Goldendaze-ginnie

An amazing first novel… “THE WELSH GIRL”

2009-07-03T13:52:00.000-07:00

It’s always a thrill when I discover an author who is new to me. Peter Ho Davies is just that person and, although he is praised for two collections of short stories, this is his first novel. He has certainly proved himself to my satisfaction.

“The Welsh Girl” is set in 1944 as World War II is winding down. The Prologue finds us accompanying Captain Rotherham of the British Political Intelligence to Wales where he will interrogate the infamous Nazi prisoner Rudolf Hess. Rotherham is a German Jewish refugee who escaped to Britain in 1936. He has made a new life for himself and does not own up to his background or his ethnicity.

The interrogation of Hess proves unsuccessful and Davies novel takes a 180 at this point. He introduces us to a lovely and remote village in North Wales where Esther (“The Welsh Girl”) lives with her widowed father. She is a barmaid at the local pub and much of the action and the dialogue takes place here.

The village has remained untouched for many years but the war has taken it’s toll and a big change is about to take place. A POW camp is erected at the outskirts of the village and, when one of the German prisoners escapes, Rotherham is sent there to investigate and the story unfolds.

This is just the bare bones of the plot but I don’t want to ruin it for any of you. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.

MY “DICKENS” COLLLECTION

2009-06-28T16:13:00.000-07:00

I have been collecting books by Dickens for many years and I have quite an extensive array of them. This is not to say that I’ve read them all. Basically I love his writing but some of them, such as “Bleak House”, are just too convoluted for me. (As an aside, I think the reason that I enjoy the writing of John Irving so much…”Cider House Rules”, “The World According to Garp”, etc…. is that he has a distinctive Dickens’ bent.)

Many of Dickens’ characters have become household names… Ebenezer Scrooge, Tiny Tim, Oliver Twist … to name just a few. However, the actual list of characters is immense and only a Dickens’ scholar could name them all. To the best of my knowledge there are 34 works by Dickens in print, as well as miscellaneous papers, plays and poems.

I have 84 books in my collection so you can tell that I have multiple copies of some of them, such as “A Christmas Carol“. Many of my books have come from friends and relatives, as well as those that I’ve found in old book stores. I have a 1st edition of “The Old Curiosity Shop” that I cherish. It was left to me by my friend Douglas when he passed away three years ago.

Of course it stands to reason that I would also be given Dickens’ mementos, such as book ends, plates, and figurines. Among those things is this classic game from Milton Bradley. It consists of 36 cards with delightful pictures from 6 of Dickens’ most famous works. The challenge is to match the picture with the work.

I am under no illusion that Dickens was an endearing person…(read “The Crafty Entrepreneur” that I wrote last year)…but his writings have survived the test of time and he remains one of the most highly quoted authors ever….and one of my favorites.

My “OVER THE MANTEL” Mural

2009-06-24T13:19:00.000-07:00

I wish I could say that this painting is an original by me but it’s actually a copy of one that I saw in an old magazine. I loved the colors, the subject and the design so I decided to use it in my living room.

The magazine didn’t give credit to the artist so I couldn’t ask for permission to reproduce it. I’m hoping that since I am not using it commercially that it will be OK. Also, I couldn’t photograph the picture straight on since I kept getting glare spots when I did.

What I thought might be of interest to some of you was how I transposed it to my wall. I actually used the old grid trick. I folded the original picture until it formed 24 small squares. Then it was easy to enlarge it to scale and then fill in the individual squares.

After I painted the picture directly on the wall I used a decorative molding to frame it and I was done.

As my blogger friend Phillip wrote to me: “It is interesting to paint on walls and furniture. The Canadian primitive artist, Maude Lewis painted all the surfaces of her shack she lived in. It has been preserved as a work of art.”

I had never heard of Maude Lewis and was fascinated by her story. I know that my “little shack” will never be preserved as a work of art but it’s lots of fun and it keeps me out of trouble !!

This train bound for....??

2009-06-18T13:54:00.004-07:00

As most of you “regulars” know I live in a very small town in North Carolina. Our Seaboard Street has a post office, a library, a combination hardware and “5 & Dime” store plus a few unoccupied buildings. They are all on one side of the street. The other side of the street looks over the single train track that cuts through our town and is heavily wooded, as you can see in the picture.

I guess the trains have to be scheduled very carefully since there is only one track. Basically we get 3 or 4 freight trains per day and a passenger one that whips through late at night. You can never miss that one. The train whistle pierces the air announcing its arrival long before it hits our town. I love that sound!

A few days ago I was down at the Hardware store picking up some potting soil. Max, the owner, and I were outside chatting when an old CSX freight train chugged into sight. I thought it was going slower than normal but then realized that it was actually going to stop.

“What’s going on?” I asked Max, as we watched the conductor hop down from the train and scale the small hill that led to the street. “Oh, I reckon it’s lunch time”, said Max.

Sure enough, the train conductor was jogging across the street and soon disappeared around the corner. According to Max he was on his way to the “Subway” eatery located in the BP Service Station one street away. “He does this once or twice a week”, said Max ”…been going on for years.”

