September 30--Goodbye Month #9

Morality is doing what is right, no matter what you are told. Religion is doing what you are told, no matter what is right.  --H. L. Mencken

    I mentioned in my September 27 post that I no longer have a need for religion. Mencken's quote explains my sentiment perfectly. And it is the "religion" (here you could substitute the word "cult") of Trump that is ruining our country, because the party in power has completely lost any sense of morality. 

    Here are my closing thoughts on September, my least favorite month, and other than the above, I won't even touch upon the horror that is our government. There was one very sad event within a friend's family, but otherwise, the month was not too bad and passed quickly. Having had a steroid shot in my upper right arm has reduced my pain level nearly to zero, a huge improvement. My stamina is improving and I am able to play pickleball more often. I made it through my husband's 10-day vacation just fine. The Cubs made the playoffs. My grandson had his first birthday. I purchased a new Chromebook with a bigger screen and a numeric keypad (a thing that truly excites this nerd). I'm gradually tackling some garden projects. I've made plans for a game night to celebrate my upcoming big-0 birthday. 

    Ready for October!

        Leta

September beauty in Minnesota

September 29--A Quick Day of Mourning

Baseball, it is said, is only a game. True. And the Grand Canyon is only a hole in Arizona. Not all holes, or games, are created equal.  --George Will

    Another reason to be less than ecstatic about September is that it marks the end of regular-season baseball. Yesterday was the last day of that, so I have a quick day to mourn because...

    The Cubs made the playoffs for the first time in too many years! They are hosting at Wrigley Field the San Diego Padres for a best-of-three series beginning tomorrow. So I have at least two more Cubs games to look forward to, and hopefully many more than that. Even if the Cubs get knocked out, I will watch the playoffs because, well, I LOVE baseball. 

    GO, CUBS!!!

        Leta

  

September 28--Small Treasures

Great things are done by a series of small things brought together. 
--Vincent Van Gogh

    My most enjoyable Friday morning routine includes breakfast at my fave coffee shop, Moxi Junction in  Maize, Kansas, followed by checking out local estate sales. Sometimes I'm looking for a particular item, but usually I'm just exploring. Having reached the age where I don't want to accumulate more "stuff," I generally stay on the lookout for small treasures. I've found such treats as a switch plate that is a baseball, pots that I have painted (and are now in my woman cave window garden), and an air fryer that my husband awarded a spot on our kitchen counter, no small honor. 

    I am an old-fashioned user of hankies. I spent many early years ironing hankies for my mom and dad. Tissues were considered wasteful (and a Communist plot) during my upbringing. My lifelong allergies have made it necessary for me to always have a hankie on hand. Estate sales are where I find them, and yesterday I hit the jackpot with a bag of 11 hankies in perfect shape for $6. As I was unfolding them to toss into the laundry, I noticed some patterns that could be fun to try and paint, possibly even with watercolors. Bonus! 

    Estate sales--another way to see what treasures are in store for me today!

        Leta

The hankie jackpot!

September 27--Letting Go

I just don't give a shit about some things anymore.
--My best friend, me, anyone over 65?

    We could go after this gently, as in "everything has a lifespan," and it is simply time to let some things go. That was the case for me teaching yoga and MELT Method, and now, in hindsight, with the health challenge I've had this year, I could not have taught anyway. So stopping was a good move, though it was a tough decision at the time. I do miss my former students. 

    Religion is another thing that no longer interests me. I was an obligated church-goer for much of my life and even worked as a church finance and office manager for several years. My spiritual journey has led me to the point where the "transaction" of attending church is not necessary. I have a rich spiritual life as a result of the 12-Step program and new thought teachings. I don't feel the need to earn points by following any particular dogma. Blindly following a religion is bad for critical thinking skills. 

    A few years back, I cut back the size of my very large garden by about half. It was emotionally challenging at the time, but I'm so glad I did it.  There are some structural things needed now like replacing rotten railroad ties and digging invasive plants that are too much for my body these days. I'm pondering whether I care enough to seek help to tackle such items. 

