Took the day off

Snow from years past

Today I didn't feel like going on either hike scheduled with the Senior Trailblazers. They were both harder than what I felt like doing, so I decided instead to just walk from the coffee shop to Fairhaven, by myself. In my old pictures, I found this one that actually has some snow in it, coming down from the sky. It was almost exactly ten years ago that I took this picture and have no recollection of how I got that snow effect, if you can even see it.

"In Loving Memory of Henry Howard King"

Along Boulevard Park, I saw that there is now a permanent memorial bench for a homeless man who used to sit in this spot. He was murdered a year ago, and I only knew about it because of all the flowers that people had put in this area, with a picture of him and a short bio. Apparently he traded baseball cards for spare change, and he was gentle and peaceful. Whoever killed him sure did earn some bad karma for themselves. Many caring people decided to put up this memorial bench, and now here it is for all of us to enjoy. Godspeed, Henry.

I finally received that picture of our Tuesday hike, all the Senior Trailblazers who joined us on our trip to Samish Overlook on a lovely day. I am second from the left, taken by a kindly stranger. I sure think we have a lot of good people around here, people who are happy to help out when someone asks. And even put up memorial benches for homeless strangers. A nice place to live, indeed.

Happy Wanderers Feb 13 2024

:-)

Forgetting is getting worse

Emily Polis Gibson photo

Here it is Tuesday morning, and it wasn't until the middle of last night that I remembered my Monday post. Not written, not missed, not even remembered until then. This is a self-imposed deadline, but that really doesn't matter. To me, it's real, and the distress I feel is compounded by my fear that I'm developing some form of dementia. Oh, I know most people my age worry about such things, but I am worried enough that I think perhaps it's time to visit my doctor.

Years ago, I was given a test by my previous doctor when I told her I was concerned about memory loss. The test is now online, so I'll give it to myself before I see this doctor. Most of the things I was not good at before will probably remain marginal, certainly not better. I do remember a few items that gave me pause. For one thing, I have never been able to count backwards by 7s from 100. (That's one of the tests.) It led me to figure out how to do it by "cheating," or counting down by 10s and adding 3 to get the correct number. Some people have no problem with the task, but my mind has never worked that way, I guess.

Recently, my friend Lily reminded me of something that happened years ago, and at first I was adamant it never happened, but as she gave me some reminders, it came back to me. It makes me wonder how many parts of my daily life are simply sliding into oblivion because I don't remember them. And re-reading novels because I didn't remember reading them before: that has become more frequent.

So, this Tuesday post is really a Monday post, just a day late. Part of my problem is the same one many of us face these days: everything my days were structured around is in flux. No coffee shop, no walk to the bus during the week, fewer and fewer activities that I performed which defined the day of the week: all gone. When we get back to whatever our new "normal" will be, it'll be interesting to see whether I will be able to resume those activities without forgetting.

I suppose it makes sense that my mental acuity would diminish, just like my physical strength, my fading eyesight from macular degeneration, along with all the other unwelcome reminders of aging. I'm just glad I'm not still jumping out of airplanes! 

:-)

Lovely rain

Raindrops on the roses

I walked home from the coffee shop once again through the Cornwall Park rose garden, with the hopes of seeing them covered with beautiful drops of rain that has cleared our air and given us some especially delightfully cool weather. Looking ahead at the forecast for the rest of the month, we are not likely to see temperatures reaching anything close to hot. Next month will be September, with a chance to experience some Indian Summer weather, but it is so much nicer than the heat and humidity of midsummer. We'll see. Today is perfect for someone like me.

I just watched the news that the Pfizer vaccine for Covid has been given full approval by the FDA, not just the "emergency use" status it had until today. I received the Pfizer vaccine in March, so it looks like I will be eligible for a booster shot in early November. Considering the virulence of the Delta variant, I will probably want to get it (the booster, not the variant).

I am making progress with my desire to lose a few pounds and have been counting my calories on the Lose It! app, and this morning, 12 days in, I saw a welcome number on the scales today. At this rate I'll be back to where I want to be within a month. The hard part, with any diet, is to find a way to maintain after reaching your goal weight and not just start the rollercoaster heading the other way.

