Autumn Naps

"There are no ordinary cats."

~Colette

No one knows how to take a nap, better than my cat Dylan. He has made the midday nap into an art form, and he performs daily. I love his brand of performance art. Just watching him sleep has been known to instantly change my mood from slightly grumpy to contently mellow, with on flick of his tail. Needless to say, he has me completely wrapped around his paw.

It's hopeless, I love him so much!

But he loves me back!

And there is nothing like a cozy, warm nap on a rainy day, with my orange tabby cat.

God, I could become one of those little old ladies with 19 cats so easily.

And I ask you, what could possibly be wrong with that?

:)

Liquid Amber

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

You Get The Dwog, I will Get The Kwoffee, And We We'll Watch The Ducks

"I am a duck. I'm cool and calm on the surface, but underneath it all is a nonstop struggle to succeed. My feet are like orange spatulas."

~Jarod Kintz, How To Construct A Coffin With Six Karate Chops.

Ducks. I like ducks. I had several as pets when I was a little girl. Last year, I was a rubber duck for Halloween. I am not sure what costume I will be wearing this year, but I am leaning toward a sexy wolf costume. I am also considering going as Teresa Giudice. I get a big black 80's style wig, a tight fitting leopard dress, which I already own by the way, and a ball and chain, and I am good to go! LOL. But that would be tacky of me I think. She is in a lot of trouble, and kicking someone when they are down isn't very nice! It would be an interesting, timely costume, but more than anything

 it would be unkind. 

 Besides it would probably piss off Victoria Gotti,

 and who wants to do that?

Hmmm...

Quack!

Thoughts?

Mood: Undecided

~Me :)

Snowy Egrets In Black And White

Snowy Egrets

"For man, as for a flower and beast and bird,

 the supreme triumph is to be most vividly, most perfectly alive."

~D.H. Lawrence

See, I can to photograph something other than leaves in autumn... well... in addition to anyway.

:)

 Liquid Amber

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

The Presence...

"But then fall comes, kicking summer out on it's treacherous ass as it always does one day sometime after the midpoint of September, it stays awhile like an old friend that you have missed.

 It settles in the way an old friend will settle into your favorite chair and take out his pipe and light it and then fill the afternoon with stories of places he has been and things he has done since the last time he saw you."

~Stephen King, Salem's Lot

I was amazed that while it was a very warm sunny day, when I stood in the shadow of the tree the whole world seemed eerily dark. My camera saw it too. It wasn't just the shadow, it was a deep feeling inside me, that in the shadow exists some parallel world we mortals move in and out of without consequence, or knowledge that we had left out own universe. In the moment I was standing in the shadow, it seemed that the only real light came from the crimson red and deep purple leaves, giving the impression that they weren't leaves at all, but rather something so beautiful, so singularly unique, that they bordered not on the natural color one would expect on the first day of the autumnal equinox, but rather on the supernatural. The slight chill I felt that day, made me feel like on any given late September day, but especially this one, I was merely one glance, or one shadow, away from finding myself in a Stephen King novel. And with that thought I smiled, because surely I could conquer the shadowy presence, and besides, that's what happens when one stares at autumn leaves too long. The imagination wanders... and wonders.

Shadows have a different presence in autumn.

That's all.

~

"He thrusts his fists against the posts, 

and still insists he sees the ghosts."

~Stephen King, It

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

Autumnal Equinox

"Autumn begins with a subtle change in the light, with skies a deeper blue, and nights that become suddenly clear and chilled. The season comes full with the first frost, the disappearance of migrant birds, and the harvesting of the season's last crops."

~Glenn Wolff and Jerry Dennis

It's here, it's here, it's here! Well, almost! Less than 24 hours! Tonight (Monday night) at 7:28 PM the summer takes it's last breath, and at 7:29 PM we cross over from the season of sadness into the season of healing. At least that's how I feel about autumn... it's the healing season. I live for this season, but more so this year that in any other I can remember! It's not that I expect autumn to do all the heavy lifting to bring me out of the deep sadness I have been in, I know that's my hard work to do, but autumn will make it easier.