    Letting go has its upside,

        Leta

I caught this photo stuck in a traffic jam on I70...
note the sentiment at the top of the cab 😉😉

September 26--I've Been Sucked In

The word of the day is pisstified. When you are pissed off and mystified at their stupidity at the same time.  --TikTok

    In an effort not to be 24/7 discouraged by the insanity in our government, I have signed onto TikTok. I could get back into Facebook, but I have avoided that for years and my life has not suffered, though probably there are some wide-spread-family things I have missed. There is plenty of political posting on TikTok, but I don't spend a lot of time on that. I have no desire to post anything. What I am loving are the videos of puppies, dancing, and loads of funny stuff, though much of that is about politics, hence the quote above. I LOL'd on that one, because it is the perfect word for many situations. 

    We must maintain our sense of humor!!!

        Leta

So adorable, the opposite of
"He Who Shall Not Be Named"

September 25--Am I Productive?

Love is our natural state. When love is what you offer, love is what returns to you... the peaceful way we show up can create beautiful changes around us. 
--Mary Davis

    The title question is one that I'm guessing older folks consider as they transition from the workforce to retirement. It's easy to feel productive during a working career. But after that, what constitutes "productive"? Do we even have to be productive? 

    I have several part-time endeavors that keep me feeling productive. There's a part of me that knows that productivity is not a consideration of my worth. However, I live with a person who is constantly doing projects, which sometimes makes me feel lazy and unproductive. Plus that person is fairly unaware of all that I do accomplish around here, which exacerbates the issue. 

    At this point in life, I consider my job to be healing from the sciatica that laid me low earlier this year. Today I will play pickleball, have a healing Harmonic EGG session, and see an orthopedic doctor regarding my arm and shoulder for which I had the MRI. I have to admit that I am generally suspicious and annoyed with western medicine, so I remind myself that it is in my best interests to show up in a "peaceful way." 

    If we can add to the joy, peace and love in the world, rather than being destructive, then that's productive enough for today.

        Leta

Beauty in Bali...
Nature is infinitely productive!

September 24--Laughing All the Way to the Cemetery

Could I be any dumber?  --Boog Sciambi

    One has to have a sense of humor to survive these days. Long-time Cubs fans, such as I, are well-versed in the humor requirement. I have written about how much I love the Cubs announcers, JD and Boog. (See June 1 post.)  Yesterday the Cubs blew a 6-1 lead and lost 7-9 to the Mets, the Cubs' fifth loss in a row. That's the first time this season they have lost that many games consecutively. In an annoying loss such as that, the announcers wander into random territory. Boog said something goofy, JD corrected him, and the above quote popped out. Yes, it was one of those "had to be there" moments, but it made me LOL. JD and Boog are priceless--I hope the Cubs hang onto them forever. 

    I would be remiss if I did not note that today is the anniversary of both my parents' passing, 21 years apart. I figure my dad did that just to piss off my mom, so that she would have to share her special day of remembrance.  Theirs was a "rocky" relationship, at least from my perspective. 

    Navigating September,

        Leta

September 23--I'm a Hummingbird

This comes from today's Daily Guide in Science of Mind magazine, written by Mary Davis:

When it comes to our passion and purpose, Elizabeth Gilbert explains that there are two kinds of people: the jackhammers and the hummingbirds. She describes the jackhammers as the kind of people who drill down on one talent and one profession, “and we don’t look up, we don’t veer, and we’re just focused on that (one thing) until the end of time.” Others, Gilbert said, are like hummingbirds. They flit from place to place, flower to flower, pollinating, spreading love and ideas, with many fields of study and threads of purpose throughout their lives.

    I like this idea! I'm happy to be a hummingbird. 

    I want to note also that this is the third anniversary of the passing of my dear sister-in-law, Sue. It was very sudden and unexpected, and really shook the family. We miss your loving presence!!!

    Grateful for life and love!

        Leta

Daisies were Sue's favorite!

