Happy New Year

Happy New Year Everyone!

Well here we are at the end of 2011. Has it been a good year for you? I  hope so. It sure has for my Wife and me. We enjoy life and just move along with our lives. Before you ask, the flowers above are from Ireland. Here is a bit of Hemingway-esque about them:

We had gone that day up the road in the Mercedes with Jack asleep in the back seat with his Grandma Ann. It was a lovely day, and the countryside was as green as emeralds on a sunny day. We came into the village of Cloyne and immediately saw the enormous Round Tower there by the side of the road. What a surprise to see thousands (it seemed like thousands) of beautiful Bluebells blooming at the foot of the tower. How pleasant it was, bringing the beauty of the colors into our presence. Wonderful. Here is a quotation to consider: 

"An optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves."

       ---- Bill Vaughan

Which are you, an optimist or a pessimist? Well I will confess I am an optimist and look at each passing year as time gone by, now ready for the new experiences and adventures which 2012 holds. And it will be a wonderful year. See, that is what I mean being an optimist. It will be wonderful.

Do be an optimist and grab those adventures and experiences that you have coming before you. It makes life a magnificent experience!! Happy New Year all you optimists out there. 

Let's all have "A Grand Time Living," a title of a book by Don Blanding. Read it -- it is fantastic. Later from the Computer room. d

    

    

Christmas Lights

Ah, Christmas lights!! They are so beautiful in the night. On our street several houses are adorned with beautiful Christmas lights to welcome in the Holiday season 2011. For this photo, I used the cam on my iPhone with an app that one of my Daughter's told me about. It really works well.

We just returned from a brief shopping trip to the Mall, downtown. And I mean brief!! There seemed to be millions of shoppers all coming in cars and seeking a parking place. Seemingly endless lines of cars waited for the proverbial parking place. Is that man going out? How about that couple over there in the Lexus? Nope, appears they are just recovering from the drive to the Mall and are resting before getting out of their car and going into a store to get those kind of 'last minute gifts', that we all seem to have to get during the week before Christmas. Ah, but I have a secret. It is too early in this writing to tell you my secret, but will do before I finish this "Hemingway-esque" bit of literary nonsense on this December afternoon.

My Dad, bless him, always wanted a target pistol. Of course, we could never afford it with his and Mom's salaries in the 1950's and later. So my Mom bought him a beautiful ring with a red stone for Christmas and wrapped it in a shoe-box size box, with a hammer to weigh it down so it might appear to be something else. My Dad had lifted that box before Christmas, I don't know how many times, to kind of gauge the weight of the item inside. Well to make a long story short, was my Dad ever disappointed!! But he got over it, and all worked out fine and he liked the ring very much. The lesson here: Don't try to fool your loved ones with those kind of tricks, but I must confess--OH-OH, I have done a similar thing this Christmas in one of the packages for one of my beloved family members. I wonder if they have done that to one of my packages??8-))

I think back to Christmases spent on the ranch in Arizona with one of my Grandpas. What an interesting way of life: horses, cattle, the cowboys, hearing the generator going on out back when someone got up in the night, seeing the jerky out on the clothes line drying out. How delicious it was. And knowing that Grandpa Jay would send a shoebox full every year to us to enjoy! How great is that!!

So at this time of year, I find the tender and meaningful moments in my life are in my memories. I shall never forget them. Such things as the old house we lived in for many years in that small citrus producing town where I was a newspaper boy, shoeshine boy, and worked in grocery stores. I remember old C.J. the owner of one of the markets where my Mom worked and I did too later in life. You knew everyone in the small town, even by name. There was a J. C. Penney store and a Western Auto, where I bought one of my bicycles when I had earned enough money to do so. When Aunt Winna would be over visiting us, she would walk downtown with my Sister and me and buy us some clothes at Penney's. How kind it was of her in those days.

