Have you ever looked up at the sky at night? If you live someplace where it's really dark, it's an amazing sight. Just this morning when I was walking my dog while it was still dark I looked up, and there in the sky was an old friend. The constellation Orion the Hunter, was right there with his trusty dogs right behind him. When I was younger I discovered Orion, hunting across the winter sky. In the fall he appears in the early morning in the southwest sky - at least this is when I typically find him. In the winter, he hunts in the evening and by spring, he is back to the morning, heading northwest. I find it amazing that when I glance up there at him I feel as if I am seeing an old friend. He was the first constellation that I taught my daughter to find, followed by his sky mates, the Seven Sisters, & the Big and Little Dipper. We know them all now.
Back in the days of the European explorers, they used the constellations to guide their way. Prince Henry of Portugal the most famous of them. Given the name Prince Henry the Navigator he learned to use the stars to guide his way. He developed maps and navigational instruments, some of which are still used today. Can you imagine being on the open sea and not really knowing which direction you are going? Back in those days it was believed that the earth was flat and that they might sail right off the edge. Those were also the days that many people believed in sea monsters. The stars were a gift to those early explorers. They could tell exactly where they were at any time just by looking up.
When I lived in Virginia, I didn't have to drive very far to have the sky light up before me. Back in those days I drove a convertible red Jeep Wrangler. I would wait for dark and put the top down on my Jeep. I'd drive a little south and a little east of where I lived where there was a great state park. I'd take a snack and watch the deer jump the fences in the moonlight and then I'd look up. What an amazement! There was the milky way laid out before me - a river of stars twinkling like tiny diamonds. Just like the song. I'd put a little Dave Matthews Band in the CD player and there you are a perfect night. Listening to Dave and staring in wonder at the galaxy.
It's still amazing to me when I look up and see the stars and the heavens twinkling as they have for centuries since time began. I am always reminded of the creation story in the Bible. Can't you just picture God, the creator of everything opening up his hand and tossing the stars in the sky just like glitter. Instead of the glitter falling to earth, it just stuck in the inky blackness of the night sky, forming the milky way and all of the constellations that have fascinated mankind for all of our history here on earth. I believe it was the Greeks and Romans who found their gods in the stars. They made up stories to account for their movement across the sky. Little did they know that it was actually the earth's rotation seemingly moving the constellations across the sky. Still an amazement to me.
Every now and then I get on Google Earth and look at the photos of our country taken from a satellite out in space and it is amazing to me when I look at those pictures how much light is emitted from our cities and towns. It almost looks like the heavens on earth. What's even more amazing is that we can even see the stars at all. It's almost as if we need it to be as light at night as it is during the day. I could see it if our cars didn't have headlights, but they do and darned good ones at that. Luckily here in The Great State of Oregon there are still lots of wide open dark spaces. Portland is our largest city and all you have to do is get just outside the city limits in any direction and you can find yourself in the pitch black darkness.
I would encourage anybody old or young, to grab a towel, a blanket or a lounge chair and head for a wide open dark spot. Lay down and look up. I promise you will be amazed by what you see! Just so you know Dave Matthews goes great with the stars especially his Under the Table and Dreaming CD with the hit "Satellite" a re work of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. Enjoy the view it is indeed breath taking. Cheers!
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
The Three Mothers
Today I had a wonderful conversation with two of my great friends. We are three mothers of daughters, all only children. Annie is married and the mother of Rachel, a sophomore in high school. Kristin is a single mom and she is the mother of Kaitlyn a senior in high school. Then there's me, single mother of Kaysie who is in the 6th grade. All three of us love our daughters deeply, and all of them are at different stages in their lives, but all of us are feeling like time is so short and is flying by quicker than we care to think about.
Kristin is getting ready to watch her daughter move to the next stage of her life. The college choices are getting narrowed down, and her daughter is starting to be more and more independent of her mom. One of her college choices is far away from home and another a lot closer. From what I gathered my good friend Kristin would never tell Kaitlyn not to go to the far away college, but yet she would secretly be very happy if she were to pick the one that is closer to home. Just to have a few more years of her needing mom - even if it's just for laundry and a good home cooked meal. Kristin was gracious enough to share her beloved Kaitlyn with me this summer as a nanny for my daughter. It was a pleasure getting to know her. She and my Kaysie had a lot in common and were great companions. She is the kind of teenager I want Kaysie to be, well rounded, responsible, and thoughtful of others.
Annie and her husband are watching her daughter Rachel come into her own as an independent young woman. This year she traveled to a cross country meet at Stanford University down in California, without either of them. I have known Rachel since she was about 6 years old. I remember when she first played soccer and basketball, rode her first horse and went to outdoor school. Rachel was like me, she never was far away from mom and dad, but now she's a young woman who is stepping out into her teens with grace and poise. I have always looked to Annie and Rachel as a window on what the next steps for Kaysie and myself might be. Annie, you have always been very generous with your stories, and I am so grateful for that. What a gift that has been to this single mom. Thank you both.
This year my Kaysie started middle school, and I was panic stricken. I was worried about everything, bullying (cyber and otherwise), mean girls, hormones, 8th grade boys, you name it, I laid awake worrying about it over the summer. I did however, spend a great deal of time "investing" in my daughter. I started a new job over the summer and it allowed me to be more "present and more of a presence" in her life. Not that I wasn't before, now it was just different because the stress of work had fallen away and I was able to relax at home. We took a week off, just the two of us, and played and went to the pool, we cooked and went on little day trips to OMSI, the zoo, the Oregon Coast, and just enjoyed being a family. I wanted her to know how much I loved her and that I would always have her back no matter what. I feel like Middle School is such a vulnerable time for a young girl. So much is changing, there has to be a constant someplace. I want that constant to be me, her mom.
Through our conversation today the other two mothers and I agreed that we are indeed the "constant" in our daughters lives, and I think all of us would agree that we hope that never changes. We love our girls deeply. When we have raised them up and they have left us, we will be confident that the world is getting the best of ourselves three confident, independent young women. Our children are a gift we are given that we are not meant to keep, we just borrow them for a short time, and I know three mothers who are making the most of it. Cheers!
Kristin is getting ready to watch her daughter move to the next stage of her life. The college choices are getting narrowed down, and her daughter is starting to be more and more independent of her mom. One of her college choices is far away from home and another a lot closer. From what I gathered my good friend Kristin would never tell Kaitlyn not to go to the far away college, but yet she would secretly be very happy if she were to pick the one that is closer to home. Just to have a few more years of her needing mom - even if it's just for laundry and a good home cooked meal. Kristin was gracious enough to share her beloved Kaitlyn with me this summer as a nanny for my daughter. It was a pleasure getting to know her. She and my Kaysie had a lot in common and were great companions. She is the kind of teenager I want Kaysie to be, well rounded, responsible, and thoughtful of others.
Annie and her husband are watching her daughter Rachel come into her own as an independent young woman. This year she traveled to a cross country meet at Stanford University down in California, without either of them. I have known Rachel since she was about 6 years old. I remember when she first played soccer and basketball, rode her first horse and went to outdoor school. Rachel was like me, she never was far away from mom and dad, but now she's a young woman who is stepping out into her teens with grace and poise. I have always looked to Annie and Rachel as a window on what the next steps for Kaysie and myself might be. Annie, you have always been very generous with your stories, and I am so grateful for that. What a gift that has been to this single mom. Thank you both.
