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Poetic Procrastination, Pen Pals, Tea Party
May 1, 2017
— 3 Comments
cactus blooms
I feel proud of my accomplishment to have finished #NaPoWriMo again this year by writing 30 poems in 30 days. I thought I would be very productive as a poet and in all other parts of life, but I was wrong all wrong. I did wrote the poems, but slacked on all kinds of other goals for no particular reason. I had planned to hand write poems to all my pen pals and send them on very artful paper, and I did that zero times. In fact I have not even written to the pen pals, which has caused quite a bit of guilt, since many have continued to write letters to me. My neighbor suggested I send them all a card saying “Roses are red. Violets are blue. I am so sorry I haven’t written to you.” I might do it. I have a stack of mail to answer. I look forward to getting into the swing of that again and seeking the forgiveness of the pen pals.
After my prose break I have considered new features I want to include. I plan to do a blog post each week about tea. I drink iced tea daily in great quantity. I had a limited knowledge and palate for tea, partly caused my my own ignorance of proper brewing. I had created bitter and undrinkable black and green teas by brewing them too long at a high temperature. I began to try new kinds of tea and learned more about making it taste good. I have come a long way in my own personal appreciation for the world of tea.
Almost all the tea I brew now is done in a jar buy the sun. In Arizona we have plenty of solar energy to brew tea on the sidewalk almost every day. This method never results in overly bitter or over brewed taste. It is the natural way to make sure I brew it properly. I do strain and refrigerate it as soon as I bring it in (usually after about 10 hours). We go through it quickly, so there is no need to cover the pitcher in the fridge. I collect big pitchers so we can break a few every year. Tea keeps us refreshed and healthy. It is a bargain in comparison to any bottled commercial beverage.
I plan to promote tea drinking for tea lovers, but I specifically want to interest those who normally drink beverages in cans and bottles which they purchase. These drinks are very expensive compared to the most exotic and pricey teas, and offer no benefits for health. Even bottled water has destructive effects on the environment. When one knows about the varieties and flavor combinations available in tea, a world of gourmet delights opens to reveal a plethora of new experiences. Tea pairs well with both foods and alcohol, offering new ways to serve old favorites. I hope to bring out some flavorful ideas the gentle readers will want to try.
Since Tuesday is the day of the week that alliterates with tea, I believe tomorrow will be the first installment of Tuesday Tea Party. I am brewing some mango honeybush right now which will probably be featured. I hope you will join me for a cup. Cheers!
#NaPoWriMo Follow The Lies
April 30, 2017
— 3 Comments
We must follow the money and follow the lies
The twists and turns of political intrigue
Burrow deeply into the system to hide from the wise
The secrecy and dishonesty of the big league
The veils must be lifted, the truth must be told
Our leaders deceive us, the facts they withhold
Our nation’s future hangs in the balance between
Those false facades, their mendacity, and coming clean
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- #GloPoWriMo
This month follow the poets at the #NaPoWriMo site to find new poetry, prompts, and contests. Try your hand a busting a rhyme.
cowboy
#WeekendCoffeeShare Earth Day Edition
April 22, 2017
— 6 Comments
antique glider
If we were having coffee this morning I would invite you to sit in the antique glider that sits next to my desk (since last week when we spotted it at a yard sale), and chat with me while I take care of all my office and internet chores. We are taking off later this morning for a night in a tiny house on a farm in Patagonia, Arizona. Nothing could be earthier. There is no internet, which is fine since it is only an overnight trip. I am not constantly connected anyhow, but this will be a tiny earth house kind of disconnect. I am excited because it is a big time for the humming-bird migration, and Patagonia is right on the flight pattern. It will be a lovely place to take some photos. I will fill you in next weekend over coffee.
