Monday Morning Musings
“You are here, at the start of a moment,
On the edge of the world.
Where the river meets the sea.”
—“Welcome to the Rock,” from Come From Away
I am here, by the river
the sky is blue—or grey—
cloudy or clear, I am here
at the start of the day
watching the birds,
remembering the shadows
need the light, and thoughts
need words, to tell how time goes
slow, then faster, people gone
before you know to say good-bye.
All the stories left untold,
and new ones born, the river sighs.
There a hawk cries,
There the sun rises, anew—
There a cat finds the light
There you find again the blue
Clouds and blue sky. Delaware River.
that comes after storms and grey.
We celebrate the holidays—
you are there, and we are here
but we find some ways
Honey Cake 
Rosh Hashanah 
Pumpkin-Yellow Split Pea Soup 
to connect and remember.
We toast L’chaim, to life, with wine
and food we commemorate,
and for now, we’re fine
at the start of this moment—
and we soar into the next and the next
without a clue–what’s beyond the blue.
Blue Cork Winery, Petit Verdot 
At Blue Cork Winery, blue sky reflection
This week started with Labor Day and Rosh Hashanah—it already seems so far away. We celebrated with our daughter and son-in-law. The next night, we had a Zoom dinner with both children and their spouses. Saturday was September 11. The sky that day was so blue, just as it was twenty years ago. In the afternoon, we went to Blue Cork Winery (where daughter now works) in Williamstown, NJ. It was a gorgeous day to sit outside. We’re going back to summer heat and humidity today.
Last night we watched Come From Away (Apple TV+). I have a couple months of Apple TV free, but Apple does not make it easy to watch on a not-smart TV. This is a filmed version of a live stage production of the musical—filmed recently in a newly opened theater before a masked audience. Although I did not feel it quite so much as when we saw it live in a theater, it is still a wonderful play based on the true events of 9/11—when 38 planes were diverted to the Newfoundland town of Gander. It is heartwarming without being treacly, and it shows people at their best. The play was also performed live on Saturday at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.
If you’ve seen the show, I just found this article, and it made me happy.
Yesterday and today: Merril's historical musings 
Reblogged this on OPENED HERE >> https:/BOOKS.ESLARN-NET.DE.
Thank you!
Always with a great pleasure, and thankful for the honor of reading. Have a beautiful week! xx Michael
You as well. 💙
Love it! Thank you, and have a nice week! xx Michael
Thank you, Michael. You, as well!
This was so beautiful, Merril! The gorgeous blue sky seems to follow you wherever you go. Yesterday, after working on a proposal for ten hours, I took a break and saw your orange sun photo on IG. It was exactly what my weary eyes needed. Of course, I could have used a glass of vino, too!
Thank you for your lovely comment, Jill!
Good luck with your proposal. You seem to pop books out like it’s nothing. (I know you work hard though.)
It would be fun if we could have a glass of wine together!
Thank you! Oh…that would be fun! 🙂
💙
Beautiful photos and lovely poem. What a week!
Aww… Come From Away. I want to see it again! (not on TV, though 😉 )
Yesterday was such a beautiful day, my plans for writing a blog post went right out the window and past where I was sitting with my book in hand to land who knows where;-)
Thank you so much, Dale! It was quite a week. It was still fun to see Come From Away again, even on TV. 😀
A day spend reading a book sounds absolutely perfect to me!
My pleasure.
I cannot remember the last time i did that. But I can promise you this, I will do it again and again!
I wanted to do it, but I have some work I need to finish. So you did it for both of us! 😀
Glad I could help out 😉
Beautiful photography and poetry Merril. I’m so pleased you got to celebrate Rosh Hashanah with your family! The honey cake looks delicious 😊
Thank you, Ingrid. Well, we saw our daughter–and that’s her honey cake–and saw our older child on Zoom, but we didn’t have the big family celebration we had pre-Covid.
Of course, everything is different now but we still find a way!
Yes, we try. 😀
Epic🖤🖤🖤
Thank you! 💙
mine pleasure dear
Happy New Year! So wonderful to celebrate with family—even virtually!
Thank you, Cheryl!
This is such a special post, Merril. And those honey cakes!
Thank you so much, Luanne!
Your words sing as usual Merril. What I wanted to say was despite the act of terrorism of 9/11 it’s remarkable how people were at their best and how many heroes stepped up to the plate, even in Newfoundland where one person was suddenly inundated with so many diverted planes and a town turned out in kindness to help find accommodation for all those stranded passengers. And a phone company provided them with free calls. We can all pull together, in the same direction, when we need to. I can’t understand why we can’t do it when we want to. We’re all the same despite you living there and me living here.
Thank you so much, David!
Yes, we know we can all pull together. I know, there were divisions then, too, but overall, there was a lot of kindness that seems to be lacking now.
I missed off Humongous Hugs and Happy New Year. xxxx
💙💙
The daughter with the honey cake has your smile.Your photos shine blue, gold, and wine. Thank you and, again, Happy New Year, Merril!
Thank you very much, Marian! 😀
Again, a lovely poem and gorgeous photos! I love that you Zoom dinner with your family. Since this pandemic, we’ve met up with long-distance friends using Zoom and Facetime more than we did before, a sliver of a silver lining 😉 I hear you about Apple TV. I had a couple of months free as well, but it was so awkward to use on our old digital TV.
Thank you so much, Marie. We were doing a Friday Shabbos Zoom dinner every week since the pandemic, but then daughter’s schedule changed. We’re hoping to go back to it soon–even if conditions change.
Yeah, it’s a pain with Apple. I don’t have problems casting other shows.
Your photos get better and better. It was a somber week and yet somehow hopeful. I’m glad you got to celebrate with family. (K)
Thank you very much, Kerfe.
Beautiful photographs and elegant musings
Thank you, Derrick.
Those first three photos are just splendid, nature at its best! (The food looks really good, too.)
Thank you so much, Liz!
You’re most welcome, Merril!
Happy you celebrated Rosh Hashanah the best you could!
I’m quite intrigued by the Pumpkin-Yellow Split Pea Soup! Yummo.
Yet, even more yummo is your writing.
…Fine for now, I’m too!
Thanks so much, Resa. I always make that soup for Rosh Hashanah. It’s really yummo-spicy and sweet. Thank you for your kind words!
Welcome, and Thank you for the soup idea!
You’re welcome. Mine is vegetarian, but you could use chicken broth. Onions, garlic, carrots–saffron, turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, pepper, and a bit of sugar.
I’m a veggie, since a teenager! Love this!
I eat some fish, but otherwise, all veggie, too, but husband eats meat. Daughter became a vegetarian when she was in third grade, and has been one ever since.
Cool! My hubby ate meat, and still does if we go out and it’s there. Otherwise he eats what I cook!!! Seeing as we haven’t gone out to eat since the virus hit, he’s a veggie. LOL!
Hahaha. Yeah, my husband eats whatever I cook, too, so it’s mostly veggie stuff.
They are at our mercy… or actually, our good taste! 😀
Beautiful photos, Merril, and beautiful words. ♥♥♥
Thanks so much, Robin! 💙