The odd pepper

July 20, 2020Angel Ackerman Leave a comment

The teenager planted primarily an herb garden this year though we have a huge red tomato currently in the fridge and a good size eggplant still in the yard.

A pepper also seemed to have reached its peak size. I grabbed it and the tomato and set them on the railing of our deck while I hung the rest of the wash.

I forgot them— so by the time I retrieved them they were hot. The pepper had burned on one side and smelled fiercely like a jalapeño.

I thought the teenager had planted red bell peppers.

I went to show it to her later and realized that it had the characteristics of a bell pepper and the shape of a jalapeño.

So we all ate some.

The teenager said it tasted like a jalapeño but was sweet like a bell pepper.

I thought it tasted like a bell pepper with a kick.

Her dad had some, but I can’t remember what he said.

We all agreed that we have no idea what we are growing.

Feminists: What were they thinking? An Original Netflix Documentary

July 18, 2020July 18, 2020Angel Ackerman Leave a comment

“There eyes remind us that the challenge is still there.”

Lily Tomlin talking about Jane Russell and Marilyn Monroe in “Gentleman Prefer Blondes.”

So many women. So many epiphanies. So many stories.

“They look free. You want to be like them. You want to do you.”

The word feminist is being replaced by specific struggles— equal pay, equal representation in film.

So many reminders that too many people are still not respected for who they are. So many things that have not changed.

Jane Fonda stating decades ago that a healthy society should be in perpetual change. Jane Fonda today. She talks about herself being “active” and “masculine,” because if you want to be a success, you have to be a boy.

But there is a power in being female— the activists say. Yet, your role as a female is to watch the boys.

Sometimes you have to reject what the world says, and trust your own experience.

And these women featured here had a broad range of experience in major 20th century events… McCarthyism. The Atomic Bomb in Hiroshima. Immigration. Civil Rights and Civil Disobedience.

Women tend to be the peacekeepers. Women understand the larger picture and the fabric of how it all interacts.

Oppression of women rooted in religion.

These women have so many important messages but they are strung together with a stream of consciousness thread that make it difficult to watch for more than a few minutes.

Yet many of the messages are deeply powerful. But like the “Becoming Jane Roe” documentary, it’s a tad dull.

I made it through 30 minutes, which makes me sad, because they have such good things to say.

Urban Landscape Wooded Escape

July 15, 2020July 15, 2020Angel Ackerman Leave a comment

Today, the teenager took Gayle and I to the lower end of her special creek. It’s the next journey as part of our virtual El Camino pilgrimage meant to foster spiritual growth and motivate our out-of-shape butts toward better fitness.

The teenager “slopped” in the creek (I think that’s the official Pennsylvania Dutch term for it) and mined for spiritual rocks.

The water was crystal clear even though the setting was marred with litter and debris. Birds sang gleefully as the highway noise competed for attention.

When we returned to my house, about 7,000 steps later, Gayle—the agnostic in our group— lamented that she’s never had a spiritual experience while walking, no breakthrough movements or epiphanies. I suggested that life didn’t work that way, at least not for me. My own personal truth comes in increments.

Then we turned the discussion to fitness and trying to stay motivated to be more active. We both said we’re bad at doing anything on our own.

And then we heard the ice cream truck. The teenager raced for the door as Gayle and I raced for our wallets.

That sure motivated us.

Sour Patch Kid Ice Cream
“Nasty— in the best way ever.”

The Tony’s ice cream truck in pink and white has multiple things I need to try.

Somehow, the ice cream truck made me feel alive. Laughing with my daughter over the crazy flavors in the sour patch kid ice cream. Standing in the street, fully enjoying the urban summer experience.

Laughter abounding.

Body Privilege

July 15, 2020Angel Ackerman Leave a comment

Last week, I wrote my piece “A Somber Thought” randomly as a reflection.

Last night, I reworked it and submitted it to The Mighty.com, a social media site for people with disabilities and their caregivers.

They published it instantly, despite having accepted an earlier piece that may have “died on the vine.” The earlier piece was on what to expect at your next doctor’s visit during Covid.

The current piece on the Mighty has been shared to Yahoo News and Zenith News.

Body reliability is a type of privilege. One you don’t appreciate unless you have yours taken aware or you never had it.

The original post on my blog is here: Disability and Reliability.

