The Flight of the Dragonflies

 As I rolled out the trash bin to the curb, I noticed two dragonflies fly past my head. They were joined by a few more. I looked around and counted fourteen of the creatures flittering around. They reminded me of tiny helicopters. I had never seen so many long tailed insects moving around my yard. I pulled out my phone to try and capture a picture but the speedy creatures moved too fast as they dove and darted above my head.

It seemed like such an unusual sight because I only remember seeing dragonflies near water, especially in a lake near Greeley where we used to go swimming. I always thought they were beautiful with their translucent blue-green wings. I thought that maybe because all the rain we have had in the last few days had caused these insects to get confused. Who knows why they were flying around this morning!

I went to the Internet to find out more and this is what I found: "Adult dragonflies are characterized by large multifaced eyes, two pairs of strong transparent wings, sometimes with colored patches, and an elongated body. Dragonflies are agile fliers and brilliant iridescent or metallic colors." 

The description fit the insects flying around this morning so I got to see a darting display of the creatures but I will never know why they were out en masse this morning! 

Photo from the Internet

"Clouds of insects danced and buzzed 

in the golden autumn light, and the air 

was full of the piping song-birds. 

Long, glinting dragonflies shot across the 

path or hung tremulous with

gauzy wings and gleaming bodies."

Arthur Conan Doyle

What Was Lost Has Been Found

 Today while I was cleaning out my garage, I looked into a plastic tub and found the items I had lost four years ago. For the day of the dead I set up an altar for my parents and brother. That first altar I had searched for objects that represented their lives; apron, tequila bottle, big mac hamburger container, tools, plastic flowers, jewelry, etc. to display. The following year I looked for the items and could not find them even though I turned my house up side down looking for them, they never turned up. Three years in a row I had to find other things to make my altar and the last altar, about two years after the death of my son, the altar was for my son only. Nothing for my mother, father, and brother. I could not imagine where I had placed the original items until today when I opened the tub and found them.

Last year, because of Covid, no one set up altars. I am hoping that in October of this year we will be able to set up an altar and now I have what I need to decorate the altar for my three loved ones. This year if Spirit of Christ will okay the altars, I am ready to set one up for those in my family who have gone before me!

"After all, to the well-organized mind,

death is but the next adventure."

J.K. Rowling

Dream Catcher

 For my birthday I was given a round hoop with blond feathers and black and white beads. I wondered what it could possibly be though I had an idea it had something to do with Native Americans.

The back of the cardboard holding the feathers let me know that it was the Legend of the Dreamcatcher. Evidently, Native Americans believed that there are good and bad dreams. The good dreams pass through the holes to the person dreaming. The bad dreams are caught in the web and die at dawn. These dream catchers were hung in the tipi or on a baby's crib.

Since I am 34% Native American I thought I would hang my Dreamcatcher in my bedroom and it might help by erasing bad dreams and just allowing me to dream good dreams.

"The future belongs to

those who believe in the

beauty of their dreams."

Eleanor Roosevelt

A Sad Day

 June 21, 2021, started out normally with a birthday garden party planned for a friend. What fun it would be because we would wear fancy hats and spend time with good friends. While at the party, one of our conversations, and there were many different topics, was regarding gun control. The comments in the group were, why were assault rifles sold to civilians, would some kind of law be put into force and how the whole world seemed to be out of control.

At the moment we sat around the lovely patio surrounded by hanging baskets of geraniums, discussing guns, there was a shooting in Old Town Arvada. A nineteen year veteran of the police department had been shot and killed along with another person. We found out about the shooting after the party and I was sickened to hear the news.  How many times have I been in Old Town Arvada? Eating lunch, taking the G Line, parking my car in the Arvada garage, visiting the many shops like the spice, candy or sock stores, checking out the Arvada Army Navy Surplus store, going to the library or to mass at the Shrine of St. Anne. How could this have happened practically in my back yard?

Violence seems to be everywhere giving me a feeling of not being safe anywhere. There seems to be no respect for human life and the older I get the more killings are happening. I have never gotten into the debate of whether it is good to own a gun or not. Yet, lately I am leaning toward keeping those automatic firearms away from every day citizens. I thought assault rifles were to be used in case of war by the military but it seems anyone can purchase them. Hunters who use them, to me, are not in for the sport of hunting but in making sure something is killed! If an assault weapon is owned and used a mass killing will take place. Not only the person who you feel caused your grief, but many innocents will also die. I can't help thinking of the cowboy movies I watched when it was always one against one. But now it is one gun that shoots multiple bullets against many innocent people.

