Hot Hot Hot & Kinda Sweet

I had to have some of my own.

We visited with a couple Matt went to law school with who also went to Sewanee, as Matt did.

They told us about this wild grocery store that I’d never heard of in Memphis – The Winchester Farmers Market.

However, it’s not exactly what you’d picture when you hear farmers market. This is in an old Kroger building and is full of shelves of international foods, mostly Mexican, Indian, and Asian. I’ve been to plenty international markets – this is bigger – more variety – than any I’ve seen.

Though, I was specifically on the hunt for these chili powder coated dried mango bites. It took me well over an hour to finally track them down. I also left with a perfectly sweet pineapple and the cheapest navel oranges I’ve found, but I could have gone home with any kind of noodle, fish, pepper, or exotic cactus!! A fun way to spend a Sunday! Mom will love it. She’s visiting in two weeks.

That Nurturing Feeling

It’s why we work hard.

The ability to take a breath and say good work. “It’s all wonderful.”

I’m talking about the yard. Saturday I woke up and had my breakfast/dietcoke in my secret garden. ok ok ok, before I get called out by those who have seen it, it’s hardly a secret garden. It’s very open in my backyard, but I do have my special place located in a shady corner nuzzled up to some bushes and a big tree canopy. Secret it is.

As I sat appreciating the peace that only a saturday morning with no plans can provide :: it started. I thought, Jeez, I need more impatiens; I’ll just run out and get a few.

First the quest to find a bunch of impatiens on Memorial Day weekend. After two stops I found the only four six packs and made it out without someone nabbing them from my basket. Impressive considering I had to break the bad news twice that they were the last ones!

Once home it turned into a full day of not only planting the new plants but moving plants that needed more or less sun. It’s a strange nurturing feeling. Those who love plants, feel me? It’s like when they start showing more blooms they say to me, ” Girl, you knew just what I needed.”

Planted these lilies maybe two years ago
What a lovely sight to see them bloom again
Secret Garden – shush it’s a secret

Very content – reading southern living and listening to Kurt Vile
Purple all summer

color color color – shade shade shade

Tags | gardening, Memphis landscape, secret garden, yard

Debt of Life

I was impressed with how behaved the 330 8th graders were during the hour and a half long ceremony. Still, by the time their principal at Shadowlawn Middle School started his, ” I don’t give speeches” speech I just knew the kids eyes were glazing over with dreams of days spent lounging, eating ice cream and going to the baseball field on summer nights, at least that’s what I thought of at that exact moment in my life.

I, on the other hand, was in the high of my day. At 8:30 a.m. I’ve already anchored two and a half hours of news, applied several layers of make-up and caffeinated myself to the point of perfect concentration mixed with a beautiful amount of joie de vivre that together made me the ideal student for the principal’s graduation pep talk.

It was really great. I hope some of the students heard it. Nothing too heavy, but enough to make this 29 year old seize the day with a little more enthusiasm when I walked out and returned to work.

He told them :

1) To aim high.

“In the long run men only hit what they aim at. Therefore, though they should fail immediately, they had better aim at something high.”
-Thoreau

2) To truly realize MLK’s dream. He asked the students to imagine our society is just as they would have it; not judged on gender, wealth, family position, GPA, race or hometown. Instead one would be judged on character alone; would you be happy with the result?

3) Repaying the debt known as the privilege of being alive.
This is probably one of the strongest factors behind my ambition – be it career or personal life. I feel that debt I owe. Mine can be heavy at times – from feeling a sense of guilt when I nap on a crisp sunny day, feeling I could do better at work or choosing comfort over adventure. Why was I lucky enough to be born?
Life is so short. I hope those students find something that fascinates them and continue wanting more.

I don’t even remember my high school graduation speech, but I wish it had been something practical like this. Be happy, be good and appreciate the gift of life.

I was there to see my Big Brother Big Sister, little sis graduate. After this summer Kiara is heading into high school. I’m nervous and she’s not even my flesh and blood. Those years are hard. The decisions we make stay with us for long after. The things we see and witness manifest later in life as dreams or at times as resentments. I know this, she has a very special mother and a big happy (full of braces) smile. Those are two very important things. I’m eager to watch her grow up the next four years. Go Kiara!

Old Beauty

A favorite house I pass when I make it to Evergreen for walks. Just a timeless beauty from the yard to the design. Glad people are willing to love these old homes and keep them up! I want one!!!

Paletas and a Breeze

This is my first spring to anchor mornings.  I already knew this schedule is good for me, but this was one of the moments that I realized how lucky I am to get off at one pm.

Picked up my lil sis, Kiara and we grabbed some Mexican. We’ve found this place between my house and hers that has  a porch (and gives complimentary cheese with the salsa) and just sat around with no place to be and nothing to do. It was warm but not too hot. We were in the shade. Our server didn’t feel like making lots of trips inside for refills, so he gave us giant frosty mugs full of diet coke for me – doctor pepper for her.

Since we didn’t see each other for Cinco De Mayo we had an impromptu Mexican influenced meal followed by something cold from my new favorite spot.

La Michoacana on Summer

I can never get just one. Why would I want to?

The popsicles are so good. Real fruit. Not too sweet. Not bad for me. Kiara wasn’t convinced. She stuck with cookies and creme ice cream. Maybe one day!

My favorite moment was sitting with Kiara on my porch. I love sitting there. Normally I’m alone, but having Kiara with me was nice. There was a breeze and the perfect amount of shade from the lime green trees over my house. We agreed hanging on a work/school night is fun. Feels like a stolen moment.

Tags | La Michoacana