Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Old poems 1966-70
A rainy day
A rainy day.
A quiet sea.
A woman and a man,
Walk and meet,
Talk and sleep.
And then go away.
All on a rainy day
By the sea
Counting tears
The moon, beautiful moon
Time of the great red cycle
(when it is full).
Sigh when the wind blows cold.
Cry when the wind blows hot.
When it freezes, such a beautiful death.
But is it worth it to cry?
Tears freeze in the cold.
You can save them
And count them over and over again.
For what?
People have spent a lifetime counting them.
Istanbul
There is a girl
Very pretty and quite sincere.
Every week
We ride together
Her and I
Side by Side
When she sees me
She waves and smiles
And I do the same
On the last ride
She cried
As she and I left the boat
Each into our own worlds
Both speaking a different language
Monday, November 4, 2013
Leaves and Garlic
Monday is sometimes considered the first day of the week. This is especially true for those of us that have lived a life as a blue collar worker. It sort of sets the mood for the rest of the week, allowing us to set our schedule of planned accomplishments.
Today my day started fairly nice. It started with the usual routine, checked the plumbing, started the laptop, fed all the animals, turned on the tv, filled and started the espresso machine and posted today's Morning Meditation ("The honor of the people lies in the moccasin tracks of the woman"). By this time my wife was stirring, inducing me to switch the television channel to the news and to sit so my wife and I could drink our morning espresso together. This is our fairly typical morning routine.
I figured this was a good day to finally cover our garlic with leaves to protect them for the winter. I get up and put on socks and a vest to go outside to work. When I was younger, it was not cool to wear socks with sandals. It still isn't cool but I pretty much wear sandals year round and suffer the socks in the winter when it is cold, unless there is snow. When there is snow, I do wear boots. Anyway, back to the leaves and garlic.
I get the truck, garden rake and snow shovel (great for picking up leaves) out to the front yard at the end of the driveway and start picking up the leaves and putting them in the bed of the truck. Probably because I am wearing a sweatshirt underneath the vest, I quickly build up a sweat. When this happens my eyeglasses slide all over the face and I usually end up taking them off and hooking them with an earpiece over my shirt collar. A little later on I have the bed about three quarter full of leaves and nature calls. It looks like I have enough leaves so for the job so I get into the truck and drive to the house, about two hundred feet. I pass my chair on the way to the little room and pick up my kindle in passing to do some reading at the same time. As I sit down and begin reading, I can't. Everything is blurry! It was then that I discovered my glasses were missing!
I walked back out to the end of the driveway and canvased the area carefully for about twenty minutes with no luck. Okay, maybe it is in the bed of the truck with the leaves. I go back to the truck and drive it to the garden and garlic bed, another 300 feet. I empty the leaves by hand making sure that the eyeglasses are not included. They were not. Then while retracing my steps and triple checking every place that I had meandered through that morning, I find myself in the garage and have a brilliant idea. I pick up my prescription safety eyeglasses, wipe off the old sawdust and go back out to the end of the driveway for a another look. It was amazing! Apparently it helps to wear eyeglasses when searching for eyeglasses! I hope the rest of the week goes as well.
Today my day started fairly nice. It started with the usual routine, checked the plumbing, started the laptop, fed all the animals, turned on the tv, filled and started the espresso machine and posted today's Morning Meditation ("The honor of the people lies in the moccasin tracks of the woman"). By this time my wife was stirring, inducing me to switch the television channel to the news and to sit so my wife and I could drink our morning espresso together. This is our fairly typical morning routine.
I figured this was a good day to finally cover our garlic with leaves to protect them for the winter. I get up and put on socks and a vest to go outside to work. When I was younger, it was not cool to wear socks with sandals. It still isn't cool but I pretty much wear sandals year round and suffer the socks in the winter when it is cold, unless there is snow. When there is snow, I do wear boots. Anyway, back to the leaves and garlic.
I get the truck, garden rake and snow shovel (great for picking up leaves) out to the front yard at the end of the driveway and start picking up the leaves and putting them in the bed of the truck. Probably because I am wearing a sweatshirt underneath the vest, I quickly build up a sweat. When this happens my eyeglasses slide all over the face and I usually end up taking them off and hooking them with an earpiece over my shirt collar. A little later on I have the bed about three quarter full of leaves and nature calls. It looks like I have enough leaves so for the job so I get into the truck and drive to the house, about two hundred feet. I pass my chair on the way to the little room and pick up my kindle in passing to do some reading at the same time. As I sit down and begin reading, I can't. Everything is blurry! It was then that I discovered my glasses were missing!
