Good afternoon to all from up here under the redwoods. Dotsie's recent, persuasive e-mails nudged me out of lurk mode and into the light of the BoomerWomenSpeak boards; now, I hope to gain from the appreciable wisdom so evident in these pages.

"Talk" to you soon ...

Xan.

Shalom and welcome, Xan. Thanks for taking Dotsie's nudging seriously and joining us. You'll find plenty of wisdom and fun, too.

Hi there! I'll be here, but I don't know how wise I'll be... Welcome!

Love your pic, are you an artist?

Kathy

Welcome, and please tell us about your Hershey Bar Theory of Life. I love those dang things, but can't have the ones with nuts at this stage of the game due to diverticulitis. It's hell getting old.

Hey Xan...howdy from the hot and humid state of Alabama where southern girls glisten (we don't sweat), can melt butter with our southern drawl and where front porches and swings are a requirement. So, have a seat on the BWS front porch and enjoy the fresh air that is within these forums.

Shalom Xanthippe from under the shadow of the cactus of SoCali. Notice how I said "under the shadow" and not "under the cacti" which would be pretty uncomfortable. I lurk, too, in between talking spells.

Good afternoon to you too Xan. Glad you stepped forward to join the crowd.

Thank you for the warm welcome, ladies!

Saundra - Wisdom plus fun is a winning combination; I look forward to lots of both on these boards.

Dancing Dolphin/Kathy - I've no doubt you're wise, and your smile is lovely. As to my pic, no, I'm not an artist; I've simply had that avatar a long time; she mirrors me in my less-than-civilized moods!

Dotsie - I shall post about my Hershey Bar 'theory' elsewhere, most likely on Laughter, The Best Medicine (although it's more amusing than funny). Yes, there's "a story", one of those oft-repeated family tales that survive in spite of themselves. Oh, and I'm sorry about your diverticulitis-related eating restrictions.

Dee - My beautiful mama (91 years young) is also a southern gal, born in Virginia and raised in North Carolina, so I know all about ladylike perspiration and porch sittin'. I'll bet you only wear white between Memorial Day and Labor Day, too!

meredithbead - Yes, under the cacti *would* be mighty uncomfortable; our redwoods, happily, allow ample room under which to lounge ... and no sticky spines! I note you're a woman of many talents. Are you published?

Edelweiss - Your screen name is evocative, taking me back to a time in Austria, where I hiked and grooved mightily on those sweet little flowers.

Good night, all. More from me anon.

Xanthippe, thank you! Yes, I have been published a bunch, poetry and essays, including on this site. Details are on my writing website (link under my signature here.)

Xan, welcome to this wonderful place!

Xanthippe, welcome to our world. I love it when newbee's come in, join us, and jump right in to post. We hope you'll make this your home away from home!

Welcome, Xanthippe. I am sure you will find much to explore here and friends to be made.

Enjoy.

Then I shall spend some time perusing your work, meredithbead, as I do so enjoy both essays and poetry. In fact, I try to make room in each day for a poem, or at the very least a few lines; it's a vital part of my routine that never fails to nourish.

Best,
Xan.

Thank you, Cindy! I look forward to exploring, learning, laughing and sharing with you all.

Best,
Xan.

Indeed, jawjaw, I do hope to make these boards a "second home". Thank you.

Btw, is your avatar you as a little girl? What a cutie pie!

Best,
Xan.

Welcome aboard, Xanthippe. Your signature made me crack up as it sounds so much like my 4 year-old granddaughter.

Xan, can we find your writing online?

See now, Xanthippe has class....did you read that she called my youthful picture a "cutie pie?" Uh huh...sure nuff. That's what I'm talking bout! LOL!

Welcome Xan,
Glad you joined the gang. These ladies are so cooooool; I love them. When you're down, they'll lift you up! When you're up, they'll lift you higher! Laugh, smile and enjoy yourself for a long, long while!!!!!

Hah! Lola, I'd say your granddaughter has an independent streak, yes?? Good for her.
My sig line comes from an old television commercial for Anacin, I think, or perhaps Bayer Aspirin. Do any of you remember that ad? I thought it hilarious back then, and I still do!

Er, my writing, Dotsie?? I'm not a writer ...

I just calls 'em like I sees 'em, jawjaw! And I'll modestly accept your compliment.

Xan., a classy lady

Thank you, jabber. And I applaud your suggestion to "laugh, smile, enjoy ..."; one can only benefit from such an upbeat attitude.
As for the coolness factor here, it is palpable!

Welcome Xan. I am so glad you joined us. Great Avatar!

Your avatar's terrific too, chick! Thanks for the welcome.

Xan.

My avatar is my ventriloquist doll, Nellie. She's pleased to see you here too.

Xan, welcome to our home. This is the best place to be online. It's addictive as you'll find out. Everyone here is fun, loving, caring and will help you when you need it and help you laugh and cry.

I live in the shadow of Mickey's ears in Kissimmee, FL. So I could use some of your cooler weather.

You're a "voice thrower," chick??!? How fascinating! What brought you to such a unique art?

Back at 'cha, Nellie!

Xan.

Thank you for the welcome, Sandpiper. I have already discovered the friendly, nurturing pull of this place and can well understand its addictiveness. One feels such sincerity here, a rare experience indeed in an online community.

Isn't Lakeland somewhere near you? I have an uncle there. As to our "cooler weather," we've just been through a short heat wave, topping out at 94 degrees on Wednesday (it was 87 in San Francisco!). Then the marine layer, our natural air conditioning, kicked in, and with it the return of temperate weather.

Xan.

