Thanks for the new thread, Puddle--just right. Charlie Brown is the world's greatest philosopher. I am glad you gave us a photo of your deck. That is one bunch of heavy, icy snow! Pat, that saying was one of my Dad's frequent usages. Think he mostly used it when he was quite sure that whatever crick he was facing was NOT going to rise. He was born, raised and lived in Michigan until near retirement. Yep, Puddle I am mighty happy that I decided not to go out for a few days. Wet, slushy, icy, sleety, snowy out there!
Very nice batch of snow, puddle. That looks like good igloo making snow. Is it a bit sticky? Time for snow sculpting!
I just read all the comments on the last thread. Yes, Pat, this is a wonderfully wise and thoughtful group to bring a dilemma to! I laughed out loud when I read you'd vote for me as Director. There is N.O. W.A.Y. that I would want that role! Ha! I already stepped out of the ordination process because I did not feel I wanted to be part of a broken system. My spiritual guide today heard my work update and some of what you all offered on the last thread. Yesterday was the 20th anniversary of my realization that I needed to step out of the ordination process, and the void that left has never quite been filled. I do miss the ease of the spiritual conversation within a community that has a share language. It is much harder to be a spiritual being in a secular community, as is my workplace. He heard all I had to say and with regard to my coming to terms with needing to speak up at times at work, and reorienting the focus there toward the positive, keeping a spiritual practice at home that keeps me centered/grounded while at work, he said that sounds like a real desert mother approach. I suppose rather than a priest in a faith community I am a monk in the world. Funny…I once asked a dear monk "Where in the Church is the place of the contemplative?" Without missing a beat he responded, "The place of the contemplative is to have no place. But the Church needs contemplatives." My experience was that the Church doesn't often want to acknowledge that it needs contemplatives. The world needs contemplatives too.
Today I drove to NH and back for those two excellent meeting (peers and spiritual guide.) There are terrible potholes everywhere…worse than I've ever seen! Part of the reason is the weather but the greater reason is that heavier trucks are being allowed to travel our interstates. While I was traveling, our eldest was flying back from Amsterdam. His flight got in to Dulles 2 minutes early. But his flight from Dulles to here was a mess…repeatedly delayed for 3.5 hours on top of a 2 hour layover. He's home now, though just a half hour ago. Yikes.
On NPR on Sundays is a program of interviews with Krista Tippitt called On Being. This past Sunday she interviewed Brian McClaren, who was raised in the evangelical tradition. He loved science and was conflicted between the dogmatisim of his religion and science, so left his church. He became a professor of literature, and then started having people over to dinner on Thursday to discuss God and other ideas of spirituality.
He's part of a group called Emerging Christianity which is diverse and less formal in what we think of as regular churche. He talked of the beauty of God and other attributes, said that he and his parishioners (he's become a pastor) are more interested in the stories than the systems. He referred to the Christianity of conquering peoples and enslaving them in the hundreds of years past. This Christianity is concerned with love.
Anyway, a very interesting program with many different aspects of faith as represented by Buddhists, Sufis, Christians, Jews, and others. You might like listening.
For me as an ex-Catholic, Thich Nhat Hanh offered a path. He has talked about the next Buddha as being the community.
I agree with you entirely: we need contemplatives. We are all seeking some spiritual or psychological path to find equilibrium, reasons for our existence, and what makes a life worth living. Keep us informed of your journey.
Today looking and feeling just like yesterday--cold, gray, snowy. But theoretically, we're headed for the forties, which should allow some melting. . . .
The ice storm wasn't much if anything, and that's a blessing.
Brian McLaren is an author we always stocked at Hopkins Bookshop when I worked there. Just yesterday he came up (because of the NPR interview) at my peer meeting of spiritual guides. Most clergy today in the UCC faith as well as many in Methodist, Episcopal, and Lutheran churches feel as we do. The UCC pastors in NH got together about 12 years ago and started a Contemplatives group for all comers. One newly ordained woman I know is struggling with how to do a baptism that includes the words "Lord and Savior" when she is feminist and does not appreciate that language.
Here are some interesting bits to nurture your day:
CHRISTENING
I baptize Meredith, two years old. It is after worship because she had a full-scale “no water” tantrum in the middle of the service, and her parents took her downstairs.
The last of the choir members disrobes and walks away with a dry rustle of sheet music. Thin pungent smoke rises from newly extinguished candles and the pews settle with wooden sighs for the week’s rest.
We sit on thick red sanctuary carpet with a bowl of water between us and Meredith splashes with great pleasure and makes the water dance. She has watched what happens to other children. She places her hand softly and solemnly on her mother’s head three times, murmuring something secret and sacred, and then blesses her father’s hair and strokes mine.
Only then am I given the bowl with great dignity, And my fingers touch her, explore the fragile bones of her temple, wet her forehead and curls and whisper – holy holy, holy.
~ from The Depth of Wells by Maren C. Tirabassi, page 15.
Maren is the pastor of Madbury Church, NH UCC Conference. http://www.madburychurch.org/html/congregation.htm
Back in 1998, I formatted a book for local publication which was written by my priest and illustrated by a friend of hers. It is called *A Child’s Guide to the Holy Eucharist* by the Rev. Sarah Horton, illustrated by Cecilia M. Murdoch. (Shortly afterward, it was published by Church Publishing and remains in print.) Based on the Episcopal Rite II service, each two page spread features the actual worship service on the righthand page, with Sarah’s explanation and commentary about it on the left, sprinkled with Ceil’s delightful illustrations of children working out what they believe. For example, on the righthand page is the (often controversia) Nicene Creed. On the left is this from Sarah:
The word Creed is from the Latin word Credo, which means “I believe.” The creed is a summary — a list of things — that Christians have believed since the beginning of the Church, 2000 years ago. Parts of the Creed are hard to understand, and parts of the Creed are hard even for everyone to believe. But by saying the Creed over the years in church, you come to understand it better and better, and the bits that you don’t find yourself able to understand or believe will fit in all right with the bits that you do understand and believe.
Ceil’s accompanying drawing is of a confused looking, curly-haired boy saying, “I’m not sure what I believe.” A little butterfly by him responds, “It’s okay” while a ladybug encourages, “Don’t worry.” I love how it encourages children (and all of us) not to be too concerned about our doubts, since they’re just a natural part of living in faith. :-)
As far back as I can recall, I've comprehended that God is all about Love and never about punishment. I believe it is part of the internal template I retained from my near-death experience.
Today in GSO is worse than yesterday. Heavier layers ice, sleet and snow on everything. All schools closed in a five county area, at least some merchants on Elm street are closed. But, ...they say this should be the last of it. Hah! Last blow was seeing the beautiful shrubbery outside my balcony window with its shiny leaves covered in ice! Well, another excuse to avoid the doc:)
Hey! You can see a little of the Child's Guide book here (you have to imagine the left and right pages side by side, as the commentary is set exactly across from the part of the service it relates too.
And just to tell you how long it's been since I worked at the Bookshop, I had forgotten that the book was desired by Church Publishing, but published by Morehouse, then they kind of merged anyway. Checks for royalties come from Church Publishing, hence my earlier assertion. The royalties got split three ways, one third for the author (who has all her royalties sent straight to the congregation she was in when she authored it), one third for the illustrator, and one third to me, which I share with my son who helped enormously. I formatted the book, but he knew how to clean up the artwork. I had no idea there could be so many extraneous pixels caused by a heavy stroke of the pen or by lightly brushing the page with it in an unintended place. Anyway, it was a huge undertaking and I still have some copies of the original local printing. I will tell you a fun fact about the book. There are two illustrations of priests in the book. One looks a bit like Sarah and the other looks a bit like Ceil's priest at the time, also a woman. It gave us all pause (and a big grin) when a little boy in our congregation asked, "Can men be priests too?" :-) For the Morehouse edition, Ceil made a few picture changes, and I had the fun of getting into the pixels and giving the blonde-haired priest a sex-change operation. ALl it took was to shorten her hair to show her ears and give him a mustache. At that point he looked incredibly like Sarah's husband Gunnar Urang, who is also a priest. We laughed so hard! :-D
Tom, the Ukrainian fiasco is very much not a case of "X good, Y bad". There's good and bad on both sides of the issue. As you know, I'm of Ukranian descent, and as such, have studied the history of Russo-Ukrainian relations. The country of my ancestors has, alas, been dominated by Russia for more than a millenium. Jim Kunstler stated the obvious very well;
'It appears that the Crimean peninsula has voted rather persuasively to become part of adjoining Russia, a nation that they were functionally a province of longer than the USA has been the independent and exceptional beacon of liberty that we became. "
I read rants about the election being flawed by the presence of Russian troops. I have seen no evidence that Russian troops in any way intimidated or interfered with this democratic process. In fact, the election could not have occurred without them, as brownshirts from the unelected, Nazi -dominated regime in Kiev would certainly have busted heads and worse to prevent Crimeans from voting.