September 22--Working Examples

There is no condition that you cannot modify into something more, any more than there is any painting you cannot repaint.There are many limiting thoughts in the human environment that can make it seem that these so-called incurable illnesses or unchangeable conditions cannot be changed. But we say that they are only "unchangeable" because you believe they are.  --Esther and Jerry Hicks

    For me, this falls into that "simple but not easy" category. I am very certain that there are things that I consider unchangeable at the moment (see the Sept 20 post, for instance!). For most of my life, I believed that I could not paint. Now being in the woman cave brings me great joy with my artwork visible in every direction. A change in belief brought me out of the pit of addiction--recovery via the 12-Step programs requires that change. 

    To quote the child's version of the Hicks quote: "I think I can, I think I can."

        Leta

September 21--A Suggestion

At the end of the day, I'm a person. I have feelings. I get tired. I get sad. 
--Summer Walker

    I would ask that you are not the next person to tell me that I should not be feeling the way I feel. It has been a lifelong spiritual journey for me to (a) recognize that I have feelings, (b) figure out what feeling it is and (c) feel it and let it go. I spent too many years needing to numb my feelings to survive. 

    I am well aware that this is a trigger for me. If whatever I am feeling is bothering you, that is YOUR issue, not mine. And if I am uncomfortable with someone else's feelings, that is MY issue. I'm still learning!

    There is plenty of good in the world, and there is plenty to cause discouragement. Any day spent being a human is likely to include a wide variety of emotions. "Should" and "shouldn't" have already made a mess of things in so many ways. Maybe we could let those words drop from our lingo. 

        Leta

I own one of these now!!

September 20--My Last Glimmer of Hope Is Gone

Now, matters are worse.  --Yoda

    I painted this back in November when the election, I see in hindsight, definitely precipitated the ruin of the U.S. as we know it. I titled the painting "A Small Thread of Hope in the Chaos." 

    I look at it now with a smirk, feeling like that thread has disintegrated. Until last week, I had no idea who Charlie Kirk was. Now in the aftermath of his killing, all hope in me is gone. If you thought the pandemic was bad, I would say, "You ain't seen nothin' yet!" Only eight months into Trump's term in office, there is absolutely no credibility left in the government. Greed, corruption, violence and stupidity have consumed us.  

    "Contact your representatives," they say. I live in Kansas, a bright red state, where every rep is a blind Trump supporter who doesn't give a shit about anything a non-supporter might care about. 

    The greed, corruption, violence and stupidity are a giant black hole sucking us all in. I am embarrassed to be a U.S. citizen. 

    I'm sorry for the downer post. Hopefully having vented this, I will be able to come up with a more positive outlook in the future. 

        Leta

September 19--Happy Birthday!!

Be the love that reminds someone that we belong to each other.  --Mary Davis

    Today is the birthday of two of my all-time favorite women (you know who you are!!). One is from my biological family and one from my recovery family. Both are responsible for an extraordinary amount of love, joy and adventure in my life. We've also been together through plenty of low points in life. I sincerely refer to both of them as a "badass."

    Today is a good day to tell an important someone how special she or he is to you!

        Leta 

September 18--Be Like Barney

Our joy is waiting to be set free from the suit and tie of seriousness, and to burst out in awe of the miraculous world we live in.  --Mary Davis

    I have the perfect example of how to live lying asleep on the bed next to me. Barney Clark is completely content to chill and snooze a large part of the day. He is extremely attentive to his "job"--alerting my spouse and me to any sort of threat approaching our house, such as a delivery driver. When he has energy to burn, he runs zoomies around the house or yard. The words "car ride" send him into a barking, romping tizzy of excitement, every single time, and of course, he has no idea where we are going. If he's lucky, the destination will have a treat-giving drive-thru. He is especially fond of ice cream at Andy's or Culver's. He amuses us by romping with Dad's sock or Mom's little pillow while we are eating a meal. He knows humor is essential to life! On walks, he is always alert for those dastardly cats, and he seems to believe that every blade of grass is special and worthy of a long sniff. He was at my side during the worst times of pain from sciatica, and I refer to him as "my little round candy with the hole in the middle"--he's my lifesaver. When we return from a brief time away, his barks sound like "Where were you?!?!?" He demands an answer. He gets a Greenie treat after the morning walk, and he will stand near us and stare pointedly until said treat is delivered. He adores belly-rubs. He has no problem accepting such love. He opens his belly to me, in effect saying, "More, Mom, more!" 

