february gratitudes {february 28, 2023}

Groundhog Day. Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow. The days are getting longer. On December 21 there were 9 hours, 21 minutes of daylight. Today there are 10 hours, 21 minutes.

Meeting with Curtis and Jonathan regarding renovation of our big space. Lots of ideas tossed around. Exciting!

Make some food for my best friend’s wedding shower. 

Yoga 3 times a week. Good for body, mind, spirit.

Find Charles Kettering’s grave at Woodland and then take a 2 hour walk around the cemetery.

Brain Health Kitchen recipe: Broccoli and Cauliflower Fritters with Roasted Tomatoes.

Pretty sunsets with Jupiter and Venus on the horizon.

Sweet pics of little grandson on his first Valentine’s Day and he also turned 8 months old!

A 12-day road trip: CLE to babysit little grandson so mom and dad could go out for Valentine’s dinner. CHI for wedding dress shopping. Dinner at La Scarola. 2 days to get to Cape Coral. Morning walks, boat rides, burrowing owls. Anna Maria Island. Sunsets on the beach, boat ride, outdoor concert with Grand Funk Railroad, picking up shells on the beach. 2 days to drive back to Ohio. Always fun to see the Cincinnati skyline…about an hour to go!

PT to take care of my knee.

Brother and sister-in-law in town for a few days. We went to a University of Dayton basketball game, went to some favorite restaurants, and just had a wonderful time visiting.

monday's mulling: the strength of mother nature {february 27, 2023}

Who has the power? It’s a question that has obsessed civilizations for ages, and one that continues to shape the world we live in today. But while politicians, governments, countries and multinational corporations jostle it out among themselves, there’s one force that can’t be reckoned with, a force so powerful it’s beyond human control: Mother Nature.

From floods, earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, tornadoes, hurricanes and more, Mother Nature continually proves she’s boss, and the devastation she can leave in her wake puts everything else into perspective. This is especially the case when climate change, therefore humans, might be increasingly responsible for the frequency and ferocity of these events, according to Scientific American.

Last year at the end of September, Hurricane Ian smashed into southwest Florida and was the deadliest hurricane to strike the state of Florida since its 1935 Labor Day hurricane.

Our friends who live in Cape Coral evacuated to Miami and when they returned, they had to navigate through debris-filled streets and arrived home to see a sailboat in their side yard. Their garage flooded but the water did not get into their house. Their boat was securely tied to the lift and was OK; the cover had blown off the lift. A few of their palm trees had blown over. All in all they were very lucky compared to the devastation that Fort Myers sustained. 

We just returned home from a visit with our friends. While there, we took a boat ride and saw the devastation, the clean up progress, and just how far recovery still has to go. 

state of? {february 26, 2023}

Back in my schools days, I loved geography, could name all the states and their capitals, and draw a freehand map of the US with the states included (although a little out of proportion). Nowadays, there are a lot of people with lack of knowledge of our country's geography. This postcard brings a chuckle...for some, they didn't pay attention when geography was being taught 😁

sky dance {february 25, 2023}

“Moonlight is sculpture; sunlight is painting.” – Nathaniel Hawthorne

This week’s main attraction is a dance of the two brightest planets of all, Jupiter and Venus, low on the western horizon right after dark. Not only are they worth looking at with naked eyes as they appear to inch closer to each other, but this week they will be joined by one of the most beautiful sights in nature, a crescent Moon. 

At certain times of the year, the Moon changes position in the sky giving viewers something to smile about. There are times when the crescent moon is oriented in such a manner so as to resemble a smile or a boat with the horns or cusps of the crescent pointing straight up. This is the so-called “wet moon” because it appears that the moon is holding water. This moon is also known as a “Cheshire moon” because it looks very much like the Cheshire Cat in Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

It's time like these that I wish I had a camera that would do justice to the scene that was in Wednesday's sky. Venus was just to the right of the moon's cusp, Jupiter below. A news anchor said that if you had a telescope, you could view Jupiter's moons and our moon both at the same time. Very cool.

the friday feed: food as hope and comfort {february 24, 2023}

One year ago today, Russia invaded Ukraine. Millions of Ukrainians left their homes to find refuge in places unfamiliar to them. So many humanitarian agencies have assisted these refugees with basic human needs: clothing, shelter, and food. Can you imagine leaving everything that I have known at a moment’s notice and going to an unknown territory? I can’t.

