Claire

Week 171 July 8, 2017

Published on July 8, 2017July 19, 2018 by ClaireLeave a comment

This week has been one of torrential rains, dropping an incredible amount of rain… and on the bright side making the growing things very green! We were fortunate to have clear skies when we drove south to Connecticut to visit cousins. The elder generation are now settled comfortably in assisted living, but, sadly, for the first time they were challenged to recall who we are, other than recalling their age cousin, Loren’s father.

We had a lovely visit with the cousin our age, their daughter, and stayed overnight in her newly reclaimed and gaily redecorated guest room. Loren even had a swim in the Atlantic ocean while we were there.

On July 4th Loren and I enjoyed being back at and on the lake in New York – first in our family’s paddleboat, then in their row boat. Maybe before we leave here we will have tried their standup paddle boat too. We were also entertained by booming and sparkling of fireworks displays around the lake, which occurred on many evenings this week.

One day we had a leisurely lunch with a dear friend at a P.F. Chang’s, but where was my camera? When Loren and I returned to the lake I neglected to heed my brother and sister-in-law’s warnings and pruned back some of the vines that threatened to overtake the Pfitzer Junipers. However, I am now paying dearly for my indiscretion as I now have an extreme reaction on my right forearm to the poison ivy I encountered that they had told me was lurking there. It has been too many years since my last encounters with poison oak in California, and with poison ivy in New York many, many years before that, so this is a painful reminder that skin irritants can create such discomfort. I will spare you a photo, but think I will need to invest in some Benadryl and Calamine lotion so that I can sleep better tonight.

One morning I went to visit the Mausoleum which is the final resting place of my great-grandparents and a great uncle and aunt. On my way there though I had to pull over to capture photos of two unexpected but inspirational signposts. I later learned that they mark a neighborhood of 26 streets named for famed poets like Keats, and, Longfellow.

My great-grandmother Maude lived to be 100, I had the immense privilege to know her until I was 12 years old. Her only son, my grandmother’s brother was just shy of 100 when he died. I was impressed to learn that there are numerous famous people and their spouses laid to rest in this Cemetary too, for example Ed Sullivan, Joan Crawford, and Malcolm X, among others. Judy Garland was once here before being removed to California, and, Yul Brynner, John Lennon, Christopher Reeve, and Nelson Rockefeller, among other celebrities, were all cremated at this facility.

Some of the inside walls are decorated with remembrances of what the Cemetary directors see as “individuals whose contribution to humanity will be remembered until the end of time.” I found them also inspiring.

Otherwise, here in New York and one morning while in Connecticut Loren and I have taken Bikram Yoga classes, in between making travel plans for our next 3 months, while also taking care of routine car maintenance. We are staying indoors from the humidity, intermittent rain, thunder and lightening storms, and enjoying walks during periods of sunshine and comfortable days. I found this inspiring image on a neighbor’s trash pile.

This time next week we look forward to visiting with cousins in New Hampshire…

Week 170 July 1, 2017

Published on July 1, 2017July 19, 2018 by ClaireLeave a comment

Happy Fourth of July weekend! Loren and I began our week still at a friend of mine’s home in Pennsylvania, which in some ways seems to be ages ago. We had quite humid weather there which to me feels very unusual – more like the “dog days” of my childhood August’s than June’s. The sweltering was relieved by an entire day of on and off torrential rains. So, we spent that day indoors, enjoying our friend’s outstanding Italian cooking of eggplant parmigiana, tortellini salad, and pasta fagioli. In between we played cards – specifically a version of Rummy called May I. We finished off our last day together of this visit with my childhood friend and I watching True Lies with her cats, while Loren coached her daughter on speaking Italian, a good review for him.

From Pennsylvania, Loren and I drove to New Jersey where we visited President Grover Cleveland’s birthplace. This is the second of two Presidential museums we visited of distant relatives of mine, so it was quite special to find a hand made cross-stitch there by his first cousin, Anna, and, the cradle in which he was rocked to sleep. I had no idea that there is a United States $1000 bill, and that Cleveland’s image is on it. Did you know that?

While in Jersey overnight I had to laugh at an old taunt from my New York childhood: “Whut ahr ya, ah Joisey Drivah?” when someone operating a motor vehicle made a faux pas. While actually driving in New Jersey this time, and within the span of less than 24 hours, we encountered exactly 3 Jersey drivers making ridiculous or dangerous choices with their vehicles… It is a good thing that I make it a point to drive defensively. Loren and I then arrived into New York City to attend a Sunday service at the historic Unitarian Church of All Souls on Lexington Avenue, for our first time there.

Afterwards Loren and I drove upstate – I always smile at that word, remembering my first experience of a friend who had moved far enough south of my childhood home to say that she was coming “upstate” to see me when I was in High School. It taught me a little bit more about world perspective. But I digress. We drove to Westchester County for a most memorable evening in joining my sister-in-law and her daughters in celebrating my brother’s 50th birthday for his wish of a sunset dinner cruise on the Hudson River.

