Beyond Words

Happy summer! The season of sun and fun officially started Thursday and I’m here to say I didn’t even realize it. Then, I started seeing all these posts about summer and I realized the season is upon us. Where I live, summer means one thing: heat. Okay, maybe two things: heat and air conditioning. But it can also mean vacations, school’s out, gardening, and swimming. Leave it to my blogger and author girl Gretchen Rubin to present a whole new way of looking at the change of season.

In a recent blog, Rubin brainstormed about ways to make the most of this summer and challenged herself to write a five senses portrait of summer. She writes how exploring our five senses can get us out of our heads and into the world. I loved it and I’m up for the challenge. Are you?

Tied into her New York Times best-selling book, “Life of Five Senses,” which discovers a surprising path to energy, creativity, loves, and maybe even a little bit of luck simply by tuning into your five senses. The challenge asks you to list your five senses and tie each on into a memory of summer. Let’s dive in!

Sight. My immediate summer sight memory takes me to Costa Rica and gazing out on the ocean from our hotel balcony. It’s a happy place and a happy memory.

Hearing. Where I live, summer hearing means cicadas. Yep, those buzzing bugs that once we hear them chirping each evening, we know summer, or at least the heat, has officially arrived.

Smell. Flowers. I think of all the flowers blooming everywhere, especially my knock-out roses that go crazy once the weather warms up. They are so beautiful they could also be in my “sight” category.

Taste. Grilled anything. Summer (and spring for that matter) mean grilling outside for us. This could be anything from burgers to hot dogs to fajitas to BBQ ribs or brisket. Some of these could also qualify as “smells” of summer.

Touch. My skin. Weird, right? But yep, in the summer I tend to touch my skin a whole lot more cuz off went the hoodies and leggings and out came short sleeves and dresses.

Quick diversion here. Rubin also has what’s called the “What’s Your Neglected Sense?” quiz. I took it and discovered my most neglected sense is seeing. Rubin notes that is can be useful to recognize your neglected sense because that’s where you have the greatest opportunity to fin more enjoyment and heighten your mindfulness. Got to gretchenrubin.com to find out more about all of this.

Back to summer…

Last summer was one of endless days of 100 degrees or more, so I’m hoping this summer is a little different in that sense…excuse the pun. For me, summer also means getting up earlier for my morning walk with one of our three dogs, as by 9 a.m. it is way too hot for either of us to be out. Same goes for evening strolls, as it never really cools down enough for their little paws or me for that matter.

Summer came early this year, actually the earliest in two centuries. The summer solstice, which happened on Thursday, marks the longest day of the year north of the Equator, the exact moment when the sun reaches its most northern point in the sky, when the Earth’s north pole is most tilted towards the sun, and is the beginning of summer. The Earth has a solstice every six months, in June and September. After the summer solstice, the days get short and the sun will appear lower and lower in the sky each day until the winter solstice on December. Interestingly enough, the hottest temperatures of the year usually don’t occur until July or August, as it takes time for the sun’s rays to warm our planet. Don’t tell that to people in the northeast right now who are melting in an extreme heat wave!

Even though the sun gets all the attention during all of this, the moon had its own party with a stunning “Strawberry Moon” reaching its stunning peak on Friday. Did you see it?

It was the sixth full moon of 2024, was named after strawberries that ripen during the summer, and is always the lowest-hanging full moon because it mirrors the sun’s position when the sun is at its highest. It all coincided this year not only with summer solstice, but also with a rare “major lunar standstill” not seen since 2006. This happens when the tilts of the moon and Earth are at their maximum and when the moon rises and sets at the furthest points on its range on the horizon.

Whew! That’s a lot of astronomy! Truth be told this writer loves astronomy as being a word person, my math and science skills have always been lacking. In college, when I had to take a science, I took astronomy! I loved it!

But I digress. Back to our summer five senses portrait. It’s all for fun but maybe you’ll learn something useful out of it. Maybe you’ll acknowledge smells and sounds that make you reminisce about something enjoyable. Maybe a taste will not only make your tastebuds happy but your lips smile. Give it a shot. You might just discover what you see hung the moon in some fantastic way.

