Rosefirewalker's TeaGarden – Thoughts To Fuel Your Imagination

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Are You Picayune?

This is a picture of me, my mom, and my dad, who was the original wordmeister in my life. He loved words, and encouraged us to love them by bringing up these absurd sounding words in our everyday conversations.

He’d be talking to us, and insert the word into the coversation to watch us as we tried to understand what the heck he was talking about. One such word (that I will never forget) is picayune. It’s pronounced pick- a- YOONY.

Don’t you LOVE this absurd little word? Wellll, I DO! 🙂

Originating in Louisiana in the 19th century, it means “a person or thing that is of little to NO value”.

I remember when we’d go on long car trips to Arizona in the summertime to visit our relatives, and he’d come up with all sorts of interesting things to talk about with us.

One was to spring these odd words on us, and watch with delight as we’d try to figure out what the word meant. Most of the time one of us could guess it. I always took into consideration how the word was used in the sentence, and ask him “Is this what you meant?” If my guess was wrong, he’d give me another example of the word used in a sentence, and I’d try to guess it from the context.

At least, now you all know where I got this enduringly absurd passion for new words.

Hope you will all have a swell day!

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We’re Blending up a Tasty Word for You Today!

The English language is a delight for me, because there are so many types of words involved, from foreign to friendly and…. BEYOND.

Our delicious treat for today is a word about…well….WORDS! YES!

The word is portmanteau, which is a blend of words that are used to create a new word. For example:

Our first example appears in the picture for this article, and it’s so common you probably never gave it a thought. The word “motel” came from two common words: MOtor and hoTel. Motels first became popular once the automobile was a common form of going for long distances in your car. People weren’t necessarily staying at them for a vacation, they were driving long distances and needed a place to stay for one or two nights. Thus, the need for a basic room came about as they were only rest stops on a longer trip to the final destination.

Brunch, which describes a meal that is eaten between BReakfast and lUNCH,

Blog, which was coined after the internet was created, and refers to, a weB LOG.

Spork, which is that handy little plastic utensil you might get with a take-out food order, and it means a utensil that can be used as both a SPoon and fORK.

Another portmanteau word that is commonly used is…advertorial, which is a news article that can be considered both an ADVERTisement and an editORIAL.

There are many more examples that are commonly used, and now that we’ve started this conversation, I’m sure they will be cropping up in every article you read!

Happy hunting….and remember, if there are any replies, comments or questions on anything in the blog, please feel free to email me at rosefirewalker@aol.com.

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Now This is a Really Odd one!

I don’t remember where I found (or heard of) this word, but the fact that the action it names happened often enough to have a special word crafted for it makes me wonder about human interactions…..

and awayyyyy we go……..

In case you’re planning to toss someone out a window and need that perfect word to describe it…… TA DA….the word is defenestration.

TheFreeDictionary.com defines defenestration as: A noun meaning, “the act of throwing someone out a window”.

I guess that in itself isn’t so surprising, until you think about it for a minute.

In order for a word to be coined, the action must take place often enough to have a word created just for that particular action. I guess our predecessors decided this was a fitting punishment for certain actions, but I think it’s a gruesome (and rather inhumane) way to die.

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Well, me dearies, that’s it for this week. Now go out and forage for some new words to share with us!!! ;- )

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Not Worth a Plug Nickel

When I was young, my dad and I were very close. He was the first wordmeister I knew, and he taught me that when you wanted to express that something was of very little value, you could say “it’s not worth a plug nickel”.

That got me thinking about coinage, and its evolution. Thus we have the short story of the evolution of the 5-cent piece….

According to yourdictionary.com, “A plug nickel or plugged nickel is a nickel (now a five-cent coin, but originally a one-cent coin and later a three-cent coin) where the “plug” (center disc) has been removed, thus decreasing the metal value of the coin. People would often examine their change after a cash transaction to ensure they did not receive such a coin.”

HUH? Who’d a thunk it!

Well, that’s all the time I have for shenanigans today.

Have a wordy, quirky, fun Wednesday.

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Penny for Your Thoughts?

This is an old phrase that brings back an era when pennies were more valuable than they are now. In this context, the phrase means “Tell me what you’re thinking”, with the implication that you’re willing to pay money to know what someone is actually thinking. Interestingly, the saying originated during a time when the British penny was worth a significant sum.

A website named “Ginger” explains its origins thusly: “The earliest written citation of the idiom “A penny for your thoughts” can be traced back to the 16th century. It is attributed to Sir Thomas More, who used a variation of it in his book “A Treatyce upon the last thynges” in 1534.

How about them apples? 😉

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May your day be happy and bright!

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Our “Wordly” Wise Word of the Day

If you decide to cancel plans because the weather is “bad”, you are suffering from the effects of inclement weather. According to our good friends at Merriam-Webster: “Inclement weather” is a generic term often used to describe weather conditions that are either unsafe or undesirable for outdoor events.

