monday's mulling: disruption in service

Monday morning thoughts...

Last Friday, Hurricane Helene made her way to Dayton and by mid-morning torrential rains blowing sideways came down while 62 mph winds howled through the area. Leaves, sticks, branches, and trees fell, landing on wires and causing a widespread power outage. Roads and basements flooded, leaving messes both outside and inside. 

No power for 30 hours. Of course that changes one's routine. No internet, no TV, no cooking. When I was looking at new stoves, I debated gas vs. induction for this very reason but I chose the induction stove. No regrets. House organization...Our house renovation is done and I went through boxes and boxes to put things away, mostly kitchen things. It was so much fun putting my cookbooks on the new shelves and now they are part of my everyday kitchen scenery. Catching up with old friends I hadn't seen in a while.

Todd was out-of-town for the weekend, so was my son and I was dog sitting my son's black Lab. Once the bad part of the storm passed, the dog and I took lots of walks. I also did a little yard clean up but once the grass dries it will be easier and quicker to run the lawn mower and "vacuum" all the debris.

Last night, just before posting this, my internet went out (ugh) so another disruption in service. This post was going to take a climate change bent but after waking up and taking the dog out on a quiet morning walk, waving to the kids waiting for the school  bus, knocking out some thoughts about the weather took a back seat to gratitude. 

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity."

- Melody Beattie

hurricane helene

This is my neighbor's house and every year he puts up a fun Halloween display. This year's scene was kind of prophetic. He strung a tornado from his tall tree and on Friday Hurricane Helene's wind and rain blew with a vengeance through the Miami Valley. The power went out Friday afternoon at 4:00 and returned at 9:45 on Saturday. There are a lot of leaves that need to be raked, no branches down, and no damage to the house.

It was a crazy almost 30 hours. 

It's good to be back and plugged in.

the friday feed: purple basil vinegar

Purple basil is a lovely thing: a deep, dark, almost black purple, with that familiar basil flavor & aroma, but just slightly mellower; a little sweeter, a little less grassy, perhaps just a touch more refined. Dare I say regal? Must be the purple.

I bought a couple purple basil plants this past spring and with this hot summer, they flourished. I put some into salads and pasta but didn’t want to make purple pesto (maybe next year) so a lot of basil sat in my garden until last Friday. That’s when I pulled it out of the garden and brought it into the kitchen to make purple basil vinegar.

Basil vinegar is the easiest preserving you’ll ever do. Trim the leaves off the plant, dump the basil into vinegar, cap it, and give it a shake. Let it sit for a couple weeks and then strain it into some pretty bottles. Glory at the color,  the fragrance, the taste. Become a salad person so you can make your own purple basil vinaigrette. 

Discovered a little friend while cleaning the basil and returned the stem to the garden.

After a week the vinegar has taken on a deep purple hue. One more week to straining. 

point of view

Portrait orientation refers to photographs that are taken holding the camera vertically, with the longer side being the height of the photo. This vertical orientation is ideal for creating portrait images or capturing the scale of a tall subject. Portrait orientation is great for capturing emotion and telling a story, creating a personal and intimate connection with the subject.

Landscape orientation refers to photographs taken with the camera held horizontally, spreading the width of the image to capture expansive scenes. With its horizontal orientation, landscape format excels at showcasing breadth, depth, and the flow of a scene.

It captures the surroundings, creating a sense of place and giving the viewer a broader perspective. This orientation is deal for capturing wide scenes and landscapes, evoking a sense of awe and wonder, providing context through surrounding elements and making more room for creative composition.

If you’re a photographer, sooner or later you’ll ask yourself if you should set your camera to portrait or landscape orientation. You’re always making choices as a photographer, and this is an important choice to make because it really has to do with the composition of the photo.When choosing between portrait and landscape formats, you have to decide what is better for the photo you’re trying to create.

