Category: Uncategorized

Vitamin Sea

    
    If your head isn’t spinning yet from all the vitriol and ridiculousness and continuing bullshittery that is our current situation in these Un-United States (how did we get to this – I’ll say it one more time, We Are Better Than This… oh please let us find our way to a better place, and soon, all of us)…..  then you come from some sturdy stock.   My fibromyalgia has been in flare in recent weeks and I’m pretty sure it’s because I’m getting far too worked up over things I cannot change. Truly I need to just set it down and walk away from it –  we’ve all heard the serenity prayer, right?… 
  This version even better – 
   Fat chance unknotting knickers, but.. baby steps.  So this weekend we made a concerted effort to stay the hell away from the headlines and just enjoy what’s around us –  here on the farm, down at the cottage and a little lunch date excursion to the seaside town of Stonington, CT –    Staying off topic is no easy feat, as the Mr. and I are polar opposites on the political spectrum.  Not in all things, but Tr*mp and his rhetoric make the differences seem as wide as the Grand Canyon’s divides. 
Anyway!…  The Dog Watch Cafe – I’ve written about it before – if you’re in CT or driving through – it’s a lovely waterfront cafe run and staffed by friendly people with a delicious menu.  Best fish & chips we’ve ever had, but there’s so much more to their fare.  Have you ever heard of short rib and onion stuffed ravioli?  Me either – and it was delish!   And just look at all those flowers…. 

  New to me – these paint splattered petunias. Not sure what their real name is but they’re beautiful –

 The town itself is lovely – all sea captains homes, lovely cottages, row houses, and some old  huge homes and buildings made into condo complexes that are just gorgeous… 
  The peach roses and purple clematis at this cottage were stunning – the picture doesn’t do them justice. 

 Note the Little Free Library on the bottom right of this photo… there were several around town, a concept  I absolutely love.  Reinforces what is good in people.  Encourages reading, knowledge, kindness. 

This brick building with slate roof is much larger than it looks in this picture, stretching down to the water behind it, converted into beautiful condos (OMG the prices though) .  Click HERE for a listing available right now…

    Below is the Cavalry Church, built in the 1800’s.  I’m not religious – but in doing a little research on the impressive stone building, I came across their message – This is the type of message I think all religions and worshippers should embody.  Unfortunately it’s not always the case.


Welcome to Calvary Church, Stonington–we hope you will come visit us in our “Church by the Sea.”   We are a caring community of faith seeking to share the love of God in our life together with one another, and in our support and care for those in need in the world around us.  All are welcome here. Calvary is made up of members young and old, with many new to this community of faith–“whoever you are, from wherever you have come, you are welcome here.” 

  We found a little seaside park that is also a preserve with walking paths and benches.  They’ve installed some beautiful native flowers, bird and butterfly habitats – this split rail fence adorned with some beautiful vine art by a neighbor of the preserve  – the vine pattern goes for at least 10 lengths of fence. 

   Mom had a visit from three of her long time friends – I call them The Golden Girls. Their long standing friendship of many years  and their kindnesses to each other and our family is inspirational.   Here they are, visiting Stella by the Sea – and I’m so grateful they got to “sea” her.   Her doors are always open should they decide to stay for a spell. 
  It’s a glorious morning here on the farm – this photo taken an hour ago as the sun rose.  The three amigos, all getting on in years, living a good retirement life. I wish the same for all of us. 
    Miss Sally, one of my two southern rescue Georgia peaches, is learning to like our rides in the Jeep when we go to the cottage.  As long as I let her stand on the arm rest where she can lean in  and drool all over my shoulder,  she’s learned that every little thing is gonna be OK.  Sometimes  if we’re paying attention, we can learn a thing or two from our animals, don’t ya know.  This isn’t lost on me… 
   
Have a good day, all – and thank you for stopping by. 

Yes, I do care

     I am so tired of all the in-your-face bullshit. Truly- what has happened to this country? For the First Lady of the United States to purposely wear a cheap shot jacket that says I don’t Really care, Do U? … at any time! Let alone when she’s heading out to visit children in a holding center- is thoroughly disgusting. My God- This act was intentional and obnoxious- there is no other way to see it. Anyone who condones this new norm- this *fuck decency and *fuck truth- is selling us all out. I don’t care what your political affiliation or stance on issues- this goes beyond that. 


     Such a bizarre allegiance, We are better than this. We are better than this.


