Herb School and Beyond

November 11, 2011 The Beaver Moon

2011-11-28T09:31:00.000-08:00

the return from Thanksgiving

2011-11-28T09:16:00.000-08:00

Included in all things that I am thankful for, is my herd of non-farm animals consisting of three dogs and two cats. We drive to Llano Largo with these somewhat compatible creatures captured in the back of the 4Runner. Last evening was the epitome of patience for everyone. This time it wasn't merely Archibauld, my 6 year old kitty getting carsick loudly in his carrier. No, this was WAY worse. This time it was Ike, 80 lb retriver mix. He started pawing at the windows and back door wanting to get out. We were on I-25 and it was not a good time! Next thing I saw was him squatting in the back....eeeeeeeeeeooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwww IKEY!!

Yep, he pooped right in the back, right there in the midst of the herd, the luggage, the leftover groceries, yep. It was about 6 miles before we pulled over and took a look. Poor Ike. We love him so! We just gingerly cleaned it up and headed on home. That's love. Yes indeed.

August in the mountains of northern Colorado

2011-09-08T21:25:00.000-07:00

What an astonishing plant, little elephant heads that nod in the mountain air, happy and excited for the wind. This plant has a special quality for finding the tension and letting it go.
Thank you pedicularis.

wasp baby

2011-08-24T09:42:00.000-07:00

This little guy poked his head out after I brought the nest into the house to examine. What a complex architectural design! Octagonal tunnels bound together in perfect symmetry . I , being the ignorant person that forgets about details when over excited, forgot to think that perhaps the wasp nest was still being used! Oops! Sorry wasp baby!

Leaving my pond lilies and figs behind in Austin

2011-07-21T11:07:00.000-07:00

What Tarot Card are You?

2009-05-26T07:16:00.001-07:00

You are Strength

Courage, strength, fortitude. Power not arrested in the act of judgement, but passing on to further action, sometimes obstinacy.

This is a card of courage and energy. It represents both the Lion's hot, roaring energy, and the Maiden's steadfast will. The innocent Maiden is unafraid, undaunted, and indomitable. In some cards she opens the lion's mouth, in others she shuts it. Either way, she proves that inner strength is more powerful than raw physical strength. That forces can be controlled and used to score a victory is very close to the message of the Chariot, which might be why, in some decks, it is Justice that is card 8 instead of Strength. With strength you can control not only the situation, but yourself. It is a card about anger and impulse management, about creative answers, leadership and maintaining one's personal honor. It can also stand for a steadfast friend.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

2009-01-21T08:41:00.000-08:00

Well, it's been a LONG time since posting. Many things have transpired since then. The stock market crash has smashed our dreams of early retirement, we have a bold , fine, thoughtful new president, and I have acquired a border collie. Yes, a border collie. Yes, I've heard all of the admonishments about the
breed ; OCD, not good pets, hyper, etc. BUT this dog found us. In fact this dog lept from the back of a pickup truck to find us, literally. The story may need to be a bit shrouded in secrecy because the original 'owner' perhaps would like the dog back. BUT, I am not a dog stealer, no sirree!! I am a dog rescuer. Really!! I would pay the man dearly for this dog if I could find him. Fact is, this little guy was emaciated, terrified, trembling, and had peed on himself. Not a pretty picture. No.And a little stinky, but he was a farm dog.

We were in our family volvo with the large DOG cargo space in back where our two dogs, Walter and Ike were happily riding.We were on our way back to Austin from New Mexico.....in central Texas....mid afternoon. I noticed the truck in front of us had a border collie riding in the back standing on his hind legs with his front paws up on the edge of the pick up. He was trembling and seemingly very scared. I wondering why the driver/rancher didn't seem to notice or care. Humm. Next thing we saw was he suddenly leapt out of the truck and ran off through the oncoming traffic. Yikes! That's a motivated escape . Not being good at emotional restraint in times such as this, I scream to my spouse, "get the dog, get the dog, get the dog" while he is honking wildly at the white pick up truck still moving ahead. The driver/ 'owner' never looked back and we never saw the truck again. After I managed to get my spouse to pull over, I raced out of the car after the puppy ( tiny 27 lb guy). When I got to him he was huddled at a gas station convience type store, cowering by the entry. Poor baby actually wagged his tail when he saw me and sort of crawled submissively in my direction. He was uninjured. Hallelujah!! I scooped him up and put him in my lap not really thinking about anything except saving him from being hit or injured. He was shaking, covered in pee and straw, and seriously bony. He rode on my lap for the next two hours home. I managed to get him to quit shaking after an hour or so, and he started looking around...at cows, goats..I don't think he has ever officially ridden in a car before.

Burdock Flowers

2008-09-02T13:17:00.000-07:00

I spent several hours digging up the root from this plant. It is VERY large, about a foot long in some cases. My research shows that it has many medicinal properties ( what doesn't ) but I have yet to make the root well, ahem, palatable. I am working on a lotion- like balm but so far it smells like the cat box. Not a good marketing edge !!
TBC .....the neophyte wildcrafter herbalist...

Yes to everything today!

2008-08-25T20:12:00.001-07:00

This is what I love about Taos

Mondo Kultur - Taos, NM 87571

Wildcrafting and other fun beyond worrying about how old you are

2008-08-22T13:23:00.000-07:00

Well, since I've managed to survive from 50 to 51 without feeling much different, I think it is time to move beyond the age issue and focus on good stuff like herbs! Wild Herb harvesting , digging, planting and growing! This summer in Llano Largo has been prolific and green.More wild plants have sprouted and thrived on a daily basis than I have EVER witnessed in NM, albeit my time here has been four summers and various holidays.
Some of these herbs/ wild plants( ie weeds) I have harvested this summer are:

burdock
mullein
yarrow
mint
beebalm ( ??)
flax
vervain
red clover
rose hips ( the size of cherries!)

oh and APRICOTS! Oh my....what a harvest...what a dream...oooohhhhh

So I'm in the learning process of how to preserve these bounties.I have made tinctures with cheeeeaapp vodka from the Indian store and attempted infused oil with the burdock root ( that stuff is narly, stinky and GIANT) .So....you three readers of this blog ( you know who you are ) please help! What do I do with these wonderful things , besides irritate my easily irritated husband with piles of "rotting leaves".

Help!!

The Road To Llano

2008-05-21T08:19:00.000-07:00

Our home in New Mexico is located in a fertile valley which used to be a swamp area 100 years ago. Thanks to over forestation and global warming, we are able to live in what I believe is one of the most spectacular places on earth. I wrote this poem when I was snow shoeing up the hillside in March. The Taos Horsefly, a left wing local rag, was planning to publish it in the June issue. Then they decided to discontinue the poetry section due to "the paper shrinking".

