Local Saturday - Walmart and Whoopie (Pies)

No more "urban offense and rural defense".

Walmart is ending an experiment begun in 2011, with small "express" stores.  Some 10,000 people in the United States, and another 6,000 outside our country, will lose their jobs.

Walmart had hoped that lower income shoppers (who will shop several times a week, as they accumulate enough money to shop)  would embrace the concept of a smaller, 10,000. sq foot type store, larger than a convenience store but smaller than a mega-big box superstore.

All the more reason why you should support your local grower and shop (if there is one) at your local farmer's market.  Big corporations are not there for their customers.  Obviously, all sellers sell to make profits (otherwise, why be in business?), but for small sellers, the customer and his/her needs is always a main focus.

Why?  Because they've met you.  They know you personally.  You are a person to them, not a dollar amount of profits.

Today, a visit to the twice a month indoor winters farmers market in downtown Binghamton, New York illustrated that.

A farmer we've bought from many times invited us to come up to his farm.  "It will be more relaxed there.  We can visit, and we have more items than we can take to the market."  As he spoke, a young woman helping him out smiled and interacted with another customer's young son.  I can just imagine the pleasant memories this young boy will have when he is older.

Niechelle Wade, a woman who farms (Sunny Hill Farms) near Whitney Point, New York, greeted me from her booth.  She had chocolate and gingerbread whoopie pies for sale.  I couldn't resist.   These are hand made, with love.

You can get whoopie pies at Walmart, too.  But you can't talk to the baker.

Another bakery person, the owner of Boer Bakery at Downward Slope Farms, chatted with me about her out of this world crackers.  She explained that I could call her before Wednesday and she would have the baked goods I wanted at the Saturday market.  That included her crackers, which are so labor intensive she only makes them by special order now (and not during the summer heat).  She also said if I wanted something not in her selection of breads and baked goods, to suggest them.

Do Walmart executives go out and talk to their customers at their stores?  I wonder.

Perhaps it isn't fair to compare a huge Walmart with small local growers and producers.  But, as far as I am concerned, that's exactly why I like to shop at farmer's markets - because it is more than a trip to buy food and make someone far away that much wealthier.

It's social contact, money that stays in the community and is respent, and food for the soul.

Will you or someone you know be affected by the Walmart layoffs?

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day January 2016 - Snow at Last

Welcome to Garden Bloggers Bloom Day, a monthly meme hosted by May Dream Gardens, a blogger in Indiana, where gardeners and flower lovers gather from all over the world to show what is blooming in their yards (or houses).

Last month, for the first time ever, I was able to show flowers blooming outside my zone 5b upstate New York house.   The key word here is "outside".

In fact, if Garden Bloggers Bloom Day had been just a couple of weeks before, I could have featured a blooming white hellebore.

 Alas, snow now covers the ground, my white hellebore's flowers have frozen dead and the action has moved indoors.  But what action it is.

My Thanksgiving cactuses are still blooming.  Here is a pink bloomer.

A red and white bloomer.

The African violet I featured last month is still blooming.

I got some (I think) Plectranthus cuttings when attending an Ithaca, New York event in October.  They are still blooming nicely (and finally growing roots) in water.

Soon to join it is something I did not expect. Last Mother's Day (May, here in the United States) I bought my mother in law a phalaenopsis.  I liked the cachepot so much that I treated myself to one, too.  I don't have the best track record with orchids.  Earlier this year, in fact, I managed to kill the only one that ever rebloomed twice for me.

I bought these plants at our local Wegmans (a supermarket chain) and have been so pleased.  My plant has been thriving.

I was watering the plant yesterday and this is what I saw.  Buds!  In January, no less.

These preexisting plants have been joined by a plant I bought about three weeks ago, a primrose.

And, speaking of supermarkets, I was shopping at our local Aldi and saw this hyacinth, forced in water, for sale on Wednesday.  It was small, but the price was right.  This is a store where, if they feature plants, you have to get them the same day they arrive because no one takes care of them.  Hopefully, the rest of them sell to good homes.

Now please stop and smell the roses - and other flowers.  Head on over to May Dream Gardens and see what else is blooming this 15th day of January.

What Would You Do with a Billion Dollars?

The 1.6 billion dollar jackpot multi-state Powerball lottery I blogged about yesterday sold three winning tickets: one in California, one in Tennessee, and one in Florida.  

So the lives of at least three people (maybe more) will be changed forever, and we can only hope it is for the better.

So, what would you have done with your winnings?  

After I wrote my post yesterday on the American mega-lottery Powerball and its 1.5 billion dollar prize in last night's drawing, I got an email from my guest photographer.

I had said "I'll take obscurity, and happiness, over the misery of winning the lottery."  In turn, she replied:

"Such wonderful words! A distant cousin of mine won $1 million and ended up bankrupt. here have to also be people out there who bettered their lives and other's lives and who gave a lot to charity after winning. But I think you need an attorney and a mindset to just keep on living your true life and not give it over to spending money.

