Archive for the ‘Musings’ category
September 27, 2013
Looking out the window this morning, I knew the day would be chilly. It is definitely bleak. The trees are silhouetted in the darkness of the day, in the grayness of a sky filled with clouds. The lighter limbs at the tops of the trees are blowing in the breeze. The heavy oak tree limbs barely move. The birds are elsewhere, somewhere sheltered. I will follow their example and stay warm and cozy.
I find myself talking to the television. Luckily I don’t hear it talking back to me so my sanity is not in question. Mostly I correct grammar. I have a friend who says it doesn’t make any difference if the grammar is correct or not. I totally disagree. So many people watch TV that using good grammar is essential just so people can hear it spoken. Him and I is very common. That makes me cringe. My friend is a musician, and he objects to music badly played or songs poorly sung on television. I don’t get it: I don’t get why he believes only music need be done well and grammar can be whatever. I guess I never will. I love the sounds of language well-spoken just as he loves the sounds of music well-played.
Gracie gets to come with me today while we do errands. We have three stops to make, and she gets to come inside the last stop, Agway, with me. She loves all the smells and she greets everyone. It’s a big shopping day for us at Agway: canned and dried dog food, dog biscuits, pine cat litter and canned cat food. I’ll need a loan to pay the bill.
I think I’m going to put out my mouse trap. I haven’t seen any indications they’ve returned, but I figure with the cold they might be looking for winter digs. My bedroom will be first because that’s where the bulk of them lived last winter. I just hope this time the trap remains unoccupied.
Categories: Musings
Tags: Agway, cloudy, cold day, correct grammar, dog food, errands, grammar, language, mice, music, talking to the TV
Comments: 15 Comments
September 26, 2013
My official acknowledgement of autumn was yesterday. The back screen door is now in the cellar and the storm door is in its place. The nights had been too cold to leave the backdoor open so Gracie didn’t have access to her dog door. She would ring the bells to go out, and I’d have to go running to open the door then wait for her. Now Gracie can come and go as she pleases.
The days seem darker to me, the sun less bright. I figure it’s mostly my imaginings at the transition in seasons. The cat still sleeps in the morning sun streaming through the front door so she is content. I am not. Every day seems to bring a change as we rush toward winter. The fall flowers are at their peak. The mums in my garden have all bloomed. The new flowers are planted in the front garden. The deck looks desolate and has pine needles, small twigs and branches and the hulls of sunflower seeds strewn about. Some days I sit in the sun in the afternoon, but I wear a sweatshirt against the chill. The days of short-sleeves have ended. We do have plenty of autumn left so my lament may be early, but the nights are cold. They feel like the first touch of winter.
I’m wearing my slippers and a sweatshirt. The house was cold this morning, colder than when I have the heat going, but I can’t bring myself to start the furnace: it’s the final surrender.
When I go to my old town, I always follow the route I used to walk to school. I notice the changes and remember what used to be there. The house where my friends grew up is gone. It was a pretty white house with red shutters and a trellis by the back door. A house near it was always a favorite of mine. It was an old house, one of the first on the street. It too is gone. In their place is a small brick apartment building, an ugly building with no character, with no homeyness. I am glad I don’t walk that route any more.
Categories: Musings
Tags: brick buildings, cat in the sun, chilly nights, fall blooms, fall flowers, morning sun, mums, old houses, rushing toward winter, Storm door, sweatshirts, walk to school
Comments: 15 Comments
September 24, 2013
The time has come for the storm door. I have been keeping the back door closed because of the cold so Gracie rings her bells to go out. I trudge to the kitchen, open the door and wait so I can close the door when Gracie comes back inside. No question about it, the screen door is done for the season.
The game Sunday was wonderful. It was perfect fall baseball weather with lots of sun and a cooling breeze. My friends and I were not seated together so I made random comments aloud prompted by good fielding and a couple of home runs. The lady beside me was mute: she didn’t choose to chat. The guy on the other side tolerated my blithering. He had driven down from Maine, but it took him less time than it had taken us. The traffic was so slow going off cape it took us nearly an hour to get to the bridge. That game was the last one at home for the regular season. The Sox will be in Colorado for the next two games, and my family, wearing their Red Sox garb, will be cheering them on. I’ll watch on TV.