Food is one of the most important tools for bringing comfort and building connections. Ukrainians were met at the Polish border with food. Imagine taking a bite of a sandwich after fleeing for your life. It’s a first welcome to a new country. There’s sadness for all you’ve left behind but perhaps a glimmer comfort and hope with the first bite. Sitting down with family, friends, acquaintances or others you barely know or don’t know at all,  what brings people together? Food. It lightens the mood, shifts the dynamic, and strengthens bonds. The food also becomes a topic of conversation and leads to discovering shared experiences and interests. It is essential to community building. Meals become an anchor to the day.

Sharing meals is a fundamental component to our physical and emotional well-being. Food is not only meant to sustain and nourish us, but it is also meant to fulfill us. Meals are a moment in time intended to be pleasurable, enjoyable, offer social connection and support. My prayer before my evening meal includes the displaced Ukrainians, the ones who have chosen to stay in Ukraine, and for the country itself. May there soon be peace.

big flags {february 23, 2023}

When driving down the highways, I always enjoy seeing the huge American flags that businesses fly. I believe that it shows pride, value, and support for the USA and its veterans. Seeing that giant flag waving in the breeze, whether it's sunny or cloudy, just makes me grateful that I live in the United States.

And then there's Florida...

wordy wednesday: ash wednesday

Each year, Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent and is always 46 days before Easter Sunday. Lent is a 40-day season (not counting Sundays) marked by repentance, fasting, reflection, and ultimately celebration. 

On Ash Wednesday a lot of people walk around with an ash cross on their forehead. “When we come forward to receive ashes on Ash Wednesday, we are saying that we are sorry for our sins and that we want to use the season of Lent to correct our faults, purify our hearts, control our desires and grow in holiness so we will be prepared to celebrate Easter with great joy” (TheCatholicSpirit.com).

For quite a few years a church in my neighborhood has been offering "Ashes to Go" for those churchgoers who don't have time to sit through an Ash Wednesday church service. Some people might argue that the solemnity of Ash Wednesday could be overshadowed by the next item on a to-do list as the recipient leaves the parking lot. I think this meets a community need.

Another area church is offering a new twist on its Ash Wednesday service, a gathering in a new local brewery for "worship, friendship, food and drinks." This sounds like a very inviting atmosphere versus other more solemn church services. This church emphasizes giving to the community vs. abstaining from something. I appreciate the different perspectives to reach people. Giving makes you a better person; abstaining from something can make you a better person.

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A house celebrating Mardi Gras...laissez les bon temps rouler!

license plate game {february 21, 2023}

Back in the day of family road trips where Dad did the driving and Mom's main job was to keep the kids occupied, she kept us busy with car games. She started the trip by handing each one of us a piece of paper and a pencil so we could draw or play the license plate game. Her object was to keep us focused on something, license plates or drawing, keeping everyone distracted from whomever was hogging the seat or looking at someone the wrong way. It sure beat Slug Bug!

Last week I started playing the license plate game when a Hawaii plate caught my eye. A Hawaii plate in Dayton, OH! This is a perfect game for those who love to see the details in the things around them (me 😁). In a few days, I had found 11 plates. Then we went to Chicago and walking around Lincoln Park I found 33 new plates, including Washington DC, in an hour's time. Currently eight more to go: Arkansas, Delaware, Idaho, Nebraska, North Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Wyoming.

When we went to Europe in 2019, the EU license plates caught my eye and it became my mission to find all of those plates. My brother, sister-in-law, and T rolled their eyes but it didn't take them long to jump into the license plate game European style.

monday's mulling: brain health {february 20, 2023}

My mom's side of the family has a history of Alzheimer's. My great-grandma, grandma, and mom all left this earth from complications with Alzheimer's and even though I have no idea what's ahead of me, it's something that I think and sometimes worry about.

