A WORKING VACATION

A series of essays.....

DAN AFTER A LONG, HARD, AND
HIGHLY PRODUCTIVE WEEK OF CONSTRUCTION

.....as seen through my eyes!

By: Jacqueline E. Hughes

Never doubting Dan's ability to create something out of sticks and stones, using hammer and nails, and topping it all off with waterproof membrane and shingles, we headed up north two weeks ago so that he could do just that.....

Riding in his Ford F-150 is comfortable and practical, too, because we had so much 'stuff' to haul up in the cab including tools, kitchen floor tiles, and bits and pieces from our house in Orlando that would lighten the experience of moving when that time comes. Let's not even discuss the amount of books that will be involved in this move. Downsizing from a twenty-four hundred square foot home after having lived here for over twenty years will be no small feat, I assure you!

FOUNDATION OF NEW FLOOR SPACE

BUILDING UP THE NEW FLOOR

COMBINING NEW WITH OLD FLOOR

NEW FLOOR DECK

The running gag that epitomizes his eventual retirement and our move up to Michigan is, "I need my kitchen. I'll move up when my kitchen is finished." Janis, my sweet friend from high school days, could tell you how often I've referenced that phrase over the past year. Well, we're diligently working on my kitchen now and that brings our immediate future into a proper perspective. Our 'little yellow cottage' is, finally, taking shape and we now have the bruises, swollen ankles and lingering fatigue to prove it! All done with love, of course.

Driving straight through for over nineteen hours isn't the most pleasant experience, however, it gets us there in good time with our own bed waiting for us at the cottage. The first evening was spent at our friends' home in nearby Richland where we feasted on exceptional cuisine, drank a crisp French white, and basked in the warmth of meaningful conversation and the comfort of good friendship. It was a delightful way to begin our week and we thank you, dearly, Michael and Marsha.

REMOVING 1941 KITCHEN

By Sunday morning we were raring to begin. After all, it was 'demo day!' The old kitchen had to go and that twenty yard dumpster taking up space in our small driveway needed to be filled up. Demolishing a kitchen from the 1941 era is no small task considering the multi-layers of flooring  and stuff in general contributed by multiple owners and time itself. By the time the dust settled and the tons of trash was hauled out by hand from the back of the house to the dumpster out front, we called it a day....well spent.

Leo, Dan's younger brother, was scheduled to arrive from the Traverse City area to help out and we welcomed him with open arms early Monday afternoon. Considering that Leo had, virtually, no experience in construction before, it was a joy to see him and Dan working so well together, side-by-side. He was Dan's 'left-handed' wonder because many of the spaces Dan couldn't reach as well, Leo was there to pound away using his left-handed prowess. 

That first day of measuring, sawing, and hammering away left the deck covered in inches of sawdust and various sizes of wood scraps and bent nails. But their progress was phenomenal! Dan and I had decided to expand the existing kitchen out and doubling its size by utilizing a summer porch at the back of the house. This new portion of the kitchen will have a nine foot ceiling and expand up, as well as out further enhancing the size of the room. I love it!

COTTAGE ON A HILL

GUYS HARD AT WORK

ALWAYS REMOVING
THE OLD LAYERS

Tuesday we met Dan and Leo's cousin, Gerry, whom we hadn't seen in years, for lunch. She is an amazing person and she and I, unabashedly, refer to one another as our CBM or, cousin-by-marriage and I thank Facebook for opening up the doors of communication for all of the long, lost CBM's and others who are roaming around out there in the world hoping to reconnect with family and friends.

RAISING WALL NUMBER ONE

WALL NUMBER TWO

CONSTRUCTING
WALL NUMBER THREE

We were blessed with exceptionally good Michigan weather each day until Friday rolled around, the day Leo was to leave, and it began to rain and the temperature dipped down into the fifties. I believe the turn in the weather proved to be Dan's nemesis as it instantly took a vengeful bite out of his stamina and spirit and accentuated the toll his week-long physical labor had taken on him. The dark circles beneath his eyes told me that the plans we had to meet friends for dinner in downtown Kalamazoo that night might have slid into the 'optional' category considering how exhausted he was. It was, literally, his call and he did call to, unfortunately, cancel our dinner plans. 

