My Favorite Things for 2017!

Yes!  It's once again time for my favorite things--large and small--but, all a delight to my life in 2017!

Setting the gallery, from left, Suzette, me, Annie and Susan.

1.  Beginning the year with the energy of a 4-woman art exhibit!

There are times when an endeavor is simply 
magical.

The joy of that collaboration still lifts my spirits and makes me smile. Making art is always a delight.  Making it with three gifted artists and friends is magic.

2.  Snow on the Rockies!

3.  Amazon Prime.

By now you know that I LOVE TO SHOP!

Maybe it's my hobby? Sport?  Regardless, I like to browse, take my time looking, considering, comparing, imagining the item's possibilities.  A purchase is not always necessary.  Often I just take a photo instead of inserting my VISA to appreciate "the find."

BUT, when I'm actually LOOKING for something and can't seem to find it in stores in my area--I'm one of Amazon's favorite customers!!! 

4.  Wind chimes. 

Inside, outside--I simply LOVE the random notes played by the wind.

Sometimes it's a gentle nudge against just one chime that repeats, slowly, each sound fading away before the chime is tapped again.

Usually, the song is a lively, capricious melody, never to be repeated in exactly the same way.  It's a perfectly unique performance by wind in that very moment of time.

I love the sound of chimes and bells so much that I have two wind chimes on stands inside our house, in places that randomly get brushed against which results in an unexpected chiming of chimes!

 5.  Discovering wonderful new lip balms.

I'm a LOTIONS & POTIONS girl and always willing to try a new face cream, skin lotion, lipstick shade, etc., but my favorite indulgence is lip balms!

While THESE are my 2017 top choices, my VERY FAVORITE is:

Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm, SPF 25.

Amazon (of course) $7.50 each

Other flavors are available, but if you're looking for a minty soothing balm for your lips that doesn't disappear before you've even screwed the cap back on...you'll LOVE this one!  

6.  Storms.  

Snow, rain, wind -- can't resist the power and awesomeness of Mother Nature in all her unbridled glory!  

7.  Perfectly fried eggs.

You may laugh at this--and, I admit it's an unlikely entry--but, I LOVE breakfast and I LOVE EGGS FOR BREAKFAST.

The pan has to be nonstick, heat just right, spatula supple and eggs over medium.  DELICIOUS!!

8.  Adventure!

It's not adventures far from home, BUT ALL ADVENTURES!

I LOVE the sense of discovery, the exploration, seeing things for the first time, seeing familiar things in new ways, catching a glimpse of the unexpected and being open to the possibilities!

Reminds me of the last lines in The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost:

..."Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

9.  Discovering new wines.

Speaking of adventure, how delightful it is to encounter (intentionally or not) a new wine.

Red, of course, lush and full-bodied.  California, Australia, Chili--all states and countries welcome!  

And, moderately priced.  

10.  Prayer Flags.

Hmmm, I just realized how many of my FAVORITE THINGS involve one of my favorite elements:

    Wind!

(Clearly, it's been that kind of year!!)

Since our back yard extends to open space shared by our neighborhood, we get a LOT OF WIND, PRIMARILY FROM THE WEST, which you know is just fine with me!

To play with the wind we've tried various "wind sculptures," designed to spin when the wind blows.  Sadly, these haven't worked out so well.  Our wind gets, well, ferocious sometimes (again, fine with me!) and we're still picking out bits and pieces of previous "sculptures" out of the lawn.

Then we hung PRAYER FLAGS!  Not only does the flapping indicate wind direction and speed, there's an added bonus:  Prayers are carried skyward!! 

11.  A sparkly door.

There is a house in our neighborhood that has a leaded glass door with prisms as part of the design.

For three seasons of the year it's just a nice door and one that's mostly invisible as I walk in the morning lost in thought.

But, in the winter--when the sun is low in its projectory and just as I walk by at the right spot at the right time--

            Wow!!!

The unexpected brilliance still stops me mid-step and I stand quietly for several minutes  absorbing rainbows sparkling with different colors as I sway left and right.

I wonder if the homeowners know their door is my SPARKLING REWARD for walking on cold winter mornings?

