Debra Basham

Living and Loving

Tag: Larry Britton

  • Hair Experiences

    I almost did not go for an out-of-doors bike ride today because of a threat of rain and a fairly stiff wind, but the newborn leaves making their debut on the trees outside my window moved me. About 7 miles in, and very near home, the three walkers looked a rather odd trio from behind, and I spontaneously called out, “A rather unusual looking group of walkers!” They repeated my words and let their laughter speak agreement.

    Then I saw her from the front. She had one of those BRILLIANT streaks of color on one side only of her longish hair. Suddenly I had the judgment, “I am pretty mundane when it comes to hair.” My sister, Janis, has had light hair/dark hair; short hair to almost no hair; normal-colored and not-so-normal colored hair. Sometimes she has had more than two of these in the same day!

    In some traditions, hair is considered a metaphor for spirit and uncut hair the symbol of interconnectedness of all life. To cut one’s hair was thought to diminish strength or wisdom, while long hair represented a connection to the natural elements, including the spirit world and ancestors.

    I have an album of photos on my iPhone titled: Hair. I have selected three. One is my photo from the year I was Number One in Sales at Creative Galleries. The dark hair phase photo shows me giving a tiny grandson, Adam, a massage as he smiles a sleepy slur saying, “Every peoples ought to have a massage.” The back shot is of my post-Covid hair taken by my brother-in-love, Larry Britton, shortly before I donated it to Wigs for Kids.

    Last Friday evening we went to a “reunion” of The Dunns, a benefit concert of a Southern gospel band that Michael Springer, our music friend, toured with for many years. In addition to some old familiar gospel tunes, I heard some lyrics new to me that still linger, like the words to When I Get Carried Away © 2024 Heritage Singers.

    It is interesting that I had unknowingly changed the words of that song ever-so-slightly from when to ’til:

    I’m gonna have the time of my life ’til the time of my life is over; I’m gonna get carried away ’til I get carried away.

    Perhaps my hair experiences have not been as mundane as I first thought.

  • Cookies

    I have been safe sheltering for one week because of the global outbreak of COVID-19.

    Today I baked cookies.

    I used all of the flour, all of the brown sugar, 4 of the eggs, and almost the last of the butter.




    While my action might seem mundane to some, to me it was holy.

    Canadian friends, Davey and Eli, are heading home tomorrow. Davey loves my chocolate chip cookies. I wrote: “Health Food for Your Safe Travels” on the lid.

    After Fred repaired my built in microwave a few years ago, I gave him oatmeal raisin cookies and a card: A dozen cookies and a million thanks. He quipped, “I would rather have a dozen thanks and a million cookies!” Since that time, I always bake and pack the baker’s dozen for him. It is a sacrament.

    Nancy Green was offered either or both. She chose oatmeal raisin. I learned today they are her preference. This is a time for learning….

    Along with Nancy’s cookies, I delivered an N-95 mask for a friend-of-a-friend. (See Sacred Story: N-95.)

    Yesterday, I used the last half-cup of heavy whipping cream. Our friends/neighbors generously take us out on their pontoon boat, so she received the last two vegan bran muffins with her favorite devonshire cream.

    I wish I could get the oatmeal raisin cookies and vegan bran muffins to Joel Bowman in Michigan. Those are his two favorites.

    I wish I could get chocolate chip cookies to the folks across the street who are back in Chattanooga, Tennessee. I had planned to take some to them when we were in Chattanooga to attend the college graduation of our granddaughter, Courtney Nicole Ross. No graduation ceremony at UT this year of COVID-19.

    I told Courtney we will have Larry Britton use Photoshop to create a blast of an event for her. Their motto is “If you can dream it, you can make it.”

    Her grandpa and I paid the $100 for her gown. She is the first woman to graduate college in my family line. My grandma did not, my mom did not, I did not, and Courtney’s mom did not. Congratulations, Courtney. We are so proud of you.

    I would make pasta salad with nothing but dressing for you. And Kraft Mac and Cheese.

    Preparing and sharing food is as ancient as human civilization.

    I think of events I have been in the kitchen for.

    I have worn out many an apron….

    Earlier today a friend sent this powerful prose about how our staying at home is healing the earth.

    “And the people stayed home. And read books, and listened and rested, and exercised, and made art and played games, and learned new ways of being, and were still. And listened more deeply. Some meditated, some prayed, some danced. Some met their shadows. And the people began to think differently. And the people healed. And in the absence of people living in ignorant, dangerous, mindless and heartless ways, the earth began to heal. And when the danger passed, and the people joined together again, they grieved their losses and made new choices, and dreamed new images and created new ways to live and heal earth fully, as they had been healed.”

    ~ Kitty O’Meara

    Today I am no less aware of the unfathomable losses and unprecedented uncertainty related to the COVID-19 pandemic, but I am more aware how the majority of the people on earth slowing down for this time is having an immediate and potentially everlasting benefit to the planet itself.

    Many are being kinder.

    Many are realizing how fortunate most of us are.

    Many are learning the distinction between needs and wants.

    I am grateful to be part of all of this. My pantry may be running low on some things but my heart is filled to overflowing with gratitude and love….

  • Artworks!

    You cannot always believe what you see…

    Working on a yoga video with my friend Kathy Zerler, is a labor of love. We took a shot of her in a great Downward Facing Dog, only to find ourselves critical of the way the back of her shirt was bunched up on the nape of her neck.

    untouched-doward-facing-dog
    Sending the photo to my brother-in-love, Larry, I asked, “Are you able to fix this?”

    Here is the improved version!
    retouched-downward-facing-dog

    I told Larry how much I appreciated the additional details he attended to. He fixed the place where her shirt was hiked up on her back, removed a seam in the wall, straightened the corner, took out some wrinkles on her behind, tightened the little sag in her tummy area, and softened a few wrinkles in her feet and hands. He warmed the tone some, too, because the light in that room gives off a cool hue. Amazing….

    As I write this, my heart is still processing the tender joys of officiating at the wedding of my elder grandson, Brad, and his beautiful bride, Christina. That same attention to detail went into everything about the wedding and reception. So many people contributed to the perfection of their event. From the homemade ravioli, sweet treats, savory pretzels, pulled pork with all the fixin’s. Giving of our best was the theme.

    I will probably dedicate another post to what all of that wedding meant to me. For now, I am just noticing what happens when we have an eye for details and an intention to do whatever we can to create even more beauty than was initially there. Thank you, Larry, for the artwork, and the lesson!

    Larry is an amazing artist. His business name is Britton Artworks. Let me know if you would like his contact information…