Almost the Weekend! 4/24/26

 Good Morning!

Once again (thanks to Mabel and the LOUD birds this morning) I got up early.  Actually, I like doing that.  As long as I feel fairly rested the early morning hours are some of my favorite.  It's quiet (except for bird song) and peaceful.  I consider it found time!

Speaking of found time...I did wind a skein of sock yarn and started another sock last night!

This is one of the skeins I recently bought from Lisa (Fibernymph Dyeworks).  It is Mountain House - Winter.  The yarn base is "Heavenly" and it is lovely - an 80-10-10 blend of SW Merino, Cashmere and Nylon.  It does feel heavenly!

Yesterday ended up being a longer day with Iris which is not a bad thing.  Colin had a conference call that went later than normal, so I was late getting home.  I was beginning to feel a bit rushed trying to get dinner going and doing a few other things, so I decided to skip yoga.  My shoulders were bothering me anyway.  So, instead, after dinner and listening for 20 minutes to "The Long Ships" with Fletch I cleaned up the kitchen and then pulled out the skein of yarn and caked it up.  I've only done about half the cuff so far, but it's a nice start.  Then Fletch and I started Season 2 of "Drops of God" - if you have Apple TV, I highly recommend this.  I don't knit while watching TV (we usually turn out the lights) and this show has subtitles anyway (it's in English, French and Japanese).  But so good!  About wine!

Does anyone know what this flower is?

It's blooming in one of Colin's front beds and I love it.  He doesn't know what it is - it was already there when he and Mailing bought the house.

Finally, I mentioned that I had picked up a few poetry books from the library.  These are two of them:

"The Beauty" by Jane Hirshfield and "The Unswept Room" by Sharon Olds.  After reading a volume of Ada Limon's poetry and not being won over, I mentioned that to both Leslie and Connie - two published poetry writers who are friends of mine.  Leslie said that one of her favorite poets is Sharon Olds.  Connie recommended Jane Hirshfield...and recommended staying away from Sharon Olds.  Ha!  Of course, I needed to get books by both.  I've only read a few poems from both books so far, but am enjoying each of them.  I know that some of you are familiar with Jane Hirshfield.  Has anyone read Sharon Olds?

The other poetry volume I checked out at my library is The Essential Haiku Versions of Basho, Buson & Issa.  This is great!  I love Haiku and am familiar with Basho and Issa, but not Buson.  Fun to explore.  Along with these 3 poetry books I have 8 (!!) other books checked out from my library.  I guess I'm set with reading for a little while.

Today is my last day of watching Iris for a bit.  They head to China tomorrow.  They will only be in China for 4 days or so (seeing some family, going to The Great Wall and the Panda House at the Beijing Zoo among other things) and then they fly to Taiwan for the balance of the two weeks they will be gone.  Iris has been such a love this week and I am going to miss being with her so much.  I will still be heading over to their house twice a day (starting tomorrow afternoon) to feed Talbot and show him a bit of love.  He will be missing his family.  That will give me more found time!  I plan to take a book (or two) and some knitting with me when I go over and that way I will have something to do while spending a bit of time keeping Talbot company.

This is the last Friday in April!  Let's make it a good one.

A Gathering of Poetry 7/17/25

 Good Morning!

It's time to gather together for a bit of poetry.  Yesterday I mentioned a new-to-me poet I had discovered:  David Bottoms.  Here is one of the poems from his book "Otherworld, Underworld, Prayer Porch."

AN OLD ENEMY by David Bottoms

 

Just past midnight when I walked out back to piss in the yard

 

I saw at my feet

in a patch of moonlight

 

the old enemy coiled on the root of a cherry tree.

 

It didn’t rattle or move, and I thought it might be dead,

then the fat tail twitched

as a slight wind washed the root with shadows.

 

I backed away slowly, looking for the shovel

I kept leaning against the fence.

 

It wasn’t there.  So thinking omen, I left the snake

and walked back into the house.

 

This morning I saw my mistake.  A rope the tree trimmers

left last week

lay draped across the root of the cherry.

 

Omen?  Maybe.  But no mistake.

 

In deep memory the danger remains –

the fat rope

coiled and ready to strike.

 

A Poem for Thursday 5/22/25

Good Morning Everyone,

The heat is back on in the house!  Brrrrr - only 43 or so this morning AND rainy.  So, quite chilly feeling.

I did not plan to post anything today, but I read this poem for the 3rd or 4th time and decided I really wanted to share it with all of you.  My hope is that you will enjoy it as much as I have.  Quite moving.