But I'm optimistic. I've managed before to maintain my goal weight for more than a decade and only seemed to get derailed by the pandemic, which unfortunately doesn't seem to be going anywhere. Today starts a new mandate in Washington State to wear a mask inside. I was pleased to see this past weekend that my favorite indoor places had already started. I have seen almost everyone in the grocery store wearing a mask, and I'm glad to be living somewhere that enforces these mandates. It makes me feel so much safer. My sister who lives in Florida is not so lucky.

One of the things that drives me crazy lately is not being able to remember things very well. I had just decided I need to make a quick trip to the grocery store, but I can't remember what for. And I have all these convenient reminders available to me on my phone, but I always think I'll remember and don't record it. Sigh. Oh well.

:-)

March memories

Golden crocus among the snowdrops

Boy, those golden crocuses sure looked a lot more brilliant when I leaned over to photograph them. I also noticed a few snowdrops mixed in, and figured that it would be a good enough shot to display on my blog. At least there are burgeoning spring flowers, and these snowdrops won't melt.

When I noticed that it's the first of the month again, and the first of March to boot, it brought back a long-ago memory of what this day once meant to me: it is the anniversary of my first marriage, in 1961. Wow, I thought to myself, it's been a half century since then! Are you noticing that I seem to have misplaced a decade? Yes, it's been sixty years!

My first husband, Derald, was also the father of my two sons. Now all three of them are gone, and here I am, writing a post sixty years after that distant day, with only memories (and a few pictures) left. If I ever need a reminder of how old I have gotten, all I have to do is dust off my treasure box of recollections. Or, failing that, count the aches and pains that visit me every day.

In spite of all that, I am more than grateful for what my current treasure box contains: a wonderful place to live, a sweet husband who cherishes our relationship, enough physical ability to get outside into the forests and wild places that surround me, and friends and family members who brighten my days.

March 1, 1961

:-)

Church Mountain memories

Church Mountain trail June 2014

Sitting at home with my laptop as the Senior Trailblazers make their second trip up Church Mountain this year. I'm pretty sure I could have made it to the meadow, if not to the top, except for the condition of my right knee on the downhill. Therefore, I went back in my files and looked at some of my favorite pictures from previous trips to Church Mountain and its meadows.

The meadows July 2018

Last year, we had a cool and mostly cloudy day for our trip up to Church Mountain, and many of us made it all the way to the top, 9 miles and almost 4,000 feet elevation gain. It was probably the last time I will have gone all the way there, and if I had gone today, this spot in meadows would have been my destination. It's very beautiful and I'm hoping that the hikers today are having a good day.

The meadow July 2012

The snowpack varies wildly up at elevation, with these two July pictures showing the difference between years. Sometimes the meadow never clears out until late, but this year it was just the opposite: as you can see from the following picture, this year we had less snow in May than we had previous years in July.

May 2019

If you persevere and make it all the way to the top of Church, on a clear day the view is pretty incredible. This was the summit group back in 2011.

Summit of Church Mountain August 2011

I suspect that any of the group going to the top today won't have much of a view, but it's still well worth making the effort to get there, no matter what the weather. There are so many parts of this trip that really help make one feel happy that we get to live in this part of the country.

June 2014

The incredible green with pretty pink monkey flowers never fails to make me feel grateful for the opportunity to explore these areas years after year, through the seasons when we can make the journey before the snow flies.

October 2018

And long after the flowers are gone, the foliage brightens the landscape. The heat of summer is long gone, and the chill in the air is delightful. Since I am sitting here in my easy chair listening to the rain on the roof, I am still hoping that my friends are getting a good workout, if not a good view! There's always next time.
:-)

Northern Hemisphere summer starts this week

California poppies

I snapped this picture on my way back from my excursion on the bus, back from my gym class and hankering for lunch. Since I'm out of the house by 7:00am, I'm usually ready for lunch before noon. Today was no exception.

I remember poppies like these when I was growing up in California. They remind me so much of our home in Fairfield. I was just a kid but some images stick in my head, as poppies and geraniums were everywhere, as I recall.

Summer starts this week, but it seems like it's been here for quite awhile already. Late spring and early summer are my favorite time of the year. The pansies I potted on my front porch are getting leggy, and it's probably time to switch them out for summertime flowers, like heliotrope, petunias, lavender, and more geraniums, which seem to do well here.

