In the mist, cheerful and colorful

Four unrelated good things this week - going from gray to colorful:

The skyline of midtown Atlanta was lovely and mystical looking, as viewed from the parking deck of Georgia Public Broadcasting on volunteer night.  We had needed rain so badly and it was welcome when it came.

More gloomy sky, but loved the cheery scarecrow wearing Santa's hat.  Madison, Georgia, last Saturday.

It took all week, but I got my little tree up.  It's sitting on a draped crate so that it will have more presence.  :)  I decorated it a little at a time and finally finished yesterday.  Richie Bear was purchased at Rich's department store, in the mid-1980s, when it was still open.  And the cardboard Santa to the right was given to me by my kindergarten teacher, way back when.  

Coworker Bobby salvaged peppers and green tomatoes from his garden last night, since the temperature was dropping into the 20s (fahrenheit).  It's cold here in the south today.  I chose two red peppers that he swears won't be hot.  :)  It was astounding to see these garden baskets on this wintry day.

I hope your weekend is full of good things!

Humor in uniform, repurposed and let them eat cake

- You'd have to click to enlarge to see the City of Atlanta police vehicle pulled across the road ahead.  There was also a noisy hovering helicopter overhead.  The reason was a large sinkhole at 14th and State Street (in the intersection behind me.)  I didn't want to bother the workers by taking a photo of it.  :)  I was on my way to my volunteer work housed at nearby Georgia Public Broadcasting in the late afternoon yesterday and was detoured onto a side street to park. On the trip past this police car the first time, I asked the officer inside the car what was going on? (not wanting to walk on into a shoot out or anything):

          He:  Shark attack.

          Me:  What???

          He:  Shark attack.

          Me:  What??? (it had already been a long day)

          He:  Sinkhole.

 

- This bracelet was made by Juliet of the Crafty Green Poet blog.  She lives in Edinburgh, Scotland and frequently takes us along with her on nature walks.  I noticed her Etsy shop link and visited.  She creatively "repurposes" materials, making them into one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry.  That's the pretty bracelet I got, above.  Do visit Juliet's blog when you can - especially if you love Edinburgh as much as I do.

- This is what my coworkers and I are counting on.  :)  In a fit of boredom yesterday (we are slow this week at work), Joanne went across the street to the commercial bakery (which also sells by the slice) and brought back cake.  (Image spotted on facebook.)

Spirit, tenacity and big heart

Many of you know my volunteer work for the Georgia Radio Reading Service for the blind, visually impaired or people who have difficulty with the printed word.  I record the New York Times Book Review, which airs once a week.  We have a blind board operator, Phil, who has been with GaRRs for at least 30 years.  He gets back and forth to work on public transit with only his white cane as a guide.

The volunteer coordinator sent an email this week that Phil fell at the train station, broke his nose, had to have several stitches in his lip and one knee, and also loosened some teeth.  She suggested he might like emails at home from volunteers to cheer him up a little.

I did send a hope-you-recover-quickly email and got this response:  "Hey Lynn!  Thank you so much!  Once again I appreciate so much the great job you do for us!  Keep it up as long as you can.  Hope to see you soon!  Phil"

I so admire his spirit, tenacity and his big heart.  No more words other than that today.

(Other than - have a great weekend!)

Almost home, grinning from ear to ear and recipe of the month

- Around 6pm Thursday evening and on my way home - I had so much time to sit at this red light that I marveled at how beautiful those bare, winter trees are against the darkening sky.

- On Tuesday evening - arriving at my volunteer place, Georgia Public Broadcasting, a young man in a bright blue t-shirt was taking a selfie at this spot with Cookie Monster, grinning from ear to ear.  It took me a minute to figure that was he, since he has fruit in front of him, not cookies.

- My baker's rack, full of cookbooks.  When I bought this thing, several years ago, I had to donate a box full of cookbooks that wouldn't fit (vowing to put them all in this one place.)  My niece and I were talking about this - we both print out recipes a lot (you can see some crammed in there if you click to enlarge).  So my new vow is to cook something out of each of those books at least once a month and I'll post about it here.  I'll start with Alice Waters's Chez Panisse Vegetables there on top and report back!  I told friend Leisa, when we had dinner this week, that vegetables are my favorite thing, so that's a perfect place to start.