Taking photos and writing stories have commonalities. Photos tell a story and words tell a story. While taking a writing class, one of the assignments was to write a five page memoir about an event that greatly impacted my life. Lots of details to create a sense of place. In photography talk this is landscape orientation. Our next assignment was to take a sentence out of the memoir and create a one page story out of it. This, like portrait orientation, captured emotion and created an intimate connection. Photography makes a person think, just like writing does and each medium creates a picture.

american courage

We were in Cleveland this past weekend. Todd, my sons, and daughter-in-law went to the Browns game. I babysat Little Grandson. I know I had more fun than the game goers. Once again, the Browns are off to a rough start.

Before the game, we met some friends at a small parking lot called Collision Bend (appropriately named?) along the Cuyahoga River. As we stood by the fence, one of the behemoth Great Lakes freighters slowly passed by. What a sight! 

As I was taking that 4th photo, the horn blasted from the American Courage. Wow, was it loud!

A little bit of research on these freighters, shows that the American Courage is a 700 footer, a smaller freighter. 1,000 footers like the Paul Tregurtha (1013') bring the ore from Duluth & Two Harbors down from Lake Superior and unload at Whiskey Island since they're too long to navigate the Cuyahoga. The ore is then loaded at Whiskey Island into smaller vessels like the American Courage to shuttle the ore down the river. 

After the freighter passed, we headed to the kids' tailgate where I picked up Little Grandson to go back his house. Back when I was a little girl, we lived in Owensboro, KY, along the Ohio River. On Sunday afternoons Mom and Dad would load their four kids into the family station wagon to go to the river to watch the coal barges pass through the lock system. I'm looking forward to taking Little Grandson to the Cuyahoga River to watch the freighters pass and watch him be filled with wonder as the big boat passes.

I found another WRDSMTH mural!

political climate

Yep. This says it all. It's so hard to believe that out of the 333+ million people in the United States, these are the two candidates we have running for POTUS. With either one, I am afraid for the future of the USA and the future for my children and grandchildren. Plenty of people already know for whom they will vote. I don't.

 

monday's mulling: holidays

We're a couple days into autumn, I wrote an autumn post about mums a couple days ago, but on September 17 (still summer) a friend on Facebook began her 99 days until Christmas countdown. It's what she does every single year. 

And this is what all her FB friends will see for 99 days. Call me immature (hey, I raised four kids and taught 8th grade for a few years) but that ball on the hat gives a new meaning to snowball! Ho, ho, ho!

but it's a dry heat

September has been a very dry month for Ohio. So dry, in fact, that it's the worst drought the state has seen since US Drought Monitor records began in 2000. 

"The effects of drought are "diverse and complex", but the state could see reduced agricultural production, decreased transportation on rivers, limits on city water supplies, struggles to maintain water quality, stressed wildlife and reduced recreational activities as the drought continues and water becomes scarcer." (ODNR)

Out at the farm, the plants in the field are dry, almost to the point of dead. We've picked the last of the okra, eggplant, and peppers.The heirloom tomatoes are done for the season. Mice have been eating the tomatoes we've trayed up, most likely to get the moisture from the tomatoes, so now we tray the tomatoes on an as needed basis.

Yep, right now it's a dry heat in Ohio. There's a chance of rain for next week and we have our rain dancing shoes on.

mum's the word

Happy first day of fall!

Mums are the fall showstoppers. When you think of autumn flowers, there is likely one bloom that comes to mind: chrysanthemums. Come fall, the plants line porch steps, suspend from hanging baskets, and dot flower beds, bringing unbeatable color and charm to the landscape. 

The other day, a truck delivered 1,000 mums to the farm and people are quantity buying them along with their pumpkins. What a stunning and eye-catching display!

 

And, it's THAT day in September. Start it with a little Earth, Wind and Fire.

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the friday feed: paw paws and figs

Paw Paws: A fruit native to Ohio. 

These paw paws came from one of the three trees at the farm. Pawpaw trees are the largest edible fruit trees native to North America. The flesh is pale to bright yellow and contains a network of glossy, dark brown seeds. A pawpaw's flavor is tropical: a combination of mango-banana-citrus that just doesn't seem like it should come from temperate, deciduous tree.