I was still trying to take this all in when the man reappeared carrying a large bag with the “Subway” logo on it. He had a big grin on his face and was thoroughly enjoying himself. “Top of the morning to you, Max” he called.

He then disappeared over the edge of the bank and a few seconds later we saw him board the train. As the idling engine gained speed he stuck his head out and gave us a last wave. “Now there goes a man who loves his job” I thought and the sheer audacity of his actions made me laugh.

My “I Hate to Exercise” Exercises

2009-06-13T14:00:00.001-07:00

For the past 70-some years I’ve tried to pass myself off as an active, “sporty” type of person. If the truth be known my favorite “activity” is reading a good book while curled up in an overstuffed arm chair.

When I retired in 2001 I realized that I would have to face this problem head on. I could very easily see myself turning into a fat couch potato. There were 2 things that I had never done well & they were: 1) sticking to a healthy eating pattern and 2) keeping a regular exercise regimen. My intentions were always good but the follow-through was atrocious.

It was at this time that a good friend suggested Tai Chi and she and I attended a few classes. I didn’t stick with it but I was very impressed with the warm-up movements. These are 18 exercises that are designed to relax and tone all the major joints in the body. I realized that I had finally found an exercise regimen that I could stick to. During the last 8 years I have had an operation and been sick a few times but I have always kept up with my exercise plan.

It takes me about 10 minutes each morning, and, although they are deceptively simple, these basic exercises have proved to be remarkably beneficial. From a standing position I rotate my neck (right, then left), raise and lower my shoulders, shake my hands, “paint the wall”, “circle the moon“...front and back, “play the accordion”, “swim breast-stroke on land”, circle hips, right & left, touch toes, bend backward, bend side to side, “look back at the moon”, bend legs & circle knees, circle ankles, “sit” on an imaginary chair, rise on toes and finally lift the knees.

Simple, huh? Well, it is for me and now I can’t imagine starting my day without this regimen. On the few occasions that I do miss I can tell it by early afternoon. My back starts to ache and I don’t have my usual energy level...and all of this just because I didn’t devote a few minutes of my precious time to doing what’s good for me!

I’ve checked with physical therapists and they all agree that a “soft” exercise plan like this would be good for anyone, even if you are recovering from an injury or out of shape in general. Any good Tai Chi book will describe the exercises in detail, usually done 12 times per sequence, and you’ll be on your way.

GOOD LUCK and believe me, if I can do it you can too!

FOR ONCE OLD AGE PAYS OFF !!

2009-06-08T13:14:00.000-07:00

I was thrilled to find this great hard-cover crossword puzzle book at a yard sale recently. It isn’t used at all and has 400 puzzles from the Sunday NY Times. It was a bargain at 50 cents and will give me literally hours and hours of fun.

A strange thing happened when I settled down to work on the first puzzle though. I realized that there were no clues having to do with computers, cell phones, etc. There were some that referenced TV but most of the actors and the shows were ones that hadn’t been on the air for years.

The kicker came when I had a 6 letter word and the clue was “a college in East Orange, NJ”. I knew at once that it had to be “Upsala” because I had actually gone there for the first two years of my college education…transferring to Boston University in my Junior year. The thing that puzzled me (no pun intended) was that Upsala has been closed for years.

Then it occurred to me ...these were indeed authentic NY Times puzzles but from a much earlier era. Sure enough, I found that these were published over 40 years ago. It is amazing how much has changed.

It occurred to me that a young person today would be hard pressed to know what some of the clues were about. For instance, one clue read “with 79 across an old ‘Laugh In’ phrase” and the answer (which I actually could remember after I’d put in a few other words) was “look it up in your Funk and Wagnalls”. Is there anybody reading this that remembers that?

The interesting thing to me is that I actually seem to be doing better with these puzzles than I do with the current ones. It’s a relief not to have to have clues about computer language and hi-tech electronics. Just working on these puzzles is transporting me back to the easier, slower pace of years gone by and I’m enjoying it immensely.

A A CUSTOM MADE CARDS

2009-06-03T12:10:00.000-07:00

When I joined Alcoholics Anonymous in 1989 I had no idea what to expect. Like so many of our members on their first visit to AA I was petrified that someone would recognize me. A kindly person was quick to point out that whoever was in the room had the same problem that I did and that put it all in perspective for me.

I came to love the anonymity of the program. It not only protected me, to an extent, but it meant that, for the first time in my life, I learned to truly listen to what a person shared. I was no longer influenced by their status in the work place or how much or little they were worth monetarily. Doctors, lawyers and ditch diggers all melded into one and it was their words that caught my attention.

Of course after you become an established member of an AA community you get beyond a first-name basis. You gravitate toward those that “speak” to your particular problems and it is then that you get to know the people more intimately.

I was very surprised to find that many of the members in the rooms that I frequented were high-profile members of our community. One man in particular seemed to have a very good grasp of the program and I learned that he was a well known and successful architect in our area.

