Lisa

As we near the end of the year, we become reflective about our lives and events and sometimes our friends.

Lisa, aka The Villas Girl, is a very special person.

I met her fifteen years ago when she came to work in the Planning and Zoning Office, where I had been working for some time. It was the first time I had anyone working with me there, except for the Department Head. The Township was growing fast. It was no longer the sleepy, semi-rural town it once was. Land development was booming.

From the start, Lisa and I worked well together. She was a fast learner and never hesitated to take on anything new. She had good common sense and good instincts. Her attitude toward the members of the public who appeared at our office window all day long was friendly and helpful - a refreshing change from that of many civil servants who seem to feel the public is made up of fools whose presence is just to annoy the workers. Lisa generally greets people with a smile and asks, "How are you doing today?", with genuine interest. An amazing number of contractors, farmers, realtors, etc. would tell us when their business was done, that they wanted to thank us for not treating them as they were treated in other municipalities. Lisa and I both took pride in that.

Despite our differing backgrounds, Lisa and I found many interests in common, similar attitudes toward people and work related situations, and we continued to get along very well.

Nine years ago (Can it really be that long?) I retired. I sold my house and moved to a much smaller one. I was very pleased to find that my new home is on the street where Lisa lives. It was on what was at that time a quiet little block, with most houses standing vacant all winter, owned by "summer people". It was good to have a friend living nearby.

Lisa is much younger than I. I have come to think of her as another daughter. We share a love of nature and enjoy exploring nature trails and sites together, and share an interest in photography. I delight in her talent with a camera. She has become a truly fine photographer. But she doesn't like having her own picture shown. (She is there, at the end of the path.)

We talk almost every day, which means much to me, since half of my family lives far away, and most of my old friends are no longer living. And I love hearing all the news from the Township offices - good and bad. She calls me sometimes to rant about some new situation there - political or personal - and I enjoy hearing that too, since I know the personalities involved and understand what she is dealing with. They were once my problems.

As I grow older and my health has deteriorated, Lisa has been so helpful and concerned. She has "rescued" me often when I have been in need of it, or have done something stupid (like locking my keys in my car).

I have seldom known anyone so honest and loyal, hard-working and conscientious as Lisa. Nor as loving. She is a natural care-giver. She has looked after her family and friends with great devotion, and expends the same devotion on her pets. And me. I love the girl.

Wyetta

I've been thinking so much of my dear friend, Wyetta lately. As I've mentioned before, she has been a long, long time in hospitals and nursing homes, and is now in a convalescent and rehab facility. It's a nice place. The staff seems very nice, and she has made many friends there. But of course, it isn't home. And it isn't near enough that I can visit her there often. It is near most of my doctors, so whenever I have an appointment I try to make a visit to her as well.

In recent months I haven't made many visits. We have spoken on the phone and I have written letters. Sometimes I do email her as well, but she has a problem with the computer and has not been able to email me except on rare occasions. I miss her so much. And yesterday I received a very brief email from her, telling me that she misses me.

We met in 1978, when we worked together in a part time job. I had just moved to New Jersey from New York. Wyetta was the first real friend I made here, and has become the friend dearest to me. We share so much. It breaks my heart not to be able to see her more often. This is how she looked back in those days. Her smile can light up any room, and it's infectious.

We shared a love for photography and of the outdoors, and we found lots of ways to combine those two interests, taking the children and exploring our world. How I miss those days. How I miss our visits, sitting at her kitchen table, looking at photos and talking. I have more in common with her than I have ever had with anyone else except my husband. I have another dear friend, Lisa, whom you know as the Villas Girl, and I love her too, but feel more as if she is "my other daughter". I value her friendship very highly and she has been my mainstay for a long time. Do not know what I would do without her. But even though Wyetta is young enough to be my daughter, she seems for some reason to be more my contemporary. I have other good friends, but the few who are still living are scattered over the country from Florida to Hawaii, and we no longer meet. So these days I feel I have only my two friends, Lisa and Wyetta, and one of them is out of reach most of the time.

It is hard to feel so helpless to reach out to my friend. Wyetta not only has been far from home for such a long time, at present she is unable to speak. She cannot call, has trouble writing, and often even trouble trying to email. It must be so frustrating for her. I am very grateful that she is at least in fairly pleasant surroundings and among good people. But I want to be there to give her a hug more often.