It's Friday!  Happy Friday.  Have a great weekend, y'all!

Reflections, good night moon! and all is calm

- Leaving my volunteer work on the evening of Tuesday, September 30.  It was a cloudy night with a little drizzle as I headed up 14th Street in Atlanta.  I was a little later than usual leaving, having paused in the volunteer work to wish my sister a happy birthday via cellphone.  So it was neat to see the reflection of one building on another (there in the center), and I snapped this "through the windshield" photo.

- This past Tuesday evening, October 7, I left volunteer work just before sunset and was in the same spot, when I spotted the vapory looking moon, hanging huge and white in the sky, framed between those buildings.  This turned comical, because I wanted to snap a photo of it with my phone when I stopped at the next light.  But it was not to be:  this NEVER happens - I got green light, another green light, and I kept going, missing my turn, determined to snap that photo.  And I got green lights all the way to Peachtree Street, where I was forced to turn left and lost the view.  So I gave up and had a head shaking laugh at hitting all the green lights.  That has never once happened before now, and then the sun was setting, so missed snapping that photo, and imagined the green lights laughing back at me.  :)

- So I asked Siri, "is there a super moon tonight?" and got a response that there was a "Blood Moon" on the morning of October 8 that would be best viewed in the 6:30am hour.  Hey - I'm up then, so I got my shower early, made coffee and took it and a bowl of cereal to the parking lot of the condos and watched the lunar eclipse before heading to work, with only one curious look from a neighbor driving past me leaving the complex.  It was a peaceful 25 minutes - watching the eclipse, listening to early morning sounds and watching the lights come on slowly around in the buildings.  One neighbor in the next building to the left curiously has Christmas lights in a bush beside his front door.  I've never noticed that before.  I just don't look that way when I'm leaving for work.  On this day, the moon didn't really glow blood red for me, but disappeared.  I got in my car and got on with the day.

Did someone mention coffee?  Time to go make some.  I hope you are well and happy this morning.  Have a lovely weekend!

My Georgia kitchen, passing the dogwoods and more books

- Very early on Tuesday morning, I got absorbed in David Lebovitz's latest blog post, about the making of his new cookbook.  I've been reading his blog for years - he is an American chef living in Paris.  I need another cookbook like a hole in the head, but ordered it.  I just had to.  But look at how many I already have.  Maybe one more won't hurt.  :)

- The dogwood trees are blooming and really, on the wane already.  I pass one after the other when I'm driving, thinking how I should pull off residential streets and get out of my car to get a beautiful photo of them.  But in the spirit of my blog, things are good, not always perfect, so I snapped this beauty in the midst of power lines and storage business when I was parking somewhere yesterday afternoon.  I love how they pop up like that all over town.

- Tuesday is my long day - I go to volunteer work after my paying job.  We record publications and books for the blind there.  And this week is volunteer appreciation week, with the most exciting part for me being the stacks of books we could purchase for $1.  Here's what I got (see above stacked on the leaf shaped platter):  "Mockingbird" by Charles J. Shields - a portrait of author Harper Lee, "Cumberland Island" by Charles Seabrook - a history of the island off the coast of Georgia, and "Celestine - A Granddaughter's Reminiscence" by Celestine Sibley Fleming - a portrait of the late Atlanta journalist Celestine Sibley.  I used to read her column every day - it was a perfect start to the day.  And this was a perfect (almost) end to this one:  forking over my $3, not eating the appreciation cake, getting my recording done and heading home with takeout dinner.   A lovely day.

Homeward bound, cold snap and dessert

Click to enlarge

- 14th Street in midtown Atlanta on a temperature dropping Tuesday night - after volunteer work.  The buildings up ahead are so sparklingly beautiful that I just had to try the photo.  Not bad for a phone pic and I didn't crop out my car hood, because it tells part of the story.

- It's 28 degrees here this morning.  The guard at the building in which I volunteer and I talk about how neither of us mind cold weather really and don't enjoy hot weather at all.

