Thoughts from Alison that might at least entertain you!

Veggies Growing

And so we have progress on the potential veggies growing at Prune Ridge!  So far the tomatoes seem to be quite happy with the pot-planting effort on our little front porch.  The roma plants (pictured here first) have no fewer than 6 good fruit on them at this point!  I'm shocked and pleased with this.  The second pot - a "garden peach" tomato purchased at the Toledo Botanical Garden plant sale also has some fruit in the works, although not as much progress yet as the romas.

We have the beginnings of green peppers, and the yellow pepper plants have blossomed and look promising.  The herbs are nothin less than slightly out of control.  You can't see it quite well enough in the second picture here, but there's a dill plant that's now about 2 feet tall.  It's a tree, really.  John has started calling it Roger - yes, as in Roger "Dill-tree!"  The basil, rosemary, and oregano are all quite pleased with their porch pot homes.  Yay!

Happy planting, growing, and summer to you, Friends.  Be Well and Eat your Veggies and Herbs.

My iPhone makes me do funny things

I sometimes use the stopwatch function on my phone to time myself doing stuff, like exercising, etc.

Just now - 18 minutes, 26.1 seconds!

To do what, you ask?  To sew-from-scratch a new Scrabble tile bag!  Our plastic cheapy that comes with the game gave up the fight during tonight's game.  This was the second bag we've gone through (pulled from a different game set), and even though our selection of Scrabble sets outdoes almost any other home in the world, I decided it was time for a more permanent replacement.  John won the game, but I won the make-a-new-bag race!  It's easy to win when nobody else is competing.

Happy Sunday, All!

15 Books

And here we have another of the infamous “Facebook Lists.”  This will import to my Facebook notes from Typepad, but again – I liked this as an activity and wanted to share it here (in Blog-dom) first!

The Facebook instructions for the list say “Don't take too long to think about it. Fifteen books you've read that will always stick with you. First fifteen you can recall in no more than 15 minutes. Tag 15 friends.” 

It was a fun exercise to try to produce the list quickly and without looking titles up – primarily to see which book memories led into others.  I went back after finishing the list and searched for authors since they weren’t all in my head.  I’ve also added a few extra notes here and there.  Here you go, my 15:

• The Lace Reader – Brunonia Barry
• Those Who Save Us – Jenna Blum
• The Necessity of Empty Places – Paul Gruchow (Have read this no fewer than 5 times.  This book is the reason I feel I must see the Sandhill Crane migrations on the North Platte River in Nebraska before I die.)
• Blue Highways – William Least Heat-Moon (Also read no fewer than 5 times)
• Young Men and Fire – Norman Maclean (also authored A River Runs Through It)
• Watership Down – Richard Adams
• The Velveteen Rabbit – Margery Williams & William Nicholson
• How Smudge Came – Nan Gregory & Ron Lightburn (One of the most beautiful children’s books I have ever seen – both the story and the illustrations.  About, and told from the perspective & voice of a young woman with Down Syndrome.)
• Walden – Henry David Thoreau
• Heart of Darkness – Joseph Conrad
• Snow Falling on Cedars – David Guterson
• The Old Curiosity Shop – Charles Dickens (I read this when I was 11 because it was the only book I could find to buy in English from a street vendor in Paris; Have also re-read it as an adult and still have the 1903 reprint copy of the 1892 publication I bought at 11 years old)
• Encyclopedia of Dog Breeds (No specific book here, I can’t count the number of dog breed books I read as a child – the beginning of a tiny obsession)
• Spiritual Literacy: Reading the Sacred in Every Day – Frederic Brussat, Mary Ann Brussat, & Thomas Moore (Recommended by a UU friend who I will tag when this gets to Facebook – it’s one I use & read over and over and over!)
• Everyday Sacred – Sue Bender (Last but not least, also read no fewer than 5 times)

Pebbles and Crumbs

Happy Saturday, Friends.  The words below touched me deeply when I read them in a UU publication just a bit ago.  "Pebbles and Crumbs" from the Rev. Ric Masten (1929-2008):

last summer whenever possible
my visiting granddaughter Cara
would worm her tiny hand into mine
and like Hansel and Gretel
we'd strike out from the house
up the "Barking dog trail"
to the "Creaky swings"
don't you love the labels
little children put on things?
and after a few "Sky flying"
"Watch me Grandpa!"s
it was on to the "Sneaky table"
where hidden in the shade
beneath a giant live oak tree
we would split
the forbidden can of Coke I brought
"Damn it Dad her teeth will rot!"

