Lunch With my Friend

All my woman friends are strong people. My admiration for these wonderful ladies is endless. They are survivors of life. All are in their 50's or 60's and they have all had trials that rival a best selling American novel. I have known most of them for many, many years.

By Sunday of last week my son was doing better and my daughter-in-law was home, so I decided to play hookie and go see my friend C in Sacramento for the day. I had called her and planned a visit a few days before. She lives in a gated complex in what is called The Pocket, near the Sacramento River. It's a beautiful apartment complex with a lake and ducks. She has a small deck that faces the water, lots of trees and the ability to make a small one bedroom apartment into a charming, peaceful and lovely home.
All the shells (in the photos above) are from places that she has lived, mostly the Mendocino Coast, and she always has them tucked on shelves and laying on the edges of her deck railing. To me they are a symbol of my friend "C's" gift of simplicity; the "less is more" quality of her life. She is the master of the beautiful arrangement. She has her own photos(black and white) of places that she has visited, mostly in Europe, that she has elegantly displayed on her walls. Photos of buildings that are old. Amazing architectural forms taken with her focused and visionary eye. Everything is white with shades of serenity and always a touch of blue. I love this home of hers. I envy the simplicity and the "One world at a time" (Thoreau) life that is always wrapped around my friend's existence. She has come from hardship, illness and pain. She lives with determination, bravery and pragmatism. She is a person I can trust to give me hard and honest advise. She is like my "big sister" and we both love good food. So we went to lunch..., a new Japanese Restaurant in downtown Sacramento. Very good food. Came back and sat talking until she had to remind me what time it was.

..., and then there's her new kitten, Maximus(Max for short).

Just so you don't think that C. doesn't have "attachments" I would like you to know that not only does C. have a new cat, but she has a beloved daughter .., and a mother, brother and family who live close by and bring all the concerns that families do to your life.
But back to this new cat. It's still a baby. It's beautiful and it's discovering the world outside. We had so much fun taking pictures of Max, doing his thing. Kittens are so curious and filled with a sense of wonder about everything. Everything they say about cats is true: Independent, transient, "taking a message and calling you back" and totally ignoring you if they choose to. It's all true. But look at this cute creature. C has always had cats. My favorite was Jack, the cat who thought he was a dog, who would follow us through the trails of the Pygmy Forest in Mendocino and discuss politics with us.... Well not really , but you felt like he could.
And now there's Max. Max the little gladiator, the ruler of the deck railing, keeper of the shells and guardian of the realm. Rock on little one. Keep the lions at bay. Keep my friend safe until I see her again.

Who's Birthday is it Today?

Happy Birthday little man. Noni and Papa want to wish you a very happy day, filled with happiness.
You're our first grandson. You are very special. From the day you were born you were a package of determination, energy and vulnerability and this makes you who you are..., this wonderful little boy.
We love you so much.

Here is an old, favorite poem just for you...

Where did you come from, baby dear?
Out of the everywhere into here.

Where did you get your eyes so blue?
Out of the sky as I came through.

What makes the light in them sparkle and spin?
Some of the starry spikes left in.

Where did you get that little tear?
I found it waiting when I got here.

What makes your forehead so smooth and high?
A soft hand stroked it as I went by.

What makes your cheek like a warm white rose?
I saw something better than anyone knows.

Whence that three-cornered smile of bliss?
Three angels gave me at once a kiss.

Where did you get this pearly ear?
God spoke, and it came out to hear.

Where did you get those arms and hands?
Love made itself into hooks and bands.

Feet, whence did you come, you darling things?
From the same box as the cherub's wings.

How did they all just come to be you?
God thought about me, and so I grew.

But how did you come to us, you dear?
God thought about you, and so I am here.