COMFORT ON A CHILLY
MICHIGAN NIGHT

We did what was necessary and got something light to eat, started a roaring fire in the stone clad fireplace, and cuddled beneath a pale green afghan on the living room couch. We talked about the week's activities as we luxuriated in the warmth given off by the dancing flames and listened to the crackle of our nurturing fire. Dan needed down time and this opportunity was perfect.

PLACING PLYWOOD OVER HIS
HANDMADE RAFTERS

GLAD THEY'RE NOT
AFRAID OF HEIGHTS

THIS NEW KITCHEN IS
GOING TO BE AMAZING!!!

No, work was not over yet! This new bump on the back of the house needed to be wrapped, sealed and protected head to toe from potential rain and bad weather and we spent hours nailing plastic sheathing around its belly and a thicker plastic membrane atop its head (pitched roof) before we could call it a day. I don't know where Dan found the strength to go roof climbing and yielding additional hammer swings, but he did. Necessity has its way of working things out.

By the time we cleaned up after our endeavors, showered, packed-up, and headed over to our daughter's house, all I could think about was having to drive back home to Orlando with the idea that Dan wanted to be back to work bright and early on Monday morning. Having left a bit later than originally planned Sunday, we pulled into our driveway around four o'clock on Monday morning. We slept soundly until around nine when we crawled out of bed to shower, make coffee and I was saying good-bye to Dan and watching him drive away for work by nine forty-five. 

BROTHERS ~ DAN AND LEO AFTER A JOB WELL DONE

I know for a fact that Dan could not have accomplished all that he did last week without the capable assistance of his brother. Leo was more than happy to learn what he could from his older brother about construction and Dan was grateful for his younger brother's determination, input, and stamina. What a team! Thank you for being there, Leo.

Although Dan's retirement from his current position with Roger B. Kennedy Construction remains to be determined and, while he is keeping all of his options open for the time being, he has proven once again how determined, flexible, and loyal he is as a team member for Kennedy. Dan's work ethic has always been based on his strong moral principles and I, for one, have been very proud of him for this.

Bottom line....that was our vacation. It was a bit different than last year's when we spent ten days experiencing the history, people, terrain, and exquisite beauty of the South of France. But, that's okay. As a team, we continue dreaming, hoping, planning, and balancing out our lives so that the future will hold many more adventures for us. One of the greatest adventures of all will be, eventually, becoming a pivotal part of the Kalamazoo community, meeting new friends, always appreciating current friends, enjoying our grandchildren, and thriving in our 'little yellow cottage.' 

EVEN AN ACORN FROM ONE OF THE OAK TREES IN
THE BACKYARD SEEMS PERFECT TO ME!

Copyright © 2017 by Jacqueline E. Hughes

Photos Copyright © 2017 by Jacqueline E. Hughes

BELEAGUERED, SADDENED, AND ENCOURAGED

 A series of essays.....

PRESTON ROBERTS AND HIS YOUNGEST GRANDSON
PHOTO FROM HIS BLOG SITE: 'RAMBLINGS OF A DREAMER'

.....as seen through my eyes!

By: Jacqueline E. Hughes

BELEAGUERED*

adjective

1. harassed, trouble, plagued, torment, hassled (informal), aggravated (informal), badgered, persecuted, pestered, vexed, put upon There have been seven attempts against the beleaguered government.

2. besieged, surrounded, blockaded, encompassed, beset, encircle, assailed, hemmed in, hedged in, environed The rebels continue to push their way towards the beleagured capital.

First of all.....who uses the word 'beleaguered' in a normal, everyday Tweet, anyway? I mean, was his intent to write a novel in one hundred and forty characters (or less)? Prove that he has a better vocabulary than he did yesterday when we all know that he does not? A repetitive vocabulary of simple, one to two syllable words does not count as having a full on, adult, (2. The sum of words used by, understood by, or at the commanded of a particular person or group.) vocabulary.

Did he have to ask someone to use it in a sentence first in order to familiarize himself with the word? And, even so.....this may not have helped him. If I were to choose proper substitute words from the definition above that he could have used instead, the only one might be the word 'trouble.' All of the others, still a little too advanced for him.

