Under the same Moon ~ Nature ~ Travel

A life well-lived requires looking up.
~Me

Moon as seen from Alta Loma California. Image by Gene Sasse

Let me count the states: Arizona, Colorado,  Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Wyoming. Add in my home state of California- eight states in eight months- that is more travel than the last eight years combined. 

What all the people in all our states have in common is captured in this evocative photo by Gene Sasse. We all sleep and dream under the same moon.

What all the trips on my writer's journey have in common is the elemental pull to seek out the beauty of God's creation. Let nature fill me up before I am drained. 

Even in the big city of Portland, Oregon, coaching a young couple as they planned their first garden of their own, they knew what a favor it would be to take me a short ride out of the city, to Multnomah Falls for beauty and brunch.

Life is by definition, full of conflict. God doesn't make mistakes. Yet, from time to time, we all feel that events are uncontrollably falling as fast as water over the falls. It is human to wonder if He truly made us in His image considering the trouble we land in ):-

 The answer to the quandary is in the water soaked log lying at the edge of the pool where the water thundered boulders into pebbles. There is great beauty in letting go, in trusting Him.

Thus, the  grandeur of nature put this week's technical difficulties caused by system incompatibilities  in to the perspective they belong, which is pretty puny. It is true, what is written in Ecclesiastics

There is a time for everything.

 A time to feast. 

A time to shop. Or at least to look.  Note to self-  Sell 2 more stories and these beautiful glass salmon in the gift shop could migrate home to Diamond Bar...

 And lastly, for all our different climates, religions and politics, it is nice to know that we , the people of the United States, can be united in laughter. 

   

Encinitas 3- Charming Rurality

"Humility is the gateway into the grace and the favor of God." 

~ Harold Warner   

It was a humble house. Two large trees and a lawn bordered in river rocks. At one side, there was a gate to the private part of the property. It was all but hidden in shrubbery gone a bit wild. Through this opening was but a glimpse which whet the imagination with visions of what might beyond.

This homeowner clearly understands the dramatic impact of strong focal points and the purpose of defined pathways.

The strength of material, mixed with originality indicate intent- The angled wood door of the gate framed under the arched brick eyebrow- the intellect goes to work on solving the riddle of- What is the purpose? 

 Whatever is beyond- it must be wonderful to warrant all this detail.

Say Hello to my husband, Gerry

As a Garden Communicator. I look for elements that are not just visually pleasing; they are thoughtful. The Patina-ed cedar bridge allows visitors to pad across the water feature without needing to leap it like a deer. 

 

Pond owners are apt to enjoy naming fish like pets. Then the sad day comes when the little ones are gone from the water. Vanished. Some bird has discovered an easy shallow water source to swoop in for a quick fish dinner. While the shaded roofing won't detract raccoon- it is a good line of defense against birds of prey. 

The sundial rests upon the ground, marking the turn in the stone pathway. 

Every good garden has a sense of place. In this modest garden, I could feel God's grace in the humble execution of details.  

Yesterday I visited more charming gardens in Newport and Corona del Mar. Each with a fabulous story to share. As soon as we finish enjoying the rurality of Encinitas. 

The Hills are Alive with Springtime

"It boggles my mind that someone can see life breathed into a baby, watch the grass die and come to life again, see leaves fall and watch the re-birth of a tree, or gaze on any of the majestic splendor that is this earth and not be over-powered by the presence of an Almighty God."

~ Bill McCartney

University of Colorado Football Coach and

President of the Promise Keepers

The break in weather from winter to spring  is not so stark in Southern California as it is in the Rockies. Yet watching the hummingbirds make themselves at home in the red valerian that is colonizing wherever ground meets sun and a source of water; a sense of place stirs my soul as sure as snow is melting in the mountains.


In checking the bird guides to put a proper name to this green-backed beauty, it seems that some hummingbirds can only be identified by how their nests are composed.

Cymbidiums still blooming

In the springtime, a thousand shades of green clothe Diamond Bar's hillsides. What is au natural and what man has wrought is not obvious. But now that heaven will likely withhold greening rains, soon the wild beyond will show itself in shades of beige and brown.

Could this be the Easter Bunny or is it just one of his herd of helpers?