So Christmas is made of memories for us. The past is always interesting but so is the present, and as this Christmas comes to us, that old prayer that I once heard from a Pastor at a church is reigning in my mind:

"Lord, I do give thee thanks for the abundance that is mine."

----a Pastor

The Secret

"Christmas--that magic blanket that wraps itself about us, that something so intangible that it is like a fragrance. It may weave a spell of nostalgia. Christmas may be a day of feasting, or of prayer, but always it will be a day of remembrance--a day in which we think of everything we have ever loved."

--Augusta E. Rundel

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas, Everyone!!! Wow, time flows along thru this life very quickly. Memories flood my mind at this time of year, it seems. I remember when I was a boy, I wanted an electric train so bad! My family was a hard working family and really watched their finances. An expensive Lionel electric train like some of my friends had was far beyond our expense budget. I remember, laying in my bed at bedtime and hearing the adults playing with what I thought was an electric train, and it was. It had been passed down from a family who we were acquainted with, as their boys were young adults at that time, and it was one of the best presents I have ever had in my life. It mattered not that it was a used train. It was wonderful!!!

We decorated our tree the other day, after selecting it and bringing it home. Now at my age a 5-6 foot tall tree is difficult to bring or carry into the house. I used my hand truck, took it around to our patio back door and into the house. That was a good way to do it. Every year we talk about maybe down sizing the tree to a smaller one. We would probably need a table to place it on, and maybe we will.

How blessed we are with Christmas coming this year! We count our blessings everyday it seems. We will try to attend church on Christmas Eve, if we can, just recovering from flu, the both of us. Gosh what a debilitating illness.

I send out to our loved ones a special Christmas wish for the best in their lives: our Daughters, my Wife, our Grandchildren, and our Daughters' Husband and Boyfriend. I repeat, we count our blessings everyday and they are among our blessings.

I love quotations as some of you know. I want to close this issue of Blog with some of my favorite Christmas quotations. They follow:

"Every time we love, every time we give, it's Christmas."

~ Dale Evans

"I will honor Christmas in my heart,

and try to keep it all the year."

~Charles Dickens.

"Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful."

--Norman Vincent Peale

"So remember while December Brings the only Christmas day, In the year let there be Christmas In the things you do and say."

-- Anonymous

"But I am sure that I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round...as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely."--Charles Dickens

"Christmas is doing a little something extra for someone."

~ Charles Schulz

Maybe Christmas," he thought, "doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas... perhaps... means a little bit more."

~ Dr. Seuss

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE! ENJOY!

Youghal Town Walls

Youghal is a very old and historic village in Co. Cork Ireland. It was a major port in the 1600's, and today is a lovely village. One of the most interesting areas of the town is the Town Walls, dating from its early history. We go there often to visit family, and it is very enjoyable. It is rural around the town, with farms in several locations with cattle and sheep being raised. Spring and summers are wonderful with the balmy and warmish weather sometimes coming in to the region, but winters can be very icy and rainy, with snow at times. When Spring comes, it will be time for us to return there for a visit.

Christmas is coming!!

Have you ever noticed that in November, stores are arranging their Christmas decorations to tempt the customer?? I noticed some this week. They do look cheery. I am a gardner. And there is one particular plant that I really enjoy raising--Christmas or Holiday Cactus. They really are not members of the cactus family, being succulents. Mine are in full bloom now in October and November. Boy are they lovely colors. An artist would have a great time painting these colors. The above photo is from one of my favorite Christmas Cactus plants. "Christmas is coming. The Christmas cactus are blooming." My Mother always had a few of the plants out in her back patio when we would drive the 160 miles every Christmas to visit her and my Dad. Her cactus always had some blossoms on them with their wonderful neon colors. How beautiful they are. Have you started your Christmas shopping for your loved ones and friends? I started today, and ordered some things. What a good feeling that is! It really stirs the Christmas feelings inside one's mind. Christmas is coming, the Christmas cactus are blooming. Get ready! It will be here soon.

