Category: Monthly Dopamine Menu

Posted in Monthly Dopamine Menu, Sunday Report

The Merry Month of May

Posted on by Jo Mayne Casey

I won a few pennies betting the Derby this year, finally breaking my losing streak – I actually bet the Winner to Win and am quite pleased. We’re off to a Great Start!

The month of May might have been named for the Roman Fertility and Spring goddess, Maia, or it could have come from the latin “maiores” which means “elders”. I think it’s the former, but we Elderly deserve our own month, a green one, not some gray wintry 30 days.

It is cold and rainy today, but our garden plants are fine with it. We have wisely waited to plant the sweet bell and banana peppers, but this should be our last cold snap. I am so excited about the garden this year because we have added a cattle panel trellis- Growing up the trellis are cantaloupe, butternut squash, sugar baby watermelons, burpless cucumbers – all except the sugar babies I started from seed! There’s also some King of the Garden butter beans I popped in the other day. and some sunflowers, too. We’ll fill in the sides with bush beans as soon as the weather permits.

May is Historic Preservation Month here in Eville and I’m going to try Again to go on the walking tour given annually through Oak Hill Cemetery. Oak Hill is chock-full of elaborate gravestones of local luminaries, including the folks who lived here at Sonnystone from 1923 to 1957–you remember the Smiths, don’t you? the ones who put the S on the chimney? Y’all know how I love cemeteries and this one is a gem. This is the last year that our local historian, Dennis Au, will be leading the tours, so I Must go.

There are many other Historic Preservation events scheduled, but several of them conflict with each other. Weird planning to have an Angel Mounds tour at the same time as the cemetery tour, or plan speakers at Willard the same time as Opening Night at Bosse Field. Come on, Evillians, work together here…

May 9 is the 17th birthday of my #2 Grandie, Nova. She will be participating in the National Archery Competitions in Louisville, KY on the 8th and the 10th, so we’ll have to plan a celebration a little off-date. She has had a good week-end this week-end – shot her personal best with the bow and arrow: 251; went to Prom with her handsome boyfriend, looking beautiful.

Nova and Aiden, Prom 2025

Mother’s Day, a commercial holiday that evokes guilt and loneliness, is celebrated on May 11. I’m not a big fan.

I think we’ll check out this month’s market auction in New Harmony on May 9-10. I’m in the market for furniture and that’s a good place to look. Besides, I like eating at the Yellow Tavern.

Shannon’s School of Dance Recital is May 17. Frankly, I usually skip out after I’ve watched the kids in the first half, but this year Nova is dancing in the second half, so I’ll have to sit still. It’s a wonderful program, honestly, but it is quite an extended sit for an ADD adult such as moi. They always have the best costumes, too.

Samantha — Tap
Samantha — Jazz

The Spring Antiques Show is scheduled for May 24 up in Darmstadt at the 4H. I’ll be there, too, and that’s Memorial Day Week-end, so there will be other festivities around the area. Our area tends to have beautiful weather all week before a planned event, then go wildly cold/wet/hot/ for the Day of. That’s Eville for ya…

Finally, my R cataract will be removed May 27 at 8:30am. By May 28, I should be able to look into my own eyes…

I shall try again to start the Garden Blog. I have been taking plenty of pictures, but no time to curate and publish. This month of greening and growing will inspire me, I’m sure. Gotta keep on growin’, right?

Peace

Posted in Monthly Dopamine Menu, Sunday Report

March Dopamine Menu

Posted on by Jo Mayne Casey

March has marched in quietly and the weeks ahead look mild, so I’m suspicious. You know the old saying “In like a lion, out like a lamb”? It’s my observation that March is just as often “In like a lamb, out like a lion”. I’ve been fooled before by the early Spring-like weather, only to face Wintry Weeks as we exit into April. I’d just as soon get the winter all over with, but my requests are obviously falling on deaf ears in the heavens.

The Church year finally rolls around to the Lenten Season with a late Ash Wednesday on the 5th. Having spent 25 years playing the organ for the local Lutherans, I like to use this season for a little fasting and Lord knows I need to curtail my appetite. The six weeks are also marked in the High Churches with extra Wednesday services and I like that. I guess I’ll have to see what sort of extra contemplation I can do.

You can’t have Ash Wednesday without Mardi Gras, now, so I’m gearing up with fixins for Jambalaya, King Cake, and Hurricanes. Since this will be my last night of reveling until Easter, I’m doing it up with All the Calories. My Ash Wednesday fast may be because my stomach hurts, but at least it will be humbling.

It is not at all fair that the Church gave us a Drinking Holiday in the middle of Lent, but they did, March 17 is St. Patrick’s Day, the most Irish of American Celebrations. I’ve heard that the Irish don’t actually eat corned beef on the Saint’s Day, but I do and look forward to it with a side of cabbage. Jameson and Ginger is okay with the Irish, I hope, as that will be my drink of choice…

The Pagans celebrate a Big Event this month = The Spring Equinox, aka Ostara, is happening March 20-21st. 12 hours of Sun! We’ve come a long way, haven’t we? I hope we get to see the sun on those days, but we’ll celebrate through whatever Mother Nature sends us.

I’ve always been a voracious reader and have used an e-reader since whenever it was they put out the first Nooks. These days, I read daily with my Kindle, mostly non-fiction with a smattering of mysteries. My old eyes do better with the back-lighting, but I miss reading actual books – holding them in my hands, turning the pages- and I have always loved going to the Library, so March is going to be Library Month. Our neighborhood branch of the public library just got a major remodeling, so I’m excited to see how it turned out. Willard Library is in a league of its own, housing our local genealogy groups as well as a fine collection of books; if they don’t have a title, they will order it for you. The historic building, smelling of Murphy’s wood soap, is a treat to just sit in, soaking up the sun in front of the 150-year-old windows, but I’ll be sure to check out some tomes.

The remainder of the Menu looks like this:

Thrift Shop shopping – Look out Goodwill, here I come!

Old Crow Medicine Show is in town 3/13/25 and we’ll be there!

The Auction House in New Harmony is always a pleasant way to spend time. This month previews are 3/21. I hope Lana and Charley can meet up with us there!

I am planning at least three Lunches with the Ladies, but there’s room for more!

Angel Mounds is presenting “Astronomy at the Mounds” on 3/22 and I hope the skies are clear that evening.

I’m still staying away from engagement with media, but I am fully aware of what’s going on. We all need to take care of our mental health, and these kinds of Plans are helpful for me as I strive to keep Peace and Love in my heart and mind.

Fat Tuesday will be here before you know it! My stereo will be pumping out Dr. John, Neville Brothers, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, North Mississippi All-Stars, and Buckwheat Zydeco. Let the Good Times Roll!

Peace