John was a very active AA member but he passed away when I was just 3 or 4 years sober so I never really got to know him. However, he had donated two large original art works which are framed and on display on the walls of our local AA club and I think of him often when I am there.

An enterprising member copied them and has made them into get well cards. The pine branches in the shape of AA mirror the area in which we live, which is the Sandhills of North Carolina. The other card is a wonderful example of organized design and features the most influential words of “The Serenity Prayer”.

John may be gone but his artwork reminds us daily of the gifts that this amazing program has in store for us … if we just stick together and “keep the plug in the jog”…(his words.)

The Washburn-Norlands Living History Center

2009-05-29T13:28:00.000-07:00

In 2002 I spent a month traveling the back roads of Maine. One of the first places that I visited was The Norlands Living Health Center in Livermore.

Arriving before opening time I just soaked in the beautiful setting. The imposing Victorian farmhouse was connected to two smaller buildings and the huge barn. I almost expected Mrs. Washburn to welcome me in. I also spied a one room school house, a lovely white church and an imposing Gothic style building made of granite that I later learned was a library!

Although I was the only participant for the tour I saw other people and learned that they were the “live in” family of that week. The Center is a non-profit living museum dedicated to the preservation of 18th and 19th century rural Maine heritage. They host family groups who dress, toil, cook and live in the manner of that day.

As Callie (the docent) and I started our tour I spied a young girl hanging clothes out to dry. She must have been very hot in her long skirt and button-up shoes, but she waved happily to us

The Washburn family boasts of seven sons who excelled in government as well as industry. Two were state governors and one was the founder of the Washburn-Crosby Gold Medal Flour Company. Their life style was frugal, as was typical of that period and of Maine, but there was a definite feeling of strength and dignity in every room.

All of the buildings were fascinating and quite different. The kitchen was housed in one of the extensions of the main house and the aroma of chicken and corn muffins was enticing. Here I met more of the “live-in” family...cooking over a wood stove.
The men of the family we found in the barn grooming the animals and mucking out the stalls.

The last building on the tour was the 1828 Norlands Universalist Church. This is an addition to the property since the time of the Washburns. It is a simple, yet elegant, building, and is in sharp contrast to the interior. I was amazed to find a decorative painted ceiling and elaborate panels and arches that were actually a superb example of trompe l’oeil (“fool the eye”)...illusions created with paint.

However, my eye was not fooled when I exited the church. This was no illusion. I was viewing the real thing...exactly as it must have been back in the 18th and 19th centuries. I felt refreshed and quite privileged to have paid that era a visit...if only in my imagination.

Does this make sense to you?

2009-05-24T14:23:00.000-07:00

I live in a very small town in North Carolina. We have a Main Street, a post office, a hardware store, a drugstore, a Piggly Wiggly and, of course, the ever present Dollar General. As a matter of fact there are at least 10 Dollar General stores in our County.

Now I have to admit that our County is rather large but that’s a lot of Dollar Generals. Then we also have a Dollar Tree, which is my favorite. They actually stick to the “one dollar per item” (which is not true of most of these other discount places, including Dollar General) and their quality isn’t bad for the price.

Now, picture this. About three months ago I noticed a new building being constructed in our small town. I couldn’t imagine what it might be because it would seem that our needs are met and the larger stores such as Walmart, Belk’s, Lowe’s, etc. are just a short drive away…all of them in our County.

For the longest time there was no hint as to what this new business would bring to our community. The location was very central, next door to the grocery chain and almost directly across from the Dollar General.

Imagine my surprise when they finally installed the store’s name above the entrance. It is none other than a brand new FAMILY DOLLAR !!

Does that make any sense at all? I know that these things are thoroughly researched before a location is chosen but I can’t, for the life of me, see how these two businesses will survive. On the few times that I’ve been in the Dollar General I’ve never had to buck a crowd. Were do they think the customers are coming from?

It is also interesting to realize that all of this is occurring during the recession which we are all experiencing. Oh, well, someone thinks it will work…and we’ll see

RITA’s “GAP YEAR PROJECT” …an awesome idea !

2009-05-19T14:16:00.000-07:00

Some of you may remember the blog that I wrote about meeting the author of “Female Nomad”, Rita Golden Gelman. In 2005 my daughter, her husband and I spent three hours with Rita over a leisurely lunch at the Omega Institute in Dutchess County, NY.

It was a wonderful experience and we all came away with a feeling of respect and awe for this amazing woman. She is totally dedicated to “living at large in the world” and her inspirational journey is a testament to the fact that we can all live together in peace.

Now Rita is enlarging her dreams and hopes to provide global learning for teens. In a nutshell she is advocating to have High School seniors take a year off before college to visit other world-wide life styles.

Her blogsite states: “What is Global Learning? ….it is a national movement whose mission is to promote world peace by encouraging and enabling new High School graduates to live in other countries before they begin the next phase of their lives. We will achieve our mission by educating the public about the benefits of international experiences, informing people of existing programs, and making the opportunity available to everyone.”