Templemichael-from the past in Ireland

We had gone down a wonderfully beautiful road that day, through a forest toward the church at the end of the road. It was as though we were far away from civilization and the noise that goes with it. We found the area of Templemichael and Molana Abbey, the ruins, and walked down the lovely road through the trees, ferns, and greeen plants. What a fine place! The river was at the end of the road and one could see the monumental Ballynatray Estate across the river, standing out as though the ruler of the land should be living there. Our Grandsons ran down the hill toward the river and we followed them. What a spectacular and peaceful place.

Templemichael

What should we think,

When we see your ancient stones?

Was this the past that we so wantingly

Desire to learn something of?

Are you another chapter of this

Time eon called Life that we all

Experience?

You are truly a peaceful place in our lives.

When did monks inhabit your holy places

And carry on their dedicated lives?

What did they do, here on the banks of

The Blackwater River?

Our minds run wild as the river

In our wonder of you!

----B.Townsend, one who has been there.

Temple Michael is an ancient site, located on the banks of the River Blackwater, near where it empties into the sea at Youghal. One has a definite sense of history when you visit the beautiful site of the monastery and church. We again visited that wonderfully area of quiet and solitude in April, 2004.

Halloween Fun Time

Halloween is here, and people all over the world are doing the strange changing of their identification/looks to that of a movie character, comic book hero, dancing girl, football player and who knows--oh some are looking like Zombies!!! Good Grief, get me outta here. Now as for me and my delightful spouse, we plan on a night of television mysteries, ice cream cones with the mysteries, and a night of relaxation and mystery. Well that is what we hope for. But the doorbell will ring, and on opening the door to a chorus of "Trick Or Treat" our relaxation and the continuity of the mystery movie will be interrupted. Oh well. Life goes on!!!!! A Pastor I know once said that in his Homily during a Service!! I do faintly remember Halloween, many years ago--and I mean MANY, as I now get senior discounts at stores and some cafes!!! That will tell you I am no kid anymore, only a kid at heart. The one Halloween I remember my costume was dressing up as a pirate. Someone, probably my Mom or Dad put something like charcoal or art chalk on my cheeks to fake a beard, I had the costume and bandana, but no sword. What the heck!!?? No sword, what kind of a Pirate does not have a sword? Well my Dad found a small piece of plywood that had no sharp points and that was my sword, and it worked fine! What a Halloween, it was fun, but the memories are faint. As to the other Halloweens, no thoughts or memories flood my foggy mind. My Grandsons in Ireland are fantastic, their Mom sent their photos of them in their costumes, wow, fantastic. They looked great!! And they were going to a party too! Well anyway, Happy Halloween. And I am happy to say my remote control on my TV/VCR has a pause button for when the doorbell rings. I think I will make myself up as a senile old fellow, and when I answer the door, will say, "What is Halloween? I have never heard of that. Candy, no way that will rot your teeth.!!" On second thought, I had better play the game right, so I can get back to the movie, it may be in a critical place in the plot, I cannot miss that!!!! Happy Halloween to all out there.

Geraniums

I have been out in the patio this afternoon working on my geranium plants. I have many growing in pots on terraces in the patio. They are doing well this time of year. The photo which is above is of a geranium called Pretty Polly. One of my daughters gave it to me several years ago. It does not bloom often, but when it does, it is beautiful and graceful. It is indeed one of my favorites. With the kind of warmish weather that we are currently having, plants need to be checked frequently for water needs. I did that today, and almost all of the geraniums needed water. Also our new Lavender plant and new Sage plant needed a drink too. Gardening is fun and really interesting. We have done it for years and will continue to do so. The beautiful hues of the geraniums are outstanding. We cut bouquets and bring the flowers into the dining room table everyday to enjoy them. What colors!! My daughter in Ireland also grows geraniums in pots at her house there in the Irish countryside. They are always very nice and beautiful, their colors ranging out into the environment for all to enjoy.