12.  Hugging a Giant Sequoia.

Long on my BUCKET LIST, wrapping my arms around as much of the trunk as I could span, feeling the rough unusual bark against my cheek and realizing that I was in the presence of life so ancient I could barely comprehend the significance TOPS my list for 2017.

"And now we welcome the new year.  Full of things that have never been." - Rainer Maria Rilke

Mr. Rogers, we need you in our neighborhood.

Mr. Fred McFeely Rogers, my favorite neighbor.

While I didn't actually grow up in Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood (1968-2001,)

our kids did.

It was common to hear Mr. Rogers singing, "It's a beautiful day in this neighborhood," and I often envied his soft zipper-front cardigans and comfy sneakers that he would change into after coming into his house.

[Note:  One of his trademark sweaters is designated a "Treasure of American History" and is displayed in the Smithsonian Institution.]

I was knee-deep in motherhood at the time and watched bits and pieces of his show as I folded socks or sat with the kids for a few minutes between tasks.

Sometimes, I must confess, I wondered just what kept their attention.  

This was not a whiz-bang cartoon show or programming that featured flashy animation or computer-generated graphics.

Nope.  This was a gentle kind-hearted favorite-grandfatherly sort of guy who spoke softly to his young audience, engaged their imaginations with the use of puppets and live guests and took field trips to places like a bakery or to learn how crayons are created.

No secret powers, no flying--just an ability to talk to a young boy about how his electric wheelchair worked or showing how to make a wind chime or taking a Make Believe trip to the Eiffel Tower or why it's important to talk to others when you feel frightened.


You might be wondering why Mr. Rogers is on my mind a LOT lately.

I came across an article in THE WEEK, (Oct. 20, 2017) a few weeks ago entitled "The real Mr. Rogers," written by Anthony Breznican (excerpted from an article that originally appeared on EntertainmentWeekly.com.)

He writes about his own personal memories of this American television personality, musician, puppeteer, writer, producer and Presbyterian minister.

He explains that as he was putting his own 4-year-old to bed and scrolling through the heartbreaking news about the bombing in Manchester, England, he kept encountering one meme being shared and reshared.  

It was something that Mr. Rogers told an interviewer once when asked about a way to talk about violence and tragedy with young children.

"Always look for the helpers.  You will always find people who are helping...look for the helpers and you'll know there's hope."


Mr. Breznican continues to describe his own encounter with Mr. Rogers--which reminded me of my own Mr. Rogers Moment.

It was early May, 1987.  My husband, Ken, was the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Bowling Green State University.  As such he was always involved in commencement ceremonies and I attended as well.  I was especially looking forward to this graduation as it had been announced that Mr. Rogers would be there to accept an Honorary Doctorate of Humanities for his work in children's television programming.

Most often, recipients of honorary doctorate degrees simply acknowledge the honor with a smile or a handshake or something like that.  It is rare that they're asked to speak.  But, that was okay because the university had a commencement speaker--William F. Buckley, a famous political journalist.

Graduation ceremonies during those years were held outside (in good weather) in the BGSU football stadium.  The soon-to-be college graduates were seated on the playing field and filled it from end zone to end zone.  Families and guests were seated in the bleachers on both sides and those of us married to university administrators had the luxury of being seated in the President's Box--a very advantageous position for viewing the entire ceremony.

Once Mr. Buckley was introduced, he launched into an erudite speech that lost most of us after the first few words.  (I still can't recall his topic.)

Then it was time for the conferring of the honorary degree to Mr. Rogers.  Once the doctoral hood was placed around his shoulders the applause was so sincere and thunderous that President Olscamp broke tradition and asked if maybe Mr. Rogers would like to say a few words?

Surprised (but, with the applause still continuing, maybe not), Mr. Rogers stepped to the podium.  Before he could utter a word there came a faint call from the depths of the student body--"Sing the song...sing the song..."

From my vantage point high above, it was like the tiny voice in Woo-ville that begins like a whisper and is picked up by others until the chant become a roar, "Sing the song!"

Mr. Rogers smiled and said,

"I will if you will..." and then he started singing "Won't you be my neighbor," as 2200 students joined him, standing, arms in the air, swaying back and forth in unison.

It took my breath away.

When we were done singing, there was a hush, a realization that every single one of us in that stadium that day had shared something so profound, so magical, that years later, after four different universities and my husband serving 19 years as a university president, THIS STILL RANKS AS ONE OF THE MOST AMAZING EXPERIENCES EVER IN MY LIFE!

