Thursday, November 5, 2015

SLO MO




Is anybody getting tired of seeing photos of the woods on my property?

Good Gawd - everybody raised their hand! You'd think some people would have lied just to humor me.

Well, you won't have to worry about seeing any more photos after today. At least not for awhile. The autumn foliage is fading fast and nearly gone. 
And
my digital camera batteries died. There's no way in hell I'm going to venture to town to buy new ones. It used to be easy in Texas when I lived half a mile away from WalMart.

Here in the Tennessee wilderness, going to town is a major excursion. I need pack mules and Indian guides. The very thought of the ordeal sends shivers up (and down) my spine and transports my delicate psyche into hitherto unknown regions of anxiety. 

Come to think of it, I'd better go before our eight month winter sets in. If it's going to be anything like it was last year, it won't thaw out until August.

I initially and mistakenly thought Tennessee had mild, brief winters. When I saw ice floes and penguins last March, I started to get worried.


  Presently the weather has been unseasonably warm for November. It was near 70 degrees today - and all the annoying insects have canceled their winter reservations to Acapulco. I'm presently plagued with aggressive wasps and rampant Asian beetles. Or Japanese beetles. Whatever. They're like ladybugs on steroids, with an attitude.

Slo Mo?
My entire life seems to be unfolding in slow motion. Like I'm treading quicksand. I'm in a perpetual state of lethargy. It takes me forever to do the smallest tasks and I have no semblance of energy or enthusiasm.

A quick reverse:
In California, in my mid-twenties. I was a music major and also a student piano teacher at college. At the same time I was an accompanist for several instrumentalists and numerous singers. I was also giving concerts throughout Southern California. As if that weren't enough, I was balancing two relationships - one in Los Angeles and one in Orange County. And I still found time to attend operas, ballets, plays, parties, and go bar-hopping.
In essence, my Dance Card was full.

Nowadays,
it takes all my energy just to clean the cat's litter boxes. When I'm done emptying the shit, I have to sit down and catch my breath. What the hell happened?? Old age is a bitch and a half.  

By the way, if you've never heard of a dance card, you're too young to be reading this blog. 

I am, admittedly, making some progress in the mountainside shack. I've cleared out most of the junk and arranged things to make the place livable. I'd call it progress. Trying to fit 4,000 sq. ft. of stuff into a 1200 sq. ft. house was no easy task. It took months of intricate maneuvers.

The garage still looks like an explosion at a Dollar General store, but I'll eventually conquer the rubble. If I live that long. 

And, I might as well admit it.
It's not easy living with three rambunctious cats, especially in a small place. They sap much of my time. I can't even rest in bed. Bosco and Scruffy sleep with me. Scratch is jealous because she wants to sleep with me.
  
Hey, I remember a time when hot sexy people used to scuffle over wanting to sleep with me. My descent from the top has been swift and cruel......

This post is too long. I'll take my leave before you start throwing rotten tomatoes.


For those who can't get enough, you can always visit my photo blog at:
Cabinet of Curious Treasures 


 


20 comments:

  1. "slow down, we move to fast, I've got to make the morning last," if we live long enough we slow down enough to "stop and smell the roses." Enjoy the view from the slow lane, I am back in the fast lane at work again and it really grinds me down.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If I slow down any more I'll be going in reverse.

      Delete
  2. yes, you had better get to the village before the weather turns nasty!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I can always burn the furniture for heat and eat the cats.

      Delete
  3. Shouldn't you be raking those leaves up right about now?

    THAT'S what is on my dance card for this weekend!

    :-)

    -Andy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I won't be raking the forest.

      You should have seen me in Texas. The leaves from EVERY tree in the neighborhood used to blow directly into my yard. I spent half my life raking other people's leaves.

      Delete
  4. Hey Jon,
    I could never get tired of looking at your great pictures of the trees on and around your home.

    You can understand this Jon, especially since you lived in Texas, we just do not get that. I miss that most now living in Texas. I guess having a much milder winter by the Gulf Coast and no snow to deal with, makes up for it.

    Jon, I agree with Ann Marie.....you better!!!

    Take care.
    Hugggggs,
    Roy In Texas

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're fortunate to be by the Gulf Coast. I used to live in northwest TX on the high plains. The snow never lasted very long but it would get COLD.

      Delete
  5. I'm not tired of your tree pictures and yes from the way you describe winter there You should hoard up anything you may need.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. At least I have supplies this year. Last winter I was completely unprepared.

      Delete
  6. I don't know if you
    have a fireplace in TN
    I think you had one in Texas
    anyroad, you can always
    burn your dead wood
    outside in a fire pit
    it might keep the bugs away

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, I did have a fireplace in TX but unfortunately I don't have one here.

      A fire pit won't keep these bugs away. I'd need Moses and the power of the Almighty.

      Delete
  7. Not tired of the pictures at all. Keep posting! Getting old beats the alternative. LOL. And I love to hear all about your life adventures ....you really should write a book. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm always delighted to know that I'm not boring my readers. I've had so many life adventures that I could probably write 2 or 3 books.

      Delete
  8. Ice floes and penguins ... oh my! (But that did crack me up!)
    If last year's Winter is, indeed, your new 'normal', suppose it would be wise to invest in a snowmobile?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Myra, I not only need a snowmobile - I need a sled with a team of huskies, a tractor, an exorcist to get rid of the bugs........and I probably need my head examined for living in the wilderness.

      Delete
  9. Your humor in this post, along with your responses to comments, particularly hit my funny bone just right today. Thanks! I needed that!

    It's just over eighty degrees here now. MUCH too warm for this time of year. But we've had monsoons for more than a week, with no end in sight. I was on jury duty all week, and with my lousy night vision, did not relish that early morning drive to the courthouse, or that after-dark drive home, in this weather. But it's done now. Time to play catch-up.

    Have a super weekend, cowboy. And it sounds like you might need to get some Geritol. You're too young to be so lethargic.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm glad your dreaded jury duty is over - - and I can strongly identify with your lousy night vision. That's the sole reason why I went over the cliff in the Arkansas rainstorm (do you remember that one??).

      80 degrees is much too warm for November but it's better than snow & ice.

      (I like people who appreciate my humor)

      Delete
  10. Jon,
    You could never post too many photos of your beautiful surroundings. As far as your digital camera goes, I got off that battery thing a long time ago. If you can, get an iPhone. You can take an unlimited amount of high definition photos (and videos) and NO BATTERIES. And while you're at it, get one of those 17 inch iMac computers. They have a very small (no tower) footprint. And cats love 'em!
    Ron

    ReplyDelete
  11. Jon,

    Can't complain about your forest photos...look how many I post. Yes, slo-mo, my day seems to run out on my time to do anything, yet I did so many things, work, school, write, socialize, at some point in the past with little fatigue. Now, I swear, resting wears me out.

    Larry

    ReplyDelete

I love comments. Go ahead and leave one - I won't bite. But make sure you have a rabies shot just in case.