A few years ago we found....

We found the little town of Suttons Bay MI in 2019 after being gifted a stay at Black Star Farms (winery, inn and working farm) by my sister and her husband after my retirement. This little burg is on a bay with a small marina filled with sailboats and calm waters.  We have been back three times since our initial visit and the place is a found treasure for those of us that need a respite from all the responsibilities and details of regular life even for a short while.  Sitting on a bench off the pier and peering out Into the calm and tranquil waters gives me great pause.  What a joy it is to just stop and look....feel the air and listen to the small birds that are around you.  These were the early mornings we spent by this small bay watching the small ripples on the water made by the geese fishing in the middle of the water. This is my lovely Judy at waterside.  

 We stayed at a bed and breakfast called the Korner Kottage right in the middle of the town.  I did not start the car at all during our visit, we walked everywhere.  Walking while providing needed exercise also allows one to view everything in a relaxed fashion, people, businesses and for me the stumbler, the walkway below. Our hosts Jared and Jillian are a young couple with a lovely baby daughter were most welcoming and fed us well with sumptuous breakfasts and coffee to start our day's wanderings.  Got stuff for the grand kids and did a lot of day drinking.  Went to a terrific pub for flatbread snack and Short's Local Light beer sitting outside.  Had a friendly server named Kim ready to crack jokes while putting up with my humor.  Had a dinner at the fancy joint in town and really did not like it, and it was expensive.  The place was filled with grumpy non smiling, entitled old people.  We left quickly.  

The ride home was filled with a torrent of rain and storm that followed us all the way home and left me and Judy complete stressed out.  You know the kind of storm where you can't see the road?  This was it for about 3 hours.  But we arrived, picked up a thrilled Harry and got soaked just getting back into. our building.

Well, I really don't know anything about what Is going on in the world today, not seeing much news for the past few days.  Judy visiting  her family with Andrew and the kids and Katey starting tomorrow and I will be on animal patrol minding two dogs, two cats and 3 households. It will work out once I have a system. 

Pasta Grannies and Redemptive Rain and my artist Marie

 Been watching on my Facebook Watch a YouTube series called Pasta Grannies.  It depicts Italian Nonna's making various pasta styles and preparing enchanting dishes with other home grown ingredients. Now these are probably grumpy old  
ladies in real life but have put on their best faces for the videos.  They treat the pasta with the love you would show to a grandchild with all the kneading and shaping. Their old gnarled hands still do the job.  The stories they tell about their earlier life are heartwarming and tell of an earlier time in Calabria. In my next life, I will be a pasta granny or grandpa.  I love the process and the results and of course feeding people.

So it rained yesterday morning.  It was a cleansing shower feeding the plants and dampening the birds.  There is something redemptive about a rain shower, not so much a storm with thunder.  I have no problem standing in it and feeling the moisture gathering on my clothing.  Water is truly life giving. I think of the corners of our country that are suffering thru drought conditions with diminishing supplies.  There seems to be no good solution.  

Marie and I went to this lovely new craft studio called Pin-spiration (not the correct spelling word correction would not allow it.  She spent about 3 hours creating this masterpiece with the help of the owner Jenna and her staff person April.  They provided a template and an easy process for the art.  She was thrilled and we are proud of her accomplishments. She possesses a clear vision and a steady hand that will serve her well.

Yesterday the President signed into law a proclamation making Juneteenth, this day a national holiday.  This is the day in 1865 that the slaves of Texas found out they had been freed, long after the Emancipation Proclamation and the surrender of the south at Appomattox in Virginia.  Up until this date, Texas held their slaves. No teacher of mine, whether elementary, secondary or college ever mentioned this date or what it meant, another part of the hidden American history.  Think about it. 

It's also the birthday of my little sister Joan.  Happy birthday Joni, hope your day is terrific!

all for now

stay safe

The upcoming Rodent Feast

These photos will be featured in the latest issue of Squirrel Culinary Review along with my address as up coming meals to enjoy.  With all the rain we have been having the plants are doing great in our community garden at the old folks home.  I only hope that they will leave us a little to enjoy when the vegetables emerge.  Its a sunny cool morning here in Berkley and the schools are empty buildings.  I must admit that I enjoyed the noise and the activities of the kids at Rogers Elementary down the street.  It appears that summer has arrived.

