Category Archives: Perspective

Mountain Power

If you asked my children or siblings, they might tell you that I have a song for just about everything. Words on a street sign, an incident, a phrase, a photo, and suddenly a song pops into my head. Sometimes … Continue reading

Posted in Birds, nature, Perspective, Photography, Travel, Uncategorized, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Separate Rooms

Lately I have been stumbling upon a number of articles relating to couples who have decided to sleep in separate beds and separate rooms. This morning I even read one about couples who keep separate houses – his, hers and … Continue reading

Posted in Aging, Perspective, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

What Tears Are These?

Tears, idle tears, I know not what they mean,Tears from the depth of some divine despairRise in the heart, and gather to the eyes – Alfred Lord Tennyson When is the last time you cried? And why? Recently – with … Continue reading

Posted in Aging, Animal Stories, Dogs, grief, Perspective | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Winter Prints

It’s been a little freaky having northeast February days hovering around fifty degrees, but I admit it has been nice to get outside in it, even though this weather is most likely global warming right smack in our faces. I … Continue reading

Posted in Birds, nature, Perspective, Uncategorized, Weather, Wildlife, Winter | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Clouds

At the beginning of this past weekend, the temperatures plummeted into the “I’m not going anywhere unless I really have to” zone, with wind chills of minus forty degrees fahrenheit (-40F). While this time could have been spent baking or … Continue reading

Posted in nature, Perspective, Photography, treasures, Uncategorized, Weather, Winter, Wow! | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

My Children Don’t Read My Blog

My children don’t read my blog. Once upon a time, perhaps about a decade ago, one of them would occasionally weigh in with a funny comment, but overall it is apparent they have little interest. I’m pretty sure they rarely, … Continue reading

Posted in Aging, kids, Perspective, Regrets, Uncategorized, Winter | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Emerging From Eeyore

Well, I’ve been down in the abyss for the past week. I find it consistently amazing that when you (and I guess it means “me”, unless it’s also you) don’t feel physically well, it colors just about every single thing. … Continue reading

Posted in Aging, Coping, Perspective, Uncategorized, Wildlife, Winter | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Summing Up Twenty-two

Yup, it certainly was another weird year. Thinking about it, it appears after almost every year we finish out, we probably look back and say things like “That was really hard “, or “Whew, made it through that one!” Of … Continue reading

Posted in Holidays, Perspective, treasures, Uncategorized, Winter | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Little Thrills

A few readers have shared with me that they have been unable to comment on some of my blog posts, that WordPress won’t allow them to register their responses without jumping through a few website hoops. In general I don’t … Continue reading

Posted in Cooking, Coping, Dogs, Food, Holidays, Perspective, Photography, treasures, treasures, Weather, Winter | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Wallet

It was more years ago than I can exactly recall when my mother asked me what I wanted for my birthday and I told her I wanted a good wallet. I was very specific about what kind of wallet I … Continue reading

Posted in Aging, Autumn, Coping, Flashback, grief, Perspective, Regrets, treasures, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Random Goings-on While the Leaves Were Turning

I vacillate between the excitement of the seasonal splendor and the worries or annoyances regarding larger and smaller events surrounding life these days. The blog postings here tend to go in erratic cycles. I might not post for months and … Continue reading

Posted in Animal Stories, Autumn, Dogs, Perspective, Uncategorized, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Transitions

The coloring of Autumn is building to all its glory, and I walk around sighing with mouth agape. But I will share all of that at a later time. Right now the large and small creatures are in motion. The … Continue reading

Posted in Animal Stories, Autumn, Perspective, treasures, Uncategorized, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Robe

At the moment I am trying to wade through some difficult feelings brought on by some recently revisited trauma. It’s been one of those situations where there is a strange, anxious, physical vibration in your very core. While this has … Continue reading

Posted in Coping, grief, Perspective, Regrets, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Readying

Life cycles into the next phase, as we push into early Autumn. The heat has broken and gifted us with cooler nights. Afternoon light is becoming more honeyed and the billowing cumulus of August have given way to the shifting … Continue reading

Posted in Animal Stories, Autumn, nature, Perspective, Uncategorized, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Summer Winds Down on the Urban Porch

The late summer view from the Urban Porch has been one of browned grass and parched hostas. This season of humid, yet rain-starved, scorching days has resulted in a drought. The herculean clouds of August have built up into billowing, … Continue reading

Posted in Perspective, summer, Uncategorized, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Little Sparkles and a Moment in Time

This little pouch, around 3”x2”, hangs off a tuning peg on my long-silent dulcimer. Inside is a piece of wooden dowel for the slide and a couple of guitar picks. Flashback to the late 1970’s – I’m sitting on a … Continue reading

