Sunday

   Lucy discovered the upper cabinets this past week.  She scared a year or two off of my life when I finally noticed her.  

  Keeping her curiosity in mind, I got some LED flameless votive candles for the holders I've placed on the dining table in the living room.  I just had too many visions of her nosing around and catching her tail on fire.

  I also got a string of lights to use in that dark corner.  The option was a floor lamp with an arc fixture, but I haven't yet found one I liked at a price in my budget.  I need to find one for my work desk also.  Table lamps put too much light in my eyes, and the ceiling fan light is not enough.

  Using it to hang my seasonal ornaments on is also a nice change from the tree that I had before.  It puts just enough soft glow into the living room to make it comfortable and not blinding.

  I woke this morning with a sense of deja vu.  We got quite a bit of snow last night.  On the Charlie measure, it was belly height [5 inches] at 8:30a, and then by 11a we had gotten another two inches.  I had to go out and actually buy a snow shovel!  Did not expect to have to do that.  I also picked up more bird and squirrel food.  There have been some old familiar faces at the feeders lately.  Chickadees and a Downy Woodpecker.

This is the view from my bedroom window.

Spring will be beautiful.

weekday weekend

   I love having two days off during the workweek as my week "end."  This week was both productive and not so much.  A change in plans for replacing a cracked windshield on my truck ... I now have to get necessary ($$$) repairs done first, and my plans to get an estimate on the work fell thru due to time constraints.

  An appointment about my toes not getting circulation and turning black became two appointments, a possible cause, and another appointment made regarding potential heart problems.

  But I did get a load of laundry done, housework, and some craft projects I've been putting off.

  When I ordered the wolf face, I fully expected it to arrive as a stretched canvas.   I've been trying to find frames or blank stretched canvases that I could mount them to, but was just not able to get the sizes I needed.  I finally found some artboards in the sizes I needed to make this close enough.  It's not perfect, but it works for me on my office wall.

  This silk cherry blossom stem is in a Japanese gin bottle that I colored with Sharpies after I researched what the actual ingredients showing on the bottle were.  I confess to trying the gin (Roku Gin by Suntory), but mostly bought it for the bottle.  Unfortunately ... or fortunately ... I can no longer drink like I did when I was young[er] [and stupid] and so most of the gin was tossed.

  This is a shadow box that I removed the glass from so that I could secure the ship ornament in it.  I wanted to commemorate my first [click here> Rhine River cruise with Uniworld.  Unfortunately, my rather massive scrapbook from the trip is still in Wisconsin, and I don't know when or if I will be able to get it.  What you see here is all that I have.  The small box contains the [click here> smallest book in the world printed on a Gutenberg press.  

  When I lived in Wiesbaden as a child, I had gotten one, and treasured it.  But it was stolen from me at school when I took it in for a "show and tell" shortly after returning to the States, and I was devastated.  Almost 40 years later, I was able to buy another one, and have been keeping it locked up for the past 10+ years.  No longer. 

Words on Wednesday

  When she needed a break from the loom her father had made for her, she liked to walk down the dirt road towards town.   Listening to the birds, and watching the road for unexpected treasures, like butterfly wings or pieces of robins' eggs, it was often inspiration for her work.   Tonight, however, it was the sound of rushing water that drew her interest.

  She stood on the bank and watched the two rivers combine into one.  Heavy rains had made the water dark and angry-looking as it charged down the mountain, overflowing its banks in some places.  Some residents, still shell-shocked from the flood that early washed the village away in 2016, nervously watched the weather reports.

  "Mischief! Here, Missy Missy!  Mischief!" the child's voice could be heard over the rushing of the waters.  The light from a small searchlight cut through the darkness.  A woman's voice yelled "Mischief!  Come on, girl!  Missy!"

  She turned toward the voices, pulling her hoodie sleeves down over her arms as the night's chill set into her bones. 

  "Hey, need some help?  What are you looking for?"

  "Oh, that would be so awesome.  It's just getting so dark and I'm so worried that she might have gone to the river."