rested and refreshed
we then ascend the "Slidey steep"
to check the water level in the "Water keep"
to lift the lid and take a peek
then down the trail in single file we go
through the "Witchy woods"
all the way to Arizona which is what
my spouse has dubbed the shack
she uses as her dream shop and studio
Grandma it seems
also has a knack for naming things
"If anyone calls tell them I'm in Arizona."

next stop — the family memorial garden
where we solemnly commune
with the trees Kim and Emil have become
chanting softly as we pass
"From ashes to ashes to flowering plum."

then wending our way
along a stretch of "Dusty dirt"
we search for yesterdays footprints
covering them with todays
"Backward walking" sometimes
"To fool our enemies and friends."

and always during the final leg
of this backyard expedition
my companion lags behind
little Miss Slowpoke gathering specimens
repeating after me the name
of every trail side shrub and tree
eucalyptus — sticky monkey
lilac — sage — madrone
and "Don't touch that it's poison oak!"
then suddenly: "We're home!"

last summer Cara and I collected
and polished these moments
leaving them along the path like pebbles
to be used in the distant future
the way a whiff of cigar smoke
brings my grandfather back to poke about
in the garden with his walking stick
the way my grandmothers face
magically appears
at the taste of peppermint
her watchful presence close at hand
whenever I shake sand from something
that has been to the beach

I know that on some faraway tomorrow
a sip of Cola on a hot day —
a pinch of sage —
the creaking sound a rope swing makes
these things with Cara's help
will bring me back to life again
and thankful as I am
for such life extending crumbs

sadly I also know that the cigar smoke
and peppermint trick
can only be done by me —
in a couple of generations it all becomes
a banquet for the crows

Still Still Kickin'

And so my planned Friday away from work was not to be such.  I worked a good portion of the day to try and finish a never-ending saga.  "How can you finish it if it's never-ending" you might wonder?  Exactly!

I'm home and really actually done working, save for whatever phone calls may come in over the weekend.  John and I have had a fancy Friday night dinner out - at Big Boy!  The remainder of the evening shall consist of feeding the ravenous felines, Tigers baseball on the tube, and quite a bit of chillin'.

Amen, Alleluia, Put That in your Pipe and Smoke It!  Happy Weekend, Friends!

Still Kickin'

Well where on earth have I been all week?  It's been a long one so far, that's for sure.  Last weekend was a fun one with my 20 year (!) high school reunion Saturday and father's day family stuff on Sunday.

Monday brought a good long "regular" workday, and Tuesday brought an even longer irregular workday (count 'em - 15 hours).  Yesterday was regular-ish, plus an orientation for new Volunteers at the club - and today just got longer as I will be filling in tonight for a sick coworker (count these too - 13 hours most likely).  Phew!

It's all good at Prune Ridge, Mrs. Reed is just having a heckuva work week.  Time will allow for slowing this weekend, and I'll be a bit more present here.  See you at the double bar!

Homeless to Harvard

Good afternoon to you on this Happy Father's Day!

If you haven't read this article about Khadijah Williams yet (I saw it in the Ann Arbor News this morning), please take a few minutes and check it out.  It's one of those pieces so filled with hope and promise in spite of adversity...  if you are prone to tearing up, you probably will.  It's worth it, I promise.

Ms. Williams graduated from highschool in Los Angeles this past Friday - after spending nearly all of her life to this point homeless, and attending 12 different schools in 12 years.  She graduated 4th in her class and is headed to Harvard on a full-ride scholarship.  Please read her story - I can't do it justice and won't try!  There are some similarities to Liz Murray's story (you may have seen the "Pass it On" billboards featuring Liz) and both deserve to be heard and celebrated.  These two young women are beautiful examples of the reasons I can believe our world will be ok in the long run. 

Playing For Change

I have shared some posts and YouTube videos from this project in the last couple of months, but here it is again!

