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 My blog was filled up. I'm too lazy to clean it out. So I started a new one. |
| Prompt: "The pen is the tongue of the mind" Miguel de Cervantes Saaverda "The pen is mightier than the sword." Certainly, Thomas Paine with his pamphlets proved to wield more influence and power than he would have with traditional weapons in colonial America. If we think of "the pen" as any written word, which I believe was the intention of both quotes, we have evidence today of the power of that written word. Facebook and Twitter can do more harm and good than sit-ins, marches, and riots. Words written by misled teenagers have destroyed reputations and lives. In fact, in this culture of short attention spans, a Thomas Paine pamphlet would be read by only a few intellectuals. Snarky tweets and biased photo captions are the only news outlets for a lot of folks. Ill-informed politicians and ego-drunk celebrities can incite mass emotional reactions by what they thumb type in haste. The point is they type quickly without rational thought, instead of just speaking to those in the room, sending their thoughts out to huge followings. The first quote referred to the tongue. Yes, the writing is like the tongue, but without being face to face. I have seen notes or e-mails in the business place divide and alienate in ways the writers never intended. The written word is harder to retract than spoken words. The Bible tells us the tongue is a dangerous thing. It likens the tongue, or spoken word, to the rudder of a ship, which can lead it astray or stay on course if controlled properly. In another place, it tells us the tongue, or what comes out of the mouth, indicates what is in the heart. If venomous things are spoken or written, then that is because the heart is full of hatred and venom. Both the written and the spoken word reveal the inner thinking and feeling of the speaker (fiction being the exception). Both can do great harm, incite wars, sway a community, or lead someone to suicide. Both require a good deal of rational thinking and discernment. |
| If you want a great day trip with the family, go to the Marine Museum in Quantico. It's not on the base, and it is not designed or supported y the government or armed services. It is all done by volunteers and donors. It's a massive structure, an astonishing engineering and architectural feat. Inside the museum, which I expected to be small and somewhat boring, there are full-size tanks and helicopters inside. The first thing you learn is that the Marines was formed by the continental congress, before the USA even existed. The time line they have posted the length of the hallway tells not only the history of the Marines, but of the country. There are unique galleries for each major war or police action. The one for Korea includes a freezing room to give you an idea of the harsh winters there. The galleries for Iraq and Afghanistan are not complete yet, so they are sealed. Be sure to keep looking up as you go along. There are things overhead as well as around you. In one spot, they even have trenches and dugouts for reporters. There are authentic vehicles for each time period and mannequins in appropriate uniforms, rescuing fallen comrades. One tank is left open so you can walk into it, and feel the vibrations underfoot. You go upstairs to find the art galleries and two grills. Food and drink is not allowed outside the dining area, and you may not bring in your own to protect the displays. Upstairs you can also look through windows down into the galleries you were just viewing. There are banquet rooms available for rent for bridal receptions, business dinners, and so forth. The grounds outside are beautiful, and there's ample parking. An American flag made of dog tags of deceased Marines stands at the head of the walkway in. Admission is free. What a bargain! You do have to go through metal detectors when you enter. There is a children's gallery, a gift shop, and a movie theater. The movie is not free and lasts less than an hour. It's a good family trip for the family or for yourself if you like history.  |
| There is an assortment of answers. like both, neither, or it depends on the definitions. It turns out on study that both words have evolved within my lifetime, or actually the last several decades. I always knew that "religious" could have some negative connotations, especially if said with an attitude. But studies by theologians and church hierarchy that even the clergy have an almost exclusively negative view of the word. Generally, to them it's about business, handling what they are paid to do as administrators. "Spiritual" on the other hand implies searching. It involves experience and practice. More and more of every day people are identifying as spiritual and not religious. Spiritual is seen as acceptable, if somewhat blurry in its meaning. For most, it means a rejection of traditional religion or at least their parents' religion. Intellectuals claim this "spiritual but not religious" movement applies to all world religions. Buddhists, Moslems, and Hindus supposedly questioning tradition and are seeking something more meaningful. In my world, I encounter mostly Judeo-Christians people, but the Hindus I have known in the recent past, and even those who have converted to Christianity, still follow the teachings and preferences of their families. Of the Christians, I think there are two groups. The first encounter chaplains in prisons, hospitals, or the military. They have initiated the conversation. They seem to be sincere