That said, I would get a new car, pay off everything, and turn Project Paw [a local no-kill cat shelter] into the Crystal Cathedral---no more cages. All glass and screened-in balconies for all. Then I'd pay off (name of a good friend of her's) mortgage. Fix (a name of a disabled vet she helps out from time to time) roof. The list goes on and on. So, just in case, get your wish list started!"

One of my blog readers commented:

" My sister and mom bought a powerball ticket. If they win, they will share the money with the rest of the family. I will buy a house near the river and I will buy up some of the wetlands around here and have a conservation easement put on that land. I will also have nature trails put through the wetlands so people can enjoy nature."

So, I got to thinking.  My wish list would include one of these (once I had an attorney and a financial advisor in place to make the lives of my immediate family more secure):

-promoting community gardening where I live, near the small city of Binghamton, New York.
-starting a "matching funds" drive to get some of our many eyesore buildings torn down. and replaced with housing to benefit senior citizens.  Our community has so many seniors and so few housing options for them.
-promoting our local farmers market and, at the same time, finding ways to make the downtown Binghamton market thrive AND its offerings more affordable to the many impoverished people living in Binghamton.
-starting a drive to find an early test for pancreatic cancer, a cancer that has impacted both sides of my family.

Naive and overambitious, perhaps?  Well, obviously, I didn't win.

How about you, dear readers?  What would be your wish list if you won a billion dollars?

Winter Wonders - Powerball

Yesterday, we got the first snow accumulation of the winter.  Given I live in an area that can get upwards of 120 inches of snow (in the metric system, that translates to "lots of snow"), that shows what a different winter we have had.

It isn't just us (and if you want to see our totals, check out the stats for "Binghamton".)

When I moved to this part of upstate New York in the mid 1980's this was a normal sight by October.

But snow, or climate change, isn't what we are talking about in the United States today.  No, what we are talking about is a true Winter Wonder, never before seen in our country.

In the United States, Powerball is a multi-state lottery.  Residents of 44 states, plus the District of Columbia (our capital is not in a state) and a couple of other American entities such as Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, participate in Powerball.  Every Wednesday and Saturday night, a series of numbers is drawn.  If you purchase the winning ticket...well, you've won a lot of money.

Maybe, because of taxes, it isn't as much as you think.  And the odds of winning are not great.  Since sometime in November, there has not been a winner.  So the jackpot has grown, and now is around 1.5 billion dollars U.S..  As in "billion".

1.5 billion U.S. dollars translates into a lot of money.  Just think.  Designer clothes.  A fancy car.  A fancier house.  Gourmet food.  Servants.  World travel.  The end of your problems.    Doesn't it sound nice?  (By the way, if you are reading this outside of the United States - yes, you can buy a ticket.  Although, I'm not suggesting it.  Why?  Keep reading.)

So, at work yesterday, the topic was "have you purchased a Powerball ticket?"

My answer:  no.

Years ago- to be exact, over 30 years ago- I knew someone, on a professional basis, who won the New York State lottery.  I'll spare you the details, but it did not end well for him, or his girlfriend. They ended up in court, suing each other over who purchased the ticket, and if the other party had been promised half the winnings and...I have a feeling, by the time it was over, that he wished it had never happened.

He is not alone in wishing he (or she) had never won, if you believe a major New York City newspaper.  Bankruptcy rates approaching 70%..drug overdoses...even winners being murdered.

I speculate the disasters following a lottery win are due to a combination of factors - not knowing what to do when you receive a large sum of money, greed, and losing judgement.  We all say "oh, it won't change our lives; we'll be the same person."  Or "I'll give most of it away".  Wrong.

Still, I don't envy (that much) the people who will win tonight - if there is a winner.

I decided I would rather spend the money on a high quality dark chocolate bar, although a losing Powerball ticket, I figure, has fewer calories.  I'll take obscurity, and happiness, over the misery of winning the lottery.

What about you?  If you live in a place with Powerball, did you buy a ticket for tonight's drawing? Do you have a plan for if you win?  If you don't play lottery games, why not?

The Abandoned Skates and the Lonely Christmas Tree

Today, we should be getting our first "more than a dusting" snow accumulations.  Perhaps, tomorrow, I'll have an actual winter post to offer for my Wednesday Winter Wednesday feature.

So today, let's mourn (or celebrate) the end of our snowless streak.

This Sunday, spouse and I took a walk on the Vestal Rail Trail near Binghamton, New York.  As I've blogged about so much, we had an unusually mild winter until last week.  After a few days of seasonal cold, it started to warm up again.

Sunday was showery and in the 50's (high of 11.6 C). When we started to walk, showers threatened, but I wanted to see what sights awaited us.

