Sunday, July 31, 2011

Postcrossing Favorites for July

This month's favorite postcards display the typical range of types that I've received.
Tourist scene: Nevsky Prospekt in Moscow (at night)
Stunning nature photo from the National Museum of Australia in Canberra
Cute animal with message: "Sometimes life can be hard, but you are strong and fight it out."
This month's mail also brought something a bit different: two oddly-shaped postcards. The first is from Taiwan and is in the shape of that country.
The second, shaped like a post box, is from Japan.Finally, a postcard related to the mystery novels of Agatha Christie arrived, bearing a quote from her detective, Hercule Poirot (portrayed here by actor David Suchet). If you're a Christie fan, check out my tribute blog at http://allagatha.blogspot.com

Happy Postcrossing!

For more information about Postcrossing.com, go to: http://myturntodayyourstomorrow-cheryl.blogspot.com/2010/07/postcrossing.html 


Saturday, July 23, 2011

Poetry Group

Several months ago, we formed a poetry group. Our goal was to read and discuss poetry and write some of our own, too. During the winter, we met each week at the public library or in one another's homes, but with summer's arrival, we began meeting in the city parks.
 
Carol and Audene are among the first to arrive.
Donna is the founding member of the poetry group.
Mary Anne is a painter and often brings us something from the world of art.
Pat is our most prolific writer of poems.
 To hear Donna read William Ernest Henley's poem, "Invictus," followed by a humorous commentary by Ira Wallach, go to:
 Hear Carol read Anna Wigley's poem, "Ground," at:
Each poem gets thoroughly dissected. When we need inspiration for our poems, we often find it in our discussions or in an off-hand remark one of us makes. 
Weekly postcard reminders help us stay motivated to contribute.
Sometimes, the poems make us laugh, 
and sometimes they make us cry.
Always, they make us think.


The poetry group now has its own blog. Visit http://arspoeticapocatello.blogspot.com







Dance Contest!

Our local Senior Center recently sponsored the "Senior Games," which included competitive dancing. Two of my friends from poetry group, Audene and Pat, were participating, so several of us went to cheer them on.
     The order of dances included couples' ballroom dance competitions in the waltz, rhumba, cha cha, samba, tango, swing, and quick step.
     Fortunately, the competing couples were often attired in matching outfits, so it was easy for the audience to root for the "blue couple" or the "red couple," etc.  It was pretty darn amazing to watch some of the "very senior" couples shaking a leg while managing not to break a hip.
The line dancing was even more impressive, because the routines were intricately choreographed and very well-executed by groups of up to a dozen dancers.
The joy and excitement were contagious. The audience cheered, clapped, and sang along to songs ranging from the West Coast swing's "Fine Brown Frame" to "Blame It On The Bossa Nova." 
Pat's excited as her group prepares to take the floor.
Audene executes a tricky dance step.
The dancing looked like so much fun that at least one audience member was thinking that maybe knee replacement surgery would be worth it.
     Later that evening, KPVI, a local TV news channel, broadcast footage taken at the competition. To view it, go to:  http://www.kpvi.com/content/sports/story/SE-Idaho-Senior-Games-Dancing-Competition/bA1M8OaFC0meSv0aOmfDbA.cspx

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Match Game

Minka says, "It's Match Time!"

Last summer, when I visited my grandson and his wife, I offered to help out with the household chores by doing some laundry. When I remarked that there was an unusually large number of socks in the wash, they assured me that I was merely glimpsing the tip of the iceberg, or I should say, the"sockberg."
When I expressed skepticism, I was presented with bag after bag of accumulated socks, all awaiting mates. I accepted the challenge and paired hundreds of socks, and now, a year later, the scope and intensity of the Sock Match Game has become a running joke in our family.
I should also mention that my grandson and his wife are cat lovers who have rescued and arranged adoptions for numerous feral and domestic cats in their town.
Circle of Cats 
[Clockwise from left: Todd, Mia, Marco, & Minka]

This summer, I returned for a sock rematch (pun intended) and decided that a tutorial for novice sock matchers might be in order. The cats were only too happy to assist with the photos.