The truly liberal press, like The Nation, Common Dreams, Truthout, etc. is all over Obama (aided and abetted by Kerry "a haircut in search of a brain") for his clumsy, hypocritical, and mendacious attempt to paint Russia as the villain of this sordid mess. Obama is obviously acting the tough guy in a totally unsuccessful attempt to placate Republican nut-jobs like Lindsey Graham, John McCain, and the totally discredited Dick Cheney.
No one should seriously expect Russia (which lost over 8 million soldiers in WW2) to allow NATO (which includes Germany) to set up shop in the Ukraine, which infamously collaborated with the Nazis, and whose illegitimate government is dominated by home-grown Nazis, who could not be elected dog-catcher in any part of the country. I'm surprised that Russia has not resisted the eastward creep of NATO more strenuously before this. If the west wants to diffuse the crisis, their first move has to be a pledge not to bring Ukraine into NATO. Putin would not remain president very long if he allowed it.
So it's not a matter of right and wrong, good or bad, black or white. The neocons in the State Department financed and fomented a "revolution" in which a democratically elected (albeit unpopular and corrupt) president was thrown out, only to be replaced by a gang of thugs, masquerading as patriots. This gang would not stand a chance of staying in 0ffice in a free and fair election. Yet the west is vilifying Putin for standing up to these crooks.
Just my perspective, but please don't bring HuJo's remarks here. I find them upsetting because of the name calling, the opinions stated as facts, and the general hostility. That's just my perspective, but if I wanted to read his opinions, I would join the blog.
I may be the only one who feels that way, and if that's the case, people should speak up. But, I really don't want to read or listen to that kind of stridency anymore. I find it very upsetting.
Everything I've read about the situation is different from what he has posted. Moreover, I'm proud and grateful to John Kerry for all his efforts.
agreed, ladies. Judy if we wanted to blog with HuJo we would, you have offered us the link. he and I seldom agreed on things and even when we did he was quite disagreeable towards me - I'm sure that you remember the names that he called Pat, Denise and I. you must, you reveled in it. I am still wondering why you come here at all, you either have a mean streak or you're lonely, you certainly never add anything to our conversations, just dump a cut and paste and then dart away.
I am having most of my conversations about politics and international situations on facebook - we do talk a bit of politics here but don't try to shove things in each other's faces like you do - I keep expecting you to grow up but alas you simply don't. you see Judy we RESPECT each other and that's something that you have never shown any of us, respect. you and I weren't friends on the old blog and you were downright nasty to Pat. so give it up, go play with your friends. this blog has become and is meant to be a place for sharing friendship, life lessons, poetry, trying times and a wide number of things that you have no interest in - not once have you come here to be a part of a conversation that we have going. based upon your history here there is no place for you in that.
Jo, your honesty, clarity, and genuine friendship is brilliant and a gift.
I've been thinking lately that it's a truism that hurting people say hurtful things. I think on the Dean blog while wonderful things happened, so did harsh and hurtful things. I think on this blog we've been able to put that behind us. I know that I've lost friendships in the heat of argumentation over politics. I don't want to do that anymore. Life is short, and we will all experience suffering and hurt. Whatever we can do to stop hurting ourselves and each other, I want to do.
I get the Plum Village Newsletter from Thich Nhat Hanh, and I just listened to a 45 minute dharma talk. It was all about recognizing suffering, embracing suffering, and transforming suffering. If anyone is interested, here's the URL. There are a variety of dharma talks. The one I listened to was the Daffodil Festival.
This blog has been a gift of friendship and support. I have no illusions that we would all agree on everything, but I do know there's a sensitivity, an appreciation, and respect that we have experienced here, and I want it to continue.
We're expecting snow overnight, then rain, then some snow tomorrow too.
Oddly I don't mind. Each day is a bit longer, and the weeks are slowly warming, and I got word today that blogger Reed in southern Vermont saw Redwinged Blackbirds today. So, it's happening. Spring always wins. :-)
Actually, Sea has always been respectful towards me, and for a time emailed with me, lang syne. Somehow her posts don't upend me as they do some. I just don't pay much attention to cut and paste posts, and see no need to respond to them. It does seem a bit disrespectful to pop in and out without really saying hallo; on the other hand, I can't imagine Sea has felt invited to stop and chat.
Pat, thanks for the dharma link. I agree that we all (every person!) need to be respectful of one another and am so grateful for this gentle blog community.
I beg to differ listener. you weren't at DFA at the time so I know that you aren't aware of the circumstances, but seashell was kindly invited here when I first created this blog, as were all of the other bloggers when DFA shut down. my invitation was met with insults and challenges from her, she insisted that I would ban her or delete her comments when she didn't agree with my pov on the blog. I (puddle and I, actually) put up with some bullshit for a while and then started deleting her comments when they got nasty and accusatory. all I wanted was a fresh start from the meanness on the old blog and it was quickly obvious that sea had no intention of having a nice conversation here, even when we relied to her kindly she either ignored the reply or came back with more meanness. I'm not sure why I feel the need to even tell you this, but I was insulted that you are so sure that she was never treated well here.
this was after a couple of years of some pretty nasty stuff from her directed at Pat, Denise, myself and anyone else who tried to support the 3 of us through it all. it was nasty, she threatened Pat - a lot. speaking for myself, I did get nasty back at Judy, usually because she was attacking one of my friends. I am sorry that you think that you "can't imagine Sea has felt invited to stop and chat" you would be wrong about that, sorry that you think so little of me in this regard. I guess all I can say is that I think you really should have gotten the facts before condemning me like that. if you don't believe me, ask puddle or Pat or Denise.
I think it's time for me to back away and let puddle run this blog. my life is just a tumbling right now and it's best if I keep my mind on that.
thank you all for the lovely times that we've had. I lost most of my contact info for you ladies in a computer crash but am in touch with most on facebook, so Shirlee if you want to keep in touch please have puddle send me your email addy. right now my email software is messed up, I can receive email but can't send (very weird, it just happened out of the blue last week) but I will be switching to new software soon. take care ladies. much love.
Jo, I'd feel an enormous loss if you left. I can understand being overwhelmed by one's life, too. Come home whenever you can; till then, I'll miss you! ♥
Jo, I just woke up with heartburn, and it's doubled. Take good care of yourself, come back when you can. Can we help in any way? Love from all of us. Pat
Today is the Vernal Equinox. Yes, spring does come, though we certainly get fits and starts.
Jo, thoughts your way, take good care of yourself. I do know that things change and that you are immensely talented, a thoroughly good human being. May you have the peace of mind to do what you need to do.
And hello to everyone. May our day be simply great.
Holy Moly, Jo. I never intended an insult toward you or this blog whatsoever!!! As I re-read my post I can see how it could be taken that way. What I thought I had said was that I was not surprised that Sea had not stayed to chat, since she has seldom been friendly and seldom been well received.
I could not have known that you had sent her a personal invitation to come by and post here, could I? How would I have known that? I thought she had simply followed a general invitation here, not a personal one. I'm impressed that you sent her the invitation and salute you for it.
I stand wholly behind you in wanting this to be a kind blog where meanness is not expected or tolerated. Haven't we all been saying that very thing these last few days?
Please accept my apology for not being more articulate. No insult intended at all. ♥
I will post this to Jo's email too, incase she doesn't come by soon. Love you all.
There are many things we feel the need to back away from in life--and sometimes you just MUST do it. Thank you so much Jo for giving us a start. Rest, rest and return whenever you feel like it! Puddle has my e-mail address and may send it to whomever she feels appropriate.
