Tag: summer

Mental Health · Poetry · Social Media · Travel

On Crickets and Fireflies

Beth DeFries3 Comments

I was reminded last week, by some truly lovely friends, that a handful of people actually read this. They brought up that I’ve been “pretty quiet over there” for a while. I was surprised that anybody noticed, to tell you the truth. I’ve been a little blocked with the personal stuff lately, see, or maybe just a little more reluctant to share for worry that people aren’t interested because that’s how it seems when you send personal writing out into the world and get crickets back. It’s pretty quiet from where I sit too sometimes. That’s just part of the process though, I tell myself. If people want to engage, they will. If they don’t, they won’t and that’s just fine. I need the outlet either way sometimes, the one way radio, so to speak.

The inspiration for the stuff that seems to do well with my readers on here, whom I don’t actually know- poetry (which still surprises me) dried up soon after I nixed coffee over two months back, which I don’t really understand, other than to know that I’ve never felt more emotionally stable than I do these days. Wouldn’t it be nice if the urge to write some rhymes or freeform comes back and I get to keep this nice, calm brain? Is life that good? I sure hope so.

It’s been hot here in NJ for the past few days after feeling like March for weeks beforehand. I was tired of the rain and the cold, but I wouldn’t mind if the cool, stormy weather came calling again, looking for a place to crash after a flight delay.

We took a trip to Miramar Beach, FL this month. I didn’t write about it and I probably won’t beyond this. It was restful and fun with a lot of family time that made me smile and a few dips in the turquoise Gulf that’ll have me missing that beautiful, warm water with each icy plunge into the Atlantic this summer.

As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, I was lucky enough to see some really wonderful friends last week, then some more later in the week, one of whom I hadn’t caught up with in many years. I’m pretty terrible at keeping in touch, it turns out, other than writing here and even that’s not been so good lately. I don’t even use social media anymore. It felt too inauthentic, the line between “friends” and strangers too blurred.

When I’m with my people face to face, I try to make up for lost time. It’s always so refreshing to see a familiar face, to hear their laugh or tone of voice, or to catch the unique little mannerisms or humor that make my loved ones who they are. It’s like watching fireflies in the indigo night, little blips of brilliance that transform the dark to magic.

I hope you are all happy and staying cool and thank you, as always, for reading. And thank you, Jean, for calling me out. I needed it. 💖

Health & Lifestyle

Firecracker Summer

Beth DeFries7 Comments

I can’t remember how old I was when Lois and David came to stay for the summer with my Nana and Aunt Arlene, but my memory tells me that that’s when the wide brimmed red hat appeared at the house along with the little painted sign on Arlene’s dresser that stated The Red Hat Society pledge.

I had never heard of the red hat society, at fourteen or fifteen, but I liked the idea of women over fifty pledging themselves to humor, silliness, laughter, and fun. I spent my summers in the company of women much older than me on a usual basis in my early teens, but Lois was a particular firecracker who swooped in that summer with her big smile and raspy voice, who knew how to laugh and get my Aunt Arlene and Nana to laugh too.

Lois’ son David was grown and knew more about the presidents that anyone I’d ever met. Lois had taught him to read when he was a child after doctors told her that he probably wouldn’t be able to. She took the dark world, installed a switch where there wasn’t one, and made it bright as glitter in the sunshine.

Lois and David were esteemed guests that summer, one during which I remember smiling and socializing a lot with Lois and her sisters. We’d go to hear Joe Finn play on the boardwalk on Wednesday nights and eat ice cream cones while neighbors and children danced to a mix of covers, Irish folk songs, and familiar childhood tunes that I associated with Raffi. I remember seeing Sarah, the local trash-treasure collector, dancing to the music in a silver mini skirt. She must have been eighty then. I secretly wondered if she had a big red hat at home.

This summer, I’ve had the pleasure of spending a couple of evenings in the exuberant company of women who are a little older than me and I am reminded of that painted sign on Arlene’s dresser- the one pledging to have fun. My new friend, Kim, told me that I looked good in a hat at our last gathering. She reminds me a little of Lois and maybe that, along with the fact that I was having such a great time, was what linked this summer to my memory of that one from over half a lifetime ago.

I love catching up with this group of women, each of whom is so interesting, lovely, and fun to talk to. I feel a fortunate audience to their stories, shared memories, and hilarity and sometimes find myself wishing I’d been there to partake in their experiences firsthand. It’s pure fun to be around people who are so genuinely happy to be in each other’s company. To be welcomed into their “society” of sorts makes me feel lucky. I suppose my soul fits in, like everyone else amongst them. An open heart, big smile, and eagerness to be part of the crew helps to fill any gaps that exist, numerical or otherwise. I only hope to prioritize fun, humor, and silliness at every number I’m lucky enough to go by… and maybe I’m not not thinking about finding a big red hat to serve as a vibrant reminder to do so.

