Books by the old Leather Chair

  • Snow In The Summer
  • My Bible
  • The Power of Silence
  • What Comes Next and to Like It
  • Encore Provence
  • A Year in Provence

Wednesday, August 30, 2017

How Can This Be Possible

grandma, looks back over 15 years
and now, you saved your money, a good buy on a car and you will be driving next year
how can 15 years go by so quickly...

Fall Blooms Beginning


Early morning, like 5:30
I walk onto the screen porch
the scent is heavenly
Jasmine
never disappoints

First vine planted 8 years ago
 among the Clematis
and one on trellis by the woods.
Seems through the month's I forget about this one a Fall Poinsettia
the first time I spotted it was 40 years ago in an elderly neighbor's garden (I was so close too)Miss Robbie, she shared many plants with me through the years.
They have traveled with me from home to home over the years.  Noticed a lot of these in the
compost pile and need to bring them closer to my cottage - I thank you and miss you Robbie.
Sedum, have 3 colors and takes year to become this size

A new mum
Notice Fall purple Aster is beginning to bloom, so showy by mailbox, along the drive
and several among other plants.   Every Spring I dig up a portion and plant it somewhere else.
Have seen this plant in yellow and may try to find online....

Saturday, August 26, 2017

Feels Like Fall

Wonderful weather
Yesterday
was able to get a 8:30 dental appointment, seems another crown came off.
Since my dentist is  half way to Nashville and fortunate to have a driver we headed for Nashville.
(I no longer am comfortable driving the hour long drive in heavy traffic or the area's I liked to visit in years past) Not the Nashville I have known for almost 60 years, lived there for a while two different times
and liked it. Yesterday on the road viewing new buildings arising on every street, cranes high in the air,
traffic is horrible.  Many high rise condo's being built
 on property that was considered less then desirable
in past years.   Every inch of land is being built on, new restaurants, shops  on every corner,  I have the thought
where are all of these people arriving from.  I do know Nashville in the past  has been an economical location
but not anymore.  I believe many relocating from California, Foreign investors .  Past homes
 lived in prices have tripled and maybe more, taxes also.

Two small shops in a quiet area I wanted to visit and was pleased that I found what I was looking for
two large baskets to hold over 40 years of pictures, many past on to children and some now copied on my computer. Now images are down loaded from camera to computer - so easy and convenient.

Most of my pictures fit in these containers along with albums, some in another conainer also wanted a basket to place by
door when family visits, most take their shoes off
Spotted this wooden box and it looks like my rural cottage.
T.J.Max never disappoints me and good prices.

It is so nice when my son visits and go to many of the newer eating places.  Will have to wait until then.

While checking online yesterday saw a recipe for Corn Chowder and it reminded me of an old
recipe from my favorite Aunt Lucille, she past it on to me and noticed the recipe card dated 2003.
It is simmering on the stove with a few changes after reading the online recipe.
Lucille is where my Banana Bread recipe came from, enjoyed for years and my daughter's now bake.

Chopped potato, celery, onion, carrots are simmering
I reduce the recipe for me and enough for 2 days
when these are soft add a small can of drained cream corn
small can of regular corn that is drained
1 cup of milk
1 cup of shredded cheese
some garlic - s & p
and the main difference was
black beans and I added a cup

when done and serving
I add chopped bacon and a dollop of sour cream.

You figure how much you want to make
I add and delete along the way....


Corn bread would be good with this but do not feel like turning the oven on as the temperature is rising.
Smells so good and have corn chips and my sweet tea
and this is all I need.

Soups are so easy and nutritious for me and soon will be making several times a week.

Evenings I read, many of my old books, sometimes I do not read the whole book but look at all of the
many passages I have underlined and dated  - find it interesting.

My youngest daughter, years ago told me she did not like reading my books because they seemed
like my diary with everything I underlined, dated and sometimes wrote comments:)

Still weary today from busy day yesterday
just the way it is...

Thursday, August 24, 2017

The Way It Is

Remember

"a diamond is a chunk of coal
that did well under pressure"

New header I took a couple of years ago
saw it looking out the window as I sat in an old chair - rocked my son and youngest daughter  in,
retrieved my camera
and got the shot :)

Another crown came off an hour ago
will be reapplied soon
only have 3 but seems dry mouth and gums (schogrens) contribute to this
do not like this..

Beautiful cooler weather
like 62 degrees this morning
helper a few hours this morning
and washed some windows.

Everything I did in the Fall
in years past
was done in a week
not any more
now takes a month or longer with a little help.
So much I want to go over, organize and clean
and
hopefully done in October.

Oldest daughter arriving for a couple of days in September
arriving with her my first granddaughter that is expecting her first baby
in December
a boy :)
I want to talk to him
so he knows his great grandmother...

Baked Zucchini bread, 3 loaves, one for me and two in the freezer
hopefully one will remain for daughter - along with blueberry bread and want to
bake pumpkin bread and maybe banana.

When it is cool
I love to bake
what,s different, it takes forever
and a big mess
what use to take  1 1/2 hours
now takes 3 hours or more
also like to iron and upstairs on the loft
ironing board has been brought out of the storage room
and is piled high with ironing.

