One Girl’s Trash is Agrigirl’s Treasure

My neighbor stopped by with a gift. Upon examination, it was a sack of grass clippings, a side of watermelon rinds and a couple apple cores. Odd? Maybe but absolutely appreciated. She was making a contribution to our compost pile.

The Compost Pile

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Looking at the World through a Rose-Colored Glass

Optimism, joy, chuckles, bliss. It seems that so many places we turn, people are talking about the elusive concept of happiness. We can speculate at the reasons; a tormented economy, the sandwich generation, increasing social pressures.  I’ve read unfortunate tales about the increase in the use of antidepressants in adults and in children. Frankly, I think happiness is a difficult thing to calculate. How do we really know of its existence or its intensity unless we’ve measured it against sadness?

Rose Colored Smoothie

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Talking with Our Mouths Full

What a couple of weeks these have been! My middle guy just returned from a school trip. I was at a company meeting for three overnights. Upon returning home, my husband had an evening meeting and there was the annual dinner for our Economic Council. I hope it doesn’t sound like a complaint as we enjoy an abundant life but what do I really miss when our schedule fills up like this? Dinner time!

 

flickr.com/walkadog/3432071719

 

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Where Actions Speak Louder than Words

I think Mark Twain had something to do with that title quote but I’m unable to find a source for the saying “do as I say and not as I do”. The latter is often referred to as a statement in hypocrisy. Yet Dr. Samuel Johnson, a moralist and great contributor to English literature in the 1700s cautioned readers to  tread lightly when charging others with hypocrisy.

flickr.cc.jcoterhals

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Bindweed, Creeping Spurge and Crabgrass

“I can see white flowers blooming on the tops of the evergreens.”

The observation came from my 92 year old Grandmother. Last weekend was my turn to visit her as I attempt to do with some regularity despite the 800 miles between us.  It’s a wonderful bonding experience and I try to accomplish a few chores like cleaning a closet shelf that’s hard for her to reach or stocking up on grocery items. Friday night when my son and I arrived, she greeted us with fresh sweet corn and Colorado’s Palisade peaches.

flickr cc Muffet

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An Idea Comes of Age in My Own Head

I’m in the Pacific Northwest today where I planned to blog about vacation pleasure like hunting for agates and arrowheads, learning to pick nettles and digging for clams. But I can’t get that image out of my head. The open cavity where her nose once was haunts me. If you’ve seen it, you know what I’m talking about because it’s likely that you can’t forget it either.

Flickr CC 2.0 Comedy

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Weekend Food and Fun Photos

What the Geekbunny, a Boccia star and Agrigirl Have in Common

Let me reveal a character flaw. I hate it when I have a great idea that I don’t act upon and later discover that someone else has done it with success. Darn you Jim Killeen! If you don’t know Jim, he’s the author and actor of a new documentary called Google Me.

http://www.hulu.com/watch/119970/google-me

The film documents Jim’s adventures as he locates others named Jim Killeen. I recommend it. (more…)

Wordless Wednesday at Duke

Dear America

I set out this July 4th to write a celebratory letter to America about watermelon and sweet corn and fireworks. For inspiration I took time to read the Declaration of Independence and surfed the sites of other favorite bloggers. I read a post at Spirit Lights the Way that focused on these words from the Declaration: He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burned our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

PMillera4 cc2.0

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