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Blogging in my head

I added a logo to my blog tonight, B.W.O - Blogging without Obligation. What a refreshing idea. As months go by and I add nothing to my blog, semi-guilty thoughts run through my head. Why did I set up this blog in the first place if I never use it? Then I try to feed the ego with thoughts that I must have a pretty busy, exciting life if I never sit down to blog. Experience with no time to write about it. I wish - most of my experiences lately are driving 3 girls around town. I count the amount of times I am in and out of the house each day. Not such great fodder for blogging.

So I came across BWO from following another link on Kali's blog. I liked the idea so much, it inspired me to blog about it. That's a start anyway. But no, I won't abandon the blog because I never know when I might need it or plain want to use it. Lately, I have most definitely been blogging in my head, mostly during those rides around town. Nothing coherent is left by the time I get home and honestly, the last thing I want to do is sit at the computer and type.

Tonight, I'm using it to share the BWO find as well as keeping myself awake until I have to pick up Teresa from the high school. Tonight was the last performance of Hello Dolly and the cast and crew are staying late to clean up, then I have to run her to the cast party, which thankfully is a sleepover.

Damn, I'm exciting!

Food for Thought

"Every act of perception is to some degree an act of creation, and every act of memory is to some degree an act of imagination." ~Gerald M. Edelman

I read this today in a scientific context, but as soon as I read it, my mind went everywhere. I think experiences help to create our perceptions, just as our perceptions serve to feed our memories. It can be a vicious (or virtuous) cycle, but neither is ever a pure, unbiased act of thought. It'd be nice if we could train ourselves to perceive free from previous experience and judgments, and remember things in their true light. But alas, self preservation precludes us from that.

I'm going to ponder on this for a bit...

"Autumn, the year's last, loveliest smile." -- William Cullen Bryant

“Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree” Emily Bronte



“Autumn burned brightly, a running flame through the mountains, a torch flung to the trees.” Faith Baldwin


“A wind has blown the rain away and blown the sky away and all the leaves away, and the trees stand. I think, I too, have known autumn too long.” E E Cummings


Every year in November, I spend some time in Valley Forge park at my self- proclaimed 'freedom tree' with the obelisk at my back, journaling. This year, it was earlier than usual and I was able to capture some color on the trees. I love this time of year, even with the knowledge of winter ahead, its beautiful to see nature slow down and shed its skin in preparation for the big sleep and ultimate rejuvenation.

Get Off My Lawn!

It's garbage night. I'm running around the house making sure I have all the recyclables and anything I need to throw out. As it is, the living room is chock full of shopping bags full of old clothing and toys I'm waiting to give away, as well as tubs and boxes of fall decorations I'm in the middle of putting out - so I'm concentrating extra hard so I can clear out as much off the clutter as possible. Then out of the corner of my eye I see a kid (a big kid) run up my lawn. I jump to the door and start yelling as I see a big limb of my ever shrinking (I don't know what it is but it's pretty) tree laying across the side walk and hanging over the street. Then I yell louder "Yo! Yo! Get back here! You broke my tree!" (yes I'm so couth). Of course at this, the kids who are really young men start running. My own girls are hiding just in case it gets out that they live here and it's their mom who is the crazy woman.



I am so aggravated. I can't remove the limb myself, and if I could I'd be afraid I'd damage the tree further. Last spring, I had a dead limb cut off and I was so proud of the red leaves that bloomed after. It looked the best it had in a long time. And now, this. Plus, I can't leave the limb hanging like that for long so I'm in a quandary. Not to mention I'm gonna have to pay someone to remove it.



Freaking brats! This just reinforces the idea that I need to move. I keep shelling out money for the upkeep of the outside of the house (not beautifying mind you, just basic maintenance) every year, and ignoring the inside except when absolutely necessary, like clogged drains and animal traps. There'd be so much less outside work if I were in a townhome. Granted, I love planting flowers, I love the snow on the holly trees, I love the idea of a garden - but if I haven't done that in 15 years I doubt I will anytime soon. And now, with things the way they are, I won't make my move anytime soon.

The next morning I notice that the branch was conveniently bent back onto my lawn instead of over the sidewalk, however still attached to the tree. I appreciate whoever did that, that act bought me some time. Today while I was out, the lawn guys came to cut my lawn. They broke off the branch and moved it to a corner of my driveway. Again, more appreciation. I dragged the branch into the backyard to await the next bulk pickup and now all that's left is to find someone with a saw so I can attempt to shave off what's left of the branch and even it out. So after all my internal complaining, things did work out.

I know the kids were being just that, so I can summon up a modicum of understanding and forgiveness, however glad I am that they ran scared, because hopefully they'll think twice before playing around on someone else's tree. I can even forgive myself for becoming the old lady I despised as a kid.

Keep breathing :)

Summer's End

I'm getting this in just under the wire. Since this was one of the busiest summers I can remember, I wanted to take a moment and try to sum it up for myself (reflect, ponder - it's one of my favorite pastimes).

It began in June with my trip to Orcas Island, which I meant to blog about at some length but never got around to. Suffice it to say that this island affects me like no other place and I came away, once again, with a different outlook and slightly changed. It still amazes me that such a place with unaltered natural beauty exists on this planet, never mind in our own country. It is a truly magical island, as soon as I step foot ashore, I feel IT. I had the time to really delve within and explore and came away with some new realizations - which I'm sure played a part in the progression of my life since then.

Chrys and I took a mid-week trip on the ferry to Vancouver Island and bussed it to Victoria. I've now crossed the border by boat, plane, bus and automobile. I think I've got it covered. Besides the fact that I was freezing, we had a wonderful adventure. We had no plans, just hopped the ferry and decided to wing it for the next 24 hours. It was a blast!



Up next was the July 4th annual weekend on Long Island. It was cold and rainy this year, so I never went in the pool. But that didn't stop the Scrabble!

I blogged about Lollapalooza in depth below, but before that was my daughter's Consortium Art Show. This is the real reason for this blog, it gives me an excuse to post her artwork.








This last one is part of the "Dark Collaboration" between my daughter and her friend. What I loved best about this is that outside the character descriptions which were on a huge piece of posterboard, there exists commentaries about the characters. In the original pic, you can easily read the commentary, but I will post it here:

"Goths can be patriotic too???"
"Marilyn Manson and Ziggy Stardust got drunk one day."
"He deserves to be drawn wearing a dirndl. It'd suit him."
"Now I feel like drawing him in a dress just to see how it'd look."
"Do it then! hahaha"




Ok, maybe that's a little too much insight into my teenager's mind.....

The summer wound up with a great, relaxing trip to Ocean City, NJ immediately followed by back to school and a big family wedding. Of course there were countless interesting moments in between. Now when I should be fretting about the onslaught of schoolwork and related events, I'm content to be back in my routine and not living out of a suitcase.