Haiku: Snowy Owls

Today at Real Toads, Karin Gustafson of ManicDaily, is prompting us to write – what to write and how to write when we are stymied or blocked. She gives several excellent suggestions. The one I liked best was to pick a letter and to let the words flow. As a member of the Audubon Society, I picked the letter “S” and the subject of snowy owls. I love owls and these owls are so wonderful! It seems every four years they do a massive southern migration or even northern migration based on the lemming population in Canada or for whatever reason down south. I keep my eyes open for them and have spotted two in the last few months. They learn to hunt mice around factories, for example! So…my inspiration is Snowy Owls. Because the size of their wings is large in proportion to their body size, they have an almost silent flight. Three haiku (Shay, don’t run screaming!).

owl flies South –
looks down from pines – settles
in for the winter

a blizzard of owls
storms the South – mice hide
to no avail

silent glide through trees
surprises small human – eyes
widen in wonder

public domain image

Thankful

Being a true and proud southerner, I decided I needed to disavow the notion that folks up north had the first Thanksgiving. Yes, I know I’m starting trouble. Yes, I know other people claim the “first Thanksgiving”.  I think some folks in Florida also lay claim to this even further back than 1619.    Thanksgiving: 4 December 1619 Berkley Plantation, Virginia.  Massachusetts:  November 1621

But the true heart of the matter indeed, is taking time to be grateful for our blessings. In spite of hard times, we still have much to be grateful for. I’ve had a rough patch – much stress and grief.  But behind all of it, was the love of my family and friends, the eternal love of God.   I’m here today, still standing, still loved and still loving.   A roof over my head, a job, food in the fridge, eyes to see the beauty around me, ears to hear the voices of those I love.   I am mega-wealthy.

And I am thankful to all of you, out there in the Blogosphere who take the time to share yourselves, your talents, visions, humor, grief – your lives.  You all have enriched me in ways I cannot express so I will just say, Thank you and God bless you all.  You are officially awarded:  Best Bloggers in the World

Oh yes….and a few photos……please just have a good smile with me and humor me.  Please note another of the firsts at Berkley – First Whiskey Distillery…..

        

Daily Photo Challenge: Fresh! oh yeah

I ran away from work Friday and had a sabbatical for personal enrichment and development. In other words, I spent a whole day tooling around by my own little round self going hither and thither, in and out of places, looking and poking about and even at some point, I actually purchased a few items: fresh local produce, a couple of kanzashi, a lemon chess pie….among other things.

Yesterday’s Photo challenge was Fresh!  Today, I am beguiling you all with pictures from my favorite local stand – My title for this pictorial is:  Jewels of Summer.  You will find emerald, jade, peridot, opals, pearls, topaz, rubies, garnets.  And I will give you an example of some of the princely sums paid for these jewels:  sweet corn 3/$1, bell peppers (the size of a 16 oz. cottage cheese container!) 3/$1, cukes 2/$1, local peaches and nectarines – $1.49 lb.    So…enjoy my crown jewels!

 

     

               

 

一つ星 Hitotsuboshi – a tanka

 

This is for a fairy tale couple:

 

Fragrant night white moon

Lush magnolia, fairy

Gardenia – stars

Earthbound, reflecting heaven

Breathing love, lighting the night.  

      

          

Friday Flowers – Azaleas

Here are just a few of the 30 azaleas around our house and on our grounds.  Most of them are taller than me and several are roof high.  Enjoy!

              

                                      

 

 

Peaches and Cream Pie

 

This may seem like peach cream brûlée in a crust, but it is not.  Instead, it is a rich, sweet, and creamy dessert, just like a true Southern Belle.  The sides caramelize a bit, making it a luxurious experience.  

Of course, this recipe is much better with fresh summer peaches, but all of this hot weather has ‘most folks I know already dreaming of summer:  cold lemonade, days at the beach, home grown ‘mater sammiches, and peaches.  Sweet juicy peaches dribblin’ down your chin as you bite into one.  And no eggs so you don’t have to worry about taking it with you on a picnic or to a covered dish dinner. 

We aren’t there yet with summer, but go ahead and make this pie – and dream. 