    Miraculous, yes!

        Leta 

LOVE! 20 on a scale of 1-10!

September 17--Never Enough Kindness

The more loving we are, the more love we foster in our energy field. The kinder we are, the kinder other people will tend to be.  --Mary Davis

    I sense an extreme need these days for love and kindness. I'm struggling to write uplifting posts when I am so discouraged by our current political landscape. 

    Today I will walk my precious Barney, do my stretching and strengthening exercises, swim laps, enjoy a haircut and pedicure, take a nap, and watch the Cubs game. This is a fairly ordinary day. I can enter into it with a sense of discouragement or a sense of adventure. How can I show love and kindness to those I encounter? Pleasant greetings, smiles, and kind words can have a great impact. They direct our group consciousness toward the higher vibration we need to pull ourselves out of the negativity and cynicism. 

    Be kind.

        Leta

The creativity of painting
is keeping me (nearly) sane. 
My latest work, 
WAY outside my box!

September 16--Creating a Peasant Class

We believe our elected officials are called to public service, not public tyranny, so we must protect the limits, checks, and balances of democracy and encourage humility and civility on the part of elected officials….
We reject any moves toward autocratic political leadership and authoritarian rule…. Disrespect for the rule of law, not recognizing the equal importance of our three branches of government, and replacing civility with dehumanizing hostility toward opponents are of great concern to us. Neglecting the ethic of public service and accountability, in favor of personal recognition and gain often characterized by offensive arrogance, are not just political issues for us. They raise deeper concerns about political idolatry, accompanied by false and unconstitutional notions of authority.  --Richard Rohr, Daily Meditation, 9/12

    This is from a larger document titled Reclaiming Jesus: A Confession of Faith in a Time of Crisis. It is worth the time to read it. It is signed by a large group of Christian elders and leaders. 

    It is clear to me that the Republicans' mission is to create a peasant class, necessary for a ruling king, where the people are sick, dumb, poor and afraid. I'm not sure how that makes America great again!?!?!?!

        Leta

September 15--RIZZ!!!!

These old ballparks are like cathedrals in America. We don't have big old Gothic cathedrals like they do in Europe. But we got baseball parks.  --Jimmy Buffett

Since no two persons are alike, there must be a unique place for you in the scheme of things. The Divine Pattern would be imperfect without you. Dare to be yourself.  --Ernest Holmes

    It nearly killed me when the Cubs traded Anthony Rizzo to the Yankees. It was bad enough that the Cubs traded him, but to the YANKEES!!!?!?! How dare they do that!! Double YUCK!

    Well, Rizz is back. The Yankees decided not to keep him, so he retired and is now back with the Cubs organization as an "Ambassador." He got a tremendous amount of love from the Cubs fans this past weekend. And, this is incredible--he had a home-run hit directly to him in the bleachers by a Cubs player, he did not sacrifice his beer to catch it, and when he missed it, we saw him mouth, "That's why I retired!!" 

    What got to me the most is during an interview with J.D. and Boog, he said, "I never forgot that in each game we played here, there was someone here at Wrigley for the first time." I'm tearing up as I write this, and I think I have probably cried at least a little every time I've been to Wrigley. It is magical! Of course, living hundreds of miles away, I never know if the last time I was there really is the last time. As my life lengthens, my window of opportunity shortens. 

    One of the things I have especially enjoyed over the years is how mighty fine the baseball uniform accentuates the male derriere 😉😉 I surely did enjoy the scene below, captured from the screen of my Chromebook. 

    Baseball IS life.

        Leta

September 14--Driving Around

If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you.  --Local liquor store sign

    I drive by that store almost every day, and the sign always makes me smile. Another one was "God created my wife then said, 'This should be interesting.'" And "School has started. Teachers, we can help." I have never patronized this store because it is at an awkward corner for getting back into traffic. 

    And that brings me to one of my foibles--I do not like to turn left onto a busy street. I would prefer to say that it is potential danger that stops me, but it is actually my impatience. I will drive out of my way to avoid a left turn, even as much as a mile-square block. It's just another version of the "scenic route." 