Thank you to the all of the firecracker women who inspired this post for making my summer brighter (past and present). You are glitter in the sunshine and I appreciate your willingness to include me in your fun!

Cozy Posts

Morning Pumpkins!

Beth DeFries1 Comment

Good morning friends! I am waking up slowly this morning with some breakfast and coffee. The plan is to just have a lazy weekend since the next few weekends are going to be busy. I am thinking we might do a puzzle and go for a walk, but any ambitions beyond those are yet to be named, or not be named.

While there is a little bit of summer left, I am starting to feel ready for fall and have been eyeing the weather each morning in hopes of some version of chilly at some point in the day, with no luck yet. My sweaters are still folded in my seasonal clothing bin in the closet but they have been looking at me through the clear plastic each time I go to pull a sleeveless top off a hanger. I see you sweaters and we will be together again soon, but right now, it’s just too hot.

Fall can be a tempting shopping season, especially if you are a person who loves to wear sweaters or are cozy-obsessed (like me!) and I find storing seasonal items away can help them feel almost new when it’s actually weather-appropriate to wear those items or seasonally appropriate to display them around your home. These days, fall advertising begins in July and bombards our attention through November, overlapping with Christmas starting in October and sometimes even earlier.

Seeing fall items on display in stores or in digital ads entices us to fill our homes with earthy tones and orange pillows and blankets and put pumpkin-inspired everything everywhere from inside to outside to in our coffee cups. From interior décor to exterior décor to Halloween costumes to specialty seasonal drinks, it’s hard not to lose some pretty pennies to the season in the process of cozifying.

When we lived in New York, I didn’t have specific fall décor. Our whole apartment was aesthetically warm and decorated with rich colors, cozy lighting, and a long red brick wall. It looked ready for fall more than it did any other season all year round, so there was just no need for additional décor.

When we moved to the shore and switched out our red brick wall for light tan ones, our railroad layout for a wide open space twice the size, and our view of the building across Union Avenue for a view of the Atlantic Ocean, summer took over the interior design scheme. When fall rolled around, I was tempted to put pumpkin things in my home. Our full collection of designated fall décor fits in a shoebox on the top shelf of the linen closet and consists of two small wooden pumpkins and one little fabric one that I thrifted, two hand-crocheted pumpkins – one my friend from work gave me and one my cousin made with my late Nana’s yarn, and a cozy fall candle that another cousin gifted to me for my birthday last year.

All but the candle, which I think may be hiding in with the Christmas stuff

Keeping seasonal and holiday décor manageable can be difficult and keeping it minimal can be even harder. Though we only have a small amount of fall items, they give our living space that seasonal oomph needed to get me in the cozy spirit. Our fall display, if you could even call it that, doesn’t extend beyond the living room, but for me, that’s enough, and the fact that it takes about five minutes to set up and put away is something I’m very happy with.

I prefer to bring fall into our house with baked goods, hearty meals, and October beers or to get outside wrapped up in a sweater to enjoy the crisp weather and abounding seasonal activities in the Northeast. Fall is also the season where my Harry Potter obsession shows in a big way and while Mike would prefer to not watch Harry Potter movies or do Harry Potter puzzles, he’s a good sport about it, but I’ll save that obsession for another post.

Now it’s time to choose a summery puzzle and let you all get on with your weekend. Thanks for reading and hope that wherever you are, you are able to add a little bit of cozy to your day!

One Deep Blue
Cozy Posts

One Deep Blue

Beth DeFries3 Comments

Sitting on the balcony with a cold beer and and the expansive view of a white Atlantic, the muse returns. Escorted on the arm of a gentle breeze on this cool August evening, it seemed as good a time as any to pursue its inspiration.

The sun climbs down the hill behind us after a long day’s journey and the blue and gold sky fades to periwinkle, clouds towering like tidal waves above the horizon, preparing to swallow the shore. The street lamps on Sandy Hook ignite in a synchronized splash and pairs of headlights make their way homeward or adventure bound.

Summer is in full swing though the humid haze called in sick. We don’t miss it.

Nights like these, you can hear yourself think and even turn that off if you wanted to. I tune in to a symphony of birds, crickets, and the exhalation of car engines in the distance. Air conditioners take a well deserved rest and their lack of participation is welcome.

Our eyes adjust to the dimming dusk as the river mirrors the sky. Long Island twinkles animatedly in the distance and the JFK departures rise slow into ombré velvet, brushed just the right way.

I pull up a cozy throw of summer air under my laptop and nestle in with all the other nestling buildings, plants, and people. Together, we all fade from view into one deep blue.