To Market We Go

I am home again now, with time to share more of my New Mexico trip with you.

On Saturday, we attended a music event at a local performing arts theater. It was an unusual group – for me, at least – of classical music that was unlike what I am used to. The music was written by George Crumb in 1965, and to my ear was dissonant and not especially pleasing, but it was unique. That selection was followed by an operatic rendition of some of the haikus written by Issa in another century. Some of the haikus created paintings in my mind, and I brought the lyric home to see how the words translate to paint for me.After the performance, we toured the Saturday Farmer’s Market – if I lived there, that market would be a regular stop for me each Saturday that it was open. Wonderful selections! The explanation of the market can only be shared pictorially.

In the center above are Jujubes, known as red or Chinese dates. They were new to me and very tasty.

Then to Jambo’s for lunch. Jambo’s is a fusion cafe run by a gentleman from Africa, featuring African fare. Absolutely delicious, although it’s hard to tell from the photo because I ate some before I remember to take a photo. It’s a Savory Stuffed Phyllo, stuffed with spinach, Moroccan black olives, organic feta, roasted red peppers and chickpeas over organic field greens drizzled with pomegranate sauce. My drink was a house-made mango ginger lemonade. Also delicious!

Food of course encourages a feeling that a nap would be good, and considering this day had been preceded by early-rise days, we opted to head home and take it easy.

More will follow another day.

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What Happens When you get up at Darktime

Getting up when the skies are still dark is not my preference, and something I will only do for very good reasons. This week, I’ve had a good reason two days in a row – which required sleeping until 9:00 a.m. on the third day.

The first of those two days, arising early was necessary to catch an early morning flight to visit a friend who lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico. I flew into Albuquerque where she picked me up. The trip was divided into two stages – the first was a layover in San Francisco, where we arrived in coordination with dawn.

Then on to ABQ, where my friend picked me up, checked us into the motel, and took me on a tour of parts of the city. First, a little park with a large pond, and lots of waterfowl.

This guy really intrigued me.

Then on to Old Town, where we toured an art gallery and discovered an artist whose works we fell in love with. It was really interesting how we saw different things in his works.

Dinner at a little restaurant off a side street where we thoroughly enjoyed a beet feta burger with fries and for me, a glass of wine.

The next morning was once again an early rise so we could attend the Albuquerque balloon fiesta, something I’ve always thought I would love to do. It was a lucky coincidence that the timing of this trip coincided with this year’s fiesta. There was a little too much of a breeze for the balloons to actually lift off, but they inflated and we got to see them up close and personal. Following is a small sampling of what we saw. It was Special Shapes Balloon day.

This last one is to prove I was there, standing in front of a balloon as it was being inflated.

On home to Santa Fe then after a stop at Cracker Barrel for breakfast and at Costco for necessities, with muscles that hadn’t been used enough in a long time letting me know they exist. I wish I’d worn my Fitbit because it would have applauded me.

Share Your World – 10/1/19

Melanie said it – how did it get to be October already?!  As we get older and time gets more precious, it seems to move faster and faster. Yet those things I said I had to do last week, have not yet been done – think I’ll blame it on time moving faster than I do. Now, to share my world one more time.

If confronted with a violent crime against a single individual in progress (severe beating, rape, assault) do you try to do something about it (phone authorities or confront the criminal, stop the crime) or do you figure it’s none of your business and walk or drive on by?  Worse (to me) would you record the crime for social media use without doing anything else?  I would have to do something – how could anyone just pass on by without some kind of intervention and assistance? I know that happens, but I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t try to help. That’s one of the best things about cell phones – the ability to call 911 immediately.  Also women’s heavy purses – a weapon readily available.

Okay now we got the heavy stuff out of the way, let’s get to some less stressful questions.

If someone asked to be your apprentice and learn all that you know, what would you teach them? The thing I do best, I guess – that is, nothing. Sit quietly – read, play games, study nature through the window, think about what you should do but reject the word should and continue to do nothing.

