Grace in the Morning

Got up early this morning and took my coffee outside on the patio and enjoyed the sunrise. The sun was taking a gloriously slow rise behind a bunch of trees. The light shining through revealed the spiders beautiful handy work from last night. The threads glistened everywhere. The little flying grass bugs were waking up and sparkled in the sunlight as they buzzed around. The birds were all chirping and zipping from tree to tree. I watched a Robin pick a berry from a bush and flew to a branch to eat it.

It wasn’t long before the sun made it up over the trees. I could feel the humidity rising as what little dew was on the grass began to evaporate.The early morning air smelt so good. I sat outside for a little while longer and enjoyed my little garden spot of the universe. All seemed so right with the world.

All my senses are up and alert and it is time to start my day. I went into the kitchen and put an English muffin into the toaster, fired up my “work” computer and then went to the refrigerator and poured myself a large glass of orange juice. As I walking around the counter sipping of my juice is when it happened…. I slipped and fell and this wasn’t your ordinary ‘ass over tea kettle’

Lucy, my dog, made a particularly sloppy mess around her water bowel this morning. As I came around the counter my foot hit that slobber left on the tile floor. It is amazing all the thoughts that go through your head before you are down….. beginning with “Oh Shit” Grab the Counter” “Get Rid of the Glass” “Oh Shit there is another wet spot” other foot slips “ I am Going Down” ‘Grab the Chair’ “Oh Shit the chair is on Wheels” “GET RID of the GLASS you'll Lacerate Yourself” as I grabbed for the chair it tipped over. I am now in a full spin with my glass of orange juice getting launched across the kitchen. This was not any ole launch it was a launch where the orange juice and glass is whipped all across the room. Nothing went untouched…table, computer, walls, window, floor and the cat!

Boom! I am now down on the floor laughing my ass off.

Personal Reflections on MLK Day

In 1967 my Dad was stationed at Andrews Air Force Base Maryland, outside of Washington, D.C.   The previous 10 yrs he had been stationed on military bases overseas where my fundamental years began.  I lived with, went to school with and played with kids from all ethnic backgrounds. Where we lived, where we shopped, where we went to the movies, the bowling alleys, went swimming, and so forth, and it didn’t matter. Everyone mixed together and it was acceptable. I couldn't comprehend my extended family’s standards back in the southern States this wasn't acceptable.

In the spring of 1968  there were riots in D.C, fires being set to buildings, marches and a demonstration call Resurrection City. The adults in my extended family from Virginia, who lived on the other side of the Potomac River, would talk.  I would hear some of the most hateful remarks. “That n**g*r preacher is stirring up all kinds of non-sense.” “Good, I am glad he got shot, maybe now those n**g*rs will settle down and go back home.”  I remember during the 6 weeks of the Resurrection City demonstration it rained and rained. The news talked about the health issues and the outbreak of disease “these people” bring.  The most hateful comment of all I heard, “This rain is God’s way to get rid of these n**g*rs”

Dr. Martin Luther King’s peaceful demonstration of Resurrection City brought the most impressive memory for me of those times. The perseverance, strength, conviction, fearlessness and peacefulness it took to endure that all men are created equal.

“All men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.”   Declaration of Independence

In my young heart I knew these attitudes were not right and do I dare ask,” Why don’t we like them?” “Why can’t I be friends with them?” “Why do we have separate schools?”  The answer was, “They are not our kind and get those thoughts out of your mind.”  I was sent to live with my Grandparents in the South where I wouldn’t have all the Northern influences.  What they failed to realize was my influences were already set from my fundamental years.

Mailbox verses Snowplow

The month of April brings a hugh sigh of relief, Winter is over.  The snow is melted and buds are ready to burst everywhere.  I paid attention one day to Winter's collateral damage...the mail box.  They are leaning, broken, laying in the ditch and missing all together.  I fell victim last Winter when a snowplow launched my mail box into the middle of my front yard.   I am sure there is a calulation on, if the snowplow goes at X miles an hours and the blade is at Y angle  = velocity.  All I know it is the flying snow is strong enough to produce the scenes I have documented.

This  is of my mailbox  after being blown away by the snowplow.  Oh yeah, the salt from years of snow removal did a nice job on the paint.

Most  mailboxes sit on the road with a traumatized lean.

This is just plain pitiful. 

Last year I learn from the Post Office Nazi  that I have to have a mailbox.  Really, it is Winter and the ground if frozen.  When I asked for advice  I was told to get a 5 gallon bucket and fill it with sand.  Oh yeah, that worked.  I spent the remaining Winter picking up my mailbox and setting it back by the road.  Some of my neighbors used a 50 gallon drum.. it works so well they keep all year round. 

This looks like the David and Goliath of the mailboxes.  David is not looking so good.  This is what happens when you use  5 gallon drum.

It is interesting to see how people try dealing with the snow velocity.  Actually, I am thinking a good Spring rain storm and this mailbox is toast.

This apparently works because in all the 10 years I have live in Ozaukee County this mailbox has never moved.

You have to love it, "I dare you" approach.  Classific, a target.

This is my mailbox here at the ranch.  My new approach is a break away post.  The hope is, when the snowplow comes down the road winging snow at breakneck velocity, only the top will take the brunt.  In the dead of Winter it will be easier to brace the mailbox back on.   This Winter past without incidence  and I didn't have to test the theory.   I am proud to say my mailbox has the best posture on the road. 
 