The One Without A Post Title…

 .. because sometimes it just doesn’t come to you. And this one’s a real rambler – Got coffee? 
    We had a wonderful Father’s Day down at the cottage.  My guy hardly ever takes a day off. His work ethic is why we have the nice things we have, but as I say often and more frequently lately…. what good is all that hard work/effort if you don’t get to enjoy it?    I’m happy to report the Mr. spent most of the day relaxing at the shore, a much needed reprieve and reward for the most dedicated and loving father I could have ever asked for for  my children. 
When we pull around that corner onto our cottage road, it’s like taking a deep cleansing breath.  
     Last week I painted the steps that go down into the water.  Throughout the summer they get coated with algae, etc. and become very slippery.  I scrubbed them with baking soda and that helped, but it had to be done regularly and it was just one more thing to do.  A neighbor a few cottages down used boat bottom paint with sand mixed in to paint his steps. The result is a sandpapery surface, non-slip.  So, I bought a gallon of the stuff – ($150!!??) and painted the steps – the blue is a bit outlandish – but there aren’t many choices in boat bottom paint colors.  It works like a charm. 
    Then.. on Sunday my son blew up the inflatable four person raft and I am proud to report I dropped my first anchor –  yes I did. I waded out there with anchor, chain, float thing and ropes, sunk it good in the muck… kicked another anchor in the process… ick…. (the cove is an anchor graveyard) … and we proceeded to pop the float as we pulled it over the cedar railing.  *sigh.  Stuck some tape on it…. and tested it out… 

    The tape held and I went back out there yesterday with a pool patch kit – hopefully that will be that. I’ll keep you posted. 
   As for my own father on Father’s Day – my sister came to visit and took him out to lunch, so I was relieved of duty and yes, that sounds as awful to me as it probably does to you.   I’ll stop by today with his gift, and bring him anything he needs.  It will always feel like a chore in some ways, and that’s not an easy truth for me to admit, but it is what it is.  He is not an evil person in any way – he’s just devoid of the type of normal emotions or actions or whatever it is I’m searching for  that one would want to have with a parent.  If you look up the term narcissist, that’ him in a nutshell.   Being a devoted daughter to a narcissist father is something I don’t describe well and it doesn’t come naturally,  in fact I’m still coming to terms with the feelings that accompany it but at least there is far less anger now.  That’s good for my own health, never mind his. 
   So, on Father’s Day I reveled in time spent with my guy and our children and my mom – whom has in some ways been both parents for my sister and I and grandparent to my children. 
 Let me just put some high praise here for her mean, clean, refreshing, rejuvenating summer elixir of a gin and tonic… 

     On the better health front… I continue the light weight training, walking, kayaking, and attempts at better food choices.  I say “attempts” because I still cheat with pizza or a cupcake but I’m getting better at it, dropping some weight and toning up.   Don’t ever give in just because you’re not perfect.  No one is perfect, no one gets it’s right 100 percent of the time.  FUCK PERFECT – am I clear?   I’m going to share with you a photo of my 61 year old friend, a personal trainer who is brutally honest in her own trials and tribulations and I think she gets it absolutely right on aging well and being kind to yourself – and NEVER GIVING UP. 
 Yep – this is  Joey at 61, pretty amazing – not claiming perfection, not a care free life – she’s had her share of  woes and  tended agining and ill parents , raised three kids and mended a sick  child and husband and worries about finances and health  and suffers injuries and and and… … 
  Her words on a recent FB post –    “Coming up on the end of my 61st year (for those not in the know, your birthday makes the end of a year not the beginning) meaning I’ll be 61 but in my 62nd year of life. I continue to persist in the fight against aging with the biggest tool in the box – strength training. Add a few short cardio bursts and a restorative class like stretch or yoga each week and you’ve done your best. Never give up!”  Another Joey gem –   “I think people get unhappy with progress and give up, but it’s a disservice to their future health and mobility, hence deterioration.  KEEP MOVING. 
     
  So yeah.. we can all find excuses.  And sometimes – especially with fibromyalgia pain! … it just doesn’t feel awesome to keep moving – but we must. Life and the effort we have to put into it is worth every extra step taken –  Just do it.  


      Have a good week, all – sharing a NOT GOOD FOR YOU pie recipe, because hey I already told you I ain’t shooting for perfection and what says Summer is Coming 💦🍈 better than a Lemonade Pie, I ask you…. 
*not my picture or recipe – recipe link below… 
         Lemonade Pie


Have a good week, all –  




Little Gems with big impact

    With summer just around the corner, gardening on the farm and that little bit I do at the cottage by the sea is in full swing. 






    Mowing happens weekly,  weeding happens almost daily – and here’s what I discovered about that… It’s much easier to take a four prong rake and simply claw through the soil in a garden regularly than bend over and hand pick out weeds now and then.  I suck at the hand picking, because I get lazy about it and it gets, well.. out of hand.  The frequent raking is so much easier.  And the plants love the “aired out” soil.  



      As I do that little chore I remember how I learned this simple technique –  wise words of an old farmer friend, Louie.  He was a master gardener, and he kept his secrets close to the vest.  Now and then he’d toss us a gem. One of those was… “you like to breathe, don’t you?  Well… so do the plants.”  79 year old Louie passed years ago, suddenly, out in his garden.  A sad day. A post on the old gardener, HERE.  