If you were in my office you would see that since taxes have been filed my excuses for the big pile of paper on the desk have vanished. The desk is clearing up, and I am tossing out old stray junk from the office closet as well. I am rounding up some books to take to the used book store while examining my own need to surround myself with cookbooks. I love to read them, but seldom actually follow any recipe. Ditto with all the yoga books in my library. I feel secure somehow owning them but never pull them off the shelf. I had the occasion to want a yoga book recently and it took me a while to locate it. That is just silly. If I trim down the total number of books and make sure they all give me great joy, as the Japanese tidy lady advises, I believe my whole life will improve. That is my next great task. I do own her detailed tidy book on kindle, but I am not following her recipe. I am starting with books and office clutter. I may discover my need to own all these rules and directions I do not obey. There must be some crazy thing going on there. I had some issues about buying the very chair in which you are gliding, but decided it was an asset and it does bring me joy. I hope it is bringing you some to sit in it while I type.
cookbooks
I am not in danger of becoming a minimalist any time soon. I think that is what Earth Day really should be, a celebration of using and owning less. I will consume a bunch of gasoline to go assume my minimalist tiny house on a farm lifestyle for a night. Then I will drive back to Tucson on Sunday where it will be time to start air conditioning the condo. It will be hot today while we are down south at a higher elevation chilling. I will check in at the library in Patagonia to use the internet and post my daily poem for #NaPoWriMo this afternoon. All this is making me realize how very high maintenance I still am.
I want to know how your life and writing projects are going this week. Fill your cup and then fill my ear with your stories. I look forward to hearing the news from this talented and diverse group of writers. Nerd in the Brain hosts this lavish party each weekend. This is where you go to submit your own coffee share post, or keep up with the news of others in this lively group. Thanks for visiting today, and happy Earth Day to you all.
#WeekendCoffeeShare
#WeekendCoffeeShare Spring Fever Edition
March 13, 2017
— 1 Comment
aloe
aloe
bees on lavender
aloe
aloe
If we were having coffee this weekend, you might notice I have not shown up until Monday morning. No real impediments kept me from meeting my own deadline here. I have just been feeling spring fever. I have been particularly lazy on my blog, although I did manage a short piece of fiction this week. After my quick trip to Tempe and Scottsdale last week I started to shop around on air bnb for other wildflower destinations. I told myself I would fit in one more photo safari on this exceptional rain year when I am finished preparing my income taxes. I found some excellent options near Anza Borrego, California, where there is a gigantic super bloom happening now. It is very tempting to just pick up and go, but I do need to consider finances.
My vacation and photo shoot quickly turned into a spa staycation when a surprising turn of events changed my financial picture. The cheap knock off vibration platform I have been enjoying daily kicked the bucket. This was distressing because I am now addicted to using it, and must replace it with one that will not break after two month’s use. I read reviews and did more research than I did the first time, including calling an old friend who is a vendor of the Power Plate brand. The superior quality as well as the warranty convinced me to order a Power Plate platform. It will arrive tomorrow. I have a new appreciation for it, and see it as a good exchange for a short vacation. This will contribute to better health every day. I have become accustomed to the convenience of using it whenever I want at home. The wildflowers will have to wait. I have invested in my home spa gear and my every day pleasure. This investment will pay off in the future.
We are still finishing the ruby red grapefruit, and Bob brought home two cases of mangos from the produce distribution in the neighborhood on Saturday. He arrived as they were leaving, and wanted to get rid of extra tomatoes and mangos, so he took six cases of tomatoes, and two of ripe mangoes. They are in perfect condition, so I was roasting and simmering stroganoff and soup yesterday. I still have many tomatoes, so today I will set up the food drier to take care of more of them. I will make a batch of mango chutney and some salsa today too. I love the smell of chutney while it simmers. Please help yourself to fruit to go. We are overstocked once again.
If we were having coffee I would ask you to enjoy the scent of the lemon tree blooming in the back yard and the pink jasmine and white roses blooming in the front. The perfume of spring is heady and floral. It is warm and sunny. We cleared out all the wood from the garage, not expecting to need another fire in the stove this year. Tell me how your writing has been going. I hope you are not on a lazy streak like I am. This is not writer’s block. This is plain old procrastination. Do you suffer from that? It seems like after I miss one day of blogging it is easy to skip another. I need to jumpstart that writing engine and get in gear. Thanks for sharing stories and digital beverages this week. Pardon my tardiness, please. I will work on that for next week.
If you would like to connect with a group of talented diverse writers, check out Nerd in the Brain, our gracious hostess.