George MacDonald (1824-1905)

Little Bean and the Brush

It's amazing to me..., with all the toys that my grandchildren have, it's the little things they find in a drawer that have so much more value. I guess I shouldn't be so surprised. I'm the same way. Maybe we all are. I go to thrift stores and look for the one, old, inexpensive object that has some mysterious appeal to me. The beautiful spoon or funky vintage knick-knack that only speaks to me.., the dog statue , the cup and saucer, the small McCoy wall pocket with a chip in it. An item that would be overlooked by someone else but when I see it I know that it's something I've got to have. Maybe it's the color or the shape. Maybe the lost art of generations that knew how to crochet, knit or embroider. Something says "Buy me". I know a lot of you understand what I'm saying.
Whatever it is, I understand why my littliest grandson found this wonderful brush; a special acquisition in the back of a drawer that is usually off limits to him. A pretty, easy to hold blushing brush that has soft brown bristles tinged with pink..., that smells good and feels wonderful, even "tickley", when rubbed on the face and hands. With his little two-year old sense of wonder, he had discovered a truly magical gift; a "find" worthy of a temper tantram if someone tried to take it away from him. He told me in his limited, matter of fact English that it was a "boush" and even more by the body language and satisfied look on his sweet little face, that this was his very special "chattel" of the day.
I may have to start Little Bean early in the fine art of thrift store shopping and , of course, share my expertise. Maybe he's got my shopping DNA. Between his Mother and I, he will have excellent training in the fine art of finding a good deal. See that expression in the bottom left photo? He has that " Can you give me a better price?" look already. The " I'm not leaving until we negotiate this deal." look...., that's it. That's the look!... He's a natural. I just know it.

Family time

This is the first time I have ever posted from somewhere besides home. I can't believe how easy it is. I'm at my youngest son's house,helping him recouperate from a hernia operation. My sweet daughter in law works all day and when she comes home there are two little boys to take care of, so I'm helping out for a few days until my son is feeling better. The evening is the hardest with dinner, baths and getting ready for bed. The bean (my oldest grandson) is really glad I'm here. I think he would sleep in Noni's room if his parents would let him. He wants me to read him stories on my bed and while we are doing this he has to have his blanket, his little bear and two pillows. Then we get all comfey and he tries to talk me into "one more book, Noni. Pleaseeeees..." So we read one more. I'm such a soft touch in my old age.

Tonight I made dinner and chocolate chip cookies for the boys ( that includes my son ). Cookies always help you recover faster. It's a fact.

Well, got to go. Got chicken in the oven. Come on by. We have plenty.

A short visit

I'm going to my son's for a few days. I need to help out and get my grandbaby fix. I'll be back in a few days.
We are better today. Life heals.

"...with my face to the rising sun."

We spent the day in the garden. It was a warm, lovely day. Maggie has been looking for her old friend. She doesn't understand. She walks through the house and makes little wimpering noises. She wanders outside and then looks at us as if to say...., where is he?





We talked about Moke and dug in the garden. We gave Maggie extra lovin' and we sat with our faces toward the sun. I thought of an old hymn I use to sing in church. Some of it goes..."Let us find strength together on our knees. Let us find strength together on our knees. When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun. Oh, Lord, have mercy on me." It has been in my head all day.










This evening before dinner I had the Prospector read all the wonderful emails and comments that were sent to us. We thank everyone who sent us such kind words. It made the sadness more bearable. Tonight we feel better knowing that Moke is beyond the pain and suffering. He has , as one friend said, crossed over the Rainbow Bridge where all animals go when they die. God will watch over him. It's a place where the animals are happy and free of pain. He will be waiting for us until we get there. I hope so. Until then Moke.......

I have no words.

Our beautiful, sweet Moke passed away this morning. I have no words now, only tears.

Rain Dancing in the Foothills

This is Murphy's gulch, on our property, after the last storm. The creek was filled to the brim and moving a lot of muddy water down stream. The prospector would say "... it's moving that GOLD around and catching the big nuggets in the bedrock." I, personally, haven't found any of those BIG nuggets yet. I think they moved themselves right on down to the river and settled in 10 feet of water. However, hope springs eternal around here and gold is where you find it.., so maybe, in the summer, we will find that BIG nugget sitting in the ridges of the culvert under the road or nestled in between some rocks in my favorite water hole. Who knows what all this water will push around or dislodge...., cans, plastic bottles, yellow McDonald's wrappers( which, when wadded up and stuck behind a boulder, can stop my heart, until I realize what it really is.)

