Painting Anyone??

Beginning yet again another list (and pile) of things to take to the island next week.  Lists are getting shorter, so we may soon be down to the original goal of only food and clothing that need to be packed, plus projects to work on, of course.

New interior doors should be in this week.  New locks and hardware on all the doors should be installed as well.  I'll soon start taking names for those who want to come up and help paint the trim and the doors in exchange for a weekend retreat experience.  And I may even throw in some homemade cinnamon rolls for additional enticement.

+

=

Slow News Day

Oh my heavens - reading the news headlines on-line (MSN) is beginning to sound more like those titillating newspapers in the grocery store.

Read all about it: Pope has not canceled Christmas!

VATICAN CITY - And so it came to pass that in the eighth year of Pope Benedict's reign, some tabloid and social media decreed that he had canceled Christmas.
The day after Benedict's latest book "The Infancy Narratives - Jesus of Nazareth" - was published on November 20, Vatican officials found some headlines they were not expecting.
"Killjoy pope crushes Christmas nativity traditions," read one tabloid headline, claiming that Benedict had snubbed traditions such as animals in nativity scenes and carolling.
"Pope sets out to debunk Christmas myths," ran another.
Holy Scrooge! Some blogs unceremoniously branded Benedict the new Grinch that stole Christmas and one rocketed him to the "top of the grumpy list for 2012."

Young voters helped pass laws legalizing marijuana in Washington and Colorado, but many still won't be able to light up.

SPOKANE, Wash. — Most universities, including those in Washington and Colorado where the legalization of marijuana just passed, have codes of conduct banning marijuana use, and they get millions of dollars in funding from the federal government, which still considers pot illegal.

With the money comes a requirement for a drug-free campus, and the threat of expulsion for students using pot in the dorms.

 

Does the rise of PSY mean the world is ending?

 

PSY’s hit music video “Gangnam Style” is so popular that it has become YouTube’s most watched video with more than 835 million views. But will it be “Armageddon Style” on Dec. 21?

Social media is linking Nostradamus’ prophecies and pop star PSY's music video, and wondering whether it will hit 1 billion views on YouTube on Dec. 21, a date some people refer to as the day the world ends.
Nostradamus is credited with this prophecy in 1503:
"From the calm morning, the end will come
When of the dancing horse
The number of circles will be 9”
PSY is from South Korea, which translates to “calm morning,” and his music video “Gangnam Style” is about a horse-like dance. It has already garnered more than 800 million views and would be the first video to get 1 billion views on YouTube.
Nostradamus’ prophecies have been credited by many believers for predicting some major historical events and disasters, including the rise of Napoleon and Adolf Hitler, and the Sept.11 attacks.

Christmas is cancelled!  It's the end of the world!  And oh darn - we still can't smoke pot.

Really?  I need to go find a good book.....

The Wave

 

Yes, we've been home from Lopez for one day, and I'm already planning my next trip up.  The more that I stay there, the more that I simply need to be there.  My neighbors here on the mainland look at me strangely as I wave to them as we pass - forgetting where I am.  There was an article in the Seattle paper this summer about just that:

LOPEZ ISLAND — One hates to define a place by its clichés, but sometimes there's truth to be found.
"On Lopez, everybody does 'The Wave,' " an Orcas Islander told me before I embarked for Lopez.
It's a bit like what you see on the back roads of Hawaii, where locals salute each other with the "hang loose" sign.
But the Lopez wave isn't that demonstrative. In fact, it's barely a wave at all — more a lifting of one finger from the steering wheel when cars pass.

http://seattletimes.com/html/travel/2018771637_trlopez29.html

And yes, the "Wave" changes how you drive - one of your hands always has to be at the top of the steering wheel to be ready to wave.  Actually, I tend to lift 4 fingers off of the steering wheel as my wave.  And the local sheriff also waves back, by the way.

