The Sea Beckons

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Time To Say Arrgggh!

'Tis our illustrious Talk Like A Pirate Day!

Aye, on September 19, every year, ye best be sayin' Arrgggh and Ahoy. Toss in an Avast to get someone's attention!

Pirates And The Sea

When we invoke pirates, we call forth the sea and its magical allure. Siren songs float in the waves like driftwood. Mermaids coax us into the watery depths. 

What is the swirl of tides that echoes in our pulsing veins?

As the moon pushes and pulls at the shore, does the salty water in our own bodies long to join in the dance?

Wild Sea, She Be A-Callin'

A mesmerizing whisper in the lapping of waves at the shore's edge brings a primordial recognition. Sometimes, it's as if we see something out of the corner of our eye. Or, it's a sound we thought we heard behind us, but no one is there. 

Hello, did someone call me home? 

When the sun touches the water, our hearts leap. Our pulse quickens as we stare in wonder at the sparkling diamonds of sunlight. Precious jewels available to one and all.

Primordial Call

Could we crawl back into the sea and swim with the dolphins and whales? Not as separate humans, but as sea mammals, together, smiling knowingly at one another? We could whirl through the uncharted depths of liquid dark and light and open our hearts until they fill the entire ocean. 

Planet Water

Planet Earth should be called Planet Water given that it's much more water than earth. Our human-centric viewpoint defines everything through our own limited eyes, seldom stretching past our own awareness. But, sometimes, secrets from the sea are revealed and we wonder, might there be other perceptions of reality just as relevant as our own?

A Life At Sea

Let Talk Like A Pirate Day carry you away.

Imagine a life at sea. The odor of briny salt water swirls inside you as you sniff the air. Your sea legs know, without thinking, how to shift with the roll and swell of the waves.

It's a time when we traveled between distant lands on great, grand ships with our arms wide open instead of winding our way, huddled together, in security lines at airports.

Just for a day, indulge yourself and have a Pirate Heart that loves the sea and dreams of hidden treasure.

Lighthouse photo: James Peacock

We Remember 9/11

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Remembering 9/11

Five years, 15 years, 25 years, or more. It doesn't matter how long ago.

We will remember.

Unimagined Horror

Airplanes, whose purpose is to move us here and there, had that benevolent purpose twisted and perverted. They were used instead as weapons of terror. 

The world watched in horror as airplanes were hijacked and flung into wanton acts of death and destruction.

A photo taken on September 10, 2001

A World Changed Forever

Lives were shattered as evil exploded past barriers of comprehension. There have been a lot of articles that cover the lives lost.

Everyone is familiar with stories of both the fêted and the unsung heroes who selflessly sacrificed for others, for people they didn't even know. We know many stories of loved ones lost.

Sometimes, certain people stand out for us. For me, it's the Hanson family.

A Family Held In Time

The Hanson family is forever frozen in time as a Christmas family from 2010. They were not allowed to live to see their next Christmas.

All three of them were obliterated because they were flying together on United Airlines Flight 175 on September 11, 2001. That plane crashed into the World Trade Center's South Tower.

Their little girl, Christine, with her wide smile, red hat and sweater, was only 2 1/2 years old. She was the youngest fatality on the flights. Her parents, Peter and Sue Kim Hanson, hailed from Massachusetts. They were headed for her first adventure in Disneyland and to visit Sue's family in California.

Peter Called His Father From The Plane

Phoning from the plane, Peter Hanson was able to reach his father, C. Lee Hanson. Peter told his father that hijackers appeared to be planning to crash the plane into a building.

"Don't worry, Dad. If it happens, it will be quick," Peter said with his Korean-American wife and his little girl, Christine, sitting next to him.

Moments later, Peter's father watched on television as his son's plane burst into a fireball as it hit the World Trade Center building.

Sue Kim Hanson was a doctoral candidate in microbiology-immunology at Boston University. Peter Hanson held an MBA and was vice-president of sales at a software company. Little Christine loved helping her father in the garden.

I didn't know them personally. I have never met any of their family. Yet they remain forever seared upon my heart.

I cannot begin to imagine what they went through in those last moments as their bodies crashed into the building. The grief of their family and friends must be an excruciating pain.

People Work Together

Almost as soon as the World Trade Center’s twin towers fell, thousands of firefighters, police officers, construction workers, search-and-rescue dogs and volunteers headed to Ground Zero to offer their help.

A search-and-rescue dog from 9/11 is comforted and receives subcutaneous fluids to help with dehydration. 

The cleanup and recovery efforts at Ground Zero lasted for more than a year, with crews working around the clock.

A Flower At The 9/11 Memorial

We see the hand of Pope Francis as he lays a white rose on the 9/11 Memorial on September 25, 2015.

The 9/11 Memorial is located at the site of the former World Trade Center complex and occupies approximately half of the 16-acre site. The memorial plaza is an eco-friendly site. There are more than 400 trees surrounding the reflective pools. A drop of healing nature in a big city of concrete.

