ARE THERE BENEFITS TO AGING?

Here I sit in my retirement recliner, nearing my eighth decade of life.  A fleeting question hit my brain...........are there benefits of aging?  Oh, boy, that's a biggie, but I'm fairly certain others beside me are pondering that question.

I refuse to refer to us as older people, but choose to say we are well-seasoned individuals.  That implies we're like a flavorful dish.  Our life experiences have been the salt, pepper and spices.

1.  Well-seasoned people have a better understanding of relationships and have the acquired wisdom to figure out how to deal with them.
2. We tend to be more reliable and dependable.  Others can count on us to follow through and do what we say we will do.
3. We are no longer push-overs.  Nor should we be pot-stirrers.   There is immense wisdom in living one's own life and letting others live theirs.
4. We no longer have to go to work, set alarm clocks and put up with the politics of the workplace.  
5.  Our accomplishments afford us with contentment. 
6. CONTENTMENT is a powerful asset.  It brings us a sense of satisfaction and peace with one's life circumstances.  Studies show there's a correlation between high levels of contentment and reduced risk of depression and mental health issues.  Contentment helps us adapt to the challenges that come with living longer.
7. The more seasoned we are, the more we appreciate the moment.  Perhaps this is the only time of life where this is possible.  Our lifelong friendships become the gold nuggets in our pockets.  Nothing can compare to that business of being a friend and having a friend.  
8.  There's more time for us to practice gratitude.  Being grateful encourages us to accept what is, rather than what is not.   
9. The more seasoned we are, the more we appreciate what others do for us.
10. I'm finding that later-life is providing me with answers to questions that didn't have answers when I was younger.  There's a fulfillment that comes to us.  Maybe it's better said that I have a better understanding than I had when I was younger.  My intuition is at its sharpest now.  With that comes the ability to choose what enters my life and what does not.  Well-seasoned also reflects that business of being hurt many times in life.  We eventually come to where we say, nope, this ain't gonna be.  Maybe now I realize that my life is significant, and I must take care of myself, inside and out.  If that requires putting up walls, then that's what I shall do.  When a person senses that the gig is almost over, the mind overrules the heart.
11.  We well-seasoned ones worry less about what others think.  This increases self-acceptance and confidence.  Peer pressure is zero. 
12. At this stage, it's easier to focus on the positive memories and emotions.  That is what I do every day.  We can better manage our emotions.
13.  For myself, I cannot put a monetary amount on the sense of freedom that comes with this late stage.
14.  We seasoned souls can now see what we need and what we don't need.  We see how short life is, and we don't want to waste time with people and pursuits that aren't worth our while. 
15. One of my favorite things about this age is that I choose what I'm gonna do.  I've done my part to work for organizations, be told to report for duty at such and such a time, do an assigned task like scoop potatoes at a banquet.  This is so liberating for me.  I now choose what I'm gonna do with my time....no one else has that power over me anymore.  Better than that, I embrace not a scintilla of guilt.
16. My well-seasoned self carefully sifts out the negative aspects of life.  When the news comes on the TV, I pull an iron curtain over my brain.  It's beyond my understanding how people can be entertained by fake, biased news.  I boldly state the fact that I don't want to watch or read any media that's filled with hatred.
17. My well-seasoned self also values quiet time.  Time to be creative.  Time to respect the world as it is.
18.  We've been taught to view life as a continual decline.  Wouldn't it be smarter if we looked at life more as a staircase?  Life being an upward ascension of the human spirit, bringing wisdom and wholeness.  Only at the top are we able to reach our true authentic self.

THE FUN IN FINDING

 Living somewhere deep inside my soul is an avid archeologist and geologist.  From little on, I've been driven to look for leftovers from the past and/or unusually intriguing stones.  It's not unusual to see me walking forward with my head looking down to the ground.  

I remember the day we stopped to take our puppy for a potty walk.  The small park was covered with grass.  Pretty flowers were blossoming in a small flower garden, and right beside a stone lay a $20 bill.  That was my biggest monetary find to date.

Am not much into the psychology of dreams, but one of my recurring dreams is walking along a gravel road and finding coins.  In the dream, I keep walking and finding more coins and actually feeling the excitement. 

Just think of all that's buried in the ground we walk on every day.  Or, what might be under buildings?  Farmers talk about finding arrow heads and other Indian artifacts in the spring after plowing the fields.

My brain swells when I think about all the stuff that's on the bottom of the Mississippi River from Minnesota to the Gulf.  Some of us have a childlike sense of curiosity that stays with us through the years.  I admit to being a fervent creature of curiosity.  It's like I know there's a crazy amount of stuff buried beneath my feet that's waiting to be discovered.  Reading a book is another way we can satisfy our curiosity.  There isn't a book out there that doesn't have the power to teach us something new.  It's another way of finding something on our journey.  

Watching the clouds is a fun way to look for recognizable shapes.  Clouds keep changing shapes.  The sky is a rich source of ever-changing wonderment.    

TRILBY

Learned a new word.  TRILBY.  Before yesterday, I'd never seen the word in print, nor do I remember hearing the word spoken.  

Crossword puzzles are more than filling in the blank spaces with letters of the alphabet.  Crosswords are learning tools.  The puzzle clue was:  Fedora lookalike.  Well, I knew that a Fedora is a man's hat, but surely didn't know the answer was a Trilby.

Come to learn that a trilby is a narrow-brimmed hat, once viewed as the rich man's favored hat.  Sometimes called the 'brown trilby' in Britain, men were often seen wearing them at horse races.  The difference between a Fedora and a Trilby is the brim size.  Fedoras have a 2 to 3-inch brim, while trilbies are usually 2 inches or less.  The front of a trilby is turned down in the front and upturned in the back.  

The trilby got its name from the 1895 stage adaptation of the novel "Trilby" by George du Maurier.  In the play, the character Trilby wore a hat with a short-brimmed hat, which became popularly known as the Trilby hat.  The novel was a cultural phenomenon in England, thus the widespread adoption of the hat style. 

