My head is pounding, well no, more like being pounded if I’m describing the feeling.  Headaches are never all that much fun but at least they are not a death sentence (now that I think about that I hope it’s not the case…).  I worked last night and didn’t get much sleep, followed by a trip to the dentist for teeth cleaning so I’m not really wondering why I feel a little under par.  The wonderful thing is I am home in my quiet, air-conditioned house with no pressing tasks, so I’m going to hit the recliner for a nap.

But before I do that, I have the irresistable urge to write something because I’ve had a very nice weekend thru Tuesday.  It was Mother’s Day weekend.  I’m never really sure what to expect from these holidays since it seems I often end up celebrating them in atypical ways.  On Sunday I got an early text that was heartwarming to say the least.  A 20-something Mexican man sent me a mother’s day greeting from California that was such a surprise – but then, he is a pretty amazing kid.  His real mother has a gem of a son.  Hope she knows it.  The afternoon brought greeting from both my awesome and highly valued girls.

Another holiday blessing was my evening meal.  I planned it and cooked it myself, but not to feel sorry for me – it was fun.  When I have all afternoon to putter in the kitchen and pay attention to all the details, putting on a dinner is a relaxing delight.  Guests were my aunt and uncle Brennen, and the bachelor Carroll, and our monthly dinner partner Jack.  Jack is always aware of gentlemanly obligations and was trying to make up for my day slaving in the kitchen. He brought me wine, flowers AND candy.

 Doesn’t get much better than that.  And pretty much everything I cooked turned out great.  I was testing a recipe that I’m using for Julie’s graduation on the 25th. It was slow roasted beef brisket.  I was specifically watching Carroll because he often gives up on meat that he can’t chew but he gave it a great score.  I was especially pleased with the dessert – a mango mousse with berry sauce.  Food is such fun when enjoyed at leisure in good company.

Monday’s treat was dinner with my bestest girlfriend at Chiles, followed by the last session of my year long Bible study.  Tuesday’s treat was having the day off and getting to visit another friend that I had wanted to catch up on.  As I was sitting in her home talking with her I got a text that my soon-to-be-graduated-and-looking-for-a-job daughter was in an employment interview.  We have been praying about this possible job for her for several months now and my friend and I put in one last request for a favorable outcome.  Shortly after Julie sent another text confirming the hire.  Wow, what a relief it is to know that she has that big decision behind her.  Lots more uncertainties will fall into place now that we know where she is going and what she will be able to pay for. I am not afraid to give credit to God who has been watching over this process for many years now – Julia Dietz, D.V.M. 

And one last little but marvelous thing. An orchid that I bought a couple years ago which has never bloomed for me, now looks like this.  It is a total surprise because it’s not what I thought I was buying at all.  But it’s so different from all my other orchids that I LOVE it.  

Now to get rid of this annoying headache.



A rare picture of me enjoying myself

 It’s a lovely morning in the oneacrewoods.  Water is flying through the air (irrigation) which is still cool, soft, humid. I have spent some time in my outdoor office with my cereal, my books, and my computer. I hoped it might inspire a blog post but no, I got lost in facebook, catching up on comments from my most internet present friends. What a window on the world. And what a study of personalities it would provide (probably is already providing).  What are we revealing about ourselves when we post? What are we needing when we sit and read for hours?  What kind of friendship does facebook provide?  What kind of friendship is it replacing? These are the questions that I’m thinking about more and more as I see what a cultural change this social media has created. I’m not questioning that it has some value.

Last night I went to a party.  Parties are usually difficult for me, as are other group gatherings like concerts.  I often go alone to these kinds of things and am always amazed at how isolated a crowd can make me feel.  Very seldom does the crowd experience enhance my appreciation of an event.  Nevertheless I go to some of these things realizing there is a social obligation that I want to honor, or people that I want to support.  Similar to my facebook persona, I become more of an observer.  I have found that taking pictures is a good way to blend in and pretend that I belong to the event.

The party was a tea for women and girls and for me, it was my Mother’s Day celebration.  It was very well done, with an Alice in Wonderland theme – actually the Mad Hatter was the star and everyone had to wear a hat.  Maybe that was the extra incentive that I had to show up.  How many opportunities to wear a hat does one get? And I had a hat that I like and never get to wear.  The excitement of the evening was something on one of the tables that caught fire and had to be doused with a bottle of water.  Candles are pretty but they are an open flame – just sayin’….



The food was especially beautiful




Excellent tea service



Hats were required



Like I said, the food was beautiful




The Cheshire Cat guarding the M&M’s



Croquet activity

more specifically, get outside.  This morning, in spite of having many things on the to do list, I went outside just to look at and enjoy the amazing things right outside my door.  I swept off my new pavers, pulled up a few weeds, did some arranging of chairs and table, and suddenly felt so at peace and satisfied. 

I have a lot of artful paths through my gardens.  They are bordered by flowers and grasses that I call lovely and good.  They seed themselves and spring up here and there, sometimes in the path. From time to time I take stock of how they are spreading and whether or not I like them where they are. If I don’t like them, I pull them out. When I don’t pay enough attention to them they can actually obscure the path or make it hard to navigate.  This is just like life.  I can draw some kind of lesson from my garden anytime I go out there and so can we all.  Get outside, get peaceful, look around, think and figure something out.

