Welcome! I hope I bring a spot of calm and happiness into these uncertain times. I blog about my photography adventures, flowers, gardening, the importance of chocolate in a well lived life, or anything else on my mind.
I have a number of readers in climates where snow is nonexistant or rare.
This is my gift of the season to you.
Bushes
Part of my front yard
More of my front yard.
And I actually got a poinsettia to red up although the plant itself doesn't look too happy.
It's only the start of winter (although winter doesn't start for another few days), as my flower garden sleeps.
But more than that, it makes me realize how nothing is permanent; that many things last for only a short time. That snow for example. It may well be melting in the next couple of days.
I watch the decline of my mother in law and know that, one day, it may be me.
Is time running out? Have I done all I can do in this world?
It has stirred up strong emotions in me; emotions so strong I couldn't believe some of them.
Have you ever thought that the experiences in your life were put there to lead you to something? I am not an extremely religious person, but as I grow older, I more and more suspect this is the case.
It's a funny thing. For some reason, people at my job seek me out to ask Medicare questions (for those outside the United States, Medicare is the health system for the majority of people over 65, and certain people, such as those with certain disabilities or kidney failure, who are under 65. It is complex, and a blend of government and private insurers. Why they seek me (untrained, and not familiar with health insurance or health care except from persona experience) out for advice is beyond me, but they do.
When I was about to turn 65, I went to a nonprofit here in Binghamton, New York called Action for Older Persons, . One of their missions is to help people with the Medicare process. The volunteer assisting me said I would make an excellent volunteer when I retire (this was after we chatted about something), and told me to swing around so I could see what she was doing on the computer.
So that brings me to this Tuesday. My mother in law, who is nearly 90, wasn't feeling well. Another family member took her to the doctor. The next day (Wednesday) we got a call. Bottom line, she ended up in the ER and a local hospital Thursday for various tests, and was released yesterday, weak and the worst for wear. And I wish I had known then what I know now.
Long story short, I learned more about Medicare and budget cuts than I probably ever want to know. I saw a dysfunctional system in action. My mother in law was in that hospital two years ago and they were wonderful. It was like a totally different place now. My mother in law was not served well. If family had not been there I honestly don't know what would have happened. I ended up making some phone calls with another couple of family members, trying to get answers, after a nurse told me "there was no one to talk to, they are all in meetings". As we say here, BS. (that is an abbreviation for what bulls leave in the field after they digest their meals).
I am exhausted and there are three other family members exhausted. And, oh yes. When my mother in law was released she was so weak she could barely walk. Home health care? Well, that seems to be a scarce thing where we live in December.
I had a talk today with one of my mother in law's friends (someone who does have health care experience), who had a friend who died a day or two ago in the same hospital. I've heard other stories before, here and in another part of upstate New York I know people in, with horror stories. Now I've seen it firsthand.
We know our medical system in the United States is broken, but one day you see it in action, and you really see the dysfunction firsthand.
That volunteer position is calling for me, although I am not ready to retire, because it may be one of the few ways I can learn the system. As a caregiver, I must know and be aware. As someone now a senior herself, I must know, and be aware. That person in the hospital may be me someday.
Thankfully, I am not on Medicare yet.
I've vented enough.
And starting tomorrow, I may go into reruns for a while.
My guest photographer provides a picture of the December 6 sunset here in Binghamton, New York. There's a story behind this photo and I hope I have time to explain it one day. But for now, please enjoy it for #SkywatchFriday, where bloggers from all over post pictures of the sky.
It's the 15th of the month - time for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day. Thank you to Carol at May Dream Gardens, for creating this meme, where bloggers gather on the 15th of each month to show what is blooming in their yards or houses.
I have a Christmas Rose (Helleborus niger) in my back yard, with nice white buds. But it was also 7 above zero and I wasn't about to go out there and take a picture. Instead, today I will show you mostly plants I've purchased recently. For example, this African violet.
One of my many Thanksgiving cactii.
A red cyclamen on the left, which I won at a holiday party, and a red and white poinsettia on the right. Yes, I know those red and white items aren't flowers - they are bracts, or modified leaves.
And finally, a closeup of my red poinsettia showing the actual flowers in the middle.
