Long Overdue~

(The "news" bit of this post will be at the bottom)

I'm not exactly in the deep south, and the last few days certainly haven't felt like it either.
I noticed an interesting trend in my house today after I'd been outside taking pictures. I wonder if you can spot it?

(and for those of you up to your ears in snow all winter, you might want to skip this :)

(my bedroom door)

(Son's bedroom door)

(Front door)

Notice anything? I have snowmen ear-rings, and snowmen on my vests. It dawned on me that maybe WE were the reason for the change of weather around here! lol :) (Do not tell the Yankees who live near us, they might get mad)

(view from the front porch)

The backyard- no sign of the deer, but they left foot-prints.





As did the birds below the bird feeder-



My gorgeous Carolina Jasmine is hanging on, but I worry the 10 degree temps tonight will be hard on her.

Backyard

Neighborhood view...where did the road go?

No coon tracks- I'm guessing the snow makes them stand out quite a bit to the Owls and Hawks who live in the forest behind us~
___

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No sunbathing this week :)

News~

Early Jan was a struggle. Mid January found me at the coast. My father in law became quite ill and was hospitalized. I went to be with them for a week to help out when he came home, and I am glad I did. Even in their difficult situation we managed to have fun and laugh and eat well every day. I did most of the cooking, as well as helped with various other things. My in-laws were happy to have me, and I was happy to be there. "Paw-Paw" is well and should recover completely.

It feels like a million things have happened since Jan 1st, but I guess it's simply the drama of life. Today is my mother's b-day and she will be 60.

Happy B-day mom :)

I have a back log of things to write, and bloggers to visit. I have missed being with you. I have missed your words and the comfort of your friendship. I have especially missed some who will not return.

I find it powerful and curious how important words can be in a persons life. Merely words. Written, spoken, texted, or emailed...they fill up the big spaces, and especially the little ones in our lives. Our words have meaning (unless you are in Congress- ugh) and they have power to sway, influence, tear down, or express love.

When the words stop- IT IS then one realizes how important those words were/are. How those messages layered in on the soul, like feathers on a hen, softly and securely protecting a treasure beneath.

If I could give you all big smoochy hug I would- lol- but since I can't- I leave you with this~

"Kind words are a creative force, a power that concurs in the building up of all that is good, and energy that showers blessings upon the world."- Lawrence G. Lovasik

and this-

"Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think."

- Christopher Robin to Pooh

:) I will visit soon~

Happy New Year :)

and this was filmed almost 40 years ago... just something to think about...

Move Over Baby Jesus~ (another true story)

Asher and I were going to my mom's apartment to take care of a quick errand on Thursday.

_

I knew he and his brother had been there the week before with their mom, my sister Robin, to help decorate "Gram's" Christmas tree. As we walked (Asher bounced) down the hallway to Gram's door I asked Asher about their visit last week.

Me: "Asher, did you and your brother help decorate Gram's tree this year?"

Asher: "Yep Aunt Nonna! It looks really good!"

Me: "Well, {STOP RUNNING!} did you put lots of pretty decorations and lights on the tree?"

Asher: (Glances over his shoulder to look at me and says) "Nonna, we put lots of fun things on the Christmas tree! When we we get to Grams's apartment I'll show you the SATAN ornament we put on it!"

Me: {Taken aback-??? }" WHHHATTTTT???!!! What kind of ornament?" (Surely I misunderstood something!)

Asher: "Yes- Gram has an Angel of Satan on her tree- I will show you!!!"

At this point I am perfectly bewildred as we walk through Gram's door. Asher bursts past his Grandmother and runs to the tree pointing..."Look Nonna, there it is! The Angel of Satan on top of the tree!"

???

?
♥♥
~♥~♥~
♥~♥~♥
~♥~♥♥~♥~
♥~♥~♥♥~♥~♥

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

[]

???

I turn to my (God fearing and Jesus loving mother) with a look of utter disbelief and I shake my head as I say, "Mom, do you have ANY idea what he is talking about?!"

My mother, equally surprised, catches her breath and pauses for a moment, then she says, "When Robin and the boys were here last week unpacking the decorations your sister came across the old Angel we used to put on top of the tree when you girls were little."

