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mermaidcamp

Keeping current in wellness, in and out of the water

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Poetry at the Gardens

March 29, 2014 — 1 Comment

Today at the Tucson Botanical Gardens docents from the U of A Poetry Center offered a reading and workshop in Ekphrastic Poetry. This style of poem is a response to a piece of art, the Ek being from Greek and referring to echo. The group attending was a mixture of students, visual artists, and poets.  By far the most emotional poem of the day was read by a Nam Vet who sat behind me. He chose to read War Photograph by Kate Daniels.  His choked up emotions brought tears to his eyes which brought tears to the eyes of the audience.  The other poems were discussed and analyzed but we were all very touched and had nothing more to say after he read.  At the end of the session participants wrote poems about the photos in the gallery.  All were striking.  I apologize, gentle reader, for cutting off the very beginning of some of these gentle readings.  It was a well produced and very well appreciated poetry experience, and we all have beautiful handouts to finish at home.  There is one more session this spring of Poetry in the Gardens, Native poetry on April 26, 2014.  These programs are included with garden admission.  It is SUCH A DEAL!!

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Self Contained, Butterfly Magic in Tucson

March 19, 2014 — 4 Comments

Each year the Tucson Botanical Gardens hosts an orchid, butterfly, and now tropical frog display for the public.  It is popular with families and with me. I enjoy the humid tropical mist on my skin and the fun of watching the butterflies and people.  Yesterday there was a lot of activity.  Kids love to use the magnifying glass, no matter why they see in it.  It is  a small lesson in science, botany, biology, and ecology, adapted for all ages.  Who doesn’t like butterflies?

Self Control, Trip to the Festival of Books

March 17, 2014 — 2 Comments

My strong love of reading has compelled me to do many things, including restricting my book consumption on a 3 book diet last year.  My consumer weakness it is for art and books.  I never seem to have enough of either one, even though I have more than I can store in my present circumstances.  The Kindle has helped me to reduce the space I dedicate to books, but the passion to read everything all the time was not diminished by the diet.  If anything I am rebounding since November when I allowed myself to buy books once more. I have loaded up on both print and Kindle books, plus I had a big backlog from the book diet year that I had acquired and not opened.  I am back in full force as crazy reading woman, proving once and for all that diets just do not work.

Attending the Tucson Festival of books for the first time was amazing to me.  The super well-organized event takes place on the U of A campus in buildings and in various tents set up for the weekend.  Windy weather did not deter the visitors or participants from having wonderful time.  Presentations for readers as well as writers are given all day both Saturday and Sunday.  A giant food court assures that spending the day there will require no sacrifice.  I did not eat or attend a session, but I thoroughly enjoyed all the tents I visited.  Volunteers make sure the crowd is informed.  Families with kids can participate in several ongoing demonstrations, book give aways, and photo ops with favorite characters from children’s literature .  I bought some great cookbooks, two of historical significance, from the Assistance League tent and a book of memoirs from an Albuquerque lawyer, Laws and Loves Part I, Real Stories of the Rattlesnake Lawyer.  I am a sucker for books that contain the word rattlesnake in the title. I am also planning to attend a free introductory class by the Writer’s Studio in Tucson.  I have some desire to write poetry, and this group offers workshops that are convenient and well priced.  Who knows, gentle readers, where this may go.  Maybe all this reading will help me learn to write.  Stay tuned; the plot may thicken.

Self Propelled, Cyclovia

March 3, 2014 — 1 Comment

Cyclovia Tucson is looking for a few good volunteers. This twice a year event is held to encourage the use of our public streets for alternative uses.  I used to travel to Lugano, Switzerland in the summer to visit the lakeside city.  Once a week for an evening the center of town was closed to motor traffic and skates, skateboards, bikes, and other self propelled transportation filled the streets.  This was a great opportunity to get out and share the warm nights with locals as they rolled.  Now Tucson has joined an American movement to follow a similar plan.  Last year I was out of town for Cyclovia, but my friends who attended told me it was excellent.   On April 6, 2014 a route that will include downtown will be opened for Cyclovia.  Super volunteers can assist during the event and others are invited to participate by rolling through all or part of the route.  Entertainment and local color are on display.  It will be fun to join the moveable feast.  I hope the concept catches on and becomes a more frequent part of our culture in Tucson.

