Category: Reflections

Best Foot Forward 2024

The sun is shining! The day is quiet, and all is relatively ok. I’m home in my happy place with my dog Moxie and my husband.

Lately I have been happy to stay home. Avoid the shopping crowds. Avoid the traffic issues. But after many years wearing my comfortable shoes, I decided to venture out and shop for a replacement. In keeping with not wanting to work through the holiday shoppers, I ordered 5 pairs of shoes in my size to be delivered to a nearby store. Usually, I like a style, but my size is not there. Also, looking for my size often presents a vision issue. So this was my way to solve both problems. Tried the shoes on at the store and went home with a possible 2. But at home they just were not right. The next day I went back to the store and returned them.

Still I wanted new shoes to start the year off right. There is some positivity in play here. Next stop was Macy’s shoe department. Needed to get on the line to ask for my size. Scans the barcode, and tells me to wait in a chair. That works for me. I actually have a problem standing for a long time. 45 minutes and I need to sit. My back surgery a couple of years ago did not fix my damaged nerves. Another story.

So many shoes on display. None of which I would ever wear. But I have my iphone handy and can’t resist. And oh they were so photogenic.

Crowd pleaser
If your feeling patriotic, buy all three!
If only I had the right outfit!

Well, no I wasn’t waiting for any of these fashion statements. I went home with Easy Spirit Explorer. The box says, “Comfort out of the box.” My style!

Dark Chocolate colored clogs

My dog Moxie has idiopathic epilepsy. Epilepsy with an unknown origin. The first medication did not affect her personality, but it didn’t stop the seizures either. For the past week she is on Phenobarbital. And this has sedated her and her gait is off. Vet appointment this week. But there have been no seizures with this medication. So, we shall see.

Moxie loves her squeaky ball.

So how did I ring in the New Year.

Dinner served at home, and a movie from our collection. A New Years tradition. Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan in When Harry Met Sally. One of my favorite movies. It has a great musical score and I love New York!

Shrimp Scampi, Bang Bang Cauliflower, Salad by David, Key Lime Pie and Prosecco

And no New Year’s Eve baby yet. Did I mention that in 2024 I will gain the title of Great Grandmother. My granddaughter is due any day.

Hoping for a drama free peaceful 2024!!!

Best Wishes to all!

Lens-Artists Challenge #279 Magical

This week Ann-Christine asks, “Magical – I wonder…what is magical to you?” According to Wikipedia, Magical can mean: “…beautiful or delightful in a way that seems removed from everyday life. ”

The feeling of creating magic!

A game of dreidel is played during Chanukah. 4 sides of the spinning top have hebrew letters that represent, “A great miracle happened there!”

The menorah represents 8 Days of Chanukah

In this time of war it is also important to remember the Ukrainian people who are standing up for the right of their country to exist against the odds. Their fight keeps the war contained to that region.

Standing up with strength

Last week I lost my Aunt Elsa. She died in Boca Raton, Florida at 99 1/2 years. Elsa leaves two children and many, many grandchildren. She was the last of the previous generation. A Holocaust survivor born in Lodz, Poland. Despite the horrors that she experienced at the hands of the Nazis she remained a quiet, kind, sweet, and optimistic person. Much of the family lives in Israel. I will miss her.

I am saddened that the world has forgotten the history of 75 years ago. My parents carried their trauma of surviving Nazi concentration camps before restarting a life in New York after World War II. I also feel it in my bones. Being aware of what trauma does to those who survive I see no winners in war. My first cousin (1 generation removed) from Holon, Israel spoke to a Sacramento, Ca. congregation last week. She spoke about a yearning for peace in the region. 

Maybe in the coming year 2024, a miracle or some magic can happen to bring about peace for all!

Lens-Artists Challenge #277 Empty Spaces

Patti from P.A. Moed Creative Exploration in Words and Pictures challenges me to look through my library of images and discover how empty spaces contributes to my total image.

