All posts by sz1044

Red Sprite

Beauty of Nature, Watercolor Paintings, , , , , , , , ,

Lightning is such a fascinating phenomenon.  I live on a mountainside where, as storms approach, I can watch them come across the valley to the west bringing their towering clouds and lightning with them.  The bolts are often bright, jagged and searing…..very dramatic as they light up the clouds above them and attack the ground below.

At the same time that we are able to see lighting below clouds during a storm,  there are sometimes massive, but weak, luminous flashes above the clouds.  They are described as large scale electrical discharges high above cumulonimbus, normally reddish-orange or greenish-blue with hanging tendrils below and arching branches above.

The first photos of sprites were obtained by accident in 1989. Since then, thousands of photos have been taken from the space shuttle and aircraft.   Early research referred to them as “upward lightning” or “cloud-to-ionosphere discharges”.  Now because of their whimsical, fleeting nature, they are simply called sprites.  I think it’s so much fun that “scientists” would give what sounds so serious, a Transient Luminous Event or TLE, a wonderful, full of personality and life name.  I imagine them dancing around above storms sometimes singly and sometimes in groups like nymphs in the moonlight.

There are some subjects and ideas that just grab a hold of me and I want to know as much about them as I can.  I love living in the day of the computer.  So much is being discovered and shared…..it’s so exciting!  I kept thinking about these red sprites and decided to bring them to life with my paint and brush first with small studies and then a large painting.

When I imagine our world, our universe, I imagine life…..life from the smallest particle to the largest expanse…..life that composes the air we breathe, life that forms our sun and stars and the life responsible for and embodied in the red sprites that dance above our storms.

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Cropped photo of Red Sprite 34″x51″.

Fairytale Wedding

Beauty of Nature, Deep Thoughts and Musings, Travels, , , , , , , ,

I’ve listened to many couples talk about just what they envision for their wedding experience.  Those dreams are as varied as the individuals involved.  But when I began to hear about the plans for this wedding from the Mother of the Groom, it was obvious to me  that this couple had made a conscious choice to listen to their hearts and their hearts dictated fun, travel and magic.

I believe looking for fun is the natural God-given state-of-being we are born into as enfants.  It’s probably the most important state to which we could aspire.  But it often appears to some as a state of selfishness or childishness…..to which I say…..Hey!  Hey!  (to get your attention)  We all want happiness.  No one can give it to you.  You have to take it…..that’s what looking for fun is all about.  And, once you have it, it spreads to everyone lucky enough to be around you.

I believe travelling is so exciting because it takes us out of our comfortable routines.  Just seeing new places and people and adjusting to new experiences opens our eyes a little wider to the beauty that surrounds us, sharpens our ears to take in new sounds, expands our ability to love and be loved and increases our zest for life.

I believe in magic!  I see it everyday!  I experienced magic in a concentrated dose over several days spending time with the family and friends of two talented, genius visionaries as they pledged their love and began their lives together.

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The spanish moss hanging from the huge oak trees created the perfect backdrop for the ceremony.  The late afternoon sunlight added the perfect, soft, magical atmosphere.  The Jekyll Island Club Hotel provided it all.  Everyone there was bathed in gold and we basked in every delicious moment.

That’s how it was in Georgia…..a fun, extraordinary, magical experience.   I love knowing that it wasn’t an accident.  They planned it that way.   I’m sending out my love and appreciation to everyone involved and especially to the newlyweds!

 

Jekyll Island

Travels, Uncategorized, Waxing Poetic about Food, , , , , , ,

If you’ve read the book, The Creature from Jekyll Island by G. Edward Griffin, you’re familiar with the secret meetings of wealthy bankers and industrialists in November 1909 that paved the way for the Federal Reserve to be established in America.

We had heard a lot about this infamous/famous place through the years.  When we were invited to a destination wedding to be held there, we had no idea what to expect.  Jekyll Island is one the Sea Islands off the coast of Georgia, along with  Amelia Island and St. Simon’s Island.

We flew into Jacksonville, Florida, and drove up the coast into Georgia.  Of course, you can’t drive along a coastal highway and see enticing signs of new places (especially islands: how romantic), historic districts and restaurants without getting a little off course. As we drove around the historic district  of Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island, we were charmed by the gift shops and fishing boats and lured into a great restaurant and bar, The Crab Trap.