I cocked my head and said, "You mean the slightly singed Angel that used to light up? The one we cut the wires out of because it almost caught fire one year?"

Mom grinned and said, "Yes, that's the one. When Robin pulled it out of the box she looked at it and casually stated,

"Hey, there's the Angel from Hell that could have burned the house down!"

Apparently little Asher was listenening a little more closely than she realized.

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

*I'm long overdue to visit all of you and catch up- hugs and thank you for checking in on me :)

Naughty Thanksgiving~ (again ;)

I know I've posted this before- but enjoy :) (If any of you actually do this to your bird- please send me a pic- I would love to see it! I might give it a try this year :)
-

Ingredients:
1 whole chicken or turkey
1 large lemon, cut into halves
sprig of rosemary
salt and pepper to taste
butter or olive oil, whichever you prefer

Heat oven to 350 degrees

Rub butter or oil over the skin of the chicken/turkey until it is completely coated.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper and any other seasonings you prefer.

Take a knife and gently separate the skin from the breast meat;

Slide lemon halves under the skin with the peel side up, one on
each side. This way the juice from the lemon will release into the breasts.

Place sprig of rosemary into the chicken/turkey.

Cover and bake for 30-45 minutes. Remove cover and continue
to roast until juices run clear, basting every 15-20 minutes.

If you've followed these steps correctly, your chicken/turkey should
look like the one in the picture.

Bon Appetit!

LOL!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING !!!

;)

Thursday night~

It's storming like mad...Ida is showing her backside as she moves north and east.

I have a fire in my fireplace, made BLT's for dinner, and had a sip (or 3) of diet pepsi and Sky.

Interesting how safe and warm I feel despite the storm that swirls around me.

The racoons probably feel less comfy- despite trying to be guests in the garage- Margaret would not hear of that (matron kitty of the house).

All the 'coons left (for evidence) were wet footprints...proof enough. Gus, however, is my buddy- and I wish him well on this stormy night. (Food is on the deck pal!)

Mom called me tonight...her heart beats too fast. The doctor made note of that fact today...but I knew it from spending a whole weekend with her. She wears out so quickly.

She said she was fine and just had a new med to add to her long list of pills, but I know what it all means...

Enjoy today. Enjoy the sound of the wind as it sweeps past you in your warm house. Love the creatures who wander upon your path. Tell your mom, or kids, or friends, or pets you love them.

The only life you can significantly change is your own. Be happy, or sour, longing , or content...in the end the game is all yours. You are responsible for your own happiness.

Sleep well tonight dear friends. I will- knowing especially that I have known what it is to be happy, and to be loved~

♥♥♥♥♥

23 million dollars~

It's all yours. Think about it. 23 million to spend however you wish...
what would you do with it?
________________________________

As I began to write my list I thought of how I would help my family, and of setting up trust funds for all the kids close to me. I would give my mom a new home, or one attached to mine, and I would find someone to help me reshape my 40 yr old body :)

And I would travel. Travel everywhere. Plane, trains, cars, and boats!

But the first order of business should probably be to launch my company
"Mayden Gobal Communications". This would be the parent company of:

"Mayden Inspiration" (cards, stationary, inspirational items, etc),
"Mayden Heaven" (cookies, fudge, and goodies),
"Mayden USA" (scarves, baby hats, knitted blankets, and hand-made items by artists), and
a magazine/newsletter which would publish travel, restraunt, and hotel reviews, as well as promote the various branches of my company. I don't have a name for the magazine yet, although "Mayden's Voyage" might not be a bad idea :)

However, with all that said- I don't need 23 million to launch a company.
I just need to do it.

Hmmm~ what do you need/want to do?

A Question~

Ok...can anyone explain to me why someone would spend $23 million (of his OWN money) to win a job that pays less than $150,000 a year? Seriously.
I can understand spending that kind of money to become the next President of the USA, but Gov of NJ??? What sort of kickbacks make that kind of investment worth the risk?
BTW- the investment did NOT pay off...

Halloween at my house :)

envy

In my verdant lush summer garden- I discovered several creatures who had taken up residence. Everything seemed to thrive in my green little corner, and I took a bit of delight in observing the frogs, plants, and 8 legged crawlers who had made a home in the space I cultivated for myself.