The trilby is a symbol of sophistication and a tribute to another era.  Wearing a trilby is considered a way to add a touch of classic elegance to an outfit.

GOOD DAY TO BUY A WATERMELON

 These are the flowers blooming in the small flower garden below our deck.  The flowers are small, not showy, yet their beauty and presence are important to me.  Their tiny sweet souls add to the beauty of our home...the building and the planet.  

A touch of lavender, yellow and red are the colors of the perennials.  The bridal wreath blossoms have done their part, and now these smaller plants are picking up where the spirea left off.  I call it a parade of nature.  She doesn't set all the flowers into bloom at the same time.  No, each species has its own time to enter the parade.  

On our trolley the other day, we couldn't believe how much the corn had grown.  Hot humid weather is what the corn likes and needs to grow.  The corn crops are planted so thick, one cannot see the rows.  It's like looking at a sea of green. 

When I think what the earth must be like in places like Death Valley and compare it to the rich black soil where we live, I feel the urge to genuflect and pray.  Of all the beautiful and rich places on earth, I'm fairly certain we were planted with tender loving care right where we are.  

The lawns, too, are lush and green.  A little rain fell last evening, with more in this afternoon's forecast.  I've seen photos of some wicked-looking storm clouds that hovered over some places.  From little on, there's been a prayer in my heart that we are spared from destruction.  Looking at small towns being totally destroyed can make a person sick.  What emotional horror must those people have to deal with?  and, how do they manage to start all over.  

We're having company at 11 o'clock this morning, for lunch.  A certain someone has done something extraordinary for me, but I'll keep it to myself for today.  It's this business of random surprises out of the blue.  Got up early and put together a macaroni-ham salad that I'll serve with kettle potato chips, and chocolate cake with ice cream for dessert.  

Oh, lest I forget, today marks the start of Watermelon Spitting Week (June 26-29).  This annual celebration (called The Thump) started in Luling, Texas and has spread to many other parts of the country.  A Guinness World Record was set in Luling in 1989 for the longest watermelon seed spit----65 feet, 4 inches.   That same year, another person broke this record and spit a distance of 68 feet, 9-1/8 inches.  

THE EMOJI

 Today's post is a follow-up to yesterday's where I talked about heart emojis.  According to Katie Couric Media, here are the rules of emoji etiquette.......

Which emojis should not be used?

Camera emojis can represent a request for nude/explicit images or videos.  📷

Peach, eggplant, cherry and banana emojis can all be used to represent body parts in a sexual context.  🍑 🍆 🍒 🍌

💦  The sweat emoji may also be used in a sexual context.

Avoid fruit and vegetable emojis, unless you're trying to flirt.  Just about any fruit or vegetable emoji can give off a sexual connotation, outside the obvious ones.

🍇 In some online communities, the grapes emoji is used as drug slang for cough syrup.   This is often a coded way to discuss substances without explicitly stating them.  On platforms like TikTok, the grapes emoji can also be used to reference a word that sounds like "grapes" and is related to a form of assault.

💎 The diamond gem stone generally conveys wealth or marriage engagements.  However, some online communities, 'specially those related to drug culture, may also use the emoji to represent crystal meth.

🥜 The peanut has a few potential meanings, but it has a significant sexual reference.  I'll let it go at that.

🍬 The candy emoji can mean Molly, Methylenedioxy-methamphetamine.

What is the language of the emoji?

The original emoji 絵文字, which means 'picture character' in Japanese, was created by Shigetaka Kurita in 1999.  It wasn't until 2010 when Apple and Google adopted it and the emoji entered the global mainstream.  Today, there are 2,823 emoji that convey information across language, culture, lifestyle and diversity.  It is a secret language.

What looks to you and me as a cute, harmless symbol, could mean something entirely different to the kids of today.  Sadly, they have become experts at using their own language to KPC (keep parents clueless).  All it takes is a single emoji to convey a threat, send a sexual advance, bully others, make racist comments or even complete a drug deal.

Parents must be involved with what their kids are doing and familiarize themselves as best they can with this new way of communicating.

It wasn't long ago when a teenager who wanted to buy illegal drugs had to venture into a questionable neighborhood, find the right street corner, identify the dealer and exchange cash to get their goods.  Today, 75% of drug deals happen through social media, frequently using cute, seemingly innocent-looking emojis.

In this time of shareable snapshots, quickly-deleted posts and lightning quick texting, teens can end up in compromising situations.  Technology has made it easier for predators to talk to and solicit minors, often while PIR (Parent in Room) or PAL (Parents are Listening).

Bullies go to all extremes to torment their victim while keeping their actions a secret from others.  Emoji allow bullies to hide their harmful messages.  While the victim understands the meaning, if caught, the bully will hide behind the original meaning of the emoji to protect themselves.

• With regard to bullying, these are emoji used to bully kids......
  
  
  
  Another troubling use of emoji is when they are used to communicate about criminal and physical threats.  Bombs, guns and knives are pretty straightforward.  But what about these other symbols that are used to threaten others?  Did you know that emoji are now permitted to be used as evidence in court?  It's important to make sure your kids know the risk in using them.
  
  
  

  
  

  Bottom line:  Whether we choose to acknowledge it or not, it's a pretty scary world, and the kids are able to live in two worlds at the same time.  One at home.  The other online.  Two separate cultures.  One is safe, hopefully.  The other is not.

EMOJI HEARTS AND THEIR MEANINGS

Does anyone besides me wonder which emoji to put on text messages?  Well, I'm learning to avoid certain emojis, simply because the younger generations have their own secret meanings, especially for the fruit and vegetable emojis.  We need to know which ones not to use, is what I'm trying to say.  We also need to realize that what we see as one thing, the younger generations see as having a hidden context that we don't want to be using.  

First, the main difference between emojis and emoticons is that emoticons are made up of keyboard characters (punctuation marks and letters), while emojis are the actual pictures or symbols. 

