50 Women Over 50: Ruby Dee

Ruby Dee is an American actress, poet, playwright, screenwriter, journalist, and activist. The widow of Ossie Davis, a breast cancer survior for over 30 years and nationally recognized professional and humanitarian, has had much to say over the course of her eight decades on this earth. For her lifetime of "walking her talk," we're proud to award her the WOOFer Wednesday Award!

Here now are a few of Ms Dee's noted comments:

• You just try to do everything that comes up. Get up an hour earlier, stay up an hour later, make the time. Then you look back and say, "Well, that was a neat piece of juggling there -- school, marriage, babies, career." The enthusiasms took me through the action, not the measuring of it or the reasonableness.

• That's what being young is all about. You have the courage and the daring to think that you can make a difference. You're not prone to measure your energies in time. You're not likely to live by equations.

• Classism and greed are making insignificant all the other kinds of isms.

• The greatest gift is not being afraid to question.

• Paradise is to be the ultimate instrument, fulfilling God's desperate intent that we love each other.

• The kind of beauty I want most is the hard-to-get kind that comes from within -- strength, courage, dignity.

• God, make me so uncomfortable that I will do the very thing I fear.

• OK, boss, I don't mind shuffling, but I won't scratch my head.

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50 Women Over 50: Beatrix Potter

Beatrix Potter was born July 28, 1866 in South Kensington, London, England and died at the age of 77 on December 22, 1943.

English author, illustrator, mycologist and conservationist, best known for children's books featuring anthropomorphic characters such as in The Tale of Peter Rabbit.

Born into a privileged household, Potter was educated by governesses and grew up isolated from other children. She had numerous pets and spent holidays in Scotland developing a love of landscape, flora and fauna, all of which she closely observed and painted. Her parents discouraged her intellectual development as a young woman, but her study and watercolors of fungi led to her being widely respected in the field of mycology.

She had frogs, newts, ferrets and even a pet bat. She also had two rabbits — the first was Benjamin, whom she described as "an impudent, cheeky little thing", while the second was Peter, whom she took everywhere with her on a little lead, even on the occasional outing. Potter watched the animals for hours on end, sketching them and developing her abilities as an artist.

Wishing to study at the Royal Botanic Gardens, she was turned down because she was a woman. Her mother and father discouraged any intellectual studies, wishing her to concentrate on running the household and getting married.

Anne Carter Moore, her last governess, was the first to recognize her immense talents after Potter sent story letters and pictures to Moore's five-year-old son. She encouraged Beatrix to pursue publication.

She was turned down by six publishers and decided to self-publish and distribute 250 copies of The Tales of Peter Rabbit. She attracted a publisher the next year, Fredrick Warne & Co. and became engaged to her publisher, Norman Wane, to the disapproval of her parents who considered the publisher a "commoner."

23 books later, her stories are still being read throughout the world.

Read more about this endearing author, her life and her books:

Wikipedia
The World of Beatrix Potter

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Mom Still Likes You Best - Jane Isay

WOOF presents a special post with author, Jane Isay, who talks about her process in writing, Mom Still Likes You Best.

(Read the review below)

My process begins with empathy toward the person who has told the story. Then I try to imagine the setting of his or her life. That’s how I begin to give the story a context. Finally, I try to put myself in the place of the other people in the story, especially the ones who are the source of complaints or anger. I can’t interview everybody in a family, so I try to imagine what the mean mother-in-law was going through when she criticized her daughter-in-law’s mothering skills, or what the cruel older sister’s experience of her childhood was really like.

Writing is also a process of discovery. After I have sketched the stories and found the patterns, I realize that it’s time for me to tell the reader what I think. It takes courage to put your ideas out for strangers to read. After all, people who don’t know you might not take so kindly to you! But for me, so far it’s been OK. Readers of my books find relief when they realize that they are not alone in facing the complex issues that come up in the marvelous institution we call the family. After reading the book, one person who appeared in Walking on Eggshells told me:, “Either you’re a nice lady, or our family isn’t so bad.” That still makes me chuckle—I hope he was right on both counts.

The author lives in New York City, with my husband, Jonathan

Review: Mom Still Likes You Best - Jane Isay - Doubleday

Having mixed feelings about brothers and sisters doesn't mean you don't love them, or that you're somehow deficient. Jane Isay, author of Mom Still Likes You Best, makes that abundantly clear.

All readers will find their particular story in this thoughtfully, detailed book about sibling rivalry.

I found stories about younger sister/older brother particularly compelling since that was my situation. My brother was six years older, loved by all his teachers and a great student. Me? Not so much. I was also keenly aware that he was my mother's favorite. When his favorite dishes were served at EVERY meal, it's pretty hard to ignore.

I didn't let it bother me, though, because I was my dad's favorite, so it all evened out.

Isay covers the ups and downs of these special relationships. Some examples end with laughter and some with tears. She covers every possible situation, and never downplays the hurt and anger that goes along with family dynamics.

My brother died much too soon at age 56. He was my only sibling and I miss him. But, I found great comfort in this book because I realized that our relationship didn't have to be perfect for us to love each other.

I highly recommend this book for all brothers and sisters wondering whether you're alone in your hostility, resentment, or even in your fierce loyalties toward your siblings.

Jane Isay on the Today Show with Hoda and Kathie Lee



Mom Still Likes You Best - Amazon

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For more Women Only Over Fifty thoughts & stories:

WOOF available through Amazon and Echelon Press!

Buy New WOOF Download Companion

Accentuate The Pawsitive!