I have learned a bit more about, and become even more enthralled with the Playing For Change project.  This evening, I've just finished watching the dvd from the 2-disc set (one cd, one dvd) they released last month.  I can't possibly share enough details (or emotion - because this project makes me emotional!) here, but please check out their website if you're not already familiar.  From the website, the inspiration for the project is described as: "Playing for Change is a multimedia movement created to inspire, connect, and bring peace to the world through music. The idea for this project arose from a common belief that music has the power to break down boundaries and overcome distances between people. No matter whether people come from different geographic, political, economic, spiritual or ideological backgrounds, music has the universal power to transcend and unite us as one human race. And with this truth firmly fixed in our minds, we set out to share it with the world."

Today this Associated Press article was in the Ann Arbor News.  This recording project has drawn on the incredible talents of hundreds of musicians worldwide - mostly locals, some street musicians, just regular people in their communities.  Clarence Bekker (pictured here) is one of them, and one of the most beautiful and powerful voices present in the music & videos to come from the project so far.  There are a few big names in there too - Bono, Keb' Mo', and Vusi Mahlasela to name a few, plus songs of Bob Dylan, Bob Marley, Peter Gabriel,Tracy Chapman, U2 - but largely hundreds of people you haven't heard of before who will likely touch and inspire your heart.

Read a bit, listen a bit more, and consider supporting this incredible project if you can!  The cd/dvd set is retailing for about $15, and worth about $50 in my opinion.

Good evening, Friends.  Be Well! 

Yeah Carty, Keep On Leadering As Only You Can

So I must say I (along with most of the present or past residents of Toledo, OH) am no longer surprised to see headlines when the super amazing incredible mayor of Toledo Carty Finkbeiner makes local or even national news with his ever-ridiculous antics.  If you didn't read the "super amazing incredible" part with an inflection of sarcasm, go back and read it again.

"What antics?" you may wonder?  To list just a few: This is the mayor who once suggested selling homes around the airport (which was just about to construct/open a very large cargo plane hub with accompanying large planes and noise for the neighbors) to deaf people; He has more than once physically assaulted people - at least one from his own city administration and a local restaurant owner; He parked illegally in a handicapped parking space (in order to get in the shade) and left his dog locked in the hot/closed car, I believe while getting a massage if I remember correctly...  And the list goes on.

One might wonder how it is that this particular city leader continues to get elected.

One might especially wonder after his latest headline.  Apparently he was walking in a local park and witnessed a fight of some sort amongst a large group of young men (youth, it appears from the picture/video).  He decided to step in and break up the fight.  Perhaps not a bad decision or choice?

Except when he was caught on video calling one of the youths "fatso."  Yes, this is a community leader - choosing to take advantage of a teachable moment with youths in the community he leads, and choosing to call one of them "fatso."  Way to go, Carty.  As an adult who has learned to address some very serious body image issues, I can tell you this is NOT the way to inspire anyone.

"What are we going to do tomorrow night, Brain?"

"Same thing we do every night, Pinky - Try to take over the world!"

Weekend Project, Part Deux

Here's the newly installed (a completely un-patterned & made-up sewing project) valance piece in the guest bedroom at Prune Ridge.  First picture is the room a couple of weeks ago following installation of the new bamboo shades.  And the new added valance below - I must say I'm pleased!

Weekend Project

Good Sunday Evening, Friends!

This turned into a pretty serious project weekend for me!  Here are some before, after, and comparison pictures of new curtains for our bedroom closet area started yesterday, finished and hung this afternoon!

In order (assuming I get this right) we have: 

• Existing curtains on the sliding glass door in the bedroom.  These were made by me last fall I think.  They are simple, two different outlet-find bedsheets layered together.  Peachy-orange on the inside, with a vertical green stripe outside.  They're quite lovely when the sun comes through. 
• Large open area between our current closet and bathroom door to the left.  You can see the rod in the picture - our idea is to make this more like a dressing area or walk-in closet without major renovations. 
• New curtains just finished and hung today at the closet area! 
• And finally, the new curtains from inside the closet area looking out - to give perspective on the green stripe side, with the peach side over at the windows.

I also made (and made up!) a decorative valance thing to go in the guest room above recently installed bamboo roman shades.  It is finished, but I haven't installed the curtain rod yet.  Picture to come after I get it installed - assuming I like the way it looks, which isn't certain at this time!

Happy Evening, All.  Be Well as we start this new week.

Weekend Bits & Pieces

Good evening, All!  It is perhaps closer to night than evening at this point, but I'm awake - so evening it is.

