My friend Tracy knows that its I instead of me. My life has advanced into many different chapters since my last blog. I might start blogging again. Are you out there to listen?
June 08, 2011
April 19, 2009
Amazing Facts about Honey Bees
2.
The honeybee's wings stroke 11,400 times per minute, thus making their
distinctive buzz. 3.
The worker bee stores the nectar in her honey stomach and flies back to the
hive. She gives the nectar to a house bee, a bee who stays in the hive, who
adds a chemical from her own body. In the honeycomb, the water evaporates from
the nectar and, acted upon by the chemicals in the bee's stomach, it turns into
honey. The workers fill the cells of the honeycomb with honey and then put wax
caps over the cells. 4.
Honeybee colonies have unique odors that members flash like identification
cards at the hive's front door. All the individual bees in a colony smell
enough alike so that the guard bees can identify them. 5. A bee indicates to the other bees through
"dancing" the distance and the location (based on the angle to the
sun) of a place rich in food. The dancing makes a figure "8". The
better the food source is, the more complicated and repeated the dance is. 6.
Honeybees do not die out over the winter. They feed on the honey they collected
during the warmer months and patiently wait for spring. They form a tight
cluster in their hive to keep the queen and themselves warm. It
takes 80 pounds of honey in Indiana to provide enough energy for a small colony
of bees to survive the winter. In the cold winter months, bees will leave the
hive only to take a short cleansing flight. They are fastidious about the
cleanliness of their hive. 7.
A honey bee colony is made of 2,500 males (drones), one female queen (the only
fertile one) and 30,000 female sterile workers. The workers live 38 days during
the summer, and 6 months during the winter. The drone lives 22 days and the
queen 2-5 years. 8.
At the peak of the honey-gathering season, a strong, healthy hive will have a
population of approximately 50,000 bees. 9.
It takes the nectar from 2,000 flowers to make one tablespoon of honey! 10.
In order to produce 1 pound of honey, 2 million flowers must be visited. 11.
Honey is the only food that includes all the substances necessary to sustain
life, including water. 12.
Honey contains vitamins and antioxidants, but is fat free, cholesterol free and
sodium free! 13.
Modern science now acknowledges honey as an anti-microbial agent, which means
it deters the growth of certain types of bacteria, yeast and molds. 14.
Honey has the ability to attract and absorb moisture, which makes it remarkably
soothing for minor burns and helps to prevent scarring 15.
Honey and beeswax form the basics of many skin creams, lip-balms, and hand
lotions. 1.
Only honeybees make honey that people can use. These bees are the only insects
that provide food for humans.
April 09, 2009
New York, New York
Who said New Yorkers are unfriendly?
We have just returned from 5 days in the Big Apple.
I would say that Nyk-ers are intense, tense, vibrant, manic, creative, energetic, and impulsive, sad, jubilant, talented, ambitious, bombastic, but not unfriendly. Everyone we met was kind and friendly!
We had five invigorating days with our son in the big city. I return still riding the energy of the the spirit of a vibrant and diverse city.
Our home for the weekend is a 150 year old brick rowhouse which is the B&B, Rooms to Let. Our hostess, Marjorie Colt welcomed us into her comforting and imaginative home, filled with antiques, her own fine art, old books, pottery, house plants, two cats and one miniature poodle. It is the West Village, Greenwich.
With a bit of time before meeting Paul at the end of the workday, we visited Tea and Sympathy for a proper english tea. Darjeeling, ginger cake with warm vanilla custard, carrot soup and scotch eggs. A tiny cafe filled with English knick knacks, photos of the Queen and other british notables, and delicious smells. I found this recipe online! The ginger in this cake is almost hot with spice! I will have to figure out how to buy golden syrup.