   Living on a farm, but not having grown up on one… takes work,  mistakes happen, and a readjustment of the sails is needed, frequently.   We’ve had a small horse farm for 30 years – but only for the last 8 have we lived here at This Old House among fields of hay.  It had pretty much gone to the weeds when we acquired the property – How many of you knew that growing hay isn’t as simple as letting the grass get really really long and then cutting it?  (we didn’t).  Indeed.. there is a whole science to growing good feed hay and even mulch hay or cow feed hay (which has different requirements than horse hay)  – from the type of seed you plant, to the ridding of unwanted and even toxic weeds, to the amount of sun and rain available that season, to the number of DRY days strung together so you can cut it at the right time, toss it, let it dry, toss it again, and get it baled up and off the fields before the rain comes.  Then there’s the baling or rolling. 

   We’ve just started our first cutting – a little late due to the number of rainy and cold  days we’ve had.  What we notice this year is we added in too much clover in a few sections of some of the fields…   Clover molds up easily in hay bales – and mold in a hay bale means you throw it out instead of feeding it.  Cows and their multiple stomachs have more tolerance for crap hay than horses do, but with horses you don’t want colic (bad stomach ache that can turn deadly) … so you throw out any bales that are iffy.  That costs money. 




    You learn as you grow. 

    Speaking of learning – on the better health front, I’ve discovered having lived with fibromyalgia for a while now, two things are very important to anyone living with chronic pain.  

     First – despite the pain you feel daily,  KEEP MOVING. Unless of course you’re actually injuring yourself more. (your doctor can direct you)   It really does help you feel better and keeps you mobile.  My cousin has a severe form of arthritis, has since he was very young.  He gets regular IV infusions of a strong drug that helps him keep going.  And keep going he does –  having just completed a 70 mile mountain bike ride.  He is my hero.   As for me, I’ve been light weight training out in the gym, hiking with the dogs, kayaking occasionally and walking/running on the tread mill when the hiking is hindered by weather or heat.   
     
     Secondly –  what you put in your mouth matters.   Besides the increased exercise I’ve also been trying to eat better – I know after several attempts over the years to conform to certain diets,  I’m just not gonna stick to it.  What I can do is be more conscientious about what I put in my mouth.  It really and truly is all about what you put in your mouth.  The icing is the exercise but it all starts with consumption. 



  Something else I feel very strongly about –  A good way to bring more joy to your own life, to feel a sense of accomplishment,  for better mental health and a connection to your community, a connection to people in general, and a way to focus on the positive aspects of life instead of being dragged down into the swamp muck that also exists –  is to be a part of the good works going on out there.  Volunteer in whatever  capacity you are able – don’t ever doubt that even the smallest outreaches have value.  Every drop in the ocean contributes to that ocean. 

    I was recently the recipient of the Melvin Jones Fellow Award given by the Lions Club International in our community for my humanitarian contributions in our little town.   What an inspirational evening it was, with my family in attendance.  To be among like minded people who are so giving of themselves, so caring and motivated to make change for the better in our community and in society itself is uplifting.  It makes the other not so pleasant “stuff” of life seem not so imposing, looming, dooming.   This doesn’t mean you have to commit to joining a club, either –  I am not a Lion.   


    Some easy ideas – Got grain bags? Collect the discarded ones and give them to someone who recycles them into tote bags. Recycling is an awesome thing to do for our environment.  Got stuff you don’t need or wear anymore?  Give to the local Salvation Army or Good Will.  Volunteer at the local dog shelter once a week – walk a dog, get in your exercise- win win.  Love books?  Got a volunteer local library?  Take a shift.  Donate Blood.  Like to knit?  Make hats for the homeless, make lap blankets for those who live in a local nursing home.  Bake for the church events, the fire house events.  Join the walks at the Relay for Life events held around the nation.   It’s awesome if you’re financially well off enough that you can give monetary donations to causes you believe in, but that doesn’t have to be the case.  Your time, your caring contributions are just as valuable. 




  When I saw this picture after the event I said – Jeez, Karen – go get a haircut. And so I did. 


 Side note:   The sharing of these pics is not intended to imply that I believe I’m – all that- in any way.  But I have learned to appreciate all that is good about me, instead of the laser focus I used to have on all that is not perfect.  What a perfect waste of time.  If you’re doing that to you, stop the nonsense.   Take stock of your strengths and nourish them. Encourage the art of looking for the good, in you and in others.  The ripple effect, ya know – that drop in the ocean?  yeah. 





  So about that hair cut – Another tip that was passed along to me and I’ll share with you.  I’m not one to fuss a heck of a lot with the aging experience or make up and hair.  I’m hoping like everyone else that  I stick around for along while and age gracefully and naturally.  I love LOOONG hair, but for most of us it’s not particularly flattering to just let it grow out and hang there, drab and without decent shape.  That ages us.  I’m lazy about going to the hairdresser, admittedly.  There’s no doubt, though, when I get in there and tell them to lift me up, indeed they do.   So take care of yourself in the little ways that help us appreciate who we are and what we have.  It matters. 