BELEAGUERING  (bĭ-lē′gər)

tr.v. be·lea·guered, be·lea·guer·ing, be·lea·guers

1. To harass; beset: We are beleaguered by problems.

2. To surround with troops; besiege: The enemy is beleaguering the enclave.

There is only one person I see doing any beleaguering here and that's the man issuing the Tweet in the first place! Oh, and this definition tells it like it is!  So, maybe I'm misguided here, after all, and should be thinking in these terms: 

"We, the beleaguered people, the harassed, beset, besieged, tormented, and the persecuted people of these United States of America these past six months, would like a change. No, deserve a change. Nay, demand a change, for the enemy doth beleaguer the enclave....."

EUSTACE AND PRESTON

In watching the past several seasons of Mountain Men on the History Channel I've become quite attached to two characters who, at least for me, have epitomized the true nature of life among the valleys, foothills and the roiling purple haze of the beautiful Great Smoky Mountain range of North Carolina. Their names are Eustace Conway and Preston Roberts and, I guarantee that through their teachings and beliefs, they capture the 'inner joy' we should all share for living off the land and fulfilling our 'simple lifestyle' dreams.

Sadly, Preston Roberts passed away several days ago. 

Preston was a woodsman, educator, artist, craftsman, and environmentalist. He has been romping around the woods of Western North Carolina for over fifty years and has always claimed to be a "Jack of all trades.... Master of some." 

PRESTON ROBERTS AND EUSTACE CONWAY
TOGETHER AT TURTLE ISLAND PRESERVE
Picture Courtesy of Turtle Island Preserve

Together, with his business partner and friend, Eustace Conway, they have been running Turtle Island Preserve near Boone, North Carolina, where, "they live, teach, breathe, and believe in nature's governing truths." They interact with the beautiful, clarifying teachings of nature and pass this accumulative knowledge on to whom they call, "the wild youth," the kids who attend camp and classes at the Preserve in order to learn this important knowledge for their future selves and personal well being. "We dig deep, reaching profound connections within us, touching our ancestral roots," and Eustace, Preston and Staff have shared their extensive knowledge with others at Turtle Island for many years.

The core of Preston’s world has always revolved around the traditional Appalachian mountain people and he has had the honor of being taught by some of the best.

Included in his brief Bio that is a part of his own Blog site, I found this paragraph and realized, in no uncertain terms, why I am so enamored by this generous and loving man:

"Preston was born in 1957 and was raised in the once small town of Brevard, North Carolina. Pisgah National Forest was his early tromping ground, and he still frequents those familiar haunts. In 1975, he met the woman of his dreams, Kathleen DuPont McGuire and wasted no time in marrying her. While many people use the old adage “Behind every good man is a good woman,” Preston frequently is found saying “Beside every good man is a good woman,” and that she is. Together they raised 3 fine boys, and they are about to celebrate their 38th wedding anniversary." 

Having fallen deeply in love with this area of the country myself as a young girl, we have since purchased our North Carolina property that borders on Pisgah National Forest and Preston's old tromping grounds. It's a beautiful, magical place and a stone's throw from several entrances to the Blue Ridge Parkway where you can ride along the misty mountain ridges, stop a thousand times to take that 'perfect' picture, and fall madly in love with this area all on your own.

The world has lost a great man. Our youth has lost a great teacher. The History Channel has lost a fascinating, colorful, and soft-spoken character. Cancer is a demon we must destroy. I will miss you, terribly, Preston Roberts, and may all of the fortunate students you have fostered along your memorable journey through life carry on your traditions, good will, and zest for what comes naturally in this world. You are among the heroes that we all seek in our lifetime....

Note: Let us not forget all of the toughest Mountain Women, the likes of Mardy Mûrie who studied wildlife in Alaska, Hallie Morse Daggett, the first woman to work for the Forest Service in 1913, and the wives of Mountain Men who have proven to be as tough, proud, and courageous in every way....and then some!

'THE VINTAGE NEWS'

As far as I'm concerned, The Vintage News is a FaceBook Page that should be shared and savored by all of us. If you enjoy history and are even remotely interested in knowing who helped, what transpired, and how we got to the places we are at today, and get to see archived pictures that illustrate every step along the way, then this one's for you!

