It's Almost 3AM, With Mucho Thoughts On My Mind-- I Think I Need A V*A*C*A*T*I*O*N, How High Can You Fly--

Today The Moon Is In It's 3rd Quarter & Is Half Full, One Does Wonder--

"I Am A Simple Gal & I Sing A Simple Song..."

 

Was it Jackson Brown who sang-- "I am a simple man & I sing a simple song..."?  Who ever sang it & put it out there for our collective consciousness certainly sang it right & isn't that just about everyone?  I know it suits me to a "t", as I walk along my path in life, certainly it's different & unique to me, but there will always remain that commonality-- the respect for the beauty of nature, the marvel & wonder--  if this tree could think & feel what would it be thinking to it's self now & way back several hundred years ago?  I consider this beautiful tree & it's brethren my good friends, for they continue to live & breathe at the highest of levels purifying our atmosphere, sheltering us from the sun with it's shade & rooting us to the soils we walk upon.  The most perfect of friends, speaking & doing no evil, but unfortunately seeing & hearing much.  I've been called a "tree hugger" by some at the higher echelons of our small local government, call me what you will.  I figure to be a "friend of the earth" & a "friend to the trees", at least I continue to aim high, God willing, & please "Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive...."  I prayerfully hope to continue to try.       *Amen*             {This beautiful Oak is known as "The Secret Tree" we think it's a White Oak.  To see it in real life is truly beyond words--  a Natural Original Cathedral.}  

Our Valentine's Day 2009*

When you've been married as  long as my husband & I have the main theme for a holiday that has a "Heart" at it's center is ---"Love, Love, Love..." Today we visited with our son, daughter in law  & our two grandchildren.  Saturdays are the next generation of gymnastics for our grandson, & the very first generation of ballet for our granddaughter.  It's been a true blessing & joy to experience their enthusiasm & delight with their involvement in learning these new athletic skills. 

After a Valentine's Day lunch together at Rein's Deli, an outing out for our grandson's hair cut, we headed back to their home base for a short visit as no visit can be complete without some playful joking, singing & a story too.

The traffic out & about today was jam packed in the burbs & my husband & I definitely wanted to get in a movie before heading back to our neck of the woods, our son recommended--"Coraline" it is done in D3D, & is *Excellent!  It is a PG & that is a most accurate rating as there are some pretty dark & scary parts, but the story line & theme is most complete & the characters are very sophisticated & well developed.  We give this movie an A+ as it surprised us as being such an excellent pick.  The visuals of this movie in D3D were superb, & wearing the D3D glasses were fun, but ultimately it was a movie that certainly sets a new standard, as Disney's "Snow White" did when it originally came out as the first full length, colored, animated movie did, ground breaking.  

Let's hear it for a day with our family, & our jaunt to the movies, & may our economy keep on, keeping on, hopefully for the better.  We know this is an uphill trek as our economy is in very poor shape, but we're all in this together, except for that 1% at the top, so let's do what Tavis Smiley says-- & "Keep the faith."  It won't be easy, but we will continue to make our government accountable & never loose hope for we are-- "Of the people & by the people".

We Never Step In The Same River Twice

A Midday Walk With Some Favorite Peeps*

The Dawn Of A New Day In Northeastern Connecticut, Our Kind Of Towns--

Always Gazing At The Sky, Homeward Bound, Day Is Done*

Tonight when I arrived home from work I knew it would be an evening of some orbiting-  we had our oil burner worked on & the scent of "black gold, Texas T" filled the house to the extend that I truly wondered where we would spend the night. So after a rather anguished telephone conversation with my husband I opened some windows, & agreed to meet him for dinner out.  Not exactly what I had in mind for a Monday night after getting back into the rhythms of the work a day world, but nonetheless it was an excellent solution & our evening proved most relaxing.  Since we met at a local restaurant we traveled in separate cars, it was then I decided to let myself stop along the way to capture the glow of the moon in the cold February night sky.  As simple as these photos are, to me the far away glow is a reassuring reminder that no matter how hectic a day can be, when we can finally arrive home, it is the simple things that replenish & calm us the most.  