  A shout out to my niece, who graduated from Uconn… and landed a job in their finance department!  Yesterday the family gathered at The Mansion at Bald Hill in Woodstock, CT to celebrate her accomplishment and future success – 


 




 



    

Thanks for stopping by – 





Goose Rocks and Cottage Gardens

  My son walked into the kitchen a few afternoons ago and asked if I’d like to go kayaking at the cove.     Are ya kidding? Let’s go! ….  I think if your grown children enjoy spending time with you now and again, you’ve done something right in life, just sayin.

Inside Joshua Cove… 



  It was a gloriously warm spring evening and we paddled out to a small island of rocks that sits about a 15 minute paddle beyond the mouth of our cove in Long Island Sound.  The water was like glass as we made our way – the sun shining down, warming our shoulders – gulls overhead chattering away and the soft clank of a distant buoy joined the birds conversation.  I only know this last part because the boy described it to his hearing impaired mother – he is a kind one. 💕
Heading out to Goose Rocks … or Goose Island as it’s officially called… 



       As we approached the cluster of rocks I wondered how we’d climb aboard  but my son assured me there is a very convenient landing consisting of millions of shells that have washed ashore.  Indeed there was… 
    For such a beautiful night, there were very few boaters out in the water. It was if we had the Sound to ourselves for a brief while.  M had an eagle eye, collecting a large assortment of sea glass and shards of pottery.  They say when you find pottery pieces, it’s possible they are from cottages lost to storms along the coast. 

 Mermaid scale? 
 The beginning of the Thimble Islands out in the distance… 
    After sea glass hunting and some deep breathing and  admiration for the beauty around us, we paddled back to shore, worn yet rejuvenated.  Kayaking in the salt air and water does that to you – tires you out and refreshes you at the same time. 
    Added to the beauty of the sea are the cottage gardens and wildflowers along the little roads – The island is full of spring blooms …..
     

  
 Because we of the 140 or so cottages share this 300 acre “island” with a herd of cows, they occasionally escape their pasture and come calling…  perhaps the grass is greener on the salty side? 
   
*thank you to those who acknowledged their view on the previous post.  Politics (and religion!) are not easy topics to discuss and it doesn’t always feel safe to express opinions.   While I’ve been trying to avoid the subject for the most part, it doesn’t always feel right to just say or do nothing.  There is great power in communication.   And.. there’s great power in the vote.  Get out and vote at every opportunity – just that. 
Have a good weekend, all –  

Booting the Reboot

      I applaud ABC for giving Roseanne the ax yesterday after her thoroughly disgusting  racist rant – (one of many).  Apparently decency is still capable of trumping money (high ratings) and that’s heartening.    To think the President’s son retweets her vile assaults is dumbfounding – literally.  Her brand of “humor” is poisonous. It’s a shame she dragged the entire cast down with her. 
    Of course, the President himself has not said anything on the subject since the firing, but how could he, when he displays the same behaviors himself.   Indeed, his hateful, deceitful, fake news filled speeches and twitter rants are vomiting all over what remains of any decency in our country.  I don’t care what party you identify with, and I am branded by none – what he represents is the worst humanity has to offer.  He is not America First. For if he truly was, he would not be fanning the flames of division and bold faced lying to the American people over… and over.. again.  It’s as if he’s just throwing sh*t everywhere to see what will stick.  Deny till you die is his apparent MO – and even when caught outright in those lies, he just moves on.  If you aren’t enraged at the very least that a US President thinks we are so stupid we will eat anything he says regardless of what the actual truth is, I got nothing.  It’s mind blowing. 
    There is a reason hate groups are invigorated by Tr*mps speeches. He encourages them. He gives everyone permission to be an assh*le.   He is so ill suited to the office he holds in so many ways – his Memorial Day speech was nothing but shameful self promotion.   And I doubt those who have lost loved ones in wars are thinking it’s a Happy Memorial Day, Nice!!.   So out of touch with reality.  As for his tweet regarding Democrats ripping kids out of their families arms, supporting thugs?  *sigh…. Right now, it’s you, Tr*mp.  You.  Enough with the lies, enough with the hate speeches.  
     Another truth – not fake news – All parties have their good and bad ideas, policy and intention. By repeatedly attacking each other and furthering the divide, we all lose. WE ALL LOSE.  How are we missing that most important and straight forward message?  In the end, no one wins when we don’t work together.  This post isn’t about policy – we shouldn’t have to give up truths, decency and simple respect to improve on what is and has been ill within  our governance. 

Decency and respect matters.  It Matters. 