I walked back out to the end of the driveway and canvased the area carefully for about twenty minutes with no luck. Okay, maybe it is in the bed of the truck with the leaves. I go back to the truck and drive it to the garden and garlic bed, another 300 feet. I empty the leaves by hand making sure that the eyeglasses are not included. They were not. Then while retracing my steps and triple checking every place that I had meandered through that morning, I find myself in the garage and have a brilliant idea. I pick up my prescription safety eyeglasses, wipe off the old sawdust and go back out to the end of the driveway for a another look. It was amazing! Apparently it helps to wear eyeglasses when searching for eyeglasses! I hope the rest of the week goes as well.
Sunday, November 3, 2013
Oma's Birthdays
Today is a new day that might start a little earlier thanks to adding a new hour in the morning. This might get us going in time to see a partial solar eclipse in the morning and also gives us a strong possibility of making it to church on time for Sunday services. We have not been as diligent as we should have been regarding services.
Jacqui is my wife and is called Oma. Her birthday is on Halloween. She was born on top of Woodford Mountain here in Vermont. Born on Halloween, born on top of an old New England mountain, and her 9th Great Aunt was one of the witches hung at the Salem witch trials. A heavy heritage to grow up with and as a result she suffered and looked forward to being an adult so she did not have to have a Halloween themed birthday cake. Then, she had children of her own and once again had to suffer through the surprise Halloween themed birthday cakes, that is, until her children were of an appropriate age. But then.....she had Grandchildren!
In the afternoon, we are having a surprise birthday dinner for my wife that she is planning for herself. It is planned to have a gluten free chocolate birthday cake (for the Grand kids), and a meatloaf dinner with mashed potatoes and fresh carrots from the garden.
My four year old grandson helped me plant the carrots in the spring and he just helped me harvest them. After we cleaned, trimmed, and sliced them like golden coins about a quarter of an inch thick, we had five pounds ready for freezing. To the chagrin of his vegetarian aunt he has never knowingly eaten a vegetable other than potatoes, probably just french fries, in his life. Today he did! Well sort of. He took a raw golden coin and bit off a little bit and said that it tasted really good! He then proceeded to take the small morsel out of his mouth and put it on the table. He did this about eight or nine times consuming the whole coin but still saying that it tasted good. Maybe today after the carrots are cooked he might even chew one!
Jacqui is my wife and is called Oma. Her birthday is on Halloween. She was born on top of Woodford Mountain here in Vermont. Born on Halloween, born on top of an old New England mountain, and her 9th Great Aunt was one of the witches hung at the Salem witch trials. A heavy heritage to grow up with and as a result she suffered and looked forward to being an adult so she did not have to have a Halloween themed birthday cake. Then, she had children of her own and once again had to suffer through the surprise Halloween themed birthday cakes, that is, until her children were of an appropriate age. But then.....she had Grandchildren!
In the afternoon, we are having a surprise birthday dinner for my wife that she is planning for herself. It is planned to have a gluten free chocolate birthday cake (for the Grand kids), and a meatloaf dinner with mashed potatoes and fresh carrots from the garden.
My four year old grandson helped me plant the carrots in the spring and he just helped me harvest them. After we cleaned, trimmed, and sliced them like golden coins about a quarter of an inch thick, we had five pounds ready for freezing. To the chagrin of his vegetarian aunt he has never knowingly eaten a vegetable other than potatoes, probably just french fries, in his life. Today he did! Well sort of. He took a raw golden coin and bit off a little bit and said that it tasted really good! He then proceeded to take the small morsel out of his mouth and put it on the table. He did this about eight or nine times consuming the whole coin but still saying that it tasted good. Maybe today after the carrots are cooked he might even chew one!
Saturday, November 2, 2013
Waking up
I am sitting here waiting for the family to wake up and greet the day. I have already fed the dogs and cats, posted today's mediation, started the fire, and moved some laundry along. Once the grand kids get up we can have our cereal and honey and start the day.
Right now the dogs are whining outside the three doors - Oma's, Aunt Eddy's, and the grand kids, - running between, whining and scratching on all the doors, hoping to wake up any of them so they can play, or at least join them in their bed cuddling and sometime almost licking them to death.