    Yesterday I drove a total of about 11 miles. In that short distance I saw three certified red-light-runs (as in my green left turn arrow was lit when they entered the intersection.) I know Wichita drivers are generally bad, but I suspect this is happening everywhere. 

    Be careful out there!

        Leta

September 13--Arms Stretched and Ready!

CHERISH yourself. Your tender self. Yes, you. Cherish your family and friends, your colleagues and clients. Cherish the birds and trees and animals and sky and the incredible beauty of nature. Cherish the chance to live out this day with choices and chances.  --Mary Davis

    I have attended a Monday night addiction recovery meeting for decades. We met in person until the pandemic shut down our meeting and then we converted to a phone meeting. The "regulars" on the meeting have known each other for many years. Occasionally we meet at a coffee shop for face-to-face social time and lots of hugs. Today is one of those coffee-shop meetings, yippee!!! These are folks who know the good-bad-ugly-beautiful about each other and the love continues. My life would be completely different had I not met these fellow recovering humans. I am so grateful. 

    Hugs ahead!

        Leta

September 12--Your Empire Choice

Brian McLaren (CAC's Daily Meditation, Sept 10) contrasts the Roman Empire with Jesus' offering of the empire of God:

Rome’s empire was violent. God’s empire was nonviolent.

Rome’s empire was characterized by domination. God’s empire was characterized by service and liberation.

Rome’s empire was preoccupied with money. God’s empire was preoccupied with generosity and was deeply suspicious of money.

Rome’s empire was fueled by the love of power. God’s empire was fueled by the power of love.

Rome’s empire created a domination pyramid that put a powerful and violent man on the top, with chains of command and submission that put everyone else in their place beneath the supreme leader. God’s empire created a network of solidarity and mutuality that turned conventional pyramids upside down and gave “the last, the least, and the lost” the honored place at the table.

    Note that in every case, the "Rome's" at the beginning can be replaced with "Trump's." It is inconceivable to me that any Trump supporter claims to be a Christian. 

    We can do better.

        Leta

God's empire

September 11--We Can Still Celebrate

There must always remain in every life, some place for the singing of angels, some place for that which in itself is breathless and beautiful. — Howard Thurman

    I know this is a day of mourning for so many Americans, the 24th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. I grieve every act of violence perpetrated on my fellow humans. 

    However, I choose to celebrate on this day, because it is my grandson's first birthday, and he was born on the birthday of his great-grandmother, Madeline, my mother. 

    Despite the tragedy of 9/11, many, many beautiful things came of it. Let us join with the angels in celebrating those. 

        Leta

September 10--Good Questions

The progress you have already made, no matter how small, is an integral part of your growth. —Morgan Harper Nichols

    Well, we are where we are. Over there, I am healed and my life is back to "normal." Right here, I am still impatiently struggling with stretching, strengthening and stamina. 

    I have written about the book I am reading, "The Body Keeps The Score," by Bessel Van Der Kolk, M.D. It has been truly enlightening in helping me understand why I am the way I am. It is clear that my life-long means of coping has been to numb out. Having a mother who was an excellent cook, I used food to accomplish the numbness for many, many years. When something upset me, I learned to pack up those feelings, put them away (in my body), and move on. Literally and figuratively, the weight piled on. 

    The question that goes along with numbing out is then what makes the numbed-out person feel alive. For me, the things that enliven me are gardening and painting, i.e. creative pursuits, and swimming and pickleball--physical movement. Another powerful question offered in the book is whether pain is necessary to feel alive. Geez, I hope not, but that has certainly been the case over the past six months. 

    More to come,

        Leta

The exuberant sunflowers
in my garden

September 9--Happy Here and Now

This is from the Richard Rohr "Daily Meditation" of September 6. It is a reminder to me that we make God too hard.

