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Musings: to meditate, think, contemplate, deliberate, ponder, reflect, ruminate, reverie, daydream, introspection, dream, preoccupation, brood, cogitate.

Friday, September 30, 2016

This & That - September 2016

I'm very happy to report that Olivia's Poppi (our daughter-in-law's father) is doing quite well.  His tests after four chemotherapy treatments give us great hope that he may beat the dire prognosis after all.  Here is Olivia crossing the bridge to the Faerie Door in the Enchanted Woods on one of her visits. . . .


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After an absence of two months the Take Joy Society got together for tea, melon, and apple cake.  We shared what's been going on in our lives and planned what we want to do this year.  Our theme is Travel where we'll share where we've been and what we learned on our travels.  So, be sure to sign up to receive the e-mail notifications on Take Joy Society if you want to go along with us. . . .
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Our kids and their families, plus Olivia's Nani & Poppi, helped Ken celebrate his birthday on the 11th.  I think I need to get a new "7" candle since it will be used a lot in the next decade.  It's probably left over from when the kids were little. . . .
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The National Museum of the American Indian has been in Washington, D.C. for 12 years now, but this was the first time for me to see it!  There was a special exhibit called "Maya Creativity and Cultural Milieu" as part of the Hispanic Heritage Month Program. . . .

The building has a very natural flow to it.  You can read more about the structure and the grounds here.  This is the view from the top floor looking down over the atrium where the event was being held. . . .

The participants were Guatemalan Maya. . . .

The weavers have their hand looms tied to the wooden structure in the center. . . .



The handcrafts are beautifully made. . . .
There was also an exhibit for the native Americans in our region. . . .

This bronze sculpture was striking in its size and composition. . . .


I enjoyed the introductory film shown in a small theater in the round.  There were screens on the center "hut" on each side and one over head. . .

Their cafe was grand and open giving a "big sky" feeling. . . .

It featured various types of Native foods from the Americas. . . .
I had the soup (on left) with corn bread
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Ken made Paella and baked baguettes for our friends who came to visit from Valparaiso, Indiana.  We have kept in touch through Christmas and anniversary cards for almost 50 years since we moved away, but have only gotten together a handful of times over the years.  So we had a lot of catching up to do. . . .
Note my new every-day dishes in the background

We took them into Frederick to show them, as we like to do with all our guests, our Community Bridge and Carroll Creek Linear Park.  The waterlily leaves are showing their autumn colors. . . .
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We had a lot going on during the month.  I've only shown you a bit of it.  I'm using these last rainy days in September to get caught up on my web journals.  The rain has stopped for the moment and it's only 61° .  Autumn is here!  The rain has knocked some of the leaves off the trees, the Dogwood is full of its berries, and the Virginia Creeper on the lattice has started turning red. . . .

Gabriel is wondering why we haven't been going for our daily romp in the woods.  After beginning the month with heat and humidity this is a welcomed change.  How was your September?

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Take Joy!

15 comments:

  1. We have never been to the American Indian Museum, Cathy. I'm afraid the traffic going north keeps us from going into D.C. very often. We used to visit the Smithsonian quite frequently as our children were growing up. The grands always enjoy going with us there. A trip on the VRE would be fun for them.
    I'm so glad to hear your daughter-in-laws father is doing well. I hope his treatments are not too harsh and that he continues to do well.
    I couldn't help but notice the hearts and flowers teacups and saucers in your photo. They really blend well with your dishes. You may remember I have these dishes. I love Johnson Brother patterns. ♥

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    1. We have the same problem with traffic going south. We went on a Sunday morning and had no traffic and even found a free parking space (meters are free on Sunday) right next to the building! We arrived a few minutes before they opened so it wasn't crowded inside either. Yes, I remember your dishes and that's why when I saw the 4 cups and saucers at a flea market for $2 I bought them! I have a full set of my Laura Ashley dishes but like to mix it up from time with other sets that coordinate. Thank you for your well wishes for Poppi.

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  2. All those beautiful crafts were a delight to see. Such good news about Poppi, hope he continues to do well. Take care.

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    1. Thank you for your well wishes for Poppi. The handwork was amazing--such skill!

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  3. I enjoyed your post & seeing the lily pads (which I saw in July) turning colors. I wasn't aware that certain plant life also changed colors. I miss seeing the Autumn radiance of the trees in Michigan. I'm glad that Pete is doing much better. GOD does answer prayer!

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    1. Thank you for your well wishes for Poppi. I wish you could pop up later this month when our leaves start to turn. 😊

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  4. That's wonderful news about your daughter-in-law's father, Cathy. Hopefully the positive news will help him get through the remaining treatments, knowing that they are actually working. The Mayan crafts are beautiful. Did they have any for sale? I don't think I could have resisted. The colours are amazing!

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    1. Thank you for your well wishes for Poppi. Yes, some of the crafts were for sale, and not inexpensive, as you might imagine.

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  5. How I wish the Native American Museum had been in existence when I lived in Virginia. I would have visited as often as possible, for it is of great interest to me. I popped over to the Cafe to sneak a peek of the menu, but sadly they do not share it. I would have been intrigued to read the offerings.
    How beautiful, the waterlily pads, and such a bold and brightly coloured paella dish to share with old friends. Such a joy for you.
    Pleased to learn your daughter in law's father is responding well to treatment and pray he continues to do so.

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  6. Thank you for your well wishes for Poppi. I tried to find their menu but was unsuccessful, too. They had some interesting choices in their entrees, but at $15 (and it being lunch) I didn't try them.

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  7. Well, I just spent about 90 min poring over the website of the Nat'l Museum of the American Indian. SO very interesting. One of the greatest things about the Internet is that it makes it possible for people to "virtually-visit" so many places they'd probably never get to otherwise. And even though it's not quite the same as actually going there, it's a big step in that direction. One thing that really surprises me is that it was named as it was. It seems more correct to say "National Museum of the Native American" - after all, the only reason we said "Indian" for so long is because Columbus goofed up & thought he actually WAS in India. I don't know, it just seems odd. Maybe because I worked with so many Indian students at my university and it was always something we talked about. They were always interested in why Americans referred to native Americans as "Indians." They were never upset or angry about it, just curious and I think even a little bemused. SO GLAD to get the good news about Olivia & August's Poppi too! That's awesome! May the Force continue to be with him as he finishes his treatment & continues to grow stronger. I hope he's being stuffed full of all kinds of health-building nutrition too, at least as much as he can tolerate. One of the things I believe the 21st century is going to show us that we have a lot of what we need to cure ourselves of various ailments, and to preserve & build health, right here on the planet already, in the way of plants, herbs, other substances etc. Apple cider vinegar, manuka honey, aloe vera etc etc. The list goes on and on - and there's SO much more awaiting discovery. Now granted, human beings are enormously complex, and Nature is enormously complex. And what works for one individual is not necessarily going to work for someone else. But I think Nature and evolution have probably supplied us with what they need - we just have to study and work at it and try things out to see what works for us each, individually. OK, end of my let's-return-to-Nature soapbox!! LOL. I love the photo of Olivia going over the bridge, with her best buddy Gabriel following up in the rear, sticking close. Now THAT looks like something right out of one of Beatrix Potter's stories! Except Gabriel should be wearing a cute little coat of some kind, of course! Have a great weekend!💛

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    1. I am surprised, too, Janet, about the name of the National Museum. I did some looking and according to the website (under "Did you know") that "the terms American Indian or indigenous American are preferred by many Native people." Perhaps because that is what they've grown up with? Poppi has changed his diet which has helped him a great deal in tolerating the chemotherapy. They met with a nutritionist at Johns Hopkins and ended up sharing the information with the cancer center people where he was receiving his treatments to be handed out to the other patients. You'd think they'd be disseminating the information themselves, wouldn't you.

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    2. Yes, Cathy. You would DEFINITELY think that kind of info would be shared across disciplines. But I can tell you from a lot of personal experience that much of the medical profession, despite what we hear on the news etc, is STILL very much resistant to natural &/or nutritional remedies. And pro-active patients for that matter too. There are a few open-minded people out there, but there needs to be a lot more to make any progress. And if you want to hear my soapbox rant on THIS subject, just let me know, I have a whopper [seriously]. LOL.

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  8. What an interesting museum, and with a cafe serving traditional food--sure must round out the visit! I enjoyed the photos of the crafting--such vibrant colors. I'm glad Olivia's other grandfather is doing better. My she is getting big! And your Ken looks to be quite a good cook.

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    1. Thank you for your well wishes for Poppi. Ken is indeed a good cook. He cooks several times a week and cleans up the kitchen, too!

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