Tag Archives: gratitude

I Know Like I Know 2014

Posted on by

heron6

“That is what learning is. You suddenly understand something you’ve understood all your life, but in a new way.”  ― Doris Lessing

It should no longer surprise me how fast a year goes by, it’s the toilet paper roll philosophy of aging…just sayin.  So what has been learned in this nanosecond of a year? So much I hardly know where to begin.

My life revolves around food, shocking I know, as evidenced in some wonderful time spent around the table with dear friends.  The way I can’t operate without mise en place or the farmer’s market or people around my table. That anyone around my table is family and that my family has grown exponentially.

Thanksgiving 2014 (11)

I’ve learned that there is a scheme of things, that “in here life is beautiful”, that I love meeting old friends for the first time, that providing value is more important than another’s view of success, that a bit of nostalgia is perfect but getting stuck in the past will never do you any good and that the Cape will be there in some form or another going forward.

DSC_9466 (2)

I’ve learned how to take a sick day and that you can’t escape an Italian mother’s curse.  Somehow I’ve become that woman downstairs that a five year old had to apologize to after pitching such a bad fit down the stairs that shit fell off my walls. Yeah, this has been an education.

I’ve learned that air texting, idiot drivers and “that guy” haven’t moved off the, “you are really annoying” list, that I suck at 30 day challenges and to give in to the full moon.  I’m a world class putterer and that the art of creative stretchery is within everyone’s reach.  Thank you Houston for welcoming a Yankee with an accent and an itch.

Lime and Lime Again (17)

When Pope Francis recently sought to comfort a distraught boy whose dog had died, the pontiff took the sort of pastoral approach he is famous for — telling the youngster not to worry, that he would one day see his pet in heaven.

“Paradise is open to all of God’s creatures,” Francis said reassuringly.  I’m trusting this wisdom as we begin Lina’s chemo tomorrow in the hopes that we don’t need to be reassured for quite some time. That we will be providing a longer life with good quality is my deepest hope for this year and next.

Grooming Day (14)

“Because I trust in the ever-changing climate of the heart. (At least, today I feel that way.) I think it is necessary to have many experiences for the sake of feeling something; for the sake of being challenged, and for the sake of being expressive, to offer something to someone else, and to learn what we are capable of.” ― Jason Mraz

Lime and Lime Again (36)

I believe after writing this tiny little blog for the last five years that a community has been born.  A wonderful group of ordinary people who believe in legacy, in life lived with a story to be told and a willingness to share bits of themselves. For each of you and for my own lessons learned I am grateful.  I hope that you’ll take the time to go back and read what you might have missed and invite others to join our community.

See you in 2015.

The Spaces and Systems of…..Creativity?

Posted on by

Creativity

I didn’t think the creative process came naturally to me, I was wrong.  Just because you’re not bohemian doesn’t mean you’re not creative.  I am creative, I am an artist, I am creative, I am a process improver, I am creative, I am a cook, I am creative, I am a photographer.  There I said it.

Turns out spaces and systems are my trappings.  My creative physical space has recently been transformed through the generosity of a friend and the rearranging of furniture.  It has proven to be one of the single best boosts I’ve given my brain, my morale, my creativity in quite some time.  The funny thing is I didn’t really think any of those things were lacking until I realized…they were.  Jeff Goins said, “But if all you ever do is work in a mess, don’t be surprised if you feel unprepared for the Muse when she shows up. And don’t be surprised if she doesn’t come at all. She’s waiting for you to get your act together…”   To create your space you must ruthlessly delete, use what you have, supplies must be at the ready, rearrange the furniture, let the sun shine in and be very particular about your office mates.

SpaceSupplies at the Ready

Office Mates

The down side to this space is I never want to leave it.  Dangerous…

And my systems, once delegated to a non-creative point of view, proved themselves and came into full play in my kitchen.  Thanksgiving can be a daunting meal to prepare, even for those you love, and they love you.  To create a wonderful meal without the stress and anxiety you must, embrace the “night before”, start with an empty dishwasher, mise en place, clean as you go and be very particular about who you let in your kitchen. I don’t let anyone in my kitchen and bless the day I moved to a kitchen with a pass through.  Just sayin.  The long standing advice is usually not to try anything new on Thanksgiving, nothing that’s not familiar, tried and true.  Oh stop it, summon your inner chef and go for it. As long as it fits into your system of food prep what the hell do you have to lose?  Food prep in itself is a system, I long ago gave up the Norman Rockwell presentation for a turkey cut into eight pieces and roasted in an hour and a half instead of the usual 3-4 hours, table set and stock prep the night before, turkey in-sides prepped, turkey out-sides in.