Road to Llano

Foraging the coyote trail to Llano
my boots sink into deep snow, thigh-deep.
Winter skies pale against translucent snow.

The pine leaves drop tiny blessings
like wishes or holy water,
they transform into dew as I hike.

An icy paw print
then bloody rib cage
leads to the half eaten beast.

I gasp
a hoof, then a gnarled furry leg
a horse’s head is frozen in ice.

Who could do this
Who could do this
Who could do this

My body is still with sadness
softness of quiet snow buffers my heartbeat
there is no witness to this outrage.

I will bridle you with golden rope
we will fly like winged conquistadors
above frozen hayfields

And when we glide far beyond
trout rivers and raspberry banks
we will sing

the broken song of the crow.
Wildly galloping through air
our bodies will become whole again.

Christine Wagner

Christine Wagner lives part time in Llano Largo near Penasco. She dreams of life there year round with an array of farm animals and fruit trees.

Bicycle Crash

2008-05-17T12:14:00.000-07:00

OK, so I did it. It's that sort of thing that every triathlete or cyclist fears might happen one day. Most of us have had an accident or two, or three, but I pride myself on being careful Of course REALLY careful would be not to ride at all, but I mean watchful, vigilant and smart about riding in the city. So I was doing intervals on Spicewood Springs Road. 3 mins on, 3 mins recovery. This sort of entails looking at the Garmin like kid glued to the ipod. At least I wasn't hooked up to my ipod! So I have finished about 5 of these drills and I'm headed home. This means I have to cross 360, a notoriously busy highway with wide shoulders. Cyclists ride out there all of the time, despite cars whizzing by at 60+ . So I thought I'd just add a couple more reps and turned up 360 going south. There's are beautiful Korean or Chinese Temple there on the right hand side of the road with a strikingly large eye catching golden Buddha. I was admiring the Buddha when I looked up and saw to my shock, a car about 10 feet directly in front of me. There wasn't time to do much of anything except try to slow down and brace for the impact. Yikes! Slam! Fortunately or unfortunately, my rather large Bucky Beaver front teeth took a lot of the impact. Wham, my hands jammed into the back of the car knocking me over on the pavement. I was a bit stunned. My right foot was still locked into my pedal. Man. Who parks on 360? I thought I might be ready to get chewed out, but no one came out of the car. It was apparently stalled and abandoned. I stood up gingerly. Everything hurt, but I was in one piece. managed to get myself back on the bike and slowly glided on the shoulder back towards home. I felt my lip was cut and my right front tooth was pushed down about 4m lower than the others. IT was numb. Then I noticed my little finger was swelling bigger than my glove. It was starting to throb. I managed to get home and this is what I saw in the mirror. Humm, and nobody even stopped to help. Wow.
What a bad week to quit heroin!

2008-05-09T06:13:00.001-07:00

So what CAN they eat?

2008-05-03T13:06:00.001-07:00

Ike REALLY likes walnuts and we use them as a reward food.

Yahoo! Answers - My dog likes eating walnuts. Is this safe?

Grapes and Raisins: Grapes and raisins can cause kidney failure in dogs. As little as a single serving of raisins can kill a dog.

Onions: Onions destroy red blood cells and can cause anemia.

Chocolate: Chocolate can cause seizures, coma and death. Baker’s chocolate is the most dangerous. A dog can consume milk chocolate and appear to be fine because it is not as concentrated, but it is still dangerous.

Coffee, Coffee grounds, tea and tea bags: Drinks/foods containing caffeine cause many of the same symptoms chocolate causes.

Macadamia Nuts: Macadamia nuts can cause weakness, muscle tremor and paralysis.

Animal fat and fried foods: Excessive fat can cause pancreatitis.

Bones: Bones can splinter and damage a dog’s internal organs.

Tomatoes: Tomatoes can cause tremors and heart arrhythmias. Tomatoe plants and the most toxic, but tomatoes themselves are also unsafe.

Avocados: The fruit, pit and plant are all toxic. They can cause difficulty breathing and fluid accumulation in the chest, abdomen and heart.

Nutmeg: Nutmeg can cause tremors, seizures and death.

Apples, Cherries, Peaches and similar fruit: The seeds of these fruits contain cyanide, which is poisonous to dogs as well as humans. Unlike humans, dogs do not know to stop eating at the core/pit and easily ingest them.

Raw eggs: Raw eggs can cause salmonella poisoning in dogs. Dogs have a shorter digestive tract than humans and are not as likely to suffer from food poisoning, but it is still possible.

Salt: Excessive salt intake can cause kidney problems.

Food that most dogs can eat:

Some “human” foods are good for dogs. Most of these are healthier than the boxed treats you buy in the grocery store. This is just a small list of examples of foods dogs can eat, not a list of every food they should eat. Dogs won’t necessarily get all the nutrients they need if they eat these foods exclusively, so check with your veterinarian if you are interested in feeding your dog a home cooked diet.
Any food that causes stomach upsets or digestive problems in your dogs should be avoided. Like people, some dogs cannot tolerate certain foods

Meats:
Meats should be boneless and it’s best if the skin is removed. I don’t consider raw meat a good idea because of the small risk of food poisoning and parasites.
Skinless, boneless chicken breast
Skinless, boneless turkey breast
Boneless fish

Vegetables:
Dogs have shorter digestive tracts than humans and cannot digest most vegeta- bles whole or in large chunks. It’s best to put them through a food processor be- fore giving them to your dog
Carrots
Green Beans
Lettuce
Potatoes
Yams

Grains:
Grains should not be given in large amounts or make up a large part of a dog’s diet, but these foods are generally safe in small amounts
Rice
Bread

Dairy products:
Use caution with dairy products as they are high in fat and can cause pancreati- tis, gas and diarrhea. Usually,
nonfat plain yogurt is safe in small amounts

Other potential dangers
Pear pips, the kernels of plums, peaches and apricots, apple core pips (contain
cyanogenic glycosides resulting in cyanide posioning)

Potato peelings and green looking potatoes

Rhubarb leaves

Mouldy/spoiled foods

Alcohol

Yeast dough

Coffee grounds, beans & tea (caffeine)

Hops (used in home brewing)

Tomato leaves & stems (green parts)

Broccoli (in large amounts)

Raisins and grapes

Cigarettes, tobacco, cigars

Nuts

2008-04-11T10:23:00.001-07:00

A New Risk of Middle-Age: Dying on a Motorcycle - Well - Tara Parker-Pope - Health - New York Times Blog

2008-04-11T10:22:00.003-07:00

Better Mental Health, Down on the Farm - Well - Tara Parker-Pope - Health - New York Times Blog

this is pretty tempting, really!

