Stormy sea

In my last blog  I boasted of victory over illness.  Then while I thought all was well - a surprise attack by a new wintertime virus.   I've been in battle with it ever since.   I left my defensive position on the couch yesterday to replenish my supplies.  On my drive to the store I came to these turbulent waters along Alki.  The scene seemed a metaphor for my state of mind- besieged by a storm of sorts, battered, tossed about but hanging in there

                                

           PS:   Wow was I gloomy.  I've returned to this post feeling all better again.  Now the scene appears pretty, invigorating and energizing.  Feeling good certainly changes  one's  perspective.                                                                                                                                         

Kitchen Medicine

My organic ingredients from PCC

The first week of my 'staycation' and I was out of sorts.  Not in mood.  My mood was all elation at

having 3 weeks off work -3 weeks of  freedom from structure. Hooray!!  But I felt as limp as a ..well.. as a limp rag.  I took to bed early in efforts to beat the bug , would rally the next day only to fade back to fatigue. Then I tried the same routine with the same result.   No way to spend a vacation.  I needed something to kick this thing.    So I went to the Internet where all questions are answered  and found a tea that  promised to cure whatever winter illness might come along.  What a delightfully delicious concoction it turned out to be.  And I was cured.  I felt better from the first cup and have been feeling tip top ever since.

My mother used natural remedies that were handed down from generations of german russian mothers who healed and nurtured children with their old ways.   Oh how I wish I had paid attention to the makings of poultices laid on my chest or the paste mixed up on the stove that was put on itchy spots with such relief.   And what was in that salve that she put on my foot?  I remember watching in awe at the mysterious preparation (in which lighting a match was involved) of a homemade anti-fungal that worked so quickly and completely  Of course, first I got a little lecture about how I wasn't supposed to be playing in the basement barefoot anyway.  Good advice. 

Ginger Honey Tea

Take a 1-inch piece of peeled ginger root, 6 cups water, 1/3 cup honey, the juice of one lemon and four bags of your favorite tea. Add a slice of rind if your lemon is organic. Slice the ginger into coins, and combine with the lemon rind, water, and honey. Bring to a boil in a small pot. Add the tea bags and steep. Add lemon juice, strain into a teapot, and serve.

 
 
 
 

Things Change

A mid-afternoon gloom was settling in as I took a walk in West Seattle





I was taking a new route and came upon my local library from a different perspective. There it appeared like a beacon in the dark which of course libraries have been over the years.

  I hope this lovely Carnegie library with all its lovely books won't become a thing of the past. 

Kindle world doesn't have a beautiful building on a hill but boy oh boy does it have books.   



Nine virtual books on my Kindle compared to nine actual books on my table



I'm starting to enjoy being old enough to talk about the old days.  I remember first learning how to use the library by picking through the tightly packed card catalogue in order to find the Dewey Decimal System clue to the book or magazine article I wanted. 

I spent less than 30 seconds to download this book after spending a few minutes on a wireless connection to find my latest read.

I understood the basics of the library system.  I have no clue how it is I can put any book I want on this thin Kindle.  The quote from the Wizard of Oz keeps coming to mind.  "Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore."

Little pleasures of the Season

 The week leading up to Christmas  just may be the best part.  Anticipation being sweet. 
                                                                                       


Adding one more ornament to trim the tree prefectly








Finding the perfect gift



The almost guilt free sweets.  Because it is just the right thing to do on the darkest days of the year. 



At 'Coffee to a Tea with Sugar'






Christmas teddys out of the box for their yearly hugs

 

Photoshop Fall

Along Alki and California Avenue today. Fall's beauty deserved the full adobe treatment.  The colors  were just too vibrant for my iphone camera to do it justice.      

Seattle is so gorgeous on a non-rainy fall day.  It's as if nature is giving us consolation for having to leave summer and showing off what it can do before leading us in to the dreary winter

I am not Humpty Dumpty

"I am not Humpty Dumpty" Bianca said as she contemplated her request that I lift her to sit up there so tall.   I had to agree that it did look a bit like Humpty's own wall.  And so we had to think about how she was not like Humpty at all.

Bianca Lua sat on a wall

Bianca Lua never did fall

And there she sat and sang and sang

Then she got up and went home again



A nice view from here



Then and Now

 A blog entry to mark the march of time and a reminder to enjoy the moments

October 7 2008                                                                   


Three years ago this week Bianca spent her first Tuesday with me.   This is the first picture taken that morning when mom handed over her precious bundle to my care for the day.


Still a precious bundle who can now hop, run, talk, giggle and play pretend for hours.   Can I please just put a brake on time...


October 4 2011