The last serious wind storm we had in Pasadena ripped large branches off the trees in my backyard. Since I have 13 gigantic trees on the property, I was raking up the mess for two weeks after the storm. (boo….hiss)

So if you can’t go out to do what you want to do outside, blame it on the stormy, or inclement, weather.

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Who gets “the lion’s share”?

Many people think this phrase means to get a larger portion (of whatever you’re dividing up among a group), but the actual meaning is much more sinister.

The male lions in a pride (which is a group of lions that live together) can eat ALL of the food that is available, if they so choose.

The female lion’s and their cubs, have to scrabble and fight to eat whatever is left after the male’s have eaten.

There is no democracy in a pride of lion’s!

[Source: Dictionary.com]

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A River in The Sky

Have you ever seen a “River in the Sky”?

There was an old tune called “Spirit in the Sky” by Norman Greenbaum, that was running through my head during the last set of heavy rainstorms here in “sunny” Southern California. Those storms were like nothing I’ve ever seen in my 67 years of life here on this beautiful blue marble we like to call Earth.

The rainstorms qualified as “atmospheric rivers” which are moisture streams in the sky, much denser than rain, even a hard rain. They are so intense, they’re “visible from space, as narrow bands stretching from the West Coast out across the Pacific.” (Source: The New York Times)

These “sky rivers” have brought serious flooding here in So. Cal., some areas have seen between 5-10” inches of rain in one 24 hour period, causing problems for road traffic and the older buildings in our cities and towns.

In residential areas there are road closures due to flooding roads with a lot of debris in the water, and in some areas, serious mudslides.

In the higher altitudes, the problems run to extensive amounts of snow and hail. This extreme weather is making it very dangerous to be on the road in these conditions, and if you can avoid traveling at this time, it would be wise to do so.

But, if you have to be out there, make sure: your car’s tires are in good shape; that you have spare clothes, in case you get soaked from walking to the nearest shelter; that you give yourself more time than usual to get to where you’re going; that your cell phone is fully charged up; and, take a serious rain coat and hat, in case you have to get out and hike to the nearest shelter.

Be careful out there!

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BREAK A LEG

When someone wishing you to “BREAK A LEG” is a good thing!

“There are numerous ideas about the origin of the theatre phrase “break a leg”. One story maintains that capricious spirits wreak havoc on your wishes to cause the opposite of what you wish for to happen.

But, the most common theory refers to an actor breaking the “leg line” of the stage. In the early days of theater, the leg line was where ensemble actors would wait to perform. If actors were not performing, they had to stay behind the “leg line,” which also meant they wouldn’t get paid for their time.

So, if you were to tell an actor to “break a leg,” you are actually wishing them the opportunity to perform and get paid. The sentiment remains the same today; the term means “good luck, have a good performance.” Source: https://transcendencetheatre.org

Another theory comes from ancient Greece, were the audience didn’t clap but instead stomped their feet to show appreciation. If the audience stomped long enough, they might “break a leg”.

Some say the term originated during Elizabethan times when, instead of applause, the audience would bang their chairs on the ground — and if they liked the show enough, the leg of the chair would break!

No matter which version you choose to believe, well-wishes are always appreciated.

To The Dance!

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Welcome to the Moon

Astronomy is a natural science that studies celestial objects and the phenomena that occur in the cosmos. It uses mathematics, physics, and chemistry in order to explain their origin and their overall evolution. Objects of interest include planets, moons, stars, nebulae, galaxies, meteoroids, asteroids, and comets.

A lunar eclipse occurs during a full moon — when the Earth is between the sun and moon, blocking sunlight from reaching the lunar surface. A solar eclipse occurs during a new moon — when the moon is between the Earth and the sun.

A penumbral lunar eclipse will take place on Monday, March 25, 2024.

It will be visible to the naked eye as 95.57% of the Moon will be immersed in Earth’s penumbral shadow. Source: Wikipedia

Happy Moon gazing my dearies!

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How Dogs Make Our Lives…Better!

Melanie, Our Beloved Stabyhoun

This sweet dog (pictured here) is Melanie, a Stabyhoun puppy, who came into our lives and found a place in our hearts. She was friendly, funny, loving and playful, and was a delight to have with us for many happy years.

If you ask The American Kennel Club, “What is a Stabyhoun?”, they’ll describe the dog breed as “extremely affectionate, loving and loyal. It is also highly intelligent and (sometimes) rather willful, so they need a home with a family that has the time and patience to raise a happy, healthy and well-balanced dog.”

The AKC goes on to explain that “the Stabyhoun is one of the rarest dog breeds in the world. Established in the Netherlands in the 1800s, they originated as all-around farm dogs. Because poor farmers in the Friesland forest land couldn’t afford more than one dog, they needed a breed capable of doing a variety of jobs. The Stabyhoun is just such a dog.”

