wednesday's words and wanderings and wonderings

Good morning! 

Window seat views flying into New York City - not what I was expecting this time around. Usually the flight pattern takes us up the East River, with the city view of Manhattan, but due to a two hour flight delay and being rerouted a couple times, the plane's flight path took us up the Hudson River with views of Bayonne, New Jersey.  Bayonne is an industrial shipping town, important in its own right.

One consolation from this new route was the birds eye view of the Statue of Liberty. From a distance or up close, she is always beautiful.

The view of northern Manhattan certainly changes from the dense urban population to one of more neighborhoods and green space.

The alternative route eventually took us to the other side of Manhattan for the usual over-the-water-landing into LaGuardia. 

And now, I am on a digital detox until Sunday.

monday's mulling: hold on

It's graduation season for the area universities and high schools. Time for endings and time for new beginnings.

My niece graduated from high school in 2011. Todd and I drove my mom to Philadelphia so she could attend her youngest granddaughter's commencement ceremony and celebrate her acceptance into MIT.

The speeches were your typical high school graduation orations, thanking the teachers for their guidance, touching on friendships, everyone taking off for new beginnings in their lives after high school, congratulations to the Class of 2011, and turn your tassel to signify the transition from student to graduate.

One of the speeches from an administrator had some advice that really made an impression. He called it called "Hold On." It wasn't included in the graduation program so once I got home, I did a lot of digging to see if I could find his words, hoping that he found them in a publication. Someone other than the administrator did write them but there was no credit to the author.

It's a universal message to people of all ages.

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"Hold On"

"Hold on to faith. 

It is the source of believing that all things are possible. It is the 

fiber and strength of a confident soul. 

Hold on to hope. 

It banishes doubt and enables attitudes to be positive and cheerful. 

Hold on to trust.

It is at the core of fruitful relationships that are secure and content. 

Hold on to love. 

It is the greatest gift of all, for it shares, cares, and gives meaning 

to life. 

Hold on to family and friends. 

They are the most important people in your life. They make the 

world a better place. They are your roots and the beginnings that 

you grew from. They are the vines that have grown through time 

to nourish you, help you on your way, and always remain close by. 

Hold on to all that you are and all that you've learned.

For these things are what makes you unique. Don't ignore what 

you feel and what you believe is right or important. Your heart 

has a way of speaking louder than your mind. 

Hold on to your dreams.

Achieve them diligently and honestly. Never take the easy way out 

or surrender to deceit. Remember others on your way and take 

time to care for their needs. Enjoy the beauty around you. Have

the courage to see things differently, yet clearly. Make the world a 

better place, one day at a time. Don't let go of the important things 

that give meaning to your life.”

~ author unknown

that time in may

Leavin' on a jet plane...

Heading to New York City again.

It’s that time of year again for the Mortgage Bankers Association Secondary and Capital Markets Conference. Todd has attended this conference for 47 years, first as a mortgage banking executive and now as a consultant. Over the decades, the conference has been hosted in cities across the country, but for the past 13 years New York City has been its destination.

I’ve gone New York during all 13 years of the conference, initially as an excuse to visit my daughter, who lived in the city during the conference’s first three years there. She taught me how to navigate the subway, how to figure out the Avenues and Streets to  confidently make my way around Manhattan. The Empire State Building became my North Star. After she moved to Chicago, I felt ready to take on the Big Apple on my own while Todd was in conference mode.

Now this trip is bittersweet. Todd recently told me this will be the conference’s final year in New York City. Next year, it moves to Chicago. Who knows if it will stay in Chicago for a few years or if the venue will change yearly.

I’ll admit, I’m disappointed. May is such a wonderful time to visit New York. The weather is warm enough for long walks, the parks and gardens are in bloom, and sidewalk cafés and rooftop bars are filled with people enjoying the outdoors before the summer humidity settles in. Best of all, the crowds are lighter than during peak vacation season.

Still, just because the conference is leaving New York doesn’t mean we won’t return. We truly love the city. But perhaps this is also an invitation to step outside our familiar routine and explore somewhere new.

marigolds

Yesterday, after a couple of hours of digging in the dirt, 125 marigolds found homes in the empty spaces of my corner garden bed and around the vegetable garden too, strategically planted in hopes of convincing the local deer to KEEP AWAY! Right now things look a little sparse, but give it a month and the flowers will grow and spread and fill the space with color.

I’ve always loved marigolds. They’re bright and cheerful, unfussy, loved by pollinators, and sturdy enough to thrive through heat, wind, and neglect. Their blooms stretch through the fall. They aren’t flashy or rare, but that’s part of their charm.