Let's start with the meanings of different colored hearts.  The heart emojis are safe to use, depending on the kind of love we're trying to express.....  

Emoji Icon: ❤️
Emoji Name: Red Heart
Emoji Meaning: A classic red heart symbolizes love, affection, and strong emotions.

Emoji Icon: 🧡
Emoji Name: Orange Heart
Emoji Meaning: A heart in orange represents warmth, friendship, and care.

Emoji Icon: 💛
Emoji Name: Yellow Heart
Emoji Meaning: A heart in yellow expresses joy, happiness, and friendship.

Emoji Icon: 💚
Emoji Name: Green Heart
Emoji Meaning: A heart in green symbolizes nature, growth, and harmony.

Emoji Icon: 💙
Emoji Name: Blue Heart
Emoji Meaning: A heart in blue represents loyalty, trust, and tranquility.

Emoji Icon: 💜
Emoji Name: Purple Heart
Emoji Meaning: A heart in purple symbolizes love, spirituality, and luxury.

Emoji Icon: 🤎
Emoji Name: Brown Heart
Emoji Meaning: A heart in brown signifies stability, comfort, and earthiness.

Emoji Icon: 🖤
Emoji Name: Black Heart
Emoji Meaning: A black heart represents sorrow, grief, or a dark sense of humor.

Emoji Icon: 🤍
Emoji Name: White Heart
Emoji Meaning: A white heart symbolizes purity, peace, and innocence.

Emoji Icon: 💔
Emoji Name: Broken Heart
Emoji Meaning: A heart broken in two expresses heartbreak and sadness.

Emoji Icon: ❣️
Emoji Name: Heart Exclamation
Emoji Meaning: A heart with an exclamation mark shows strong affection or excitement.

Emoji Icon: 💕
Emoji Name: Two Hearts
Emoji Meaning: Two hearts side by side represent love and affection.

Emoji Icon: 💞
Emoji Name: Revolving Hearts
Emoji Meaning: Two hearts revolving around each other signify love in motion.

Emoji Icon: 💓
Emoji Name: Beating Heart
Emoji Meaning: A pink heart with lines represents a beating heart, indicating strong emotions or love.

Emoji Icon: 💗
Emoji Name: Growing Heart
Emoji Meaning: A pink heart surrounded by lines symbolizes a growing or expanding heart full of love.

Emoji Icon: 💖
Emoji Name: Sparkling Heart
Emoji Meaning: A pink heart with sparkling stars represents a sense of excitement or admiration.

Emoji Icon: 💘
Emoji Name: Heart with Arrow
Emoji Meaning: A heart pierced by an arrow signifies being love struck.

Emoji Icon: 💝
Emoji Name: Heart with Ribbon
Emoji Meaning: A heart with a ribbon is often used for gift-giving and love tokens.

Emoji Icon: 💟
Emoji Name: Heart Decoration
Emoji Meaning: A decorative heart is used for decorative purposes or symbolizing love.

TWO FAWNS

YOWZA!  After writing yesterday's post, we left home for a graduation party.  On our way, we had (what I called in yesterday's post) a surprise moment.  Right out of the blue, two fawns were standing beside the road.  They stood as still as rocks and waited until I could take this photo.  Aren't they exactly what I meant when I said we have little surprises sprinkled along our life path?  

We stopped the car, as no one was following us.  We savored the moment(s) until they swiftly ran back into the woods.  

How was it that we were exactly where these two little creatures were at the same moment?  

Can you see the fawn
in this picture?

Why do fawns have spots?  Well, Mother Nature takes her paint brush and dapples their reddish-brown coat with white spots so they blend in with the dappled sunlight on the forest floor.  This makes them less visible to coyotes, bobcats and foxes, and the fawns have almost no scent.  The mother deer leave their fawns hidden while they go looking for food, and these white spots help conceal their babies.  While momma deer is gone, the fawns remain motionless and curled up.  The spots disappear when the fawns are about three or four months old when they start to develop their winter coats. 

The average number of spots on a fawn is between 272-342.   The spots on their coat run in two lateral lines, one on each side of the spine, running from the ears to the tail.  Additional spots are randomly scattered on the body.  Their specific number and arrangement of spots are individual to each fawn, much like how fingerprints are unique to each human.

Does this look like evolution?

We can choose our own perspectives when it comes to Divine Design vs. Evolution.  Even though I must confess to being a doubting Thomas when it comes to many of my religion's teachings, my heart and my head can't help but sense a Divine Designer.  Some say that evolution is a part of the Divine Design.  It's not only the spots on a fawn, the stripes on a tiger, or the stripes on a zebra, but how 'bout the concentric growth of rings in a tree?  Why do the spots on a fawn disappear?  How does evolution do that?  Why does evolution give stripes to some animals and give spots to others?  How did evolution create the coloration of the peacock's feathers? 

Heaven knows, I'm no scientist, biologist, geologist or botanist.  There's a whole lot more of my cranial capacity than there are of the computer-brains in the world, and we have the right to choose what feels best for us.  It's comforting to think that there's a Divine Creator who is looking out for us.  Evolution gives me not a hint of comfort.    

Perhaps academia has all the answers, and the rest of us do not.  Most people wouldn't lay out their doubts like I do.  But, I use my doubts wisely.  My doubts drive my curiosity.  The intrigue for me is that over and over, more and more, I keep finding things in Nature that press the thumb on the scale of Divine Creation.  All that should matter to me is how I perceive things.  What does my level of understanding allow me to know?  what do my personal experiences tell me?  what does my level of compassion allow me to feel?  what understanding comforts me and quiets my mind?  what things do I need to do to feed my soul?  to lift my spirits?