and making a genuine search for answers. The ones I have personally encountered are only using it as a cop-out. They want to live their lives with no accountability to others, including God or a higher power. They want to be in control of their own time, money, behavior, and thought, no rules or restrictions. Essentially, they make themselves god, and don't want anyone to criticize them for it. By claiming to be spiritual, they feel one step safer than those who reject the idea of God all together, sort of a celestial fire insurance, just in case there is life after death. Closer up in my own circle, most want to be both spiritual and religious. They enjoy the routine of church, choir practice, and opportunities for fellowship and community service. They also are trying to become better people and inprove their practice of their beliefs in terms of social justice and mercy as well as personal devotion. I have noticed, though, there is still a strong faction that wants church to be the way it was when they were younger. They think that if they try the same old things, or build a gym, or whatever, that the church will attract new members and regain its former glory. I think those days are gone for good. The question now is how do we adapt to the changing world, to help people grow spiritually and work to improve communities? |
| Most visitors to my area want to see Thomas Jefferson's home, Monticello. It's kind of on the pricey side and is a big, commercial style deal. When I was a younger adult, you could enter the driveway on the side of the highway where the house is. You'd drive uphill through the woods and park in a lot just below the house. Now you enter on the opposite side and ride a shuttle up to the house. It's a big money making operation now, but the fundamentals are the same. The house is preserved according to what they believe it was in his lifetime. (If you read about its history, you'll know the mansion fell into hard times and was used as a barn by one owner.) You'll see the genius of his creations and inventions, and learn of his agricultural skills. Just down the mountain, you'll find Michie Tavern, an authentic inn of the time period. It has a water wheel, and is placed on a dangerous curve in the mountain road. Just before the tavern, you find a steep road going up to a well-known operational orchard with lots to see and do. Have lunch at Michie Tavern, above the museum. It's new, but serves southern cooking, like Grandma used to make. They feature fried and baked chicken, barbecue, black-eye peas, stewed tomatoes, mashed potatoes and gravy, biscuits, cornbread, coleslaw, etc., from the buffet line. Apple or peach cobbler is extra, but very tasty. The wait staff dress colonial style, and your iced tea or soda is served in metal cups. Jefferson would get his ice from the Rivanna River below. (The slaves would get large chunks in the winter, haul it by mule up to his ice house and store it in the shaded building with a carved out floor. It would last until summer time and kept the butter and milk cold.) If you drive a little further down the winding road, the mountain levels off a bit, and you come to Ash Lawn, the home of another president. At this one, you'll learn more about excavation, and historic preservation. Live peacocks display their colors on the grounds. Only minutes away, our downtown end of Main Street was turned into an outdoor mall decades ago. I have memories of parking on Main Street in front of businesses, but that is only a memory now. Downtown parking is its biggest shortcoming. Once there, most people find it very charming. There is a pavilion at one end, where concerts are held in the open air. In the summer, we have Fridays after Five, for free, featuring live music. Many cafes are out in the open, some all year round. Many street vendors flaunt their wares. My favorite reason to still go there is The Paramount Theater. It closed for ten years, but was refurbished and opened ten years ago as a vehicle for many kinds of performances. The Paramount is still a grand, elegant movie theater, with Baroque styling and wall paper. The top floor, which once was offices, is now reserved for balls and banquets. Operas from the Met and broadcasts of live plays are shown there. Concerts are always sold out. Ronnie Milsap and The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band are two acts coming soon. I have seen Bob Newhart, Kris Kristofferson, Gordon Lightfoot, Mary Chapin Carpenter, and Michael McDonald there, not to mention swing bands and orchestras. It's fun to see a Christmas movie, available on TV now, on the big screen with a full audience that loves old movies like I do. Except for a manager and some grant writers, it is staffed by volunteers. There are many more attractions from which to choose. I obviously am proud of it. |