Also a basket with hand sewing that I do not do well :)
but no one turning up hems to look at my stitches
everything is too long for me...

Oh my mother was a seamstress ( I took her my sewing and have many of her quilts
and each child and grandchild has one)
her mother and grandmother all sewed beautifully
talent not passed on to me
or I think
my daughter's :)

With age everything changes
but not my reading, love my books with a passion
do not want the new thing you sit and read
I want a book I can feel and keep close by
they surround my old chair, on my nightstand, can live without much
but not my books, good home cooked food and my garden to look at and flowere I grow inside
image taken 13 years ago

Life's simple pleasures
are the best....

Monday, August 21, 2017

Waiting

Waiting for darkness to arrive
and it is beginning

Trying to do Childs Pose
brought my son's bolster cushion down from loft

Planted 8 years ago when building and planning to return home
Crepe Myrtle is good to bloom when nothing much else us,
Pleasing to look at and if you want one takes years to really be beautiful

red one planted 4 years ago, and white one last year....
Crab cakes bought several weeks ago
took out of freezer, hope they are good for my dark time lunch
Always on end of a table so I can see where everyone is during travel times and gives
me an idea how far away my son is....

Sunday, August 20, 2017

Good Day

This one
surrounded by her books
A special artist gave me permission to post
and I thank her,
love all of her work and some images a reminder of me :)

Look her up on Google - Yao Yao Ma Van As.....

Introduced to her
when I read Ronni yesterday "Time Goes By"

and another
a reminder of me
 because I drink a lot of tea


A really warm day
like 94 at the moment.
Balance is horrible
might be in part because of the weather
and
Eclipse arriving tomorrow
and it makes me feel unsettled
why I do not know.

Happy Callie is here with me








Friday, August 18, 2017

Abundance

Morning, as my day begins
On the computer checking to see if there are any emails from my family,
then I check Cate who writes "Beyond The Fields We Know." 
This morning the heading Abundance caught my eye.
After reading her words I knew what my lunch was going to be, no abundant garden for me
like in the past
that I miss.
But a trip to the market was scheduled and in my basket would be mixed greens, fresh tomato's, mozzarella cheese and
fresh artisan bread.   On hand olive oil, olives, avocado and herbs from my garden.  All of this in my bowl,
drizzled with warm olive oil and chunks of the bread I warmed in the olive oil.
So good.
 I always buy the best olive oil, cheese and olives that are at the market.  A treat for me
as I rarely eat out, do some when my son visits from Thailand and at that time enjoy food from
a different country
Miss my garden tremendously and planted a few Fall items in containers handy, next year will
grow tomato's and a few other things.

Hot weather has returned
the few cooler mornings and days
spoiled me.

This Cypress Vine is one the Humming birds love


Sunday, August 13, 2017

A Good Sunday

So good to see some of my girls,  2 days of baking and kitchen would take the prize for the messiest
kitchen.  Takes longer to bake, make a mess but like my food the best not ready to stop, pushing and just doing it.    3 loaves of blueberry bread with an addition of cranberries (a friend shared this now favorite recipe,  one loaf shared and other two in freezer if I do not eat one (which I probably will)  A really big chocolate sheet
cake (Jamie's favorite) half of that in the freezer, we enjoyed some, put a candle in Jamie's piece, she took some home and put 4 pieces in the frig for me.


A few flowers from the yard for table.  A simple meal that was so good, seems everyone
weight conscious except this one but then never a problem since I do not eat much and constantly
doing....

Always a list of help I need for computer and now my two youngest granddaughter's are experts
showing me in a minute.   I asked Amelia to show me how to operate new DVD player. she began to show me and grandma replied  " please
write out the instructions."    Oh my what an instructor, she wrote them out with her beautiful
hand writing and then put little papers on the keys I was to use.   Never have had a DVD player
so complicated,  It has been sitting on the table and could not figure out how to use it.


Read that Thai Chi was excellent for your balance, have an old tape and want to use it.   The only
thing is I have always moved fast and remember the exercise you do is almost like slow motion, this will
be good for me if I can discipline myself to do this,  Yoga is slow also and I am learning.

Pleased I can now do 40 minutes of Yoga, after last fall (6 months ago) had to wait to begin again until about 8 weeks ago with 10 minutes and slowly increased. May never will be able to do some poses that were done in
the past but what practiced is helpful.    Do not think once the balance starts going in late 70's
it ever returns to where you were in the past.  I have a chair and several other elevated items for safety to
use as I get up and down off of the floor.   Yoga is so relaxing and good for your body.  Was doing in bed for weeks  and did not like it - love doing it on the floor on my mat.   My son who teaches Yoga in
Thailand has been so helpful in helping me with my practice.   Goal is once more for 1 hour
5 to 7 days a week, first thing in the morning before eating and that is usually between 6am and 8.
I do not answer the phone, do not have caller ID, did at one time and was always checking
I like my answering machine and it does not record the many marketers that call and I dislike.  If phone keeps ringing they hang up.