In a Village on the West Bank

By Naomi Shihab Nye

 

One little boy writing a book,
“making pictures for it too,” he said over Zoom,
proud face bright as an apple in my screen.
“It’s about a problem,” he smiled shyly 
in that occupied land where soldiers sneak around at night
breaking into houses, chopping olive trees, smashing lamps. 
“A problem between spiders and ants.” Well, this sounded 
refreshing, a problem not made by humans. He said 
spiders and ants each want to dominate their corners, 
not letting other species have space. I didn’t quite understand, 
since spiders spin high-up webs and ants tunnel in the ground, 
but he insisted on friction, something about vicinity. 
They want the whole space. I could see stone walls behind him. 
Hear his parents speaking Arabic in the background, 
a spoon clinking a bowl. I felt homesick for my whole life.

Now he was whispering, other kids listening in, 
scattered in villages around the West Bank where my grandma 
once lived. I knew exactly what their world looked and 
smelled like, and wished to be with them 
on that ground, stirring smoky coals in a taboon.
“But there’s something the ants can do,” he went on softly.
“So they don’t all get killed. The spiders are stronger
than the ants, you know. So the ants pretend to be spiders!”
What? How does an ant pretend to be a spider?
He showed reluctance to tell, being still immersed
in the making of his story, but gave a clue.
“It’s an expression on the face. An ant makes his face look like a
spider’s face. For safety. Then they won’t attack.
It’s not that hard.”

Hope your Thursday is a good one.

Lemon Raspberry Muffins and Poetry!

 Good Morning!

Last night I baked some lemon raspberry muffins.  I used a new-to-me recipe and I hope they are good...I have not yet tried one.

Our friends/neighbors Rob & Eva are back from their trip to Colorado and I wanted to bake something to welcome them home and to thank them for the multiple servings of asparagus we had from their garden.  I thought they were coming home today, but actually they came home last night, so I've texted that I will leave some on their porch later this morning when I head over to Colin & Mailing's (and I will take some to C&M as well).

Plummeting down rabbit holes this morning, I came across this poem and just love it.  I hope you do too.

THE WISDOM OF A MUFFIN

 

it is extreme heat

in a tight spot

that makes the muffin rise 

to show its purpose

to give delight

to be useful to others

 

then why is it

that when we feel the heat

and when we are in a tight spot

we show our weakness

we give complaints

and we become useless to others

 

it is perchance

that the wisdom of the muffin

that rises to the occasion

that stands up to be counted

trumps our own?

 

 

Daniel Human

What's Cooking? And a Poem!

 Good Morning!

Happy Spring and Happy Birthday to my Mom (who, if she were alive, would be 106 today!!).  It is the 20th of March and is the Spring Equinox.  Our day is a bit on the grey side.  We are expecting misty conditions most of the day and then rain maybe by dinnertime.  The past few days have been absolutely gorgeous with blue, blue skies and temps hovering around 70.  It's ok to have a slightly dimmer day once in awhile...just makes you appreciate those gorgeous days all the more.

Yesterday's weather was so wonderful that Fletch decided to grill.  I took some lamb chops out of the freezer.  Boy were they delicious!  Lamb is not something I want to eat on a regular basis, but when you have a really good lamb chop it is a wonderful thing.  Anyway, I decided to try a new (to me) recipe for Roasted Asparagus Potato Salad.

I will be making this salad again and again.  

The recipe calls for fingerling potatoes, but I used little red potatoes (having no fingerlings in the fridg).  They roasted perfectly and then asparagus was added to the pan.  What I like about this recipe is that it is best served warm or at room temperature.  Meaning, I could finish it before the chops were ready.  THIS is the recipe I used.

And now, with it being the third Thursday of the month, it's time to share a poem with everyone.  Like Kat I've been spending much time with Ted Kooser's poems.  I always find them soothing and calming.  This poem can be found in the volume of Kooser's poetry I recently read:  Delights and Shadows.

Turkey Vultures

 

Circling above us, their wing tips fanned

like fingers, it is as if they are smoothing

 

one of those tissue paper patterns

over the pale blue fabric of the air,

 

touching the heavens with leisurely pleasure, 

just a word or two called back and forth,

 

taking all the time in the world, even though

the sun is low and red in the west, and they

 

have fallen behind with the making of shrouds.

Bonny is hosting a link up for poems - be sure to check it out.

And that's it from me.  I need to review all the stuff I pulled together for taxes - my appointment is at 10 this morning.  Hoping for a favorable outcome!

A Gathering of Poetry 2/20//25

 

It is still winter as far as I am concerned.  Fortunately we have no snow on the ground presently, but it is still bitter cold and icy underfoot.  So, I thought this poem from May Sarton would be a good one to share as I link up with Bonny and others for A Gathering of Poetry.