 As of September 29th, Alan and I will be on vacation until November 6th! Spending time with him always makes me happy, and we have a lot of new outings for this year that will keep us running, so there will e a lot of new opportunities for my cameras to get a workout! So yeah, I know finding my Zen again will take some work, but if you can't find your Zen in autumn, then you just aren't trying! Right? God I love the light in autumn, it's like the sweetest smile I've ever seen. It's life.

Smiles Of Autumn Pasts

I wonder what will breeze my way this autumn?

:)

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

For The Last Full Day Of Summer...

"Once something has outlived its usefulness in one area of life, its purpose for being in existence is no longer the same. The leaf that captures a stream of sunlight, and then transfers its energy to the tree, serves one purpose in the spring and summer, and another completely different on through the

 fall and winter."

~Guy Finley

For the last day of summer, I am sitting at the computer, with my Google calendar opened to the month of October, so I can schedule all we have planned for our vacation month! We have a lot of activities to deal with. Days on the San Francisco Bay. Days we will spend apple picking in Apple Hill. Some pumpkin selecting in Half Moon Bay. We have some recipes to make for each other. A visit to a comedy club or two in the city. Farmer's Markets from Berkeley to Marin. Halloween parties. A Chilli cookoff in Santa Cruz. The Marin County Film Festival. A few new restaurants to try! Whew! You get the idea! I will be posting my activities soon, for now just know that with all I have to do to get ready for vacation... I always have time to stop and watch the leaves turn.

Fair warning... This blog is about to get autumn heavy!

:)

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

Let The Dancing Begin...

"Anyone who thinks fallen leaves are dead, has never watched them dancing on a windy day."

~Shira Tamir

September is drifting along, quietly. No noise. Well, except for the irritating barking of my neighbor's dog. Poor little fella is used as a weapon in the neighborhood. Any time the immature little brat adults I have mentioned in previous posts as, Donny and Nina, are up to their old tricks, they allow the dog to bark. It seems marriage really did nothing for their maturity. Sigh. The cute little pup-pup began barking at 5:30 am, both of the last couple days... as soon as Donny left for work. It's vintage Nina to let the pup-pup bark, because she knows it pisses off the neighbors in all directions. And when it does, Donny usually gets a visit from someone yelling at him. Yelling is a given at this point, as we have all complained in reasonable tones, and it did no good! Don't get me wrong, Donny isn't innocent. He is the one that came up with the idea of letting pup-pup bark, as punishment towards me for complaining about him to the property owner... in 2011! They enjoyed the affect it had on my health to the point they found they could use the same tactic to keep others in line as well.

As you may remember, Donny and Nina got married last summer, and moved from this property to an adjoining property. Things got better for a little while. He and his psycho bully attitude were gone, but he is still close enough that his behavior still affects all of us to different degrees. In my case, waking me up at 5:30 am. God, I had only been in bed an hour. Sigh. It's so unnecessary. Why can't they just live their lives? Work on their releationship? Plan for the future? I can think of a million things that Alan and I were busy with during our first year of marriage, but actively working on getting each other in trouble with the neighbors wasn't on the radar. Call us boring, but we have found filling our spare time with loving each other, and our little furry children, pretty life affirming!

Oh well. Let's not dwell on things. Summer is taking it's last breaths, and that's a good thing because it makes the pain in life, like not getting the sleep I need, a little easier to take. I can actually see the light of autumn outside my window! It's right there. It's in the golden sunrise, and the light orange sunsets. It's in that hint of coolness in the air. It's in the way a barrel of apples smells at the grocery stores and farmers markets. It's in the taste of a really delicious heirloom tomato. It's in the colors of the new outfits I just bought for autumn, and it's in the sound of the deceased leaves blowing down the street. I know autumn is associated with the withering of the year, but it makes me feel alive inside. It makes me feel like I can deal with the barking. I will try to dismiss the pain from my Fibromyalgia and concentrate on the leaves.

Leaves dancing on the wind is life affirming too!

"Let your life lightly dance on the edges of time, like dew on the tip of a leaf."

~Rabindranath Tagore

Mood: Quiet/Tired/Happy

~Me :)

Shiver Me Timbers... It's International Talk Like A Pirate Day!

