Happy Birthday Riley!

Three years ago Riley was born at a farm outside of St. Maries Idaho. He didn't come to live with us until later in July. Riley brought a whole new ray of light into our lives. He adored his older brother Tucker, he adored us. Let's just say that Riley adores anybody he comes in contact with. He loves people.

 His brother Tucker taught him to alert us when the UPS truck was out front, Tucker also taught him the importance of going to the crate when it is time in the evening. Tucker also taught him how to inform us when it was time to get up and let the dogs out of the crates in the morning.

Riley had a tough adjustment period when he lost his brother in November. He lost his appetite, was afraid to go outside by himself, and tried to remember the skills Tucker taught him. Riley had never been alone in his life.  He rallied and by the holiday season he went with us to family functions.

Riley is a Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier. I had a friend years ago that had one and I fell in love with her dog. After we lost our dog Annie the summer of 2017 I started to read ads of available dogs. That was how I found Riley. We had only had sporting and herding breeds before. A terrier is a breed like no other. Riley hasn't been easy to train and he does have a stubborn streak.

 Riley loved his cousins next door and watched at the gate when they came outside. The dogs were elderly dogs so Riley didn't get to play with them much. Sadly, the two dogs have gone to doggie heaven , but Riley still runs to the gate looking for them. Riley also got to visit Grandma Mary at Kindred one time before she died. Mom loved Riley at first sight.

He loves to go in the car to his favorite places where he can run his heart out. He also loves to go to to espresso stands that give out dog treats. He loves his toy buddies Wheat and Oat. As long as Riley is with us, he is happy. He is very photogentic and enjoys life. He brings us joy every day.

I Want To Be Famous In The Way

Famous The river is famous to the fish. The loud voice is famous to silence, which knew it would inherit the earth before anybody said so. The cat sleeping on the fence is famous to the birds watching him from the birdhouse. The tear is famous, briefly, to the cheek. The idea you carry close to your bosom is famous to your bosom. The boot is famous to the earth, more famous than the dress shoe, which is famous only to floors. The bent photograph is famous to the one who carries it and not at all famous to the one who is pictured. I want to be famous to shuffling men who smile while crossing streets, sticky children in grocery lines, famous as the one who smiled back. I want to be famous in the way a pulley is famous, or a buttonhole, not because it did anything spectacular, but because it never forgot what it could do.  Naomi Shihab Nye What about me? I want to be famous to the child I helped up when he wrecked his bike.  I want to be famous to the older woman that couldn't reach the last pack of toilet paper in the grocery store.  I want to be famous in a way a bookmark is famous, because it always knows where it belongs. I want to be where I belong to provide support, kindness, and love.

Gardening Tips: The Spring List, Part 1

I bought my first garden plants for the year today. I already went over my budget and there are still more plants I really want and need!  That is a dilemma all gardeners face each year. Here are some of  my tried and true gardening tips as I begin another season of gardening:

-If a plant doesn't spread like you planned, dies right after you plant it, or is dug up by a critter, there is a solution. Put a pot next to it or in its place. A colorful pot filled with simple flowers can cover up a lot of mistakes.

-Don't get overwhelmed with weeding. It is that part of gardening we dread, but break up it.Put on your favorite playlist or book, put in your earbuds and go for it.  Do a small amount every day and before you know it, your weeds or pulled. Repeat!

-To save money and fill in empty spaces in garden beds and pots, plant nasturium seeds. They are cheap, they grow quickly, they trail or spread and they are pretty.

-If you have a place with lots of sun and room for the plants to thrive, plant sunflowers from seeds. They are easy to grow, inexpensive, and so pretty. There are so many varieties to choose from. One year I did plant those Mammoth Sunflowers that are used for the seeds.  They grow 9-12 feet tall. If you have room, they are great for the seeds, but mine tipped over from the weight of the seeds. I don't recommend them.

- Mint is a wonderful herb to grow and can be used in so many ways.... but.... mint spreads quickly and is very invasive. Plant your mint in a pot and you will be much happier.

- Always plant marigolds around tomato plants.Why? The marigolds protect the tomato plants from harmful root-knot nematodes in the soil. ( I learned this tip from my mother)

- Cover your face while gardening. Either wear sunscreen or a hat to shade your face. I also try to wear garden gloves, but they end up being pulled off depending on the task.

Enjoy shopping for the pretty flowers, getting your hands dirty, and getting those seeds in the
ground.

Top Ten Things I Have Learned During Covid-19

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I like to look for the silver lining in difficult situations. Here we go:

Top Ten Things I Have Learned During Covid-19

10. Home is where the heart is.
9.  A mask can cover chapped lips, dark circles under eyes, and unwanted hair.
8.  Dark roots are trending now.
7.  Stockpiled Bath and Body Works antibacterial soap is my new best friend.
6.  I have figured out 786 ways to used canned chicken.
5.  The best stress relievers this month have been Strawberry Twizzlers, red beer, and runs with Riley.

