Signs of the Times

Signs of the Time.    There was an e-mail that came in yesterday that caught my eye so I thought I'd pass it on as it took ninety-three years for it to come to pass and was written up as an editorial in the Baltimore Evening Sun on July 26, 1920.  It was written by H.L. Mencken (born 1980-1956) a journalist, satirist, critic, and Democrat.
"As democracy is perfected, the office of the President represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people.  On some great and glorious day, the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be occupied by a downright fool and compete narcissistic moron."
"So it was written and so it has come to pass."

A President who finds it hard to make a decision and has gotten himself in a corner and can't find an easy way out.    No matter what decision he makes, it is going to effect each and every one of us.   We have to live with the outcome of his decisions whether we agree with him or not.   

Labor Day weekend , the end of summer, the beginning of Fall . . . are we ready?   I don't think so as Indian Summer has yet to come and we all like to know we have a few more days to lolly gag around and extend our mental vacations even though it is time to get back to work at whatever we are best working at.      I'm perfecting becoming an 'old' lady and did a good job yesterday when I went to a new dentist in town and feel like I found a treasure.   I hope so, as she seems to know her 'stuff' and is very professional.    She looks, she listens, she has a plan and she lets you know up front about the cost. . . sounds good to me.    I walked home, about a good mile so I overdid it.   My neighbor stopped her car just as I was rounding the corner of my street and said I looked like I was dragging;   she had no idea how dragged out I felt . . . I'm just not the spring chicken I think I am.    Live and learn, today I'll sit a lot.  

So, if your in my neighborhood, come sit with me.  There is a new mystery puzzle on the puzzle board, a doozy and one to make you sit up and take notice as you look for the illusive pieces that are right in front of you.     Cowboys on the television.    Cookies in the jar . . . coffee in the pot . . . and a rocker on the front porch if you feel like reading my new book.    Yeah!!   They came and are well done.   A very short story to take on a short trip and finish it before the end of the line.    The door is open and I'm sitting . . . although I'll get up to open it just for you.     Bring a smile and a hug . . . make my day!   Hugs to all.

USEFUL HINTS

A couple of these in the freezer would help, wonder if it would work under the thigh on a long drive

I'll have to try this next time I want to reheat some pizza

Now this is good to know.   

this may have been a good idea but not any more 

This might be a good idea but I'm not drilling any holes in my garbage cans.

A great idea.  I'm tired of trying to ply the edges of the tape when I want to use it.  I fold a corner back but that doesn't always work if I do not make it big enough.    There is nothing more frustrating than trying to get the tape started.  

I thought I had already seen the hints and had used them but a few I had not remembered so I'm putting them out in case you haven't seen them and can use an idea or two.   It's Friday, any excuse after a hard week of work and play.     Labor Day weekend, the last of the summer season and vacation time is about ended for most folks.     I hope you got away and enjoyed a change to give you a new lease on life.   You know the old adage of 'all work and no play' . . . we need to balance ourselves so that we enjoy getting our work done but relish in the free time when we can go off and rejuvenate both the body and the spirit.  I hope you found time this summer and now turn your attention to the oncoming Autumn with all of its promises.    I'm humming....'there will be a change in the weather, and a change in the sea . . . la, la, la...and something about you and me . .  and nothing about me is going to be the same'....leave raking time, such fun..   A good time to plan hot chocolate with marshmallows  and invite a few friends over and hand them a rake.  Be good, be kind, be gentle and enjoy today, all day.  Hugs to all.

Peach Time

this beauty is called 'lacecap'    It reminds me of a wreath of flowers, a beauty to behold. 

Angie had this picture on her Facebook page this morning.   She has been talking of the smoke in the Truckee area all month.  The Yosemite fire is still going strong and it has created a lot of bad air.  We know what it is like as we have had smoke filled days for some time now.   Although yesterday it was a bit brighter and we live in high hope the fire will be contained and our air back to a normal range of good air.   There was something still in our air though as the sinus cavities fill as soon as you go out the door.  Congestion . . . bah humbug!

I had a real true peach this week. . . yum!    I thought to buy some more but Freddy's sale sign deterred me.  When they mark fresh produce down then you know it is gleaner time.  It would be good to buy them if you were to can them, but, that sounds like work.   I'll tell you one thing that is a truth, the older you get the lazier you get.   It is so easy to look at what needs to be done and grab a book and read awhile.   But, that doesn't work for long and the vacuum comes out and the dust cloth gets pushed around.   Today is vacuuming day around here as I am beginning to find a crumb or two;   eating in the living room is not a good idea. 