This year my Kaysie started middle school, and I was panic stricken. I was worried about everything, bullying (cyber and otherwise), mean girls, hormones, 8th grade boys, you name it, I laid awake worrying about it over the summer. I did however, spend a great deal of time "investing" in my daughter. I started a new job over the summer and it allowed me to be more "present and more of a presence" in her life. Not that I wasn't before, now it was just different because the stress of work had fallen away and I was able to relax at home. We took a week off, just the two of us, and played and went to the pool, we cooked and went on little day trips to OMSI, the zoo, the Oregon Coast, and just enjoyed being a family. I wanted her to know how much I loved her and that I would always have her back no matter what. I feel like Middle School is such a vulnerable time for a young girl. So much is changing, there has to be a constant someplace. I want that constant to be me, her mom.
Through our conversation today the other two mothers and I agreed that we are indeed the "constant" in our daughters lives, and I think all of us would agree that we hope that never changes. We love our girls deeply. When we have raised them up and they have left us, we will be confident that the world is getting the best of ourselves three confident, independent young women. Our children are a gift we are given that we are not meant to keep, we just borrow them for a short time, and I know three mothers who are making the most of it. Cheers!
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
The Half-Full Glass: The Simple Things
The Half-Full Glass: The Simple Things: I am a firm believer that the simple things in life are the best things. Tonight was one of those nights that reinforced that thinking...
Monday, September 26, 2011
The Simple Things
I am a firm believer that the simple things in life are the best things. Tonight was one of those nights that reinforced that thinking. It wasn't an especially busy night at our house, but the simplicity of it was wonderful. My daughter is running cross country for the first time and we went out together for a short run. I haven't run in a year because of my injury last fall. I'm finally ready to step out again and it was great slipping on my running shoes and heading out for my favorite form of exercise. I run in all kinds of weather so the soft sprinkles of rain were welcome. My daughter learned first hand the pleasure of a rain shower during our outing. We finished off our little work out with a trip up to our fitness room and she worked the kinks out of her legs with a few weight training exercises and some deep stretches. Nothing fancy - just mother daughter quality time.
Anyone who knows me will tell you that one of my favorite places to go on Saturday morning is the farmer's market. Even if I don't buy a thing, I love going and looking at all the beautiful veggies and perusing the food carts and seeing friends and neighbors. This week I purchased 3 pounds of Gravenstien apples specifically for home made apple sauce. Tonight was the night. My daughter kept me company as I peeled and chopped up the apples. While they cooked we watched our favorite football team, the Washington Redskins, battle their mortal enemies the Dallas Cowboys, and ate pizza and salad for dinner. The smell of the apple sauce simmering on the stove was heavenly. The cinnamon and brown sugar combined with the fresh scent of ripe apples made our house come alive with the scent of autumn. What could be better than that?
As I sit here now in the quiet of the late evening I'm very grateful for the simple things that I often take for granted. I have a wonderful little family and we love each other a lot. We tell each other that at least a hundred times a day and sometimes it still doesn't seem like enough. We live in a nice little apartment and I have a nice car. Nothing fancy, but nice enough to make life seem wonderfully simple.
Cheers!
Anyone who knows me will tell you that one of my favorite places to go on Saturday morning is the farmer's market. Even if I don't buy a thing, I love going and looking at all the beautiful veggies and perusing the food carts and seeing friends and neighbors. This week I purchased 3 pounds of Gravenstien apples specifically for home made apple sauce. Tonight was the night. My daughter kept me company as I peeled and chopped up the apples. While they cooked we watched our favorite football team, the Washington Redskins, battle their mortal enemies the Dallas Cowboys, and ate pizza and salad for dinner. The smell of the apple sauce simmering on the stove was heavenly. The cinnamon and brown sugar combined with the fresh scent of ripe apples made our house come alive with the scent of autumn. What could be better than that?
As I sit here now in the quiet of the late evening I'm very grateful for the simple things that I often take for granted. I have a wonderful little family and we love each other a lot. We tell each other that at least a hundred times a day and sometimes it still doesn't seem like enough. We live in a nice little apartment and I have a nice car. Nothing fancy, but nice enough to make life seem wonderfully simple.
Cheers!