For me, life is at its finest when I connect with Nature....when I find amazing beauty in the natural world.  When I engage in creative activity, life is at its finest for me.  When I feel a sense of purpose, life is at its finest for me.  Spending time with people that are like me....who like to laugh and joke around.....who are loving and caring......when our values align.....that's when life is at its finest for me.  When I take time to appreciate the good things in my life, that's when life is at its finest for me.  At my current age, I make sure that I treat myself to rest and relaxation.  I cast negativity to the winds and pray it flies far, far away from me.  When I am learning something new, life is at its finest for me.   

I am not a religious person, but rather a spiritual person.  Religion insists we follow a structured road.  Spirituality allows us to each hike our own trail.  I've never found wildflowers growing along the structured road.

SURPRISES --LIFE'S CONFETTI

Life is a litany of tiny surprises (unexpected moments of delight) that we easily and often miss.  A perfect example is the topic of today's post.  The four of us were driving the back streets of a nearby town when I spotted the house with a front yard adorned with pink and white petunias.  Yup, the boyfriend backed the car up so I could take these photos and share them with you, my faithful followers.....

See the little gnome on the lower right?

A lot of Midwest towns showcase big baskets of stunning, colorful,  trailing petunias hanging from lamp posts up and down the streets.  In the early evening you can see volunteers driving up and down the streets in golf carts, watering them.  

Petunias are named after the South American word Petun, which is another name for Tobacco.  Petunias belongs to the nightshade plant family that also includes tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants and tobacco.   This popular trumpet-shaped flower is a genus of about 35 species of flowering plants of South America.  Originally, they were wild plants with small flowers, but over time have been genetically modified into these showy varieties.

Talking about these tiny surprises sprinkled across our paths is a good way for us to be open to the wonders of our world.  Simple pleasures come in all sorts of ways.....

• Simple pleasures.  A favorite song on the radio, the comfort of freshly washed bed sheets, the purring of a cat or the softness of a puppy's kiss.
• Unexpected kindness.  Think about the thoughtful gestures from people we don't know, like when someone holds the convenience store door open for us.  
• Feelings of connection.  A warm hug, a shared giggle or a genuine compliment.
• Beauty in nature.  The color of the flowers, the sound of rain and thunder, or the nightly settings of the sun. 

Despite what else is happening in our lives, we absolutely do have opportunities to shift our focus on the good and the beautiful here on Earth.  One cannot, and should not, expect the Happy Fairy to lead us around and point us toward these tiny surprises.  Not by a long shot.  There's a thing called personal responsibility.  It's up to us to pay attention to the small details around us.  There's lots of stuff to be grateful for every single day, no matter what other pains try to strangle the breath out of us.  We've got to invite, and be open to, the unexpected things that elevate our thinking.

Looking back at the already-lived decades, I sometimes wonder if the greatest challenge in life is this business of finding surprises in everyday moments.  Rather than letting our minds race ahead worrying about the future and whining about the past, we should be mindful of the here and the right now.  We don't have to transport ourselves to exotic places or spend money to see mega events, 'cuz we can know joy right smack dab where we are.  All we need to do is engage with our surroundings.

 

  

"Some people could be given an entire field of roses and only see the thorns in it. Others could be given a single weed and only see the wildflower in it.  Perception is a key component to gratitude.  And, gratitude is a key component to joy."  ~Amy Weatherly

STANDING PROUD AND TALL FOR JUSTICE

Guess I neglected to say yesterday that my confidence in our justice system is still intact.  The jury's verdict in the Karen Read case reassures us that the truth does win.  May blessings pour down upon the jurors and the alternate jurors for their attention and thorough deliberation.  My question now is:  are the feds going to investigate who did actually kill John O'Keefe?  The evidence presented at trial sure did give them a list of people involved in the setup of Karen.  As for the presiding judge, is her biased performance going to be investigated and will she be reprimanded?  Open and obvious judge bias cannot be tolerated in our justice system.  This is corruption, people.

My question:  Why would a judge so strongly and publicly display her support for corruption?  It was comical to watch how certain witnesses struggled to avoid the truth, at times slipped up, and undeniably testified as though they were hiding a made-up story in their pocket.  Oh, I could go on ad infinitum.  

About 2:00 a.m. this morning, I found a 2+hour interview of two of the defense attorneys, Robert Alessi and David Yannetti, on You Tube.  Watched a bit of the interview, but decided to save the rest for today's entertainment.  For someone who feasts on the judicial process, like me, it's a treat to get into the brilliant minds of the attorneys.  It was interesting to learn how they had a team of the best law school students assist them.  What an addition to the law students' CVs (curriculum vitae) when they seek to join a law firm.  To assist in a high profile case like this, that's gonna be a whopper benefit for them.

The scary part of this trial is the fact that this evil exists.  Gotta remember that Karen and her family had to endure two trials.   Imagine if it was you or me wrongfully accused of a murder, and we'd have to tolerate more than three grueling years trying to prove that we were framed.  That's why this is such an important case.  It will help prevent the same thing from happening to other innocent citizens of our country.  

I cannot help but ponder the fact that there are brilliant minds put onto this earth to maintain a moral justice among us.  This trial involved a legal brilliance that can't be bought at any academic institution.  This kind of brilliance is Creator-gifted.  Despite the amount of corruption in this case,  it was science, it was physics....the fundamental laws governing matter, energy, space, time and their interactions...that enabled the attorneys to challenge and prove their case.  Truth won.  Evil lost twice.  

Justice is conscience,

not a personal conscience

but the conscience of the whole humanity. 

KINDNESS

The 5 o'clock national news upsets me.  Reporters search out the worst, most nerve-racking events that take place every day.  As screwed up as the people of our planet may be, there's much more kindness.  But, we won't hear about that, cuz it's the sensationalism that gives them ratings and brings in the bucks.  

Yesterday my boyfriend and I were sitting here when our doorbell rang.  Sharon and Jean had been picking strawberries at a local strawberry farm and stopped by to share them with us.  The berries were large, red and so shiny that it looked like they'd been polished.  And, sweet?  Goodness gracious, yes, juicy and luscious.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow said it best...........

