Spring Things - Invasion of the Aliens

They can be beautiful. They can be fragrant.

They are also deadly.

It's the invasion of the aliens - the alien plants, the invasives.  If you have a back yard, chances are you have one invasive species in it.  These invaders crowd out native plants and change our environment.  They can have adverse impacts on wildlife.  They tend to be fast growers.  The most famous invasive may be kudzu but there are lot of other aliens lurking out there in a backyard or vacant lot near you.

Some examples of invasives now blooming here in upstate New York:

Russian Olive. (taken on the Vestal Rail Trail, our local rail trail. That is far from the only invasive species on that trail - soon enough, the rugosa roses will be in bloom.  Yes, another invasive.)

Honeysuckle (taken on banks of Susquehanna River, downtown Binghamton, New York.)

A different honeysuckle (same location).

And finally, wisteria.  Not all wisterias are invasive, but Japanese wisteria is invasive in a lot of the East Coast of the United States.  In March, you can see this beautiful purple bloom up in trees in parts of South Carolina and Georgia. Problem is, it also kills the trees, as does Chinese wiseria.  I found this specimen of wisteria today on the West Side of Binghamton in an ornamental situation, and this may not be one of the invasive species.  I certainly hope it is.

What invasive plants are a problem in your area?

Forty Minutes to a Changed Life

Forty minutes was all it took for a massive tornado to sweep through Moore and Newcastle, Oklahoma, yesterday afternoon.  Forty minutes that changed many lives forever.  Forty minutes that took at least 91 lives, as of this writing. 

Tornadoes are a fact of life in that part of the United States we call Tornado Alley.  I lived in that area of the country (Iowa, Texas, Kansas, Arkansas) for almost 10 years.  In fact, last night, the county where I lived in Arkansas was under a tornado warning for awhile. (A tornado warning is issued when a tornado has been spotted - vs. a tornado watch, which simply means conditions are favorable for formation of a tornado.)

When I lived in Kansas, I met people who had survived tornadoes.  It is a traumatic experience none of us would want to go through.  In this tornado, two elementary schools suffered direct hits and the survivors will live with that memory for the rest of their lives.  A horse farm was hit and, in part of the live coverage, you could see horses that survived wandering around near what used to be a residential neighborhood and was now a pile of debris.

It was surreal, this live coverage, which would have been impossible when I was growing up.

All you had to do is go to Twitter to find out the latest.  You saw photos and videos from the scene.  And, you read worse.  It was heartbreaking - simply heartbreaking - if you read some of the other hashtags that were trending, you saw tweets from people whose relatives are in the affected area of Moore, or Newcastle, Oklahoma.  At least one tweet came from a woman whose cousin attended one of the destroyed elementary schools.  Her cousin was missing.

If you didn't have a Twitter account, you could try the New York Times website, which was streaming live video from the various scenes.  You saw emergency workers, with yellow helmets, swarming over the debris that had been one of the schools.  The only way you could have survived this tornado was to have been underground, in a reenforced concrete bunker.

Google?  You can Google a city or county and if it is under a tornado warning you will see it in a box at the top of the search result.

People continue to live in what we call the "tornado belt". Many grew up there, and their families have been there for generations. When I lived there, we had tornado sirens to warn us.  Now, things are a lot more high tech, but sometimes you only get several seconds of warning.  You can not look out the window and see a tornado coming. And, these storms don't always strike in the afternoon.  Sometimes they strike in the middle of the night.

I saw some of the coverage live, from KFOR-TV, channel 4 in Oklahoma City, yesterday, as a weather helicopter filmed a tornado in action.  When you see the power of those storms close up, you know that your life is so much less in your control than you think.

When dealing with nature, control is an illusion.  All we can hope for is to spend our lives without ever feeling the full force of nature's power.  Especially if you live in Tornado Alley.

Today, the storms are expected to return.

WordCount Blogathon 2013

I'm going to participate in the WordCount Blogathon 2013 and you should, too.

It's as simple as that. 

I hope you will join me and several hundred other bloggers.  You will never regret it.

Three years ago this past April 30, a woman who has been in the life of one of my cousins for many years sent me an email encouraging me to join a blogging challenge called the WordCount Blogathon. She's a published writer and she had signed up.  At that time, I had been blogging for a little over two years, posted sporadically, and had no idea what I wanted to do with my blog.

I knew I wanted to write.  I've written all of my life - well, ever since I learned to read and write.  As a child, I wrote (bad) comics and (bad) stories. I was on my junior high school's yearbook staff.  I stopped creative type writing as an adult, but always wrote as part of my jobs-even if it was only letters to customers or business clients of my employer. 

Blogging was a natural for me because it ties in with photography, another interest I had never -um, developed.

I liked blogging but I didn't know where to go with it.

On April 30, hours before the sign up deadline for the May annual challenge, I took a leap of faith and signed up for the WordCount Blogathon challenge.  The challenge sounds simple but is possibly the hardest thing you will ever do in blogging - post each and every day, no exceptions, no make up days, no excuses, for 31 days straight.

There were possible prizes if you made it through the 31 days, and I admit that was part of the reason why I completed it.  It was hard.  As we say in the Binghamton area of upstate New York, it was WICKED hard.  But then, several months later, I realized I had kept posting every day, and decided I would keep posting daily-for my personal satisfaction.  As of today, I haven't stopped the daily blogging.