2008-04-01T20:16:00.001-07:00

Food Bills Getting You Down? Try Dumpster Diving | Environment | AlterNet

Why didn't I think of this?

2008-03-06T08:02:00.001-08:00

Men who do housework may get more sex - Yahoo! News

2008-02-07T11:36:00.001-08:00

Stop the senseless beating of baby seals for fur.

Protect Seals | Save Baby Seals | Stop the Canadian Seal Hunt

DNA test for dogs

2008-02-06T08:38:00.001-08:00

Identify Mixed Breed Dogs by DNA: Genetic Tests Available to Detect Your Mutt's Composition

This is sort of like knowing if your baby is a boy or a girl, except your baby is a dog. There appear to be two tests on the market, the Canine Heritage Test
for $75 and the Mars Wisdom Panel™ MX Mixed Breed Analysis test
only done through a vet's office and $100 or so. It tests for over 130 breeds and has 99% accuracy, while the other test is only currently including 38 breeds but can be done at home with a saliva swab.
Hummm. If the stock market weren't currently tanking, I might seriously look at this as an answer for the ongoing question, 'What kind of dog is that?" .

Sound waves snuff fire

2008-01-30T05:51:00.001-08:00

WTF ?

In 2004 Dmitriy Plaks and several of his fellow students at the
University of West Georgia tested whether sound waves can douse fires
in hopes of using sound to extinguish flames in a spacecraft. They
placed a candle in a large topless chamber with three bass speakers
attached to the walls. The candle was lit and the Canadian rock band
Nickelback's "How you remind me" was pumped through the subwoofers.
Within roughly 10 seconds, once the song hit a low note, the flame was
out, according to results published in 2005 in The Journal of the
Acoustical Society of America.

Sound waves snuff fire - Boing Boing

But the BIG question is, what if they played the Rolling Stones "Devil's Banquet" ?

Glad I'm not that guy in the photo!

2008-01-30T05:48:00.001-08:00

Work It Out: More Activity = Slower Aging: Scientific American

New study links exercise to greater longevity

By Lisa Stein

AGING FAST: A new study shows that lack of exercise may speed the aging process.
iStockPhoto

Warning, couch potatoes: resting on your laurels may be hazardous to your health, not to mention make you old before your time.

"A sedentary lifestyle increases the propensity to aging-related disease and premature death," researchers at King's College London report today in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine. "Inactivity may diminish life expectancy not only by predisposing to aging-related diseases but also because it may influence the aging process itself."

Researcher Lynn Cherkas and colleagues reached their conclusions by examining the genetic material extracted from blood samples of some 2,400 twins. They specifically studied the length of telomeres (repeated DNA sequences) on the ends of chromosomes in leukocytes (white blood cells); the protective caps are believed to be markers of biological aging, because they shrink over time.

Their findings: the telomeres of subjects who exercised the most (an average of 199 minutes weekly) were longer than those of volunteers who worked out the least (a mere 16 minutes or less a week). The discrepancy was enough, researchers wrote, to suggest that the exercise mavens were on average as much as a decade biologically younger than the slackers.

"Such a relationship between leukocyte telomere length and physical activity level remained significant after adjustment for body mass index, smoking, socioeconomic status and physical activity at work," the authors report. "The mean difference in leukocyte telomere length between the most active and least active subjects was 200 nucleotides (chemical structural units of DNA and RNA), which means that the most active subjects had telomeres the same length as sedentary individuals up to 10 years younger, on average."

The scientists speculate that stress, inflammation and oxidative stress (cell damage caused by oxygen exposure) may be responsible for shortened telomeres in physically inactive people. Exercise is among the factors found to help alleviate stress. Previous research has linked regular workouts to lower rates of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure, obesity and osteoporosis.

The researchers note that their findings support U.S. guidelines calling for individuals to exercise moderately for 30 minutes at least five days a week. "Our results. . . show that adults who partake in regular physical activity are biologically younger than sedentary individuals," they say. "This conclusion provides a powerful message that could be used by clinicians to promote the potential anti-aging effect of regular exercise."

Society and Solitude

2008-01-29T08:21:00.000-08:00

"Made by hand, the craft object bears the fingerprints, real or metaphorical, of the person who fashioned it. These fingerprints are not the equivalent of the artist’s signature, for they are not a name."
- Octavio Paz (b. 1914)

Octavio Paz’s route was his own, not mine, but behind that route a path is traceable, and in that path I recognize an invaluable lesson: society and solitude — how to make these two compatible? His answer was to live life in full, alone and with others. To make oneself present by tracing one’s past and betting on the future.

Ilan Stavans

So people die

2008-01-28T10:18:00.001-08:00

The most famous feature on the Devils Thumb is its unclimbed Northwest Face, which rises 6,700 feet from the Witches Cauldron at its base to the summit, at an average angle of 67 degrees. This is unparalleled steepness for a face this size in North America. Unfortunately, the conditions prevalent on this face make it into perhaps the most dangerous climbing proposition on the continent as well.

Climbing history

The first ascent of the Devils Thumb was a landmark in North American mountaineering. Fred Beckey, along with Clifford Schmidtke, and Bob Craig, climbed the East Ridge, a route that combined technical difficulty equal to anything ever climbed on the continent to that time with great remoteness and terrible weather conditions.

The infamous Northwest Face has seen only failed attempts starting in 1977 (possibly earlier), through the present; at least three teams have died on the face.

Early August, 1977: Peter Cole,Nichols Rouner, and Rainsford Rouner. Finding the wall virtually devoid of snow or ice and with no obvious lines up the apparently rotten rock, the trio opted for a line heading to the west buttress, along the couloir that forms the right-hand margin of the face. Starting on an adjacent buttress below the Witches’ Tits, they continued across a hanging glacier.While the three were soloing, tragedy struck: Nichols died from rockfall.

He was almost 6'6", strong as lightening with a kind and quiet face, remarkably patient with her teenage moodiness. He flew in from Seattle that August of 1975 still smelling of mountains, crusty rocks, mossy green craggy holds. But mostly he came with a dare to dream, the dare to dream that you can only get from having parents who love you so much that they want your dreams to live .They hold you safely and let you go , they smile at your cleverness and delight in your charmed movements. They even encourage you to climb. And climb he did. Often and well. Beyond well, spectacularly well . But more significant than that, he discovered that climbing brought him close to God , wholeness , life and death. He pursues it like fire, relentlessly, without doubt, with his whole physique, with his soul.