As far as I know there is not much planned for this weekend. The granddaughter is here to earn some time on her cell phone by working with her Aunt Eddy and the grandson is her to play. I think that I might play too and then freeze some carrots this weekend.
Right now the dogs are whining outside the three doors - Oma's, Aunt Eddy's, and the grand kids, - running between, whining and scratching on all the doors, hoping to wake up any of them so they can play, or at least join them in their bed cuddling and sometime almost licking them to death.
As far as I know there is not much planned for this weekend. The granddaughter is here to earn some time on her cell phone by working with her Aunt Eddy and the grandson is her to play. I think that I might play too and then freeze some carrots this weekend.
Thursday, October 31, 2013
CHURCH SUPPERS!
Ya know, I posted a soup recipe the other day on my blog and said it was
a local favorite that I cooked. It is and was, but I am unable to do
the church suppers anymore. It seems that my body was rebelling and my
karma was somehow turning around on me. I could not move with out
aching for at least three days after and the last two that I cooked at I
needed 5 stitches in my finger, and the last one that I helped at I cut
my finger again! I am done.
The church suppers at my Church in Pittsford are fantastic, taste good and are healthy. We tried to have at least one every month and they were always profitable. No price was ever set for them that I remember. They had what was called a free will offer where you paid what you thought was a fair price. If you didn't have money it was okay and you were still welcome. We have had roast pork, chicken, turkey, meatloaf, ham, soup, pasta and even vegetarian dinners. Desserts were usually made by the parishioners. All of the meals were made from "scratch"!
The woman who has sort of taken over is fantastic and has a lot of family help along with some special others, but I know she is an extremely busy farmer's wife, a nurse, a grandmother and the superintendent of the church Sunday school and a true christian in the good sense. Somehow she is also blessed with excellent time management skills! Unfortunately a lot of the kitchen help is made up of older people like me that just can't seem to do as much any more and I feel that the church will begin to "fade with age".
The church needs help. I worry but at the same time I have faith. We need to get younger people involved to pick up the slack. The way I socialize (I am really into solitude these days), I wouldn't know if we have enough younger people in the church or area that would carry on the tradition. I know years ago, I would have been embarrassed to volunteer to do this and hope my friends didn't see me. I guess that is one of the advantages of getting older. I don't really give a "gosh darn" what people think of me now.
The church suppers at my Church in Pittsford are fantastic, taste good and are healthy. We tried to have at least one every month and they were always profitable. No price was ever set for them that I remember. They had what was called a free will offer where you paid what you thought was a fair price. If you didn't have money it was okay and you were still welcome. We have had roast pork, chicken, turkey, meatloaf, ham, soup, pasta and even vegetarian dinners. Desserts were usually made by the parishioners. All of the meals were made from "scratch"!
The woman who has sort of taken over is fantastic and has a lot of family help along with some special others, but I know she is an extremely busy farmer's wife, a nurse, a grandmother and the superintendent of the church Sunday school and a true christian in the good sense. Somehow she is also blessed with excellent time management skills! Unfortunately a lot of the kitchen help is made up of older people like me that just can't seem to do as much any more and I feel that the church will begin to "fade with age".
The church needs help. I worry but at the same time I have faith. We need to get younger people involved to pick up the slack. The way I socialize (I am really into solitude these days), I wouldn't know if we have enough younger people in the church or area that would carry on the tradition. I know years ago, I would have been embarrassed to volunteer to do this and hope my friends didn't see me. I guess that is one of the advantages of getting older. I don't really give a "gosh darn" what people think of me now.
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Travel Day
Thanks to the short game last night I managed to go to bed a little early and get my usual sleep. I am currently up a bit early to greet the day, post the morning meditation on my Facebook page, and take the two dogs to the vets. The dogs and cats have been fed and I am looking foreword to my cup of espresso before we leave.
I am extremely grateful that today is a travel day for the Red Sox and the Cardinals. This allows me to have piece of mind over the possible conflict of choosing between the Red Sox or NCIS. It is amazing that we can find satisfaction in such a small coincidence, or that it even would have such significance!
Do you realize that when the Red Sox win the series Wednesday that it will be the first time that the final game of the series will be played in front of the home team fans in Boston since September 11th 1918!
Monday, October 28, 2013
Of course!