#WeekendCoffeeShare
#WeekendCoffeeShare Moving The Feast
February 11, 2017
— 9 Comments
Barrio Bread
Barrio Bread
The movable feast known as weekend coffee share is itself on the move. Our gracious hostess Diana has arranged to hand off the coffee party action to Nerd in the Brain next weekend. We will still be a band of writers bonding over digital beverages and stories on the weekend. I am sure the move will not disrupt anyone. Thank you Diana, for finding us a new address to continue the party. If we were having coffee today I would invite you to taste some of the bread I just brought home from Barrio Bread. It is still warm, made from local grains, and crusty like crazy fire . I just had a smoked mozzarella sandwich, grilled, with all the trimmings. I can whip one up for you while you relax and tell me how you have been and what you have planned. We are very proud of this bakery, and would love for you to try our local organic, totally groovy food products. Our city is a UNESCO culinary heritage city because of our deep agricultural traditions and knowledge. I love to show it off to tourists.
It is warm here, and the peach tree is budding out. The grapefruit is still very full of fruit, although I am juicing like crazy. I hope you will help yourself to a big glass of ruby red grapefruit juice, with or without whipped vodka, as you tell me about your writing this week. Mine is rolling along, with the weekly photo prompt working for me very well. This week I wrote a short poem, still on the depressing side, a thinly veiled reference to current politics. The prompt picture was a fire, which gave lots of leeway. I wrote about pants and vanities on fire, since I feel this is our current backdrop for news in the real world. I plan to continue the once a week fiction with Sue Vincent’s prompts because it is inspirational to read all the other takes on the same picture. I do want to write more fiction someday. This is a good warm up for that day. I like taking a break from just the facts.
I am enjoying my correspondence challenge #InCoWriMo more than I imagined I would. I have gotten mail from several people I do not know, and a couple I know in on-line relationships. It is a blast to both send and receive the snail mail. Most of my pen pals have great penmanship and sealing wax, etc. I admire it, but that is not what I have to offer. My correspondence has enclosures and a little bit of art. My biggest advantage is all the cards and specialty paper I have collected around the world. I have started to enclose extra postcards so my pen pals can send them forward, and I get rid of twice as much collected choice paper. I also send a temporary tattoo and my biz card. Today I mailed some hollyhock seeds to Kentucky to a perfect stranger…Perfect!!
#InCoWriMo
I send or hand deliver more than one letter a day. I may get carried away with this and just keep mailing letters until all my paper is gone. It is so much fun, and I do have the supplies. I am meeting people and getting such a thrill out of checking my mailbox every day. I guess it is like riding a bike because I used to be a big letter writer, but not for many years. If anyone in coffee share wants to receive mail from me in February please send me your snail mail address on this secure form. I promise I have no reason to share it with anyone and will only use it to send you handwritten notes and surprise gifts from my exotic stash.
If we were having coffee today, I would recommend the grapefruit juice and invite you to stick around to go with us later to the local beer garden and metal arts village where there will be yoga with a DJ followed by live music, fire performers, stilts, acrobats on silk, and lots of hipsters. We will rock the full snow moon in our summer clothing. It is free and all in the hood. Stay and soak up Tucson before you go back home. For those of you who want to read, write, or post this week visit Diana here. See you next week at Nerd on the Brain. Cheers!
#WeekendCoffeeShare
#WeekendCoffeeShare Food Festival Fun
February 4, 2017
— 7 Comments
Savor
Savor
If we were having coffee today in Tucson I would invite you to sit back and enjoy a cup of your favorite beverage while you tell me about your week. I am drinking iced roiboos tea and relaxing after attending our favorite food party of the year. The Tucson Botanical Garden is the venue for this culinary fiesta each February. Chefs, restaurants, caterers, distillers, brewers, and food providers of every kind set up stations to offer tastings to the guests. We pay $65 per person, then roam around the gardens eating and drinking, tasting our way though the wonderful options. The quality is outstanding since the purpose is to show off and find new customers. It works well for everyone. We always find a new place or product to try that we might not otherwise have discovered. This time we found an excellent Mexican restaurant we have not tried, and much to my surprise, there is a distillery making very tasty gin downtown Tucson. Who knew? The event lasts for 4 hours, but I believe I would burst if I stayed for the whole time. We lasted for about 2 hours before we called the Uber.
I am interested in your latest news about your writing projects. Some of you have inspired me to try my hand at writing fiction. I wrote another piece this week based on a photo prompt, and once again it was dark and disturbing. I surprise myself with these eerie, haunted stories. I plan to continue if only as a form of self analysis. I am discovering a part of my brain that makes up dark stories. I hope I will be able to make it create some brighter, funnier stuff. My fiction muse is stuck on horror.