Residents there just call it "12/14". It joins 9/11, 11/26, and so many other such dates from all over the world. For anyone living in the United States, mentioning "Newtown" brings back that day.
The shock waves still ripple through that town in Connecticut. Parents whose children were killed or wounded. Teachers, first responders and other witnesses. Every time there is another mass shooting, the memories come flooding back. Some have moved. Some just want to forget.
Some residents have found comfort in activism and working for gun control. Others comfort the newest victims of our senseless gun violence. Whatever your thoughts about gun control, you must respect those who lived through 12/14.
But there are also those who believe the Sandy Hook shooting never happened. Some of them even stoop to harassing the families of those killed. For those, I can only wish the pain still suffered by those impacted by Newtown could be lifted from their shoulders and deposited on the shoulders of those who think it's all made up. I won't bother linking to any of those stories.
We in Binghamton have a personal stake in the memories of Newtown/Sandy Hook, too. A resident of our area, Mary Sherlach (the Sandy Hook school psychologist) died in the 12/14/12 shooting.
She had worked at Sandy Hook Elementary for 18 years, and died trying to protect students from the gunman.
So what else can be said? The town avoids public memorials. They don't want to be defined by the horror one individual brought on its residents. The school was demolished and rebuilt nearby.
Twice a month, Parul at the blog Happiness and Food, features #ThursdayTreeLove. My contribution on this sad day is a tree downtown Binghamton, photographed earlier this month. In 2009, a shooter added us to the list of worst mass shootings in the United States I linked to above, but his actions did not define us. Strength can be invisible. Appearances can be deceiving.
A tree, growing blocks from that shooting venue, bears witness to our strength. Life is within that tree, and come next spring, the tree will spring to life, unfurl its leaves, bloom, and gather sunlight in green leaves.
May all those affected by the Newtown shootings find peace.
Today is the first full day of Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights.
While most of us in the United States are preparing for Christmas, the Jewish people of this country have been getting ready to celebrate Hanukkah.
In Binghamton, there is a wonderful museum in a historic mansion that
opens for a month every year, this year from November 15 to December 27. Run by volunteers, Hanukkah House
is free (but donations are accepted). You can search my blog for other posts about Hanukkah House, such as this one.
One thing that Hanukkah House displays each year is a wonderful display of hanukiah.
A hanukiah is a nine-branched candelabrum lit during the eight-day holiday of Hanukkah, which commemorates a miracle that happened over 2,000 years ago. It differs from a menorah in that the 9th candle holder is held higher than, or is aligned with, the other 8 candles.
Haukiah and menorahs come in many sizes. Some are beautiful works of art. Others are homemade.
They can be deeply religious, or whimsical.
Some are oriented towards children.
The oil of the original menorah (see yesterday's post for a brief description of the holiday, and this blog post for the whole nine yards, so to speak) was only supposed to last for one day, but the menorah kept burning for the eight days it took to get a new supply. Now, many of these use candles (some are electric) instead of oil. This one is using beeswax candles. The candles can be white, or of many colors.
The ninth candle, or the shamash, is used to light the other candles. On the first day, my tradition dictates one candle plus the shamash is lit. On the second night, two candles, and the shamash, and so forth.
The candles are lit from right to left. By the eighth day, all eight candles are lit by the shamash and it is a beautiful sight. While lighting the candles, two prayers (three on the first night) are recited or sung.
A festival of lights is what we need in today's world - a symbol of the victory of light over te force of darkness.
Tonight, at sundown, the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah begins.
Hanukkah House, Binghamton, New York
Tomorrow, I will blog more about this year's visit to Hanukkah House, a museum in Binghamton, New York open one month a year, but today is a time for food memories.
Hanukkah is an eight day holiday - this year beginning at sundown tonight (December 12) and ending sundown, December 20. (Our days begin at sundown, and we follow a lunar calendar, so holidays fall on different days on our secular calendar each year.)
The holiday (briefly) commemorates a miracle where, after enemy occupation, our Temple was restored to us, and a menorah, powered by oil, was to have been lit. But there was only enough oil for one night. It would take eight days to get more oil (remember, transportation in the second century BCE was somewhat slow) and, the flame burned those eight days until more oil arrived.
