Rosh Hashanah~ Thoughts on the Second Day

Our son sent me just the other day, a snippet of Fiddler On The Roof, with Tevya's rendition of~ Tradition & being today is the second day of Rosh Hashanah, I thought it would be a good time to share this delightful song.

Time marches on, & my family thank God immigrated to the United States many years ago, but we still hold on to our history, & the traditions, that have helped us develop spiritually, mentally, morally, & artistically into the creative people we remain today. We no longer live in shetels, & many of us, such as myself, have interfaith families, but we are all one, as our Creator has made evident, & we as human beings, have to continue to refine some of our more primitive impulses, & continue to~

Turn swords into plowshares...

No matter how hard or how challenging, one nation, one community, one family, & person at a time~

Tradition...

A most healthy & happy New Year one & all!

*******************

Thank You, Zac for sharing this, as it is a most enjoyable clip, of one of our most favorite songs in Fiddler! It truly continues to give much enjoyment, with still, very much to ponder~ several centuries past.

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© Mother Lightning of Mother Lightning's Peace Garden

An Independent Film About The Person, Who Is Elmo~

When I saw this trailer just a few minutes ago, I was reminded of how very much our children so loved Elmo when they were growing up, & after seeing this video, I now know why.

Many of us, of the Jewish faith, are presently coming up to our High Holiday season~

as Rosh Hashanah begins 9/28/11 this Wednesday at sundown.

I, as any individual of the Jewish faith, am preparing for this very sacred time, in my own personal way. With that in mind, let me leave you with a snippet of the story of a very creative, dedicated & heart felt vissionary. Just another small story, of when an individual person, follows their heartfelt dreams, which does, more times than not, make for a better world, "so help us God", please.

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© Mother Lightning of Mother Lightning's Peace Garden

What A Positively Wonderful Day With Googly Eyes & All...

In our neck of the woods, we had a wonderful event, entitled~

Positively Pomfret Day

What it entailed was a bit of a small town fair, of crafters, small businesses, activities for the kids such as games & crafts, music, town government departments with tables & booths doing public relations with the town residents, which of course included our town's~ Conservation Commission.

This is the second year that the Pomfret Conservation Commission did an ecological craft with the children of the community. Last year the kids worked on; Conservation/Nature Flags, which really was a big hit, & due to that, we certainly had to make sure we got these flags, once again out of storage, to take to the breeze, & enjoy, which we did!

This years craft project was listed as Mr. & Mrs. Potato Head, & let me say, in all honesty I didn't think last year's flag project could be out done, but I think perhaps it was, for by approximately 1:05pm or so, the last potato was being worked on by one of our very talented customers. What can I say, potatoes here, & potatoes there, what a history of~ one of the most versatile vegetables to come out of the ground~

Mr. Mrs. & shall we say, Miss, & Ms. Potato Head, too!

Potato salad anyone?

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© Mother Lightning of Mother Lightning's Peace Garden

A Special Mural Too Precious To Not Share~

Our friend Lyn had been working with a group of children for a Peace Day art project & here

it is which makes for a really nice way to ether end, or start your day, depending on what your time zone is.

Thank you Michelle for sharing this photo of the mural that Lyn's group of children had been working so hard on. I just love it because~ it's simply perfect in every way!!!

It has come to my attention, that the photo of the mural I included in this posting, is not visible to many of the folks who have been clicking on to this entry of the Peace Garden. The photo of course was contributed by one of our interfaith members, Michelle, who really did a very fine job of photographing this wonderful work of children's art. Her husband Anthony sent me an email about an hour ago, & he offered to resend the photo, in a higher resolution, in hopes that it transposes to this site with improved accuracy.

I'll be sure to keep you posted on that, for now, so for now, if we could all take a line from

John Lennon's song, & just "image"...

Rosh Hashanah Greetings 5772~2011-'12

Wishing all good health & happiness in the coming New Year, which begins this evening~

Wednesday 9/28/11 , at sundown.

May we all continue to do our best, in regards to how we treat ourselves, & therefore treat others, in the way we too would like to be treated.

Each & every day, we have the ability to forgive, in our hopes & prayers that we too are forgiven.

