CameraCritters#4 and UnconsciousMutterings#5

Misty Dawn started the meme and explains the rules here:

Introductory Information

An Inquisitive Visitor

(Clicking on the image will enlarge the photos)

This little bird bugged the heck out of Molly one morning
hanging around outside my kitchen window
obviously captivated by something
for about 15 minutes.

Click for others participating in Camera Critters today.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I'm participating for the 5th time today.
How about you?

What comes to YOUR mind?
If you'd like to play here, copy and paste the clues in comments along with your responses ... or post on your blog and let me know so I can visit ;--)

Here are MY responses:
I say ... and you think ... ?

1. Track :: follow
   
2. Snake :: in the grass
   
3. Assignment :: special
   
4. Blockbuster :: film or theater production
   
5. Bombastic :: pretentious or grandiose
   
6. Adventure :: rafting down the rapids
   
7. First time :: for everything ;--)
   
8. Aged :: cheese or wine
   
9. Grip :: backstage job
   
10. Shortcut:: often isn't what it seems
    

I say ... and you think ... ?

1. Track ::
2. Snake ::
3. Assignment ::
4. Blockbuster ::
5. Bombastic ::
6. Adventure ::
7. First time ::
8. Aged ::
9. Grip ::
10. Shortcut::

Click for others participating this week.

Thought for Today
"If you wait to do everything until you're sure it's right, you'll probably never do much of anything." Win Borden

PhotoHunt#3 - SmileySaturday & Saturday9 #2

Since this is a 'free' week ...

here's a rose from my garden for
all you Mom's out there;--)

Happy Mother's Day

Click for others participating this week.

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I'm smiling this morning because a good friend plans to walk the annual Mother's Day Weekend Craft Fair in Sunset Beach today for two reasons:

1. she's always wanted to go but somehow it never works out to get there

2. she knows it's something I've done with my sister (who's currently traveling in Ohio with her husband and therefore unavailable this year) for decades

I'm leaving to pick her up as soon as I get this posted and I'm sure we'll have a delightful time!

Click for others participating this week.

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Today's Topic is What Do You Notice?

1. What is the first thing you notice about a person (that you are attracted to) when you meet them? Personality & attitudes ... are they friendly & outgoing, reserved & shy, funny, serious, etc.

2. What has been your worst illness or injury? I live with Epstein-Barr ... have for more than a decade.

3. Have you ever had a secret crush and then told the person? If yes, how did it go? No ... I'm rather forthright so if I like someone I say so ;--)

4. What was the last drink that you ordered at a pub or a bar? a glass of White Zinfandel while waiting to be seated to dine

5. What car have you owned that was your favorite? a brand new 1968 yellow Volkswagen Beetle

6. What is your favorite holiday? my birthday ... celebrated my 63rd most recently in February and shared with blogging friends here.

7. Have you ever had sex with someone that in retrospect was (and stayed) a stranger? Nope

8. Who is your favorite female singer? Barbra Streisand

9. How often do you read the newspaper? Once upon a time I read it daily ... for decades, but haven't read one for at least 12 years and certainly don't miss it!

Click for others participating this week.

Thought for Today
"He who has a thousand friends has not a friend to spare,
And he who has one enemy will meet him everywhere."
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Haiku Friday #37 - Focus on Thinking

Happy Mother's Day

I hope that you're all
planning something delightful
in addition to

whatever else your
family does ... Make it a
day to remember!

Thanks to Scylla at Law & Motherhood for this cool Haiku button

Many of you moms
diligently raising kids
may be in'trested

in the T-13
I posted here yesterday
highlighting clear 'signs'

of 'improved' thinking ...
observable ... yet precise
methods to measure

and facilitate
growth ... development ... in your
children and yourselves

as you interact
with 'curriculum' and those
who might be engaged

in the process of
education in our schools.
Listening to the

thought-provoking link
will uplift (and entertain)
while raising a few

issues worthy of
reflection and discussion ...
Together we can

make a difference
focusing on 'creative
capacity' might

shift the 'focus' of
schools to help our children thrive
Just 'imagine' this!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

For a Mr. Linky to other Haiku Fridays
go to A Mommy Story or
Playgroups are no Place for Children.

To see more previous Haikus,
click on the Haiku Friday label below this post
or in the sidebar under About Me.

Thought for Today
"It's what you learn after you know it all that counts." attributed to Harry S. Truman

Thursday Thirteen #23 - What are we thinking?