Thinking of Butterflies

Thinking of Butterflies

Today I am thinking of Butterflies. They are so beautiful and graceful. We have quite a few gliding these days throughout our garden. Once I saw the movie, "The Bridges at Toko-Ri", and there was a scene in that movie when a butterfly landed on the shoulder of one of the actors. The statement was made that some people believe that it brings that person good luck if a butterfly lands on your shoulder. I liked that! What a wonderful thought and idea. Who can say whether it is true or not? The butterfly that I photographed above is a Blue Marine Butterfly, and is not very large. It is beautiful and I found it on one of my ivy geraniums sometime ago. I particularly thought it was very beautiful and peaceful, and I like that thought. This is the time of year when you can see Monarchs, Yellow Sulphur, Swallowtails and others gliding throughout the garden each day. When my Daughters were small we had some very tall poplar trees and butterflies would come and lay their eggs in the deep green leaves of the poplar, and soon caterpillars would hatch out, then the crysallis would form and then butterflies would come out into the world. The girls would be most interested in them and we all had a very good time studying them and talking about them. The past is always with us, in those memories that we always carry with us in our minds. Someone said that butterflies are flowers that fly. I think that is true. They are beautiful and bring a rush of beauty into our daily experience. When you next see a butterfly, pause and enjoy it and marvel at its beauty.

May the wings of the butterfly kiss the sun

And find your shoulder to light on,

To bring you luck, happiness and riches

Today, tomorrow, and beyond.

---An Irish Blessing

Beautiful and graceful, varied and enchanting, small but approachable,

butterflies lead you to the sunny side of life. And everyone deserves a little

sunshine.

---Jeffrey Glassberg

Dungarvan

In County Cork, Ireland there is a very old city called Dungarvan. We have been there several times, and there is much to see and do there. There is a Castle being restored, a lovely harbor, a fine shopping mall, and all the other things that go with a town in Ireland. The town dates from well before the 1600's and many historical events occured there.

The town is located on the sea with many beautiful views emanating from within its boundaries.

Montmartre | Blog.com

A long time ago in my life, I had the opportunity to go to Europe and visit several very wonderful countries. I went to Paris, and visited Montmartre, that famous hill on the Right Bank of the river. It is the location of the white-domed Basilica of the Sacre Coeur. Many artists have studios there, and it is a most interesting district in Paris. I found it to be a most interesting area of the City, and enjoyed seeing the artists and their paintings on that August day in 1961. I took a photo of what I was seeing.

County Cork in Ireland has beautiful beaches. This is one that we often visit when in Ireland, in the coastal town of Youghal. It is beautiful and breezy and walkable most of the time if the wind is not howling. I especially like the clouds in this photo, like a field of cotton coming in from the horizon.

It feels like Spring is here with all the sunshine we have daily. The fog lingers off the coast and slips in -- in the evenings to leave dew on the plants and grasses, a nice sight in the mornings.

The new carpet is in, and it looks very nice. I don't know how long between new carpet one has, but new carpet has a renewing and newness to life.

The Towhees and Sparrows are very numerous in our hedges and grasses. We enjoy their songs, and of course the Anna's hummingbirds are here and enjoying our Mexican Sage blossoms and our bird feeder. How marvelous they are! Our day nears end, and we now are having sunsets near 6:00 p.m.

Coming For Nectar!

This hummingbird is on his way into the Mexican Sage plant in our front garden for a sip of nectar. They love the sage and come to it several times daily at this time of year. They buzz and hover in and out among the branches, often staying for a relatively long time. They are beautiful and wonderful as they move about the plant's branches. Sometimes when I am out gardening in the area of a Sage they will come in and if one stands very still, you can see them very closeup, as they feed. We enjoy their presence very much.

