The working vocabulary of the average 14-year-old has declined in the last 50 years from 25,000 words to 10,000. Language reflects the depth of our human experience. Because we think in words, are we losing the capacity to say what we feel?
Like, whatever.
Winnie Nielsen says: Oh, the lovely Wall tents! I had wanted to come to your B&B so much but life just didn’t present an opportunity to make the trek before they closed.
P.S. I’m just soooooo grateful for the opportunity my daughter, Robin, and I had the summer of 2011 to stay at your Outpost B&B for a few days! What a treat!!
Nancy Coughlin says: How wonderful to be able to visit and stay in one of your wall tents! On my bucket list!
This enchanting scene, painted over a century ago by a gent named Ludwig Knauss, instantly leaves me feeling afflated to begin planning for planting and picking flowers, lots and lots of flowers …
Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Afflated (uh-FLEY-tid): having inspiration; inspired
What flower afflated you to start dreaming of spring?
Cindi says: Lavender. Lots and lots of lavender. What a beautiful picture this is. She is a future farmgirl to be sure.
Spring crocuses and other spring bulbs always get me going. I have ” forced” some of the smaller bulbs of the antique double shaggy daffodils called ” Rip Van Winkle” that I found at my farmette. I have them in crystal wine glasses in my windows and they are really starting to shoot up now. Not much longer till the blooms I hope.
Planning my flowering vines like Hyacinth bean and various morning glories to grow on the white picket fence by my herb garden keeps me afflated right now. I am more of a vegetable gardener but the flowering herbs will keep me happy again this year and I want to add to the lemon scented herb collection for sure.
Winnie Nielsen says: Daffodils and little purple Crocus always inspire spring in me. Although down here in Florida, it is the azaleas that usher in the change of season. Our back yard is almost a sea of pinks and white. For some reasons, the freezes last week hit the front yard but not the back and so our azaleas are coming out. They are so pretty!
Debra says: Perfect timing, as I am putting sticky notes on seed catalog pages…sweet peas, sunflowers, zinnias, nasturtiums, alyssum. It’s all about color and scent. Calendula, cosmos, bachelor buttons and sweet peas are the first flowers I grew as a little kid–I still love all of them.
Outside right now are pink pussywillows, helleborus, crocus and snowdrops. Seems much too early!
Chrissy says: Linder benzoin, a type of spice bush (that a particular swallowtail butterfly calls home) was my favorite to take cuttings from and force early. It’s bloom is not unlike witch hazel and though kinda odd, gave hope that spring was not so far off. It was at my parent’s home. I planted one three years ago, and the first year the bunnies found it a delectable winter treat. It’s not growing very fast, so no cuttings, yet.
Theresa says: Dandelions…. Little white puffballs that I grab, close my eyes and make a wish while I blow the seeds everywhere. Hurry Spring, please come quickly.
Nancy Coughlin says: Tulips, tulips and more tulips. When my daughter moved to Michigan, one of the first trips we did together was to Holland, MI!!! So beautiful and all I could do was stand and stare. She kept poking me and saying, “There’s more to see Mom!” Winter here in the Northeast has been brutal this year, and I am praying that my tulips survive and bloom when Spring arrives.
Winnie Nielsen says: Is this what your Teal Vintage truck looked like before you had it refurbished? Such a classic!
Charlyn says: Another great picture
When I set out to share a word for today (word of the day), I realized it would be more effective to show, really show you than to tell you. Just as well not to tell sometimes, you know? Some words are easier to explain by showing than telling. Everyone’s always telling, you know? Telling this. Telling that. Don’t you think that also sometimes? If you think so too, you know, you most likely do, so why don’t we just go ahead and go with that?
In case you’re beginning to wonder, and who in their right mind doesn’t wonder now and then? You should understand—please understand—I haven’t lost mine. Mind you, I don’t know though, do you really mind about my mind in particular or can you simply muster mind over matter? Ha, or does it even matter?
I’m simply attempting to exemplify the peculiar, very peculiar pathology of verbigeration (ver-bij-uh-REY-shuhn), in which one engages in the constant or obsessive repetition of meaningless words or phrases. Super meaningless words or phrases, like you know, I don’t know, know what I mean? Lots of unnecessary little words thrown in, sometimes every other word it seemingly seems. Like, really meaningless words or phrases, you know? Like, taking, like, forever ever to say almost nothing. Interestingly, “verbigeration” entered English in the late 1800s from the Latin verbigerāre, meaning “to chat, converse.” Chat or converse, or not chatty and then, you know, like wham bam, conversely chatty? What do you think about that, my little mockingbird? Mocking, mocking, mocking, but only maybe so so mocking, you know? Right?