“The National September 11 Memorial is a tribute of remembrance and honor to the nearly 3,000 people killed in the terror attacks of September 11, 2001 at the World Trade Center site, near Shanksville, Pa., and at the Pentagon, as well as the six people killed in the World Trade Center bombing in February 1993.”
— 911memorial.org

The Mission Statement for The National September 11 Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center reads:

 
“May the lives remembered, the deeds recognized, and the spirit reawakened be eternal beacons, which reaffirm respect for life, strengthen our resolve to preserve freedom, and inspire an end to hatred, ignorance and intolerance.”
— 911memorial.org
 

We remember 9/11.

Flowery Photos Of Agapanthus

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Instead of flowery prose, we shall indulge in flowery photos of our tantalizing Agapanthus flowers.

It's a chance to enjoy photos from bud to blossom to seed pod without the interjection of chatty words.

Let's allow the flowers to speak for themselves.

 

Tips For Driving Your Model T Ford

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Driving Back In Time

Going through some boxes of old family photos and papers, I discovered an email written by my step-dad about his memories of the Model T Ford. He described what it was like to drive it and recalled how it was put together.

For any gear-heads out there, and for those who enjoy a jaunt back in time, I offer his own words. And here, a photo of a 1927 Model T Ford Roadster with a Pickup Body.

Hit The Road In Your Model T Ford

 

His words: The Model T Ford had three pedals that connected to bands in the transmission. One pedal was for the brake band within the transmission. There were no brakes at any of the wheels.

The emergency brake was hand operated and on the earlier models it was on the left side of the driver. When you pulled on it, it provided braking and the drive band was put in neutral, which put the drive pedal in the middle of its range.

The drive pedal was depressed down for low gear and let all the way up for drive. This caused a problem for some people that were learning to drive or were inebriated from drink – for example, when they pulled into the garage they could push the pedal down half-way and it would be in neutral, but if they happened to push it too far, it was in low gear, and could push out the back wall of their garage.

The third pedal was for the reverse band and could also be used for a brake if the brake band was worn thin and didn't function well.

 
 

His words continued: The throttle and spark advance levers were both hand-operated and located just up under the steering wheel. To start it, you first retarded the spark and advanced the throttle lever slightly, then hand cranked the engine to start. 

As soon as it started, the spark was advanced to the running position. If it were left retarded, the engine would get extremely hot. If you happened to forget to retard it to start, the crank would kick back from the pre-ignition and could even break your arm.

Once you were on the road, it was only a steering job. The hand throttle stayed where you set it and the drive pedal was up. That's about all you need to know to drive a Model T Ford. 

 

Photo courtesy of The Murphy Auto Museum.

Ford Trucks And Their History

Segment One: the Model T Years 1925-1927:

 
“When ordered from the Ford factories the Model T Runabouts with Pickup Body were usually painted black or green.

For 1927, the last year Ford would produce the Model T, additional colors were made available for the Runabouts. Blue and Brown were the colors added and, if you wanted one of these colors, your Model T Runabout with Pickup Body came with black painted fenders, running board and a radiator shell.

Some owners dressed up their pickups with the Model T Ford’s nickel plated radiator shell and wire type wheels to give their trucks a more modern look.

At the end of the model year, Ford had produced some 18,142 Model T Runabouts with Pickup Body trucks which was a pretty good number of units for those times.”
— Ford Trucks, Paul McLaughlin
 

The cost of a 1927 Model T Ford Runabout with Pickup Body was $366.

We Drive Computers Today, Not Cars

I remember my dad lamenting the changes to cars even by the 1980s, how they were becoming so computerized, that he couldn't work on them anymore. Instead of car parts, there were computers and you needed specialized computer equipment to make repairs.

The Details Of History

It was a treat to "hear" my dad's voice describing his memories of the Model T Ford. I'm grateful to have found his email printed out.

Perhaps the next time you hop in your car you'll think back to the Model T Ford.

Our cars are still only four wheels running down the road, and yet, how different they are today.

 

As The Party Winds Down

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Beginning With Flower Buds

In a previous post, I wrote about the Agapanthus flowers in my backyard and their riotous party. 

It all started innocently enough. Here, tight buds whisper among themselves about the explosion of color that will come from their blooms. 

Long stems stretch up and up into the sky, eager to show off their displays of blue-purple flowers.

Agapanthus buds make preparations for a blooming party.

Flowers Bloom

Flowers bloom with hearts wide open, tossing their colors across the yard.

The Sweet Calm Of Ripening

But, like all good times, the party has to wind down. After the wild blooming, the calm of ripening unfolds as blossoms give way to seed pods.

Here, a ripening pod plays peek-a-boo as it pushes its way out from flower petals.

Seed Pods

Agapanthus seed pods are no less rich and satisfying to behold in their fullness than the flowers themselves. Their long, green pods gleam in the sun, humming with the renewal of life. They tantalize with their shiny fruit.