Our evening featured fireworks near the Statue of Liberty and over the New York City skyline, which was all decorated for the current Gay Pride parade. We felt so fortunate that the weather was perfect for a night out.

The next day, we enjoyed a lunch date with my brother and sister-in-law who came to their house on the lake where we are staying. Another highlight this week was when Loren and I watched the first annual NBA Awards night. Our own Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Green was presented with two awards, Klay Thompson won one, and our newest star on the team, Kevin Durant received one as well.

Loren and I then spent a full day in New York City, starting off with visiting President Theodore Roosevelt’s birthplace. In addition to some of the history of the United States during his presidency, I came away with two interesting tidbits related to his name – the Teddy Bear was named for him, and, his last name was originally Van Rosenvelt, Dutch for of the rose field. I had learned at President McKinley’s museum that as Roosevelt was VP he took over the office of President when McKinley died. At Roosevelt’s birth home, I learned that President Taft – the third of my Presidential relatives, had served in Roosevelt’s War Department. And, I learned that Roosevelt was beginning his political career just before Grover Cleveland served his first Presidency. In other words, Roosevelt worked closely with the three Presidents who are my distant relatives. Interesting!

Still in New York City, we visited the site of an Eleanor Roosevelt tribute at Riverside Park, then had a beer in the newly reopened Tavern on the Green in Central Park.

Our evening that day was another memorable one, spent with good friends. We started with a Midsummer-Night-Swing Salsa lesson at Lincoln Center, and finished at Bricco’s Italian restaurant, where, along with numerous other women before us – our friend and I left our lip marks on their ceiling! Loren and I then dashed off to catch our last return train from Grand Central, and made it with just 4 minutes to spare.

On my brother’s actual birthday, we enjoyed another celebratory dinner with he and his family, for another wonderful evening together.

Loren and I finished our week visiting a little around the city where I grew up. As we walked around downtown, I pointed out the old Armory. Taking the time to read the plaque there, I discovered that White Plains, where I was born and lived for the first half of my life, was also where the State of New York was born – well, ok, proclaimed!

Happy 4th of July!

Week 169 June 24, 2017

Published on June 24, 2017July 19, 2018 by ClaireLeave a comment

Hello Dear Family members and Friends, thank you for checking in with us on our blog. Loren and I so appreciate you doing so and/or hearing from you by email or phone when you reach out to us!

We began this week still in the Ohio Amish country – mainly looking around Millersburg, Sugar Creek, and Walnut Creek, which this last one is identical in name to a SF Bay city…

Then, we were off to Canton to see William McKinley’s Presidential Memorial and museum. This was a most special place to me, as I am a distant relative of this President with similar ancestral ties to Scotland. I had not remembered that Theodore Roosevelt had been his VP. I am also related to two other presidents, but this was the first of the three tributes that we plan to see.

We visited the First Ladies National Historic Site here too, which is partially housed in President McKinley’s wife Ida – nee Saxton’s home.

In Canton, I noticed that we were driving on the Lincoln Highway again. We attended a UU Sunday service here, focused on the Summer Solstice, and, I was so touched to see an image that I have seen so many – hundreds? possibly thousands? of times at our home congregation. It piqued my interest to learn more about the artist and the meaning of the broader two images that I found in Canton.

Then, on our way to Cleveland we found another Peter “Wolf” Toth Whispering Giants Trail statue, this one was in Akron.

We enjoyed the Cleveland area for four nights, and attended Bikram Yoga classes at an appealing studio each day. I was able to teach another class – my 112th one since I attended training when we first left home.

Loren and I visited charming Chagrin Falls one evening and had a memorable dinner in the front window table at a small restaurant where the food is so excellent that reservations are recommended any night. We also had nice walks around the town beforehand and afterwards.

One evening we were surprised to discover a home town brew from our own city served here in Ohio. We had never seen it before, and we now can recommend it!

We spent one entire day – on the one day that includes being open in the evening hours – at the Cleveland Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. It was thoroughly entertaining. Highlights include seeing a video about making each of the Beatles’ albums, a 30 minute review of Dick Clark’s American Bandstand, and, a special U2 concert film shown in 3D in one of the theaters of the museum. It was also fun to visit the interactive booths where we could select tunes to listen to from our youth – there were so many bands whose music we remember – The Lovin’ Spoonful, Sly & The Family Stone, Jefferson Airplane, The Byrds, The Young Rascals, Buffalo Springfield, so many more. I enjoyed seeing clips of Diana Ross and The Mamas and The Papas, while Loren was impressed to learn more about Elvis, who was most popular before our time.

We spent the good part of a day then driving toward Lebanon, Pennsylvania to visit a dear friend and her daughter. Can you tell that it would have rained on us off and on? We were once again on the Lincoln Highway memorialized on the side of this big barn,

as we made our way to the remote farm field near Shanksville to pay our respects at the Flight 93 National Memorial, a moving tribute to one of the many heroic sacrifices made on 9/11/01.

