Some Poetry I wrote

Myrtle Beach, SC '05

Restless Ocean
knocking on the shore,
Berms, dunes, fences, grasses-
A wall built by man
to keep her visits to
a minimum.

She comes to her shore
like an unwelcome relative.
She comes to claim what
is hers.

Man opens windows
to allow her to come in.
She comes, she claims
every 12 hours.
She drags it all back
with her. As she spits
out plastic bags, bottles,
cans - debris,
flotsam, jetsum - sort of -
except
it doesn't come from the Ocean but
from shore; From her visits
through those open windows.

Gifts of welcome?
I hardly think not.

Some Poetry I wrote

Myrtle Beach, SC '05Restless Ocean
knocking on the shore,
Berms, dunes, fences, grasses-
A wall built by man
to keep her visits to
a minimum.

She comes to her shore
like an unwelcome relative.
She comes to claim what
is hers.

Man opens windows
to allow her to come in.
She comes, she claims
every 12 hours.
She drags it all back
with her. As she spits
out plastic bags, bottles,
cans - debris,
flotsam, jetsum - sort of -
except
it doesn't come from the Ocean but
from shore; From her visits
through those open windows.

Gifts of welcome?
I hardly think not.

Mid-September

It is cloudy today and cool. We won't have many temps in the 80's any longer. More apt to be in the 60's and even 50's. No frost here in Hartford yet, came close though. I went out to clean out my garden and discovered a crop of green beans. Picked them and made 3 more jars of Dilly Beans. Then I cut the basil and made more pesto to freeze plus more tomato sauce for the freezer. I have frozen many bags of peppers, hot and sweet ones. The garden is now producing multi-colored and shaped gourds from one plant.

I was just reviewing my cooking schedule for the coming week. Speaking of cooking; I have had little opportunity in my life to cook just for me which at this stage would be very little fuss. It seems there was always someone who had to be fed. Now I am alone but I feed Pete and the neighbors and his family. We have an active community here and everywhere one goes, one is expected to bring food. I had to dig out old recipes and find new ones to keep up with the "modern palate". Whenever I find myself wishing I didn't have to cook, I think of the loneliness I felt during those times when I had no one. I much prefer the job of creating something new or an old favorite and sharing it. For instance, we have two openhouses on Sat. I have to work Sat. so that means I cook Fri. I am making a dip(spicy cheese) in my little crock pot for Pete to carry along with some chips, also making a plum kuchen which is a german plum cake with custard on top for Mary Beth's (Pete's d-i-l) b'day celebration also on Sat. I will get to that one late. Then our church has a fund raiser Pie Sale on Sunday. So I will make an apple pie for that on Friday and need to make some choc. chip pumpkin drop cookies for my neice the following Wed. She has invited us for dinner and I offered to bring dessert. So it goes -- week after week. Pete and I are invited to several people's homes often and we lament that we need to reciprocate. The question is, WHEN??? I just don't have the energy or the funds to entertain. He doesn't either since he has been working as a carpenter with another man. I do enjoy it though!

I am off to work in a little bit but wanted to update my blog. I am going to sell my gourds to Hick's Orchard as soon as someone lifts the basket into my car. Too heavy for this old lady. Sebastian and I get to work outside in the orchard checking in and out the UPick customers once a week. I dress warm and bring a book. He on the other hand, obsesses about all the cats around the yard. Today I am in the Winery. We have 6 new flavors of hard cider wine now. I like them all.

I have been called for Jury Duty next week. It is the first time in my life since I was married for nearly 30 years to a lawyer/judge, I was never eligible. I am going to try to postpone it though since the orchard is counting on me during this their busiest season.

Enjoy this harvest season ya'll,

Note: the photo of the river is a shot of the headwaters of the great Hudson River away up in the northern Adirondack MTs.

Ah! September

Dear Readers....
I'm watching old re-runs of Touched By An Angel as I post this writing. I always liked this tv show. I like gentleness and happy endings when I am entertained.

Here we are on the cusp of autumn. There is a full moon tonight. The moon is in Virgo. My virgo friends and I have been celebrating our birthdays for a few days. We are a joyous group and get along well together. I have been posting lots of pictures on Face Book. There are some good ones of these birthday celebrations.

My work at the orchard has been sporadic. There are others there who want as many hours as they can grab so the rest of us get what's left. Soon we will be very busy and we will all work more hours. The opportunity to be home has been good for me since I have had to put away the veggies from the garden. I also have been preparing the motorhome to make the trip to FL at the end of Dec. The lawn this year must be mowed twice a week. I mow about an acre and a half. And then there is Sebastian who needs me home. This time has given me an opportunity to paint again. My grandson Patrick manages a resort in Sugarbush, VT. He and his companion Sarah very graciously asked me to show some of my work in their lobby. Pete and I went up there for a couple of days and delivered five paintings. The lobby space is lovely. The paintings look great there. Having a nice place to show my work has helped to get my creative juices flowing again.

I have had time occasionally to go for a bike ride too. The weather has been perfect for the last couple of weeks. Cool nights (close to frost one night) and warm sunny days with low humidity. I rode a couple of days ago to N. Granville and back which was about 13 miles from Pete's. I load the bike and start from his place because the shoulders of the road are very wide up there. Here at my house, they are narrow, cracked and weedy. Since my eyes have been in spasm a great deal lately, I need wiggle room. I was riding the bike trail but driving over to Hudson Falls takes a lot more time out of my day. Riding Rt. 40 is right here and Pete's place is 2 miles from me.

If you would like to look at some of my paintings, check out another blog I have made: http://castleandcobwebgallery.blogspot.com

I saw a hawk on the wires as I rode by. See the photo. You can also see what looks like white fencing way back in a field, it is actually white wrapped round hay bales.