So, what about the WordCount Blogathon?  I did it again in 2012, and I am doing it again this year.  Last year, I even won a prize! (and then, I joined another blogging challenge and won prizes - perhaps I should have purchased lottery tickets, too, because I'm one of those people who never win anything.)  Not anything big. But, if I ever seriously decide to take up non-blog writing again, my prizes will be valuable.

In 2013 the Blogathon moved to June but the challenge is the same - blog every day for a month.

If you join this challenge, what can you expect?
-You will be able to blog what you want.  There will be several theme days, but they are strictly optional.  If it is like past years, there will be a Haiku day. There will also be an opportunity to find a kindred spirit in the Blogathon, and guest post on each others' blogs.  Unlike some blog challenges, there are no direct prompts.  But you won't be left without support.  No, far from it.
-You will be stretched to your creative limit
-You will have the chance to discuss blogging with fellow bloggers, and learn from them.
-You will be participating in a professionally run challenge - Michelle Rafter, the founder, is a professional journalist and she knows what she is doing.
-You will have fun.  Yes, really!
-You will meet new people.
-You will find fame and fortune.

No, the fame and fortune part may not happen.  Not right away, anyway.  That will have to depend on you.

Me? It's time to refresh my blog, and I am going to use the 2013 Blogathon to make some needed changes.  What changes? I don't know yet, but by the end of the Blogathon, I will know.

Don't be afraid.
Just Do It.

Civil War Sunday - The Women in the Caves

I first became interested in the Civil War because of a drawing in a textbook.  I don't know how old I was - it may have been 5th grade.

The drawing was of women living in a cave, trying to cook their dinner, in the middle of a naval bombardment.  It fascinated me.  I had to know more.

When we think of the Civil War we think of blue against gray, of battles, of naval engagements, of the glory of battle.  The truth, of course, is far different.  The Civil War was brutal for most of its participants.  Soldiers weren't the only ones to suffer, either.  The 150th anniversary of extreme suffering by a civilian population caught in the cross fire of war is about to begin.

On April 30, 1863,  General Grant and his Union Army of the Tennessee crossed over the Mississippi River into Mississippi, a Confederate state.  This long, mighty river, still a major route of transporting goods in our country, was of strategic importance to both the United States and the Confederate States of America.  It was urgent, for both sides in this war, to maintain control of the Mississippi River.

Five major battles in 17 days resulted, with the Federals winning all five.  The Confederate troops were pushed back, after the last of these battles, Big Black River on May 17, 1863, to the city of Vicksburg, on the banks of the Mississippi River.

The Confederate commander, Lt. General John C. Pemberton, ordered civilians out of the city, but many refused to go.

Late on May 18, Grant and his troops arrived at the city.  Grant decided to attack Vicksburg, feeling the demoralized Confederate troops would soon surrender.

He was wrong.

Grant made two attacks, on May 19 (150 years ago today) and May 22.  His troops were repelled.

General Grant decided to lay siege to Vicksburg.  In the bluffs I remember from the drawing in my elementary school textbook, the civilians dug caves into the yellow clay soil - easy to dig, but firm enough not to collapse.  Some six weeks of terror followed, as some 22,000 shells rained down on the city and its citizens while they awaited reinforcements.  Food became scarce, which is the point of any siege.

Some of these civilians wrote letters and diaries, including Emma Balfour.  It is grim reading.

On the evening of July 3, Lt. General John Pemberton made the decision to surrender Vicksburg. His men were weak with hunger and relief hadn't been able to reach his army.   On July 4, 1863, Vicksburg surrendered.  July 4 is Independence Day in our country.  In a year of peace, there would have been parades, patriotic speeches, and fireworks.  In a year of war.....

Their memory of suffering was so strong that Vicksburg refused to celebrate Independence Day until 1945.  They do celebrate it today.

And then the civilian casualties (some 20 dead, officially) faded into history.  As for Pemberton and Grant:

Lt. General Pemberton was labeled a traitor for surrendering to the Federals. He died, in Philadelphia, in 1881. (and, no, he did not invent Coca-Cola. That was a different John Pemberton.)

General Grant - went on to other victories, eventually becoming the General-in-Chief of the Armies of the United States, and, after the war, became President of the United States.  And yes, he is entombed in Grant's Tomb.

Are you descended from any of the civilians of Vicksburg, or have you ever visited? I never have, and I hope to do so one day.

Sustainable Saturday - Sustainable Travel

How do Americans get to work? It would be no surprise to most if I told you it was by car, driving alone.  However, in New York, some 28% of people take mass transit - buses or trains.  When I lived in New York City, I took a bus to college, and took subways to summer jobs and to get to Manhattan.  In my childhood, a car ride (my parents did not own a car, which was not uncommon in New York City back in the 1950's and 1960's) was a luxury.  I learned to walk and use mass transit, and walking has remained an important part of my life. (Full disclosure, I take the bus to my job in downtown Binghamton, New York).

In a sustainable lifestyle, we want to use the most efficient/safe mode of transportation, whenever possible, as far as "miles per gallon" of fuel-including food, for human-powered transportation.  As it happens, the most efficient use of fuel is made by riding a bicycle. 

Those who believe in sustainable living do think about their driving, and many do try to use more ecology-friendly modes of transportation.  In most parts of the United States, though, it is very difficult (if not impossible) to live without a car.

This may eventually change - people of my son's generation drive less than my generation.


Although most ecology-friendly modes of transport are safer than car travel, accidents do happen, sometimes with disastrous results.  There are many debates about the safest mode of transportation, but it may well be taking the bus. (The same website states that motorcycle transport is the most dangerous.)  When trains crash though, you have hundreds of passengers involved.

Which is what happened yesterday when two commuter trains, one coming from New York City and and one traveling to New York City, wrecked in Connecticut during the evening rush hour.  One train derailed, swung to the left, and swiped the other train.  Between the two trains there were about 700 people on board.  Miraculously, no one was killed, but 72 people were hospitalized, 2 still in critical condition tonight.  The tracks were damaged, too, and there is no alternate way to get these Connecticut commuters to New York City.

They could drive, which is not something anyone wants to do in midtown Manhattan on a weekday (even if you had a place to park, which is unlikely.)

Train travel from New York to Boston is suspended, possibly for the next 10 days.

And, in one more twist of modern life - I did not hear about this crash until today, because I was watching network TV last night.  If I had been on my computer, I would have learned about it from Twitter, with crash survivors tweeting from the scene.

Do you have access to mass transit?  Or, are you able to walk or bicycle where you live?  Or, do you have to totally depend on your car?

Down By The Susquehanna River

Do you have a river flowing through your city or village?  Have you ever given it much thought?

The Susquehanna River flows just a few blocks from where I live - I would bring my son down there sometimes when he was younger (much younger).  We would walk, skip stones, and otherwise enjoy ourselves.  I am a big believer in exposing children to nature at an early age.

Where I work in downtown Binghamton, New York I am near two rivers - the Chenango and the Susquehanna.  There is a little park where they meet called Confluence Park and a couple of nearby bridges that cross the Susquehanna.  As for walking - there is a walking trail called the Riverwalk.

At lunch yesterday, I took a walk with a work friend.  This is what my friend and I saw yesterday, down by the Susquehanna River on the edge of downtown Binghamton.

The South Washington Street Parabolic Bridge.  This historic bridge is now pedestrian only.  I've walked across it many times during exercise walks.

Another view of the mighty Susquehanna, near the "confluence" of it and the Chenango.

Our rivers here give us life.  They can also sweep our life away- there have been several historic floods of the Susquehanna, the most recent in September of 2011.

The Chenango River is too shallow for commercial navigation but can be kayaked or canoed.  The Susquehanna, too, provides hours of enjoyment for kayakers and others, especially as you get into Pennsylvania. This mighty river is 444 miles (715 km) long.

Do you have a river near you?  I hope it is not too polluted, which is a story for another day.  If it isn't, pay it a visit and let me know what you find.

When Good Searches Go Bad

I was intrigued by one of the coupon offers in my local paper this Sunday.  It was a coupon and ad for a soda called "Zevia".  During the warm weather, I  get an urge now and then for something fizzy, and the seltzer I usually drink doesn't quench that particular thirst.  But, I gave up sugared (or, shall we say, corn syrup sweetened) sodas years ago and I don't feel that good about drinking sodas with artificial sweeteners.

I've had mixed success with the natural sweetener Stevia.  I've tried some of the commercial brands of stevia based sweeteners and find them to have an unpleasant bitter aftertaste.  But, I was intrigued by this Zevia soda.  Although the ad didn't come out and say it was using stevia, the name of the product implied it.  So I thought "well, it's worth a try.  I used to drink TAB years ago, and that had a bitter aftertaste that I liked.  Maybe I will like Zevia."

So I went to the website.  There was a feature where you could input your zip code and the site would locate nearby retailers for you.  I looked forward to seeing if I could buy it locally.

The results were - somewhat interesting.

I live in the Binghamton, New York area.  After I input my zip, I was given various retailers - in the state of Maine, in the Bangor area, to be exact.  The last time I was in Maine (September of 2011) Maine was several hundred miles from my home. I doubt it's moved.

The website helpfully gave me the distance from my zip code to Bangor, Maine.  According to Zevia.com, my upstate New York zip code is 4,277 miles from Bangor, Maine.  According to Google Maps, my zip code is about 530 miles from Bangor.  Of course, I could be one of those folks who believe everything they read on the Internet.

So, I did what any reasonable person would do.  I reran the search, this time with my mother in law's zip code.  And the search worked!  So I reran the search with my zip, and this time it worked.

I'm wondering if the people running this website know there is some kind of glitch in their search function, though.  I may tell them about it, after I get home from my shopping trip to Bangor, Maine.

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day - May 2013 Spring Things

Welcome, flower lovers from all over the world, to Garden Bloggers Bloom Day. Hosted on the 15th of each month, this is a chance for flower gardeners and flower lovers from all over the world to show off what is growing in their gardens, in their houses, or wherever they can grow flowers. As usual, this meme is brought to us by a blogger from the Midwestern United States, May Dreams Gardens.

After you visit my flowers please go to her site and visit many of the other posts from all over the world.

After a slight detour the last few days (yesterday, we tied our record low temperature), spring is supposed to return today.  Here's what is blooming in my garden in the Southern Tier of Upstate New York.

My tulips are almost done, but I still have some late ones blooming.

Tulips don't do as well here in upstate New York as daffodils do, but we had lovely tulips this spring.

Daffodils are finishing up.  This is my last one.

I have two Euphorbia blooming in my front yard.  In the tradition of my losing garden labels, I have no idea what varieties these are.  I am a sucker for anything variegated, and this was no exception.

I also have a more traditional Euphorbia next to it.

Primroses are moving past their prime, but this one still has some nice bloom.

Lilacs are in full bloom.  We have three, all shared with neighbors.   This bush on our property line might well be 30 or more years old, and it is having a banner year for both us and our next door neighbor.

This lilac was supposed to be a yellow lilac. We bought it one fall from a nursery we usually don't do business with.  It died over the winter, and they sent a replacement at no charge.  At least it is blooming (in its 3rd year) but it definitely isn't yellow.  Apparently, a lot of people in the United States are disappointed with their "yellow lilacs" but this isn't even yellow!

One more of my flowers - columbine.  I bought this one on a whim. I have another one, which isn't blooming yet, but its production last year has left me with 20 or more little columbine plants.  Anyone want one?

I have so many other flowers in bloom and others with buds - everything is bursting forth at once!  I hope I can come up with flowers for next month's GBBD!

What's blooming for you?

Through the Eyes of a Tourist

Now, this is the kind of blog that I would have loved to have written if I had never moved out of New York City - assuming that
a.  I had been interested in architecture 40 some years ago, and
b.  I had a cell phone camera.

If you check out the "Scouting New York Guide" on the above blog, you will find an awesome (and I don't use that word lightly) guide for anyone who plans to visit New York City.  Or, better yet, already lives there. 

Because something strange happens when you live in a place - many times you just don't notice it.  If you live in New York City, well - you have to make a living, raise your children, make dinner and file your taxes.  Inbetween all of those things, are you running around with a camera and visiting top New York City attractions?

I would bet money that you aren't. 

One of the best things that ever happened to me was leaving New York City.  Because now, I look at "the City" through the eyes of a tourist.  I'm "that person" who you curse at on the Brooklyn Bridge because I am blocking your way as you walk or bike the bridge for the 4,509th time.  Meantime, it's my first time out, and I have my camera out.  (One day I should post some of those pictures, taken several years ago.)

Or, I'm the idiot stopping on Madison Avenue to take a picture of this building. I looked it up when I got home and this is the Carlton Hotel, Madison Avenue and E. 29th Street, built in the Beaux-Arts style, and restored in 2008.

But if I lived in New York City and worked in the area (this is four blocks from the Empire State Building), I'd probably be rushing past it every day, not giving it another thought.

So, I was especially thrilled when one of my high school friends shared a link on Facebook, from that same Scouting NY blog, about the lobbies of Bronx apartment buildings.

The Bronx is one borough that doesn't get much respect - but I spent 21 years in the Bronx, and I spent many happy hours on the Grand Concourse as a child.  My years in the Bronx did not end happily, however, and if I ever complete my "chicken memoir", you will find out why.

But still...reading about the places I once knew makes my heart beat fast. 

Have you ever become a tourist in your own home town?

We Interrupt Spring to Bring You Winter

Winter is supposed to be done, here in upstate New York.  It's May.  April showers, May flowers, that's the contract we have with Mother Nature, right?

But, today we had snow showers, biting winds, and something called graupel.  And tonight, even as you can hear neighbors mowing their lawns, we have freeze warnings.

This is what one of my "homemade" hanging baskets looked like, earlier this weekend.  In the background, behind a ramp, is a lilac bush.  The lilacs are in full bloom, and you'll see pictures of them on Wednesday for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day..  My irises have buds.  Main season azaleas are showing color in nearby yards.

I have a Mother's Day tradition of going to nurseries, picking out plants, and planting hanging baskets.  Tonight, instead of hanging in the spring breezes, the baskets I made yesterday are on my living room table, along with our tomato plants. Other plants are on chairs nearby.  There is barely enough room left for my spouse and I to eat.

Neighbors are covering up flower beds but we've decided our pansies and sweet alyssum are safe.  We don't put any tender plants out this early in May - there is always a risk.

It is 45 (7 Celsius) right now as darkness settles over Johnson City, New York.  It could drop as low as 25 (-4 Celsius) tonight.

Spring, please come back!

Civil War Sunday - The Jackson Women

Today, in the United States, it is Mother's Day.

It is important to remember that during the Civil War, life could be short.  Dying during or right after childbirth was common.  Infant mortality was high, as was death from a number of illnesses that are treatable today.

Many casualties of the Civil War came from infection, and illness, not directly from the hazards of the battlefield.  A number of Civil War generals (on both sides) died in action.  Perhaps the most mourned was a Confederate general by the name of Thomas ("Stonewall") Jackson.

150 years ago Friday,"Stonewall") Jackson died from pneumonia.  This followed Jackson's wounding several days earlier, towards the end of the Battle of Chancellorsville, by friendly fire.  His left arm was amputated in a field hospital not long after in an attempt to save his life.  150 years ago today, Jackson's body lay in state.  And in more modern times, candlelight vigils were held on the anniversary of the last night of his life.

But, this made me think of Stonewall Jackson's family, and what their fates were.  What follows is a little slice of 19th century life.  (A genealogy of Thomas Jackson is available online, if you are interested.)  As tragic as Stonewall Jackson's death at the age of 33 was to many, we may want to consider this:

1.  Julia Neele Jackson, Thomas Jackson's mother:  Two years after Thomas (the youngest of her three children) was born, his 6 year old sister and his father died from typhoid fever.  Jackson's mother was 28 and was 9 months pregnant with her fourth child at the time.  The day after Jackson's father died, Julia gave birth to his sister Laura.

A young widow, Julia Jackson supported her three remaining children in various ways, eventually remarrying.  She died from complications of childbirth when she was 33 years old.

2.  Eleanor Junkin Jackson, Thomas Jackson's first wife:  married less than a year to Jackson, she died in childbirth.  A son was stillborn.

3.  Mary Anna Jackson, Thomas Jackson's second wife:  Mary and Thomas had two daughters.  The first daughter died in infancy.  The second daughter, Julia Jackson Christian, was an infant when Jackson died, with Anna (the name she preferred) at his side.

Anna lived into her 80's.  She never remarried and wore clothes of mourning for the rest of her life.  She was a published author of two books.

Julia lived into adulthood, married, and had two children of her own (a boy and a girl) before she died, a young mother, of typhoid fever.  Anna raised her two grandchildren.  The boy, Thomas Jonathan Jackson Christian, died the year I was born.

Julia Preston, Thomas Jackson's granddaughter, lived to 104, passing away  in 1991.

But, in a story so tragic in many ways, there is one more tragedy to explore.  We talk about how the Civil War tore apart so many families. As it happens, Thomas Jackson's family was one such family.  Remember his sister Laura, the sister born a day after their father died?  Her sympathies were with the Union.  And, she paid a huge personal cost for that loyalty.

Laura Jackson Arnold became estranged from her beloved older brother and never reconciled with her family after the war. Her husband divorced her over her Union loyalties.  She died in West Virginia (a part of Virginia that split from that Confederate State and joined the Union on June 20, 1863, the only state to join the Union during the Civil War - in another bit of irony) in 1911.

All civil wars are tragic.  Ours was no exception. As we pay tribute to the mothers in our lives today, let us take a moment to remember the many mothers who suffered (and continue to suffer) in war.

Sustainable Saturday - Red Hook Strong(er) In 2013

Red Hook is a neighborhood in Brooklyn that had seen better days, had seen a period of decline, and was starting on its way back up.   I had visited it a couple of times last year with friends, and found a lot to intrigue me.


Then, along came "Superstorm" Sandy last October, which hit New York City and surrounding areas full on.

If you think Red Hook was brought low by Sandy, fugetaboutit.  As I blogged about last year, neighborhoods can be "sustainable".  There is a lot of heart in this neighborhood and a lot of small businesses.  Those businesses, including one I visited in September, are struggling to recover.

Now, we are six months past Sandy.  What is Red Hook like?  There is a lot of recovery - and a lot of work still needing to be done. 



When you enter Red Hook, this is what you see-pure urban grit.

 

This shows some of the work that still needs to be done.  In a nearby area, I smelled a very familiar smell - flood smell.  It's a smell you don't forget, and I smelled a lot of it in my neighborhood in September of 2011 after Tropical Storm Lee.

A few blocks away, a garden center was open for business.

Beautiful plants for sale in the garden center contrasted with the gritty neighborhood surrounding it.

Nearby gardens I saw in September are gone for now, but progress in restoring them is being made.

I will leave you today with a picture of the Red Hook waterfront.

In the coming weeks in my blog- one Red Hook small business fights back, and a larger one that has been one of the driving forces in the Red Hook revitalization reopens.

What Am I, Chopped Liver?

I've mentioned before (but not enough) that I have a brother in law, in his 50's, with a developmental disability called autism.

This has impacted his life, the life of his parents (his mother, still alive, still cares for him in her 80's), the lives of his siblings, and the spouses of his siblings.  We continue to struggle with various issues, as his mother ages, and we found ourselves (my spouse and I) long distance caretakers of two.

I've wanted to tell his story (and ours), both past, present and future, and perhaps use my blog to network with people in similar situations.  So many autism blogs are written by parents of young children or even young adults, which is fine (more than fine - those voices deserve to be heard) but I don't know how many other are in my situation.  And, it is a complex situation. Those families with children, I hope, will have it better when their children grow up.

There's at least one support group for adult siblings of those with developmental disabilities, but, as far as I know, nothing for their spouses.  As we would say in my native New York City "what am I, chopped liver?"

So, onward to the 2013 WordCount Blogathon.  This blogathon requires, of its participants, 30 straight days of posting.  No days off.  No opportunities to catch up. There are some nice prizes the participants compete for.  There's a haiku day, a guest post day, and several other (all voluntary) theme days.

The 2011 WordCount Blogathon was the impetus for the growth of my blog.  The 2012 WordCount Blogathon got me onto Twitter.  I highly recommend you join in the fun and register for the 2013 WordCount Blogathon.

But I haven't signed up yet, and here's why.

