Tag: Weekly Wrap-Up

Posted in Sunday Report

Weekly Wrap-Up

Posted on by Jo Mayne Casey

It’s been a beautiful week here at the ‘stone! We decided to reschedule our cemetery trip so Casey could work with Jr to bring down one of those menacing pear trees that was fixin’ to fall on his shed. He spent every day doing prep – bringing down branches closer to the ground – and on Saturday they rented one of those cherry-picker-like things and Casey had the time of his life running it.

Meanwhile, out in the garden, the Pineapple Sage, the One We’ve Been Waiting For as we continued to water, Finally Bloomed! It was immediately loved by birds and bugs alike, and signals to me that the garden season is truly fini.

My back porch is a cozy haven for my herbs, keeping them warm as the night-time temperatures plunge. It’s a cozy haven for humans to sit and soak up some sun, as well.

The cemetery trip took a new turn when I discovered some contradictions in my research, making it all the more fun, and seriously changing my perspective of this particular branch of the family tree. Censuses have so much information, changing with each decade,but if you live in the country, it can be difficult to figure out exactly where folks lived since you’re given only the name of the township. The household numbers are in the order that they found someone home to answer their questions, and these 150-year-old records don’t use rural route numbers, either.

It turns out, though, that my Goodson antecedents had the good fortune to live in one of the most scenic areas of Indiana, especially during the fall weather. There is a historical landmark called Schooner Point near their territory that promises breathtaking views of the Big Bend of the Ohio River, so I’ve added some attractions to our little time-travel-trip. Hopefully, we’ll make it this week.

Can you believe we have to change the clocks next week? My body rhythm does not change as easily as a clock! In fact, it rebels at the audacity and sheer carelessness of “losing an hour”… Does anybody really know what time it is? (cue Chicago)

Hope it’s a Good Time in your neck of the woods!

Peace

Posted in Sunday Report

An Explanation

Posted on by Jo Mayne Casey

I apologize for leading you on about posting more often, then abandoning you for over a week. I know you’ve been waiting with bated breath to hear from me. Though I have been busy with visits from friends, doctor and hair appointments, there’s a more diabolical force at work here…

Just as I was planning a new writing routine, I hit a block, my old friend Existential Angst. It’s a side effect of my mortality, sometimes scary and sometimes hopeful, depending on the trigger. When my friend’s mom died at 99, I was chuffed, thinking, yeah, I’ve got 26 years left. When another friend got a grave diagnosis at 75, my brain freaked out with unfounded fear.

One way I cope with the thoughts is at the piano – Beethoven’s Adagio can soothe the savage beast. As for Writing, the only way I can comfortably express these feelings is by putting them in Handwriting, letting the thoughts flow freely through my fingers, a bit the same as tinkling the old ivories. For several years now, I have done a bit of writing, by hand, with a pen, on paper, every morning. I don’t know if I’ll ever share those pages – some of it is good, some is awkward – but all of it is sincere and provides me with clarity to move forward, eventually.

Another way I’ve learned to live with this incurable affliction of anxiety, is to go outside, even if it’s only to sit on the swing. I was already on a crusade to stop mindlessly scrolling, so I’ve been putting the phone away except for texting/calls, and finishing up the garden chores, bringing in the sheaves and such. The weather has been more than fine, so that’s helpful. The last of the dried basil and oregano have been put in jars, and I made some pesto with the last fresh plant. My rosemary is blooming! Mint is enjoying these last warm days, and I still have morning glories and moonflower vining along the trellis.

I also went to the library and got some books – historical fiction, a mystery, and a memoir – and the feel of those in my hands was comforting. I usually read on my Kindle, but put it away in favor of my Nook so I wouldn’t be tempted to jump down any rabbit holes.

Reading is a Great Escape, so in addition to reading novels, I have spent quite a spell perusing blogs from my Word Press reader. There so many Wonderful artists writing real good for free. I am inspired by them and their ability to express their hearts in beautiful words. I’m also a little intimidated! I know we shouldn’t compare or compete, but the blogs I follow are so good that my little paragraphs seem tawdry. Thanks to all of you for putting yourselves out there – I sure needed to read what you wrote.

So that’s where I’ve been. I’m still working on the Ancestry stuff, planning a cemetery trip to Crawford and Harrison Counties, Indiana, in search of the Kirsch, Rudi, and Goodson graves. I have a little more info on my namesake, great-grandmother Christina Kirsch Goodson, but I’m mostly using my imagination! That’s what makes a good story, though, isn’t it?

I won’t promise you that I’ll post more often, but I’m really going to try, so check back!