There was a time when I sought garden- perfection. Bunny pellets, at times more plentiful than blades of grass, were an irritation. Time in this garden has changed my perception. These are not pests, they are  God's helpers sent my way. Just short of being tame, the bunnies scatter their fresh manure.  Working for just a bit of food.

Maybe it isn't the bunnies that are tamed. Maybe it's me.

Exceeding Normal~ Simple Pleasures ~Super Bowl

"Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of. "

Benjamin Franklin

 What sweeter sound is there than the cooing of dove? Look closely in the branches and see what lovely shape is nervously anticipating that the barrel I have aimed at him might not be a camera, but a gun? He needn't have flown off. I wanted to sing he and the family back "It's okay- I cancelled my NRA membership."  

Sometimes I wish I were more like the wind vane. Proudly it goes about its business, without fear of disappointing or disputable errors. 

I must get about during normal hours to capture the V- formations of ducks declaring it time for snowbirds to settle in our mild clime. Not to excuse, just to explain- last week we had the rare opportunity to be with people who normally exceed normal - medical professionals and their support staff. 

Many came to America for an education, then stayed for the greatness of this nation that generously welcomed them. Some have family left behind where there is great strife. Places where nature's nasty side leaves scars over decades; countries that do not hold human life with the same respect as the United States has a long tradition of. 

 As these people cared for my loved one, I promised to pray for theirs.  

The simple mural with a ship and pipe painted like a light house was a primitive salute to the healing powers of an ocean view room. Kenny, our youngest son who lives in Huntington Harbor, had to hold back a bit of a giggle at how the child-like scenic charmed his parents.

pebbles mimic water smoothed rocks

Pebbles on an outcropping roof made me laugh for all the times my knees have suggested trading in my hillside haven for a raked pebble patio.

What beach scene is complete without palm trees?

Never underestimate the power of simple symbolism  in promoting healing.

Now, a  hospital room is not the "normal" place to hold a Super Bowl Party- but when the host can't be in front of his own big screen- his wife goes wherever he is. With pleasure.

"Normal" years, my husband's request for game time food can be summed up by the end result - heart burn.  This year offered the chance for his wife to discover the simple joy of sneaking a single bottle of Cook's Brut Champagne- like is nested in a 4 bottle picnic pack to serve over ice in the ubiquitous Styrofoam cup. 

The crispy bubbly turned out to be perfect to sip with the childhood delight of cheese squeezed onto buttery crackers . I know, there goes any reputation for being a bit of a snob on food and drink. Maybe this isn't as fine a combination as Miranda Lambert holding hands with her husband Blake Shelton while serenading a nation with America the Beautiful or as sublime as Kelly Clarkson's Star Spangled Banner- but it was darn good in the tradition of simple pleasures. 

Gerry is home now. Just a few short weeks and we are wiser and healthier and full of more faith than before how miraculous life hit home with the precision and impact of a guided missile.

 For every challenge- what we have to be grateful is 10 -fold.  As much as I look forward to what his returning to work means as a sign of life having returned to normal, I am already missing his daily around the clock companionship.

Our oldest son is flying in from fly-over country tomorrow. I have reams to write. But my fingers may not be typing. Trevor is a man- the practiced normalcy of writing is far exceeded with wanting his words to fill every cranny of my consciousness.

Time is never squandered when it is used to bond with loved ones.

Crisis Management Requires Peace of Mind

"Every goal, every action, every thought, every feeling one experiences, whether it be consciously or unconsciously known, is an attempt to increase one's level of peace of mind."

~Sidney Madwed/ Keynote Speaker and Poet of the Business World



Peace of mind does not happen at once. Like a garden, it is built by a series of actions with serenity the goal. Some strategies offer immediate gratification. Others take years to appreciate.

Shea Zukowski's Lavender, Parsley, Peppermint and Sage has been a lovely little guide to making our home more serene through elevating household chores by turning the laundry into an aromatherapy session. A wet washcloth sprinkled with lemon and bergamot essential oils in a dryer load made folding towels a delight. Tangerine essential oil conjured a perky attitude in  laundress (me) as an extra layer of citrusy aromas emanated from the steam iron.   

Bouganvilllea 'Rosenka' at maturity

 A garden with a view works both ways. If you can see out- every neighbor and passerby can see in. You don't live on a hillside long before the value of  privacy sky rockets. So begins the balancing act between borrowed views and private ownership of  precious solitude.