Have fun and happy summer!

Happy summer! The season of sun and fun officially started Thursday and I’m here to say I didn’t even realize it. Then, I started seeing all these posts about summer and I realized the season is upon us. Where I live, summer means one thing: heat. Okay, maybe two things: heat and air conditioning. But it can also mean vacations, school’s out, gardening, and swimming. Leave it to my blogger and author girl Gretchen Rubin to present a whole new way of looking at the change of season.

In a recent blog, Rubin brainstormed about ways to make the most of this summer and challenged herself to write a five senses portrait of summer. She writes how exploring our five senses can get us out of our heads and into the world. I loved it and I’m up for the challenge. Are you?

Tied into her New York Times best-selling book, “Life of Five Senses,” which discovers a surprising path to energy, creativity, loves, and maybe even a little bit of luck simply by tuning into your five senses. The challenge asks you to list your five senses and tie each on into a memory of summer. Let’s dive in!

Sight. My immediate summer sight memory takes me to Costa Rica and gazing out on the ocean from our hotel balcony. It’s a happy place and a happy memory.

Hearing. Where I live, summer hearing means cicadas. Yep, those buzzing bugs that once we hear them chirping each evening, we know summer, or at least the heat, has officially arrived.

Smell. Flowers. I think of all the flowers blooming everywhere, especially my knock-out roses that go crazy once the weather warms up. They are so beautiful they could also be in my “sight” category.

Taste. Grilled anything. Summer (and spring for that matter) mean grilling outside for us. This could be anything from burgers to hot dogs to fajitas to BBQ ribs or brisket. Some of these could also qualify as “smells” of summer.

Touch. My skin. Weird, right? But yep, in the summer I tend to touch my skin a whole lot more cuz off went the hoodies and leggings and out came short sleeves and dresses.

Quick diversion here. Rubin also has what’s called the “What’s Your Neglected Sense?” quiz. I took it and discovered my most neglected sense is seeing. Rubin notes that is can be useful to recognize your neglected sense because that’s where you have the greatest opportunity to fin more enjoyment and heighten your mindfulness. Got to gretchenrubin.com to find out more about all of this.

Back to summer…

Last summer was one of endless days of 100 degrees or more, so I’m hoping this summer is a little different in that sense…excuse the pun. For me, summer also means getting up earlier for my morning walk with one of our three dogs, as by 9 a.m. it is way too hot for either of us to be out. Same goes for evening strolls, as it never really cools down enough for their little paws or me for that matter.

Summer came early this year, actually the earliest in two centuries. The summer solstice, which happened on Thursday, marks the longest day of the year north of the Equator, the exact moment when the sun reaches its most northern point in the sky, when the Earth’s north pole is most tilted towards the sun, and is the beginning of summer. The Earth has a solstice every six months, in June and September. After the summer solstice, the days get short and the sun will appear lower and lower in the sky each day until the winter solstice on December. Interestingly enough, the hottest temperatures of the year usually don’t occur until July or August, as it takes time for the sun’s rays to warm our planet. Don’t tell that to people in the northeast right now who are melting in an extreme heat wave!

Even though the sun gets all the attention during all of this, the moon had its own party with a stunning “Strawberry Moon” reaching its stunning peak on Friday. Did you see it?

It was the sixth full moon of 2024, was named after strawberries that ripen during the summer, and is always the lowest-hanging full moon because it mirrors the sun’s position when the sun is at its highest. It all coincided this year not only with summer solstice, but also with a rare “major lunar standstill” not seen since 2006. This happens when the tilts of the moon and Earth are at their maximum and when the moon rises and sets at the furthest points on its range on the horizon.

Whew! That’s a lot of astronomy! Truth be told this writer loves astronomy as being a word person, my math and science skills have always been lacking. In college, when I had to take a science, I took astronomy! I loved it!