Late Bloomers

They say there's always a late bloomer, and it proved no less true amongst these flowers. Below, a blossoming flower proudly sings its song even while the rest of the flowers have already turned into seed pods. 

Flowers Fill Our Hearts

Such abundance and love these flowers share, easily and freely. I am filled with a grateful smile that I could witness their beauty. 

As we say goodbye to this season's blossoms, it's a bittersweet farewell since I won't get to see them next year. I'll have to be "in touch" with them from the inner light that we shared.

A new family lives there now. I hope they'll appreciate these glorious flowers known as Agapanthus and won't mind their wild and crazy parties!

 

A Riotous Party Of Flowers

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A Wild Celebration Of Purple

A cacophony of color has exploded in my backyard as Agapanthus flowers throw a party of riotous purple.

I'm usually not one for loud parties, but in this case, I have to smile every time I look out my window and behold the blaze of life-affirming color filling the yard. I never pick them. I let them live in all their beauty, anchored in the earth's thick clay.

Agapanthus Flowers Celebrate Life

Agapanthus flowers celebrate life with wild abandon as they stretch their purple colors up to a sky of blue. They welcome buzzing pollinators with joy. 

These flowers are nature's fireworks – bursts of purple streaks held in sunbeams, suspended in time for us to behold. 

Flowery Fireworks

No fear of fires started or damaged property, Agapanthus spreads loving blooms of color with everyone. 

No loud and scary explosions, the flowers erupt into gentle petals and delicious nectar that honey bees can't resist.

Yes, this is my favorite sort of celebration and fireworks. A riotous party of pure nature.

Communing With Nature

Students of The Radiance Technique® (TRT®) can dance with all the parties of nature. With TRT® hands-on, you can commune with flowers. You can place your hands on the flowers themselves, getting in touch with the fire of life in their petals. 

You can also spend time in the garden with the flowers and apply TRT® hands-on for yourself in various positions. Expand your awareness of the wholeness within nature and our deep inner-connection with the life force of our planet.

Front Position #1, in the heart, is wonderful to expand your loving connection with nature.

You Deserve The Gift Of Flowers

There's no unwritten rule that someone else should bring you flowers. You can treat yourself to flowers whenever you desire.

“Don’t wait for someone to bring you flowers.
Plant your own garden and decorate your own soul.”
 

Perhaps there are certain flowers that touch your heart. You can find them in a backyard, a park, or in a local flower shop.

You don't even have to pick them, just let them bloom in your heart.

 

 

 

My Country 'Tis of Thee

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Sweet Land of Liberty

The Fourth of July is a holiday in the United States of America, and we're celebrating the birth of our nation.

Samuel Francis Smith penned the lyrics to My Country 'Tis of Thee in 1832. A 24-year-old student of theology, Smith wanted to create a national hymn for the American people to offer praise to God for their wonderful land.

 
 

This song served as the unofficial national anthem for the United States until the adoption of The Star-Spangled Banner in 1931.

Fourth of July Holiday

We're a young nation with a relatively short history compared to many other countries. 

This nation's birth was only a short 240 years ago, in 1776. We're the brash newcomers making a splash and letting everyone know we're here.

The Fourth of July is a federal holiday and that gives us time to wave lots of flags. We line the streets for parades, gather outside for cook-outs and picnics, and join family and friends to watch fireworks at night. Bring out your patriotic red, white and blue!

Patriotism And Loving Your Country

What is patriotism?

“Patriotism is an emotional attachment to a nation which an individual recognizes as their homeland.
This attachment, also known as national pride, can be viewed in terms of different features relating to one’s own nation, including ethnic, cultural, political or historical aspects.”
“The English term patriot is first attested in the Elizabethan era, via Middle French from Late Latin (6th century) patriota, meaning “countryman.”
This ultimately came from Greek πατριώτης (patriōtēs), meaning “from the same country,” from πατρίς (patris), meaning “fatherland.”
The abstract noun patriotism appears in the early 18th century.”

Red, White And Blue

In the United States, if you're wearing a patriotic outfit, it's got red, white and blue in it. Decorations, same thing.

Not that these colors are unique to the Americans. We share these colors with the French and the British. Their flags are also red, white and blue. However, the French describe their colors as blue, white and red, changing the order so the color blue is listed first.

 
 

Patriotism can also be service to one's country and fellow countrymen. It can take the form of serving in the military or working in other service organizations.

This idea is captured in the famous words of President John F. Kennedy.

“And so, my fellow Americans: Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.”
— Inauguration Speech of John F. Kennedy

Loving Your Country, Loving Other Countries

Many people have countries that they call "home" and they share a love for their own countries. It's okay to love our countries. It's okay to love other countries, too.

Loving our own country, doesn't limit us from loving others. Our hearts are wide and open to love our whole planet and the many expressions of our cultures and countries.

I like to refer to other places that I love, countries where I am not a passport-carrying citizen, as heart homes. I have quite a list of heart homes. I wish it were possible to live in many places all at the same time. 

Enjoy your red, white and blue holiday!