Autumn Garden

At the start of the weekend, daughter Rita came over to help me get rid of some of the weeds that had taken over my garden. She uncovered the angelonia that was hiding behind - or under - the cosmos and the weeds. I asked her to move it up front.

I really can't believe the cosmos. They are about five or six feet
tall.






The butterfly bush still has some blooms, but is really almost done for the year. But the best thing that made me really happy was that after the whole long summer without a single monarch butterfly, they finally found me. I guess they are on the way to the coast to migrate. Two of them have spent the past few days on my butterfly bush!





It is so sad that their numbers are so depleted this year. It really did warm my heart to see the pair in my garden.






We also found a pair of crickets who seemed to have taken up residence for a while on my mums. So much better on my mums than in my house.



Rita did a great job for me.
Thanks, Rita!



On Saturday, Lisa stopped over. She had her camera with her, and took these two pictures while she was here.



Lisa always takes beautiful pictures.

Noisy Morning

They've reached our block. The natural gas line pipes being installed in our area are about to go down our street. I doubt anyone on our block will be going through the expensive process of the hook up, but they are coming anyway. They have reached a point almost at my house.

Knowing how inconsiderate they have been so far, I have no faith that they will notify anyone to move their cars out of their driveways, so I parked mine on the street. They would have to come ask me to move it if they are getting down this far. If they don't get this far by tomorrow morning, I would be able to just drive away. I have a doctor's appointment then, or I wouldn't have bothered. But then I had a chance to speak with them, and they assured me that when they dig it will be accomplished "instantly", to quote them. I will have no trouble.

Well, frankly I'll believe that when I see it, after what I have seen of them so far, but I moved my car back into the drive, and I'm hoping for the best.

In any case, I'm sure the street will be blocked to any through traffic for a day or so. I'll content myself with staying home, except for that appointment.



Other than that "excitement", nothing much going on around here. I've found a critter or two to photograph. And there's the garden coming along very well now. That's about it.








The things I have in planters on the deck are pretty well saturated. We've had so much rain! I've lost a few things. Two of my planters had no drainage holes, and I was relying on rocks and shells at the bottom for that. Didn't work. Not with all the water that we've had. Lisa came yesterday with her handy little drill, and put some drainage holes in for me. Thank you, Lisa!

Honest Award

My dear friend, Lisa, from Ramblings of a Villas Girl, has seen fit to give me the above award. It involves my listing ten honest things about myself. As I told her, I sometimes have a little trouble being completely honest with myself, but I'm going to give it a try. Here goes:


l. Procrastination in others really drives me crazy.

2 I'm a terrible procrastinator myself.

3. I hate housework. Always have. I do as little as possible to still keep the place reasonably sanitary and presentable.

4. I cannot open childproof caps on medicine bottles. I brought one home two days ago without checking at the store that it was not childproof. I'm pleased and proud to report that I got it open - with a monkey wrench!

5. I forget to eat. I really do. You wouldn't believe it to look at me, but it's the truth. I never, ever get hungry, so I forget. Sometimes miss a meal completely, or at least end up eating it so late that it runs into the next one.

6. My feelings get very hurt when family or friends forget or ignore something that I feel is really important.

7. My short term memory is completely gone, and I sometimes forget things that are really important to others.

8. I lose things all the time - important things. And my house is so small that I do not understand how I can do that. (Lisa keeps a set of house and and car keys for me.)

9. I own three pairs of jeans and wear them ALL THE TIME with tees or sweats. Very rarely wear anything else from my closet.

10. I'm lazy. Really. A lazy procrastinator.


I think that's about as honest as I can get.

Lisa says this is a no-obligation award, so I am going to take advantage of that and not pass it on to anyone else. (I told you, I'm lazy.)

Two Awards

Gina, aka The Pagan Sphinx, has been kind enough to give me the award you see above. And isn't it appropriate that it is YELLOW, and this is Mellow Yellow Monday?(Or will be shortly) You're too good to me, Gina. And you gave me a chuckle when you mentioned that I write about my "Norman Rockwell" past. When I re-read my own posts, I guess it does seem that way sometimes. I think I choose to remember things that seem that way, ignoring the parts that were pretty far from it. Why dwell on unpleasant things?

There are a couple of rules involved, but Gina was kind enough to free us from them. Actually, I think I'd enjoy following them this time - but also with the stipulation that no one has to follow them unless they choose to do so.

First rule is to list five addictions.

l. Photography
2. Blogging
3. Chocolate
4. Weather - I keep checking it on line and on TV, even though they are so often wrong. It makes such a difference to my physical well being.
5. Talking and writing about my grandson. Well... I'm a grandmother.

The other rule is passing it on to five other bloggers:

Daryl, who writes Out and About in New York City, and does it so very well. I love her photographs and her weekly cartoon, and the fact that she answers every comment by email, and her sense of humor and general attitude.

Deborah, whose Notes from the Cloud Messenger is a must for me every day. A beautiful blog. Again with wonderful photographs. And again, presented with her own special sense of humor. I guess humor is a very important ingredient for me.

Ann's blog, Nature Tales and Camera Trails is one of my favorites. Check out her profile for her other blogs as well. Her nature photos are always so very beautiful. Fabulous indeed.

Lisa's photoblog, Villas Girl Photos, has become the first thing I check in the morning. She has another blog, which I enjoy just as much, Ramblings of a Villas Girl, but I have to admit, I am always anxious to see her photos because they are places we have visited together, or where she has gone and I am hoping to visit.

Sylvia writes Sylvia From Over the Hill, but I don't believe she is "over the hill" at all. Her writing belies that. And once again, her sense of humor comes smiling through time and again. She keeps herself well informed on the current scene, and shares her knowledge with us. Her photographs are pretty fantastic too.

Thank you again, Gina. Judging from the choices you made, we will be in very good company.

.....................................................................

The second award is from Sylvia From Over the Hill. Yes, the same Sylvia who I named for the previous award, and who just informed me that she is giving me this one, which acknowledges effort to transmit cultural, ethical, literary and personal values, and is intended to promote community among bloggers.

I am very flattered and honored, Sylvia. That's a lot to live up to. I know that I am also asked to pass it on to fifteen fellow bloggers. That's a lot of bloggers. I know quite a few who deserve it. There are a lot of truly wonderful bloggers out there. But I'm going to have to think about this one. You took my by surprise. Thank you so much!

Blogiversary

It's been a whole year! I can't believe that has happened.

I'll bet no one remembers this:

Monday, January 7, 2008

Just getting started. I must admit, I haven't thought this through. I'm not even sure I really want to blog. Several people have urged me to do it and I'm not sure why.

Well, let's see. I do enjoy putting my thoughts on paper. I love photography, and think I would enjoy posting photos along with my random yammerings, just for my own enjoyment if nothing else. Guess maybe I'll give it a shot. I love reading blogs. Have a list a mile long, and feel as if I know these people who regularly come into my living room via their blogs. One is my youngest daughter and another my closest friend. Oddly enough I learn a great deal about those two by reading their blogs. Wonder what they may learn about me by reading mine?

Don't think they will learn much about me from this entry. It's going to be very short. I must gather my thoughts a bit and decide just what direction this will take - what purpose it will serve (if any). I assume some people will read it, if only out of curiosity, and I don't want to bore them to death. OK. I'll get back to you later.



What amazes me is that five people actually commented on that! Of course, four of them knew me: Lisa, my daughters Kitty and Ruth, and the girl who had been my maid of honor. The other was Ralph, from Homespun Headlines, who is still commenting on my posts today, God bless him. And my second post had three comments, two referred by those people. One was sent by Lisa: Laura from Somewhere in New Jersey, who is still a friend.

It was sort of an accident that I got started at all. I'd been stumbling around on line and hit the wrong buttons. When it told me I'd actually created a blog, I guess I was in a crazy mood, and said "What the heck - why not see what it would look like?" Oooops! Now I've done it! What shall I say? But I went on to write about my name, and my kids, and my husband, and then seemed to have a few more things to talk about so I just kept going. Here I am, 380 posts later, still talking.

It seems to be like therapy for me. I was old, and tired and discouraged and sometimes lonely. Now I'm not. Well, yes, I'm even older, but that's inevitable, isn't it? But now I have a whole community of people I feel are my friends. You just can't have enough friends! I love you guys! Thanks for being out there.

Shadow Shot Sunday #28

Hello Australia, and the rest of the world. It's Shadow Shot Sunday, hosted by Tracey at Hey Harriet. Please drop by there to view beautiful pictures of shadows.


My friend, Lisa, from Villas Girl Photos took two beautiful photos while she was visiting Historic Cold Spring Village in Lower Township, NJ. I have been begging her to submit them to Shadow Shots, but she is involved with other memes, and does not want to add another to her list. She told me to feel free to include them with my submission, and since I think they are exceptional pictures, that is what I am doing.

