The Buy the Farm, Dirt Desert, Bucket Kicking Days

 

Party is over, done with, no turning back the hands of time for me. I'm old for sure.* No this is the new 60. 

So how am I feeling about being 3 quarters of a century as an air breather? In a state of awe actually, that I made it this far, especially when I think back to times when that felt iffy. 

Ah, the adventures of youth, they aren't near as cool as it is to be so experienced living. There has been history I have lived. I was alive when Einstein walked the Earth. When Eisenhower was no longer president, I cried thinking America's lost a father. I am a living part of history from the hippie flower child era. 

As a side effect, I am feeling a sense of needing to adjust my attitude(s). Tidy up, get things sorted, clean up my projects, and such. Also, consider doing things that won't matter much, like trying out that temporary tattoo. I'm not interested in capturing my younger years, being hip, cool. I've been that. I am that. My interest is in having fun being full of years. 

The aches and pains, skin changes, weight gain and such are not fun. The idea that this is thee most defined era of My Life is hilarious to me. I know for sure I will not repeat 75 years living. At most, I might make it to a hundred, 2048. More likely, I will be gone within ten years. Scary it is not. I believe is some form, life continues by the grace of God. 

Human existence has always been fascinating to me. What puzzles me is that for all the advances in science, there is no way yet discovered to help folks transition to the next stage. Paranormal investigations are mostly theater, I believe, to the majority of people. In reality, those people that promote the paranormal, are the ones helping people to understand that life as we have been told, doesn't have a clear boundary between life and death.


*My birthday has gone by.

Thoughts On Group Mentality

 A weird idea breezed across my brain, that if conservatives adopt the style of a liberal looking hippie type person, then that might confuse people with conspiracy obsessed syndrome into regaining their common sense. 
It isn't a secret that people in general want to be accepted, fit in, get along with others.  In World History there are societies that adopted a uniform dress code. Hello pilgrim.


In art, composition is key. In life, context, I believe, is the clearest lens to view the images we accept or reject.

We identify with groups in particular clothes, a football team geared up, soldiers in uniform, gowns at a gala. When those people are in the personal time clothes, we can't tell who they identify with. Every time we throw on a pair of jeans and a tee shirt, we disguise part of who we are. If we wear the same style no matter what, then we can develop a group cohesiveness that might help people experiencing a lack of common sense to regain the reality they're suppressing. 

Think what it would do to society if for one full week we all wore only tee shirts and jeans, and tossed on some hippie beads.

P.S. I'm a glass bead wearing conservative on the liberal side of the spectrum

The Beautiful Reseeding Morning Glory

Morning Glories on twine

     From a wildflower seed packet, the morning glories (photo) are the first green leaves to sprout along with dandelions. The original seeds were planted circa 2005. They bloom into autumn until the first hard frost.  

Amazing that is has been 18 years reseeding morning glories keep blooming in my planters, and from in the ground. Some years the twine goes across the top of the patio window. This year,  the plants aren't as lush.

Is there an old stand by flower reseeding in your garden?

Day 230 of Week 33, August 2023

Red Cosmos

The red cosmos didn't respond to Miracle Grow the same as the more common white and pink cosmos. Instead, the red variety puts the energy into stem and leaf growth.

The feathery leafed flower was put in a large planter mid to late June. Late August, this week is the first time the red cosmos has bloomed. Main stems are as thick as my thumb. Beautiful as greenery, it will make a nice tall border next year among Bachelor Buttons and white cosmos.

Have a Blooming Good Weekend!

Read a new author
Shop linen dish towels online
Design 2023 holiday cards
Cringe at Halloween in stores already
Change passwords
Refresh old website accounts
Dance a waltz by yourself
Tell an apple a secret
Make applesauce


The Outdoors, Reading & Soup



Where the bird seed goes on the deck, birds are gathering again. 
One afternoon there was a small crowd of feathery critters. 
I thought the mourning dove was going to jump in the flowers.  
As I type, there is a flock of birds racing across the back yard in the rain.

Are their signs of autumn where you are?