I love the sound of this creek after a storm. We can hear it from our house. It's the sound of life giving water and it's a wonderful sound.
All the small creeks were filled last week. Every Winter our neighbors had a pond appear below their house where they had a small damn. Years ago when their children where young, we would watch them swimming in this pond at the beginning of summer. Now the kids are grown and gone, and the lake has filled with silt. There is not much left of the pond, now, but the rushing water still feed into it all winter and that memory of two young children swimming and having such fun remains.






This week the sky is blue and the sun is warm and bright. I can't hear the creek from the house. The water dissappears so quickly. We still need more rain. The land will dry out soon and the green will vanish. Spring has been so beautiful but Summer looms ahead . I hope we get more rain to fill the resorvoirs Until then I will hike through the Spring hills, enjoying the lovely wildflowers and do a little rain dance along the way.

Celebrating With Hot Chocolate..., what else?

I'm finally back after a week of gardening, walking, reading and playing with my dogs. This was quite a different week than I usually have. Without the internet I finally remembered what it was that I did B.C.( before computers ). It's only been a little over a year since I started Blogging and when the Computer went crazy last week I ,honestly, didn't know what to do with myself for a few days. Has that happen to any of you? Not only could I not blog but I couldn't e-mail, research ( that's my "tech" term for surfing the net.) or order anything. I felt like part of my world disappeared. I hate to admit this..., but I think I have a serious addiction and I may have to set some limits from now on.

When I went "cold turkey" last week it took me days before I remembered what I had done before all of this madness. By Sunday I was out in the garden planted flowers and pulling weeds like crazy. I even cleaned out a closet and made plans to paint the laundry room. I was just a whirlwind of activity. Even the dogs were confused. They kept looking for me in the guestroom where the computer is. I'm sure Maggie probably said something about all this in here "guest" commentary yesterday. Thanks Mag. Anyway, I'm online again thanks to this really nice young man from Wildblue Service Management, who laughed at me when I told him that we were
adopting him and writing him into our Will.

The Vintage Thingies today are a group of small cups and saucers that my cousin gave me a few years ago. I think they were her Moms or grandmothers. I'm not sure. They are English and Prussian. I don't know why they are so small. Maybe they were for chocolate or strong coffee. They don't look like children's dishes which, I would think, would be much smaller. I have never quite known what to do with them, so they are up in my cupboard and never get used..., but they are really beautiful and they have a history in my family so I find them rather special. The blue cup and saucer is sitting on a crocheted doily that I found in a thrift shop in town. It's in perfect condition. You just never know what you'll find in those great "junk" stores.

I think I will celebrate my return to blogging with a small, antique cup of hot chocolate tonight.

Be sure to check in at: coloradolady.blogspot.com for more vintage Thursday goodies.

Maggie: spokeswoman for the day

Hi there, it's Maggie. Farmlady will be back tomarrow. She has had a weird week. Her internet connection went out last Thursday and she's been kind of hard to live with. The computer folks finally came and fixed the satellite dish yesterday and everything seems to be all right. They said it had to do with a power outage during a storm last week. Being a dog, I didn't understand all that was said, but I think all is well now. We got fed everyday and Farmlady spent a lot of time in the garden with us, so it wasn't a big deal. The first few days were the hardest. I would hear Farmlady saying things under her breath about the computer and her tone of voice was not nice. Then , by the weekend she settled down and we spent the last few days out here watching her plant flowers and dig in the dirt. Funny; when we dig in the dirt she yells at us but when she does it, then it's ok. Humans..., go figure.

Anyway, she will be here tomarrow with something Vintage; which means old, like me. I think the gray around my eyes makes them look deeper and sexier. Don't you? I was quite beautiful back in the day. I try to maintain a happy frame of mind. It' keeps you younger. Moke thinks I'm quite the chick. I don't know what the goats think.
Well...,I'm going to take another nap right here in the sun, now. All this blogging has worn me out. Have a wonderful day! Love,Mags

Wordless Wednesday: Winter River

Rain, rant and the Mokelumne River

Yesterday it was raining.., again. The living room smelled like wet dogs and the walls were closing in on us. The prospector greeted me with a wonderful idea. "Lets go out to breakfast.", he said. Sounded good to me, so we left the damp dogs and grumpy goats, drove down into town and had a great breakfast.We get the "senior discount" now. How sad that it has come to this: When I have to admit my age to get a decent meal. I guess the up side is that in an economy where food service is suffering, they can still give us a break. I should be happy about this. Even if they strip you of your dignity in the process. The waitress didn't even give me a second look when I ordered from the back of the menu under "senior" breakfasts. She could have questioned me.., she could have at least looked like she didn't believe me. Maybe I need to color my gray hair again or get a brow lift. Oh well.., I swallowed my pride and ordered the mini meal with the lower( well, your past your prime Miss Brody) price and tried not to wipe my mouth too much. Old people always wipe their mouths after each bite, don't they?

On our way home , the rain let up a bit, and we decided to drive over to the Mokelumne River. We drove down Highway 49 to Electra Rd. and turned up toward the river. This is a narrow road that follows the Mokelumne River up to the Electra hydro-electric power plant. It's a beautiful area of the river, as you can see in the first group of photos. The prospector and I come up here a lot to pan and(dare I say) dredge for gold, to picnic and cool off on hot summer days and to show friends what a beautiful area we live in.
We drove all the way to the end of the road. The spring grass is a lovely green carpet on the hills right now. Later all of this will turn brown and dry and become tinder for the summer fires that plague us, but right now it's just beautiful. Old stone walls, foundations and steps that go nowhere tell us of buildings that once existed and lives that were lived here. The power plant is a stately old building that holds the turbines and electricity that powers the plant. A penstock brings water from the upper Mokelumne down to the plant where it is forced through the turbines inside the building producing electricity. It's a beautiful idea; kind of like a glorified water wheel system.The river water can be monitored, allowing more or less water to flow into Pardee Reservoir in the valley below. It's a very controlled system that doesn't seem to impact the river accept for water levels that vary daily.
I'm sure there are others who would dispute what I'm saying, but until we stop the flood of people coming into this state we will need more and more water and reservoirs to accommodate everyone. "Wild and Scenic" preservation is a great idea, and I appreciate and understand the idea because I live here, but it just doesn't seem like it's going to happen when WATER is one of the biggest political games in this state.,
..., and while I,m on the this subject..,(This will be short and to the point, I promise) I must mention some of the "bicyclist", who thinks they own the quiet country roads around here, and yet, feel that they can throw their plastic water bottles on the ground as they drive by and.., for some reason, can't keep these bottles, lunch bags, etc. in their fanny packs or bike storage, or on their belt hooks.., I just want you to know that there are certain "rights"( that your entitled to) and there is.., "I just WANT to do this regardless."; which you think are entitlements. Yet you drive down our lovely, very narrow roads like there is no one else ,but you, to be concerned about and you throw you lunch bags and plastic bottles away, on the side of the road, for someone else to pick up. That would be us.
That "green" bottle of water may be good for your innards but it's toxic for OUR ENVIRONMENT. Think about that the next time you toss a bottle and complain (at the same time) about people who don't listen to your advocacy of the environment. JUST A HEADS UP (if you're even listening).

All right! I've been wanting to get that off my tired chest for a long time. Thank you for listening.

