Bo and Mary @ Mercers

The Early Months...

view more videos here...
https://www.youtube.com/user/JubalSongs

A traditional Irish story - John Mock

John Mock ... 

Talented ...

S W E E T ~ T U N E

~  J O Y  ~

IRON AND WINE 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjgdmmpFeu8

~ sigh ~ 

Joe Howard and the Gay Nineties Revue

Joe Howard

Gay Nineties Review 

Televised Version of the Radio Show ...

What A Croc !!

The trace evidence found at the crime scene said it all. 

Left by the silhouette of the crime scene markings... was the reminder...

of a pair of favored gardening/lawn care shoes...
gone... but not forgotten.

Took My Breath Away ...

The Gulf 

FAILURE ....

...in the Closet

All in a day of a FRUMP !

It was not my plan for the day ...had other things to do. 

I was actually lessening the burden on the wire shelf. 

As the contents dropped and rested on my shins and feet ...

"I'm Okay!" I yelled ...       I guess to myself ...

I stepped out of the rubble ... out of the room for a few...then returned to review 

while I consumed a very special cookie or two ...

 

And with a calm, peace filled head... cleared this cramped , small space

piled it high on the bed ... our night time resting place 

And went about my day.

The end ...

So Cruel (The Bully Song)

P E A C E

Takes Strength

A deep introspection brought forth this Musical Composition

Hawk Eyed

...Then Joy Rises Up 

~ From Within ~

The peace and serenity of this backyard in southwest Florida is shared with the wildlife which choose to claim their spaces. Amorous Red Shouldered Hawks roost and nest in the tops of these Live Oaks, entertaining humans with their natural activity of flight, feeding/hunting, and well, ...  amore. One afternoon, as I worked to create another peaceful corner in the yard, this surprise visit from one of the Hawks stirred my soul ...

A Totem ...
In North America, there is a certain feeling of affinity between a kin group or clan and its totem. There are taboos against killing clan animals, as humans are kin to the animals whose totems they represent. In some cases, totem spirits are clan protectors and the center of religious activity.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Totem

The following is a quote from a blog regarding the Red Tail Hawk
and the relevance to a visit from one such Totem 

Be ever alert for a red tail flying near, for the Red Tailed Hawk will soar beside the Two-Legged whose own gift of vision is exceptionally acute. 
To accept this Totem, is to be knighted as a Guardian and Protector of the Earth Mother and all her Children. These are individuals who will possess an astute awareness of the interconnectedness of all things, and will have an inner reverence for all life. 
These are the souls that are involved in making the world a better place. They will be protectors of the Earth, 
encouraging and educating Others to do the same.

http://people.tribe.net/fannyz/blog/a3af850c-4f6b-45ce-9c5a-8065e23a8d15

And from this blog ~ 

http://reedofgod.wordpress.com/2011/06/30/what-does-it-mean-when-a-hawk-comes-to-you/

“Blessings, blessings and more blessings. You have been blessed. Give thanks. . . . Hawk is a messenger of the Creator/Great Spirit/God. The Hawk wants you to be aware the Creator is speaking to you. Take notice. Only you know what the message is. . . in fact, you already know (even if you don’t realize it yet). God is sending you a message. . . but it is for you." ... 

I am listening ...

Contributor's Corner ~ A HEALTHY RANT from a reader ~

Health Start or Finish

Compact Premier Cold Press Juicer

First the rest of the Story ...

Finally ! an email response.... but NOT very favorable for tohealth.com.au   
read on ....

Dear XXXX,

 

Thank you for your enquiry.  Unfortunately we are unable to ship parts or products overseas.  In the past we have found it to be prohibitively expensive and incredibly unreliable.   The only thing I may suggest is if you have friends or family living in Australia that we could send the parts to.  They could then forward them on to you in Florida, USA.  I do apologise that I cannot help any further.