To define empty spaces Patti turned to the experts at Adobe. “Emptiness in an image can help isolate the subject and also highlight it by drawing the viewer’s attention to it. What else? It can convey a mood–like loneliness, solitude, fear, or sadness. By isolating the subject and surrounding it with empty space, you also create drama, which gives your images a powerful, visual appeal.”

Lonely Leaf on a foggy, cold day
Another leaf alone catches a bit of sunshine
Early morning fishermen
Happy alone
On the sidewalk in San Francisco. Sea Gull enjoys found sour dough bread!
Sea Gull watching family at the beach in Lover’s Point in Pacific Grove
Pelican in West Palm Beach Florida

Do you think that my empty space (negative space) adds to the subject matter? When I look at these images I categorize them as minimalism. So whatever the acknowledged term is I do use this point of view when I am out taking photos.

It is December 2nd. I was reminded that today is my “Half Birthday” by Baskin Robbins. I think they want me to celebrate with an ice cream cake. Well, it is raining, and I am not sure that I want to rush this next birthday. My high school class is thinking about having a group celebration for the Big 75. Three quarters of a century. I do think that I am due a BIG memorable celebration of some sort. Not sure how, where or when. I do have a half year to come up with something.

First things first. Moxie has been diagnosed with idiopathic epilepsy. So far, she has had 3 seizures in the span of 4 months. So far she has no side affect, but the dosage has been increased. She will be on medication for the rest of her life. This means that I need to figure out who will take care of her if I was to plan a trip. At this time no trips are planned.

Being kind of a home body lately for a number of reasons.

  1. There is an unknown canine illness that prevents me from taking Moxie to the dog park. So we retrieve at home. Moxie is reluctant to walk around my neighborhood. I guess she is happy to have me around. In the summer she didn’t want to sit on my lap much, but now she can be demanding of some sitting time. I don’t mind.
  2. The stores are crowded, and parking lots are no fun.
  3. I have so much to do at home. My blog and photography, my genealogy, and knitting.
  4. My newest hobby is quilting. I went to my first guild meeting and I will join in the 2024. I am finishing up a project: a sampler hanging that I started before CoVid. Getting in my last 3 lessons when I put it all together. Pics to follow.

This month I am on Baby Watch for my great grandson Kingston to be born to my granddaughter Alyssa. Due date January 6. Again, more to come!

Lens-Artists Challenge #266 Time

Donna of Wind Kisses says, “Time: It can be wasted, saved, and can slip through our fingers. Some of us have too much, others not enough. Is it high time? The last time? Time for Fall? Taco time? And whatever you decide, I am sure you will agree there is no greater gift than time. Have fun with the endless possibilities this week.” And I hope to have the time to share.

Songs

The first thing I thought of when I heard the challenge was how many songs have “Time” in the lyrics or subject. Just driving around town listening to Sirius XM I heard the Kinks – All Day and All of the Night.

Then I thought of The Rolling Stones – Time is On My Side.

The Vogues – Five O’Clock World

You can probably guess when I was listening to “my” songs!

Clocks and their Places

Seattle’s Public Market Center
Don’t want to miss the ferry
Grand Central Station
City of Napa
Amador County CourtHouse
Rough & Ready Fire House
Petaluma
Roseville

Unusual Clocks

Clock created on a book for sale at a local craft fair
Impressed by Salvadore Dali

Clocks used in advertising

Can’t stop time!

Time from many places

The modern way to check the time

And places where time slows down a bit.

And time flys

With the help of Adobe Photoshop!

And I finally can breathe. The past few weeks have not been boring. My Moxie has epilepsy. It is being treated with medication, but watching a 2-year-old Golden have a seizure is scary. A few days later 9/5 my husband of 53 years had a cat scan and we discovered he had a giant aneurysm. VERY scary. We had to wait until today (8 long days) to find out that he has lived with this for over a decade, and that all was good. The aneurysm clotted on its own a long time ago. This was an excessive wait for all of us.

All that certainly brought time into focus for us. And now I must pick up my 3 grandsons from school while their mother, my daughter, recovers from non-life-threatening surgery.