It is wonderful now to visit with these dear friends again. I have known my friend since we were 13… I just realized now how – with both my parents gone, she is among the people who I have known for the longest period of time in my life, even longer than my brother! And at 22 years old, her daughter challenges me with her ideas about the world in ways that enrich my own thinking. Thank you two for your love and this special time!

Week 168 June 17, 2017

Published on June 17, 2017July 21, 2018 by ClaireLeave a comment

Last week I had meant to mention that Loren and I saw a lot of waterfowl near the Bays of Lake Michigan: pelican, gull, geese, duck, and we heard innumerable spring song birds. We saw and heard more this week. I have had to keep reminding myself that these gulls are simply gulls, not sea-gulls, though the vast Lake appears ocean-like. One new friend at Bikram Yoga Toledo, Ohio, mentioned how the Wisconsinites, Michiganites, and Ohioans talk of coast to coast as being from one side of Lake Michigan – or Lakes Erie or Huron, to the other, and not the Atlantic to the Pacific… An example of one’s perception!

Loren and I were still in Toledo at the beginning of this week, visiting with two of my Bikram Yoga Teacher Training Littermates, a couple who attended training together. I learned that in addition to being in my training group #16, they are now Studio Owners. Congratulations friends! And, what a wonderful mentor peeking over our shoulders – Paramahansa Yogananda, who’s birth name was Mukunda Lal Ghosh. He is the author of Autobiography of a Yogi – an amazing book that George Harrison of The Beatles would recommend and even give away to anyone who was looking for spiritual insight. Yogananda is also older brother of Bikram Choudhury’s guru, Bishnu Charan Ghosh.

By coincidence, I met at this studio another instructor – who’s name I recognized as a new teacher at my home studio since Loren and I left home in 2014. It was nice that I was able to take his class for the first time. What a small Bikram yoga world!

While in Toledo, Loren and I visited their Museum of Art. My favorite painting there among so many of interest was The Discovery of Adam by William Holbrook Beard. It satirically pays tribute – and is still currently apropos – to disparate views over a hundred years since he created his art.

On the walk back to our AirBnB we were treated to street art,

and vibrant blooms in the neighborhood.

I taught and took a few other Bikram classes while we were here. Loren took a couple of classes, but one afternoon he attended a Multifaith Lecture at the local Unitarian church, and, one morning he enjoyed a bike ride around Maumee Bay State Park where we had camped overnight.

On our last night in Toledo we stayed at my Littermates’ home, enjoying their beautiful dogs, the one cat who did not hide from us while the other one we never saw, and, the bird who has recently adopted them. We ate a delicious take out gourmet Chinese dinner from QQ Kitchen, and my fortune cookie said, “Focus in on the color yellow tomorrow for good luck!” Incredible, since the studio carpet and ceiling are a lovely yellow… Then we had the privilege to watch the last Cavaliers vs. Warriors game of the finals, because, the Warriors came back to win at home, 4 games to 1. YAY DUBS! It felt like Bikram family to hang out with my friends in Toledo, how wonderful to see you both!

Then, Loren and I were off to see Rutherford B. Hayes Home and Presidential Library, which was as rewarding educationally as the other Presidential museums we have visited. We camped that night in the rain, but awoke to find a Disc Golf course right in front of our campsite! The grass was nearly dry enough for us to play all 9 holes. Loren “won” by throwing 33, and I am proud of my not too much higher score of 39 throws. And we both had a little exercise in the process. After removing our wet sneakers and socks, we set off for Warren G. Harding’s home. This is soon due to be thoroughly remodeled and reopened in 2020 for the 100th anniversary of his Presidency…

Still in Ohio, we met friends for dinner at Mohican Lodge, with a beautiful view of Pleasant Hill Lake to entertain us. We spent the night with them in their lovely home, had a delicious brunch together, then, as we were about to leave we all realized that we had not yet played Canasta! We stayed and spent the next several hours, with a brief break for lunch, playing what we called a Memorial Canasta Tournament in honor of our dear departed friend, Gary, who is this friend’s brother. We reminisced a lot about how Gary would have played during our game together. As well, the four of us found several connections including New York roots and half Italian heritage, for example… as is the word Namaste so often said at the end of a Bikram class – another connection for us all with Gary a la Ram Das’ version of the word’s meaning. A most memorable and fun visit.

Now we are in Ohio’s Amish country, where we have seen a few small horse-drawn black buggies. A friend of Loren’s from their Castro Valley Toastmaster Club days who is also on extended travels with his wife emailed,

“There have been so many spectacular things that have happened to us and most

were because we were in the right place at the perfect moment. Then again,

maybe it’s more about appreciating each moment that was special anyway.”

So true!

Tomorrow we are off to see another of Ohio’s Presidential museums, that of William McKinley. We learned that Ohio provided 8 of our 45 United States Presidents. How impressive Ohio!

And, we wish a Happy Father’s Day to all our family members and friends who celebrate this special day this year!