The waitress assured us the crab, shrimp and scallops had been caught that morning just down the pier.  After one bite, we were believers.  I’ve never tasted such tender, sweet, flavorful crab and scallops.  Wow!  And…..hush puppies….whoa!  crisp on the outside, soft and almost creamy on the inside, great cole slaw and I haven’t mentioned the crab cakes.  I’ve tasted crab cakes in various inland places and been unimpressed.  These were melt in your mouth crab….no filler and just a very light crust on the outside.  Yum.  Well, together with the margaritas…..what a spectacular surprise

The Jekyll Island Club, where the wedding was held, was built in the late 1880’s and was described as the richest, the most exclusive club in the world in 1904. J. P. Morgan, William Rockefeller, Vincent Astor, William Vanderbilt, Marshall Field, Henry Hyde and Joseph Pulitzer were among the members.  Because of the concentration of internationally prominent businessmen,  Jekyll Island was the scene of some important historical events such as the first transcontinental telephone call placed by AT&T president Theodore Vail in January, 1915.  The members left the cold new england winters and sailed on their yachts to the warmer Georgia coast.  Our tour guide noted that Florida had not been developed yet so Georgia was the warmest, southernmost area on the east coast.

The State of Georgia now owns Jekyll Island, maintains the hotel and shops and is restoring the “cottages”.  The museum and tour were fascinating.  It took us through two of the cottages.  The Indian Mound Cottage with twenty-five rooms was built for the Rockefeller family.  The bookcase was filled with books such as Joseph Pennell’s Life and Letters.  I love old books, the printing and illustrations, the bindings and the smells.  This was such an interesting peek into this period of time in our country’s and world’s history.

Our last night on Jekyll Island, we set out to find fresh seafood and an outdoor patio to eat it on.  And…..surprise…..after scouring St. Simon’s Island all afternoon we ended up right on the same property as the Club Hotel.  Latitude 31 degrees.  I’m so jealous of people who live near fishing areas:  the whole dock, fishing boat and water lapping the piles vibe.  Yes, the fish was caught that morning, fresh, fresh and succulent sweet.  So we travelled home, in fresh seafood satisfaction.

Everything Is A Miracle

Deep Thoughts and Musings, , , , , , ,

Albert Einstein is said to have said:  “There are two ways to live your life.  One is as though nothing is a miracle.  The other is as though everything is a miracle.”

Lately, I’ve been playing a game with myself.  I look for miracles in everything I do and in everything that happens around me.  The fun thing, the exciting thing that happens, is that I find them.  I find them in the synchronicity and serendipity of the smallest things.

Last January, I wrote a blog about it, I witnessed a miracle.  Hundreds of starlings staged a spectacular performance in my backyard.  It was a sweeping panoramic production.  From the time it began, or that I became aware of it, only minutes passed and it was over.  We were left there with our mouths open, mute, in wonder.  What just happened?  I’m convinced that things like this are happening all around us.  We are just not aware of them.

One evening, recently, my husband and I had a busy afternoon and evening and as everything wrapped up he commented “this would be a good time to go to Nielson’s” and disappeared into his office.  About 9:30 p.m., I peeked in and asked “were you serious?”  “Not really, but, yes!”  30 minutes later we were out the door.  Nielson’s closes at 10:30 p.m.  We talked about going through the drive-thru or sitting out on their patio, going inside or ordering at their walk-up window.

As we ordered, a friend from Oregon recognized us.  He had ordered inside but Nielson’s doesn’t take credit cards, so was on his way to a ATM.  What are the odds?  He had been introduced to Nielson’s on his LDS mission in his twenties.  Being in Salt Lake on business, he couldn’t resist driving up to Bountiful (Nielson’s Concrete is afterall a local institution) for ice cream.  He almost aborted the trip on the freeway…..it’s late, it’s a long drive for an ice cream, etc.  But, there he was and there we were at the same place and the same time.  We marvelled at the circumstances that had brought us there together.  We sat and ate ice cream/concrete and talked long after Nielson’s closed.

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Not really a miracle, more of a coincidence…..you say?  We run into old friends in odd places all of the time.  I used to believe in coincidences.  But not anymore.  Now I believe that everything is a miracle.  And…..I see more of them everyday.  It’s FUN!

 

The Game Of Life

Deep Thoughts and Musings, SherrieZone Quotes, , , , , , ,

If you believe The Beatles, in time, you can learn how to play the game…..in time you can learn how to be you.  Do you need a coach, a mentor?  Do you need intelligence, beauty or hard work?  No!  They might be helpful; but, they’re not necessities.  All you need is LOVE! That is…..if you believe The Beatles.

The kids in my life are always wanting to play a game.  They have a wonderful talent.  They live in the now.   Mostly, they want to hide and wait, heart pounding, to be found…..because it’s exciting and fun!  When we run around around the house and hide in closets, we are so focused on finding a good hiding place, quieting our breathing and patiently waiting, there is no other reality.

Then as quickly as the hide and seek game was organized, it’s over.   On to another game, something different, perhaps making a tent in the living room or doing cartwheels on the lawn.

I think The Beatles are on to something.  I want to learn how to play the game.  I want to learn how to be me.  I want to have fun, be playful, lighten up, laugh a lot and giggle more. This sounds like one of those things that are simple but not easy.   It will probably take a lot of practice to get good at it; but, I’m willing to put in the time.  And like I love to say “Practice Makes Automatic”.