4,  I have learned that Zoom is not just a hot cereal I ate as a child.
3.  Positive cards and notes in the mail boost my spirits more than ever.
2.  It is okay to be nonproductive day after day.
and the number one thing I have learned during Covid-19
1.   I finally learned how to spell quarantine.

Quarantine, Day 42 : Hello Spring

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“I love spring anywhere, but if I could choose I would always greet in a garden.”   — Ruth Stout

I am embracing spring this year. During early spring I brought the spring inside with grocery store bouquets.  After being inside so much the time in the first part of the quarantine the warmer weather was a welcome relief. The beautiful colors of the spring flowers are just what I need right now to put a smile on my face. Longer days and sunshine are the icing on the cake.  Here are some favorite images of the season. Hello spring!

My Own Chopped Challenge at Home: Using Leftovers and the Pantry

If you are a fan of The Food Network and Chopped you may be familiar with the Chopped Challenge at Home happening on Instragram and Twitter during this quarantine. The Chopped judges have been challenged to take food from their pantries and make a meal and also have encouraged others to post their meals . You can learn about it here.

I decided to do my own personal Chopped Challenge at home today with leftovers and pantry items. I am just posting it here and not entering the competition. This is what I found in my "basket":

Leftover sausage gravy from when I prepared biscuits and gravy

left over Manwich Sloppy Joe meat and sauce

whipped cream cheese that needed to be used

From my pantry  I used part of a jar of Ragu spaghetti sauce, 

and a dry herb mix.I mixed it all together and let it simmer on the stove.

From the pantry and fridge I cooked penne pasta, topped the pasta with parmesan cheese, and served it with a Caesar salad in the bag. 

Here was the final presentation.

"The ingredients in this dish sounded disgusting, but you know what? I really liked it".Chris Santos

"It was like sausage gravy and Manwich had a baby and it was enhanced with cream cheese. Great use of the basket ingredients" Alex Guarnaschelli

" Your pasta was cooked perfectly! I can't stop eating it." Scott Conant

" Not too shabby!" guest judge Everett Jolley

What did I think? The sauce was tasty. It reminded me of Campbell's tomato soup that you added cream instead of milk or water. I will probably never be able to duplicate it, but I used up lots of  leftovers and food that needed to be eaten.

Focusing on Kindness

With everthing going on in the world right now, it is important to focus on kindness. Signs of kindness show up every day in big ways with restaurants delivering food to health workers and landlords paying rent for their tenants. Signs of kindness show up every day in small ways with signs to teachers, encouraging words, and taking time to check on neighbors. This has always been one of my favorite poems. Today it seems appropriate.

Kindness

• 

Before you know what kindness really is
you must lose things,
feel the future dissolve in a moment
like salt in a weakened broth.
What you held in your hand,
what you counted and carefully saved,
all this must go so you know
how desolate the landscape can be
between the regions of kindness.
How you ride and ride
thinking the bus will never stop,
the passengers eating maize and chicken
will stare out the window forever.

Before you learn the tender gravity of kindness
you must travel where the Indian in a white poncho
lies dead by the side of the road.
You must see how this could be you,
how he too was someone
who journeyed through the night with plans
and the simple breath that kept him alive.

Before you know kindness as the deepest thing inside,
you must know sorrow as the other deepest thing.
You must wake up with sorrow.
You must speak to it till your voice
catches the thread of all sorrows
and you see the size of the cloth.
Then it is only kindness that makes sense anymore,
only kindness that ties your shoes
and sends you out into the day to gaze at bread,
only kindness that raises its head
from the crowd of the world to say
It is I you have been looking for,
and then goes with you everywhere
like a shadow or a friend.

Naomi Shihab Nye

From Words Under the Words: Selected Poems. Copyright © 1995 by Naomi Shihab Nye. Reprinted with the permission of the author.

Top Ten Things I Miss While Being Quarantined

10. Meeting friends inside a coffee shop.

9.   Driving to Mullan with T.B. for water aerobics.
8.   Nancy the dog groomer, but Riley misses her more.
7.   Family members that live outside of our area that I can't see.
6.   The library.

5.   All the amazing women that are part of my book club.
4.   Having the freedom to call a friend and meet for lunch inside a restaurant.
3.  Cooking lessons with Mary.

2.   Sibling outings.
1.   The number one thing I miss while being quarantined is Sunday Family Dinners.

If things change with Covid-19, I look forward picking up where I left off in March.

Grocery Shopping Surprises During Covid-19

When the word first came out they we may be quarantined because of the Covid-19 virus my first thought was to get to the grocery store and stock up. We didn't know what to expect. (Note: I didn't hoard...I got there too late even if I wanted to. )

I ended up buying foods that I knew would sustain on the shelf, but may not be the healthiest.I wanted plain rice, but no rice was on the shelf at Yoke's, but there was Rice-a- Roni.  I always wanted to eat Rice a Roni when I was a child because I loved the commerical and the jingle and thought if they were eating it in San Francisco, it must be really special. I don't know why we didn't get to eat it at our house. Usually it was because it was too spendy or Dad didn't like it. I grabbed some boxes  and I felt very special taking the "San Francisco Treat" home. I actually liked it.

