arcoíris

Tuesday around dinner time, the wind picked up, dark storm clouds blew in, a few raindrops falling, and the sun was still shining. The sky was dramatic with its dark, intense colors illuminated by the sun. It was a perfect combination for a rainbow. 

My intuition was spot on. A rainbow arched over the neighborhood. Looking at it from the left it was a single rainbow but as I looked toward the right, there was another colorful arc - a double rainbow!

I don't know how or why this happened but as I looked at the sky, the Spanish word for rainbow popped into my head. Arcoíris. Such a pretty word and so descriptive of its subject.

It's a compound word meaning "rainbow" and combines arco ("arch," from Latin arcus) and iris ("rainbow" or "Iris," from Greek mythology). The name literally translates to "arch of Iris" or "rainbow arch," referring to the Greek goddess Iris, the messenger of the gods who traveled along rainbows.

wednesday's words and wanderings and wonderings

One of the many things I love about traveling is that we walk a lot. One day in London we logged 12 miles. We were out and about all day long, we took breaks, and at the end of the day we had tired feet. Yes, we take public transportation or Uber, but when we get to where we're going, we walk. There are so many things to discover while walking, whether it's intentional or not. I enjoy strolls through neighborhoods, through parks, along rivers, through the skyscraper jungles, absorbing the calm and quiet, the life on the river, and the sounds of the city. You become part of where you are and where you are becomes part of you.

The other day the health app on my phone informs me that my walking distance has decreased. My walking around here is usually 3-5 miles a day, not the 7-12 that we put in on our holiday. One day after clearing out a couple gardens and then taking the dead foliage to the yard waste drop off, I stopped by Delco Park to get some steps in to avoid the health app scolding. The park is 69 acres with soccer and baseball fields, a fishing pond, picnic shelters, playgrounds, and walking paths. We spent a lot of time at Delco Park watching both our boys play soccer. Lots of good memories hanging out with the parents and not-as-fun memories sitting on the sidelines in inclement weather. Walking here takes me down memory lane and it's relaxing. I like to take time to notice what's happening around me.

Now that autumn has arrived, the flowers are fading away and the skeleton is all that exists now from the Queen Anne's Lace.

"Old Man" and his Chevy truck

I wanted to go straight on the path but that gaggle of geese was intimidating. They get mean and hissy when they think you're invading their space.

The ducks love sunning on the rocks

In 2002 an International Stone Sculpting Exposition was held at Delco Park. This piece is called Rock Waves and it mimics the ripple effects in the pond. More rock sculptures can be found in other locations around the city.

The fishing pier is a popular place to sit and relax. When I got to the park, a couple people were sitting on the pier listening to music. Toward the end of my walk, those two had left and a couple guys took their place, finding their enjoyment with fishing and smoking weed. Relaxation comes in all forms.

Now it's time to buckle down for the next event, my son's wedding on November 1. Family will begin arriving a week from today. I just took my dress in to be hemmed, ordered a Halloween-themed bow tie for Todd, and the list for food to fix is taking shape. I finally got back to a regular sleeping routine after the five hour time difference in Europe but now I find myself waking up with wedding thoughts. Breathe deep...take walks.

monday's mulling: halloween fun

During the month of October,  every Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo opens its gates for Boo at the Zoo. Shortly after our return from our holiday, our daughter-in-law called to tell us that she and Andrew were taking our sweet grandchildren to Boo at the Zoo and would we like to come along. Yes, yes, yes! They dressed in their Monsters, Inc. costumes and we went along as grandparents enjoying this special moment with the little ones. We strolled along the Zoo's decorated paths, our little grandson trick-or-treated at more than a dozen candy stations (they gave out some really good candy!), and we danced at the Monster Mash Dance Party. My little grandson sure knows how to boogie and has some really good moves at his young age! Add that 3-year old enthusiasm to the mix and he was king of the dance floor. We passed a wedding ceremony just as the couple was pronounced husband and wife and the happy couple received loud cheers from their guests as well as from the Boo at the Zoo patrons. What a fun start to happily ever after!

