It's time for a general Cranial Clear-Out, so here are a few of the bits and bobs that have been taking up space in my cerebellum.
~*~I have a new nextdoor neighbor, and I have fallen deeply in love with him. His name is Oakley, and he is a rescue puppy. On Friday, it was so warm and breezy out that I had all the windows open, and I could hear his squeaky toy. It gave me such giggly joy.
~*~A few ads for cosmetic procedure clinics here use the slogans "You're worth it" and "You deserve it" to hawk their services. That drives me crazy. Just because I'm worth it and deserve it doesn't mean I can or should have things. I'm absolutely worth a live-in maid and chef. I'm definitely worth a tummy tuck and a house in Italy. And hell be damned sure I'm worth a lifetime supply of peanut MM's (I'm addicted). And I honestly think I deserve them. I even know many other people who deserve those things. But that doesn't mean that we should automatically go out and get them. If I went and got everything I deserved or was worth, we'd have declared bankruptcy hundreds of times over. It would be the same for you.
~*~My porch furniture and my deck furniture are still out. I'm a little in denial and a little bit lazy. We hit near 80 on Thursday and Friday, and I made the most of both outdoor spaces each day, partly because it was so gorgeous out and partly because I wanted to make myself feel better that my porch furniture and my deck furniture are still out. For those of you scoring at home, it is the last week of October. Sigh.
~*~I have been doing something terribly juvenile for the past week or so, but it provides me with a rather cathartic feeling. As I drive, I give the finger to each and every 45* campaign sign I see. I'm not aggressive and vicious about it; I don't roll down the window and jab my hand out or anything. I simply raise my hand slightly and flip the bird. Perhaps I'm merely "sinking to their level", as my late father would say, but I honestly don't think so. I think I'm engaged in a little therapeutic exercise and releasing tension.
~*~Northeast Ohio has hit Peak in Autumn Colour, and my walks are sometimes not walks at all, but a series of Stop And Awe moments. I spend an inordinate time standing under trees and looking upward, marvelling at their brilliant displays. Here are a few examples from Thursday (or was it Friday?) when the weather was downright glorious and the trees were a fiesta.
Let's leave it there (no pun intended), shall we? I hope you had some joy, some beauty, and some stress-relief in your life this past week. And we must all do our best to find more in the week to come.
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Oh those photos of the trees! Absolutely gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteNow I also wish I had some M&Ms ...
Bridget--I buy peanut M&Ms in enormous warehouse club jars. Surprisingly, I am actually quite good about not bingeing on them, restricting myself to about a quarter cup every few days or so.
DeleteThe trees are such a gift. The reds are still coming on, some of them, and I know they'll be well worth the wait.
Dee--I am happy to say that there aren't many 45* signs in my area, but when we drive a bit south, to the rural reaches of the state, they begin to proliferate. I do get a workout then!
ReplyDeleteTechnically, we haven't had a killing frost yet, which means Indian Summer is still out there, according to Old Wives' Tales. But climate change has scrambled lots of those Tales; we never did have Indian Summer last year. I'm glad to know someone else still has Autumn Porch Furniture, though!
I will be back out on the road on Monday running a few errands. I'd better do a bit of knitting to get in shape! ;-)
We don't have seasons in San Francisco, so I don't usually get a proper autumn with the colorful leaves and all. I do occasionally get lucky and end up somewhere over a school holiday with seasons shifted in just the right way, and I delight in those situations. The photos are beautiful, and I'm glad you get to experience it.
ReplyDeleteAs far as animals, we've been enjoying the street cats lately. There were a couple of aggressive ones today that weren't fun, but most of them have been lovely.
Mikey--I'm glad too. I wonder if you miss the change in seasons very often, but the tradeoffs are, I'm sure worth it.
DeleteSo many places have a Street Cat culture that is rather caring and kind. I like those sorts of places and prefer not to think much about any other ones. I know you're never mean to any animals. Thanks for stopping by here; I know you're really busy with teaching these days.
The photos are so beautiful, nothing like that here in Florida. I've been flipping the bird at the 45 signs every time I see them too - yep every single one. I'm glad I'm not the only one :D I also give a friendly little honk honk every time I see a Biden sign. If anyone is outside I give them a thumbs up too :)
ReplyDeleteMartha--And those photos are not filtered or anything; they're just the trees outdoors the way I saw them. Just astonishing!
DeleteI'm glad I have a Birding Partner (hee hee). I don't give the finger to any person; I'm sure you don't either. In Ohio, especially, you never know if they'll pull out a revolver and shoot.
The Biden signs give me a little boost--an actual lift of hope in my heart and in my mood. It reaffirms my faith in humanity, something which has really taken a beating these past four years.
(Honk honk!)
My porch furniture stays out all winter. I move it to the inside of the porch and brush the snow (Eastern Ontario, we get lots) off from time to time.
ReplyDeleteAll our leaves are down and JG is out with his giant vacuum picking them up. Well, not quite all. There are a few left in the understorey. And the tamarack are gold and glorious. I will try to get a pic before they shed, but we have rain and snow (see Eastern Ontario above) forecast for tonight and tomorrow.
Love, love your leaf photos.
The roar of the leaf lifter sounds throughout the land. Well, and the blue jays and the turkeys. Did you know that hen turkeys purr? My new fact for yesterday. We learn until we die.
Mary G--Oh, that is my fondest hope, that we learn until we die. It makes us live longer and happier lives.
DeleteWe have no inside porch, so ours must be stored in the basement. It's a laborious process. Thank goodness it's only twice a year that it must be dealt with, once out and once in. The process truly marks the seasons.
Around here, the annoying sound of the leaf blowers rules the neighborhood. I hate it. And you're right, the bluejays are really vocal right now. They are always screaming.
The honey locust trees were absolutely spectacular this year, and when they shed, the sidewalks were paved with gold.
I like the suggestion in the comment above about giving a little honk honk or thumbs up for a Biden sign! That sounds more uplifting to me. I have to look away when I see a sign for the current prez. I do not even like to type his name. Ugh. Our leaves are changing too (Illinois) but we still have a lot to come down yet so we haven't started raking. October flew by and I am sooo ready to get past the election. Fingers crossed we will be celebrating a Biden victory soon.
ReplyDeleteEllen D--I don't type his name. I use 45*, and don't refer to him as president, either. I usually say the current occupant of the White House or something similar. He is anathema to me, and I need that catharsis to rid my soul of those negative feelings.
DeleteI am still at a loss as to what happened to September! Did we have it? You're right that October is equally as fleetfooted. I think we all are on the Election Treadmill, pacing off those days until the election is over. My fingers are crossed, too, and my champagne is chilling. I'll need it one way or another.
Love your foliage shots. Love your finger!! Too many signes around here and I am seriously worried. We leave our deck chairs on the patio (covered) year round.
ReplyDeleteVera--Thank you, thank you! Pennsylvania owes us a Blue Victory. We need you. We cannot count on Ohio to do The Right Thing, sadly.
DeleteI wish we could leave chairs out year 'round. Our table is glass, and that definitely has to go in. We'd have a fortune in covers if we went that route...but it sounds wonderful.
Never thought about the you deserve it inundation. I do tell my friends, who say, oh you didn't have to do t his, "You are worth it, its ok" But that's different. I do deserve a dog, but not right now per my husband.
ReplyDeletekathy b--Yes, your example is quite different.
DeleteHow do you think all your kitties would feel about a dog?! Mine would never allow even another cat in the house. I'm positive I won't have anymore pets after Piper and Marlowe. I need a break--permanently--from all the hair.
I haven't put my deck furniture away yet either.
ReplyDeleteI love your "finger therapy" for political signs. I think I'll join you.
Jean--Another person who is waiting for ONE MORE DAY to bask in the sun on her deck! Thanks for the support.
DeleteAnd let me know how you like Finger Therapy. I find it energizing and cathartic. And just silly enough to make me feel happy.
Cranial clear-out sounds so much nicer than the typical term of brain dump. :-) Either way though, they're therapeutic and it's always nice to hear what's on your mind, Nance.
ReplyDeleteIt's both surprising and unsurprising just how much joy a puppy can bring--even when it's nor yours, or especially when it's not yours. I just saw another friend share how grateful she is for "pandemic puppies." Oakley sounds adorable!
We've were so fortunate to have a sunny week in the high 70s. Today it was back to rain and cold. I'm not ready. Thankfully, it looks like we'll go back up to the 60s for a while longer. Yes, I'm getting old as is evidenced by a new focus on the weather. Cold and gray rainy days get to me so much more than they used to.
Your fall foliage photos are just gorgeous! I'm looking forward to seeing more color soon. We haven't had a frost yet so not too much color here.
Your response to the Trump signs is perfectly understandable. Whatever gets you through right now makes sense to me. There are not nearly enough Biden-Harris signs around here but I suspect it's because folks aren't comfortable putting them out. Many such signs have been immediately stolen or defaced. A large Dem sign for our Congressional candidate put up by our local Dems group yesterday had over 40 bullet holes this morning with Trump bumper stickers added all over. Pathetic and also disturbing. Still very hopeful about the election but also worried. Trying to stay calm and think positive!
Shirley--I had my Hillary sign defaced, but so far, no Biden signs have been tampered with on the streets in our neighborhood. I put my sign up closer to my house as a deterrent. I was heartened by the number of Biden signs around, even in farming country on the way to our lakehouse. Obviously, they were outnumbered, but there were some, and that's highly unusual. Cautious Optimism is my Zen--I too well remember not only 2016, but the second term of GWB.
DeleteWe're in the high 40s right now and rain, grey, and gloom, too. Yesterday, my walk was chilly with a brisk northerly wind that almost hurt my face and ears. Already! But it always feels good to get out there. Rick, too, said he's not ready for colder weather. But he also complained about the heat of the summer. I was gracious and did NOT call him on that.
Oakley has a lovely fawn brindled coat on top of white--his legs and face are mostly white. He looks to be part beagle in there someplace. He is a little brother to two other rescue dogs who are older resident dogs of just the sweetest temperament in the world. We hit the jackpot with these neighbors. I buy biscuits to share with these boys AND Zydrunas.
My response to seeing tRump yard signs is to bless the house thusly: "May you have a flat tire in your driveway on Monday morning."
ReplyDeleteAlly Bean--...or Monday morningS. Don't let them off quite so easily! ;->
DeleteI see nothing wrong with giving "the Goldwater salute" (as my husband calls it...apparently Goldwater raised a finger to photographers at one time) to a sign. If it makes you feel better, then so be it!
ReplyDeleteYour tree pictures are beautiful!
Minerva--The Goldwater Salute! That's a new one on me. I was not very Politically Aware during those times, but now I'm quite curious about that Event. And thank you for sanctioning my activity.
DeleteIt's incredible, isn't it, how vibrant those colours are? All I did was hold my iPhone up and press the button. No filters or editing or anything afterward, either.
I love a puppy with a squeaky toy! I hope your new neighbor puppy keeps his joy of toys all his days.
DeleteI am so with you on the ‘worth it’ or ‘deserve it’ thing. I’ve been out shopping with a girl friend after a nice dinner and some wine, and one friend always encourages me to spend too much by saying, ‘you deserve it’, and I generally think, ‘yes, but I don’t deserve the visa bill to go with it’, and I put it back. But occasionally I get something...never anything I will regret when entirely sober, however!
We don’t have a lot of trump signs here, though I was confronted with one the other day...I was getting our Friday night take out, and a man was there to have dinner with his wife. He was talking to the hostess, and seemed a perfectly lovely and normal man, and then turned around and I saw he had a trump mask on! Him being a person, not a sign, I did not flip him off, though the urge was indeed there. I decided to tell myself a story on the way home, to excuse the mask. Perhaps it was a joke gift, from his dying mother (not sure why she has to be dying, perhaps it’s the Hans Christian Anderson in me), a riff on trump because he doesn’t like to wear a mask and so on. His dying mother who worked her entire life for social justice, and taught her son, who is actually a lawyer for the ACLU. I didn’t quite convince myself, but it did make me feel better.
Your tree photos are spectacular. We get some color here, not as much probably, but we’re a few weeks behind you I think.
And regarding your outdoor furniture, I say leave it out there until there is zero chance of being able to use it anymore. You need to soak up the sun in preparation for the cold months ahead. Think of it like being a bear gorging on salmon before hibernating.
J@jj--Friends are always eager to spend your money. They don't do it in a bad way, but as you said, they don't think about the Visa bill that comes later. I always do, so I ask myself, "Do I love this?" If the answer is yes, then I buy it if I'm willing to pay the asking price. If the answer is no, back on the shelf/rack it goes.
DeleteI encountered a 45*-masked individual yesterday at the warehouse club when I went to go pick up some things. He was also wearing a 45* cap adorned with campaign buttons. I was immediately irritated, so I looked away, but not before thinking, "Ugh. What an asshole." I stuck my hand under my blanket shawl to give him the finger he deserved. It was almost instinctive, which sort of freaked me out.
Your story is a tough sell for me, but you do what you must. ;-)
I love the idea of me gorging on sunshine before winter comes. It is, thankfully, calorie-free, unlike Peanut M&Ms.
Lovely trees! I drive by a couple of similarly gorgeous trees, but busy road=no picture. Our neighborhood has mostly boring trees. The leaves turn a sort of muted yellow color & then they're brown.
ReplyDeleteWe took a ramble on Sunday & I gave the finger to a couple of the HUNDREDS of Trump signs we saw. It was very disheartening. Closer to home I saw one of those Nope signs (with Trump's hair waving on it). It gave me a giggle and lifted my mood a bit.
P.S. my solution about your page loading slowly is to wait until days after you post & by the time I've read all the comments the page is fully loaded :)
DeleteBug--I like your solution. I've noticed that anything in the sidebar--ANYTHING--is taking forever to load. I have no idea why. I'm not using anything hosted on a third-party site.
DeleteNorth Carolina is competitive and polling well for the Dems. We are, however, so snake-bit by 2016 that we don't know what to believe anymore. We're just all sitting tight, aren't we, until it's really over.
I haven't seen any Nope signs. I'd love to! And thanks for supporting me with your own Finger Salute. Did it give you the same catharsis it gives me? I hope so.
Nothing sweeter than a puppy, especially one that you are not potty training.
ReplyDeleteI love your leaves and I'm with you; it's nice to stop and just look UP!
BBSuz--Absolutely right: the best puppies are other people's puppies! It's so much fun to just have the joy of petting and watching, then letting them go inside their own house and be able to go on about my business of NOT having a puppy.
DeleteI do love to get a bit Lost In Nature from time to time. It centers and calms me. And when the colour is that incredible, it rejuvenates me, too.
The colors are sensstional!! Wow (we don't get color change hete in coastal Texas until about mid February & only lasts about a week before things bud out & bloom...mostly evergreen) a squeaky toy...sweet! Oh, and by the way - you DESERVE your porch/patio furniture to remain out to enjoy. 😁
ReplyDeleteAnni--LOL! I do deserve my outdoor furniture's enjoyment, but the weather I am worth is not forthcoming. Alas, the forecast looks grim and gloomy in that department. We are headed to the lakehouse today to put away that outdoor furniture and that means true lake season is really behind us. :(
DeleteThose trees are gorgeous. A real Indian summer if we’re still allowed to use that term. It’s probably politically incorrect. I think I deserve those peanut m &ms too to the point that if hubby reaches for any my hackles raise. I don’t say anything ...just saying (here).
ReplyDeletesteph--I wondered about the sensitivity of that term, too. The last thing I want to do is use an offensive phrase.
DeleteMy husband prefers the gigantic Hershey bars with almonds, so I keep him well-stocked with those. I rarely have to share my peanut M&Ms, but try to be gracious when I must.