The Hawaiian Cheiftan, Richardson Bay, Sausalito, Ca 

October 22nd 2006

 

"Life's pretty good, and why wouldn't it be? I'm a pirate after all."

~Captain Jack Sparrow

Welcome to Talk Like A Pirate Day!

I almost missed the observance, if it had not been for Comedy Central's very funny @Midnight and their evening game of #hashtag wars on Twitter, I would have. Last night's #hashtag was #PirateTVShows. If you are unfamiliar with the premise, basically you would choose a TV show, and change the title to reflect the topic of pirates. Here are some I came up with...

1. Don't Trust The P In Apartment 23

2. Make Room For Booty

3. Plunder Woman

Alan and I wouldn't miss playing #hashtag wars. It keeps us laughing and laughing... and that's a good thing for the weary soul. Honestly, that man of mine has the silliest sense of humor! One has to have a sense of humor to put up with me! Life is slowly getting back to normal. It's been a hellish year, and probably the most depressing summer I can remember, but there is only a few more days of this horrible season, and then autumn will make everything all better.

It always does. Autumn never lets me down!

I took the photos of this ship, on one lazy beautiful autumn Sunday afternoon, in 2006, while visiting San Francisco, and southern Marin County. The ship sails from Sausalito's Richardson Bay, into the San Francisco Bay, and show those on-board a good time by participating in mock battles with other Tall Ships. It's a beautiful sight, and listening to the cannon shots is kinda fun too. I love living here in the Bay Area. It's wonderful here. I couldn't live without the beautiful bay! I am so lucky to be able to see whenever I want to.

:)

Alan and I are going on the bay several times for vacation in October. I can hardly wait.

Life Is Good!

Now, in honor of "Talk Like A Pirate Day"

Be gone you skallywags... Arrr ye mateys...

TALK LIKE A PIRATE! 

"To live is to walk beside Death but never join hands."

~Captain Buck "Slackeye" Roberts

~Kai McCarthy

Tall Ships Return To Sausalito 

(Marin Scope)

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

Art About Town: San Leandro... "Lariat" By Artist, Roger Berry

 "An ice sculpture in the Sahara makes about as much sense as donkey left open gaping wagon, Sergeant (add cream cheese sparingly)."

~Jarod Kintz
This Is The Best Book I've Ever Written, And It Still Sucks.

Okay, so, while out doing some errands Monday, that included having my blood drawn, I spotted this gorgeous sculpture standing outside the new Kaiser Permanente hospital, in San Leandro. It was moved to the new hospital a couple months ago, upon the closing of the old Hayward hospital. 

I hadn't been to the old hospital in years, I tended to avoid it if I could. As you might imagine, I don't have such fond memories of the place. Well, maybe one or two, after all, a hospital isn't always about the ones you lose, is it? Births. Good news about medical tests you dreaded taking, and maybe one or two downright amusing stories can come out of a hospital. One of my favorites being the time I was very sick, with terrible pain in my stomach from a small cyst on my ovary that decided to burst. Well, I was in the waiting room, standing in line,waiting to be checked in my the receptionist, when I began to vomit from the pain. GOD how embarrassing!

But the man in front of me, whose shoe I narrowly missed, and to who I apologized profusely, moved behind me in line and told the receptionist... "Take her first, she's sicker than I am." I can still remember the long line of folks laughing their sick little butts off. It was the most endearingly embarrassing moment of my life. LOL. I still smile when I think of that kindness showed me that day. That man could have reacted in so many negative ways, but instead, he showed me compassion, kindness and yes, a little humor!

Laughter Is The Best Medicine.

 

"Lariat" By Roger Berry

Kaiser Permanente San Leandro 

And wonderful public art helps too.

I love that hospitals, HMO's and clinics have begun displaying different types of art throughout their campuses.

Artist, Roger Berry, has several gorgeous sculptures around the Bay Area, so I think I might be posting more of his sculptures in this series as we move toward the end of the year!

Mood: Nostalgic

~Me :)

Shoes. Mine.

"I did not have 3,000 pairs of shoes, I had 1050."

~Imelda Marcos

I like shoes. I have lots of shoes. I should start a new series about shoes.