One spider in particular was a lovely brown fatty. She was in the process of ensnaring a fellow creature when I spied her. She was wrapping him up in a tight silky bundle for a lovely snack later. I watched her intently.

In an instant-- it occurred to me she was oblivious about such things as the BMI index, or how many grams of protein she could consume in a day, and I am fairly sure the idea of eating broccoli never crossed her mind.

She had NO idea how fat she was.

And for a moment I was jealous.

Jealous of a spider.

A Random Wednesday Post

"If you see ten troubles coming down the road, you can be sure that nine will run into the ditch before they reach you." -- Calvin Coolidge

It is possible tough, that the ONE trouble which finds you is a doozie and not to be underestimated.

Just sayin'~

Hope you all are having a good week! :)

And /t- a special note for you:

·(•°;o?§§¿o;°•)· & ·(•°;o?§§¿o;°•)· ;) ♥♥♥!

(where else in the whole wide world can a person flirt in code- except in this forum? :) (well, maybe if I was a spy??? Hmmm!:)

"Ode to K9" (love personified? :) Aug 06)

--


Friends...on July 21st a duel was settled, and my heart was claimed by K9. As I face the end of our 30 days (Monday) - I will tell you he has indeed claimed it fully~

Dearest Pup, my Beloved, Smoochable One-

This is by my hand- and from my heart.
Painted upon the soul- in pigment that will not fade.

For you....


"Ode to K9"

Faithfulness personified…
Is all she ever wanted~
Lovers had claimed her treasured heart,
But left her soul quite haunted…

Promises made but never kept~
Mayden’s beating heart discarded…
Left alone in the bitter night…
Only wanting to be guarded.

A Wooing Poet, a Romantic Dandy,
Or a Rottie for her to choose…
Words alone, Wine, Gun, or Bone-
It seemed that Mayden couldn’t loose.

But the pooch prevailed…He wagged his tail,
Mayden loved him with all her heart-
Their 30 days have come and gone…
The Voyage ends, and they must part-

Though we laugh, and kiss goodbye,
And reflect on memories we shall keep-
Such love and joy will show itself,
In the tears that Mayden weeps~

Good bye sweet one…I love you so
And you know I always do-
In my home, my arms, and in my heart,
There is ever a place for you…

************


Farewell K9…thank you for everything- but mostly for your friendship, wisdom, and all the ways you made me feel special! Love you pooch! :)
I will EVER be YOUR Mayden In Waiting~

******SMOOCH*****
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

For K9- a companion piece for your Part 3 post~ :)

"Steadfast and Devoted Attachment" ~ And a Winner...
(forgive my use the improper noun "He" :)

K9 was Fidelity Personified,
He knew no other way to live.
He simply loved the Mayden,
His allegiance was his pleasure to give.

The Detective- Beguiling and Charming,
Waxed long about being true,
About Harmony, Trust, and Alchemy,
And something about "Bondo" too~

But often he was discovered-
Chasing hoop skirts and ladies on the net...
On bended knees he proclaims adoration-
But Fidelity? Mayden is looking for it YET.

Boneman dared not try his pen,
Against 3 in a duel over One,
Yet Fidelity seemed a virtue he grasped,
If submitted- Perhaps he'd have won!


Part II
The Maydens View






The Sun and the Moon in their courses,
The deepest roots of the tallest tree-
Not for a moment do these elements falter,
This is "Fidelity" to me...

Ever working and ever waiting,
My thoughts alone belong to thee.
My heart (and flirtations) held in reserve for you,
This is "Fidelity" to me...

A Passion that burns and leaves it's mark
On my heart for the world to see~
Your words and mine- 2 joys combined,
This is "Fidelity" to me...
***********************************

Part III WINNER

The Contest is nearly over~
And I fear there's a tie for 1st place!
The Pooch and the Wine Glass have said it best,
And Percy too has run a good race!


However, Cosmo has turned up missing!
And so Pup- Wilt thou be mine???
I know you're a dog- but you are precious-
Rag shaker, morse code breaker....

K9!!!

