Catching up 2!

Catching up? I think I need to look at things differently, catching up seems impossible. I think that I should accept the fact that what I do is what I do. Living in the present, mindfully,  is valuable and I think it might be time for me to adopt this practice.

Over the years I have sought to attain "mindfulness",  to focus my attention on what is happening right now. For example as I Blog instead of letting my mind blast off in a thousand directions like a large Roman Candle on the 4th of July, I need to focus on my writing. Feel the keys under my fingers, how they fit gently into the slight hollow the engineer designed to make using the keyboard a more pleasant experience. How with each letter there is indeed, as my husband claims, a click clack of noise. How a moment too long pressing on the keys produces more letters to the word than belong there. How a brief distraction can change the thought being transferred to the page and take the piece in a totally different direction. I need to shape and form the words and sentences into a well crafted piece of writing. Instead.......?

How hard it is to focus. Mindfulness is a practice, and as such it calls for dedicated attention. I have long attributed to myself the name "Butterfly" brain, in any minute I can probably flit through 20 to 50 thoughts. Centering Prayer has helped enrich my meditation time. I have learned over the years not to "catch" the thoughts but let them go, but at other times I tend to follow the the thoughts wherever they lead, even when they lead me far from my orginal path. At one level I appreciate this because it gives me lots of creative ideas, at another level it is very frustrating because it sometimes makes completing a project a much longer process than I anticipated.

If you came to this Blog anticipating that "Catching up 2!" would have filled you in on what has happened in my life recently I apologize, but I thank you for allowing me to explore where I am in the process. I read somewhere a number of years ago that Blogging helped you to find your "voice". For me Blogging is sometimes, like today, an opportunity to discover that nothing of consequence is filling my thoughts today.

Catching up!

In the last week several people have mentioned to me that they read my Blog and are waiting for a new posting. I checked back and couldn’t believe that I hadn’t written anything since May 12. So much for blogging my trip! We had a wonderful time with many interesting and enlightening experiences, and hopefully eventually they will filter into this space.



The rich tapestry of persons and places that filled my days after May 12, were emotionally and spiritually absorbing. At the end of each day I found myself in deep reflection and often Bill and I fell into silence. I have not yet found adequate contemplative time to sift through notes and pictures and put them into words. What I can say is that Berea, Gethsemani Abbey and New Harmony are sacred spaces that profoundly touched my soul.

Soon after I returned from vacation, a close friend of mine died. She was the person who encouraged my writing, and as we shared in conversation she helped me shape my thoughts. I have not yet had time to process that loss, it was profound at many levels.

I have many projects on my plate at the moment, all exciting and challenging, so life is good! If my blog readers will indulge me I am going to try to discipline myself by writing a little every day – even if it is not of great value, or great writing - because I believe that the more I (we?) write the more clarity I (we?) have in our thinking and writing. I would appreciate your comments and sharing on any and all subjects, as you have the time. It is good to know that I have companions on the journey.

My latest haiku below was inspired by my visit to Gethsemani Abbey, in Kentucky.

Daybreak

Mist over the trees

Diamond dew grass under foot

A new day dawning.

Weston West Virginia

We managed the DC traffic this morning well and arrived in Weston early afternoon. It rained most of the way, and then when we entered WV there were thunder showers. Stopped by the Glass Museum and got a few pics, the museum however was closed. Warmed up with a cup of coffee and pie at Second and Chance Cafe, a neat little place simple but high tech, a real surprise - even get a deal if you are a fan on Facebook - thought that was a good PR move.