Peace

Posted in Sunday Report

Suddenly Autumn

Posted on by Jo Mayne Casey

Just as the weatherman predicted, a sweet cold front pushed our humidity and heat right out of here, arriving just as the sun passed the equator. Very welcome, indeed. We celebrated the arrival of Fall with baked bread, butternut squash, vegetable soup, and a campfire.

My friend, Luann, in town from Portland, Oregon, for her Mom’s funeral service, came by yesterday and we had a wonderful visit. We did not take any pictures, but she brought one along that she’d found amongst her mom’s albums.

I think that’s at least 25 years ago, since I seem to be awfully proud of my mustang. Yeah, we still look like that…

The new theatre season at USI starts today and Dee and I are meeting for lunch and today’s matinee of First Daughter Suite. It’s sure to be a good time.

These Sunday Reports are getting to be more of a chore than actual writing, so I’m making some changes to my writing schedule that will allow for at least two posts a week, and I hope to make it three, so stay tuned!

I’ll be back soon!

Peace

Posted in Sunday Report

Seasonal Flux

Posted on by Jo Mayne Casey

Summertime here at Sonnystone is always Magical, filled with family, floating, gardening, and relaxing, doing nothing and resting afterward.

There’s a lot to savour in my memories of these past three months, but the Dog Days are still dogging right along and I am ready for this Heat and Humidity to move on. The weatherman says the feels-like-hell-alert will be over at 7pm today, and that temps will be dropping 20degrees tomorrow, so there is hope that we’ll celebrate the Solstice and welcome in the cooler air on Tuesday, thank goodness.

An old high-school friend contacted me Monday to let me know that her Mom had died. The family had been planning her 100th birthday party on the 29th, but she passed on the 13th. As I am wont to do, I’ve spent a fair amount of time Remembering those days and how much I wished that Mrs. O was my mom. I would run away from the anger at my house to hers, where she just emanated loving calmness. Being around her made me feel better, and Lord knows I needed that kind of caring in those days. I was truly Blessed to have known her. I hope I get to see my old friend, too; it’s been a while.

That’s about all to report for now, just doing the usual bird-watching and harvesting. I’ve been spending too much time staring at my phone. I’m not sure when I got this hooked, but it’s really pissing me off. I’m thinking I’ll set some sort of alarm to go off if I stare at it for longer than a certain amount of time. HaHaHa! That won’t stop me. I will just have to put it down, but first I have to decide to…

Hope you’re making good decisions in your neck of the woods.

Peace

Posted in Sunday Report

Another week done gone

Posted on by Jo Mayne Casey

We marked the 45th birthday of my boy-child on Thursday, but the poor wee fella just got a bit of cash and a hug. He’s not one for parties, so I don’t feel too negligent. We got a photo, a rare glimpse of him without a hat, and he looks so much like my Dad! Not that he looks old enough to be my dad, but he looks like my Daddy looked in his 40s –you know what I mean…

Both handsome and smart, he’s a true mensch.

Harvest has started with the first gathering of basil and oregano, drying in my hanging rack. Today I’ll cut back another basil to put in water until it’s their turn to dry, and cut back the next oregano to hang instead of drying flat.

It’s dang miserable out there, but I’ve still put off bringing in the whole garden, just because I hate to see the season end. Well, I don’t mind losing this hellish heat and humidity, but cooler temps are a ways off, so it seems premature to put it all away. We’ve had a good season, with dozens of tomatoes, cucumbers, and green beans. The peppers have been slow, and the squash up and died long ago, so I’ve learned a thing or two. Like most gardeners, I’ve already started to plan for next year’s garden, hopeful, as always.

We used to celebrate Michael’s birthday every Labor Day week-end at Ellis Park, but the track has closed before the holiday for several years, so these days we don’t do much. I think I’ll give the Jrs. a call and see if they want to have some brunch tomorrow.

Hope you’re enjoying the holiday in your neck of the woods!

Peace

Posted in Sunday Report

Hummingbirds and Gershwin

Posted on by Jo Mayne Casey

We’ve been keeping hummingbird feeders filled for 30-some-odd years now, but retirement has given us plenty of time to study them. Right now, our feeders are constantly bombarded with dozens of the flying jewels, kamikazi-ing each other and fighting, buzzing and squeaking, and devouring the sugar-water.

One of many videos from our bird cam…

It’ started a couple of weeks ago, when the males from up north got the signal to start heading down to Central America. By now, many of the females and young ones have started on their way, all of them requiring astronomical amounts of energy/nectar. Though we see dozens at one time, morning and evening, these fascinating birds don’t flock together – each one travels alone. Somehow they find their way there and back. We’re well-marked as a stagecoach stop enroute, and I’m serving up their favorite sugar-water.

Casey’s been sealing the blacktop on our driveway, so I’ve been kind of stuck here at the house, taking care of the gardens, but trimming and harvesting a few edibles hasn’t filled my days.