#NotMyPresident

Sea Dogs

   Last year when Sally first arrived on transport from Georgia, she was a tiny little thing and nervous to boot – understandable given her journey from dumped shelter puppy to rescue to transport to my open arms. 
Her rescue angel – Dana 
This was the morning she was put on transport in Georgia
to come live with us, her forever family in CT
On the other end, 24 hours later – in New Haven, CT
where there were many tears of joy…
These ladies are amazing – they work for Grateful Doggies Transport
and drive through the night, stopping to check on and water 
and walk their charges – as they drop them off 
at various stops along the East Coast Corridor
to the waiting arms of their forever homes. 
   We started bringing Sally down to the shore right away because we wanted her to feel comfortable there too.  The first few visits were a big deal for her and she was frightened of the water.  She’s still nervous on the car ride down, but she has adjusted really well, at a year old now, to our “other” home.  I take both Frasier and Sally with me more often than not, while Ben and Bailey stay home.  Ben, our Dane,  is just too darn big at 186 pounds, and little Bailey is older and nervous in new environments so we let them guard the house while we are at the cottage.  M and I don’t yet stay overnight at Stella because I’ve got horses, dogs and chickens to tuck in at night and feed in the morning.  Mom stays for weeks at a time and some day we will live there during the summer – when the farm has less demands of our time.
Sally inspects the oyster beds at low tide.
These are submerged at high tide, and we have to be careful where we step
(water shoes a must) when we swim or go clamming.   
    Sally still thinks swimming is a terrible idea and prefers to hunt among the rocks along shore, but Frasier is a real Salty Dog – he loves the water, lays right down in it to cool off,  and occasionally comes for a kayak ride with me. 
      Speaking of boats –  Ruby and I took our first glide through cove waters on Saturday, an absolutely glorious day here in Connecticut… and it felt so good to have the sun on my face, the cool water at my fingertips.  We hugged the shore because the winds were beginning to pick up and there was some chop, a prequel to yesterday’s rains. 
   A little about “Ruby” –  I’ve tried some kayaks over the years, some fancy models, some cheapos  too – and by far, the best as far as tracking and stability and just plain ease of use and fun is my Necky Manitou Sport – I think I’ve had her for about 8-10 years now.  She’s a little heavy compared to some other models you can buy – but when you get a lighter version, you have less stability. For me it’s not worth the sacrifice to have a lighter “haul” to get her into the water.  If you are in the market for a recreational  kayak of your own and you’re not going to do any crazy whitewater or BIG ocean wave stuff – I highly recommend this kayak.  I’ve done rivers, lakes, cove and shore paddling and I just love it for it’s sturdy ride. 
** I’m not getting paid to say this – I just like it that much and feel confident to recommend it if you’re looking for a kayak of your own.  Here’s a LINK if you want to learn more. 
  An update on the baby robins on the cottage porch –   I stepped out onto said porch  to sweep the floor and the babies got startled and flew away (sorta).  I sure hope they were ready – they looked iffy.  Ugh!.. I wish I had thought of that before opening the door! 
  Meanwhile, back at the ranch… the Chipping Sparrow babies in the shrub next to the sliders are getting bigger too… to get an idea of how tiny these guys are – that piece of pale blue ribbon is thin curling ribbon their parents found somewhere – and the shrub is a boxwood, those green leaves are very small too. 
    It’s a beautiful thing, isn’t it?   
  
  Happy Memorial Day Weekend to all –  the skies are supposed to clear, we’re heading back down to Stella – perhaps for another spin around the cove and definitely to mow the lawn, which has been overfertilized by the Mr. and has been growing like Bob Ross’s hair in that old chia pet commercial.   You know the one I’m talking about, don’t ya. 
To our Veterans everywhere – deceased, retired and still serving…

Berries and Gardens

  I loved so many things about my Grandmother, Elsie.  She was one heck of a great cook and baker, our family was treated to many a three course meal at her elegant dining room table, good china used regularly! ..( I think my mom still has it).  Boy, could she make a mean pie – Apple, Chocolate Cream, Banana cream, Blueberry –  and speaking of blueberries – she knew how much I loved them. Often when I came to visit,  she would offer me one of my favorite snacks – a bowl of blueberries in heavy cream with just a little sugar sprinkled on top.  To this day it’s one of my favorites… 
   With global food transport nowadays, you can get just about anything at any time of year.  But, when berry season comes around, I buy local and oooh, that fresh local berry taste!  Of course, blueberries and strawberries, blackberries and raspberries warm from the sun, fresh off the vine and popped right in your mouth is the absolute best, and we tried to create that experience here on the farm – more than once.  The bird and insects and bunnies won out, however, and we gave up that ship eventually.  
 Along with my love of berries comes a love for warm berry cobbler, berry pies, scones, the list goes on. Below are a few recipes I’ve found over the years and prove to be a hit –  *these are not my recipe, nor are they my pictures.   Served warm with slightly melty vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream, delish! 