Our world has become a violent place to live. Air travel has unruly passengers, grocery stores workers are endangered as they try to enforce the mask rule, if someone's driving doesn't agree with some they go into a fit of road rage, and for some, a gun settles silly disputes. The Golden Rule has been forgotten along with heaven and hell. Waiters are rude with no fear of consequences and customers want to fight if their wishes are not met. This blog has become a poor me blog because I live in a heartless world and instead of a sad day it is becoming a sad life!

I drove by the police department and saw people milling around, some brought flowers, one seemed to be praying, others were taking pictures of the car decorated with flowers, stuffed animals, and cards. It was difficult to swallow and I wanted to scream but instead I silently joined the others.

Resiliency is a must in this day and age, and trying to live one day at a time is becoming more difficult. Gloria Gaynor made popular a song with these words and it gives me hope. "I've got my life to live, I've got my love to live and I will survive, I will survive, I will survive"

May two heroes rest in peace.

By Hook or By Crook

 When I found out that my friend, Manuel Ramos, had written another novel, I knew I needed to get the book. For my birthday my daughter asked me what gift I wanted. I told her Angels in the Wind by Manuel Ramos. She tried finding the book by calling different bookstores but nobody had it. I checked with Manuel and he said there had been a glitch in ordering enough books but that I could preorder the book. 

                                                

A month later I checked with Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Tattered Cover but no one had the book. I wrote to Manuel and asked him to pull a copy of the book and I would drive to his house to pay and pick it up. I had not heard from him by June 11, 2021, and decided to call the Tattered Cover in downtown Denver. They had no copies but they suggested I contact the store on Colfax Ave. I called the Colfax store and was told they had the book but were waiting for the author to come in to sign them. I made sure that they put a copy on hold for me and I would drive to the store on Saturday, June 12.

What a scary drive it turned out to be with the many changes that have happened since the last time I drove downtown. I recognized nothing! Landmarks I remembered seeing and anchoring me were gone. The Brighton bridge was completely gone and on both sides of Brighton Blvd are tall apartment buildings. I was on Broadway in the downtown area before I knew it. The names of the streets were the same, yet I did not recognize most of the buildings. I took Broadway until I reached Colfax and had to make sure I moved all the way to the left to be in a turning lane. I did hear honking as I traveled across three lanes but do not know if cars were honking at me or some other driver!

Colfax seemed narrower than I remember. Two lanes, cars parked on the street, buses causing traffic jams as they slowly lumbered into a driving lane.  As I drove down Colfax my hands got sweaty, my heart seemed to be in my throat and a few times I felt as if cars were inches away from hitting me. Every nerve in my body was on high alert! I didn't dare look anywhere but in front of me and prayed that no car would hit me. Or worse, that I might hit someone. There were so many cars, both going and coming and I hated driving in the crowded street.

Finally,  I found the Tattered Cover but no place to park. I passed car after car parked on the street. What made it worse was a Farmer's Market going on across the street. Such congestion! I turned right at the next street, which I believe was Elizabeth, and happened to see a driveway to my right. I drove in and what a surprise to find myself in the Tattered Cover parking lot. I went in to the store, picked up the book and with fear in my heart I knew I had to face the horrible drive back. I turned left at the light on Colfax and then turned right on Josephine street and I figured it would be better than going on Colfax. I don't know when Josephine turned to York street but I was pretty sure that York met up with I-70. I continued on York until I turned West and found the ramp to I-70 closed. I turned North and ended up near some oil tanks and the smell of gas/diesel/oil was quite strong and I wondered if I could possibly be near Commerce City! I wandered around different streets, saw road repair work and decrepit buildings.  I didn't know where I was and decided to follow a detour until I found the entrance to West I-76. I got my bearings and headed for home.

If my blog readers are wondering why I did not use my GPS on my phone, I am sorry to say I had forgotten my phone at home!

A trip that should have been no longer than an hour took almost two hours plus a lot of anxiety. The only consolation I have is that now I have another of Manuel's books to add to my collection!

I was honored to take the author's

picture on his first novel!

On The Road Again

We left Carmel on Tuesday, June 1, 2021, after a cozy group hug and two went off to meet a couple to begin a two day camping trip and four of us began our journey home. I found it odd to find a Mexican grocery store called El Toro Loco Supermarket in the middle of nowhere! We stopped and purchased drinks for our lunch. I figured the store was there to cater to the many field hands I had seen along the way. We had a picnic at a park named Lost Hill and enjoyed left over pizza, salad and cake! It seemed that the returning was longer than the going and I was happy to exit the back seat of the Toyota Tacoma when we arrived home. Luna and Finn were also happy to be going for a walk after spending a few days with a dog sitter!.

