Mersydotes

On our second day of the long weekend, we visited little bits of the weird and the wild tucked away in the Catskill Mountains.  We walked through an old blue stone quarry called "Opus 40" that was the  semi-gothic creative folly of an eccentric mountaineer.  It was fascinating and intriguing and mysterious. Later that afternoon, as we were driving through the mountain sides, we stopped for a hike at Kaaterskill Falls.  We splashed and played in the water and slipped and slid on the mossy rocks, nearly breaking our ankles and soaking our clothes.  There's nothing that I love more than taking my shoes off and walking through clean, forest water.  I could spend all summer walking through streams! Thank you so much Mr. Mersy and Penny! This was the very most wonderful weekend! ~Mersydotes

Last weekend, our neighborhood celebrated Eid al Ftr on a hot, Long Island night as the sun slowly sank behind the apartment buildings.  Everyone swarmed the streets, buying, selling, eating, laughing, shouting, just happy to be outside for a breath of air and a breath of relief.   Women set plastic chairs along the curb and painted each others hands with henna in celebration.  I had my hands done by two charming sisters from Bangladesh who kept me company, chatting like little birds, and who ran off at sunset to bring back samosas so we could all make Iftr together.  A man and his wife pulled up along the curb and poured out glasses of orange juice for one and all.   It's amazing to see a community that is usually fairly rough around the edges take the time to really look after one another.  It got me choked up and thrilled all at once.  Later that night, in the grocery stores, men were stationed by the produce to help women whose hennaed hands hadn't yet drie

It was hard to believe that we'd woken up just that morning in Queens but spent the day hiking through the Catskills.  The mountains looked so friendly, gently rolling and softly covered in forest green, but they were also massive.  We hiked straight up for two and a half miles and had all sorts of adventures along the way.  We spotted the very-very-rare Indian Pipe plant, happily growing with no chlorophyll, Penny fought a rattle snake and then promptly threw up, and Mr. Mersy and I stood at the top of the world with the Hudson River Valley spread out before us for as far as we could see. I hope you also have a moment of breathtaking freshness today, Love, ~Mersydotes

We escaped, and it was epic!  Two days away refreshed us so much- it felt like two weeks!  First port of call was Woodstock, of dubious fame.  It came off as rather gentrified, but at least  I saw Willie Nelson three times. Coming up next, the Mersys and the Penny go for an amazing hike in the Catskills! Stay tuned, ~Mersydotes

I'm so very jazzed to be able to knit in the round- it seemed so impossible, the insurmountable knitting mystery.  There were a few tense moments, figuring out how to join the round, having to exchange the needles for a different size.  Although I didn't actually throw my knitting across the room, I did at one point let it fall forcefully from my hands in frustrated disgust. ; )   But it all worked out!  Somehow, magically, a little hat grew on my needles, and I miraculously muddled my way through a really beautiful pattern!   Of course, there just had to be a pompom on the top.  How couldn't I?   I hope this little hat can keep my friend's wee one warm come fall, but if she has a baby boy, methinks I'll need to make one in a new color way! ; ) Huzzah for knitting in the round! ~Mersydotes

Here's a little something to tuck away in your mental-image-arsenal for moments when you feel like all is for nought, art is dead, literature is empty, and love is buzzword that's been hijacked by a fatuous society of untethered souls: See, life does have meaning. Love ya, ~Mersydotes

It's almost 9:00, and I've got a bit of a row to hoe before bedtime and work time tomorrow, so I thought I'd just pop by with a thought.  I got home tonight and there were green beans to snap and cook, and my first reaction was exhausted resignation.  But then words from Thich Nhat Hanh floated into my heart: "when you're washing dishes, just wash dishes".  So tonight, I just snapped green beans, and it was the loveliest moment of my day : ) I hope you have a moment of mindfulness no matter where you are or what you're up to.   Lots of love, ~Mersydotes