happy mother's day 🌸

To all the incredible women who are mothers - whether by blood, by choice, or by heart - wishing you a day filled with the exact love and joy you pour into others.

keeping time

I bought a new watch. The "old-fashioned" kind. 

My Garmin step counter died and I went without a watch on my wrist for about a week to see if I could manage by keeping my phone with me, like many people do. It didn't work for me.

I like my analog watch with its minute, hour, and second hands...a throw back to the past.

And now we're in Chicago, in Central Standard Time, an hour behind Ohio's time. I'm not going to switch my watch to CST for the four days that we're going to be here. 

the friday feed: playing with food

What does it mean to play with your food? I think the answer depends on the stage of life you’re in.

I’ve watched my children feed my grandchildren. For the littlest one, food is placed on a tray or plate and explored with small hands. Sometimes it makes its way straight to the mouth. Other times it squishes through his/her fingers or lands dramatically on the floor, followed by a glance toward Mom or Dad to see what reaction it causes. At that age, playing with food is part curiosity, part entertainment, and part discovery.

As a child myself, I remember “playing” with food in a different way. I pushed vegetables I disliked around my plate, rearranging them to make it appear that I had eaten more than I actually had. I also remember chewing bites and spitting them into a napkin when no one was looking. Childhood can turn the dinner table into a stage for negotiation and strategy.

These days, playing with food has taken on a more creative meaning. Since Todd and I are heading to Chicago this weekend, I’ve spent the past week using what was already in the refrigerator rather than buying more groceries that could spoil while we’re away. A leftover chicken breast and a bunch of veggies became a stir-fry. Fruit was cut up for fruit salad or else stirred into overnight oats. By the end of the week, both the fruit and vegetable bins were empty, which was a relief. Mission accomplished.

Photography can be another form of playing with food. A couple of weeks ago, Todd and I toured the Wright-Dunbar neighborhood, where the Wright brothers grew up and where poet Paul Laurence Dunbar once lived. On the way home, we stopped for dinner at a restaurant with patio seating. When the server brought my glass of wine, I immediately noticed the reflections, refractions, and the way the light shined through the glass. Before long, I was taking photographs instead of sipping wine.

As chef Emeril Lagasse once said, “It’s OK to play with your food.” Cooking, eating, arranging, photographing, and even improvising with leftovers can all be acts of creativity and joy. Food nourishes us, but it also invites us to explore, experiment, and sometimes just have a little fun.

the next life

I've been cleaning out my garden beds and came across this leaf, once vital but now a delicate skeleton. It’s strange how something can lose so much and still remain unmistakably itself. The outline persists, the design intact, a memory that refuses to fade even when all its colors have drained away.

It's a quiet kind of survival.

 

wednesday's words and wanderings and wonderings

Well, here it is… reality at the pump. Most gas stations were charging $4.99 a gallon, while Costco offered one of the lowest prices in town at $4.19. I had stopped there earlier in the day, but the lines at the pumps were incredibly long. With 35 miles still showing on my gas gauge, I decided to wait until evening to fill up. By 8:00 p.m., the station was nearly empty. The open pumps spared me the frustration of waiting in line, but the $70 total was still a jolt.

 

Earlier in the week, our son called to ask if we could come to Cleveland to help with his busy little ones while his wife was out of town. “The kids would love to see Didi and Grandpa,” he said. Our grandson Owen is currently fascinated with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles who live underground in the sewer. On one of our walks, he proudly showed me several manhole covers, stopping at each one to chat with the Turtles.

An afternoon at the park with Miss Hallie. Life is good in a swing while munching on a cracker.

Sunday morning, while everyone was still in their pajamas, Hallie said it: “Didi!” It was the sweetest, most heartwarming way to begin the day. And at this early age of one year, the girl sure does love her shoes!

Lilies of the Valley are blooming and their scent perfumes the air. Such an aroma of spring. Many years ago my grandma taught me this song: White coral bells upon a slender stalk/ Lilies of the valley deck my garden walk/ Oh how I wish that I might  hear them ring/ That will happen only when the fairies sing.

The state of Ohio is in the process of upgrading its highway rest stops. Many now feature dog trails, rocking chairs, and Storybook Trails designed to create a welcoming, family-friendly experience. Music from Ohio musicians drifts through outdoor speakers, and gardens filled with native flowers brighten the grounds. Expanded truck parking areas accommodate the growing freight traffic moving through the state. In partnership, the Ohio Department of Transportation and TourismOhio have designed these rest stops to both welcome and inform travelers.

monday's mulling: may the 4th be with you

May 4 is Star Wars Day due to the pun, "May the 4th be with you," a play on the iconic Jedi phrase, "May the force be with you." It's an annual celebration Star Wars fans to express their love for the saga, often celebrated with movie marathons, social media posts, and themed events.

