Change Is Hard

…but change is certain.


by 5 Comments

By way of spreading joy

A week ago today I took three people to Kensington to feed the birds. They had never done that before but they’d heard about it and wanted to have the experience.

Hey, toss that peanut over here!

They had to drive almost 2 hours but they thought it was worth it. I do too. Though we arrived early in the morning, when the birds are most likely to be hungry, we weren’t inundated with begging feathered ones. But we had our fair share.

It rained all night and I’m not looking my best, but I sure am hungry!

Mostly it was the woodpeckers, in different varieties that were interested in us. Though an occasional red-winged blackbird stopped by.

I’m really interested in that peanut you have, could you toss it here?

And the bluejays were always nearby.

I’m faster than any darn woodpecker, just watch me!

In fact this visit turned into a ‘toss a peanut’ experience. The red-bellied and the red-headed woodpeckers and of course the bluejays are all very talented at plucking a tossed peanut out of the sky.

We spent much of our walk through the woods tossing peanuts into the air where they were eagerly snatched by a winged one.

Got it!

And of course we walked out onto the boardwalk to check on the blue heron rookery.

Ms. Red-winged was startled as we walked by.

The heron babies are now teenagers, testing their wings and making a great deal of noise whenever an adult ventures by. Just in case there might be breakfast arriving.

I can flap my wings faster than you. Oh will you two just settle down? I’m trying to nap here.

All in all, though we weren’t swarmed by birds I think everybody had a great time and I hope they come back for another adventure!

Thanks for the peanut! See ya next time!


by 12 Comments

Remembering a good man

Max Ziegler died June 7th. He was 87 years old. He was also my cousin, someone I feel like I’ve known all my life. We didn’t hang out a lot together, there was an 18 year gap in our ages, and my first hazy memory of him is at his wedding when he married my cousin Carol. I think I was 8.

Carol and Max had three sons, and periodically as we were all growing up they’d come to our house or we’d go to theirs, mostly for holiday meals. But what I remember most about those days when they visited us is while all the adults were talking around the kitchen table, Max was down at the lake with his three boys fishing for sunfish off the shore.

Spending time with his kids was his all time favorite thing to do.

In fact moments like those are the majority of my memories of Max — thoroughly engaged with his children and grandchildren, laughing with friends and family.

He had the biggest smile.

He and I were both branch managers at banks when I was a young adult. He always had a story to tell about life at the bank, but his stories seemed more fun than my experiences. I know now that it wasn’t that our jobs were that different, it’s just that he saw his job as more joyful than I ever imagined mine could be.

That’s how he viewed the world. Joyfully. And he spread it around wherever he went.

He stayed active as a volunteer until almost the end, at Meals on Wheels and at the Kiwanis thrift shop. There’s a whole community he built around sharing his joy and you could see it in the sons and grandchildren that spoke at his funeral, and in the members of his beloved Kiwanis club who also spoke. You saw the joy that was Max in the almost 200 people that packed the funeral home on a Monday afternoon.

And as I left the service I looked up at the electric blue sky filled with puffy white clouds and I smiled. Because I knew Max was smiling too. I’m sure there was a huge crowd up there joyfully welcoming him home.

As they said at the service, the best way we can honor this incredible man is to live our own lives with joy. And to spread it around in a Max-like fashion. One of his youngest granddaughters told us the world would be a better place if it had more Maxes.

So let’s see if we can make that happen, let’s spread the joy just like Max did for all of his 87 years.


by 26 Comments

Looking for the lights

Last week a storm on the sun was predicted to send some major northern lights our way. A storm big enough to be seen even down here in southeast Michigan. But since there’s so much light down here, what with cities and towns all over, a friend and I decided we’d drive the three hours up to the tip of Michigan’s thumb and try our luck.

A misty evening looking out over Lake Huron.

When we arrived there was a kind of mist hanging over the lake. It was several hours until sunset, but we didn’t mind hanging out on the beach and waiting.

Waiting.

Or photograph the swans hanging out just up the beach.

Relaxing in the evening light.

But finally the sun began to set and we became hopeful.

Bye bye sun, sleep tight.

Maybe the night would be the night we’d dreamed of. We were ready.

As the sky darkened we could see two planets, Venus and Jupiter. They were the perfect “stars” to practice our camera focus as we waited for the light show to start.

The first ‘stars’ to appear.

We waited. We noticed clouds in a bank along the horizon and some in the sky. But aurora would look spectacular among the clouds. So we waited some more and practiced focusing on more stars.

Thousands of stars, and there would be more to see if it were truly dark.

As time passed the bank of clouds rolled across the lake toward us and we had to change our focus and practice on the stars directly above us where the sky was still clear.

Before the clouds covered it all up.

But by midnight the sky was completely clouded over and the light storm hadn’t yet hit earth. We decided to pack it up and head home. No amazing aurora. No milky way.

A pretty little beach at a roadside park.

Were we disappointed? Or course. But we had hours on the beach, little waves rolling up on the sand, and stars overhead. Sometimes you don’t get what you want, but you always get what you need when you head out into the night to photograph the sky.

Guaranteed.


by 21 Comments

It’s been 4 years

Penny here. Mom says I can write this post because she’s feeling kind of emotional and she figures I can be more objective because I never met Katie-girl. Though I talk to her all the time.

Katie at her park spring 2015

Mom says today is the fourth anniversary of Katie crossing the bridge. She says she will remember every second of that day forever. I, being the kind and empathetic dog that I am, let her sit in her feelings as much as she wants, but especially today.

Penny at Katie’s park spring 2026

I don’t remind her that she has me to help her get through the day. I just sit on her feet and nap, waiting for her to come around.

Take your time, mom. I’ll be right here.