Practicing the Presence at a Stoplight

Father Richard describes a moment of spiritual awakening that led to a regular practice of presence in his daily life:

The Center for Action and Contemplation is located in the South Valley of Albuquerque on a street called Five Points Road. For many years I made it my job to take care of the mail. People around the center and at the post office used to tease me by calling me the mailman. I would pick up and deliver the mail for my own little hermitage, the local Franciscans, and the Center. I just felt so useful, bringing mail back and forth. It was an obsession, really, and every day I would sit at the five-way light at the end of our road. To my Type A personality, it always seemed like an interminably long light, but one day, it seemed even longer than usual, and I clearly heard God saying to me, “Richard, are you really going to be any happier on the other side of Bridge Avenue?”

I had to wonder, “If you’re not happy on this side of Bridge Avenue, you’re not going to be happy on that side of Bridge Avenue. So why not just be happy now?” It’s that simple and that hard. It became a place for my little daily meditation. Every time I stopped at that red light, I thought, “Okay, here I get to practice it again. Everything is right here, right now. If I can’t experience God and love and myself and everything that matters on this side of Bridge Avenue, I probably won't experience it over there.” I hope you can find your own examples.

That’s what we mean by the practice of the present moment. I cannot think of any spiritual practice which will transform our lives into love and into God more than simply trying to live in the naked now, in the sacrament of the present moment. There’s nothing to “figure out” about this practice, so don’t even try. Figuring it out isn’t really helpful. When we are an alert presence, placing one foot in front of the other, there is no separation anymore between the secular and the sacred, between ourselves and God.

    Like so much of life, it's the little actions that truly count!

        Leta

September 8--The Power of Safety

If we want to turn over a new leaf and really set a new humanity afoot, we must begin to turn humankind away from the long and desolate night of violence. May it not be that the new humanity the world needs is the nonviolent human?... This not only will make us new people but will give us a new kind of power…. It will be power infused with love and justice, that will change dark yesterdays into bright tomorrows, and lift us from the fatigue of despair to the buoyancy of hope.  
--Martin Luther King Jr.

    Dr. King was assassinated 57 years ago. We have only become more violent, as supported and encouraged by the current political powers. 

    One of the topics in the book I am reading, "The Body Keeps The Score," (see yesterday's post), is the fundamental need for a human being to feel safe. The statistics relative to those of us who were not or are not safe in our own homes are staggering and distressing. I doubt that we can expect wars to stop if we can't even create peace and safety in our own homes, in our own hearts. 

    It ain't easy, but we can do better!

        Leta

September 7--New Insights

The body keeps the score.  --Bessel Van Der Kolk, M.D.

    I'm reading the book pictured below. Holy cow! I'm about a third of the way through it. It is helping me understand myself in very interesting new ways. 

    "Over the years our research team has repeatedly found that chronic emotional abuse and neglect can be just as devastating as physical abuse and sexual molestation." (pg. 89) I am so thankful that this book looks at both. I was not physically or sexually abused, but I certainly experienced chronic emotional abuse (brother) and neglect (Mother). I am sure my Mother would completely freak at the idea that I felt neglected, but her mother died suddenly when I was 4 or 5 years old, and things were never the same after that. She was very close to her mother, the circumstances around her mother's passing caused a huge rift in my parents' marriage, and it was "downhill" from there. 

    One idea discussed is the "inevitable rage of helplessness. Rage that has nowhere to go is redirected against the self, in the form of depression, self-hatred, and self-destructive actions." (pg. 136) Having an excellent cook as my mother, the conditions were perfect for me to eat myself into oblivion, leading to self-hatred and depression. This also clarifies the root of my seemingly bottomless pit of extreme anger. 

    More shall be revealed, and I'm warily looking forward to it!

        Leta

September 6--Why Not a Department of Peace?

Constant kindness can accomplish much. As the sun makes ice melt, kindness causes misunderstanding, mistrust, and hostility to evaporate. 
--Albert Schweitzer

    I wrote a harsh post about our current political landscape and decided to delete it. 

    I am choosing not to add to the over-abundant negativity that is already out there.

    Those of us who still believe in lovingkindness must double-down on our efforts to be decent human beings. 