Posted in Perspective, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

That Old *Beep-Bop* Lady

Down a path in the woods, slipping through an opening in a fence, we would sneak onto the remotely situated 13th hole of a nearby golf course in the early evening, after the golfers had all gone home. Kicking off … Continue reading

Posted in Aging, Are you kidding me?, Dogs, kids, Perspective, Rant, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Linden

This is a rather longish post concerning the frustration of municipal red tape and the loss of a friend, of sorts. It is one of those “shaking my head” type posts. It is also about quality of life, trying to … Continue reading

Posted in Aging, Are you kidding me?, grief, Perspective, Rant, Regrets, Spring, Uncategorized, Vent | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Surfing the Pandemic

I’ve had no inclination to write for such a long time, even before the pandemic occurred. Now more than ever it has been difficult trying to align cohesive thoughts and feelings and translate them into words. I hadn’t even bothered … Continue reading

Posted in Are you kidding me?, Coping, grief, Perspective, Uncategorized, Weird | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Second Coming

About seven months ago I posted a piece called Rage , concerning a not very good day I had been having that culminated with some crazy-ass woman chasing me into the parking lot of Kohl’s department store in an intense road … Continue reading

Posted in Are you kidding me?, Friends, Perspective, Shopping, Uncategorized, Weird | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Ashes

Left holding the bag again Or box, as it so happens A container of dust That is not really him * Okay it’s true the person is gone Their spirit and essence Does not reside in this unworthy cube of … Continue reading

Posted in Aging, Coping, Friends, grief, Perspective, Uncategorized, Vent | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Religion

It felt like everyone was waiting “forever” for autumn colors to happen, since it was definitely later than usual. The leaves stayed green, but a dull green, and some trees had already turned brown without any show of color at all. … Continue reading

Posted in Autumn, Perspective, Uncategorized, Wow! | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Rage

Okay, it was clearly my fault. Today started out poorly, following a week without one solid night’s sleep. Perhaps it was because I stayed up too late watching a forgettable movie with loathsome characters and a predictable outcome, but last … Continue reading

Posted in Aging, Coping, grief, Perspective, Rant, Shopping, Uncategorized, Vent | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Butterfly Sheets

On the day I was changing the bed linens, I came across a set of butterfly pattern sheets that had migrated to the back of the shelf in the closet. The pillow cases were long gone and the elastic on … Continue reading

Posted in Aging, Coping, Friends, grief, Perspective, Regrets, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Grubby

It’s not as if I need any more books, but it seems they accumulate faster than they get purged. Library book fair day is always something spontaneously attended as there are a number of small libraries scattered throughout our area … Continue reading

Posted in Perspective, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Impermanence

I lost something today. My birthday morning was spent hopping from place to place with a very old friend. After opening a goody bag full of fun and thoughtful gifts, we headed for Starbucks for a free birthday Cold Brew. … Continue reading

Posted in Friends, Perspective, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Found and Lost

During the gawky, dark, painfully insecure pre and early-adolescent summers of my youth, I attended what was advertised as an “inter-faith, inter-racial” summer camp out in what was once the wilds of Connecticut, before it became greatly suburbanized. From what … Continue reading

Posted in Aging, Autumn, Friends, grief, Perspective, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Purging With Regrets

Serious clutter-bugs hoping to change their ways were buzzing with excitement about how The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up  by Marie Kondo was helping to unburden their lives. Being the Collector of Lots of Good Stuff, it seemed like just the thing … Continue reading

Posted in Perspective, Regrets, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Circle

Of course I remember July 20th, an image burned in my brain, because that was the day I looked up at the solar eclipse and got slapped in the face by my grandmother, while she shrieked “You’ll go blind!” It … Continue reading

Posted in Perspective, summer, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Amp-Bump

Out of the blue, my usually uncommunicative brother sent my sisters and I this text: “Do you guys remember amp bump???” Amp bump?  I could almost feel my brain physically shifting into a time warp. Amp bump. Oh my God, … Continue reading

Posted in Aging, Perspective, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 10 Comments

The Littlest of Things

It has been many months since I have attempted a blog post – essentially rendered speechless and saddened by what is going on in our country and in the world. In this time of tremendous stress, uncertainty, conflict, fear, and … Continue reading

Posted in Coping, grief, Perspective, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Magic Sunglasses

As summer has waned and eased into autumn, the deciduous trees have turned to that “it’s-all-over-for-this-year” dull green, with small bursts and streaks of color here and there, as highlights on fading tresses.  While driving, I could not but help … Continue reading

Posted in Autumn, Perspective, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Blessings Amid the Depression

Breakfast this morning consisted of a handful of foraged chanterelle mushrooms sautéed in butter and garlic, then scrambled into two fresh eggs from a neighbor’s chickens and sprinkled with ground Himalayan pink salt and fresh peppercorn. The mushroom eggs were … Continue reading