Figs: One of the oldest fruits eaten in the world, a fruit eaten at the first Olympic games in ancient Greece.

The other day my neighbor sent a text and said that after three years of her fig tree producing a fig or two, she had an abundance and would I like some. Yes, please! Figs fresh off of the tree, bite into the whole fruit, skin and all, what a treat! Their flavor is tropical, too, similar to the paw paw.

You just can't beat eating food that is fresh and in season. I'm going to enjoy every last bite and then look forward to next year's abundance.

spotted lanternfly

They're about an inch long and half an inch wide with colorful wings and dark spots — and they're a growing threat to Ohio's ecosystem.

The spotted lanternfly (SLF) is a highly invasive insect from Asia that feeds on and damages trees, grapevines and other plants. Though not directly harmful to humans, the SLF can cause wilting, leaf curling, dieback, and other diseases in plants. A large number of SLF can "greatly impact the viticulture, tree fruit, nursery, and timber industries." This bug could be detrimental to Ohio's wine producers. Believe it or not, Ohio is ranked 7th in the US when it comes to wine economic output. 

The insects have been spotted in several Northeast Ohio counties, including Cuyahoga, Lorain and Erie, and we spotted them as we walked to the hotel and around downtown Cleveland. They most likely arrived on one of the shipping boats that docks in Cleveland's port.

I've read about the spotted lanternfly but had never seen one. As soon as I saw a bunch of them at the hotel, I knew what it was. And I squished a bunch of them. 

See those little black dots on the sidewalk? Those are dead spotted lanternflies. 

These guys were always busy keeping the hotel grounds clean from the SLF infestation.
 

wednesday's words and wanderings & wonderings

If Todd's mom were alive, today, September 18, would be her 100th birthday. She was always so full of energy and a love of life; we thought she would make it to 100. Dementia and the declining health that goes along with it took her away from us in 2022, shortly before her 98th birthday. And today, September 18, our first grandson is 27 months old. The circle of life. 

My youngest child's birthday is tomorrow. He'll be 34. When that happens my kids will be 34, 36, 37, and 39. In 6 weeks my oldest will turn 40. I've been trying to wrap my brain around this ever since he turned 39.

A trip to Cleveland for a few days. We spent Friday walking around and exploring the  downtown. Cleveland is a blue-collar town with a homey feel to it and provides a bit of old-school grit mixed with sophistication and timelessness with its industrial bridges and brick buildings. We have walked past the Cuyahoga County Courthouse many, many times and this time decided to take a look at it. As I walked through the metal detector, my bracelets set it off. One bracelet has a pain-the-neck clasp and I almost said, "Forget it," but it finally released. The courthouse is beautiful. The floor was polished to a high sheen for a weekend event, the marble stairway has a double approach to the second floor with the stained glass depicting Justice without a blindfold suggesting that Justice should not only see the letter but the spirit of the law as well. 

Well-known judges' names frame Justice on the stained-glass window.

So many people walk past the Courthouse every day and don't realize what a treasure it is. Stay curious!

gratitude 67

Oops...I must be getting old. I set my post for noon yesterday instead of midnight. But noon for September 16 was fortuitous. That's the time I made my entrance into this world.

Today is the perfect opportunity for me to shine a little light on some of the good things in life. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed, helpless and hopeless during these chaotic times. For that reason it’s important for each of us to make an effort to remind ourselves of all the beauty and goodness around us, even when we’re not paying attention to it.