Just shoes, and where they take me.

I wonder if my coat collection would get jealous?

Hmmmmm.

Mood: Introspective

~Me :)

Breakfast In America

"I went to a restaurant that serves "breakfast any time" 

so I ordered French Toast during the Renaissance.
~Steven Wright

I had a Monday yesterday, I went to have my yearly blood work to see if I my in-nerds are still working properly. I have some of the tests back, and yes, in fact I rocked a couple of them. But I am still waiting on the ones that make my doctor raise a disapproving eyebrow from time to time. My Hemoglobin A1C.

In my travels with diabetes, I have learned a lot about what makes my numbers go off the rails. Oddly enough it isn't just sugar that makes my numbers go wacky... stress is a big factor as well! I need to stop stressing over stupid stuff... cough... Sarah Palin.

Somehow, my doctor never believes me when I say it's all Sarah Palin's fault.

Odd.

Mood: Eh.

~Me :)

What Will I Be Watching On TV This Fall? Glad You Asked!

"If television is a babysitter then the Internet is a drunk librarian who won't shut up."

~Dorothy Gambrell, Cat and Girl Volume I

It's THAT time again... time for the premiers of the new Fall 2014 shows on TV.

What will I be watching?

Glad you asked!

Sunday

Madam Secretary - Tea Leoni

CBS 8:00pm

Monday

Gotham - Ben McKenzie, Erin Richards

FOX 8:00pm - 9:00pm

Tuesday 

Selfie -  Karen Gillian, John Cho

ABC 8:00pm

Manhattan Love Story - Analeigh Tipton, Jake Dorman

ABC 8:30pm

Marry Me - Casey Wilson, Ken Marino

NBC 9:00pm

Forever - Ioan Gruffudd, Alana De La Garza

ABC 10:00pm

Wednesday

The Mysteries Of Laura - Debra Messing

NBC 8:00pm

Stalker - Dylan McDermott, Maggie Q

CBS 10:00pm

Thursday

How To Get Away With Murder - Viola Davis, Billy Brown

ABC 10:00pm

And there you have it! But that's just the new shows I will be tuning into, I will also be loyal to my old favorites too. New Girl, American Horror Story: Freak Show (season4) and, of course,  Castle! Missing these shows is non-negotiable! I wish a couple of shortsighted networks hadn't cancelled a couple of my favorites from last season... The Crazy Ones and The Michael J. Fox Show. I enjoyed both shows very much. Especially in the case of The Crazy Ones. Sigh. Robin Williams was back on TV and that has always been a thing to behold! He was such a gifted and funny man! When I heard that the show had been cancelled, I was sad, but figured he would be back to TV one day. Sigh.

I will miss Robin Williams forever!

Mood: Okay

~Me :)

The Healing Power Of Pizza

"Those pizzas I ate were for medicinal purposes."

~Amy Neftzger

Friday night, Alan and I had dinner at one of our favorite pizza places, located here in Berkeley, Cheeseboard Collective. Actually, it's Cheese Board Collective, but over the years folks like me have found ourselves running the Cheese and the Board together. Either version is acceptable, I believe, the folks at this place don't sweat the small stuff, they are too busy making what I consider to be, the BEST pizza in Berkeley!

Eating their pizza is actually a healthy thing. Using this as an example, they start with a super thin crust, brush it with olive and garlic oil and sprinkle with fresh herbs, then add the 12month-aged Gruyere cheese. Next comes the lovely ripe Heirloom tomatoes, and a few more fresh herbs on top! The end result is a delicious pizza that can not only sooth a weary soul, but indeed heal it!
It's truly one of life's great gifts!

Mood: HAPPY

~Me :)

Revisiting My Tree From 6 Days Ago

"The magic of autumn has seized the countryside; now that the sun isn't ripening anything it shines for the sake of the golden age; for the sake of Eden; to please the moon for all I know."

~Elizabeth Coatsworth, Personal Geography: Almost An Autobiography

Just a update on the progress of my favorite autumn tree. I know it was less than a week ago that I posted the first offering in this new series, and now I am posting fairly soon thereafter. I will try to designate Saturday's for my updates so I don't overwhelm anyone with my autumn obsession. 

