Weathering The Weather...

My husband's sunny sunflowers, just a few days ago, with the first photo being of the, here & now...

Below are the peliquins in flight, from our eldest son's vacation album, taken in the outter banks off the N. Carolina coast just a few weeks ago. Time does Fly, as nature, is always in flux....

We're in the midst of heavy rains, & winds. Hurricane Irene has been down graded to a tropical storm, which is ok with me, a bit less of a punch, but nonetheless taken seriously. If the worst we fare here are tumbled flowers, & a few minor branches down, I'm fine with that, for I never really need the excitement of Mother Nature's wrath to feel the power & glory of it all! We do run a very serious risk of some of our trees coming down, & if that were to be the case, as it had been several years ago, when a major 100+, years old, papa of a tree, not only took down our power line, but fell right across the driveway, of which we had no access in or out, until this massive tree, sadly was cut up. We still miss him, but he now has a rather grand stump, like Shel Silverstein's,

The Giving Tree.

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A friend's friend on facebook was concerned about where she lives in Stonington, Ct., which is right on the Long Island Sound, & her fears proved right, as some one's house in that small village community was hit by a power line, & caused a fatal fire, & am of course most hopeful that she was nowhere near that horrific tragedy. It is the strong rains, & winds that remain a possible threat, in regards to all the power lines, not only in our tightly packed cities, but in our small communities too. We lost our municiple power this morning at arround 9:15am, & my husband being the very well prepared individual that he has always been, made sure our generator was in good operational order, & that we had plenty of fuel on hand to last us for at least 3 days.

May the stories we share at the end of this adventure, be of a positive nature. Nature with all she can muster, is a part of us all! Be well.

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© Mother Lightning of Mother Lightning's Peace Garden

As We Enter Another Eve of Hurrcane Irene

Hurricane Irene made landfall this AM in North Carolina, according to the news reports it is now in the Maryland Chesapeake Bay, & D.C. areas, heading for the New Jersey Shore. This entire week, has been an overall geography lesson of the U.S. & my goodness, the northeast coast is big, as is this hurricane!

At 11am today, we went outside to take the furniture & plants off the deck, & also did a sweep down at the Peace Garden, putting some objects in the trailer of our mower & then getting them into the barn. I suppose there's even more stuff in the yard, but enough is enough, as I finally wrenched my back out a bit, so that's it for now.

Am I stressed... , well I was. Now I'm just plain exhausted, & want it to be over in a good safe & positive way. Nothing more, & nothing less.

Thoughts & prayers of safety, health, safety & wellness, to each & everyone.

~Amen~

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The following link offers some up to date & important info:

http://www.fema.gov/areyouready/hurricanes.shtm

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© Mother Lightning of Mother Lightning's Peace Garden

A Sort of Calm Before The Storm

On Tuesday 8/23/11, the eastern part of North America experienced an earthquake, something like 5.8 on the Richter scale. My husband & I were visiting with our son & grand kids, & on our way back to our neck of the woods we heard about it on an NPR radio news story. We were in the Htfd. area, doing errands, cycling & just hanging out with the extended fam*, & we did not experience even a tremor, but our son in D.C. did as his building shook & swayed, & he & his co workers evacuated from the 6th floor. His brother further up the coast in Boston also experienced the shaking of the building he was working in at one of the universities in the city. These experiences were relayed to us, & of which we were told were rather scary & unsettling, to say the least.

Fast forward, the world does turn, & things move fast~

Here it is now Friday 8/26/11, & we're in the midst of preparing for Hurricane Irene of which all the reports state this is to be considered a major storm event, not seen since some fifty years ago! Oh my!

This hurricane is to come in at N. Carolina, & is headed up the coast towards Maryland, which is of course close to D.C. where our son lives. Our friends on the Jersey Shore are already in the midst of an evacuation, & we have extended family in N.J., Long Island, & New York City, which may also be severely affected. Our New England fam* is of Ct. & Ma., with the storm due to arrive in New England on Sunday 8/28/11, that's only two days away, & already my husband said he was told that people were lining up at our local Stop & Shop, as early as 7am, before the store even opened.

Sooo... we're doing errands, getting things done, but truly one never really knows...

If I sound a bit anxious, that is a true assumption, as I tend by nature to be a rather mother hen, & quite the overly protective type, hence the peace garden here, but when it comes to aspects of nature, even the mother hen knows gather the chicks, & just take cover. My chicks of course, one of them that is, has chicks of his own, & he & our daughter in law, will do a good job I'm sure protecting their nest. Our other two are also fully grown adult men, & as much as I may wonder & fret, the practical side of me says, they will do aok. But, a mother of course is always a mother, & as Mother Nature, once again prepares to rock & roll us a bit, my thoughts are with you All*, for safety, wellness & peace.