I've got a doctor's appointment this afternoon so between now and then, I think I'll head to the local flower shop and snag some colorful plants. Now that I've written my usual brief Tuesday post, I'm ready to go!
:-)

Long ago and far away

In the Indian Peaks wilderness

I'm not sure exactly when this picture of me was taken, but I recognize the setting: I volunteered for the US Forest Service in the 1980s to take people into the wilderness and teach them how to take care of it. This is the Indian Peaks wilderness area near Boulder, Colorado, where I lived.

It's sure not a recent picture, given the fact that my hair isn't white. But one thing that makes me happy is to be reminded that I have been involved in hiking and exercising much longer than I thought. And the years have passed, with me still (or I should say again) visiting wilderness areas on a regular basis.

There was a hiatus from this activity during the time I became a skydiver. The activity took over everything, including every last minute I spent outside of work. But it "only" lasted twenty-five years; now I am no longer skydiving but remember those years with fondness. I'm left with irreplaceable memories and a few lasting scars, but nothing that keeps me from hiking!
:-)

Favorite memories

Long ago and far away

I was sitting in bed this Saturday morning, reading my favorite blogs and thinking about the day, when I realized that I would be writing a post today and had no idea what I might want to write about. Then I began to think about memories I've shared that tell a story of love. This picture was taken a half century ago by my then-husband. That's actually me, with my little son Chris in a Michigan forest in winter. It's a picture I've cherished for many years. It has a feeling of sacred joy, to me, and I vaguely remember being there. We were looking at a bird in a nearby tree.

That wonder and joy still lives inside me, and I begin this season with it rising in my heart. I am thankful for all the little things that give me pleasure, like rising before the sun and making my way to join the ladies for our Saturday walk. Life is good.

Me in front, SG in back

I spent more than a quarter of a century jumping out of airplanes for fun and pleasure, and I met my wonderful partner through skydiving. Although it's now in the past, I'll never forget the fun we had flying our pretty parachutes around after a delightful time playing together in freefall. I cherish those memories and will as long as I live.

Melanie took this picture of us towards the end of our hike

And now, for as long as I can, I'll be spending every Thursday of the summer months hiking in the High Country, grateful for every single day I can do it with my dear senior companions. That's me in front, with Linda, Peggy, Noriko and Bob. In the winter months we still hike, just closer to home, rain or shine. This coming week I'll have to miss it, since I'll be a couple days past my first cataract surgery and will not yet be comfortable spending an entire day outdoors.

I have a pile of books next to my favorite chair, some from the library, some purchased, but all awaiting my attention. Yes, life is good. I hope you are enjoying your weekend, too.
:-)

Our walk was almost dry

Lilacs bouquets at the Farmers' Market

I almost didn't put this picture on the post because I was afraid the scent would be so overpowering that you'd be able to smell it strongly enough that it might create an unstoppable virus and infect everybody's computers. But then somebody beat me to it. I heard yesterday that 45,000 computers were infected with a ransomware virus worldwide! My virus would have been much more benign, just the lovely smell of lilacs.

This morning the ladies met at Lake Padden, one of our regular venues, with light rain falling when we began, with overcast skies but happy smiling faces, since we knew that we could stop pretty much at any time if it got worse. But instead it got much better, with just a little rain, and even some sun puddles interspersed with the mud puddles. That's the nice part about this time of year: yes, it might be raining, or overcast, but just wait awhile and it'll change.

Tomorrow is Mother's Day here in the US, and everywhere there were bouquets to be purchased, and the Farmers' Market had plenty of items to choose for Mom. I didn't buy one of these, but I did spend some time admiring them.

Pretty heart cookies

One really good part of getting old is that I've probably eaten, at least once, every kind of cookie there is in the world, and if I concentrate really hard, I can taste these without buying them. I call it being able to eat with my eyes. A seriously useful skill that helps to keep my calories down.
:-)

Hike and our annual holiday party

The festive hikers in cold weather gear

Well, I am definitely back into my old routine already. After having traveled for fifteen hours yesterday, from one corner of the country to the other, I got up this morning and packed up for a short hike before our annual holiday Christmas potluck. The people in this picture are only a small portion of our group who showed up for the party, because it was only 20°F — way too cold for some people. It was a bit of a shock to my system, too, after having temperatures in Florida in the 80s.