Photo of a mockingbird by benjamint444 via Wikimedia Commons
Cindi Johnson says: LOL!! Have you any idea, any at all, how hard that was to read at 4:30 A.M.? I mean, sheesh, that was like, you know, making my brain go in a circle and then back again, round and round, thinking “what the heck?” Then to finish it off with the lovely, yet intimidating, picture of a mocking bird, which I have never seen before. Such a face with an attitude!! Hahahaha, Thanks for the good morning laugh. Yes, my brain will be scrambled for the rest of the day and, yes, I will also avoid a certain person in my office that really talks like that. It’s just too much verbigeration! (How much that sounds like reverberation, which it does have a certain amount of.) 🙂
Laurie says: It wasn’t much easier at 2.20pm either!
Winnie Nielsen says: I am happy to know there is a word for this problem. How easy it is to be repetitive and not even realize it until someone points it out or you hear a recording of yourself. Than can’t be me??!!! I know I am guilty of this myself at times despite trying to be otherwise. I was listening to This American Life on NPR the other night on the way home from the Tea, and the discussion was about how the younger generation has this sing song quality to their talking on top of the repetition of words like , like, or you know, etc. It was noted how these traits annoy the older generation, but pointing such repetitions out only irritates the younger generation who keep talking the way they wish. The commentator was young himself and was interviewing other young professionals who work in the radio and other speaking lines of business. Their conclusion to the problem? We old folks just have to get over it! That is our only option? Really?
Cindi Johnson says: I’m afraid that sing-songy tone is contagious Winnie. One of my friends (WAY older than me I might point out) does the same thing. If you think it is grating when the younger generations do it, you should try listening to a 72 year old talk that way!
Chrissy says: Kinda reminds me of politicians…
Please do not disturb.
Photo by Phrontis via Wikimedia Commons
I’m apricating.
Photo by Keagiles via Wikimedia Commons
Cats know comfort, don’t they? I mean, who doesn’t love to apricate this time of year? The warmth of the sun in winter is worth more than gold.
Photo by diana2020 via Wikimedia Commons
Now, as if you hadn’t guessed already, apricate means “to bask in the sun.”
Ahhh …
Photo by TM via Wikimedia Commons
Back to basking I go. We’ve had unseasonably sunny days lately.
Winnie Nielsen says: These photos remind me of my kitty Mr. Bump. He loves him a nice sunbeam for a proper nap!
MaryJane says: Love that, “loves him a nice sunbeam for a proper nap.”
Cindi Johnson says: I have been known to do that – just stand next to the window, close my eyes and soak up the rays. Some people think I am weird for it. I just tell them I’m solar powered.
MaryJane says: I’ll have to remember your clever response. Wouldn’t a bit of sun right now feel good? When I used to wear hair curlers, I said they were batteries and I was getting a recharge.
Deborah McKissic says: I love those sunny window winter days…my hubby and I were at an antique store a few weeks ago and when we came into one room there was a huge window and the sun was pouring in..so, I stood in the sunshine and said “this is where a kitty would be” and just stood there soaking up rays..after a few minutes my hubby looked at me and replied “meow”….ha ha
MaryJane says: Yes, meow! That’s it.
Connie-Kilalrney says: Nothing more comforting than watching a cat sleep! We have 6 now and they vie for the sunny windows! I love to put on a hat and coat and go outside and feel the Sun if only for 20 Minutes! On cloudy days inside, I pull the floor lamp as close as I can get it to my chair, I am short so it shines down on my head as I read and it is comforting! I too like to stand in the sunny window, in my laundry room and just drink in some Vitamin D!
I have one of those apricating cats and she does love her sunshine. I do too! The last three days here have been gray, cloudy, gloomy but with some much needed precipitation. My “Silky” and I are grateful for the return of our clear, stunningly blue, Colorado skies and sunshine! 😀
My Kitties James Earl Jones, Duke Ellington and Frank Sinatra ( Earl, Duke and Frankie when I call them ) all vie for the sunbeams that come into the winter Livingroom, the only time of the year any direct sunlight comes into this farmhouse. I’ve been known to curl up on the rug right with them. And ,Yes , I have said for years I was ” solar powered” , and luckily with growing plants for my seed business I am in the sun most of the day in warmer months.
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What a beautiful little bird. What is it? We don’t have that breed around here and I always enjoy seeing different birds in other parts of our nation. Each one has their own little niche.
I don’t know what kind of bird it is, Winnie. Will have to look it up!
Hi there,
It’s a Junco.
wow western juncos look so different, here in PA they are very grey with black and white markings. We call them snowbirds here.
That is a precious picture! Don’t know why it struck me that way. Heehee, it gave me a little flutter of excitement for the spring that is right around the corner! Gotta get out and clean the winter debris out of the yard to make ready for an abundance of these beautiful little guys. Last summer’s sunflowers and birdbath put my yard on the birdie map. Well, they helped by planting most of the sunflowers for me but…
GREAT
Amazing how resilient these little guys are. Received a larger feeder this past year from one of my son’s mothers-in-law, and the bird population in my backyard has increased dramatically. I am amazed they are surviving this winter. Lots of cardinals and blue-jays. Even had some crows this past week!