Octogenarian Thoughts Today

I attended a birthday party for a friend, last evening, who turned seventy-three and is one of the bravest of the brave as he has struggled all of his lifetime as a survivor of polio. He is not bogged down in self pity, but full of creative ideas as he chips and carves the many beautiful pieces of wood he has in stock. He is working on some beautiful wooden bowls and is going to fill them with pieces of wooden fruits, and will polish them to heighten beauty. We call him "The Sultan" because he is the lone male with five women at his birthday bash every year. One of our ladies, Maggie, made him a Sultan's hat and he wore it proudly. As we left the restaurant he led the way as he rolled high and mighty on his wheels while we followed. Everyone in the restaurant was smiling. That was an earlier time, last night he had a couple of gentle men to help him tame his wild harem. Dee came with baloons; the birthday cards were hilarious and he was pleased with his gift certificate to his favorite luncheon spot where he will take his lady love soon. There is nothing like a get together with friends willing to share love and laughter.

I sat and listened as we plotted and planned some special 'things' for daughter Pat when she turns fifty in May. She made the mistake of passing her friend on a morning walk and shouting out "That's my friend Dee who is fifty." Dee isn't upset having her age bellowed out like the proverbial bull in the china shop, but ---- she is planning and plotting and had us in hysterics with her ideas of what she intends to do. Pat's brother John has been sending her some really interesting and hilarious cards about the challenge of reaching mid life, getting in a few 'licks' after Pat's barrage of age related cards when he turned fifty. She is in for a few more surprises, and I'm not talking.

It just brought to mind that age is just a number. In our own mind we are forever young. Life passes so quickly we do not have time to be bogged down with negative thoughts, but ----' live our lives as if today was our last day on earth.' I have no idea who said that to begin with, but I think they were clever and smart to come up with those words. We have today and it is before us, one second at a time, all day, so use it wisely and share your love, your thoughts, words and deeds today.

So, if you are about to have a birthday, celebrate, make it the best one yet, it is one of the most important days of your life. I wish you good health, a bit of wealth and a lot of love in your life.

A New Digital Camera with a View Finder

My son John sent for a digital camera when he found me using my old camera with film in it. It is almost passe and before long we wont be able to buy film for the camera, although I find that hard to believe, as everyone cannot change cameras just because the world is going by faster and faster in this new electronic age. I am delighted, now, how to use it ! I had a digital camera that my daughter Patricia gave me and I was learning to use it but it was very hard without a view finder. The screen was fine but I could not see the picture so I returned it to her and she shared it with her daughter, Erin, to use with her students in the photography class. See . . . it didn't go to waste.

I've spent the last several days snapping pictures and I am making notes as I go . . . as my rententive mind has gone by the wayside along with a few other important body parts. I think I've got it down pretty good and I am going to give you a preview of the pictures I took. Some at Crescent City where the Sea Gulls were teaching their new babies how to waddle into the big waves. It was a sight to see, hundreds of them. The old sea lions moan and groan as they laze on the big raft, and I took one of my son who enjoyed the views too. The next batch are from Harris Beach where the ocean was calm, almost like a sheet of glass. It was low tide and the sun was setting so it was the perfect place to be. The big sea stacks stand by for the waves to crash around them and that makes for good picture taking. Of course, the sunset is beautiful. It is almost an old fashioned sepia photo. I already love the camera and taking pictures is one of my favorite things to do. I hope you enjoyed seeing them.

Sweet dreams when you get there.

The Beautiful Ling Cod

Thanks to my daughter and her friendly fishermen, I had ling cod for my dinner tonight. Broiled with lemon juice, a little Bay seasoning, a tad of butter and the short twelve minutes of cooking seemed like a very long time when the aromas blended with the green broccoli and the yellow summer squash. I find it amazing that the body knows when you feed it properly. Every part seems to take part in the romance with food and the feeling of satisfaction becomes the award for the day. So my heartfelt thanks to my dedicated fishing folks.

Boy, that was good . . . I wonder when they will catch another one? I hope soon. I hope a big one with pieces to share. I might even make up a batch of cookies for the fishermen. Yes, I might just do that, after all it is always better when you share. Okay, daughter mine, order up . . . good night gracie, sweet dreams when you get there.

Sights along the Oregon Coast

Writing about the sights we see when riding along the Coastal Highway is one thing, but to take out your camera and actually take a picture brings to life the actual beauty of the entire area. There are many more pictures but these are just a few of the scenes I described when I wrote my blog about my latest trip up the coast. Read my stories, then check out the pictures and I think you will enjoy the trip all over again.

