Tag Archives: life

May11

Life is the flower for which love is the honey. – Victor Hugo

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and on this mother’s day,

i am reminded of when my girls were young and we had no money,

but we had each other,.

and they went to the neighbor’s garden to pick flowers for me,

as a very special mother’s day gift.

they knew i loved flowers.

and they did so fearlessly.

and they didn’t worry about getting in trouble.

and they hoped i wouldn’t be mad.

and when they told me,

i hoped the neighbors, if they saw them picking,

understood why, and wouldn’t be mad.

these flowers meant the world to me.

and they were dirty and smiling and proud to have a gift.

and i hugged them and was so happy to be their mother.

to all of the mothers and children out there,

this day is for you.

and to all of their neighbors.

if you see a child picking flowers in your garden today,

please understand and smile,

and wish them a happy mother’s day.

May10

the hill is alive with the sounds of music

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went to the 4th annual water hill music fest, held the first sunday of each may

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in a neighborhood filled with artists, musicians, and eccentrics of the highest order, music rules the day

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founded In 2011, Paul Tinkerhess (folksman, craftsman, businessman) to spotlight the cohesive personality of the neighborhood as well as its musicians, this un-sponsored event follows only one rule: at least one member of each performing band must reside in water hill.

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so excited to see my very talented carpool mate create some jazz with the neighbors

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every kind of music and settings and audience members were represented

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all in the front yards, back yards, decks and gardens of their homes

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people of all ages were welcome to participate

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friends bonded together by their music

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and a community bonded together by their sounds

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and many joined into the drum circle

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and they were from all walks of life

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and everyone joined in to support the day

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and many saw music that was new to them and old to others

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and people came on foot, on bike, and by car to sit and listen and take it all in

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and everyone had so much fun

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and the maypole dance was the perfect way to welcome in the season 

“Music acts like a magic key, to which the most tightly closed heart opens.”
― Maria von Trapp

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image credits: peaches, monte fowler, ann arbor.com

 

 

May8

Romance is the icing, but love is the cake. – Anonymous

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out on a hike around the lake with the kinders,

and a is walking back with c, close by her side. 

a tells me, ‘he says he wants to marry me.’

i ask, ‘do you want to marry him?’

 a says, ‘yes.’

then a says to c,

‘and i will always sleep when you sleep.

and we could go to the park together.

and we can get ice cream.’

c says, ‘okay.’

as we all walk on, i think about how wise a is with regard to marriage.

if we always sleep when the other sleeps, go to the park together, and get ice cream, 

we might have many happy marriages.

===

 

 

May7

“Teaching a child not to step on a caterpillar is as valuable to the child, as it is to the caterpillar”. – Bradley Miller

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what a great day at the farm, where we met farmer chris, who taught us many things.

we learned that eggs come in all colors, and shapes, and sizes.

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we learned that the littlest of baby goats will follow us, just to be part of a group.

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we learned that even a strong-looking pony, needs to be gently cared for.

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we learned that it was nice to have someone waiting there to greet us when we returned back to the barn.

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and when the farmer on a tractor gave us a bumpy ride on a wagon,

we learned the world is even bigger than we thought,

and filled with many more wonders ahead,

 yet to discover.

—

“Children are born naturalists. They explore the world with all of their senses, experiment in the environment,

and communicate their discoveries to those around them.”

The Audubon Nature Preschool

 

 

 

May5

“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head.  If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.” ‒Nelson Mandela

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after more than a decade spent in kindergarten, i now am proud to say i have developed and maintained a strong kinder-level mastery of the spanish language. thank you so much señora olga, for your infinite patience and humor as you try endlessly to teach me, along with my little friends, and as i do my dances, sing enthusiastically with phonetically sounded out words, pummel the piñata, cha-cha step on the colorful foot-shaped cut-outs, use a fly swatter to identify animals, and try out my spanglish on you. you have taught me well. i know there are times you would like nothing better than to say to me, the following phrase, (below), but you have not, as of yet. (at least as far as i know). and for this, i dedicate this cinco de mayo to you, and i look forward to the piñata frenzy later this morning. 

‘Pocas mujeres admiten su camisa de once’

You’ve put on a shirt made of eleven sticks;

meaning:

You’ve bitten off more than you can chew

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“A different language is a different vision of life.”
-Federico Fellini

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“Americans who travel abroad for the first time are often shocked to discover that, despite all the progress that has been made in the last 30 years, many foreign people still speak in foreign languages.”  ‒ Dave Barry

 

 

 

May4

happy international laugh day

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nick castellanos/miguel cabrera – detroit tigers

great game last night. 

i’ll be seeing you guys tomorrow.

hope we can share a laugh.

