May arrived with bags filled with gifts. She brought clear skies, glimpses of moon and stars, snatches of good weather, and the full blooming of flora and fauna. Tucked away in a gift box was the excitement and joy of ceremonies for graduation, marriage and birth.
She stayed on through storms, floods, tornadoes, earthquakes, and devastation of biblical proportions. We argued over the differences of man made and natural calamities. Conversation became tiresome and went on for too long. Her voice was loud and grating, at times scary. Like an unwanted guest, she just stayed too long.
When, finally she decided to leave, she reminded us not to forget friends and family who had contributed much to quiet us down in turbulent times and to console us in our grief. Remember them we did with reverence and parade. When she returns we hope she leaves her nasty behavior behind. But for now, dear month of May, here's your hat! There's the door! Just go!
Monday, May 30, 2011
Saturday, May 28, 2011
FIVE GENERATIONS OF COMRADERY
The Piccadilly at Manhattan is a small, out of the way, bright restaurant in the Ellendale neighborhood of St. Louis. According to its owners, Nick and Maggie Collida the restaurant was established in 1901 as a corner tavern to serve "working stiffs" and neighbors with drinks and food. Renovated a few years ago, the bar is still there but it is known now for its good food.
It has been owned and run by five generations of the same family. Nick's son is the chef. Other family members help out from time to time. Nick and Maggie live above the restaurant. They can be found sitting on the outside patio where they often greet customers.
When I was there the food and home baked desserts were delicious. The menu offered dishes for sophisticated palates as well as wholesome food at moderate prices. On a gloomy afternoon, it was a delight to encounter a place with pleasant service, good food, warm fellowship and quite a bit of history attached to it.
It has been owned and run by five generations of the same family. Nick's son is the chef. Other family members help out from time to time. Nick and Maggie live above the restaurant. They can be found sitting on the outside patio where they often greet customers.
When I was there the food and home baked desserts were delicious. The menu offered dishes for sophisticated palates as well as wholesome food at moderate prices. On a gloomy afternoon, it was a delight to encounter a place with pleasant service, good food, warm fellowship and quite a bit of history attached to it.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
THE UGLY BRUTALITY OF NATURE
The destruction caused in Joplin, Missouri is hard to fathom. I tried to imagine the tornado's huge footprint, nearly a mile wide and six miles long. A tornado that size would have traveled a distance comparable to the distance between where I live in St. Louis' Central West End neighborhood to University City and would have been as wide as the distance between Forest Park and my apartment house.
I tried to imagine what it would be like to look down my street and see this monster coming at me. I tried to picture what it would be like to walk amidst so much destruction and death and to know that all I had was gone. Whether a tornado, earth quake, flood or some other natural disaster, it is impossible to really understand what it is like to live through the wrath of nature.
No matter what we attribute the unusual weather to around the globe and in our country, we are fragile before nature. Yet,as we confront the ugly, unstoppable brutality of Mother Nature, our human response is to help and heal each other for strength and inspiration in face of that which is uncontrollable.
I tried to imagine what it would be like to look down my street and see this monster coming at me. I tried to picture what it would be like to walk amidst so much destruction and death and to know that all I had was gone. Whether a tornado, earth quake, flood or some other natural disaster, it is impossible to really understand what it is like to live through the wrath of nature.
No matter what we attribute the unusual weather to around the globe and in our country, we are fragile before nature. Yet,as we confront the ugly, unstoppable brutality of Mother Nature, our human response is to help and heal each other for strength and inspiration in face of that which is uncontrollable.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
ANONYMITY OF THE INTERNET
I was discussing my discomfort with the anonymity of the Internet when friends reminded me that readers of this blog don't know much about my background. So, I decided to tell my readers whence I came.
My maternal and paternal grandparents were hard-working immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania and New Jersey and valued education and the opportunities this Country offered above all else. Between both sets they had 13 children. Some children were brought here at a young age, while others were born here. Descendants now live in New York, New Jersey, Long Island, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Georgia, Washington, DC, Virginia, Florida, Colorado, California, Washington State, Missouri, and abroad in Denmark and France.
My immediate and extended family participate in an eclectic assortment of nonprofit, cultural, governmental and political organizations. Familial loyalty and memory is held by most members except for those who chose to go their own way.
My parents taught me to question the fairness of all things. I am influenced by identifiable sources while acknowledging that they and I are capable of error or changing opinion as new information becomes available.
The idea for a name for my blog was given to me by a valued friend with whom I have corresponded over the years.
My maternal and paternal grandparents were hard-working immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania and New Jersey and valued education and the opportunities this Country offered above all else. Between both sets they had 13 children. Some children were brought here at a young age, while others were born here. Descendants now live in New York, New Jersey, Long Island, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Georgia, Washington, DC, Virginia, Florida, Colorado, California, Washington State, Missouri, and abroad in Denmark and France.
My immediate and extended family participate in an eclectic assortment of nonprofit, cultural, governmental and political organizations. Familial loyalty and memory is held by most members except for those who chose to go their own way.
My parents taught me to question the fairness of all things. I am influenced by identifiable sources while acknowledging that they and I are capable of error or changing opinion as new information becomes available.
The idea for a name for my blog was given to me by a valued friend with whom I have corresponded over the years.
Saturday, May 21, 2011
SANDRA DAY O'CONNOR
We are all concerned about the direction the country is taking. We may be coming from different points of view because of our experiences and the opportunities we have had. Yet we all wonder what if anything can be done to ameliorate the present climate of false accusation and insults.
Former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor is taking an important step toward doing something about the nastiness we sometimes exhibit toward each other. She is helping us reacquaint ourselves as well as teach future generations about the United States Constitution and the laws which enable it. She has established a nonprofit web site (icivics.org).
I confess to being an admirer of O'Connor while she served the Court because of her ability to reach decisions based on the experience of ordinary people, her respect for legal scholarship, and her knowledge of the history of the Constitution.
Her continued effort toward this end is to be commended and could point all ages toward a more constructive climate for talking and listening to each other.
Former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor is taking an important step toward doing something about the nastiness we sometimes exhibit toward each other. She is helping us reacquaint ourselves as well as teach future generations about the United States Constitution and the laws which enable it. She has established a nonprofit web site (icivics.org).
I confess to being an admirer of O'Connor while she served the Court because of her ability to reach decisions based on the experience of ordinary people, her respect for legal scholarship, and her knowledge of the history of the Constitution.
Her continued effort toward this end is to be commended and could point all ages toward a more constructive climate for talking and listening to each other.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
HOORAY! HE'S CONQUERING THE WORLD!
St. Louis residential neighborhoods have small islands of greenery between streets that are only a block long with dead ends. Cars enter at one end and loop around to exit at the same spot. Home owners, or renters, park their cars on these streets yet there is little traffic. Whether people are gardening, walking dogs or children playing, there is always something going on.
On Mothers Day, I was returning from my favorite coffee house when I spotted a child half a block away. He was walking and running and weaving from one side to the other like a sailor just off the ship. As the child came closer, I realized he could be not much more than a year old. He was not slowing down for a minute even though he was about to lose his diaper. It was apparent that he was new to this walking and running business. As he came toward me, I began to yell, "Hooray! Hooray! Hooray!"
He ran up to me. Buried his head in my knees and hugged my legs as if to say thank you for noticing my accomplishment. Then he ran back to his father. All else seemed irrelevant, he had indeed conquered the world!
On Mothers Day, I was returning from my favorite coffee house when I spotted a child half a block away. He was walking and running and weaving from one side to the other like a sailor just off the ship. As the child came closer, I realized he could be not much more than a year old. He was not slowing down for a minute even though he was about to lose his diaper. It was apparent that he was new to this walking and running business. As he came toward me, I began to yell, "Hooray! Hooray! Hooray!"
He ran up to me. Buried his head in my knees and hugged my legs as if to say thank you for noticing my accomplishment. Then he ran back to his father. All else seemed irrelevant, he had indeed conquered the world!
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