Here's a tidbit for you...The phrase was first associated with Margaret Thatcher on May 4, 1979, the day she took office as Britain's Prime Minister, in a congratulatory newspaper advertisement.

The first Star Wars movie debuted on May 25, 1977, a few months after Todd and I had started dating. It was summer break from college, and he came down to Dayton for a weekend visit. Star Wars was playing at the theater, so on Saturday night we made a spur-of-the-moment decision to go. This was long before online ticketing or advance sales, so we simply walked up to the counter and bought our tickets. So easy.

Inside, though, was another story. The theater was packed. There weren’t even two seats together, so we ended up sitting in separate rows. No shared popcorn, no hand-holding, just watch the movie unfold on the screen in front of us surrounded by strangers.

Hard to believe that was nearly 49 years ago...a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.

digital detox

In today's electronic world, unplugging helps you step away from the nonstop flood of information and reconnect with yourself, the people you care about, and what’s actually happening around you. Taking a break from screens gives your mind and body a chance to recharge, which can boost your mood, overall well-being, and quality of life.

Shutting off your devices also gives your brain a break from all the noise online. Kick back after a long day of screen time. Once you’ve had that reset, it’s easier to focus, make decisions, and think more creatively.

And how do you do that? Get outside, away from those walls that surround you, move, and breathe in that fresh air!

One of the best ways for me to digitally detox...hang out with my grandchildren!  The time with them is so precious and seeing the world through their eyes sure does keep me smiling and laughing 😁 

what's in a name?

Yesterday, The New York Times shared a fun link that lets you spell out your name using images shaped by Earth’s geography, all drawn from satellite views. It’s a reminder that even something as familiar as your own name can feel new again.

There’s something enjoyable about seeing your name out in the world. When you're in a souvenir shop, do you find yourself hanging around those racks of license plate keychains looking for your name? I do. Then I hunt for my husband's name, my children’s names, their spouses’, and my grandchildren’s. Even though I never buy one, the search itself is satisfying. It's a frivolous little hunt where the prize is recognition. And now, to see my name in geological forms from a NASA website...well that's downright cool! 

When your name shows up, hover the cursor over each image and its location will appear. 

D - Lake Tandou, Australia

I - Borgarbyggð, Iceland

A - Yukon Delta, Alaska

N - São Miguel do Araguaia, Brazil

E - Fern-filled Fjords, Tibet

the friday feed: lahmas of love

That vertigo episode drained me more than I expected. Hospitals aren’t built for real rest. The nurses were attentive and thorough, waking me every two hours with their steady refrain: “Name. Date of birth. What month is it? What year? Do you know where you are?” I got the routine, but sleep never quite had a chance to settle in. Still, I was fortunate - it was only a one-night stay.

When I finally got home, I went straight to bed and sank into a deep three-hour nap. I woke to the sound of my phone. It was my friend.

“Di, I made some lahmas. Can I bring them over?”

“Yes, please!”

Lahmas, pronounced “lock-mas,” are often called Arabic pizzas. They are made with thinly rolled dough topped with a savory meat mixture. She had cooked them; all I needed to do was warm them in the microwave for 30 seconds. The food, along with the visit, was the best medicine.

poetry month: growing old

It happens...

Today ends Poetry Month and tomorrow we say "Hello!" to May. 

 

wednesday's words and wanderings and wonderings

Last week was a quiet week with a couple days in the hospital for a vertigo diagnosis. This cute little elephant greeted me on the bedside table in my hospital room. Do you think it looks like an elephant or another creature? 

It looks like I'm going to plant some carrots this year. This artsy packaging of carrots caught my eye but so did the name, Danvers Carrot. My mom was born and raised in Danvers, Illinois, and that is the main reason I bought this. I hope some of her green thumb will pass through my fingers to grow a bounty of carrots this summer. 

A Google search provided this information: "The Danvers carrot is a classic, hardy heirloom Carrot developed in the 1870 in Danvers, Massachusetts, known for its deep orange color, high yields, and adaptability to clay soils. It typically produces 6-8 inch tapered roots that are sweet and nearly coreless." 