But in addition to just feeling friendly, when you constantly think about waving to anyone that you pass, you find that you tend to spend more time thinking of others, and not getting lost in your own "stuff".  Perhaps a case of "doing" eventually changes your "thinking"?

I just know that when I'm not there, I really miss it.  Life seems so disconnected and abrupt back on the mainland, now.


 

The Joys of Home Ownership

Ah, the joys of home ownership!  As we were leaving Anadaré yesterday, we discovered a water leak in the hole where the shut-off valve is located.  Sigh.  So this morning I located the number to call for our water association, and they are looking into it.  Best bet:  the unapproved trench dug a month ago for another home, that burrowed under our water pipe, and poorly filled in later, is the culprit.

But I'm still realizing that needing to take care of such issues while off-island is still more difficult than if we lived there full-time.

Yes, the solution to this is pretty obvious:  move there full-time!

Special Island Memories

So quiet with the kids gone, but gently holding the memories of our time together this last weekend.  Throwing rocks on the beach, walks in the woods, seeing eagles and starfish, building gingerbread houses, playing board games, sharing homemade soup, laughing, loving, snuggling - parts of sharing our island retreat and creating special island memories for all of us.

The only time I'm not totally happy here on the island?  When I have to start thinking about straightening, cleaning, and packing up to return to the mainland.  I look forward to the day when I won't have to leave - ever.

Slower and Simpler Sunday II

I found this wonderful quote on the World Institute of Slowness blog.  Thought provoking!
2010-11-01

The paradox of our time!

We have bigger houses but smaller families;
more conveniences, but less time;
We have more degrees, but less sense;
more knowledge, but less judgement;
more experts, but more problems;
more medicines, but less healthiness;
We've been all the way to the moon and back,
but have trouble crossing the street to meet
the new neighbor.
We build more computers to hold more
information to produce more copies then ever,
but have less communication;
We have become long on quantity,
but short on quality.
These are times of fast foods
but slow digestion;
Tall men but short character;
Steep profits but shallow relationships.
It's a time when there is much in the window,
but nothing in the room.

The 14th Dalai Lama

 

http://www.theworldinstituteofslowness.com/

First Walk to the Beach

Love, love, love having the family here.  Here is their first walk to the beach to catch the sunrise:

Apple Pie for Breakfast

 

Celebrating Thanksgiving with just the two us was really rather fun.  Breaking all the rules, we had apple pie ala mode for breakfast!  (Something I have always wanted to do, but of course, had to set a good example for the kids.  It was my idea - but dear husband readily agreed. And I'm not talking left-over pie.....the pie that I made for the Thanksgiving meal.)  Really, how different is that from having pastry or doughnuts for breakfast, though??

A walk to the beach, weaving on a cedar pouch,  a lovely turkey dinner, practicing the harp, and watching a movie.....all ingredients for a perfect day.  And interestingly enough, all of the wild turkeys have gone inland and evidently are laying low - maybe they aren't as stupid as everyone thinks.

Now looking forward to a visit from all the kids and introducing them to our island life.  And it will be nice to have our little house full of family for the first time - of many times to come, I hope.
 

Thanksgiving on the Rock

Preparations for Thanksgiving this year will be simpler, in keeping with island life.  My husband and I will feast alone, anticipating the arrival of the kids and grand kids the next day.  So we will have a small turkey - but one is still required even with only two of us, in order to have the requisite leftovers for the next day!

 I baked the apple pie on Wednesday, and set the table with the few decorations and candles that I brought for the occasion.  We did make one jaunt into the village for a couple of things that I forgot to bring.....and I think he needed to get out of the house for awhile.  I've been able to take walks and get down to the beach to view the stormy waves, but he's been house-bound as his knee heals from surgery.

So food preparations are not the main focus this year - such a nice reprieve.  Rather, we have time to talk about what we are truly grateful for, to recognize what we appreciate in our lives, and call our family and loved ones to tell them how important they are to us.  A quieter holiday offers time and space for peaceful contemplation.  Anadaré gives us the opportunity for reflection on the important things, on the relationships that we cherish, and the abundance in our lives.