10 Indicators of Intellectual Growth
in Kids and Ourselves

as shared by Art Costa in 1985
(plus 3 more thoughts for your consideration)

In the 1980s I worked with Art Costa and others on a Task Force to develop programs to enhance and extended Creative and Critical Thinking Skills in California's schools. This morning I happened upon an entertaining and thought-provoking link at Claudia's ... and I've decided to share a bit of 'food for thought' this morning in my T-13.

I hope you'll take time to view the link yourself and read on ... perhaps passing some of these ideas on to family & friends too. Together we can do more than any of us can do alone ... and it's definitely time for change when it comes to educating our kids for a future we have no way to envision.

First some 'Quotes to Consider'

1. "It is, in fact, nothing short of a miracle that the modern methods of instruction have not entirely strangled the holy curiosity of inquiry." Albert Einstein

2. "The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn." Alvin Toffler

3. "Thank goodness I was never sent to school; it would have rubbed off some of the originality." Beatrix Potter

Hopefully we'll figure out how to 'rethink our educational systems' as we refine our understanding of 'intelligence' as being 'diverse, dynamic, and distinct' as Sir Ken Robinson suggests. In the meantime, according to Art Costa, here are specific signs of improved thinking you can observe in yourselves and others ... especially the children in your life ... as schools continue to 'develop the left side' of their brains:

4. Perseverance - "Students often give up in despair when the answer to a problem is not evident. They are unable to analyze problems or develop systems, structures, or strategies to solve them. Thinking students grow in their problem-solving strategies. If one strategy doesn't work, they know how to back up and try another. They realize that the first theory or idea must be rejected and another employed. They use systematic methods to analyze problems and know how to begin, what steps to perform, and what data to generate or collect."

5. Decreased impulsiveness - "Students often give the first answer that comes to mind. ... As students become less impulsive, we observe a decrease in the number of erasures on their papers. They gather information and make sure they understand directions before beginning tasks, take time to reflect on answers before giving them, listen to alternative points of view, and plan problem-solving strategies."

6. Flexible thinking - "Some students have difficulty considering alternate points of view or dealing with more than one classification system simultaneously. Their way ... seems to be the only way. They are more interested in knowing whether their answers are correct than being challenged by the process of finding the answer, and are unable to sustain the process. As students become more flexible they can consider, express, or paraphrase the viewpoints or rationales of others. They can state several ways of solving the same problem and evaluate the merits and consequences of alternate course of action."

7. Metacognition - "Some people are unaware of their own thinking processes. They are unable to describe the steps or strategies they use during problem solving, cannot transform into words the visual images held in their minds, and seldom evaluate the quality of their own thinking skills. We can determine that students are becoming more aware of their own thinking as they are able to describe what goes on in their heads when they think ... list the steps and tell where they are in the sequence of a problem solving strategy ... trace the pathways and blind alleys they took on the road to the solution."

8. Careful review - "Students are often careless when turning in their completed work ... less inclined to reflect on the accuracy ... contemplate their precision, or take pride in their accomplishments. Getting the assignment over with quickly is more important ... than craftsmanship. We can recognize growth in students' desires for accuracy as they take time to check over their tests and papers and become more conscientious about precision, clarity, and perfection."

9. Problem posing - "One of the distinguishing characteristics between humans and other life forms is our ability to find problems. ... We want to see a shift from teachers asking questions and posing problems to students asking questions and finding problems themselves. ... asking questions like these:

• "What evidence do you have?" or "How do you know that's true?"
• "What do you think would happen if ...?" or "If that is true, then ... ?"
• "What would happen if we put the saltwater fish in the freshwater aquarium?" or "What are some alternative solutions to international conflicts other than wars?"

10. Use of past knowledge and experiences - "Too often students begin teasks as if they were being approached for the very first time ... (rather than recalling) how they solved a similar problem previously. Thinking students are able to abstract meaning from past experiences and apply it to new experiences. Students show growth in this ability as they say things like "This reminds me of ..." or "This is just like the time when we ..." They call on their store of knowledge and experiences as sources of data to support, theories to explain, and processes to solve each new challenge."

11. Transference beyond the learning situation - "The ultimate goal of teaching thinking skills is for students to apply school-learned knowledge in real-life situations. When parents and other teachers report how they have observed students thinking at home and in other classes, we know students are transferring."

12. Precise language - "Some student's language is confused, vague, or imprecise ... using non-specific words such as 'weird, nice, okay ... junk or things' with sentences punctuated with 'ya know, er, and um'. As student's language becomes more precise they use more descriptive words to distinguish attributes ... correct names ... and when universal labels are unavailable, they use analogies such as 'crescent-shaped or like a bowtie' ... they speak in complete sentences, voluntarily provide supportive evidence for their ideas, elaborate, clarify, and operationally define their terminology. Their speech becomes more concise, descriptive, and coherent."