Everything important I've learned in the garden. Every action begets a lesson. Or two. 

Life is not constrained to written words. The plant tag promised that the bougainvillea 'Rosenka" could be kept to 1' high and 3'wide. 


Across the yard at dusk, you can see her crepe bracts tinged in the color of the coming sunset reaching out wider and taller than the garden bench. Moments should be enjoyed for what they offer. The open silhouette of a tree in winter is as wondrous as summer shade. Nature does not need a thermostat to provide what is most appropriate.  



With a wildland finger  canyon beyond, there is a constant supply of bunnies nibbling on the green lawn. The bougainvillea offers shelter when our puppies take chase. Not that our chihuahua- mixes would have a clue of what to do if they ever caught one. With artful zig-zags and break- we have learned to have faith- this is an unlikely a game of hide- and- seek, where neither bunnies nor puppies would know "what to do" if they actually touched. 



Their exuberant pings across the lawn catapults  joy over low moments.

If there is anything that should be banked for hard times, it is heartfelt joy. Then when your crisis comes, you will find the courage to use hardship to build something beautiful from the broken parts of life. 



Anything  a reserve of joy cannot fix, take it to the Lord. The odds are far more in favor of Him as helper than the government programs that let so many people down.  

With certain exceptions. Government is excellent with straightforward services where private industry does not police itself. Register up to 3 phone numbers to the Do Not Call Registry here.  It won't stop the political or charitable calls or any of the bank wanting to provide one service. But in our home, less ring-alings means I end the day less ding-aling.


 

When the Heart says "Go" but the Brain says "No"

Do you ever get a good laugh out of what lands in your E-mail in-box? For instance, do you chuckle at offers of pole dancing lessons? In my case, sliding down a pole would be easy- but getting me back up? Someone might have a camera phone- my dignity could be lost forever over the Internet. 

But this one tops them all. Groupon sends me a deal of the day. It is  JetLev's offer to strap water-powered jet pack and put a GoPro helmet-mounted video helmet over my head: that part of the body God designated to hold my brain. 

My heart wants to do it. I am tempted. But in the battle between heart and brain, life has taught it is better to let the brain win. I am, after all,  a woman who broke her arm pruning roses. I should NOT do this, if for no other reason than respect for The Lord who made her.

Personal decisions such as this do not mean I begrudge someone else making a different decision. (Although, I hope our sons miss reading this and go hit the "buy" button.)  If  they did, though, I should want to see the video and imagine the great rush of life they felt. Their appreciation for life lived full on is something that makes me both cringe and  love them as much as any mother loved any child.

Any day loved ones are full of joy, I believe should be commemorated. It is my observation that when we have lost family or friends,  while grief is fresh, images of the person may conjur up dark emotions. However, with time,  the same visions - through the visual imprint - their spirit sparks a light in the heart- where they live-on.

Merry Christmas - Guess what Santa Brought

"I" have a new camera. A real Canon SLR to better capture action.With a stabilized telephoto lens for clarity at a distance. An improvement to the story-telling arsenal of tools.

This gift is like his big screen TV of 2009- only in reverse. The TV is really his- but I have full access. It came home while I was at a Pasadena Fiction Writer's holiday party. The camera is mine- but he has full access. Unless he's going to Switzerland - then the camera stays with me. If he wishes to use my camera in the Alpines- I will need a ticket, too):-

It wasn't for my own pleasure and convenience that brought the new camera here just now. 

The surgery that saved my husband's life  presented an unanticipated detour. An arm  nerve was damaged leading to his right hand. It has been painful and altered his ability to use the hand significantly. It is expected to heal- but we want the fastest most reliable route with the lowest risk. Since last week to full recovery is out of the question- this purchase is something of my attempt at alternative medicine without a license.  

My research was quick. I called Sue Maxwell in Oregon. E-mailed with Senator Bob Huff- whose camera I once  drooled over - looked up online what writer's Debra Prinzing and Debra Baldwin are using to augment their written words. Photographer Gene Sasse highly recommended Calument Photographic in Santa Ana.  If you need a camera or supplies- check there. For outstanding service and pricing- it was well worth skipping the more conveniently located big box retailers we had planned to shop from.

It is my theory that through his practicing with the new camera, gently nudging the buttons without overt repetitive motion, Gerry's full recovery will be speeded along with both happiness and haste. That is more important that the images we are already enjoying.