When I checked the frozen section I thought frozen waffles you put in the toaster might be good to have on hand. I have never had one in my life. Guess what? I liked them also. Quick and easy and they will probably have a shelf life of two years in the freezer.

Next I spotted a display of Oreos. Wow, if we couldn't leave the house for a few months Oreos would be a good staple to have on hand. Again, I can't even remember the last time I had an Oreo. Did you realize there are 21 flavors of Oreos? When did that happen?  After I saw Carrot Cake Oreos and Cherry Cola Chocolate Oreos I was overwhelmed. I backed away and left all of them on the shelf.

Of course I couldn't buy toilet paper, paper towels, Clorox Wipes, dry beans, or bread that day  I was proud of myself for saying no to the Velveeta, Franco-American Spaghetti-Os, Twinkies, Pop Tarts, and Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, but I have a confession to make. I just had to lower my anxiety and buy Twizzlers. What better way to help with your stress level during a pandemic then to know you have a bag of Twizzlers "just in case"?

Poetry Brings Comfort

During this time I have been staying inside it has been difficult for me to concentrate on reading longer types of text. I am constantly distracted. Poetry has brought me comfort. Poems are usually shorter. I can pull a volume of poetry and just read a few. Also, many of my favorite poems have a message I am yearning for now. I had posted this poem a few years ago, but right it brought me comfort.


After A While

After a while you learn the subtle difference
Between holding a hand and chaining a soul,
And you learn that love doesn’t mean leaning
And company doesn’t mean security.

And you begin to learn that kisses aren’t contracts
And presents aren’t promises,
And you begin to accept your defeats
With your head up and your eyes open

With the grace of a woman, not the grief of a child,
And you learn to build all your roads on today
Because tomorrow’s ground is too uncertain for plans
And futures have a way of falling down in mid-flight.

After a while you learn…
That even sunshine burns if you get too much.
So you plant your garden and decorate your own soul,
Instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers.

And you learn that you really can endure…
That you really are strong
And you really do have worth…
And you learn and learn…

With every good-bye you learn.

(Veronica A. Shoffstall)

We Are The Silver Lining

 “We are the silver lining in any and every dark cloud we could ever find. There is no need to go looking for the light when you bring it with you.” - Tyler Knott Gregson

As I mentioned in my last post, I have been sheltering at home for a month. I leave the house for essential tasks and to take my dog Riley for runs. During this time it would be natural to focus on the dark clouds surrounding us. Instead I am focusing on the silver linings in those dark clouds. Over and over I have observed people bringing the light with them.

The light came when part of my sister's family showed up the day before Easter in my front yard and read an Easter scripture, sang Easter songs, and brought us cookies. It was hard to stay inside for Easter and be away from family. They provided a silver lining.

The light also came when my sister-in-law decided to take down the curtains in her kitchen and sew masks for family members. My brother provided assistance by doing the ironing. When we had to visit a doctor out of town the mask provided a silver lining.

Light came to our porch in the form of comfort food, homemade dinners, and a poetry book from Silver King School (where my mother taught and I attended first grade). Light came in the mail with encouraging cards from friends. Light came in texts and emails as friends and family checked up on us and providing support.

Silver linings are all over The Silver Valley. One business sets out food for families in need, a restaurant owner makes lunches to deliver to students at home, people are showing support for restaurants by picking up food to go, and customers have brought bouquets to put at the checkout stands to honor the workers at a local grocery store.

There are teddy bears in windows for children to hunt for, teachers driving by students' houses to wave hello and show how they miss them, and a special Friday night parade through town honoring our high school seniors. I love where I live.

It is the worst of times, but I am going to continue to look for the light. 

For Such A Time As This

Such a month.
It has been filled with thinking, journaling, praying, stressing, talking, worrying, and silence.

We have been sheltering in place during the first month of this covid 19 virus. I leave the house to grocery shop, pick up food to go, and take Riley for runs. Everett has only left the house for three medical appointments. We have stopped Sunday Family Dinners, book club, water aerobics, birthday parties, family visits, going out to favorite restaurants, and hanging out with friends.We want to stay safe.

We are blessed. We have a home that is warm and cozy. We have food to keep us sustained for months. We have a dog and three cats that bring comfort every day. We shelter inside well. We have spent hours reading, keeping up with the news, talking, laughing, sneaking in a cocktail, preparing good meals, baking for others, and keeping a weird schedule that works for the two of us. As it warms up we are heading outside to our backyard gardens.

I don't like surprises. I want to know what will be around the corner. I want to be able to count on what is coming next. I can't do that anymore. We don't know what will happen  now. We don't know what is around the corner. I can't control the events around us and that is okay. Right now I am being cautious. I am being safe. Our health is my first concern. I am enjoying our house.
More later. Be safe. Be well.