Ode to Bo......

My college roommate, Susie, and her husband, Dwayne, live over near Madison. We met at Ripon in 1964 and have been besties ever since. And one of our connections is the fact that we four adults love our dogs. For years Susie's dog of choice (and therefore her husband's too) was the miniature Schnauzer. She usually had two at a time...and they were fun. But after their last Schnauzer died they did a major reversal and brought Bo home. Bo was a coal black standard poodle....he was big, friendly, smart and silly. All feet and bouncing whenever he entered a room.

We would visit our friends and Fenway and Bo would chase each other around the house and out in the yard. Lots of toy stealing and attempts to displace each other in someone's lap. Susie would always say that basically Bo ignored all his toys until Fenway wanted one.  Fenway's ears would perk up whenever we'd say "Want to go for a ride and see Bo?"

We expected them all to join us for this New Year's Eve....until yesterday's email. The message was from Susie telling us that they had to put Bo to sleep yesterday. Sudden and unexpected....an unknown large tumor on his spleen started to bleed. After testing they stood at the vet's office and made that all too hard decision and said goodbye to their beloved pet.

Grief comes in all sizes....huge when a loved one dies. A spouse, a parent, a sibling, a child....a friend. The loss hits hard and black. And the grief we experience when we say goodbye to a dog is real and a testament to just how much we loved our pet....and how much they loved us right back. That four footed never-a-question-about-it love. Feed them the same food every day for years, take the same walks, leave them alone at home while you work or go out with friends. That wiggly butt is waiting for you with the same amount of enthusiasm whether you've been gone for 15 minutes or a week. That kind of love is hard to replace....and we dog owners know we will, most likely, face this kind of loss every time we bring a puppy home.

The four of us used to laugh that it was really hard to get a good picture of Bo....he was just so black and his eyes were so dark. But I think this is a pretty good shot.

                            

Farewell Bo.....you will be missed....you will be remembered.....you were loved.

'Twas the Day After.......

So Christmas 2019 is over and we are almost ready to turn the page on the calendar to welcome a new year. Again it seems this year flew by!

Our holiday was spent with our daughter, son-in-law and two teen age grandsons here in nearby West Bend. We drove over during the afternoon on the 24th and slept overnight to welcome a busy Christmas morning on a warm-for-Wisconsin December 25th.  We four adults and two high schoolers enjoyed our gift opening (lots of gift cards for the teens!) and a delicious brunch. There was conversation, ooohs and ahhhs....and laughter. The best kind of day.

But frankly most of the laughter was due to three dogs busily checking out their own gifts and shredding boxes and walking through the expanding wrapping paper mess. Our Fenway is quick on his feet and can hide under the coffee table after grabbing a toy.

The Johnson's two yellow labs, Sadie and Walter, move more slowly with big "lethal" tails threatening any coffee cups sitting at a low level. Walter, just about a year old, is a big goof ball who has no problem getting up close and personal.

Big sister, Sadie, is a little slower now and very chill. She lets Fenway and Walter grab the toys and is very happy chewing and chewing and chewing on her new tennis balls....until she collapses for a nap.

The dogs added the activity level and laughter that you sort of "miss" when there aren't any little kids racing about. The three helped to make this a very nice Christmas for the Woodard/Johnsons. The kind of Christmas every dog lover will understand.

Something Really Stupid This Way Comes.....

Frankly, as I age, I am experiencing a lot of the "expected" sort of "maladies"....aching joints, some arthritis, thinning hair. Ugh. But again, I am healthy and able to do what I want to do and am very thankful for that!

But right now, one day before Christmas Eve, I just hung up the phone after talking to a nurse at my PCP's office. I've had some really chapped lips for about a week, getting worse and worse day by day and today the lower lip is even a bit swollen. I've been using chapstick and a cream prescription from several years ago when my lips got really sunburned....but since it wasn't getting any better I figured I better call. Sort of embarrassing, but I really was uncomfortable.

And, this morning, when I woke about 5:30 with lower lip burning I suddenly remembered something that happened about a week ago. I got up in the middle of the night for a quick trip to the bathroom, and while I was there I opened a drawer ( in semi-darkness) to grab a chapstick. As soon as I put it on my lower lip I thought "Oh oh....this is NOT chapstick." I had grabbed an old wart removal stick by mistake.

