inspiration

Lessons Learned From A 9/11 Survivor

/ Kevin / 304 Comments

September 8th was Joe’s birthday, and we headed into NYC to celebrate.  We did the same thing eleven years ago, and on that particular day, the air had the first hints of autumn crispness. We commented all day how especially blue the sky appeared, and how clearly we could see all of the buildings.

Three days later, the world changed – and now, September 11 is a day that still haunts me.  Like so many other people, I have clear memories of where I was and what I was doing — as clear as the sky that day.  I remember conversations that I had and every single emotion of every single second.

Eleven years ago, I was working in a middle school – and while I do not want to go into all of my details that day, there is one moment that I cannot forget.

As the tragedy unfolded, parents arrived in a steady stream.  I was helping in the Main Office, signing their children out of school.  Many of adults had spouses working in downtown Manhattan.  One mother arrived and asked for her son.

“I’m not taking him home,” she said as I looked up her son’s schedule.  “I just want to hug him.”  I caught my breath, my eyes blinking away tears as I focused on the computer screen.  When I returned with her son, they stood in the hallway and just were.  It was an intimate moment between a parent and child, consoling and comforting – and it is a moment that still moves me to tears whenever I think or speak about that day.

The Freedom Tower

Eleven years later, Joe and I are at the site.  Each time we have made this visit, at different stages of redevelopment, I feel I have to brace myself.  I think of that mother and her son, of so many victims and their families and friends, and I think of Kevin Donnelly, a man who hired the middle school me to mow lawns one summer.

Today, the 9/11 Memorial occupies Ground Zero.  Two pools now sit in the Twin Towers’ imprint.  The pools, surrounded by thirty-foot walls of cascading water, eventually descend into a center void.  The bronze rims of the pools are engraved with the names of the victims.

Although the area is surrounded by the sights and sounds of rebuilding, it is amazingly quiet and somber and moving.  It is not uncommon to see people placing flowers on the rim, carbon rubbing a specific name, praying and consoling each other – just like a mother and a son from eleven years ago.

That’s where my mind was when I noticed the tree.  Adjacent to the pools is a garden where all of the trees are Swamp White Oaks – all, except for this one tree; a Callery Pear Tree that is protected by a railing, where visitors line up and pose for pictures, as if this particular tree is a celebrity.

This is The Survivor Tree.

The tree was originally planted on the World Trade Center plaza, on the eastern edge near Church Street, in the ‘70s.  After 9/11, workers found the damaged tree – reduced to an eight-foot-tall stump in the wreckage at Ground Zero.

The tree was removed to a NYC park, where it was nursed back to health.  New branches sprouted, blossoms opened in spring, and the tree eventually reached 30 feet.  In March 2010, however, the tree was uprooted by severe storms – but it still survived with the help of its caretakers and its will, if we could think that a tree has a will.

In December 2010, the tree was returned to the WTC site, where it sits just west of the south pool – a symbol of strength and resilience.  It’s no wonder that so many people wait in line to be photographed next to the tree.  Sometimes we all need a tree – or a parent, a partner, a friend, a stranger – on which to lean, much like we all did on 9/12 and the weeks, months, and years following.

The rebuilt Palm Court.

The more I think about that tree, the more impressed I am.  It fought to live so that we – regardless of our gender, sexual orientation, race, religion, ethnicity, ability, and political views – could enjoy its shade, appreciate its blooms, and find comfort in its hug and wisdom in its story.  It’s unconditional – just being, like that mother and son embracing each other in a school hallway eleven years ago.

And yet, there is still no museum at the site – because of bickering over funding.  Yes, years of bickering.  While I personally do not need a museum to remind me of that day, I know that there are many young people who were too young or not even born to understand the events of 9/11.  On a similar note, this is an election year in the United States, and both parties are going to great lengths to widen the rift between their constituents.

Yes, September 8th was Joe’s birthday and we headed into NYC to celebrate.  We did the same thing eleven years ago, and three days later, the world changed — but have people changed?

Perhaps we should let that Survivor Tree be our teacher.  There’s so much we could learn from it – we just have to be willing to listen.

Update: Last night, on the eve of September 11, it was reported that the mayor of NYC and the governors of NY and NJ had reached an agreement on the museum.  Construction is scheduled to resume, with a completion goal of September 11, 2013.

A Hummer Of A Summer Day

/ Kevin / 40 Comments

Photo courtesy of The Baiting Hollow Hummingbird Sanctuary

I don’t think I’m too far off when I say that most people are fascinated by hummingbirds.  Delicate yet swift, they confound gardeners, bird watchers, and photographers alike – all of whom wait patiently for one to appear.  And when one does, an excited whisper passes through the crowd, as if Beyonce has just walked up to the feeder.