 

Kind regards

Jo

To Health By Choice

Ph: 1800 021 069Fax: 02 6623 0522

email: info@tohealth.com.au

Website: www.tohealth.com.au

NOTE TO SELF ... BUY USA PRODUCTS !!

February of 2013 , after viewing the Netflix Documentary, on The  Gerson Therapy,  ttps://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/The_Gerson_Miracle/70113618?locale=en-us   

( also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Gerson )   

... we researched cold press juicers. 

We viewed the You Tube video of this Compact Premier Cold Press Juicer,  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_j4f3N3NJ4 ...  and considered it to be 

the most effective for our budget, and requirements.

We purchased one of these juicers which was listed on ebay, early March of 2013 ... the seller was listed as from CA., USA .  The drum cap broke in less than one month of use ...btw, I am not abusive to my appliances. The company in Australia would not honor the warranty because the item was not purchased by me from them. 

The Seller on ebay responded to my request for a new part immediately and I was juicing again in less than two weeks from the break.  

Now just 9 months later, the second drum cap breaks ... this time in 2 places (see the photo) and now I am frustrated, and "dead in the water"  of juicing  ~ AGAIN. 

  The ebay seller no longer exists,  and an attempt to purchase from this  company in Australia ...reveals that they 
DO NOT  SHIP PARTS OUTSIDE OF AUSTRALIA.
   

MY $200.00 juicer sits like an ugly paper weight on the counter.. and I am now likely to replace it with a good old USA made (or at least distributed in the USA) ...Cold Press juicer.  

Dear HealthStart ...        http://www.tohealth.com.au/contact_us.htm
       
Maybe you should look into customer service for your products, as well as taking the money for them, from folks 
( FRUMPS)   who are needing quality products and service when choosing a healthier lifestyle. 

.

p.s. ...   still waiting for a reply from a Facebook Message... (because the email link on their website did not work ) ...    I sent them... pleading with them for a shipment consideration. 

                    https://www.facebook.com/ToHealthByChoice


p.s.s... This blog author wrote to an email address discovered in an unconventional manner. Let's see if they respond

Hit the Bricks

Therapy and Zen

Playing In the Sand

 Pathway to The Open

The Palm Center

The Calm Seating Flows

Pineapple Hill

Where the Southern Winter Sun Urges Growth

Instead of freezing temps and feet of snow ... I choose to play in the yard ... creating my 

~ Happy Place ~

The Evidence of Foolish Frumpery

Wasted Efforts... or .... 

Opening Day 

The following is the photographic evidence of a labor of love ... 

Click this link for a view of the timetable of work...

https://picasaweb.google.com/106061135077308547566/FoolishFrumpery2006?authkey=Gv1sRgCJiGpf7J5sCXwAE

Bo and Mary @ Mercers through Joyce's eyes ...

From a Distance...but up close and inside ...

Before the walls came down on the expansion ... at Mercer's Fresh Roasted Coffees in Charlotte Harbor, Florida ... the musicians and listeners were inches away from each other. And the customers joined in the music as they came through the gathering to get their favorite roast from the shelves you see behind this Frump. 

The sounds of Music and friendships growing... 

" Are you an angel? ..."

On an Island

Dear friends and Family ... 

I am going through a difficult time right now ... so please forgive this attached forward... it is not meant to insult .. but because it was sent my way through a divine hand I am sure.. I felt the need to let you know this message.

A memory came to me 10 minutes before I opened this email today. When we had our coffee shop in Melbourne, a gentle spirited woman in later stages of Alzheimer's could not find her way out of our small restroom. She thought she had to get through the full length mirror hanging on the wall to get to the door. Her persistent tapping on the mirror caught my attention. When I opened the door quietly ...  to not startle her.. she looked at me through the mirror and smiling peacefully asked me...  ... " Are you an Angel? ..."

