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Maze Walker

~ because sometimes I feel the need to express…

Maze Walker

Category Archives: Uncategorized

Contributing to the NeighborHood

20 Saturday Oct 2018

Posted by t - That's Me in Art, Craft, Memories, Outdoor accents, Personal Musings, Seasons, Thinks, Uncategorized

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Tags

Harley-Davidson, sounds, Sounds I love, Sounds people love, sounds that make you smile, Sounds you love, Wind chimes, Windchimes

Value for the senses. Audio. Sound. Such as Corinthian Bells, by QMT Windchimes.  A business in the USA that has mastered a niche in audio excellence.

When neighbors tell you they like days they can open their windows and listen to your wind chimes hum, or they love walking by and hearing the chimes sing.

Note:  The main purpose of the video is to hear the tone or otherwise audio value. This business has mastered attending to detail.  Listen. Apologies for the wind distorted mic audio throughout.

 

They have nice songs in gentle breezes, too.

Making fond memories. That makes me smile.

Sounds that make people smile.

Others.

Ocean waves.

Here’s a cool little tidbit I just stumbled upon regarding ocean waves: https://indianapublicmedia.org/amomentofscience/ocean-sounds/

Back to task. Other sounds that triggers a fondness.

Crackling wood in a fire.

Ohhhh, a Harley-Davidson.

For those who would like to venture further down the Harley path on this mazewalk…
I found this:

What gives a Harley-Davidson motorcycle its distinctive sound?

 

But, what I wanted to do is ask you…

What are some of your favorite sounds?

What other businesses are excellent in a niche sound?

#Commerce #Community

 

80s Big Hair Alternative

02 Tuesday Jan 2018

Posted by t - That's Me in Art, Craft, Memories, Music, Personal Musings, Pictures, summer, Uncategorized

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Tags

80s, Beastie Boys, Big Hair, Good Times, Road Trip, Spirals, Sunroof, Violent Femmes

Maze Walking

Photo Group Theme of the Week – Spirals

Spirals.

Spirals.

Oh, Spiiirals!

Rummage through vanity.

Wow! I forgot I had so many.

Flashback to Late 80s…

When you had to create big hair by way of a tall ponytail because even though your hair was long, it was….

thin,

and baby fine,

and straight-ish.
Hey Daddio!  So glad you had connections to a Spring Maker. Thanks!!!

Summer Road Trip from hometown Collinsville, Illinois (#justeastofthegatewaytothewest) up to Door County, Wisconsin with my “Little Sister” Barbi.

Family and Fun.

Driving my 1990 Red Geo PRISM, 5-speed, hatchback.

A tower — 6+ inches in color coordinated ponytail holders.

Ponytail sticking through the opening of the sunroof.
Beastie Boys and Violent Femmes cycling in the cassette player.

Suntea

Tollways

Road Construction

Good Times

Any memories or thoughts spurred? Maze Walk with me. Share in comments below.

 

Hot Toddy with Rosemary in a Mason Jar

01 Monday Jan 2018

Posted by t - That's Me in Art, Craft, Food, Herbs, Holiday Celebrations, Memories, Personal Musings, Photos, Uncategorized, winter

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Tags

Bourbon, Cinnamon, Clove, Ginger, Hot Toddy, Lemon Zest, Mason Jar, New Year's Eve, Rosemary

Last Night was New Year’s Eve.

I decided to make a Hot Toddy.

I grew up making it with Honey, Lemon Juice, Whiskey / Bourbon and Hot Water.

I didn’t grow up knowing what the best Bourbon is.

I’m sure it makes a difference.

While recently in Seattle having a very special Family Gathering, I was introduced to a yummy Hot Toddy.

That one included a Cinnamon Stick and Whole Cloves.

As I said, it was yummy, and it was crafted by my “Little Sister” Barbi‘s beau as I was also introduced to him for the first time.

It was also made with Tequila at my sister’s suggestion, but that is not of matter here.

It is New Year’s Eve and my son just went out in the single digit cold to meet some friends.