13. Enjoyment of problem solving - "Some children and adults avoid problems ... saying things like 'Thinking games turn me off' or 'I was never good at brain-teasers' ... and perceive thinking as hard work. ... We want to see students move toward not only an 'I can' attitude, but also an 'I enjoy' feeling. They will display increased independence and not need as much help and intervention from teachers. Statements such as 'Don't tell me the answer, I can figure it out myself' indicate growing autonomy."

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Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

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Thought for Today
(I've used this one before ... but methinks it bears repeating)
"If we value independence, if we are disturbed by the growing conformity of knowledge of values, of attitude, which our present system induces, then we may wish to set up conditions of learning which make for uniqueness, for self-direction, and for self-initiated learning." Carl Rogers

Wordless Wednesday #24 - Stop and smell the ...

Others participating this week

Thought for Today
"A flower's appeal is in its contradictions -- so delicate in form yet strong in fragrance, so small in size yet big in beauty, so short in life yet long on effect." Adabella Radici

HoTs #5 & Slice of Life #2 - Memories of Mom

This week's theme/prompt is:

HEADS - Mother

I wrote of my mom on January 7th at Sacred Ruminations. I've quoted myself here by way of 'introduction' ... and to get me started writing about my mom somehow.

"I've been thinking of my mom today as I've done several loads of laundry and a few other chores around the house. Having neglected these tasks in favor of blogging lately, I'm feeling a wee bit guilty though I often choose to release worry and guilt these days (after cultivating this new habit over time) so I'm not likely to lose any sleep over it. I've enjoyed learning to do new things, meeting new people through their blogs, experimenting with sharing previous writings from my journals, discovering comments, and responding from the heart. Some days I spend more time at the computer than I'd care to admit. My life is so much easier than hers. She never worked outside the home because my Dad didn't want her too, and she did have three kids to raise once I appeared on the scene.

Mom always did laundry on Mondays, and we kids would help her hang the clothes on the outdoor lines to dry. Rainy Mondays always threw her off because she had specific days to do different tasks. Tuesday was for ironing, but I don't recall which specific tasks she assigned to other days. She cleaned, baked, mended, sewed our clothes, darned socks, cooked meals, and volunteered at our schools & at church. We'd sit on the back porch together to shell peas, but Mom didn't let either my sister nor I help with cooking. We did take turns drying the dishes after dinner as she washed them carefully ... never trusting us with that task either. Occasionally she visited over the fence with neighbors, but for the most part was busy all the time taking care of the family.

My mother loved to play the old upright piano in our living room, and we often gathered around to listen and/or sing along. Later in life after all 3 of us kids were married and my had Dad died, she purchased a new piano and and large organ with multiple keyboards, stops, and foot pedals ... setting them up like Liberace and Corla Panda at right angles to one another so she could play each simply by turning on the stool. She watched them faithfully on television when we were kids, and took lessons as a senior citizen ... acquiring new skills with regular practice.

Possibly the time I'm spending at my computer is similar to the time Mom devoted to mastering musical skill, once she had the time to pursue that interest for pleasure. I suspect she'd wholeheartedly approve of me sharing my writing on these two blogs as she shared her music joyfully."

* * * * *
Now ... 4 months later ...
I'm even more certain Mom would approve.

