Closing Down for the Summer

"When did that happen?", I asked my husband on our walk yesterday.  The Dairy Queen in downtown South Haven was closed.  It was Monday afternoon, and the lack of light on the "Open" sign could only mean one thing:  the end of summer.  The city would, once again, belong to its residents.

If you live in a tourist town with destinations such as our beaches of Lake Michigan, then you know what I'm talking about when I say there's a joy that accompanies the sadness of summer's goodbye.  We exchange flip-flops for warm cozy slippers, breezy open windows for fireplaces, and baseball for football, but there's nothing like the change we feel on the beaches and in town as they become our own.

During the height of summer, it's exciting to see the oceans of brightly colored umbrellas along the great lake's shoreline, with beautiful golden sand showing through here and there.  But now, the scene is  different.  The sand, with the sun at such a low angle, has a cooler hue to it.  If you do see an umbrella, it gives a sense of loneliness.  To sit in its shade, you have to park yourself quite a distance away from its pole (unlike the mid-summer protection it gives from straight above), but that's okay.  Sitting alone on the beach may seem lonely, and to some extent, it is, but it is so peaceful.  Without sensory overload, the brain can take its time studying the movement of the waves, clouds, and seagulls, while the nose just smells the air and water, rather than lotions, food, and sweat.

In town, the anticipation of tourists buying lots of my cards and pictures is always a thrill for me.  It is a pleasure to see so many people from all over the world filling our shops and restaurants.  The owners of these businesses have reported an especially profitable season, and I'm happy for them.  What a blessing!

Now, with tourism almost to a halt, the rewards for staying here, supporting our town through the winter, are beginning.  These perks come, mostly, in the form of food, and that's all right with me!  From giant spaghetti meals for just $4.99 to half-off pizzas, a South Haven resident (and winter tourists) can eat out every night for way less than the cost of groceries.  By bundling up and walking to dinner, we're able to get our exercise, too!


In closing, I bid South Haven's summer season, "Farewell", and may the lovely souls who visited our dear city be blessed until we meet again.  I will miss the excitement that is evident on their faces every time they come to town, but there's something to be said for peace and quiet...
The photo above, "Closing Down for the Summer" was taken just a few days ago, at sunset.

The Passing of Rick Wheeler

There was nothing I could do but sigh as I walked through the open doors of the funeral home.  Immediately after, a woman in the fog of mourners informed me that I was not the only one to do that.  Before I could reply, "Do what?", she said, "Everyone has walked in with a heavy sigh".

You didn't have to be current with the latest news to see that a hero was being buried today.  The firetrucks on both sides of the front entrance, and inside, the color guard standing with the deceased's wife and mother, made it evident that a brave firefighter had died in the line of duty.  The tragedy had occurred in the state of Washington, and it had taken a while to bring the fallen hero home to South Haven, Michigan.

The 10:00 to 12:00 visitation was the first of five stages planned to memorialize Rick Wheeler.  To give the family and close friends some privacy, a special luncheon will be held at their church before the actual memorial service, followed by the committal.  Finally, an open time of light refreshments will be offered, again at the church.  I'm writing this before attending the final stages because I am so overwhelmed by the sadness of it all.  Rick's mom and grandma are friends of mine.  Their pain has struck the very heart of our church.  Our whole community has felt the void that comes with the death of a home-town boy.

Looking at the ticking clock, I see that it is almost time to walk to church.  We've been asked to keep the parking lot spaces available for those who must drive.  Our congregation has really pulled together to organize the best use of time and space by signing up for the many responsibilities of a memorial of this size.  Not only are Rick and his family members deeply loved by this community of faith, but others in this town are also touched by his passing.  No one wants to see a mother lose her child.  No one wants to see a wife lose her husband.  We all feel the enormity of losing someone who was trying to keep others safe.  We want to make everything better, but we can't, so we'll do our best to help the family get through this day, and we'll pray for God to take the pain away.

Now that I'm home for the night, my mind is drawn back to the love that was shared all through the day.  "101 Hearts" seems appropriate.

Awesome Watermelon

Watermelon never was one of my favorite foods.  Consuming it seemed like a waste of time since its name obviously came from its most apparent property; it's mostly water.  When I eat, I want to be nourished, not hydrated; I work on that enough throughout the day.  So when I heard that watermelon has more lycopene than raw tomatoes, I did a little research and was surprised at what I found.  Would you believe this icon of summer also contains potassium, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamins A, C, and B-6, folate, pantothenic acid, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, selenium, choline, betaine, citrulline, and zinc?  If you want to know the benefits derived from these nutrients, vitamins, and minerals (and anything else I may have missed), check out http://livelovefruit.com/8-amazing-health-benefits-of-watermelon/.  

From its ability to reduce the creation of body fat to its anti-inflammatory properties, and everything else in between, watermelon seems to be the new buzz word in healthy eating.  It's low in calories, it hydrates, and just looking at it makes you feel summery.  Now is the time to buy it, but if you're not a fan of watermelon, it may be because you've tried it before and it wasn't sweet---yuck!  Well, I just learned the secret to making sure you are cutting into a perfectly ripe watermelon.  Simply let it set on your kitchen counter until the yellow spot on the bottom has darkened.  I never thought I'd say this, but I actually reach for the watermelon, instead of chips or candy, and now that I know I'm also being nourished, I'm really quite satisfied!

