As hard as this may be to believe, on Monday I walked on a beach for the first time in 11 years. And what a magnificent beach it was, at Half Moon Bay south of San Francisco—beautiful green water and a tumultuous surf, wide white beach, sharp bluffs. I ended up spending a long time walking and sitting. I had it practically to myself; I saw maybe 6 people and 3 dogs (and introduced myself to all the dogs, of course!).
As I sat and gazed at that beautiful water, for the first time I could look across the Pacific and imagine that land far away that has brought such treasures to our shores and to my life—the rich culture, the delightful food, an ancient sensibility about the universe. Most of all, the joy of Luke, number one son, who traveled across that ocean to become so close to my heart.
I thought, too, of how little I knew, those times that I sat and gazed across the Atlantic Ocean, what joy and treasure would come into my heart and life from so far away in that direction—from ancient Persia, further even than my ancestors traveled to arrive here a century ago.
Worlds of joy, come to me across two oceans, and I am so much the richer for those journeys!
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
In the name of God...
(I hope it's not a sin to steal from The Writer's Almanac. This from 6/19:)
"It's the birthday of mathematician and mystic Blaise Pascal, born in Clermont, France (1623). He wrote a lot about religion, and attempted to convert skeptics to Christianity. But he also said, 'Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction.'"
"It's the birthday of mathematician and mystic Blaise Pascal, born in Clermont, France (1623). He wrote a lot about religion, and attempted to convert skeptics to Christianity. But he also said, 'Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction.'"
Monday, June 18, 2007
Visit From a Master Gardener
A few weeks ago, on a Friday morning, I walked down to the end of town where a sign advertised a yard sale. I was the first customer, and a nice elderly woman was sitting in a lawn chair in the driveway. I recognized her as the Uniontown “tax collector,” the lady who collects our money to pay for the street lights. I picked out a few candles and a couple pounds of fresh asparagus from her garden. Of course, I noticed her garden, particularly her immense vegetable plot.
So after a little small talk I said to here, “C’mon, show me your garden,” and she was surprised but seemed happy to oblige. Turns out she is a “Master Gardener.” There is a program offered in the counties to become such a gardener; my friend and client from the evidently defunct Garden Chat blog took it, but it was too much of a time commitment for me. Anyway, we talked about the various things she was growing and the problems and successes, and she showed me her greenhouse (“got it used, you know, has to be historically authentic”…this is Uniontown, after all) and she offered me this and that kind of seedling which I politely declined, not knowing where I could put anything else in my mess of a yard. I did get excited about one plant, Nigella damascena, “Love in the Mist,” and happily took two small plants from her. Fortunately, I finally got around to planting them a few nights ago.
Fast forward to this past Saturday. I had finished mowing, and giving Trixie a bath, and was coming in to get Charlie for his bath only to find him barking at the front door. I didn’t know who it could be; I hadn’t seen any German cars parked in the driveway. Well, it was Mrs. Neighbor Master Gardener (do you like how we preserve anonymity here on the Double R Daily?) bringing me the brochure for the Carroll County program. We chatted on the porch for a minute, and then with a little trepidation I offered, “Do you want to see out back?” Her “of course” was enthusiastic.
I did a lot of apologizing for the mess, the 1/3-finished patio, etc., etc., and she did a good job of understanding. We looked over the perennial bed, which thank goodness was looking pretty good, and discussed the fig and the lily problems, and I showed her the vegetable patch. She was very enthusiastic about my tomatoes. ☺ Of course, I had to confess that my mother’s were better, but she still was full of compliments. So we talked about the different stuff we grow and the ways we like to fix and eat it and it was very nice. I heard about her husband and her son (who turns 50 this week), etc. As we were finishing up she observed, with a bit of skepticism in her tone, that she didn’t see a compost pile anywhere. So I pointed it (them!) out to her, way down the bottom of the yard, and thus passed the final test.