What am I MOST grateful for, aside from my Faith, amazing family and friends? The opportunity to possess this glorious haven on The Rock - although it appears that I may be the one to have been possessed instead. 

Too Tranquil?

This morning I discovered an interesting problem - I think I am too relaxed and tranquil to write my morning pages (as part of working The Artist's Way) every day!  Usually there is so much "stuff" rummaging around in my head - things I worry about, lists of things to do, and all the miscellaneous garbage that could interfere with creativity.

Simply being here on the island relaxes me - body, soul, and mind - so completely that I just sat there, pen in hand, doodling.  And writing over and over there wasn't anything niggling or bothering me.  Oh, I know there are some days that it's HARD to write (I've been doing these pages for years) - but this was different.  I am simply calm inside. 

I did jot down some thoughts for new projects and designs, but there was no outpouring of the usual sort.  I just feel cleansed, and content.

Isn't this what we long for?  So instead of writing, I think I'll go practice the harp.

Nancy Bingham - Potter

During the Artist Studio Tour in September, I met Nancy Bingham, an amazing potter, painter, and sculptor who conveniently lives on my road.  I bought just the perfect tea mug from her (and having the right tea mug is a huge part of my morning routine) that had a precious little bird on it.  I knew it was mine the minute that I saw it, since we live on Wren Road and my home is named Anadaré ("I will nest").  Since then, I have used that mug every morning while on the island.

Sadly, last Friday, while washing the dishes, a dish fell over in the dish drainer and knocked my little mug off the counter onto the floor, into a shocking number of pieces!  I told myself at the time, as some choice words were said, that I shouldn't get so attached to material things.

That same evening, while attending an artist reception for a new show in the village, I serendipitously  ran into Nancy.  I told her my tale of woe, and she graciously invited me to stop by the next day with the pieces, as she was just getting ready to make some more mugs and she would try to copy it.  I did, she will, and I'm feeling so blessed.  (Plus, when I walked up to her place from mine, she was in her kitchen just patching up a neighbor who had experienced a bad fall from her bicycle.  Nancy used to be an EMT - good to know!!!)

Isn't island life wonderful and connected??  If you'd like to contact Nancy to see more of her work, her email is naposaya@hotmail.com.  She is quite the talented artist, and friend.

The History of the Twinkie

Hostess Brands, the makers of Twinkies, Ding Dongs, Hostess Cupcakes, and Wonder Bread is going out of business (see full story:  http://money.msn.com/top-stocks/post.aspx?post=6d7b095e-e558-4dc4-83e9-1859d177e676&ocid=ansmony11).  It really is a departure of an era for those of us labeled Baby Boomers....we grew up with Hostess products.  We tried to buy one last Twinkie to toast it's passing, but there were none to be found on the island (guess we weren't the only ones wanting to have one last taste)! Actually, then I checked ebay - and yes, there are many boxes offered there to the highest bidder. So in tribute to Hostess and fond memories of our childhood treats, may I present (with an addendum of it's sad demise in 2012):

The History of The Twinkie

1933 - Twinkies were introduced by The Continental Baking Company in Indianapolis, which also made "Wonder Bread" and had a snack line your probably familiar with called Hostess. One of their bakers named James A. Dewar got the idea for the "Twinkie" while he delivered one of their products, a cream filled strawberry shortcake. The machines to make these sat idle when the strawberry season was over so he came up with an idea to use them to make a snack cake filled with a banana filling, and only charge a nickel for a package of 2. It was good idea as money was tight for people during the great depression.

	Dewar came up with this name when driving by a billboard that had an ad for shoes from the "Twinkle Toe Shoe Company". He shortened the name to ....Twinkies....

