Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Sense of Tasting
The topic for this week’s CFFC is Sense of Tasting. This is all about things you can taste, be it sweet, sour, bitter, comforting, fulfilling, addictions, etc. If you can drink or eat it, you can usually taste it.
Since I have been home in quarantine, following the stay at home directive from the state, it has allowed me to be more creative at lunch time. In school I would take a salad everyday, with salmon or tuna. Being at home I can actually “cook” something, and I found gluten free pizza crust while perusing the “aisles” for my home delivery of groceries. This one is pre made so all I need to do is put toppings on it and pop it in the oven! My husband is not a lover of cheese, so I make half with and half without. When my Zoom class is over at 2:00, 10 minutes later lunch is served. Another perk of being home, my husband and I can eat lunch together! The pic was taken before I put it in the oven!
Feathered Friend
My highlight of what has been a very long week is the Cardinal who has become my faithful friend. I wrote about him here.
He has taken to following me around via window. The other day I was doing laundry in the basement and looked up to see him staring in at me through the window. How he spotted me underground I don’t know. I was sitting at my kitchen table and looked to up see him perched on top of the garden window looking down at me. This morning as I was brushing my teeth, I gazed out the window to find him sitting on the roof hopping up and down it, letting me know breakfast time had arrived.
He makes me laugh every time. His lady friend comes too but lets him be the one to get my attention. I have taken to calling them Momma and Poppa, as I am sure they have a nest somewhere, maybe with babies.
Indignant because I was late.
Have a good weekend everyone and I hope to catch up on all the posts I missed this week and reply to comments.
Wordless Wednesday
Wordless Wednesday
On Top of a Chair for April Squares
April Squares theme is ‘top‘.
SquareTops can look like:
- On Top of the World – summit, crown, peak or uppermost part of something
- Under the Big Top – topping or covering (or if you’re really lucky circus)
- Room at the Top – first or highest in position
- Cherry on Top – something made even more wonderful by becoming square
- Top and Tail – or maybe you’d prefer to play around with word combinations such as top dog, top stitch, top full, top line, top fruit, top hat, top secret, top knot, top drawer and top dollar.
I wrote a few weeks ago about the Cardinals that visit me every day. You can read about them here. They call to me throughout the day and I throw nuts out to them. The other afternoon I happened to walk past the window and saw the following. Mr. Cardinal was perched atop the chair, with Lady Cardinal atop a branch in the tree. I thought he looked so indignant! Hey Lady! I’m here on top pf this chair waiting for dinner! Make it snappy! I really had to laugh.
Out on A Ledge..April Squares On Top
April Squares theme is ‘top‘.
SquareTops can look like:
- On Top of the World – summit, crown, peak or uppermost part of something
- Under the Big Top – topping or covering (or if you’re really lucky circus)
- Room at the Top – first or highest in position
- Cherry on Top – something made even more wonderful by becoming square
- Top and Tail – or maybe you’d prefer to play around with word combinations such as top dog, top stitch, top full, top line, top fruit, top hat, top secret, top knot, top drawer and top dollar.
Oh my…how did those kids ever get on top of that building?? Seward Johnson had a sense of humor placing 2 of his sculptures atop the ledge, and fooling us from a distance.
Koolulam Coldplay Across the Globe
I wanted to share the following wonderful video, that brought people together during this challenging and isolating time we are now living in.
Over 5,000 People singing 🔸 66 countries 🔸 3 part harmony 🔸 One humanity
Koolulam is a social-musical initiative aimed at strengthening the fabric of society. The project centers around mass singing events in which large groups of non-professionals come together to form a collaborative musical creation. Koolulam brings together people from all walks of life to do one thing: stop everything for a few hours and just sing – together. The pandemic has not allowed us to leave our homes, so through Facebook people were given a link to practice the parts with 3 conductors – all from their homes. The following video is the culmination of this project. Just as an aside, my cousin and her children are in it in the group shot halfway through the video.
