It seems to me that this pic was taken with my Minolta 450 SLR (film) camera. I cannot remember the year but I do remember it was during a cold February rain storm here in the Bay Area. The snow did not last long and it was all gone within a hour. It kind of brings to mind a phrase from a Jane Olivor song: "Just because it is over, it doesn't mean it didn't happen."
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Although "storm clouds gathering on the horizon" is a bit of cliche, it is also apt. I took these pictures last night before heading for home. The spot from which they were taken is just north of the Sharp Park Pier.
This morning, the wind is literally howling around the building in which I live. The rain has yet to arrive. CJ is quite fascinated by the way things are flying around the patio when the gusts of wind hit. I look at my beautiful big geranium with concern for it is thrived mightily is this past warm and benign January. Geraniums break easily. Ah well...it will be what it will be. They were the first same sex couple I knew. Except I did not know they were a same sex couple for I'd been told not only by them but by my parents that they were "cousins." I accepted that explanation and it was not until I had come out of the closet myself that I began to look back at them and go "hmmmm?" Left to right in the above picture: Louise, Leona, Dad and I. The event was my Dad's birthday which if I am remembering correctly was May 28th. Leona and Louise were from Chicago. They both worked at Swedish Covenant Hospital where Leona was the head medical records librarian. Their connection to my family was that they had a gorgeous summer cabin at the north end of the lake on which my parents also lived. The cabin sat in a grove of balsam and maple trees on a hill overlooking the lake. The cabin was a dark stained wood on the outside and the inside was all knotty pine with plank floors. The cabin basically was three rooms...a nice large kitchen with eating area, a huge great room with windows rather than walls that looked out at woods and lake, and an enclosed front porch overlooking the lake which was used as a bedroom. At the base of the hill was perhaps one of the nicest beaches on the lake and the place were us kids did a lot of swimming. Leona was an excellent cook and I still vividly remember three things she loved to make: lasagna (which she made loaded with fresh mushrooms), her crabmeat sandwiches (the recipe is in this blog) and lastly her ham and German potato sandwiches on pumpernickel bread. Louise was the more quiet one...the one that cleaned up after Leona. Leona was the verbose one. Yet, I think in many ways Louise was the one that wore the "panties" in that family. One summer I visited them in Chicago. I took the train...the 400 it was called which was a classy fast passenger train between the Twin Cities and Chicago. Once in Chicago I enjoyed so many things...seeing the loop, McDonalds was there and it had just sold its 1,000,000th burger, I visited the museum of Science and Industry, and spent one afternoon at a tremendous amusement park (Riverside? Lakeside?)...and lastly riding the El was a blast. I truly loved them not only when I was a kid but as I became a young adult. They were so generous with their time and would always welcome me at their cabin and let me spend as much time as I wanted (which was a lot of time). They would talk to me, listen to me, and their insight in so many things helped to grow and expand my universe. Leona and Louise...I honor your memory...and I love you both and I miss you both. Well, here it is another Monday for this old worker bee. Although my spirit would rather be walking along this trail and enjoying the morning sunlight...instead I am here at my computer, sipping coffee, and contemplating the work day.
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AuthorFamily, friends and home are the treasures that bring me the most pleasure. Through my blog, I wish to share part of my life and heart with readers. Categories
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