Mrs. W had a brilliant notion the other day.She said that if the "estate" were named we ought to have a family crest. Now estate is in quotes because,...well quite frankly, Mrs.W thinks Le Petit Somme looks like Le Petit Venice. She is nervous about the new raised beds I've added. Thinks they will force the swamp into small streams around them. At her request, I've added small bronze tiedowns to the ridges of the raised beds in case we have to do spring planting from a dinghy. (Always the practical one, Mrs.W) Anyway we were pondering what should go on such a crest. We agree that if truly representative of our family, it might not appeal to the average passerby. For example, I have a battle axe and short sword mounted on the wall in my study. I thought they would look rather regal somewhere in the design. The Mrs. said they don't really represent us, as we've never used either to defend the home. I suggested an eagle, but she reminded me that we raise ducks. I said surely a pitch fork or a sickle would do, but she shook her head no and said maybe a hoe or garden trowel. I could see where this was going, so I said "How about the Curbsider?" That is the name of my pick-up, used for just such. I was hoping that she might slip and counter with a horse, but she didn't take the bait. "If you use that then the'Nightstalker' has to be in there too." The Nightstalker is a three wheeled bicycle I use for areas closer to home on nice evenings. I am only allowed to take it out after dark, as the Mrs. is embarrassed to see me on it. She is always afraid one of the neighbors will drive by and notice me. Now I say, What kind of a crest would have a beat up Dodge, a three wheeled bike, a duck, and a hoe? (Far too practical, the Mrs..) Reminding her that people who saw the crest would ask about the bike, I suggested that perhaps, a herald is something aspired to. "Do you mean embellished representative?" she asked. Presenting the Weaver family herald: A battle axe crossed with a pitch fork, above which resides a Celtic cross, on a field of green. Hope yours turns out just as well!

-- Ed Weaver (edzreal@postmaster.co.uk), October 20, 2000

Answers

Oh please include the duck on the "field of green".....LOL, your post made my evening! Our family crest would have to have a moving van on it with a bottle of homemade wine as the license plate and the Latin phrase "Semper Ubi Sub Ubi"...(always where under where) God bless...

-- lesley (martchas@gateway.net), October 20, 2000.

Ed, I am very glad to hear that your wife does not identify with the battle ax. This is a very good sign.

Venice is a nice place to live. Have you considered digging a canal around the place, kinda like a moat? Your ducks would like it. Your wife might find it romantic. I get 14 feet of rain a year and I have a moat around my house. It stormed quite hard last night and my little kid went swimming in the moat today. They have more fun with that ditch than all the *real* kids stuff they have.

Picture this mom telling her kids, "If you want to play in the rain put on your bathing suits!"

-- Laura (gsend@hotmail.com), October 20, 2000.

Thank you Ed, and thank you so much lesley! I was laughing so hard just now... Well you know what happens then. Can I use your motto Lesley?

-- maureenb (firegirl102@hotmail.com), October 21, 2000.

A Crest, huh ? With all the violence these days I would turn away from weapons on a family Crest. May I suggest a Lion and a Unicorn. The lion symbolizes pride and courage much like your idea of making raised beds in a swamp. And the Unicorn will be an ever present reminder that --YOUR GOVERMENT IS READY TO STICK IT TO YOU ! Have fun !

-- Joel Rosen (Joel681@webtv.net), October 21, 2000.

How about a raised bed with sprouting seedlings surrounded by water?

-- Jay Blair (jayblair678@yahoo.com), October 21, 2000.

All of the COX crest have roosters on them, seeing as how that is what Cox means. I just made napkins with a Rooster and COX above it. So how about a loom for Weaver?

-- Cheryl Cox (bramblecottage@hotmail.com), October 21, 2000.

Our family crest would have to include, a bible, a rifle crossed with a hoe, a bell, and a diamond. The bible for freedom in Christ, the rifle and hoe to insure freedom and to represent how we got freedom, the bell to ring the song of liberty everywhere, and the diamond for the dreams that take us beyond ourselves.

Little Bit Farm

-- Little bit Farm (littlebit@calinet.com), October 21, 2000.

Hey Joel...only problem with the lion and the unicorn is that they are already taken.....by Britian! England put such a seal over the govenor's mansion at Williamsburg to show their authority over the colony. The unicorn was for England, and the lion was for Scotland...there by virtue of force. It was over the bodies of highlanders at Colluden that England could lay claim over the lion of Scotland. Great Britan has a history of bloody persuasion. Don't think I would want that over my door!

-- Leann Banta (thelionandlamb@hotmail.com), October 21, 2000.

At the moment, our family crest would seem to resemble one of those homey collectors plates that features something like 12 cats all jumbled together and wreaking havoc. Perhaps on a field of what would be green if only it weren't obscured by waist-high dried grass in need of a good whacking!

-- Soni (thomkilroy@hotmail.com), October 23, 2000.