Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Random Discoveries and observations

I knew I had put my grandmother's Bible in a safe place; after all, it was the one I carried down the aisle with me when I got married.

And indeed I had; it was in the back corner of my roll top desk, just waiting to be found again while I was packing.
Grandma Fay got it when she went to Israel years ago.
I thought the mother of pearl covers (both sides!) was a beautiful way to carry God's Word in my hands as a bride on my wedding day.
(At the time I didn't know I would become a librarian; carrying a book while getting married should have been a major clue!)

My other grandmother left me a pair of crystal candles sticks. Around the edge of the candle stick were dangling crystals about the size of my baby finger. One of them was chipped. I found a replacement for the chipped one, and then hung the old dangle out in the garden to catch the sun and make rainbows.

Apparently it got blown free of the bush I had hung it on. It came to rest against the side of the house. I saw it the other day and was reaching for it when I realized someone else now had claimed it.
The tiniest of little garter snakes was peering at me, amazingly nestled down in the cracks between the bricks.

I think a fantasy story could be written based on just the idea of a tiny snake who cherishes an antique crystal.

As much as I like fantasy, I find that right now (as usual) I am drawn to non-fiction. So far this summer I have read "Dying at Home" by Andrea Sankar. Laura is now working as a Hospital to Hospice Care Coordinator and I am reading a lot about Hospice to become familiar with her position.

I have also read a book about a Medical missionary to China who served in China from 1880 until the 1930's. Dr. Bliss had an amazing story!

The center book in the above picture is fascinating me right now. I am interested in exploring physical ailments that have brain resolution. An example of this is the condition where a woman (or a man!) begins to believe they are pregnant, and the body does everything that a pregnant body usually does, including going into labor. Everything is in place except a baby.

Then there is the interesting fact that people who are under hypnotic trance can be told that their warts are cured, and the next day the warts disappear. The author is a medical doctor in my hometown which makes the book even more interesting to me. He wonders if hypnotism can address warts on hands, then would the same idea work on genital warts or other body tumors.
Little by little medical doctors are realizing that a lot of medical conditions might actually be addressed by belief or mental mapping.
He has solved some of the ways brains allow people with amputation to continue to feel their limbs, and why some people with strokes are freaked out and worried about it, while others act like it is no big deal at all, and consider themselves ready to go home even when half their body no longer functions.
It is all about what part of the brain is working or not working, and this has only recently been demonstrated scientifically because of our modern tools to map brain stimulation and electrical signals.
I'm about half way through the book right now.
It, and the other book "The New Brain" has me astonished.
Interestingly, it also affirms my belief in faith as the basis of miracles.


It is nice to have a bit of leisure time now that the house is all tidy.
It just saddens me slightly to realize that I won't be able to have friends come visit me here from afar.
I have made it a policy in this home to always have a guest room ready for visitors and to provide for my guest's every need.
For instance, this brass pot. It is such a perfect spittoon!

Every time I look at it, I sigh, and am so sorry that my friend Lovella won't be coming to visit me here before I move.
I think she would have really loved to have been able to be here.

8 comments:

Kate said...

Love the Crystal and the Garter Snake! You must write her up - surely it's a she since she cozied up to something sparkly.

Amazing about the brain and warts. Doesn't shock me too much since I just got over a psychosomatic case of hives all over my hands.

Lovella ♥ said...

Help me out here Jill, you see your spitoon and you think of me? I'm laughing .. .
So, yes, I'm claiming your next home now for an invitation to come and see you. I also feel somewhat saddened that I won't be able to visit the amazing fabric store or walk your wonderful boardwalk into the swamp and forest, or go with you to your grocery market to taste and see the sample cart. . .so many things I have enjoyed seeing through your blog, but no matter, you truly always took us all along.
About the reading. For the second time today in blog land I am thinking about the book about Hudson Taylor. He was a physician to Inland China in the 30s. It is an amazing read if you haven't read it before.

Dawn said...

What a beautiful Bible...!

Hospice was a God-send for us in the final days of my mother's life. Can't say enough positive things about them...

Sara at Come Away With Me said...

Wait - are you suggesting Lovella chews tobacco? I am falling off my chair in astonishment - surely not! LOL

Oh, that Bible is truly beautiful with all that mother of pearl and the star design in the middle!

You should win some sort of prize for the most unusual and unlikely photo in the world today...a tiny, tiny snake and a fallen crystal - absolutely the perfect material for a fantasy story.

The brain book sounds very intriguing.

Anonymous said...

It really amazes me how you can smoothly jump from a garter snake to a spittoon and cover just about everything in between!

I am very curious about the title of the book about Dr Bliss. Do you think you could let us know? Your reading material is always so interesting. Of course, being a librarian you are able to glean some rare treasures!

I'm also glad you are able to get some leisure time. Just getting there must have been an olympic feat, what with all the workers to work around and still get it looking beautiful. I really hope you hear from one of the first lookers so you won't have to keep everything "model home perfect" and in hands-off condition forever. That can be a very stressful situation. I am praying for the peace of God to surround you throughout the entire sale of your home and permeate your home with a sweet fragrance.

Anonymous said...

Hmmm. Spittoon? Lovella?

Interesting reading...and an interesting idea for a story. Think you have time to write it?

I can't seem to pull my thoughts together...I'm back at the house taking care of business today and I have that pit bull, Eve, wrapped around my legs!!

Miss Janey said...

YOU should write the story of the snake who cherishes a crystal. What a lovely idea.

The Bible is lovely.

Kathy said...

Lovella just posted yesterday that she was not a perfect person. Now you link her and the spitoon. Amazing what you learned on your visit north! :) Until you live with a person.....

The book title - "The Crystal Snake". I'll read it. I think it's about sin seeming attractive.