Although Rita has been working on this idea for years The “Gap Year Project” is still in it’s infancy and she is inviting all of us to join in. You can find all the details on her website. The first exciting step is slated to take place June 20th in Washington, D.C. It will be an all-day brainstorming session to clarify the goals and how they can be reached.

The “Gap Year Project” is an uplifting and positive ray of sunshine in these troubled times. I look forward to being part of this and hope that some of you will jump in also.

MOTHER, DAD, GRANDPA and GRANDMA, 1940

2009-05-15T13:18:00.000-07:00

This two generation picture was taken in West Brattleboro, Vt. in 1940. My Mother and Dad were enjoying a rare moment alone with my maternal grandparents.

Our family, by this time, consisted of 5 little girls, of which I was the youngest, and it was rare indeed for us to be separated from Mother & Dad. We were living in Plainfield, NJ at that time but we were able to get to Vermont on a few special occasions. This was quite an ordeal because we didn’t own a car and had to make the journey by train.

My grandparents home was not large and usually my parents would stay there and we five would be parceled out to friends and relatives. We were with our cousins when this picture was taken. They lived nearby in a large farm-type colonial located in the center of West Brattleboro.

I remember that big white house and, in particular, the bedroom where I was to stay for this particular trip. I had been assigned to the lower bunk of a two-tier bed and it was here that I left my little suitcase and my other treasures. I knew they would be safe there.

To be honest I don’t remember much about that trip except for what happened the first night that I slept in that room. Being the youngest of the clan I’m sure that I was the first to be put to bed. I’m also sure I rebelled and I probably tried my darndest to stay awake...but sleep overtook me and I drifted off.

The next thing I remember was being attacked by a wild animal. The room was black as pitch and my screams just made the unknown attacker more frenzied. I was flailing my arms and trying to protect my head when my cousin finally turned on the light. She was shaking me and trying to figure out why I was screaming. As I started to calm down I noticed a large cat sitting on the foot of my bed. He seemed to have a sly, “gotcha”, smirk on his feline face and I realized that this was my “wild animal”.

Of course my cousin explained it all. The "innocent" cat sleeping with her and then jumping down from the top bunk and landing squarely on me, scaring me out of my wits.

Did I buy that? Not on your life...that cat was out to get me and his big Cheshire smile proved it!

Our “dump meal” … a fun and festive night !

2009-05-10T16:45:00.000-07:00

The picture above is the closest I could find to what actually came to pass a few weeks ago. A good friend had invited my daughter, son-in-law & myself to her house for dinner.

I was especially pleased because I know what an excellent cook she is and I wanted to share that with my children. The only problem was that when we got there we couldn’t smell a thing cooking ... nor was the table set for dinner. I started to worry that we’d misinterpreted her invitation.

Her husband kept disappearing and then I noticed that my daughter and our hostess were in the dining room doing strange things! They had a big roll of heavy duty aluminum foil and they were rolling it out on top of a layer of blankets and towels that had been draped over the table. There were no settings (not a fork or knife in sight) but individual portions of condiments (butter, cocktail sauce, tarter sauce and mustard) were being ladled out at each person’s place.

The light started to dawn when her husband poked his head in the room and asked for help carrying in the huge steamer. He had been on the porch steaming a delicious dinner of vegetables, kielbasi and shrimp. As soon as we were all seated he and my son-in-law carried the huge pot in and, literally, dumped the contents in the center of the table.

What fun! We all just dug in with our hands and rolled our corn cob chunks in butter, slathered our Kielbasi with mustard, dunked the shrimp in cocktail sauce or just ate them plain. And the steamed veggies were cooked to perfection. I still don’t know how he got everything to come out so perfectly. I think it has to do with the order that you steam everything.

When we were full to exploding our hostess merely rolled up the foil and took it all to the kitchen!! Then we were back to “normal” stuff like coffee and the rhubarb/strawberry pie that my daughter had made, topped with vanilla ice cream and eaten in the dull old civilized way with a fork and spoon.

If we’d had any idea of what to expect for dinner we might have brought a different dessert … a “dump cake” perhaps.

THE LILLIAN ROTH STORY …

2009-05-06T12:36:00.001-07:00

I am really enjoying the old movies that I order from Netflix. Recently I watched the 1954 movie “I’ll Cry Tomorrow”. It stars Susan Hayward. She was one of my favorites back in my impressionable teen years but I’d missed this one.

It is the story of Lillian Roth, a child movie star of the 20’s. She was very successful but her career was hampered by her addiction to alcohol and she spent the latter years of the 1930’s out of the limelight and spiraling deeper into alcoholism. She finally “hit bottom” in 1946 and sought out AA.

Anyone who has read my blog knows that I have enjoyed the past 19 years as a sober member of Alcoholics Anonymous. It has been a huge influence in my life and I was intrigued to watch how (or if) it would work for Lillian. After all, this was 1946 and AA had only been in existence for eleven years.