A final thank you Jo, for making it possible for Puddle and I to actually meet! A great joy--second meeting planned for the first week-end in May!
Ladies, ladies! I did not receive a personal email invite from Jo, and we'll leave it at that. We all knew we were invited.
Nor will I bring Hu Jo's posts here anymore to honor Pat's request. I'm assuming the rest of you would prefer not to read his opinions either.
There is a clique here that thoroughly dislikes me. I was accused of being a racist and anti-semitic, neither of which is true.
People are never quite as *bad* as one may think and never quite as *good* either.
This is not a "clique is good, seashell bad" world, just as it's not a "Putin bad, Obama good" world.
I've stopped by to see how you ladies are doing since I care. Does that surprise you? I don't stay and chat becuz I chat with people who have a long history of liking me and vice versa. Birds of a feather sort of thing.
I always think well of all of you, tho we disagree on many things politically. I have republican friends and we like each other and respect people with differing opinions who can get along and discuss important issues without name-calling and vitriol. Love, compassion and friendship are more important than politics.
That said, most of my friends are flaming liberals like me. :-)
I've been following Jo's ordeals and feel sad and hope for the very best for her.
Oh my, I am really wiped out tonight. Had an appointment with my RA doc. 11:30 AM. I am really a noon to mid night person. But my lovely, interesting helper was here on schedule--so away we went-- after Lael got me and my three wheeled cart into the car. Appointment, lab work and then off to do errands and pick up supplies. All I had to do then was sit in the car while she went in with my lists! I think when the old clock hits 80 something just switches into low gear! Never fear, will re-coup with a day's rest and Brenda Jane bringing our Friday evening dinner in! Love to all----
Jo and I have had a good off-blog conversation and all is well between us. Just thought you'd all sleep better knowing that. I'm sure she'll be back when she can. ♥
Listener--I am so happy that all is well with you and Jo . And Puddle, I will take your comment as a response to the recital of my trials and tribulations of yesterday. I am still here--so I must be OK! Thanks much!
Glorious sunshine today, and so warm streaming in the windows that I turned the heat off for over 6 hours! Tomorrow we are expecting 3-5" of snow. But that's okay because we bought the movie Frozen to watch with VT&Granddaughter. :-D (First Disney movie I've seen since I can remember.) We'll watch that on Saturday evening while enjoying sundaes, than on Sunday we're going to a sugar-on-snow event with her and her Daddy, as well as Grandson and his 'rents. This is going to be a banner weekend! :-D
Thank you, Listener, for your receptivity. I think the dilemma has been resolved. It took a day of reliving the problem, then suddenly having an insight, and seeing it resolved. Very interesting.
I think that understanding a problem from more than one perspective, seeing it from the other side, seeing it from a future and consequences point of view, and gauging how we are affected emotionally helps.
Dense fog, mountain invisible, spattering of snow here. And yes, it's still coming down.
Absolutely stunning day here: near 70º and mostly sunny! Beau's spending another day out, though the door's open and he can come in, and does from time to time. Back to winter on Tuesday, lol! Snow.
A rough draft of a poem in a sequence called Because of Rain, about the September floods we had.
As always, suggestions for improvement are welcome.
Landscape in March
This bruised and lacerated Land in March alternating Between winter’s gray and Spring’s flash of clarity Broken trees, collapsed And shorn hills, river’s Bank overflowing with Debris, cottonwoods, Ponderosa pines, willows, Spruce, aspen, fir Stacked in cairns A funeral land, hard To look at, to see how Fragile Nature is The land we took as Eternal as mountains Crashed 2000 feet down The rains battering and Dissolving what we knew As beautiful, indestructible.
Spring is coming. There will Be grasses, shrubs, wildflowers, Trees those that survived, A gradual firming, growing, And we too will be renewed Aware now after so much Loss and grief what we need To do to repair and heal.
Lovely! I think one of the things I love most about your poetry is seeing the world through your eyes: new, and hopeful, and the language pure and edged. Thank you. Again.
Pat, your beautiful poem is at once a lament and a declaration of hope. An act of hope arising out of loss… like a new tree shoot springing up from a broken and grieved over 100 year Oak.
It brought me back to how our landscape felt the first Spring after our terrible ice storm of January 1998. It took a few years to feel like the voids were filling in, but there were some surprises that first Spring too. Some views were changed in that they opened out and were more amazing. Others opened out with lots of bare spots and broken limbs in evidence. Everything still looked better in leaf. May your hope be blessed, and may your sorrow be eased.
It is not God's wrath the rain falls just and unjust and falls and falls til mountains too and no not God's fault the bridge washed away the just the unjust the unclean now clean riverbottom rock adorning bankside meadow necklace of stone as remembrance.
A foggy day here. I discovered something yesterday as Molly Magee was taking me on her daily walking meditation: it's the creative process itself that is so exhilarating. It connects us to the universe. It's not fame, fortune, praise, but the doing, whatever the creativity. It can be anything: cooking, gardening, drawing, singing, building, sewing, anything at all that lets us discover as we do and to make something to share.
We watched a film called Ten Canoes about Australian Aborigines last night. What a different world: to wear no clothes, to live in large family groups, to relive rituals, to spend days hunting and gathering, to do everything manually. What is still true is our emotions of jealousy, revenge, fear, love. It was in some ways shocking to see who we are in an ancient culture.
We have some cooling down here, but the wintry mix predicted for tomorrow is now 47 degrees and some chance of rain. Yippee--because have an appt. with tongue doc tomorrow. Way past time for winter to be over!
Thanks, Puddle--I will be glad to see the last of this tongue problem gone! On another note--I long for the days when our H. D. was Head of the DNC! This current group of phone line fund raisers can be absolutely rude.. Had a VERY pushy call today...finally told him they all needed to take lessons from President Obama's group Organizing for Action. Those folks are considerate and very polite and understanding.t
I got to take VT*Grand to tap dance class, plus got a note from Grandson's*Mom asking if I'd be willing to hand-decorate a candle for Grandson's first birthday cake…! That's a huge step forward, and I'm tickled! The theme of the party is "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" ~ :-D So I picture a candle with THE Hungry Caterpillar curled around it, facing downward with mouth open, and maybe polka-dotted as well. FUN!
Hmmmmm. . . . Fact I didn't know: Judi Dench is a Quaker.
From Wiki: In 2013 she spoke about her personal religious faith. Dench, a Quaker, said "I think it informs everything I do ... I couldn’t be without it".
More clouds and fog, though each day seems to bring more light, milder temperatures.
Recently I submitted four poems to Colorado Life Magazine for the issue on Cowboys and Indians. Here are some; it occurred to me that we might has some of the same experiences.
Where and when I was growing, tumbleweeds blew down our streets every autumn. My favorite song was Spurs that Jingle Jangle Jingle. I got on a bus going east when I was 21 and never came back. . . .
Yep--same here --except I left the small towns of Michigan for a small town in Texas which felt open and not cramped in any way. Mixed cultures, Mexican, transplanted Yankee, some German, and Vietnamese. It also helped being on the largest bay of the Gulf of Mexico. Never felt cramped there, but it was 90 miles to major medical care.
Tongue doc report. Looked at the poor, abused thing and decided it was best to do a biopsy of the sore area. Results back in a few days :)
We are holding you to that promise. If it is still there, well my 18 year old Camry has seen the white stuff --Michigan version--in its first years with me. It is a tough old cookie. It has 155,000 miles on it and the local dealership says It could easily go to 300, 000! A wonder to me.
Old cars are wonderful! Sort of like old dogs. 95 Escort wagon, here, lol! But haven't made 80,000 miles yet. Doubt it'll make a hundred, grin. Considering it hasn't been started since before Christmas. . . .
A bit foggy, but every day it's warmer, more springlike.
Just finished the final proofing of the manuscript that will be published April 26th. It's taken hours.
Shirlee, I hope your biopsy comes out okay. While walking with the mountain women the other day, we talked about how when we get older, our bodies are like houses, spring a leak here and there, needing repairs and replacements. How lucky we were as children to take our bodies for granted.
But, everything teaches, and we learn about each other from what we experience.
