Although time constraints seemed to be my theme during July, the time has come for a planned blog break. See you in September.
Click the video above for 2 minutes of background waves while reading.
I like walking on the beach. It’s good for the mind, body, and soul – and refreshing on my feet.
Some may think blood is a gruesome topic because it associates with vampire bats, vampires, and murders. To others, blood is a spiritual fluid – a soulful liquid of life serving as a commonality across humanity regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, and age.
Yes, blood – that body liquid that is a noun, an adjective, and a verb; the latter; as in to stain, to initiate, and to expose.
Blood – We have 1.2-1.5 gallons (4.5-5.5 liters) of this precious liquid – a liquid we associate with pressure, cuts, clotting, transfusions, donating, tests, sugar, iron, cholesterol, and more.
Blood – That red liquid circulating the body within blood vessels – a liquid we link to courage, bravery, tenacity, and strength during adversity.
Blood – That red liquid we associate with life. Almost 50% of our blood plays a role in dissolving and transporting nutrients and body chemicals around the body.
Blood – Flooded with enough red blood cells that transport a necessity for cell life – oxygen. Millions of red blood cells occupy a single drop – yet these red blood cells typically live only 120 days.
Blood – That vitally rich substance is complete with an identification marking a uniqueness that we associate with blood types and transfusions – yet most don’t know of Karl Landsteiner – the gifted doctor receiving a Nobel Prize for his work about blood types.
Blood – Our link to family, relatives, lineage, and kinship – our flesh and blood – hence the implication that blood is thicker than water. Yes, blood can tell the family story. Biological blood brothers are related at birth, but other blood brothers are two unrelated males vowing to treat the other as a brother forever and ever.
Blood – The term we associate with courage, strength, battles, tenacity, sweat, and toil – yes – blood, sweat, and tears.
Blood – The temperament or disposition. Blood boils when passionate or lost with temper, yet can be cooled and controlled for the calm and collective.
Sometimes we associate blood with violence – in cold blood, bloodshed, having blood on their hands, and the blood running cold – even blood and guts to describe a movie or even an all-out effort.
New Blood can signify the young, the formable, or just the new – but they are different from Blue Bloods – those born to nobility, wealth, privilege, and/or power – but for some, Blue Bloods can be too rich for their blood.
We can make wounds by drawing blood or signifying trouble with blood on the carpet – but we also associate drawing blood with going for victory by probing a weakness when tasting the opponent’s blood – which may not be the team that drew first blood.
Getting blood out of a turnip signifies cheap or trying to get from someone something they don’t have – or having similar difficulty as getting blood out of a stone.
Bull’s Blood is a Hungarian wine whose name originates with a 16th-century legend of Hungarian soldiers gaining strength in their battle with Turkish soldiers from the wine mixed with blood from bulls.
We occasionally see a blood moon, have hostility with bad blood, use blood money as payment for killing, or simply have something ingrained in their blood.
The blood of lovers may not be the same, but their blood and love pursue each other to become one. The blood of lovers may not be the same, but it’s the blood that moves the love throughout the body, spreading the special feeling from head to toe.
The blood of love is hot when the love is passionate. The blood of love is the glue during good times and bad.
As I look out over the vast water, I wonder; is water Earth’s blood? I’m thinking yes.
Blood is something to think about on this day. Yes – blood is a simple term, but its meaning is deep and carries many meanings. Blood is one of the great metaphors in our language with many connotations.
Blood is more than a random thought because it signifies many moods, symbols, and thoughts. Blood is also worth thinking about while walking on the beach. After all, I like walking on the beach because it is good for the mind, body, and soul – and refreshing on my feet.
See what other bloggers have posted about Blood
- Super Flower Blood Moon (photography)
- Blood on Our Hands (a poem)
- Blood and Poppies (a poem)
- The Blood-less Chicanery of the Vampire Bat (satire)
- Fourteen More Blood Flower Moon (a photo essay)
Next Post: – Wednesday 15th June @ 1 AM (Eastern US)
Have a good summer, Frank. See you in September 🤗💟
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Jo,
Thank you. With summer winding down, it’s time for a getaway! 🙂
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I spent some of this evening with a lovely Polish lass in Leeds. It’s a grand life, Frank. Enjoy 🤗💗
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However seen, blood is life! 😉 A topic I wouldn’t expect but makes perfect sense. Have an enjoyable break, my friend and don’t forget to smile! 🔆😉
Yamas!
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Marina,
I enjoy finding an unexpected topic and then writing a relaxing, positive essay. The last two (blood & tension) are good examples. Yamas!
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Yamas, my friend!!!!