Sure enough, after contemplating suicide, Lillian finally drags herself to an AA meeting. It was very interesting to see how the members detoxed her. Nowadays this is seldom done except in a hospital or a rehab. I am always fascinated by the really old members of AA who actually remember using small doses of alcohol to taper off a person so they won’t die from DT’s.

Also of interest were the scenes of the actual AA meetings. They were very similar to those that we hold today. What was different was that a man, Burt McGuire, became her sponsor. I can only speak for our area of the country, but here it’s considered best for a woman to have a female sponsor.

Lillian ended up marrying Burt and he became her agent. That is where the movie ended but the rest of her life is just as compelling. In 1953, after much soul searching and against Burt‘s advice, she appeared on an episode of the TV series “This Is Your Life” with Ralph Edwards. In response to relating her story of alcoholism she received more than forty thousand letters.

This is always a tricky thing for us in AA. You would think that a story like hers would be a good way to advertise AA but we advocate attraction rather than promotion. Our 11th Tradition states, in part…”we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio and films.” The problem is that so often when a celebrity claims sobriety through AA he or she relapses and there goes the credibility of the program. Burt had tried to explain this to her but she opted to do the TV show anyway.

After 18 years of sobriety Lillian relapsed in 1964 and her sober days and her marriage were over. She spent the final 15 years of her life with 3 dogs and a woman companion. The inscription on her marker in Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Westchester County, NY reads: “As bad as it was it was good”.

I can only shake my head and think how much better it could have been if she’d stayed sober !

My last mural … Sept. 2008

2009-05-02T07:22:00.000-07:00

I’ve written before about my little business called “Snowflakes, Custom Designs”. I started it in the 1990’s to augment my income. Basically it was painting furniture and accessories to match a client’s décor. I had a lot of furniture in my house that I had decoratively hand painted, (as well as murals, floors and faux wall finishes), so I used those as samples.

I decided on the “Snowflakes“ theme based on the fact that all pieces would be one of a kind and “no two were alike”. I have never thought of myself as a "real" artist but I do have a good sense of design and that is about 80% of the finished product in this medium.

My business never brought in a huge amount of money but it’s been fun and has allowed me to travel a bit on the proceeds ... both of those being big pluses.

In September of last year a good friend asked me if I would be interested in painting a mural at her office. I took it as a compliment but I really hesitated before I made my decision. It’s one thing to paint a mural in the privacy of my home. I can take my time, leave a mess if I want to, and just close the door on the whole thing if I’m not in the mood. (These are not endearing attributes when applied to a hired professional !)

I am in fairly good physical condition for a 76 year old but working on a 5 x 6’ wall mural can be back breaking at any age. I finally decided to do it and the result is the mural that you see pictured above. The clients were happy and that’s what matters in the long run.

However, the whole experience has taught me a big lesson and I’ve decided to make it my “swan song” as far as commercial wall murals go. There are times in one’s life when it’s best to give in to our limitations.

Now I am free to concentrate on new outlets ... but one thing is sure ... whatever it is it will include a paint brush !

LOOK WHAT I FOUND ON MY FRONT PORCH !!

2009-04-27T07:28:00.000-07:00

I almost never come into my house by the front door. I have a nice wide porch that spans the width of the house and, over the winter, I would sweep it occasionally but that’s about it.

I guess you could say that I have a “back door house” and friends and family normally enter by way of the deck. That’s why it was a complete surprise for me to come across this sweet scene.

I decided it was time for a “Spring cleaning” outside, now that the pollen seems to have abated, and I started out front. With broom in hand I approached the porch and started to move the furniture before sweeping. I noticed that a bunch of leaves seemed to have blown together on top of a 3-tier wrought iron piece where I usually put fresh flowers in season.

Imagine my surprise when I tried to move it and a startled little Carolina Wren flew out. She had been protecting her eggs and I quickly realized it was her nest.

As soon as I took the picture of her nest I left her alone and now I’ve been carefully monitoring the progress. I’ve counted six eggs but no action so far.

I pray that the little ones will be OK but I fear that the nest is too open to temptation. We have a bevy of feral cats that roam the area and I can’t imagine how Mama will protect her babies. Maybe I can rig up a screen type of thing that surrounds the nest but lets her fly in through the top. Any ideas??

Who's got the beef?

2009-04-22T10:58:00.000-07:00

We all appreciate the good provider who brings home the bacon ... but how often does that same man come home with 600 pounds of premium beef?

*******************

It was a typical, crisp October night in 1971. Our little upstate NY town had already rolled up the sidewalks and, in our house at least, we were all tucked in for the night. We had no forewarning that the evening’s calm was about to end.

The barking of our dogs awoke us, but it was the sound that we heard next that was really alarming. It sounded exactly like the rushing waters of a turbulent stream or waterfall. We couldn’t imagine what was happening until our eyes adjusted to the night and we realized that a large herd of cattle was running past our door.

“Oh, no,” yelled my husband. “They’re loose and heading for the Parkway.” and before I knew what he was doing he’d pulled on his boots, grabbed a jacket and was out the door.

