Z is for Zanzibar

Z is for Zanzibar. (I feel like I am running out of options... )

Technically Zanzibar is a "semi-autonomous part of Tanzania in East Africa," but I am thinking of a different Zanzibar. This particular Zanzibar comes in a long list of names in one of Dr. Seuss' stories. Since I happen to be somewhat of a Dr. Seuss fan, I give you the story of "Too Many Daves."


Too Many Daves
by
Dr. Seuss (Theodore Geisel)
 
Did I ever tell you that Mrs. McCave
Had twenty-three sons and she named them all Dave?
Well, she did. And that wasn’t a smart thing to do.
You see, when she wants one and calls out, “Yoo-Hoo!
Come into the house, Dave!” she doesn’t get one.
All twenty-three Daves of hers come on the run!
This makes things quite difficult at the McCaves’
As you can imagine, with so many Daves.
And often she wishes that, when they were born,
She had named one of them Bodkin Van Horn
And one of them Hoos-Foos. And one of them Snimm.
And one of them Hot-Shot. And one Sunny Jim.
And one of them Shadrack. And one of them Blinkey.
And one of them Stuffy. And one of them Stinkey.
Another one Putt-Putt. Another one Moon Face.
Another one Marvin O’Gravel Balloon Face.
And one of them Ziggy. And one Soggy Muff.
One Buffalo Bill. And one Biffalo Buff.
And one of them Sneepy. And one Weepy Weed.
And one Paris Garters. And one Harris Tweed.
And one of them Sir Michael Carmichael Zutt
And one of them Oliver Boliver Butt
And one of them Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate …
But she didn’t do it. And now it’s too late.

Perhaps I just like the way Zanzibar rolls off my tongue... or maybe I just like the story in general.

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X and Y

X marks the spot and in this case it looks like a Y. :)

I did not post last week because My Darling and I were gone away to the Finger Lakes. On our way there I was wondering how I could cover two letters for this week's post. I needn't have worried. If you take a good look at this map of the eleven Finger Lakes (Waneta and Lamoka are not "Finger Lakes"), you can easily tell which one we visited. Keuka ("Q-ka") Lake is the only one with two branches and is often referred to as the "Crooked Lake". We stayed in a wonderful Bed and Breakfast about halfway down the western branch of the lake.

We did a lot of driving, a little bit of shopping, some fishing, and a little "tasting" too. One afternoon we drove down the middle of the "Y" where we found a lovely little stone chapel. This picture looks out from the chapel terrace over the east branch to the far eastern shore. The entire lake shore is dotted with restaurants and cottages, with an occasional park (or college) where one can get down close to the water.

The Finger Lakes is known for it's wines and the western slopes are dotted with vineyards and wineries. I read there are 119 wineries here. Wine tastings draw tourists from everywhere who come to enjoy the scenery and some local wines. I learned that Riesling is a favorite and many of the grapes now grown are very similar to European grapes rather than the Concord grapes of my childhood. Not being a wine connoisseur, I can not give an honest opinion, except to say that I think white grapes make better wine than red grapes.

We were blessed to visit the co-Coolest Small Town in America in our journeys. Hammondsport is located at the southern-most tip of Keuka Lake. It has some cute little shops, a very nice beach park, and a hometown ice cream shop, the "Cooked Lake Ice Cream Parlor", that I loved. We ate there twice, but didn't get ice cream. I think we must have driven around Keuka Lake at least half a dozen times last week as I was actually starting to know my way around! Of all the little towns, Hammaondsport is my favorite Keuka Lake town. I have to agree, it's pretty cool.

I got my first fishing license in Penn Yan and, with some help from James, caught a few small fish. We did our best fishing off a friend's dock on Waneta Lake, but they were all small. Maybe if we'd had a boat we could have hooked one big enough to save for dinner. There is still time for that, I guess, especially since the Finger Lakes aren't going anywhere anytime soon. (Besides, we have Lake Ontario...)

I will be savoring this vacation for a long time to come. I absolutely loved having a week with my husband all to myself, and nothing pressing for my attention. The great thing is that summer is just beginning. I am hoping to get back to the hills again before September. Maybe another trip or two to an antique shop, a stop in a pottery studio, and a hike through the glen at the end of Seneca Lake. I can always hope, can't I?