She was reflective earlier this week too, when she took me for a long walk at one of Katie’s favorite places, Holly Recreation. We walked on the trail that Katie used to explore. Mom moved slowly and seemed to be off in some other place a lot of the time.

She says she was remembering other walks in other times.

Who’s prettier, mom? Me or this wild geranium?

Me? I just went with the flow. Any time I can be out in the woods with my mom is a good time if you ask me. Even if she is thinking about some other sheltie.

Time sure does fly.

Mom and I, we had a real good time bonding over Katie memories while wandering on Katie’s trail. I know it’s not about me all the time. But it is about me a lot of the time! I am very good at reminding mom that I came along, sent by Katie, to help mend a hole in her and daddy’s hearts.

Bet I can make you smile, mom!

I’d like to think, without sounding boastful, that I do a pretty good job of it.

I jumped over this log 4 times before mom even got her phone out to take a picture.

So today mom and daddy will think about their Katie-girl and I will thoughtfully try to be a good girl and let them. Tomorrow all bets are off on the being a good girl thing.

Cause tomorrow it’s all about me!

You’re gonna have to carry me over this one, mom!


by 16 Comments

A turtle a day

Apparently it’s turtle season around here. That time of year when the females leave their ponds and swamps and wander out into our yards, roads and gardens to find the perfect place to lay a few eggs.

Yesterday late afternoon I backed out of my driveway, watching behind me via the car’s rear camera. When I got to the road I paused and glanced up, looking back toward the house. What was that pile of brownish green stuff up there at the edge of the driveway?

A big ole mama snapping turtle, that’s what it was. I (and she) was lucky she wasn’t in the middle of the driveway because I don’t know that I would have seen her. She’s around every spring, and I should know to look around before I take off these days.

This late afternoon the ring camera doorbell chimed. That sound is supposed to tell us there’s someone at the front door. Out here in the country it can mean all sorts of other things, like cats, raccoons, possums, and even a neighborhood dog. Today when the chimes rang I checked out front and at first didn’t see anything. But Penny was insistent that something was out there, mom!

Husband checked his phone where the doorbell reports, and found the notice “a tortoise is crossing the yard.” And there she was, up along the side of the porch.

She’s a Blanding’s turtle, and she and others like her are endangered around here. I was glad she was in our garden, and after taking her picture, I tiptoed away.

But of course Pen wants to go outside, and I can’t let her go out the front until the turtle has moved along. Last time I checked she was on our front step.

I don’t know where she plans to go next.

Meanwhile Pen and I will stay inside – she’s abandoned me because obviously I am incompetent – and has retreated to her daddy’s lap.

I guess going outside is not as high a priority as I thought.


by 9 Comments

Finding some summer music

Sunday afternoon I drove about an hour to attend another community’s band concert. They were celebrating the 250th anniversary of our country too, and I was curious what they would play.

I’ve never been to one of their concerts, but many years ago our community band and theirs planned a joint concert in their town. We anticipated having another joint concert the next year at our high school.

I can’t remember if it was a blizzard or an electrical outage, it very well could have been both, but the school was closed the day of our performance and we never did find another date to make that concert up. I’ve always felt sad about that, both bands had prepared music that we didn’t get to play.

Sunday’s program began with a subset of the band, doing jazz numbers, complete with a singer, and there was also a drum and fife band that marched in and played several pieces. The drum and fife players were aged 12-18. It felt good to see young people involved with something so historical. There is hope for our country!

The Community Band was wonderful. It is larger than our band, there were 75 people listed in the program, including twelve clarinets! They completely fill the stage and their sound fills the hall. They were awesome and I’m so glad I went.

Music in the spring and summer is so hopeful. I feel better just attending, even though I didn’t know a single soul in the audience or on the stage. I can say with certainty that everyone was smiling as they left Sunday’s concert. I plan to go to another concert this one located closer to home and outside, this week. You’ll probably hear about that one too. 🙂

You can’t beat community music. Look around, find some local music. I encourage you to take some time and attend something in your town. You’ll be supporting your neighbors and you, too, will walk away with a smile.

Guaranteed.


by 18 Comments

Book memory

I’ve been part of Goodreads for many years. I bet I’d be surprised at how many years it is. Maybe I should go and check just what year I posted the first review. One moment please…

It looks like I’ve been writing reviews on books I’ve read since 2008. The stats say I’ve read 740 books, though I know that’s not completely true. There are times when I’m reading that I don’t go into Goodreads when I’m finished. Sometimes I just move on to the next book.

But I’ve been realizing, lately, that I remember very few of the books I’ve read. Even books I’ve read recently. My blog has a side bar that shows parts of my reviews on recently read books. I don’t know how it got there, and I don’t think it posts every book, though I’m not sure.

What I am sure of is that I don’t remember the plots or characters of 99% of the books listed there, even though I read them last month. Sometimes even if I go back in and read my review I still don’t remember it. Usually if I keep researching the book I’ll begin to get some memories, but I don’t often go to that extent.

I wonder if this is a function of my brain, or a function of mediocre books. There are a few I remember, but very few. I just finished another one that took me longer than it should have to finish and that I know I won’t remember in a couple weeks.

How many of you have this problem? And is it really a problem? Does it matter if I don’t remember them once I finish? Have you ever read a book and realized, near the end, that you’ve read it before? Or gone to Goodreads after you completed it to write a review and find you had one there already from a couple years ago? And that your opinion of the books was unchanged?

I used to say reading was one of my favorite hobbies, now I’m lucky if I don’t fall asleep while reading. In fact this morning I dropped the book as I fell asleep, while reading the last pages of the last chapter.

Imagine that.

Pictures of Pen just because. And because she’s an anti-reading dog. She’d rather I play with her, or better yet feed her than hang out with a book.