*The Five Year Anniversary Of This Iraq War*

On this special day my comments are brief yet consistent:  I will forever believe that human beings have choices-- kindness over evil, truth over lies.  When I was a young nursing student at Hartford Hospital in the late 1960's one of the formulas that was taught to us in a Pharmacology course in order to come up with a correct medication dose was the formula of-- desire over have [noted as d/h].  It has now been decades since I've worked in any hospital setting & have not needed to access the hows of this formulation. It has always been said in the Nursing Profession-"You loose what you don't use.", nonetheless I do put to use aspects of that formula when problem solving on a much different level.  For today the topic is timeless-- "War & Peace", a topic far older than any of us on this planet.  We desire peace & we have the ability to make this happen. 

Human beings will forever desire & yearn for peace, that is our purest & most natural state.  At this time in history may the families, friends & loved ones of the dearly departed we honor & remember today-- find comfort & peace in knowing that the people of this United States of America will forever hold their loved ones in a very special place of honor, respect & love.  

*Amen*  

March Winds*

Life for me at times is often like these March winds.... turbulent & unpredictable, as nature can be.  The reasons for this, for each of us are individual & personal, yet the winds present their patterns as they circle our globe, as so do our unique makeups.  We will forever be the compilations of who we once were as children & who we've evolved to become-- always becoming,  always moving-- our moving forward in the sands of time, the rings in a tree-- we are of them, they are our silent witness.  Our time here is of course momentary [on a universal scale that is] & not so unlike the heaving & flustered rustlings of our trees along the walking paths & deep in our woods.  Different yet still alike.  Alike in the way we too are forced to move with the winds, to not be too stiff or rigid, or we too heave & break from forces stronger then ourselves.  We too are of nature, which includes of course our natural natures within.  

In my observations of nature including the plantings & growing of a garden, what I've learned is a reflection & a reminder of how it is I live.  It's been about a decade since I've begun this gardening journey & with every season there is something special to appreciate & to learn.     Spring for me is the best, for it is with spring we regain that hopefulness of revisiting what we already know is simple, yet complex in beauty & charm.  No matter the winters we've come from & no matter the shadows of our former selves, we are renewed with the promise & hope of sunnier days & gentle yet beautiful colors to come.

As I slowly make progress in weeding out the excess of inner clutter including the dust that collects & is a continued challenge, all it takes is a walk outdoors, feeling the crisp air or rearranging some decorative gardening stakes or funky sculptures I've acquired, even assembled.  All reminders of the peace & enjoyment of a childhood past-- those limited sandbox days with just the right amount of water mixing into mud, all just so-- to create a child's view, my view of perfection, a masterpiece.

Daffodil spotting's have been discovered in newly planted spots, new since yesterday.  The plan here is to learn how to up load my photos into this computer, & to then learn how to in bed them into this ongoing Blog, which of course is a main aspect of what is intended--to continue to learn new things.  On today's walk I told my husband that one of the main childhood stories that says it for me on many aspects is "The Little Engine That Could",  for as unique as we all are, we've all climbed & continue to climb our series of mountains & hills--"I think I can, I think I can." Life of course is not intended to remain child's play, but it is the lessons of our childhoods that can continue to serve us well if we are willing to take heart & to grow, in the unique ways we are intended to as individuals.   One size will never fit all, just as there is no quick fix to creating a lasting peace.  It does & always has begun with the individual, to the treating of our own selves with dignity & respect for in that way it is a natural to give it to others.  Creating healthy families, healthy households that are capable of going forth in a positive way, hopefully it is a positive in the & healing our world.  Whoever our next president is may their problems in childhood been overcome, for we've seen what we've gotten from an individual who's remains laden with unresolved family issues-- & how they've taken these dysfunctions onto the world stage.  So many a world leader has been cast from these molds.  The history of the history.  Yet it is approaching springtime & we can remain hopeful--- good will always beget good as humankind will forever reap what it is we sow. We are fortunate in many ways, & though in the past we may have wondered how can one person's vote count, we now know it definitely does.  Let us count for something good & awaken from this long winter knowing we can make this better-- in our own lives, with our families, our towns, our state, our country & yes the world.  Once a child of the 60's we are that forever-- we are positive thinking people  & "Flower Power" for spring or any season's fashion-- will never go out of style! 

I wish you all a gentle end to this year's winter & the fulfillment, joy & hope of our coming spring. 

       

Presidents Day 2008* Taking a Lead From My Heart

Hi everyone!  Yes it's been a bit of time since my last posting & this one is to be a short sort of jaunt with more eventually to come.  Since my last note I've read  "The Glass Castle" by, Jeannette Walls- it was highly recommended by a friend.  I also recommend this excellent memoir.  It is the life story of a modern day woman who taught herself to overcome in a way that goes beyond my ability to accurately describe her bravery & fortitude in a world that one would honestly exclaim--- "How can this be true? !"  A *must read for the social scientist that we are.  Thank *You Jeannette Walls- for sharing your most personal story, it renews my hope & faith.  When you over came, we all over came-- beyond the frustration, starvation & the tears, we your readers were given much more than we can ever say.

Valentine's Day  '08 has also come & gone.  During that week I set aside some time to bake & share with those near, dear & far away-- my grandmother's --on my father's side, her ruggles which I've recently renamed-  "Grandma Anna's Newly Twisted Coney Island Rugula".  I will be sharing this recipe & the how's & whys of this project at a future entry to come.