Thanksgiving 2014 (5)

Thanksgiving 2014 (7)

Thanksgiving 2014 (9)

Thanksgiving 2014 (11)

The downside to this system…there isn’t one.  You have all the food on the table at the same time and you enjoy your company, truly priceless.

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays; it involves friends, family, food and gratitude.  Mine was perfect as usual, for this I am eternally grateful. Hope yours was the same, if not, just come here next year there’s plenty of room.

 

 

Making a Living

Posted on by

Adorno Spring Fair (31)

We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give. Winston Churchill

I took a photo walk today to the Adorno Father’s Spring Fair. They do a couple of them a year and really it’s our little town and surrounding towns coming out to eat, ride, play games and buy stuff. It’s the people selling the stuff that intrigued me this time.

It was not a typical spring day, it was chilly and windy and the vendors were bundled up. Trying to make a living at a Spring Fair would scare the hell out of me. But in talking to many of them I found this was supplemental income. It was the buying and selling of everyone’s favorite junk. It was the food vendors, who were not bundled up at all but grateful that for once they were not totally dehydrated by the end of the day. It was the crafters that knew they would not be able to make a living doing what they love until they retired and had a “real” source of income.

The carney people who bring the rides from Fair to Carnival to Celebration to Festival are simply people who want always to be moving. They are the ramblers and shifters of the bunch but I have to say, nice as hell.

There were volunteers collecting for veterans and the Adorno Fathers. There was the ever present Fair staple the 50/50. Take a chance, come on buy a ticket. We make a winner every half hour.

It was an afternoon filled with the smell of the grills, the music from the middle of the Fair, the kids laughing and screaming (especially the one who made it to the top of the rock wall and got “stuck”) the dogs, the elders and mostly all of us minglers and spenders.

Me, I had my camera and my gift of gab. I took their cards and email addresses and Facebook pages to pass along the photos from the day.   By doing what I love and giving it away I couldn’t help be very grateful for my ordinary little LIFE.

See the Adorno Spring Fair Album:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.763157537051306.1073741843.198904976809901&type=1&l=6fc6827c86

 

 

 

 

 

Bits of Legacy

Posted on by

DSC_0322

Somehow I don’t think people understand that legacy is all the little bits they leave behind.  I’m becoming more and more aware of what I’m leaving behind but this week I had a few wonderful moments of other people leaving parts of themselves behind.

My local dry cleaner is a funny, warm, interesting man.  We have the most thought-provoking and animated conversation each time I come in.  Frankly it’s the only reason why I come in as he doesn’t accept credit/debit cards.  It’s all cash or check and it is the single only check I write anymore.  One thing led to another during our weekly conversation and he was duly impressed that I write a blog.  We talk nostalgia, we talk NPR, we talk crazy people and he was excited when he found out he might find a bit of all that on Ordinary Legacy. He was supportive before even reading a single line. What a credit to his warmth and personality.

Then there is “the guy”.  We have a help desk for all our IT issues/problems/questions but…they aren’t really much help.  Mostly no fault of their own as they aren’t authorized to do many many many functions.   Greater minds than mine have figured out that this is an efficient way to operate (she said tongue firmly implanted in cheek).  I’m a pretty self-sufficient computer user but every once in a while I come across something that is unnerving/puzzling/aggravating/ always when working remotely.  It’s beyond my scope of knowledge and it would require the help desk but I’ve got “a guy”.  I’m not really sure how I found myself on the other end of a “call me directly anytime” invitation but I am so grateful I did.  I don’t take advantage and I try to exhaust most avenues before I instant message him with a help me Obi Wan but there are times when I’m in WTF mode and he is always helpful.  I adore him and I tell him so.  The thing is if he stood in front of me I wouldn’t even know it. He is patient and reminds me without making me feel like the dinosaur I am that he needs to be invited into my computer to fix it.  No snappy remarks when I say….remind me again.  What a gem, a gentleman and a true help.  He can’t begin to know the value in that and I truly do adore him.  Being a helpful individual leaves behind huge bits of legacy.

I had a young couple to dinner on Friday night.  He is dear to me but I was meeting her for the first time.  Oh how I love meeting old friends for the first time, some people are just destined to be in your life and leave behind grace, wisdom beyond their years and pragmatism.  What an enjoyable evening filled with talk and laughter and eating and on and on.   What they left behind for me was the gift of their youth and the prospect of watching them grow together.

Not a bad week all in all, filled with gifts from people who have no idea that they are spreading bits of themselves with legacy written all over them.  If only they knew that these little bits could be harnessed and expanded and could cement their legacy to so many.  The thing is do they have to know or is it better to just be who they are?  I know like I know that time will tell, it always does.

DSC_0322