[I was reminded by a reader who was there on the dais that day that after the singing had subsided and before Mr. Rogers returned to his seat, Mr. Buckley turned to President Olscamp and asked, "Who is that guy?]

With all the turmoil in the world today, where disasters seem almost like a weekly occurrence, I'll never forget his closing words that day.

First, he complimented us all on our singing and then he reminded us to treat ourselves and others with respect.  

 That was it.  No lengthy sleep-inducing speech.  Just a reminder about respect.

Good words then.  Good words now.  Thank you, Mr. Rogers, for being our neighbor that day and inviting us to always be yours.

[See the documentary on Mr. Rogers, "Won't you be my neighbor?," which airs on June 8, 2018, directed by Morgan Neville, who also directed "20' from Stardom."] 



  

In Search of Giants - The Destination

Smoke filled the park from fires in Northern California and a
prescribed fire within Sequoia National Park.

Even the smoke
could not daunt my enthusiasm
to finally meet
The Giants that have beckoned me since childhood.

This is the story of a journey and a destination.




To read about The Journey, please go to my other blog, www.WhimsyCalls.blogspot.com.  

To read about The Giant Sequoias, please read on.

We entered Sequoia National Park through the Tree Rivers Entrance
and soon began our steep ascent high into the mountains.

Growing up in Wyoming where trees are scarce on the High Plains, the pictures I saw of the Giant Sequoias seemed impossible to be true.

How could any tree reach over 300 feet tall?  Or live longer than 3,000 years? And, how could it start from a seed the size of an oat flake??

[Giant Sequoias differ from California Coast Redwoods in many ways, including  that Redwoods are taller but Sequoias are older and denser.  For example, a Redwood might weigh 1.6 million pounds and be 22 feet in diameter.  A Sequoia might weigh 2.7 million pounds and be 40 feet in diameter.]

Once inside the park, the 16 miles of road from the entrance
to Giant Forest includes 130 curves and 12 switchbacks!

The Giant Sequoias only grow naturally on the west slope of the Sierra Nevada.

Getting there is a beautiful, awe-inspiring trip--especially if one is the passenger and not the driver focusing on navigating tight switchback curves.

Do you see the squiggly route from Ash Mountain
Entrance to Lodgepole Visitor's Center?  Hold tight!

I was filled with anxious anticipation as we drove up Generals Highway, through areas with huge granite rocks, deep shade from the cover of thick trees and lingering vibrant fall colors.

And, THEN!  

HERE THEY ARE!!!

We entered the Giant Forest and stopped in the first vacant pull-off.  I leaped out of the car and then felt surprisingly shy in the presence of trees so magnificent and awe-inspiring!

I felt honored to be there, to finally BE THERE, in that space with these GENTLE GIANTS.

Quietly I made my way to the first tree and silently introduced myself.  In that magical space it seemed the right thing to do. Once my silent introductions were made I felt comfortable to reach out to touch the rough spongy bark (so thick--up to two feet--it is virtually impervious to brush fires and insect invasions.)  

At 11:42 PST I finally achieved a childhood dream and touched the fibrous red-brown bark of a Giant.

Sunlight filters through the smoke and halos my first meeting!!

Ken greets another Giant Sequoia.

"This is their temple,
vaulted high, and 
where we pause with
reverent eye."
                                              
                                       ---Joseph B. Strauss



These trees are the stuff of dreams and throughout the day I kept laughing with joy just to be here on such a magnificent fall day!!

Trunks group together like friends for life.

The Giant Forest was named by explorer and conservationist John Muir in 1875.  

This beautiful grove of big trees remain as Muir found them--

"Giants grouped in pure temple groves, or arranged in colonnades along the sides of meadows."

The northern fringe of the grove is guarded by THE GENERAL SHERMAN TREE, the largest tree in the world, and that is where we headed next.

The beginning of the steep main trail to see GENERAL SHERMAN TREE,
that is actually only about a half-mile down but seems like two miles up!

Once down the main trail, we wandered through groves of GIANTS on a looping two-mile Congress Trail.

We shared the trail with fellow visitors from all over the world with so many languages overheard that we lost count!