Week 167 June 10, 2017

Published on June 10, 2017July 23, 2018 by ClaireLeave a comment

We have been blessed with sunshine most of this week! Highlights of our last couple of days in Madison include taking a tour of the Capitol building,

and, meeting friend Cary and a few of his friends to see a Pat McCurdy concert/singalong/show.

We were heading to Sturgeon in Door County, where we would pass by Oshkosh – I am learning that so many of the names and places that I have heard of over my lifetime that I had presumed to be fictional actually do exist! However, when we learned that one of our friend’s father lives in Little Sturgeon, we looked him up instead of going to Oshkosh. He is of full Belgian heritage and raised his family in and around the largest Belgian settlement in the US, making his living as a cheese farmer and welder.

Several friends and acquaintsnces had told us that we had to “do a fish boil” in Door county, so with our friend’s father, we did! He knew to take us to Pelletier’s in Fish Creek where they make quite a show of preparing the locally caught whitefish, served afterwards with pie made from locally grown cherries. Yum!

Another highlight this week was watching Game 2 of the Cavaliers vs. Warriors basketball finals with our friend’s father. The Warriors won. Go Warriors! After saying farewell, we looked around Sturgeon Bay a little before camping at Peninsula State Park, where we enjoyed bicycling, hiking, and, beautiful sunsets.

We then ferried on the SS Badger – the badger we learned is the Wisconsin state animal, like the very prevalent robin is their state bird. We sailed from Manitowoc, Wisconsin to Ludington, Michigan. During the 4 hour ride we had fun playing Bingo, and, watched the moving film, Sully. That evening at 9pm – start time for the game as we are now on the east coast, we headed for a local bar – as we were camping, to see the Warriors again defeat the Cavaliers in Game 3! It was fun to root along with the bar owner for our Warriors among the many Cav’s fans. Loren cheered them on with his 22oz dark amber draft beer…

Also in Michigan we toured the Gerald Ford Presidential Museum, which – as with all the others we have visited, was informative and educational, specifically about his years in the White House.

Now we are in Toledo, Ohio, where we watched the Warriors lose Game 4 to who I am now calling the LeBronaliers. It seems his teammates are at a loss if he is not on the court. Being a Friday night, a lot of the younger crowd were vocal in cheering for their own state team. Still, it was a good night out, just sad to see our Warriors lose.

For some reason – perhaps because Loren and I have spent so much time on or near waters or driving over rivers lately? – I have had Moon River running through my head. So, I leave you this week with its especially-meaningful-to-us-right-now lyrics that at one time prompted The Atlantic Monthly to report, “This is a love sung to wanderlust.”

Moon River

Moon River, wider than a mile

I’m crossing you in style some day

You dream maker

You heartbreaker

Wherever you’re going

I’m going your way

Two drifters off to see the world

There’s such a lot of world to see

We’re after the same rainbow’s end

Waitin’ round the bend

My Huckleberry friend

Moon River and me.

Week 166 June 3, 2017

Published on June 3, 2017July 23, 2018 by ClaireLeave a comment

We are still in Madison, Wisconsin. It has been a wonderful place to hole up, take ten days of Bikram yoga classes, sleep on a Thermapedic mattress at our AirBnB, and see several of the local sights. The week began with more chill breezes – it just seems like to Loren and me like eternal winter with a few hours of summer sprinkled in. Now, at the end of the week, it is much warmer, harking the summer heat to come. Aside from the weather, we started our week at a Unitarian Sunday service. Afterwards we had a tour of the original Unitarian Meeting House designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, who was a lifelong Unitarian. This congregation has outgrown that original space for a Sunday morning but it is still in use for smaller services.

On Memorial Day Loren and I visited Taliesin, the home of Frank Lloyd Wright, which he built on a hill where he had spent much of his childhood. We learned that the word Taliesin is Celtic and means Shining Brow, Wright’s concept for the brow of the hill. We also learned that he was originally named Frank Lincoln Wright, that he later took on the Lloyd in honor of his mother’s family name. That explains a red tile that we have seen on some of his buildings that show his initials: FLLW.

We had wanted to have a picnic on – where else but Picnic Point – at the end of a long stretch of narrow peninsula with room just enough for a wide path with trees and shrubbery on either side. However it was either too hot at midday, or on the one evening we ventured out, we noticed the black clouds behind us, so we took our rain gear. Well, just after snapping a photo of the capital from the point as we opened our food containers, it began to squall. So we packed up and walked all the way back to eat in our car. At least we walked the peninsula, and were rewarded with a beautiful double rainbow after the storm had passed.

