• coffee life,  gratitude

    Full of Gratitude…

    August 29, 2024

    I had my oral surgery today. I’m happy to say I’ve had almost no pain and eating soft foods has been a breeze. I remember almost none of the procedure. As usual with IV’s it took three stabs to get a vein. Just after that its a blank. When Larry and I got home he said something about them taking me to the car in a wheelchair. I don’t remember that at all! It’s been a long time since I had a blackout from my drinking days. 😂 They also prescribed me 4 small pills for pain called oxycodone to take every 6 hours. I’m following those instructions and will take the last one in the morning then be done with them. Oh, and since I did not have to have the sinus perforation closure done, the cost was about half. From the x rays, it looked like they may have been a sinus perforation to repair but once the tooth was removed all was good. 

    Old Town Mocha latte at Mugs taken a couple weeks ago

    This oral surgery experience is so different from the one I had over thirty years ago. I have to admit that because of that past experience, I experienced a couple days of anxiety. However, when I got up this morning and went through my routines, I had a calm about me. I will be taking antibiotics (Amoxicillin) three times a day for the next ten days. No coffee for a few days but I can still go to my coffee shops. It may be iced tea for a while. I’m full of gratitude this evening! Hope you had a good day!!!!!

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  • coffee life,  fountain pens,  journal

    Words for this Blog

    August 28, 2024

    I find this coffee life I live to be an interesting way of observing people. Arriving just as they open is usually the quiet time, it’s easier to journal or read before the busyness that moves in an hour later and people watching increases. The din rises with conversations and laughter. I watch friends meet and exchange hugs. I watch as people stand in front of the brewed coffees and have to make that early morning decision of dark or light roast coffee. I hear the blender crunch away as someone’s smoothie is being made. The bicycle rack begins to fill up. I jot down notes of what I see in my journal, knowing they may be words for this blog.

    In the morning I will have a broken tooth surgically removed. I will probably be in some pain so don’t expect me respond to comments or read your blog until Saturday. Prayers and vibes to the universe are welcomed!

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  • Plants,  quotes

    You Have the Answer

    August 26, 2024
    Prairie Blazing Star

    At the center of your being
    you have the answer;
    you know who you are
    and you know what you want.

    Lao Tzu

    Prairie Blazing Star is a hardy native perennial forb. It can grow up to 5 feet tall. It has abundant grass like leaves and hairy stems. The lowest leaves can be well over 1 foot long and up to ½ inch wide. The flower heads are in a dense spike at the top of the plant and bloom top-down. The stamens and styles protrude from the tufted flower heads creating a soft fuzzy appearance. It is one of the most popular varieties of blazing stars. It is native to the midwest where it naturally occurs on prairies, rocky bluffs and open areas. It prefers slightly acidic, poor, well-drained soils and demonstrates both heat and drought tolerance. They are common in all the natural areas I visit. I haven’t seen one 5 feet tall, yet. Hope you had a good Monday.

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  • landscape,  natural areas,  quotes,  reflections,  sunrises

    The Love of Sunrise Reflections

    August 25, 2024

    It was unusually quiet this morning at Pineridge. Seemed like everyone slept in late. Almost no one at the natural area and no traffic sounds from the city. A few magpies and blackbirds along the shore were excitedly chatting about the colors in this mornings sunrise. It was a peaceful and silent time to me. I was loving and being loved by the reflections in the water.

    Just as the sun broke the horizon, a light breeze out of the northwest sent small waves across Dixon Reservoir. Yet, the water still offers it’s reflection. I stood in awe and wonder as a lone pelican gracefully and silently flew over the water. How do they do that? Nature is amazing. After allowing nature to fill me with love and refreshing my soul I headed home. I had my prayer and meditation time, put on a crockpot of 16 bean soup, then rode the bicycle to meet Jeff for coffee and conversation.

    “Love is the inheritance of mystery that we leave to the universe—the proof that consciousness is more than chemicals and fire, but rather a song that sings the why and how of all creation. Love sings it now and will sing it until the end of time.”

    Steven Charleston
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  • insects

    One of the Irregulars

    August 22, 2024
    One of the irregulars

    I had coffee and a chocolate-chocolate chip muffin this morning at Cups. I sat outside, that way I could listen to traffic. One of the regular irregulars sat motionless on their massive web beside me. I was surprised how big this web was, it must have been three feet across. They totally ignored me as they were focused with food. I broke a bridge on Saturday morning so I had an appointment with the dentist this afternoon. They removed the bridge and put in a temporary until Sept 10th. I asked the dentist if I needed to avoid any bar fights. He said, “Not the ones I’ll win.” The only fights I’m guaranteed to win are the ones I don’t get into. Sorry, no landscape image today.

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  • clouds,  landscape,  quotes

    And, I call it prayer…

    August 21, 2024
    Clouds at Riverbend Ponds Natural Area

    “There comes a time on our mystical journey when prayer embraces all of life. We are always inwardly in a state of prayer….How can one not live a life of prayer when we have so much need, when so much is given?”

    Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee, Prayer of the Heart

    I know that some viewers of this blog will be tired of all my landscape images that include clouds. I’ve actually been told that. I also know some won’t. But I never get tired of being there, experiencing all of it, taking a few images when I can to share, because we truly are given so much. And, I call it prayer…

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