Seniors

Greater White Trillium(Trillium grandiflorum)

Reblogged from Ms. Yarnaholic's School for Wayward Skeins: Rev up the Infinite Improbability Drive! http://www.flickr.com/photos/scott_gowell/sets/485421/show/ I love it when knitting and h2g2 collide! Want to feel like a galactic explorer? Hop aboard "Heart of Gold". See ya! Read more… 8 more words Ask a knitter what they loved most about the film version of H2G2 […]

While 70% of affluent adults now own smartphones, the fastest growing segment of the mobile phone market, only 11% of the 65+ segment of that group have them.

When I was a wee one grownups could see butter when holding a dandelion bloom underneath my chin. I thought they were bloomin' crazy. Here is an example of the same phenomenon, only better. Buttercups and dandelions growing on this downslope don't follow the sun. They simply adore the lighthouse on top of the hill. *** Written for Friday Flash 55 - My post in exactly 55 words - for the G-Man. -ALSO- Written for The Mag: Mag 169 that inspired with the above image prompt (Lighthouse Dandelions by Jamie Wyeth). .

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

OH POET, OH SONGWRITER, OH PROPHET The day was when I did not keep myself in readiness for thee; and entering my heart unbidden even as one of the common crowd, unknown to me, my king, thou didst press the signet of eternity upon many a fleeting moment of my life. — Rabindranath Tagore How was it that I found you in these pages creased and worn, in this paperback book with broken spine wanting to release the weakening hold on these yellowing sheets sublime— When did your open heart begin to beckon my soul? My nightmares wallowed in dirt until you freed them into soft dreams of many I have loved and who loved me. You showed me the faces of dirty angels aching to be made incarnate for just one night to read you and, because we found you, to come and lie with me. The day was when I did not keep myself in readiness for thee; Then it was that you found me instead in the bookmark of a year, a long year flagged for stillness and thought, one that clung to your poems as the days slowly turned, then fell from the others to be creased and worn, and made to steal hearts in the night as only dirty angels can. You did not turn in contempt when time and again I bowed to the fallen angels I found on the roads you described, those beloved ones who knew your lord far better than I, but, like I, with dancing light and sweet song were endowed — and entering my heart unbidden even as one of the common crowd, Your ageless words for the surprising ages and the phases of mankind questioning the darkness within rang true for me — yet not all at once, not in a first reading, but later did I yearn to know you well, to see your face, to hear the voice of one whose Voice I treasure, oh poet, oh songwriter, oh prophet of a hoped-for dawn of knowledge and reason, thought and action, of ever-widening concepts of truth and of faith. And in the stillness and thought of that year long gone unknown to me, my king, thou didst press the signet of eternity upon this gratitude of mine so humbly told, so deeply felt — The paupers and children you knew know how I feel, the seashores and the footsteps you wrote of are imprinted with the memory of your depth; so, too, are the hearts of every lover who ever waited in the dark. Whether they were whore or monk, husband or wife, each hoped for tenderness to visit for a while and each prayed for transcendence in his/her own way. Your supreme poems, oh Nobel one, have made rife many a fleeting moment of my life. ***Written for dVerse Poets Pub FormForAll, where Samuel Peralta's prompt is Paying Tribute, Page and the Glosa. Please visit the link to read Sam's soaring glosa, titled "The Dream," which is his tribute to poet P.K. Page. Sam's writing prompt instruction on this poetic form is as follows: The glosa is a form of poetry from the late 14th century and was popular in the Spanish court. The introduction, the cabeza, is a quatrain quoting a well-known poem or poet. The second part is the glosa proper, expanding on the theme of the cabeza, consisting of four ten-line stanzas, with the lines of the cabeza used to conclude each stanza. Lines six and nine must rhyme with the borrowed tenth. There are no rules governing meter and line length, except that traditionally, they emulate the style of the lines in the cabeza. Because of its structure, the glosa is ideally used as a poem of tribute – as Page did for Neruda in “Planet Earth”, and as I do for Page in “The Dream”. In writing that tribute, you weave your lines with the lines of the opening cabeza, collaborating, as it were, with the spirit of the poet you honour. _____________________________________ Full text, Gitanjali - Poem 43 by Rabindranath Tagore (entire work online text here) The day was when I did not keep myself in readiness for thee; and entering my heart unbidden even as one of the common crowd, unknown to me, my king, thou didst press the signet of eternity upon many a fleetin

Still life with lilies-of-the-valley, a Wedgewood pot, and a Palestinian purse.Fountain pen on paper, 6"x8". My mother died on May 23, seven years ago. Yesterday morning I called my father, and after speaking with him I went to my garden. The lilies-of-the-valley were in bloom, as they were when she died, and I picked some to bring back home, but before that I picked up and held the stone I had brought from her garden to mine. Last night I did this drawing, which is about her and me...my mother would be very happy to know I am drawing and painting again. I'm not sad, thinking about her -- tremendously grateful.