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Dream the Dream
Let go of the past and go for the future. Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you imagined. - Henry David Thoreau
Isnt' this what Oprah has been telling us for years? Every so often Mr. Thoreau pops into my life. He has long been a favorite author of mine. I think the two of us must have some connection in a past life. I found this quote on facebook on one of my favorite pages Positively Positive. It's funny because on my way to the farmers' market this morning I was thinking about the future - my dream house to be exact. Delilah was talking about picking apples on her farm last night on her radio show and her farm is her favorite place to be. I decided a long time ago that I wanted a favorite place to be too. I love our little apartment, but it's not mine, it belongs to someone else. We need new carpet - bad, but I can't buy it so instead, I've covered up the carpet with area rugs; my daughter would love to paint her room, but she can't, so we hung up posters. I would love to have a bigger kitchen with pretty cabinets, but I'm making do with what I've got. Maybe if I hadn't been so careless in the past, financially, our dream house might be more of a reality. And that's sad. Then there's Mr. Thoreau - popping up on my facebook news flashes.
He's telling me to let go of the past, and go for it. I think to myself, good grief I just bought a new car! I can't add a house to that too, so I'm thinking about a compromise. I'm going to give our "cozy" little apartment a little while longer. But I'm going to start going "confidently in the direction of my dream." I was blessed with a generous gift recently from my dad, and my daughter and I talked about it and we decided that the gift should go towards our dream of a "favorite place to be." Somehow, I'm going to keep adding to it every month, and maybe before I know it, that dream will indeed be a reality. My hope is that it is here in the Northwest where I am meant to be and have come to call my home.
So thanks Mr. Thoreau, you give me a gift every time you waltz into my life through your many wonderful words. One of these days I will certainly be "living the life I have imagined" digging in my own garden, playing with my beloved dogs and letting my daughter see that dreams can come true with a little hard work. Cheers!
Isnt' this what Oprah has been telling us for years? Every so often Mr. Thoreau pops into my life. He has long been a favorite author of mine. I think the two of us must have some connection in a past life. I found this quote on facebook on one of my favorite pages Positively Positive. It's funny because on my way to the farmers' market this morning I was thinking about the future - my dream house to be exact. Delilah was talking about picking apples on her farm last night on her radio show and her farm is her favorite place to be. I decided a long time ago that I wanted a favorite place to be too. I love our little apartment, but it's not mine, it belongs to someone else. We need new carpet - bad, but I can't buy it so instead, I've covered up the carpet with area rugs; my daughter would love to paint her room, but she can't, so we hung up posters. I would love to have a bigger kitchen with pretty cabinets, but I'm making do with what I've got. Maybe if I hadn't been so careless in the past, financially, our dream house might be more of a reality. And that's sad. Then there's Mr. Thoreau - popping up on my facebook news flashes.
He's telling me to let go of the past, and go for it. I think to myself, good grief I just bought a new car! I can't add a house to that too, so I'm thinking about a compromise. I'm going to give our "cozy" little apartment a little while longer. But I'm going to start going "confidently in the direction of my dream." I was blessed with a generous gift recently from my dad, and my daughter and I talked about it and we decided that the gift should go towards our dream of a "favorite place to be." Somehow, I'm going to keep adding to it every month, and maybe before I know it, that dream will indeed be a reality. My hope is that it is here in the Northwest where I am meant to be and have come to call my home.
So thanks Mr. Thoreau, you give me a gift every time you waltz into my life through your many wonderful words. One of these days I will certainly be "living the life I have imagined" digging in my own garden, playing with my beloved dogs and letting my daughter see that dreams can come true with a little hard work. Cheers!