I love you All ...

m 

A Quiet Surprise 

 I sent an angel to watch over you last night, but it came back..  I asked 

"why?"... The angel said: "Angels don't watch over angels!"  Twenty angels are
in your world.  Ten of them are sleeping, nine are playing, one is reading this
message.  Please read..... not joking.....  God has seen you struggling with
something.  God says it's over.  A blessing is coming your way.  If you believe
in God, send this message on, please don't ignore it,
you are being tested.     God is going to fix two BIG things tonight in
your favor.  

FRUMPS MAGAZINE: First Encounters .... A Journey of Trust

FRUMPS MAGAZINE: First Encounters .... A Journey of Trust

Ashokan Farewell

The Ashokan Farewell

"Ashokan Farewell" is a piece of music composed by Jay Ungar in 1982. It has served as a goodnight or farewell waltz at the annual Ashokan Fiddle & Dance Camps, run by the composer and his wife, at the lakefront campus (near Ashokan Reservoir) of the State University of New York at New Paltz. The tune was later used as the title theme of the 1990 PBStelevision miniseries The Civil War,^[1] as well as the 1991 compilation album Songs of the Civil War.

http://en.wikipedia.org

Mary and Roy stopped in for the Nov 16th circle at Mercer's Fresh Roasted Coffees in Charlotte Harbor, Florida and delighted the group with The Ashokan Farewell.

Mercer's Saturdays Jams, a weekly gathering of musicians in the local Charlotte County, Florida area, presents a multitude of talented friends and friends of friends. The group of friends encourages and lends support to every level of talent and is also supported by a following of regulars who come for the afternoon. Customers of  Mercer's Fresh Roasted Coffees who stop in for their favorite roasted fresh beans are often surprised and treated to some great group playing which they otherwise would never have experienced.

Approaching it's six month of Saturdays celebration, the Jam's founding duo, Bo and Mary Kirgis, are thrilled with the growth and weekly revolving talent which supports them in this endeavor to bring acoustic music to Saturday afternoons. The expansion of the Mercer's floor space, partly due to the growing numbers on Saturdays, now offers a quiet seating area for diners, and drop ins for the Wi-fi and beverages, while the attentive audience fills the new addition of comfortable seating. 

There is nothing so old... or broken ....

That it has no Use ...

This restaurant was open in the late 1930's in Melbourne, AR. 

Proprietress Ruth Baker ... front right,  behind the counter

Then in the 1940's owned and operated by the man in the middle ..

Proprietor  Hawkshaw Davis 

...And again in the mid to late 1950's ...

Proprietor Ransom McCollum front right behind the counter

...and once more in 2006 to 2008 ... 

Proprietors... these Frumps  ...

What you SEE ... is what you get  ...

Native American Flute played by Thumper

Saturdays Jams @ Mercer's Fresh Roasted Coffees

Charlotte Harbor, FL 

Early July of this year, these two Frumps went in search of a venue we had been told about. Well, it was not a venue YET .. but a lovely Coffee Shop / Roastery in Charlotte Harbor. 
After sitting out with the "BLUES BROTHERS" down the road, 

Me an' THE BLUES BOYs 

we pulled up to the front of a nice strip mall with the smell of fresh roasted beans drawing us into the main entrance of Mercer's Fresh Roasted Coffees.

 A Welcoming Entrance

The atmosphere was nurtured by owners, Wayne and Valerie Mercer for two years in this location, (and two years in a previous location in Punta Gorda) as a quiet, welcoming local roastery, where you could sit a while and enjoy fresh brewed and specialty beverages. We Fell In Love with it! Earthy colors of coffee bean browns, clay colored reds, and golden sunset yellows made me feel like I was just melting into serenity. 

 Wrapped in the comfort of the colors and tones

The sun light focuses on the counter where you can watch the roasting process

Soft sounds of music streaming over the in house stereo made it possible to carry on personal conversations and not invade other customers private "space" .  