We've somehow have to get big money out of elections. I was willing to contribute to get Obama and others elected, but by contributing other than small sums, we are colluding with the corruption, and corporations and money as people is corrupt.
Greed has done in so many civilizations. I was reading in Harpers how Powell became the head of the Colorado River Association, warned people 150 years ago there wasn't enough water to allocate the volumes they were doing. Greed won out, and as he predicted there will be droughts, lack of enough water not only for humans but also for fish and wildlife. The article also said underneath Lake Powell is a toxic waste dump since there isn't the river volume to flush out the heavy metal silt.
I think of Peter, Paul, and Mary's "When will they ever learn?"
I remember a conversation I had with a Bay Area resident twenty odd years ago: about California stealing water from other states (Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, Utah)-- He thought it fine because California was a better place to live. I thought that a desert state ought to stop pretending it wasn't. . . .
Hi again, really tired. I proofread the manuscript four times, and somehow that took my energy.
Yes, John Wesley Powell warned people not to encourage growth that would deplete the water resources, but California was the golden state, and with mining, lumber, agriculture, and manufacturing, there was no stopping the promoting of California. Powell warned legislators and business people that litigation, climate, and overpopulation would be the major cause of water problems in the future. He was right.
I'm wondering, will we the people act to correct, repair, renovate, and innovate given over population, climate change, and technological changes in work? I truly wish that Americans would not have to work so hard and so much, that money is such a determiner in our lives.
Well, keep the faith, I guess, hope, listen, converse, read, vote.
The clouds are coming in, rain and snow tomorrow. A hard spring coming this is.
Odd really to consider that the human race has only, within the past hundred years, been forced to stay put, and take care of. . . . Parts have learned how to (the Chinese, for instance), but on the whole, humans have just mucked up where they were and moved somewhere else. And we've finally run out of space to run to. Learning to take care of what we have isn't proving easy. I wonder if we'll make it.
Geologist have been warning for a long time but it seems that the rich get their way and get to build where ever they want. Regulations were changed to accommodate them.
Anger, Disbelief as Obama Defends US Invasion of Iraq 'In order to not appear hypocritical, Obama rewrites history around Iraq War while denouncing Russia' - Jon Queally, staff writer
This is the Obama quote from Common Dreams, and as you can imagine, Common Dreams excoriated Obama.
"Speaking to the international community about the ongoing crisis in Ukraine and fending off repeated accusations that the U.S. has lost its moral authority given the invasion of Iraq and other breaches of international law in recent years, Obama said:
Russia has pointed to America’s decision to go into Iraq as an example of Western hypocrisy. Now, it is true that the Iraq war was a subject of vigorous debate, not just around the world but in the United States, as well. I participated in that debate, and I opposed our military intervention there.
But even in Iraq, America sought to work within the international system. We did not claim or annex Iraq’s territory. We did not grab its resources for our own gain. Instead, we ended our war and left Iraq to its people in a fully sovereign Iraqi state that can make decisions about its own future."
What he's obviously trying to do is show that along with the bad, and there certainly was bad, there were efforts to ameliorate what we had done, and we have left Iraq. This all seems reasonable to me.
In my perspective the extreme left is as dangerous and unprincipled, as unreasonable as the far right, and both have done inordinate damage to this country and any dialogue, bipartisan efforts have stalemated. Politics represents who we are, and given the extremes, that makes us unreasonable, culpable, ideological, and unconcerned with the common good. That's my take on it.
Thanks, Pat for bringing that quote here. On DKos just yesterday --or maybe it was today's edition--there is a wonderful post about our President being interviewed by a right wing reporter. Well, worth the read! A calm, collected, intelligent Barack Obama being interviewed by a RW reporter. Thanks for the facts, Pat!
107 comments:
Thank you, Puddle. Too True!
Shirlee, glad you're home, safe and dry footed!
Nancy's pic from this morning: https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/t31.0-8/p180x540/1782417_610159802410825_194062322_o.jpg
Whoa, you do have snow, but Lord willin' and the crick don't rise, you'll have a beautiful spring.
Thanks for the new thread, Puddle--just right. Charlie Brown is the world's greatest philosopher. I am glad you gave us a photo of your deck. That is one bunch of heavy, icy snow! Pat, that saying was one of my Dad's
frequent usages. Think he mostly used it when he was
quite sure that whatever crick he was facing was NOT going to rise. He was born, raised and lived in Michigan
until near retirement. Yep, Puddle I am mighty happy that I decided not to go out for a few days. Wet, slushy,
icy, sleety, snowy out there!
Amen, Puddle. Amen! And such SNOW! OY!
Shirlee--that's a pic of *Nancy's* deck, lol! The corner with no roof. My porch is at least covered, but the amount that blew under was astonishing!
Oops! Comprehension problem caused by cold, nasty weather!
Very nice batch of snow, puddle. That looks like good igloo making snow. Is it a bit sticky? Time for snow sculpting!
I just read all the comments on the last thread. Yes, Pat, this is a wonderfully wise and thoughtful group to bring a dilemma to! I laughed out loud when I read you'd vote for me as Director. There is N.O. W.A.Y. that I would want that role! Ha! I already stepped out of the ordination process because I did not feel I wanted to be part of a broken system. My spiritual guide today heard my work update and some of what you all offered on the last thread. Yesterday was the 20th anniversary of my realization that I needed to step out of the ordination process, and the void that left has never quite been filled. I do miss the ease of the spiritual conversation within a community that has a share language. It is much harder to be a spiritual being in a secular community, as is my workplace. He heard all I had to say and with regard to my coming to terms with needing to speak up at times at work, and reorienting the focus there toward the positive, keeping a spiritual practice at home that keeps me centered/grounded while at work, he said that sounds like a real desert mother approach. I suppose rather than a priest in a faith community I am a monk in the world. Funny…I once asked a dear monk "Where in the Church is the place of the contemplative?" Without missing a beat he responded, "The place of the contemplative is to have no place. But the Church needs contemplatives." My experience was that the Church doesn't often want to acknowledge that it needs contemplatives. The world needs contemplatives too.
Today I drove to NH and back for those two excellent meeting (peers and spiritual guide.) There are terrible potholes everywhere…worse than I've ever seen! Part of the reason is the weather but the greater reason is that heavier trucks are being allowed to travel our interstates. While I was traveling, our eldest was flying back from Amsterdam. His flight got in to Dulles 2 minutes early. But his flight from Dulles to here was a mess…repeatedly delayed for 3.5 hours on top of a 2 hour layover. He's home now, though just a half hour ago. Yikes.
share language = shared language
Hi Listener,
On NPR on Sundays is a program of interviews with Krista Tippitt called On Being. This past Sunday she interviewed Brian McClaren, who was raised in the evangelical tradition. He loved science and was conflicted between the dogmatisim of his religion and science, so left his church. He became a professor of literature, and then started having people over to dinner on Thursday to discuss God and other ideas of spirituality.
He's part of a group called Emerging Christianity which is diverse and less formal in what we think of as regular churche. He talked of the beauty of God and other attributes, said that he and his parishioners (he's become a pastor) are more interested in the stories than the systems. He referred to the Christianity of conquering peoples and enslaving them in the hundreds of years past. This Christianity is concerned with love.
Anyway, a very interesting program with many different aspects of faith as represented by Buddhists, Sufis, Christians, Jews, and others. You might like listening.
For me as an ex-Catholic, Thich Nhat Hanh offered a path. He has talked about the next Buddha as being the community.
I agree with you entirely: we need contemplatives. We are all seeking some spiritual or psychological path to find equilibrium, reasons for our existence, and what makes a life worth living. Keep us informed of your journey.
Today looking and feeling just like yesterday--cold, gray, snowy. But theoretically, we're headed for the forties, which should allow some melting. . . .
The ice storm wasn't much if anything, and that's a blessing.
Spring arrives Thursday.
Thank you most warmly, Pat.
Brian McLaren is an author we always stocked at Hopkins Bookshop when I worked there. Just yesterday he came up (because of the NPR interview) at my peer meeting of spiritual guides. Most clergy today in the UCC faith as well as many in Methodist, Episcopal, and Lutheran churches feel as we do. The UCC pastors in NH got together about 12 years ago and started a Contemplatives group for all comers. One newly ordained woman I know is struggling with how to do a baptism that includes the words "Lord and Savior" when she is feminist and does not appreciate that language.
