I started taking the free tai chi class at the local senior center last month. Having learned some tai chi movements back in the 1980s, I knew tai chi would be good for my health. The teacher was encouraging when I told her about my knees (no cartilage in them according to the specialist). She let me know that it was okay to not attempt more than my body can handle at any moment. In other words, do not over do and screw up your body. Just from the first class, I realized these things about me: I breathe shallowly. I need to be mindful about breathing deeply. I hold a lot of tension in my body, particularly in my hips, legs, and knees. I need to relax my body, particularly the muscles around my tailbone. When I do, the pain decreases and I can chip away at the stiffness. I'm not confident that my knees can support me so I walk with my body bent forward. The movements reinforce the concept of empty and full steps. In short, I can trust my legs. That when I put weight on one

We've been hanging around downtown a lot lately because Eliza the Car has been needing repair work.  Last week she got a tune up, this week, a new brake master cylinder. Next week, she'll have her timing belt and accompanying parts replaced. She's worth it. For being 25 years old and way over the 100K milestone, Eliza continues to be a sturdy, steady, and reliable gal. She may not be as fuel efficient as the electric and hybrid cars, but she still gets better mileage than some SUVs, minivans, and pickups. When Eliza's in the shop, we treat ourselves to breakfast, after which we walk around town, entertaining ourselves with the little things such as the business signs that we see. The Husband and I got a kick out of the above sign. Who doesn't want positive vibes?

The other morning I heard "We love rock and roll" coming from a neighbor's house. It was not annoying loud at all. After the chorus I heard the neighbor's three year old say, "I don't like that song. Turn it off, Mom!" Chuckle.

"Oh, my," said Valentina the Vietnamese Elephant, touching her trunk to her heart. Tears of joy nearly blinded her vision. She smiled at her newly adopted son. "You are in for a surprise, my little Volare." "What did you see out there, Momma?" the little boy asked, stepping towards the opening among the trees. "Whoaaaa! Who are those animals coming down the hill?" "They are all your new family, Sweetheart. They've come to welcome you home." Volare jumped up and down. He ran to his new momma and melted into her body. He loved her the moment he saw her just a few hours ago. Mmmmm. Valentina scooped up her new son and carried him into the open field to meet her friends, the ABC Creatures , led by the soon-to-be-married couple Thomas and Winnie. "Momma,  Momma," said Volare. "They're singing my name!"   V is the theme for this week of ABC Wednesday . Check out the meme here and the l

A public phone! That's right, shades of the pre cell phone days. A telephone book (yellow pages only) was even attached to it. Oh my. Did it work? Beats us. The Husband and I paid attention to that sign above the payphone. Today is sharing time at Our World Tuesday . Check it out here .  Thanks, Our World Tuesday hosts!

I hand pollinated two budding squash fruits last week because I was worried the male and female flowers would not pop open at the same time. You can't count on the bees or other insects to pollinate, especially these days when there aren't a lot of natural pollinators around. Hand pollinating squash is easy to do. Carefully strip the petals of the female blossom, doing your best not to touch her stigma. Then strip the petals off a male flower, taking care not to spill any of his pollen. Now, dab the pollen onto the stigma. If you don't feel confident that the male had sufficient pollen, then pick another male flower and repeat. The summer that I was 17 I worked as a hand pollinator for a seed research company. I got the job purely through nepotism. The Mama was in charge of hiring summer help who were usually teenage girls. She waited until I graduated high school before she hired me. She also hired my friend Kathy, who let the Mama know on her last day on Earth how

Recently the Husband and I found a not-so-often-traveled road that skirted the northern side of a nearby mountain. Entry to the road is in very deep shade. We came across it years ago, but we backed out after a few feet because the road looked like it would be an unpaved, pitted one. We didn't think Eliza, our 1993 metal steed, would fare well on it. I don't know why we felt confident that an older Eliza wouldn't complain a couple of weeks ago. The road had not a hole to carefully maneuver over or around. The road reminded me of the fire and logging roads in deep forests. Well, duh, we were going through a second or third generation growth redwood forest. It was beautiful in there. I'm so grateful that we could travel through the forest by car since my knees and right ankle complain after several blocks of walking. How else would I have seen this living creature of a tree? If it's Sunday, it must be time for All Seasons , a weekly meme hosted by J