STEP 1: Identify the difference between a pile of socks and a pile of cats, and know which pile you're about to tackle.
Pile of Socks
Pile of Cats

STEP 2: Know the basics of making a correct match. Don't be fooled by colors that match, but shapes that do not.
Example: Although item #1 (top) contains the same colors as items #2 & #3, it is not a match for either one.

STEP 3: Even when it seems that you have a match, look closely to detect slight differences. 
Not a Match
Still Not a Match
Still Not a Match
 
Yay!  A Match!
Following these three simple steps will yield your own corectly-matched pile of cats . . . er, I mean socks.


Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Portrait of an American Teen

Eighteen-year-old Holly just graduated from high school and will be attending college in a couple of months. In some ways, she's a typical teen, but in other ways, she's extraordinary. This blog post is an homage to her and to others of her generation.
Sitting astride her pick-up truck like a Western girl, on Western Day at her Florida high school.
Holly was born in Colorado and lived the first seven years of her life in Nevada and Idaho, but since then, she's been a Florida resident. When asked if she was a Western girl or a Southern girl, she said, "Well, I'm not really Southern in the 'Southern way.' I like sweet tea and grits, but not all the time. I like drag racing, but not NASCAR. However, I definitely don't like the cold" (of the Northwestern states).
Whether in the West or the South, Holly enjoys outdoor activities such as boating and fishing. "Salt-water fishing is the best. Fresh-water fishing is kinda boring, but maybe I don't know how to do it right, or I don't use the right bait."
For several years, horses were her passion, and she credits her friend, Lyndsey, with introducing her to the sport. "Horse-riding taught me responsibility: clean the horse, put the saddle on, practice all the time to get better at it." She rode recreationally and also jumped, which was "a little scary." 
Dressage was difficult because it required a completely different set of motions to communicate with the horse. "I had to use my legs a lot, rather than hands, to tell the horse what to do." Unfortunately, her allergies worsened to the point where she had to give up riding.
Golf became an interest that kept her active. She joined her high school's golf team, but says,"I wasn't very good at it, but it was fun." She tells a story about playing another school last season, when a girl (who had been playing since about age 3) tried to console Holly by saying, "At least you're not in the 40s." At that point, Holly's score for the lowest 9 holes was 54 strokes. She plans to keep playing recreationally, rather than on a team. "It got so competitive that I wasn't really having fun."
Here's Holly, being stalked on the golf course by her parents and grandmother. To read more about the golf tournament, go to: http://myturntodayyourstomorrow-cheryl.blogspot.com/2010/10/golf-tournament.html

Holly and her parents have a strong relationship built on mutual trust and respect. She speculates that it's because her parents were a little older when she was born and had a chance to think more about what kind of parents they wanted to be. She noted that compared to other people, her parents don't try as much to control her life.
Holly and her mom on a recent vacation.
Holly's dad helps her with a prom corsage.
Holly understands that she's had some advantages that other teens haven't, and she appreciates the sacrifices that her parents have made on her behalf. She acknowledges these benefits by working hard at her studies and doing community service.
Getting a hug from her mom after her high school graduation ceremony.
It was an exciting day when she received her acceptance notification from the University of South Florida in Tampa. USF was her first choice, because of its proximity to the water (Tampa Bay) and her interest in marine biology. Holly says, "I'll probably join the Fishing Club. They're involved with beach conservation."
Holly and her dad, on a visit to USF. 
She's also looking forward to dorm life in a pod arrangement with a kitchen down the hall, but because she's an only child, "It'll be a challenge to share a bathroom with three other people." The coed dorm will be good, too, because "You need some guys around," she says.  
Holly welcomes the academic rigor of college. She's used to studying, but says, "Some people, all they do is study. I'll study when I need to . . . or if it's something I like." She enjoyed her high school anatomy course and considers being a cardiologist. "I want to learn more about the heart."
Where will her heart and these sandy feet take her next?