1940's Just like the song went "Yes We Have No Banana's " popular during the WWII because bananas were rationed, Hostess had to come up with a different filling. They switched to vanilla creme and it was popular so they never changed back.
	1950 The Twinkie rose to popularity in the '50's in great part due to Hostess sponsoring the Howdy Doody show, featuring the twinkie.

During the 60's when there were huge fears of a nuclear attack, Many bomb shelters were built. Twinkees were one of the most popular items to have because it was said that they "stay fresh forever".

It has become an American Icon, even president Clinton put one in a time capsule.

They remain as Hostess best selling snack cake producing half a billion a year!

With excerpts from The History of Food, by Chef Stephen Holloway

Slower and Simpler Sunday I

Slower and Simpler Sunday

A friend shared about the blog Six Sentence Sunday (http://www.sixsunday.com/about/), and coupled with my desire for a simpler, slower life, especially while on the island, the two concepts congealed for an idea of my own new blog for Sundays.

My thought is that I'll try to write on Sundays about this slower, simpler way of life.  Some of my own thoughts or issues, some books that I've found, and obviously links to websites will be the "simple" gist of it.  Just  an idea that was rummaging around in my head this morning as I tried to sleep-in - a process made impossible by Bailey who needed to see his two-legged servant upright.  While part of "slower" might involve sleeping in for some folks, obviously that is too much to ask in this household!

I did find a book that seems to encompass both the slower and the simpler aspects of my quest:
Almost Amish: One Woman's Quest for a Slower, Simpler, More Sustainable Life by Nancy Sleeth, published in March, 2012.  I will add the caveat that I have not read it yet, but the description on Amazon was intriguing:

Have you ever stopped to think, Maybe the Amish are on to something? Look around. We tweet while we drive, we talk while we text, and we surf the Internet until we fall asleep. We are essentially plugged in and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Rather than mastering technology, we have allowed technology to master us. We are an exhausted nation. No one has enough time, everyone feels stressed out, and our kids spend more hours staring at a screen each week than they do playing outside.

It’s time to simplify our lives, make faith and family the focal point, and recapture the lost art of simple living. Building on the basic principles of Amish life, Nancy Sleeth shows readers how making conscious choices to limit (and in some cases eliminate) technology’s hold on our lives and getting back to basics can help us lead calmer, more focused, less harried lives that result in stronger, deeper relationships with our families, friends, and God.

Show More

Show Less

The book also has a 4-star rating, and is available for the Nook....uh-huh, is that just wrong to want to read books about simpler life-styles on my e-reader????

I know for myself that I am NOT interested in getting back to the basics to the point of preserving all of our food and heating solely with wood  - been there, done that for many years, and not planning on ever doing it again unless absolutely forced to do so. (I'm glad that I have the knowledge, just do not want to put that much time and energy into merely surviving - I want to create and work on my art.)

But I am hoping her book will add some insight into why we yearn for the simpler life and some keys for doing so.  Will let you know after I read it.

Birthdays Are Good for You

Yesterday was my birthday - the number (63) while starting to SOUND old, is just a number....my heart and brain just don't seem to feel old at all.  And I find, as in many things, I am more and more like my mother - she never lied about her age and was always proud to be who she was.

So for my birthday, I chose to celebrate "my" way:
   -  At Anadaré with my husband and Bailey the Cat (and still amazed that I am really here - on this
                day last year I never would have dreamed that we would have a home on Lopez and I
                would be celebrating my birthday here.)
   -  Breakfast of bagels, lox and cream cheese  (such a treat!!)
   -  Learning a new technique:  Byzantine chain maille (started making a gold and black necklace)
   -  Started learning to play the harp (my husband surprised me with a rented 34-string harp with
                DVD and several books to teach myself to play - he knows me so well).  Well yes, most of
                the first hour was tuning it......but even that was fun.
   -  Walks to the beach for agates and driftwood - pleased with myself that I actually checked the tide
                 tables so I'd know when low tide was (old dog and new tricks comes to mind)
   -  Attended an artist's reception for a show opening (jewelry and fiber artists) right here on Lopez.
                 Saw some amazing jewelry made from beach pebbles.....really!
   -  Dessert and tea at a local restaurant was the plan, but the restaurant was closed, so bought some
                 local ice cream and had a sundae back at the house.
   -  And so many birthday cards and phone calls this year - wow!  I feel so very loved.

