Signs of the Times

It is Mono Monday today and the subject is signs. Thanks to GingerNan for hosting. I thought of two signs that are hanging in our home and decided to make a composite of them both. They both have family historical significance. To see the fine print, look large.

The bottom sign was stolen collected by my father when he was a grad student in 1928. He traveled all over Europe and even climbed the Matterhorn while he was there. He also came home with some souvenirs including this sign from a train somewhere where French and German are spoken. You know the song that goes with this one. We encourage constipation while the train is in the station... etc.

The top sign is not exactly a sign but I thought it was close enough to include in this blip. It is much larger than the little train sign. When my husband and his first wife were living in Kerhonkson New York, he and his daughter Helena, the same gal I mention frequently in my blips, used to go for walks in the woods. There were old abandoned barns in the area. One day Helena had been walking on her own and she found a barn that was falling down. The top beam was at a steep angle and she saw writing carved into it. The barn was getting close to complete ruin. She told her dad and Arvin went there and cut out the section with the words. It took a chainsaw to do it and I believe it took more than one blade. That was hard wood. Now it hangs above the stairs in our main hallway. It reads "TVE April 20, 1800." I do wonder who T.V.E was and who originally owned the barn.