Today Gracie and I will go to the dump then to the farm stand. I’d like some gourds for the basket on the front steps. A small pumpkin is already there, but I love all the different colors and shapes of the gourds. I have some gourds I brought back from Ghana. Some were used when taking a bucket bath while others are ornamental with wood burned or etched designs. I never saw them growing nor did I see any in the market before the outsides had rotted or been removed. Women fill the gourds with rice then stand and let the rice fall in a cascade from the gourd into a pan. The hope is the small stones in the rice will pop out of the pan and be removed during the process. It is not always successful. Stones in cooked rice are pretty common. Broken teeth are too.
The birds are back in huge numbers. It seems I have been forgiven for my lapse of a day without seed. The thistle feeder had three goldfinches on it; none of them were wearing bright yellow. I think the finches are starting to sport their winter color or rather their lack of color. It is time to start bracing ourselves for the season of drab: one of leafless trees, desolate gardens, early darkness and clothes of muted colors.
The good thing is I have recovered.
Categories: Musings
Tags: cold morniong, drab winter', end of baseball regular season, gourds, home runs, mute woman, ornamenta; gourds, Red Sox game, stones in rice, storm door time, winter colors
Comments: 10 Comments
September 23, 2013
Yesterday was perfect baseball weather, and the Sox won. I got my sausage with peppers and onions for lunch and toward the last few innings I got a Fenway frank. It was a wonderful day; however, the evening wasn’t. It must have been the excitement of the day as I was ill last night. I’m not soliciting sympathy but rather explaining why you’re not reading some little musing about the day and the game. I even forgot my usual Monday morning breakfast with my friend. I was shocked when the phone rang a little after 9 and woke me up. “Where are you?” That was in itself a bit of a silly question, but I apologized for not being there and explained why.
I am taking the day off or at least the morning until I feel a bit better. Please do check back later.
Categories: Musings
Comments: 18 Comments
September 22, 2013
Welcome to autumn! All week we had the most wonderful weather, sunny and warm, but today is a dark day, and it has been raining on and off, and right now it’s pouring. Normally on a rainy Sunday I would hunker down with my coffee and papers and a good movie, but today, of all days, I have a Red Sox ticket. It’s a great Red Sox ticket but even great tickets are no good in the rain. That sun has five hours to get out to dry and warm the day.
Stephen King’s new novel is a sequel to the The Shining. That was one of my favorite books, and redrum will forever stay a part of my vocabulary though I don’t do the finger thing Danny did in the movie when he said it.
Today is one of those nothing on my mind sort of days. I have noticed that vampires are out and the undead are in, a weird trend. Giant monsters are also out, but they’ve been out a long time. Godzilla just wouldn’t make it anymore.
I loved my bike with its pedal back brake and two speeds: fast and slow. Going down a hill was exhilarating. I’d take my feet off the pedals and let the hill do all the work. I was never a fan of up the hill.
I saw a small fox the other day. It was walking on the bike path then headed into a church parking lot. I don’t think the fox was very old. I stopped the car to warn a lady walking her dog. I thought the fox might have gone into the woods, but it didn’t hurt to be careful.
Right now I’m watching a really bad movie: Zone Troopers. It takes place in WWII in Italy when some GI’s discover a space ship and are now inside looking for extraterrestrials. The German are also in the hunt.
I have exhausted my chit-chat for the day, and I have to post my music then go to the bank. I haven’t a cent which just won’t do.
Happy Fall!
Categories: Musings
Comments: 11 Comments
September 21, 2013
Gracie was on the deck and barking so I went out to check to see which critter was within sight. I didn’t see any, but I did see a water spray near the top of the driveway. A bird was having the most wonderful bath in a puddle from my irrigation system. The drops of water were flying in the air as the bird flapped its wings. That bird was having a great time and so was I while watching it.
The morning is a beauty. It is quintessential autumn on Cape Cod. The sun is bright and the day is warm. Fall flowers are in bloom, and my garden is filled with mums, anemones and my favorite of all, autumn clematis. In autumn, I always think Mother Nature gives us her best and final show before winter’s turn in the year.
