rajafacesbothways

Pick, Chop, Cook

 Simmered a soup bone with onions, carrots and fistfuls of herbs from the deck yesterday. Today added fresh chopped tomatoes, carrots, kale, 3 kinds of peppers, onions, potatoes, beans and corn--all bounty in the frig from the rooftop garden or farmers' market. I consider it to be edible art.

Possibly as satisfyingly as Eat, Pray, Love?

Zapped Time Travel

Cut anthropology class today because I just didn't feel like going; a sign of being a typical student. Information on the Mayans, Mound Builders and Cliff Dwellers keep changing every decade as different techniques develop and new information is unearthed. (bad pun) It's a lot of who knows and guess whats.

Maybe I'll just wait and learn it when they get it right.

To Do or Not To Do

Inspired by Grandson Cory's present semester studying in Nantes, France, I reread the journal I kept 25 years ago when I traveled through Europe for 5 weeks (over 3 weeks alone) toting one piece of luggage and a day pack filled with camera, lenses and film. Before the Euro, e-mail, cell phones or faxes I was on my own. Despite dire warnings from stay-at-homes of potential rape, robbery and pillage. I had a great adventure, traveling with no reservations, room-wise or mentally.

Did some things go wrong? Of course. I was locked in a museum in Florence, Italy and in my pension room in Arles, France; my luggage broke, and despite dangers voiced by friends I slept in a rail car with 2 Italian men from Luxembourg to Florence.  Rail strikes in France forced me on a train that unexpectedly sent me through the Black Forest of Germany and I hopped buses when I had no idea if they would get me to my destination.  When my Euro Railpass ran out, I used a fine tip pen to change a 3 to an 8, giving me the 5 extra days I needed but couldn't afford.  (penalty, if discovered would have been put off the train immediately.) Dishonestly? Moxie? Either way it worked by charming the conductors with my broken french and a smile.

Now I wonder--could I do it again? My kids were college age, now my grand kids are there. I really think I could with lighter luggage (I toss clothes away as I travel) and an i-phone.

And I definitely have less to lose--the next 25 years won't measure up to the last 25. It's a case of do I really want to do it? 

Probably not. It's just nice knowing I'm still capable of making that choice.

The Yin and Yang of a Flu Shot

In this little town, there are no offhand events. Kroger was offering flu shots and since I am around students I decided to get one. 

The yin:  the druggist administering the shots discovered i took the photographs hanging in Galvins. He said he sends people to see them, he is so impressed. (of course no one buys any) We got into discussion of infrared and digital, etc. while others waited patiently.

The yang:  A  "heavy-set" gray haired woman stopped me and asked, "Did you jest git a flu shot?" She sighed and proceeded to tell me I likely made a mistake. Last year her flu shot put her in the hospital for a week. Although I assured her, as a teacher. I had been getting them for years, she sighed.

"Makes no difference. You jest never know when they will git 'cha."

Look! Up in the Sky----

Great sky show from my rooftop this evening:  about 5 different cloud formations, a rainbow, 2 doves, pigeons flying about in hysteria as a hawk swooped out of a tree, two squirrels, a pair of doves, a dragonfly, and a fly-by of the hummingbird that I assumed was en route to Peru by now. Sometimes I feel like Snoopy who often viewed life from the roof of his doghouse.

An ex-college roommate stayed here on our trip to and from the reunion. She thought I had a great set-up but couldn't think of any other friends who could live the way I do.  And I can't think of any who would want to!

But as the saying goes--if you're not living on the edge (or on a rooftop?) you're taking up too much room.

I Saw The Light

Photography is about capturing light. And right now is one of the best times of the year to be taking photos outdoors; the  sunlight around the fall solstice makes everything look like the south of France. Well--kinda.....

Here's a photo of downtown from my rooftop.

And I was entranced with the light hitting some flower pots on my deck the other evening.

The First Last Leaf

Fall is in the air. Farmers markets are filled with squashes, potatoes, tomatoes and apples.  Tobacco is hanging in the barns. And here is my first leaf of color.

Reunion Redux

Returned from 24 hours spent at five day college sorority reunion--an interesting experience for viewing the passage of time and revisiting people I knew many decades ago. I estimate there were 25-30 there, some whom I didn't recognize;  all had changed from 20-year-old cuties into looking like my mother's friends. Time is definitely a thief.

Three of my four roommates looked the best-one other had deteriorating health problems. Although it was fun catching up on their lives, five days of conversing would have done me in.

The lesson learned:   stay away from mirrors and keep moving.

Name That Old Person

Am off for an overnight at Bowling Green, Ky where my college sorority from Bowling Green, Ohio (Kappa Delta) is having a reunion. It has been going on for 5 days; I'm going for the closing dinner and to "Howdy" with my former roommates. I never was much of a rah-rah girl even then so one night should do it.
 It has been at least a decade since I've seen any of them, I'm hoping there will be name tags.

Answer to Mystery Photo #19

 The photo of the Ten Commandments tablets was taken in front of the Amtrak station in Maysville, KY, the station where one goes for a train to Chicago.

Could it be that Moses get tired of wandering around the desert for 40 years? Was he "raptured"  to Kentucky? With a nearby museum that has Eve playing with her pet dinosaur, he would have a loyal following of true believers.
Hmm. Or did he take the train to Chicago? If anyone there sees him wandering around Rush Street, please remind him he left some heavy baggage at the Maysville train station.