K9~ if accepting...is the winner :)

Mayden says-----/GRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!



Part IV
A Loving Condolence...



Percy, you swayed and wooed me-
And your attraction can not be denied,
And if I told you it was easy to judge the 3,
Surely my friend-- then I would have lied!

But I saw how you eyed the lovely Miss Eyre,
And the Lady Wordsmith has captured you too-
And this Mayden feels it would be terribly unfair,
To Imprison a man such as you!

A kiss I give you as you go-
Your words have given me much to mull over...
And I hope after 30 days or so...
You might show me your Taurus Revolver??? ;)

LOL!
*smooch* to you Percy, and thank you for being the reason all of this took place to begin with! :)

Especially for K9 :) A Pup needs "Sunshine"

Good heavens...I LOVE that dog!!! :) Smooch to you friend, and finally, a rub on that belly!!! ;)

Treasure

I discovered an old blue suitcase when we moved my mom earlier this year. It was a suitcase full of treasure. Not a kind of loot I could take to the bank, or sell at an auction...the kind of treasure that has no estimable dollar value. The kind of gold that makes your heart skip a beat- and then beat 3 times faster.

The kind of treasure which gives proof to all the stories you heard as a child.
-
I found a suitcase full of negatives.
-
Like any good treasure I had to sit for hours and sort though piles of stuff. Ages spent looking at one reversed image after another. My mom was born in 1950 and I had never seen a photo of her taken before 1953. My grandparents were, supposedly, mad and smoochy in love when they ran away to get married. Grandma was 17 and I think Grandpa was 19 or 20.

mom, summer 1950

-

Grandpa was in the service and they went to Hawaii when my mom was 8 or 9. I saw her grass skirt a long time ago, and held her Hawaiian baby doll with long black hair and dark skin when I was a small child. I think mom still has the Hawaiian baby doll, but many other things disappeared in the divorce, and in the 3 moves from the big house my family owned, before it too was lost. The old blue suitcase survived though.
-

There were images of my grandparents I had never seen before. I believe there are a few pictures of my great grandmother who was a half-blooded American Indian. (Blackfoot maybe?)
I will ask my mom if she knows who they are...but I have to wait. I'm presently having the negatives scanned ($5.00 each!) and then printed, and I am making a family album for my mom for Christmas.
-
I can be patient for a little bit longer, but if you want to know what I'm up to these days- here is a little glimpse.

It's my mom, on the big Island, in her grass skirt.
-
Talk about a treasure!

The Way to say No~

After pre-school on Monday I picked up Asher (my 4 yr old nephew) and took him to the park for a picnic lunch. He'd had a wonderful day at school and was his normal chatty-happy-self. We talked non stop in the car on the way to the park and I learned some interesting things. For example, he told me what he wanted for Christmas:

A skateboard with a Pokemon animal catcher, and

A Robot that makes cotton candy :)



When we arrived at the park and sat down to have lunch we began talking about his school day. Apparently the music teacher was telling the kids about Sign Language and going over a few common words and how to make the motions. Asher's mom has been teaching him how to Sign since was was a baby, so the lesson was pretty easy for Asher as he knew several of the words already.


We talked about how to sign "I love you",

However, with Asher being a HUGE Spider Man fan, he explained to me that hand sign was also the way to sling a web ☺

Next we talked about the word "Yes", and how it looks as if one is knocking on a door. He agreed and we practiced the sign while knocking on the table and saying "yes- yes" who is it? lol



With a burst of enthusiasm he grinned at me and said, "Aunt Nonna, do YOU know how to say NO in Spanish???
_

I smiled at him and said, "Why don't you tell me?"
_

This is what he did...
-
-

I laughed so hard I almost fell off the park bench! I hugged him and said, "I think I love Spanish!"

_

_

I DEFINITELY love Asher!!!

:)

The moment of transformation~

"As they sang the hobbit felt the love of beautiful things made by hands and by cunning and by magic moving through him, a fierce and jealous love, the desire of the hearts of the dwarves.

Art by Chickory/K9 chickory.etsy.com

Then something Tookish woke up inside him and he wished to go and see the great mountains, and hear the pine-trees and the waterfalls, and explore the caves, and wear a sword instead of a walking stick. He looked out the window. The stars were out in a dark sky above the trees.