 

 

Happy Life

Deep Thoughts and Musings, , , , ,

Have you ever been with someone who’s happy most of the time?  The only person that meets that criteria in my life just turned one year old.  She’s like a puppy and wriggles and giggles when she sees me until I just have to pick her up.  When I put her down, she giggles at someone else.  She’s just intrinsically happy.

There are others who are happy a lot of the time and I have noticed a few things about them that are interesting.

They have a passion and think about it all of the time.   In some cases, they are mothers and are thriving on being with their children.   In others,  they are in love with their occupations.  One is a student.  Another is an entrepreneur.  They seem to get so much enjoyment out of what they’re doing that they often hum, sometimes sing and occasionally  dance about in a light hearted sort of way.  They  all smile a lot.  They are all very independent and fun to be around.

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So, my question is:  “Do these people live in an alternate reality?”  Or…..have they just developed habits that let them see life through rose colored glasses?   Have they decided not to give the petty little issues in daily life any attention?  It does make sense that it you don’t spend time on things that make you feel bad, you’ll have more time to focus on the things that make you happy.

Or…..could it be that happiness is a multi-dimensional word meaning a state-of- being, an emotion and a goal?  It’s a subject worth a little thought, you think?

What Is Research?

Deep Thoughts and Musings, , , , , , , ,

 

Generally, research is looking for facts, collecting them, discussing them and coming to conclusions.   I’m not talking about scientific discovery here, just gathering all of the information I can and talking endlessly with my friends and family about it. We talk about it, we think about it and come to lots of conclusions.  It’s a whole lot of fun!

I’m reading a biography of Albert Einstein.  I’m reading about this foremost researcher because I’m doing research on him.  I want to put the many quotes that I love that are attributed to him in context.  He’s quoted as saying “I never said half the crap people said I did.”  So it would be interesting to document where and when these things were said although considering the passage of time and the premise that facts really are just people’s opinions, perhaps I’m chasing the elusive butterfly.  In any event, I intend to have a good time doing it.

I’ve read that he didn’t thrive in school.  Apparently he didn’t even complain about what he saw as a lack of nurturing learning in schools until he was out of school and much older.  When his father asked what vocational training would be best for him, he was told it didn’t matter because he wouldn’t do well no matter what he did.  But, he was curious.  In fact, he said “I have no special talents.  I am only passionately curious.”

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“I believe in intuition and inspiration. … At times I feel certain I am right while not knowing the reason. When the eclipse of 1919 confirmed my intuition, I was not in the least surprised. In fact, I would have been astonished had it turned out otherwise. Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited, whereas imagination embraces the entire world, stimulating progress, giving birth to evolution. It is, strictly speaking, a real factor in scientific research.”

This quote is well-documented.  It was first published in the Saturday Evening Post Oct. 26, 1929.  It appears in an interview with George Sylvester Viereck entitled “What Life Means To Einstein.”

I’d like to sit down with Mr. Einstein and ask him to talk about intuition, inspiration, imagination, evolution and expansion.  I get the feeling when I read about him, his attitude about his work and the many quotes attributed to him that he viewed them all as one process wrapped up all together.  And I think he must have had a wonderful sense of humor, not in a way over my head intelligent sort of way, but in a very simple, down-to-earth way.  Anyway, I love those ideas!

Punta Cana

Beauty of Nature, Travels, , , , , , , , , ,

Our last stop in the Dominican Republic was Punta Cana.  Knowing we were going there, I googled it and saw plenty of beautiful pictures of the resorts and beaches in the area.  But pictures do not do justice to real life sand and sea.

When we walked in to the lobby of the Barcelo Bavaro Palace, I was mesmerized by these larger than life ceramic mosaic figures.  I took a lot of pictures of them and the many others around the grounds.

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Punta Cana is for tourists.  We were told the Europeans discovered it years before the Americans did.  There was evidence of this everywhere we went.  We did hear a lot of English spoken along with Russian, lots of Russian, Spanish, Italian and a smattering of lots of other languages.

The white sand, the layers of blue, turquoise and aqua of the water and the breeze coming off the ocean were stunning.  Beautiful.  This is where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Caribbean Sea.  We actually saw the line drawn across the water where the division occurs.  LOL.  But, loved the idea.  And now I have proof.  I really am an angel.

Giorgio

Beauty of Nature, Travels, Waxing Poetic about Food, , , , , , , ,

We left Santiago thinking we were taking the new highway to Puerto Plata.  We were told it would be a 55 mile, 40 minute drive through a beautiful agricultural area passing amber mines, an organic coffee growing region, sugarcane plantations, and roadside stands with naturally grown produce, pasture fed meats and dairy products.  But, somehow…..Siri (our GPS navigator) said turn right onto the Carretera Touristica that wound around the mountain tops for 22 miles and three hours later delivered us to the beach.

