Stuff People Do at the Beach

I'm down in Florida for a while...enjoying the sunshine and snapping wily photos of tourists at the beach. Here's a few for your edifying entertainment.

Beach cabana buckeroos.

Seagull chasers.

Sea shell diggers.

Metal detector guy hunts for buried treasure under the sea.
   Little does he know... sharks are eagerly waiting for ya.                                                   

Hungry seagulls plan their attack on the cabana people.

Solitary boy buries his bucket.

Gold miner....aka wishful thinker.

Kite fliers and those who watch them.

Grannie wearing plastic bag to protect hair.

Newlyweds.

What happens at the beach...stays at the beach.

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Bridging the Gap

Bridge. A structure that allows us to cross over an obstacle to reach the other side. There are other definitions of a bridge...such as the bridge of your nose, an upper deck of a ship, a type of card game and so forth. You might even say that the custom of shaking hands is a universal symbol of bridge building. But mostly we think of a bridge as some sort of a convenient link between one side and the other side. The first bridges were probably as simple as a fallen log across a stream or large stones placed across a narrow waterway. The Romans were among the greatest bridge builders in the world. They designed arched bridges and aqueducts...some of which are still standing today.

Many of us have to cross a bridge at least once a day. When I was a child, I used to be scared to death of riding over bridges. I would duck down in the seat of the car and not peer out until my dad said we were safely on the other side. Some bridges actually accommodate anxious drivers who are afraid to drive across by themselves...with "designated drivers". At the bridge entrance, a "professional bridge driver" will take over the wheel and carefully chauffer the vehicle across the bridge while the fearful driver sits nervously in the passenger seat. The 5 mile long Mackinac Bridge in Michigan offers this assistance.

I'm thinking about bridges because my husband and I recently drove over the spectacular Sunshine Skyway Bridge that spans the emerald green waters of Tampa Bay near St. Pete, Florida. I have to admit, it's a very high, long and scary bridge. But as bridges go...it's a supremely beautiful architectural wonder. This time I didn't hunker down and hide. Instead I snapped photos.

A massive barge emerges from under the Skyway Bridge in the morning fog.

Sunset highlights the twin "sails" of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge.

The twin towers of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge glisten like gold at sunset.

The top of the bridge offers drivers an amazing view.

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It all started over a sled.

The other day I was shopping for a sled. I haven't bought a sled in a long time. Well, actually a long, long, long time. As I looked over the various sled selections on the huge open shelves, I realized that there's been a significant change in the sled design world. I couldn't find a single wooden flexible flyer with steel runner blades anywhere. Like I said, it's been a while since I bought a sled.

But oh there was a wondrous variety of sledding equipment...nearly all of them constructed of plastic...in every color of the rainbow including an assortment of wild psychedelic colors. There were saucer sleds that resembled garbage can lids. All sorts and sizes of rubber inflatable sleds. There were snow tubes, snow toboggans, snow boogies, snow boards, mini luges, disc sleds, slope sliders, racing sleds and baby pull sleds.

As I was in the midst of a mesmerizing sled-slider-saucer purchasing decision, a fellow who looked to be about my age ambled down the aisle and was looking at snow shovels which were across from the sleds. He noticed me and said: Hope you're not thinkin' 'bout buying one of those sled things. We're too old for such nonsense.

GRRRRR. How about a shovel up your butt, you farty old coot? I wanted to say but managed to restrain myself. Instead I smiled sweetly and replied, Oh, we're never too old to go sledding. Matter of fact, sir, your fatass rear end looks more like a super-sized saucer sled than any of these on the shelves. Ever thought of hiring your behind out as a toboggan? He gave me a dirty look and slunk away. I chose a large, plastic purple abominal snowman luge...for my 4 year old grandson (visiting from Florida)...which was my reason for shopping in the first place. As I approached the check out, I thought about what the jerk guy had said. So I marched back to the sports section and picked out two more sleds: heavy-duty red and yellow psychedelic, fluorescent, irridescent flying snow screamers for myself and my husband. Too old for sledding?  Never.

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What Would You Do If You Weren't Afraid?

It's time to open a brand new book. Its pages are blank. I am the author. I can  write anything I want or leave the pages empty. The book is called opportunity. Its first chapter is New Year's Day.

