Reflections

Bounce back bamboo

bobbibowwomanLeave a comment

I need to learn how to be more like bamboo. The top picture is bamboo in crisis because it is dehydrated.

The second picture is a few hours after the bamboo has had a nice long drink.

How do I encourage that kind of resiliency and flexibility in my own life? How do you?

Promote or Produce?

bobbibowwomanLeave a comment

I’ve had four writing projects stalled for the last few months.  The first project, my YA mystery “Double Take” has been published. (Let the blowing of celebratory horns begin!)

Now I need let people out in the readerverse know that it exists and I think it’s rather lovely.  But I have these naggy other projects that want to see the light of day.

So, you lovely people of the internet, do I spend my time promoting my book (which you can find on amazon ) or get the other projects done?  50/50? 25 promotion 75 projects?

What would you suggest?

Break Time

bobbibowwoman1 Comment

break

Exactly 450 blog posts ago I started with the belief that I had so much to share with the world.  Hubris, indeed.  The blog has turned into more of an events journal, rarely going deeper than day to day happenings, some thoughts, and tweets that made me laugh.

The subjects that are most dear, I have not blogged about: my health journey and the politics happening in the US presently.  Am I a coward?  I don’t know.  I do admire those with a unique voice that share what is really going on with their lives in a way that reaches out and helps others.  Can I do that?  Do I have the courage?

I only know that I am giving myself time to re-group.  For the last several years I’ve posted 3-4 times a week.  Faithfully.  Have I run out of words.  If you know me, you know that is impossible.  But what am I willing to share?  Will this continue as a journal of sorts…..happy events?  Or will I have the desire and guts to share those deep places in my heart.  Time will tell.

“It’s okay to take a break.”  I will repeat these words again and again to myself until I believe them.

Christmas Spirit

bobbibowwomanLeave a comment

iceskating

PVC “Walkers” for novice skaters.   What a clever idea.

Today Robert and I had lunch out and then took a stroll to see the new tent in town.  Salem (Oregon) decided that it needed a skating rink at the waterfront park.  From the outside it looked like a huge white turtle-shaped tent.  Inside, it was all a buzz with music, laughter, and the soft scraping of blade against ice.

It brought me back to ice skating as a child on a pond near our home.  Very different, of course.  My experience could have been a template for a Norman Rockwell painting.  The air, so cold.  I navigated my skates with a wobble and could never get the hang of skating backwards.  But it was such fun.  Once I got into a glide, it felt like flying.

The tent today was filled with very loud music and so many people.  Did I even try to skate?  No.  But I loved watching those brave enough to do so.  Everything was different about my experience as a child and this big beautiful tent full of strangers.  Everything, except the crackle of excitement that filled the air.

Thank you, Salem, for this bold experiment.  You made my day and you gave the city a wonderful winter experience.  May this year be the first of many for the big white tent.

News vs Hallmark Movies

bobbibowwoman3 Comments

It’s important to be informed, I tell myself, as I read various articles and tune in to PBS or the BBC.  Don’t turn away…keep involved.  There is a lot to be discouraged about in the news with conflicts, natural disasters, and those disasters of our own making.  Sometimes I’m overwhelmed.

So there’s the Hallmark channel where you know what will happen in the first three minutes, the comforting archetypes showing up time and time again.  Sometimes I do long for a happy ending where everything turns out right in the end.

But the world is more complex than that.  No one is all villain or all heroine.  The villain never knows he or she is in the wrong while our heroes often slip off their perches.

I’ll keep watching, listening to and reading news, because I think there’s a responsibility I have as a citizen of the world.  I also try to remember that there are people and organizations doing great things with their power or money to make this planet better.

Still….the pull of fake conflict and the perfect ending.  It’s not real.  I know it’s not real.  Yet sometimes I just need a break.

Dinner Bell

bobbibowwoman3 Comments

Squirrel-

Hubs and I are night owls, so it’s a challenge to get the bird seed out early enough for the birds and squirrels.  Some mornings they will be lined up on the edge of the shop as if to say……”Wake up, sleepy heads!  We’re hungry here!”

Wish I could take credit for the great picture of a baby squirrel.  Alas, I could not find the photographer listed.  The reason for such a sweet ball of fluff is that we have a fourth squirrel in our back yard.  It’s a wee one and had such a hard time figuring out how to navigate the bird feeder.  We were rooting for it, and now it takes from the feeder like a champ.

Two feeders and four squirrels make for fine entertainment.  They do not easily take turns.  The birds, however, are patient and fly between the feeders and the water fountain with such grace.  Backyard beauties, all.

Cirque du Soleil: Squirrel Style

bobbibowwoman2 Comments

IMG_E9310

We are entertained by our squirrel friends who stop by daily to munch birdseed and perform amazing acrobatic feats of bravery and skill.  If we are not early enough, they wait patiently on the lip of the shop roof wondering when breakfast will be served.

Since the fires east of Portland, our bird population at the feeder has at least doubled.  The squirrels and birds take turns munching as if revolving acts in a play put on for our entertainment.

Early afternoon everyone leaves as our neighbor’s cat does his walk through.  Once he leaves, the back yard gets back to a flurry of activity.  Squirrels vs birds, birds vs birds, squirrels vs squirrels….the drama is endless.

 

Plating – Wow

bobbibowwomanLeave a comment

IMG_8455

It is said that you eat with your eyes before your other senses.  That is true with me.  When I saw this plate I thought….yummmm.  My second thought was…how do they do that?  I remember eating crunchy tacos that fell over and then later soft tacos that would also fall over.  What was this magic?

Glad to say, the fish tacos were delicious and it didn’t take long for me to learn the secret.

IMG_8456

Haha!  Presentation, presentation, presentation.

Amazon Prime Madness

bobbibowwomanLeave a comment

IMG_8964

“Try it FREE for a month…..”

Six most dangerous words online.  “Try Amazon Prime,” they said.  “You’ll love it,” they said.

Well, dang it, “they” were right and I may now be hooked.

I started my month timidly, making sure I was ONLY getting what I would otherwise buy.  Three weeks in, I’m LOOKING for things to buy.  Lord, have mercy.

It started with Divina Dolmas, the best stuffed grape leaves I have ever eaten.  One 4.4 lb can makes four meals for Hubs and myself.  Add a salad, and there ya go!  The shipping for a can a month would pay for Amazon prime (so I told myself).  What a deal.

IMG_9010

While searching for more goodies, I found a six pack.  I mean, who does not need 26.4 lbs of dolmas.  I sure do.  Amazon probably thinks I am part owner of a Greek restaurant.  So now I have cans stuffed around closets, etc. since our pantry can only hold one can.

The box came with 3 straight cans, two with dings, and one soundly smashed.

Will I continue Amazon Prime after the 30 days.  I do not know.  But I have enough dolmas to eat while I think about it.