Before I do, though, I wanted to show you something special.  About halfway through our walk, the sky opened and we were drenched.  We decided to turn around, as the rain beat down on us and our one small umbrella. 

But then, the rain stopped, and nature apologized with a sight we usually don't see in January.

Stranger sights awaited.

Scatterings of green leaves here and there.  This is not a normal January sight in upstate New York.

Shortly after we began our walk, we passed these abandoned skates lying near a bench on still-green grass.  Green grass-another never before seen sight in upstate New York.

The skates were still there when we came back. Oh, if we only knew their story.

Or the story of this living Christmas tree, ornaments dancing in the wind.

What was your weekend like?

Music Monday - Is It a Small World After All?

EAR WORM ALERT!

The other day I read an Internet article on "what has been the most frequently played song?"

It turns out the winner, according to the article, is a song called "It's a Small World". This song has been part of a theme park ride for over 50 years.  It's been played over 50 million times.

This ride now operates at various Disney properties throughout the world, and all those repetitions of that song add up.

I've been on two of those rides.  One was at Disney World near Orlando, Florida.

But my earliest memory of this ride was not at a Disney property at all but, rather, at the 1964 New York World's Fair.  I rode it several times with my family and once on a school field trip (I grew up in New York City).  My spouse also rode it twice.

Would you like a glimpse at what the original look of this ride was like?  This video is of high quality.  It's a bit long but you will get the point quickly.  I would say "not bad at all for 1964!"  Some say the content is stereotyped; others say it is sweet and innocent.  You can decide for yourself.

Just don't listen with the speakers on, unless you want to develop an earworm.

Rides come and rides go but this one has staying power.

Have you ever ridden it?

Let's see how much of a small world this is.

Sunday Turkey and Greens Soup

On a cold winter's day, what is better than a steaming bowl of soup?

When our local supermarket had some reduced price turkey wings (we've never had a problem with their reduced meat) my spouse bought a couple of packages.  Soup is an excellent food - it hydrates you, and (the way my spouse makes it), it is suitable for those watching their weight.  Also, the sodium content can be adjusted according to taste.

First, he made the soup base.

Take the turkey wings and add them to a large pot with water to cover.  Add a couple of bay leaves and several cloves of garlic, smashed with the flat part of a large knife to release the flavor.

Simmer for about one and a half hours.

In the meantime, spouse prepared the meatballs with the following:
Ground beef/veal/turkey mixture about 1/2 pound (about a quarter of a kilogram)
chopped parsley
chopped garlic, cloves first smashed with flat part of knife
chopped green onions (some call them scallions)

He mixed all ingredients together with his hands, formed little meatballs, and cooked one quickly in the microwave to taste.  Satisfied, he dropped them into the soup, raw. 

The meatballs, added.

After another 30 minutes,, he took out the now-cooked turkey wings out and defatted the broth.  

(By now, the meat will fall right off the bones)

You want to have the meatballs cook in there before the defatting so that some of their fat is taken out at the same time.

Then, he added veggies that take a few minutes to cook - baby carrots, celery - and cook another 20 minutes or so.  Finally, he added the tender greens - escarole (what we use) or spinach, plus some precooked pasta.

If you wish, you can add canned beans, tomatoes, or corn, to this soup, also.  The beauty of this soup is its versatility.  There is no right way to make it.  Use what is on hand.

Delicious - just perfect for a day like today.

Mangia!

Do you like soup?  What is your favorite?
I don't publish many recipes on my blog, but if you want to see more, let me know.

Local Saturday - Winter Arrives In Upstate New York

One upon a time, we never thought winter would come. Oh sure, the calendar said "December".  But the weather screamed "October".  Some people spent Christmas Eve (December 24) entertaining people on their patios, enjoying weather in the 60's.

And at night, some houses sparkled.

We thought it would last forever.

It didn't.  Mother Nature (pictured above, at the Rose Bowl parade on January 1) woke up, and realized she hadn't given us winter yet.  So she did.

Morning of January 5, 2016

These Fahrenheit temperatures translate to -15C with a wind chill of -21C, in case you are a reader outside the United States.  Here, it translated to "brrr".  Quickly, the cordoroy pants, heavy sweaters, boots, and wool socks were dug out of the closet.

 I'll add that these temperatures are not unusual for a typical January morning.  But, without much snow on the ground, I fear for plants, not given a chance to adjust to winter after a prolonged fall.

January 4, after sunset

Sure, nature tried to apologize.  With cold, clear, weather, the sunsets got pretty.  We came out of our local shopping mall (the glare on top is from a street light) to find these beautifully lit clouds.

Oakdale Mall, Johnson City, New York

The next night, the post-sunset was even nicer.

But, the true price of our extended fall will only be known when spring finally arrives.

