Birthday Posies

Kadie gave me beautiful flowers for my birthday. 

The tulips kept growing and growing.

DUCKS

HA!  Gwen gave me the coolest Ducky tea infuser.  He cracks me up.  Also, he is really easy to use and clean. 

The Coolest Neighbors in the Hood

I sometimes see a thin bearded gentleman in a ski hat and puffy coat walking with his dog's leash thrown over his shoulder.  The heavy tension on the leash gives a subtle incline to his stride.

The dog lumbers along behind looking like he could just take a nap anywhere and now, ocassionally freezing in mule-like obstinance.  The man gives an extra lean forward and if needed scolds the dog to keep him moving.

But most of the time the man's eyes are set forward, though in his expression is the look of distraction, like he is contemplating heavily on a dream or maybe his is still in it. 

Their "dance" gives me smile, and makes me wonder if there are charming and amusing steps unknowlingly choreographed into my day.  

March Pumpkin

Last fall the farmer's wife gave me this big green pumpkin with instructions she was passing on from one of her customers.  "Just let it sit around until it turns orange - about mid February, and then bake it."  Well, I did just that.  After baking I gleaned an overwhelming 19 cups of flesh which drained off about six cups of water.  I have made yummy pumpkin bars, twice. 

After the long ripening of the pumpkin and reading the Long Winter, it occurred to me that the seasons for eating certain foods might not be what we think.  We designate pumpkin eating for the months of October - December, but in reality pumpkin eating could and should go October into late spring.  

I froze the pumpkin, because I don't have a pressure cooker to can with.

Sweet Birthday

 Jacob's birthday was Saturday.  I took him and his family to a sugar shack just about four miles from their house. 

Farmer Bob and the Maple syrup hopper

Farmer/syrup distiller Bob Emery has been making maple syrup in Lenawee County for thirty years.  In spite of his lengthy history and news articles he is still a bit of an unknown in the area.   Although the farmer's operation is "hobby sized" and involves little advertising outside of a sign on Tipton Hwy, lack of public recognition for his craft falls on the shoulders of locals who can't imagine the region has the resources to support this craft. 

Things I learned at the sugar shack.

A hydrometer is used to measure the density of the the syrup.  The syrup is complete when the water is boiled off and the sugar syrup is condensed to 11 lbs per gallon.

When the maples are tapped the liquid (which is mostly water) is sterile as it comes out of the tree.  Some maple syrup producers allow the liquid to freeze; separating the sugar liquid from the water.  This is helpful in reducing the amount of energy needed to boil down the liquid.  Wood is burned to provide the heat. 

The craft of making maple syrup originated with the Native Americans.  It is a labor intensive process and not economical to make at home on the stove top. 

 I don't remember who I told me about Mr. Emery, but I do remember being told and being curious to learn more.
One of my favorite things I saw in the sugar shack was a board with examples of taps.  Every little spigot was designed differently making them look like tiny bits of curious artwork.



The chain of events that supported my interest in maple syrup . . .

In the fall when I was working at the A2 Farmer's Market, farmer Jake swapped maple syrup for produce.  A few weeks later I made sweet potato pies with Karo syrup but thought using maple syrup would be interesting.  After the first of the year I decided I would try to read more Newberry Honor books.  I found the Newberry Honor, Miracles on Maple Hill at a thrift store for fifty cents.  I was reading the book.  Before I was finished with the book I had a conversation with a friend in which I said that parents have forgotten that they are their children's first and most important teacher, this includes academic, historical and cultural teachers.   Holy Smokes!  The last few chapters of the book were about staying home from school to make maple syrup and the local truant officer and superintendent supporting the idea. When I think about teaching my own children I think about our fun and nearly free adventures. 

I was having a difficult time figuring out what to get Jacob for his birthday.  I investigated local maple syrup producers. On Saturday I got lucky and caught farmer Bob at the sugar shack.  This adventure was not free because I bought Jacob (and myself) some Maple syrup, but considering the education we received we did well.

Jake shares his birthday with Dr. Seuss, so Brandy made green eggs and ham for his birthday breakfast.  Next year I bet they have green eggs, ham and birthday Hot cake with syrup. 

The Joy of Film

Today it is "Oscar Night," when the Academy Awards are celebrated globally.  It is a night of drama when the work force of the film industry puts on a glamorous and noble persona. 

When Oscar season comes around I always feel this sense of shame at society's fascination and preoccupation with the community of film making and its art.  I'm confident that there are many films that deserve recognition, although I'm equally as confident that many notable works go unrecognized.  While the Academy's voting process seems to be democratic, it's more than an opinion to say that the jury voting doesn't always give just recognition.  Sometimes awards are given based on who you are, who you know, and how much money your film made. 