- Shortbread cookies, half dipped in chocolate, for dessert after I got home.  Yummmmm.

Cheerful bouquet, lol moment and cookie bars

- I loved the way the red bouquet of fall flowers was marketed at Whole Foods as "Cheerful Bouquet" - and "Cheerful Bouquet" was on sale, so I bought one to put in my jar vase.  My next stop was to the more pedestrian grocery store, "Publix", where sunflowers could be had for just $3.  They made Cheerful Bouquet even more cheerful, I think.  :)

- You may have to click to enlarge to read this, but last night at my volunteer organization, someone had written across the top of a yellow scratch pad, "PLEASE TEAR PAGES CLEANLY, LEAVING NO SHREDS.  THANK YOU."  The word "please" looked like an after thought.  What makes this a good thing?  It made me laugh out loud.  :)

Image borrowed from An Organic Wife

- A once-a-week guilty pleasure - Carmelita Bars.  I'm supposed to be on a diet, but about once a week I pick up a couple of them from the cookie bar at yes, Whole Foods (I'm a frequent visitor to their hot food bar.)  Not too sweet, and very chewy.  I love them so much.  A more organic recipe can be found in the link under the photo, but here is another, much quicker recipe from Brown Eyed Baker.  So good - I may try making them to take for Thanksgiving.

Part of the family, finishing strong and a great start

- An image of my Dragon Wing Begonia before it completely takes over the front door area.  I love this plant, that needs no coddling, blooms with no coaxing, and grows with happy abandon.  And I love the shadows it casts on the front door.

- The guards at the building in which I do volunteer work.  They are always so friendly and smiling, a welcome sight to a weary late afternoon visitor.  My tiredness is evident (it had been A DAY at my paying job.)  "Finish the day strong!" one of them says, as he buzzes me in.  And that is the encouragement I needed.

- An early morning cleaning of my kitchen, making it shine and sparkle for the weekend ahead.  And the Dragon Wing Begonia got the vegetable water out of the steamer from last night.

I'm looking forward to a weekend full of good things, and I hope you are, too.  Have a great one, my friends!

Volunteer night, the book review and inside the list

- This is where I spend Tuesday evenings - in a recording booth within the Georgia Public Broadcasting building  on behalf of the Georgia Radio Reading Service for the Blind.  There are so many wonderful volunteers there - my favorite:  the man who played Officer Don on a local Atlanta kiddie show I used to love as a child.  He was gracious enough to endure my fan gushing when I first discovered him there.

 - Not only do I get volunteer time in, but I also get to read The New York Times Book Review every week - a 58 minute show.  Always a delight and at times a bit over my head.  :)  One listener calls in all the time asking if we can record certain books I read the reviews of.  It makes me so happy to know that I have at least one listener.

- I loved this bit in the column "TBR (to be read): Inside the List" - click to enlarge if you want to read it.  I've been reading so much about Ernest Hemingway lately that I thought it was so interesting that the writer Hunter S. Thompson once retyped all of "A Farewell to Arms" "just to absorb his rhythm and technique."  Papa Hemingway never wore underwear?  That might be TMI.  :)

O is for Ocopy, Orange marmalade cake and Old courthouse

From Google Images

- My darling two-year-old great niece Mina has a bunch of little plastic animals she likes to play with.  She brought one over to me to look at and I said, "What is this?"  She replied, "Ocopy!"  Hmmm - scratching head, "I don't know that one."  Her mom said, from the kitchen, "I didn't know that one either - we had to look it up."  I asked Mina what the ocopy says and she looked at me and said, "Ohhh."  It's our family joke to invent a noise an animal says if we don't know.  :)

- Stopping by my volunteer organization on a non-volunteer day, to drop off some printing I handled for them and finding there is cake.  Delicious cake, everyone says.  It turns out to be that orange cake of Mitford fame, "Esther's Orange-Marmalade Layer Cake."  It was that very cake that sent Father Timothy into a diabetic coma in one of the Mitford novels.  If you haven't read those books, start from the beginning and read them all - they are truly wonderful.  Here's a link to the recipe.  (And the cake was good, but so sweet I couldn't finish it, although I ate all the icing, which is my favorite part on any cake anyway.) 