We took a day trip to a unique setting that John Steinbeck had raved about in his book, Travels with Charley. However Loren and I agree more with author Bill Steigerwald’s assessment: “I don’t know what John Steinbeck saw in the Wisconsin Dells that was so ‘enchanting.’” The waters and rock formations are now hidden in comparison to the surrounding glitz of hotels, amusement parks and other tourist attractions that have sprung up in the area. I feel fortunate in that I had seen The Dells from a driving trip with my grandparents in my youth, before the commercialism obscured them, but alas that was before I could truly appreciate them. It was still valuable for us to be there because when I saw an amphibious “Wisconsin Duck” vehicle, I was struck with the good memory that I had ridden in one like that 45 years ago with my grandparents.

Near to the Dells, in Baraboo, is the International Crane Foundation where Loren and I took a two hour tour to see pairs of all 15 worldwide species of cranes, as well as had a good walk around the extensive grounds. I was thrilled to see the Gray Crowned Crane again, which we first saw in Africa. It proudly wears the colors of the Ugandan national flag. The endangered Whooping Crane pair is presently nesting. This organization has managed to help bring their population from a scarce 21 in the 1970’s to now over 600, as well as to provide a place for the vulnerable Blue Crane to nest.

We also took the National Historic Merrimac Ferry – a cable ferry, to reach a park for a short hike on the Ice Age Trail to Gibraltar Rock. That evening it was thrilling to see the Golden State Warriors win their first game in the basketball finals this week. We look forward to watching Game 2 on Sunday evening.

We took two walks this week at dusk at Tiedeman’s Pond,

which inspired my most recent poem:

A Walk at Tiedeman’s Pond

From the lengthy wood plank boardwalk

broken only by sections of earthen trail,

we were thrilled to see many muskrats,

eating lush prairie grasses, gathering twigs,

swimming to and from their nests of sticks.

Great blue herons stand still in its waters,

ducks and ducklings swim around and feed,

tiny gray rabbits randomly hop across our path,

while silent herons delight in overhead flight

and noisy red-wing blackbirds flit about.

A neighborhood prairie lands restoration site

for peaceable coexistence of these creatures,

also home for fish to jump and frogs to croak,

to allow songbirds to sing the day into dusk,

afore the unusual call of a nesting sand hill crane.

Claire Adalyn Wright

We are sorry not to be with dear friends of UUFS this weekend for the celebration of a dear friend’s life… Generous both with his time and energy both at the Fellowship and with helping us prepare for our journey, and for his witty sense of humor, we already miss him.

Week 165 May 27, 2017

Published on May 27, 2017July 23, 2018 by ClaireLeave a comment

Loren had to remind me a few times this week, “Whatever the weather, we’ll weather the weather, whether we like it or not.” At the same time, some of the locals we have met advised us that the seasons here are, “Winter, and, construction.” However, we still camped – with the comfort of one AirBnB in between, with cold, clouds, fog, wind, and rain. Despite that, we enjoyed ourselves in seeing more of Iowa. For example, at the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and birth home,

at a Sunday UU Service, and, by visiting the Amana Communities. We also stopped briefly in DeWitt – at the intersection of Lincoln Highway and The Blues Highway. DeWitt actually has loudspeakers set up around downtown to hear some blues tunes. It was all uniquely enjoyable. We camped one night by the shore of the Mississippi River, an attraction too for fishermen and pelicans. When we awoke we saw blue sky and sun! However this lasted mere hours as it rained heavily again at our next camp. We drove along Route 66 to Springfield, Illinois to see Abraham Lincoln’s Museum, which of course included details of the horrors of the Civil War. I wonder if Lincoln himself is included in the casualty tally? We toured his home, which was remodeled from its original one story to two when Mary Lincoln received an inheritance. And, we paid respects at his tomb.

By visiting the local park in town, we learned that prior to being President, Gerald Ford had served as a National Park Service Park Ranger in what had been Lincoln’s home town. We concluded our time in Springfield by taking a tour of the Frank Lloyd Wright designed Dana-Thomas house.

We found three more Peter “Wolf” Toth Whispering Giants Trail statues, one each in Hopewell, Utica, and Ottawa. I misunderstood a woman giving us directions – she said we could find the statue – in her vernacular, in Ellen Park. I said, “Ellen?” She said more strongly, “Ellen.” I thought to ask, “How do you spell that?” She said, “A-l-l-e-n.” “Oh!” I said, smiling. “Thank you!” We found Allen Park with ease. I so appreciate our national differences, and in finding these Native American remembrances in the various states. Not only did we see these manmade statues, we also saw a bald eagle in flight that day. Then that evening we saw a fox crossing the road, and, we heard owls calling back and forth at our campground. Ahh, to be out in nature is always so fulfilling and inspiring!

We awoke to overcast skies on our big day with tickets for going to see our SF Giants play at Wrigley Field, a stadium that Loren has wanted to visit for some years now. Luck paid a visit as if to make up for the weather earlier in the week, and we had an absolutely lovely, sunny warm afternoon at the ball park. In an uncanny bit of coincidence, we sat beside four men from our own south San Francisco bay’s Los Gatos, and, one of them named Sanford, was someone Loren remembered meeting through a friend some years ago. A little street art outside the stadium gave me a chuckle, but then I was disappointed to notice that not one roving vendor sold boxes of Cracker Jack in our section. What has America’s favorite past time come to ?