Thus begins another 12 months of the year two thousand and eleven. 365 more chances to get it right this time. Fresh beginnings, renewed positivity, a conscious code of kindness, bold decisions and fearless actions. We've put away all the Christmas decorations, dusted, vacuumed and straightened up the house. It looks uncluttered, clean and shiny. We purged the closets and took boxes of no longer used items over to Goodwill. The line for dropping donations off at Goodwill was 12 cars deep. Apparently a lot of folks have the same idea this time of year. Out with the old. In with the new...as in renewed hopes, ambitions and dreams. 

My husband and I are at a point in life where we are seeking to do something different. We asked ourselves: What would we do if we weren't afraid? If we weren't afraid to fail; afraid to lose money; afraid to get hurt; afraid to be laughed at; afraid to be different; afraid to live like there was no tomorrow? It is fear...more than lack of money, more than lack of power, more than lack of intelligence...that holds us back. Call it insecurity, lack of confidence, false modesty, a sense of inadequacy...that often stops us cold and prevents us from following our dreams. Fear is the great self-induced emotional paralysis. When we are able to analyze our fears and then disengage from our anxiety, we can become liberated and fearless.  It takes courage to believe in yourself. But once we discover our inner strength, it's astounding how quickly we can achieve the confidence to follow our dreams. We become free.

It's not necessarily an easy thing to spread our wings and fly. Often we have to take baby steps rather than jumping off a cliff in hopes we'll immediately soar through the air. But we all have choices to make. Sometimes it's merely an attitude adjustment of shoving our negativity and fears aside and giving ourselves permission to pursue new adventures and more fulfilling lives.    

                      HAPPY NEW YEAR OF ADVENTURES TO ONE AND ALL!              

 

 

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The Stillness of the Woods at Christmas

I see the tall, barren trees outside my window. They appear lanky and dark and somewhat bleak as they lean crookedly in the snow. It is a stark beauty...the little woods behind our house. An austere and unadorned graceful scene. Silent and pure. A palpable stillness that seems to hush the noisy and frantic chaos that overwhelms the season this time of year.


I like this woods of ours. It reminds me of another woodland that I used to walk in by myself when I was a girl. I remember the peace and quiet of being the only person among the trees. I used to ice skate alone on a small patch of frozen pond hidden in the middle of my youthful woods. I was a bit fearful yet even at such a young age, I felt comfort in the serenity of the quiet wintry glade.

So it is today, I embrace the restful tranquility of the woods in winter. A light flurry of snow is falling now. Soon the trees will be draped in glistening white. At night the stars shine through the empty branches and the moon casts glimmering beams of light onto the snowy ground. Christmas is near. It's as if this little forest, in it's own unpretentious way, is preparing to welcome the Christ child.

   A very peaceful Christmas to one and all.

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Finding the Magic in Christmas

Let's face it. Things have been rough over the last several years. The economy is still horrific. Unemployment is rampant. You yourself might be out of a job or worried sick about losing one. Home values have sunk lower than 2 rats in a sewer pipe. Millions have lost their homes to foreclosure while others can't sell at a decent price. We're still at war in the Middle East. We can't even fly on a plane without first enduring humiliating gropings at the airport by security agents. And have you bought groceries lately?  Thirty dollars for ingredients to make a single batch of holiday sweets. Life is indeed rather messy and complicated.

Now it's Christmas time and we're supposed to be all hyped up, starry eyed and excited. Cheerful and joy filled and glowing and singing and making merry. However, given the world's gloomy circumstances, this year it's not all that easy for people to be merry and bright. Even if we're not feeling the holiday spirit, how can we embrace the magic of the season in a simple, unadorned, unpretentious, perhaps even childlike manner?

For myself, I find the magic in people around my neighborhood and in my community. I volunteer. I've prepared meals for folks in need. I visit an elderly gentleman who is all alone. I sit and chat with him and mostly listen to his stories. I bring him food and home-made holiday sweets. In him, I see the magic of Christmas. Although he's lonely and not well...he radiates hope, positivity and even humor. I never hear him complain. He inspires me to be a kinder, gentler, more understanding person.

I provide gifts to underprivileged children. Watching their little faces beam in anticipation as they grab each package and tear it open...is truly priceless.