The road was paved most of the way but was dotted with pot holes and caved-in portions in flood areas.  At one rough area, a little boy,  who looked to be about 7 or 8 years old, had placed a gallon can at the side of the road with a string attached.  He held the other end of the string and stood bravely right in our path.  We paid the toll and went on our way utterly charmed by his smile and entrepreneurship.  I was so car sick I didn’t have the presence of mind to snap his picture.  The winding curves of the road and the bumpety up and down of the pot holes combined for a good case of nausea.

Many of the houses along the highway are vacation homes for people wanting to get out of the cities.  There are many mercados, very small markets, where you can buy locally grown fruits and vegetables, a cup of sugar, a teaspoon of salt and soda pop.  There are also many bancas.  I thought they might be small banks…..nope.  Bancas are betting houses where  you can bet on most sports and buy lottery tickets.

There are so many activities in these mountains:  hiking, horseback riding and zip lining.  Waterfalls and rivers were nestled into the lush, green trees, vines and blooming shrubbery.

We eventually arrived at Puerto Plata and discovered the Playa Chaparral.  We were so glad we did.  We were so hungry and anxious to hit the beach.  We walked through a large parking lot and a large vendor area and were directed to a restaurant on the beach.  That’s how we met Giorgio.

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Giorgio  moved to Puerto Plata from Quebec, Canada.  He settled in and opened two restaurants on the Playa Chaparral:  The Hispaniola Restaurant and Bar for lunch and snacks and next door Le Petit Francoise for dinner.

We had octopus and squid appetizers,  whole fried fish and fries, shrimp in a spicy sauce with rice,  mango and pineapple cocktails, Presidente beer (the favorite local beer) and margaritas all with our feet in the sand.  Right there…..that’s my definition of heaven!  I’ve been coerced into eating octopus and squid before.  It’s always been rubbery and coated with breading and deep fried.  This was fresh-fresh and tender-tender.

Giorgio has created a wonderful life for himself there in Puerto Plata.  His philosophy, food and attentive waiters were worth the ordeal we went through to get there.  He invited us to look at houses along the beach and stay awhile.  We were so tempted.

Again, I was reminded, that seeing new places and having new experiences is so much fun, but the people you meet along the way are life enriching

Santiago De Los Caballeros

Deep Thoughts and Musings, Travels, Waxing Poetic about Food, , , , , , , ,

This monument is as gorgeous as it is huge and honors the Heroes of the Restoration, those who liberated the Dominican Republic from Spain.  We arrived there to see it after it had closed and so didn’t get to go inside the several museums.  It is topped with a statue  of Victory personified as a woman with her arms upraised.

The grounds around the monument are beautifully landscaped and adorned with statues.  All of them are larger than life.   There are historical heroes, baseball  heroes and fanciful carnaval characters.  It was drizzling, so our gracious host, Natalia, took us across the street to the Kukaramakara Country Bar and Restaurant, her favorite restaurant in Santiago, for shelter and dinner.  What a great idea!  Our table was lined up perfectly with the front of the monument so we took one picture when were arrived and another as we were getting ready to leave.  I have mentioned before, I think, that meals in the Dominican Republic typically last about three hours.

The restaurant was decorated in early American Cowboy style.  Large T.V. screens showed old John Wayne movies.  The menu made our dinner choices difficult.  Sushi was unexpected, mostly because of the cowboy theme.  Seafood is always offered here in the D.R..  It is an island, after all.  There were many mofongo choices and barbeque dishes.

Our companion, Bob Alsop, was hungry for ceviche and we didn’t see it on the menu.  We described to our waiter what we wanted and he was excited to bring us the Judaea Makara Fish Ceviche and a mixed grill dish, similar to paella,  that included octopus, squid, oysters, lobster, shrimp, mero (sea bass), beef, pork, tripe and rice in a fabulous sauce.  It was so delicious and we solved all of the world’s problems as we relished every bite.

Santiago is the second largest city in the D.R. and the agricultural center.  it’s located in a beautiful, lush, green valley known for its coffee and sugar cane plantations, cattle ranches, rice farms, and amber mines.  It’s so beautiful.  We’ll be back.

I love to be in a city long enough to get a sense of place.  And as I talk with the people who live there, I love  the understanding that comes about how they live their lives and what matters to them.  All over this city, in fact, all over the Dominican Republic there are men standing around in public places ready to find a parking place for you…..for a few dollars.  And when there isn’t a parking space in sight, they’ll always find one.  Everyone needs to be tipped.  It’s understood.  That’s their work.  That way everyone is happy.  When you get used to it, accept it, and go with the flow…..an understanding comes.  It’s like three hour meals.  Relax.  Enjoy your life and allow others to enjoy theirs.