  Now, on to the gardens.  
   We had a glorious weather day yesterday, so I took advantage and stuff got done here at the farm in the gardens. 
   First, we got rid of all the knock.out roses we planted around the foundation of the house 9 years ago when restoration was complete, because despite their reputation for being a really easy rose,  they turned out to be a pain in the @$$.  They just were never truly happy – between the bugs and the rain rot and the mold and the grubs and the beetles and the worms –  we finally ripped them out and replaced them with some interesting shrubbery… 
Below is a shrub that’s new to me –  an orange Azalea that has a lovely scent – 
 In front of the back porch –  (this picture taken just minutes ago – yes, rain again. )   I planted two spirea yellow/green leaf)  and another in the center, who’s name I have forgotten.   There are day lilies  and Sweet William in front of them,  a hydrangea to the left, bee balm,  daisies and two large shrubs who’s name I have also forgotten on the right, that have tripled in size in one year. 
Three of the four shrub nest babies have hatched! They are Chipping Sparrows, 
thank you to Florida Farm Girl,  who correctly identified the parents! 
I cleaned up the bird bath garden –  and beyond it you see our vegetable garden. 
   
      The raised beds are now full with Tomatoes, yellow stringbeans, purple peppers, sweet basil, eggplant (the little ivory and purple striped variety)  artichoke – because my son wanted to try them, Spinach, dragon tongue beans (yellow purple stripe) and two rows of Zinnia (Thanks, H).  

 Over at the shed in the little Pig Garden … 

     It felt so good to get all that in the ground, I separated some perennials that could afford the thinning  ( well I could sure afford some thinning)  in the remaining shrub pots and brought them down to Stella by the Sea this morning and planted those too, before the raindrops began to fall.

Some gems hand painted in water color by Susan Branch…

 I’ll just never be a toenail painting chick, and I suppose this blog is as close to a diary as I’ll ever get,  but the rest of it sound perfectly wonderful to me.

Thanks for stopping by –

    

    

This one requires a cup of coffee ..

  No really – lots to cover, go get one.  And a donut – trust me on this.  side note: I just found out the Redneck Donut Truck  (actual name) up the road a piece is packing up after today to move back to their homeland four towns over – this is terrible news, and it’s very good news, depending on whether you talk to my mind or my “matter” .  Their canoli donut was thebestpieceofdonut I have ever had, ever. 
Anyway… 
 First let me say, if you were in on the religion conversation post, thank you so much for your thought provoking and respectful answers – I so enjoyed reading your take on the subject. And that’s all I’m gonna say about that.

   I’m not a dyed in the wool Royal Watcher  although I’ve read the headlines over the years, seen the stories, watched news coverage of the weddings, the funerals, the scandals even.  I watched along with everyone else  in horror as Diana’s world unraveled and ended really badly and far too soon.  Who doesn’t admire how those two boys have persevered in the glare of the royal spotlight over the years, carrying out their born duties with some grace and class, and fun! Harry underlined here.   Harry is my favorite and he and his bride were humanitarians before they met each other – imagine the dynamic team they will be.  Watching the royal wedding today, you’d have to be dead not to notice the radiance and genuine smiles shared between he and Meghan M. I loved her choice of simple yet elegant gown and veil,   and the personal and refreshing twists they bestowed on the wedding ceremony itself. Truly they are a breath of fresh air, bringing the Royal Family into a more modern light.  Surprisingly I had tears in my eyes as I watched this morning,  and I’m no sap.  
   So… this guy showed up on our side porch the other day…   a gift from a dear friend just because, a fellow blogger who shares my birthday!   It was evident right away that Henry was  not made for farm life,  so I brought him down to Stella by the Sea to see if that environment suited him better. 
   Aaaah, MUCH better.
  While we’re here, let me show you the new furniture reveal.  The couch and chair  are of rugged material a summer cottage demands, in soothing shore colors that say Relax! Summer!  The Mr. and I moved furniture around yesterday because last year it felt like we just jammed stuff in there in our big rush to enjoy our first “cottage life” season.  So the little space felt.. rushed.  
 The table and chairs are now centered in the room, not pressed against the windows… 

The rug that was in that floor space all by itself is now in the kitchen work area…

  My  $100.  “Edith” chair now in the “living room” area instead of squished in a corner of the bedroom where it got no use.  (the table and chairs used to be in that back corner to the left of the Mr. )  We do have to relocate the little chandelier now that there’s no table under it.

The new recliner and couch with a sturdy whitewashed bench type table for putting feet up or resting drinks, etc. on. 

     Let’s head outside… An Awesome quality about cottage life – small spaces are easy to clean – and mow!  Garden management is minimal.   My new perennials are happy and growing… they like all this rain we’ve been getting. 
 The robins on the back porch – initial there were four eggs in the nest. 
  Then it  looked like this just four  days ago…  and I thought there were only two… 
Now they look like this… and there are very definitely three.  Absolutely amazing, the speed of the development of birds from egg to fledgling. 
 I’ve also  put a few galvanized pots of flowers on the stone steps down to the water.
Believe it or not, this type of  super petunia is happy in that environment –
 wind of the water, rain and all. 