Blizzard

 

Hard to imagine daffodils

Where I see nothing but white veils

Incessant falling of thick snow

In this nowhere non-landscape

Which has no shadow and no shape,

And holds me fast and holds me deep

And will not cease before I sleep.

Hard to imagine somewhere else

Where life could stir and has a pulse,

And know that somewhere else will be

This very field, changed utterly,

With hosts of daffodils to show

That spring was there under the snow.

New Englanders are skeptical

Of what cannot depend on will,

Yet I should know that this wide range

Of white and green and constant change

Have kept me kindled, on the edge of fear,

Travelling the weather like a mountaineer.

Taken from "The Silence Now" by May Sarton

Summer Solstice. 6/20/24

 Hey-Hey and Hello!

I do not normally (don't think I have ever) linked up for "A Gathering of Poetry."  But today I am linking up with Bonny to share a poem.  

This morning I was up a bit early...fixed a cup of coffee (my first in more than 2 weeks!!) and did a few things.  I was waiting to get in the shower until Fletch was waking up...since he has to "tend" to me after I get out of the shower.  While waiting, I picked up a book from my nightstand:  Musical Tables by Billy Collins.  In my opinion, one can never go wrong reading Collins - he is a master!  And this volume of his poetry is especially fun - all the poems are very short and the one I will share is perhaps one of the longest.  At any rate, it seemed so appropriate for the summer solstice.

Summer

 

The two of us

One night in lawn chairs

Music coming from somewhere.

 

You explained

what we were hearing

Was the B-side of the moon.

Happy Summer Solstice everyone!

What's for Lunch? 2/10/22 - And Bonus: a Poem!

 Hello and Good Morning!

Mabel was a little kinder this a.m., not waking me till 4:45 a.m.  And, since I usually get up by 5 or 5:30, I just decided to stifle my yawns and just get up.  It's Thursday and I've my usual reports to run and distribute this morning, plus an additional monthly one.  But first, the more pleasurable blogging experience.  The coffee is hot and I'm slowly waking.

Before I get into my usual Thursday food post, I have some exciting news!  You've heard me speak of my friend Leslie before - an amazing woman and my best friend for 56 years!!  Leslie is a poet and she had one of her poems chosen for the North Carolina Poetry in Plain Sight program.  I've known about this for a little while but was not able to share with you until her poem went up on display.  That happened!  I do love her poem "Big Ears" that was chosen.  Just makes me chuckle:

Click to enlarge.  Currently seen in the window of the indy bookstore Scuppernong Books in Greensboro, NC.  Congratulations Leslie!  Well deserved.

Let's talk food (as I often do on Thursdays).  Last weekend I wanted something different for lunch.  I hard boiled some eggs (though I used the air fryer, so no water) and made some deviled eggs.  Then I decided on this dish from Amy Traverso's "The Apple Lover's Cookbook" - Quick Bread and Butter Apple Pickles

• 1 unpeeled English Cucumber
• 1 TBS kosher salt
• 2 large firm/sweet apples
• 2 medium shallots
• 1 Cup Rice Vinegar
• 1/2 Cup Water
• 1/2 Cup Honey
• 1 TBS sugar
• 1 Cinnamon Stick
• 1 Sprig Fresh Tarragon, cut into 4 pieces

1. Cut the ends off the cucumber and slice on a mandolin.  Place in a colander and toss with the salt.  Let sit for 20 minutes
2. Cut the apples in quarters trimming out the core and seeds.  Leave the skin on and slice on a mandolin.  Peel and slice the shallots on a mandolin.  Put all in a medium bowl.
3. In a small bowl whisk together the rice vinegar, water, honey and sugar.  Mix until the sugar dissolves.  Add in the cinnamon stick and tarragon. and pour over the apples and shallots.
4. Rinse the cucumbers and lightly blot dry (still in the colander) with a paper towel or kitchen towel.  Add the cucumber slices to the apples and shallots and stir well.  Let sit for at least 30 minutes.  Will keep in the frig up to 2 weeks.

I roughly halved the recipe.  The apple I used was a Pink Lady.  I used some ground cinnamon rather than a stick and I did not have fresh tarragon, so I skipped that.

Even though it is winter, this crisp and refreshing salad tasted really good.  Next time I might just slice the cuke, apple and shallot and make the pieces a little bigger.  I can see this becoming a summer staple.

Only making half the recipe still made plenty for the two of us.  I had some with my lunch yesterday and it was still very tasty and crisp.  And, there is still some left!