He thought of the jewels of the dwarves shining in dark caverns. Suddenly in the wood beyond the Water a flame lept up- probably somebody lighting a wood-fire - and he thought of plundering dragons settling on his quiet Hill and kindling it all to flames. He shuddered; and very quickly he was plain Mr Baggins of Bag-End, Under-Hill, again."

But of course the story does not end there~

I, myself, fell under the magic spell of Tolkien again this week. His words are transforming. I must be a close relative to Bilbo :) (My height and weight alone are almost proof!) Along with his desire for an adventure he also loves his comfy little home. As in my house the tea kettle is a friend, and my tomato garden is a sanctuary. I worry (yes, I do) over my plants when I'm gone for too long, and I fuss about someone making sure the racoons get fed every night. One of the coons, Gus, lets me pet him from ear to tail when he comes up to feed. His mother and brothers have seen me just as often, but still scurry away when I open the back door.

(and trust me, I have not forgotten my lesson from the chipmunk!)

I read Tolkien and something in me stirs. The volcano of words with in me have been fairly well dampened this summer with losses, and surgery, and once tiny kids sprouting into adults before my very eyes...but he wakens the fire. Thank goodness.

Both Lewis and Tolkien were favorite authors of mine as a child. Their stories take me back to a time where hiding in a book was a good way to avoid some unpleasant things- like a house full of kids, dirty diapers, an no air conditioning. What could be better than sitting under a big tree with Bilbo as my guide, or Lucy- and tromping through a forest towards a dangerous foe- all while living in the heart of an ever growing and busy city?

Someone asked me yesterday, "What is your passion? How do you make a difference?" The question was posed again in another form from one blogger to another...with an urgent message of "invest yourself in something that matters". The message was for me as much as it was for anyone.

-

Yes- I'm a mom, therefore the investment of myself has been in my children, but much like the tomato garden, the investment is paying out . They are almost grown and act accordingly (well, most of the time! lol) I'm almost grown too :) (and still struggling with acting accordingly!) The moment of transformation awaits, and the journey probably won't be a quick one, but aren't we all on a similar path in that regard? Some are just further along the path than others.

I expect to meet some ill tempered Dwarfs, and a shape-shifter or 2, and most likely I'll run into a beastly dragon with a clever sense of humor...but doesn't it sound wonderful all the same? Aren't the elves, and the treasure, and the friendships worth the peril?

I think so.

~I know so~

???

Ever had a day where you wanted to curl up with a good book- and almost nothing else?

Well aside from playing with my 4yr old nephew, and picking up my daughter early from school, and cooking dinner...

I did sneak in an hour of reading in bed :)

Back soon~

The words are brewing in my head again- finally...
But until they're ready- have some Veggie Beef Soup-
I call this one "Health in a pot"- (and it's not part of ObamaCare) grrrhhhhahahaha!

Some of my fresh tomatoes did end up in this- and it was DELISH!

3.5 years of blogging~

And what it's taught me-

*Appearances aren't always what they seem.

*A blog-friend who connects with your heart is as real as your dog or cat.

*You will draw to yourself what you send out into the blogosphere.

*Some people will walk away because you lose your entertainment value.

*I didn't know I had entertainment value.

*Some will love you because of the way you smile.

*Some will take the time to find out if your smile is as real on the inside as it is on the outside, and so have I.

*Some bloggers will call or text.

*Some will give their mailing address.

*Some will send a surprise in the mail.

*Some will invite us into their homes.

*Some will show you a glimpse of their heart- when in day to day life they keep it very concealed.

*Some will lie.

*Some will take your thoughts and feelings hostage.

*Some will give much more in return than you ever invested- because you were honest and real...and those are rare gifts in this day and age.

*Art is created here, in this medium, like none other I've seen.

*Truth is revealed here, in this medium, in ways I've never experienced before.

*Loss- of a blogger's pet, or parent, or spouse...or the death of a blog friend, is as deep and painful as losing anyone in hug-space/meatspace/real life. If you haven't experienced this for yourself, if you stick around, you will.