  "She?"

  "Yes.  We got a pug puppy a few days ago, and Dakota insists on taking her everywhere we go.  I wanted to stop at the East End Fruit Stand, and when we got out of the car, Mischief jumped out and took off running."

  "Sounds like she lives up to her name."

  "It's actually better than what my soon-to-be-ex-husband wanted to call her."

  "And what was that?"

  "Unfug the Pug.  Unfug is German for mischief, and he is a Professor of Languages."  She turned to see where her son was, and in a low voice said, "More like a Professor of Arrogancy.  It's why we're getting a divorce.  Missy was supposed to be a comfort and distraction for Dak, but if something has happened to her tonight, it will destroy him.  I ..." she turned towards her son and saw his searchlight bouncing as he was running towards her.

  "I found her!  I found her!  I thought I heard something by the car so I went back and she was hiding underneath it!"

Words for Wednesday is a traveling feast of creativity, and can currently be found [click here> Charlotte (MotherOwl).

old dogs ...

   I find it reassuring, although inaccurate, that you can't teach an old dog new tricks because I learned some new things this weekend.

  But first this:  A drool-worthy quick bread and recipe that I tried and modified last night.  The recipe comes from the Jan-Feb 2021 issue of CountryLiving.com magazine.   [click here for the recipe> Spinach and Feta Quick Bread

  I did modify it by adding sun-dried tomatoes omg super yummy!  There is also a recipe for a [click here> Cheddar Bacon and Chive Quick Bread that I'm going to try next Sunday.  Probably add sun-dried tomatoes to that one also.  Kinda hooked on them.  

  If you haven't yet tried [click here> Campbell's Slow Kettle Style soups, you must.  My go to favs so far have been Tomatoe & Sweet Basil Bisque and the Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Bisque, but today I tried the Baked Potato Soup (delish!!).  Amazon has more of a selection than my local grocery stores have had and so I'm planning on expanding my soup horizons ... and possibly buying another crockpot to replace the one left behind in WI and making some of my own to put up in the freezer.

  I'm not a milk drinker.  Never have been.  But I am a self-professed cheese-aholic.  A friend recommended almond milk, or oat milk as an alternative and I had a small container of vanilla-flavored almond milk coffee creamer for some insanely strong coffee I was trying (Peet's Major Dickason blend).

  The creamer didn't help the coffee because I'm not fond of sweet-flavored coffee, and I eventually figured out the right measure of coffee to make it more tolerable and thereby reducing the amount of hair on my chest.  It has been put in my pantry next to the Espresso coffee for emergency use on those mornings I've had no sleep.

  I'm not sure which of my brain cells was fried on Friday evening that made me think the creamer would be a good substitute for milk in a packaged pasta.  I guess I thought that the sweetness would be boiled out and the other spices and flavoring in the mix.

  It did not.  😖   'Nuff said.

two stepping ...

   There have been days this year (!!) when I have felt like I'm just standing still in time.  One step forward, two steps back.  Two steps forward, one step back.  If it was February I could pretend I was doing the Cupid Shuffle.

    A little over a week ago, I had to see a doctor about what I thought was frostbite on my toes.  It looked like it.  Felt like it.  And when I stepped on them I even quacked.  It wasn't, but I'm left with more questions than answers right now.  "Diminished circulation to your feet."  A quick blood sugar test came back within healthy limits, and it would take a chronic diabetic a while to get to that point, let alone someone without diabetes.  Negative COVID19 test.  Non-smoker. A little fluffier than I'd like to be but not as bad as I've been in the last three years.  I don't know.  I have a doctor's appointment next week and will ask for a complete physical to see if something new has popped up.

   My living room shrunk a little with the addition of a most excellent find on Facebook this week.  A bar height dining table and four chairs.  I'm so excited that it was well within my budget!!!  AND ... I still have room to add a disco ball and make it a [click here> dance dance dance room.