Joyce and I were heading to a tea party at our friend Debra's when we came upon this adorable St. Bernard.

If you’re approaching the age of 65 or have just turned 65-years old, you have no doubt been pelted with various literature advising you to enroll in Medicare Advantage and/or choose a Medicare supplemental insurance plan. Navigating the seas of Medicare Advantage and Medicare supplemental insurance can seem rather overwhelming, but with the following simple pointers you’ll be able to choose the right plan, and sail off into your golden years well-prepared and worry-free. Remember, you’re never too young to start researching your Medicare supplemental insurance options. When searching for Medicare supplement insurance for seniors, it is important to keep in mind there are hundreds of options to choose from, and with many seniors living on fixed budgets, costs can really matter. While Medicare supplemental plans are standardized and regulated by the federal government, there are some variations that occur due to additional state’s regulations. Double- and Triple-Check for the Best Deal It may seem easy to just reach out and sign up for the first supplemental Medicare insurance plan you find, but trust me, patience will pay off here. It is nearly impossible to over-stress how important it is to compare Medicare supplement plans before choosing the best one for you. There are quite a few resources readily available both on the Internet and in person. One major resource that is used is www.Medicare.gov where you can find information regarding all aspects of Medicare. On another site there is even a nifty tool to assist in the planning of long-term care. The good thing about databases like these is that they contain a wealth of information. The not-so-good thing about databases is that they sometimes contain so much information it can sometimes take a little while to find the answer to your exact question. In circumstances like this, our next tip is essential. When in Doubt, Give a Person a Shout In addition to online databases, there is a wide variety of human resources just a phone call or email away. In order to get the best answer to your question it is recommended that you consult with one of the national groups that specialize in Medicare insurance. An excellent resource is the Senior Advisors Group. This insurance agency deals exclusively with Medicare supplemental, Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage plans. Because of their expertise, this agency as well as others quickly and (more importantly!) correctly answer any query whether it’s about Medicare Advantage, choosing the best Medicare supplemental insurance plan, or even questions about Medicare Part D (Medicare’s prescription plan). So next time you’re confused about your options, just pick up the phone and make a call! Do I Really Need Medicare Supplemental Insurance? Yes! So how does this relate to Medicare’s coverage? There is a general rule of thumb that is called the “80/20 rule.” Outside of some of the preventative items like mammograms, colorectal screenings, and some psychiatric care, Medicare covers the first 80 percent of medical bills, leaving you to cover the last 20 percent. Medicare will also cover certain medically-necessary pieces of equipment like seat lift mechanisms and diabetic shoes (fitted by a specialist, of course). It doesn’t seem so bad at first, especially if you’re a healthy individual, but if something happens that requires you to need urgent medical care or even an operation, you may have to spend tens- to hundreds-of-thousands of dollars. A June 2011 report from the Kaiser Family Foundation predicted that by the year 2020 the median out-of-pocket spending for seniors with Medicare is projected to reach 26 percent of all income, with the most money being spent in the last five years of their life. This is why supplemental Medicare insurance is a necessity for every senior. Not only do you really need Medicare supplemental insurance, you need it before something happens to you, and you likely won’t use it much until the last 5 years of lif

I live in a state among some amazing neighbors! Seeing the lines and lines of people, miles long, waiting to just sign-up to volunteer. It's absolutely amazing. And the outpouring of support from people all over the US and the world has been amazing. The damage here was so widespread it is hard to get help to all the areas affected by the storms. A tornado hit on Sunday and wiped out two smaller towns east of us and of course the huge one on Monday hit a larger metropolitan area. So many displaced families. The need is great!We had several staff members who lost their homes and others had family members who lost their homes. One young man here was helping his cousin go through the rubble of his home looking for the engagement ring he had purchased for his girlfriend. The house was completely flattened (and had just been purchased). By some miracle Darrel looked down into the rubble and something caught his eye.....the ring box. His cousin was elated. It was a sign that everything would be OK....life goes on.Our young teacher friend, Justin Ayres, who was in the Plaza Tower school met with the other survivors from the school yesterday. It was an emotional reunion but a healing one. One little boy who had been seriously injured in the storm was there and wanted to give Mr. Ayres a gift for "saving his life". Justin was very moved by the child's gesture and so relieved that he was well enough to attend. Justin said he had a deep puncture wound in his back the size of a brick!I think I know how Oklahomans will be spending Memorial weekend!