This man and this video left me fascinated. I will think about it for some time to come. Especially now, in these days.
I don't have half his energy, intention or resolve, but man, how he has built a space that would serve many very well right now...it is so interesting. His books blew me away...the raw, almost unfinished look of them, the drawings and text - both handwritten and typed. They are a creative mind on paper, ready to be held in your hand. His Septic System Owner's Manual - genius. His book Small Homes: The Right Size reminds me of my pre/early married days when I ordered house floor plans from the back pages of magazines. Dreaming of someday. They were always smaller houses, my desire.
Where did someday go?
When seasonal dying is a golden wheat-like breeze, Seedpods, like stands of pearls...Shadows of us, cattails abound...
I remember that day, how the moist air made the power lines buzz so loudly, that it sounded like a hard drizzle. I remember how we had no idea what this spaceship looking thing was.
Have to add this live version...2009, Pete is 90 years old...from the description box: "This was performed at the "We Are One" Presidential Inaugural Concert, January 19, 2009."
Throwback music...and ice cream! How's that for a bunch of songs and photos? Who remembers "Thrifty's Drug Stores"? Here is some local history, that I found interesting. Here is an updated article too. I frankly did not even realize until today that you could still buy this ice cream, especially since our local Thrifty's became Rite Aide so many years ago and our neighborhood Rite Aide closed many years back. A lifetime of memories stood waiting in the freezer section during grocery shopping today.
May you remember ways from the past that mattered
May you remember places you've been
May you taste those sweet memories in your current days
I wanted to get out for a walk today, but it just didn't happen. Instead, I took a garden tour. I thought of the Landscape vs Wild at Jude's and the "To feed or not to feed (birds)" over at Grace's and elsewhere. I thought the garden above was a nice form of city wild and she planted beautiful flowers that the hummingbirds love - so win-win! Plus, even though I wondered about mosquitoes, it's nice that she provides lovely bird baths and houses to boot! I thought of Liz & Don's recent birdhouse addition. Well, that was a fun little journey.
This channel has so many beautiful gardens, but not just flowers - food gardens too. You can find one HERE and HERE.
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Fork Story:
This is my fork. I love this fork. It was purchased back in 1978-79 at a pretty nice home goods store in Santa Monica. It was a Pottery Barn type store. My ex and I went to look for housewares...a registry? I don't really recall and that doesn't sound right though. We did not do a registry, but maybe we considered it? Anyway, I bought this one fork with a wooden handle to consider. I thought I'd want a whole set of them, but that never came to pass either. However 45 years later, with all of the changes in my life...I still have the fork. I love this fork. It has served me well.
I drew it.
"Slotted spoon - best diet tool ever!"
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The Woman and theFork
There was a young woman who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and had been given three months to live. So as she was getting her things ‘in order,’ she contacted Her Pastor and had him come to her house to discuss certain aspects of her final wishes.
She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, what scriptures she would like read, and what outfit she wanted to be buried in.
Everything was in order and the Pastor was preparing to leave when the young woman suddenly remembered something very important to her.
‘There’s one more thing,’ she said excitedly..
‘What’s that?’ came the Pastor’s reply?
‘This is very important,’ the young woman continued. ‘I want to be buried with a fork in my Right hand.’
The Pastor stood looking at the young woman, not knowing quite what to say.
That surprises you, doesn’t it?’ the young woman asked.
‘Well, to be honest, I’m puzzled by the request,’ said the Pastor.
The young woman explained. ‘My grandmother once told me this story, and from that time on I have always tried to pass along its message to those I love and those who are in need of encouragement. In all my years of attending socials and dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of the main course were being cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and say, ‘Keep your fork.’ It was my favourite part because I knew that something better was coming…like velvety chocolate cake or deep-dish apple pie. Something wonderful, and with substance!’
So, I just want people to see me there in that casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder ‘What’s with the fork?’ Then I want you to tell them: ‘Keep your fork ..the best is yet to come.’
The Pastor’s eyes welled up with tears of joy as he hugged the young woman good-bye. He knew this would be one of the last times he would see her before her death. But he also knew that the young woman had a better grasp of heaven than he did. She had a better grasp of what heaven would be like than many people twice her age, with twice as much experience and knowledge. She KNEW that something better was coming.
At the funeral people were walking by the young woman’s casket and they saw the cloak she was wearing and the fork placed in her right hand. Over and over, the Pastor heard the question, ‘What’s with the fork?’ And over and over he smiled.