Here you see the ocean calm and windless; the sand dunes that go for many, many miles; the Devil's Cauldron that is awesome to look into; a lovely sunset in Brookings; Sea birds and the huge Sea stacks.

Take yourself outside, the sun is shining, hooray, first time in days that it has been this bright and beautiful. I'm off to find the broom and sweep up the pine cones that settled on the porch and the walkways.

Pictures and Story Poems

Nature At Work


Gusting,swirling, heavy winds blow in from the sea,
bending, crunching trunks and leaves of the Cypress trees

There are sights along the highway
where the trees bend and sway
creating an arch as the limbs reach out to play.

The pine trees are many, all of different names
With cones shaped round or long, dangling in the rain

The Redwoods stand so proud and tall,
they reach up to the sky
forming trees of mystery
with a ride above them all.

Two Lane Roads

Gray,black,pebble and tarred,
two lane roads carry us far.
Redwood trees so very tall
Humbug Mountain, eerie walls

Waterfalls trickling down the side
two lane roads not very wide

Fog and mist along the way
shadowy figures on display
teeming rain, honking horns,
tiny sheep newly born.

Farmer's fences, cows inside,
torrential rains and winds abide
Mountains high and far away
hillsides close with trees that sway
two lane curves to the sea below
crashing waves and undertow

Gray, black, pebbled and tarred
two lanes of road
carry us far

Yesterday

Yesterday was a blustery day, teeming rain and wind, a good day to edit a story I have been working on. I had finished writing in my blog about "Nora" not knowing that she found the doorway that led to infinity. Nora died just before three p.m., hopefully not alone, but then if that was what it was to be, she would not have minded as she liked her own company. The news was not unexpected, and a feeling of thankfulness swept over me knowing that she would not linger for months or years, and along with it a myriad of memories.

Nora was nineteen when I met her. She was with her friend, Jeanne Cohneney (not sure of that spelling), who my husband called Crispin because of her wild unruly hair. They were a pair. Young, good looking, ready for anything and wearing leg makeup due to the lack of nylons, due to World War II. I helped my sister-in-law hand wash sheets and getting the leg make up off of them was a big deal. I brought this up to Nora and from there on, I was number one on her 'hit' list. She spent years telling me I was a martyr. . . So, I liked to do housework. She badgered me because "you have burdened my brother with so much responsibility" . . . well, gee whiz, like I had the children all by myself! The badgering went on for a life time and it only took her fifty years to actually say "I love you." I won!!!

Nora was kind, caring and a lot of good things. She meant well out of the love she felt for her family. Like all of us, she had an emotional problem that took its toll, but then it was understandable as living in depression years with all of its problems was not condusive to easy living. We all have stories to tell and the one good thing I remember most is that she really cared, only we were not suppose to notice.

I'm off to light a candle. Make your today a good one. The sun is trying its best to come out.

Nora

What a tribute it would be if I could 'order-up' a Marine to blow Taps in her honor when she is gone. She had four brothers, three in the Marine Corps during World War II, and one in the Merchant Marines. Nora is a complex lady, full of vim and vigor with a strong mind and had no problem airing her views. She was years ahead of herself with this 'one world government' and we thought she was a raving lunatic. She tried to tell us what was going on around us and politics was not my first option while raising my five children. I had other things to think about and listened to her ravings but did not assimilate the information she was trying to warn us about. Nora was a woman of charm and grace although she would rather not admit to such attributes. Her famous tongue could slice you to pieces and she was a 'free' woman way before her time. She dabbled a bit in painting, loved to travel and was bored with the mundane. She married and had one son whom she doted on. Her family was important to her and she made sure she telephoned around to make sure each and everyone of them was alive and well. None of us lived up to her expectations but she put up with us in spite of our short comings that she dwelled on. She didn't see herself as we saw her, this tall, thin, pretty face woman with brown eyes that could spark and sparkle. We accepted her 'as is' and loved her in spite of herself. She was a loyal wife who stood by her husband dying of lung cancer and fiercely nursed him until the day he died. Within a few short years she was on the road to Alzheimer disease and went into assisted living. She hated being confined. She hated losing her self and it was a sad and lonely existence into nothingness. Now she lies near death and I, for one, cannot be unhappy for her as she will finally be a 'star' shining brightly in the heavens and if I know Nora she will bounce a lightening bolt every now and then if she sees any one of us out of line. I wish her a quick demise as the lingering will be over and she will find the peace she has been seeking for so long. I have already missed her, but now she will become part of the whole and I will be able to light a candle for her soul and go out on a summer's night and know she is shining as bright as she can for all of us to enjoy.