First think of a product. Now, what would be the absolute worst brand name for one of those products? Artery Cloggers (fast food), Salt Blocks (instant ramen soups), Preserve-Your-Body (processed foods). Yeah, I know – weak attempts, right?

What ridiculous and untrue, yet slightly plausible, theories can you come up with for the cause of common ailments like headaches or cavities? Headaches are caused by too much thinking – it exhausts the brain, which causes the brain to rebel, kicking and screaming, trying to pound its way out. Cavities are caused by brushing your teeth too enthusiastically or too frequently – wearing off the surfaces and opening them to the entry of little cavity makers.

GRATITUDE:

If you’d like to, please share a photo or an example of gratitude that you have.  Thanks!  🙂

My full pantry

 

My warm furries

My best friends

Can I Keep Fall till Spring?

At this moment, this post has no title – I’m hoping I’ll remember to give it one before I publish, but at this moment, I have no idea what I’m going to say. I only know I want to say. Something.

It is fall, and fall makes me happy. I want fall to last for a long time – like maybe until January? Dreams are good.

I mowed my lawn yesterday. It should have been done at least a week before I did it, but at least it’s done now. Today I cut off some little trees that were starting to grow in places where they were not welcome. There is a small cluster of some kind of bush or tree growing at the end of my driveway pullout, I have no idea what it is but am pretty sure I can attribute its presence to the birds. I have to decide whether to let it stay or send it away.

This past weekend I met my daughter and her fiancé at a halfway point between my house and hers. He had a volleyball tournament to referee, we took the time to have lunch – at a brewery because that’s our thing – then wander through some stores being lookee -loos. At least I just looked, she bought a few small things, including some items for an activity for her fifth grade class. That evening the three of us had a delicious Indian dinner.

The news – oh my, the news. Every time I think our government can sink no lower, it manages to do it. I’m pretty sure I’ve said this before. Whether Trump’s call to the Ukrainian president was a crime or not, it was most certainly not presidential, and behavior not to be looked up to. Yet I know the Republicans will continue to back him, because they fear if they do not, they’ll lose the support of his Republican supporters, and possibly their jobs. Selling out their souls for a chance for power and wealth. I have no doubt his supporters will continue to support him, calling this another witch hunt and denying any truth to the allegations – because theirs is an alternate truth and their facts are alternate facts. It continues to amaze me how many of his transgressions they are willing to overlook.

On a more cheery note, in just over a week I will be leaving on a jet plane – but I do know when I’ll be back again. I am going to visit a very dear friend in Santa Fe, New Mexico. I’m looking forward to it. Santa Fe is a wonderful place to visit, and she is a wonderful hostess not to mention friend.

I need to buy some groceries – but it’s a balancing act when you have a trip planned not to end up with too many perishable items in the refrigerator. Which means this shopping trip should consist more of frozen vegetables than fresh. Which I would end up freezing anyway.

Can you tell how exciting my life is? It is actually much to my liking. Two of my friends and I did go see the movie Downton Abbey the other day, which I loved, then went out for dinner. A nice girls’ afternoon out.

Don’t you think fall just has a really nice feel to the air? Have I mentioned I’d like it to last a long long time? Of course I have. I just wanted you to know I really mean it.

Sunday Morning Thoughts

I was sitting here thinking random thoughts this morning, when it occurred to me what a very strange people we are in so many ways.

We claim to be a “Christian” country, yet only between 20% and 40% (depending where you look) of our people attend church regularly.

We put a admitted sexual predator, con-man, liar, and narcissist into the highest office in our land, but we do not want “them feroners” in our country, much less our neighborhood. What is even more sad is that some of the most fervent objectors claim to be some of those “good Christians”. This is not to be taken as a slam against any church or those are truly are good Christians. This is just something I see as an anomaly.

For over a century of our history, this country has had a disproportionate distribution of wealth. It strikes me that this seems to indicate that the basis of our economy is slanted towards money making money and the working man just getting by. Sometimes for a Democratic Republic, we don’t seem terribly democratic.