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W is for ....

W is for wedding. (Surprised?)

There is nothing quite like watching one's own child get married. Somehow, those are the most beautiful of ceremonies and this past wedding was no less beautiful than the weddings of my other two children. I loved the ceremony, I loved the cookie reception afterward, and I loved the small "mostly family" dinner reception.

I loved the dancing. I loved watching my son and his bride dance, I loved watching the wedding party dance, and I loved watching my kids and husband dance. Maybe I even loved winning the longest married couple dance ... :)

My son is young, his new wife is young, and they are very much in love. They have a lifetime of possibilities ahead. I think I am going to love watching them grow together for a very long time.

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V is for Visitors

V is for visitors. Where there is a wedding, there will be visitors. I like visitors, especially these visitors. Two came from Minnesota, and one came from Nova Scotia. They made the weekend all the more enjoyable. :)

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U is for United

U is for united. Soon my son and his fiance' will be united in marriage.

They are young. They are just starting out in life. They are full of hopes and expectations. Life will throw them some curves and often  disappoint them, but where there is love, commitment, and a Bigger Hand to hold, they can survive.

I am blessed to welcome this sweet girl into my family, to call her daughter, and to offer her my love, encouragement, and prayers. (Maybe by the time W comes along I'll have a wedding picture for you.)

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T is for Truth

T is for "truth". 

“A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is still putting on its shoes”

Mark Twain

The truth is that some people think the truth is their own interpretation of any given situation. Truth is often hidden and seldom told in full. Truth is often lost in facts and yet is made up of them. Leaving out a fact or two, or even rearranging events, can turn truth into a lie.

I looked up the definition of truth on Merrium-Webster's online dictionary and found this amidst the definitions, "a judgment, proposition, or idea that is true or accepted as true". I guess my question is, how is something actually true when it only takes acceptance of its being true to make it so? (I am grappling with my own set of truth and lies today...) If one party believes something to be true and yet another party knows it not to be so, are there two truths? 

I think not.


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S is for Swing

S is for swing, tire swing.

It was a beautiful evening; sun shining, gentle breeze, perfect temperature. I thought about going outside. I thought about the old tractor tire swing that once hung from a Silver Maple branch down behind the barn out back and I missed it. It would have been the prefect spot for Hannah and me to go after dinner. Years back another daughter and I would spend a few after supper moments swinging gently and talking, enjoying the evening air.

Made from a tractor tire and big enough for not-quite-grown-up children to climb inside, wide enough for a pile of kids to swing on, and always a destination point for children. One day I went to find my daughter and nieces out back. It looked as though only Hannah was there, pushing the swing and playing alone, until I took a closer look. Two cousins were tucked inside the tire for a ride.

With the acquisition of a sawmill and the accumulation of large logs, the tire swing destination became a little dangerous. My children grew up and time stretched the ropes until the rubber nearly met the ground. The tree branch was worn and so was the hardware that held the tire aloft. My husband decided it was too great a risk and took the old tire down.

I still like a gentle ride on a swing, but the tire swing will remain but a memory of fun days past. I am instead looking forward to hanging my old Rocking Chair Swing from the branch of the Weeping Birch outside my kitchen window. I think it will be fun for both little ones and old people. :)


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R is for Rainforest

R is for Rainforest, Rainforest Crunch.

I am not a concessionaire of coffee, but I do have a favorite flavor. I am not entirely certain how I came upon Rainforest Crunch coffee, perhaps I first purchased this variety in a little sample package, but whatever the source of the original cup, I find this to be my favorite. Sometimes it is not available in my local supermarket, and I have found myself wondering if it could be seasonal. A week or so ago I spotted some on the shelf as I meandered by. In a moment of weakness I popped it into my cart along with a canister of French vanilla creamer. I do not indulge in much, but I do enjoy a nice cup of coffee. My back porch is the perfect place for sitting and sipping right now.

Care to join me? Do you have a favorite coffee? How about a cookie too? I'm having some of those fancy Spritz cookies. :)

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Q is for Quilt

Q is for quilt. I love quilts. They remind me of all things warm and cozy, like Grandma's house.