Kind hearts are the gardens,

Kind thoughts are the roots,

Kind words are the flowers,

Kind deeds are the fruits. 

FLOWER FRAGRANCES

Why are some flowers, like peonies, roses and lilacs so insanely fragrant?  I swear, with the least bit of movement around them, their fragrance dances around the room, away from their velvety petals.  

Did some digging in the grounds of botany and found some fun stuff......

• 
  The fragrances of flowers are made up of vaporous organic compounds (VOCs), or tiny molecules, that evaporate easily, thus creating the scent that dances through the air.
• Floral scents begin as oils that are produced by the petals of most plants.   
• The specific combination of VOCs is what gives each flower its unique scent signature.  From the deep, soul-stirring aroma of roses to the light, refreshing scent of lilies, it's all about chemistry.  These compounds aren't random, they're meticulously produced by the plant to appeal to special pollinators.
• 
  
  The flower's scent is one of the most important communication channels mediating plant and pollinator interactions.
• Some flowers produce different scents to attract specific types of pollinators, like insects and birds, that transfer pollen from place to place....thus aiding in their reproduction.  
• Some flowers are more fragrant during the day to attract bees and butterflies, while others are more fragrant at night to attract moths and bats.  
• Flowers produce pleasant scents to signal the presence of their nectar or pollen.
• We humans also benefit from the flower's fragrance.  Studies have shown that the smell of flowers helps reduce stress and anxiety.  For instance, lavender and jasmine have a calming effect on the nervous system and can promote better sleep.  We should be sure to stop and inhale these invisible inspirations whenever we can.
  

Flowers have played a central role in the history of perfumes since ancient times.  That's another topic for another day.

INDONESIA VOLCANO

Indonesia in red

One of today's global news happenings is the eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki in Indonesia.  Ash is said to have spewed into the sky some 6.8 miles.  Imagine how far up that is and what force was capable of such an eruption.

Most of us hear about far-away countries, we recognize their names, but truly don't where they are on the global map.  For me, I'm not familiar with Indonesia....thus, today's topic.

This southeast Asian country is made up of more than 17,000 Islands sprinkled across the Indian and Pacific Oceans.....6,000 inhabited.  Indonesia sits on both sides of the equator, straddling the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. 

Interestingly, Indonesia lies within the Pacific Ring of Fire and has hundreds of volcanoes across the islands, with some 130 active.  To put this into perspective, to the left is a photo found in Wikipedia showing their locations and names.  The Laki Laki volcano that erupted yesterday is on the island of Flores, east of Bali.

Circle marks Bali

In 1883, the volcano Krakatau eruption had an explosive force equal to a 200-megatonne bomb, killing over 36,000 people.

Indonesia has the highest concentration of volcanoes in the world.

The Ring of Fire is a string of underwater volcanoes and earthquake sites.  
Some 90% of all earthquakes
and 75% of active volcanoes on Earth
occur along the Ring of Fire,

Tectonic Plates

Ring of Fire is a horse-shoe shaped region in the Pacific Ocean stretching some 25,000 miles.  It's formed by several tectonic plates meeting and leading to intense geological activity.  Tectonic plates are massive slabs of solid rock that make up the Earth's crust.  These plates move and interact with each other.  The results of this movement are earthquakes,volcanic eruptions and the formation of mountain ranges.  These plates move at a slow pace, compared to the rate that fingernails grow.

JUDICIAL BIAS

Yesterday was what we call 'a growing day' for the crops, the lawns, the flowers, the gardens and the creatures who share the earth with us.  A total of 2" of rain watered the world where we live.

Have written about my interest in the Karen Read trial out in Massachusetts.  Well, that interest has ratcheted up to anxiety.  A sea of people wearing pink (in support of Karen) gathered around the courthouse in Norfolk County, some traveling across several states to be present when the verdict is rendered.  The tension is building, and already I need another blood pressure pill.  

From my personal perspective, I see our justice system not holding up to its high standards, 'specially when it comes to the judges who preside over the trials.  The judge in this case was caught and shown on national television signaling the prosecutor to object, he immediately objected, she sustained the objection and she smiled with her admonishment.  That's unacceptable.  Yesterday the defense made a motion for a more understandable verdict form, and the judge denied their motion.  Wouldn't one think the judge would want to make the verdict form clear and understandable?  If I was Karen Read, I sure would.  But......the bias and the corruption keeps on growing.  During the trial, I actually thought to count the number of prosecutor objections she sustained versus the number of defense objections she overruled.  

We all know that life isn't fair.....far from it.  Yet, our justice system is a sanctuary of safety for all of us.  My toes are crossed that the jury delivers a verdict of not-guilty by the end of the day, or I'll need to be medicated more than I already am.  (It's funny that I say that, cuz another viewer said the same thing in a podcast chat regarding this trial.)

Buffy

Tonight we're having company over for drinks and supper.  The rest of our June calendar is quite busy, with graduations and our own guests coming over.  It's that business of summer socializing.  Little Buffy is going to spend the day tomorrow with us.  It just might be a cuddle day.   Cuddling with this little monkey is mighty therapeutic, and at this stage of my journey, I maximize my opportunities.  It's been said that opportunities are like sunrises.  If we wait too long, we might miss 'em.

Ralph Waldo Emerson, one of my faves, said......never lose an opportunity of seeing anything beautiful, for beauty is God's handwriting.

WORLD SEA TURTLE DAY

Today we celebrate World Sea Turtle Day.  My mind remembers the sea turtle sanctuary that my niece and I visited on our Caribbean cruise some years back.  They are amazing.  What's really amazing is the fact that they have outlived the dinosaurs, and the dinosaurs went extinct some 65 million years ago.