Oh yes, Xan. She is learning how to exercise her prerogatives with what to wear when she is out of uniform. Wearing stripes with polka dots, mix matching socks and barrettes, etc. Makes her look like a clown but it makes her happy. You mentioned living near redwoods. Do you live near to a national park?

A big warm welcome from Sin City. So glad Dotsies email spurred you to join us once more. I saw the redwoods as a girl and they were amazing. More later. WELCOME!!!

Much obliged for the welcome, chatty lady! Yes, the redwoods are amazing; I never tire of their noble, serene beauty. Living up here is like living at Girl Scout camp year-round.

Xan.

Xan Lakeland is about 40 miles maybe from us. I've not been there is a long time.

Glad your cooler weather came along for you. You know we in Florida sit here watching the weather channel talk about the heat waves up North and how people are having such problems with it, yet they never mention that we are having the same temps here. It makes me chuckle! Funny how hot or cold in one place is not the same as in another.

How amazing for you to live by the redwoods. I've never seen them either. We lived in Whittier, CA when I was just a kid but never saw the redwoods when we went about. Guess we weren't there long enough.

Xan. You have a redrood growing through your front deck? Oh that sounds breathtaking beautiful. Can you post a picture? I would love to see that. Will you have to replace your deck as the tree grows wider? Or are they very slow growing?

xan, pictures would be great.

welcome xan... yes, pictures! we love pictures!!! I'm a fan of your avatar, too.
sandpiper, it is odd how others' high temps are so unlike south Texas's 94 - our humidity is hovering around 84%, making it seem even hotter! and, without a breeze, or any hope of one, we stay indoors.

Thanks for the link, Xan.

Quote:

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Will you have to replace your deck as the tree grows wider?

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I thought about that as well. How big is it now? Its grand to have your own redwood to hug.

Good afternoon, ladies!

Another Monday gone and I've little to show for it. Got sidetracked in an [unsuccessful] attempt to find the pink slip for Snowflake, my white Honda DSX that suffered an untimely demise as the result of an accident. I want to donate her to a worthy charity, but must have the paperwork to do so. Looks as if I'll be making a trip to the DMV one day soon. Whoopee.

As to weather and micro-climates, I believe Mark Twain said it best with his wry observation on San Francisco in the summertime. How true that one woman's unbearable "heat wave" is another's typical June day. But I'll take dry heat over the humidity Sandpiper and gims speak of. The first time I stepped from an air-conditioned car into the oppressive reality of Arkansas in August, I felt as if I'd entered a steam room; I found it difficult to draw a deep breath, to move briskly, to think clearly. As gims said, "we stay indoors".

Although my photographic abilities are *sorely* lacking, I'll certainly try to post pictures of the deck and redwoods; just know in advance that my efforts won't do justice to the beauty of the surroundings. Yes, Edelweiss, redwood trees are slow growers, so there'll be no need to replace the deck in this lifetime. Lola, the "hugging tree" is about 22 inches in diameter, and I usually touch the bark as I walk past; it's a nourishing ritual that never fails to center me.

Egads! I've yammered on long enough!!

TTFN,
Xan.

Feel free to yammer here. We all do.

Xanthippe, I'm impressed that a non-writer enjoys daily poetry.

I just looked up Boulder Creek on a map, as the name sounded familiar. You're between Santa Cruz and Ano Nuevo, right? -- and since I've been to both quite a few times, I've probably hiked through your stomping grounds, or close enough. Really beautiful area.

Xanthippe, I've been thoroughly enjoying your yammering here. I'm so glad you're yammering with US!

No heat waves here right now...we've had lots of rain lately, including some lovely thunder storms - one of my very favourite sounds in the world is thunder rumbling way off in the distance; I love listening to it creep closer and closer - and then when it's right overhead, it's both scary and exhilarating. I'm in for a scary exhilarating day today, because the weather forecast calls for MANY thunder storms to roll through here today.

Now I'm yammering. Welcome to our 'home away from home'!

Me too...I am enjoying your yammering. I'm a yammer from bammy...I've been yammering for years.

Eagle, I too enjoy the storms. Some say I should have been a storm chaser, I agree. I have been known to jump in my car and follow the rain until I found it. Here in the desert you can see that it is raining off in the distance even though it is dry where you are, and its fun to try to find and catch up to the moving rain. Can't do that anymore with these gas prices though...

'Tis true, I'm not a writer, meredithbead, but I carried a literature/history double major in college, and I've always loved to read from the time I was a little girl. I "fell" for poetry in my senior year of high school, so it's as natural as breathing that I read a bit each day.

You're pretty much spot-on regarding Boulder Creek's location. We're nestled in the redwoods about 15 miles northeast of Santa Cruz, far enough inland that we seldom get fog; I'll bet you've hiked in Big Basin State Park! Ano Nuevo is 45+ miles further up the coast, and yes, I've had the privilege of getting "up close and personal" with the elephant seals during their time ashore. Along that same stretch of Highway 1 is Coastways Ranch, a U-pick farm where I've picked olallieberries each season for nigh on 30 years. A beautiful area to be sure ...

Eagle Heart, jawjaw, and chatty lady, it's wonderful to be here with you committed yammerers! I have seldom felt more embraced and welcomed ...

Mustn't forget to add that I'm a storm lover, too, although we rarely get thunder and lightning in this area. But I've traveled a good deal, experiencing storms in such places as Arizona, North Carolina, Iowa, New Hampshire, Wisconsin, southern Oregon ...

What are olallieberries?

Some of my favorite vacation memories are from rainy times at the beach, but I surely wouldn't say I'm a storm chaser.

That savory condiment sounds so good...do you can?