So I decide I’m going to make a Hot Toddy for myself.

I scraped some crystallized honey from the bottle. It isn’t that old, but where it resides on the kitchen counter can get pretty chilly when it is so cold outside.

You should feel the air when I open the kitchen cabinets along the outer wall when it’s cold outside.

But I digress.

Honey.

Water boiling.

Bourbon

I have a few cinnamon sticks but they are part of the decor in a very cool shaped bottle so I stoop to the powdered cinnamon I have in the cabinet.

I have also run out of Whole Cloves so Ground Cloves it is.

I do have some dried lemon zest, grated by my son during another culinary journey.

Note: I am not a foodie by any means. No. No culinary genius. I wish I was.

Because… Yum.

Add the hot water.

I’m missing the visual of the floating Cinnamon Stick.

Hmmmm. Rosemary.

Boots on. Scarf, over head, covering ears. Scissors. Flashlight.

Remember, it’s dark out.

Find the Rosemary and snip a sprig.

Snip another after quick consideration.

I didn’t want to have to bundle back up to get more.

Snip a couple sprigs of Thyme as I am walking back to get inside. (See one of my very first blogs, that happens to be about Thyme, here.)

Sprig of Rosemary in the jar.

I opted not to use the “thyme” this “time” in the Hot Toddy but instead use it for something else, though a few leaflets did drop into my drink.

The powdery spice and the semi congealed honey are settled at the bottom, slightly stirred by Rosemary sprig recently submerged which results in looking more like a specimen jar from a swamp or otherwise murky waters. hahaha

Hot Toddy w Rosemary on Cutting Board 01b

It tasted pretty darn good, though.

And then my son returns home, shivering and with painfully cold hands requiring a hot chocolate to warm both inside and out.

I just recently learned that what we call hot chocolate in the states is not truly hot chocolate.

I checked on Hot Toddy with Rosemary today.

I found this Yummy Recipe via Instructables.

Hot Toddy Recipe

It includes Ginger.

I’m out of Ginger.

Add to Shopping List:  Ginger Root.

Look further into Instructables. Looks promising.

Prompt: Write about something slow

24 Friday Feb 2017

Posted by t - That's Me in Personal Musings, Uncategorized

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

reading, slow, storyteller, Writing

I read slow. Always have. It doesn’t matter what speed reading course taken or any other helpful advice anyone thinks they have. I read slow. Slow. Like a children’s story read at bedtime, or the stories heard on the radios of old. In fact, that is precisely how my mind takes in the written word. It does not just see the words, but hears…, if only in my mind. I stumble upon words I cannot make out in sound, slowing things up even further. But don’t get me wrong, I love to read, even though I will only skim the surface of the books I desire to explore in my lifetime. I read slow. Every pause. Every breath. Every perceived point of hesitation, or accentuation, tone and depth. My mind is a storyteller, with cast accompaniment. You do not rush the storyteller. To have the tongue of an auctioneer read a ghost story by the light of a campfire does not suffice. To the delight of my son as I bring the written words to his ears, I read slow.

What comes to mind when you think about something slow?  Feel free to share in the comments.

Gallery

A Foggy January Morn’

02 Monday Jan 2017

Posted by t - That's Me in Personal Musings, Photo, Photos, Pictures, Seasons, Trees, Uncategorized, winter

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Tags

canadian geese, cypress, cypress knees, cypress roots, Fog, ice, Lake, Stumps, Water Edge, Woodland Park

This gallery contains 6 photos.

I know that winter has basically just started, but I’m still waiting to see all that snow predicted in the …

Continue reading →

One December Morning

27 Tuesday Dec 2016

Posted by t - That's Me in Personal Musings, Uncategorized

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Tags

Black Bear, Dream, Fox, Possum

The bear saunters out the front door as we stand somewhat confused in my living room as to why a bear was in my house in the first place. Moments later, your dog goes out the front door and my cat darts back in through the nearly closed passage. We try to regain an air of normalcy, though soon the notion occurs we don’t know where your dog was headed and we go check. Once more astonished, we see the dog curled on the porch, comfortably napping with his back against the furry black mass of bear also slumbering on the front porch. Thinking the dog curled up next to the already sleeping bear and not realizing the potential danger once the bear awakens, we both earnestly yet quietly try to wake your dog without disturbing the bear.

Your dog does awaken, but only at the start of the bear’s stirring. My heart beats faster. In continued amazed wonder, I see a tall red fox with long slender legs walking up to the porch, it’s fur wet as if it had been caught in the rain, though the day’s sky was blue. Following was a grown possum, with several young ones, too big to ride upon its tail or back, trailing behind.

A scuffle quickly ensued between them; the bear, the fox and the possums. Chaos on the porch, your dog may have been in the mix, but I am uncertain as the next thing I notice is the railing completely gone on one side of my porch, and then I see the bear carrying it in its mouth out into the middle of my yard, using it to push back the challengers.

Wondering about my porch and how I will manage to get it repaired, I suddenly can see, as the bear is succeeding in its clever use of the porch railing, that it wears upon its head a hat, and further has on a scarf, vest and pants.

As the fox and possums dash off in defeat, the bear strolls back towards the side of the house. Though unsure of the response, my heart is still racing and you are dumbfounded as I take a couple steps onto my porch towards the direction of the bear, and say, “I would really appreciate my porch being repaired.”

The bear turns its head towards me and then stands up to full height and says, “Yes, I would agree I should take care of that. I would appreciate it though, if you leave the burrow dug under the porch.”

____
I have dreams but maybe 2-3 times a year, at least of which I have any recall. That is what I woke to this morning. I don’t know who “you” are. I never see you. I only know you are there as ‘we’ see certain things and that the dog, something like a dark brown Setter, was yours and not mine.

Image

Today in Life’s Journey

04 Friday Nov 2016

Tags

Daughter, Fog, Go Navy, Horseshoe Lake Animal Hospital, Knights of Columbus, Navy, November Thanks, Southern Illinois

November 4, 2016

Grabbing a bag, I step out to the front porch and begin to gather the several newspaper rolls accumulated.

“If anyone has any newspaper to spare, our hospital needs it! We are completely out. Thank you!”

That was the message I read last night on a post by a local animal hospital I follow on Facebook. I tell myself this must why I had been putting off placing those papers in the recycle bin these past few weeks.

Panning the neighborhood, I notice heavy dew on the car windows and dampness on the ground. The sun was beginning its assent of the day.  I confirm I have enough time to take the papers to the animal hospital before the graduation ceremony, as I didn’t want them to go without, first thing in the morning.  It dawns on me that it’s somewhat a coincidence that I am running this errand to help the business and its people that just so happens to be the place my daughter worked through the majority of her high school years – since late July of 2014. My daughter called me when she had gotten the job.  I was so very excited for her, and we agreed on a date when I would take her out to celebrate her success later that week. But before the moment arrived, our life paths diverged.

As I am heading out the door this morning, I pause, feeling I should go grab my camera, just in case.  Though I squeegeed the windows and outside mirrors on the car, foggy condensation filmed once more before I ever left my driveway.  The Interstate route I had planned to take seemed an unwise choice with the current construction causing merging havoc even under normal visual conditions. I therefore took an alternate route.

I’m sure there were many passing in cars and school buses, wondering about the woman standing near the side of the road with a camera.

november-4-2016-equipment-sunrise-color-and-fog

Below the roadway fog hung low and converged over the Southern Illinois farmer’s field that butted against the Knights of Columbus parking lot on one side and a Rural Route and an Interstate on two others.  This moment seems to imprint – identifying where I am on this planet, on the morning my daughter is to graduate.

Navy Boot Camp.  My daughter graduated Navy Boot Camp today.  I’m not certain exactly how the weather felt, north of Chicago because I wasn’t there. That is not how our connective life’s journey has it at the moment.

chicago-vs-southern-illinois

But I am thankful that she was able to join the Navy. It’s a good division of the Service for her.  And I am thankful that I have a cousin (dear to me) who was able to help my daughter get started down that path.  I am thankful that my son, her brother, was able to go to the ceremony and be there for her on this noteworthy occasion.

