 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.
	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
                
	
        	
            
            
            
				 
                  Tolerance “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” ~ From The Bill of Rights, 1...
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				                Dandee Donuts Factory Driving on Atlantic Boulevard, we spotted this donut shop and made plans to come back to it, when we had more time.  The shop has a rather old fashioned feel to it; not only are the donuts remarkably wonderful, in fact, the best donuts I have eaten, but they offer you...
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                Guacamole   With a plethora of avocados (http://thatisallfornow.com/?p=8219) what else could I do but make guacamole – well avocado salads, stuffed avocados, cream of avocado soup, chicken-tortilla soup, avocado enhanced sandwiches – alright, there are countless things one can do with avocados, but guacamole is certainly one of the most delicious ways to enjoy...
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                  My Mother’s Avocado Tree Bear’s Fruit     “Then he told this parable:  A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any.  So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now...
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                Remembering Nine-Eleven Do Not Forget   Colonel Donna J. Neary, USMCR (Ret) Liberty Rising – “God grants liberty only to those who love it and are always ready to defend it . . .” ~ Daniel Webster, 1834 ~   Recently, I had someone ask me what my connection to the barbaric attacks of...
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                  Airstream Ranch     I could not resist stopping for this shot.  These eight Airstream trailers were half buried, after Frank Bates saw the Cadillac Ranch  (http://thatisallfornow.com/?p=6981 ) on a helicopter trip across country, and decided that imitation is the highest form of flattery.  Situated off of the I-4, in Dover, Florida, it...
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