The other night, I looked up at the stark, cold but brilliantly clear sky and was amazed at how resplendent the stars appeared. I gazed at them for several minutes hoping to see a shooting star. No such luck. Yet I could see the constellations gloriously twinkling in the heavens...as if a trillion diamonds had been tossed into the celestial firmament. I was humbled and impressed at the same time.

It's late afternoon and a gentle snow is falling. A winter wonderland outside our door. A friend of mine described watching the snow from her window to "sitting in the middle of a snow globe".  What an apt description. A blanket of white that hides the ugliness of the world...if only for a little while.

We live in a neighborhood of mostly boomer age folks...no kids. Last week, one of the neighbors had their grandkids over and playing outdoors. The youngsters constructed a trio of hilarious snowmen. They outfitted the snow people with silly hats and scarves, sunglasses and twigs for arms. One snowman was leaning sideways at a 45 degree slant as if the wind had blown him nearly over. I laugh every time I drive by.

At midnight, in the woods at the back of our yard, I can see the deer resting in the snow. The glow of the moon illuminates them as bright as daylight...as they lie in the deep, white snowy mounds. Around them, scurry rabbits hunting for food or shelter in the stillness of the night. I can plainly see the rabbit trails they make, even though it is night time. High up in the trees I observe huge, dark blobs. It's the wild turkeys sleeping in the tall branches to avoid predators. What a fascinating world it is outside our wintry windows.

Snug and warm indoors, I light candles and turn on the tree lights and play soft Christmas music. Our adult children, spouses and grandsons are visiting this year. Cozy on the sofa with hubby, surrounded by loved ones and telling Christmas stories to our wide-eyed little grand boys as they listen in innocent, rapt wonder...is the best magic of all.

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How to Stuff More Cheer and Less Crap in Your Christmas

The holidays are upon us. But before you know it, they'll be over. And you'll ask yourself...What happened? Where did the time go? Did I really accomplish anything worthwhile? Where did all our money go? Why am I so depressed? For millions of people around the world, December is a whirlwind month that races by so fast and furious, it leaves many folks melancholy, angry, frustrated and deeply in debt.

But hold on. Back up. There's good news! This year, we still have a jingle bell window of opportunity to avoid or at least reduce seasonal meltdown and all the frazzled, crazy commercialized nonsense that comes with it. I have a plan, my friends, to bring more genuine cheer into your Christmas. More laughter. More simple joy. Follow just a few of my suggestions and you will reduce a lot of your holiday stress, anxiety, panic, self-loathing and those beastly migraines. And you'll still have some bucks left in the bank too.

OK. Now stick with me here. I'm not a miracle worker. It is entirely your choice. You've got to be willing to be bold and fearless. You can't be afraid of what your relatives and friends will think. You cannot be afraid at all. Replace fear with determination, creativity, positivity and old-fashioned thoughtfulness. Then take your check book and your credit cards and put them where you won't use them. Remember, you have to be bold.

Most Christians and many non-Christians, love the idea of Christmas. The decorations, tree lights, food, gifts, Christmas cards, Santa Claus, holiday music, falling snow, the look of children's faces on Christmas morning, the story of Jesus's birth in Bethlehem. We cherish all these beautiful Christmas images in our minds and then every year, we fall all over ourselves trying to achieve the perfect Christmas. 

Have you ever tried to downsize Christmas? Of course, I realize it's not a new concept. You hear people talk about simplifying Christmas all the time. Don't be extravagant. Cut back. Yet, it's mostly talk. But have you ever thought how absolutely insane Black Friday shopping is? This year many stores held a pre-Black Friday on Thanksgiving Day and thousands of folks skipped a traditional family Thanksgiving dinner to go....shopping. Some shoppers even carried guns thinking they could strong-arm their way to the front of the lines. Is it just me or is this just so wrong?

When you think about it, most of the Christmas images we hold dear are simple ones...a tree, cookies, the manger scene, nostalgic carols, snow, a cozy fire in the fireplace, glowing candles, a gathering of loved ones. It's the expensive gift-giving, extravagant parties, ornate decorating and other frenzied holiday hoopla that makes us crazy. So here are, in no particular order, a few ideas to help you have a more cheerful, less costly, less stressful, better organized, more-quality-time-with-family, simpler, peaceful and perhaps even slightly unconventional yet decidedly merrier Christmas.