I am grateful for:

1. Another birthday to celebrate. As the quote goes, “The best birthdays of all are those that haven’t arrived yet.” — Robert Orben
2. Turning 67. Not so bad. Staying young mentally is a mindset and, except for days when I'm a little sore from exercising or after I didn't sleep well and feel tired, I get up with the intention of having a good day.
3. My husband, who shines a light on my heart every single day. He’s my rock.
4. My first-born son. A gift. The one who made me a mom. The one who helped me navigate parenthood as I tried to figure out first time childhood. I love his kind heart and his ability to make the best of any situation. 
5. My first born daughter. Another gift. An independent spirit who wanted to do everything herself (and still does), who moved to big cities and made it look so easy, and has a contagious zest for life.
6. My second born daughter. A treasure. Her gift to me is compassion and intuition. She was a sweet, quiet child but to watch her grown into an exceptionally successful business woman has brought me so much joy. In February, she and her husband blessed me with my second grandson.
7. My second son. Another treasure. The end of the line. The one with boundless energy, a big heart, and the one who gave me the gift of grandparenthood.
8. My daughter-in-law. A gem. She gifts me with laughter and enthusiasm for life and love.
9. My son-in-law who loves my second daughter to the ends of the earth.
10. My second S-I-L. An incredibly smart young man who is destined to do big things.
11. My first little grandson. To see the world through the eyes of child renews the soul and keeps me young at heart.
12. My second little grandson. I didn't know how strong babies were until my 2 1/2 month old grandson had open heart surgery. 4 1/2 months later he is thriving. Grateful for the team of doctors who healed my little guy.
13. My kids’ in-laws. To know they are loved by wonderful families makes my heart happy.
14. My siblings. Each one brings something unique to my life and is a thread in the tapestry of my life.
15. My friends, who bring their perspectives to my life and are also a thread in the tapestry of my life.
16. A comfortable home and the many blessings it holds.
17. Living in the USA.
18. The many men and women who fought, suffered and died in an effort to birth what we now have in the US.
19. The people in all walks of life who have stood up for equality and paved the road for others today.
20. Poets, writers, musicians and artists of all types who show us our soul.
21. To live in a time of discovery.
22. Comfort – running water and electricity that provides warmth in winter and cool air in summer.
23. Rugged mountains symbolizing strength and endurance and invoke the same in me.
24. The sweet smell of ocean tides and the rhythmic sounds of waves crashing on a beach.
25. The enduring power of love in all of its manifestations.
26. For rivers, streams, and spring waters.
27. The healing power of my chiropractor…he keeps me in line!
28. Farmers who till the soil and care for livestock day in and day out to put food on our table.
29. For the conservation minded who have pushed us to be responsible citizens in the care of Mother Earth.
30. And the kind-hearted souls who look after wounded animals, stray and neglected pets.
31. For doctors and modern medicine that give hope to the sick.
32. Modern equipment that has provided medical treatments not available before.
33. Gardening, both flowers and vegetables. Growing beautiful flowers, growing tasty herbs this year, and getting dirt under my fingernails is satisfying. Having fun planning my gardens for next year.
34. Going to the movie theater and getting a big tub of popcorn.
35. The freedom to travel.
36. Snow, sleet, rain and sun that enliven the human spirit and make things grow.
37. The gift of darkness so we can appreciate light.
38. A comfortable bed with soft sheets and fluffy pillows.
39. Clocks. They help me live in a world that requires I know time.
40. Coffee, wine and ice cream!
41. Restaurants that provide me with an opportunity to taste foods I would not otherwise taste!
42. Universities, colleges and schools that have and continue to enlighten generations of children and young adults.
43. People who invest in the arts and help to create great venues to bring us live performances.
44. For museums that help us hold onto our history.
45. For green grass and butterflies.
46. Bees and birds that delight while they pollinate and transport seeds!
47. The deer who trim my shrubs and keep the rabbits and mice company.
48. Bourbon!
49. Personal computers that have made it possible for me to write this blog and to help me find answers to questions in no time.
50. Washers, dryers, dishwashers, toasters, blenders, coffee makers and so many other appliances that have made our lives so much easier.
51. My planning ahead skills and my ability to go by the seat of my pants. What a dichotomy.
52. Rocks, stones and gems; their beauty, strength and grounding ability.
53. Rock bands, orchestras, choruses and all who gather together to create music
54. Listening to music with the car windows down and the radio turned up!
55. Riding my bike. Seeing and discovering the area around me at my own pace on the neighborhood and back roads and on the bike paths. I stay away from traffic as much as I can. 
56. My yoga practice that gives me an uninterrupted hour to myself, that keeps me flexible, that clears my mind, that makes me appreciate the world around me.
57. My daily walks, whether it's hot or cold or windy. I love the warm/hot weather, but I've gone in the snow or rain, too.
58. My love of cooking, having fun with food to cook healthy meals for friends and family.
59. The renovation on our home which includes a new kitchen.
60. Chocolate. 
61. Traditions, holidays and time set aside for family and celebration
62. Sitting on the patio with a fire in the Solo Stove.
63. My job at the farmer’s market. It’s a fun job surrounded by lots of good co-workers and customers.
64. My good health. 
65. My spirit of wanderlust.
66. Sunrises and sunsets. Beautiful beginnings and endings to the day.
67. The blogs that I read. They open up new worlds and new perspectives. Lots of food for thought.

