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Nancy Murdock THE SUN IS UP I opened the blinds To see if it was time For starting the day At seven-thirty on a Saturday. Being new to retirement, I don’t have my days Lined out ahead of time, So I’ve been reading. The sun was sitting in a comfortable ball Snugly at the tops of some trees – But it’s gone up now, Heading into heavy dark clouds. I hope my day doesn’t go that way- I’m determined to get something done, Especially work on some quilts – But the book keeps calling. Maybe if I just get out of bed I’ll have my day started – The sun is disappearing Into those dark clouds – Time for me to rise and shine! Nancy A. Murdock --October 10, 2009 (Saturday) |
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Derek Revilock- Frost Nancy/Bob - loved seeing you two as well in Concord!! And big congrats on getting out of government work, Nancy! Click here for a piece I put together for Rosalind's quilt show in September/October in Portsmouth, NH. Love to you both, Derek |
("Sea Cow") |
Margery Aukstikalnis And then, the return. After selling one of our condos, packing a huge amount of “junk” in a POD to be shipped to AZ, we headed west. Our first stop, a mere 38 miles, brought us to the home of our dear friends, Fred and Joyce Flood. We shared some fine meals, many hearty laughs, and had a most enjoyable, relaxing visit; much needed after all the work in Woodbrook. Next stop was in Thomaston, CT, which gave us an early start to NJ to visit Tony and Barbara. In the past we parked our rig in their driveway, and slept with the pets in the RV, but our new rig, longer and closer to the ground wouldn’t make the little hill up to the house without scraping bottom. So plan B found us a delightful campground less than 15 miles away called Sea Pirate. It was a quick trip from Tony’s and will be our visiting platform in the future. We feasted on lobster and real New England Clam Chowder Thursday at a fine restaurant on the Island, enjoyed Steak and Mushrooms at the house Friday, and were very pleased with the Harvey Cedars Fire Department’s roast beef supper Saturday. All a culinary treat! Friday allowed us some time to reorganize and do laundry, and on Saturday we enjoyed a music festival and fair at nearby park. It was great to catch up on Tony and Barbara’s activities and family news; a wonderful visit! Off Sunday to Milford, VA for a one night stay at Hidden Acres where we “camped” with electricity and TV, but the water line was broken, so rather than move again, we used some of our own water in the reserve tank. Fortunately, in the RV we are always ready to camp with no amenities if ever necessary: Generator for electricity, water for washing and drinking, and large gray and black water storage for waste. Good for three or four days, if used conservatively. Little Pee Dee State Park lured us into Dillon, South Carolina for a 344 mile trip. We normally average 250 miles per day, but it was a relatively easy trip, with minimal city traffic. It was worth the extra miles. LPD was so peaceful and beautiful. The lake was overcome with weeds, but a huge effort by the State had a nice area clear and secured by barriers, and they were about to attempt to import a vegetarian carp (fish) to help in weed control. By now, I’ve lost track of day and date, but after two nights in LPD, we moved to Golden Isles, in Brunswick, GA, where we caught up on laundry, got a good night’s rest, and headed for our third visiting destination at the shores of the Indian River in Malabar, Florida. We enjoyed a three day visit with good friends, Frank and Evie LaRoche. We haven’t visited them since April 2004, so had fun catching up. We ate out lunch and supper for the whole time, trying to stay within our healthy diets, but it was hard. We enjoyed a two hour cruise on the Indian River and learned much about the flora and fauna of the area. I was particularly interested in the Manatee, an endangered “sea cow” being protected in the Florida waters. It is a huge, gentle, loving mammal that lives in the warm water, surfacing for air as needed. Even with protection, it is rapidly becoming extinct,, Nature just isn’t fair sometimes, especially human nature. We had one more scheduled visit with Fred and Joyce’s son, Jason and his wife Christine. Since it was on our way home, we decided to leave Malabar and RV up to Ocala. We spent a couple hours visiting Jason, and then camped at Rainbow Springs State park in Dunnellon, FL. Oh, my Goodness! What a beautiful place! So far, in all our travels, the most beautiful state park anywhere! We stayed a second night and visited the Rainbow Springs Headsprings and Garden Walkways. The warm, bubbling springs are fed by pump up to the top of a man-made waterfall, so tastefully built one would think it was natural. The gardens, even though late in the season, were lush and beautiful, dressed with fall flowers. The volunteer park staff were very informative and entertaining. We would go miles out of our way to visit again. But on to the Florida panhandle where we found Falling Waters State park in Chipley, FL. Here, on one of the highest hills in Florida, at 324 feet above sea level, we hiked to find a sinkhole 100 feet deep, 20feet wide, cylindrical, with a 73 foot waterfall trickling down. (it flows generously during rains). It was well worth the walk to see. The campground was impressive; neat, clean, orderly, shaded, attractive AND it had clotheslines at every site!!!!! We usually find “no clotheslines allowed” in campgrounds. This one provides them; Long enough for several beach towels and swim suits, the lines, about four feet high, lining either side of a split rail fence were safe and ecology-sensible. Now, heading for Louisiana, I sit at my computer as we travel, with my new inverter plugged into the cigar-lighter plug and my electric cord attached to it. I love it! Now to find WIFI. |