Climbing is his world within and the world without , without loss. He cannot possibly lose while racing the sunset, holing up against searing winds and sleet , sleeping tied to the icy bare rock with only ice ax as companion. This is a sharp, dangerous world, but that this is the ONLY real world that he wants to exist in. Now and forever.

There's was a quick summer romance between teenagers. She was the long distance blond girl with the Texas drawl who liked to sing and play guitar.He was the Boston bred poet athlete. They were just about happiness , discovery and flying across the country on a whim. She was moody and often sad, he was in love with grace of thought and heart. Over the distance and months they lost touch. The melancholy summer romance girl continues to study and dream her life in Texas . Sometimes wishing to be a poet, a healer, a songwriter, a teacher .Seasons and years go by .She sees struggles, disappointment, moderate success and sometimes achieves true self expression. She doesn't think often of the August nights thirty one years ago when she was 18 and he was 17. She remembers more the vibrant aliveness during those hikes in Colorado sleeping in thunderstorms, hiding in drenched tents, hiking in open meadows with the blossoming columbine, being certain that life held good things. Missing that cedar scent of promise mostly. One day many many years later, she thinks of looking him up. She does a search and discovers that he died in 1977 perhaps just a year or two after their summer, on a mountain in Alaska. Her heart is broken for him and even more for his family. No one had bothered to tell her. She understands this. So thirty one years after, she writes for him.

True to yourself
you fell
backwards
in white hot sunshine
face upwards toward the reddened sky

Never once regretting
the fall
not from life
but toward light

your mother , the poet,
cried out in her sleep
what have you done?

without reservation
you answer

I have lived
I have lived

I think I want to leave all of my money to these monkeys

2008-01-25T20:30:00.001-08:00

Helping Hands | Monkey College Video

enough said

2008-01-20T08:09:00.001-08:00

Video: Dove Campaign for Real Beauty - Onslaught : DivineCaroline

beautifly written , on positive emotions

2008-01-18T08:04:00.001-08:00

PEPLab - Introduction

You have -- within you -- the fuel to thrive and to flourish,
and to leave this world in better shape than you found it.
Sometimes you tap into this fuel – other times you don’t.
But the sad fact is that most people have no idea
how to tap into this fuel or even recognize it when they do.
Where is this fuel within you?

You tap into it whenever you feel energized and excited by new ideas.
You tap into it whenever you feel at one with your surroundings, at peace.
You tap into it whenever you feel playful, creative, or silly.
You tap into it whenever you feel your soul stirred by the sheer beauty of existence.
You tap into it whenever you feel connected to others and loved.
In short, you tap into it whenever positive emotions resonate within you.

-----

But of course we all knew this!

2008-01-15T06:11:00.001-08:00

The Healing Power of Dogs - Well - Tara Parker-Pope - Health - New York Times Blog

Bottled water is VERY bad for the environment

2008-01-14T07:00:00.001-08:00

FilterForGood: Home

Duh! I've been trying to find a good water filter that doesn't take a nucleur physicist to install.

2007-12-20T20:49:00.001-08:00

Live in the Delirious Cool: a semi-extended hiatus

Jewelry I have melted

2007-12-13T12:59:00.000-08:00

Well, this is NOT the first. I was so proud that I had accomplished a gold and ruby hinge ring. The only problem is the ruby was slightly off center. So, I decided to twist it a bit, put in a little epoxy. Not good. So I thought I could re solder the base with the ruby in place. It should work, in practice. a ruby can take heat, right? Yeah, if it IS a ruby. So I managed to align the ruby, but the 'ruby' turned white! Whaaa the....?? Indian die?????

So much for the bargain bin from India at the Gem and Mineral show. When I took it back to show the dealer he sort of smirked....like, what was I expecting, a REAL ruby for $30 ??

so now that i"m 50, I need to change the name

2007-12-12T12:56:00.001-08:00

Yes, I haven't been posting, as real life has interrupted my fantasy life. Damn. I hate it when I actually have to WORK for a living. Alas, we are not rich or fortunate enough to be there , yet.

So here is what I have learned from turning 50 this year.

1. Being 50 isn't nearly as bad as ALMOST being 50

2. 50 is the new 30 ( I know, wishful thinking )

3. Life happens faster the older you get. Best notice it now.

4. Looking good at 50 is somewhat harder.

5. If I knew what I know now at age 20, I probably would have bypassed a few boyfriends, but hey, who cares.

6. I can run faster now than when I was 20. Go figure.

7. I getting meaner and meaner.

8. Losing sleep is a really bad idea.

9. Animals are my best friends

10. There is an enormous variation in how 50 manifests itself physically in men and women. Exercise is indeed the fountain of youth.

OK, so I'm thinking about renaming the blog...."stuff on my cat" ...no, already taken
"Why I wish I had married a plumber and other musings" or "Why I wish I had married a dentist and other pointless regrets" or " jewelry I've melted " .....you get the idea

The Mountain Goats

2007-10-20T10:32:00.001-07:00

Just discovered this band from Scott's library picks. They have completely low tech, hand made recordings with wonderful lyrics and simple instrumentations. I'm smitten! And then I saw this photo of John Darnielle snuggling with a wombat and that secured the deal.

Wombat cuddle on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Spin class thugs

2007-09-28T05:29:00.001-07:00

I would like to suggest that anyone who hoots and cheers during a spin class from euphoria SHOULD be slammed up against the wall!!

Wall Streeter Accused Of "Spin Rage", Broker Allegedly Assaulted Noisy Hedge Fund Exec At NYC Gym - CBS News

60 is the new 40

2007-09-14T05:23:00.001-07:00

That's what I'm talking about!

Aging Is Inevitable, but Boomers Put 'Old' on Hold - washingtonpost.com

This is our local NM tree expert

2007-09-07T05:12:00.001-07:00

It's excellent to have access to such wisdom and expertise when starting a high elevation orchard.