Tea & Sympathy's Spicy Ginger Cake
2 c. all purpose flour
2 Tbsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. baking powder
1⁄4 tsp. salt
1 c. dark brown sugar
4 eggs
1 stick butter, softened
1 1⁄2 c. golden syrup
Preheat oven to 350-degrees F. Butter and flour a 13 1⁄2 x 4 1⁄2 x 4-inch loaf pan (I baked this in a 13x9 pan). Mix together dry ingredients. Mix in eggs, one at a time. Add butter, followed by golden syrup. Bake 40-45 minutes. The cake may sink slightly but will still taste fantastic.
Upon arriving at Paul's office we are enthusiastically greeted by the crew at A&M/Octone record label, our son's colleagues, on the 11th floor of their office on Union Square. We felt like celebrities, warmly welcomed to NYC by all, including Daphane the bloodhood.
After work Paul esccorted us to dinner at Peasant, italian wine bar in basement of a brownstone. Lovely smooth Italian Zinfindel and tapas pizzas.
We enjoyed a nightcap with Paul's friend and bartender, Lauren, who treated us to our favorite drinks at the 11th Street Bar. Are we too old to elbow our way up to the bar with the young adults of the east village? We managed it well! Then we hung out with Oliver the giant 40 lb cat (I exaggerate) at Paul and Lee's 6th St. apartment.
Friday we woke up to cold rain, so it seemed like a good museum day. We took the Subway to the Guggenheim, where EVERYONE decided it was a museum day, it was jammed. Immediately, Paul was enthralled (NOT) with a piece of conceptual art that allows one to listen to ice melt under 8-10 fine microphones, who knew art and music technology are so compatible? I was enthralled with Kandinsky, Chagall and Mary Cassatt oriental prints.
Friday night we ate collard greens, chicken and bisquits at the Pink Teacup Soulfood Kitchen.
We enjoyed the intense performance of our cousin, Saxon Palmer, in Housebreaking, as he enacted the anguish of an young man bored with his "status quo" existence and dysfunctional family, and trades his life for that of a homeless man, who replaces him in his family. Who is crazy? Who really knows us? And family loyalty, love and responsibility are some of the issues, played out in an intimate 60 person audience in this important off-Broadway theatre, Cherry Lane Theatre.
It was cold and windy Saturday morning. So we decided to save the park for Sunday which promised to be sunny at least. So we walked a few blocks north to the Chelsea Market for Hudson Valley Milk Bar latte and a sweet roll from Amy's Bakery. We strolled into the Stella McCartney boutique and tried to imagine seriously shopping there. Clothing seemed like art pieces to me.
Next and truly a high point in our visit was a private tour of the important and historic recording studio, Electric Lady Studios, in the west village. Artwork from the 60's covers the walls, Indian fabrics and dark reds and purple fabrics decorate the rooms. We gently touched musical instruments played by rock legends and important contemporaries. Oogled rows of archival audio tape from important artists. Giant soundboards with hundreds of knobs, lights and switches. I am glad someone knows how it all happens. I will not believe that desktop software can replace the magic that happens in these rooms.
We joined Paul's beautiful friend, Maggie, for Italian food west of central park, before attending a concert with Brandi Carlile. The venue in an old round 1910 church (the Concert Hall at the New York Society for Ethical Culture) was spectacular and one of my favorite singer/songwriters responded enthusiastically to the crowd who obviously love her. She returned their admiration by giving her all with joy. She stepped in front of the mics to belt it out totally unplugged for two songs. One of the best shows I have ever been to.
Later that night we had a truly New York moment on our cab ride back to the B&B. We hopped in and met an outgoing robust man of around 60 years who told us he is from Minnesota. When we asked what brought him to NYC he told us he is an opera singer. And he burst into operatic song that filled the cab to prove it. His name is Lee Roisum (he appears on the left in this You Tube video at about 2.21 minutes) and he listed the many important venues he has performed in, in Italy as well as New York.
On Sunday we did more trolling of the village, visiting Three Lives Books, no need to sift through bad books, the good ones are front and center. I barely got out with only two books in my bag. I guess no one cooks in New York judging from the popularity of Magnolia Bakery's butter cupcakes -- so we had to give it a try. We stood in the park on the corner with about 25 other folks swallowing butter cake with coffee in lovely spring sun. I found Greenwich Letterpress, where stationary is still made the old fashioned way with a hand press and metal type and art.
