A Walk in the Woods on our Farm

We have had a whole week of Fall-like weather which has been a great relief after a very hot summer. We have been anxious to get out to our farm in the country to enjoy the lake there, and also to have a picnic and bon-fire which we especially like to do in September/October. Several years ago, my husband and his two brothers decided to put our farm of some 80 acres into conservation. In doing this, they reclaimed the lake that had dried up, created a road, and then planted some 3,000 trees! The Barclay men did all of this work themselves, and now continue to trim areas for better sunlight to trees, maintain a walking trail through the woods, and stock the lake with fish. Our family has come to love this special place in the woods, and tomorrow, we will have a gathering there for a cook-out followed by a bon-fire. The above picture shows our picnic table where we will dine. To me, there is nothing better than being out in nature.....the farm is so peaceful and perfect with only the sounds of chirping birds, rustling trees in the wind and an ocassional fish jumping in the lake. Lovely butterflies flit about, and sometimes we encounter the deer that live in our woods. William Wordworth wrote, "the world is too much with us; late and soon...Guilty and spending; we lay waste our powers...Little we see in Nature that is ours....." For me, I enjoy turning off the T.V., muting the cell phone, shutting down the computer, and going for a walk in the woods....the real peace and joy for me can be found there.

Rabbit Hash, Kentucky

How many times have we wanted to take the road less traveled; go down an unknown path or enjoy the mystery (and, or risk) of an unknown adventure? I think the human spirit craves this kind of thing, and so, without hesitation, I agreed to participate with my artist sister in an arts and crafts show in Rabbit Hash, Kentucky. If you live in Cincinnati where my sister lives, you get to Rabbit Hash by crossing the Ohio River and then going south on I75 until a turnoff that brings you right along the historical Ohio River on the Kentucky side. I say historical because this river, a little upstream from Cincinnati, was one of the main crossing places for the Underground Railroad where slaves were able (where the river was low and narrow) to cross over from a slave state to a free state. If you ever get to Cincinnati, be sure to visit the inspirational Underground Railroad Museum there, downtown right on the river. But I diverse. Back to Rabbit Hash....and getting there. The winding road you are on along the river narrows to one lane after you have passed beautiful horse farms with those wonderful white wood fences, and soon you are, almost without noticing, right in the middle of Rabbit Hash, a town with one General Store (above), one place to eat, and lots of charm, history and old stuff gathered in the one large antique store. Like so many places hidden away from theInterstate Highways we travel, this place is a treasure, and a slice of America that most of us never see as we race from one place to another. I am glad now that I know about Rabbit Hash, with its charm and beauty along the Ohio River, but it makes me wonder what other places I am missing as I hurry the highways. I am fortunate to live on the edge of the country amidst so many small farm towns and communities, yet, have the conveniences of a large town. I know what is beyond our highways, and it is worth getting off the Interstate now and then to take a look, and experience the wonder, life and beauty just over the horizon left and right....

Back to Blogging

It has been way too long since my last BLOG, but I have just finished reading a Biography called, "Reading My Father," by the author's daughter, Alexandra Styron about her Dad (William Styron) who won the Pulitzer for the novel, "Sophie's Choice" in the 80ies and the writing juices began to flow in me again. I really am happiest when I am writing, and so, once again, I am committing to this BLOG on a regular basis. Not every day, but regularly! I remember starting to read "Sophie's Choice" back when I lived in Denver, and I cried all day and into the next. My husband asked me what was wrong, and I said that the book I was reading made me so sad. My husband, in his wisdom, said, "Well then, stop reading it!" I took his advice and never finished it. On the other hand, the book I just finished about the author is very, very good, and his daughter is an excellent writer in her own right. Actually, the story is as much about her own path in life, growing up with an overbearing Dad with mental illness as it is about the author himself. I have been reading lots of Biography and Autobiography and I find that I really like these books the best...the real stuff and struggles of life. I am now reading "J.D. Salinger," by Kenneth Slawenski, copyright 2010 and am so fascinated by this character that I plan to go back and reread, "Catcher in the Rye" and the Glass Family books. Salinger became such a mystery and recluse in his later adult years, but in his early years of writing, he was quite visable and fasinating. I recommend both of these books if you enjoy reading about the real lives and struggles of famous authors. Tomorrow, I want to tell you about my time with my sister in Rabbit Hash, Kentucky this summer!