  A certain someone in that place I left in November did some two-stepping of his own.  He no-showed for his plea and sentencing hearing today on the charges of knowingly violating the [4-year!] restraining order I have against him.  The offer had been made (and accepted) for him to spend 14-days in jail and be done with it.  But instead, he changed his mind at the last minute and disappeared.  I knew he would do this and even told the DA that last summer when they decided to bring charges.  Oh well.  Not my monkey.  Not my circus.

  But even when I'm just standing in place under my little disco ball and shakin' my booty ... life is still so much better than it was.  Every. Single. Day.

  Go on.  Get your groove on.  Shake it.  You know you wanna.  

Words on Wednesday

  The demands began to surface almost as soon as the cave was discovered.  Even before the labyrinth of unheard-of treasures, beauty, and wonder had reached the rounds of water cooler gossip and morning coffee conversations.

  Located on a previously unknown island smack dab in the middle of international waters with no legal jurisdiction by any one country, it was an island up for grabs.

  Or so everyone thought.

  How it came to be discovered was almost as mysterious as the question of why no one had ever discovered it before.  In an era of spy satellites, "big brother watching," and celebrity wanna-be's posting their every move to the Internet, the fact that the island had never been found or seen before was something geographers found puzzling.  Instant islands weren't unheard of in the world's vast oceans.  Underwater volcanoes erupting their way to the surface had happened a time or two before.  Unfortunately, even floating islands of plastic, trash, and refuse before and after tsunamis or hurricanes had formed in recent years.

  But this was something different.  There had been no volcanoes, tsunamis, or hurricanes that would instantly create an island in the middle of nowhere complete with vegetation never before seen on earth.

  World leaders would later gather to question how it just so happened that one woman, sailing solo around the world, would also be in just the right place at the right time to make such a remarkable discovery.  But when they each had their best scientists study the small chest of soil, freshwater, and vegetation that had been delivered simultaneously in-person to their respective offices of power, it was a question that wasn't on the top of anyone's list.

  Instead, there were questions based on greed, desire, and wishful determination to be the leader of the world, not just of their respective nations.

  Soil that would grow anything anywhere.  Vegetation that defied logical growing parameters yet seemed to thrive under even the worst conditions.  Not only thrive but have nutritional values that meant there would never again be famine in the poorest of nations.  Water that was so fresh, clean, and pure, it seemed as if no life of any kind had ever swum in it.

  The woman had been questioned and hounded by the nations and media without mercy.  How did she find the island?  What made her take that route across the ocean and not the route most solo sailors took?  What had she thought when she swam from her boat and set foot on the pristine sands of the island?  Had she seen any life on the island?  Even the smallest swarm of insects?  What did the name of her boat, გედი, mean?

Finally, she could take it no longer and without saying another word, she boarded her boat and set sail. Twenty-four hours later, a long procession of boats and ships followed her to the island and watched from a distance as she ditched her boat to walk the last mile to the island across the water and enter a small fissure in the lone mountain on the island.

The earth shuddered, and a tsunami grew from the shock waves as her true ship rose from the water and took off across the sky, leaving Earth far behind.

Some gifts are not to be questioned because sometimes, you can't have your cake and eat it too.

Words for Wednesday is a traveling feast of creativity, and can currently be found [click here> Charlotte (MotherOwl).

blessed beyond measure ...

 ... and ugly crying as a result.

Way back in the year that we wish wasn't, I commented on a blog in the hope of winning a trio of [click here> fresh herb blends from Coon Creek Herbs for my pantry.

I've been following Amy's blog for several years now, with slight obvious envy at times for her writing skills and her glorious gardens.  The chickens were a bonus.  I've also lusted for coveted some of her homegrown & dried herbs since she first started chasing coons from the hen house.  However, I just needed to have a kitchen of my own where such delicacies would be appreciated and not wasted on some shoe-leather tough, overcooked venison.

So long story short, I didn't win the drawing.