Our house was situated very near to the Taconic Parkway and I realized what he meant. If these black animals streamed onto the highway the result could be disastrous. A driver would have a hard time seeing them until it was too late...both for him and the cattle.

Dick jumped on his horse, Thunder, and the two of them took off down the road. By the time the children and I made it to the parkway he had most of the animals corralled in the median but one of them had, indeed, been hit. It was at this point that the owner arrived. He, too, had been asleep but was awaked by a call from a neighbor telling him that his cattle were loose. Needless to say he was very appreciative of Dick.

I took the children home to bed and the owner, Dick and some other good Samaritans worked together and finally got the cattle back where they belonged. It was about 3 AM when Dick came home but he was looking mighty pleased with himself. Evidently the owner had offered to pay him but Dick had declined. The farmer, however, would not take no for an answer and finally persuaded him to accept the animal that had been killed on the highway.

So, there you have it! My hero had indeed brought home the bacon...except in this case it turned out to be 600 lbs of prime beef. We paid $100 to have it cut, packaged and stored and we ate like kings for a long, long time.

I’ll let you do the math...but that was a pretty lucrative night’s “work”.

MEMORIES OF MY DAD……….1900 to 1960

2009-04-18T16:35:00.000-07:00

I love this picture of my Dad (1948) because it shows him at his favorite Sunday event...solving the New York Times Crossword Puzzle. I recall the times when we would hold up our usual 4 PM Sunday dinner until he was finished. The dictionary in the picture is very well-worn and was handed down to one of my sons who still uses it. Dad had little formal education but he had a great curiosity about life and he read voraciously.

Dad’s other hobby was stamp collecting. He started this in his youth and had an extensive, and quite valuable, collection. It must have been a heart breaker when he had to sell a large part of the collection during the 1929 Depression. I remember him soaking colorful and exotic stamps off of envelopes, drying them and then meticulously picking them up with tweezers and adhering them to the designated pages with those little transparent glue-back tabs. He loved to show us the stamps and then point to where they came from on the World globe. (Our first history lessons.)

We were a family of 6 women (my Mother and 5 sisters) and Dad would often have a hard time holding his own. He would try to introduce a serious subject at the dining table and, invariably, one of us would start to giggle. Of course that set us all off and when my Mother joined in the laughter Dad would throw his hands in the air and say, “I give up”...but always with a twinkle in his eye.

He was never abusive but I do remember one time when we had done something “bad” and he lined the 5 of us up, threatening to give us each a whack with his belt. We were all agog since this was so out of character for Dad. I guess we were scared but this quickly changed to uncontrollable guffaws when he whipped off his belt and his pants fell down !!

Dad was a romantic and the love of his life was my Mother. He would serve her breakfast in bed with the toast cut in to heart shapes and he would use any excuse to send her a card, such as the Valentine above. But, his warm and loving heart was big enough to include us all and, although he passed away 49 years ago, I still bask in the glow of that love.

…Three…Two…One… BLAST OFF !!

2009-04-12T16:15:00.000-07:00

Now...to the world-weary and jaundiced eye of an adult this picture probably looks like an old lady and a young child in a dog cage. Even little Bella, whose cage this is, seems a bit bewildered.

However, to the eyes and imagination of little 6 year old Faye this is a wondrous space ship and we are about to be launched into outer space.

“Where are we going?” I ask and she informs me that we will be traveling to a far off planet. “Which one?” I ask. “Oh, I don’t know, Grandma. How about Mars, or maybe Jupiter?”

We call to the earthlings that it’s time to secure our ship and they need to give us the countdown. Faye’s dad and the others gather ‘round us and they latch the gate shut so we won’t fall out. “Let’s get going,” they shout and they start counting loudly ...10...9...8...

Faye and I hold Bella tightly and wiggle into the best positions for take off. ...5...4...3...

“Lets go to Neptune instead”, I say and Faye says she thinks that’s a great idea. ...2...1...BLAST OFF ! and we’re on our way.

I hear someone in the background saying that they don’t care which planet we choose as long as it’s not Uranus. They all laugh at the off-color insinuation and someone else says, “Can you imagine actually naming a Planet Uranus?”

I ignore this “wit” and it goes right over Faye’s head. Our eyes are closed and we toss ourselves around in the cage as we picture ourselves hurtling through outer space.

“How long will we be gone ?”, I ask Faye but she just pats my hand and says “Not long, Grandma. We’ll be back on earth real soon. That’s a planet too, you know”.

UPDATE on my “JUNGLE” !

2009-04-08T13:50:00.000-07:00

A few weeks back I posted a blog entry about my back yard ... which is literally an untamed jungle. I can’t keep up with it so I concentrate on the little lawn in front of my house and let the back go wild.

The picture that I included with that post showed my “jungle” covered with a light dusting of snow. It was quite lovely and the comments that I received warmed my heart. Here are a few of them:

“It's not a "jungle" it is a wildlife natural garden.”