LOL! Did you believe me just then? Oh, I kid you gentle reader, I am totally going to both obsess on autumn, and overwhelm you with pictures of the turning leaves! LOL or should I say...

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

But it's just so beautiful... isn't it?

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

Respite

"Maybe there's a whole other universe where a square moon rises in the sky, and the stars laugh in cold voices, and some of the triangles have four sides, and some have five, and some have five raised to the fifth power of sides. In this universe there might grow roses which sing.

 Everything leads to everything."

~Stephen King

One last photo from my visit to the Flight 93 Memorial, in Union City, Ca. This is the 9/11 Flight 93 Rose which was created in honor of the men and women who lost their lives that day in Pennsylvania. As a rose enthusiast, I was quite taken by it's beauty. It's dark red in the shade, but bright, vibrant red when the sun is directly on it. It's amazing. I may have to order one next year to add to my own garden. It would be a perfect, permanent, remembrance of the best of humanity.

As you can see, there is a little green and black bug that stopped by for a little respite. I think he looks amazing against the crimson red of the rose. That little guy made me smile. The folks who planned and implemented the garden did an amazing job. It's thoughtful, and serene, yet there are all kinds of little touches that remind on of hope. Like this rose. I am so glad I finally went.

Mood:Good/Hopeful

~Me :)

Flight 93 National Memorial

9/11 Flight 93 Rose

September 11th, 2001... He Said Hello, Then I Said Hello, And The World Changed

"We are all ordinary, we are all boring. We are all spectacular. We are all shy. We are all bold. We are all heroes. We are all helpless. It just depends on the day."

~Brad Meltzer

September 11th, 2001

I think to a degree, I am still dealing with what happened on September 11th, 2001. It still seems so surreal... and yet all too real! I remember Alan calling me on the phone, to tell me what had happened, but his words now seem blurry. I do remember that what he was telling seeming so absolutely absurd. You see I had been sleeping really deep that morning, a rarity for me at the time, so when his phone call came I was still in a bit of a dream state. But as I picked up the phone, and before Alan said anything, I mused to myself that the very same episode of  I Love Lucy, on TV Land that I had fallen asleep to after he left for work, was playing again. How odd!

Then I said hello and he said hello and the world changed.

It was all just so FUCKING ABSURD.

Just so absurd.

Yesterday, after years of putting it off, I paid a visit to the Flight 93 Memorial in Union City, California. I don't know why I have been avoiding it... (silence) but I have. But yesterday, was a day that wasn't very different than September 11th, 2001 in temperature and color of the sky. So, I got my cameras out, and made the trek. I was glad I did. It is a peaceful place, filled with remembrance and tributes. It has a beautiful tree, planted with actual dirt taken from the field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania where the plane crashed. It's leaves are beginning to change. It's beautiful. It's hopeful. There is a pathway, with monuments marking the names of each of the passengers and crew members. And there is an American flag, and at it's base small artistic tiles, done by young people of many Bay Area schools.

After all these years, (silence) it's still so FUCKING ABSURD!

Today, I am also remembering the lives of David and Lynn Angell, who were killed on September 11th, 2001, when the plane they were in, American Airlines Flight 11, crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center.

Thank you David and Lynn, once again, for all the laughter and joy you brought to so many, and all you did for the children who needed you. 
I will remember you always!

It is an honor to remember this couple, and I will continue to do so for as long as I can. I got to know them, and about their life, when I honored them for the 9/11 Project, several years ago. They were extraordinary people, who made the world a better place. Please, if you are unfamiliar with David and Lynn Angell's life and work, take a moment to visit the links below. 

David Angell *Wikipedia

The Angell Foundation - David And Lynn Angell Biography

Union City Dedicates A Memorial To 9/11's Flight 93

Mood: Reflective

~Me

Insomnia

"Learn from yesterday, live for today, look to tomorrow, rest this afternoon."

~Charles M. Schulz

Charlie Brown's Little Book of Wisdom

Is there anything better than a late afternoon nap, on a hot summer afternoon? I like to turn up the air conditioning really high, then climb under a bunch of blankets. And I always have my little babies, Hendrix, Dylan and Joey, right next to me. It's wonderful. And I can always find sleep in the afternoon, but somehow, at bedtime, sleep is nowhere to be seen. I know, I know... don't nap in the afternoon, and I will probably be able to sleep when it's time for bed. But I have tried that, and it doesn't work. I guess I just love the night life or something.

Shrug.

Naps are good... naps have their place.

Mood: Sleepy

~Me :)

World Events...

 

 "Even a blind squirrel will finds an acorn sometimes."

~Proverb

This post doesn't feature a new photo, or a photo from the archives that hasn't been previously posted, but that's okay I think. I love this photo, and the memory of haven taken it. Alan and I were on vacation, on the 17 Mile drive in Monterey, and this little guy had just been attacked by a rather large, mean, seagull! Fortunately, Alan jumped to the rescue, yelled and waved his arm at the mean bird and chased off, probably saving this little guys life! The poor squirrel was so frightened that he just stood in place, on that rock, as his whole body shook from fear. It broke my heart. But he finally calmed down, and went about his business... he was fine... I never forgot him!

And now a little wisdom from Mark Twain

"Man is the Reasoning Animal. Such is the claim. I think it is open to dispute. Indeed, my experiments have proven to me that he is the Unreasoning Animal... In truth, man is incurably foolish. Simple things which other animals easily learn, he is incapable of learning. Among my experiments was this. In an hour I taught a cat and a dog to be friends. I put them in a cage. In another hour I taught them to be friends with a rabbit. In the course of two days I was able to add a fox, goose, a squirrel and some doves. Finally a monkey. They lived together in peace; even affectionately.

Next, in another cage I confined an Irish Catholic from Tipperary, and as soon as he seemed tame I added a Scotch Presbyterian from Aberdeen. Next a Turk from Constantinople; a Greek Christian from Crete; an Armenian; a Methodist from the wilds of Arkansas; a Buddhist from China; a Brahman from Benares. Finally, a Salvation Army Colonel from Wrapping. Then I stayed away for two while days. When I came back to note results, the cage of Higher Animals was all right, but in the other there was but a chaos of gory odds and ends of turbans and fezzes and plaids and bones and flesh... not a specimen left alive. These Reasoning Animals had disagreed on a theological detail and carried the matter to a Higher Court."

~Mark Twain

 Letters from the Earth: Uncensored Writings

Mood: Okay/Happy/Good... I'm Good!

~Me :)

As The Sun Sets Over Marin County In January

"Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm,

but to add color to my sunset sky."

~Rabindranath Tagore, Stray Birds

From the archives, but not previously posted, here is one of my favorite sights in winter... a sunset sitting softly over Marin County. I swear no other season like winter, produces this kind of beauty! Yes, sunsets happen all times of the year, but there is just something about bundling all up in my warm coat, gloves, scarf, hat to keep me as warm on the outside, as a sight like this makes me feel on the inside.

Beautiful.

I will say it again, with a sunset like this, how could anything bad possibly happen?

Mood: Nostalgic

~Me :)

Winter Swoosh

"The problem with winter sports is that

...follow me closely here.. 

they generally take place in winter."

~Dave Barry

Okay, so I don't absolutely hate winter. In fact, I kinda love winter. That is the one time of the year when California is most likely to see actual weather. Rain, cold breezes, even the occasional decent dusting on snow on Grizzly Peak Boulevard or other slightly higher peaks around the Bay Area! But one of my favorite parts of the colder months actually begins in late autumn, just before Thanksgiving, when all the area ice skating rinks open for the holidays. 

I just had to fit autumn in there a little.

Anyway, the rinks usually stay open a couple weeks into January, and it just wouldn't be the holiday season if we couldn't go to Embarcadro Center or Union Square and watch folks swoosh on the ice. Oh how I wish I could join them, but I never learned how, and now with my arthritic knee it would probably be impossible, but it's okay. Sometimes watching someone else have fun is just as fun as actually participating! I love watching the young ones, trying to teach the parental ones. That always makes me smile!

Swoosh.

Mood: Happy

~Me :)