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Blood binds us all together – the life force. A good “last blog before break” I’d say! Enjoy your time away and come back refreshed………we all need a break from time to time.
Pam
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Pam,
Blood as a blinding agent and a life force are good descriptors. I think that blood often triggers a negative reaction, but I tried to focus on the positives! Meanwhile, I firmly believe blog breaks are good. 🙂
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From Godfather parlance . . .
Solozzo considered blood to be a big expense.
Sonny chose his own blood over strangers. And he shed plenty at the toll booths.
And Michael ended up with too much blood on his hands in the end.
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Marc,
And done … excellent parlance. Thank you!
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I love the word parlance. In the Twain Files!
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You are so right that blood has so much significance both literally and metaphorically.
There have been horrible things done in the name of blood over history–and, here’s a weird one for you, it was once believed that mother’s milk was purified and transformed menstrual blood.
Enjoy your break, Frank! I hope you get to do some fun things.
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Merril,
I’m right with you … there is so much positive about blood … and it is a great metaphor. Regarding your tidbit about mother’s milk … are you kidding me? WOW! I didn’t know that one. Then again, history is full of oddities like that. Thanks!!!
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You’re welcome, and no, I am not kidding at all. It’s all tied up with beliefs about women, original sin, etc.
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Thanks for the scoop … and I’m thankful many of those thoughts from the past are gone …. well, at least with most people.
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I’m not surprised at the crazy stuff that’s still believed!
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Hope your enjoy your blogging break. We all need a break now and then.
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Peggy,
Thank you and absolutely. I’m a longtime proponent of blog breaks are good! 🙂
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Have a nice break, Frank. I’m on a break of my own, but I keep popping back on occasion! 🙂
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Tom,
Thank you. Many moons ago on my previous blog, I wrote an entire post about blog breaks … including the different types. So occasionally checking fits! Blog breaks are good!
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They are, Frank… and sometimes they feel like a necessity! 😁
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Interesting! I totally agree that blood is a “soulful liquid of life,”
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Shelia,
I think “interesting” is a good description for this topic. Too often, people think about the negative aspects of blood. So, writing something thought provoking about it was fun to do! 🙂
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Have you seen the Tom Hanks movie, Ladykillers? There’s a line in it that always tickles us. It goes, “Blood, Professor, Blood.” I don’t know why, but it always comes to mind when I read or hear about blood.
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I don’t know that movie …. but if the line sticks with you, I say thumbs up.
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Ah yes, the older we get the more blood tests we need. Not only does it reveal information about our physical well-being, it can be life-giving and life-saving. And a useful poetic metaphor to boot. Enjoy your break! 🙂
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Barbara,
Oh yes – blood tests are not only very telling, but are more often as we age. As a matter of fact, I had one last week! Your desciptors of “life-giving and life-saving” are perfect. Blog breaks are good!
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Very interesting post on blood. Thanks for sharing my poem, Blood on our Hands. The ocean is earth’s blood as you say 🤔
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Christine,
Thank you for writing your poem. After all, if you didn’t, I would not have been able to use it! 🙂 Blood is an interesting topic, especially when focusing on the positive side of the topic. Thanks for stopping by!
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My pleasure Frank ☺️
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What a fascinating topic, Frank. When my mom was in her final days and requiring platelets be transfused daily, it became my mission to donate them whenever possible. It was easy and knowing those contributions made life possible for someone who desperately needed it. There is such a shortage that is not very well known but your topic for this walk allows me to remind people to give the gift of life. They’ll be glad they did.
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Monika,
That’s a very important point, so many thanks for the PSA!!! …. and thanks for sharing a bit of your personal rationale.
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Have a good break, Frank
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John,
That’s the plan. Besides, blog breaks are good!
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I see blood as the mark of salvation – first to the Israelites who marked their door frames with lamb’s blood so that they would be spared in the plague visited on the Egyptians. Secondly as the blood of the Christ shed to save all of mankind from themselves! Hope your vacation is relaxing!!
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Muri,
Thanks for sharing your thought as blood being the mark of salvation. Very timely – and here;s a line from a hymn at my church this morning – “the thing that filled your veins was more than blood, its the kind of love that washes sin away. “
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Bloody good post, Frank! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyYP8G2wc_sx
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Resa,
This is my first response on this walk because I had to the song you left me. … and I laughed! Well done … and thank you. Clink!
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Clink!!!! 🍷🍷
…. and you better be back in September! I want to do a concert post! xx
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That’s the plan. 🙂
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Plan 9!!!!
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Strange maybe, but I find this post on blood very poetic. Enjoy your break!
