Paradise and Joyfulness

Posted on May 15, 2020 by Chronicles of a Blogaholic

“I’d rather have roses on my table
then diamonds on my neck.”
Emma Goldman

Today on my walk, I came across some birds of paradise that were in full bloom. I couldn’t resist taking some photos of this exotic looking flower which happens to be the official flower of Los Angeles.

How did this South African flower become LAs official flower? Well, back in 1952, Mayor Fletcher Bowron decided to name the bird of paradise the official flower of LA, after heavy lobbying by seed company president and civic booster Manfred Meyberg. Soon after, the plant and seeds from this orange and blue flower became a hot item in nurseries throughout California.

The bird of paradise flower is so named because its magnificently colorful petals resemble a colorful bird in flight. The flower is a symbol of paradise as well as a symbol of joyfulness.

How apropos for Angeleno’s official City flower to be a symbol of paradise and joyfulness.

Shine On

On the Lamb

Posted on May 11, 2020 by Chronicles of a Blogaholic

“I want my children to have
all the things I couldn’t afford.
Then, I want to move in with them.”
Phyllis Diller

Hope all you fellow Blogaholics had a good Mother’s Day. As a mother, I contend, every day is Mother’s Day because our caring for and worrying about our children never ends.

Before we were all quarantined, my son asked what I would like for Mother’s Day? The answer was easy for me. I wanted to spend the day with him and visit a 40-acre private ranch in Camarillo that raises lambs, as well as breeds and trains Border Collies.

To my surprise, my son contacted the ranch and was able to schedule a private tour as long as we wore our face masks.

What a great escape from being locked up for almost two months. The fresh air, the smell of alfalfa hay and the interaction with all the farm animals was just what I needed.

We had a wonderful visit this weekend at the ranch interacting with the domesticated grand menagerie. We were able to not only feed and hold the baby lambs, but our tour guide Laura gave an amazing herding demonstration with her dog Star.

The highlight of our ranch visit was being introduced to 9 of the 6-week-old Border Collie puppies.

If you live in the Los Angeles area, I highly recommend scheduling a visit to this wondrous ranch, On the Lamb.

Shine On

Super Moon of 2020

Posted on May 8, 2020 by Chronicles of a Blogaholic

“With freedom, books, flowers,
and the moon who could not be happy?”
Oscar Wilde

Super Moon 2020

After the sunset yesterday around 8:00, I noticed a beautiful bright full moon. I grabbed my camera and shot quite a few images including this zoomed in shot.

This morning I downloading the images to my laptop, grabbed a cup of coffee and read the daily news. I was surprised to read that last nights full moon was the final of the super moon type.

Super moons occur when the moon is on its closest approach to Earth in orbit. The moon will appear brighter and bigger in the night sky. This full moon was only visible from the evening of May 6 until the morning of May 8, and comes on the heels of the biggest and brightest super moon of the year in April, but it’s still more spectacular than a typical full moon.

The past few years I’ve attempted to get a clear crisp image of a full moon but this is the first time I was happy with my image of the final super moon of 2020.

Shine On

Kent State Massacre

Posted on May 4, 2020 by Chronicles of a Blogaholic

“Four Dead in Ohio”
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

John Filo, Pulitzer Prize Photo, May 4, 1970

Fifty years ago, on May 4, 1970, twenty-eight National Guard soldiers fired approximately 67 rounds over a period of 13 seconds, killing four students and wounding nine others, one of whom suffered permanent paralysis.

Some of the students who were shot had been protesting against the Vietnam War while others shot had been walking nearby or observing the protest from a distance.

It’s a time in our history we are not our proudest, but should never forget. Over the years, there have been numerous plays, books, movies and music written about that historic day.

Here is one of the best-known protest songs, “Ohio”, written by Neil Young for Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young about the Kent State Massacre:

OHIO

Tin soldiers and Nixon’s coming
We’re finally on our own
This summer I hear the drumming
Four dead in Ohio

Gotta get down to it
Soldiers are gunning us down
Should have been done long ago
What if you knew her and
Found her dead on the ground
How can you run when you know

Tin soldiers and Nixon’s coming
We’re finally on our own
This summer I hear the drumming
Four dead in Ohio
Four dead in Ohio

Shine On

From the Heart

Posted on April 27, 2020 by Chronicles of a Blogaholic

“The best and most beautiful things in the world
cannot be seen or even touched
– they must be felt with the heart.”
Helen Keller

Daisy 1985 to 2005

There’ve been dozens of dogs that I have known throughout my life. All of these dogs were not merely pets, but all were considered family members. All these dogs had unique personalities as unique as their breeds. But, there was one dog of mine that stood out from all the rest. She was a Golden Retriever from the pound and her name was Daisy.

Daisy arrived unexpectedly one day. A friend had obtained Daisy from the pound and because of this friends recent hip surgery she was finding it difficult to care for Daisy.

I was hesitant to adopt a dog. Mostly because I worked at a demanding full-time job, had a young son, and my boyfriend and husband to be was recovering from a massive heart attack. Also, Daisy had a bad reputation for getting into the trash, digging her way out of yards and running away, and was extremely unruly. But, there was something I saw in this dog’s eyes. Something that showed me we were kindred spirits.

One of Daisy’s worst habits was jumping on anyone that entered our home. To my surprise, Daisy was a quick learn. After her first week with us, she stopped getting into the trash, never jumped on anyone ever again, and never ever dug one hole in the yard. In fact, you could leave every door open in the house and she wouldn’t step one paw over the threshold.

I had lots of experience over the year’s training difficult dogs, but Daisy wasn’t difficult by any means. On the contrary, she was the smartest dog I had ever encountered. She was so well-mannered, that one night my husband left a half-eaten roast beef sandwich on the coffee table and Daisy didn’t eat or even lay a paw on the sandwich.

Why was Daisy such a good dog? It was simple. She had the best food, the best care, was taken for daily walks, and she was loved and groomed like a princess. She was always made to feel secure. Basically, Daisy knew how much we loved her. A love that we both felt, from the heart.

Shine On