We subwayed our way to Central Park, passing the Dakota, where John Lennon and Yoko Ono made their home and where he was murdered. Tourists take photos of themselves in front of the building and we discussed how wrong it seems to take vacation photos on the spot where a beloved person was murdered. Next we visited John Lennon's Imagine memorial just inside the park. Regular ceremonies of homage occur in this place and this sunny April day was no exception. The rest of the afternoon we basked in the warm sun with all the other sun starved city folk, lounging on benches and watching the street artists.
Who knew peeing in Central Park was such a project? The first challenge is to find a toilet in the park. Few and far between. Second is waiting not-so-patiently in a long long line with people who have also had coffee and hiked across the park. Give up on that line and trek to the nearest Starbucks outside the park. AHHHH, another long line. So I leave that line as well. Paul insists that if you want to pee in NYC you have to wait in line. But there is a creepy man with half a face in the long line for the single unisex toilet at Starbucks. Paul mocks me for my intolerance...I insist I am on stimulus overload... but get back in line anyway. Man with deformed face, young man shopping for apartment from his cell phone and British tourists make the wait a bit bizzare, another NYC moment.
Before heading back downtown we meet Maggie again at the fabulous Columbus Street "Flea" Market, called GreenFlea. No fleas here. Vintage fur,new and old jewelry and lots of antiques.
Our last dinner in the city was at Paul's favorite pizza shop, Grupos, which we shared with another beautiful friend Colleen. We had hoped to wait up for Irish Music back at 11th Street, but the harsh walking on concrete and brick caught up with us this evening and we ducked out too early to catch the music that night. Thoroughly exhausted but happy we slept hard our last night at the inn.
On Monday morning we had a long leisurely morning to sit at Pastis with breakfast before we head for the airport. Large old wooden bar, yellow walls and black and white tile; it is a bright and friendly room, conducive to a long sit with the morning paper. It is cold and and rainy again. 4 days have whizzed by as everything does here and we are ready to return to country roads.
But we are in for one more NYC treat. We arranged a ride with a private car recommended at the inn. Our cabbie is Itzik Ben-Moshe. He is a warm gregarious New Yorker whose strong accent indicates he is not too many years away from Israel. Since we have a bit of time he entertains us on our drive to the airport with stories and jokes. He is shocked that we live on 20 acres. I assure him that he can afford 20 acres in Greene County, Indiana. He has a tiny and quiet Schnauzer riding with him who climbed in back with us and enjoyed our cuddles all the way to the airport. Itzik is retired and runs a cab service for people with their pets who cannot get into an ordinary cab. New Yorkers love their dogs. They are everywhere and even welcomed in many bars and stores. He tells us one client has a little chihuahua he picks up twice a week for a trip to the doggie swimming pool for exercise. By the time we get to the airport we are friends and he leaves us with big hugs. He says, "And if your son, needs anything, anything at all, tell him to call me."
I think New Yorkers are great.
Click the photo album for New York to see more photos of our trip.
March 21, 2009
Kentucky Sidecar and Lists of Favorites
So we discovered a recipe for a Kentucky Sidecar. Makers Mark, cointreau, and lemonade. MMMmmm. Very nice.
So we inbibed and played a game of making lists of favorites!