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Margery Aukstikalnis Louisiana, it rained and hailed and thundered and lightening-ed. Tickfaw State Park might be delightful for the trails, nature center and sights to see, but the soggy, swampy, mosquito-laden atmosphere we ran into simply kept me in the RV. Texas always takes three stops to get through. This time we went to San Jacinto Riverfront RV Park one night where we actually found WIFI! I had to carry the computer to the front porch of the office to get it, but it was there. Then two nights in South Llano State Park after we found Inks Lake full up and had to travel an extra 160 miles to the next State Park. It only cost us $25.50 for two nights because we have a Texas State Park Pass which gave us 50% off the second night. We got a nice site, somewhat secluded, and relaxed a bit. I encountered a new plant (to me) nicknamed Grandfather's Whiskers. (Cleome hassleriana). I thought at first it was a smoke tree, but as I got closer it looked more like milkweed fluffs. It grows on a vine and can become a nuisance. I loved it! Some nice walks, a game of cribbage, and a good rest, but we packed up in the rain again. This stop put us closer to home than we planned, so we stretched the next leg a bit and arrived at Van Horn mid afternoon on the 26th. A place called Eagles Nest RV park (not a state park). Buttons liked it because it had a pet play yard where she could run free without leash (under supervision). Of course all she wanted to do was sniff the grounds to count all the dogs that had been there in the past two years! Van Horn seems to be a stop-over place; many of the businesses are closed. Only the ones that cater to transients seem to have survived. Jack said the town is so dead, even the funeral parlor is closed!! We stayed one night and headed all the way home, passing through two time zones! Van Horn sits on the west edge of Central time zone, and we, during standard time are on the east edge of Pacific! So it was a 26 hour day, to which we still haven't adjusted! Two days to unpack the RV and get organized before we drove the 2 1/2 hour one-way trek to Tucson Friday to get half of our belongings from NH that the POD company had in storage for us. Jack bought a trailer, which will serve as a tool shed for him after we are done, but it is a 6'X8' and the POD is a 8'x16'. We will go back to Tucson Tuesday, hoping to be able to finish the load. It will cost us another $350 storage fee if we don't get it all by Saturday. Now the real problem: finding places for all our stuff! It rained almost every day from Louisiana to New Mexico, and we had one pot-hole accident that cost us our door step on the RV; we are still running with one windshield wiper, and the slide out awning gave way where Jack had taped it, but despite all that it was an interesting trip. We even found some places we want to go back to visit, even if it's just a short "vacation" trip. We are glad to be home. The sun shines, the stars are gorgeous, there are NO mosquitoes, and even though it was 22 degrees Thursday morning and we lost electricity twice since then, it's a beautiful place to live. |
the Library Cat |
Charlie Frost Dear Nancy and Bob, Thanks for another great issue of "The Muse." Enjoyed the reports of your summer travels and am particularly glad you were able to link up with Derek. Thought you might like the cute story below. Have a happy Labor Day! Charlie -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I called Todd Drake the other day to get acquainted with this manager of a company that has for over 20 years provided visual investigative software for my criminal intelligence analysis course. After a few pleasantries he wanted, of course, to know my professorial background. And I did the same. When I asked where he was from, the conversation went like this: Todd: I'm from the Midwest, too. Spencer, Iowa, is my home town. Charlie: Spencer, Iowa. Hmmm. Isn't that the place made famous by the library cat? Todd: Library cat? Never heard of it. Charlie: Yes, it's a true story. There was a book about it by that title. If I'm not mistaken Spencer was the place where it all happened. Todd: I'll definitely have to look into that. And he did. His response is below. Pamela called me in some excitement this week to report that Hollywood is to make a movie of the story, with the ubiquitous Meryl Streep playing the lead. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BTW, it was Spencer Iowa. He showed up in Spencer in 1988 and I was already gone by then. I graduated in 82, went into the Military for 5 yrs and then went onto college at University of Maryland. I missed all of this great stuff. Thanks for bringing it up. I will buy this book for my twin 3yr old girls!!! Todd Dewey Readmore Books was the resident cat at Spencer Public Library. He was put in the book return one cold January night in 1988. When the staff found him the next morning, they decided to adopt him. After the library's board of trustees and the city council approved, the kitten was declawed, neutered, and given the proper vaccinations. A contest was held to pick a name, and Dewey Readmore Books was officially added to the staff. The staff cared for Dewey and donated their pop cans to feed the kitty. Patrons and friends from as far away as New York have donated