Small Graces

I have been reading a book by Kent Nerburn

 "Small Graces"  and I have truly been moved by many of the stories he has told such as "The Gift of Clouds" on page 39. It is three pages long and beautifully written but I will try to share the point of the story. He says that he was once a cab driver and often picked up a blind woman from a University. They became friends and so one day he asked her if she could see just one thing for just a few minutes what would it be? Her answer was......clouds. I will quote this one section:
"Why Clouds? I asked.
Because I can't imagine them, she said. People have tried to explain them to me. They tell me that they are like cotton. They tell me they look like how fog feels. They spray whipped cream in my hand. They move my fingers over paintings of skies and let feel the shapes of clouds painted on canvas. But I am still no closer to an understanding. Yes, it would be clouds.
I look out the window of the cab. The clouds were moving, stately and triumphant, in majestic procession across the sky."

So here is the challenge....how would you describe a cloud to a person who has never seen one?

I won't give away his answer to her but what would your answer be?

Something to ponder

I want him

Simply amazing

Thank you

 

I am loving it

Something I love to do is organize recipes....yes, I know, I am weird but I probably have changed mine at least 3 or 4 times as well as my doing daughter's twice. I have always wanted to put them all in the computer and have had a few programs to do that with but most just weren't very user friendly,,,,,,,, but I think I have found just the right one.

I recently bought this and have been in the process of adding my recipes and one of the neatest features is that you can add a picture. Since I have been trying simple recipes for one, I have been taking pictures of it if I like it so here is one I recently added:)

Simple easy and yummy.

I hope one day to have a little Ipad as my recipe box:)

I have thought of making a little business out of it and organizing other's recipes but would probably go broke having a good time Ha ha.

Mother's Day

Since my daughter has her own children and a Mother-in-law who all need to have Mother's Day celebration, I chose to celebrate the day after on Monday.

We went to old town Glendale and had a wonderful little lunch at the Spicery,  A old home that was built in 1895 and turned into a tea house. Their rolls are melt in you mouth home-made. Afterwards we wandered down the street to a little shop that had such cute things....here are a few of them.

Old bedsprings with twinkle lights entwined

 

 Flower pot lamp

 

and this.................

 

she insisted I take one home and plant in it...

 Doesn't pay to argue with daughter:)

 

Afterwards we went to a surprise location and had a most unusual beet salad...It was a great day and I am blessed.

 

 

 

 in 1935 by the Brewster’s who added to it over the years. The home was built in 1895 by the Messenger family and was then purchased in 1935 by the Brewster’s who added to it over the years.
The home was built in 1895 by the Messenger family and was then purchased in 1935 by the Brewster’s who added to it over the years.

Taking a Stand

Have you recently received one of these in the mail?

Well as Hubby and I looked through it....I began to question the reason for it and if indeed it was REQUIRED by law.

Here it what I found...
Article 1, Seciton 2 of the Constitution of the United States requires that an "enumeration" shall be conducted every ten years 'in a manner as [Congress] shall by law direct." The 14th Amendment to the Constitution states that the enumeration shall consist of "counting the whole number of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed." and there have not been any amendment to the Constitution giving Congress the authority to require any more information than that.

This "survey" asks every PERSONAL question you can imagine.... even what time you left for work last week down to the minutes!!


Well folks I don't know about you but I am OFFENDED at this audacity! Just tell me why the government needs to know how far I live from where I work, what kind of gas I use how much my bills are, When I married, have I been divorced, what my education is, how long I have lived where I am, My military record and on and on....and please show me in the Constitution where they have the right to be asking me these question and threatening me with a penalty.


Here's a quote for you
"The number of questions in the decennial census has varied widely since the first in 1790, where census takers logged the name, gender, and race or each member of a household, to 2000, where a multi-page form with dozens of questions was sent to one out of every six households. In 2010, the Census Bureau trimmed the questionnaire to just the basics: name, gender, race, and ethnicity or each person, and whether the dwelling was owned, rented, or "occupied without payment of rent."

A more detailed list of questions, called the American Community Survey (ACS), is sent to selected households in addition to the shorter headcount forms and in non-decennial years to allow the Bureau to do statistical sampling. According to the Census Bureau, about 3 million households are selected to receive the ACS each year.

The law requires, in the case of both the decennial census and the ACS, that all households that get a form must fill it out in its entirety, under penalty. Generally speaking, the Census Bureau is not interested in levying the fine, and prefers to gather the data. If a survey is not returned, the Census can follow up by phone or with a personal visit. There is, however, the threat of a penalty for non-response. The current penalty is $100 for failure to fill out the census forms."

 

 

 

 

As for me and my house.....we filled out the first two pages as what we deemed we were requirerd by law.

 

 

 

Guessing

Came home from eating dinner and hubby got REALLY sick, Never seen anyone throw up so much in my life so thought it must have been food poisoning but low and behold later in the night I got up throwing up and breaking out in cold sweats.....It's a good thing we can both just go to bed if we need to and let me tell you, we have both spent more hours than I can count in a vertical position.

If it is some type of flu then I am real glad we both got flu shots because I would hate to have the full implact of this stuff!

Simple Joys

 Basil

 

 Mint

 

 Green onions all next to my computer.

 

Drinking coffee from my happy cup

 aromatic rose pedals

 

 Velvet soft

 

 

 Open door (rare in Arizona)

 

Enjoying fresh air and listening to the waterfall

 

 

"Live in the moment and SEEK to enjoy it"

 

Pets

This is Toby

 

We had him over 15 years and about 6 months ago he was diagnosed with a chronic disease that made him pick all his feather out and all they could do was give him pain medication. That medication began to affect his liver negatively and we decided not to ride that roller coaster and put him down.

 

It has sure left a big empty spot........

but mostly in our hearts.

Thank you

Just a little thank you to all who commented and encouraged me during the A-Z Challenge.
I always learn a lot on my quest and when you sign up you are encouraged to visit at least 6 other entrees after your number per day.  My number was 1031 and the last entry I read was number 1509. Now don't get all impressed because I didn't read all of those in-between. Over half of the entrees are (want to be writers) that try to draw you into a short story or a cont. story and those don't interest me but others are cleverly themed with pictures which are my favorites. .............















I leave you with a REAL hug!