Convenient Truth Contest: The Man Who Planted Trees

leaving Llano Largo and traveling back to Texas

2007-08-22T20:09:00.000-07:00

So we had our last wonderful, vividly beautiful hike up to Indian Lake. I went to the farmers market and purchased chard ( icky, even though Sally, the farmer, said it was wonderful) , lettuce, garlic, and really WANTED to purchase some tarts. Boy did they looks luscious! I spent what felt like 24 hours getting the house ready for hibernation; serious cleaning, mopping, leak detecting, glass sweeping up, stain removing, wishing stains were being removed, unclogging drains, printing emails for my good friend and neighbor Rey.....generally reluctantly getting ready to leave. Alas. I did not want to leave, EVER. Even as I hear on talk radio( announced by the woman who built our house, Nancy Stapp) that roving gangster bandits have been holding up people in their houses in the area west of the Rio Grande bridge....I am non plussed. I don't care. I love it here. I love hearing the cows mooing as I awaken at 2 am, I love the river as a constant background to my sometimes anxious thoughts. I love the fierce possessiveness of those who grew up here without plumbing or electricity. I love the summer long landscape of daises and sunflowers and wild roses, which change ever so slightly as June turns to July to August. I love the tips of the apricot tree leaves that have an red orange waxy glow. I love the sounds of the plows baling hay, very late in the season because it's been a rainy spring. I love the magpies, the ravens, and the hawks that partake of the generous bounty of chokecherries, raspberries and currants, and the fearless rabbits that run down our driveway, growing bigger by the day, unaware of Walter and Ike's enthusiasm for rabbit on the hoof. It tears my heart to leave a place so beautiful and serene. I am happy here unlike any place I have ever lived. I ache to see the leaves turn in fall and await the first snow. In time, in time, this place will be ours to embrace throughout the seasons like the birds that take over the perennial nests of the barn swallows. We have nested in this wild and craggy nest, and it feels more like home that my actual endured time home does. It is majestic and wild and scary and untouchable. It is free and crazy and real and harsh, and I don't want to leave.

Evenings in the Stunningly Beautiful Llano Largo

2007-08-15T07:02:00.000-07:00

Thing I accomplished on my summer vacation

2007-08-12T07:55:00.000-07:00

1. Shooing a cow out of our field with a dish towel

2. Shooing 3 cows out of our field with a stick

3. Shooing one very stubborn cow by running toward it through the underbrush yelling"I want to eat you"

4. Swatting at a bat with a broom while encouraging it to fly outside the open window

5. Swatting at a bat with a broom while on the phone getting advice about how to remove a bat from your house

6. Swatting at a bat with a poorly constructed 'net' made from a Rayley's plastic sack and copper
wire

7. Swatting at aforementioned bat while two VERY excited orange boys help direct him toward the open window. Success!

So is it the depression or the implants that kill?

2007-08-09T11:35:00.001-07:00

Breast implants linked with suicide in study - Yahoo! News

Seems to me that our culture has a LONG way to go for women to accept themselves as they are. Is it just me , or does the women's movement seem to have faded away ? Haven't we made any progress? Humfphh

My PODCAST Ring, or what I made at Summer Camp

2007-08-08T08:34:00.001-07:00

I know, it's wierd, but Penland encourages creativity! Yeah, yeah, yeah!! It's my organic 'podcast' ring made from enamel and sterling silver. The photo is rather unclear, but my camera was a hand me down. Thanks Dad! I'm not complaining. You just kind of need to see it live.

OK, I'm 50 now and it's not that different!

2007-08-08T08:08:00.000-07:00

Turning 50 was a relief after spending the last couple of years reflecting, dreading, and reconciling my feelings. The actual day was pretty unremarkable except for my feeling pretty happy about the whole deal. Who would have thought? The body adapts to the mind and the mind adapts to the body. That evening the universe conjured up a stunning full moon and stars, reflected above La Jicarita peak. How nice to be reminded of what a great joy to be ensconced in nature.

My animals and my art continue to inspire and delight me. Archie ( Archibald Cox my maine coon boy ) has made two escapes into the wilds of the great outdoors. The kitties have learned to use the dog door for exiting, but not for re entry. Oops! Aretha was on the front porch yesterday and Archie was hiding under the porch. Good thing the coyotes were already at work ( or something) . During the time that I was slouching in my county courthouse chair listening to corrupt, lying neighborhood group leaders fight each other, my poor kitties were exposed to the outdoors! Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!

On the subject of neighborhood politics, it seems that pay backs, bribes, power plays, insensitivity, name calling,and prejudice rule the system. What a disappointment. Why am I continually surprised? I guess I feel such a need for fairness, that I find it unbelievable that this sort of behavior can exist for years without some form of correction. When 'newcomers' try to get involved to straighten things out through logic and fairness, they are labeled insensitive to the 'local' way of doing things.They are called names, ostracized and despised for their education.They are feared for their ability to look up legal terms and laws, and they are pushed hard by the frozen hate of years of isolation. They are despised for their light skin and their new cars.They are sometimes threatened. Twenty years ago they would have had their house burned down. Now they are just stared at fiercely as they slowly drive down the community gravel roads, and they are talked about in Penasco foods. "That blond girl" and "that lady down the road that lives behind the Martinez's". You get the idea. Sigh. Sigh. Sigh. Not that everyone is like that. Many, many are not. In fact most of my Llano Largo neighbors are stunningly friendly and kind, welcoming and warm. Most of them are happy that we love this area as much as they do and love to share the beauty and the struggles that go along with this place. This rugged place of extreme beauty.

Another bad name for classical music!

2007-07-31T07:16:00.001-07:00

Wash. city fights gangs with symphonies - Yahoo! News

2007-07-26T06:37:00.001-07:00

Scientists Spot Key Food Allergy Molecule - Forbes.com

The Bicycling Paradox: Fit Doesn’t Have to Mean Thin - New York Times

Oscar the cat predicts patients' deaths - Yahoo! News

More photos from Taos area

2007-07-05T06:51:00.001-07:00

Indian Lake trail....I found a wild turkey feather . Walter enjoyed rolling in cowpatties ( see previous post ) . It's hard to believe that there's still snow on the mountains.

July 4th Parade, aka It's Raining Hotdogs!!

2007-07-05T06:31:00.001-07:00

The Taos News -

This was a dog's paradise! Hotdogs and ribs being thrown into the crowd! Whoo hoo!! Walter was in absolute heaven. He even happily sported a July 4th lei .

the annual dog bath

2007-07-02T06:02:00.000-07:00

Here in the mountains, where I am fortunate enough to spend my summers, the various stinky animal wastes lie deep. Yesterday as we hiked up to Indian Lake, a stunning trail that eventually leads to La Jicarita, there were fresh piles of cow poop. Nicely moist and glowing in the sun. Not that I was noticing...it was Walter. He reveled in the poops by rubbing, rolling, scratching , tasting...and eventually covering himself with green grassy poop. By the time we got back to the car, his usually black fur was matted with grassy tangles of poop. He shook and poop flew off....