My mom died of an aneurysm when I was 44 and she ... just 78. Writing about her challenges me whenever I make the effort. I struggled with the preceding piece back in January, and mention her only 2 or 3 times in my 101 Things about Me. It's 6:20am and I've spent 12 minutes staring at the blinking cursor ... trying to decide where to begin and what to share. I guess I'll see just how long it takes me to write and publish something ;--)

~~~~~~~~~~

I 'happened' as a total surprise. My dad had assured her that he was 'sterile' due to hospital treatments ... and she must have believed him. I overheard her (later in life) retell the story of the day she realized she was pregnant with me ... how she cried as she shared with a friend while hanging laundry, lamenting 'she didn't know what she'd do or how they'd manage' ... so I suspect if it hadn't been 1945 (when abortions weren't easily available nor talked about) I might never have 'arrived' at all. That said ...
part of me fully understands.

Mom already struggled against great odds ... with two 'sickly' kids she almost lost to 'medical complications' as babies and a husband who had just been released from the hospital ... had no job (or prospects for finding one) ... and who was adamant that SHE not seek work outside the home. Nothing came easily for mom, but somehow she held on ... steeling herself as she humbly accepted 'charity' from extended family and church to keep us fed and clothed even as she would have preferred to get a job herself ... and most likely would have been able to use her considerable secretarial skills effectively to succeed!

She was a product of a strict 'Dutch' upbringing in Michigan ... youngest of 5 children born to immigrants from Holland who spoke no English themselves who wouldn't let their kids speak anything but English because they wanted their children to be 'Americans' and felt 'language' essential for success. Her father ran a grocery store across the street from Leonard's Refrigerator ... and when my sister & I visited decades later the 'store' was still there with a huge Kelvinator plant across the street.

Her family moved to California when she was 12 or 13 and she met my father at church when she was in her early 20s. He was 10 years older than her ... born & bred in Kansas. They couldn't have been different from one another, but they shared deep love from the start ... and when he died of cancer in February of 1976 ... she was devastated.

My fondest memories of mom return to times she played with me when I was young ... turning rope ... teaching me 'double Dutch' and 'jacks' ...(she was unbeatable always). She learned to drive a car when I turned 14 ... about the same time my brother was teaching ME to drive his Plymouth 'stick shift' ... w/o my parent's knowledge. (I can't believe I forgot to mention this in yesterday's post about him, but I'll need to share that story another time).

We had some 'difficult years' in my late 20s & early 30s ... I suspect because she was disappointed I gave her no grandchildren to 'dote' upon and because she didn't understand 'me' as 'separate (or different) from her' for a while ... but those 'rifts' passed and we became close in my mid 30s. I'm grateful for that decade or so of 'authentic connection' ... when each of us could 'speak our mind' ... agreeing to disagree on some issues ... valuing the relationship above all.

Our last breakfast together was at 'The Belgian Waffle Inn' during Spring Break of 1989 in March. We had a wonderful visit that morning and laughed often while sharing memories. My sister & her husband had taken their kids 'camping' for the week so I drove mom to the hospital for the 'routine test' to determine whether the 'aging replacement valves' in her heart (from heart surgery a decade earlier) could be replaced. She put her engagement and wedding rings on my right hand and asked me to wear them until she was finished with the test.

As I sat in the waiting room on that Monday afternoon by myself I heard the code ... knew it was her w/o being told ... listened to the doctor explain that her aorta had ruptured during the test but they were doing everything they could to save her ... moved to the waiting room of the ICU ... called my sister-in-law to let my brother know as I wondered how to reach my sister & her husband. My 'ex' figured that one out ... changing the message on our answering machine at home to provide the number of the pay phone at the hospital.

The doctor told us later that she coded multiple times but they revived her successfully ... and we faced the decision of what instructions to give them. All three of us knew 'quality of life' was the reason mom entered the hospital for the test ... so we signed the DNR and waited as she 'rallied' ... getting our hopes up for recovery after all. They rescheduled her for the surgery on Friday morning.

My sister & I arrived at the ICU around 8am ... heard 'the code' shortly after and once again I knew it was mom ... told Barb (who wasn't convinced) ... and we waited for the doctor to join us. When he did he apologized ... explaining that mom 'coded' at the 'change of shift' and no one consulted the instructions before reviving her yet again ... so she was alive but surgery was no longer an option.