But I digress. Back to our summer five senses portrait. It’s all for fun but maybe you’ll learn something useful out of it. Maybe you’ll acknowledge smells and sounds that make you reminisce about something enjoyable. Maybe a taste will not only make your tastebuds happy but your lips smile. Give it a shot. You might just discover what you see hung the moon in some fantastic way.

Have fun and happy summer!

Tis the season for travel. Americans are traveling overseas in record numbers this year, setting aside worries about inflation and “prioritizing meaningful experiences over material goods,” according to a new report from Mastercard. Don’t believe that? Just look online. Everywhere I scroll someone is posting photos of their trips to one fabulous place after another. I’m guilty of posting a few photos of past trips myself and I enjoy doing so but I gotta admit I don’t enjoy travelling as much as I once did. Especially flying and especially flying during the summer. I seem to be joined somewhat by fellow travelers as choices are being made mindfully and earnestly.

 

“Today’s travelers are discerning, choosing destinations that offer both value and authenticity,” Michelle Meyer, chief economist and head of the Mastercard Economics Institute, which compiled the report, said. “Travel & Leisure” also interestingly reports that trending destinations are once-in-a-lifetime events, whether it’s a Taylor Swift concert, an international soccer tournament, or a solar eclipse. Consumers are also looking for places that offer excellent value, whether through favorable currency exchange rates or the overall bang-for-your-buck, somewhat proving that current inflation rates and overall increased cost-of-living expenses are playing a big part in where people go.

 

 

 

Among the hottest trending spots on Mastercard’s list are Tokyo, where the yen is down significantly compared to the U.S. dollar, as well as warm weather tropical favorites Aruba and Cancun. Additionally, rather than hopping from one destination to another, today’s travelers are extending their stays and immersing themselves in the experiences and wonders of each locale.

 

I do like the idea of settling in one spot but unless I’m going to one of my few remaining Bucket List locations, I’m happy either staying home or taking a road trip.

 

Speaking of road trips, we are scheduled to take a road trip with our three dogs to Ruidoso soon. We are keeping our fingers crossed that the devastating wild fires are contained and we are still able to make our favorite journey to the charming town, but most of all we are praying for all those displaced and whose homes and businesses were destroyed. Will you join me?

 

We love going to Ruidoso and do so annually. I’d also love to return to Costa Rica, where we visited annually until the pandemic shut the world down, but unfortunately the land of “pura vida” has been officially discovered so it’s more crowded and the hotel we called home each year is now 10 times more expensive. Sadly, no gracias.

 

 

I would love to return to Costa Rica, where we visited annually until the pandemic shut the world down, but unfortunately the land of “Pura Vida” has been officially discovered so it’s more crowded and the hotel we called home each year is now 10 times more expensive. Sadly, no gracias.

 

 

 

 

What about you? Do you prefer to return to places you previously visited or do you like to explore new and exciting places? I’m somewhere in the middle as there are destinations I haven’t been that I’d like to visit, but I also love returning to places I know and love and know that I love.

 

 

 

I’ve pretty much loved the majority of places I’ve been blessed to visit, some more than one time, some more than others, and most I’d visit again but before that, I do still have a few on my Bucket List. I would still like to see Ireland but am okay if I never do and Montana/Wyoming sound lovely but quite a chore to plan. Ultimately, the majority of places I still want to see are in the U.S. International travel is hard and with all that’s going on in our crazy world I’m a bit of the thinking that if I can’t drive home if need be, I’m staying home. That being said, I’m hell bent on seeing the Biltmore and surrounding Ashville; Louisville/Lexington and their bourbon trails, horse farms, and Churchill Downs; Colonial Williamsburg; Coeur d’Alene, Idaho; and Newport, RI. Hopefully I’ll get to at least one of them this year.

 

 

 

Anyplace else I’m okay not seeing. Oddly enough one of those places is Hawaii. Neither my husband nor I have been and have no desire to. Yes, we’ve heard how beautiful it is, but if I’m going to fly that far I’m going to Ireland or somewhere else in Europe. Would I go if it was free? Of course, but if it were up to the two of us, we’re happy with Santa Fe; Ruidoso; Scottsdale; New Orleans; Longboat Key, Florida; his hometown of East Aurora, NY; and a couple of golf destinations in between. Call us old, call us simple, call us satisfied.