“I like the jungle. There's a well known house here in which the couple purposely left the site around the house natural for the birds. So you are right on with your jungle yard.”

“Our neighbors consider us eccentric as we actually have trees and those trees drop leaves, and *gasp* we don't rake them up - well, except for a few we need for mulch.”

“I prefer a jungle to manicured lawns. It greatens the odds that you'll get many curious birds and rabbits roaming through.”

Now that Spring is coming on fast my “jungle” is, once again, changing face. The wisteria has arrived ! It’s another way for Mother Nature to dress up my back yard and the birds are enjoying it as much as I am.

A “Carolina Blue” sky, fluffy white clouds and animal life of every variety combine to make the “jungle” a natural wonder to behold

DO WE DARE ??

2009-04-04T16:06:00.000-07:00

In Sept. of 2006 I posted a blog entitled “Who is brave enough to “BELL THE CAT”? I had heard the expression used on the BBC when a man being interviewed was complaining about some of Tony Blair’s past decisions and then added, “but it’s too late to “Bell the Cat” now.”

I wasn’t sure what he meant so I researched the expression. I found that it is taken from the Aesop fable about a mouse who proposes to put a bell on the cat so that they can always know when he is approaching...in other words, the cat wouldn’t be able to sneak up on the mouse unawares. This is a fine idea but, as it says in the fable,“who will be brave enough to ‘Bell the Cat‘?”

It occurred to me that this would be a wonderful tool to use on our politicians. In 2006 we had a government that gave lip service to free speech. This was a joke as a lot of us found out when we disagreed with them. If we spoke out against the war in Iraq we were accused of not supporting our troops or being un-American. If we wanted to separate church from state we were thought of as “non-Christian”, etc., etc., ad nauseum.

I thought then, and I still do, that if we were brave enough as a nation we could insist that our politicians wear a metaphorical bell. We would be able to check their motives and decisions before we were blindsided by them. We would listen for the tinkle of the bell and be forewarned.

I am much more optimistic than I was in 2006 but we still need to keep an eagle eye on our politicians. President Obama has promised us an administration of transparency. Let’s dare to “Bell those Washington Cats” (on both sides of the aisle) and maybe we’ll get what we voted for !

SOMEONE CUT OUT THE CROSSWORD PUZZLE !

2009-03-30T15:21:00.000-07:00

Growing older doesn't mean that my mental abilities will automatically be decreased. Maintaining an active mind is the key to staving off mind loss and Alzheimer’s, say the experts. With this in mind I have two favorite exercises that I practice every day. The first one is reading.

I listened recently to an authority on sleeplessness and he stated that one should never read in bed. I guess his reasoning was that reading would stimulate the mind and tend to keep the reader awake. It acts precisely the opposite way for me and the last thing I do every night is read a chapter or two. It works better than a sleeping pill.

My second exercise is working a crossword puzzle. I do this in bed also...first the puzzle and then the book. I'm definitely a creature of habit.

I don’t like to think that I have an obsession to working crossword puzzles but an unsolved one, wherever I find it, is definitely a lure. That’s why I had to laugh when I saw this cartoon.

I remember so clearly being stuck in a Doctor’s office, waiting to be worked in and knowing I would be the last patient of the day. I spied the local paper and was comforted by the fact that I could while away the time by doing the crossword puzzle. When I opened the paper and found that the puzzle had been cut out I almost cried with frustration.

Joseph Addison has said, “Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body”. I would add crossword puzzles to that. A daily dose of the two of them present me with a mental playground where I can romp to my heart’s content.

A MELODIC MEMORY … San Gimignano, Italy

2009-03-25T12:25:00.000-07:00

Recently I watched the enchanting movie “Tea With Mussolini”. It is the story about the plight of English and American expatriate women in Italy during WW II.

This is a 1999 drama and features Cher, Joan Plowright, Maggie Smith, Judi Dench and Lily Tomlin as the women involved. The story that evolves is both heart-warming and amusing at times. Most of the filming was done in Florence but the end of the movie takes place in the nearby towered city of San Gimignano.

I was very excited by this because my son and I had just enjoyed a day there in November of last year. We had actually spent quite a bit of time in the town’s main church, the Duomo ... where the women in the film successfully save the frescoes from the ravages of war.

It was my second visit to San Gimignano and, as my son and I wandered the streets, I hoped against hope that the same musician who I had photographed before would be there still.

Of course this didn’t happen, but my imagination brought him back to life and I described it to my son.

It was March of 2003 and my friend and I were wending our way to the highest point of San Gimignano. We were surprised to hear music long before we saw anyone playing.

As we approached the crest we saw the musician, who resembled a monk but was more likely a performer who hoped to augment his income by an afternoon’s performance. He had somehow managed to tote his harpsichord over the cobblestone paths to this lofty spot.

We were the only people there so we sat on the grass and soaked it all in ... the magnificent views, the intriguing musician and his medley of Baroque tunes and the total serenity of it all.

Five years later my son and I stood in the same spot and relived that bygone concert. As it had then, this became a highlight of our Italian journey.