Hertz Trail on north shore of Lake Whatcom

The day was beautiful, if a little on the cold side, and I enjoyed myself immensely. We were also going to our annual holiday party afterwards, and so this six-mile-long trail was perfect. We would be done in time for lunch and would join the other Trailblazer group at Sue's house. On the way back, I saw these icicles that give an idea of how cold it was.

Icicles coming out of the moss

It's pretty unusual for it to get really cold temperatures in our part of the country, but occasionally I'll see frozen icicles dripping down the side of a rock, like this. Considering how frigid other areas of the country are right now, our cold snap doesn't seem that bad. It will be gone before the weekend is finished.

The dessert table

By the time I arrived at Sue's house, food was already being laid out. This is the dessert table; I wasn't even able to get close to the main dishes, as people were already lining up to enjoy a marvelous spread.

Digging in

This was only a small portion of the numbers of people who showed up. I counted at least forty and I suspect we had more than that. And everybody brought wonderful food to share. Before people began to leave, the other group asked us to take a moment to honor Pat, their leader, by signing a memory book that they had designed for him.

Pet opening his memory book for the first time

There were blank pages in the back and front of this book, so that we could write a short note to Pat. He's retiring from leading because of health issues, but he will still be going along on the ones he is able to navigate, although not leading them. Pat was the leader of my group when I started nine years ago, and he is one of the most knowledgeable people about the wilderness and trails I've ever met.

It was a very good day, and I feel so lucky to be part of this community. Now that I've gotten a hike in for my usual Thursday activity, I can feel that I'm slipping right back into my routine. I miss those early morning swims in the outdoor pool with my sister, though.
:-)

An alfalfa model and a movie

My mama in 1941

My brother was going through some old boxes of papers and found this page from the Kern County local newspaper. My mom wasn't married to my dad yet; that would happen later in the same year, and I was born in December 1942. So I wasn't even a gleam in my dad's eye when this picture was taken.

The caption underneath the picture says: "It Pays to Publicize: Constant efforts by the Kern County Chamber of Commerce and farm organizations placed Kern hay in a topnotch position where it netted highest prices in Southern California markets. Featuring extra-leafy quality, Kern alfalfa brought returns as high as $20 a ton."

Things haven't changed much. Pretty models are still used in much the same way to advertise products. I guess you could say my mom was a hayseed, huh? I simply love this picture.

Yesterday I went to see The Revenant. I'm glad I saw it because now I understand the reason it will garner so many Oscars at the Academy Awards. There are some amazingly beautiful scenes in the movie, but the acting by Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hardy (he truly deserves to win for this performance) made it an unforgettable experience. I wouldn't call this movie wonderful, but it's definitely unforgettable. I'm glad I didn't live through that period of our country's history.

I've got an all-day training session ahead for the Washington Alliance for Health Advancement (WAHA) volunteer work I will be doing, so I'll cut this short so I can get out the door for my 8:00am session. Until later, then.
:-)

Topkapi Palace in Istanbul

The Gate of Salutation

I thought this gate into the Second Courtyard at Topkapi Palace looked a lot like one I've seen at Disneyland. But this palace is so huge that it makes Disneyland looks small. We toured parts of the palace on our last day in Istanbul. Our guide suggested that we visit only part of it, since it is so large that it would take days to see it all.

Model of Topkapi Palace and the part we visited

On the right-hand side of this picture is a diagonal flag that shows where the Gate of Salutation is located in relation to all the rest of it. The palace was first built in the 15th century by Sultan Mehmed II. (All the history of the place, fascinating as it is, is located here, if you want to know more.) I'll just show you some pictures I took of the parts that I experienced, except for a jewel I saw but was not allowed to photograph. Topkapi Palace developed over the course of centuries, with sultans adding and changing various structures and elements. The resulting asymmetry is the result of this erratic growth and change over time, although the main layout by Mehmed II was preserved. We toured the Second through the Fourth Courtyards.