Since my last note there have been a few issues that have weighed heavily on my mind, that too I will eventually share, for as much as we all live our private lives with our own thoughts & deeds there are some aspects of our human condition that are of the commonality---  at times referred to as the "collective consciousness".   Just learning the term "collective consciousness" some 20 years ago during a child development course, definitely had a liberating effect on my thinking mind.  Yes we are unique in this world-- yet we also have sooo very much in common with one another.  We all thrive in what is positive & good, & wither without the basics.  Humankind will never live by bread alone, no matter how tasty, how sweet.  Why else would we blog, write plays, books, movies, poetry, songs & prayers of comfort & hope.  Our "collective consciousness" knows the answers to that of which we continue to explore.  No matter the faith or non faith we were brought up in, the commonality of us all will forever remain, and as the years go by--"newly twisted" is nothing more than that-- a different take on what was old & has become renewed.  Again I end with the word--Ahava, which is hebrew for love.           

*Today Is Wednesday- the Morning After*.....

 "Super Tuesday" was definitely jam packed with interesting peeps.  My husband & I voted early in the day, most of our extended fam* voted throughout the day with our law school student son having all ready sent in his absentee ballot.  Our history student son came back home to vote & also consumed most of what was left of the eggplant parm from the night before. [He said it was good.]  We are uncertain if our eldest cast a ballot yesterday?  As a dem I can't say I'm disappointed for the choices.  My true hope is that the American People elect a President who not only supports, but implements  "Peace & Human Rights".  Enough of our spreading ourselves all over the world.  Let's strengthen our internal boarders -- on Land, Air & Sea--as we consentrate on the problems at hand-  National Security, Health Care & Education.  Families of all makeups & mixes are at continued risk, let's concentrate on finding creative solutions to the problems of all sorts of poverty -- the majority of children are not able to pull themselves up by their boot straps as neither are the elderly.  We don't want or need a welfare state, we want an able bodied nation of nobody forgotten or left behind.  We can do this--  this is America--  a country of possibility & opportunity--  " From Sea to Shinning Sea! "

It will be a long, long haul to November 2008, see you there! 

Those NY Giants*! Wow!

I can't believe it, though I don't even know the score or the details, "YES" I believe they did it.  My father would be sooo proud, & so am I!  New York, New York- My home town!- East side, West side, all across the town--those ole songs still ring true--  give my regards to Broadway & all of YAZ*!

I do love my gardens, our woods & all of nature- but first & foremost, once a New Yorker-always a New Yorker.

We morph, we evolve,-- we change, but a good part of who we will always be is the child inside,  where we first learned to talk & walk, smile & shine & take in our world's for the very first time.  I am so proud & happy for my sisters & brothers of the Original Big, Big Apple!  My first Home Town!  

Gee & I said I wasn't a sports fan, well I guess in some ways I am one too.  Now to find out the details....

PEACE-- to all you fans out there, remember it's only a game.  We win some & we loose some, but it sure feels good to win.  

    

  

Super Sunday Continued*....

*Looks like I all ready clicked "enter" & my title is going to read an extra super, isn't that Super*, this super sports day!  [oye!]

What does one do when they are tapping their keys, & in their enthusiasm hits enter & now how to undo a redundancy-- it is a question, these tech. computer skills, I keep plodding away at, slow & steady... Yet life is made up of more questions than answers anyway, so I'll just have to live with it. Without tech. support my style here is basic bare bones, I will keep trying though....

Today is quite the day, for the sport of football is enjoyed by young & old alike-- it's like a national holiday in our neck of the woods & to be honest- what was I thinking ?- going to our local supermarket--  never had I seen so many boxes of corn dogs in one shopping cart, as I had today! [Actually I didn't know corn dogs came in giant boxes until today!]  In regards to team loyalties--my father was a life long NY Giants fan- we still have his jacket we lovingly gave him on one special birthday.  The rest of my family are NE Patriots fans,  & me- well I attended one of our son's Super Bowl Party's some years ago-- It was cute as he & our daughter in law had our two wee grand kids dressed in official Patriots shirts, no guessing who they'll be rooting for come their later years.  I have a special loyalty to the Giants though, as that was were I was born & raised till age five- with family roots going back to Ellis Island, Yonkers,  the Lower East Side, Brooklyn, the Bronx & Long Island.  I'm from the Bronx, so in baseball season I have many a team- the Yankees, & the Mets.  To add to this selection I also have the Red Sox as we are the proud parents of a former Boston Red Sox Official Bat Boy!  What a thrill that night was & even though they were playing the Yankees that night, we of course rooted for the home team, just like the song!

So may the better team win & please may it hopefully be with "true sportsmanship & honesty"--like a Billy Joel song....  enough with any further examples of winning at all costs, or people repeating-"Every one does it..." You know what I mean here...., really not my issue per-say, as I'm not a real sports fan, yet it's that inter- connected consciousness of all of us, as a society, not tolerating less then, of what's honest, fair & good.  I know it's an ideal, but one still worth striving for, that is how we raise our families.  Why not above board honesty &  fairness all across the playing fields?  

My sense is that the Giants are probably not favored to be the power house in this match that the Pats are known to be.  So in all fairness let the better team win.  I've said my piece, & now it's time to find my father's jacket.     

Super Sunday