RITA, the “FEMALE NOMAD” and I meet, 2003

2009-03-21T05:44:00.000-07:00

In 2001 “Tales of a Female Nomad” was published. It was not an overnight success but it has gained in momentum over the years and I, for one, could not put it down. Basically it is the story of Rita Golden Gelman (author of over 70 children’s books, including the popular “More Spaghetti, I Say!”) who left a failing marriage in 1985 and began an adventure that continues to this day.

She struck out on her own and this is the story of her journey. She travels to Mexico, the Galapagos Islands, Bali and New Zealand for starters. She has little money but she has a gift for connecting with people and this stands her in good stead all over the world. The reader is privileged to be part of her transformation from an unfulfilled suburbanite to a liberal and self-assured woman of the world.

Rita has no permanent address and no possessions except those she can carry. But she does have a website and an active following who e-mail her faithfully. At this writing she is working on her “Gap Year Project”. In a nutshell it’s her dream to have High School seniors take a year off before college to visit other world-wide life styles. You can read about it at her website.

In 2003 I was thrilled to read that she would be spending the month of September as the guest of the Omega Institute in Dutchess County, NY. I knew that she would be giving lectures and readings for the staff but I had no idea if I could be included, as a non-paying outsider. My daughter and son-in-law have a business in that County and we were all anxious to meet her.

I e-mailed Rita and she wrote back to say that the lectures were closed but that we could certainly meet for lunch. And that’s what we did. My children, a friend and I spent 3 hours over a leisurely lunch and I came away with a feeling of awe and respect for her. She is totally dedicated to “living at large in the world” and her inspirational journey is a testament to the fact that we can all live together in peace.

“BEE SEASON” HITS A BULLS-EYE !

2009-03-15T09:27:00.000-07:00

Well, it was a bulls-eye for me anyway ... and it was a complete surprise. I had never heard of Myla Goldberg, nor had I read a review of “Bee Season”, although I see that it actually came out in 2000. I had picked up the book at my local library because it was on the “new arrivals” table. (Our library is very small and all the books are donated so “new arrival” simply means that it is new to our library shelves.)

By the time I was half way through the book I was hooked. I was enthralled with her descriptive ability and the scope of her imagination. It reminded me of the earliest works of Joyce Carol Oates.

The story centers around Eliza Naumann, the 9 year old daughter (and youngest child) of a Jewish family of four. When she, surprisingly, shows great aptitude in spelling they are amazed. She wins her school and her district spelling bees and almost wins in the national competition in Washington, DC. Eliza has been a so-so student until now and the father, Saul, is amazed and overjoyed at this turn of events.

Saul and Eliza spend the next twelve months feverishly training for the following year’s “bee“. Father and daughter become engrossed with this new venture. They see little else and completely fail to realize that the rest of the family is falling apart.

Aaron, the son, is swept up in his quest for spiritual fulfillment and Miriam, wife and mother, comes apart at the seams when her secret life of 18 years is finally unraveled.

The twists and turns of this novel make it a marvelous read. A little research on my part revealed that Myra Goldberg received awards and much acclaim for this book ... where was I during all this ??

“Bee Season” was actually made into a movie in 2005. I have it on my Net-flix list and will watch it this week. I can’t wait to see how they portray Miriam’s kaleidoscope. (You’ll have to read the novel or see the movie to see what that means !)

ENJOY !

.

The MATRIARCHS ... Grandma and Mother

2009-03-10T13:39:00.000-07:00

One dictionary definition of MATRIARCH is: “a mother who rules her family or tribe; ...a woman holding the position analogous to that of a patriarch.”

That would certainly apply to the two women in the pictures. They are my maternal grandmother and her daughter, my mother. They both outlived their husbands and “ruled” well in to their 90’s.

I could relate many tales of their strength and wisdom over the years. They were, to my mind, the type of women who fit perfectly into the role of the matriarch. It was a great comfort to be able to pick up the phone and call Mother, knowing that her advice would always be there for me, for life-shattering moments or just to be reminded of the ingredients for a favorite recipe.

And now I AM THE MATRIARCH and it always takes me by surprise when I think of it this way. I don’t know about the rest of you women out there but my insides definitely don’t match my exterior. Gray hair, a college degree and 75 years of experience don’t wipe away the little girl that dwells within. I still want to be reassured by my mother that “all will be OK”.

In 1950 there was a wonderful TV show that was based on the best selling book by Kathryn Forbes, called “Mama’s Bank Account”. Mama was determined that her children would grow up secure and well educated despite the fact that they were always just one step away from “the wolf at the door”.

However, she always had her bank account and she would assure them that it would be there as a last resort. It carried them through many rough spots and it wasn’t until after Mama died that the family came to realize that her “bank account” did not exist ... at least not in the form of money.

As the matriarch of my own little kingdom I will try to keep her resourcefulness in mind. I hope my three children will always come to me for aid and comfort and to someday realize that I did the best that I could ... albeit with a deception or two along the way.