WHITE

The day began, at 4:40 this morning. Something awakened me... but what? The anticipation that perhaps there would be a delayed opening of schools, perhaps. The jolt I felt at being awake impelled me to the curtained window: WHITE. Only about an inch, but covering the road, not just the grass. I crept like a mouse downstairs to the television- the easiest way to check for closing information on the schools access channel. Zilch. Still. Now, at 4:45 I was too close to the witching hour to go back to bed right away. At 5:00, that magical time for children all over our County, the schools must post the inclement weather information for the day. And if no delay? Well, I'd have less than an hour to catch those last few elusive "Zzzz's" before becoming the family alarm clock, valet, personal chef, and chauffeur.

4:50. A sound approached. Like the Zamboni of the apocalypse. A snow plow coming nearer. Within moments it was traveling down our street, a cascade of sparks flying in a 2 1/2 foot arc around it and 8 feet behind it, though doing little to bend the ice coating our street to its will. PORTENT.

5:00. Nothing. 5:01 the familiar green banner appears across the screen. SCHOOLS WILL BE CLOSED TODAY.

Now, this afternoon, after little more than some icy rain and wet roadways, the anticipated storm is here. THUNDER CLAP!! And thus begins the hail. LIGHTENING. Dear daughter worries for any risk to her dear fish. Then all tensions abate; the possibility of a gathered snow cone cheer children's spirits, as they each put out their collection receptacle by the back door.








Small icy pills, like medium tapioca pearls, to be covered later by heartier amounts of truer white fluff stuff. Then more THUNDER!! LIGHTENING! THUNDER!!!! Right over our house it seems. And then, the snow that twas deemed to become HEAVY by local meteorologists, which is due to drop 3-10 inches by morning begins to blanket our area. I wish I could successfully snap a pic of it-- so eager, it is coming down in several directions at once!



We shall see, we shall see. Already these pictures seem paltry... we probably have 8-10 inches in just over 5 hours. School is out for another day!

Stay warm dear ones! Safe! And wherever you are, enjoy!








!

xo

Game of Tag...

Wow, I've never been tagged on blogger before... Spring has sprung me something new! Thanks, my lovely Ciara!



What is your current obsession? What day is it? Probably taking pictures for blogs... Blogging... my new found Blog Friends!


What are you wearing now? Levis, black tooled leather belt, 1" wide striped black and red Norma Kamali hip-length fitted tee, (under or around $20 at Evil World Domination-Mart... I do shop there once in a great while and couldn't resist!) with long fitted sleeves that bell out below the wrists, and go to the fingers, wide, 2" diameter silver hoop earrings (slightly tarnished), my Wedding rings, little black Beatle-esque boots. (with rubber heels for chasing-children comfort...)


Who was the last person you hugged? My teen guy, after his break, right before the throes of homework ensued.


If you were a tree, what tree would you be? A Catalpa; more specifically the Catalpa in front of the the turn of the (20th) century Sears house my Dad had near the Sea for 17 years... *sigh*



This is a fine example of a Catalpa; just click to enlarge...


What's for dinner? Gluten Free (Pepperoni ,Vidalia Onion and Red Bell Pepper) Pizza-- Homemade!


What was the last thing you bought? What, you mean besides groceries? I bought mascara; I figure it's time to try wearing it again... and a little real fur skunk made in the 70's by Real Fur of West Germany, for my sweet little thing who loves sweet little things.


What are you listening to right now? Eva Cassidy, Live at Blues Alley. Also, the wind, and the sounds of the house that seem sweeter now that spring is seeping in...

What is your favorite weather? Real Summer: hot and dry and fine, where an afternoon Thunderstorm is not out of the question, lightning and lightning bug weather, where the trees are dark against the blue sky, the shadows are dark, shade is actually cooling, where you heat up all day, and the coolness comes at night, where you are rejuvenated by the feel of your bare feet being swallowed up by cold grass...

What is on your bedside table? How to open a Financially Successful Bakery, Siddhartha, Frommers Paris 2006, Shadow of the Wind, Special Places to Stay in Ireland, Beautiful Boy, Proust was a Neuroscientist... (the stack got to be too big, and continues beside the bed... do you want those, too?) Also, a little brushed stainless retro gooseneck lamp, and a clear plastic princess phone, where you can see all the parts, and it lights up when it rings (so you know when the phone is ringing when the ringer is off, which it always is).

What is your most challenging goal right now? To move forward with my old GREAT BIG goals, while gathering to me all these oh-so-inspiring, energizing and propelling new goals, and wondering if /how-long I will stay in this way; having more energy, and with it seemingly more time, while time available is really the same or less... and trying to keep up with the everyday, too.

Say something to the person who tagged you: I think you are amazing and I am truly blessed to have found you and to be spending time here with you!

If you could have a house totally paid for, fully furnished, where do you want it to be? Where wouldn't I want it to be? Malibu, Miami, Marblehead- Greystone Beach!, Oregon, Napa, New Mexico- Corrales Village would be nice, Key West, Ireland, Intercoastal Waterway- a charming historic town somewhere, England- London or the Cotswolds, Coastal Maine, France, Italy... any of those ought to do it...