During his message, the Pastor told the people of the conversation he had with the young woman shortly before she died. He also told them about The Fork and about what it symbolized to her. He told the people how he could not stop thinking about the fork and told them that they probably would not be able to stop thinking about it either.
I heard this story many, many, many years ago. I think I remember it for the language play most of all and for the idea that something good may be coming. Something good may be coming. That hope is important at any stage of life.
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This is what I've been calling the "scoop".
J. found it at Emma Wood many, many years ago. We think it is quartz. I love that small bit of purple on it. It's heavy and feels so good in your hand. He noticed it poking up between other rocks and such. The purple caught his eye.
I drew it too.
Recently, while J. watched a program about history or indigenous peoples or something (I was not paying attention)...it occurred to me that the 'scoop' would make a great tool for eating. It has the right shape, a slight scoop shape, a place to put your thumb to easily hold it. I wondered if/how it would work? How would it feel to eat this way?
So, I washed up the scoop...and ate my dinner with it!
...I dropped this video in the draft for a previous post and remembered it was there only when I saw the published post, and it showed up way at the bottom! While I was writing the post, as I added other items above it, there it sank - lower and lower on the screen...until I completely forgot it was there! Imagine my surprise as I scrolled down to respond to a comment and...Surprise! No explanation, no story, nothing. A bread video, all by its lonesome. Sigh.
Anyway, I saw this video and was reminded of the time I sewed together saltines 🙂 At first I thought it was going to be some football themed bread. Doesn't it look that way from the still shot? It brought me a little smile, so I hope it does that for you too. Humor helps.
~~~~~Laugh at the absurdity...or you'll cry at the tragedy of it all.
A recent visit to the VA, always an experience...
The TV was on for waiting patients, but was only a very dark blue screen of static, which could not be heard. I thought it odd that they just left it playing, as if to say: Yeah, here ya go, here's a TV to watch, good enough. I was insulted for the VET patients, who I thought deserved better. Much later, I heard one staff member talking to another about it..."You need to get your TV fixed"..."Yeah, we need to call "man's name" to come down." I was perplexed to consider that they knew about it...and yet let it continue to play, as is!
There was more...
A man wearing this: HOODIE & PANTS...I guess the answer is obvious if a doctor asks him what medicines/drugs he is using.
A man dangled a gold chain out in front of us as we walked down a hallway. When J. reached out for it (thinking it was being offered), the man snatched it back and let us know he was "selling it". Oh. Because I always buy my gold chains from random guys in the hall of the VA.
There were a wide variety of snappy or interestingly dressed gentlemen.
This sign made sense to me...
But, when I saw this one, I was scratching my head and instantly thinking of the book by Eric Carle, "From Head to Toe". Why are these in the same department?! These kinds of things make me laugh.
May we visit doctors as needed, but may we remain on The Wellness Trail always...
I finally unbundled the "mummies" (as J. called them). I had planned...no, considered unwrapping them with Orlo, but that didn't happen. This means they sat baking in the Summer Sun for a long time. I think that timing paid off!
I lucked out with cool photos today. These binding strings will be used in an upcoming weaving (she likes "brown").
Not all of the photos were great, but in the two above, I liked seeing the way the rust pattern traveled. I was reminded of Liz's Moon Myth book. So, I put them here.
I seem to put lots of photos here.
Cooler pics and the rust, markings, and organized wrinkles are so enchanting! Look at that lit up, white edging on the cloth!! I can see why just this part of the process has become the love affair for Marti.
Here is everything rinsed (not yet washed) and drying in the bathroom light. Look at those marks!! Magic. I had thrown in a bit of ground cayenne pepper, which was found in a box recently...a gift from Dear Peggy, so many years back. What a nice surprise! We are wondering if that helped give the cloth more color? An experiment is planned. I do think the length of time and the heat was a most powerful influence this time around.
The materials have been gathered (plus the binding string photographed above). Her colors are: Brown, Blue, Green and Purple. I'm not sure about the one very small ball of yarn (bottom, left), as it is a bit too pinkish. We'll see. I like the way these colors look together. Thanks go out to Hazel, Tina and Dee for their contributions to the yarn basket.
I heard this quote recently and spent some time with it. What if accepting that each love is completely unique in it's own right, eased one's expectations for particular levels of satisfaction? Mmmm... That whole idea of reframing seems to pop up a lot recently.
Lat night's WORDLE word was "crone". The timing of that made me smile.