Peaches and Cream Pie 

¾ c. granulated white sugar

½ c. all purpose flour

1 unbaked 9 inch pie shell

2 c. peeled and sliced fresh peaches or, frozen peaches, defrosted and room temperature

1 c. heavy cream

Good splash of vanilla added to the cream

 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Mix sugar and flour together in bowl.  Sprinkle about one-third into the bottom of the pie shell.  Add peaches and sprinkle with remaining sugar and flour.  Slowly pour heavy cream over fillings.  Gently stir peaches to cover them completely with cream.  Bake until peaches are tender and crust is golden – about 45 minutes.  Let cool on rack until a bit warmer than room temperature.  It will slice better.

 

Versatile Blogger Award

 

This one actually came before the Best Moments Award.  I needed to think long and hard about the Most Versatile Blogger.  Sometimes my idea of things are waaaaay different from other’s.  Hence, probably some of you are thinking some of my choices for Best Moments are a bit odd.  Well, ODD is one of my middle names (along with Stubborn, Geeky, Lives in an Alternative Universe, A Bit Twisted -you catch my drift).

The same will be true of the Versatile Blogger Award.  But I am pleased with my choices.  I tried to choose new or bloggers who hadn’t racked up a bunch of awards already.  Please do check out the winners for both awards.  Find some new interests, different perspectives, cool stuff, funny stuff, inspirational stuff……maybe even a new friend or two.

THANK YOU to http://ajaytao2010.wordpress.com   for giving me this award.  His blog is worth checking out.  I like everything he chooses to share.  And the reason behind his choices I find typical of the way he is. Photographs, sayings, humor, inspiration, provocation of thought – all on his blog.  I am honored by his choosing me.

I told a friend about Versatile Blogger, and he says “Why, because you are a white southern woman writing about Japanese stuff?”  I said to him, “No, Dopey. it’s because I am a white southern woman writing about Japanese stuff, southern stuff, recipes, poetry, prose, Christian thoughts, and fun things.”

So that settles that.  My blog is a bit of a mish-mash of what is coming out of my head and heart at that moment.  I hope you will try some of the recipes – I’ve been on a Japanese jag for a bit so now it is time for me to go back to Southern.  Also, the poems aren’t the best in the world, but you may like some of them.  I thank all of you who read, like, follow my blog.  You all are the most versatile group of people I have ever met.  Keep your wonderful posts coming.  You are all special.

VBA Rules

If you are nominated, you’ve been awarded the Versatile Blogger award.

•  Thank the person who gave you this award. That’s common courtesy.
•  Include a link to their blog. That’s also common courtesy — if you can figure out how to do it.
•  Next, select 15 blogs/bloggers that you’ve recently discovered or follow regularly. ( I would add, pick blogs or bloggers that are excellent!)
•  Nominate those 15 bloggers for the Versatile Blogger Award — you might include a link to this site.
•  Finally, tell 7 things about yourself

1. 1.  I am part of a group of friends all born, in different years, on 11/16 within the timeframe of 5:00 am and 6:30 a.m.  I call this the 11/16 Society and have done various posts about it
2. I love Blue Bell ice cream (hooray, finally in Virginia!) esp. the banana split, the banana pudding, and the peach cobbler.
3. I’m afraid of spiders.  I think they are cool but I am afraid of them.
4. My Japanese is really really bad and I thank you all for putting up with me.
5. I’m not fond of chocolate
6. I wrote my first poem when I was four:  Rain. Rain. Rain.  Ducks like rain.  Sometimes I do.  Sometimes I don’t. Rain. Rain. Rain.
7. I like to ball room dance, especially standard tango and Viennese Waltz.

AND THE WINNERS ARE..in no special order…

 http://theverybesttop10.com/

http://matteringsofmind.wordpress.com/

http://serialoutlet.wordpress.com/

http://frugalfeeding.com/

http://team1million.wordpress.com/

http://cindyknoke.com/

http://nomadicpedestrian.wordpress.com/about/

http://biljanazovkic.wordpress.com/

http://ambitioninthecity.com/

http://mesayah.wordpress.com/

http://theevolutionofeloquence.wordpress.com/

Post 102!!!! Yowzer Y’all. Answers to Questions

This is post 102 and I must say, I never thought I’d come this far. To those of you who have followed and liked and commented, I truly thank you. You all have made my day many times with your kindness and interest. And so I have decided to answer some questions that have come up so you all can read them.