High School Reunion-Zoom Style
I live in a large town, and the elementary schools were spread out all over. I knew the kids from my neighborhood who went to the same school as I did. When I attended Junior High School it covered a larger area, so I met new people and then eventually the whole town came together in High School. My graduating class was large, over 700 students. Most of whom I did not know. I lost touch with most people after High School. I attended reunions every 10 years or so, and then when Facebook came along we all found one another again. I became “Facebook Friends” with many people I knew only in passing in High School. At that time we traveled in different circles, had different outlooks, some were the partyers, (me) vs. the AP course brainiacs, (them) but now that we had all lived our lives and were in our late 40’s or 50’s it didn’t matter anymore. Some turned out as you would think they would, others not so much. One of the people I was not friendly with at all in High School I came to know better through Facebook. Witty with a dry sense of humor and a quirky way of summing up a situation, I have come to enjoy her FB posts, and gained more insight into the person she is. The other day she inquired on Facebook if anyone would be interested in having a “Zoom Reunion” A few people replied yes, so she posted the link and date and time. I logged on to find about 13 people there, some I knew, some I didn’t know at all.
The woman who had invited us all asked us to introduce ourselves, say where we lived and what we do, or did, and how the quarantine is going. We were geographically spread out, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, South Carolina, Florida, Maryland, New Hampshire, California. Some are retired, others working in the same jobs for 40 years. One man has a 6 year old, having married for the first time when he was 55. After the introductions we talked a little about how some of us had never known each other in school, we talked about how our home town has changed over the years, and how growing up in such a diverse town has stayed with us throughout our lives and is something we have carried with us no matter where we ended up. I stayed for an hour and then felt it was time to go, it was a nice catch up but I find Zoom to be exhausting after a while, and felt a bit trapped, in “real life” you can excuse yourself and say you are getting a drink and walk away. Here I was forced to listen to someone hold forth about her business and every detail of what she does. I politely bid everyone a goodbye, and hit Leave Meeting.
Afterwards, when the host posted a photo of the Zoom on Facebook, many people who had not been able to join said they would like to next time. I would attend again, another connection during these times of isolation that would be welcome. Are you in touch with your High School friends? Maybe try a Zoom get together!
Earth Day
It is the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. I do remember year number 1… it was a big day in school. A new concept, to give recognition to the earth.
This morning I ventured out at 6:15 AM, before most of the world is out of bed, to visit my favorite local pond that I have not been to in 6 weeks. I donned my mask just in case someone did appear, but as it turned out no one did. The birds were awake, and I was surrounded by their cacophony of morning greeting to one another. I lingered there for 45 minutes, enjoying the beauty, the sounds, the birds, the warmth of the sun as it rose. Appreciating all the Earth has to offer, forgetting for a short time the chaos and uncertainty that these past weeks have been filled with.
April Squares: Up On the Roof
April Squares theme is ‘top‘.
SquareTops can look like:
- On Top of the World – summit, crown, peak or uppermost part of something
- Under the Big Top – topping or covering (or if you’re really lucky circus)
- Room at the Top – first or highest in position
- Cherry on Top – something made even more wonderful by becoming square
- Top and Tail – or maybe you’d prefer to play around with word combinations such as top dog, top stitch, top full, top line, top fruit, top hat, top secret, top knot, top drawer and top dollar.
Wordless Wednesday
All In the Same Boat…Not Really
A writing piece entitled “We are not in the same boat” has been floating (no pun intended) around social media, and was shared with me yesterday. Many of the words resonated with me, especially the words in the first line:
We are in the same storm, but not in the same boat.
Your ship could be shipwrecked and mine might not be.