At the time I immediately rinsed it off...and went back to bed. But apparently I didn't wash it off well enough. I am now suffering from a chemical burn from the ingredients in the wart stick and that's why my lower lip is so sore and beginning to swell. Doctor's advice....apply Vaseline several times a day and if it gets worse call him back.

Won't my Christmas pictures be lovely! Lesson learned.....put the light on in the bathroom!

Anonymous Santa.....

The holiday season brings lots of opportunities to provide gifts for people who need a little extra help at this time of year. The Salvation Army is out with their red kettles, there are lots of places to drop off new toys for children, the mail is full of requests for donations for area non-profit organizations. The list goes on and my wallet comes out. I support several organizations with a yearly donation and then I look for other small ways to make a difference.

Our condo neighbors responded a few weeks ago with gently used coats, jackets and non-perishable foods for our local food pantry. Their generosity was on display.

Last week I watched Ellen Degeneres on a three-night holiday special "Ellen's Greatest Night of Give Aways". She and her sponsors gave out hundreds of thousands of dollars to deserving people and organizations. Frankly I watched with a box of kleenex right next to the chair! And I kept sort of thinking about it. And remembering how people go to stores and pay off lay away orders for shoppers  - as a surprise. And I decided I wanted to do a little something more personal than putting more dollar bills in the red kettles or sending another check.

So I went off to the bank to get a few bills. I took two of our extra Christmas cards, signed them with a smiley face and tucked the bills inside. I drove over to our local food pantry because I figured that families who qualified to shop there on Tuesday mornings would appreciate a little unexpected windfall.

I know it wasn't much, but I will say it made me feel really good to walk up to two different families as they left the food pantry and approached their cars. I just said "Merry Christmas", handed them the card and walked away..... each of them reacted with a jaw drop and then a "Thank you!"

And I'm happy I played Secret Santa....and I will do it again next year.

I Need Help.....

It's no secret that we own a dog....or maybe Fenway owns us??? And, as most dog owners know, these four legged family members develop a kind of routine that "governs" the day. When to go for walks, when to have a meal (always!), what to do when we are leaving (give Fen a cookie) and what to do when he wants to play.

So at least once or twice a day Fenway grabs a favorite toy and brings it to Dave and drops it on the rug. This means (in dog language) "Dad get down on the floor and toss this thing so I can run around and keep it away from you!"

One of his long time favorite toys is one we call "monkey". He's had this one for a long time.

Monkey used to have a head and four limbs....the stuffed toy parts were chewed off a long time ago. But somehow, even without the fluffy parts, Fenway loves to play with this toy. Maybe because when Dave tosses monkey it always rolls and bounces in unexpected ways and it's fun to chase.

Yesterday while playing, Dave tossed it from the den toward the dining room, and then he left the room. I was sitting on the couch and suddenly heard Fenway crying loudly from somewhere near the kitchen. I got up to investigate because he sounded serious.

I rounded the corner and found Fenway staring down into his water dish. How frustrating! He could see monkey....but he couldn't figure out how to retrieve it. Mom to the rescue.

Goofy dog.....

Tradition?

To celebrate the holiday season we went downtown with friends once again this year. We went to see stuffed animals in costume and then out to lunch. The colorful display is at the BMO Harris Bank and it really is fun to see. The bank owns a huge collection of Steiff animals and every year the crew is dressed differently to compliment a new theme. This year was "Super Heroes" (most of which we couldn't identify).

It just so happens that Dave met Phyllis and Ted at his photo club....so as we wandered through the exhibit cameras and cell phone cameras were put to good use. The shots captured tiny mice, medium size bears and huge camels and giraffes. 

So as we talked at lunch we decided this was a new "tradition" because we'd done it two years in a row. Already looking forward to next year!

Happy Holidays everyone - have fun enjoying your "old" traditions and making new ones!

100+

So it's Monday and we start the week with more impeachment hearings.....beginning at 8:00 in the morning and probably going all day. Ya da, ya da, ya da. Facts vs no facts. One side is sure that 45 abused his power and the other is challenging every comment.