1. Yes, the Samurai and the Wren series is all true. At this point, I have not decided if I will go past Part III.
2. How did I guess Dr. Ken was a forensic pathologist? Well, he went to University of Medical school and obtained his medical degree. When he said he went to Duke, I logically concluded it was for a specialty since he was already an MD. Now…..When he mentioned U of Tennessee, this clinched it. Now UT is a fine school – excellent medical school (which he didn’t need), good law school (which he didn’t want) but – an excellent anthropology department and……The Body Farm. That was the only reason he would have gone and because he was so good, he was accepted and obtained his PhD. When we met, although the Body Farm was fairly new, it had obtained and still has worldwide fame for its research done at the Body Farm.
3. I am proud to a Southern woman. A friend crossed stitched for me: American by Birth, Southern by the Grace of God.
4. I am really a nerd – love my sci fi, fantasy, manga, anime, Star Trek, Star Wars, comics.
5. Someone said it was interesting to meet a real Southern belle with Japan in her heart. I think that is accurate. And yes, in the good ol’ old southern family tradition, I was a debutante. But the deal was, the summer before I went off to university, was mine. No questions. I went to Woodstock, camped out in the desert, and sat on the hood of my car the night the first man stepped on the moon, gazing at the sky in wonder and amazement.   I love Japan, the art, the food, the culture and Dr. Ken.
7. No, I don’t think I’m going to take pictures of me cooking. I’ve said it before, you all are grownups (sort of) and probably know how to cook already from what I have read on your blogs. You don’t need help from me because you all are accomplished and knowledgeable.
6. The 11/16 Society is real.
8. In The Walk Series of haiku, the man is a good friend. A nuclear engineer from Japan who is here working for awhile. No romance in the works. He is delightful, handsome, extremely intelligent, and humorous. He and I have a special connection and enjoy each other’s company with much delight.
9. There are several poems about Ken and I scattered throughout the blog.
10. there is more info on the Who is KanzenSakura? page

and finally, kanzen sakura means, perfect cherry blossom. Watch The Last Samurai to find out more.

Good night Y’all. Sleep tight and don’t let the bed bugs bite!!! and as my grandma Ninny always used to tell me: Sweet Dreams.

Love, Life, Death, Coincidence: The 11/16 Society

Long ago, in a galaxy far, far away, I was told by a wizard from another dimension, “There are no coincidences.”   A few months later he asked me, “And you still believe in coincidence?”

Yesterday was one of those gloomy, misty days that grow colder as the day progresses.  By the time I had left work and was headed for home, it was raining in fitful spurts.  I reached into the console and blindly pulled out a CD to play.  A few seconds of silence and then began “Seven Bridges Road.***”  At that point, I had to pull over to the shoulder.  It is one of those CDs I avoid but there it was.  As the rain spattered on my windshield and cars hissed by….Seven Bridges Road  – a time machine of a song.  I looked past the dull brown skeletons of trees to the equally dull sheet of river beyond and gave myself to memories.

Last night, whether it was because of the song or….whatever, I dreamed of when I saw JT in London, 1988, as he was going into a men’s clothier on Jermyn Street (“and you still believe in coincidence?”).   He was as shocked as I and then he grinned that glorious grin of his and said, “Well, as I live and breathe, if it isn’t the Carolina Cherry Blossom.  Come in with me and help me buy some shirts.”  As the doorman held the door for us, JT looked down and said, “I was sorry to hear Kenata-san went back to Japan.”  I sighed and said “I was sorry to hear Laura went back to California.”   We both shook our heads and a bit later, as we were mutually caressing the material for a shirt, he said, “Come back and spend the rest of your stay with me at my hotel. The tub is big enough for two.  And I have a friend nearby I can talk into letting you make us fried chicken and biscuits in his kitchen.”  At that point, the dream changed from memory into dream and in the dream, instead of him seeing me off at Heathrow, I was seeing him off.  And then the alarm woke me.

The dream hung around me all day today, persistent and grey as the rain.  When I arrived home, my mother gave me a look and said, “there is a message for you on the phone”…and she paused.  “JT  died last night in Duke Medical Center.”  I..we…or rather, members of 11/16 Society had been expecting this. (And you still believe in coincidence?”).  I sat for a few minutes while my husband looked at me strangely.  Mama explained that JT is, or rather was, a childhood friend.   My husband nodded and understood.  Many things though, he can’t understand.

