Friday, September 26, 2008

Some High Lights Of A Peaceful Day*
















When It Was All Said & Done*

Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow*

I should be doing some housework, I was told-- just can't seem to bring myself to do it.  I did do some cooking these past 2 days on my days off from work--  chicken salad with toasted almonds, homemade tomato soup of the sun dried tomato variety, & even a broccoli dish to go with a roast for tonight, as long as I remember to pop it in the oven, being it's a Friday we have PBS all lined up with--  "The News Hour", "Greater Boston"--   with Emily Rooney, [ Andy's daughter], an excellent show. "The McLaughlin Group", or as my family would call them--"The Screamers", for sometimes they would get into it in a real hot & heavy way & Eleanor many a time would get ganged up on, [as she used to be the only woman on the show & it would almost sound as if she were shrieking], but no longer for now there's an additional gal, though she of course comes from a different point of view, which adds additional interest to the discussion.  The show-- "Now" a newer program which is still a 50/50 per my preference as it can sometimes drag a bit.  My favorite of all is-- "Bill Moyer's Journal", he's priceless & always tells it like it is.  I don't always stay in for all the Friday night PBS viewing as it can be a bit too much, sometimes I would be doing my walk or going to Sabbath services @ the congregation of which I belong.  I keep my Friday's varied, but tonight it's TV viewing for sure, with popcorn planned, as there's a good chance there will be a presidential debate, if McCain shows up that is. 

So until then it's a bit of -- "blog, blog, blog, blog, blog....  I will say it's been interesting, nothing but interesting.  Yesterday evening my husband, & some other members of the Greater Putnam Interfaith Council attended our first ever breaking of the fast, for the Holiday of Ramadan.  We were invited by a young couple who are of the Islam faith.  Various people from the community were invited to attend, some were the familiar faces of the Sisters of the Holy Spirit--  a teaching order of Nuns who are known world wide to have helped numerous children during the Holocaust in France.  What a pleasure & an honor to break a fast with so many who strive to do good works, for the ultimate of world peace.  All of us children of God, trying as best a we can.    

So with today being cloudy, rainy & gray & not only good for cooking, but for blogging too--  I bid you all "adieu" & hope you enjoy the following photos that I said I  would eventually post this week.  

Ahava, Shalom, Salam---    

Monday, September 22, 2008

As A New Day Begins, Reflecting On Our Peace Day Celebration*

Yesterday is already a dream
& tomorrow is only a vision. 
But today, well lived, makes
every yesterday a dream of
happiness, & every tomorrow a
vision of hope.


{from the Sanskrit}
 
                                                                                                

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Greater Putnam United Nations International Day Of Peace Celebration Today September 21st, 2008*










A Funny Thing Happen On The Way To Today's Peace Day Celebration--

Where do I begin as to not bore anybody, the joys of "oye"......
It all started out as a good week.  I worked Mon., Tue., & Wed., for the remainder of the week I was out & about getting things done, there was even a computer lesson on Thursday, can't say that it all sunk in, but I'm trying nonetheless.  Being a rather ecliptic creative type my style has evolved to...a little done here, a little done there,  eventually it all gets done with a lot of color & texture.  I also picked up a few special signs & a custom banner done for this very Blog.  Or as my family would say, "blog, blog, blog, blog, blog....." It's been a lot of expressive fun for sure & my family has been most supportive in these new electronic adventures........ 

After my car was loaded to the brim-- craft supplies, flowers, old news papers, mulch, signs, the new banner & even my Peace Potato. [How's the spelling there Dan Quail, but I have spell check.] Well I made it to the celebration, late, but still about a half hour before the official start of 2pm, nonetheless not as timely as I would have liked to be, as the topic of the day is the essence of my being.

I will tell you this--  never drive with gigantic flower pots full of wet mulch in the front of your car, never!  When what I thought was to be an important embellishment to help recreate a potted garden in the park, instead turned out to be a royal mess of  surprise all over the front of my car instead.  As the giant pots tipped all over my craft supplies I could image hearing my husband say to me, "Never put stuff like that in the front of your car, what were you thinking?",  but he was all ready at the celebration helping out in numerous ways.  He's so timely & prepared.   I had to stop along the way, reconfigure, recompose as not only was the wet mulch all over the place, but many of my plants took a rather rugged ride from that point on, especially my very sweet,-- "Sweet Peace Potato" who is finally back in my kitchen window & happy to be in some water.  It was a disappointment to not have it on the craft table as I had imaged how I wanted everything to look set up, along with the new Blog banner, which of course was not hung up as time was of the essence & I was all ready way behind.  I will remain flexible & it will have to be for next time, not necessarily next year in Jerusalem, but you never know--   I do know now, if possible, to be all set ahead of schedule.  What gets in the way all the time is --"the hair, it's always the hair", my husband understands, & he kind of suspected that my tardiness was a bit deeper than the mulch.  He was so right.  If you had hair like mine, all I can say is that it does have a very strong will of it's own, I can always predict it to be unpredictable, at least we're not in a humid zone now.

 Tonight & later in the week I will add some photos from The Peace Day Celebration to,"Mother Lightning's Peace Garden"  as you know you have an open invitation please feel free to come & visit, enjoy the view, or as my father would say sooo many years ago when our eldest was just 4 or so & we were  hiking the Sawyer River Trail up in the White Mountains--" Tarry awhile".  For me all the world's a garden & I hope you enjoy these photos as much as I enjoyed taking them.

In the tradition of my heritage our special time of the year is approaching ---  Rosh Hashanah, translated from the Hebrew to mean, "Head Of The Year"--  The Jewish New Year, so with the up coming New Year I wish you all -- " Good Health, Happiness, *Ahava & Shalom/Salam, to All you hold dear.

{*Ahava is Hebrew for love}

 

Sunday, September 14, 2008

A Corner Of The Garden With New Color & Form*


What's A Peace Pole?

"What's a Peace Pole?", my son asked.  Well there it is--- hand hued out of cedar with a copper cap. It has four sides & on each side will be a plaque attached that states hopes for peace in  the various languages of the peoples of the world.

This rather stately pole was hand made by my husband as a labor of love for the "United Nations International Day Of Peace" which will take place a week from today on September 21st at 2pm, Rotary Park, Putnam, Ct.           There will be music, prayers, drumming, & an art activity of decorating peace flags for children of all ages. 

Our Peace Pole will be dedicated on that day--  the first day of autumn on the banks of our beautiful Quinebaug River, one of the loveliest spots in Connecticut for sure! 


Peace Flags For "United Nations International Day Of Peace", Hand Decorated By The Children Of Congregation B'nai Shalom


Peace For All Seasons-- Yes, As True As Any Thing*

Summer's End As We Enter A New Season*