We called our brother ... he arrived around 1:00 in the afternoon so we all had the chance to say 'good-bye' and were with her as they removed the respirator. She died about 3pm on Good Friday ... with an amazing expression of joy, delight, and peace on her face. As I sat with my siblings afterwards ... we decided we needed a plan to remain connected now that we wouldn't gather with mom for special occasions.

Then & there we committed to 'sibling night' ... the 1st Friday of each month we'd meet for dinner in San Juan Capistrano ... midway between where my sister & I each lived and my brother's home in Oceanside. We followed through until my brother grew to ill to make the monthly trip. That's when my sister & I designated Thursdays as 'sister night' and started to meet weekly around 4:30-ish.

Mom's buried in Mesa, Arizona next to Dad ...
just where she wanted to be.

* * * * *

Click here (or the Slice of Life logo) for other participants
and here for others participating in Heads or Tails this week.

Thought for Today
"Some mothers are kissing mothers and some are scolding mothers, but it is love just the same, and most mothers kiss and scold together." Pearl S. Buck

FunMonday#5 & Slice of Life#1 - A Hero in My Life

(Thanks to Betty for this nifty Fun Monday graphic)

Fun Monday is hosted this week
by Kitten ...

She asks us to write ...

"about the Super Hero in your life. Not from TV, but anyone that has been or is in your life that you have really looked up to or has made a impact on your life. It can one or many. You can share pictures if you like. Just have fun with it."

6:30am - I've just found this week's 'invitation' and possibilities swirl in my mind as I consider who to select ... my brother, dad, sister, mom ... 5th grade 'exchange' teacher ... the Methodist minister from my younger adult years ... any one of my aunts on my dad's side of the family ... or various 'mentors' and/or 'colleagues' throughout my years as an educator ... a neighbor I admire & respect highly ... or any number of friends in my life? I'm wishing I'd found the challenge last night so I could have 'slept' on it and awakened 'inspired' ... but, alas, here I sit ... sipping my 1st cup of coffee ... realizing I need to just make a decision and begin. Ah ... and as I re-read the prompt I notice it gives me permission to write about 'more than one' so I'll continue to type and see what my fingers come up with ;--)

My brother was 9 when I arrived on the scene in 1945 ... so he would have been in 4th grade. Having taught kids of that age who experienced 'a baby entering the family' gives me a 'frame of reference' to understand what that must have been like for him from his perspective. I suspect he took it 'in stride' without being 'interested or involved' any more than necessary.

I recall watching (and eventually helping) him fold newspapers to deliver each morning before school. He was an 'asthmatic' kid who tried not to let 'breathing problems' slow him down ... and in those days we had no 'medicine' to assist ... so he learned 'mental methods' on his own and kept going no matter what. It was 'the family way' of dealing with life ... do what you can with what you have where you are and never give up.

D was smart ... but 'bored' with school most of the time. He did 'enough to get by' ... earning Cs unless he was intrigued by the subject matter (or teacher). Then he 'excelled' earning As. As things had been for my dad, there wasn't much 'middle ground' in his view. Issues were 'black & white' and his 'positions' on them 'clear-cut' with no room for 'shades of gray' ... leading to many a 'heated' discussion with others (including myself until I developed some perspective of the 'process' and 'disengaged' emotionally during such 'academic' discussions).

When I was 12, he taught me to play tennis and to water-ski ... mainly so he'd have someone to retrieve the balls on the court and to ride 'observer' in the boat with his friends; however that's how we became 'friends' for life. I've written before of his experiences in the Air Force at the age of 17 which compounded his 'health' problems and his adult life ... (#61-64 in 101Things About Me).
He married in his 30s ... had two boys ... moved to Arizona for his health ... worked as a Civil Engineer even though his education focused on Electrical Engineering ... and eventually returned to Southern California in the mid 1980s.

Throughout our lives we spent 'quality time' together on a regular basis ... because 'family' was important to us all. His presence in my life helped me become who I am today ... doggedly determined in the face of adversity ... undeterred by 'distractions' when I maintain my 'focus' ... doing my best consistently and always trying to improve. Of course, I'm still 'who I am' ... the eternal optimist looking for the good in all things ... but in a bit more 'grounded way' because of his 'reality based' approach to life and living. I miss him every day ... even as I'm grateful he isn't 'suffering' any longer.

Click for others participating in Slice of Life Sunday
Yes, I know it's Monday

* * * * *

Well ... it's now 7:15am ... and I've written about just ONE of my 'heroes' ... but methinks that will have to suffice for now because I'm hungry and want to eat breakfast. I'll save the other 'stories' for another time.

Click for others participating in Fun Monday this week.
Next week's host is Sauntering Soul.

Check in at Mel's too ;--)

Thought for Today
"Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family. Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one." Jane Howard

