Unbowed, A Memoir, by Wangari Maathai is an account of an amazing life. Maathai, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004, is recognized for the Green Belt Movement, champion of human rights, and peace. As always, it is interesting to read about a life that starts very humbly and continues humbly even though she is now part of the Kenyan Parliament. Maathai has been harassed, jailed, put on assassination lists, been demoted, and censored by men and women alike in her country. Despite opposition, she continues her work helping women throughout Africa and the world by planting trees to create a more healthy environment for themselves and the future. I was fascinated in reading how she keep up her spirits and her bravery. She is an inspiration. Wow, what a powerful story! http://www.greenbeltmovement.org/

Happy Birfday to my amazing son, NB. For two weeks before you were born, it rained and rained. The day after you were born, the sun came out, it was in the 70's, and the leaves were a beautiful fall arrangement outside the hospital window. So, that's what it has been doing for the last few weeks-raining. Then today we had a gorgeous fall day. What a nice birthday present. Lots of love from your mum and pup. Can't wait till you can get your present. It's really neat!

I looked back to last year's blogging to see if we got a big snowfall. And yes, on Friday 13, 2006, we had a biggg snowstorm and school was closed. Lucky for the kids, etc., but I don't work on Friday so that part didn't thrill me. No such weather unluckiness this year.

We did get our first frost though, on Saturday night. I covered my window boxes and the ivy plants. But, the zucchini plants were burned and so were the tomatoes. I was up at 4:00 a.m. and the temp. was 30 degrees. I'll take 10 frosts to one snowstorm. I'm not looking forward to winter!!!

Bird Watch: The Crowned Sparrows are back. Is that a sure sign of fall? We also noticed that the Red-winged Blackbirds are gone. Our year-round resident, the cardinal is here. Mr. and Mrs. Red are having supper at the feeder at this moment. It's looking like fall here.

Reading Iran Awakening, by Shirin Ebadi was quite timely with all of the news about Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad coming to Columbia University and his denial of the Holocaust. But, this is not about Ahmadubehad. This is the memoir of Shirin Ebadi, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003. It tells of her traditional life in Iran including childhood, education, and accomplishments as a judge. Ebadi was demoted in the 1979 Islamic Revolution. She was imprisoned, harrassed, and was on an assassination list. She is a national hero who has fought for women's right and a fair judicial system. She has defended democracy, free speech, and the rule of law.

Her big thing is to work within the context of Islam. Many of her cases for human justice have been based on text from the Koran. She writes," In the last twenty-three years, from the day I was stripped of my judgeship to the years doing battle in the revolutionary courts of Tehran, I had repeated one refrain: an interpretation of Islam that is in harmony with equality and democracy is an authentic expression of faith."

She feels that change in Iran must come peacefully and from within. Ebadi states," The West, for its part, has the option of using diplomacy to pressure Iran to change its behavior, from its human rights record inside the country to the nature of its nuclear energy program. ........ I can think of no scenario more alarming , no internal shift more dangerous than that engendered by the West imagining that it can bring democracy to Iran through either military might or the fomentation of violent rebellion."

I wonder what advice she would give our President and her own President if given freedom of speech and the freedom to live without fearing for her life? I would like to be the little fly on the wall. Read this book, I have only summarized some highlights.

A few weeks back, I went to the Epicurean Classic in TC . It was fabulous. A great place to rub elbows with the high brows, big rollers. and foodies around our parts. I went to a class given by Alice Medrich. She was basically promoting her new book, Pure Dessert. Lots of fun, since she made chocolate souffles, touilles, and honey ice cream. All were wonderfully tasty and easy to make.

My favorite was the honey ice cream. So, woe is me, I want an ice cream maker. I checked one out a the kitchen store and I have a $10 coupon there. I want one for my birthday which is coming up in Nov. Oh boy, there are so many yummy flavors to try. I wonder if we will be eating ice cream every night? I wonder if we could put just a few scoops in the bowl?

My sources say that it is totally out of the question. Don't even think about it. He screams, Are you nuts???

Want a quick and easy dessert? Well, tonight I'm preparing one of my favorite chocolate dishes. But, it's not in a dish. I'm talking about m&m peanuts in a 1.74 oz. bag. Now this chocolate specialty has 250 calories, 30 g of carbs, and 5 g of protein. It is really quite filling and satisfying. It tastes great with coffee, you get that sugar hit, and you won't be eating it for a week like you would a chocolate cake. So, that's the beauty of candy. Quick, easy, tasty. I have even put the cute yellow bag beside each plate. I don't think it fits in with the the sophisticated ways to serve up the dessert course, but it works for me. No fuss, no muss.

Given up on my blog? No way. School has started and I'm just getting back in the swing of being at work. Boy, did summer go by fast!!

The good news is that I'm still going to the gym. I went from lifting 5 lb. weights to 8 lbs. I am making progress. My back is still a problem, but I figure if I'm in pain, I might as well get some benefit from going to workout and be in pain. No, I don't overdo. I only go to the gym four days a week and lift weights the days I don't go. Don't mess wif me!

The wedding is over with and the happy couple are just back from their honeymoon. It was fun helping with the flowers and shower. The lesson I learned is to try to stay rested the week leading up to the big event. Seems like we had something that needed to be done every day and night. I hope I can take my own advice when the time comes. Another problem is the "add ons." You know, an event could always have more and more and more. Stick to the plan. That is, unless it makes things easier.

So, with the cool fall weather- upper 50's and rain, I craved meatloaf and mac and cheese. They are on this weeks menu. Soon it will be time to make soup. I need to find some new soup recipes. We love corn & cheese chowder and potato soup. Any yummy soup recipes out there?

The tables are set, the flower arrangements and candles are in place, the dance floor is ready, and the trellis is festively decorated. It's time for a wedding. Most everything has been accomplished. I even got a manicure (thanks to a gift certificate from the bride and mother-of-the-bride). The room looks lovely, so now it is just a matter of waiting until tomorrow.

After everything was in place, it seemed like we should have come home, changed our clothes, and gone back for the ceremony and reception. I sound like I want to get it over with, but that was just my feeling earlier in the day. I know there are mixed feelings about wanting it to be finished and on the other hand, wanting the time to slow down.

This wedding is a pre-play of the wedding coming up in May. Same location. I will be thinking about what needs to be done and what not to do. However, I'm sure this will be a lovely event.

Congratulations to Kendra and Walter!! Cheers!

Bird Watch: Dovey has not been sighted for the last few days. I hope he/she found her way back home. It always makes me curious when animals like that show up at our house. It's much the same as the way life presents unexpected events. This dove visit was a pleasant, quiet, and reassuring event.

Our preparations for the ground breaking for the library are finished. Sat. we took the gold shovels, ribbon tied spoons, and the tents to the building site and even though it rained, we had a successful ceremony with lots of celebrities, and kids. The next step is to see how much money we still need to raise. Then...drum roll... we will be putting up our new library. It is very exciting. I wish someone would come along and give our group about ten thousand so we would be done. It is a real achievement for our community to raise over $780,000. I'm proud!!

This week is dedicated to getting ready for KW's wedding. I am doing the flowers for the reception. I spent most of the day washing vases and chimneys. We have had some problems with getting the flowers, but KW isn't real fussy so we revamped our plans-thank goodness. I love doing this sort of thing.

More important to report is that I have been going to the gym. Boy, it is really easy to be out of shape. And, we are trying to eat more healthy. BF quit smoking and started going to the gym, so I am there as his support and I'm trying to strenghten my back. I give us an A+ for effort. Hope I can stick to it when school starts. BF is very dedicated and goes everyday after work. Next step, a body building contest. RIGHT, me and Arnold! The hardest thing is going out to eat and my craving for a little sweets after dinner. Any advice to keep us going?

Bird Watch: This has been the week for intensive bird watching. It started out with the fighting humming birds. Let me explain. We thought there were three: a male and two female hummers. But, as we observed more, there are at least three humming birds plus the male. We haven't seen him much lately. What we have seen are three hummingbirds buzzing around, fighting, chasing each other off, and chipping at us when we are sitting outside. We noticed the numbers since they like to sit on the top of the trellis in the garden. They won't feed at the feeder at the same time. When they chase each other, they come dangerously close to running into us. There they go again. One landed on top of the lilac tree just outside my window. It appears to be a female. All we can think of is that these are babies and the mother is trying to distance herself.

Almost every bird we usually see has been bringing their babies to the bird feeder. It's cheep cheep feed me. We had a rash of woodpeckers and now it is the goldfinches and house finches with their young. We also have a young blue jay that looks bald because it doesn't have its blue jay hair cut.

One evening, Mudge started barking and when I went to the front door, I was greeted by a whole flock of turkeys. Two hens had about two dozen babies and they were strutting through our yard. I shooed them away since I don't want them scratching in my garden.

Another interesting bird development is the white dove that has made itself at home in our yard. No it's not a mourning dove. I'm talking about a dove that you would keep in a coop and train to fly out and come back home. This bird is pure white with pink legs and is very tame. BF went right up to her/him and reached out his hand. Dovey didn't perch on his finger, but then she didn't fly away either( BF keep pigeons as a kid) . It doesn't have a band on its leg. I hope it goes home soon before the weather gets too cold. We think it is some kind of sign. Not quite sure what, but the bird is very pretty and makes us wonder. We are wondering if someone released it for a wedding or a funeral.

Ah, birdies.

Bayfield, Ontario gets the highest marks for our summer vacation. We traveled 430 miles to Fergus, Ontario, saw the Elora Gorge in Elora, went to a play in Stratford, and then drove to Bayfield. The best and most relaxing part of my four day trip was at the Little Inn of Bayfield. Bayfield is located on Lake Huron with one street of shopping and enough restaurants to give a variety of dining. We have been staying at the Little Inn since 2003.

Let's exclaim about the food- Wonderful! This is a four star inn, so I expected gourmet food, and I was rewarded with a sumptuous meal lasting a good two hours. BF had beef tenderloin, M and I had jumbo scallops and shrimp, and R had chicken. Now, that all sounds ordinary, but the whole meal was a gastronomic pleasure. I can't leave out the mango shrimp salad and lemon raspberry bomb.

Now, let's exclaim over the hospitality. Everyone was friendly, helpful, and available to make sure we had a grand time. Darren, the Inn manager, has always been gracious and was our waiter for the gourmet meal.

The Inn is old, quaint, and charming. The rooms we stayed in are newly remodeled on the second floor, so they were very comfortable, although I'm not sold on ThermoPedic mattresses.

We won't talk about the hour and half wait on the Blue Water Bridge to get into Canada and we won't talk about the two hour wait at the bridge when we came back home.

So, there it is for another year. You had to be there. Now I have to go back to work to pay for my vacation. Some people work to pay the bills, but I work to pay for my vacation. I'm already planning for next year.

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick is a WOW book. It is about an orphan, Hugo Cabret, who lives in the walls of a Paris train station in 1931. His uncle, the clock keeper in the station, has disappeared and so Hugo keeps the clocks going in the towers. But, the story grows more complicated when he becomes involved with an old man who runs a toy booth and an unusual girl. The mystery includes a mechanical man, a notebook from the boy's dead father, and a heart-shaped key.

The story is intriguing, but the second WOW factor is the 284 pages of original drawings. There is a wonderful chase episode done in pictures. The book also includes elements of films so... it makes for a unique reading experience. The book is gigantic and the size could be a put-off for young readers, but the reading goes fast and the pictures keep the reading pace brisk. The story is based on a collection of mechanical wind-up figures known as automata and early films and photographs. Films and photographs are a part of the "illustrations".

This book can be enjoyed by young and old. I recommend this book to read to the kids, for young readers, and for adult who like the pure joy of reading.

Today was the bridal shower. The day started out with rain, but it got warmer and the sun came out so that didn't stop the party. Everything went as planned.

Menu:

Tiny heart cookies with drizzled frosting

Lemon bunt cake

Chocolate chip kiss cookies

Zucchini bread with cream cheese spread

Cherry bread

Fruit shish kabobs

Raspberry lemonade Punch

Coffee

A nice party with aunts, great aunts, cousins, and second cousins. Everyone seemed to enjoy Bride Bingo as the guest of honor opened her gifts.

The party guests received a small candle favor and winners of the Bridal Bingo took home miniature purple African violet plants in purple pots. Three names were drawn from the Thank you note addresses and they took home the fresh flower arrangements (roses thanks to FB's flower garden). I made a corsage for KW with small purple roses, white feverfew, lavender, and ivy.

It was a pleasant afternoon and fun to host.

Butterfly alert: It's not yet a butterfly, but I saw a Monarch larvae when I went down to get the mail. It is very distinctive looking and really chewing away on its host plant the milkweed. I'll keep watch to see if the chrysalis is formed near by. the wormy is cool, but the chrysalis is downright beautiful with its blue body and gold markings.

Bird watch: No new birds.

I've been working on the wedding shower goodies. I made small heart shaped sugar cookies and drizzled a purple powdered sugar glaze on them. The cookies are tasty, but I wish I hadn't put on the glaze- toooo sweet. They do look pretty and will look even more lovely atop the purple cake stand that AS gave me for Christmas. Still have to make a lemon bunt cake. Everything else has been farmed out so everyone gets a chance to help. I really do enjoy planning and doing parties.

Of course, the weather is always the subject of serious conversation in Michigan. It has been raining and cold with wind and thunderstorms. I sure am glad I'm not camping with little kids these last few days. I bet the malls are crowded and the sale of t-shirts is up. It is the week of the National Cherry Festival so TC is crowded with Fudgies. And, it usually rains during this big event. The same goes for the fair which starts the first week of August- rain, I mean. But, we could use the moisture since the lawns were burning up and turning brown. Don't worry, it will be back to hot summer weather shortly.

Butterfly alert: I saw a Mourning Cloak. The crazy thing just sat there sunning itself with it's wings folded. I couldn't identify it with my new Michigan book. Now I know why I need the big North America field guide- because they show both angles of the wings.

Bird watch: Cedar Waxwings are coming to the ripe honeysuckle berries. Still have a lot of hummingbird action.

Where have I been? What have I been doing? Well, I'm getting ready for a Wedding shower that I am putting on. I'm making goodies, getting the favors around, and doing the general stuff. The good thing is that I don't have to clean my house for this celebration. I will be doing the flowers for this wedding so we have been discussing types, form, cost, etc. I've spent a good deal of time looking at ideas on the net. Many great sites.


Since BF stopped smoking, I am his support system and have been going to the gym. I've been walking on the treadmill and doing a few exercises for my arms. Boy- am I out of shape. At least my back pain is for some reason.


We have been hanging out over the holidays keeping the yard watered, working in the garden ( I have picked zucchini and my beans are nearly ready). Lots of beautiful roses. FB has a beautiful pale lilac rose that is sooo fragrant.

Also, we went out on the plains ( land North of our house that was logged off and people grazed there cattle on the grass during my father's time) to pick wild huckleberries. Slow picking because the berries are so small. We picked enough to make huckleberry muffins and have some left for pancakes this weekend. I remember, when I was a kid, picking in that area and getting quarts and quarts to freeze. It is a good thing we don't have to live off these berries, because we would be thin from spending so much time picking those little blue wonders.

Summer is slipping by, I have to make lists or else I find myself doing absolutely nothing. Some days I have very little motivation. I can see why people fall into depression when they retire. Its hard to balance regiment and spontaneity.

Butterfly alert: This year seems to be exceptional for butterflies flitting around the yard, garden, and in the trees. Maybe they have always been around and I am finally noticing their fantastic features. (Probably I'm being more observant). I have identified a Red Admiral and Eastern Swallowtail. I think the Swallowtail lays eggs on my fennel in the garden. I counted four striped larvae on the big ferny plant just on Monday, but I can't find them today. They were fat so could be yummy food for the bluebirds or they have made their chrysalis and are hiding somewhere deep within the ferny plant. I also saw a Little Wood Satyr or a Northern Eyed Brown. It had a lovely eye at the top of it's dun brown wing as it rested on an open spot of dirt basking in the morning sun. I haven't found the correct identification.

I bought Butterflies of the Great Lakes Region by Matthew and Jonathan Douglas. I was hoping this would be great for identifying butterflies in my area rather that having to look through a field guide of butterflies in North America. It is helpful to have fewer butterflies to look at, but the downside is that the photos may only show the side view or the open wing view, not both. Many times I have observed a butterfly with it's wings closed, but the book doesn't show it that way. So... I guess I really need both books for a cross reference. And I need to be more observant as to identifying features- quickly! These guys don't just sit and sit in one place. As always, I have a lot to learn.

Bird alert: This morning I saw the oriole in the poplar trees in the side yard. It has just arrived at the humming bird feeder, but it had trouble since it has no way to gain a perch with the hummer feeder swinging in the breeze. I saw the eagle cruising the neighborhood. I wish that big guy would do more with rabbit control. Back at the bird feeder, we have been watching the woodpeckers parenting their babies. We have a family of Hairy woodpeckers and a family of Downy woodpeckers. They chatter and chatter to get their young to eat the suet at the side of the feeder. What a commotion when the male Hairy daddy was coaxing the female Downy baby.

Yes, the rabbits are still dining on seeds at the base of the bird feeder and the sumptuous white flower heads of the sweet clover. So far, no damage to vegetable garden.

All this bird and butterfly watching is very entertaining. I know, it doesn't take much to entertain me. Oh, there goes a butterfly. Toodles!

Today brought the pleasure of having lunch with my college roommate, Harriet. We talked fast and furious and barely allowed time to leave the room. I loved being together.

This quote sums it up:

Because of a friend, life is a little stronger, fuller, more gracious thing for the friend's existence, whether he be near or far. If the friend is close at hand, that is best; but if he is far away he still is there to think of, to wonder about, to hear from, to write to, to share life and experience with, to serve, to honor, to admire, to love.

Arthur Christopher Benson

We plan to make lunch together a monthly occasion.

for one more day, by Mitch Albom, is a short and fast, but a must read. Chick Benitto is a washed up guy who tries to kill himself. He is graced with a day with his long departed mother. Chick learns about the power of a mother's love. It will give you a few laughs, and a few tears. Some will wish for that one more day with their mother. Some will, perhaps, appreciate their mother here in the present, if they get a chance for one more day.

SPRING IS OFFICIALLY HERE IN NORTHERN MICHIGAN!!

Yes, it has finally arrived because today we saw a pair of bluebirds. They flew down from the electrical wire after bugs and grubs. the flash of blue is amazing. When I took some drinks to the table out under the big poplar tree in the backyard, there they sat on a limb above the table. Blue birds are very cool. I was hoping they would take up residence in the bird box that is on the poplar tree I just mentioned. Wouldn't that be fun to watch. Maybe I will spot where they have made their home.

The next creature to make an appearance was a milk snake that Mudge (our Scottie) has been sniffing the garden for all day. He had it cornered and, sorry to say, that was the end of the snake. I know, bad karma, but I really don't like them in my house. One year, I took seven out of my house. Two I took from under the kitchen table. I even have a snake stick that NB made for me so I can catch them in this noose outfit and let them free. I patiently did set them free for a number of years, but they keep coming back. Soooo....

I put out some hummingbird food because I saw a hummer in my flowers. Sure enough, the female came buzzing around and is at this moment at the feeder. Humming birds really like the wild columbine I have in the garden by the pole barn. I also planted some snapdragons for this sweet little bird.

Well, I could leave out the other wildlife, because here comes a bunny hopping down the trail. It just jumped through the vegetable garden and is sniffing out Big Fred's Jeep. Oh boy, my veggies are up and growing well. I hope BunBun doesn't like string beans or tomatoes. Dem Durn Rabbits.

All in all, a restful day on Wyndyhill. We did wash the inside and outside of the living room windows and BF washed the cars. All in all, it was a restful spring day.