After a fresh bagel and a shared French Press, and finding ourselves the only customers at a rare moment, hubby inquired of Wayne his openness to a duo of "folkies" setting out a tip jar and quietly playing their own styles some afternoon. Wayne, in his mild mannered way, stated he wouldn't object at all! 

Leaving with the idea in mind that these Frumps would call midweek to determine a good day for trying this out, we headed home. BUT! Hubby suggested we just get the guitars and head right back for a trial hour or two that day!  The look on Wayne's face was priceless when in we strolled 45 minutes later guitars in hand and smiles on our faces. 

Well, needless to say, that was the beginning... and now 17 weeks later, the crowds have grown, of Musicians and Listeners! And so has the floor space! A courageous move on these Frumps' part, caused the domino effect of courageous moves and the Mercers have expanded! 

 Getting ready for Saturdays Jams before all the walls are painted

 Wayne tempted try it out and put his feet up

 Val adding the finishing touches of the wall art

 oh yeah, just right ..

and the WOW factor of the open space from the front entry

The following is just a sample of the broad genres and talents coming to these Mercer's Saturdays Jams. 

Therapy for the heart, mind and soul comes in many forms, but in this Frumps opinion, there is none so valuable as the music we have, and share.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEmkNJ-UA1U

Florida Bobcat in my Backyard

I shared this YouTube video here so you can see that these awesome scenes are not uncommon.  Earlier this week, as I sat on the Lanai, I saw a beautiful bobcat strolling casually across the back yard of our neighbor. 

Dumbstruck and in awe, I just sat there watching until it stepped into the wooded lot and disappeared. Reporting this event to my husband and son later that day, left me a little doubtful of seeing this event in full daylight, and a very urban setting. 

UNTIL the next morning, as my hubby and I drove away from the house in mid morning daylight, I saw another bobcat (or maybe the same one) sitting along the side of the road, and as we approached, it got up and trotted into another undeveloped, wooded lot. 

As you can see in this video, this gal was not so surprised at her visitor that she couldn't get some great video footage of it, and did a good job a capturing its casual attitude in being in her yard. LOVE this Florida WILDLIFE ! 

The Shed ... AND the Post Script at the end ...

Did I mention my aversion to snakes? I hate snakes. Every snake is a killer snake. Ex.:  If a snake frightens me into a heart attack, and I die, the snake killed me.  Every snake is a killer snake. 

Sweeping the autumn leaves from the porch area in the front of the house, exposed the evidence of a killer who tried to come in our house. 

Summoning the grand daughter to see the evidence, the first words out of her mouth, " I hope it didn't get IN the door!", left me with the sick realization that this could have happened!  Did I mention that I hate snakes? 

Asking her if she wanted the evidence brought a positive response, and since she was in the middle of preparing her lunch, I offered to bring "the evidence" in the house for her. Washing my hands up to the elbows afterwards, I saw another photo op staring at me.  This slitherin' creature exited it's skin in such a perfect way, the Eyes seemed to be glaring at me !  

Now, I really DO try to see the beauty in ALL of nature, and as difficult as this was, I cannot help but marvel at the delicate process of  The Shed !  

P.S. 

Dateline Nov 11,2013 ...

Massaging the yard into a place for meditation, relaxation, mini vacation, I was clearing some of the overgrowth of ferns, decomposed leaves, etc. On the backside of the shed, I discovered the perfect spot for a somewhat larger reptile to "shed his burden"... and then decided it was another opportunity for the "natural yard art" theme...   ...observe ...

I am certain this fellow, in his new digs, is watching the transformation of his untouched by human hands for the last three years jungle , and probably plotting my demise even as I post this to my blogspot.  In fact, after I finished my work for the day, I sat myself in the green chair in the center of these grand old oaks, just to feel the energy and force of nature. Maybe ten minutes or so into this relaxation moment, I turned to look over my left shoulder toward the sitting area behind these beautiful oaks, and looked straight into the eyes of a (raised his head) black racer ... who I am pretty sure if he had hands... would have been flipping this old lady off!