 

 

 

We know we are blessed. We’ve experienced many of great cities and charming countries in the world. My husband has played golf at most of the treasured courses and I’ve relaxed in a sundry of fabulous spas…my happy place. For 21 straight years I’ve been beyond fortunate with trips with four college buddies to a different location every year. I do have one travel regret though. I regret never going to visit my niece when she lived in Japan or going with her and her family on one of their annual trips to her husband’s home country. Someday maybe.

 

 

 

Naturally there will be trips to see family and attend weddings, which we always enjoy, but chosen and planned out travels are somewhat off our radar list. For starters, my husband has travelled for business for 40+ years (and yes, I’ve heard the argument “but leisure travel is different than business travel, but tell that to someone who has travelled for 40+ years. A plane is a plane. A hotel starts being a hotel. And a destination is just somewhere away from home. As his grateful wife I respect it and I get it.) and flying today is such a hassle. Truth be told, I would much rather take a long road trip then hop on a plane. Drive me to Montana before flying me to Hawaii.

 

 

 

Speaking of the two states, there’s also the beach vs. mountains and city vs. small town decisions to be made. Both my husband and I grew up snow skiing and continued doing so early in our marriage and in our younger days. We’ve also always loved the beach and now in our more current “mature” years, we prefer the beach although we do love a beautiful mountain town in the summer. Big cities are exciting but I’m kinda over them and prefer small, quaint towns.

 

I do somewhat admire (but don’t envy!) friends who go to what I call “daredevil destinations” like Machu Pichu or Antarctica as I would never choose to do any of them. I have ziplined in Costa Rica, rode in a dog sled in Alaska, jumped on board the Maid of the Mist at Niagara Falls, and breathed deep as my husband and I drove Furka Pass in Switzerland, but those are about the extent of my adventurous spirit. There’s just something very comforting and homey about going back to a lovely hotel and a familiar destination and in my comfort zone. Yeah, I know and have read all about that outside of your comfort zone is where the magic happens but I’m not big into magic either.

 

 

If you do travel this summer or anytime soon, Gretchen Rubin of the Happier podcast shed some summer travel hacks that I loved, including:

• Buy a book as a souvenir. (Oddly enough I started doing this many trips ago and have loved every book I’ve brought home for my library.)
• Choose a signature scent for the trip that will forever remind you of the memories made.
• Bring an extra light tote that can be used as a shopping bag, beach bag, or extra carry-on bag. (I always have one of those foldable ones in my purse and it has proven clutch on many occasions.)
• Take notes on your trip to help you remember details like places you loved and those you didn’t and what you might have do the same or even differently.

 

Tips from me:

• Use hotel shower caps as shoe covers. You’re welcome!
• Pack your patience. Things are not going to go exactly as planned. Flights will be delayed. Weather happens. Crowds congregate. Rubin suggests packing your humor too.
• Count your blessings. Travel is a luxury. Be grateful for every trip you get to take.

 

Safe travels to everyone heading out. I can’t wait to see the photos and hear all about your adventures. Have a wonderful time!

One day recently while playing golf, the “Barbie” movie came up. Some had seen it but I haven’t. Don’t get me wrong, I looooooved Barbie but heard such mixed things about the movie I opted to pass. Will I watch it now that it’s streaming? Maybe. But while talking about the movie and its stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, we got to talking about how much I loved Robbie’s TV series from way back called “Pan Am” and since I loved the book “Maid” I liked her in that too. We also talked about how Gosling’s wife Eva Mendes has opted to take a pause from her actress life to raise their kids. (Harrison Butker surely applauds her.) From there it took a turn to sandwiches. Yep, sandwiches.

 

One of my friends mentioned that she’d seen Gosling interviewed and when asked what his favorite sandwich was, he said “ice cream.” A bit unexpected but understandable nonetheless and it got me thinking about a recent Reel I saw online that listed the top favorite sandwiches. So, sandwiches it is today friends!