Here are some interesting bits to nurture your day:
CHRISTENING
I baptize Meredith, two years old.
It is after worship
because she had a full-scale
“no water” tantrum
in the middle of the service,
and her parents took her downstairs.
The last of the choir members
disrobes and walks away
with a dry rustle of sheet music.
Thin pungent smoke rises
from newly extinguished candles
and the pews settle with wooden sighs
for the week’s rest.
We sit on thick red sanctuary carpet
with a bowl of water between us
and Meredith splashes
with great pleasure
and makes the water dance.
She has watched
what happens to other children.
She places her hand softly and solemnly
on her mother’s head
three times, murmuring
something secret and sacred,
and then blesses her father’s hair
and strokes mine.
Only then am I given the bowl
with great dignity,
And my fingers touch her,
explore the fragile bones
of her temple,
wet her forehead and curls
and whisper – holy holy, holy.
~ from The Depth of Wells by Maren C. Tirabassi, page 15.
Maren is the pastor of Madbury Church, NH UCC Conference.
http://www.madburychurch.org/html/congregation.htm
Back in 1998, I formatted a book for local publication which was written by my priest and illustrated by a friend of hers. It is called *A Child’s Guide to the Holy Eucharist* by the Rev. Sarah Horton, illustrated by Cecilia M. Murdoch. (Shortly afterward, it was published by Church Publishing and remains in print.) Based on the Episcopal Rite II service, each two page spread features the actual worship service on the righthand page, with Sarah’s explanation and commentary about it on the left, sprinkled with Ceil’s delightful illustrations of children working out what they believe. For example, on the righthand page is the (often controversia) Nicene Creed. On the left is this from Sarah:
The word Creed is from the Latin word Credo, which means “I believe.”
The creed is a summary — a list of things — that Christians have believed since the beginning of the Church, 2000 years ago. Parts of the Creed are hard to understand, and parts of the Creed are hard even for everyone to believe. But by saying the Creed over the years in church, you come to understand it better and better, and the bits that you don’t find yourself able to understand or believe will fit in all right with the bits that you do understand and believe.
Ceil’s accompanying drawing is of a confused looking, curly-haired boy saying, “I’m not sure what I believe.” A little butterfly by him responds, “It’s okay” while a ladybug encourages, “Don’t worry.” I love how it encourages children (and all of us) not to be too concerned about our doubts, since they’re just a natural part of living in faith. :-)
As far back as I can recall, I've comprehended that God is all about Love and never about punishment. I believe it is part of the internal template I retained from my near-death experience.
Blessings of Love and the internal Spring! ♥
Today in GSO is worse than yesterday. Heavier layers ice, sleet and snow on everything. All schools closed in a five county area, at least some merchants on Elm street are closed. But, ...they say this should be the last of it.
Hah! Last blow was seeing the beautiful shrubbery outside my balcony window with its shiny leaves
covered in ice! Well, another excuse to avoid the doc:)
Hey! You can see a little of the Child's Guide book here (you have to imagine the left and right pages side by side, as the commentary is set exactly across from the part of the service it relates too.
http://www.amazon.com/Childs-Guide-Holy-Eucharist-Rite/dp/0819218022/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1395160292&sr=8-2-fkmr0&keywords=child%27s+guide+to+the+holy+eucharist
And just to tell you how long it's been since I worked at the Bookshop, I had forgotten that the book was desired by Church Publishing, but published by Morehouse, then they kind of merged anyway. Checks for royalties come from Church Publishing, hence my earlier assertion. The royalties got split three ways, one third for the author (who has all her royalties sent straight to the congregation she was in when she authored it), one third for the illustrator, and one third to me, which I share with my son who helped enormously. I formatted the book, but he knew how to clean up the artwork. I had no idea there could be so many extraneous pixels caused by a heavy stroke of the pen or by lightly brushing the page with it in an unintended place. Anyway, it was a huge undertaking and I still have some copies of the original local printing. I will tell you a fun fact about the book. There are two illustrations of priests in the book. One looks a bit like Sarah and the other looks a bit like Ceil's priest at the time, also a woman. It gave us all pause (and a big grin) when a little boy in our congregation asked, "Can men be priests too?" :-) For the Morehouse edition, Ceil made a few picture changes, and I had the fun of getting into the pixels and giving the blonde-haired priest a sex-change operation. ALl it took was to shorten her hair to show her ears and give him a mustache. At that point he looked incredibly like Sarah's husband Gunnar Urang, who is also a priest. We laughed so hard! :-D
Thanks for the description of your work in publishing
a book.Listener. Always interesting to this book lover.
Heh! Who needs a cat? Beau caught himself a mouse!
All purpose pooch you have there, Puddle!
Another great post from Hu Jo posted by Sea
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Tom, the Ukrainian fiasco is very much not a case of "X good, Y bad". There's good and bad on both sides of the issue. As you know, I'm of Ukranian descent, and as such, have studied the history of Russo-Ukrainian relations. The country of my ancestors has, alas, been dominated by Russia for more than a millenium. Jim Kunstler stated the obvious very well;
'It appears that the Crimean peninsula has voted rather persuasively to become part of adjoining Russia, a nation that they were functionally a province of longer than the USA has been the independent and exceptional beacon of liberty that we became. "
I read rants about the election being flawed by the presence of Russian troops. I have seen no evidence that Russian troops in any way intimidated or interfered with this democratic process. In fact, the election could not have occurred without them, as brownshirts from the unelected, Nazi -dominated regime in Kiev would certainly have busted heads and worse to prevent Crimeans from voting.
The truly liberal press, like The Nation, Common Dreams, Truthout, etc. is all over Obama (aided and abetted by Kerry "a haircut in search of a brain") for his clumsy, hypocritical, and mendacious attempt to paint Russia as the villain of this sordid mess. Obama is obviously acting the tough guy in a totally unsuccessful attempt to placate Republican nut-jobs like Lindsey Graham, John McCain, and the totally discredited Dick Cheney.
No one should seriously expect Russia (which lost over 8 million soldiers in WW2) to allow NATO (which includes Germany) to set up shop in the Ukraine, which infamously collaborated with the Nazis, and whose illegitimate government is dominated by home-grown Nazis, who could not be elected dog-catcher in any part of the country. I'm surprised that Russia has not resisted the eastward creep of NATO more strenuously before this. If the west wants to diffuse the crisis, their first move has to be a pledge not to bring Ukraine into NATO. Putin would not remain president very long if he allowed it.
So it's not a matter of right and wrong, good or bad, black or white. The neocons in the State Department financed and fomented a "revolution" in which a democratically elected (albeit unpopular and corrupt) president was thrown out, only to be replaced by a gang of thugs, masquerading as patriots. This gang would not stand a chance of staying in 0ffice in a free and fair election. Yet the west is vilifying Putin for standing up to these crooks.
Just my perspective, but please don't bring HuJo's remarks here. I find them upsetting because of the name calling, the opinions stated as facts, and the general hostility. That's just my perspective, but if I wanted to read his opinions, I would join the blog.
I may be the only one who feels that way, and if that's the case, people should speak up. But, I really don't want to read or listen to that kind of stridency anymore. I find it very upsetting.
Everything I've read about the situation is different from what he has posted. Moreover, I'm proud and grateful to John Kerry for all his efforts.
Please consider the audience here.
And with that, I'll say good night.
If Hujo wanted to be here, he would be.
There's actually quite a lot of the old blog at facebook. And I'm thankful for that.
Speaking of which: it's miss kimmy's birthday today! She's 39, if that doesn't make ya feel old, lol!
Agree, Pat and Puddle.. Brenda's friend the teacher in
Kiev, describes it totally differently.
Happy Birthday, Kimmy!!!
agreed, ladies. Judy if we wanted to blog with HuJo we would, you have offered us the link. he and I seldom agreed on things and even when we did he was quite disagreeable towards me - I'm sure that you remember the names that he called Pat, Denise and I. you must, you reveled in it. I am still wondering why you come here at all, you either have a mean streak or you're lonely, you certainly never add anything to our conversations, just dump a cut and paste and then dart away.
