Tag: life

It’s all relative

   My trek up to the barn and coop were “crunchy” this morning.. best way to describe it.   We got the snow that changed to freezing rain yesterday and the result is about five inches of snow with a hard coating of ice. The good news is my legs are getting a good workout with every lift and step I take back and forth.  Some winters in New England are wishy washy with barely any snow and a whole lot of grey days, and some have seen three to four feet of the white stuff at a time.  This winter is a steady stream of cold, snow, ice, thaw, repeat.

  My blog friend Cheyenne in Canada is experiencing her typical winter… MINUS 43 degrees in the wee hours. She went for a walk yesterday and she could not see over the snow drifts to the fields beyond.  Like walking in a tunnel.  She sent me this pic… a little winter humor… and she said -not quite- what she’s got there right now, but she has seen this kind of snow. 

I guess it’s all relative.
 My remedy last night  to chase the winter blues… a little red.

Unrelated…
Can someone tell me why the current location for the winter Olympics was chosen in the first place?  Did they draw straws? Was there a gun to a head involved?  Oh, I know, they -won the bid- Still, hard to fathom any logical conclusions when choosing the location.
Let’s recap…. .Before it even began, gay ban and bashing, literally! Stray dog poisoning, by the hundreds! 
 Lower income residents removed from their housing, which is now demolished to make room for fancy hotel site for athletes, who are welcome even if you are gay.  Really!
What did they do with all those misplaced people?  What WILL they do with the new seaside resort fantasy land they’ve created, once the games are over?
Afraid for your safety? We feel so good about it we’ve got two Navy ships on the coast, just in case! 
Let’s not ignore the current toothpaste terror – the US warned airlines with direct flights serving Russia to be aware of the possibility that  explosive material could be concealed in toothpaste or cosmetic tubes. A US Rep said he feels reasonably sure you will be safe, but he’s not going.  That’s actually what he said.
The U.S. ski and snowboarding team has hired a private security firm. As have just about all other athletes participating. Some have received death and kidnapping threats. 
Some of these things are not new to the Olympic arena…but ALL of these things together?  Do not make for a pretty picture.  Even after all their hard work and desire to attend the games,I don’t think I could, in good conscience, send one of mine over there.
-Just sayin.

Letter to “Mommy”

First, about last night. 
WORST.. SUPERBOWL…
in the history of EVER.
I would not want to be Peyton Manning today. 
WOW, that was awful stuff. I feel bad for him especially.
The commercials weren’t even funny. 
ANYWAY…
I forgot to share with you an awesome find from our Saturday beach walk.
As we sat on a big piece of driftwood admiring the serenity in front of us…
Mike picked up a rock that appeared to have writing on it..

All I could make out were the words “Mommy” at the top and

“being” near the bottom.  Some of the message was written on the side of the rock as well.
Mike said – “take it home and put it in your seaside treasure garden”. 
It didn’t feel right. This may be a message a child left for his/her mother
who may have loved that spot, or the ocean in general.

We left it on the piece of driftwood where one can hope it will reach it’s intended.

Going Commando

   Recently a dear friend in animal rescue joked on FB about being so behind in laundry she had to borrow a pair of her sons  underwear on that particular morning.  I’m sure he’s scarred for life….lol…. and of course there ensued what you’ve probably already guessed.. a hilarious back and forth among commenters about the virtues of underwear… or not wearing any –  a/k/a  “Going Commando”. 

A hilarious take on this can be seen here.. one of my favorite moments in the old sitcom, “Friends”.
 

  I happen to be one of those people who really can’t imagine going out of the house without underwear.  You might laugh at this, but I don’t think there has ever been a time when I did NOT have underwear on unless in the shower, the tub, having s*x or wearing a bathing suit.   I’m not pointing any judgemental fingers at those who prefer to go Commando… I’m just sayin…it doesn’t work for me.

  My grandmother lived on the Florida panhandle for a period of time.  During one particular visit,  we were in the company of a lovely neighbor, a  southern lady of about 90 years.  Virginia had a velvety southern drawl so thick, my grandmother could hardly understand it.  She  also had a lovely beach bungalow filled with southern charm, and she walked briskly around the house in floral summer dresses with the ease of someone much younger.  I have no idea how we got on the subject… but out of her mouth with exuberance came words I will never forget.  “It’s good to walk around without the hindrance of underwear.  You have to let your parts breathe!”. 

 I nearly spit out my sweet tea.

Winter Water

We took a drive along the shore yesterday and discovered some new
places we though we might like to retire to if we ever decide the farm
becomes too much work to maintain.  We were actually pretty
excited about our discovery..and WOW, how have we never heard of this
beautiful enclave before!  It’s still rural in charm, not over developed, and right
along the water! Marshland along the road, I’m already thinking what a great place to walk the dogs!
Oh, some of the houses are really big, but others are reasonable and
there were even a few old farm houses in the vicinity. Not super close together, either!
  Doable!
Here’s an arial view.. the big houses you see are the untouchables, but we
saw land and smaller homes strewn throughout the hills and water inlets of this place. 
 Then we got home to do some research  and …*sigh*
picture someone letting go of a newly blown up balloon that has not been tied yet.
That dream deflated pretty quickly and with fanfare.
You, too, can own a waterfront 2.5 acre lot near Old Quarry Road for a cool $2,400,000. 
The homes go for much more. 
_MUCH_

What the *WHAT??* 

So THAT’S where the big money lives.

Anyway.. it was a fine day to take some pictures in a more visitor friendly stretch
a few coves over…
but I left my good camera home.  
I’ll give you these OK phone pics instead.
The blue in the sky was almost surreal
and the ice on the rocks and surrounding the docks 
was a reminder of just how cold it’s been around here.

Look at that sky….
The bummer in this area is how high the waterfront people have to jack up their houses
now that we’ve had two major storms in as many years. 
It’s downright ugliness, but insurance companies insist.
Somehow it just changes the flavor of the whole area. 
We laid in bed last night and M said to me…
“Maybe we’ll just grow old right here”.
Sounds good to me. 

How cold IS it?…..

It’s SOO Cold… 
I’m willing to be caught alive wearing this Owl hat because
it’s the warmest thing in our glove and hat basket
and I will not tolerate another ear-stinging thaw session
just because I want to look cool.
No, I’m over that. 
I know, I know… you just wish you had one now, don’t you. 

It’s SOO Cold…
The water buckets freeze every few hours at the barn.
Ask me how much I love my horses right now,
especially as I’m banging and clanging those buckets to get the ice out.
OH yes, I know there are bucket heaters on the market.
MY special snowflake of a horse doesn’t like to drink from anything -heated-. 
It’s SOO Cold…
 the boyz wait for me at the bottom of the hill at 4pm.. staring at the mud room door
that I appear from because DANG it’s cold out here and they want IN.
 
It’s SOO Cold…they are also wearing two blankets..
and have little snowballs on their fetlock fur
It’s true, New England sees a typical winter..
but temps this low for these long stretches of time is not typical.
There is no doubt in my mind that the weather patterns are changing 
on this little planet we inhabit.
*****
I want to thank you all for your thoughts, your ideas, your encouragement
and truthful responses regarding yesterdays post.  Clearly, I have a lot to think about
and hearing your views was so helpful and reaffirming for my vision and my concerns.
To Arlene:.. I couldn’t respond to your comment because your e-mail is blocked,
 but I didn’t know about the Trove in Saybrook!
 I shall definitely visit, as it sounds like an awesome place!  
Thanks for the tip.
To all my friends experiencing the same chill…
stay warm!   To those who live in warmer climes…
yeah, I just have nothing to say to you.  
🙂

The Gift of Giving

  I’ve got much of my gift buying done, the “made for” gifts as well… most wrapped too.  As I look at the pile of things I’ve accumulated to give to family and friends I realize how lucky I am to be able to give.  For me, that’s the biggest gift of all.  This year we can’t do as much as we have in the past – our main source of income… the building trade, has diminished tremendously in recent years, new homes sit uninhabited for more than a year.  Truth be told,  I think that part of our life is winding down and new endeavors must take it’s place.  The stress my husband is under to move forward in the best possible way is a heavy weight and the holidays add to that stress in more ways than one.
  Many in our country currently find themselves in a difficult financial situation for various reasons, which makes this time of year a little less than joyous when the pressure mounts to BUY SPEND GIVE GET.  The truth is, we don’t have to bend to that pressure.  We don’t have to carry that weight.   This doesn’t mean you can’t give – it just means you can change the way you do so.   Home made gifts of the useful kind have more meaning than anything store bought. The act of donating items that you no longer have a use for but are still functional can lift your spirits and those of the recipient.  
Ideas:
If you live on a property where there are many winter “greens” – make wreaths. 
 
