Isabella Bird Miscellany

I grew up in the country.  Pigs, cows, horses and chickens were part of the menagerie.  I no longer live in the country.  I’m now a city girl…and quite frankly, I love it!  However, there are times when the allure of the country life is quite strong. So, now for an alternative:  Portland is huge on “urban farming.”  This includes not only growing lots of veggies and fruits, but also having a limited number of animals.  Not long ago, the news aired a program on a family that raised goats.  Their place was complete with raised planks and ramps for the goats to trot around on.  It delighted neighbors, especially the kids (no pun intended.) I don’t really want to go that far … I like having fresh herbs, tender spring lettuce and handfuls of just-picked berries.  I have an affinity for goat cheese, but I don’t want to buy a goat.  Chickens though … you just can’t beat fresh eggs that have golden yellow yolks that actually tas...

You might say that Isabella was a "blogger" in her own right.  Of course she didn't have the internet to post her thoughts, which is part of the technical definition of a blog. However, she kept a journal of her travels, political, religious and social views. "A blog is a personal diary. A daily pulpit. A collaborative space...Your own private thoughts. Memos to the world." - Blogger.com As a child, Isabella was considered frail.  In those days (1831-1904) it was thought that frequent trips outdoors was good for body and soul.  (Side note:  It is good for me ... body, soul and spirit.)  After a surgery to remove a tumor from her spine and  time recuperating, she took the advice of her doctor and took her first trip abroad. Isabella boarded a ship, making the journey across the Atlantic to North America, where she stayed for several months.  During this time she journaled daily and wrote frequent letters to her sister.  These writings became ...

Dandelion:  Scientific name taraxacum  Dandelions ...sunny and bright, swaying in the wind.  When you are almost spent, a quick puff scatters your fluffy pods. Why does that bring such delight? Is it the effortless way the tiny seeds float in the breeze? You appear ethereal, light and airy, heavenly. Dandelion seeds are not the only things that get blown into the wind.  Consider early cherry blossoms, looking like a gentle pink snowfall, crisp brown leaves in the fall ... and kites dancing high in the bright blue sky.  But what about when the wind is a hurricane force? How do we handle that type of blown into the wind?  I think the answer is back to our picture of the dandelion ... heavenly.   "If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers - most of  which are  never even seen - don't you think he'll attend to you,  take pride  in you,  do his best for you?"   Matthew 6:30 The Message S...

I have lots of words, or so I've been told on more than one occasion.  Somehow, those words need to be used; writing seems to be a fairly productive use of my words.  Ergo:  I signed up for a Creative Writing class.  The format is very loose, lacking restraint, with an emphasis on being "creative."  I'm very intrigued. One of the exercises involved a "prompt" word or phrase.  We are then given three to four minutes to simply write.  It was quite interesting how each of the thirteen students interpreted the phrases.  While some had similarities, others were so very unique, utilizing their own experiences as filters for expression. I'll share one that I wrote.  The starter words were:  Story Teller The circus came only once a year ... it was a big deal for our tiny town.  The colorful tents would rise to meet the blue sky, dotted with white, puffy clouds.  Lions, bears, elephants paced in their cages, waiting for their ...