The View from Here

Questions I Just Have to Ask

Since school is out and my mind is not distracted constantly by thoughts of work, I have found myself observing the people around me more closely. And watching other people has brought to mind the following questions this week:

Why do people seem so desperate to be noticed for their “uniqueness” while at the same time seeking to belong to a group with similar characteristics? I followed a group of bikers the other day and had to look very carefully to see subtle differences in their motorcycles and attire. At first glance they honestly looked like clones!

What is the purpose of stretching one’s ear lobes? I don’t find it attractive and I can’t find a cultural reason for it. I do remember pictures of stretched lips and ears in old issues of National Geographic, but what is motive behind the current practice? I find it difficult to take someone seriously when I can see through huge holes in their head!

Why do so many people have multiple tattoos? Why do they think I need to see each and every one of them? And why do so many of them depict sinister, evil images? I just can’t believe the woman asking “May I help you?” really cares if she does or not when there is an ugly skull staring at me from her forearm!

Why do people flock to casinos? The Choctaw parking lot never seems to be empty. Even if I were interested in gambling, I wouldn’t be the least bit interested in being in a gaudy room full of flashing machines and noisy strangers. I had Gary walk me through a casino once in Arizona when we were parked next to it in the truck. I had never been in one and I wanted to see if I could understand the attraction. I couldn’t. The noise was awful and the lights were dizzying. The smell was rank and most of the people looked dazed. If I had stayed more than the five minutes I would have been a nervous wreck!

Why is it that the people who show off the most flesh in the summer are the ones who have far too much of it? If you are bigger than I am please do not wear a swimsuit, short shorts, tiny tank top, or strapless dress to Walmart. I promise to give you the same courtesy.

I know, I know. Don’t judge. I’m not. Just asking “why?”.

Veggies Perfect for Me!

I would love to eat only fresh vegetables. But while it is certainly easier to do so in the summer, there are a still a few veggies that are difficult for me to keep on hand and use before they spoil.  I’m only cooking for two people, and many nights just one, because Gary works a rotating schedule of days and nights. Even if I used onion in everything, I couldn’t use a whole onion in a week! And I prefer white onions for some things, purple for others. Same with peppers, I like to use all three colors, but can’t use three whole peppers in a week unless I put them in several dishes.

 I don’t really cook much from recipes; I just assemble a few items for dinner. But I’m always on the lookout for ways to incorporate more veggies into our meals, and especially like to add peppers, onions, garlic, etc. to rice, pasta, or eggs. So I was very pleased last month to find Birds Eye Recipe Ready frozen vegetable mixtures. I know I’m usually the last one on the planet to discover anything new so you have probably been using these for months and just neglected to tell me about them! If not, I urge you to try them, especially if you are cooking for one or two people.

These vegetable mixtures are perfect for me: convenient to use and they have little or no sodium. I am particularly fond of the mixtures that have chopped onions because I don’t have to chop them AND I don’t end up wasting half an onion. I used the tri-color pepper and onion blend to make an omelet this morning. And the chopped Jalapeño peppers are perfect if you just want to add a bit of zing to a dish.

Still raining here, so I expect everyone to be happy with their gardens for a few more weeks.  I have a tomato that is trying to get ripe!

So…eat your veggies. Wear your sunscreen when the storm is finished. Drink lots of water. Stay away from mosquitoes! That’s you health advice from grandma for today. 

Summer Survival

I killed a scorpion this morning. No…it wasn’t outside where it belongs! It was bold enough to be on the carpet directly in front of my favorite spot on the loveseat. That’s where I sit to read and watch television and nap! Honestly…asking for it. I am a nature lover at heart, but I draw a line in the sand when it comes to critters living inside my home. Yes, I’ve been known to spray and swat and stomp more than a few pests!

Surviving the summer in Oklahoma, which apparently provides the ideal environment for anything with six to eight legs, requires preparation and daily diligence. I am never without insect repellent when I work in the yard. (As a precaution I wash it off when I’m finished with my outside chores.) I am cautious about when and where I work. I especially fear wasps, hornets, and scorpions so I don’t reach into bushes or move old fallen tree limbs without a long tool. I am careful to replenish the water tubs that I leave out for the big critters so we don’t breed the tiny biting ones.

And as if insect attacks weren’t bad enough, Oklahoma should be famous for its snake population! Since we moved to Oklahoma I have been regularly greeted by snakes in our yard and even in our pantry, laundry room, and shower. I stepped on a baby snake once, and then spent a full minute trying to figure out how to safely get off of it!

Summer also means sunburns, barbeque fires, and drownings. A news report this morning emphasized the importance of learning to swim. That may seem odd in a state that is located in the middle of the prairie, but here are some interesting statistics for you:

Oklahoma has 11,611 miles of lake shore line, which is slightly less than the estimated combined general coastline of the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic Coasts (12,383 miles).

Oklahoma has more lakes created by dams than any other state in the U.S. (200+)

Oklahoma has over sixty natural lakes.

Oklahoma has 78,578 miles of rivers and streams.

There are also an estimated 9,000 commercial and residential swimming pools (as of 2009).

I don’t know about you, but I plan to be extra careful around water, and to stock up this week on sunscreen, insect repellent, and bandages!

 

 

Garden Projects...

Have I mentioned that I hold a charter membership in Lazy Gardeners of America? Yep. Been a member for years. You may not have heard of us before. We’re a low-key group. Few members want to advertize that they fit the club’s criteria: careless, reluctant, neglectful, forgetful, and unprepared. Some of us escape the notice of neighbors and friends because we possess another essential trait: luck. Nature often takes pity on our lack of skill and knowledge and lets us make up for it with good fortune. I have actually pulled up a plant from one flowerbed, thrown it into the corner of another flowerbed, and watched it flourish. Of course I have also paid $20 for a plant, carefully read and followed the care instructions, and watched my new acquisition die within weeks. That woman on Oklahoma Gardening makes it look so easy! What’s wrong with me?

Someone commented the other day that I must have a beautiful garden. No, not really. I have some beautiful flowers. But I have always believed that a garden is the result of planning, intention, and structure, accompanied by scheduled, diligent work. I’m a terrible garden planner. I’ve tried. I have excellent research skills and I can draw out a plan that will amaze you (for years I wanted to be an architect). But my plans seldom work out. I also have good intentions and would spend hours in the garden except for the fact that I can’t. Physically I have to balance my time doing manual labor or I won’t’ be able to do anything else. And as much as I would like to say that my garden is a high priority in my life, it really isn’t. During the school year there are garden chores that go undone, plants that suffer neglect.

So…that brings me to summer and the realization this week that I have neglected a LOT of things in the garden. There are about fifty things I would love to do this summer and I am trying to spend an hour a day “catching up”…but past experience tells me that probably will not happen. Before I have accomplished all that I want, it will be August and my efforts will again be focused on my classroom. But I will do what I can because I am totally addicted to this demanding pastime.

I suppose the sane and logical thing to do is tackle the big projects before the heat makes me even lazier. Then I can do some of the little things that only another gardener would notice. Yesterday the wind was blowing 30+ miles per hour and I had the silly thought that I would wait until a “calmer day” to work outside. Then reality slapped me in the face: the next calm day will be in July when it is 100+ degrees!! So I held onto my hat and did a few things that didn’t involve dust flying into my face. Now I am happy to report that one of my projects is complete!

Gardening is supposed to be relaxing, rewarding, and restorative. Sometimes it is.  My personality is what also makes it an obligation that I don’t always embrace with enthusiasm! Oh, well…I have all summer. 

Reflect, Respect, Remember...

Today isn't about bargains and barbeques.

It's about honoring those who gave their lives for our freedom. 

Offline

I made a conscious choice last weekend to stay offline. Between the four of us we had four phones and a laptop so it was possible to check FB and answer email, but I chose to wait until we returned home. If we had planned to be gone a week or more I would have made a different decision, but three days offline seemed like a good idea. We all need a break from our social network from time to time. You will note, however, that I didn’t leave my phone at home. And I made sure it was charged. “Off” is one thing…unusable is quite another. Like everyone else, I like knowing I have a phone if I need to call someone.

Ironically one of the things I enjoyed about traveling when I was a child was the idea that no one could find us. I’m not sure why that intrigued me so much, but I realized quite early that when we were traveling our friends and family members didn’t know more than our general route. It made any trip seem like a grand adventure! I don’t remember ever being frightened about being lost or hurt. There were plenty of other travelers out and about and we routinely saw patrol cars. We had a few breakdowns and flat tires over the years, but somehow everything always turned out okay. I suppose my parents’ perspective on those times was quite different from mine.  They had to fix things; I only had to play on the side of the road and pick flowers until they had done so.

During the early years of our marriage Gary and I were often separated from our family while we climbed mountains and raced cars and camped on the beach. Sometimes the children went with us and sometimes they stayed with my grandmother. It never occurred to us to really worry about being out of touch. There were pay phones everywhere, even at the base camps of some wilderness areas. Every gas station and motel and corner grocery store had a pay phone. Communication wasn’t instant, but it was often possible, and “check points” could be established for safety. We usually called home every night so someone knew we were still alive. If we climbed for several days we made sure someone nearby expected us home at a certain time. We never went on a dangerous hike without another couple, but we did spend time exploring alone. We once spent four days in the wilderness without ever seeing another person!

Looking back, I suppose we took our chances with safety, but then again, everyone did. Nowadays people don’t want to work in their yard without a phone. Some people don’t even go to the bathroom without them- I know because I have heard far too many bathroom stall conversations in restaurants and at Walmart! Are they important conversations? No. Are they emergencies? No.

When I see dozens of people around me with phones stuck to their ears it makes me wonder what they have to say that is so important that it can’t wait until a more relaxed, private time. Everyone seems so distracted and oblivious to their surroundings while they are talking to that little box. I once witnessed a woman go through the whole process of checking out her groceries at Walmart without speaking to anyone except the person on her phone. She barely nodded to the clerk. And the entire phone conversation was just your standard, everyday chit-chat.

Of course now everyone also uses their phone for apps and games and searching the internet and updating their FB status.  I recently watched a man play games on his phone while his family finished eating dinner at a local restaurant. His kids were chatting about recent activities and he hardly said a word. I routinely witness parents handing their phones to toddlers so they will be entertained while the adults shop.  Kids pick up phones or other devices the moment they get into their cars after school. People constantly consult their phones for information.  There are a million and one reasons to never let your phone leave your hand!

Well, I’m here to tell you there is one reason to leave it in my purse, turned off: because I don’t want to use it. And as long as I still have choices, that’s mine.

BTW- Did you know that if your phone is on while you are shopping that many stores can track your shopping habits, purchases, etc. and use the information to design displays, change product arrangements, and figure out how to entice you to spend more money? Yep. All connected to the store’s video surveillance system. I saw a fascinating news program about it.

 

Random Road Thoughts

Are we there yet?

I relived a childhood experience last weekend. I traveled miles and miles in a car…without driving. 

I also got the chance to talk to adults…without being interrupted by a child!  Wow! Hours and hours to look out the window, talk to three other adults, or just think. Throw in sight-seeing, eating, walking the beach, birding, and photography and it was the perfect weekend getaway.

I can’t travel very far in a vehicle without dredging up childhood memories and making comparisons. We joked about wanting a DVD player in the backseat, but we all know those are almost standard equipment in vehicles that routinely convey children. When I was a kid we played games, talked, sang, searched the roadside for animals, and counted car models. We didn’t have air conditioning, usually stopped by the side of the road to eat a picnic lunch, and sometimes slept in the car for naps or part of the evening.

One notices certain consistencies after a few hundred miles of road travel. Most cars and trucks are white, silver, tan, or black. People routinely drive ten miles over any posted speed limit. People talk and text while driving, regardless of traffic conditions or laws. Any city with over 50,000 people has road construction somewhere within the city limits. Any shopping mall in any city is essentially a clone of the one in the next town. Walmart is a beacon of familiarity no matter where you are in the country. Americans are addicted to McDonald’s food. People love eating, shopping, and sports.

Yes, if you travel very far it is easy to see that despite differences in regions and cultures we are a nation that lives within certain parameters. I base that on observations gleaned during my travels in many, many states over many, many years- not just this weekend’s adventure.  We seem to have a basic list of preferred foods, hotels, stores, and sports.  Add to those the basic services needed by humans, and you can create an ideal town anywhere! Thank goodness nature provides some interesting changes in environment and weather or we would bore ourselves to death.

Whenever I travel through areas like south or west Texas I always wonder why someone long, long ago stopped in the middle of that vast nowhere and said, “I think I’ll stay here.” Good grief, why??????? I suppose many early settlers had land grants or were from similar environments or were just desperate to own some land, but still…

We are fat!! You cannot go anywhere these days without realizing that as a nation we have expanded in ways our ancestors would find appalling. Fast food, huge portions, and excessive snacking are the norm. Look around in any restaurant or hamburger joint and it’s easy to see that we love our greasy, salty food and we are consuming it with abandon. I predict that in the near future many restaurants will increase the size of their chairs to accommodate our bigger butts!

People are basically kind and caring. As news of the Moore tragedy filled the screens at the restaurant where we were having dinner I could hear bits and pieces of conversations. People stopped eating and stared at the televisions. Disbelief registered on the faces I could see and for a moment I knew that we were united in sympathy and concern. The actions of people all over the country this week have reinforced my faith in humanity. We can put aside our differences and act like a nation when necessary.

Kids are kids. I love to observe them when I don’t have to take any responsibility for them. Watching them do predictable things at stores, restaurants, the hotel, the beach, etc. was fun. Listening to them interact with their parents reminded me that it doesn’t matter where you live- kids can drive you crazy!

I hope your summer travels are enjoyable! 

The Lexington

The primary purpose of our trip to Corpus Christi was to tour the USS Lexington, the aircraft carrier on which Gary’s dad, Irwin Edward “Dutch” Maurer, served. His dad also served on the Yorktown and the submarines Hoe and Sargo. He was in the Navy from June of 1943 to December of 1945.

We spent several hours exploring the ship and even though we only saw a small portion of it we got a sense of what Dutch’s life might have been like on board. Gary explored some areas that I wasn’t able to navigate because he is smaller and more agile than I am. Be warned that if you plan to take the tour it is a bit strenuous- and definitely not for the claustrophobic! Access to most areas is narrow and steep; only the flight deck has an escalator going back down, and it was broken. Also, most areas did not seem to have air conditioning so I was happy that we went early in the morning.

While Gary was down below deck for a while I watched the dolphins diving and splashing. I only had my little camera with me and wasn’t able to take any good photos, but it was a thrill to watch them. I also watched a young man painting part of the ship, and a crew working on a new airplane display. I imagine there is always something to do on a ship, even one that is permanently docked.

The ship was a busy place, even on a Monday this early in the summer travel season. As we were leaving a large group of school children arrived. And the next day the museum was offering free admission to first responders and other emergency personnel. You might want to check their website for information, rates, and events if you will be in the area this summer. 

Where do I begin?

I’m not sure how to describe the last few days or what to say about a great vacation that also turned out to be a great escape.  We went to Corpus Christi to see the Lexington, one of the Navy carriers that Gary’s dad was stationed on, and to do a little bird watching on Padre Island. While we were there we saw some of the news coverage of the storms in Shawnee. Then Monday night as we were enjoying dinner at Johnny Carino’s the images from Moore began to fill the multiple screens around the room. My first thought was disbelief that Moore could be devastated again; my second thought was profound gratitude that we were nowhere near it.

Still thanking God for our safety this morning. We drove through some rain on the way home, but for the most part completely avoided the storm. Returned to an intact house. There are things out in the yard that will need to be retrieved later, but I can’t see any damage to anything. Extremely grateful for the four inches of rain we received. Blessed. Praying for those who were not.

Our mini-vacation was very enjoyable! We were able to spend quite a bit of time bird watching and walking around in nature areas. Spent several hours on the Lexington. Did a little shopping. Did a whole lot of eating. Gary and I took a total of 777 photos with our two cameras and he took over a hundred on his phone. I promise not to bore you with all of them, but I will be grouping them into some albums later. You can view the ones that interest you! Of course I managed to find a few flowers and butterflies, a dolphin, a rabbit, and even a lizard among the birds. We took a few “silly tourist” shots and some of the local landscape. I’ve posted a few samples here and will be blogging about some specific things in the next few days.

Spending today doing the laundry and recovering a bit. I didn’t have any problems walking around the beach, but let’s just say this fat old body was not designed to do much climbing and walking on an aircraft carrier!! By the time we finished and got ready to return to the parking lot across the street I was exhausted. We got settled on the shuttle and prepared to ride down, and…it wouldn’t start! lol More walking!

Do you see the "heart"?

Hope you are having a great day! Stay tuned…

 

Road Trip

We are starting off the summer with a little trip to the gulf. Haven’t been there in years. Okay, decades! Always loved being near any body of water!

I’m sure there will be a few photos when we return! Lol

Be good and stay safe.