A friend shared with me what she thought was a humorous video she had made listing the conflicting information coming out about Covid 19. Do this, don’t do that, this will happen, this won’t happen…I didn’t find it funny at all. I agreed there has been conflicting info, because we are still learning about this virus. I told her what I knew to be true- it is highly contagious, and contagious when someone shows no symptoms. My 60 year old nephew was hospitalized for a week, and his 20 year old daughter was too. No pre existing conditions for either, so this virus doesn’t care how old a person is. The father of a student of mine was on a respirator for 4 weeks, also no preexisting conditions -he is 34… and thankfully came home yesterday, beating the odds against him. Her video was not funny to me because there are people I know personally who have been affected by Covid-19, which is so unfunny. For my friend who sent the video, she is frustrated watching her business dry up, losing clients, and feeling shipwrecked. For me, the boat is rocking amid the waves, some days finding itself stuck against the rocks being beaten by the surf, other days floating calmly along. I think it is important to remember that none of us will experience these days in the same way. None of us will come out of this having lived through exactly the same thing. None of us experience life in the same way, our emotional make up differs one to another, some of us are stronger in certain circumstances while others of us crumble. Why should it be any different now? Being supportive of one another, being there in any way we can for one another, is what we need now. Here is the writing piece.
Perspective:
WE ARE NOT IN THE SAME BOAT …
I heard that we are all in the same boat, but it’s not like that. We are in the same storm, but not in the same boat. Your ship could be shipwrecked and mine might not be. Or vice versa.
For some, quarantine is optimal. A moment of reflection, of re-connection, easy in flip flops, with a cocktail or coffee. For others, this is a desperate financial & family crisis.
For some that live alone they’re facing endless loneliness. While for others it is peace, rest & time with their mother, father, sons & daughters.
With the $600 weekly increase in unemployment some are bringing in more money to their households than they were working. Others are working more hours for less money due to pay cuts or loss in sales.
Some families of 4 just received $3400 from the stimulus while other families of 4 saw $0.
Some want to go back to work because they don’t qualify for unemployment and are running out of money. Others want to kill those who break the quarantine.
Some are home spending 2-3 hours/day helping their child with online schooling while others are spending 2-3 hours/day to educate their children on top of a 10-12 hour workday.
Some have experienced the near death of the virus, some have already lost someone from it and some are not sure if their loved ones are going to make it. Others don’t believe this is a big deal.
Some have faith in God and expect miracles during this 2020. Others say the worst is yet to come.
So, friends, we are not in the same boat. We are going through a time when our perceptions and needs are completely different.
Each of us will emerge, in our own way, from this storm. It is very important to see beyond what is seen at first glance. Not just looking, actually seeing.
We are all on different ships during this storm experiencing a very different journey.
Unknown author
April Squares: Top of the Train
April Squares theme is ‘top‘.
SquareTops can look like:
- On Top of the World – summit, crown, peak or uppermost part of something
- Under the Big Top – topping or covering (or if you’re really lucky circus)
- Room at the Top – first or highest in position
- Cherry on Top – something made even more wonderful by becoming square
- Top and Tail – or maybe you’d prefer to play around with word combinations such as top dog, top stitch, top full, top line, top fruit, top hat, top secret, top knot, top drawer and top dollar.
A wonderful vantage point on the walking bridge over the local train tracks. What fun to be on top of the train!
April Squares: On Top of Her Game
April Squares theme is ‘top‘.
SquareTops can look like:
- On Top of the World – summit, crown, peak or uppermost part of something
- Under the Big Top – topping or covering (or if you’re really lucky circus)
- Room at the Top – first or highest in position
- Cherry on Top – something made even more wonderful by becoming square
- Top and Tail – or maybe you’d prefer to play around with word combinations such as top dog, top stitch, top full, top line, top fruit, top hat, top secret, top knot, top drawer and top dollar.
My friend honing her photography skills, staying on top of her game.
Connections
I have been home for the last 5 1/2 weeks. My connection with the outside world has become my interaction with the Cardinals that visit my yard everyday. I sit out in the early morning right after I get up, with my coffee and a bowl of nuts. I wait for them to appear, which they do. A White Throated Sparrow has recently caught on and comes too. When I am inside I hear the Sparrow’s call, just as the Cardinals chirp to let me know they are waiting. If I am upstairs and go to the window, one of the Cardinals will fly to the roof outside the window, just to make sure I know he is present. It lifts my mood, to have this connection with the living, though they may be avian and not human. I give them nuts, they give me something to look forward to- seeing them sometimes just sitting in the tree outside the window, just hanging out, other times incessant in their calls telling me to hurry it up. I am thankful for the joy they bring, and the consistency they offer- something I can count on as my day begins, when there is so much uncertainty in life today.