Posted in Aging, Coping, grief, Hearing Impaired, Perspective, Rant, Uncategorized, Vent | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Men Give Me Knives

While rummaging through some drawers and stored boxes, I came across a number of different knives, mostly pocket-type and folding knives, which have been given to me by various men over the years.  It is not the first time I … Continue reading

Posted in Friends, Perspective, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Miracles and Magic In Your Hands

Have you stopped to notice all the little miracles that pass through our hands daily? While skimming through a number of recent and stored photographs, I could not help but realize how many beautiful things these worn out old hands … Continue reading

Posted in Perspective, Photography, Spring, Uncategorized, Wow! | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Tale of the Traveling Chairs

The Great Divorce in our family took place in California back in the 1970’s. Along with moving herself and children to the bottom half of a stucco two-family house with a Spanish tile roof,  my mother launched into her new … Continue reading

Posted in Divorce, Friends, Perspective, Regrets, Travel, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

My Little Black Book is Blue

Not that long ago it seems, before cell phone contact lists and computer address databases, there was The Address Book.  Even though that information is stored on both my phone and in a computer file, stashed in a top drawer … Continue reading

Posted in Aging, Friends, Perspective, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Priorities

The Significant Other is self-employed in the construction trade and is kind of a “Mr. Fixit.”  Following a recent accident which required some surgery, the involuntary down-time has kept him home for much of the week.  He is pretty good … Continue reading

Posted in Are you kidding me?, Humor, Perspective, Rant, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 10 Comments

Machine Age

You would think I had grown up in the days of my grandmother or possibly my great-grandmother if you saw the kind of appliances I had in my house, right up into the 1990’s.  As a twenty-something and even a … Continue reading

Posted in Aging, Cooking, Perspective, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

A Bowl of Good Fortune

Returning from the weekly excursion to our uptown farmer’s market, I added sweet white donut peaches and local apples to the avocados, tiny Seckel pears and other staples already filling this bowl of good fortune.   This vision required the need … Continue reading

Posted in Diet, Food, Perspective, summer, Wow! | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Looking Up

I just happened to have another one of those oddly moving parking lot experiences. It is a hot, bright August day with a slight tinge of humidity in the air.  Despite the delicious temptation of slabbing out in front of … Continue reading

Posted in Perspective, Photography, summer, Uncategorized, Weather, Wow! | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

West Wind

Last night the west wind blew down all the cherry blossoms from the tree across the street. They landed on our side of the road, gathering in a lovely line of candy-pink bubblegum bliss along the curb. I was filled … Continue reading

Posted in Perspective, Spring, Uncategorized, Wow! | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Cheese Puff Bliss

You never know when and where you might discover a moment of contentment.  It feels like a gift when those times happen unbidden and unexpectedly. Having just finished shopping and while loading my groceries into the trunk of the car, … Continue reading

Posted in Perspective, Spring, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

What Do You Do All Day?

Since I have been officially out of the workforce, people who are working full-time or who I have not seen in a while will inevitably turn to me and say “So…….now that you are not working, what do you do … Continue reading

Posted in Aging, Are you kidding me?, Bucket List, Perspective, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Writhing With Guilt

Today I realize my shoe-a-holism has gotten a bit out of control.  I sit here and writhe with guilt. As posted previously in this blog, I have a lot of shoes.  Shoes of many colors. Not “designer” shoes,  just comfortable, … Continue reading

Posted in Fashion, Perspective, Regrets, Shoes, Shopping, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Hiding Behind a Tree

As if my heart could not get any fuller, my first-born grandchild started his very first day of pre-school this morning.  Wasn’t it but yesterday when I had to leave my first child in daycare?  There was no choice…I had … Continue reading

Posted in Aging, kids, Perspective, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Left Out

There are always challenges in the reshuffling of families, friendships and loyalties when it comes to a divorce.  Over the many years since mine occurred, there have been waves of   problems laced with intense hostility interspersed with moments of peacefulness … Continue reading

Posted in Coping, Divorce, Friends, Perspective, Regrets, Uncategorized, Vent | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Our Lady of the Perpetual Kitchen

My grandmother was Catholic, my mother was raised Catholic, and so she tried to raise us as Catholics too.  I consider myself a “Collapsed Catholic” and will usually check “none” on any form asking my religion.  I never was able … Continue reading

Posted in Perspective, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Meditation in Blue

There is a place I consider somewhat sacred – a place that I have been going to for decades.  It is an orchard farm not far from my home. It has been the place I would go to pick berries, … Continue reading

Posted in Perspective, Photography | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Crossing a Line

No stranger to comfortable shoes, one peek in my closet will reveal a significant selection of Birkenstocks, Danskos, Naots, Merrills and Clarks.  I have spent good money on good shoes because I can’t stand it if my feet hurt.  I … Continue reading

Posted in Aging, Perspective, Shopping, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 8 Comments