"Ode to a Lemon" by Pablo Neruda 

A poem that explores the beauty and significance of a lemon, using rich imagery to convey deeper meanings about nature and life.

The freezer is stocked full with lemon loaf, lemon brownies and lemon ice cubes. Since the lemon tree is currently overproducing, I am always seeking new ways to use my favorite fruit. 

Some of the more interesting ways I found on the web include: 

•  Freshen your fridge by placing lemon halves inside
•  Clean cutting boards by rubbing with lemon
•  Deodorize garbage disposals with lemon peels
•  Use lemon juice to remove stains from fabrics
•  Mix with baking soda for a natural cleaner
•  Brighten dull aluminum cookware with lemon
•  Freshen laundry by adding lemon juice
•  Clean glass surfaces for a streak-free shine
•  Apply lemon juice to lighten dark spots on skin
•  Use lemon peels to repel pests in the garden

I can get behind some of these, but waste a precious lemon to kill some bugs? No way. Ummm, might be time for a Lemon Drop Martini. I think Pablo would agree. 

 

DOLLAR TREE SHOPPING LIST

1. Two One pail for the garden

2. Two tubes of Creamy Petroleum Jelly

3. Two bottles of Comet Classic All Purpose Cleaner

4. One bottle of Liquid Bleach

5. One Two small + one large glass bowls for storage

6. Any/all colors of Essie Nail Polish

My list was ready, and I was one of the first customers when the store opened on July 1st at 8:00 AM. Didn't find everything, but that didn't matter. It felt wonderful shopping at the $1.00  $1.25-$1.50 TREE.

 

No Spend June Update

I only made it to June 13th. But in my defense, it wasn’t my fault. I repeat – it wasn’t my fault. Obviously, Old Navy heard about my No Spend June and took it as a challenge.

This is how they did it. I had been looking for new sleep shirts to be purchased on July 1, 2026. They had to be blue, and they had to have great graphics, preferably NYC. And, most importantly, they had to be on sale.

Regularly $16.99, now $6.00 each! Should I break my No Spend June? I went to my financial advisor, Tony, and we discussed the pros and cons. Bottom line, Old Navy won.

 

YoKo OnO 

It was a perfect day. Sunday Brunch at Massilia's and then off to The Broad for the Yoko Ono: Music of the Mind exhibition.  

I was always under the assumption that Yoko wasn't really a talented artist in her own right. Yoko, please accept my apologies. She is one fabulously talented woman. Highly educated and although I don't always understand conceptual art, I do appreciate her gift of expression.  

Let me try and explain the above photo. Part of the interactive exhibit was for visitors to nail something (?) onto the exhibit board. There were notes, receipts, dollar bills and just random odds and ends. One of the suggestions was to wrap a strand of hair onto a nail. Hence the photo of me pulling out my hair. Not out of intense frustration, but as a piece of art.  

 

Lost and Found

In the last years of her life, I was in charge of my mother's care. After I moved her out of her condo and into a care facility, I sold her condo. I divided the contents of the condo between my sisters and I and then sold/donated what was left. One thing I kept was her vintage jewelry box filled with costume jewelry from the 50’s.

There was so much chaos in cleaning out the condo that somehow the jewelry box of costume jewelry never made it to my townhouse. I didn’t care about most of the jewelry but there was a set of bunny pins, that I never saw my mother wear but that I loved dearly. I never knew whether she had bought them herself or if they were a gift, but she kept them for years, so I assumed they were special to her.

The other day I randomly thought about the pins so went on Ebay and there it was. Vintage Rhinestone Rabbit Bunny Head Brooch Pin Prong Set Costume Jewelry 1950’s. Did I buy it? No. But I had a lovely visit with a long-lost friend.

 Fridge Tour?

Happened upon a new thing for me on "YouTube" - refrigerator tours. I did wonder if these videos were real life or just pretend because most had perfectly organized shelves with matching containers full of freshly washed fruit/veggies. Everything was in clear containers, some even labeled. A few pertinent questions, why would a clear container filled with identical yogurt cups need a label and why are there never any half-filled bottles?

For us, the contents and order of our fridge depend upon the day. I typically shop on Sunday morning, and by Sunday afternoon every shelf of the fridge is filled and somewhat (?) orderly. By Wednesday the fridge is a bit messy and by Saturday it’s nearly empty.

After pondering it a bit, I think I’d be open to tours on Monday morning. Starting at 9:00AM. Wanna sign up?

UPDATE: Due to circumstances beyond my control (lack of interest), all tours of our fridge have been cancelled for the foreseeable future.

 

Truth Stranger Than Fiction

The other day I happened upon a list by Rotten Tomatoes of their top 50 films of all time. I wondered if any of mine were on the list, so I scrolled and scrolled until I almost reached the bottom and there it was - number 47 - Spotlight.

Spotlight, with a 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, is on MY top 5 list of favorite movies. I have it taped and I watch it several times a year. It never ceases to amaze me that a group of dedicated people from the Boston Globe managed to uncover a secret decades-long coverup of widespread and systemic child sex abuse by numerous priests of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston.

The acting, the passion, and the horror this film portrays is gut wrenching. It took years for the truth to emerge, but in the end, it did. Obviously, pedophiles still exist. (White House) And cover-ups continue. (Epstein Files) When will it ever end?