Despite the throngs of people, there was a sense of awe and wonder as we gazed from gnarled twisted trunks up to the tip of the trees so high that often the tips were more imagined than seen.

A natural space in the trunk of
GENERAL SHERMAN TREE invites one to step inside.

We wandered the trail, pausing to take photos of massive fallen trees, so large and long that sometimes they were cut into sections just to make room for them on the ground.

We stopped inside trees that had been carved away and tucked ourselves inside spaces in trunks that seemed natural shelters.

GENERAL SHERMAN TREE is considered the largest living tree in the world not because of its height but because of its volume.  

It weights about 2.7 million pounds and is somewhere around 2,200 years old.  It reaches 275 feet into the air and its circumference at ground level is 102.6 feet.  

Ken stands in a carved tunnel of one fallen GIANT along the path.

I accept the invitation to step inside the space of one GIANT.

GIANTS reaching so high that one photograph does not do justice!

Late afternoon sunlight filters onto the trunks of
GIANTS at Grant Grove in King's Canyon National Park.

After a reviving and delicious al fresco lunch at Lodgepole, we continued north into Kings Canyon National Park to Grant Grove to take the trail to the GENERAL GRANT TREE, which is considered "a youngster" at 1,800-2,000 years old.  

It reaches 268.1 feet into the sky and is 107.5 feet around, making it the world's third largest tree.  

It is often called "The Nation's Christmas Tree," and the town of Sanger, CA, hosts a special Yuletide celebration under its snow-laden branches each year.

THE GENERAL GRANT TREE is as tall as a 27-story building and wider at its base
than a three-lane freeway.  It weighs more than 700 large cars.

The Fallen Monarch is fun to explore from the inside!

One of our favorite GIANTS is the FALLEN MONARCH.  

It is thought that the tree was probably hollowed by fire long before it fell centuries ago.

But, rather than shattering, as sequoias usually do when they fall, it remained intact and served as lodging, a hotel, a saloon and a stable!

I loved the smoothness of the wood inside and the worn floor area where thousands of visitors/inhabitants have tread.

Based on photographs taken in the late 1800s, FALLEN MONARCH has decayed very little in the more than 100 years since.

The entrance to FALLEN MONARCH beckons one to step inside this GIANT tree.

All too soon this day was closing. 

As we headed south on Generals Highway, we departed this incredible sacred area with a deep appreciation that it still remains, conserved with the goal of preserving it as a vital living entity for children yet to be born.

As for me, my dream to meet THE GIANTS may have been a persuasive wind to carry me to this place--but, MEETING THE GIANTS surpassed my wildest and most creative expectations!

"The big tree is Nature's forest  masterpiece...the greatest of living things."
                      --John Muir

Homecoming

Bright flowers greet us upon our arrival "home."

"Homecoming means coming home to what is in your heart."
    ---- Author Unknown

For 12 years we called Ohio Northern University in Ada, OH, home.

Neither the village nor the university are very large.



At the time we were there, 1999-2011, ONU had record enrollment of around 3700 students and Ada boasted of 5,000--give or take.

But, never mistake greatness by size.  This mighty university, nestled in rural northwest Ohio, is a gem of a school with professional programs, including the colleges of Pharmacy, Engineering, Business and Law coupled with an outstanding College of Arts and Sciences, which includes teacher education and nursing.

Our golf cart awaits in front of The Inn at ONU.

I never lived on campus prior to becoming the First Lady of a university.  

(Note:  "First Lady" means my husband was the 9th President of the University of North Dakota and the 10th President of Ohio Northern University.)

I quickly learned that there is a tangible difference to a campus if it also serves as one's home.  It is not a job that one leaves at the end of the day.  It's home and job 24/7. And, it's not a place one leaves upon graduation.

Ken in front of the Wilson Art building where I earned my B.F.A. in Studio Art.

While Ken and his colleagues worked diligently to lead and shape a vibrant and growing university, I walked the campus--all the nooks and crannies--with my beloved dogs--first Kodak and later Molly.

I interacted with faculty, staff and students on a daily basis, and I became a student to work on my third degree, my "dream" degree in art in 2001, becoming a graduate in 2006.  

Me sitting in our Sweetheart Bench next to "my" rock and tree
commemorating my service as "First Lady" to ONU.