In the meantime, I am determined to find the beauty in winter. After all, here in upstate New York, we usually have enough of it.

Just, oh please, not too much snow.

What A Difference Two Years Make

Sometimes you have a chance to revisit something that happened years ago .  My 15 seconds of fame occurred in early January of 2014 - just two years ago.

It seems like a million years ago since I was interviewed for a TV segment on a controversial subject.

Since I wrote the below blog post, so much has changed.  The substance in question has been legalized in several more states for both medicinal and recreational use, and is now legal, in some forms (not the smokeable form) in my home state of New York.  In fact, one of the 20 statewide (at least at first) dispensaries for said now-legal substance is going to open a mile or so from where I live.

I never would have dreamed of that legalization in my 1950's/1960's childhood.

But the dispensary  was supposed to open today in Johnson City, New York, and didn't.  

Why am I not surprised?  Things never seem to work in a timely manner where I live.

Said substance is still illegal in many parts of the United States, and under Federal law, but we all know what it is.  I'm still not going to link to the interview, but it is out there if you look hard enough.

The former occupant of the space where the Johnson City dispensary is moving into was last occupied by a restaurant called the Grub House.

How much this opening will benefit our local, hurting economy (and sick people who can benefit from what will be sold there) waits to be seen.  

Now for my original post. What a difference two years makes.

My 15 Seconds (Or Less) of Fame

Think fast!  You just never know when your moment will come.

In my 61st year, I finally achieved a moment of local fame, at least with people I know.

Tuesday, I was interviewed for a local TV "person on the street" feature.  It happened like this:

Our temperature peaked, at midnight, at 48 degrees.  By noontime, it was touching freezing, with the wind whipping, and I knew it wouldn't end until we went below zero. (For those not using the F temperature system, zero is really, really cold.)

I hadn't seen my walking partner in perhaps a month or so, where I work in downtown Binghamton, New York. I was pleased but surprised when she messaged me and asked if I wanted to walk with her to her bank.  Well, I did want to get out, and out we went, fighting the wind. 

On a street corner, there was a young woman standing in that cold wind, next to a camera on a tripod.  On the sidewalk underneath the camera was a microphone.  She looked lonely.

We quickly walked past her, fighting the wind, and she watched us, not saying anything.

On the way back, about 10 minutes later, my walking partner (who is a very sociable person, unlike the shy yours truly) went up to the woman, and sympathized with her needing to stand there.  At that point, she asked us if we wanted to be interviewed. "Only if it's quick!" my companion replied.

She talked to both of us and asked me to go first.  She told me to stand in an exact place and look at an exact place.  And, during all this, my mind is churning away.  I did have an opinion on the topic but I wanted to say something smart, or at least coherent.  (I'm not providing a link because the topic might not be considered appropriate to a blog challenge I'm participating in).

The topic is one being discussed widely here in upstate New York because we may be following some other states' paths in legalizing something (for medical use) that has been illegal throughout the United States for a long time. 

It turned out the reporter is originally from a state that has gone all the way in legalizing this thing. We chatted briefly.  Then came the magic moment.  My 15 (or 10?) seconds of fame had arrived.  Would I be up to the challenge?

I think I did quite well. I seem poised and yes, I was coherent. 

So I saw myself on TV for one of the few times in my life, and I'm told the interview was repeated three times that evening.

And all I could think of, looking at myself, was:

"Gee!  My new glasses look pretty nice on me, don't they?"

Have you ever had a chance to be interviewed, unexpectedly?  How did you do?

International Blog Delurking Week 2016

It's time for the time honored Internet blogging holiday "International Blog Delurking Week".  Did you even know there were Internet blogging holidays?

Until last year, I didn't.

The idea behind this week, which takes place the first full week of January each year, is simple. Do you read blogs where you never comment?

Go to those blogs today (hoping mine is one of those) and leave a comment.  That's it!

I participated last year (most of my post from 2015 is below, updated) and then forgot all about it.  Until yesterday.
Make a blogger's day today.  I look forward to hearing from my non-commenting fans.

Here  is part of my 2015 post, updated:

Did you know that this week is International Blog Delurking Week?

I didn't know, either, until a fellow blogger at Alphabet Salad told me. Just like she had done last year. (Thanks again, Laurel!) 

I'm guilty of lurking at some blogs - never commenting - and maybe you are, too.  I'm also guilty of falling behind in reading my comments.  Very guilty.  Oh, so much very guilty.  Guilty....

I should know better.  After all, I've been blogging since 2009.  I know how easy it is for a blogger to become discouraged.

You know what?  There is nothing like getting comments to make a blogger happy (except for spam, of course, which doesn't make any blogger happy.  That's a topic for another day.)

International Blog Delurking Week lasts from January 4 to January 9.  So, you still have a couple of days to join the fun.