The Mighty post is here: Let’s talk about body privilege .

Ask the Yahoo post is here: Yahoo: Let’s Talk about Body Privilege

Green Tuesday

July 14, 2020July 14, 2020Angel Ackerman Leave a comment

It’s not even 1 p.m.

Today is already too busy.

Last night my dad invited the teenager and I for breakfast so he could spend the day with her.

But first she had to go to the pediatrician to get her meningitis vaccine and school physical.

I started a load of sheets— apparently the teenager needed all of hers washed—and the washing machine was acting funny.

On the way to the Poconos for breakfast— our local library called asking if I could stop by to help with a computer issue.

My dad took the teenager for a long motorcycle ride and she snapped this amazing photo.

And I already had a meeting with my blind friend Nancy to help her with her writing.

Then, I had a request for two more meetings and my mother-in-law asked if I could help her write a thank you card.

Somewhere along the line I decided to dye my hair between meetings.

My hair is dark brown but has been turning red. Not a nice red. A dry looking orange red. So I found some green envy Manic Panic in my bathroom and thought the green should neutralize the red.

I’m happy with the results.

My neighbor brought me an Impossible plant-based burger from Burger King. We shared onion rings, ate on the porch and went for our evening walk. We visited the sad house on Washington Street that has been foreclosed upon.

And the teenager brought me tapioca pudding.

Monday gratitude

July 13, 2020Angel Ackerman Leave a comment

Today I am grateful for:

My local school district providing grab and go lunches for our kids in urban food deserts or in families facing unemployment during this pandemic.

2. Living in a neighborhood where my neighbors and/or their dogs love to take random walks.

3. The view from my parents’ deck in the Pocono Mountains. Nothing like an after dinner coffee with your dad, admiring the horizon.

Happy Monday!

My Sunday Morning Pilgrimage Moment

July 12, 2020July 12, 2020Angel Ackerman Leave a comment

Pilgrimages are for the humble, the weak, the seeking and the hurting.

Pilgrimages are often undertaken by the rich and/or the spiritually shallow, often to gain stature.

My morning started in my backyard with my mother, who has always been far more talented and motivated in terms of gardening. She did a little bit of my weeding— I believe that’s part of her “love language” to help me with my household chores.

After she left, I finished hanging the sheets on the clothesline and did some more weeding.

In those moments, I spent a lot of time reflecting. And I thought about the relationships I have been strengthening lately and the virtual pilgrimage via the El Camino that I have joined with friends on Facebook.

And I thought about how you have to have a strong sense of purpose and determination to take a pilgrimage — I know often religious commitment sparks such a journey but it often intersects with a need for healing, either spiritual or physical.

And the sense of facing challenge and achieving a difficult goal is part of the sense of success.

Then my neighbor (Sobaka’s Mom) said she was going for a walk at one of my favorite parks. I asked if she wanted company and she said sure. That she didn’t really want to go alone.

Of course, before I could go, I had to set Nala up with her puzzle of the day— Video of Today’s puzzle

We walked 5 miles. We talked about a little bit of everything. She’s a strong and plucky woman, and I enjoy her company.

A Place to Ponder

July 11, 2020Angel Ackerman Leave a comment

For Fausta

Right now, I am in a mindset of hope and facing “a clean slate.” I am part of a Facebook group doing a virtual El Camino pilgrimage this summer and I find the timing of life to be at my speed right now.

My friend Fausta, also on the pilgrimage, posted about having a place to ponder. As a life coach, she’s name her business “Fausta’s Place to Ponder.” She encouraged all of us to think about and share our individual places.

Here is her original post: Fausta’s Place to Ponder

I immediately wanted to join the discussion but I needed to reflect upon my “place.”

I realized that I have several.

My morning spot is my enclosed sun porch.

I love to gaze at the roses and use them to center myself and focus my thoughts. Two months ago the entire bush was covered with massive blooms, which of course, faded. So I trimmed them. And now I see these long, hearty stalks (an amazing amount of new growth) about you bless us with new flowers.

Life is much the same— we bloom, we sometimes get chopped, but we come back.

But I also like to ponder in my bedroom with my birds, often in the evening after a long day.

But I also love to ponder on road trips, solitary drives. These are the times when I often face my own versions of hard truth and decide on life change.