I don't know if I want to start a new blog. Can I write enough material for 30 days?  Can I find myself blogging daily on two different blogs?  I work full time, and this would be a lot of stress.  (Even trying to figure out if I want to have blog #2 on a different platform, and if I want to have a second Twitter account, if I want to set up a new Facebook fan page - all stress.)

On the other hand, it would challenge me.  Since I've been blogging for over two years straight, there really isn't no challenge in just blogging daily.  There has to be more for me to continue my growth, and doing two blogs would be that challenge.

So, I will reach out to my readers.   What would give me the most benefit for the least amount of extra work?  Should I try the second blog and compete only with it? Should I try to compete with both blogs? Or should I be safe and just register this blog, the blog I've always competed with, and do the second blog on the side (perhaps linking my first blog to it in some way during the competition.)

I don't want to be chopped liver.  I don't want others in my shoes to be chopped liver.  I want our voices to be heard.

Singing a Song of Sandy Survival

This past Sunday, we visited the campus of Kingsborough County Community College in Manhattan Beach (one of the many neighborhoods in the New York City borough of Brooklyn) for their annual Spring Concert.

Kingsborough County Community College is considered one of the top five community colleges in the United States.  One of the perks springtime students enjoy is the ability to use a private beach on the campus - what could be more perfect than a New York City college campus with its own beach?

Well, not when a Superstorm like Sandy hits.

All but the last picture were taken on the campus of Kingsborough Community College.

As we approached the campus, we started seeing a lot of damage - and a lot of dead trees, especially conifers.  Our friends told us cleanup work began immediately, along with measures to leach salt out of the soil, but the trees took it hard.

A beautiful work of modern art with "Sandy Trees" in the background.  What is that woman thinking?  What did she witness during the superstorm?

Some flowering trees in the background.  These deciduous trees in the foreground may have a chance at recovery

(More damage still being fixed near the college).

Meanwhile, at the concert auditorium, people were arriving, many of them (and many of the musicians) senior citizens.  I heard more than one friend greet another with tales of losing their homes or apartments.  That story is all too familiar to me, in my area of upstate New York, due to our own flooding in September, 2011.  But our flood was river water, not the ocean.

Two choruses performed - the "Day Chorus" of day students and volunteers, and the "Night Chorus" of night students and volunteers.  One of my friends is a member of both choruses.  We were also treated to the Brooklyn Wind Ensemble and Concert Band.


There were a number of songs with a religious theme, or "river" imagery (as in "crossing over to the other side").   One song in particular, Arlo Guthrie's "Valley to Pray", was an absolute pleasure to listen to, as was a medley of song from Les Miserables.

In the aftermath of Sandy, it just seemed surreal to sit in that audience.  But, after all, life doesn't stop after a disaster - nor should it.

Later this month - more on Brooklyn's Sandy survival.

Spring Things - Spring Comes to the Concrete Canyons of Manhattan

Yes, you heard me right. It's spring in New York City!

The borough of Manhattan is famous for many things.  Wall Street. Museums.  Street food carts.  Times Square.  Lots of traffic.  Bright lights.  Great food.  People who never sleep.

The Empire State building towers above, soaring towards a beautiful blue sky.

But if you take a few minutes, and don't look for the obvious, you will also find, near where I took this picture of one of New York City's most famous building, these sights:

Flower beds.

Tulips and grape hyacinths in bloom

And even, in the background, a Japanese maple.

But that wasn't all.  Near to this landscaping was something even more remarkable, in a neighborhood called NoMad. 

Come back later this week to learn the story of a most remarkable building and garden.

Frozen in Time

Have you ever been frozen in time?

You may have been.  Have you ever gone to a high school reunion, expecting to find a room full of 17 and 18 year olds, and shocked, instead, to discover that everyone had aged - just like you? Or, visited a place you haven't been to in many years, to find how much it's changed?

I sometimes ride the subway in my native New York City, where I spent the first 21 years of my life.  Before I left, I used mass transit all the time - my family never owned a car. (Back in the 50's and 60's, non car owing families were common in the City.) I've visited New York City a number of times since I left, and sometimes I use mass transit. When I ride the subway, a art of me knows how the subways look, sound, smell nowadays - but a part of me expects to see token booths and does not expect Metro Cards and people listening to music on their phones. 

Another example:  I lived in Tampa, Florida for a couple of years back in the 1970's, and visited the Orlando area several times during that time.  I've been back to Tampa twice since then, the most recent visit being in March, and have been in the Orlando area three times.  A part of me knows that Orlando is a city of skyscrapers and theme park sprawl but I'm amazed when I'm there, because Orlando wasn't like that at all in the 1970's.  I-4 was not a superhighway, and Tampa's downtown was several sort of tallish buildings.  Today I would, and did, get so lost in downtown Tampa that it's amazing I'm still not wandering around looking for the exit.

Yes, at times I am frozen.  Frozen in time, suspended in a time that no longer exists, and not knowing what to make of it.

Has this happened to you?

An Unknown Tree Grows in Brooklyn

My friend of 50 years, who lives in Brooklyn, has given me permission to use the "A ____ grows in Brooklyn" meme one more time before she clobbers me.  (oops, too late.) 

As a native of New York City, and someone who loves the world of flowers and gardening, I always love to point out that there are indeed green things growing in New York City, and trees (and other things) grow in all the five boroughs, including my father's native borough of Brooklyn.

