Terrapin Station

Friday Five: What I really, really like about...

 (Not where I live)

(As I was saying at RevGals): 
We have members all over the globe, so while I stepped out this morning and thought, "oh, my, Summer's really here and it's just the end of June...ugh...hot, hot, hot" -

some of our folks are deep into Winter and thinking the same thing.  Except about cold/rainy/whatever it is weather.

So, for a better attitude (for me anyway) and maybe a boost for you too...

What are five things that you REALLY REALLY REALLY like about the current season where you live?  

and, for a bonus:

Something you are looking forward to about another season?

***

What I love about this time of year:

1) Sandals/going barefoot.  Feet need to breathe! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2) Fresh fruit: watermelon, peaches, cherries

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3) Homegrown tomatoes...some of them in my garden this year, yay!

 

(this is not my garden...in fact, this is in Omagh, Ireland....)

 

 

 

 

 

 

4) Snow Cones:  enough said

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5)  Birds and squirrels, everywhere! 

I look forward to: Not thinking about the heat.  :) 

 

 

Whatever we do do one another...we do to Jesus himself.

My friend Marie has a wonderful post today at her blog, Strong as Death.  Titled, "We do not "study" our siblings in Christ," it demonstrates how rude and objectifying such language is, no matter the intent. 

We need to meet and know our siblings in Christ, in all their infinite glory.  Even if many of us can't imagine, right now, what that will look like or be like. 

I am nearly finished with John Irving's new book, In One Person.  I tried to stay up to finish it last night, but I stopped: because I wanted to savor it another day.

The narrator/protagonist of the book is bisexual and tells so frankly about growing up "a sexual suspect" (in Irving's words from Garp).  His story, in some small part, is my story - in that it is the story of the sexual revolution (what a tired word) in America in the 50's through the 90's. 

I have written before about the pain and uncertainty experienced as a hetero girl dating boys and men who...were not sure who they were, sexually, or even if they were sure, were unable to be honest (with themselves, with family, with the world, or any combination of those). 

Certainly, I recognize that my pain is miniscule compared with theirs.  But the more we tell and really listen to the stories (as John Irving does) and the more we really HEAR them, the more we can bring the glorious variety of human sexuality out of a place of shame and into a place of "no big deal."  

Lake Jackson

Went to Lake Jackson, south of Houston, for Uncle Oliver's 95th birthday party.  What a great day and fun time with extended family. 

Spent 2 nights with niece Katie, world's greatest hostess.   We love Katie!  And left early this am and drove home, and I slept a large part of the afternoon. 

A good weekend.   

There is a gracious plenty

Written early Friday morning. 

I grew up hearing the phrase "a gracious plenty" in daily conversation.  My mother would say it to indicate there was more of something (beef stroganoff, beans to snap, etc.) 

This morning, as usual, I opened my window and poured some sunflower seed out on the sill for My Friend the Squirrel.  He knows when I am supposed to get here, and if I don't do it right away he comes and stands on his hind paws and reaches up with his front paws, making himself BIG to say, "here I am and I'm ready for breakfast!")  And I comply.   Today I was in early, so I beat him to it. 

I heard him eating a bit after I sat down, and then I heard him making odd noises I'd never heard from him before...fussing noises, like the chatter when dogs get a squirrel "treed."  (This never happens, really, in our lives; a squirrel could sooner catch one of our dogs than the other way around!)

I looked over and his tail was up and bushy over his back, in the defensive posture that says, "I'm HERE!"  He wasn't talking to me; he's never behaved like that before.  I eased up and, sure enough, we had company: 

 

(my regular visitor is on the left; the new feller is on the right). 

They both have their tails up, as you see.  But the "home" squirrel more.  And the closer they got to each other, eating toward the middle, the more the scolding, and the louder!  and finally I got up and got the bag of seeds, and I said, "Guys, really...there's more.  There's a gracious plenty."  They each skittered away a few feet while I replenished the windowsill. 

Now they are drawing closer together again.  Homie still has his tail way up.  The other squirrel is a little more relaxed.  And Homie seems to be trying to EAT EVERYTHING AS FAST AS HE CAN...

Because he doesn't believe it.  People have come and gone from this office (previously a dorm room)  for the 76 years that this building has stood.  Some of them feed him.  Some of them don't.  Sometimes the room has been empty. 

He wants to GET HIS. 

This morning NPR had a story about the psychology behind super-sizing food items, spurred by the NYC mayor's proposal to restrict sales of sugary soda to 16 oz.  Here's the first line of an abstract from a study on same topic: 

"This research proposes that consumers' preference for supersized food and drinks may have roots in the status-signaling value of larger options. An initial experiment found that consumers view larger-sized options within a set as having greater status."

We want to GET OURS. 

 It reminded me of this great essay by Walter Breuggeman.  "The great question now facing the church is whether our faith allows us to live in a new way."

Friday Five: Spontaneous

Happy Friday, Gals and Pals...
Our FF today is in honor of spontaneous thinking!
So...

1.  What religion/faith besides yours captures your curiousity and why? Buddhism.  I love the emphasis on connectedness of all things and meditation. 

2.  What is the first or most memorable pop song you ever learned as a kid?  I think "Torn Between Two Lovers" which my little sister and I couldn't figure out...we thought it said "Born" between two lovers and that seemed, well, ICKY.  :)  Second place, "Hound Dog," of which we had a 45 and we LOOOVED it. 

3.  If God were a color.....(finish this sentence creatively)  She'd be all over glittery swirly greeny things.

4.  If you were going to make a sandwich right now for lunch, and you magically had all the items you need for it, what would that sandwich be?  Mustard.  Always mustard.  Have been known to eat mustard sandwiches.  But, I digress.  / Mustard, grilled vegetables, gouda cheese, a little bit of mayo, and Vidalia onion.  mmmm.

5.  How are you doing?  Really, how are you?  I'm SHINY. 

I've certainly got cares and worries, but today fels like a beautiful day; tomorrow is a field trip to Lavender Ridge Farms with some girlfriends, Ken is feeling better all the time, in small increments.  It's a blessing. 

Bonus:  What are you enjoying/loving right now?  I love that turtle picture, and I'm loving watching a squirrel clean up the sunflower seed detritus on the windowsill 4 feet away.  :)  Periodically we gaze at one another, but not for long, because he's got a powerful lot of eating to do.