A view of the Bosphorus and the Asian side of Istanbul

Although the weather was pretty awful, with rain and wind, it was still very beautiful, and we saw the Bosphorus below us and the Sea of Marmara, according to our guide. The palace became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985, and is called "the best example of ensembles of palaces during the Ottoman period."

There were four long couches like this in the Kubbealti

We were led into a chamber that had these amazing couches, where (according to the Wikipedia link) the Imperial Council held its deliberations. I seem to remember the guide telling us that the family of the Sultan gathered there, but I'm just not sure, there were so many places and so much to see.

Line to get into the Treasury

Even though the weather wasn't great, there were still many queues, especially for the most popular places to see. This line took us into the Treasury where we saw some of the most beautiful jewels I've ever set my eyes on. We were not allowed to photograph inside, but I found a picture of the Spoonmaker's Diamond that dazzled me.

Spoonmaker's Diamond

It is the fourth-largest diamond in the world, 86 carats with 49 smaller diamonds. "These surrounding separate brilliants give it the appearance of a full moon lighting a bright and shining sky amidst the stars. Providing an additional beauty to the Spoonmaker's Diamond and increasing its value by as much again, the brilliants are considered to have been ordered or arranged either by Ali Pasha or by Sultan Mahmud II – though this, as all other details of the diamond's origins, is doubtful and disputed." (from the Wikipedia link)

The name comes from a legend that the diamond was found by a fisherman who didn't realize its value, and he showed it to a jeweler who pretended to be uninterested in it but offered him three spoons in exchange. Nobody knows for sure, but seeing this diamond is certainly something not to be missed if you get there. Plus the royal thrones that are encrusted with rubies, diamonds, emeralds and pearls just took my breath away. All the jewels I saw are memories now, but I sure did enjoy seeing such opulence.

There was much more, but mostly I have learned about the history of this ancient place from the Wikipedia links I have provided you. To have the privilege of standing in a place of such historical significance like the Topkapi Palace is something I will cherish my entire life.
:-)

Times they are a-changing

DJan and Leo at the coffee shop

I am simply amazed at how big Leo is getting. I had a friend take this picture with my new iPad Air. With pictures this good, I'm wondering if one of these days cameras separate from our cellphones and tablets will exist in the future. There are also tons of editing options available, but this is right out of the tablet. Leo and I will both be having birthdays next month. He will turn six and I will be a little older than that.

My gift to myself will be to get an iPhone6. I debated about whether or not to upgrade from my iPhone4S to a 5S, but once I saw how good the camera is in the 6, I was sold. (The new iPad and the iPhone6 have the same camera.)

Today is Veteran's Day here in the United States and Remembrance Day in Canada. It also marks Armistice Day in Europe, the day when World War I ended and an armistice with Germany was signed: the 11th month of the 11th day at the 11th hour. I forgot to notice the moment at 11:00; I was standing in the cold wind waiting for the bus to arrive and completely forgot about it until I began to write this post. When I was a young woman, I thought that maybe I would live to see the end of war. Now I know better, but still one could hope for that someday. Emily Dickinson wrote this poem about hope:

Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune without the words,
And never stops at all, 

And sweetest in the gale is heard;
And sore must be the storm
That could abash the little bird
That kept so many warm. 

I’ve heard it in the chillest land,
And on the strangest sea;
Yet, never, in extremity,
It asked a crumb of me.

Thank you, one and all.

Farewell to a good man

Eike Hohennadl is in the center

Yesterday I received an email, sent to all of us who were recently in Lake Elsinore for the Skydivers Over Sixty event, that a very familiar face to all of us who knew him, Eike, died skydiving at Eloy in Arizona on Friday. He was attending an invitation-only 88-way event, because he was a very good skydiver, and he also happened to be 72.

Nobody knows for sure what happened, but when his parachute opened in a spin, he was unresponsive under canopy, slumped in the harness, and never did anything to stop it. It continued until he hit the ground, killing him. That is, if he was not already dead, or at least unconscious, from who knows what. Maybe a heart attack, maybe not.

I jumped with him for years, whenever I attended one of those events where we would both be included because of our advanced years. I was never in the same category as far as skydiving skill went. He was a local skydiver in the Lake Elsinore area, and he traveled often to events and was always sought after. It is a great loss to the jump community.

