In Memory of Johnnie Bailey Anderson Allen

Every year since 1988, when Memorial weekend rolls around, I remember the day my mother died. It was a beautiful day, one of those rare Memorial Days when the weather was being kind to us. I was at home with the kids (Jan had gone up north to help his brother with something) and we were planning to walk down to the lakefront and then do some grilling in the evening. The phone rang and it was my sister with the news that Mom had suffered a massive coronary and died. I remember not shedding a single tear but going about the routine, calling Jan to arrange for him to come home for the kids. He told me he could not come home as he still had things to do for his brother...and still I did not weep.

I made calls to the library to get the full text of a poem that ,the summer before, my mother had said she would like read at her funeral. I went on the outing with the kids and then when we got home I told them what had happened and that I would be gone for a few days.

Do not stand at my grave and weep
I am not there. I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glints on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning's hush
I am the swift uplifting rush.
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry;
I am not there. I did not die.

All of the kids from Wisconsin rode down together, doing some bonding as we made the journey, sharing memories and laughter. We all did our part in easing things for my father who had lost his best friend, his soul mate. I remember sharing laughter with him when he came upon my brother and I trying to get my mother's ashes into the urn that we had purchased and his comment of "Okay Johnnie, you said you wanted to fit into a size smaller." Along with my father, I met with the minister prior to the service and talked about what music she had wanted, told him of the reading of the poem at the cemetery, etc. As is inevitable there was some tension among siblings but we made it through it all. The poem was read while her ashes were scattered.

And still I had not shed a tear.

Afterwards we gathered with family and friends and talked about our memories of her. Everyone had wonderful memories of her as she was just that kind of person. And still no tears were shed.

About six weeks later, I was at home preparing a meal for the kids when I thought of a question that I should ask my mother and it struck me that she was not there to reply. I became angry, cursed her for leaving, then collapsed onto the kitchen floor in tears. This is where my kids found me and asked why I was crying. I replied, "because my mother died." and one by one they knelt down and put their arms around me, telling me that it would be okay. And with that I knew that she was still there and that had been her answer. She would always be there for me.

Time Has Flown

I can hardly believe that it is almost June. The spring was a typical Wisconsin spring with cold, snow, rain, heat, cold, rain, rain, rain...my spring flowers bloomed and quickly faded away.

Madison was an exciting place to be this spring and it looks as if things will continue to be so through the summer.Each week brings with it another underhanded move by our "beloved" governor that keeps the pot boiling for all the activist of both parties as well as the independents.

In addition to the political events summer brings with it all sorts of neighborhood events, Concert on Square, etc that make living here so much fun.

Second Opinion

Recently I did a review of a children's book call Dream and I had not given it the best of reviews. However, I recently received a hard copy of the book and my four year old grandson was visiting and saw the book. He asked me to read it with him and as we went through the story he asked questions and expanded on the idea of each page as we went along. So not only did the book hold his attention this time but it encouraged him to think about the concept of doing things that might seem impossible.

Voting

Once again we have controversial election with late votes showing up. Now I do not think that this was fabricated votes but one must wonder about the process when over 7000 votes can simply get "misplaced" because of the counting/reporting process that was put in place.

I would like to see the voting process become more simplified and modernized.
Register to vote and enroll using your SS# and set up double passwords.
On election day, you have the choice of casting your vote from any location where you have secure internet access. Municipality would provide access via city hall, schools, libraries, etc. Votes would be tallied instantly.

The Time Is Now For Change

It is election day and for the most part April elections are pretty quiet. This year, however, there has been an outpouring of discussion about every elected position that is up for a vote. Back in November 2010, people voted for what they thought was going to be positive change, forcing bi-partisan cooperation in Washington and locally. This did not happen and now people are ready to re-group and make some more changes.

Virtual Choir

Naked Apple Pie

This is a real easy dessert and can be "thrown" together at the last minute. I like to use a real tart and juicy apples for this recipe.

Beat 1 egg in medium bowl. Add:
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. sugar
1 t. vanilla
1 c. flour, sifted with 1 t. baking powder
2 medium apples, pared, cored and chopped
1 c. pecans or walnuts
Spread into well greased 9-inch pie plate. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Chicken Sour Cream Enchiladas

8 large flour tortillas

1 Can Cream of Celery Soup

1 Cup sour cream

1 Small Can Chopped Green Chilies

3 Chicken Breasts, cooked and chopped

1 Small Can Sliced Ripe Olives

8 Oz. Grated Cheddar Cheese

3 or 4 Scallions, chopped

Mix soup, sour cream, and chilies. Spread about 1/8 of this mixture over the tortillas. Add some chicken, cheese, olives and onions. Roll up and place in a greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Top with remaining sauce and sprinkle with cheese, onions and scallions. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