I am a firm believer in food as medicine and that food choices are one of the prescriptions that impact brain health.. A healthy diet along with exercise can keep many health problems at bay.

As Dr. Annie Fenn, the author of the cookbook  The Brain Health Kitchen says, It’s time to be proactive about your brain health, no matter how old or young you are. And it all starts in the kitchen."

My son gave this cookbook to me for Christmas. I've had fun with it: reading, learning, and cooking.

a grave interest: woodland cemetery {february 19, 2023}

I am a tombstone tourist, someone who loves to wander cemeteries. It’s similar to visiting a museum: an opportunity to enjoy rarely seen sculpture, intricate carvings, amazing architecture, all in a tranquil outdoor setting.

The studio where I practice yoga is a couple blocks down the street from Woodland Cemetery, one of the nation’s 5 oldest rural-garden cemeteries and the final resting place for many of Dayton's most celebrated inhabitants. I was on the hunt for Charles Kettering’s grave, found it faster than planned, so started wandering on the roads that wind around Woodland. I always go to the Lookout Columbarium, the highest point in Dayton, to view the skyline and then over to Paul Laurence Dunbar’s and the Wright Brothers’ graves. After that I just started walking and for whatever reason, I started noticing the many crosses that dot the cemetery.

I love to see the family plots. Back in the day families settled in the same town and stayed there. Today families are scattered and most likely wont' be buried together.

Cross and Angel. Angels are believed to be the guardians of mankind and can intercede for assistance from heaven. 

Celtic Cross. Similar to the Latin cross but with a circle intersecting the upright and the crossbar. Most are ornate. Celtic crosses became popular in U.S. cemeteries in the late 19th century.

Calvary Cross. Three steps make up the base on which the cross sets. Some bases are shaped to resemble the hill where Christ died. In the Protestant faith the three steps represent the Holy Trinity. In the Catholic religion, the three steps stand for faith, hope, and love.

IHS Cross. The three letters usually appear on the crossbar and are derived from the first three letters of Jesus’ name in Greek: iota, eta, and sigma. This has been said to stand for the Latin words “Iesus Hominum Salvator.” Jesus, mankind’s savior.

Woman at the Cross. The statue of a woman mourning the loss of someone abounds in cemeteries around the world as women have had the distinct responsibility of attending to the dead. The woman leans on the cross to gain comfort and strength.

bowled over {february 18, 2023}

If you throw your old bowling ball away at the Montgomery County Transfer Facility, it may end up as one of their lawn ornaments. These bowling balls were headed to the landfill. Years ago, one employee decided to start setting them aside, thus creating a bowling ball “garden.” This effectively saves them from the landfill and makes for a unique design!

This kind of recycling is right up my alley! 

the friday feed: morning coffee {february 17, 2023}

My morning coffee routine helps me start the day with something productive, familiar, and comforting. It's a ritual: get the filter out of the cupboard and put it in the coffee maker, grind the coffee, fill the pot with water to the 8 cup line, pour it into the coffee maker, press the buttons, listen to the water gurgle as it heats and the pours over the ground coffee, and then the coffee smell...bliss! Finally, the beep that lets you know the coffee is ready to pour. Ahhhh, that first sip of the day.

Coffee is more than just a drink to wake you in the morning – it’s a reason to gently step into the day, take a breath, and enjoy where you are (my new year's phrase...be where your feet are) before the day's plans take you to wherever you need to go. 

 

outdoor imagination {february 16, 2023}

I love to see evidence of kids playing outside making nature their playground. This is such a cool fort. Wonder what kind of games they made up? Outdoors and imagination are such a dynamic combination.

A little while ago I had seen a nice sized rock in the woods and thought it would be a good garden rock. I walked around toward the dried up creek and then a splash of bright color caught my eye. Cement chunks became a canvas for a little outdoor creativity with some spray paint.