Now we are in Madison, Wisconsin. We spent a day here with a man about our age who we had met on a canoe trip in the Everglades in 2015. He and Loren have kept in touch. He gave us a wonderful tour around this city of about 250,000 people. We began with the Dane County Farmer’s market around Capitol square – claimed to be the largest Farmer’s market in the world. Then we went on to see the Monona Terrace Concert Hall – coincidentally designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, and which features a display of some of his works including the original portion of the Unitarian church where Loren and I will visit tomorrow. We also drove along the lakes that make up the isthmus of Madison, and saw the connecting creeks…

Next was a visit to the Arboretum of University of Wisconsin at Madison – where we saw gorgeous azalea blooming.

We finished our day with our friend with a visit to the annual Brat Fest – to eat varieties of brat and hear a little music. Another strange coincidence is that the featured brat company – Johnsonville is owned by the family of a friend of ours from California. We took a walk around more of the university campus, and, topped the day off with a snack at popular Union Terrace. A thoroughly delightful time in Madison, despite the clouds.

Week 164 May 20, 2017

Published on May 20, 2017July 24, 2018 by ClaireLeave a comment

This week began with us still visiting dear family on their farm and surrounding community in Nebraska. We first went to a cousin’s baseball tournament – saw him bat, catch, pitch, and, field at 3rd and short stop.

Life on the farm in spring is more physically challenging, time consuming, and requires more varied skills than we had previously been aware – this was our first spring visit to the farm. Last week I neglected to mention the mechanical skills required for such things as flat tires, slipped chains, greasing parts, repairing a ball-bearing socket, and welding a marker device – this list just for that 12 row planter vehicle, which in itself needs knowledge and great skill to manipulate. Nor did I mention diagnosing a shear pin on the seed bin trailer’s auger, as well as belt problems, simply knocking mud chunks off the engine and greasing of one of the small farm vehicles. Our cousins are able to quickly fix such problems, on their own and with each other’s help. We assisted when possible but mainly just observed.

I also want to mention how the farm work requires such physical strength – for working with cattle, sometimes in deep mud, lifting large feed bags and full 5 gallon buckets, operating heavy equipment and vehicles, carrying heavy duty iron tire jacks – the list goes on. They attend to the needs of nearly a hundred head of cattle – we learned the difference between Black and Red Angus, and Hereford breeds this time, forty-some goats, the hen house, an aged horse, dogs, cats, a number of pastures, several barns, driving a multitude of farm vehicles small and large around the farm and country roads, stocking a machine shop with innumerable various tools and spare parts, among other outbuildings, in an often dusty environment… yet at the end of the day it is rewarding.

I must also mention the efforts of maintaining their houses and homes, raising children of the next generation, caring for their personal autos and a free standing double garage, house gardens, shopping for basic supplies, cooking, canning, crafts, and commitments in the community – for example being on the local Fire board, church council, 3H – and surely I am missing more aspects of farm life. There is so much to know and to do – I realize we have just a limited sense of what being farmers or farm hands is all about.

What is inspiring is how our cousins also finds time for commitments in community work – like 4H, Fire board, church council, as a few examples, as well as another holding a full time job with benefits in town. There was a soft calming of country western music tunes in the background at times. Occasionally there is time to enjoy a “pop” – what I call soda, maybe to play a game of cards, while enjoying a scrumptious homemade dessert…

What I think makes it all worthwhile is the uplifting presence of the new borns – calves, kids, chicks, kittens, babies, each one unique and amazing.

I even was privileged to choose the newest born twin kids’ names – please meet – Ta Da: Chocolate and Cinnamon! It was so meaningful to visit the farm again and especially at this time of year. Thank you again dear cousins!

On bidding a fond farewell to our precious farmers, Loren and I were on our way to visit childhood friends of his who now live in Sioux Falls. We noticed a handmade sign on private property once we were in South Dakota:

Eat steak

Wear furs

Keep your guns

The American way

Before we had left our farming family – who safely employ guns for deer hunting – I was already reflecting on differing needs and interests of country versus city living, and, appreciating a respective need for using versus banning guns. Our friends, too, reminisced about memorable times on pheasant hunts in South Dakota. We learned that the entire South Dakota state population is less than 900,000, a third the size of the state of Nebraska, and less than the population of the entire city of San Jose… There is much to consider when comparing needs and lifestyles.

In Sioux Falls, our friends offered us bicycles to ride to the falls along a beautiful bike path, where we saw more signs of new life. We then went together for a drive around the city to see some of the area sights.