Another rainy day here in Vermont. The h button is sticking on my PC keyboard. Laundry is caugt up except for a quilt and some blankets. Wednesday feels like Saturday. Beads of water dot the clothesline like crystals waiting like me for sunshine. I have a new to me book to read by Susan Wittig Albert. I suspect I might have soup today to go with the weather outdoors.




Lentil Walnut Soup

On the stove as I type

Just Because You Are You


 

You don't need a reason to celebrate how wonderful you are.

You can make all of your life a celebration.

Attitude.

Positive Attitude

Every time I guess Wordle in 2 tries (3 times total thus far), I feel elated, blessed, hygge, numb stunned.

Wordle is good brain training.


Can't BeTrusted With Frozen Fries In the Freezer


Cross Cut Frozen Fries


Any style of frozen fries aren't safe around me because I will have them with almost every meal. The cross cut fries are new to me. I rather like them. I also rarely buy cookies because they will could be all three meals of the day.
Horrid eating patterns require creative management. As I posted in the past, I make rules about certain foods. Pizza every other month, not accumulative. Ice cream the same. No boxes of frozen treats like flavored ices and ice cream sandwiches. So far after a few years, my system is working well.

Are there foods you like that you regulate?

And a Anthropomorphizing We Go

The Yawn
Digital photograph face 2023
Torenia flower

Today here in the upper westside of Vermont the weather is partly sunny with eastward moving clouds in synch with a swaying the trees wind. Perfect for a day at Addison County Field Days. I'd love to be there.

Alas, after weeding yesterday, in not a good posture, I greet this lovely day with an ibuprofen breakfast to take the edge of a very sore lower back. I'm reminded that I haven't done my stretching exercise routine in months. 

It has been an interesting week starting off with great anticipation to receive a package. UPS delivered it Monday, and the post office returned to sender the next day despite a correct post office box address. Mistakes happen.

What I learned is this...the more I look forward to something, the higher the probability something will go wrong. Natural disappointment is a part of life. Like weird weather, I guess there are things to get use to. 

Have a Great Exercising Weekend!

Find a face in a flower
Make stuffed zucchini 
Tell a story to bowl of blueberries
Call a friend
Read about local comedians
Browse hiking boots online
Plan an autumn picnic
Practice gasping while researching camera prices
Sing an old song 

Reflection Monday, August 2023

 

Hourtide
Oil, 24 x 30.2 inches
Edward Henry Potthast
1857 ~ 1927

Discovery.

Searching for a beach towel painting or illustration online, I happen upon a Wikiart.org listing for the American Impressionist, E.H. Potthast.
I am surprised because I have looked there many times over the years, and found very little American beach paintings.

You get use to the same places, the same sources. While that may work for food shopping, ice cream and coffee, it may not work for subjects you often want to learn about.


In Comparison

Bosc Pear

     The Bosc pear (photo) cost $1.74 US dollars.

     In comparison, one slice of cake with icing costs in this area of Vermont, $1.99 US dollars. A ready made sandwich about $5.99 US dollars. A one scoop hard ice cream cone costs over $3.00 US dollars.
     Fresh, (as they can be), fruits are a bargain. Plus, they are healthier than a lot of foods we pay a lot more for. 
     I'd rather lean heavy on fresh produce and cut back on other not as healthy foods to have a better balance in my food budget. 

     How are food prices where you live?

Mr Bixby Hanging Out

Mr Bixby Among the Flowers

The petunias were ragged when I moved them. A few days later, they perked up. 
The planter is a rusty galvanized tin stack section from a long gone factory (lamp shades?) that was, (I've been told), in downtown Vergennes. Dismantled, parts were dumped in the woods at my (deceased) parent's property before they moved to Vermont in the 1960s. 
Mother gave me the piece for a sculpture project. It will be moving on to a love one's home. I will be redoing my tiny garden to fewer annuals. 

Rain is the forecast. Thus far today, clouds, sunshine and cooler. It feels nice to sit outdoors again.

Wishing All Y'all a Good Week!