But the thing that really grabbed my attention was during the news show prior to the beginning of the hearing. Between midnight on Saturday and midnight on Sunday our President sent out more than 100 tweets. That probably qualifies as a "tweet storm".

I have to wonder what sending 100+ tweets indicates about anyone's mental state. I also have to wonder just how much time that takes.....to "compose" and send 100+ tweets. Do you stay up all night? Do you sit down for a meal? Do you, as a person with a job and responsibilities, get anything else done?

100+ tweets.......it boggles the mind.

Let's see how many fly from his fingers today......

Ghost of Christmas Past....

Seventeen days and counting. Christmas 2019 is just around the corner. It's always a busy time of year, but frankly, since the "kids" are adults and grandkids are so grown up, preparing is a little simpler. No toys to buy, fewer things to wrap.....but one favorite activity continues every year. Decorating the condo with our holiday stuff. The red Santa Claus figures spread throughout add a spot of cheer and the snow ladies I made sparkle. This year they have a place of honor over the fireplace.

And included with the gals is a Christmas card we got years and years ago. It's just a favorite image....so it's framed and added to the mix.

It's a card that my cousin sent and I think we've had it framed for at least ten years. This year it did need a new frame so I found a nice one in a drawer and took the card out of the old frame. As I centered it in the matting, before taping it in place, I noticed a faded image. I never realized, or at least I'd forgotten, that Claudia and her family were "hiding" behind this smiling snowman.

Her kids were still home, none married in this photograph....but there she is, right in the center with her warm Claudia smile hitting my heart. I guess missing family members are missed even more when you celebrate special occasions. But remembering that my cousin and her much-loved family are framed and here in our condo waiting for Christmas adds a little extra specialness to this fun card.

I change the decorations a little each year, so I'm not sure where the snow ladies will land in 2020. But I'm glad they all have center stage this Christmas.

No Joke.....

So my day started with a few tears and here it is, as I watch the 5:30 national news, my eyes are full once again.

Wisconsin has had a rough week with several area high schools experiencing gun violence. And I have two grandsons whose school was in a "soft shut down" so they stayed home. A "soft shut down"...what the hell?

And the man who occupies the oval office says that the fact that articles of impeachment are being drawn up in the house of representatives is "A joke." No, it's not.....this is a sad chapter in our Country's history. It's not a joke at all.

And then I watch tonight's news and see a video of a 16 year old boy who died in a cell at the border.....he had the flu and he died in American custody. OK....he was trying to cross the border and was put in a cell....but he died.

Ah America......there is nothing funny about any of this. What the hell.....

And So It Continues......

Up at the usual time this morning.....dressed and walking Fenway by 6:45 in time to see a beautiful sunrise over Lake Michigan. Not the best photo but you get the idea.

 
The lake was calm and the wind we had yesterday gone. It was another moment when I felt grateful to be living where I do.

And then back for my coffee and the beginning of my morning GMA "fix". A few stories and some banter between the talking heads and then the show was interrupted by breaking news. The scene shifted to a room in Washington DC with Nancy Pelosi standing in front of a row of American flags. She spoke for only a few moments to announce that the house would be going ahead to draft articles of impeachment against 45.

I have to admit that I had tears in my eyes.....not that I don't think he should be impeached but that this sad journey is continuing. On and on and on.....with rancor and divisiveness no doubt the theme for the coming year.

I guess I should have remembered the words we used so often while sailing....." Red sky at morning, sailors take warning."

Slightly Tattered.....

Somewhere along the way our little family started a weird birthday "tradition". We found a crown and a banner and put them up every year for everyone's birthday. I supposed the kids were maybe in their teens so they didn't "benefit" from the decorations as much as Dave and I did. These items even found their way onto Connemara and got tucked into a small corner of the sailboat just waiting for our special days.

Now they reside in a drawer in the linen press in our living room....rolled up and tucked under the wrapping paper. The day before Dave's birthday I bring them out and after he goes to sleep I tape them up....maybe on the bathroom mirror. One year I put it across the bedroom door frame so the banner hit him in the face as he opened the door.