 It is hard to believe that this is almost the end of August.   A holiday coming up and we have the Salmon Derby this weekend.    There were a half dozen boats out in the ocean yesterday trying to catch the biggest salmon.  The weather was perfect and the ocean calm so it will be fun to see who wins with the biggest catch.     The Port is filled to capacity with the RV folks.    There will be a salmon bake and that brings a lot of folks to Brookings for the weekend.    

Enjoy your Labor Day weekend.   Don't labor!   Take time to relax and find some salmon to cook and toss a nice big salad to go with it.    Invite family and friends, they can bring a dish too, and you can all un-labor together.   Those little gadgets are not allowed as conversation is the name of the game for this weekend.   Watermelon, ice tea and good company, what a way to spend a weekend.     Love and laughter goes with all that, just the natural progression of life.    Enjoy it while you can.   Hugs to all.

 

More

How cute.  I didn't know bananas had such personality, great way to start your day with a little potassium.
I wondered what potassium was so looked it up in the dictionary . . . go look,  it is quite enlightening and I found no words that spelled healthy.  Guess we need a medical dictionary to find out what it is suppose to do for our bodies.

I didn't add this picture of a house we rented in Branford, Connecticut.   It doesn't look the least bit familiar as the house I remember was old and dilapidated and our one year was froth with all kinds of interesting events.  The heater kicked on and went from cold to hot and cold in seconds.  The walls had outside clapboards on them and the floors were tilted.  The furniture was tied with ropes and we called it home for a year.    Patricia remembers having to sleep in the porch in winter  but I don't remember that.  I do remember having to hike up the street carrying clothes to be washed and dried.    I remember it being the first snow that Patricia and Michael ever saw and they danced with joy.  I remember John tripping as he came up the front stairs and his hand went through the glass in the door.    A local doctor did a great job in fixing his hand and worried about him as much as we did.    At the end of the street was the sound and we could walk out on the rocks and check on the lobster traps.   Cornelius thought he could trap a couple for our dinner but found out the game warden lived across the street.  We learned quickly that the short cut filled with the tide so had to find our way around it to get up town.   Yeah, it was a memorable year for all of us.

Sargent Craig Pasley  got into trouble by wearing desert fatigues.  He did not carry weapons.  He decided on his own to stand watch at a nearby school.   The Principal thanked him for his desire to be of help in these troubled times.  His reward . . . The Marine Corp Reservists say he violated protocol by wearing fatigues and not a dress uniform in public.  He faces a ten-thousand dollar fine, and five years in prison, along with a dishonorable discharge.  He served two tours in Iraq.  He is writing a letter of apology to the president for his actions.  

Hopefully the tweets will be in the millions and he will be applauded for his stand.  He most likely read about the latest assault on schools and wanted to protect the children in his town.  Too bad he didn't have a buddy or two to stand with him.   In our free country he should be able to express himself but then times have changed and our freedoms eroding by the minutes.   Hopefully good will come to him.  I think the Marine Reservist who felt the need to punish should get a taste of it for being overly zealous in his duties for a Marine doesn't 'dress up' to go to work defending his principles.     

Hump Day . . . a day to catch up with yourself.     The latest balloon puzzle is finished and will be on the blog soon.   Patricia walked in with a new one this morning that looks like a really tough one, but aren't they all?   Yeah!  and we wouldn't have it any other way.   The puzzle board is terrific and makes it so much easier to do puzzles anytime .   We can pick it up and move it if we need to set the table for company.   If you haven't done a jig saw puzzle lately, buy one and have some fun, frustration and attitude change as it makes for patience . . . or does it?    Only you know the answer to that one.    Just go try it, you may find you love it or hate it, the choice is yours.  

Don't forget the rules of the road today.   Smile and brighten up the world for someone you love.     Open up those arms and share a hug or two.    Don't forget to say a prayer for those who are ill and need a moral boost.    Enjoy today.    Hugs to all.

East

the Wharf in Newport, Rhode Island where son John took Erin and Donaleo to catch up with a bit of family history.   

A bit of Fall color showing on the trees there

One of the pleasure boats

John and Erin standing in front of 704 Thames Street where Auntie Eileen lived. I see where the front of the house has been changed.   This house was home to the Sullivan clan, the door always open to a family member, a haven, a launching pad all its own.

One of the mansions on Bellevue Avenue.   

A closer look at the doorway leading into Auntie's home.

The orchid for the day, a dark plum of the dendrobium family.  Sure does brighten the day.