Had occasion to see Chris Matthews, the ex MSNBC show host interviewed last night. In his public life, he admitted to inappropriate comments about a female reporter and fired himself from his show after 20 years of broadcasting.  He again said that he made the comments and it was no ones fault and did not. run and hide from his missteps.  

His comments about the former president rang true to me.  No candidate has ever not accepted the results of the election for the Presidency.  In my voting lifetime that spanned from George McGovern to Hillary Clinton all of the defeated people have   done the honorable thing and conceded defeat, in a heartfelt speech thanking their supporters and contributors they said "I lost the election."  Applause and tears followed and that was it.  In my mind the biggest insult to our system of governance, was his not conceding his loss.  It slaps the face of the peaceful transfer of power, one of our foundation. principles.  I cannot tell you how furious I was upon hearing those words.  The fury stayed with me.

It's the next day.  Slept well for a change, had back strain from bouncing on some device with the kids at the playground. I'll get through it. Another gorgeous day. in Berkley. The city put in a new playground in walkable distance with a splash pad, perfect for the little ones.  It's really great, they can run around, get soaked and you don't have to worry about them drowning. Incidentally, no matter where you live, do you notice them digging holes everywhere, not roadwork but holes.  

We finished an Israeli crime series yesterday named Black Space. It was about killings at a high school and catching the culprits. The English was dubbed and the names were Hebrew in origin and difficult for me to remember. The plot lost me, snoozing captured me. My dear wife tried to update me on the parts I slept thru.  This is my shortcoming because the series was well received.  Sometimes I feel too stupid to grasp the drama. On Netflix. 

Dear daughter in law Kelly has a birthday today, hope she has a wonderful day.

all for now

stay safe

Return of the Hummingbirds

 

Judy has had a tenuous relationship with these little guys.  At our houses on Orchard View and Millard she placed feeders in the yard filled them with purchased sugar water and nothing, no action.  The bottle would sit out there for months until the seasons changed and it would be taken down.  

We moved into this apartment on the fourth floor. Last year a friend of ours suggested we try again to attract our little friends with homemade hooch and lo and behold, we were discovered and there was a veritable traffic jam at our feeder.  It was an entraining summer (simple pleasures).  We put it up again in the same spot and nothing for weeks even with warm days.  Over the last few days our food supply was again discovered and around dinnertime this guy shows up every fifteen minutes or so. He seems to be OCD and can't get enough. This information is not really earth shattering but gives me pause from the chaos.

Went for a pleasant dinner with friend Dick last evening at a neighborhood spot.  Our favorite waitress was there and serving us with all the wisecracks she could muster mostly pointed at Dick.  She told us she carrying her first two legged child about 7 months along currently only having 4 legged children that ate from bowls on the floor. She and Dick exchanged smart assed remarks throughout out time there.  The owner was present as well and bitching that he cannot find help.  The government checks from the pandemic are keeping people home.  

The waitstaff in almost any restaurant are poorly paid and rely mostly on the gratuities from diners.  Even with that, these workers do not earn enough to support themselves or a family.  This is a doubled edged sword in our economy.  Restaurants need workers or they will close up shop.  The servers need enough to make ends meet.  The stimulus checks help that.  But his money is a temporary solution and cannot go on forever.  Do I think the owners will pay more when the program runs out? Probably no.  We may soon be getting our spaghetti and meatballs from a machine like Japan if this isn't resolved. 

Watched the season finale of "The Good Doctor" last evening.  It was touching and teared me up a bit.  This is marvelous cast and the writing is poignant.  Freddy Highmore has the autism aspect of his character mastered and delivers in a believable manner.  Catch this one if you can.   