However, since it was the Christmas season and angels are apparently quite abundant in Nebraska, I was a "runner-up" winner of what feels like a Mega Lottery prize instead.  [There may have been some voter fraud in counting the tallies for the runner-up prize].

A box arrived today, and after the week I have had with worry about needing to have my toes chopped off [a story for another time], I sat down on the floor and ugly cried when I opened it.

Not only was I gifted the delicious smelling herb trio, but oh so much more.  [and I am including links where possible because I must share the love]

The fabric bag made by [click here> Maddy in June by L.Creations is so soft it feels almost like a comfort blanket in my hands.  It is roomy enough for all kinds of goodies, and also held a hand-crocheted face cloth.  Inside the bag were some [click here> Bakers Candies Chocolate Meltaways which will be were delicious!  There was also an amazing beeswax lip balm and a beeswax lotion bar by [click here> Anchor Meadow Farm that are just so gentle and wonderful feeling!  Those bees sure know what they are doing when they do their magic to make honey!

There was a very yummy bag of all-natural nutty coconut cranberry granola from [click here> Devour Flavors of the Season.  It has lasted longer than the chocolate meltaways, but probably won't last past breakfast in the morning!

Amy's father is also the maker of some [click here> beautiful French rolling pins and I suspect the maker of this exquisite charqu charcut cheese board which will never see the sharp side of a knife because I almost want to frame and hang it on the wall.

I love real wood.  The stories it has to tell in the rings and knots.  Hold your hand on a beautiful cut of wood like this and you can almost hear it whispering to you.

I'm not sure how I managed to be so blessed by Amy and her angels, but I am so very grateful.  I've been to Nebraska a few times, but clearly, I need to spend a little more time exploring the small business and farms there.  Wanna road trip, Charlie?

Words on Wednesday

 She rose slowly and walked to the window.  Something had woken her, but the sky was pitch black, as was everything else as far as she could see.

Last summer, the annoying neon sign that the neighbor's son had hanging in his window would have been lit up, and the sound of Metallica vibrating her windows at all hours of the night would have kept her awake.  But for once the homeowners' association for their small cove were in agreement and an offer had been made to buy the house so they could take their bright lights and loud music to a less discriminating neighborhood.

That summer was also when the reality of her own mortality kept her awake at night.

A flash over the water lit up the dark sky, and the resounding crack of thunder reached her even before her eyes had recovered from the bright light.

The sound of the clock on the mantel chiming half-past midnight reminded her that tomorrow had come after all.

She had gone over her paperwork with her doctor more than a dozen times, signing, initialing, and clarifying.  No, she did not want to be kept alive artificially and she was not to be resuscitated under any circumstance.

Yet when that moment came, her doctor had been swayed by the protests of her family and conceded to their wishes, not hers.

Now she lived alone in a small house by the sea, living life on her terms.  She stumped down the stairs in the dark, knowing each inch of the house by heart, to the kitchen where she lit the gas burner on the stove to make some tea.

It would be another long night for her, watching the storm as it labored across the water, trying to show anyone who was watching who was really in charge.

Words for Wednesday is a traveling feast of creativity, and can currently be found [click here> Charlotte (MotherOwl)

Time Travel ~ update ...

 Super excited!!!  Found the family to send the [click here> Time Travel postcards to!!!

  The daughter I connected with left a comment on the original post, and I can't wait to hear what they think about the box I will be shipping to them on my next day off.

  There are about 95 postcards that I didn't even share that are from family vacations and are fascinating to see the stylized handwriting from the previous generation.

Sunday ...

I have to say that this past week ... the first full week of the new year ... has been the most challenging and difficult of my time in this job.  So many rude, ANGRY people.  I've been cursed at every day, hung up on, insulted, and demeaned.   I don't know if the events of the week have had an impact on callers, or if everything over the last 13 months has just pushed people so far over the edge that politeness, civility, and kindness have just been lost completely.  It has been disheartening and discouraging.