Plus he was just an all-around good guy. It happened yesterday, and every time I woke in the night, I would think of him and feel very sad that he is gone. There are many things I didn't know about him until I read about him in a local Lake Elsinore article, written by Sarah Burge.

Hohenadl had thousands of jumps under his belt and held numerous U.S. Parachute Association licenses and ratings, including safety and training adviser. Hohenadl had escaped from East Germany as a boy and eventually made his way to the United States. He had described that experience as “way more nerve-wracking than jumping from a plane.” Hohenadl fought in the Vietnam War, stationed aboard a 173-foot minesweeper that patrolled the Mekong Delta and the Gulf of Tonkin. In the 90s, he served as manager of a major disposal project at the Fallbrook Naval Weapons Facility involving Vietnam-era napalm. He retired from the U.S. Navy with the rank of captain after more than 30 years of service.

I was going to write about something else, but I just need to say goodbye to him, and wish him Godspeed. I also hope that his family and friends will find solace in the outpouring of love and respect that people all over the world are expressing for Eike. He will truly be missed.
:-(

Today is the Celebration of Life

Pictures from the Family Dinner

Last night we got together for a family dinner of those who have gathered from near and far to celebrate my sister PJ's life. Stewart, PJ's husband, is the lone person in the red cap. He asked for us to congregate and last night told us that, to him, this dinner is the most important way he wished to remember PJ and her family.

The two people in the upper left are PJ's son Joseph and his wife Stephanie. Below them is her other son Jason with wife Golda, and two sets of twins, Isaac and Levi, and Annebelle and Jonah. PJ was inordinately fond of her four beautiful grandchildren. I get to see their progress on Facebook. In the lower right are the surviving sisters, Norma Jean, me, Markee, and Fia (with Stewart in the background). In the upper right are PJ's brother Buz and his wife Phyllis. (Norma Jean and I are staying with them.)

There were others who were present, of course, but I wanted to share with you PJ's closest family. She was a teller of jokes, and I'm sure today we will share some of our favorite moments with her. I keep being distracted as I'm listening to Buz and Norma Jean sharing with each other some of their favorite stories about PJ. She added a certain level of levity to our family gatherings, and she could always be counted on to pull out some kind of game for us to enjoy. Many times I was reluctant to play, but when I did it was always fun.

It's the best thing of all to be with family, isn't it?
:-)

Getting tired of the rain

Well-deserved latte after a soaking wet walk

Yesterday morning I woke to light rain but figured it would probably quit (it was supposed to) before I met the Fairhaven walkers at 8:00am. It not only didn't stop, but it picked up as we huddled under the overhang at the coffee shop. Fifteen women showed up, can you believe it? Not a one of us expected it would rain like that; some were even wearing blue jeans, a definite detriment when walking in the rain. You get cold when they get wet.

I, however, had pulled on my rain pants before I left the house, figuring it was better to be safe than sorry. We walked in the pouring rain at a good clip, and after about twenty minutes I realized that I was feeling quite warm and happy, glad that I had come out for the walk after all. When we went into the coffee shop afterwards, we left puddles as we stood in line ordering our coffee.

As we warmed our hands on the mugs, we chatted about being glad we had made the decision to come out despite the rain. But yes, I'm getting tired of the rain. I learned that December broke an all-time record in Seattle for the most days with rain. No wonder we're all getting tired of it and rejoicing when we see the sun.

I have made reservations to visit Norma Jean in Florida at the end of the month. You watch: it will stop raining and turn warm and sunny. I just hope the gloom doesn't follow me there. Oh, and by the way before I go, I saw a wonderful piece about Maurice Sendak on Time Goes By. I've watched it a few times now, and every time it makes me both smile and cry. Apparently it all came about because Terry Gross interviewed Maurice about his new book in 2011. He died in May this past year, and artist Christoph Niemann drew the pictures and the New York Times published it on the last day of December 2012 to honor Maurice, a wonderful man who taught me where the wild things are.

:-)

Chilly Saturday and a sad anniversary

All pictures taken with my iPhone

This morning I got up early to meet with the Fairhaven walking group, scraping ice off the car and bundled myself up in a hat, coat and gloves. There was not a raindrop to be seen, and here is Linda all dry and looking pretty as we headed back down the long Taylor hill and the bay below. Riley is at the end of the leash, marking everything in his path.