I was just on Skype talking with Erin who is awake at four a.m. and excited about getting closer to home.  She arrived in New York and visited a friend and is waiting for her time to get on the plane and head for San Francisco and then here to Brookings where we are waiting patiently.   It seems forever since she started her journey and what a journey it was.   

She loved having the chance to visit Rhode Island and Connecticut with her Uncle John.    He introduced her to some family history, and then they went on to stop in Branford, Connecticut where we lived for a year before going on to Virginia.     They would still be on the road if John had taken her to all of the spots we laid claim to in our day.     I wish I had the where-with-all to take her to Massachusetts and show her where I was born and brought up.    Maybe one day she will get to visit there too.   

I enjoyed the pictures and the memories that come to mind.  Rhode Island was always one of my most favorite places to live and if I had been able to put roots down, I think Newport would have been the place.    We started off in Providence, then went on to Apponaugh and Cranston before taking off for the west coast.    We lived in Spokane, Washington, on to Sacramento, California, back to Rhode Island for a very short visit, on to Branford, Connecticut, then to Springfield, Virginia ,   On one trip we made it through Carson City, Nevada where I made the remark that it would be a lovely little town to retire to. . . I did, eventually and then on to Brookings, Oregon so Erin has a lot of visiting to do to catch up with the history of her family.  

Time was of the essence so they didn't have time to stop and look up relatives who still live back in Rhode Island.     Maybe one day they can all make the trip together and enjoy the search for cousins they never met. 

Meanwhile we wait patiently for Erin to arrive home to regale us with pictures and stories of her adventures.  It cannot be soon enough.

I hope you have a chance to plot and plan and visit your roots.     Be sure you have your camera packed and ready.    Write the stories and share as I'd love to know more about each and every one of you.   Each of you has a story to tell and I am ready to listen.     Get busy and start today.   Hum a lot as it helps to shake the memories.   Hugs to all.

Frost

Unbelievable Frost Flowers

Varied designs

Like swans hidden in the underbrush. 
The attachment that came in yesterday telling of Frost flowers that are created in early winter.   Ice in thin layers is pushed out from the stems.   It has to be freezing weather but the ground cannot be frozen as water is sucked up into the stem.   The sap in the stem expands and linear fissures begin to form, cracks and splits open and water freezes and the petals form.  Some call them Ice Castles or ice blossoms or even crystollo-folia.  If you ever see one take a picture quickly as they shatter when the sun rises and they melt away.  I'd like to see some, wouldn't you?

 

At first I thought I agreed, but on second thought, I still care about what people think of me.   I think we all like to be admired for the good traits we share with others and that is a two way street.   We don't waste our time on 'stuff' that is not important but being well thought of is a big hug in life. 

Here is your laugh for today.   

A new week to plot and plan your seconds.    Son John has taken time out to travel up to New York to greet Erin and Donaleo from their long journeys.    He has taken them up to Rhode Island and showing them where the family roots began as the Sullivan men settled in Newport as did four hundred other Sullivan folks.    Some were related, but not all.    John and his siblings were born in Rhode Island with the exception of the youngest, Michael who was born in California.   They will enjoy some wonderful scenery, great meals and I hope they are introduced to Johnny cakes which are famous in R.I.   Son John is a caring thoughtful wonderful man who loves his family and doesn't mind showing it.    Erin will be taking pictures along the way so we will all share the experience when she returns home next week.   
So if you have time and can show a family member or two where there roots began, don't hesitate as a trip together will bring you closer in the sharing.    Maybe you cannot travel right now, but it is a plan to keep in mind when you can.     It really is a fun trip to go back to where you were born and visit the old haunts of yesteryear.    What's that old adage . . . 'curiosity killed the cat, satisfaction brought it back'!    Imagine going back and finding someone ancient who remembers you when you were very small.    All you have to do is smile and they will remember you, and you might hear a tale or two that will surprise you.    Have a great week and practice that smile.   Walk into a hug or two and 'give as good as you get'!    Love and Laughter just go together so enjoy lots of both and make your seconds meaningful.   Hugs to all.

Happy Birthday Michael

Lucky me, I have two sons to brag about.   Today is the birthday of son Michael and I will be on the telephone singing before the morning is over.   Ready?   Happy Birthday to you.   Happy  Birthday to you.  Happy birthday I love you.  Happy Birthday to you.

I wonder if he likes orchids.  These would be fun to send.   Looks like a tiny Santa Clause

I got a laugh out of this sign.   I wonder who had the idea that half mast pants were fashionable.