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There are many types of working dogs, for example: police dogs, herding dogs, hunting dogs, retrievers, war dogs (which are used to detect trip wires and land mines), guard dogs, service dogs (seeing-eye dogs), guard dogs (used to protect property and people), and, of course, dogs who are our beloved companions.

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I hope meeting her has made your day a little more cheerful, she certainly brought lots of love and happiness into our life!

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It’s a Deluge

I love a good rain, but this surpasses many a storm in recent memory. I live on a street with a slight decline, and there’s so much water in the street flowing downhill, that it’s purling up over the edge of the curb. As you can see, it looks more like long strings of water, rather than just individual droplets.

And that, my friends, qualifies this as a deluge!

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A Sweeping Saga

Whether you are cleaning up a mess with a broom or sharing a big story with someone, you are sweeping. From two very different perspectives, sweeping can mean “to clean up dirt with a broom”, or it can mean to entice the minds and imaginations of your friends with your creatively told story, as when you are “telling a sweeping saga”.

And that, my fiendish friends, is our witty, wandering word for the day!

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What a lovely and versatile word… is BLIGHT

Blight is a noun that is used in many ways, for example….

As a noun it can mean:

1. a disease or injury of plants marked by the formation of lesions, withering, and death of parts (such as leaves and tubers)

2. an organism (such as an insect or a fungus) that causes blight

3. something that frustrates plans or hopes, as in the blight of poverty

4. it may refer to something that is unsightly, as an abandoned factory that is a blight on the neighborhood

5. something that impairs or destroys

6. or, it may refer to a deteriorated condition, as in urban blight.

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In the form of a verb, you may find it as: blighted; blighting; or blights.

For example: In the world of botany, it can mean:

1. to affect a plant with a disease or injury marked by the formation of lesions, withering, and death of parts (such as leaves and tubers); or to affect with blight.

Or it can refer to how something has affected one’s life or condition, as in:

2. to impair the quality or have an effect on someone’s life

“The condition has blighted his son’s life.” -Patricia Guthrie

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Well, it took way too long for me to wrestle this post together, and my furkids are crying for their supper, so I will leave you with this cheery thought…..

Do what you love, with those whom you love, and you will be as happy as is possible in this life. And, who could ask for more? Blessed Be, my dearies!

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The Positive Effects on World Pollution during the Pandemic

I know, I know… the pandemic caused humans a world of pain. Some of us got sick, some very sick and some of us died. Others lost their jobs and many businesses shut their doors and will not reopen.

But I started to think about the positive effects, whether it be the reduction of air pollution, the rejuvenation of our water supplies, and the curing of both the people and animals whose health has been positively affected by the cessation and reduction of all the pollutants we produce.

One article from The Journal of Global Health wrote the “Lockdowns have been fundamental to decreasing disease transmission during the COVID-19 pandemic.” Their study also evaluated the changes in air quality during the first year of the pandemic in cities around the world.

Their conclusion showed that the decreases in air pollution ranged from 50-70 percent reduction in the major cities.

Another article, written by Alison Hewitt on March 16, 2021, explained that the reduction in the traffic in Los Angeles during the early weeks of the pandemic, boosted air quality temporarily, but that as soon as people started driving to work again, the air pollution came back to previous pandemic levels.

All in all, the effects of the lockdowns varied by city and country, depending on when they were instigated, and how long they remained in force.

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I hope this article will give you food for thought, or at least, piqued your interest to learn more about it on your own!

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What a Trip!

When coming up with my Word of the Week, I enjoy sharing words with my readers, all kinds of words. Some words are new and unusual, some are homey and well known, but my favorite words to share…are words that might surprise you!

I got to thinking about the word “trip”, which is a very versatile word indeed:

It can mean you’re taking a vacation or a short trip…

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It can mean “Help, I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!”, as in physically falling to the ground, whether you’ve taken a misstep, or tripped over an object you didn’t see was there.

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AND…….in the wondrous world of psychedelic drugs, it means you’ve gone on a mental expedition, all without having to leave your living room. As in “Wow, this acid (referring here to LSD) is a trip!”

You are welcome to share with us other ways to use the word “trip”, if you’d like! 😉

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Money Matters

What is an Annuity? 01/16/2024

In researching for our Word for the Day, I found that certain financial products are useful for retirees and other people who are looking forward to retiring with enough to live comfortably.

Here is what I found:

“The term “annuity” refers to an insurance contract issued and distributed by financial institutions with the intention of paying out invested funds in a fixed income stream in the future. Investors invest in or purchase annuities with monthly premiums or lump-sum payments. The holding institution issues a stream of payments in the future for a specified period of time or for the remainder of the annuitant’s life. Annuities are mainly used for retirement purposes and help individuals address the risk of outliving their savings.”