Amen

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A Post Script to this day; I pretty much became much like this, during our Y2K chapter,

hyper vigilant as us health care professionals would call it. And yes, I formerly was one of those, though I no longer consider myself to be in the health care profession, nonetheless hyper vigilant. What can I say, I'm pretty much hard wired into that, depending on the situation, as it is quite primal, a response deep down from- the "cave of forgotten dreams"!

So tonight it's a movie, The Help, though I haven't read the book yet, & dinner out perhaps, time will tell...

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© Mother Lightning of Mother Lightning's Peace Garden

What Does Mr. Potato Head Have To Do With This Anyway...

A symbol of humankind's yearning for peace worldwide~

It's time to get back to the business at hand, Mr. Potato Head you need not fear for this next generation of Peace Potato Peeps will be out & about visiting a farmers market, & a Peace Day celebratory event soon. Perhaps near you!

Please join us for the 4th Annual

United Nations International Day of Peace

Sunday September 18th, 3-5pm

at B'nai Shalom

125 Church St., Putnam, Ct.

*Please bring donations on the day of the event of a non perishable food item, for Daily Bread's Food Pantry.

The above is a United Nations sponsored event, & brought to you by,

the Greater Putnam Interfaith Council & made possible this year by the generosity of~

B'nai Shalom, & all our featured guests, artists & contributors, of whom we are most thankful of their contributions & continued support over the years.

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Post Script to this entry on 8/26/11, at 12:06 am~

An earthquake & a hurricane all on the east coast in less than seven days, what a reminder that we're all in this together!

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© Mother Lightning of Mother Lightning's Peace Garden

Cyber Blue, Waiting For Hurricane Irene

My husband wanted me to take pictures of his sunflowers, as they are the first ones he has ever grown, of which I just did, & he just said-

"Just another summer day, but by Sunday there'll be a hurricane."

Cyber Blue

or

What I've learned Being on Facebook, Waiting for Hurricane Irene 2011

I know you asked

to be my friend

were we not friends, then too-

a new blue friend

what does that mean-

it all, it can't be true

For some we pick up where we've left

our lives and families times

we are the grand-ed era now

of this our highest high

some comment, and then click a "like"

and others not a sound

why did you ask to be my friend

for this I've asked so too-

What's true is on the profile page, we also have a wall

a modern, vibrant, cyber weave

of statements wrought from cues

Our lives ethereal thoughts and cares

perhaps, oh just perhaps

perhaps this social network place

connecting near and past~

if we so choose

to play, no games

to seek with minded minds

to not offend

true friends we know

a rhythm of the heart

it makes it real

to know you're there

not flat upon a page

our friendship's true of substance fare

since history began

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And so concludes today's entry to the Poetry A Muse In Motion project, as all of us along this eastern seaboard continue to prepare for, & await as best we can, for Hurricane Irene. We all, will continue to hope & pray, that everyone remains safe from harm here, there & everywhere.

Amen

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© Mother Lightning of Mother Lightning's Peace Garden

UN International Day of Peace, Sept. 18th, 3-5pm, Putnam, Ct.

The Greater Putnam Interfaith Council is holding it's-

4th Annual

United Nations International Day of Peace

Sunday September 18th, 2011

3-5pm

at B'nai Shalom

125 Church Street

Putnam, Ct.

"Rain or Shine"

As of this posting the activities for this year's event includes-

music, prayers, a community art show, children's activities & of course our community's handcrafted peace pole which will be on display for all to enjoy to share it's "timeless message" in multiple languages, which states most simply-

"May Peace Prevail On Earth"

We so hope you will be free to join us for an event which always proves to be-

inspirational, heartwarming, & forever~ most Peaceful!

Please feel free to share this link http://thepeacegarden.blogspot.com/

© Mother Lightning of Mother Lightning's Peace Garden

Back In The Hub

It's been a long week of my computer shutdown, but all in all it turned out fine. The problem was an internal fan failed, & without the necessary cooling, this laptop was a total no go. I had the use of my husband's computer, but basically there wasn't really much I wanted to express, therefore it was all quiet on this keyboard.

I was told that laptops are often in need of replacing after five years or so, not really a cost effective venture, but a necessary one in the 21st century. So here I am back at it with my own keyboard clicking away again, & very thankful that my files have remained intact & am looking forward once again to telling the stories, that have been told to me, & the heart & soul of the stories & the poems that live within me too. Sharing the thoughts, feelings & the internal stories that make up a life, is of course a very small part of it, but nonetheless a portion of the circle, our interconnected circle, of life.