I have an old, falling-apart book of piano tunes called, “That’s entertainment” that I’d picked up somewhere and never really looked at. It’s chock-full of songs from Old musicals or movies, including “If I only had a brain”, “Get Happy”, and lots of Cole Porter and even a version of “Rhapsody in Blue”- just the piano part that goes “da-da-da-daaa, da-da-da-da-dadadadadada” – beautiful chords that always pluck my heartstrings. I haven’t got it perfected yet, maybe never will, but it brings me such joy to play piano, that I was immediately cheered…and challenged…

Next week is filled with appointments, something I usually don’t like, but I’m ready to get out of here! In fact, I’ve been fantasizing about going back down to DisneyWorld one more time before our Annual Pass expires in October. Am I being Inspired by the hummingbirds to head south for The Mouse? Is that what those chirpy sounds are conveying?

Look out for the hummingbirds in your neck of the woods!

Peace

Posted in Summer at Sonnystone

A Simple Sunday Report

Posted on by Jo Mayne Casey

Hey! I didn’t mean to be gone so long, so thanks for hanging in here. For the last couple of weeks, I’ve been processing some personal matters, changing some routines, and obsessively navel-gazing while I floated in the pool. I’ve got things sorted out (I think), and a decent tan, to boot.

When not ruminating, I’ve been in the garden. The weather has been whimsical, rainier than usual, therefore more buggy. The cucumbers loved it, producing dozens of fruits that I’ve made into delicious salads.

The cantaloupes teased us, but the rains were just too much for them. The butternut squash are all that’s left along the trellis now, so I planted some moonflower and morning glory to fill in, fingers crossed. The green beans are ready to start harvesting; they are a new variety to me that will rebloom, allegedly.

So far the tomatoes aren’t showing signs of blossom end-rot, but I’m carefully watching several dozen better boys and lots of cherries. The peppers are about half-and-half, but the rains kept pummeling their flowers, so if it would just stop, they can have a second flush. The zucchini are a failure. Prone to powdery mildew anyway, their position in the back was deadly. I’ve saved three or four of them, but I think we’ll be buying our squash at the farmers market.

When I’m making my way through liminal spaces, gardening is the perfect place to Be Here Now, planting, trimming, watering, feeding, not-thinking.

I’ve been doing a lot of online reading – is that what we call it? – and I want to talk about blogging, writing, and particularly Substack, but not today. Today is just a Simple Sunday Report, but watch this space.

Hope you’re enjoying Summer in your neck of the woods…

Peace

Posted in Sunday Report, The Gardens of Sonnystone...

Drenched

Posted on by Jo Mayne Casey

I was so heartened to see the sun this morning! After three dark days of severe storms, I was whining that I’d never seen such torrential rains in all my born days, and now I am validated to find that I never had. Eville received about 4.5 inches of rain – or up to 6 inches in some areas – over the last 3 days, which broke a century-old daily rainfall record yesterday. This morning another downpour moved through, dropping 3/4 inch!

I moved most of the containers in from the garden after the first day of monsoon.

As you would expect, this will delay some fruiting in the Edible Garden, but their foliage is dandy.

The only visible damage from the onslaught is in the Peace/Bird Garden, where the hollyhocks broke over.

Many flower petals are on the ground, but the the phlox shines on.

The storms have moved on now, and the sun is serving up a sweltering, sweaty, heatwave as the mud dries. We’ll be opening up the pool area and staying as cool as we can.

You stay cool over at your place, dear reader!

Peace

Posted in Sunday Report

And now to June

Posted on by Jo Mayne Casey

The gardens are keeping us busy here at the Acres.

I guess I won’t be starting a separate blog for the gardens. The days are just flying by, filled with graduations, recitals, healthcare visits, and actual Work in the Gardens, so I’ll just have to share its progress here. One never knows, but at this juncture it’s shaping up to be one of my best efforts.

Yesterday morning Samantha and I rolled out early for the Willard Library Book Sale. That afternoon the whole fam came together for Nova’s singing recital.

It is our annual tradition to see how long we can put off turning on our air conditioning. We do this partly because we are cheap and don’t want a big utility bill, but I think it’s an old-person thing…I like to tell our kids and grandkids about how we didn’t have air conditioning back in our day, how we toughed it out sitting in front of fans that could cut our hands off if we reached into the cage, and slept on the basement floor (the best coolant) on a pallet to survive. Maybe you had a/c in your home, but my dad truly believed he caught colds from window units, so it was 1967 when we finally moved to a home with central air. Anyway, the humidity is horrible and I am a heavy sweat-er, but I consider it training for our upcoming visit to Disney World in Florida.

Yes, we’re headed back to Disney, specifically to ride the newly-updated Buzz Lightyear Space Command in Magic Kingdom and the revamped Rockin’ Rollercoast, now featuring the Muppets over at Hollywood Studios. The Great Thunder Mountain Railway is another “new” coaster over at MK; it used to be like the old wooden rollercoasters, but they’ve put in all new track to make it smoother. At Epcot, they switched the Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure from 3D to 2D, so I’d like to check that out, and the Carousel of Progress is going to shut down in a month to upgrade, so I need to refresh my memory of the current one.

Recently I’ve been asked by a couple of folks if I still ride the rides. We have ridden every ride there and there are some I won’t ride again (I’m looking at you, Tower of Terror), but most of them I’m up for. This trip we’ll only be there for three days, so we’ve prioritized the aforementioned rides and have plans to crawl through some resort lounges, eat some good food, and drink fancy drinks. We have Lightning Lane passes for Our favorite-of-all-time-ride, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, to wrap up our trip on Wednesday. Despite the oppressive weather this time of year, we will be having a great time – I know where the air conditioning is!

I’m still coughing, dammit, so started a round of steroids to see if we can get this thing under control.

I hope you’re enjoying these last weeks of weeks of Spring in your neck of the woods.

Peace

Posted in Sunday Report

The Week that Was

Posted on by Jo Mayne Casey

It was a beautiful Memorial Day for our Cemetery Tour last Monday. I had prepared decorations for my Grandmamas this year, lovely yellow rose bouquets with sturdy stands, but neglected the Grandpapas, kind of, because there are always flags everywhere. I stick with the original concept of “Decoration Day” to visit graves and celebrate our ancestors, and since the Veterans have dominated our idea of who is actually buried in these places, I especially wanted to commemorate the lives of all the Women who have come before me.

So we set out, stopping first at Lick Prairie Cemetery, where my 3x great-grandfather, Benjamin Franklin Mayne, is buried. B.F. was not a veteran and the lady who is buried with him is not my grandmother, but is his fourth wife (he outlived them all), but I was going to leave her a bouquet. The Mayne Family Plot, stretching a couple of rows along the front, also has most of B.F.’s sons and daughters, the oldest grave from around 1898. As I strolled along the immaculate graveyard, I remembered that B.F.’s third wife, Frances, the grandmother who actually raised his children after their mothers’ deaths, was buried up in the Old Lancaster Cemetery. With all due respect to Phoebe, Frances deserved my Grandmother Bouquet.

So Off we drove, about 3 miles down the road, to visit a grave I hadn’t seen in decades and offer up a token of my appreciation for being such a Strong Woman. Alas! The Old Lancaster Cemetery is 7/8 illegible stones. This is why I want my ashes spread; the Living just can’t keep up with the Dead.

Casey and I both have enjoyed restoring stones for our family in Ohio and down at the Marion Cemetery (which we visited next). The job at Lancaster is overwhelming, and we don’t even know where our people are actually buried. However, we will be giving it some thought. In the meantime, we said some prayers over all the pioneers buried there, then tooled on down to pay our respects to our other grands.

Parkersburg, Oak Hill Cemetery, grave of Joseph and Mary Kinkade
Parkersburg, Oak Hill Cemetery

The next day when we arrived for our appointment at the car dealership, I didn’t realize that it would be the last time that I drove Silvia, our 2010 Dodge Caravan. We have never traded in a vehicle before, always able to get a decent price by selling it ourselves, but this one needed brake work before I could pass it on in good conscience, so…

We bought this relic 145,000 miles ago, and her first trip was to NYC to get 5-year-old Emma for a month-long visit with us. I’d been driving a Mustang convertible and the growing number of grandchildren being born convinced me I needed more passenger room. So it was that she became the Camp Sonnystone Bus and our main travel vehicle. She served us well, though her long-distance travel days were sidelined by the travel trailer and Goldie. After we sold Goldie, we still took her on down to Disney and up to Chicago, but she was on her last legs, using oil and doing some wheezing. Still, I was sad to see her go.

My new car is an actual car and I’m still adjusting. Her name is Patsy and she is sleek, slim, and showing off a sunroof, leather seats, and all that computer hoop-la in cars these days. I haven’t driven it much, yet, but we’ll be taking her down to Disney in a couple of weeks and I’ll fill you in on the details.

We finished up the garden, planting green beans and zinnias just two days ago. Rains have been intermittent and really perfect for spring watering.

This spell of relaxation, when my work is done and it’s now the work of the plants to grow and fruit, is one of my favorite times of the year. Sitting on the front-porch swing or being very quiet around the firepit, it’s a perfect time to reflect on the breathtaking beauty of nature and our place in it.

Hope you’re untroubled in your neck of the woods.

Peace