I have started to write and mail correspondence daily. The International Correspondence Writing Month, #InCoWriMo, challenge involves people from around the world who send each other mail. It is much more fun that I thought it would be. Some old friends are sending mailing addresses, and I have collected some from the website. My most ambitious pen pal choice is a professional calligraphy artist in Florence, Italy. My handwriting is not that great, but I own an amazing collection of cards and stationary from around the world to send. I am using colored markers, and may start to do little drawings or write poems to the people I have never met. I am enjoying the process and think it is a good way to prime the creativity pump.
If you want to prime your creativity pump, or read some interesting writing, visit Diana’s blog on the weekend. Read, comment, or submit your own post here.
#WeekendCoffeeShare
House Plant Happy
January 17, 2017
— 1 Comment
kitchen bromeliad
dining table
Growing plants is a joy and an art. I enjoy gardening outdoors, but lately I have been reading about improving air quality indoors with house plants. I used to have a large variety of plants in the house, but during the last few years I tried growing orchids. They are beautiful while blooming, but require very consistent and careful care in order to make them bloom again. I have killed a couple, and finally after over a year barren, one is sprouting a new flower. I will not expand on my orchid collection. I don’t think I have the appropriate amount of patience, and they don’t really want to live in Arizona. I read that lavender and English ivy are extra active at cleaning the air at night, so I bought those two for my bedroom. As soon as they were in place I noticed how happy they make me when I see them. I am sleeping very well, but am not sure the plants really contribute to that. They are cheery and alive. If I take care of them properly they will grow and fill my space with more fragrance and clean air. What is not to like? They are little happiness producers.
I did some transplanting and moving of the existing house plants before I ventured out to the nursery to purchase a few more living decorations. I did not want to splurge much financially, and even less on space. Lucky for me, small tropical plants were discounted as were the small bromeliads. My entire purchase, complete with new pots and saucers, and a new hanging uranium for outside, was just over $50. Now my whole home is upgraded. The green dashes of optimistic color cheer me up and remind me of the power of nature to survive. I do have a very green yard outside the windows, but bringing these little living jungles inside has changed my mood. I am uplifted by their presence.
Winter doesn’t last long in Tucson, but during the dark time of year we need a little light and cheer to remind us that spring is right around the corner. I fill the humming bird feeders and light the fire in the wood stove. while darkness turns slowly to light. I listen to beautiful music and light a few candles in the evening to create a cozy feeling. The plants have added a sweet touch to the space. Do you grow houseplants, gentle reader? Do you have a favorite?
Alexa’s palm tree
Changing My Vibration
January 11, 2017
— 1 Comment
Vibration Platform
Last week my friend talked me into going to the home show downtown at the civic arena, although it is not my cup of tea. I ended up having a good time and making a discovery. We went to a booth selling power plates, now known as vibrational platforms and tried the merchandise. We mounted the vibrating plate and stood in a couple of positions for about 5 minutes total. I discussed the pricing and said I would think about it, but the price was not in my range. I have been aware of these machines for many years, but had never tried one because of the high price. They were used often in professional offices and studios, rented to the public by the minute in the past. Now the price has come way down and the selection is vast for the consumer. No special skill or fitness level is needed.
My friend called to tell me that our 5 minute vibration demo had done wonders for her chronic hip pain. This good news spurred me to research and shop for my own home model. To my surprise and delight I found a portable unit for sale on Amazon $600 cheaper than the home show. It arrived today. I am thrilled. It is easy to use and convenient to store. I tried standing, sitting, and balancing on my arms with feet on the floor. I just did 25 minutes today in order to see how it feels. It wiggles at a speed chosen or runs a program of choice. I have much to learn about the various ways to use it, but already am very happy I own it. Heidi can get rid of her pain and I can play around with different movements while I vibrate. It feels good while you do it, but I believe the long term effects will be the best part of it. The system works to tone muscles, but the reason I bought it was to drain the lymphatic system. A healthy, happy lymphatic system is a strong immune system, keeping one in good health. My new fitness toy is a fun way to strengthen my immune system by draining my lymph daily. I look forward to the long term rewards. Have you ever used a vibration platform, gentle reader? They have come a long way from the physical therapist’s office. Anyone who can stand up can do it.
