DANCING TIL YOU CAN NO LONGER DANCE

I think as we age it is really good to do something physical that
brings joy and dancing is a such a thing for me. When I am using my whole body and swinging in the arms of some less-than-young, its-experience-that-counts sweetie I'm usually just smiling to beat the band. I cannot avoid smiling, it seems. It is such an innocent pleasure. Yes, it is physical but for me, not so sexual. It is just a way that I can use my whole body in an activity that is pretty involving.

There is so much crap going on in the world that to abandon myself to the pure physicality of dance, and dance that takes some mental work as well, which contra and many other dances do, is a good reliever of the stress that comes from all the realizations that this crazy world might not be quite the world I'd like it to be.

Allow me to paraphrase the Iris DeMent song, Sweet Is The Melody: Dancing is for letting go of all the bad stuff and just feeling good. That is the effect it has on me and a delightful effect it is.

I think I used to use food to feel better about the things that I did not know how to change but I guess I've switched my addiction to dance. Maybe that's a better addiction to have.

At any rate, dance on darlings...dance on.

A photo for you that appeared in my yard today and about it I can say...

sometimes amongst all the others there is one.

BEAUTIFUL AUTUMN DAY - TIME TO REFLECT?

Today I had lunch with a friend at Atomic Cowboy. I wish I'd brought my camera. I cannot seem to remember to bring it. But I would have gone to the patio in the back and taken some pictures...as it is, I was so taken with conversation with my friend that I didn't even go see the patio myself. I had intended to. Sometimes the best intentions get put to the side for other things.

Back at home, I sat on my tiny front porch thinking about having what I want and wanting what I have. I have a beautiful, fire-red tree in the yard next to mine...I sat and enjoyed it's beauty. It's not mine but I can still have it. I can still have the joy of seeing it "be" there. I don't have to own it to love it. It gave me great pleasure to see it's radiance. I was lulled into a gentle peacefulness just sitting on my little porch seeing what was...just being in the moment. I love it when I can be in the moment...it's not often. It is, in fact, all any of us have but it's easy to forget that and mentally charge into the future dragging along all our worrisome baggage with us.

I'm pretty good, really, at wanting what I have. I appreciate, deeply, everything of beauty, order and tranquility that I have. I can even find those qualities in things that don't seem to inherently possess them. What I am struggling with is having what I want. There is something I want that I just cannot have. I am fighting against accepting that. It's no good, let me tell you, to do that.
Acceptance is what I strive for...some things are more difficult to accept than others. I always talk the good talk with my Picasso quote, "If you don't have red, use blue." but dammit when you want red, you just want red. I know there is lots of blue out there and I guess I'll have to see about putting that quote into practice. It just may be that blue turns out to be a pretty wonderful color that I'm glad I used after all. But if that red is ever in my palette, I am gonna use it to paint this (or some) town the brightest red you've ever seen.

Enjoy "my" tree...

AUTUMN FINALLY

Great to wake up this morning to the crisp cold of an autumn morning. I love the slightly sharp feeling at the deep intake of breath. I love to walk ever so briefly outside in bare feet. Talk about a wake up call...indeed.

I worked here at home yesterday to batten down the hatches for the oncoming winter. Got all the stormwindows in place. Found the little storm window in the bathroom that has to be attached by the old fashioned hooks at the top of the window. Then I had to store the screen in a place where I'll remember it next spring. I put a rug in the living room so the floor will feel warmer. I caulked outside a bit. I think I am ready for winter to come.

I brought in the winter appliances from my little storage building and took out the summer ones to store. Replaced the dehydrator with a juicer. I like to make my bendy crackers from celery and other veggies in the summer. I like to juice more in the winter cause I think its good to get the vitamins, minerals and trace elements from juiced veggies cause I eat more cooked foods in the winter.

I've been checking out Mark Bittman's new cookbook. How to Cook Everything Vegetarian. It looks to be a really easy, good book to have for people who want tasty recipes but want to eat more vegetarian. (And come on...who doesn't?) I have his original book, How To Cook Everything and I enjoy it.

So, I'm outta here this morning to seek out some filter paper for my juicer and to enjoy this cool and delightful fall day.

See you later...

A MORNING TREAT

Here is what I made for my breakfast and it was so lip-smackingly delicious that I thought you might like to try it.

I chopped an unpeeled, organic apple into small pieces.
I added a handful of organic Hunza raisins (get at Whole Foods or Wild Oats), 2 tablespoons of organic crunchy p-nut butter, a small teaspoon of cinnamon, a tablespoon of jam (I used fig 'cause that's what I had) but any would work, 1/4 cup raw, organic chopped cranberries, 1/4 cup organic frozen blueberries and 1/8 cup of frozen blackraspberries and last...1 teaspoon of raw honey...local is good if it's raw. You could probably use any mixture of other fruits to good end, also. I plan on trying a bunch of others in the coming days.

I mixed this all together and waited long enough to let everything thaw then mixed again. I toasted a whole wheat pita bread until soft, cut it in half so I had two "pockets" and filled them with this yummy mixture.

I figured that this concoction had lots of antioxidants, protein, unrefined carbohydrates and just a bunch of other goodies. It was also very, very satisfying and I did not hunger for anything (food-wise : ) until 1 or 2 O'clock. So, give it a try and think of me while you enjoy this delightful breakfast.

The amount above makes enough for 2 generous pita breads in case you have a sweetie that you'd like to share with. I had it two mornings in a row and it was just as good the second morning as the first.

I hope it appeals to you...hey, it's gotta be better that any pastry, huh...and in fact, it is...by a long shot!

BOOKS AND MOVIES AND MEXICAN FOOD

I am finding myself pleasantly lost in the book I mentioned in my last post, Loving Frank. How wonderful. I highly recommend it and am finding myself reading it slowly to savor it. And...I haven't cried again although I am on page 157 : ) It amazes me how fragile I become when I am ill. I wonder if others become emotionally frail when they are physically sick?? hmmm. At any rate, I feel well and happy now.
So, if you are seeking an engaging book, please pick up this one.

Now, movies...I recently took myself to see Bella. What a sweet love story. Not the usual boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl back kind of love story. No! There is something so much loftier and selfless here in this beautiful little story. Please go see it. Now in that movie I (and pretty much everyone else) cried..not from sadness, although there was some, but more because it touches a part of our hearts that makes us remember how loving and wonderful human beings really are. Go see it. It's not perfect and there may be a few parts that are a little weak but the story overshadows them. Bella is bella. A really apropo quote comes from that movie, "If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans." It took me a moment but then I thought, how true, indeed.

Mexican restaurant: A lovely little place resides in the old Sunshine Inn, for those of you who remember that wonderful restaurant, on Euclid. Tortillaria Mexican Kitchen & Tortilla Co. has wonderful food, good drinks and it's cozy and clean.
I shared a meal with a friend there before visiting Body World.

Body World is a fascinating exhibit and worth every penny, in my book. I learned things about the human body that I truly did not know. Like that the bones in the ear are actually bones and they are the smallest in the body.

Well friends, I have more to say but must attend an event for someone in a couple of hours and have to ready for that.
Hope to share more later.

But in the meantime, thy them all...book, movie and mexican food.

love you all...