I know that calling a phone customer service representative is seldom because everything is going well.  There is usually a problem or inconvenience.  But please remember that we are people too, just like you, trying to do a job and help you with whatever it is you are calling about.  Taking your anger and frustration out on the person at the other end of the telephone line may make you feel good, but it does nothing for us but ruin our day or week.  Not to mention that your negative critique of us on a follow-up survey can impact our jobs.

Just once, call a customer service rep and tell them that you aren't calling about a problem but just want to let them know that you appreciate their work, that you appreciate that you haven't had a problem.  You cannot imagine the difference you will make in their day or week.

It has been cold here this week, but no snow.  We finally had one uncloudy afternoon and the girls took full advantage of the sunshine coming in the window where my work desk is.  I've been working overtime [another drain on my physical being and emotions] so haven't had a day off yet this year, even working New Year's Eve.  My next day off will be the 17th unless they accept my last minute request yesterday to not work overtime on the 13th.

Ev];;;;;;;;;;;;;.......,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,\  [apologies ... Lucy's butt decided to make a comment when she sat on my laptop]

My signed divorce decree papers arrived finally so a legal name change is soon to happen and I can't begin to tell you how excited I am for that.  I may have to have a virtual rebirth party to celebrate.

Words on Wednesday

  Centuries from now, and we can only pray now that clocks will continue to tick forward and we have not circled back to the insanity of today, I hope that future generations will be toasting peace while there are murmurs of gratitude for fields of grain that feed the hungry.

  When long-unused ashtrays wait to be recycled into frames for glasses and the shadow of cancer is unseen in the sunshine of healthy faces.  When the sound of thunder does not portend disaster around the corner, but the exultation of near-extinct animals across the land, savouring the simple thrill of being alive.

Words for Wednesday is a traveling feast of creativity, and can currently be found [click here> Charlotte (MotherOwl

Time travel ...

 ... I was recently given a very large assortment of vintage and antique postcards.  

Several of them are from the Netherlands and seem to indicate a relative there.

"Happy New Year

Annie - Jo -

Anna-bella and Peter

Maertens, Small ? 3"

"Hedon was brief ont vongen en als be komst bent u zier welkoms wasst wij verlongen ols u nog eins to hien. Gegroet Peter en Anna" which translates to "Hedon received a letter and when you arrive you are very welcome, and we longed you for a while. Regards Peter and Anna"

The Dutch appears to be a return address.

Unfortunately, they are all undated, and most of the postmarks are illegible or simply not there.

Some of them made me laugh out loud.

"Hello folks, Greetings from the Land of the Rising Sun.  I've gone strongly for Japanese girls.  Regards, Austin.

"Well at least I am sober enough to visit this.  Austin"

"Having a swell time.  Coming home this week.  Ella"

The below postcards seem to come from the same [American] person in France, and the fashion of clothing in some of the images seems to indicate that they were pre-WW1.

[Pvt. E. F. Van Develder; Bty E 308 F.A. AEF] "Dear Sister, Received your letter was very glad to hear you are all well.  I see you got one of my letters after a long wait.  I sent several but I guess you don't get very many of them.  Will write you a letter in a day or so.  I thought I would drop you a card to let you know I received your letter.  From Brother Ed"

[from same] Dear Sister, Just a line to let you know I am well and hope you are the same.  Did you get the letter I sent you from Grenoble.  I haven't time to write a letter now but will take time before long.  Good bye from Ed.

[from same] [stamp area says Soldiers Mail] "Dear Sister, I am well and hope you are the same.  I am at Grenoble in the Alps on leave having a good time. Will send some views later.  I haven't time to write tonight but will write a letter in a few days. from Ed."

With them was the envelope below which does have a legible postmark on it from May 25th, 1918, almost 103 years ago, when WW1 was nearing an end.

I'm a bit of a history geek and may see if I can track down the family.

May the coming year ...

Image Source: WeHeartIt.com

... bring peace to the world

... joy to your heart

... healing to the sick

... comfort to the sad

... friendship to the lonely

and

... hope to those struggling without it.