From our house to yours-

A Blessed  Hanukkah and Merry Christmas.

Life Unzipped

 

Assorted Roses and flowers from my garden in a jar that used to hold a candle

Forgive me. I haven't forgotten you. The last month has been like a computer file- large enough to need to be zipped- but no time to do so.  Not to excuse- to explain

My husband's healing went from short sprint to a more mortal furlong.  We ask God for a bit of patience through some unanticipated "ouch" time. We anticipate that Gerry will soon not only be a medical miracle, but someone feeling GREAT enough to enjoy being a living testament to when God's grace holds hands with skilled and caring medical practitioners.  Before the year is out, we have some serious thank you letters to send out.

Termites know what a wonderful climate Southern California. Those that took up residence here did not ask permission. With a spouse in recovery and unable to pack away food or move mountains of potted plants away from around the house and under the patio covers, it was not convenient. With a good bid from Western Exterminators- the invaders were given the death penalty. 

While the house was under the tent, the puppies went to PetSmart Pets Hotel for 4 days of relaxation with play dates and doggie ice cream. We adults set up camp with my mother-in-law. 

Back home- the kitchen and pantry cabinets are washed and restocked.  Tomorrow I hope to erase the garden disruption from the consequences of hiring a fumigation tent . If fortune and the sun shine, I may even have time to paint a wall so the firewood can be re stacked before the rains start. Just thinking about it my muscles are telling me to call the massage therapist first):-

Life is now pointed straight to the normal seasonal busy.  There are stories to write. Presents to Wrap. Decorations to put up. Mail to send. But if it doesn't all go smoothly, I will not care.

No matter what. In 2012, I start the year with a healthy husband, a healthy house- and we are all surrounded by a bountiful garden.





Bat Shit ~Rebirth ~ Artistic Expression

Life is a great big canvas, and you should throw all the paint on it you can.

- Danny Kaye

It was planned as a romantic end to a day moving to their dream home in Diamond Bar. After a long day of unpacking, Cathy's husband met her in their master bedroom suite, where she settled in to what else- a love seat. Freshly bathed, Ed carried up the stairs a silver tray with 2 crystal glasses and a favorite sherry. 

It was near dusk. The stereo was tuned to soft music, Ed opened the French doors leading to their balcony. He massaged Cathy's shoulders. The fresh air and sherry worked in concert to let the massage ramp towards some marital bliss.  Ed began to tell Cathy how much he loved her, when in flew the bats.

According to Dirt Works, which sells bat poop (i.e., guano) "Many civilizations have used guano as a soil amendment and considered it sacred, so much so that disturbing rookeries was once a crime punishable by death. Fortunately, you can buy Bat Guano from us and only good things will happen when you do."

It took awhile for the new butterfly to shake its wings out to fly

Earlier in the month I watched the striped caterpillar park on this post. Soon, a green acorn shaped chrysalis was glued in its place. Some days later it turned brown and ugly- like a tumorous growth.  Just when I wondered if a butterfly died en utero, somehow this beautiful winged wonder worked its way out of the encasement.

Not strong enough to fly, I gently lifted it to cradle in soft planting until it flew away.

The actual pattern with our garden features

Enlarging the photo of the inspiration piece 400 % rendered a pattern to manipulate for the stained glass insert in the dutch door. Personalizing with a replica of our Victorian bird feeder, changing the birds to western US species and colorizing closer to our personal vision of paradise. 

As this is a collabortive piece to be displayed in our home,  I gave my husband the final thumbs up on the color, texture and light qualities of the glass selected. 

It didn't used to be this way in our home. My husband has always been an intensely busy man. For many years he spent more time with his suitcase than with his recliner. During those years I made lots of arbitrary decisions. My intent was to smooth things out for him. Turned out this was exactly the wrong thing to do if a man is to feel important to his wife. 

Fortunately, I learned to use some discernment in decision-making.   Young brides, I am not saying this is an easier process- however, the results are richer. 

The artistic use of glass enriches a humble setting 

It was probably 50 years ago, before Knott's Berry Farm had a real roller coaster, charged for parking or admission. This stained glass window in Knott's Chicken Diner  was the seed that grew into a love of windows adorned with stained glass. There is something comforting to see these windows still in place all these years later.

