2013

As I live into this new year, 2013, changed in so many ways by the years and life I've journeyed through since 1983, the sentiments I embraced in this poem then, remain as brilliant and relevant as they did 30 years ago.

Each today is still as precious, as vibrant - as elusive and fleeting as was yesterday...as it will be tomorrow.

Grab the perfect moments in life.  Cherish the Love that surrounds us, that abounds in Nature, that can be found in every corner, every breath we exchange.

Happy New Year.

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TODAY

"Possess this day with awe and caring.
It is a gift given quickly and only once;
Stain it not with tears of regret.

Look to yesterday with reverence,
For it is a teacher - a wise one,
A pathway for tomorrow, a memory, a vision.

Tomorrow is also a vision, but without substance.
It is a dream, a wish, a story - yet to be told,
A feeling waiting to be birthed.

Yesterday passes,
Tomorrow waits;
Ah...but for today."

1983 (copyright, 1991)
 Danielle Simone 

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Please enjoy the "aged" humor, after the invocation, in this totally unrelated - yet very funny video on the anecdotes of getting old.





 

Critter Trails: Dugong and Manatee

While researching Walrus information, I learned about a Dugong – that belongs to a species called Sirenians.  Though they may resemble Cetaceans they are more closely related to elephants, hyraxes, and aardvarks.



According to http://www.sirenian.org/sirenians.html Sirenians are special animals:

“While there are about 78 species of cetaceans (whales & dolphins) and about 235 species of primates (monkeys, apes, chimps), there are only 4 species of Sirenians living on earth today, three manatees and one dugong. A fifth species, Steller's sea cow, was hunted to extinction by explorers in the 1700s….”

The website writers explain that the remaining three species are “…primary consumers of sea grass and freshwater vegetation.”  “…they are the ONLY marine mammal herbivores alive today.”

These docile, unique-appearing sea creatures are in danger of extinction.  Causes include global warming related to waning habitat, human intervention, (boating) and the length and frequency of gestation. Wikipedia explains:

“Despite the longevity of the dugong, which may live for 50 years or more, females give birth only a few times during their life, and invest considerable parental care in their young. The time between births is unclear, with estimates ranging from 2.4 to 7 years.”

Wikipedia says, the Sirenians may have existed as early as the Eocene Epoch (50 to 55 MYA), but their main fossil record includes the Miocene Epoch (5 to 23 MYA).

The following chart of animal facts can be found at http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/about-the-reef/animals/dugong

Dugong facts

Life span (maximum longevity - most dugong die at a younger age)	70 years
Age before breeding (females)	6-17 years
Age before breeding (males)	4-16 years
Gestation period	13-15 months
Number of young	1
Lactation length	14-18 months
Time between breeding	3-7 years
Maximum possible rate of increase (e.g. low natural mortality and no human-induced mortality)	5% per year
Estimated natural mortality rate	5% per year

The World Wildlife Fund has many Sirenian gifts available with proceeds of course, supporting conservation and research.

http://www.sirenian.org/caryn.html has a reference list of reading material to assist your knowledge of these interesting but waning ocean creatures.

The Amazon book site list on Sirenians is long with some books available for as little as $0.10.

 


For the 'littler' visitors to this site, please enjoy this youtube on the Dugong and Manatee:



NOTE:  According to my research, unlike the reference to the contrary in this video, the Dugong and Manatee are two different species.

As always...Nature prevails.

Memory Trails

As I watch my Mom visit more frequently in my bathroom mirror...
As I watch my used-to-be sharp thinking, begin to slow,
As I walk a little bit slower navigating my steps.

As some of my family and friends turn more gray than not...
As the PBS specials hire these elderly - once famous singing group 'look-a-likes',
As my 'just reading' glasses become more necessary and less fashionable.

When I recall the heavy work of my youth...
When I realize I no longer need an Abacus to count my remaining moon-lit nights,
When that picture of my child begins to show maturity as opposed to youth.

For the many friends and some family who have left this planet for parts unknown...
For the aches and pains that seem to be replacing my used-to-be boundless life energy,
For the wrinkles and long-term effects of gravity in all senior faces.

To the memories that now fill reams instead of pages...
To the babies I held...who now hold their own,
To the passage of years that are marked by memories.....

I dedicate this heart-touching song by Mary Travers, from the esteemed and ageless group, Peter, Paul and Mary.
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Please review the following interesting series on aging
 http://www.learner.org/resources/series84.html?pop=yes&pid=456

Nature prevails....in the corners of our memories.

Life Trails: It's a Dog's Life

I had an interesting conversation with my 70 something friend this week.  We discussed the usual we’re gettin' worn out trivia that we 60/70 somethings throw back and forth at times.  When you’re at this point on the life trail, and you stop to enjoy the lookout point, what you begin to see can be increasingly disturbing!