This photo below is for those of us with "rock lust".This is a gravel bar,on a switchback,of the river below the power plant. It's rock heaven. The rain made the whole area shiny and beautiful. Some of them looked like they came from some ancient lava flow, some are brittle, some are heavy and carry shiny minerals and the "gold" of fools who thought that they could find wealth in this river. Some of these stones were walked on by someone one hundred and fifty or more years ago. These folks were cold and wet and lived in tents. They were seekers of happiness and good fortune. Some of the early ones were lucky. They found GOLD. Most didn't.
Sometimes I think I can hear voices. Maybe it's just the sound of the river as it makes it's journey down to the valley floor. Still I expect to see a ghost or two, leaning over next to the bank, working a rocker box or metal pan in the hope of finding a nugget or gold dust hidden in the bedrock of this old river. I know the memories are still there, locked in these stones. I just have to see with a different eye. An eye that follows the flow of this beautiful river.

(All photos can be seen closer by clicking on them.)

A lovely day spent with an old friend.

We have had a couple of beautiful days of sunshine, big fluffy clouds and mild, warm weather. The flowering pear tree is blooming, the lavender is coming to life, and the daffodils are blooming. The tulips are pushing up through the dirt in my pots and the Muscari (or grape hyacinth) is spiking its beautiful, bright blue fowers through clumps of green grassy leaves. Spring is "bustin' out all over".

My friend Karen invited me to her house, in Ione, for lunch yesterday. It was a perfect day. The weather , as I said, was lovely. I haven't seen Karen for quite a while because of my busy-ness in the bay area and because Karen has had a lot of sickness which I have talked about before. She has had way more to bear than most folks and is in an on going struggle to stay well. Yesterday was our opportunity to get together and celebrate our birthdays and spend the afternoon just talking and laughing about our lives.

Karen looked great! and she was feeling really good. It was nice to see her this way because she has been so sick, off and on, for so many years. She didn't think she would make it into her 50's and 60's, but Thursday was her 64th birthday and ..,Karen, my friend, you have weathered many storms in your life but you are a much stronger person than you think you are. You have fortitude and an inner strength that fights all the demons and gets you through the hardest times. I know that you give all the credit to God, but I believe that this strength is only given when God sees our resolve to keep trying , to always make an effort.., and you do. I was so happy to celebrate your 64th birthday with you. The lunch was delicious and your home was, and always is, lovely. Thank you for the belated birthday present. It was not necessary but just charming. I will tell everyone about it next Wednesday. Thank you for everything. I wish you many more birthdays and I love you.

Tornado Alley

A few days ago I went over to see my friend J who lives in a wonderful old victorian in town. We went out to lunch, bought Starbucks and came back to her place. This is her back door. Isn't this wonderful? This is the photo (above) I took at Christmas, so on Tuesday there was not any Poinsettia or Christmas decor hanging on the door.., but it was just as charming all the same.

If you will remember I did a Wordless Wednesday post on J's new kittens, Kansas and Twister, in early December. Well here they are, again, only they're teenagers now. They have turned into bigger, funnier bundles of energy. Kansas, (above) is not exactly the leader of the pack, but he can stare at you with those spooky blue eyes until you say "I give" and look away. I think he became a little annoyed at me for sticking the camera in his face all the time.He believes that "retreat" is the best stragedy when your not sure what's going to happen next. He follows Twister's lead and runs around for a while, then he lies down for a short rest in a sunny spot. He's a handsome dude and he knows it.

Twister, on the other hand is definitely the Boss. Ruler of her own kingdom. and master of mischief. Everything is a curiousity and everything has to be examined. Everything. Twister is , like her name, a tornado. She flies through the house and attacks anything, Bungee jumping off the stair landing without a cord. Waiting and pouncing; practicing for the day when she will confront all the wild felines of Amador County. Her eyes are filled with expectation and reflect a sense of wonder about the world she lives in. She is, in short, a mover and a shaker. I think I saw her drinking the Starbucks.

Not having had cats for a long time, I forgot how kittens and young cats can act. They are really funny, and even thought they are driving J crazy, she loves them. But then, she is a CAT PERSON. She understands them; although my guess is that they may be "outdoor" cats by summer. She is even training them to come to her when she whistles. They get a fishy treat if they come. It works. Maybe she could train them to use the toilet next. I hear it can be done.

