[Once again, trouble with blogspot and too impatient. This is all supposed to be in Times, the larger part is all supposed to be the same size as this and this is not supposed to be in itals! And because I couldn't get the print to come out right, we are now "pretty in pink"...maybe easier to read for some. Heck, that makes me glad!)
PNewL PNewS
Volume 19 No. 3 “All the pnews that phits."”July 2011
Things I am Learning
& Miscellaneous Observations
• On occasion, I read or write a sentence that feels to me to be...perfect. No, not perfect, maybe classic or memorable or something I am truly proud of or when someone else wrote it, enviable. When I was in CA, Karen took me to Cafe Gratitude, a vegan restaurant that is part of a small chain. The food was fab. I bought the cookbook. At home, I told people I was going to become a teetotalling vegan. (I'm getting to the sentence, don't worry.) I bought the ingredients for two recipes and the bill came to almost $30. I am too cheap, but I could move the alcohol budget to ridiculously expensive nuts (it's a lot about nuts.) Midst cooking I emailed Betsy about the vegan thing and in response to her response, I wrote the following. The last sentence struck me as a winner. "Vegan is a concept. I loved the food at the restaurant, really like the idea of being nicer to my body and enjoy cooking, but...reality? I will always revere bacon."
• Someone asked me about my fly fishing class. FYI: I caught the first, the biggest and the most fish. Since Martha wasn't there, probably. The first time my Dad took me fishing, Martha caught all the bass, I caught the rock bass. I quit fishing for decades.
• 30th Annual Angel Island Picnic &16th year of Camping Report: Success! Who knows how many people were there. We did a Hands Across the Sand line, holding hands in support of clean energy/less reliance on fossil fuels, and in photos (by Sara, see below) you can't hardly see the people at the far end. I realized, looking around at our far flung crowd, that I probably only knew half of the picnickers as the next generation is showing up with their own crowds. That warms my heart. Looks 
like this could live on for a while.
Camping was a hit as well with a small crowd on Friday and 27 on Saturday. A new wrinkle was added when we didn't get the usual array of campsites, and the lion's share of the campers were at the group site. The wind tunnel effect there made Bob and Sara's towering tent a great source of entertainment as it was buffeted by the gale force. All in all, a good time was had.
• Mother Nature's minions continue to rampage in Ox Creek. I have told too many people too much about my recent experience as a chicken tender for Sculley and Loveeta's chickens. Suffice it to say, weasel in the hen house. You can paint your own picture. Chris and Sculley found a copperhead on the tarp over their pond when they returned from being away. I took a cool picture of bear (the animal, not the extremely large hound) paws and two sizes of raccoon paws in the mud. A small painted turtle has been trying to lay eggs in my driveway. Oh and bunnies bunnies everywhere which I am told will attract coyotes. It's a busy place!
• I have some friends who credit Pollyanna for their upbeat and optimistic view of the world. Needing an attitude adjustment in that direction, I got the book on tape out of the library and had a surprisingly enjoyable time listening. A good attitude adjustment indeed. And the next day, I noticed a sign going into Asheville that reads, "Asheville -- we're glad you are here!" American Airlines is glad to have me. She's everywhere! Meanwhile, I am working on being more glad, and it seems to be working.
• Sometimes I make a minor purchase that makes my day. This one made my weekend. When I started packing for Angel Island, I couldn’t find the stuff sack for my sleeping bag. Sue was kind enough to schlep me to REI in Marin, where I found a stuff sack…lined in fleece so you can turn it inside out and make it a pillowcase. BRILLIANT and oh so cozy.
• Cousin John recommended a book, Collapse: How societies choose to fail or succeed by Jared Diamond. I want to be a person who reads those kinds of books, but I am not though I can listen to them, which I am now thanks to the Public Library. It is a very good book, thank you John. Today’s learning thing: I am so glad there are people out there doing the stuff I would never do, like study pollen or count rings on cut trees or try to figure out what year the Anasazi were cutting down trees and building their homes or where the stone came from for the big heads on Easter Island. To those who have focused on these and other oddities, I mean niches (ahem Bob the spider man), I am grateful.
