The Gleaners

Back in the 70's we lived on Lake Coeur d'Alene in Northern Idaho. Sounds kind of upscale but this wasn't. Looking for work, two small children. Caretaking was all we had. We drove through fields of peas and lentils up on top of the hill above the lake on our way to town.
My parents payed us a visit and my father told me as we drove through these fields about gleaning with his mother when he was little. After the farmer harvests his crop there are grains and legumes left on the ground and the gleaners come in and pick them up. He said they would have enough beans to last through winter until Gran could grow her garden.
This sounded like a romantic notion, me being a child of the 60's and all. So Shawna, Jason and I gathered peas and lentils that fall. The peas weren't split but they cooked up OK and I learned more ways to cook lentils than I ever imagined (lentil chili, lentil bread?) It felt good to glean from the land, to take care of ourselves and know that food wasn't wasted.
On my way to work this morning I saw a flock of Canadian Geese in a barley field gleaning and preparing for the long flight south.
I thought about my own little flock.

Thank you Daddy

With love and light, God does the rest

When I was young my father used to tell me what a wonderful gardener his mother was. They grew a large and beautiful garden at their home in Point Loma. He and his siblings tended to it regularly but he credited his mother for it's existence. She planted it with vegetables and flowers. Times were hard and folks were frugal and self sufficient but she longed for and created the beauty she had known of her home in Sweden.
He told me that even in winter she would bring home plants that looked dead and past reviving only to nurture them in the kitchen window to beautiful, thriving, welcome color. He especially remarked about the coleus.
He always remembered the coleus.
She would say "Med karlek och latta Gud gor resten".

"With love and light God does the rest"

Happy Halloween

For my sons: Please don’t try this!

OK, I think this is really cool, but I don’t advocate it or want any of my loved ones to try it, either. It brings to mind a 14 year old patient that came in about a week ago who had broken both bones in his left forearm, three fractures to his pelvis and had various cuts and bruises, all while trying to do back flips with his dirt bike. Please take note of the title of the song accompanying it!

When God plays golf he uses a really big tee!

No greater love

When my oldest son was about 13 and his younger brother nearly 3 years old, he, Jason told me about a dream he had the previous night.



" I had a dream last night , Mom. Yancy and I were out on the lake in a boat. Somehow the boat sank and I was holding Yancy up because he was so little and couldn't swim. Help hadn't gotten there yet and I was too tired to hold us both up any longer. I stood with my feet touching the bottom and my head was underwater but Yancy was on my shoulders so he could breathe....The thing is Mom.... if this really was to happen.....I would do the same thing again."



It brought tears to my eyes to look on this young man knowing he was already capable of such great compassion and sacrifice. It still does.

Happy Birthday Jason. Thank you for being my son.

Only poodles could pull this off!

Most of you are probably used to seeing Gryphon in pictures only and those pictures have shown a typical poodle doo. He had just been groomed for the summer in what is called a puppy cut or kennel cut. This style is still pretty typical of poodle cuts with a pompadour on top, furry feet and a pom pom tail. We were cutting firewood recently and I had some down time while Peter was cutting up a log. I usually knit or something. I was holding my scissors, looked at Gryphon and decided he didn't need the pom pom. Then I felt the feet needed trimming. When I decided I wanted to see what he would look like without the pompadour of course the ear thing had to go too. Peter turned around, looked at the pile of fur, then at Gryphon. This did not even resemble his dog. He was shocked a little at first but this look has grown on us. I'm sure it's alot cooler for him! It also left a nice pile of extremely soft nest building material for the birds. This is him up in the woods right after his new doo. Not as creative as these groomers but good enough for us.

Sparkles

We had a great Independence Day. This year Dawn and Ned came over to celebrate with us for a few days. The highlight was, of course, after dark. Ned put on a fantastic pyrotechnic display which kept us all entertained with many oohs and aahs .
Then came the time for our own individual talents to shine. We each took turns and armed only with sparklers we strut our stuff. Mine was the grand finale. It will be left to your own imagination, for it was not documented. But it included my bicycle and all of the remaining sparklers, of which there were enough to create their own weather.
The words awesome, hilarious and Cirque du Soleil were used to describe my performance.
With the help of an inhaler I barely survived it.
I wish you could have seen it!

It's what's for dinner?

Today is our 18th anniversary. We're just staying home (our favorite spot) but I want to make dinner out of the garden tonight. Maybe chicken cacciatore with something strawberry for dessert. MMMmmmm.

Collective Consciousness

There is a theory that I have been considering. Where does the mind reside? We think it is in our head because that is where our eyes and ears are. Maybe we are biased due to these perceptions. What if the mind is located somewhere beyond our body? And what if our memories are stored there with the memories of others. That would explain a lot of things. Why I feel that I have been in a train station in Egypt.....floated down a river in France.....gazed at a blue sky in Holland...visions of cities I have never been to. I don't think I have been reincarnated. It would also explain how some children can understand a foreign language they have never been exposed to. Hmmmmm.....

Cat Tales

Alright, first the disclaimer: I love my cats but I'm probably going to piss somebody off with this one. Assuming anyone reads this.

I don't think that cats, on average, are very bright. Around our house we use the word 'gifted'.

Our male tabby siamese, Spanky, holds the title, 'Supreme Gifted' ever since he jumped onto the wood stove while it was burning. I don't trust his smarts enough to make it home safely on any given night and pray daily for his safe return. We also have a Russian Blue named Lilly. Her favorite nap spot in the Ozarks was the middle of the road in front of our house. She just took over the title this morning. She's extremely persistant when there is something she wants. She was nagging me in the kitchen to let her out while I was trying to get ready for work. I knew what she wanted but figured I would be on my way out the door in 5 minutes. She could wait.