money for Dewey's food. Dewey generated lots of publicity for the library. He was featured in the local paper, Country magazine, Cat Fancy magazine, on the Sioux City television stations, in books, and on postcards. He was a video star in Puss in Books, a documentary about library cats. Of course, Dewey was already the star of the library. Many people came in just to see him. Dewey even had his own job description. Check out Dewey as a supervisor of our staff. Dewey passed away on November 29, 2006 due to complications from a stomach tumor. He had become very frail because of hyperthyroid disease for which he was receiving medication. He died in the arms of the library director, Vicki Myron. He had just celebrated his 19th birthday eleven days before he died. Although Dewey is gone, he will be remembered by thousands of people whom he cheered by simply being a loving presence in the library. Although we may get another library cat, Dewey will never be replaced. The library won't be the same without Dewey. |
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Missi Sargent Hi Aunt Nancy and Uncle Bob, I received wonderful news today. I received an honorable mention in a poetry contest I entered. Here is the announcement from the College. My poem is below the announcement. WINNERS ANNOUNCED IN POETRY CONTEST COMMEMORATING 9/11 (http://www.mwcc.edu/info/news.html) Poets from throughout the country penned more than 1,000 submissions for the Division of Lifelong Learning’s poetry competition commemorating the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the U.S. As the eighth anniversary arrives this week, poetry competition chair Patricia Cosentino announced the winners, which were selected by a reading panel and three judges. Dolores E’nama of San Diego, Calif., was awarded first prize for her poem “Ground Zero 9-11-2001.” Honorable mentions were awarded to Missi Sargent of Winchendon, MWCC Director of Noncredit Programs, for “United in Light;” Dolores Ouellette of Westminster, Mass. for “The Freedom Tower;” Francis Blessington of Woburn, Mass. for “Reflected Absence;” Anatoly Tretyakov of Brighton Mass., for “The Wailing Wall;” Ruth Margolin Silin of Auburndale, Mass. for “The Day the Sky Fell;” Roberta Cole of Newton Center, Mass., for “Dusk to Dawn;” and Mary Laufer of Forest Grove, Ore., for “Freedom Tower.” The competition had a dual focus of reflecting on the tragedy as well as looking toward the future with the rebuilding of the World Trade Center. “The empty space in the skyline in New York City is devastating, even now,” said Cosentino, an adjunct writing instructor at MWCC. “The poetry contest reflected on our need to keep the memories of the victims alive, while also look forward to new beginnings.” Nearly 3,000 people perished in the suicide attacks by al-Qaeda after 19 hijackers took control of four commercial jets and flew them into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and into a field rural Pennsylvania after passengers heroically averted destruction of the Capitol or White House. The poems will be on display beginning this week in the case outside the LaChance Library. Funds generated by the poetry competition will be used by the MWCC Foundation, Inc. toward the MWCC Opportunity Playground to be built at the Garrison Center for Early Childhood Education. United in Light Missi Sargent Up from the ashes and battered scraps of concrete Above intertwined layers of steel and glass Through soot and charred rubble knotted with memories of yesterday Shines a brilliant light that shames the bitter dark. Even on that darkest night a light shone from within At first, so dim a silhouette was almost left unseen Obsessing in our anger, the dark almost prevailed Until our eyes looked beyond the black to see a speck of hope The initial beam was smaller than a distant fading star Sufficient, though, to gain the gaze of those who sought a wish And eyes once lost in sorrow met with hearts lit by compassion. Now gaining strength and purpose from one another’s fire. And once secluded neighbors bent on turning a blind eye Freely offer up their only light to strangers changed to kin And the darkness sent to divide us by those unexpected foes Instead unites a stronger force than any could foresee. From desperation came aspiration that turned away the night Replacing fear and anger with patriotic love And disappointed enemies retreated to their holes Frustrated to see the glorious sunlight returning to our home. |
Mackerel Sky |
Gene Murdock Message from Barbara DiStefano: Today on the way home from the gym the sky was really different; it looked as if someone had taken cotton and white paint and just kept dabbing, all over the sky. Dick said that was a "mackerel sky" and according to Wikopedia, is a altocumulus cloud formation. Dick said it is predicting that the first game of the World Series will be rained out. (LOL!) But the lore is "Mare's tails and mackerel scales/ make tall ships carry low sails. I had never noticed this before, but I am sure some of you have. Interesting..... Hi Barb, Yes, the mackerel sky is quite a sight! Not really common, but I've seen a few of them. Make yourself a checklist of all the clouds (with the help of a library or Barnes & Noble) and keep a Life List of clouds like others keep Life Lists of birds, wildflowers, etc. Each of those clouds tells you something about the weather up there - wind direction, wind speed, stability of the air (stratus is stable, cumulus is unstable). It'll have you back in the library/bookstore trying to learn more. Love, Gene |
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