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© Mother Lightning of Mother Lightning's Peace Garden

Part II, Featuring Harry Chapin, A True Fav* of the Peace Garden

The Data On This Data, Part I

It's been just about over a week, since my last posting, my oh my, how time does fly....

There was a rather corny song in the early 70's sung by I think, Andy Williams as the theme song for the movie Love Story. The song & the movie were big hits, though for my own artistic taste, I gave the movie a fair notation, which I believe would be a C. I think Jennifer O'Neil stared in the movie, opposite her perhaps was, Ryan O'Neil. I really am not sure, & being I really didn't care much for the movie, I'm not even going to google it, but I will say the theme song was the best part, for who in my generation didn't just love the smooth rich voice of Andy Williams. Another known fact that after Love Story's debut the name Jennifer became very popular for new born girls, just about the number one girl's name in the early 70's, of that I am quite certain. Why even go into this you may wonder, well I guess it's from an organic need to explain, just give me a few more moments, & as Andy Williams sang- Where do I begin to tell the story...
The story I am about to tell, is not as dramatic of course, but a story, nonetheless...
& oye, it's quite the saga, of which I am living through right now, so let me go, & make some coffee, & I'll even dare to use that famous quote from the fallen yet former, Governor of California, good ole Arnold, & merely say-

I'll be back....

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of which I now am,,,,

To start at the beginning is always a good thing, but I'll keep it brief-

There was a lot of activity here on the ole slope this recent weekend with multi generational comings & goings, in the midst of it all my very modest & lone ranger of a laptop, it seems it did receive an unintentional spritz of moisture, & this is where the story begins to unfold-
All in all, if this occurred on almost anything but, a certain piece of electronic equipment, it would have resulted in a non issue, but because the keyboard of a laptop is wired in as an integral part of it's computer, to be gentle & kind with my language here, I'll just for a moment, speak as Mork did, one of our favorite aliens, & say in those infamous words- non nu non nu !

"Five to seven days", is the popular & infamous phrase here now, as that's when the apple people will be in touch. Thankfully my files are backed up until 12/26/10, which is good, but not perfect, as there's been a lot of living of course since then, & what ever I've photographed since that date, is at risk of being erased. Do I need to say oh my, again, as yes I've been kvetching a bit for sure. But I do know that on a scale of what's important in life, this particular issue, though it's a big part of my ongoing creative projects, & sure, my bookmarks have vanished too, what is- is important, is truly indefinable, as anyone who knows me, knows that for sure. This particular topic, that I am going on about is just- stuff & data, data & stuff.

Life goes on in these here hills, in a most simplistic way, & thankfully so, amen, amen, amen. And now I can get back to working on my Peace Potato Peeps, getting them done in time for our local UN Peace Day Celebration, September 18th, 3-5pm at 125 Church St.
Putnam, Ct.

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I'll be sure to keep you posted on the resolution of my computer status, until then my husband is most generously sharing this computer with me, but until I'm clicking along again from my own keyboard, there will continue to be a slowdown in the aspect of my being able to share any photos with you. So, instead for today anyway, let me see if I can find a link to a fav* artist, of whom I think will be included on the following posting, as I have yet to learn how to cut & paste on this computer or to embed anything in this entry, so it will be therefore on Part II, of which will be on the entry listings of the Peace Garden's postings for this August.
Oh that apple of knowledge & wisdom, ancient or modern, it so continues to allude.

A Message for Hiroshima & Nagasaki Day 2011

It is 66 years since the apocalyptic events that took place in Hiroshima & Nagasaki, Japan of which it's devastating effects are documented from the horrific effects that are still the root cause of present day suffering. Are we any closer now, to abolishing nuclear weapons worldwide.....

Yes the "spark of hope" remains, but we must never allow ourselves to become complacent. No matter the politics, no matter the economy, no matter, no matter, no matter... , as this remains a most serious issue, for all humankind. Let us not kid ourselves into thinking this is someone else's problem, that they, whoever they are, will solve this. This is up to you, I & all people to continue to speak out, make our voices heard, & our votes count. If an individual who is running for a political office, is wishey-washy & won't speak out on the abolishment of nuclear weapons, then they don't deserve a vote. Plain & simple.

This has been the most pressing world issue since 1945, & who knows, as we pass the torch, from that small spark, we can help humanity see the world in a more positive light. It is after all, our one true hope.

*Amen*

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© Mother Lightning of Mother Lightning's Peace Garden

My Other Mother

On Wednesday August 3rd, my best friend from childhood, her mom, passed away, who was in many ways, my true other mother-

Irene Tripp Barry, or Mrs. Barry as she was known to me. Mrs. Barry, was a woman of inner & outer beauty. I have so many stories & adventures of my friend Joanne & I in regards to those growing up years, as we were most adventurous, yet her mom Irene, would always find a way to get to the heart of the situation, even if it seemed on the surface very minor, such as our deep dark secret of us girls exploring an old abandoned house, marveling at it's structure & decay, just pretty much walking about the crumbling rooms, & yes of course an injury pursued as Joanne's sneaker was just not going to resit the presence of a rusty nail. Oh those ole rusty nails, they'll blow your cover every time!

Especially if you had a very smart & with it mother like Joanne did, she was very fashionable & could even pull off wearing Go Go Boots as she was, way ahead of her time, & very CSI aware, afterall, Mrs. Barry was a WWII Marine Veteran, & there was never any fooling her, ever!

Joanne & I became fast friends when we were only eight, attending Girl Scouts together in the very same church were her mother was a member, from it's very newness of a building, to her being eulogized in the very same spot, only just yesterday. Chapters preceding yesterday included of course our teenage years, with all of the trials, tribulations & drama that would often go with the territory, which of course depended on the situation at hand, of which I must honestly say, my contribution was well proportioned. It was a known fact amongst my friends, that my situation at home & my relationship with my parents, back in the day, was not the most stable, so I did become one of the adopted permanent fixture types, at the Barry's quaint country home on King Street in East Hartford, Ct.

Mrs. Barry never seemed to tire of allowing Joanne's friends to feel at home & part of the fabric of the family. Vacations to Mattapousiot, Ma. to stay over & visit with Mrs. Barry's roots family, was often extended to me, including an adventurous mini trip out onto the wavy Atlantic in Mrs. Barry's father, Mr. Tripp's rowboat sized fishing boat, or a quick morning jaunt out to the beach by Joanne & her father to answer my inquiry of what does the beach look like in early spring, with remnants of snow...

I never was at a loss for love & acceptance, when I was with my other family, receiving my very first orchid as the other inter-generational women in the family did that Easter, the very same day of my snow on the beach experience.

I know it doesn't sound like much & this of course is encapsulated, but to a child growing up young & impressionable, & able to view the world of a family from a different angle & experience, a view so opposite from an individuals own home on the range experience, all I could do with it all, was to make sure that with my own children some day, & my grandchildren too, this was the model, the template of which I would choose to utilize from my own mentally stored, computer screen; to be this kind of mother, for to this very day, I have reaped the benefits, as has my children, & grandchildren have too. "And in the end, the love we take is equal to the love we make... " The Beatles

When we extend to a child- love without judgement, acceptence, understanding & a safe place, it does bring forth aspects of a more peaceful, loving world...

The music on this posting Down in the River to Pray by, Alison Kraus has been posted in honor of my other mother-

Irene Tripp Barry, we so love you, & your love in the world, will live, forever....

like a river...

*Amen*

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To: Joanne, Mikey, & Lorry, My heart is with you in the recent passing of your beautiful soulful mother. Prayers of health & peacefulness to all of you, & your beautiful extended family. *Amen*

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© Mother Lightning of Mother Lightning's Peace Garden

The Surf Was Up As The Sun Was Going Down

An end of the day, remains of a child's castle, with seaweed moat, I just couldn't resist this one...

The surf was up, & we were up for it. Sure we could have gone to the track & got our walk in, doing the necessary exercise that one must do, but instead a light dinner at a local deli, a walk on the beach, with views for miles & miles... Now who ever could refuse an ocean view, & we certainly were no exception. It was just the right way to end the day, & we were up for a walk along the coast. Besides a walk is a walk, & barefoot on the beach is always the best!

For a change of pace my husband suggested Napatree Point, at Watch Hill, R.I. To walk along the sands of time, which of course it is, as this particular beach is the very first one, we brought our eldest son to as an infant, thirty-eight years ago, & thereafter his two brothers too. This was to be our first time back to this beach in several years.

As the sun took it's time setting in a perfect sky, with clouds from deep to light, a spectrum seen a zillion times, all over the world; yet each & every time I see the colors of a sunset, it's as if seeing it for the very first time, & so we marveled at it's sheer beauty, innocence & the blessings of this perfect pause, in time.

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© Mother Lightning of Mother Lightning's Peace Garden

Wishing Our Muslim Friends Good Health & Happiness As They Celebrate Ramadan Worldwide