1. Stop moving. Sit down by yourself with a pen and paper and contemplate before you do another thing. Think about what's really important to you and your family. Is it really all about the commercial gifts? Duh, yah...if you have younger children or teens...yah it's still all about the gifts. But if you plan well ahead and I realize we don't have a lot of time this year...you might make them understand at least a little bit, that this year there will be more love and less loot under the tree. If they don't like it...strap them on top of the car and leave them there til New Years.

2. Dump decorations. Go through your boxes of holiday decor and toss out all the cheesy junk. Yes, some of it may be sentimental. But nobody would miss a lot of your silly chotzkees if you didn't use them. And obviously, I can't spell chotzkees. Stick to a one or two color theme. You don't need to unwrap and display all 347 of your Christmas collectibles. Arrange a handful of your favorite Santa or nutcracker collections all in one place rather than scattered about.

3. Candles, candles, candles. Use real ones or those nifty and safe battery operated ones. You can buy 100 tealights for under $5. Candles add a cozy glow, romantic light and a festive atmosphere for little money. Line the mantel. Put them in an unused fireplace. Set them on the coffee table. Of course, be careful with them around children.

4. Take a walk in the woods. Go by yourself, with a best friend or with loved ones. Luxuriate in the quiet. While you're in the woods...and you can find a wooded area or park someplace near where you live...pick up dead branches, evergreens, pine cones, all sorts of nature stuff to use for amazing decorations. And the best thing is you can throw it all away after Christmas. No storage needed.

5. Oh Christmas tree...how lovely are your branches.  I confess. I like having a Christmas tree. As a matter of fact, I display five trees in our home. At first that hardly sounds like I'm downsizing. But here's the thing. Use what you truly love and don't unpack the rest. We don't live in a mansion but we do have a nice, dry basement. So here's my trick for putting up and decorating five beautiful Christmas trees in less than 30 minutes. Call me the Rachel Ray of Christmas trees. I use realistic but artificial evergreen trees. I keep the lights and all the ornaments on each tree all year long. I secure the ornaments to the branches so they don't fall off. After the season is over, I cover each tree with a big white sheet and haul it down the basement for storage. It's easy and hassle free. Once the tree is set in place for the holiday, a bit of tweaking the branches and ornaments might be in order. But for the most part, the hard work is already done. I don't have to lug all the heavy ornament bins upstairs. I don't have to unpack ornaments or lights. I don't get aggravated trying to untangle the lights and arrange them on the trees or yell at my husband that he's got it messed up. I don't have to spend hours placing ornaments on the trees. And I don't have to waste time removing all the lights and ornaments and rewrapping and repacking everything. The concept of keeping the lights and ornaments on the trees year-round will save you a tremendous amount of time that you can use to bake cookies, tell your little ones a Christmas story or just sit around and wax nostalgic over the memories associated with each ornament that graces your tree.

6. Use remote controls. Simple. Easy. Time-saving. You can buy remote sets that need only one control panel that will turn the lights on and off of at least 3 trees. Use them for outdoor lights as well.

7. More love, less loot. Get really creative. Write a long, endearing letter to a loved one far away or even closeby, explaining all the reasons why they are special to you. Write a poem. Make your own gifts. If you're an artist of any kind, give an original art piece as your special gift. Whether you paint, make jewelry, build birdhouses, crochet, whatever...something made with love from the heart is what people treasure.

8. Give yourself as a gift. Offer to make 3 dinners for a busy friend or relative.
There is nothing more appreciated than a home-made meal...cooked by somebody else. Give your kids the gift of time...just you and them. No interruptions. Write a nice note or make your own personal "gift certificate" and wrap it up in a pretty box. If you take time to really think about this, you can come up with dozens of thoughtful ways you can offer yourself and/or your services to others as a Christmas present.

9. Make "no-bake" goodies. Instead of spending hours by a hot oven and messing up the kitchen with flour, rolling pins and bowls and cookie cutters... why not try making a bunch of "no-bake" holiday treats. Look up online and you'll find dozens of very uncomplicated yet truly delicious recipes...that yield showy and tasty gifts for the neighbors and yummy sweets for your own family. Ritz peanut butter chocolate balls and festive Oreo balls are just a couple no-bake recipes I'll be trying this season. It's all about saving time, enjoying the time saved and still participating in the spirit of the season.