All you have to do is comment on my blog, then go to Stirrup Queens and comment, there.  And, then, grab the badge above.  (This badge was created by Melissa at Stirrup Queens, who has given all blogers permission to use it for anyone who wants to do their own International Blog Delurking Week 2016 post.)

You can leave one word (a nice word) like "hi!"  

Like Stirrup Queens, I'll even give you a prompt if you want:  what's your favorite food?

But only if you want.  (My favorite food? Dark chocolate.)

You can even go to my Facebook blog page and like me.  OK, I made that part up - it isn't part of the official celebration.  But you can do it if you want.


While you are at it, check out Laurel's blog, Alphabet Salad.


So, if you are here for the first time, or the 50th, please comment so I know you are here. (If you have commented before - thank you!)  Then, why not join the fun and spread some blogging love? 

It will only take a minute.

Winter Wonders - Win Your Own Movie Theatre!

Did you used to have a favorite movie theatre growing up?

I did.  This contest made me think back to my childhood, growing up in the Bronx (a borough of New York City) in the 1950's and 1960's.

Back in the 1950's and 1960's, instead of going to the local shopping mall and going into an cinema with multiple screens, you went to a local movie theatre.  There was one screen, and you got two pictures for your admission fee.

My parents were far from wealthy, and we rarely went to a movie.  But when we did, it was a big event. This is a picture of the local movie theatre in my childhood neighborhood in the Bronx.  Several blocks away was a bigger theatre.

But the best one of all was the Loew's Paradise.  I graduated from elementary and junior high school there.

Where I live, near Binghamton, New York, there are no more family theatres.  The remains of some, abandoned for years, exist, slowly crumbling.

So what better thing would there be to do on a cold winter's day in upstate New York than to sit down and write an essay so that I can own my very own movie theatre.

No, I'm not going to write that essay.  But I am so intrigued by this contest, I wanted to share it with my readers.  

I am not a cinema buff but perhaps one of my readers is.  And I know at least one of my readers lives in Maine. So..(disclaimer: I do not know these people, and I am only reporting something I saw online.  I am not at all connected with this contest or responsible for it in any way.)

To quote from the Temple Theatre website:

" The Temple Theatre is at the center of Market Square in historic downtown Houlton, Maine. The Temple building is over 6000 sq. ft. on each floor, built to last in 1918 of wood, steel, and brick as a proud architectural addition to Houlton.....

• The theatre and building are in fully operational condition.
• The theatre has run almost continuously since 1918. There is space and approved plans for expansion of theatre space.
• The Temple Theatre is the quintessential small town movie theatre. There is steady attendance and good community support for the theatre."

The new owner will also win $25,000.

 There is even a video on You Tube showing the theatre.

Houlton, Maine is a town of about 6,000 close to New Brunswick on the Canadian border.  At one time, it was rich due to its logging and potato farming industries.  Those times have passed.

I have to wonder about a town that still has a neighborhood movie theatre.  What an interesting town it must be.

Would you like to own a movie threatre? Do you remember local theatres?

A Charlotte Russe Memory

Can a food be lost?

Can a bakery be found again?

Saturday, I blogged about being invited to a 104th birthday party for my spouse's last living aunt.  She lives not that far 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 will be held.  It's in a part of Yonkers that is heavily Irish, and within walking distance of the Bronx border.

I haven't been to that restaurant in over two years, and the first time I ate there (for this aunt's 100th birthday) the strangest thing 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.

Yesterday, 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 is a long way from the restaurant where the 104th birthday party will be held.

So, perhaps before or after the party, I will wander into that Italian bakery with the old sign.  Who knows what I may find there - maybe even a missing piece of my childhood.

Do you have a favorite food that is no longer made?

Music Monday - Unforgettable

On New Year's Eve, Natalie Cole passed away at the age of 65.

She was the daughter of a legendary jazz singer, Nat King Cole, who died when Natalie was 15 years old.

It isn't easy when you are the son or daughter of a legend. You must prove your own worth, and people don't take you seriously.  Natalie wanted to succeed on the basis of her own talent, but the link to her father was brought up again and again.  For years, she would not sing her father's songs.

A song from early in her career. (Everlasting Love).

Natalie Cole turned to heroin and crack cocaine for solace.  Her drug use began in college and continued through the early years of her fame.   She conquered her addictions after entering rehab in 1983, but the price on her body was high - she contracted Hepatitis C and announced it in 2008.  Natalie Cole ended up needing dialysis and, later, a kidney transplant.

She lived a life of determination despite her rocky beginnings and her health problems.

Ms. Cole was a success in the music field, winning nine Grammy Awards.

Ironically, one of her best known songs was a duet she performed, through the magic of modern day technology, with her father.  They sang one of her father's biggest hits, Unforgettable.

 Aretha Franklin announcing the death of Natalie Cole at a concert on January 1.

We will Miss You Like Crazy.