At Rosh Hashanah

In the book of life

there are pages and

chapters of a year reviewed~

Let us help one another

to forgive

to

heal

and

to/too

help one another~

to be

inscribed

to

help

heal the world.

*amen*

*************************

To learn more about this very beautiful Jewish Holiday Rosh Hashanah,

just go to-

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/23/rosh-hashanah-2011-the-je_n_978220.html#s370737&title=Apples_and_Honey

Real posting date & time- 9/28/11, 8:20 AM

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International Peace Day 2011, At the Willimantic Public Library

Yesterday of course was the United Nations International Day Of Peace, which was celebrated worldwide, & truly there was no better way to spend the afternoon, then at the-

Children's Department of~

the Willimantic Public Library!

Some decades ago when we were living in Willimantic, & also South Windham, all in northeastern, Ct., I would either walk, or ride my bike to the library, & enjoy downtown Willimantic, with it's cool shops, & even popping into Ziezing Brothers Book Store, as they were one of the most unique independent book stores that I can remember. The Salvation Army Store, on Main Street, was another fun place to browse through, with a lot of their vintage items that were of course donated, but loads of fun to look at, try on, & eventually purchase. I had gotten this really cool retro, fake fur black coat, which I would wear in the wintertime when I was pregnant some decades ago with our two younger sons, it was big, loose, furry & fluffy, which helped get me through what always were very limited choices of fashion, back in the day.

Anyway back to the library~

Gail a most favorite of children's librarians, that's Gail in the first & last of today's photos, of who I so enjoyed working with this past springtime during my first visit back to the library representing the Peace Garden, was certainly on key for yesterday's Peace & Harmony Flag Making project. The featured book for the day was, "What Does Peace Feel Like" by, V. Radunsky, which became a very interesting discussion when one of the children answered, when asked by Gail; "What would peace smell like?" "Apple pie.", was what we were told, which certainly summed up, that wonderful fleeting hour of~ open minds & caring hearts!

The City of Willimantic is a very special place indeed, as the population is as diverse as any city in this country, but what makes it truly charming is that though it is a city, it always seems to have a hometown feel, as the amount of effort Gail & the wonderful staff at the library along with the people of the community put into the various programs in town, are always created with a full & open heart. Truly each child who participated was given the space & respect each child is due, as they were encouraged to express who they are, & encouraged throughout the project; sharing their own ideas, & unique designs. Not only was there immense talent in the creation for our project, but always on the part of the children, a sense of generosity in their choosing to share some of their very best work, to become part of this collective message of peace & harmony to the worlds people, when these flags finally do make their journey from our small corner of the world, to the UN, one day.

Thank you to all my friends at the Willimantic Public Library, you all really have set the bar, of what it means to help bring~ vibrant color, texture & sharing of unique design, to not only our ongoing UN Peace & Harmony Flag project, but to each & every human heart you so touch with your warm kindness & hospitality.

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© Mother Lightning of Mother Lightning's Peace Garden

A Wonderful United Nations International Day Of Peace Event~

"Monday, Monday..." as The Mamas & The Papas, sang~

And truth be told, I wouldn't, "... stop that day... "

In all honesty, it was a real challenging night, as I just couldn't get to sleep, as it certainly had a lot to do with yesterday's Peace Day event, that our group the~

Putnam Interfaith Council / GPIC sponsored.

Yesterday's United Nations International Day Of Peace event, that we were all involved with in it's behind the scenes planning & leg work, is truly one of the most fulfilling projects that we work on every year. The GPIC is a very small group of spiritually minded individuals of the various faith communities, professions & all walks of life, with the theme of~ May Peace Prevail On Earth, being acted out, & worked on each & every day, to our very best ability of peace, love & understanding towards one another, in our working together to provide a time & place for the various peoples of our community to better know, understand, & celebrate the differences that we have as individuals, walking the walk, as we continue in our efforts of open dialogue to more clearly express who we are, knowing all to well that we are more alike, than not.