Camera Critters #3 - Unconscious Mutterings #4

Misty Dawn started the meme and explains the rules here:

Introductory Information

Ms. Kitty

watches the world go by ...

Click for others participating in Camera Critters this week.

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I'm playing for the 4th time today.
How about you?

What comes to YOUR mind?
If you'd like to play here, copy and paste the clues in comments along with your responses ... or post on your blog and let me know so I can visit ;--)

Here are MY responses:
I say ... and you think ... ?

1. State :: of mind or being
   
2. Lively :: dancing
   
3. Valet :: parks & retrieves cars
   
4. Traction :: needed to avoid skids and spin-outs in stormy weather
   
5. Official :: recognized formally
   
6. Red hot :: Chili Peppers
   
7. Powder :: character in a movie
   
8. Replies :: answers, comments, observations
   
9. Flagrant :: glaring, outrageous, or offensively obvious
   
10. Tweet:: Sylvester and Tweety-bird cartoons
    

I say ... and you think ... ?

1. State ::
2. Lively ::
3. Valet ::
4. Traction ::
5. Official ::
6. Red hot ::
7. Powder ::
8. Replies ::
9. Flagrant ::
10. Tweet::

Click for others participating in 'UM' this week.

Thought for Today
"Sunday clears away the rust of the whole week." Joseph Addison

PhotoHunt#2 & Saturday Special Smiley 'Stuph'

Today's theme is Time
I'm participating for the 2nd time ever
and this is today's Sunrise from my front yard

Click for other Photo Hunters this week.

* * * * * * *

I discovered Saturday Smiley and Saturday Special
at The Daily Meme and decided to participate in both this week.

so ... if you're ready to smile and have some time, check these out for yourself ;--)

1. Joyce at Creation in Progress shared 'Girlie Wisdom' that made ME smile.

2. Joy's posts each week entertain and delight ... and this is one of my recent favorites.

3. Peajay often has heart-warming posts and stories. I highly recommend 'Is this heaven?'

4. The hilarious sign from a visit to Taos, New Mexico last summer that I shared for last week's Photo Hunt always makes me giggle. Many of the other participants last week shared unique &/or funny signs so you might enjoy checking them out ... but last week's winner by Elinor is classic!

5. I admire those who participate in Raven's Wordzzles like Akelamalu does each Saturday and reading their 'stories' always makes me smile. I wish I could be so clever myself.

Click for others participating in Smiley Saturday this week.

* * * * * * *

~Remembering Childhood~

1. As a child I loved to play...?:

2. As a child I wanted to grow up to be...?:
3. As a child my favorite thing to eat was...?:

4. As a child my favorite relative was...?:

Question One

I lived in my imagination when I played throughout most of my childhood. When there was no one around to play with me, I built elaborate 'settings' with a variety of blocks and 'linking toys' in which I occupied myself for hours. In addition, I rode a 'imaginary horse' using a pole my father gave me ... creating adventures with imaginary playmates only I could see and hear. In addition, I learned to read at a young age and lost myself in 'stories' throughout my life.

Of course, I had friends and played the usual 'interactive' games of Hide & Seek, Red Rover, Mother May I, etc. ... along with tetherball & dodgeball in our big backyard and 'team games' at the playground and park ... and we roller skated and rode our bikes in the neighborhood.

Addendum: After reading a few other's posts I was reminded how I used to play 'Jacks' with my mom on the back porch in the evening and how I loved to jump rope for hours and hours.

Question Two

I don't recall thinking much about what I wanted to do or be when I grew up. I pretty much lived 'in the present' ... aware of my 'position' as 'baby of the family' (with a brother 9 years my senior and a sister 4 years older ... neither of whom seemed 'interested' in me until I was 12-ish) but never 'limited' by that age difference ... at least from my perspective. I was an excellent student and 'advanced' in many ways primarily because I felt determined to 'fit in' and figured I should be able to do everything anyone else did. I wish someone had suggested to me that I might become a 'writer' ... but no one did. I was expected to go to college and a High School 'adviser' did tell me I could (I quote here) "... be a teacher, nurse, private secretary, or do the right thing ... get married and raise a family."

Question Three

My family didn't have much money and we ate whatever mom prepared without question. I remember 'tuna sandwiches' being a 'special treat' in my lunch at school ... and on rainy days at home I loved 'tomato soup' with a grilled cheese sandwich. Every now and then on a Sunday afternoon my brother would ride his bike to A&W and use his 'paper route earnings' to buy 'root beer' to share as the family enjoyed popcorn watching a TV show together. Red Hots and Lemon Drops were favorite sweets and Dad always had Juicy Fruit gum in his pockets at church. He'd slip me half a stick (usually as the sermon began) and let me play with his pocket watch as a distraction so I'd sit still.

Question Four