Today I left my regular camera behind and played with my iPhone camera and find that the quality of the pictures is quite acceptable. After a brisk five-mile walk, I went to the Farmers' Market, which has only three more weeks to go before closing up shop until April. I'll bet the vendors are looking forward to the break.

Most of the market in now indoors, with warming heaters on the ceiling keeping the area feeling pretty nice as we shopped for gifts. That's homemade soap in the foreground of the picture above, although it almost looks good enough to eat. After walking around for a bit, I bought some veggies and made my way home. Smart Guy has already cooked up the kale in this picture and I've had my fill for now.

I just finished reading a bunch of the blogs I follow, and one person reminded me that it was 32 years ago today that John Lennon was killed. I well remember where I was that day. We stopped at noon for a moment of silence and the entire street where I stood grew quiet. Suddenly in the distance I could hear a boom box on the back of a motorcycle that was making its way down the street, playing "Strawberry Fields Forever." That moment lives on in my memory, and it astounds me to realize that more than three decades have passed since then. Tears still well in my eyes when I think of it.
:-}

Happy birthday, Daddy

Taken by Peter Stewart

Tomorrow, April 25, would have been my dad's ninety-fifth birthday. He only lived long enough to enjoy his sixty-second, passing away of a massive heart attack in July 1979. That's a long time ago now. Pete, my brother-in-law who took this picture, died himself last year. That's Norma Jean standing behind Daddy, long hair cascading down her back. Now it's short and has a lot of gray in it, but she's still on this side of the grass.

Looking at this picture brings back such memories. You wouldn't know it from this picture, but Daddy was a morning person. I wonder what was going through his mind as he was making his coffee to take to work. It must have been the period after he retired from the Air Force and was working at General Dynamics, but I'm not sure, since I was out living my own life and wasn't around much during this time. But when I look at this picture, I project my own existential meaning into a thought balloon over his head: a rather melancholy reverie wondering what it's all about, the inevitable march of days, years, decades, with little imperceptible changes adding up to huge life changes.

My parents had seven children, me being the oldest. I'm turning seventy this year, and Mama has been gone for almost twenty years now. My son Chris, gone almost ten years. All of my parents' children are alive today, except for Tina Maria who was born prematurely and never had a chance to live at all. I was thinking that if I was able to have a nice chat with Daddy, he might wonder what's been going on down here.

It would take volumes to tell him everything, but there are a few things I would tell him if I could. First and foremost, thank you, and Mama too, for giving me the opportunity to have had such a rich and varied life. You would have loved what has happened in the world of electronics. I remember when you built yourself a television from scratch (or maybe it was a Heathkit). You loved all things electronic, and the blogosphere, the World Wide Web, is a real entity that would have sounded like science fiction while you were alive. I now have two blogs which I use to keep my writing life alive, to reminisce like I'm doing now, as well as to chronicle the wonderful existence I am experiencing in retirement.

Norma Jean and I use video chat to keep in touch a few times a week. Remember when I was a kid and we watched an old program called Believe It Or Not that projected a future world? I remember it said that by the Year 2000 we would have Dick Tracy-type wrist watches that would allow us to communicate face to face. Well, you would have to see today's iPhone to believe it! What a difference it makes to be able to laugh and share with Norma Jean virtually while we are on opposite ends of the country. Yes, you would have loved all the video advances.

I think you would also be proud of all that your children have accomplished. Although we are all as different as most family members tend to be, we all share some traits that can be traced directly back to you and Mama: we are all hard workers, skilled at our jobs and able to make ethical decisions that impact our chosen fields positively. You have dozens of grandchildren and great-grandchildren. We have all been good parents and remember you and Mama with infinite fondness.

So, Daddy, I wish you happy happy birthday! Your memory will never fade from my heart as long as I live, you can count on that.
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Evolution

These daffodils were first spotted on February 18, and I took the final one, with them in bloom, yesterday, March 16. In less than a month, they went from little green sprouts into flowers. Sometimes I think if I took a picture in the morning and then again in the evening, I would be able to see a difference. Once the flowers of spring erupt, there's no stopping them.