10. Make family a priority. After dinner every night during the holidays, gather your immediate family by the tree and sit down and chat. Maybe it's just you and your mate or maybe you've got a haggle of little ones. It doesn't matter. Make some hot chocolate or sip some wine. Play Christmas music. Keep it relatively quiet and simple. Turn off the big lights and just enjoy the tree lights and your candles. Read aloud A Christmas Carol. Share Christmas memories. Even if it's only for half an hour...make the time count. Let the others share their day, their dreams, their feelings.

11. Enjoy the lights of Christmas. Take a leisurely walk around your neighborhood at night and notice the festive outdoor decor of your neighbors. Or hop in the car and visit some of the more extravagant light displays around your town.

12. Do not shop til you drop. If you have to gift shop and let's face it, most of us do....limit each person on your list to only three store-bought gifts. It will be the most difficult thing you'll do this season. But give it a try. Your kids will probably NOT thank you. But maybe they'll at least try to understand your attempt at downsizing Christmas.

13. Avoid hateful people. If you have friends or family members that give you uber migraines, this year....avoid them. Don't apologize. Make no excuses. Instead invite a lonely neighbor or co-worker over for holiday cheer. Volunteer... someplace...and bring your spouse and kids along with you.

14. Just say "no".  Make a list of all that needs to be done. Then edit it mercilessly. Cross off anything that you really don't want to do. Eliminate anything that adds more stress, more work, more time to your day. Learn to delegate chores to other household members. They may not do it as perfectly as you, but the job will be done. Maybe even better than your way!

15. Go ice skating. Or sledding.

16. Attend a holiday concert or local play.

17. Go caroling with friends.

18. Watch holiday movies at home with family.

19. Laugh more. Force yourself...if you have to. Don't take any holiday glitches too seriously.

20. Don't send cards. If you usually send out Christmas cards but really hate writing schmaltzy sentimental greetings to people you seldom see... Don't do it this year. You'll still get a sleigh-full of cards from others. And most likely nobody will even know you skipped cards this year.

21. Build a snowman. If you don't live in snow country...hug a palm tree.

22. Be thankful. Show gratitude toward others. Even in these dismal economic times, there are at least a few things everyone can be grateful for. Appreciate what you have. Embrace those you love. Share the Christmas spirit and pass on kindness toward a stranger but remember to be especially kind to those you love and to those you find hard to love.

Merry Christmas everyone!

And thanks so much for reading my blog.

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A Walk on the Mellow Side of Florida.

Florida is not my favorite place to visit. Too beastly hot. Too stinkin' humid. Too insanely crowded. And too many crazies all over the place. However, even Florida can occasionally have its placid moments of mellow beauty...mostly when it's cold and everyone is hibernating indoors. We visited Florida recently for a big family celebration and the weather there was about as chilly as it was in Michigan when we left!  Not that I mind. I prefer coolish temps to broiling heat and energy-zapping humidity any day. A sudden November cold snap (in the 50s) hustled most folks off the beaches. Unusually blustery winds churned the tranquil Gulf of Mexico into a roiling, rollicking surfer's paradise. Here are a few shots I captured off Englewood Beach near Venice, Florida.  

The Gulf of Mexico kicks up some righteous waves.

Rough surf and cool temps make for an uncrowded yet scenic day at the beach .

Vacant beach chairs look happy not to be hosting somebody's plump rump.

Surf's up, dude.  But nobody's around to hang ten.

Strolling home through a canopy of beach greenery.

Solitary lounge chair savors the peace and quiet.

Sunset over the Gulf of Mexico at 5000 feet up.

Sky high sunset is breathtaking over Gulf at Clearwater Beach.

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Holy Cyclone!

Recently, the Midwest section of the United States was hit with a vengeful and freakish storm. It was a violent October tempest with ferocious winds, battering rain and tornadoes. Extremely unusual for this time of year. Meteorologists dubbed it the Midwest Cyclone or the Great Lakes Cyclone. Newscasters reported that it was the second worst storm on record to hit the Midwest in the fall...ever! They said the bariatric pressure was the lowest in recorded weather history! And apparently that's not a good thing. Lucky for us, where we live in Michigan, we dodged a major bullet. The hurricane force winds...that raged for three days and nights nonstop... uprooted some trees and created 25 foot waves in Lake Michigan. But overall, we escaped the worst of the devil's destruction.

