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multiplemyelomaandme

Wine Making and Painting

Lately I find myself making and drinking wine. To me, its what I do all the time. My skills in wine making started by on the island of Grenada in the West Indies. On the island there were no grape vines grown. The only time we had grapes, were for Christmas. Our island have sugar canes and we produced molasses and rum, but this island girl wanted to make wine.

Back then 1975, I started with a fruit called Governor plum. It was purple and the sweet and tart at the same time. Started this wine just with the basics, yeast, sugar and raisins. I fermented this mush for a few months and basically felt in the the cellar and migrated to the USA.

Fast forward to 3-4 years later, my mom was visiting me and brought me a small bottle of the Governor plum wine. As I poured out a drink, I was mesmerized by the color, it was amber and the taste was more like a sherry/cognac. What a beautiful drink. This got me making wines again,

This week, I have started a Tangerine wine, Mead Wine, Concord grape wine and today, a Blackberry wine. In the basement the gurgling sounds make me aware of the fermentation. I keep dates, and I am always trying new things, but never deviating from my tried and true recipe .

Just a sampling of my wines, Date wine Finger grape wine.

Watercolor painting

Night and day

multiplemyelomaandme

Times tables

As a young girl growing up in Grenada, we had to learn the multiplication tables.  I always liked math but memory was not my strongest suit.  I remember vividly taking the exercise book and turning it around to study or cram those tables.

At the back of those books there were measurements of all kind and from time to time we were required to know them also e.g. How many fluid ounces was in a pint, and many other measurements.  But now of those was as bothersome to me as the “times tables”.  Just keeping in mind that if you don’t know them, your science career may be off the table.

you needed to know those tables so that you can do multiplication and continue along to higher math, calculus and life.  I did eventually conquered my aversion and fear and was able to master the tables and recite them when called upon to do so at school.

 

<p>Source: <a href=”https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/recite/”>Recite</a></p&gt;

multiplemyelomaandme

Old pictures

Years ago on vacation, we used a camera with rolls of film.  On our return, we would bring those rolls to be washed.  No one knew what the pictures would look like.

A picture taker like me hands shaking, fingers in front of the lens, you know those types.  You get the envelopes, and with much anticipation you open up and what’s inside was a mix bag.  Most of the pictures were grainy to say the least.  If I were lucky, I may get 10 good pictures out of a possible 24 shots.

<p>Source: <a href=”https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/grainy/”>Grainy</a></p&gt;

multiplemyelomaandme

Slapdash/Willy-nilly

Nothing should be done slapdash or willy-nilly but we do it everyday.  I believe that love should be carefully thought out, life should have direction.  Too many young people think that they are in love and give their lives wholly to others with no regard    for their welfare.

Sometimes though, life should be lived methodical, one in which all your effort should be involved.  Live every day as though it is your last.  Enjoy every moment, every flower, every tree, the rainbows, and the rain.  Life is sometimes too short to waste a moment, never willy-billy, but with purpose and direction.

 

<p>Sources: <a href=”https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/willy-nilly/”>Willy-nilly</a></p&gt;

 

 

 

multiplemyelomaandme

Murder in my community

Saturday morning brought a somber realization that murder can happen anywhere. The radio was bleating the news, as my husband likes to have it, but I was not paying much attention, but the words triple homocide in Hempstead caught my attention.

 

I snatched up my iPad and entered “triple homocide Hempstead” what came up shocked me to my soul, not only was the deaths in Hempstead, but very close to my home.

Three women were killed and one escaped.  Now I cannot wait to hear why so I started to conjur up my own script.  It must be a love triangle, an elicit affair, drugs, whatever.

Later that evening, my husband went outside and down the block to see where these murders occurred and called me to let me know that it was only a block away from our home.

The police tape still encircled the block which included the home, lots of network news vans and spectators who pulled up chairs as though this was a spectator sport.

the gruesome details finally surfaced.  A son who was angry with his mother for locking him out of the house, returned with a hammer, killing his mother, sister and a friend who was visiting.  Another friend escaped and neighbors called the police.

What a tragedy, a whole family wiped out, because now the killer is locked up, his family is dead, the community is shaken, and I am awaiting the full story on OWN or 20/20.  Yes it can happen near to you.

 

 

multiplemyelomaandme

That bush

When I saw today’s word, it brought me way back to the island of Aruba.  This small island is full of cactus and most cacti have prickles.  Many of times as a child, I would find myself with prickles in my fingers because I would never learn to touch the tree.

One would always feel that the item could be extracted without touching the plant, but this is wrong.  This also happens in life, the mess is all around and we think it’s not going to overtake us, but it does.

Apart from the prickles, there are all that beauty around us.  So let us embrace the forests, the dry lands, and the lush lands prickle and all.

 

<p>Source: <a href=”https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/prickle/”>Prickle</a></p&gt;

multiplemyelomaandme

wonder days

Like Jonah, I do have those days.  After returning from the hospital, I am getting better and growing stronger daily, then Sunday happens.  Last Sunday I got up felling great.  I exercised a little and then spent sometime with in the word.

 

Got dressed and went to church.  I enjoyed the service and was glad to be with my sisters and brothers, but on leaving, I had to get out .  With my compromised immune system, I had to get out of there.

I returned home after some small shopping for dinner.  At home, I decided to have brunch with my daughter, and would you know it, we ate some leftover Chinese food.  could you imagine it? on a Sunday no less.

Made dinner and was feeling a little tired so I had to lie down.  Hours later I awoke with a slight headache, but was game enough for dinner.  Ate and then took 2 Aleve tablets and got ready for bed.

I suppose I can take this since the cancer is gone, and only what remains, is a bit of tiredness and body ache.  I suppose that was one of those days.

 

<p>Source: <a href=”https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/substandard/”>Substandard</a></p&gt;

 

 

multiplemyelomaandme

The Gate to Belem Tower

On our trip to Portugal. My daughter and I waited on a line for almost an hour, just to get into Belem through the gate. Through the rain drops, the chatter from the queue and the wonderment of what lies inside.

Well this tower did not disappoint. The old cannons, the intricacies of the building. But most of all, the 97 steps that we climbed to get to the top. At my age and not so great health, I was determined to get to the top.

Let me tell you, I finished on my hands and knees to behold a panoramic sight of Lisbon.

Source: Gate

multiplemyelomaandme

What a problem

Making decisions is what we do everyday, sometimes second by second. Easy, isn’t it? Not a problem until we make that fatal decision, now it becomes disastrous.

To everyone else, it is a minor faux pas, but it is major to us. Disaster waits around the corner, but to live , we have to take that chance and make a

decision.

Disastrous or not, if I make 80% on the decision front, then I believe I am batting a 100. I will continue to take chances and the more I take those chances, eventually I will increase the odds and the word disastrous will probably be eliminated.

Source: Disastrous

multiplemyelomaandme

What’s up with soil

Most people hear about a “green thumb”, but I swear that I have a partial and sometimes “brown thumb”. I have a few indoor plants and they have been thriving for over 23 years, but I have bought new ones that hardly survive a month. I either over water them or just plain starve them.

My beef is with the soil. I always blame the soil. I hear myself saying I should have re-potted the plant, kept it in the sun, kept it in the shade, whatever. There is always a myriad of excuses, but it always come down to this problem … “the soil”.

Source: Soil

Source: Soil