Born Again Babe of Justice

February 13, 2014 — 2 Comments

I had a magical experience that changed my life last year. During the government shut down my friends and I were treated to a tour of a working monument to justice in San Francisco.  The very special building, which is owned by the taxpayers, was still open for business while the irresponsible part of the federal government was having an irrational fit at the taxpayers’ expense.  We each had a chance to put on a robe and pose with the babes of justice, as my friend who works with them calls them.  We all felt very special and talked later about being so lucky and having so much fun that day.  Sometimes events take on more meaning as time reveals a larger meaning.  I was being baptized on that bench and accepting a big mission that I recognize now.  We were joking and laughing, really being free and happy, but a vow to liberate others through justice was happening at the same time.  Let me explain:

My first teacher of Buddhism was Claude D’Estree, a monk who hangs tight with the Dalai Lama of Tibet.  When we were lucky enough to receive teachings from his holiness in September of 1993 Claude flew down from Denver once a month for a year before his arrival to initiate us to Tibetan Buddhist teachings in preparation.  We had classes at St Phil’s in the Hills Episcopal Church, and held retreats on that beautiful campus to learn about the three jewels.  The subject was new to me, but Claude is an excellent teacher.  From the dedication of merit to dependent arising, he covered the material in such a way that very complex concepts became clearer.  I will never forget an example he used to explain compassion, using his own personal life experience.

He had worked as a federal prosecutor, who has the obvious job of defending justice and fighting evil.  This job exposed him to egregious wrongdoing.  As a monk he has the job of using compassion to save the world from pride, delusion, and anger by practicing patience.  This seems like a paradox, and it is.  He taught us that the most compassionate thing to do for people who are delusional, destructive and angry is to stop them.  The trick about doing it as a prosecutor-monk, or monk-prosecuter is to do it without any attachments or aversions, in other words, without anger.  Compassion turns anger into patience, an alchemical process that takes much dedication and study to achieve.  He had to prosecute very serious criminals in the line of duty.  He had also taken the Bodhisattva vow to return to earth until all beings are free and happy.  He has undertaken this giant mission to meditate and cultivate diligence for those whose minds are slack and wondering ( a seemingly unending group).  Since we all were given the rare opportunity to tread the path of buddhahood Claude was showing us how to meditate and turn our own merit into bliss for others who are suffering.  I think of him and his teaching often when my patience is challenged.

The year of study and retreat was a deeply religious experience, but did not require the student to become a proclaimed Buddhist, or join any group or movement.  The teachings were given to help us comprehend the even deeper experience of our time with his holiness.  We were initiated to Green Tara and introduced to Shantideva.  These are deep teachings that can take lifetimes to comprehend, but the Dalai Lama encouraged the women in the class by telling us that we have a better chance of spontaneous or instant enlightenment than the guys.  We learned the mantra for Green Tara, who has the specialty of speed.  She is the Mother of all Buddhas who saves us from our envy, wrong view and avarice.

For years I have been involved in an anger/patience/justice drama about my home.  Now I am going to have to do some serious patience practice while I sue the flaming pants off the city of Tucson for violating federal revenue law and obstructing justice like crazy fire.  I am calling on Green Tara to save me from attachment and doubt in order to liberate our neighborhood from evil.  I have taken the vows too, and have a responsibility.  Green Tara and I are now both babes of justice.  Wish me luck as I walk through the valley of the shadow of anger.

Vero Amore, True Love at First Bite

January 6, 2014 — 1 Comment

Vero Amore Pizza has opened a new and very snazzy location near my home, so we tried it yesterday. Everything about it was outstanding. The new space is super open and contemporary, with a view of the kitchen and wood fired oven at work.  The staff is friendly and very prompt with service.  We had beer and a cocktail, both unusual and delicious.  Bob loves prosciutto, so he enjoyed a personal pizza without sauce.  In our minds pizza is all about the crust, and at Vero Amore the authentic Neopolitan style pizza is light and crisp.  I ordered manicotti which was rich and well balanced.  The sauce was garlic enhanced just perfectly.  My Oso Nero cocktail with honey bourbon and blackberries was fresh and complimented my seriously cheesy good manicotti.  I am glad I had not ordered anything else because I just a rely was able to finish my dinner, with a little help from Bob.  Next time we want to go for happy hour so we can sample smaller plates which all look very good.

We gave our server Matt a challenge by asking him to prepare a take home pizza checca to be ready when we finished our meals.  He did it perfectly, presenting the bill right when we finished with exactly enough time to settle it and walk out with our fresh from the oven pizza to share with a neighbor who stayed home.  We give Matt A plus in service.  In fact, from the manager to the bartender to the kitchen staff everyone is genuinely pleased to serve the guests and it shows.  We will return to explore the extensive menu and outdoor party patio.  This is a wonderful addition to the dining options in our neighborhood.