I mean, where else can you discover as you're scrolling through your Timeline news that "A huge wall at Cal Orcko in southern Bolivia reveals more than 5,000 dinosaur footsteps" (accompanied by a photo of said footsteps), or how the "Families of Titanic’s musicians were billed the cost of uniforms after the ship’s sinking." What?

TITANIC MUSICIANS

Several days ago, The Vintage News posted a picture of a 1908 Auto-Armchair Motorcycle. That's it. No accompanying story behind it; just a picture. It appeared, however, to have sparked my long-term admiration (love affair) with scooters, small motorcycles, and mopeds, alike.

1908 AUTO-ARMCHAIR MOTORCYCLE
PRESENTED BY THE VINTAGE NEWS FB PAGE

Did I happen to mention the Italian Vespa by any chance? I mean, what young girl didn't envy every rpm of Audrey Hepburn's scooter adventure through the streets of Rome with co-star, Gregory Peck, in Roman Holiday? I was two years old at the time of its release but always held a passion for black and white movies as I grew older. I have traveled upon many Greek island roads while following the curving shoreline along the brilliant blue sea while seated upon my own mint-green Vespa. The subconscious mind is a very powerful tool! This particular adventure, unfortunately, remains in 'to do' mode, for now.

MY MINT-GREEN VESPA
ISN'T SHE SWEET?

Orlando, Florida, promoting its sultry days and nights and making scooter travel an option for residents twelve months out of the year, has opened-up its Vespa sales into a wide market catering to those who embrace a 'mini-version' of the European mainstay of convenient transportation. I have had my mint-green Vespa picked-out for ages! The Vespa is an Italian brand of scooter manufactured by Piaggio. So far, we have artfully managed to avoid these retail shops, mostly located in Winter Park, because to even sit on one of these beauties could prove to be extremely detrimental to the pocket book. 

The power of suggestion that just one photograph has supplied me may serve to represent the power behind this magnetic FaceBook Page, The Vintage News. The 1908 Auto-Fauteuil was a step-through motorcycle with an armchair instead of a saddle. (Yes, I did look it up!) According to most Web sites, the armchair idea never really caught on, but given women's attire back then, it certainly catered to the modern woman 'on the go,' even though woman were not the target market.

AUDREY HEPBURN AND GREGORY PECK
IN THE MOVIE ROMAN HOLIDAY

If you happen to be an avid FaceBook adventurer, I encourage you to check-out The Vintage News Page. Who knows where the adventures will lead you; what enchanting stories their photos will encourage you to write about.....

*Definition of the word 'Beleaguered' and 'Beleaguering taken from: 

Copyright © 2017 by Jacqueline E. Hughes

All rights reserved

THE TASK OF MAKING AMERICA SMART AGAIN.....?

A series of essays.....

.....as seen through my eyes!




By: Jacqueline E. Hughes
 

To make America smart again, you would have to assume that it was smart to begin with.

And, it was....before Washington D.C. became 'the swamp' following the November 8 election, it was known as a fair and balanced ecosystem that incorporated all people, faiths, and ideologies within its borders. It was quickly drained of its kindness and left vulnerable and open to greed, fear, and foreign influence!

As a young child living with my parents, older brother and, eventually, my two younger brothers, I was young, naive, and authority figures surrounded my everyday life. They wore grown-up clothes which included suits and ties, long black 'habits' that covered everything with the exception of their face and hands, and high-necked dresses adorned with silver chains from which a studious-looking pair of eyeglasses dangled from, often resembling an awkward piece of sculpture resting on their bosom. Authoritarianism.

This doesn't include the male authority figure who would preside at daily mass and then hide in a small cupboard as he listened to our sins, offered the forgiveness of God, and then sent us out of the cupboard to pray for that forgiveness. I can recall being on the playground when this holy man would stride through us kids on his way from the Rectory to the school building. We would all silently pray that he could not recognize our voices, connect them with our faces, and know what we individually confessed to him during the week! Humbleness.

Our respect for policemen went without saying. They were there to protect us from evil. Although, at such a young age, I really didn't know what that evil consisted of. Those were the days, as well, when the family doctor came calling at our house to check my throat and take my temperature before telling my parents that I had strep throat.....again, and would have to bed rest and take his prescribed medication. Consolation.

Growing older, my world greatly expanded and my own thoughts, lifestyle, and habits began to mold and shape my individualism and formulate my ideas as an adolescent and young adult. Maturity.

Fear was an obsolete term for me as I approached adulthood. I may have only applied it to the fact that I feared losing my parents one day....the only authority figures who, whether out of love or heavy doses of pure guilt, would always have the power to affect my life like no one else could. Loyalty.

I am, significantly, older now. I have lived through so much while making many decisions along with minor/major life changes. I have become book-smart, responsible, commonsensical, often goofy and carefree, with one of my greatest attributes being the ability to listen. It has always been a pleasure of mine to listen to what others have to say. Everyone is important and everyone has something they need to tell someone else. But, not everyone has the patience to just.....listen to them.

Aging and living a full life has taught me how important all of life's lessons are, whether good, bad, or indifferent.

Now that I am older, the level of my intelligence, I've determined, is not measured by an I.Q. rating or how many Facebook quizzes have been aced recently. Rather, it is based upon the observance of what is going on and being said and being acted upon (or not) within this amazing world we live in. 

Admittedly, we now live in a world of massive doses of positive and negative stimulus, mainly due to social media. Does having all of this information, literally at our fingertips, make us smarter? Or, is it information overload at its most ineffectiveness? Having graciously earned senior adult status, I have a few things to say about this.....

While I was living out my childhood under the thumb of the authority figures who impacted everyday life, I, more than likely, was making mental notes about what was going on within my own small world. Did I know or care about who the President of the United States was, what his job or purpose was? No.

What I did note was what influenced me the most at the time, which included how my parents treated one another, what my closest relatives (including grandparents) taught us about the world and the people around us, the importance of an older brother obtaining a college education, and the unimportance of girls, in general, achieving that same goal. How all young girls needed to protect their innocence, remain chaste, and never give in to their instinctive feelings or emotions. And yet....a boy wasn't considered a man until he had had sex for the first time! No double-standards here!!

When you stop to think about it, children growing up in the 1950's were primed and in full acceptance of their beliefs and experiences that were to follow in the mid-1960's. 

Simply stated....we had had enough!

We evolved into free-thinkers with an education and the ability to discuss with our peers the challenges, insecurities, and inequalities that made-up our lives, including the working establishment that we knew we could not avoid if we were to survive in this world. We remembered how many of our Mothers had been treated as second-class citizens by our own Fathers. How our relatives preached white supremacy under the guise of self-protection from the Negros that could do us bodily harm. And, how, as a young woman, we were guilty of 'leading men on' by the style of clothes we wore, if we filed our nails in the public eye, or if the kids we hung around with lived on the 'wrong side' of the tracks. Ah! No bigotry or racism there!

Sitting here pounding the keys of my i-Pad today, having already lived through many Presidents, some bad and some better than most, it's difficult to wake up in the morning without thinking about what is transpiring on the political scene today, in this case somewhere between Washington D.C. and a golden tower on Fifth Avenue in New York City. I, literally, attempt to suppress my feelings of fear and anxiety about the future by keeping myself away from cable news and Facebook. How's that working for you, kid? Admittedly, not very well. 

Always questioning what is going on around me, I decided to analyze the slogan made famous on the 'chapeau rouge' worn by this President-elect throughout his campaign. "Make America Great Again!" Thinking back far into my own childhood, I tried to recall what made America great back then and for whom was it so great and wonderful? 

Certainly not for many females, especially when, even in the mid to late 1960's, they were told that sending them to college was a waste of time and money. Certainly not for the poor who earned minimum wages while attempting to put food on the table each day. Certainly not for a person of color who had to fight for his/her equality every waking moment and were chided and controlled by a military force known as the local police. And, certainly not for the lonely, oppressed Mother who made the decision not to have more children even if it meant bleeding to death by a wire coat hanger knowing that this was the only way she had control of her own body......

Basic control over what others may say and do.....is that what this new administration believes will make America great again? 

In Baton Rouge, Louisiana earlier this week, after having recently won the title of Person of the Year by Time Magazine, the President-elect was openly complaining to his constituents that this title used to be called Man of the Year before adapting to the (in his words) politically correct version of 'Person.' Evidently, making America manly once again by not acknowledging the hard work of women or the presence of strong women within our society, will aid him in making America great again!!!

Being a woman and having two strong woman as daughters who, in turn, have introduced to the world three amazingly intelligent daughters of their own.....  I REFUSE to go backwards into the future. Especially, not back into the dark ages of our country's history where equality among people as a whole was non-existent, most men and women had no designs on their own destiny, and absolute power was in the hands of a few rich, mature white men.

The definitive progress made by mankind in the last several decades that was guided by mutual respect and understanding for one another is about as far back in time as I choose to go. Most of us have worked way too hard to have all of our long fought battles reversed by people who just wanted to shake-up our government, take back jobs that have been mechanized and are non-existent, who failed to understand that lies and deception are the new rules and guidelines set-up by the very person they voted for, and taking the benefits of a decent life of education, health care, earned rights of Social Security benefits and Medicare back into the dark ages.

If 'The Dumbing-Up of America' serves the handful of filthy rich and greedy characters that desire to deny Americans their basic freedoms, then hope will go by the wayside. The once great United States of America will tumble into a heap of rubble that cannot and will not be respected by the rest of the world. That decline has already become evident to many of us.

Is it too late, fellow Americans, to 'Make America Smart Again?' If it isn't, we had better get our act together NOW and do something to renew our Hope and Faith in a nation that is quickly melting into the hands of foreign powers, unhealthy greed, and the frigid bonds of dictatorship.

Copyright © 2016 by Jacqueline E. Hughes

All rights reserved

                                                                                  

NOSTALGIA

A series of essays.....

Photo Credit Naked Authors        A WALK DOWN MEMORY LANE......                                   

 

.....as seen through my eyes!



By: Jacqueline E. Hughes


Nostalgia, my old friend, why must I always find you lurking in the vast recesses of my mind...waiting, waiting for my vulnerability to emerge?  Wrap me in your rose-tinted vail so that I may see all that I long for once more.  Seduce me with your false promises but drown this present feeling of 'hope lost' so that I may smile and feel whole again, if only for a short while.

NOSTALGIA

John Larkins, author and one of New Zealand's founding fathers, once wrote, "Nostalgia is the intimate refuge of every man and every woman in a world seemingly gone mad."  If this statement holds credence, this may explain why so many of us choose to escape into a recent past that's been softened and gently shaped by our own good intentions.

My love affair with nostalgia has been a lengthy one and often reveals my true nature as a 'Hopeless Romantic' which includes everything from classic novels to ancient architecture and places that sweep you away to another place...another time.  Nostalgia has always encouraged my love for travel, foreign languages and the embracing of history in all of its myriad forms.  It would be impossible to see Paris without a lengthy visit to at least a portion of her many museums.  Housing some of the world's most important and rich collections, these museums are outstanding for their breadth, accessibility to all and historic importance.

THE LOUVRE MUSEUM IN PARIS

Whether we are seeking to enjoy masterpieces in painting, sculpture, drawings, art objects, and the history of a particular area itself, a museum is arguably the first place to visit in order to flood your senses with a healthy dose of beauty and nostalgia all in one!

The word nostalgia is a strange one.  And, when you say it out loud, it begs to be analyzed.  It feels funny as it vibrates through the nose, dribbles into the mouth and is imprisoned between the teeth.  In the end, it is released from between the lips like an exotic caged bird that's been given its freedom.  With exaggerated expression, speaking it can give the lower half of the face a good workout!  Go ahead....try it for yourself.  And that's just the physicality of this word. 

Nostalgia, as defined by the New Oxford American Dictionary, is a sentimental longing or wistful affection for the past; acute homesickness.  For me, impactive emotions radiate from it like laser light beams strobing the atmosphere during a major rock concert and its affect on human nature can be measured by a thousand different points!

There is no intention on my part to debate the positive and negative aspects of nostalgia here, especially since, as stated above, I have  embraced it for all of my own personal reasons.  David Guterson, an American novelist and author of the book, Snow Falling on Cedars, was quoted as saying, "There's a certain nostalgia and romance in a place you left."  This idea has guided me through the small villages of Provence and the wide, organized boulevards of Paris.  A bit of yourself, your own spirit, remains behind in each new location you visit and that place will remember you if and when you ever decide to return! In the meantime, I capture each space, romanticize about it and write down exactly how it made me feel then....how it makes me feel today.

Many insightful factors play important roles as to how nostalgia can and does touch all of us.  They may include age, gender, geographical location, religious background, education, and so on.  Whether it's a certain circumstance, fact or influence that contributes to a particular result in our lives.....we can sift all of these elements together in a vintage mining pan and the odds are that finding the 'golden nugget' at the bottom will be determined by the measure of our desire and time!

NOSTALGIA IN A VINTAGE
MINING PAN

I sift through these elements to help summon all of the great memories I have stored-up in my mind or written down in journals in order to recall the many places I have 'left my spirit' after visiting there.  I reflect upon the beautiful people I've met who have influenced me along the way and graciously shared their spirit, as well as the numerous circumstances revolving around my travels that have generously impacted my life.  From the aged and softened heights of the Twelve Bens, part of the Maumturks Mountains of Connemara in Ireland to the water-smoothed, white speckled rocks found along the Côte d'Azur near Nice in France, and everything in-between.....I draw upon the memories of you each and every day.

ROCK COLLECTION

In an article written by Kacey Culliney for Datamonitor, "Consumers want that trip down memory lane, too, and evoking memories through packaging and marketing falls under the nostalgia and comfort trend. It is about inducing a positive emotional response as they, an aging population, anchor their emotions to another time and place where things were simpler and happier."  A prime example of this would be the annual sales of Girl Scout cookies.  A lucrative business that utilizes this trend fervently....  After all, it's all about triggering memories!!

MY PARENT'S TYPEWRITER

The terminology of 'Retro Style' has been around since the 1970's and the concept of nostalgia is linked to retro.  Wikipedia describes retro as forms of 'technological obsolescence' including manual typewriters, cash registers and bulky hand-held cellphones.  It suggests a fundamental shift in the way we relate to the past.  "Retro suggests a half ironic, half longing consideration of the recent past; recalling 'modern' forms that are no longer current."  As ladies, we may refer to this trend as 'vintage' and flock to upgraded second-hand stores in order to find original designer pieces at a lower cost.  Shopping connoisseurs in Paris have taken advantage of this concept for many years and American woman have returned home with vintage clothes, jewelry and shoes that dot their closets like the sparkling gems their original designers always meant for them to be.....

AHH!! PARIS......!

Yes, I freely admit to being a member of the aging population.  Memories are being triggered by so many sources and Facebook has definitely contributed to this 'overwhelming at times' trend.  If we have reconnected with childhood and school friends, and most of us have, we can literally be bombarded by a timeline of products, music, clothing styles, habits, and so much more every time we connect online.  The true advantage of this trend, I believe, is having the opportunity to share with and analyze early friendships that may have contributed to and helped shape our life as it is today.  Generally, this knowledge can be most enlightening!  And, good for the soul!

Think about how many of our waking moments are spent thinking about our children when they were young and how good it felt to be, well....needed.  Even though the pride we take in raising such strong and independent children is evident and we really wouldn't have it any other way, it is human nature to want to be needed and to be able to pass on to those you love all the life experiences and knowledge you've acquired throughout the years.  And, if so blessed, hallelujah, we have been afforded new chances with new opportunities and they are affectionately entitled.....Grandchildren!!

Have you ever wondered if living in the present might be more liberating for us than evoking our 'old friend' nostalgia to seduce us with false promises?  If you meditate as I do, then you have.  If you are indeed a spiritual being who is constantly enlightened by this beautiful world and people that surround you....then you have.  Who wouldn't welcome improved concentration, increased relaxation and a minimizing of the continuous chatter of thoughts about the future, the past or judgments about what is, which distract us from what's going on in the here and now? 

The blending of these two concepts, living in the present while embracing the past, has been working quite well for me even though I realize this could offer-up contradictions of basic beliefs.  However, I find it liberating to be able to clear my mind of unnecessary chatter through meditation in order to write.  But, to be able to write, it is necessary to fill my mind with facts, ideas and experiences that have been collected from my past. 

Sounds crazy, I know.  But it works for me.  So, they teamed up, discovered that they could make sweet music together and, as they say......the rest is history!

Copyright © 2015 By Jacqueline E. Hughes
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