It's a Mad, Mad Mad World
Pink Panther (all)
Master and Commander
No time for Sargeants
O Brother Where Art thou
My Fair Lady
Lawrence of Arabia
The Mission
It's a Wonderful LIfe
Back to the Future
The Money Pit
Linda's Movies
Shawshank Redemption
Dead Man Walking
Jesus of Nazareth
Shirley Valentine
Help
Hard Day's Night
Crash
Babel
Remains of the Day
Sense and Sensibility
Romeo and Juliet (Franco Zefferelli)
Chocolat
Fried Green Tomatoes
It's a Wonderful Life
Pirates of the Carribean
Tim's Songs
Punky's Dilemna-Simon & Garfunkel
New World Symphony-Dvorak
Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis-Ralph Vaughn Williams
All My Tears by Julie Miller, Buddy Miller
Amazing Grace, Judy Collins
Edmund Fitzgerald, Gordon Lightfoot
Blackbird, Beatles
Martha My Dear, Beatles
Tuesday Afternoon, Moody Blues
Ride the Seesaw, Moody Blues
Scarborough Fair, S & G
Wedding Song, P P & M
Green River, CCR
Brandenburg Concertos, Bach
Four Seasons, Vivaldi
Messiah, Handel
Water Music, Handel
Appalachian Spring, Aaron Copeland
American Pie, Don McClean
Linda's Songs
Simple Gifts
Amazing Grace
San Francisco Bay Blues
Bare to the Bone, Carrie Newcomer
Holy as the Day is Spent, Carrie Newcomer
Wagon Wheel, Old Crow Medicine Show
Lovely Linda, Macca
Maybe I'm Amazed, Macca
Shakedown, Ryan Adams
When the Stars Go Blue, Ryan Adams
Where the Streets Have No Name, U2
Watching the Wheels, John Lennon
Starting Over, John Lennon
Wedding Song, Paul Stookey
Sunshine on My Shoulder, John Denver
Vincent, Don McClean
Tim's Books
Lord of the Rings
Two Years Before the Mast
Great Expectations
Martin Chuzzlewit
Tale of 2 Cities
The Bible
Mere Christianity
Kidnapped
Treasure Island
Linda's Books
Secret Life of Bees
Space Trilogy
Great Divorce
Chronicles of Narnia
Wrinkle in Time
The Bible
Letters to Theo
Anne Frank
Life of Pi
Kite Runner
Grapes of Wrath
Elizabeth George Mysteries
Tim's Musicians
John Fogerty
Tony Rice
Sam Bush
Dave Grisman
Jerry Douglas
Emmy Lou Harris
Nancy Griffith
Buddy Miller
Paul Stookey
Simon and Garfunkel
LInda's Musicians
Paul McCartney/Beatles
Ryan Adams
U2
John Hiatt
Lyle Lovett
Carrie Newcomer
Lucinda Williams
Dolly Parton
Nancy Griffith
Elvis Costello
Old Crow Medicine Show
The Chieftains
Rolling Stones
Bob Dylan
January 18, 2009
Who knew this love would turn in to such a feast
We were always happiest when we needed the least
Who knew this love would turn in to such a feast
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and a midnight snack
I'm full to the brim, but I keep comin' back
You take your tiara babe, I'll take my crown
Come on honey, let's go downtown
Trade 'em in on pauper's rags and some worn out shoes
Count on the kindness of strangers,
That's what love can do
That's what love can do
Make you feel brand new
That's what love can do
Lose someone you thought was you
That's what love can do
Fire your heart and burn clean through
That's what love can do
It's like we've laid in this river bed for a couple o' million years
Shaped by the waters 'till we've nearly disappeared
Two little grains of sand locked in the eternal kiss
Don't wake me up now, there's somethin' that I might miss
That's what love can do
Make you feel brand new
That's what love can do
Lose someone you thought was you
That's what love can do
Fire your heart and burn clean through
That's what love can do
You dream a dream then the dream comes true
Can you imagine what love can do?
You're alone in the coffee shop and then she's by your side
Love picks up the tab and you're both having pie
That's what love can do
Make you feel brand new
That's what love can do
Lose someone you thought was you
That's what love can do
Fire your heart and burn clean through
That's what love can do
John Hiatt
Same Old Man, New West Records, 2008
December 16, 2008
Happy Holidays & Home Again
Happy Holidays
When you grow up as a military kid you don’t have roots, only a vague sense of place or home. We did not know our cousins well and we don’t have a clue where our playmates from grade school are. (more on HOME here.)