For all of you young ones, I did not notice any change in balance, walking or strength until about age 78
and seems  over the last soon 5 years all has escalated. 4 falls, nothing broken but surely frightened  me as I recovered and took months for bruises to go away I  finally am almost accepting and realize
the body is not suppose to last forever and be like it was in the past.   So again fortunate there is nothing else
but miss being on the tractor and continual gardening.   A past of being in excellent shape, working in the business world but for 110 lbs did a lot of outside work - loved it.  Now trying to reach that weight again.  Have gained 3 lbs :)

My children tell me I am too  hard on myself, you have to be or you will just give up.  A past of being self sufficient, disciplined, not asking for help, in control of much -- to a fault.  All is changing and it has been and I probably did not notice.
 Not ready to stop totally until I can no longer move.....  My therapist the insurance allows  is so helpful, seems to know me well as he has been visiting for 2 years after each fall :( tells me to please accept what is
happening at this time of life)  I am doing better but not where I want to be and may never be.  I have shared before a problem or a blessing - my mind is not wearing out like the body, seems they are each in a different place and have become aware that my body cannot perform like the mind thinks it can....   He arrives on and off during the year for visits and so helpful with exercise for shoulders, balance, pain from injuries from falls, encouragement and the just plain arthritis.   Wish I could adopt him....

Enough shared and seems like heat has returned and need some rain.

I went to bed early, so tired and then up a few hours later and writing - a bad bad habit.....


Thursday, August 10, 2017

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to My Youngest Girl....

Birthday time
for my Jamie
my youngest.

I look at many pictures
and once again realize
that time has gone by so fast
and continues it seems
at a faster pace.



seems those braces stayed on forever

so tiny you were
born 3 weeks early at 3:00 in the afternoon

Girls changed your clothes many times a day and put ribbons in your hair
(over 40 years ago and I remember well )
Your brother and sisters treated you like you were a doll, they wheeled you around in their doll buggy.
Jimmy putting a helmet on your head and taking you for rides in his go cart.
Seems with the first 3 I was so careful - not with you as a house full of children - but
my sweet girl you survived :)

So many memories the time arrived where
 times of just you and me at the old farmhouse with all of the animals we raised
then you onto  college, graduation  and first job at Vanderbilt as an editor.....
I am so very proud of all of your accomplishments in this busy world
and especially of your two beautiful girls and your Alan, .look forward to seeing you and family soon and making your chocolate sheet cake and for the girls a lemon ice box pie - a busy Saturday doing what I
have always loved to do - but at a slower pace :)

love,  mama

Tuesday, August 8, 2017

Love Affair With My Life at the Edge of the Woods

A misty rain
I walk outside looking at an untidy garden
but
it is loved
Everything is growing
and I cannot capture beauty with my camera
in the way I see with my eyes and heart.

This home, garden, woods where I relocated 9 years ago
is loved.
Thoughts surface lately
being realistic
so much to do here, most of the chores I can no longer do,  In the past they were not chores to me or work
loved doing all the maintenance of cutting grass, weeding, picking up limbs, walking in the woods and can do so little at this time.

Healthy, all is well I am told but arthritis and mobility - do not like :)

Thoughts of what younger do
and I cannot do this
if all grows up around me like a jungle
I cannot leave.

Wonderful to have a dream that becomes a reality and then so much changes.   I will just live
among the weeds, over growth and what I see as untidy much of the time
others see differently.
Visitors always sharing how pretty everything looks


Can use a minimum of help as that is all my budget will allow
and thoughts this morning as I walked in the sprinkling rain
I am continuing to change expectations of much in my life....

My cooking that leaves a messy kitchen, piles of books by my chair, many to do list piled
on table and my desk - most just takes longer to take care of
and it really does not matter
just seems I am not the same person as in past years...

Will continue onward
soon another birthday
and so much to be thankful for.

And this one is truly happy....

New image received of my Laurie and family in Cape Cod, oh my so covered up and the shelter on the beach.....
never have seen anything like this:)

Monday, August 7, 2017

Daily

It is raining some every day
cool mornings are a delight
and it feels like Fall.

I like seeing the turkeys every morning
the drive way will be full
and could only catch one this morning
In the process of filling some containers with seeds for turnip greens, lettuce and onions
have missed having a small garden and will try this next Spring.   Some small tomatoes
that come up yearly are green
A dream that never happened was a visit to Italy.
Just finished reading
"A Small Place in Italy" by Eric Newby
my son recommended and it was enjoyed on these rainy days.
Have always loved reading and seems I neglected it for months
so nice to do this daily - once again,

I look at images of Jamie and the girls when they visited the ocean
Amelia, playing her ukulele :)
Caitlin and a friend
Continually being sent pictures
that I look at and smile
with tears in my eyes.

So proud of everyone and time is going by too fast for this ancient one :(

School started today and these girls are the image of their mother.   I see her in them
in so many ways.   May they be like her in all ways as they continue to grow up !

My Jamie's birthday this Thursday and family will spend time with me this weekend.

My son in Thailand received a Christmas gift from Beth that was mailed December lst.
It did arrive but seems it took 8 months.   Also heard Beth, daughter - my Sarah the chef who works in Nantucket will be visiting Jimmy in Thailand - soon.

The thought
what would I do without my computer