*Movies your blog friends suggest will stay with you and will always make you think of them.

*Dishes you cook taste better if a blog friend sends you the recipe.

*Cookies you mail are more fun to send to blog friends than I ever dreamed possible.

*I cheer for my blog friends sports teams.

*Bloggers who whine are not fun.

*Bloggers who speak their mind frankly (and don't give a f*ck what others think- hat tip to JL4 and K9) encourage me. Always.

*Bloggers who take the time to write what they learn from a difficult situation, or how to cope with the hard things in life we must endure- are inspirational. Even when they fail.

*Actually, I've learned more from reading about failures in life than I have about winning, or success.

*The real spirit of a blogger will eventually show itself.

*Love in the blogosphere is real, and special, and I wouldn't trade it, or you, for anything the world has to offer.


I love my blog friends. How else would I have ever found any of you?

Things in my part of the world are fine, just busy with the kids going back to school next week. My mom's kidney function is down a little more, but she's in good spirits and I go back to the Kidney specialist with her late next week.

My laptop died in March/April and I finally got a new one- so Yeahhhhhh! Not having one has really stunk- and I'm happy to be all set up in my office again- and slowly restoring links, but it just takes time.

Hugs and be well friends. I'll be around for a visit soon! :)

A New Day~

This is my wish for you:

Comfort on difficult days, smiles when sadness intrudes, rainbows to follow the clouds, laughter to kiss your lips, sunsets to warm your heart, hugs when spirits sag, beauty for your eyes to see, friendships to brighten your being, faith so you can believe, confidence for when you doubt, courage to know yourself, patience to accept the truth, and Love to complete your life.”

-Author unknown

Transient~

This is a re-post, in honor of a friend...
___________________________________________________

Recall with me, for a moment, how it feels to stand before something enormous--
Like the sea, when the beach is empty; or the sky at night full of stars over a quiet plain.

I stand- awestruck- at the vastness that I am trying to comprehend, and yet I know that I can not comprehend it. The enormity of the ocean, or sky, or mountainside, seems to fill up my being- as if these that take up so much space must claim my space as well.

My mind, especially when viewing the ocean, likes to use the word "nothing" to describe it, as in, "nothing but sand and water as far as the eye can see", but of course, it's NOT "nothing". It's actually everything, or everything at the moment. The sea is not empty, nor is the sky, nor are the mountains. And when standing before them they eclipse and absorb me too.

Is this the "something" in our life experience that prepares us for death?
When I think about death and the finality of it I have the same feelings as when I stand before the ocean...It's huge, it's enormous...it will, or can, swallow me.

I ponder death...I peer, though not too closely, because I am not able.
And even if I were able I'm still not sure I would; and what I think I can see is deceiving.
It seems tranquil and quiet, but I strongly suspect otherwise.

What I know of death is the same as what a person knows about the ocean from a photograph...or better still, what they don't know, what they can not see.
The vastness, the depth, all the huge and tiny things swimming just beneath the suface, things that one could never imagine, existing right there under the rippling blue green water.

One of my childhood friends died in 2000, she was 33.

She had battled cancer off and on since she was 12, and finally the treatment caught up with her. She passed into death, and when I saw her--in her casket-- this friend I had loved and laughed with, she was no longer there. What remained was a shell...her spirit was gone. She got caught up in the tide and was swept out, past the surf, past the big waves...way out there...where I can not reach her.

Sometimes I think of her and of all the things we learned together as children...and I wish I knew, or understood, what she knows now.

I stand at the shore and I feel so small. I stand under the midnight sky and I feel so tiny and insignificant...so transient.

Is it work, or family, or love that makes us feel more permanent and less temporary?

Or is it simply that we long for the country of our eternity...which is not here...and we will never feel as though we quite fit in because we are not supposed to?

I understand more this year about death than I ever have- and the one thing I do know is that love is greater than death and I take great comfort in that.

My love is never wasted.

It might be mis-understood, or not needed, or even unwanted...but it's never wasted. What I send out into the world, what I invest in others- comes back to me.

Death can not contain it, or stop it. I know that for certain...and I'm thankful.

_

_

You will be greatly missed JL4