In contrast our children grew up in one town and they are close friends with all their cousins and stil run into their childhood friends. They are rooted in family and place. Over the years of raising our family, 10 years in San Francisco and 20 in Indianapolis, the only place that tugged as roots for us was the town and country around Bloomington, Indiana. So it is not surprising that we have decided to move to this part of Indiana to change once more.
Thirty years ago Tim’s mother and father were the age we are now. Upon retiring from the Navy they hand-built a large log home on 20 acres in Eastern Greene County. Everyone in the family had a hand in it. In the past five years we have lost both John and Mary. They left their home to all of their children and even more importantly they have left a legacy of love, hope and loyalty to us and to our children. They named the home Dogwood Springs, for the groundwater spring and dogwood trees that are here. It is our custom for family and friends to gather here on the 4th of July and Christmas from all over the country. It is a true home. It is not without heartache, some of them overwhelming, but the sorrows make the joys deeper.
Tim and I have wished to migrate back here for many years. This year we moved to the big house in the country. We are “house-sitting” for the family, renting our house in Indianapolis to our son Allen and his wife Kelly, choosing to postpone selling our house until the economy improves and to give us time to explore housing options here.
Bloomington is the home of Indiana University and almost a year ago I started a new job at the Indiana University Press, as a marketing manager for the journals division. It is a “jack-of-all-trades” position as a non-profit job often is. I plan marketing strategy as well as produce print and web projects to execute them. Learning to work in publishing and academia is a fun new process.
Tim
works from home in his long-standing job at Andrews Engineering as a
hydrogeologist for most of the week. He travels to Indianapolis two
days a week to lead his team and connect but works from a home office
the rest of the week.
Allen and Kelly are enjoying
stretching out in our 3-bedroom ranch in Indy, after a one-bedroom
apartment it seems luxurious to them. Allen has a set up a music room
in the family room where his band can rehearse. Kelly decorates with a
world market style, Allen’s paintings hang everywhere and it is a new
home! Kelly has a great job as a communications assistant to a sales
team in
a health care benefits company. Allen is still touring with his band,
house-painting, and trying to keep at his fine art painting as well.
Marian has moved to Bloomington as well, working at a local boutique and preparing to start college next year. She is enjoying the artsy laid back culture of this liberal arts college town.
Paul is still on the fast track in New York City. Working for a record label CEO as an assistant, on call 24 hours a day. He mingles with some interesting folks in the music industry but the hours are long.
The sweetest part of this change is living in the country. I drive 20 minutes to get to work on windy country roads through the odd mix of natural beauty and simple country homes and farms. Homes decorated with all their ordinary and sometimes bizarre collections of junk. No suburban neighborhood codes or zoning laws out here. Morning mists, giant orange balls of sun, spring flowers to fall leaves and snow and ice. Deer, dogs, cows and horses. This summer I watched the hay harvest. I still get a thrill and give thanks everyday when my car finally turns into the curved driveway to the big log house we all share as home.
This summer and fall the family tackled the giant project of rehabbing the exterior of our log home. It was grueling hard work, log by log, scrubbing and refinishing. It had not been done in 30 years. It looks beautiful again and everyone is very proud of the hard work we did together.
We fulfilled a lifelong dream of visiting Hawaii this summer. Tim, the geologist, saw active volcanoes first hand. I will never forget the look of awe on his face when the craters first came into view. We were witness to live molten lava falling into the ocean, from a miles distance, of course, but thrilling. We snorkeled with sea turtles, hiked in rain forests, ate macadamia nuts, pineapple and coconut, got stung by jellyfish, enjoyed hawaiian slack key guitar music, walked through botanical gardens. It felt like being on another planet.
If you need our snail mail address or new phone numbers, click EMAIL ME and I will be glad to send it. Hey, hit the EMAIL ME link anyway, and say hi!
There is a photo album on the right side of the page labeled Christmas 08 that has some recent photos of us.