As a kid, it was easy to get 'lost' in the huge family gatherings because there was nobody anywhere close to me in age, but generally I enjoyed my dad's side of the family (Kansas born & bred) more than my mom's (proper Dutch folk) relatives because I didn't have to be on my 'best' behavior all the time. I idolized my big brother always ... and we became friends when he taught me to play tennis and water-ski when I was 12. He died 8 years ago when I was 55 and he was 64. My sister & I became close friends and started 'hanging out' together while I was in college and she was teaching Kindergarten & 1st grade.

If you decide to play either in comments here or on your blog (leaving me a link here) feel free to choose an award from my 23rd Thursday Thirteen, 200th (anything but) Wordless OSI Post, or Hot #4/ToT #5 posts.

Click for others participating in Saturday Special this week.

Thought for Today
" If you smile when no one else is around, you really mean it." Andy Rooney

Haiku Friday #35 - One person's trash ...

I created this post for 'Earth Day' and don't recall just how it didn't get shared, but in clearing out 'drafts' it surfaced ... and since nothing in particular is on my mind today, I've decided to go with it rather than 'dump' (or trash) it altogether ;--)

Once upon a time
two men in a single truck
collected our trash

once a week for the
'residences' and twice more
for apartments with

larger bins, but now
we 'recycle' and it takes
three trucks on 'trash day' ...

each one passes twice
down the alley collecting
only from the right

where mechanical
arms pick up our 'new' trash bins ...
So there's only ONE

person driving the
truck but what of gasoline
costs ... and pollution?

Redundancy or
progress ... the unintended
consequences have

caused the company
to rethink it's procedures.
Now the 3 trucks each

have been modified
and a two-man team collects
as they did before

so three trucks come through
once instead of twice ... and six
workers have a job.

I believe it's wise
to 'recycle' and 'reuse'
yet such transitions

seem to create new
problems to resolve ... and some
solutions are strange ;--)

* * * * * * *

Click for Haiku Volume #36 at Sacred Ruminations

For a Mr. Linky to other Haiku Fridays
go to A Mommy Story or
Playgroups are no Place for Children.

To see more previous Haikus,
click on the Haiku Friday label below this post
or in the sidebar under About Me.

Thought for Today
"I know a man who doesn't pay to have his trash taken out. How does he get rid of his trash? He gift wraps it, and puts in into an unlocked car." Henny Youngman

T-13 #22 - Modified Meme of Fours (part 2)

Modified Meme of Fours
(part 2)

Ivanhoe tagged me for 'The Meme of Fours' after being tagged by her new blogging buddy Life, or Something Like It. As written, this meme has 7 categories with 4 things in each, but I've modified it to have just 3 categories with 4 items plus an extra item to make a total of 13 for a previous Thursday Thirteen post (#20) ... and have decided to use the remaining categories today.

4 Places I’ve Been:

1. All over the United States in multiple trips throughout my lifetime. One particularly memorable extended vacation was with my sister. We spent 13 weeks during the summer of 1966 meandering through the USA in her new Plymouth Barracuda. We headed East through the Southern states ... eventually arriving in Florida ... turned North and explored the East coast all the way through Maine before heading West to the Great Lakes Region. We entered Canada to visit relatives near Lake Superior ... returned to the USA and ventured through Northern states before returning to Southern California. Throughout my married life, my husband and I traveled extensively in a 16' trailer ... periodically meeting up with 'his Minnesota relatives' to visit in various locales.

2. My sister and I spent 11 weeks during the summer of 1967 visiting 10 European countries in the company of other teachers like ourselves. On that trip we spent a week with my 'pen pal' (who I'd written to since 5th grade) and her family in England.

3. I've taken two cruises ... one to Alaska and the other to the Caribbean.

4. Some of our favorite 'water-skiing' trips were multiple vacations on Lake Powell and Lake Shasta where my extended family rented houseboats for a week or more.

4 Favorite Foods:

5. Fresh fruit ... especially strawberries, blueberries, cantelope, pineapple, and bananas.
6. Avocados on everything ... (especially in salads) ... but also with bacon, lettuce, & tomatoes on toasted whole grain bread ...(occasionally with a little sliced onion).
7. Belgian waffles with maple syrup ... and those multi-grain pancakes at IHOP are YUMMY!
8. Sushi and all kinds of seafood ... especially the 'Seven-Spice Ahi' at Duke's!

4 CDs I enjoy listening to:

9. All of Andrea Bocelli's recordings ... and some of Josh Groban's.
10. Barbra Streisand's 'HIGHER GROUND'
11. Anything of James Taylor's ... I own them all ;--)
12. Anything and everything by the Eagles

13. As per directions, Ivanhoe tagged the following bloggers: Comedy Plus, My LA Blog, Are we there yet?, Small Reflections, but I tag anyone who would like to play ... just as I did in my 1st Meme of Four T-13 post!

If you decide to join the fun ... feel free to 'modify' it as you choose. Do it 'all in one fell swoop' as Ivanhoe did ... mix and match to suit your own needs ... posting as a T-13 or not.

Like in my previous post ... As an incentive, I offer your choice of the following awards if you leave a link to your Meme of Four, Kind Fives, Make a Wish, and/or Message in a Bottle post here.

(courtesy of MPJ)