Eli's new computer is up and running and he is playing Flight Simulator.  Janine is in better control of her pain and new knee is intact and functional. Katy's sinusitis is better.  Maybe it will be a good day with only a zoom meeting with New Gateways and a little shopping.

all for now 

stay safe

Ode to Sleep

A full night's sleep is such a gift.  The following morning energy abounds and you accomplish many things on your list, cooking, cleaning, laundry, shopping, dog feeding and to top is off a new haircut.  I wish I could find the secret for good zzzz's. Also, your brain works for a change and you can put more than one sentence together.  This is my summer "no care do".  My bald spot beams in the sunshine. 

My friend Jo has become a grandmother for the second time. I am thrilled for her family.  All are doing well and the little boys name is Rhys, a Welsh origin. like the wonderful actor John Rhys Davis from Raiders of the lost Ark.  

My dear friend Janine had knee replacement surgery yesterday.  Have not spoke to her yet.  She was as prepared as possible for this experience.  We knew each other from our Wayne State days back in the early 70's.  Our lives went in different directions.  I was employed by trucking magnate Matty Moroun.  Then went on to meet my wife on a Jamaican vacation in Ocho Rios.  She was in retail management migrating from the Detroit area to New York City to work in the ladies shoe business, selling and distribution "special occasion shoes" for brides and the like.  We stayed in touch with an occasional phone call and emails.  In 2010 we gathered together with a bunch of friends in a backyard and had a splendid time.  I retired. She retired and moved back here.  I consider her friendship and our reconnecting to be one of my greatest gifts.  I wish her a speedy recovery and back to the walking trails.

The news of all the shootings that seem to occur on almost a daily basis has become crushing and I have all but stopped watching.  All major beefs seem to be solved with this method, with an innocent bystander usually becoming prey, like a 6 year old boy shot through the trunk of the car in a road rage incident.  Someone cuts you off and you shoot them? It makes no sense.  

I got my hair cut yesterday at a local chain.  I had to check in online at the location. At first I thought it was yet another inconvenience. I liked to drive up, survey the lot for cars and amble in and sit down shortly there after.  In the almost post Covid world we live in, this is the new norm.  My assigned hair cutter is a thin young man with a bejeweled face covering, a set of dangling earrings, and numerous artsy tattoos decorating him.  This getup screamed I'M GAY!.  In my past, I worked with and became friends with gay men.  It was the 70's and they were these elegant, stylish young men and their preference was only hinted at because that was all they dared.  How times have changed.  This guy could issue a proclamation for all to see, different, yes, but probably better.  And the haircut was good.

I did a lot of driving yesterday.  All short trips but I always seemed to be waiting for a traffic light to change.  Why does it seem that the guys with the biggest trucks have the least amount of patience with drivers not moving fast enough?  Their time must be more important.  They have redone the interchange at 14 mile road and I-75.  It works but is screwy.  I drove thru it many times in the past few days and now finally have it figured out.  I get it, probably better, but something else to learn. 

As you may have figured, this was written over the course of two days. Not much planned for today, only caring for Apollo, kid pickup and a new computer for Eli which  Judy will help him with.  Hoping for less rain in that we got soaked yesterday. Was thinking yesterday that California and the feds should invest in desalination plants using ocean water due to their ongoing drought conditions.  Yes, extremely costly.  But their water supplies are dwindling.  Countries like Saudi Arabia use this method.  I'm sure I will be shouted down on this one for my lack of knowledge.

Well, that's it.

get a good nights sleep, your morning will be brighter.

stay safe

all for now

 

Facing the truth

Facing the truth no matter how discomforting it is, brings a certain clarity to history.  The Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 is an event we were never taught in school and was never revealed until recently.  This is the year of my father's birth and he would have been 100 years old on August 14th.  Somehow this puts this event into some temporal prospective.  We watched a documentary on PBS yesterday and it showed the magnitude of this tragedy.  Yet the educational system hid or probably did not know what happened. African Americans did but their input nor opinions did not matter to America.  One of the many commentators asked "Why do white people hate us so much?"  That is the question that is still resounding.