-When did the children get to be so old?

-Oh my god, that can’t be so and so on my PBS screen who sang whatever it was that hit number 1 on the charts in ‘65‘ cause she certainly didn’t look like that!

-I thought my mother passed away…but now she’s in my bathroom mirror ! 

-I used to run to the mailbox, now it’s so far away it takes twice as long to get there!  When did the Post Office move it?

-I know times are hard but do ALL the companies that produce food for our shopping…have to make the print so small on their labels?!

-Have you noticed that all manufacturers are making the clothes smaller – including the shoes?!

-I think I recall when the young guys used to give me a certain kind of second, slightly longer look; now, they tip their hat, hurry to open the door for me and say things like ‘yes Ma’am’…did I miss something???

-The manager at a Loaf ‘n Jug’ told me the other day that the reason I had to pay first before pumping was due to a fella’ running off with a full tank of gas a few days before - without paying…’he was around your age..’, he said, looking at me with that similar certain look I get from the young guys.

So this morning, my 70 something friend gave me some words of wisdom – and I listened – ‘cause there’s no generation gap here!  “When your plate gets too heavy…just put it on the floor"! 

Now that…has possibilities…

Nature prevails, at least for a little while longer…

Stress Trails: OverwhelmingNESS

You wake up and your head is cloudy with pervasive fog throughout your body. You can’t seem to believe that living this day is on your priority list – or even worth the thought.  You can’t imagine one positive item in your life, and to boot – your wallet will soon be empty – yet again, ‘cause the car just went lame, the septic tank is acting full and, well…maybe…it’s time to just jump into it because the smell out here is just about unbearable!

How is it that we can be gung-ho one day, running around like Congress just adjudicated 8 more hours to Monday through Friday, and the next day, well, you know; any clues?

Consider this: our brain is like a gargantuan, multi-sided room with doors on every side.  Most days, the connected locking system is carefully controlled by a complex matrix that electrically runs all ‘processes’ with the smoothness of a new computer – at least for the sake of this argument. And for the sake of this argument, we’ll name this matrix - what’s-his-name.

But as with all electrical systems, sometimes a ‘short’ occurs, a wire crosses, what’s-his-name falls asleep at the wheel.  (We can’t ALL be perfect, after all!) He is normally quite in charge of which doors to open; why, when and how long are all part of his well-oiled job description that he does so well, we’re usually not even aware he’s on the job.  But, he is…most days. 

But today, ALL the doors got opened; every project on the planet has entered and OVERWHELMINGNESS just dropped in!

What to do?!

I know many wives and Moms who will smile when they read this and their every husband and teenager will groan.  But the truth must prevail.  Enter, the almighty list/ plan.  But before you run out the door screaming in your ‘jammies, hear me out.

The solution wasn’t needed yesterday because the little guy, what’s-his-name was awake.  So what does that really mean, in terms of the fog, the overwhelmingness that leaves us in park mode for hours, sometimes days?  How do we wake up the poor little snoozer?

You don’t need to ‘cause he’ll be awake before you know it, (we all need a nap!).  And secondly - you are more than capable of doing his job for a little while; after all, you hired him, remember?  Oh yeah.

His job is complex, yes, but doable, manually – in the short term anyway. Get out a paper and pencil – or fire up the old Gateway on your office desk and pull up a new Word doc.  Here goes…

The LIST

--Start jotting down the names of all those projects that are running around in your brain playing overwhelmingness with your brain cells; write those suckers down in a list – one by one.  I know, they are hard to find ‘cause they’re moving too fast, but stick to it for a few minutes – you’ll catch a glimpse – one by one.

--Okay, when they are ALL accounted for, down on the LIST, chase those suckers ALL back out their doors and re-lock those guys out from the inside!  Remember that you’re on manual control for now, till what’s-his-name wakes up from his snooze – which usually doesn’t last long. It’s a hard job, running around your mind, locking doors, but, the highlight of this cure is – it works! And don’t be too hard on what’s-his-name when he wakes up; if it wasn’t for him, you’d be doing this 24/7!

Now – the other 4-letter word, plan.  Yes!  A plan.  This isn’t rocket science; what’s-his-name does this 24/7, remember?  That’s how you can manage to pick up the kids after school, run one to basketball practice while you text your wife who’s picking up your boss’s wife for dinner while you plan to pick up your other kid from the store where you asked him to get the dessert for dinner.  Oh yeah, and then you’ll put the garbage out for the trash guys before bed, call your co-worker with the final outline for the 10 am PowerPoint you’ll finish before breakfast! Get the picture? 