This year, for my birthday, I found the banner taped to the countertop on the low wall separating the kitchen from the dining room.  There is a LOT of tape residue on this Happy Birthday banner.

We no longer make each other wear the headband......

Just Dreaming.......

Sometimes I have "movie" dreams.....usually just before I wake up in the morning. Dreams that are very complex and almost complete stories. Clear as day, with conversations and people I know as main characters. One of those special dreams fired my sleeping brain waves a few days ago.

It had to do with campaigning for POTUS and the dream took place about two months prior to the election. My college freshman roommate decided to run and in her introductory speech she talked about helping the middle class and working hard for the people she would serve. (Nothing new there.) And then she made a statement that if elected she would light a candle in one upstairs window at the White House....and keep it glowing. That would be her signal that she was busy working to fulfill her campaign promises.

Talking heads made dismissive comments....but within a few days they were beginning to report that candles were showing up in windows in neighborhoods all over America. Up and down the streets....house after house a candle flickered. The candidates leading in the polls scoffed at the ever-growing glow.

Until election day....when my college roommate won and was suddenly POTUS. I woke up and actually emailed her to let her know what was in store for her. (Laughter all around.) But the dream keeps flitting around in my brain. What if, maybe not my room mate, but what if.....

Neighborly Response.....

Wisconsin winter is on the way.....or should I say it's already here. We had unseasonably cold weather  many days in late October and now during November. And we've had three snow falls so far! Area organizations put out the word that warm coats, hats and gloves are needed for our neighbors unable to purchase them for their families.

My eighth floor friend, Karen, and I decided we'd put up a little flyer in our condo building and invited anyone who cared to participate to contribute either food for our local food pantry or a gently used coat.

The response was more than heart-warming. We have really nice people living in our Lighthouse Condo building here in Port Washington. Not all of the homeowners are here during the winter (some "chicken out" and flee southward!) but those who did see our request responded very generously. I took one load over to our food pantry, Karen took another and yet the cart up on the eighth floor began to re-fill!

2019 has been a year full of rancor and division, frustration and anger. But our neighbors quietly "came together" to provide much needed assistance for those less fortunate than we are. 

A thank you to all of them.....their generosity will help dozens of Ozaukee County citizens endure the test of a Wisconsin winter.

Laughter Then Tears.....

Dave has a subscription to The Week Magazine. It was founded in the UK and gives a short synopsis of news from around the world. Two pages cover 'The world at a glance" with quick info about events in London, Istanbul, Gaza and Syndey in the most recent issue. There is a some coverage of tech news, a column titled "Wit and Wisdom" with memorable quotes. A few pages cover business and another offers obituaries and even a crossword puzzle. Dave likes it because it's a quick and pretty balanced overview. The friend who recommended it was a staunch Republican so it doesn't always lean "left"....although the coverage on 45 is pretty sharp.

I don't read it every week....just glance at it once an awhile but this morning, with my first cup of coffee, I picked up this week's issue and quickly paged through it. Now I don't usually laugh out loud when I read (with the exception of books by Nora Ephron or Anna Quinlen) but this morning I did and almost spit coffee all over my lap. First was this cartoon that made me smile.

And then there was this paragraph in the Good week for section. The magazine let it's readers know that it was a good week for "Ivanka Trump, who has single-handedly created 14 million jobs since 2017, a senior White House official (her father) boasted in a speech. This means that Ivanka deserves credit for a staggering 233 percent of the six million U.S. jobs created during this period."

That's the part that made me laugh out loud. Math has never been my strong suit....but this struck me as really funny. I used my calculator and figured that she must have created 8 million jobs somewhere else....maybe China?

But then I made the "mistake" of listening to NPR's This American Life while driving to and from the grocery store. The hour covered immigrants at the Mexican/American border and the tens of thousands send back to Mexico under new asylum procedures. The reporter was visiting a huge camp just into Mexico and describing the conditions. I won't go into every detail of the whole hour, I hope some of you will find the podcast and listen to today's broadcast on your own. Lots of sad details to cram into my brain....one that really struck me was that there were five portable toilets in the camp where 250 were needed. The toilets fill up within five hours.....so residents of the camps go off into surrounding woods when nature calls. And when it rains the waste comes down the hills and into the camp. The health problems that result are never ending and serious. According to one of the health care workers at the camp (who had served in refugee camps around the world) these conditions were the worst she'd ever seen.