My neighbor's mom passed away this week. Susan loves flowers - you should see her garden! To express our condolences I went to a florist in McPherson Town, one of Dayton's historic neighborhoods, for a bouquet of flowers. When we lived downtown, my big dog Ted and I frequently strolled past this small business. Look toward the back of the photo and you will see the Dayton Art Institute. After buying the flowers, I stopped by DAI to renew our museum membership.

My first grandchild is no longer in his crib and to celebrate this milestone, I want to make a small quilt for him. A long time ago, in the late 70s and into the 80s, quilting was popular, and I spent a lot of time with this hobby. I have a lot of fabric from back in those days and it's time to reduce the stash. Owen's favorite colors are green and red (I am adding blue to keep it from looking like a Christmas quilt), his birthday is in June, but for the time it will take to piece the blocks and get it quilted, this will be a Christmas present.

The lilac beside the garage door has been in full bloom and scenting the air for a few weeks now. It's such a joy to get a whiff of that fragrance when walking outside. I took this photo last Friday and in that short time, flowers are just about gone. Between late April and early May lilac trees and bushes typically bloom for three weeks in Ohio (they did) but they bloomed early this year and now mine are done for their season. Sigh.

the big and small of things

Costco. The bastion of bulk. The place where “just grabbing one thing” doesn’t happen. Shopping trips balloon into a cart full of super-sized decisions. The building itself is massive, somewhere in that 146,000–147,000 square-foot range. Does it have its own zip code?

Nothing here in moderation. Toilet paper? Not six rolls, but a commitment of 30 rolls. Chicken thighs arrive in six packages with 4-5 thighs in each. Pepsi shows up in a 36-pack, beer in a 30. You get the picture. Everything is BIG.

The other day I went in to pick up a pair of glasses. No large cart, no filling-the-cargo-hold ambitions. I pulled into a parking spot and imagine my surprise to see the cutest, TINY Miata in the space next to mine. A toy-sized car in the land of bulk excess. I laughed out loud.

The front seat area is big enough for me and my purse. A package of toilet paper would barely fit in the trunk. I was tempted to wait around, just to see what kind of purchases pair with a car that small in a place that large.

monday's mulling...vertigo - oh - oh - oh - my!

Dizzy

I'm so dizzy, my head is spinning

Like a whirlpool, it never ends

And it's VERTIGO, making it spin

You're making me dizzy…

Last Tuesday evening, my world began to spin and it just would not stop. I went to bed hoping and praying that by morning it would pass. It didn’t.

Todd was out of town, so around noon I called my son and asked him to take me to the hospital. I had never experienced anything like this, and it was frightening.

At the hospital, it was a blur of questions and tests. “Keep your eyes on my finger… follow it.” My eyes felt like they were bouncing every which way. Then came the blood draws, the CAT scan, the MRI. “Take these pills with thickened apple juice.” Yuck. I had been placed on stroke protocol, and the whole experience felt surreal. My head was a whirling dervish.

By the next morning, the dizziness had eased, but I still needed to be evaluated by physical, occupational, and speech therapists before I could be discharged. As overwhelming as it all was, I truly appreciated how thorough the care team was.

In the end, the diagnosis was “just” vertigo. No stroke. No brain tumor. No invasions from outer space aliens. Just vertigo. And for that, I am incredibly thankful.

connections

Back in my teaching days, the end of the school year meant one thing for the eighth graders, a trip to Gettysburg and Washington, DC. For many, it was their first time traveling without their parents. This was their final celebration, a last hurrah as the oldest students in the building before stepping into a much bigger world: a 2,500-student high school campus, where they would trade their seniority status for the role of freshman newbies.

The students found Washington, DC more interesting than Gettysburg. There was more to see, more to connect with, and most of them discovered something that felt personally meaningful. (Yes, this became part of a writing assignment they completed when we returned.) For many, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial (the Wall) stood out in a powerful way, especially those who had a grandparent, aunt, or uncle who served during the war.

Just south of the Wall in a quiet spot sits the Vietnam Women’s Memorial, designed by Glenna Goodacre. It honors the nurses and women who served in Vietnam. While looking at this piece, a sense of familiarity struck me. The sculpture reminded me of a couple statues in Lincoln Park Commons, a small park not far from the school.

Photo: National Park Service

After we returned and got back into the end-of-year routine, I took a walk through Lincoln Park to test that hunch. Had Glenna Goodacre created these local sculptures as well? Yes, she had. Wanting to model the kind of curiosity and connection I hoped to see in my students, I wrote a short piece linking Kettering, Ohio to Washington, DC, showed the photos I had taken of the Women's Memorial, and read my story to them. (See? Teachers do homework, too!).