I am having most of my conversations about politics and international situations on facebook - we do talk a bit of politics here but don't try to shove things in each other's faces like you do - I keep expecting you to grow up but alas you simply don't. you see Judy we RESPECT each other and that's something that you have never shown any of us, respect. you and I weren't friends on the old blog and you were downright nasty to Pat. so give it up, go play with your friends. this blog has become and is meant to be a place for sharing friendship, life lessons, poetry, trying times and a wide number of things that you have no interest in - not once have you come here to be a part of a conversation that we have going. based upon your history here there is no place for you in that.
Thank you, Jo.
<3 Shirlee.
Good Morning,
Jo, your honesty, clarity, and genuine friendship is brilliant and a gift.
I've been thinking lately that it's a truism that hurting people say hurtful things. I think on the Dean blog while wonderful things happened, so did harsh and hurtful things. I think on this blog we've been able to put that behind us. I know that I've lost friendships in the heat of argumentation over politics. I don't want to do that anymore. Life is short, and we will all experience suffering and hurt. Whatever we can do to stop hurting ourselves and each other, I want to do.
I get the Plum Village Newsletter from Thich Nhat Hanh, and I just listened to a 45 minute dharma talk. It was all about recognizing suffering, embracing suffering, and transforming suffering. If anyone is interested, here's the URL. There are a variety of dharma talks. The one I listened to was the Daffodil Festival.
http://www.youtube.com/user/plumvillageonline/featured
This blog has been a gift of friendship and support. I have no illusions that we would all agree on everything, but I do know there's a sensitivity, an appreciation, and respect that we have experienced here, and I want it to continue.
Thanks, Jo! ♥
40's and gray and a good steady melt. Praying this is the last of the snow. I am SO ready for spring!!!
We're expecting snow overnight, then rain, then some snow tomorrow too.
Oddly I don't mind. Each day is a bit longer, and the weeks are slowly warming, and I got word today that blogger Reed in southern Vermont saw Redwinged Blackbirds today. So, it's happening. Spring always wins. :-)
It's okay with me if Spring comes in on tip toe.
Actually, Sea has always been respectful towards me, and for a time emailed with me, lang syne. Somehow her posts don't upend me as they do some. I just don't pay much attention to cut and paste posts, and see no need to respond to them. It does seem a bit disrespectful to pop in and out without really saying hallo; on the other hand, I can't imagine Sea has felt invited to stop and chat.
Pat, thanks for the dharma link. I agree that we all (every person!) need to be respectful of one another and am so grateful for this gentle blog community.
SPRING EQUINOX tomorrow:
12:57 p.m EDT, 11:57 a.m. CDT, 10:57 a.m. MDT, 9:57 a.m. PDT, 8:57am AKDT
I beg to differ listener. you weren't at DFA at the time so I know that you aren't aware of the circumstances, but seashell was kindly invited here when I first created this blog, as were all of the other bloggers when DFA shut down. my invitation was met with insults and challenges from her, she insisted that I would ban her or delete her comments when she didn't agree with my pov on the blog. I (puddle and I, actually) put up with some bullshit for a while and then started deleting her comments when they got nasty and accusatory. all I wanted was a fresh start from the meanness on the old blog and it was quickly obvious that sea had no intention of having a nice conversation here, even when we relied to her kindly she either ignored the reply or came back with more meanness. I'm not sure why I feel the need to even tell you this, but I was insulted that you are so sure that she was never treated well here.
this was after a couple of years of some pretty nasty stuff from her directed at Pat, Denise, myself and anyone else who tried to support the 3 of us through it all. it was nasty, she threatened Pat - a lot. speaking for myself, I did get nasty back at Judy, usually because she was attacking one of my friends. I am sorry that you think that you "can't imagine Sea has felt invited to stop and chat" you would be wrong about that, sorry that you think so little of me in this regard. I guess all I can say is that I think you really should have gotten the facts before condemning me like that. if you don't believe me, ask puddle or Pat or Denise.
I think it's time for me to back away and let puddle run this blog. my life is just a tumbling right now and it's best if I keep my mind on that.
thank you all for the lovely times that we've had. I lost most of my contact info for you ladies in a computer crash but am in touch with most on facebook, so Shirlee if you want to keep in touch please have puddle send me your email addy. right now my email software is messed up, I can receive email but can't send (very weird, it just happened out of the blue last week) but I will be switching to new software soon. take care ladies. much love.
Jo, I'd feel an enormous loss if you left. I can understand being overwhelmed by one's life, too. Come home whenever you can; till then, I'll miss you! ♥
Jo, I just woke up with heartburn, and it's doubled. Take good care of yourself, come back when you can. Can we help in any way? Love from all of us. Pat
Jo, you will so be missed. I love your insights. Come home when you can. I'm glad I can still see you on FB.
I echo Pat's question, is there any way any of us can help?
Today is the Vernal Equinox. Yes, spring does come, though we certainly get fits and starts.
Jo, thoughts your way, take good care of yourself. I do know that things change and that you are immensely talented, a thoroughly good human being. May you have the peace of mind to do what you need to do.
And hello to everyone. May our day be simply great.
Holy Moly, Jo. I never intended an insult toward you or this blog whatsoever!!! As I re-read my post I can see how it could be taken that way. What I thought I had said was that I was not surprised that Sea had not stayed to chat, since she has seldom been friendly and seldom been well received.
I could not have known that you had sent her a personal invitation to come by and post here, could I? How would I have known that? I thought she had simply followed a general invitation here, not a personal one. I'm impressed that you sent her the invitation and salute you for it.
I stand wholly behind you in wanting this to be a kind blog where meanness is not expected or tolerated. Haven't we all been saying that very thing these last few days?
Please accept my apology for not being more articulate. No insult intended at all. ♥
I will post this to Jo's email too, incase she doesn't come by soon. Love you all.
After seeing Jo's note about her email being messed up, I also sent the message to her via Facebook messaging. Prayers ensuing or our Jo. ♥
* Prayers ensuing for our Jo. ♥
There are many things we feel the need to back away
from in life--and sometimes you just MUST do it. Thank you so much Jo for giving us a start. Rest, rest and return
whenever you feel like it! Puddle has my e-mail address
and may send it to whomever she feels appropriate.
A final thank you Jo, for making it possible for Puddle
and I to actually meet! A great joy--second meeting
planned for the first week-end in May!
Ladies, ladies! I did not receive a personal email invite from Jo, and we'll leave it at that. We all knew we were invited.
Nor will I bring Hu Jo's posts here anymore to honor Pat's request. I'm assuming the rest of you would prefer not to read his opinions either.
There is a clique here that thoroughly dislikes me. I was accused of being a racist and anti-semitic, neither of which is true.
People are never quite as *bad* as one may think and never quite as *good* either.
This is not a "clique is good, seashell bad" world, just as it's not a "Putin bad, Obama good" world.
I've stopped by to see how you ladies are doing since I care. Does that surprise you? I don't stay and chat becuz I chat with people who have a long history of liking me and vice versa. Birds of a feather sort of thing.
I always think well of all of you, tho we disagree on many things politically. I have republican friends and we like each other and respect people with differing opinions who can get along and discuss important issues without name-calling and vitriol. Love, compassion and friendship are more important than politics.
That said, most of my friends are flaming liberals like me. :-)
I've been following Jo's ordeals and feel sad and hope for the very best for her.
Run, Bernie, Run!
Oh my, I am really wiped out tonight. Had an appointment with my RA doc. 11:30 AM. I am really a noon to mid night person. But my lovely, interesting helper was here on schedule--so away we went-- after Lael got me and my
three wheeled cart into the car. Appointment, lab work and then off to do errands and pick up supplies. All I had to do then was sit in the car while she went in with my lists! I think when the old clock hits 80 something just switches into low gear! Never fear, will re-coup with a day's rest and Brenda Jane bringing our Friday evening
dinner in! Love to all----
Everything will be alright in the end.
If it is not right, it is not the end.
Shirlee, that *wasn't* a response to your post. (But it might have been, lol!)
And so the first day of spring ends, springlike.
A nice message, Seashell, appreciated.