We say we want better education and social services (taking care of the poor and the old)  in our system, yet the first places costs are cut by governments seem to be in education and social services.

Does discussion still exist? Seems to me far too often it declines into rancor. Can people disagree and yet get along?

Our society expects our women to have perfect bodies (as defined by that infamous “they” I think), and paint their faces to please men. Yet, we fear or hate people whose skin is naturally “painted” a color different than ours. We applaud some for maintaining individuality and sticking to their “roots”, yet we will not tolerate differences in culture or beliefs in far too many.

“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door.” The Statue of Liberty     We’ve heard that before, haven’t we? Why can’t we seem to really listen to it, to truly hear it? We have this “we’re here now, let the rest be damned” attitude.

I remember when I was a kid and we played outside and ran around the neighborhood with the only real requirement being that we be home at a specific time. Were there no sexual predators then? Why were kids safe on the street then, but no longer are? Seems like a downhill slide to me.

And remember when we had to deal with our teachers, to listen and obey because they were figures of authority? Remember when mom and dad didn’t come running to our defense whenever we were criticized by figures in authority?

Some of you might well be wondering if I feel this way why don’t I just move to some other country? Let me tell you why – this IS my country, but I fear it has strayed far off the path our forefathers saw for us. I fear it now brings out the worst that is in us, not the best. I fear that we no longer care “what we can do for our country, not what our country can do for us”. I fear too many of our politicians have forgotten the original purpose of their existence, and have substituted that purpose with the accumulation of power and money – let the people be damned. I fear that, as a people, we too often accept words we hear from others without checking their basis in fact before we spout them forward as truth. We distrust the press and those we disagree with – do we bother to follow up to find the truth – the real truth, not someone’s version of it? I am well aware that we have to choose what sources to believe, but that can be done wisely and with thought.

I am well beyond the apex of my life, and I will not have to deal much longer with what we, mankind, have created of this world – but my grandchildren and their children will long outlive me, and they will have to deal with the mess we leave behind.

Our strangeness has taken us on the low path I believe. Can we find the higher path and get back on it?

 

25 Random “Carol” Things

I just read Mel’s answers to this post, and decided to go for it too. I saw it earlier on  Teleporting Weena, but it was early morning and since I had not yet done those jobs I’d assigned myself, I pretty much skimmed over it. Sorry, Barbara.

First the questions – something Mel does that I like, so I’m adopting this too.

1. Do you make your bed every morning?

2. What was your first car?

3. What two grocery items do you never run out of?

4. At what age did you start doing your laundry?

5. If you could, would you go back to high school?

6. Can you parallel park in under three moves?

7. A job you had which people would be shocked to know you once had?

8. Do you think aliens are real?

9. Can you drive a stick shift?

10. Guilty TV pleasure?

11. Tattoos?

12. If the world ends do you want to be one of survivors?

13. Sweet or salty?

14. Do you enjoy soaking in a nice hot bath?

15. Do you consider yourself a strong person?

16. Something people do that drives you nuts?

17. Do you have any birthmarks?

18. Favorite childhood game?

19. Do you talk to yourself?

20. Do you like doing jigsaw puzzles?

21. Tea or coffee?

22. First thing you remember wanting to be when you grew up?

23. Favorite game now?

Now the questions with answers:

1. Do you make your bed every morning? More or less. All I keep on my bed, besides the bottom sheet, is a sheet and a comforter, so it’s very easy to simply straighten out each morning.

2. What was your first car? Oh gosh, a car my first husband and I bought right after we got married, a 1940 something Studebaker. Somewhere I have a photo, but I’d have to look for it because I’m not sure where the darn thing is stored, if I even have a digital copy.

3. What two grocery items do you never run out of? Flour – I have 3 kinds, so although I might run out of one, the other 2 are still there – and rice – because I like brown rice and use it along with beans a lot.

4. At what age did you start doing your laundry? Hmm, I’m going to guess somewhere around 16. Whatever year it was my father had a stroke which disabled him and my mother went to work.