The Reluctant Gardener
It got hot in Western North Carolina earlier than it needed to, in my humble opinion. Bear took to the cool linoleum in the afternoons and I turned on the AC briefly to take the stifle off. About that climate change discussion... Meanwhile, there was a minor setback in my war on the weeds. Just because I didn't want to be out there didn't mean there wasn't activity. Sigh.
I finally planted the raised bed and have too many peppers and tomatoes though I really can't imagine there is such a thing. Little tiny arugula have popped up! And the bird house gourds look pretty happy. A few herbs round out this year's crop. We'll see if it bears fruit, er vegetables, er gourds.
While the happy crop of blueberries has come and gone, the raspberries just keep chugging along. Yay! And two apples are clinging for life on the new tree. Next year, I will prune it so it doesn’t look quite so pathetic. Sometimes I lose the details of all this stuff!
On the decorative front, I became aware of the Mountain Laurel recently. I don't know what planet I've been on that I hadn't noticed these dark green shiny leaved bushes with the lovely little space age looking flowers. This may be rhododendron country, but put me down as a mountain laurel fan. When David and his family gave me a gift certificate at the local nursery for my birthday, I took it right on over and scouted their supply and there she was, freshly watered and weighing in at about 50 lbs. (the nice young nurseryman said it was 20; I said, are you high? This baby's heavy.) I hesitated--she was also pricey. But she was the only native and she was sweetly festooned in hundreds of light pink delicate little flowers. She had to be mine.
I lugged her home and attempted to dig her hole near the bottom of the new deck. Surprise! Tree root. I moved further away. Surprise! Rock...a big one. Sir Baru and I surveyed the estate in search of another spot. She landed near the driveway. For those of you who have been reading for many years and retain such things, you might remember Max Wilson the Boxwood, the last pricey bush in the family. (Wilson from the Tom Hanks movie where he named the volleyball and Max because Nina wanted to do one of those SAT-type problems: Wilson is to volleyball as X is to boxwood. She determined in this case that X was Max. Max was a good name and Max Wilson is better though Jack thought it was a little formal--giving a bush a last name.) My laurel needed a name and it was obvious to me what it should be: Rachel, after my favorite teacher in my high school ironically named Laurel School. Rather than a last name, I think she will just be Rachel the Laurel. If someone tells me that Laurels are either male or female and mine is male, well, just don't. I can continue to live in my own little dream world.
Friends, Can you spare a dime or…more?
Every once in a while I come up with an organization I think everyone would want to support. This is another one of those times. This time I have a new tactic.
(Thanks to those of you who already have supported this …you may stop reading now.)
Think of all the money I have saved you in the past. I never got married so there has been no engagement shower, no wedding shower, no wedding present, no Bachelorette party. No baby showers, no mitzvahs of any sort or first communions or wrapping paper drives or cookie sales or sports or…well, I have been a pretty cheap date….er friend all these years.
And so I offer you the opportunity to assuage your guilt in not spending much on me over the years, and support a good cause at the same time, plus a tax deduction. Win win win!
I have been on the fundraising team for Women Build at Habitat for Humanity this year. We were a lively bunch with lots of ideas and limited follow through. I admit I sat back and watched this high powered group spin their wheels, assuming they were going to get the job done. Now, we are short of funds and frankly, I am tired of it. (And tired of the meetings!) Should you be inclined to respond to this downright begging, you can donate online at:
https://secure.sitemason.com/www.ashevillehabitat.org/donations/authorize_net_CCform
(under gift details, drop down to Women Build 2011)
[or google Asheville Habitat, click on Donate Now, specify Women Build 2011]
or send a check to Betsy Warren at
Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity
33 Meadow Rd. Asheville, NC 28803
I doubt anyone would believe it, but writing that was hard and I am glad I did it and I am glad it’s over. (Sounds Pollyanna-ish with all that glad) I appreciate you giving me your time. Now give Habitat your money. Ha!
"Housekeeping for me was event-driven, not something I did systematically or often.”
A Year of Cats and Dogs / Margaret Hawkins