        Leta

"Peace" by Laura Barbosa

September 5--Grateful for Inspiration

All of our life lessons are woven together into the fabric of our courageous hearts.
--Mary Davis

    I get discouraged with my recovery sometimes. When I wake in the morning, the first move I make hurts. And so it begins. 

    I recently saw a former co-worker (I'll call Penelope) whom I had not seen in several months. A long-ago car accident left her in constant pain and mobility-challenged, and a couple of falls had put her in a wheelchair awaiting yet another surgery. When I saw her, next to her was a walker, not a wheelchair. Against all odds, she is walking again!!! That was the big dose of motivation I needed. If Penelope can do it, I can do it. 

    Keep moving!

        Leta

This is what slow recovery feels like...

September 4--My Sonshines

Be still and believe the perfect plan is unfolding for you.  --Mary Davis

    Up until a few months ago, our two sons have always lived in close proximity to each other. Now one has moved to Minnesota leaving the other in Colorado. I have decided to call the Colorado son more often even though he rarely answers. I simply want to hear his voice more frequently. We chatted last night about a rather significant decision he is considering. He said, "Don't worry, Mom, I am not making a hasty decision. This will take as long as it takes for Dad to buy another vehicle." I nearly peed myself laughing. Does he know his dad well or what!??! 

    I am grateful for sons who make me laugh!

        Leta

Barney has the "be still" part perfected! 😍

September 3--Gardens and Houseplants

God feels it when we notice beauty. When we notice beauty, we are grateful. 
--Mary Davis

    One of the labels I would happily give myself is "gardener." I was a Master Gardener at one time, but family commitments pulled me away from that program. Though I did not appreciate my mother's gardening wisdom when I was a youngster, I'm happy to report that in some cosmic way, much of her knowledge has come through to me over the years.

    Temperatures have cooled enough for me to want to tackle the very-much-needed cleanup in my garden. I spent time the past two afternoons clearing vines and tree seedlings that have invaded from neighbors' yards. This is the sort of necessary work wherein all one's efforts go into the trash. I did take a moment to notice how the vincas are flowering with wild abandon. Usually they are fried by now, but we have had just enough rain to keep them blooming. The next mission is to tidy the sunflower patch which has gone rather wild.

    Below is the newest addition to the window garden in my woman cave. I managed to kill its predecessor, so I'm hoping this one is a bit more forgiving. I'm not sure I got a lot of my mother's houseplant knowledge, as my track record with houseplants is a bit "iffy." 

    Enjoy some vegetation today!

        Leta

September 2--September--Up? Down? Neutral?

A walk in nature walks the soul back home.  --Mary Davis

    September kind of snuck up on me, with the 1st being the Labor Day holiday. September has been quite the "mixed bag" in my life. Births of my awesome great-nephews and grandson and birthdays of some of my best buds, plus generally lower temperatures, are high points. Both my parents passed on September 24, 21 years apart. (Yes, it is an extremely weird fluke that they died on the same date.) For assorted reasons, this has often been a month of personal depression. Maybe I just think September is in the way because I really want to get to my birthday month of October. Although I do start celebrating in the ninth month with a bottomless pitcher of margaritas while my spouse is away on a 10-day vacation at the Winfield Bluegrass Festival. 

    Stay tuned for the final verdict on September. It has not had a stellar start, but if the Cubs make the playoffs, that would be a mighty-fine closeout.

        Leta

Autumn in PA--I miss you!!

September 1--Nearing the End 😢😢

People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring.  --Rogers Hornsby

    I'm with you, Rogers. Although I do also watch a considerable amount of basketball. Nevertheless, arriving at September makes me start to mourn the coming end of baseball season. 

    There is a t-shirt company in Chicago named Obvious Shirts that was created out of love for Cubs baseball. Below is the shirt they made for the Cubs players who have now played about 137 out of 162 regular season games. It is a grueling season, and I'd venture that most players would say "hell, yes!" to this shirt. I want one, but alas, they are sold out. 

    My other favorite Obvious Shirt is this one:

    That was the game in 2016 when the Cubs won the World Series, in extra innings in Game 7, for the first time in 108 years. I can guarantee you that there IS crying in baseball!!!

    A Cubs fan for eternity,

        Leta