Wow, there are such beautiful clouds in the sky with their grey and dark patterns, as we await the first good rain of the season here on the Gold Coast. I have been gardening today, and what fun it is. They are predicting wind gusts up to 50 mph with this storm and that is significant for us. We never know when a transformer will blow or wires will blow down leaving us in the dark. So we have our portable battery-powered lanterns out and ready to go. We have had more than our shares of power outages in the past. Keep your fingers crossed we will not have one this storm. It feels a bit cooler today for us in this mild climate. The hummingbirds have been feeding at the Sage since early this a.m. I looked out the window at 6:30 a.m. and sure enough, some were feeding at the Sage at that early hour. Hummingbirds have to eat several times a day as they use up so much energy hovering and flying. They are a beautiful bird as they flit about the garden.

I like to think this is an artist's sky, sketched across the sky with charcoal. The wind continues.

An Artist's Sky

The sky tonight looks as though some artist has taken a piece of charcoal and drawn across the sky: a black blot here and a gray misty blot there and others across the sky. We expect rain in a day or two, the first of the season, and the arid land can use it. The last rain we had here on the Gold Coast was in June, 2011, and that is quite a long time without nature's moisture, but we have that all the time. The rain will water with nature's soft, life giving water, the new Salvia plants that are now in the ground in the East Garden. The plants are Pink Autumn Sage and Hot Lips Sage, and the Hummingbirds have already discovered them and visit every day. At this time of year we usually have the Anna's Hummingbird in the area as they remain year round. We enjoy them very much, as they hover about the various blossoms in our gardens. We await the rain with anticipation and I would like to share a favorite poem with the reader about rain. It is by Susan Toth, really a quotation from her book rather than a poem, but it says it all about England, one of our favorite countries. I hope you enjoy it:

"The best kind of rain, of course, is a cozy rain. This is the kind the anonymous medieval poet makes me remember, the rain that falls on a day when you'd just as soon stay in bed a little longer, write letters or read a good book by the fire, take early tea with hot scones and jam and look out the streaked window with complacency."

~Susan Allen Toth, England For All Seasons

Thor Olga on a beautiful summer-like S. Cal day in October. The colors are fantastic!

The Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera) are blooming prolifically now in early October. Why? I always ask myself. It has to be our temperate climate here on the Gold Coast I suppose, plus I have them all in the SE corner of the patio on and near their terrace with limited sun, small amounts of water and monthly liquid fertilizer. Anyway, that is my analysis. They will bloom again sometime in the next few months again. I have told the story before, but my Mother used to always have a few Christmas Cacti, sitting outside in their patio some 160 miles to the south, when we would visit for Christmas. How beautiful they were! I shall always remember them. Perhaps that is why I started growing them, because Mother did, I think so!! They are not a real cactus, but they are in the succulent family. I love their neon colors! They are wonderful!! The one I am going to upload here today is Thor Olga, one of my first Christmas Cactus plants. The red and white color are really beautiful, and the plant is covered with blossoms. The Hummingbirds really like them, and I imagine it is the colors that attract them. We have a Thor Olga right near our patio door, and often the Hummers will come right up to the window, hover and appear to look in. How neat is that!!! I like it.

Barryscourt Castle, Ireland

Barryscourt Castle is located in County Cork between Cork City and Youghal, near Carrigtwohill. It is huge, and it sits near the highway, looming tall in the green Irish landscape. We have visited it before on previous trips to Ireland, but it was never open to receive visitors. On a recent trip, it was indeed open and we enjoyed the visit---inside of Barryscourt. The Castle is located very near the highway one can easily view it from there. The inside is very interesting and restored quite well. Behind the Castle is a garden also being restored. According to the HeritageIreland web site the Castle was the seat of the Barry family in the 16th Century. It is a fine example of an Irish Tower house.

Below a poem that I have written.

Barryscourt

Why are you here

O Tower house?

Thrusting skyward from the

Emerald green of the Irish countryside.

Is it to bear a message to us?

Is it to tell us of days gone by?

You magical castle--forever your secrets

Are hidden in time.