Several types of foods are traditional for Hanukkah in my cultural tradition:
Fried foods - two examples would be jelly donuts and latkes. There are many more.
Hanukkah gelt - chocolate coins. Ok, chocolate in the shape of coins, with foil wrappers. Fun!
Dairy - I didn't eat these as a child, but as adults, my spouse and I enjoy a fried cheese patty which, blending in his Italian tradition, he covers with mozzarella cheese and tomato sauce and bakes in the oven. Not like the original. His own.
But as for those latkes - I loved when my Mom made them. (And I love when my spouse makes them in his own way.)
Mom would take out a 4 sided grater and hand-grate Russet (baking) potatoes, followed by onions. She would squeeze any accumulated water. To the mixture, she would then add matzoh meal (you can substitute flour), eggs, salt and pepper. She would form into patties and fry. Many Jewish households of the day used chicken fat for the frying but if you did that, you would not be able to eat with dairy food.
I can smell them cooking now, filling our small apartment's kitchen with the scents of Hanukkah, as I watch the candles burn.
My Mom would serve with homemade applesauce if a meat meal, or, with sour cream for a dairy meal.
This seasonal post has become one of my favorite features on my blog. For the first time, I am sharing it with my friends at Music Moves Me, where our December theme is Christmas music.
But before I do, a belated 101st birthday (December 9) to Issur Danielovitch, better known as actor Kirk Douglas. Born in upstate New York (and yes, he is Jewish), he has gone on to great acting fame.
But did you know he sometimes sang? Here, from the movie 20,000. Leagues Under the Sea, is a song called "Whale of a Tale".
Now, since the theme for today is Christmas music and not Kirk Douglas music, onward...
Today, I pose a question: Why do Christians in the United States dream of a White Christmas? Why is it so important that snow is on the ground?
White Christmas (the song, as sung by Bing Crosby) is the best selling single of all time.
It may surprise you that White Christmas was written by a Jewish song
writer. It may also surprise you that Jews are responsible for many
other beloved Christmas songs.
Some may argue that these are NOT Christmas songs, but rather songs
about what I would now call the "secular Christmas". True, these are not
hymns. But it is true that the American celebration of Christmas
incorporates many aspects of non-religious symbolism - this ground has
been covered by other writers.
I consider them Christmas songs. I think, in particular, few would
argue that "I'll be Home for Christmas" isn't one of the most heartfelt
Christmas songs every written.
Additionally, in the several years, I have discovered a wonderful blog and -
hey, great minds! - John Holton of The Sound of One Man Typing (a 4M contributor) has also
blogged about this very topic. I welcome you to visit John's blog and read even more - a lot more - on this topic.
Here's my list: (this is a You Tube playlist; you can click on the upper left hand corner for all the songs)
1. White Christmas: Irving Berlin
lived to 101, married a Catholic woman back when that type of
intermarriage was extremely scandalous (to both families) and wrote a song which defined
Christmas for entire generations of American Christians. (Incidentally, Berlin also wrote "Easter Parade" and "God Bless America".) The next time
you wonder if you will be having a white Christmas, and if you can't
figure out exactly why that should be so important, well....blame Bing
Crosby and Irving Berlin.
2. Silver Bells: this one is another movie song, and talks about the
bells of the Salvation Army "in the city". (I always assume it is New
York City.)
Another Bing Crosby classic.
3. Winter Wonderland: the author of this song was a Jewish man from
Brooklyn. The air must have been a lot less polluted in those days.
When I grew up in the New York City of the 1950's, a snowy day was more like a Black Crusted Snow Wasteland.
This version is sung by Johnny Mathis.
4. The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire).
The Nat
King Cole version is one of my favorite songs, ever. This brings back
so many memories of the holiday season in the late 60's in midtown
Manhattan and the vendors who sold roasted chestnuts. The
fragrance carried for blocks. For this song, we thank the Jewish songwriters Mel Torme and Robert Wells.
Jack Frost would certainly nip at your nose in NYC. The climate there is so damp, it feels way colder than it really is.
5. Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow: the duo, both Jewish, who wrote that song, also wrote "The Christmas Waltz". This version is sung by Dean Martin.
6. I'll be Home for Christmas. Again, sung by Bing Crosby (do you get the feeling I'd rather listen to the older singers?)
As an almost-history major in college,
this song makes me think of my aunts and uncles who served during World
War II. This song was originally from the soundtrack of the movie Holiday Inn - yes, the movie that the hotel chain Holiday Inn took its name from. Two of the three writers of this song were Jewish - Walter Kent and Buck Ram.
Finally, something I picked up in my research: remember Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. It would seem
that Johnny Marks, the author of that song (and also "Rockin' Round the
Christmas Tree" and "A Holly Jolly Christmas") was Jewish.
Think of the themes of these songs: Missing your home. Childhood
nostalgia. Enjoying a season of lights and happiness. The different
child (or reindeer), scorned by others, who becomes the best of all.
These are universal themes, and this is why these songs, I think, are so
appealing, no matter who wrote them.
I used to work for a man, a man who served two tours of duty in Vietnam, whose favorite expression was "age is only a number". I haven't been in touch with him in over 15 years, but I knew he had gone into business for himself - actually, less than a mile from where I live.
I went to his website the other day, and saw that he is still active in the business (he's older than I am). The motto of his business impressed me: Loyalty/Integrity/Compassion.
Aging really is more than a number. It is a sum of experience - good times, bad times, happiness, grief, and more. These accumulate in you as you age, and make you the person you are, for better or worse.
Some people grow bitter as they age. Others gain in - yes, compassion.
It made me think, as I sit here and watch snow starting to come down. I'm 64 years old but not for much longer.
I love the Beatles song "When I'm Sixty-Four". It's said that Paul McCartney wrote this song, one of his first, when he was 16 years old (but I can't verify that). It talks of a man wanting to grow old with his love. Unfortunately, the complete Beatles song does not seem to be on You Tube; this is a cover by a tribute band.
When I'm no longer 64, I may be thinking more about retirement, although I am not ready to retire as of right now. My first cousin to retire is going to retire in January. I have cousins in their late 60's who are still working. One of my aunts was still working full time at age 77 when she died in a car accident.
And there's my long-lost friend who, if she is alive, would have turned 65 on December 7.
I have tried countless Internet and Facebook searches. She moved from my part of New York City to another in 1964, and we lost touch just after her 16th birthday party.
Getting ready to turn 65 makes you think.
It makes you think of the people in your life who did not have the privilege of enjoying 65th birthdays. That list includes my mother, my childhood best friend, and several co workers (including one I've blogged about a couple of times). It makes me think of the things I would like to do while I still can. Maybe I'll be able to for years. Maybe my cutoff will be tomorrow.
We never know, do we?
What are your thought as your age numbers creep upwards?
Some pictures of the season where I live in upstate New York. No snow to show you - not yet.
But we have plenty of poinsettias in stores.
And even a poinsettia tree.
I know that my readers are clammering for snow, but I have none to give them yet. We've missed the snow that has hit so much of the east coast and the south - snow to the east of us, snow to the north of us, but here we are.
So the sister of my guest photographer had to provide the pictures, from a place where it rarely snows - Alabama.
I don't know if this is a rose or a camilla (I think it's a rose), but either way, this isn't how they are supposed to look.
And, peacefully, the snow fell in the Alabama dark.
Monday, as the supermoon was setting and the sun was starting to dawn, I left for work. I slammed my front door shut, and about two seconds later, realized I had left my purse in the house.
Fortunately, I had my tote bag, with my lunch, my badge, a book, and necessities for transportation. But what I didn't have was my phone.
And so I stood there helplessly, and marveled at the sight of the supermoon. And said "oh no! This would have been perfect for Skywatch!"
Fortunately, the woman who I call my "guest photographer" was taking some shots that morning. And, maybe it is against Skywatch rules, but I am using her photos.
I don't know that the moon was bigger, but it was definitely brighter.
My guest photographer lives in the country while I live in a village.
So, thanks to her, you get a couple of bonus shots of dawn in rural upstate New York.
I might just use her wonderful photos again next week, , because...well, I'll tell you that story next week.