#WeekendCoffeeShare No Regrets
December 31, 2016
— 4 Comments
fairy duster
Welcome to my home this 31 December, 2016. May I offer you some coffee, tea, or a cocktail? We have a lavish buffet of fruits and nuts to tickle your taste buds while you tickle my imagination. Do tell what your Christmas, or last week, was like for you. If you are visiting Tucson from a cold climate you will enjoy seeing all the flowers still blooming in my yard, and the grapefruit tree loaded with fruit. We had a good rain storm last night so the air is clear and fresh. Stay for a while before you have to go back to winter.
Our holiday decorations have been taken down and stored in the barn. I keep it simple, so striking the set takes little effort and time. The days are quickly lengthening again, and the narcissus is blooming in my garden. In a way we have a two-phase spring, and not much of a winter here. It is almost always sunny, a blessing and a curse. I went to my dermatologist for a light treatment for all my sun damage. This painless procedure requires 3 days in darkness to recover. I fully indulged in my 3 dark days, which fell between 18 and 21 Dec, the darkest days of the year. I hibernated, emerged for a party weekend, then went back in my hobbit hole at home this week. I have been at the gym or at home all week, and it has been divine. I have been reading a lot of new books and generally soaking in the season. I may have also watched a little too much TV, since we have a few free trial channels going now.
For 2017 I look forward to by every day life, which I find to be very pleasurable. I make no resolutions, and so far have not chosen three words for next year, as I have done for a while. I may choose three before the end of the day, but my basic philosophy is to be as helpful to others as I can with the talents I have. In order to be of service I need to accurately assess by own self efficacy, then improve on it. I am going to try writing fiction in 2017. I see a lot of flash fiction that fascinates me, and I have not given fiction much focus. I think if I use a journal to stimulate fictional stories I can get that engine started. I will do NaPoWriMo in April, writing a poem a day for 30 days. This gets easier each year, but I wonder when I will turn into a poet.
I appreciate the coffee sharing community and the diverse cultures and views we represent. May we all party on in good health in 2017 and release all our petty regrets from the past. To join this weekly party check in with Diana. Comment, read, or add your own two cents. Thanks for being such good company, my coffee sharing friends. May the force be with us. I wish you all health and happiness.
pyracantha
red chiles
Take The Compassionate Meal Challenge
December 27, 2016
— 1 Comment
I am excited about this excellent promotion to share compassionate meals. The idea of going vegan has spread like wildfire for many good reasons. I agree with all the reasons, including the animal cruelty problem, but I still eat some dairy and eggs. Many folks are trying it for weight loss and finding it to be effective for that purpose. Once they embark on a meatless diet they feel lighter and usually are cured of a few chronic healthy issues.
I personally know how very unpopular it is to tell other people what to eat. Nobody wants to hear someone else control their diet unless they have paid a nutritionalist to do so. It is my opinion that the best way to convert the meat eaters to my way of thinking is to introduce them to foods that are delicious and easy to prepare. If they like the way it tastes they will be motivated to make it and eat it frequently. If it does not suit their tastebuds it will be difficult to stay on any prescribed eating regime. I never try to change anyone’s food choices, but do work on expanding them. I relate because when I became a vegetarian at the age of 19 my own diet was “American teen” minus the meat. I ate fries, potato chips, Dr Pepper, biscuits, bread, hush puppies, and a few vegetables. I did like spinach, but my palette was very immature and limited. It was a nutritional nightmare, but I learned to prepare a wider variety of dishes, and my horizons expanded. I think we can all benefit from learning to make healthy foods, and try new ones available on the market. I like ethnic restaurants a lot for this purpose. If I find something good I knock it off at home.
I like this challenge out of all the bazillion challenges being thrown down at the end of the year because it is about sharing. The sharing is intended to convert, but it starts as sharing. When I invite friends out to eat I choose places with good vegetarian food that I really like, for obvious reasons. This often results in new discoveries for my dining companions whether they order a vegetarian meal or not. They see what I order and how much bang one gets for a buck compared to a meat based cuisine.
I plan to participate in this challenge often because I will also learn from the other participants. If you have any resolutions or aspirations to lean into a more vegan style of eating this is an excellent way to find out how to do it. It is probably easier and tastier than you might imagine. You can follow the action on twitter at CompassionateMeals or search using the hashtag #compassionatemeal to find out what others are eating and sharing. Like #MeatlessMonday, it will have an endless treat of good ideas and recipes, no doubt. Get behind this delicious campaign, gentle readers.
spring rolls to share
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