Yet, even in this fearsome weather rampage amidst tornado sirens wailing, people cowering in their basements and winds blowing off rooftops...there lurked a fascinating beauty. I was able to capture some of the awesome power of this rare cyclone-storm in the photos below...as tumultuous clouds bullied the skies over our neighborhood.

Holy cyclone. The storm is upon us!

Is this where the Wizard of Oz lives?

Is it just me or does that cloud resemble a giant rhinoceros about to attack?

OK, clouds. Now you're really scaring me.

Even in celestial fury, there is heavenly beauty. Cue the angels.

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The Cabbie and the Nun...a Halloween Tale

A cab driver picks up a nun. It's his last fare on a very dark, rainy night. Although she's cloaked in a black nun's habit, the cabbie can see she has an attractive face. 

Sitting in the back of the cab, the nun notices that the driver is intensely staring at her. 

Why are you staring at me?  the nun asks nervously. 

Oh, sister, he replies. I don't want to offend you.

Don't worry, my son, the nun assures him. Since I've been a nun, I've seen and heard just about everything. I'm sure there's nothing you could say that would offend me.

Well...says the driver. My greatest fantasy is to have a nun kiss me.

Hmmm, says the nun. Perhaps there's something I can do about that. But on two conditions: You must be Catholic and you must not be married. 

All excited, the cabbie says: Yes! I'm single and I'm Catholic. 

So the nun says: Alright then. Pull over and stop the cab. 

The cabbie slams on the brakes and quickly hops in the back seat. They embrace and the nun plants a great, big, honking, slobbering, tongue-tingling smoocheroo kiss on the cabbie's lips that sends quivers up and down his spine.

Then the driver gets back behind the wheel and they take off again. Suddenly the cabbie starts crying. 

My heavens, why are you crying?  the nun asks. 

Forgive me, sister, he confesses. I lied. I'm a married man and I'm not a Catholic.

No problem, the nun laughs. My name is Kevin and I'm on my way to a Halloween party. 

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

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Walmart Greeter Strikes Again

So after landing a job as a greeter at Walmart,

not a bad gig for retirees...

I only lasted for one day.

About two hours into the job, I encountered a very nasty, loud, unkempt, unfriendly and downright ugly woman. She was hauling two kids with her and was shouting obscenities as she entered the store. 

As pleasantly as I could, I said: 

"Good morning. Welcome to Walmart. 

Cute kids you have there. Are they twins?" 

She abruptly stopped yelling, turned to me in disgust and shot me an evil laser eye.

"Hell no. They ain't twins. One's seven and this here one's ten. What the devil makes you think they're twins? They don't look like twins. 

Are you blind or just plain stupid?"

So I replied as sweetly as possible: 

"Mam, I'm neither stupid nor blind. 

I just couldn't believe somebody slept with you twice. 

Have a nice day and thank you for 

shopping at Walmart."

               Another silly but could easily be true, tale from old Maxine.

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Weird Things to do with Pumpkins

Mt. Pumpkinmore in the great state of North Dakota.

Autumn is the season for pumpkins. What would Halloween be without scary Mr. Pumpkinhead on the front porch? We all know the usual stuff you can do with pumpkins. Jack-O-Lanterns, pumpkin pie, table decorations and so forth. But here are a few lesser known yet fascinating uses for our perennial, plump, pumpkin pals.

• Even as far back as colonial times, settlers came up with novel ideas for pumpkins. They used pumpkin halves as guides for hair cuts. Hmmm...they must've had really big heads back then.

• Rugs. Native American Indians cut pumpkin shells into strips, dried the pieces and used them to weave mats and rugs. Today that same process is used for making hair pieces for members of Congress.

• In Boulder, Colorado, townsfolk place carved pumpkins on their heads and run naked though the streets for the annual Naked Pumpkin Run.

• Pumpkins can actually float which is why Windsor, Nova Scotia holds a Pumpkin Paddling Regatta each fall. Participants gouge out giant pumpkins into "boats" and paddle them across a lake. Unfortunately, pumpkins cannot swim.