Upon her death, her family said (according to Wikipedia) "Natalie fought a fierce, courageous battle, dying how she lived ... with dignity, strength and honor. Our beloved mother and sister will be greatly missed and remain unforgettable in our hearts forever."

If you have a memory of Natalie, share it in the comments below.

Organ Transplants

Today, at the beginning of the New Year, I (along with many other music fans) are mourning the death of the singer Natalie Cole.  I plan to blog more about her tomorrow for my Music Monday feature.

The cause of death - a variety of ills, including congestive heart failure and a reoccurrence of a liver  condition called Hepatitis C.  The Hep C was linked to drug abuse from earlier in her life.

A tragic end, too soon, to another music talent.   Ms. Cole was only two years older than I am.

I want to blog a little about Hepatitis C, because a friend from years ago died when she couldn't get a liver transplant.  She never revealed why her liver had been destroyed, but hepatitis (there is more than one type) may have been the reason.  She was only in her late 50's.  She was on a transplant list but a liver was not available in time.

Hep C is the silent killer and yet it can be detected with a blood test.  It is not curable at this time, but there are treatments (some treatments better than when Natalie Cole was first diagnosed).  And, if there is any suspicion that you may have contracted it - for example, if you received a blood transfusion prior to 1992 - you owe it to yourself and your family to get tested.

Which brings me back to Natalie Cole. 

As a side effect of her treatment, her kidneys were impaired and she had to start dialysis.  In 2009, she was fortunate enough to receive a kidney transplant.  Many people needing organ transplants, though, never receive them.

It is estimated that 12 people in the United States die each day while waiting for a kidney transplant.

For liver transplants, in 2012, there were over 16,000 on the United States lists.

We tend to think that organ failure is the "fault" of the person involved.  But, in many cases, that is not at all true.  It isn't true for a family member with kidney disease, and only time will tell what the outcome for this person will be.

The death of Natalie Cole has lessons for all of us.  Sadly, though, I doubt those lessons will be learned.  And, to me, the saddest part is that we don't seem to pay attention until a celebrity dies.

I hope that Natalie Cole's death starts a national discussion about certain diseases, and ways that our country can improve availability of hearts, kidneys, livers, and other organs that we have the ability to transplant.

Do you have personal experience, or a family member, with a condition leading to an organ transplant?

Local Sunday - The 104th Birthday

Today, one of my spouse's cousins called.  She invited both of us to a birthday party.  But, not just any birthday party.

Later this month, my spouse's last living aunt will turn 104.

I've blogged about her several times before, and I might just repeat one of my favorite posts about her later this month, in her honor.

We weren't able to see her for Christmas.  We last visited her in September, when she was hospitalized due to an infection.  She was on a pureed food diet, and somehow, they had managed to puree spaghetti and tomato sauce into something less than appealing.  Needless to say, this outspoken centenarian of Italian descent was having none of it.


Hopefully, the food at her favorite restaurant (where her birthday will be celebrated) will be more to her liking.

She lives almost four hours by car from us, and we will hope the January weather is in her favor. 

What is it like to be almost 104 years old?  It seems, sometimes, that we don't value our senior citizens - until they reach 100.  Then, suddenly, we are admiring them, and hanging on their every word.  And, most of all, wondering what they did to reach that magic age because, after all, we may just want to live to 104, or beyond, ourselves.

My spouse's aunt is not a perfect person.  No, far from it. But that actually seems to be the norm. 

I wondered how many 104 year old people there are in the United States.  The only answer I was able to find was approximately 10,000.  I'm not sure how accurate that is.

But I can tell you this - although her body is frail, her mind is active, and she doesn't hestitate to share her opinion with others.  Now, I hope we can travel, and help her celebrate.  The last several years, her birthday party had to be postponed time and again, due to weather.

Do you have a centenarian in your life?

Determination in Action

Welcome, new readers, and all, to my blog.  I have been blogging since April of 2009, daily since late March of 2011. 

Today, I decided to take inspiration from a parade held in Pasadena, California each New Years Day- the Tournament of Roses parade, and see how I could apply the lessons of a parade to my daily life.  I've chosen the word "Determination" as my word of the year.

What is special about this parade?  After all, many parades have floats and marching bands.  But this particular parade has a special rule:  all floats must be covered in organic material - flowers, seeds, bark, and like material. 

And what stories you can tell with these materials. Stories of determination.

A ballerina performing Swan Lake - a float honoring a 13 year old ballerina battling leukemia. 
She says "Cancer has taken a lot from me...I won't let it take ballet."

This float honored organ donor recipients - all of the riders are alive today because of organ or tissue donors.   They are too small to see, but there are also portraits, made of flowers, of those who who donated organs after they died.  I know two people who passed away because they needed an organ donation - one, a heart, one, a liver - and couldn't get them.

