“…got me goin’ in circles…”

You already know!! I am creating reels for my projects. Y’all! I am like a bat IN h _ _ l. I loaded all these images on Instragram about a half hour ago. It’s still processing, for real! (Pun intended). I’m about to get some help with my projects; I feel sorry for her. What?!

About reeling….what a great term for what I seem to be doing at this age.

• REELING – My feet hurt, so my balance is off. I bet you think I’m gon’ tell y’all about falls I’ve had. Wait…let me adjust my heating pad…
• REELING – Can I complete at least one sentence without forgetting a term or a name?
• REELING – Oh, what…now, I need someone to drive me around at night. If the streets are not well-lighted, you betta’ pull aside when you see me driving.
• REELING – I keep a great calendar. So why am I always a day or an hour early?
• REELING – I keep passing hearing tests; why can’t I hear…EH?!!!
• REELING – trying to contact Facebook!
• REELING – I meet with young folks from Project Say Something…REELING, REELING, REELING!!!!!!
• LORD, now I’m trying to come out of listing mode on this post and don’t know how. What!!

On the real, I’m also reeling from something serious and indicative of this season of my life – losing loved ones. I know we all are. One thing I have determined at this juncture is that I cannot take anything for granted. Life is such a gift, and I realize I/we must live in the moment.

Mr. K. has a cousin we discovered in Memphis, Emma. I have never seen anything like it. She moved from Detroit to be near her family in Memphis, and this woman does not leave a stone unturned. She posts pictures about everyday gifts she experiences, like a local park, music, dance, art, protests, and people. Now, she’s taking photos of people she finds interesting. (She takes great images. I’ll ask her if I can show y’all some later). She is living in the moment.

My Chicago friends are also celebrating life. Unlike me, here in AL, they are in my hometown experiencing circles ending, so they give living all they have. Jazz, art festivals, plays, stepping, and club events intertwine with the many memorials attended. I have seen folks on walkers, canes, and crutches making it to life-affirming events. They are living in the moment.

Y’all know I had to Chicago eat. First with her charcuterie delight, pizza, wine, music, and fun with Janis Gipson. (We also ordered dinners from Jan’s I Cook with Color menu. I fell in love with Turkey Tips). Then, with Pat Kline for some corned beef. Why did I have to stop at the Garrett’s Popcorn stand in the airport?

Invite from Jan for Food and fun! Had to get some corned beef with Pat.

I’m here in Bama, but I’m staying busy. There are also some folks here I can’t keep up with, but I know the importance of finding my way to momentous living. If not on the road with Mr. K., or traveling to Chi, to see my folks, then with Project Say Something, Living Spirit, the art museum, CORE Drummers, and Garden Spices/VBGold jewelry. Y’all, I think I’m even gonna start working for Camille and Taurus.

---

MJ, The Musical! Ned I say more? Board members at event for art museum

---

Hey…I’m REELING in my celebration of life!! WHAT?!

---

Joy Juice

Life is lived in time. Therefore he who wastes time, wastes life. – African Proverb

We are in the throes of the whirlwind of life. Stationary? Not today, Satan! The only time we have for a lengthy sit is for prayer and meditation. We are giving this season all we have.

“It’s all good/love/God” – Victorine

© 2023 Vicki Goldston, All rights reserved.

---

Please Subscribe and Follow my blog! Name(required) Email(required)

Please support Spicy…a blog by Victorine through Patreon. 

 Victorine, Bio

Author of  Be S.A.F.E., StillAware, Faithful, Excellent, now available on Kindle Amazon as an e-book.

“…the book title and its content are intended to be a whisper, reminding us that by connecting with our spiritual self, we can center through anything and that we are forever within the bubble of God’s protection.”

Don’t forget to check out Garden Spices Magazine, Celebrating our differences.  

For Karen Joy

We began, Joy and I,

structured as the formation of family

Rocky at best

Pressured and heated,

But malleable.

We were a metamorphosis, Joy and I,

 into energy of

            Patience

            Trust and Generosity.

Spirits tempered with time, Joy and I,

Chiseled our intentions to create

           Reciprocal

Timeless

Sister-love.

Forever remaining in my heart, 

Now in memory

Sparkling in glorious magnificence

Precious, Joy,

My gemstone.

#MamaSitaPapaB #Christlight  #Vibrant #Family

Coltrane’s music was transcendent; it flew beyond our expectations into the realms of spirituality. Even before I knew of such things, I knew my father’s music was enigmatic and that this piece, A Love Supreme, initiated some higher ground. The word “supreme.” So don’t blame me if I cannot find a place for the actions of a court dubbed “supreme,” a court whose actions cannot possibly hear/see the beauty of Coltrane. What to do?

