Heinrich Rudolf Hertz

 








 

Heinrich Rudolf Hertz

 

Heinrich Rudolf Hertz

 

Heinrich Rudolf Hertz

Soil, Seeds and Prayer

Although it seemed a bit early for planting... Sam and Simmy had purchased seeds on Saturday and when they paid for the soil and seeds, the man who took the payment said, "You have to plant those geraniums this weekend or else it will be too late for this year."
Ahh, so that's why Simmy had felt the need to buy seeds this early. This would be the first time they tried growing geraniums from seed. Usually she purchased those as little 'babies' when stores sold them early in the season to jump start sales after a lean winter.
"Plants can get wet rot you know," the man taking their money said. "It could happen to your plants."
He seemed to be looking at Simmy in a rather challenging way. Simmy replied firmly, "Oh, it won't happen to my plants. I pray over them."
The man looked away and didn't say anything but his wife looked at Simmy interestingly and smiled shyly, nodding in what appeared to be agreement.
Saturday turned to Sunday and the topic at church was kind of similar. The pastor wanted everyone to pick a few homes in the area and agree to pray for these people for a year.
After the homework of hand writing letters was accomplished, Sam and Simmy delivered their letters (soil) into the mailboxes of the homes, (planting seeds), promising a year of prayer.
And so it begins...

Ain't Black & White, Sherlock

Simmy decided to go for a walk to the grocery store. Sam was taking a nap so he would be up for a rousing night of 'Ticket to Ride' with the family. Youngest construction son and his wife had just purchased the 'Marklin' Germany edition and it was always exciting to play a new game.
Simmy was still a few yards away from the store when a man came bursting out of the door, rushed towards her and asked if she had some change (money), for the bus.
With the new budget for this year being adhered to with verve and determination... Simmy did not have any change but she did have some money because she'd just gone to the bank. Not feeling safe, being somewhat accosted in the parking lot, she didn't answer right away so the man asked if she would buy him a sandwich.
To that Simmy replied immediately, "Yes, I'll buy you a sandwich."
As she went into the store, the man told her he had been kicked out of the mission for a couple of months for having cigarettes on him.
Things sounded a bit 'fishy' so Simmy asked, "Did you lie about it?"
"No! I did not lie," he said, rather vehemently.
Simmy just proceeded to the cooler with all the sandwiches and the man stopped and said, "I don't think they have sandwiches here."
Now Simmy was a little suspicious because they were standing right in front of the sandwiches but she just calmly said, "Oh yes, they do. They're right here. Pick what you like."
"Can I have this one?" He was pointing to a large loaf of bread that would feed about four, or more, people.
"I don't think you can eat all that," Simmy was thinking practically and figuring he would throw out most of it if he wasn't spending his own money to buy it.
Simmy suggested a footlong sandwich instead which she thought he might be able to finish if he was hungry.
As they stood in line, she asked, "What's your name?"
He was standing rather 'too close' to her so she wasn't sure if she smelled alcohol or mouthwash???
He said, "Watson!"
Simmy was thinking, 'Yah? Well, I'm Sherlock!"
Instead she said, "Where did you get the drink?"
He seemed outraged and said, "I don't drink or smoke."
Simmy scrunched her eyebrows remembering... He just said he got kicked out the Mission for smoking.
Hmmm... but he doesn't lie either... Hmmm!
"I don't have a place to sleep," he angled.
Simmy thought... a guy who doesn't smoke, drink or lie but has just been caught in all three acts... isn't likely to make a good house guest.
Instead she said, "I like to have a drink when I think the pastor isn't watching me."
To this he replied, "I wish I could have fallen in love with you."
Simmy replied, "I have a husband who keeps a close eye on me."
She felt the need to let this hombre know he was going to have to face somebody a lot less agreeable if he got 'fresh' with her.
She paid for the sandwich, gave him the few dollars of change so he could catch a bus and then went to get her groceries.
As she walked home, she thought about the whole incident and felt she could have done the whole thing a lot better... she beat herself up about it for an hour... said a few swear words and then felt much better when Sam said, "You need to learn to say 'no.'"
At least she could feel good that she had done something.
It just ain't black and white!

International Women's Day Justice

 

Simmy went to check out one of her favorite stores. The moment she walked in, a women accosted her,... well, not exactly accosted, and asked for design advice. 

As she started to penn 'er story, Simmy chuckled as she recalled, "I usually charge for consultations, you know!" The woman quickly apologized and stepped away... and Simmy thought, "Hey, it's International Women's Day...," and she gave a gift of help.

After this, she strolled around the store and came across the bargain of all bargains... A rug that was half the price that the slave driver she used to work for could even buy them for... was this right?

She decided to take it home for a try out... you can do that, you know...