Sunday already, August almost over and soon Fall will be in the air.    Rocky came by and trimmed the back bushes and took out the margarita plant that had tried to live on but was brittle and came apart with a twist and a pull.    We are leaving the roots in hoping it will  come back but we wont know for some time as it looks lifeless right now.   It was such a beautiful bush for so many years and added the only spot of yellow in the garden.    There are a few plants that want to take over, the politicians of the garden, all bluster.    A little like the white lilies that look so beautiful when they first bloom then die on the vine and look so ugly like an unfilled promise.     I am hoping to slowly remove some of the plants that spread and take over and exchange them for some low growing plants.

   I visited the yard of a Garden Club member yesterday and what a difference knowledge and a green thumb makes.    The yard is a show piece, with a huge natural tree that is awesome to see.    the plants have been chosen wisely and are balanced.   The flowers were all in bloom and so colorful, short, graceful and happy in their places.    The flag stones were huge and had a low ground cover you can walk on.    Sigh!   I want my garden to look like that.

I'm off to grocery shop so will love you and leave you.     Give Michael a call and surprise him with some birthday wishes, he'd like that.     Check your calendar and make sure you don't have someone listed on there to call or visit today with a little surprise.  Birthdays are special and should be celebrated just because of the love and laughter you bring to my world.     Share you with your friends and family and make your little corner of the world bright and beautiful, just like you.   Hugs to all.

  

 

Planets

A visual exercise by Ron Miller of Black Cat Studios.    Asking What If?  What if other planets were close to earth as the moon.    If so, this is what we would see.   Can you imagine looking up into the night sky and seeing any one of the planets as close as a harvest moon . . . what a treat it would be.     Our earth looks like a tiny golf ball lost in the rough.    Isn't it amazing what transpires on a daily basis here on earth?   We are seven billion and counting on earth, seems we need to find a way to spread out and visit a new frontier that could take a few of us and start a new place to carve out an existence.   Fascinating pictures.   Gives room to imagination.

 

Here it is the weekend . . . hopefully the sun will shine for a change around here.   We are back to smoke filled air as the fires rage on.    I cannot imagine San Francisco being in jeopardy but that is what is on the news with the big fire raging out of control in Yosemite.    I wouldn't even want to imagine a fire raging in a city anywhere.  Take care to check around your property and make sure the dry brambles are taken care of.   I have high hopes you will stay healthy and happy and enjoy your time doing the things you love to do.     Remember a smile on the face brings your soul to grace . . . didn't know you were graceful, did you?    Well you are, so be content and enjoy every second.   Hugs to all.

 

 

Colors

Wonder who is responsible for this  . . . the light says go but the sign says no . . . and we wonder about following signs . . . I'd say carefully.  

Color the magic in our lives.    Our whole being reacts to color.   There is no price on the beauty of the color that surrounds us.   At first I thought serenity;  then as I looked again my eye caught the brightness and the beginnings of a new day with all its promises.  Maybe this weekend you can wander out into an area where there are fields of color and take time to stroll, picnic under a tree and rejuvenate your soul.   

How precious little ones are.

The new Oregon travel magazine is in and this picture caught my eye.   It is the 117th season for the Oregon Symphony Orchestra and concerts.   It is the oldest orchestra west of the Mississippi.   I am not a symphony fan although I have watched the  musicians play on television PBS programs and enjoyed them.   I marvel at anyone who can play an instrument.    I always wanted to play the piano, even took a few lessons, but it was a lost cause.  I just don't have a mind for it or too many heavy fingers.   But . . . like the beautiful pictures of art, the colors in our lives, music is what keeps us alive as it makes us very happy or very sad as it tells a story in so many different notes.    How blessed we are to have such talented people in our lives who are willing to share and make us feel so alive.

Here it is Friday already.   I am not sure how it got here so fast.   Christine returned to her home safe and sound and left a big hole which she has promised to fill again soon.    It can't be soon enough to suit me.   Granddaughter Erin touched her toes back in the USA last evening so it wont belong before she is walking in the door and how wonderful it is going to be to listen to her adventures and see all of the pictures she took in her nine months of travel.    

We had a dark and dreary day yesterday with thunder storms rolling through and smoke in our air again, or should I say still.    The fires are still on going and more have started.  The one in Yosemite has been a terror all its own.    It was a day to bake so I made some jean cookies, open the cupboard door and see what you have to work with and put it together and discover a new or awful taste.    I came up with cleaning out the applesauce jar and found some raisins to put into the batter.   They came out soft but tasty and I couldn't put it together again if I tried.    I forgot the salt but then I don't think it will even be missed.  I made a pot of soup with a mismosh of vegetables and it came out very tasty.   The puzzle is one of colorful balloons and it got some attention, but finishing my book was even better.   Now to find a new read, or an invitation out the door to see the sights and sounds of Brookings.    Maybe I'll find a yard sale or two today and look for a treasure.   So pull up your boot straps and get ready for the end of your week and that new weekend coming up.    Take in an Art Gallery, find a field of flowers and walk through and be refreshed in mind and body.    Take a friend along and enjoy each other . . . maybe a picnic is in order.   Whatever you choose, enjoy your seconds and don't forget to sing out loud.   Hugs to all.

