It Was An Educational Event With A Fun Factor*

The Stonewall Preservation workshop went off really well. Our guest speaker Robert Thorson of stonewall fame, "Stone By Stone" did an excellent job of educating & enlightening us on the intrinsic value of our New England stonewalls. Now it is up to us, to put something together on paper, that will help to protect these rambling beauties. We'll get there.

{Post Scripted Thoughts: The turnout for this extremely well put together event/presentation was a bit lower in numbers than I anticipated, as I thought the room would be packed, truly. We certainly got the word out, but really what do I know about the interests & desires of the public at large? Even back to my days of working at a medical clinic, it would be impossible to anticipate how busy we were going to be on any given day. The same I guess could be said regarding putting forth a workshop. I've been to many a workshop/lecture, & this one was outstanding, but I happen to have a passion for rocks, where they come from & what we do with them as individuals & as a civilization. It's been an interest of mine since age 7, & at age 9 I had my first rock garden under our family's blue spruce. When we lived in New Britain there was an interesting rock formation in one of our neighbors yard's, definitely a boulder from the ice age. I may someday take a course to further my limited bit of knowledge, as for the most part there were no natural science courses for many gals of my generation when we were growing up, but times have changed, & delving in deeper is the way to go, if one wants to learn new things & who doesn't.

Contemplating The Passage Of Time, With Yet So Much To Do--

The above photo was taken by a dear childhood friend this past Saturday. I am sitting on the window seat in her apartment, with our State Capitol in full view. It has been a most interesting past 7 days. The following description is but one, with several others to be included at a later time, when I can sit, & further contemplate, to it's fuller dimensions. The following is just one of these stories:

A week ago today I met with a friend of years of ole [2o years ago, actually]. We met through the mutual friendship of our sons, both preschoolers. We as many parents were enrolled in a Sunday School program at a Unitarian Universalist Church. Our family's involvement was a most heartfelt & meaningful one as it was my first introduction to Unitarian Universalism. I was on a search for the most part, delving into considerations of what would be suitable for our formative, interfaith family. After two school years of a positive experience I still decided that the 35 minute trek out on Sunday mornings wasn't the "full answer". It can get complicated in an interfaith family, but we evolved & shared over time with our children, the faith based traditions from where we've come, the overall theme being-- peace, love & understanding. That was, & is our best to this day.

Anyway getting back to this mini reunion of a week ago-- My son's friend's Dad from those years gone by, is a geologist who has written & lectured about the history of stonewalls here in New England. You may have read his first book on this topic-- "Stone By Stone" by, Robert Thorson. It's an excellent book, actually a well worn library favorite, explaining the different types of stonewalls in our region, & their history with construction methods detailed of how to identify the different types. Our Conservation Commission is hosting a Stonewall Protection Workshop this coming evening & we are so looking forward to one of our favorite book's author, as we New Englanders are very passionate about our stonewalls. Many of these walls remain an intrinsic part of our landscapes & are not only massive in size, but hundreds of years old. Not as old as the pyramids, but some are definitely as old, or older than the original colonies of this land, I think. We shall find out tonight.

It's interesting that as antique as a topic may be, & far away & long ago in time when people used to meet & greet frequently, & then time passes again of course, & then you meet again, reacquaint over the span of decades, again a shared interest of helping one another, to learn & grow. We are not as impermeable as those stonewalls, yet they too mark us in this, small/vast world.

My Father, of whom, who's nickname was "Rock", {an actual rocket scientist, never at a loss for words}, would probably say in the original Latin-- "Time Flies". I do agree.

November Has It's Perks*

November has it's perks, as you can see from a greenhouse outing, so quirky & colorful, just the place to be. This Nana & Grandaughter duo seemed to have many of the same favorites, quite the array I'd say--

A Note From This Ham Bone, As My Father Would Say--

Well I said my piece, the New Yorker in me certainly rose to the surface last night, & it was just fine. Many of us have lived here, there & every where, from childhood to adulthood. My travels & locals have not been extremely vast by any means, compared to some of my friends, but it is a small world, & ultimately we live & travel in our hearts & minds, no matter where we settle. New York for me is just one of those special locals, it's where a generation of my family's roots started out, from those wee formative years. We are scattered now, like the stars, the wind, the air-- here, there & every where, life is beautiful, living a life.

The World Series, A World Class Event*

Game # 6 of the World Series, tonight it's Phillies vs Yankees & for the present the Yankees are leading by just one point 2-1.

What can I say, the good ole Bronx, land of my birth. No matter where one travels or where one eventually lives, N.Y. , N.Y. the talk of the town. Extended *fam, where ever you are, out there in cyber land, "I Love you & we Love New York!"

11:50pm, the New York Yankees have won their 27th World Series, final score Yankees 7 Phillies 3 . Yes, this is quite the moment in this "New York minute". I just know, my cousins will be proud, I certainly am. Baseball, nothing like it, so all American, what style & grace, from the city that never sleeps, our Big Apple of a team-- "The New York Yankees", the pride of the Bronx, & the Nation.

Having Done Our Civic Duty, We Await The Results-- Election Day 2009

One Way To Enjoy An Autumn Day*