What's With Oranges and Apples?

I decided to call this blogsite Comparing Apples and Oranges because that's a key phrase around our house. Seems like any difference of opinion usually boils down to two people using totally different points of view to win their argument.

My husband spent his life checking notations of drawings used to fabricate steel. That was his occupation - he was a checker.

I, on the other hand, discovered I had a talent for organization.

Now, you'd think we would be able to come to the same conclusion seeing as we both have a tendency for order and sequence of events.

Nah! I've found the more I push for a logical reasoning of his difference in opinion, the more the discussion revolves around the virtues of "oranges" when I'm talking "apples."

So how have we been able to remain sane and whole through fifty-four years of marriage? When that point comes in the disagreement where it’s certain neither of us is going to be able to convince the other…that’s when the apples and oranges comment makes its appearance and we agree to disagree.

N Is For Night

Night settles like a downward-drifting veil. It subdues the day's harsh sunlight, causing bleached-out vegetation to take on deeper, richer shades of green. As the light fails, it releases deepening shadows. Surroundings shift in substance, changing in increments and degrees.

The sun drops from sight below the horizon yet continues to exert its influence by painting the sky in ever-changing colors; rose deepens to lavender, then darkens to indigo.

The last rays of sun above the earth's edge gilt low-hanging clouds and I pause to take inventory. Another day has come to an end. Did I spend these hours profitably or do I chalk up this day as one of wasted opportunities? If I can look back and see a moment when my smile lifted another person's burden, then all is not lost. I may count the day as a good one.

A Morning Moment

Life is richer with an herb garden in your life. A morning walk among the dew-laden herbs provides opportunity to indulge all senses and can be one of life’s sublime pleasures. This particular morning, the summer sun had begun to lighten the eastern sky as I pick my way along the grassy path. From deep within the entwined branches of the rose arbor, a mockingbird sings a solo. 

Soon my shoes are wetter than the cold coffee in the cup I’ve carried from the house. Beneath the apple tree, the up-turned faces of Johnny-Jump-Ups smile their morning greeting. I stoop and lightly brush the yellow and purple blossoms until they look like a crowd of nodding faces.

Further along, a rosemary sprawls its blue-dotted branches over the path. An accidental brush releases its unique fragrance, triggering pleasant remembrances of past encounters with this herb. At the spreading clump of oregano, I stoop to examine the minute pink clusters of blooms. I’m reminded of a class of young ballet dancers, twisting and turning, sometimes slightly out of step with each other. A drifting waft of this plant’s delicious scent brings visions of a favorite pepperoni and cheese pizza.

I can’t resist plucking the leaf of one of my favorite herbs, lemon verbena. With its pale-green crinkled shape nestled beneath my nose, I take a deep breath of its delicate scent. When I pass a mint patch, I snatch one of the peppermint’s cool-tasting leaves to nibble on. 

Pausing in the midst of my herbs, time seems to stand still and I feel a strong connection to others before me who have experienced moments like these. I smile to realize other gardeners will follow. They too, will have the joy of experiencing unique moments in their herb gardens.

            It’s time to return to the present, retrace my steps and head back for the house. On my way, I gather a tiny bouquet of chives, parsley and dill to season my mid-day salad. Tucked away in my heart is a moment when I touched eternity.

My 'Lookout Mountain'

Does your childhood hold a ‘lookout mountain’?  Was there a special place, known only to yourself, where you went to consider the mysteries of life?

Mine was located directly behind my childhood home. The ground rose so steeply it was necessary to lean forward to climb to its plateau. Once arrived at the top of this well-worn New England hill, I could lie down and be out of sight beneath swaying tall grass. There, warmed by the sun, only nature’s creatures invaded my private place and thoughts.  

When I sat up, it was possible to see my familiar surroundings and much more beyond. Alone except for an occasional fly or bee, my thoughts could roam far beyond the confines of daily existence, exploring possibilities only the imagination could conjure.

This need for a ‘lookout mountain’ must be a peculiar American thing as our country has several spots designated with that official title. Most well-know is the area just minutes from downtown Chattanooga, TN. Lookout Mountain, Tennessee provide a spectacular view of the Chattanooga Valley. From its observation deck, seven U. S. states can be seen on a clear day: Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia and Alabama. 

Other states that boast their own Lookout Mountain include Montana, Oregon and Minnesota. Lookout Mountain Summit in Lewis and Clark County, Montana has an elevation that peaks at 8,180 feet. At 6,525 feet, the summit of Lookout Mountain, Oregon provides a stunning view of the east face of Mount Hood. Lookout Mountain Loop, Minnesota at an elevation of 1,545 feet includes views of Lake Superior and waterfalls on the Cascade River, all packed into this interesting 4.1-mi loop. 

If you’re interested in planning a trip to include a couple Lookout Mountains, be forewarned: the driving distance from Waconia, Minnesota to Lookout Mountain, Georgia is 1,016 Miles/1635 Km. How many hours? 17 hours. 17 mins.

The Key

Some time back, I turned over dirt for a new garden bed and uncovered a buried key. One of those old fashioned iron ones sometimes referred to as a skeleton key. Got me to wondering who lost it and how long had it lain beneath the surface?

We've lived on this property for over thirty years. To my knowledge,  there's never been a house on that part of the property. Obviously, the key's been in the ground longer than we've lived here. Talking with neighbors who've lived around here all their lives, I learned nothing but cows ever roamed these acres. One neighbor told me a family once lived closer to the highway and there could still be an old well hidden by overgrown brush. The appearance each spring of flowering bulbs seems to substantiate that. Could my found key belong to that long-gone house? But how it ended up such a long distance away continues to mystify me.

Have you ever come across an object and wondered about its past life? I find it's those little unsolved mysteries of life that fuel the stories I write.

The Fun's at JibJab

Most everyone has made the acquaintance of JibJab.com.  Founded in 1999 by Evan and Gregg Spiridellis, JibJab is a digital entertainment studio begun in a Venice, California garage.

Their political satires have made the site well known. JibJab is arguably most famous for its "Year in Review" videos, which are usually released late in December.

Then in 2007, JibJab decided to put photographs of people's faces in some animated JibJab videos with the option to send them to other people as e-cards or "sendables."

Building on their success with “sendables”,  JibJab now offers JibJab Jr., geared toward the kids market. This line produces children's books for the iPad. The app allows parents to personalize the stories with a photo and name of their child. 

All they wanted to do was figure out a way to earn a living making people laugh. They succeeded.

I is for Indecision

I is for indecision of which state of mind I find myself regarding today's assignment. Or perhaps I should place the blame on insomnia since I am typing out these words at two-thirty in the morning.

Then again, perhaps the culprit is indisposition since it is a stuffed-up head that has awakened me because my breathing is impaired.

However, I shouldn't task myself too severely. Beside me in the bed I just left, my husband struggles for each  breath he takes. A recent bout with bronchial infection has severely hampered his ability to inhale anything but labored shallow breaths. It's Easter weekend and we may be adding a trip to the emergency hospital room to our itinerary.

As you can see by the above, our English language is rich with lovely "I"  words.