Words

What is that old adage . . . 'Patience is a virtue, possess it if you can, seldom in a woman, never in a man.'  or another about . . . 'try, try, try again . . .'   now if we would only read the directions!!!

Remind me not to buy this brand.

My oh my, I had no idea.    I  just thought folks had a 'short' temper because they valued their own opinion over others. 

I know how this feels as I haven't had my coffee yet.  I only got up once in the night, went back to sleep and am just getting up.  The coffee is brewing and I'm ready, one sip and my attitude will change.

So hopefully you have had your coffee or latte or morning drink and are up and about filled with the joy that today is Thursday already.   This has been a fast week for me as I have enjoyed the company of two daughters.   My house is back to quiet and the bed has been stripped and the clean sheets are on, all ready for new company.    I have three coming in September so am looking forward to some more fun.  

I did read to Russell yesterday and was sad to hear he had been rushed to the hospital the night before.  It was an angina attack which is not good as it shows he is failing.   I called before going over to Macklyn House and was told he was looking forward to his read.    I brought along one of my picture poetry books and he really enjoyed it.   He had been to most of the places I had written about and it made for some memories and a few tears.   He wants to travel but he is in no condition to travel.   He wants to be able to do all the things he used to do but ninety-five doesn't allow such privileges.    I know the feelings and I can sympathize but that 'acceptance' is the hardest part of life.   Once we get there all is well and we adjust our attitude and get on with life.    Know your today is important and that it is something you need to think about.  Don't waste your seconds, do the things closest to your heart and enjoy life as it comes.   Go when you really have the desire as later you will be unable to .   Seize the moment, isn't that another old adage?  I think so.    Put on your sun bonnet, light up the world with your smile, hold open those arms and walk into a hug or two today and make your plans and stick with them.     What's that other old adage . . . 'don't put off today what you can do as tomorrow may never come' . . . hopefully that will not come about and you will have a thousand tomorrows to fill up with the joy of living.   Go live a little.  Hugs to all.

Travel Spots

Strange and eerie, a bamboo forest.

A black forest.

Tea fields

 A mine.

The big dipper in the night sky

The attachment that came in yesterday was all about the different areas within our world.    I couldn't put them all up, one was just as beautiful as another, all interesting and all places I've never been and will never get to.   Each country has something to offer and it is always such a joy to go and visit to see these places for yourself, but then it is not possible for some of us, so arm chair travel is next best. 

The Big Dipper picture brought back some memories.    Living here on the Oregon Coast we do not get to see a sky filled with stars.   That evening fog rolls in and stays .   The picture brought back an evening some eighty years ago when I was a very little girl sitting outside on the curb with Frankie, along with his six brothers and sisters.    We were celebrating the Fourth of July and had Chinese fire crackers to light up and sparklers to hold and shake around like make believe airplanes flying high in the sky. We looked up into a sky filled with stars and there was the big dipper and we chose the second star on the handle to pledge our friendship for life . . . many times I've looked up to see the big dipper and that is the first thought I've always had.  I often wondered if Frankie remembered.   I hope so.     I loved him and his family forever, and still do, but time and life goes on and we lose contact with childhood friends because the paths we traveled took us far away.   I am sure if any one of the family walked in my door today, I wouldn't feel any different than I did that Fourth of July, some eighty years ago.

I hope you have some folks like that in your life.    I hope you remember them with love and are thankful for the wonderful memories of yesteryear.    All it takes is one picture and the smiles come and stay.     It is the so called hump day today, mid week, chores to do, good bye to our Christine today as she wends her way up the highway and back home.   We have had a busy week and a fun one.    She did a great job getting one of my stories on the Amazon program and I already have confirmation that my books will arrive the first week of September.  I can hardly wait to see them and hold one in my hand.    I hope you have a hobby that bring pleasure into your life and those of others.    So put a smile on your face and open up that mind of yours and get busy.   Fill your seconds with finishing up that project that will bring joy and love into the lives of those you care about.     Hump day is as good as any to start.    Hugs to all.