By accident we discovered the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum (no I am not being politically incorrect!) - an amazing museum that documents the history of this institution from 1885 through its closure in 1994. It is a true time capsule and its docents are friendly and well informed. This experience helps one to put in perspective just how far we have come in our care of the mentally ill,  handicapped, and elderly as well as those with TB, HIV and post-traumatic stress disorder. It was a complete medical facility on 650 acres, desired to address the whole person. Dr. Kirkbroad believed that the cure of mental illness was fresh air, sunlight, and activity - a good beginning to finding a cure, however the journey through shock therapy, and lobotomies that followed shows the dark side of the early years. Weston developed as a community around the Asylum, people moved there for work and at one time the population was 9000, it  is now around 4000. The Asylum housed at the high census 2600 in 965 rooms. The patients therapy was work: they cooked, cleaned, did laundry, worked in the gardens, and the local coal mine. Hired staff were medical, office and supervisory. The Asylum has been featured on "Ghost Busters" and many articles have been written about it. It is the second largest limestone building in the world, the Kremlin is number one!  It was built by German and Irish immigrant stone masons.

The  impact of this visit hasn't yet registered with me, but it was very powerful and as I digest it I think in time it will find its way into my writing. The day ended with a great steak and salad dinner and homemade bread pudding. Tomorrow we journey to Milton WV to Blenko Glass and onto Berea KY.  

DC Visit

We have had a very good week visiting family and getting around the DC area. It was great fun reacquainting ourselves with our granddaughter and children -good conversation and good food. Serena is growing into a wonderful young lady with lots of energy and ideas.

A trip to IKEA could have inspired us to refurnish a whole new apartment but we resisted! I did find a chair that I might have to have! It was especially good to be in an international setting, I had forgotten how energizing it was to hear a mixture of foreign languages being spoken in casual conversations around one.

We were treated to a great performance of the Shakespeare Theater’s production of “The Liar” by Pierre Corneille, translated and adapted by David Ives. It was fast paced, funny and well acted. . If you are in the DC area try to get tickets, it is atr the Lansburgh Theater, and if not for this at least another of the Shakespeare Theater productions, you will not be disappointed.

Make sure you visit Jaleo for a meal, it is part of the ThinkFoodGroup brainchild of chef/owner José Andrés (recently interviewed on 60 minutes). A native of Spain, he has introduced the American public, very successfully to Tapas and other delightful Spanish cuisine. Tapas are small servings of many traditional dishes. We each ordered three or four dishes from the menu and then enjoyed tasting them all. The dishes ranged from a plate of assorted cheeses, a wonderful dish with spinach, pine-nuts, chopped apples and raisins (going to try and reproduce this at home), grilled lamb chops with rosemary sauce, grilled shrimp with sautéed garlic, asparagus with red pepper sauce, hanger steak with piquillo peppers, spicy chorizo wrapped in crispy potato, seared trout wrapped in Serrano ham, and several more, the whole meal was coupled with a great Spanish wine. Not to be resisted were the decadent desserts, we settled on Flan, Chocolate Torte, Cranberry Sorbet and White Chocolate and Raspberry Ice Cream.

Mother’s Day was a real treat with a trip to the National Arboretum to view the Azaleas and the Bonsai Exhibit. We enjoyed a picnic by the reflecting pool, fed the Koi and wandered back to the car through the herb garden.

The weather has been beautiful until today when it rained allowing us to do laundry and pack ready to hit the road tomorrow.

We have been with family now since Wednesday and the time has gone really quickly. Serena our granddaughter is a delight. I know every grandparent says that, mainly because it is true and allowed. We have had great fun. We have managed to adjust to DC traffic which is quite an accomplishment having come from Grinnell, IA. It is amazing how quickly you lose your city driving edge, fortunately like bike riding it comes back quite quickly. The weather has been absolutely gorgeous, sunny and cool, no humidity, We had a lot of fun yesterday in IKEA could have bought up the store, and had to keep reminding ourselves that we are now retired, have all the furniture and household ware we need. saw a couple of thing we may have to go back for before we leave, fortunately it is close by. We did restrain ourselves and "let's think about it!" Bill had went clothes shopping, there is not much choice where we live, and he got pants, ties and his favorite brand of sock - he is happy. Today we go into the city for theater and dinner so there will be much to write about tomorrow, for now enough

Day 2 May 4

Another beautiful sunny day to travel.  The fields of Illinois are beginning to sprout green which gives them a strange almost impressionistic appearance. As soon as we crossed into Indiana the land became hilly, gentle curves to the earth and a fresh greenness everywhere.