----BT

A Fall Day--what is this about?

Well, a great Fall day here on The Gold Coast. The sun is out, we have been gardening and lunching out with one of our daughters. It seems like a sleepy day, one of those days when you pet the dog, hold the cat on your lap, and to the strains of a Mantovani CD, relax and read your favorite book, perhaps if you like poetry and adventure, a Don Blanding book, maybe 'Vagabond's House' or 'A Grand Time Living". I have always liked Blanding's books and they are wonderfully relaxing and entertaining. Speaking of relaxation, it brings back memories of beauty and relaxation: Ireland. The above photo which I took, is of a Monet-like pond at Fota House in Co. Cork, Ireland, a very beautiful area with a great house which is very historic and protected by the Historical Trust. One can visit the House and go through it, and the extensive Gardens and Grounds are beautiful and amazing. It is truly a relaxing place.

The breeze comes in today from the sea, and it is so pleasant that one might thing we are in the middle of Spring, but no. Fall is here and we await the first rain to water the hillsides. Will close today with a quotation which I like very much. Until later...............

"Be glad of life because it gives you the chance to love and to work and to play and to look up at the stars."

-- Henry Van Dyke

Riverstown House

One of the beautiful old houses that we have visited in Ireland is Riverstown House, located in the Glanmire area of County Cork. It is very historic and beautiful. The original House dated from 1602, but it was rebuilt in 1745. A family lived on the lower floor when we visited. The Bishop of Cork had his seat there at one time. The House has beautifully furnished rooms and lovely plasterwork in fine condition. Ireland has many wonderful and historic buildings and areas for one to see. We have visited the country often and will continue to do so for a long time. The Country is filled with magnificent farm scenes and rolling green hills, with sheep and cattle grazing. Riverstown House is definitely worth a visit and a member of the Family will conduct you throughout the House.

The Christmas Cactus are really blooming now. My Mom used to raise them, and some of her gardening rubbed off on me. I love the neon colors, and in our mild and temperate climate here in S. California, they bloom more than once each year, and now in this balmy Fall, they are doing their beautiful blooming again. What colors! They really are easy to cultivate and garden. All of mine are in pots on the north side of the house--not too much water, a bit of liquid fertilizer maybe once a month and away they go. You can start new plants by breaking off stems and planting in potting soil. Your work will be rewarded by doing this. Below is a bit of writing I have done to share with you about their beauty.

The Christmas cactus does strange things,

Here in the temperate climate

Of the Gold Coast!

Is it supposed to bloom now as Fall ushers in?

No, I don't think so, Christmas is not here.

But it carries the message to all who listen:

Christmas is coming-The Christmas Cactus are blooming.

Prepare your hearts and minds for the celebration.

--BT

Saturday

Blue whales have been seen off the coast of S. California recently, the largest mammal on the earth. They are spectacular and seem to not mind boats of people viewing them and "oooo-ing and ah-ing" at their marvelous beauty. We also get the Orca and the California Gray Whale at certain times of the year, cruising the seas off the coast. Sometimes you can even see them from the beach as they glide along effortlessly through the water. There are boats that take passengers for a fee, out to view them. Very interesting.

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bobmaxsmusings:

'via Blog this'

The Fall comes in now, one can feel it in the cool air in our location near the sea. I garden: Christmas Cactus(Schlumbergera), geraniums, tomatoes when the season is here and other miscellaneous plants and flowers. The hummingbirds love our Mexican Sage, and they are daily buzzing in and out of the sage, sipping its nectar. We love to see them and photograph them. The fog is near today, just off our coast, and it will be in tonight with a chill in the air. I am already thinking of Christmas, the way time slips by, it will be here soon. I like the Christmas Season, it is cheery and so filled with holiday spirit. I also like photography, using digital cameras. I would like to post sometime some hummingbird photos and some hawk photos. We live near foothills and wildlife abounds in this area.