Nurturing Thursday
April Squares:Coming In for a Landing..On Top
April Squares theme is ‘top‘.
SquareTops can look like:
- On Top of the World – summit, crown, peak or uppermost part of something
- Under the Big Top – topping or covering (or if you’re really lucky circus)
- Room at the Top – first or highest in position
- Cherry on Top – something made even more wonderful by becoming square
- Top and Tail – or maybe you’d prefer to play around with word combinations such as top dog, top stitch, top full, top line, top fruit, top hat, top secret, top knot, top drawer and top dollar.
April Squares On Top
April Squares theme is ‘top‘.
SquareTops can look like:
- On Top of the World – summit, crown, peak or uppermost part of something
- Under the Big Top – topping or covering (or if you’re really lucky circus)
- Room at the Top – first or highest in position
- Cherry on Top – something made even more wonderful by becoming square
- Top and Tail – or maybe you’d prefer to play around with word combinations such as top dog, top stitch, top full, top line, top fruit, top hat, top secret, top knot, top drawer and top dollar.
Wordless Wednesday
April Squares: On Top of a Dune!
April Squares theme is ‘top‘.
SquareTops can look like:
- On Top of the World – summit, crown, peak or uppermost part of something
- Under the Big Top – topping or covering (or if you’re really lucky circus)
- Room at the Top – first or highest in position
- Cherry on Top – something made even more wonderful by becoming square
- Top and Tail – or maybe you’d prefer to play around with word combinations such as top dog, top stitch, top full, top line, top fruit, top hat, top secret, top knot, top drawer and top dollar!
On top of a dune! IN Long Branch, New Jersey January 2017.
I Miss the World
April Squares: On Top in the Touro Synagogue
April Squares theme is ‘top‘.
SquareTops can look like:
- On Top of the World – summit, crown, peak or uppermost part of something
- Under the Big Top – topping or covering (or if you’re really lucky circus)
- Room at the Top – first or highest in position
- Cherry on Top – something made even more wonderful by becoming square
- Top and Tail – or maybe you’d prefer to play around with word combinations such as top dog, top stitch, top full, top line, top fruit, top hat, top secret, top knot, top drawer and top dollar.
Taken from the balcony in the Touro Synagogue in Rhode Island. The oldest synagogue in the United States.
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge:Going Back:Second Time Around
This week we are asked to focus the challenge on sharing images from our previous travels rather than going out to photograph new examples to share. If we visited a favorite place more than once, how did we approach the second trip photographically?
My husband and I don’t travel much, we have not flown anywhere in over 10 years. We prefer to take day trips within a 2 hour drive from where we live. We have gone to the New Jersey shore several times and stayed over in our favorite Inn in Ocean Grove. There are little towns that all connect along the shore, some within walking distance, others just a short drive away. One year on our “second time around” our getaway visit coincided with the Jersey Pride Festival in Asbury Park so we checked that out and had a good time. I usually end up taking photos of a lot of the same scenes, the beach and ocean I so love. I was able to capture it at different times of day in different weather conditions the times we have been there.
Asbury Park was rainy and very cold during our visit in June 2 years ago. It allowed me to capture the ocean in a different setting than usual.
The same beach at sunrise
Sunset in October on the beach, but this time in Bradley Beach, a few miles south of Asbury Park. 
April Squares: On Top of the World
April Squares theme is ‘top‘.
SquareTops can look like:
- On Top of the World – summit, crown, peak or uppermost part of something
- Under the Big Top – topping or covering (or if you’re really lucky circus)
- Room at the Top – first or highest in position
- Cherry on Top – something made even more wonderful by becoming square
- Top and Tail – or maybe you’d prefer to play around with word combinations such as top dog, top stitch, top full, top line, top fruit, top hat, top secret, top knot, top drawer and top dollar!
A Day In The Life 
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