- The old courthouse in Milledgeville, Georgia, c. 1885, now empty, taken from the steps of my mom's bank. A beautiful building and I am so glad that they are keeping it, even though it has been replaced by a newer model nearby.  I still always check the time on that clock on the bell tower.

Day 15 of the Blogging from A to Z Challenge, featuring the letter "O".  Three things that give me pleasure.

Two Swimming Heads, nice of her and fresh start

- My Tuesday night volunteer work puts me in a building that houses pieces from the State of Georgia Art Collection.  These gals had been relegated to a back hallway for some reason.  Still startling when I walk that way.  (I've blogged about them before, but it's been a couple of years.) 

The first one is my photo and I like that angle, but this one found online displays them to better effect.  The artist is John Jensen, using Mixed Media Sculpture and it's called Two Swimming Heads.  Click to enlarge.

- Waiting for an appointment with a room full of other people.  A woman gets up from her chair to move to another section of the waiting room and a piece of paper flutters to the floor behind her.  A young lady chases after her with it, only to be told that the paper was probably trash and didn't belong to the woman after all.  When she comes back, we all tell the young lady how nice that was of her to do that.

- Finally getting my two "go to" calendars in place for the new year.  Flat one on the desk to write in and one that displays three months at a time on the wall.  It feels so clean and fresh.  A lovely feeling.

How to, early weekend morning and generosity

- My coworker was laughing hysterically at this video.  It is pretty funny, but also makes me miss having a kitty!  This cat reminds me of my Cleo, who was fairly placid, but had a little attitude, too.  She would randomly bite me on the ankle sometimes, when I wasn't expecting it, just for fun.  :)

- Walking out into an early cold, dry December morning.  Five wrens sit in a leafless crape myrtle tree chirping and flutter into another when I get too close. 

- Ringing the bell for the Salvation Army on Saturday night at the nearby mall.  Favorite moment:  a family exited the mall and walked toward the parking lot.  Their very little boy lingered with me and held out a round piece of cardboard, saying, "This is money." And offered it to me.  I thanked him and was letting him put it in the kettle, when his father came over and gave him a dollar to put in. 

Bounty, looking forward to that and breakfast

- My church used to share its sanctuary with a first generation Slavic congregation who met there in the afternoon; they moved into their own space a couple of years ago. But the first Sunday-before-Thanksgiving they were with us, we walked into the church that morning and found a lovely surprise; a harvest display, much like this one. Since then our chancel guild has kept the tradition alive and the food is donated to a nearby food co-op. It's always a little thrill to see it again each year.

- My big volunteer job within my church will come to an end in December. I ask the woman I took it over from two years ago if she misses it. She smiles and says, "Like my grandmother used to say, sometimes the missing is pleasant."

- There are a few sandwiches left from an evening meeting and I spot two halves of pimento cheese on the tray. I snag them - they are what's for breakfast and will be sizzling on the griddle to make the bread golden brown and the cheese melty. A little indulgence on Thanksgiving week. :)

Myriad chairs, smells like and familiar spot

- This chair place near my office is appropriately named "Chairish" and I had time to study the merchandise out front while waiting for the light to change. I decide that all those myriad chairs around that table at the right would look good. I like when things are not perfectly matched. Click to enlarge.

- A man emerging from the elevator leaves it smelling like fresh laundry.

- Driving 25 miles to make it to my women's circle group (only five minutes late) and finding they have left my usual seat open. It's lovely to slip into a familiar spot amid loving friends.

Dancing for the joy of it, hard worker and honored

Street dancer at the corner of Howell Mill Road and Chattahoochee Avenue in Atlanta. Photos taken through the windshield.

- During tax season, he can be found up the street dancing his heart out while wearing a Statue of Liberty costume. I guess the proprietors of this furniture outlet know a good thing when they see it. I only have to go this way once in a week on Tuesday afternoon when headed toward volunteer work, but I love watching him dance and direct traffic while doing so. He dances for the sheer joy of it.