Here’s my source if you’d like to learn more: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/a/annuity.asp

Blessed Beeeees dear friends! 😉

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Where did the word “blog” come from?

In May of 1999 a gentleman named Peter Merholz created the word blog from the two words “web” and “log”, thus creating a space on the internet to share our thoughts, words and deeds, ad nauseum.

ENJOY!

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Remember the Good Times

Here’s Wade on his birthday at our home in Pasadena. He usually had a cheerful disposition, and we enjoyed many of life’s small celebrations together.

Two days ago, I had the pleasure of (virtually) meeting a friend of his named Mike. (Hi Mike!) Mike reached out to me to talk about his friendship with Wade. They had met while playing guitars at a meet-up where people get together to play Beatles tunes. They call the group The Beatlemaniacs.

It was so pleasant to talk to a friend of his (who I had never met before). Wade touched so many people’s lives with his happy, kind and sweet personality.

If anyone reading this ongoing story, who also met Wade, either through work or socially, would like to share that memory, please email it to me at rosefirewalker@aol.com.

May you all cherish the good memories of Wade, as I do and will, for the rest of my life.

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To Remember is a Gift

Wade and the goat at Zaanshe Schanse, Belgium

When I was a child, my family befriended a new family who had moved into our neighborhood. They were originally from Belgium and we saw them quite often.

Maurice and I remained friends, and I wrote to him frequently. Years later, he and his partner visited us while they were on a visit to California. We got along so well, they invited Wade and I to come visit them. One summer, we decided to do it!

While in Belgium, they took us to many local attractions, one of which was an animal farm and petting zoo in Zaanshe Schanse. The owners had set it up as a tourist attraction, and our hosts decided to take us there one morning. The animals were very friendly and came right up the wooden gates of their enclosure to visit us and get their picture taken!

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It’s comforting to remember the good times.

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Memorial to My beloved Wade

This page is dedicated to my beloved Wade Michael Webb, who passed away on July 14, 2023. His beautiful heart, soul and spirit shall be deeply missed. I knew Wade for over thirty years, and in that time, we became the best of friends, lovers and partners in our various businesses.

He touched many lives while working in the solar power industry, and made so many people happy. I have set this website up to honor him with our stories of how we met him, and what he meant to each of us.

Here’s the beginning of our 30+ year journey together:

I met Wade in the Summer of 1984. He and the band he was in had moved from New Mexico to California to “make it in the music industry”. They were renting a friend of mine’s house nearby (her name was Melanie). She invited me over to meet them.

They were all sitting around the kitchen table when I strolled in. Wade was sitting in the chair farthest from the door, with those long, long legs of his stretched out alongside of the table. Feeling an electric connection and attraction to him, I walked right over to him, sat in his lap and said “Howdy handsome. I’m the girl your Momma warned you about!”

He was flabbergasted. He looked straight into my eyes, with a stunned look on his face, and there was a moment of silence as the other members of the band goggled at me. Then the place erupted in uproarious laughter. One of them fell right out of his chair!

I was happy to have had that effect on them. And I’ll never forget the surprised look on Wade’s face.

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If you’d like to contribute your own story of how you met him, or other fond memories of him, please email me at rosefirewalker@aol.com and I’ll post it.

(Obviously, any negative comments will not be posted. This is a tribute page to a great man, a kind soul and a smashing bass player!)

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My love…dedicated to my beloved Wade

My love…dedicated to my beloved Wade
12/10/10

My love does not declaim his love for me
to a room full of strangers,
nor declare himself mine
with poetry lofty and sweet.

He did not propose on bended knee
dripping diamonds,
nor ask me in front of my whole family,
with cameras snapping.

But, he tells me every day
and shows me in private, homey ways.
He’s happy to work to support us,
even after I became to ill to work.

He’ll pick up my medicine when I’m unable to drive,
and brings me beautiful flowers he’s grown from our yard.
He kisses me tenderly,
as he holds me close to his heart.

No fairy tale ending, my love makes me happy in a real way.

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During the holiday season we are inundated with images of what love is supposed to look like, but it occurred to me that love doesn’t glorify the giver, it shines most brightly when it is just between two people.

Do You Have a Doppelganger?

The word doppelganger is a German word that means “someone who looks like you, but isn’t a twin, or related to you.” It can also be used to describe “a ghostly double of a living person that haunts its living counterpart”. So, if ever you meet someone who could be your double, now you know it’s a natural occurrence, and not the beginning of a scary movie!

Cited from: (“Doppelganger.” Vocabulary.com Dictionary, Vocabulary.com, https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/doppelganger. Accessed 06 Aug. 2024.)

If ever you have met your doppelganger, please share the experience in the comments, if you like. 😉

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Until next week, keep on learning, growing and enjoying yourself.

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