bye, bye january {january 31, 2022}

The last day of January 2022.

What did I do today? 

*I basked in the joy of finding out that my first grandchild is a little boy 💙

*Caught up on my blog posts after busy weekend. My posting is in real time vs. advanced planning. That's how I choose to roll on my way to being 65 and actually how I've done things all my life.

*Went to the grocery store to do some shopping in anticipation of the winter storm that is supposed to dump anywhere 5 to a gazillion inches of snow in the area on Thursday. On my way to the store, I blared Guns 'n Roses "Sweet Child 'O Mine." That was my Mother/Son dance at my son's wedding 3 years ago and now he's going to be a dad.

*T and I went to Costco to get the "big stuff" like toilet paper, paper towels, paper plates, vitamins which seem to last until the end of time...

*Took a 2 mile walk around the 'hood to keep the Frozen Feet Challenge streak going. I'm two days into Week 4 out of 6.

*Talked to my daughter about her sweet dog who's staying with T and me until the end of February. He's 16 and needs a change of food. The hard dog food isn't sitting well with him. She talked to his vet and we're going to switch him to a softer, gentler food.

*Life is good.

 

who dey {january 30, 2022}

Cincinnati Bengals v. Kansas City Chiefs.

After the first half, it looked liked the Bengals would come home with that big Bengal tiger tail between their legs. The second half, the tiger roared...what a come back! And then, that last second Kansas City  field goal. A tied game. Bengals lost the coin toss for overtime. Memories of last week when the Chiefs scored the OT touchdown against the Bills to win the game. But the "Why Not Us?" Bengals' magical juju happened and their ever accurate field goal kicker scored the winning three points to send Cinderella Cincinnati to the Super Bowl.

No team in history has ever overcome a wider margin in the AFC title game.

The State of Ohio is cheering.

Who Dey!

It is kismet that this year the Chinese celebrate The Year of the Tiger?
Who Dey! 

saying hello {january 29, 2022}

January 29, 2022.

The circle of life...yesterday saying good bye to Aunt Madge and today finding out our grandbaby's gender. A and J's precious baby is a boy and he will make his entrance into this world in a few months.

What a party to celebrate A and J and little boy...family, friends, good food, good music. One of the songs on their playlist was "100 Years," by Five for Fighting. I got a lump in my throat when it played. I've been through a lot of  the stages; A and J are in the beginning stages. I smiled, too, because I have been blessed, and it will be such a joy to watch them on their parenthood journey. I am so ready for my journey as a grandma.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tR-qQcNT_fY

As John Ondrasik said about this song, '“Dude, just chill and appreciate the moment, recognize the moment.' Once I had the lyric, 'There’s never a wish better than this,' and I had the piano theme, I had this concept of let’s let this song be a lifetime. Let’s have each verse be the stages of our lives, let’s move through the song. '100 Years' is…always relevant because I’m always somewhere in the song."

saying good-bye {january 28, 2022}

 January 28, 2022.

On a snowy, windy, frigid day at a small country cemetery in northwestern Ohio, a handful of people said farewell to a lovely lady. Aunt Madge was a Georgia peach from Macon and moved to Ohio when she married the man she loved. Many of T's family are buried in this cemetery and it was comforting to see so many names that brought back memories.

T's grandparents and they're surrounded by many of their 11 children.

                                    “We’ll meet again. 

Don’t know where, don’t know when, 

But I know we’ll meet again, 

Some sunny day.”

~ Vera Lynn

fawning over the deer {january 27, 2022}

People picture deer differently; poets see it as a form of beauty, hunters as a game, and little girls and boys as another animated character in Disney movies. I love walking on the nature trail at the end of my street and catching a glimpse of a deer or two. They're so quiet and gentle but I am aware that they can become aggressive if they feel threatened. We just look at one another from a distance when I see them and they see me.

Yes...a deer in the headlights

wordy wednesday...tisane {january 26, 2022}

 

Woke up this morning and it was 1° outside. One. Degree. Brrrrrrrr.

I love my morning coffee, but after those two cups to get me moving, I turn into a tea drinker. I put water in my tea kettle, turn on the burner, and wait for that whistle that says, "Tea time!" 

While coffee gives you that let's-get-moving kick, tea brings a sense of peace, a sense of kindness and caring, a calming effect. Tea is gentler than coffee.

“Life is like making tea…boil your ego, evaporate your worries, dilute your sorrows, filter your mistakes, and get a taste of happiness.” ~ Earlene Grey

david's cemetery {january 25, 2022}

When I was young, my mom would take my siblings and me to all kinds of places to explore, one of those places being cemeteries. As little kids, visiting a cemetery was a chance to be outside and run around, but it was also a learning experience. Mom taught us to be respectful of the gravesites: “If you run over someone’s grave, he or she will come out and haunt you.” It was a math lesson: Tell me how old this person was when he or she died. It was a lesson in observation: “Look at all the different gravestones. Find one that catches your eye and tell me why you like it.” It was a lesson in learning to be quiet: “What do you hear? Birds chirping, woodpeckers, leaves rustling, the wind blowing? (Typical brother response, "Someone farted.")