The choir of Mt Calvary Lutheran Church, Diamond Bar

The purpose of life's downturns may be to keep us humble. To keep us aware. To remember to include God as collaborator of how our lives are painted. It has been so long since Gerry and I were both in church at the same time, I'm glad the topic of the sermon was "The world is going to end" with our presence was used as proof. 

The choir sang Martin Luther's "A Mighty Fortress is Our God. " The battle hymn of the reformation still inspires strength in chords nearly 500 years after it was first sung. 

Never doubt the power of words and music. From  his unimaginable personal pain, Martin Luther could not have imagined the lasting impact of his artistic expression. 

Caffeine and Mental Health

Coffee by Gene Sasse

" A new study finds that well-caffeinated women have a key health advantage over their more abstemious sisters: They're less likely to become depressed.

 -Melissa Healy

Chambord coffee maker, double walled image from Bodum

A very good  Southern California morning to you.  Outside it is 64 ° F. Fog obscures the distant view, forcing focus on the close- in details of the garden.  As the sun pierces the  filmy pewter veil, the temperature will percolate upwards. Today should reach the mid 80's.  As the blue sky seeps forward, what we see will change, but be no less glorious.

Illy espresso image courtesy of Sur La Table

This month I started spiking the morning pot of java with a half scoop of espresso.  The study published Monday in the Archives of Internal Medicine and publicized in Jewish World Review by Melissa here explains why I have felt so good despite an onslaught of reasons to feel otherwise.

Flowering coffee plant as seen on Wikipedia

 When life seems out of control; when you do not recognize where you are headed- STOP. Re-evaluate. Not everything is best left  in our personal control. Asking for help is honorable.

Understand that not every road is repairable. Sometimes we need to take a different fork in the road. 

Focus on where you are, not where you planned to be. Cherish good memories. Pick new goals and move on. To allow malaise to mire your path is never productive.

Praise God for every breath, even when you don't feel like it; for you will.  

On the eve of Rosh Hashana- the Jewish New Year- may this Christian woman share a Jewish toast

“Leshanah tovah tikateiv v’teichateim"—May you be inscribed for a good year!”

Eating in the Garden. Observations

'Cinco de Mayo' Rose in semi-siesta state from weekend heat

"Observe how all things are continually being born of change; teach yourself to see that Nature's highest happiness lies in changing the things that are, and forming new things after their kind. "                                                                         

-Marcus Aurelius

We need a "Bunny Crossing" sign before the walk is extended to the gate

Peer closely at the edge of where the stone path ends at the lawn. There are two bunny rabbits using the brick edging as their track. The cottontails are so tame, I am considering setting up a lawn chair and see if they won't come eat a carrot out of my hand.

If bunny buck teeth mistook a finger for food, it couldn't be any worse than when the horse bit me when I offered it a carrot.  The hardest part of that was waiting for the doctor to stop laughing long enough to order the tetanus shot.

Bunny checking out what is on our plates

The bunnies aren't the only ones eating in the garden, so are we.

July 26, Nikkipolani posted the most seductive recipe with photos for  French toast baked in honey-pecan sauce. Reading her directions, I just knew chunks of fresh dieced peaches packed in with the sourdough bread just before baking was just the ticket. 

Served upside down-cake style, the only thing I would do differently next time is splash a jigger of rum into the brown sugar, honey and syrup  mixture. I would bring this all to a boil before adding to the pan. The texture and flavor would be worthy of canonization into  the recipe hall of fame.  

Presented with sausage patties and eggs over medium, this was a good brunch to set Sunday aside from the rest of the week.

My husband's change in travel plans meant we had the whole weekend together. Daytime he continued to work on the wine cabinet while I played with my stained glass. 

 When we dine, unless we have not dog-loving company, we let our puppies play on the patio. Should they start to wander off, our antennae go up and we gather them back to relative safety of under our table.

Scabbers- Harry Potter's Rat

My Reno was very interested in the barbecue. A tail, not unlike the one on Harry Potter's Scabbers flashed by. Uh-oh.

My hero, not wanting a rat to either bite the dogs or set up home in his Airstream trailer- like stainless steel barbecue vaulted over me to shake out the reservationless  rodent. Who promptly leaped at then under me.

When I stopped screaming, what words did my beloved calm me with....

"Boy, I wish I had a camera for that."