monday's mulling: birthday

Today is my day to begin my next trip around the sun. 

I've always liked the phrase, “Another trip around the sun,” referring to celebrating birthdays. It reminds us of the preciousness of life and the opportunity we’ve been given to experience another day, let alone another year. As we celebrate birthdays, it’s important to take a moment to reflect on the past year, years before that, and the journey we’ve been on. They are a time to celebrate the passing of time, but we can also reflect and appreciate more opportunities to be, grow, and contribute.

This past weekend was a celebration. The Rod Stewart and Billy Joel concert took us to Cleveland. Thursday we stopped by Westlake to visit our kids and little grandson and told the kids to go to dinner without their little guy. The one-on-one time with our grandson was precious. He's 27 months and is a non-stop talker and non-stop little whirlwind. He has his opinions and Didi's negotiation skills got put to the test! But what a sweet little grandchild of mine and "I wuv you, Didi," melted my heart. The kids went to an Italian restaurant, brought back a piece of grape pie, put a candle in it, and sang Happy Birthday. A perfect, quiet family celebration.

We then headed to downtown Cleveland to spend the night. Friday morning we began our walk all around the town, stopped at Barrio for a mid-afternoon drink, and then met up with friends to go to the Billy Joel concert. And what a concert it was. Rod Stewart at 79 years - WOW! - still has his distinctive raspy voice and put on an energetic performance. Billy Joel, at 75 years - WOW WOW! His fingers flew up and down the piano keys (no arthritis for this guy) and his stage presence mesmerized the audience and everyone sang as he sang. I'll bet the people outside of Cleveland stadium heard a good concert as well.

I haven't hit my 70s...give me a few years. These two men show that age hasn't slowed them down and they're still sharing their talents and bringing joy to many. They are an inspiration for me to do the same in my own way.

wrdsmth

We were in Cleveland this weekend and while walking around downtown I noticed some murals that I had not seen on previous trips. WRDSMTH is an LA-based street artist "who aspires to inspire others on a daily basis with colorful and well-chosen words crafted into indelible thoughts and phrases that he paints/pastes onto walls around the world." (wrdsmth.com)

After doing a little research, WRDSMTH has placed a few more murals around Cleveland. Next time we're there, I'm going on a hunt for more of his art. 

flowers

Bill Franz is the creator of the Facebook page, Dayton at Work and Play. He has explored all of Dayton's neighborhoods, he highlights businesses like the 118 year old Gerstner & Sons wood chest and boxes shop, he's created a couple art series involving his 102 year old father-in-law who has dementia, he walks around town and uses his photographers eye to tell his stories. 

One story that he shared was about a CSA, Backlot Buds, located in Dayton's Historic Inner East neighborhood. He signs up to get weekly spring, summer, and fall bouquets for his wife. I love flowers, curiosity got the best of me, I looked up Backlot Buds, and signed up for the fall bouquets. On Wednesdays, for four weeks, I drive to Pink Moon Goods (a lovely little gift shop) to pick up the bouquet. 