There are seven recognized species, each unique.  Their shells are made up of over 50 bones that are fused together.  They literally wear their bones on the outside.  Some sea turtles live over 100 years.  They use the Earth's magnetic field to navigate, helping them return to their nesting grounds.  Momma sea turtles often return to the same beach where they were born to lay their eggs.  Just think about that....really think.  Tiny birds and sea turtles, alike, use the Earth's magnetic field to navigate over long distances.  No maps.  No GPS.  Only their Nature-gifted magnetic sense.

Many sea turtles are able to dive almost 1000 feet and hold their breath for up to 5 hours.  They're powerful swimmers, reaching speeds of up to 22 mph.  Green sea turtles eat seagrass.....which explains their nickname 'lawnmowers of the ocean.'

Hawksbill

As we celebrate them today, let me introduce the species:

Hawksbill Turtle.  Named for its narrow, pointed beak, which they use to get food out from the crevices in the coral reefs. 

Green Turtle.  Gets its name from the green color of its fat due to its diet of seagrass and algae.

Leatherback

Green

Leatherback Turtle.  The largest sea turtle, unique for their leathery shell (rather than a bony shell).

Olive Ridley

Olive Ridley Turtle.  Known for their mass nesting events called arribadas, where thousands of turtles nest on the same beach at once.   The olive in their name comes from their olive-green colored shell.  The origin of Ridley isn't known for sure.  Some speculate perhaps it's derived from the word riddle.

Kemp's Ridley

Kemp's Ridley Turtle.  This one is named after Richard M. Kemp, a Florida fisherman who first described the species.  He submitted the turtle for identification in the early 1900s.  Again, the ridley in the name is not definitely known.   In Texas, Kemp's Ridley sea turtles are seen in the near-shore Gulf of America waters and bays.  

A nesting
Loggerhead

Loggerhead Turtle.  Named for its large head, which supports powerful jaw muscles  that enable it to feed on hard-shelled prey.  

Flatback.  Found only in Australian waters.  It has a flattened, sloping shell.

Flatback

    

World Sea Turtle Day is celebrated on Dr. Archie Carr's birthday.  Dr. Carr is remembered as the "father of sea turtle biology."  His research and dedication brought attention to the threatening conditions that continue to impact sea turtles.  

RAIN OVERNIGHT

Heaven's sky blessed our area with about an inch and a half of rain during the night. 

Rainy days hold a special kind of beauty.  The way raindrops cling to flower petals, the reflections in puddles.  Rain erases the slate by washing away the dust and grime.  The trees look greener and the flowers bloom brighter after a rain.  Rain is grace.  How 'bout the rain that clings to a spider's web?  Rain is the sky descending to the earth.  

I remember when I was a little girl, living in a large stone house.  My brother and I made tents with the kitchen chairs and blankets.  We'd crawl inside our tents and listen to the thunder and the rain tapping against the windows.  Why on earth do I remember that so vividly all these decades later?

Rain is a Divine gift from Our Creator.  Rain falls from the heavens to satisfy the thirst of the earth.  Without rain, there would be no life.....plant, animal or human.  

Recognizing that preferences vary from person to person, not all of us enjoy rainy days.  Some may find them depressing.  For those of us who do, a rainy day is a blessed opportunity to get cozy and enjoy a sense of peace.  

Life is full of beauty.

Notice it.

   

OUR PATH OF LIFE

Back a few posts ago I shared photos of baby robins in a nest.  Sadly, the poor little things didn't make it through a rain storm.  

This gets me thinking about the sadness that occurs every minute in the animal and bird kingdoms.  We humans have our heads so far under our own craziness, that we fail to think about those that share life alongside us.  How sad is that, really.

Think of the mommas and papas that lose their babies, and they have to suffer the loss by themselves.  Their life span is shorter than ours, and their power of endurance requires more than we can imagine.  Every little bird that sits on our deck railing has its own life circumstances.  This puts a new perspective on bird-watching.

Natural disasters like tornadoes, hurricanes and earthquakes must be horrific for them.  Flooding and fires and diseases and heat waves add to their scope of suffering.....same as we humans endure and deal with.  And, then there's the business of predators.  Guess we all have them.....those who seek to harm us.  

Yesterday I had my brain submerged in the final arguments in the Karen Read trial out in Massachusetts.  The defendant's attorney's closing argument was stellar, and I will watch it multiple times.  Anyway, somewhere yesterday I heard the words, "I stay in my own lane."  Gosh, those words resonated with me.  That explains my life to a T.  At this stage, all I want is to be at peace and away from anyone who has the ability to shatter that contentment.  Maybe the reason I have so much compassion for animals and birds is because I've been hurt so many times by so many people.  The older I am, the easier it is for me to say this openly.  I'm probably the only person on the globe who can sit in her retirement recliner, alone, and still get myself in scalding water.  

When we get down to the nitty gritty, life can be challenging and overwhelming.  If we add up relationships, society's pressures plus all the personal struggles we must overcome, life is one heck of a complex ocean to navigate.  Just imagine the dysfunction, poverty, illnesses, disappointment and tragedies that happen every second of every day across the globe.  Imagine the suffering.

Much of what happens in our lives is beyond our control.  Some of it has a negative impact on us, others positive.  It's how we handle ourselves and what choices we make that tells all.  If each of us 8 billion has our own opinion and believe that our way is the best or right or only way, is it any wonder that we don't have peace?  

We tend to judge the big picture from our individual vantage point or mindset.  When we run into others who suffer differently and see things differently, then there's conflict.   Has this ever happened to you?  We are all color blind when it comes to life.  We think in black and white.  

I'm reminded of an old saying, "The more dirt we throw, the more ground we lose."  Boy, if those words aren't biblical, I don't know what is. We, as a society, have reached the point where some of us are afraid of talking, because someone out there is just itching to weigh our every word and judge us.  I can't be the only one in the universe who is staying in her own lane, in an attempt to survive our violent society and its uncountable acts of cruelty.  

When I think about the creatures that share the earth with us, I think their saving grace is their ability to not overthink things.  We humans have so much more today than our ancestors did, yet it's not enough.  The way we think has the power to condemn ourselves to a life of misery.   