*****************************************************

To read more about our local internationally sponsored event check out the link~

http://www.norwichbulletin.com/newsnow/x827640773/75-gather-for-annual-Day-of-Peace-in-Putnam#axzz1YP2Dixin

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© Mother Lightning of Mother Lightning's Peace Garden

This Was Last Night, Before Today's United Nations International Day Of Peace 2011

These flowers say it so simply, a lot had been gotten done, & still so much more today, but it was all so worth it, as our event was wonderful, pure & simple, & tomorrow, when I have a chance to reflect more fully, as I'll be rested, & will take my time, to relate a simple pictorial of a truly wonderful community that goes deep, into sharing & learning to understand, one an other's faith based traditions, extending our true hearts, in our desires to walk with one another, in our aim to continue to heal the world.

Amen

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© Mother Lightning of Mother Lightning's Peace Garden

Saturday Morning At The Putnam Farmers Market~

Well here we are, having arrived at another weekend. Tomorrow Sunday September 18th, is our United Nations International Day Of Peace event, in our neck of the woods. So after getting up early this morning, & being sure to have made copies of the Peace Potato Peeps poems to give to visitors at the Putnam Farmers Market, loading up my car for phase one of packing in all sorts of stuff for the weekend, & also stoping for gas, as the tank was on empty, along with a good sized coffee to go, I was off to the farmers market...

That being said, it really was a very good morning, as the energy & colors of all sorts of produce & things at a farmers market, are so conducive to cheer & good will.

There's only a few hours of daylight left in our neck of the woods, & as much as my list of what to bring for our Peace Day event for tomorrow, is very doable, I need to be sure that everything gets packed up in as much of an organized manner, as possible.

So here we go, for a bit of controlled chaos loading up the car, for the next phase. So, if you're in our neck of the woods, be sure to stop by to join us for this years~

United Nations International Day of Peace 2011

Sunday September 18th

3-5pm

rain or shine

on the grounds of~

B'nai Shalom

125 Church St., Putnam, Ct.

For music, prayers of the world faiths, children's activities, community art show, & visiting for the very first time those, Peace Potato Peeps ~ "spuds that speak..."

This year in honor of the Peace Potato Peeps first ever UN Peace Day event~

Mother Lightning's Peace Garden will be giving away a complementary spud, to one lucky guest on the day of the event. As of this morning, I have near to a dozen names in our recycled container, of which one of those peace loving individuals will be the recipient of their very own spud!

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© Mother Lightning of Mother Lightning's Peace Garden

A Day After The Day, No Day Is Like The Other

There's nothing quite like the power & the glory of water; glorious, wondrous water, to remind one of just how changeable all things are...

September 11th will forever be a very severe & tragic reminder, for Americans, & all Citizens of the World of just how important working towards peaceful resolutions are, if we are all, to continue to be, & to never give up, never, ever, not even for a moment.

The river cries out, & rages in sections, but there are sections of peaceful calm, calling for reflection. And that's what I did this afternoon, after helping out in a faith based, fundraising project, I put on my big straw hat, & walked, & walked~ the river walk, in the beautiful September sun, & of this I was, & remain, forever, ever, so very thankful.

Amen

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© Mother Lightning of Mother Lightning's Peace Garden

9/11/01~ to Today 9/11/11, Forever In Our Hearts Forever

It was important for me to do something special to mark the Anniversary of this special day. So after getting a true sense of what I felt I needed to do, I decided to accept our friend's invitation to attend a Service this morning at her Unitarian Universalist Society Meeting House, in Brooklyn, Ct.

It was a simple, yet poignant service, filled with song, sharing of joys & concerns, readings, & sustenance too. There was a talk presented, simply titled~

9-11-01: A Personal Journey

This talk was of a member's own personal account of the day, how it unfolded, the consequences of the tragic event on 9-11-01, & what it meant to him, during the horrific tragedy, after, & to the present. When his talk ended it was concluded with the song~

"They Are With Us Still"

Yes they are, yes they are, yes, they are....

Amen

*******************************************************

This day also included the extended family celebration for our grandson's 9th Birthday, as his birthday was 8/27/11, but due to Hurricane Irene, there were delays in the party scheduling & all. It was truly a lovely way to end the day, a classic New England dinner with so many of our fam*, all gathered at our daughter-in-law's aunt's family homestead which was built as far back as the 1600's. And there we were too, so very many of us, checking & using our digital smart phones, in a place created so very long before, "what's a phone.." .