 

 

What is your favorite sandwich? Everyone has one, even if it’s an ice cream sandwich! Mine? I gotta admit I turn to my inner child on this one as two of my absolute favorites are a classic PB&J and a grilled cheese. A simple grilled cheese though, not (although I do like them) a “fancy” one a la Baltazar in New York City. And as for a PB&J, I like grape or strawberry jelly, over jam, and creamy peanut butter, over chunky. I love PB&Js so much that my recent discovery of them at a simple news store in Austin’s airport literally made my day. Wrapped in cellophane, they are the perfect go-to snack while waiting for a flight or boarding one.

 

 

The more grown-up Carla is not a fan of classic sub sandwiches made up of a variety of cheeses and meats but I do love a chicken or egg salad sandwich. Tuna salad is good too. Lastly, the more ravenous and unhealthy version of Carla loves a Philly Cheese Steak sandwich. I’ve even had one at one of Philadelphia’s original cheesesteak diners.

 

Okay, but back to the list.

 

“USA Today” reports that, according to data, 79 percent of people either “like” or “somewhat like” a good old’ grilled cheese sandwich best. It was closely followed by grilled chicken and turkey sandwiches, which tied for second with a 75 percent likeability score. Here’s the complete list of the top 15 favorite sandwiches in the U.S.

 

1. Grilled cheese
2. Grilled chicken
3. Turkey
4. Roast beef
5. Ham
6. BLT
7. Club
8. Bacon
9. Peanut butter & jelly
10. Pulled pork
11. Tuna
12. Egg salad
13. Meatball
14. Reuben
15. Cuban

 

 

While most of the above sandwiches are beloved across the country, it’s interesting to note how tastes vary by region in the U.S. For instance, YouGov reports that people in the Northeast prefer lobster rolls and meatball subs more than the rest of the country. And in the West, they’re much more into the French dip. I’m guessing the South ranks highest when it comes to egg salad or pimento cheese sandwiches and Texans love their pulled pork BBQ sandwiches. And, who’s ever been to New Orleans and not had a muffuletta? This combination of ham, salami, mortadella sausage, Swiss and provolone cheeses, and olive salad all served in a muffuletta loaf, which is similar to focaccia, is not my favorite, but beloved in the Louisiana.

 

One “sandwich” that didn’t make the list, and I added the quotes because the sandwich jury is out as to whether it’s truly a sandwich, is the good ole Sloppy Joe. I like the combo of ground beef, onions, and tomato sauce all slopped together in hamburger bun but not enough respondents did to make the below list. Other honorable mentions include a crab cake sandwich and a cucumber and cream cheese tea sandwich. Check, check; like them both.

 

 

Yet another debate is how you pronounce “sandwich.” My mom has forever said “sangwich” and then there’s the “samich” crowd. And, is the D silent? Sanwich or sandwich?

 

In all seriousness though, sandwiches are serious stuff. What goes into each one is the talk of the town square everywhere and they are big business, so here’s just a sampling of what’s what. Enjoy!

 

 

Grilled Cheese. Not widely exciting or inventive, a grilled cheese is simply hard to hate. The key is keeping it simple with just bread and cheese. I like my bread a little buttered too.

 

Chicken Sandwich. I had no idea that none other than Chick-fil-A actually invented the chicken sandwich. It was created by the fast-food chain’s founder as an alternative to the hamburger and is now beloved by many.

 

Turkey Sandwich. This one is kinda boring to me but most like it because it can be not only delicious, but healthy. Forego the mayo and opt for mustard, top with lettuce and tomato, and you’ve got a somewhat nutritious little treat. Turkey melts are also yummy!

 

Roast Beef Sandwich. This can be made in several ways, including with just mayo and other toppings ranging from horseradish and aioli to the more exotic French Dip. Consisting of thin-slice roast beef, Swiss cheese, and onions on a French roll or banquette, the French Dip is also served with a side of beef broth for dipping. Ironically, it was not invented in France but at an LA sandwich shop called Phillipe The Original back in 1918. Maybe this is why they are way more popular in the West then elsewhere in the U.S.