• In some cultures, pumpkins are used for removing freckles and curing snakebites. Snakes are afraid of pumpkins.

• Pumpkins can be mashed and brewed into beer...which tastes especially good with pumpkin chili.

• Pumpkins are sometimes used as a substitute for golf balls. They're easier to hit and provide welcome stress-relief on the course. The down side is they don't go very far.

• Another exciting pumpkin sport is a variation on lawn bowling. You need a big, steep hill for this game. Have one team of people stand at bottom of the hill. Line up a hundred pumpkins at the top of the hill. The starter team furiously rolls the pumpkins downhill aiming for as many opponents as possible.

• Pumpkins make colorful yard decorations and offer an amusing way to offend your neighbors.

• Pumpkin Chunkin' is a competition that involves hurling pumpkins into the air with medieval-looking catapults called trebuchets to see how far they "fly". The general rule is that the pumpkin must remain whole after leaving the device for it to count. Pumpkins that explode immediately upon firing are known as "pumpkin pie in the sky".

• Need a house in a hurry? Super-size pumpkins can be converted into cozy little bungalows. Peter Peter Pumpkin-Eater was awarded the first patent.

THE SMASHING END

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Relentless Courage

As I write this, the entire world is witnessing the dramatic rescue of those 33 miners in Chile as each one is slowly pulled from their dungeon nearly half mile under a mountain. They've been entombed in the bowels of the earth for 69 days. That's over two very long, terrifying months trapped together in a black, sweaty cavern. It's been reported that temperatures in the mine average about 90 degrees.

To me these men are an absolutely amazing example of courage under extreme adversity. They are by all accounts, unassuming, uneducated, blue collar laborers...who toil at a physically demanding, dirty and dangerous job...most likely for not much pay. For the first 17 days after the mine collapsed...they were huddled together...with no communication from the outside world whatsoever. That's nearly THREE weeks of wondering if anybody up there would ever rescue them. I can't even imagine what it must have been like in that dark, slimey pit with very little food or water. Wondering day after day after day for 17 days how long they could survive. I'm not sure I could have lasted even one week without going stark raving mad.

For the first 17 days...when no hope of salvation was imminent...the miners defied the odds. They did not panic. They did not lose hope. They did not turn on each other. They did not form survivor alliances and try to outsmart one another. Instead they formed a brotherhood of solidarity. They organized. They prayed. They remained calm and courageous. They rationed two teaspoons of tuna per man per day for 17 days...among 33 men. Incredible!

After 17 days in darkness, rescuers were finally able to bore a narrow hole down to the mine and communicate with the trapped men. Eventually workers began funneling down food, water and other necessities. Yet even then, the miners were informed that a rescue tunnel might not be completed until possibly Christmas. It was to be another 52 days before a hole wide enough for a narrow steel rescue capsule was drilled all the way to the miners' chamber. Yet through it all, the miners were upbeat, cheerful, optimistic, watchful over one another and brave.

THIS JUST IN: All 33 of the miners and their rescuers have been pulled up to joyously blinding daylight! And how about those 6 brave men who volunteered to go DOWN the hole in the untested capsule to assist with the operation? Now that's heroic! The Chilean rescue team with help, support and equipment from around the world, put aside personal differences and egos and worked with due diligence to save these humble yet noble miners. The entire operation was executed with precision, swiftness and flawless ingenuity. The jubilant and successful outcome is truly a testament to the power of faith, fortitude, love of your fellow man, humility, compassion, persistence, tenacity and above all...relentless courage. Sphere: Related Content

Long-lost Friends Don't Die...They Resurface on Facebook

It's been a long, long time since my elementary and high school days. The crazy thing is that I still remember most of the names of the kids I attended school with way back in the BC Age (before computer). Names...and...faces of those classmates from so long ago readily surface to my memory if ever a mention of them pops up. I think most of us have this same weird selective kind of memory. If somebody ever asked me: "Hey, remember Petie O'Brien from 7th grade?" Instantly, an image of a cute Irish boy with red curly hair and an impish grin would surface on my brain. Petie was friendly and sweet and popular with the girls and used to hang out at the A&W Rootbeer stand. And occasionally, he'd smile at me.