That’s what Mr. K. and I discuss. “I’m looking for solutions,” he advocates. “Staying in the problem won’t help.” I was so angry at recent rulings regarding Affirmative Action , Loan-forgiveness, and discrimination, that I could not hear Mr. K. But Coltrane calls me to recapitulate and find solutions rather than dwell in my state of pissoffity at the rulings. What?!

Mr. K. advocates for education by promoting the free program Khan Academy and says that striving for excellence in all we do, including every type of work, will take us to higher ground. I call for a semblance of a Black Panther-style remedy of community action – empowering through teaching true history and promoting individual self-worth. We have to create services that educate willing students, as well as provide preventive healthcare information, but I pray we do not need firearms to keep us safe. And like the Black Panther’s platform (Power to the People), I place no limitations on who enters the door as long as the conscious action heralds “love supreme.” How to start?

If you have encountered Mr. K., you already know about Khan Academy and the need for excellence. Action. Project Say Something and other organizations provide educational, health, and wellness tools to support conscious living. Action. And don’t tell me you are too old. Become an elder, a living ancestor for giving wisdom and guidance. We have been there and done plenty we can share with young folks that lead. Each action we take to teach, inform, and encourage what we envision shuts out the noise of systemic chaos and speaks the truth of who and what we are love supreme.

Image: Wikimedia Commons

---

Joy Juice

“Action is the magic word.” Think about what you can offer, and give it. Everything starts with the spirit, which means your individual process initiates the collective impact/movement to higher ground. We got this.

“Don’t you let nobody take you to a low level
Just keep on and keep on until you reach higher ground
Don’t you let nobody take you to some low, low level
Just keep on and keep on until you reach higher ground” – Higher Ground, by Stevie Wonder

“It’s all good/love/God” – Victorine

© 2023 Vicki Goldston, All rights reserved.

---

Please Subscribe and Follow my blog! Name(required) Email(required) Website Message

Please support Spicy…a blog by Victorine through Patreon. 

 Victorine, Bio

Author of  Be S.A.F.E., StillAware, Faithful, Excellent, now available on Kindle Amazon as an e-book.

“…the book title and its content are intended to be a whisper, reminding us that by connecting with our spiritual self, we can center through anything and that we are forever within the bubble of God’s protection.”

Don’t forget to check out Garden Spices Magazine, Celebrating our differences.  

https://www.instagram.com/gardenspicesmagazine/%post_id%

• Twitter
• Facebook
• Pinterest
• WhatsApp
• Email
• LinkedIn
• Pocket

I am so proud of myself. I just completed formatting a new website for Garden Spices Magazine, and I’m about to embark upon creating another one for my daughter’s business. So, would you tell me why I can’t text to save my life? Grammarly and text-correct sing a song with me daily. I know you notice my posts; if I manage to make it through without a typo, I do a quiet cheer. And why am I forgetting which day it is? I’m missing an important event because I forgot I have another important event. If we have an engagement, call and confirm I know about it. And one more thing…why can’t I remember words? My friends and I speak in code. We have to fill in words for each other. What?! And Why?!! Tomorrow, I’ll turn 73! (I was my mom’s Mother’s Day present).

Yes, I need your help; I need you to continue the love and support you have shown me. I know I give y’all a lot of content to browse and Like, but you have hung tough with me. Thank you. And now…I can’t say any more because I am falling asleep in front of the computer. Mr. K. is on his way from South Carolina, and my eyes can barely stay open. I need HELP!!!

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!

ZZZZZZZZZZ…LOVE, Y’ALL!!

Once upon a time, there was a young mother activist whose Black child attended a charter school where he was one of two Black children in his sixth-grade class. The school invited the mother to do a Black History presentation, and she chose to tell the children about the Children’s Crusade, which took place in Birmingham, AL. She told them about the atrocities taking place during the Civil Rights Movement and about how these Black children elected to stand for the movement.

She told how they walked out of their school and protested for voting/civil rights on the streets of Birmingham; how the Birmingham police met them with dogs and hoses. She told how they went to jail and how some of the young girls were sequestered in jail, unable to call their parents to tell them where they were.

The students were stunned, aghast at what they heard – the history of the
fight for racial justice in the state of AL. Their response? Did they hang their heads in shame? No. Instead, they wanted to assemble like the Children’s Crusade and join the fight for justice!