Thanks for a fun day "J". We had a good time and I love those kittys. Please click on the pictures of Kansas and Twister for a close up of these two little rascals.

Vintage Thursday; Simple and Practical Lovelies

These three little pitchers are just wonderful for cream, hot syrup or melted butter etc. They're small ( each is about 5" ) and come in a variety of shapes and colors.

They don't take up that much space and they are not expensive. I'm showing the bottom of the green one because it's got this cute little bird on it and also, because I want to show you that everything that has "U.S.A." on it is not McCoy. I have seen lots of people selling things on Ebay and saying that they think it's a McCoy because it has U.S.A. in the bottom. Some McCoy did have just a U.S.A. mark on the bottom , especially during the 40's, but so did other pottery. Just a heads up so you don't buy something that you think is a "real McCoy" and then find out it's not. This little pitcher is not a McCoy.

The last photo is of two glass syrup containers and a glass sugar keeper. I love glass containers with the plastic or lucite tops in different colors. The small one with the green top could be used for sugar too, but I think liquid would work better. I have no book on these pieces and my knowledge is limited, but I think they are pretty and useful.
When I was growing up my mother always put syrup, butter and sugar etc. in pretty containers like this on the table. No tubs, boxes or cans from the store were ever a part of a "set" table no matter how busy she was. This was who my Mom was and how she did things. It was also the 50's when the home was a place to be proud of and, being a "stay at home" Mom was a career. We always had dinner in the "dining room" and not in the kitchen. It was a time to talk and share our day with each other. Sunday breakfast was special and syrup was warmed in a pitcher to pour over homemade pancakes.
Life has changed and women are busier now. It's hard to find time for the little amenities that make life more beautiful, but there are still things that we can do to make our life a bit more special, even if it's just pouring milk into a glass pitcher and setting it on the table. Try one thing. A simple thing that someone will remember. Make a memory.

Go to coloradolady.blogspot.com for more vintage goodies and...,

I want to wish my friend Karen a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY.

Wordless Wednesday: Manzanita Grove in Winter

It's the Dog's Fault

It's raining. The wind is blowing. I didn't want to take a walk in the woods when the weather is so squirrely. I went down town yesterday so I didn't need to go today. I couldn't work in the garden. The prospector was gone all morning. The garage is too cold to work on gourds and the laundry is done. So..., against my better weight watching judgement, I made some chocolate chip cookies. Yep! I just made a management decision and I did it. With the help of my trusty canine companion (please notice the tongue), I threw a batch together, baked them and ate some cookie dough in the process. I just threw caution to the wind.

This is the recipe and a very good one. It's always on the back of the Nestle's chocolate chip bag, large or small. I like to add a cup of "quick" oatmeal ( you know; the kind that makes soggy oatmeal but you bought it accidently instead of the regular kind and you have to do something with it.) and only 2 cups of flour. This time I used pecans instead of walnuts. The rest is up to you. I'm not a gormet cook. I like to keep it simple.

The big bag of chocolate chips was purchased at Costco. I can't remember how much it was but I know that this 72 oz. package is a lot less expensive than buying the smaller bags at our grocery store. I haven't priced the generic brands, just Nestle's.
You can't see it in the picture but I opened the wrong end. Didn't even notice that there was a NEW way of opening the bag with a "press to close" seal across it. Good grief! Life is just one "new" thing after the other. Can't they just leave things alone. We old people don't like change, especially when it makes us look senile.

Ok, I guess you're all wondering why I would bake a batch of chocolate chip cookies when I'm on Weight Watchers. Well..,

..., Moke told me to do it. It's all his fault.

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

Well..., what can I say. We do tend to spoil our dogs around here. We have no excuses. This couch has been taken over by our canine companions and we let it happen.

But look at him. How could I tell him to go lay somewhere else just because I want to sip my coffee and read my book at THAT end of the sofa; the end with the reading light and the pillow.

Ok Moke! You don't have to rub it in my face. I know your the man. Sweet dreams dogface!