Do you knit?  hats, scarves, gloves… enough said. 
Like to bake?   several batches of different Christmas cookies… mix them up and assemble on plastic trays you can get cheap at the dollar store.  
 
Coupons for a job around the house of an older relative or parent.   Rake leaves.  Shovel snow.  Cook Meal.  Dust and Vacuum.   You get the idea. 
Donations:
Old blankets?  Towels?  – donate to your local animal shelter
Clothes in really good shape that you just aren’t gonna wear? – donate to local homeless or women’s shelter. 
Volunteer to cook or set up for your local church functions. Work the Soup Kitchen. 
And if you’re looking for a new puppy or kitten to join the family for the holidays… please visit your local shelters, don’t buy from pet shops.  Puppy Mills are a horrible existence for the breeding animals (the parents of those adorable puppies)… please don’t support their torture.
Ideas of your own to add to the above list?  Put them in the comments section below, I love to hear your ideas – 
 

Are you Decked yet?

 
 
 
Below is a ceramic tree my Aunt Virginia made for my family many years ago.
She passed away last Christmas and I miss her dearly.
Grateful for this reminder of her love for all of us …
and the spirit of the season. 
 
An ornament from 1965 with my name (and birth year) on it.
Used to hang on our family tree.
Every year I open the boxes of ornaments and hope I didn’t break it.
 
My favorites are the ones my kids made in elementary school…
 
..and the globe ornaments. 
 
What decoration says, mostly, it is my belief anyway…
is that Love Lives Here. 
 You don’t have to spend money you might not have 
to add seasonal love to your home.
My friend Heidi made this wreath by walking around her yard
and cutting vines and greens as she went. 
It’s a beautiful thing.

Don’t Stop Believin

One of my favorites from my high school days… 
Journey’s Don’t Stop Believin – 
and seriously.. if you remember the song and you’re not
instantly drawn to sing along with it,
Lighten up, I say. Go with it.
No matter what’s troubling you – and especially if you’re having a difficult time today
regardless the reason – let it go for a few minutes, get lost in an old song. 
Throw in some air guitar while you’re at it.
It does a body good. 
turn up the volume and click HERE

Ready? Set?…

I have to share this link with you…
Wow, some really awesome recipes if you’re still looking for some ideas
for the Thanksgiving table.
For the next few days I’ll be shopping, baking, cooking, cleaning,
setting table…
And there will be about 15 minutes of  Thanksgiving dinner consumption
followed by two hours of dish washing on the actual day.
Have you ever noticed?  It takes about three days to put together
a meal that will be done with in 15 minutes. Truth!
All worth it, though… I am thankful that I can afford to put
good food on the table, that we are relatively healthy
and have family nearby that we can share a meal with.
I hope your Thanksgiving Day finds you at peace with your world
and in harmony with the family you love.

forward thinking

We’re born.
That’s the first gift. 
 Then..no guarantees… no choice in the matter. 
  We have no control over the first years of our lives
and very little until we approach adulthood. 
Then the decisions are our own to make, and our responsibility alone.
That’s another gift we don’t all embrace. 
Some of us have had a less than stellar experience in our youth..
whether it was at the hands of family members or the bully kids at school, 
the list is long for possibilities as to the ‘whys’. 
The lucky ones escaped unscathed, nurtured, even. 
I don’t know where you fall in that catagory..
but here’s something we all share. 
You alone are responsible for your well being, for your happiness,
for what your life looks like and turns into. 
Blame no one but yourself if you are not happy with your station in life,
whatever that refers to in your world.  Be kind to yourself when doing so.
You make decisions at any given time, good or bad, given what you have to work with. 
You can most often change, even though change can be uncomfortable… at first.

All have a cross to bear, some bear several. 
It’s the outlook you choose that determines your wealth.
Wealth.. meaning peace of mind, state of happiness, fulfillment in life.
Money is not necessarily wealth. If you have an abundance 
of peace, happiness, fulfillment… you are wealthy.

Saddens me to no end, when I see someone wallowing in WHAT WAS – 
letting it pollute their current existence, possibly even ruining current relationships, 
careers, whatever.

 Just sayin.