On the way out, as we chatted out front, I remembered to ask, “Hey, do you grow orchids?” And she said no, don’t they need special moisture, etc., etc., and I invited her into my quite messy house to see my one lone orchid and its 53 — yes that’s 53 — blooms. I think that sealed my status with her as a “serious” gardener.
It was so nice to get that orchid as a present last year, for no special reason at all. What a sweet gift it was, full of sweet memories now.
So after a little small talk I said to here, “C’mon, show me your garden,” and she was surprised but seemed happy to oblige. Turns out she is a “Master Gardener.” There is a program offered in the counties to become such a gardener; my friend and client from the evidently defunct Garden Chat blog took it, but it was too much of a time commitment for me. Anyway, we talked about the various things she was growing and the problems and successes, and she showed me her greenhouse (“got it used, you know, has to be historically authentic”…this is Uniontown, after all) and she offered me this and that kind of seedling which I politely declined, not knowing where I could put anything else in my mess of a yard. I did get excited about one plant, Nigella damascena, “Love in the Mist,” and happily took two small plants from her. Fortunately, I finally got around to planting them a few nights ago.
Fast forward to this past Saturday. I had finished mowing, and giving Trixie a bath, and was coming in to get Charlie for his bath only to find him barking at the front door. I didn’t know who it could be; I hadn’t seen any German cars parked in the driveway. Well, it was Mrs. Neighbor Master Gardener (do you like how we preserve anonymity here on the Double R Daily?) bringing me the brochure for the Carroll County program. We chatted on the porch for a minute, and then with a little trepidation I offered, “Do you want to see out back?” Her “of course” was enthusiastic.
I did a lot of apologizing for the mess, the 1/3-finished patio, etc., etc., and she did a good job of understanding. We looked over the perennial bed, which thank goodness was looking pretty good, and discussed the fig and the lily problems, and I showed her the vegetable patch. She was very enthusiastic about my tomatoes. ☺ Of course, I had to confess that my mother’s were better, but she still was full of compliments. So we talked about the different stuff we grow and the ways we like to fix and eat it and it was very nice. I heard about her husband and her son (who turns 50 this week), etc. As we were finishing up she observed, with a bit of skepticism in her tone, that she didn’t see a compost pile anywhere. So I pointed it (them!) out to her, way down the bottom of the yard, and thus passed the final test.
On the way out, as we chatted out front, I remembered to ask, “Hey, do you grow orchids?” And she said no, don’t they need special moisture, etc., etc., and I invited her into my quite messy house to see my one lone orchid and its 53 — yes that’s 53 — blooms. I think that sealed my status with her as a “serious” gardener.
It was so nice to get that orchid as a present last year, for no special reason at all. What a sweet gift it was, full of sweet memories now.
Long-Distance Father's Day
I got calls from both of the kids today — one 1,000 miles away, one 5,000. And a hand-made card from #1 son yesterday. God bless those kids! But no other calls from near or far with Father’s Day greetings.
I took some flowers from my yard — hydrangea, lily, yarrow — to my father’s grave, and thanked him for everything he did for me, everything he made me, for being there for me, for what he taught me about being a father and a human being, and asked him to keep helping me, because I need it. Today was his birthday, too; he would have been 95.
And I prayed for my friend and her family, whose father died just last week, and for the others I know whose fathers have passed on to a bigger existence, and for the fathers and their children who are separated for whatever reason.
And it was good to see the new fathers in my family, bringing on the next generation. Little Stella Rose even sat on my lap without crying, a Father’s Day gift to me. My brother is such a good grandfather.
There were not as many flowers as I thought would be up at St. Paul’s Cemetery, there at the end of Uniontown, when Charlie and I went for our sunset walk.
A bittersweet day. This is how it seems to me: One morning you wake up and you realize there are no second chances. The beliefs, the hopes, the dreams, the thoughts you had that were not realized or went awry, you realize now are gone. So you hope for not a second chance, but a different chance. Unfortunately, that same morning you might wake up and realize the different chance…well. You end up just being glad you’re a father, and you keep working and working and working at it.
I took some flowers from my yard — hydrangea, lily, yarrow — to my father’s grave, and thanked him for everything he did for me, everything he made me, for being there for me, for what he taught me about being a father and a human being, and asked him to keep helping me, because I need it. Today was his birthday, too; he would have been 95.
And I prayed for my friend and her family, whose father died just last week, and for the others I know whose fathers have passed on to a bigger existence, and for the fathers and their children who are separated for whatever reason.
And it was good to see the new fathers in my family, bringing on the next generation. Little Stella Rose even sat on my lap without crying, a Father’s Day gift to me. My brother is such a good grandfather.
There were not as many flowers as I thought would be up at St. Paul’s Cemetery, there at the end of Uniontown, when Charlie and I went for our sunset walk.
A bittersweet day. This is how it seems to me: One morning you wake up and you realize there are no second chances. The beliefs, the hopes, the dreams, the thoughts you had that were not realized or went awry, you realize now are gone. So you hope for not a second chance, but a different chance. Unfortunately, that same morning you might wake up and realize the different chance…well. You end up just being glad you’re a father, and you keep working and working and working at it.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Ten Surprising Nutrition Facts
Stolen from Dr.Weil.com, as culled from presentations at the "Fourth Annual Nutrition and Health Conference." Bring on the garlic!
Bad News:
Bad News:
- Hunter-gatherers in the Australian outback today live on 800 varieties of plant foods. Modern Americans live principally on three: corn, soy and wheat.
- One third of Americans get 47 percent of their calories from junk foods.
- The average American is eating 300 more calories each day than he or she did in 1985. Added sweeteners account for 23 percent of those additional calories; added fats, 24 percent.
- Vitamin D deficiency is widespread. The following health problems have been linked to vitamin D deficiency: type 1 and 2 diabetes; multiple sclerosis; rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, periodontal disease, increased susceptibility to infection; osteoporosis, low birth weight infants; low seizure threshold; cancers of the breast, prostate, colon, pancreas and ovary; non-Hodgkin's lymphoma; hypertension, myocardial infarction, stroke, congestive heart failure; wheezing in childhood, and compromised muscle strength and falls in the elderly.
- In real dollars, the price of fresh fruits and vegetables has risen nearly 40 percent since 1985. In real dollars, the price of soft drinks has dropped 23 percent. The reason unhealthy foods tend to be less expensive on average than foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables has much to do with American farm policy.
- Ten cups per day of green tea delayed cancer onset 8.7 years in Japanese women and three years in Japanese men.
- Three meta-analyses of randomized, placebo-controlled trials found a 5-12 percent decrease in cholesterol levels in hyperlipidemic patients after at least 30 days' treatment with 600-900 mg of garlic extract.
- Maternal limitation of seafood consumption to less than 340 grams per week during pregnancy did not protect children from adverse outcomes. In contrast, this observational study [Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children] showed beneficial effects on child development when maternal seafood consumption exceeded 340 grams per week, with no upper limit of benefit...
- "I see a lot of hopeful trends, including the rise of alternative agriculture: organic, local, biodynamic...There are now over 4,000 farmers' markets in the U.S. The number has doubled in 10 years."
- Chocolate...may have a mild hypotensive [blood-pressure lowering] effect.
Saturday, June 02, 2007
Long-Delayed Posts
What patience you have, gentle reader, for wandering back here after so long. My apologies. Life is so filled with busy-nesse these days. And I have added a consistent (albeit lightweight) fitness routine to my days, still another thing that has kept me away. Exercise, a more rigorous diet, supplements…I am on a kick to get healthy and get my cholesterol numbers down. I don’t know that my nurse practitioner has the patience to wait — she has sent me a prescription for statins — but I am going to call her and beg for six months. Meantime, I’m off to make my morning gruel: old-fashioned oatmeal with white raisins, sprinkled with ground flax seed, cinnamon, and turbinado sugar. Then I will tell you about my garden, if you care to hear.
Out In The Garden...
Ah, the garden! Modest though it is, it warms my heart and spirit to be in it. I broke down and bought an A-frame for the porch swing, so now I can sit and watch the tomatoes grow and the moon rise.
The tomatoes are, indeed, looking fine. The stems are getting strong, they are about 18” tall, and getting lots of blossoms. Maybe this is the year I pick one before my mother does! I started Better Boys and Yellow Pears from seed, and Pineapple (although late, as the seed was backordered; I ended up buying a few plants). From Dana’s I got Cherokee Purple and Green Zebra (and way too much other stuff!). Also in the vegetable garden, starting to eat salads; cukes, cabbage, onions, and kale are all doing well.
The bulbs are a mixed bag. I was seduced by the good prices at Costco and bought too many (surprise, surprise!). The dahlias are coming up, about 6 or 8 of them, and the glads; out of a couple dozen Asiatic lilies, maybe 5? And none of the Caladiums; perhaps I planted them upside down or something. And the Chocolate Cosmos I ordered special from Wayside is nowhere to be found. Ugh.
I thought I had lost the fig, but there is green growth from the base. The branches though, are producing nothing. I’m wondering if I should prune them off and let it take over from the bottom. Thoughts? So much for cold-hardy.
The rest of the perennial border is in nice second-year shape. Achillea and salvia are blooming, Petrovski is looking strong (and smelling wonderful!); rudbeckia, bergamot, and the santolinas are looking good. Of the old (pre-me) plants, the roses, irises, and tulips are bloomed out; the hollyhock is getting ready to bloom; the yucca has not yet sent up its spikes.
Oh, very important! I planted a blueberry hedge as a divider and entrance-way to the lower garden room; eight plants. That should be exciting next year, and more so the year after.
This morning, after last night’s wonderful storms, was perfect for weeding. I pulled a good 5-gallon bucket full and then some…after my morning coffee on the swing.
Needless to say, with planting (even though it is modest by any standards) and general clean-up, the patio project has gone nowhere. I’m out of excuses now, so I’ll have to get started on it again.
Meantime, we can still use more rain…
The tomatoes are, indeed, looking fine. The stems are getting strong, they are about 18” tall, and getting lots of blossoms. Maybe this is the year I pick one before my mother does! I started Better Boys and Yellow Pears from seed, and Pineapple (although late, as the seed was backordered; I ended up buying a few plants). From Dana’s I got Cherokee Purple and Green Zebra (and way too much other stuff!). Also in the vegetable garden, starting to eat salads; cukes, cabbage, onions, and kale are all doing well.
The bulbs are a mixed bag. I was seduced by the good prices at Costco and bought too many (surprise, surprise!). The dahlias are coming up, about 6 or 8 of them, and the glads; out of a couple dozen Asiatic lilies, maybe 5? And none of the Caladiums; perhaps I planted them upside down or something. And the Chocolate Cosmos I ordered special from Wayside is nowhere to be found. Ugh.
I thought I had lost the fig, but there is green growth from the base. The branches though, are producing nothing. I’m wondering if I should prune them off and let it take over from the bottom. Thoughts? So much for cold-hardy.
The rest of the perennial border is in nice second-year shape. Achillea and salvia are blooming, Petrovski is looking strong (and smelling wonderful!); rudbeckia, bergamot, and the santolinas are looking good. Of the old (pre-me) plants, the roses, irises, and tulips are bloomed out; the hollyhock is getting ready to bloom; the yucca has not yet sent up its spikes.
Oh, very important! I planted a blueberry hedge as a divider and entrance-way to the lower garden room; eight plants. That should be exciting next year, and more so the year after.
This morning, after last night’s wonderful storms, was perfect for weeding. I pulled a good 5-gallon bucket full and then some…after my morning coffee on the swing.
Needless to say, with planting (even though it is modest by any standards) and general clean-up, the patio project has gone nowhere. I’m out of excuses now, so I’ll have to get started on it again.
Meantime, we can still use more rain…
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