Here is another wine label for you:

Wines made from organic grapes are typically not my favorite.  Nor are Spanish wines.  But, given the label you know I HAD to buy this one.  And it turned out to be quite good!  A nice red.

OK, time to get to work.  Remember, it is Friday Eve, so in my book that means that really the weekend is starting.  LOL  Make it a good one!

Tiny Needle Tuesday

 Good Morning!

The sun is out and the sky is blue.  I slept a bit later than usual...Tyg was out all night and therefore wasn't meowing to go out at 4 or 5 a.m.  And I slept well!  Halleluiah!!  Did anyone else watch the Ken Burns special on Hemingway that started on PBS last night (on for 3 consecutive nights...2 hours each night)?  We watched and thought it was well done (as all of Ken Burns' productions seem to be).

Before we get into TNT (Tiny Needle Tuesday), what with April being Poetry Month, I wanted to mention that my friend Leslie just had another poem published!  It is here: ohenry magazine and if you scroll down to Poet's Corner, her poem is "Industrial Fabric."  So happy for her and proud of her!

Now on to our standing Tuesday date with my stitching.  It is moving ever closer to the finish!  There is still much to stitch...some more creatures and more letters, a leaf and a mushroom!! (or maybe it is a toadstool).  Here is an overview:

This past week I stitched a moose, a second rabbit, a second fox and a couple of letters (R & W).  Here are close ups of the new critters:

I know I say this every week, but I do love the way this is coming together.  Also, I was so curious about whether or not the motifs at the bottom would match up that one day I basted from the bottom of the motif on the left over to the one at the right corner and YAY - they meet up perfectly!  No need for me to fudge anything.

Still to be determined is the color I will use for my own 3 initials and I will also add 2021 somewhere.  Any suggestions?  I want the letters to not be the same green as the other letters...I could use another color from the sampler or use a completely new color that is not currently in the sampler.  I'm mulling over ideas, but if you have thoughts please let me know.

Such a beautiful looking day - I'm hoping to get out for a walk and maybe do some archery.  I did go to the office yesterday so that is not on today's docket.

Here's hoping your Tuesday is sunny and pleasant - enjoy!!

Thursday Stuff

 Good Morning!

Gosh it is cold (20 this a.m. when I got up and it doesn't look like the temp has risen any yet).  But, I've managed to get all my Thursday financial reports completed and it's not even 9:30 yet!  Hopeful that I can find a bit of time to knit/stitch/read/avoid work...we will see.

The other day I mentioned that my friend Leslie has had a poem accepted for a "Poetry in Public" program in North Carolina.  Again, I cannot share that particular poem with you because it has not yet been published and sharing it would disqualify it.  But, I do have two poems of Leslie's that I can share with you.  I like them both.

And finally, a funny that my friend Carol shared with me this a.m.  I'm sure she saw it on Facebook or some social media avenue.

That's it for me!  Have a great day.

Monday Back at Work

Good Morning!

 

Once again, I’m amazed to find myself back at work and am wondering where the weekend went.  I was kind of out of sorts all weekend…not sleeping well during the night and then falling asleep in the wee hours and sleeping later than I am accustomed to.  It sort of threw of both Saturday and Sunday.

 

Thank you for all your kind comments about my work situation.  It really is not all that bad for me (other than dealing with two very different people managing the same group of folks).  I’ve worked with the LD for close to 20 years, and the operations team under him is extremely close (more so than any other group in the company).  It’s really those folks who are struggling with the transition and my heart breaks for them (again, I’ve been with most of them for 16-20 years).  Change is not easy, but it is necessary.  My gut tells me that some of the “team” will no longer be with us within a year, but I don’t know for sure.

 

Meanwhile, the Hilton Head trip (which really is just a big old party) is still on.  As of Friday it was off, then on, then off, then on, etc., etc.  It has been shortened, so I will fly down on Monday and fly back on Wednesday, but that is fine with me (I’m too old to party hard for several days!!).  Most of today will be spent finalizing (or trying to finalize) plans for that trip.

 

I managed to get a tiny (like one inch) of knitting done on my sweater, and that was it.  We did go out to dinner at Nectar Saturday night which was delicious.  And I read a book – “Educated” by Tara Westover.  A very quick read and I enjoyed the book a lot (despite how dysfunctional everyone is!).

 

I read a poem on Friday that I just loved:  “Age Sixty-nine” by Jim Harrison.  Here is one line from it that just resonates with me:

 

At dawn I have birds,
clearly divine messengers that I don't understand
yet day by day feel the grace of their intentions.

 

Beautiful, huh?

 

Wishing you all a wonderful week!