Maybe the answer to life is as simple as this:  Live and let live.  What do those four words mean?  My mind perceives them to say that we should be tolerant of one another and not interfere in one another's life.  It's all about mutual respect.          

There's not one path.

There's not even the right path.

There's only your path.

DOVE - The June Bird

The month of June is associated with the DOVE, the bird that is a potent symbol of  peace, love and intuition.   The ancient Greeks thought of the dove as a messenger of the gods.  Poets wrote about them, an example being Emily Dickinson writing about Columba, which is Latin for dove.  The dove is mentioned some 47 times in the Bible. The story of Noah and the Ark tells of a dove returning the second time to Noah with an olive branch signifying the end of the flood and a renewed covenant between Our Lord and humanity.  When Jesus was baptized, the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus in the form of a dove. The dove is a key symbol in the New Testament.   In Matthew 10:16, Jesus tells his disciples to be 'innocent as doves.' 

• Both the Mommas and Papas  care for their baby squabs, sitting on the eggs and feeding them crop milk.  Crop milk is produced by special cells lining the crop, a pouch-like part of the esophagus.  They regurgitate the crop milk into their babies' mouths.  The substance is rich in proteins, fats and antibodies. 
• Doves are important to the natural balance of the ecosystems through their seed dispersal. 
• Doves are closely related to pigeons.  In all, there are more than 300 species.
• They are found all over the world, except for the polar regions and a few remote islands.  This is because they have adapted to living alongside humans.  Doves are hardy and are able to live in desert areas, tropical forests, mountains and woodlands.
• Doves have an incredible sense of direction and can navigate over long distances using the Earth's magnetic field.  Scientists have used them in scientific studies to help understand the mechanisms behind this ability.
• They have a distinct cooing call which helps them communicate with other doves and also to establish territory.
•  Doves were used during World Wars I and II to carry messages between troops and headquarters.
• 
  For centuries, doves have been popular subjects in religious art---in paintings, sculptures and other forms---as symbols of peace and love.

The dove makes a fitting symbol for the start of summer and the relaxed atmosphere that June brings to us.  It is our privilege to listen for their soft cooing calls to calm our frenzied human anxieties.

HORSESHOE

A rainy day.  Gloomy doomy, but the gardens and corn fields are singing.  There were storm advisories last night, but all we saw was lightning.  

Today little Buffy Baby Boo will grace our place with an overnight stay, so that means my world will be complete.  Wee puppies have special powers over me.  

Wanna share a photograph of my latest creation.  Someone very dear to us gifted me with boxes of beads that she bought at a garage sale in Colorado.  A wealthy neighborhood.  My first thought was to gift her back with something I make with the beads.  Day before yesterday was her birthday, and we asked her to stop over so I could give it to her.  (The horseshoe is a pony shoe that I bought from a gal out in Idaho.)  It's the real deal.

The horseshoe symbolizes good luck and protection.  They make unique gifts, especially for those who love to ride horses.  A pony shoe is smaller than the regular horse shoe, and that in itself adds a layer of unique.

 Primitive forms of hoof protection were used by Asian horsemen as far back as 400 BC, when they used leather and plant materials to protect horses' sore hooves.  The Romans are credited with first using horseshoes (hippo sandals) in the first century BC, using a combination of leather and metal to protect hooves.

By the 6th and 7th centuries, Europeans were nailing metal shoes onto horses' hooves.  In the year 1000 AD, bronze horseshoes were common.  The iron horseshoe became popular in the 13th and 14th centuries.  

The term 'farrier' came about in the 16th century, referring to the person who fitted horseshoes.  Modern technology is being used to create custom, 3D printed therapeutic horseshoes for healing. 

Pitching horseshoes became a popular sport as far back as the Roman Empire.  

There's a legend about the horseshoe.  It's said that St. Dunstan shoed the devil's own cloven hoof with great force and pain.  After the excruciating ordeal, the devil agreed to never ever enter over a threshold with a horseshoe nailed above it, being fearful of the crescent-shaped object.

There are conflicting opinions on the hanging of a horseshoe.  Some say the ends pointing up is said to catch good luck, while hanging it with the ends pointing down allows the luck to spill out.  Others say hanging it with the ends pointing down helps keep the luck inside the horseshoe.  Personally, I like the horseshoe that hangs with the ends pointing upward.  Kinda like a smile rather than a frown.

Wild horses don't require shoes, because they spend most of the time grazing and don't walk that much.  Work horses walk miles and miles a day, and their hooves endure the strain and pain.  That's why horseshoes are needed.  The hoof is like the fingernail in that it can be trimmed without causing pain so long as the sensitive upper half of the foot is not violated.

Horseshoe Bend
Arizona

Horseshoe Bend in Arizona has been a sacred place for Native American tribes for centuries.  The Navajo, Hopi and other tribes consider Horseshoe Bend a place of spiritual significance and have used it for ceremonies and gatherings. 

Horseshoe Bend on the Colorado River has a drop of about 1,000 feet.  The river carves out a 270-degree horseshoe-shaped bend in Glen Canyon.  Its formation dates back about 6 million years.  

Famous proverb attributed to Benjamin Franklin:

For want of a nail, the horse's shoe was lost.  For want of a shoe, the horse was lost.  For want of a horse, the rider was lost.  For want of a rider, the battle was lost.  For want of a battle, the kingdom was lost.  All for the want of a horseshoe nail.

Moral of proverb:  The importance of paying attention to small details.  A seemingly insignificant omission can lead to significant negative consequences.  

OPERA complexity

Onward we go to familiarize ourselves with the opera. 

You know how we say 'break a leg' to someone going on stage in the theater?  Well, in the opera they say 'toi toi toi' (toy toy toy) to wish the performers good luck.

How does one know when to clap at an opera?