A couple weeks ago Mom and I did a puzzle together. It was called "Quilt Sale" and pictured a variety of old fashioned quilts. Though she struggles now to put the pieces together, I still enjoy sitting at her table and working a jigsaw puzzle with my mom. I guess that's because it's kind of warm and cozy too.

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P is for Purple

P is for purple.

The lilacs are blooming. I stuck my nose into the blossoms this afternoon and took a nice deep breath. Dangerous, I know, but the threat of allergies is always worth the scent of fresh lilacs. I just can't help myself and try it at least once or twice every May. Perhaps tomorrow I shall find myself a pair of shears and cut a nice bouquet to bring inside.




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O is for Oreo

"Cause a kid'll eat the middle of an Oreo first, and save the chocolate cookie outside for last."

O is for Oreo. The Oreo Cookie is celebrating its 100th birthday this year and that makes it a perfect candidate for the letter O!

Oreo has come a long way since its humble beginning in 1912. Or maybe it was not such a humble beginning... Oreo cookies, once known as the "Oreo Biscuit", were originally sold as an imitation of the Hydrox cookie which was made by Sunshine. (Sunshine made those yummy Vienna Fingers I loved so much too.) And here I always assumed Sunshine was the copycat.

When I was a kid (a mere 40 years ago), Oreo came in just one flavor, though I do remember the introduction of Double Stuf. Since then there have been all kinds of fun flavors and colors starting with the introduction of Double Stuf in 1975. We have been known to purchase Cool Mint Oreos, and on occasion the Golden variety. I really liked the Birthday Cake Oreos that came out in time for the 100th birthday celebration, and I will be on the lookout for more new flavors because I rather enjoyed the Berry Burst Ice Cream flavor too.

So Happy 100th Birthday to Oreo Cream Sandwich Cookies! 

Thanks for being part of our childhood and thanks for your participation in ABC Wednesday!!!

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Haha! I found the Oreo song!!!

N is for Naughty

N is for naughty. The naughty Jasmine finds herself tied up these days. For a long time she has been able to come and go as she pleases without making too much a nuisance of herself. She has a special friend up the road, just over the hill, who she likes to visit. He lives alone and enjoys her company. She will be gone several days before wandering back home and then disappear again back to Martin's house for another couple of days. Such has been the routine for the past four years. However, age is creeping up on her and hopping along on three legs through thick grass has become increasingly difficult. She finds walking up the middle of the road much more convenient and this is where the naughty comes in.

A little over a week ago Jazz came quite close to being hauled off to the dog pound. Thankfully, by the time the dog warden arrived, she was safe inside the house with a guilty look on her face. The dog warden was not happy to come out in the middle of the night and leave without the prize. The following day, when my sister came out to visit Mom, she was kind enough to bring us a new dog collar and a 40 foot cable. Jazz has been tethered to the tree ever since, but her naughtiness continues. She has twice attempted to escape through the cat door in the middle of the night. (We once thought it was something wild trying to get in...) With every attempt, we lose another chunk of the wall. Now that really is naughty!

 To see the other participants in the new round of ABC Wednesday, click here!

M is for Marbles

M is for Marbles. I'm sure I've lost a few through the years. I know this because I occasionally find them underneath and behind the furniture.

When we were kids we had a wonderful collection of marbles; swirls, solids, and even some clear ones. I have no idea where they came from, but we would sit and divide them up, picking our favorites one at a time from the pile between us. Then we would spend what seemed like hours rolling them across the carpet in our own version of the game, Marbles. If we were a good shot (or if we were lucky enough to be shooting at a carpet covered in them), we would hit one or several of either our own or our opponent's marbles and get to take them back to our own stock pile to shoot again and again.

Our marble collection disappeared one day. I can't remember exactly what happened, but I think it may have met a similar fate as our Game of Life. The Life game met it's demise when we argued over who would put it away and Mom decided she would. Whatever the case, I'll always miss those marbles. They were a whole lot prettier than the collection I have today. (And you thought I'd lost them all!)

To see the other participants in the new round of ABC Wednesday, click here!

H is for Lunatic

H is for Lunatic.

Yesterday, in a comment to a friend, I mentioned how this week's ABC Wednesday would be the letter H. I went on to tell her how sometimes I "cheat" when it comes to posting. Little tricks like posting two letters at once (I did this just last week) in order to make up for lost ground (The perfectionist in me can not leave a letter undone...), or  using a name like Albuquerque for the letter Q.