In real-time, the mother’s visit was after the George Floyd murder and
amidst a protest to take down a Confederate monument in their city. After
hearing the story, the brilliant children could not be complacent in their
thoughts. They were awakened, “woke.” Some had already been a part of
the protest. In my opinion, herein is where the problem of the controversial
concept of Critical Race Theory arises. The legislators of AL do not intend to
awaken their children.

Today, activist coalitions at the Statehouse of AL fight the ban on teaching history in AL schools. They are the grand and great-grandchildren of the Children’s Crusade movement and the Freedom Riders. They speak in the AL sessions about how “lawmakers” do not trust the educators of AL enough to allow them to teach true American history and to enable their students to debate. The activists argue how our state is falling victim to what befalls our country, the dumbing down of America. They speak and protest to kill the bills banning the teaching of history, particularly Black history.

What can we do? This mother feels that the least we can do is learn why the scholars of Harvard created Critical Race Theory. We can support young organizations and activists who take action to heal our nations. Here’s a link and a quote:

“In essence, Critical Race theorists seek to explain why liberal legal formalism centered on the idea of “color-blind” justice is dead. Yet, more than simply deconstructing the myth of blind justice, they post the more crucial question: Does law have the capacity to resolve the social condition of inequality impacting America’s dispossessed groups by race, class, and gender.” Black
Past

AL.com gives the full skivvy on what happened in the recent attempt to kill the bill.

CRT is an intellectual theory plucked from the annals of Harvard by dumbed-down Conservatives to alarm their followers and to keep their children close. They hijack the word “woke” to scare their listeners and cast folks as unpatriotic that subscribe to its true meaning. The teaching of history is necessary to heal this nation.

This Baby Boomer mother stands with/supports the young folks.  No matter how they try to stop the youths, our woke children will rise and continue to Kill Bill(s).  What?!  Yass!!

#ALwakeup #ProjectSaySomething #ALActivistCoalitions #NashvilleJustins

Photo Credit:   Kalea Morgan on Unsplash

---

Joy Juice

Isaiah 54 17

[17] No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.

“By any means necessary.”  Malcom X

“Keep hope alive” – Rev. Jesse L. Jackson

“It’s all good/love/God” – Victorine

© 2023 Vicki Goldston, All rights reserved.

---

Please Subscribe and Follow my blog!

Please support Spicy…a blog by Victorine through Patreon. 

 Victorine, Bio

Author of  Be S.A.F.E., StillAware, Faithful, Excellent, now available on Kindle Amazon as an e-book.

“…the book title and its content are intended to be a whisper, reminding us that by connecting with our spiritual self, we can center through anything and that we are forever within the bubble of God’s protection.”

Don’t forget to check out Garden Spices Magazine, Celebrating our differences.  

So my question is, why is it you are minding your own sweet business when your machines decide it’s time to break down. Is it the energy? Is it seasonal? First appliances, then old school-but-paid-for-still-got-swag-cars, the roof, and finally, my magazine website. The truth is, everything I got is OLD, and I thought, GOOD, but it turns out that some things just get old and die. !Now, I bet y’all think I’m going to use these happenings as a metaphor for this season of my life. You’re right; in a way, I’m dying!!

I’m busy dying to the self that rants and raves when stuff goes awry. I’m dying to the self that feels my bank account and creativity will be depleted by life’s circumstances. What?!

I told y’all about me meditating. That’s my cure – prayer and meditation. I affirm through prayer; then, I listen to become aware of solutions. Then, I do my best to hold on to the reality that everything I need is within the bubble of my high frequency. What comes next? I give thanks for what I got. You know me…I gotta stretch out my hand, meaning I realize my good may come through asking experienced advice, but ultimately, my highest good is coming from my highest Source. Real talk. “Everything old is new again!”

I had my friend, Kathy Frederick, render one of her “Grumpy Old Woman” portraits.(Featured image). I got plenty of tongue-in-cheek rants for y’all, but in truth, that grumpy old woman is finding a hard time rearing her head. My answer to “Why?” is “Because.,and Who cares? It’s all good/God.”

---

Joy Juice

Nothing to say except gratitude...our greatest gift. I feel so blessed to be here and to experience the joy of living.

Galatians 5:22-23

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

No matter how full the river, it still wants to grow. ~ Congolese Proverb

“LOVE HAS THE FINAL WORD,” Ricki Byars

“It’s all good/love/God” – Victorine

© 2023 Vicki Goldston, All rights reserved.

---

Please Subscribe and Follow my blog!

Please support Spicy…a blog by Victorine through Patreon. 

 Victorine, Bio

Author of  Be S.A.F.E., StillAware, Faithful, Excellent, now available on Kindle Amazon as an e-book.