Greek Turkey Burgers

 Recently I started going through my large collection of recipe clippings, trying to put them into some sort of organization. I have several ring binders with clear plastic page protectors and have organized many of my clippings using this method. However, step two was to actually go through and discard duplicates and recipes, that while interesting, are  not likely to make it onto any of my menu planning. Then there was the "To Do" list of recipes that I would like to try in the near future. I have decided to add at least one new recipe to my meal planning each week and to post the most successful on the blog. Here is recipe #1:

Greek Turkey Burgers

1 pound ground turkey breast meat

1 tablespoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

4 tablespoons nonfat sour cream

4 pita bread rounds

1 small cucumber peeled and diced

1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Prepare grill according to manufacturer's instructions. Remove cooking rack from grill and spray with cooking spray.

In medium bowl, combine turkey, olives, parsley, garlic, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and pepper.

Shape into 4 burgers approximately 4 1/2 inches in diameter.

Grill burgers 5 minutes per side, until meat is no long pink in center. Spread 1 tablespoon sour cream on each pita.

Place cooked burger on bottom half of each pita and top evenly with cucumber and 1 tablespoon crumbled feta cheese. Fold over top half of pita and serve.

Serves 4.

Dream

I recently had the opportunity to read an advanced copy of a children's book Dream by Adam Montierth with illustrations by Adam Deveny. The message of the book fits with the motto I have had since high school, Never the difficult, Always the impossible. The book tells kids that anything is possible if you dream. Illustrations are colorful and catch the eye. At times the writing seems inconsistent with the age level of a picture book. I tried reading it to my 4-year old grandson and often found myself paraphrasing the author's words in order to redirect the attention back to the story.  However, the message did get across and spurred a conversation about what you can and can't do in life so all in all I would say that it is a good book.

Fight On Wisconsin

A budget that puts corporations before people? A state senator who calls police officers, firefighters and teachers fighting for their rights "slobs?" A state house closed to the public? Is this the Wisconsin we want?  I for one do not want this to be my Wisconsin. Walker was elected based on misleading, vague promises and now even those who had been among his supporters are waking up to the truth. If left unchecked, I fear that the once leader in progress state will become Wisconsin Incorporated as the big money backers take over our power plants, our prisons, our schools, and more and more of our farms.

 It is time for us to stand firm in our fight to win back the rights that have long been the building blocks of our states success. Give thanks to the 14 who stood in defiance of the Koch puppet.

http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_d592bfbc-4cfb-11e0-92e8-001cc4c03286.html

Wisconsin Protests Walker Anti- Union Budget

http://vimeo.com/20089255

Coby Products

I purchased both a camcorder and a DVD player from Coby. Granted my main reason for selecting their product was cost as I did not want or need an expensive option for these items. However, what I got was cheap not inexpensive. Neither product worked as advertised and the lack of customer service/support after numerous attempts to get help put them on my list of poorest customer service. The DVD-657 was suppose to have a karaoke function but it does not work. The CAM5001 does not allow for upload to my computer except in format that is not playable by any apps. There are other shortcomings but these were the features that had led me to making the purchase. Lesson learned" Do not buy Coby products. The User Manuals for both appear to have been written in foreign language and then Google translated.

Snow Days

A blizzard is a severe storm condition characterized by strong winds and reduced visibility. By definition, the difference between blizzard and a snowstorm is the strength of the wind. To be a blizzard, a snow storm must have winds in excess of 56 km/h (35 mph) with blowing or drifting snow which reduces visibility to 400 meters or ¼ mile or less and must last for a prolonged period of time — typically three hours or more. (Wikipedia)


The weather service continues to report a severe storm for the area and many events have been canceled in anticipation. However, we did not receive the snow yesterday that was predicted and so far today there has been nothing. I know that it is still early in the day  and we could get hit around "rush hour" as is typical but I am predicting that most of the storm will pass south of us and then head north east, perhaps hitting the greater Milwaukee area with some intense lake affect snow before moving on to hit the upper east coast. 

While I do not like driving in the snow, I do like the beauty of a good snowfall. There is a sort of peace that comes over the outside world, a symphony of quiet that is only disturbed by the sound of the snowplows percussion and then the inevitable sound of the neighborhood snow blowers.

Tomorrow being Ground Hogs Day will be the perfect day for overcast skies and I predict that the ground hog will not see his shadow but we will still see six more weeks of winter.