Traveling I-70 in Ohio, flanked on either side by suburban homes, I wondered about "average" daily life. Each family is unique in its coming and goings, dreams yet to be realized, and fantasies fallen away. Do they ever look up from playing in the yard, or weeding the garden and wonder where everyone is going at such a speed. Do other drivers on the highway look at these homes and send up a brief prayer (as I did) for the inhabitants, or wonder if they are making it in this fragile economy? How small our personal worlds are? What a narrow focus we have! What is happening in the lives of the millions of human beings who share our universe? How do my decisions, actions and choices impact their lives?

We stopped at a truck stop for gas and were tempted by an old fashioned hot dog bar, we did not resist and thoroughly enjoyed a hot dog with mustard, onion and relish - the first in probably ten years! I trust it didn't wreck my diet!

Traveling through the treelined hills of Ohio I was dive bombed by my first butterfly of summer, a yellow swallow tail, I think, it wasn't hurt and flew off oblivious.

Making our way through Wheeling West Virginia we arrived in Pennsylvania where we stopped for the night. It was a great travel day and blessedly uneventful. Tomorrow we head to Maryland where we will reacquaint ourselves with our grand-daughter (and of course our kids) we are looking forward to our  visit!

Day One Vacation

Leaving for vacation on a bright sunny cool morning. Our first stop, sort of a travel ritual is at Casey’s for gas, coffee and a doughnut which we share. It signals for us a different pace, We say our traveler’s prayer and we are off to commune with one another, our Creator and the creation,

The fields along I-80 lie prepared, rich brown soil awaiting the sun and rain to burst the seed, send down roots and push sprouts to the surface. Contented cattle graze on rich green grass while others bask in the warmth of the sun. The traffic whizzes by, our 70 mph speed not being sufficient for their journey, but ample for us.

The Thomas Merton quote from Terry Hershey’s blog today was perfect:“Everything has already been given. What we need is to live into it.” It is certainly what I believe, and in my best moments try to live. This mirrors for me the whole concept of vacation. It is a time to rest on the journey; to store up memories and experiences that will refresh the spirit so that one can return to the normal routine renewed. To this end I usually try to plan a vacation that reconnects me with friends and family and includes opportunities that stretch my mind and imagination.

For lunch we stop at the Jubilee Café, Kickapoo, IL. One of Illinois’ best kept secrets. The food is always good, the same waitresses we had on our first visit seven years ago and continues to be “cash only”. We were introduced to it by Fr. Gabriel a monk from St. Bede Abbey in Peru, IL. The main attraction for him, beside it’s good mid-western fare, is the homemade gooseberry pie served with vanilla ice cream. Sound strange? It is amazing! The tartness of the gooseberry, mouthwatering short pastry crust offset by the creamy sweet vanilla flavor has to be savored to be believed. The blue cheese dressing on their salad is another must!

Fully satisfied by a good meal, good memories and of course pie, we set off along Interstate 74 with its unremarkable scenery. Unremarkable that is until we stopped briefly and encountered a display of photographs by artist Larry Kanfer. His work lifts up the IL country side from “unremarkable” to significant as he reveals the magnificence of prairie and farmland. His words and images changed immediately my view of the the panorama along the highway. Where before it was flat and ordinary now I saw it’s depth and uniqueness. I saw the way in which earth and sky met on the distant horizon in creative union. As a storm brewed I no longer saw flat boring strips of land but unencumbered skyscapes, roiling clouds, rippling furrows, and resting cattle.

Following the storm the sky burst forth with ascension images, pockets of light reaching down to earth - only the figure of Christ absent.