Pure Joy

I always wondered what "pure joy" looked like and I think I have finally found it in this picture of my two grandchildren swimming late in the evening in Lake Michigan, close to our long-time cottage in northern Michigan. Another picture which I received in a Christmas card this year also strikes me as a picture of "pure joy." This little girl is Anabelle Tousand, granddaughter of long-time friends of ours. What could be more wonderful to see than the innocent joy found so often in children? And given what joy looks like, what does it sound like? Well, for me, it sounds like the Chicago Symphony playing its Christmas Christmas program which I attended this past holiday as a present from my daughter and her husband. When you close your eyes and just listen, it is heaven! And what does "pure joy" feel like? Well, for me, it was getting into bed the other night with crisp, clean, fitted sheets that felt so cool and lovely that I almost soared. What is "pure joy" for you?

20 Good Trends in 2011

Perhaps there IS something to sing about as we head into the New Year, 2011! According to statistics, good things are happening in this country even though we cannot always see them. Here is an upbeat list to ponder as we head into the future. We can only hope that we continue on this upward path.

1. We are safer. Crime is down. The number of crimes in the U.S. has continued to decrease since 1989.

2. W use less energy. Since 1989, the average per-person consumption of energy has decreased about nine percent. And, the economy as a whole is becoming more energy efficient, down 53 % to produce a dollar's worth of goods and services.

3.We give more. We are giving more time and money to philanthropic endeavors. Americans gave $3 billion to charities in 2009, and more in 2010.

4.The use of public mass transit grew 38 % from 1995-2008 and is even higher today, thus, conserving fuel.

5.We are living longer and feeling better. People today will live, on average, ten years longer than their parents, and according to "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences," people over 50, decrease their levels of stress, anxiety and worry.

6.Young people are making smarter decisions about their well-being. High School students are using less drugs and smoking less with greater numbers of teens perceiving these as dangerous to their health.

7. We are connecting and social networking with people more than ever before resulting in an increase in happiness. For example, more and more marriages are the result of the couple meeting via the Internet.

8.We can connect easier, even while flying in an airplane. And while this can be either good or bad, it is a tool that we have available to us almost anywhere we are in the world. An example, in 1964-66, I was in the Peace Corps living in Africa. I was not able to talk with my family for two and a half years, whereas today, volunteers can call up their Mom from almost anywhere.

9. Our bonds are stronger. The rate at which couples are getting divorced continues to fall, from 4.0 per every 1,000 in 2000 to 3.5 in 2008.

10. We are giving things away before we throw them away. For example: the online site: freecycle.org has mushroomed. In our town of Normal, we have a column in The Pantagraph Newspaper called "Good Neighbor" where people give and take what they have.

11. Our forests are growing. The total acreage of forested land in the U.S. has increased during the last 30 years according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

12. We breath cleaner air. Since 1990, levels of six common air pollutants have fallen, and in most of the country, concentrations of carbon monoxide, lead and nitrogen dioxide are below federal standards to protect human health and the environment.

13. We drive more carefully with the result of less fatal accidents.

14. We are growing more of our own food and enjoying the benefits. Farmer's Markets are everywhere, and people are realizing the value of buying their produce etc. here, and enjoying fresher tastes. The nation as a whole is realizing the amount of fuel, time and preservation it takes to not buy food locally.

15. Public smoking bans are now in almost every state, and places where this law is in place, there is a significant decline in emergency room visits for heart attacks.

16. We buckle up when driving; at least most of us do with the results being less serious injuries in an accident.

17. Bees are making a come-back with the result of less threat to crops and eventually the health of our food supply. More than 100.000 estimated back-yard beekeepers are fighting back the plight of the disappearing bees. A good friend of mine is one of them!

18. Women are healthier. Breast Cancer is on the decline.

19. We move more, resulting in healthier bodies and the message to do this to fight obesity is everywhere.

20. We understand the power of positive thinking with more upbeat attitudes and less pessimism. We now know more about the mind-body connection and how it affects our health.