I am also thankful that I was able to watch the ceremony via live-stream and share that moment with my parents, her grandparents, even as they live halfway across the country from me.

division-354-shelbys-group

Where is she going next?  I couldn’t tell you.  That is not a part of the connective life’s journey between us at this time. But for right now, I cheer for my baby girl from where we each stand, and I find ways to be thankful for that.

Posted by t - That's Me | Filed under Memories, Personal Musings, Photo, Seasons, Uncategorized

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Moments and Music [dot dot dot]

23 Sunday Oct 2016

Posted by t - That's Me in Memories, Music, Uncategorized

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Tags

Billy Idol, Memories with People, Mony Mony, Neil Diamond, Sweet Caroline

Music plays in the background on the radio as I edit client files. Suddenly I feel as though I should be in a local watering hole or at some such gathering place among friends and like-hearted beings. My mind inserts what is naturally the common day lyrical accompaniment by those gathered, as I become consciously aware of, … “Sweeeeeeet Car-o-line…., [______! ______! ________________!], Good times never seemed so good.” [__________!], [__________!], [__________!]

An inward chuckle of amusement arose.  A warm smile lingered as I found myself continuing to listen and envisioning groups of my friends sharing in moments. A sense of comradeship.  Nice.  It finished out and I get back to work.

Next up on the radio.

Can you guess?

“Here she comes now sayin’ Mony Mony….”

Yeah. Really. But no, I did not have a lingering smile while envisioning shared moments then. No. Just…, no.

The way I see it

19 Thursday May 2016

Posted by t - That's Me in Art, Gardening, Herbs, Macro Photography, Photo, Seasons, Spring, Uncategorized

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

angles, Basil, birdbath, Brick Wall Illusion, Columbine, Diagnal, Fern, Focus, Forget-Me-Nots, Geranium, Lattice, Lavender, Lines, perspective, Primrose, Viewpoint

Kinda-sorta like that Brick Wall Optical Illusion thing, but not really.

From looking at this

2125
2126

I found this.

Lattice Alone

Seeing the forest through the trees (or in this case, the Forget-Me-Nots through the fronds.

Forget-Me-Nots behind Fern

But then, take a look at them there trees (or in this case, again, the fresh fern fronds of spring).

Fern before Forget-Me-Not

And then there’s this. Yeah. A bunch of blah, right?

2131

I got super excited about seeing this.

Purple Basil Sprout

My basil plant from last year, sprouting.

Finally, while admiring the whimsical, non-conforming feel of this section of garden,Animal Path - Hidden Bird

I caught sight of something, non-conforming though it was, of which I felt compelled to tweak, or rather pluck, like that of a wild hair. Can you see what I did?

Animal Trail - Bird in View

Image

Galium. My Precious.

27 Wednesday Apr 2016

Tags

Flower, Gallium, Gallum, Germany, Phlox, Vanilla, Wine

Galium 04252016

Galium odoratum – Sweet Woodruff (backdropped by Creeping Phlox)

I don’t know if Gallum would think of this low growing greenery with the tiny white flowers as being precious.  I’m actually not sure if I consider it precious, but I thought it would make for a clever title.

I planted this beneath what is normally identified as an out-of-control and invasive shrub which I believe to be a Japanese Honeysuckle though I’ve been experimenting in transforming it ever since it sprung into existence several years back into that of a miniature ornamental tree. However, I digress.

Galium was identified as a plant that could make a good addition at the base of trees and shrubs.  I have further just read its sweet vanilla-scented flower clusters are used to flavor May wines in Germany.  Hmmmm.

I haven’t smelled it yet.  Though I planted it last spring it had no blooms until this year.  I guess I’ll have to go out and take a sniff.  I wonder if I could toss some blooms in with my coffee grounds to get vanilla coffee?

Posted by t - That's Me | Filed under Food, Gardening, Herbs, Photo, Photos, Seasons, Spring, Uncategorized

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