(courtesy of Misty Dawn)

If you missed my 200th post yesterday
it has more awards to choose from
as does T-13 #20

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!


View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Get the Thursday Thirteeen code here!

For easy access, I’ve listed more T-13 links along with the
Thursday Thirteen Blogroll to the bottom of my sidebar.

Thought for Today
"Treat people as if they were what they ought to be and you help them to become what they are capable of being." Goethe

200th Post - Almost Wordless OSI: Flowering

(I'm grateful to Mary who created this special award
for me to give to my friends in this
'virtual' world)

I've shared this award once previously ...(in Friday Haiku near the end of February if memory serves)... and I choose to offer it again today to all who pass this way in honor of my 200th post here at Small Reflections. I've certainly come a long way in a relatively brief time ... and I'm blessed by the friends I've come to know in the Blogosphere. Thank you all for your supportive encouragement and assistance along the way!

It started out almost wordlessly ... before I got wordy ;--)

* * * * * * * * * *

Week 9's prompt for One Single Impression is 'Flowering' ... and I decided to consider my personal growth and blossoming as a blogger during my 1st 6 months in this 'virtual world' since this is my 200th post.

My friend Sandy gave
me these flowers several months
back to celebrate

blogging connections.
Today for my OSI
at Small Reflections ...

I'm delighted to
share in celebration of
my 200th post!

* * * * * * *

My other WW/OSI Week 9 post
at Sacred Ruminations: 'Flowering'

Others participating this week:
Wordless Wednesday
One Single Impression - Week 9

* * * * * *

In the last week or so, I've 'revisited' some of my 'earliest' posts on this blog and at Sacred Ruminations ... and as I've done so, I've created additional 'links' in the About Me section of my sidebar in an attempt to make finding particular types of posts a bit simpler for myself and others. Most are self-explanatory ... but I'm taking a few minutes here to add a bit of clarity ... just because.

101 Things About Me began as a challenge from Anglophile Football Fanatic and grew into a 'succinct' history of my life to date rather than a 'random' list.

2007 Blog Review was my 1st 'official thank you' to my 'real & vitual friends' ... and explains how I began blogging and 'evolved' during my 1st three months in the Blogosphere.

Top 7 in '07 - Small is Beautiful Review was my response to an invitation from Rachelle (Magpie Girl) who asked members of Small is Beautiful to search our Archives for "jewels" to share with others, highlighting favorite bits of writing for 2007. Her intention is to share link-love on Saturdays indefinitely so that we can all get better acquainted.

100th Post Milestone Missed? is a reflective piece on my other blog, Sacred Ruminations, in which I consider things I'm proud of myself for ... and things for which I forgive myself.

How I Became a Blogger contains the initial information I shared in the 'About Me' section of my sidebar after I decided to update that area a few months back to provide a more 'relevant' look at who I am and what I'm doing in the Blogosphere ... while 'sorting things out' for myself.

I do respond to all comments specifically on each of my blogs in as timely a manner as possible, and I encourage each of you to take time to check the box to receive 'follow up' comments in email so my responses get delivered to your email box because I know how 'futile' it is to try to revisit old posts and comment areas. Most of us have no time for such returns ... finding it challenging to visit on any kind of regular schedule the first time around. I do visit your blogs when you leave a 'link' with your comment ... in as timely a manner as possible.

I wish Blogger made email addresses available with comment ... but for the most part it doesn't. It took me a long time to learn to 'check details' before writing & sending an email response ... only to have Blogger 'bounce' it back to me. Occasionally however, an email address IS available ... and that reminds me of a question I've been meaning to ask in this public forum because no one I've asked yet seems to know why some 'Blogger based' blog comments have something like 'Blogger @ NoReply dot com for an 'address' ...(as mine does even though my email address IS available on my Blogger profile page)... and others show the person's actual email address. Do YOU know ... and, if so, could you please explain how I can change that for myself?

As for my remaining sidebar links ... some (like T-13, Haiku Friday and Wordless Wednesday) take you to a 'Contents Archive Page' with sequential 'links' to specific posts by subject matter and/or titles. Others bring up posts containing a specific 'label' ... such as 'blogthings' or 'poetry' ... and some to specific posts ... as with Message in a Bottle and Photobucket Memes 1 and 2.

In closing, I'd like to express my gratitude for and delight in all the connections I've made during these first six months ... and I look forward to continued interaction in this 'virtual' world. I'm learning all the time and sincerely appreciate all your feedback and assistance always.

I wish you a wonderful Wednesday!

Thought for Today
"Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born." Anais Nin