And as a bonus, marigolds are the official flower of Kettering, Ohio, so this planting is also a tip o’ the hat to my hometown. 🌼

 

the friday feed: sour milk

Milk. It’s supposed to be the secret to strong bones. At least that’s what parents told their children and what the lunch ladies reminded students as they slid the little cartons across cafeteria tables. I was never much of a milk drinker, but I did want strong bones. Besides, there was something fun about milk mustaches and blowing bubbles until the cartons overflowed.

When my four children were growing up, there were always at least two gallons of milk in the refrigerator. No grocery trip was complete without bringing home another gallon. For years, milk was as much a household staple as bread or eggs.

Then one day, it happened.

Only a little milk remained in the bottom of the jug, and it was taking up precious refrigerator space. I poured myself a glass, took a big gulp, and instantly spit it out. Spoiled milk.  UGH! One of the most disgusting tastes imaginable. It hadn’t reached the chunky stage yet, but it had turned unmistakably sour. Blech. I spit it into the sink and rinsed my mouth for what seemed like forever, trying to get rid that horrible taste.

To this day, I can’t drink a plain glass of milk. I’ll use it in cereal or coffee, and chocolate milk is still a treat, but straight milk? Absolutely not. And I always smell the milk before I use it.

Just the other morning, while making my first cup of coffee, I pulled out the half gallon of milk. (The days of buying milk by the gallon are long gone). Out of habit, I gave it the usual sniff test. After our weekend in Chicago, it had soured.

No milk for my coffee.

Thankfully, there was just enough Half & Half waiting in the refrigerator to save the morning.

keeping balance

Earlier this week, Jaycee from Nobody's Diary shared a YouTube video featuring King Charles III sending birthday wishes to Sir David Attenborough in celebration of his 100th birthday. It's such a heart-warming video. Both men are have long been outspoken advocates for conservation, dedicating their efforts to protecting the natural world and promoting environmental balance for future generations. 

Snoopy also rides the same bandwagon as King Charles and Sir David.

Closer to home, Ohio is experiencing a massive data center building boom, ranking as a top-five state with over 200 facilities. This is driven by a combination of low-cost readily available land, robust energy infrastructure, favorable tax incentives, and low natural disaster risks.

Recently this expansion has faced backlash due to high energy consumption and straining the power grids. Over a dozen municipalities and townships have passed temporary, localized moratoriums. Additionally, there is a proposed grassroots constitutional amendment aiming for a statewide ban. Citizens are realizing this is too much too fast with not much consideration to the quality and expenses of life.

Save the bees! 🐝 🐝 🐝 🐝

wednesday's words and wanderings and wonderings

This past week I took care of my neighbor's dogs during the day. Her two sweet, senior Labs, Nuggz and Hatter, are typical Labs, friendly and affectionate, and despite their advanced ages are quite playful.

Mother’s Day weekend in Chicago brought beautiful weather and a memorable skyline view. The Illinois Department of Transportation offered a timely reminder on a digital sign: “Wear a seat belt and drive safely. Love, Mom.” It was the perfect touch for the holiday weekend, and I managed to capture it with the skyline framed nicely in the background 😊

On Saturday morning, my daughters, my little grandson, and I visited the Lincoln Park Farmers Market. The morning was gorgeous, and the market was packed with people enjoying the sunshine and the lively atmosphere. AJ was determined to escape his stroller and run right into the excitement. Aunt Sari came to the rescue with a bag of cotton candy, his very first taste. He approached it cautiously at first, but after one bite, he was completely hooked.

After the farmers market, Lauren took AJ home for his nap while Sara and I headed to her neighborhood. She wanted to show me a new mural in Bucktown and she was disappointed to see that someone had tagged it. Sara explained that within the graffiti art community, there is an unspoken code of respect: true artists don't paint over another artist’s work. To her, the tag wasn't art but vandalism splashed across someone else’s creation.

Before heading home on Monday morning, we stopped by the Merchandise Mart so we could see where our daughter works. The historic building has recently undergone a beautiful remodel, blending modern design with its classic character. She currently works on a hybrid schedule and commutes into the office three days a week.

It's time to get the garden going. First round to go into the ground are herbs and a couple flats of marigolds (more to come), and some petunias to go into a planter where the hummingbird feeder will be over the summer.

monday's mulling: google doodles

A Google Doodle is a special, temporary alteration of the logo on Google’s homepages intended to commemorate holidays, events, achievements, and historical figures. Some more of the more recent Doodles include:

April 30, 2026, celebrating the 100th anniversary of Historic Route 66.

May 5, 2026 - Teacher Appreciation Day

May 10, 2026 - Mother's Day

Scroll down on the Google Doodles page to "When Is Your Birthday?" Enter your birthdate and you will find Doodles from years past that fall on your day. My birthday falls on Mexican Independence Day and many of the Doodles reflect that theme as well as recognizing other famous peoples' birthdays. Enjoy your doodling!

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.