Looking back on my 63 years, I've come to know that prayer works, family and friends are so very important and vital to me, I'm responsible for my own actions and health, forgiveness is really just as simple as letting go, and life is here to experience fully - every single minute.  Take nothing for granted, be thankful for all things (big and small), and simpler really is better.

And I most quote one Hallmark card that I received from my sister-in-law:
     Laugh so hard that you go into
     Silent laugh mode, and you come
     Dangerously close to falling out of your chair,
     But you don't.
     Happy birthday.  That happy.

And it was.

Ferry at Night

 

Bailey was not cooperating at all yesterday for the trip up to the island.  He actually hid, initiating a full-on game of hide-and-seek, with me being "IT", of course. Finally found him, easily got him into the carrier after that, and we made it to the ferry with time to spare.  So much for my bragging that he's such an unusual cat! 

He also talked quite a bit more on the way up.  I think, if I was interpreting it correctly, that he wasn't overly pleased that my husband was coming with us this trip.  The two of them were glaring at each other for most of the ride, as it was.  Yes, at certain points, I do question my sanity of insisting that the cat travel with me.  But only briefly.

We were the first car in the front and center of the ferry - and it was a bit unnerving to have front row seats as the captain navigated the black night and even blacker waters.  I think that was the first time I've been on a ferry at night, come to think of it.  And the first time in colder weather (it does cool down quickly, and you need to leave the motor off, so am making a  note to self to have a blanket in the car).  I realized that I my ferry travels have mostly been in the summer months. 

Which just makes me feel even more like an islander!  But we're settled in, unpacked, and already enjoying the peace and tranquility (including Bailey).  It is SO worth any hassle of getting here!

A Slower Life Style

While rushing around running errands yesterday, chauffering to doctor appointments, helping dear son with his new apartment, and actually being out of the house "doing" things for over 12 hours, I had some driving time in the car to reflect on the magnetic attraction of Lopez and the time there to SLOW DOWN. 

I found an interesting article on living a slower life style. (This is only a small part of it - I encourage reading the entire thing.)
Against such ingrained habits, the slow movement says, essentially: slow down and live better. Honoré calls it “a cultural revolution against the notion that faster is always better.’’ He emphasizes that does not mean shifting from the fast lane to the breakdown lane, but rather finding “the right speed’’ for life’s tasks, and “living life rather than rushing through it.’’ The slow movement urges changes in lifestyles and workplace habits that move away from multitasking, competition, and compulsive consumerism. The end result, advocates say, will be better physical and mental health, and more social interaction that can tighten bonds between individuals and their communities. The movement’s guiding precept is this: Savor experiences rather than marking them off your mental checklist before racing on to the next thing. “Once you get this simple idea in your head,’’ Honoré says, “it affects everything you do: sex, parenting, exercise, travel, design, food, medicine, you name it.’’
http://slowvillage.org/Slow_Lifestyle.php

And there is actually a World Institute of Slowness that has some fascinating articles, a blog, and YouTube clips about it.
http://www.theworldinstituteofslowness.com/

I'm certainly not the first to hunger for a slower life!  Think I'll take a break from my to-do list, slow down, and read some more.....

Holidays and Ferries

In planning for a visit by my kids and grandkids for the holiday, we were faced with one of the ever present realities of island life - arranging your plans around the ferry schedules.  I understand that it seems to be a bit of a hassle for them, but it's just a fact of life for us.  And I'm definitely of the persuasion, that to make it even less of an issue, maybe I just won't ever leave the island!!! (Oh I so wish....)