I so remember Trick-or-Treating days as my children grew up. Their excitement was contagious. They eventually outgrew Halloween and now I hand out candy to the children of all ages who come around for their treats. Now that I'm a grandma, my 3-year old grandson's excitement just spills over and makes me feel so young at heart. He is dressed as Mike Wazowski, one of the characters from Disney's Monsters, Inc. We watched Monsters, Inc. so Didi would know who this Mike Wazowski is all about. He's a good guy, er monster. My little granddaughter is Boo, who is not afraid of monsters (except she's a little unsure of Grandpa right now) and she and Mike Wazowski become friends. She and Grandpa will be friends before long, too.

My daughter-in-law asked me to bring some pumpkins to their house. She has a decorating idea for their front porch and knowing that there are a lot of pumpkins at the farm, it just made sense that I could find some good pumpkins for her. While she was running some errands, we asked Owen if he wanted to help Grandpa get the pumpkins out of the car. What a good little helper!

"This is really heavy, Didi!"

the sunflower tower

When we left for Europe, the sunflower garden at the farm was on the verge of bursting into its full glory. Upon our return, it had bloomed, many people enjoyed it, and now it's wilting with bees gathering the last bits of pollen and the birds and other animals eating the seeds.

One of the sunflowers stands out among all the others. It's still standing tall and my boss says she sees it from her house from the end of the lane. This big bunch of sunflowers beams its happy energy to all those who see it.

“Advice from a sunflower. Be bright, sunny, and positive. Know your roots. Spread seeds of happiness. Rise, shine, and hold your head up high. Keep on growing. Even on the darkest days, stand tall and find the sunlight.” 

~ Unknown

✴ ✴ ✴ ✴ ✴ ✴ ✴ ✴ ✴ ✴ ✴ ✴ ✴ ✴ ✴ ✴

Most of the monarch butterflies have migrated through the area, but this guy was hanging out at the farm's zinnia garden a few days ago. I've seen more monarchs this year than last year.

the friday feed: chimichurri

Before we left for Europe, I cleaned out every bit of perishable food in the refrigerator. After an 18 day holiday, we arrived home and the next day I headed to the farmer's market. My market basket overflowed with beautiful fresh veggies to last through the coming week and then some. A few days later my son in Cleveland called to tell us that they're taking the grandkids to Boo at the Zoo this Saturday and do we want to come along. Of course! 

Ohmygosh...the two veggie bins are full. Need to think of ways to empty them pronto. A big pot of vegetable soup takes care of the bulk but as of yesterday, there a head of cauliflower, half a red pepper, a whole yellow pepper, half a zucchini, a couple carrots, a little bit of onion still needed to be used. A tray of roasted vegetables to the rescue. While in London, we attended a couple happy hours at the hotel, and roasted zucchini and eggplant with an herby, green sauce was served. It was a very tasty relish. Parsley and oregano are going strong in my herb garden and what do you know? They're used in chimichurri. 

The chimichurri was very easy to make and took 10 minutes to come together. That included hand chopping the herbs.

Herbs, oil, vinegar -

Bright sauce for roasted veggies,

a vibrant, green kiss.

Chimichurri

1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/2 cup parsley finely chopped

2-4 cloves garlic finely chopped or minced (start with 1 or 2

2 red chilies small, or 1 red chili, deseeded and finely chopped (about 1 tablespoon finely chopped chili)

3/4 teaspoon dried oregano (2 1/2 t. fresh)

1 teaspoon coarse salt level

1/2 teaspoon pepper to taste (about 1/2 teaspoon)

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes to release all of the flavors into the oil before using. Ideally, let it sit for more than 2 hours, if time allows.

a key for hope

On one of our strolls-with-no-plan around Edinburgh, we passed St. Mary's Episcopal Cathedral. This cathedral is one of the great church buildings of Scotland. George Gilbert Scott (appropriate last name) designed it and it was dedicated in 1879. St. Mary's is the seat of the Bishop of Edinburgh, central church of the Diocese of Edinburgh in the Scottish Episcopal Church, and a landmark in the city's famous New Town. The central spire is 90m (295 feet) tall, making it the tallest structure in Edinburgh's city center. I enjoy walking through old churches marveling at how these massive structures were constructed hundreds of years ago, and then at the beautiful interiors. It's a treasure trove of art: the tiled floors, the stained glass windows, the massive organ pipes, the carved woodwork, all the arches and stone work, the ornamental metal work, the light as it streams through the stained glass.