Over the next few days, a few students told me they had gone to Lincoln Park to see the statues for themselves. That little ripple of curiosity (especially at the end of the year when all thoughts are on summer vacation), felt like its own kind of success.

"The Runner" by Glenna Goodacre

"Man with His Dog"

poetry month: the first steps

One week ago my granddaughter took her very first steps! Her mama was right there to steady her, and her daddy stayed close, ready to catch her if she fell.

Your world is growing bigger and moving faster every day, Hallie. You’re surrounded by so many people who love you and will be there to guide you, step by step, wherever your journey leads.

The First Steps

Last night I held my arms to you

And you held yours to mine

And started out to march to me

As any soldier fine.

You lifted up your little feet

And laughingly advanced;

And I stood there and gazed upon

Your first wee steps, entranced.

You gooed and gurgled as you came

Without a sign of fear;

As though you knew, your journey o'er,

I'd greet you with a cheer.

And, what is more, you seemed to know,

Although you are so small,

That I was there, with eager arms,

To save you from a fall.

Three tiny steps you took, and then,

Disaster and dismay!

Your over-confidence had led

Your little feet astray.

You did not see what we could see

Nor fear what us alarms;

You stumbled, but ere you could fall

I caught you in my arms.

You little tyke, in days to come

You'll bravely walk alone,

And you may have to wander paths

Where dangers lurk unknown.

And, Oh, I pray that then, as now,

When accidents befall

You'll still remember that I'm near

To save you from a fall.

~ Edgar Albert Guest

the friday feed: ice cream delight

“Here, AJ, try this!” Aunt Sari said, placing a chocolate-covered ice cream bar into his eager hands.

The little boy’s big brown eyes grew even bigger as he took it, curiosity lighting his face. A moment of hesitation…then a bold first bite. His expression transformed instantly, melting into a big, big grin.

“WOW!”

That one word, that delightful smile, said everything.

Pure innocence. Pure joy.

 

role reversal

Little yellow Fiat following a red brick road...Wouldn't it be fun to see a little red Fiat follow a yellow brick road? I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore.

wednesday's words and wanderings and wonderings

Earth Day.

Love your mother 🌎, today and every day 💙 💚

 

Photo taken from my wanderings at Aullwood MetroPark, Englewood, Ohio.

eyes of a child

Last Friday, activists lined the sidewalk outside U.S. Representative Mike Turner’s Dayton, Ohio, office with dozens of backpacks. The display, titled "Eyes of a Child", paired each backpack with a portrait to honor the children killed in a missile strike on a school in Minab, Iran, presenting them as lives remembered rather than statistics. The demonstration was organized by Veterans for Peace and the Greater Dayton Coalition for Peace.

Photo: Ty Greenlees

Photo: Ty Greenlees

monday's mulling: good thoughts

Many thanks to my very talented and always spreading positivity friend Patricia Saxton for this sharing this joyful, optimistic, bright, sunshiny message for Monday! 💛

this is us

In the 1994 film Forrest Gump, the iconic quote "Me and Jenny goes together like peas and carrots" is used by Forrest to describe their inseparable bond. Narrating his childhood and later life, Forrest explains they were constant companions -"always together" - an inseparable connection, even when Jenny was far away.

My dearest friend's birthday was last week and she and I "goes together like peas and carrots," too. A couple of our children are the same ages; preschool and kindergarten were the connections that brought us together. 35 years of friendship...that's over half of our lives.

She’s the vibrant disco ball of energy, scattering light everywhere she goes, while I’m more of the soulful wanderer, moving quietly through the world. Somehow, we fit. A natural balance. Extrovert and introvert, spark and stillness. She draws me out of my shell, and I help her stay grounded. That's what friends are for.

on this day

On April 15, Facebook brought back several posts I’d shared on that same date in years past. It’s always fun revisiting those old memories.

April 15, 2020...In all of this Coronavirus craziness, our good ole tank of a washing machine is acting up. The UPS guy delivered parts to the house on Monday and Tuesday. Ted greeted him at the door yesterday and this was today’s delivery. It’s those little things...

April 15, 2021...

April 15...it's Monday AND tax day. There's a sucker punch for you!

Went down to the accountant's office to pick up papers and lighten the checkbook. A young lady seated me in the conference room and asked me to review the stack of papers on the table. (WHAT?) 

Do you think that happened with a view like this?