Hot and Dry

Trees line three sides of my backyard.

I hang bird feeders in them.

Each day grateful diners serenade their thanks.

Most mornings I sit on the deck sipping a good cup of coffee.
The low hum of cars from the nearby highway is as soothing as listening to waves on the beach.

The problem lately...it's been too hot.

So, I've sat in my air conditioned kitchen sipping that coffee.

It has been a hot and dry summer here in the midwest.

My lawn, although low cut and well trimmed, is both crunchy and the color of hay.
The crabgrass, which manages to stay green through drought, is blonde as well.
Fortunately, I've maintained flower beds of blooming perennials that are hardy and find their way in arid weather, plus I water them no matter what.

This morning I awoke at 6:17 to the slightest pitter-patter of rain.

Rain!

I opened my bedroom window and was welcomed by a cool breeze.
The weatherman made it clear that this reprieve would be short-lived.
I'll take it!
Now to brew that coffee and get out on the deck.

Diva Love!

I ring the bell while peering through a glass door.

"Hey Gi-r-l!", coos our hostess as she opens the door and embraces me in a hug. 

 "So glad you could make it!" 

She leads me through the foyer to her spacious living room.

This is my reentry into the Divas Book Club.  

The ladies take turns standing and extending their arms to me.

Their hugs are honest and strong.

I feel as if I've never been away.

We bring ourselves up-to-date over Grapefruit Margaritas 

and then make our way to the dining room 

for dinner and politics.

Oh, I've missed this!

Finally, we discuss possible books for the September meeting.

Seven books 

and a field-trip to the local Barnes and Noble later, 

we decide on one.

The next meeting place?

 My house!

Green Dot Stables - A Sure Thing!

My daughter and I were near the end of a great day together.  

We'd picked up breakfast from Avalon Bakery, 

shopped the Eastern Market, 

explored Belle Isle's Conservatory, 

and finally,
driven across Detroit for
what she promised to be

a treat.

It was a little spot at 

2200 West Lafayette called, 

"Green Dot Stables".

There was a horseshoe on the entrance door.

Hmm...a sign this place needs luck
or
just a decoration?

Thirty minutes, one shared meal of five sliders, a salad, two orders of fries, one cool Summer Soda, and a Mint Julep later,

Summer Soda:  Lemon-Basil-
Cucumber-Vodka-Soda

House Salad: Chickpea-
Tomato-Cucumber-Herb Vin

Lamb Slider: Rosemary
Hummus-Pickles

Shredded Pork Slider:
Pork Butt-Slaw
and
Au Poivre Slider:
Beef-Peppercorns-Cognac Aioli

Hot Brown Slider:
Chicken-Mornay-Bacon
and
Mystery Meat Slider:
Today's mystery was
Lengua.

The Quintet (my moniker)

Truffle & and Herb French Fries

Le Poutine French Fries

 I concluded
luck wasn't an issue.

Green Dot Stables is no outsider!

It has the winning combination of

great food prepared from scratch,
"Just Right" portions,

reasonable prices, 

and a pleasant atmosphere!

Get in the home stretch for Green Dot Stables.
Odds are,
you'll enjoy it!

The Danger of the "Single Story"

The realtor who helped me find the house I live in today, I met more than 20 years ago 

under totally different circumstances.  

She had been invited to speak at our elementary school, during Black History Week, about the continent on which she was born, 

Africa.  

She stood in front of a gym full of students and spoke into the microphone with a soft voice, 

a soothing accent, 

and a slide show projector.   

Students watched and commented quietly to each other about pictures of the Africa they'd expected: dusty roads, 

women in tribal attire, 

and barefoot children.  

However, 

they soon were amazed to see pictures of 

bustling cities, 

new Mercedes, 

and Nike sneakers.  

Cee Cee's point was to expose our students to more of Africa in order to change their mindset and appreciation of it.    

She understood the meaning of a term I've just become aquainted with, "single story".  

When we know only a "single story" of anything or anybody, 

it can lead to stereotypes.  

She wanted to break the stereotypes our children held of both Africa and it's people.

Today, there is another woman, 

Chimamanda Adichie,  

sharing the same message in a way that helps us realize,

we too,  

may be creating stereotypes in our minds 

and passing them on to our children 

when we place too much weight on the "single story" we think we know, 

rather than dig deeper 

to find it is simply 

one chapter 

of a much larger book!

Resurrection Prayer

We thank you Lord for blessing us to live beyond the days when we thought Easter was all about the bunny, colored eggs, candy, shiny new shoes and white lace gloves.

We thank you for so many Easter seasons when we listened to spirited sermons and heart felt songs, and then reflected on 

how you had to carry your own cross, 

how they offered you vinegar instead of water, 

how the first of your two crucifixion mates mocked you 

       and the second asked that you would remember him in Heaven, 

how the sky grew dark so people could think about what they had done to you, 

how you asked God to forgive them anyway, 

how you died and rose on the third day morning 

      (even though as many times as we counted, it was really only two), 

how the angel rolled away the stone to reveal an empty tomb, 

how we could not wait to get home to ham, potato salad, turkey, dressing, 

      chocolate cake and sweet potato pie.

We thank you for Blessing us to live long enough to understand that it’s not so much about how Judas betrayed you 

and Peter couldn’t believe his own three lies 

and that there is no bunny that could possibly lay eggs, 

but how you willingly laid down your life in sacrifice for our sins 

and that it was an “ah-hah” moment when we realized 

this made You the Lamb of God.  

We now know that the number of days between your death on the cross and your rising up is not as important as the fact that You Arose!  

We understand the reason for this season is Your Victory over death and what that means for us as Christians.  

We now understand that though we enjoy having ham, potato salad, turkey, dressing, chocolate cake and sweet potato pie in celebration, 

You are the Bread of Life. 

We thank you Father for the gifts of age and wisdom.  

We pray that you will allow us to continue growing in Your Word as we strive to be more like you, while living our everyday lives.  

But mostly Father, we thank you for your forgiveness.  

It is proof that you understand our short comings.  

We thank you that your promises are kept, 

and that your love for us is infinite and unwavering.  

It is in your precious name that we pray and are able to have faith, Amen. 

Mychelle Martin

April 11, 2004