“Those who love you are not fooled by mistakes you have made or dark images you hold about yourself. They remember your beauty when you feel ugly, your wholeness when you are broken, your innocence when you feel guilty, and your purpose when you are confused.”

a quote from Alan Cohen but I would have said it if I had thought of it first.

Imagination. I’ve been thinking about it since watching Anne of Green Gables. I admire her devotion to it, and of course, her skill.  It might be a good thing to be more imaginative. It would certainly be easier to write interesting stories if I exercised my ability to think outside of the normal. I tried it recently to see if my mundande, everyday life would take on a new excitement.

For instance, one day at work I entered the bathroom to prepare some equipment and noticed a syringe on the counter.  We use them a lot to hold alcohol or peroxide to clean equipment.  On closer examination this syringe had something dark in it.  Strange I thought. As I worked my attention wandered back to the syringe and then my imagination kicked in.  The dark thing had legs and was really quite large.  It looked like a roach, in fact, it was a roach.  How desperate it must have been to have crawled somehow into that really tiny space. Roaches are ancient insects with a survival rate like no other.  Did this one know he was doing something stupid from which he would never recover? Did he do it on a dare? Did someone leave this item on the counter for me to discover with or without a roach in it?  Let imagination run.

So how much of this is factual?  All of it so far.  I haven’t written the imaginative part yet.

the sand foundation before the cat

Joe spent several other afternoons figuring out a pattern for the pavers and carefully laying them, cutting some of them for the corners. And then, from his previous experience, Joe told me that I needed to keep the edges in place by putting down a cement anchor. Little sacks of cement needed – one for every two or three feet.  I just looked at him. Really? Let’s think of another way even if it’s not quite as good.  That’s called Shirley-style.  We turned the left over pavers on their side and buried them deep enough to anchor the edge, a little. I still need some cement on one side.  I have lost track of how much time Joe has spent so far. I may have to take out another mortgage on the house to pay him. Note for future: make sure DIY projects can be done by self and that you WANT to do them yourself.



multi-colored, nicely weathered look pavers





sanding the cracks



 The Cat

I am not a witch, she is not an enchanted maiden,
Yet she knows my ways, and I hers
As though a spell has been cast.
Have I done it to her, or she to me?
Or is it that I have heard her voice
A thousand times
And responded?

Wonder and Awe

Those sounds that play upon the drum of my ear
Strike the same flesh, bone and nerve
     and yet from each source a different voice,
     a different message, so distinct.
Lying in bed at night, listening to what is being said, I hear
     the water left running on the garden
And go to shut it off.

Readiness

A hand outstretched in the darkness,
   the corner of the table, the back of the sofa,
         ten steps to the door, the edge of the bed.
There is a light
   But I might be blind someday
      And I must practice.

You get to take this walk with me, in a virtual manner.  We were a one car family for a couple days so I’ve done a lot of walking and also learned to ride the bus home from work. Here we go.


sea grape trees turn gold/orange/purple and fall in the spring



they are like large plates and look beautiful on the ground

  

golden sea grape

The bus station where I can catch the bus that goes closest to home is a two mile walk from where I start.  I can get on a trolley that takes me there but timing is everything. I’ve ended up walking the two miles each day. Lots to see on the way…

The first mile is through a residential area with a lot of older beach houses. Many are frame built, some are on stilts but most are not. The yards are totally eclectic and a bit woodsy.  Lots of flowers and shrubs, texture and variety.




Most of the time the drawbridge is down





Today the barrier went down. I stopped because….

 




Bridge up for a yacht coming through  (while I nervously hope I don’t miss the bus)






I watched it go out into the Gulf.

 


At the other side where Coquina Beach begins





My bus, exquisitely air-conditioned


I had some interesting conversations both days with people from all around the area who had come out to the beach for the day. One lady I talked with turned out to be living in the mobile home park across the street from my house. Some people combine their bus ride with a bike section. They put their bike on the front carrier of the bus. I told one biker that I’d like to do that and he warned me to be flexible in my timing because there are only spaces for two bikes and sometimes you might be the third…


and full of riders both days



Me, glad to be sitting for the next 10 miles.



I have never taken a class on blogging or the internet and suddenly, tonight, I find out it’s a lot more confusing than I had imagined.  Really, I just like to write.  I used to do it on paper.  I wish that it would stay as simple as that but I clicked on something on the web and now I have to find out what I’ve done. 

Checking my facebook, I discovered a very interesting link to a blog post about gardening.  So I followed it and after reading for a while I thought to subscribe to this very interesting looking blog. Click. Now I have to decide about feeds and burning them. And widgets and chicklets. My blog name popped up automatically which was very cool but I’m not sure what I did to it.  I supposedly have a feed with an address but what on earth does it do? Am I feeding something out to other places or am I being fed something?  And how do I customize it and make it more attractive if I don’t know what it is? I’m sorry to be so stupid but it’s a whole different language and the people who speak it assume I know it.  I don’t.  I looked at my blog and nothing has changed there so maybe I’ll just ignore what happened tonight…  I did read that it was free, whatever it is.  Free is good, just sayin’.