We are still getting used to island life ourselves, and the following part of an article explains it well, and mentions the lovely feeling I have every single time that I get on the ferry in Anacortes to head to the island. It's my transition to my island world.

Lifestyle in the San Juan Islands Life in the San Juan Island is different from life on the mainland. Everything is a little slower in the islands. It doesn’t matter if you live there or are visiting; life in the islands isn’t high speed. That slower pace starts with getting on or off the islands. On the mainland when you want to go somewhere you just get in your car, on the islands you consult the ferry schedule and then try to figure out how early you must leave to go wait in line to catch the ferry. In summer and on weekends the line can be two or three ferries waits.

In the islands the slower more relaxed life permeates everything. The fact that every move needs to be planned in advance changes the way people live and the way they do business. The slower pace of life on the islands makes them a good choice for a vacation where you want to relax. There are no busy highways or rush hour traffic here. A 30 minute to one hour ferry ride seems to take you a million miles from the nearest freeway.

http://northwestplaces.com/trips001/1-SanJuan/1-SanJuanIslands.htm

Nomophobia

My life on Lopez Island is one without a cell phone.  It is a simpler, different life style than the one we have become accustomed to, but in truth, I did have to get used to it.  Now I actually look forward to it - it is so much less stressful.  Heard an interesting news report about our reliance on cell phones, that actually is a named addiction:  nomophobia.  Just one more reason to look forward to my island time!!

National — Your cell phone can be more than just an electronic leash if you have trouble separating yourself from it. People who are severely addicted to their cell phones suffer from "nomophobia."
It's a serious medical problem that 66% of the population suffers from and can cause many people to suffer severe anxiety or panic attacks, "Call, text, instagram, twitter, surf the internet, everything," Khadijah Haywood, a cell phone user says.
And if you have trouble leaving your cell phone behind, that feeling could be more than just separation anxiety, it could be a new medical term called "nomophobia." "I just get real scared, like something's going to happen to it when I know it's not. Even if I'm at home and I just leave it in my room I have to get it like real quick," Haywood explains.
"Nomophobia means no mobile phone phobia," Dr. Elizabeth Waterman, a Psychologist explains. Dr. Waterman says symptoms include panic and anxiety when separated from your phone, compulsively checking your phone for messages, and having your phone come between you and your relationships.
"For some people who use the phone excessively, we know that the brain is actually responding to the phone as if it is a drug," Dr. Waterman says.
But Haywood says her relationship with her phone may not be a sign of "nomophobia."
"I just rather be a teen with a phone," she says, it may be a sign of the times.
"It's definitely the generation, everyone that has a phone. Everyone is protective of their phone," Haywood says.
http://www.ktsm.com/news/nomophobia-addiction-cell-phones

Beaded Urn & Tide Tables

Tide tables!  I remembered to save the tide tables to my favorites list.  And would you know, they only pick a few specific areas to chart, so I would normally just choose one as close as possible to our place, but my little bay happens to be one of the ones that are listed.  And yes, I'm even noting the times of the low tides to be able to plan to get down to the beach for beachcombing.

We'll be on island for much longer this trip, so the preparations include not only groceries for a holiday meal, but arranging house and outdoor kitty sitting for the mainland house.  And of course, those endless lists in continuing to stock the island house.  Hmmm, need to remember a few holiday decorations this trip as well.

As I prepare for celebrating Thanksgiving, I mentally note all for which I am thankful - something I could do daily.  Our health (and the inconvenience after surgery is such a  good reminder of those things that we so readily take for granted), the abundance in our life, the gift of Anadaré, the time to weave and create, and of course my family and loved ones.

This weekend while caring for my dear husband post-surgery for his knee, I worked on some beading projects.  One is below - photo is from the pattern (mine isn't quite done - just missing the elongated crystal topper), but love the rather unusual little urn.  I learned a lot about shaping that will be put to good use in future projects!  It's about 2" high with out the topper.

Pattern may be purchased at http://www.sova-enterprises.com/catalog/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=9;products_id=5956, if you are so inclined.