For catering the company owns a mobile fire truck with a wood fired oven that they bring to a party.  The pricing on this fabulous service is reasonable, and I am sure any event would be popular with authentic pizza cooked on site rather than boxed and delivered.

Phun in Phoenix

December 16, 2013 — 3 Comments

There is an arch rivalry between the cities of Phoenix and Tucson. We Tucsonans know that people outside the state have no way to distinguish the two and often confuse them. Politics aside (which would be impossible for Arizonans), there are extreme differences in the tourism and hospitality styles of these two towns.  Tourists are attracted to the golf tournaments in both Maricopa and Pima Counties.  Baseball spring training has all moved up there, and brings in millions. Bowl games and the Phoenix Suns brighten the economic situation for them too.  The typical Tucson tourist is much less interested in shopping and is more likely to be spending time involved in outdoor sports of all kinds. Scottsdale is not afraid to step up and cover that niche offering the shopper from back east a wester phantasy phree phun time. Phree parking in old town allows these people to leave the car and ride around in a horse-drawn wagon for an exorbitant price. Everyone is excited to be way out west.  The city of Scottsdale hires the trusty horse Dusty and Gary J Sprague, the singing cowboy, to serenade the crowd 1-4 on Saturdays. They are a huge hit.

I am inspired to drive to the Valley of the Sun for the phabulous phood scene.  The AZ Slow Food newsletter informed me recently about the existence of a  special highly rare date variety growing only in Scottsdale known as the Black Sphinx.  The market was established in 1951 selling a date that developed there from seed and was distinct from all others. The extremely thin skin makes it a poor candidate (pun intended) for shipping.  The fresh dates require refrigeration and are extremely delicate.  After shopping the Scottsdale Pharmer’s market where I scored amazing produce and preserved items, we visited the date store, which features Arizona products of high gourmet quality.  Bob bought beers brewed in Arizona, one of which was a stout that contained the dates from the Sphinx Pharm.  We both agree the Black Sphinx is the best date we have ever tasted, and before Bob ate it he told me he does not like dates…a convert.  We also tried a very good date cookie and some chocolate covered Medjools that are scrumptious.  We came home loaded with gourmet groceries and exotic citrus.  We have to admit we had phun.

What Would Quadequina Do?

November 23, 2013 — 3 Comments

My ancestors attended the first Thanksgiving party in Plimouth Colony. Most of my heritage is English, and the Mayflower was full of my peeps.  My 11th great-grandfather attended the feast as a representative of the Wampanoag people.  When he first met the Pilgrims they gave him alcohol , which must have aroused his curiosity.  The political system in New England was way different from the one in Europe.  The local natives made friends with the Pilgrims with reservations (not the kind they have been granted by the US government).  They had made contact with Brits before which had resulted in an outbreak of disease that killed a large number of the people.  They saw the Mayflower, but kept a distance since they assumed these Brits would be diseased as well.

Quadequina is credited with bringing popcorn to the first Thanksgiving.  The Wampanoags I met in Plymouth this year told me it was actually parched corn.  Either way, there was a potluck dinner and Quadequina brought corn as his dish.  He acted in good faith, was a respectful and polite guest, even allowing the Pilgrims to occupy his homeland and build a fort around their town.  It was fairly impossible for the American natives to do due diligence on these religious Pilgrims who had arrived and planned to stay.   Squanto, the famous translator, was about all the interface available.  The Natives of New England were stuck with this highly unnatural situation through no fault of their own.  They just happened to be where the Mayflower got stuck on the rocks.  It was their luck.

When my 10th great-grandfather Gabriel Wheldon wanted to marry Quadequina’s daughter he gave his consent and helped the couple avoid disaster from the Pilgrims:

Gordon B. Hinckley, Shoulder for the Lord” by George M. McCune page 35- ” Two of the early immigrants to Plymouth colony were Gabriel Wheldon, of Arnold, Nottingham, England, and his brother (name unknown). Gabriel had been married in England before sailing to America but his first wife named Margaret evidentally was deceased at the time of his migration. Both brothers had a free spirit much like Stephen Hopkins and found their way to the camps of the Wampanoags. There they both fell in love with two of the daughters of chief Quadequina, younger brother of the Great Chief. They each married and Gabriel gave his second wife the English name ‘Margaret’ after his first spouse. The two counseled with their father-in-law and his older brother Massasoit regarding what to do. The Plymouth Colony would probably punish them for their intermarriage. Massasoit advised them to return to the colyn and all would be well. The Plymouth Colony tribunals saved face by banishing the couples from Plymouth for life but did not send them back to England. Gabriel and Margaret established their home in Barnstable where the Hinckleys came in late 1630’s and here Gabriel and Margaret raised a large family of girls. One of these was Catherine “Catone” Wheldon who married Stephen Hopkins'(First to build a house in Mattachesse Villiage/Yarmouth) oldest son Giles on October 9, 1639. Giles had been given the home his father had build in Yarmouth and the couple established their home and raised four children there. When Giles’ father Stephen passed away about July 1644, his father left an estate.. Some records give Margaret as the wife of Gabriel Wheldon. It seems she was his second wife, who, after his death, may have returned to England with Rev. Marmaduke Matthews and his wife. Other records state that Margaret was an Indian Princess, Wampanoag, and give her lineage for several generations. He _may_ have been Margaret’s brother. He immigrated 1638, aPreacher of the Church of Malden. He returned to England in 1655, and Several of the Malden Church members went with him. Of these returning pilgrims, the widow Margaret Wheldon, who left a law-suit over the estate of her deceased husband, Gabriel, also went to England. (from: Pg 155 The History of Malden, Massachusetts, 1633-1785). Rev Matthews died 1683 in England.

I don’t believe he is partial to either pecan or pumpkin pie. I think Quadequina would have liked to see us celebrate equal rights and justice each November.  The story of Thanksgiving is mostly mythical, since very little was recorded at the time.  Turkeys may not be the best logo for  American seasonal gratitude.  Popcorn deserves a place at the table.

Butterflies, Orchids, and Frogs, O MY!!!

November 14, 2013 — 3 Comments

Each year Tucson Botanical Gardens opens a special tropical exhibit of butterflies. The greenhouse is maintained all year, but in the summer it is too costly to keep at temperature, so they take a break. I love to spend time in the butterfly magic display and do so very frequently. I am pretty excited to announce that they now have tiny tree frogs joining the butterflies. The frogs hide a bit from the crowd because they are nocturnal. I managed to see three and get some shots. Since it was Veterans Day lots of kids were in the house.  I also met a woman who has taken a course at the gardens in pocket sketching.  She had a tiny set of water colors and was popping out some tiny great art.  This is my favorite entertainment in town.  Members can go as often as we like, so I am a frequent butterflyer.

Destination Burlingame

October 25, 2013 — 4 Comments

I stayed recently in the town of Burlingame, CA for a 5 day visit to the Bay Area. I chose the spot for the convenience to the airport and the great little guest cottage I had found on air bnb.  The dueña is a designer, of both the interior and the landscape kinds.  The space and garden are so secluded and private that I enjoyed the instant retreat when I stepped into my yard.  I had planned to spend time in San Francisco and the East Bay during my 5 day stay.  The CalTrain 6 blocks from my cottage made the transport  into town simple and fast.  I spent two days without leaving the town of Burlingame because the first was exploration, and the second was enjoying the town with my friend from Berkeley.  I was pleased to introduce locals to the fabulous La Corneta Taqueria downtown, where the salsa bar is second to none anywhere.  When my friend Donna came to visit she gave me an intuitive reading, which was excellent.  After that we just did not feel like going out to town, so we took the advice of the landlady and tried GrubHub for food delivery.  While we drank the wine my landlady had provided a nearby Indian restaurant prepared a feast and delivered it to the cottage.  We dined in my lovely backyard dining area, savoring the food and the private setting.

The downtown shopping area of Burlingame is full of cute individual businesses and a few key chains like Starbucks.  The two extreme star businesses are the PEZ museum, near the train station down town, and Nini’s Cafe, which was only a couple of blocks from my house.  Nini’s is the only place in California where you can look around and see absolutely nobody looking at a cell phone.  The atmosphere is maintained by three generations of family proprietors who run the business in person, taking very good care of loyal customers. After my giant Popeye omelet, I am now a loyal customer myself.  I found the town of Burlingame to have everything I like and nothing that I don’t like.  I would recommend the garden cottage to anyone for a layover or a retreat in the San Francisco area.  It is charming, extra comfortable, and designed for serene privacy.  The neighborhood is just lovely.