 

Ham Sandwich. Thick slices of ham are the stars of this sandwich and are often joined by cheese, preferably Swiss, tomato and mustard. The very first recipe for this classic came from cookbook author Eliza Leslie back in 1840, where she instructed, “cut some thin slices of bread neatly, having slightly buttered them, and if you choose, spread on very little mustard. Have ready some very thin slices of cold boiled ham and lay one between two slices of bread.” The sandwich, which I do like, has come a long way since then but its roots remain.

 

BLT. Fun story. Growing up our family’s “BLT” didn’t have lettuce or tomato, but rather bacon in between one slice of bread spread with peanut butter and another slice spread with mayo. Odd I know, but beloved by us to this day. The more traditional version consists of bacon, lettuce, and tomato served as one. The sandwich became a national craze after World War II when the ingredients were sold in grocery stores at affordable prices.

 

Club Sandwich. Like the BLT, it gets its name from its ingredients: Chicken and Lettuce Under Bacon. This, I did not know! The popular sandwich first appeared in America in the late 19^th century and traditionally includes chicken, lettuce, and bacon served in a three-layer form with an extra slice of bread in the middle and served in quarters.

 

 

PB&J. Another favorite named for its ingredients, the PB&J is favored by old and young alike. The simple sandwich has been around since the turn of the 20^th century and, like the BLT, became popular during World War II as they were staples on ration menus as their ingredients were cheap and accessible. You could say this is the “All American Sandwich.”

 

Pulled Pork Sandwich. I do enjoy a good pulled pork sandwich…preferably sauced up and shredded barbecue pork. It should come as no surprise that this sandwich has its roots in the South and that’s where you’ll find the best versions, often served with coleslaw, where it’s most popular.

 

Tuna Sandwich. The story behind this classic consists of not a sandwich, but a salad. Toward the end of the 19^th century, restaurants began catering to their female clientele by serving healthy yet hearty salads with tuna. Years later, as women joined the workforce en masse, the more complicated salad became an easy to go sandwich and it’s still one of America’s favorites. If you want to get really fancy, there’s always a tuna melt consisting of added cheese and a toasted creation. Yum!

 

 

Egg Salad Sandwich. Yet another southern favorite and a Masters tradition, egg salad sandwiches are considered a bit “old school” but once you’ve had a good one, young or old you are sold.

 

Meatball. Next up, the meatball sub. The whopping more-than-a-sandwich features a hearty helping of ground meat or meatballs, mozzarella or provolone cheese, all heated up on a baguette or other large roll. Men tend to prefer this sandwich over women and I’m on board with that.

 

Rueben. This seems to be one of those things that you either love or hate. I’m not a fan but many are. Like the meatball, the combination of corned beef, Swiss cheese, Russian dressing, and sauerkraut served up on grilled rye bread, is more popular with men then women and is especially beloved in the Midwest.

 

Cuban. I always think I’d like this sandwich more than I do. Maybe it’s the combination of thin-sliced roast pork and glazed ham. Traditionally those meats are topped with Swiss cheese and dill pickles and then stuffed into a thick and unique Cuban roll.

 

 

Amazingly, British royalty is to thank for the sandwich, which originated in the 18^th century and was named after John Montagu, the 4^th Earl of Sandwich. Legend has it that he came up with the idea of putting meat between two pieces of bread so he could continue eating while playing cards. Okay fine; the English may have invented it, but it’s safe to say the Americans have perfected it.

 

 

I’ll end with one of my favorite sandwiches not listed above: the compliment/criticism/compliment sandwich. Never heard of it? It’s actually pretty essential in the art of conversation when it comes to feeling the need to criticize or offer disparagement to someone. It’s ingredients? Start with praise or a compliment, top and follow that with the criticism or advice, and top it all with more praise. This sandwich takes the bite out of what might be an awkward encounter and makes a savory addition to what otherwise might be too salty or spicy. Give it a try and make conversations savory!