| I watched the parade in DC on TV. I loved it. It wasn't big and flashy like Macy's or the Rose parades. It was any town, every day people parading their patriotism. It was unique in that there were so many different people backgrounds. A group of Sikhs marched in their garb, Vietnamese Americans had a large group in a graceful presentation, and an African group paraded. Only in DC would so many diverse groups be found in such large numbers. It was great to see them parading their pride in America. I didn't see any politicians or political messages. It was a hot muggy day. Overweight people walked alongside the bands pulling wagons of water bottles. Some folks, presumably parents, weaved in and out of the heavy uniforms and big hats tending to the kids in the burning sun. It really had that hometown, homespun feel to it. Our usual family gathering fizzled out. My brother passed away a few months ago, and he always ran the fireworks and got everyone together. I think his daughters needed a change of pace, so they made other plans for their kids. My younger brother in another town just got back from California and is going to New York later this month, both trips for his wife's family events. His young son is in day camp this week, so they stayed home to chill. Dad and I had already purchased a lot of food, but decided we would just have al low key day to ourselves and watch fireworks on TV late tonight. But in between her other plans for the day, my widowed niece showed up with her 3 young children. They were hungry, so I had to dig hot dogs out of the freezer and proceed with the original menu really fast. We had hot dogs, baked beans, cantaloupe, watermelon, potato chips, and ice cream cones. We didn't fix the corn on the cob because of time. I had the makings for s'mores and sparklers, but they were for after dark. They're already gone to their next stop. I've washed all the dishes and swept the floors. So we didn't do any yard work, but we had our indoor picnic. I am sorry about the earthquake in California, but am glad no one is hurt so far. I hope nothing more severe happens in the next few days, which is possible with any earthquake. I think the fire in a fireworks store in North Carolina is suspicious, especially today of all days. I wish that more people living in America knew more about its history. Too many celebrities speak and act on feelings rather than knowledge and serious deliberation. In fact, I've often thought anyone running for public office should be required to enroll in civic, government and history classes. A college education does not guarantee a well rounded education. A few ethics classes wouldn't be a bad idea, even for career politicians. I hope everyone has a safe and happy independence Day. It truly is a great country. We need to recall once again the words of JFK: "Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country." |
| Do you make your bed in the morning or leave it unmade? What do you think this says about you? } As old as I am, I still struggle with this one daily. I don't have a showcase home. I would never take anyone through my house to "show" it, because it's functional, not decorated. So no one will ever see my bed, but me. When I was married, I did make the bed every day, so that I could not have to come home to a messy bed. He was very messy, so I didn't want the room to be any worse than it had to be. In fact, whenever I shared an apartment with a roommate, or a dorm room, I always made my bed immediately on getting up. I always make my bed when staying with a relative or friend. It's when I'm the only one to see it, that I am reluctant to take the time. I suppose I feel responsible to other people. I usually wake up very slowly. I hit the snooze alarm several times, so I have to set it about 20 minutes earlier than I need to be up. Getting my eyes to stay open and getting my feet onto the floor is my first chore of the day. I straighten the covers over the bed before I even get up, to make it go faster. Once, I'm on my feet, it's tempting to go about my business of getting ready instead of turning around and fixing the bed. If the pillows are in place and the bottom half is smooth, does it really matter, if the top is neatly tucked and flattened? No one will know but me. I argue with myself that it doesn't matter if the blanket is heaped up or the pillow is on the side, I'll fix it at bed time tonight! But there's this nagging voice in my head that says, "You need to be orderly and organized! Do this right, and do it now, or you'll be sloppy all day long!" So how did this neat freak get into my head? It must be in control right now, because I'm going through a neat phase. The bed is made every day, the counters are washed every day in the kitchen (not just when needed), etc. I'm certain the lackadaisical me will come back unless I undergo a major personality change. For decades, I had a refrigerator magnet that read, "Only dull women have immaculate homes". Obviously, I was never a dull woman! |
| I was born on D-Day, so I've always recalled it and many stories about it. It was a great day in history (not my year, but in 1944), Never before had so many countries worked together to accomplish a common goal, and never since. It was a great masterwork of military minds, diplomats, and passionate statesmen. I learned early on that my birth flower was the rose, and the gemstone was a pearl. I've always loved the aroma of roses. Long ago, you could find perfumes that smelled like roses. Potpourri sometimes had rose petals. Once I even found a line of candles that smelled of roses. They must be out of favor, because I can't find any rose fragrances now. And I don't think I should buy roses for myself. I've tried growing them without much luck. As for pearls, I have a few necklaces of various kinds of pearls and arrangements. My ears are allergic to even gold, so no earrings. When I was sixteen I went shopping with my grandmother for a birthday present. We went to the jewelry store where I discovered that in the affordable birthstone line, June was listed as alexandrite. So I wound up with a ten carat gold ring with a nice purple stone. I still have it, and although my knuckles are larger, I can still wear it. When I got home, my mother told me how tight my grandmother's budget was and that this was a genuine sacrifice for her. I now have some rings that cost more, but this one will always be precious to me. I don't know much about moonstone. That's a June stone on some lists. Honeysuckle is also listed as the birth flower. It's a sweet flower that grows wild. It is sometimes blended with other flowers for perfumes. If you ever picked a blossom and sucked it, you know why the cows like to eat it. Pluck a blossom, tear off the stem tip, and suck. You only get a drop, but it's like sugar water. The cow eats all she can find to munch. Every kid should try for herself to see why the birds and the bees like it. Prompt: use pearl, rose, honeysuckle, alexandrite, and moonstone in a blog. It's my month, so it seemed like my assignment. |
| I wrote about the voodoo plant. I pulled 75 plants and left them out to dry before discarding. It rained on them, so the day before trash collection, I went out to pick them up and bag them. With only the dirt clinging to the bulbs, they were standing straight up in the sun on the slate patio. They obviously don't need much to grow and prosper. I dug them out of moist, well worked soil. They were in Heaven, I guess. I dug an additional ten that day, small ones that I had either missed or that had sprung up in the days that had lapsed. Yesterday, I dug about 15 more, believing I had them all. Today, I dug up another 26. They really sprout up overnight. This is why I wanted to get rid of all of them, not saving even one. It looks like I will be going it all summer. I've even dug up a few in the yard, well below the raised flower bed. If I'm up to it, I may have to dig up the entire flower bed this fall, after all the blooming and growing is done. I will pick out the hostas and lilies, and discard everything else, putting down new top soil and replanting the good things. Meanwhile, there are lots of children in my family, and they are also growing. My brother passed away in February, so now they are coming to visit Great Grandpa more often. It gives their mothers more of a sense of family without Pop Pop to spoil the kids. I love them all, but the three year olds are making the most noticeable growth right now. I convinced one niece to take her three children to Farm Day in the same county where she lives. It was early May, and I was afraid Great Grandpa was going to have a heat stroke, even if he loved looking at antique farm equipment, and huge commercial farm machines. When we went inside a hot, but shaded building, the three year old boy got very excited about a set-up to shell corn. He took one look with the dried up cobs and corn kernels in buckets and exclaimed, "This is how you make corn!" I showed him the rack where the husks were hanging to dry out, and he figured out the rest. You put the corn in the top, turn the crank and the corn gets cut off the cob. It comes down the chute, a word he didn't know until I told him; the corn gets shoved down to a big box at the bottom and the cobs tumble into the basket on the side. It was fun watching him explore and figuring it all out. I was impressed with how smart he is. At my house on Monday, now that school is out, all six kids were there. As one niece was leaving to take her daughter to a swim meet, her three year old didn't want to leave. He wanted to stay with his three year old cousin, who is about 5 inches taller and 3 months younger. The bigger one is our farm boy. The smaller one said he would stay with me and yelled "Bye, Mommy!" as she walked down the driveway to her car. I told him she was really leaving, but he didn't care. I told him she was going to the pool, so he stopped and looking at farm cousin, asked, "You want to go to the pool?" Farm boy said, "C'mon, I'll take you to your family." They ran together out to the driveway and past my car. Farm boy stopped. The little one turned around, yelling, "C'mon." My little farmer said, "I want to stay with my family." I was so impressed. They were having a good time playing outside together, They both wanted to go to the pool. But this three year old had developed the concept of family. I was so proud and so touched by him. How exciting it is to watch these little ones grow, to watch them form their conceptions about the world and how it works. They are even forming values at such a tender age. It almost makes up for the destruction and messes they make. |
| June 11, 2019 Prompt: An excessive heat warning has been issued for Las Vegas this week. We will be having triple digit temperatures. How do you keep cool in triple digit temperatures? Growing up, we had no air conditioning. We did have fans, and learned to shout above the noise of them. As kids, we like to sing or just make vocal sounds in front of the fans to hear how it changed our voices. With our small house, it was not too hard to set up cross ventilation with a fan inside the front screen door and one at the back or one in a side window at night. I remember not being able to sleep at night for the heat. We seldom get over 99 degrees, but on a few rare days each summer we will go over 100, maybe 103, with the heat index higher. Only on rare years will it last long. But we have very high humidity, even in the 70's and 80's, I've experienced 100 in April, but usually not until late May or June. We've even had some unbearably hot Halloweens and warm Thanksgivings, but those are standouts. Camping in the summer heat is just miserable, unless you're under a tree near running water. That will be a little cooler at night, but for the most part, tents are sweat machines. So, I sympathize