And may good will, friendship, and sharing ideas, experiences and thoughts continue on this blog, and hopefully in the country.
Thoughts for you, Jo.
Jo and I have had a good off-blog conversation and all is well between us. Just thought you'd all sleep better knowing that. I'm sure she'll be back when she can. ♥
listener, I'm glad. Love you both.
Enjoying the Marigold Hotel enormously. 2nd time through now.
puddle ♥
Have had the door open (storm door closed) all day. Gotta say, it *has* been spring! I am grateful.
Listener--I am so happy that all is well with you and Jo .
And Puddle, I will take your comment as a response
to the recital of my trials and tribulations of yesterday.
I am still here--so I must be OK! Thanks much!
There is a John Hartford song--"I'm Still Here". which I
think was written after one of his bouts with cancer.
Top of the Mornin' Friends,
Another nice day beginning, but we're supposed to get snow later on. Ah, March, it's been a lion of a March.
I have a dilemma I'd like to run by you all. I'll post it a bit later after I think about it some more.
Puddle, so glad you are having some "spring" weather! No fun being cold.
So glad to hear all of your voices here. A sanctuary of a sort.
Love and hugs all around!
Glorious sunshine today, and so warm streaming in the windows that I turned the heat off for over 6 hours! Tomorrow we are expecting 3-5" of snow. But that's okay because we bought the movie Frozen to watch with VT&Granddaughter. :-D (First Disney movie I've seen since I can remember.) We'll watch that on Saturday evening while enjoying sundaes, than on Sunday we're going to a sugar-on-snow event with her and her Daddy, as well as Grandson and his 'rents. This is going to be a banner weekend! :-D
Pat, my ears and heart are open… ♡
VT&Granddaughter = VT*Granddaughter
than on Sunday = then on Sunday
Good Morning,
Thank you, Listener, for your receptivity. I think the dilemma has been resolved. It took a day of reliving the problem, then suddenly having an insight, and seeing it resolved. Very interesting.
I think that understanding a problem from more than one perspective, seeing it from the other side, seeing it from a future and consequences point of view, and gauging how we are affected emotionally helps.
Dense fog, mountain invisible, spattering of snow here. And yes, it's still coming down.
I enjoy your activities with grands.
Absolutely stunning day here: near 70º and mostly sunny! Beau's spending another day out, though the door's open and he can come in, and does from time to time. Back to winter on Tuesday, lol! Snow.
Pat, glad your issue resolved.
Hi friends,
A rough draft of a poem in a sequence called Because of Rain, about the September floods we had.
As always, suggestions for improvement are welcome.
Landscape in March
This bruised and lacerated
Land in March alternating
Between winter’s gray and
Spring’s flash of clarity
Broken trees, collapsed
And shorn hills, river’s
Bank overflowing with
Debris, cottonwoods,
Ponderosa pines, willows,
Spruce, aspen, fir
Stacked in cairns
A funeral land, hard
To look at, to see how
Fragile Nature is
The land we took as
Eternal as mountains
Crashed 2000 feet down
The rains battering and
Dissolving what we knew
As beautiful, indestructible.
Spring is coming. There will
Be grasses, shrubs, wildflowers,
Trees those that survived,
A gradual firming, growing,
And we too will be renewed
Aware now after so much
Loss and grief what we need
To do to repair and heal.
Beautiful, Pat. Thank you
Lovely! I think one of the things I love most about your poetry is seeing the world through your eyes: new, and hopeful, and the language pure and edged. Thank you. Again.
Thank you. You give me hope and confidence. Thank you.
Pat, your beautiful poem is at once a lament and a declaration of hope. An act of hope arising out of loss… like a new tree shoot springing up from a broken and grieved over 100 year Oak.
It brought me back to how our landscape felt the first Spring after our terrible ice storm of January 1998. It took a few years to feel like the voids were filling in, but there were some surprises that first Spring too. Some views were changed in that they opened out and were more amazing. Others opened out with lots of bare spots and broken limbs in evidence. Everything still looked better in leaf. May your hope be blessed, and may your sorrow be eased.
Grand on the premises! Another coming in the morning! Must go get some sleep!! :-
Phil Specht
A poem to offer comfort Pat Maslowski, since you were so kind as to share, i have written another for you:
The Delta
We all live on the delta
of Noah and care
soil washed from the mountain stream
blues in the air.
Garden growing, grown
bounty, blessing, sorrow and pain
Gifts given and taken
by flood and the rain.
Earth, the dirt warming
arms open waiting seed
and the rains will soon come
irregardless of need.
We are here in the Garden
It came before Time
Offer pipe five directions
for seasons in rhyme.
Phil Specht
It is not God's wrath
the rain falls just and unjust
and falls and falls
til mountains too
and no not God's fault
the bridge washed away
the just the unjust
the unclean now clean
riverbottom rock
adorning bankside meadow
necklace of stone as remembrance.
What lovely, wise and comforting poetry.
Thank You Phil and Puddle.
Good Morning,
A foggy day here. I discovered something yesterday as Molly Magee was taking me on her daily walking meditation: it's the creative process itself that is so exhilarating. It connects us to the universe. It's not fame, fortune, praise, but the doing, whatever the creativity. It can be anything: cooking, gardening, drawing, singing, building, sewing, anything at all that lets us discover as we do and to make something to share.
We watched a film called Ten Canoes about Australian Aborigines last night. What a different world: to wear no clothes, to live in large family groups, to relive rituals, to spend days hunting and gathering, to do everything manually. What is still true is our emotions of jealousy, revenge, fear, love. It was in some ways shocking to see who we are in an ancient culture.
Have a good day, friends.
Chilling down ahead of tomorrow's blizzard. Spring blizzards are nada, lol! I *know* it's spring because 47º feels cold. . . .
We have some cooling down here, but the wintry mix
predicted for tomorrow is now 47 degrees and some
chance of rain. Yippee--because have an appt. with
tongue doc tomorrow. Way past time for winter to be
over!
Our blizzard is being predicted as as much as two inches on grassy surfaces, lol! Only wet on the roads. . . .
Tongue doctor mercies!
Thanks, Puddle--I will be glad to see the last of this tongue problem gone! On another note--I long for the
days when our H. D. was Head of the DNC! This current
group of phone line fund raisers can be absolutely rude..
Had a VERY pushy call today...finally told him they all
needed to take lessons from President Obama's group
Organizing for Action. Those folks are considerate and
very polite and understanding.t
How is everyone this fine day?
I got to take VT*Grand to tap dance class, plus got a note from Grandson's*Mom asking if I'd be willing to hand-decorate a candle for Grandson's first birthday cake…! That's a huge step forward, and I'm tickled! The theme of the party is "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" ~ :-D So I picture a candle with THE Hungry Caterpillar curled around it, facing downward with mouth open, and maybe polka-dotted as well. FUN!
There is talk of 40's beginning this Friday, even here! It is expected to arrive with Ice Pellets.
Shirlee, at least there's one benefit of being on dialup, lol!
listener, sounds like you are having a "grand" time. . . .
Hmmmmm. . . . Fact I didn't know: Judi Dench is a Quaker.
From Wiki: In 2013 she spoke about her personal religious faith. Dench, a Quaker, said "I think it informs everything I do ... I couldn’t be without it".
Interesting Judi Dench fact., Puddle. Thanks!ir
..sorry not sure what the 'ir' is:)
Good Morning,
More clouds and fog, though each day seems to bring more light, milder temperatures.
Recently I submitted four poems to Colorado Life Magazine for the issue on Cowboys and Indians. Here are some; it occurred to me that we might has some of the same experiences.
How We Came to Love the West
A matinee every Saturday
At the Rialto, just nine cents
Sponsored by the PTA we
Wore our jeans and cowboy hats.
Who are your favorite cowboys
We asked each other. Mine were
Roy Rogers, Rex Allen, and Gene
Autry, oh, and Roy’s horse trigger.
The mythical West, sagebrush,
Tumbleweeds, canyons, forever
Skies, hoof beats, horses blowing,
Riding hard and hollering.
My small Michigan town so
Staid and boring, we replayed
The movies, sneaking up on each other
our cap guns blazing.
Yesterday I met a neighbor, and
We compared our memories.
