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


Food

July 3, 2017

Gray’s Papaya     Hot dogs are most definitely a food I must be in the mood for; they are not part of my regular fare, but a good hotdog can certainly hit the spot, at the right moment – like say the 4th of July! For me, what makes a great hot dog...
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From the Editor

July 1, 2017

The Moneychangers “On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. And as he taught them, he...
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Holiday’s

July 1, 2017

Happy 4th of July! “Our obligations to our country never cease but with our lives.” ~ John Adams~ As we mark this day with family, friends, and fireworks, let us not forget why we stop to celebrate on July the Forth, and let us raise our voices united in our prayer that God Bless...
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In Nature

June 29, 2017

Pagoda & Oriental Garden     In Norfolk, Virginia, while searching for the Mermaids, which dot the cities landscape, I was advised by a passerby, that I should make sure not to miss the Pagoda & and Oriental Garden.  I thanked him for his suggestion, and stepped up my pace!     This small...
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Perfect Post Cards – Picture and a Thousand Words

June 28, 2017

Paris     Perhaps I am just feeling the passing years, but I find myself more nostalgic about certain people and places – including Europe in general, and Paris in particular.     It is true that I have read too much about and by the American expatriates and those lost generations, the experiences...
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Favorite Books

June 27, 2017

Sitting By My Bedside     “One sure window into a person’s soul is his reading list.” ~ Mary B. W. Tabor ~   What are you reading?  Are you looking for your next great read?  Here is a look at what is sitting by my bedside, and which I am pleased to recommend....
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In the Wild!

June 26, 2017

Moa Yes, More Chickens!     Moa, in Hawaiian, means chicken, and it is not unusual to see these lovely creatures wondering around, shall we say – free as a bird!     Whether the majority of these wild chickens are domesticated animals that have gotten free, descendants of the Red Junglefowl, brought to...
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Public Square

June 22, 2017

Julia Ideson Library A Part of the Houston Public Library     As a child, my Mother would often take me and my sisters to the public library; it was of course an inexpensive diversion, but it was also the place where her endless curiosities could be addressed. I do not remember her ever...
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Art

June 20, 2017

To love a painting is to feel that this presence is… not an object but a voice. ~ Andre Malraux ~      Road to Ogunquit by Clarence Chatterton The Road to Ogunquit, has long been one of my favorite pieces, at the Portland Museum of Art.   Painted by Clarence Chatterton, who was born in...
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Food

June 17, 2017

Bread Pudding   I love bread pudding! I enjoy it hot out of the oven, at room temperature, and chilled; it is great plain or with sauce or whipped cream.  It is a dish that travels well and sits happily in the refrigerator for a good week, especially in an airtight container.  If I...
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Art


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