State of the Union

Today in Washington, the House passed a bill to repeal the much sought after health-care reform that was passed in 2010. As it was something sought during several administration I can only conclude that the repeal is simply based on its not having been passed during a GOP administration and the fact that it was not supported by the major insurance companies who have historically supported the GOP candidates with their money.(I worked for 20 years in the insurance industry and at a level that I sat in on meetings where these agendas were discussed.) If you look carefully at the planned reform and not just the political blurbs, you will see that it does favor the citizen over the large corporations that have controlled health care access and cost for years. Unfortunately we have, for the most part, become a country of uninformed voters who will support a party line based on one issue agreement rather than looking at each issue with a fresh eye.

In another, partisan act, a ranking member of the GOP stated that he would not attend functions for China's President Hu. How do they expect to improve relations and therefore be in a better position to influence how this, one of the largest developing nations, merges into the world community.

It is time that our government and We, The People, remember that they are suppose to be working for us when they sit in Washington.

What Makes A Photograph Art.?

Someone told me recently that he had lost interest in photography now that anyone could "make" a good picture rather than taking a good photograph. Even though I am one of those who appreciates the fact that I can now take some of my less than stellar "snaps" and by cropping and other filter options that are available on most photo softwares, can create good from poor. I disagree, however, on whether or not this diminishes the work of the photographer who sees objects in ways that others do not, who is able to draw the viewer into the photograph by use of shadow, lines, angles, etc. The great photographer shows us what he sees but also leaves us thinking about the subject matter, lets our imagination fill in the "blanks" that are suggested by the way the photo is presented to us. When you see a subject looking out of a window, for example, while we can admire the light and shadow and how it sets a mood, it still leaves us with questions. What is the subject looking at?

I enjoy taking my old, "throw away" photos and by scanning and using programs like Photofilter can salvage part of the picture or even the photo as a whole by using various "artist" tools to manipulate the image. This does not make me in anyway like the many wonderful photographers that start with an image better than my final product and then, perhaps, use these softwares to merely enhance the image not create it.

Moving in the Right Direction: High Speed Rail in Wisconsin

High Speed Rail

http://www.politifact.com/wisconsin/statements/2010/nov/30/scott-walker/governor-elect-scott-walker-says-milwaukee-madison/

Our Governor-Elect had said during his campaign that he would kill this project and use the grant money for other needs within the state. He failed to understand that without the project, the money would not be there but would go to another state that was willing to implement the high speed rail project. He, also, failed to understand that the Spanish company that as a result of the project had targeted Milwaukee as the site of their plant to build trains and would create jobs for Wisconsin. Now that company is looking for another state. We need to let Mr Walker know that we have looked behind the curtain and have seen the problems with his plans. Speak out!

Meetings will run from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.:
Tue, Nov. 30 in La Crosse at the Best Western Riverfront Hotel, 1835 Rose St.
Wed, Dec. 1 in Eau Claire at the Best Western Trail Lodge Hotel, 3340 Monovi Rd,
Thur, Dec. 2 in Fond du Lac at UW-Fond du Lac
Tue, Dec. 7 in Madison at the WisDOT SW Region Office, 2101 Wright St

Roswell

It has taken me a couple of weeks but I have finally watched the complete series Roswell. I started watching it when it was actually on TV but then life got in the way as often happens to most of us. It was a good series but the cancellation and network changes forced the storyline. There were some good actors involved and I would love to see them reunite for the 10 year reunion of the Roswell High Class of 2002.


Yes, we know that Max and Liz got married but what else happened? Did they continue their quest to save others from the "unit"? Did Isabel get back with Jesse? What happened with Michael and Maria? And let us not forget Kyle, did he get powers? Are they all now superheroes?

There's A Monster In The House

The above title is also the title of a children's song that I have listened to a lot recently with Sol.It is one of his favorites. I was reminded of the song the other night as I sat here at the computer. I was alone and for once there was no music playing as I attempted to get some writing done. Several times my concentration was broken by a faint noise that I quickly attributed to a car passing by the house. Some time passed before my concentration was again broken by a noise and this time it was clear that this was not coming from outside the house and that it was not mechanical in nature. It was a sort of snorting, squeaking, and heavy breathing sound. I tried to ignore it and get on with my task but this was not to be. Finally I got up to go investigate. I climbed the stairs, moving toward the now growing louder sound and when I reached the top of the stairs, what should I find? In the song, when the child calls for his parents upon hearing the monster, the monster goes quiet and only starts his noise again after the parents have gone back to bed and it is then that the child realizes that the monster is really his sleeping dad. My monster turned out to be Keitel (our dog) lying at the top of the stairs, legs kicking, growling and snoring in the throes of a doggy nightmare.

This got me wondering what a dog's dream was like. Does he see images, hear sounds, smell? What is taking place in those dreams when the legs are kicking and he is growling? Does he remember his dreams when he wakes up? What triggers the nightmare versus the peaceful dream? Do other animals dreams?