Last year was the 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Pearl Harbor Day was the day that the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in
Hawaii, which was not yet one of the 50 United States. Japan declared
war on the United States shortly after the attack. The United States
declared war on Japan the next day, and Germany declared war on the
United States three days later.
The official death toll of Pearl Harbor was 2,403.
December 7 is a day meaningful to the generation that preceded mine - the generation that is sometimes called "The Greatest Generation". In the same way, November 22 is that date for my generation - the day that President Kennedy was assassinated. For a newer generation, January 28 is the date the shuttle Challenger exploded not long after liftoff. There is September 11, 2001. For the people of India, there is what they call "26/11" in their way of writing dates, the terrible Mumbai terrorist attacks in 2008.
My parents are long gone. If my Dad, a World War II veteran, was still alive, he would be over 100. The man who is interviewed above (his parents immigrated from Mexico) is 105 now. Ray Chavez, a World War II combat veteran, survived Pearl Harbor and still remembers it. And Pearl Harbor wasn't the only tragic thing that happened to him, as he weathered the tragic death of his daughter, grandchild and son in law in a car accident.
Yes, he still works out twice a week with a personal trainer.
And he says "I am not a hero".
I disagree.
We must never forgot our history. Without knowing what has come before, we don't know the consequences of what happens today. We can not make good decisions about what is happening now. Not just on December 7, but every day.
The cat sleeps in the midst of a noisy open house at a local gift shop, snuggled into some knitted hats and gloves, not caring what is happening, not worrying about the future.
An exhibit on Jewish Food all over the world at a local museum led me into today's memory.
Somewhere around the turn of the century (the 20th century, that is), a Jewish immigrant in Brooklyn created the first egg cream in his candy store. It wasn't my grandfather, although he was one of many such immigrants who owned these Brooklyn candy stores.
Never mind the turn of the century. Few people grew up in the New York City of the 50s or 60s (and beyond) without falling in love with this drink. You didn't have to be Jewish or of any special nationality. I think drinking this was pretty universal among New Yorkers.
There are three simple ingredients (none of which are eggs or cream) in a classic chocolate egg cream, yet, it takes certain conditions to make a perfect one. These are the ingredients:
Ice cold whole milk (it must be whole milk, or you won't get the head)
Seltzer, ideally commercial seltzer under pressure
Fox's U-Bet chocolate syrup
Your milk must be icy cold. You can use chocolate syrup other than Fox's, but it won't taste the same. And, if you don't have soda fountain type seltzer, you can use the bottled stuff. But again, it won't be the same. You can order Fox's U-Bet syrup online, by the way.
Now, in my imagination, I walk into my local candy store in the Bronx, which was called Manny's. On weekdays, Manny would sell my Dad the New York Daily News, already saved for him and rolled up, which my Dad would take on the subway and read on his way to work. On weekends, my Dad might take me to Manny's for an egg cream.
In my imagination, I sit on the round, green, padded stool next to the stack of soft pretzels and ask Manny for an eggcream.
I know the drink must be consumed right after it is made, or the creamy head will disappear. On a hot summer day (the door to Manny's is open - it wasn't air conditioned) it was so refreshing. I sip the egg cream, served in a glass decorated with a Coca-Cola label. The cream foam top tickles my lip, and I take in the cold, milky goodness and the chocolate heaven of Fox's U-Bet.
Manny's is long, long gone. I haven't had a true New York City egg cream in possibly 20 years or more.
It's December, and at Music Moves Me, Christmas music rules. But I also wanted to pay tribute to some recently departed singers, so a little creativity was called for.
My first song is a tribute to actor Jim Nabors, who died earlier this week. He was known by many for playing the character Gomer Pyle, first as a gas station attendent on the TV series The Andy Griffith Show and later, as a Marine in the 60's television series Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C. But what some don't know is that he started out as a comedian, but was also an accomplished musician. Here, as an honorary Marine Corporal, he proudly sings Silent Night accompanied by the U.S. Marine Corps Forces Pacific Band at the 2nd Annual Na Mele o na
Keiki (Music for the Children) Holiday Concert in 2009.
Nabors was 87.
Second, a tribute to AC/DC cofounder and guitarist Malcolm Young, who died in November at the age of 64 from dementia. I couldn't find Christmas themed AC/DC music, so I turned to You Tube and its stock of videos of holiday home displays to music. Here, this house's lights pulse to the tune of AC/DC's "Thunderstruck".
And seeing the decorations immediately made me think of still another group - Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Founded by Paul O'Neill in 1993, TSO has gone on to sell almost 10 million albums, many of them Christmas themed.
But, in April, at the age of 61, Paul O'Neill passed away from a prescription drug overdose in Tampa, Florida. He had reportedly suffered from a number of health ailments.
Then, in July, their bassist, David Zablidowsky, died in a freak accident. The RV he had been riding in had a flat tire and pulled off the highway. It was then struck by a tractor-trailer.
TSO is still touring, as they do every November-December, still criss crossing the country (literally) and bringing joy to their millions of fans.
This first video features TSO's instrumental hit Wizards in Winter, which has become a favorite song for house decorators to use in their computer-driven light animations. This comes from the album The Lost Christmas Eve.
The second song, What Child is This, from the same album, has, over the years, become my favorite Trans Siberian song. Enjoy the vocals of Robert Evan.
Finally, the song that was my introduction to this band: Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24 (a blend of a couple of Christmas carols).
Now that it is December, it is time to bring a little Christmas spirit into this blog.
Every year, the Tioga County, New York, historical society (Owego, New York) features a fundraiser called Oh Tannenbaum - various individuals and groups donate decorated Christmas trees and people bid on them. The winner gets the tree (or sometimes just the decorations).
Here are some of the trees featured in this year's bidding:
Patriotic.
Kitchen
White
Tabletop trees
A closeup of white ornaments.
If you would like to see more Christmas decorations later in the month, let me know in the comments.
Today is the first of December. The year is 11/12 over.
Now, on the way to work, I see some of the lovely colors of the sky.
Clouds in shade of grey and pink.
The horizon reds up.
And the most amazing thing is - these Bradford Pears still have leaves, and some are still green.
Join Yogi and other watchers of the sky at #SkywatchFriday, where people all over the world watch the sky. Come join us! Some of the pictures this week are truly beautiful.
Things seem to get more horrible each day. Wars, refugees, terrorism.
There's North Korea looming in the distance for us. For the people of South Korea and Japan, it's on their doorstep. I grew up in the "duck and cover" times. Now, those times are back.
Famine. Refugee camps.
Climate change. Floods. Fires.
So nostalgia is starting to look really good.
Pining for the misty "good old days" is probably as old as humanity is. But
today, we have electronic ways of expressing it. Just go on Facebook. Oh, those good old days, when.....
Yeah, right. And that is because there is no such thing as the 'good old days". Never has been.
If you, dear reader, are in your 20's and 30's, just wait. In about
20 or so years that nostalgia mosquito is going to bite you. One day
you'll find yourself frustrated with technology that your 10 year old
child uses effortlessly. Or you'll suddenly realize that TV shows (if
they even have TV in 20 years) just aren't made the way they used to be.
That "my childhood is a museum" feeling that I used to get talking to my son will be your feeling, too.
And the thing is: "those days" weren't ideal. Not everything was great. Not everything has gone downhill.
So exactly what it is about the "good old days" that I don't miss? . For
my younger readers: you get one point for every item where you actually
knew what I was talking about without using the link. Ready? Let's
go!
1. Coke-bottle eyeglasses.
If you wear glasses and have poor vision (like me) I am thankful daily
for ultra light lenses that don't leave permanent sores on your nose and
your ears. And glass lenses which don't break.
2. Typewriters. I
learned to type on a manual typewriter in Mrs. Gottlieb's 7th grade
typing class. Mrs. Gottlieb was the most feared teacher in my junior high school (an archaic term, by the way).
She put tape on all the keys so you couldn't cheat and find the correct
key by glancing down.
Typewriters? Well, if you didn't have one,
you'd have to pay someone to type your term papers. It was a complex
process: inserting paper into a roller, rolling it into position,
setting the margins, typing, and when you heard a bell, you knew you
were about 5 spaces from the end. Time to hyphenate, then return the
carriage to where it started, and type your next sentence.