When one lives on a campus, there is a connection that reaches far deeper than lasting friendships or "just a house" that one inhabits for a few years.

It's deep, this connection.  Partly love, respect, loyalty--yes, all of that.  But, it's still more, like ties that bind forever. 

We have left part of ourselves in this sprawling campus of about 342 acres--and carry it with us, despite retiring and moving 1,315 miles away to Colorado.

Located on the southwest part of campus, Baker Commons refers to a variety of residential options that provide choices
for students, from apartments to suites to affinity living.  (Photo by ONU Photographer Ken Colwell.)

Cutting the ribbon with (from left) the 11th ONU President, Dr. Daniel A. DiBiasio; Chris Burns-DiBiasio;  Dr. Ken Baker, President Emeritus; myself; Judy Mifsud and Oscar Mifsud, Chair of the ONU Board of Trustees.
(Photo by ONU Photographer Ken Colwell.)

Ken outside the student dining area in McIntosh Center.

We returned to ONU last weekend for Homecoming and to attend the Baker Commons dedication and to meet the first recipient of my newly established scholarship for art/English majors.

It was a marvelous time to reconnect with dear friends, meet new students, embrace former students, cheer a Homecoming victory in football, volleyball and soccer--and to acknowledge that Ken and I share something so profound and sacred with this place called ONU--and it with us.

(If you want to see more: 
http://www.hometownstations.com/story/36436295/former-onu-president-and-wife-get-commons-named-after-them 

It truly was a Homecoming, in every sense of the world.

Our inscription on our Sweetheart Bench on the ONU campus  remains true.

Riots, Flooding and a Solar Eclipse - A Heck of a Month!

What a month this has been on my heart & spirit.

August, usually a month that is often defined as the end of summer and the beginning of the school year, began for us with beautiful weekends high in the Wyoming mountains at my parent's cabin.

It is usually a place for respite, a time for long family talks around the dining room table, listening to the wind cascade through the trees, watching the humorous antics of the chipmunks and Golden Mantles, and trying to keep up with the hummingbird feeders.

It is a place where I can explore a dirt trail on a vintage motorcycle and where there's always time to visit with friends.

Without internet or cell phone service, it's comfortable, familiar and seemingly far, far away from the "real world."

But, on the weekend of August 12th, the TV, which is often just a source for entertainment and old movies, put us smack dab in the heart of Charlottesville, VA.

Suddenly, violence, racial bigotry, seething hatred and even death permeated our quiet space.  

I was bewildered with what I was watching and what I heard--and did not hear--for several days.  

I was consumed with unanswered questions, beginning with What is happening to our country?

I thought we, as a country, had come farther than this.

I thought we had made strides forward in equality, respect, tolerance.

I read articles on How Did We Get to This?  Is Hate Speech Free Speech?  Is Today's Tumultuous Political Climate Giving Hate a Broader Platform?

And, then, it was Monday, August 21, and all of North America was treated to a solar eclipse.

All my family and friends made plans to watch.  Some were first to see it from Lincoln City, Oregon; some in Casper, Wyoming; a newly designated campsite in the middle of Wyoming; a corn field in Nebraska; a rented cabin in Topton, NC. Ken and I watched with my parents at the Wyoming cabin.  

For that short morning span we all looked up, reminded that there is still wonder in the sky, that a celestial event can be a moment that fills a human heart with awe and gratitude to have the opportunity--and approved glasses--to witness it. It is a sight to behold.

Photo by Stephan Morin

Four days later, Hurricane Harvey made landfall in Texas.

The first hurricane in 2017, Harvey has dumped over 50 inches of rain causing catastrophic flooding, creating the worst disaster in Texas history and likely the United States.

And, brought out the best in humans helping each other.

Watching coverage, I am brought to tears by the compassion, care and kindness shared by strangers, volunteers, neighbors, friends and families.  I am heartened by ongoing rescues with about 32,000 displaced people in shelters across Texas, and millions of dollars donated to relief efforts by corporations, celebrities, sports stars, foundations--and folks like you and me.  

I will close this post with a quote from Nelson Mandela from his 1994 autobiography "Long Walk to Freedom," that was tweeted by President Obama in response to the Charlottesville riots:

"No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin or his background or his religion.  People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite."