What to do?

Didn’t we just pack away the decorations a few weeks ago? Christmas snuck up and bit me this year.

I live for my Christmas break away from the college. This year, it's sixteen days long and in anticipation of my much-needed time off, I made a list of things to do and to accomplish. To say it’s an ambitious list is an understatement.

Wash and scrub every floor in the house. It’s not a big house so I can get it done in a full day if I stay focused and strong.

Hire the plumber.

Seal the granite.

Clean the bird feeders.

Wash bathroom walls.

There’s more...

Christmas brings more work that is out of the ordinary, so I can’t expect to accomplish much before the big day. After all, the shopping, wrapping, cooking, and eating needs to be done – the latter in large quantities.

So here I sit, on my fifth day off out of sixteen and have not crossed off anything on my ambitious list. What am I doing now and what will I be doing later today? Blog, gym, Facebook, Shop, Wrap. That’s what.

I can’t keep myself from admiring the lovely new iMac. To walk by and not stop in for a visit is almost impossible.

And,

staring at the first orchid of my life and expecting to see it shrivel and die overnight. Let us pray…

It’s a powerful and content feeling to have spotless floors and all that. If I go back to work without having immaculate floors, the entire new year of 2011, in my mind, will be a bust. There will be no hope for me and I will continue to procrastinate and continue to have spotty hardwood and sticky ceramic in the bathroom where the hairspray lands.

I will get it done.

However,

for now, all I want to do is this.

Enjoy the weather outside of my windowless office that feels like Christmas. If my fingers sting in frigid air and the sun is hidden behind gray clouds, so be it.

Sigh, and invite the Christmas spirit I once had.

Remember old times and welcome the new.

Watch snow fall, like it did a few days ago while uptown with Gina and Elise. It was a great day.

Have more girls’ days like that one.

Do something I love that I haven’t done in a very long time.

Take my camera along and laugh.

Capture images to share. Good ones. There are none left in my files, a source of grief I feel.

Hold conversations with a badass Mockingbird who has been terrorizing all others at the feeder stations for over a month. Perhaps I should thank him! I’m saving black oil sunflower seeds but the birds are freezing and are relying on my Autumn buffet.

He doesn’t miss anything and is always aware of intruders.

Who is the only bird that laughs at his nonsense?

All of my little Chickies. The Carolina Chickadee is the most tenacious little bird that, without consideration, will go head to head with a flamboyant Mocker.

Mourning Doves feel threatened and show it. Even the Cardinals and Titmice back off.

The nuts are mine. The grapes, too.

You gotta problem, lady? Are you laughing at me? Huh?

******************************************

If I do not visit Mary's View before Christmas Day and the New Year begins,

please know

I wish your

best dreams to come true.

Poop on The Hoop

This is Bella’s story, told in her sweetest Winnie the Pooh’s Piglet voice…everyone knows Piglet, right?

Ugh. It was not a good day. Something happened and I didn’t do it. It wasn’t my fault.

It started when I was outside with my Mother and I was playful. I always bring her a t-t-toy to play with b’cuz I’m her favorite grrrl. I could not w-w-wait to run and catch my hoop. Being the way I am, I was way up over the moon. Then…

Tut tut, it looked like trouble.

Mother made an ugly face, p-p-pointed to a spot on my hula hoop and asked,

“What is THAT, Jelly Belly?

Is that a nugget of poop stuck on your hoop?”

Uh oh. I was a very embarrassed and confused and all flustered and nervous. I didn’t do it.

She called for my Licker Sister Chloe, our official expert poop inspector, and that’s when I knew I would be doomed.

In Chloe’s snappy Winnie the Pooh’s Rabbit voice

she reported,

"Tut tut, it is poop.

Not my poop.

Bella pooped on her hoop.

She's so lame. Only a goof poops on its own hoop.

Heh.”

Oh my, I did not know what to do. I did not know how to fix it.

How could I play hula hoop with a nugget of poop stuck on my hoop?

I could not believe it happened. It never happened before.

I had Sad.

I would not touch it, my hoop, stuck on the steps.

Usually, if I be cute I get what I want. I am not as smart as my Licker Sister but I know what my Mother likes. I sat next to my hoop for a long time. I didn't blink any eyes. I was a statue of black and white.

I love my Mother.

It wasn’t my fault. I didn’t do it.

Dat's all, folks.

Facebook Rant and Random Photos

I noticed

in an instant

something special

from the corner of my eye.

A fleeting moment, moves me to reach out and snatch it,

knowing I’ll never see that same snapshot again.

Every day I stomp my feet and quietly swear about the whereabouts of my camera. Unlike previous years, I forget too often.

Today, I offer the end of Spring and Summer 2010 photos, and an editorial slash rant regarding Facebook.

Blog worthy? Absolutely. There’s a story to tell but it hasn’t been written. That’s why I argue with myself every day. Rather than to write or edit photos in my hour of spare time before lights out, I look at Facebook status updates from loads people I don’t know.

At the end of the day I sit here, hunched over, slack-jawed, and mesmerized by nothing, really. Being consistently late to everyone’s Facebook party, I’m always 300+ Most Recent Items behind. Tired from a day at the office and contentedly tired from my hour at the gym is when Facebook has the power to pull me in. I often wonder if there’s a reason for my preoccupation with meaningless status updates...

Something is wrong with me. Do I want to know what is wrong? Uh, no…

Facebook is boring as hell most of the time but it’s like crack cocaine, from what I’ve heard and experienced. I don’t like it. I like it. I don’t like it. I like it. I hate it. I love it. I don’t have the time to sit and stare at it but I waste it anyway. That's wherein the problem lies.

I’m certainly relieved and happy that I didn’t buy a Smart Phone two weeks ago. A Blackberry or Droid felt nice in my hands and I would have liked either of them way too much. I’d rather be looking up and around all day than looking down and over-working my thumbs. There will be an epidemic of malfunctioning thumbs in a few years, mostly felt by children who are using their thumbs to communicate instead of their voices. I worry that they won’t understand body language, be able to detect facial deception, or be able to write an intelligent e-mail using upper and lower case. If the thumbs become numb, they’ll have no choice. I’m not kidding about the thumbs.

There are magnificent multi-taskers all over the world like Facebook pros, who update on the 10s like The Weather Channel gives the local forecast, and who often complain about not having enough hours in the day to get things done. Well, hello… Look around, work, and live, will ya? Help yourself!

During frequent stupid spells of mine, I’ve confirmed friendships with people in countries I didn’t know existed. No, I don’t care about what Amlakhilesh Pia Zorrophalius is photographing today. Amlakhilesh, yes, we are friends but you no speaky English. Be on your way now. For me, it’s time to start unfriending, defriending, or whatever it’s called.

Then, there’s the Good Stuff. Chet Baker, Boston Terrier takes me away to a happier, simpler place. I peek at him during office hours to escape from the mundane and too serious work on my desk and smile. He’s my first Facebook check of the day, before the one hundred or so Facebook friends I know well and love. The mind behind Chet Baker’s page is uplifting, hilarious, and chicken soup for my soul. I will not quit Facebook because of this man-dog and my own Licker Sisters. Chloe, A Licker Sister, and Bella, A Licker Sister, each have their own page. They rely on me to post for them but sadly, I’ve been a horrible administrator.

Generally, I believe communicating on Facebook is inferior to publishing a blog post. Blogging is a lot of work, man, and Mary’s View gave joy beyond words for me. While I know I won’t feel that same joy again, I’ll settle for an occasional squee! Perhaps a new template on Blogspot will spark the old desire. I don’t know.

Here’s the twist you’re waiting for, if you know me and my blog. I’m not all about disliking Facebook.

In mid-August, an event put me on my knees. Two childhood friends I met when we were barely out of diapers were dear to me as constant playmates, friends, and foes for more than fifteen years. I lost touch with Debbie after high school graduation in 1973 and hadn’t seen Mary Lee since 1983. They are both forever girlfriends, still living in Maryland.

We met again on August 14th. On Facebook. Holding head in hands, I cried.

Three years ago I met a Facebook friend through blogging. We’ve had different views and have exchanged a few heated e-mails but after pause and consideration, we gained respect. A young man, whose health is seriously compromised now… Again, I cry for a person I haven’t touched, physically.

Thank you, Facebook.

You're a blessing; however, seeing less of you means I get cleaner closets and more time soaking up the sun.

All Butterflies

From a few hundred butterfly photos, I offer a few of my favorites today.

It’s all about the butterflies.







When summer became a drag

and I was snarky

I waited for hummingbirds

and butterflies to entertain me.

I’m missing the Zebra Swallowtail.

It’s the one that got away from me a few dozen times.

A Tiger Swallowtail

rested on my shoulder

twice.

Now that’s a good reason to lose

the crankitude.

A small puff of air brushed my cheek when he took flight

and I heard a gentle wing flap or two.

Or, maybe I only imagined I heard a flap.

I’m sorry to unload so many photos

at once. Sorry for myself, actually.

This is a job and frankly, I've had quite enough of butterflies!

It’s October already

and my lazy self has been a procrastinator

all summer long.

It would be a sin to keep these photographs

all to myself.



Butterfly wing art,

so intricate and stunning!

Wings look perfectly painted with a tiny brush.

Look closely at the detail of



dots, stripes, and colors so brilliant.

All you need is a little Lantana,

a Butterfly Bush or two,

and a few Zinnias.



A hummingbird feeder

would be delightful.