So...this called for the annual bath. Yes, we love our pets deeply, but can't summon the mutual strength to bathe them except in dire situations , like the aforementioned.

Enamel Class at the Penland School, ie Nickle and Dimed at Penland

2007-05-29T16:59:00.001-07:00

Mostly, being here at the Penland School is like a dream.Our first day was yesterday and we started right out with SAFETY !! Whoo hoo, good stuff alright. No smoking by the gas tanks and further hilarious and noteworthy tidbits . We then were allowed to begin work. Enameling, cutting copper, sawing, and most importantly, BUYING STUFF we didn't bring with us on the terrorist obsessed airlines, including optiviser, wax lube, solder, fine silver, gemstones , chasing tools, and other terrorist related tools. Penland knows how to nickle and dime you once you're captive here. Since the school provided NOTHING to work with, you get to bring it or buy it. The ladies at the school store are becoming very familiar if not soft of catty. No, you can't look at the silver...no we don't have that...no credit..blah, blah...

Now, don't get me wrong.This is a WONDERFUL experience and full of acceptance , creativity, support, community..it's just run on a shoestring.A fat dimply, young tattooed shoestring. I'll tantra to that! Yeah!

PS, as I write this I am sitting in a row of rocking chairs. All of us have laptops and are typing vigorously. None of us are looking at the spectacular view.

Monkeys stealing drinks from tourists

2007-05-22T05:07:00.001-07:00

pretty obvious connections here

Don't Monkey Around With Alcohol

Craft and the Penland School

2007-05-20T11:42:00.001-07:00

Craft In America / Documentary Series

One of the most exciting things I have done in the last two years is awaken my creativity. I think it all started with the Artist's Way, a workshop I took at Seton Cove, based on Julia Cameron's book on exploring life as art, and art as life. That was my first toe dipping into the pond of the imagination, and allowing myself to be creative
(after MANY dead years of self imposed right brain thinking). Since then I have explored sewing, painting, composing, metalsmithing, sculpture, and jewelry making. What has given me the most intrigue and excitement is jewelry. It is a magical blend of art, craft , and design, plus the added on bonus of getting to WEAR the piece when it is finished.

Here is some of my work, poised on a gardenia from my friend Jeff's front yard.

The above link is about a documentary on PBS which features the Penland School of Crafts where I am lucky enough to get to take a two week class in June on enameling and metal work .

Walmart continues to irritate me

2007-05-20T10:19:00.001-07:00

Wake-Up Wal-Mart: The Real Wal-Mart Facts

jewelry I wish I had made

2007-05-05T05:54:00.001-07:00

What a stunning idea to combine timeless poetry with wearable art.So beautiful.

Connie Bracelet by Jeanine Payer

For one human being to love another human being: that is perhaps the most difficult task that has been entrusted to us, the ultimate task, the final test and proof, the work for which all other work is merely preparation." Rainer Maria Rilke

jewelry workshops

2007-05-05T05:51:00.001-07:00

Craft Guild of Dallas

Specialty Jewelry Workshops

with

Master Guest Artists- Ronda Coryell & Vasken Tanielian

The Craft Guild of Dallas is excited to announce our lineup of guest artists in jewelry during the month of June, 2007. We’re offering eight specialty workshops -- all designed to take your work to a whole new level! Join Ronda Coryell and Vasken Tanielian, from the Revere Academy of Jewelry Arts, for this unprecedented opportunity to learn from "the masters" at The Guild!

5038 Fri-Sun, June 1-3 Chasing & Repousse

5039 A* Mon–Tues, June 4-5 Cold Connections

5040 Thur–Fri, June 7-8 Tube Clasp, Brooches, Clips and More

5041 Sat–Mon, June 9 – 11 Fabrication: Refine Your Skills

5039 B* Wed–Thurs, June 13-14 Cold Connections (repeated)

5042 Fri– Mon, June 15 – 18 Precision Fabrication

(no class on Father’s Day - Sun, June 17)

5043 Tue-Thurs, June 19-21 Fabrication: Hinges…& More Hinges

5044 Fri– Sun, June 22 – 24 Fabrication: Advanced Techniques

Sign up for the complete series, or just a few of the workshops!

2-Day Workshops: $250

3-Day Workshops: $375

Register for series of 6 (5039 A or B through 5044): $1,600

(20% discount - $400 value)

LIMITED SEATING! CALL TODAY TO RESERVE YOUR SPOT!

Jeanine Payer - Palmer Cuff

May the sun bring you new energy by day, May the moon softly restore you by night, May the rain wash away your worries. May the breeze blow new strength into your being. May you walk gently through the world and know its beauty all the days of your life. Apache Blessing."

And now for the perfect bath wash!

2007-04-20T06:45:00.001-07:00

ThinkGeek :: Shower Shock Caffeinated Body Wash

the news we've been waiting for

2007-04-20T05:50:00.001-07:00

Fruity cocktails count as health food, study finds - Yahoo! News

one magnificant cat

2007-04-14T07:13:00.001-07:00

Yahoo! Image Detail for www.verismocat.com/images/leo/flowers_t.jpg

2007-03-06T09:58:00.001-08:00

SportsGeezer: Strenuous Exercise Reduces Breast Cancer Risk

I want an orangutan

2007-02-28T09:03:00.001-08:00

At the Zoo on Yahoo! News Photos

2007-02-26T14:30:00.001-08:00

Strong exercise may cut breast cancer risk - Yahoo! News

2007-02-22T11:40:00.001-08:00

How The Brain Rewires Itself -- Friday, Jan. 19, 2007 -- Printout -- TIME

The hunt for a new kitty

2007-02-19T16:08:00.001-08:00

So after my beloved Nellie died, I have been in a tailspin, sort of lost and free fall. I know it seems goofy to feel that way about a cat, but she was my family, ragged as it was and is.
I woke up one morning and thought "Maine Coon cat"! Yeah! I'm gonna get me one of those. And then the obsession began. Hours of research on the breed, cat fancy articles, emailing breeders to find out if they have kittens. KITTENS!

There is always the anticipated link to click to see if...if...they have...do they?????...YES! WOO HOO!! Then you get a tasty tiny photo ( well from the classy breeders anyway) of the kittens looking cuter than your dead cat ( sorry Nell ) and you're hooked. Add to basket. Can you believe there are people selling cats with shopping carts tied to paypal? Yikes.

I could fly up there to Oklahoma city and buy a cat carrier, bring her back under the seat for oh, less than $400. Add that to the kitten fee of $500 and wheeeeeee...kitties....wheeee....

So the above pictured Becky kitty is available , $500, from a breeder in Oklahoma. She's ready to go at 8 weeks. 8 weeks? All of the reputible breeders let their kitties leave at 12 weeks. Why is she ready at 8 weeks? Oh jeeze, now I have to research breeders. Shit! And I WANTED BECKY. She's goddam adorable. I am in mourning and I need adorable NOW.

Check flights to Oklahoma. Humm. Think perhaps a sensible person would look at breeders closer to them. Shit. Since when was I ever acussed of being sensible? Ugh. Since I'm about to turn 50, that's when. OK. Calm down. A kitty will come.

So I politely email said breeder that I appreciate her help, but I'm still uncertain about adopting a purebred vs. a shelter kitty. My main concern is how the kitty will get along with my two big dogs. ....so then she sends me the photo of Becky kitty with the dog. Oh, how unfair! How cruel and unjust and dirty! Oh, please let me be!

THis was last week. Centuries have passed since the kitty hunt last week.

TBC

http://www.mycathatesyou.com/cats

http://www.mycathatesyou.com/images/cats/2006/10/queen_nefertiti.jpg

Enough Cuteness!

2007-02-16T06:34:00.001-08:00

What a refreshing change! Too many cute kitten sites. Makes me want to barf ( well not really, I actually adore them..but never mind that).

Mean kitty is some fun stuff.

Mean Kitty

Homeless animals in the news

2007-02-14T05:34:00.001-08:00

This breaks my heart

Fire Kills 15 Dogs, Destroys Home, Shelter - Local News

naps and other wonders of health

2007-02-12T11:29:00.001-08:00

I love the idea that we are now being told to takes naps, to drink wine , and to relax. All in the name of health. While I have never been much of a nap person, I am warming up to the idea, especially if the night before I had my prescribed wine! Ha, just kidding!

Some advice to take to heart -- take a nap - Yahoo! News

Stop Junk Mail

2007-02-07T06:21:00.000-08:00

http://www.smartmoney.com/dealoftheday/index.cfm?story=20070206&afl=myyahoo
pretty easy to do online

Nellie

2007-02-03T19:16:00.000-08:00

My beautiful sweet kitty Nellie , died on Friday. She was 23 years old, had lived through at least three boyfriends, a new husband, and the consequent acquisition of two big dogs. Nellie was a New Yorker. She was born on the streets of the Bronx where I lived in 1984. I was on the waiting list for a kitten that spring and they were in short supply. My first choice was a tortoise hair girl, but I was second in line and got Nell. She came home with me in a cardboard box on the bus at just 8 weeks old.

Back in those youthful days she climbed the curtains, hid under the bedspread, made a break for it down the hall of the apartment building, slept in the sink and jumped in the refrigerator. She was a handful, a crazy character, and full of spit. I recall her racing wildly through the interior of my newly acquired Steinway grand, something that both startled and amazed me. I was too stunned to do much except watch in shock hoping she wouldn't do any permanent damage. During afternoon piano lessons she would sleep on my lap in a tiny purring fluff ball.

Turns out she spent years listening to kids learning to play the piano, but tended to prefer a bed or closet or hallway to being in the same room with us. She was always available for petting and the occasional snarl when an unknowing child would try to pick her up and snuggle. Wrong!
After she swatted me in the eyelid, I extracted her claw from my skin and decided that declawing was the only way I could keep her around children, such was her calico temperment and all. After the deed was done I regretted it for the rest of her life, not understanding beforehand what a mutilation it would be of her sweet white paws. I felt like such a traitor watching her suffer with the bloody bandages. She never walked the same way afterwards.

Over the years she slept on the bed every night between Scott and me, but eventually had trouble leaping up. We made a spot for her in the living room with a cozy handmade quilt which made her happy. If you weren't up at 7 or so, you would hear about it. She marched up the stairs and meowed in the hallway so loudly that multiple pillows couldn't drown the crying, and sometimes Scott would throw pillows at her to keep her in a lower decibel range.

Nellie and I spent almost half of my life together. I cherish my good fortune to have the gift of her company, her wit and her spunk. As she got older and slower, she waddled out to beg for tidbits amongst the dogs, usually keeping them in line with her demands. They were most certainly scared and respectful of her, giving her a wide berth except when the rare opportunity to sniff her up close presented itself only because her hearing and smell had deteriorated to the point where she wasn't aware of their proximity.

Nellie, you were my sweet baby and there will never be another girl like you in my life. Thank you my dear, and Godspeed my love.You will always be in my heart.

Masters athletes need to keep training high intensity

2007-01-31T12:26:00.001-08:00

Infinit Nutrition ::::CREATE::DOMINATE::::

There are some good articles here, particularly Maintaining Peak Endurance Performance after 40 ( although I don't really care for their company motto...dominate? )

If you are too weak or old to clink on the link, these are the top ten tips from the article.

In reviewing the research on master athletes, the following recommendations can be made to help continue peak performance past the age of 40:
1. Continue a training routine that includes such high-intensity workouts as intervals, tempo runs, and hill training.
2. Engage in resistance training 2-3 times per week to help maintain lean body mass.
3. Attain energy balance to help maintain bone health and promote peak metabolic efficiency.
4. Ensure adequate calcium intake for strong bones by consuming 1,000-1,200 mg per day.
*Note: Menopausal runners not on hormone replacement may need 1,500 mg per day.
5. Continue to favor carbohydrates as the primary fuel source, consuming 3-5 grams per pound of body weight each day.
6. Follow protein guidelines (0.55-0.75 grams per pound of body weight) to aid in muscle recovery.
7. Consume a minimum of 10% of your total calories from fat yet don’t exceed 30%.
8. Follow a well-balanced meal plan using the Food Guide Pyramid to ensure adequate vitamin and mineral intake.
9. Consider taking a multi-vitamin and mineral supplement with antioxidants as a nutrition insurance agent.
10. Be more aware of hydration, consuming fluids even without feeling thirsty.

2007-01-30T05:58:00.000-08:00

Neurological disease common, survey finds - Yahoo! News

Multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease and other neurological diseases may be far more common than most people had believed, according to new estimates published on Monday.

Baghdad ER

2007-01-29T12:11:00.001-08:00

Not for the faint of heart. I am touched by the remarkable dedication and care of these ER workers. The soldiers being brought in look SOOOO young. This is the kind of documentary that all of our congressman who voted for the war need to see.Now.

www.hbo.com/docs/programs/baghdader/index.html

Cwagner3

2007-01-28T18:56:00.000-08:00

Link to my Stumbleupon page

Stumbleupon

2007-01-28T18:41:00.000-08:00

So much fun! Try it!

My Babies, AKA Furry Bedhogs

2007-01-27T09:06:00.000-08:00

Walter enjoys the freshly cleaned futon while we watch Six Feet Under video from the first season.
Ike is in our New Mexico field of snow, dreaming of bunnies...

Against Depression

2007-01-27T08:29:00.001-08:00

What a moving piece of writing by Irish writer Dervala. She is profound and clear in her description of depression.

"Like rheumatoid arthritis, depression turns your own body against
itself. It chews not on your cartilage, but on your brain cells and
your sense of reality. It’s as seductive as a wife-beater, shutting out
other voices to turn itself into your only friend. The only one who
tells the truth about the bleakness of the world. All your energy goes
towards getting through whatever stands in your way—struggling,
slogging, pushing, through work and small talk and getting
food—whatever it is you have to get through until you can be alone
again with the voice who can be trusted.

And the last thing it feels like is an illness. No, this monumental,
world-swallowing suckage sits outside you: it comes from the project,
the job, the love affair, the city, the family, or the decade. For me,
these low cycles have always led me to abrupt life changes. It’s a kind
of shock therapy: uprooting jobs, careers, relationships, and
countries. Those shifts feed the craving for anonymity and reinvention,
and they leave behind the shame of a condition that breeds shame."

dervala.net

this is hilarious

2007-01-26T07:04:00.001-08:00

Stuff On My Cat: Stuff + Cats = Awesome

Stuff that helps brain levels of dopamine

2007-01-25T12:00:00.001-08:00

Rhodiola rosea - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Vitamin B6 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

S-Adenosyl methionine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Analyst - Internet Health Report: Treatment: Glutamine

Affluenza

2007-01-25T09:22:00.001-08:00

Affluenza: Rampant consumerism erodes us - Yahoo! News

Affluenza: Rampant consumerism erodes us

Brain chemistry

2007-01-25T06:07:00.000-08:00

I've been reading 'Change your Brain' by Daniel Amen, friend of my P.A. She suggested that because I am addicted to coffee, I may be trying to stimulate my front cortex, like people with ADD, who have a temporal lobe problem. He says "If there are temporal lobe problems it is likely people will exhibit struggles with memory, mood stability, word finding and temper control. "

All very interesting. She said I need to increase my dopamine level to boost what I am trying to get from the coffee, stimulation. Dr.Amen has tests on his web site for various brain issues, but I don't fit in the ADD profile. Maybe the spacy, foggy symptoms.....but I forgot..;)

Not sure what to think but it's very intriguing.

Dense Breasts

2007-01-21T11:23:00.000-08:00

OK, what I'm wondering is how one tells if they have 'dense breasts'. Not really sure. Turns out they are related to breast cancer rates in younger women. The reuters aticle

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070121/hl_nm/cancer_breast_density_dc_1
discusses this. Seems like sometimes women know things instinctively and it take doctors a few years to catch up. It's good to trust yourself first.

The problem with consumer culture

2007-01-20T08:35:00.000-08:00

This fascinates me . As a person affected by consumerism and media, I am convinced that we are overwhelmed by choices. Too many choices does not make us happier, in fact it makes us feel like we have to try harder to make the "best " choice, therefore always sabotaging our possibility of feeling content with what we have and 'what is'. In my research on positive thinking and happiness, I read a remarkable book by Barry Schwartz called The Paradox of Choice .

I think he is absolutely right. It is a great discovery to find his work, because it voices what I have intuitively felt but couldn't articulate. Give it a look. Also, his superb address to the graduating class of Swarthmore College is absolutely brilliant . He distills these ideas to fine points and advice
( that was sadly lacking in MY University of Texas graduation ceremony).
Here's the link

http://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/newsletter.aspx?id=46

Is it just me, or is this profound ?

Finding Happiness

2007-01-19T18:15:00.000-08:00

Perhaps it is an indicator that our society is basically depressed and needs help. There is new research and apparently a Masters degree program in "positive psychology". After reading an intriguing article in the NY Times, I signed up for a study. Get some free happiness ...maybe...

Here's the link

http://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/

Let me know how it goes.

Mindshock Transplanting memories

2007-01-16T07:44:00.001-08:00


Transplanting Memories? considers whether it is possible that in receiving a transplanted organ, a patient could inherit some of their donor's memories and tastes as well.

The UK's first plus sized beauty contest

2007-01-13T15:58:00.001-08:00


The fashion industry ignores thousands of ordinary women every day with it's marketing of the idea that skinny and unfed is normal and beautiful. One woman is determined to challenge these assumptions.

Dogster.com

2007-01-05T20:11:00.000-08:00

My dogs are the best thing that ever happened to me. Really! Since I never had kids, I guess they are a close as I will get, but I think they are better than kids. No financial obligations, college tuition, drunken rampages, missed curfews...although Ike had caused my heart to skip on several occasions. When he was getting shot at in Taos for raiding a chicken coop, I tried to throw myself in front of the bullets. Literally.

That's love.

Ike and Walter are on Dogster.com
Check it out..

They're a lot of us out there

2007-01-04T18:00:00.000-08:00

I just finished 'Three Dog Life' by Abigail Thomas.
It was a sad, contemplative look at her marriage to a man who had suffered a serious brain injury 4 years previously. She spoke in a familiar voice, like a friend who knows you well enough to share the dreary minutia of her day and is able to handle your honest compassion. She especially loved her three dogs who sleep with her at night, providing quiet companionship and stinky breath. It made me think a lot about aging and illness, and what we all face eventually; the loss of our strength physically and the silent echo of limited time.

It occurred to me that there must be an army of women on the cusp of 49 and 50 who feel the need to reflect, pause, and restart. Like the 100k rollover on a trusty, rugged and faithful car, we want to be certified for another 100k, but the driving conditions are riskier, and the driver's eyesight is less than 20/20.

How do we define who we are at 50 when we've always been"young"? If I was 'pretty' in my youth, what am I at 50 ? Handsome? Invisible?

If I am strong at 50 will that protect me from frailty, or do bones snap just a readily as you cycle into the headwinds? Can I rest a little more and not feel lazy and underachieving?

What matters now, what doesn't. Is there a place for me in the line up of credible witnesses? Will I become a fine roux, reduced by evaporation to distilled perfection?