I need bird seed: sunflower and thistle. Lately, with so many birds, the big feeder empties quickly. I think word of beak must be the reason. Yesterday, after I had filled the feeders with the last of the seeds, a chickadee flew so close by me I swear its wing touched my cheek. I love to stand by the deck rail and watch the birds eat. They are barely an arm’s length away as the feeders hang off the deck. The chickadees are the most fearless. The seeds are what they want, and my being there doesn’t give them pause. The thistle feeder spins each time a goldfinch or chickadee lands on it. The birds just hold on and go with the spin.
I know I won’t be able to stop myself from roaming the flower aisles when I go to buy the bird seed. Perennials are on sale as are the fall flowers. I just happen to have a few spaces in the small round garden where a tree used to stand and some spots in the back of the big front garden. I also want to harvest the rest of my herbs. The rosemary is ready to hang in the house, and its aroma will spread about the kitchen to remind me summer will be back. I just have to be patient.
Categories: Musings
Tags: beautiful morning, bird feeders, bird taking a bath, colors, fall flowers, garden spot, harvesting herbs, herbs, Mother Nature's gift, perrenials, rosemary, sunflower and thistle seed
Comments: 12 Comments
September 20, 2013
I slept in until late this morning then I just took my time reading the papers and doing the crossword puzzles. Before I knew it, the morning was just about gone, and here I am with a list of chores and errands to do. I haven’t even brushed my teeth or gotten dressed. First on the list is the chocolate pie, tonight’s dessert. The chili was made yesterday, but I still have much to do and here I am lollygagging.
The desk got dusted last night. It was one of those chores I needed to get done, and I was determined to finish it before I went to bed. The top of the desk can now be seen, and its glass protector is reflecting all the wind-up toys on the top shelf. I keep looking at it with a bit of surprise at how good the desk looks though it does make me want to move along to dusting the shelves.
My mother never made us to do chores when I was a kid. Many of my friends had to make their beds, clear the table and wash or wipe the dishes, but I never had to do anything. I never questioned that; however, there were some disadvantages. I never learned to cook as a kid. My mother did it all, and I never watched. The washing machine was a mystery when I got to college. I had no idea the buzzing meant an uneven load. When I got an apartment my junior year, my roommate did the cooking. She could make gravy and cook just about everything. I was in awe. She had learned how to cook when she was growing up and had been responsible for cooking dinner at home a couple of days a week. I served Dinty Moore if I had to make dinner, and what did my roommate do? She made dumplings for the top of the stew.
Strangely enough, cooking became one of my favorite things to do. I have made all sorts of dinners including Chinese, Indian, Moroccan, Middle Eastern, Greek and, of course, African. I love the challenge of making something new, something difficult. I even go so far as to match the table decor with the meal. That, I believe, trumps the dumplings.
I have mastered the washing machine to the point where I no longer have uneven loads, and that buzzer never rings. Now that is an accomplishment!!
Categories: Musings
Tags: chores and errands, Cooking, cooking foreign foods, duating, dumplings, kids' chores, lollygagging, sleeping in, table decor, washing
Comments: 14 Comments
September 19, 2013
Lots to do today but around the house lots to do, my least favorite sort of today. This room resembles a haunted house, one left to dust and cobwebs. It was in disarray because some electrical work had to be done, and the desk had to be moved out-of-the-way. All the books on the shelves and the drawers ended up in the living room. Behind the desk, an area not seen in decades, was a bit of Miss Haversham’s room. That area was cleaned but now everything on the desk is filled with dust. I’m tackling that today. I should wear a full length apron, a scarf on my head, rubber gloves so my hands will stay soft, a dress, and, of course, my pearls. For some reason, that’s how I imagine the dusting look. Wait, I forget the feather duster!
Today is another beautiful autumn day with blue skies, lots of sun and warmth. Last night was cool, perfect for sleeping weather, and the weatherman has kindly predicted a whole rest of the week of the same. Both doors are opened and Fern is lying asleep in the sun. Gracie is on the couch for her morning nap and is snoring. I didn’t get to sleep until around three o’clock this morning so I’m thinking a nap sounds perfect. I imagine Fern and Gracie will join me.
I had the two bathrooms painted, got a new shower curtain made of Ghanaian cloth and had some Ghanaian cloth send to me by one of my former students so my friend can sew bathroom curtains. I bought a new bedroom spread, curtains and throw rugs. I figure with winter coming it’s like I’m getting the house ready for hibernation, changing the scene a bit to stave off boredom. I go through recipes planning menus in my head. They all have a different theme. I’m thinking Hawaii for a dead of winter party with only flowered shirts allowed. Poi will not be on the menu. Chinese is another choice and only chopsticks will be used for eating. The planning is fun. For now, though, I’ll just enjoy the weather and keep getting ready to hibernate. I’m trying to decide what room will be next.