I was up reading until 3:00 Sunday morning. Because I ended up sleeping until 10:30 I missed church and had to do my worshiping/meditation outside in the garden. An added bonus to the acquired serenity was finally getting the Garlic planted. I have the one bed with about seventy five plants and now all I have to do is cover them with about eight inches of leaf mulch for the winter. I do have one other bed with some carrots and parsnips still in it that I probably won't harvest until we get some snow. The rest of the garden is put down for the winter.
The wife said yesterday that our life appeared boring and I tend to agree with her. I would never have believed that five years ago we were traveling overseas and visited Scotland, Great Britain. Germany. Switzerland, France and Spain. Now I get excited when the lawn tractor starts for me or I am awake long enough to work in the garden. My wife's excitement comes from her weekly volunteering at the local food shelf on Fridays.
Of course all bets are off if the Grand kids come for a weekend. Then it is a rush to the store to get frozen gluten free bread and bagels, Sun-butter, lactose free milk for one, rice milk for another, and also soy milk. We must not forget the hot dogs and bologna, nor must we forget to have enough mustard for the one that is allergic to tomatoes. He even puts it on french frys! And because Papa puts honey on his cereal all the kids must add it too. We actually buy it in quart jars from the local farmers market. That way we know that it does not have anything added to it (GMOs or other sweeteners) We must check on the location of the eppi-pens and their out dates and update their medical power of attorneys. Is all this worth it? Of course! They are the future, they are my Grand kids.
The wife said yesterday that our life appeared boring and I tend to agree with her. I would never have believed that five years ago we were traveling overseas and visited Scotland, Great Britain. Germany. Switzerland, France and Spain. Now I get excited when the lawn tractor starts for me or I am awake long enough to work in the garden. My wife's excitement comes from her weekly volunteering at the local food shelf on Fridays.
Of course all bets are off if the Grand kids come for a weekend. Then it is a rush to the store to get frozen gluten free bread and bagels, Sun-butter, lactose free milk for one, rice milk for another, and also soy milk. We must not forget the hot dogs and bologna, nor must we forget to have enough mustard for the one that is allergic to tomatoes. He even puts it on french frys! And because Papa puts honey on his cereal all the kids must add it too. We actually buy it in quart jars from the local farmers market. That way we know that it does not have anything added to it (GMOs or other sweeteners) We must check on the location of the eppi-pens and their out dates and update their medical power of attorneys. Is all this worth it? Of course! They are the future, they are my Grand kids.
Saturday, October 26, 2013
Another subtle day
Today was another slow day.
At 6:30 this morning I watched a two hour movie with the dog and cats. Following the movie it was time to feed the animals their breakfast.
The four cats:
Myah eats on the kitchen table
Sir Obie One Kenobie in the bathroom
Princess Yoda at the center post between the dining room and living room
Pepe Longstocking in the bay window
The two dogs:
Rocky eats on the front Porch
Rose also eats on the front porch but later after she wakes up
Then I loaded the truck for the weekly trip to the transfer station. I found out that I am starting to appear as old as I feel. The young workers there that always help the old folk empty trash from the cars and trucks now rush over to help me too!
Following that I stopped on the way home to pickup the mail and visited the folk at the local country store for a few minutes. Then it was a quick ride home.
I did take out the ash from the stove to add to the compost heap, brought in the days firewood and started the morning fire. As I was starting the fire "She who must be obeyed" got up from bed and came out and fixed our espresso and toast. We usually sit and watch the morning news before the fire with our breakfast.
Our quick trip to Rutland involved stopping at the farmers market for our weekly supply of cheese, some home made soap, and some fresh vegetables (Leek, Gilfred Turnip, and a couple of small aubergines. There was also a couple of stops for batteries, Christmas presents, and a cup of coffee for the trip home.
Already exhausted, we made a hamburger soup with some root vegetables (carrot, parsnips, and fresh garlic) from the garden, frozen olive oil and basil, canned tomatoes, celery, onion, and Mediterranean couscous. Nap time and reading while the soup was simmering and then eaten with some crackers followed by the evening animal feed. That was not the soup that I envisioned but was still very good.
Maybe I can complete my list tomorrow after church services.
At 6:30 this morning I watched a two hour movie with the dog and cats. Following the movie it was time to feed the animals their breakfast.