Dream the Dream
Let go of the past and go for the future. Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you imagined. - Henry David Thoreau
Isnt' this what Oprah has been telling us for years? Every so often Mr. Thoreau pops into my life. He has long been a favorite author of mine. I think the two of us must have some connection in a past life. I found this quote on facebook on one of my favorite pages Positively Positive. It's funny because on my way to the farmers' market this morning I was thinking about the future - my dream house to be exact. Delilah was talking about picking apples on her farm last night on her radio show and her farm is her favorite place to be. I decided a long time ago that I wanted a favorite place to be too. I love our little apartment, but it's not mine, it belongs to someone else. We need new carpet - bad, but I can't buy it so instead, I've covered up the carpet with area rugs; my daughter would love to paint her room, but she can't, so we hung up posters. I would love to have a bigger kitchen with pretty cabinets, but I'm making do with what I've got. Maybe if I hadn't been so careless in the past, financially, our dream house might be more of a reality. And that's sad. Then there's Mr. Thoreau - popping up on my facebook news flashes.
He's telling me to let go of the past, and go for it. I think to myself, good grief I just bought a new car! I can't add a house to that too, so I'm thinking about a compromise. I'm going to give our "cozy" little apartment a little while longer. But I'm going to start going "confidently in the direction of my dream." I was blessed with a generous gift recently from my dad, and my daughter and I talked about it and we decided that the gift should go towards our dream of a "favorite place to be." Somehow, I'm going to keep adding to it every month, and maybe before I know it, that dream will indeed be a reality. My hope is that it is here in the Northwest where I am meant to be and have come to call my home.
So thanks Mr. Thoreau, you give me a gift every time you waltz into my life through your many wonderful words. One of these days I will certainly be "living the life I have imagined" digging in my own garden, playing with my beloved dogs and letting my daughter see that dreams can come true with a little hard work. Cheers!
Isnt' this what Oprah has been telling us for years? Every so often Mr. Thoreau pops into my life. He has long been a favorite author of mine. I think the two of us must have some connection in a past life. I found this quote on facebook on one of my favorite pages Positively Positive. It's funny because on my way to the farmers' market this morning I was thinking about the future - my dream house to be exact. Delilah was talking about picking apples on her farm last night on her radio show and her farm is her favorite place to be. I decided a long time ago that I wanted a favorite place to be too. I love our little apartment, but it's not mine, it belongs to someone else. We need new carpet - bad, but I can't buy it so instead, I've covered up the carpet with area rugs; my daughter would love to paint her room, but she can't, so we hung up posters. I would love to have a bigger kitchen with pretty cabinets, but I'm making do with what I've got. Maybe if I hadn't been so careless in the past, financially, our dream house might be more of a reality. And that's sad. Then there's Mr. Thoreau - popping up on my facebook news flashes.
He's telling me to let go of the past, and go for it. I think to myself, good grief I just bought a new car! I can't add a house to that too, so I'm thinking about a compromise. I'm going to give our "cozy" little apartment a little while longer. But I'm going to start going "confidently in the direction of my dream." I was blessed with a generous gift recently from my dad, and my daughter and I talked about it and we decided that the gift should go towards our dream of a "favorite place to be." Somehow, I'm going to keep adding to it every month, and maybe before I know it, that dream will indeed be a reality. My hope is that it is here in the Northwest where I am meant to be and have come to call my home.
So thanks Mr. Thoreau, you give me a gift every time you waltz into my life through your many wonderful words. One of these days I will certainly be "living the life I have imagined" digging in my own garden, playing with my beloved dogs and letting my daughter see that dreams can come true with a little hard work. Cheers!