Categories: Musings
Tags: autumn weather, changing decor, cobwebs, disarray, Dusting, feather duster, Miss Haversham, morning naps, naps sleeping in the sun, planning dinners, ready for hibernation, Snoring
Comments: 10 Comments
September 17, 2013
An early morning meeting (9 for me) has slowed down the day. I didn’t get to the papers until I got back home, and my morning doesn’t officially start until the papers are read and my two cups of coffee are consumed. I am now ready to start the day.
I’m wearing a sweatshirt so that should be all you need to know about the weather.
As much as I wanted an empty dance card this week, it seems to be filling. I have a meeting tomorrow and I need to shop on Thursday for the fixings to celebrate my friend’s birthday on Friday. That means making my chili after I shop so it has a whole day to settle. On Friday I have to make my chocolate pudding pie for dessert. Those choices are my friend’s for her special birthday dinner. I think Saturday is still an open day, but the way things are going, it will probably change.
Soon will be the start of the hibernation season for me and the bears. Nothing much seems to happen in winter. A few playhouses stay open, but I usually don’t buy a ticket unless the play is spectacular. In a short time, the house will get that closed in feeling, a stuffiness from the heat and the lack of fresh air. I’ll only go out on the deck to fill the bird feeders and out front to get the papers and the mail. All summer I would stop for a bit to admire the front garden and take in the morning. In winter, it’s a rush to get back inside the warm house.
I chose to live in New England even though I am not a fan of winter. I always think of the other seasons as rewards for living through the cold. My favorite season is just beginning. Autumn on the Cape is beautiful with clear crisp air, the red leaves of the oak trees, colorful mums at the garden stands, the harvesting of cranberries from the bogs and fall flowers still brightening the gardens. It’s still a long way until winter.
Categories: Musings
Tags: autumn, coffee and the papers, cold morning, crisp air, empty dance card, fall flowers, heating the house, hibernation season, morning meeting, mums, red leaves, special birthday dinner, winter
Comments: 8 Comments
September 16, 2013
Lately the days seem the same. The mornings are cold with the sun nowhere to be found. Today a dampness makes it feel even chillier. I’m thinking I might have to put in my back storm door. That’s the door I leave open so Gracie can come and go, but the cold comes all the way down the hall from the screen. I hate the thought that it might be storm door time for even that one door. The windows have been closed for the last three or four days. I’m not liking this at all. I want my sun back. I want warm days.
When I was a kid, I didn’t care much about what the weather was each day. I did want snow in the winter and warm days for swimming in the summer, but as for the other two seasons, I had no preferences. I’d take the days as they came except for Halloween. I didn’t want rain. As for any day rain, I never really minded getting soaked walking home from school. I’d get home, skip the play clothes and get cozy in my pajamas. I lie in bed and read. I can still see the window at the foot of my bed and the rain drops hitting the glass then sliding to the bottom. The fiercer the storm the better.
I can’t stand my feet being cold. They make my whole body feel cold so I put on my fleece-lined slippers, but sometimes they aren’t enough. I have to add socks. In winter, I spend the days at home wearing those slippers, flannel pants and a sweatshirt. It’s become my winter uniform. Right now I’m wearing those slippers and thinking of adding a sweatshirt. The house is only 66˚, colder than I keep it during the winter.
My mother kept her house too hot in the winter. We used to wear t-shirts inside and complain about how hot it was. She was always cold except for her feet. On them she wore slippers with open toes and no backs. I wish I had inherited her warm feet.
Now I tolerate cold and heat far less than I used to when I was younger. On the last two trips to Ghana, my hair was always soaked with sweat. I don’t remember that happening when I lived there so long ago. I used to wear a t-shirt all winter; now the sweatshirt is a must. I’m beginning to understand my mother and her need for a hot house.
Categories: Musings
Tags: 66˚, closed windows, cold mornings, dampness, flannel lined slippers, grey days, open slippers, rain, storn doors, sweatshirts, walking home from school, warm feet, where's the sun?
Comments: 12 Comments
keepthecoffeecoming.blog 