Saturday at Prune Ridge has included:  Solo breakfast for me this morning at Moonwinks, a lovely simple local coffee shop near our place.  I had a quiche that was only marginally quiche - seemed to be missing the egg, and was really just a spinach/mushroom/cheese pie - but I'm not complaining!  Moonwinks has wi-fi of course, so I surfed the interwebs a bit and people watched.  John and I had a cleaning frenzy for a while after I got home, including mopping of the oft-neglected kitchen floor.  I had a little nap with Maggie B this afternoon.  This evening has been a combination of dinner, the first 3 steps of new curtains for our bedroom closet area, and baseball on TV.  Prune Ridge is a very exciting place, you know!

Sunday at Prune Ridge will bring:  GRILLIN' for Food Gatherers!  John will be working a heck-uv-a long day for this event.  I will have a day at home, hopefully including finishing the curtains started today, and also ideally tackling a different curtain project for the guest room.  I will be attending Grillin' in the late afternoon/early evening.  (Yes, Cats, I will still feed you twice tomorrow!)

It doesn't sound like a lot when I read it, but it will be a very full weekend for the Pruner Ridgers by the end of Sunday.

Happy Night, Friends.  Be Well!

Friday morning at Prune Ridge

I slept in a bit (first morning this week I wasn't awake well before 6am!), fed the voracious and vicious feline residents of Prune Ridge, fed myself, then pushed hard on a 30-min bike ride!  Now I collapse with the interwebs for a few moments, drink more water, and head to the shower.  Later morning will find me shopping for a few groceries and a fire extinguisher (no emergency, we just don't have one), and possibly lunch with John.  Finally this afternoon...  massage-city for Alison's troublesome muscles.

Oh yeah, did I mention I work this evening (YES, during game 7 of the Stanley Cup, dagnabbit)?

Happy Friday, All!

ABCs of Me

So this is a note thing from Facebook.  (And my version here on my blog will import to my Facebook profile.)  On Facebook, it's the sort of list that people would post about themselves, then coerce other friends into answering the same questions and posting them.  I like these funny little collection of thoughts on oneself, but I don't love the "tag other people and try to make them do it" component.  The ones I've offered there in the past usually have a special "Alison disclaimer" that says I don't really expect you all to do this!

It just occured to me that I would rather share this on my blog, so there! Or, so here:

A -Age: 37

B - Bed size: Queen

C - Chore you hate: Cleaning the cat litter, I guess?  Any chore can be fine sometimes and un-fine other times in my opinion.

D - Dog's name: We don't have a dog, although I really would like to get one.  We do have a stuffed dog named Ambassador.

E - Essential start your day item: Contacts (usually)

F - Favorite color(s): Greens and Blues

G - Gold or silver: Silver

H - Height: 5'5.5" and pretty sure I'm shrinking at this point

I - Instruments you play: Piano, marginally.  Also had a semester each of brass and percussion methods - and I'm the worst brass player in history, but had a lot of fun with the Trombone!  Oh yeah, and Voice.

J - Job title: House Manager & Volunteer Coordinator

K - Kids: Just two feline-type kids

L - Living arrangements: With my husband in a condo we like to call Prune Ridge

M - Mom's name: Susan

N - Nicknames: Al and Ali sometimes, and once upon a time Melby Toast

O - Overnight hospital stay other than birth: Car accident (I think?), two different knee surgeries, gall bladder surgery

P - Pet Peeve: Bad and/or scary drivers

Q - Quote from a movie: "Orange Whip? Orange Whip? Three Orange Whips!"

R - Right or left handed: Left

S - Siblings: Brother, 3 step-brothers, 3 foster-brothers ages ago, and an infant brother we never got to know (Yes, all those boys and no other girls!)

T - Time you wake up: 6 or 7 is usually the plan, but this week more like 4:30 most mornings!

U - Underwear: Uh, Yes.

V - Vegetable you dislike: Lima beans

W - Workout style: Walking or riding my bike, and I've always enjoyed good hiking but haven't done much lately

X - X-rays you've had: Aw geeze, the list is long...  both knees, left hand fingers, both wrists (one broken, problems/surgery for the other), certainly my head, wrist again a couple of years ago

Y - Yesterday's best moment: Lovely date-night dinner with John

Z - Zoo favorite: Big animals like tigers, elephants, or polar bears, or soft pretzels if they sell them!