So I come home and walk into my condo and stop in my first bathroom....the one with the bath tub and the ceramic tile and the working toilet and the sink with running water. It makes my eyes damp....and thinking about our "master bath" with it's walk-in shower, jacuzzi tub, double sink and working toilet just finished me. My eyes were no longer damp....they were teary.

From laughter to tears within two hours....all due to 45. Thanks for that......

Lake Sculpture.....

Most of the Country is having a colder-weather-than-usual spell....and Wisconsin certainly is no exception. Our November started out bitterly cold and way too snowy. But yesterday and this morning, when temperatures reached the 30's it felt positively spring-like.

Walking Fenway early this morning along the shore I was reminded that Lake Michigan is busy creating reminders of our cold weather just past....and the fact that much more is to come. The wind was from the southeast so waves were breaking on the shore and spray was hitting the rocks. We've seen amazing ice formations before...but these three early efforts caught my eye as we walked past.

There is beauty to be found in "our" lake at all times of year, and beauty in the ice sculptures she makes for me....I'm honestly just not ready for this creativity yet. Oh well....

The Friends You Keep.....

Dave and I raised two kids....now accomplished adults with families of their own. They were basically really "good kids", did well in school, didn't break too many family "rules", did their chores,  interacted with us (except maybe during some of the teenage days) with smiles. We loved them and they loved us. And we enjoyed watching them grow and reach each milestone and go on to be self-sufficient and successful adults.

This week, as I watch the impeachment hearings on TV and just heard other news that Roger Stone was found guilty on all seven accounts against him, I remember some of the things we told our kids as they grew and spread their wings. They each had a nice circle of friends....almost all of whom were also "good kids". But each had one, during their grade school and/or high school years) that made our parental radar go on high alert. These were the kids that just didn't seem to be walking the same path that we hoped ours would follow. They were the kids that we invited to spend time with our kids but at our house so we could sort of supervise. And, as I look back, these questionable friendships sort of wore out as both our son and our daughter realized that time spent with them seemed to cause friction and problems with us and for them. (And our radar proved correct.)

So, as I've watched 45's actions since his election a quote kept running through my mind...one about the friends you choose. I googled and found it was Aesop who said "A man is known by the company he keeps."

Over and over again it seems to me that 45 has surrounded himself with a lot of friends with very "stretchy" ethics.....and they reflect his seeming lack of principal. I remind myself that it's hard for me to be objective because the man makes my skin crawl....but maybe that's my parental "radar" that's been on alert since he started his run for the White House.

"A man is known by the company he keeps." .... and the company HE keeps is less than stellar.

An Afternoon Matinee.....

On Saturday Dave and I went to our local cinema to see "Midway". Based on a true story, the Japanese attack on Midway Island and the American plan to turn the tide of war in the Pacific, it was an amazing film. And a hard one to watch. The tension begins to build from the opening scenes focusing on the unexpected attack on Pearl Harbor and it doesn't end until the final credits. I found myself half covering my eyes at some points and holding back tears over and over again.

And it seems to me, looking back a few days later, that it was a perfect movie to see just prior to Veterans Day. It made me think about my dad and my uncle, both serving in the Navy in the Pacific. They were on different ships. The only story Dad ever mentioned (or someone in the family did) was that his was one of the first ships to dock near Hiroshima after the bomb. He never, never described what he saw there, but we had a small Japanese sculpture standing on our bookcase at home. It was about eight inches tall and sort of "melted". He brought it home with him.

And the only story I ever heard about my uncle was that, as a pilot, he was shot down and obviously rescued. Again.....no details were ever shared. I only remember him saying that he'd never eat canned pineapple again because he'd had so much of it while serving in the Navy.

Watching the battle scenes portrayed in the movie I wondered over and over again....just how does anyone find the courage to do what those men did? How do you fly toward a Japanese battleship and keep on going with full scale anti-aircraft bullets and flak flying up to greet you. How does anyone complete the mission?

At the very end the credits showed a photo of the actor portraying each of the main characters and then the photo of the real man who served....and the story of what happened to him after the battle at Midway.