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Jo,
You description as “poetic” is quite the thrill. Thank you! It came to me that I rafted this walk immediately after drafting a “Heart” walk. After all, the two are related and it was on my brain. Meanwhile, blog breaks are good!
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Have a nice break!
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Fraggle,
Thank you …. Besides, blog breaks are good! 🙂
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Lots of interesting stats here today, Frank. Some might quake at “Blood” for a topic, but I for one am glad to be reminded of my early science courses (and to see how much I’d forgotten, ha!) Enjoy your nice long break, my friend. Hope you’re going somewhere and doing something fabulous!
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Debbie,
Absolutely … on the surface, many may cringe at Blood as a topic, but it is much more than gore. Thanks for walking along.
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Nice tune and enjoy your break, Frank!
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Dale …. thank you!
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🙂
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Frank, first thing that came to mind regarding this subject was blood testing as well. Not because it is such a frequent thing for me, but because one time several years back I was being tested for something (can’t even recall what it was) and they had to take multiple samples. Pretty weird when they are swapping out and filling up multiple vials. You start to think…don’t I need SOME of this to STAY? Have a good break, and we’ll take a walk when you get back!
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Bruce,
I’m amazed the automated nature of blood testing. Generally, many results come so fast. Nonetheless, I can see your point! Thanks for sharing.
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If the red liquid pouring through our veins is our life’s blood then it stands to reason that the oceans are the earth’s blood, it’s life force. After all both liquids have a high salt content. Isn’t that where we originated? Have a wonderful break. We will miss you and look forward to your musings in the fall.
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Pam,
Oh wow – I like your point of linking salt content of blood and water to origins! Excellent!!!! Thanks for the kind words and continued support.
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I have to agree with you, Frank. Water does seem to be the earth’s blood.
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Dan,
Glad that line stuck with you. Both flowing, both being vital to life, both with salt content, both helping to maintain temperature, both transporting, and more. 🙂
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Well Frank, the very last subject I’d ever think to explore and yet, as always, you’ve made a great read of it! Have a wonderful break – see you in September (as the song says!)
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Tina,
Sometimes an unexpected topic delivers a surprise. I recall writing this one shortly after writing one about the heart. My mind was on circulation, so I went with it. Meanwhile, Resa (above somewhere) left me the video for See You in September. 🙂
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Wow, You caught me off guard with this one! LOL!
Getting blood out of a turnip – that made me LOL! Never heard that saying before.
Where I work and now with all the hoopla about pandemic issues, we are very aware of blood-borne illnesses and the transmission of them as well.
Blood and the symbol of it, in red wine, is of great religious significance.
Thanks for another interesting post, Frank.
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Ingrid,
Join the crowd of those who I surprised with this topic. With blood having a negative connotation, I enjoyed taking the positive side while also trying to be thought provoking and relaxing. Meanwhile, given your work, blood is a big deal in a variety of ways. 🙂 Thanks for sharing.
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How powerful and transformative a thing blood!
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Jaya,
Blood definitely plays a huge role in life – and worthy of pondering. Thanks for walking along.
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flesh and blood and nicely done Frank!~.
You never fail to surprise and infuse us with color and delightful tips on your walks.
i hope you enjoy more beach walks on your break! 💖
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Cindy,
Glad you enjoyed my view of blood. I’m sure this topic surprised many! Unfortunately, my beach time is still months away. 😦 …. but gets closer with each passing day. 🙂
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you’re so welcome! yes it did forsure and surprises are good! I thought you might take a vacation somewhere near the beach. 💖💖
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I go to the hopital three times per week to clean my blood by dialysis.
Have a great break, Frank
In friendship
Michel
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Michel,
Keeping the blood clean is very important – so dialysis gives life. Thanks for sharing and wishing you continued success.
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Nice post, Frank! I haven’t see the red moon for a long while. Enjoy your break.
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Amy,
Glad you enjoyed this walk – which some may find to be an odd topic. I’m sure those big red moons are a photograph’s delight.
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This is all too apropos after my surgery last week. Ha! Enjoy your blog break, Frank.
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Jennie,
As I return from break, I hope your surgery was a success and you have recovered!
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It was! Thank you, Frank.
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Wow – what a fun and interesting theme! And never heard of getting blood out of a turnip and so that was a nice little tidbit –
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Yvette,
While some may find blood to be a gruesome topic, I found it interesting to ponder … so I’m happy that you found it interesting! The blood-turnip saying deals with money. Some may use it to mean someone is cheap – that is keeping money to themselves. Others refer to situations when someone owes money but won’t or can’t pay. Well, those are my interpretations. Watch for an email soon.
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Got the email
☀️😊
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