What surprises me is how I turn my back and stop paying attention and before I know it, a bright spot of color catches my eye. I love it, and in another few weeks I'll be taking walks in the neighborhood just to capture all the flowers that will bloom and disappear in the blink of an eye. Cameras are so nice; I just wish that digital cameras had been around decades ago... but then I would be inundated with even more pictures. I realized the other day that I have almost 10,000 pictures in my iPhoto library. I have been toying with the idea of upgrading to a later version, but I am fearful that I might not be able to find my pictures without having to search around in virtual file drawers. Nothing is ever simple with computers, it seems. But with digital images, I take way more pictures than I once did.

I have actual, not virtual, drawers filled with pictures I can't bring myself to throw away, and every time I go through them, sorting, I find something that takes me back to past adventures and people long gone. The passage of my own evolution from a little girl to a senior citizen is rather interesting to contemplate. Those drawers filled with old negatives I'll never look at again, and snapshots that are a permanent record of times gone by, who can throw those things away?

Long ago, I remember my parents had amassed a huge footlocker filled with pictures taken of relatives and friends that were so old that nobody could recognize many of the people in them. I remember going through the footlocker back when my parents were alive, sorting pictures by era. I think my siblings took some of the pictures, and I myself have a few of them, old memories of days gone by.

Norma Jean and Jan 1947(?)

When I don't see somebody for a long time, they remain in my mind's eye the way they were when I last saw them, as if time only passes when I'm watching. Does everybody do that? There have been times when I've been absolutely shocked to discover that a relative who was a kid when I saw them last has become a parent! Boy, you turn your back for a minute and everything changes. Time marches on, unless someone snaps a picture that freezes a moment to be exclaimed over and appreciated sixty years later. I'm glad I became a photographer... just in time.
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Destiny

This scroll hangs on the wall in our living room. Smart Guy bought it on our last trip to China, and I like to look at it and ponder the brush strokes. It is the Chinese character for "Destiny." Or at least that's what I thought it was for all these years, but when I went to Google to look it up just now, it's not the one that comes up. It looks entirely different. Hmmm. It makes me wonder what the meaning of this symbol really is. Whatever it means, it has always drawn me to think of movement. We move through life, through our years on the planet, and one can imagine that our destiny in some way, is preordained.

I've been wondering about my mental faculties lately. I've always had a facility to remember numbers; telephone numbers are very easy for me, and I don't often need to look up a number more than once or twice, even if I don't call it very often. The other day I went to the Food Co-op and usually give the five-digit account number to the cashier, but I simply couldn't remember it. I was disconcerted, so she looked it up for me and for the past week it is there in my memory banks. At the bird store a few days ago, I was telling a story about seeing a hawk come right up to the porch where I was standing, while I was outside. I said, "it landed on the..." What? She looked at me and I had a complete blank, and I said, "you know, the thing that keeps you from falling off the porch." "You mean the railing?" Yes! Of course, the railing. Another uncomfortable moment, which passed, and I have THAT word right on the tip of my tongue now. But where was it at the time? What is happening to my prized possession, my memory?

Years ago I was worried about the fact that I was forgetting things, and when I went to my regular doctor for a checkup, I mentioned my concern to her. She ended up giving me a test. When I read the novel about early-onset Alzheimer's, "Still Alice," I wrote a post about recognizing the test she gave me as being the same one that Alice was given that confirmed her diagnosis. Although I made a few mistakes, I was reassured that the memory loss I was experiencing was normal.

It does seem progressive, however. What causes those little brain farts that come increasingly more frequently? Do you have them, too? I know that I am doing all the right things to keep myself from becoming more disabled by memory lapses than I already am, but it is so worrisome that I'll ask my new doctor if he will give me the test and let me know if I'm okay or not. What do you do if you find out you have developed a "condition"? Sigh. I hope I don't find out. In the meantime, I'll continue to exercise both my body AND my mind.

On another matter, tomorrow I'll be watching the Oscars and hoping my favorites will win at least a few awards. I'll go to bed having been saturated with beautiful gowns and jewels, and hopefully won't be too awfully bored. Sometimes I just wait until the next day so I am not tied down by three hours of rather dull reality TV. Bet some of YOU will be watching, too.
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