, The Daily Warrior

Suzanne, New Suzanne R's Life

Steven, (sometimes) photoblog

Tags: Pictures, RoundRobinPhoto
Filed under: Pictures   Round Robin Photo           

Tammy said:
I never knew this and I loved the plate of a great man.
Date: 7/12/2006 1:07:58 PM Date: 7/12/2006 1:07:58 PM

maryanne said:
Wow! Great minds must think alike because you and Carly both associated teddy bears with Americana. I really enjoyed learning about this story, as it was new news to me!
Date: 7/12/2006 2:02:27 PM Date: 7/12/2006 2:02:27 PM

Karen Funk Blocher said:
Wow, I didn't know the tied-to-a-tree part of the story. What a neat family heirloom to have! (No, I don't mean the Ty bear.)
Date: 7/12/2006 3:07:18 PM Date: 7/12/2006 3:07:18 PM

deslily said:
excellent post! and interesting story behind the plate!
Date: 7/12/2006 3:13:06 PM Date: 7/12/2006 3:13:06 PM

Carly said:
Hi Julie
Date: 7/12/2006 4:33:56 PM Date: 7/12/2006 4:33:56 PM

Suzanne R said:
I like your treatment of the subject matter and the photo. That's a precious plate -- I just read last week how influential Teddy Roosevelt was to our American way of life. Such a nice reminder of a great man!
Date: 7/12/2006 4:47:12 PM Date: 7/12/2006 4:47:12 PM

Cosette said:
More teddy bears. It's a great subject.
Date: 7/12/2006 10:17:36 PM Date: 7/12/2006 10:17:36 PM

connie said:
ISN'T IT FUNNY THAT FOR AMERICANA THAT TWO OF RR MEMBERS THOUGHT OF TEDDY? GREAT MINDS & ALL THAT.I ENJOYED YOUR PIX VERY MUCH.
Date: 7/13/2006 12:33:57 AM Date: 7/13/2006 12:33:57 AM

tess said:
I like your plate! Fun stuff!
Date: 7/13/2006 4:50:56 PM Date: 7/13/2006 4:50:56 PM

Tammy said:
I never knew this and I loved the plate of a great man.
Date: 7/12/2006 1:07:58 PM Date: 7/12/2006 1:07:58 PM

maryanne said:
Wow! Great minds must think alike because you and Carly both associated teddy bears with Americana. I really enjoyed learning about this story, as it was new news to me!
Date: 7/12/2006 2:02:27 PM Date: 7/12/2006 2:02:27 PM

Karen Funk Blocher said:
Wow, I didn't know the tied-to-a-tree part of the story. What a neat family heirloom to have! (No, I don't mean the Ty bear.)
Date: 7/12/2006 3:07:18 PM Date: 7/12/2006 3:07:18 PM

deslily said:
excellent post! and interesting story behind the plate!
Date: 7/12/2006 3:13:06 PM Date: 7/12/2006 3:13:06 PM

Carly said:
Hi Julie
Date: 7/12/2006 4:33:56 PM Date: 7/12/2006 4:33:56 PM

Suzanne R said:
I like your treatment of the subject matter and the photo. That's a precious plate -- I just read last week how influential Teddy Roosevelt was to our American way of life. Such a nice reminder of a great man!
Date: 7/12/2006 4:47:12 PM Date: 7/12/2006 4:47:12 PM

Cosette said:
More teddy bears. It's a great subject.
Date: 7/12/2006 10:17:36 PM Date: 7/12/2006 10:17:36 PM

connie said:
ISN'T IT FUNNY THAT FOR AMERICANA THAT TWO OF RR MEMBERS THOUGHT OF TEDDY? GREAT MINDS & ALL THAT.I ENJOYED YOUR PIX VERY MUCH.
Date: 7/13/2006 12:33:57 AM Date: 7/13/2006 12:33:57 AM

tess said:
I like your plate! Fun stuff!
Date: 7/13/2006 4:50:56 PM Date: 7/13/2006 4:50:56 PM

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