A handful of brave men turned the tide....and the movie does them justice. But it's so hard to watch, so hard to think about, so hard to see the film show how many didn't make it home.

A salute to all of our Veterans who serve in any capacity. And a salute to the people who brought this one story to the screen in 2019.

Novembruary........

Brrrrr.......I am just so not ready for this. Our weather has turned bitterly cold...this after a not-much-to-cheer-about short fall season. We've had two snow falls already and with the wind chill I walk out side into single digit temperatures. Ugh.

The national weather map shows that this unseasonably cold weather stretches over much of the country so I'm not alone in my "I'm not ready mood." But....I do have warm clothes to put on, layers and layers at this point. We have a warm and cozy condo so I can stay in with a cup of coffee and look out at the snow on the ground. I can take the car out of our heated garage to run errands or connect with friends.

So, in an attempt to remind myself that I should stop the complaining because I can't change the weather I took myself off to Goodwill. I purchased about ten winter parkas (gently used but still nice) and some scarves and a few knit hats. Some for kids...others for adults.

Tuesday they go to our local food pantry so that some of my Ozaukee County neighbors who might need a little assistance staying warm this winter can get a little anonymous help.

Sigh....is it really only November??? Or as our local weathermen are calling it "Novembruary"!

Just Hanging On.....

One of my typical walks with Fenway is out to the lakefront path and around behind the bandshell. I like to look at the water and Fen likes to sniff all the fun-dog-scents along the way. There are lots of trees and bushes for him to claim.

As we round the corner and head along the bluff toward Lake Street I always notice this one birch tree that seems to be leaning farther and farther toward the south. It's bending more and more. The roots are on the hillside and seem to be slowly giving away. I have to wonder just how much longer it can "hang on"?

I have to admit that Fen and I walk a little more quickly until we've passed under this birch....and I won't be surprised to round the corner some day to find it lying across the road. "Determination" can only go so far......

A Unique Celebration......

October is birthday month in our family. Dave's is the 28th,  our third grandson celebrates on the 30th and our oldest grandson celebrates on the 31st. We can't get to Washington State to help #1 blow out his 22 candles, but our "local" grandson lives in West Bend so he and his family got to join us on Sunday for lunch.

It was a casual gathering with a Halloween theme birthday cake from the grocery store. Before I went  to buy it Dave reminded me to get candles. I stated that there was no way I could put 73 candles on a cake plus we were sharing it with a grandson about to turn 17. If I added all those the cake would melt before I got them all lit!

His answer, "Get the ones that are numbers....a one, a three and a seven." So I did. And Dave put them on the cake....the one next to the seven followed by the three.

A specific birthday and this idea worked. I did the math for next year, when Evan will be 18....but that's no good because Dave won't be 84!!! So maybe this only happens once and this was the year??? I won't go back through the calendar to check, but it was fun to watch them try to cooperate as they made wishes and blew out the flames. Dave told Evan to blow out the "one" and he would do the "three" and they'd both aim for the "seven".

Not sure if that really happened....but it was fun to catch the moment! Happy Birthday to two of my special "boys".

So Change Comes.....

Walking Fenway one morning this week I noticed the sky. The clouds were cutting northeast and the line created in the blue was very distinct. I watched it as the front moved quickly and it, once again, reminded me of just how much we monitored the weather while living on Connemara. "Red sky at night, sailor's delight. Red sky at morning, sailors take warning!" We would have watched this cloud formation and then gone to our radio to check forecasts. Change was coming.

And this morning I opened my Facebook page to be greeted by the smiling face of a friend I left behind in Delaware. But not for a good reason. I was taken aback to realize I was reading her obituary.....and, even though we hadn't seen each other in years, and only kept in touch via comments on Facebook, I felt so sad. I felt the loss and remembered her and the time we spent together.

Quilting brought us our friendship. Dave and I lived in Old New Castle and she lived in Newark. We both belonged to the same guild that met in Newark and a smaller group that gathered once a month or so to make "ugly quilts" for the homeless. She had a great smile, a wonderful laugh and was a warm and caring woman. I can only imagine how much she will be missed by her husband, daughter, family, friends. and community. And me.....from afar.