with those who have to endure a crushing heat wave. since I first went to work at age 16, I've spent a good deal of time indoors in the summer with air conditioning. Unfortunately, some of those places wouldn't keep those places cool enough for employees who were doing physical work or wearing uniform jackets or smocks. But now I'm retired and don't worry about sweating on the job. I'm not a swimmer, so I don't spend a hot day at the pool. I burn easily, so I no longer just sweat it out at the beach. Instead, I cover myself with mosquito spray and sit in the shade, preferably with a breeze. A tall glass of iced tea ( a thermal cup keeps the ice a long time) helps me pamper myself. When we're in a long hot spell, I'd like to keep the house super cool, but than we worry about a big electric bill from non-stop running of the AC. We also use several dehumidifiers, which have to be emptied 2 or 3 times a day. They don't cool, but they take that stickiness out of the air. My 91 year old father will sit in the garage, door up, revealing to all the passersby that he is a hoarder. He sits in the shade with a fan blowing in his direction, enjoying the fresh air while he snoozes. Parades and fairs and other outdoor events are another story. You just have to bite the bullet and sweat. I see a lot of kids at those things who should have on sunscreen. I hate seeing a three year old or younger with a sunburn. You have to plan in advance. I wore sandals to a parade in April once, and the tops of feet were sunburned! I visited Atlanta in June, and walked around with my toes covered. The tops of feet were burned once again. Hats make your head sweat, and I don't look good in them, but I'm learning a UV treated hat is helpful. Always wear sunglasses even if your nose and temples sweat from touching the frames. Old people, like my dad, and people with breathing problems need frequent breaks in the shade. Take water bottles for everyone in your crowd. If you really want to keep cool, and want to be outside, you just have to act like you're afraid of sunshine. Then make up your mind that it's okay to sweat profusely, that the makeup with the SPF protects your face even if it's melting and making you look funny, that nobody looks good in extreme heat so don't worry about it. Giving up stress and worry is one way of staying cool.   |
| Growing up, we had no air conditioning. We did have fans, and learned to shout above the noise of them. As kids, we like to sing or just make vocal sounds in front of the fans to hear how it changed our voices. With our small house, it was not too hard to set up cross ventilation with a fan front of one screen door in the front and one in the back or one in a side window at night. I remember not being able to sleep at night for the heat. We seldom get over 99 degrees, but on rare a few days each summer will go over 100, maybe 103, with the heat index higher. Only on rare years will it last long. But we have very high humidity, even in the 70's and 80's, I've experienced 100 in April, but usually not until late May or June. We've even had some unbearably hot Halloweens and warm Thanksgivings, but those are standouts. So, I sympathize with those who have to endure a crushing heat wave. since I first went to work at age 16, I've spent a good deal of time indoors in the summer with air conditioning. Unfortunately, some of those places wouldn't keep those places cool enough for employees who were doing physical work or wearing uniform jackets or smocks. But now I'm retired and don't worry about sweating on the job. I'm not a swimmer, so I don't spend a hot day at the pool. I burn easily, so I no longer just sweat it out at the beach. Instead, I cover myself with mosquito spray and sit in the shade, preferably with a breeze. A tall glass of iced tea ( a thermal cup keeps the ice a long time) helps me pamper myself. When we're in a long hot spell, I'd like to keep the house super cool, but than we worry about a big electric bill from non-stop running of the AC. We also use several dehumidifiers, which have to be emptied 2 or 3 times a day. They don't cool, but they take that stickiness out of the air. My 91 year old father will sit in the garage, door up, revealing to all the passsersby that he is a hoarder. He sits in the shade with a fan blowing in his direction, enjoying the fresh air while he snoozes. Parades and fairs and other outdoor events are another story. You just have to bite the bullet and sweat. I see a lot of kids at those things who should have on sunscreen. I hate seeing a three year old or younger with a sunburn. You have to plan in advance. I wore sandals to a parade in April once, and the tops of feet were sunburned! I visited Atlanta in June, and walked around with my toes covered. The tops of feet were burned once again. Hats make your head sweat, and I don't look good in them, but I'm learning a UV treated hat is helpful. Always wear sunglasses even if your nose and temples sweat from touching the frames. Old people, like my dad, and people with breathing problems need frequent breaks in the shade. Take water bottles for everyone in your crowd. If you really want to keep cool, and want to be outside, you just have to act like you're afraid of sunshine. Then make up your mind that it's okay to sweat profusely, that the makeup with the SPF protects your face even if it's melting and making you look funny, that nobody looks good in extreme heat so don't worry about it. Giving up stress and worry is one way of staying cool. |
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