A Rose by Any Other Name

I’m sure Shakespeare was not trying to start the English Renaissance version of an urban dictionary. And he was correct that a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. But it would be good for us all to remember that had a rose been called by another name, we wouldn’t realize he’d been writing about a rose.

Sunsets

Each year I carefully note both the shortest day of the year and the longest. I do my best to be aware of the exact moment these milestones occur. These are important to me not only because of the seasonal meanings but because they signify something deeper. And the older I grow the more significant they become.

A Lesson Learned from My Dogs

Sometimes I get frustrated with Remy and Henry. Remy always barks to go outside the instant I start doing something. It’s like having a toddler and trying to have a phone conversation. Here’s how it goes –

Creatures in My Garden

In previous posts I’ve written about the animals that live in or near our property. These critters, both large and small, are some of the most enjoyable aspects to our life. And each time I come across an animal I wasn’t expecting it renews my joy in our home. The creatures in my garden are a source of constant delight.

Cruelty and Social Media

A Facebook acquaintance I’ll call Joe posted a video a couple of days ago of an extremely obese woman on an electric scooter trying to get through a sliding door at some retail outlet. She had difficulty because her body was wider than the opening. Joe and his friends thought it was not only acceptable but very amusing to say vile things about the woman, calling her, among other things, a whale.

Memorial Day Musing

The entire weekend we’ve all been inundated with advertisements for the barbecues people host and for sales that are going on today. We’ve been told that we shouldn’t run out of beer and that this or that sale will never be repeated. The day has been touted as a celebration of food, booze, and savings. And many of us have been hurt by this happy-go-lucky attitude about the day.

City Folks in the Country

 

We live in a fairly rural area and I don’t have a lot of face-to-face contact with people who live in cities but I do know a few folks who live in urban and suburban areas. There are a lot of differences, naturally, in the way people live depending on their locale. But city folks in the country can be…interesting.

Midnight Musings 2

Doctors are sadists. You may think that’s a very broad generalization but I have a lot of experience with doctors. I have a primary care physician, a rheumatologist, a neurologist, a hematology/oncology specialist, a pain specialist, and a pulmonologist. This isn’t counting the doctors who just do tests like the EMG/NCS; a test where the doctor electrocutes you then sticks needles in your body and tells you to flex against them. I know doctors. Sadists.

Midnight Musings

It’s after midnight. I should be asleep, yet here I am, in front of the computer. There is no reason I should be awake. The bedroom was dark and the fan provided just the right cool breeze and soporific drone. The bed was soft and the pillows were perfect. But I couldn’t fall asleep. Everything that’s happened in the last year and a half was tugging at me. Try as I might, I couldn’t stop my mind from careening from one memory to the next. Forgive me if this doesn’t make as much sense as perhaps it should. It’s late and I’m tired but I have to share this.