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

The story behind Backlot Buds is inspiring. A young woman, Brittany, and her husband moved to Dayton and fell in love with the city. Their backlot, acquired through the city's former Lot Links program, is nestled in Historic Inner East Dayton behind their home. Cultivating cut flowers became a hobby in 2020 after losing their daughter and it quickly captivated Brittany. She has been bringing joy to people with these beautiful flowers for five growing seasons.

“Happiness held is the seed; Happiness shared is the flower.”– John Harrigan

the friday feed...no more sweet corn

This is a sad sight. The corn bin is empty until next year's sweet corn season. For almost 2 1/2 months the two bins were filled daily with ears of corn in their husks - bi-color corn on the left, white on the right. The customers have been coming in this week anticipating their corn purchases and the looks of  disappointment when we tell them that the corn is done for the year is disheartening for us, too. Southern Ohio hasn't had rain for quite awhile and the drought cut sweet corn sales short by about two weeks.

After taking this photo, I raked the corn husks one last time. This was my self-appointed job. My Dad was a Sears store manager and he expected his employees to keep their departments neat. He told them that when they weren't busy to look around and see what needed to be cleaned, polished, or straightened up. Dad's words work with the farm. I always raked the corn husks and now the rake is back in the shed, waiting for the leaves to fall.

wednesday's words and wanderings and wonderings

"Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day?" ~ Alan Jackson

The six people below went to work on September 11, 2001, and did not return home.

Their commonalities: All of them were from the New York City area, all of them worked in the South Tower, and all of them attended the University of Dayton.

William Eben Wilson (S-61) 58 y/o, New York City, Vice President for AON Corporation

Kristin Irvine-Ryan (S-51) 30 y/o, Long Island, married June 2001, Sandler O’Neill & Partners. (We were at the Memorial on May 22, which was Kristin's birthday, as  designated by the white rose placed on her marker by the Memorial commission).

Mary Lenz Wieman (S-59) 43 y/o, Rockville Center, Marketing Executive AON

Joseph J. Zuccala (S-44) 54 y/o, Croton-on-Hudson, a banking consultant who was at Fuji Bank

Alfonse Joseph Niedermeyer (S-28) 40 y/o, Manasaquan, NJ, Port Authority Police officer

David Wiswall (S-55)  54 y/o, Massapequa, Senior Vice President AON

This past May, Todd and I were in NYC, walking to the 9/11 Memorial and passing through the Washington Square Park neighborhood. (Tidbit: Looking north, the Washington Square Arch frames the Empire State Building and looking south the Arch frames 1 World Trade Center). As we walked through the neighborhood, I looked down and saw this little scrap of paper. It looks like Ohio so like a little kid who stuffs her pocket with "stuff", I picked it up.

Before this trip, I had read an article about University of Dayton alums who perished in the attacks on the World Trade Center buildings. My mission was to find these UD Flyers. We did and I used my little Ohio paper as a reminder where they had spent four wonderful years.

 

politics

This is my big dog Ted. Ted is no longer with us but back in 2020 Joe Biden and Donald Trump were the candidates for President of the United States and I did not care for either candidate. I wish Ted was still here so he could pose in front of a 2024 sign. 

 

monday's mulling: 3 day digital detox

We all know the extensive benefits of technology. It makes it easier to catch up with loved ones, makes work more efficient, serves as an outlet for creativity, and the list goes on! Despite all these positives, there is a lot to be gained from occasionally unplugging. It gives you the chance to relax, reflect, enjoy the outdoors, and catch up with family and friends in person. You may even find that you enjoy disconnecting and having the opportunity to recharge more often.

We spent this past weekend with a dear friend at her Indiana lake home. She purposely doesn't have wifi. Three days of no computer access where on a chilly early morning we could do things like sit with our morning coffee and watch the smoke on the water slowly disappear.