Hospital Pager

My time on the mainland is finding it's own rhythm - that of "taking care of business" (as I hum from Bachman-Turner Overdrive.....). 

My husband had to have minor knee surgery day before yesterday, but I'm afraid I couldn't take much of it too seriously, when (as I was the designated driver to take him home) they handed me a pager just like you get in a restaurant, to notify me in the waiting room or hospital grounds when he was ready to be picked up!  And I wasn't alone - most of us in the room would smile or chuckle when a beeper went off.  But really - if they are going to do that - perhaps they should at least offer some hors d'oeurves when we pick up the patient?  It's hard to break the trained response to the connection of the beeper and receiving food.

Okay, just my thoughts on progressive efficiency in the medical field.  And by the way, he is healing well, thank you.  (But our doggy bag to take home only held his no-slip socks and a prescription - rather disappointing.)

Island Haiku

A breath of salt air
Gulls wheeling, driftwood treasures
My island refuge.

Weave, write, dream, create
Winged freedom - inspiration
The whispers of life.

Ferry returning
Which life my reality-
Simply where I am?

Advice from a Dragonfly

Finding it a bit difficult to be cheery and upbeat today - well, yes, I am also off-island, so that doesn't help at all.  About the only thing that brought a smile to my face today was this dragonfly t-shirt from www.yourtruenature.com.  As a basketweaver, I simply love the triple entendre about reed:

Somedays it's okay to be thankful for small things.

Birds, Kelp, and Dragons

On my last visit to the beach for this trip, I couldn't help but take these photos - I'm sure it's a bit like looking at clouds, but doesn't it look like a dragon's head?

 

 

 

 And the waves and tide did an excellent job in twisting kelp into some rope.

I took my dad's old binoculars with me as well.  They are heavy, but at least functional.  I am certainly no bird watcher, but just that afternoon saw two kinds of gulls, 3 swans, mergansers, mallards, cormorants, and a couple of others that I haven't identified yet.  My greatest respect for birders that know what all of these winged creatures are!  Hopefully I will get better at this.

Poem: If Ever You've Lived on an Island

Somehow I ran across these poems while searching for something else.  Don't you just love the internet at times??  I relate so much to the first one, which some say could have been inspired by the one following it.  But this speaks to the call of the island to my heart, that actually has been calling all my life.


If Ever You've Lived on an Island
   by J. Earnhart 1992
If ever you’ve lived on an island
if ever you’ve lived by the sea;
You’ll never return to the mainland
once your spirit has been set free.
If ever you’ve smelled the ocean
or tasted the salt in the air;
You’ll know you’ve discovered a haven
that is uncommon, precious and rare.
If ever you’ve seen the whales play
or watched the eagles in flight;
You’ll remember, again, why you live here
and why it feels so right.
If ever you’ve seen the sunset
as the ferry passed the shore;
You’ve seen the beauty of the island
that will be with you forever more.
If ever you’ve heard the seagulls
the waves, a foghorn, the winds;
Then you’ve heard the song of the island
and the peaceful message it sends.
Indeed, if you live on an island
if you’re lucky to live by the sea;
You’ll never return to the mainland
as your spirit has been set free.

 

If Once You've Slept on an Island

If once you have slept on an island
You'll never be quite the same;
You may look as you looked the day before
And go by the same old name,
You may bustle about in street and shop
You may sit at home and sew,
But you'll see blue water and wheeling gulls
Wherever your feet may go.
You may chat with the neighbors of this and that
And close to your fire keep,
But you'll hear ship whistle and lighthouse bell
And tides beat through your sleep.
Oh! you won't know why and you can't say how
Such a change upon you came,
But once you have slept on an island,
You'll never be quite the same.