Outside of the Cathedral stands the Awda Key sculpture representing the keys to the homes of Palestinian refugees driven from their homes in 1948 and 1967. It stands for the Palestinian refugees’ Right of Return. The key symbolizes the homes they lost, passed through the generations as keepsakes. It's sign of hope, and the hope for today is that the ceasefire in Gaza will stay in place.

wednesday's words and wanderings and wonderings

One of our days in Scotland was spent strolling around in Leith, the major port serving Edinburgh. It's an old, old town, dating back to the 12th century.

Before catching the tram to Leith, I did a little research to see what this port town had to offer. One of the items on my list was the Armada Stone, a sculpture that dates back to 1588. After walking along Leith Harbor for a bit, I put the Armada Stone in my GPS, and off we went down some streets, through alleys and ended at this delightful  community garden. I looked around and around for a sculpture, only to find out that the Armada Stone sits mounted into the gable of a building. There are times when you have to remember to look up in a search.

The origins of the Armada Stone are unknown. The attribution to the Spanish Armada is due to the upper part of the sculpture bearing the date 1588, the year of the attempted invasion of England. The stone depicts an armed merchantman flying the Saltire, the Scottish flag, at each masthead and the phrase “In the Neam of God 1588”.

So we're walking along the street and some bunches of flowers growing through the concrete and asphalt catch my eye. Of course I had to take a few photos. It was one of those "bloom where you are planted moments." As I snapped away in a low crouch, a voice with a heavy Scottish accent floated above me, "Oh, I see ye'er takin' some photos of ma weeds." I responded, "They're so pretty and so strong." And then the conversation began.

Sarah was behind a gate in another community garden that had been a cemetery. The graveyard has been in this spot since 1505 and has at least 485 ancestors of Newhaven/Leith buried there. Some of her ancestors' remains are there. Back in the long ago days, people who were unable to afford burial costs would sneak into the graveyard at night at bury their dead. This small green space is now tended by the Newhaven Heritage Community Gardens Group which looks after this patch of Newhaven’s history.

In 1972, not long after Newhaven’s redevelopment, when an archaeological dig was undertaken, a number of skeletons were discovered. Pottery, iron coffin handles and a Charles I coin were also found. Some graves had clearly been disturbed, and bodies (or parts of them) had to be re-interred. Even today, the Newhaven Heritage Gardens Group, tend not to dig down too often or too deep out of respect for the graveyard’s residents.

The plaque on the wall says, "Within this small area, where formally stood St. James Chapel was the Fisherman's Cemetery. There are 485 recorded burials which took place between 1505 and 1848." Yes, there are 485 recorded burials but as my lady friend emphasized, "There could be hundreds that are not." What a lovely experience to talk with Sarah, whose family has been in Leith for centuries, who is very proud of her family's heritage, and who loves to take care of a piece of the town's history. I so enjoyed hearing about her story.

Our day was done, we caught the tram to Edinburgh. As I flipped through Instagram, a post from dictionary.com came through my feed. The word is Saxicoline, meaning to live or grow among rocks. Don't you love when a story comes together? Taking pictures of weeds, talking to a knowledgeable townswoman, and now finding out that there is a word to attach to these weed photos. It was just one of those word nerdy moments for me.

monday's mulling: back home and reflecting

A few days after a long holiday can be unsettling. We're basking in the glow of such a wonderful vacation, each day filled with new experiences and sights and wonder and awe. And then boom, the plane has landed and we're back home - home sweet home - with photographs and memories, and grocery lists, to-do lists, a chiropractor appointment, clearing the flower beds, buying pumpkins, figuring out what to have for dinner. I miss the coffee machine at our hotels, pushing a button and voila! My morning cappuccino. (A milk frother is on my Christmas list!)

While in Europe and people asked where we were from, I proudly said, "Dayton, Ohio. It's where the airplane was invented," and a nice surprise when so many people responded with, "The Wright Brothers." Dayton is home, this is where we belong. And I’m appreciating and remembering that the world is big, that people are more alike than I realize at times, and I can grow as an individual spiritually, physically, and emotionally—just as much here as I can on vacation.

A photo from each of our stops. 

The Chagall windows, Fraumünster Church, Zurich, Switzerland.

The oldest bridge in Lucerne, Switzerland, the Kapellbrücke (Chapel Bridge), was  constructed in 1333. It is also the oldest wooden covered bridge in Europe.

Edinburgh Castle is one of the oldest fortified places in Europe and is set in the heart of Scotland's capital city.

Ozzy remembered on a graffiti wall in Leith, Scotland.

What an experience to walk on the golf course at St. Andrews and stand in the presence of the Royal and Ancient, one of the oldest golf clubs in the world.

Manchester, England. The statue outside Old Trafford features the three Manchester United legends known as "The United Trinity": Sir Bobby Charlton, George Best, and Denis Law. They are depicted arm-in-arm, celebrating the club's success, and a key moment they are associated with is the 1968 European Cup win.

York, England. York's City Walls are the longest medieval town walls in England, mainly built in the 13th century, and are the most complete in England. The walls are a popular walking route with scenic views, and they are free to walk, though some sections are narrow and have unguarded edges.

London, England. Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese was rebuilt in 1667 after the original one was burnt down by the Great Fire of London. Over the past 355 years the Cheese has been frequented by numerous prominent literary figures: Dr Samuel Johnson, Mark Twain, W.B. Yeats and Charles Dickens, who even featured it in his novel, A Tale of Two Cities.

 The iconic Stonehenge, Salisbury Plain, England.

sol-shine

The past couple of days have been ones of adjusting to a five hour time difference, taking naps, and doing a few errands. Before leaving on our 18-day holiday, we ate some creative meals as I used up food in the refrigerator and avoided grocery shopping. The lack of food in the fridge gave a perfect opportunity to clean it out. Todd looked at me like I was nuts as I washed all the veggie bins and shelves and yes, I wondered,"Why am I doing this?" but it sure was nice to come home to a clean, sparkling refrigerator! 

I went to my farmer's market on Friday, loaded up my basket with all sorts of veggies, and had a nice long catch-up visit with my boss and a couple of the people I work with. Today a big pot of vegetable soup is in the making. Also on Friday, on my way home from the farmer's market I returned a couple of packages from Amazon at Whole Foods. It was a beautiful blue sky, sunny day and this cute little car was in the  parking lot. What a perfect license plate to match the car and the day. A little "sol-shine" is sure good for the soul and a balm for jet lag.

My body clock is somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean and I am working at the farm today from 1:00-6:00 (13:00-18:00). I'm looking forward to being back. We'll be busy as today is the Sauerkraut Festival weekend in Waynesville, a little town about 6 miles south of the farm. We'll get a lot of business from those passers-by. The fresh air will help with a good night's sleep tonight and maybe (cross fingers) I'll wake around 6:00 instead of between 4 and 5. 

Wishing you all a lovely Sunday.

the friday feed: stonehenge with a side of ketchup

Last Saturday, on a very blustery day (compliments of Hurricane Amy) we visited Stonehenge, known as "The Stones" to the locals. The winds weren't as pronounced in the city of Salisbury as they were when we arrived at the historic site. (Tidbit: Salisbury's population is 47, 236, perhaps what you think would make it a town, but it has a cathedral, and that what gives it the city designation). We asked a taxi driver what he would charge to take us to Stonehenge. He proceeded to tell us about the strong winds and intermittent rain, already figured we wouldn't roam around for too long, and worked out a deal to drive us to and from The Stones. Wise man, lucky us. Stonehenge filled us with awe. It was constructed in stages starting in 3000 BC to 1500 BC with some of the stones being transported from Wales, 140 miles away. Stonehenge's purpose is a mystery, but the stones' alignment with the summer and winter solstices suggests it was a ceremonial or religious site. 

After our visit to Stonehenge, our driver took us back to Salisbury, and we had a little over an hour before catching our return train to London. We walked around looking for a place to eat and settled at a fish and chips restaurant. The food, fresh out of the fryer, hit the spot after battling the fierce winds. My son-in-law got ketchup to put on his chips and after squirting a generous blop on his plate, he nudged me and said, "Look at the ingredients in this ketchup. No additives." 

We arrived home from our wonderful holiday on Thursday, 11:00 pm (23:00), tired with bodies trying to figure out what time zone we're in. I couldn't sleep for a while so in the wee hours of the morning, I thought about England's Heinz Ketchup and went to my fridge to look at the American label. The Heinz ketchup sold in Great Britain is generally considered healthier than the American version due to stricter food regulations, resulting in a simpler ingredient list, higher tomato content, and no high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). It's a less processed product. The US relies on HFCS and corn syrup as sweeteners, which are cheaper but highly processed ingredients. The American public is beginning to make noise about the unhealthy additives put in foods which then transfers to our bodies which then can cause all kinds of health issues. It's time to cut out the junk and keep with just the good stuff.

You must be thinking how did she manage to pair these two totally unrelated topics...

Stonehenge to ketchup?

Ancient stones to processed food?

Blame it on jet lag.

monday's mulling: american football and the harvest moon

Along with our 45th wedding anniversary, this was another reason for our European holiday. The Cleveland Browns, my family's favorite football team, and the Minnesota Vikings played an American football game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in North London. Our daughter joined us for the London portion of our vacation. 

A big glitch before the game...the app crashed. Apparently this was a brand new app and had not been tested properly. Tickets in Apple Wallet did not scan. We got in a long, long, LONG queue to show our ticket confirmation and to get paper tickets but that was an absolute disaster. People were cutting in line, yelling, and fights broke out. Todd went to one of the gates to see if we could get in by showing our confirmation email and was told he needed a bar code or QR code to enter the stadium. After the opening ceremony performances, the singing of the national anthems, and fireworks were over, we got a message that we were able to get into the stadium by going through security and showing the staff our confirmation. Todd had expressed that idea a couple hours before as we were waiting. 

Once we settled into our seats, the Browns scored and the crowd went crazy. As the game progressed we realized that there were more Europeans there than Americans in the stands. Two French lads sat by me and they chanted and cheered the whole game. Four Irishmen sat behind us and told Todd that they come to the US to watch college and NFL football games. Such a fun atmosphere only to watch our team lose in the last 30 seconds. It's going to be a long season...again.

We got back to London around 8:00 pm (20:00) and as we walked to our hotel a beautiful full moon peaked from behind a building. This is the Harvest Moon and it's a supermoon as well. City lights and an iPhone telephone are not the combination to get a good photo. I hope wherever you are, you look to the sky and will be able to see this heavenly sight. So for now, I share this poem with you.

 

The Harvest Moon

The flame-red moon, the harvest moon,

Rolls along the hills, gently bouncing,

A vast balloon,

Till it takes off, and sinks upward

To lie on the bottom of the sky, like a gold doubloon.

The harvest moon has come,

Booming softly through heaven, like a bassoon.

And the earth replies all night, like a deep drum.

So people can't sleep,

So they go out where elms and oak trees keep

A kneeling vigil, in a religious hush.

The harvest moon has come!

And all the moonlit cows and all the sheep

Stare up at her petrified, while she swells

Filling heaven, as if red hot, and sailing

Closer and closer like the end of the world.

Till the gold fields of stiff wheat

Cry `We are ripe, reap us!' and the rivers

Sweat from the melting hills.

~ Ted Hughes

the friday feed: haggis and irn-bru

Haggis - a traditional Scottish savory pudding made from sheep's offal (heart, liver, and lungs), mixed with oatmeal, onions, suet, and spices.

I've heard many stories about haggis, made from offal ingredients but my curiosity got the best of me and on our first night in Edinburgh we tried it. On the menu under the Starters was a Haggis Croquette and I thought why not? It was a small offering so if we didn't like it, there wouldn't be much food waste, and our main courses would be arriving shortly.

The presentation was lovely. It looked like an oversized meatball with fried leeks on top, sitting on a neeps and tatties (turnips and potato) puree. Todd said, "You first." So I did. The texture was chewy, the flavor savory, and the neeps and tatties with its gravy were the best part of this starter dish. We ate most of it and that was it for our haggis adventure.

At the hotel breakfast buffet, haggis and black pudding were placed side by side. My sister has traveled a lot in the UK and told me that black pudding was one of the most inedible foods she has eaten. She's adventurous trying different foods. I took her word for it and passed on that. Didn't want to start my day out with a big yuck factor.

Neeps and tatties served

with this savory, earthy dish.

Scotland’s offal meal.

I had also read about IRN-BRU, a carbonated soft drink, known as "Scotland's other national drink.” The A.G. Barr company created IRN-BRU in 1901 using a secret recipe of 32 flavors. It has a distinctive bright orange color and took me back to my youthful days of drinking red cream soda. I don't drink many carbonated beverages, especially the full sugar ones, but I did enjoy this taste of Scotland.