She was born in 1944 so was only two years older than I am. That fact also hit me.....time passing and changes coming. Inevitable.

My condolence card will go in the mail tomorrow. It's not much but it will remind her loved ones that her reach went much farther than the small state of Delaware. A toast to my friend Sara Jane.....you made an impression and a difference.

Shades......

I've spent a lot of time driving around our area over the past few days....errands and a meeting and other stuff that put me behind the wheel. And it's obvious that fall is here in Wisconsin. We may not have the dramatic jaw-dropping scenes we find when we travel west and we don't have the drop-dead beauty of the hilly areas in New England as their trees boast a change in palette. But Wisconsin has it's own quiet catch-your-eye scenes.

I've finding new colors at every turn....and enjoying them while they are here. Our reds, oranges, golds and browns combine to make the neighborhood look different and sort of "new".

Vines on a wall....leaves on the sidewalk.

Single trees shouting "Look at ME!" It's a lovely time of year....color before the grey and white that we see for the winter months. I wish this colorful calendar would last a bit longer.

             

Nothing.....

I enjoy my little blog...I've always enjoyed writing. I started with a daily diary and kept that up through college. I wrote letters to my family and friends for years....in the old days before email and text and all the new technology.

And I really do enjoy pondering about things as I move through my day and putting random thoughts to "paper" to do this blog. But I've been "dry" for days now. Just nothing coming together in my brain as I walk Fenway, or drive around town, or listen to the radio or TV. Nothing....at least nothing that I really want to think about or organize or share.

So I'll just trust that my little muse will show up again.....before too long....

So If I Don't "Love" It.....

Sadly America's recent past has been filled with disturbing images of people shouting and sneering and yelling at fellow citizens. The news shares obsessive chants and ugly rhetoric.....coming from "on high". Our fearless (fearful) leader seem to encourage the hate....and then, as usual, backs off with some weird statement that doesn't make much sense. At a recent rally in Minneapolis I saw the crowd sitting on the stands framing 45 as he went on his disorganized rant. It really disturbed me to see children cheering and pumping their fists at each of 45's "point the finger and blame the other guy" statements. Children.....pre-teens.....

It's the love-it-or-leave-it crowd at its worst.....at least to my way of thinking. And there was another person ejected from a rally the other day because he was wearing a t-shirt in support of Colin Kaepernick. Get out.....no freedom of speech allowed at a 45 rally.

So I began thinking, again, about words and their meanings. I think about the individuals who scream "Love it or leave it!" In other words, if you don't "love" the USA, get out. Or rather, if you disagree with what they think....get out. So I began to wonder, do I love the USA?

Off to the dictionary to check some definitions. What does the word "country" mean? According to the dictionary it is a noun used to describe "a nation with its own government, occupying a particular territory." So it's a physical place.  The word "love" is a noun. According to the dictionary it means "an intense feeling of deep affection". I associate the word with people...and very close, personal connections. I don't associate "love" with Country. And then what about the word "proud"....am I proud to be an American?? To live in America??  Off to google again and the on-line dictionary. I find that "proud" is an adjective meaning "a feeling or deep pleasure or satisfaction derived from one's own achievements, the achievements of those with whom one is closely associated, or from qualities or possessions that are widely admired." Somewhat confusing, but again I guess I associate the word "proud" with personal achievements....for me it's people oriented.

So I don't use the words "love" and "proud" with America....or my commitment to my Country. I realize I do feel very fortunate to be an American and lucky to have been born here and lived my 72+ years in comfort. I've taken my citizenship for granted....not spending much time thinking about our Constitution and the freedoms it provides me.

I'm not doing that so much any more.....the man currently occupying the oval office basically makes me cringe every time he opens his mouth and utters some strange sentence. He frightens me. He makes me worry about America's place in the world....and where we will be in the future. I think he is completely unqualified for his position and has not gathered knowledgable people to help him with his decisions.

So if I can't say I love America....does that mean I should pack up and leave?? According to many people, probably yes. But guess what....I'm staying. America's not perfect and there are many, many areas that need improvement/attention/change. My vote will be my voice....and I'll hope that, in the future, I will be able to say I am very proud of my Country. At this very moment in time.....not so much.