The Florida Panther - the most endangered mammal in the Eastern United States.

And the American bison (left), a "symbol of strength and determination".

Each one of these floats takes months to decide and build.  But the organic materials must be applied at the very last minute - the last week (12-27 through 12-31) before the parade.  The work is done by both professionals and volunteers, who labor day and night, applying sometimes tiny materials (anything from lentils to onion seed to ground cinnamon), and covering themselves in glue.  Some flowers must be placed, individually, into vials of water.

After the parade, there is a time for public viewing.  After that, the floats are stripped, and materials that can be recycled are - a messy job.

How can I not be inspired by these examples of determination?   The work I put into my blog and my life pale in comparison.

What are you inspired by the most?  What do you use to fuel your determination?

Today is day 1 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge and the Ultra Blog Challenge.

Determination

I lied to you, my dear readers.  Instead of using an already published post as the basis for my last post of 2015, I am creating a brand new post, which I wrote last night.

West side of Binghamton, New York

It's time to sparkle.

I am blowing off the dust from my blog, which hasn't been refreshed in a while.  I updated my blogging template, as my regular readers (thank you for coming!) will note.

I joined a blogging challenge for the first time in several months.  I read several older posts for inspiration.  I went to a sparkling wine tasting, and tasted, for the first time, Dom Perignon, Cristal, and even the Pol Roger Champagne served at William and Kate's wedding reception.

DETERMINATION

DETERMINATION will be my word for 2016.  (My word for 2015 - DIFFERENT - well, 2015 was different, all right).  I'm being more careful with my word for 2016.  I am:

DETERMINED that I will attain certain goals, which I will not reveal to my blog readers.  (Why?  It is said you are more likely to succeed if you don't announce them.)

DETERMINED that the essential "me" will not be swallowed up by the need to help with the needs of my elderly mother in law and my developmentally disabled brother in law.

DETERMINED that I will grow my writing, and my photography, no matter what my personal challenges are this year.  Even if it only grows a little, it will be a victory.   Even if, at some point, I decide to no longer blog daily, the fact that I have for nearly five years is a victory.

This past year, I learned once again just how precious life can be. The 39 year old son of someone I went to high school with died in a freak accident, leaving a young child and a pregnant wife.  My best friend from childhood died from cancer. A former co worker is gravely ill as I write this, and probably will not survive her illness. It would be a terrible thing to waste the opportunities I have been given.

Of course, it could be just the Champagne talking, but I don't think so.  I was buoyed by a couple of recent comments on my blog, one by a reader who said she would miss me if I stopped blogging, and another one who extended an invitation. (That second person has no idea how introverted I am in real life but...hey, one can grow in ways other than blogging, too.).

I know I have something of value to share with the world.  I am determined to make a difference, small or large.

So....please join me tomorrow as I start a new year of blogging, and a year of determination.

Will you be choosing a word for the coming year?  If you are, come link with Laurel at Alphabet Salad

An InLinkz Link-up

Winter Wonders -The Still Unsolved Christmas Day Photo Mystery

The Still Unsolved Mystery of the Historic Wartime Photo

I originally published this post in May of 2011, and repeated it in August of 2014.  I have never had this mystery solved, so I am republishing this post in hopes that someone will read this, and know something about this photo.

The Mystery Wartime Photo

On my almost daily walks through downtown Binghamton, I frequently pass a number of historic buildings, among them the Security Mutual building.

Several weeks ago, scaffolding appeared around the building.  Some window work is being done. Two or three weeks ago some banners appeared, strung between the supports of the scaffolding.  One of them features a photo it says was taken of employees, right outside the front entrance, on Christmas Day 1943.

It's hard to see the photo (I had to stand in the street to take this and I tried to get the entire banner into the shot) but the photo contains mainly women.  There are only a few men, and they are old.  This tracks with the fact that this photo was taken during World War II.  The young men were fighting overseas.

How many Security Mutual employees went off to war?  Did they all return safely?  I don't know.

Were all of these women working there before the war?  Or did some take the place of the soldier employees, to disappear into the home again after the fighting was over?

Then, I had still another question.  Right now I have no answer to this question, either.

What were they doing there on Christmas Day, 1943, instead of being with their families back at home?

Did Security Mutual ask them to come in for a company sponsored Christmas dinner?  Or, because of the war effort, did they have to work?

Why the photo, to begin with?  Was it sent to soldiers overseas?  Was it done to boost morale?

I would love to know the story behind this photo.  Do you know?

Why Would I Want to Do That?

Although I'm usually not a fan of looking back, there is one time of year I like to do that - right before New Year's Eve.  Like so many of us, I like to review the year right before it ends.  But don't worry, I am not going to bore you with a bunch of statistics and memories.

Instead....

"I am thinking about discontinuing my blog", I announced to my spouse as we were exercise walking.  Incidentally, he rarely goes online, so (as far as I know) he doesn't even read it.