Her favorites were Hopalong
Cassidy and the Lone Ranger.
Do you suppose we all
Came West because of
Those cowboy movies?
She grinned and nodded yes.
Just Ramblin’ Along
Tumblin’ tumbleweeds
Git along little dogie
Giddiup,
gallopin’
whoopin’ and hollarin’
Lassoin’,
saloon doors swingin’
Whoa,
dance hall ladies,
Heading back to camp,
Sunset over the mesa,
Yodelin’,
chuckwagon vittles
Guitar strummin’
Coyotes howlin’
Tall tale tellin’
Campfire
Bedrolls
Under the stars
Oh Give Me A Home.
In Person
He was sitting at a table
In the House of Ludington
Our town’s finest hotel and
Restaurant. I was selected
To wait on him, my hero
In all those cowboy movies,
Gene Autry, it can’t be,
What a thrill!
I was sixteen, so let’s see,
He’d have to be almost fifty,
And as I approached the table,
It couldn’t be, he looked just
Like my Uncle Bill.
I closed my eyes, took
A breath and pretended
All through the meal
His horse was hitched
Just outside and he
Would mount up and ride
Right back into the movie.
Has should be have, and Just Ramblin' Along should have the lines going all which ways and ending with the last three lines in standard rows.
Hope I'm not being piggy using the blog space for these. If so, let me know.
Have a good day, friends.
Where and when I was growing,
tumbleweeds blew down our streets every autumn.
My favorite song was Spurs that Jingle Jangle Jingle.
I got on a bus going east when I was 21
and never came back. . . .
Yes, I can picture it, Puddle.
At one point in college, I looked down our main street and thought, this is the end of the world. I want to go where the world is bigger.
Yep--same here --except I left the small towns of Michigan
for a small town in Texas which felt open and not cramped
in any way. Mixed cultures, Mexican, transplanted Yankee, some German, and Vietnamese. It also helped
being on the largest bay of the Gulf of Mexico. Never felt
cramped there, but it was 90 miles to major medical care.
Tongue doc report. Looked at the poor, abused thing and
decided it was best to do a biopsy of the sore area.
Results back in a few days :)
FYI
Nate Silver Predicts GOP Senate Win, Democrats Promptly Freak Out
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/24/nate-silver-gop-senate_n_5020271.html
Sea
Puddle--did you get snow with this last cold front?
Brenda and I have a request--blow the snow off
your mountains before the first week-end in May ;)
An inch or two. Just swept the porch, and stairs. Should be gone by sunset tomorrow, lol! And it'll be gone by our lunch. Promise.
We are holding you to that promise. If it is still there, well
my 18 year old Camry has seen the white stuff --Michigan version--in its first years with me. It is a tough old cookie.
It has 155,000 miles on it and the local dealership says
It could easily go to 300, 000! A wonder to me.
Old cars are wonderful! Sort of like old dogs. 95 Escort wagon, here, lol! But haven't made 80,000 miles yet. Doubt it'll make a hundred, grin. Considering it hasn't been started since before Christmas. . . .
http://climatechangepsychology.blogspot.com/2014/03/fivethirtyeight-roger-pielke-misrepresents-climate-change-research.html
I'm sorry to say that it looks like Nate's losing his edge. I *really* like him, but. . . .
Also, there's this from a few days ago: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/03/23/1286213/-By-hiring-a-climate-disinformer-Nate-Silver-undermines-his-entire-premise-of-data-driven-journalism
Excellent link and information, Puddle.. Thank Ye Much!
Agree--old cars are like comfortable slippers
Good Morning,
A bit foggy, but every day it's warmer, more springlike.
Just finished the final proofing of the manuscript that will be published April 26th. It's taken hours.
Shirlee, I hope your biopsy comes out okay. While walking with the mountain women the other day, we talked about how when we get older, our bodies are like houses, spring a leak here and there, needing repairs and replacements. How lucky we were as children to take our bodies for granted.
But, everything teaches, and we learn about each other from what we experience.
We've somehow have to get big money out of elections. I was willing to contribute to get Obama and others elected, but by contributing other than small sums, we are colluding with the corruption, and corporations and money as people is corrupt.
Greed has done in so many civilizations. I was reading in Harpers how Powell became the head of the Colorado River Association, warned people 150 years ago there wasn't enough water to allocate the volumes they were doing. Greed won out, and as he predicted there will be droughts, lack of enough water not only for humans but also for fish and wildlife. The article also said underneath Lake Powell is a toxic waste dump since there isn't the river volume to flush out the heavy metal silt.
I think of Peter, Paul, and Mary's "When will they ever learn?"
And so, we go on. Have a good day, friends.
I remember a conversation I had with a Bay Area resident twenty odd years ago: about California stealing water from other states (Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, Utah)-- He thought it fine because California was a better place to live. I thought that a desert state ought to stop pretending it wasn't. . . .
Hi again, really tired. I proofread the manuscript four times, and somehow that took my energy.
Yes, John Wesley Powell warned people not to encourage growth that would deplete the water resources, but California was the golden state, and with mining, lumber, agriculture, and manufacturing, there was no stopping the promoting of California. Powell warned legislators and business people that litigation, climate, and overpopulation would be the major cause of water problems in the future. He was right.
I'm wondering, will we the people act to correct, repair, renovate, and innovate given over population, climate change, and technological changes in work? I truly wish that Americans would not have to work so hard and so much, that money is such a determiner in our lives.
Well, keep the faith, I guess, hope, listen, converse, read, vote.
The clouds are coming in, rain and snow tomorrow. A hard spring coming this is.
Odd really to consider that the human race has only, within the past hundred years, been forced to stay put, and take care of. . . . Parts have learned how to (the Chinese, for instance), but on the whole, humans have just mucked up where they were and moved somewhere else. And we've finally run out of space to run to. Learning to take care of what we have isn't proving easy. I wonder if we'll make it.
So true, Puddle. So true...
Here is an interesting interactive map of the mud slide.
http://seattletimes.com/flatpages/local/interactivebeforeandafterthe530mudslide.html
Geologist have been warning for a long time but it seems that the rich get their way and get to build where ever they want. Regulations were changed to accommodate them.
Common Dreams
Anger, Disbelief as Obama Defends US Invasion of Iraq
'In order to not appear hypocritical, Obama rewrites history around Iraq War while denouncing Russia'
- Jon Queally, staff writer
Run, Bernie, Run.
sea
This is the Obama quote from Common Dreams, and as you can imagine, Common Dreams excoriated Obama.
"Speaking to the international community about the ongoing crisis in Ukraine and fending off repeated accusations that the U.S. has lost its moral authority given the invasion of Iraq and other breaches of international law in recent years, Obama said:
Russia has pointed to America’s decision to go into Iraq as an example of Western hypocrisy. Now, it is true that the Iraq war was a subject of vigorous debate, not just around the world but in the United States, as well. I participated in that debate, and I opposed our military intervention there.
But even in Iraq, America sought to work within the international system. We did not claim or annex Iraq’s territory. We did not grab its resources for our own gain. Instead, we ended our war and left Iraq to its people in a fully sovereign Iraqi state that can make decisions about its own future."
What he's obviously trying to do is show that along with the bad, and there certainly was bad, there were efforts to ameliorate what we had done, and we have left Iraq. This all seems reasonable to me.
In my perspective the extreme left is as dangerous and unprincipled, as unreasonable as the far right, and both have done inordinate damage to this country and any dialogue, bipartisan efforts have stalemated. Politics represents who we are, and given the extremes, that makes us unreasonable, culpable, ideological, and unconcerned with the common good. That's my take on it.
Have a good day, friends.
Thanks, Pat for bringing that quote here. On DKos just yesterday --or maybe it was today's edition--there is a wonderful post about our President being interviewed
by a right wing reporter. Well, worth the read! A calm, collected, intelligent Barack Obama being interviewed
by a RW reporter. Thanks for the facts, Pat!
Bright shiny clean thread!
Thank you, Puddle. But is it just my I-Pad or is Charlie
Brown taking up s pace over the link to comments on the new thread?
Anyway a Happy, Happy Birthday to our Jo and continuing thanks for making a space for us. We love you.
fixed!
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