I decided to take three members of my family to dinner since I would be leaving the following day on  June 3. It was an excellent choice to go to the Olive Pit because the restaurant had excellent food! What fun being with my family and enjoying the perfect warm weather as we sat in the airy patio.

My return home the following day worked out perfectly for me because a wheel chair was waiting for me at the airport, went through security and to my gate and I was the first one on the plane. Another wheel chair waited for me when I arrived in Denver and I was wheeled to pick up my luggage and then to the train that would take me to Union Station. I did have to hobble from Track One to Track Seven and arriving in Arvada I limped to my car in the parking garage. All in all my knee did not give me any trouble or pain! When I got home I thanked God for a wonderful vacation, for my lovely family and for getting me home safely.

Pictures on this trip were taken by me, my daughter and my granddaughter. The pictures below are random shots sent to me via their phones.

 

Checking out the cute cake, a deer near the place where we stayed, cacti plants seem to grow all over, Salmon Creek Falls and decorated tent, friends in front of tent that housed four bodies, catching the last rays of sun, early morning coffee, sporting new knit hats made by their friend, and a sunset over the ocean are memories recorded on our brains!

"Because when you

stop and look around,

this life is pretty amazing!"

Dr. Seuss

Cap And Gown in Purple and Gold

 Seeing my granddaughter in her cap and gown gave me such a happy and proud feeling. She is the first of my grandchildren to graduate from college! My daughter took pictures and of course, so did I!

Pictures were taken all over the house, the yard, in a small park and even in the jacuzzi! I thought it would be a good time to give her the project I had worked on for her graduation present. The money cake had two and one dollar bill to represent 21, the year she graduated! The Hawaiian dancer, dressed like a graduate, was solar powered that made her hips sway!

 

Her friends arrived and I prepared a cheese, crackers and blueberries plate for them to snack on while the rest of dinner was being prepared. It was fun seeing everyone laughing and talking as we ate pizza, corn on the cob, salad and the tremendous guacamole with chips! The following day we would leave for home and the four friends were going camping at Hearst San Simeon Campground. 

What fun eating the special cake for dessert and then saying good-bye to the two neat friends. It was a special evening and what a pleasure celebrating with my family and friends! More pictures were taken before we said our final farewell!

 

 

"All our dreams 

can come true...

if we have the

courage to pursue them."

Walt Disney

Carmel By The Sea

Our second day at Carmel began with four going kayaking and two staying home. I watched the mass on television and my granddaughter went for a walk. She said the area was beautiful!

The homily boiled down to instead of praying directly to God, we have a choice of praying to the Holy Spirit, Jesus and to the Father implying that certain prayers are meant for each member of the Holy Trinity. I thought that was a different way of looking at prayer.

In the meantime the kayakers enjoyed spending time on the water, seeing otters and seals, and white birds! The only complaint I heard was about the muddy area as they got in and out of the kayaks and how the mud seemed to suck their shoes off!

After cleaning up we drove to downtown Carmel but realized that it was too crowded with no place to park. We drove to the Rio Grill, a non-crowded place away from center of Carmel.  We ate lunch and I had a Quesadilla for $18.  I thought the total bill was outrageous but I was told, "This is Carmel," I did not comment on the prices anymore!

After lunch the kids went to the downtown area and the adults headed to the Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo built in 1797. I love visiting missions and am thankful that my daughter and son-in-law were also interested in visiting the mission. Junipero Serra build many of the missions in California and the huge pictures are works of art. One huge picture of the Blessed Mother is in a section dedicated to her. The entrance into the mission was a huge doorway with doors being tall enough to allow men on horseback to enter. In the middle of the court yard a gurgling fountain welcomed the visitors.

The chapel is the final resting place of St. Junipero Serra who died in August 28, 1784 in Carmel.

I enjoyed the visit to the Mission and would have done more investigating if my knee had been better. As it was, I limped along and enjoyed what I did see!

That evening shish kabobs of chicken and vegetables were prepared for dinner and sitting around the large table we relayed what we had done, what we planned to do and enjoyed being together.

After dinner and the dishes were done, we decided to go for a ride along the coast. Since this blog is long, I will continue blogging about our spectacular drives and seeing new and different sights!

"Remember that wherever your heart is, 

there you will find your treasure."

Paulo Coelho