Into the kitchen walks Gryphon, our standard poodle. Lilly immedialtely ran to him complaining about my lack of action and led him to the door expecting to be let out by a dog...but then of course he followed her?

Aurora Monsteralis

Last night we stayed long at a friend's to share dinner on his birthday. I didn't come home to start watering until 9:30. I was finished at 11:00 but was kept company by the Northern Lights. (Haven't seen any of those since the ceasing of the sunspot activity) I didn't want to go in right away in case I should miss something spectacular. And then it occurred to me.....some creature from the marsh had been waiting for this opportunity; with my eyes directed heavenward it would attack me silently from behind and shred my body to pieces in an instant.

I hoped it would be that quick and continued to gaze on.

Will have to check tonight and see if we get a repeat performance.

Blessings

"Do not indulge in dreams of having what you have not but reckon up the chief of the blessings you possess, and thankfully remember how you would crave them if they were not yours "

Marcus Aurelius
170 A.D.

Art of Work

In the daily grind of one’s labor it’s easy to fall into habitual grumbling and daydream, “What do I really want to do for a living?”

Like so many others, I feel very fortunate for my job during these times. I do, however, feel thankful for more reasons than the current economy. In the course of my workday I am allowed quite a bit of creative license. Part of my work consists of applying casts and splints to injured and broken bodies. Patients often tell me it looks like I enjoy my work and my usual response is, “Yes, it’s just like sculpting; no two are ever the same.” Everyone’s contours and injuries are uniquely theirs.

When time passes and they return for the great unveiling of God’s creation of healing, I am amazed how some people have used my cast as a canvas for their own art. It’s often with a bit of sadness that I destroy this art by the means of removal.

Oh, yeah…we’ve been getting the firewood in early this year. The old “Heating with wood warms you twice” motto isn’t so appealing when the first warming is in the summer.

Opening to the Impossible

"Believe in six impossible things before breakfast"

The Queen of Hearts

My husband, Peter, recently took this challenge to heart. With his permission I am sharing with you his answer.

They forgave themselves and each other, and lived happily there after.

They relieved themselves of their monetary debt, held themselves capable of
"paying it forward" and were no longer beholding.

He journeyed to the International Space Station and returned to tell about it.

He met up with his divorced parents in unison and expressed his love and gratitude.

They held themselves capable of procuring a sailing vessel and circumnavigated the earth.

He immersed himself in stage acting and through his performances became a
great inspiration to others.

Making Fiends

Jason clued me in to this website a couple of years ago. Great entertainment for a rainy-stormy, early-April weekend. Guess it's very popular now. Check it out. I love it!

Winter's almost over?

OK, it's a whooping 18 degrees this morning and its almost the end of February. The sun is shining so what's wrong with this picture? Don't get me wrong, I love snow. I don't have to do yard work! I just want it to be in the 30's or something! And I do not promise to not complain this summer when it's 104 degrees.

Mafortz

This reminds me of Oliver, the chihuahua I had as a teenager!
By the way, if anybody knows how old Spanky is, please tell me.
Bad Mama, no remember.

Auroras

Many years ago while living in Summit Valley I made a midnight excursion to a room on the north side of the house. I noticed that the sky seemed very bright out the large octagon window facing the forest that was just north of the house. In that area of the country there are no street lights and we had no visible neighbors so I was at first a bit puzzled since it wasn't near dawn yet. The glow was green tinged and it really didn't take me too long to figure out it must be the northern lights.

No one was interested in traipsing out into the cold winter night to have a look so I went out on my own.

Now, I have seen these light shows before, but nothing yet had prepared me for what I was about to experience. I moved several yards down the road to get a view unobstructed by the house or forest. The force of the spectacle dancing above me almost took me to my knees. It was so bright and undulating so swiftly that I was a little frightened. I suddenly wondered what the animals must think when the sky flashes and moves this way. As I stood in absolute awe I realized there was sound coming from the sky. I could hear ringing and a muted crackling sound that increased with the brilliance above me. The sound moved across the sky with each flash! I lingered outside until I was near frozen just for the pure joy of the experience. When I went to bed I couldn't sleep. Turning so my head was at the foot of the bed I had a great view of the southern remnants shooting across the valley and could still watch until I finally drifted off to sleep thanking God for this night.

The next day while relating the experience, I was informed by more than one person that Aurora Borealis does not make any noise......so I have not spoken of that since.....until now. It does make sounds; at least I heard it anyway.

I found this beautiful video of the Aurora Borealis that I want to share. There are lots of still photos that I have seen but this is the first video I have ever seen. I really enjoyed it.

The Ravens

Last summer Peter and I traveled to one of our favorite annual rituals, BroFest. It takes place every summer in Lake Oswego in honor of all of my brothers; but mainly to celebrate the two August birthdays of Randy and Anthony. Brother Lindsy’s normally fabulous yard turns outright magical as siblings pitch-in (go sisters!) to transform this botanical wonder into Midsummer’s Faerie Land. As usual, a great time was had by all with great friends, family, food and music.

The main event is a one-nighter but family and close friends meet before and linger for days after. All are invited so note to "kids and others" … call me to find out the date of this year’s celebration!

Anyway, as we journeyed home reveling in the great company and time had by all, I received a most special gift. Somewhere north of the Tri-Cities I got a chance to see something I had been hoping to see ever since hearing of their existence. Standing side by side on the right side of the road were two ravens, one black and one white! It took me a moment to realize what I was seeing. It was amazing, gave me chills.

Interesting photos

It's amazing to me what people can accomplish with a program like Photoshop. I guess this is just another reason why you shouldn't always believe what you see.