   And meanwhile, back at the ranch… we’ve got another cold, rainy day in store.  This is my current view out the kitchen sliders.  There is a little tiny nest in the shrub at bottom right… 
Inside that shrub is a perfect little nest with four tiny tiny eggs. 
This is momma or dad.  A song sparrow perhaps? 
Waiting anxiously for me to leave the area. 
  My rescue friends are holding an adoption event this weekend for shelter dogs in neighboring Durham, CT at the fairgrounds – 30 of the 60 dogs in attendance got homes in the first three hours, just amazing.  This is no easy feat – The dogs from down south are  most often  pulled from kill shelters or taken from abusive situation or strays that have been caught. Then they are  spayed, neutered and fully vetted and housed with fosters or with the rescues directly and evaluated for temperment and training.  Applications are taken and references are called and interviews conducted before any of the dogs are allowed to go home with their new families – It’s quite an operation, takes many many volunteers.  We’ve been doing this for about 9 years now, and it’s heartbreaking and extremely rewarding at the same time.  
   Yesterday I stopped in to drop off food for volunteers and help unload the dogs that had just arrived.  This little guy, whom my friend Lillian calls a squirrel, would have come home with me if I didn’t have four already.  He and his litter mates were so darn cute, hard to believe they were dumped.  Those ears!!… 
 

If you’re local and want more information, visit
www.homewardboundct.org
Whew! are you still with me?  We covered a lot of ground today – 
Time to spend a little quality time with the Mr. 
Got to stay in good standing in case I want to 
bring another “squirrel” home some day. 
Till soon, friends – 

On Being Religious, Or Not

    A friend once told me she wasn’t religious, even though she is prolific in her sharing of the Word of God and pretty quick to judge others who don’t live by “The Good Book”.  Well, a general description of the word “religious” is as follows: relating to or manifesting faithful devotion to an acknowledged ultimate reality or deity.    I’m thinking she qualifies… not that there’s anything wrong with that,  but it was a perplexing answer.  When I asked another how she came to be of such strong faith, she simply replied – I have to believe there is something better than this.  Well that’s just sad, never mind perplexing. 
      The whole subject of religion is perplexing, I’ve always been curious as to it’s origins, why so many people can have  blind faith in something or someone they’ve never technically seen or heard.  But even that sentence is tricky.   I am not a religious person, so who am I to say what your interpretation of communication with  God might be?   Indeed, it’s a very personal experience or belief.  We can’t ever know for sure whether there was a divine intervention in any particular situation, and so we are left to interpret in the many ways it’s possible with an event, a story,  a feeling, an intuition, a healing or a damning, even.

      It’s absolutely true that  religion brings peace of mind and comfort to those who find respite and joy in their faith, in their shared beliefs with fellow worshippers.  It gives many a sense of community, a belonging.  There is comfort and safety in a belief that there is something greater than us that created and loves us, that is watching over us and will guide us now and when we leave this world one day, as we all do, and hopefully – join another, free of pain and suffering if we earned it.  Religion  has often given order and moral code where there wasn’t any and for some it  gives meaning or attempts to make sense of what is sometimes a senseless world.

    If I’m being completely honest, when my daughter was in a coma years ago,  despite my non-religious status, I visited the hospital chapel daily – knelt before the altar and prayed.. and prayed.. and prayed, that my child up in that ICU hospital bed be saved, be healed, recover. I also complained – why do this to such a good, young, caring soul?  Why?  I was mad, I was scared, I was begging just in case there is indeed someone listening.  What eventually happened was – my daughter recovered.  Was it an answering of my prayers? Or good medical care and her own young body’s healing ability?  Maybe both?  We just can’t know.

     Religion has it’s dark side too, of course.  There are those who abuse their power because they are a representative of the deity and are adored and obeyed by trusting followers. There are those who justify hideous actions in the name of their  God. There are those who use their followers adoration and devotion for profit.  Look at the mega churches and the mega mansions they live in.  What comes to mind when I see those particulars is… think of all the good that money could have done, instead of these massive shrines and mega mansion lifestyles.  Not. very. charitable. A bit hypocritical! Sleezy even.  We all know how terr*rists use their religion as an excuse or justification to do some horrible things.

     There are approximately 4,200 religions in our World,  and that number astounds me.  Some share the same basic theories for the most part, others are a different concept all together.  If you believe absolutely in just one – then all 4, 199 of the others are just plain wrong?.. doesn’t seem right.    For me, I’ve had no trouble believing in evolution.  It’s proven, how we evolved, beyond a shadow of a scientific doubt.  But even with that belief, the concept of the human spirit, the conscience, the soul – has not been explained – and it is truly a miraculous thing, I can’t deny it.  Sometimes I wish I truly whole heartedly believed that when we die,  those who are worthy ( Well, now there’s another issue – what determines worthiness?  Church attendance?  Good deeds?  Confessional attendance? Donations? Kindness and charity?  )  are united with those we loved  who have passed before us, and go on to a heaven to be at peace with those we love and our creator in a pain-free other existence.  The hard parts of life would be easier if I had that belief, for sure.  But the reality of science and just this feeling that we need to make the most of this life is a bold thread that runs through the fabric of my belief system.   I try to do just that, knowing that we simply don’t know for sure what comes at the end of mortal life, regardless of our chosen beliefs.

