Joplin Missouri Today

This was taken on Monday, September 5. I've been documenting what Joplin looks like every few weeks. It has been 15 weeks since the tornado and it's amazing how much has been cleared away. The eerie thing is that it's so quiet in these neighborhoods, and they're right in the middle of town. This was shot from a car so the quality isn't the best but it gives you a sense of what it's like. The thing photos and videos can't convey if you haven't been there is the scope of the destruction. You could drive for more than 30 minutes and still be in areas that suffered damage. It's right through the middle of town. These streets once had houses where people lived, and children played. Now they're silent foundations and stairs that lead to the sky. -----
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Stream of Time

I think of time very differently than most other people I've discussed it with. I do not think of time as linear - it's 2 p.m., then 3 p.m., then 4 p.m., etc. - I think of time as much more fluid than that.

At some point I came up with the idea of a "Stream of Time," that we are moving along with it just like a leaf might move along with a flowing creek. If we consider different eras in history, and if you believe souls have lessons to learn, it's easy to see how we could be here to experience particular things.

Because we live in an era of such wonder, invention and innovation it seems logical that all of us experiencing it are here for a reason. But at the same time, other souls coexisting with us have other reasons. Think of someone you know who's different than you and you'll see you're in very different "streams of time," even if we're all living in the same ocean.

I have often felt out of step with regard to time. My parents were really two generations older than me. One of my serious relationships was with someone a generation younger than me. I cannot stand to be rushed - it makes me very testy when I feel someone is pushing me time-wise. I never feel like there's enough time. I don't feel like there's enough time in a normal life-span to do everything I want to do.

Just recently I was talking with a friend about the Theory of Relativity, which isn't really a theory anymore - but a fact. It occurred to me that maybe this is why I have always bristled at the idea of being on a schedule. Even when I was very young I knew that time could not possibly be linear - it just made no sense at all to me. And so scheduling is incredibly limiting to my mind. Therefore, being on a schedule makes life limited as well. It's the first time I have ever put those two things together, but it makes sense.

There's much more to consider in this realm...
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Scenes From My World

This was taken in an antique mall in some small town in Missouri this past weekend. I don't remember which town. I don't remember which store. But I remember I got two handfuls of vintage Christmas ornaments for a quarter each.

I heard Greg and his mom approaching and peered around the corner, holding the ornaments. I knew it would amuse him and horrify his mom. I was right. Greg had me reenact so he could get a photo. I was a happy camper, as you can see!

This year I'm hoping to do my big Christmas extravaganza. I think a vintage tree will be making an appearance.

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Autumn's Arrival

It seems fall has made its presence felt, slipping right into our days and nights while we were longing for it so much we almost missed its arrival. Life is like that sometimes. We are so busy wanting for something we miss its appearance.

Air conditioners have fallen silent and we have slid into a new season, a time for home and hearth. Windows are being flung open to welcome the cooler air and we are timidly reaching for warmer clothes.

Autumn has seemed a long time coming this year. I'm going to revel in it.

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I have two questions for you. You can answer either or both.

I'm working on a magazine story about pie in Kansas restaurants.

1. Suggestions of Kansas restaurants you think have the BEST pie. No frozen crusts or canned fillings - handmade pie - from crust to meringe.

2. Your answer to why people prefer pie over other sweets. Everyone loves cookies and cake, but if you ask people their favorite, they often say pie. Why is pie better? What is it about pie that makes it special? If you answer this one, please give me a way to contact you in case I want to include your comment.

You can either post in the comments here or email me patsyterrell@gmail.com.

If you know anyone in Kansas I should talk to about pie, let me know. Thanks in advance!

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Tea Memories

Since having tea at the Brown Palace in Denver, I've been fondly remembering other tea experiences. Tonight I looked at this one again and remembered an absolutely fabulous afternoon tea at St. John in 2007. Take a little trip down memory lane with me and enjoy the beautiful tables again.

The tea experience - a pause to share with friends - is something I treasure. I wish I lived where I could go to tea regularly, but it's a bit difficult to come by where I live. I've proposed a "tea club" with friends - and we rotate to each other's homes and the hostess provides tea, but haven't had much success with that yet. Maybe I'll give it another go.

I haven't yet found anything that has quite the same feeling as tea.

http://www.blog.patsyterrell.com/2007/11/st-john-kansas-tea.html

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The wastebasket is the writer's best friend. 
 --- Isaac Bashevis Singer
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I love this song. "Loves that have laid us low" is such a marvelous line. It's just one of many in this piece. Russell wrote about the genesis of it on his own blog when the album was released. It's a great tune.


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Overheard Conversation

Overheard conversation at Goodwill today:

Woman 1: Are you still at Lowen's?

Woman 2: They laid me off.

Woman 1: Hadn't you been there a long time?

Woman 2: 40 years.

Woman 1: No one has any loyalty anymore, do they?

Woman 2: No, I guess not... do you remember --- ---?

Woman 1: Yes.

Woman 2: They laid him off a few months ago too. He'd been there 41 years. What are you doing now?

There was more conversation but I wandered away and didn't hear it all, then I came back into earshot and heard:

Woman 2: Where will you be living in Zambia?

Woman 1: We'll be living in Angola and ministering to villages from there...

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What struck me about this conversation was two things.

1. It's not common, everyday conversation to hear about people moving to Zambia.

2. Loyalty is such an interesting concept. I'm not sure what the age cutoff is, but older people expect it from employers and younger people don't. Logic indicates to me there's no reason to expect it, but it's obvious people do.


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Quote of the Day

Approach the act of writing with hope, reverence, tension, excitement, determination, or any other emotion. Come to it with a sense of humor or a sense of rage. Come to it any way you wish, but do not come to it lightly. ----------- W.C. Jameson

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Vintage Fashion Show and Miss Modernism Pageant at Denver Modernism Show

At the modernism show in Denver, there was a fashion show by the Denver Vintage Society. It was one of my favorite parts of the weekend. They had fashion from the 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s.

 A few things I learned during the show:
1. I really like some of the styles of clothes from earlier decades and they go well with my vintage pins!
2. Modeling really is a skill - some of these women were really wonderful at modeling - including the one in the last photo here.
3. Lots of tattoos on the models kills the whole "vintage" feel of the show. I just can't picture the housewives of the 40s sporting full sleeve tattoos.

This was the day after the Miss Modernism pageant. I found that a really odd mix of things. I wanted to love it, but two of the contestants basically used their "talent" as ads for their art and jewelry. Four of them had a "talent" involving mixing drinks. It was just odd to me. Some of it was funny, though.

Admittedly, it was my first Miss Modernism pageant and it's entirely possible I just don't get it. I did really enjoy the vintage outfits, however. And the young lady who won played Pachabel's Canon in D on the violin beautifully.
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Three Interesting Things

I am home after a fun few days on the road. And, I'm back to my usual sorting through materials from various sources online. People often ask me where I come up with the tidbits I mention in conversation or talk about here. So, I decided I will periodically post links to thinks I've found interesting for one reason or another. You can check them out or ignore them as you wish!

1. Cantor is in a difficult spot regarding disaster aid. Now that it's not his area affected, and he's a big "no spending" guy, he's vocal about not giving aid to those affected by Irene without having offsets. However, he was singing a completely different tune when it was his area affected a few years ago. I think this is one of the most difficult issues for those who purport no funding for anything. State's rights take a big backseat when people want federal disaster aid. I wish people would wake up to this when they're in the voting booth.

I saw something recently online that said - more eloquently than I'm about to say - If you don't want to pay taxes to support a federal government then don't drive on federal highways, eat food that has been inspected for safety, send your kids to public schools, use electricity or the internet, or expect disaster aid. All good points, I think.

This story seems to sum up the difficulty of being absolute about anything - especially when your comments are public.

http://thehill.com/homenews/news/178829-cantor-has-history-of-pushing-for-unfunded-disaster-relief

2. Google is launching offline versions of mail and calendar. My reaction when I read this was, "Who is ever offline?" It was then that I realized I might be out of step with the rest of the world. I am always connected to email, calendar, web, etc. as long as I have cell phone signal. I've forgotten what the last numbers were on smart phones, but there's significant penetration.

I guess I thought anyone who NEEDED to be connected all the time already was. And people who didn't particularly care to be connected all the time weren't. The logical progression of that to me is - if you need/want to be connected, you can be. But, obviously, google is more in touch than I am!

http://mashable.com/2011/08/31/gmail-offline-2/

3. NPR posted this: Provocative Read: 10 'More Important' Events Than The Sept. 11 Attacks
I absolutely despise what I see as the annual "celebration" of 9-11. I've written about it before so won't rehash it here. While I see a reason for noting the day, I think we have overreacted tremendously to it - from starting wars to our annual "rah-rah celebration" to justify them. For the first time, I feel like I'm not alone in this assessment.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2011/08/31/140088238/provocative-read-10-more-important-events-than-the-sept-11-attacks?ft=1&f=1001&sc=tw&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

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My Life is Weird

A few years ago, my friend Leah said in an exasperated tone, "Your life is weird. I know you don't try to make it weird. But your life is weird."

And... for the latest installment of "Patsy's Life is Weird," I offer the following:



My life may be weird, but it is ooooooh sooooo fun!

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I didn't know I collected Modernism... but apparently I do

The day started with a beautiful view of the mountains bathed in pink. We packed up and then headed off to the Modernism show for the final day.

It ended this afternoon. The show was an eye-opening experience for me because - much to my surprise - apparently I collect all this stuff! Who knew? Certainly not me.

I didn't know that cool things like old costume jewelry pins fell into the category of "modernism." I got two new (old) pins today - cheaply as the day wound to a close. I'm in love with both of them.



There were many other things there I loved, but fortunately, I collected the ones I have when they were $1 or fifty cents at thrift stores when no one cared about them. That's good, because I'd be hard pressed to afford the prices I saw at the show.

One of the funnier moments was when I mentioned liking the purses and Greg wanted to take me over to an area he thought I might have missed that had a lot of purses. I hadn't seen it, but wasn't interested in any of them. Greg pointed to woven one with a design and joked, "But, Patsy, do you have an owl purse?" I looked him straight in the eye and said, "Sadly, I do."

These pins were my only purchases. I love them both. I miss the days of picking up things like this at garage sales for a couple of bucks.

People often ask if they were given to me by family, but none of them were. All the ones I have are ones I've picked up like this. But, I treasure them as if they were my grandmother's or mother's or aunt's prized beauties.

There were about 15 pins at the show I spotted that I would have LOVED to bring home with me. One of them I was really in love with, but when I tried to bargain with the dealer she was rather curt and I just said, "It's beautiful, but I'll have to pass... thank you." and went to another booth where they were happy to make me a deal on the amber colored pin. I understand if a dealer says, "I just can't come down on this..." or something like that. This lady was just not very pleasant. Hopefully the beautiful pin will find a new owner who will be a happier person than the dealer.

Greg went back in and bargained on the blue one for me. I had spotted it on Friday and fallen in love but was going to let it go. He's a master of bargaining - even when the show isn't closing - or in this case, closed.



Little things like this make me happy. Very, very happy. I'm such a lucky girl.

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Dapper Dressers

I spent time with two Dapper Dressers Saturday...

My best friend, Greg... who scored this amazing jacket at the Denver Modernism Show. I'm certain his girlfriend will appreciate me encouraging this wardrobe addition - at least that's what I'm telling myself.



And, also... the one and only, Charles Phoenix...



As the clothes might suggest, they're both fun guys!

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Tea at the Brown Palace, Hula Girls and Hula Hoops

This afternoon I got to enjoy tea at the Brown Palace in Denver. It was one of the best tea experiences I've ever had. And, I've had tea at some of the places you are supposed to go have tea - like the Empress Hotel in Victoria, Canada and Alice's in New York. Both of those are great, but the Brown Palace was spectacular. Loved the scones, they bring you extra sandwiches, and we left not needing to go have lunch or dinner. Great experience. Service was wonderful. Eveything was right.

Then we went to the modernism show where we watched Hula Dancers and then the Miss Modernism pageant.

First... Hula dancers... not something a person sees everyday.



During the pageant, one of the contestants - who ended up getting the second runner up position - mixed a martini, then drank it while hula hooping. There was some spilling. But it was great nonetheless. Frankly, if a person has enough martinis there will be some spilling. So, there you go.



I like for the days to have variety in them. Yesterday I was looking at rattlesnakes. Today I was looking at Hula Dancers.

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A Day of Giant Things

One of The Lope's travel rules is you stop to see anything that is "The World's Largest..." This is part of the story of how I ended up having my photo taken with the world's largest prairie dog today.

We learned that the smaller one was essentially the study for the larger one.

After the prairie dog, we moseyed (however you spell that) on down the road to a giant sculpture of Bill Cody killing a buffalo, hence the name Buffalo Bill Cody. It may have been more artistic than the prairie dog, but I preferred the prairie dog subject matter.



I also ended up watching a rather large - although I wouldn't say giant - rattlesnake shed it's skin.

Needless to say, I've had a full day. Time for bed. I don't think I can handle any more excitement for the day.
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Scenes From My World

I took this photo in an artist's studio. Surely a window like this stirs the soul of anyone, making the desire to paint palpable. Even if one doesn't paint. Or hasn't until they arrived in a place like this.

Lately I've been noticing the light in various places. It seems I keep finding myself in circumstances where it's worthy of note. Recently, someone else even mentioned it to me in a home.

Usually when something like that keeps coming up it means I should pay attention. I'm not sure what message - exactly - I'm supposed to get. Maybe it will become clear to me - as if a light is shining on it.

I know that a window like this should not be wasted on anyone except an artist who can make use of it to the fullest.

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Busy News Day

It has been a busy day in the world.

Rebels broke into Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's Tripoli compound and took it over. I have to confess I have not paid close attention to the whole thing. Why? I guess because there are only so many things I can pay attention to and there is not a single thing I can do to affect the outcome of that one way or the other.

Frankly, I've largely lost interest in politics of all sorts. I will certainly vote. I will always vote. But, I will no longer endorse one candidate or another on a local or state level unless I know them personally. I have been burned one too many times by people who profess to be one thing and turn out to be another. Paul Morrison taught me that lesson. On a national level I will just have to make my best guesses.

In other news today, Virginia had an earthquake that was felt in DC. You would think it was some huge, big deal event. As best I can tell, trying to ferret out the facts from the huge over-reaction of the east-coast based news operations, some things shook. Maybe I'm a big jaded because I grew up near the New Madrid fault line and I've experienced numerous earthquakes, but this wasn't any big deal. You would have thought there was mass destruction once the news shows finally got involved. At 5.8 I think it would have been unusual to have much major destruction, although I suppose it could happen.

It was, however, a great example of how much news coverage has changed in the world. I came back from lunch and saw a note on Facebook about it. I immediately logged on to cnn.com, where I found no mention of it at all. I went to Twitter, and quickly learned it was a lot of talk about something that wasn't worth talking about. By the time the traditional news organizations got involved in covering the story, and getting overly excited, I already knew it wasn't much of a story. But, we were subjected to numerous live shots of them standing in various places saying nothing had happened. Brilliant use of time, talent, energy and airtime. We could have heard about something important instead. But, that was not to be.

Also, I know this is not going to make me popular, but I'm sick of hearing about people being freaked out every time something happens. No matter what is it - earthquake to power outtage - people assume we're under attack by some unknown force, and start freaking out. People rush into the streets, jam cell phones and start evacuating cities. Good grief, people in Tripoli are dodging bullets. That's something to freak out about. People in Joplin had a third of their town wiped out. That's major. The pictures on your wall shook. It is not the same thing. Get a grip. Somewhere along the way we've turned into a nation afraid of its own shadow. The power goes out sometimes. You'll live without the DVR for a few hours. Calm the hell down.

On a personal note, tonight was Creative Sisterhood. For the first time in a few months we were all here and it was nice to connect. Group dynamics are fascinating.
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Quote of the Day

Don't tell me the moon is shining,
show me the glint of light on broken glass.
                                Anton Chekov

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Quote of the Day

Empty yourself of everything.
Let the mind rest at peace.
- Lao Tsu

This is certainly easier said than done for me. My brain goes at 100 mph all the time. There is not much peace to be found in that.

But, in an effort to find some, I started meditating years ago. It is one way to get to a bit of peace, although I've never been able to empty myself of everything. It might, indeed, be nice to rest the mind briefly.

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Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve near Cottonwood Falls Kansas

I spent part of the day at the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve near Cottonwood Falls, Kansas. I first visited here a couple of years ago and wrote about it. It really left an impression on me.

Today I didn't tour the house but went, instead, to the barn while the house tour was going on. Some of the barn is original from the 1800s - essentially all the white parts. The other parts have been added through the years. Nonetheless, it's quite amazing to see old growth wood being used in such beautiful ways. I took a lot of close ups of various bits of wood here and there. You just don't see this sort of thing very often anymore.

It's much like the Tallgrass Prairie - almost all gone. Only about 4% of what was once Tallgrass Prairie remains and the majority of it is in Kansas at this one spot. We are so fortunate Nancy Landon Kassebaum made it a priority to create this.



Parts of Kansas are still very rural. I think it may be difficult for people who live in cities to imagine. For example, Chase County, where this is located, has a population of less than 2,800. There is not a single stop light in the entire county. People lead very different kinds of lives, but they're all valuable in the mix.


A really wonderful afternoon adventure. I would like to go back when it's cooler and spend more time in the prairie itself.

I heartily recommend a visit. And stop by the Grand Central in nearby Cottonwood Falls for a meal. Call first as their hours are limited. You can also try the Emma Chase Cafe down the street. Always call to confirm hours.


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Remembered in Stone

Tromping around cemeteries is something I've been doing for a very long time. It's often where you find some beautiful statuary, interesting facts, and peace. I've always thought it a pity that Americans don't have more of a European sensibility about cemeteries where they're often considered additional parks.

At Fort Leavenworth a few months ago I took some photos in the cemetery there. I was struck by the individuality demonstrated on these "identical" stones. People often have a religious symbol at the top and include a list of their service. Sometimes there's an additional line that says something about the person.

Summing up a life in a few words has always seemed like risky business to me. I'm not sure what I'd want people to read about me for the next few decades or centuries, however long it lasts. Maybe this is why most people default to the most basic of things, "Beloved Mother," or something like that. We have difficulty deciding what it should say so we leave it to those left behind, and in a desire to be accurate and meaningful they return to roles we've played in this lifetime.

I will probably always question what this man's family was trying to say with the inscription, "God Forgive His Sorrowful Heart." Obviously, they are religious people, offering an entreatment to God here. But one can't help but believe the man buried here, Robert Lee Fowler, had a difficult 59 years that led to a heart so sorrowful it's what is preserved in stone. May his new life be one of much more joy.
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Words of Wisdom

Tonight I went to see David Vidal play during Third Thursday. He was amazing, just as he was a few months ago when I first heard him. We're so fortunate to have such incredible talent passing through this little burg. I'm so thankful to Jennifer and Danny for all their efforts in making this monthly event thrive and continuing to introduce us to people like David Vidal.



He plays with a shot glass in his left hand. It's a really beautiful, haunting sound. Unlike anything I've heard before. I also love his voice - very soulful.



Tonight he sang a song with a line something like, "I've seen things better left unspoken." That really jumped out at me, and when that happens it generally means there's a message there that should be noted.

Over the years I have spoken of things I've seen that I thought might be better left alone. I'm not sure anything was ever solved by that. It was just talk. It didn't change anything that happened. Everything was exactly as it had been before the talk, except I had wasted my breath and given voice to things instinct told me were better left quietly in the past.

A motto I've lived by for years was, "Let it go. Let it be. Let it lie." It seems occasionally I forget these basic things and let others influence me to tell the stories of things better left unspoken. At this transition time of my life I'm becoming more conscious all the time of being private about my thoughts so they are my own opinions, not influenced by others.

At the same time, it's really valuable to get other people's input. Like everything I suppose it's a balancing act.
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Quote of the Day

"Women want to be free. That is their right. And it is certainly not men who stand in their way. The day a woman's honor is no longer located below the navel, she will be free."
                   Paul Gaugin
                   "Cahier pour Aline"
                   Tahiti - 1892

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Rainbow Over Perfection

Some moments are just perfect. This was one of them.

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Perceptions

How people see us, and how we really are can be so very different.

I seem to give off an aura of being very prim and proper and somewhat standoffish. More than one person has told me that before they really got to know me they thought I was pretty stuck up. Once people know me that's not how they see me at all. Then they describe me as a free-spirit - fun, outgoing, and funny.

Somehow the "me" I am showing to the world is not the "me" I am inside. I am always open to new friends and new experiences. I do need to get to know people a little before I completely open myself up, and give total trust, but there's a big span between that and unapproachable.

One of my former boyfriends said the day he first met me he thought, "the chance for rejection was extremely high," that there was no chance I would even give him the time of day - that I had an aura about me of being off-limits. He did approach me. I was interested. He didn't think it such a bad thing that I had an aura of being off-limits once he was the boyfriend - he thought it was pretty fabulous then.

I think of myself as very friendly, but apparently that's not the image I give out to the world. I'm open to new people in my life - who doesn't want more friends? Somehow I need to figure out how to present that to the world instead of what I'm sending out.

Stories - Telling them and Hearing them

I was listening to an interview with writer Hanif Kureshi recently and he said something that has become one of my favorite quotes. "It's a kind of love to tell your story."

Isn't that true? Our stories are one of the only things we really have.

When I became a journalist, what I really wanted to do was tell stories. They just came in the form of news. But it was really all about stories.

When I meet people, what I really want is to hear their stories. No one ever wants to show me their wedding photo album a second time because I have a million questions about who is who and how they're related. I'm one of those people. I want to hear the stories.

I want the real stories. Not what you do for a living. Not who you know. Not who you're related to. I want to know who you are. What you think about. How you make decisions. What made you the person you are today. How you were different ten years ago. What you want - deep down, desperately - that you never speak aloud.

People have amazing stories to tell. In fact, the kinds of lives people create can be astonishing. They can go on adventures you would never imagine, engage with the world in a way we'd never think of. Others take on the task of creating a stable future through a new generation - another task I cannot imagine taking on. The old adage about "it takes all kinds" is never more true than when used in this context.

One thing I learned early is that everyone has a story. And it's a good one. It will make you laugh, cry and everything in between. Everyone you know has a story that would cause you to weep and one that would cause you to rejoice. We humans are fascinating things. And we all have a story.

Will you tell me yours?

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Scenes From My World

I take a tremendous amount of photographs. Sometimes they're little bits of the day, sometimes they're from an excursion, sometimes they're just things I run across. Some of them find their way onto the blog, but most of them end up in a computer file on a hard drive, never to be seen by anyone.

So, I think I'm going to start sharing more of them here. Some of these are pretty, some are evocative, some capture a fleeting moment that will never again be. Those all seem worthy reasons to share them.

This was taken in Kentucky a few weeks ago. I just drove by it and stopped to take a photo. I love that structure - looking like it's held up by plants. It reminds me of being a kid on the farm. Maybe it has a totally different meaning for you. Hopefully you enjoy the scene even if it doesn't bring up a memory.

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Thomas Hart Benton Paint and Harmonica

Thomas Hart Benton, in addition to being one of the great American artists, also developed the notation system still used today for harmonica. It seems creative sorts often have their fingers in lots of pies. I'm not sure why that is, but it is proven time and again. Think about how often you hear of actors who also paint, or singers who write books.

The question is how does one find time for all these pursuits. I dabble in lots of creative areas, but have difficulty figuring out where I should focus my energies. Ultimately, we only have so much time and energy and we should make the most of it by doing what we're best at. The problem is that I'm not sure what that is.

Perhaps one of these days that will become clear. In the meantime, I suppose I'll just rejoice in the blessing of variety.

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