06 October 2009

A Few of My Favorite Things

I thought it time again to think about, list, review and note a few of my favorite things. Like my granddaughter Maxine, a great place to start my list! When I am overwhelmed with work, things to do, things I should have done or be doing, depressing news which can be personal













or local or world news, or frustrated with work, life, people, things, or something said or done without regard, it helps me to realign my thinking toward a more positive note, to think about, identify or make a list of my favorite things. This little exercise helps me to move to a more positive perspective, and get my 'mojo back!' So here is a second list of things I love, things that make me feel good about everything and keep a positive perspective. Here we go again:

** The first and most obvious one on my list is my granddaughter Maxine.

** Add to that my children: Ana, Nevin and Elyse. And of course, let's not forget to mention Ana's husband, Maxine's father: Jason. I am so blessed by my children. We can also add Alex and Michele.

** Let's not overlook the 'sense of family.' This has become even more clear and more prominent in my life as I age. Connecting, accepting, interacting, sharing, understanding and loving family. Near and far, old and young, happy or sad; they grow on you, reflect you and compliment you.

** Crisp, cool air. Wind on my face. A fresh breeze of air in an otherwise stagnate room or place. It is in the top ten of the most refreshing things that comes to mind. Clear the air!

** Lately, I like to sleep. Well, that is to say I like my bed. It is very comfortable. A down feather bed between the mattress and the sheets. A great pair of high-thread count sheets (well worth the expense), and a deluxe down comforter - I mean DELUXE down comforter. Goose down fill of 850 "something or other;" you know the addage: 'the bigger the better!' Add some equally high-end down pillows. And it's dream away!

** Vibrant colors, indoors and out. Vibrant colored paint - and if you have been to mi casa, you know what I mean! Which has put color in my life. Color on the walls. Color in nature. Color in my friends. Color everywhere! While the absence of color - black and white - has it's merits; I enjoy the rich hues of color, off-beat but complimentary color combinations and, what it adds to my everyday life, well-being, my mood and outlook.

** Morning sun. Cracking the sky at dawn. Dimming the day at night. Warming your body, your heart and even your soul.

** The first of the crisp, clear Autumn days. When you can just begin to see your breath.

** When a plan comes together. Not just at work, but in my life. Nothing else needs to be said.

** My new Sony digital camera (reclaimed actually - was lost on July 4th, but now is found). And knowing how to use it to take pictures of my life. As well as, knowing how to download the pictures, crop, title, arrange and otherwise manipulate them, and then post them. Sharing my life with friends and family through pictures which tell the story from my perspective.

** My sister Joann. My nieces Barbara and Cindy. My grand-niece Rebekah. My friend Faye. And certainly, my friends Lou Lundquist and Heidi Hoemeister. ALL my friends actually!

** The many wonderful, helpful and very tolerant people that I work with at Bay Mills.

** Memories. The good, the great, the precious, the bittersweet, the hilarious, and even the sad, painful and downright ugly. They comprise our lives. They contribute to who we are.

** Friends who can cook. Friends who make deserts. Friends who make jewerly. I have a few friends who do these things - they are all so very talented!

** The sense of accomplishment in my life. Although fleeting at times.

** Pay day. Wish it came more often.

** Peggy Griefer. Peggy's one earring. Her sense of style. Her stories. Especially the ones about Cuba, Central and South America. And a life in a time before I can remember. Peggy is a treasure. She is so amazing!

** Connecting and re-connecting with friends new, old and slightly used. And the memories we share. For this, I must mention Facebook. Which has put me in touch with childhood friends, helped to make acquaintances become friends and, all the memories that have come flooding back because of the connections FB has generated for me.

** Going to the market: the Farmer's Market on Saturdays in downtown Marquette. It reminds me of home, of my childhood, and going to Central Market in downtown York with my mother.

** The guy with the crystal blue eyes that sells his vegetables at Marquette's Saturday Market.

** Bostock. I think I have mentioned it before. So I might add the blog I found and now follow that has the recipe for bostock, so I can make myself!

Life is good. Ever changing, ever evolving, ever fascinating! There are so many more things to be gratful for in so many ways. These are just a few of my favorite things!

01 October 2009

My Personal Mecca

This is Chapel Rock, located on Chapel Beach, in the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, along the southern shore of Lake Superior, in Michigan's beautiful Upper Peninsula. The inspiration for North Shore Woman, a pen name I have used off and on throughout my writing career (I use that term career in conjunction with writing loosely!). I first discovered Chapel Beach in the late Summer or early Fall of 1971, when I was living in a reclaimed log cabin on the Petral Grade, a dirt road that runs north of the Seney Stretch portion of M-28, just east of Shingleton (recently renamed by a street sign as Star Siding Road). The old log cabin, a former logging camp kitchen and bunk house with parque flooring, was situated in the back of the second clearing on the west side of the road after you crossed Star Creek (approximately 4 miles north of M-28), nearly invisible to the dirt road as it winds its way northward to Melstrand. Just past the Melstrand store was another winding dirt road that went further north toward the south shore of Lake Superior. Nearly impassable by most vehicles, I shifted into four-wheel drive, and drove the two-toned green Willy's Jeep down the rutted road, as it got narrower and more challenging to navigate. I was sure the Lake Superior shoreline was near, and kept edging on that late September day, at a slow but steady pace through the thick hardwood forest. Around a curve I came to a large posted sign, emblazed (but faded) with the words 'Private Property' across the top. The bottom third of that sign declared Chaple Beach, followed by these words: "Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints," in fading script. I could see that the trees were thinning beyond, and hints of the blue waters of Lake Superior beckoned me forward. When I realized if I went any further, that only I would be coming back and not my vehicle; I began walking instead of driving. I stopped the vehicle, climbed out and continued down the worsening road to a trail that led to Chapel Beach. As I stepped from the thinning forest onto the edges of a sandy clift, the view took my breath away. Not particularly a long or wide beach, the 'end' of the sandstone cliffs of Pictured Rocks framed the beach to the west, and to the east of the small, footprint-less white sands was Chapel Rock. Proudly holding its own, surrounded by shallow waters and lapping gentle waves, with its tree roots attaching like heavy ropes: its only hold onto the mainland rocky cliffs of copper colored sandstone. I thought I had found paradise that day. I spent the better part of the afternoon exploring the footprint-less white sand beach, gathering sun bleached driftwood, swimming in the clear, clean and crispy cold waters of Lake Superior, reveling in my treasure that I had found. That day is as clear in my mind as if it just happened yesterday - all of it rushing back from wherever it has been held when Austin posted this picture a few days ago. I wanted to record the memory, and share it with you.