I love the contrast of the butterfly against the stone. I mean this not only in the sense of the composition, but in the sense of the fragility of the butterfly and its short lifespan compared to the stone. According to an article on the internet, “In some cultures, a brown or tan colored butterfly symbolizes a new life or a fresh start. Seeing a brown butterfly also means there is good news or important news soon to come your way.” Hmmm…I wonder what that news could possibly be? I sure could use some (and I imagine you could, too)!
May 31, 2021 – Trigger ‘Happy’
Geesh, had I known the weather forecast was going to match our moods, I would have rescheduled our trip. Storms were raging outside as well as inside today and a looming, dark cloud has been ever-present. I am not sure exactly what’s going on but my husband and I have both been on edge. He told me I was being sensitive and I told him he was being sensitive. All day long I’ve been craving chocolate, chocolate with peanut butter, peanut butter pie, apple pie ala mode, chocolate with mint, muffins, cupcakes, regular cake, danishes, donuts, cookies, butterscotch pudding with whipped cream, brownies, and ice cream. The fact that my in-laws have most of the items I just mentioned (located in various places throughout their kitchen and dining room) is not helping. The other thing that isn’t helping is the idea of ‘relocating’. I am using that word because it seems much less threatening than ‘moving’. As much as I’m trying to be open to the possibility, nearly every cell in my body is screaming, “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”
Continue reading “May 31, 2021 – Trigger ‘Happy’”May 30, 2021 – Photo
After a great deal of research, I think I’ve narrowed down the name of this plant. But just in case I’m wrong, don’t hold me to it. From what I can tell, this is a photo of a wild sunflower. As convinced as I was initially that it was a Balsamroot, which grow like weeds where I live, the leaves and the center of the flower in the photo I took look vastly different (than those on a Balsamroot plant). Needless to say, these flowers are essentially ‘cousins’ since each one belongs to the ‘daisy family’ (explaining their similar appearance). I captured this image last week when the sun was out and gloriously illuminating all of the beautiful flowers that I stood amongst. I call this photo ‘An Ode To Spring’.
May 29, 2021 – Pinball Machine
Wow! Yesterday was a real humdinger! I spent the majority of it haphazardly running from one room in my house to the next, ping-ping-ping, just like one of those metal balls in a Pinball machine, trying to gather up bits of ‘this and that’ to take along on my trip. I think I ended up completing 10,000 steps just running from one end of my house to the other (and back again). If I could turn back time to when I was 19-20 years old (thanks but no thanks), when I could get by on just a change of clothes and maybe a handful of toiletries, it would have been a no-brainer, but that’s no longer the case. I am now 54, and on top of being slightly neurotic, I am also required to take a handful of pills each day in order to live (a consequence of getting an organ transplant, a preferable alternative to dialysis or death). Because of the importance of the pills, I always knock those off my ‘to do’ list first. I made sure I had them properly dispensed and set aside well over a week ago. The rest of the stuff I need to bring? I figure it out as I go.
Continue reading “May 29, 2021 – Pinball Machine”May 28, 2021 – Photo
This is another photo I took while visiting my true-blue girlfriend (who lives at a much higher altitude). I have no idea what these flowers are called but I thought they were lovely. I probably should educate myself on the names of flowers before posting them but I missed the mark in this case. I have decided to call this photo ‘Ladies in Waiting’ even though by doing that I may be creating confusion because that is actually the name of another flower altogether. Anyway, enjoy!
May 27, 2021 – Communication Breakdown
I realized that I missed out on a few key phrases the other day when I talked about ‘the number three’ so I feel it’s necessary to mention them before I move on to the next topic. Primarily, three key phrases came to mind (after I published my blog-of-the-day). The first is ‘Three sheets in/to the wind’. This phrase (meaning ‘drunk’) is also widely referred to as ‘Drunk as a skunk’, ‘Plastered’, and ‘Bombed’. The second phrase I thought of is ‘Third time’s a charm’. I am not exactly sure why it’s a charm but people use it a lot. I suppose if you’ve hopelessly failed at something twice, maybe it’s meant to give you hope that you’ll succeed on the next go-around. And that, my friends, leaves us with phrase number three, ‘They come in threes’. This specific phrase is a bit more ominous than the other two as it refers to death or catastrophes. I cannot remember a single instance when this has turned out to be true. What I have discovered is that so many people I know have died on other people’s birthdays (which has a tendency to sour the celebration). My husband’s uncle’s wife died on my birthday, my husband’s mother died on our oldest son’s birthday, and my husband’s brother died on my true-blue girlfriend’s birthday.
Continue reading “May 27, 2021 – Communication Breakdown”May 26, 2021 – Photo
Despite another bout of insomnia, I managed to drag my old bones out of bed and make good on my promise to visit my true-blue friend today. After I arrived, we had a delightful lunch, and once lunch was over, we stepped outside to view her property (and beyond). As we walked around, while she pointed out all of the flora and fauna, I snapped about a gazillion pictures. She noticed a very active butterfly flying about (when we stopped in a clearing) and I was able to capture this image after it finally alighted on a branch. I believe this is a Swallowtail Butterfly. I love the pattern on its wings.
May 25, 2021 – The Number Three
What is it about the number three? Nearly every night/morning, before I’m able to completely relax, close my eyes, and go to sleep, I gaze over at the digital clock on my nightstand, dismayed to see the number ‘three’ once again staring back at me. “Again?!” I think to myself. Why not 12 or 1 or even 2? But no, my brain refuses to shut down before the ‘Witching Hour’. And even though it’s considered the ‘Witching Hour’, I experience nothing of note. There are no ghosts or apparitions hanging around or anything remotely exciting to help pass the time. Aside from listening to my husband blow up air mattresses and fell trees (aka snoring) for hours on end, the night/morning is about as uneventful and unstimulating as watching paint dry or grass grow. Most of the time, I toss and turn, and think about how hungry I am and how the granola with yogurt snack that I ate just before I climbed into bed didn’t quite do the trick.
Continue reading “May 25, 2021 – The Number Three”May 24, 2021 – Photo
Several years ago, my husband and I traveled to Wyoming to spend some time with our youngest son. He was doing the ‘resort circuit’, spending a few months here and a few months there, working in different capacities for various resorts. During our stay, we had an opportunity to experience some of the most beautiful country I’ve ever stepped foot on. This particular photo is of the Tetons, a mountain range measuring 40 miles in length and 12 miles in width.
May 23, 2021 – Self Improvement
If I’m being totally honest, I’d much rather discuss home improvement. That’s one topic I feel pretty confident about. Need to know how to lay tile? Check! What’s the best wood to use for fencing? Check! Is natural gas preferable for heating, or is electricity better? Check! Are solar panels worth the investment? Check! Which countertop material works best for someone on a budget? Double check!! Look, between my husband and myself, we have resurrected three pretty down-and-out homes. I have learned more about wiring and drywalling and plumbing and landscaping and siding than I’d care to admit to. When it comes to home repairs or improvement, you name it, I’ve probably had some exposure to it in one form or another. However, when it comes to self improvement, that’s a whole ‘nother matter! It’s not that I haven’t made efforts throughout my life to ‘improve’. It’s just that it’s much more difficult to ‘measure’ improvement when it comes to self.
Continue reading “May 23, 2021 – Self Improvement”