Historic Cold Spring Village advertises itself as "an Early American open-air living history museum". It holds many buildings from the South Jersey area which have been moved there, making up a charming village on a 22 acre plot. The Village Print Shop, built in 1790, is the subject of the photos.




In this picture you cannot see the wrought iron sign, which extends out from the building toward the camera. You can just make out the shadow of the sign on the building. The second picture is a close up of the shadow.




Thank you Lisa. Your photos are wonderful. I hope one of these days you will decide to join us at Shadow Shot Sunday.

Good Friends

Good friends make such a difference in our lives. I've been blessed with many good friends throughout my life. Joan was my best friend from first grade, all the way through high school. We shared just about everything together for twelve years - all of the silly things, fun things, semi-tragic things, secret things, wonderful things that children and teens share. After high school, she went away to college and I went to work. We remain friends to this day, although in recent years it has become the occasional letter and a few pictures, a much less personal sort of thing.


In my twenties there were two very good friends, Nancy and Eileen, with whom I became very close. Interestingly enough, they were not friends with one another. They lived in very different worlds, and I was privileged to share both. I am very grateful to have had both experiences. Eileen was to become maid of honor in my wedding a few years later. And yes, I am still close friends with both, but long distance. One is in Arizona and one in Hawaii.


Early in my marriage I met Pat. She was the best friend among many during the years when we were raising our children. Mutual support with other mothers of small children can mean so much as we struggle with the myriad of problems and questions we have as we learn how to deal with these little people who are so dependent on us. Sadly, I am no longer in touch with Pat She moved far away and has chosen to cut off communication with old friends, following a family tragedy.


Two years after my husband's death, when we moved to New Jersey, it was like moving into another world and another life. The first real friend I made here was Wyetta. She has remained my closest friend for the past thirty-one years. I am constantly amazed at how much we have in common, despite our vastly different backgrounds. I miss having her nearby. She has been in hospitals or convalescent homes for two years now. I visit as often as I am able. I took this picture a couple of days ago.


Some years ago - I'm not sure exactly how many - Lisa came to work in the same office with me. We liked one another, and found that we could work together very easily. We became good friends, and remained so after my retirement, despite our age difference. Lisa is the same age as my children. Our relationship is somewhere between best friend and mother-daughter. I call her my "other daughter". We now live on the same street, and she looks out for me, worrying over me if my car is gone from the driveway too long or if I forget to turn out the outside light in the morning. She calls me every day, and I look forward to her chats. (And she keeps me up on the gossip from the old office.) We enjoy nature walks together, and she asks me to join her on lots of little expeditions. Every so often I manage to do something stupid, like locking myself out of the house, or locking my car keys in the trunk when I'm far from home. (Yes, it's true. I've done that.) But I can always call Lisa to come to the rescue.

Last night she came over and put up a new curtain rod for me. It's frustrating not even to be able to get up on a little step stool to do something like that, but she hung the curtain for me. I have no idea what it would be like for me if I did not have a friend like Lisa now. No - not "like Lisa". Just Lisa. She's one in a million.


And when she got up on that step stool, she said, "No pictures!" Oh well.

Thank You Lisa

Lisa has given me this beautiful award.


Lisa and I have been friends for a long time. She is quite a gal. She is fiercely loyal, honest, has a great sense of humor but is quick to anger if she feels that someone is being rude or dishonest or unkind to anyone or anything. We have many things in common, and she's great company. I enjoy both of her blogs, Ramblings of a Villas Girl, and Villas Girl Photos. She's turned into an excellent photographer in the past year. I am honored by her award.

This is what she tells me the award means:

To translate the gift from Portuguese to English, it means: "This blog invests and believes, the proximity" [meaning, that blogging makes us "close" - being close through proxy]. "They all are charmed with the blogs, where in the majority of its aims are to show the marvels and to do friendship; there are persons who are not interested when we give them a prize and then they help to cut these bows; do we want that they are cut or that they propagate?"

Whoever did the English translation may not have been perfect, but the meaning is clear enough. It is a lovely award. And, as I told her, it has a beautiful little butterfly on it, and butterflies are my thing.

As Lisa knows, I rarely pass on awards these days. It's just too difficult to choose among my blogging friends, and I always end up regretting that I didn't include more people. I love you all.