Our friends’ daughter was also visiting her parents, and we all enjoyed two evenings of wonderful home cooked dinners, with fun conversations catching up on many years of life experiences. We also had a delightful backyard fire that included cooking ‘smores and singing along with our friend on his guitar. Another meaningful and memorable visit with friends who we rarely see…

Loren and I said another fond farewell this week, then went on to drive along parts of the historic east-to-west or New York-to-San Francisco Lincoln Highway eastward.We stopped to stay with the sister and her husband of a dear friend from California, who live in Colo, Iowa. Colo is also exactly where the historic Jefferson Highway which ran south to north, from New Orleans to Winnipeg, and the Lincoln Highway, meet and cross.

We enjoyed a memorable visit with these Iowans, learning about their years as former hog farmers. Now retired, they are still active with their family and in their community. Our new friends made sure that we visited the Living History Farms in nearby Des Moines, where we saw a turkey, geese, ducks and hogs in addition to horses, steer – who will soon be called oxen once they are castrated, and chickens. We ambled through the park’s working farms using historical tools and farming methods. We learned here that in 1840, 69% of American workers were farmers, then just 60 years later, in 1900, that number had dropped nearly half – to 38%. Thank you, friends, for your hospitality!

Now Loren and I have driven further east to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, looking forward to visiting an Amish community in Amana tomorrow, followed by Herbert Hoover’s Presidential Library in West Branch.

Week 163 May 13, 2017

Published on May 13, 2017July 28, 2018 by ClaireLeave a comment

We were still in Tulsa at the start of this week, staying at an AirBnB where our host has the place decorated with artful messages, like “Love, Peace, Happiness,” “Follow Your Dreams,” and other inspiring images. She graduates with a Masters in Social Work this week then is heading out in her van for a road trip to celebrate. Congrats and happy travels! At the Woody Guthrie Center here we learned a lot about his music, life and times. His inspiring belief was “A Folk Song Is What’s Wrong, And, How to Fix It.” Yes!

We also attended Sunday service at All Soul’s Unitarian here, where their month’s theme of Mercy was embellished in a sermon by the senior minister, titled, “We All Make Mistakes.” Their semi-annual congregational meeting’s annual report cover said a lot about our faith in just six words: “Diverse in Belief, United in Love.” Loren and I then splurged on Sunday brunch at the Gilcrease museum restaurant, and afterwards walked through their extensive gardens and grounds. I had visited this museum some years ago at the suggestion of a coworker. It was where I saw my first Albert Bierstadt painting of Yosemite Valley and I have always appreciated his unique style when seeing his works ever since.

On leaving Tulsa we drove on more of Historic Route 66 in parts of Oklahoma, Missouri and Kansas, on our way to Nebraska. We drove across Marsh Arch Bridge, through the town of Galena, and, cities of Joplin, Aitchison, Troy… We now must watch the animated movie Cars, which was partly inspired by Route 66. In Troy we saw our second of Peter “Wolf” Toth’s Whispering Giants Trail statues. Who knows if we will see more, but our first in Winslow, Arizona inspired our interest in seeing others.

In Travels with Charley John Steinbeck makes it clear that he has little use for interstate highways, though he says it with more eloquence. Considering his view, I am torn. I grew up along with the interstate road system – I remember as a child when Interstate 287 in Westchester County, New York was under initial construction. Yes, Eisenhower’s 60 year old Interstate System is barren of character, but, it offers shortened travel time to distant destinations by allowing accelerated speed.

However, on exiting from an interstate, I sometimes feel frustrated by speed restrictions after just being able to fly along – unless it is commute time near a big city, plagued by an accident, or simply a congested area. On the other hand I relax more with the slower pace of the two lane highways, and enjoy seeing local culture alongside the road. Then on return to interstate driving, I miss the community sights. Plus, it takes time to feel comfortable accelerating to the speed of traffic – which is usually not until I am passed by several other drivers who are moving faster. I use cruise control to avoid exceeding the limit, though, if too many drivers pass by, I often speed up to keep up. When that happens there is the subtle yet constant vigilance for law enforcement approaching, even hiding, not to mention a keener sense of defensive driving. Is all this is in some way a metaphor for life? Undoubtedly, I am receiving much inspiration to ponder this week.

We arrived at cousin Raynell’s in time for “supper” with her, her one daughter and grand-children. Last week she told us that there were still 29 calves expected. We had hoped to arrive in time to witness and help out. We learned how “heifers” are either too young to be bred, or, in their first year to give birth. Heifers have the potential to need the most help with delivery and/or their calf might need help with learning to feed, so our cousins check on them every 2 hours, day and night. We had missed the last heifer birth by mere hours. Now we just check the cows 2 or 3 times a day.

Our first full day on the farm was of “working” the cattle, which included rounding up, sorting and pairing some of the heifers and their calves, tagging them, and putting them to pasture. The “working” included our one cousin physically pinning the calf with her body while the other tagged its ear, and, if male, bound it to create a steer from a bull. Loren’s and my efforts were to help round up, sort and pair, then assist with the specific supplies needed. It was truly a day of being farm hands under the expertise of lifelong farmers, an exhilarating day overall.

Our cousin’s five bulls are kept in electric fenced-in yards – two in one and three in another, and apart from the cows, unless it is time for breeding. Her farm also includes a hen house, where eggs are laid daily.

We had a nice lunch out – excuse me, I mean dinner, what Nebraskans call the mid-day meal, with another cousin, his wife, and, their youngest granddaughter.

We also visited at our cousin’s daughter’s farm to see her eleven newborn goats, literally her “kids.” Our cousin is holding the one who her granddaughter named, “Thumper,” because it was born on Easter.

That evening we went to see the granddaughter pitch in a softball double header in Omaha, saw her steal third, and score on a slide into home plate.

Also this week we learned about the process of planting soy beans, where our other cousin’s grandson, came over to confirm that the computer inside the sophisticated planter equipment was operating correctly. We were then privileged to see our first newborn calf, delivered by one of the several cows who are still expecting. Where we had thought that the cow would need our help, we learned instead that she would fear us for being too close. It was amazing to see how the calf stood up so soon after its birth!

The week was topped off by fishing in a pond where Loren and his cousins had fished as kids, complete with a cookout hosted by our cousins. One granddaughter brought her new puppy named Diesel while a grandson caught the first, the largest, and the most fish of the evening’s event!

One cousin helped Loren net in his largest fish…

Today we are going to watch one of the grandchildren’s baseball tournament!

Week 162 May 6, 2017

Published on May 6, 2017July 28, 2018 by ClaireLeave a comment

Dear Family and Friends, Thank you so much for keeping up with us, here on the blog, via email, or other ways. It is always wonderful to hear from you! Loren and I so appreciate your support of us.

We started this week in Salina, Kansas, where we had a fun weekend visit with Loren’s former factory manager friend, and his wife. While there Loren and I attended a UU discussion on “What is Love?” followed by a Sunday service, where, as usual at a Unitarian Universalist congregation, we felt right at home.

Our friend then treated us to homemade dumpling soup for lunch. For dinner Loren made his Nonna’s pesto pasta, while the rest of us participated as Sous Chefs. Another wonderful visit with friends!

After several days of rain, the glorious sun graced us on and off for a couple of days, despite relentless and sometimes fierce cold winds. Before leaving Salina we visited The Land Institute, where Loren surprised himself with recollections of college learnings. Then we toured the factory before heading off eastward.

On arriving in Abilene we noticed Tornado Alley lanes, so, after finding our campground, we returned to bowl. It took us a while to get into a groove. In the 1st game I had a frame where I scored just 1 point, and earned only 2 spares the whole game. At least Loren broke 100. We finished that pitiful game with the scores of 74 and 109! During the 2nd game I outdid my first by the 5th frame with lots of spares, and Loren had 2 strikes after I corrected his arm vs. wrist twists. I ended up 2 points above Loren: 128 to 126.

It had been nearly 3 years since Loren and I had bowled, and that was with my brother and his family to honor my Dad just after his funeral. Bowling here brought up other memories – of childhood bowling with family, teen years with friends in a junior high league, and as a young adult in work and community leagues. It was after we were married that Loren first joined a league with me. Bowling provides decent exercise, though the words “the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat” ran through my mind. In our 3rd game, I scored my first strike, albeit in the 6th frame. I almost typed inning! We finished with 116 and 119, for averages of 106 and 118. It was nothing like my former games of 180-190 back in my best years, but again, a fun way to have a bit of exercise.

Our main goal in Abilene was to see Eisenhower’s Presidential Library, and we started with a tour of his childhood home on the same property. The docent there was excited because in about an hour he would be leading Winston Churchill’s great-grandson on a tour. After about 5 hours of us perusing the Presidential museum, closing time was announced, and as we quickly made our way outside. It turned out that David, Churchill’s great-grandson who was also finishing his tour, graciously held the door open for us. If we had been more prepared, we would have lingered more and possibly even invited the friendly Brit to join us for dinner…

We had planned to leave Abilene, but instead decided to spend another night so that we could return to Eisenhower’s Library, to take in what we had rushed past when the end of the day closing announcements were broadcast. So, that evening we returned to Tornado Alley where Loren and I had averages of 94 and 114, respectively. In the morning we returned to Eisenhower’s Library. We were shocked to discover that when we had finished visiting there, and, seen the additional World War I display in the Library, that we had spent another 6 hours. It was fascinating and so worthwhile to us.

Can you guess what we did then? We chose to spend one more night in Abilene, and went back to Tornado Alley. I located a ball that fit my hand better and had a more respectable average of 145. Loren’s was 133. With all 3 nights’ together, my average was 115, Loren’s was 121.

We spent the next day in Wichita, where we walked the trails at Great Plains Nature Center. We spotted much wildlife – geese, turtles,

white herons, and deer,

and found an idea to ponder.

That evening we took a tour of Frank Lloyd Wright’s unique Allen House.

In the morning, we drove to Oklahoma City to see the memorial museum of the 1995 tragic devastation at the Federal Building. Now we are in Tulsa – the sun is warm and the gentle breeze is simply, cool.

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