JT  and I had both been born on 11/16 the same year and grew up within a block of each other.  When children and together, we had often been mistaken as twins, or brother and sister – dark brown curls, sharp brown eyes behind thick glasses, observing of our surroundings, reading the same books, playing the same games.  He, myself, my cousin Billy and Billy’s father were the original four members of the 11/16 Society.  Other members were added in later years.  Some of you are familiar with the 11/16 Society through previous posts.

When we were six and playing “doctor”, JT said to me, I’m going to be a doctor when I grow up.  For sheer perversity I said, no, you are not.  When we were 13, he was practicing his piano lessons and I was waiting for him.  He turned around and said, with a growl and a bang on the keyboard, “I shouldn’t have to do this, I’m going to be a doctor.”  I sighed patiently and explained to him….Again. You are not going to be a doctor.   When he was in pre-med and playing piano at bars around town for extra money, sometimes we’d meet and he would say, I’ll be glad when I’m a doctor!  I persisted, No you won’t.  You love the piano too much.  This argument persisted through the years until he graduated from medical school at Duke, went through the steps and became….a doctor.    Some years later, when I was living in Philadelphia, I returned home from a free lance photography job and found him folded up and asleep by my apartment door.  I nudged him awake with my foot.  He awoke and looked up at me, “I hate being a doctor.”   “Yeah, yeah.  Come on in.”  He unfolded his lanky six foot frame and followed me inside.  After a bath and with JT dressed my too short robe, we drank coffee and  talked.  I took him to work with me that night and afterwards to a local watering hole where he played the piano for tips and charmed the house.

 JT left medicine behind and threw himself into music.  Women came and went – for awhile,  I was one of them – the music always stayed.  He began making good money and was often requested to play accompaniment for recording sessions.  He traveled the globe and became a well-heeled musician.  When I saw him in London, we were both of us still grieving painful breakups.  As we sat in that huge tub in his London suite, pushing a toy boat back and forth to each other, he said, “It’s a pity about us. We always fell in love with someone or something else.”  I had to think about that.  I mean, I had taken baths with him before since we were three.  He and I had played Doctor, choo-choo, got into a fight over a paper route,stolen kisses on the front porch during hot summer when we were teens.  We had had an affair.  And here we were for a brief sojourn in London.  “No. We are as we should be. We’d have killed each other.”  He piddled with the toy boat for a moment….”but Kenata-san has the same birthday and is a doctor and you and he were magic.”  “And Laura has the same birthday and is a photographer and dumped you.   JT, you and I are friends – first, last, and always.  We have always been there, with and for each other.  We don’t need magic.”   He batted his eyes with those impossible lashes at me and then reached over the edge of the tub to refill our wine glasses.  “Yeah……but…..” and he left it hanging.

A few days later at Heathrow, JT asked if I remembered that night we and some other members of the  now 11/16 Society had been together at Kenata’s and my house, and had played “Seven Bridges Road”,  improvising for at least an hour.  Kenata had taken the piano over from JT because he wanted to learn the song.  I remembered looking at two of them,  there together, in the same room.  Men I loved as expressed in the song – same, yet very different.

“Now I have loved you like a baby…

Like some lonesome child,

And I have loved you in a tame way,

And I have loved you wild.” 

Now in 2013, I sat on the side of the road with rain drumming on the roof of my car and listened to that song and remembered.  Less than I hour later, I learned one of those two men had died.  (“Do you still believe in coincidence?”).   I visited with JT last fall.  Thin and frail, I held him close to me.  I tried willing my strength into him.  “Not to worry love.  I am fine.“   Members of the 11/16 Society that are in the States and who knew JT. visited.  We all expected it.

JT died last night.  “Now cracks a noble heart.  Goodnight sweet prince…”

“There are stars in the southern sky.

And if ever you decide you should go,

There is a taste of time sweet and honey

Down the Seven Bridges Road.” 

 

***Seven Bridges Road by Steve Young recorded for his album in 1969, Rock Salt and Nails and also performed by the Eagles and various artists.

 

 

11/16 Society: Happy Birthday!

By the time we got home from Woodstock……Thank you all for showing up for the 11/16 Birthday party. Please don’t swim in the nishikigoi pond. Thank you. and still watch out for the brown acid.

Happy birthday to my dear ones:  to you who have gone one ahead, to those in Virginia, Durham, Hakone, Israel, Knightsbridge,  Noo Yawk City, and N’awlins.  May the year ahead be good to you:  “we few, we happy few”.  I raise my can of Coke to you in salute and wish I could give you all a big birthday hug and kiss. 

Songs today reminding me of you and the years  keep weaving through my head and heart:  a tapestry of light, shadows, tears, laughter, faith, redemption, wildness and peace, but especially of love.  I hear “Seven Bridges Road”, “Born to Run”, “Disco Inferno”, “Also Sprach Zarathustra” Handel’s Water Music, “Jolie Blonde”, …but especially I hear Seven Bridges Road.  

I remember the night we introduced that song to Masashi and how it captured him.  He sat at the piano and the five of us present wove that song for it seems like forever:  alto recorder, violin, guitar, tenor sax, voices.  We wove it until the stars went to sleep and the last note quivered in dying silver. 

 

 

Eat Your Heart Out – Local Produce and Mammies’ Veggie Stew

Surrounding Richmond is beautiful farm and horse country.  The city is home to eclectic and experienced foodies.  Restaurants run the gamut from homey diners serving fried donuts topped with ice cream to pure Southern meat and three joints to elegant establishments presenting the most recent and stylish food fad.  Locavores are the power brokers when it comes to supply and demand.

The farmland has given birth to organic farms, old home farms, specialty farms, dairies, and free range poultry and meat producers.  Herbs, flowers, fruits, vegetables, salad stuffs, heirloom vegetables.  And there are as many different types of farmers markets and produce stands. 

My favorite produce stand is in the middle of Hanover farm country.  From April 1 until the day before Thanksgiving, you can buy the freshest, best variety, and cheapest local produce.  There are also things such as handcrafted (what a stylish word!) jams, jellies, pickles, cheese, butter, salt and sugar, smoked hams, baked goods.

Even as late as this past weekend, the stand was overflowing with vegetables and other products.  Mountain apples are starting to make their appearance as well.  And while the produce isn’t as cheap as it was in mid-July (super sweet corn 6 ears $1, green beans 99 cents a pound, tomatoes 2 pounds for $1, etc.), it is still cheap enough to make people in other areas green (smile) with envy.  A 25 pound box of tomatoes is $8 for example.  Because of this bounty, I have been able to can 32 quarts of tomatoes and 32 quarts of green beans, freeze 16 quarts of corn (double cut and scraped of all its milky goodness), 12 quarts of assorted field peas, and 16 quarts of butter beans – not limas – butterbeans.  Butterbeans have a silkier texture and sweeter taste when cooked.

With all this bounty, I just have to cook up a huge batch of Mammies’ Veggie Stew.  You can call it soup, thick soup, or stew.  Just as long as it is full of veggies, it doesn’t matter.  I don’t use meat in mine but you can if you want to.  The recipe comes from my great-grandmother.  I fix enough to freeze 30 quart bags and several one-half gallon bags.  One a cold rainy night or day, the smell wafting from your stove will make you smile.  Add a chunk of hot cornbread or homemade roll slathered with butter, open a jar of homemade pickles or pickled beets, and you have a bit of heaven on earth.  Some of the ingredients may seem a bit odd, but Mammie worked this out years ago.  She never let me down.  Trust me.

I double this recipe and cook it three times.  It comes in handy for unexpected company or comfort for sickness or, in some cases, to take a couple of weeks after a bereavement as a good excuse to say hello and just been thinking about you.

Mammie’s Veggie Stew

2# stew beef (optional – see notes)

3 qts. Water

1 cup chopped  onion

4 c. potatoes chopped

1 tsp. pepper

5 tsp. salt (or to taste)

2 qt. corn (double cut and scraped)

2 qt. butterbeans

3 qt. tomatoes

½ c. ketchup

¼ – 1/2 c. sugar

1 tsp. hot sauce or to taste

Few good shakes of Worcestershire sauce

¾ stick butter

You can use plain water or vegetable broth.  Cook butterbeans until al dente.  Add the other ingredients.  If using whole tomatoes, break apart with hands as you add to the broth and butterbeans.   Simmer until veggies are tender.  Stir occasionally to keep from sticking and burning. You can cook down until thicker or have it thinner.  Your choice.  If you use meat, cook it first until tender and when cool, shred and add to broth.  If you use frozen veggies, use baby limas and try to find frozen sweet white corn.