Friday, September 23, 2011
Birthdays and Friends
Friends and birthdays go together just like ice cream and cake. Today was my birthday and I heard from all of my friends. To me that's pretty amazing because I live in Oregon and most of my friends live in or near my home town of Lewes, DE. In a few weeks we will be gathered back there for our 30th High School Reunion. And I'm looking forward to it. Although, I have to say that it seems like 30 years was a long time ago. Are we really that old? Shoot, when we were seniors 50 seemed so far away and for me it's a little closer than I would like it to be (365 days to be exact). In this modern age of Facebook and the internet those 30 years just disappear and we are all 17 again. That's how I remember my high school friends. I thumb through my yearbook and I look at all of us "back in the day". We were so young and full of hope and promise, and really not that much has changed. When I get to my picture I tend to be a little over critical of the adult me. I'm still that girl in the picture. Just older, and I hope, a whole lot wiser. But that girl that was so full of fun and adventure is still a big part of who I am. My mother sent me the best birthday card. It said ". . . you dance to your own wonderful beat. You don't follow the crowd, you follow your heart." Only your mother can send you that card, because she is the one who knows you best. And yes, every word is true. I made my own path. It hasn't always been easy, but my friends have supported me, and held me up and been there for me. When I scrolled down my facebook page today I looked at who had sent me messages. There were friends there who represented different parts of my life and who still live where I knew them as well as friends that I have here in my new home. It makes you feel very grateful when you scroll down the list and see who checked in.
There are some quotes I'd like to share here regarding your friends. One is by Ralph Waldo Emerson and is probably one of my favorites. He says that "A friend may well be reckoned the masterpiece of nautre." Another author is unknown says "A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words." I love both of those quotes because all of the people that I hold near and dear to me qualify for both. I think of my childhood friends when I think of the second quote. We went through so much growing up. Climbing trees, riding bikes, playing softball, Jr. High, first loves, divorcing parents, driving, eating pizza, visiting colleges, and moving into our adulthood, some more gracefully than others. But at the lowest times in my life, those were the people that sang back to me when I was lost and needed to remember the words of the song so I could get back on the right path. Mr Emerson helps me to remember and appreciate all that I have. When I adopted my daughter I met a group of the most amazing women I had ever known. Nearly 12 years later we are still friends and our girls refer to each other as "the Chinese Cousins." Like my childhood friends they are a masterpiece and I treasure each and everyone of them. There have been other people in my life that when I see them it's like we have never missed a beat and we pick right up where we left off. We don't see each other all that often, but they are special to me too, and I heard from all of them today too.
It's amazing when you have a birthday how special you feel. My dad always sends me a special card and this year I learned I'm not too old to be Daddy's little girl. That's pretty great. You are only as old as you feel and pretty much I'm still 17 with about 33 years of practice. It gets me in trouble now and again, but why quit now. I'm getting pretty good at 17! Thanks again to all of you who sent me birthday wishes - not too shabby for someone who isn't going to have any more birthdays! I'm quitting while I'm still young! Cheers!
There are some quotes I'd like to share here regarding your friends. One is by Ralph Waldo Emerson and is probably one of my favorites. He says that "A friend may well be reckoned the masterpiece of nautre." Another author is unknown says "A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words." I love both of those quotes because all of the people that I hold near and dear to me qualify for both. I think of my childhood friends when I think of the second quote. We went through so much growing up. Climbing trees, riding bikes, playing softball, Jr. High, first loves, divorcing parents, driving, eating pizza, visiting colleges, and moving into our adulthood, some more gracefully than others. But at the lowest times in my life, those were the people that sang back to me when I was lost and needed to remember the words of the song so I could get back on the right path. Mr Emerson helps me to remember and appreciate all that I have. When I adopted my daughter I met a group of the most amazing women I had ever known. Nearly 12 years later we are still friends and our girls refer to each other as "the Chinese Cousins." Like my childhood friends they are a masterpiece and I treasure each and everyone of them. There have been other people in my life that when I see them it's like we have never missed a beat and we pick right up where we left off. We don't see each other all that often, but they are special to me too, and I heard from all of them today too.
It's amazing when you have a birthday how special you feel. My dad always sends me a special card and this year I learned I'm not too old to be Daddy's little girl. That's pretty great. You are only as old as you feel and pretty much I'm still 17 with about 33 years of practice. It gets me in trouble now and again, but why quit now. I'm getting pretty good at 17! Thanks again to all of you who sent me birthday wishes - not too shabby for someone who isn't going to have any more birthdays! I'm quitting while I'm still young! Cheers!
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