He looked at me.

"Why would you want to do that?", he asked.

My spouse is a simple man.   If you enjoy something, you do it, and that's it.   He loves to cook.  He will spend hours in the kitchen if given the chance.  If I like blogging, he reasons, why would I want to stop?

Lately, he's had fewer chances to do what he loves.  He doesn't want to give up what he loves, and he doesn't think I should, either.

I know I must get on my spouse's nerves sometimes.  We take a walk and I am there with my camera "taking a picture for my blog".  I fill up my camera and he waits patiently for me to delete photos so I can take some more snapshots.  We get irritated at each other sometimes, too.  But, after 41 years of marriage, he's gotten good at putting up with me.

At the beginning of the year, I chose a word to represent 2015: "Different". 

Well, yes, 2015 was different.  His 2015 was, too.  It featured his elderly mother developing a condition requiring surgery.  The surgery took a lot out of her (she's in her late 80's and you don't heal quickly at that age.)  She ended up with two hospitalizations (including the surgery) and weeks in rehab.  We ended up having to downsize her and move her some 150 miles to be closer to us and another relative in the area.

My spouse is also guardian for his developmentally disabled brother, a saga in itself.

So, about my blog, why would I want to do that?.

I've been blogging since 2009.  I started to blog because I loved to write when I was younger, but gave it up.  Blogging has allowed me to write daily and pursue my love of taking snapsnots.  I think I have come to the end of the original goal of this blog, however.  I think I've done all I can to improve and practice my writing with just plain blogging.  If I am serious about developing writing skills, blogging will not be enough.

If I want to learn more about photography, I am going to have to take a course or two.

For writing, I am not sure what the next step is.

So, I ask myself, am I serious about giving up my blog? 


Several months ago, I joined a blogging group for bloggers in mid life.  Some of the members are professional bloggers and/or writers (HuffPost, published writers) and the difference between their writing and mine is immense. Some of that may be innate talent but I think more of it is good, hard, work, and the willingness to let others critique your work so your writing can improve.  I have always been scared to take that first step into the hard, cruel world of people looking at your work and stripping away your soul.  But, without that, I can't grow as a writer.

I have never been good at setting goals, either.  With 2016, I will (no "think", just "do") set goals for my blog, for the very first time.  I need to walk the tightrope between personal obligations, professional obligations, and my blog.

And, in between all that, maybe even complete an afghan that was supposed to be my son's Christmas gift in 2013.

So, I will be thinking, planning, and deciding what I want to do next with this blog, my writing, and my photography.  And no, I don't plan to give any of them, although I may have to cut back a little.

With that, I want to thank my loyal readers - your comments help inspire me, and help keep my spirits up.  I don't comment back as I should, but I do read, and appreciate, all of your comments.  I won't change anything, not right away, but change is part of life.

The next two days will be "Throwback" posts - I hope you will enjoy them.

May all of us have a happy, healthy, productive 2016.

Music Monday - Christmas Bells and a New York New Years Eve

Christmas and New Years, just a week apart. 

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day is more than just a Bing Crosby classic.

This song was based on a poem written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, written on Christmas Day in 1863.  

Longfellow had lost his wife in a tragic fire two years before.  His son then went off to fight in the Civil War, and was injured (he recovered).  This is the poem Longfellow wrote, in the midst of his grief.

"I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,

and wild and sweet

The words repeat

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom

Had rolled along

The unbroken song

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Till ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,

A voice, a chime,

A chant sublime

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Then from each black, accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,

And with the sound

The carols drowned

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,

And made forlorn

The households born

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And in despair I bowed my head;
"There is no peace on earth," I said;

"For hate is strong,

And mocks the song

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;

The Wrong shall fail,

The Right prevail,

With peace on earth, good-will to men."
 
In 1872 the poem was put to music.  Even today, its lyrics remain powerful and timely.
 "For hate is strong, and mocks the song Of peace on earth, good will to men!"

Now, for a memory of my early childhood.

In just four days, we say goodbye to 2015.  When growing up, there was only one band to listen to on New Year's Eve-Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians.  There was only one way to mark the end of the year - the dropping of the ball from the Times Tower in New York City, narrated by Ben Grauer. (I could devote an entire blog post to him.)

This is part of the New Year's Broadcast in New York City, New Year's Eve 1957.   The quality is terrible (it is a kinescope), but it gave me chills.  I may have been allowed to stay up late to see this very broadcast.  "May you have a happy and prosperous 1958"!

Do you remember Guy Lombardo? He's been dead for many years but a New Years custom he originated still lives on.

In the United States, we still ring in the New Year using a music show.  And, a ball comes down the same building once known as the Times Tower (now known as One Times Square), which opened New Years Eve 1904 with a fireworks display.

How will you celebrate the New Year?