Sweet Southern Peaches

Assorted Peppers and Fall Squash

Fresh Shelled Butterbeans and Assorted Peas: Dixie Lee, White Acre, Pink Eye Purple Hull, Brown Crowder, Black Eye

The 11/16 Society

No, this is not one of those Sherlock Holmes type stories.  I began thinking about the oddity of this a few days ago and so I compiled information about this group.  The Society consists of nine people, one of whom is deceased (William V, father of William VI).  All of us were born on November 16.  All of these people are dear to me – a couple is related to me, the rest are trusted, loved, and respected friends.  This is one of those posts that will seem odd to some people, boring to others, and to others, they would just wonder why.  Read some of Cristiano Michal’s posts and you may understand.  The 11/16 Society would make a good book.

Supposedly, persons born under the sign of the Scorpion are passionate, moody, spiritual, intelligent, and a bit twisted.  I don’t believe in astrology, but I do have to say, this group is pretty true to what astrologers say.  As far as passionate, we seem to mainly be passionate about life callings, our religious beliefs, and only two of us were passionate about each.

With that being said, here are some factoids:

All of us have dark hair and dark eyes – except for Cousin Billy (William VI).  He has reddish blonde hair and blue eyes.

Four of us are Southern, two are Irish, two are Asian (Japanese and Cambodian). One is a Yankee – Cousin Billy was born in the south but moved to Jersey.

All of us are musically talented; either instrumentally and/or vocally and/or rhythmically (dance), and/or composing.  Except for Cousin Billy – he has two left feet, can’t carry a tune in a bucket, and has the rhythmic ability of an earthworm.

All of us are involved in one way or another in medicine or engineering – except for Cousin Billy; he is a comic book artist.

All of us are wicked smart and our humor ranges from desert dry to slapstick, and not always the same for the same person.

Four of us are Buddhist; four were born and raised in the Church of the Nazarene (3 still active).  Cousin Billy is Catholic.

Four are vegetarian; five are omnivores with two being especially fond of fried chicken.

All of us are male except for one.  No, not Cousin Billy – me.

We were all born between 5:00 and 8:00 am, but different years.  We range in age from 63 – 32.

None of us have any children, except for……Cousin Billy.

Four have ties to Duke University.  One has ties to M.I.T. and two to Oxford. One hopes to have ties to Duke.

We all root for the Duke Basketball team – the unofficial slogan is:  We’re Duke.  We’re hated.  We don’t care.

Five of us have clocked in over the years, 300 Bruce Springsteen concerts – some separately, some with each other or in a mix of the group.

We all prefer to go on vacations that seem to consist of good food, a good measure of solitude, interesting things to look at and learn, and lots and lots of sleep.  Cousin Billy always adds a roller coaster or two on his.  We did that wooden monster on Coney Island when we were 10.  Not since have I been on a roller coaster.

Five of us are insomniacs.

Between us, we have lived in 32 different cities and traveled to all 50 states, and parts of the Middle East, Asia, and Europe.   Three have gone surfing in Australia.

We all are interested and enjoy all things Japanese: samurai, feudal  period, language, food, culture, humor,  cinema, we seem to agree one of our favorite pieces of art is The Great Wave ofKanagawa by Hokusai…except for the Japanese.   He fell in love with the South and immersed himself in its history, culture, food, and humor.  In fact, in spite of his accented and perfect English, he could do a spot on North Carolina drawl that if your eyes were closed, you would be shocked and amazed when you opened your eyes.   Before he returned to Japan, he learned how to make fried chicken, potato salad, and banana pudding that were acceptable by any church dinner standards.

We all agree that I am the best cook in the group.

Five of us are Star Trek/Star Wars/comics/science fiction/fantasy/science geeks.  Five of us watch Big Bang Theory, get all the jokes and laugh ourselves breathless.  Age of the geek, baby!

So.  There are more similarities in this group, but I figure by now you all are bored.  Let me say however, IMHO, we are the most amazing, talented, funny, intelligent, intense, sexy, and interesting Society in the world.  This Society has been in existense, without a break since 1949 – with different members being born into the Society in different years.