It was quite the day of contrasts, with our grandchildren, ages 9 & 7, born of a generation which is post 9/11/01 . There's no going back, only forward, one step at a time.

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© Mother Lightning of Mother Lightning's Peace Garden

Thoughts of 9-11, A Decade Past~

A Capacity of Balance With Thoughts of 9-11's, Decade Past

What is a bridge,

if nothing more than

a capacity

of

balance,

spanning from one side

of encrusted earth

to another

be it

stone

wood

metal

wire

concrete

rope

I stand,

be it

brook

river

or

ocean span,

looking deep and wide

at the possibilities that this crossing

brings,

me

too

the other side

remaining balanced, resilient, strong

of body, mind and heart

full,

the possibilities of a continuum,

of hope

I wish you peace

amen

******************************************

Thus completes today's additon of the, Poetry A Muse In Motion, project.

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© Mother Lightning of Mother Lightning's Peace Garden

Sept. 18th, UN Peace Day, Sponcered by GPIC

Here Yea, Hear Yea, Here's What's Happening~

United Nations International Day of Peace

Sunday September 18th, 3-5pm

at B'nai Shalom, 125 Church St., Putnam, Ct.

This annual event is sponcered by~

the Greater Putnam Interfaith Council

featuring the music of~

Uncle Rhubarb

Echo Uganda

Prayers

Peace Pole

Community Art Show

hands on~ Peace & Harmony Flag Project

Peace Potato Peeps,

"spuds that speak", with their own special poems

My husband & I weathered the rain, & finally after much running around got our event banner updated for this year. We finally obtained the proper consent to hang the banners up in town, yeah, yeah, rah, rah, we finally did it, &, they're up there now, letting the true blue colors & their beautiful message fly, embellished with the wings of a dove!

It was due to Hurricane/Tropical Storm Irene, that caused delays in getting a lot of the finer details done, but we finally can say, we won't let our guards down, but will allow ourselves just a little bit of a breather, & a bit of a glide, until the day of the event arrives, then it's mucho to do, in just a few short hours.

We hope you'll be able to join us, in what promises to be, a very spiritual & uplifting time, for one & all.

Labor Day 2011 & From Whence We've Come...

Ninety-nine percent of us, are, & have been working people in these United States!

Yet our economy is fragile, & the workforce is suffering, this is the here & now, & really not a new story within the chapters of what it means to be an American. I haven't any long term solutions, all I know is what I've lived, & we've been taught, as per every individual in these United States. Labor Day Weekend has become a three day affair of bar-b-qs, picnics, trips to the beach & the like, which is excellent to do as we have all worked so very hard!

I suppose if I were to bone up on his/her story, I would probably be reminded that it all began with the Industrial Revolution. What does that mean to us all now...

Well for starters here in the northeast, especially after Hurricane Irene, & being off the grid for days upon days, it's a true "spark" of a recollection of just how dependent we've all become, including moi' of~ the sparking of Benjamin Franklin's kite flying adventure, that we all learned about in school, & also of dear ole Thomas Edison's, very first harnessing, with his very small, yet great invention~ "let there be light, bulb"!

So where are we now, well we've come a long way, but need to go further in the right direction of conserving fossil fuels, & learning more efficient, & affordable ways of tapping into what our one sustaining star has to offer. Solar, solar, solar, our way to a more sustainable path in our quest for renewable, clean energy, & true independence!

A Happy & Enjoyable Labor Day, to all the working, & former working people of this vast ~

United States of America!

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© Mother Lightning of Mother Lightning's Peace Garden

United Nations Community Art Show, This Work Created by the Children of Pomfret, For All The World~

Celebrate International Day of Peace

Sunday September 18th, 3-5pm

at B'nai Shalom

125 Church St., Putnam, Ct.

Rain or Shine

Music, prayers, peace pole, & children's activities

*Please be sure to bring a nonperishable food item for Daily Bread.

This is a U.N. Sponsored event, & organized by,

the Greater Putnam Interfaith Council

We hope you'll be able to join us, for what promises to be a most special time!

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© Mother Lightning of Mother Lightning's Peace Garden