I Make A Prediction.....

I expect to hear it any day now...."I hardly knew the man. I only saw him a few times."

So the drum beat continues.

Here Comes the Sun.....

Our weather is changing and fall is fast approaching. Still, this morning was lovely....calm, warm-ish and beautiful. Fenway and I have been waking up a bit early, so we were out the door at 6:30 and in time to turn toward Lake Michigan and enjoy a beautiful sunrise.

We walked fast because I wanted to get to the shoreline and the view changes by the second.

The sun was hiding somewhere just below the horizon and then just behind the cloud cover....but she still painted a beautiful picture.  I was distracted for a moment by two deer grazing at the edge of the parking lot.

Got a "fuzzy" cell phone shot before they bolted up the hillside....white tails flagging an alarm. And then I glanced back to the lake to see this....

I can understand how many earlier cultures and civilizations looked to the sun as god....she brings light and warmth in the morning....and beauty as well.

Ribbons.....

After an RV trip west we are back to central time and it's getting dark earlier and earlier every night. Also early morning walks offer a new view.....of "our" Lake Michigan. Fenway and I headed out about 6:45 this morning for his first morning "business"...the quick walk before breakfast.

It was cool enough that I needed a jacket, so I grabbed my mom's lightweight coat from the closet. The grey/green one with a hood that I took from her closet after she died. Every time I put it on it's like a "hug"....even though it's been years since our final goodbye. Fen and I did a quick walk toward the lake and then back home. The low ridge of clouds across the lake showed pink where the sun was starting to peek up. No camera or phone with me....no photo.

But coming home later in the day I noticed that the wind off the water gave me ribbons of color stretching from the horizon to the shore. White caps and blues and greens and even browns. The shallow area just off the beach is bottom sand kicking up and turning the water into an unappealing brown.....but just look....the colors of the water change every day. Some days are just more complex than others.

I so appreciate living near water....this big body of water....it is different every time I see it.

A Valiant Effort.....

The past two days of our latest RV adventure provided us with our most difficult driving conditions. Coming across Wyoming’s Great Basin and into Nebraska we were greeted with strong winds....from the southish so it was hitting our RV on the side and pushing us all over the road. A bit frightening when passing or being passed by a semi! We took turns trading off for shorter white-knuckle turns at the wheel....but the driving really was tiring.

Our mid-day rest stop off the highway mid-way through Nebraska gave us a chance to stretch our legs and just relax as we leaned into the wind. A plaque at the rest stop pointed out the tracks in the soil left by the pioneers who headed to Oregon in covered wagons. I couldn’t help but think how hard that must have been....heat, wind and rain. We are traveling 65 mph and they were lucky to cover 30 miles in a day.

As I walked around I noticed a butterfly. It would flutter around.....trying to make headway and then “give up” and land back on the ground cover and flutter its wings. It was not a day to be a butterfly.....

......I hope this beautiful black swallowtail makes it to its destination. We did...a motel in Ames, Iowa!

The Count.....

One of the main reasons I love to travel out west is to see the wildlife. I find it interesting, fascinating and so amazing to see non-midwest-wildlife sort of face to face (even if it’s as we race by at 60 mph). Dave and I keep a list.....and grab photos of as many of the surprise encounters as we can.

The prairie dogs and the stellar jay and the pronghorn and the red squirrels. Wild turkeys and mule deer.

Dave (the guy who HATES snakes) saw one, and we spotted magpies and got a kick out of the noisy raven.

Arriving in Yellowstone I spot my favorites, the bison....I never get tired of watching these amazing animals. A spring trip to the park let us enjoy all the new born calves....but even seeing the adults just floats my boat!

We spot mule deer and swans, chipmunks and geese. We spot three different  hawks dive on their prey.  A beautiful , healthy coyote crosses the road as we pass. A trip to Lamar Valley and we finally see a grey wolf and watch a small group of pronghorn react to its presence. Binoculars glued to our eyeballs!

Dave catches a shot of a black bear....can you see it’s ear? And a black bear with a much more brownish coat.

And the last big catch of the trip came just before driving into Jackson Hole.....wow!