Rachel Lyman Field

Daylight SavingTime Ends

Daylight saving time by country as of October 2012

DST used

DST no longer used

DST never used

 

So, just out of curiosity, I checked into what countries actually use daylight saving time.  The above map is from Wikipedia.  Interesting that a large part of the world used to use it, but no longer do.  And of course, let's not forget that the hemispheres are on opposite schedules. (Want to keep that global perspective!!)

 

Why any of this came up is because without an offhand remark in one of the emails I received, I would have forgotten all about it.  (It's always nice to know the actual time when you have to coordinate with the ferry schedule.)  My time on the island is such an escape for me, that I could have easily been left behind...well, in this case, more accurately left ahead.

Although I realize that daylight saving time does in fact save alot of energy, I'm still not a big fan of having to 1) remember to change the clocks and 2) having my body reset it's internal clock.  The older I get, that harder the latter seems to be.  It will take me a few weeks to totally get re-adjusted.  At least the little saying "Spring Ahead, Fall Back" helps to figure out which way to reset the clocks.  We also have the additional problem that my dear husband collects clocks...resetting all of them is a job in itself!  Ah well, it's only twice a year.

 

Then there's the great mental exercise to try and remember just how to reset the clock in the dashboard of the car....shouldn't they make that a bit easier or at least more intuitive??

Rock Paper Scissors

Doing a little exploring on the island, as I promised myself that I would do at least once on each trip up, I found myself in Paper Scissors on the Rock - a very eclectic, fun stationery/art supply/gift store.  So of course, that started me thinking about the game of rock paper scissors. And once again, I learned more than I ever wanted to know about the game on the internet. (And no, I didn't buy anything in the store, but may have to go back and get some very cool socks that they had - Solmate Mismatched Cotton Socks!)

Did you know that the current game, as we play it, originated in Japan?  And that before that, the game in some form was played in China centuries ago?  And that there are actually tournaments in it??  With algorithms and strategy plotting going on for months before.  (Really?) And even that Sotheby's and Christie's auction houses used it to determine who would represent a sale worth $20 million in  Impressionist paintings from a Japanese collector  (it was his suggestion to use this method to choose the auction house).

Oh, come on - you didn't know that, either!!

Take One Island + A Warm Quilt and Stir

Internet is working properly (although the new printer is not wanting to cooperate wirelessly) and the septic is temporarily working until new parts can be installed next week. I do so appreciate my small island and the sense of family, even the businesses treat you as a neighbor when something goes wrong and you need assistance.   Really, coming out to check out my septic in the evening?

While writing my morning pages yesterday morning, I started listing some of the things making me happy and contented here, not the least of which was snuggling under an antique quilt while writing and even weaving.  All the love and good energy of the woman or women that made the quilt have seeped into its very fibers.  I just feel the connection as well as the warmth.

Now add to the mix some telephone chats with close friends, and life really is good.  Met with a new friend on the Island in the Village for apple cider as well.

And yes, I even worked a bit on my writing projects, wove some on the new cedar piece, and of course had a walk to the beach.  (Additional note to self:  I really, really need to not only get a tide chart but actually read it!!  Tide was extremely high, and storm brought in a ton of seaweed that covered the beach and driftwood.)

And on a random note: doesn't this mushroom (toadstool?) look like a pansy??

Contented

Not exactly a day for productive work, but I keep reminding myself that the view is so spectacular, who cares?  The septic alarm was going off when I arrived (from too much rain in a very short time span?), so have been calling to get that figured out.  A trench has been dug in the back of the property, and in talking with the power guy that was here today, the neighbors that dug it did not have approval.  And of course, expecting the internet to work properly when I first plug in my computer was obviously a bit too optimistic.

But the beans are soaking for soup tomorrow, I made some mac and cheese with hamburger for comfort food tonight, and I'm settling in to weave and then bead, listening to the rain on the roof.   And I seriously doubt that I will have any trick or treaters for Halloween on my end of this dead end road.

 Kitty and I are warm and cozy and snug.  I tend to forget, while I am away, how this place simply calms my soul.

And I am content.