—-

The main ingredient of stardom is the rest of the team.
John Wooden

 

May3

“If you aren’t in over your head, how do you know how tall you are?” ― T.S. Eliot

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so very proud to be attending baby daughter h’s graduation,

it has been a long and winding road,

with 2 small babies, a hubby, a career change, charity work, lots of fiestas, lots of challenges,

and pure grit.

no one in our little family takes the easy road to get places,

and i think we’ve been made all the stronger for it.

and i’m happy she’s following her own uncharted paths.

and now she will join the ranks of those who teach the little people in our world,

and they will be lucky to have her, just as we all are.

and she will encourage them to follow their own paths.

here’s to you, baby daughter, h, with much love and bursting with pride.

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“We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations.”

 Charles R. Swindoll

May2

more than one way to win a series…

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for those of you who follow sports and all that goes with them, i have a bit of a rivalry/wager going with syracuse writer and friend mark, over at http://markbialczak.com. we are both minor league baseball fans, and his syracuse chiefs, (who knows who they are?), will be up against my toledo mud hens (detroit tigers farm team), in an upcoming epic battle. there will games played at both stadiums, for a chance to show their stuff and to quiet one of us down. let’s start with our mascots, after looking at our roster, those chiefs don’t stand a chance!

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MUDDY
Birthday: July 6
Muddy the Mud Hen has been entertaining fans of all ages for years. He can be found roaming the concourse and dancing on the dugouts during all home games at Fifth Third Field. Muddy also loves posing for pitcures, so bring your camera when you come to a game!
He has received national recognition in such publications as: Sports Illustrated, Baseball Weekly, the Detroit Free Press and the Detroit News. A celebrity in his own right, from parades to parties, Muddy is everyone’s buddy.
MUDDONNA
Birthday: April 29
The original ‘Material Bird’ made her debut as Toledo’s second mascot in April of 2003. She loves to dance and loves baseball.
Muddonna can be seen at home games in her signature pinstripe dress. Her best Hen-Friend is Muddy.

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JIM FLEALAND (based upon retired detroit tigers manager, jim l)

Debut: May 22, 2008

About: Jim is a major league runner who always manages to pester his competition. His racing style has a biting edge which makes him a tough itch to scratch. Cheer on Jim as he smokes the competition!

Favorite Major League Baseball Team: Detroit Tigers
KITTY HOLMES (based up toledo native, katie holmes)
Debut: May 22, 2008
About: Kitty is a racing feline phenomenon who relies on her cat-like reflexes to help claw her way to victory… sometimes just by a whisker. This little lady is nothing to meow at. Cheer her on as she tries to Cruise to victory!
Favorite TV Show: Clawson’s Creek
JAMIE FARRMADILLO (based upon toledo native, jamie farr)
Debut: May 22, 2008
About: This sprinting soldier with the armor shell is always out to M*A*S*H* his competition. He’ll take it the Max, Klinging to the lead until the very end. Cheer on Jamie as he rolls to a win!
Enjoys: LPGA Golf

and we have backup:

MUDDEVIOUS
Debut: June 8, 2007
Standing 9 feet tall, this bouncing bird hatched from an outer space egg sent to Fifth Third Field in the spring of 2007.
Muddevious, who is more than a little mischievous, finds ways to create fun by pulling pranks and playfully interacting with fans at Fifth Third Field.
He’s full of energy and has some out-of-this-world dance moves.
MUDDIVA
Debut: June 8, 2007
Muddiva arrived via space egg, with cohort Muddevious, in the spring of 2007.
This dynamic (and demanding) damsel hits all the high notes when it comes to entertaining Mud Hens fans.
Muddiva is a sinister songstress who enjoys greeting her public at Fifth Third Field… and causing a little bit of trouble along the way. 

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syracuse mascots, scooch and pops

(we’re not really too worried)

____

i have a good feeling about this one, fire up hens!

and mark has begun the trash talk early, as you can see in his post from yesterday :

 http://markbialczak.com/2014/05/01/chiefs-vs-mud-hens-and-theres-going-to-be-some-sort-of-sign/

 

 

May1

at last – may!

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Apr30

Mistakes are the portals of discovery – James Joyce

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i was so excited.

i’d saved up my change,

69 cents,

to buy my first record.

i got a ride to the store,

found ‘lady madonna’,

ran to the counter, counted out my change,

and skipped out of the store.

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the moment i got home,

i put the record on, 

ready to hear my favorites sing,

i was a young beatles fan.

and i quickly discovered,

that in my rush and excitement,

i had actually purchased

 the fats domino version 

of the same song.

not the same,

but fun and different.

and new to me.

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do you ever get that excited that you lose sight of the mission?

do you ever discover something wonderful and new quite by accident?

—
The four building blocks of the universe are fire, water, gravel and vinyl.
Dave Barry

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image credits: captiol records, reprise records