5. If you could, would you go back to high school? No, I don’t think so. I think once was enough.

6. Can you parallel park in under three moves? When I’m being very lucky. Actually, I rarely parallel park, but it seems to me last time I did it, I did it within 3 moves.

7. A job you had which people would be shocked to know you once had? Don’t think I ever had a job that would shock people. My very first job other than babysitting was stocking a drugstore’s shelves. That didn’t last long because it turned out the guy running the place wasn’t terribly honorable.

8. Do you think aliens are real? I think they well could be, and I think they probably wonder what went wrong. We had such promising beginnings.

9. Can you drive a stick shift? Nope. Never tried. Don’t want to.

10. Guilty TV pleasure? Probably my primary TV pleasure is HGTV or Food Network, although neither are really guilty pleasures. I don’t watch a lot of other things on regular broadcast TV, I tend to stream most of my other viewing entertainment. I lean towards the BritBox shows for streaming and Netflix for documentaries. I just started watching Bloodline on Netflix, and it looks promising too.

11. Tattoos? One, on my ankle. My daughter’s influence.

12. If the world ends do you want to be one of survivors? Nope.

13. Sweet or salty? Both, either/or. Depends upon the mood of the moment.

14. Do you enjoy soaking in a nice hot bath? The concept always appeals to me, but when I’ve actually tried it, the water gets colder than I like too quickly and I get bored.

15. Do you consider yourself a strong person? I think I’ve had to be, so yes, I think I’m pretty strong.

16. Something people do that drives you nuts? Exist. In extreme cases. I could name one, but I’ll stay away from politics right now.

17. Do you have any birthmarks? No, at least not externally.

18. Favorite childhood game? Did we play real games when I was a kid? I don’t remember. Favorite quite young childhood activity was splashing in mud puddles (my mother loved that) – as I got a little older, bike riding, swimming, reading.

19. Do you talk to yourself? Of course not. When I’m talking at home it’s always to the dog or the cats. Uh huh.

20. Do you like doing jigsaw puzzles? Like most things, I go through phases. Sometimes I do, other times I don’t have the patience.

21. Tea or coffee? Both. Start the day with coffee, in cool weather I switch to tea for the afternoon. In warm weather, it’s water.

22. First thing you remember wanting to be when you grew up? I wanted to be an airline stewardess. In my youth, my only knowledge about that job was from movies, so it seemed quite glamorous to me. Then I grew too tall, which was probably a good thing, because I’m pretty sure I’d be the one spilling everything on passengers.

23. Favorite game now? I really don’t have friends that play games now. So I guess it would have to be digital solitaire.

Wondering now if there’s anything you don’t know about me.

Share Your World – 9-9-19

It’s a lovely day in the neighborhood. Fall is coming, and I’m loving these cooler but not cold temperatures we’re having! If only fall could last all winter.

 

It’s a good day to Share more of my world, I decided. Because who wants to vacuum anyway?

What’s the first thing you’d do if you won the lottery or came into a huge fortune?  I’d buy a house on the Oregon coast. Probably middle to northern part of the coast. I’d donate more to St Jude’s, and to cancer research. I’d support other worthy causes, and I’d do some traveling.

Which decade do you think had the best sense of style? Good question and i really don’t know. Maybe the mid 70s. I did love those flare legged jeans (I hear groans) but not the clunky shoes.

Would you rather be half your height or double your weight? Oh gosh. Truly, neither. I cannot imagine being 320 pounds any more than I can imagine being 34 inches tall. I’m doing a cop out on this one because either one would have serious issues.

If you wanted to get away from everyone totally, where would you hide? At home with my furry kids. Which is what I mostly do. It’s quiet and i can do what I want at my own pace.

What do you do that you love?  ❤ I paint. I read. I spend time with my furries. I visit friends when I choose to. I control the remote all by myself so I can watch what I wish when I wish on TV. I cook the foods I like, when I choose to. I have enough. What’s  not to love?