The four cats:
Myah eats on the kitchen table
Sir Obie One Kenobie in the bathroom
Princess Yoda at the center post between the dining room and living room
Pepe Longstocking in the bay window
The two dogs:
Rocky eats on the front Porch
Rose also eats on the front porch but later after she wakes up
Then I loaded the truck for the weekly trip to the transfer station. I found out that I am starting to appear as old as I feel. The young workers there that always help the old folk empty trash from the cars and trucks now rush over to help me too!
Following that I stopped on the way home to pickup the mail and visited the folk at the local country store for a few minutes. Then it was a quick ride home.
I did take out the ash from the stove to add to the compost heap, brought in the days firewood and started the morning fire. As I was starting the fire "She who must be obeyed" got up from bed and came out and fixed our espresso and toast. We usually sit and watch the morning news before the fire with our breakfast.
Our quick trip to Rutland involved stopping at the farmers market for our weekly supply of cheese, some home made soap, and some fresh vegetables (Leek, Gilfred Turnip, and a couple of small aubergines. There was also a couple of stops for batteries, Christmas presents, and a cup of coffee for the trip home.
Already exhausted, we made a hamburger soup with some root vegetables (carrot, parsnips, and fresh garlic) from the garden, frozen olive oil and basil, canned tomatoes, celery, onion, and Mediterranean couscous. Nap time and reading while the soup was simmering and then eaten with some crackers followed by the evening animal feed. That was not the soup that I envisioned but was still very good.
Maybe I can complete my list tomorrow after church services.
Celebration
I got very little completed that I planned for the other day, so here it goes again. I must finish work on the garden and get the Garlic planted. On the agenda for the day is;
1. Take recyclables and trash to the transfer station.
2. Go to farmers market.
3. Plant Garlic.
4. Pull up Green Beans and Egg Plant to transfer to the compost heap.
5. Turn over compost heap.
6. Bring in firewood and start fire.
7. Read!
8. Maybe make a Moroccan flavored soup for supper.
9. Take an after dinner nap before watching the game.
Hopefully it will be a day full of music and life, one to celebrate.
1. Take recyclables and trash to the transfer station.
2. Go to farmers market.
3. Plant Garlic.
4. Pull up Green Beans and Egg Plant to transfer to the compost heap.
5. Turn over compost heap.
6. Bring in firewood and start fire.
7. Read!
8. Maybe make a Moroccan flavored soup for supper.
9. Take an after dinner nap before watching the game.
Hopefully it will be a day full of music and life, one to celebrate.
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Puttering
All is well in my world today. I woke up on top of the dirt again free of major pain and able to breathe and take sustenance. My late morning cup of espresso and slice of Baba Louis' 4 Seeded Bread smothered with sun dried tomato, basil, and garlic cheese spread set the mood for the day.
I mowed the side/front lawn and collected some of the leaves. Half of them went as mulch for our Blueberry bushes for the winter and the other half went into the compost pile to balance the three gallons of coffee grounds we got from Starbucks in Saratoga NY yesterday. They actually pack it up in containers and leave them stacked up next to the back door for gardeners. After that I just puttered in my garage the rest of the day.
Tomorrow I plan on planting our yearly crop of Garlic. Once it is planted, we will cover this bed also with leaf mulch for the winter. Garlic here is best planted during the World Series and harvested during the All-Star break. The World Series has started.
Tomorrow if the frost doesn't get them I will also pick the rest of the fall Lettuce. Then all I will have left are the Carrots, Parsnips and a couple of Potato plants from the compost peelings. For some reason, my eggplants did not produce. I think because of a protracted wet spring and a shortened season. Or I could possibly have planted the wrong breed.
I still have green beans planted also. They have many blossoms but it has been too chilly for the bees to work them. They will probably join the compost heap next week and I am now going to watch Boston Red Sox beat the Saint Louis Cardinals.
I mowed the side/front lawn and collected some of the leaves. Half of them went as mulch for our Blueberry bushes for the winter and the other half went into the compost pile to balance the three gallons of coffee grounds we got from Starbucks in Saratoga NY yesterday. They actually pack it up in containers and leave them stacked up next to the back door for gardeners. After that I just puttered in my garage the rest of the day.
Tomorrow I plan on planting our yearly crop of Garlic. Once it is planted, we will cover this bed also with leaf mulch for the winter. Garlic here is best planted during the World Series and harvested during the All-Star break. The World Series has started.
Tomorrow if the frost doesn't get them I will also pick the rest of the fall Lettuce. Then all I will have left are the Carrots, Parsnips and a couple of Potato plants from the compost peelings. For some reason, my eggplants did not produce. I think because of a protracted wet spring and a shortened season. Or I could possibly have planted the wrong breed.
I still have green beans planted also. They have many blossoms but it has been too chilly for the bees to work them. They will probably join the compost heap next week and I am now going to watch Boston Red Sox beat the Saint Louis Cardinals.
Monday, October 21, 2013
Sunday, October 20, 2013
I don't know, It has been a fairly quiet day so far. Saturday (yesterday) was a bit different. It started with me waking up about 7:30. Of course I fed our four cats and two dogs and then sat down to watch the news until my wife got up around 9:00 (a little early for her) to fix a cup of coffee and a slice of toast for me.
Now before you all start sending me sexist rants about waiting for the wife to fix my breakfast, I bought the coffeemaker (a Gaggia brand espresso maker imported from Italy) as a gift for my wife and she just happens to make the best cup of espresso in the world. I am not supposed to drink coffee at all but sometimes if I whine really well, I am able to convince her to fix me a second cup later in the morning.
After my coffee it was a quick trip to the transfer station with the trash and recyclables. We do not have the privilege of roadside pickup where I live, As a matter of fact we must even pay for for the privilege of transporting our own trash to the center! Following this exercise is the drive to the Post Office to check for our mail and to the gas station to get some fuel for the truck then back home.
Once home, it was turn around and drive to Rutland VT to get our yearly flu shot, then to the Pharmacist to pick up some prescriptions, continue on to pick up my wife's Avon order and then to the Farmer's Market for our sometimes weekly shopping. Our first stop at the market was the Maplebrook Farm's Cheese Stand to pick up some smoked feta cheese, but horror of horrors, they already were out! I settled for some smoked mozzarella instead along with some cheese spread made with sun dried tomatoes, basil and garlic. All still very good! Next on the shopping list was some fresh celery root destined for a future soup, buttercup squash, and some fresh apples. The entertainment at the Farmer's Market that day was a duo from "Woodchucks Revenge", a local folk group. Kristina, a singer and violin player in the group is also my wife's french teacher. We ended the Farmers Market tour by buying two CD's.
Now I normally don't care to run around this way on a Saturday but I was thinking, "This wasn't to bad today!" But I was wrong! I then find out they we are on our way to Sears to get my wife's eyeglasses double checked and fixed, then on to Hannaford's grocery store to get "my wife's stuff" and then home. Just as I am leaving Rutland I hear "You didn't buy me my coffee!" So we end up after expressing a few across the shift-console barbs towards each other stopping at a new Cafe in Pittsford so "She Who Must Be Obeyed" can buy herself a cup of coffee and an eclair.
Finally home for a supper of General Tso's Tofu and a relaxing evening of watching the firemen work their haunted house and the Red Sox win the pennant. After the game was over and the firemen were done around 12:30, I waited up to call my son at 1:30 to say "Good Morning!" as my son was leaving his place for work and I was on my way to bed. He appreciated the contrast in our lives but I don't think his mutterings were fit for print or even the internet.
That was my Saturday, how was yours?
Now before you all start sending me sexist rants about waiting for the wife to fix my breakfast, I bought the coffeemaker (a Gaggia brand espresso maker imported from Italy) as a gift for my wife and she just happens to make the best cup of espresso in the world. I am not supposed to drink coffee at all but sometimes if I whine really well, I am able to convince her to fix me a second cup later in the morning.
After my coffee it was a quick trip to the transfer station with the trash and recyclables. We do not have the privilege of roadside pickup where I live, As a matter of fact we must even pay for for the privilege of transporting our own trash to the center! Following this exercise is the drive to the Post Office to check for our mail and to the gas station to get some fuel for the truck then back home.
Once home, it was turn around and drive to Rutland VT to get our yearly flu shot, then to the Pharmacist to pick up some prescriptions, continue on to pick up my wife's Avon order and then to the Farmer's Market for our sometimes weekly shopping. Our first stop at the market was the Maplebrook Farm's Cheese Stand to pick up some smoked feta cheese, but horror of horrors, they already were out! I settled for some smoked mozzarella instead along with some cheese spread made with sun dried tomatoes, basil and garlic. All still very good! Next on the shopping list was some fresh celery root destined for a future soup, buttercup squash, and some fresh apples. The entertainment at the Farmer's Market that day was a duo from "Woodchucks Revenge", a local folk group. Kristina, a singer and violin player in the group is also my wife's french teacher. We ended the Farmers Market tour by buying two CD's.
Now I normally don't care to run around this way on a Saturday but I was thinking, "This wasn't to bad today!" But I was wrong! I then find out they we are on our way to Sears to get my wife's eyeglasses double checked and fixed, then on to Hannaford's grocery store to get "my wife's stuff" and then home. Just as I am leaving Rutland I hear "You didn't buy me my coffee!" So we end up after expressing a few across the shift-console barbs towards each other stopping at a new Cafe in Pittsford so "She Who Must Be Obeyed" can buy herself a cup of coffee and an eclair.
Finally home for a supper of General Tso's Tofu and a relaxing evening of watching the firemen work their haunted house and the Red Sox win the pennant. After the game was over and the firemen were done around 12:30, I waited up to call my son at 1:30 to say "Good Morning!" as my son was leaving his place for work and I was on my way to bed. He appreciated the contrast in our lives but I don't think his mutterings were fit for print or even the internet.
That was my Saturday, how was yours?
Friday, October 18, 2013
A Quick Glimpse of Four of Our Seasons in Vermont 10/18/2013
Fall
This evening, as I sit in front of my laptop in Pittsford, Vermont waiting to go outside to watch the lunar eclipse I look out the window and see the local fire department directing parking in the field in front of my house. It is one of the fall's major events. They have hosted a haunted house fund raiser the last two Friday and Saturdays before Halloween for over thirty years. This is a good thing and is a major fundraiser for the volunteer fire department. Not only do they do a fantastic job, it sort of brings the community together. People from all walks of life and occupations come together and it is nice to see everyone working together.
Winter
During the winter my major outside entertainment exclusive of clearing the snow from my 200' driveway is watching my dogs get their exercise chasing the snowmobiles going through the field in front. Our front yard is completely enclosed with fencing allowing a lot of exercise room for them. The teen age boy next door will run along our fence riding his snowmobile while his younger sister follows on her's. Our dogs will start at one end of our yard, chase him along the fence line, come back and then repeat with her. After a few minutes the children will return and our dogs meet them for the chase back. Instant exercise with no effort on my part! This allows me to spend more of my time in front of the fireplace sipping on a cup of hot tea, or if the grand kids are visiting, a cup of hot chocolate.
Spring
A beautiful season watching everything coming to life. Even nicer is during late spring, depending on how many children sign up, there will be anywhere from two to four T Ball fields setup. I work in our small vegetable garden and when I take a break, I get a glass if ice water and sit in my lawn chair facing the ball fields. This allows me to watch the children playing and having fun while their parents fret. Somehow, all the games seem to be fun and exciting for the children and are quite enjoyable for me.
Summer
This is the worst season here. We have the worlds worst mosquitoes and some carry EEE and/or West Nile Virus. I now know why my grandfathers would both wear long johns and flannel shirts in the garden. On the really hot days they would wear a light blue chambray work shirt but would still have on the long sleeved long johns.There will be much more to follow at a later date....
Thursday, October 17, 2013
A NEW DAY
Well it is a new day with different problems.
We just can't get along on Facebook! My family is extremely diverse, politically, emotionally, and culturally. I guess that is what happens when you raise people to think for themselves. It is strange though, that we all tend to get along in person. Perhaps it is different stressors affecting the mind.
This last one is ripping my family apart. Below is a photo that is exploding on Facebook. One showed up from a former friend of mine from Mechanicville. I expressed my displeasure with it with two comments on the post. She deleted the post and resent the post so my comments did not show. I then commented on her second post explaining how i was upset and that if she didn't like comments she could change her privacy settings. So I was become unfriended. No big deal. The next day it showed up on a relatives timeline. I told my relative my feelings and she told me she could post anything she wanted (she can, anyone can) and I could either scroll past or not, and suggested I start a blog so I could vent. I guess this is it. If you check it out on Snopes.com you will find out that
1. There has been an EID stamp since 2001 (Not Obama's time).
2. The stamp shown is a Kalidascope Flower stamp, Not an EID stamp.
I did not find this out until last night. It was to late, comments flew from different factions for various reasons and the result is I have been unfriended by my former (I think) daughter in law, her mother, her friend and her daughter. They have unfriended, as far as I can tell, all my family members (about 8) because they are related to me, even the ones who share their political beliefs. It is a big loss to all on both parties. I remember one day going to my sister's for dinner. She laid down a new rule - "No one talk about politics." It worked and we all had a good time.
It is to bad we can't do that on Facebook!
Don't buy this stamp! It is pretty, but keep reading! Will be available November 1, 2013 President Obama has directed the United States Postal Service to remember and honor the EID Muslim holiday season with a new commemorative 46 Cent First Class Holiday Postage Stamp. The new stamp is the second MUSLIM stamp, and celebrates a Muslim holiday! If there is only ONE thing you Forward today, let it be this! REMEMBER to adamantly BOYCOTT this stamp when you purchase stamps anywhere. All you have to say is, "No thank you, I do not want a Muslim stamp on my letters!" Buy our US flag stamp instead, please! Pass this along to every Patriotic American you know & get the word out! Honor the United States Don't buy this stamp! It is pretty, but keep reading! Will be available November 1, 2013 President Obama has directed the United States Postal Service to remember and honor the EID Muslim holiday season with a new commemorative 46 Cent First Class Holiday Postage Stamp. The new stamp is the second MUSLIM stamp, and celebrates a Muslim holiday! If there is only ONE thing you Forward today, let it be this! REMEMBER to adamantly BOYCOTT this stamp when you purchase stamps anywhere. All you have to say is, "No thank you, I do not want a Muslim stamp on my letters!" Buy our US flag stamp instead, please! Pass this along to every Patriotic American you know & get the word out! Honor the United States of Americaof America
We just can't get along on Facebook! My family is extremely diverse, politically, emotionally, and culturally. I guess that is what happens when you raise people to think for themselves. It is strange though, that we all tend to get along in person. Perhaps it is different stressors affecting the mind.
This last one is ripping my family apart. Below is a photo that is exploding on Facebook. One showed up from a former friend of mine from Mechanicville. I expressed my displeasure with it with two comments on the post. She deleted the post and resent the post so my comments did not show. I then commented on her second post explaining how i was upset and that if she didn't like comments she could change her privacy settings. So I was become unfriended. No big deal. The next day it showed up on a relatives timeline. I told my relative my feelings and she told me she could post anything she wanted (she can, anyone can) and I could either scroll past or not, and suggested I start a blog so I could vent. I guess this is it. If you check it out on Snopes.com you will find out that
1. There has been an EID stamp since 2001 (Not Obama's time).
2. The stamp shown is a Kalidascope Flower stamp, Not an EID stamp.
I did not find this out until last night. It was to late, comments flew from different factions for various reasons and the result is I have been unfriended by my former (I think) daughter in law, her mother, her friend and her daughter. They have unfriended, as far as I can tell, all my family members (about 8) because they are related to me, even the ones who share their political beliefs. It is a big loss to all on both parties. I remember one day going to my sister's for dinner. She laid down a new rule - "No one talk about politics." It worked and we all had a good time.
It is to bad we can't do that on Facebook!
Don't buy this stamp! It is pretty, but keep reading! Will be available November 1, 2013 President Obama has directed the United States Postal Service to remember and honor the EID Muslim holiday season with a new commemorative 46 Cent First Class Holiday Postage Stamp. The new stamp is the second MUSLIM stamp, and celebrates a Muslim holiday! If there is only ONE thing you Forward today, let it be this! REMEMBER to adamantly BOYCOTT this stamp when you purchase stamps anywhere. All you have to say is, "No thank you, I do not want a Muslim stamp on my letters!" Buy our US flag stamp instead, please! Pass this along to every Patriotic American you know & get the word out! Honor the United States Don't buy this stamp! It is pretty, but keep reading! Will be available November 1, 2013 President Obama has directed the United States Postal Service to remember and honor the EID Muslim holiday season with a new commemorative 46 Cent First Class Holiday Postage Stamp. The new stamp is the second MUSLIM stamp, and celebrates a Muslim holiday! If there is only ONE thing you Forward today, let it be this! REMEMBER to adamantly BOYCOTT this stamp when you purchase stamps anywhere. All you have to say is, "No thank you, I do not want a Muslim stamp on my letters!" Buy our US flag stamp instead, please! Pass this along to every Patriotic American you know & get the word out! Honor the United States of Americaof America
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
TODAY
Today is my first blog and I do not really have much of anything to say. I know I will have a large learning curve to travel through but will eventually plod through it and hopefully become coherent. So please bear with me as I try to conquer the nuances of this new(to me) media.
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