A Tu Bishvat Project By The Children Of Congregation B'nai Shalom, *Celebrating-- "A Happy New Year For The Trees", Decorating Bird Houses

In A Few Hours My Work Week Begins Anew* {This beautifully textured Babar Lego sculpture is located at the Yale New Haven Children's Hospital}

Warm Evening Thoughts After Today's Peace Vigil, No Matter How Cold My Feet Were Today*

There's been a little warming up today, temperature's been in the 30's-40's & that's a wow for sure in these here hills.  Today I stood with friends at"Our Town's Mini- Green", it's a major road way intersection, right in front of a Catholic Church & within walking distance of an Episcopal & a Congregational Church too.  Down the road & around the bend from where we stand is a Jewish Temple & also a private school founded by people of the Muslim faith.  For a small New England community many of us have a strong interfaith take on the world & feel strongly that peace & only peace is the way & a lasting solution to the problems that have plagued & continue to plague our societies at large.  With that said we chose to switch our day of the week when we gather to "Stand For Peace" at our corner, for just about 2 years now it's been on a Thursday in the early evening, today for the first time we stood on a Saturday at noon.  It was a good switch, for though it was bone chilling cold on the feet today, the sunlight overall felt good.  The response from the people who drove by was mostly positive with waves & beeps of acknowledgement, smiles & good will. There were perhaps 2 thumbs down, but that never phases a peace activist, as none of us will ever be able to please, "all of the people, all of the time." A true reminder, as we approach Abraham Lincoln's 200th anniversary of his birth in just a few days.  I, as many a school child had always been fascinated with Lincoln, a fascination that has remained a strong inspiration all of my life.  When I became a mom for the very first time almost 36 years ago, & our then only child was presented with challenges of dyslexia at a time when public school systems were totally ignoring these situations & challenges-- I just used my imagination to solve this delima, for in my mind I would picture Lincoln's stepmother reading to him by candlelight in that log cabin out there in the Kentucky woods, it became my source of strength.  I could imagine her love & devotion to this child & I thought-- my husband & I possess this enduring love without the challenges of candlelight, & would find a way for him to learn in his own time & way which he did.  Our son's story is an inspiration to this day as he is now part of the educational system that at one time gave many a signal that it would be more convenient for them to write such a student off.  Yes, he became a teacher such a fitting career move to be sure.   

Last night the son I mentioned above traveled a bit with his Dad to Boston.  They were to visit with our youngest, our 23 year old son, his youngest brother, & I for the very first time had our grandchildren experience their first sleep over here.  We had great conversations, made dinner together, pizza a true favorite, we pretended, joked around & ended the evening watching one of my favorite movies "The Snowman", as it's music is expressively grand & mystical. Bedtime was a great adventure as they camped out in their Uncle's room in sleeping bags on the floor of which I told them that's who their Dad & Poppy were visiting tonight.  They seemed to think that it was pretty cool to be sleeping in the room where their Uncle grew up, I pretty much thought so too.  It's the simple things that bring my heart home in thought & spirit, feeling the absolute glee & surprise & being told that this "Nana did a very great thing indeed", surprising my 6 year old grandson & my 4 year old {so very soon to be 5} granddaughter with the most perfect Valentines of all-- "Kung Fu Panda" for him & "Disney Princesses" for her.  It won't always be as simple & uncomplicated in their worlds, but I want to savor it for as long as I can, to be a soft & familiar reassurance of love & support for them when their worlds open up, & life becomes a bit less simple, & perhaps more complicated & even demanding, as living in this world one step in front of the next, with all of the tides that come in & go out, nothing is a given, & we must take care to watchfully guide the young who we love so very much, even if as an example this was not provided for us, we can think, listen to our hearts & know what is the right thing to do. This is part of the unspoken parental promise, those of us who love so deeply know that we have learned invaluable lessons by listening to that "small, still, voice".  God's gift to us, an interfaith prayer.

*Amen*        

On A Sunny February Day Those Cross Country Skies Can Be A God Send*