Madame Butterfly

The New York Times published a great article on Camilla Ella Williams. An opera star who played Madame Butterfly in 1946 at City Center in Manhatten, she became a star of a beautiful color.
A quote from the article, “The lack of recognition for my accomplishments used to bother me, but you cannot cry over those things,” Miss Williams said in a 1995 interview with the opera scholar Elizabeth Nash. “There is no place for bitterness in singing. It works on the cords and ruins the voice. In his own good time, God brings everything right.”

That is a very rare butterfly indeed, one who knows how she must live her life to the benefit of herself, her work and her God.

So, we celebrate this beauty and pledge to take ownership of this special way of thinking that really does lead to successful living...
and to women, like Camilla, whose life is beautiful, on or off the stage.

Ain't Misbehavin'

"Mattie, would you like to explain what you're doing in the attic?"
A rush of very poor English came out of young, over eager lips, "I ain't misbehavin' Grandmama. I just wanted to look through some of your old stuff."
Grandma Tillie couldn't help but find that slightly amuzzing.
"Old stuff, huh? Well, let me tell you Miss Mattie, this old stuff has still got some old stuff that... 'Ain't misbehavin'..."
The treble of the voice rocked with a bit of tremble but Grandma got her groove and her old hips were soon moving in a slow jazz that only she could hear.
The two young girls sat back on their haunches, little hands folded in their laps, aglow with excitement and wonder as Grandma sang a few bars of the 1943 musical.
'I don't stay out late, no place to go, I'm home about 8... just me and my radio...'
"Oh!" Mattie's perfect moue of disappointment gave Grandma the satisfaction she had been angling for.
Grandma walk- danced toward Mattie, reached down, pulled her up and sang, "... saving my love for you!"
A forefinger tapped the button nose and Mattie giggled, relieved that she wasn't in any real trouble for snooping in Granny's old treasures.
As they all made their way down the old stairs to the living room, Mattie gushed, "I just love your house Grandma. It's just like the magazines!"
"... cause everything old is... new again!"
Mattie fingered the large zipper on the black and white dotted cushion.
"Do you know which designer first started using zippers?"
"No!" Mattie and Penelope were all ears.
"Elsa Schiaparelli, that's who," Grandmama plopped down into a chair, looking suddenly very young.
"That black and white flowered cushion was made by my sister, Maria," Grandmama explained.
"I love the button," Mattie said.
"That's a cameo. I took that button off an old jacket of mine,..."

Grandmama's Looking Glass

"What did you find?"
"Shh, Grandma is taking a nap and she doesn't like me snooping in her attic," Mattie whispered.
"Well, if all the creaking from you pulling down those stairs out of the ceiling didn't wake her, we'll be very lucky," Penelope whispered back.

Slowly Mattie opened the old blue Birks box and pulled out the little leather and brocade bag. The old zipper worked just fine and she slid the little gold and mother of pearl opera glasses out of its safe womb-like bag.
"I think these must be a pair of old opera glasses. What do you think?"
"So fine," Penelope whispered.
Just then the old pull chain on the bare light bulb was given a swift grating yank and both girls squealed as they turned to face Grandmama.

 

Cassie's Roses

When I met Cassie, she was at that betwixt and between stage of life. She and her husband had been rather disappointed in the church they had attended and, from the story she told, rightly so.
Cassie was old enough to be my mother but that didn't stop a friendship from forming. Being the free spirit that she was, she invited me for tea one morning over twenty years ago. Being the free spirit that I was, I accepted.
Now, Cassie's free spirited ways sometimes got her in trouble but that didn't stop her from seeing you 'through the looking glass' of her unique view of life... or, is that... seeing you through her unique 'looking glass' of life?

Cassie loved her cats and the one cat, in particular, seemed to know that he was special. He was catered to and spoken to like he was a regular member of the family... and he seemed to enjoy this privilege.
Now, if you can imagine how spoiled her cat was... you can just multiply that a few times and that is how she treated the people in her life.
She spoiled everyone with her own special variety of love... and, it was lovely. Cupcakes and tea and a special teapot for the tea party she would throw, impromptu,... always ready with sweets and goodies.
She did things in a big way... no miserly anything... the teapot came out of the china cabinet... no showpiece that piece of furniture... no, her china cabinet of precious things were used for her precious guests.
One summer, Cassie decided to landscape her front property and she lined the front driveway with rosebushes. When they flowered you could spot that splash of hot cherry pink from quite a distance.
Simmy recalled how Cassie invited her out for breakfast and included her three rather healthy eating young boys as well. Simmy couldn't recall anyone else having the courage to pick up the restaurant tab for her little crew of men.
So, on this snowy day in March, I am celebrating my friend Cassie...

 who, with a poets' heart, found her place, back in church after many years of trying to make sense of the good, the bad, the ugly, but most importantly,...
                                               figured out where she would plant her beauty!