• Applaud when the conductor enters the orchestra pit at the start of the performance and after intermissions.
• Applause is customary at the end of each act.
•  If a soloist or group performs a particularly captivating aria or ensemble piece, it's acceptable to applaud.
• Some audiences might applaud when the curtain rises, revealing a beautiful stage setting.  You might also hear shouts of BRAVO (for men), BRAVA for women, or BRAVI for a group, after exceptionally good performances.
• Avoid clapping mid-aria, during dramatic moments, or before the end of a piece if the composer intends for the music to flow without interruption.
• If you're unsure when to clap, observe other audience members and follow their cues.
• Also, I'm sure the etiquette varies between regions, countries, houses and times.
• Unlike a musical, opera singers don't use microphones to amplify their voices, and the music played by the orchestra, is completely live. 

I now realize that it's too big a challenge for me to write about the opera.........

• In order to write about the opera, one needs to be familiar with the composer, the writer of the text, historical context, voice types, orchestration, musical forms and  performance history.

The key word to the opera is complexity.  For me to write about the opera is like asking an ant to lift a brick.  So, my attempt is a bust.  That's okay, cuz lots of things in life are a bust.  We just have to know the depth of the water we can safely dive into.

UNDERSTANDING THE OPERA

Living where we do, there's one thing that I've not been introduced to in my lifetime.  And, that is the opera.  I know virtually nothing about it, except what I've seen in the movies.....the opera house, the voices, the music and the elegant clothing.  If I would have the opportunity to attend an opera, I wouldn't know how to maximize the experience, other than sit there, look and listen.  

My hope is that my readers will also enjoy this kindergarten class about the opera.

• Opera comes from the Latin opera, which is the plural form of opus, or work.
• The written dramatic text is expressed in the form of a libretto,  the major liturgical words. 
• 
  The opera is a multidisciplinary genre that brings together the artistic disciplines of music, singing, dance, theater, staging, performance, costumes, makeup, hairdressing and others.  It's a collective creation of these art forms.  
• An opera begins with the composer and librettist (the one who writes the text), the vocal performers play a powerful role, as do the musicians and their conductor, the dancers, those who created the stage sets, costumes and the other aspects of the dramatic arts.
• The opera is a social event.  Over time, the opera has become a reflection of the currents of thought, political and philosophical, religious and moral, the beauty and culture of the society where the plays were produced.
• DAFNE, composed by Jacopo Peri, is considered the first opera which premiered in Florence, Italy, in 1598.  That's where the opera was born.
• 
  The story focuses on the love story between the god Apollo and the nymph Dafne.  Dafne means laurel tree.  In Greek mythology Dafne was the name of the nymph who was transformed into a laurel tree to escape the pursuit of Apollo.  The laurel tree is a symbol of victory, honor and recognition. 
• Knowing the story of an opera before attending greatly enhances one's enjoyment and understanding.  An opera is a play that is told through music, and understanding the plot allows one to appreciate the musical storytelling.
• Not understanding what the opera play is about can make one struggle to understand who's singing what, why and what's happening on the stage.  Knowing the plot allows a person to connect the music to the plot and appreciate its significance.
• Besides understanding the story, there's also the beauty of the performance to appreciate, as well as the artistry of the singers and the overall dramatic impact of the opera. 
• How can one prepare to go to an opera?
• Many websites offer plot summaries.
• YouTube offers clips of opera performances, allowing one to see the staging and costumes.
• What about the language barriers?  How does a person know what the singers are singing?  As I come to understand, some of the most beautiful music ever written is in operas, and one doesn't need to know the words being sung.  It's enough to simply savor the music.  
• Nowadays, as I understand, opera houses provide captioning above or beside the stage.  So, if one doesn't speak the language the opera is being presented in, one can have a pretty fair idea of what's going on.
• The opera is an emotional experience conveying emotion through music, singing and performance.  One can grasp the feelings and themes without understanding the words.
• The opera is visual storytelling.  The staging, the costumes and the acting all play significant roles in telling the story.  The visual elements help enhance the understanding and enjoyment of the performance.
• The opera is about appreciating music.  The opera features a wide range of musical styles, offering a listening experience that transcends language.
• Engaging with opera can provide cultural and historical insight,  enriching one's overall knowledge.
• What are the main themes of the art of opera?
• Love and Passion.  Romantic relationships, love that is not returned, and the complexities of desire.
• Death and Tragedy.  Themes of man's mortality, loss and the tragic consequences of human actions.
• Fate and Destiny.  Man's struggle against fate and the impact of destiny on characters' lives.
• Jealousy and Betrayal.  Conflicts arising from jealousy, betrayal and revenge.
• Power and Betrayal.  Political intrigue, ambition and the quest for power.
• Redemption and Forgiveness.  Spiritual rescue, moral dilemmas and the possibility of forgiveness.
• Identity and Transformation.  Characters grapple with their identities, that eventually lead to transformation and self-discovery.
• Social Class and Inequality.  Many operas touch on social issues and the struggles of the marginalized.
• Opera is said to be Life Amplified--human characteristics, fears, joys, relationships, laughter, sorrow, passion---AMPLIFIED. 

• In an opera, the music tells the story.  Not the words. 
• The artistry involved in elaborate staging and lighting create a captivating visual experience.  The artistry can be as engaging as the music itself.
• The singers and actors, their physical expressions and movements contribute to the storytelling, making it accessible even without understanding the dialogue.
• Even if we don't understand Italian or the specific plot, the opera's emotional depth, visual beauty and cultural richness can be a rewarding experience. 
• Just as a baby enjoys the familiar voice of its mother, but can't understand the words she is saying, opera lovers feel and behold a loving communication between themselves and the artists.
  

Well, that's it for the first lesson.  Already I am curious to experience the elements of an opera besides its language and its words.  What I didn't understand was that going to an opera is about looking and listening and feeling.  My original feeling was that it was the language that was the most important part of a production.  There's so much more to living the experience.  My rubber-band mind feels stretched by this first step.  I hope you'll join me tomorrow for more insight.