Bits and Pieces from Katie

Memorial Day 2006
Last year I visited Washington D.C. and saw the national tributes we have constructed to those who have served, and too often given their lives, in our miitary actions. I am proud of these very moving tributes.

Oh, the Sweet William
I have a few in my front yard. I got the seeds from my brother-in-law several years ago. They are hard to keep growing in my flower garden but grow wild everywhere by the road ditches I'm told the birds love the seeds and eat them and then deposit the seeds in their waste in other places. I really am not wishing for the birds to stay and poop in my flower garden but couldn't they leave a few seeds for next year? My DBL covers his so the birds can't eat all of them.

Notice my chair in the top pic and the bee in the last one.

Need smellervision to really appreciate these.

Can anyone tell me how to put a zoom on so others can enlarge and see the real beauty of pics like these? They are so much nicer full
screen.
 

Why Me?

Why should I pick up the pieces? I didn't cause the mess and tried my best for it not to happen. But it has and today I decided just to fix it.

I won't dwell on the details but today I went to a cemetary and bought a stone for my aunt, who died a year-and-half ago. It was suppose to have been paid for and there are lots of versions of why it is not. My aunt would have wanted the stone and so would my mother, who is buried beside her. So, although I would have rather done lots of things with the money (Boy, are they expensive now!), I bought the marker that matched my mother's. It's done and with no anger or regrets, I move on.

While in the city where they are buried, I decided to drive along the river. The phlox along the banks are blooming and the fragrance was so strong. My husband always called them Sweet William and they grew wild in Arkansas too. I remember him telling me that his Uncle Frank took him into a field and they picked Sweet William when his mother died. My husband was just a child and they couldn't afford to buy flowers, or, for that matter, pay for his mother's burial.

There were a couple boats on the river and I thought about my husband who often fished there. How nice. He had it right. Crematon and scattering of ashes. He said he wanted us to remember him by going to the woods and rivers and not a cemetery. I'm so glad I did that today.

Ducks in a Row
My good friend is always talking about having her ducks in a row. She is a very organized person. I'm just the opposite.

I would never try to get, or even want, my ducks in a row. I told my friend that if I had one duck lined up ready to go, that was good for me. I'd rather get that duck started and then go back find another duck to get started. I expect to have some of my ducks turn around and go back towards the beginning line. When this happens, I'll go get them and turn them around again. My goal is to help ducks where every they are. It's nice when one of them reaches the goal but that is not as important to me as enjoying the ducks on their journey.

My friend's projects get done as expected but mine often take unexpected turns. Each of us are happy with how we handle our ducks.


These are pictures of ducks in Florida. The last one really is an ugly thing but, all in the eye of the beholder.

I Statements for Today
I AM woman, hear me roar. (Just listened to Helen Ready's (sp?)song.)
I WANT sunny days and quiet nights.
I WISH it was easier to loose weight.
I HATE unsolicited phone calls.
I MISS whipping cream from the dairy.
I FEAR heights.
I HEAR with my heart.
I WONDER what paths my grandchildren's lives will take.
I REGRET not being able to travel at this time.
I AM NOT fitting in any mold.
I DANCE in my dreams.
I SING with vigor.
I CRY when my feelings get hurt.
I AM NOT ALWAYS anything.
I MAKE a good omelet.
I WRITE about anything and nothing.
I CONFUSE names.
I NEED to internalize nature.
I SHOULD continue to be me.
I START many things.
I FINISH few things.
I TAG all who think this might be fun!

Do you remember when you read Classic Illustrated comics? I'm not sure comics is the correct word but they were in that format. I got hooked on them when I was about 11 years old and living in Baghdad, Iraq. My dad was working with their educational system as part of the Point IV Program, which was part of the Marshall Plan. I was home schooled and then was enrolled in a in a French class at a Catholic school. It was mid-year and I was completely lost. The wonderful part of this school was that they had a library and I borrowed oh so many books. I also found a book store that sold Classic Illustrated. I spent my allowance on these publications. I remember reading the list on the back cover and checking off the next ones I'd buy. I read them over and over still have them.

Isn't it great that today we have audio books? I have gotten hooked on them this past year. I bought some from a discount book store and borrowed others from the library. They come in both CD and cassette form and I have machines with ear plugs for both. In Florida, I discovered I could download audio books from the local library onto my computer and listen to them on my speakers while I sewed. All this was done via my computer and was free with my library card.