“…the book title and its content are intended to be a whisper, reminding us that by connecting with our spiritual self, we can center through anything and that we are forever within the bubble of God’s protection.”

Don’t forget to check out Garden Spices Magazine, Celebrating our differences.  

Oh yes, there’s a book written about it, love language, and everyone has one. Go on, admit it; there’s something that makes your heart beat or even explode. It could be a compliment, showing affection, a sentimental song, flowers, acts of kindness, bling, food prepared or bought, or simply phone calls and visits. But what if you want them all, like me! What?

I feel so sorry for Mr. K. The man drives 6 hours to visit me, then, as I told y’all, my hands haven’t touched the steering wheel yet, even when we drive as far as Texas, FL, Carolinas, Chicago, ATL, whenever and wherever. I’m a foodie and greedy, so you know he has to find something exotic to feed me, and if I come out with Uggs and a sweatshirt, why am I patting my foot, waiting for a compliment? Whenever I say, “Let’s,” he says, “go.” Therefore we are up and down the road to every museum, film, play, Watch Party, protest, and Birthday gathering. Because he lives within driving distance, he even attended my friend’s brother’s funeral, representing me.

Thank goodness, we remain a work in progress, but Mr. K. is talking to me, loud and clear, and I’m talking right back from Bama to South Carolina the way we like it. This is for you, Mr. K. Happy Valentine’s Day!

---

Joy Juice

“LOVE HAS THE FINAL WORD,” Ricki Byars

“It’s all good/love/God” – Victorine

© 2023 Vicki Goldston, All rights reserved.

---

Please Subscribe and Follow my blog!

Please support Spicy…a blog by Victorine through Patreon. 

 Victorine, Bio

Author of  Be S.A.F.E., StillAware, Faithful, Excellent, now available on Kindle Amazon as an e-book.

“…the book title and its content are intended to be a whisper, reminding us that by connecting with our spiritual self, we can center through anything and that we are forever within the bubble of God’s protection.”

Don’t forget to check out Garden Spices Magazine, Celebrating our differences.  

I just can’t understand why exactly three months here at home in Florence, AL, I’m chomping at the bit to travel. I mean, I just got back from Texas in early October. You would think I’m wasting away here in Bama., but I been busy! What?!

My holidays were great; I told you about Thanksgiving. Christmas was just as much fun, with just my immediate family, fun, oxtails, and then (you already know) sleep. December ended with a Warrior Woman Birthday party for my daughter, Camille, with a guest visit from Sugar Pearl’s Carla Renae, who is now one of my ‘daughters.’ She cooked, and we blessed, prayed, ate, danced, and celebrated Camille’s 45th; then, the next evening, Carla cooked, and the Usual Suspects, including Mr. K., celebrated her good food. Simply wonderful.

We started the year with a Kwanzaa, Watch Night, and later, my grandson Christian’s 21st Birthday. More celebration. Mr. K. and I saw and loved the films Wakanda Forever (Lift Me Up) and Avatar and made our Huntsville run for my speaking engagement at Unity and lunch with good friends. But just a week after Mr. K’s departure, here I sit, ready to travel.

Hmm…where to this year? France is on the drawing board, possibly New York and definitely Chicago, but for now? Anybody wanna go to Trader Joe’s in Huntsville? I’m ret’ to go! What?!

How about you? Where you wanna go?

---

Featured Photo by Renato: https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-photography-of-hand-near-window-1264438/

---

Joy Juice

My mind is filled with gratitude for the abundant blessings of my life, but at times my body feels a rumble that says, “Traveling is a part of your well-being/vortex.” Maybe the rumble can be satisfied with a trip to a neighboring city, but I do pay attention to it.

We have the gift of being aware of what keeps us vital; prayer and meditation tap us on the shoulder to remind us.

Proverbs 3:23

“Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble.”

Mark 16:15

“Go ye into all the world…”

African proverb

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”

“It’s all good/love/God” – Victorine

© 2023 Vicki Goldston, All rights reserved.

---

Please Subscribe and Follow my blog!

Please support Spicy…a blog by Victorine through Patreon. 

 Victorine, Bio

Author of  Be S.A.F.E., StillAware, Faithful, Excellent, now available on Kindle Amazon as an e-book.

“…the book title and its content are intended to be a whisper, reminding us that by taking the time to connect with our spiritual self, we can center through anything and that we are forever within the bubble of God’s protection.”

Don’t forget to check out Garden Spices Magazine, Celebrating our differences.  

