Posted in Other, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2023, memories, summer, Thoughts on August 23, 2023| Leave a Comment »
It’s the end of August and I feel the way I did as a kid, watching the school year approach. The weather has mimicked Fall for weeks but now it’s almost here in truth. Cool winds, thunderstorms, and the inexorable sense that the seasons continue to turn.
And now, I’m missing something that is not yet gone.
To summer, with love.
* * *
Posted in Other, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2023, home, Thoughts on August 5, 2023| Leave a Comment »
Today, a moment of happiness.
Picture it: the sun has finally come out, the day is warm and the wild things have voted our little yard Best in Neighborhood. Mr Man and I are having lunch under a canopy on the deck out back. This is not a day to consider the cracked boards or the layers of pine needles or the gutter gunk. It’s a day to see the four juvenile robins play-fighting to determine who will get the upper bird bath first, and then squawk when they are all pre-empted by a grackle. It is a day to notice that we are hosting not just animals, but families. The chipmunk has two smaller companions, Mr and Mrs Cardinal are both present, a pair of mourning doves stop by, there are three woodpeckers at the feeder, and the black-capped chickadees shepherd smaller versions of themselves first to the suet, and then to the nyjer, and finally to the sunflower seeds. Squirrels also visit, black and brown and grey, including one flicking the longest, plushest tail I’ve yet seen. There are sparrows and more finches than I can count, a mix of brownish, reddish and a vibrant shade I’m calling Attention-Grabbing Gold.
The extra shot of happiness comes when I realize that our yard is doing an admirable job of being exactly what our wild neighbors need.
The yard is not particularly photogenic. The bushes are a little scruffy and what grass persists is overlong. Hastas and honeysuckle and sweet woodruff sidle up next to lamb’s quarters and dandelions, violets and goldenrod, clover and daisies and oxalis. I don’t mind. It provides water, food and shelter, and is homey and inviting in a way that over-manicured spaces frequently are not.
And our wild neighbors don’t mind a bit.
* * *
Posted in Holidays, Other, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2023, adventure, inspiration, Thoughts on August 2, 2023| Leave a Comment »
Summer can be a time to plan big, but today I am going to suggest that you consider adventures a little closer to home.
The Microadventure-Filled Life of Alastair Humphreys
Humphreys defines a microadventure as “a shorter, simpler, cheaper, more local, more accessible version of what you deem to be an adventure. It’s something that you can squeeze in around the margins of real life.”
I kind of love this idea, of finding what’s interesting right around the corner.
Now I’m off to consider what might be fun to do around town. Like this, which holy crap, looks both scary and crazy cool!
Interzip Rogers – The interprovincial zip line.
* * *
Posted in Other, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2023, back to work!, Thoughts on July 25, 2023| Leave a Comment »
Tuesday, also known as “the most acceptable day of the week to eat marshmallow fluff with a spoon.”
Mmm, delicious.
* * *
Posted in Other, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2023, cat herding, sweet cat, Thoughts, Tuesdays on July 18, 2023| Leave a Comment »
A typical view from my desk (especially around lunchtime):
Posted in Holidays, Other, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2023, climate change, cocktails, heat, irony, Thoughts, travel, weather on July 17, 2023| Leave a Comment »
This one’s for two of my parental units, currently on vacation in some of the hottest parts of the world right now, and everyone else facing down the record-busting summer heat.
8 mistakes to avoid if you’re going out in the heat
- Too much, too soon: You need to acclimatize
- Failing to pre-hydrate (and rehydrate!)
- Don’t be the frog in the boiling pot (i.e., your car)
- Heat + (certain) medications don’t mix
- Don’t ignore the early signs of heat-related illness
- Know when to seek medical attention
- Wear loose, light clothing
- Alcohol is a bad call
Stay hydrated, folks!**
* Note: The whole “boiling a frog” fable is, as the Curator of Reptiles and Amphibians at the US National Museum of Natural History said: “Well that’s, may I say, bullsh*t.” Frogs are way smarter than that.
** As mentioned in the article, alcohol isn’t a great idea when it’s hot. If you feel you must drink an adult beverage, however, irony suggests that you consider the Heat Wave.
* * *
Posted in Other, Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2023, Thoughts, ughs, weather on July 13, 2023| Leave a Comment »
Things I’d rather not do today, but will:
My future self will thank me. Probably.
“I look to the future because that’s where I’m going to spend the rest of my life.”
— George Burns
* * *
Posted in Other, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2023, #thebalance, Chicago, secrets, Thoughts on July 10, 2023| Leave a Comment »
It’s been a weird day. (Do I say that a lot? Feels like I might, but whatever. It’s definitely true today. And maybe I just expect too much in the way of normality.)
Yesterday was signings and beer and gelato. All good. Today? Things that can go wrong, do.
I’ve written about this before, in The Balance. It’s still funny, and still (mostly) true. And now I’m off to set things right.
You, on the other hand, might be interested to know that (checks extensive list of interesting factoids) there is a secret tunnel network under Chicago.
* * *
Posted in Other, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2023, Thoughts on June 30, 2023| Leave a Comment »
“The foolish person seeks happiness in the distance, the wise person grows it under his feet.”
— James Oppenheim
* * *
Posted in Other, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2023, current events, Thoughts on June 29, 2023| Leave a Comment »
“Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place and I don’t care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done!”
― Sylvester Stallone, Rocky Balboa
* * *
You must be logged in to post a comment.