- Another hard worker, neighbor Kevin, is up and leaving for work while I am watering outside plants at 5am. He opens up a Chick-fil-A store for breakfast, but has a newly acquired Masters degree in Education and cannot find employment as a teacher. We wave cheerfully this morning as he leaves, having a mutual understanding that 5am is too early to be chatting.

- And my heart swells with pride as I read an online newspaper article about a young woman still in her 20s, who is now president of her city's Rotary Club. She is an officer at her bank and serves on the board of directors for three organizations. This is the line I am proudest of, that my niece gives a shout out not only to her parents, but both sets of grandparents, too: “I will always be involved in my community,” she says. “I was raised by parents and grandparents that were involved in their community, and I don’t know any other way!”

Follow the path, daydreams and equalizer

- I've always admired the yellow brick roadish appearance of the floor of this corridor that leads from the lobby of Georgia Public Broadcasting (where I volunteer) to the parking deck elevators. They just painted the walls this vibrant blue and green color. The guards at the desk were hugely entertained that I was taking a picture of it (hence the slight fuzz due to my laughter). One of them tells me that they are about to cover all that up with murals. And I kind of liked it like this.

- Attending a class that lasted most of the day - it was Paper 101 (conducted by paper suppliers.) My favorite part: a woman says that there are tons more trees now than there were 100 years ago due to managed forests. Seriously? Well, I hope so. Hmmm. Least favorite part: when the paper rep (who knows me and considers me an industry expert) called on me to clarify an answer while I was zoned out. Daydreaming - my mother used to call it.

- Sitting with a group of people who don't know each other at lunch and finding that the iPhone is the great equalizer for creating conversation. Much more so than paper. :)

Water works, no water works and guilty pleasure

- An unedited photo of a portion of the Atlanta Water Works - shot from the car window. There is lots more sparkling water and a beautiful park there, too. I'd have straightened and cropped that photo a bit, but my slow computer didn't cooperate this morning. Life is often not perfect though, so there you are.

- I was on my way from work to my volunteer organization. The volunteer coordinator pokes her head into the room in which I am bent over a publication, reading an article before I get started. She asks, "Are you crying?" Startled - I tell her I seldom cry. But that's not true - I'm a crying fool over sentimental stuff, like sad movies or when someone I like gets voted off Dancing with the Stars. :)

- Facebook friend Marybeth posts this last night: MBA "is not totally embarrassed that after a tough day at the office and a workout, she enjoys watching slightly trashy reality TV shows as an escape ! What's your guilty pleasure?" I have a feeling she is talking about American Idol and she already knows that I am devoted to that dancing show.

Clippings, chocolate fortune and empowering

- Someone brought in clippings of blossoms from their cherry tree and azalea bush at home to brighten up the office. So pretty.

- From the inside wrapper of a tasty Dove dark chocolate square: "The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate." Better than a fortune cookie. :)

- Calling a neighbor from my volunteer organization after work to find that the power came back on in the neighborhood around 5pm. The volunteer coordinator says there is something so empowering about the electric power returning, isn't it? I agree, but was considering staying in a hotel last night if it hadn't and was a little disappointed to not have that adventure. :)

Over the rooftops, cemetery dog and visit

- The sun setting over the rooftops. Taken from the parking deck of Georgia Public Broadcasting as day was slipping into night.

- Update on the dog from Friday. She was there again this past Saturday. Yes - "he" turned out to be a she. The caretaker says she is a cemetery dog; she just wandered up one day. They posted some flyers around, but no one ever claimed her. So she lives there and they take care of her. Some ladies who come out regularly to visit their husbands graves bring treats and supply her with her festive bandannas.

- Visiting Milledgeville two Saturdays in a row for family business allows me time to visit with friend Susan, who operates an antiques store next to the best bakery in the world.* I always have difficulty resisting the bakery and fortunately for me, it was closed on Saturday (for some inexplicable reason.) I spot some other women peering into the darkened door as I drive away. Another Saturday road trip on a blue sky day with mission accomplished - the family home is back on the market.

* According to me.