Photo clockwise: Miles, Pat, Bama, & Moi; Pat, Camille, and I; Pat & Thomas; Camille, Taurus, Holly, Thomas and Moi

(My Patreon folks received this post, and I decided to share it with you.

Loved Ones,

You are my gifts, and I am grateful.  Because of you, I get to make folks smile and remember that life is a gift that should never be taken for granted.  Thank you.  I hope your holiday was filled with joy and expressed the blessings of being loved.

This year was special for me.  Our family dinner was wonderful, and our food was off the chain. (Try the recipe in the previous post).  We were so full, the fam didn’t even play games.  The following Saturday, I had the blessing of receiving old friends; one of my besties, Pat Lewis, with her husband, Thomas, and their friend, Holly.

Oh, the joy of remembrance!  Pat and I were in and out of old funny stories, and I realized the word “rekindle” is so significant.  The warm feelings we harbor are always within our hearts, and when rekindled, a fire of love and gratitude emanates throughout our spirits.  Also, the kids came over and got to experience our joy.

I tell you we ate and killed politics, with a warning from Holly about folks like Ye, Clarence, and Candace, “You gotta draw the line!”   Stand clear of anyone supporting them. Of course, in Black folk style,  we kept repeating his warning, laughing and screaming with each name we talked about. Pat and I sang a bit of the song we harmonized daily, “I’m So Proud,” (She’s a professional with The Crystals and a Motown group, so I stopped the video where I messed up).  Then, we invited Alexa to the party and danced to the O’Jays. 

Nothing like hugging your love-circle.  Please do so; hug them however you can.  Pat lives in New York, but we talk at least twice a week.  In fact, most of my oldest friends are not in Bama, but I do what I can to stay in touch.  Another thing we did at our table of friends was to just pause, breathe, and recognize how blessed we are to be here, living and loving in this moment.  I’m aware, and I’m grateful.

Wanna hear us sing?!!! Pat’s the pro…me, no!

Love to all!!

Victorine

“It’s all good/love/God” – Victorine

© 2022 Vicki Goldston, All rights reserved.

---

Please Subscribe and Follow my blog!

Please support Spicy…a blog by Victorine through Patreon. 

 Victorine, Bio

Author of  Be S.A.F.E., StillAware, Faithful, Excellent, now available on Kindle Amazon as an e-book.

“…the book title and its content are intended to be a whisper, reminding us that by taking the time to connect with our spiritual self, we can center through anything and that we are forever within the bubble of God’s protection.”

Don’t forget to check out Garden Spices Magazine, Celebrating our differences.  

Here’s the thing about Black legacy; it’s golden. When you are on the heels of your folks for any educational or business accomplishment, you follow their recipe for future endeavors. Mr. K. and I went to his reunion at Prairie View A&M University (PVAM) in Texas. A visit to Prairie View is a visit to his Aunt Irma Kendrick, a hallmark of legacy.

Aunt Irma and her husband, Griff, have ushered numerous kids through the halls of PVAM; they have witnessed Black excellence and turned out MD’s, Ph. D’s attorneys, engineers, and entrepreneurs. Beyond degrees, they were instrumental in building strength in character, and I witnessed many accomplished citizens come back to pay homage to the little woman who defined educational support for them.

WAIT!!!! BIG NEWS!!! SPICY INTERRUPTS THIS ARTICLE WITH BIG NEWS!!

I’VE JUST RECEIVED THE LEGACY OF LORNA HOLLIDAY MC GEE’S FAMOUS MAC ‘N CHEESE RECIPE FOR FAMILY/FRIENDSGIVING!!!! (I’ve been after this recipe for over 20 years). THANK YOU, LORNA!!!

In a large deep dish baking dish

1 lb of cooked macaroni tossed with I/2 stick of butter, then add cheese

2 cups of sharp cheddar, 2 cups of mild cheddar, 2 cups of Colby or Colby jack, 2 cups of mozzarella

In a blender, add 4 cups of milk, 8 oz of Velvetta cheese, 8 oz cream cheese, 2 eggs, 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of pepper.

Blend, then pour over macaroni; add 2 more cups of milk to the blender to capture the residue and pour over macaroni to make sure all is covered 1 1/2 stick of butter sliced over macaroni.

Bake at 350 for 45 min to an hour This makes enough to fill a 9x13x3 dish; reduce for a smaller dish.

“The key is the cinnamon and nutmeg!” – Lorna’s tip

---

LOVE AND BLESSINGS TO YOU ALL THIS DAY OF CELEBRATING GRAATITUDE!!!!!!!! I AM GRATEFUL FOR YOU!