I'm thinking about all this now because over the past year, I've happily reconnected with numerous old classmates on Facebook. Even met up in person with a group of long-lost girlfriends at a mini-reunion this past summer. Up til then, I really had no inclination to recollect about high school days, much less...grade school. That period of my life has been off my radar screen for 40 years. But these days, social networking sites have an eerie way of jettisoning our long-dismissed past smack up to the full frontal present.


So it is, that old school mates seldom die. Instead they resurface on Facebook. I haven't thought about Petie O'Brien for decades and suddenly this week, a photo of Petie flashes across my Facebook wall. It's like being catapulted into another world. My long-lost world of YOUTH.  Is this a good thing or a malevolent techno nightmare? Personally, I think it's more a matter of curiosity than anything else. After all, isn't it kind of sweet to learn that the ugly duckling, shy, young girl back in ninth grade has now become an award-winning, successful business woman and glam fem fatal? Or ain't it a hoot to find out that some of those snooty, stuck-up high school brats who shoved us aside in the halls have finally got their comeuppance? Take the once svelte, hot lips, back-stabbing cheerleader who could snag any guy she wanted. Frankly, I'm doing the happy dance knowing that over the years she's morphed into an obese, thrice divorced, wrinkled old hag living in a trailer in south Florida, hawking plastic alligators and socks at the weekend flea market.


Recently, I was pleasantly surprised to receive a catchy email from Will, a tall, devilishly handsome, former classmate who demonstrated remarkable brilliance and humor in high school Spanish class. Turns out he reads my blog and was responding to one of my posts. Out of the blue his name appeared on my screen. And without hesitation, I remembered him. Like no time had passed at all. If only I could just as easily recall where I put my reading glasses.


Of course today, we all look different. We're older. Wrinkled. Rusty, dusty, even musty. Different hair color. Some have no hair. Many of us have been physically reshaped for better or for worse. We're accomplished. We're experienced. We're parents and grandparents and a few great-grands. We've been to war, some to jail. We've had exciting careers and intriguing lives and fascinating adventures. We've traveled, captained our own sailboats and flown our own planes. While I and many others have lived all over the country, a good number chose to remain close to home. We've weaved our lives into different patterns. Some more intricate than others. Yet our joys and sorrows have probably been similar. Collectively, we're wiser and I bet a whole lot kinder and nicer than we were back in high school. 


Which brings me to the subject of bullying, especially cyberbullying...by college kids, high schoolers and even grade school kids. I find it horrifying. I worry about my own grandchildren and I wonder what frightening tribulations and outlandish ordeals they will have to endure when they become school age. I'd be lost without my computer now. But I'm actually glad computers weren't around when I was in school. True, we lacked the immediate information gratification that the computer age engenders. But our generation did not have to deal with the complications, humiliations and ramifications of online threats, personal attacks, confrontations, hate and intolerance horrors faced by computer savvy young people today. Without a doubt, we  had our teenage angst and dramas back then. Yet overall, I think our class for the most part, was an extremely decent, good, honorable, smart, responsible and compassionate group who grew into productive adults. That's not to say we didn't have problems. I was even bullied by some mean girls. But I never thought of it as "bullying". No one gave it a label. Luckily I survived. I never told anyone. But I never forgot it. Nor have I forgotten the name of the person who instigated it. And thanks to Facebook, I know where she lives........

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Fall on the Farm

There's just something extraordinary about a Fall day in the country...especially when it comes on the heels of a warm, humid summer. Crisp, refreshingly chilled air, heavenly blue skies, vivid colors of reds and oranges and yellows. Pumpkins, apples, fresh cider, glorious autumn leaves and giant flower pots overflowing with crysanthemums. The old farmsteads come alive with corn mazes, hay rides and harvest stands. Without a doubt, Fall is my favorite time of year. Here are a few glimpses of a recent visit to the countryside.

Century old barn stands in glory under cobalt blue skies.

Ancient weathered barn...if those walls could talk.

Nerdy scarecrow oversees the apple harvest.

Hey you lazy pumpkins...look lively now...customers are coming!

Why do they paint barns red?

Old school weather vane meets high tech cell tower as a cluster of gourds look on.

Yummm....apple pie, apple cider, apple strudel......

The pumpkins huddle together to plot their escape.

Ya, I'm a llama and I'm the boss of this place. You gotta problem with that?

You lookin at me?  Scram.

 

                                                 THE END

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