Run Bambi Run

Can't explain it but I have been haunted by Lawrencia's sentence of guilty.   The summer of 1979 my boyfriend took me to a picnic in Lincoln Park.  A friend of his owned the Tracks and this was the second year for his bar’s picnic. My boyfriend was very excited and said it would be fun and I wouldn't believe was I would see.  He was correct I didn’t believe what I saw.  There were lots of drinking, pot smoking, loud music and wet t-shirt contests.  One of the contests was about to begin just as we arrived.  People were putting together picnic tables to be used as a runway.  There was a big crowd gathering around.  T-shirts (white) were given to the woman who volunteered for the contest.  Once they were wet they would strut up and down the tables gyrating in response to the crowd.  While this was going I was looking around at the whole situation.  When I looked behind me there were three Milwaukee City Police cars and the Officers were sitting on the hoods.  The crowd was just wild and the woman who got naked was the winner.  While this woman was naked I turned to see what the police were doing?  Were they coming?  Would I be arrested for being at a picnic where there were drugs and nudity?  It was strange because the police were doing nothing.  They were enjoying the naked woman just like everyone else.   Later the guys had their turn and had a wet jock contest….guess who was the winner?   The Shepherd Express published this article in the late 80's.  As the Milwaukee Police Officers were watching one of their brothers was struting his stuff.

I always believed Lawrencia was innocent.  Enjoy the article.

Gardening at the Ranch

Last summer was my first attempt at growing a vegetable garden.  The first lesson I learned, when you have a 10 x 10 area you need to carefully estimate space needed.  I planted pole beans, three types of tomatoes, cucumbers, broccoli, brussel sprouts and okra.  There was a turf war and the  dominating plants were tomatoes, cucumbers, and pole beans and they choked out all the others.  However, I ran blocker for the okra and it was on the survivor list.

This year I kept it simple and have one tomato plant, one pole bean, and the rest of the space is for the okra.  If you know me you know I LOVE okra.   When I lived with my grandparents in Waynesville, NC Paw Galloway  introduced me to okra from the garden and Maw Galloway taught me how to prepare it.  It has been my favorite vegetable ever since. 

In Wisconsin we have a shorter growing season and last year my yield of okra was small.   This year I started my seeds in the house on the window sill and transplanted outside mid-May.  Yes, I know this was risky as we are still susceptible to frost.  It is July now and I  have a lush little crop.

The okra begins with a pretty flower and when it  falls off  the buds begins to grow.

My little helper dove in to help Grandma find some okra.  I wondered what the view was like for him under the  canopy of leaves so I went under myself.  How very cool, the canopy of  leaves made a cozy little hideaway.  Shortly after he surfaced with an okra in hand!!

The harvest is a little lean right now so, I cut it up, coat it with cornmeal and put it in the freezer till I have enough for a meal.   In a couple of weeks I will have a bushel of okra ....  dinner on Sunday is at 1:00, see you then.

My little helper.

It's a Centipede!!!

Many years ago I lived in the Bayview and always snickered passing by Marino’s Bar.  There were retired patrons who would meet there and commiserate about the issue of the day.  Each week they would come up with a little rhyming ditty.  One week the ditty was,” If Noah was so wise then why did he save those two flies”?   I have to ask that question but exchange fly for centipede.  There is nothing that can strike such a level of fear, disgust and panic as this one simple bug.  I mean I moved from the South where I was exposed to lizards, snakes, water moccasins, tree frogs, palmetto bugs, alligators and the such.  None of those things compare to an encounter with a centipede.


This morning I had coffee, chatted on the phone, pursued the job boards and then went off to get ready for the day.  I went to my bedroom and spent some time selecting what I was gonna wear for the day (get over it, it is a girl thing).  I have a master bathroom so I went in to take my shower.  I always enjoy a nice long hot shower and spent some time lully-gagging.  I ended my shower, wrapped my hair in a towel and stepped out.   THERE IT WAS!!  Straight across the room on the wall up by the ceiling with the window and curtains just below it.  It was a centipede!  I dropped my towel and ran naked throw the house to get the fly swatter from the kitchen (Yes, the blinds were up).  I got the fly swatter and luckily the damn thing was still where I left it.  I moved the bed away from the wall but not to far that I couldn’t reach and kill it.  I made sure I positioned the fly swatter in front of it because they move very quickly.  I am so nervous that I will miss it and it will either fall onto my bed or God forbid on me!  I am naked I have to have those thoughts.  I aimed and with all my might I swatted and I GOT IT!!!!  I think.  I looked on  top of the window frame and saw nothing.  I shook the curtains and nothing.  OH NO! Did I miss it?  I did a little gig on the bed, afraid to move and at that time the wind blew the curtain past the window sill.  There it was.  My swat had blown off all its little legs and left a mangled up body on the sill.  I scrapped it off onto the floor with the fly swatter and went to get the cat to eat the thing.   Which, by the way, if one is in my bathtub I go get the cat, put her in the tub and she takes care of it for me.     Good Kitty.

My Favorite Summer Solstice

My Dad was stationed in Reykjavik, Iceland during the Vietnam War participating in ocean surveillance.   This is old technology for listening and identifying enemy ships, types and locations.   While as a child I didn’t know what he did  nor did I care,  I was having too much fun being a kid in a foreign land.   I have many wonderful memories and the one  that comes to mind is living in the land of the midnight sun.   It was so cool to be out playing kickball, jumping rope, and hanging out with friends on the playground at 10:00PM with the sun is bright in the sky.   The day before, the day of, and the day after the Summer Solstice the sun never set.   It would be a constant sunset for a couple of hours and the sun would be back up for a sunny 1:30AM.   This provided way more time to enjoy summer vacation before school started again.

However, my Mother hated it because she couldn't sleep will all the day light so she put tinfoil on her bedroom windows.   It almost blinded the neighbors across the street with the reflection of the sun.   Needless to say, the Winter Solstice was just the opposite and made it  intriguing to be out playing after dark......3:30 in the afternoon.   Very fun times in a foreign land.