Detroit has had its share of racial strife.  In 1943 there was a race riot with largely white aggressors that started at the Belle Isle Bridge extending into the poorest section of the city, Paradise Valley.  The town was booming from the war effort and migrants from the South both black and white were taking jobs and housing.  I wasn't around for this and had to look it up.  In 1967 when I was 17, violence broke out after a police raid on a blind pig (after hours drinking spot) at Twelfth and Claremont. The unrest went on for about 6 days.  My family lived 3 miles from the city limits.  We watched the TV nervously hoping to stay out of harms way.  1967 was a boiling hot summer, and there were lots of businesses on fire and looting from what we could see on the tube.  National Guard troops were deployed.  The destroyed neighborhoods stayed that way for many decades.  

In the next year, 1968, a bellwether event occurred.  The Detroit Tigers won the World Series over Bob Gibson and the St. Louis Cardinals.  We had been watching this great team for the entire summer but never thought they could possibly take home the trophy.  After the last game, a celebration occurred  unlike anything I had ever seen.  My friend Jerry Bell and I went up and down Woodward Ave. cheering and shaking hands with revelers black and white.  It was truly a redemptive event maybe marking a pause in the darkness.

So much for this redacted history lesson.  Back to truth, head out of the sand truth.  We all need to get vaccinated.  Those with chronic conditions like me with diabetes need to take it seriously and treat it.  And I am loosing my hair, at 71, we have had a good run, with Beatle bangs and mullets.  Getting up off the floor is not as easy as it once was. And my favorite line from any politician for this year is from former Speaker John Boehner: "Ted Cruz can go f*ck himself. It still makes me laugh.

all for now

stay safe

What do I eat??

 Had a cool sunrise at 5:45 this morning and was lucky enough to capture it.  Discovered I need to find a better way to eat.  Now gaining weight with 6 plus miles of walking Harry and climbing the 4 flights of stairs to the apartment.  Glucose numbers are not what they should be.  It is tiresome to constantly think of what I am eating and its composition. Me and all my kids live in apartments now so we cannot have backyard barbecues.  This is something I really miss.  I loved doing the grilling and the flavors of the burgers and chicken with garlic sauce, and the grilled pineapple as well.  

Watched Micheal B. Jordan's 2021 film Without Remorse last evening.  While he did a masterful job as the action hero, the film was lacking in a credible story and weak plot line.  Usually I promote films, I cannot with this one.  Reviews from online sources are mixed at best.

Finally tried the Mandarin Orange Chicken that has been hanging around in my freezer for months.  It was great.  The sauce was superb.  I can see why this is the most purchased frozen dish from Trader Joe's.  At 3.99 it fed three hungry people with a  side dish.  Get this one if you can. 

New day:

Watched Da 5 Bloods for the second time last night.  It had more impact on me than before.  It tells me that I know very little of the Black Experience of my era.  Brilliant performances by the entire cast but especially DelRoy Lindo.  He ripped out my heart and set it on fire.  Should have received an Oscar nod.  Earlier in the day we viewed Haichi, a dog film that was based on a true story from Japan meant to pull at the heart strings.  The intent of the film was so transparent and telegraphed, I can only give it a big OK.  But if you are an ardent dog lover, this is your Marley and Me.

Had lunch with kids with a soggy bunned burger from Bagger Daves, always hoping to be impressed but generally disappointed. They load too much stuff on the burger. Should probably be smart enough to get it plain, but usually fail to execute.  Had nice conversations outside with some of the folks in the building and a good phone call with friend Pat Feeney that I haven't seen since the pandemic. He is feeling his age. 

Tried an exercise on Facebook in that I see the same people all the time, really few of my friends.  Got pretty good response but mostly from the folks I always see. A tech learned friend tells me there is no algorithm.  He may be correct and only a very limited number of people participate in social media activities. The rest have a look only once and a while. I don't know. 

Well the garbage trucks are making their rounds as of this writing and the sun is out. Getting ready for coffee with the cronies.

all for now

stay safe

get your shot if you haven't