My friend is more knowledgeable about plants than I am but she wasn't able to find the identity of this street tree growing in a Brooklyn neighborhood.  I saw the same tree last year in Binghamton, New York (where I work) and couldn't get an ID on it, either.  It is not a Japanese lilac but those white flowers smell so sweet.  It blooms too early for a Japanese lilac.  I don't think it is a linden, but we are fresh out of ideas. 

Does anyone know what this is?

I do know this is a beautiful flowering cherry.

I think the same kind of tree but in a different light.

This tree on Ocean Parkway isn't blooming but it is coming out with pale yellow leaves - perhaps some kind of ash?

And, more flowering trees along Ocean Parkway.

When I see the late snow impacting various areas in the Western United States (including Missouri and Colorado), my heart sinks.  I hope spring comes to them, soon.

Has the weather been unusual for you this spring?

Civil War Sunday - Who Are You Loyal To?

It's May 5, 2013.  As someone interested in the Civil War, I should have been at the 150th anniversary commemoration of the Battle of Chancellorsville, attending various historical talks and reenactments, and hearing all about Confederate general Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson and his soon-to-be-fatal-wounding by his own men.

I'll let others more qualified blog all about it.  Tonight, I'm not someone interested in the Civil War but someone visiting friends and family in New York City, the city where I was born and grew up. I'm mulling over a statement a fellow blogger, one who lives in a former Confederate state, posted on my blog several days ago:

  "I would pledge my allegiance to my state before my Federal government any day"

It was such an interesting question, to this native New Yorker, that I spent time in the early morning when I could not sleep thinking about it. Who am I loyal to?  Who owns my heart, my identity?

If you had asked Stonewall Jackson who he had pledged his allegiance to, he probably would have answered Virginia (his birthplace is in Clarksburg, West Virginia, but it was Virginia when he was born.  Or maybe he was born in Parkersburg.  We really don't know.).  Robert E. Lee would no doubt had said Virginia, too. 

At reenactments, we have asked the question of reenactors playing the role of generals from the Union side, and they answered - to their state.  Not to the Federal government.

This was a common belief before the Civil War - your allegiance was to your state.

After the Civil War?  I think, for people in the North, we think less about our state identity than people living in former Confederate States do.  But, I think we all, as a people, think of ourselves as American in a way that we did not before the Civil War.  But, not always.

It's another way that we Americans, in many ways, are still fighting that war in our minds, even if we aren't taking up physical arms against ourselves.  Even what we call the Civil War differs, depending on if we identify ourselves as being from North or South.

So, technically, I should be pledging my allegiance to New York State.  But, not so fast.  Things are never that easy.

There is a big mental divide between people living in New York City and people living in the rest of New York State.  The two geographic areas actually have very little in common except for the fact that they both have the same Governor.  I've actually lived longer in upstate New York longer than I lived in New York City, and I think like an upstate person. 

But, if I open my mouth, I sound like someone from New York City.  I have "that accent".

And, while I am New York City, the sounds and smells bring me back to a core part of me that still belongs to New York City, and always will - although I fled New York City the second I could once I was grown, and never turned back.  Not only that, I was born in Queens, grew up in the Bronx and now, my remaining friends all live in Brooklyn.  I spend my time in Brooklyn.  I have not set foot in the Bronx in over 15 years.

So, I honestly don't know who I am loyal to, other than identifying myself as a citizen of the United States, the country I have lived in all my life. 

Is your loyalty to state/province?  Or your "federal" government?

Sustainable Saturday -A Backyard Grows in Brooklyn

Today, I am in Brooklyn, one of the boroughs in New York City. A number of friends and relatives live in the area,and I am visiting them.  I am also checking out the post-Sandy recovery of the  Red Hook neighborhood in Brooklyn, which I'll blog about later this week.

(Incidentally, the "Brooklyn Strong(er)" dates from right after Sandy- I believe it is an update of an original slogan from post-Hurricane Katrina).

Today is bright and sunny and about as good, weather wise, as it gets in Brooklyn.  Yards are not big in Brooklyn, but it's quite possible to grow some of your own food.

You can start seeds in a portable greenhouse.

These pots will be full of green in another few weeks.

 

It isn't too early for some crops.
Strawberries, for example, are already blooming.

And rosemary, which can overwinter in Brooklyn, is blooming.

Many people would be surprised at how green Brooklyn can be, and what you can do with limited space.

Next week:  Red Hook, one of the neighborhoods impacted by Superstorm Sandy, recovers.

"Guest" Post - What Should a Caregiver Know About Physical Abuse of an Elder?

Today, I am featuring a "guest post" - actually a post from the blog "The Intentional Caregiver" that I am posting with permission..  

This is part of the power of the Internet - to be able to share information. Thank you, Shelley Webb, for posting this "must read" article for any caregiver.  I wasn't able to use it when I originally contacted you several months ago, but here it is now.   

As some of my readers know, I am a long distance caregiver for my mother in law, and for my brother in law, who is developmentally disabled.  And sadly, this kind of thing happens. 

We have used a geriatric care manager, and I can tell you without hesitation - a good one is (to quote the cliche) worth their weight in gold. 

What Should a Caregiver Know About Physical Abuse of an Elder?