The PLAN

--Start prioritizing the names on your new list.  This is the hard part.  But keep in mind that what’s-his-name will pick up these pieces in a little while; your task at hand is simply to make a general plan. 

--When that plan is to the point that you can’t seem to get it any better than it is, please take notice of your brain fog, your overwhelmingness…it will be just about cleared – cleared enough that you can close the septic tank cover, go inside, eat a few chocolates, turn on your favorite CD and start your day.  You will soon notice that the sun really does shine in and on your little life and that your little life…is pretty special!

--One more item: you will now plan to pat what’s-his-name on the back when he wakes up, plan to buy him a box of chocolates on the way home from work next week – in between the cleaners and the grocery store.  Getting overwhelmed that you’ll forget?  NOT TO WORRY; what’s-his-name will remind you; that’s his job and he does it well!  Most times.  Like I said, no one is perfect; remove that nasty word from the list AND the plan.

Don’t forget the chocolates.

As always, Nature prevails, even in the deepest recesses of our brain.

National Chicken Trails: Free The Prisoners...

Found this informative article - great news to millions of caged chickens in our nation who never get any semblance of appreciation for putting breakfast on our tables.  Now, though not a complete chase the birds out to play, this movement truly builds a solid beginning for more humane chicken-care for more than a few, very hard working hens among us.

http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2012/02/the-state-of-the-chicken/253596/?google_editors_picks=true

Check out the chicken sites online; the 'keeping of city chickens' is a solidly growing movement across our nation.  You will be amazed at the cities that are bending to the pressure from an increasing number of people who want fresh eggs to supplement their grocery store filled fridges - not to mention the learning and enjoyment garnered from chicken-keeping.

Chickens rock!

As always...Nature prevails.

Trails of Greener Grasses

Is the grass really greener on the other side of the fence?  Sometimes, I wonder...

Have you ever noticed the cows and horses as you drive along the road, leaning hard over the fence to eat the green grass on the outside edge of the fence - most times when that same green grass covers their expansive pastures...inside their fences?

Through my younger years, I thought the reasons might include foul-tasting sub-irrigation in the pastures or inappropriate crops, etc.  But, with aging, it occurred to me that we mammals on planet earth have numerous similarities, one being that the grass sometimes does seem to taste a bit better...on the far side of the fence. Looking inside my heart, I realized I too, overlook my many blessings.

-Family that travel 2 hours to visit me when I can't go the whole distance
-Friends that meet me to not only share their lives but to delve into my journey and it's travails and high spots of the week
-Children that smile and share hugs and warmth of heart and mind
-A little house that consistently cocoons me from storms and wind and the eyes of the world
-A little red car that still purrs down the road -even with 360,000 long and weary miles under her cute little hood
-A spouse whose halo continually and Lovingly absorbs and understands my north wind personality that sometimes, forgets to respect sunshine, seasons, and the differences within human nature
-Possessions that allow for abundant crafting and clothing and filling of my unending myriad of daily hungers, needs and desires
-Living in a country that - though far from perfect, still allows my free travel within its boundaries, provides mostly good roads on which to move about, still provides a fairly safe environment within which I can walk my neighborhood at night with minimum fear, and within which there are any number and types of public parks and conservation areas to enjoy Nature's unlimited wonder and soul-filling beauty. The list, given adequate thought and intent, is more fit for a book-series than a small blog post.

We don't often bump into this notion of blessings until life gives us a slap and we are then forced into the moment.  Maybe your partner, family member or friend is hospitalized or facing a deadly or life-altering disease.  Maybe your job or spouse leave you alone. Maybe the water heater died; maybe you're having one of those moany-groany days when life seems skewed and foggy, your aches and pains kept you awake last night and -of all the possible things that could happen to you, the mail is late!

No matter the cause, standing still enough to face our blessings, feeds us in a manner nothing else can.  It costs nothing - yet fills our emotional bank account to overflowing. It energizes our heart and mind as no caffeinated drink ever hoped.  Blessings fill us with gratitude, warm our hearts and soul, work the smile muscles instead of the frown ones, lower our blood pressure and pulse rate, connect with endorphins and just plain make us satisfied...at least for a little while.

My thoughtful and profound friend mentioned today that..."Moments are forever!"  That said, spend a few moments today to tally your inventory; spend those moments embracing the positives in your world.

-Watch a bird sing its song on a fencepost - and be grateful for your vision and hearing
-Listen to the wind in the trees - and be grateful for your home
-Watch the evening news - and be grateful your address doesn't include Afghanistan
-Walk the perimeter of your property - and be grateful that walk isn't occurring under a cold and lonely bridge
-Call your child, your friend, your neighbor...and be grateful you are still alive.
 -Look up at the stars later this evening, consider the awesome wonder that is our universe

Nature prevails..all over and around our lives.