My mind has been busy. Random thoughts wake in me up in the middle of the night to toss, turn, and pray for sleep's return. Somewhere in the midst of my jumbled thoughts and pressing obligations came "ABC Wednesday". If I could think ahead, I would be ready for today's posting. "H... H..., " I said in my mind.

I don't know how or why it happened, but I suddenly realized H comes directly after G in the alphabet and last week we completed the letter K. (Hadn't I just posted "Just Kidding")? I don't recall whether or not I bothered to come up with the correct letter for today's post, but I do know I found my self feeling slightly embarrassed and very blond. So, yes, H is for Lunatic.

You probably think I've completely lost it... Wait, was last night a full  moon? Nope, that's Friday.

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Just Kidding

I am behind and need to make up for lost ground, so J and K are for "just kidding," and yes, I am serious. :)

Did you know cats are good at Scrabble? Well, this one is a whiz!

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I feel like I cheated or something...

I is for Incognito

I is for incognito, or "having one's identity concealed".

Once upon a time we had a Cowboy Valentine Party. We played cards, drank Sarsaparilla, and ate Cow Pies. (Truthfully, I don't remember what we ate aside from peanuts and Cowboy Coffee Cake. Probably hotdogs and beans.) Anyway, Grandpa came with his guitar and sang us some cowboy songs. We played "Stick the Mustache on the Cowboy", after which everyone decided to go incognito. We had a tough time telling which one was Grandpa, although someone once suggested the one second from the left might be Willie Nelson...

To see the other participants in of ABC Wednesday Round 9, Click here.

ABC Thursday?

It has just now dawned on me that I am totally missing out on the ABC game this week...

So....
H is for Hotdog. I don't know what name you give this mostly summertime treat, but "hotdog" is what I call them. They can be served to little ones cut up on a plate with ketchup, baked into a cornmeal blanket, or slipped into a bun. I have eaten them
boiled, fried, grilled, or skewered on a stick and warmed over a campfire. They've been known to wear ketchup, mustard, and pickle relish, be complimented by onions, or slathered in chili and topped with cheese. Here in upstate NY they come in white or red. In Rochester the whites are known as "porkers" and a little further to the east in Syracuse, I've heard there is another variety called Coneys. (I still prefer the red ones.) With all the different ways to fix them, hotdogs ought never be boring. (Just make sure not to buy the really cheap ones. Mom did that once and I couldn't eat hotdogs for years.)

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Thursday Thirteen and ABC Wednesday

Can I combine these two great memes into one? I can, if I come up with 13 words that start with the letter G.

1. great (This is a great list. I can tell already.)
2. Grandma (She's my mom and she broke her wrist on Sunday. I think she's finally starting to feel just a little bit better.)
3. green (I'm looking forward to the grass turning green again.)
4. grass (Can't waste a word now, can we?)
5. gargantuan (I like the sound of that one.)
6. giant ( Kind of like gargantuan, but not so dramatic.)
7. grapes (I like the seedless kind.)
8. geese (There's a whole gaggle out there!)
9. gaggle
10. giraffe ( A very cool animal)
11. gnome ( a word that doesn't sound like G.)
12. guacamole (My Darling just made some. It would have made a very nice ABC Wednesday all on its own.)
13. giggle (that one makes me smile.)

To see the other participants in the new round of 
ABC Wednesday, click here!

And for Thursday Thirteen, click here.

F is for Fabulous

F is for fabulous. Fantastically fabulous!

I love weddings, especially this one. :)
Getting married is happy, but getting remarried is fabulous! I smile every time I think about it. (That's because I love these two so much! I'm so glad this story has a happy ending.)

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ABC Wednesday, click here!

E is for Ew

My daughter and I were driving home yesterday when I asked her if she could think of any good E words for Valentine's day. She looked at me sideways and said, "Ew..." And so here we are. E is for Ew.

I suppose Hannah was thinking of all the mushy stuff that comes along with a holiday dedicated to love, but after all, she is sixteen... Perhaps when she has a special someone of her own, she will decide it isn't "ew". (I don't believe she really thinks so now either, but don't tell her I said so.)


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ABC Wednesday, click here!