Cristina Jill

Late Ripeness “Not soon, as late as the approach of my ninetieth year, I felt a door opening in me and I entered the clarity of early morning. One after another my former lives were departing, like ships, together with their sorrow. And the countries, cities, gardens, the bays of seas assigned to my brush came closer, ready now to be described better than they were before. I was not separated from people, grief and pity joined us. We forget - I kept saying - that we are all children of the King. For where we come from there is no division into Yes and No, into is, was, and will be. We were miserable, we used no more than a hundredth part of the gift we received for our long journey. Moments from yesterday and from centuries ago - a sword blow, the painting of eyelashes before a mirror of polished metal, a lethal musket shot, a caravel staving its hull against a reef - they dwell in us, waiting for a fulfillment. I knew, always, that I would be a worker in the vineyard, as are all men and women living at the same time, whether they are aware of it or not.” ~ Czeslaw Milosz ~ My name is Cristina Jill Mosqueda Cooper. I pause looking at my name, and think about how much there is to explain with those words alone. My mother gave me a name to use in each of my worlds, Cristina for my Cuban life, and Jill for the American life. I suppose it is there were the paradoxes of my life began. I have been many things in my life, from a housekeeper to a high school history teacher; but no matter what else I did, I was always a writer. I love words and the power and passion which they can be used to create. I love reading words, writing words, speaking words, and listening to words – especially words from people that I love and respect. It is my desire to live life on my own terms, and willingly or not, I have paid the price demanded, by the world, to be myself. I share my life with Kate, with whom I have lived for the last 23 years, and Miss Merry Margaret, our little mutt who really is the world’s most perfect dog. I also travel, cook, garden, sculpt, and make large messes doing all of the above. Welcome to my world, that is all for now.

Web Site: http://thatisallfornow.com


In the Garden

April 12, 2012

Hibiscus       I love having fresh flowers in my house, preferably flowers which are fragrant and found in my yard.  However, gardenias and roses are not always available, when all else fails, I can almost always count on finding at least a few hibiscus blooms for my table!  While you may not...
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Food

April 11, 2012

Spicy Chicken Salad and Mango Chutney I love foods which can be prepared ahead of time and be ready for later consumption.  Chicken salad actually tastes better, after it has been prepared and given a couple of hours to absorb the combined flavors.  I will make this salad, refrigerate, and have it available for...
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In the Wild!

April 10, 2012

Not Quite In The Wild I am used to seeing wildlife on the back porch; in fact the day we moved into this house, we were greeted by a chorus of otters!  However, today was the first time I saw a raccoon on the porch, making himself at home. He was quite large, in...
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Art

April 10, 2012

 To love a painting is to feel that this presence is… not an object but a voice. ~ Andre Malraux ~ Evening Tones by Oscar Bluemner Strolling through a museum, I often feel that I am at a reunion of sorts, looking for familiar friends, which I long to reconnect with, and hoping perhaps...
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A View from the Road

April 3, 2012

  Starbucks in Chinese? I would love to say that this was taken in China; but it was not.  Though we have been making yearly trips to Washington D.C., for at least ten years, we had not explored China Town, until a few months ago.   Home to the largest single-span Chinese arch, and the...
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From the Editor

April 1, 2012

Aung San Suu Kyi “I was informed today that my dear wife Suu has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize … It is my earnest hope and prayer that the Peace Prize will somehow lead to what she has always strived for –  a process of dialogue aimed at achieving lasting peace in her...
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Poet’s Corner

April 1, 2012

  Where did you go?   Where did you go? The person that I thought I knew, the one I understood, who understood me in return. The one with whom I could speak for endless hours, and touch through endless nights. The one who never hurried, and never tired. The one who desired only...
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Did You Know?

March 31, 2012

IBM End-to-End Security for Smart Grids By Sadu Bajekal, Andy Bochman, Steve A. Dougherty,David K. Hemsath and Kate Scarcella Did you know that end-to-end security should be holistic?  Follow the link below to learn more: http://public.dhe.ibm.com/common/ssi/ecm/en/tiw14041usen/TIW14041USEN.PDF
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Favorite Books

March 20, 2012

Encyclopedia Britannica to Cease as We Know It I will be the first to admit my love for Wikipedia.  Rarely, have I gone to look for something and not found it there, or found the information on its page inaccurate.  I have even gone as far as giving Wikipedia its own icon on my...
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Poet’s Corner

March 15, 2012

  Marked by Carmen Tafolla  M’ija. It is for those who would erase. Make your mark proud       and open, Brave,                beauty folded into       its imperfection, Like a piece of turquoise       marked.   Never write with pencil, m’ija. Write with ink       or mud, or berries grown in gardens never owned,...
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Art


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