As a caregiver, you may be providing actual physical care to your loved one or you may be supervising home healthcare providers or staff members in a facility.

If ANYONE besides you is providing care to your loved one, it is important to examine your loved one for signs of physical abuse, which is, of course, illegal, and should be reported to authorities.
The first rule of thumb is to ask the care recipient if anyone is hurting them. (This should be done when hired caregivers are not within hearing distance.) Observe their reaction when they answer.  Their body language may say more than their words.

Look for bruising, bumps (especially on the head), blood on clothing, bedsheets or furniture.  Do keep in mind though that many seniors may be taking prescription blood thinners which can cause bruising and bleeding, so if your care recipient is capable of answering, just ask them what happened. If they cannot speak for themselves, investigate further.

Seniors also may be prone to falls and while this is not abuse, it is important to note, because they may require additional care and/or a doctor’s visit to determine why this is happening. If falling is frequent, are there safely precautions in place?

If your loved one is bed-ridden, or spends a great deal of time sitting propped in a wheelchair, check for signs of skin break-down.  This can be a sign that they are not being turned (neglected) and that is also considered physical abuse.

Are they being cleaned appropriately?

Is there unexplained weight loss?  Are they being provided enough fluids and nutritious foods?  Are their caregivers taking the time to sit with them and help with feeding or is the food just being discarded. (Look through the trash if they are being cared for at home.)  Show up at mealtimes if the loved one is being cared for a facility to determine if staff members are assisting with the meal of if the food tray is just being left at the bedside.  Is there water within reach?

If your loved one is on oxygen, where is it?  Are they wearing their cannula or is it on the floor or rolled up on the oxygen container?

If your loved one is being cared for by hired professionals, the more time that you, a family member or a designated advocate spend with your loved one, the better.  It is a sad but true fact that the more a family visits their loved one, the more important that elder will be perceived and the better the care they will get.

You’re most welcome to use this article on your website, blog or in your e-zine if you include this entire blurb, without modification: If you liked this article by Shelley Webb, you’ll want to hop on over to www.IntentionalCaregiver.com where you can find more articles, resources and support for caregivers of aging parents and loved ones.   Geriatric care manager, Shelley Webb has been  a registered nurse for over 30 years and was blessed to have cared for her father in her home for more than 4 years.

Fighting the Civil War at a VA Hospital

I rarely post about political issues in this blog.  But, today, I am making an exception.

Recently, I became aware of a situation in Hot Springs, South Dakota, at a historical display at their VA Hospital.  Eight flags were displayed.  Two of them were Confederate flags.

Mind you, this wasn't in a former Confederate state.  This was in a state that didn't join the Union until 1889, 24 years after the Civil War ended.

Hot Springs, South Dakota?  I was there many years ago, when we visited Wind Cave National Park. (The cave is well worth the visit, by the way, as are the Black Hills in general. It's a beautiful area.)


But back to the story:  a couple of black veterans being treated at the facility for post-traumatic stress syndrome objected to the flags.  The flags were removed.  Then, after the vets were released, they were replaced.

Now,they have been taken down again.

Good.

So, why do I feel so strongly about this?

My Dad was a disabled veteran of World War II.  He suffered lifelong problems due to a head injury.  He looked to the VA (Veterans Administration) system for health care.  In fact, he died in the emergency room of a VA Hospital.

I am not writing this post to debate whether having Confederate flags on display at a VA hospital is racist or not, or whether the display of a Confederate flag anywhere but on a Civil War battlefield or historical site or a Civil War related museum, cemetery or educational exhibit is racist.  I don't think this is a case of political correctness.  Rather, it's a case of respect.  The Confederate flag, for a portion of our population, is a symbol of suffering, hatred and/or intolerance. 

It does not belong in a VA Hospital, on a state flag or in any government facility devoted to healing.

Here are some facts:

1.  Many of our veterans are minorities.
2.  All veterans should be thanked for their service by everyone in this nation, black and white, north and south.
3.  No veteran should ever be made to feel inferior, unappreciated or uncomfortable, but especially not in a VA hospital.
4.  We allegedly ended the Civil War in 1865.  The key word here is "allegedly" because if you visit various websites and read various books, you will quickly realize that we are still fighting it.

The blog that alerted me to this situation is more than right about this fact that we sometimes forget:

If you want to hate those veterans for feeling the way they did, and if you want to post hateful comments in newspaper articles or even my blog, you can thank the sacrifices they and other veterans made in their service to this country for your ability to do so.

Spring Things - Variety Pack

If we could buy spring beauty like we could a variety pack of cereal, what might we find?

Perhaps these primroses in my back yard.

Perhaps a weeping cherry (I loved the lighting) on the West Side of Binghamton, New York.

Perhaps a bed of tulips in front of a housing development for seniors in downtown Binghamton, open and welcoming the sunshine.

Perhaps a forsythia and a magnolia near the Broome County courthouse in Binghamton.

And perhaps some daffodils in a front yard in Westover, near Johnson City, New York.

But wait!  Variety packs usually have six boxes, don't they?  Well, here is my 6th spring thing.

Even an abandoned factory building (the former BAE plant in Westover, ruined by our flood of September 2011) can be beautiful on a sunny day in upstate New York.

If you could make up a spring variety pack, what would be in yours?