The sea glass picture above is called, "Pink Ones".  I know that a really ripe watermelon is more reddish than pink, but it's close enough.

South Haven Fog

If you were hoping to find a picture of sea glass on today's post, I do apologize.  My beach glass mood has been hampered by fog.  I haven't counted the number of pea soup days we've endured, but I would say May and June have had almost 40% of those days either beginning with or resulting in a covering of fog here in South Haven, Michigan.  It doesn't always get mentioned on the news.  Sometimes, the hazy shroud sneaks in with no warning.   After a while, we who live here get used to the eery sight of the slow-moving presence as it swallows up the view of the lake, then the beach, then the harbor and the town.  Three more blocks from there, the unstoppable menace continues pushing on through my yard.  From my front window, I can actually see the progression of the heavy fog heading east down the main street towards Blue Star Highway.  Then, as gradually as it came in, the giant land-cloud eventually leaves.  The sunshine returns, and the beauty of the lake as it reflects the clear blue sky dissipates my gray mood, replacing it with joy.

Peanut Butter Coffee

You can tell by the title what this post will be about, no mystery here.  Today's story will be short and just a little sweet, because there's not much sugar in my peanut butter; the flavor is just right.  I eat it mostly for the protein. As for the coffee, you might recall my slight problem with acidic foods and drinks, so even though I crave the earthiness of a good strong cup, I'm forced to drink my husband's brew at half-strength by watering it down.  Okay, I admit none of this is note-worthy, so here comes the rest.  In my haste to mix coffee into a cup of boiled water, I grabbed a knife that I had just used to spread peanut butter with and stirred the hot liquid for a few seconds.  By the time I sat down to actually take that first sip, I had forgotten all about the "dirty" knife residuals, but the surprise on my tastebuds quickly reminded me.  The slight flavor of peanut butter in my coffee was delicious!  If you like Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy this accidental discovery.  Give it a try.  Let me know what you think.

The sea glass photo above is called, "Wired One", named for the section of wire running through one of the pieces of glass.  Some of the colors remind me of coffee, though, and I had used this picture before with another coffee story.

Sitting on Tarlov Cysts

It's been a while since my last post.  Instead of writing my thoughts down, I've been looking other things up.  One of those things is a cyst named, "Tarlov".  I have two of them on my S2.  Being one for symmetry, these cysts aren't following my rules.  The right cyst is over twice the size of the one on the left, yet most of the pain is on the left side of my body.  

According to the Tarlov Cyst Foundation, these neurological cysts don't usually cause symptoms, but when they do, the list is rather long.  For a couple of decades, I've had these symptoms, but with so little research done on this topic, none of the doctors I've seen have considered the possibility of linking cysts to the cause.  

Not wanting the nerve-fiber-filled walls of these spinal intruders to continue to grow, I'm searching for readers out there who could tell me where to go for treatment.  So far, I've only found one neurosurgeon who actually removes Tarlov Cysts, but wouldn't you be a bit hesitant to go under the knife when all other doctors say it may not work?  

If you're a regular reader of my blog, you're used to me getting a little personal now and then.  If you're new to this site, I apologize for today's topic, but I always write what's on my mind.  Now, I need to get off these Tarlovs.  Literally.

The photo above is my latest, called, "Sea Glass Spine".  It features some of my best pieces of beach glass from here in South Haven, so I guess they have been the "backbone" of many pictures.

Comfort Food

With the busyness of the holidays behind us, I am so looking forward to my husband's turkey dinner for two.  He had already gotten us through several family brunches and lunches without my having to lift a finger in the kitchen.  My dear man has become quite a good cook in his older years, and unlike my attempts at cooking for company, his time management always aligns well with the consequent presentation and flavors of whatever he prepares.  I can't taste any fear in his cooking, and I told him so.  He laughed because he knows exactly what I'm talking about.  When I cook for anyone other than him, my lack of confidence, along with a large portion of stress, seems to drip out of my fingers, onto the spoon or spatula, and into the bowl or pan.  It's evident to anyone who's watching.  Even if it ends up tasting good, I can barely eat my food made for others.  It's not comforting to me; it tastes like fear.  Afterwards, I'm exhausted and still hungry.  So this year, my husband did the cooking while I got to spend time with our loved ones.  Instead of talking with my face over the stove, we enjoyed eye-contact.  I was able to pay attention to what was being said rather than to what was being burned.  I didn't mind doing the dishes later, because it gave me time to reflect, and that was comforting. 

Perhaps someday my cooking skills will improve.  I'm sure that if you love to cook, you probably feel a little bit sorry for me.  What kind of a nut doesn't enjoy serving up portions of love on a plate for her family?  I wish I had an answer to that.  One thing I do know is this:  as long as my husband enjoys cooking large meals, I will gratefully eat them.  Ahhhh.....the smell of turkey.............

The picture above is called, "Beach Blessings III".  I'm using it again today because my husband is such a blessing to me.