3. Carbon Paper. And onionskin.
If you needed copies, you just didn't tell your word processing software
to print multiple copies. You took special paper, and inserted carbon
paper between each sheet - and heaven help you if you made a typo and
had to correct all of those pages. That was an art form in itself.
4. Old fashioned medicine. I'm probably going to get an earful about
this. But, let's put it this way. I have a medical condition, easily
treated today for many people with diet, exercise and medication. My
grandmother died from the same condition in 1937 because there was no
treatment. Things wouldn't have been much better in the 1950's, when I was young. And there was the time I broke my leg, and they never took X Rays, which resulted in a night of incredible agony I can still remember (especially the part where they wanted me to walk on said leg because "it was only sprained". No, it was broken in three places.) Could you see that happening now? (On the other hand, I miss house calls. A lot. )
Modern medicine has a lot of problems, no doubt about it. But enough of
us are walking around right now who may not be on this earth if we
hadn't expanded on the medical knowledge of the 1950's.
5. Old style hiking, swimming, and land exercise clothing. So heavy. So sweat trapping. Enough said.
You'll notice I am talking about technology and not culture, not
people's attitudes. There's enough material there for another blog
post.
But nostalgia calls. So let's revisit it today.
Do you feel nostalgic for your childhood or teenage years? What do you miss about it? What don't you miss about it?
This flower in my yard shouldn't be blooming on November 25.
We shouldn't be walking along the Chenango River in mild, sunny weather.
But we are. As much as I hate winter, this is still another fall that just hasn't been right. I don't feel right. I feel unbalanced. Even looking at these beautiful remnants of ornamental grasses near the river, something feels off.
Two years ago, I blogged about being invited to a 104th birthday party for my
spouse's last living aunt. She lives several miles from my childhood
neighborhood in the Bronx. In fact, I grew up about two and a half
miles (four kilometers) from the restaurant where the party was
held. It's in a part of Yonkers that is heavily Irish, and within
walking distance of the Bronx border. (And yes, I'm pleased to announce that this aunt will be celebrating her 106th birthday early next year).
The first time I
ate there (for this aunt's 100th birthday) something interesting happened. I couldn't resist walking after the 100th birthday party - I
needed to stretch my legs. I went out walking with my sister in law and
my spouse.
As I walked down the street, I passed a bakery, an Italian bakery. It
had an old sign on it, a sign that may have dated from the 1960's.
Suddenly, something seemed so familiar. I couldn't shake the feeling that I had been on this street long ago.
My mind took me back over 50 years, back to when many bakeries in the
Bronx featured a special treat that is only made by one or two bakeries
any more. It was a street dessert called the Charlotte Russe.
I loved this special treat.
The Bronx Charlotte Russe was simple- a round piece of spongecake, with
whipped cream and topped with a cherry. You bought it in a push-up cup -
you pushed it up from the bottom as you ate. It was more of a cool
weather delight.
I remember taking a bus with my mother to a place in the Northern Bronx
where I got my hair cut, and she would visit her life insurance agent to
make a monthly payment on a small life insurance policy. Then, she
would buy me a Charlotte Russe.
One day soon after, on Facebook, someone from the Bronx posted a picture of a
Charlotte Russe. I knew what it was right away. Some things you never
forget.
The Russe was sitting on a box from the Holtermanns Bakery
in Staten Island. So I went online, and, sure enough, Holtermanns
still makes these gems of sweetness. Although, perhaps, not for much
longer, as the push up cups are becoming harder and harder to find.
And, it seems they don't always use the spongecake - they use pieces of
pinwheels or other cakes that didn't sell.
But Staten Island was a long way from the restaurant where the 104th birthday party was held.
Now, in 2017, I see Holtermanns Bakery still makes Charlotte Russe, at least if their website is up to date. But for how much longer, I wonder? I've found a second bakery, Francesco's in Hicksville, Long Island, that may also be making them (a comment on Trip Advisor), but I can't find absolute proof on their website.
Will I ever eat a Charlotte Russe again? Will I ever feast on its whipped cream?
Do you have a favorite food that is no longer made or hard to find?
It is the last Monday of November and, here in the United States, we just celebrated Thanksgiving.
We are grateful for so much, even as so many talented men and women of music have left us this year.
One recent death should make us all think about our lives.
As I was becoming a young adult, a show called the Partridge Family debuted on network television. The plot (I did not watch it, so this is strictly through research) was simple - a widowed mother and her musical family have a hit song and take to the road to tour.
The oldest son, Keith Partridge (lead vocals and guitar), was played by a young (and good looking) actor by the name of David Cassidy. In real life, David Cassidy was the stepson of Shirley Jones, who played the Partridge Family Mom.
David Cassidy was less than three years older than I was. You would think such a good looking man would have a wonderful life with all the fame that resulted from him appearing on the show.
You would be wrong.
But first, some of the music of David Cassidy. Here, the theme of the Partridge Family show starting in the second season "Come On Get Happy".
Eventually, Cassidy became a solo singer and recorded several solo albums. The "Partridge Family" released nine albums under the Partridge Family name, although Cassidy also performed Partridge Family songs in his solo concerts with his own band.
Three of the major cast members predeceased him, including the youngest Partridge sibling.
David Cassidy, as he grew older, did not make the best choices. He was arrested several times for DUI. Earlier this year, he revealed he had dementia after a disastrous concert where he forgot the words to songs he had sung for over 40 years.
After his death, his daughter Katie Cassidy revealed her father's final words: "So much wasted time."
Fame and fortune isn't everything. There's an expression that, sometimes, the purpose of your life is to be a warning to others.
Yes, I'm grateful for a lot in my life.
Join this #MusicMovesMe blog hop every Monday - here are the people responsible for it: X mas Dolly is the Conductor of this trip, and the other Conductors are her fellow bloggers Callie of JAmerican Spice, ♥Stacy of Stacy Uncorked♥and Cathy from Curious as a Cathy. Today is a freebie, meaning we can blog about anything musical. For the month of December, the MMMMers will be concentrating on holiday music. I will be joining them for at least a couple of musical Mondays. Come join us, if you have music to share!
Yesterday, we walked on the West Side of Binghamton, New York (not that far from where the late Rod Serling of Twilight Zone (among other accomplishments) fame grew up.
What did we see on this late November day?
Flowering brassicas - check.
Some things that were usual - such as berries, bright spots on a cloud day.
At one time, dandelions would not have been a common sight - they would have been buried under snow, if they were even blooming.
This foliage should not look like this by now, no matter how pretty it is. It belongs to days or weeks ago.
And, as for this green tree, that is not normal, either. My spouse, in fact, has been tracking seeing the last green leaves for years, in this area where most trees lose their leaves and enter a winter's nap to survive the snow and cold. This is the latest ever we have seen such a sight. The Bradford Pears, in particular, seem to be waiting for something to happen, sitting in a suspended state of part green and part sort-of-red.
Things aren't right. There is a disturbance in The Force.
Small Business Saturday was today, in the United States.
So much of our well being depends on the retail industry. And now, there is a struggle.
We are told to shop local and even have that "Small Business Saturday", which is corporately sponsored by a large corporation. But its heart is in the right place, and, yes, I shopped at several local businesses today. As I did so, I tried to shop for American made goods.
Johnson City, New York, about 5:55 am November 24, "Black Friday"
Yesterday, though, I was a part of Black Friday.
This year, when I shopped at chain stores, I realize that they employ locally, at least at their physical locations. For example, I have a relative who works at Home Depot, (not the one pictured), a job he obtained after losing his job as an electrical engineer. Was it wrong for me to be on that line in the photo?
But:
I got my mother in law her holiday gift online (at the website of another big box store), and I bought a part of her overall gift from Amazon. (I can say that because she received her gift early).
I don't feel there is a right answer anymore. I seem to be doing the wrong thing no matter what.
Do I shop at big box stores, and try to buy American made where possible?
Do I shop at local small businesses, who might be selling merchandise made overseas? (I did shop at a local business on Black Friday, for what that is worth).
Do I not buy online, when it is so convenient, and saves me time and gas?
Do I not buy at all, and destroy the American and world economies?