    Here’s where the concept of  religion bothers me. I was raised a Catholic, but I don’t practice that religion.  I found it to be a bit hypocritical on several fronts and so I choose something different that I’ll describe below.  I read a very popular blog, and what initially attracted me to it is the incredible journey of a  young woman who was severely burned in a plane crash, a small plane her husband had been piloting. An instructor friend died in that crash.  Her story of survival and how she has moved on to raise her (now 5) children is powerful. I mention this now because she is a very devout M*rmon and it’s a strong theme throughout her blog. In her writing, one can’t help but get the sense that the M*rmon faith is more of a cult than anything else.  Much is demanded of it’s followers.  Some very big changes have occurred in the family’s life in recent years and she repeatedly refers to decisions they’ve made as having been sent by God.  I went for a walk and God told me selling this house and moving to the ranch was the right thing to do.    They did… and eight months later they are moving again, because even their readers could see it was a big mistake from the beginning for so many reasons.  When things like this occur,   it’s described  as a test God must have planned and they had to endure, they learned so much, it was part of the plan.    I don’t know… how about… you made some poor choices,  you learned from it, you’re moving on.  Did God really speak to her and tell her to sell the beloved family home and move to an isolated ranch in literally  the middle of nowhere where her kids wouldn’t see other humans for days on end, leaving all they knew and loved behind?  Did he send a note or was his voice in the air or coming from behind a burning bush on that walk?

    I know that sounds harsh – I’m not making fun of her, here  – I believe what she wrote is what she believes happened, however she interpreted the “message”.  But for a person like me, that’s not living in reality.   Through her writing it’s also clear that M*rmons believe only through their way of worship can you live a good and proper life.  Her husband once implied (in different words) in an article written for a local paper that a single mom and child was not a real family.   The M*rmon church seems to  have a lot of demands of their members, and are not warm to the outside.   That attitude is  probably true of many religions, to be fair.. and I have never practiced it, I don’t know all there is to know about being a M*rmon.  But I don’t find it to be very charitable – and isn’t that what religion is supposed to be made of  most of the time?   One more example…  M*rmon worshippers are segregated into wards. Districts, if I understand correctly.  If you are a M*rmon you are assigned to a ward, and you are expected to go to that temple, even if there is one a heck of a lot closer to your home that you would prefer.  If you weren’t assigned to that closer temple – you’re not supposed to go there.  The members will let you know that you are not welcome if you start to make it a habit. Stay in your Ward.   Again – not .. very.. charitable.  So much of organized religion is about control.

  There are those who say our current President brought God back into the White House.  Well.. if the reason behind that  thinking is because he now claims to be pro-life, anti-abortion – Let it be known that  until he decided to run on the Republican ticket, he was pro-choice for 69 years.  The flip was just another tool, another lie he used to get to where he is. He knew what his base wanted to hear.   If all his lies since election day, if his three marriages and many affairs and pussy grabbing lingo and mega-ego aren’t enough of an indication that God did not send D.Tr*mp to the White House,  well I’m stumped as to how that conclusion was drawn. Enough said on that subject.

    Then there is my friend, Vicky – who endures living with Stage 4 Breast Cancer.  Her faith is unwavering, and she finds much courage and strength in her beliefs. I find her references to her beliefs uplifting, encouraging.   It gets her through some very hard things, some very difficult days and nights – there’s no denying the power of prayer and a strong faith that brings much to her life, and many others.  She’s still here, longer than was expected.. and I do believe her faith has something to do with that.  I hope with all my heart she eventually resides in the Heaven she so deserves and we all hope for.

    So where does that leave me?  I call myself a spiritual person, and even that description has different interpretations.   For me it means I live and feel connected to and am responsible for the care and keeping of  myself, my people and  the natural world.  I feel connected to all people of this world  and I try to leave things better than I found them.  I exercise kindness to others and charity where I can afford to give it.  I don’t always get it right, but I right the wrongs and move forward.  If there is a God, hopefully he is not as impressed with  weekly pew sitters, some of whom live hypocritically once they leave the church on Sunday, as he is with those out there doing what they can where they can for the betterment of this world.   Hopefully there is a heaven where I may some day be reunited with all those I’ve loved, family, friends and animals.  And if there is not, I’m doing the best I can where I am now, here among the living.

   I know this is a difficult  and sometimes offensive subject because there are so many beliefs and they are often strongly held.  I welcome your views, similar or differing,   if you would like to join in the conversation.  Respectful conversation and an open mind, especially when opinions differ, are how we learn and grow, so I will always encourage the practice.  The above is just my opinion and how I choose to live and share my life.  By no means do I think I have all the answers.

Thank you for stopping by –