Blog Archives - A Cottage by the Sea

Visit to the Museum of Fine Arts~

12/30/2013

What could be better than to celebrate my birthday with my granddaughter at the MFA? It has become a tradition to go there whenever she visits. Our routine is simple. We arrive at 10 so we can park in the lot right next to the entrance. We leave our coats in the car so we don’t need to stand in line to check them. Always, and I mean always, we head directly to the Egyptian Wing, her favorite. From there we wander at random until we reach the cafeteria. After lunch we wander some more, always to the Renaissance gallery, my favorite. And then, at the exact same moment, we look at each other and agree that it is time to head home.
This visit we each took a sketch pad and pencil. Clearly sketching helps me look in a new way. And then, there is the camera, the results of which I’m sharing here.

Wow and thanks~

12/28/2013

If you been following this blog for any length of time you may be aware that I don’t write much about my personal life. Or to phrase it another way, the only person I talk about is myself (and a little about my mom), leaving out specifics about family and friends, protecting their privacy.

Today, however, I must divulge that it is our 50th wedding anniversary. I can’t believe that we are that old. Both Jim and I have always looked and acted young even though we never found the fountain of youth.

Quoting the tile of a book by Ann Lamott, we would say, wow and thanks (but not help). Calling forth Mom’s last words at age 101, we would say, very grateful.

Silence after Christmas~

12/26/2013

The day after Christmas is a quiet day; a bittersweet day, for some more bitter, for others more sweet. The letdown after the buildup.

I remember loving the vacation days following December 25th. I loved the holiday from school and school work, both when I was a student growing up, and when I was a teacher. As I get older, Christmas becomes more and more a time for remembering.

At the moment there is a gentle snowfall. Nothing to shovel about, nothing to shout about. Very soothing. All is silent, just right for the day after Christmas.

December, an energy-filled time~

12/24/2013

I’m thinking about widows today. The many I know, and the many I don’t know. It has to be a particularly poignant time for them. All those memories, the good, the bad, the bittersweet.

A widow friend died yesterday. She was in her 90s and just stopped eating and faded away. Good choice if we have it. She always saw the bright side of things, so no surprise that she let go so gracefully. Her husband died ten or so years ago. His birthday was December 25. Their granddaughter was born 30 years ago on the 24th. Births and deaths, all of a seamless cloth.

Um, I imagine that there are some interesting birth and death statistics surrounding December 25th. My sister and I included, both born on December 30 six years apart. December, such an energy-filled time.

Christmas memories~

12/23/2013

Christmas is upon us, for those who celebrate and for those who glean from afar. Regardless, I hope that you all can feel the peace of the season. I’m trying to keep things simple around here. Our tree is smaller; I’ve wrapped fewer gifts; I don’t plan to spend hours in the kitchen. There will be times of silence and solitude.

Family is coming but the grandchildren are older, so the magic is more subtle. Each year the holidays create new memories of magic. One of my earliest is when I was almost 6. By almost I mean the five days before. That year we spent Christmas with my aunts and uncles, cousins and grandmother in Brooklyn so my mom would be close to her New York City hospital. I remember my cousin coming into my room after I had gone to bed and shaking my stocking. For a minute I thought it was Santa but then I thought, “It’s too early for Santa.” I remember my dad letting us into our dark house the next day when we returned to Connecticut. I remember the phone ringing five days after Christmas, my dad announcing a special birthday present for me, my sister Margot.

Visual silence~

12/21/2013

The Three Sieves on the beach~

12/19/2013

Surfers on the beach, first of the season. Sun, surf, cold, but no wind chill. “Must be just about perfect, must be fun,” I say to a man photographing his son before he joined him in the waves and water.

I like to think that my comment was typical me, although I did consider a few options before opening my mouth. To begin with, I didn’t have to say anything. I could have nodded, or even walked by, me all bundled up in a long coat, scarf, two hats and down mittens, without acknowledging the existence of the man. I could have said, “That looks mighty cold; glad I’m not going to take the plunge.” But what a downer that would have been! Not a big deal, but a downer, a negative, a ‘how stupid can you be?’ Kind of comment. Of course, the man could have blown me off; no harm done. And yet, and yet…. For all I know these guys (women surf, too) may have just come from a barrage of negative comments as they were loading their surfboards onto the car –it’s too cold, why do you want to be in such agony, don’t do anything wildly stupid…

I am reminded of “The Three Sieves”. Is it kind, is it true, is it necessary? So, I gave my best two cents—have fun on this perfect surfing day.

Snowy owl at Cape Neddick

12/17/2013

Every day I set out expecting to have the best-ever walk—and I do. Oh, sometimes I have to stretch the point a little, but not often. When I begin my walk I’m not always certain whether I’ll go to the long beach or head up to the lighthouse. Yesterday, on a cold, vitamin D3 walk, I found myself trudging along the snow covered roads to the Cape Neddick Lighthouse (locally referred to as The Nubble).

    There at the parking lot was a college-age man viewing something on the rocks through his telescope. A small crowd gathered as he invited each of us to take a look, at, did you guess it? A snowy owl. And how did I get this picture? With my iPhone; put the phone up to the lens and snap.

     This bird lover was involved in a bird census count sponsored by the National Audubon Society. I loved his enthusiasm and generosity. No question, he had found his passion and was following his bliss.

     Serendipity that I headed to the Nubble? I have no idea, but this was definitely a one-of-a-kind best-ever walk.

Our cute ittle maverick

12/15/2013

Feeder didn't make the picture.

Our simple window feeder turned into a simple squirrel feeder for a while this morning. In seems that last nights snow storm had given the squirrels just the necessary height to jump aboard. And then, for reasons unknown to me, it morphed back into a restaurant for birds; the squirrel hasn't reappeared.

Sometimes I yell at them and pound the window. But today this cute little maverick won my heart. He’s gotta eat, too.

Simplicity and stability~

12/13/2013

Bitter-sweet!

I’ve been thinking about the simple things and routines that I posted about the other day. Simple they may be, but more than that, they offer stability, which is also something I strive for. Things that are stable in my life, offer a sense of simplicity; what is simple, offers stability. They go hand in hand. Case in point.

Saturday some friends are coming for supper. The menu I have chosen (chili) is not a simple one as far as preparation is concerned. (Simple in this case would be takeout.) But it feels simple because I know how to put it all together. I have the ‘stability’ to cook the chili and rice, gather the condiments, make the cornbread, toss the salad, set the table and clean up afterwards.

I’m not saying that simplicity is the only way. In order to get there we often have to go through complexity. I’m reminded of Piaget’s observations that learning involves a continual pattern of disequilibrium and equilibrium.