“Oh, there she is.  She’s right there.  Oh, look at her . . .” Then, as quickly as a hummingbird appears, it zips away.

I haven’t seen a hummingbird since I was a child, but that certainly hasn’t dampened my fascination.  So when my friend Michele suggested a field trip to the Baiting Hollow Hummingbird Sanctuary, I jumped at the chance.  Would I see one?  Would I even be able to snap a picture?

Located on a bluff overlooking Long Island Sound, the Sanctuary is more than a labor of love for its founder, Paul Adams.  It is a passion.  His three-and-a-half acre garden is, at first glance, in a natural state – filled with native trees that provide perches and nest building materials for his guests of honor, hummingbirds that migrate from Mexico and Central America.

Then, all around, are splashes of sweet nectar and color, thanks to butterfly bushes, salvias, cardinal flowers, trumpet vines, honeysuckle, and a selection of tropical flowers to make the hummingbirds feel more at home.

There is a small, tree-shaded area for parking and, fortunately, I listened to Michele about wearing a good pair of walking shoes.  The ground is uneven, and there are some crudely built steps to help visitors negotiate the ups and downs of the garden.  And be sure to mind the hand-painted signs – all of which are there to help you safely explore.

The first stop for Michele, me, and two other friends, Jeannie and James, was a hollow, accessible by a tighly packed dirt steps.

At the bottom, a large sign reminded us to be quiet – and it was like entering a church.  We were dwarfed by walls of butterfly bushes, accented with the stained glass hues of butterfly wings.

We then strolled under a canopy of wild cherry, oak, and beech trees, all the time keeping our eyes glued to the various feeders, hoping to catch a glimpse of a hummingbird.  My hands gripped the camera.

Eventually, we made it to the cottages, one of the most peaceful locations on the property.  Here, visitors sat patiently in Adirondack chairs, cameras in hand, waiting for a hummingbird to arrive by a feeder or to enjoy the nectar from any of their favorite flowers.

Behind the cottage closest to the bluff, there was an amazing view of Long Island Sound and the steady buzz of bees.  A hummingbird made a quick appearance, but then flew away faster than I could say, “Hum.”

We ultimately returned to the garden between the two cottages, one of which is where Mr. Adams spends his summer months.  The rest of the year, he’s a professor of neuroscience at Stony Brook University, on Long Island.  On this visit, we were his pupils, as he taught us about the life and habits of hummingbirds.  Then, in midsentence, he said, “There’s one at the feeder now.”

Every head turned and there was the collective whisper of awe.  Instinctively, I snapped a photo.  There was no time to zoom and I hoped the digital camera would be able to focus faster than a hummingbird’s wings.

At some point, I began to wonder if the hummingbirds were playing with all of us.  It’s as if they knew we were waiting to capture their image, and when they saw all of the cameras take aim, off they flew.  One even hovered above the deck where Mr. Adams was speaking to us, but as the cameras were lifted, so too did the hummingbird.  Gone.

Just as I was about to pack up the camera, one hummingbird seemed to feel sorry for us and sat on a branch, preening and posing itself.

And I had my close up.  At last.

Not only is it remarkable to have seen a hummingbird in the wild, it’s an inspiration to meet a man so passionate about his love that he is willing to share it with the public for free.  Yes, you read that correctly.  The Sanctuary has no admission fee.  In fact, Mr. Adams will not even accept a monetary donation (his website encourages donations to other specified organizations), although sturdy old chairs and plants are always welcome.

The Sanctuary is only open in August.  For more information about the species, the Sanctuary, the battle to protect it from development, starting your own hummingbird-friendly garden, as well as days and hours of operation, please visit either the website or blog.

Bloomin’ Update 32: Lost In The Planting Fields

/ Kevin / 33 Comments

Anthurium

Gardening is a gift that keeps on giving – and this is especially true of the Planting Fields Arboretum, a jewel of a gift on Long Island’s Gold Coast.

William Robertson Coe, who made his fortune in marine insurance, built the mansion in 1921 in the style of a 16th century Elizabethan country home – but it’s the park-like 409-acre estate, designed by the Olmsted brothers, that brings gardening enthusiasts, walkers, brides, and myself back in time.

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Field Trip: Brooklyn In A Box — And On A Bridge

/ Kevin / 31 Comments

If you should ever find yourself visiting Brooklyn, do yourselves a favor and walk — down boutique and café-lined avenues, tree-shaded streets and, by all means, across one of New York City’s most beloved landmarks, the Brooklyn Bridge.  The bridge, which links the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn for walkers, bikers and drivers, was, at its opening in 1883, the world’s longest suspension bridge.  Its location provides visitors with spectacular views of the NY skyline. 

Looking from the bridge toward downtown Manhattan. The buildings under construction (just behind the cables) are part of the World Trade Center site. The one on the right (with two cranes on top in a V-shape) is the Freedom Tower.

While there are many people who jog and bike across the bridge, I prefer a slow stroll along the pedestrian promenade.

Visitors insist on leaving their mark. Rather than vandalizing the bridge, they now lock their messages to the bridge.

International visitors also join in.

As you face Manhattan and look right, you can get a view of the Empire State Building.

Look left, and it’s the Statue of Liberty.

Arriving on the Brooklyn side of the bridge, you will be in Brooklyn Heights.  Here is a chance to wander off the main thoroughfare and get lost among the smaller streets and their dazzling show of window boxes.

When it comes to planting in pots or window boxes, I tend to keep the same plant in its own pot – and then group the various pots.  I never mix and match in the same pot – more out of a lack of confidence and fear that I will end up with a mismatched jungle.  Yes, window box planting is a skill of which I am truly in awe, and I am completely surprised by the variety that these Brooklynites have on display. 

There are grasses.

And tropicals.

And ferns.

And boxwoods.

And colorful foliage.

And urns.

And an “A” for effort.

And an entrance that takes my breath away.

Clearly, all of this walking burns a lot of calories — but this is Brooklyn, one of the best boroughs in which to replenish those calories.  Although I didn’t take photos of our food, here is what and where Joe and I ate.

Lunch: Totonno’s in Coney Island for some thin-crusted pizza.  It’s a small place and certainly not fancy — but it is one of the pizza parlors that is always touted as the best among pizza afficionados.  You cannot order by the slice, so Joe and I ate a small pie — that’s four slices each and that kept us quite full.

Dinner: Still full from lunch, we opted for a small bite at Dellarocco’s in Brooklyn Heights.  An order of meatballs was perfect — but the tables around us were overflowing with pizzas and calzones.  Delicious!

Dessert:  Yes, there is always room for dessert — so we returned to Joe’s childhood neighborhood for some spumoni, which is an Italian ice cream, at L&B Spumoni Gardens.  YUM!

Yes, this was definitely a day worthy of an all-capital YUM.

The Illuminating Blogger Award Goes To . . .

/ Kevin / 26 Comments

Illuminating.  The dictionary tells me that this has to do with supplying or brightening with light, making understandable, enlightening.  What I have learned in the past year is that there are so many bloggers out there who do the same for me – and to whom I continually return to for illumination.

One of these bloggers is Helene, of Graphicality UK, who nominated this site for the Illuminating Blogger Award.  It’s not enough to say that I’m honored or humbled.  The fact that this came from Helene means so much more, because I would use the same word to define her.  She is absolutely illuminating.

As you know, there are rules to rewards, and the rules here are a little different than other awards.

  1. 1. The nominee should visit the award site (http://foodstoriesblog.com/illuminating-blogger-award/) and leave a comment that they have been nominated and by whom.  (They keep a blogroll of winners, so this is a very important step.)  This will be a check as soon as I click “publish,” I promise.
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To Garden Or To Blog, That Is The Question

/ Kevin / 38 Comments

And what a question it is.  In fact, it’s a question that has been weighing on my mind very much lately.

Since beginning this garden blog, gardening has become an oxymoron of sorts – an entirely new pastime.  What was once a simple task – something that I could take care of with little thought – has now become, well, post material.  Everything is fair game.  Weeding is no longer an act of pulling and discarding.  It’s now an opportunity to write, to inform, to be witty.  It’s a photo op – and how many of you have tried to garden with one hand while holding a camera in the other?

And so my dilemma.  Do blogging and the need for content take away from gardening or does gardening interfere with blogging time?  Does one need to suffer for the good of the other, or can both activities find a balanced and peaceful coexistence?

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The Sunshine Award Goes To . . .

/ Kevin / 26 Comments

It was a dark and stormy night.

Actually, it was daytime – and it was gray and soggy.  The sort of day that feels like a wet sponge, and no matter how tightly you twist and wring, it continues to seep water.  At least that was my view as I stood in the potting shed, gazing out at a lawn that already needs to be mowed and winter remains that should have been raked up weeks ago. 

That’s when I noticed that sunshine can come from the most unlikely of places.

I had taken advantage of the weather to catch up on potting shed work, transplanting seedlings into individual pots.  In this case, I marveled at the smallest splashes of color on the first true leaves of Hypoestes phyllostachya, or Polka Dot Plant.  They actually seemed to sparkle on this grayest of gray days. 

I also caught a glimpse of sunshine on the arbor that spans the blue stone walkway.  This may not look like much to you, but to me this is the payoff for which I have waited years.  The Climbing Hydrangeas, purchased so long ago from a catalog, have finally matured enough to make their very first flowers.

Even more sunshine arrived courtesy of Ni hao Shangai! and Outtakes on the Outskirts, both of whom nominated my blog for the Sunshine Award.  Each of these blogs, although they couldn’t be geographically further apart, document family life in their own part of the world: Shanghai and Ohio, respectively.  And to each of these remarkable women bloggers, I would like to extend my thanks for discovering my site and for passing along this honor.

I’ve said it before – and I will say it again – when each of us writes and posts, we often forget that there is a world of an audience out there, each eager to explore and learn and discuss.  When notice comes that your work is appreciated, well, it is hugely touching and encouraging.  So, ladies, thank you again!

With these various blog awards, there are rules that must be followed in the acceptance.  So here it goes. 

  1. Include the logo in your post.  Check
  2. Link back to the person who nominated you.  Double check.
  3. Answer 10 questions about yourself.
  4. Nominate 10 – 12 other bloggers and link them to the Sunshine Award post in their comments section.

Some sunny facts about me:

1. What is your favorite color?  Actually, I don’t really have a favorite — so I opened my closet and did a quick analyis of my clothes.  There’s blue and green and lots of earth tones.  When I look at that description, I almost sound like Earth.

2. What is your favorite animal?  Again, I don’t really have a favorite breed.  I’m not someone who is surr0unded by prints and posters and trinkets of, say, Pandas or Koalas.  So I will take this as an opporunity to introduce you to the rest of the family: Murphy and Muffola.  Murphy is our 7-year-old Tibetan Terrier, who is sadly dealing with some knee issues in her hind legs.  Then, there is Muffola, the just over 1-year-old Ragdoll cat.

3. What is your favorite number?  Hmmm.  I really don’t think I have one.  Seven?  Because it rhymes with Kevin?  My age?  Because I’m happy to still be here? 

4. What is your favorite non-alcoholic drink?  This one is easy.  Water.  I like the basics — cool and refreshing.  If I want to make it fancy, I’ll brew it into some unsweetened iced tea.

5. Which do you prefer: Facebook or Twitter?  Up until yesterday, this was neither.  I do not have a Facebook account because, as a school employee, I did not want students having access to me.  Then they would ask to be my friend, and I would have to set a boundary and say no, and then it would just get ugly.  So I have avoided Facebook.  As for Twitter — Is anyone really that important that they have to message whatever they happen to be doing at any moment of the day or even their opinion on everything?  Then I spoke to our friend Teresa, who gave me a crash course in blogging and Twittering and Facebooking and linking and, well, let’s just say I’m exploring all options on the social media front.  I’ll keep you posted.

6.  What is your passion?  There are way too many to list.  The obvious would be gardening and writing.  Then, there is bagpiping, traveling, reading, and food. 

7. Do you prefer giving or receiving presents?  I’m a giver — but I do like to receive a gift.  My favorites are the kind that are given for no reason and they do not need to be expensive.  Just a token that says, “I thought of you.”

8. What is your favorite pattern?  Plaid.  Hands down, it’s plaid.

9. What is your favorite day of the week?  I enjoy Saturdays (it’s a weekend) and Wednesday evenings (bagpipe lesson night), but I especially enjoy a lazy Sunday morning, lingering over breakfast and The New York Times and the crossword puzzle.

10. What is your favorite flower?  This is a particular difficult question, but if I have to  play favorites, then Dahlia holds a special place in my heart — just don’t tell the other flowers.  They each think that they’re my favorite.

Now for my nominees.  The first 8 are a group of blogs that I visit regularly for inspiration, creativity, and knowledge.  They are, I guess, my rays of sunshine and I often nominate them for various awards.  I truly admire the creators of these blogs.  Numbers 9 – 14 (yes, I know I went overboard) are new discoveries.  I was fortunate enough that they found my site so that I could explore and discover their world.  Please find the time to click on over and explore all that they have to offer — no sunscreen required.

  1. Lee May’s Gardening Life — The first blog I ever read, and the one that inspired me to take the leap.
  2. Hortus 5 — The style is tremendous, but it’s Mario’s warmth and dedication that keeps me returning.
  3. Jean’s Garden — With wit and intelligence, Jean makes gardening and nature very hands-on.
  4. Arigna Gardener — Each day is an adventure, as Bridget shares so much of her gardening life in Ireland.
  5. Promenade Plantings — This is so more than a gardening blog.  There are recipes and humor and a European life.
  6. Tidy Gardens by Jane — A day without Jane is like a day without sunshine.  I especially love her humor.
  7. Canoe Corner — Join Marguerite as she shares her progress on renovating her dream home and landscape.
  8. Dreaming of Roses — If there was ever a place where the sun shines, it’s in this garden.  Roses, roses, and more!
  9. Breathe Lighter — Three remarkable women have joined forces to share their inspiration, knowledge, and philosophy.
  10. Dirt Road Documentaries — An incredibly fascinating journey.
  11. Rainy Leaf — Elaine offers a tremendous amount of gardening knowledge, with a Pacific Northwest slant.
  12. Joy in the Moments — Char takes the reader on a tour of life’s moments, and in between are lessons in writing and coping.
  13. The Garden Diaries — There’s a lot of design information here, but it’s Beekeeping 101 that grabbed my attention.
  14. Transformational Tuesdays — At last, it’s time recognize my friend Teresa, the same friend who instructed me on the power of Facebook and Twitter.  This is just one of the many projects she has embarked upon in her effort to spread motivation and personal growth. 

At this point in writing — and reading — the sun feels as if it’s about to set.  Again, many thanks to my nominators, and I hope you can find the time to visit my nominees. 

In closing, I’d like to borrow a line from an Irish blessing: “May the sun shine warm upon your face.”

 

The Very Inspiring Blogger Award Goes To. . .

/ Kevin / 33 Comments

One of my most favorite romantic comedies – ever — is Pillow Talk, starring Doris Day and Rock Hudson.  There’s great chemistry between the stars, great views of “Mad Men” era New York, great fashions, Doris Day’s great apartment, and the great Thelma Ritter as the housekeeper. 

There’s also Rock Hudson as a swinging bachelor luring women into his swinging bachelor pad with the tune: “You are my inspiration [insert name here].”  It’s a running gag in the film, as countless young starlets line up for some Hudson lovin’. 

I speak of inspiration because recently Charissa of Joy in the Moments awarded me with the Very Inspiring Blogger Award – and it couldn’t come at a more perfect time.  You see, I needed some inspiration to get me writing.  So, thank you, Charissa, not only for the award but for also inspiring me to write and to examine my own sources of inspiration.  And if you aren’t familiar with Charissa’s blog, please pop over to her site and explore a place that not only celebrates writing but also offers the chance to celebrate all that life offers.  Hers is an uplifting place.

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Book Review: Year of Wonders

/ Kevin / 29 Comments

We all know we shouldn’t judge a book by its cover – but is it polite to judge it by its title?

Take, for example, Year of Wonders, by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Geraldine Brooks.  On the surface, it seems like a pleasant name for a book – inspirational and awe-inspiring.  It’s the haunting tagline under the title that seems a little unnerving: “A Novel of the Plague.”

Not exactly an uplifting subject – and yet, it was all that and more.

Based on true life events, this fictional account focuses on a small English village in which Plague has taken hold.  Under the guidance of the local minister, the town quarantines itself – and through the eyes of Anna, we witness moments of horror and joy, life and death, infection and healing.

As Plague ravishes this small community, the reader witnesses Anna’s spiritual growth.  As a woman who has faced monumental losses, she is able to face life one step at a time, to learn, to find her purpose as a healer and midwife, and to discover her voice – no small feat for a woman in 1666.

Through Brooks’ rich and eloquent prose, the reader is allowed to witness Anna’s p

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Things I Do When No One Is Looking

/ Kevin / 24 Comments

Willy Wonka — actually Gene Wilder in the better of the two Chocolate Factory movies — sang, “There is no life I know to compare with pure imagination.”  But is it possible to have too much imagination?

That thought occurred to me just the other day when I found myself with my head very close to a pail of moist seed starting mix – inhaling.  I’m not sure what came over me.  One minute, I was mixing the dry powdery combo with water – and the next, I was breathing.  Deeply.  Completely absorbed by the clean, fresh, earthy smell.

I admit, when I’m working outside and I’m by myself, I do get lost in my own thoughts and imaginings – and it’s more than daydreaming of what to plant and where to plant it.  No, that would be too easy.  My imagination, I feel, needs a diagnosis.

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