the tree of lights

It's that time of year when the Carillon Bell Tower transforms into the shape of a holiday tree towering 200 feet in the air and glowing with 20,000 white lights.

As of yesterday, all the wires are in place for the holiday lights to be strung.

2015 was the first year the Tree of Lights illuminated the Dayton skyline. The idea for the Tree of Lights was inspired by Indianapolis's "Circle of Lights" and it honors the first public carillon concert in Dayton, which took place on Christmas Eve 1941. 

The tree lighting will take place the day after Thanksgiving, November 28. It's a beautiful sight to see from many vantage points around town.

 

wednesday's words and wanderings and wonderings

Autumn is in its peak color glory. A walk at Hills and Dales MetroPark filled was an immersion into some beautiful golden hues.

We took a drive to one of the highest points in Dayton to take in some more fall colors and a gorgeous sunset.

The frost is on the pumpkin? Nope, more like three inches of snow!

And now presenting the clash of the seasons!

Follow the yellow brick road. The neighborhood ginkgo trees dropped their leaves in a matter of hours. Now a couple days later, the leaves have turned to mush and my car is a mess. Hope it warms up enough to get it into a car wash.

More gold upon white. 

Leaf confetti.

I rediscovered a word. Flâneur: Someone who strolls aimlessly but enjoyable, observing life and the surroundings. What a spot-on description for this past week.

 

veterans day and poppies in my kitchen

Today is Veterans Day in the United States and Remembrance Day in the UK and its Commonwealth countries. In the UK its citizens celebrate by wearing poppies. This practice originated to commemorate those who died in World War I as poppies grew wild on the battlefields of northern France and Belgium. The poppy has long represented peace and sacrifice, most famously portrayed in John McCrae’s poem “In Flanders Fields”, which he wrote after seeing poppies grow on battle-scarred fields. 

In Flanders Fields

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe: 
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high. 
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

John McCrae (1872 - 1918)

While we traveled in Scotland and England, we explored a few churches and in them were memorials dedicated to the towns' soldiers who died in various wars. These simple but profound shrines gave pause for reflection and gratitude for their service and sacrifice.

At the Tower of London is a poppy memorial to the soldiers who died in the service of their countries. It features 30,000 ceramic poppies to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. This installation opened on May 6 and closes today. What a breathtaking display and powerful symbol of remembrance.

A little while ago I bought a little poster that has a nice blessing on it and some poppies to add a pop of color to the blue and white in the majority of the piece. Later on while at an art show at a coffee shop, I bought an all red poppy piece painted on barn wood. My kitchen is fairly monotone and I wanted something to brighten up the wall space. A splash of red does that well. 

The silver rain, the shining sun

The fields where scarlet poppies run

And all the rustling of the wheat

Is in the bread that we now eat.

So it is with grateful heart we feel

When we sit down to every meal

That we are eating rain and sun

And fields where scarlet poppies run.

~ Alice C. Henderson

“Honor to the soldier and sailor everywhere who bravely bears his country’s cause.”  ~ Abraham Lincoln

monday's mulling: leaf raking

Yesterday was a chilly, drizzly day, one where it was good to stay in the house and putter around, make a grocery list, make some lists to start planning out the upcoming holidays, and listen to my husband yell at the TV while the Cleveland Browns mess up play after play in their football game against the New York Giants. I was inside all day and in the late afternoon, as it was getting dark, I put my coat on and told Todd that I was going for a walk. It wasn't the best weather to be outside but cabin fever was getting the best of me and I needed to get out. 

With the weather getting colder the leaves are dropping, covering the lawns and streets. People have been raking their leaves to the street in anticipation of the city trucks coming around and sucking them up to take to the city compost pile. By raking leaves to keep our yards clean and green, we take away habitats for insects. 

Do you remember the summer nights many years ago when the lightning bugs dotted the darkness? There were so many! But now fewer lightning bugs show up in the summer because one reason is that homeowners now spend more time raking leaves. Lightning bugs live most of their lives as larva in leaf litter, so if we remove all the leaves and put them by the side of the road, we’ve probably removed all the juvenile lightning bugs from our yard. Also, fewer lightning bugs are observed due to a combination of drought conditions and along with a lack of leaf litter, that impacts their multi-year life cycle during the egg and larva stages. If there is not enough moisture, firefly eggs and larva are susceptible to drying up. The leaf layer provides a critical, moist environment and shelter during the fall, winter and spring months. Removing the leaves as yard waste, the firefly larvae lose their protective habitat and are carted away with the debris.

The balance between to rake or not to rake, humans and nature is a thin line.

bye, bye daylight saving time and a bit of dayton history

The time changed last Sunday and we fell back an hour. This past week I took a stroll along the bike trail that goes along the Great Miami River past Carillon Park and Dayton's most famous timekeeper, the Callahan Building clock.

This clock was perched atop Dayton's first skyscraper, the Callahan Building. It  started ticking in the late 1800s, becoming the heartbeat of the city skyline. The Callahan Building was demolished in 1978. I remember driving past the demolition and it was sad to see this beautiful structure knocked down to a pile of rubble. It was replaced by a building designed by I.M. Pei (best known for the glass pyramid he designed for the Louvre). It's now a cool, modern building and it has a "Pei pyramid" on its top but but there's something about old architecture that gives a city its character. And right now the building is sitting empty. The clock moved to the Reynolds & Reynolds building where it was a prominent sight to commuters traveling on I-75 until 2006. R&R moved its headquarters and the clock made its final move to Carillon Historical Park, where it stayed in storage for 12 years. 

The Brethen Foundation presented a $500,000 gift to Carillon Park to construct a tower to "lift the historic Callahan Clock into the air and return this well-known landmark to Dayton's skyline." (Dayton Daily News, Oct. 10, 2018). In 2018 the clock became an anchor on the museums's 65-acre park and now sits on the appropriately named Brethen Tower. 

As I walked along the path quite a few wooly worms warmed themselves on the concrete. If you go by weather lore, wooly worms are a predictor of winter weather so winter might be a little more harsh this year. One of the eagles that nests in Carillon Park flew overhead. What a majestic bird. On the left hand side in the background is the Carillon Bell Tower which will be turned into a giant Christmas tree for the upcoming holiday season. I love the Tree of Lights and it's a beautiful beacon to celebrate the holidays.

flowers are still hanging on

My hardy petunias are still hanging on. They've made it through a few frosts. The hummingbird feeder had its spot right in the middle of this pot of flowers. Hummingbirds like red and trumpet-shaped flowers. Now that these little birds have migrated south for the winter, I've removed the feeder to clean it for their arrival in early to mid-April. These petunias look so pretty with the burning bush as its backdrop. Fall is going out in its blaze of color.

 

the friday feed: cauliflower

Toward the end of the farm season there were some beautiful heads of cauliflower on the shelves. They were gorgeous - huge, freshly picked heads of the typical white cauliflower but then gold and purple showed up to add some color and interest.

Cauliflower is an old vegetable, originating in the Eastern Mediterranean region and evolving from wild cabbage. Arab scientists first documented it around the 12th or 13th century. It spread to Italy and Rome, eventually reached France by the 17th century and became more widely cultivated across Europe. Then it made its way across the pond. Cauliflower's "cousins" include broccoli, kale, and Brussels sprouts. 

From cabbage, it grows,

Crunchy, raw, or softly steamed,

Very versatile.

I love vegetables that are familiar and I can't resist buying the ones that are a little bit different. Isn't this golden cauliflower gorgeous? I just had to buy it. And then it sat in my refrigerator for a few days, right during the chaos of my son's upcoming wedding. I needed to do something with it because there was absolutely no way it would end up in the trash bin. 

I was tasked for providing some food for the bridesmaids' and groomsmen's lunches before the wedding ceremony. I went to Submarine House and bought a big tray of sandwiches. I told my son what was the wedding day sustenance was, he said, "Thank you. Oh by the way...the maid of honor is vegan."

Well, alrighty then. 

My thought went to the cauliflower. It was the answer for a vegan meal and would rescue this beautiful Brassica from becoming unnecessary waste. A google search bought up a gazillion cauliflower recipes and one right off the bat caught my eye, Roasted Cauliflower and White Bean Salad. The wonderful thing was that all the ingredients were in my pantry.

The young lady was very surprised that I did this. "This is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me." I don't think it was but she was caught up in the moment and it was a gracious sentiment. This was easy to make, didn't add any stress, and feeding people is one of my "love languages."

⭘ ⭘ ⭘ ⭘ ⭘ ⭘ ⭘ ⭘ ⭘ ⭘ ⭘ ⭘ ⭘ ⭘ ⭘ ⭘

Roasted Cauliflower and White Bean Salad

Salad

1 medium cauliflower (about 2 pounds), cut into 2-inch florets (about 7 cups) 

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 

Generous ¼ teaspoon kosher salt 

¼ teaspoon black pepper 

4 cups arugula (I had a mix of arugula and spinach)

One 15-ounce can white beans, drained and rinsed 

½ cup thinly sliced celery   

Basil leaves 

Dressing

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 

2 tablespoons lemon juice 

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil leaves 

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 

1 teaspoon maple syrup 

1 small garlic clove 

Kosher salt and black pepper to taste 

Directions

1. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 425°F. 
2. For the salad, place cauliflower florets in a large bowl. Drizzle olive oil over florets and gently toss to combine. Season with the salt and pepper. Transfer to the a baking sheet. Bake, turning halfway through, until golden and tender, 20 to 24 minutes.
3. While the cauliflower is roasting and before assembling the salad, prepare the dressing. Place the olive oil, lemon juice, basil, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, and garlic in a Mason jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake to combine. Adjust flavor with salt and pepper.
4. To assemble the salad, arrange the arugula, beans, and celery in a large, shallow bowl. Pour half the dressing over the mixture and toss gently to combine. Top with the cooked cauliflower; add remaining dressing. Toss to combine.

 

st. leonard

My mom had Alzheimer's and she lived in the house she loved - her home for 41 years - until a health crisis caused my siblings and me to find a long term care facility for her. The name of the care facility was St. Leonard. 

She did not understand why her children took her away from her home and in the world she created, she told us that we put her in this jail so that we could steal all her money and valuable possessions. She was a prisoner in this place that was out in the "boondocks" of Centerville, Ohio. She was so mad that she was in Centerville. "Your dad and I never wanted to live in Centerville. We chose to live in Kettering." FYI, Centerville and Kettering are neighboring suburbs. 

When I saw this information about St. Leonard, it made me smile and pause to think. Mom's life went from a lovely ranch home to a single room with a bed, dresser, desk and chair, some of her favorite pieces of art, and a very small closet. Her life was turned upside down, she was totally pissed, and could not get out of this place. In her mind, she was a prisoner.

A couple years later, we moved Mom to a care facility in Kettering. She was happy to be out of Centerville but the happiness didn't last for long. She wanted to be back in her house and pretty soon she was back to feeling that she was just one of the inmates in this new building.

Dementia is a tough journey for everyone.

wednesday's words and wanderings and wonderings

What a week it was! Saturday we welcomed a new daughter-in-law to our family and now all of our children are married. 

The house slowly filled starting last Tuesday and by Thursday it was bursting at the seams. Every room, every bed, and a couch was filled. I started cooking before the influx: a big pot of chicken soup which was just right for Tuesday's late arrivals and then for a couple of lunches as the others got here. I'm not going to list all the foods but there was a menu for each day with leftovers filling in for lunches.

I made a little book that I filled with daily stuff to do. It was very simple - a few pieces of computer paper stapled together - but each day had its own two pages and that little "book" stayed with me as I crossed off and added tasks that needed to be done. My kids fuss at me to use the Notes app on my phone, but no. The old school, hand written notes work so much better.

The rehearsal dinner was held Friday night (Halloween) at Patrick and Kelsey's house, with her parents handling the dinner. Kelsey's step-dad grew up in the family meat store business and he made some to-die for pulled pork and burnt ends baked beans along with lots of other delectable delights. Her mom and step-dad now have a small bakery business and they also provided all the desserts. If people went home hungry, it was their own fault. 

Kelsey loves Halloween and has dreamed of a Halloween wedding. The rehearsal dinner was the backdrop for a surprise Halloween wedding. The parents knew what was going on but none of the other guests did. On Saturday, Patrick and Kelsey were once again "married" at their Halloween-themed, costumes encouraged, wedding at the venue. So many people dressed in costumes and if guests chose not to dress up, black clothes were encouraged. The bride wore a black dress and it was perfect for the occasion.

I will admit that when a Halloween wedding was in the making, I wasn't overly excited about it. Halloween isn't on my list of favorite holidays. As a little kid, it scared me, and going up to doors and saying "Trick-or-Treat" was hard to do. I DO NOT like horror movies. All that aside, this wedding reception was a blast and people really got into the Halloween spirit. It was the celebration the newlyweds were hoping for the start of their married life.

one last sunflower pic

A week ago today was my last working day at the farm. It was a beautiful fall day and customers expressed their sadness about us closing on October 31. I, too, am sad. There are the regular customers who you get to know. One man, a former Marine, comes in once a week and always buys five tomatoes. He calls me "Teacher," and I call him "Sir." I'm glad he came in last Tuesday. We said our good-byes and see you next spring. 

This farm is an oasis in this crazy world and it's a blessing to work here. Fresh air, delicious fruits and vegetables, nice people (customers, my bosses, and co-workers), exchanging recipes and ideas with the customers and what their plans are for the produce they just bought, the zinnias grown just for the kids, listening to the mockingbird sing its songs in the tree by the stand, getting a glimpse of hummingbirds flitting among the zinnias and sunflowers, spending time in the field picking okra or peppers, digging potatoes.  

"The leaves fall, the wind blows and the farm country slowly changes from the summer cottons into its winter wools."  ~ Henry Beston

Golden sunflower

Always looks at the bright side

Kissed by the sunlight

monday's mulling: november

Here it is, the month of November. the next to last month of the year. Daylight Saving Time officially ended early Sunday morning. The fall colors are glorious, slowly transitioning to winter's gray bareness. November is a quieter, softer, and darker time of year where we need to remember it's OK to rest and take it slow for a week or two before the busy-ness of the holidays fall upon us.

November comes

And November goes,

With the last red berries

And the first white snows.

With night coming early, 

And dawn coming late,

And ice by th e bucket

And frost by the gate.

The fires burn 

And the kettles sing,

And earth sinks to rest 

Until next spring.

~ Clyde Watson

adult legos

Vincent Van Gogh’s paintings of Sunflowers are among his most famous. He did them in Arles, in the south of France, in 1888 and 1889.

And now, Lego has come out with a series, Lego Art, which includes one of Van Gogh’s sunflower paintings. It’s a celebration of color. This buildable art model was created in collaboration with the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam and it reimagines Van Gogh’s 1889 masterpiece, capturing his signature use of color, light, and shadow in LEGO Bricks. The sunflower petals in this 3D buildable art model can be adjusted, and it features a tile with Van Gogh’s signature.

This 2,615-piece Sunflowers wall art set measures 21 inches (54 cm) high, 16 inches (41 cm) wide and 2 inches (5 cm) deep. And it can be yours for $199.99. Maybe put it on my Christmas list?

Starry, starry night

Flaming flowers that brightly blaze

Swirling clouds in violet haze

Reflect in Vincent's eyes of china blue

Colors changing hue

Morning fields of amber grain

Weathered faces lined in pain

Are soothed beneath the artist's loving hand

~ Don McLean (1971)

the friday feed: oregano

Today is Halloween, trick-or-treat day, and perhaps you thought I might write about candy. I thought about it - it's a spot on idea - but not today. 

Today's topic is oregano. After making that yummy chimichurri sauce, I didn't want the rest of the oregano to go to waste. My neighbor dries all the herbs she plants and uses them for the year until the next planting. One year she gave me some home-dried file, the spice used in gumbo. Anyway, she was the inspiration to dry the clump of oregano that was creeping onto the stone path from my patio to the yard.

For the first time, I dried herbs in a dehydrator and after almost four hours of drying time, that clump of leaves below turned into 4 Tablespoons (59 g) of powder. It's not much but it will give some good flavor to a few dishes.

Green leaves on the plant,

Pizza, pasta, taste of sun,

Flavor fills the air.

drain cover

Things to see (and photograph) are everywhere...look up, on the ground, on walls, in gardens, on buildings, in crowds, in parks...just look around to see what there is to notice.

When I'm walking, I tend to notice drain covers. Yeah, it's kind of weird, but some are rather eye-catching.

As we walked toward the exit gate at the Tower of London, I happened to look down, Todd was ahead of me, ready to take on the next adventure, and I said, "Wait a minute!" He saw me looking down and gave me that there-she-goes-again smile.

He strolled over to see what the cover looked like and studied it for a few seconds. What instantly caught my eye, he had to think about. With a big grin on my face, I asked, "What does it say?" A little more pondering and then the light went off. "DIDI!"

Didi (pronounced deedee) is what my grandchildren call me. 

wednesday's words and wanderings and wonderings

Each of my children's birthdays gives me pause to reminisce about their births, all their different phases of growing up, the craziness, joys, and frustrations of life with having four children in under six years. Now I sit back and watch their lives as adults. Three of them are married, a couple are parents, they all have good jobs, they're all good people, and in a few days, none of our children will be single.

But first, he celebrates his birthday today. Happy Birthday to my first born child. This is your last birthday as a single man and a such a joyous segue into your BIG weekend!

 

first frost of fall 2025

The temperature is dropping in my neck of the woods and last Thursday night we had our first significant frost on the ground.

I worked at the farm Thursday morning and we did some preparation in anticipation of the frost. I picked the last of the okra and we loaded up the boss's car with her cannas. By the time I worked on Sunday, the okra stems had been plowed down. 

We have had a pleasant October but Mother Nature and the calendar tell us it's time to get out the heavier coats and gloves and get ready for the cold.