Again, a heartfelt thank you, Lisa, and - May you always have love to share, health to spare, and friends that care.

Nice Morning

As a matter of fact, it was a beautiful morning. And Villas Girl had the day off. She asked me if I'd like to go over to Hereford Inlet. Sure I would!

We started out a little after 9:, and stopped on the way at the site of the osprey nests we had seen before. No babies in the nests now of course, but we did see the parent birds.

I guess I'll post one of my photos, but Lisa always gets closer and nicer shots than I do, and she'll probably be posting them soon. I stayed in the car for this one. She got out and got closer.





I do enjoy just looking out over the wetlands. the grasses along the road are beautiful.










Then we continued on to Hereford Lighthouse.




I was in seventh heaven, because there were so many butterflies today. I knew I wouldn't be able to capture many on film. I'm just too slow moving. But I had hopes. And I did manage a couple. I hope Lisa caught some. This is what I was able to do.
















There were a few other fuzzy ones, and there are a few pictures I really haven't examined too closely yet, but these are the best.














I had a lot better luck with the sparrows at the feeder.

They're easy.










And the gardens are as lovely as ever.


















They never seem to fail to outdo the summer before.








I think there was one year when I wasn't too happy with them. But that was really a matter of my own taste.

Others seemed to be just as thrilled as always. And that was the one and only time that I had any reservations.









I have visited these gardens at all times of day and in most kinds of weather. I sometimes like to just sit on a bench in a corner somewhere and listen to the birds and watch the butterflies and the squirrels going about their busy little lives. It's beautiful.






I was very glad that Lisa invited me to join her today. I always enjoy her company and we share a love of nature and of photography.














After she dropped me off at home, she continued on to the Nature Center in Goshen. I'm sure she'll have lots to tell you about that as well as lots more about the ospreys and the gardens, accompanied by her pictures.

Thanks, Lisa

Lisa, of Ramblings of a Villas Girl has given me an award. Lisa is a dear friend, and I enjoy her blog so much. She takes some beautiful photographs and tells us about her nature walks and her experiences in down to earth, fun language. I always enjoy them.

This is a twin award: one called You Make Me Smile and the other Super Commenter. Some people do have a knack for leaving great comments. I have a short list of people to whom I would like to pass these awards:

Shelly, of This Old Farm writes about flowers, food, her wonderful dog, and other interesting topics. I enjoy her comments so much.

Judy, of IMAGINE presents varied topics, often very amusing. I don't know how she manages to comment on so many blogs. I so often see her comments wherever I go. Always insightful.

Then there is Bear. She writes the Bear Naked blog full of information and observa tions, always accompanied by an adorable teddy bear. She comments on so many of my posts with great perception. (Sorry there are no teddy bears on them, Bear)

Kelly has more than one blog. I like America as Seen by Kelly. I have enjoyed her comments from the first, because of her enthusiasm and genuine interest in the subject at hand. She is always willing to lend a hand when needed.

And, if I may be permitted, I would like to give these awards to my daughter, Kitty, of Fetal Positions II. She does make me smile time and time again, and although she rarely leaves comments on my blog, she does it by email or telephone all the time. It may be a bit irregular to award a family member, but I can't think of anyone I'd rather. Her poetry and more serious writing is beautiful. And who wouldn't smile at her tales of her three year old?

That's about it. Again, thank you, Lisa.

Please drop by those I have given awards. You may enjoy them as much as I do.

My Girls

My New York daughter called me yesterday. She asked me if I was still hearing voices in the attic. Yes, I am. We decided it must be the dish on the roof picking up someone's radio. We got a little silly about it, and she suggested that I start my own radio station, using the dish. She says the station's call letters could be WBLOG.



California daughter put up pictures on Flickr. This one was taken during Monterey's July 4th celebration. Pretty cool, huh?



New Jersey daughter celebrated her birthday Sunday.
We don't get the whole family together very often any more. Her brother and sister-in-law took her to a birthday breakfast on the way home from church. Then she and I had our ice cream cones later.



The weather changed enough that I drove up to the Point on Saturday night. The Villas Girl (who is sort of my other daughter) goes almost every evening, walks the beach, watches dolphins leaping, and chats with whoever is there. I didn't do all that, but watched the birds and bunnies and the kites flying over the water. Got a few nice pictures of the sun going down.

Of course I had to run home before it went all the way down.
I turn into a pumpkin if I try to drive after dark.