Our Muses Have "It"

Today I listened to Leonard Cohen's music. His music always has the ability to take me to a very good, yet contemplative place. This mural of Sol Lewitt shown above also transports me, but in a different way. Here we have a large, bright & bold public work of art, in a very opposite tone when comparing it to Leonard Cohen's music. Yet I like them both, which is of course for different reasons. For me this geometric mural is a reminder of how to take what we see, no longer for granted, & pop it out, wake it up, & spread it out there, griding it along the way with black bold lines, again reinforcing a message that what we are viewing "is" very bold indeed.

That's my view today, which of course is subject to change, just like the New England weather we live & breathe, in our corner of the world. Until another day.

All of the Arts, so expressive, & so, so, very "us". Indeed.

A Spark A Light Shinning On, As This Day Ends In Sadness

Our dear friend passed away this evening. He was born & raised in England, of the Boomer Generation after WWII. He was always such fun to be with, an incredibly smart, kind, generous & talented man. Married to our friend, who together raised two very smart, kind & talented daughters. So like the trees they came from.

Our dear friend Glen *9/27/49-11/21/10*, may God keep you in God's loving care, & may you eternally have rest, & peace.

*Amen*

The Comfort Of Comfort Food & More--

I have been hesitant up until this time, trying ever so hard not to include anything that may be too, too sad. I think I have made it up until this point in time--

We have a very dear friend who for years has lived so very far away from where we reside. We met our friend "G" through his wife, "N". She & I became good friends some twenty years ago, when are then, both youngest children were attending a preschool program together. Their family had moved several times since living in our neck of the woods. The latest & most recent of locations is Philadelphia, which is the hometown of where my friend "N" grew up. "G" on the other hand was born & raised in England, & lived in the region of where James Herriot's stories took place.

"G & N" met so many years ago in England when my friend was spending some time there after her trip to Israel. It truly is a romantic story which I absolutely loved hearing during the time "N" allowed me to interview her for a Psychology class assignment, back in the day.

And now our dear friend "G" who for a very long time has been battling a very aggressive illness, for so very long, of which those of us in the wide, wide circle, who are honored to be among that circle of friends, are troubled & saddened, for we know that his condition is changing rapidly.

I am consciously including these thoughts today, in the Peace Garden. For though life, is dear, beautiful & precious, we all know that our days are numbered, & it is the choices we make each & every day, ultimately that affects the quality of our own, & mutual precious gardens. I am very saddened & contemplative at this time, for it is my way. I am baking a creation that is both "sour & sweet", is that not life. The sour with the sweet, the good with the bad, the yin & the yang, the agony & the ecstasy.

When I would discuss authors with our friend "G" so many years ago, at the beginning of this unbelievable medical journey he is traveling I mentioned Solzhenitsyn. It gladdened my heart to know we shared such an author as one of our favorites. As our friend "G" is also a favorite, & in our hearts we journey with him. This baking of a simple yet in depth comfort food, does in some ways help. As my friend "S" who lives in Israel said many years ago, "Food is a prop.", of which we can all agree, as it fills all the senses, & "food is also sustenance & love".

Today is also my brother in law's 65th Birthday, & my brother's 51st.

Please, "so help us God"; fathom, the bitter & the sweet.

*Amen*

Thankfulness & Gratitude, Tis' The Season*

Ok, the Thanksgiving Day countdown is upon us. Just five days including today to get our home cleaned & spruced up, plan the details of our meal, & get all the advance food prep done that benefits from being prepared in advance. The desserts usually are a good one for this category.

We got a lot done yesterday in the raking department, & for Dolly it was one of her best days. Romping around the yard with her humans out there to show off to, & for her to watch over us. Which she just loves to do. Participating in the usual go fetch games, of which she's good at, but doesn't always return the item. When we're out there in the yard, my husband usually finds bits & pieces, the remnants of various chewed items, such as a plastic pipe, a piece of wire.... You name it, she really is the goat I never had. She'll chew absolutely anything.

So for this part of my "Thankfulness List", I can honestly say that I truly am thankful that Dolly's placement with us, has finally worked out. She's adjusted very well to the electronic perimeters of her assigned acre, & though she's still a very high energy critter, she remains true to her core of being a very sweet & loyal companion. Her one main assignment of keeping the deer out of our gardens has proved immensely successful. Dolly will definitely enjoy her second Thanksgiving here with us, & our fam.*, [I just know] will recommend many a treat from the leftover platter of scraps. For me that's the fun part, sharing this upcoming meal with my unusual quirky dog, who really did, pick me out of a crowd, by knowing just how to win my heart. Yes, it's "wuff, wuff" Dolly to you too, when she barks that is, for she is very, very quite, which is just her style.

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As we speak I'm preheating the oven--

I've had a batch of dried cherries, soaking in the fridge, with plans on pureeing them into a fruit butter of sorts. Viola' , success, & am now in the process of doing one of my baking/experimental projects. I added some local wildflower honey to the cherry butter batch, & the muffin batter is loaded with all sorts of earthy crunchy ingredients including two kinds of cinnamon. One variety just a generic, with no origin labeling & the other is a real hefty flavor from Viet Nam. I decided to mix the two, as one is a bit too light, & he other a bit too heavy. Well the buzzer to my oven just went off, & the pre prep aspects are all in place. This will be a triple batch as I'm in hopes of being able to send some as far away as Israel. It has been a problemo since many of us went "E" in our routines of communications, as I now longer can get my hands on some of the snail mail addresses I need, including one as far away as New Zealand.

These muffins should have a good flavor, hopefuly not too sweet, but sweet enough, or as Goldy Locks used to say-- "Just right.", & of course I'll keep you posted.

Before Food Shopping, Or Turkey Day Planning, Must Get Out There & Rake Those Leaves--

Carl Sagan said it best, "Billions & Billions..." Yes it's an entire universe out there of all sorts of organisms. In our yard, the leaves have it ! And why not, that's what makes New England, New England. We simply adore our trees, they are such a large part of our region's natural charm. When we play we pay, & now its clean up time, & probably most of the day too.

Hello Dolly, my husband & moi', we truly do, love it !

Like A River, Autumn On The Connecticut

Autumn along the Connecticut River, is quite the site. To think fifty years ago this river was considered a cesspool of sorts. The river bottom probably has some contaminants that may or may not be resolved, but at least this waterway is no longer considered a polluted ecosystem. On a beautiful day such as it has been yesterday, & today there's nary a complaint of the New England weather.

You, me & good ole Mark Twain, nothing like a meandering along this majestic river.

Honoring Our Veterans, Those We Know & The Unknown

Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia

In honor of Veterans Day

November 11, 2010

Peace Be With You

Amen

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Our family has the history of WWII Veterans. My father & uncles served then in the Army, & my father in law served in the Navy. During the Viet Nam War I had cousins & friends serving in the Army, Navy, & the Marines. My husband, a Viet Nam era service person in the Army, was trained for combat, & was assigned to what was referred to as the European Theatre. He was serving there when the Soviet Union marched into Czechoslovakia.

We are a family most sensitive to honoring & respecting our American Veterans, appreciating all that they have contributed & sacrificed, as we continue to Pray & Vote for Peace.