When Oscar season comes around I am reminded by how much the public is a worshipper of the movie industry.  I have funny and embarrassing testimonials of star "swooning,"  which I'm glad I had because it reminds me of how powerful the imagination is, how the power of imagination can be manipulated by other's, and how the imagination should be exercised and trained to do and bring about good.  Imagining Good is the forst step at creating good.

I don't know why, perhaps science and religion could explain, but the celebrity created by the film and music industries have an easy route in achieving "obsessive preoccupation" in the imagination.  This can lead to blind, ignorant, and dangerous reverence for the habits and beliefs of celebrities.  I try to tread carefully through and around all things related to the film industry. We all should.

Films can be good forms of brief escapism, but it's better to live your own story.


Today I want to share some joyful discoveries I have had with film.

If you haven't seen as digitally remaster version (I'm sure blue ray is even better) of the Wizard of OZ DO IT!  Remastering has really brought new life to the story. 

Tributes to the early days of film:
The Artist
The Magic of Melies - documentary about Geoges Melies (the father of special effects) by Jacques Meny
The Lost Garden - a documentary about the first woman filmmaker Alice Guy-Blache by Marguise Lapage.  Guy-Blache's personal story is filled with lessons.

Holy Blue Blossoming

The color blue has been a source of contemplation for awhile.  I respect blue, but would have a hard time living in a blue house with a strong blue decor.  I don't have a lot of blue clothes, but I am always looking for something the "right color" of blue. 

There is such a color as Holy Blue - it comes in a variety of shades and hues.  Maybe I should say blue can have a kind of holiness about it, suggesting the prescence of Divinity. 

And then . . . these lovely objects were given to me by Gwen and Mike.  They are earthy, sacral, and elegant.  They were made by Theresa Gong.  I have admired Gong's work for sometime (thanks to Gwen).  But even before knowing of Gong's work I have loved the look of beautifully executed sgraffito.  At Adrian College I once made a blue and white sgraffito vase.  It combined my two favorite ceramic techniques: hand building and sgraffito.  But it lacked the skillfulness I admire so I got rid of it. 

The blue decoration, on the tea pot and cups of water dwelling dragonflies seems like intracate lacework or papercutting.  The representation of dragon flies, I think, tells a lot about the maker/artist, the giver,  and the recipient of these lovely objects.  Change.  Completed development. Life is art, lived in full expression, in spite of the environment.  (This reminds me of Academy award nominated documentary "Inocente" which is a coming of age tale about a young artist.)

When I make tea in the pot and drink it from the cup the three of us - maker, giver, reciever are communing together. 

Scarlett Blooming

I have been in the midst of a season when things of a scarlet or tomato red color are seen on my path. 

I found a tomato colored Pendelton blazer, a sweater, and a tea cup at different times at different thrift stores.  Scarlet red items I already own have popped into my line of vision like the tiny cookie cutter man; others have been utilized like the frame converted into a cork board and my granny's old enameled stove top peculator came out because I contaminated my electric one. 

I've had a difficult time finding a word or description for these kinds of subtly linked occurrences.  But I think the terms "blooming" or "mushrooming" do a good job of inferring an unforced organic process. 
I don't really mind the term "springing up" but it is overused.  

I like the metaphor of wild flowers or mushrooms appearing up on "my path."  I especially like mushrooming because it suggests something to be "tasted" or experienced rather than just seen and smelt.  Also, a member of the Honey Mushroom family is the largest living organism in the world (Oregon).  The fungus's base is about 2.5 square miles, allowing connected sprouts of mushrooms to appear over great distances.  There is space in a mushrooming.  ("Spaces" between words, time and location has been as blossoming concept too. And another connection, I ran into baby Grace Blossom the other day).

Even if I am rushed or consumed by stress and anxiety I am able (and willing) to recognize a connecting thread between objects, words, stories and events (I think this is a spiritual gift).  It's VERY easy to dismiss, walk right past, or even infer too much meaning in a "blossoming." Generally, I don't try to decipher any meaning although they are most defiantly messages to store in my mind. 

I approach it like I am talking to the cat (Tigers have been on my mind too).  My cat talks to me.  I don't really understand "cat," but I know what she is feeling.  She uses her voice to get my attention and over time I have grown to understand her habits and needs.  When there seems to be a pattern blooming it gets my attention, but there is no need to force understanding; I will grow to understand the purpose of its habit over time. 

Another blossoming concept "recognize and experience what is good."