THE BEST CHRISTMAS PRESENT OF ALL

It was the coldest of winters that year and Christmas Eve came to the Conlan house with howling winds and snow on the ground. It had been a hectic time for our family without the full attention of our mother who loved holidays and parties, and loved to deck the halls. She had not even sat down at the piano to play Christmas carols with all of us gathered around to sing along. It was a different year, and a very different feeling permeated our household. We had help in the house but it wasn't the same; Mother always showed us how to wrap our presents and tie the bows so that the presents under the tree looked like art. (My mother was an artist.) But this year, Mother was clearly tired, and she looked wane and worried. We had not even gone to the Cincinnati Crone Conservatory to see the live creche where Mary and Joseph sat among live animals and waited for their baby to arrive, which is just what my mother was doing that Christmas Eve. Mother herself was heavy with child carrying our youngest sister Christine Helen to arrive on Christmas morning. Mother wanted to see all of us open our Christmas presents before she went off to the hospital, and I can still see her sitting in our vast hallway in an antique velvet chair, small packed suitcase at her feet, hat and coat on. She was delighting in the sounds of her children's excitement and joy as we, one by one, opened our gifts. I received a shiny black three-speed bike that my two brothers carried up from the basement. I was in awe, totally unaware of the real treasure in the room that Christmas, unknown and unseen by all of us.
After the last gift was unwrapped, Dad carefully walked Mother to the family station wagon in the driveway, and we all waved good-bye as they drove away. We then ripped into our toys and treasures, playing until bedtime which came all too early. And, no bells were rung from our rooftop that night; a tradition every year, and no one set cookies and carrots out for Santa and his reindeer. Santa had already been to our house, but he had not brought the best present of all....our sister, Chris, who came home with Mother a week later form the hospital.

* Art by my sister Maureen Conlan.

Christmas

Well, here we are; Christmas time again! This will be my 70th, and I am sitting here remembering some of the more memorible ones. As a young girl growing up, the year that I turned twelve, my mother was pregnant with my youngest sister (of six siblings) and that Christmas eve, I can still see my mother sitting with her coat and hat on, in our hallway, small suitcase next to her, watching us open our Christmas presents before she went off to the hospital to deliver Christine Helen. That year I received a shinny new black three-speed bike that my dad brought up from the basement, and I thought that was the best Christmas present I had ever received. And it was not until I realized in years to come that the real Christmas present that year was my wonderful sister Chris who continues to be a blessing in all our lives today. That too was the only Christmas that the Conlan kids were allowed to open their gifts on Christmas eve.
As a child growing up, the tradition in our house was to go to bed early and listen for Santa's sleigh bells which one of my parents rang sometime in the night for us to hear. This happened after we had put out cookies, milk for Santa, and carrots for Santa's raindeer. Christmas morning, each of us (seven) took our place on the steps going downstairs according to age, the youngest first, and waited, and waited, and waited for everyone to get up, especially Mom and Dad. Then, as we decended the stairs together, we all sand Jingle Bells. This was our tradition, and I remember it with great fondness. Usually, under the tree, there was one big gift for each of us, and I remember the year that we all got ice skates.
When we moved to Colorado, our family created our own traditions, one of them being to gather with our neighbors on Christmas eve to put together things for our children. One year, we had the biggest snow storm ever on Christmas morning and I remember neighbors up and down the street on skies, sleds, and snow shoes going from porch to porch where Christmas goodies were being offered and served. We had lots of snow, but also that fabulous Colorado sunshine.
What really strikes me about Christmas as I get a little older is that all my favorite memories around Christmas involve the people I most love and cherish. One year I flew home from Colorado and surprised my mom and dad, wearing a big red bow in my hair. This was the Christmas before my dad died, and I am so glad I had that special time with him. Another year, our family flew to New Orleans to be with my sister and her family, each of us wearing a T-Shirt on the plane that, when standing together, spelled "Merry Christmas Meltons, HoHoHo." Everyone on the plane loved it, and we loved being in New Orleans that holiday. This Christmas we will be with our small, but mighty family of seven, and will delight, as we have in past years, watching the "grands," Sara (6) and Ben (3) open their Christmas toys. Ah the delight, the wonder, the belief that "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus." And, if you have not read that book recently, I suggest that when you do, you will, once again, believe in "Santa Claus."