Favorite Vacation Spot? Any of the above. Especially, my family's beach house, circa 1983-1993...

Name the things you cannot live without: my loved ones, music, beauty, nature, aromatics whether in good food, fragrance, nature. Water.

What would you like to have in your hands right now? My favorite perfumes; one discontinued, one seemingly on the way to be... (so here is my question:)

What is your favorite fragrance? Blue Carnation by Roget et Gallet, Dolce Vita by Dior.

What is your favorite/favourite tea flavor/flavour? Once again, I cannot pick! This is me and tea; at 6 am every morning, I drink Red Rose, probably because it's what my mother drank, and it has always come with a free figurine (by Wade) in every box, and growing up, I always collected the tea-bag tags as tiny pretend playing cards for my tiny bears and Liddle Kiddles, and my daughter now collects the cut white board dividers from inside to make bookmarks for everyone!

But also, as "recreational" and comfort tea drinking I very much love: Bigelow Constant Comment, Earl Gray (Twinings is ok), Black Currant, & Cranberry Autumn both from Harney Teas, and Genmai Cha (Brown Rice Green Tea) by Maeda En; the brown rice is toasted and roasted and some of the kernels pop and look like wee popcorn.

Here is a second question I've added; when it's time to brew tea, what do you use? Pot/pan, Kettle, Microwave, Electric Kettle, other...? Kettle, microwave sometimes...

What would you like to get rid of? Clutter, in my house... Prejudice and Selfishness, in the world.

If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go? To Ireland, but I would take my Dad with me! I'd just steal him away, and I know he'd go with such glee!

If you could have your portrait painted/made by any famous artist from any era, who would you choose? Tough choice! I must say Maxfield Parrish, but would also love Waterhouse or John Singer Sargent.

The Rules:

1. Respond and rework; answer the questions on your blog, replace one question you dislike with a question of your own invention, add one more questions of your own. (I cheated; I left all the questions and added 2, so you may omit 2 if you like, and still add one or more of your own.)

2 . Tag eight other untagged people. (And I say, "Or more. Or less!")

These are the people I'd like to have play, if they'd like to! Amanda, Miss Pine, Puanani, Ms. Kathleen, Lisa, & Tutta Rolf. Also, even though they are less familiar with me, and even though their blogs are not really inclined towards such things, I'd like to tag Noreen, Bea Fleur, and Adriana. It's still a fun way to be introspective... even if you don't publicly play. Still, it'd be grand if you did.

And, as a longshot I'll tag: Barycoise, and two other gents seemingly COMPLETELY out of the blue who's profiles/blogs I find intriguing: Chris and Peter.

You may, but needn't be, as wordy as I have been! ;) Illustrations not required... but I know all of you at least well enough to say, each of you seem quite creative...

ne sutor ultra crepidam

It has all become over-proofed. Like the dough, too long, the yeast extended to it's greatest, and it's product, co2, has run out of space to expand-- poof... there is nothing else to contain it. Odd that what has been experienced as joy, and potential joy, life changing energy, loosed for the common good, imperceptibly perceived by all, for weeks, even months, should escape as grief...

After all, joy is not happiness. They are not interchangeable. My heart has been inexplicably full, and I have been grateful. It has been evidenced in real (however transitory) changes in my life, my relationships, my perspective.

And yet, here I am, in grief.

My father is slipping away... I need to see him, to talk to him, to be with him, and yet am not able. Obstacles, which I allow, and obstacles outside anyone's control, get in the way. I experience him alone, without him here. Yet, he is not gone. Not yet, but slipping, slipping...

My teenager no longer needs me like once upon a time-- I never imagined how painful that could be. I embrace it in theory, yet my heart... it does not. Not yet. I know the person he needs to become, but transition is difficult; letting go of a connection, even relatively little by little, to a heart that was once so completely bound up in your own, is painful. It tears at me, causes me to behave outside of the love that I feel, and I am ashamed.

My hoped for friend, friendship offered, gently proffered, is not. I can no longer. How strange that I should feel so real a connection to one who claims their heart is closed, that life is trivial, that no real human connection can ever be made. How strange that our conversations awakened in me a recognition of the freeing nature of sublime beauty, of tragedy, of interconnectedness. How strange that their words should be cosmically moving to me, through no intent of their own, nor any recognition. Perhaps it is my own unwitting perception of this human tragedy that made our brief acquaintanceship so poignant. Yet I believe, I know there is more to it than that.

I am an adult, not some teen with grand illusions, nor hoped for allusions... I am not naive. So often cynical in the past, I now strive to intentionally create my own life's reality, with that which is within my power, and yet. And yet.

There are things I am powerless to control. Such a balance to be struck.

Soon, the door will open-- less than 5 minutes. The time for peace, for pure, shoulder shaking grief will rapidly wither, the pile of spent snowman napkins will be thrown away.

And I will go on with the duties in front of me, grateful for this pain-- that it should find an appropriate time, that it should be released. For now. I will go on with my day.


William Shakespeare:
Go to your bosom: Knock there, and ask your heart what it doth know.

Carl Jung:
Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart. Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens.