"UBER-URBAN COYOTES"

A series of essays.....





Photo Courtesy Living Green Magazine: Coyote In Chicago

.....as seen through my eyes!



By: Jacqueline E. Hughes


Whenever I leave the house, especially this time of year in Florida, I carry my trusty umbrella with me. I reason that it will either protect me from the rain or deter precipitation for the duration of my outside activities. I am now discovering that another weapon must be added to my arsenal....a golf club or walking stick.....and, for a very good reason!

Fortunately, I do play golf and I own several 'walking sticks' for climbing up in the Great Smoky Mountains. So, I am good to go. Well, on second thought, my sturdy umbrella might be just enough to fend off an approaching coyote thus saving my other arm for waving wildly in the air out of unmitigated fear!

Yes, the coyote population is alive and strong and has been increasing within the 'urban jungles' more than ever lately.



Coyote In An Urban Setting

To better realize what is happening within the coyote population, you must get to know more about the coyote himself. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, coyotes are medium-sized mammals in the same family as dogs, wolves and foxes. Coyotes are highly adaptable and smart. They may live in wooded or other habitats in your neighborhood. They are opportunistic and generalist feeders who are most active at dawn and dusk but can be seen almost anytime during the day or night. They have strong family bonds and pairs typically mate for life.

Whether we like it or not, the coyote has become our neighbor no matter where we live. Experts say that in Cook County Illinois, home of The Windy City, coyotes inhabit virtually every available territory in the county, so most of us have a coyote neighbor, even if we haven't seen it yet. That's comforting....!

With more and more coyotes willing to mate and survive within the cemented urban jungle of the inner city, they are making the city their home and quickly learning to adapt right alongside the human inhabitants. One of the worst things we can do is feed them, and we do this inadvertently by leaving food outside for our own  pets. Stanley D. Gehrt is an assistant professor of environmental and natural resources at Ohio State University and is carrying on a multi-year study of coyote behavior in urban Chicago. Even though his research is concentrated in Chicago, the results likely apply to most major metropolitan areas in North America, he explains.

This study was originally slated to last for only one year! It has been going on now for almost fifteen years.

Stanley Gehrt Holds Female Captured in Chicago Metro Area
Photo Courtesy of Stanley Gehrt

"We couldn't find an area in Chicago where there weren't coyotes," Gehrt said. "They've learned to exploit all parts of their landscape. Nine million people live in the greater Chicago area and we didn't think very many coyotes could thrive in such a highly urbanized area. We also thought that the few animals that were causing problems were probably used to living around people."

Today, Gehrt and his team estimate that anywhere from several hundred upwards to two-thousand coyotes live among the parks, apartment and commercial buildings and industrial parks within the greater Chicago area.

Courtesy: Chicago Magazine ~ Coyote On Metro Tracks

Gehrt and his colleagues have placed GPS tracker collars on several of the coyotes in the Windy City and have found that even under cover of darkness, urban coyotes still have to dodge people and vehicles.....and the GPS data reveal they do it deftly. Chicago coyotes have learned to negotiate roads, sidewalks, and railroads usually without being seen or hit, despite tremendous traffic volume.

My husband has recently returned from Michigan after visiting with our children and grandchildren who live in the southwest corner of the state and just across Lake Michigan from the Chicago area. When he takes these 'solo' trips up to see the kids, I am usually entertained by several cute stories about what they did and where they visited during their long weekend together upon his return. This particular story, however, still finds me with sweaty palms and shaking with fear of the unknown....

Our son-in-law, Matt, has been nicknamed "The Great White Hunter" and for good reason.  Given his prolific prowess with rifle, bow and arrow, and fishing in the deep blue depths of the chilly Lake Michigan waters, in one season alone, Matt could provide a small town with enough food to last the entire winter. Hunting and fishing are definitely his great passions in life.

In addition, Matt is a good father and loves his three children, Lydia and the twins, Brendan and Kerrington, very much!

"Did you see it? Did you see it? It walked past me not more than thirty seconds ago!" exclaimed our son-in-law as he came flying out of the sliding glass door and into the backyard nearly out of breath with excitement and a healthy dose of fear in his eyes.

"It came through your neighbor's side yard right between the two houses and walked right down the side of the driveway! At first I thought it was a neighborhood dog or something and then I got a closer look at it and knew...."


Matt and Lydia

Matt had been watching Lydia, his seven-year-old daughter, ride her scooter around the long, wide driveway of the house which sits in a highly populated subdivision in Portage, Michigan. He had been sitting on the front porch as the afternoon sun poured down all around them on this glorious spring day. He looked up just in time to see what he initially believed to be a dog walking out from the side yard of our oldest daughter's house.

"It was too long and narrow to be a dog," Matt said. "Its fur was natty and matted down. Instinct told me it was a coyote! It walked not more than a foot away from Lydia, crossed the street and then ran into the backyard of the neighbor's house across the road. I don't know exactly where it's at right now!"

The four adults stood on the back patio wide-eyed and awestruck. Even the "Great White Hunter" was capable of being totally blown-away by the sight of a wild animal walking between himself and his daughter in such an inhabited environment in broad daylight!

Dan told me this had all transpired in the matter a few short moments and Matt's impressive figure remained silhouetted in the doorway when suddenly a mother's instinct or her 'voice of reason' loudly kicked into gear and inquired, "So, Matt.....where is Lydia right now??"

Dan said you never saw so many adults fly through the house and out into the front yard as swiftly as they did at that moment!

Lydia was still standing alone at the end of the driveway, scooter in hand, with her eyes drifting off into the shadowy yard of the people who live across the street. I believe she knew it wasn't a dog.

Among the skyscrapers of downtown Chicago and the busy Lake Shore Drive to the open spaces and woods that still surround the greater Orlando, Florida area to a large and densely populated subdivision in Portage, Michigan.....these versatile carnivores, native to Middle America, roam wild and free. The coyotes are "pushing their ecological envelope," said Stan Gehrt. "The coyotes have altered their natural behavior to accommodate living in close quarters with people."



Florida Wildlife Officials
Attempt to Increase Awareness

From here on out I think it's going to be extremely difficult to just let small children (grandchildren?) out to play in the yard without supervision. I know that I would certainly rather be safe than sorry.

If coyotes have altered their natural behavior to accommodate living in close proximity with people like in Chicago as Stanley Gehrt claims, shall we assume that Matt's coyote has, as well? Or not....?!  No matter how we look at this, now or in the future, I think it's highly important to learn to never underestimate the basic instincts of the coyote.

Photo: CBS Chicago Files ~ Coyote Wedged in Bumper

Copyright © 2015 by Jacqueline E. Hughes
All rights reserved

DAYCARE BLUES.....REVISITED IN 2015

A series of essays.....

BRENNA BAKING COOKIES WITH 'GWANDMA'

.....as seen through my eyes!


By: Jacqueline E. Hughes


Several years ago, when our oldest grandchild was three years old, I sat down and wrote my original Blog entitled, "Daycare Blues." Unfortunately, the story I am about to relate is as sad yet prevalent today as it was in May of 2010......and, regretfully, has been for so many years before this time.

Just as we should always embrace our young sons to respect all girls and treat them as equals, the continuing focus of instructing our young children to acknowledge, respect and accept everyone on this planet as mirror images of themselves is vital to our future existence. Hate, bigotry, disrespect all evolve from one emotion...Fear. Let us advocate Love instead and help alleviate the pain endured by so many families that lose a son or a daughter, husband or wife, all because someone is afraid of the color of their skin.

My story should definitely be a wake-up call for all of us......

 <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>



DAYCARE BLUES.....REVISITED IN 2015

Each Wednesday of my rich and wonderful life I am privileged to be with my beautiful granddaughter, Brenna. With the exception of an occasional vacation or two, we have bonded each week for over three years and my Wednesdays are special for me in many ways.

Brenna has recently turned the ripe, old age of three and is participating in her fourth classroom and level of challenges offered by her daycare experience. I have been privy to observing pertinent changes within her personality during this time. Her bastion has actually strengthened with each move she makes so that by the time she enters the public school system, her defenses will be fortified to their highest degree.

She has had to learn to hold her own against the best of them, as well as learn that 'the best of them' can be her very good friends, too. I believe the world better be ready for all of these strong, opinionated and highly motivated children who will be responsible for, hopefully, a better and more loving world in the future.

Her loving spirit, the sweet center of this amazing child, consists of rich and decadent French butter creme piped into the cutest little being I know. When she melts into my arms around eight o'clock in the morning, I know my life is complete and the planets are aligned. My petite cream puff and I are ready for whatever the day has to offer us. Heading the list is a good, hardy breakfast!

 

 

"Gwandma, eggies please!?" Upon her request, I proceed to make them with a flourish, accompanied by blueberries or strawberries, wheat toast and milk. She munches away with gusto as I settle down beside her with my tub of Greek yogurt, cup of black coffee and conversation. I ask her how her time at daycare has been so far this week and if she is prepared to tackle the rigors of dance class facing her Saturday morning. Ah, the life of a three-year old!

As I sit here now, I wonder about my own daughters at such a vulnerable young age and if we weren't constantly missing out on some of the underlying factors that contributed towards the adults they had yet to become. Certainly we listened for improper use of the English language and corrected them. We taught them not to chase the ball out into the busy street or talk to strangers. We encouraged the five-steps to advanced learning which included being able to wink, recognizing up from down, whistling, snapping one's fingers and blowing sweet bubble gum bubbles. Naturally, we reinforced the constant progression of coordination and talent all taught within the confines of their highchair during meals. Everyone loves a captive audience!

Is it possible to even recall being three years old again ourselves? It can be quite a stretch for most of us until we are reintroduced in time by our own children and grandchildren. We conjure-up the wonderful memories of a distant Christmas morning surrounded by so many presents to open or, the more painful times of when an older brother would bend your arm behind your back and make you cry while your parents were off in another room. Ah, the interesting life of a three-year old!

It is precisely because I can recall many of the pivotal yet innocent moments of my own early childhood that what I was about to hear from Brenna affected me so deeply. Brenna told me during breakfast that morning that she didn't like Shout anymore. Shout is one of the main characters in her new favorite television show called Fresh Beat on the Nick Jr. channel. I was a bit confused by this because this show was what she and I had been watching and talking about for the past few weeks. She never takes her 'Nick' characters lightly so, out of curiosity, I asked her why she was discounting Shout all of a sudden. "I don't like his hair," was her instant reply. His hair, being short, a bit kinky in texture and black in color aroused my suspicions even more. I held my tongue and allowed her to say what was on her mind.

"He's black and I'm white and I don't like him anymore," came rolling out of her tiny mouth mingled with as much innocence and sincerity as a small child can muster. Her words floated across the table at me as if I were in a dream state and I tried to contain my composure as my 'baby' was now pointing at her thin, white arm while instructing me in the knowledge of opposite skin tones between her tiny appendage and Shout's similar one. Yes, similar but not exactly the same.




INNOCENCE
Picture Courtesy: pixshark.com

Are children her age even supposed to care if their arm is a different color from someone else's arm? Does society reach out to our very young and infuse such striking negativity into their young hearts and minds? I now know that the answer to this is a resounding.....yes! Somehow, someway my granddaughter had been told by persons unknown to myself that her skin color was superior to other skin tones. My heart was encased within a fragile shell of fine glass and ready to break into a million pieces..... This conversation should not be happening already and yet, it was.

The best tact I could take at this point was not to question the root of this assumption, but rather to help dispel it by offering her as many positive alternatives as I could come up with. I asked if she had black children in her daycare class. She did. I asked her if she played with them and if they all got along well together. They did. I asked if the character named Shout on television ever said or did anything to upset her. He had not. I asked her to name some of the good things she thought of when seeing Shout and she immediately replied that he sings and dances and makes pretty music. Good.

Then, once again, with a small finger pointing to her arm she reiterated, "My arm is white and Shout's arm is black!" She was most emphatic about the difference in color between their arms, coupled with a negative emphasis regarding the character of Shout himself. Was it time to ask her who, if anyone, might have pointed this explicit difference out to her? Oh, how my poor heart was ready to crash and burn!

We continued to discuss other personages in her life who might have positive influences on her whether they were black, white, tan, red or blue.....thinking of Elmo and Grover in the latter two cases, respectively. She cited many good qualities in all of them and even included some black characters from other shows we had never mentioned before. This was encouraging.

This all transpired within a span of four minutes or less. All the while, eggies, toast and sweet, fresh fruit was being consumed along with a wash of cold, white milk. 'White' milk........as opposed to what, brown or chocolate milk? Could something as nondescript as the type of milk she was drinking contribute to such isolated beliefs? I knew better. Someone outside of this house had been talking to her, not with her. The stark realization that someone had been coaching my little granddaughter about any imagined differences between white skin and black skin and the superiority of one color over the other cut me to the bone. Somebody was attempting to get inside her head early enough to create a negative influence upon her via the impeccable innocence of her youth!

I could not and did not allow Brenna to see my anger. That would only serve as yet another negative in her life. Instead, I smiled on the outside and spoke highly of all God's creatures but cried within because even the above mentioned "someone" fell into this category, too. Sadder still, I could only imagine the culprit being a sweet, young innocent him or herself.

We spend valuable time encouraging our children to do the right thing because we love them beyond anything else and want them to grow-up strong and with a positive attitude. Part of this process includes giving them enough slack or room to grow in order for them to move about with ease and learn to make decisions of their own, good and bad, along the way. Sadly, there will always be situations where children and young adults lack a positive roll model in their lives allowing weakness and negativity to corrupt them....disallowing the chances for their true potential to blossom and grow.

Brenna's parents are excellent role models who have allowed her to grow like a young sapling in a forest of ancient cedars. Their love for her is strong and binding with the desire for their 'sapling' to be able to sample life in every way while she grows straight and tall towards the sun. As long as Brenna has such positive influences in her life she will have the freedom to choose right from wrong and be able to navigate all of the gray areas in between. Every child learns by example and, with any luck, can gradually ease into the art of important decision making. Soon enough they learn the power of each decision they make, as well as the consequences rendered by those decisions and via this process they become stronger human beings.

I wholeheartedly believe that this "someone" is actually helping Brenna grow stronger and taller by pointing out the wickedness that is harbored deep within our society today......bigotry in its most loathsome form. My grandchild is a 'blank canvas' right now and this represents the opportunity she has to hear both sides, think about each one as time goes on, and decide for herself what is right or wrong. If the positive influences outweigh the negative....she has a fighting chance.

This is only the beginning. She will make it through this trial and continue to grow stronger in order to meet the next one head-on. I must have faith and believe, not only in Brenna, but in good overpowering evil. This beautiful child of mine needs, no, deserves the right to know the difference between them and be capable of embracing what are the right decisions for her. Ah, the not so simple, but should be, life of a three-year old today!

***LOVE***

Copyright © 2015 by Jacqueline E. Hughes
All rights reserved

PHOTOS © Jacqueline E. Hughes

BALANCE

A series of journeys.....

.....as seen through my eyes!

By: Jacqueline E. Hughes




BALANCE

is a means of maintaining a state of equilibrium within our life. We balance the pros and cons before making our final choices in everything we do. By asking ourselves the right questions, the final answers may determine many incredible life changing decisions. We consider, compare and assess until what is right for us peaks from around the heavy velvet curtains that have been blocking our view of reality and we are reasonably able to come out on to the open stage and perform in front of the world....for better or worse.

To have achieved true balance in your life is to have attained the proper definition of freedom......unrestricted and able to move, think, speak, imagine and believe without constant fear of rejection or malice. With this achievement comes responsibility. We become guides or role models, if you will, for others to look upon with hope mixed with a measure of envy....in a way....for to have reached such enormous heights, become stable in one's mind about personal feelings and obtain pure peace in our hearts, is indeed enviable. We now become the teachers and it is our responsibility and duty to guide others along the paths that will, hopefully, lead them to a destination of true balance in their own lives, if their desire for it is genuine and honest.

As in design, a harmonious arrangement or proportion of elements within it serves to please and heighten the senses, may it be in nature, art, decor, architecture, landscape.....we see a purpose to flatter and exhibit shapes and forms, collections and colors in such a way as to achieve a balance of nature in a world filled with, otherwise, human imbalance. A world often overshadowed by bias, lopsidedness, unfairness and inequality....human elements that only serve to corrupt the beautiful, natural design generously offered to each of us as we enter and re-enter this world. To eventually alter this gift of balance or to keep it intact is a decision we humans end up having to make....an exercise in free will. Wrong or right, through thick and thin, with contempt or respectfulness for others, these are for us to choose between no matter how fierce or practical outside influences can be.

If love be a counterpoise to hate, shall we reason that both emotions are needed to strike a balance? To be able to absorb one emotion, it is necessary to experience, breathe-in and feel the opposite one and embrace each with every fiber of our being allowing time itself to become champion of the cause. Look into the symmetrical energy of the face in front of you, your child, your partner, your friend and even your  enemy. See first hand the beauty and harmony combined to form a proportionate arrangement that is pleasing to the eye and the senses. Encounter the unique power we have to discern by way of our own values and emotions the measure of our hearts and strike that balance needed to push us forward; make us stronger, more understanding and, ultimately, whole.

Listen to the rhythm of your beating heart. Drink in the beauty that surrounds you with open eyes and challenge yourself each day to extract pure joy from a mundane, earthly existence.....absolute love from a life of spiritual well-being. Combine them, stir them together to create a potent elixir and drink deeply from this cup for its contents is certain to provide you with an abundance of happiness; a life crafted and creatively balanced by personal experience and conviction.





Copyright © 2015 by Jacqueline E. Hughes
All rights reserved

SCULPTURE: Caracole ~ 2014
ARTIST: Nadine Fourré
PHOTO © Jacqueline E. Hughes

A PICTORIAL EASTER SUNDAY IN OLD ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA

A picturesque journey..... 

 

 

 

Taken From 'The Bridge of Lions' Crossing The Matanzas River
~St. Augustine in the Background~

 

 .....as seen through my eyes!


Easter Sunday, April 5, 2015



By: Jacqueline E. Hughes

Watching the Easter Parade Coming Up Cordova Street



Darth Vader in Full Easter Attire



Dan, The Prince of Wales?



Ah! Dining Al Fresco at 'The Prince of Wales
Restaurant' on Cuna Street and people watching!
 

Privately Owned Building at the Corner of Cuna & Spanish Street
"I Love Its Colors and Textures."



The Oldest Wooden School House
Located Along St. George Street

"In the course of my lifetime, I have probably taken over fifty pictures of this historic, little building. It never fails to impress me as I stroll down St. George Street. I am always looking for the spirits of these hardy, forward thinking individuals.....both teachers and students alike!"

 

 

 

 

Close-Up of the 'Old City Gates' at the North End of St. George Street

 " 'The Old City Gate' is a noted landmark in St. Augustine and was constructed of 'coquina' in 1808. Coquina is a soft limestone mixed with shells and corals and was used by the Spanish when constructing many featured buildings and walls that comprise St. Augustine."





A Silhouetted 'Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine.'  Standing at
Cordova Street & Looking East Down Cathedral Place...



East Portion of Ponce de Leon Hall
~Flagler College~



Another View of Ponce de Leon Hall
With Coquina Post in Forefront

Afternoon Sun Filtering Through the Trees
Between Palm Garden & West Lawn

Flagler College, located in the heart of old St. Augustine is as amazing as it is beautiful. Only recently established in 1968, its campus is located on nineteen acres, the centerpiece of which is the Ponce de Leon Hall, built in 1888 as a luxury hotel by industrialist and oil magnate, Henry Morrison Flagler. 

 

 

 

 

  

Gazebo at Center of the West Lawn

Smokestack Rising From the Original, Coal Power Plant of the
'Ponce de Leon Hotel' Built By Henry Flagler  



"This amazing building with its magnificent 'stack' and upper portion studded in stones, stands-out so beautifully in the afternoon sun! The structure continues to stand proud and is the Molly Wiley Art Building on campus today.....!"







"These last two pictures were taken as we were walking back to find our car on a small side street called Markland Place. They were taken in the early evening with the sun burning in the Western sky! Even though only several moments exist between these photos, the play of the sunlight on this stunning church is marked by such amazing diversity in both color and shadowing. You might even believe that they are two different structures."

'Flagler Memorial Presbyterian Church'
Proudly Stands on the Corner of Valencia & Sevila Street



West Side View of the
'Flagler Memorial Presbyterian Church'

"We certainly enjoyed our Easter Sunday within the scenic beauty of Old St. Augustine, Florida....! Founded in 1565, St. Augustine is the oldest continuously occupied settlement of European and African-American origin in the United States. This was fifty-five years before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock! It continues to amaze me that all of this history and beauty is right in our 'backyard' and I, for one, will never take this privilege for granted......!"




 Copyright © 2015 by Jacqueline E. Hughes
All Rights Reserved

THE INTERESTING THINGS WE DO THAT MAKE US WHO WE ARE

A series of essays.....

Idiosyncrasy From A Writer's Perspective

.....as seen through my eyes!


By: Jacqueline E. Hughes


Let's be totally honest here and admit to just how annoying we can sometimes be to others who often must cope with the idiosyncrasies that help develop the individual beings that we are.

If I'd asked for a show of hands in response to my honesty and placed myself in a large room, let's say filled with one hundred people.....I would have both of my arms raised and all ten fingers proudly pointing towards the acoustic ceiling! I've never been very good at math and percentages so, I really don't know why I filled the room with all these people.  But, my point is, some of my habits do occasionally annoy others. And, I know I do not stand alone here so, as you continue reading this, please feel free to acknowledge some of your own.




Jack LaLanne
Picture Courtesy: teamlalanne.org

I'm not entirely sure but, I think it all began when I was around three or four years old and a playmate told me that if I were to step on any crack on the sidewalk, I would actually contribute to breaking my dear Mother's back.....somehow. At this age, logic, reason and sound judgment, tends to fly right out of the window. Maybe this cryptic message was initiated by the likes of Jack LaLanne, a popular American fitness guru, in order to promote excessive movement or exercise in the very young! His teaching was considered ahead of the times when his television show first ran back in 1953. While my Mother was striking her best 'Glamour Stretcher' pose and perspiring in our living room in front of a grey-n-black, jumpsuited image of Jack on the small screen, I was out doing the 'bunny hop' along our front sidewalk with panic and fear tucked away in my heart.

Picture Courtesy: teamlalanne.org



Movie Night

Not every irritating regimen we concoct for ourselves is based in superstition. Dan and I have been doing this one for years now, ever since we began dating. No, not going where you think it is...... We happen to remain in the theater after a movie in order to look at every last credit that scrolls down on the Big Screen!! Yep! That would be us standing by our seats all alone in the eerie darkness as the house lights slowly come back on and the theater staff is seen scraping Jujubes off the natty, red cloth seats and sweeping up tons of spilled popcorn. Their rubber-soled sneakers become suctioned to the concrete floor by the sugary residue of every variety of soda pop known to mankind. Years ago, they used to wait to 'do their thing' until the credits were over. Today we must stand, eventually showered in bright lights, squinting at the fading screen in order to acknowledge all of the people responsible for the production of the film; this is our personal homage to so much talent and hard work behind the scenes.

"Rites of Passage"
Picture Courtesy: www.mlive.com

Do any of you recall walking in the halls before classes began in high school? What exactly were we thinking with this one? We were either showing off our new outfits and hair styles, majorly flirting with a particular someone every ten-minute round trip or, attempting to control a massive amount of teenage hormones (this would revert back to the flirting) and excess energy before having to sit for one-hour increments all day long in class. I don't believe we were necessarily irritating to the teachers....many of them did stand in their doorways just moving their heads from side-to-side and smiling. Most of us chalked-up their body language to wishing they were young and free again and never gave a second thought to just how absurd we all must have looked. To this day I wonder how many other schools held this ritualistic practice each morning. Maybe they still do for all I know. Anyway, for now, let's chalk it up to the 'rites of passage.'

Why do drivers leave ten car lengths between themselves and the car in front of them as they wait for the light to turn green? Why do families of five or more walk side-by-side at a theme park stretching out like cut-out paper dolls holding hands and taking up vast swaths of real estate while in this strategic dodge-ball formation? Who ever thought that applying make-up to one's face while maneuvering a multi-ton, moving vehicle down the highway was appropriate, necessary or SAFE? Wait a minute.... I get it. These come under the heading of "pet peeves" and will have to wait for another story and another time. Sorry about that.

We are special. We are all unique. Life itself is fantastic at any age and everything we do as loving, living beings does not require a thirty page instruction manual written in multiple languages. Sometimes we just need a little motivation to bring out the best in us. Often it's a simple matter of recharging our batteries for an extra boost of power. Spontaneity is one of my favorite words and a guideline for life and long lasting happiness.  Making plans is emphasized when your certain flight to 'somewhere' leaves on a predetermined schedule. When you arrive at your destination, be spontaneous, uninhibited and open for everything that comes your way. Sadly, spontaneity itself can feel quite strange for many people.

Turboprop Aircraft

Speaking of planes, I do have another superstitiously oriented ritual that I have performed since my very first commercial flight when I was sixteen-years-old. I was on my own and leaving out of the South Bend International Airport in Indiana on a 'tree hopper' business flight to Indianapolis. It was a turboprop plane carrying over twenty passengers and crew, as I recall, and could fly at a lower cruising altitude which lent itself to the short distance we had to travel.

My flight was scheduled to leave at eight o'clock in the morning but it looked dubious because of the thick, low fog cover that blanketed the area. I admit to being surprised and slightly apprehensive when we were told we could now board the plane. I couldn't see my hand in front of me as I walked out onto the tarmac being urged along by the stewardess/flight attendant pointing towards the movable stairs temporarily attached to the side of the aircraft. By the time I made it to the top step, practically feeling my way up as if I were blind, and before entering the doorway, I reached out to touch an outside panel of the plane with my right hand pressed flat, fingers splayed.

By now my hand was cold and wet. I kept it there long enough to say a short prayer to my angels and ask them to guide us to Indianapolis in one piece, much to the dismay of the remaining passengers bottle-necked behind me and clinging to the rickety railing for support in the fog. I was definitely a hindrance to their progress but, by the time I flung myself through the arched doorway and was greeted by another stewardess and one of the pilots, I was feeling much more at peace with my current situation. 



Flight instrumentation is truly a wonderful thing, isn't it? Within moments we lifted off into the thick, gray mist and became airborne! Holding my breath as I clutched the seat cushion beneath me, I realized I was staring through the cockpit of the plane and right out of the windshield into the clouds that enveloped us. Having allowed the cockpit doors to remain open for take-off, I was rewarded with a pilot's panoramic view of this soft, gray world as we slowly climbed higher.


It was mere moments of amazement before the actual miracle took place.....  Suddenly, as though the plane's propellers had teamed-up to push the mist away, our little plane poked its nose right through the cloud cover and Heaven opened-up all around us! The strikingly blue of the morning sky was so intense it was what I now refer to as "hurt my eyes..beautiful."  The rays of the rising sun sent shards of golden light piercing through the rolling white sea that stretched out beneath us and refracted off of the metallic fuselage and wings of our little aircraft. I was not alone. Nothing could be that potent and so beautiful that one could ever feel alone. Whenever asked, "Where did you find your wonderment?" I would have to say, as a young woman, aged sixteen, discovering the Heavens for the very first time.

From that morning on I have honored this maiden voyage of mine into that majestic 'unknown' by touching the plane before every flight I take. And.....I always will!






Blessed Holy Week and Easter Sunday

Copyright © 2015 by Jacqueline E. Hughes
All rights reserved

BOOK REVIEW: "Echoes from the Oasis" by A.R. Tirant

I want to believe that each time a person picks up a book to read, he or she will take something of value away with them due to this experience.


A Book Review.....

"WE THE SEEKERS OF KNOWLEDGE....."

.....as seen through my eyes!


By: Jacqueline E. Hughes

As a writer and a traveler, my goal is to constantly be aware of new places to add to my list of future adventures, future stories. Less than two weeks ago I stumbled across a rare find when I was introduced to one of the most beautifully written and verbally illustrated novels I have read so far this year. I truly discovered an island Paradise along with a new author and friend by the name of, Rosie.

A BEAUTIFUL SEYCHELLE SETTING

 Author, A.R. Tirant, known as Rosie to her many fans, has brilliantly whisked us, her readers, away to the original Garden of Eden in her debut novel "Echoes from the Oasis." This isolated archipelago, introduced to us in the year 1912 as the small British colony of the Seychelles, is made-up of 115-islands located in the middle of the Indian Ocean and lies 932 miles east of mainland Southeast Africa. We are placed here just a short time before the onset of WWI when we meet Anna Savy on the day of her sixteenth birthday and, shortly afterwards, she participates in the at-home birth of her baby sister, Eliane. Having witnessed this life-threatening birth, Anna seeks comfort in the bosom of her island, her personal oasis where she is passionately embraced by nature, in order to ponder her imminent future of becoming a wife and mother herself.

Navigating the hillside path to find solace from the real world, Anna looks down on the white sands outlining the Bay and village of Beau-Vallon, her home. Later, sitting among the cinnamon bushes, beneath the bodanmyen tree and near the cleansing waterfall of her own island oasis, high up the hillside, this strong, young woman decides, against all odds, to use nature to show her the way.  Within this soothing setting, she soon finds solace with her decision to become a nurse. After all, Mother Nature had formed the Seychelles out of her love and provided these beautiful islands with unique flora and fauna and an abundance of freshwater streams and white coastlines all surrounded by crystal blue waters. The healing effects of nature served as Anna's guide to help heal the Seychellois, the people of these picturesque islands.

At a time in her island's history when white girls were told they could not work outside of the home, Anna, after making her decision, saw her plans come to fruition only three months later. With the help of Madame Josephine who deals in black magic (grigri), a scheme, using nothing more than the power of suggestion, is hatched.  Its purpose is to enlighten Anna's parents, Albert and Therese, as to the benefits of Anna's new vocation as directed through the eyes of the Catholic sisters who run the Victoria Hospital. With its success, Anna felt free for the first time in her young life.

With freedom comes consequences from the decisions we make and Anna must face the results of her actions when she falls desperately in love with a young man, Louis du Barré, whose status in the community exceeds her own station. The du Barré family epitomizes the French colonization of the islands and its African slave roots with regards to its history and commerce prior to English rule. Louis's love for Anna is reciprocated and this rich and complex story weaves together strong characters who are compelled by their religious beliefs, loyalties to home and family, traditions and superstitions, along with individual guilt and failure. All the while, strong winds of change are blowing across the seas from Europe and creating 'echoes of disturbance' within the simple, plantation lifestyle of this humble island paradise.

THE AUTHOR'S OWN CREOLE DELIGHTS

Ms. Tirant offers her unique knowledge of the history of the Seychelles, her people and culture as she introduces us to a variety of island traditions, feasts and open markets selling local goods and refreshment. She broadens our knowledge of island work ethics and explains to us how crops, synonymous with the Seychelles, have been grown, harvested and exported by the island people for years. We become intoxicated by the essence of the island itself as we take on the role of tourist navigating and exploring via Ms. Tirant's beautiful descriptive qualities that flow seamlessly across each page. The reader becomes mesmerized by her gentle storytelling which allows her characters to take on life and permits the scenery of the islands to engulf us within its various textures and smells.   



THE AUTHOR AS A YOUNG NURSE
AT VICTORIA HOSPITAL

Ms. Tirant, a Seychellois herself, born and raised on the main island of Mahé within a Catholic upbringing and the eldest of eight children, became a nurse there in her youth. She can identify with all of the strong, formidable woman who had to come to terms with a difficult island life where fresh water was hauled to the houses in buckets from the nearby stream and beliefs and attitudes of right and wrong were molded by Roman Catholic principles and ideals.

Men became the provider for the family and women gave birth, maintained their homes, raised the children and became the nucleus of family life. However, in 1912, woman had very little if any say in the important decisions making up the complex world outside of the home. Ms. Tirant's main character, Anna, was slowly breaking through this stereotypical image as echoes of change vibrated across years of island life and traditions.

I became fascinated by Ms. Tirant's subtle usage of 'echoes' themselves that dominated the backdrop of her book. Listing just a few of them, I can still hear the echoes of bells, drums, heartbeats, waves crashing on the beach, of silence, footsteps upon a ship's deck, of a cry of agony and, of course, echoes of changing times.....

Ms. Tirant has seamlessly united the history and people of the Seychelles and delivered a sensitive and extremely powerful first novel that can deliver a 'punch' when it has to yet exposes the softer side of love and human nature within its magical storyline. I highly recommend "Echoes from the Oasis" to all readers. Through Rosie, the Seychelles really do become an island oasis; our own retreat guaranteed to shelter, provide and allow our dreams to become reality.

THE AUTHOR: A.R. TIRANT (ROSIE)

Notes about the Author:

A.R. Tirant emigrated to England over twenty years ago from her native village, Beau-Vallon, on the northern coast of Mahé Island in the Seychelles.  Today, Rosie lives in West Sussex, England with her husband, Stan Longhurst. Rosie has two grown sons and a beautiful young granddaughter who happens to be named, Anna. Rosie and Stan travel back to the Seychelles each year when she conducts more research into the history of her island, and makes note of the constant changes going on there each visit. She is currently tucked away in West Sussex hard at work on her sequel to "Echoes" which will be entitled "Under Stormy Skies" where her brilliant cast of characters are deeply embedded in the horrors of World War I. With any luck, we may see it launched sometime around Christmas of this year, 2015!

For myself, Rosie has become the world's Ambassador of these Creole islands of the Seychelles representing their colorful people and culture. Through "Echoes,'' she has opened our eyes to the logistics of the islands and created a positive and welcoming embrace between the uninformed and the informed which, I know, will draw tourists there for many years to come.

"Echoes from the Oasis" was published in May of 2014 and made the "Amazon Best Sellers" list in January. Rosie received a wonderful write-up in her local village press, Cuckfield Life Magazine, where they describe the success of her debut novel. Discover the Seychelles and Rosie at any of the Links below:


Author Website Link:  www.seychelleshistoricalnovels.com

Amazon UK Link:  http://www.amazon.co.uk/Echoes-Oasis-A-R-Tirant/dp/099280860X

Amazon US Link:  http://www.amazon.com/Echoes-Oasis-A-R-Tirant/dp/099280860X

Twitter Link:  https://twitter.com/shnnovels

Facebook Author Page:  https://facebook.com/seychellesauthorincuckfield



Copyright © 2015 by Jacqueline E. Hughes
All rights reserved

ALONE

 A series of essays.....

Love, Laugh and Live for Today!

.....as seen through my eyes!



By: Jacqueline E. Hughes


As the old adage suggests and its truth has no boundaries,
we come into this world alone and leave it in the very same manner.....

"We enter the world alone, we leave the world alone," is a quote by the English writer and historian, James Anthony Froude in the mid 1800's.

Orson Welles added his own spin when he said, "We're born alone, we live alone, we die alone. Only through our love and friendship can we create the illusion for the moment that we're not alone."

Variations on a theme.

Waking-up each morning for the past several weeks, I have been haunted by these thoughts. Closing my eyes at night, tucking my pillow firmly beneath my neck and curling-up in the fetal position, I am haunted by these thoughts.

Why?

I tell myself I am not alone.....  The joyful birds are singing as I open my eyes! Their  sweet music carries me through my simple morning routines. My first sip of coffee tastes much sweeter because of my backyard concert.

I am not alone..... The lively conversation between husband and wife of a gentle, spring evening clings to me like a second skin. Plotting-out, planning and dreaming of a time closer to our grandchildren.

Or, am I?

The realization strikes me as if it were a hammer atop my head....I am successfully 'creating the illusion' that best fits within my life's mold. I see the fine line between 'actual' and 'contrived.' It divides my thoughts like a gossamer web stretching between two solid objects. 

"Only through our love and friendship......."

I have no control. The pieces float along the gentle breeze and match one shape into another adapted for accuracy and exactness. We are instruments of the grand illusion...in the moment.

On the outside.

Ahhh....Alone!

We remain individual thinkers, dreamers, artists and imagineers of our own world. Alone, I see the color blue. Alone, you see the color gold. Alone, I am bombarded and assailed by words and phrases. Alone, you create beauty from stone and mortar.

To be able to differentiate between good and evil, we are alone when we choose love over hatred or, to stand alone or follow the masses or, to employ 'common sense' or become a loose cannon....causing damage to this beautiful planet and the people we share it with.

Do we believe in feminism or, do we crush equality between men and woman like so many generations of organized religions and cultures have before us?

Will honest souls prevail and black-hearted souls be crushed by their own cowardly deeds?

When I sit upon the edge of my bed in the cool darkness of the morning and chant "Thank You, Thank You, Thank You to my God in appreciation for so many things.....I know my words are heard.

These are my current thoughts. This is what I feel and know and question as I navigate this world....alone.

I think I now know what has been eating at my soul lately and I am so grateful for writing down these words that have served to show me some understanding.

Thanks, also, to you both, James and Orson.

Simply, Self-Love.

Vironika Tugaleva, an inspirational speaker and healing coach from the Ukraine, sums it up for me by saying, "The greatest tool of self-love is self-awareness. Once you truly know yourself, love is the only option."

If love and friendship creates the illusion, for the moment, that we are not alone, then we must learn to be our own best friend and love ourselves with the passion and grace that we would afford to every living soul around us. We are all in this game of life together.

In conclusion:
We are alone with our thoughts and our ideas. We create a glass-domed world around us....to protect our thoughts and ideas. But, we must watch our own thoughts constantly because they will become the words of people we draw to ourselves.

Love...Laugh...Live today! Tomorrow we will leave this world, alone. I can only hope and pray that all of us make the best choices for everyone in the meantime.....!!





Savor the Beauty Around Us

Copyright © 2015 by Jacqueline E. Hughes
All rights reserved