T and I took a walk at David’s Cemetery. My parents are buried there and we haven’t visited them for a while. We said hello to Mom and Dad and then walked around the cemetery. I always gravitate to the oldest section of the cemetery. Some of the stones are pieces of art, some are showing their age with the names eroding away, I love to see generations of one family buried together. You don’t see that very often. As we walked, a hawk screeched as it chases its prey against the bright blue winter sky.

Walking in a cemetery and seeing dates from long ago makes me curious about what life was like between the dashes on their tombstone. David’s Cemetery is one of the older cemeteries in the Dayton area. It is located along Mad River Road, which used to be an Indian trail. A lot of familiar names from the Kettering area are buried there. History and legacies.

I'm drawn to graves that speak to a personality, in this case Dayton Flyers fans.
The idea of sharing a celebration with the dead is comforting.

A Civil War soldier...a battle that began in 1860 (162 years ago)

A pretty scallop design on a simple slab contrasted with larger monuments.

Symmetry

Apostrophe misuse etched for eternity

A golden apple for a teacher. Kathryn Louise Kasper taught at the
Verdun American High School in Verdun, France. Her husband served in the
US Army. What is their story? Did they meet while he was stationed there?

A Cincinnati Bengal fan asking for a little help from heaven.
Bengals are one game away from the Super Bowl...Who Dey!

mundane monday {january 24, 2022}

Winter doldrums. Not much to inspire the imagination.  

Tapping into the tropics on this snowy day with some chunks of Maradol papaya and juicy Hawaiian pineapple. Bright, cheery colors and tastes reminiscent of lounging on a beach soaking up the sun while sipping on a tropical drink. (54 days until spring)

sunday snow {january 23, 2022}

It's January. It's winter. It's snowing. It's Ohio.  

Welcome to "Snow-hio"! (Check it out...it has its own hashtag #snowhio)

I woke up to a Sunday morning snowfall, worked on the NYT crossword puzzle, and then realizing the cupboards were kind of bare for Sunday dinner, begrudgingly got out the door for an early afternoon trip to the grocery store. My route to the store travels over the Scioto River and this big, wide river was exceptionally beautiful this morning. Totally covered in snow. 

After the grocery store run, I stopped by the river for a quick walk and of course a photo or two. 

Ahhhh, winter in "snowhio." ❅❅❅❅

winter walks {january 22, 2022}

On Saturday, January 9, I started a Frozen Feet Challenge. All I need to do is bundle up and get outside to walk, run, or hike at least one mile per day for six weeks straight. The challenge is free, your miles are on the honor system, mileage for the week has to be logged in by each Sunday night of the challenge or else you get kicked out. If the weather sucks, too bad. Get out. Do your mile. It's the Frozen Feet CHALLENGE, not the Frozen Feet Easy. No prizes involved, just the satisfaction of completing a challenge.

I do enjoy walking and hiking for exercise but there's another component to time spent in natural settings, one that's good for the soul: stopping to look at fungi growing on a rotting log, photographing flowers, butterflies, and bees, watching sunlight filter through trees, admiring a sunset. It's stress relief and meditation rolled into one.

"Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves."

~ John Muir, Our National Parks

birthday and hugs {january 21, 2022}

35 years ago, on a gray, cold January 21, a day very much like today, a little ray of sunshine came into T's and my lives. Our second child/first daughter. I love her for the little girl she was, for the amazing woman she is today, and for the wonderful daughter she will always be.

This "Happy Birthday" reminds me of when S was little, she wanted pink carpet with big yellow dots. We got close with the pink carpet.

She still likes the pink and yellow combo!

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Also, today is National Hugging Day. 

National Hugging Day was created in 1986 by Kevin Zaborney. He chose January 21 because it was the time between the winter holiday season and the new year’s birthdays, which he noticed was a time people tend to feel low in spirits. 

This makes me smile as it falls on my daughter's birthday. She sure did bring fun into our lives on a dreary January day.

Open up your arms and your hearts and hug away!

wolf moon {january 20, 2022}

The first full moon of the year lit up the night sky on Monday. Known as the Wolf Moon, it was named after the wolves that howled more frequently this time of year. January's full moon is also known as the Old Moon and Ice Moon.

Indian tribes had various names for this moon. The Assiniboine called it the center moon because it is around the middle of winter. The Algonquin meaning was "the sun has not the strength to thaw" and the Cheyenne called it "moon of the strong cold."

wordy wednesday...hiraeth {january 19, 2022}

Last year at this time T and I and our big dog Ted were living in downtown Dayton. Also, last year at this time I was participating in a Frozen Feet challenge where the requirement was everyday for six weeks you walk a minimum of one mile outside, regardless of the weather. This was easy for me because Ted needed to go outside twice a day no matter what the weather was doing. That was last year; this year we are no longer downtown and Ted is no longer with us.

After a doctor's appointment, I headed to downtown to get my miles for the Challenge in. My walk started at RiverScape Metro Park, where Ted and I spent a lot of time.  As an aside, during Ted's and my walks, we found street money, the random coins people dropped by the parking meters and on the sidewalks. I walked to the spot on the Great Miami River where he loved to lap up the water. At "Ted's spot," a shiny penny sparkled in the water. I reached in to pick it up, the water was soooo cold, Ted would have loved the freezing water!

I do miss my big dog. He was such a bright spot and comfort in the uncertainty of the pandemic. I used to be a big weenie when it came to winter weather but our daily walks made me realize that it isn't so bad, especially when you have good company and are dressed appropriately for the cold. On my Frozen Feet three mile walk around downtown, I found 70¢. It was a good day.

baked gnocchi {january 18, 2022}

A snowy winter day calls for some comfort food but not having to go to the store to buy any of the ingredients. A check of the fridge, freezer, and pantry shelves comes up with a package of frozen homemade gnocchi, Italian sausage, cheeses (Parm, fresh mozzarella, shredded mozzarella, and ricotta), marinara, and of course garlic and onion, to make this dish full of melty, bubbly, carb-y comfort.

I threw this together, not paying attention to measuring, but here are some  measurements. The cheese was a free-for-all!

INGREDIENTS

16 oz. of your favorite marinara sauce

1 lb. Italian sausage (I used Bob Evans)

1 small onion

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/4 cup dry red wine

Cheese (I used ricotta, Parm, fresh mozzarella, and shredded mozzarella)

Gnocchi (I had a package of frozen gnocchi that measured 3 cups)

Sauté 1 pound of Italian sausage and a small onion. When the sausage is browned, add 2 cloves of chopped garlic and sauté for a minute. Add a splash (app. 1/4 c) of dry red wine and stir into the sausage/onion/garlic mixture for a minute. Add 8 oz. of the marinara sauce to this mixture. 

Cook the gnocchi in boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain.

Put dollops of ricotta cheese to cover the bottom of the a baking dish, add the other 8 oz. of marinara, and gently stir to blend. Add the sausage mixture and stir to blend together. Add the other cheeses...cubed fresh mozzarella, shredded mozzarella, and grated Parm in amaounts to your liking.

Bake at 375° for 20 minutes or until hot and bubbly. I made this right before dinner so 20 minutes was enough time. If you make it ahead and chill it, you'll need more time for it to get oozy and bubbly.

tu bishavat {january 17, 2022}

It’s likely you know of Chanukah (or Hanukkah). You’ve probably heard of Yom Kippur and Passover (aka Pesach). At some point, you may have come across Rosh Hashanah and Purim too.

But this is usually where people’s knowledge of Jewish holidays stops. 

Today is Tu Bishvat (also spelt Tu B’Shevat) and it is likely unknown to most outside of Judaism. It is also known as Rosh HaShanah La'Ilanot.

This minor, one-day festival is also known as the ‘New Year for Trees’. It’s effectively a festival dedicated to nature, centered around giving thanks to the natural world.

In contemporary times, the day is mainly one for ecological awareness with trees planted in celebration. It's sometimes called Jewish Earth Day, as Jewish communities around the world engage in actions and activism related to the environment.

dog sitting {january 16, 2022}

We have a visitor for the next few weeks! Sweet Clark from Chicago will be with us until the end of February. Clark is 16 years old, our daughter is traveling a bit, Chicago is bitterly cold in the winter, we have a trip planned to CHI at the end of February, so all these pieces came together for this little old man to stay with us for a while. We love him.

milagros {january 15, 2022}

Milagros are small metal religious charms. The word milagro means “miracle”. In the not too distant past, these small charms, often depicting arms, legs, praying people, farm animals and a wide range of other subjects were typically nailed or pinned to crosses or wooden statues of various saints like the Virgin Mary or Christ, sacred objects, pinned on the clothing of saint statues, or hung with little red ribbons or threads from altars and shrines. They are also carried for protection and good luck.

The heart milagro (also known as the Sacred Heart) represents love, healing and gratitude. Hang it near your home altar or prayer space or give it as a gift. 

My gratitude space and 💜 milagros for A, J, and their June baby
and for L and A2's April wedding 

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Also, so happy for the miracle that broke the 31-year curse for the Cincinnati Bengals. Bengals 26...Las Vegas Raiders 19. WHO DEY!

surprise flowers {january 14, 2022}

December is a busy month where people get so wrapped up in holiday preparations and this season of joy becomes a season of stress. My yoga studio offered a holiday challenge (one more thing to add to the holiday to-dos?) to be intentional about coming to the studio to take an hour for yourself, which would help with the holiday stress mode. I did make it a couple times a week and after the practice was over, there was a sense of calm, of focus, and a good feeling of doing something for me so that I could shorten my mile-long list of things to do for others. To entice people to come to the studio, there was a list of "prizes." I really didn't care about the incentives to get to the studio; I just was grateful for the hour to myself.

I received an email yesterday that I "won" a prize, a flower arrangement and that it would be delivered today. An unexpected but delightful surprise.

Flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful;
they are sunshine, food and medicine for the soul.
~ Luther Burbank